interview: tangerine meg on art, design & life

This interview is part of Tangerine Meg's Bold Interviews with a whole bunch of creatives. Check out her blog for more interviews, including her Q & A with me! 

You’re a graphic designer and artist. How do the two support and oppose one another?

Support: I find art and graphic design are both flavours of visual communication. The theories of colour and composition are employed in both to convey a message clearly. For art it's a personal story being communicated, whereas Graphic Design conveys a brand 'look' and business values and information. And in each it's a good idea to set off rich, fascinating visual areas with plenty of white breathing space!

Oppose: I think they cross pollinate each other. The clarity of communication necessary when doing graphics can be employed with a succinctity of expression when approaching personal artwork. Lately I've been combining cool quotes with my watercolour and lino print images. Circling us back to: art and graphic design lend richness to one other!

How does your life impact your art and your art impact your life? 

Life impacts art completely! 

When I see a pile of juicy mandarins at the Farmers Market, a cat sitting by a lovely curtain or a surprisingly purple flower it beckons me, with its colour, texture or shape. Its essence tugs at mine. We dance. I'm called to make an image – be it phone photo, painting or a quick scrawl to remind myself of the colours later.

Art impacts life: 

1. Making art? The feeling of flow has me in the present, engaged yet calm. Even if just a little painting happens I know I've done what I needed to that day. More than a little art makes a very good day :)
2. Seeing others' art? Seeing others' unique makings brings out curiosity and wonder and leads to a richer, fuller day. The recognition of a human truth in another's artwork, or seeing someone respond to my artwork – personal yet universal - is so heartwarming.

What is your creative process like?  

My creative process can appear sporadic for any given project - I may jump from one task to another when a fresh outlook is needed - but the process throughout the day is of ongoing gathering and weaving. I often start a picture or graphics project with an unstructured muse and scribble session, then take a break for percolation – haha, ironic as I don't drink coffee. Next I'll develop the idea and allow another percolation break. Thirdly, the idea is brought into shape, and finally I draw all the threads together and check for cleanness and completeness. Is this different when it’s something personal compared to something commissioned by a client? The stages might be squeezed closer together if the artwork is  for someone else – I need to be aware of the client or cat owner's time frame and goals. If I'm doing graphic design for myself (like my calendars) or a client one has to wrap up the process by ensuring all the formatting, colours and fonts have been checked and that there are no typos!

What are you most proud of in art and life? 

Art: I'm proud that I'm (still) doing it! I started making paintings years ago (and lessons at age 7). I'm so excited to be working on making art a bigger part of my livelihood. I feel lucky, making pictures is an activity that by its nature requires presence and intuition, a most enjoyable state to touch base with!

Life: (It's a cliché, but...)  My kids. They are awesome adults now. I don't feel I was very intuitive at parenting; and I wasn't sure until the second hit 20 (last year) that I had done a good enough job. Who would have thought that after all that nagging (me) and confusion (also me) they would grow into healthy, creative and lovely young men. (What a relief!) 

Tell us 5 key lessons of adulthood that you’ve come to live by. 

1. Attend to your quality of life. Eat healthy local foods, move your body, make your actions align with your values. If you take care of yourself you'll be able to contribute better, too.
2. You can do a crazy huge project, little by little, in repeated little tasks and sessions. A long bush walk doesn't have to be walked with every step at the same time – in fact it's impossible! The path can only be walked one step at a time.
3. Yoga And Sleep are Magic.
4. Make things – art, knitted items, paper mache, gardens. Read. 
5. Choose the colourful, patterned one!

Hi! I'm Tangerine Meg, delighted to meet you! I'd love you to join me on this curious soulful journey as Bold Life and Art unfold. The best way is to sign up for Tangerine Juice, my monthly-ish eNewsletter. You're heaps welcome to visit my website and download free stuff - there are bright bookmarks and a Reading Girl Bookplate image available this very moment, guaranteed to brighten up any personal library! You can also find me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. Let's play!

kate goes to europe: brussels

Kym and I recently travelled to Europe. After we visited Amsterdam and The Hague, we stopped off for a couple of nights in Brussels, which is what I'm sharing about today.

We went to Brussels as it's a European Union hot spot, and as established in my previous post, we're a household of political nerds.

