Monday, March 31, 2008

Floating

'Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls'

Today when I was taking pictures of these fragile blue flowers in my garden, I remembered this quote of Kahlil Gibran again. It has helped me to let things flow freely instead of trying to control them. It feels like I am going through a new phase in my life in which I get new insights but also new challenges. And when I look around I see that a lot of people are going through the same process. That makes me happy because it gives me the feeling that we are on our way :)
There was a time when I wanted everybody to be exactly like me and a time I wanted to be completely different from the rest. Now a day those feelings have faded and I feel like we are all very different and at the same time very much alike. Just like the flowers above :))

Today was the first day without rain for a long time and it felt suddenly like spring. At one point the sun briefly shined while I watched these little flowers gently floating around. Sometimes life seems so easy hihihGuess we are all floating around in the same bowl, maybe you will see me floating by soon! Till that time take care and have a lovely day :))

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Thoughts over tea..

Drink your tea slowly and reverently,
as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves -
slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.

~Thich Nat Hahn

Today I was playing around with a lovely new vase I bought with my mother for only 1.99 Euro at Ikea. I love to make new arrangements which cost almost nothing hihi. Somehow they are so much more rewarding to me :)

When I finished my decorating I sat down with a cup of tea to look at my new corner. I was in the mood for peppermint tea and while preparing the tea I could see a wonderful reflection in the cup. As I looked longer I started to see a whole dream landscape.....

O' peppermint tea -
two delights per sip
as steamy hot as passion
cool as a wintry lake dip

~Astrid Alauda

Hihi this is such a lovely poem while drinking mint tea (I know I am a hopeless dreamer and romanticist). But on a cold a rainy day like this one nothing beats a good cup of peppermint tea.

It is almost half past eleven in the evening now and it is still raining. I guess I will go to bed early to read and take some camomile tea with me.

For those of you who read this post in the morning; take a good look in your tea cup and who knows what you will see.
Take care and have a lovely dreamy day :)

Friday, March 28, 2008

Leafs

Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.


Ralph Waldo Emerson

Every morning when I look through my kitchen window I see leafs from the Ivy (Hedera) that grows around my window. It is such a lovely sight and I wanted to share their beauty with you :)When the sun shines the leafs become even more beautiful. The green is brighter and you can see the network of leaf veins. To me it always represents life.... pure fresh life :) Since years my Ivy has a colony of plant louse that life on the leafs. In the spring I hope the lady bugs will return as they are fond of louse. It is such a beautiful sight to see the shiny red lady bugs sunbathing on the green leafs:))From my window I can see all kinds of insects using the leafs as a shelter from rain and sunlight. Spiders being busy making their web and in a few weeks the soft and powdery caterpillars will show up again :)) Sometimes when I have watched all the life between the leafs for a while, I almost feel like a part of it too..... my secret leaf life hihi


Have a nice weekend and take care :))

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Matryoshka dolls

I was cleaning the attic today as I stumbled upon a Matryoshka doll from St. Petersburg. I got it for present from a friend years ago. What a lovely surprise to meet again on the attic :)

I decided to take her downstairs and to examine her while drinking a cup of tea. She has a lovely painted face and is made out of wood. When I saw her in the sunlight I could not remember why I had put her on the attic.I was forgotten that it is a doll with 10 pieces! How lovely to see all these Matryoshka dolls standing around in the room. All with diffrent lovely faces and beautiful details.

The smallest one is as big as a bean and looks so cute. It seems like she frowns a bit hihi And even this little one has beautiful gold details. I remember now why I tucked away the Matryoshka dolls on the attic at the time. They are addictive!! I have just spent my complete free afternoon playing with these dolls. Stacking them, displaying them and moving them around. It felt lovely though :)))Well I didn't clean the attic today but I ended up cleaning my head by playing as a young girl again. To just play from time to time, works like a fresh shower. I and the Matryoshka dolls wish you a lovely playful day :))

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Flowers...

With the flower

I hide myself within my flower,

That wearing on your breast,

You, unsuspecting, wear me too -

And angels know the rest.


I hide myself within my flower,

That, fading from your vase,

You, unsuspecting, feel for me

Almost a loneliness.

I have always loved this poem from Emily Dickinson and everytime I take pictures of flowers I think of it :) To me flowers represent the soft (female) side of life. Sensual and mystical, with their incredible colours and velvet petals.

There is a fairy tale called Thumbelina by Hans Christian Andersen and it was my favourite story as a child. Every time when I was scared or insecure I just pretended to step inside a giant flower. The petals would gentle close around me and I would be safe :) Even now thirty years later it still works hihi.

