Decide What You Want

IA Challenge - Primavera

2012-03-01T13:45:00.000Z

I know!
Three posts in as many days!
What is going on???

I blame on the sunshine...(!!)

On it being a new month, and the clear signs of a new season...

I had to get out on this beautifully sunny day... taking pictures as I went...
And hoping, on my return, to be able to create something for this week Inspiration Avenue Challenge...

Primavera - the first green...

And here it is...
My first, ever, photocollage!!

(click on the image to enlarge)

What do you think?

Does it make you feel happy/uplifted/hopeful??

Wherever you are, and whatever your weather today, I hope this little piece of England will cheer you up :)

ENJOY!

Writing Me - I am...

2012-02-29T11:33:00.001Z

I've decided to do this fun project with the others over at Bigger Picture Blogs.

I simply respond to - no prior writing/thinking about - these statements

Let's see what emerges... right here, right now, in real time....

I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend...
I wonder how everyone survives each day...
I hear birdsong...
I see pictures, light, the space between...
I want to be a good wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend...
I am a soul in human form.

I pretend to be happier than I am...
I feel heavy, yet light, burdened, yet carefree...
I touch plastic keys while reaching for truth...
I worry too much, but there's A LOT to worry about...
I cry easily - at poetry, at beauty, at the daily news, even at commercials...
I am a tender soul feeling through each day.

I understand pain and heartache, and the need for peace...
I say too much on the surface and not enough of deeper things...
I dream of souls touching souls...
I try to find the words, and usually fail...
I hope to learn to be more open and honest, and to trust myself...
I am a traveller.

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - A Happy Week :)

2012-02-28T12:03:00.003Z

Hello again!
Where do the days go??
How have you been? Have you had a good week? A tough week?

As you can tell by the post title, I've had a fun, happy week - generally...

Here's my two favourite girls enjoying an evening in front of the TV :)

It's not a great shot - our camera's not the best with low light - but I think you can pick up the relaxed, loving vibe going on... :)

Last Wednesday, I spent the afternoon and evening with a dear friend over from Wales...
We had a wonderful time catching up on books - she's a librarian - TV shows, films, chit-chat...
She brought me these beauties...

The lilies have opened up in the past few days, and are filling the room with their heady perfume *sigh*
And I did some research on Google to find the name of the blue flowers... they are Purple Lisianthus, and they have the softest petals ever... like velvet... *double sigh*

Flowers and friends... precious moments to enjoy again and again, even when they've gone back to deepest, darkest Wales... :)

On Sunday, my part of the world stopped for football... Liverpool in their first cup final since 2006, their first visit ever to the new Wembley... and 4 hours coverage on the BBC :)

Nick took this pic of me and Henry before the match started...

... Liverpool scarf on, snacks prepared, optimism high...

Thankfully, Liverpool did win, but it was one heck of a match, finally decided on penalties, after a 2-2 score after extra time!!

And the story of the day - Steven Gerrard (captain of Liverpool) consoling his cousin Anthony Gerrard who missed his penalty kick, which cost Cardiff City the cup... poor kid :(

Then yesterday, my new magazine arrived...

I've not renewed my other magazine subscriptions this year :(

But this one was a bargain (subbed by the BBC)...

I'm embracing the fact I'm in my 49th year... and while I haven't yet succumbed to watching the Antiques Roadshow on Sunday evenings, this is actually a very interesting read...

With an article on 'Empire Marketing Board posters'... I love this one by FC Harrison...

... and one on 'Chocolate Collectables'...

I never knew the first chocolate shop opened in London in 1657... or that chocolate houses sprang up to compete with coffee houses to be the meeting places of the gentry in the 17th-18th centuries... or that Fry's made the first solid bar of chocolate in 1847 and the first British chocolate Easter egg in 1873...

186 pages packed full of scrummy photos and interesting articles - I just know I'm going to really enjoy 12 months of this magazine :)

So, that's all my fun news of the week...

The only downer was my physio appointment on Friday...

My hand is just too tight to even try the saeboflex at the moment *sigh*, so my only hope is to get more botox (hopefully in March), and try yet again... *ho hum*

But what about you?

Can I fill up your coffee mug or tea cup before I settle down to hear your stories of the week...??

Virtual Coffee - Happy Shrove Tuesday!

2012-02-21T11:25:00.001Z

I don't know why, but I've always loved Shrove Tuesday...

Maybe because pancakes were such a treat growing up! My mother always cooked full 'meat and two veg' meals - very good for us, but rather worthy :)

The above picture is from Delia Smith's Complete Cookery Course, as is this fool-proof recipe....

Delia's simple, clear instructions got me through college - sadly, I didn't get my mother's cooking gene :( - and my hardback copy died about a decade ago... this is a well-tabbed paperback version :)

How do you like your pancakes?
I'm a simple soul - sprinkling of sugar (fake diabetic variety!), with a squeeze of orange juice :)

My daughter - who did get the baking gene - usually makes herself Scotch pancakes, rather than the crepe variety...

So, of course, Lent begins tomorrow...

I'm not a great give-something-up-for-Lent person, but I will read this every day throughout the 6 weeks...

... and make time each morning to ponder Richard's wise words...

Now, to other news and chit-chat... by the way, does your coffee need a top up? Another biscuit?...

... I had a very exciting parcel arrive last week...

It was from artist Kate Boyce, in Hebden Bridge, and I was one of the VERY lucky ones to win in her giveaway!! And this is what I won...

It's one of Kate's stunning lampshades from her etsy shop House of Chintz. This one's called 'Buddleia of Suburbia' - the photo certainly doesn't do it justice!!

Also, this week this Amazon purchase arrived...

It's a children's paperback of the Greek myths as retold by Ann Turnbull, but I bought it for Sarah Young's stunning illustrations...

Again, my photos don't do them justice, especially with all the glare!! But can you work out the stories??
*Answers at the bottom of the post :)

I discovered Sarah's work through her etsy shop, and while I cannot afford her proper prints, I can enjoy her work in this book :)

And I adore the Greek myths - I had a Ladybird version growing up, and it was one of my must-read bed-time books, and Jason and the Argonauts was an absolute favourite film!!

And I cannot end the week's news without mentioning the 6-1 win over Brighton on Sunday :) Sadly it wasn't one of the matches shown on TV and enjoyed with my Dad, who came over for the weekend, but I've enjoyed the highlights!!

Almost forgot...

Here's my Inspiration Avenue Challenge entry I made yesterday... and you can read about it here...

Phew!! This has turned into quite a post!!

Thank you for stopping by and letting me spout away :)

I'm now popping over to Amy's to catch up on the others' news of the past week...

Hope to see you next Tuesday :)
xxx

*Theseus and the Minotaur, Pegasus the winged horse, and King Midas :)

IA Challenge - Texture

2012-02-20T16:43:00.002Z

I confess I just couldn't get excited about last week's 'Diva' challenge, but I had no problems with this week's :)

I adore texture in clothes - slub, rather than smooth, silk; around the house - cord cushions on our leather sofa; and of course, in artworks!

Here's the journal page I did today...

I added found elements to a previously painted page...

a piece of painted sacking, topped with a piece of painted paper
cardboard letters
a piece of painted corrogated cardboard, topped with heavily painted, and scored, card, topped with a ceramic heart button

Trouble is, of course, digitally you cannot see the depths of the different textured elements :(
But hopefully, you can get the idea...

Can't wait to see what the others come up with...

But I'll drop by The Inspiration Avenue on Sunday to see... :)

A Thoughtful Thursday...

2012-02-16T10:51:00.001Z

I have actually posted - for the first time in almost a year! - over on my other blog The Leave-Taking...

I am, indeed, having a deeply thought-filled Thursday, even as life goes on around me - the kids are home for half-term...

I am finding a quiet centre amid the noise and bustle...

Wishing you the same...

xx

Virtual Coffee - A very busy week last week...

2012-02-14T11:14:00.002Z

... so I'm hoping this week will be slower and gentler... *sigh*

And I'm looking forward to a lazy chat over coffee...

I'm being VERY indulgent today - a large homemade cappuccino and an iced bun (this is for a dear Yorkshire friend, who despairs that Brits now call them 'cupcakes'!! She's on a one-woman mission to reverse the Americanization of Britain...)

Anyway, news...

Well, we have survived the cold spell that gripped the East Coast, and have gone from this on Friday/Saturday

to this

Crazy weather!!

Thankfully, before the weather turned bad last week, I was able to meet friends here for a girlie lunch

(Images here and below from their website)

The White Swan at Blyth, just 30 minutes up the A1, and what a lunch we had!! The food is deliciously favourful, and beautifully presented - my kind of food :)

*sigh*

We all had three courses(!), and took our time, chatting and laughing and catching up - THE best kind of therapy!
My body may be struggling with the cold weather and lack of physiotherapy this past week, but my soul is good :)

Speaking of which, I entered the IA Challenge again this week. My entry is not high art, by any means, but it IS meaningful...

You can read my explanation of what it means here

Nurturing ourselves with friendship and sharing our stories, is surely what Valentine's Day is really all about - rather than the commercialized, lovey-dovey drivel we see around us in the shops???

Spending time with people you care about - whether they be family or friends (virtual or real) - sharing stories of fun or heartache, is love in action. Love as a verb, rather than a noun, that's what I want to celebrate every day regardless of the date :)

Looking forward to catching up over coffee at Amy's...

With my love xxx

IA Challenge - Here Comes the Sun...

2012-02-12T10:00:00.001Z

I so wanted to participate in this week's Inspiration Avenue challenge, not least as we're in deep snow and there isn't much sun to be seen on the East Coast of England right now...

So I got up early, and spent some time with this book, hoping inspiration would strike...

... and this is what appeared...

It's not exactly, 'here comes the sun', but bear with me as I explain...

In the Peaceful Pause at the end of chapter 1 of Your Truest Self, Jan Lundy guides you through a meditation to welcome the Divine One in... the 'sun', if you like...

Experience your in-breath and your out-breath moving slowly, like a sweet vapor drifting through the sacred space. Blessing it. Sanctifying it. Making it holy ground for the Divine One to be housed within you...

And as I did the meditation, a really pictured this light growing in my solar plexus, it was turning and and glowing, radiating warmth and light...

The solar plexus chakra is often seen as yellow, like the sun... it's your centre, midway between your heart and your navel, your core...

On a physical level, for me, this is my weakest point after the stroke... my physiotherapist has been working for months to improve it, and my core stability... it's why I struggle to stand straight and to balance...

But, this morning, as I meditated and drew and painted, this is where I saw the sun move in... where I sensed the Divine taking up residence... where I know warmth, and light, and ultimately strength, do dwell in me, on the coldest and darkest of days...

I have made a temple, at my centre, and the sun has come... Amen...

...

Groundhog Day - The worst sight...

2012-02-02T09:59:00.003Z

Woke up to this...

And to make matters worse - the sun keeps shining in bursts!!

This means that when Mr Groundhog appears from his burrow, and sees his shadow - not to mention the snow!! - he'll go right back in, and winter will hang around ANOTHER 6 WEEKS!!!

And we Brits can't just dismiss this quirky North American holiday, for according to Wikipedia, its roots are British...

As the light grows longer
The cold grows stronger
If Candlemas be fair and bright
Winter will have another flight
If Candlemas be cloud and rain
Winter will be gone and not come again
A farmer should on Candlemas day
Have half his corn and half his hay
On Candlemas day if thorns hang a drop
You can be sure of a good pea crop.

