Looking back on 2014 - and my word for 2015

This is the time of year when the world is full of actionable plans (seven steps to a healthier body, five ways to be happy, 3 secrets to conquering the world... you know what I mean) and I found myself wondering if any of these well-laid plans ever come to fruition. Can we actually shape our futures by following lists? When you look back on the year, did any of last year's resolutions come true?  And if not, what else happened? Probably something more wonderful than you could have conceived on that dark, midwinter's night a year ago.

My dad used to say, "When you make plans, God laughs."  It isn't malicious laughter, though, it's joyful laughter, because God's plans for us far exceed our own limited imaginations.  Our little lists and goals can never encompass all that is meant for us.  At least I choose to believe that.

Last year I chose the word "

build

" as my guiding word for the year.  I intended to build my career, my relationships, my homes... never in a million years would I have imagined that I would actually spend the majority of the year

building

my daughter in utero.

Words are powerful things, they can change who we are.

I've pondered my word for 2015, and I'm proceeding cautiously. At the moment "

embrace

" seems to be fitting for my situation. I want to embrace motherhood, embrace my new life in London, and embrace new routines for my studio practice; in short, I want to embrace all the wonderful, new possibilities.  But is embrace the right word?  What other meanings or applications am I overlooking that might surprise me in a few months' time?

There's the big structure for the year, and then there are the small goals that knit the days together: knit, purl, drop a stitch... clickity-clack, pull some more yarn.  These little rhythms are what give our days structure, they are the warp and weft that catch the minutes.  Some of my small goals are: to drink more water, to do sun salutation yoga sequences daily, to write (and write and write), to draw every day for my own amusement (or my own amazement, as an elderly friend once remarked), to read, and to kiss my little girl's cheeks at every opportunity.

Are you choosing a word for the New Year? And, what are a few of your small goals? Please share it in the comments below!

2014 by the numbers

Number of books published: 1

Number of illustrated books completed: 3  (2 are coming out next year)

Number of flights: innumerable

Number of cities visited: 5 (Cape Town, London, Winnipeg, Amsterdam, Delft)

Number of babies born: 1

Number of books read: 39 (My goal is always 52, one for each week, but this year I faltered)

Number of diapers changed: don't even ask....!

Also! Start off the New Year by refreshing your social media streams... I'm trying to post a sketch a day on

Facebook

,

Instagram

, and

Twitter

.  Make sure you follow along and feel free to leave comments and suggestions!

Life in A London Flat #4 - Christmas Decorations

December in London is bleak. We wake up in the dark, and come home from work in the dark (or at least M does).  Bookended in the middle of that darkness are gloriously sunny moments, but they are few and far between; otherwise, rain prevails.

Adding a little bit of light and sparkle to the flat is an obvious choice.  But how much?  We don't have much room, especially now that Little M's paraphernalia covers 90% of every surface.

Having just moved back home, I ventured into our mysterious, dusty attic to search for our Christmas ornaments.  I was sure we'd stashed some before we left on our African adventures. After a lengthy search amongst old, zipperless suitcases, broken picture frames, and bags of clothes destined for the charity shop, I found our tiny crystal tree, a string of twinkle lights and a few baubles.  Not much, but exactly enough to inject some light and cheer into our tiny flat.

It seems to me that the key to minimalist Christmas decorating is to put up those things which you love, which are beautiful, or which have special stories to tell.  For example, the "Noel Santa" on the right hand side of the mantle-piece was given to me by a mosaicist named Mohammed who used to work with us on our archaeological digs in Tunisia. Whenever I look at the tiny pattern of pebbles making up the design I remember the hot, dusty summers spent sifting through Roman remains, the early morning calls to prayer from the mosques, and hot cups of mint tea shared with Mohammed and his family at the end of the day.  The memories have nothing to do with Christmas, but that little ornament brings all that light and heat back into these cold, wet, December nights.

Perhaps as Christmas draws nearer I'll stop by the local florist on my way back from the coffee shop to buy some holly and mistletoe.  I'll pop them into a vase and place them on our coffee table to add a little cheery green into the wintry atmosphere.

How do you decorate for Christmas? Elaborately? Simply? Why not share links to photos of your Christmassy home in the comments below? 

Making my list...

... and checking it twice.

Some days I feel like little M and I are the best team in the world, and the two of us can accomplish whatever we set our minds to. Other days it feels like everything is unravelling and I'll never pick up a pencil again, or turn another page of a book, or fold another sock (not that I want to fold socks, but it has to be done, doesn't it?)

