First Step

In one week time, i'll turn 40. Wow! So much and so little! I'm gathering a diaporama with photos of family,friends and as i look back i can't prevent from thinking Wow i was so skinny at that time and i saw myself as fat or ugly or lacking confidence. How come! My mom (she's psychotherapist) is going to be happy as though sometimes there's old reminescence of that old feeling they are rare nowadays and rapidly overcome. I can say today that YES I LOVE MYSELF. It's been a long road, very fulfilling and hope the best is yet to come! I lost some friends along the road, others come along, the door is always open. more to come this week... HAVE FUN...enjoy create

HOLYDAYS...

Just arrived from Caracas.4h delay completely exausted. Going to sleep...at last Tomorrow sea , a lot of sun and i will feel new again HAVE FUN...

Happy Day...

I wake up this morning full of energy and feeling very creative. The collaborative project "artfest 09 sisterhood" is on...Let's do it!!! I was telling one of my friends one of the things i like the most about art friends is the energy, the empathy...no criticicism, no gossip everything is cool easy. We love to gather, have fun, share, laugh a lot...no matter the distance. I'm very impatient now to receive one of yours books.Who's first? What will be the theme? One of my dearest friend, who is 84 years old and is a painter once told me that the best gift one can have is to create.I was skeptic but now sees how right she is. When her husband died after 55 years of marriage what sustain her was her creativity, she keeps remind me that; don't you ever forget to create! I spent the day with my mother, who's a very creative lady too and is very excited...about preparing my 40th birthday. She cooks like "a chef" and has made numerous menu list...It was supposed to be a surprise but i understood that something was happening between her and my husband!!!!!!!! still it 's going to be FUN 40 wow!!! it comes fast doesn't it? HAVE FUN...and CREATE

a three dog life

It's one in the morning, I can't sleep, I bought this book "a three dog life" by Abigail Thomas and it made me think...

The story is about her husband that  was hit by a car and suffered severe brain damaged...He had no memory of what he did the day and the year before and how she struggles with her new life.

 Powerful book. 

My husband was ill too a few years back and I remember exactly what I was doing and where I was. I remember mostly the panic and the fear; being completely powerless. She says several times that after all those years after her husband accident, she still doesn't accept it.  

How can we accept the inacceptable? How do we find the strength to move on? She says that she discovers a new passion for the outsider art, she just keep moving day after day. I know that if my husband doesn't for a reason answer the phone quickly I imagine the worst. I don't take LIFE for granted anymore...but there are always new dramas ahead to be resolve. For instance, my husband's children come within 3 days, my position will always be a difficult one. Thank's God they have a mother and a father who happens, not to be me unfortunately. So where do I stand? They will never love me no matter what I do or don't as I'd like. Which is normal of course but as I want children on my own and they don't seem to come and maybe never will WHAT DO I DO with my husband's children? I'm not family nor a friend...I'm daddy's new wife(for 7 years now, but still grrrr!!! ) I know that they can't without feeling that their betraying their mom beeing really found of me. I understand a lot but still LIFE is challenging ... Ahead of that I'm thrilled  have a lot of new projects on my mind. Since I've bought the "altered book" by Bev Brazelton, 5 years ago  that I long to make a collaborative project or a round robin as you call it and Artfest made it possible. Let's do it! 

HAVE FUN...CREATE...ENJOY 

Flea market in New York

Look what I found in New York...I brought my brother along and we must have walked...miles in a row but I had this address (thank you Kecia) "the Garage" 112 W, 25 St open only sat and sun, who is just great, and suddenly all the tiredness left!

 I know you girls prefer the one's in Paris ...but I LOVE THE US FLEA MARKETS...just the sound of it makes me happy,(the grass is always better...you know the story).

I bought beautiful stuff, the handwriting letters are awesome the clocks...

I wouldn't mind living for a year in New York...I found this knitting café called after the book "the friday night knitting club" by  Kate Jacobs; that I recommend a very profound and touching book. 

Just receive the last Somerset Studio who is mostly about sisterhood and I thought what about we artfest girls could make a collaborative project? I'm becoming very enthusiast about the whole idea.. Let me know!

