first steps back

the first few steps to achieving most things are often the hardest

but they begin by putting one foot firmly in front of the other

and trusting that you are going in the right direction

and, more importantly, for the right reasons

I took those (very difficult) first few steps back in January

by deciding that I wanted to write on my blog again

I was away from my blogs for a very long time ...

I now realise, in hindsight, that I was still getting over
some family things and I believe that, subconsciously,
I was also aware of the deteriorating health of my darling Daddy

who passed away just before Christmas 2012

I don't want to go into it all here ...
it's all too painful ... and always will be

but I acknowledge the past few months have been difficult

and now I'm trying to get back to many of my art projects
that were shelved ...but not abandoned

it's very true ...
that spending time creatively can help the healing process

time to lose oneself in an all consuming project or

quiet time to think and process thoughts and feelings

so ... I've been doing just that ...

at my own pace ...

walking on the beach ...

playing with textures on my own photos ...

pushing the pieces around for a still life shot ...

posing tiny little shells ...

enjoying joyful yellow flowers ...

with subtle scents of spring ...

finding inspiration from beautiful words ...

high above ... the clouds parted for an instant
and a watery gleam of sunshine broke through
the wet streets threw back the reflection of this light
and stone and slate were washed in gold

anticipating springtime in mosaics ...

discovering a clump of snowdrops on a wintry walk ...

enjoying the sprinkling of snow we had

on the Cornish cottage rooftops in January ...

and enjoying new challenges and ways of looking at things

one word wednesday jar project

am inspirational photographic group that looks at refraction,
reflection, distortion, opacity, light, bokeh, colours, textures
and subject matter through the medium of a glass jar or vessel ...
with focus on a title containing only one word

week 1 of the jar project
23 January 2013

we are now on week 9

and I will share some of my jar photos here in coming weeks

I'm finding it such a joyful project

inspired by the snow and ice we had in January

I made a crystal snowflake to go in my first jar photo

I love the refraction through the glass and the pebbles behind

also in snowy January ... I had a lovely day with my friend Jo

she took me over to Sally Snape's shop at Perranarworthal

a most wonderful patchwork/fabric emporium

Coast and Country

where I indulged in a little retail therapy

although I can justify most of these purchases as they will be used for work I'm producing for an exhibition of textiles in St. Ives in Autumn 2014 ... yes ... I've started early for once!!