::inspiring Mondays::

I almost forgot this week's inspiring Mondays because today feels like a Sunday. And that's the first brilliant thing about this Monday. Bank holiday. Yay! It has rained, as expected on a long weekend, but it doesn't really matter. Do you know when your Saturday is different just because you have Monday off to look forward to? My weekend was just like that, nice and long and chilled and there's still tomorrow to come. Lucky me!

I love wool. Yarn. Of all sorts, soft and colourful. I can spend hours in wool shops going through every single yarn type and taking forever to decide what I want without any guilt. It's pure pleasure. I got some more today. For a specific project, this time...

:: Boris and Megan and Samson; adorable!

:: Megan sleeping on my lap for hours. inspiring Mondays almost became inspiring Tuesdays.

:: wander around with my camera.

:: cinema. I love the cinema.

:: knitting. the WIP red hat above.

:: wool for a cardigan. green. ♥

:: John Lewis. yarn. dangerous. good dangerous.

:: winning this giveaway by the inspirational Kim Klassen. Can't believe how lucky I've been recently!

:: featured in the Creative Challenge mosaic! Oui! Thanks, Twiggs :)

:: photography ♥♥♥

Hope you all had a happy Monday, if not with yarn with something that takes your fancy! Tea, maybe? Have a good week :)

::when I grow up I want to photograph like...::

Valérie Loiret

I'm absolutely in love with Valérie's photography. Photographic love needs no explanation, goes straight from the eye to the heart via a big smile. But I can give you a few reasons, being the sweet little miss that I am.

Valérie photographs a huge range of subjects, I am unable to put her photography in a category other than beauty and light. And I love that diversity. I am also a huge fan of the way she captures light, for that is the single most important thing for me. In several aspects of my life. She has an amazing eye for composition and shows really interesting perspectives which leave me dreaming about photography and ways of seing the world...

I was cheeky enough to ask Valérie if she would be happy to write a few words on her work, what inspires her and what brought her to photography. She very kindly agreed and I had the whole thing ready in one very happy evening.

* 

Photography is for me creativity, a camera enables you to make a link between images of oneself that we have inside us often without knowing it, and the outside world, and sometimes when there is a perfect connection between inside and outside, only a photo shows you afterwards what you wanted to express inwardly, without being able to articulate it. Or you did not even know you felt it until you see it. Such as when you read in a book a few perfect lines expressing exactly what you feel, how you feel, and what you have already felt before without being able to nail it down.

I read somewhere that what makes people be passionate about photography is that in each photograph they take it is a bit as if they found back their mother's stare at them when they were babies. The first photo we have inside is our mother's eyes and face when she was looking at us as infants.....? 

I remember my mother's polaroids, little square format photos in vintage colors, when she photographed us with my brother. After she used a small film Canon camera that she loved. My first loved camera was also a Canon AE1 I shared with my brother in my twenties, and already at that time I was in love with color. 

Then I stopped photographing for many years, expressed myself more with books and writing and studies and all. 

When I came back to it, 10 years ago, I went digital, from the smallest and simplest, a point and shoot, then progressively as I progressed, I got myself more sophisticated tools, such as a Leica M8, and then M9, which I loved, but I guess that I had always in my mind the memory of the feel, the texture, the light, the colors, of film, and I was never satisfied completely with what I got. 

Then one day, I had the idea of using again my Canon AE1, which is still working, and I started feeling more creative immediately, as if the camera was liberating something in me, or enabled me to unleash the creativity and access to poetic expression I was never able to express with digital. Then I got more demanding, I got a Canon F1, which is older, and loved it. Still, 135mm, even if I was starting to express myself with it, also reached a limit when I wanted to show ALL the light and details and softness and colors, and I started thinking about medium format, 120mm film.Thanks to an extraordinary professor in a documentary workshop I took a few months ago, who saw through us all what we secretly were trying to express in our photos, and who told me I had a "square" and somehow sentimentally artistic vision, I started using medium format, and THIS IS IT. I now own 4 medium format cameras, including a Holga, two Twin Lens Rolleis, and a Voigtlander Bessa ( a rangefinder). Each camera permits something in particular, the Holga complete artistic freedom, the Bessa wonderfully sharp landscape or street work with perfectly real colors, and the two Rollei, with which I view from above, the synthesis of both Bessa and Holga in one camera. The Rolleicord Vb, which I used for the photo above, is the simplest of the twin lens Rolleiflex cameras, or the least sophisticated, yet a perfect tool as it permits to have double exposure. I find myself experimenting with it even more than the other Rolleiflex I have, the T.

