Secrets of a Butterfly

Holly's interior styling

I was browsing flickr again the other day. After a Facebook discussion Holly had, about whether flickr is moving with the times, or being left behind, as people turn to instagram, facebook or pinterest instead.

Flickr seems to have fallen down the list in terms of people's favourite online sources of inspiration, and its a pity as its such a global base and has brought many of my friends to me over the years. It lacks the real time interaction of facebook or instagram but this could be improved if there was a better app on the iphone. Of the ones i have Flickr stackr is the most reliable.

However having said this, there are advantages that flickr does still retain over the other new options. I still turn to it as my first port of call for inspiration. Not so much fashion and style but certainly in terms of photographers, nature, interiors and crafters.

I think it is still the most distinct way of finding the origin of an image. The galleries and favourites linking straight to the owner of the photo.
I love the mosaics and how they can be made with the credits given beneath. I don't use pinterest to chat with others whereas I still do so with flickr just maybe not as often.

Both store inspiring images for me and give me ideas, just in differing ways.
There is definitely a place for each in my Internet browsing. I think flickr still remains for me an invaluable way to make contacts and friends and to find artists or bloggers through stumbling upon their streams.
All my pinterest contacts have been friends I have made elsewhere and carried over to there. It doesn't feel as easy to navigate and make friends there.

While I was catching up on what my favourite photographers have been sharing I went by Holly's stream, (all the photos in this post are hers). It struck me that when you are very successful in one field sometimes other things you're good at don't get the same focus. We know Holly as a fabulous blogger of course, and now an author and international speaker are strings added to her bow.
But she is also inspiring in her interior styling too. So I made this little collection to show case some of my favourites of Holly's own photos and show her style in creating little displays around her home, which as you know is something I like to do too.

Stop by Holly's flickr for inspiration - all the photos featured in this post are her own - but she also uploads images from her design blog there and she keeps an interior styling group, full of ideas and beautiful photos of people's own home styling from around the world. she also keeps a lovely personal blog called Haus Maus

love and wishes

Sweet days and Roses

 
I had the pleasure to "meet" the lovely Janey in twitter-land just lately.

She is in the picture above and these are the most exquisite vintage lavender bags avaliable at her wedding planning website Sweet Days and Roses.

I love it when we come across those who share the same delight for things that we do.
Roses, vintage fabric, ivory lace, mother of pearl buttons, wildflowers, cottages, table settings, celebrating the little things and the big, and above all scattering kindness.

 

Janey's Diary her blog, is fairly new, but already she has showed her beautiful Cotswold home that her husband renovated and pictures from her wedding featured in Cosmopolitan Bride.

 

If you have a moment, browse the links to these posts and see many more of Janey's photos, i'm sure you'll be as inspired as i was, 
Love and blessings

 
 

Horseshoes, trees and bumblebees

At Secrets you know i like to share what touches my heart and holds meaning, whether personally or for us all. This is certainly true of this jewellery designers work. I have been following Jes Maharry for a long time and am always SO inspired by her creativity. So i have taken my time with this post as i wanted to include quite a bit of beautiful inspiration within it.

I have collected together photos and words by which to convey her spirit and talent to you. I love her designs so much. They are made in limited quantities with ethicaly sourced materials and the upmost attention to detail, hence are quite expensive. But among the wonderful assortment of heartfelt designs there is something that can hold special significance for everyone and will certainly last a lifetime. Here are a few photos of Jes at work (taken from her facebook site)

I found out about her jewellery through the Sundance catalog and was lucky enough to get a smaller piece from their, a bracelet in the scrapbook clipping above. Its a silver chain that has an angel heart charm, similar to the one in the last photo of this post. Its been with me through alot, its a piece of jewellery i treasure greatly.

Throughout this post i have shared some pages from my Discovery Journals over the years where jewellery by Jes has been part of the collages. And this is a full page of her designs with pictures from Sundance catalogs,(click to see it larger):

Alot of her pieces have significant emblems for healing, friendship, love of family, pets and wildlife. Such as trees,horses, the sun and stars, butterflies, the moon... She is the type of jewellery maker that puts her heart and soul into every piece she designs, and they all retain that love and handmade charm.

This is what it says upon her website:
Jes MaHarry has a spirited passion for life that pours through everything she does. Her strong desire to live each moment as fully and freely as possible is fueled by her empathic relationship with animals, deep love of nature and compassion for all living things. Her soulful lifestyle informs her art and original mixed-media jewelry that has come to be renowned worldwide.

This is one of my collages for the environment including inspiration from one of Jes' pieces...