HAVE FUN

What really matters?

Look what my next door neighboor hang at my door. Huge zucchini, cucumber, lavender, origan.... That's so thoughtful and delicate of her. Definitely Lisbon is my town...apart of being the place where I was born and brought up, there's a sense of magic in the air, a sense of belonging. I would love though to live in my wooden house, like the ones you have in the US, with nothing but the sea and create from morning till dawn. I believe that God hears our prayers unless we have a different path He just knows better. As for us if we just listen our inner voice in the middle of all the babbling of the mental we too know our path! I brought my "little big brother" in New-York and as we were walking for hours...and had just found this flea market "the garage"(112 W 25th St saturday and sunday only) just out of nothing he told me that I should focus on what really matters.

That is of course positive things and set aside the bad ones. Which I realize is not so easy for example the last flight was one of the worst I've made. The energy wasn't there, the comunication was misunderstood ...on the other hand one of the passengers told me I was the best hostess she had in years and write it down, but I focus mostly on the bad energy that of course led to more bad energy...Stop my mental or have him more disciplined is what I should focus on, unstead of going with the flow....Are we afraid to be HAPPY, to just relax and enjoy. Why do we need to create all this dramas?( to evolve and heal...ok I know...) 

Thank you brother.

HAVE FUN

Titouan Lamazou...in Sao Paulo

I just arrived from Sao Paulo which is not one of my favorites destination! But all the crew had an unexpected surprise as we met Titouan Lamazou in the lobby of our hotel and who invited us to his exposition called "zoe" after his daughter.

The museem was closed and...he made it open for us the modern art museem of Sao Paulo! I was thrilled and completed overwhelmed by his huge talent. He traveled all around the world for the last 10 years, painting only women. Check above all the names of the women...Wow!!!!

My favorite was Pansy, an aborigen artist so powerful. Have you read "message from the true man" from Marlo Morgan? best book ever 

heading tomorrow to the Big Apple.......Love it already

Enjoy create and most of all.....HAVE FUN  

thank you merci obrigado...

I had lunch today with a very dear friend that I haven't seen for 19 years! 

It's a lifetime and yet it's yesterday all the memories came flowing...I was so in awe of her beauty(then and now) her grace, her wisdom...she knew so much we were 15 when I first met her; my parents had just divorced, my mom and my little brother had gone to Paris and I stayed with my dad...who just withdraw from the world at a time when I badly needed answers...We were 2 desperate souls feeling abandoned...the house was so empty .So there was my friend always happy, so equilibrate. 

I remember most of the boys were in love with her

I remember that she had broke a leg and all of her friends came by her house and stayed overnight with endless conversations....

I remember she was the one organizing a farewell party for me

I remember ...

What will I remember in 19 years? 

I know I'm truly blessed. God has given me many treasures and

 I know how TRUE friendship is priceless.

To my old and recent friends  THANK YOU MERCI OBRIGADO

Homework in Paris airports!

Always trying to figure out new solutions to have my hands busy! Nowadays it's becoming very complicated  to travel...no heels no belts no liquids no food....yup!!!! So the bright side is, let's come up with a new solution and there's what I found to carry with me when I'm away...and I love it.Now I want to learn embroidery ...The interesting part is always to look up don't let myself down which doesn't mean I don't cry...(ask my husband!!!) but keep on going. As I'm approaching 40 I am happy of what I am. Life hasn't been easy I have (as we all do) my share of dramas but being able to smile and enjoying life without becoming bitter is what I'm proud of. Be Happy...Enjoy Create

Love is the answer

How very true...and I would add radical forgiveness. Since I 've read this extraordinary book(from Colin Tipping) I must say that my view towards the world and most of all people has completely changed.

As he so well explains in his book, all the dramas that we have in our life are a call for us to grow, evolve and most of all heal our deepest wonds.

I've been doing the series of exercises that he instruct us to and there are some subtils indication that I'm on the right track...Love is the answer no matter how difficult it can't be sometimes with people who confront us.

I've been in a turnmoil for the last 15 days no much time around my studio...