Aspire to everything Inspired

Suddenly I'm hoping for Snow

I'm in love with this idea... little snowpeople!?  That is so just my pace!  One or two, maybe a dozen... and you're still back inside before your tootsies have frozen stiff.  Perfect!

 

You could make a whole row, line them up on the deck or the banister outside... Wouldn't that be hilarious and charming?  Yep, suddenly, I'm hoping again for snow. 

Hmmm... if you happen to live in the Carolinas, which evidently just got dumped on, maybe you should send someone out to make a Snow Convention on the back railing.  I'm just sayin' it's an idea.

[Saw it first at Oh Happy Day! by Jordan Ferney.  And the Little Snowmen?  They're from the Martha Stewart Craft Blog.  Of course.]

A Musical Review: "A Christmas Cornucopia"

Do you ever begin singing a song and then, using the right words to your song, begin inserting different tunes… holding a note here, maybe changing a few keys there.  Basically it becomes your own song – a ‘riff’ of a familiar song or hymn, but in a whole new way that's entirely your own.  Your simple song becomes a 10 minute oratorio of amazing melodies.  Maybe it becomes the majestic chorus of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.  Or an ode to the silvery tunes of Irving Berlin, or perhaps a stylistic tribute to Rodgers & Hammerstein.  Hmmm… anyone?  Not just me?

Now, imagine you had the vocal skills and styling of Annie Lennox. THE Annie Lennox.

And you’re singing a Christmas song.

Yep, that’s what this album feels like.

A lovely, personal ode to Christmas.  It's like we’re eavesdropping on Annie Lennox as she tinkers at the piano – changing a key here, holding a note there… inserting her own inimitable style.  And she just happens to have an African children’s chorus and instrumental accompaniment in her living room too.  Of course.  Because she’s Annie Lennox and they just happened to stop by.  LOL

Like so much of Annie’s work, “A Christmas Cornucopia” is simply. beautiful.  Well worth adding to your collection of Christmas favorites.  Trust me – the cd will end up on repeat for hours.

Mine already has.

Enough and a Souvenir

As I was walking through old Brussels, I noticed something interesting.

I wasn't tempted to buy Lace.  Not a tablecloth.  Not a doily.  Not a pretty doo-dad whatchamajigger.

No lace.

Even though Belgian lace is famous and considered an art form in its own right.  15 years ago, I would have bought a lace something, just on principle.  I'm in Belgium, therefore I must have a souvenir of lace.  But I wasn't tempted at all, in spite of the many charming little shops we strolled past.  Why?  I may have just reached an equilibrium, I think.  A point of enough.

I can admit it:  I have enough.  Oh, maybe not enough books.  Definitely not enough postage stamps.  Or comfortable socks.  But enough dishes?  Probably.  Enough pretty table linens?  Definitely.  I just don't need any more.  I have no where to put them and I'm probably not using what I have very wisely as it is.  (That gorgeous tablecloth from Versailles?  Just doesn't get used all that often.)  So I have enough.  I can say it and mean it.

What an interesting realization!

And as I was walking along with this meaningful epiphany rattling around my thoughts, I saw something totally unique.  And different.  Something that captured my eye with it's character and shimmery glow...

Well, my goodness!  Beautiful handmade plaques by a local artist?   With tantalizing rooflines and rich shimmery colors that seem to glow from within?  I certainly didn't have any of those! 

"Didn't" being the key word.  Because we can always make room for a petite Librarie and Chocolaterie, don't you think?  And especially La Poste?

Which just goes to show that it's entirely possible to have Enough, and still discover something New that just... fits.  And perfectly.  Because I'm quite sure I'll enjoy looking at these beautiful petite works of art far more than I would have used a lace something-or-other.

What was it P.L. Travers' Mary Poppins said again?  Ah- that's right:  Enough is as good as a feast.

Children Around the World... by Sarah Jane Studios

I'm smitten with the whimsical, childhood-inspired art of Sarah Jane Studios.
There's an innocence and a bit of magic in her work, don't you think?... a smattering of goodness and a pinch of belief captured in each of her creations...  a Glorious Grand Adventure documented in each picture, just waiting to be told, or experienced...

So, take all of that whimsy and magic, and add an International Flair?

Well. 

Well!  Just consider me hooked!

 

I'm pretty sure that London print needs a spot in my Library.  And maybe a spot in your house too.  And quite possibly, we should both just ask for a subscription to the entire series.

Because?

I have a feeling it's going to be Simply.  Stupendous!

[Saw Sarah's work first mentioned by Nie Nie.  Find the Sarah Jane Shop HERE.  All images copyright by Sarah Jane Studios and used here by permission. Thank you, Sarah!.]

in Situ

In Situ.  In Latin, it means “in the place”.  In an archaeology context, it means to document a discovery where you find it.   Sometimes in situ becomes even more important because you’re documenting a find in an environment that’s about to be changed or even destroyed.  Like the Temple of Abu Simbel in Egypt.  Or, on a much smaller scale, the old pool changing rooms at Gpa & Gma’s house, aka. “The Ancestral Homestead”.

When did these little figures get added to the dressing room doors?  I don’t know.  They’ve been there for years… ages…  Someone probably knows though.  But with the Ancestral Homestead now sold to developers, this old family landmark is on its way out.  So my trusty sidekick and I made a noble effort to save the porcelain figures on the dressing room doors.  Late one evening, after a last family party, I photographed them and then sister K removed them for me (with permission, of course!).  And now they’re taking up residence in my house. 

