tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20482180986641992542024-03-13T01:15:43.855+00:00Occasional BluesLinda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.comBlogger401125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-26556366306455098412017-11-03T14:58:00.003+00:002024-01-30T17:47:11.691+00:00Be filled with Wonder and Peace.....and Cosiness <br />
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I hope you're managing to embrace this change of season.<br />
I'm so much better at accepting the end of summer than I used to be. I'm learning to love Autumn and the joy that it brings.... beautiful woodlands, crunchy leaves, home made soups, reading by the fire, planning for Christmas, cosy jumpers.<br />
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Then of course there's that new (and now much used) word <i>Hygge</i> that has made us think about the positive side of autumn and winter and how wonderful it can be to focus on making our lives <i>cosy.</i><br />
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So much has happened since I last posted......some good....some not so....<br />
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<li>My health continues to fluctuate from good to ghastly and back again with lots of stages in between. But I remain positive. (MRI scan coming up in next couple of weeks.)</li>
<li>My Mum's health has also been a concern for the past year; she's had a really tough time and is reaching her seventh week in hospital following a knee replacement plus a fractured femur repair (which at 88 is hard to recover from). Fingers crossed she'll be home soon.</li>
<li>I finally have an Etsy shop and am concentrating on my mixed media collages, little festive shrines (dioramas) and calligraphy tags. Its called <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Occasionalblues">Occasionalblues</a>. My collages usually have a coastal theme and I like to add items which I've foraged from beaches in Norfolk and Cornwall. </li>
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Here's a sample....</div>
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I make these just because I love the process. On bad days when I've not been able to do much else, I've managed to sit in my art room and make these little card boxes and clay cottages. If they don't sell I'll be very happy to just put them around my house :-)</div>
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I'll be listing wooden tags in the next few days....</div>
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Which reminds me....I need to go and spray these. </div>
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Bye for now......stay cosy. </div>
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Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-49035791577038592762016-01-07T20:07:00.000+00:002016-01-07T20:09:36.349+00:00Nutty CookiesI posted a photo on Instagram today and promised a recipe to go with it.<br />
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As you probably already know, I do my best to eat healthily and most of my inspiration comes from Joy McCarthy and Ella Woodward ........I'm a big fan of their books 'Deliciously Ella' and 'Joyous Health'.</div>
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I'm also currently working through 'The Immune System Recovery Plan' by Susan Blum (and taking copious notes). </div>
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The recipe for the cookies comes from Joy McCarthy's website <a href="http://www.joyoushealth.com/blog/2015/12/04/chewy-chocolate-chip-tahini-cookies/">here</a> </div>
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I have changed it a little and I use a variety of nut/seed butters, including almond, peanut, cashew and tahini. I also sometimes add chopped nuts. </div>
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I love the fact that there's no wheat and no refined sugar (only maple syrup).</div>
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Here's another of my Instagram photos.....</div>
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The Anthropologie mug is my current favourite (a present from my sister :-) </div>
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The magazine is another favourite....I look forward to the beginning of the month when I know its going to drop through my letterbox.</div>
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It's title 'The Simple Things' goes nicely with my word for this year which is..... </div>
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: x-large;"><i>less</i></span></div>
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I'm trying to cut back on everything......eating....buying....commitments.....new ideas....</div>
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The last one may seem odd....but I have too many bright ideas ;-) (Thank you Pinterest :-p)</div>
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I take on too many classes and workshops.......I spend too much on art materials......I start too many projects. Enough is enough.</div>
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I have cleared my workbench and I'm sticking with calligraphy, drawing and photography.</div>
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No mixed media....no stitching....no felting....</div>
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We'll see how it goes.</div>
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Already my mind feels clearer.</div>
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I'm<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"> <i>keeping it simple</i></span>.........</div>
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How about you? Do you have a word for this year?</div>
Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-42211364032182365122015-10-30T16:27:00.000+00:002017-11-03T15:10:36.782+00:00Autumn Love.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've never really liked Autumn.<br />
I'm a true fan of<span style="color: #e69138;"> S</span>ummer..... <span style="color: #e69138;">s</span>unshine, <span style="color: #e69138;">s</span>ea<span style="color: #0b5394;">, </span><span style="color: #e69138;">s</span>and, <span style="color: #e69138;">s</span>hells....all those<span style="color: #e69138;"> s</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: yellow;"> </span></span>words bring joy to my heart.<br />
But I'm mellowing with age I guess and I'm learning to appreciate the pleasures that Autumn can bring....and I do genuinely love a bright, blue-sky Autumn day.<br />
Above is a digital collage I created last year but didn't put on my blog. The supplies are by <a href="http://annaaspnes.typepad.com/">Anna Aspnes</a>......I love her stuff. It's a photo of Dale Abbey; a village not too far away from us and one of our favourite places for walking. We have others; Calke Abbey in Derbyshire, Charnwood Forest in Leicestershire, Shipley Woods near Ilkeston, Curbar Edge in Derbyshire, the Chatsworth estate....... to name but a few. We intend to do more walking and Brian and I have both just bought new Berghaus walking boots...<br />
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Their first outing was on Monday ....walking to the top of Beacon Hill in Charnwood Forest.<br />
No blisters yet!<br />
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Well, the end of this week couldn't be more different from the beginning.....today is rather dull and wet, but that means I can work in my artroom upstairs.<br />
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On the left is a pile of prints from my Instagram gallery that I've just had done at Lalalab (an iPhone app). I'm so pleased with them; the colours are perfect. I used two of them for my latest collages that you can see on the table. Trouble is, they are glossy....which isn't ideal for my work.....I found I was getting smudges on them and bits of glue (I'm a messy worker ;-). So I tried an experiment. <br />
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I always coat my collages with acrylic wax when they are completed....it gives a lovely finish and protects the paper and fabrics. It isn't really like wax; its more like a cross between a matt varnish and pva glue.....but it does a great job. So, I plucked up the courage to coat the glossy photo with it....thinking it might possibly remove or smudge the ink and be a total disaster......but no; it was perfect!<br />
Below you can see the before and after......on the left is a photo without the wax.....on the right is the completed one. The photo is now more flexible and has a nice matt finish.<br />
Result!<br />
As you can see, I get my acrylic wax from Art Van Go. Good stuff!<br />
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This one isn't quite finished; a few more seed stitches and tiny brass sequins to go. </div>
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That's it for now.....time to learn more about Lightroom (I'm working through the Lightroom Begin workshop by Kim Klassen....see sidebar) I'm getting there.....</div>
