af Lise Meijer | jan 28, 2013 | Home tour, small joys
(Carrying roses, print now available in the webshop)
I can feel spring! It always seem to signal it´s arrival in january, in the middle of frost and snow. I know, it is way too early to anticipate green leaves and flowers everywhere. It could easily become a very long wait. It´s not about that either. It´s about that tingling in the air that gives a bubbling feeling of hope and light as I walk through the stove-heated house and look at the white light outside. It inspires me and lifts my soul. And I don´t mind waiting for real spring, as long as the light continues to create small wonders….
I love this bird-house a neighbour gifted us as for our new home. Can´t wait to put it into use!
And love how the light plays with my coffee tray. And I love drinking coffee seved on a tray…even when it´s served by myself during a work-day!
And roses in vases in january!
Thank you light, for lifting our spirits!
af Lise Meijer | jan 22, 2013 | Cards, Lise Meijer Web Shop, Paintings, small joys, Soul speed, Uncategorized
Lately I have been working on a new series of paintings I call “French inspiration” 5 pieces now, perhaps more coming. I truly enjoyed creating these, allowing myself to add all my “Oh, I love this pattern” and “Ah, this is so pretty” into them. Anything I wanted in the candy-store of colors and shape was invited. that romantic soul I also hold could have a free run.
Romantic like in going tango-dancing (something I love, love!)
Romantic like in insisting on lighting candles and drinking slow latte on a sunday morning, even though a ton of tasks are waiting to be done.
Or like in seing each others in the eyes, through all the layers of life…
Romantic like taking a looong bath. Did I tell you of my bath-addiction? It is BIG. So big that here´s what I did all those years without one: I bought the biggest childrens bath on the market, placed it in our shower and squeezed myself into it, complete with bath salt, candles and all. Not the real thing, but it still worked. Favourite place for getting creative ideas.
Romantic like lace and old bird-cages. They look so pretty, don´t they? Only, I don´t like birds in cages. I want birds to be able to fly free!
Who knows, perhaps theese birds love their cage as a safe home to sleep in at night. They surely are free to fly. And sing. And dream….
Some of these paintings will soon be available as posters in my shop. And btw: I ship EVERYWHERE for very low extra cost! Also, feel free to connect with me on Facebook, where I share inspiration and news of all kind….
Xx Lise.
af Lise Meijer | jan 3, 2013 | Collaborating, From my life, Paintings, small joys, Soul speed, Uncategorized
(“Sunshower”, original available)
“May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.”
(Old Irish blessing)
I love the simplicity and sincerity in the blessing above. Here, as I am gently getting aquainted with this brand new year 2013, these words that I originally know from a song keep sounding in my mind.
And also this:
“Remember, we are in this life-business together”
I know I am seeking to find a certain balance in 2013. To grow into a maturity where, whilst creating and pursuing and even going crazy wild with my own dreams, I all the time hold in my heart that I am part of a big tribe called Humans. We all are in this together. Interconnected in ways we may not even begin to comprehend the full scope of.
(Above: my 2013 calendar)
I know that every single one of us have our own dreams. However deep they may be buried, they are there. I know they are. I know you have dreams too. I am sure of it. Even if we don´t feel or hear them right now, they are still there, waiting for us to pay attention. And I also have come to know that those dreams are compasses, they point us in powerful directions in life. They whisper how to pursue what we came here to accomplish. And when we listen, they speak with a growing confidence, adding so much joy and a sense of meaning to any life. My life, your life. Revealing the dreams we did not even know was there. All it takes to begin is listening.
May 2013 be a year where many, many people listen carefully, helping those dreams get a chance to be born into life!
May the road rise up to meet you…..
love and best wishes for your 2013!
Lise.
af Lise Meijer | dec 24, 2012 | From my life, Home tour, small joys
- It is a joy without words for me to finally have reached the point where we can decorate this new wonderful space in our home. After so much hard work with finishing the house, (Rune did an amazing job, working every evening after work for months), and after 7 weeks of flu in the family, with very little energy, it is like a healing to be able to ….make a home
Celeste has been so busy. She was worried if it would ever become christmas, so instead of waiting for us to fetch the box with decoration, she created new…tons of them, and they are so beautyful!
