Let me introduce myself . . .

I'm the woman who faced a health crisis, thought she might not make it and then did

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I'm the woman who has family and friends that are not of this world

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I'm the woman who has loved flowers and plants and all things botanical all her life

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I'm the woman who recently started her own business

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I'm the woman behind Anthesis Botanicals

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I'm the woman who walks around smiling all day

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I'm the woman who regularly ends up on her hands and knees with gratitude

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I'm the woman who started this blog but is somehow different

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I'm the woman who's learning to let go, even fall … and enjoy the ride

♥ It's a pleasure to meet you ♥

Romeo and Juliet

image via here

A lovestruck Romeo sings a street suss serenade

Laying everybody low with a love song that he made

Finds a streetlight, steps out of the shade

Says something like, "You and me babe—how 'bout it?"

Juliet says, "Hey it's Romeo. You nearly gave me a heart attack"

He's underneath the window; she's singing, "Hey, la, my boyfriend's back.

You shouldn't come around here singing up at people like that.

Anyway what you gonna do about it?"

Juliet, the dice was loaded from the start

And I bet, then you exploded into my heart

And I forget, I forget the movie song

When you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?

Come up on different streets, they both were streets of shame

Both dirty, both mean, yes, and the dream was just the same

And I dreamed your dream for you and now your dream is real

How can you look at me as if I was just another one of your deals?

When you can fall for chains of silver you can fall for chains of gold

You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold

You promised me everything, you promised me thick and thin, yeah.

Now you just say, "Oh Romeo, yeah. you know, I used to have a scene with him."

Juliet, when we made love you used to cry

You said, "I love you like the stars above, I'll love you 'til I die."

There's a place for us, you know the movie song

When you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?

I can't do the talks like they talk on the TV

And I can't do a love song like the way it's meant to be

I can't do everything but I'll do anything for you

I can't do anything except be in love with you

And all I do is miss you, and the way we used to be

All I do is keep the beat, the bad company

All I do is kiss you through the bars of a rhyme

Julie, I'd do the stars with you any time

Juliet, when we made love you used to cry

You said, "I love you like the stars above, I'll love you 'til I die."

There's a place for us, you know the movie song

When you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?

And a lovestruck Romeo sings a street suss serenade

Laying everybody low with a love song that he made

Find a convenient streetlight, steps out of the shade

And says something like, "You and me babe—how 'bout it?"

"You and me babe—how about it?"

Mark Knopfler, Dire Straits

♥♥♥♥♥♥

A few trivial, useless but nevertheless fun facts - you may or may not care to know. . . 

♥It's always been a favourite of mine

♥Yes, I'm a (shameless) eighties child

♥I don't care what anyone says  - the video clip IS cool  - enough random to be . . .  well . . .  random.           

♥I always loved that she chewed bubblegum

♥I also loved that the "chick seemed cooler than the guy"  - with so many horribly sexist video clips flying around in that era I'm not surprised I was drawn to the imagery in this one. Then again I also liked "Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse Of The Heart" so there goes my credibility.

♥The song contains (arguably) one of the greatest lines ever written . . .

"All I do is kiss you through the bars of a rhyme, Julie, I'd do the stars with you any time"

(I'm a sucker for romance and an even bigger sucker for romantic lyrics)

and last but definitely not least . . .

I found out today that one of MY ALL TIME FAVES covered this very song, QUITE A LONG TIME AGO! How did this escape my knowledge? I do not know. 

Here are both versions for your listening pleasure . . .

I'm thinking of having a regular series of posts that play host to great songs with dubious video clips.

Suggestions are more than welcome! 

Pinterest ... the pros and cons

To pin or not to pin? That is really not the question here at all. The question is how not to pin for two hours (or until one's bum goes numb) at the expense of other more productive activities. Indeed no amount of pinning ever gets the ironing done, the dishes clean or the family fed - BUT  - it will show you how to make your own linen spray, stack the dishwasher effectively, cook a vegan feast for twenty in under an hour - I kid you not... If it can be done, if it can be seen, if it can be photographed, catalogued, made, visited, laughed at or stalked... it's on Pinterest. I think of it as a subscription to every known publication on the planet.

I have a few boards (cough cough) and yes, I've pinned a modest (cough cough) tally of images.
I tend to set a timer nowadays  - this way I avoid being judged by my sixteen year old who thrives on noting my "screen time" ..... and let's face it - it can be overdone.

So far I've come up with waaay more pros than cons. In fact, I only have two negatives to note:

1 - Time wasting - enough said.
2 - Bad pinning = bad linking = bad credit = ineffective information = rubbish = internet.

So as a general rule - always do your research. Check that credit given is legit and be aware of the fact that the digital era we live in allows ANYTHING on the web to be manipulated. (ANYTHING)

Having said all that  - I love it. Not as much as the written, printed, three dimensional word no, but pretty darn satisfying as far inspiration, organisation and gathering of ideas.

Here are a few of my pins...

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612166468205/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612161718267/

Obviously it's great for creating mood boards that inspire your dream home, sense of style, taste... love of white floorboards, linen and all things rustic... but did you know that you can find your DREAM bathroom too?

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612161879793/

... or perhaps you obsess over greenery... 

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612165525359/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612166406543/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612166774807/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612163381839/

Need artistic inspiration?

Well look no further... Pinterest has you covered....

Paolo Reversi 

David Oliveira

... and if fine art is not quite your talent well then just get 

your craft on baby...

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612166608322/

... or pin just the movies & tunes you'd highly recommend

to friends and fellow pinners... 

