The Concession Speech

Friends!

(Visualise that my arms are raised above my head and I am shushing the vociferous audience...of three dirty children and an overweight budgie.)

Sssh! Friends, please!

Well may we say God Save the Queen, because nothing will save (not even the Nuns at Nundah) the Fun and VJs Best Australian Blog 2011 Campaign. (apologies to Gough)

My friends, it is with a heavy heart that I write this post. We fought hard during this week of blood thirsty campaigning, but there comes a time when we must acknowledge when our good work is done.

And so, this evening I tweeted my opposition to congratulate them on their victory and to wish them well leading the Australian Blogging Community into 2011.

Although we do not see eye-to-eye on matters of blogging, I am confident that their head and heart is in the right place to steer this great blogging nation into prosperity.

I am deeply disappointed with the result, however I am not disappointed with my indefatigable team.

My Campaign Manager, MMMC who believed strongly in the dream. I thank you.

Kerry for her role in knitting campaign leg warmers. I thank you.

Mr Rooney, our loyal builder, for wearing his shorter-than-short shorts to acquire the nun vote. Good on ya'!
(check out how far his loyalty will go here)

To my dear Jason, who suffered terribly at the hands of the nudie run paparazzi....I say to you now with tears welling in my eyes, we will rebuild our lives together. We will continue to renovate the Sow's Ear to its former glory. Our hearts will go on and on and on.

And of course to you my dear readers for putting up with such buffoonery this last week. I pledge to you that I will never, ever, enter another blogging competition I know I will lose. He...he...he!

To that end, I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a happy, safe and restful Easter.

Good night!

P.S Oops! I forgot to put a list of the finalists as judged by the panel. Click here. The People's Choice is still open until next week.
PPS And I just found the perfect image for this post!

Our back door and Miranda Kerr

Vale to our distressed back door.

The inside of the back door is white. And check out the new pane of glass in the windows. It is the clean one.

It is now white.

Who is our major competition in the Best Australian Blog Competition 2011?

Given the scandalous events of the past 24 hours, Make mine Mid-Century compiled a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis of our Blog-go, Brismod-a-go-go campaign. She's a savvy one, I grant you that.

She idenitified our major threat; our main rival in the competition. It's Aussie super model, Victoria's Secret Angel, founder of KORA Organics and author of Treasure Yourself, Miranda Kerr. (She is also married to Orlando Bloom)

Yep. I am not kidding...for once.

Arrogantly, I wasn't paying too much attention to our rivals. I am now. That's a pretty major threat. Sadly, our campaign morale has gone from rooster to feather duster.

Miranda Kerr image from here
So far, her blog has 100+ votes

Brismod
So far, her blog has a handful of votes

I jumped onto Miranda's blog and read that they were nominated 13 000 times. Oh dear. I stopped myself from leaving a comment saying you only need to be nominated once to be in the running...and you could self-nominate too. Bleh!

But that would be petulant.

My friends, please don't think this will be the end of us. Team Fun and VJs is up for the challenge. It will mean we have to bring out the big guns. We will be putting our campaign efforts into full throttle.

Jason said he'll come out of hiding and face the music about the ikea nudie run in 1996. Tracy Grimshaw's producer has been calling non-stop for a tell-all interview. There could be some Jason tears. And we'll quash those rumours about Jason's secret wife in New England. (Thanks for the heads up about that rumour Jo!)

Is there anything else we could do to pip Miranda at the post for the Best Australian Blogs 2011 People's Choice Award?

Barkcloth cushion and Best Australian Blogs scandal

A groovy new cushion led Son #1 to clean up his room. Hallelujah!

He sorted his toys and books, threw out old school work and removed all the forgotten bits and pieces he had stored under his bed. We can now confidently walk into his room without trampling on a colony of Storm Troopers.

Groovy barkcloth cushion (are they Roman horses or Greek?) with new polka dot pillow case

Keeping it real with the crinkly covers.

The new cushion cover was a gift from Jo at Desire to Inspire. Vintage Roman/Greek horses on barkcloth. It looks fantastic. Thanks Jo!

As you can see, I also got my package of polka dot cushions a few weeks ago. They have worked out brilliantly and I would be happy to recommend them if you were looking for affordable polka dots.

Day Four of the Australian Best Blogs Competition 2011

It is day four of the Campaign and all is not looking well.

My Campaign Manager, Make Mine Mid Century has been busy strategising, but her good work could all be for nothing...We could not have prepared for the breaking-as-I-type scandal.

Yes, you heard. A scandal.

Apparently some old pictures of dear Jason have emerged on the Internet. It's just dreadful timing.

