~ Can’t. Stop. Smiling ~
You see that blonde English woman over there? The one with the smile on her face and fluttering love hearts around her head, the one who can barely contain her excitement and gratitude? well, that's me that is. I'm so blown away by the incredible support this course has already had – from people signing up, to emails of encouragement, to fabulous write-ups online. Thank you so much! I can feel the energy of you all mixing with mine, and it's thrilling to see. This is the sort of course where what you put into it is what you'll get out of it, and i can already tell that it's going to be hugely dynamic as so many of the participants (Unravellers ? :) have already been in touch to tell me how ready they are for this sort of work. It's going to be (and I don't often use this word)… awesome!
There's still plenty of time to sign up if you're feeling up for a creative challenge and some soul work – please do email me if you have any questions or concerns and we can work it out: susannah [at] unravelling.co.uk
~ Field of dreams ~
The film was a couple of hours of uber fromage, starring Kevin Costner – who, quite frankly, was never my favourite actor – but the message of Field of Dreams has always stuck with me, and many others too: if you build it, they will come. For the last couple of weeks that is exactly what I've been doing, building a website and blog to house my dream…
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Unravelling: Ways of Seeing My Self – the e-course!
The course starts on Monday 16th February and will run for eight weeks, and I have to say I truly believe in this course and am really excited to share it with the world. For me this will also be another exercise in visibility, as I'll be posting weekly video posts to the course blog, so if nothing else, you'll get to see me in my natural habitat! As anyone who knows me will tell you, this is not something I would normally feel comfortable doing, but in the spirit of the course it feels like the right thing to do – as the course participants* unravel themselves, so will I. We're doing this together… Who wants to join me?
* The first 10 people who sign up for the course will receive a special 5×5 polaroid print from my Etsy store, as a thank you for joining me in my field of dreams :)
~ English design ~
Four fabulous English artists/designers: 1. Print by Olivia Jeffries 2. Fabric-covered notebooks by Summersville 3. Bespoke printed furniture by Zoe Murphy 4. Chick earrings by Joanna Rutter
Thank you so much for all your lovely comments about my *cough* nakedness. I guess I was quite a foxy chick back then, though one who was desperately insecure of herself and disguised that with a facade of mouthy confidence. I've lost touch with my foxiness a bit these last few years, though it's coming back, I swear it is. I saw a glimpse of it just the other day :)
Fingers crossed, I have something great to share with you tomorrow…
~ Life in squares ~
Two lovely things today: first, I'm very honoured to be a guest blogger over at Shutter Sisters, a photography site i simply adore. Thank you to Tracey and Karen for letting me loose on the page!
And secondly, I'm falling in love with Ane Brun this morning, a singer/songwriter from Norway. This beautiful song is working its magic in my heart.
~ The answers, part two ~
Sas asked: can you post your favourite photo of yourself?
You remember how I said that visible was my word for 2009? Well, how's this for visible?! The photo above was taken in 1992 when I was 19. The photographer (Dave something-or-other, I'm afraid I can't remember his surname) was a friend of mine at art college, and it was a time when I'd happily pose for anyone with a loaded camera and some artistic ideas. Obviously, this much visibility is not going to be happening these days, but I don't mind sharing this photograph as it doesn't really feel like it's me. I like it because i think it's a beautiful image; that I'm part of it is a happy bonus.
Another photo I like is the one below, taken by another college chum whose name I do remember because he sold this image to a publishing house. It was taken in 93 or 94 and back then we didn't use Photoshop (I didn't even know the internet existed) so I'm standing behind a sheet of tracing paper. It's another picture where my face is obscured, another where I'm very young. I have no recent pictures that I can say are my favourites. Hmmm.
Ange asked: what is your favorite flavor?
If you’d observed my eating habits of the last seven days you could argue it was chocolate, but I don’t usually have such a sweet tooth. I love savoury tastes best: the crispy skin of a baked potato, the richness of French onion soup, vinegar and salt on a plate of fish & chips, risotto with asparagus, peas and lots of fresh parmesan.
[portrait by Spiros Politis]
Pippa said: here is [a question] someone asked me recently: What is your ONE thought?
For the last 12 months my one thought has been I don't have enough money. This thought dogs me from morning to night, keeping me in a constant state of simmering panic. This year I'm making a concerted effort to change my thinking, by noticing these constant thoughts and changing their focus. I really do believe that our thoughts create our reality, so I'm working on making my reality one I want to hang out in.