We only had one full day in Brussels, because we went specifically to check out the EU. We spent the morning walking through the Parliamentarium. From one nerd to another (I assume you are one if you're still reading this post) I can totally vouch for this place. It was super interactive and gave us a much better idea of the history behind the EU and the role it plays in the region.

EU Parliament wasn't sitting when we were there, but we did wonder into the foyer and 'ooh' and 'aah' at the fancy carpet. What can I say? It's just how we roll.

We spent the afternoon wandering around the city, eating and napping. Lazy, right? You'll be happy to know we spent a whole chunk of time hunting for the very best waffles in Brussels. Here's my conclusion: All the waffles are doughy gold. We bought one to share, and that wasn't enough, so bought another one. It still wasn't enough. The next morning we had one each for breakfast. Even then, I kinda wish I'd bought a back-up for the train ride to our next stop, Munich.

Let's just say that people in Brussels seem to have no spacial or situational awareness. People were constantly cutting us off when we were trying to cross the street, cut in lines at shops, talked loudly in the quietest of rooms... And I really hate to say this, but the women in Brussels kinda gave me the shits. In addition to all the behaviour I just mentioned, they also walked insanely slow, with this dainty air, as if to prove their femininity. It just made them look slow in the head as well as the feet. Something about Brussels women comes across as ditzy and needy. I really think they could change this if they just wore sneakers instead of heels.

Ok, rant is over, I promise.

My Brussels recommendations:

• EU Parliamentarium
• Waffles
• Waffles
• Waffles
• Hot chocolate (get it from one of the chocolatiers so you know it's made with real chocolate goodness)

housiversary

Saturday was our six year housiversary. I can't believe we've lived here for so long! Kym and I always celebrate our housiversary by getting Indian and eating takeout in our lounge room. We feel like we're really giving the house a treat.

This is what the patio looked like when we first visited the house and the previous owners were still there. It's one of the big reasons we fell in love with it, which is why it's hard to admit that it has never looked this tidy since!

Do you celebrate a housiversary?

kate goes to europe: the hague

Our second stop on our recent Europe trip was The Hague (Den Haag), approx an hour south of Amsterdam. Kym and I went there to check out some UN goodness like the Peace Palace and the International Criminal Court but we also did a tour of the national parliament (which works super similar to Australian parliament system).

Meanwhile, I just realised what a nerdy sentence that was.... 

For those who have never considered going to The Hague, know this: it is essentially a Netherlands version of Canberra. It’s insanely green, everyone walks around in suits, there are cyclists and runners all over the place, the food is pretty average and it’s cold. See? Canberra.

We had one major disappointment- we planned to visit the International Criminal Court (ICC) and I checked the website the night before to make sure there was a court hearing for us to go watch. When we arrived, it turned out there was no court hearing and therefore nothing for us to do. We were told to leave and check the website… I was SO bummed and also really annoyed seeing as I had checked it and it clearly needed updating! Kym was also bummed as he had skipped watching the Parliament sit to come to the ICC with me. Did I mention what nerds we are?

Our biggest highlight was visiting the Peace Palace, which gave us a huge insight into the role the Netherlands has played in Diplomacy for centuries. This was followed closely by a stamp exhibition at the Museum Voor Communicatie, which I instigated. I really can't blame Kym for that one. In my defence, I went to check out the design... 

Here are a few things you should check out if you find yourself in The Hague:

• Crunch Cafe for a good brekkie 
• Museum voor Communicatie (we went to a nerdy as stamp exhibition, which we both LOVED)
• Binnenhof (Parliament) tour
• Peace Palace 

If you haven't already seen it, check out my post on our first stop, Amsterdam.

we've been married HOW long?

What the what? Two years ago today, I married a lovely bearded man. I can't believe how time has flown.

In the last two years

• We've travelled to Tasmania, Vietnam, Singapore and Europe. 
• I've changed jobs from working with teenagers to retirees
• Kym's had a promotion
• I've started studying graphic design, for a new career direction
• We've half built those damn retaining walls
• We've painted the bedroom, fireplace, front door
• We've bought and killed countless plants
• We've watched immeasurable hours of Archer

It's been good. I think Kym is the coolest nerd in town, and he thinks I'm pretty alright too.

