tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19565488836593784272024-03-13T16:54:13.138+00:00postcards from behind the hedge and beyondLouisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.comBlogger201125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-33397785599508557242016-10-28T14:20:00.000+01:002016-10-28T14:20:47.689+01:00**NEw bLOg**<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-87148525360865949912015-09-01T20:49:00.003+01:002020-10-12T18:52:48.446+01:00∰ The Three Sisters ∰<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I started this post back in February. It's time to let it out now. I think I can finally share it.</div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sometimes when I am in India I get a sense that death is nearby, underlined by the exaggerated rush of vital humanity that is life in the city of Mysore. I can smell the fine line that we all walk every day but in India, it feels narrower. I sail through the city in constant prayer, a call to prayer. A leaning into feeling, not feeling. Dreaming not dreaming. The place has altered my cell shapes. I have been redefined by my deep learning and rickshaw near misses.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Reach out and touch the brush of a passing squealing bus, </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">put a foot in the gutter that reeks of unknown rot. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A wave of unfortunate events could catch us in destiny's slipstream and that will be it. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cheerio and thanks for everything. That might seem mawkish to you but I've had my fair share of unexpected losses and tragedies as well as this bountiful festival of living delight. India rotates on Vishnu fire and whispers to me that it's not for long, this privileged existence, as I joked about my yoga practice being better in the next life. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm in the next life and it's coming along. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is today, my day, I own the world and the moon if I want to and I am thankful for this dawn, this birdsong, this breakfast and this haberdashery shop. India gives you the gift of gratefulness, a thankfulness, a cradle to settle in and an edge that cannot be ignored.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How lucky I am, how fortunate, how favoured?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, I heard about The Three Sisters. Again. I have let the name run through my ears for years but I never got the opportunity to explore where they lived in my adopted Indian home. It's not easy navigating the suburbs. This time I persevere and I turn up at The Lilac Door, nervous to meet the sisters. I was expecting three Shakespearian characters and in some ways they are straight from a fairy tale, brimming over with enthusiasm, leading by example, beauties. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shashikala is the youngest and was authorised to teach Ashtanga Yoga by her teacher </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify; word-spacing: 1px;">Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Here, in their home I am welcomed and nurtured and I find what I need, a quiet shala with a teacher with whom I can build a practice so I join up and begin practising in the Three Sister's shala. It's perfect for me, a spacious practice with room for adjustment and absorption. I improve my focus after 8 months of various injuries and physical limitations and I actually feel myself thrive. I watch the sunrise from </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify; word-spacing: 1px;">Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana even though I know I ought to be gazing at my big toe.</span><br />
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The world wakes up and it feels as though I am in exactly the place I am meant to be. The doom filters down my body and evaporates in the morning sun.</div>
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It is advised and a very splendid idea that yoga practitioners take a castor oil bath once a week. Castor oil is thick and sticky and impossible to deal with yourself unless you have lots of hot water and a wet room and an assistant. Or two. It's a greasy oil ball of gunk. Luckily for me, I have the three sisters. Or two of them. Harini and my teacher Shashikala give caster oil baths to lady yoga practitioners (and some lucky chaps if they know them well). After yoga practice on a Friday I walk downstairs and enter the labyrinth of dark rooms where I will have my bath. It's not a bath, not at first, it's a body massage with caster oil. But it is so much more and nothing more than that. It is practice again, they make me work. I panic when I can't find my hips and they escort me around my own body and I have never felt so lost and at home, so relaxed and so pushed around, so happy and so NOW. Impossible to describe the looseness of my body and the spaces that I knew were there but I hadn't dared to open. My mind was a slowly spinning universe, all seeing and unknowing, unborn and delivered. All of this whilst lying on an oily tarpaulin while two pairs of feet rolled me through medieval banquets and space travel for beginners.</div>
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This is a continuation of practice. Calling it a 'treatment' is quantitive easing the city spa. This is an unspoken promise of trust and knowledge. I will never let anyone else realign my body again. For me this is the one and only way for me and my body. A practice to compliment the practice. It's vivid. The way the sisters flattened me out like an uncooked chapati. I was Good Friday and Easter Sunday. I was Charlie's Angels and Cinderella. I can't even conceive that I went to Mysore so many times and didn't run to the lilac door of the three sisters on arrival every. single. time. </div>
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And when they have finished rearranging your bones and nerves and early childhood and say Get Up Now; your brain cries nooooooooooooo. And they peel you from the floor head first and very carefully lead your oily sticky being down a dusty book lined fly swatted passageway. You get gently sat on a stool and here begins the second bath. Soap nut paste and warm water. The water is heated by a wood fired stove on the other side of the wall. You can smell the warm woodsmoke. You close your eyes by order and then the water is sluiced over you, over and over. Warm. Everlasting. Soapnut and lentil paste rubbing the oil away. Having your face washed tenderly by these two living saints is to be transported to a third bonus childhood. Then they leave you with 'as much water as you want to take' and you can continue where they left off. Economically washing away the everything, the dust, the misunderstandings, the whispers. Wrap up in a thin towel and pick your way through the gloom to outside, dazzling sunshine. New day. There's a mango tree.</div>
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Take rest, Nagaratna - the third sister will make you a fruit salad and you'll be as high as a papaya mountain and the sisters and their babies will sit with you and press you for chatting chit chat.....your life, their lives, the price of food, the traffic, the practice. The phone rings, the babies chuggle, searching your face for clues. Vocal kannada gunfire stutters over your head. Your mind is uncoiled, unbothered, unearthed. You sing the babies your best version of The Wheels on The Bus. </div>
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With actions. </div>
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Your mind is recomputing, recalibrating, the torque has been set. You think you can hold on. </div>
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The three sisters say NO SCREENS, NO COMPUTERS. You laugh, as if. </div>
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Then you find that you rest all day, night dreaming, day sleeping, water drinking, fruit nibbling. </div>
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You have gone in and out and in again.</div>
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Monkey's paws thrum on the roof and the water tank sizzles. </div>
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Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-79324224918830722992015-09-01T14:00:00.001+01:002015-09-01T14:00:21.558+01:00 ❊ Blogging, I love you but I'm not in love with you ❊<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello all.<br />
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Something something, long time, busy, boring something something.<br />
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I spurned Instagram for a long time.<br />
Really, I was not interested at all.<br />
All I ever saw were dodgy looking digital polaroids with stock special effects that made everything look exactly the same.<br />
My phone was the last place I wanted to take an image as I love(d) my camera.<br />
Downloading images and then uploading them again is a pain when you've got thousands of snaps.<br />
So Instagram and I never really hit it off. We weren't clicking. (forgive me)<br />
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I had embraced Twitter from the very start and it's still my go to place for news, political comment and the deepest LOLs I've probably ever had. I loved it because I felt anonymous and I didn't have to say much and I didn't have to say anything to join in. And I could peek at it whenever I felt like it, a non committal stream of consciousness.<br />
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Facebook? Meh. I haven't quite got to the smugness of deleting it as I love the community groups I belong to at my various world wide adopted homes. But it's pretty bad, all that Fakebooking. Telling people how much you love them in an online status gives me the creeps. WE ALL LOVE OUR CHILDREN. lol. And I rarely share my creative or travelling life on there. Not for me, the same post on Twitter, FB and Instagram. I am 3 different web personas, I don't even know who I am generally.<br />
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Meanwhile Blogging, hanging around, collating images, uploading them, being clever and interesting and relevant? I lost the art of it. I was/am spending all day on a screen for work (creating online content, visual and educational) the last thing I ever felt like doing to unwind was writing a blog entry, on a screen and evaluating my images as though they were important.<br />
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Then I got a new phone. With a brilliantly scary clever camera. Suddenly I was up and running on Instagram like millions and millions of others.<br />
Now I love it. No politics, no misconstrued 'likes' or 'shares' or weird comments, no one I really know in real life. I'm so Instagram these days, it's up there with my top 3 most visited internet lands for inspiration and mind candy.<br />
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Twitter<br />
Instagram<br />
Pinterest<br />
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I'm posting too, some of the little things I create. A glimpse at my non work life which consists of all the places I am lucky enough to live in and some of the work I make in my sketch books along the way. The Indian cows you see up there are my new obsession. Painting them in the evenings, I detest TV so I draw and paint. And now I am posting the results.<br />
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It's so much easier to post. Click and post.<br />
The world is galloping along at 10,00000000 knots a minute and we are too.<br />
Eventually our brains will turn to mush but until then....<br />
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<b><span style="color: magenta;"><a href="https://instagram.com/lou.lou.loves.this/">lou.lou.loves.this</a></span></b><br />
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That's me....on Instagram</div>
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I still follow your blogs, I read them on the bus or train or plane.<br />
They still make me feel warm and friendly and happy and inspired.<br />
So if any of you have Instagram accounts please let me know your user names in the comments or by following me?<br />
Then I can visit you too. And 💜 💙 all the way to brain mush.<br />
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Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-16484092065460925702014-12-24T01:04:00.001+00:002014-12-24T01:05:10.153+00:00Season's Fat Juicy Robins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnyH8CWHdHtmbne1M1QhVyfbM66tNFhXzFxjHmpDFwI_HTIFD6NnffmpI75ONqhYk8Q5fs66f3I3rnJvy06e7nROxpqCsDxSsACGwgJOZIT6OpVxrfZ2V1MQeqeRcwt9hxXEPtSYDDIOq1/s1600/robin+xmas+card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnyH8CWHdHtmbne1M1QhVyfbM66tNFhXzFxjHmpDFwI_HTIFD6NnffmpI75ONqhYk8Q5fs66f3I3rnJvy06e7nROxpqCsDxSsACGwgJOZIT6OpVxrfZ2V1MQeqeRcwt9hxXEPtSYDDIOq1/s1600/robin+xmas+card.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-19503132608037707162014-12-05T08:34:00.000+00:002014-12-05T08:34:00.593+00:00☜ Sign Writing for Beginners ☞<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've always loved lettering, when I was a teenager I used to fill pages with 'bubble' lettering and draw letters with shadows and reflections. It was my way of doodling. A friend's father who was an artist said I had a real talent for it and I was secretly thrilled. I used to covet other people's handwriting and I was a seasoned signature practiser. All of which, I thought, would make me a perfect candidate for a sign writing course. I had no idea how beautiful and difficult it would be and I am now completely hooked.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I dream of signs; I spot hand painted signs everywhere and now I am aware of how much skill and thought goes into them I spend quality time looking at them. That person peering upwards, giving herself neck ache? Probably me. Reverence where reverence is due, I say.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifj2KizrmMAKDCw40M1T_UiDgW70_BBauUcaE6NbA-dLrO_pez1TOSks_htsR4jMSNo0izlRZYQDvZzpVsRL0nEr3-s9l3fcr514SsQoysNazkpSJ4aQlLSUL0GpIT1zBECWZsdP5acoIo/s1600/Day+1+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifj2KizrmMAKDCw40M1T_UiDgW70_BBauUcaE6NbA-dLrO_pez1TOSks_htsR4jMSNo0izlRZYQDvZzpVsRL0nEr3-s9l3fcr514SsQoysNazkpSJ4aQlLSUL0GpIT1zBECWZsdP5acoIo/s1600/Day+1+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Day 1 of my sign writing course and I'm full of thrill and nervousness. The excitement compounded by the signs I see everywhere, all beautifully executed.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1C0JBUpwTepAlDz97xlxPZScXDcQH5RxNFG_-QyLIM88w9jtWZkIRl8YYjRSan2K3ZHTTbIp0FxTnJfBT62czkL9oHs1ciwJxq5h_6jLiwVhByHPUuQx0Q8MFFY7MjgrZEM0byKp_1Xt/s1600/IMG_8138+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1C0JBUpwTepAlDz97xlxPZScXDcQH5RxNFG_-QyLIM88w9jtWZkIRl8YYjRSan2K3ZHTTbIp0FxTnJfBT62czkL9oHs1ciwJxq5h_6jLiwVhByHPUuQx0Q8MFFY7MjgrZEM0byKp_1Xt/s1600/IMG_8138+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZ4P-Xg3yUFZw9zLMIwWqPYUSIutMhmcai-Rt-bk02Fw3l2W5UPV3g5TO8haJrvtnua0_3PVfDOkSxsOBMVawNcGtidX6VdYkLN-QWWWEl3OyeMG9LeN2xWCKU8jMHJ4IEj2N_g0dAgFq/s1600/sign1+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZ4P-Xg3yUFZw9zLMIwWqPYUSIutMhmcai-Rt-bk02Fw3l2W5UPV3g5TO8haJrvtnua0_3PVfDOkSxsOBMVawNcGtidX6VdYkLN-QWWWEl3OyeMG9LeN2xWCKU8jMHJ4IEj2N_g0dAgFq/s1600/sign1+copy.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I love fairground horses~gallopers. These were all being repainted.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBj4Vf6O0QpIRo-J4cJuO2fNZMdQ8d_sQAbFqHVFyxbVHUBxr2Qe3Lg0XWG_4ZEam4YCSFtCIf0UsFWBxTS3bkf34tVa1P13EXcmrgQHdw-28mewVjTPQsYqyr7ETyrlMxVHp4Rdm-R4KD/s1600/horseys+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBj4Vf6O0QpIRo-J4cJuO2fNZMdQ8d_sQAbFqHVFyxbVHUBxr2Qe3Lg0XWG_4ZEam4YCSFtCIf0UsFWBxTS3bkf34tVa1P13EXcmrgQHdw-28mewVjTPQsYqyr7ETyrlMxVHp4Rdm-R4KD/s1600/horseys+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDR42BlrQNaD6p3UjaYS1006p226oY8Hto0b9wwZhQwN9f2ULOP6oBlw91vOIBLcrvH6SOkpszrTnLvP4KU4UD2dU-gUSDfCyE9xur6N0vBt-k2KzwNCmytszYyf9Dvz-Mr2__oRq53Ck/s1600/horsey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDR42BlrQNaD6p3UjaYS1006p226oY8Hto0b9wwZhQwN9f2ULOP6oBlw91vOIBLcrvH6SOkpszrTnLvP4KU4UD2dU-gUSDfCyE9xur6N0vBt-k2KzwNCmytszYyf9Dvz-Mr2__oRq53Ck/s1600/horsey.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tools of the trade ~ </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Half the reason I love crafts of any kind is for the tools and the materials.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The stick like a giant ear bud is for steadying your hand, a Maul stick </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and the paint shelves are a feast of drips and splash..</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZeqTlweI4rNq6hzssdaJOVdIcNrnILi9GTNyYCzj98C08iklBibeUXis8GZdm9YNeRyK15KRp4wgw8bqGYOGJ5TqAMGhnHghCW0jhQFs_A1Mvm-iZhW6bQd4gdy7LcULFMFApARUgIu5W/s1600/IMG_8195+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZeqTlweI4rNq6hzssdaJOVdIcNrnILi9GTNyYCzj98C08iklBibeUXis8GZdm9YNeRyK15KRp4wgw8bqGYOGJ5TqAMGhnHghCW0jhQFs_A1Mvm-iZhW6bQd4gdy7LcULFMFApARUgIu5W/s1600/IMG_8195+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBWUwagt_sPVm7lD-Nj6aaj-hFrKotLbkdA_J8cPkoL1qlT_3osu2JVHCz9VLjP_xuj1lke_sLVnEO6bseSFb5oNREk-o7ktjxT9GnAccV1swfRLEs0svy2HquaiHlcqdV5NYY7UBS0y9/s1600/IMG_8191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBWUwagt_sPVm7lD-Nj6aaj-hFrKotLbkdA_J8cPkoL1qlT_3osu2JVHCz9VLjP_xuj1lke_sLVnEO6bseSFb5oNREk-o7ktjxT9GnAccV1swfRLEs0svy2HquaiHlcqdV5NYY7UBS0y9/s1600/IMG_8191.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">It occurs to me that I may be in over my head. The other participants are professional tattooists, sign makers, illustrators, designers and a genuine Punch and Judy puppet maker and performer. Our tutor Joby Carter is a wonderfully natural and talented 'letterist' demonstrating in a few sweeps of a brush how he has his 'eye in'. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid80cXJS42_oAEYn3vtu38nFJbbguNzgVqGMmcu34rw84Oe4Uricq2h6irUmkKsMsdz8yvkUCamtkhTawA-JRhQknuz-xhd2CyBR_UQY1H4qmRxrlzSOFjv3k6OFZndJhgreBEriRnwBf8/s1600/IMG_8916+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid80cXJS42_oAEYn3vtu38nFJbbguNzgVqGMmcu34rw84Oe4Uricq2h6irUmkKsMsdz8yvkUCamtkhTawA-JRhQknuz-xhd2CyBR_UQY1H4qmRxrlzSOFjv3k6OFZndJhgreBEriRnwBf8/s1600/IMG_8916+copy.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4pma6pd-jnvHsaZtPUgdrb7pHF2CgcqtT_6vKNaZKH4T6oegOpHbagMC1fe4gS1b4eohupnU2RNZA5Cv1pneQyM3MlKYhU7HPRyz6TnWKA1AJU6pvgItdluz9qMRq4tBkT0yHrpsEvBw/s1600/IMG_8152+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4pma6pd-jnvHsaZtPUgdrb7pHF2CgcqtT_6vKNaZKH4T6oegOpHbagMC1fe4gS1b4eohupnU2RNZA5Cv1pneQyM3MlKYhU7HPRyz6TnWKA1AJU6pvgItdluz9qMRq4tBkT0yHrpsEvBw/s1600/IMG_8152+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We are set to copy Roman alphabets onto exercise paper like children. </span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The place is quiet apart from a few sighs.