New Year Wish

When I first saw this video on the OBOD site....It brought tears to my eyes I think it's poignant, moving and beautiful! If I could have any wish for my blog readers for the coming year....it would be this....

CLICK ON THIS LINK TO VIEW

Eat Well, Sleep Deeply,

for tomorrow comes....

And it's all yours!

And above all else

watch with

glittering eyes

the whole world

around you,

because

the greatest

secrets

are always hidden

in the most

unlikely places

Those who don't

believe in

magic

will never find it.

Amusing Myself

It's been one of those days...you know the ones...where it's too cold and too wet to do anything but get to grips with the housework that's long forgotten and keep yourself amused.
Tony took me through to Darlington last night where we joined others in a small drumming circle....and we really 'rocked'. There was a poster on the door from a band wanting a drummer...I don't think that Djembes were exactly what they were after, but think they could have done far worse! lol.

Today, I've played The Dolmen and one song in particular never ceases to amuse me and bring a smile to my face. I think I have to do this as my next piece of calligraphy...here are the lyrics...

DARKSKIES by The Dolmen

Dark skies call my name
Not as a stranger but as a friend
Dark skies call and wait
No sign of impatience butNo time to waste

Dark skies rain upon my face
As we dance within the stones
A moor land wind gathers like a ghost
To an audience of mystic fairy folk

Rich green moss blankets the sacred ground
Cushions made of nature beneath our hands
A passing rook winks a knowing eye
As we listen to the world and all its cries.

Dark sky hold us tight
Wrapped all around the woven silk of night
As we journey were guided by the song
Mystic fairy folk help us sing along

Dark skies rain upon my face
As we dance within the stones
A moor land wind gathers like a ghost
To an audience of mystic fairy folk

If you want to hear the lyrics sung, click HERE
and listen to the YouTube video,
the song is about 1/3 of the way through.
The song is from the Album Dolmen Folk
available from here.
I think we've seen them twice this year at the Mercian Gathering and again at Witchfest. If you like Folk Rock and want to really feel your age with this lively band, please go and see them!

Creative Bookbinding

The following post is for anyone and everyone interested in making their own books but is at a loss tho where to start... in particular Alison from Woolgathering While I Sew .formally known as Foxgloves In The Breeze. (Hi Alison!)

I’ve lost count of the number of books I have, both calligraphy and Creative bookbinding. This book: Cover to Cover Creative Techniques for Making Beautiful Books, Journals and Albums, was one of the first ‘Creative’ Bookbinding books I ever bought and it’s been well used over the years.
Shereen did write another book,
The Art and Craft of Handmade Books
But there were many mistakes in it and she was so furious with the publishers that she wrote a huge amount of corrections on her web page. She was taking issue with the publishers, but sadly died from Cancer in September 2003 before the matter was resolved.

Another good book is Creating Handmade Books by Alisa Golden and she also wrote Unique Handmade Books.

All 3 books are good for either beginner or improver and focus on the more Creative and contemporary side of bookbinding rather than traditional.

Still doing it to death....

Well, not run out of ideas yet...still doing it to death! lol.

How comforting!

I managed to catch my mum on Instant Messenger last night and was telling her about this guy blog (The blog being 15 minute lunch) and how funny it was. She replied ‘Is it anyone we know?’. Well, I don’t know him and I think he comes from the States I replied. Now I must tell you at this point my mum has only recently got herself a computer and is practically self taught. She was a red head in her coloured hair stage, so you can imagine there has been much frustration at wanting to run before she walks when learning new things…AHEM. So although she knows I have ablog, I doubt very much that she reads it too often and I’m sure her eldest daughters life is too mundane really to be of any interest. Anyway, I really thought that she would laugh at this blog and especially the entry Strap in, shut up and hold on. We're going back. …. But she didn’t….she gently reminded me that this was the year I left school and home so I must have remembered clothes like that…..Errrrm… yes probably remembered them but didn’t ACTUALLY wear them….well I don’t think….OK OK I admit to wanting one of those tartan unisex shirts, but it’s only because I was into the Bay City Rollers….GULP! Did I really say that? And I’m sorry mum but I NEVER saw dad wearing a peppermint green trouser suit or and orange jump suit come to that… and if we want to talk about embarrassing clothes and the wearing of…. Didn’t you have a ‘shell suit’? I NEVER had one of those. Mind you, Mrs. eternal hippy here has never been the height of fashion so I expect that explains it. Lol.

and for anyone who doesn't know what a 'Shell Suit' looks like...Are you ready for this...it was neither made of shells, nor was it smart enough to wear as a suit. The rustled when you walked and the white ones were see through! They so and so's for static electricity and highly flamible! Don't all rush at once!