Jes believes that life flows in a circle and that as much as you receive, so must you give in order to maintain life's healthy balance. "With all the goodness that fills my life, I am always looking for ways to give back and create uplifting change," says Jes. She adds "After all, what is the point of this life without exchange, without being able reach out to each other in a time of need?" Jes has a variety of causes she supports - animal welfare,human rights and environmental issues feature strongly and she has created designs to be sold in aid of a number of charities.

more of her work within my scrapbook

Read about Jes in her own handwriting here These are a few of the pieces that caught my eye at the Sundance website currently.

Gorgeous rings featured upon her facebook...

And 2 further pages from my discovery journals, the second where i have used some of her designs within the collage(click the image if you wish to see the details larger):

I really hope i have conveyed her passion and beauty within this selection and that you share the inspiration from it with me. You can see more of her work at her site which includes a blog and webshop and of course at Sundance.
Angel blessings

Playing in fields

What is it to be authentic, to really be true to yourself, to not compromise your vision and to see it realised through your chosen field of expression, in this instance of music..... Natasha must know, because to me she lives this dream.

The youtube video below is a conversation with Natasha Khan (aka Bat for lashes) on electric picnic.tv by Donal Scannell

She talks about previously being a teacher, how she feels education could be, how she related to the children she taught, about playing in fields,and of course expressing through her lyrics and music.

I stumbled upon it while searching out her music videos. I hadnt previously known much about her and thought she would be quite 'dark' in nature but she is the exact opposite. i found her very beautiful and her spirit inspiring..i think you will too if you feel drawn to watch it.

She has a connection to her true self, and a sense of confidence in expression that isnt egotistical, its just pure and unhindered by concern about other people's opinion or fitting into a marketable catagory.
She expresses who she is without artifice through her voice, lyrics, music, her clothes and how she wears them, this makes her authentic and real. This she has in common with Florence (of Florence and the machine) and its this way of being, that i respect, admire and like, about both girls.

So in the you tube link below you'll see a different type of interview one with a bit of heart and soul to it. I'd like to see more interviews like this on tv. I think there's a definite call for a chat show with a bit of depth.

You can visit Natasha's site where all the image credits are in the gallery. And if the youtube interview doesnt display the direct link to it is here

Thankyou so much for the beautiful comments left on my Sweet Earth post below, it really touched me that you left such kind hearted words in response. We will chat again soon, till then you'll find me playing in the field of dreams,

Weaver of fairytales

LaGarconne an American webshop has a feature on Leith Clark editor of Lula magazine. As the article says, Leith weaves a world of fairytales,her vision imparts the magazine with an ethereal story-book like quality. Read the full interview and see Leith's picks from their site here they are also US stockists of Lula magazine now. Anyone looking for Lula in the uk, WHSmiths are now stocking it.luv

A girl with a courageous heart

This mosaic is a token of admiration and respect for Lynn Gilderdale and her mum Kay and all they have lived through. I watched the Panorama programme on BBC1. I let tears roll down my cheeks, just as they have when i have read about her before. I do not often cry about the illness as a whole, but when its reflected back to you like that, its more than moving, it touches something much deeper. (An article here summarises some of the programme and gives the background of the story i'm speaking of.)

Even though i did not know them personally, as i say their story has moved me. It resonates with my own experience of living a life with severe ME and the decade i spent bedbound needing care from my family.

Lynn and i both took ill at 14, a year apart, i in 1990 her in 1991. Despite the terrible experience of being as ill as i was without strength to sit or leave bed for over 10 years, i was never as seriously ill, or in as much physical pain as Lynn, who was not able to eat and could not move her legs.
Like Lynn my Mam has cared for me and been my support through so many things i never dreamt that i would have to feel.

After such a long time of intense pain and health complications,Lynn had to escape that amount of suffering in the only way possible for her. Her situation is one that many would find impossible not to feel compassion, and total respect towards. She had coped for 17years with what many would find unbearable for a matter of months or weeks even, it shows how strong she was in spirit, that she handled that for that length of time.

I have moved into easier times, and i have the gift of hope that there can be even better ones waiting, I wish with all my heart that the same had been so for Lynn. Had she been able i'm sure she would have loved the blog community and the care that exists here.

I chose images that i felt she would have been drawn to, softness and nature that i know she will have missed for so long. Candles for light in the darkest of hours, a heart for love from those who understand. So this is for you Lynn,(and also my friends and anyone out there who is very ill with ME) i didnt know you, but in a way i feel i do,(i think you will understand what i mean) i just want to thankyou for your beautiful Spirit, honour your courageous heart and i wish you Peace in Heaven darling (and energy to dance free). love kathryn xxx

image credits:
1. Nijhum Dip (Nijhum Island), 2. A Promise, 3. i carry your heart, 4. Haven, 5. petit présent, 6. Yay!!!!!, 7. the light, 8. heart of a rose, 9. parfum doux, 10. In the garden, 11. untitled, 12. little heart light, 13. a sunny afternoon

A little haven of tranquility

This beautiful image, of butterflies among the branches is by the wonderfully talented and equally warm hearted Georgianna, who i am lucky enough to call a friend, after we met through flickr-land. I have been compiling this post for a while but its ready to go up now and on Georgianna's birthday...so Happy Birthday to you sweetie!

