Opening a door...

In addition to wreaking havoc on our bodies, anger closes our inner door, making us feel isolated and distrustful, hindering communication.

The 14th Dalai Lama

(1935)

I have become my own version of an optimist. If I can't make it through one door, I'll go through another door - or I'll make a door. Something terrific will come no matter how dark the present.

Rabindranath Tagore

(1861-1941)

You can only work on yourself. Start there.
Alice O. Howell
(1922)

I've spent pretty much this whole week in a state of pent up anger and frustration. Some of it because of particular situations and individuals, some of it seemingly non-specific. All of it resulting in sleepless nights and stomach-churning anxiety. It's not been a great week from that point of view. And yet, it's also been revealing.

I found myself several times during the week thinking and talking in terms of doors opening and closing and had a dream about a birdcage, which doesn't require a degree in Jungian psychology to interpret. In order to get through the week and avoid destructive behaviours (which might include picking up my bag and going AWOL or, worse, saying what I really think in less than diplomatic terms, then picking up my bag, slamming the door on the way out, and going AWOL) I've chosen to sit with the emotion, reflect on why it exists, and consider how I can let go of it or at least channel it constructively.

I'm not sure I have all the answers yet or that I'll work it all out but the fact that I have been able to avoid said destructive behaviours feels like an achievement. I do worry about how it's eating me up inside and I do wish I could rise above it altogether but not giving in to the strong desire to scream or run away, or both, means that I will still be able to try to make it work for me. And I do need to make it work. At least for the time being.

Having said that, I also need to find a way to release all this tension and my usual comforting and relaxing pursuits (hot bubbly baths, chocolate, walks along the canal, tea and toast, deep breathing, taking in the autumn colours with my camera....) don't seem to be having their usual success. I feel like I should do something more active, dare I say more aggressive - scream into the wind from a mountain top, kick a punch bag, whirl myself into exhaustion like a dervish or, as has been suggested this week, go to a shooting range and fire off some air pellets. I've never done the latter so have no idea how that would work out but I'm certain I'd feel better for letting off steam; that the knot in my stomach would unwind and perhaps a door in my head, behind which some of these answers lie, would swing open...

Whatever you're working on or, better yet, playing at this weekend, I hope you have a great one!

I'm off to take a bath and eat some chocolate now but maybe tomorrow I'll search out a mountain top...


* Poppytalk's  Autumn colour week finishes off with the colour brown. Check out other beautiful brown contributions here.

Red reflections

By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; 

and third by experience, which is the bitterest.

Confucius

(551BC-479BC)

I know of no more disagreeable sensation than to be left feeling generally angry without anybody in particular to be angry at.

Frank Moore

(1865-1925)

Loss and possession, death and life are one,

There falls no shadow where there shines no sun.

Hilaire Belloc

(1870-1953)

Struggling a bit to see colour in the world today, although I know it's there. 

Sometimes one just has to look a little harder and be prepared to accept subtleties and shadows I guess. Not necessarily a bad thing.

And tomorrow's Friday...

*other seekers of red in Poppytalk's  Autumn colour week to be found here.

Nothing new

trite (trt)

adj. trit·er, trit·est

1. Lacking power to evoke interest through overuse or repetition; hackneyed.

2. Worn out by use.

I know there a gajillion pictures of leaves out there. I've taken at least a hundred of them myself and I've been wondering if I should even bother this year. I love looking at them but how many leaf photographs count as too many?

We wouldn't accuse nature of making too many pretty leaves though, of repeating herself, would we? 

And when she goes to the trouble of scattering them so beautifully at my feet, it seems rude not to pause and then photograph them, again.

Trite?

Maybe a little. But I just can't seem to stop.

* it's orange day in Poppytalk's  Autumn colour week. Check out the group's photostream here.

Details, in yellow

I have absolutely no idea what this tiny yellow ball is but I've occasionally (in the past 6 months or so) noticed them on pavements all over the city.  Usually, like this one, they're wedged into a crack between paving stones. I've asked two people if they know what they are. They'd never noticed them before. The week before last I decided to start taking a snapshot every time I see one and I have three on record so far. 

I'm starting to think they might be a sign. Something meant just for me. Perhaps a reminder not to let the small but important things, the tiny spots of colour in my life, fall between the cracks?

Quite probably they're something a lot more prosaic but I'm going with my interpretation for now. I could do with the reminder.

* it's yellow day in Poppytalk's Autumn colour week. Check out the group's photostream here. Most of them are a lot more interesting than this one.