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I'll leave you with one of my Instagram images.....</div>
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Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-11856806451494828292015-10-16T15:35:00.000+01:002015-10-16T16:13:16.562+01:00A Summer of Ups and Downs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><i>Happy Autumn </i></span></span> And yes....I know....it's been a while :-)<br />
Summer came and went. Some of it was absolutely amazing......but there have been tough times too.<br />
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The amazing bits?<br />
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<li>Meeting my gorgeous friend Lynne Palazzo (from Canada) for the very first time and spending a few days with her in Cornwall. The four of us got on so well together; I didn't want it to end.</li>
<li>Beachcombing in Norfolk......Wells, Brancaster, Holme, Holkham, Old Hunstanton ......collecting pebbles, shells and driftwood. </li>
<li>Walking in the sunshine with Brian in our favourite places; Calke Abbey, Shipley Park, the Nutbrook Trail, Dale Abbey, Curbar Edge in Derbyshire, Charnwood Forest in Leicestershire.</li>
<li>And spending time in our beautiful garden with Angel.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The bad bits?<br />
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<li>Ending up in hospital on my birthday because some chicken got seriously stuck in my throat (one of the hazards of having an oesophageal stricture). It was rather embarrassing as I was with my husband and friends in our favourite restaurant and they called for paramedics :-(</li>
<li>Having to cancel our holiday to Skiathos because I wasn't really well enough (and the insurance company were being difficult). Haven't quite got over that yet.....</li>
<li>No proper diagnosis for my balance problem (but ever hopeful).</li>
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I have lots more to tell; calligraphy, new photography classes, my Lightroom journey, more stitching, foraging, recipes.................but I'm aiming to keep my posts short.<br />
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Back soon......honestly ;-)<br />
<br />Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-81700256143260121792015-04-30T11:22:00.002+01:002015-10-14T16:59:02.424+01:00A Belated St Ives Part 2The past two months haven't been amazing health-wise. I keep losing my balance and I become disorientated and sometimes dizzy. I bump into things and seem to do a lot of curtseying to compensate for my wobbling.....when we go out I tend to hang onto my husband so people won't think I'm drunk :-(<br />
I have an appointment at a Balance Clinic at Derby Hospital in three weeks; hopefully they will be able to tell me what's causing it (and whether its connected to my other health problems).<br />
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I promised more photos of St Ives so here they are. I don't want this to be a wordy post so I'll just add a few for each one:<br />
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I always say that St Ives is beautiful no matter what the weather.....we spent a happy hour in Caffe Pasta watching the rain one day. I love the way it gives the buildings a soft, muted appearance.</div>
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St Ives harbour beach....Caffe Pasta in the centre of the photo....</div>
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There were some special high tides whilst we were there, such fun to watch and dodge. </div>
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<a href="http://www.porthminstergallery.co.uk/">Porthminster Gallery</a> is on the left.......probably my favourite. </div>
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They usually have some work by <a href="http://www.porthminstergallery.co.uk/lanyon/matthewlanyon.html">Matthew Lanyon</a> there.</div>
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Houses on the beach. Wonder how they cope with the high tides!</div>
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The famous Sloop Inn. Had a few drinks here....</div>
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The view from our little balcony.</div>
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The Seafood Cafe....great fish soup!</div>
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The Digey Cafe......another favourite coffee shop just around the corner from the house where we stayed (you can see pics of the house in my previous post).</div>
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Surfers on Porthmeor Beach.</div>
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Porthgwidden Beach. Gorgeous early in the morning. There's a coffee shop at the back with a deck.</div>
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And finally.......a few little glimpses. </div>
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Brian's whitebait starter at The Seafood Cafe.....coffee and cake at Caffe Pasta.....a scarf I bought in Seasalt....the famous shabby door a few yards from the house where we stayed.....my collection of St Ives treasures.....daffodils and an honestly box by the harbour.....gorgeous soup for lunch at The Digey Cafe.....and the all important warning about the gulls! They are so naughty....</div>
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As I'm unable to sit and sew at the moment I've been doing some digital scrapbooking and moodboard stuff . I post most of my work on Instagram these days.....</div>
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I recently read this book (above), recommended to me by Sarah at <a href="http://paisleyrainboots.blogspot.co.uk/">Paisley Rain Boots</a>. </div>
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Its wonderful.......if you get a chance - read it.</div>
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(Most of my digital supplies are by <a href="http://www.oscraps.com/shop/home.php?cat=383">Anna Aspnes</a> and <a href="http://www.designerdigitals.com/digital-scrapbooking/supplies/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=Katie+Pertiet">Katie Pertiet</a>)Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-64100296292311566032015-03-03T15:24:00.003+00:002015-03-03T15:27:26.516+00:00St Ives Part 1I love the excitement of arriving in St Ives, whether by train or car. Both routes give you a glimpse of that wonderful harbour scene as you're getting close to the resort..<br />
I took this from the train as we reached Porthminster beach (foreground)...<br />
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There are four main beaches....Porthminster, Porthmeor, Porthgwidden and the harbour. There are also a few more tiny ones.</div>
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Well, the weather forecast was not good.....we expected to arrive in heavy rain. But thankfully it was wrong; the sun shone all afternoon and we were able to sit out on our balcony having a cup of tea (with no coat on!)</div>
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We rented a beautiful house from <a href="http://www.sailingbystives.com/no_1_salubrious_terrace.php">Sailingbystives</a>......if you click on the link you can see more pictures.</div>
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Here are some of mine....</div>
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I'd be happy to stay there for the rest of my days, but we'd have to take Angel of course :-). </div>
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Don't know what she'd make of those seagulls......</div>
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The six days flew by; lots of walking, eating, drinking, gallery-visiting, photo-taking, reading.......and just sitting staring at that view.</div>
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More next time.....</div>
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Since I got back I've begun making more collages....</div>
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I like adding these shabby leaves to my collages; they're really easy to make. I keep all my paper scraps in a box (from making inky/painted backgrounds) and simply free machine the leaf shapes onto them in a random way. </div>
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When I've done, I just tear around the leaves - the messier the better! (The needle makes perforation holes).</div>
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I'm not a fan of straight/cut lines so I prefer to tear. I guess you could cut around with small scissors if you wanted to. </div>
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I know you can use pre-set patterns on a machine, but I like messier hand 'drawn' ones better. </div>
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Experiment with different types of paper.....soft (thin) cartridge works well, as does printer paper and newsprint (just tear carefully).</div>