Happy Anniversary!

kate goes to europe: amsterdam

In my last post I revealed that Kym and I had been gallivanting through Europe in April and I promised a report on the places we visited. First stop was Amsterdam, where we stayed for 4 nights. 

Anyone who has been there will know what I mean when I say that Amsterdam is an assault of the senses. Mostly in a good way. Sometimes in a bad way. On occasion, in a nose curling kinda way. 

Assault on sight:

The first thing you’ll notice is there is a lot going on visually. Look down, there’s a mixture of cobblestones to carefully tread (especially if you’re a walking-trip-hazard like myself), with papers and cigarette butts scattered on the ground (Kym and I may have been the only non-smokers in the entire country). Look up and there’s a sky with bustling clouds and so intensely blue that it looks like someone made it all up (in a good way). Look in front of you and there are bikes whizzing past, beaming with the confidence of winning the war of the roads (cars really aren’t the master on Amsterdam streets). Look around you, left to right and there’s a whole lot to see. There is no bullshitting in Amsterdam, no shame. It’s not just in the red light district, with the women standing provocatively in shop windows, or the ‘coffee shops’ which don’t actually sell coffee. The message in every shop window, no matter the type of business it’s representing is the same “This is who I am. I hope you like it, but I don’t really care, and I’m not going to change anything." 

Assault on taste: 

Taste is concentrated in Amsterdam. The cheese is strong, the bread is heavy, the meat is smoked. The serving sizes are bigger than I’ve ever seen (well, until we got to Germany, but more on that in another post). Kym and I made the mistake several times of ordering separate slices of cake, only to discover that every serve is twice that you get in Australia. We duly finished said serves, but still, they became a struggle a few days in. The only thing I found weak was the beer (that said, I’m an Aussie, it's in my blood to say this). 

Assault on smell: 

Amsterdam reeks. When you are in Amsterdam, you will discover what it means to feel overwhelmed with smells. Trash, pastries, weed, beer, coffee, cheese, urine…. It’s all a bit much for a girl who uses soap nuts to clean her clothes. To conclude, Amsterdam reeks. That is all. 

Assault on hearing: 

Just like the smell, Amsterdam is a whole lot of noise. Apparently it’s one of the loudest cities in the world. Or Europe. Or the country. I’m not sure, but our tour guide said something along those lines. I’m assuming it’s the first option. In Amsterdam, there is always something competing for your attention, and sound is no different: sirens, rubbish trucks, crowds, cars, bells, bikes…. 

Assault on touch: 

As I said in the ‘sight’ part of this post, Amsterdam is an incredibly textural city. There’s always something to touch, walk on, scrape, bump into, steer away from. The sun is toasty warm on your face, the wind is chillingly cold. There’s always something crunching or shifting underfoot, like the city is half awake beneath you.

All of this said, I freaking loved the place. It was rad. 

Highlights included 

• Van Gogh Museum (even if his famous sunflower painting was on holiday in the UK)
• Anne Frank Museum (you can’t not go to this, even if the line is 1+ hours long)
• City tour with Mark, That Dam Guide (it was by far the best tour we took in all of Europe)
• Cobra Museum of Modern Art (if you like modern art, this place has some seriously cool stuff)
• Winkel (the best apple pie in Amsterdam, not to mention, my entire life)
• Noordermarkt (conveniently, right next to Winkel)

i'm back (but where did i go?)

If you follow me on Facebook, you'll already know why it's been so darn quiet here on the blog: I've been gallivanting around Europe with the husband. In the last month we've visited Amsterdam, The Hague, Brussels, Munich, Berlin & Prague. I can tell you, it has been a delicious and indulgent month.

Those of you that have been reading the blog for a while might have noticed my URL has changed. My '.com' domain isn't working, so until further notice I've reverted back to the reliable littleadelaidekate.blogspot.com.au. I'd love it if you can help me out by sharing this link on your own social media accounts to get the word out!

Here's what you can expect in the next few months:

• Posts and photos galore of each city we visited on our trip
• More retaining wall updates (will the saga ever end?)
• New Happiness Files (I'm bringing the old girl back... it's been a while)

It seems I've become a rather inconsistent blogger, so I'm aiming to post once a week and get back into the habit. Sometimes I get distracted by shiny objects so if it gets any longer than a couple of weeks, remind me in comments below, or on my Facebook or Twitter account.

