AJC 2011 - Itinerary 42 - Find

AJC2011 Itinerary 42 – Find Downstairs in the library, a lot of thumping and ‘be careful Sophie!’s’ was heard echoing up the stairwell. Coffee cup in hand (I have learned never to venture forth down there without that helpful Bean), I found that Sophie and Kevin had managed to drag out an old trunk full of books and forgotten treasures. When I asked what was going on, they replied that they had heard me muttering the other day that I had ‘lost my creativity and inspiration’ and being the helpful creatures that they are, endeavoured to help me find it. Sophie had even put on her special ‘finderskeepers’ specs (though she thinks they are a bit ugly) to help in the search and Kevin had unearthed a cricket (luckily it was metal and therefore not edible!) And as for helping me find the missing juju, they did! Credits and Kits: Lori Davison: The PoetsKeepsakes -oldbooks1.png - openheart1.png - bug1.png Mzimm: CU Vintage Books Trunk photo: mine

· Date: 10/26/2011

AJC 2011- Itinerary 41 - Conquering FEAR

Una vida con miedo es como la vida medias." "A life lived in fear is a life half-lived." spoken by Fran, Strictly Ballroom (1992) * The Gate is pushed open by the Hand of Fate as the Spanish part of the quote slowly disintegrates: Fear is conquered. * The quote comes from One of My All Time favourite Movies, ‘Strictly Ballroom’ and is spoken by the Spanish Gypsy Grandma to Fran (our heroine) who in turn repeats it to Scott (our hero). The plot revolves around the try-outs for the Pan Pacific Grand Prix Ballroom Championship and of course conquering fears, large (will I Iose all I have been working for if I follow my heart?) to small (will my face ever clear up?) (If you have haven’t seen it and you like Ballroom Dancing, give this quirky, charming Australian film a try. 1992 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dtfxf3FFx4) * Credits and Kits: Fran and Scott: Strictly Ballroom DVD cover: my photo and altered: Strictly Ballroom was produced by Baz Luhrman (who went on to do Moulin Rouge) and is a M&A Production. Gate photo: my own and altered. * From Tangie’s GrabBag 4 (thank YOU!) Sparkly bits: tangie_luminescence 1\tangie_luminescence_lighting3.png Clouds: tangie_luminescence 1\tangie_luminescence_clouds.png Background Paper: tangie_luminescence2\tangie_luminescence_paper6 Red Curtain with swirly floor: tangie_AlteredArtSmartStarts9 * From Tangie’s Parcel 41 Hand of Fate: Tangie’s AJC11 Parcel 41 _layer6 Font used on Spanish Quote: Smudgers Font on Hand of Fate: Time Roman Fonts swirled using the Serif Craft Artist text palette tool

· Date: 10/9/2011

AJC 2011- Itinerary 40 – DEPEND

‘In May 2006, I had to DEPEND, upon the Chivalry of Two Knightly Friends!’ The following is a True Story (or as Mr Bear would say, ‘could Only Happen to Lady North.’) In May 2006, I twisted my ankle very badly in Rosslyn Scotland and could hardly walk. This made getting around on the last leg (pun) of my UK Journey a tad difficult. I was staying at the home of a couple (both MDs) in Leamington Spa (red star on map) and was told very bluntly ‘not to put any weight on it’. Sure and I had a long train journey ahead of me to get to Heathrow (airplane stamp on map) to fly home. Stephen, (The First Knight), had wanted to have a meal with me before I left and when he phoned to make arrangements, I told him about the foot and he then Volunteered (bless him forevermore) to Drive Up To Warwickshire From London (a 2 hour journey!) pick me up, bag and baggage, drive south, have lunch on the way, and then drive me to Graeme’s home (The Second Knight) which was located on the outskirts of London, who in turn would then see me safely to Heathrow. Now if these two gentlemen were friends of long standing years, it would not be the story it is. In actual fact, these two Knights came to my rescue on the strength of only a few emails that had previously passed between us and only a single meeting each! A phone call was all it took for everything to fall into place. Since then, I have tried to ‘pay it forward’ and recently have been able to honour that commitment by hosting the delightful Ramona as she finds her way Home. Blessings to all who read this from a very Thankful Lady North! Credit and Kits: Background paper and Knights: Medieval Faire Kit – TangieDecrow Scroll Frame: Tangie’s AJC11 Parcel 40: tangie_gessomat1_3border.png UK Map: Web Images Font: Black Chancery

