Pastures new

This blog is now retired and has been replaced by - http://missclairegetscreative.blogspot.com/ - hope to see you there!

It's been a long time!

My goodness, has it really been the 7th My since my last post? I have been feeling pretty creative recently, busy having new ideas for homemade birthday cards (very inspired by www.printpattern.blogspot.com ), mulling over an idea for a book, reading poetry and visiting a couple of exhibitions last week, so I really should get on and blog something! I watched a lovely film this week Julie & Julia, based on two true stories it follows the journey of one woman writing what became one of the most popular cookbook in the US and then a few years later another woman in search of inspiration and relief from her mundane everyday routine decides to cook her way through all the recipes in the book (over 500) in a year and write a blog on it. It will do two things - one inspire you to cook and two, make you want to think of a project to blog about. I;m still pondering that one.
It was my Mum's birthday last Saturday and we went to Lambeth Palace to see the exhibition of some of items in the library. Some of the books/manuscripts are from the 12th century and are so beautifully illustrated. If I had the time I would love to illustrate my journal in a similar way but it would be a full time job. However it has inspired me to think more about drawing and design. We were all given a hand held device to listen to the commentary. A room full of people with what looks like a large mobile phone clamped to their ear looks rather odd - not unlike something from science fiction as nobody interacts with one another. Mum and I just made sure that we synchronised our selection so that we were listening to the same thing.
We tried to get into the Grace Kelly exhibition at the V&A in the afternoon but it was sold out so we just walked round the fashion section. All the clothes that I was drawn to were from the 1930s. There were a couple of very beautiful dresses that I would never have the occasion to wear but would have been lovely to try on nonetheless. As I am so drawn to fashions of the 1930s, I must investigate further, I feel as if I'm in the right decade but I'm wearing the wrong clothes. When women wear those costumes in period dramas they always look so elegant and the tailoring is beautiful. Oh for a wardrobe like that!

Election Day

The sun was shining as I walked to my local polling station and it struck me again that, for me, there is nothing as beautiful as Britain in the sunshine. 
Walking through an English village in the sunshine never fails to soothe me and reminds me how much I love this country.
So, as we wait to find out who is to form our next government I hope and pray that it will consist of people that have the same heart for Britain as I do. To see it freed from the current hopelessness and despondency. The UK has it's issues and faults heaven knows but when bathed in sunlight you can see the quiet beauty and strength that makes this nation one that I am proud to part of. 

Little thing

Favourite line from a film so far this year....

Poppy in Mike Leigh's Happy go Lucky on coming outside to discover that her bicycle has been stolen -
'Oh, and I didn't even get to say goodbye'

Pure genius.

Lovely discovery

I am the type of person that the Waterstones 2 for 1 deal was made for, I do so love books. It is one of my favourite pastimes to wander round a book shop, allowing myself to be drawn to a cover that jumps out and seeing if am intrigued by the synopsis (though I try to resist buying at the moment as I have far too many to read!)
Of late the novels I've read haven't fallen into the 'really good book' category which is disappointing and there have been at least two that I've skim read just to find out what happens in the end but I haven't been swept away into another world by them.
However, this changed with the book I'm just about to finish, Alice Hoffman's, The Third Angel. I read a review a long time ago and finally obtained a copy from the excellent Read it, Swap it site.
It's utterly brilliant, beautifully written, just enough mystery to intice you to read on without the annoyance of being kept in the dark.
Alice is an author that I will definitely an author whose books I will devour in future - a lovely discovery.