Sunday 27 March 2011

Reflections


                                                                                   



So much of my creative work is inspired by reflections, in water, on buildings and of course on life its self. I love to watch the movement of reflections captured in the water, little ripples of light, dancing, always moving, ever changing. I probably have more pictures of  water, oh and trees than anything else....yep, even more than photos of my gang. Its not that I don't love and admire my children, but nowadays the opportunity to capture them in a photo is a very rare occurrence. They grow up so fast, although the process of working through the years goes at a slower pace. A bit like a 30 minute maths lesson....   seemed like eternity at the time...now that half hour goes by so fast.


You know I heard something on the radio last week....In the western world we have clocks and watches....in the third world they have time. Just something to ponder  :)      
                                                                  








                                                                                     

Friday 25 March 2011

Mad, bad and dangerous to know







This is another of my favourite tea houses, 'The Doll's House on the Hill' ,a traditional tea shop selling an assortment of refreshments and home made food. They also do the most wonderful high tea, if you are ever in Harrow on the Hill I thoroughly recommend a visit.


So now the Mad, bad and dangerous to know....this refers to Lord Byron, the English poet who led a colourful and very controversial lifestyle and made enemies very fast. His poetry was considered  perverted and satanic. The fact that he was often discontent and unhappy, combined with a constant desire for change meant that he created an unstable world for himself, though he never gave up his individual freedom to choose his own path and his own destiny. It was Lady Caroline Lamb who had an affair with Byron and penned the Mad Bad quote.  Byron went to Harrow school and wrote some of his early  work there. I wont prattle on about his life as there are 1000's of sites you can visit and read about him.


You know its always good to follow your heart as he did, but so many of us are unable to for fear of people pointing a finger at them. I know in so many ways that I am different from others. My family tease me about seeing the world on a level that is unique to me...I see things that many may miss, and include them in my creations using story telling within my mixed media art. But like Byron through no fault of my own I find some have been nasty, I can deal with it better now I am older but it did used to upset me, and at times made me feel worthless.What these people don't know is I have captured them in my work, I don't have to to be nasty back, they are forever behind my multi layered creations.....lovely moments and special friends are also beyond the layers, and on balance there are many more of those. Forgive me I am an Artist!!!  


I think the people who point the finger are not comfortable in their lives, and would so like to escape the box that they are unable to climb out of, after all better in their minds to be a sheep than become someone who others single out I suppose. Anyway enough of my rant today, I am off to continue a very special piece of work that captures a special friendship and takes a personal journey....Karma will be restored :)


My Daughter once shared a quote with me....'you laugh at me because I am different, I laugh at you because you are all the same'. This has stayed with me....and makes me smile :)






Sunday 20 March 2011

Oh....there's a butterfly on my head



"How does one become a butterfly?" she asked pensively.
"You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar."
 Trina Paulu

Hello and a happy Sunday to you :) As many of my friends know I love butterflies and always include them in my work. If a butterfly flies around you, and even better settles on you it is a always a privilege....the beautiful butterfly is a messenger and is bringing news to you, maybe from a friend, a lover, distant family or even people that are no longer with us......I have had a visit on many occasions and shortly afterwards I recieve my message...and its often been from the same person...you know who you are :)




butterfly pictures, butterflies picture



There are many myths and legends surrounding butterflies....Here are a few.....


In Christianity they represent the birth, crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.

Butterflies have been used by the Chinese and Japanese cultures for centuries as symbols of joy and the essence of happiness. Both cultures have added them to manuscripts, paintings and drawings for centuries.

Early Europeans believed that the human soul took the form of a butterfly so, they viewed the butterfly with great respect and often with fear.

Northern Europeans thought that dreams were the result of the soul-butterfly's wanderings through other worlds.

Shoshone Indians believed that butterflies were originally pebbles, into which the Great Spirit blew the precious breath of life.

The Blackfeet Indians believe that dreams are brought to us in sleep by a butterfly.                         

   


For years I remained Hidden from view
Afraid to show myself or my true colors
I begin to unfold my wings, finding the courage
discovering my strength.

Sparkling
Radiant
I take flight.

Kirstie A. Dyer
                                                                                                  

Last summer some dear friends invited us to join them and their friends in the Cognac region of France to celebrate a milestone birthday.We had a lovely time, a treasure trail along the country lanes in classic cars, discovering sleepy villages. A visit to a chocolate shop where we spent a pleasant afternoon trying our best to make chocolates, its harder than you think! Lovely food, splendid company and wonderful weather.

Now what has this got to do with butterflies? Well one morning we set off on a boat along the river, we were surrounded by hundreds of dragonflies and damsels going about their daily business. Their shimmering vibrant colours and the dappled sunshine made it feel a very magical place to be. I also spotted kingfishers and a family of otters.

I felt something on my head....a butterfly, bringing a new message. I was very excited and to explain to everyone on the boat the significance of this. I suddenly realised maybe others were not so enthusiastic as me! The butterfly took off only to return once again, then flew over to my friend who knows my passion for these insects....it landed on her shoulder, she looked over to me and smiled. She had recently lost her father, so a message from him, to say he was still by her side I believe. A visit from this beautiful insect is a deeply spiritual event indeed for me.

With the warmer weather ahead I am looking forward to watching the butterflies once again....I am hoping the message will answer questions for the future...a new path in life, a new journey and new places. Where it takes me I will follow.....I am sure it will make for smiles:) :)


Like the butterfly, 

I have the strength and the hope to believe 
In time 
I will emerge from my cocoon... 
Transformed.