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The sighs turn into grunts and then the real swearing starts.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's not as easy as you think.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I finish mine and feel as though I nailed it when Joby points out that my serifs are too short, my O's too narrow, my thins are not thick enough and then I see, really see, just how easily things can drift.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzuuIosvzKmjHaQmZ7va7Mw1_2tVxuknTQBHV_825xasw7J1BeByFxbkz8eCscV1r6samOq2cFN0kF8n7Z-I9djmlJ6f4_nAKYsSpZHmSXjz8cP_1XOMu0KOTkskmZhUH9G8xaikItApI/s1600/IMG_8013+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzuuIosvzKmjHaQmZ7va7Mw1_2tVxuknTQBHV_825xasw7J1BeByFxbkz8eCscV1r6samOq2cFN0kF8n7Z-I9djmlJ6f4_nAKYsSpZHmSXjz8cP_1XOMu0KOTkskmZhUH9G8xaikItApI/s1600/IMG_8013+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Then we have to draft out words and letters with pencil and ruler.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hours of it. Hours of breath holding, sighing, tea making, biscuit eating, grimacing and swearing.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwOj9a0qU7_wZcOMDpi4kSKWkKTEIgx5O2mU2EcchdVoG2x50EQgRRG-PZR9MtOVUtX1GFTIXkiny9eXj72E2ufjM8_PYt9dLGe9BXam2oc1yN6_E6xnKtyYPymnFbG4FSKYsENc8C7kZ/s1600/IMG_8210+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwOj9a0qU7_wZcOMDpi4kSKWkKTEIgx5O2mU2EcchdVoG2x50EQgRRG-PZR9MtOVUtX1GFTIXkiny9eXj72E2ufjM8_PYt9dLGe9BXam2oc1yN6_E6xnKtyYPymnFbG4FSKYsENc8C7kZ/s1600/IMG_8210+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">I thought this looked totally brilliant. Once upon a time. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">But now I can see just how bad it is. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm posting it here as a reminder to myself that I'm capable of vast areas of improvement if I apply myself to something diligently and faithfully for a week.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I spent a couple of days on thrashing around with a pencil.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6sWy1ucWja6Nl24bhwJxvyfcYb2Go14UTBsXDOyqasfr-zS0I7OZRtqW8gI3CK5BB47sX9Nktnva22JfK6h2o0uhBM6F8Uz3Lm5IfvIcryuOGsxTKmXb4uOrC7CP4xHV5vB1eTsVxH9N/s1600/IMG_8208+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6sWy1ucWja6Nl24bhwJxvyfcYb2Go14UTBsXDOyqasfr-zS0I7OZRtqW8gI3CK5BB47sX9Nktnva22JfK6h2o0uhBM6F8Uz3Lm5IfvIcryuOGsxTKmXb4uOrC7CP4xHV5vB1eTsVxH9N/s1600/IMG_8208+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">I like Es Rs and Ws. I am not keen on Os and Cs.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Being shown how to really sign paint is enlightening. It's a real skill...watching a master at work is fascinating and educational. We go for tours of the yard, the course is set in a winter yard for a fairground and all of the rides and vehicles get repainted here... all very thrilling.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then we get to start with real paint and brushes, but it's baby steps for everyone. Painting lines and circles, rubbing it all off with white spirit and beginning again. Hours and hours of silence and concentration. And swearing. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6lslToJldXuikGOB0smJpwVokrFV4TCDIbV_e7xlePuaTUhUmPYbNluL9tE4OJpk5dGHtnjNtU8241wf2rChH39DISuNXv0lH6h9e2if4iKYXRVHEY7dOc7Wb7DMJsRMRi3lNu8UJeLM/s1600/IMG_8318+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6lslToJldXuikGOB0smJpwVokrFV4TCDIbV_e7xlePuaTUhUmPYbNluL9tE4OJpk5dGHtnjNtU8241wf2rChH39DISuNXv0lH6h9e2if4iKYXRVHEY7dOc7Wb7DMJsRMRi3lNu8UJeLM/s1600/IMG_8318+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLUWqXXuJxoCrsJOaiARoxrmpKZJvhzOLTwaEIKc2LdtVyIKMMq9fCFO0cVwLypxmVQngirhzEmxwabYR3wonlerJS_mKQNBmLMzyCbHCnwTlH7gSnC3I1et0GtiHQPL2kLvnNG30snTrB/s1600/IMG_8324+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLUWqXXuJxoCrsJOaiARoxrmpKZJvhzOLTwaEIKc2LdtVyIKMMq9fCFO0cVwLypxmVQngirhzEmxwabYR3wonlerJS_mKQNBmLMzyCbHCnwTlH7gSnC3I1et0GtiHQPL2kLvnNG30snTrB/s1600/IMG_8324+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I got admonished for my brush handling skills. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Sign writing isn't colouring in." </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"It's not a fucking watercolour"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"You aren't holding anything correctly"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Sit up straight"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I progressed slightly.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I swore a lot.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So did everyone else.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The smell of paint and white spirit all washed down with tea and chats. The chats were small though, everyone was studying hard.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWMArQC0Aa96_QnySDNtlQPAnpDwQXN30QB74xBeVd3uaYiZb2Ebhg9hRTJfR15sJRpdwBNfenItN6llag79Ke2gS6M-UohDVgR_zAGVVJoSvzu7_EYLqFIubNn22kw6h0NyyZhn4jWIb/s1600/IMG_8615+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWMArQC0Aa96_QnySDNtlQPAnpDwQXN30QB74xBeVd3uaYiZb2Ebhg9hRTJfR15sJRpdwBNfenItN6llag79Ke2gS6M-UohDVgR_zAGVVJoSvzu7_EYLqFIubNn22kw6h0NyyZhn4jWIb/s1600/IMG_8615+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ56mt-h6r-yV_co1oJEfheW31YV4uPFs_2514rOBpVCbVaYV1UnQ6_eIFEcO56GMQq-vCs7J_HjxSSHLFlDKsZFxUQNBCBKxc6lK75U56K6lAJ68YDZh53_TcefihtU3EJSN7iK033qhY/s1600/IMG_8667+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ56mt-h6r-yV_co1oJEfheW31YV4uPFs_2514rOBpVCbVaYV1UnQ6_eIFEcO56GMQq-vCs7J_HjxSSHLFlDKsZFxUQNBCBKxc6lK75U56K6lAJ68YDZh53_TcefihtU3EJSN7iK033qhY/s1600/IMG_8667+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3Nk-vIwFyQ61b0hnvNj9xBxRYkrpS3_gx4dzPfnIeSY-d74QyeMnhjZGYPPXANZBLwCPX_yDnGVI4sHXVEO2X3J6UIweEskq4BzMbC1awt7KOGKhOa107ZlHJI_I-v5TE8DZ__7e90Kx/s1600/IMG_8678+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3Nk-vIwFyQ61b0hnvNj9xBxRYkrpS3_gx4dzPfnIeSY-d74QyeMnhjZGYPPXANZBLwCPX_yDnGVI4sHXVEO2X3J6UIweEskq4BzMbC1awt7KOGKhOa107ZlHJI_I-v5TE8DZ__7e90Kx/s1600/IMG_8678+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was fairly pleased with my first whole painted word KINGDOM but it was full of mistakes.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I loved doing it. I felt entirely at home and in my element.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Always a good thing.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIYQ0e6HQgGIb2OAh3JFT_6x1pK3FyNkP5ydrgv96DT6iNPcEewGiN-NhNCW0OOAp2zBOJbOCCyJCJcl9hXr_GC2aQvwg7naSEBD3EOnnzJSA2RGqA-CM_VQjc41MRO1RRSCgV6qsrKF-n/s1600/IMG_8698+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIYQ0e6HQgGIb2OAh3JFT_6x1pK3FyNkP5ydrgv96DT6iNPcEewGiN-NhNCW0OOAp2zBOJbOCCyJCJcl9hXr_GC2aQvwg7naSEBD3EOnnzJSA2RGqA-CM_VQjc41MRO1RRSCgV6qsrKF-n/s1600/IMG_8698+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimp3s2cSpv_CZa4zHVz7caD-jYdRlEiTeM52kh4TCw5xNKQ5X6RgZDuoa1RetG9QLenW0RX3OyGxsvY8EZKFO3A3KtTCUdsy4oGT74r02e3G3qO8V4bZoXJPNaAzn4UcwyJUt7xgO53RPh/s1600/IMG_8727+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimp3s2cSpv_CZa4zHVz7caD-jYdRlEiTeM52kh4TCw5xNKQ5X6RgZDuoa1RetG9QLenW0RX3OyGxsvY8EZKFO3A3KtTCUdsy4oGT74r02e3G3qO8V4bZoXJPNaAzn4UcwyJUt7xgO53RPh/s1600/IMG_8727+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">I was a bit disappointed every time I spent hours on a word and then had to scrub it all off and start again. But it was good for me.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Practice Practice Practice</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Where have I heard that before?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then it was the last day and we had to make a completed sign, well, we didn't have to, I was desperate to take one home though, so I stayed up half the night planning and plotting my words. I had spent so long wondering which word was going to be The Word I Would Paint. It took a week to come up with something and then I got the lightbulb idea. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The phrase just fell into my head. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As though it was whispered into my ear.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A typical sign phrase.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But with a lovely double meaning.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Encompassing freedom and bookbinding and with it's original practical purpose.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62Leel9ntvCwymxx9lIPu4be8fR5ru2uGjdwvCwlArw1VfFlJ0986XuNn6L2gChbh0KrrLjvSnHpUB9zZHYnBjOUMsZsjH9EfObJM_HxEX28DvslRxq5LiVSXFwqNDQpHME4Abq3n906W/s1600/IMG_8894+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62Leel9ntvCwymxx9lIPu4be8fR5ru2uGjdwvCwlArw1VfFlJ0986XuNn6L2gChbh0KrrLjvSnHpUB9zZHYnBjOUMsZsjH9EfObJM_HxEX28DvslRxq5LiVSXFwqNDQpHME4Abq3n906W/s1600/IMG_8894+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BdTqvTLNMIfs9kJaMCuC6ZZJmhbyy5nHhAq4Zgg1bcntOu60jJ0bnT0kf_O3kkyW8_1tqlmhdcP3R6yNFGbaUL5ADGcY0kBt0m8Xl5cwLm8Ibd3c8t37JEOjBb15s3YMuxi-AA8qgeEB/s1600/IMG_8923+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BdTqvTLNMIfs9kJaMCuC6ZZJmhbyy5nHhAq4Zgg1bcntOu60jJ0bnT0kf_O3kkyW8_1tqlmhdcP3R6yNFGbaUL5ADGcY0kBt0m8Xl5cwLm8Ibd3c8t37JEOjBb15s3YMuxi-AA8qgeEB/s1600/IMG_8923+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Ta daaah!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Out of Bounds.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Geddit?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It still needs varnishing and tweaking and it's full of mistakes but I love it as it is my first born and I will not part with it, not even to Rumpelstiltskin.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjoEpH3awekzrhOpY7wW5SjYFnSFY8i51ahBNoyXJGBC_AFDXshonlnK4Nr_H9L6XSVo-zeLxc62ohMxIc6E9jWPfK5UANhIwbNyUvvPYre0o12R8-ZaIQGSz9dbDvxNKJRhnPMCA4gyO/s1600/IMG_8978+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjoEpH3awekzrhOpY7wW5SjYFnSFY8i51ahBNoyXJGBC_AFDXshonlnK4Nr_H9L6XSVo-zeLxc62ohMxIc6E9jWPfK5UANhIwbNyUvvPYre0o12R8-ZaIQGSz9dbDvxNKJRhnPMCA4gyO/s1600/IMG_8978+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lady Sign Writer For Hire</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I thought Out of Bounds would make a splendid Book Bindery name. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I announce that I shall call my new studio / business venture </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Out of Bounds </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and you heard it here first. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">More on that soon.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But someone has the flipping domain name and isn't using it but wants £800 for it.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Errrrrrr. I will pass.</span></div>
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Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-84969875838893472942014-05-21T11:03:00.000+01:002014-05-21T11:03:09.240+01:00⚽︎ Summerhill ⚽︎<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We took off up the A12 at 5am on a busman's day off to visit <a href="http://www.summerhillschool.co.uk/" target="_blank">Summerhill</a>.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Picnic and raincoats at the ready.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Summerhill is a co-educational boarding school in rural Suffolk. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I saw a documentary about this school when I was a kid. A school where students could choose which lessons they go to or none at all. I thought it looked and sounded very cool. It was ahead of it's time then and I think it still is today.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">"<span style="line-height: 22px;">Founded in 1921, it continues to be an influential model for progressive, democratic education around the world"</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">And what a wonderful place it is. Idyllic, rural, relaxed, happy and charmingly eccentric. The students we met were all articulate, confident, mature and proud. We had the pleasure of a school tour where I was able to take these images. What beautiful and lush grounds for a child to wander and explore. alone or with friends or teachers. No school gates, everything open and gloriously free. I would have FLOURISHED here. Most people I know would have too.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The first stop was the art room. I didn't like art lessons much at school, I had no confidence in my creativity having had a few berations when younger for doing my own thing (when I look back I am appalled at those 'teachers') I loathed sewing because I was scared of the teacher as she used to be ferocious in her critisism. Yes, I am looking at you Mrs Bailey.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">This art room was very ready to get stuck in, all kinds of equipment and an enthusiastic teacher ready to teach. Check out the cool sewing thread reel storage board. I need one of these. A lovely student explained to me how to make it. Bang nails in a board basically. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">The windows opened on to the school grounds. Children poke their heads in to see what's happening. Zooming around on skateboards and bikes. The rule that has evolved (the students make the rules democratically) is that if you are out of the school building you move your tag to the out board for health and safety reasons. Simple and Perfect.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you leave your wheels out in the rain, I guess it is your loss if they go rusty.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But you can always nip over to the woodwork studio to fix things up.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Or you could sit and dream and design your next project.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I fell in love with the place, the charm and sophistication of the system appealed to every part of my childhood self. To every part of my teenage self longing for kindred spirits. This is the school you imagine when you dream of the perfect school. The quirky cross pollination of Enid Blyton adventures and a free festival.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I felt quite emotional remembering how much my education lacked at my school and that the antiquated Victorian system is still in place now but with even more attainment, rules and boxes to tick. THIS is the place that is the answer. A school that is like a family, a home and a beloved friend all rolled into one. A school that lets you become your very best self and if the best self is a bus driver or a politician or a nurse that self will be happy and fulfilled. I think Summerhill is doing an amazing job in the face of adversity and constant criticism. I long for it to continue, for it to grow more beautiful people in it's quiet understated way. I hope that one day the model of Summerhill will be replicated and chosen as the ideal after they have finished experimenting with attainment and success driven models that aren't a measure of a human's happiness but a measure of what mainstream society is being brainwashed into thinking is successful. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Phew. I'll shush now.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I wish I had gone to Summerhill, I would have reached the same ideas about being alive but a lot more quickly. Oh well, I am here now.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Looks like they made a chair for my arrival.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I love these assorted notes on the back of the classroom door for the teacher to utilise.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Looking out of the science classroom.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another delicious aspect of the school.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Skateboard ramp built by previous students</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Every child should have access to a tree house</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Heaps of outdoor fun.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Everywhere we went, students zoomed past us running, skipping, cycling, skateboarding, stopping to bounce on the trampoline or to collect their break biscuits. The whole place was full of vitality and collective energy. I didn't see any feral grubby anarchists at all.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I love the wheels strewn and abandoned, ready to be taken up again.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One of the few rules the students have made for visitors: not to touch abandoned wheels as the owner might be coming back for them. A Very Good Well Thought Out Rule.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dog guarding the school</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Plants and flowers in abundance</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I loved all the little notices and signs I came across</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Upon graduation, all students sign the brick wall.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I wonder what Mark does now and whether he thinks his school days were beautiful?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After our school tour, we were lucky enough to attend one of the famous school meetings.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The students and teachers all have an equal voice, issues are raised, suggestions are gathered and then a democratic vote is led. The maturity and wisdom of the students was inspiring and delightful.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A huge thunderstorm broke out when we were listening and the rain teemed down outside the old wood panelled room. I felt transported and aligned to a historic democratic practice which sent a shiver down my spine.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is the way everything should be decided.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There was always the FOR vote and show of hands count and there was also a chance to vote for NONE of the suggestions. I wish we had that as a vote in the upcoming elections. A NONE OF THE ABOVE vote to show we don't want any of them. I guess more people would vote knowing their collective distrust of a dreadful system would be counted.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I wish I had gone to Summerhill, I wish I had been able to send my children and I wish for a similar concept in every town as an alternative to what we have now. Summerhill is so ahead of it's time, the world just hasn't caught up yet. Remember when only a handful of people had Apple computers? It was considered slightly dippy, slightly hippy. I think Summerhill will come of age and become what it should have become 50 years ago. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A universal model to grow beautiful thoughtful people. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If they had jobs for me and Mr LouLOuLoves here we would gladly take them.</span></div>
