No more pies!

shorten-pie

Previously I’ve written about having my finger[s] in too many pies. I’m now asking myself why that is so, whether it is a good or a bad thing, and what to do about it.

Too many pies: why is it so?

When I was working for the government to earn a living, I was very focused on my job. There was always too much to do then (balancing work and home life). And I tended to jump into opportunities to take on more and more work projects, so the pattern was always there.

Now I’m ‘retired’ I suddenly have the opportunity to do other things; creative things, domestic things, political things.

Anything and everything takes my interest (pretty much). So I’m finding plenty to do, see, contemplate and critique.

Is it a good thing or a bad thing?

If I have a lifelong pattern of taking on ‘too much’, what are the pros and cons? On the one hand, I’m never bored; on the other hand I have occasional FOMO. On the one, I’m learning about so many things that I knew nothing about; on the other, I can’t finish or resolve everything I start. One, I’m in a perpetual state of excitement from all the stimuli; other, potential adrenal exhaustion!

What to do about it?

That’s the question. I need to be very organised and to have some clear long-term goals. Goals that focus time and energy and interests. Goals that recognise and further support relationships between the pies.

Apple-pie order

Perhaps I start by working on apple-pie order. But then, what about the pecan, pork and pumpkin; the blackberry, blueberry and boysenberry, the key lime and kuchen; not to mention the cream and custard?

I wonder what fish-pie order would look like?

 

Image  One way to shorten pie. The best way to shorten pie. Cottolene, white, pure, wholesome. [front] by Boston Public LibraryCC-BY-2.0

Colour palette

Working with colour when I am painting or making digital works is usually intuitive. I can get inspiration at the drop of a hat and I love the process of mixing, testing and resolving colour ideas and issues.

But I’ve always found choosing colours when we are renovating quite tricky. Perhaps it is because I can find domestic inspiration in almost any colour scheme. Except green and gold.

I’ve posted this image of a painting by Juan Gris because it is somewhat close to colours that we will be working with, i.e. warm and cool browns, the tertiary purples and greys, the strong teas and weak coffees and the off-whites and off-blacks.

Le_Canigou_Juan_Gris

I created a palette in COLOURLovers and have been testing some colour accents against the ‘neutral’ scheme (see below). We’ll have a dark floor, mid tones in furnishings and lighter tones in walls. I feel pretty happy that the scheme can handle most colour accents so I can change the look over time. I have no real idea what is trending in interior design but this is warm and a bit eclectic—and we can agree on this, which is the most important thing.

renocoloursrenocolours2 renocolours3
Anyone might think that I have time to write a blog post, but really I don’t—I am procrastinating—off to pack up the kitchen!