Here a part of this wonderful fairy tale of Andersen; "It is a beautiful flower,” said the woman, and she kissed the red and golden-colored leaves, and while she did so the flower opened, and she could see that it was a real tulip. Within the flower, upon the green velvet stamens, sat a very delicate and graceful little maiden. She was scarcely half as long as a thumb, and they gave her the name of “Thumbelina,” or Tiny, because she was so small."

After all these years I still can look in the centre of a flower and see a tiny person sleep between the stames. Take care and I wish you a beautiful day with lots of flowers to step into :)))

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Kilim

Since years I am in love with Kilim rugs, pillows and carpets. Their intriguing patterns with symbolic figures and their beautiful warm colour palettes always attract my eye. I have used Kilim pillows many times as a colour guide and they always lead me to beautiful new colour scenes. They mix well with teak and old wood as well with my beloved bright colours. Most of them I have had for years and they seem to become even more beautiful :))The motifs often are symbols like for example; Camel = Wealth and Fortune, Dog = Protector of the house, Dove = Peace, Fish = Happiness, Horse = Freedom, Peacock = Divinity, Rose = Love, “S” motif = divinity and wisdom, “Z” motif = Light, Zigzag motif = Water and eternity (source Caroun.com )
There is something about the colours and the patterns that attracts me. It seems to bring back a feeling from a distant past and I can't put my finger on it. I read this story about the language of Kilims and I wanted to share it with you; "Long ago in a Turkish village, a tribal chief happened to see a Kilim which moved him strangely. Looking at it, he sensed the terrible anguish of the person who’d made it. He told his men to find the father of the young girl who’d woven the Kilim (as her sentiments echoed in the Kilim’s motifs). When the father was brought to him, he asked him why he wanted his daughter to marry a man of his choice, when she’d set her heart on another. The father was stunned. How did the chief know all this, he asked? The chief pointed to the Kilim and said, “the Kilim your daughter wove spoke to me about her anguish!” He gave the father a horse and a camel, told him to allow his daughter to marry the man she loved and said, “tell her she wove it well!" (source Copperwiki) Well I must admit that I can't sense the feelings and thoughts of the craftsmen who made my beautiful Kilim pillows and rugs. But I know they were made with a loving eye for detail and colour. Although I look different at them ever since that story hihi :)))

Monday, March 24, 2008

Easter part 2

Yesterday was a lovely day at my mother's home. We ate asparagus and talked for hours with a glass of wine and laughed a lot. I love it to spend time with my family and we are never out of topics to talk about.We were late out of bed this morning and started the day at the yellow decorated breakfast table with ginger tea and an egg. Pork got one too and loved it so much that he still is searching for more eggs across the room.
As I write this post I am nibbling from a chocolate Easter bunny. The sight of those colourful bunnies reminds me of Easter at my parent's house. My mother used to hide Easter eggs that my sister and I would search for. She always forgot some and in April we still could find some forgotten eggs hihiThis morning I got a beautiful surprise as I read the lovely blog by Peggy from Creative Influences. She mentioned me in her blog in such a lovely way that it really moved me. As I wrote yesterday how much I love it to share my thoughts and work with others today I got a great reward from her.
And how beautiful to receive such lovely positive feedback on a day like this. It makes me feel very happy and connected. Connected because I can share my thoughts and creativity on a daily base with people who are going through the same process in life. We are all learning and sometimes struggling. By sharing this process and sharing beauty we can inspire each other. It surely inspires me :)))
So I wish you a wonderful day. And a big hug to those who encourage and inspire me with their beautiful blogs and lovely comments. There is an invisible line that connects all of our souls :) Take care..... X!

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Easter part 1

What a lovely day it is :) The weather forecast predicted rain and even snow, but the sun is shining hihi. On our breakfast table the sunbeams made my Easter decorations look even more sunny and yellow. In a few hours we will visit my mother together with my sister. I don't have a religious background so I spend Easter together with the ones I love, eating a special meal and enjoying each others company. On days like this I always feel how lucky I am to be surrounded by people who love me for who I am. To live in a peaceful country and to be able to freely express my thoughts and feelings. Easter to me is a time to reflect on those things that seem so naturally but in fact are a true gift. It is wonderful to share this with my loved ones.This morning I looked at Flickr and I saw the lovely Easter greetings from people all over the world. It made me smile to consider that although we all have our different ways to celebrate Easter we feel the need to share it with others. That is also the reason I want to share this picture with you because to me it represents my warm mood on this day.
I wish you all a lovely and peaceful Easter. Big hugs and take care :))))))