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Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-68171312878229474522014-05-03T09:15:00.000+01:002014-05-03T09:15:00.501+01:00 ⧉ Yinka Shonibare and The Brighton Pavilion ⧉<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.housefestival.org/public_scripts/resizer.php?file=../domains/aoh.org.uk/local/media/images/medium/The_British_Library_Yinka_Shonibare_MBE__2014_HOUSE_2014_photo_credit_Nigel_Green_4_1.jpg&preset=wide-pic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.housefestival.org/public_scripts/resizer.php?file=../domains/aoh.org.uk/local/media/images/medium/The_British_Library_Yinka_Shonibare_MBE__2014_HOUSE_2014_photo_credit_Nigel_Green_4_1.jpg&preset=wide-pic" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yinka Shonibare-The British Library</span></div>
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<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: GothamNarrow; font-size: 10pt;">The Old Reference Library </span></div>
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<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: GothamNarrow; font-size: 10pt;">Brighton Museum & Art Gallery </span></div>
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<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: GothamNarrow; font-size: 10pt;">Royal Pavilion Gardens </span></div>
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<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: GothamNarrow; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.housefestival.org/house-festival-2014" target="_blank">House Festival 3-25th May 2014</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I had the pleasure of working on this vibrant life affirming project in the last few weeks. It has now opened in Brighton so if you are having a day beside the seaside this month then it's well worth catching. Even if only to gasp at the enormous vitality of so many African/Dutch fabrics in one place. Stunning. And it's free. </span><a href="http://www.housefestival.org/house-yinka-shonibare-MBE" target="_blank">MORE DETAILS HERE</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> "</span><span style="line-height: 23px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yinka Shonibare MBE’s new site-specific installation explores the impact of immigration on all aspects of British culture and considers notions of territory and place, cultural identity, displacement and refuge"</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As an esteemed and valued visitor to this blog you get the behind the scenes shots of one of the studios where all the books were bound by a merry band of binders including yours truly who truly loved every moment. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Those colours contributed to our happiness and well being as well as all the mugs of tea, chocolate bourbons and custard creams we consumed for 8 hours a day. It was a great job and expertly executed even if I do say so myself. I'm in my element surrounded by books, fabric, glue and scissors. And nice people.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tea, biscuits, old books, and life stories. A glorious way to spend an afternoon or 1000 years as far as I am concerned.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Working with all those old books was really exciting, pulling off old dust jackets to reveal wonderful debossed type into book cloth underneath. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">All rocking up to inspire my typography experiments of late. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">This book was 1970s flower arranging torture but the cover sang to me.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And this cafe was around the corner from the studio, it's sweet hand painted sign a leapfrog of yellow on a high blue Spring day. Isn't it enough to make you smile? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In quiet moments (not too many of those) I've been reading Ken Robinson's 'The Element'. It would be so exciting if education could incorporate a bit of heart led activity so our children end up doing something they really love.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What's making you feel in your element this week? </span><br />
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Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-78005609575738827962014-04-20T23:39:00.000+01:002014-04-21T00:04:15.477+01:00❡ bluebell slumber ❡<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One day soon I will show you the true extent of the building work and upheaval that is going on behind the hedge. It is a case of 'you can't make omelette without breaking eggs' and the eggs are well and truly broken. But the omelette is on it's way. If you think I am writing in riddles then you are correct because I have let almost a years worth of builders and living out of boxes and complete disarray finally get to me. I am living in riddles. What this does is make me almost insanely pernickety about the tiniest of details. Rather than look at all that is left to do and all that I have to organise I decide that now is the time I wish to sew pillowcases. Perfectly. I don't even sew that much. I did a meadow's worth of bunting for Daughter Number One's wedding in a field. I hem things and fix things and sometimes I sew books or into paper but I find myself drawn to the sewing machine now. I want to make dresses and bags and curtains but I thought I ought to start with squares and straight edges. You know? Try and contain some order I guess.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the eye of the storm when I was supposed to be condensing a home's contents into 2 rooms I dug out my Singer and found a corner on the landing and sewed these from some thriving and energetic fabric from Cape Town. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Even non sewers have fabric stashes for One Day. Don't they?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7izY0SHhFezTnzWzvJX7pNDZ94XBq1w4vbvg2RGTbOK5cZQUEQngUAjlVrWfTZaD_JDbtpJJZ4HCrggGgzEfjFnLY1csrkVkGujno1xzM2uYXovafp8iEe7T1WAtI4kcVPyO3QSZzx1I/s1600/IMG_3612+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7izY0SHhFezTnzWzvJX7pNDZ94XBq1w4vbvg2RGTbOK5cZQUEQngUAjlVrWfTZaD_JDbtpJJZ4HCrggGgzEfjFnLY1csrkVkGujno1xzM2uYXovafp8iEe7T1WAtI4kcVPyO3QSZzx1I/s1600/IMG_3612+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I put together a little 'how to'. Because I have <strike>got all the time in the world </strike> a strange urge to keep blogging when all around me is unchartered and unfathomable. I think it is because blogs can make life look beautiful and ordered when the rubble, noise and disruption become overwhelming. People live in war zones and I'm fretting about dust. I feel stupid.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Looking at fabric makes things feel better, look at this amazing design. It's like torches shining a light through the night. Or dandelion seeds or pencil points or flags. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4RtZo_NVmdg-3viquZ_nG1etTQL8B9dE9wkwUnPAPWnBMWV-asDXxK4YGVewpSaj_E7hiSV9O1DgV9NSWPAecXE-y-CGSJsC7kyf5qkMcvk5r57PUcaCx9hJvjeM6T2P3CKr3HdDfGlmv/s1600/IMG_3420+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4RtZo_NVmdg-3viquZ_nG1etTQL8B9dE9wkwUnPAPWnBMWV-asDXxK4YGVewpSaj_E7hiSV9O1DgV9NSWPAecXE-y-CGSJsC7kyf5qkMcvk5r57PUcaCx9hJvjeM6T2P3CKr3HdDfGlmv/s1600/IMG_3420+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This was the other choice. The cloth is from South Africa but this one is reminiscent of Indian paisley. But very African on closer inspection. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Rf9kFbnHavZfYdosVOSKNExtIQEFn0odaYKY8P73ESmrj0_x8_-wxVfUr7dxD0c9wQiWhQszCdb_fgZ_p4EYm61pBLyazBu1Bxwiv6poyRrXXruRjVAiRIE9e7zJqr0ec3TNp0ubpgUK/s1600/IMG_3423+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Rf9kFbnHavZfYdosVOSKNExtIQEFn0odaYKY8P73ESmrj0_x8_-wxVfUr7dxD0c9wQiWhQszCdb_fgZ_p4EYm61pBLyazBu1Bxwiv6poyRrXXruRjVAiRIE9e7zJqr0ec3TNp0ubpgUK/s1600/IMG_3423+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This fabric was particularly narrow so I cut a long strip 182cms by 56cms. You could cut two pieces to save on waste, making one of them 21cms longer to make the pillow flap. I don't want to confuse you though if you want to make them for the first time. I think sometimes you have to dive in and learn from the first one you make then you can adapt to the fabric you have. I always get the iron out as well as the sewing machine. They partner up well to point you towards a neat finish. I ironed myself a hem either end and then sewed them without pins which would more than likely give a true seamstress the vapours.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's a pic of the old Singer who has lived with us for 20 years now, she was an antique when I got her. Still limping on. Just like me. The wiring would be condemned now so don't tell the sewing stewards. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLctM6en2DssWBjUuVZ2kPRoo89GTEr7PJdEaLXLlSyufBVBOXgELqWDWZshB1vzPBQAhJobrhEz5hKwFKQCEohb7N2Zy4AqAFkfdnmmpiUDw-jD6OBzGPPXuCsG6RqZ-Yc7MgW73L6Fq9/s1600/IMG_3429+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLctM6en2DssWBjUuVZ2kPRoo89GTEr7PJdEaLXLlSyufBVBOXgELqWDWZshB1vzPBQAhJobrhEz5hKwFKQCEohb7N2Zy4AqAFkfdnmmpiUDw-jD6OBzGPPXuCsG6RqZ-Yc7MgW73L6Fq9/s1600/IMG_3429+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A neat hem and I'm happy, all is right with the world again.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTZ2x7kx-_UVJP9ghyphenhyphenNbkIfDEMpi3Ys58Sunp5c-F5QNVl8n55AIEsgEZeXWMlKHeZhREwl8x1NOzWdSl-OHYCWsMV6gtlZPMaVL_AKyDK081V0f9ZLt1sFFHs0tS3lgX-leHHTrTbZog/s1600/IMG_3432+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTZ2x7kx-_UVJP9ghyphenhyphenNbkIfDEMpi3Ys58Sunp5c-F5QNVl8n55AIEsgEZeXWMlKHeZhREwl8x1NOzWdSl-OHYCWsMV6gtlZPMaVL_AKyDK081V0f9ZLt1sFFHs0tS3lgX-leHHTrTbZog/s1600/IMG_3432+copy.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've got a terrible habit of working in inches AND centimetres which is a default of my generation. The young middle aged. Once you've made your hems, on one of the hemmed ends turn in 8 inches or 21 cms and pin or iron flat. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then you bring the two short ends together (right sides facing) and sew all the way round leaving the flap end open. Then using your bone folder or a pointy thingummy poke all of your corners out and press well. Then finish it all off with some fat border hems on the right side to make them look like they were made in a French designer's garret. And if all of that made no sense at all I made a diagram which I enjoyed more than making the pillowcases but not as much as I am going to enjoy waking up to these patterns next to my face. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sorry for the volume of pillow images but 3,483 images of rubble and dust and cardboard boxes cannot be made to look even vaguely lifestyle bloggy.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then just as I think everything is under control I find myself avoiding builders, general blokeyness and decisions and swishing to the woods and lying down among the bluebells trying to capture their particular essential bluebellness and failing. But not really caring.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">OH dear bloggers, what will become of me?</span></div>
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Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-57466185223377743522014-04-06T14:14:00.000+01:002014-04-06T14:14:51.734+01:00♛ NATIONAL STATIONERY WEEK ♛<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This past week was National Stationery Week and I had the complete luxury and pleasure of visiting The London Stationery Show. It was at the Islington Design Centre and was a real treat for me. Ever since my nan lived in a road that had a WHSmith at the end of it (you know when it used to be filled with proper stationery and books and mags back in the day, if anyone wants to know why it has gone wrong, see me after class) ever since then I have been a stationery glutton. A fiend for fine papers, pens and all things desky.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The London Stationery Show was as expected, very marvellously practical and beautiful. Just as William Morris suggests. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Have nothing in your
houses that you do not
know to be useful </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">or
believe to be beautiful.” </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The show was full of those very things.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As well as seeing marvellous displays from all of all time faves like Moleskine and Scotch Tape and Post Its and the exhilaration of chatting to fellow enthusiasts there were some hyperventilation moments like when I got given a whole bag of samples to try from PLUS Japan. I was a bit too shy to get my camera out whilst I was strolling from stand to stand. I need a pal to drag along for added bravado. Anyone want to come next year?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Here's a round up of my happy stationery show moments. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouiDnSV3n4qryuzqNXQV-9M55cP0_eVzhabvFJEdnzDELOjf8JVugGRL-HRZbvmJK-5ZmcmK6f9BooWY4FmXlNHJZ-uBInmYcm5X6F59zhlGvNNtjmovadgsUFVsN3JuzCbm2wYZH1KpG/s1600/blackwing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouiDnSV3n4qryuzqNXQV-9M55cP0_eVzhabvFJEdnzDELOjf8JVugGRL-HRZbvmJK-5ZmcmK6f9BooWY4FmXlNHJZ-uBInmYcm5X6F59zhlGvNNtjmovadgsUFVsN3JuzCbm2wYZH1KpG/s1600/blackwing.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A pencil, yep, just a pencil but it feels soooo good, it has a weightiness to it and it glides over paper. The rubber works too. It's heavenly. It's a Palomino Blackwing. What a tremendous name? I was very kindly given a sample and the place to buy these top of the range pencils as well as loads of other quite delectable desk items is from </span><a href="http://www.thejournalshop.com/palomino-blackwing-602-pencil-single" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;">A stunning array of stationery without breaking the bank AND my personal seal the deal of any internet shopping. FREE DELIVERY. Toot toot. I'm going to have a whole box of them. They are so nice and sketchy.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbD0P-w_FgURTlhidc8obz2MuIpH3RLe8C6KuVDjTfGJuUbbiCiwf3N5eY-31GWycVolXgTPBHjrdrDo2qjMhyxR0P0qX0pnHlAY8Frg4shueg4HTXQx2Uuq8gQBoBbjClA90pZFAqmz-F/s1600/foldease.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbD0P-w_FgURTlhidc8obz2MuIpH3RLe8C6KuVDjTfGJuUbbiCiwf3N5eY-31GWycVolXgTPBHjrdrDo2qjMhyxR0P0qX0pnHlAY8Frg4shueg4HTXQx2Uuq8gQBoBbjClA90pZFAqmz-F/s1600/foldease.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another discovery was the Fold Ease. A finger thimble with rollers on. For the bookbinders among you, it's a bone folder for your finger.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Check me out.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lLDCF30VyVV_DuXSWP9huaUrQwvKROs6lci4m0ANyK2eQs7nFXZq_6ll6O7DoAmylTwr5bvswdSRHjX5QTuqYvOza9noZOavCJJXDeiKipMVdVcP_y7vGpfbrThLZJrYgJIWmBcDtrPF/s1600/fingerz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lLDCF30VyVV_DuXSWP9huaUrQwvKROs6lci4m0ANyK2eQs7nFXZq_6ll6O7DoAmylTwr5bvswdSRHjX5QTuqYvOza9noZOavCJJXDeiKipMVdVcP_y7vGpfbrThLZJrYgJIWmBcDtrPF/s1600/fingerz.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They call me Bone Fingers. Anyway, after a bit of practice as it takes some getting used to, these are quite useful little folders. You simply sweep the paper with them and you obtain a precision crease which will appeal to the perfectionists. Even if you only buy one to fold your letters with. It keeps the costs down in the Royal Mail if you keep your papers folded flat as poss. These dudes come in two sizes, there's a gap for your nail if you have talons and they are only £2.99 with free postage if you buy a couple. Fold Ease from <a href="http://www.fold-ease.com/" target="_blank">here</a> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeBMclgMM33L_8vR9okAtyvRIytOgmX6WDW9QO1t8eRTCvlplDx0uilAuuEdqqugHcZoUjC_1P6-8hwllRF4Ey-W5dz58p3HwlONmGgZJQX0ZNOw4mVslljpraTKuMcQAXb7MopDwpYdjk/s1600/bow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeBMclgMM33L_8vR9okAtyvRIytOgmX6WDW9QO1t8eRTCvlplDx0uilAuuEdqqugHcZoUjC_1P6-8hwllRF4Ey-W5dz58p3HwlONmGgZJQX0ZNOw4mVslljpraTKuMcQAXb7MopDwpYdjk/s1600/bow.jpg" height="308" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From <a href="http://www.plus.co.jp/en/" target="_blank">Plus Japan </a> I got a whole bag of booty. they were so sweet and generous. This roller stamp which miraculously produces perfect prints every time with a variety in detail. This pen that produces a washi tape strip</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvlXJ49QKd2Cg3sh6PcWs6iIgopePqgUPKb4FaFx_HKX-pV_Kz7SgzLCnEWubVBDZ_89LL1N5NovEGfqRwDB7sGIf8PZFdFnnTqQtC6qoBGg-paamykh43KkEu-WxNmeuXh0fzZ1XYquw/s1600/pentape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvlXJ49QKd2Cg3sh6PcWs6iIgopePqgUPKb4FaFx_HKX-pV_Kz7SgzLCnEWubVBDZ_89LL1N5NovEGfqRwDB7sGIf8PZFdFnnTqQtC6qoBGg-paamykh43KkEu-WxNmeuXh0fzZ1XYquw/s1600/pentape.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My bag of swag and a whole host of paraphernalia </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcoQOwsZQDe8FiFw5hUma6T9r8luoWab3NgBEAydinZtbAol4zPOUYzdxN_Munda9KjknGCmMRZQbRHnYzaNuUbPSXuqWrpmaQP5ef-NtM5pecFVDODo9v_VTZg8ICEgei9EiAzdc2MVed/s1600/booty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcoQOwsZQDe8FiFw5hUma6T9r8luoWab3NgBEAydinZtbAol4zPOUYzdxN_Munda9KjknGCmMRZQbRHnYzaNuUbPSXuqWrpmaQP5ef-NtM5pecFVDODo9v_VTZg8ICEgei9EiAzdc2MVed/s1600/booty.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm narrowing it all down to a palatable blog post so haven't included everything. It was a great way to spend the afternoon, I got loads of contacts, met some of the people from various companies that I already use and lots of ideas and new approaches. It was all very pleasant and interesting. I'm already excited about next year. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you like all this, you'll love <a href="https://presentandcorrect.com/" target="_blank">this</a> and I want to buy <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Grids-Guides-Princeton-Architecture-Architectural/dp/1616892323/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396733823&sr=1-1" target="_blank">this</a> and next week I am going to tell you all about this fabric pile of divineness.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcLEX09a9VcscDJDQtsisorVr6n1HNujZ88VHfwFFwKjDgKsjTp0aKFjmYrZpR0Agk08gDpeKTDlGnQoMtXxCYyjFVu9eRpcP2swKeIDOxYL_Ogn9K8tjEsXM_mHWENh0dA8QZqbmWbrO/s1600/shweshwe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcLEX09a9VcscDJDQtsisorVr6n1HNujZ88VHfwFFwKjDgKsjTp0aKFjmYrZpR0Agk08gDpeKTDlGnQoMtXxCYyjFVu9eRpcP2swKeIDOxYL_Ogn9K8tjEsXM_mHWENh0dA8QZqbmWbrO/s1600/shweshwe.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">and I'm still practising my lettering, finding a way through breaking the rules and into something that feels comfortable for me to use. And something that feels like mine despite the myriad of lettering influence that is everywhere.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49bXBPvny9xo3gjScNyJssQm8JzhZhUBkC-NrJvb5jFEpkIPr4HLpiLBvl5xp5ZcFSwVmxBK5KKlqKDqr2_lR8e9VbNzLBwtY7IqkcZAIzXvFOyH7jQ1asudQxDprzsgd6zvL0kjRxyZI/s1600/letterers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49bXBPvny9xo3gjScNyJssQm8JzhZhUBkC-NrJvb5jFEpkIPr4HLpiLBvl5xp5ZcFSwVmxBK5KKlqKDqr2_lR8e9VbNzLBwtY7IqkcZAIzXvFOyH7jQ1asudQxDprzsgd6zvL0kjRxyZI/s1600/letterers.jpg" height="367" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIyh8NI3SFJdbwQtQJnjDrDYZXfLNTuSly0FrXE2SZxNHTccpPjdtdSAZv9rDiNuF-OJpcwJ32VMuLxO0P9dYLf1AwV9cxDX5CeJ0Y2TiWYC3xWeiH00wYO7vDYPEt61qBtgvPQgnegsq/s1600/f+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIyh8NI3SFJdbwQtQJnjDrDYZXfLNTuSly0FrXE2SZxNHTccpPjdtdSAZv9rDiNuF-OJpcwJ32VMuLxO0P9dYLf1AwV9cxDX5CeJ0Y2TiWYC3xWeiH00wYO7vDYPEt61qBtgvPQgnegsq/s1600/f+copy.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKHHQh0KN6-hrk6tXQrsfyysE9uc2nDhKuirvociraGKgJaPmCafRFtW8jCjasBFJo2TKB45nLWOhSMSMNjlLi4zqs2jVtbXmNGY5S9Tz24ewOgGzOnd-nfA2MLtHSPY7IjZezYtb7Jk6/s1600/d+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKHHQh0KN6-hrk6tXQrsfyysE9uc2nDhKuirvociraGKgJaPmCafRFtW8jCjasBFJo2TKB45nLWOhSMSMNjlLi4zqs2jVtbXmNGY5S9Tz24ewOgGzOnd-nfA2MLtHSPY7IjZezYtb7Jk6/s1600/d+copy.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Have a great week ahead, whatever you are up to.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Spring is here, it is a relief to hear the birds and feel the sun.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Apricity" is an old word from the 1600s, </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">it means to feel the sun's warmth on a winter's day. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrV8u04G04Dr68GyucvW0PX6qkkyzp0b_WQiXJSGGiY-M_snZhJ6OBBwKphVLQlxdUF7KZgpdCqoBA0L9qsnIA0l_3HIqiUrRKr9ZCfFK30NivXTrqR2t-Xw5fzBhZE0L6gy067H3kILO/s1600/love+lou+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrV8u04G04Dr68GyucvW0PX6qkkyzp0b_WQiXJSGGiY-M_snZhJ6OBBwKphVLQlxdUF7KZgpdCqoBA0L9qsnIA0l_3HIqiUrRKr9ZCfFK30NivXTrqR2t-Xw5fzBhZE0L6gy067H3kILO/s1600/love+lou+copy.jpg" height="186" width="320" /></a></div>