Looking through Autumn eyes

These last few months have felt like an ongoing exercise in either running to stand still, or trying to catch up with myself. Actually, I think it's been more than a few months. Given what's been going on in and around my life, this is not all that surprising and I'm not bemoaning the fact, just acknowledging it. Change has left me stagnating where I hoped it would move me on and come with brutal force where I would not have had it visit me at all. In these places of wild transition I've not been so much driving or even navigating my journey as holding on for dear life so's not to fall into the void.  And all round there's not been much sparkle going on. As the end of the year approaches, all too fast, I find I have hardly the energy left to generate a glimmer, let alone a glow. It's been a hard year so far and I stand here, facing another long dark winter, feeling empty and cracked and worn out. 

Much like this little group of objects at the weekend flea market. 

Strange thing is when I look at them, unlike when I look into the mirror of my heart right now, I don't see something devoid of value, discarded and broken. I see rich texture and warm colour and a story of a job well done and rest well-earned and permission granted to lie still and fallow whilst Autumn settles down in preparation for Winter to take her turn. And I see the promise of life still to be had and purpose served anew when the seasons turn again. With a little care, rich soil and spring bulbs, a lick of paint, a dab of oil, a freshly trimmed wick, I see they might retain the goodness wrought by wear and tear and go on to bring new joy. Sparkle even.

Maybe I need to pause, stand properly still for a moment, and then look in the mirror again... with kinder eyes. With Autumn eyes.

P.S. thanks to lovely Lisa for pointing me towards the Autumn colour week going on over at Poppytalk. I do so love a colour week and, conveniently, Monday's colour is green.

Colour week - it's a rainbow 'round here

The true harvest of my life is intangible - a little star dust caught, 

a portion of the rainbow I have clutched.

Henry David Thoreau

(1817-1862)

When I daydream about my perfect home it broadly includes a white, light-drenched space with a small lush garden and an ocean view. More often than not it's decorated with lots of natural materials in light neutrals, accented with rich but subtle colours. Strange then that I find myself living in a city-centre apartment, without even a tiny balcony let alone a garden, a view of a city skyline, not a lot of natural light, and decorated in quite dark neutrals and bright jewel colours. And I'm happy here. What both have in common I guess is that they are calm and peaceful spaces that reflect the things and the people I love. If I were living in my dream home I would have posted whites today. But what I see around me is a rainbow. And living in a rainbow is not such a bad place to be.

~ several years ago now I moved to the Eternal City to live for a few years and whilst there I met a kindred-spirit, someone who showed me the ropes, shared her days with me, and gave me some of my happiest and most enduring memories of the place. I had no idea at the time how profoundly this meeting would impact on my life. She and her husband returned to Canada, I went to France and then came to the UK but we remain friends, joined at the heart across the distance. Joined at the heart I like to believe, like the city where we met, eternally. Even at a distance she enriches my life, loves and supports me unconditionally and gifts me with her thoughtfulness and a warm deep wisdom, always when I need it most.  She has also given me some of the things I treasure most and love to have around my home, including this incredible glass colour wheel, made especially for me. When it catches the light, I think of her and the creativity that runs in her veins and the love that she embodies. And it makes me smile. Thank you E.

~ we've already visited my bookshelves once this week and I return to this one now because it's a rainbow of colour and content. My book collection is vast and eclectic. I love books. I enjoy electronic media but I hope we never ever move away entirely from books made of paper and ink. Books that we hold in our hands, that we keep on shelves, that we revisit like good friends for years and years. Those who love books will get this. Those who don't will not. Let's just leave it at that.

~ last night a friend turned thirty and we celebrated with a party where everyone was required to wear a wacky wig. Fancy dress for heads. It was fun - great fun. This gift bag, hanging on my living room door was waiting to leave for the party... where, like it, there was a swirl of rainbow colour and style. I love to wear a party wig and I think that every opportunity to do so should be taken. Wig-wearing releases the alter-egos of people, usually their bolder, sparklier sides, and I love to observe those at play. Mine was red, very bright red, and curly and big. Very big. I was channelling someone who might have hung out with Dolly Parton in her big hair heyday and it was fab. Perhaps I'll model it for red day of our next colour week.

~ There's something magical about a kaleidoscope, isn't there? I'd like to collect them and so far I have two. More than one is a collection, right? This tiny one, a souvenir from a visit to science museum, offers up a rainbow both inside and out. It always makes me smiley.

~ today's breakfast. Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day to eat out - love it - but I'm not always very good about eating it at home. I know that's not good, so since I've moved I'm trying to make an effort to do so more regularly and one of the ways I find makes it easier for me to stick to this resolution is to make it up on a little tray. This morning I started my day with some red berry tea, cereal with milk and a sparkling blue sky - perfect.

