Christmas: it's time to hold on tight

It is almost the bleak midwinter.  The frosty wind is whispering at my window. Snow has been falling all day; snow on snow. Soft flakes flutter down like confetti thrown from heaven.   

It is the darkest time of year, and yet we celebrate light. 

We light candles; we dispel the darkness. 

Each day we move from darkness to light.  We sleep; we wake. The sun rises and sets.  We have good days and bad, and through it all, we lean on the support and love of our family and friends.  

No matter how many gifts I have to wrap, or how far I've travelled, I'm going to make sure I hold on to those I love. I'm going to give them big hugs; I will tell them how much I love and appreciate them; I'll share happiness, laughter, and joy.  

Before you click away... close your eyes, place your hands softly in your lap, take a deep, nourishing breath and then let out a gentle sigh. Let the love of those around you be a brilliant light piercing the darkness. 

Perseverance, Routines and a Cup of Coffee

{I've ordered you a coffee, why not stay a while?}

This is one of those weeks when I wish I could invite all you blogging friends around for coffee.  We'd sink into big, comfy couches and chat about our lives, our goals, and our dreams. 

Life has been pretty routine around here.  Each morning I sit down in my studio and work on illustrations for a picture book that will come out next year (yay!).  Then I eat a small lunch, usually left-overs from yesterday's dinner.  After a short break, I go back to work in my studio. By late afternoon I'm ready for a coffee or hot-chocolate, and some quiet time with a book or your wonderful blogs.

Is there any individual moment of these routine days worth recording? The days are a little like the leafless trees of winter.  There are all sorts of colours and variations of texture if you look closely, but the outlines and structure are pretty simple.

I think it's these routine days that build our dreams.

It's the perseverance to keep working; to keep showing up at the drawing board; to not give up; and when things go wrong, to start all over again.

Routines are wonderful, because then showing up isn't a choice, it's a habit. It's not something you have to decide on every morning when you wake up, it's just something you do.

Gradually, after days and days, all those dreams will start to become a reality.  It's like dropping pebbles one by one into a lake.  At first it feels hopeless because the pebbles sink below the water and seem to disappear; but they don't. Each time you drop a pebble into the water, small ripples expand over the surface, touching everyone you know. Your small routines, your daily pebbles, are part of the essential fabric of this world.

Eventually, if you keep dropping pebbles every day, the underwater pile will grow large enough to form an island on which you can stand firmly.  Then, you can plant your flag and say, "This, finally, is what I've been working towards for so long."

What are we building with our daily routines, dropping pebbles one by one into the lake?  Maybe a career, a blog, a marriage, a family, a healthy body.... ?

I would love to know what you're working towards! 

And, if you want a little diversion, here's an aria from J.S. Bach's "Coffee Cantata" where the soprano rhapsodies about her overwhelming love for coffee.  

It's beautiful

Today is... Dreamy

{Bougainvillea and Table Mountain}

Can you believe it's almost the middle of November?  Where has the year gone? 

I've had my head down all year, working on illustration projects in my studio.  When I enjoy my work, I often forget the time. I'll look up from my paintings and suddenly it's almost supper time.  

Or.... suddenly it's November!

This is the beginning of the social season, and our calendar is filling up with parties, gatherings, weekends away, and the prospect of a wonderful, summery Christmas in Cape Town.  While I miss Canadian snow a lot, I'm actually beginning to get used to Antipodean Christmases. 

So, I'm dreaming of bougainvillea, hot sunshine, and time spent with family.  

I've spent the last week reading, reading, reading.  Currently, I'm reading the Diaries of Virginia Woolf. I found the entire set (several volumes) at a used book store a few weeks ago.  It is compulsive reading. She writes about her creative process, insecurities, and triumphs.  It's wonderful to see her world, and London, through her own eyes.    