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Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-81775769694938679422014-03-18T21:49:00.000+00:002014-03-18T21:49:08.782+00:00✳︎✳︎✳︎ L E T T E R I N G ✳︎✳︎✳︎<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyl3Rl6_p1YgvgseTL8CZEJBWXvQgMuvsYVT0TNj-vrJQD2bMy06fyV8HfYHcXWoQZExHz0qQT1TzzKJQcx0s9dQcQh2IZ66Iqhp4wVPf7cX1kVSvFzyh_NKELQoz2QOYaLQHFOtajf1b/s1600/hello.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyl3Rl6_p1YgvgseTL8CZEJBWXvQgMuvsYVT0TNj-vrJQD2bMy06fyV8HfYHcXWoQZExHz0qQT1TzzKJQcx0s9dQcQh2IZ66Iqhp4wVPf7cX1kVSvFzyh_NKELQoz2QOYaLQHFOtajf1b/s1600/hello.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After a whirlwind canter around last weeks blog hop I'm back with "What I did at the weekend". Do they still make you write up your weekend memoirs in junior school on a Monday? I used to make mine up to make them sound more interesting and guess what? </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I still do. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The sun shone and glittered over London town this weekend, accompanied by the sound of footballs, shrill squeals of delighted children, along with the hiss of opening beer bottles and the odd glimpse of a flapping sheet hung out to dry. I decide to get busy with some paper and pens and practising my lettering skillz. I wanted to try something out for a friend's new business as well as hone up my general thoughts about lettering and how I want to approach it. I want to prepare for <a href="http://louloulovesbooks.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/greatest-show-on-earth.html" target="_blank">this</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I bought these letter cards at Paperchase which I quite liked, I wanted to buy the whole set but then in my usual miserly fashion, I thought I could make some. I think this about almost everything I see which makes me actually brilliant to go shopping with as I discourage purchases with my refrain. I enjoy buying less and living more as I pile on the years. I recite this when I look at Things I Want. My anti consumer chant.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9YvxzIkrPqa458nOmq05MmvluBmEs933QrvgBuxqq9wzFSI7V82eK0mZsmxPOCITasw_GbbgamzSlGIgVR9JRP0fN62Kgog-6rFDpDBStkAlX_sZhIcg8PP9hU0tXKnp8x96m54lsqZcg/s1600/papercahse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9YvxzIkrPqa458nOmq05MmvluBmEs933QrvgBuxqq9wzFSI7V82eK0mZsmxPOCITasw_GbbgamzSlGIgVR9JRP0fN62Kgog-6rFDpDBStkAlX_sZhIcg8PP9hU0tXKnp8x96m54lsqZcg/s1600/papercahse.jpg" height="178" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; text-align: left;">I cut a pile of watercolour card into 110 x 70 mm pieces and set about freehand painting some borders. At this point I was simply doodling with no plan of action. I find this works for me, you may work better after doing a few sketches. I would rather dive in and make mistakes, I have learned so much from doing just that. The only thing I am going to lose is a bit of paper and I repurpose my mistakes into cards and labels so Nothing Gets Wasted. (another miserly chant)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9WQQlGRb1-7YQBm_lncBS_IURXtRGvgwIMRB81SPr_hks9vBJFjw0Av4zlxXzAj2R2y9SbcxVUIDoEIjvfrKgez-b-Hl0MVgZ9XvZzkXSbi0ulfti5NiFXi3xK2NGmHhRFB1Q_glMied/s1600/scalp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9WQQlGRb1-7YQBm_lncBS_IURXtRGvgwIMRB81SPr_hks9vBJFjw0Av4zlxXzAj2R2y9SbcxVUIDoEIjvfrKgez-b-Hl0MVgZ9XvZzkXSbi0ulfti5NiFXi3xK2NGmHhRFB1Q_glMied/s1600/scalp.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">A good sharp scalpel, a steel ruler and a cutting mat are invaluable, if you want to make any paper based items, buy these now. They last forever and make all the difference. When I was teaching at The Make Lounge (which has sadly closed) everyone loved the tips and hints I gave them about measuring well and cutting cleanly. The way you hold the ruler and the scalpel are quite important but not very easy to explain without you watching what I do. You will have to come to one of my workshops. I will let you know when they will begin. (still got a chimney stack to come down and a floor to lay)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5AWG7iEPaem51MtzqMo0i5SCHRxtAZ4X2GPXCJ_wkZe1PjoODosvEP02Ba_I2DOBKaAvLks28qB6hRnpcykHD7AcMszSgmg6PjAGNPReVySL-W14qU3oIsP2mzstqtFYBhxsr16PVPqs/s1600/borders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5AWG7iEPaem51MtzqMo0i5SCHRxtAZ4X2GPXCJ_wkZe1PjoODosvEP02Ba_I2DOBKaAvLks28qB6hRnpcykHD7AcMszSgmg6PjAGNPReVySL-W14qU3oIsP2mzstqtFYBhxsr16PVPqs/s1600/borders.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I love watercolours, if you buy really good ones they last forever and you only need a tiny dot of colour to make a lot of paint and best of all, you don't need to rinse your palettes as a little water refreshes them and they seem to live forever.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's me painting on borders and trying not to think about the end result except when I decided to use some masking fluid. Then you have to think about 2 steps ahead.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xuDtXoR_wKGzxo4ADITufi2H8BXsJHe_0VLmk-zx3DVSfuoGDCxPbClvs22PNgmxxiz7wFvvfX0Xxg8x6A23hnxFbBA9FO8aqHoiZQ1DAt19voNJIq6HghDs22MQewwxRdA5O1VdglM3/s1600/borders+close.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xuDtXoR_wKGzxo4ADITufi2H8BXsJHe_0VLmk-zx3DVSfuoGDCxPbClvs22PNgmxxiz7wFvvfX0Xxg8x6A23hnxFbBA9FO8aqHoiZQ1DAt19voNJIq6HghDs22MQewwxRdA5O1VdglM3/s1600/borders+close.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGmzn53cH9zBCrF7uuP8ISz6tH8q30mtCJ14QbofMpI7XClDMhVevMtGt4Mp56oYjAsinMDUQOJEFr-uP8tpskDtZ29ZY6gFeGaIXm5jwhyrVBmsIqwAq69GThKF_CDuipsGTWGIIHcZM/s1600/maskW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGmzn53cH9zBCrF7uuP8ISz6tH8q30mtCJ14QbofMpI7XClDMhVevMtGt4Mp56oYjAsinMDUQOJEFr-uP8tpskDtZ29ZY6gFeGaIXm5jwhyrVBmsIqwAq69GThKF_CDuipsGTWGIIHcZM/s1600/maskW.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's some borders waiting to be filled.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTT4q2CFZtCC9FxCwOSKj9jm05bk_3CiutPY9hyphenhyphenJwI1H0auHlxrGlxHAxvOIVtMv2lGjGgxmlgGFi_jf5BRdozaAP8OUEF5rNBir_7q9OFfEM0EQk9XW6HRdECarZ5uZOPe63CHvMLzjtr/s1600/mixedbordes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTT4q2CFZtCC9FxCwOSKj9jm05bk_3CiutPY9hyphenhyphenJwI1H0auHlxrGlxHAxvOIVtMv2lGjGgxmlgGFi_jf5BRdozaAP8OUEF5rNBir_7q9OFfEM0EQk9XW6HRdECarZ5uZOPe63CHvMLzjtr/s1600/mixedbordes.jpg" height="365" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And here are my letter cards when I had finished. <span style="text-align: center;">I was so engrossed that I forgot to take during shots. But I jumped in with the watercolour on a big brush with a beautifully pointed tip and then doodled them over with a few scratchy pen and ink lines...Some of them are badly executed but they are the ones I learned the most from. I'm not hiding them away, this isn't that sort of blog. ;-)</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdGxPkHhTyiXgTeXdHd1LC2P8XG6HOkjTk2LYDCGKJng0B9qRfNOtfPiQ-MMt46cFWooWFKy_LQKdirS1buAGVexAMz2E0vMkmVvFq9zKX_MO4JmOpGlLhPIruhFcfkV7-isrLH1qcBRp/s1600/closeups.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdGxPkHhTyiXgTeXdHd1LC2P8XG6HOkjTk2LYDCGKJng0B9qRfNOtfPiQ-MMt46cFWooWFKy_LQKdirS1buAGVexAMz2E0vMkmVvFq9zKX_MO4JmOpGlLhPIruhFcfkV7-isrLH1qcBRp/s1600/closeups.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2dkS30-bbmwQ3QsQXrY2yVXJJ8OX4ZGaXz82f8MFkU6wTyfmyRetsxl4mt-KDlac5LZXU60iCdHnz5q52CCJzcLjiQ1_K1f24thmzUOD3Y3CsR6pnTCOdZBS-BM-0UuMRjYUI9BeaNyj/s1600/KYO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2dkS30-bbmwQ3QsQXrY2yVXJJ8OX4ZGaXz82f8MFkU6wTyfmyRetsxl4mt-KDlac5LZXU60iCdHnz5q52CCJzcLjiQ1_K1f24thmzUOD3Y3CsR6pnTCOdZBS-BM-0UuMRjYUI9BeaNyj/s1600/KYO.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And here's some single shots of my favourites.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gx3wQnfsSQTnZ8HsmxnilMq7nPD7BmniNuHJreL2q8XeCKfyoKxAa5m5asr-_u6ZbyOXjP-elCon5O4XKLXR_h68yeB4KQIurh-d7pJlD5o17uturRhOKFU-FVB_n1zrCgdnquhlcSJa/s1600/&T.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gx3wQnfsSQTnZ8HsmxnilMq7nPD7BmniNuHJreL2q8XeCKfyoKxAa5m5asr-_u6ZbyOXjP-elCon5O4XKLXR_h68yeB4KQIurh-d7pJlD5o17uturRhOKFU-FVB_n1zrCgdnquhlcSJa/s1600/&T.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yeah, they need work but they fuel other things...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was a really great play around with some good old fashioned doodling and I relished it. I find that doing something like this really gets my mind pinging ideas around and now I have a whole set of ideas to practise. I want to get the paints out again but I have to knuckle down to some 'proper' work this week. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I did a project similar to this in a junior school and I encouraged every child to draw me a letter which I then scanned and turned into a jaw dropping font for the school magazine we were designing. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's a glimpse.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ivIzg5XYNGHXg2909WL_kUkBP4DgCFyrcGF33rlXGcDyDugqrY4HdvsKtkEsagM8PenRYtT_q0jO_pqG-cqadBCjJB2gAnqSzFzHYe1vf6cEBEdtUOCjh59MSGaTHM3aUO6_R-y_nTbs/s1600/letterschool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ivIzg5XYNGHXg2909WL_kUkBP4DgCFyrcGF33rlXGcDyDugqrY4HdvsKtkEsagM8PenRYtT_q0jO_pqG-cqadBCjJB2gAnqSzFzHYe1vf6cEBEdtUOCjh59MSGaTHM3aUO6_R-y_nTbs/s1600/letterschool.jpg" height="400" width="283" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBOZkm1kldik7HekuIINlYGkKrf0TtkxSBIyBZ8_AACARBiPd0iU0jW-5ZQiXPcgpHeqxwwE1CCvRILJoQTo1zDm0lutOw4a8X2UlMdI8uS96S4QD-uRzJdC9BBNSEX6WGqtacIpVRdsS/s1600/detail+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBOZkm1kldik7HekuIINlYGkKrf0TtkxSBIyBZ8_AACARBiPd0iU0jW-5ZQiXPcgpHeqxwwE1CCvRILJoQTo1zDm0lutOw4a8X2UlMdI8uS96S4QD-uRzJdC9BBNSEX6WGqtacIpVRdsS/s1600/detail+11.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The kids loved it. I spoke to them about letter design and typography including showing them Jessica Hische's <a href="http://www.dailydropcap.com/" target="_blank">Daily Drop Cap</a> which they all loved. Then they designed their own letters, the image above is just a glimpse into the huge body of work we did around that project. Apologies for the gloomy pictures in low light on a dark winter's afternoon. Wish I had taken better ones.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I do love a nice lot of pictures on a blog post and I am sure you all do too. Hence the endless images....Thank you for reading today, come back again soon. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpg4Gef5uW-JMYthUbcKEpxiep4pdSAZRjUoFSttwa42yqQch_CmHjvcn-Q0TP6KdaRW80NU0jVeDghdAx8hmZtqYsdvf14Uk8pWuzmf1Ib5NOwpMnZQH1t3ReqnNXebbU214um5Nq_xT/s1600/lou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpg4Gef5uW-JMYthUbcKEpxiep4pdSAZRjUoFSttwa42yqQch_CmHjvcn-Q0TP6KdaRW80NU0jVeDghdAx8hmZtqYsdvf14Uk8pWuzmf1Ib5NOwpMnZQH1t3ReqnNXebbU214um5Nq_xT/s1600/lou.jpg" height="123" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33CFDKUJTJF1_JmZX157jhj4uzQjrYhoBKvGAlYwMyzKZt5qqFY5A3Xz7ZTOsNUu3KO4kxFL_bjNaYs_Y4kbXLysqJhs5rm8oYH8IRGJFnLFTf6-M3a6KLN3FxERl9xmS9VeDvplSa-vJ/s1600/loves+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33CFDKUJTJF1_JmZX157jhj4uzQjrYhoBKvGAlYwMyzKZt5qqFY5A3Xz7ZTOsNUu3KO4kxFL_bjNaYs_Y4kbXLysqJhs5rm8oYH8IRGJFnLFTf6-M3a6KLN3FxERl9xmS9VeDvplSa-vJ/s1600/loves+copy.jpg" height="81" width="200" /></a></div>
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Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-19870817607325224952014-03-10T16:00:00.000+00:002014-03-10T16:00:00.291+00:00⊙ The day they let me loose in a paper factory ⊙<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">If you are new here then you are very welcome. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Come on in </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Don't be a stranger.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">The following is a piece I wrote whilst teaching a group of deaf Nepali girls how to make books a couple of years ago. We shared no common language, I taught by sign language and demonstrating and gentle tweaking on shoulders. The girls had been rescued from trafficking, they were learning to make crafts in order to survive. I volunteered to teach them and spent a couple of months in Kathmandu alternating between extreme home sickness and a propensity to stay forever. I did come home but I have never forgotten.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">This is my homage to paper, dry soft skin and thin mountain air.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><i>PICTURE THIS</i>? </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I'm being driven through Kathmandu in Nepal, in a taxi, seats furnished with bathroom mats and a very sweet, earnest driver, we swerve around school buses with drivers glassy eyed and leaning into mobile phones.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">School girls with long, once white woollen tights scatter across city highways, over shawled and over wrinkled old ladies wander through heavy traffic. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Vehicles suddenly go into reverse and one way means actually any way you like?</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">everyone shrugs and moves over</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">this would enrage the British, the rules; what about the rules?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">A surplus of sadness pills in my stomach, that life can be so fragile, that this is it...here we are, all leaning like dominoes on each others ability to think clearly, to move in turn, to skim over imminent disaster like rice rolling in an oiled pan </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">no mans land:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">no rules land</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Oil and water, I dream of them, I'm inhaling dust here,</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">this airless, dirtbowl of a city,</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">my feet are cracking open and I have callouses on my toe pads</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I'm becoming old before I'm ready</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">the dust settling into my lines and widening the cracks,</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">the thinning and drying of skin and surface whilst everything still boils and rages underneath</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I am still a volcano</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I reach up and out and in</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">over and over</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">feet grinding into ground that could tilt into an emergency</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I'm holding on to the sides of my yoga mat in a rush of electrical storm</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">in a gale of thunder cracks and dry lightening</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">evening storms canter around the valley like dice in a cup</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">drying up</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">rolling up</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">spitting me out at dawn</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">wide awake, I recognise a cuckoo's song;</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">it's Springtime in Kathmandu</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I'm here, I'm here</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I dream of an oasis, a sea, a pool? a wetness that isn't here</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I'm landlocked</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I never felt so far from the quench</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We survive the journey to the paper factory on a bus racing </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">car chasing, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">motorbike ricocheting </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">piece of road, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"the factory highway "</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lots of industry gathered in one place, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">past the Rose Garden Restaurant and the lone petrol pump.. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I enter through the grey gates held open by a small walk on character part Nepali</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">verging on the role of oriental doorkeeper of some exotic brothel, a twinkle in his toes</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">a query in his eyes? He should be in the movies...He is in this one, mine.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">And I'm in the paper factory, a huge hanger of a building</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Wide open at each end and tables in the murky dark with workers all masked</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">breathing in paper dust all day. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I'm glad to see a kitchen, lunch being prepared for workers, this isn't a sweat shop</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">this is a good business here.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">A sign proclaims they do not employ children.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">The production manager is a sweetheart, he indulges my over excitement and lets me roam the factory sighing and distracting his workers. I am spoiled, suffocated by choice, overwhelmed by colour combos and size and weight and colour.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5591760405/" title="sewn book blocks by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="sewn book blocks" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5095/5591760405_4316d9fc6d.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I'm here to buy paper for book covers, these are the sewn book blocks that I have taught the girls to make. And below is the first stack that I dare to rifle through. It's too much, even for me who likes nothing more than fanning through reams of print and colour.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5592353176/" title="too much choice by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="too much choice" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5173/5592353176_412ea393f2.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's everywhere, piled high, a laundry of assorted flora.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5591743985/" title="paper towers by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="paper towers" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5172/5591743985_4399d1614f.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5592337160/" title="paper carnation by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="paper carnation" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5095/5592337160_15735a00dd.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Giant carnations of pink chrysanthemum, I am high on giant dry flowers.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5591764247/" title="paper dyeing by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="paper dyeing" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5223/5591764247_08a68a7904.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">The garden is the dyeing department, a dip into green then a spreading and a sunbathe.</span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5591768549/" title="paper spreading by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="paper spreading" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5222/5591768549_b67dc20093.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5591766533/" title="paper drying by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="paper drying" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5029/5591766533_ba4a15afdf.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5591752001/" title="die maps by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="die maps" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5172/5591752001_85bbed0141.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The paper die cutting department, located in a leaning shed...a huge press and these paper dies looking like architectural room plans. I'm in love with their lines, their ability to cut precise sharp creases. The kiss of paper, the hiss of press.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5591770261/" title="die map by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="die map" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5061/5591770261_dfd44b51d8.jpg" height="500" width="333" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5591771663/" title="die map 2 by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="die map 2" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5062/5591771663_a09207872a.jpg" height="500" width="333" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5591757801/" title="dyes by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="dyes" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5108/5591757801_9094f7db23.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5591754007/" title="dotty spots by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="dotty spots" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5096/5591754007_ab9dce844b.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5592368650/" title="my booty by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="my booty" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5306/5592368650_c9296b1fe3.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">And ladies applying dots of colour to boxes, labouring under a rare sunbeam that spotlights spots in the dreary dark.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">These last sheets are some of my buying decisions. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">They are already attached to books...drying now in the quiet studio.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Here I am</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Coating myself in ointments and creams</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">exporting paper reams and dreams of the sea.</span></span><br />
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<br />
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NOW GO AND PUT THE KETTLE ON AND READ EVERYONE ELSE'S POST<br />
AND COME BACK AND SEE ME SOON<br />
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<i style="color: #272727; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;">The PaperLove Blog Hop is a celebration of all things paper! Follow the links to discover more bloggers who love paper and use it to inspire and delight. And if you want to explore a whole world of paper, and stretch your paper passion further with a host of creative projects, why not join the innovative new online course PaperLove (starts March 31). Led by book artist Rachel Hazell, PaperLove is a five week creative adventure for paper lovers. Find out more </i><a href="http://www.paperphilia.co.uk/paperlove" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #032de9; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>here</i></b></span></a><i style="color: #272727; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;">.</i></div>
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<a href="http://muymajobv.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Majo Bautista</a> / <a href="http://www.paperseahorse.com/blog" target="_blank">Tona Bell </a>/ <a href="http://louloulovesbooks.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Louise Best </a>/ <a href="http://cathyb.typepad.com/" target="_blank">Cathy Bluteau</a> / <a href="http://thepaintedflower-jennifer.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Bomgardner</a> / <a href="http://onebuntingaway.blogspot.nl/" target="_blank">Giova Brusa</a> / <a href="http://slumbermonkey.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Lindsay Buck</a> / <a href="http://iambekabee.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Beka Buckley</a> / <a href="http://www.joannacaskie.co.uk/" target="_blank">Joanna Caskie</a> / <a href="http://mr-yen.com/blog" target="_blank">Jonathan Chapman (Mr Yen)</a> / <a href="http://hallecisco.com/blog/" target="_blank">Halle Cisco</a> / <a href="http://sarahlouiseclare.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sarah Clare</a> / <a href="http://craftychai.co.uk/" target="_blank">Cathryn Clarge</a> / <a href="http://niceandfancy.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Dawn Clarkson</a> / <a href="http://www.starrybluesky.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Rhiannon Connelly </a>/ <a href="http://www.echoandsway.com/" target="_blank">Jenny D'Fuego</a> / <a href="http://www.designfivestudio.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Molly Dhiman</a> / <a href="http://www.iandudley.net/" target="_blank">Ian Dudley</a> / <a href="http://ayiemore.com/" target="_blank">Ayisatu Emore</a> / <a href="http://www.dzaltastic.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Akmal Farid</a> / <a href="http://www.walkyland.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Monika Forsberg</a> / <a href="http://caught-in-dreamland.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Claire Fritz-Domeney</a> / <a href="http://louisegale.com/" target="_blank">Louise Gale</a> / <a href="http://www.chrissygaskelldesigns.com/blog#!blog/cfgg" target="_blank">Chrissy Gaskell</a> / <a href="http://www.artisticallyafflicted.com/" target="_blank">Julie Hamilton</a> / <a href="http://www.emmafrancesdesign.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Emma Hawman</a> / <a href="http://www.paperphilia.co.uk/blog" target="_blank">Rachel Hazell</a> / <a href="http://www.hollyhelgeson.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Holly Helgeson</a> / <a href="http://claudinehellmuth.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Claudine Hellmuth</a> / <a href="http://www.khenkel.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kim Henkel</a> / <a href="http://www.wingedsnail99.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sarah Hoffman</a> / <a href="http://joannehus.com/" target="_blank">Joanne Hus</a> / <a href="http://www.paulajoerling.com/" target="_blank">Paula Joerling</a> / <a href="http://dowhatyouloveforlife.com/blog" target="_blank">Beth Kempton</a> / <a href="http://www.notesonpaper.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Julie Kirk</a> / <a href="http://www.signoraaurora.com/" target="_blank">Eos Koch</a> / <a href="http://backhomeart.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Katie LaClair</a> / <a 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href="http://www.camillaolssonart.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Camilla Olsson</a> /<a href="http://www.wherewomencreate.com/" target="_blank"> Jo Packham</a> / <a href="http://www.arteyecandy.com/" target="_blank">Rachelle Panagarry</a> / <a href="http://www.paperwitheverything.com/" target="_blank">Monette Pangan</a> / <a href="http://theoriginalthread.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Melanie Paul </a>/ <a href="http://ghostkittendesign.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nicole Piar</a> / <a href="http://www.bytheshorestamping.com/" target="_blank">Jen Pitta</a> / <a href="http://www.lizplummer.com/blog" target="_blank">Liz Plummer </a>/ <a href="http://bricolage-julier.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Julie Reed</a> / <a href="http://shellsinthebush.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Michelle Reynolds</a> / <a href="http://lisarivas.com/blog/" target="_blank">Lisa Rivas </a>/ <a href="http://sheicjournals.com/category/blog/" target="_blank">Angee Robertson</a> / <a href="http://www.nataliesketchbook.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Natalie Ryan</a> / <a href="http://bazaarcollective.com/">Aisling Ryan</a> / <a href="http://www.mondebettina.blogspot.com.es/">Elisabet Sapena</a> / <a href="http://kyrrha.wordpress.com/">Kyrrha Sevco</a> / <a href="http://curlygirlpress.wordpress.com/">Jamie Sprague</a> / <a href="http://lizzysapronstrings.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Elizabeth Steele</a> / <a href="http://morningdewdrops.typepad.com/my-blog/" target="_blank">Terri Stephens</a> / <a href="http://www.juniperstokes.com/" target="_blank">Juniper Stokes</a> / <a href="http://groovitydesigns.com/" target="_blank">Mary Tanana</a> / <a href="http://patternjots.blogspot.ch/" target="_blank">Maike Thoma</a> / <a href="http://www.tortagialla.com/" target="_blank">Linda Tieu </a>/ <a href="http://thegreengables.co.uk/blog" target="_blank">Gabrielle Treanor</a> / <a href="http://www.tammytutterow.com/" target="_blank">Tammy Tutterow</a> / <a href="http://deborahvelasquez.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Deborah Velasquez</a> / <a href="http://www.foundandrewound.com/blog" target="_blank">Jordan Vinograd Kim</a> / <a href="http://collagecastle.com/" target="_blank">Cat Whipple</a> / <a href="http://brookewittartanddesign.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Brooke Witt</a> / <a href="http://katiewoodillustrations.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Katie Wood </a>/ <a href="http://freshlyhatchedstudio.com/" target="_blank">Amelia Woodbridge</a>
</div>
Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-80648104285226861712014-03-07T12:52:00.000+00:002014-03-07T12:52:15.777+00:00⚛ The Greatest Show on Earth ⚛<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am running in circles and squealing at my decision to take a sign painting course....</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A fairground art sign writing extravaganza.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>HOW DELICIOUS AND</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've been drawing and doodling lots of letter forms lately and whilst living in London I see some very splendid signs and handwritten notices. I have always been drawn towards 3D and shadow work in letterforms and when I was a teenager 3,000 years ago it was all I did when I had a piece of paper and a pen. I didn't know about typography or fonts then. Only album covers. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As part of my commitment to learn something new every year (last year was doing my maths GCSE which I passed ..YAY but it wasn't very exciting, it was very useful when I had to work out how many materials to buy for my new workshop-more on that soon) this year, I have chosen to go on this sign writing course. Quite simply, I want to paint signs. I want to know what kinds of paints to use and how to use one of those sticks with a ball on the end for support. There must be a lifetime of learning to absorb. I am sure I will be full of terminology and lung damage from inhaling paint fumes after my week of study. Of course, I am not going to be an expert after a week but I have got some of the skillz needed surely? The course is taught by a very skilled traditional fairground painter and that is the style we will learn. In a working fairground yard with real life examples all around us. Can you imagine? What a thrill.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here is a circus inspired picture I made last year. I only had a box of cheap child's paints but I really got into using them, the pastels seduced me and I ended up raiding the local toy shop for a lifetime's supply.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzf5CsX4kCl1qnF6v4zGN9WvA9NZGDeQHUlx4dmy2kF-5KU8t-5Ojnl0MMMdjNOitV7Vsu-EuzF9ph1QW6Gu2N37Op0rGTADzgTERXCJ3ZN6ajoXsD58AjpSRtStJ5i9jd5mpQlwEACHA6/s1600/zeebeeunicorn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzf5CsX4kCl1qnF6v4zGN9WvA9NZGDeQHUlx4dmy2kF-5KU8t-5Ojnl0MMMdjNOitV7Vsu-EuzF9ph1QW6Gu2N37Op0rGTADzgTERXCJ3ZN6ajoXsD58AjpSRtStJ5i9jd5mpQlwEACHA6/s1600/zeebeeunicorn.jpg" height="400" width="271" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The colours inspire me, I might see if I can make a pastel coloured circus style sign...lead myself away from the traditional style. I guess it will depend on the materials available.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-F7gKqCXSTT6ohepXQSdhzkG-3D4kJpTQiAJd_UD8pe1tkc4uWk760Lp3mNNwxeML8Mni1Gs9bnjRDYSLq0vT-YK0hArFgfMykiO_Th0y9aXmOcO-xk35Jqk_I5zFhy433ue73ub0Gn5/s1600/sketch+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-F7gKqCXSTT6ohepXQSdhzkG-3D4kJpTQiAJd_UD8pe1tkc4uWk760Lp3mNNwxeML8Mni1Gs9bnjRDYSLq0vT-YK0hArFgfMykiO_Th0y9aXmOcO-xk35Jqk_I5zFhy433ue73ub0Gn5/s1600/sketch+book.jpg" height="320" width="234" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">I've been pinning </span><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/loulouloves/circuscircus/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a><span style="color: #444444;"> onto a circus/fairground board for inspiration...feel free to send me any via pinterest. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">I'm already worried about Ms and Os and Ss. I've stopped obsessing about building materials and I'm back on track thinking about Words. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Delicious words, letters and swirls.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I can't wait. It's not until November so I have ages to decide which word I should paint first? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Any ideas? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">What word or short phrase would you paint?</span></div>
