I love making these for people, check out the Joyful things I have found!
Artist carves beautiful totem figurines using the Avocado stone. Meghan Currie offers a new yoga video bundle, deliciously titled Honey on CodyApp. Have you seen this enchanting Pythia Botanica Oracle deck?, Oh it’s gorgeous! Comic illustrator creates hilarious sketches of women’s every day problems. 80 people form human chain to rescue a family drowning in a rip tide. Funny list of things us Brits do that confuse Americans, like fridges in kitchens! Illustrator remakes Disney characters happily ever after in our modern world. I am currently reading The Clay Girl. This is a beautiful lyrical, magical realist novel. Funny yet weird panoramic photo fails that look like something from a bizarre horror movie. New favourite, magical yogi instagramer. I love her! She is so inspiring.
*Photo of me with my dream catchers taken by the lovely Jodie Hansen.
Cute steampunk styled illustrations of a girl and her pet Octopus. Enchanting European Libraries captured in beautiful photos, a book lover’s dream! These are gorgeously dark fairytale styled illustrations by Alexandra Dvornikova This yogi, yoga teacher and artist is a new favourite of mine to follow, she’s amazing. Very cute and perfectly round butted chinchillas! Their butts are so fluffy! Here is the NYTimes top 52 places to visit in 2017. This article about the wild feminine really makes me want to howl at the moon. Here are some of the oldest colour photos, showing what society looked like 100 years ago. I am currently reading this book about a girl born with wings, it’s a beautiful book. Artist and his daughters create 3D paintings on glass, so lovely.
You can always find something joyful hidden somewhere between the cracks and harshness of life.
I’ve been writing a lot. So much so that I’m getting headaches and my sleep is restless. It’s OK though, I’m enjoying this time, I am feeling very wordy at the moment and I’ve purchased quite a few poetry books and novels to review on this blog.
I’d say Literature was probably my second favorite subject at school, beaten only slightly by Art since at the time I felt Art gave me more freedom and Literature has a tendency to be taught in a regimented way in schools.
Regardless, because of my love of both forms of expression I do enjoy fusing both together as mixed media pieces, I include text or script to my video installations and I’m currently creating an illustrated poetry book.
Here are ten Joyful Things for your viewing pleasure!
Florence and the Machine sings to a girl with bone cancer, in hospital. An old farm in the mountains of Costa Rica was turned into a sanctuary for 900 dogs. Just purchased The Clay Girl, it’s a magical realist novel. Super excited to read & review it. We’re off to Bulgaria soon, check out these beautiful places we might visit. Hilarious video of British men trying to get a bike of an electric fence. Yummy, summery ice cream recipes up on Goop! Interesting article about giving our emotions space so we can heal. I LOVE Shakira’s new single, have you heard it? It has a lovely, summery vibe. Clever recycling machine feeds stray dogs, this is a wonderful idea! Ten must see Bookshops in the world according to the Guardian.
*Art work by Alexandra Dvornikova. She’s a Russian artist training to be an art therapist. I’ve just discovered her work and instantly fell in love. I adore how mystical and macabre her paintings are. Almost reminiscent of the old folkloric tales.
Israeli artist creates funny & cute illustrations of every day life with his wife. Youtuber book geek talks about all things books and she’s delightful to watch. 5 ways you are using magic when practicing yoga, there for you are a yoga witch or wizard. A wonderful article about the dark realities of mermaids and their sexual power. There was an amazing Thunderstorm in Plymouth, I’ve never seen a thunderstorm like it. Meghan Currie released a beautiful piece of music called Le Grand Poem. I’m treating myself to this surreal and mystical poetry book. This young man hugs stray dogs and gives them the love they deserve, so touching. This young woman creates mermaid tarot portraits, I think I might have a go at this myself! This poetry magazine looks amazing, I may purchase a few copies to take to Bulgaria.
Life can be difficult and cause major illnesses in the body, lets take some time out and do joyful things to heal the body-mind?
Spout the Wonder Pup tries to play with his Yogi Mum. Very cute Acro-Yoga Proposal, I love the woman’s reaction. Sailaway Dress company have brand new home decor products, playsuits & day dresses, Woop! I love this Belly Dancer, her name is Zoe Jakes, I love scrolling through her instagram. I still really want these Oracle cards, may treat myself next month. This poetry book looks beautiful and interesting, it’s a poetic response to mental health. Found this Belly Dance Teaching manual, again something to purchase very soon methinks! Fancy living a nomadic lifestyle? This couple living in a van are very inspiring. I’m switching to using Bamboo toothbrushes & hair brushes to reduce my effect on the planet. This & This Yogi Tea mug sets are super cute, I’ve been looking for a new mug.
Sometimes we can’t always be there for the world. It does not mean we do not care, it means we care enough to rest so we can fight another day. Spend time reading, doing yoga and walking in nature to replenish your soul.