In the meantime, here are a few pics from the holiday...

little adelaide kate in vogue… looking' shiny and new

If you haven't popped over to the blog for a while, you might have noticed we've upgraded to a new, cleaner design. Here's what the blog previously looked like:

It's now a little brighter and a little simpler. Have a look around and let me know what you think!

three email subscriptions worth the read

I am a serial signer-upperer of email subscriptions. While I hate wasteful emails, I prefer to take the risk and sign up to something just-in-case it turns out to be worth my while. 

Every now and then, I find a gem. Here are three email subscriptions I'm glad I signed up to:

Sex, Love & Liberation

This blog is all about freedom. Ev'yan writes with such kindness and openness that you can't help but respect and admire her. She's created a community for women to discuss and explore not only their sexuality, but their sense of self. 

The Happiness Project 

There are a couple of subscriptions with this blog, one is a daily inspirational quote and the other is a newsletter with updates on blog posts, which I love because I can choose which posts I want to read (I don't want to have them all in my newsfeed because it's not a blog where I want to read every post). 

Heartmade

Mayi Carles is adorable. If I could pull it off, I'd want to be just like her. The best thing about this subscription is it is once a week and it's always showing Friday Video Time. Get on this if you want to be inspired, and also amazed at her energy levels. Super practical support for getting creatives from hobby to professional. 

free printable charts for your new years resolutions!

In my last post I shared my 2014 resolutions and admitted that I am a true resolution-nerd. Here comes more nerdy shame. I made a chart for each of my resolutions and pinned them above my desk. The plan is to cross off my achievements at the end of each day. 

My charts are in the same vein as Gretchen Rubin discussed in The Happiness Project. Like Gretchen, gold stars, even self-given, is an essential part of my ongoing motivation.  

As mentioned in my last post, a core part of my 2014 resolutions is in the numbers. This year I'm all about committing to each resolution a number of times throughout the year, in a bid to create new habits (like 220 Days at the Gym and 100 Consecutive Days of Meditation). 

Below are a bunch of free charts you can use for your own resolutions. They are all in PNG format, because I'm still struggling with the embedding-PDF-thing. Print it in the same way you would any other picture file. I printed mine on A3 paper but one of my mates did them in A4, and that worked fine too.  

It's not too late to set your goals for 2014 and I'm dying to know what they are!

PS…. I mentioned a new blog 'look' in this post, before the new year, and yes, you can consider these print out's a major hint of the new look! 

2014 new years resolution-ing

Happy New Year! 

It's officially 2014 and I've decided to jump back on the resolution bandwagon. 

I'm not one for generic "this is my year" Facebook posts, but I do love a good I-swear-I'll-do-it-this-year-you-just-watch-me blog announcement, and here it is. 

I'm a sucker for New Years resolutions. In fact, I officially became a resolution-stereotype when I joined our local gym on New Years Eve. I have also managed to drag my arse there for the last three days. Record. 

If you've been reading lak for a while, you might remember some friends and I had a ritual on New Years Day to get together and make a list of 26 resolutions (one for each letter of the alphabet), and laugh at our failed attempts from the year before. In 2011, we got lazy, but I still managed to post my own resolutions here. See how I went in this post. 

The last two years have been resolution-empty. Life has been in the way. This year, despite sickness, laziness and one of us in Canberra, three of us managed to 'meet' via Skype and reignite our old ritual. This year we decided to be a little kinder to ourselves and skip the one-for-each-letter-of-the-alphabet part.   

Maybe we fell a little in love with the whole video conference call thing… 

Yep. We are that cool. 

Last year, I made some big life changes, including re-entering the world of study and taking on a new part-time job, which seriously decreased our income. I finished a Certificate 4 in Design and this year am moving on to an Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design. Have I told you yet that I'm psyched? So now that the big rocks are sorted, this year is about managing the pebbles and sand, focusing on the little things that will help me to be healthy and happy long term. 

I decided to set myself goals that are super easy to measure. Each of my 2014 resolutions is about creating a new habit:

• 220 days at the gym
• 300 nights of good sleep hygiene
• 180 days of protein for breakfast 
• 100 consecutive days of meditation
• 200 days of writing 500 words
• 20 activities that make me feel right (Thanks to Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project)
• Monthly video posts for the blog
• Monthly visual posts for the blog
• My own 'a month without' experiment, starting with No-Wine-January (Thanks to Leo over at Zen Habits)

If you're wondering why I set goals that started with "200 days; 300 nights" etc, it's because I am far more likely to forgive myself for having an 'off' week if the goal is a general number instead of a weekly commitment. I figure that on a good week, I can rock it out at the gym 5 or 6 times, but in a bad week, I'm not going to beat myself up if I can't even drag my sorry arse there once. 

