Light coming in

Literally light coming in. And since it is not an everyday occurrence then I must make the most of it which is usually just staring and taking pictures, and thinking - I'm doing loads of that lately. 

I'm always amazed how beautiful everything looks, how light can transform something as ordinary as a mandarin or a feather and give it another dimension - as if, all of a sudden they become illuminated from within.  This light coming in where I live, only happens during this time of year, and I have never paid attention how long it lasts. But let me leave the words to the expert...

A light exists in spring by Emily Dickinson

A light exists in spring
Not present on the year
At any other period.
When March is scarcely here

A color stands abroad
On solitary hills
That science cannot overtake,
But human nature feels.

It waits upon the lawn;
It shows the furthest tree
Upon the furthest slope we know;
It almost speaks to me.

Then, as horizons step,
Or noon reports away,
Without the formula of sound,
It passes, and we stay:

A quality of loss
Affecting our content,
As trade had suddenly encroached
Upon a sacrament.

I had a meeting yesterday to show my work, and lo' and behold "he" liked my work (genuinely) and it seems I will get a table at a fair here (more details as the event gets closer). I'm excited and nervous - both at the same time and with the same intensity. I have never shown my work like that before, but it is something that I was secretly hoping to do this year - so I must go and find my courage and faith (I think it is in one of my pockets, the left one, I think).

Hope is the thing with feathers by Emily Dickinson

'Hope' is the thing with feathers-
That perches in the soul-
And sings the tune without the words-
And never stops - at all-

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard-
And sore must be the storm-
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm-

I've heard it in the chillest land-
And on the strangest Sea-
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of Me.

You know how "they" say it is all in the little things or the simple things? Well, this idea from Rachel, gave me so much joy. Watching the light go through those hearts, and that fragile paper was really the highlight of my day. I guess it doesn't take much to make me happy, but please clouds, let the light in... PLEASE!!!

I finished the Big Magic book, and it was just perfect. Most of the things she said, really hit the right buttons with me, and I can't recommend it enough. Now I have started reading this one, and so far it seems so "tender" (if that can be a correct adjective to describe a book). I like how books find me, and how there is always the perfect moment for each one.

I am finding a lot of solace in poems lately (more than usual), I hope you don't mind me sticking the above ones here, I really like them, and hope you do too.

Sending you lots of light, may your days (and weekend) be bright,
Giova

A very Blue weekend - the Indigo kind

I have been to mini-indigo heaven and back this past weekend. As you have probably seen by my Instagram feed or even here on the blog, I tend to gravitate towards the blues (also the music), but in this case the indigo kind of blue. I have loved indigo since a very young age, mostly in the form of jeans, because I refused to wear nothing else and I also happen to come from a jean lovers family.

Amsterdam Demin Days is an event for "denim lovers." With a few workshops on its schedule given by Blue Print,  I thought I'd join in the fun. You can see my result of the katazome ("or stencil dyeing technique that uses a Japanese paste-resist surface design") workshop here.

Mostly I was inspired by the visible mending, and the few boro pieces that were on display, but most all, I just loved all that blue together everywhere.

I did join the Sashiko workshop (this is my second attempt), but I can honestly say that it is not the craft for me. It is too precise and you have to follow a certain pattern. If you have seen my work, there is nothing precise about, and I also avoid patterns and repetition at all costs.

Please don't forget there is a GIVEAWAY going on.

I wish you a very beautiful day,
Giova.

Love and Brownies

"Sure," you'll say. 
"Why not?" I would say.
"What do brownies have to do with love?" you'll say.
"Everything!" I would say.

There is chocolate for one thing, the baking part and love you put in counts as 10 things. Then the way you wrap it, also with love, counts as other 10 things. Voilà!! You have a total of 21 things, that is a lot in my opinion. So you see? Brownies and love do go well together.

 If maybe you still don't agree, perhaps you can do any of these things:

1. Hold hands
2. Watch a very romantic movie
3. Have a pic-nic in the living room, if it is warm where you are, have it at the park
4. Bake something (check)
5. Write a love letter
6. Cut out paper hearts- glitter optional (check)
7. Give a book of poems (Love poems)
8. Better yet write a love poem, or haiku, something
9. Buy or make- heart shape cookies, pancakes, waffles, sandwiches, etc...
10. Say, I LOVE YOU to as many people as you can. Not randomly, because you're going to get the "weird eye."