And that rounds up colour week. I've enjoyed having the opportunity to look for the colourful comfort and sparkle in my living space. It's interesting to see one's own world through the lens with this kind of emphasis. It's shown me things and made me think about them as I might not otherwise have done. And it's given me something positive and creative to focus my attention on, which is always a good thing and just what I needed. Like Thoreau, I realise that the true harvest of my life to-date is intangible but that the things that surround me remind me of these, and facilitate the creation of them too - love, friendship, fun, learning, contentment... happiness. A rainbow of beauty and emotion. Thank you to lovely Lisa who initiated and hosted our colour explorations and to everyone who popped by to say hello, and who shared the beauty of colour in their worlds for our enjoyment. It has been a pleasure.

A happy, rainbow-filled weekend to you!

Colour week - green, green, where are you?

Every day in colour week up to now I've had an abundance of the colour of the day to photograph in my flat, bearing in mind that I chose to limit my search area to just my apartment living space. Green has definitely been the most challenging so far for me. I'm not sure why. I love green but apparently it's not a colour I love to live with. It appears in little accents all over he place but if you looked at the space, I don't think green would pop out at you. Having said that, once I tuned my eye in to it, there were green bits to be found, especially in the kitchen.

~ the last of an absolutely magnificent arrangement of flowers that a friend gave me when I moved in. It had huge, white, deliciously spicy smelling lilies and softest pussy willow catkins in it. All that remain now are the green bits, including those chartreuse chrysanthemums, which always amaze me with their colour and form. They make me think of fireworks for some reason.

~ more coloured glass, all shiny and pretty on the shelves that are over my sink in the kitchen. The little vintage cruet set is something I bought more for how pretty it is than how practical I imagined it would be, but it turns out it's very useful and adds a lovely shot of colour to a dining table.

~ as I mentioned earlier in the week, I'm not a regular coffee drinker but I always have some in the house for guests and I like to try them out so that I know what I'm serving. This is a new blend that I've not had before and I freely admit that I bought it because it's African, Fairtrade, and has a picture of lush green jungle with gorillas on the packaging. I know the coffee connoisseurs amongst you are probably drawing breath in horror but it's true. Fortunately, it tastes pretty good too. I'm not sure I fully appreciated the butter toffee finish but I would certainly not be too embarrassed to serve it. And I do love the packaging.

~ tea towels. I have many. Once again, I'd probably be accused - not unfairly - of buying most of them 'cause of how pretty they are rather than with pure function in mind, although they seem to manage both quite well. And my friends apparently recognise this in me too because the one on the right travelled all the way from South Africa in a gift, and was made there, like me. I always think that when I read that text on it. The one on the left, came from the States, also from a lovely friend, who knows my colour passions well. I think of them both every time I use these beauties, with love.

~ and here we have... yet again... my quilt. That quilt is going start getting delusions of grandeur, it's made so many recent appearances on this blog. But it is a bit of a star in my life right now, and I am made happy every evening when I crawl in under it. This is a detail from the underside, which includes lovely purples and greens. I like that it's as pretty (albeit quite different) on both sides. I think there's a reminder in this for me, which has something to do with the reason I believe in wearing pretty undies even when no-one sees them, and painting my toenails gorgeous colours even if I'm wearing closed toe shoes. It's something about how even what can't be seem has an influence on how the world feels to me and I like to think that lovely on the inside, or in the bits that we can't see, is as important a part of that (if not more so) as what's on the outside. And I like that to be colourful too. Yeah, I know. It's a bit daft. But it's true.

So the green I sought was found - a little less obvious in the space perhaps but still bringing its own quality of comfort and sparkle into my every day. Thank you green, for subtly adding your value. It's much appreciated.

Can't believe we've almost reached the end of the week of colour it's been a busy week and this fun colour exploration has made it a bearable one. I am slowly making my way around everyone's lovely posts and the flickr group and am just blown away by how much colourful beauty people are finding and how creatively they are capturing it... what a treat.

I hope that wherever you are, and whatever you're up to, you have a very happy and colourful Friday!

♥

Colour week - an evening at home with pleasing purple

Womanist is to feminist as purple is to lavender.

Alice Walker

(1944)

I arrived home from a couple of days away for work last night, dropped my bag at the door and rushed around with my little camera to capture some purple... while I was doing this I noticed that a lot of the purple I have in my space falls clearly into the sparkle or comfort camps. Purple is such a special colour to me (the third of my three faves, along with turquoise and orange) and one that I'm ever and increasingly enamoured with. I even love the words that are used to describe purpley colours: violet, lavender, lilac, plum, thistle, orchid, mauve, magenta, royal, amethyst, wine, aubergine, mulberry... all so deliciously evocative of rich experiences, scrumptious flavours and beautiful scents.

~ it was actually my overnight case that reminded me that I had not collected any purples yet. It's the perfect size for a night away for work, this bag, and although I do have more hard-wearing and practical black luggage because, well, it's practical, I always feel just a little less like I'm walking in Peggy's shoes when I carry the purple bag.

