A place for thoughts

I love art books, journals, handmade book, altered books of any kind. I love how they feel in my hands. I love to write my thoughts and ideas in something with texture. Nothing is easier to alter than a spiral bound book picked up in the dollar section of Micheal's craft store or Target. Another book to decorate and record in. Lovely.

Keeping it up

Yes I have been keeping it going - my semi media fast. I was a little more relaxed this week, but I didn't do any computer when the kids were in the room, nor did I read the news headlines at all. Yeah!


My Annie Rose, second from left, with her 3 year old buddies on Memorial Day.

It has been a social week for us, with a long Memorial Day party, a doctor appointment, playdates and a birthday lunch (for moms only, the kids stayed home with a sitter and her two siblings. I was not missed). Somewhere in there we got some school done, lots of reading and coloring. I guess not every week can be project week.


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I was tagged by Shelly.


What is your current obsession?
Indie craft blogs and the Twilight books (a guilty pleasure)

What is your weirdest obsession?
hmmmm, can't think of anything

What are you wearing today?
Black v-neck shirt, orange flowery skirt, no shoes

What's for dinner?
Tacos

What would you eat for your last meal?
Steak and mashed potatoes with peas

What's the last thing you bought?
a weeks groceries

What are you listening to right now?
A/C blowing

What is your favorite ice cream flavour?
Vanilla

What do you think of the person(s) who tagged you?
Shelley - creative, inspiring, talented

If you could have a [vacation] house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
Co. Wicklow, Ireland near my mother

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Prague, to a cafe called Europa (if it is still there!)

Which language do you want to learn?
none, i don't have the time or talent to learn anything else right now

What's your favorite quote (for now)?
'You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them' Psalm 89v9

What is your favorite colour?
Red

What is your favorite time of day?
lunch and late evening

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?
I like all my flowery skirts with smocking waists

What is your dream job?
With kids - being here at home
When the kids are grown - being a writer whose stories get made into films and I can go visit the set and turn up to the openings, or being a poet/artist with a huge airy studio

What's your favourite magazine?
Anything by Stampington & Co.

If you had £100 now, what would you spend it on?
It would go towards a new washer, mine broke this week :(

Do you admire any one's style?
My friend Shannon Mucha

Describe your personal style?
Skirts, long sleeve tops, flip flops

What are you going to do after this?
Finish a journal I am altering, read some more of the 'New Moon' book from the Twilight series

What are your favourite movies?
Gladiator, Pride and Prejudice, Great Expectations, Memento, LA Confidential, Queen Margot, Phone Booth, The Good Shepherd, Once, this month - Twilight (if you hadn't guessed)

What's your favourite fruit?
Oranges

What inspires you?
Artistic people's work, talking to artistic women, talking to my husband, listening to Damien Rice

Your favorite book?
The Late Wife by Claudia Emerson

Do you collect something?
Bowls

I am meant to tag others, but I don't really know who to tag, so anyone is welcome to play along. Let me know if you do it so I can read your answers. Email me: shonacole@aol.com

Poetry

I love reading poetry. Perhaps I am not all that deep/clever/intellectual but I like poetry that is accessible - readable, understandable at first or second reading. Rather than writing out a list of poets that I like, over the coming months I am going to link to poems by some of my favorite poets. I hope that you like them and are inspired to want to read more.

Claudia Emerson has been my favorite poets for over a year now. I just can't read her enough. Today's poem is one from her latest book entitled 'Figure Studies'. I love when a poem makes me 'see' the story and feel it at the same time.

This link will bring you to the poem 'What they Want' by Claudia Emerson

In the future I would like to post actual poems here, but my attorney husband is helping me research the best way to do that without violating copyright laws ;). Does anyone know any good places to find out about copyright and blogging?

Breaking the habit

I read somewhere that it takes a month to break a habit. My habit is called 'checking email' morning, noon and night. While I call it 'checking email' really it has morphed from that to checking Drudge headlines, AOL headlines, Facebook or any number of other sites.

I have noticed recently that often when my kids finish breakfast I am on the computer, as soon as I make them lunch I am on the computer, as soon as we are done school I am on the computer. Many times I would answer their questions while facing the computer! Well, I felt convicted that I don't want them to be in front of a screen all the time, I monitor their 'media time', so why should I allow myself endless, unchecked media time? They learn from watching me, right?

So this week I decided to do a media fast of sorts. I decided to only get on the computer when the kids are down at night. I made a new commitment to really be the artistic mother that I have been and desire to be, to be more mindful of the good things in my immediate life and to model what I want my kids to be.

So how did I fair?

The first day was easy. I was motivated and convicted. I spent the extra time with the kids or reading. The second day was harder. At lunch I was almost ready to break my pact and check emails, but I grabbed a Mark Helprin book and read outside instead. By day three it was easier.

I really enjoyed the extra time I found I had and in the evenings I still got done all my art project work (I am working my way through my book's 12 week workshop) and emails checked. OK, I missed out on the news headlines, but hey, why do I need to know who won American Idol or who died in a firey crash anyhow?

So above and beyond regular kid's school crafts and activities we made fairy houses, had a nature walk and made a nature table, made daisy chains, went to the library and read a bunch more books than normal, I timed my son juggling (55 seconds for 3 balls, 47 for 3 clubs, 36 for 4 rings...) and generally I faced them and looked them in the eye every time they asked questions. And, of course, I took photos of all of the above.



And besides reading Mark Helprin, I read an Above Rubies magazine (and cried), re-read the latest from poet Claudia Emerson and portions of Amanda Soule's 'The Creative Family'.



Can I keep it up for the month (and beyond)? We'll see, but I feel energized that I stuck by my plan for this week.

Happy Mother's Day

I hope your day is a beautiful one!