Today was a good day. I made a delivery of

Magic at the Museum

to the Courtauld Gallery here in London for their Christmas displays while my mom watched little M. On my way home I popped by the post office to mail

a few etsy orders.

It felt liberating to walk briskly through the snappy December air treading on the yellow leaves scattered on the sidewalk like golden coins.

Other days I can barely get out of bed or have a shower, as every waking moment is spent consoling my little inconsolable daughter.  This is a big adjustment for everyone, including her.  I imagine that from her perspective, life seems very overwhelming (it is for all of us, isn't it?).  That's the thing about life; we don't choose life, it chooses us.  We have to tense our legs and make the jump into the unknown whether we want to or not.  We can't think about how far the drop might be, or where we'll land.  We can only make the leap with the faith that everything will be ok. I'm telling that to little M every day... life is hard and overwhelming, but we're there for her every step of the way. She's survived the most difficult part, she made it here, now comes the fun of creating a wonderful, colourful, exuberant life.  I can't wait to see how she shapes the world around her.

So that brings me to the last point on my list: enjoy Christmas.  No matter what happens, or how difficult the day is with my little one, I'm determined to enjoy Christmas with every vibration in my soul.  This is her first Christmas, and though she won't remember it, it is the beginning of a long chain of memories that we'll share together.  

So with that in mind, I'm off to cuddle her and then sharpen a pencil and draw a few lines in my sketchbook.

What are your plans for the weekend?

And, speaking of Etsy orders.  All you readers can

get 10% off in my shop

with discount code MAGIC10 .

A little bit of gratitude

I usually try to make a list of all the things I'm thankful for on the second Monday in October, as that is when we celebrate Thanksgiving in Canada. However, life caught me by surprise (I'm not so fond of surprises, generally), and now I'm making my gratitude list in November, on American Thanksgiving.  It's all the same really, when it comes out in the wash.

I'm sitting on my couch in the gloaming. I'm surrounded by wash-racks filled to overflowing with clean laundry languishing in the damp weather.  Will the towels, flannels and baby-grows ever dry? Little M is curled up in her bouncy chair, chewing hard on a soother and fighting sleep.

Things are slowly starting to return to a new equilibrium. I cherish these stolen moments when I can spend a few minutes reading, writing, drawing or working on a project.

Here are a few things I'm grateful for right now:

1.

A minute; a second; a moment

in which I can take a deep breath and feel like myself again.  Sharpen a pencil; turn the page of a book; open my mind to thoughts that are wider than these four walls and those 10 fingers.

2.  

Those 10 fingers.

Darling little hands that are now learning to hang on tight to our fingers, or her favourite blanket.

3.  

Starbucks

.  I'm not generally a fan of big, chain coffee-shops, but our local Starbucks has become my new best friend.  Not because of their coffee (which is still mediocre), but because they have loads of space inside to park our chariot of a stroller so baby and I can sit comfortably and not feel like we're in anyone's way.

4.

Three people whose names start with M.

You know who you are. You are the anchor around which I'm floating at the moment.

5.  

Watching the leaves turn colour and gently float to the pavement.

Autumn is my favourite season.  Everything about it feels so rich and layered.  I especially love taking a turn around the Quiet Garden in Queens Park, where the caretakers are busily cleaning up the summer flower beds and planting their winters blooms (cyclamen, being a favourite).

6.

A new sketchbook.

 And lots of blank pages waiting to be filled with new ideas.

7.

Online grocery deliveries.  

I don't know what I'd do without it.  We get our shopping delivered every Tuesday afternoon. I'm so relieved that I don't have to trek to the grocery store, push a shopping cart around the crowded aisles, and then haul the heavy bags home on the bus.  Yesterday I told our delivery man that he needed to be quiet because my baby daughter was napping.  He winked and obligingly whispered and tiptoed as he unloaded all the groceries.

Amazing

.

8.

Coffee table art books and exhibition catalogues.

I'm spending stolen moments pouring over the glossy pages of gorgeous illustrations and artwork.  So much to inspire and nourish the soul.

9.

Naps.

All the parenting books say: when she sleeps, you sleep.  

Amen

.

10.

The fact that I can be grateful.

 Sometimes life can seem pretty fuzzy, and it's hard to focus and see all the small blessings abounding. But they're there, if you only look for them!