~ swapping my purple suede heels for comfy slip-ons begins the transition into relaxed, at-ease-at-home mode... If I'm not pottering around in bare feet or socks, these are my favourite house-shoes.

~ later, after a nice hot shower, a change into my fluffy robe completes the transformation from at-work me into at-home me. Once or twice a month this all happens before 7pm, and although there's no reason not to do this except convention, I still feel strangely decadent when I succumb to this nursery routine.  Although, now that the days are lengthening into the lovely long evenings we enjoy at this latitude in summer, I'm less inclined to dive into soft warm things as early. Still, sometimes it's as much an inner comfort thing as an outer comfort thing. Know what I mean?

~ I actually own a book called Mauve, a fascinating read for anyone interested in colour and a perfect photograph for today's colour theme. Unfortunately it's not made it out of a box and onto a shelf yet (I've run out of shelf space for the moment and am awaiting the delivery of a few more bookcases before I can finish the unpacking of all my books) so we'll have to wait for another opportunity to see that one.  While I was thinking about that, I popped into my study to fetch something and ended up taking this rather fuzzy picture of the purple books I have on the shelf in there instead. It's a bit disappointing to see that there are so few of them (is purple just not considered a good colour for book covers I wonder? And if so, why?) but I do love the ones I have. I don't know if you're familiar with Barbara Kingsolver's novels? The Poisonwood Bible is probably her most well know and remains on my top twenty best reads list - excellent. The rest are lighter in tone and content but I've enjoyed them too. I admire the easy, conversational and flowing writing style she has. Prodigal Summer is another one that I really enjoyed... Actually, I might dig that out and re-read it to get me in the mood for the great summer we've been promised soon. I live in hope. Of good weather that is.

~ while I was in the study, I stopped to take in a little beaded bauble that I have hanging on a door handle and quite inadvertently caught the lovely purple vase in the background, a beautiful house-warming gift from my landlords. I actually only noticed this when I downloaded the pictures and I know the lighting in this shot's not great at all, but I had to use it - two bits of purple sparkle for the price of one. I couldn't resist.

And that was that, a relaxing cup of tea (chamomile and vanilla, with a spot of honey), and the evening ended... An uneventful but pleasing purpley evening.

And now it's time to start another day... and to keep my eye open for green.

I haven't had a chance to make the rounds of all my fellow colour players yet (am getting really, really, really frustrated with cloud wi-fi internet access, which is intermittent at best in this area, despite being in the city centre, and means the best time for me to be online is apparently between 2 and 4 in the morning - oh how I miss my reliable, anytime, high-speed broadband) but those I have had a peek at are serving up a feast of colour loveliness. I look forward to visiting the rest soon...

Hope you have a happy purple day mes amis!

Colour week - orange sings a happy song

Orange is the happiest colour.

Frank Sinatra

(1915-1998)

Yay for orange day! Orange is oft quoted as being people's least favourite colour but it's one of my three favourite favourites. To me it's vibrant, creative and a colour that sings a bold and happy song.  Which is why it's the colour of my blogging space. I also wear quite a lot of it and it has crept into my home decor too, providing little pops of colour that always lift my spirits. I tend to be drawn towards the richer, golden and amber oranges rather than the bright citrus-y end of the spectrum but wherever it sits in the range, orange makes my heart sing right along with it.

~ open shelves in my new kitchen provide storage for my amber glasses and orange tealights, which make their way down onto the dining table for some meals. I love coloured glass and have a small but precious collection of it - precious only to me, not in actual material value, because for years and years it was a no-go area or one to be argued over. Glass was clear, shirts were white, shoes were black... It's a long story. I won't bore you with it. I just celebrate now that I can have glasses in any colour under the rainbow I like. And I do.

~ I am not a coffee drinker. Tea is my thing. But, whilst living in Italy for some years I did develop a taste for the occasional really good cup of caffè and more especially a little caffè espresso or caffè macchiato. These beautiful demitasse cups and saucers were a gift from a special friend for my fortieth Birthday some years ago.  I love not only to use them when that occasion arises but also to look at them when they are not in use. SO pretty.

~ This little floor cushion in front of the french doors in my living room is one of my favourite spots to sit, especially when the sun streams into the room in the afternoon and creates a sunspot that my feline sensibilities are drawn to. I was hoping to catch it in the sunlight but unfortunately we haven't had any in the past few days, so I'm afraid you'll need to use your imaginations on that one for now.

~ Another section of one of the pinboards in my kitchen. It was not designed to showcase orange, but there it is... in postcards from friends, flyers for upcoming musicalparkpicnic opportunities, an invitation to a wacky wig party that I'm attending on Friday, and even in the sarong that I'm wearing in the photograph of two of my siblings and me on a beach in our home town... happy oranges, all.

