Weekly Inspiration (25/1/21)

What an intense week. I expected to get some rest over the last couple of days, perhaps even indulge in a sabbath and take Sunday off completely, but, alas, to no avail. A day of rest and rejuvenation sounds utterly heavenly but the antics here are far from over. Nonetheless, we’ve made some real progress with my room renovation and the end is well within site. In about a week and a half’s time I shall have free rein to decorate and add my decor.

So far, my Grandma and I have been back at forth between our local homemaker’s centre in a suburb called Penrith. It’s located at the halfway mark between Parramatta and the Blue Mountains, my two homes. We make the trip both ways so often that it no longer feels like a chore or bores me overly. They have hardware, decor, furniture and lighting stores there- the whole deal really. It’s so convenient having everything in the one place when you’ve got such a big project underway. Yesterday we paid a deposit for the carpet we’re having installed. It has a woven looped design and is part of their natural wool collection. It’s on the more expensive side but the high quality and luxurious feel can’t be beaten. The carpet has now been ordered and we’ll have someone out to lay it on the second of next month.

What we’ll have to do at home is get the wall and skirting boards closest to the French doors in my room redone. They’ve collected mould and gone rotten in quite a few different sections. There’s been significant water leakage under the old carpet also. That was revealed when it was pulled up by the painters. There is a definite lack of structural integrity and the painters reckon you’d fall through the floor if you stood on that particular spot too often! Not a particularly comforting thought but at least we’re aware of the problem and it won’t be left unchecked for long.

Overall, I’ve had quite a few good finds this week. Since we’ve been out and about almost nonstop, my grandma and I have had the chance to try out lots of new food places. To name a few, I’ve had beef and cheese gozleme from my go to Turkish takeaway store, a chicken, halloumi and salad pita from Nandos, a Portuguese restaurant and a nacho bowl from Mexico takeaway Guzman Y Gomez. I’m somebody who goes through significant food phases where I’ll eat the same foods consistently for months on end. Yes, it makes me an incredibly fussy and picky eater but I can’t help myself. I do tend to fixate on and fall in love with different things easily. Anyhow, my grandma and I stopped into this homeware store called Freedom. She’s an incredible bargain hunter so we were both thrilled when I found a palm beach diffuser that was heavily discounted. It was in the scent leather and lilies which had been discontinued. Instead of it retailing for close to forty dollars, we paid a mere ten. I was thrilled but did do the customary quick sniff test to make sure I’d like what I smelt.

What still remains undecided at this point is what ceiling light I’ll go for. I’m thinking Etsy may be my best bet at finding something unique and bohemian. I have my eye on a macrame light hanging but don’t know if I should just install a light within my tassel chandelier. I don’t want to ruin the look of it by bulking up the design and placing something so small in the middle of my room. I think it’s best suited for a small, cosy corner.

Don’t get me wrong though- one headache of mine is out of the way! I finally, finally decided on a paint colour for the wardrobe doors. The interior of it will be a cream colour but the exterior a shade that is a mix between terracotta and coral. It’s called potter’s pink and I’d originally bought a sample pot of it. Funny to think it’d been lying around the whole time as my original choice. Picking suitable paint colours turned out to be quite the fiasco. I kept steering towards a dusky pink palette whilst still being wary of a bold choice like that. What I am glad I did was stick to a neutral colour for the walls, so as to brighten the space and life it rather than suffocate in endless colour. I had considered a lighter pink for the walls but now realise it wouldn’t make the space pop with such little contrast.

In order to keep to a strict timeline with this renovation project I’ve needed bucketloads of discipline and to buckle down and keep a primarily one track mind. I’d say that I’m used to keeping a fairly healthy work/life balance. I don’t overdo things and like to lean into my more playful, energetic and vibrant side. Creative work will always be my undoing though. I feel a sense of obligation to outdo my past creations, be a miracle worker and remain in a state of ease and flow, consistently balancing the old with the new. For this reason, I haven’t been the most on top of self care and my wellness practice. That’s thrown off my inner balance quite significantly and I know I’ll have to put in the rounds later if I wish to feel my best again. I found myself forgetting to follow a thorough skincare routine, brush my teeth and sleep the recommended hours. Those who know me will understand that I’m a night owl through and through but it’s rare for me not to have a lie in and take it easy in the mornings. As we’ve had workers through the house from early hours onwards, it’s just not been possible. I like to oversee my projects and know I’d need to be there if anybody had questions or wanted a decision from me.

For now, what’s getting me through is increased time journalling, cool and refreshing showers to quell the summer heat, many glasses of iced coffee, my arts, crafts and interior design magazines and lots of time spent listening to uplifting affirmations and my favourite podcasts. My go to’s at the moment are Carmen’s The Girly Girl Podcast and Lindsey Eryn’s the Daring Romantics. They cover a wide spectrum of topics from mental health and student life to the law of attraction and manifestation. There’s something for everyone and it’s great for easy listening as you wind down and get ready for bed or gently make the transition into a new day. I’ve also spent a good chunk of time planning a couple of months content for my social media feed. I use an app called preview and it’s proved to be an absolute game changer. I’ve done quite a few photoshoots lately and have enjoyed being in front of the camera as opposed to behind it. It still doesn’t come naturally to me to have to smile for hundreds of photos but I’ve certainly grown in confidence.

As I moved up a clothing size not too long ago, I’d been working on building a new wardrobe full of pieces that are beautiful, timeless and transition well seasonally. This process has reminded me of how much joy I find in all forms of artistic expression. A well thought through outfit will have you feeling like an absolute boss. You’ll be an eye catcher, head turner and make a natural statement. Clothing is not boring in the least. It’s an act of adornment and speaks to far more than just your style. Your personality, your priorities, your lifestyle choices and more are reflected through your wardrobe. If that’s not a reason to shop consciously, I don’t know what is.

As a side note, I got my hair done last week and had forgotten to show you all earlier. I really liked the cut and style my hairdresser pulled off last time so asked her to emulate that. I now have ash brown hair with blonde highlights. I remember being really into the blonde look as a younger teen and experimented so much with my hair. I’ve had pretty much every colour you could imagine. My camera roll is filled with photos of me rocking new styles each time my roots began to show through the colour I had. I’ve said no more to that and am embracing my naturally dark roots. Besides, brunettes are meant to hold their age better so I can’t complain too much!