Her magical blog can be found here
I am always so inspired by the photos G takes. They are technically perfect in my eyes but retain all of the charm and personal touch because they are taken by someone who truly loves their subject matter.
The roses she has in her garden are a favourite to photograph and lately she has shared some wonderfully styled images of ornaments, like christmas bells and china teacups full of sweets. One thing i seem to have gathered in the short time i have known her is that Georgi is never short of inspiration. Or if she is, she just gets out in her garden, does some work and then its sure to return!

I love this about her, and i also love seeing around Millhaven, the gorgeous place she lives with her husband D. It certainly takes after its name, as it is a Haven, one of tranquility, bird song and flowers. i wish i could visit but G's blog posts are the next best thing to step into another world for a while and 'walk around' there soaking up the atmosphere.

She recently compiled a wonderful post about her year, which gives a great overview of her work, and her visit to Machu Pichu in Peru. While she was there she got me this handcrafted bag with an alpaca upon it and we did a swop as i sent her one of my canvas collages.(here's a picture of it close up)

here's Georgianna in Peru

here's a photo of my bag from there:

I purchased a photo of pink roses in a jug from her Etsy shop, and placed it in a pearlised frame from Laura Ashley. It sits on my chest of drawers. G also makes notecards of her images which are of amazing quality.here are just a few...

this is the framed photo:

This is my latest favourite rose photo of G's,(below) isnt it heaven! this is the link to it over at her Flickr here


I think if you love roses, butterflies and quiet havens like i do, then you'll love Georgianna's work and blog as much as me. thanks for the light and love you share through all you do G,its always magical to see your new creations,and a pleasure to spend time at your blog, a little haven of tranquility, with love to you Kat xox

Precious pastels...Emma Cassi

I always find Emma Cassi's lace pieces so inspiring. Her use of vintage trims and sequins and in entirely unique ways, makes visiting her online shop or browsing her blog enteries feel like heaven! There is so much to take in. I think her blog is one of my favourites still after all this time. visit here
All images in this post are from emma's blog,she is french and a stylist,and she makes this exquisite lace jewelry and also paper garlands, and cards. The jewelry shown here is from her new collection for Spring 2010 and some, i imagine will be online in her shop soon. I love her use of lace and now that she is incorporating liberty fabric and pastel colors into her designs, i like it All even more, if that's possible!
So emma is my favourite, whats your favourite place for inspiration or your favourite blog? please do let me know in the comments......

love kat

Gingerlillytea

I have loved Keri-Anne's dreamy photography for some time, so when she brought out a book through Blurb.com i ordered a copy and it arrived today. It is totally beautiful,and touched by magic, delicate and dream like, the images are calming and uplifting,it makes you feel rather like a good story book did as a child... this book is for grown up girlies though, who still like to believe in fairy tales and their own guardian angels. Its full of some of my favourite images and has delicate words on some of the pages. i've shared some pages below with you. If you'd like to see more of Keri-Anne's work she goes by the name of Gingerlillytea and can be found at flickr,her blog on etsy and to order a book visit here

 
 

Don't forget to keep dreaming and believe in your own special fairytale.........love kat x

Rooms,treasures and trinkets

There are a couple of things lately that i have been looking forward to sharing with you. This is the 1st, my new favourite book. Its a Rachel Ashwell, 'Shabby Chic Interiors - my rooms, treasures and trinkets', and features some rooms from her own home as well as the house Marilyn Monroe once lived in and some others. I just love the softened effect of the furnishings, the worn and reused furniture, trinkets and vintage mementoes. She has a way of styling that makes it look unstyled, just natural and lived in. There is something comforting about that. Maybe its because to Rachel, Shabby chic is not a contrived look, its something that she grew up with, her mother was into restoring antique dolls, and this partly gave her the interest in re purposing old fabric and trims. Its what she loves and that comes through in all her books including this one.

 




The title for this post treasures and trinkets comes off the subtitle to Rachel's book, but it is also one of my favourite things to say.I just love my own treasures and trinkets. As you can see i couldnt stop sharing some of the many many treasures to be found inside the pages of Rachel's book. I have a couple more things to post about from it in the coming days and weeks too. I hope you have found the pages inspiring, i know i always enjoy peeking inside a book that a blogger has reviewed because it gives me a better idea of whether to buy it or not. Rachel shares what she loves and its something i dream of doing too, and maybe i already am, in a small way by keeping my little blog and sharing my loves with you. Thankyou for reading me dear friend. till next time tc kx