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Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-81532019737953936012014-02-20T11:32:00.000+00:002014-02-20T11:32:00.416+00:00⧈ A toy hotel for Zee B ⧈<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcoS0VLHGXDaKsqAGDZECBsq5-AeJVoX2HrKf8rKk9P2eWDjXRhl55dk7e_ZC3HLe0xlDvpuzJHOB6zMg1LpddBSI3uD6qV7sPL-3rnxckeeC-w5gViDx46OqpSc5e9D3gtqhoFMCjZSSy/s1600/heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcoS0VLHGXDaKsqAGDZECBsq5-AeJVoX2HrKf8rKk9P2eWDjXRhl55dk7e_ZC3HLe0xlDvpuzJHOB6zMg1LpddBSI3uD6qV7sPL-3rnxckeeC-w5gViDx46OqpSc5e9D3gtqhoFMCjZSSy/s1600/heart.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I wanted to share this, a simple project that taught me that having a lack of resources can be a GOOD thing. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I found myself living in a beachside room in Cape Town, the one place in the world where fresh air is really really um... fresh. It hurls in straight from the Antarctic. It's gulp able, restorative and sometimes full to the edges with negative ions. And it never stops rolling in over the endless metronomic waves. It's exhausting to watch for too long. It's like thinking about infinity. Ouch.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDGn3g03-6FzbmeaxA38ATW64jYRmm7vbQYMfske6S3apQV-vmgpiHai07YmEBlT7hy3XK1QyzHJ-ICKJZFeuYvPoCLJh6kk-UhlonkrhCXnOsIVw4qxhBqur4zHowPp_IrDxOMWM9XQ_/s1600/capetown+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDGn3g03-6FzbmeaxA38ATW64jYRmm7vbQYMfske6S3apQV-vmgpiHai07YmEBlT7hy3XK1QyzHJ-ICKJZFeuYvPoCLJh6kk-UhlonkrhCXnOsIVw4qxhBqur4zHowPp_IrDxOMWM9XQ_/s1600/capetown+copy.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Whilst living in this beautiful location and watching this endless sea, I didn't have any furniture and Cape Town prices for second hand stuff is waaaaay too expensive for temporary measures, so after making a bedside table out of a cardboard box and a scarf I got an idea. A creeping little voice that wouldn't go away. We had a young lady staying with us who needed to put her toys and clothes somewhere tidy. I decided to embark on a project that cost a few pence, was hours of fun to make and is now an iconic shelving system. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">INSERT PROUD FACE HERE</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If anyone would like to make one you only need some cardboard boxes, masking tape, newspapers, wallpaper paste and paint. I got a load of cardboard boxes from the Wine Shop. Wine in Cape Town is delicious, high quality and very well priced. They also have lots of strong boxes to throw away which I pounced upon. After deciding my arrangement I started to bind the boxes together with masking tape. If I had access to better supplies I would have probably used a gaffer tape or possibly even soaked strips of fabric in white PVA glue but this was the first time so I can give you the fruits of my learning curve. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is what it looked like at that stage</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1RNK9gmVd8j4yohzLg0PKUzL0tlZmla_2JpSYzAOU5aFIUvcz2iO9dhCZbcxLQRD62eoveVUraIE-MdI8bf0-SEpXTJNg6Sht3BcPRG2F_hrUxkqsqcfp1_tGRvrw33mGm-ItZvSMLgu/s1600/boxes8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1RNK9gmVd8j4yohzLg0PKUzL0tlZmla_2JpSYzAOU5aFIUvcz2iO9dhCZbcxLQRD62eoveVUraIE-MdI8bf0-SEpXTJNg6Sht3BcPRG2F_hrUxkqsqcfp1_tGRvrw33mGm-ItZvSMLgu/s1600/boxes8.jpg" height="271" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I then added a few extras to make it seem more interesting to an investigative child, I added a secret compartment and a decorative heart cut from the cardboard. I wish I had added a couple of metal rings that screw into things as it would have been cool to hang things from it too, bunting, jewellery, key rings, goggles etc...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjH5YZTk1Uv22MXrKLvVB7V5sRBbYEShkojeStKo1HO_BqTh2mmXfg2ymsuiiivilAcbRtqsf3Z8GntPgUGoX-DFPJTqmWruVU1NTxm-k0UHSg86Y61SD3_1m3cjdGGnOj3zfOyQ0eGy7/s1600/boxes6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjH5YZTk1Uv22MXrKLvVB7V5sRBbYEShkojeStKo1HO_BqTh2mmXfg2ymsuiiivilAcbRtqsf3Z8GntPgUGoX-DFPJTqmWruVU1NTxm-k0UHSg86Y61SD3_1m3cjdGGnOj3zfOyQ0eGy7/s1600/boxes6.jpg" height="341" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I put a lot more masking tape on after I snapped the above image, I wanted to be sure the boxes would stay together and the tape wasn't very good quality, you can see it starting to peel off. Next task was to tear free newspapers into strips, I used a piece of wood, You could use a strong ruler...put the newspaper piles under it with a strip sized piece showing and tear strips against the wood edge. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Ter9i0VK7KjyCxbSS73oTMcEWS2zqSbpx6hDrCxP8kI44Ihxu6EV-yQRsXwMwP9RZoE86-Bitgtp8qnP7WYx05bs90zpq09d80k4RCVSRd5tsDT0fePPyDF9uCTj2aqqA7sJbrjEnC0t/s1600/boxes7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Ter9i0VK7KjyCxbSS73oTMcEWS2zqSbpx6hDrCxP8kI44Ihxu6EV-yQRsXwMwP9RZoE86-Bitgtp8qnP7WYx05bs90zpq09d80k4RCVSRd5tsDT0fePPyDF9uCTj2aqqA7sJbrjEnC0t/s1600/boxes7.jpg" height="258" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Make your wallpaper paste up, a bit thicker than the usual wet slop and I pulled the strips of newspaper through the paste and used my fingers in a scissor action to wipe off the excess slop. It was messy, we did it outside. Kids get bored with this after a while so just let them have a go. You get to do loads of it. It helps that it was sunny and breezy in Cape Town that week. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_stEOb2rYG6cFVHp0WViysrLt-l5hQAZEtLnS7p23T7RiW4MUHuDIR4wZif_Hw7usCUTuqgc7Ek6eEhE_R45MnsHLqBY5-JKekxTu0sGmrAd1l2-cwDYdcUdClBynLgz8pRvtjIoJKVjm/s1600/boxes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_stEOb2rYG6cFVHp0WViysrLt-l5hQAZEtLnS7p23T7RiW4MUHuDIR4wZif_Hw7usCUTuqgc7Ek6eEhE_R45MnsHLqBY5-JKekxTu0sGmrAd1l2-cwDYdcUdClBynLgz8pRvtjIoJKVjm/s1600/boxes2.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Patience is required and a certain meditative quality sets in as you glue strips, wait for them to dry and then start all over again. It's papier mache essentially. I did the back, the underneath and the insides of boxes paying special attention to box joints. The boxes get wet and warp but that just adds to the charm for me, they can be propped up whilst drying. It is very fragile when wet but brittle tough when dry. I think I managed about 5 layers of paper before I got tired of it. It looked nice like this, I left it to dry out for around a week. It shouldn't be moved whilst wet, get someone to help you if you need to put it in a drying place. I sat it on newspaper which I peeled off after. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's a close up of those joints, layered up with extra strips...if I did it again, these would get reinforced with plasterer's scrim mesh tape.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHXR2Zkabumb5q9mabm3ehtikiCB6mpO0_M0Jx7TXhfqsk1szsiN3tMG1TcubWKo4JzRYZFwTUZHU-1oCbLxHjRwTgngi1tToz-hs0puD8i5U2wz1L023n2OY4fA9mQGfHPfDxedCgplj/s1600/boxes3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHXR2Zkabumb5q9mabm3ehtikiCB6mpO0_M0Jx7TXhfqsk1szsiN3tMG1TcubWKo4JzRYZFwTUZHU-1oCbLxHjRwTgngi1tToz-hs0puD8i5U2wz1L023n2OY4fA9mQGfHPfDxedCgplj/s1600/boxes3.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444;">The heart detail needed a bit of jiggery pokery but in the end I wrapped newspaper through and around the heart opening.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQupF6PJ4IqCRXX4TBD3R5KbRN3WOPZH1GeiNchcelvXeceZOhFj2ZTSl576sKiWkmKWCLWhowp1AsytI0vow1oOE2-Mh72DK3xN4eKLFKV40rwaa2x5BWlzC9-jDM2RUfkRbJuG_hu7S8/s1600/boxes4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQupF6PJ4IqCRXX4TBD3R5KbRN3WOPZH1GeiNchcelvXeceZOhFj2ZTSl576sKiWkmKWCLWhowp1AsytI0vow1oOE2-Mh72DK3xN4eKLFKV40rwaa2x5BWlzC9-jDM2RUfkRbJuG_hu7S8/s1600/boxes4.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I painted the whole thing with white emulsion, it was the cheapest thing I could find and I was now on a mission to spend as little as possible. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXo4huoZ5YsmVpX426JXd581pcwDT_nkBTS7IlBThOiGM3OpEbQou05oKH5GzqS1oqLMkPXBOEPVbGvdzlWrLY6MKvPeRrJR3V6zPJE6VyNuH3BHD3QU-7h9PvIcUPh8NrzHczWQUpcjeJ/s1600/boxes5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXo4huoZ5YsmVpX426JXd581pcwDT_nkBTS7IlBThOiGM3OpEbQou05oKH5GzqS1oqLMkPXBOEPVbGvdzlWrLY6MKvPeRrJR3V6zPJE6VyNuH3BHD3QU-7h9PvIcUPh8NrzHczWQUpcjeJ/s1600/boxes5.jpg" height="277" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I managed a couple of coats, it took ages what with all those surfaces.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At this stage it actually looked like I imagined it would which is an achievement in itself for a creative idea being born into reality. It's easy to get distracted on the path of making but I was quite tenacious about finishing this and I did have a little helper who was really enjoying the making. She didn't really understand where I was going with it all but she mucked in like a Mini Trooper Art Assistant Deluxe.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVz5oFjMlcuymbEpwLLc88ilU3EynpYCWvML0gIO1I8cNi9xxhFctBT9hnYqC0aNBkBzEmDissdwRTFqzglBt8d0I98V6cUWFWd9PPMqClN9z26RFNTu9dM3iN1vcxSM8OBnIgK6ADrKK/s1600/boxes+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVz5oFjMlcuymbEpwLLc88ilU3EynpYCWvML0gIO1I8cNi9xxhFctBT9hnYqC0aNBkBzEmDissdwRTFqzglBt8d0I98V6cUWFWd9PPMqClN9z26RFNTu9dM3iN1vcxSM8OBnIgK6ADrKK/s1600/boxes+1.jpg" height="301" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ready for embellishment (although I liked it like this)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">the light and shadow make enough of a pattern for me.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I wanted to dwell on my favourite architecture in Cape Town for inspiration.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEO3AfFcjUbKTPTMayYGwfELWCeOSn-kaeaX8SXBlEPfSqh0_12PYTZPiumomLdmJOOpnEJaYHyKv32VdIzHhxKgDGn_QgFtzBu_7nidANjkh9AQOiX-g86hPCtW9MSZba7WKeC9CHD7d/s1600/boxes+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEO3AfFcjUbKTPTMayYGwfELWCeOSn-kaeaX8SXBlEPfSqh0_12PYTZPiumomLdmJOOpnEJaYHyKv32VdIzHhxKgDGn_QgFtzBu_7nidANjkh9AQOiX-g86hPCtW9MSZba7WKeC9CHD7d/s1600/boxes+9.jpg" height="248" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But these are my ethereal and wafty artist ways and I had to attend to the important matter of getting this project finished and accepted a helping hand from a very excited young lady.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What would you have done with it at this stage? I would love to know...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We set about making a kind of English Garden Theme as we had done a lot of birdwatching, plant picking and garden viewing. A little corner of Cape Town was made into an English garden to remind us of home. No sketching, straight in with paint and brushes. We donned knickers and headscarves and painted an afternoon away. The very best thing to do whether you are 5 or 50.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Spot the garden worms for the birds to eat?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Insects and bees and frogs and dragonflies and birds, of course.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And a throbbing pink heart thrown in to remind us all of what is important.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When LouLouLOves makes something then the heart has to become part of it.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Little ZeeB wanted to sit in every shelf when it was finished but she didn't quite fit which was just as well. It's a tough piece but not a climbing frame.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But it gave me an idea to make a puppet theatre in the same fashion.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I might do one with Aubrey when he get's older, a circus booth for putting on </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Greatest Show In Town.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And here is is in situ, in all it's glory.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The piece is still used a year later as a toy hotel and is much loved.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I want to make another one, a grown up one...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cost £7.50.</span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZStnPde0RPXd_XToXnVp4bMyDsnmKA1BuzdYTvTnIudpc-BsZMgcqwfUGlZqPbt3Q_lszG5Fov3qbsWJPWusB-pAUR9Ymj4wztIkWAc1hBpE4S0TTORmbQNteau9DONfNHvc7DPt1rEj/s1600/boxes13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZStnPde0RPXd_XToXnVp4bMyDsnmKA1BuzdYTvTnIudpc-BsZMgcqwfUGlZqPbt3Q_lszG5Fov3qbsWJPWusB-pAUR9Ymj4wztIkWAc1hBpE4S0TTORmbQNteau9DONfNHvc7DPt1rEj/s1600/boxes13.jpg" height="295" width="400" /></a></div>
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Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-32712669854970825442014-02-17T13:30:00.000+00:002014-02-17T13:30:00.439+00:00 ⊙ On the road again ⊙<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Think of this as my come back tour.</span><div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thanks for coming over...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My desk this week and it's in London at the moment. There is a new studio being built behind the hedge and it's so exciting and time consuming and I have had to retreat from the chaos. I can see a tree from the window here and a church spire and there are birds that chirrup away all night as the lights don't seem to go out. Ever. So, still the birds sing for me as I potter around...even though I am in the heart of the city.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">This was me being blown around by the wind in Cape Town this time last year. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">This year it's a much breezier and colder winter. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">I hope you are all safe, warm and dry despite the weather battles...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The photo below was the beach at Muizenberg, Cape Town, also this time last year. That's not the sun, it's a full moon. Amazingly. What a place...I've got so many stories and sketches and photographs. I got full up to the brim with ideas when I was there, now I am fruiting them, growing them into reality.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fXotYxzyTgFlwOSoIwBeShjVLGA7b4gKqK9zvDlJQFkggGLnwwByLTeOROIb3ZuG3peSCkBie1BZambhXfi5nkQct6RJwoGipKHGLZzFFi39P6t4Xb-567o-fVVusb2VEwY-E6X_b8Me/s1600/full+moon+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fXotYxzyTgFlwOSoIwBeShjVLGA7b4gKqK9zvDlJQFkggGLnwwByLTeOROIb3ZuG3peSCkBie1BZambhXfi5nkQct6RJwoGipKHGLZzFFi39P6t4Xb-567o-fVVusb2VEwY-E6X_b8Me/s1600/full+moon+copy.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm not going to go into a monologue about where I've been (just busy alright?) I want to get back to posting my work on here as it is a great record for me to look back. And however wonderful crammed my head is with STUFF, being a creative is sometimes incredibly isolating. If anyone is still out there, then HELLO... IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's an anemone, it made me happy.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My mum had them as her wedding bouquet and I've always loved them.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm going to be back very soon. </span></div>
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Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-38807085575645571072012-12-22T10:06:00.002+00:002012-12-22T10:17:20.658+00:00☁ Hey you..get on my cloud ☁<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hello.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Strangers.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It has been a whole year since I posted. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Unbelievable.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Friends kept asking what happened to my blog, I felt guilty as though I was neglecting something vital...of course, you all know the feeling.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I got so busy with work and making a new life that it just slipped off like a loose knot and I didn't even notice it had gone. When I was blogging and sharing I felt such a part of a community and I miss that. I still read all of your blogs, on long journeys, jet lagged whilst trying to sleep in strange beds and during snatched lunch breaks. If I could, I would still be showing and sharing and maybe soon I will. There are lots of interesting things all simmering and bubbling under the surface ready to break through into reality. Exciting.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Life is full.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This year we had my Meg's wedding. A shimmering memory of pastels, watercolours, vintage and lace. I was so determined to really be present that I didn't take one single photograph. There wasn't time. It was like putting on a show. Once. No time to think or linger. Meg and I had been sourcing, foraging, crafting and creating for so long and I documented most of that and now it is all done I ought to show you. The wedding was like a Pinterest explosion. Absolutely charming and I cried ALL the way through the ceremony. Then I became a grandmother and I am completely in love with a baby boy. I'll come back and fill you in on 2012. It was the best year ever in my whole life. Suddenly everything tilted into bliss and peace.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For now, I would like to wish all of you a very happy holiday season. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">we made it through another year. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here is my grandson.... Aubrey Joseph. A cherubicchristmasangelboy.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am as proud and happy as a kite on a cloudless breezy day.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Happy New Year to you all.</span><br />