Typical!! We've had grey and wet for weeks, and suddenly, it's cold and bright...

Think I'll just go back to bed - till March!!!

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - Needing some warmth and cheer...

2012-01-31T13:19:00.000Z

... so I'm choosing a steaming (and dribbling!) hot chocolate today...

It's a cold, grey, drizzly, bleak day in the UK, so I need as much comfort as I can get *sigh*

So, I'm so glad you've dropped by!!

What can I get you? More of the same? Or would you prefer a refreshing lemon tea??

I hope you've had a good week...

Mine's been mixed... fun and not-so-fun...

The fun, first...

Well, my beloved football team did it on Saturday - they knocked their fiercest rivals (Manchester United) out of the FA Cup - and the whole match was live on a terrestrial channel!! Bliss :)

Then, on Sunday, I entered the week's IA Challenge (you can see my entry here), and can you believe it (I couldn't!), it was chosen as the winner!! Here it is in the Red Carpet Gallery...

Such excitement over the weekend somewhat made up for the disappointing news on Friday - my hand seems not to be responding to the saeboflex... the two physio appointments last week were very painful...

But, I've just had today's session, where another physio massaged and mobilized my hand, which makes it feel wonderfully relaxed She has a theory, which she hopes to try out on Friday, so we'll see... all may not be lost...

One more but of fun to end with... I've finally got some boards up on

There's a little button on the left side bar (just under the clock), but I'm warning you, it's seriously addictive! And do let me know if you have boards up, and I'll check them out :)

Now, tell me about your week? Fun, or not so...? Either way, it's lovely to share our stories....

IA Challenge - Letters of the Alphabet

2012-01-29T09:01:00.001Z

This week's Inspiration Avenue challenge is all about art and words...

I know a picture is supposed to be worth a thousand words, but sometimes words add a further dimension...

I've always been highly verbal, and losing my speech after the stroke in 2007 was devastating...

But I was lucky and it slowly returned after many hours of patient speech therapy... At first I spoke with a Scandinavian accent - an unusual, but not unheard of, phenomenon - but this past year, I've come back to sounding just like 'me'...

So words are very important to me - as is art! - and I was determined to participate this week. I got up even earlier than usual (admittedly, hubbie's snoring was a contriubuting factor!)...

This is so not what I intended to create, but here it is...

The stamp is from my Teesha Moore stash and basically says it all... Click on the photo for a close up to see the words more clearly...

Friday Fun - Things I'm loving...

2012-01-27T10:05:00.000Z

This dvd, which I finally watched the other day - it's adorable, wonderful, and so, so true to itself... and, of course, I love the music...

and you can listen to a selection of other songs here :)

These wise words in my email, especially on the day The Royal Bank of Scotland (bailed out by tax-payers, I might add), awarded their chief-exec. a £1 million bonus... Here's the Guardian's take on it...

My beloved Liverpool (I've been a fan as long as I can remember, and have a signed photo of Steven Gerrard on the living room wall!), finally getting to a cup final (first time in six l-o-n-g years *sigh*, and first time EVER playing at the new Wembley) beating Manchester City on Wednesday *hooray*

Now all they need to do to knock Manchester United (their bitterest rivals) out of the FA Cup tomorrow lunchtime...

And finally, this book...

Every page is full of gentle wisdom - Jan speaks my language! - and I shall be mentioning it A LOT as I've signed up for Jan's year-long e-course, which starts in March... The book explores 12 spiritual truths - one a month on the course...

1. I am free to live a spiritual life of my own making.

2. I trust my body's divine connection.

3. I choose thoughts and feelings that honor my sacred self.

4. I engage in daily practices that nurture my spirit.

5. I cultivate compassion for myself

6. I experience the Divine in everything and everyone.

7. I know divine assistance is available to me at all times.

8. I acknowledge that difficult times bring healing and deeper wisdom.

9. I can create my life anew each day.

10. I trust the divine timing of my own unfolding.

11. I courageously speak and live my truths.

12. I open my heart to others and celebrate our Oneness.

I don't know what to expect, but I have faith...

This lovely is made by Rebekkah Griffin at Canyon Moon Designs...

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - Late again...

2012-01-25T09:52:00.001Z

I simply cannot get it together for coffee while I have physio on a Tuesday, so here I am sending belated coffee love your way...

First of all, I must share this beauty with you...

Earlier this month I joined in with Micki's art swap over at The Secret Hermit. I sent her a little something, and she sent me this original piece of art. Around the face are the words 'When she sang her own song, the world stopped and listened'.

I added the silk ribbon and she's hanging on my art cupboard to remind me I can only truly sing my own song...

I just love Micki's soulful artwork. I already have this lovely on my mantelpiece...

and this little Soul Searcher hangs on my lamp

And now I MUST draw the winner of my giveaway...

I only had a few comments on the blog, but several non-blogging friends asked if they could join in...

So, in good, old-fashioned style, I put all names in a coffee cup...

... and drew this one...

So congratulations Rachel, I'll be contacting you through Etsy to get your address :)

Now I'm parched and need to make some real coffee and join the others hanging out at Amy's...

Many thanks for dropping by xx

Mindful Monday

2012-01-23T13:17:00.001Z

(picture copyright lakedistrict.gov.uk)

You are that which you are seeking...

St Francis

Deus meus et omnia (My God - and all things)

Franciscans' motto

Just pausing... to ponder... and prepare for the week ahead...

Reading this book...

Richard Rohr is becoming a virtual spiritual director for me... his words are wise and gentle... they arrive in my email box daily... this is today's...

And just to say, i'll be drawing the winner of my giveaway tomorrow... last week rather passed me by with physio appointments and seeing friends...

Here's a reminder of the goodies...

.
.. a bit of bohemia... a handmade drawstring bag (roughly 8" x 5"), a handmade blank, coptic stitch book (the bohemian storm one), and a small, lined moleskine cahier painted by Cara Buchalterat Octavine Illustrations.

Wishing you moments of mindfulness today... xx

A Psalm for Martin Luther King Day

2012-01-16T10:02:00.000Z

Psalms 15

Lord, who can be trusted with power,
and who may act in your place?
Those with a passion for justice,
who speak the truth from their hearts;
who have let go of selfish interests
and grown beyond their own lives;
who see the wretched as their family
and the poor as their flesh and blood.
They alone are impartial
and worthy of the people's trust.
Their compassion lights up the whole earth,
and their kindness endures forever.

(A Book of Psalms, translations by Stephen Mitchell)

In my email box today from Panhala...

Friday Fun...

2012-01-13T13:13:00.003Z

Well, having tackled a real bookcase, I decided to do it virtually....

How do you like the new, streamlined blog??

I decided the bookshelves in the background were just tooooo busy and distracted from the important stuff....

I also updated my Goodreads shelves and I'm loving this

I love seeing the creative spaces people work in :)

And as I am writing this, another book arrived in the post...

Sophie's first book is one of my favourite cookbooks, and I can't wait to see what wonders she's created for this one, and I just love her little biographical snipbits along with the recipes - and the photography is just delicious :)

Well, this is just a wee, end-of-the-week chat. One of my intentions for 2012 (I'm not a great resolutions person - too much Anglican guilt when I 'fail'...) is to blog more regularly, and comment more on the blogs I read...

And if you have a moment, do comment for my giveaway...

And here's one of my favourite songs to enjoy - I just love Birdy's album, and can you believe the girl's not yet 16???? What a voice to be blessed with, what depth of expression *sigh*

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - Belated Greetings and a New Year Giveaway!!

2012-01-11T09:52:00.001Z

Sorry it's a day late, but I soooo wanted to share coffee with you to celebrate the beginning of 2012 and the end of the demon cold *hooray*

Finally, I'm feeling almost human again...

This has been an important part of my recovery...

... homemade Christmas chocolate - 71% cocoa content packed full of healthy fruit and nuts - I've left you a few pieces - help yourself :)

The reason I missed coffee yesterday was a physiotherapy appointment...

I'm now getting physio twice a week for the next few weeks to finally get a good go with the saboflex...

It's very demanding - physically and mentally - but the hope is regular use will 'remind' my brain what my right hand's for...

It's an exciting way to start a New Year!!

As is the renewed energy after the horrible cold... and I'm tackling my bookshelves...

There's a pile for the charity shop, and I've listed a number on Amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/shops/storefront/index.html?ie=UTF8&marketplaceID=A1F83G8C2ARO7P&sellerID=A37YXMO5UEZA90

So stop by for a browse when you get a few mins....

During my cull, I've found a number of pretty things, so I'm offering these as a giveaway...

... a bit of bohemia...

There's a handmade drawstring bag (roughly 8" x 5"), a handmade blank, coptic stitch book (the bohemian storm one), and a small, lined moleskine cahier painted by Cara Buchalter at Octavine Illustrations.

Just leave a comment saying hello and I'll put your name in the hat :)

And do drop by the other lovely coffee people gathering over at Amy's...

Virtually Coffee Tuesday - Coffee Before Christmas...

2011-12-20T13:46:00.002Z

Every day i get an inspirational quote from values.com, and this was yesterday's:

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand, and for talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.

Dame Edith Sitwell

and i add 'virtual coffee with friends' :)

So how are the festive preparations going? Are you managing to keep sane? To get a few moments to yourself? To enjoy the moment...

I am in a much better place than last week :)
Most of the gifts are wrapped and what needed to be mailed has been, and we have gifts under the tree...

And i have had an early xmas gift...

i managed to get into the only clinic this month in our area for botox treatment, and yesterday i had the injections in my arm. Usually it takes several days to kick in and give me some relief...

this was my hand last week...

... painfully cramped and tight...

and this is it already today

... i've never known it to relieve my hand and arm so quickly, and i am sooooo grateful! The release from pain is truly wonderful :) And it means i'll be able to wash it properly and get my nails cut...

Truly i am grateful for living in the 21st century and in a western country with access to medical care!!!

So i will wish you a very merry christmas, happy times spent with those you love, and above all good health and, if illness or accident do strike, good medical care...

With much love xxx

Enjoy the coffee chat over at Amy's...

Virtually Coffee Tuesday - This 'n' That...

2011-12-13T15:34:00.002Z

Can you believe in two weeks' time, the whole Christmas shin-dig will be over and folks will be back at work??
And I've still got gifts to buy and then wrap and mail... *help*

But there's always time for coffee and chat :) Especially on a cold, blustery day...

Molly has the right idea...

... curled up on her bed in front of the fire...

... and the candles are already lit as it's so gloomy...

This is an after-lunch chat - the morning evaporated in buying last-minute gifts online and trying to remember where I've put/hidden gifts already bought...

This is what I had for lunch - pure comfort food...

... a mushed banana sarnie and a mug of tea :)

This was always my favourite Saturday tea-time snack as a kid watching Dr Who with my Grandad :) Rounded off with a slice of whatever cake Grandma had made earlier in the day...

But nowadays it's more fruit instead of cake, but I was spoilt for choice...

... I chose a pear :) What do you fancy??

I must show a new addition to my new-found teddy obsession...

His name's Pip, and nobody else bid on him on ebay - poor little guy - just because he's lost some mohair on his chest and arm...

Well, I couldn't resist that little face, and he was an absolute steal!! He and Henry have been eyeing up my sandwiches... I confess, they are rather teddy-bear-picnic food!