This is not the forum to go into the specifics. Let's just say photographs of an alcohol-fuelled nudie run through ikea in the late 90s have somehow managed to rear their ugly head.

I now understand why Jason is always reluctant to accompany me to ikea! Oh the embarrassment! It makes Kevin Rudd's strip club adventures look positively tame.

Jason has ceased all go-go dancing lessons and has gone into hiding. If the media get whiff of this, I would suggest our certain victory is looking less certain.

This is a time when we need to bunker down and focus on policy, policy, policy. How will we get the popular vote to win Best Australian Blog 2011?

The campaign trail

Yes, it's election time at the Sow's Ear. We've hit the campaign trail for the Best Australian Blog 2011 competition.

You'll be pleased to know, I've appointed Make Mine Mid Century as my Campaign Manager. We've already think-tanked the all important campaign theme: Blog do, Brismod do. (Our apologies to Campbell Newman). The mid century version is Blog-go, Brismod-a-go-go.

As well a being a great political strategist, MMMC comes equipped with a selection of cute kids to choose from and I will borrow her baby for the supermarket walk-throughs. Cute babies equals winner.

After thoroughly analysing the Neilsen data, I concluded the Cougar segment of the population is very influential at the polls. As such, If I Can Turn Back Time by Cher was selected as our theme song; shirtless Jason is our mascot. He is having intensive go-go lessons this week-end.

The Cougar strategy is two-pronged - we hope to win the gay vote too. Jason consenting to a chest and back wax impinges on our success.

Mr Rooney, our enigmatic builder, is part of the team. He will lobby the Nuns at Nundah for their support. Unfortunately, Holy Week is their busiest time of year. However, I believe Mr Rooney could distract them momentarily to get their vote, if he wears his short builder's stubbies.

I personally will court the Seniors' vote. The local nursing homes in our area will allow me to conduct internet tutorials for this largely ignored segment. I will help every resident practise internet voting skills on the Best Australian Blog Competition site. Computer literacy is a vital life skill in this day and age.

Working on my policies is the gruelling part. I fully appreciate how our PM Julia Gillard must feel. I need a winning policy platform. What do you think of this one? No Australian child blogger will live in poverty by 2020.

I know it's been done before, but I actually intend to deliver on this promise.

I'll be approaching Kerry from A Tranquil Townhouse to act as my Merchandising Manager. I hope she will rally a Granny Square Army to crochet and knit Brismod-a-go-go leg warmers. We're going for the indie/etsy vote and will be yarn bombing a street corner near you.

Typically, it's all about image when it's election time. I'm thinking of recruiting Faux Fuchsia to be my Stylist and Time Manager. If she can look immaculately groomed immediately after giving birth and still cook for a troop of people, then I need her on my team. Hell, everyone needs her on their team!

At the very least, she could impart some tips about touching up my mani.

As always, the international community has been watching my progress with interest.  My people on the ground in Canada, Germany, France, Ireland and New Zealand are mobilising computers ready for voting as I type. It's truly a global campaign.

And in breaking news, my Facebook friend numbers have jumped to 15. Things are looking up at Team Fun and VJs. It's too early to call the vote just yet, but according to the early indicators, we could very well be a shoo-in...

Now all of you, get a move on because the voting link for the Best Australian Blog 2011 is open. Vote HERE.

Best Australian Blogs 2011 Competition

You can't believe how thrilled I am to be nominated for Best Australian Blogs 2011.

The feeling to have such an  honour bestowed upon this little blog is just indescribable.

Never mind the fact that I nominated myself for the award. It is still an honour to be up there with the very best of the Australian blogosphere.

I know you guys were always intending to nominate me. After a few weeks when there was no email from the Sydney Writers' Centre notifying me of my nominee status, I bit the bullet and saved you all the trouble.

I get it. Life can become busy and sometimes you just forget to acknowledge one of your favourite bloggers.  Y'know, ME.

When it comes to the voting process for the People's Choice Award, I've got it covered. Jason promised he'd vote for me at work every single day that the voting is open. He said he will desk hop and use his colleague's computers too. Love that man to bits.

I'll also be visiting the Brisbane City Council Library religiously for their free internet access and voting on your behalf at each computer terminal.

I've always derived inspiration from elections where candidates receive 1200 votes from 1000 registered voters. Those candidates who go that extra mile get my vote, especially if I don't even have to go to the ballot box...

My Facebook mates will no doubt answer the call. If all 13 of them vote, I should be in with an excellent chance. I'm debating about whether I should tweet about it; I suspect it could become a one-horse race if I do. How unfair would that be?

