::inspiring Mondays::

LMJ has moved house and is now a proud resident of Abingdon-on-Thames. Well, for the next two months anyway, before she moves back to her beloved Oxford. These will be two months of photographical exploration and food feasts and bootcamp and Big Bang Theory overdose (if such things is even possible!).

Moving house is a traumatic exciting opportunity to shake things up a bit and declutter and experiment with living off a box (or several) for a few weeks. It is also a great opportunity to look around you and see how lucky you are to have amazing friends that are there for you when you need them. I had a lot of help moving and I had a lot of help keeping calm and happy for most of it and I have a place to stay where the sight of my boxes is accepted and taken with humour. Every cloud has a silver lining, as they say, and feeling this lucky is mine, and I wouldn't swap it, ta mucho!

On the note of friends, rain can also provide you with a lovely insight into your friendship levels. Take the Erratic Photographer and LMJ, for example. LMJ wanted to photograph people jumping; she wanted this desperately but the weather wasn't playing ball. And so the Erratic Photographer put on his wellies and braved the heavy rain and a few puddles to help her out. Now, that's what I call putting yourself out there for your friends :D

:: Little Brother taking the day off to spend time with me in Lisbon.

:: almost in Portugal, for 10 days of Little Brother and Mum and Dad. and some sunshine, one hopes!

:: my jumping friend.

:: the writer of my very own roommate agreement.

:: L'Atelier. it is simply BRILLIANT!

:: Oxford. Blimey this city is pretty!

:: My sweet Nikon D90. Aren't you cute? Yes, you are!

:: socialising over food. some things are just great!

:: my classmates over at L'Atelier. so lovely and chatty!

:: the thought of a kindle. I'm warming to it!

:: no rain for almost a full day. oh yeah!

:: my Yoda-to-be. makes me laugh every single time I look at it!

What a happy Monday this is! I'm tempted to print this post and carry it around... just in case. How's your Monday going? Happy and dry? Happy and wet? Let me know :)

Little note: Nicky and I went out again to jump today. Well, he jumped and I lay on the grass photographing him from below. Life is good!

25 de Abril

In 1974. 25 de April. The day Portugal changed. And in these hard times for Portugal, we could almost forget... almost, but not quite. Last year, I wrote about it (and had used the photo above on another post too). This year, I'm not there, but I feel somehow close. All over my facebook, friends are talking about it and I feel part of it.

It seems the carnations that name the 25 de Abril's revolution were a random thing, like in so many of these decisive events. Someone, possibly a florist, gave red carnations to the soldiers and the people as she herself came out to the streets of Lisbon. I pause for a minute thinking about this small gesture that made an icon of red carnations for us Portuguese people... How random simple little things have the power to change the world. And our lives. There is hope. Remember that every time you see a red carnation!

::inspiring Mondays::

I got in! LMJ is proudly taking a photography class with the brilliant Jackie Rueda. I have been waiting over a year to take this course - L'Atelier - an amazing photographic journey with serious constructive feedback and visible changes in one's photographic eye! I have not just sat here waiting though, oh no. I took Jackie's short courses Aventura and December and that only made me want to be part of the group of lucky ones that grab a place at L'Atelier even more! For the first time ever in my life, I felt pretty fortunate I understand Spanish! Oh yeah, LMJ! I'm so excited about this I even manage to write in Spanish for the class... and that people, is what enthusiasm and determination can do for you! That and knowing a latin language or two!

Jackie's photography has me dreaming about images and colour and light since the day I found her, more than a year ago! It's not just her photography that grips me though, it's her humorous writing style and positive outlook too; I'd recommend her blog if you can read it ;)

:: LMrJ ♥

:: friends who help me move. and feed me. and still like me at the end of it all.

:: my work colleagues. they take away the weight of the heavy days.

:: my boss. and the faces he makes to make me smile. and the conversations we have when the faces fail.

:: friends who pose for me and do funny things so my photos can turn out that little bit better. 

:: L'Atelier. I got in!

:: photography.

:: understanding Spanish.

:: skype. how I love skype!

:: rain, saving Britain from a drought! yep, true!

How was your day? Are you feeling much of Spring yet? Hope you had a lovely start to your week!

hands

Some days, the thought of his hands keeps me going... how we hold each other... 

so openly that I never want to leave ♥

::inspiring Mondays:

Today was a beautifully sunlit day, even if a bit too cold for my expectations of April. It was sunny and wonderful from 7 am and I felt like a little plant doing photosynthesis of happiness. I couldn't help but smile and think happy thoughts and feel good about life. Ahhhh... the difference sunshine makes!

