If I Could Have Just One Room

The lovely Georgie over at the uber beautiful blog Visual Toast tagged me in her post If I Could Have Just One Room.

And I just had to do my own version... if nothing else than to justify my many misspent hours drooling over Pinterest - though it has gained me over 3000 followers!

The idea for this meme came from The Reading Residence which asked:

If you could have just one room, all to yourself, what would be in it? What colours would you choose? What would it smell like?

So here goes...

Lots of natural light, large windows looking onto the beautiful wildness of the Atlantic coast. And space. And bare wood. And zen-ness. And books galore. Soft sofa beds strewn with comfy cushions to lounge and read in. And rainbow colours and patchwork, and my art and that of others I love all over the wall. And an altar...

Something like this...

I'd love to see what yours looks like...

Emily at The Nest

Erin at Starving Artist Ink

Heidi at The Dreadess

I love...

I love...peacocks, writing, the tea house, homemade cake, caramel, baby curls, circles, painting with my fingers, turquoise, Nina Simone, islands, the sea, white doves in flight, cherry trees in blossom, dark chocolate with orange, kissing squidgy flesh, fragrant roses, hot baths, conkers, circuses, stirring bubbling saucepans, herb gardens, wild windy days, rockpooling, picnics, the moon, weeping willows, punting down the Cam, cookery programmes, holding hands,  fresh herb tea, melted cheese, being in flow, poetry, goddess soul sisters, blue against orange, red against magenta, walking round gardens, the British museum.

Flora Bowley

I am inspired by... artists, the sea, wide open spaces, churches and temples, a capella singing, vibrant colour, gorgeous photographs, Thailand and Japan.

Izumi Omori - from Slippery Jacks 

I collect... sea shells, pine cones, round stones, sea glass, conkers, seasonal flowers, autumn leaves, art and craft materials, empty seed packets, cookery books... OK most books!, colourful necklaces, scarves, plants for my garden, pens, spirals, circles, blue pottery, oriental images with gold embossing, bright skirts

Do check out more of what I love on Pinterest!
http://pinterest.com/dreamingaloudnt/

Do share yours!

Everyday Zen in Practice

Blessings on the blossom,

Blessings on the root,

Blessings on the leaf and stem,

Blessings on  the fruit.

Everyday Zen

We are a household whose tidy skills are not our forte, nor our priority (as this blog has documented here and here).

We were messy before we had kids. But now it is not just adult mess, it is a typhoon of little clothes, pencils, works of art, yogurt pot tops (yogurt side down - of course), dead ladybirds, books, lots and lots of books, lego, lots of that too, usually detected underfoot with a sharp yelp. We are really craving a way to find a little calm, a little order in the chaos. And yet we know that we will not have a tidy-personality transplant any time soon.

This is our everyday zen project.

Everyday zen is inspired by our time in Japan and throughout Asia where every home, often every room had a small sacred space or altar.

It was reading Rachael's Variegated Life blog and Goddess Leonie's creating your goddess space e-course (see the link at the side of this blog). They made me think - we need a clear space in every room. A focal point which makes my spirit soar, which gives me calm and peace when I look at it, rather than despair and depression at the deluge of paper and packages and dirty dishes which cover every space in every room. Or so it seems.

I have had a nature table for a couple of years now for the kids. It combines flowers or nature finds of the season with little Steiner figures, felt fairies or wooden animals.

The zen space takes this one stage further. Its intention is simplicity. Beauty. Calm. Emptiness. Balance. A soul restoring place in the midst of the necessary clutter of daily life. The zen space was inspired by my husband's new shelves which we display some of my father's pots on.

Like an altar it is tended daily - NOTHING is allowed to be dumped in the zen space. It must be kept clear. We actively maintain this small calm space. We refresh it with fresh flowers, or a single stone.

It encourages me to embrace zen moments in my daily life. To snatch small moments of calm throughout the day, to meditate for two minutes here or there, rather than not bother because I don't have the time or energy. This inner and outer calm are connected I realised. This not being bothered, despairing at the level of chaos is connected. And in honouring the calm and the stillness, I also learn to honour the life which causes the chaos, to honour the mess, the living which is so precious and yet I so often apologise for. Both are necessary. The chaos and the order. Both are just as real. And it is for us to embrace them both, to cultivate and balance them.

Random acts of beauty

Most have heard of the concept of random acts of kindness. It is a popular one. But, Oliver Burkeman in his book Help! (which I am really enjoying at the moment) reflects that random acts of kindness can often freak strangers out - our immediate response is suspicion and confusion, rather than gratitude! So I am not suggesting that here, rather a variation on that theme.

Our world can feel a little grey sometimes. A little too man-made. Our environment despoiled. We don't have time to be creative. We do not have big artistic ideas. We feel stuck.

But all around us are pockets of beauty, glory in miniature where nature flourishes. Wherever we live. We all have favourite place to walk, to re-energise, to get inspired: the beach, the woods, the moors, the river bank.

Random acts of beauty aim to take these places and enhance them through our own small acts of creativity.

Our spiral on the strand!

Think natural graffiti. Guerrilla art. Making your mark in your local surroundings. Leaving little works of art behind you that others on their morning walk will happen across. Unexpected beauty and creativity. Little creations to lift the heart and spirits. To make people stop and wonder for a moment.

Art for the heart

I am feeling congested, bunged up physically, and the house is reflecting this state. Inside and outside my space things need shifting, beauty needs spaces where grot and practicality currently reside. My soul needs space to rest, to fly, to dream, to soar...

Our house needs art. The walls are pretty much blank. My art that I made and Patrick very kindly framed just reminds me of being 16-17 when I made it. Almost half a lifetime ago. I still resonate with the soul urges behind it, with the colours and intentions. But my lack of skill frustrates me every time I see it. And so I am searching out others who balance the soul, the colour, the pattern, the spirit of art that I need in my life. Let me share them with you...

Heart and Mind - Paul Heussenstamm

Taken from my FAVOURITE art website - if you like mandalas Paul Heussenstamm is the number one mandala artist in the world, based in the US, and very popular with a large number of spiritual teachers, his site has over 1000 mandalas available to buy (originals and prints). I shall be placing an order very soon.

http://www.mandalas.com

Phyllis Wolff is friend of my mum's, I grew up with her work on our walls. She does gorgeous landscapes of bright colours.

Phyllis Wolff

I just discovered Slippery Jacks a UK based artists' co-operative  with prints for £10 and cards for £1.99 There is so much beautiful spiritual and nature art... if you like this sort of thing! I really love Poppy Palin's work.

From Slippery Jack's

I so love my Earth Pathways Diary - full of uplifting art and writing which brightens my days. check out the beautiful gallery of contributor's work, and pre order a 2012 diary.

by Camael Rose, from the 2011 diary

And Veronica Petrie, our wonderful JUNO illustrator who creates quirky, soulful illustrations of people... do check out her site as I can't grab an image off it.

And have you discovered Red Bubble, where artists share their work? To look and to buy...

And one day soon, you'll be able to buy my mum's work - because she is one of the most beautiful artists I know... if only she'd believe it herself. x

And maybe, just maybe, I'll start to paint again myself!

Threading beauty

Today we made a blossom garland to celebrate Spring
What fun, threading beauty on a string.