I don't think I will have much chance with the judging panel though, since I haven't slept with any of them. They are probably legit and will be mainly looking at the quality of writing in this blog.

Lets' hope they turn a blind eye to the rogue apostrophe's, not goodly grammer and poor staccato-like sentence structure. The grand prize is a writing course. God knows, it would go to a worthy cause, if I happen to win.

What's the bet a very good writer wins the writing course...isn't that like Miss Universe winning plastic surgery? How much better can they get?

If I win, I'll use the prize to commence work on my autobiography My Life with VJs; my children's book Mr Rooney Renovates with Jason; my Fun and VJs cook book 4 Stale Ingredients; and pictorial coffee table book Shirtless Jason. Given that sex sells, the wordless pictorial book will be a a huge success.

And then we'll make that movie.

Bedroom progress, awards and a thank-you

New fittings for the windows

Jason added a quad border onto the built in robe so it matched the rest of the room. 

He's very pedantic about the small things.

The bedroom is completely undercoated except for the French Doors which lead onto the back deck. We'll start the top coat in the evenings later this week. It is easier to paint when the children are asleep.

Also I'd like to thank Trish from A dream house for Trish (she's in the process of designing and building a home in the Hunter Valley) and Lou from The little house that could (she's renovating an 1880s Queenslander in the outer suburbs of Brisbane) for giving me a Sunshine Award. Thank you so much for thinking me worthy of this award and for reading my blog.

To accept I need to reveal seven things about myself. I've done this before here and I've also done one for Jason here...

Thankfully, I'm thoroughly fascinating....so here's seven more interesting things about moi:

1. Over the years, I've studied Mandarin, Italian and of course French as a hobby.
2. When I was learning Mandarin, one of the guys in the class would later invent the Furi knife and another guy would later become a federal Member of Parliament. Little did they know what a famous blogger I would become!
3. I own a set of Furi knives.
4. I used to work as a coat and handbag girl at a City nightclub when I was at university.
5. I played the cello at high school. Averagely.
6. Jason and I were married within ten months of meeting and spent more money on the honeymoon than we did the humble little wedding.
7. Jason and I attended the same large high school (two years apart) but did not know each other at all until we met several years later at work.

As you probably know by now, I don't like to tag other people. I'm the weak link in the chain. Sorry. Again, if I am a follower, leave comments or have you on my blog roll, then you know I like your blog. It doesn't get any more complex than that.

Finally, I'd like to say thank you to Kylie from Flying Ducks. I won a double pass to see the new French film The Hedgehog (Le Herisson) from her blog giveaway. Kylie writes a great little blog about her life and apartment in Brisbane and has been featured in Apartment Therapy and Design Sponge.

Jason and I saw the film last night at Palace Centro. What a gem of a film! It's a moving story about friendship, love and life set in an elegant apartment building in Paris. We would both highly recommend it if you wanted to see a great film.

I won't make a hash of the plot description. The Sydney Morning Herald has a review here if you're interested. You won't be disappointed.

Thanks again Kylie!!

Awards and Jason revealed

There is some very important business to attend to - the business of award(s) acceptance. Yes, you saw, awards because there are several!!

I'd like to thank the lovely people who have given me The Versatile Blogger award. Sarah from  Molly's Maison, Nellie from McCarthy Designs and Michelle from Paper Tree Design.

I never realised my versatility until now - it has been reaffirmed three times!

Actually, I do love getting awards. There is nothing better than to know people read the blog and like it. Thanks a million. It is very much appreciated.

As I've already revealed interesting fact about myself here, wouldn't it be really fun is to reveal seven interesting facts about Jason? He is developing a bit of a following...in his mind...

Seven things about Jason you might find interesting:

1. appeared in a number of feature films. You may remember him from such productions as Bible Squad, No Smoking, Sh*t List and Random Violence III. His Director is now a mover and shaker in the movie industry on the strength of these films, while Jason's acting potential was never fully realised. (They were amateur short films and no nudity was involved.)

2. possesses an encyclopaedic knowledge of military history. Name a battle, any battle. There are limited uses for this talent.

3. was asked to pose nude for a photographic exhibition after finding fame on the Brisbane Blogosphere. Nudes on iconic chairs. Oh and he's considering it. Seriously.

4. lived in a small country town near Toowoomba as a young child.

5. does not watch sport. He does't even know the names of the State of Origin Captains. Seriously, when he is invited to corporate boxes, he goes for the food and bluffs his way through the night.

6. remembers clearly the Queenslander home that his parents owned in Fairfield before they moved to the country

7. had brown hair, before his genetic history robbed him of his fine mane. He shaves his head now but most of his friends think he's a blonde.


