11.28.06
Sound of Music
Two angels playing cello in the living room. Emilie and one of her friends from the music school rehearsing a duet -a piece by Breval – and a lot of Christmas carols for two voices…this last Sunday in November.
11.26.06
Sunday morning
The only event I think I’ll really miss while in Vilnius is the annual Christmas bazaar at Emilie´s School which always takes place the 1. weekend of Advent. It’s one or two days “open house” with pupils´ performing, acting, playing music in ensembles and in the school orchestra, you have the parents´stalls where you can buy homemade toys, in wood and fabric, woollen angels, Christmas decorations, cribs, ecological jam, preserved vegetables and fruits, cookies – you name it. And finally you can take a break at one of the cafés and have tea, coffee, waffles, scones, salads, sandwiches, soup or whatever you fancy.
I use to put my shoulder to the wheel by making willows into baskets or by sewing hearts and big Xmas socks – but this year I’m only involved in baking a few breads for the café as I’ve been (still am) too busy withmy exhibition…
11.25.06
One week from now…
Here you are: a pile of collages for Vilnius. I’m working like a dog to get everything fixed and finished on time. Next Saturday I’ll be in the air by now!
There is always lot of things to take in consideration when leaving home: especially arrangements for kids and cats…
This time I also have to prepare some teaching plans for my substitute at school…
11.22.06
Let me introduce…
Here you are: Grete, Inger, Lis and Else, the majority of X-piir, my Artists´ Books group, at a recent meeting. The missing member, Bryndis, lives in Akureyri on Iceland – obviously the reason for her not being present at this rendezvous.
This time we met at Else’s place, her new house, or should I call it residence? A big, comfortable and modern house near Horsens; must be wonderful to have so much space around you! And not to mention: the studio, the room where we were having tea… wish it was mine!
When we meet, we always take turns: what´s up at the moment. So of course we also discussed my collages. I got some qualified feedback and good ideas for how to expose them – but what made me most happy was the decision that 3 of the gals, Inger, Else and Grete, have decided to join me to Vilnius! Hey, it’s going to be a great trip! I´ll have time to put up my collages, we´ll all attend the opening of both the Artists´Books exhibition, the collage exhibition and my solo exhibition witch all take place on the 5. December – and of course we’ll also find time to explore Vilnius and to enjoy life and the good company.
11.17.06
12 days of X-mas
Although I absolutely dislike when the shops start to put up their Christmas decorations and stuff while we’re only in the middle of autumn, I must admit: December is coming closer and so are all my own doings and preparations for Christmas. (Please, don´t misunderstand my statement. I actually love December and Christmas – only not in October…)
Anyway, the first step of no return is taken and here is the result: A basket full of gifts ready to get in the sleigh for a “12-Days-of Xmas-swap” set up on initiative of Lelainia, a Canadian mixed-media-colleague.
She has organized a bunch of mixed-media-fanatics in groups of 12.or 13. Each person makes 12 more or less identical gifts and sends it to the other participants. The idea is that every person ends up with a pile of 12 gifts – to be unpacked, one a day, for the last 12 days before Christmas! My task was to do the gifts for group 2, day # 8. And as you see I managed to make it and mail it before deadline. It’s a bit early you might think, but we agreed to send it now, so no parcels will be stuck at some busy foreign mail office.
Right now my parcels are on their way to USA, Canada, New Zealand Australia and Norway and the first two parcels for me have arrived here in Malling. They look so very tempting but I’ll try to behave myself and not sneak peek. And sorry, but you have to stay curious too about what’s in my gifts. I can’t reveal the content here as some of the receivers might watch…
11.14.06
A shot of new energy
Look what I got today! My friend and colleague, Wendy, sent me this wonderful surprise box all the way from New Zealand…
Ok, I sent her a couple of ATC´s some time ago – but I never expected this much in return: all different sorts of tags, accordion tags, faux postage templates, stamps, mesh, rub-on-letters and other elements, you name it, for collage- and scrapbook making. Wendy also sent a small collection of her ATC’s – and the most wonderful little “book” about the love of needlecraft – made for me. We certainly share a deep passion for handmade needlework, vintage fabric, ATCs, journaling and stuff like that!
Actually, I came home from school today with a splitting headache, took a pill what I do more than rarely, found the box in my mail – and after unwrapping I’d realized I’d forgotten everything about my head. Can’t tell what really cured the headache, but I prefer to believe it was universal love – canalized via this gift. A wonderful, interesting and overwhelming bunch of new materials and inspiration – on an ordinary, plain, grey Tuesday!
11.11.06
A four-generations-walk in Grandma´s forest
My grandfather, my father, my daughters and I went for a walk in the beautiful Risskov today. I´ve known this forest all my live – because my grandparents always have been living next to it.
In my mind Risskov - is actually ”Grandma’s forest“. The same way I see Den Permanente - the public seabaths - as “Grandma´s Baths”.
It’s a fantastic area where sea and forest meet: situated next to the city, next to the harbour – and next to the house of my grandparents…
11.07.06
Carpe Diem
What I’ve been doing these last days? Well, saying goodbye it seems. My beloved grandmother passed away last Sunday at the noble age of 93.
My grandma was an old lady – physically she wasn’t well in her last years and she definitely didn’t hear well – but her mind was clear and bright till the very end. Her death was neither unexpected or a deep unfairness – but still – to say goodbye for good – is an action filled with both sadness and melancholy. A chapter in the family record and in your own life-story is closed forever!
My grandma represents a lot of good memories – especially from my childhood and early youth and in my mind she’s not totally gone: I like to think that she’s watching over us from somewhere above. However, her passing away reminds me, we’ll all be gone one day: so let’s use the time we are here the best we can and give away so much love and energy as possible, for life is a wonder above wonders. Carpe Diem!
11.03.06
Friday in the Light of Madonna
Made a bunch of Madonna-collages for Gallery Art Expo yesterday and I’m very satisfied with the result. I love this particular Madonna image and have used it several times before; I like to think of her as a sort of alter ego – a better, lighter, more beautiful and loving aspect of me. The Madonna image reminds me: we always have a choice in our lives; a possibility to take the stronger way. A quite comforting ideá, when you have done something less than your best so to speak, you can change your mind and decide to walk in another direction.
The exhibition opens today with wine, jazz music and a lot of invited guests and goes from this weekend to the end of December. I’m going to spend a couple of hours today, curious to meet: 200 artists – professional and amateurs – exhibiting 2000 pieces of work.
Please, come and have a look if you live here nearby…