What are you grateful for today? This moment?

Long Fingers...

Welcoming Baby

Just over a week ago we welcomed our precious little daughter into the world.

She has a head of thick dark, almost reddish hair, curious eyes, and the longest fingers I've ever seen on a newborn.  (In that, she takes after her mom).  After a very long, difficult pregnancy, I'm so relieved to finally be holding her in my arms and resting at home.

Right now I'm sitting on the couch and catching a few minutes of peace before I have to wake her for her next feeding.  She's swaddled warmly in her bouncy chair in the corner of the room.  It's so quiet that I almost forget she's there until I hear one of her squeaky stretches or whiffling snores.

Now that a week has passed, I'm trying to figure out how to get back into some sort of creative routine.  If I'm not drawing, painting or writing, I feel like a shadow of myself.  Once I've recovered from the birth, I want to start a sketchbook for pleasure; I want to fill it with drawings of my little daughter, and all the other joyful things I see daily.

I'm in the process of writing a list of (small and achievable) goals for the next few months. Blogging is definitely a priority, as is writing and drawing for pleasure (not for a deadline), playing piano (which I neglected sorely when I was pregnant), and going for walks in our nearby parks.

But right now, the most important thing is that in 20 minutes I'll wake my little darling and gaze into her eyes as she breastfeeds.  Every facet of these quiet moments shines with perfection; I want to save them like jewels, and wear them forever near my heart so that I will always remember her as this quiet, sweet, cuddly little babe.

For those of you who have had babies, what were your best coping mechanisms for the first few months? 

Turning over a new leaf

This weekend is the autumnal equinox here in the northern hemisphere. Even though it's still unseasonably warm and humid, I can already feel a breath of winter in the air.  The leaves are starting to turn, and the local flower shop is selling vibrant chrysanthemums by the fist-full. 

Change in the natural world is relentless and inescapable.  We may not notice the hours and days whizzing by, or feel the earth turning under our feet, but one day we look up from our to-do lists and notice that the trees are turning colour.  

This is the time to turn over a new leaf, so to speak.  

Ever since school, I've taken time to make a few personal resolutions in the autumn.  These resolutions always seem more spiritually motivated and positive than the resolutions made in the thinness of January (when I'm feeling worn out and slightly desperate).  Autumnal resolutions hold the lushness of harvest festivals in their heart.  

If January resolutions are about conquering our wills; September resolutions are about nurturing our authentic needs.  

This autumn will be particularly life changing for us in so many ways, so I'm trying to indulge in soul-care at every opportunity.  

It's difficult to write a list of goals and intentions when I have no idea how all these changes will actually impact our lives.  Instead, I'm trying to remind myself to open my heart to whatever opportunities and experiences come our way in the next few months.

Are you making any resolutions for the changing of the seasons?

 What are they?

And how do you hope to keep them in the forefront of your mind so you don't slip back into the old grooves of thinking and being?

AND.... Don't forget to enter the giveaway to win a pretty princess from my shop!  You have until the end of this month.  

Enter HERE.

{And old autumnal sketch, as I can't show you my other top secret paintings at the moment}

Today is.... a blur

This has been one of those weeks that has passed by in a blur.  I was excavating my studio table this morning and found my to-do list for Tuesday.  "Hmm," I thought, "I haven't accomplished many of these items.  What day is it today?  

What?

Friday?

"

I suppose the week got caught up in a whirlwind of illustrations that wouldn't dry (it's been humid), midwife appointments, antenatal classes and other general (mostly happy) chaos. 

Right now I'm sipping a cup of decaf, listening to the washing machine gently sudsing our household towels (glamorous, I know), and contemplating all the things I need to write on my weekend to-do list.  I don't think I'll have a non-working weekend until baby comes, as I have so much to accomplish in the few weeks that are left.  

I loved your responses to my last post! I've been tallying up all your comments for what you want to read here into an ideas book for future posts. I can't wait to share more glimpses into my studio and life in London! (

And please don't forget to enter the print giveaway, you have until the end of the month!

)

What I'm currently up to...

Reading //

"Poetry Please," which is an anthology of poetry that has been read on BBC radio 4.  I've been feeling poetry starved lately.  Sometimes I want to sink deep into the rhythms and nuances of the words in order to slow my busy brain down.

Anticipating //

The arrival of baby! We're feeling a combination of excitement and fear.  This morning the diaper bag we ordered online arrived, and I can't wait to pack it for the hospital.  

