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| Margaret Tarrant Post Card
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Have you ever found an artist that you drew inspiration from? Someone whose work made you realize that life could be different?
Many of us instantly think of Tasha Tudor. Her work and life were inspiring and made us think, for a minute or two, that we could live like that. We could find simple joy in the day-to-day. Life had possiblities when we considered her work. We saw beauty.
So much of life is spent missing the beauty around us. Crystal snowflakes slipping through the frigid air. The smell of a doe coming in to feed from the brisk air. The nuzzle of a little nose in the palm of one's hand as it looks for One More Cookie. The dusky smell of a narcissus as it blooms in the house, bringing in a touch of spring on a very cold winter day.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as the saying goes. Yet, we must have the eye to see. I once read that a way to keep one's mind sharp is to watch for one special colour as one walks or travels through a day. It is an interesting theory and one that is challenging and, frankly, rather fun.
This week, I challenge you to do one thing: create something beautiful in your life. It doesn't have to be a big thing -- for me this week it was purchasing a small $3 cluster of miniature tea roses (white with a green edge), breaking up the cluster into three little nosegays and placing them in unexpected places -- the bathroom, foyer, and kitchen counter.
Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Have a beautiful week!
Maybe I need a little nosegay? I've been feeling the winter doldrums big time. I love Arthur Rackham. All of his woodland and fairy work...I'm smitten!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Courtney
Beautiful post, Matty! One way I try to create beauty everyday is to rearrange what I have into pretty little vignettes. Sometimes it's as simple as turning a pitcher in a different direction or folding the napkins creatively. Sometimes it's taking the time to make a pretty crimped edge on a pie crust.
ReplyDeleteHi Matty, I loved your post today and the challenge of creating something beautiful! You asked if I knew of a good glove pattern? The one that I like the best and have found to be very versatile is at the site Verypink.com
ReplyDeleteShe has a wonderful website and if you purchase her pattern you have free access to her knitting tutorials. She walks you step by step through the glove making process. It was a lot of fun and really helped me tremendously. I don't live near a yarn shop so it is hard for me to find knitting help when I need it. I love being able to stop and start and replay the tutorials.
Have a lovely evening Matty and happy glove making! Delisa
This post reminds me of a wonderful article I read in a Christian Woman's magazine.
ReplyDeleteIt was an article about the writer's good friend, a pastor's wife, who was always calm even with a busy life. She was visiting her one day and asked how she did it.
Her friend took her to the attic where she went to "get away from it all" and on an easel there was a beautiful painting... I believe of a pretty house set in a garden if I remember correctly.
She said it was this beauty that helped rest her soul and ground her (along with the Word, of course).
That's how I feel about the artwork I've chosen the past few Christmas seasons... they give me peace. Along with silver that has been shined, pretty china, and chocolate.
I think I'm going to buy some fresh flowers today. We are in for some wintery weather this week so flowers will be perfect. I like your idea, Matty, of putting your tea roses in unexpected places and Jane's idea of creating small vignettes so am going to combine those and see what little fresh-floral-spirit-lifters I can create. I'm excited!
ReplyDeleteI also liked Delisa's recommendation of Verypink.com. I'm definitely checking that out (although NOT for challenging gloves) (-:!
Happy Monday Matty!
Hi Matty! Your present arrived in the mail this afternoon! Thank you so much, it is so special. I will treasure these crochet booklets, knowing they came from your mother-in-law makes them even more of a treasure. And the goat soap, smells heavenly, they are precious. Almost too pretty to use, but I will! Thank you again Matty for thinking of me, it truly made my day! With Love, Delisa :)
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