I've also been reading poetry on my ereader. To be honest, I find it difficult to concentrate on an entire novel on an ereader.  I always feel like something is missing; I end up turning the ereader over wondering, "but... where is the rest of the book?"  It's ridiculous.  It feels like the moment when you show a mirror to a kitten, and when it sees it's own reflection, it runs around to the other side to find the other cat. I keep trying to turn real pages, or skim forwards, which can't be done!      

As poems are shorter I can read a few, and then do other things in between, so I don't get exhausted by peering at the screen.    

So, that's my dreamy day.  

Tell me about your day.

 What's the one word you would use to describe it? 

Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul

And sings the tune without the words

And never stops at all

--Emily Dickinson

 

{I'm sending you a hug across the miles...}

Living Spherically: Being Multi-Passionate

You have to live spherically, in many directions. 

Never lose your childish enthusiasm

and things will come your way. 

Under the Tuscan Sun Movie

It's a rainy day, and that suits me just fine.  The world is quiet; all I can hear is the patter of raindrops on the roof.  Rain always makes the world feel intimate and manageable. I find I can concentrate better when the the distractions of the world are muted by soft rain.  

Speaking of distractions: I have a habit of thinking that I have to focus on just one "really important" project at a time.  I get overwhelmed when I have too many items on my to do list. 

 I sometimes wonder, if I simplified my life, and put all my energy into one project, would I reap larger rewards than if I worked on many different things at once?  

I'm not sure this is the right way to go about things, though. Wouldn't life become flat and one-dimensional? Surely pursuing more than one avenue makes life more interesting? Why can't we be multi-passionate? I love illustrating; I love writing; I love blogging. I think they all make valuable contributions to my creative life. 

I remember an episode of Dawson's Creek where Dawson was talking to someone about his love for films and film-making.  His bedroom was papered from floor to ceiling with movie posters.  The friend asked if he had any other interests.  

"No," he said, "Films are my life."  

"If you're not interested in anything else, what will you make films about?"the friend asked. "You can't make films about films." 

I guess that means we need to pursue our chosen path with single-minded enthusiasm, but also leave doors open for other interests to enrich our lives (and our creative projects).  Who knows where the next opportunity will come from? 

So, I'm resolving to live life

spherically

this week.  I will pursue all my passions with childish enthusiasm, and I won't let all these balls I'm juggling overwhelm me.  

What do you think?  Do you think if you have lots of passions you are diluting your energy? Or is having lots of passions a good thing? 

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Finding a Home for a Nomad

{This is not my home}

When I first met my husband I told him that I was a nomad and a homebody.  What a contradiction! But it's true.  There's nothing I like better than being on the move.  The body absorbs amazing kinetic energy when travelling.  I love discovering new places, new people, and new ideas.  

I also love being at home.  I love sitting in a sunbeam with a cup of tea.  I love the quiet daily routines that knit the days together.  

As much as I love being a nomad, the past few years have been difficult, because neither of us are sure where home is.  Our lives ricochet between Canada, London and South Africa.  London is the fulcrum, around which the trans-hemispherical movements pivot. 

Making lists to get things done

Every Sunday evening I sit down with a glass of wine, my moleskine planner and a favourite pen.  It is a moment of quietness; a moment in which I can visualize the coming week and all the tasks I need to accomplish.  

A few weeks ago my writing and illustrating group had an email discussion on how we plan our projects. It was refreshing and enlightening to hear everyone's perspectives.  So, I thought I'd share my process with you here on my blog, and I'd love to hear your planning ideas in the comments!

This is how I schedule my life: 

On the blank, right-hand page of my Moleskine planner I write down all the things I need to accomplish that week. I divide the list into 5 sections, corresponding to the 5 facets of my career: illustration, writing, blog, etsy and other.  

If there are specific deadlines or events, I'll schedule them into the calendar portion. If the deadline is still upcoming I'll often write something like "2 weeks left" beside the task in my list.   

When I have ongoing projects, I make a note of exactly how much I need to accomplish each week. For example, for my current illustration project I have basic tasks outlined for each week until the deadline at the end of this month. 