I need to nominate 15 people for this award and because I'm a weakling, I always opt out of this part of the award acceptance. It is very hard to single out just a few....

I have updated my blog roll and there are a few new blogs, so why don't you check them out. I read them.

Also, you may have noticed there is an ad on my blog. Sorry if it offends you. I'm just experimenting and working out what to do with the blog.

I laughed when I saw it. Mickey Mouse is perhaps symbolic of my ability to generate advertising revenue!! No doubt an omen.

Tulips and awards

I bought some tulips today. Pink ones. 

These flowers called out my name when doing the grocery shopping this morning.  Good Friday and Holy Saturday are such sombre days that beautiful things are needed to decorate this old house.

On another beautiful topic, the lovely Lesley from Life at Number 10 gave me a Sunshine Award.

How cool is that? It is so nice when people acknowledge that they like reading you. Thank you so much for this award, Lesley!!

1.Put the logo on your blog or in a post

2.Pass the award on to 12 fellow bloggers

3.Link to the nominees within your post

4.Let them know they have received it by leaving a comment for them

5.Share the love and link to the person who gave you the award

As you may already know, I'm not really great at giving out awards. Most of you have already received this award and most of you read the blogs that I read.

So, if you write a blog and I read it and/or leave comments, it means I think you rock. Really, you do.

However, I will mention a new blog I'm following which I think is really cute.

Travelling with Ana

It's a blog by a 3 month-old baby girl who will be travelling quite a bit this year with her jet-setting parents. Ana hopped on the plane to New Zealand earlier today. South America is also on her travel itinerary.

Yes, this child will be better travelled than me by the time she turns one. Lucky girl!

Anyway, it is a new little blog which is a bit of light fun. And who can resist a back-packing infant?

Award acceptance

A cute 60s jar which I adore

Okay. I'm very slack. I received a Kreativ Blogger award last October from 5 minutes just for me and then promptly forgot to do what was required of me. Then last week I got another award  (A Fabulous Sugar Doll Blogger Award) from Dreaming in Pink with Roses which reminded me of my previous negligence...

And getting the awards really did make my day  -  they are from two of the sweetest bloggers I read.

My only problem is that I am too shy to give these awards to other bloggers (despite being a serial commenter) and the bloggers I want to give the awards to were already sent the award by the person who nominated me!! Far too incestuous.

So, here is my half-arsed attempt at accepting my awards:

Kreative Blogger Award:
1.Thank the person(s) who has given me the award - Check
2. Copy the logo and place it on my blog - I'll pass on that
3 Link to the person who has nominated me for the award - Check
4 Name 7 things about myself that people might find interesting

 1. I have an arch enemy
 2. I studied Journalism and French at University
 3. I am half Tahitian and half Italian
 4. I have three elder brothers, no sisters
 5. I suck at proofing my own writing
 6. I have a bad habit of not finishing my sentences, mid -speech. Or is that early dementia?
 7. I used to be in the Spilt Enz fan club - Frenz of the Enz.

5 Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers - just go to my blog list - if you are on the list, it means you rock.
6 Post links to the 7 blogs I nominate. Check
7 Leave a comment on each of the blogs to let them know they've been nominated.... -if you read me, you don't need me tell you.
 
The Fabulous Sugar Doll Blogger Award—Rules:


1. Post the AWARD. Pass
2. Don't forget to mention the person who gave you the AWARD. Check
3. Tag and distribute the AWARD to 10 Fabulous Sugar Dolls. Read my response to #5 above
4. Write 10 fabulous things about yourself that you want to share with other Fabulous Sugar Dolls.

I'm only going to do three because you can check the other seven above:

8. I play chess to win (therefore I don't play with anyone older than five four)

9. I can draw portraits

10. I believe I will be rich and famous one day (I've only realised it won't be through blogging).

5. Don’t forget to notify the Fabulous Sugar Dolls about their AWARD and post a link to their blog. Again, you make the bloglist, you rock!

But in all seriousness, thank you Natasha and Teresa for the awards. I am so happy that you thought of me, but even happier that you read my blog. Cheers!

The Homies 2009

I've been enjoying discovering new blogs from The Homies 2009 awards hosted by Apartment Therapy. There are some very cool blogs out there.

I've put in my two cents worth. You can check out who made my list. Being stylish on a not too outlandish budget was a particular criteria for me since that is my holy grail with our house renovations...

What amuses me most are the people who nominate themselves for the award and then mobilise their friends to vote for them as well. Hmmm...reminds me too much of school...

The awards are a really good idea regardless of the outcome. There are lots of creative and interesting people writing about their experiences which always makes for a good story.