~ every girl should have a basic set of tools and these are mine. Thank you Ikea, provider of everything I never know I need until I wander through that marketplace of yours (the orange candle on the coffee table in the photograph above was acquired this way too now that I think about it - that mountain of scented candles near the exit catches me every time). As you can tell, this is not the most sophisticated of toolkits but does most things I need to tinker around with myself and I love that they are encased in orange.

So there we are... orange in my apartment, adding warmth and comfort. Not all there is, but those that popped out when I looked around quickly and a little orange goes a long way. I did look for bits of yellow too - as this is yellow and orange day - but yellow is not really a colour I have in my space... strange.

Off to explore the other colour-weeker's offerings for today. Hope you're having a happy, orangey Wednesday! See you tomorrow for a little purple-shmurple...

Colour week - turquoise brings the beauty of the ocean home to me

Blue, or what I think of as my blue because I have almost no true blue in my personal space, is turquoise - all shades from palest aqua through richest teal. It's one of my three favourite colours and one that never fails to make me calm and happy - the colour of the ocean in all its moods. I have a distinct memory of one of the first times I was encouraged to choose my own clothes whilst out shopping with my mother, who bravely allowed me to have anything I fancied on this occasion. My choices included two pairs of corduroy dungarees - one in deep purple and the other in a lively teal - stylish! Fortunately I outgrew my dungaree love but the colours are still those that I choose today. And the ocean blues overflow into my living space too. In my flat I found many turquoise bits that capture the comfort or sparkle factor I'm seeking out during this colour week. I've chosen just a few...

~ my new quilt as a backdrop for my baby macbook - I love my bed and can spend hours here given half a chance, reading, or blogging, or browsing the net, and of course, sleeping - it is and always has been my most comfortable spot. The computer is essential to my comfort too - a link to the family of my heart, all across the world. I never thought it possible to be so attached to a piece of technology but I do love this little machine and at the end of this week it's having to go in for some repairs 'cause the casing's cracked (hence the tape) from just too much travel and use, which is making me a bit blue.

~ I love how the blinds bend the sunshine and create patterns of light and shadow on this little windowsill collection. The vases are two of my favourites, pretty even when they're empty, and although I'm not really a figurine person, my sister bought me this tiny girl with the blue birds (appropriately called happiness) and I do feel she beautifully captures a moment of joy. I think it's almost impossible to stand in that way, with arms outstretched, palms up and head slightly tilted back and not feel something positive. Try it and see. Or is it just me?

~ glass, plastic, polished wood, silver, mother-of-pearl, agate, crystal - just a tiny selection of the many sparkly bits I have hanging in my bedroom where even when I'm not wearing them, they bring me pleasure. 

~ the glow of candles is essential to my comfort at home and this one in my hallway smells subtly of a summer's day at the beach - gorgeous. The teal framed print in the background is one of my favourite Degas pastels, the original of which I was lucky enough to see in an exhibition some years ago. I'm not sure she's going to live there permanently but that's where she landed on unpacking and she seems happy enough at the moment.

~ A tiny beaded angel dressed in blue, bought in Cape Town at a city centre gallery I went to with my very dear friend, M, when I was last in South Africa. She (the angel that is, not M) hangs on the pinboard in my kitchen and recalls that lovely day, along with souvenirs of other cities I've called home and friends far away. In this shot a ubiquitous Roman fountain and a postcard of Paris - reminders of beautiful places and the beautiful people I met there and who are still in my life, adding comfort and sparkle through their friendship even at a distance.

Can't wait to see what the other lovely colour seekers are offering today in the way of beautiful blues. Have a look at Lisa's sidebar if you'd like a peek too. 

And have yourself a very lovely Tuesday!

Colour week - at home with radiant reds

Red is the ultimate cure for sadness

Bill Blass

(1922-2002)

Sparkle and comfort at home, in red. Day one of colour week.

Red, I've discovered, is the accent colour that links my room's schemes together. Paired with turquoise, or orange, or purple (my three favourite colours), deep and subtle or bold and bright - radiant red is everywhere in my home. In China and parts of India and Africa red is the colour of celebration, symbolising good luck, but in most Western cultures it's associated with danger and masculinity, neither of which seem especially appropriate for my space. I don't know why I'm drawn to it exactly and I know it's not for everyone as a decor choice but, no matter what the shade, it's the colour of strength and fire at the core of my heart and always lifts my spirits.

There was plenty to choose from but yesterday I particularly noticed these bits of brightness as I went about my day...

~ a fragile bauble catching the sunlight and beautiful butterflies from a friend dancing in its glow - I see these first as I open my eyes after my Sunday nap, and every day when I wake.

~ a hand-blown lantern in my living room reminds me every time I pass it of the alluring ancient city where I bought it - and the special time spent there, with three very special people. Good memories.