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When they're done I lay them on an acetate sheet and brush on acrylic wax. It holds them together and gives a nice finish. I guess you could use PVA. </div>
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Peel them off the sheet when they're dry.</div>
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Here are some close-ups....</div>
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Stitching freestyle on the machine....</div>
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And tearing....</div>
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I hand stitch them onto my collages in different ways.</div>
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Hope that helps!</div>
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Happy March :-) Yay....Spring is coming!</div>
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Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-795112417093442472015-02-20T13:40:00.001+00:002015-02-20T13:40:53.590+00:00Off to the seaside......We are heading off to St Ives very soon..... the weather forecast doesn't look too amazing, but we aren't worried. I've booked a beautiful cosy cottage and made sure the iPad, Kindle, camera, sketch pad and a sewing project are in my bag.<br />
We are going by train for the first time....a 7 and a half hour trip....must remember to pack a picnic.<br />
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Before I go....here's a mosaic of my latest completed needlecases .....<br />
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Hopefully I'll be able to post some photos from my iPad whilst we're away......back soon.</div>
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Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-2908434881648796332015-02-17T17:36:00.001+00:002024-01-30T17:49:57.070+00:00When I Get The Blues....My health has been a big issue for me over the past two years or so. It has affected my life (and my husband's) to a great extent ....we have had to cancel holidays, trips out, meals with friends and so on because I just cannot function when the symptoms hit me. It makes it difficult to plan things.....but we still do make plans because we have to be positive and try to carry on as normally as possible.<br />
We are leaving for St Ives in a few days....a long awaited trip which means so much to me. As you can imagine, fingers are tightly crossed.<br />
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Kind friends have asked about my health so I have written about it in a separate section in case anyone is interested. I have listed all my coping strategies which might be useful for any of you suffering similar symptoms. And of course I'd love to hear from anyone who can offer help or suggestions as well.<br />
You'll find it if you click on the tab 'My Health Story' at the top of the page.<br />
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I avoid wheat and sugar...but I still have treats and will post recipes for these as the weeks go by.<br />
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Today I made 'energy balls'! :-) I make lots of versions of these....sometimes with dates, almonds, pistachios, dried cranberries, almond butter, walnuts....there are so many possibilities.<br />
You'll find the recipe here... at '<a href="http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/no-bake-energy-bites/">Gimme Some Oven</a>' (found on Pinterest).<br />
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The ingredients are (all organic) oats, coconut, flaxseed, peanut butter, raw honey, chia seeds, vanilla extract and chocolate chips (high percentage cocoa). I keep them in a box in the fridge ...great for whenever I feel the need for something sweet. </div>
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Today isn't a major 'blues day'. My oesophagus is rucked up - but I'm used to that. Brian and I went for a walk to Attenborough Nature Reserve and made the most of the glorious sunshine. This is the sight that met us when we reached St Mary's church.....</div>
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.......a sea of crocuses and snowdrops.We come here every year at this time....and every year it seems to get better.</div>
The robins were serenading us, the ducks were a-dabbling.........it truly felt like spring :-)<br />
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Today's blues......</div>
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<br />Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-63928386482872254132015-02-15T11:08:00.001+00:002015-10-14T16:59:29.420+01:00Occasional Blues.....New name....new start!<br />
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Why 'Occasional Blues'? Well, I wanted to keep some kind of a link with my previous blog name and, although my tastes have changed, it goes without saying you'll still be seeing some shades of blue here :-)<br />
And there's also the fact that I've been experiencing 'the blues' off and on over the last couple of years (and that will probably continue as I don't have a miracle cure yet). More of that later.<br />
But I really had to get rid of the word 'girl'......... hardly appropriate as I approach my 63rd birthday ;-)<br />
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So what can you expect to see here should you pay me a visit?<br />
There'll be lots of <i>photos</i>.....mostly altered in some way.<br />
<i>Moodboards</i> and <i>mosaics</i>.<br />
My little paper and fabric<i> collages</i>.<br />
Healthy <i>recipes</i> and tips I've picked up over the last couple of years.<br />
Rants about <i>my health</i>.....I'll keep them short.<br />
And tales of <i>my travels</i>.<br />
Talking of which....I'm off to St Ives very soon. And we're going on the train! I can't wait.<br />
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My aims:<br />
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<li>to keep my posts short and frequent</li>
<li>to be honest about stuff important to me. Be warned....some of it may be controversial ;-)</li>
<li>to share any creative tips and ideas I can come up with</li>
<li>to also share interesting stuff I discover on other blogs and websites (I'm an avid reader of health and lifestyle blogs)</li>
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Next post.....the reason why I've been such a rubbish blogger over the past year. </div>
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And some new needlecases.</div>
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I'll leave you with a recent piece of digital scrapbooking.... </div>
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.... a photo taken with my favourite iPhone app - Hipstamatic</div>
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....and a lovely recipe from one of my favourite health bloggers 'Oh She Glows'...... a <a href="http://ohsheglows.com/2015/02/12/happy-digestion-smoothie/">Happy Digestion Smoothie</a>! I need this today.......<br />
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<br />Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-66745409840605041052014-11-25T14:06:00.000+00:002015-02-12T11:20:44.517+00:00Where to start?<br />
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There's so much to say, I just don't know where to start. </div>
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Once again I lost my way with everything to do with blogging. I haven't made anything with paper or fabric for ages.....but my love of photography, digital altering, iPhoneography, styling and moodboards has grown.</div>
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Over the past few months I have probably spent too much time on Pinterest, Instagram and FB; they are so easy to use.</div>
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Things haven't been great for me, health-wise, and when I'm struggling with those issues I can't focus on the whole process of blogging; the planning, composing posts, visiting blogs, sorting and editing photos,.......plus I don't feel I have anything worth saying (or showing). But I may be on the verge of finally getting a diagnosis (after almost three years). More of that another time. </div>
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Anyway, I think I'm ready to start again....</div>
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Here are some of the things I'm <span style="color: #3d85c6;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>LOVING</b></span></span> at the moment:</div>
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<li><u><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Hipstamatic</b></span></u>: the best photo phone app in my opinion</li>
<li><u><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Snapseed</b></span></u>: a close second</li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><u>Instaframe</u>:</b> </span>for grouping photos and adding text</li>
<li><b><u><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Instagram</span></u>:</b> quick, easy....and I've made lots of new friends there</li>