This system gives me a structure to know exactly what needs to be done, but also freedom to do it at my own pace as the week unfolds.  

You might have noticed from the photo that I use the pocket moleskine planner, and not the full-sized one. Even though it's half the size, I can still fit all my notes onto the pages, and the smaller size reminds me to keep my to-do lists and expectations simple.  There literally isn't enough space to keep writing tasks ad infinitum. Also, it fits easily into any sized handbag. 

I love broad margins in my daily routine. I crave blank, unscheduled time when I can reflect on my creative journey and the world around me. Idle time is golden because it's when I get my best ideas.

How do you schedule your week? Do you have any tips and tricks for staying sane when tasks and deadlines pile up? What kind of calendar/planner do you use? I'd love to hear from you! 

Are you interested in reading more about the subject of balance and getting things done?  Here are a few amazing blog posts I've read recently.  Take a moment to read them, they might just change the way you look at life.

Truly.  

 

Thanksgiving: opening my eyes to the wonders around me

For all that has been, Thanks.

For all the will be, YES.

Dag Hammarskjold

One thing about living far away from home is that I miss celebrating holidays with my family.  This coming weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving.  

As a child Thanksgiving was one of my favourite feast days (literally). We would push two huge tables together in Grandma and Grandpa's dining room and squeeze all the aunts and uncles and cousins into the room to eat wonderful food. The table groaned under the weight of roasted turkey, amazing salads and pumpkin pie.  

Before we could eat, each of us young cousins was given a chance to list a few things we were thankful for. It seemed hard at first, but once we got started the lists became endless.  There was so much,

so much

, to be grateful for! Sometimes the lists were serious and sometimes there were silly. We'd make our silly lists as we ate: pens, paper, raisins, bread, orange juice, disney movies! 

Now that I'm older, I forget to be thankful. I forget to look around me and acknowledge all the blessings in my life.  Gratitude takes nothing for granted.  Gratitude opens your mind so that it is constantly awakening to new wonders around you.  

I always wonder... why doesn't the rest of the world celebrate Thanksgiving?  Surely giving thanks is one of the most important things we can do? Just a thought:  

If we don't give thanks for the little things, we won't be able to receive the big things.  

Here's a small list of the things I'm thankful for

this very moment

: 

1. The sunshine streaming through our living room window, painting a golden square on the wooden floor. 

2.  A wonderful, warm, comforting cup of tea. 

3. My amazing agents at Advocate Art, who are working hard to sell our illustrations at Frankfurt Book Fair as we speak. 

4. Illustration work that is fulfilling and challenging. 

5. Skype.  All the better for keeping in touch with far flung family and friends. 

6. Blogging (all you bloggers are such an inspiration to me! 

7. A bookshelf full of books. 

8. Beautiful shoes.  

9. My amazing family, who are always there when I need them most. 

10. My husband: I still thank my lucky stars for him every day.

11. London, my favourite city in the world.

12. And a few less serious things: scarves, sunscreen, pillows, hot water bottles, cameras....

I can no answer make but thanks, and thanks, and ever Thanks.

Shakespeare

What are you thankful for in this moment?  

 

Slowing Down

{Peter Harrison Asleep. A watercolour by John Singer Sargent. 1905}

If last week was a blur, this week has been a delicious slowing down. 

I'm lying in bed with my laptop on my knees.  A bird is singing merrily in the garden, enjoying a late afternoon splash in the birdbath.  

I haven't had a day off in three weeks.  I worked every weekday and every weekend, from dawn until dusk, hunched over my studio table, paintbrush in hand.  By the time I'd finished the project, my hands were so stiff I had to practically pry my fingers off the brush. 

This one deadline may have passed, but there are still a few more fast approaching on the horizon.  I spent the morning making a schedule for myself.  A gentle schedule. A schedule sprinkled generously with down time. 