Anyone have any good tips for what should go into a hospital bag?

Working on //

The last remaining illustrations for the second book in the Mattie's Magic Dreamworld series for Random House Struik.  If I can keep on schedule, I'll be able to finish it all well in time. If only my paint would dry more quickly!

Grateful for //

Afternoon naps.  I came up with the theory the other day that something that might take me three hours to do when I'm tired, would take me one hour if I were rested. That's reason enough to take a nap, don't you think?

Listening to //

BBC radio 3 (classical) or Jazzfm while I work.  Sometimes I need the soothing strains of Haydn, and other times I need the be-bop beats of Coltrane to give me energy and inspiration.  

What are your favourite online radio stations?  

Feeling //

Baby pirouetting under my ribs, especially if I've eaten anything spicy or sweet. The other evening we made chili con carne and had chocolate for dessert, which made little one do the Mexican hat dance all night long. Baby had fun, but mum wasn't so impressed.  

What are you up to this weekend?  

Thank-you for 600 followers! {Plus a celebratory Giveaway!}

The other day I checked my blog stats and was blown away to see that I have over 600 followers on Bloglovin alone!  I'm not sure how to count everyone else who reads via other platforms, so I assume there must be considerably more of you out there. 

I'm flabbergasted and overwhelmed, and I want to send a little love to you via the cyberwaves.  

In celebration, I thought I would give away this princess print, especially embellished with 24 carat gold leaf (which is something I only do for

very

special occasions). All you have to do is scroll down to the bottom of this post and enter.

I'm still figuring out this whole blogging and social media milieu.  So, I thought I'd ask you for your opinions.

Do you have any questions or topics you'd love to see me cover on this blog? I'd love for you to send me a few ideas.

Do you want to read more about the creative process, how to find inspiration, working in children's publishing, living in London, glimpses into my studio... anything else? 

What are you curious about?

(Leave your ideas or questions in the comments)

If you want to follow along in more places here are some links:

Facebook

for friendly inspiration

Twitter

for short conversations

Instagram

for glimpses into my studio and my life

And please say hello so I can follow you back!

{All that glitters 

is

gold...}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Life in a London Flat #3

Small green things make my heart soar.

The thing about living in London is that you spend most of your life surrounded by bricks and concrete. The city might be famous for its languid parks that operate like green lungs pumping oxygen into the air, but there is still a lot of pavement to contend with on a daily basis.

The solution is to bring a little green into your home to add life and colour to forgotten corners. Houseplants can become your best friends.

At the moment I have a basil, a miniature rose, a convalescent lavender, and a few sprigs of ivy calling the top of the fridge home.

The rose completely surprised me. I bought her thinking she would be a demanding mistress, like the rose in the Little Prince, but she's turned out to be a wonderful flatmate.  She never asks for more than she receives, and quite literally, seems content to bloom where she's planted.

The basil is also a very easy houseguest.  I forgot to water him the other day, and he never complained. Though he did sulk for a few hours before forgiving me.

I'm starting to root the ivy shoots, as I remembered that I used to love all the ivy plants in our house when I was growing up.  Don't tell anyone, but I stole the shoots from a mass of ivy growing in a neighbour's front garden.

And the lavender? I'm not sure exactly what his issue is.  He was doing fine for weeks (weeks!), and then he suddenly started losing needles and drooping. I'm doing my best to reconcile whatever differences we might have, but worry that I might lose the battle.

The most important thing is that I love the way the air feels cleaner and more alive with them around. They make our little London flat so cheery.

Do you have any favourite houseplants?  Where do they live in your home? 

More tips for London living HERE

.

Let's paint the town...

The other day I was walking home from the grocery store and I saw a blank billboard above one of our local cafes.  

I wondered, "What if artists could take over the billboards of London for one day? What would the city look like?" 

Sometimes I get tired of being forced to stare at advertising for phones, cars, musicians, movies and car insurance packages. I'd much rather wander down the street and stare at beautiful, inspired work by local artists. 

So, I came home and placed one of my own paintings on the billboard in photoshop.  

It's fun to dream, isn't it? 

A few snapshots of my studio

These past few weeks I feel like I've been participating in a triathlon, but instead of three sporting events I'm working on three creative endeavours.  The first is book one of Mattie's Magic Dreamworld for Random House Struik, the second is book two in the same series, and the third is baby!  (You can see a few watercolours from book one above)

Let me tell you, creating a person is a lot harder than I expected it to be.  It is both physically and emotionally draining.  Much of my creative energy is being siphoned off into the task of building a this little human, which is such an amazing and inspiring process!