What a laugh!

Last week I made the executive decision to treat myself to a self inflating camping mat, while they were on special offer. Over the last year I’ve increasingly suffered with bad hips when sleeping on a conventional air bed. There’s also the added pain in the neck of pumping the darn things up and having to lug around the large pump.
I wasn’t expecting delivery so soon but the delivery company tried to deliver on Friday while I was at work. The result of this is that today I’ve had to take the day off as failure to deliver a second time would have resulted in it been returned to sender.
Well, it’s finally arrived and is inflating as we speak.
Because of this I’ve had time to catch up on a few blogs and look over a few more…..because of this I just couldn’t help sharing this with you 15 minute Lunch ….what a laugh. Makes me wonder what I’ve got lurking in my attic!

Also on the same blog is Advice for Batman, avoid camping with catwoman! Also worth a read!

Love and bright blessings,

The Purple Pixie...STILL LAUGHING!

Laying on my back....screaming and kicking!

Please note: This posting is in no way directed at anyone who is fascinated or indeed likes the wonders of modern science and technology…. It’s just a rant for one person who isn’t and doesn’t want to play the game!

Is it me?
Am I going mad?
(Some would say I already am….in the nicest way I’m sure! Lol)
Whats the world coming to?
Are we part of some great conspiracy?
Do we have any ‘free will’?
Is there no escape?

What with iPods, iTunes, iPhones, You-Tubes, faster downloads, Didgital, Wireless, cordless……faster, bigger, stronger, more memory, And a whole website dedicated to them! , This on Amazon! ARRRGGGHHH! The faster things go, the more I want to run away to the hills and get back to the simple life!
I get scared when I think of the speed that technology is advancing and propelling itself at great speed. The further advanced we get the more distant getting back to our ‘old ways’ of life becomes. I live in fear of the waste of human resources, of over taxing the planet we live on, of wars and global warming….the technology of the future seems to be at the opposite ends of the scale to caring about our planet for future generations. Our local council is hell bent on re-cycling, but I don’t think for one minute they are doing it for the planet. The literature talks about waste and energy saving and dresses it up with environmental issues to make us feel good that we are doing something to help….then refuses to recycle cardboard, even though we can take it to the tip ourselves which is a car journey away…hmmmm….fuel? Carbon Emissions, footprints? So they will collect the waste that = money, and they will get paid for that waste, but bet your bottom dollar that they will put the council tax up next year to pay for the collecting. And those who REALLY care will have to use their cars anyway to visit the recycle station, so may as well recycle the whole lot in one journey!
The councils here in the UK are committed to building an enormous amount of housing over the next 20 years. We have an acute housing shortage in the UK, but building more will not help, as prices are out of the reach of most young couples today. They are looking at prefabricated housing, something that was common in the 1940’s as a cure for the housing shortage. So by going forward it seems we may be going backward!

I really wonder sometimes where this will all end.
It seems the more gadgets and new technology comes on to the market, the less time we have to do the more ‘real’ things in life….like taking a walk in nature, appreciating the beauty that surrounds us on a daily basis, taking time with our children to teach them about the things in life that are free…..not only free in monetary terms, but free-ing in spirit.
I feel that whether we like it or not, we are not free spirits, but are forced to conform to the trappings of modern gadgetry and technology. It wasn’t so long ago that CD’s were invented, and if you still wanted to listen to your favourite music, like it or not, you have been forced to buy a CD player, because vinyl records became obsolete. Now we are forced to but Digital TV’s because all TV programmes are going to be transmitted this way and the big switchover is imminent. Before long, we will all have to have iPods or iPhones as the only music you will be able to get your hands on will be downloaded.
Arrrggghhh…..
In a nut shell technology is here to stay. We are part of a system and we can’t get out of it! Anyone running to the hills with me? My bell tents big enough for 8! Pick up your drums and lets all ruuunnnn awwwwaaayyyyy!!!!

One thing is for sure……
The best things in life are free!
And NO-ONE can take that away!

Your thoughts please in the way of a comment.

and one last thing....if you've read this far you may like to take a look at this site

Love, light and bright blessings,
The Purple Pixie