<li><u><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Digital scrapbooking supplies</b></span></u>: especially from <a href="http://www.designerdigitals.com/digital-scrapbooking/supplies/products_new.php">Katie Pertiet</a> and <a href="http://www.oscraps.com/shop/home.php?cat=383">Anna Aspnes</a></li>
<li><u><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Mood/Inspirationboards</b></span>:</u> see <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/linvee/inspirationmood-boards/">http://www.pinterest.com/linvee/inspirationmood-boards/</a></li>
<li><u><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Photography/Lifestyle blogs</b></span></u>: especially <a href="http://www.keepingwiththetimes.com/">Keeping with the Times</a>, <a href="http://vivhalliwell.net/category/photography-blog/">Thoughts from the Desktop</a>, <a href="https://lavenderbleu.wordpress.com/">Lavender Bleu</a>, <a href="http://creatingbeyondthelayers.blogspot.co.uk/">Creating beyond the Layers</a>, <a href="http://www.thesimplethings.com/">The Simple Things</a>, <a href="http://www.ciderwithrosie.com/">Cider with Rosie</a>, <a href="http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.co.uk/">Faded Charm</a>, <a href="http://www.katescreativespace.com/">Kate's Creative Space</a>, <a href="http://valdirose.blogspot.co.uk/">Valdirose</a> and my lovely friend Zoe's blog <a href="http://hymala.blogspot.co.uk/">Hymala</a></li>
<li><u><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Pinterest</b></span></u><b>:</b> where do I begin? I just adore it...... so <i>much</i> inspiration</li>
<li><u><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Shades of Grey</b></span></u>: (but not 50) ....and yes, I'm moving away from bright colours (really!) <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/linvee/shades-of-grey/">http://www.pinterest.com/linvee/shades-of-grey/</a></li>
<li><u><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Shades of White</b></span></u>:<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/linvee/shades-of-white/"> http://www.pinterest.com/linvee/shades-of-white/</a></li>
<li><u><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Styling</b></span></u> (Photography): <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/linvee/styling/">http://www.pinterest.com/linvee/styling/ </a> ....especially loving those dark backgrounds and shots from above</li>
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So what have I actually been doing? </div>
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<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Going a bit crazy with Hipstamatic......</span></li>
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I think I like these dried coneflowers even more than the living ones....</div>
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<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Trying a bit of black and white</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Making moodboards .......</span></li>
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<span style="text-align: center;">(Apologies to Instagram friends who have already seen some of these)</span><br />
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<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Planning Christmas projects .....</span> I have a tray of bottle brush trees in my art room awaiting transformation:</li>
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Last week we went to the Christmas Market at the Derby Roundhouse (organised by <a href="http://fabulousplaces.co.uk/">fabulousplaces.co.uk</a>). </div>
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It truly was a <i>fabulous</i> day and I was very grateful to feel well enough to enjoy it. </div>
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I was mesmerised by the incredible setting, the attention to detail, the exhibitors (all from Derbyshire and many of them craftspeople), the food, the vintage tearoom, the decorations .......it was very special. And only a ten minute train ride away! The <a href="http://roundhouse-events.co.uk/history.php">Roundhouse</a> has a fascinating history; it's the world's first and oldest surviving railway roundhouse, built with the help of George and Robert Stephenson. If you click on the link you can see a 360 degree view of it.</div>
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We had VIP tickets which meant we received a bag of treats and samples plus we could use the private lounge and have free prosecco and cake. Brian was particularly grateful for this as he was able to relax and read his paper whilst I did a workshop run by <a href="http://www.birdsintheattic.co.uk/">Birds in the Attic</a>. It was so nice to meet <a href="http://www.birdsintheattic.co.uk/pages/about-us">Klara</a> there (such an inspiring lady) and we had a lovely time making snow globes.</div>
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This was our view of the Roundhouse as we entered..... </div>
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....and here are some other images from the day.</div>
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My little snow globe is bottom right.</div>
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I can't go without an Angel update........</div>
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She has two loves in her life at the moment (apart from me ;-)</div>
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<li>The <u>scratching board</u> we bought from Zooplus for £3.99 (what a bargain....she's never off it!) She's decided its for scratching <b><i>and</i></b> sleeping.</li>
<li><u>Froggy</u> (the green monster she's cuddling in the first pic). She carries him around the house in her mouth like a kitten.....then fights with him. (Maybe its a good thing she never had kittens ;-)</li>
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That's all for now......I'll try to come back very soon to show you more of my snow globes<br />
(I'm currently tying little trees on top of cars). Oh the joys of Pinterest....... :-)<br />
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Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-8232619464604266442014-07-01T19:57:00.001+01:002021-06-18T14:00:31.483+01:00Mood Boards.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm currently fiddling (happily) with pictures and natural objects....making collages (or 'mood boards' or 'inspiration boards' as they seem to be called on Pinterest and Flickr).<br />
I feel a need to give these another name though; in a way they are photo collages (except if you google that something different comes up). Still life? Not really..... Any other ideas?<br />
Maybe I can invent a name ;-)<br />
Anyway, it's rather therapeutic and means I can get out my vast collection of natural bits and pieces.....and photos and magazines.....and make 'temporary collages'.<br />
As I said in a previous post, some may be more permanent pieces of art and involve some stitching. Still working on those....<br />
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The magazine page is from my current favourite publication 'The Coastal Lookbook' published by Country Homes and Interiors.....<br />
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I am besotted with images of the coast and anything connected with it. The colours of course....plus the whole idea of living by the sea with all its associated sights, sounds and smells. This is a gorgeous magazine...can definitely recommend!<br />
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Here's a sample of items from my 'coastal collection' ;-)<br />
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I guess this is actually a 'mood board'.<br />
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I've signed up for a 'webinar' called "Styling & Photographing Inspiration Boards" which I saw on <a href="http://helenhallows.blogspot.co.uk/">Helen Hallow</a>s blog; you can read more about it there. Helen is a brilliant artist who I am lucky enough to know and be able to visit as she lives very close by. You can see an example on her blog post.<br />
Can't wait for the webinar.....it's like a proper lecture; you have to be at your PC ready at a specific time and it lasts for an hour. I guess I will have to take notes!<br />
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Whilst on the 'beachy' theme....we recently came back from our sixth holiday on my beloved Skiathos island (and have already booked again for next June ;-)<br />
If I was in a position to live anywhere I wanted, it would be a toss up between St Ives and Skiathos. I love them both with a passion.<br />
I shall now bore you with a few pics......<br />
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Skiathos town harbour....</div>
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The start of the 'steps', where there are cushions outside all the bars on the steps up the side of the harbour......</div>
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Our closest beach.....Troulos</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">View from the Bourtzki (an 'attached' island by the harbour).....</span></div>
