Journaling: The Me of Now

One. Cacti gardens

I keep going back to this image from a recent Arch Digest magazine. I love cacti and have a few of them in my house, but I would love to have a whole back yard filled with (old) ones. Our one “senior” cactus recently had to have an amputation on an arm that became infected/sick, and I was devastated. I would love to get more cacti, but I don’t have enough room and light in my house to give them a thriving environment. So, instead, I dream of visiting the desert again.

Two. Favourite shelf

I have a lot of shelves in my house — the better to display all my treasures — and a lot of competition for the “favourite” title. But, yes, I think there is (currently) one clear winner. I recently added a Gauguin framed print, which proved to be the perfect “tie it all together” thing. It joins a miniature bust, glass vases from my favourite artist, and some of my own work.

Three. Cross-stitch

I’m working on a new series of beaded pieces based over cross-stitch style designs. So I have been looking up vintage floral cross-stitch for ideas. Pansies are some of my favourite flowers to incorporate into my art because they are so exuberantly colourful.

Four. Byzantine fashion

I’m exploring some new directions for my High Priestess avatar, and Byzantine and Baroque influences are top of my list. We’ll save the later for another post. Did you know that there have been a few runway collections inspired by Byzantine fashion, including one based around the Empress Theodora? They’re quite lovely. Obviously, a very literal translation isn’t very practical for my lifestyle, but I am looking at identifying small details (like jewelry, embroidery, rich coloured and/or textured fabrics) that would infuse my outfits with that flair. Also, fun fact: my daughter is named Teodora, in part inspired by the Empress who was a *fascinating* character.

Five. Midsommer Murders

I am SO late to the game on this, but have been recently binge-watching this series during my crafting sessions. It’s so, so good – up there with Poirot and Miss Marple as my favourite “comfort” shows. I love the rural/village setting, which gives the episodes a vibe reminiscent of Christie while still being contemporary mysteries. Not too much gore, but plenty of tea and scandal.