Quirk - my word of the week.

We all have our own quirks and can observe different quirks — everyday.

I raise my left eyebrow, without even thinking about it, when my curiosity is peaked, be it good or bad — the subject of my curiosity that is. I tap my spoon two times into the sink after I have stirred my tea — but only when I'm at work. On weekends, I drink my tea from my giant Starbucks mug I bought in Beijing — I never use that mug during the week. Why do we have these quirks?  Habit? Learned behavior? Is that the reason why we are all unique? I'm not really sure.

Now here is a quirky sign — which is clearly not habit, nor learned behavior,  but perhaps a non committal outlook on things. The sign is in Macy's on 34th Street in New York City.

Autumn

Autumn - my word of the week.

I've never been a fan of autumn, probably my least favorite season, for many reasons. I hear friends tout its praises about the fresh fall air, the changing of the leaves, the hunkering down for what is approaching and the nesting instinct. Me - I love spring.

However, this autumn has passed so quickly, that I barely had time to notice the shorter days, the greyer days & the need to wear a jacket again. Why? Simply because I've been so busy preparing for different jewellery shows, participating in the shows and looking forward to December, when the calm of no shows arrives. And December always has its own frenzied qualities, with the onslaught of Christmas festivities — which I do enjoy.

So dare I say, this autumn is passing quickly, as an unfavored season should.

Finish - say it isn't so Andrew.

Andrew has just assigned my last word of the week assignment. I will be very sorry not to see my word assignment each Monday.

Very appropriate that the last word should be finish. When I first read the word, I thought of kinds of finishes, as in shiny, pewter, brass, matte,  and so on, not that the word of the week assignments are finished. So sad. I really did come to enjoy them, be frustrated by them, be challenged by them and took it for granted that they would just be there, waiting for me on a Monday, in perpetuity. I guess nothing lasts forever.

Yes, I was one of those original seven women that gathered in the Arizona desert in January, to take on this challenge. I still have my piece of paper with my first word challenge passed to me from either Ellen or Doriot, in my journal, I bought special for the "Capturing the Moment" workshop. The word was "clear". I was told to take a photo that captures "clear", since I smugly stated that I was not interested in blogging, but was interested in photography.

I've always been a fan of blue & I loved how Mother Nature,
made this incredible clear blue interpretation,
in stone, in the desert.

I loved the clear blue sky
that greeted us each day in the desert.

How interesting that my first word should be clear, and that my last word would be finish. Blogging and the push to think outside the box creatively has spawned many new ideas for me, and made things clearer if you will. The fact that Andrew chose to finish this assignment on the word finish, ties things up very neatly.

Andrew said that it has been 42 weeks since this project began. So, so much for a matte finish, I think this is a shiny, high gloss finish to a wonderful life course for me. Thank you Andrew.

In front of some of my work November 5, 2011.

My love of colour...

Just cracked my November Style at Home magazine, and saw the following quote by Carleton Varney, one of America's top interior designers, " I honestly believe that if you're a happy person, you have to live with colour." 

Nuff said.

My word of the week catch-up

October 3 - Strength

October 10 - Sanctuary

October 17 - Written

October 24 - Soft

October 31 - Shiver

November 7 - Cherish

Yes, it has been six weeks, since I've dealt with my word of the week challenge from Andrew. I've noted them, thought about them and concluded the following:

My Mom gives me strength.

My home provides me with sanctuary.

I get more pleasure out of keeping a written blog than I would ever have imagined —thank you Andrew and Kate for pushing me initially.

My precious Gretel, is the softest creature I have felt.

The thought of our first snow fall of the season causes me to shiver — thank goodness for cashmere.

And cherish, would describe how I feel about my relationship with my Mom and my feline companions, Gretel and Lily.

There you go, six weeks of homework covered off.

And all very connected.

Strength

Sanctuary

Soft: Lily and Gretel & the armless teddy bear.