~ essential kitchen appliances for the production of tea and toast, two of my comfort staples - shiny and new in a cherry hue.

~ a pretty dishcloth makes doing the dishes just that teensy bit more appealing - and helps keep the sink empty, which is how I prefer it.

~ glistening and glittery gifts from loved ones - these casting soft red reflections - surround me and make me smile and sparkle on the inside too...

And so the colour fun begins... for me it's all about home comfort and heart sparkle and I can't wait to check out this evening how my fellow colour week players and our lovely hostess have found and interpreted red in their worlds. It's bound to be a treat.

Happy, vibrant and radiant red Monday to you!
♥

p.s. Lisa has also set up a Flickr group for colour week enthusiasts here

Contemplating colour...

Out and about over the past week I saw in passing a gorgeous window display,
all made out of household cleaning supplies

A chandelier of recycled plastic bottles, a wall of indoor plants,

and a sofa that captured a lovely combination of colour and home comfort

Colour is a power which directly influences the soul.

Wassily Kandinsky

(1866-1944)

I've taken to heart the suggestions of the many lovely souls who stopped by last week and kindly shared their thoughts on what might ease my dealings with the discomfort of change - my constant companion of the moment.  A weekend with plenty of sleep (including two delicious afternoon naps), multiple hot bubbly baths, chat with friends, cups and cups of delicious masala chai, and lo-o-o-o-o-ts of chocolate have definitely all helped me catch up after a hectic and horrible week on the road and left me feeling better set for the week ahead. Other suggestions included doing something arty, making time and space for a little of what I know makes me happy, connecting with kindred spirits, and not thinking too much... sound advice all. Thank you!

Cue the irrefutable queen of colour, the bold and beautiful Curious Girl, who's hosting one of my favouritist favourite blogging events, colour week. Exactly the sort of arty, happy-making, collective, not-in-the-head-but-led-by-the-heart sort of challenge that I need right now - thank you Lisa. We've had such fun with this in the past and I look forward to the same again.  I'm away again for most of this week (and still using random, roving internet connection) so I nearly didn't join the party but, really, who can resist? Not me. So I'm going to give it a whirl and hope I can keep up. Check out Lisa's sidebar for those who are playing along and if you aren't already there and feel like joining in, I'm pretty sure the invitation to this party includes a 'bring a friend, bring several' extension for anyone who wishes to join in the loveliness.

The colour calendar is:

monday, may 17th: all shades of reds (including pink)
tuesday, may 18th: all shades of blues
wednesday, may 19th: yellows and/or oranges
thursday, may 20th: purples
friday, may 21st: all shades of greens
saturday, may 22nd: rainbow/multi and/or whites/greys

To center myself a little more and to challenge myself a little further I've decided to explore colour this week in the light of my guiding word for 2010 and the current focus on my new home... so all my photographs will be taken within my apartment and seek to express either (or both) home comfort and sparkle. Some colours will be much easier to find than others. But that's all part of the fun.

Let the colour celebrations commence....

imPassioned Purple

What a colourful week we've had! I've so enjoyed exploring everyone's world through the spectrum. I've so enjoyed exploring my own little wardrobe world through the spectrum too. And I've confirmed a few things for myself:

• I love colour. It makes me happy.
  
• My wardrobe is not as neutral as I sometimes think it is.
  
• I probably could start a small shop with the beads, bags and baubles I have.
  
• My things are just things but they do have stories and their stories make them special to me.
  

Thank you to each and every one who has stopped by, read my ramblings, and stayed for a chat. Thank you to Lisa who has led the way with her glorious and colourful photographs and coordinated our efforts for easy enjoyment.

And thank you for ending the week on purple. Purple is my third favourite colour and I wear it quite a lot...

Purple passion - I love this purple fuzzy flower. I love it 'cause it's purple. I love it 'cause it's felt. I love it because the hands that made it belong to someone wise and funny and fabulous who reached out across the world and spread some of her beauty and colour my way. This is how it came to live with me. I love it.

Purple parrot & pearls - several years ago I needed to move. And I needed a new job. But I also needed not to be tied down for too long because I didn't know what I'd need next. I was lucky enough to find a maternity cover contract working with a great charity organisation, managing a team of lovely women who took me to their warm and generous hearts at a time when mine was mostly just going through the motions. They gave me a reason to get up every day, shared their strength and laughter, and helped me start the journey to finding myself again. When the contract ended after almost a year, I was ready to move on but sad to go. I had regained some energy and gained some friends. They gave me this beautiful necklace (and a matching bracelet) as a leaving gift and every time I wear them, I am reminded of how lucky I was to be in that place, at that time, with those people.

