All about Pinterest

When I first came across Pinterest, to say I was underwhelmed was a bit of an understatement. It seemed like yet another thing to add to the must-have-if-you're-serious-about-your-online-presence....and all too much like hard work. But then, I spent a bit of time navigating through and found that, regardless of what it was originally designed for, it's an absolutely brilliant way of collating and storing all of those inspiration pics - and even better, it links to where they were found. In other words, it's amazing. So now I'm hooked, and there's so much fabulousness on there, I can't begin to tell you. So I'll just show you. Much better that way.

via

Just a few from my boards

But don't take my word for it. Check it out for yourself. Head on over and check out my pins, and from there, who know's what you'll find. But be warned....it's a little addictive. Ok, a lot addictive. But do it anyway....you know you want to.

US vs UK Cultural Differences + Post Of The Month Club

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK

I just got wind of a discussion on November 4th at the London School of Economics

 American Sarah Lyall (New York Times London correspondent) sat down with 

Englishman Justin Webb (author and former BBC correspondent in the US) to scratch the surface 

of cultural differences between America and Britain

A few topics covered were politics, the media, raising children,
drinking, stoicism, recent protests, and religion

Touched on in the video, happiness is listed in

the American Declaration of Independence as an 'unalienable right' in
the well-known phrase, Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

To rephrase, the US government declares this state of mind not only a right and a valid pursuit
but also as important as life and liberty

Isn't that fascinating?

As a result, are Americans obsessed with happiness?

The title of my blog includes the word 'Happy'

Other blogs with the title 'Happy' tend to be written by Americans too

Americans say 'Happy Halloween' and 'Happy Thanksgiving'
{ Merry Christmas is a British phrase which dates back to at least 1565 }

Common American phrases include
'Whatever makes you happy' and 'I just want my kids to grow up and be happy'

Americans often make big decisions based on a happiness litmus test

Perhaps a US slogan could be 'Be Happy - Be, Pretend, Or Search'


I lived in Costa Rica for a few years, where their motto is 'Pura Vida'
which translates to 'Pure Life' meaning 'it's all good'


I can't put my finger on what the mantra for the UK would be
I'm sure my readers can help :)

For the readers in America, notice how often you hear the word 'happy' as you go through your day

Anyhoo, lots of food for thought in the interview

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts

The video is quite long, so view what you want...
Whatever makes you happy :)

* What is the red flower Justin Webb is wearing? Read about it here

* I believe in the video they are referencing Justin Webb's newest book, Notes on Them and Us: From the Mayflower to Obama - the British, the Americans and the Essential Relationship 

***

It's Post Of The Month Club time again, little muffins

I've extended it through the weekend, due to reader requests

I read every single entry, every single month :)

Just link up your best post from November - easy peasy

And if you'd like, add the button to your post or blog so more can join in

If you have a chance, drop by a few others to say 'hi'  {that's what makes it feel like a club}

A warm welcome to those new to linking in, those who occasionally do, and those who are here monthly

Your contribution makes the club what is it :) Thank you!

Wishing you a wonderful December!

Pretty pink posy

Heads up people - I've just added a new painting to my Etsy store! And if you're speedy, you can still snap up a 20% discount, just by entering the code NOVEMBER2011 at checkout. Here's the new kid on the block:

'Hydrangeas in Blue Vase'

fine art print

prints available in two sizes - 8x10 here, and 11x14 here

I'm off to see my besties at the post office now - for the second time today. But after that I have a date with my pool - can't stand watching the crew taunt me for a second longer. Hope you're all whoopin' it up too, wherever you are :)

Catch you soon,

PostScript: Happy Thanksgiving From The UK

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK

I thought you may enjoy some details of my English Thanksgiving yesterday

After dropping the kids off at school,

I skipped into London with some girlfriends to St Paul's Cathedral

for an American church service

Although there were quite a few tents with protester signs,

most appeared to be 'unoccupied'

Due to photography prohibited during the service,

you'll just have to picture the choir singing beautiful hymns

US servicemen bringing the American flag forward

the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom giving a speech

followed by an American pastor delivering a sermon in a typical humorous, casual American way 

As far as my eye could see, the cathedral was packed with Americans and other nationalities

We saw the secret service for the Ambassador

and maybe even some spies among us!

Being Thanksgiving, we had sushi for lunch of course :)

Yo! Sushi

I'd seen, but never tried, these conveyor belt sushi restaurants

where you pick up what you want as it passes by

The color of the container indicates price

It was fun and yummy :)

We headed home to collect our kiddos from school,

followed by cuddles for our newest family member

Bamboo, 8 weeks old

This is one cool kitty purr machine

We figured there is never a good time to get a kitten, so why not now?