In the meantime, I'm enjoying home-made lattes and the post-storm rainbows I've been seeing above the rooftops of London. 

What's been happening in your life lately?

I'd love to know! 

Adventures in... the Netherlands

{The North Sea near Bloemendaal}

I was going through my hard drive the other day to back up my files, and I found the photos from my Easter Break trip to the Netherlands. It seems ages ago; almost like it happened in a dream. Even though it was so long ago, I thought I'd share a few of my favourite pictures, or else they'll keep gathering dust inside my MacBook. 

At the time I was newly pregnant, and suffering severe nausea.  I tried my best to make the most of the holiday and enjoy being a tourist, but to be honest, most nights I ended up curled up in bed wishing I were home.  

Having said that, the Netherlands is one of my favourite countries in Europe.  I love how small it is, and that you can cover its terrain from one side to the other easily in a day; practically any town is accessible as a day trip.

My mom and I stayed with a good friend who lives in Bloemendaal, a small town just outside Haarlem, and a short train journey from Amsterdam.  It is a gorgeous community nestled beside the blustery North Sea. In the evenings we took long drives along the coastal roads to admire the sunsets, the swaying beach grasses, and the brave kite surfers. 

A few of my favourite things to do in Amsterdam...

Amsterdam is not my favourite place in the world.  Every time I visit the Netherlands I resolve to find something to love about the city, but aside from the museums, I always find it hard to warm to the place. As far as I'm concerned it's full of noisy tourists, hippies and teenagers that reek of weed, street trams and bicycles racing in every direction (so you never know when you might be run over), drifts of litter, and annoyed dutch people (I'd be annoyed too, if I had to deal with all the aforementioned).  

If you want quaint canals, gorgeous dutch architecture and tulips, there are much more beautiful places to visit than Amsterdam.  

However, if you're in Amsterdam...

1.

The Rijksmuseum.

It has a stellar collection of Vermeers and Rembrandts, and much more. Plus a great cafe if you want to rest your eyes, feet and sample some nouveau dutch cuisine. 

2.

The Van Gogh museum.

 Van Gogh's paintings are so full of life and emotion; seeing them always leaves my heart both full of joy and a little raw.  

3.

The Amsterdam Flower Market.

 This is the only floating flower market in the world.  It blooms with fragrance and colour in any season. 

A few of my favourite day trips... 

These are the small towns and cities that epitomize everything I love about the Netherlands: glittering canals, gracious city squares lined with cafes and restaurants, amazing museums, and friendly people.  

1.

Haarlem:

 Visit the Frans Hals museum and wander the narrow streets tracing webs around the wide canals. 

2.

Delft:

Visit the Vermeer museum and buy some stunning blue and white Delft ware china.  The central square is long and narrow, and has a tall tower to climb so that you can see the whole town laid below you, as well as the all horizons of this small, flat, little country. 

3.

Leiden:

A bustling university town filled with trendy students and great restaurants and cafes.  It was the birthplace of Rembrandt. 

4.

Den Haag:

The centre of Dutch government. Every street is lined with chic boutiques, gracious palaces and government buildings. 

5

. Keukenhof gardens.

 In the spring, this is the ultimate place to see more tulips than you could ever imagine.  We happened to go on the day of the flower parade, which made the gardens and nearby town very festive. Go early in the day to avoid the crowds. 

6.

Utrecht.

 A gorgeous university town with lovely cafes, boutiques and a church tower near the main square that plays a full carillon (a song played on the bells) at midday.  It's the perfect place to sit for lunch while listening to the pealing bells and water lapping in the canals. 

What to eat... 

1. Make sure you try a stroopwafel with your coffee.  This is a small biscuit or cookie made with two thin layers of waffle filled with caramel.  To soften the caramel you lay the waffle on the rim of your cup so that the steam warms the sugars.  There's no need to dunk. 

2. Vla.  This is a dutch version of pudding or custard, but so much better.  

3. Go to a Pannekoeken Huis.  The dutch serve their pancakes almost like pizzas, with numerous sweet and savoury toppings.  The best pancake houses are in the smaller towns and rural areas. 

