Summertime... 

... and the living is eeeeaaasy...

Dear readers, a HUGE thank you for all your lovely comments 

on my previous post. As I am currently away from home,

with only limited time at the computer, I am - still - rather

 invisible on your blogs, but very grateful and humble that

you still take the time to stop by mine.

These photos are from last week's "heat wave" in the UK,

when even the most frozen of souls must 

have been humming a merry tune...

The inviting sound of flip-flops

echoing down the street, T-shirt-less torsos

 flexing their wintery paleness...

(perhaps not as inviting a vision...)

Time for some Swedish cinnamon rolls in the sun!

I simply cannot get enough of pansies and violets this year! 

Charity shop bargain cup and tea pot seem to enjoy hosting these sweet little purple ladies.

 

Some readers might wonder if I live in some sort of over-styled universe all the time,
as more and more of my blog posts seem to show what may appear to some a very staged setting.
The answer is no, of course not.
Nor do I spend all my waking hours creating little still lifes
and arranging pansies to look their cutest.

However, as my work is freelance and I am fortunate enough to work a lot from home,
I can use my lunch break to potter about in the garden,
unleashing my creativity for a moment,
while my brain is processing whatever work task is on the agenda.

I am no painter, nor can I draw very well.
Many are the art forms that I do not master, not even a little, not at all.
However, I do believe we all have some artistic veins inside us that are begging to be nurtured,
and I really believe that in order to stay healthy, we need to explore that creativity,
find whatever artistic expression that carries our voice,
and allow for some playful experimenting.

With so many people living in poverty around the world
and with natural disasters and illness forcing them to focus all their attention on survival,
it may sound a little arrogant to talk about
"the need to explore our artistic voices to stay healthy".
The basic needs of survival are of course an obvious priority,
but if we are lucky enough to live in a safe place,
we may allow ourselves to explore our creativity,
to create beauty around us,
in whatever shape we see it.

For me, right now,
playing around with colours and materials,
flowers and small creative projects,
is both inspiring and therapeutic,
calming and energizing.

To me, decorating is a moment's meditation...

At the end of this very long blog post, 

my warmest regards to you all!

Helena

(Home-made cake stand from earlier this year. 

Twigs tied with jute string around a tall glass vase, 

to serve as a nature-inspired pot for an ivy (on the table).)