He has brought squeals and giggles to our family,

ten fold

This little 'moggy' (non-pedigree) cat has a 75% chance of being hard of hearing due to its white genetics

which can create a chill'n cat who won't startle easily

Anyway, we headed over to the pub for an American Thanksgiving Dinner, 

which was loads of fun in a restaurant filled with our extended expat 'family'

I had to smile when the Yorkshire Pudding was passed around during our traditional meal

Maybe it's a little know fact the Pilgrims liked their Yorkshire Pudding?

I fell asleep on the couch, stuffed of course,

while my husband watched the Cowboy/Dolphin football game 

into the wee hours due to the time difference

It was a wonderful day to count our blessings

and certainly a memorable Thanksgiving abroad

Wishing you a weekend of thanksgiving, wherever you are!

***

Coming up Wednesday

Post Of The Month Club

with extended days

Hope to see you there :)

- all photos by me -

Linking to: Sweet Shot Tuesdays

Happy Thanksgiving From The UK

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK

Thanksgiving may be the favorite holiday of most American adults,

a day of simply sharing a meal with family and friends

Because Thanksgiving is not celebrated in the UK,
tomorrow will be a regular work and school day around here

Our family will trot off to a local restaurant serving up Thanksgiving Dinner for local Americans
eager to fill bellies with the traditional fix'ns: cranberries, turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie
{ I hope an American football game will be playing in the background too}
:)

Wishing my dear American friends & family a Happy Thanksgiving Day!

- photo by me -

A snippet of my day....

Just a little something I've been working on....

Can't sleep? Paint!

It's funny how a break in routine can spark a frenzy of activity. You see, one of my babies is off at schoolies this week. For those who aren't familiar with schoolies, it marks the celebration of the end of high school for thousands of Aussie teenagers - I'm guessing it's probably similar to Spring Break in the US? Anyway, it means hoards of kids head off, often to the Gold Coast in Queensland, for a week of non-stop partying. What that also means is a week of no sleep and endless worry for the parents.  And if I can't sleep anyway, I need to stay busy and painting for me is the ultimate stress-buster. Hence the flurry of new work - at least there's one upside to this whole situation. I'm still counting the days until my chicks are all back in the nest (four to go. And my chicks will cringe when they read this!), but until then, here's the latest - a long-overdue addition to my Martha Stewart series...oops, I mean blue and white series:

'Ming Vase in Indigo Blue'

watercolour on paper

210mm x 297mm

original on hold, prints available here in my Etsy shop

So you can probably expect a few more pieces to emerge over the next few days, as well as quite a few commissions I have on the go. Nothing like keeping busy to take your mind off other things....well, almost :) Oh, and don't forget - you can get 20% off any print in my Etsy store - even these new ones!

It's SALE time - 20% off storewide in my Etsy shop!!!!

Yes, it's that time of year again! Time to thank you all for the absolutely amazing support you've shown over the past twelve months. It's been a fabulous year, more so than I could ever have imagined, and now it's my turn to give a little something back. For the next week only, my whole Etsy store is on sale! 20% off every print, every design and every colour. All you need to do is enter the code NOVEMBER2011 at checkout and your discount will be automatically applied - it's that easy. What's more, all prints will soon be available in two standard sizes - the usual 8x10, as well as 11x14 or approx A4 and A3). So if you've been thinking of buying some new artwork, now's the time!

Oh, and did I mention there are a few brand-spankin' new prints to choose from? I've just finished a new watercolour - say hello to 'Equinox Rising':

'Equinox Rising'

watercolor on paper

11" x 14"

now for sale here on Etsy

 You can choose from my Sea Plant Series:

 This is the new Seaweed II in French Blue - just one of many sea plant paintings

click here for prints

here's how my Turquoise series looks en masse. I love how Lauren used the orange mats to make them pop - gorgeous! Image courtesy Porter Design Company of her room in the Stately Homes by the Sea Show House. Photo courtesy Peter Rymwid 

Maybe you'd like a butterfly or two?

'Petit Papillon' or 'Papillon Verte'

available here and here

and of course, my blue and white series featured in Martha Stewart Living, bouquets in vintage china, interior portraits, abstracts.....the list goes on. I also have some new and exciting paintings still to come. For the latest in what's happening, you can 'like' my Facebook page, or follow me on Twitter - that way, you'll be the first to know!

Thanks again everyone, you're the best. Seriously. See you soon with some more holiday goodies...!