Misty asked: what is your favorite kind of day? How does it start/end?
My favourite days are very simple, with just the right mix of me-time and other people. I get up when I wake up – usually with the sunrise – and eat breakfast and drink tea with emails and a quick scan of Bloglines. Bathing and dressing is a flurry of perfume, lipstick and scented lotions. With no deadlines or pressing things to do, I’d meet a friend or my sister for lunch and afterwards have a look round the shops – on this perfect day I’d splash out on Polaroid film, a new dress and some flowers or something vintage for my home. If I wasn’t in Bath I’d want to go to the beach with my cameras and stop for coffee somewhere cosy; markets and carboot sales are another favourite place to explore. I’d make dinner at home and read or chill out with a DVD if I wasn’t cooking dinner for a friend. I really enjoy my own company and am never bored. However, I look forward to future favourite days starting and ending in bed with someone I love.
~ The answers, part one ~
Furious Ball asked: what's the fastest land animal on earth?
My first guess would be a cheetah? Let me Google it… phew, I was right.
Chris asked: was it challenging to switch careers, from writing to photography?
Not really. I think if I’d moved from one to the other in the normal way it might have been more of a rocky transition, but because I’d had over a year where I didn’t work – my first year of grieving – by the time i came to photography and knew it was the path I wanted to take, I was ready for the challenge. Letting go of my journalism career was very easy and organic as my heart had never been fully committed to it. My writing continues, though, and there’s so much I want to do with it this year and beyond.
Jeanine asked: do you like coconut?
Yes I do. I’m quite partial to a Bounty bar now and then, use coconut milk in cooking and love Heidi Klein’s Beach Candles, scented with coconut, vanilla and jasmine – the fragrance is heavenly and reminds me of teenage summers doused in coconut-scented suntan oil.
Dandelion asked: if you could be a bird for just one day, where would you fly to?
If I was a normal bird I would spend all day flying as high as I could, darting through clouds, enjoying the view from so high up, watching the day go by in Bath. However, if I was a magical bird with ocean-crossing stamina I’d fly to San Francisco in a heartbeat. I feel so called to that city.
Christine asked: how'd you get so foxy?
I would estimate my foxiness to be 90% innate charm and 10% trying to emulate YOU, Ms Swirly. You remember our stay in London when we ate oysters in Nobu and were looking like twins in our co-ordinated outfits? You were, and will always be, my hero :)
Sarah asked: what is your best childhood memory?
The first one that comes to mind is me sitting on the floor of my bedroom, turning the pages of a book that had drawings and words in it – a simple story book – and looking at the words and suddenly realising that I understood what they said. I remember that feeling of amazement so clearly, like a new world had just been revealed to me and all of my insides were filled with light. As such an obsessive bookworm, I really treasure that memory.
More tomorrow!
~ Friday favourites ~
Thank you so much for all your questions – i'm looking forward to sitting down to tackle the answers. This week feels like it has passed so quickly while dragging its feet at the same time – how is that possible? Either way, I'm happy to see the back of it. There is sunshine outside, and a bracing wind, yet i am here at this computer trying to balance procrastination with productivity, always such a challenge. I've got some good things to announce next week, so in the meantime, here's some Flickr magic that's caught my eye in the last few days….
The bold light; the vintage treasures; inspiring threads; a photo i want on my wall; two beautiful babes.
~ Polaroid lovers unite ~
Our Favorite Things project got a lovely mention over at Decor8 today ~ thanks Holly!
~ Help needed today ~
Feeling blue today.
This pony is cheering me a bit, though – i love her ears.
I wish the weather would improve.
It's that mid-point between new year and birthday/anniversaries when my mood takes a dip.
I think winter has had enough air time
and should just bugger off now.
We get the point – death, renewal, the fallow months -
it's time for spring to make her way in through my window,
bringing the smiles in her pocket.
So, before I eat my body-weight in chocolate
i wanted to ask:
do you have any links to share with me
today?
1. Tell me your four favourite blogs
2. the last good book you read
3. the last film you enjoyed
4. and some music i should check out.
5. And is there anything you'd
like to ask me?
I fancy doing a Q&A this week
to take my mind off the many
many bars of chocolate I would like to eat.
Thanks :)
A lovely song, five times:
