do what you love Page 57 of 61

It’s Christmas Eve!

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Christmas is nearly upon us, when anticipation and preparation gives way to celebration!  I love Christmas Eve – there is snow on the ground and magic in the air.  I am spending it at my parents’ house, with young nephew and niece as the perfect little Christmas helpers.  Today will go something like this…

– wrapping up warm to go last minute shopping for new christmas cake decorations (the old santa has last year’s icing stuck on his boot, and the collection of little green fir trees we have used since I was a child has dwindled to just two trees – we need a few more tree friends to make a snowy forest)

– cake decorating with the help of some little people

– watching ‘Miracle on 34th Street’

– taking my parents’ dog for a walk in the frosty park

– posting the neighbours’ christmas cards

– gathering round a huge tree for a candlelit children’s carol service

– cooking up hot mince pies and mulled wine

– putting out some sherry for Father Christmas and a carrot for Rudolph

– reading ‘The Night Before Christmas’ to the little ones before they fall asleep ‘with visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads’

– putting out all the presents under our tree

– trying to get to sleep, which is as hard now as it was when I was five…

Merry Christmas to you all!

What’s in a blog name?

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Tell me, why did you give your blog the name that you did? I am often fascinated by blog names, and wonder whether there is a story behind them, or whether they just popped into the writer’s head when they were creating their new space. Here are a few names I love:

Pilgrim of the Moon
There is a sweet love story behind this name but you’ll have to ask Judit if you want to know about it. I find this name is really dreamy.

Shin Shin
The name means ‘honest heart’ in Japanese, and Maki describes her blog as ‘little notes to my honest heart’.

Nectar and Light
Home of polaroid photographer Jen Altman, to me this name evokes a summer day – sugary sweetness and sunshine

Tangled Sky Studio
I used to love playing that game where you try to find pictures in the clouds, and this makes me think of a sky tumbling with clouds

Doorways Traveler
The title of Lisa Field-Elliot’s gorgeous photography blog suggests possibility, adventure, the unknown…

My own blog title ‘Do What You Love’ came from a deep belief that the world would be a better place if more people were doing what they love. More time spent on things that make you feel alive, connected, expressive and happy can only enhance the experience others have when they interact with you out in the world. Through this blog I wanted to give myself a space, and a kind of accountability, to do what I love (creating, having adventures, sharing stories) and put it out in the world.

How about you? What is your blog name and where did it come from? What other blog names do you love?

Making plans

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It’s blowing a gale over here. 

Winds of 90 mph in places, our bay tree was sent flying last night. 

 As the wind whips through the eaves and round the house, I am holed up in my attic office working away on my new creative business venture which I will share with you here very soon.  

So very exciting – I hope you will be inspired to get involved!

What’s in your secret stash?

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I was doing some sorting in my studio today

and was shocked by the number of spools of ribbon

I found tucked away.   

Baby blues and scarlet reds, French beauties and English lace.  

 I must have sneaked them in when I wasn’t looking. 

What’s in your secret stash?

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PS I also love paper. Do you?

New York part 2: My kind of city

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In this penultimate post about my recent trip to the US, I want to share some images of this captivating city.  There is an incredible air of possibility about this place, and so much to feast your eyes on…

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If you are a fan of NYC, what is it that draws you to it?

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More posts from my recent US adventures:
New York part 1
Cape Cod
Squam Lake

 

Changing education paradigms – we need more creativity!

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Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson always has something thought-provoking to say, and this excerpt from a talk at the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) is no exception.  Love the way Cognitive Media have made this talk visual too.

What do you think?  How would you change education to get more children to use all parts of their brain, and develop what they are truly good at and have a passion for, so that when it comes to working they can do what they love?

My life is an open book

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About The Author (me): See profile. Loves travel & adventure, people, making stuff, tea, hugs, sunshine, books, chocolate, laughing, bare feet on sand.

The Setting: Each chapter is set in a different country – at over 50 chapters so far this is a long book.

The Characters: Some characters in every chapter (family, friends, lovely man), others pop in and out, bringing fleeting glimpses of other worlds.

The Plot: Young girl heads out in search of adventure. Meets many strange and wonderful people, falls in love, sends many postcards.

The Twist: You’ll just have to keep reading to find out…

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This attempt to sum up ‘my life as an open book’ is my response to the Hello Splendor’s blogcrawl, as it’s my turn. I am  passing the honour on to Sam at Today’s Nest. Check them out and back-track to find more open books floating out in the ether. Or why not try it for yourself? It’s harder than it looks, especially if, like me, you limit yourself to 20 words for each answer.