4. Cheese.  There are cheese at every corner with windows stacked with delicious looking blocks and wheels of cheese.  Make sure you pop in and sample some of the local delicacies.  

Have you been to Amsterdam or the Netherlands? What's your favourite thing to see or do?

Or, Do you have a favourite holiday destination that you keep going back to time and time again?

You can find other

Adventures in...

posts

HERE

. 

{Blooming trees in Bloemendaal}

{Delft cheeses}

{the clear, slanting light of the Dutch masters was everywhere}

{Delft from the tower}

{Haarlem}

Life in a London Flat #2

Two days later, Maureen woke to a bright sky full of promise and a light breeze that played at the leaves.  The perfect washing day. She fetched the step-ladder and took down the net curtains. Light, colour and texture over the room as if they had been trapped in the space behind the nets all along. The curtains were white and dry within the day.  Maureen folded them into bags and took them to the charity shop.  

-- Rachel Joyce "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry"

London is a city filled with 8 to 15 million curious people (depending on how you count it).  They're all busy living their lives, and avidly watching everyone else as they do it.  With so many people-watchers around, it's vital to carve out a private space just for yourself.

Windows are wonderful, don't you think?  They let the light in.  You can sit by them and daydream while watching the sky.  But also, since people can see in, they can become like mini-theatres where passers-by watch the dramas of our lives unfold.

So, how to let the light in, but not the prying eyes?  Net curtains, of course.  

I find it interesting that in Rachel Joyce's book, net curtains were a symbol of the repressed life that the character Maureen wanted to leave behind.  She thought she was hiding behind them and not letting anyone or anything new into her life.

To me, they are a symbol of safety and freedom, and they are an absolute necessity for London living. With gauzy curtains in one's windows, one can live freely and uninhibitedly without worrying that other people are watching.

There is a lovely family who live in the flat across the road.  (You can see their window boxes in the photo above).  They don't have net curtains (or any curtains at all, as far as I can tell), and in the evenings, I actually have to make a concentrated effort

not

to look at them as they sit and watch TV or eat their dinner.

Perhaps in the small village where Rachel Joyce's characters lived there were fewer prying eyes, making net curtains unnecessary.

I don't know. But I certainly love the privacy; I love way the sun catches them at certain angles transforming them from ordinary netting into gossamer lace; or, the way the wind makes them billow and dance like summery ante-bellum skirts.

What do you think? How do you keep passers-by or neighbours from peeping into your world?

Curious about London flat living?

More here

.

Today is... monochromatic

Today was mostly monochromatic.  As I wandered the hot, hazy, summery city, I saw lots of black, white, beiges and greys.

I spent the morning visiting the Matisse exhibition at the Tate Modern, which was definitely

not

monochromatic; I loved his bold use of primary colours. Afterwards, I sipped my decaf latte in the Tate cafe and made lists of all the things I need to accomplish this week. 

Don't you just love this view of the Thames river and St. Paul's Cathedral in the distance?   

That's a little glimpse of my part of the world.  

How was your day today? I'd love to know! Is there one word you could use to describe it? 

P.S. And don't forget to join the

One Picture, Three Stories linkup

! There's still time before the first week of August to get your ideas brewing! 

{beautiful birches in front of Tate Modern}

{Finally a cool breeze in my bedroom window}

{And to all a good night...}

Life in a London Flat #1

Now that we've moved back to London, we're trying to make our flat feel like

home

. This city can sometimes be big, busy and overwhelming (and so, so inspiring at the same time), so our home needs to be serene, quiet and cozy.  It has two bedrooms, one bathroom the size of a mouse's waistcoat pocket, and a kitchen/living area that feels pretty spacious because it's open plan.  

I had thought of titling this post "Life in a

small

London flat," but as far as flats go, there are plenty that are smaller than ours.  Even so, sometimes our little home can feel quite small, indeed. 

For me, this flat has to be home, office, and studio, all rolled into one.  So, I thought I'd start a serialized guide on how to make all this work in a small space (in a big city) and stay sane...

Here it goes.... Survival tip #1: 

Paint everything white. 

This might sound sterile, or boring, but believe me, it makes the world of difference.  When we first moved in, the flat was a rainbow of colours; the hall was Van Gogh yellow (including the ceiling); the main bedroom was dusty lilac; the living area was ultramarine blue. Coming home felt like entering a kaleidoscope. 