Drawn to the light - something about the shape of this sweet enamelled butterfly makes me think of a dancer with wings. It's dainty and delicate but don't let its demure looks fool you. It enjoys a good party. Here it's hanging over a lantern that I acquired when I was still living in London, bought especially for a harem party that my sister and I hosted. This is not as lewd as it might at first sound. We had recently spent a wonderful time in Istanbul and environs, where my sister was working for a while, and we wanted to enjoy an evening with friends, Turkish style. So we decked the living room out like a tent with colourful drapes of gauzy fabric, lots of candles, lanterns, flowers, and piles of cushions around a low table, where we invited a group of our girlfriends to join us for dinner, dressed "exotically, sumptuously and comfortably"... What fun it was. Everyone really pulled out the stops - one of my friends came in a sari style outfit made out of fake purple fur, hennaed hands, a bindi (or pottu) and her bedroom slippers. Another wore her silk lounging pyjamas and a kimono style robe, and a third wore her belly-dancing gear... It was great. We ate traditional Turkish summer fare, drank apple tea, and polished off a mountain of baklava (well, I polished off a mountain of baklava) while we set the worlds to rights. This lantern cast the most beautiful shadows over the event through its cut-out patterns and it was the butterfly that encouraged me to join the late-night dancing that ensued... 

Purple toes are pretty toes - how many purple nail polishes does a girl need you might wonder? Apparently quite a few! I have a bit of an issue with my toes. They are not of the neat and perfectly arranged variety. My sister has beautiful feet, dainty and symmetrical, and I'm sure my toes suffered a complex by comparison. For many, many years as a youngster I would not show mine in public unless I could absolutely not avoid it (like at the beach) and would never wear sandals. Silly. They may not be the prettiest, but I have ten and they work and toes are generally not the most attractive things are they? Anyway, I don't remember what the trigger was but I decided that it was ridiculous and that I was denying myself the pleasure (and comfort) of wearing so many lovely sandals and that I just needed to get over the whole toe thing. Strangely, because it really makes them even more conspicuous, I found it easier to show them with painted nails, than without. And so my love of polish was born. Now I enjoying playing with colours on my toes and I particularly love shades of purple, as evidenced by this little collection of my current favorites. All slightly different, some with a bit of sparkle, some with a lot of oomph, they live in their little bowl in the fridge door just waiting to come out and play...

 

Butterflies and books - I bought this bag a few years ago from one of my favourite stationery shops. Not a place one would necessarily expect to find accessories to wear but they do a great range of book bags and laptop carriers. I think it's probably fairly obvious why I could not resist it? Two of my favourite colours, butterflies galore and a great shiny finish, which feels lovely, is easy to maintain and is waterproof. Waterproof is important in the UK, land of many a rainy day. It's also really strong so it's the bag I use most often to go to the library because it can manage a good load and in the event of a shower, the books stay protected. It also often accompanies me on my longer train journeys to carry a magazine, my book, my laptop in its sleeve, a notebook, a pashmina, mp3 player, my camera, a snack... The essentials and the little extras that make a journey comfortable and complete.

 

Purple and a philosophy of life - this, the final of my beads and baubles to share this week, is a bracelet of amethyst beads, given to me by the above-mentioned sari wearer. Amethyst is said to have many properties associated with it that relate to healing, calm and spiritual wisdom and it was all these things that she wished for me when she made the gift. Apparently it helps insomnia too but, I have to say, I haven't particularly found that works for me. Either way, it's pretty and I love this bracelet because it came with so much love. I don't know why I took to draping it over the neck of this little zebra when I'm not wearing it (zebras are one of my favourite animals) but I did, and he wears it well I think? He certainly looks content enough. In the background a framed version of one of my favourite quotations by Henry Miller (also in my sidebar) and my nutshell philosophy on life. I couldn't have said it better.

Happy Purple Friday Lovelies!

♥

Racy Reds

I've just spent two nights in a very boring hotel for work, but what a delight to be able to browse all the wonderful colour that people are finding in the world this week. I love it!

So today we have red... Red and I have a history that hasn't always been an easy one. I have red hair. And for some reason that led me to believe that I should never wear the colour, so for years I avoided it, even though I was drawn to it. And then I went with a group of colleagues to a seminar on 'Personal Presentation for Corporate Women' (yes, I used to be one in a former incarnation) and part of the session was about colour and how red was an indicator of strength and confidence that every woman seeking success should have in her business wardrobe if she wanted to be taken seriously by her male counterparts (it was the 80s!). Anyway, long story short, I hated the seminar, and am no longer in a corporate environment, but I took it as an opportunity (officially sanctioned) to buy a red silk scarf... and I never looked back. Red and I made friends.

Guitar wire beads - I bought this set of beaded bracelets in the same shop as the above-mentioned scarf. The scarf is no longer with me (I am actually not sure what happened to it) but the shop remains an absolute favourite to this day. And I love these beads and baubles strung on guitar wires. I've had these for almost ten years now and I still enjoy wearing them. The combination of the deep reds with the subtle metals is just lovely and they make a very gentle tinkling noise when I move. 

