Merry and Happy Wishes 2017

K-)

Behind, through and in & out

I came across this picture when going through my photo library and wondered why I kept it. It is out of focus after all. On the other hand, there is something there. There is kind of an eerie feeling hidden behind the open and closed doors. On more personal note, a certain shiver and chill runs through my veins when looking at it...

Pictures can bring out emotions one is not even aware of. So what about this picture here.

Looking from an open door passing a courtyard, shamelessly staring directly into a window of other dwelling, bypassing what I imagine is a room inside and looking through another window into somebody's garden...

This sounds rather complicated but opens up a new feeling, that of curiosity. Yes, this is one for the curious...

And one for the curious is also hidden here.


Looking at this window from the outside you notice the decorative pole inside of the window...

Intrigued?

Just follow the pole inside, searching and discovering what turns out to be surprising, visually rewarding, slightly scary and magical...

By this time, I am not interested in the pole itself anymore. I am taken in by the contrast of the outside brightness revealing quite a scene in the darkness inside. What a vista...

Let's analyse this picture. If cropped to the point that the figurative becomes abstract, one cannot help feeling certain confusion.

Mixing reality with reflection, especially if the reflection is distorted, can lead to a confusion. From a creative point of view however, one could see the answer to a conundrum of possibly some time. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with seeking such situations, as long as you bring yourself down to earth again.

Creative confusion can be helpful...




What a journey from eerie feelings to becoming curious to gaining knowledge from a confusion. Looking at situations, realising emotions, pinpointing feelings connected to them and being open to suggestions coming from them can enrich you.

Therefore, have you ever wondered what is behind that door, through the wall, or simply what is the relationship between the inside & the outside? Just notice, pause and have a thought.

K-)

The One and Only

A few weeks ago in 'Flipped to a new life' post, I shared with you my experience of transferring an image onto a wooden mixing spoon. In few words there I also mentioned that I found out about this particular skill during a completely different course simply by participating in a conversation with other like-minded people. And something similar happened on another course I took this time with Teri Howes. You might remember I mentioned her in my 'When is the e-mail address worth leaving behind?' post.

Which brings me to the image above. Earlier this year, I received this eye-catching pendant, a coral laid in silver. I must admit that for quite a while I wondered what chain I should get to compliment the piece. My usual answer would be a leather string but somehow I did not think that would justify the red in silver pendant. Putting two and two together and an idea was born...

Have you heard about 'Viking Weave'? Well, I had not till one particular course I took with Teri Howes. During a conversation this name popped up in the open. And since then, I could not stop thinking about it...

After a quick research it became obvious that it is not that difficult. It is rather repetitive but the result looks very professional. So I sat off on making my own chain...

What you see here is the chain in progress. I used one of my crochet hooks as a base and a silver wire I kept after completing one of the courses. One point to make, you are meant to keep the loose ends inside but I thought, what would happen if I kept them on the outside?

To this I will get later...

Let me introduce to you a very important tool. The block on the left helps to shape the chain.

You run the above chain through the holes till you get to the required thickness. And that is what you see on the right.

And now is the right time to reveal what happened to the loose ends from earlier. Feeling it would be a waste if cut off I attached small beads to them and...

To put it all together, I asked my trusted friend Elena (you remember Elena) to pose for a picture...

...so she did.

Spending evening after evening weaving round my hook, I experienced how relaxing it is. And if at the end you end up with something you can wear ouside you know you have done something right there. You feel like the one and only.

K-)

Update: Saturday, 15 October 2016
The One and Only

Talking of the 'one and only', number one got suck in my mind. Therefore, it was just a questionn of time to follow up on the idea and translate it into a matchind pair of earrings. And this is what you are looking at at the picture above. Yes, I have a jewellery set.

K-)

Botanic Gardens

Recently, I visited Botanic Gardens at Kew. I specifically reached for my zoom lens and am I glad I have done so. Ever since I got the lens I intended to go to Kew Gardens and finally the chance came when I had an unexpected visit from my sister whom I had not seen for quite a long time. And what a pleasant day it was. Not only because of the place itself but also because the weather could not be any better; it was sunny, the temperature was pleasant and it DID NOT rain. :-)

This visit took place a few months ago, in May which is a great time to visit any botanic gardens.

Nature is awake for a while and by then the palette of colours is so varied. Very enjoyable are different spices of plants, flowers and trees that are around you.



Our visit was incredible for the display of tulips.

We were surrounded by fields of tulips of different colours, shapes and sizes.

But it is not only flora that is to admire there. Underground under one of the greenhouses are big aquariums with fish and any other sea creatures. This time, my eye was caught by this little beauty.

With such a backdrop, I would have to be completely ignorant not to see it. There are no words to describe this, don't you agree?

It is true when they say that there is always something to see whenever you go to the botanic gardens. Spring however, is a special time. Nature wakes up offering itself to incredible changes. I am not any botanists but there is something magical to be able to witness nature developing in its gentle face.

So just join me...

K-)

Flipped to a new life

During a one day course where I learnt about making lampshades, I also heard about other skill, transferring pictures on wood (as you do when you mix with other people). I became curious so the next step was to learn more and simply try...

As visible in the picture above, I picked a piece of wood (wooden mixing spoon) that was no longer in use and outlined its shape on a picture of my choice. Now, you need to understand that as simple as it sounds, there are few points to remember. Make sure the picture is flipped otherwise your transfer will be flipped (and I am sure you don't want that). Also, have your picture printed on laser printer (not inkjet) and on the thinnest paper possible.

