"Isabella" in purple

One of my favorite colors is a specific shade of purple. It's something between violet and lavender with a drop of milk and I was so happy to find a paper that color. 



Oh, I like this color all right, so much that  if I can't keep a sweater( or two) in my closet I feel like I have nothing to wear. And believe me, these sweaters  are not easy to find! I remember when my daughter spilled grape juice on one of them. It took me 2 years to find a replacement!

Unfortunately, purple is one of the toughest colors to photograph because the light changes it so much. I can't say I did a great job capturing it in these pictures but I really enjoyed the look of the finished product and I hope you enjoy it as much!

- the bookmark

- the notebook

Annie

Kaiko- a child of forgiveness

I have been saving the " Kaiko" set since February with the intention to publish it with a favorite Japanese poem of mine. After what happened in Japan, I simply cannot. I can't talk about Japan and pretend what happened didn't happen. And I won't. I  won't pretend it didn't affect me either.

I have lived in Bulgaria during the time of the Chernobyl catastrophe. In Bulgarian "cherno" means black and for me April will always keep the black, dark memories of the disaster. I remember how my parents were a laughingstock for not letting me out of the house, for not letting me eat any produce and giving me iodine drops when everyone was saying no radiation leaked and there wasn't any danger for the public. I remember how my father almost lost his job, because someone said he mention the word radiation in public. I also remember the years after when finally the truth came out and people realized the extent of the damage this will cause for generations to come. I was a child. 

I am watching the news today and this is all I can think about. I know that people are much better prepared for such things now, than they were years ago. I know the workers on the plant are doing whatever they can to prevent another catastrophe from happening and I am grateful for the risk they are taking in the name of all the people who will be affected if it does happen. And I am really, really hoping we all can do something to help prevent history repeating itself. 

I was holding all this anxiety in me, born from the haunting memories and TODAY I want to say - enough. I will be Kaiko, the child of forgiveness that will accept what happened and the fact that there is nothing that can be done about the past and I will do what I can to help TODAY.  The workers, who are going to change history, the people who died in this tragedy, the people who have lost a loved one are in my prayers.

RED CROSS

And now my Japan inspired  Kaiko set with hope for a better future...

Copic bamboo illustration bookmark

Copic bamboo illustration notebook

  

 If you have anything you have done that reflects your emotions about the current situation in Japan, I will be happy to see it! 

Annie

"Paola" - to be happy when you are sad

Have you had a friend, who you got to know though a whole bunch of mysteriously coincidental circumstances that totally gave you the feeling of serendipity? For me that is my friend Polina, who I know almost 17 years now. It's unbelievable how life( or fate) gets it's way to separate us and then get us back together only to separate us again but for the major events in our life we have always been there for each other, and time and space never affected our relationship. I might not see her for 2 years and then when I talk to her it's like we've parted yesterday. That is why I am really, really sad and really really happy at the same time today. 

Polina is getting married on 15 of March and there is so much joy and happiness in my heart for her that it really makes it sad not to be able to share her very special day. Various circumstances are a factor ( unfortunately non of them is affected by how much I want to go) and my family and I won't be able to see her dressed in white. Nonetheless I wish her and her husband love, mutual respect and friendship for all their days to come!

This set I dedicate to her, since I know that in Italy ( where she lives) she is often called Paolina or Paola. :-)  Also I know she happens to love the color brown, so I hope she likes it! :-)

Congratulations, Poli and Stefano! We love you!

- the bookmark

- the notebook

- the back of the notebook

- the box 

If you feel like sharing a story about your friends, I would love to hear them!

Annie