I resolve, going forwards, to honour weekends; to take at least one day off each week.

You don't realize how important it is, until you're deprived of the luxury.  The worst isn't even the physical fatigue, but the mental burnout. It's absolutely impossible to generate original, interesting ideas when your brain feels like mush!

I also want to get back into doing other things, like playing the piano, dancing and reading all your fantastic blogs.  New activities add so much richness and inspiration to life.  

So here's my quote for the week, because Eddie Cantor can say it way better than I can: 

Slow down and enjoy life.  It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast--you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.

I going to spend this weekend curled up with a book, just like Peter Harrison did in 1905 (see above), dreaming of all the gorgeous illustrations I intend to paint in the coming months.

Do you have any special rituals or favourite things to do on your days off?  I'd love to hear from you! 

 

. 

Today is... a blur

This week has been a complete blur.  

The blur of watercolour washes; the blur of two deadlines in one week; the blur of preparing a university lecture...

The blur of my hands dipping my paintbrush into water, into paint, onto the paper, and back again.  

I'm rushing to get some illustrations finished for Frankfurt Book Fair, which is fast approaching.  I can't actually show you what I'm working on, but I can show you my studio table, and my hand, working at lightning speed.

As a token of good luck, I'm using a German mug for my painting water which has a sweet love poem printed on the side.  Hopefully it will infuse positive energy into the project for its debut in Germany!

That's a little snapshot from my corner of the world, how are things for you? 

Be Gentle With Yourself: Turning the Golden Rule Inside-Out

Be gentle with yourself. 

You are a child of the universe, 

no less than the trees and the stars; 

you have a right to be here. 

And whether or not it is clear to you, 

no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Max Ehrmann "Desiderata" 1927

This week I've had to remind myself to treat myself gently.

It's been a crazy week: two important deadlines coupled with a few days of illness.  When I fall behind I get frustrated.  I talk to myself in my studio, and I say things like, "you should work faster," or "how come this is taking you so long?"  But of course, that only makes me feel worse.

If it were someone else, I'd say, "Go slow; take your time. You do your best work when you're not stressed."  

Sometimes I think the line "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" should be reversed into "Do unto yourself as you would have others do unto you."  Or more simply: love yourself as much as you love others. Honestly, we treat other people (strangers, even) much better than we treat ourselves most of the time. 

We chide ourselves for not meeting our unreasonable expectations, for not achieving what we set out to do, for not meeting our ridiculously impossible goals.  We would never dare to think any of that about another person, let alone say it out loud.  

So why do we say it to ourselves?

Next time you find you're berating yourself, try something new...  Hold your tender soul in your arms and soothe your starved, abandoned, neglected heart. I call it turning the golden rule inside out.

You would do it for anyone else if they were feeling stressed, wouldn't you?  So, make sure you do it for yourself, too. 

Your spirit will immediately lift.  

What do you think?  Does any of this resonate with you? Please share in the comments below.

Cinnamon Shoes and spice, and all things nice

Cinnamon shoes and spice and all things nice, 

that's what little girls are made of. 

I might not be much of a fashionista, but do I have a love affair with shoes. 

When you're wearing the perfect pair of shoes you feel more confident, you stand taller and you walk with more purpose. It's amazing how a simple change, like wearing one nice item, can completely change your perception of yourself and your life. 

Don't you think?

I spend most of my time in my studio with only my illustrations for company.  Since I don't want to get paint on any nice clothes, I throw on an old pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a hoodie (wearing the hood over my head helps me think when I'm stuck with a particularly difficult picture). 

It's inevitable that in the afternoon I'll leave my desk and run up the street for groceries.  I might dash on a bit of mascara, but I never bother to change into something more stylish.  

All I do is slip into a gorgeous pair of ballet flats, sling my handbag over my shoulder, and I feel like my look is put together.

It's the shoes, of course; they make all the difference. 