I'm also being gentle on myself with what is required of me on those goals- whether I'm at the gym for 30 minutes or two hours (unlikely), I'd still only get one box 'crossed off', so there's no pressure on me to push myself too hard. 

While I've listed some big numbers for the year, it all feels challenging but do-able [insert my best teacher voice] if I will just apply myself. 

What are your resolutions for 2014?

happy holidays!

Just a quick one to say I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and new year. I'll be back soon with more home and garden progress, more rants about sustainability and more fun!

I'm currently working on updating the look of the blog. While it's brewing away, here's a little taster until the new year… I'm adding some colour, chosen directly from my beloved Pantone Colour Bridge set!

I'll be back in the new year… Until then, eat and be merry!

book review: one piece of advice

At 28 years old, I've already known of five women through social circles who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. We've just passed October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and it's a good time to reflect on how we can support those around us who have been affected by this disease. 

I was recently offered the opportunity to do a review of Yvonne Hughes' book, "One Piece of Advice: Words to guide you through early breast cancer", published with the support of the Prostate and Breast Cancer Foundation.

Yvonne Hughes, a 37-year-old mother of one who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011. Reeling from her diagnosis, she immediately looked for imformation on what to expect and some helpful advice. When she couldn't find what she was looking for, she was inspired to write her own book.

OPOA is a collection of short digestible nuggets of advice about breast cancer. It is full of practical information gathered from Yvonne's personal experiences and her conversations with other women, their families and health professionals.

Let me say this:

After reading through OPOA in record time (I couldn't put it down), I can highly recommend it to anyone who has recently had a diagnosis or is supporting a loved one through breast cancer. 

OPOA is beautifully designed and illustrated, filled with digestible bites of information and advice on managing each stage of early breast cancer. It is super practical and a very easy to read, informative without being overwhelming. But perhaps what I loved about it most was Yvonne's voice. Reading OPOA was like a warm hug from a close friend. 

OPOA is kind, comforting, relatable and most importantly, real. Yvonne collated the advice and wrote the book throughout her own cancer journey, and it feels as if you're taking the journey with her. She shares common experiences, questions and misconceptions without judgment. 

There's a section in the book especially for family and friends supporting loved ones through cancer. That said, if I were you, I'd read the whole book anyway! It provided invaluable insight into the breast cancer experience, including recovery from surgery, physical side affects of treatment as well as the grief and emotional experience of each part of the journey.

I have no qualms recommending One Piece of Advice. I just wish I lived in the same state as Yvonne so I could give her a giant 'thank you' hug! 

How to get OPOA:

One Piece of Advice is available for purchase at www.onepieceofadvice.com.au for the RRP AU $24.95 plus postage and handling.

10% of all profits go to Cancer Council NSW – who provided production and design support for One Piece of Advice – and other cancer charities.

a reminder for gratitude

Note to Self: Wonder at the little things. 

because i do what i love

Playing with Adobe Illustrator... So maybe I heart geometric shapes a little too much, who's judging?

And while I'm here, check out this awesome doozie from Chicken Nation. I may also heart political rights and responsibilities... (Have I mentioned I married a politics nerd?)

What do you love?

the happiness files: flowers in vases

How nice is this? 

Proteas from our garden, resting in a vase on our trestle dining table. 

Happiness truly lives here. 

when chickens die...

One of our chickens (Salma, named after Salma Hayek, not salmonella) recently died. I was sad. I covered her in a cloth because I couldn't handle burying her, but didn't want the other chickens to have to look at her while I waited for Kym to come home. Thank goodness he can take care of things like that. I am a hatchback, not a four wheel drive and was not made for hard 'country' tasks.

I'm wondering... Are you as attached to your chickens as I am, or are you able to maintain an objective, farmer-like calm? 

first wedding anniversaries... what can happen in a year?