Each camera has got its character, style, limits, and talents. When I have one with me, I feel attuned to my senses, to light, and the richness of life. 

* 

I also asked Valérie if I could use the photo above as a sample of her work and if she was happy with my choice. She sent me a beautiful summary of herself as an artist.

* 

Feel free to use that one, actually it sums up my love of nature and light, as well as my love of the colours and textures of film, and the need I have to express myself creatively. I change cameras, I change films, but at the same time each camera has its own character and when I am attuned to it, they give me different ideas; each camera is actually like a palette, you know? 

*

I still don't know Valérie, but I'm learning. Thank you for being such an inspiration!

And a big thank you for making my first feature on inspirational photographers so easy!

For information on how to buy Valérie's books go here. And a bit more about her here.
And a little selection of more of my favourites by Valérie 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

~~ * ~~

::When I grow up I want to photograph like...:: is a new feature on Little Miss Joey where I share with you photographers who inspire me and make me want to grow up. Photographically. Not physically. Although that may be cool too. But then I wouldn't be little miss. Focus, LMJ, focus. This feature has been on my list of ideas for the blog for ages now, in fact since February as shown on my MK, but it took me a while to both get my act together and find the perfect first photographer. You see, a couple of things come together when working on this feature: 1. choose the photographer and 2. have the nerve to ask them for their photos and a few words on your work, while you're at it. Ta. Valérie made it very simple, I'm so grateful to her for that; I sent her a very shy Flickr message and she replied with a yes and a few suggestions and a compliment. Photographers of the world to be approached by LMJ, put your eyes on Valérie!
My friend Nicky has a similar feature on his brilliant blog and I recommend you visit him frequently!

For those of you wo reached the very end of the post :) any suggestions and/or ideas for this feature?

notes from a Thursday

Sitting in front of my window I can see a big grey cloud forming and moving. It's windy and it will most likely rain soon. Today I don't mind. Little Miss Joey has moaned already, mind you, but I am now at peace with the weather. As I walked to the station today, I remember feeling calm in the grey. I had a good day.

:: I overslept. 

:: I had the quickest shower in the history of rushed showers. 

:: I had good coffee. 

:: I had an amazing group of visitors. I love my job, have I said that? I do. 

:: I went to belly dance class. It was fun. It had been ages, 6 years to be precise. Need practice. 

:: I swapped good emails with good people and am really really enjoying this blogging adventure. 

:: I made a list. That amuses me. 

:: I worked on this post for These Moments. Oh my, that are so many talented people out there!

:: tomorrow is the last day of Raining Umbrellas and I'm feeling so much more focussed in my creativity I wish it could last longer.

:: I finally worked on my submission for the Creative Challenge group. Numbers. It this suits me! Seven, obviously!

Before I go, an interesting article over at Something Surprising, by the ever so surprising (clever huh?) Plasma Engineer! Make sure you read some of his other posts too, informative and controversial. 

And a few Flickr favourites to brighten your evening: 1, 2, 3, 4... I could go on, but I won't. I need my bed. And so does my neck. It has been scientifically proven by me on one subject that the stiffness of one's neck is inversely proportional to the number of hours one has slept. For LMJ, (23:50-03:00)*sleep + 1*awake + (04:00-06:30)*sleep = one very stiff neck!

Nighty night!

::Raining umbrellas:: three week balance

Little Miss Joey is now on the last week of the Raining Umbrellas course and has realised two things: 1. she doesn't like good things to end (what a surprise, LMJ!) and 2. she's an artist (hahahaha... still feels very weird but a goal is a goal and I like to stick to mine!). 

Raining Umbrellas has made me more focussed and less lazy in getting creative things done. It showed me thinking about things is very lovely, but doing them is even more lovely. This week has not been prolific on time for LMJ so the creative exercises are not yet completed and the weekly assignment is just a cute B&W sketch on my notebook (which reminds me I can't draw!), but the ideas are pouring as plans of action for when I have the time. Ideas, not vague thoughts. 

This is our last week and I wish it could drag for a bit longer... like good ice cream!

Little note: I like this photo. It's from a trip with Nicky and other friends to Harcourt Arboretum in Oxfordshire, UK. Fairy tale light in this country, I tell you. I bet you'd like to move here now. I won't mention British weather so as not to put you off just now...