Celeste is now 9. She is sweet, caring in an honest way and very cool, knowing how she want things. I think she really enjoy growing up, so good to see how she is finding her very own way with things.
Vincent and Celeste created the winter landscape on their own this year. Love how they work together on a project they both love….
Vincent caught me cooking the Risengrød! Oh how I enjoy finally easing into our new home, kitchen, filling every corner with simple activity that says: HOME. So happy we are not ill any longer (we had 7 weeks of it. 7!!!)
Christmas fairy
The details matter!
The “Nisse” has got his very own spot, slightly hidden from the world as he likes it!
My father and Karen gifted this angel to us months before we moved into our new home. The plan was to hang it as soon as we moved. When I finally did, I felt immediately so strangely protected. Funny. It´s made by my fathers neighbour from pure wool.
Wishing every single one of you that the true sense of christmas, the essence of kind actions and forgiveness and a quiet inner joy may find a home in your heart during this holiday, and that you may feel refreshed and more ready to enter a brand new year….soon!
af Lise Meijer | dec 5, 2012 | From my life, Lise Meijer Web Shop, small joys, Soul speed
(Heart, lift your wings of joy, print available here)
There is snow here in Denmark, and as always it reminds me to quiet my soul, it´s like a hush made by nature, reminding me of the importance of inward, heart-filled moments at this darkest time of year.
Right now I have two mindsets struggling to take up space in my life: One constantly reminds me of a to-do-list that only keeps growing. We just moved house about a month ago. And since the move we have all been ill in turns, and still are. My camera stopped working, my computer needs fixing and on top of that this is the busiest time of year for me, workwise. Oh, and did I mention that my workspace is still in boxes? From that level life seems like a no-win-situation.
Then, there is the other mindset, the snow-hushed one: It gently tells me that all those things are just details in the bigger picture of life, and that the true importance lies somewhere else: In every day finding back my vision for what I want to do wiht my life. Even if I don´t have time to do it all now. In taking the time to decorate envelopes with hearts for my webshop, simply because I can and love to do it.
It whispers that it may be wise to take that 10 min´s walk through the snow, trusting that life will grant me enough time to manage the important things from my list. It tells me a tale of how tending to my inner state whilst doing the best I can witht the time I have got is not only good enough, but very wise.
And if my first mindset is not yet convinced, it frankly suggests that this way will even be more efficient in the long run. The most enjoyable mindset? Nr 2, clearly. So, today I choose to trust that of course I have enough time to live my life with joy! Sending you smiles out there, and now on with my to-do-list!
af Lise Meijer | okt 30, 2012 | Collaborating, From my life, Paintings, small joys, Soul speed
(New work: “Moving balance”, mixed media on canvas, 50 x 60 cm)
I feel a bit overwhelmed these days. So many things are happening right at the same time: We are a few days away from moving into the house we have been building. Rune will start in a new job tomorrow. And I am busy learning how to adjust to my business slowly growing. Making prints in new sizes, sending out boxes with cards and posters to new shops. Figuring out how to pack. Balancing finances. And all the time trying to see to the well being of the children, of me and Rune, and also just of me. Tempting to blame everyone and everything else since this is clearly too much for one person to handle in one week!
In all this I know that my most important responsibility is to keep my own balance. Like a mother putting on her own oxygen mask before helping her child. It´s my responsibility to take care of me.
But that doesn´t mean it´s all about me! About me handling MY portion, squeezing to get MY load done. It´s about all of us doing the very best we can with what we have got. Alone when we must and together when we can. To light our light and to look for the light in people around us when we can´t feel our own.
In the big picture I am just a little brick in the puzzle. I am also the only person responsible for handling the balances in my life. And that´s important. Many small balanced lifes can make a BIG difference! And that´s why we could sometimes do everyone including ourselves a service by taking a walk or making a bath, or calling in ill to just sit and stare and nap or whatever it takes to regain a sense of balance. We have to decide to do that, it won´t likely happen on it´s own. The nature of To-do-lists is that they never end! Sometimes we serve the world best by doing whatever it takes to add a little balance to the day. That way we can be a better version of ourselves.
So, the secret I am learning is: this life is not about YOU, it´s about what you DO with what you´ve got whilst you are here. And I truly believe that keeping good balance is important in that picture. Even when it means dropping some balls on the way!