And, I received this beauty in the post yesterday...

My friend Poppy M always sends plants to brighten the dark yule season. This is a campanula - it still looks a tad shell-shocked from the journey, but hopefully it'll like the kitchen window sill...

Well, my coffee's now cold, and the present-wrapping/card-writing beckons...

I hope you're managing to keep on top of Christmas preparations, and more importantly, managing to find a few quiet moments each day to remember what it's really all for... light and warmth and love in a sometimes cold and hard place...

Amy hasn't put the VC list up yet, but she does has tea and berries from yesterday :)

Update 7.40pm (GMT) - The VC list is up :)

Virtually Coffee Tuesday - Beary Happy...

2011-12-06T14:14:00.004Z

... First, I want to say a big thank you to those who left comments and sent emails re. my last post...
Thank you so much - all your words mean such a lot...

I am feeling much brighter this week...

E decorated the tree on Saturday, so the house feels cosy and festive :)

The kids' initials decorate the tree every year...

E made this little guy about 10 years ago - she loved her Hama beads!

... and she's never liked the angel topper I use, so this little chap has pride of place this year :)

I am in a very beary mood, since I was given this gorgeous young man the other day...

I think our relative meant for him to go to the kids... but they weren't interested...

His name is Henry, and he's settled right in...

... and today he got his very own bear...

He arrived this morning and is beautifully handknitted by the lovely Rowan at BearBovis... I think he'll help Henry feel right at home :)

As a child, I never had a bear...

I did receive a huge, orange Merrythought bear for my first birthday - I've seen pictures - but he stood over 3 feet high and growled, and I was terrified, so he was banished to the attic...

I retrieved him years later, thinking our kids may like him... but they were terrified too, so he went to the charity shop... :(

But now I have Henry, another Merrythought bear, but he's the perfect size (about 18 inches), the perfect colour (golden), the perfect weight (he's beautifully solid), and now at the ripe old age of ??, I have my very own bear - and I couldn't be happier :)

Do join us over at Amy's for more coffee chat...

Virtually Coffee Tuesday - In a reflective mood...

2011-11-29T11:36:00.007Z

... for many reasons...

Nick and I went to the advent celtic service in the village church the other Sunday. It's always been my favourite service - candle-lit and laity-led. Before the stroke, I used to help lead services...

And on Sunday, I started reading this book

I hope to write more on my other blog following my responses to what I read, as I know I'm experiencing deep stirring changes, which I need more time to think about before I attempt to verbalize them...

But these words struck me from today's reading: 'God loves us as adult partners, with mutual give and take, and you eventually become the God that you love' (italics in original).

Needless to say, this provokes deep reactions in me as to what this could mean on so many levels - as a theology graduate, a former committed Anglican still angry with the church, as a soul seeking some understanding...

And I'm still pondering an item of news that has dominated UK papers - the apparent suicide of Gary Speed, former footballer and national coach of Wales on Sunday - he was 42, married with two teenage sons, and had only been on the TV programme Football Focus on Saturday...

(photo copyright The Guardian)

I was listening to the radio, awaiting the commentary on a football match, on Sunday as the news broke... the shock and disbelief of the radio DJ and his guests were palpable...

What depths of despair the man must have been in...!! Apparently his wife found him hanged in their garage 7am Sunday morning... How could he have disguised his torment so well from colleagues and the public as he appeared on TV only hours before...? And the question that touches me most - how could the despair have been soooo deep as to leave his wife and children in this way...?

As a natural melancholic - it is my default position since childhood - I have experienced my own share of despair, and even seriously considered suicide after the death of Connie, our daughter who died in utero at 30 weeks in 1993. I had already lost two babies in the first trimester, and the grief was unbearable...

Yet, I did bear it with the love of my husband, my parents, my friends...

At the time, I had no desire to live, but I felt I couldn't inflict more pain and grief on them... and that glimmer of humanity/compassion/love kept me going...

So to think that this gifted, talented man was bereft of even that glimmer, is heart-breaking... and my thoughts are with those he left behind...

Linking up with Amy and others over at lucky number 13 - - - - - - - >

Virtually Coffee Tuesday - I'm still here...

2011-11-23T08:50:00.002Z

just...

it's been a tough few weeks healthwise...

finally, found i had an infected tooth which was removed last week...

still in discomfort, and finding it hard to eat, which is playing havoc with my diabetes *sigh*

so actually, virtual coffee chat is just perfect :)

and i wanted to wish you all a very happy thanksgiving *big hug*

it was always my favourite holiday when we lived in the US - all the love, and none of the hype and over-expectation of christmas (i've only whispered the 'c' word, so you don't get too stressed...)

and i have to say, i am thankful...

i have a beautiful family and wonderful friends.

i have warmth and shelter - it's turned a lot colder in the past week in the UK from the mildest november in 300 years!

i have access to dental and medical care.

we have food and drink in the pantry, and shops a short scooter ride away.

and i have a precious molly cat on my lap as i write, who has kept close by in the past week, as she knew i was struggling, proving love and understanding don't need words...

but here's one, anyway :)

PS almost forgot... make sure you google something today... what fun!!

Friday Fun: A Fantastic Fellow...

2011-09-30T10:15:00.001+01:00

I felt I needed to post about this incredibly talented chap, Danny Mansmith, as I received a piece of his work yesterday...

This is the back of the envelope...

The front was more amazing, but I thought I'd better not reveal to address to the world...

Inside was another envelope (right), and an original sketch (left)

Inside this amazing envelope was the art book i bought...

Can you see the little guy peeping out??

And finally, here's Dan's handmade, unique business card - another work of art!

What a generous fellow he is :)

I confess, I want a dozen things from his amazing etsy shop - there's scarves, coats, collages, books, drawings - creativity just flows through his every pore!

And if you don't believe me, just google his images!!!! Talk about eye-candy! Your eyes will pop :)

Have a happy Friday - we're enjoying a heatwave in the UK at the moment - the glorious last hoorah of summer :)

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - Our gorgeous boy...

2011-09-27T14:23:00.002+01:00

... turned 16 on Sunday... growing from this (age 2)

to this

Here's a better picture of him with his girlfriend, Anna

Having polished off the BBQ his dad prepared and cooked, we all settled down to watch this dvd

The language was a bit of a shock (!), but it was a very funny film, once you blocked out the puerile swearing...

(my brother, Jon, and my dh, Nick)

For some reason, I didn't got a pic of my dad or Esther...

After the movie, folk drifted off to do their own thing... and I had a nap and dreamed of here where I attended a Summer School to study Ancient Greek when I was 16... It was the first time I'd been away from home, and was where I realized I didn't have to settle and marry the boy from down the road (as my mother wanted)... and my escape route was to study hard, and eventually be the first person in our family to get a degree.

And it was when I was 16, I discovered Pink Floyd (whose music can collapse time for me like no other...) and this has the be the most appropriate track to share as I revisited my 16-year-old self on the day my boy turned 16...

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - Autumn Warmth...

2011-09-20T20:32:00.000+01:00

Here's the view from my seat on the sofa...

Here's the flowers my dad brought me at the weekend...

And here's the stones I've 'collected' over the summer to help my morning meditations...

Upper left is from Elaine at RedorGrayArt and says, 'Be patient with yourself'.

Upper right is a beautifully painted stone from MonicaMarks.

Lower left is a hunk of chalcedony I've had for several years...

Lower right is a handmade mantra stone from Hank at In the Company of Saints. It bears the Greek word ἡσυχία which means 'stillness', and is the perfect shape to hold in my hand while gently rubbing the word to remind me to be still...

Hope you're embracing the change of season and keeping warm... enjoy sharing coffee over at Amy's...

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - Autumn Winds

2011-09-13T15:18:00.001+01:00

The windy weather in the UK continues - though we're not as badly hit as the West and North...

My lack of energy - and words - continues, but I can still meet you for coffee... Join us at Amy's...

I'm just focusing on the small and precious moments...

Annie Lennox has the words - enjoy!

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - Not the best company...

2011-08-30T10:19:00.004+01:00

... at the moment...

Got myself too tired, too stressed to talk, to reach out...

But I'm back at the computer, just to say hello...

Somehow, in my absence, the summer left, and autumn crept in...

(Blackberries my dh gathered yesterday... he's going to make jam... )

I don't have much to say, but I wanted to meet you for coffee and listen to your stories of summer...

And just to make you smile...

Apparently, we can eat more of it - it's official!!

I see Amy's got the link up... come join in :)

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - A Fun Weekend

2011-08-09T14:26:00.003+01:00

Well, I've had a lovely girlie weekend up in beautiful Yorkshire with my friend's Andrea and Tina - Andrea lives in Wormald Green a lovely little hamlet between Harrogate and Ripon. Here's the view from Andrea's bedroom window...

On Sunday, we visited Ripon Cathedral. We weren't permitted to take photos inside, but here's one from their website of a beautiful sculpture...

Having worked up an appetite, we enjoyed lunch at a nearby brasserie - Andrea insisted she didn't want to be photographed, so here's just Tina and me...

We've known each other for 40 years having met in Brownies :)

After lunch we went back to Andrea's, Tina took a bracing walk around the area, I read the papers and Andrea watched the rugby (a game I simply do not understand...).

That evening we settled down to enjoy this movie...

It's absolutely beautiful, and Elsa Zylberstein looks incredibly like Modiglani's wife Jeanne (unlike Omid Djalil who played a young Picasso...). We all thoroughly enjoyed it :)

Well, those are the highlights of my lovely weekend - so what did you guys do? Anything fun?

Do pop over to Amy's and join in the stories, while I have a little nap as I'm still recovering... :)

Inspiration Avenue Challenge - The Forest for the Trees

2011-08-04T11:56:00.000+01:00

I had such a great plan to make a mixed-media collage of ALL the tree photos I've taken - I've got a canvas ready - but our printer won't play ball :(

So my gorgeous boy showed me how to make a basic digital photo collage...

It's called The Four Seasons - obviously :)

PS I'm away for a girlie weekend till Monday, but I hope to have enough energy left for coffee on Tuesday... See you then x

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - Bits 'n' Bobs...

2011-08-02T15:13:00.001+01:00

Hello again :)

This is an afternoon coffee as I've spent most of the morning at the diabetic clinic *sigh* But I was very helpful, and the new regime seems to be working...

So, how's you???

We can actually sit outside with our drinks if you'd like... it's a true summer's day... warm with a gentle breeze...

We've got some lovely flowers blooming, though I've no idea what any of them are... other than just beautiful :)
Any ideas???

And we can even enjoy music while we sit on the patio... I've finally entered the 21st century... A dear friend sent me an ipod shuffle a few months ago, and the kids have shown me how to put my CDs on iTunes... Then at the weekend, Nick got a cable so I can play the ipod through my beloved Bose...

Can you believe this little thing has 20 albums on it???? We've got a restful mix of Adele, Jamie Woo, Angus and Julia Stone, Damien Rice, Bill Withers, Iron and Wine, etc., etc...

Also, at the weekend I got some goodies for my art desk... If you remember from this post a couple of weeks ago, my brushes sat in an Alphabetti tin, but not any more...

I got the blue vase/brush holder and the funky dish/brush rest from the lovely Nicky's etsy shop - how pretty is this glaze??