::inspiring Mondays::

Even windy Mondays can be inspirational. And happy! This Monday was shaken by gusty winds but I was surrounded by inspirational little snippets of life and barely took notice (I tell a lie, but it sounds more poetic like that; in reality, I felt I was about to take off on several occasions!).

I am an artist. Ha. I've written it and it looks very weird, but it's part of my weekly plan as Raining Umbrellas reaches its official end to call myself an artist. So I'm afraid you'll be reading a lot about little pats on the back from me to moi même. Someone has to do it and that someone is me. For now. I also want to do Street photography, but that's for another post.

:: met up with a very dear friend who now lives in Singapore. we hadn't seen each other in two years but it felt like it was yesterday. smile.

:: said friend instigating me to "do" street photography on the spot. it was London after all. more smile.

:: chamomile tea. it has been forgotten but no longer!

:: great barbecue. fun!

:: tulips.

:: 3 pets all to myself for a whole week next week. can't wait.

:: Raining umbrellas ♥♥♥

:: being creative.

:: feeling inspired.

Yes, the wind keeps blowing outside, loud and clear, but I choose to ignore it. There's so much beauty and peace to explore now. Have an inspired week everyone :)

softer

I'm listening to Joni Mitchell. Do you like her? I do. It makes me feel nostalgic... the other side of me. Fortunately for us all, Little Miss Joey puts that side in its place most of the time. See, if I were to play that song in repeat I would be writing a very different post. Softer. Sweeter. Filled with gentle longing for nothing in particular. Vague. All of it is vagueness. All of it are impressions of what might have been. Of what may be. Smiles are just a thought. A soft print. Yes, that would happen if I were to play Joni Mitchell all night. 

::post delights:: book giveaway

Back at the end of March I entered a Selina Lake book giveaway at Trisha Brink Design. Mine was the first comment. Not that that is relevant. The important bit is that I won it. I did. I had been flirting with Selina's book Romantic Style for a while and when I won a copy I have to say I felt pretty lucky! What I did not know was I was to feel even luckier.

Trisha sent me the most lovely parcel, of which the book was just a part of. There was the flower photo you see below. All for myself. And more.

Over an email to Trisha I had said I wasn't that big on flowery photos. That is not to say I don't enjoy some flower photos, like hers, but overall it's not my thing. So she sent me these most amazing prints. Aren't they brilliant? And so me!

If you are jealous and would like to have some of these prints despair not!, Trisha does have a shop here. Go and indulge!

Dear 16 year old me

::Raining umbrellas:: two week balance

As the whole world and the other half knows, I am doing the Raining Umbrellas creativity course, with Vicki and a collection of inspirational ladies from all over the world. Typically, the state of high excitement about things diminishes as time goes by, much to the relief of one's friends, but... not always. And this is one of those cases, my enthusiasm about the course has in fact increased. 

Had I written this post yesterday, I would have told you I'm finding myself in this creative world and how I can actually now say the word artist with reference to myself even if as a murmur and with a giggle of embarassment, but it's there. I would say I enjoy my daily routine of wandering around my classmates' blogs and feeling inspired while learning about my own style. Yes, I would have said all that yesterday and I say that today. But I also say something else.

Vicki. She is responsible for my initial enthusiasm and she is responsible for my very much increased excitement about Raining Umbrellas. See, I've had plenty of teachers and tutors in my life. I remember most of them but I have kept very few in my heart as role models. One day if you ask nicely I can tell you about them all. Today, I am telling you about Vicki, for she is definitely a tutor I will be keeping in my heart for years to come. And to me, those are the true tutors, those who can shape your life and how you see it. And Vicki has, to me. Thank you, Vicki. So very much.

Little note: this photo is nothing special, I suppose. unless you see what I see. looking up, always, for there are windows where there are no doors. or how to be happy with what you have. I did say somewhere I had a vivid imagination...

::inspiring Mondays::

I love today! I mostly love today because of yesterday. But I also love today for itself; I had a great day in work and I'm looking outside the window now and the sun is shining (even if the wind is blowing so strongly I wonder when I will have the pleasure of meeting the tree opposite in person!).

About Little Miss Joey today... I am easily pleased. Little things make me happy. That is not to say I am not demanding, unfortunately for the world I am and I have high standards (especially for ice cream!), but I get excited about simple things and happy with very little. That is really why I am happy. Not because I have the world, I just think the world of what I have (unless we're discussing people, in which case it has been scientifically proven I do know the best). 

:: my friends.

:: Oxford 10K Town and Gown. I ran it. yes. moi.

:: good news from home.

:: the breeze messing with my hair, annoying me and winning. makes me laugh.