Friday, March 21, 2008

Flowers; Violets

I am already feeling better today after a few days of shamelessly being spoiled by Toek :) Pork pretended not to feel well also and got treats all day long too. We are trying to stretch it for one more day but I don't think he believes us anymore hihi

Love has many faces, the older I get the more faces I recognize. I recognized it today when Toek came back from the supermarket with these lovely Violets for me and a bag of treats for Pork. Violets always look like old paintings to me with their dark purple colour palette. Like flowers from a distant past still flourishing today with mystical colours and a magic scent :))

I always thought that real love was something big and extra ordinary but I know now that its true appearance lies in the small and simple things. And those who take the effort to see it can feel it's power.I felt it today through Violets from the supermarket and a bag with dog treats :)) I wish you a good weekend with lots of small faces to recognize. Take care :))

Thursday, March 20, 2008

The end of the day

Today I am still a bit feverish and taking it easy with my dog Pork under a blanket on the couch. The colour of the sky tonight was deep red with a bright little moon. It felt like the end of a wonderful warm day but in fact it was raining and cold all day long.I can hear the rain and the wind outside as I cuddle up with Pork and a cup of tea. Some lines by Kahlil Gibran are perfect to read on an evening like this one.
"Life kisses us on both cheeks Day and morn..." these lines often pup up in my head when I awake in the morning (and sometimes the last sentences of the poem too hihi)When I am not feeling well I start to eat much more than usual. It is a strange habit I inherited from my grandmother. A few veggie rolls are perfect and I can feel her approval as I place the plate on my lap :))So far today's post, I will give my attention now to the veggie rolls and go to sleep with a warm filled stomach :) A kiss on both cheeks for you and I wish you a lovely night or day :)

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Shells

Looking at these shells I suddenly remember my childhood yearly vacations to France with my parents and sister. We always went to the Atlantic Ocean and I loved to search for shells on the beach. I could sit on my knees for hours looking at what the sea washed ashore. I carried my finds around in a little bag during the whole holiday. Somehow anxious that the sea maid reclaim her lost treasures. Back in the Netherlands again I often longed for the sea and all the beach discoveries lying in wait for me.

The sea has a calming influence on me and hope to see her again soon, for it has been years since I last searched for sea shells. In the mean time I relax with Zen poems about the sea and I want to share one with you from the book 'Let the Spring Breeze Enter' by Lucien Stryk;

Shell

Nothing, nothing at all
is born,
dies, the shell says again
and again
from the depth of hollowness
its body
swept off by tide -- so what?
It sleeps
in sand, drying in sunlight
bathing
in moonlight. Nothing to do
with sea
or anything else. Over
and over
it vanishes with the wave.

Zen Poetry: Let the Spring Breeze Enter by Lucien Stryk and Takashi Ikemoto
Maybe you live nearby the sea and will search for some treasures today..... good luck. For the rest of us I have found a song which brings back some of my memories of the relaxing sounds of the sea :)))

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Warmth and light

For today's post I want to thank everyone who has sent me light points through their lovely comments and feedback on my blog over the past months. And for the warm comments on yesterday's post. Big hugs for all of you :))
Since I started this blog a few months ago there were a few changes in my life. Making a post and sharing my ideas with you became one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. At the same time I rediscovered my love for daily life photography. Making a daily post just about interior related subjects turned out to be difficult as I want to share so much more; my love for poetry, art and nature. As well as all the things from the heart that keep amazing me.
Therefore I have decided to change the name of my blog from "Interior Inspiration" into "Daily inspiration". I don't think there will change much, but to me it feels like a whole new world of things to share with you just opened :)) It feels good to drop the frame I was working in. And I do hope you will feel free to let me know after a few posts how you feel about the changes :))Yesterday night while I was thinking about the changes I looked at this lamp. It had the wrong kind of light bulb in it and the light was shining towards the lamp instead of towards the room. It suddenly felt like an old reflection of me. I have been like that for quite a while during my life. I was keeping the light and warmth inside anxious to be turned down or to be different from other people.

It made me happy to realize that those times were over and that I am now able to share warmth with other people and to let my own light shine over my thoughts and feelings. Being able to share the beauty of the daily life with you by writing this blog is therefore very rewarding to me :))

So far this post for today, I will try to get some sleep before making the three hour travel home by train. I hope you liked it and that we are able to share much more in the future. For today I wish you lots of light and take care :))