On friendship

I had this wonderful lunch with two inspired friends... It seems that i know them for ages which is certainly the case if you believe in multiple lives as I do. We were eager to know more about each others creativity and world. Just happy to be together a sheer moment of pleasure... Friendship is rare to find and when it ends it tears you apart like a love relationship, sometimes even more. I had my share of disappointments and disillutions as we all have and it hurts like hell! Sometimes, i even put my pride aside and give it another shot but it's useless something broken will remain broken!My mom tells me that a friendship that ends was never one in the first place, how wise.
I do hope that my heart friends will stay forever in my life.
Have a good week end
Heading to snowy Paris then New york. Youpiiii Barnes and Noble here i come...
xo

Work in progress...

My cat Frimousse or "mousse a pala" as a close friend calls him seems to like my new albums!

The covers are most of the times what inspires me first then i add the inside pages.

The typing letters above "AMO" mean  I LOVE in portuguese.

I struggle every day with my need of independency and my need of being in couple. I find it hard sometimes to be there...present and available. I find it hard to deal with his problems mine others...

My life as certainly yours is composed of beautiful sunshine days and of heavy storms...not to say wild tornados! How to cope with it? Drink a caipirinha...fly away...meditate? For now i will choose meditation it's safer!

Have a good week

PS: I'm reading a very intimate book from Daniel Meurois Givaudan (check out his website www.meurois-givaudan.com) called "le testament des trois Marie ". The legend said that Marie Salomé, Marie- Jacobée and Marie- Madalena were Jesus closest disciples. Many years has passed since the exil, they met again in Camargue at "Saintes-Marie-de-la-mer and open up their hearts for us and relate those unique moments spent with Jesus. I read most of Meurois Givaudan books over the years, was fortunate enough to meet him in a  flight between Paris and Geneva to confirm that indeed he possess a special light.

Hope you like it

Xo

Heart spoons...

A good way of giving new life to old spoons!  
Add any photos of the ones you love along with their nicknames some resin...and voilà! One of my christmas gifts for mom who certainly like yours got everything!!!
Have a good week end
Remember to dance laugh share hug kiss...
xo

You and I deserve the very best...

Yesterday, was cleaning day in the studio which is a good way of rediscover all the material i left apart but mostly it clears my head. New ideas, new projects a "nouvel élan" in the beginning of the year comes up. I was rearranging some old photos and surprise myself thinking " I was cute in my twenties and thirties" How come i didn't realize that at the time!

I felt too fat too short too....not intelligent not clever enough bla bla bla....Is it something that we have to experienced? All of us? because I see it in a daily basis, beautiful and clever young women disliking themselves, hating either their nose their chin whatever crosses their mind! My point is that with aging we all have our griefs and wounds but could we have avoided some rough experiences, had we loved ourselves? I deeply believe that in the years to come a new awareness on the importance of the mind will prevail. I read this amazing book by Lynne Mc Taggart called The Field" she has been researching medicine and its shortcomings, quantum physics and what it means for you and the world we live in(quote from his website www.lynnemctaggart.com/) Read it and tell me about it!
So in the end LOVE is what matters the most and now scientists can prove it, for those who still have doubts!
Can you look yourself in a mirror for at least 5 mn without self depreciation? 
Have a good week
Xo

Keep loving yourself...

An artist friend suggested me that I should give another dimension to my craft so it could become art. She's a talented and gifted artist and sees me like a crafter. It left me unbalanced... as I am  an admirer of her work then I replied that what really excites and fulfill  me is creating my life albums. She was suggesting that i should add them into huge canvas and kept saying it would give them a dimension....Why does one give any advice that is not asked? What is the hidden purpose?  Why humans tend to compare over and over? I am that lucky that in my world of crafters i don't sense "bad vibes" only encoragements and positive attitudes.I sense that she lives in a world of fierce competition which is definitely not mine and thanks God i know myself well enough not to be blocked in the future trying to give ...a dimension of my work but one has to be aware as Julia Cameron point out in her extraordinary book "the vein of gold, a journey to your creative heart"of the well intended so called advices!
I have a duty to protect my inner child he needs caring, support and most of all LOVE
Have a good week end
Be wild

A gift from the heart

What to offer for christmas? I like to offer something special that was made out of love and tenderness...