· Date: 10/6/2011

AJC 2011- Itinerary 39 – COUNT

* Sonnet 43 – by Elizabeth Barrett Browning How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of Being and ideal Grace. I love thee to the level of every day's Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight. I love thee freely, as men strive for Right; I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise. I love with a passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints, I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life! and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. From Sonnets from the Portuguese * Why did I choose 3560 as the photo frame? These numbers have a very special meaning for us, as this coming year, 2012, will see us not only commemorate 35 years of marriage, but we will also be turning that very Magical Age, 60! (We have already started to receive the Senior’s discount at a local restaurant, much to my husband’s disgust..lol) As for the sonnet: it was read at our 25th Anniversary and will be read again at our 35th. * Credits and Kits: Background paper: Tangie’s FieldNotes: Fall Paper 12 Number groupings: Tangie’s AJC11 Parcel 39: Count Font: mine Photo of LadyNorth and Mr Bear being mushy: taken by our good friend Felicity

· Date: 9/26/2011

AJC 2011- Itinerary 38 – HANDwrite

I love ancient handwriting! – especially Da Vinci’s mysterious ‘mirror writing’. There are a few theories out there as to why he wrote that way, but I like the simple one the best: he was left handed and if he wrote in the regular way (left to right) the ink would smear! Leave it to a south paw to find a neat solution. * As to the parchment found on the page: a few coffee fueled excitable scholars have concluded that it appears to be a missing page from Da Vinci’s Diary, though currently they are still not sure who ‘Sophie and Kevin’ are nor where this supposed second portrait of the ‘Mona Lisa with Camel and Kiwi’ currently hangs. * Translated Excerpt from Da Vinci’s Diary - .."Sophie and Kevin dined with me last Saturday night and truly what a delightful pair! Kevin entertained me with his favourite song, “Catch a Falling Star’ in Italian while Sophie practiced her Latin phrasing, (not too bad for a camel, as the hard ‘c’ is difficult for her to pronounce!) She had brought along a signed copy of her Book of Wisdom as gift to me and I in turn, had shown them what I was currently working on in my studio. I was just finishing up a second copy of the Mona Lisa that a Duke had ordered for his palazzo, and just as I was about to take it off the easel, Sophie in her short sighted eagerness, ventured too close to view it and not knowing the oils were still wet, left a splotchy nose-print on the right side of Mona’s shoulder! Poor Sophie! She was absolutely mortified thinking that she had ruined a masterpiece and poor Kevin, agitatedly flew around the studio, trying to find turpentine and a rag. Laughing heartedly and assuring them that it was NOT ruined and could be easily fixed, I quickly took my brushes and oils and began to restore it to its original condition. Mama mia! La Musa Struck! What better way to thank them for making an old man smile, than to immortalize this time traveling pair? I can only wonder what future art historians will make of my ‘Mona Lisa with Camel and Kiwi’? " Leonardo * Credit and Kits: Background: Vitruvian Man by L. Da Vinci – common licence Mona Lisa with Camel and Kiwi by L Da Vinci: Private collection used with Sophie and Kevin’s permission Diary page,and feather: Tangie and McMeen’s AJC11 Parcel 38: Handwrite Font: P22 – Da Vinci : MyFont P.S. as a nod to the famous southpaw, note which hand holds the quill (g)

· Date: 9/26/2011