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Skiathos town......</div>
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Open air cinema..... showing Mamma Mia of course!</div>
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Church at the top of the hill.....</div>
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...and the view from the top......</div>
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...where Sophie posted the letters to her three dads in Mamma Mia :-)</div>
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Ok.....that's enough for now ;-)<br />
Happy July!<br />
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My gorgeous cerinthe.......</div>
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<br />Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-68906624211391771222014-06-01T21:30:00.000+01:002014-06-01T22:44:10.256+01:00Be Still..... Day 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This week in <a href="http://www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe/">Kim's</a> class we are thinking about creating our own individual style. This is a tricky one for me as I'm going through a period of transition at the moment......moving away from my much-loved brighter colours and trying to achieve a more subtle, softer kind of art.<br />
I think I may also moving away from textile art.<br />
Whether this is permanent or not, of course, remains to be seen.... ;-)<br />
So, I'm learning to love shades of white.....cream.....and grey. But there will always be a little purple and green in there. And maybe blue. (Probably not much yellow, orange or red though).<br />
I'm also trying out a new art form involving collage, still life and photography. I still want to make grungy background papers....I also would like to add a few stitches here and there......and I want to use natural materials (apart from garden resources I have a huge collection of pebbles, driftwood, shells, seedheads, pressed flowers etc)<br />
So, <span style="color: #674ea7;"><i>a work in progress</i>.......</span><br />
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Back to my photo.<br />
Kim gave us three prompts; <span style="color: #674ea7;"><i>round, white and minimalist</i>.</span><br />
I've kind of achieved the first two......but minimalist will always be hard for me!<br />
I used a number of Kim's textures including 'magicscratches' which is one of my favourites and the text is from 'kkbeyond affirmations'.<br />
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For all those of you out there who (like me) need a confidence boost from time to time....... <i><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">you are already amazing.</span></i><br />
Thank you Kim.<br />
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<br />Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-25511550276077553522014-05-27T18:13:00.005+01:002014-05-27T18:13:58.066+01:00Take Time.......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Texture Tuesday..... <span style="color: #0b5394;">'</span><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Take time to love the little things in life'</span></div>
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Kim Klassen's textures 'waterfront18' and 'februarymagicedges'.</div>
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Brian and I went for a walk yesterday along a path that was a sea of cow parsley.......</div>
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(photo looks a bit like the parting of the sea ;-)</div>
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Such a pretty, underestimated flower......<br />
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When we got back the Abel and Cole delivery had arrived and in it there was a gorgeous bunch of young asparagus (Brian's favourite)......</div>
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.......just the inspiration I needed for cooking dinner. Luckily I already had the other ingredients.<br />
I put this photo of the ingredients on my FB page yesterday and promised I'd add the recipe to my blog today.......<span style="text-align: center;"> (taken on iPad with Hipstagram app)</span><span style="text-align: center;">.</span><br />
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<i style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pea, Mint and Asparagus Risotto</span></i><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"> </span>(for two)</i></div>
1. Fry a small finely chopped onion (or a shallot) in some olive oil (I use a large frying pan for this).<br />
2. When it starts to go transparent, add 130g of risotto (arborio) rice and fry it gently for a couple of mins with the onion.<br />
3. Cut up the asparagus into 1cm pieces and cook in a separate pan (or microwave) with a handful of peas till tender (amounts are up to you!)<br />
4. Add a small glass of white wine to the rice and stir. Continue stirring and adding liquid <i>gradually</i> (450ml approx chicken stock) for 15 to 20 mins until the rice is cooked but still nice and moist.<br />
5. Stir in a big blob of creme fraiche.<br />
6. Add the cooked asparagus and peas, along with some chopped mint, parsley and lemon rind. Stir.<br />
7. Finally, grate some parmesan cheese on top.<br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;">Wonderful!</span><br />
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We only recently discovered risotto.....can't believe we've missed out for so long! </div>
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(I always thought it sounded a bit yukky....sloppy rice ;-)</div>
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We also love the smoked haddock version......and chicken with lemon.<br />
Further recommendations gratefully received!<br />
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<br />Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-13421265375790194472014-05-23T18:03:00.002+01:002014-05-27T18:16:09.716+01:00Breathe......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Be Still 52 Week Two</div>
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This week <a href="http://www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe/">Kim</a> wrote about mindfulness, meditation and focusing on breathing ...... things I'm used to as a yoga-lover :-) We often practice a form of pratyahara which is a kind of sensory deprivation.....thereby helping us to focus on our inner sounds and breathing.<br />
Try it by covering your eyes with your flattened fingers, at the same time covering your ears with your thumbs to cut out all sights and sounds. As you breathe deeply, the sound becomes very relaxing.<br />
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Ujjayi breathing is also useful for concentrating on the breath; it takes a bit of mastering, but it makes a lovely sound. In fact it's sometimes called 'ocean breath'. Here's how to do it.....<br />
<a href="http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5823/8-Reasons-Why-We-Use-Ujjayi-Breath-in-Yoga.html">http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5823/8-Reasons-Why-We-Use-Ujjayi-Breath-in-Yoga.html</a><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ujjayi_breath">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ujjayi_breath</a><br />
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When I was teaching I often used to end the day with a form of meditation with the children. I'd put a drop of lavender oil on the back of their hands and ask them to gently stroke it into their skin whilst breathing in the smell. They loved it. And parents often thanked me for the calm and peaceful way their children left school.....bonus!! ;-)<br />
I daresay it would be 'banned' nowadays for all sorts of stupid reasons. I always asked parents' permission at the start of the year and no-one ever objected.....but times have changed and sadly, a lot of the fun has been taken out of school-life. <br />
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For my photo I chose lavender and rosemary....two of my favourite plants from the garden with lovely scents to breathe in.<br />
I used Kim's textures 'magicscratches' and phoebe'. I may make this into a card and see how it looks.....<br />
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And finally.....what's on my desk? </div>
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Planning new collages</div>
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Photo taken using Hipstamatic app on iPad.</div>
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(Lens 'John S' and film 'Dream Canvas')</div>
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<br />Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-6074380741414074142014-05-21T16:21:00.002+01:002014-05-21T16:22:36.291+01:00Texture Tuesday......A day late again....here's my contribution to Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday.<br />
