Gardenville of Eden

How symbolic is this - My bike lock takes on a whole new Eden-esque quality alongside the lovely flower left for me by a someone I don't know - who says you shouldn't like strangers! Not me!

I am glad to tell you that I've already broken one of my New Year's resolutions! Promised myself to try to read books before seeing their film version - but I just had to watch 'Everything is Illuminated' last night! And no regrets - was incredible! Moving and funny at once - tragi-comic I guess you'd call it! I discovered it because of the soundtrack (Gogol Bordello) and which goes a long way in making it such a succesful film. It was playing on one of Milan Kundera's philosphies that you only benefit from the past by reliving it - heavy! One of the other themes I thought it was driving at was that we are defined by our actions. And that this is how we derive meaning from our lives. I really felt an affinity with Jonathan the Collector - I can't help collecting stuff - symptomatic of liking too much!

Speaking of which I can't tell you how completely over the moon I was to discover that someone had left a geberra on the handlebars of my bike only the other day- I left my bike in town and went to collect it Friday evening to discover the selfless offering - I shall live off this for weekes to come - thank you whoever you are - I am touched!!! Zxxx

Curb your enthusiasm!!!

Really really excited (can hardly contain it!!) ... I've just booked some crafty days at the Sainsbury Centre in Norwich! Will finish this in a little while ... as gotta get me some work done...!!!

... Here I am again! Well it seems the names of the artists running the courses I'm going on is a great source of amusement to my boss who overheard me quoting their names - Fernando Marques Penteado (who's the artist in charge of the Fictional Stitches course on Feb 8th) and `Biddy Rychnovsky' (April 18th: Knitting Text) who I once met when I had an exhibition at the Bally Shoe Factory on Hall Road in Norwich (Fringe 2005). They sound really fun and if it's something anyone reading this might be interested in - here is where you can find out more:
http://www.clothandculturenow.com/exhibition.html
http://www.scva.org.uk/whatson/

Comics really do rule!

I've got comics on the mind and have just finished doing a story board for a series called 'Love's Comic' (hehehoho)! You wouldn't be able to make head or tale of the very busy doodles, I don't think, so I'll wait to show you some visuals which aren't quite so rough ... in the meantime the above is micro bit of strip art with a sentiment in keeping with how I feel right now! I drew it a while ago but it seems synchronistic (yet again!) that I discovered it my box of drawings today ... anyway back to the drawing board for me now!

Don't you just love synchronicity?!

One of the Lovely chappies (who I share the studio with at work) said "better to be weird than forgotten!" And then I found this by accident - synchronicity - don't you just love it!?

I thought I'd do a silly/naughty (no ref. to anything except that I like the expression - so delete as appropriate) little doodle to accompany it too ...!

How lovely is this ...?!

I was so impressed with the winning entry (by Erin McGuire) of the http://joinred.blogspot.com/ competition that I just had to show you!! Does anyone else think it is very Elspeth Zwerger - composition wise?!

In other news, I am crafting crazy at the moment (will upload pics to FLickr when I've made enough to photograph!) It's like an illness - an expensive one at that! I spent sixty squid on patchwork material and buttons (well there was other stuff too) ...but it's made me more excited than ever!! So much so that the list I wrote on today's list may not happen till next week now - crafting comes first ... !!

Competing list book!

My littlest Sister Libby gave me a really amazing handmade pad for Christmas made up of loads of great sheets of paper in varying madcap patterns (80's theme seems to be dominant!) she'd deliberately crumpled. I used it yesterday to begin writing what I need to do to organise my 'Oh So Kitsch Apre Ski Party' and realised that it could compete with my other lovely Book of Lists (made by Anthony Zinonos - see my first ever blog post!) so I've decided to compartmentalise!!! Libby's will be for long term planning and my skirt one for short term - blimey how glad am I that I've sorted that one - can get on with my day now - off to town...it's blazing winter sun out there and can't wait to get me some rays!

It's alright - there's nothing ablaze in the background and no my hand hasn't doubled in size! It's Manu's sneaking into the picture (he's such an attention seeker!!!) I just love the handpainted Ukulele, Libby - the on the hoof angle and bubbley shape + the way it can stand up on it's own like a card - it's top drawer lil' sis (even in fear of sounding patronising -well done you!)

I feel a ditty is in order ...!

Laid in bed last night and thought about the elusiveness of creativity and how even the wiff of self doubt gets in the way of it ... so I decided to write a little poem about it! I might turn it into a singing ode and try and play along with my ukulele!

Ode to Creativity

It's being in the thing

You're doing

All seeing

Not just viewing

It's letting minutes

Tick unheard

Not waiting

Or reviewing

Unhesitant and brave

Sharing and amusing

But more than that

It's simply using

Everything you've have

But only what you need

We're going on a 1950's girlie weekender!!!

Lots of excitement at skating tonight about booking up the following ...


[It's going to be frickin' rockabilly tastic - can't wait, but guess I'll have to find a way 'cos it's not till May!] The poster seems to be for the one in October - join us at that one if you miss this one!