After cutting out desired scene I used Gel Medium and pasted it on the wooden spoon avoiding any air bubbles.

To be honest, I was not sure this would work since I used something else than advertised but hey, why not try...

...and now I am jumping ahead a little. What you are meant to do next is, after letting it dry overnight or so, get a wet cloth and place it on the paper, let it soak slightly and slowly rub the white paper off. Basictly, wetness helps 'dissolve' the white paper revealing the image underneath, correctly flipped.

This picture does not show the completed piece yet, it still needs more rubbing off and once you are satisfied, it should be sealed with Mod Podge (apparently, but I used simple 3:1 ratio of PVA glue:water which is as effective and much cheaper). But do your own research on this one, there is a lot of information around on both wood transfers and Mod Podge vs PVA glue. I simplified here. I mainly wanted to share my insight into something with quite a potential.

This exercise opens up new horizons so depending on how handled there is a potential. 

K-)

Update: Saturday, 28 August 2016
Flipped to a new life

Talking of a potential, I photographed my wooden mixing spoon, completed and sealed, for you to see attached to a kitchen wall (I have to keep to its original theme) and entering a new role as a decorative piece.

Here, I turned towards recycling, kind of metamorphosis. But I believe, more could be achieved. As said earlier, depending on how handled...

K-)

Evolution

Looking at and thinking of the image above, again I cannot get it out of my mind (otherwise it would not find its way to another of my posts :-)

I mentioned a tree in the 'Opportunities rather than Misfortune' post a few weeks ago and this is a recent shot of the same subject. Having observed the same tree from spring and witnessing subtle changes that have taken me to summer I am sure I will still indulge myself in this observation in the winter...

When a project evolves it takes time. The question is how long. You may remember my 'Leafy-fall' project from quite a while ago when at autumn I took an inspiration from a colourful willow tree. The idea is still here but certainly needs evolving further...

Here now I can concentrate at the wrinkled surface, I can pick on the remnants of a spider web partly visible to the left of the leaf, I can again focus on the lifeline of the leaf (the 'veins') like I did in the past, I can...

...and of course there are seasonal changes, even with dead leaves...

...Evolution...

Idle

Being Idle is a state of doing nothing. Practically not doing a single thing and (put politely) chill out. Though put it plainly, idle means wasting time by doing absolutely nothing.

And Idle is what I was not during my absence over the past year. Otherwise I would not be able to share with you the update to my Cottagy & Cosy project. Check on the 'Updates' tab to see its  progress or click on this link to follow the whole progress of this project.

'Idle' is a funny word. If I did not know the meaning I would think of some exotic word and exotic meaning. Like this however, I am reminded of this picture I took a while ago...

This gentleman appears chilling out somewhere in the park blissfully unaware of the world passing by. I wonder what was going on through his head. Was he looking for a quiet moment? Was he worried? Was he waiting for or hiding from someone?

Alright, he was probably not idle, simply looking for a time to himself.

But what does an 'idle' state look like? It is actually quite difficult to be idle when you think about it. I can understand to 'procrastinate'. But the state of 'idle' is hard. There is always something to do (or at least thought of). It is not easy to be idle. Which brings me back to the beginning of this post, to my project. 

I did work on it even though I went quiet posting here. What's more, other possibilities are going through my head as we speak. And it would be a shame not to continue especially when I had such a good time making the table accessories. It was both a fun and practical way of spending time by not being Idle. K-)

Inside a drop

For quite a while now there has not been a day without a rain. If it does not rain during the day, it keeps me awake through the night. And when it looks promising during the day a few drops appear at some stage anyway or at least it feels like it. The weather can influence the mood.

Despite my last post, I did find myself feeling down...  Momentarily, of course. Picking myself up into a more positive state, I decided to search through my photo library for a suitable image to cheer me up and to find an inspiration. And voilà. Here is a winner.

Rain is rain, not always welcome, but there is something about the delicacy of a single drop. There is something about the world inside drop's perfect shape (and the shape is perfect)... The clarity of water and the brightness of light reflects our world in a distorted form inside a tiny space. Suddenly, new somehow magical world on a smaller scale is revealed. Now, let's be honest. How much magic do we find in our everyday life? So, why not take this finding as an inspiration and turn something mundane into something new and magical?

Starting with rain, break it down to a single drop, observe it and I think it is possible to deal with our current summer much easier. Don't you? K-)

Opportunities rather than Misfortune

Recently, I came across what I thought was quite a wise thought - 'Misfortune? What misfortune. Opportunity!'

Since then, whenever something unpleasant happens to or around me I remember these words. There is so much truth there. So much wisdom. There is no point to dwell in negativism. On the contrary, if one reprograms his of her way of thinking one can be surprised with the outcome... (saving a lot of time and energy along the way :-)

There is a tree past which I walk quite a lot. One branch is dead yet nobody seems to address the problem. But is this a problem? Just look at the dead leaves bathing in the sunlight. I cannot help but admire the shape and structure of the leaves, the texture and the contrast enhanced by the sun. The juxtaposition of the brown/sad next to the green/alive of one unit.

And there is more. Within the frame of my lens there are cheerful tones of blue, white, orange, red, brown and more. The sharp detailed subject sitting in the soft background. Suddenly a sad subject is not so sad anymore...

 Depends on how you look at it, how you read it.

And so the moral of my post is - even when something does not go according to our plans, there is probably something else hiding nearby too. So look for the opportunities rather than dwell in negativism blaming it on misfortune. K-)