Well, before I hand over the chatter to the rest of you over at Amy's, I'll leave you with my new favourite book, My Heart Wanders by Pia Jane Bijkerk. It's just perfect for sitting in the garden, chilled glass in hand, drooling over the exquisite words and pictures...

My pics don't do the book justice, but you get the idea :)

And I've used this little paper heart token at the back of the book as a bookmark :)

Inspiration Avenue Challenge - It's Tea Time!

2011-07-30T07:26:00.000+01:00

I decided to re-use (I'm not going to call it 'cheating' this time!) a drawing I did back in February...

My clever, clever plan was to paint it different strengths/shades of tea...

Clearly, I've never used tea before - not even to do those often-convincing 'aged' pages - so I had no idea how incredibly pale even the strongest looking cold tea appears on the page... *sigh*

But not to be deterred, I decided to do a two-page spread - paint the drawing with watercolours, and tea-stain a second page and stamp an appropriate message...

And voila!

What do you think??

You can see I need some more practice with stamps... applying the pressure left-handed is still a challenge...

And the label is from the yogi tea I had at breakfast, and reads 'See the soul and divinity in everybody'...

So, tea does make everything better :)

Thursday Thoughts...

2011-07-28T11:21:00.000+01:00

How to express my thoughts and feelings at the horrors in Norway at the weekend, as a mother of teenagers?

I simply couldn't...

So I put Back to Black on the CD player and made this spread in my journal yesterday...

... focusing on the loss of a talented young woman, while saying a prayer for all the mothers who lost their children to a madman's gun...

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - A Busy Week...

2011-07-26T14:41:00.001+01:00

Hello again! The days just whizz by, don't they??

Well, the kettle's on - I'm guessing everyone wants a hot drink - it is c-h-i-l-l-y here! *brrrr*
I'm convinced we had our summer back in May...

Oh, and there are lots of scrummy biscuits in the barrel - just help yourself :)

Well, now we have our drinks and biccies, shall I tell you about our busy week so far?

Kids in the UK have finally broken up for the summer *phew*

And we got to see the last Harry Potter film - though not as a family as I'd hoped...
the kids went with their respective friends on Wednesday (half-price tickets), and Nick and I went on Friday...

picture copyright fanboyz.net

Still, it was a fun evening - early showing, then dinner - and it was nice going out just the two of us :) One of the perks of the kids being almost 16 and 14!!

Then, Saturday was an early start for mother and daughter... as I took my gorgeous girl to have her ears pierced! She was been wanting them done since she was 10(!!), but I managed to persuade her to wait till she was a bit older... and now, she's soooo happy and I'm the best Mum in the world - for now :)

Then on Sunday, we all met my dad for lunch here (they do a very nice roast dinner!), and E went home with Grandpa for the first week of her summer hols... and I'm trying not to miss her too much...

Given what a fun weekend I had, I couldn't quite see where this came from in my journal pages yesterday... but that's the subconscious for you!

I know I quite deliberately wrote 'monotone' rather than 'monochrome'...

I think I was half-remembering the re-run of Vincent and the Doctor on TV at the weekend (my absolute favourite Dr Who episode, btw), and Vincent saying he could hear colours sing...

E and I watched it on Saturday afternoon, and maybe, I just can't hear colours sing while my girl's away... *sigh*

Now, can I get any refills?? And yes, there are more biscuits :)

And we can settle down to hear your stories from the past seven days... it's all happening over at Amy's...

Monday Music - Can Never Beat the Original...

2011-07-25T08:10:00.002+01:00

... sorry James Blake fans, but this is how it should sound, though I do like his video :)

Inspiration Avenue Challenge - Wings

2011-07-21T14:37:00.002+01:00

Now, I must confess to cheating a tad...

I decided to finish a picture I started for the IA Angel Challenge a few weeks ago, which I never completed...

I'd done this drawing in my regular sketchbook...

... of this painting by Rosso Fiorentina (c. 1520) in my Angels book by James Underhill (Element Books Ltd, 1995), p. 86.

I decided to paint the drawing using the unused gouache paints I found in my newly released art supplies, which had been trapped in the garage by dh's 'shed stuff' for the past year!

This is how the drawing looked yesterday...

I can tell you now, gouache is not for the faint-hearted!

I love it's opacity and strength - much more fibrant than watercolour paint - but it shows every single brushstroke... and once it's on the paper, that's it, no lifting, smudging, or even painting over...

Added to that, I'm still learning to control a brush left-handed, and fine work is still rather beyond me! (btw the picture's roughly 5x7in on ordinary drawing paper)

However, this is it completed today...

I am my own harshest critic, so all I can see are all the mistakes... but generally, I have to say, it's not bad as a first attempt with a new medium... and I'm quite proud of the little forearm strumming - it almost looks realistic...

But what do you think? I'd love any feedback... :)

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - The Lovely and the Not-So-Lovely...

2011-07-19T10:54:00.003+01:00

Wow! It's been a week already?! Where do the days go???

I know a week is a long time in politics - especially this past week with all the phone-hacking-NoW-Murdoch-police-bribing scandal developments, but it's a long time in Blogland too...

It's been a real up-and-down week in my patch...

So, to start with 'The Lovely' of the post title... I got this beauty in the post last week from the lovely, talented Jo over at Gemheaven

It's a style she calls a mermaid's purse, but this one's extra-special to me, as I provided the stone...

Since the stroke, I haven't been able to wear my gorgeous carnelian Da Vinci ring and it's been languishing in a cupboard for four years... Then earlier this year, I read on Jo's blog how she does custom work and often refashions stones... Isn't she clever??? And aren't I clever to reuse and enjoy an old favourite?

And I want a pat on the back, or at least for you to raise your coffee mugs...

Ta-da...

Now, I'm not going to show you my art cupboard... ah-hum... but I do have a tidy desk and space to make things :)

Here's a couple of close-ups...

My favourite photo of Marilyn by the wonderful Magnum photographer Elliott Erwitt. I know his shot of her standing over the air vent in that dress is the more famous, but I love seeing the bookish side of her more:)

And the tools of the trade :)
A little bit of card that says, 'aspire to be' - can't remember where it came from... and a miniature by the multi-talented Cathy Cullis which reads 'another deep day'... just to inspire me and remind me what is important...

And a wonderful set of gouache paints, which I never got to use before the stroke... It's a medium I've always wanted to try, and yesterday i did...

I did a page in this wonderfully recycled journal made by artist Julia Reyes. I love it's grungey look and the fact the pages are made of paper bags :)
I didn't feel at all 'precious' about spoiling it, as I made this collage yesterday...

(you can click on the photo to get a clearer look)

And so to the Not-So-Lovely part of the week...

I have been feeling rather under siege... vulnerable... threatened... I don't feel I can talk about here, but I can show this page... made while i just let the images come as i rifled through my stash of collage materials...

It certainly isn't fine art, but it is a raw and honest expression of how bombarded i feel...
and I am proud of the fact that, for once, I didn't worry about making a 'nice' picture... I just immersed myself in the process and was truly surprised at what came out...

So, how are you?
Has it been a good, or not-so-good week?
Have you made anything?
Expressed yourself?
Or just laid back and had fun with the kids... :)

Our kids break up for summer on Friday - finally! And hopefully, we're off to see the last Harry Potter film on Friday night to celebrate...

And do join the others over at Amy's!!

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - Giveaway Winners Amid the Chaos...

2011-07-12T16:34:00.002+01:00

Hello again...

Well, it's Tuesday, and the kettle's boiled, so while somebody makes the coffee and tea, i'll get straight to the lucky winners of my giveaway, and then we can chat over coffee...

Thank you so much to all of you who left comments, both on the post, in emails and on Facebook...

And the first winner, who gets to choose which journal she'd like is....

... the ever-lovely Kate, over at The Queen of Creativity. I'll drop you an email, Kate for your choice of journal and your snailmail...

And the second winner is...

... My very own Lil Sis, Johanna! (we're not actually related, but I've known Johanna since she was a teenager and have kept in touch ever since... :) )

So again, thank you for all your comments - I so enjoy reading them :)

Now, in other news...

This is the current state of my art area in the living room...

It developed over the weekend,as my dh finally pressure-washed the patio...

...which then meant he could take his 'stuff' from the garage into his beloved shed... which then meant we could get at my art supplies, which have been trapped on the far side of the garage since we moved last year... which meant I spent Sunday unpacking crates, and this is as far as I've got...!!

It was like meeting long-lost friends - all my stamps and pads and books and papers and...

And having been inspired by Lisa, I shall slowly organize it all and show you the results... though, I can't promise it'll be by next Tuesday...

Anyway, you now know what we did over the weekend, how about you...? Any fun outings...? Time with family and friends...? I can't wait to hear and see what you've been up to...

Poor Amy's been having Blogger problems(!!), but finally found the coffee crowd....

Monday Music - Camelot

2011-07-11T10:39:00.003+01:00

I am so enjoying this series on channel 4, especially the performances of Joseph Fiennes as Merlin and Eva Green as the evil Morgan... though, I agree with the Guardian's reviewer, Jamie Campbell Bower's portrayal of Arthur is just not strong enough...

Sadly, I couldn't find a youtube clip of the actually opening titles - copyright issues, I'm guessing...

But you can enjoy a flavour of the music :)

Inspiration Avenue Challenge - Poetry

2011-07-08T17:30:00.004+01:00

As soon as I saw this week's theme, I knew I had to find enough energy to participate...

Sadly, what I produced with was not as stunning as I envisioned in my mind, but I hope you get the idea...

I adore this poem by W.B.Yeats! Here's a close-up of the first stanza...

And my interpretation of the line: 'Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold...'

You can read the whole poem here; and as a bonus enjoy the amazing Joni Mitchell's interpretation...

PS Do join in my giveaway to mark my 100th post and my Mum's birthday!!
I'll draw the names on Tuesday morning and announce them on the Virtual Coffee post :)

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - A Special Birthday and Post 100 Giveaway :)

2011-07-05T10:38:00.002+01:00

Today would be my Mum's 67th birthday... sadly she died over a decade ago, a week before her 56th birthday...

Like a lot of daughters, my relationship with her was far from straightforward... but there is rarely a day when I don't think of her, wonder how she would respond to a situation, wish I could call and ask her opinion...

I know she would have loved to share Virtual Coffee with you all - though she was definitely a china-cup-milk-in-first-tea-drinker - and would insist that I never invite you over unless I had decent biscuits or cakes to offer :)

Unfortunately, I didn't inherit her wonderful baking gene - though I know my daughter has, and often I wish Mum were here to encourage and advise her in the kitchen...

So, in honour of my Mum's birthday and to celebrate my 100th post, here's the giveaway I'm offering...

I have these two wonderful journals, which sadly I cannot use... and I realized I've hung onto them long enough and they need a good home where they will be used, not just admired!!

The first one is 8x10ins and from Papaya! and has both lined and blank pages, but as it's perfect-bound, the pages don't lie totally flat...

The second is a stunning handmade art journal I bought from Zorana's etsy shop several years ago. It's roughly 7x8ins, though the pages are all different sizes...

Just leave a comment here and I'll put your name in the hat :)

I will draw TWO names first thing next Tuesday morning and post them in the Virtual Coffee post. The first name out of the hat can choose which journal they prefer, and the second will get the other journal...

Of course, if you just want to say hello, and don't want to be in the giveaway draw, just say so :)

Now, how has your week been?

Friends in the States - did you have a fun 4th of July? Did you go to any parades?

