The Golden Boot

Some new books . . .

I have always been a bit of a bookworm (have I ever mentioned this before in this blog? I probably have, does it make me a bad blogger if I forget these things? I don't think so, just means I am emphasizing my love of all thing book-ish, I think). I received yesterday some new books. Have you ever heard of Edward Gorey and Elizabeth McGrath? No? Well here's a taster of their work from my new books! ;)

 

 

 

Edward Gorey

 

(I can see this style translated very well into stitching, I am starting to experiment)

 

 

 

Elizabeth McGrath

 

(As an artist I have always had in mind to explore, creatively, notions of the freak show - particularly in regards to my own experience of living with a physical disability. I really like Elizabeth's play with the macabre, difference, the idea of the freak from a historical context.)

 

I am always inspired by other artists. When I am a little bit stuck for creative juice I flick through my artist books, childrens book, zines, etc, and find ideas dump on me by the truckload. I love being creative and I love being inspired by other creatives, who inspires you?

 

xo

A rumbling of thought . . .

In my usual stumbling around blogland I came across this rather intriguing blog - The Happiness Project. The blog is an extension of the book by the same name by author Gretchen Rubin. Now, I have never read the book (though I may have to check it out), and I have only just started exploring the blog, but I am already impressed by Gretchen's ideas and thought process on progressing towards a sense of true happiness (I guess the meaning of true happiness would vary from person to person, but for me in means simple things, like love, family, friendship, alone-time, contemplation, tidiness, and self accomplishment).

 

What struck me first on the blog was a blog post on Tidy Habit as a boost to happiness. I do find that the state of my surroundings can have a huge impact on the state of my mood. When my surroundings are tidy and organised I feel tidy and organised, I feel as though I could take on the world - because I have the physical and mental space to think clearly and act promptly. (When the kitchen is a mess, or the bathroom desperately needs a clean I just feel so tired and put out; that doesn't account though for the sense of accomplishment I feel when I do actually tidy up and clean and walk away from a room that is ready to be occupied and used). For me tidiness equates with creativeness, when there is endless space to experiment and play, as opposed to a fighting for table space to draw or sew. After reading about similar feelings on the The Happiness Project I feel validation in my approach to living.

 

(The Happiness Project)

 

 

Anyone else have any happiness tips? is there a simple ritual that you apply to your everyday living that settles your mind and opens you up to creativity and joy?

 

xo

Oh Mr Darcy, you are romantic . . .

Inspired by my trip to Harewood House (as mentioned and illustrated in the previous post) I have been wanting to watch the 2005 BBC production of Pride and Prejudice again. But for you today I thought I would show you what I think is one of the most lovely and misunderstood scenes - Mr Darcy's first proposal to Elizabeth . . .

 

 

 

Now many people think that he is being rude and not very lovey-dovey in this proposal, but whenever I watch it I find it very romantic. His passion for Elizabeth overtakes all other feelings he has, he wants to marry her regardless of his stature and hers, he loves her and nothing can stand in his way . . . I think that is quite romantic, shame Elizabeth doesn't see it like that . . .

 

xo

 

p.s. I made the front page of etsy today, how exciting!!

Nature is so pretty . . .

I have been a little absent these past few days due to a guest in the flat. As part of being a good hostess, we have been to see some sights (well, except today, I am not to well at the moment, bleugh), and the first of these sights was Harewood House . . .

 

 

(oops, flatmates legs!)

(this is my favourite photo, the colours are just so beautiful. Do you reckon that nature just gets colour so right? I do)

Harewood House was Pemberley in Lost in Austen, so everytime I go there I like to pretend that I am Elizabeth Bennet just exploring her new home with her sexy new husband (haha) . . . I know, I am geeky, but it's fun! Pride and Prejudice is my favourite book ever, so any chance to pretend to be Elizabeth Bennet, well, I am sure you get the picture.

 

xo

Be still my beating heart . . .

but how amazing are these embroidered book covers?? 

 

(images courtesy of Jillian Tamaki)

 

 

As a child I loved to read (and I do still like to read as an adult, but it does seem a little harder to read for pleasure when you are a PhD researcher), I read everything I could get my hands on . . . I even read Gone with the Wind when I was about 11 or 12 (an epic and apparently hard book to get through). I was addicted to all The Babysitter's Club books and would lay in bed for hours in the morning (in the holidays, of course) devouring them. I discovered Jane Austen when I was about 14 when I read Pride and Prejudice for the first of many times. Little House on the Prairie and Anne of Greengables were two staple series that I constantly went back to - not only as a child, but as a teen and now as an adult. 

 

As an Aunty to 6 nieces and nephews I would encourage their reading by always giving them books for Christmas and birthdays . . . perhaps I was the boring Aunty, but they always read what I gave them and enjoyed most of them - I hope!! 

 

That is why when I came across Jillian's embroidered book covers for Penguin I think I died a mini death of extreme happiness. Two of my favourite activities (reading and embroidery) combined . . . what could be more perfect than that.

 

 

xo

Chris Ofili

The focus of my PhD research has been on the idea of 'nothiness,' or the concept of the decorative and the beautiful. Beauty is often regarded as redundant in contemporary art, but it is being addressed time and again through artists works. One such artist who employs an ethic of the beautiful through pattern and colour is Chris Ofili. His paintings, whilst addressing other more 'serious' issues such as displacement, identity, and sexuality, do so with subtlety, this subtleness created by the great enjoyment in looking at his works because of the bright, joyful colours, and intricate patterns. Check out some of his works -

 

 

 

 

 

 

xo