About Me..shhhhh

I am having a quiet moment.

You know that feeling, when you go into a dressing room,

try something on and everyone ask you to come out and 

show them...and you think you are quite happy to stay behind the curtain?

You know that feeling, when you have created something, 

artwork, writing, something that took a lot of thought,

 you kept it all to yourself for such a long time and then... 

you showed it to someone you care about?

You know that feeling...when it is a case of do I or don't I?

But then, you say, oh, what the heck....and you just do it?

If you are with me so far...that is the way I feel at the moment.

It took me two years...but I finally wrote an 'About Me' page,

that hopefully explains something...or maybe it will just leave you confused.

That's ok...because I often am. :)

I am hoping to answer the questions that I am often asked

and it often has something to do with who, what, where, when and how,

regarding my blogs. It is easy for me to spread it out between blogs...
but on one page...yikes!

So...what the hey...here I go...look up..to the left, under the photo...

and you will see 'About Me'. Click on it, or click here.

She cringes....ok, so...is it too long? Is it too confusing? 

Should I do the deed and just roll it all into one blog?

Why am I talking as I am writing?

Is it middle age?

I have been asking myself that for two years...

well that, and if I should combine all my blogs into one.

So shoot...tell me like it is.

If you don't want to put it in a comment,

you can write to me, 

jeannecollageoflife@gmail.com

Ah, the in's and outs of life.

It's amazing what we put ourselves through.

It must be middle age!

:) :) :)

It's all happening in Central Park...

We caught a 5:30am car to the JFK airport Friday morning.

It was pounding down with rain...and I was immensely grateful 

for the glorious weather during our brief stay in NYC.

In between the appointments and paperwork we managed to

take in a few sights. It is easy to do in NYC, 

all you have to do is pop outside.

We hopped on a horse and carriage ride in Central Park
and took the 25 minute tour...to the tune of $50.00 plus tip.

The prices were a bit steep and variable but I liked

the Irish brogue of our driver.... and it was the perfect day for it.

Miss Claire and I snapped away.. she caught a driver passing by..

and I caught Lady Liberty...standing proud and looking hip

There were no shortage of carriages in central park...

or pigeons for that matter.

Did you know that Central Park was the first landscaped public park in the United States?

In 1853, more than 700 acres were acquired to create Central Park, at the request of wealthy

landowners and merchants who wanted to create a public park in similar fashion

 to those in London and Paris. If you would like to read more on the history of Central Park, read here.

'People watching' in Central Park is one of the my favourite activities.

Snapping pics with my 200mm zoom lens is even better.

My eyes were on this woman's coat...seemed like a pretty nice

walking ensemble to me.

You don't have to travel far to hear great music.
It is there for the public to enjoy, even on a winter's day.

You can find it in the form of formal concerts...

or along a path..

If you prefer to leave the camera at home, 

their are plenty of photos to choose from in the park.

Really, all you need to do is walk.

Of all my photos, I enjoy the following the best, they are what a park is all about to me.

It is for those of us who enjoy losing ourselves in thought,
expressing ourselves at will.

It's magic, when people pass by and smile..

My thoughts wandered to this bicycle in shadow.
If you follow me at Pinterest, you will know that I have a passion for bicycles.

Love in Central Park...is there any better place?

Mr. H and I spent many a day, walking thru Central Park

when we were dating.

 with an angel to watch over us..

 Angel of the Waters Fountain at Bethesda Terrace, there is a wonderful story about this statue here

Speaking of thoughts...a penny for yours?

                          

There is so much to do and see in Central Park..what I have shown here

doesn't even begin to convey it all. If you plan to travel to NYC

and would like to explore Central Park, I suggest you start here.

via

images via Miss Claire and myself and where noted

New York Attitude

I was standing on a street corner, outside of The Plaza Hotel and it was there that I spotted them.

 Thru the traffic, between the Manhattan crowds....those red shoes! They were like a beacon in a stormy sea..signalling to me. I should tell you that I am not a red shoe kind of girl...but that

did not stop me from loving the look of the dress and red shoes together. It has that 'corporate power, don't mess with me' kind of look, the one that says "I can wear red if I want too".

I like it. :)

The place: Bergdorf Goodman on Fifth Avenue.

The green paisley dress/red shoe look: Jil Sander

I especially love the photos below for the colours, glamour and

Manhattan buildings in reflection. They are all New York.

I think a girl could get used to this. :)

Colour is the operative word here...and lot's of it. 

Red shoe mannequin with attitude.... ready to take on New York.

Here's to you kid!

:)

images~moi

A New York Minute

According to the Urban Dictionary..

'A New York Minute is an instant... or as Johnny Carson once said, it's the interval between a Manhattan traffic light turning green and the guy behind you honking his horn.  It is a reference to the frenzied and hectic pace of New Yorkers' lives.' 

And what a pace it is! 

I am in New York with three of my four fast moving kids having a few 

 New York Minutes of our own...

What's the saying? Girl's just wanna have fun?

My Miss Claire has had a major crush on David Beckham for as long as I can remember.

I lost count of how many posters adorn her bedroom walls.You can imagine the excitement 

when she saw a New York bus featuring nothing but David. I was only sorry to have 

missed his head on the top image but managed to make up for it in the one under it. 