:: the creative ladies at Raining Umbrellas. what an inspiration.

:: it's still sunny.

:: homemade muesli. Muppet's, not mine. love it.

:: Nicky sharing a moment here.

Green for hope. It is a hopeful Monday. It hopes everyone has a very good week. Isn't it nice of Monday?

::Raining umbrellas:: the seventh day

Today I just wanted to say what's written there. I don't need much more colour because I have it all in me. Yes, I am red. Couldn't avoid the joke. I have all inside me. The colour. Of the people I know. They are amazing and make me so happy I could explode. But I won't. I'll just be happy :)

::Raining umbrellas:: Assignment - 7 Days Creative Notebook

This week's assignment for the Raining umbrellas creativity course was to do one small creative thing a day and to catalog it in our notebook. I love notebooks and could spend hours selecting the most perfect one (only to choose Moleskine 9.9 times out of 10). I also love the idea of being creative. Put the two together and you have a very happy Little Miss Joey keen to complete her task. 

I opened my notebook and got on with it. In the evenings. Five minutes. Except that I didn't follow the briefing. It was so simple and I still deviated from it. I didn't do a creative thing a day and then logged it in my notebook. Nope. I lived my day normally and then logged that in a slightly creative way in my notebook (I think!). This wasn't a deliberate deviation from the rules; when I read it that is what came to my mind and I did it that way. Simple, really. 

Here are the images. All yours to comment on. Yes, please. Except Sunday. Sunday has its own separate post. Some of the images have notes on Flickr. If you're curious.

on nothing

Little Miss Joey is tired. Yes. The kind of tired you want to share with the world so people are sympathetic and preferably agree with you. Not on you looking tired, no! On them also being tired. And then you can all be tired together and the world feels like a much better place.

Little Miss Joey could also do with fuel even though she's not hungry nor in the mood for chocolate as eating uses energy!

Little Miss Joey is off to work on her weekly assignment for Raining Umbrellas while secretly thinking she's very creative. Oh wait, she just told everyone... Boo!

Little Miss Joey should stop referring to herself in the third person, get her act together and go to bed. At 9:18pm like babies, old ladies and chicken.

To avoid complete blogging disaster, I thought I'd leave you with a few things that made my day today

:: someone introduced themselves to us here :)

:: this peaceful sleeper

:: this adorable orange fluffy ball

:: this place

I hope this little list of visual treats makes up for my nothing post a la Seinfeld. That and the photo...!

These moments

Photo: Kate Hiscock of slightly me

Tuesdays are Pilates days, as of today. I can tell you I am making sure my naval navel is in the right position, while I wonder why we have to use words such as naval navel when we could just say belly button. Yes, I know that now, but I didn't until a couple of hours ago. It was fun trying to put my"unknown" naval navel in place. And hold it. Oh my, to hold it there. To be continued...

Well, pilates was a moment of my day, much like seeing Kate's photos only less visually appealing.  I'm  feeling very lucky I got to join her in the These Moments Flickr group and blog. Mondays are Kate's days and she's put together a lovely selection on moments... here... just for you.

I am also incredibly baffled to say we've been featured on paper.li; we've also appeared somewhere else, a place very close to my heart... guesses anyone?... if you said Nicky's blog you win a little virtual pat on the back and a big virtual smile! This is until I feel confident enough to send you a postcard of my photos, of course!

Have you visited the These Moments Flickr group? No? Really?!

P.S. - I want the frame in the picture above ♥♥♥


Little note: naval to navel courtesy of Nicky

::inspiring Mondays::

Today I had an ego moment; Nicky asked me what time ::inspiring Mondays:: was coming out so he could read it immediately (that last bit is mine, but that's how I heard it!). It made my day. That and the beautiful sunshine all day. Yes, all day! And the newest lesson of Raining Umbrellas. So I guess this Monday has a lot going for it. Well done, you, little sunny Monday!

About me today... sit back because this is a special one... I love bread! Ha! I do. Good bread. Cannot unfortunately set for anything less than amazing bread. You can find excellent bread in Portugal (yes, a bit more publicity to the country, we need all pennies we can get at the moment). The one on the photo is from the bakery we got our bread from during the holidays. Yummy! Anyway, what is the relevance of this fact to you? Little tip: you can bribe me with bread. Excellent bread, remember! Noone as ever attempted this feat, but I'm pretty sure I would succumb easily. Little Miss Joey is not perfect, just a cute planner of world domination. Or not! Note to self: work on the silliness levels! Please, LMJ!