London is colourful enough as it is. The last thing anyone wants is to return home after a busy day and be bombarded with even more sensory overload.  And besides, there's nothing like white walls to make a space feel big, light and calm.  Which is

exactly

what one needs during the long, dreary London winters.  

What do you think?  Would you paint a small space in bright colours, or stick with whites and neutrals?

{Cozy cushions to curl up with after a long day}

Thinking about Life and some Inspiration for the Weekend {7/12}

{Lovely spring blossoms in the Netherlands}

Sometimes I get frustrated that life never gets any simpler. I try to pursue the ideal of zen calm, but it always seems to be a losing battle against the ever escalating storm of chaos.

Do you know what I mean?

No matter how hard I try to meditate, or eat healthfully, or exercise, or keep a daily routine, I never seem to make any headway against this craziness we call life.

Now, I see that this is the way things are meant to be.

Life is like the plot of a novel, which gets more intricate and complicated with each turn of the page. The plot rises until the very end with lots of twists and turns to add interest and intrigue. And the denouement (the last chapters) should be as many pages, and as many days, away as possible, because that means the story is finished.

And we want to keep on telling our stories, don't we? 

So, instead of fighting against the craziness, I'm trying to live with it.  Embrace it, even. We're all living our own adventures, and writing the story of our lives, day by day. All those twists and turns are there to make life interesting!  

5 things that have made me happy this week

It has felt like a long, but very productive week. I've been doing a juggling act balancing midwife appointments, painting for a huge illustration deadline, and unpacking the flat and studio.  This has necessitated numerous trips up and down a narrow ladder into the attic to fetch boxes of pots and pans, books, and other ephemera.  I'm sure my midwife would have a conniption if she saw me scaling those dizzying heights!

So, amid the effort to find order in chaos, I thought I'd share a few things I've been enjoying...

1.  This basil plant, purchased at Sainsbury's for one pound.  What can anyone buy for one pound these days?  Not much.  I'm so happy to have the company of its heavenly fragrance in my kitchen. I wonder how long I'll be able to keep it going?  

2. Unpacking my studio and discovering art supplies I never knew I had. It might instigate a whole new phase of experimentation in my artwork as I figure out how to use them. I've never gotten the hang of watercolour pencils, even though I use normal watercolour all the time.  Any pointers? 

3.  Celery and hummus.  This is my favourite afternoon snack right now.  I never used to have snacks, but now that I'm pregnant I seem to need to eat more often (or at least that's my excuse). I just love the watery crunch of the celery with the zesty, garlic hummus.  

4. Being back in this glorious country of Great Britain.  Over the 9 years I've lived here it has become a place of great comfort to me.  I just love the layers of culture and history that you can't find anywhere else. 

5.  The gradual emergence of order out of the chaos of our flat. I've been sorting and unpacking for days. I have a strong impulse to simplify and keep only that which is either beautiful or useful (thanks, William Morris, for the inspiration).  Everything else has been short-listed to the "charity shop" pile. There is a wonderful feeling of lightness to starting afresh with fewer possessions.  

What has made you happy this week? I'd love to know.

{antique British flags in Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral}

A New Arrival - How I Learn {Plus a Giveaway!}

This morning I finally opened up the large cardboard box that had been sitting in the corner of my bedroom since I arrived back in London. 

What could be inside, I wondered?

Look!  Advance copies of the new book I illustrated called

"How I Learn!" with Magination Press.

It will be released in August 2014, but I thought I'd share a sneaky peak with all my lovely readers. 

It's a story about three children who all have difficulty with learning in some way; one struggles to read, one struggles to write, and one struggles with math.  But, with the help of their parents and teachers, they all find a way to make learning easier!  

The story really touched me, because I often felt self-conscious about math when I was in elementary school.  I remember having to do mad minutes, where we had to solve 10 math questions in one minute.  They were simple adding and subtraction, and should have been easy, but the time pressure meant they were agony for me.  I just couldn't do them!  Math remained arduous until I had an amazing teacher in grade 12 who made everything clear for me.  (Thank-you so much Mr. Pries!)  

I can't wait to show you more of this book and some of the original sketches and paintings in August!  For now, this is all you get to see. 

Or, how about this?  Did you have trouble with anything in school, and was there someone who helped you through it? 

What I will miss / won't miss about Cape Town

{Love for Cape Town}

I can hardly believe that I'll be leaving Cape Town today. 

When we first moved here I didn't want to stay.  The adjustment to the new city, the new culture and the new routines (including security worries) was difficult; I wanted to turn right around and fly back to London. 