A friend of mine Cara, who is also a lifestyle blogger recently published a blog post about turning 29 and listed all the things she’d like to try and do before she is 30. This inspired me to do the same, obviously I am no longer 30, I turned 31 October 2017 but I have plenty of things I wish to achieve before I do the whole settle down-get married-have kids milestone. A lot of the things on this list will be travel related but there is no particular order. So this is my three year plan of things I want to do before I become a mum.
1: Get my 4th and 5th tattoos. 2: Publish a book, I’ve always wanted to do this & I’m working on an illustrated poetry book. 3: Visit Ireland & Scotland because these places are part of my heritage. 4: Have my own home and loving partner. 5: Do my yoga teacher training. 6: Visit Bali. 7: Go skydiving just once, I’ll be petrified but I’ll do it! 8: Start learning how to grow my own herbs. 9: Organize or be a part of a yoga project to help others 10: Learn to rollerskate and attend adult ballet classes for flexibility. 11: Learn to trust people again, create close friendships. 12: Try doing a spoken word poem performance or poetic meditations. 13: I’d love to be published with a magazine. 14: Be able to do the splits (childhood dream). 15: Teach internationally (alongside my local classes), perhaps Spain and Portugal? 16: Visit Bali (again) 17: Swim with Dolphins (Making sure they are not in captivity). 18: Go hot air ballooning somewhere amazing (not the UK).
19: Visit a place of paradise (like the Maldives) as part of my honeymoon.
20: Train in Yin yoga, yoga nidra and become a Rhythm of Beauty therapist.
Wish me luck! That’s a pretty epic list! A lot of these things I know I will achieve within the next few years (I hope) and you’ll notice I didn’t include any European destinations to travel to and that’s because, whilst I may go on mini breaks to maybe be a guest teacher (who knows), I am fully aware that places like Italy, Czech Republic and Spain are easy to visit with kids, so certain destinations will be put on hold until I have kids to go on family holidays in Europe.
It’s a lot harder to visit the Far East with children and sometimes less fun when you have to be responsible for little people.
The most beautiful, deepest, cleanest lake on earth. Anyone ever heard of a Quokka? They are super cute animals that enjoy taking selfies with you. My Aunt Valerie interviewed for Exodus Travel, she is so inspiring. This is the cutest baby sloth I have ever seen! I’d love to meet a sloth one day. Find out what kind of man or woman you are attracted to based on your signs! I am loving this instagraming yogi and her dog at the moment. Nepalese designer goes back to Nepal in this stunning short video. This beautiful devotional song to Durga is brilliant for meditation work. Sweden has run out of rubbish we should all learn how they did it. Sailaway dress company now include homeware in their shop and it is gorgeous.
Interesting article with beautiful photos of an old pagan clan still living today. Handmade, beautiful bohemian dream catcher in this Etsy shop. TĀLĀ is a half Iranian singer/song writer. She produced this magical video called Alchemy. Meghan Currie the incredible yogi & yoga teacher brought out her first EP Album! From a study of wolves, we’ve got it all wrong about Alpha Males, even in humans. Ever heard of an inverted fish tank? You can build one yourself! This instagram yogi is super inspiring and so fricken sexy, love her tattoos! This piano piece is so beautiful, I’ve been practicing yoga to it in the mornings. This book about Yin Yoga looks fascinating, I fancying specializing in this form of yoga. Men who marry smart women are less likely to develop dementia & live longer.
A town became unexpected friends with a wild wolf. Artist creates tiny houses for birds that visit her. Beautiful flower print tattoos using real flowers, how amazing! Ella Bell tattoo artist I found to create my second tattoo! Her work is literally illustration on skin! This dance company’s trailer is incredibly beautiful, If I had the money I’d attend their workshop. Very cute frog photography,capturing sweet moments and showing frogs in a new light. The love Witch is a very interesting film exploring female sexuality through witchcraft. In Tokyo you can stay in a hostel that is built like a library, you can sleep inside book shelves! This belly dance costume shop is amazing!I’m buying some Lilly Loons! Be still my heart! I am in love with this Samba dance routine!
Polish artist photographs Slavic headdress flower wreaths to preserve this beautiful tradition. A beautiful Meghan Currie Podcast, I love her, she is my spirit animal for sure! Ellen Degeneres sends her executive producer to a haunted house and its hilarious! A photographer told people they are beautiful, go see the results! Tonle Clothing proves fashion can have zero waste effect on the environment, something we should all strive for! Photographer captures stunning animal portraits in forest. Arctic Foxes create and grow their own gardens as they build their habitat. Beautiful art in nature using stones, twigs and leaves. Photographic series documents how being sober makes you look younger, this is why I don’t drink alcohol. Giant Squid Art installation brings some mysticism to a Portuguese island.