The theme is..... <i style="color: #999999; font-size: x-large;">Black and White and Textured </i> (and a few shades of grey in my case).<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2ox7a6isHfg/U3zBglRaJ6I/AAAAAAAAISg/HoNkJ-lM_l0/s1600/dr+wood+tt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2ox7a6isHfg/U3zBglRaJ6I/AAAAAAAAISg/HoNkJ-lM_l0/s1600/dr+wood+tt.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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I took the original using Hipstagram on my iPad and toned down the colour to almost black and white using Photoshop, then finally added Kim's texture 'Simple' at colour burn blend 76%.<br />
You can see the original photograph in my previous post.<br />
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I have very few china, pottery or glass ornaments in my house......but lots of driftwood, pebbles and shells.<br />
Not everyone's cup of tea I guess....but definitely mine ;-)<br />
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<a href="http://www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe/texture-tuesday-black-white-edition.html"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iezx5Xu1YFM/U3zEVNnB9SI/AAAAAAAAISs/vviknPrX21k/s1600/ttbutton_kimklassen.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-90351617538144174272014-05-19T18:31:00.000+01:002014-05-27T18:17:00.230+01:00Be Still.......<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm taking part in Kim Klassen's 'Be Still 52' which began last week.......that's a whole year of focusing on still life photography.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So here I am.....week one....reminding myself to stop, breathe deeply and just <i style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">be still</span> </i>for a few moments every day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">For me, photography is about noticing the little things around me. These poppy seed heads from last year are so tiny; it would be easy to just dismiss them and put them in the compost bin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But they are incredibly beautiful, like tiny minarets......or ancient writing tools :-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The background is one of my mixed-media background papers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Textures over the top.....Kim's 'Fully' and 'Februarymagicedges'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Here's </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">the </span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">link to </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Kim's</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> class.....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And here they are again with a little Photoshop layering and altering...... and one of my inky background papers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thanks to my blogging friends, I've recently discovered the joys of Hipstamatic on my iPad and iPhone. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">(Thank you <a href="http://hercreativespirit.blogspot.co.uk/">Lynn</a> and <a href="http://vivmhalliwell.blogspot.co.uk/">Viv</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I downloaded it months ago but couldn't get to grips with it....but over the past week I have persevered and now it's my favourite app. Yes, even more than Waterlogue :-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The basic app was free, but I have bought a couple of add on packages. Basically you can change the lens and the film to get different effects and build up favourite 'recipes'. Or you can just shake the camera up and down and get a random pairing! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Very interesting....</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4NMGnCZZHeI/U3o9Bu2zg5I/AAAAAAAAIR4/mJU6onxk9CI/s1600/vignette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4NMGnCZZHeI/U3o9Bu2zg5I/AAAAAAAAIR4/mJU6onxk9CI/s1600/vignette.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">These examples use 'Melodie' lens and 'Dream Canvas' film. My favourite combo up to now.</span></div>
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Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-6624870923905500462014-04-25T16:24:00.001+01:002014-04-25T16:33:36.040+01:00Friday Finds....Bluebells and BooksJoining in with <a href="http://www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe/tag/friday-finds">Kim Klassen's Friday Finds</a> today.<br />
(These are actually Thursday Finds.......but I don't think anyone will notice)<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">Photo altered in PSE using two layers of Kim's texture 'Coolgrunge'.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IKtfg_fVGZw/U1ptFLWVp9I/AAAAAAAAINc/CjAsnCW2W-8/s1600/w13+b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IKtfg_fVGZw/U1ptFLWVp9I/AAAAAAAAINc/CjAsnCW2W-8/s1600/w13+b.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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Beautiful bluebells from my garden plus a vintage book (Dante's 'Ad Astra') gifted to me by a lovely new friend. </div>
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I had a wonderful day yesterday with <a href="http://www.maggi21handdyes.com/blog-4/">Maggi Birchenough</a>, <a href="http://mixedmedia-jem.blogspot.co.uk/">Julie Mackinder</a> and a group of her friends<u>.</u><br />
We went to see the new exhibition of work by <a href="http://textilestudygroup.co.uk/">The Textile Study Group</a> at <a href="http://www.thebeetroottree.com/">The Beetroot Tree Gallery</a> near where I live. We also managed coffee at the <a href="http://www.cachepot.co.uk/cachepot_tea_room.html">Cachepot vintage tea rooms</a>, lunch at <a href="http://www.andersonsfinefood.co.uk/">Anderson's delicatessen</a> and a rummage in <a href="http://www.ptycrafts.co.uk/shop/index.php?index">Peartree Yard</a> craft emporium, That's what I call a packed day! :-)<br />
By way of a thank you, <a href="http://emmelinesplace.wordpress.com/">Wendy</a> gave me a vintage book I'd admired in Peartree Yard....its very special and I can't wait to use it in my projects.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aQjMVoDqrf8/U1pvzX_TldI/AAAAAAAAINo/TC0n4ybC_No/s1600/ad+astra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aQjMVoDqrf8/U1pvzX_TldI/AAAAAAAAINo/TC0n4ybC_No/s1600/ad+astra.jpg" height="321" width="640" /></a></div>
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On the subject of books......I bought Alysn Midgelow-Marsden's new book this week.....<br />
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I know Alysn as she is the co-owner of The Beetroot Tree and I have worked for her there and attended many of her workshops. This is a fabulous book ....highly recommended! You can see some examples of her work <a href="http://alysnsburntofferings.blogspot.co.uk/">here</a>. The lucky lady now lives in New Zealand, but she visits regularly to teach workshops over here.<br />
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Finally......have all you iPhone/iPad users out there discovered Waterlogue app yet? I love it!!!<br />
It's good to post on Instagram too and tag your photos to the Waterlogue link there.<br />
Here are a few of my recent creations.....forgive me if you're an Instagram friend, I know you've already seen them ;-)<br />
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Here's the bluebell/book photo 'waterlogued'.</div>
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My blue muscari and pansies.</div>
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A cat we spotted in the churchyard at Edensor...plus my gorgeous white muscari.</div>
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And me!......Looking at you :-) </div>
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(Well actually I was looking to see if I'd set the timer right on my iPhone)</div>
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Love the way the app has broken up my garden into patterns.....</div>
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Time to wade through my Bloglovin feed....I'm way behind.<br />
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Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-64268568541417857492014-04-22T21:05:00.000+01:002014-05-25T10:00:10.736+01:00Simple Joys<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.kimklassencafe.com/">Kim Klassen's</a> theme for this week's 'Texture Tuesday' is..... <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">simple</span><span style="font-size: large;">.</span></i></span><br />
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(Photo altered in PSE using Kim's textures 'greydayslate'. 'pinitonly6'. 'derek' and 'febmagicedges')</div>
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For me, the simple joys of a garden in Springtime mean so much; even the green bullets of the hostas pushing through the gravel are beautiful and make me happy. Spring flowers are my garden favourites; tulips, cowslips, muscari, forget-me-nots, clematis montana....... and very soon my aliums will be showing off their beauty. Bluebells are just starting to flower and then not long after the lavender will take over.<br />