I can't wait to hear your news, more coffee anyone???

(The rest of the VC crowd are linked up over at Amy's.... )

Monday Music - Happy 4th of July!!!

2011-07-04T10:23:00.001+01:00

PS and it's Post 99... giveaway planned for tomorrow's Post 100 :)

Object of Desire...

2011-07-02T14:24:00.001+01:00

Those who know me well, or read my blog regularly, know there's few things that get me as excited as a new book or magazine...

And look what came in the post today...

Now this is issue 3, but I'd never heard of it before a chance comment in an article in last weekend's paper...

I found mine at magazine cafe, but I understand it's also available in the States...

It's about the size of Vogue and this issue has over 200 pages! It's also like the big glossies in that it starts with a fair few high-end adverts, but believe me, that is the only similarity...

Starting with the cover... one of my personal bugbears with magazines is they slip everywhere - especially off my lap. But this lovely has a textured cover - how clever is that? And inside the paper is a mixture of semi-glossy pages and, lo and behold, recycled pages!!

And it's packed full of interviews with interesting women... some I've certainly heard of, like Adele and Fatima Bhutto, others are new to me, like the singer Laetitia Sadier and the artist Germaine Kruip.

Sadly, The Gentlewoman is only published twice a year :( but you can be sure I'll be getting the Autumn/Winter issue!!

PS I'm rapidly approaching my 100th post - this is no. 98!!! and I'm planning another giveaway :)
so watch this space.....

Friday Fun: Why I Love Etsy...

2011-07-01T07:55:00.001+01:00

I joined Etsy over 4 years ago, and I love it more and more...

I love that you buy direct from the creator - no greasy middleman is making off with any profits...
I love that every Etsyian I've 'met' over the 4 years is just lovely :)
I love that even in the virtual world, you can build up a real connection with the person making what you're buying. A lot of Etsyians do custom work and seem to get as big a thrill as I do buying something made just for me - remember the lovely Jenny over at this post who made me a journal...

Yesterday I got this in the mail...

How gorgeous is this?

It's my recent purchase from Barbara at Vintage Bunty - they're 'only' scraps for collage, but it's like a birthday gift :)

And like a lot of etsy sellers she included a lovely freebie

And the scraps themselves are scrummy and begging to be played with... the colours... the textures...

This is how shopping should be - a pleasure for the buyer and thoughtfulness and helpfulness from the seller - and hopefully a true, mutual appreciation :)

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - It's a tad late today...

2011-06-28T15:26:00.000+01:00

...but it's fine to have a decaf coffee after lunch... :)

Yes, I had my usual summertime salmon and salad, though I took a pic before I added the lemon mayo specially for Bodhi Chicklet... :)

It's after-lunch coffee today as I was getting a pedicure this morning...
It's a way to keep my feet healthy - a possible problem for diabetics - and it's very relaxing :)
I don't get a nail polish, instead Katherine gives me an extra-long massage on my feet and calves *sigh*

After a relaxing hour, I was ready for my morning coffee, so I went here...

I hadn't been for a couple of months, and I discovered a nearby shop had gone from a local butchers to an old-fashioned sweet shop...
Now, given my body's aversion to sugar, you'd expect me to go right past... but a sign out front declared 'selected diabetic sweets'...

I couldn't believe it! They look and taste the same as regular jelly sweets - the mini cola bottles are my favourites!! - but you must have self-control, as the invert sugars they're made of are a natural laxative!! So be warned... :)

Well, I'm already talked out, so I'll just sit back and hear all your news of the past week... and do stop by Amy's to enjoy some more coffee chitchat :)

Inspiration Avenue Challenge - Summer Sun

2011-06-25T13:16:00.000+01:00

As a hayfever sufferer, I'm not a great Summer fan... much more of a Spring and Autumn girl :)

But the one place I can find relief in the summer is on the beach... not that there are the best beaches nearby - the North Sea is pretty cold even in summer!

I was inspired to make this collage for this week's challenge using photos from last year's Toast summer catalogue - I love the contrast between the blues of the sky and the sea, and the browns of the beach...

My lovely daughter cut out the figure and the sun for me - I so miss not being able to wield scissors *sigh* - but I've got a paper cutter and today, at least, a willing helper :)

Oh, the little birds came from Rae's 723 etsy shop - part of a goodie bag she included with an art folder I bought :)

And don't forget to drop by IA - by hitting the button in the sidebar :) The challenge finishes tomorrow and the entries are published on Monday...

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - Let's take our time today...

2011-06-21T10:23:00.002+01:00

... after all, it is the longest day of the year :)

How are you all? How has this week been?

I hope you had a fun weekend... my dad and brother came for Father's Day on Sunday. My lovely dad brought me this lovely fuchsia

and these are Nick's cards from the kids

We had a fun day eating and drinking too much - roast beef and yorkshire puddings (my dad's favourite) followed by apple and raspberry crumble - YUM! My hubbie's become quite a cook these last few years :)

We oldies had a nap after lunch, but my bro took my son for a few games of pool - a great break from all his revising, bless him! And my daughter retreated to the sanctuary of her bedroom...

Nobody actually wanted anything at tea-time (!), but that means we have cakes to enjoy with our coffee this morning :)

They're homemade, just not in our home... from a stall on the market...

Anybody want my icing? As a diabetic, I can enjoy the cake just not the topping...

I've been diabetic for 12 years now. I had gestational diabetes with both kids, but thankfully it vanished when they were born... I had to have yearly checks, and it returned full-time when my youngest was two.

Generally, it's well-controlled with pills and two types of insulin - slow release and rapid release - and I keep it well in the background of my day-to-day life...

That changed a couple of weeks ago when I somehow managed to overdose my rapid release insulin, while out having lunch with my dad... I knew at once what I'd done and quickly drank a can of coke (yuck!) - there are 16 teaspoons of sugar in a regular coke can...!!

My dad was able to bring me home and stay with me. I seriously felt like death - my dad said I became a dirty grey colour - but we didn't need to call an ambulance (phew!)...

Father's Day was the first time he's seen me since, and he was pleased to see I'm no worse for wear...

But the scare has brought home to me how important conscious and deliberate care are regarding my diabetes, and I confess I probably take too laissez-fare an attitude, mainly because I hate making a fuss, and I hate the thought of ill-health controlling my life...

... which is why, I'm more than ready to change the subject...

Being in England, let's talk about the weather :)

Well, it Midsummer's Day, the 125th Wimbledon started yesterday, ergo the weather's awful - wet, wild and windy!! But there was some tennis yesterday...

Rafa won his opening match quite comfortably 6-4, 6-2, 6-2

photo copyright The Guardian

But Andy Murray - playing yesterday evening, under the roofed Centre Court, as the rain siled down - gave us the usual British-hopeful scare... losing his first set 4-6, before winning the next three sets 6-3, 6-0, 6-0...

photo copyright The Guardian

I don't know if my nerves can hold out for the next two weeks... :)

Well, if you're able to hang around for a few more minutes, I do have one more story to share...

Last week, I actually found, and won, on ebay two issues of a magazine I've been coveting for over a year!!

Uppercase is a Canadian publication and costs $120 for overseas subscribers!! (A large part of the cost is shipping as each issue is quite hefty!)

A few months ago, I did manage to find a UK outlet online - I won't name them as it wasn't the best experience - bought the current-at-that-time issue, and it never appeared... thankfully I paid via paypal and got my money back!

Rachel at It's Like Art had suggested earlier in the year, I check out ebay, and lo and behold my persistance paid off!! It's a gorgeous magazine with wonderful artwork, graphics, interviews, and bucket-loads of inspiration!

Now, of course, I want more... :)

Monday Music - If You Ever Doubted the Sheer Power of Music...

2011-06-20T08:28:00.000+01:00

Fabulously Happy Friday!!

2011-06-17T14:12:00.001+01:00

Today is a wonderful day...

I finally received a book I've been coveting for sooooo long! Friends in the US got theirs months ago, but it's only just been released here in the UK...

It's Misty Mawn's first book and it is as beautiful as the woman herself....

I've never met Misty, but I've loved her work for years...

Indeed, when I was in hospital for those 3 months after the stroke in 2007, I promised myself I would treat myself to a Misty original... which is what I did early in 2008 - once I could read and operate the computer...

She hangs in our hallway, and gently smiles blessings upon us as we go about the day... and I love her :)

Misty (generous soul that she is!) included a print, which I had framed, and it hangs in our living room...

The print is very 'Misty' and the colours and style are echoed in a wonderful addition to the book - a paper doll (!) and two outfits pre-cut and ready to play with :)

Here are more pages to feast over...

Now, don't you want to get this book???

Inspiration Avenue Challenge - So Romantic...

2011-06-16T13:58:00.001+01:00

Finally, I've got my act together to enter the Inspiration Avenue Weekly Challenge after several months of dropping by on a Monday to see what the new theme is...

I now feel able to post the IA button on my sidebar, so do press it to see what goodies the Avenue has to offer :)

So, to this week's challenge - so romantic...

Nothing makes me feel so romantic as travel and adventure...

I would have loved to be alive - and wealthy! - in the 1920s and 30s - the clothes, the hairstyles, the artwork, the architecture... I would have loved to ride the Orient Express to Vienna, or taken a Cunard cruise to New York *sigh*

This little ATC (Artists Trading Card) is one I found tucked into an old journal, dated May 2006.
I actually have very few of my ATCs, as most were made for swaps and giveaways, but I guess I wanted to keep this one :) You can see more detail if your click on the image...

I just love the little tag stamped with the Tamara de Lempicka image of this painting - an all-time favourite which I remember seeing in the States (can't remember where...) and being amazing at how tiny it was - only about 12 inches square... It still packed a punch though!
A note in my art journal says I got the tag from Fran Burras' etsy shop...
and the quote says 'You do not realize how far you have come till you look behind'...

Oh, so true...

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - Lots to share...

2011-06-14T10:03:00.005+01:00

Hello, lovely people!

I was hoping we could have coffee outside today, as it's lovely and sunny, but it's f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g!!
I thought this was 14 June not 14 March!!

So I've set up in here, in the warm... got my favourite mugs out... so, tea or coffee??

Sadly, we don't have any nice biscuits :(
but there's a few chocs left in the bowl... Help yourself while we natter...

I will even share my new favouritest chocolate with you...

I found it in the health food shop - so it's obviously extra-healthy :) - and it's fairtrade *hooray*

I'm wondering if you've noticed my new haircut and colour as I'm making your drinks and sharing my chocolate...

Three hours in the hairdressers on Saturday afternoon - I was exhausted! - but I like the results... It's got a little red in the highlights, which is closer to my natural, young-girl hair colour, from 40 years ago...

Sunday was yucky all day here in Britain - though our farmers, and gardens, need the rain. So I sorted through my art crate, which I haven't touched since we moved last August...
And I found these treasures...

I used to LOVE art journalling before the stroke, making little ATC's to swap and share...

There are lots of images of the inner pages on my old blog here - none are great as we didn't have a digital camera at the time, so they're all scanned - but you get the idea...

Sadly, I simply cannot work so small nowadays, but I have been feeling the old art mojo coming back, and so I recently bought a custom-made journal from the lovely Jenny, over at paperclayjunkie

It's 8x6", so a great size, and I asked her to keep the covers plain, so I could finish them as I wanted, and it's spiralbound, which keeps the pages flat and secure as I work...