African butterflies - another favourite bracelet, a souvenir of a trip to Namibia. I was working there for several weeks some years ago and was fortunate enough to spend the weekends travelling with my hosts to see some of the country. What a magical place it is. I'm generally not an arid landscape person - lushness and greenery make me very happy - but Namibia converted me to the desert. It's indescribable. Sea and desert adjacent to one another, sand dunes the size of mountains, entire plants the size of a coin, and the most vivid sunrises and sunsets I have ever seen over land, to inadequately name but a few features. I love this bracelet because it brings to mind that beautiful place and I most recently wore it to a work-related dinner function with a black dress, and several of these tiny feather butterflies in my hair...

A touch of rose - I love having my prettiest accessories where I can see them even when I am not using them and so I have these occasionally-used evening bags and the red flower corsages hanging against the wall in my bedroom where I can enjoy them every day. They dangle from the bottom of a heart-shaped wire frame, designed to hold cards or photographs I believe, which was my gift from my office Secret Santa last year. I still don't know who the Secret Santa was but I love the gift. It's probably not something I'd have bought for myself, especially in that particular shape (not wild about heart-shaped things for some reason) but it actually looks really pretty against the wall and I've found its great for hanging bits & pieces like this on!

A stopped watch - I don't wear a watch - never have - but I own several. And I love them all. Gifts to me from special people over the years, who just don't understand how I manage without one, they are all beautiful and different. All of them have batteries or winders that have now run down so that they no longer work. This one with the red leather strap is one of the very prettiest, a gift from my sweet brother, R. I think of him whenever I see it and although it doesn't tell me the time, it tells me that he loves me and he knows how happy red makes me. And I still manage to be punctual. Always.

Red is for Tango - I love a paisley print and it works so well on this lovely skirt, which is one of my favourites for dancing (and which apparently needs a press!). It's soft but slightly fitted, with a bit of a flirty flare at the hemline and allows great movement - perfect for an Argentinean Tango with a tall, dark Tanguero. Sadly neither Tango nor Tanguero have made an appearance in my life recently but if the opportunity arises, at least I'll already have the skirt. 

Red comes in several flavours - I snapped this shot of the handbags I have hanging on the back of the door in my guest room and without even having to rearrange them, they reveal that I have reasonably eclectic tastes in pattern, and that I'm quite fond of red. The one on the left is a great shopper that came as free gift with a magazine (don't you love those?) and has proved really useful. I love it. It's big and strong (can hold a week's worth of groceries) and the graphic floral design really cheers up a shopping trip. The leather one with the embossed butterflies and flowers is just big enough to hold everything a girl needs on an average working day, including a fold-up brolly, and who can resist a butterfly bag that still manages to look quite smart? Not me. The one on the right was something I bought when I was living in Paris. It's obviously not particularly Parisian but it reminds me always of that amazing city and how lucky I was to spend time there. And I like the pattern, the muted tones and the fact that it's beaded but still quite casual. I love to wear it with jeans. It's something that people often remark on and a year or so ago I was waiting in a queue in Marks & Spencer's when a woman came up to me and asked, in a lovely French accent, where I'd bought it. When I said Paris, she gave one of those expressive Gallic shrugs with a sigh, as if to say, "Aah, I should have known" and wandered off. That made me smile.

Reds can be invisible too - in the foreground here is the little zipped pouch that I use when I travel to hold whichever of my accessories I'm taking with me, most recently that included this wristband that I wore yesterday, and which I just unpacked from my little suitcase. In the background are two of the fragrances I like - one is a sample of Lauren, by Ralph Lauren (great for travelling, samples), and the other a gift from a friend who understood my love of vanilla and woody, spiciness and mixed this lovely warm fragrance specially for me. What an unusual and very personal gift. I was surprised and delighted! Although she's now returned to Australia, and the scent is almost finished, I think of her whenever I wear it or look at the beautiful red bottle she chose to put it in. Like all things, I have a variety of fragrances I wear, ranging from the green - light and fresh - to the red - warm and spicy - depending on my mood, the season and the alter-ego who's making the selection on the day. I have no signature scent, except that a hint of vanilla is something they almost all have in common. It's my favourite. I believe that less is definitely more when it comes to perfumes (it should be a subliminal sensory experience rather than an overt one I think, don't you?) but an outfit just isn't really complete until the invisible accessory has been added. And some days a red scent is just the thing. Now what shall I wear today?

Have a happy red day!

♥

P.S. It's not that I forgot about pink. I literally do not have a single item of pink in my wardrobe. There's a story behind that too, and it has to do with red.