The recipe for the brownies shown, which is the only recipe  I've ever used, so maybe you shouldn't trust me, because I haven't tried others, but then again, these really are amazing brownies, that's what everyone says.

Oh, yeah! The recipe is from Green and Black's, but I don't put cherries in it. Very easy to make and so yummy.

I really hope you can find the time to be a little romantic (anytime of the year certainly), but I do love Valentine's day, because if you're not romantic on that day, when there is a reminder in every corner, then when will you be?

How do you spell love? asked Piglet
You don't spell it, you feel it, answered Pooh

Sending you lots of love,
Giova
P.S: I recently added some of my favorite things here. Perhaps you would like to join this wonderful project? I hope you do. Let me know if you do?

Lately and possibly the following weeks

Last week pretty much looked like this (see 4 books below). I'm catching up since I wasn't able to read for some months. Apart from reading and watching the World Cup I haven't done anything else this last week. And now that Colombia is out of the World Cup, I've lost my interest entirely, so more time to read.

Well, O.K… I did the laundry, picked up the mess and gave the occasional kiss to my kids, but I haven't touched a needle or thread or fabric or button or yarn or….

The roses are not from this week, but they were everywhere I walked (i did walk), and it was so beautiful, and I wanted to show them to you.

See the book garland?? Well, it is one of the projects from the wonderful e-course I won, and it has been so inspiring, and I couldn't be more grateful and happy that I won a spot in it.

And a page from my notebook where I try to write or paste anything… So as you can see it has been pretty slow, and I'm hoping it will continue this way.

We have no plans for the summer, but maybe just maybe, we we'll jump in the car and drive down to Italy (I'm crossing my fingers)!!

**Would you mind recommending me some wonderful books??? I would be more than grateful.

This is it for me now, my kids start their summer vacation on wednesday and I really don't want to think about the blog during their vacation. You can find me here (maybe).

I wish you calm and beautiful days ahead. Happy summer and I see you back in a couple of weeks.
Giova

The Art of Handwriting or how a teacher can change your mind

I think we can all agree that a handwritten note beats an e-mail by far… really far, right?

My love of handwriting goes as back as when I first learned to write. I was always aware of my parents beautiful handwriting or how my grandmother's became shakier and shakier as she aged, but beautiful nonetheless. Mine on the other hand became "me" and quite pretty as many remarked.

But then I became a teenager and a teacher told me how he was able to determine everyone's personality by how they wrote. Graphology of course is an art in itself, but not to take things further, I didn't like this one bit. I didn't like the fact that he was going to be able to see through me because of how I wrote.

I really don't know what I was thinking back then or what I needed to hide from him, but I changed my writing every time I handed a paper to him. I made a conscious effort to write in an "ugly" way, and became very interested in cursive (so I could make it even uglier). I guess it was a phase I had to go through, but today while I was doing an alphabet exercise I realized that I still haven't gotten over it... yet.

I became extremely conscious of how a simple thing could be dissected into so many other things. This was of course, many moons ago, but it did change the way I write. I now write according to my mood and I'm no longer interested in pretty writing, just writing that is more "me" whatever that means each day.

I'm still amazed about how quirky, clean or illegible some writings can be. I like that sometimes you can even catch a small glimpse of the writer's personality. I'm still obsessed with handwriting. I love the handwritings of my pen pals, and I miss (terribly) seeing an envelope addressed to me with the distinguishable writing of my grandmother (she was an avid letter writer).

I'm wondering if writing ever became an issue with you? Do you ever question why you write the way you do?

Lately I'm quite surrounded by it (hence this post). I have burrowed this wonderful book from my sister, and the paper love course I'm taking has made me think about many things in a good but soul searching way. Funny how that happens!

Photos above:
1. A handwritten note at this shop. 2. Matisse's handwriting,  I love how he simply drew a line over his mistake. 3. A letter from Mary Webb to the prime minister reprinted in this book. 4. Writing on a wall at Villa Augustus. 5. My alphabet practice and the map fold I learned from the e-course.