She also included an extra smaller book (above) and fun tags (below) for days when I have less energy...

And bless her, she even included, in a plastic sleeve, some ready-cut collage pieces, as I'd mentioned I can't wield scissors any more...

The world is full of lovely, thoughtful people - just like yourselves :)

So enough about my week, how has yours been...??

PS Can I ask those of you who use Blogger for your blogs - could you change your comments to pop-up mode - then I can leave a comment... technology, eh??

PPS I've just noticed this is post 90!! How cool is that??

PPPS Amy's link is now up... enjoy :)

Monday Music - Serious Crush

2011-06-13T09:58:00.000+01:00

I've been a Snow Patrol fan for a long time. This isn't my all-time favourite track (that's Dark Roman Wine, but I couldn't find a good vid), but I like this video :)

Gary Lightbody ticks sooooo many boxes:

a gifted poet
a great singer
that gorgeous Irish brogue
that smile
that mop of hair
that...

I'll stop there :)

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - Lots to Catch Up On...

2011-06-07T18:03:00.002+01:00

I'm determined to catch up with you all...

Trouble is, Blogger's been a real *%^&£"* lately and I simply haven't been able to comment... seems to have something to do with the comments settings - hence my comments now appear in a pop-up box - so if it looks like I'm ignoring you, I promise, I'm not, it's actually 'cos your comments don't pop-up - honest :)

Last week the kids were on half-term, so the days just evaporated... couldn't tell you what we did, but we all chilled, and the kids weren't happy to go back to the early-wake-up routine yesterday :(

One piece of great news I wanted to share today over coffee is yesterday we got confirmation that we can rent this house for another year and with only a nominal increase in rent - hooray!! Sooooo relieved we don't have to look for another place for another year :) We're all enjoying the extra space and being closer to town, and I love seeing this birdhouse from the kitchen window - by the end of the summer, it will be completely engulfed by vegetation...

And I loved seeing these beauties on the way into town today. They're growing out of the pavement and next to the main road - what an unexpected delight :)

I also wanted to show you a few of my favourite books... I have these three I'll show you on the sofa next to me and I just LOVE dipping into them...

I got etc a few months ago and I cannot praise the share beauty of it enough!! It's incredibly well-produced for a mass-market book, and feels divine!!

Under the kraft paper cover are hardboard covers bound wth black linen and letterpressed...

Inside are delicious photographs - all printed in soy inks *sigh* - and the chapters are separated by glassine pages...

You really need to see it in the flesh to really enjoy it :)

Another new favourite is this - which I bought with some birthday money...

Another beauty printed in soy inks - this time by an independent small press.

Here's a couple inner pages...

It's a real treasure-house of inspiration for illustrations and great interviews with both the illustrators and the ethical fashion designers.

And a last one for today...

I've always love Schiele's figures, but I was unfamiliar with his landscapes...

But I love these... his palette is so distinctive and they look so modern - this was painted in 1914!!

This book was published by Prestel and is a lovely volume :)

So what have you been up to this past two weeks?

I'm going to pop over to Amy's and see - hopefully Blogger will be more helpful this time...

Take care and see you again sometime soon xx

Monday Music - Forget the blooming heather...

2011-06-06T13:31:00.000+01:00

... it's blooming freezing!!

Brrr! I could do with a hot toddy :)

Enjoy dear Kate!

Monday Music - Lovely Day

2011-05-30T09:41:00.002+01:00

It's a typical Bank Holiday Monday in England, i.e. raining...

So here's some some sunny music :)

I LOVED Bill Withers in my mid-teens *sigh* and still do, in fact...

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - Hope You Don't Mind...

2011-05-24T11:26:00.001+01:00

... following a route taken the other day

http://decide-what-you-want.blogspot.com/2011/05/come-aboard-for-scoot-into-town.html

... and meeting me in my favourite cafe/deli

I'm exhausted after TWO hospital appointments yesterday, but want to catch up with you lovely VT peeps...

So let's order, settle down and let the chat flow...

How are you?
Are your kids on sommer break yet? Or even half term? Ours break up on Friday...
Have you read any good books lately? Seen any good films? Been to any exhibitions?
Made any artwork or crafts? Cooked any scrummy meals?

I'm all ears...

xx :)

Being Brave and Honest...

2011-05-21T12:37:00.000+01:00

Many people and things inspire me - not least the wonderful beings in Blogland...

People like dear Christina over at A Mermaid in the Attic. Yesterday was the anniversary of her baby girl's birth and death and she shared her Lullaby for a Lost Mermaid...

Having lost several babies myself, this touches me deeply...
We only have the marker of one child's death to visit - the other three being deemed miscarriages by the doctors - but at Connie's little grave we remember them all, as they all were Never Known, Always Loved...

This year she would have become an adult(!), but to my heart and mind, she and her other brothers and sisters, are timeless...

Christina's rawly honest, beautiful lullaby echoes my own heart's song.

As does this favourite sculpture by Barbara Hepworth, which can be seen in the new Hepworth Wakefield Gallery, which opened today.

Hepworth courted controversy throughout her life - not least when she put her triplets, by fellow artist Ben Nicholson, in care when they were small so she - and presumably he - could pursue her art. As every artist-mother knows, our children inspire so much, yet they can take away the very time and energy needed to bring this inspiration to light and form...

Certainly this is Tracey Emin's view...

In this week's Culture Show she talks about her new exhibition Love Is What You Want, and describes her art as her children.

Now, Emin has never been a favourite artist of mine - her work often 'shouts' too much for me (though i can understand her inner rage, she was raped aged 13 and aborted twins when she was 18) - but she is honest and articulate and I respond to that...

As for me, I'm still not brave enough to explore my experiences of motherhood in my own art - the hurts and joys are soooo intertwined... though I know, deep in my being, that this an incredibly rich vein to mine...

Maybe, this post is the first scratch at the surface *GULP*

Come Aboard for a Scoot Into Town...

2011-05-19T14:13:00.001+01:00

I so enjoyed lunch together yesterday, I thought I'd invite you to scoot into town with me and see the sights of Grantham - such as they are!

I decided to brave the threatening clouds, as I can only get into town when Nick's working from home, just in case my less-than-trusty steed doesn't make it home...

This is the scenic route...

... a little cut-through lane out of the estate... It may not be the safest route after dark, but in the daytime, with all the birds singing, it's a joy!! And it opens onto the bowling green and tennis courts...

And opposite, is a grand Georgian house *sigh* which is now an old folks' home...

... and I had to take a couple of close ups of the wild roses tumbling over the fence...

... the bees love them...

Past the tennis courts, a playing field opens up, backed my majestic trees, which do a grand job of hiding the fast train track down to London! Sadly, they do nothing for the noise... which is always such a shock after the birdsong and the gentle thud of tennis balls!

Turning left we join the main path and road into town.
It used to be the Great North Road and was the only route to London before they built the A1 and the by-pass. It's hard to imagine stage-coaches rattling along here amid the din of modern-day traffic, but it becomes easier as the path becomes North Parade - my favourite street in Grantham - lined with lime trees and flanked by Georgian townhouses and villas *sigh*

Then into town itself...

I admit I couldn't bring myself to show all the boarded-up shops and retail units for let - it's just too depressing and too familiar a sight throughout the Western world at present. So i'll show you a couple of unique features of the grand olde towne of Grantham.

St Wulfram's spire dominates the skyline - built in the 1300s and standing 282 feet tall! Click on this link to see pictures of the inside - it is breathtaking!!

Just down the road from this shot stands The Angel and Royal, the oldest surviving English inn, built in 1203...

... and in the centre of town stands the Guildhall built in 1866 with Isaac Newton's statue standing in front. Sir Isaac was born down the road from Grantham in Woolsthorpe in 1643 and attended The Kings School, which my son now attends(!) in 1655--60.

And that, my friends, is the grand tour of Grantham!

Phew! I'm exhausted, how about you??

Hope you enjoyed it, though :)

Join me for lunch...??

2011-05-18T12:48:00.002+01:00

Feeling a tad blah today, don't know why... the never-ending grey sky? Being alone when I'd like some company?

So I put Jamie Woon in the CD player (poor boy!!) and made my favourite lunch - lightly grilled salmon steak on a bed of fresh salad with a dash of Hellman's extra-light mayo with lemon...

Having polished that off, I thought,'What I would really like right now is a hot chocolate...'.
In the pantry I always have my favourite 70% chocolate grated for such an occasion... don't you just love the Weck jar? It was full of naughty truffles for Christmas from my most favourite ever online shop.

And being a generally health-conscious girl, I used low-fat milk and naughty-but-nice low-fat squirty cream...
Of course it's not as full-on decadent as real clotted cream, but it's a just-fine substitute :)

And boy, did it taste g-o-o-d!!!!

And I have to say, having spent some virtual time with my virtual friends, I feel a lot less blah, so thank you :)

Maybe we should share lunch more often....

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - Come In and Sit a While...

2011-05-17T12:11:00.002+01:00

Hello again! I cannot believe how quickly these Tuesdays come around...

But, thankfully, I have time for a proper chat and I've taken pictures!!

And just for Bodhi Chicklet I've taken a few of the roses out the front of the house :)

I adore big, blousy roses and these are so sunny on a grey, chilly day...

And these white roses are right in front of the door...

After incredible temperatures in April, May is proving quite a shock! So I have the gas fire on...

... there are no complaints from Molly curled up to the left of the fireplace :)

We had quite a scare with her this past week - she didn't return home before we went to bed on Wednesday, so Nick left the study window open for her. We have no idea when she came home, but thankfully she was there on her cushion on Thursday morning... but when she walked over to say 'good morning' she was limping badly... Nick took her to the vet to be checked over, and thankfully no bones were broken but her claws were badly 'traumatized'. The vet assumed she'd got trapped or fell somewhere and gave her a painkiller shot... She's still not quite herself, but she's home and safe...

I realized I never showed these wonderful creations Esther made me for Mothers Day way back when... She is quite the crafter! The green crane was made at school, then she found instructions on youtube for the lily and the frog...

The bowl was actually made by my baby brother in woodwork at school and was a wedding present (Yes, there's quite an age gap between us!) I confess I cannot remember what wood it is, but I adore and treasure it :) And I do not know when or where the pinecones came from... they're almost as old as the bowl!!

And this last picture is of a birthday card - I just love it! Click on the image to enlarge and enjoy :) And in the background is a sock monster Esther made a few years ago when she first learnt to sew. It's rather delicate now, but another precious treasure...

Well, when I sat down to write this, my intention wasn't to share such treasures per se - I just grabbed the camera and started snapping - but I'm glad I have! You can learn so much from the things a person keeps in their home and next week, I think I'll share some of my favourite books! One thing you cannot fail to notice when you walk into our house are ALL the books!! The other is ALL the artwork... but those are for future Tuesdays :)

I've just popped over to Amy's and today's Virtual Coffee post is up...

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - Better Late than Never...

2011-05-10T18:43:00.002+01:00

It's actually dinner-time here in the UK, but I wanted to catch up a bit - having missed coffee last Tuesday...

I ended up being out most of the day, having received a last-minute invitation to attend a training day being run in Lincoln by Saebo and got to play with one of these!

It's a truly amazing gizmo!