As you can see, Claire is not phased one bit...she is just happy to be there!

In one New York Minute we managed to snap a few pics.

Claire caught this cyclist waiting on a traffic light...

and turned to capture this scene around the corner...

How could one resist...from Henri Bendel's window,

a New York Fashion Minute.

 It wasn't until after uploading this shot onto my computer 

that I discovered another little friend peeking out from under... shopping patience. :)

There is an abundance of red, white and blue around New York

in the shape of the American flag...flying proudly at Rockefeller Center.

On to Central Park, where carriages await.

We 'lunched' in the spirit of Eloise at The Plaza Hotel. Our waiter told us of

the recent renovations and the uncovering of this magnificent 1,800 square foot 

stained-glass lay light. It had been covered in the past by a ceiling to allow 

for air conditioning. It has returned to it's former glory and it is stunning. 

Yours truly covered herself in the hotel curtains this evening to capture

this view from our window, the city of lights...

and it is from hear that I say goodnight...in anticipation

of a New York Dream.

Best wishes to one and all and to all a good night!

Jeanne xx

images courtesy of my iPhone..not the best,

but they'll do for now. :)

The Man Drawing

Sometimes, having a discussion with Mr. H is like playing a game of chess. 

Wife to Husband:

In anticipation of our move in a few months, I suggested that we might need a decorator to help sort a few things out.  We have to merge rooms, furniture and I want to upholster a few pieces to save time on the other end. I could see husband was not keen on this idea.

Husband to Wife: 

Mr. H suggested there was no need, as everything would work together perfectly. He proceeded to draw a map of the house for me.  The dimensions of the room are marked with a squiggle. He managed to indicate a circle for the dining room table and the area where he thinks the TV and couch should go, in the living room. Priorities established.

Wife to Husband:

...Mrs. H says "Ah...let me just clarify this (she then highlights key features in blue). "We have a mystery room on the left of some size, an 'L' shaped hallway that leads to a kitchen...and then to the dining room, and then to the living room where the most important items of your affection are placed. Correct?"

Husband to Wife

Mr. H, happy that I have understood, confirms that this is correct and all our needs will be met. He smiles. Checkmate...(almost).

Wife to Readers:

Wife immediatley thinks of the two 40' containers that travelled from New Zealand to England and looks at map. Wife needs your help...oh wise readers, how should I play this next move?? 

FYI...wife does not want TV in living room.

PS...wife is going to Vietnam in April to look at house, with measuring tape and a camera.

Any advice, humour, encouragement...all accepted! :)

Jeanne xx

Cherished Moments, Teenagers and Tika

I walked into my daughter's room yesterday, to put something on her desk. It was one of those random moments we all do... you go in, you go out and move on to the next task. She was at school and I was doing my usual morning rounds. On this occasion I sat down and stayed a while.

Miss Claire expresses herself in so many colourful and creative ways, as teenagers often do. 

I then thought that this is one of those moments I need to appreciate. She will be off to college 

in the fall and with our move to Vietnam on top of it....well, you can imagine the rest.

With this thought, I grabbed my iPad and took a bunch of photos...for the memory books. 

I added a touch of Photoshop to this one...to me it says Claire...all the way. 

This week, Miss Claire is participating in theme dress day at school. 

Monday was Pajama Dress Day, 

the image of the peace sign below is on her pajama bottoms. 

Tuesday was International Dress Day, she had to represent her home country. 

This is when being an Expat kid has it's challenges. 

She can never pick just one country and I understand why. 

She prefers to proudly display them all...and she did. 

From Australia, her 'Aussie Oi' t-shirt, 

From New Zealand,  her 'All-Blacks' rugby team flag, 

From England, one Union Jack logo converse sneaker, 

From USA, one American logo converse sneaker. 

She was dressed in her International finest. 

I would have loved to show you the whole picture...

but you know teenagers. Heaven forbid!

They normally look something like this...

Claire is a very talented artist. 

She has a style that is unique and all her own.

Each piece reflects the world she lives in. 

I photographed one of her collages with the reflection 

of her bedroom window in the background.

Mother and daughter create...a collage of life.

:)

Claire has a collection of photos of her jumping around the world. 

I love her view on life.

I took this photo of her last summer in France. 

Ah, to be 18 again. :)

While we are talking life...I came across two articles this week

that I wanted to share. I passed both onto my children but

feel they also have application in many other areas of life as well.

Feel free to pass them on. 

 Zen Habits: 9 Essential Skills Kids Should Learn

MBA: 25 Proven Tips for Influencing People

I am giving a 'shout out' to Mr. H who returned home 

on Valentine's morning with chocolate and champagne for his Mrs. 

He is home for five days before heading off again.

Happy Mrs. H. :)

Lastly...if all of this is sounding a bit strange to you,
not to worry, it is known to happen when people are around me,
particularly with our dog, Tika.
Do you even wonder what your pet is thinking when
looking at you?
"You crazy woman" 
comes to mind on this occasion.

Best wishes for a wonderful day!

I hope you take your camera and snap

a few random moments,

you just never know...

they could become the most cherished of all. 

Jeanne xx

images~me