Recently parted for new dreamers...

It is a great feeling when your work is admired and appreciated.
A true compliment when bought as an offering.

I often found creating for an unknown purpose or person somewhat of a challenge until a friend suggested that I focus on positive energies and imagine where or to whom a piece might go.
This was good advice.
We all have a road. a journey and usually end up exactly where we are meant to be.

The person who likes a piece enough to buy and offer or take it home finds their connection and in doing so makes one with me which is a charming exchange.

Many thanks to past, current and future customers.

THE VIBRANT KITCHEN by Anya Kassoff

This is a beautiful book, with wonderful photography and delicious recipes.

It has definitely inspired me and given me food for thought, however if I'm honest, I know that I would have difficulties getting to this level of amazing ness in my kitchen.  

I am surely capable but feel I wouldn't have time for much else.  

I know we all have busy lifestyles and as a casual teacher I may have more time on my hands than some.  

Even so, I tend to seek out recipes that have easy to find, simple ingredients, that are not too time consuming.

I love to take time in the kitchen occasionally experimenting and I sometimes feel guilty that our meals aren't always as wholesome as they could be, but many of these recipes require ingredients not available in my local area or lots of prep time, which isn't realistic during the week.

I realise it is a question of changing habits and getting into the swing of it, I've been vegetarian for over 20 years, so I understand the adaption process, but it seems so time consuming.

Nevertheless, we had fun testing out green juice, which my daughter actually liked and she is my fussy one!

There are a handful of recipes I will copy and try for sure.

Regardless of my umming and ahhing, the title is perfect, there is plenty of vibrancy in this book and I so admire anyone who can achieve such colourful, healthy eating daily.  I am quite envious!

My cooking enthusiasm has waned somewhat of late...

For the love of lists

FOR THE LOVE OF LISTS

Through creative writing I discovered The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon, a beautiful collection of intimate writings by a Japanese woman of honour from the 11th century, made into a film by Peter Greenaway.

I can't remember if this was the beginning of my list writing, though I can say that I have written many since and find they are a wonderful tool for anyone who writes.

Here is a list of some of my list titles!

Places where I've slept

In my bag

Things I like (looking at the moon, tickling my children, feeling tall, cafe et croissants, learning, walking, staring into space, lazy days, exploring, public transport, reading, writing, paper)

Things I dislike

Addresses I've lived at

Favourite words

Or words that sound nice or feel good in my mouth

Things that are slow

Things that make me melt (inside and out) (soft spoken honey like voices, gentlemen, people who have their own style, creativity, the sound of the violin, people who make me laugh, sincerity and honesty, nature, accents)

Things to do while watching a sunset

Things I remember

Things I can't forget

Things worth listening to

Things that give me goosebumps

Things I'd like to do

Things that make me feel warm and squishy inside

I also love books written in different formats.  These two are kind of list like;

Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers

Something Beginning With...by Sarah Salway

The Teashop on the Corner by Millie Johnson

My daughter chose this book for me for Christmas because the title had tea shop in it and she knows I like tea.

I probably wouldn't have picked it myself, but she couldn't have chosen a nicer story.

The characters are warm and lovely with all their crisis' and foibles.

There is sadness, joy, heart ache, friendship, love, secrets and skeletons, happiness...everything that life and humans are made of.

A wonderful and bright feel good read.  I loved it!

Philo du Frigo

Philo du Frigo

Fairytales for Wilde Girls by Allyse Near

Beautifully sad and sadly beautiful.

A strange and tangled mix of real and unreal.

I love this book.

I love it's short wonky chapters, it's words and language, it's visuals and it's tragically appealing heroes and heroines.

In real life love and hate, war and peace, sadness and happiness, beauty and ugliness, good and bad, loneliness and it's elusive opposite, exist side by side.  Just as Allyse Near has warply wefted this story together, closely and loosely, full of longing.

Ca m'amene a un endroit merveilleusement familier comme une sensation de déjà vu. 

Je l'adore.