Sadly I'm not able to benefit right now having recently had botox to relax my arm. But the hope is, as the botox wears off (in roughly 2.5 months), and I'm able to clench my fist again, I'll get to work with the Saeboflex properly. My physiotherapist even hopes, using the Saeboflex on a strict exercise regime (45-min session, twice a day), I may not need botox again, and hope against hope, I may even gain some use in my right hand again!!

WOW! Space-age technology or what??!!

And how have you all been? Did you US moms have a lovely Mothers Day on Sunday? We had ours in the UK back in March...

And hopefully, wherever you are in the world, Spring has finally broken through! Here, we seem to have rushed straight to full-blown summer - I cannot believe how full and richly green the trees and hedgerows look!!

If you have time, stop by Amy's and catch-up with the other Virtual Coffee-ers, and I will try again next week to have more time and more photos to share.

Till then x

Monday Music - Lady Luck

2011-05-09T09:29:00.000+01:00

I've just discovered Jamie Woon...

What a voice! Real R 'n' B - and he's English!!

Monday Music - Old Soul

2011-05-02T09:52:00.002+01:00

I love Thea Gilmore's music. She's incredibly prolific and has just released another album today.

Apparently, she wrote this song while heavily pregnant with her son. You can see an interview with her here.

We Have a Winner!!!

2011-04-29T14:24:00.000+01:00

This is the only hat I possess, but it did the job...

A BIG thank you to everyone who left comments for the give-away, and also to those who left birthday and anniversary wishes!!

And with a silent fanfare (all the trumpeters are down in the Abbey for The Wedding), here's the winner!!

Congratulations Saint Ursula!!

I couldn't log into your Typepad blog, I'm afraid, so could you contact me on my profile email, and send your snail mail address :)

But it's a long holiday weekend here in the UK, everyone's Royal Wedding crazy, so I won't be able to mail your goodies till Tuesday...

Birthday Booty

2011-04-28T09:05:00.001+01:00

I've been a very lucky girl and thoroughly spoiled!!

Even though the house is now empty with the kids at school and hubbie at work, it's totally filled with love from family and friends near and far... I am truly blessed!!

But this is the most precious gift...

How many 15 year-old boys would walk into a shop and get an egg iced for their Mum and remember she likes dark chocolate?

Truly blessed, indeed :)

And there's still time to get your name in for the bon anniversaire give-away. I'll be drawing a winner tomorrow at 12 noon BST...

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - A Quick One...

2011-04-26T08:14:00.001+01:00

Another quick catch-up, I'm afraid...

With the kids back at school today (for 3 days at least, then it's a long weekend for The Wedding...), and my birthday on Thursday, I'm meeting a friend for lunch, but I wanted to say 'Hello' and 'How are you?' and 'How was your Easter?'

The UK has been enjoying wonderful weather in April - great for the kids on Easter break - and we actually had a BBQ on Easter Day *an unheard-of event*

My dad and brother came, and we had a great time - much more laid-back than a full Sunday Roast round the dinner table :) We even had choc ices for pudding!!

The house is full of chocolate - Easter Eggs abound!! I was very lucky, and got TWO of these!! I'm a real dark chocolate girl, and I adore Green and Black's, and best of all, nobody else in the family does, so I don't have to share *hehe*

Easter is not ALL about chocolate, though, and I've been thinking a lot God and 'stuff'... there's a couple of posts over at my newest blog The Leave-Taking - there's also a button on the side bar.

And there's still time to add a comment to enter my birthday/anniversary give-away. I'll draw the winner on Friday (our 22nd wedding anniversary), while watching Will and Kate on the telly...

So it's a busy week this week, but I hope I'll have more time - and pictures - to share next Tuesday....

In the meantime, stop by Amy's Virtual Coffee, and enjoy the company :)

Monday Music - Feeling Good

2011-04-25T12:55:00.001+01:00

My favourite Nina Simone song. Just perfect for a sunny Bank Holiday Monday...

Bliss!!

Bon Anniversaire Give-Away

2011-04-20T13:19:00.001+01:00

A week tomorrow will be my XXth birthday, so I want to celebrate by having a little give-away.

These are two lined, screenprinted pocket-size moleskine cahiers - just perfect for slipping in your bag for shopping lists, reminders, poems or a minor opus...

Keep both, or give one away, and spread the joy :)

They'll come in a handmade envelope, which I kept when I bought an amazing necklace from Amanda Davie. I love her jewellery and packaging equally!

I will also include a surprise gift... as we celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary on April 29... and yes, there's another nuptials happening on that day - a slighter grander affair than our wedding party...

So, just leave a comment, and I'll pop your name in the hat... I'll draw the name of the winner midday on the 29th BST, while watching William and Kate on the telly :)

ENJOY!!

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - By beauty surrounded...

2011-04-19T10:45:00.004+01:00

It is such a beautiful day, I think we'll have coffee outside :)

This is the view over our back fence - if you lift your head a little and block out the houses on three sides... I often stand at the kitchen window and pretend we live in solitude, surrounded by pines... I don't think we'd have any worse internet connection than we seem to suffer here in the depths of Lincolnshire... but aren't these beauties majestic?

Anyway, how are you? How's your week been?

As you can tell, I'm perkier than last week... though I'm dosed up with painkillers - had botox in my arm yesterday, so everything's rather sore... Who'd have thought something vain celebrities shoot into their wrinkles could help stroke victims with too-high muscle tone? But it does, and when it's kicked in (usually within a few days), I'm a much happier bunny, with a relaxed, pain-free arm and much better posture and aligment...

Last Thursday, I spent a lovely afternoon with a dear friend. These are the stunning flowers she brought me! They're an early birthday present, as she lives in Wales, and was up in Leeds at a conference. I especially adore big, flashy lilies and these beauties just fill the room with their heady fragrance, and I love the contrasting bright yellow sunflowers - just gorgeous!

And just for you, Lil Sis, this is my attempt at a moody, arty shot... I'm really not a photographer, and we have a very basic digital camera, but I rather like this out-of-focus, dreamy shot...

And, of course, I must try and draw, and even paint, these incredible flowers... when the arm feels better...

And don't forget to pop round Amy's at Lucky Number 13 to see who else is enjoying coffee.

See you next week, and in the meantime, have a really wonderful Easter weekend - let's hope this weather holds :)

A new day, a new blog...

2011-04-13T09:59:00.005+01:00

This is a recent purchase called 'Even I dream...' from Gillian Lee, an almost local artist (she lives in Nottingham) i discovered on etsy.

I can't exactly articulate what it is about Gillian's work, and this image in particular, that speaks deeply to me - I just know it does...

The characters she paints are timeless, though with hints of victoriana... they are delicate and finely drawn, yet their faces convey an inner strength...

Anyway, I love seeing this painting every day :)

And yesterday I started another blog - it's deliberately sparse, delicate and thoughtful... and captures at least one aspect of what I'm processing right now...

Virtual Coffee Tuesday - Feeling...

2011-04-12T12:04:00.010+01:00

Hello again! I'm hoping my erratic internet connection will hold long enough for me to compose and post this...

I confess I'm feeling rather 'blah' at the moment... the joys of womanhood combined with warfarin (necessary for avoiding another stroke) means each month I get rather anaemic from the increased blood loss. I truly feel like a shadow, a wraith, a hollow shell...

I know it's temporary - I experience the same each month - and I know by next week I'll feel my usual solid self, but for right now, I feel I'm barely present, much less substantial than the pictured cappuccino...

What has brought on this virtual soul-baring? you may ask... Of all things, a quote by Benjamin Disraeli - of all people!

Never apologize for showing feeling - when you do so, you apologize for truth.

I know if we were really meeting for coffee, i'd appear paler and more tired than usual, and I know you'd ask me if I'm OK, so here's the truth...

I feel blah, and pathetic, and teary, and drained and... and...

And I had a load of things I was going to share about my week, but I truly don't have the energy...

So here's a couple of the many beauties adorning our garden at the moment, and for now, I'll just sit back and let you tell me about your week...

Thank you x

Monday Music - Perfect for a Spring Morning

2011-04-11T08:37:00.004+01:00

Having recently acquired an ipod suffle (I'll tell more tomorrow over coffee...), I've been revisiting a number of albums to decide if they cut the mustard to be on my playlist (Look at me entering the 21st century!!)

And yes, Oren Lavie's Opposite Side of the Sea does :)

Monday Music - Feeling Nostalgic

2011-04-04T08:26:00.004+01:00

The album Eden was the soundtrack for half of my time at Oxford... and yes, I wanted to be Tracey Thorn and yes, I had a serious crush on Ben Watt...

The reason for this nostalgia?

Watching Lewis on TV last night - it was set in my old college! It is just such a pretty, lovely location and, for me, evokes such sweet, sweet memories *sigh*

PS I'd forgotten I'm in Sheffield tomorrow for my arm FES appointment, so there may not be a Virtual Coffee Tuesday post, as it's a long, ole day...

Virtual Coffee Tuesday

2011-03-29T09:14:00.004+01:00

Welcome again!

I'm afraid I can only stay for a quick one... I have a busy day ahead, and I know I'll be too shattered to post anything this evening, but I figure a quick post is better than none...

I'm meeting my friend Tina for lunch (we'll probably go here), then heading for here for this exhibition, followed by a talk on the psychology of women and shoes... Tina's always loved shoes (we met in the Brownies 40 years ago!), and has quite a collection herself, and I love Vivienne Westwood, so it's perfect :)

A day out is always quite a production - not only do I have to remember the basic stuff - money, keys, mobile - I also have to make sure I have all my medication and snacks (I'm diabetic), get fitted up with my FES to help my walking, get the wheelchair ready to load into the back of the car, remember the disabled packing badge... what a palaver!!

But the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and I have a fun day to look forward to...

I hope you all enjoy your chats over coffee and I'll be here same time, same place next week, with hopefully a bit more time to natter...

Monday Music - and a Resounding Victory!

2011-03-28T10:14:00.008+01:00

Today's music is from Lykke Li. I love her blend of technopop and quite tribal/primal music. There must be something in the Scandinavian air to inspire this curious, interesting mix...

You may know Lykke from this Twilight: New Moon track...

And the resounding victory...???

Oxford won the Boat Race by an awesome 4 lengths on Saturday - even though Cambridge were the favourites with a much more experienced crew - AND the B team, Isis, won their race against the Cambridge Goldie crew.

Hooray for the Dark Blues!!

PS I discovered this great site yesterday. I've put up a button underneath the clock - click it and see which books I'm reading :)

Friday Not-So-Fun: EDM challenge no. 15

2011-03-25T14:04:00.007Z

Draw a tree or trees, leaves or branches

Well, my first attempt at what I now realize is a serious challenge... I thought humans were difficult - trees are not any easier!!

I soooo wanted to capture the essence of this magnolia. They are one of my favourite trees and I was so excited to see we have one in the garden (we moved into this house last August and I can only recognize a magnolia in its pre-leaf stage, as here).

[NOTE: the truncated branches are thanks to Nick's winter 'pruning', i.e. brutal hacking off limbs!! Thankyou, Pooja for noticing that :) ]

If the challenge of the tree wasn't enough, drawing outside is hard. Obviously, with my mobility issues, it was a challenge to get safely outside with my sketchbook and pencils, but once sat on a patio chair I was fine, and away I went... But then, by the time I'd finished the first light sketch, the sun had already moved! And trying to keep track of which line is tree and which is shadow... oh boy!

Still, as I said after my first attempt at drawing human figures, I need to keep trying and trusting I'll improve - eventually...