But now that I've spent 3 years here, I've come to love the city like a second home. I love the warm, generous people; I love the vibrant mish-mash of cultures; I love the mountains and the sea.

I'm so excited to be heading back to London; the timing is right in so many ways. And I can't wait to share the next chapter of this adventure with all you lovely readers! 

But, even with all this new excitement, it doesn't mean I won't be thinking longingly of Cape Town from time to time.  

What I will miss: 

-- Our gorgeous courtyard garden, filled with lavender, frangipani, bougainvillea, mint, rosemary, wisteria, and the world's largest grape vine.

-- Walking down the hill to ballet classes at the

Cape Ballet Centre

, and all my wonderful ballet friends. 

-- The noon gun, which has been marking midday since 1806. The cannon blast reverberates around the city and lets me know when it's time to eat lunch.

-- The view of the sheer face of Table Mountain every time I step out of our front gate. So impressive.

-- The wind.  I have a love/hate relationship with the Cape Town wind.  Sometimes it's so extreme that I'm convinced our stone house will be picked up like a feather and blown down the hill into the harbour. 

-- Driving around the hills and mountains and staring at the sparkling sea. 

-- My small studio in our house with a view of our courtyard and a glimpse of Devil's Peak above the roof. 

-- Coffee and long chats about art and "making things" with 

Jesse

. 

-- Sundowners: the ritual of drinking a glass of something exquisite and watching the sun slip below the waves. 

--  Burritos at

Tortilla Modern Mexican

.  Nothing can beat them! There are burritos, and then there are Tortilla burritos. Nothing I've had in the States even comes close to the explosion of flavours in each bite. 

-- A leisurely braai (BBQ) in my in-laws' garden, playing with their dogs and chatting aimlessly about what's been happening in our lives. 

-- Our house. It's a 150 year old (or more) cottage built with stone quarried from Table Mountain. It gives off an amazing, deep, spiritual energy the minute you walk in the door. I wonder who has lived here before us and what stories the old stones could tell. We've been part of that long story, and soon new people will be adding their chapters.

What I won't miss: 

-- The wind. (See above)

-- The extreme heat in summer. My father-in-law always teases me that I spend the summer with my head stuck in the freezer. 

-- Constantly fighting the populations of cockroaches and other prehistoric looking insects (trilobites anyone?) that invade our house from time to time.  

-- The homeless people who sleep outside our garage door every winter. I feel deeply sorry for them, but they're a nuisance all the same.  

-- Hadedahs. These birds commute from the mountain into town every day, flying right over our house, and then back again in the evening.  They're big, ugly and sound like dogs with chest colds laughing when they "honk." 

-- The huge, high garden walls, burglar bars, security systems, and barbed wire that turn every house into a fortress. 

What are your favourite things about your home town or city? Why not share a few in the comments? 

Are you my mother?

{image from P.D. Eastman's classic kids book "Are you my Mother?"}

I'm often vicariously curious about what is happening behind the scenes when my favourite blogs go silent.  What is happening in those bloggers' lives that makes their life too busy or interesting to have the time or energy to post?

Well, as you might have noticed, that's exactly what's happened to me in the last month or two.

I met with a friend of mine the other week, and after relating all that's going on in my life, she said, "How come I didn't know any of this? You didn't write about it on your blog!"

This space is where my nearest and dearest check in to see what's happening in my life, but it's also a

very

public place, and I'm never sure how much I can share without over-stepping my own online privacy boundaries.

At the same time, I can't exactly continue to blog authentically and not share some of these big exciting changes.  If I didn't, the blog would start to sound forced and disingenuous.

And there's the rub.  

So, here's big change number one: I'm pregnant.

Whew!

It's been a whirlwind three months. (How can it be three months, already?)

I've spent the majority of the last two and a half months lying in a dark room under my duvet.  The combination of extreme nausea and intense migraines have incapacitated me. I'm used to migraines, as I get them frequently. But, now that I'm pregnant I can't take any painkillers stronger than paracetamol, which does nothing for migraines, whatsoever.

I think I'm finally on the mend, and feeling motivated to get back to my normal routine.  Which is a good thing because I've also just signed a two book contract with a major publisher.  The illustrations are due a few days before baby.

Talk about deadlines and due dates!

What's been happening in your lives, dear readers?  I'd love to know. I've missed you!