Sunny November Morning...

Saturday, 5th November 2011

There is just something about waking up on Saturday morning, drawing the curtains back, and the sun pouring through the windows...  Beautiful blue skies...  laundry washed and hanging on the line...  Freshly pressed apple juice...  Cheese rolls...  

I have been listening to a wonderful audio book...  It isn't so much an audio book as a taped Focus Workshop...  but there are so many suggestions and ideas for learning to take more control over how I use my time...  I am an appalling procrastinator so I thought...  perhaps a little more organisation...

"You are the creative force of your own life."

Oh my...  Last week, I walked into my little office/studio gasped and turned tail and walked out... there were bits of paper all over the floor... the desks were so messy I couldn't find space to put my cup of tea down let alone think about opening my art journal...  so I had to go away... this morning I returned with the hoover and the duster to sort it out...  I have realised that when I get into the "zone" and am creating I am also making everywhere untidy around me way... but afterwards...  I cannot think if the small space surrounding me is piled high with magazines, torn scraps and there is no space on the desk...  I need a certain level of tidiness to be able to think... and contemplate...

It is such a beautiful morning here... the sun is shining...  there is a chill to the air...  a perfect Autumn morning for a walk on Cavehill... after everyone (birds, cats and people) have had breakfast...

Moments Through My Day...

Thursday 27th October 2011

The Photographic task today was to take photographs of moments through my day.  Little normal moments.   I wasn't feeling so well this morning so I stayed in bed and read Inner Excavation by Liz Lamoreux.  I took notes of some of the ideas that appeal to me to explore in more detail.

I was working on the layout settings for this blog and feeling surprisingly decadent...  I used to enjoy making patchwork quilts and wall hangings.  I rather liked how the quilt reflected on my laptop screen.

Strange but, I really struggled with having to get glasses for the first time for reading...  Put it off until I could barely see the writing on a page without really concentrating and squinting and getting horrible headaches.  Then I gave in... and went for an eye test...

Such beautiful colours...

A quick self portrait because I was using my camera through the day...

I spent an hour today painting the pages with background colour in a couple of my sketch books.

This pressed 5 leaf clover sits in an embroidered frame on my desk.  Everytime I look at it I think of my brother Paul.  When Neil and I visited Brittany a couple of years ago, Paul and Neil were busy down the farm, and I was sitting on a box in Paul's garden.  I looked at the big clover patch in the garden and sat down in the middle.  I remember thinking... there is no such thing as a 4 leaf clover as I have looked for them often through my life and never found one.  So I opened my notebook, and suddenly, my eyes noticed an unusual clover... with 5 leaves.  My brother looked at it and said...  "it's definitely real".  I picked it and put it into my journal to press.  Over time it has lost its green colour... but I always think of Paul when I look at it...  Apparently, it stands for good luck and attracting money!  

Very fuzzy photo of my sister's puppy Random...  I am looking after him until next Wednesday...  He is  16 weeks old and full of energy.  Never stops moving.  But it is fun for me having a dog in the house not so much fun for my cats Minnie and Tiggy.  We are still trying to work out how to stop the puppy chasing the cats as soon as he sees them.

It has been an interesting day...