Friday 23 March 2012

Meet my new best friend

Two of my favourite things in life: simplicity and speed!  Any task that can be done quickly and simply will always be first on (and off) my list and any tool, trick, method, software, app or system that makes my life simpler and moves me onto the next thing faster - I'm buying!

So no secret I already LOVE my iPad for this exact reason, and not (just) because I can play Words for Friends and Draw Something on a much bigger screen!  I'm generally not too fast on the uptake with apps though, and it's taking me a while to discover the full potential of my little buddy in his folding orange jacket. 

But for all you iPad users out there who also - like me - love throwing together the odd design scheme or two and - most importantly - changing it a gazillion times, then you simply MUST meet my new bestie ....


It's called Moodboard and for a mere $10.49 US, you can create as many boards as you like by grabbing photos from your camera roll or from the internet, creating colour swatches, adding text and moving everything around to your heart's content.

This is me playing around with some ideas for my lounge room - there's a small wall behind the Tessa chair & ottoman just crying out for a bit of wallpaper, but I want to work with what's already in the room, i.e. the Ikea rug & sofa, and the Tessa.

You can create and change schemes with this app in the blink of an eye, and just screenshot your board as you go to keep track of the options as your ideas progress.  Here's what happened to the scheme when I:  1. received a delicious red orange throw from a lovely & generous visitor (aka M the Masterchef) and 2. realised I wanted to keep my yummy teal side table in the room as well ....



Any ideas which is my favourite?
Which is yours?

Nothing quite like technology when it just works!  This has made a massive difference to the way I put schemes together, and it works a treat for clients too - pretty impressive to be able to build a scheme right there in front of their eyes!

Hope all is well in your worlds and wishing you a hassle-free weekend that moves at whatever pace you want it to.


Til next time,
Nx

Tuesday 6 March 2012

And another thing ....

... that made me go ooh recently were these bugs I found huddled on the leaf of a cotton bush at my local organic market. 



How I wish I'd had my camera with me so I could use the macro -  the iPhone doesn't quite cut in that department yet, but here's a not-quite-in-focus close up anyway.  How beautiful are the markings and the colours of these little cotton-loving critters ....


I am always inspired by nature and am constantly amazed by the palettes on show around me here in Australia ....


Gorgeous. 
Have a great week, everyone!

Til next time,
Nx

Friday 2 March 2012

Things that made me go 'oooh' this week (well, one anyway!)

It's Friday 6.30pm and I've run out of time to fit in my weekly post!  So all the splendid and terribly interesting things that made me go ooooh this week - that I had planned to tell you all about - will have to wait until next week.

What I will say is that my trip to Brett's hardware was rewarded with ooohs AND ahhhs when I just happened to catch sight of Wattyl's new colour collection - Pop Culture.

Holy Guacamole, these are good enough to eat!


Yum!  And I want to dive right into this gorgeous melting pot of colour ....


Makes me smile from ear to ear to see paint companies embracing colour and encouraging us punters to make bold choices - more please!  (If you want more please, check out Miami Brights in the Global Fusion collection too - oooh my.)

That's all I got time for this week, folks.  Last week's pleas for a return to summer weather have paid off big time - it's been a scorcher today here in Brisbane, so it's time for a cold one and a dip in the pool.

Have a fun & colourful weekend, lovely peeps.


Til next time,
Nx