Happy new year! Bonne annee! Buon anno!

I’m back at it! New year, new goals. I took a bit of a hiatus but now that we’re in 2020, I will do my best to update more. The last couple months have provided tremendous growth. Settling into a flat in South East London, getting my studio space in order and finding work. For those who I don’t converse with regularly, the month of December I spent slinging pizzas and drinks at a pub next door. I’ve been adopted into the family-run business as the token non-Italian speaker and have come to enjoy the social interaction between coworkers and clients. One of my bosses couldn’t quite pronounce my name, so he deemed me Juno. A name I’ll happily take as he explained to me the myth of Juno and that she was the wife of Zeus, queen of the gods. I could think of worse nicknames… In any case, it’s a wild little pub filled with a lifetime’s worth of collected items including a giant handmade Rhino head, three pianos, photos galore and characters of many sorts. My favourite of our clientele are two British brothers deemed “the Twins”, who pass many hours drinking Guinness and sharing laughs. Not only am I learning bits of Italian, Cockney (an East London way of speaking) is something that is slowly permeating my vocabulary. Most used is cream-crackered (completely knackered). 

Moving to London has been one the best decisions I’ve ever made. While the whole process of settling in has been a bumpy one, I feel incredibly alive. It is always a risk to leave that which you know but as they say “freedom is on the other side of fear”. While I may not be doing exactly what I want to do professionally at this moment, I feel I am edging ever closer to it. My health has improved dramatically with my gym habits and creatively, inspiration is always but a short train ride away. This past week I went to Paris for the first time and it was every bit of what one would expect.

When I first stepped onto the street level, I was met with the sound of a man playing an accordion in the street. The Christmas lights shone bright and the air was filled with delicious pockets of bread and stinky cheese. Paris is every bit as magical as they say it is, even in the midst of manifestations and a strike that limited our transport. I was especially lucky to have a native Parisian show me the less seen corners of the city. Walking next to my pal in a beret, we visited thrift stores, ate traditional french cuisine, drank lots of wine and ate all the cheese! I came home with a full heart (and suitcase). Truly, I felt at home in Paris and have plans to perhaps pursue work or studies there at some point. Tout est possible! 

Some highlights of my short visit were visiting L’Opéra Garnier, La Musée de Parfum, a converted 18th century hospital to artist live-in space and an embroidery exhibition from the Middle Ages. I feel incredibly inspired and am still digesting the immense beauty. Photos below!

Flowers shop! First time seeing peonies tulips.

Ceiling entrance at the Opera Garnier.

Ceiling in the reception hall of the Opera Garnier.

Another magical ceiling at the Opera Garnier. In LOVE with the stars and animals painted around the base of the pendant.

My future living room ;) Opera Garnier.

The Iron Lady!

Les fromages. Cheese is life!

Highly detailed Middle Age embroidery at Musée de Cluny.

Love this little lady’s attitude. Again highly detailed embroidery. Unreal.

Hospital converted to artist space.

Really rad ping pong table!

Loved these little guys.

Gratinée à l’oignon chez La Grille.

Ladurée macarons

Musée de Parfum!

Old perfume imagery. I can just see this translating to fabric so well.

le miroir du grand comptoir boutique! So cool.

Now that I’m home current goals include my freelance work (finishing samples for a London based textile company), gyming, visiting more museums and continuing to read and be inspired by Julia Cameron’s “Finding Water”. 2020 requires more long walks, getting more contracts that support healthy work/life balance, and creating art in whichever form that takes. This is going to be a good year… I feel it in my bones! 

It’s been about 10 days since I travelled back from Glasgow. I’ve been living in Chelsea, in the beautiful West end of London. The last week and a half has been a lot of flat hunting, job searches and planning out my next steps. London is in constant movement, something I appreciate and can’t wait to be a part of. 

In addition to the hunt, I did some exploring… from visiting a gal pal at Google to wandering yet another cemetery. Pictures and descriptions below!

Saturday, I started a 5 week course on Bespoke Tailoring at the London School of Fashion. It’s taught by a master tailor that currently works on Savile Row. Within one class I already feel I’ve learned a lot: where to add inlays to ensure enough fabric for garment fitting/alterations, mark stitching, basting to ensure pattern match, cutting and hand stitching padding. So far I like the pace of the classes. No sitting around/constant progression. I’m excited to take all this new knowledge and apply it to the skills I already have.

On that note, I’m working on my cover letter to hopefully work my way into some form of apprenticeship. Job hunting is a slow go in London and I’m hoping that it won’t be long before I’m scooped up and busy as a bee. 

Luckily I do have one thing sorted. I’ll be moving to the lovely Royal Borough of Greenwich as of Thursday. I have a feeling I’m going to spend a lot of time in the sprawling park and hitting up the weekend market. Let the London life begin!

Hello from Glasgow! 

Currently sitting in a little dimly lit cafe off of the West End Sauchiehall strip. Fall is officially in full swing which means rain, mist, fog, and everything miserably in between. I personally find it quite charming as the green of it all far outweighs the grey. 

I went on an personal tour on Sunday to see some landmarks and get out of the city. I met up with my guide Jack who took me in the West End. We met in Saint George square, filled with monuments of many men that contributed to the society we see today. He showed me darkened mansions that once belongs to the Tobacco lords and slave traders that brought Glasgow prosperity in previous centuries. I took the opportunity to take a picture with Glaswegian’s more famous monument, forever living with a cone on his head because the Scot’s have a great sense of humour. 

It wasn’t long and we were in the car up at Loch Lomond. It is the largest lake in Great Britain and moody AF. I was blown away we weaselled our way up to the Falls of Falloch. A hidden little treasure just on the edge of the Highlands. So green. SO FRESH. If we could bottle oxygen, this would be the place to do it. Moist, with a hint of fern, and oodles of crystal mountain mist! They say that green breeds creativity and I’m starting to believe it. 

Still deciding if this is where I’m to land! I’ve started putting out the feelers for work and for a home so we’ll see. I really like the vibe in this city. Very friendly, artsy and humorous in spite of the rain. As someone recently said to me “You don’t come to Scotland for the weather”.