Enigma 

Rhye 

The Cabinet of Dr Caligari 

The Rocky Horror Picture Show 

... then again if you fancy cooking up a few carbohydrate dense delights

(as I do)  then you you've come to the right place darling. In Pinterest land it's ok to be 

a lacto-ove-vegan-paleo-gluten tolerant-carbaddicted-foodie... 

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612163940410/

... and plan the outfit you want to wear to that Spring wedding that's coming up...

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612161768751/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612163274387/

... or just pin for the sake of sheer beauty... 

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612165365724/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612164844616/

And if you're anything like me and you love a bit of wit mixed with a few giggles...

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612166339660/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612166309197/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612163163785/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612166512382/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612164289773/

I know a lot of people are concerned about crediting images and content correctly.

Of course if you can give credit then it's deemed the proper thing to do.

Problem is the ball of yarn has been played with - the tangles are too hard to unravel.

When I pin artists I check the link first and then (if I can) 

I try to support their social media or link directly back to the source.

It's tough though. A lot of the time you can but when you are unable to 

it means deciding whether the credit is worth more than the beauty of the art

itself. Do you let go or do you pin and just love what you've saved?

And what about intellectual property - that meme that had you in 

stitches all day... who IS the comical genius behind that cat GIF ?

I love a good debate. I'd be keen to hear what you have to say on the matter.

As you can see I've provided links back to my pins but I'm afraid that's as far as I've gone.

I have cleared my conscience with one of my favourite quotes from the essay 

Death of an Author by Roland Barthes 

"To give a text an Author" and assign a single, corresponding interpretation 

to it "is to impose a limit on that text."

And on that note I'll sign off with one of my favourite pins..

(Author unknown but this does not detract from the giggle factor)

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/3729612165592450/

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Last but not least - a huge, heartfelt and gracious THANK YOU to 

all the beautiful people who responded to my last post with care. compassion, warmth, 

kindness, humour and support. Emails, comments, flowers! 

It humbled me so.

 Indeed there's nothing like a huge dose of gratitude to transform ones mood. 

Wishing you all a fabulous and safe weekend peoples

♥♥♥♥

Industriart (again)

Some of my long time readers may recall my visit to Industriart way back in 2012 

(I know! Where the bleep has the time gone??) 

I had the good fortune of conducting a rather casual interview with the lovely owner Veronica and sharing a few images that I snapped of her wonderful collection of wares.

Given the eclectic nature of her treasure trove I made an appointment with her 

to visit and take a new set of images that I could A - drool over and 

B - pop up on my blog for all you Jack Sparrows out there

Whilst many of you cannot make it in to see these delights in the flesh I 

 feel that true pirates still get a thrill from casting their eyes upon 

the gems that are on offer... 

... even if it does mean leaving empty handed.

Given half the chance, I myself would pillage plunder her gems but she is 

such a lovely woman my conscience tells me otherwise... 

... well that and the fact that my little cottage in the hills is limited

in space (sigh) and there's the tiny factor regarding my 

husband and his growing intolerance of my clutter 

The bonus with a jaunt to Industriart is that you do not have 

to be lover of ALL THINGS OLD  - there are interesting items that have 

been given a breath of new life as well as items which qualify as 

perfect for the person who has everything 

I love going there because I get to chat with Veronica whilst taking 

a trip down memory lane

My mum had one of these Ginger Wafer tins and I recall being 

bitterly disappointed when I opened it to find it full of tea bags.

Obviously I've changed because the mere sight of a tea bag sets 

off my shameful addiction and the notion of them stored in a vintage tin...

...well you get the idea..

If it's coloured glass you're into then you'll be 

rubber necking all the way...

... and did I mention there's TWO floors?

MAHOOSIVE restraint shown at this point... although I'm weakening with every 

minute that passes - and I do not want one... I want, desire, need all three

I went a little snap happy and then when it came time to edit 

I thought ... stuff it - put them all in

... at least this way my readers abroad are given a 

thorough tour ... non?

I have at least four recipes which would shift from boring to brilliant

just by being served on these cabbage leaves...

more medal worthy restraint shown here...

... and here....

Well  there you have it peoples - a peep into the world of

Industriart  - Unit D, 29 Clayton Street, Bellevue, WA

I will just add ...

If you are able to pop in then make sure you allow enough time

for a satisfying experience (minimum 1/2 hour for sure)

and

A very sincere thank you to Veronica for allowing me to take 

all these photos and share them with you.

On another note I just wanted to extend my love

and appreciation to all the readers who sent me personal emails after reading 

my last post.

I try really hard to be positive and up beat as much as possible

but I am only human and I guess it was only a matter of time 

before some of the more mundane dramas made there way to

the (usually positive) pages of my blog.

I suspect that people who are happy to rant on the net do so

because it can be quite cathartic. Surely it isn't just to be negative?

I also suspect that people who only ever share the stellar stuff

have bad days too - they just edit them out of the public eye.

And that's cool too.

I began this blog as a journal, a creative outlet, a hobby 

and a healthy distraction

It's ended up giving me way more than I give to it

and 

I feel very blessed to have made a few wonderful new

friends along the way

Anyhoo..... I'm rambling now and all I really

wanted to say was 

"Thanks ever so much for the love"

My bad days are a walk in the park compared to the 

trials of some and reminding myself of this

(sometimes 37 times a day)

DOES actually help

... but then again so did a small, wee, petty, little, miniature rant

(kinda, sorta... almost)

Oh - one last thing - if you're having a heavy day then do yourself 

a favour and crank up the next song and dance the dance you 

dance when no one can see you dance ... you know the one...

(I dare anyone to say they don't feel better after 

bopping and hopping like a chimp on cocaine)

Van Halen - Jump 

http://youtu.be/ap2J9RbXaP4

Ok, that's me done. 

Over and Out and a Walla Walla Bing Bang

♥♥♥