As I alluded to in this post, Kym and I recently celebrated our first wedding anniversary! I'd heard from a lot of people "The first year of marriage is the hardest", and it was certainly a difficult year, but for problems arising outside of our relationship.

In the last twelve months, I broke my ankle, left my job and took six months off to re-energise. Kym has had an intense year at work and returned to study. It was a tough year, but it reminded us of the need to take time for one another and focus on the good things. I'm finally getting used to my new surname, but still find myself referring to Kym as my 'partner' instead of 'husband' (it's still a conscious novelty to use the 'H' word).  It's good to have someone to share the good and the bad with.

What was your first year of marriage like? Did anything change? 

jelly cakes, shower caps, bling and cold sausages

A few weeks ago my dear Nanna Carla passed away. While she'd been living with dementia for the last few years, her passing was unexpected. I'm feeling really grateful that we celebrated Mothers Day with her only a few days before she passed.

As soon as someone in your life is diagnosed with dementia, the grieving process begins. We've been grieving for 'the old Nanna' for a while and it's been hard to watch her live with this disease. Nanna was fiercely independent but I know she would have traded this independence to stay with us all for the extra time she did.

I'll keep missing her, she's played a major role in my life, and I owe so much of who I am to her. In a strange way, I feel closer to her now and have a sense of peace. Rather than worrying about her, I'm remembering all the great things.

I'm remembering jelly cakes, apricot slice, yummy slice, coconut pyramids and butterfly cakes (to name a few).

I'm remembering witchy chins and Imlay shoulders.

I'm remembering movies at Semaphore and secret chocolate bars.

I'm remembering scrabble and spa's and shower caps.

I'm remembering cold sausages and chicken bums.

I'm remembering house pride and clean stovetops.

I'm remembering knitted booties and Power beanies.

I'm remembering colour, bling and costume parties.

I'm remembering faces on and hair set.

I'm remembering that there's no shame in your grandchildren naming you after your dog (her name was actually Doris... She's not the only grandparent trading names with their pet in our family).

I'm remembering arriving early with cane baskets.

I'm remembering too much food and extra gifts.

I'm remembering overwhelming celebrations on Easter, Christmas and birthdays.

I'm remembering sweet and sour chicken and apple (not apricot) pie.

I'm remembering manicured nails, tidy eyebrows and 'not the hair'.

I'm remembering finished crosswords and watching home movies through bifocal glasses.

I'm remembering football grand finals, bombs not detinating and seeing ghosts.

I'm remembering Christmas card competitions, dressing gowns and beating up hospital guards.

I'm remembering Mrs Bucket, hankies up sleeves, leather handbags and maroon walkers.

I'm remembering handcream, fridge magnets, thingy-whatsits, fundraising and school holidays.

I'm remembering generousity, pride, fairness, fun and rhubarb.

I'm remembering a great woman who lived every year of her life with dignity, a sense of her own values and a commitment to making the world a better place for her family as well as people she didn't know.

The same night Nanna Carla (aka Doris) died, I had finished reading 'Julie & Julia' by Julie Powell and a paragraph about her processing Julia Child's death resonated with me:

"Instead of wandering around some hokey, half-baked heaven, wondering how to obtain real Dover sole, she's rattling around the apartments of my brain, banging away at a good sturdy Garland stove and drinking her wine and having a high old time... There are thousands and thousands of her around, in brains all over the world, but this Julia is mine."

One thing I can settle on is this: My grandmother continues to live in my mind as a kind, generous, opinionated, sometimes-pushy, well dressed, loving woman.

She still reminds me to pluck my eyebrows and watch my weight. She tells me I'm a wonderful writer and that she thinks I can do anything I set my mind to. She tells me to stay safe and to 'give my love to Kym'. She tells me to do for others what I would like done for me. She tells me to enjoy the moment and to fight fairly. She tells me it's ok to cry, but it's better to laugh. She tells me to eat cake (her cake).

remember this: life is good

I've been MIA from blog-land for the last few weeks. We've had a couple of deaths in the family (one human, one chicken) and a certain anniversary to celebrate. Each of these have provided me with 'touch-points' to rest, celebrate, find courage and adjust my pace.

I'll be posting about each of these 'touch-points' and getting back into a blogging routine as my pace settles in the coming weeks. Right now, may I encourage those who are experiencing their own touch points... Life is good.

Kate xxx