As I sit writing this post with a cup of warm chamomile tea, I look around at all the boxes that currently contain a third of my life. I silently swear at them all and think of getting rid of already packed things. I remember a blog post I wrote about a year ago on decluttering which has been useful this time around. I think it could do with an update or two, especially regarding moving, for sometimes getting rid of things is not just for the sake of space. I think about photos that could go with said update. Light bulb blog post moment achieved!

Little Mister Joey and I have seen each other almost two months ago now. I have visited Rio six months ago. All of the sudden, this distance is even more enormous and hard and painful and unbearable... except that we just have to keep going and live with it. I search through my photos and find this one, of the Brazilian coffee I brought from Rio. I can still remember its taste and smell. Memories. LMrJ. A bit less hard to cope with the four hour time difference and not-purchased-see-you-next tickets. I think about writing more about distance. The baby steps of it. Another light bulb blog post moment achieved!

:: sunshine. LMJ does photosynthesis.

:: Little Brother sending me random photos of bits of his day ♥

:: Mum's phone rambles. so cute!

:: this image. will print enormous poster of it to put on the wall. no, wait, that would be more clutter!

:: photography.

:: photographing with friends.

:: ebay. it's absolutely brilliant!

:: my work colleagues. who are now my friends. and are amazing!

:: my work. we can actually save the world one day! how's that for inspiration? :)

How has your Monday been? Sunny? Not so sunny but happy nonetheless? A boo of a Monday? Let me know, I may even drink a cup of chamomile tea for you!

notes from a Saturday in London

The Erratic Photographer and I are lucky enough to know a very private small not-in-business travel agent - Rabbit Tours - which occasionally takes us to London for some photographic fun and cultural exploration and good food, all seasoned with lots of interesting chats.

This Saturday, Nicky and I left for London at 9:00 and found ourselves in London Paddington at 10:00 greeted by a pair of fluffy rabbit ears!; gotta love living in Oxford, where you get the quality of life and the proximity to London, oh yeah!

Being the keen coffee lovers that we are, we headed for Carluccio's in Notting Hill. The latte was amazing and I can apologise for the lack of pictures... you know how it goes... girl really wants latte, latte arrives, girl has face-wide smile, girl drinks late, girl notices she has not photographed latte but oh it is too late now. I did photograph the place though, how nicely composed it? If like us, you arrive there at this bizarre hour between breakfast and lunch, panic not; ask for their eggs benedict and enjoy!

We left Carluccio's and walked to Portobello Road market. There was a lot of walking involved this Saturday, the good stroll-y type of walk which is just my thing! The whole world in vintage format seemed to be on sale at the market, but I managed to shop with my eyes only. Until we saw one Hummingbird Bakery. The Hummingbird Bakery is heaven on earth in the form of cupcakes. Their red velvets just smile at me, sweetly. I resist them not! Again, no photos of this... please read explanation (or excuse!) above. Ta.

Walking around Notting Hill, we were reminded of how beautiful the London outside the monuments and landmarks is. And just as I was thinking there was so much pink around the place, we see a street (or several) of happily coloured façades. I could so live there... I think!

We then went to the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising and all I can tell you is: GO! It's a wonderful trip down memory lane and what a piece of history they have there! And there is a 2 for 1 offer for rail travelers, so we only paid £3.25 each for our tickets. So very worth it! No photos allowed.

Our next stop was the Tate Modern and Damien Hirst's exhibition there. I had been wanting to go to the Tate Modern for a while now and Rabbit Tours got on the case. I really liked it and will definitely go back. As for Damien Hirst... well... I really really like the spots, they're just brilliant! The majority of his other work though, not my thing really (to put it nicely). I couldn't look at the sheep nor the cow and the flies provoked stomach turnings. The butterfly room was sweet.

If we walk slowly and chat a bit more, dinner time will call. With this in mind, we headed to Vapiano's, for some nice food and a bit more chatting. I guess by now you can tell we talk a lot; yep, we do!

How was your Saturday? Hope you had a lovely and colourful day, preferably with yummy lattes and delicious food, covered in wonderful chats :)

::inspiring Mondays::

My life is about colour. I love yellow and orange and red, and now green. I love colour and light. And sometimes I realise how important those things are. Sometimes one has to choose adding a bit of colour and a touch of light to otherwise gloomy days spent amongst boxes and tape and a few more boxes to keep going.