:: 55 minute run. I did it.

:: let's have it again: 55 minute run. the longest I've ever run. yay me. little pat on the back.

:: raining umbrellas. 

:: my friends. they are good. carefully selected, yes, but very good nonetheless ♥

:: photography. my photography. this statement is a work in progress.

:: being an artist. being able to say this is my goal at the end of the creativity course. I thought I'd start early.  it's weird.

:: clear blue skies. 

:: water.

:: homemade muesli.

Mondays are underrated. Hope I'm changing that :) Have a good Monday!

of other breakfasts

A week ago I had breakfast in Portugal before kissing little brother and Mum a very early goodbye and being driven to the airport by Dad. As predicted, I miss all of them. I miss them annoying me and/or teasing me. I miss their quiet daily activities and their loud outbursts of silliness just the same. I miss their puzzled looks as I set up the breakfast table to photograph it and wonder why I'm letting my toast go cold. I miss our 324 attempts at having a family photo and managing to have one of us looking weird in every single one. I miss Dad talking non-stop whenever I try to take his photograph. I miss Mum moaning she never looks good in photographs but letting me try anyway (she is only the most beautiful woman I know!). I miss little brother photographing me so I'd have something too and how photogenic he is. I miss how we all work together in spite of being so utterly dysfunctional too. And I wouldn't have believed any of this if you had told it to me when I was younger. Gotta love being older :)

::Raining umbrellas:: a week's balance

I've been doing the Raining Umbrellas course for a week now. I was really excited about doing this course for ages and when it was finally open I was thrilled and keen to get going and meeting everyone and seeing their art and feeling inspired. The amazing thing is that it fulfilled all my expectations (how often does that happen?) and went beyond them in the best way possible. After reading the lessons, I'm often left quiet and reflective trying to find myself in those texts about artists and signature styles and natural born inspirational people. 

As you may or may not know, I like myself. I particularly like the annoyingly little Miss Joey, for she amuses me as a little alter ego with a bit of a life of her own when she writes here. I don't think I'm perfect or the best thing under the sun, but I'm happy being me. And I like to know about myself. It's the control freak in me (this is a secret!). This week I have learnt so much about myself before I even began trying that I'm baffled with the information. I'm really enjoying the journey. 

I am also fortunate enough to be doing this course with an amazing group of very talented people whose work inspires me and makes me happy. I'm impressed by the diversity of crafts and media used and educate my eye with every single visit to their spaces. If you want to know them a bit better (and not that Little Miss Joey is bossy or anything, but you do want to know them better!), you can find them on my sidebar... Raining umbrellas crowd. Go. Enjoy. It is Sunday!

These moments

We all have moments. All sorts of moments. And sometimes we photograph these moments. I would like to encourage you to not only photograph these moments, but also to share them on the These Moments Flickr group. Need more prompting? Nicky has done already and we all know he's quite the trend setter!

Now that you all thought I was completely obsessed with the Raining Umbrellas course (hats off if you've spotted that, because I am) and were expecting to read only about it (hats back on if you really thought that!), I come here with a very different topic and throw you off guard! Clever! But why? As of yesterday, I am co-admin of the These Moments Flickr group. Thank you Kate!

On a casual Flickr stroll through the groups I had joined, I noticed Kate's request for help with the group. I thought it would be interesting to enquire about it. I did. She said she'd welcome my contribution. And here we are. It is really that simple, a moment indeed we could show you photos of had we ever met in person. Which we haven't. But maybe we will. If by now you haven't clicked any of the links and you're wondering who Kate is, she's the founder of the These Moments group and a lovely photographer who enjoys capturing moments. I'm sure we will have a lot of fun in our new adventure and I do hope you join us there :)

Ah, almost forgot... so what does my contribution entail? To select five photos every Thursday to be featured on the These Moments blog. Simple, huh? No! I cheated on my first day!

::Raining umbrellas:: Serendipity

I love this word. When I first learnt it, it took me a while to say it... serendipity... it was the kind of word I had to read slowly and then repeat to myself quietly. I love it for reasons I cannot explain, the same way I love the word Copenhagen and had done so way before I ever visited it (I did fall in love with the city too, by the way; coincidence?). Maybe it's the sound, maybe it's how the tongue twists gently to say it.

