Conny

I felt very happy yesterday to be walking not just one dog, but two dogs!

My eldest cocker spaniel Conny is 11 years old and doesn't really get out much these days because of health related issues. So I was so surprised yesterday to see her want to come out on a walk with me and Japser, I took a couple of pictures to record the occassion. 

Conny has a variety of "pet names" mainly Granny C or Lula-Belle.  I am now calling her Snow-Belle as she looked very sweet in the snow.

And here is Jasper, enjoying a cuddle with my daughter.

Time for cuddles

Collage Obsession - Fish

Over at Collage Obsession, this week's theme is Fishes.  I decided to use Henri Matisse's The Goldfish Bowl as a prompt.  I can't really say why I'm drawn to this picture, I guess I've always liked its simplicity and I like the combination of goldfish and plants (gives me a feel of a tropical oasis). My interpretation is a mixed media affair, using watercolour pencils, wax and paper napkins.

Fish Collage

Collage Obsession - Man

This week's collage theme over at Collage Obsession was Man.  The Leonardo da Vinci Vitruvian man was given as a prompt and my very talented friend over at Paper Rainbow was quick to get going with this.

Having a slight obsession with Kate Bush and Raymond Brigg's The Snowman, I decided to go with the theme of a Snowman, and used a picture from some of the artwork for Kate's album 50 Words For Snow as a starting point.

I cut around the snowman and the girl and collaged them onto a picture I took of the moon earlier this week and added some snow for effect.

Snowy Moon

I love the opening track entitled Snowflake on the 50 Words For Snow album, it has some beautiful lyrics, and as lyrics have always been a great inspiration to me, I printed them out and made a snowflake out of them. Collaged this onto the picture, along with a top hat for the snowman and I feel its finished.  I wanted to keep it simple and spacious (space being one of my guiding words for this year)

"I was born in a cloud... Now I am falling. I want you to catch me. Look up and you'll see me. You know you can hear me. The world is so loud. Keep falling. I'll find you. We're over a forest. There's millions of snowflakes. We're dancing. The world is so loud. Keep falling and I'll find you. I am ice and dust. I am sky. I can see horses wading through snowdrifts. My broken hearts, my fabulous dances. My fleeting song, fleeting. The world is so loud. Keep falling. I'll find you. My broken hearts, my fabulous dance. My fleeting song. My twist and shout. I am ice and dust and light. I am sky and here. I can hear people. I think you are near me now. The world is so loud. Keep falling. I'll find you. We're over a forest. It's midnight at Christmas. The world is so loud. Keep falling. I'll find you. I think I can see you. There's your long, white neck. The world is so loud. Keep falling. I'll find you. Now I am falling. Look up and you'll see me. The world is so loud. Keep falling. I'll find you. In a moment or two. I'll be with you. The world is so loud. Keep falling. I'll find you. Be ready to catch me. The world is so loud. Keep falling. I'll find you"......Kate Bush.....Snowflake

Hopping Mad

Here we are, still in the 12 days after Christmas and look what I find in M&S on the 2nd January - chocolate "Easter" bunnies!! I've only just packed away my nativity celebrating the birth of Jesus and the shops are busy touting the bounty of Lent - good grief.  I mean, haven't we had enough of chocolate already?

Easter Bunnies - cute but really?

Artful Space For The Word

Hello

 Happy New Year To You.  I wish you Joy, Peace, Health, Wealth and Happiness for the year ahead.

You may notice that at this time of year, many people are introducing their chosen word/s or phrase for the forthcoming year as a means to bringing in more (or less) of what they want.

Last year my guiding word/s were Magical Connections.

These words did indeed act as a guide for me as I made new connections/friendships with women from the the Joy Up Tribe, which is a community of women united by their participation in any of Hannah Marcotti's Joy Up Programmes. I have had alot of fun on all the Joy Ups and the Making Space Cleanses, and if you are a regular reader to my blog, you will know that I did alot of de-cluttering last year, and I feel there is still more to come of that.

Self Portrait August 2012 - having a bit of fun whilst cleaning and making space

This word also inspired me to stay connected with my photography and I took a short course with Julie Einstein called Seeing Drala.  My style of photography changed as a result of this course as I became  introduced to concepts such as visual haiku and  zen aesthetic, it really did feel a magical connection to a way new of seeing the world.

Zen Aesthetic

Visual Haiku

2012 brought with it some changes within the family which have been difficult and I still find I am learning to find myself within those changes. My daughter going away to University combined with my partner working away from home for part of the week have been key changes.

And now at the start of 2013, I find myself searching for a new guiding word/s.  There have been a few floating around the ether, but I haven't decided on anything particular yet.  To help me along with the process, I came up with a little collage today on the theme of "Doors" inspired by the Collage Obsession blog which Paper Rainbow featured on her blog recently.

Open Door onto Flodigarry Island

This collage is only simple, I printed out a picture of an open door and collaged it onto a picture I took whilst on holiday in the Isle of Skye last year.  I purposefully left some white space within the collage to write my guiding word/s for this year when they arrive.

I haven't set any resolutions for this year, as my guiding words will bring in the changes I want to see for myself this year.  However, I would like to develop more courage this year.  "Brave" began to emerge late last year for me so maybe "courage" is a new word?....hmmm.  Anyhow, last year I registered for the Cultivating Courage course being run by Andrea Scher, it starts Monday 14th January 2013 so I'm looking foward to that.

I would also like to create space for daily meditation and today I started with 7 minutes.   Another theme emerging from last year was "silence", the sort of silence you can only find through meditation.

And finally, each time I visit my favourite shop in Ambleside (Silver Moon),  I always take time to admire a t-light holder which they have out on display. As I was in Silver Moon this Sunday, I decided to stop admiring and start buying! It's really sweet and resonated with me and my desire to have more contact with some of my friends, both on-line and off.

They are called Circle of Friends....the card with them reads "ever since the beginning of time, fire has been at the center of gatherings and celebrations. the warmth and light of a campfire, shared with friends, has always been a happy occasion. Light a candle in the center of this "Circle of Friends" and enjoy the warm-hearted ambiance Friendship Circle.

I have a few more things bubbling in the 2013 pipeline, but more on that to come! :)