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Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-78934872228186119582011-12-24T10:27:00.001+00:002012-03-28T08:45:27.489+01:00*⁂⁂⁑⁑ let it snow ⁑⁑⁂⁂*<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm wishing all of my friends a warm fuzzy love filled festive season.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">May all of your wishes come true.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: xx-small;">Thanks for all your concern and well wishes. I am fine.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: xx-small;">Went to China, had a rotten time, couldn't face blogging</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: xx-small;">All of this will pass.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: xx-small;">Back soon.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: xx-small;">XXX</span></div></div>Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-55314656606847185282011-07-21T10:13:00.001+01:002011-07-21T10:14:56.412+01:00笇 Noodles and mountains here I come 笇<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5960613428/" title="writing bones by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="writing bones" height="340" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6011/5960613428_b30ea8c50b.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">If you could be bothered to decipher the above diatribe you wouldn't gain much from it anyway. I have a huge pile of lists of things to do and the more I tick the more I add.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">I can't even tell you about my work at the moment as it involves 75 amazing six year olds and I can't post photos or details of it just yet. Maybe when the project goes public. All I can say is it has been BRILLIANT and the kids were gorgeous. I learned so much and ALL their names and feel quite sad to wave them all off to the juniors. We did an incredible design project and I feel I can pull a proud face.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Then another flurry of secret squirrel activity involving illustration, books and publishing which I also can't divulge on the bloggo. Not until it gets to print. I've a million ideas under wraps....I just have to be quite discreet until things start to bear fruit. Hence my complete lack of information. I'm sure you understand. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">So, I have got nothing to show and nothing to tell but just thought I would fly in before I fly out again next week on my mission to China. I'm sure I'll have some show and tell then. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">My suitcase has hardly cooled down this year and I may as well have left it packed.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Quite excited but apparently unfazed. Bored of sitting at airports and God Bless the iPad. For without it I would be a lonely traveller. Next blog post might invoke noodles, mountains and humidity and from my freezing feet here in summery/wintery July that sounds like a plan.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></span></div></div>Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-60547715912203758622011-07-04T21:25:00.000+01:002011-07-04T21:25:29.817+01:00❨❨ esprit de l' escalier ❩❩<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1183.photobucket.com/albums/x479/loulouloves1/photogifs/?action=view&current=dressani.gif" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x479/loulouloves1/photogifs/dressani.gif" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Summer is racing through...I know I won't catch up with it now. Long days of snoozing and reading were de rigueur in India and now I am working hard and planning for my impending trip to China. I think it's going to be rainy season when I am there.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I really have no idea what to expect. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I think I may love it. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But first I am submerged in a great project in a wonderful school, spending my days with gorgeous bright sparky kids. Double gated securely in the middle of an Essex estate. I am having the time of my life. This is real. Real life. Real lives. Children with no precociousness and grubby shirts. I only see smiles and love, all day long. Kids and teachers. I could skip around the playground. And probably will at the end of term. I feel like the Pied Piper some days with straggles of little jumping Jacks and Jills following me to our studio.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I had such a strange moment this weekend, I came face to face with someone I really admire and completely lost all my speech faculties and felt such an idiot on reflection. The person in question was Jamie Oliver, a famous UK chef who has done so much work to change the way we eat here and made some very admirable efforts towards social change too. I got introduced to him at </span></span><a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/thebigfeastival/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Feastival</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> which was a great little festival set up by JO, lots of food and music on Clapham Common on a sunny day. If it is on next year, then please go if you are in the UK. Highly recommended. Friendly and interesting and 100% of the profits go to charity. I was there as a guest and very nice it was too. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">As the evening came to an end I found myself being introduced to J.O himself and having swigged a couple of cocktails I had been swaggering and bragging about what I would say to him if I got to meet him. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">After an introduction I warmly shook his hand and said Jamie, I'd like to thank you for three things, Red Thai Curry with Jasmine Rice in the 30 Minute Cookbook, School Dinners and your Ultimate Christmas Gravy. I also told him about the amazing project I am working on in schools and how I loved the School Dinners campaign and how it joins up to similar practises I share with my own students. Oh we had a proper tete a tete. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">In My Dreams.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">REWIND<<</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><rewind></rewind></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">After being introduced I stood there racking my brains as to how to start a convo without sounding like an idiot, a simpering old woman or a crazy fan. My mouth opened and closed and Jamie, the gentleman that he is, smiled encouragingly and dear reader. I failed. So, on he moved without a backwards glance at what could have been the beginning of a lifelong collaboration in improving the lives of children and my culinary skills.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Can you hear that thwacking sound? That's me, kicking myself. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Jamie, I came across as an idiot with a grin. I am sorry. Can we try again?</span></span></div></div></div>Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-71607476249395883702011-06-19T19:56:00.000+01:002011-06-19T19:56:44.502+01:00⧻ a letter from now ⧻<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5849334885/" title="midsummer letter by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="midsummer letter" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5273/5849334885_73f97c1bd2.jpg" width="347" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div></div>Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-48154876634028168032011-05-06T09:06:00.001+01:002015-05-01T10:04:21.966+01:00➛ open studios ➛<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5692021773/" title="open studios flyer by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="open studios flyer" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3276/5692021773_1aff8145bd.jpg" height="500" width="354" /></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The day of the Royal wedding dawned and we forgot! Well, we had no tv, not much internet and the Kathmandu Post didn't have much to say about it. I'm guessing it was different for you whether you were Stateside or Blighty Bound. We were completely oblivious to that dress or that kiss or the ridiculousness of those hats; my girls in the studio have no idea who William and Kate are. They still don't. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We'd planned a little open studio day. The girls picked flowers on their way through to work...a small mountain posy for our table. We had been making new stuff for weeks and wanted to show it off...the jewellery workshop next door was doing the same. I was nearing the end of my two month voluntary placement and it seemed like a good time to have a show. A kind of semi colon to my time here.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here's how our studio looked and a sneak peek at some new products that will be making their way across the seas to be sold via an ethical fair trade company in the UK. </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5692018361/" title="mountain posy by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="mountain posy" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3329/5692018361_ca8ded42c6.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">We had piles of albums and notebooks that have all been handmade by the girls, all of the paper and materials are locally sourced in Kathmandu, Nepal (not an easy feat at all) and I think they did a grand job and I felt like a proud mama. Sometimes, it's really hard to not dive in and say I'll do that when I see struggling fingers and hesitant hands but I resisted the urge as they'll have to continue producing this stuff without me watching over them. I'll just let the images do the work in this post. I am quite happy not to blather on for once.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5692020429/" title="heaps of folds by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="heaps of folds" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3227/5692020429_3938b71acf.jpg" height="500" width="333" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5692589624/" title="stitch tower by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="stitch tower" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3459/5692589624_ee5526c4e1.jpg" height="500" width="333" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5692591070/" title="spines by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="spines" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5303/5692591070_036d17a305.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5692201835/" title="print laundry by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="print laundry" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3635/5692201835_394bd708a3.jpg" height="246" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5692006567/" title="table display by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="table display" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3320/5692006567_76c1cb708a.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5692206689/" title="hand printed swing tags by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="hand printed swing tags" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2685/5692206689_fc8c6c1cb4.jpg" height="382" width="500" /></a></div>
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I'll let you know in due course where the products can be bought to support the charity...</div>
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Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-49887878228414194262011-05-01T10:14:00.000+01:002015-05-01T09:55:24.874+01:00இ postcard from Nepal (rainy afternoon) இ<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5675283662/" title="postcard 1-5-11 by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="postcard 1-5-11" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5226/5675283662_4b335163a0.jpg" height="348" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5675283230/" title="postcard 1-5-11 by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="postcard 1-5-11" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5028/5675283230_e725ea712f.jpg" height="348" width="500" /></a></div>
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Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-23963260133333557332011-04-17T11:04:00.001+01:002011-04-17T11:05:16.242+01:00ᗗ saying a prayer for them ᗗ<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5610746818/" title="one bowl, one flower, many prayers by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="one bowl, one flower, many prayers" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5305/5610746818_f5ac42ec8c.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Who am I to ask for prayers to be answered, for wishes to be granted?</span></span><br />
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</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I just add myself to a line of devotees and hope that some of their Godliness will stick. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Their goodliness might brush shoulders with my sadness and form an apex of wishes granted?</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Visiting </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boudhanath"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Bouddhanath</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, site of many a pilgrim's dusty hopes and wishes, </span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I joined the peace on a sunny,wide bluesky day. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tangled in an alleyway of seller's tatters I felt the calm, the sanctuary of my surroundings immediately.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What a beautiful place to spend an afternoon. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With the eyes of higher beings on you the whole time.</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Be Good, Be Good, Be God.</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5626463207/" title="bouddha by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="bouddha" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5145/5626463207_72dac31fa2.jpg" width="333" /></a><br />
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</div></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Walking around and around the giant stupa and ringing spinning bells in full fat sunshine, metal warmed by wishes and worn by wringing hands...</span></span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">what goes around comes around</span></span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">what comes around goes around</span></span></i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I go around again and watch the birds looping the loop and the whole circle,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">the whole circus that this circle is, soothes me and I smile </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">and it is returned again and again.</span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5610161171/" title="Bells at Bouddhanath by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="Bells at Bouddhanath" height="333" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1391/5610161171_9821741a7a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5610740618/" title="bird flurry by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="bird flurry" height="333" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/5610740618_aaa9e205c1.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5610159099/" title="Buddha by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="Buddha" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5021/5610159099_f631431ebb.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5610752692/" title="keeping the fires burning by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="keeping the fires burning" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5108/5610752692_37a5414720.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Everything moves here, flickers, dances, jumps, the flags leap and roll in the breeze, people circumnavigate, dust rolls from the stupa, the eyes of an ever watchful God are fixed. I roll around and say out loud my prayers, are they like birthday wishes? They might have to be kept secret. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5610196867/" title="keep the flags flying by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="keep the flags flying" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5223/5610196867_1facb1ea91.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I'm not tired of bunting, flags, blue skies or beautiful places yet. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">This place is a confirmation of joy.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5610194057/" title="say what you like by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="say what you like" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5027/5610194057_a926ea233d.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">And this one is for you, my lovely friends who inspire me, send me words of encouragement and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">wonderful messages of hope and love, I thank you, I thank you and I am keeping the prayer flags flying. And I am keeping going and I am trying to live up to what you think I might be. I think I saw the eyes wink. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5610182771/" title="endless prayers by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="endless prayers" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5189/5610182771_737bd51e84.jpg" width="500" /></a></div></div>Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-77083306785657500022011-03-29T18:05:00.000+01:002015-05-01T09:55:57.163+01:00Δ I'm always "square pegs in round holes" Δ<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5561711253/" title="oblongs into triangles by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="oblongs into triangles" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5174/5561711253_c0322561be.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">It's been a long time since I've been home. I keep wondering what it will feel like to walk on through into my space, the neglected air of the unlived in life. The unbreathed in or out of rooms. I think of my children, my bed, that </span></span><a href="http://louloulovesbooks.blogspot.com/2009/09/hound-of-love.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">dog</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> a fire in a stove and a garden happening without my daily examination of it. Does it even exist if I'm not there to prod it? </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">And I mentioned the other day about 'going back' and someone very rightly pointed out that it's not Going Back at all. It will still be going forward. None of us are ever going back. So, a little home nausea creeps in but it's there to remind me that somewhere there, is a place where the wind will whistle out of my aching bones. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I will find the dreamed about hum of silence.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Kathmandu is noisy. India is deafening. Asia is chaotic. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">My home page home surrounded with its thick traffic noise absorbing hedge is almost unearthly quiet. The noisiest thing is the dawn chorus which used to wake me up dawnly and dutifully as the birds sang the day into life. Here in Nepal there is the usual competition between dogs, the boys school next door, which sees the arrival of pupils around 6 am whereupon they beat the rhythm of a football against a half built, half concrete, half bamboo scaffold. Like a steady shot of stutter, the bouncing ball rolls through to my subconscious and lets me know it's time. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Time to get up, sit, meditate, find a small corner to unroll a skimpy little yoga mat and do the one thing that makes everywhere feel like home. Reaching up and out and in. Coming home every morning. Going Back? Never.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The other constant colour in my life is the print studio. A solemn concentrated walk away. I have to be fully aware and intent on traffic, potholes, dead things and the strangely ugly but endearing, one eared half dead dog that almost wishes me a Good Morning as we meet each other's eyes. He sits and he sits. Blinking into the dust, the exhaust, the weary brick lined streets.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I scoot across the crossroads where the road has been dug up more times than I can remember and I've only been here a month. No health and safety, no signs, no cordons. Just a hole. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the middle of the road. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Big enough to swallow a motor bike and several passengers.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">If you fall in it, it's your fault. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">It's refreshingly non nanny state but there must be a happy medium.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">This isn't it.