I'd really appreciate any feedback, especially re. the shadows on the tree itself and the fence. I can see it's not right, but can't verbalize how and where, can you??

Virtual Coffee Tuesday

2011-03-22T09:43:00.009Z

Hello! How are you this beautiful Spring morning?

I got myself organized today and set up a photo from home... Yes, I do like my Emma Bridgewater crockery, though I buy the seconds - a lot cheaper and I like the fact they're often a bit wonky :)

(I have to confess, though, I'm coveting her new Splatter range, exclusive to Liberty's, but £20.00 for a mug!! They've got to be joking!!)?

So, what have you been doing this past week? Anything exciting?

On Saturday I went here with a dear friend for the day (we've known each other for over 40 years!) It was a glorious, sunny day and we had a lovely lunch here - salmon and courgette frittate and salad, followed by naughty, delicious, gluten-free cake - yum!! And lots of fun clothes shopping - my friend's flying to Las Vegas today for a trade show and needed some smart casuals...

I've just finished reading this - more of a novella than a novel - having so loved Tom Ford's film last year.

Actually, it's been quite an Isherwood week - his home is featured in this month's World of Interiors, with an interview with Don Bachardy. And I watched an excellent BBC film Christopher and His Kind at the weekend, with a very impressive Matt Smith playing Isherwood (I didn't think of Dr Who once - no mean feat!)

My plan for the week ahead, if the weather holds, is to get out in the garden to draw - I noticed yesterday we have a magnolia tree coming into bud - and I must draw it before the leaves come through and obscure the blooms... I love magnolias - I'm always amazed such an exotic plant can survive our English weather!

So until next week, I hope you keep well and happy and come back with stories to share next Tuesday - I'll have the kettle on :)

PS Amy's now put her Virtual Coffee link up, so pop over the Lucky Number 13 and see who else is enjoying coffee in Blogland...

PPS Of course you don't have to have coffee... I do have an EB teapot... xx

Monday Music - and a confession...

2011-03-21T09:49:00.007Z

... I have a secret crush on Guy Garvey (lead singer of Elbow)...

I love his voice, his flat vowels, his passion for music, for words, for the perfect image *sigh*

Here's the opening lines of 'Lippy Kids', the second track on their new album Build a Rocket Boys!

Lippy kids on the corner again
Lippy kids on the corner begin settling like crows
Though I never perfected the simian stroll
The cigarette scent, it was everything then

Do they know those days are golden?
Build a rocket boys!
Build a rocket boys!

One long June I came down from the trees
And kerbstone cool
You were a freshly painted angel walking on walls
Stealing booze and hour-long hungry kisses...

See, sheer poetry :)

Friday Fun: EDM challenge no. 97

2011-03-18T11:45:00.007Z

Draw a present you have received. Why is it special?

A quick 5-minute sketch of a poetry book my dear friend from Santa Barbara sent a couple of weeks ago, and a fun doodle of the gift wrap it came in (done a few days ago while listening to the footie... of course...).

There are a number of reasons why it's special:

1. It's from a special person far away...

2. I'd never heard of Tony Hoagland before she sent me a poem in an email a few weeks ago.

3. I love being introduced to writers unknown to me - one of the perks of friendship :)

4. It was bought from a favourite independent bookshop, where they giftwrap beautifully - they even put a sticker over the price.

5. Their logo is a cute black cat who adorns the aforementioned sticker :)

Here's a sample poem:

Field Guide

Once, in the cool blue middle of a lake,

up to my neck in that most precious element of all,

I found a pale-gray, curled-upwards pigeon feather

floating on the tension of the water

at the very instant when a dragonfly,

like a blue-green iridescent bobby pin,

hovered over it, then lit, and rested.

That’s all.

I mention this in the same way

that I fold the corner of a page

in certain library books,

so that the next reader will know

where to look for the good parts.

Mid-Week Musings... and sketches...

2011-03-16T14:29:00.002Z

well, i've got my beloved laptop back from the shop, and am hoping the repairs will keep it going for the time being...

two more sketches done while listening to the football commentary :)

drawn from this lovely book - ahh! the bygone days of magazine illustration... and ooooh! the clothes, the hats, the faces of the beautiful people!!

i think this loose sketchy style suits my lack of precise control, and i do like the effects!

but boy! the human figure is hard to draw! so many things are wrong with the lower sketch - almost all the proportionates are off - but i'm confident the more i try to draw difficult things, the better i'll get...

please tell me i'm not deluding myself...

Virtual Coffee Tuesday

2011-03-15T12:15:00.006Z

Hello again!! I can't believe it's Tuesday already!

How are you? How has the past week been for you?

A lot can happen in seven days...

Shall we pause a for a moment to send a thought-prayer to the people of Japan... words fail, don't they...?? We are such frail beings, little more substantial than moths....

* * * * *

We've just had our quarterly inspection from the letting agents... a necessary, yet intrusive, part of living in a rental property... still, it means we can insist the kids clean out their rooms every 3 months! :)

It's also meant I've finally cleared my desk/art space, so I now have no excuse not try my hand at watercolour/ a self-portrait/ a journal page/ and a 1000 other things I want to try :)

I'm reading this book, at the moment, having thoroughly enjoyed the recent BBC adaptation. There's a great introduction by Andrew Davies, whose done some truly brilliant screenplays over the years...

On Saturday, we had a lovely family lunch at my daughter's favourite restaurant - my baby brother turned 40, can you believe?? I know I can't, especially since in my head I'm 26 and he's still a teenager... Of course, nobody remembered a camera, so no pics :( but we did have a great meal, and a great time :)

Well, as always it's been lovely to spend time with you, and to get warmed up on such a cold, damp, misty day - ah!! the English Spring....

Do drop by again next Tuesday - there's always room to pull up another chair :)

Have a safe, enjoyable week...

and do drop by amy's blog and meet the other VC bods - there's a new button on my right side-bar :)

Monday Music

2011-03-14T09:37:00.002Z

Something a bit more mainstream today...
This isn't my favourite Bruno Mars track, but it is my favourite video :) Just love the animation of the cassette tape!

Just couldn't resist this - enjoy!!

2011-03-11T13:32:00.002Z

Bummer!

2011-03-09T11:00:00.002Z

my laptop has died again, and is going back for repair :(

so no posts for the foreseeable future - sooooo frustrating!!

BUT i do have my new artists brush pens to play with and this fun book to explore, so i won't be idle :)

hope to be back soon...

Virtual Coffee Tuesday

2011-03-08T13:38:00.007Z

Welcome to my first Virual Coffee Tuesday :)

A couple of weeks ago i discovered Amy over at

Lucky Number 13 and grabbed a button (it's over on my right sidebar, but this the first time i've remembered it - on a Tuesday!! i think it's a great idea to meet with blog friends over a virtual coffee, and Tuesday's as good a day as any...

sooooo, what have you been up to this week?

How's the family/ your work/ your health/ the cat/ the dog/ the budgie....??

Seen any good movies lately?

We all enjoyed this on DVD over the weekend - really funny and only a 12 rating, so we could all enjoy it :)

my kids are 15 and 13, which makes choosing family films quite difficult...

What else....

ooooh! i picked up a real bargain this week on ebay...

i've been coveting these for months and months, but at anywhere from £70--£115, i wasn't going to get them anytime soon :(

but lo and behold, someone was selling their set on ebay, barely used, and i won them for half the price of amazon's!! they arrived safely yesterday, and when i've played with them some more, i'll post some pictures... they have beautiful brush tips, which just glide over the paper *sigh*

also, in yesterday's mail was the lastest issue of this beauty! i know i've waxed lyrical about it before, but it truly is a joyful treasure and i can't praise it enough :)

Well, that's maybe a long enough post... and i've finished my coffee... it was really lovely to meet you, and i'll hope to see you same time, same place next Tuesday...

i'll save you a seat :)

Monday Music

2011-03-07T09:55:00.003Z

this is the first time i've embedded a video, so we'll see how it goes...

i'm loving the Big C - thursdays on More4 - Laura Linney is one of my favourite actors.

last week i managed to catch who's doing the theme tune, and the Leftover Cuties are fun - my kind of music! sadly they don't have a physical CD to buy yet, but i hope they will have soon...
enjoy :)

Sunday sketch

2011-03-06T15:19:00.004Z

reading shirley's post at paper and threads, i remembered i did this figure exercise - completing the other side of a face - back in the summer. it's a great way to learn the placings/proportions of a face's features. it's drawn with ordinary coloured pencils - i'd thought they were watercolour pencils, and tried to blend them over the cheek - oops!

the image is from an old toast catalogue. i adore their clothes (and housewares) and keep all their catalogues - beautiful images, wonderfully produced - and the models are beautiful!

Friday Fun: Spot the original :)

2011-03-04T09:22:00.005Z

Finally, i've got my laptop back!! the nasty noise was a rattly CPU fan - it's been oiled, but may need replacing if it rattles again... still, much cheaper than a new laptop *phew*

i said i'd been drawing :)

playing with copying some favourite artists...

here's van gogh's landscape with cottages - it's on the cover of a great book Van Gogh: The Master Draughtsman

and my take - drawn while half-listening to the footbal commentary...

it's very freeing to just follow the flow of another's vision, but you do have to concentrate to imitate their pen/brush strokes.

Quick hello

2011-03-01T08:33:00.002Z

i'm borrowing my daughter's laptop as mine is in the repair shop :(
still waiting to hear if it's terminal - it certainly didn't sound good when the hard drive crashed!!
hence no posts or pictures since last week - for some reason i can't post from my husband's computer *weird*
but just to let you know, i'm still here and still drawing...

Trying something new...

2011-02-22T12:54:00.005Z

inspired by sue, the other day i joined the Everyday Matters yahoo group.

they have an extensive (and at times, bizarre!) range of challenges to draw...

this one is 'something that starts with the first letter of your name...

... and just to be clever, i drew the saucer too :)

Sunday siren

2011-02-20T11:46:00.004Z

I am not a has-been, I am a will-be.

Lauren Bacall

I'm sure the reason this woman is still so beautiful at 86 is this forward-looking attitude...

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-02-17T10:04:00.007Z

Everything is speaking if we listen. A rock just talks slower. It takes a hundred years for it to say one syllable. We're not around long enough to hear what it has to say.
Natalie Goldberg, Living Color 1997

Ms Goldberg is well-known as a writer - her Writing Down the Bones is a classic! But she also paints and Living Color is a memoir of what painting means to her. Her style is distinctive and is growing on me as I read her book, but what I love are her memories of what she was thinking and feeling as she painted a particular picture... Her recollections add a whole new layer to what you see in the image!

I know a picture paints a thousand words, but I do so enjoy the artists who can share their experiences in words as well as pictures :)

It's official...

2011-02-14T13:07:00.003Z

... Spring has arrived in our back garden!

It's still blowing a gale and bitterly cold, but I braved the cold and damp to capture these beauties sheltering under the far fence.

I think crocuses are Nature's true Valentine, so on this manmade holiday, Happy Valentine's Day :)

Sunday wisdom

2011-02-13T19:09:00.005Z

Creativity is life's insurance, because if you instil creativity in the smallest children, they will have no fear, because they can improvise... It's about a very subtle way to think and to realize, if this doesn't work, then i can solve things in another way; confidence and flexibility.

Li Edelkoort (Dutch trend forecaster)