Wishing you a wonderful friday and weekend! See you back here on monday, if you want of course!
Giova

Taking the window seat and writing the blog I want

I wish I had an editorial calendar for this blog o'mine, but having no idea what day it is of the week most of the times, why would I be so organized as to have one of those?

It would surely help me a lot, because instead of showing you a bunch of pictures of things I like or crafts I made, I would for example show you something different every day. Then again that wouldn't be me, that would be me trying to be someone else or trying to become like another blog.

I have been thinking lately of closing this blog, as it is taking an energy I don't really have and should be putting somewhere else. Then I reconsider because I really like sharing the things I see, even if sometimes my mother is the only one that sees them.

Changing my mind as often as the view from the passenger seat, is one of the things I like about me. It is what keeps me inspired and interested in so many things. I used to fight this when I was younger; "why couldn't I just like a few things and focus on them, and actually be good at one thing?" I might have a good idea why I am this way, but that would certainly be a really long story and for some other day.

Instead I keep all sorts of projects going, because when my hands get tired of embroidering, I go to my journal and do some paper collages, and then I bake. The next day is a completely different story. It is like putting your hand in a surprise bag, not knowing what you'll take out.

So as much as I would like to show you crafts every week, I simply can't or won't because just as I don't have an editorial calendar, I can't ask myself to produce only crafts that would drive readers here.

Instead I go with my mood, which changes as often as the weather. Sometimes it is rainy, and every once in a while a beautiful sunset comes along.

No editorial calendar for now, but who knows?  Maybe I change my mind yet again, and suddenly become super organized. (picture me laughing really hard here)*

I wish you a wonderful weekend, and may the view from the window be a lovely one.
Giova

Looking Down

I enjoy looking down as much as I do looking up. Don't you? Mostly when it is grey and I'm carrying an umbrella it is inevitable not to look down. I like the things I find like; patterns, beautiful tiles, words, buttons, dried leaves and the occasional coin. I once found a 50 euro bill, but that was 6 or 7 years ago and it hasn't happened again.

This is entering the Victoria and Albert Museum.

This one is inside the museum.

Written on every corner in London, and I'm so thankful for the friendly reminder as it has saved me a couple of times.

This strange looking symbol was inside the Cathedral in Reims.

And this one is in a new perfume store -Buly 1803- in Paris.

But one must never forget to look up. You never know when a smiling angel is looking down on you and you might miss him (as it almost happened to me). It is not every day that one encounters a smiling angel.

Have a lovely day,
Giova

Things I Love #4 - London finds

Sorry for this week's interruption. The kids are on a break (again), and I got a bit sick (again). So as not to go further into things, I will just resume what was intended for this week.

This post has turned out to be a bit random (again). This is how my camera roll looks like, a bit of this, and a bit of that, but always things I love. These are still from my London and West Dean trip.

I love:

• Beautiful stores like Cloth House, where every single nook and cranny is filled with inspiration (and thing you wish you could buy), and the window display is just superb
• fabric, fabric, fabric,
• and buntings
• Sharing an afternoon tea with a good friend with lots of talk and laughter. The clotted cream and nice china is just an added bonus
• Paper garlands using Liberty paper (at the Liberty store obviously), I would have done them differently though *wink, wink
• Neon signs
• Rooms with views. The first picture is the view from my room at West Dean, the second is from my room in London after I complained that the room assigned at the beginning was overlooking the trash and the noisy street. Pheeww!! Sometimes it helps to complain I guess.

Have a great weekend,
Giova

Things I Love 3 Random finds

I've had to arrange and divide the pictures from my trip (so many things that I love), but somehow they look a bit random. I love random as well, so here is the list;

What I love:

• Special gifts from beautiful people
• Blue doors that don't seem to go anywhere
• The lovely patterns of yummy biscuits
• A patch of blue paint next to a sealed door
• Visiting the post office and finding really cool stamps and air mail labels (which are becoming extinct btw)
• Plants that grow from the strangest places
• and finally visiting Liberty, which is a must whenever I'm in London. I just head up to the fabrics floor and stare.

Wishing you a lovely and relaxing weekend,
Giova