London, Art, Shopping, Giveaway Winner

I have been shopping, can you guess where?

A quick dash in and out to pick up my giveaway prize.

THE WINNER

Marina Saclley @ Iced VoVo's

The sun was shining on London on Saturday and we decided to make

the most of it before the rain came along. 

You can see from the photos that the clouds were moving in.....

We all made the most of the sunshine.

and then they came... rain clouds.

When the rain came we dashed into the 

National Portrait Gallery to mix with the Gods.

You can read about it here.

and added a little retail therapy into the mix over here.

Hope you all had a fab weekend...

sending best wishes for a wonderful week!

images via me

image of Eileen Brent via postcard

refer to link above for more details.

The Morning After.....

If ever there was a case of the 'Little Engine That Could'...I would have to say it was me yesterday. The big day was upon me. I was setting off to participate in the British 10K London Run. As I took the train into London, butterflies were flying wild in my stomach and in my head. "Do I approach the day with trepidation or determination?" Those were a few of my thoughts as I stepped off the train at Waterloo station. I don't think I can print the others. :)

That said, I was doing this for a very good cause and my steps then took on a more even and determined pace as I set off to meet the rest of my Team at St. James Park. They were all smiles, as they always are, one of the things I love about Aussies. I agreed to participate in this event with the Australian Women of London Club of which I am happy to be a member. We were raising funds for CCLEF, more on that here.

With our race cards on, toilets runs behind us and water bottles in place we set off to the start line.
I intended to power walk this event, as my friends well know, I am not a runner. Then a funny thing happened on Piccadilly Street....the crowds were massive, the excitement in the air was contagious and as we passed the start line it was hard not to break into a jog. The support along the sidelines was to exciting to resist. I was good to go...at least part of the way.

We all separated, the runners, the joggers, the walkers and because I had set my own pace I found myself alone (as alone as you can be in a crowd of 10,000) but that in itself was the most interesting part of the event for me. Back and forth, walking, jogging, running, walking. I realised I could do it.

When I started to wane at the 6K mark I took off to the side, plugged in my iPod and set off to the music of Adele...the rest was easy. You can check out her music here.

I may have looked like a silly middle age woman in my bright yellow T-shirt, mini-back pack, fanny pack (for my iPod) and sporting a Heidi hairdo with my bandana pushed back to keep my hair off my face whilst holding my iPhone above my head taking pictures along the way but I was doing my thing and having fun.

In the midst of it all, I started thinking of my blog and posts and photos and friends and somehow the time and distance just passed. I thought of how it feels when you want to throw the towel in, you have had enough and can't be bothered and one phrase came to mind 'A Woman of Substance'. I have no idea where it came from, but I kept saying it over and over again... "I am a woman of substance and I will not give up." Can I just say, that if you ever feel that way yourself, hold your head up high and use it as your 'mantra'. Put yourself there and don't let go. For we all are women of substance..we have heart and gist.

I was never so happy to see the 9K sign..past Big Ben, Parliament House, Westminster Abbey and we were in the home stretch. I picked up the pace and ran past the finish line. Heidi was Happy!

So here I sit, the morning after, at my window, looking out at my garden, typing on my iPad. Achy, sore and thinking of the next run/walk/jog. I think I can, I think I can, I know I can....for I am a woman of substance, just like you!

Note:
A special thanks goes out to all the friends who supported me and this great cause. We have nearly hit our target number. If you would like to help talented young girls living in impoverished conditions get a secondary school education...you can help us here. They are young girls destined to be women of substance one day.   :)

I won't forget....

Our bright yellow T-shirt.

The band playing.

Waiting to START on Piccadilly Street

The view in front of me...

The view behind me.....

The spirit in raising money for charity.

I just loved these two!

A few shots whilst running and holding 

my iPhone over head to take a photo...

The view from the FINISH line...

Lord Nelson welcoming us.

My last parting shot leaving St. James Park 

before catching the train home. 

images~me

Today I rest!

Best wishes for a lovely day to you all!!

London fog, Tate Modern and Joan Miro

The Litte Fair-haired Girl at the Amusement Park
Joan Miro, 1950

I woke up this morning and admit I felt bleary eyed and tired. It was one of those 

mornings where I could have easily slept a while longer. The skies were grey, 

I had a mad rush to get the kids off to school and then catch a train to London 

and all I really wanted to do was sleep...just a little while longer. Being one of those 

annoying people who is always giving herself pep talks, I soldiered on.

My fog followed me into London.

and a bit further,

until...

I rounded the corner and came upon my final destination.

The Tate Modern Gallery to see the Joan Miro exhibit.

Needing further fortifications I stopped in at the Gallery Cafe 

for coffee and stared at the view. St Paul's Cathedral was in front of me, 

thru the lovely birch tree garden and over the Thames. 

With every sip, I could feel the morning fog melting away.

It is a good thing that my fog lifted because what was in store for me in this fabulous 

Joan Miro exhibit required my rapt attention.  There were over 150 paintings, drawings, 

sculptures and prints for me to pour over. This London exhibit is the first major retrospective

of Joan Miro to be held in nearly 50 years.  To be honest, I was not sure what I would think.