This particular pair was made by

Cinnamon Shoes, my cousin Frances's company

. Each pair of her shoes is classically tailored (or cobbled?) and handmade in South Africa with gorgeous local leathers. They're stylish, on trend, affordable, and so comfortable. 

The pair of ballet flats I'm wearing is called the

Monica

, named after my aunt. I just love the soft leather and the ostrich-shin detail on the toe.  I can wear them with anything. They even make my painting clothes look good! 

And... every time I think of ostriches and ballet in the same sentence I think of these graceful dancers from Disney's Fantasia. This watercolour is my favourite Disney preparatory sketch, it has such a delicate French Rococo feel, like a Fragonard painting. From

Fran's ballet flats

, to dancing ostriches, to France in the 18th century. I digress...  

{A stunning watercolour study for Disney's Fantasia movie, c. 1940}

Make sure you check out Fran's 

Spring/Summer 2013 collection

!  And, you can get 15% off if you give Fran a pair of gently worn children's shoes.  She will donate the shoes to the 

Nkhensanis kids orphanage

 in Johannesburg.

{I also really

love this pair

,

featured on the Elle South Africa blog

}

Do you have a pair of shoes that make you feel like you can conquer the world when you wear them? 

P.S.  I feel like I haven't been sharing enough drawings lately, so here's one a did a few years ago of the various shoes I saw at a private view in trendy Exmouth Market, London.  

I Hear Adventure Calling

What I'm Currently Up To...

Reading //

This summer has been all about sitting with a book in the shade (or inside when it's too hot). It doesn't really matter what I'm reading, as long at it's absorbing and relaxing.  

Working on //

Well now, that would be telling!  I have two very big secrets in the works, one which I might be able to share in a few months and one that will only come to fruition early next year. Hopefully I'll be allowed to share some sneak peaks from my sketchbook along the way. 

Eating //

Fresh corn on the cob; apples; blueberry crumble; home-made chocolate chip oatmeal cookies (the soft gooey kind you just can't get on any other continent... )

Thinking About //

All I really want to do is sit back and watch the sun embroider shadows on the leaves in the garden.  I don't really want to work, or write, or even talk. Sometimes silence is enough. 

But, I have loads of illustration work to do, and the longer I leave it, the more overwhelmed I feel.  I'm going to give myself today to sit and let the breeze play on my skin, and tomorrow I'll sharpen my pencils and tackle the ever-growing list. 

Grateful for //

Time with my mom. Wild prairie thunderstorms. Hot days. Good books. Skype calls with old friends and new babies. 

Anticipating //

Two weeks of travel.  Two long-haul flights.  One 7 hour time change. Exchanging one home for another.  I will be so sad to leave my mom, but so happy to see my husband again. No matter where I am in the world, I miss someone.   

Excited About //

My prints were featured in South Africa's Sunday Times!  The journalist called them "enchanting." I'm beyond touched and excited.  

How does your garden grow?

 {Grandma with her prized geraniums}

The sun is shining, the trees are holding their breath in the stillness, and somewhere in the distance I can hear the deep hum of a lawnmower.  It's summer in Canada.  

It's always special to spend time in my childhood home, but this summer has been particularly meaningful.  Life has been in extreme flux recently, and coming home has felt so healing.  I love sitting in my old bedroom, looking at my bookshelves and dollhouse, and feeling that sense of belonging. Time might move forward at a harried pace, but some things never change.  

It's so comforting. 

I've also been thinking a lot about my family.  I miss my Dad, who died 6.5 years ago, more than anyone can ever imagine.  People say time heals, but they're wrong.  Time does heal the tragedy of loss, but the missing never, ever goes away. 

But... I've also been surprised to find that I'm missing my Grandma more and more.  She died 20 years ago exactly.  It may sound strange, but I'm actually missing her more as I grow older.  I loved her as a child, but it's only now, as an adult, that I'm beginning to understand who she actually was.  And, to my surprise, I think I'm becoming very much like her, in some respects. 

