Pearls of Wisdom

While we are in Turkey, let me leave you with this morsel of goodness that keeps me going through the trials and tribulations of trying to be a blogger...

It's so difficult not to compare ourselves with others we perceive as more successful, more knowledgeable or better off. The key word there is perceive.

I know a woman who has a very successful blog (no names to protect the innocent) but she also has a sister who is very sick. I know another man (again no names) who has a wickedly famous design blog but he just found out his wife has been unfaithful. And, I know a woman who has 27, 000 followers on Pinterest, a prolific Etsy store and a sponsored art site but she just lost her house.

I am certainly not trying to focus on the negative. I'm just saying that though P and P is not sponsored (yet), and I don't have tons of readers and I'm no authority in blogging, my sister is healthy, my husband is faithful and we have a sweet little cottage to call our own. When we put things in perspective and couple that perspective with hard work and patience, I think anything can happen!

Original photo by Tennesee Bunny finished artwork by me.

On that note, please tell your friends about Poppies and Paperbacks, follow me on Pinterest, follow me on twitter and come visit me anytime on Facebook (although, I'm not terribly consistent on "the book").

Card Tricks and Illusionists

Magic is alluring. It's a talent like dancing or singing It's extremely appealing and most people wish they could do it.

I love cards. I love the art on vintage playing cards. I love the feel and texture of a deck of cards and perhaps because of all this admiration I love card tricks too.

The following film I realize is an ad campagin but I challenge you to follow his hands to see what he does and how to do it. I love it so much it gets me a little crazy. Like Elvis. Ellusionist is a pretty awesome website if you, like me, love a card trick and slight of hand. It's quite sexy. Check out Theory 11...their creativity is whimsically malicious. Like I said, I wish I could dance, sing, act and do magic!

The videos are pro quality and bonus, they have great music.

Look closely here, lest you miss the fascination....

Gala Darling

I was fishing around on Twitter and noticed that I consistently check on a woman named Gala. She has a blog called Gala Darling: A Radical Self Love Project and is she ever a darling. She is like a gum drop or a gingerbread house; clever and complicated and sweet. Gala Darling is sometimes witty and always charming and when she has a link on her Twitter feed I cant help but want to experience what Gala finds so appealing. I've never been disappointed. And I'm feeling the love...the neighbor love that is! Gala was recently in San Francisco.

This lovely displaced Kiwi has created a home for herself in New York City and has incurred a passion of teaching women how to love themselves. I have learned so much from her. Mostly that I love her. I love her style, her kindness and her undying love for her dogs! I especially love how she teaches us as ladies, that we can love ourselves. She is pink and lavender and tangerine. She is sequins and shine in the summertime. She is a cupcake and red licorice. She is enthusiasm and beauty and art. I love her. I wish I knew her. For now, I'll keep her close to my heart and visit her with at least weekly frequency!

Look at this....

Print by Kevin Dart

Gala Darling: Gorgeous but never takes herself too seriously.