Our creative exercise revolved around serendipity and as ever, it seems, it took me a while to find my ground on this word; but I have. People. Serendipity to me is people. People come into our lives randomly. I was born into a family who was already there. And then along came my brother. Pure randomness. We choose our friends, yes, but from the pool of people we come across. Pure randomness again. Serendipity is the faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident, the briefing said. The people in my life are my serendipity. I have been so fortunate in the people I know words cannot begin to explain it. I love my little brother by default and by non-default (whatever sense that makes, it's very clear in my head!); he grew into a man I admire and respect and trust, who believes in me more than I do. My parents, of whom I have complained no end and praised in the same amount, are my pillars. My friends, all of whom arrived into my life serendipitously brighten my days and make me the smiley Little Miss Joey that I am, encouraging me to be myself and supporting me and being silent with me and talking as if there were no tomorrow. Yes, I do like the word serendipity for it brought me all the people I love.  

::Raining umbrellas:: Assignment - A Life Story's Collage

The briefing was to create a collage which explained who we are as artists today. We, the students, ie Little Miss Joey. 

I had a hard time coming up with a collage which would reflect why I'm an artist today. I think my main difficulty was that I don't see myself as an artist. I'm only now beginning to use the word creative. Which I love, by the way. Love. But moving on...

In order of appearance in my life, there's photography, just because Dad always loved it and I believe that's where I get it from. That said, it was the last creative hobby I found. Interesting, huh? Or maybe not. In any case, it's the one I enjoy the most now and that I do more often. Mum hand sews and embroiders like noone I know. She's an artist and did a lot of my toys when I was little. She's an inspiration on the crafty side of things... So this is how I started.

What moves me? Light does. It's the single most important thing in my photography (and life in general). Closely followed by colour. Colour is a big thing for me and I love how it impacts a photo. And then there's my recently discovered niche... little snippets of life (or in its less interesting form, stuff!).

I don't think the map of my inspiration would be complete without mentioning Flickr and the huge source of beautiful images I see there everyday. I love seeing other people's photos and how we all see the world in so many different ways. And there's the blogging community; I find it incredibly inspirational to read the blogs I read, powered by Google Reader (thank you Google people!). I have a preference for photography, crafty and decor blogs, but looking at my list now it's very eclectic indeed.

If you want to see the original notebook sketch, here it is. 

Yet another journey of self discovery which I quite enjoyed! 

::inspiring Mondays::

Little Miss Joey will confess to a slight grump with the end of the holiday. She cannot help it. A bit like speaking about herself in the third person. That said, things happened this Monday that made me happy and inspired me. Smile. Smile.

I now have a little list of facts about myself, in my moleskine, which I update whenever I think of some other very meaningful and interesting thing I could share here. This helps me keep track of what I've said already. Plus I like lists. This in itself is a fact, or two. But again I'll go further. I love light. Light is what moves me and my main source of inspiration. I need a well lit home and it is a decisive factor when picking a place. Lisbon has the most beautiful light in the world. Visit it. Maybe I should get a commission from the Portuguese tourist office... hum... but then you wouldn't believe my recommendations as much. I'm assuming you believe me :)

:: I had an amazing 10 days and a memory good enough to remember it for a long while.

:: Little brother.

:: Raining umbrellas.

:: Food festival with friends.

:: Sunny day.

:: A run. Still short of the goal, but a run nonetheless.

:: Mobile phones. Amazing little things.

:: Post Office.

What about you? What has inspired you this Monday?

::Raining umbrellas:: Day one

It has started. I have been excited in anticipation of this day and I have to say I have not been disappointed. Our course website looks beautiful and inspirational and is definitely tickling my creativity into action. I'm quite ticklish anyway, but this is just too good! I will be posting my assignments and creative exercises here, so you can join me in my creative adventure and hopefully see some progress. All comments welcome :)

Final holiday report

Do you ever wish holidays could last forever? Or at least another week longer? I do. And little brother does. And life would be only too perfect if it had. As it is, life is only pretty damn good. Which I'll settle for. For now.

I relaxed. 

I spent time with the family.

I enjoyed myself.

And that was it.

None of us had a watch, life went by and we were there to live it. 

The good thing about this holiday was that it was just us. For the better and for the worst (let's keep this one quiet!). The thing about real life (as opposed to holiday life) is that sometimes you fill it with so many different and exciting things that you forget about the people who matter. They tend to always be there, the ones who matter. And they get overlooked, there's always a better time to be with them. Sometimes, you realise you didn't really spent quality time with them and you can do something about it. We were lucky enough to be able to do just that... and I loved it.

The Algarve set on Flickr, just for you. Because I'm nice. And tanned. Did I say tanned? Yes, I am :D