Hugs for smiles M xxx

butterfly pictures, butterflies picture


BUTTERFLY DREAMING
There were two sisters born.....twins  ... but their facial features were deformed and their mother was told to keep them out of sight from the tribe as they were too ugly to look upon....as they grew their torment increased...they were given chores to do apart from the other women.........they were never allowed to join in  the womens circle of activity and chatter....they had to eat their meals apart from the tribe with their backs turned....and the children were afraid of them....
They only had their mother to talk to ...she loved them and could see their beauty from within..but she had to obey the tribe......and when she died they were alone...
The tribe continued to feed them the scraps because they were the makers of the best nectar..  their mother had shown them how to gather the flowers to make a sweet nectar drink....they became very adept at it...the tribe had never tasted nectar drink so sweet....their pain was great and they cried for their mothers soft and loving gaze....
The great- spirit father felt their sorrow and looked upon them with kindness ... he changed them into beautiful butterflies
When the tribe saw these new creatures they were amazed by their beauty and tried to follow them so they could look at  at them more closely...but the sisters would not let the tribe gaze upon them and would fly away.....for they would not look upon their deformities they don't deserve to look upon their perfection and beauty
even today as soon as you look at a butterfly it will fly away....sometimes though they will let you gaze upon their beauty for a brief moment......

Wednesday 16 March 2011

Cable cars and a Gaurdian Angel!



I have just come home from a lovely break in Madeira.....a very pretty volcanic island with very friendly people, although I am sure they have to have goat tendencies as the landscape is mountainous, rocky and  steep.... a walk up a very hilly part of town was   slightly embarrassing as I thought I was doing really well, until 2 local elderly ladies marched on at a fair old pace past me, onwards and upwards without stopping. As for me I had to take lots of photo opportunities!!! Mmmmmmmmmm a reminder to get back to the gym me thinks.


I took a cable car ride to the top of the mountains which started off a sunny pleasant ride. The further we went up the more misty it became, and the pretty view vanished. The cloud around us thickened and we found ourselves in torrential rain, oh dear, as I looked down at my feet I realised flip flops were not the right choice today.


Reaching the top the door on my car opened, I put one foot out to step off and there was a loud bang and a huge flash....we had been struck by lightning! The power went off and the rest of the cars ground to a halt and were left dangling in mid air. Someone was looking after me.....Although I conquered my fear of heights after climbing the Sydney Bridge, I do believe I would of panicked if I had of been  inside one of the stuck cabins. They swayed back and forth in the wind and rain waiting for power to return. Fortunately the wait was only 15mins, but 15mins to long for many. 


The cafe at the top was doing a roaring trade..... surprising how a cuppa and a piece of cake can put a smile back on peoples faces :) It wasn't long before the storm passed and I took the ride back down to town....Ohhhhhhh lunchtime, a glass of wine with it today.... medicinal, to calm me down of course....he he


My Nan told me when I was around 13 that I would always be taken care of as I had a guardian angel by my side. At the time I dismissed the thought as I found it quite scary, but as years have passed by I do feel a presence. So many situations have arisen but somehow I have had the courage to scrape through.....


Do you believe in Guardian Angels? I do....




The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us and we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone.  ~George Elliot



Sunday 13 March 2011

Strawberry bags forever...





Here is the promised picture of my strawberry bag, which was brought in Brighton a few weeks ago for my birthday. I have quite a collection of unusual quirky bags, many of them using recycled materials. They have been created by artists from around the world, from as far away as Australia, Africa and Canada...and many from the UK. 


The detail is stunning on this bag, with little seed beads and coral individually stitched on to lovely silk fabric. A feast for the eyes!


Many of you know I have a passion for sunflowers, fairies, butterflies and strawberries so this little find was irresistible....We are of to Ascot again in June and I have the perfect dress sorted to compliment the bag and a lovely friend who happens to be a milliner will be making the hat! And no I will not be wearing strawberries on my head....but maybe a butterfly or two! Wacky maybe but Ascot is always a good excuse to dress up.


June is the English strawberry season so its quite appropriate really....just as well, as if it as say marrow or celeriac somehow it would not work so well....but maybe, just maybe I feel an idea coming along.......could be a winner one never knows......after all it would only need Lady Gaga to accessories an outfit with a vegetable bag then who knows where it might lead....Watch out world Maxine's Barmy Bags may be he hottest most wanted item in the fashion world next year......I live in hope....or more like cloud cuckoo land. hugs 4 smiles M x

     



Wednesday 2 March 2011

Angels, tea and chit chat



http://www.flickr.com/people/outragous-art/

Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.
Author Unknown

Funny how a grey day can turn unexpectedly bright and sunny! The most simple things can change an ordinary day into and extraordinary day.....and today turned out to be one of them! This week has been one of those ho hum tired & fed up times.....you know the feeling when all your 'get up and go, has got up and gone' I thought a bit of retail therapy would help, but as we all know after the initial adrenalin rush of admiring found dress, feeling the softness of fabric, discovering it fits like a glove....then parting with the cash, the euphoria of having the garment in the bag and in your hand wears off quickly. So you go off in search of yet another purchase.

Retail therapy is after all only a dressed up description of shopping ....therapy is something more concrete, I should know I am an expert after all the years I have been having it But the best therapy of all is spending time with real friends. Ones you can laugh with, cry with, and hug. 

Well after I came home, dumped bags on the hall floor and put the kettle on  3 friends unexpectedly dropped by to visit me. You know after a few hours chit chatting over tea and a cake I felt so much better. Inspired and uplifted I fell bright and happy again!

Yep....friends indeed are angels.....mine certainly were today....so thank you....you know who you are. Much love to you 3...and of course to all my other wonderful friends....maybe I will turn up on your doorstep and be your angel real soon xx