As I remember, she was stubborn, passionate, a lover of books and reading, and she enjoyed the beauty of everyday things (postage stamps, birds, sunsets, and things that were made well). 

One thing she was famous for was her garden.  We cousins loved to play in Grandma and Grandpa's large yard, under the condition that our running around didn't tear up the grass, and we didn't kick our balls into any of her precious flower beds.  I think we loved the gorgeous flowers as much as she did, and were happy to follow the rules. 

Her most prized flowers were her coral coloured geraniums.  She called them "scheena Helena," which means "beautiful Helen," but none of us are sure why they had that name! (You can see her sitting with one of the coral plants in the photo above.) She wintered the cuttings inside when the snow flew, and would plant them outside again every spring.  After she died my uncle David kept the plants going in the same way.  

Now, 20 years later, he finally managed to propagate enough plants to give one starter to each of my 7 aunts and uncles. I so wish I could take a plant overseas with me, so I could have a piece of my grandma's legacy growing in my garden!

{The tradition continues}

Speaking of plants and legacies...  Here is the spruce tree I planted in our back yard when I was in Kindergarten. It's now 25 years old, and taller than our house!

And a little post script, just because Grandma and I both love beautiful things.... 

J'adore Montreal

{Montreal from the Mountain with the St Lawrence in the distance}

Montreal is my new favourite Canadian city.

 I visited for the first time last weekend, and I loved it! I loved the wonderful juxtapositions of old and new, European and North American, French and English... It really is one of the most dynamic and multi-dimensional cities I've been to recently. 

My mom and I spent the weekend in the Montreal area for my cousin's wedding.  They had their marriage ceremony in a countryside "Auberge" (French for "Inn") surrounded by wild-flowers, trees and vineyards.  It was so wonderful to spend time disconnected from the world, but reconnecting with my family.  

After the wedding festivities, we drove back to Montreal to bask in the gorgeous weather and cosmopolitan flavour of the city.  

We walked cobbled streets; we sipped coffee in cafes; we climbed the mountain; we marvelled at the mighty St Lawrence river, which has connected Canada to the world since the 16th century; we wandered down streets with glittering shops; we sampled poutine (french fries, cheese, and gravy) and the famous Montreal bagels from the Jewish quarter.  

The city was founded in the 17th century, and the old town feels like an ancient European city. I loved the cobbled streets and stone houses, which are now trendy cafes and art galleries.  

In contrast, the main city centre felt slick, energetic and busy, just like Chicago. They even call their main street, Sherbrooke, the "Golden Square Mile" (much like Chicago's "Magnificent Mile").   

And speaking of art... Montreal is such an amazing artistic hub. I spent a day at the Musée des Beaux-Arts, soaking up the artistic goodness on offer.  It was the only big museum in Canada I hadn't visited yet, and certainly lived up to the anticipation! 

{A statue of Maisonneuve staking his claim on Montreal}

{The Old City}

{The Old City, can't you imagine an early french settler living here?}

{Old and New}

{Musée des Beaux-arts in the Golden Square Mile}

{Unadulterated joy in the Musée des Beaux-Arts}

Eastern Townships

My cousin's wedding was in a remote part of the Eastern Townships, an area to the east of Montreal. There were so many quaint towns, beautiful mountains, and wine farms. I wish we could have stopped at them all!  And there were trees, and trees, and trees for as far as the eye could see. You'd be forgiven for thinking that all of Canada was one huge forest!

{My cousin Jeff and Me, so happy...}

This photo was taken the Friday evening before the wedding by my good friend Charmaine.  

Check out her blog here

. She's got such a quirky way of looking at the world; I love reading her posts! 

{Pastoral scene in the Eastern Townships}

{Vineyards near Lac Bromont}

Online Check-in

{Can anyone guess where I am?}

Hi there! 

I'm just checking in to let you know that I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. 

I'm not quite sure where I am, or which way is up or down, as I've been travelling for over a week, but I'm still here!

