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Just popping in tonight to thank Mr Toast for his Creative Tuesday and all the new friends and kind words I’ve had this week – means a whole lot. And I’ve been reminded of this video which is so on message for me at the moment.
Here’s a snatch of the lyric’s… so you can see what I’m mulling over!
” …just because I’m into this does that mean I should live like it
and really do I dare
Tanya Davis
On another note…thanks to Anna. I never normally win anything but her very clever Hound pulled my name from the hat and I won this lovely set of Art Hut goodies.
I’ve already used a ‘Hound of Hope’ card for a very appreciative Auntie – thanks Anna.
This is my entry for today’s Creative Tuesday on the theme of “Take Flight.” I really wish that I could take flight at the moment in so many ways! (Work is hard… a holiday would be nice….I think I want to paint full-time…) I’m thinking a lot about how long to be a ‘caterpillar’ and when to metamorphosise. There I said it out loud!
It wasn’t so long ago that I couldn’t work at all because of renovations and then from the fear of starting from scratch after so long.
So I thought I’d start with a little pottering. And one thing has led to another and I find myself working on at least four projects simultaneously!
I’m totally in love with my new studio space and could easily spend all day up here. We fitted an amazing daylight ‘fluro’ tube which means it’s as bright as sunrise up here all day and all night long.
It’s such a pain I have to go to work tomorrow, I want to stay home and finish something.
Take two friends (with almost identical glasses) two totally identical books, two sewing machines, one set of beautifully colour coordinated nails (not mine sadly) and two hours and you have two little Cath Kidston bags made up instead of lingering in pieces ready in the fly-leaf waiting to be made. Sometimes doing things together get them done!
St Francis of Assisi said ” …the woman who works with her hands only is a labourer: the woman who works with her hands and her head is a craftswoman; the woman who works with her hands, her head, and her heart is an artist.
So I may be being a bit timid about getting back in the painting saddle but according to St Francis, this cake can officially count as my work of art this weekend. Butter icing, lemon curd and blueberries. It lasted six hours!
The Great British Bake Off reaches its big finalle tomorrow and I am very excited!
Unbelievably it’s been 64 days since I had a quiet space to paint in. I skirted around the issue of settling to something yesterday by finding jobs to be done elsewhere, but always at the back of my mind was a little voice saying “Aren’t you going to use that lovely new studio?” Quite honestly I was panicking that I’d forgotten what to do, that I wasn’t worth such a fine room etc, etc. You may have met that Gremlin yourself.
Then I happened across the article above from the Guardian and was immediately calmed. If I could just go and live an interesting life, go and paint something rather than nothing, then maybe I would feel happy about it. And of course the outcome could only be judged after the painting was done, not before.
And so the Gremlin stayed outside the room and I have begun to find my feet again.
…was the most exciting day of living here yet!
My new studio! I am so grateful for this space. I am taking my time unpacking and will give you a proper tour when it’s all finished and prettified.
I’ve been a bit slow to catch on to this wonderful programme. The Great British Bake off challenges ten amateur bakers to bake cakes, biscuits, bread etc each week and two are voted off each time. I love cookery programmes and find baking particularly relaxing to watch.
What I never expected was to become emotionally wrapped up in how the contestants were doing. Last night I was nearly in tears when the ‘bus driver’s’ marmalade loaf sunk in the middle and he cried after a bad critique of it. I had everything crossed that he wouldn’t be one of the first two voted out but he was and my heart was in my mouth. Making food is a very personal offering and someone said that the failure of a receipe or someone refusing their food was liked being personally refused. Which is why I find it hard to see people critised because there is so much of themselves in their cooking, they take it so badly.
In between all the activity are two very witty presenters looking into the history of baking; why shortbread is Scottish, why do we feel guilty eating cakes. In interviewing a contestant, one presenter remarked on the contemplative nature of baking, how it offers opportunity for creative output, nurture and quiet solitude.
And so I went to sleep last night with a belly hungry for cake. This morning I made Dutch Apple Cake from Rachel Allen’s Bake book. Quietly unwinding whilst whisking, and folding. I used two apples (the only two!) picked from a tree in our garden and fed two friends, two plumbers and my family.
All was right with the world for a moment. Just because of cake.
…to being finished very soon! And I can tap dance while tying my own shoelaces. Courses on multi-tasking will be announced soon!