It's <i><span style="color: #0b5394;">simple</span></i>......... I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be at this time of year.....<br />
And Angel agrees......<br />
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No positive news on the health front I'm afraid....when I go quiet at least you know why. I can't seem to focus on arty stuff and blogging when I don't feel good. Are you like that too?<br />
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But I have managed to finish my five needlecases which I hope to sell on etsy very soon. I just need to make a few more to go with them ...... ;-)<br />
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Such a problem deciding on a price.........I spend ages on each one. I can't bring myself to ask a lot though; I'd be too embarrassed.<br />
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Here's another view of my own little bluebell wood :-) We are very lucky that we only live 20 mins from some beautiful bluebell woods in Leicestershire. Can't wait to visit this weekend.<br />
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Hopefully back soon......<br />
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<a href="http://www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe/tag/texture-tuesday"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3GiJcTxGP8E/U1bkzqSaADI/AAAAAAAAIM0/9OCBSDZK1Jg/s1600/tt_bannervine.jpg" height="87" width="320" /></a></div>
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Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-5971789227245003372014-03-31T12:34:00.001+01:002014-03-31T12:50:43.675+01:00Friday Finds (on a Monday)......'She wore flowers in her hair'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is my contribution for <a href="http://www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe/tag/friday-finds">Kim Klassen's 'Friday Finds</a>' challenge (sorry I'm a bit late.....wasn't too well on Friday).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have two 'finds'...a <span style="color: #45818e;"><i>book</i> </span>and a<i> <span style="color: #45818e;">planter.</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been wanting a head planter for some time and finally spotted one in our local garden centre. I'm intrigued by how the look of it will change as the trailing plant grows and the pansies are replaced with other flowers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We have a walled garden, which isn't always an advantage, but it is good for attaching things like this on to!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I altered my photo using Kim's textures 'Golden' and 'Magicedges'. I love the magic series....it always amazes me how a black texture can affect an image in the way it does.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The quote is from 'The God of Small Things' by Arundhati Roy (winner of the Booker Prize 1997). </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love the description of the character Ammu...</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i>'On days like this there was something restless and untamed about her.... <span style="color: #3d85c6;">she wore flowers in her hair and carried magic secrets in her eyes. She spoke to no-one.</span> She spent hours on the riverbank with her little plastic transistor.....she smoked cigarettes and had midnight swims. She had a delicate chiselled face, black eyebrows angled like seagull's wings, a small straight nose and luminous nutbrown skin. Her shoulders in her sleeveless sari blouse shone as though they had been polished with a high-wax polish.'</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have the book on my Kindle but am only 15% through it. I'll let you know how I get on.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have any of you read it</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I adore this time of year when every day there are new finds in the garden. I had a quick trip round with my camera this morning whilst the sun was shining. Angel wondered what on earth I was doing crouching on the ground getting that low-angled shot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I treated myself to a Nikon camera a few weeks ago; there's so much to learn!! I'm still trying to get to grips with the aperture setting...... love those soft, blurry backgrounds :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank goodness for the warmer days and the beauty of Springtime; they lift my spirits when I'm feeling down. When we do meditation (in my yoga class) we sometimes have to imagine a favourite, soothing place......I always think of my garden.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Still searching for a diagnosis for my health problem .....I'm paying for a series of ultrasound scans later this week. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Back tomorrow with Texture Tuesday and a recipe..... </span></div>
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Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-33680056141392407572014-03-25T17:04:00.002+00:002014-03-25T17:09:14.708+00:00Texture Tuesday......Quiet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cwGMuaHyIQs/UzGmB_bSIoI/AAAAAAAAIEs/UgMrhmdG37c/s1600/musca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cwGMuaHyIQs/UzGmB_bSIoI/AAAAAAAAIEs/UgMrhmdG37c/s1600/musca.jpg" height="486" width="640" /></a></div>
I bought this lovely pot of white muscari at my local garden centre this week for only £1.40....bargain!<br />
I have a garden full of the blue version which, although we moan about it, I do actually like very much.<br />
But this white version is very special, it seems to have a special serene quality.....and it smells lovely too, which is a bonus.<br />
So above is my offering for <a href="http://www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe/tag/texture-tuesday">Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday</a>....I have cheated slightly and used the word 'silence' instead of 'quiet' ;-)<br />
I used a few of Kim's textures, but the main one was 'Phoebe'.<br />
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Muscari Aucheri 'White Magic'</div>
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Still plodding on with my needle cases.</div>
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These two are almost finished....</div>
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And my fabric weaving now feels like a single piece of cloth.......ready for embellishment.<br />
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Off now to look at my <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/">Bloglovin</a>' list. </div>
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Have you discovered it yet? Its a great way of keeping up to date with your favourite blogs......and for finding new ones.</div>
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<br />Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-11042177749385179122014-03-18T15:21:00.000+00:002014-03-25T17:09:32.558+00:00Texture Tuesday.....Colour<a href="http://www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe/">Kim Klassen's</a> theme this week is <i><b><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;">colour</span></b></i><span style="color: #6aa84f;">.</span>...not a problem for me ;-)<br />
I like to take colour schemes from nature whenever I can and one of my favourite examples is pistachio nuts; I'm always amazed by the funky colours inside those shells.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_4X0d_3qGGQ/UyhU2uYBXgI/AAAAAAAAIDs/oWYLbEwGNEE/s1600/pistachio2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_4X0d_3qGGQ/UyhU2uYBXgI/AAAAAAAAIDs/oWYLbEwGNEE/s1600/pistachio2.jpg" height="634" width="640" /></a></div>
Gorgeous, aren't they?<br />
(My own photo above altered in PSE using Kim Klassen's texture 'Phoebe'.)<br />
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I love working with shades of purple and green......<br />
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My latest needlecase collage (still under construction)<br />
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I've been struggling with the usual health problems again for the past fortnight and have decided to see a nutritionist. He's incredibly knowledgeable about the workings of the digestive system, so I am feeling hopeful!<br />
I have lost almost two stone over the past 18 months and am now down to 7st 10lbs, which I really don't want to be, and I'm starting to look scrawny :-(<br />
When you get to my age you need a bit of flesh on your face!<br />
I am excluding carbs from my diet, eating organic food, keeping a food diary, cooking with coconut oil, using Ecover cleaning products.......if anyone has any other suggestions I would love to hear them!<br />
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Back soon with an update.....<br />
