NaNoWriMo

To kick start off me getting back into writing I signed up to participate in this years NaNoWriMo.

For those who don't know what NaNoWriMo is about well...

National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30. Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over painstaking craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved. In 2007, we had over 100,000 participants. More than 15,000 of them crossed the 50k finish line by the midnight deadline, entering into the annals of NaNoWriMo superstardom forever. They started the month as auto mechanics, out-of-work actors, and middle school English teachers. They walked away novelists.

www.nanowrimo.org

So I've started planning what I want to write about... I'm going to do a historical novel, history has always inspired me and so has a painting that I visit everytime I go anywhere near the Modern Art Gallery in Edinburgh... its called Rabbi with Cat, and I've always wondered about the story behind the painting. Doing my initial research I discovered that its based around the Russian Jewish pograms of the early 20th Century. So my plan is to tell the story of the Rabbi in this painting, as he fleas his native Russia for a better life in America. I'm unsure as yet of whether he says goodbye to his beloved pet cat in Russia or whether he attempts to smuggle the cat onto the boat and into America wrapped in a baby's blanket!!

Robin Cushions - Embroidery & Patchwork

A while ago I asked Claire (Design by Claire) to embroider me two of her little top hat wearing robins with the aim of eventually making them into patchwork cushions. This week I decided it was time to complete that particular craft project. I stumbled at the first hurdle as I discoverd my sewing machine is now missing a part, the foot had gone AWOL since the house move and I fear that it maybe lost in the boot of someone's car or van!! So i decided that my only option was to hand-sew these little cushions. I think (if I remeber what my Mum taught me about patchwork - there was no craft that this woman was capable of mastering!!) the pattern I've used is called 'log cabin'. Fabrics used are a red floral print cotton bought from my local fabric shop and a blue and white print fabric off-cut that I got in Ikea a number of years ago. So, one cushion is finished and the other is on progress. They are going to sit on my bed to complement the big purple cushions I made last year.

True Blood

So I've been indulging my goth side recently and catching up on episodes of True Blood. I have to say I LOVE this series and hope that its not going to get cancelled any time soon! For those of you not in the know it is loosely based on the "The Southern Vampyre Mysteries" series of novels by Charlaine Harris. It details the co-existence of vampyres and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional small town in Louisiana. The series centers on Sookie Stackhouse played by Anna Paquin (My Girl, X-Men), a telepathic waitress at a bar, who falls in love with vampire Bill Compton.

Both the first and second seasons have been so addictive and fantastic to watch... really looking forward to the third season now!!

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Race For Life 2009

So its all over now... Race for Life was on Sunday in Callander Park, Falkirk. The weather was scortching and along with 2500 other women myself and my best friend Gemma went for a stroll around the Park!!

We couldn't go too fast round the track as it was all uneven surfaces and the weather was just too damn hot!! But we we're out there in our Fife Flyers Shirts and made it in just over 50 minutes (50mins and 4secs!!!). So far we've raised about £250 from various forms of sponsorship but if you want to help us add to that you can still sponsor us at:
www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/lisaandgems

Picking up the Keys!!!

Today's the day we pick up the keys to our new home!! Everything is packed (almost) and we're both very excited about it all, been awake since 7am!!

I looked up moving traditions the other day and these are the ones we're going to be following.

The first things that should be taken into a new house are, salt (for prosperity), a loaf of bread (so that you will never know hunger) and a bottle of red wine (for the sacred life force). This ensures that your future is bright and that you will be well provided for.

Another tradition involved taking the glowing embers of the fire from the old home to start the first fire in the new home. But with central heating nowadays this is mostly impossible. Instead burn half a tea-light candle in the old home and then relight it and allow it to burn down completely in the new home.

I will also be putting my 7 copper coins under the front doormat for prosperity!!

Imortalised in Oil...

My painting arrived from Christine today. I am so pleased with it! Its going to have pride of place in the new living room, although Christine told me it is to go up in my little hat shop (when I have one!).

The picture is based on the photos taken by Gothindulgence and Davefish in Brighton last May, they were promotional shots for the website . It was a fantastic sunny weekend by the sea with friends, only marred by the realisation that my marriage was coming to an end, and the death of my beloved kitty, Casper on the day we returned home. Brighton is such a lovely place, very vibrant, lots of good shopping and pubs. We found a fantastic flea market where I picked up a vintage wicker handbag! I really want to back and visit again!

www.christineandersonart.co.uk