inspired = gilded pumkins

happy friday, everyone
i've found a gorgeous decoration inspiration to share

i'm always looking out for inventive ways to decorate
and found this great idea on martha stewart online
the americans seem to go in for pumpkins and squash decoration in a big way
especially for halloween and thanksgiving
but i'd like to try gilded pumpkins as my decoration of choice for christmas
do you think it'll work?

i'll update you with my version in december

appreciate = catrin welz-stein

this picture epitomises how i feel most of the time 
summer dreaming by catrin welz-stein
it is a stunning and beautiful idea
as well as being executed with enviable subtlety and precision

my weekend = newtown

i was back at newtown, again
it doesn't have the bittersweet feeling of a few months ago, luckily
where i needed it as a relief 
now it is pure pleasure even when it's drab and damp with a biting wind

found = shawn lovell metalworks

some people say that we should nuture our inner child

i would say i do that more than most

nevertheless
this bed took my breath away
it just sings 'sweet dreams'
this is a bed which was made for fairy tale reading
it's made by shawn lovell
quite frankly, justing watch the short video of her working is relaxing
by keeping the rest of the room simple,
i think even an adult nature lover (who, me?)would get away with it

or if it's too much, for the not so young at heart
this would definietly beautify a garden

made = clay mobile

continuing my fling with clay, i've made a mobile

mobiles are meant to be innocent and childish
so i kept mine simple and naive in keeping with that feeling

this was fiddly task
threading the hand made bead stars onto the wire, painting each one...
i could go on but i won't bore you
nevertheless, i think it was worth it

appreciate = john william waterhouse

everyone has phases in their taste is art, don't they?
i certainly do

when i was in my late teens i adored the pre-raphaelite artists
more than adored, actually
it was almost as if no other artists could compare
at the time, i loved ALL the paintings, bought prints, collected books on the subject, visited galleries...
you get the idea
thankfully, my artistic appreciation has widened since then
however,
i still admire the mastery of my favourite pre-raphaelites: burne-jones, ingres, millais and waterhouse
coming across a waterhouse that i don't remember clearly, reminded me of those days of devotion
i wasn't into bands or pop culture to any great extent
i had a misplaced rather than misspent youth
never really feeling at home with my peers who loved bros, wham and madonna
ophelia, hylas and the lady of shallot were my idols
this picture by waterhouse circe invidiosa (circe poisoning the sea) stands out for me
my liking for this picture is, i think, as superficial as enjoying the intensity of the colours
vibrant yet dark

i don't see malevolence in the pose of the character but perhaps the lack of it has more menance

what's your take?

my weekend = wild woods

this photo would have been made perfect by a tiny red riding hood skipping at the end of the path
even without her this photo conveys the dangerous beauty of the woods
the brothers grimm would have approved, i'm sure
mill copse, yarmouth