Tips for Hiking with Kids

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK

Close friends know we have been dragging our kids
on weekend adventures since forever

For years our children have referred to it as 'The Prison Bus',
as they felt forced to go

Now that we live in England, the Prison Bus still takes day trips
but with little struggle

One recent weekend the Prison Bus never left
and we found we each twirled in our own little worlds in the same house,
without really connecting the whole weekend

Ever since, our family does something together for a few hours
usually in the form of a walk to bask in fresh air & bucolic views
to rejuvenate for the upcoming week

And with so many public trails nearby,
we never need to walk the same one twice

:: IN OUR BAG OF TRICKS ::

Digital Camera
Each kiddo has one and enjoys snapping away to their little hearts content
It can significantly slow down the walk but that's okay

Hello, interesting mushroom
{ little hairs highlighted by camera's flash }

Metal Detector
I first got this idea when we went on a path that specifically said 'No Metal Detectors'
Of course that made me want to run out and buy one!
Were Roman coins or pirate treasures buried there?!

Pocketknife
Obviously for older children,
my son enjoys finding sticks and turning them into spears as we walk

Walkie Talkies
The kids feel like little spies,
running ahead of us with a 'Roger That' and 'Over and Out'

Walk The Dog
The kids love racing our little Wilson through the woods and heath

Food
The idea of a post-hike ice cream or lunch at a country pub gets them running out the door

Geocaching
Best with a smartphone,
follow the compass and clues for this outdoor treasure hunting game

A Geocache is a hidden container that is registered with the Geocaching website
Varied in size, there are over a million located worldwide
Random items may be inside; if you take something, leave something

I bet there is one near you, no matter where you live in the world
{ see Geocaching.com or download app }

Remote Control 4x4
I definitely wouldn't recommend this if you are looking for a quiet walk,
but my son insisted I share this one :)

Cycling
My daughter recently took to riding her bike
and enjoys doing it any chance she gets
In England, you can cycle on bridleways but not walking paths

What tips do you have to share?

- all photos by me -

Postscript: I also want to mention Geocaches are in rural AND urban environments. Really, there probably are a few near you wherever you live in the world.

Linking to Sweet Shot Tuesdays

 

Hever Castle

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK

Once the childhood home of Anne Boleyn,
{ Henry VIII's second wife and mother to Elizabeth I }

Hever Castle makes for the perfect date with a camera

This moated thirteenth century castle in Kent is complete with drawbridge and swans

What would a castle be without a yew maze?
{ Planted in 1906 }

A variety of programs are offered on weekends
The Falconry Demonstration was our favorite

I hadn't realized birds of prey were relied upon
to capture dinner for its owner during the Middle Ages

It was impressive to watch them fly beyond our vision
and dutifully return

Other activities included long-bow archery for the willing in a picturesque setting

Over a two year span, a thousand men dug out this 38 acre lake

The result is picture-perfect

{ Excuse the romantic wash on the photo - I couldn't help myself }

Boats for hire

Yikes!

128 acres of award-winning gardens wind throughout the grounds,
including Rose and Italian gardens, nature walks, grottoes, fountains, and water maze for kids

Just over 100 years old, the spectacular gardens were planted on marshland 

We took the self-guided tour inside the castle

filled with beautiful artwork and furniture and interesting placards to read along the way

{ my quest for hidden panels and trap doors continues }

Entertaining, beautiful, and educational, 

Hever Castle has the recipe for a favorite day trip for all ages

- all photos taken by me in August -

Source & Calendar: Hever Castle

 

Artist Marcella Kaspar's Sydney home...an update

Regular readers of my blog may remember my previous posts (here and here) on the beautiful homes of Australian artist Marcella Kaspar and her builder husband, Mark Cooper. The first home has since been sold to design maven Maggie Tabberer, with the couple then going on to build an almost identical replica, albeit with a darker and moodier vibe. It's just been featured in Marie Claire Australia magazine, and I couldn't miss the chance to revisit it - it's one of my all-time faves.

Marcella's stunning peony painting has inspired me to paint my own version to hang above my bed - of course, pics will be shared soon.

One of my favourite elements of both homes is the frangipani outside the main bedroom. Another idea I've stolen for my place :)

Now, just in case you're like me and too much of a good thing is never enough, here's a little bit more...

inlay vanity and mirrors...straight to the 'dream house' file

Talented + stylish = a killer combination. Couldn't love this place any harder if I tried.




all images courtesy Simon Kenny, Content Agency via Marie Claire Australia magazine