While you guys hunt and gather your ideas for my heart wanders, i have some fabulous inspiration for you in the coming week. And when I say fabulous I mean FABULOUS!
I’ve been busy contacting some of my favourite artists from all over the world in my stylist’s little black book. And being the lovely people they are, they’ve been obliging by sending me some rather exclusive pics of their latest projects. Oh it’s been killing me not to share immediately, but this blogging does take time! So what have i got up my sleeve?

I will leave you with this trés fabu quote found on Anson’s website to get your little hearts into action. Please continue to spread the word on the project – the more people involved the more spectacular this project will become…

“you can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus”

Mark Twain

pilfered from Uncle Beefy

Who doesn’t love a quote? Pia obsession confession #1: Quotes. If someone gives me a book of quotes that’s it, anything I was doing goes out the window and I am stuck in that book until I get to the last quote. I am truly obsessed by them – I mean, they are tiny little pieces of art are they not? They make you think, question, ponder, wonder, and instantly fly you someplace else. And what’s more, if you have one of those freakish abilities with memory you can pull them out of your head to really bring home your story at your next dinner party. Instead, my story finishes with something like this, “and yeah you know, it is just like that guy said, you know, that guy, his name starts with an S, you know, everyone knows him! Anyway, he said something like, ‘fish with a man and you eat with…’ no no hang on, it’s ‘be a fish and eat for a day’ I mean no, sorry, it’s…). By then everyone’s eyes have rolled so far into the backs of their heads that I am surrounded by a table of zombies grappling to fill up their wine glasses to dull the pain.

Actually I’m wondering now whether the eye rolling just starts the moment I start a story, not necessarily when I end it. Hmm. Food for thought.

Anyhoo, I stumbled upon Uncle Beefy’s cool blog who then lead me to Compendium, a Seattle based company who’s mission is this: “To inspire, educate, motivate and celebrate the world we love and live in. We will strive to set an example of hope, passion, and creativity in everything we do—from the products and programs we create, to the ways we can make a difference for our clients, customers and community.”

Right on! Love finding companies with these goals. From what I understand, they are the guys who make all those journals and books, and postcards with cool quotes. You will have noticed already that I love to throw in a quote or two in my stories (like in Handy Hints numbero uno), and I have already a list of some great French ones I’ve learnt that I will be sharing with you so you can show them off at your next dinner party (I will try to give some pronunciation tips too, so you don’t look like a complete fool to the guest who’s secretly fluent in French). But for now, I will leave you to ponder this oldy-but-a-goody, you may even be able to find a slot for it at tonight’s soirée…

After a little rocky start thanks to my hosting company deciding to do maintenance the moment I launched the blog, I am back on track and ready to roll! But haven’t quite made the effort to roll out of bed yet (love my lap apple) and Alfred seems to have forgotten about my morning cuppa. again.

Thank you to everyone who replied to my email send out yesterday, having a look at the blog and sending me your well wishes, I love you all.

The above image is from an art gallery in Amsterdam that my lovely friend Connie and I stumbled upon the other day. We both couldn’t resist snapping some shots through the white-barred window, it was such a beautiful tiny space, and with this intriguing phrase in giant lettering on the wall it seemed to be written just for us, reflecting our current states of mind. It was as if the sentence formed from the intense conversation about love, loss and life that we had just been engaging in.

I didnt get a chance to find the name of the space or the artist, so if anyone knows please do let me know. In the meantime, I will try to find it again to see if I can learn more about the concept and the artist. Here is a broader shot of the space…

Stunning non?

So what is installed for you this week when you wander through my house? Let me see…

On the kitchen table amongst a tonne of paperwork still to get through is a series of shots from a Summer BBQ story I shot with photographer Chris Chen in Sydney, Australia with some ideas for table setting this summer (if you are lucky enough to be in the Southern Hemisphere!)

In the sound studio, we just released the song ‘les gouttes’ and have it available on the myspace page. I will describe (with visual aid of course!)more about this song as it has quite a story behind it.

A new book has been added to the Library called Recycled Home – I cant wait to get a chance to sit with it, I’ll write my review.

Presents! You have to check out the wrapping, it is so gorgeous!

A mini travel guide full of beautiful images of a very special set of villages in France where I will be spending my Christmas, and a little surprise visit to a rather magnificent property too.

And on this weeks menu there are oysters, there are scallops, there is pan-seared tuna with herbes de provence, and of course there is champagne! I will be writing the menu up in the kitchen shortly.

And all that in between my daily postings and working out how to use bullet points. Thanks for your patience with my little start up issues. Hope you enjoy the first week at my place!