A new place to establish in situ.

Doodles in Profile

11:00 am, Rome - sitting on the side of the conference room... where the conversation has primarily been in Italian for the last 30 minutes.

Though one may appreciate the dialogue to determine and define current process... still, it's hard to pay 100% attention when you don't. speak. the. language.

at all.

Try as I might, I'm only understanding a word here or there.  Usually when someone slips in a phrase in English.

The mind wanders...

My co-workers are checking email (work and personal), vacation itineraries, and other internet stuff.

I'm taking "notes"...

on Noses...
Very discreetly, of course.

What to doodle when in Rome

10+ hours of meetings yesterday... somewhere in hour 7, I needed a diversion.  Discreetly, I flipped to the back of my notebook and...
When in Rome...

Favorite Summer Activity

Looking for a fun summer activity?  Here in Salt Lake City, our downtown Farmers Market starts this weekend and runs through October.  It's a terrific outdoor market party with amazing foods, arts and crafts!  I love to pick up fresh locally-grown fruits and veggies, maybe local meats, cheeses and other ingredients for a delicious dinner, plus gorgeous pottery, handmade soaps, a piece of gorgeous jewelry, favorite handcrafted notebooks for journaling, sweet local honey...   Like I said, it's a party! 

When:   Saturdays: June 12 -
October 16, 2010
Time:  8:00 am to 1:00 pm

Where: Historic Pioneer Park
(300 South & 300 West)

"The Downtown Farmers Market is a local growers' market, featuring fresh produce from over 80 Utah farmers. In addition to the produce, the Market also offers a variety of fresh-baked breads and pastries, cheeses, meat and seafood, jams and honeys, house and garden plants, arranged planters. Unique food vendors also are a part of the Market, offering prepared foods and beverages. At the Saturday market, you will also find a juried art and crafts market comprised of local, handmade products."

See you there?

Art(ists) in the family

Art and artists.  Everyone is talented.  We're just all talented in different ways, right?  Believe it or not, amazing and fantastic ways!  For example, my family - our family - is blessed with a variety of artistic skills that runs the visual, spacial, tactile/functional, and auditory spectrum...  with a few dance and dramatic talents thrown in too for good measure.  Its truly amazing to see the different ART that each person creates!  And sometimes a little intimidating too.  Afterall, my stick figure drawings don't really stack up in my mind to the some of the masterpieces I see created...  But I've learned to deal with that.  mostly. 

Monday afternoon - more of that whatever time...  I handed my sketchbook and pencils to Aunt Carole and said "go forth!  create!".  And she graciously did.

She parked herself in front of this...

and created this:  The Pool Thrones, by Carole

When Carole returned the sketchbook to me, she said "someone really ought to sketch the old Pippin apple tree too..."

Great idea!  So I turned around and handed the sketchbook, the pencils, and the commission to my sister, Jennifer.  Off she went towards the old tree:

her work in progress...

and Done!   Spectacularly done, in fact:  The Pippin Apple Tree, by Jennifer

Now I wanted to sketch something.  But, honestly?  Carole's rocks and Jennifer's Pippin tree had me a little intimidated.  I tend to sketch fast and my work doesn't quite measure up to theirs, I don't think.  So I decided to go for pure architecture.

I turned around to sketch the old family 'homestead'... (though this photograph isn't quite the angle I faced, as you'll see below)

The House, by me

And just when I thought we were done... Sweetie was loitering nearby.

"Ye--s?" I queried.

"I want to draw something next!" she declared, having exhausted the camera battery.  I handed her the sketchbook & pencils and off she went to the back garden...

Where she created a charming sketch with far more skill than I had anticipated. Who knew?!

A Secret Path, by Sweetie

Now if only we'd had time for Bugaboo to sketch something, because after waiting for Sweetie, she said she wanted a turn too... Next time, for sure.

And maybe you too?  Because Art comes in all sorts of shapes and forms of talent, y'know.  And I'm pretty sure you've got some too.

How was your weekend?  Here in the U.S.A., our Monday was a national holiday, Memorial Day.  Its a day for remembrance and for family... a day for gathering and for honoring.  We did a little of all of that.

One of our family traditions is to gather for a breakfast cook-out on Memorial Day.  Aunts and Uncles, cousins and siblings, and really, anyone with a claim to relation... they're all there.  And when breakfast is done, everyone goes on about their day.  Though some like to hang around for a while to visit or wander or whatever.

Sometimes the whatever means handing your camera to your 14 year old niece, Sweetie, to see what she'll discover... 

The results of her wanderings were a lovely collage of pretty sights...

of secret paths...

and of strange creatures.  (Some of whom may have posed for their close-up and some of whom did not.) 

Her wanderings captured fascinating views that were UP...

and curious views that were down...

and even a few secret and mysterious views.

I'm not even sure where this view is, though it might go on my "I want that" list.  (There's a weather vane at the old family house?!)

These views reminded me of childhood adventures of my own... of scavenger hunts and cousins sleeping out on the deck... of tunneling through the sandbox - 'to China,' we'd say if asked - and swinging as high as we possibly could go - always hoping to touch the trees...

{blissful sigh}

And all of it surrounded by beauty and bouquets of Grandpa's glorious iris.
Simply. Magnificent!

I'll have to remember to hand Sweetie the camera more often.  She really does has a lovely point of view.