In the past week I've done 24 hours of air travel*, not counting layovers in airports. I've traversed two hemispheres both up and down and sideways. I've packed and repacked my bags, and sighed with relief at check-in when they were still under-weight.  

I sat beside a passenger who snored like a jack-hammer on a 12 hour over-night flight. I spent 2 hours on a very small plane sandwiched between 3 crying babies (it was heaven when they started giggling instead!).  

I still have a few more flights to go, as I travel to

my cousin's wedding

in Montreal.  {Yay! I can't wait!} 

I'm determined to keep a travel sketchbook, as well as take some lovely photos of our time in the Eastern Townships, and then the city of Montreal.

La Belle Province

, here I come! 

I'll post all my travel adventures next week!

*(Four flights in total: 2 + 12 + 8 + 2 = 24)

A Royal Welcome

Come on in! 

Feel free to snoop around, I don't mind! 

For the month of July I'm the featured illustrator over on Words and Pictures, which is the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (British Isles) online magazine.  

And, today, I'm featured in a special blog post  talking about how I became an illustrator (it was an adventure!), and any advice I have for people wanting to follow the same career path.

Curious?

I promise the adventure has a happy ending.   

There's also a gallery showcasing my portfolio HERE. 

So make sure you pop over to Words and Pictures

to read it. And, if you're an aspiring writer or illustrator, the website is a growing omnibus of everything you need to know about the children's publishing world. 

If you've landed here from Words and Pictures, welcome again!  There's lots of fun stuff to read and see, so stay awhile!   

Don't worry, everything's going to be amazing

What I'm Currently Up To.... 

Reading //

I picked up "To Kill a Mockingbird" again this week, and I love it as much now as I did when I was a teenager.  (and thanks so much for all your book recommendations the other week, I now have a great list of books to read in the coming months!)

Anticipating //

A few weeks of travel as I go to Montreal for my cousin's wedding, and then spend some time with my mom in the big, wide prairies.  I can't wait! 

Working on //

A painting of a Marie Antoinette ballgown in greens and pinks.  I love losing myself in the detail.  I'm working very slowly for a change, and I'm enjoying the zen of it.  It's ok if it takes me all week, I want it to be perfect. I'll share it next week, I promise. 

Taking Care of the Small Things //

  For some reason life has seemed a little off-kilter in the past few days.  You know that slightly off-balance, fluttery feeling in the tummy that makes you feel that the world is spinning out of synch and you don't know why? I can't exactly explain why the feeling arrived, as things are going really well at the moment. 

I have this instinct that if I take care of the small things, then the big things just have to fall into place.  I think that a sense of "rightness" might grow from small seeds planted in the depths of the every day. So, I polish my finger nails, I put my papers in order, I make grocery lists, I plump the couch cushions... I hope that the impact of these small actions will grow like ripples in a lake, spreading rightness throughout my life.  This goes exactly against the whole "don't sweat the small stuff" movement, but I've always been a bit rebellious. If I tend to these small, enjoyable habits, then hopefully the great, grinding wheels of fortune will turn in my favour.  

Grateful for //

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?  

Loving //

The fact that my book Magic at the Museum was featured on Play by the Book as part of a post of the best books for children featuring art masterpieces. There are some really inspiring books on the list. 

Today is... Pink

I am submerged in a sea of pink.  

Pink coffee mugs. 

Pink paint.

Pink pencils.

Pink fairies.

The very pink of perfection. 

A few years ago I was working on a very pink painting of the Queen of Hearts. I showed the work in progress to my friend Ayla . Mostly I had been using Permanent Rose straight out of the tube. She wrinkled up her nose and said, "Well, you know, there are lots of different kinds of pink." 

And how right she was! 

Just like there are lots of different kinds of happiness.  

Today I am content/happy.  You know that warm glow of comfort you get when you're drinking your cup of tea, and you're working on a project that's going well, and the sun is shining?  

What colour of happiness are you today?