What can I say on a bank holiday Monday? That all Mondays should be bank holidays! Yay LMJ and her superb ideas, yay! Now back to reality, please. My cunning plan of packing frantically worked and today I could enjoy a slow day, listening to the rain outside while sipping chamomile tea and cutting fabric. I caught up on a few episodes of the Big Bang Theory (pure laughing heaven!) and watched the two behind the scenes specials on Channel 4 (I love you, 4oD!). I had a bit more tea and avidly read Sew Mama Sew!'s tutorials on cushions with a zipper and piping (beautifully written tutorials, I tell you). I looked up baby boy clothes patterns for my new cousin-nephew; oh, yes, it's a boy! I learned how to make sushi with M.; oh my, is it delicious! And I had tea, chamomile tea (shaken not stirred)!

:: a boyfriend who helps me choose the photos for the blog and discusses what I could write about. 

:: sewing. knowing how to sew. wanting to sew more. 

:: friends and knowing we can count on them.

:: a good Easter.

:: homemade sushi! thanks M.! new ♥

:: accepting it's ok to have more 'things' than most people. it's ok. my books and my fabrics and my yarn are a part of who I am, and it's just fine!

:: reading (currently The Friday Night Knitting Club, soon to be made into a film; go knitting, go!)

:: homemade bread. warm. with butter melting on top. yep!

:: LMJ's readers. and their comments. they make me smile. you make me smile :)

How's your Monday keeping? Hope you're having a less wet day, but just as slow paced and lovely! 

Easter treats

 

Easter egg à la Brazil for Little Mister Joey by LMJ

This Easter weekend has been spent sorting out my life and my earthly possessions and putting it all into boxes that make it all look neat and tidy and under control. I am moving house at the end of the month and I'm giving myself time to go through everything calmly, very clever of me!

Whilst the weekend was mostly spent indoors, LMJ completely lost (if not drowned) in books and fabrics and kitchen utensils and out-of-date film and postcards from all over the world (thank you very my much traveller friends!) and the ever-so-soothing-you'll-endure-anything chamomile tea, there was also time for a BBQ and a wardrobe-stuck-in-door rescue and some Easter egg decorating and lots of chocolate!

I learned a thing or two these days. Being that you're all asking what it is I have learned, eager to know more, I'll share it with you.

:: my family thinks of me as I think of them. Little Brother texts and calls, Mum and Dad phone and we chat for hours (well, Mum and I do, Dad moans we're discussing nail varnish and other such important matters and then he wants to talk some more) my little cousin insists they send me his photo winking at me (how cute is that?) and another one of him in a castle dressed as a king, oh yes! and then he calls me and tells me of all the alphabet he already knows and of his new hamster named Sofia.

:: my friends here are my family and it warms my heart to do things with them, family type things, like chilling on the sofa watching time go by, you know? or calling them at 8.30 in the morning to be rescued from a stuck wardrobe. or going around for food. or a little hug when you need it. those things.

:: I still don't enjoy decorating eggs, but I had a really great time doing it anyway, and loved the chatter around the table. to be repeated.

:: staring at the egg and thinking only two things: yellow and green. Little Mister Joey. bring him a little bit closer in that way.

::inspiring Mondays::

 

I woke up at 5:15 in the morning. It wasn't deliberate, it just happened. In failing to go back to sleep, I lay in bed thinking about changes and how scary they can be. And exciting. For one must see the positives in everything. 

This Monday is not the day to talk about change though. Instead, we can talk about how this Monday has started incredibly early, but the sun is shining and life feels good and promising and there's softball practice for the work tournament and bootcamp in the park. And then I'll drop like a little lemon on my white sheets this evening. Almost there! 

:: takeaway + film at J's. pure bliss for Sunday night. 

:: amazing weather all of last week. which refueled our moods for this week. 

:: laser quest fun. 

:: emails from E+M. ♥

:: my curtains. still love them. 

:: longer days. 

:: my bike. 

:: my friends. 

:: chatting away with little R and losing track of time. 

:: pancakes for Saturday breakfast. 

:: knitting club. my ladies are the best! 

:: knitting a cardigan that is finally beginning to look like one!

Hope you're having a sunny Monday... preferably seeing the world through these amazing windows in Paris... but if not... smile anyway :)