I went in a bit skeptical and came out a great admirer. His work is thought provoking 

to say the least. Although much of his work was painted thru desperate times 

(Spanish Civil War and Second World War), I felt a playfulness in his some 

of his work that was endearing.

The Passage of the Divine Bird
Joan Miro, 1941

A Star Caresses the Breast if a Negress (Painting Poem)
Joan Miro, 1938

Vegetable Garden and Donkey
Joan Miro, 1918

Drop of Water on the Rose-Coloured Snow
Joan Miro, 1968

I left the gallery, thankful that I gave myself that little pep talk earlier in the day.

Shortly after, the heavens above shed tear drops upon London

and I managed to catch one or two.

Wink, wink, blink, blink...off to bed for me.

Big day tomorrow....Chelsea Flower Show.

I won't need a pep talk for that one!

:))

Have a great weekend everyone!!

More on the Joan Miro exhibit at Tate Modern, here.

Images of Joan Miro paintings from postcards

which are now waiting to be sent to my postcard

blogging friends. If you would like one, just send 

your address to me at jeannecollageoflife@gmail.com.

PS..

Need some thoughts on these Jamie Oliver plate that I came across.

Let's chat on Facebook. Click the LIKE button.

A little foot frolic and cashmerejeans....

I could not resist this display today.

I found it in Selfridges on Oxford St. in London. 

The boot of choice around town is Hunter.

I had just left the Wallace Collection museum

with my favourite painting in mind. (more here)

I think it's true...

 girls just wanna have fun!

The Swing by Jean-Honore Fragonard (1767)

Wallace Collection

top image~me

PS...I am running a little test blog for 
a project I am working on. 
Which title do you prefer?
cashmerejeans...
or
cashmere and jeans
created only to show friends how to start a blog 
but now I am thinking.....

All in a day....

7:45am

Tika and I got an early start this morning.

Off to the school run and traffic.

She loves this spot in the car.

Especially when she pops her head out the window

and lets her ears ride with the wind.

8:15am

Traffic is a given when you live 15 miles 

from the heart of London.

We learn to wait.

9:30am

Today was a quick dash to school, home

and onto the train to London.

This is the best part about the kids

returning to school. They are happy,

I am happy :)

10:30am

I recently joined two women's groups.

Today was time spent with a wonderful group of ladies 

belonging to the Australian Women's Club.

They are a busy lot and I love that about them. 

Little Venice, meeting at Australia House and on to 

Tate Britain all within a week. My kind of girls!

2:00pm

The return home...even with grey skies

London is a wonderful city to watch.

3:00pm

Back home...Tika is waiting for me.

Happy to play and we are off again thru 

the traffic and back to school.

Tika senses my excitement as I sit in traffic looking 

longingly at one of my favourite cafes.

7:00pm

Kids fed, homework done, showers running.

Mom is hiding in the computer room.

Quietly tapping at the keyboard.

Shhh....

Mr. H still in Russia,

Mrs. H is thinking movie night.

Grey skies, thinking English...

feels like a Gosford Park night to me.

Hope you had a wonderful day and to those of you just waking...

best wishes for a glorious one :)

images~me

with exception of

Gosford Park and

You Tube

London, A Personal View by Guy Sargent

Check out Guy Sargent’s Portfolio

London, A Personal View by Guy Sargent

Check out Guy Sargent’s Portfolio

A little purple delight

My sunday stroll led me to this little delight in a local shop window. I wondered how I would feel wandering around London with a black umbrella highlighted with bright purple pom poms. I am a fairly conservative gal who likes a little bit of an edge but this one would most likely take me out of my comfort zone. Time for a change? Could be the inner Mary Poppins calling out in me or maybe it is just all the rain in London. Either way, umbrellas seem to be the never ending topic of discussion in our household these days. We can never seem to find one when needed and I have a feeling if I purchased one of these it would be left alone!                  

The brand is BombayDuck and I discovered a fun story 
about a sassy pair of sisters who created the business.

"Every brand has its story: but ours is different. It is a fairytale, a quest full of adventure and fantasy.

It was an unlikely beginning: a sassy pair of sisters with a strong sense of style exploring a topsy-turvy world full of colour, chaos and cows. Bored by the uninspiring designs at home, they went in search of the new, surprising and unexpected. Somewhere between their style and passion and India's quirky eccentricity they created Bombay Duck, a company on a mission to indulge the imagination with exuberant style, quirky design, and of course a sassy personality. Since our initial adventure that gave us our name, the Bombay Duck world has flourished.

Like its founders Bombay Duck is characterised by individuality and passion. Today the dream is more alive than ever with more than one thousand exclusive designs and stockists from London to New York. Bombay Duck is a hive of creativity and inspiration, drawing from a patchwork world of people, colour and places, we dedicate ourselves to designing home interiors and accessories that are more than trinkets and trimmings, they are invitations for you to create, dream and imagine."
Girls with moxie is what I would say.  I particularly like the last line...create, dream and imagine.  A bloggers world!

Now...what to do about that umbrella???
PS...Thank you for all your comments!

You inspired me so much that I went out this morning and bought it. I plan to skip in the rain with reckless abandon at the first hint of showers :)    

Images by me (top) and Bombay Duck