My husband loved it! He's always a big fan of my work..inside i add his father watch, love letters that we usually send to each other, a small bible, earth from sacred Machu Picchu...

Heading to the north of Portugal as i have been invited to present my work to a talk show "praça de alegria"so very enthusiastic about it...
Will tell you more afterwards.
Have a good week
Be blessed
xo

My Shanghai

I have read quite a few books about Shanghai...and my imagination flew to those flamboyant and cosmopolite days back in the 19th century so it turned out a huge disapointment to see that most of the olds districts had just been erased but i guess to an arquitect is the place to be! The soul and the taste of Shanghai where the beauty of the women were known throughout the world along with huge parties does not long exist...now what prevails is well ...is not something that i like that much! So whenever i go to Shanghai i run to the fabric market where about anything can be made out in 24h and then my steps lead me to Dongtai market if you are into "old" things" then to Xitiandi with is good and fancy restaurants. Unfortunately, comunication is quite ackward because is rare to find a chinese who speaks english so when you are lost, which will happen sooner or later is best if you have anticipated with the names written in chinese otherwise it turn out a living nightmare! Trust my experience...

Have a good week end

Be bold

Be inspired

Be intuitive

Love yourself

xo

HAPPY NEW YEAR...2012

It took me a while to integrate the feeling of GRATITUDE. My life as yours without doubt is not easy, more than often we just want to quit and run away but we don't...Day after day the wheel changes for the best i believe because our experience and our wisdom grows. I am a better person today than i was yesterday. I am more compassionate, tolerant, open minded than i was last year. Today I LOVE MYSELF with all my demons and flaws. I could have choose the path of bitterness or anger because being grateful for what we have instead of what we think we should have is definitely not an easy one!
 I know what is to love and being loved.
I know how to give and receive
I know when to listen and when to speak
I know that i know nothing...used to said Jean Gabin
because despite my wanting some people will love me others don't
some will stay with me forever others only for a dinner but i feel grateful to be able to connect...
I wish you an open heart for 2012
I wish you to dance and laugh
I wish you to hug and make love
I wish you to embrace LIFE
xo
Be inspired
Be creative
Be bold

Enjoy your Christmas...

I love Chrismas! This year though, with all the buzz of the open markets i didn't have time to make my usual christmas decoration which usually goes on for several days... but it's ok  as i have learned in 2011 to just let go, not an easy target but one that in the end will bring you peace of mind!  
The most important thing that i have learned this past year is to FEEL BLESSED, truly blessed!
I realize how lucky i am to be alive, to be in good health, to have a bed where i can sleep and a warm home, to have food in my fridge, to have a job, to have heart friends, to be able to create, to have a studio  full of vintage stuff.....and most of all TO LOVE AND BE LOVED. I don't take anything for granted, I cherish my family and my friends and hope that I give enough. My endless questioning about who I am, what is my mission will never cease i guess but now i wake up everyday with a sense of gratitude towards LIFE. I'm ageing and...it feels good! I would loved have those insights in my twenties...didn't we all? I hope I can age as well as my mom or my husband who don't care about their wrinkles but are concerned about the giving. 
I wish you a Merry Chrismas full of joy, laughter and good homemade food! 

Obrigado... Merci...Thank you

 My stock is becoming thinner! THANK YOU for your trust, confidence and...good taste! Just arrived yesterday from Bangkok pretty exausted as always and was talking with one of my colleagues who ask me if i had bought gifts for christmas in the "mecque" of shopping! Well no i replied because i create what i offer so they are heart gifts! I sense that my clients recognize that, my art being one very emotional and personal which maybe explains the major success we're having despite the crisis here in Portugal.
THANK YOU
MERCI
OBRIGADO
GRACIAS
GRAZIE
DANKE...

Have a nice week
Remember to laugh, dance, smile, hug