Simple365

This Little Stories collection is all about finding comfort in everyday things, celebrating them, and unwinding. Unwinding is a hard word for me. I tend to reprimand myself for sitting around and doing nothing, but it is so important for any work. So, when I struggle with focusing and need to unwind, I let my mind wander while letting my hand do some easy work.

This is another set of the daily photos of simple, everyday things I took between Feb. 2020 – Feb. 2021. They possibly represent my version of unwinding better than I could ever do with words.

Simple 365 – Set 7

Please Click on the image thumbnails to see the photos and read the captions.

I also created a page with all the previously shared photos from Simple365. I will add more photos to that page as well, as I share them here.

Little Memories

I learned to play chess from my grandfather. He and I used to play every night after having dinner together. If I had too much homework, he would always wait for me so we could spend that time together. These are his fountain pens. I love to jot down little thoughts and notes with them. My love for printing and book making is a credit to him.

A Little Story

Mr. Nigel Forsythe Castleton is the proprietor of the Lost Pages Bookstore. Owing to the bookstore being in a very old stone building, it is very drafty and cold, even on the warmest of days. Mr. Castleton loves nothing more than to spend his days in the bookstore, but the poor thing is always very cold even though he is made of wool. Luckily, the bookstore has a wonderfully big fireplace, where he keeps a fire going at all times. He pours himself a glass of ginger wine and sits by the fireplace, perusing those lost pages.

This time he is visiting his friend who also has an antiquities book shop full of books of magic and alchemy. He loves the old city of York, so he has decided to spend some time there.

I have knitted and introduced Mr. Castleton before, but if you are new here and don’t know him, he is a very gentle fellow who loves all things books.

A Not So Little Celebration

Winter is a celebratory season at our home with tons of birthdays, starting with Charlie. He celebrated his 18th birthday very recently. Even though he is not allowed, he loves to sneak in sweets made of dairy. For his birthday, he got a special treat – a very sizeable portion of cheesecake.

He was looking up at my husband to sit with him while he enjoyed his birthday cake. They have a very special bond. Although Charlie is a perpetual kitten, I thought I paint this dignified version of him for my husband.

Little Journals

Growing up as an only child, I have always lived most of my days in the worlds of stories and books.

Hand-binding books for those stories while listening to an audio-book is one of my favourite ways to unwind while staying mildly focused. This moss green journal was the very first 3″ x 4″ journal I made for myself with a special drawing theme in mind. I look forward to starting on that soon.

(handbound by me pocket journals are available in my shop)

Girl And Her Cat – Wandering Pages

I painted the Girl and Her Cat stories in little 2″ x 3″ books. This is the last set of paintings from the the Girl And Her Cat – Wandering Pages book.

Please click on the image thumbnails to see the pictures and read about their wanderings –

You can see the full Wandering Pages book here.

The Girl and Her Cat decided to become lost in the mist for a while, visiting the land of the snowy owls. It is also time for me to go on my winter hiatus. I wish you the most magical holidays with lots of rest.

Thank you so much for being here with me and for your most lovely and encouraging words. I will be back around March.

See you then,
-Soma

I am linking up with the linky parties on my Events And Links page. Please pay a visit to some of them.

P.S. The Ink Torrents Graphics shop remains open. I will continue to mail orders, as always. You can also purchase quilting patterns, which you can access immediately via Instant Download. I will also be available via email. Thank you for continuing to shop from my store.

Simple 365 – Set 6

Please Click on the image thumbnails to see the photos and read the captions.

I also created a page with all the previously shared photos from Simple365. I will add more photos to that page as well, as I share them here.

A little tradition

When we travel abroad, my husband sends me a postcard from that place. That way I have something in the mail after I come home. I rotate these postcards on my desk. My little desk friend loves to pose in front of them.

A little joy from the garden

Japanese Indigo loves hot weather. I mistakenly sowed some seeds at the worst time of the year, in autumn. They were indoors in their little nursery for the longest time until I couldn’t keep them there any longer. Unfortunately, I had to replant them in large pots right around winter. We tucked them in at night under big shrouds, and used my husband’s halogen task lights to keep them warm.

They not only made it through the winter, but are now blooming with the most beautiful tiny little flowers. I love it when plants survive and thrive. Do you talk to your plants? I quite often pet them and talk to them.

A quill story

However, even the garden work came to a sudden halt. A few weeks back, it was quite abysmal outside due to the bad air from the wildfires. By that Friday, I hadn’t seen a natural sky for days, only a smoke-filled grey-red sky. My eyes kept burning, and only stopped when we filtered the air in the house. All this from fires that were not even very close to us.

I decided to close the windows so I didn’t have to see the outside, sat tight inside and worked on making a bookmark out of a scrap piece of paper.

I have collected quite a few ink bottles and writing instruments from our travels to medieval castles and abbeys. I transported myself into a place where a scribe is working by candlelight.

Art can be such a wonderful balm, and it really helped that day when I was so emotionally exhausted. Working on this bookmark while listening to one of my favourite audiobooks was just perfect.

I feel much more refreshed and ready to take on the world once again. The air around us has cleared, and I can go outside and play/work in the garden again. Little stories that make everyday special.

I hope this provided you some escape from the everyday and made you smile. I would love to know which photo is your favourite.

Until next time,
-Soma