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5561714583/" title="marigold by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="marigold" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5069/5561714583_5e721f745a.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I turn left at this marigold and enter the art centre where we have a print and binding studio. I have started to try to make it a more inspiring place. Fill it with spring leaps of colour. The joy is already in here. Bouncing from the walls like the eternal football. It just needs a touch of illustrating.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5561692801/" title="studio days by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="studio days" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5068/5561692801_934585c940.jpg" height="333" style="cursor: move;" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5561698413/" title="studio days by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="studio days" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5189/5561698413_daffa1f8f5.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">The deaf young people I work with are bubbling over with enthusiasm and sweetness. We greet with a traditional Namaste, hands in prayer and then they rush me for a hug and I love them then for their simple faith in me and that we're going to have a great day together. Cutting, sewing, measuring, glueing. Smiling, signing, even singing, one girl sings a tuneless song under her breath, it is the soundtrack in here. It's comforting. Like Nepali tea made from milk bought in a plastic bag.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">The girls travel for an hour to get to the print studio, they live out of town, in rural places and they trickle in to work by microbus. A jam packed bench seated small truck. They pick small plants on their way to the bus stop through the rural landscape and bring them to the studio and we print them. They were using dark indigos and clarets but I'm trying to encourage a bit of experimenting with colour and thanks to a very generous and kind offer of some new ink from </span></span><a href="http://chocolategirl64.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">Chocolate Girl</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> we got a delivery from FedEx of some white stay open ink. This will hopefully open out our palette into a new spectrum and we can't wait to get mixing and cooking up a feast of colour. Thanks to the generosity of previous sponsors, we have a small table top etching press which we use to make these monoprints of plants...And I, in turn, have been turning them into rubber stamps to ease up the process.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5562281436/" title="studio days by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="studio days" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5062/5562281436_d7247e6103.jpg" height="500" width="333" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">The studio is a bit basic and thanks to the Power Problems we have here i.e intermittent supply = no water. If there is no power, then there is no water as it needs a pump to operate. The only water supply is in the loos anyway so we installed our own sink and water supply. I think this might be considered luxurious around these parts. It is poor. It is basic but we make a do. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I don't think I could ever moan about my cramped, packed to the rafters workspace ever again. This is my challenge here. It's hard running a print studio with very basic supplies and even if we could afford them, the specialist items aren't available here in Kathmandu. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5561702021/" title="studio days by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="studio days" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5135/5561702021_06816172af.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5561704923/" title="studio days by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="studio days" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5108/5561704923_6c8ff3ae1e.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">So far, I've become a teacher of bookbinding, a guide for printmaking, a creative force, a reader of faces and body language and I'm learning Nepalese sign language. I think I can say for the first time I am spinning on newly oiled and slick machinery. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">But I have to say that out loud to believe it. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">And no-one to hear me but me.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">During the last four weeks, we've moved to a new studio and I've been painting out a wall full of dark uninspiring emo graffiti with the aid of a table and a bamboo ladder. I've taught two new book structures, had days of printing sessions and lots of quality control. I've also got a desk full of hand-carved (by me) printing blocks to make this year's Christmas card. I've designed a new catalogue and am in the midst of the charity newsletter. Not much time to bruise and ponder. Just as I thought. A more thoughtful me is emerging. Not necessarily kinder but lazier to leap. But towards these hesitant hands, eager eyes and half closed sea shells of ears I feel an ocean of kindness, a rush of tenderness for difficult lives and fuzzy round the edges futures.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5561700731/" title="studio days by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="studio days" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5150/5561700731_64391ca9f4.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5571221885/" title="new rose book by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="new rose book" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5173/5571221885_0965c98927.jpg" height="303" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5571217849/" title="airing the prints by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="airing the prints" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5024/5571217849_702976b8e3.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a></div>
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Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-44012210250783858272011-03-20T07:25:00.002+00:002011-03-20T07:44:16.493+00:00⫚ getting lost and the possibility of an earthquake ⫚<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">It's been ages. This is down to a couple of things. No electricity=no wifi=candles and early nights. This is good for catching up on sleep especially as it is cool at night and I can snuggle under a quilt reading by candlelight and drinking tea. (a hobby of sorts). I have also been throwing myself into the joyful division that is my work here in Kathmandu. It's very exciting and I really want to share with you images of the bookbinding and printmaking we have been doing but it is early days and I have to check with the boss that it's okay to publish these things and as he is really busy I don't want to disturb him with my minority blog reading requests. So stand by for gorgeous work images and I'll just take you with me to Darbur Square in Patan and the surrounding streets for a little tour of the Nepalese neighbourhood in which I reside, for now.</span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5541690459/" title="Darbur Square by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="Darbur Square" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5294/5541690459_eef5541682.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">If you look closely you can see the Himalayas in the distance. A feast for my eyes. I had been quite sick for a couple of days & had lived a well worn path between my bed and the bathroom for a while and this was my first excursion into sunshine and streets and the mountains made my heart lift. My legs were a little dehydration caused wobbly but I managed to snap some pics. I want to return here at dawn, no people and probably more magnificent if that is possible. I loved it all. This is a world heritage site and it's stunning. An architectural dream and you can wander all over the place and sit on the little temples and you get left alone. I can't imagine English Heritage being in charge of this slice of history.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5541691657/" title="sky sculpture by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="sky sculpture" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5291/5541691657_0f297680db.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Then when I was meandering around this collection of stunning shapes and layers of history I decided to dip into a cool dark alley and had a cup of tea then promptly got lost on purpose. My new favourite thing to do. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5541695875/" title="afternoon naps by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="afternoon naps" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5260/5541695875_3ba393dfa7.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I am so nosey, poking around streets where life goes on unchanging for people; despite the world mutating and morphing and nature's power changing the world in a heartbeat. Nepal is due an earthquake. It wouldn't cope. It is overcrowded, overbuilt and very unstable anyway. In the house I live in here, there are earthquake alarms and notices telling us what to do. Drop to the ground basically and cover your head or get under a table? It is unnerving and when I wander these streets I can see how fragile this whole city is. A deck of cards. I say my prayers that these lives continue unrocked for eternity.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5542267458/" title="scrape the sky with love by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="scrape the sky with love" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5093/5542267458_66279cb1c0.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5542281184/" title="I give you pink spills by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="I give you pink spills" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5060/5542281184_f61a120066.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5541707485/" title="bunting by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="bunting" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5176/5541707485_4ca81a7541.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">There are more images on my </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Flickr </span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> page if you'd care for some more snaps! I will be back with the gorgeousness that is my job here. I am truly amazed and touched by what I am experiencing and am loving every moment of teaching and making with My Girls. Will tell all as soon as I get the OK and of course I know you will be waiting for the Trip To The Paper Factory post I am planning.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">It was enough to give me the vapours.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Love from my little room in Nepal...</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5541709445/" title="waiting for life by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="waiting for life" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5013/5541709445_21c2d1b3dc.jpg" width="500" /></a></div></div>Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com7Bhaktapur, Nepal27.702871 85.31824427.664863999999998 85.259879000000012 27.740878 85.376609tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956548883659378427.post-37286438950816881702011-03-04T05:59:00.000+00:002011-03-04T05:59:03.101+00:00᚛ 4,600 ft feet above sea level ᚜<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Mysore to Bangalore = 3 hours taxi ride and it aint the M25</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Bangalore airport = 2 hour wait time</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Bangalore-Delhi = 2.45 hr flight</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Delhi airport = 4 hr wait</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Delhi - Kathmandu = 1.40 hr flight</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">My journey began at 2am and ended in Nepal at 5pm the next day...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Exhausted , headachy and dehydrated.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">This is my first view from the roof where I am staying.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5495647053/" title="roof view by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="roof view" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5135/5495647053_d6dfd677d8.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">As we circled Delhi waiting for permission to land I could see a mustard streak that sits above the city, a gruesome layer that floats atop the smokey smog like an ashtray cloud. A yellow Delhi ghost. Delhi looked huge and packed full of buildings. I'm not sure it looked very appetising although I am sure it is full of interesting India. The big cities scare me a bit in Asia. I'm a fan of the suburbs, the rural areas, the pastoral idylls, even if they do mask suffering. Suffering is everywhere but in a big city it's tangible, it's unimaginably awful and it's there in front of you. Reminding you that you have never ever got any reason to complain. Forget our badly paid jobs, our boring lunch, our knackered cars, our busy workload, our lack of motivation, our relationships....Suffering is everywhere and we all have had some but here it's mind boggling. I am going to pray for the grace to remember this stuff...this grey slimy misery, this yellow frothy topped city and try not to moan or wish for anything other than this blessed bit of life I have.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I really wish these life lessons would stay with me, but as we all know I'm the complainer of the century, the moaner of moaning, the itchy footed freak and I can but try.</span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5496239996/" title="self portrait with plant by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="self portrait with plant" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5095/5496239996_145c79171f.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After all of the waiting and zooming around in planes and sitting around at airports I was wishing I could unobtrusively take photos of kissing couples, sleeping tourists and strange hippy travellers. I'm waiting for Apple to develop the brain app, a tiny camera implant which means all that I see I can download for viewing later. Especially as we started the breathtaking descent into Kathmandu airport. Oh wow, a big lot of wow. I had begun to notice the sky clearing as we headed East from Delhi and the Himalayas were coming into view. I had booked a window seat and I was so glad. Mountain ranges look great from above. I'm not sure I want to climb Everest or anything but I do like looking at them. Once upon a time I declared myself a beach person but maybe I'm more inclined to mountains these days? It's definitely a mountain I climb every morning on my yoga mat...</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As the plane sunk and my ears started popping and glugging I had the view of a lifetime, mountains, foot hills and green, green rice paddy terraces looking for all the world like torn edges of paper, layered and stacked in formation. No way of taking a photo but I will hold that image in my heart for ever. Beautiful, stunning and I wished I could slow down time so I could gaze some more at little houses on big hills surrounded with contours of grassy emerald and jade.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Landing was fine, after Bangalore and Delhi it looked like we were skidding into the Wild West. A few dilapidated buildings, nothing glittery or shiny here (thank goodness) I even saw a horse making a late afternoon shadow on an empty road and I thought there and then, "this might be my type of town."</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I was met by a volunteer from the charity I have come to work with, as we raced through the narrow brick walled streets of Kathmandu I felt a frizz of life jump start my heart. I had arrived during the festival of Maha Shivaratri, the streets around the airport were bubbling with people and I saw impromptu drumming and dancing sessions by chillum smoking Sadhus. Hilarious and almost frightening, the driver zoomed away and we left the shouting and stamping feet behind us...</span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5496242162/" title="Visit by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="Visit" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5134/5496242162_991d9c6a80.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I'm going to be exploring more this weekend, I am working every day in a printing workshop which almost made me cry when I saw how simple and pretty it was. I am working with late teens/early 20s who are deaf and I am going to be learning Nepalese sign language twice a week, it is different from any other sign language apparently and I've also got Nepalese language lessons twice a week. Amazing. Pinching my arm as I write. This is my life? Thank you thank you. And it was casually mentioned that I would be visiting the paper makers next week and I'm sure my heart boomed loud enough for everyone to hear.</span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5496243368/" title="handmade journals by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="handmade journals" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5099/5496243368_9dae84a0e7.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I'll show and tell some more next week...this is a sneak preview of the printed journals that they make in the print studio and below are some hand carved wooden stamps I found in the local mobile phone top up shop! Needless to say I bought a couple...the horse to remind me of the one horse town I thought I was flying into and the lotus seated pranayama yogi to remind me how I got here and a hand (not pictured) offering the blessing of good fortune. All made by hand, you can see the nicks of the knife. </span></span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisebest/5495650615/" title="stampers delight by Louise Best, on Flickr"><img alt="stampers delight" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5056/5495650615_a1ab5ecd41.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">In my very brief ventures into the surrounding streets I've noticed that Kathmandu is a land of craft and makers. There are handicrafts and arts everywhere... It's going to be thrilling. It's very different from India, I'm still trying to work out why. The light for starters and not as friendly as my beloved Mysore but it is early days...I've only just begun.</span></span></div></div>Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671697706332339772noreply@blogger.com8