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<br />Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-31589662512585492932014-03-04T17:36:00.002+00:002014-03-25T17:08:49.563+00:00Texture Tuesday....Pure Beauty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here's my contribution for <a href="http://www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe/">Kim Klassen's</a> Texture Tuesday ....photo altered in PSE using Kim's textures: 'wonderful magic_stars', 'february magic edges' and 'yesteryear'.<br />
I buy flowers for the house every week and usually go for blues, purples or pinks (<i>never</i> yellow...except for in March when I have jugs of daffodils everywhere). For a change this week I decided to go for white roses and gypsophila .....they look so peaceful; I love them. One of my most popular and re-pinned pins on Pinterest is this photo I took of a flower shop in Harrogate......where they only sell white flowers. The inside of the shop was even more beautiful.<br />
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Hah...I've just noticed our reflections in the glass :-D</div>
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I'm very fussy about flowers (my husband would groan and say '<i>I'll vouch for that</i>' if he was reading this ;-) I don't like chrysanthemums or carnations. (And you can imagine what I think of <i>yellow</i> chrysanthemums and carnations....)<br />
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Before I go....just a quick peep at my latest project.<br />
I'm making needle cases and books; mixed media collage on hand-made felt.<br />
The felt is only rough cut here and I still have lots of stitching to do......my favourite part :-)<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1I74iRZfpUg/UxYgkyx0uaI/AAAAAAAAIDc/1IPxBOGCdVQ/s1600/needlecases.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1I74iRZfpUg/UxYgkyx0uaI/AAAAAAAAIDc/1IPxBOGCdVQ/s1600/needlecases.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a></div>
And that's my job for tomorrow! (After I've taken Mum shopping.....)<br />
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<br />Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-82095107140094006502014-02-24T16:04:00.000+00:002014-02-24T16:10:19.121+00:00A Soup(er) DayYesterday was not a good day. My digestive system went haywire, as it does from time to time (just wish I knew the trigger). I made a lovely fish pie with a sweet potato topping .....but just had to sit and watch my husband and my son eat it :-( <br />
Ah well, at least I could enjoy the conversation.<br />
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But today I feel much better so decided to make my favourite <span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><i>green detox soup</i></span>.....<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iztWk3jdoxE/UwtqiAyl1NI/AAAAAAAAIB0/Aide9IlEhZU/s1600/soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iztWk3jdoxE/UwtqiAyl1NI/AAAAAAAAIB0/Aide9IlEhZU/s1600/soup.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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Good ingredients for a poorly tum; broccoli, leek, celery, kale, cauliflower, courgette, garlic, veg bouillon..... </div>
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and lots of parsley. </div>
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Its a simple recipe......chop all the veg quite small, fry the leeks with the crushed garlic, add half a litre of stock along with the rest of the veg and simmer till everything is soft....but not too soft (you don't want mushy).</div>
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I then like to blend two thirds with a big handful of chopped parsley before putting it all back together in the pan and adding salt and pepper to taste.</div>
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Lovely with a small piece of spelt bread.....</div>
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Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-3440894268802809392014-02-20T22:12:00.001+00:002014-02-24T16:07:24.992+00:00Texture Tuesday (a few days late)I'm starting to feel really positive about the arrival of Spring...there are so many signs around, I can't help but feel it's just around the corner. Of course, we could have a rude awakening and winter could actually arrive in the next few weeks! Here in the Midlands we've escaped a lot of the really bad weather.....only time will tell if we've escaped it completely :-)<br />
Kim Klassen's theme is <span style="font-size: large;"><i>Light</i></span> this week....and I'm thinking '<i>Light at the end of the tunnel'.</i><br />
Winter, for me, is a bit like a tunnel I have to get through....<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-89o9oG7iM8M/UwZu_VflHjI/AAAAAAAAH_U/G0kIO13U-WE/s1600/hyacinth7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-89o9oG7iM8M/UwZu_VflHjI/AAAAAAAAH_U/G0kIO13U-WE/s1600/hyacinth7.jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a></div>
I used Kim's 'wonderfulmagic_stars' texture...twice (both at soft light).<br />
I have a number of these hyacinths around the house; not only do they look beautiful, they smell wonderful too...<br />
(The pot holder is from Ikea BTW).<br />
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I'm hoping there's 'light at the end of the tunnel' regarding my health too.....<br />
I mentioned a couple of posts back that I've suffered with digestive problems for almost two years and during that time I've read many books on the subject. I believe that carbs are very damaging to our health and I'm trying hard to avoid them. I eat no refined sugar and avoid cakes, biscuits, sweets etc.<br />
I LOVE bread though and can't imagine giving that up completely. So, I've done a lot of research into <i>spelt</i> flour. Its an ancient grain that hasn't been refined or modified and so is much healthier. It is higher in protein and easier to digest than wheat. I find that I can eat one piece a day without suffering any consequences. And it's much tastier than ordinary bread.......I've even converted my mum :-)<br />
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This is the flour I use.....plus the spelt and walnut loaf I made yesterday. The addition of chopped dates is good too! There are other recipes on the back of the bag.<br />
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I have also become a bit obsessed with coconut oil....it has so many amazing health benefits. I use it in most of our meals nowadays; its the best oil to use for frying as it doesn't deteriorate when heated. I also eat it by the spoonful; its good for the brain! I made these treats today.....<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YL-wHDUbI1c/UwZ8WFER2II/AAAAAAAAIAI/hpcVVodojUc/s1600/cakess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YL-wHDUbI1c/UwZ8WFER2II/AAAAAAAAIAI/hpcVVodojUc/s1600/cakess.jpg" height="322" width="640" /></a></div>
The base is made from ground oats, ground almonds, coconut oil, Manuka honey, almond butter, cinnamon and vanilla essence. I pressed it into petit four cases then poured the topping over...which is made from coconut oil, raw cacao powder and honey. They are only tiny but they satisfy my craving for something sweet. I found the recipe on the marvellous <a href="http://ohsheglows.com/2013/07/19/raw-almond-butter-cups/">'Oh she glows'</a> website.....which I highly recommend. Go and look at her latest recipe.....<i>'Blissful Blueberry Banana Spelt Muffins'.........</i>(vegan and no refined sugar). Can't wait to try those.<br />
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Back tomorrow with some artwork.....<br />
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<br />Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048218098664199254.post-2562592291314316302014-02-14T16:46:00.005+00:002014-03-25T19:57:18.207+00:00Friday Finds....Pussy WillowI would love to be able to say I found the pussy willow whilst out walking today.......unless you count walking around Marks & Spencers ;-)<br />
I spotted a lovely <i><span style="font-size: large;">huge</span></i> bunch there whilst shopping for our Valentines Day dinner.<br />
I have to confess to stroking them a lot...I'm surprised there are any furry bits left on the branches actually.<br />
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Textures: <a href="http://www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe/tag/friday-finds">Kim Klassen's</a> 'All my loving', '99' and 'Natures Beauty' all soft light.</div>
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Quote: '<span style="background-color: #e5e5dd; color: #330000; font-family: georgia, 'bookman old style', 'palatino linotype', 'book antiqua', palatino, 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, 'avante garde', 'century gothic', 'comic sans ms', times, 'times new roman', serif;">No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn'. ~Hal Borland </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Thank goodness...........</span></div>
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Before....and after</div>
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Linda Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681589005145748856noreply@blogger.com11