Tuesday Tunes: Leela James

I like going to concerts, buy cds (prefer disks over downloads) and look for new tunes and artists on the internet. This week I would like to share with you an artist that I think deserves a bigger spotlight: Leela James.
The music comming from my speakers is rich in nice beats, has a funky rytmn and is completed with a soulful voice. That voice belongs to L.A. born Leela James (1983). I first heard her via her hitsingle Don't Speak' (that is a No Doubt cover indeed). I was taken away by the soulful rendition of the song. I didn't get her album though. Until I think a few years ago. It took a little while, but everytime when I heard one of her songs, I caught myself checking on the screen: who's this? It's the voice and the nice beats that get to me time after time.

Leela James released her third album in 2010 (I know, I know that's already two years ago): My Soul. I've been listening and loved it. It's a more grown and it has an even more soulful (is that possible, yes apparently) sound than her debut from 2005.

I leave you with a chance to listen to this soulfun woman at a live performance at Anthology (San Diego) in 2010.

Monday Miles - Mont Saint Michel

I love taking photos (using a humble Canon digital Ixus 80IS). Especially when travelling. Trying to capture stunning nature, a pretty building or just an atmosphere. Through this blog feature I would like to take you on a little travel. As I go through my (very long and always growing) list of places to-go and the (much shorter list) of the places I've been. On this winterday (we got our first snow here in the Netherlands!), I would like to take you with me to France.

We have this calendar with amazing photo's by National Geographic photographers. The one of 25th of January of a tidal island and monastry Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy (France). The picture was taken by James L. Stanfield in 1988. It's on my to-go list now.

Scrapbook Saturday: DIY Memoboard Love

Saturday is a day for creativity. Painting, craft, dance, drawing, painting, design, photography or diy projects. I would like to share something creative for you. This week a lovely DIY memoboard.

 This memoboard might take a little more time (due to time to let things dry), but is quite rewarding (clean desk!).

You'll need:
* Wool / thread / ribbon  (I used a pastel pink wool I had laying around. It's going to be covered in (white) paint. so any light colour will do)
* Canvas (mine was 50x60 cm, but you can make it as big or small as you like).
* Gummiband (mine was 6mm)
* White paint (of course you can use another colour if you like!)
* Glue
* Scissors
* Paintbrush(es)
* Pencil
* White pins

Six easy steps

1. Lay out your word with the wool. Try out different words, sizes and writing styles.
2. When you've found your word and size, write with pencil. Then trace with glue letter by letter, and stick your wool to the canvas. Let it dry.
3. When it's dry cover in paint. I painted quite thick, so it needed quite some time to dry.
4. You could also do two or more layers.
5. Attach the Gummiband in any kind of pattern. First on the side(s)...
6.  then in the middle.

I like mine (It will also look pretty bare).

Food adventures on Friday - A Strawberry Summer

It's a long way to summer, but I couldn't resist. I Wanted to share with you a very easy strawberry dessert this week.

I made it last summer, just for fun. I think the strawberries were bought at the supermarket, but you could use fresh ones that you've grown yourself (if it's in season), of course. Or you could use other kind(s) of fruit. Be creative and have fun (that was my strategy too).

And: as you can see: it's not that much of a job...
Below are some guidelines (it's not a recipe for me).

A strawberry summer:

Used ingredients:
* Whipcream,
* Strawberries (chopped in half)
* Chocolate (I used decoration we had laying around. But you could also grate some chocolate of your choice).

Pop in a layer of strawberries, cover with the whipcream and chocolate decoration (or grate your own).
And to make it look pretty: a strawberry on top with a little dot of whipcream.


Enjoy!

Wisdom on Wednesday

One of the things I find inspiration in for life, whether it's the good or the bad; are quotes by people who, generally speaking, have a little more experience in life than me. Or just in proverbs, lyrics or books. Enjoy some inspiration to help you through the second half of the week! All are photos are taken by me, but of course quotes/lyrics used belong to the people quoted.

Roald Dahl was a famous British author. This is a photo (of a photo) from Parc des Buttes-Chaumont (Paris).  original photo made with a disposable camera in 2002.

Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor. Photo was taken in Milan (Italy) in 2010.

Henry van Dyke was an Amercian author. Photo: From the Taipei101 (taiwan)  in 2008. Night was falling over the city, wonderful sight.

Francesca Battistelli is the American singer of this uplifting song. Photo taken in Romania 2007.

Joanna Field was the pseudonym of Marion Milner, a British author. Photo taken at Taroko National Park, Taiwan in 2008.

Tuesday Tunes: Wouter Hamel

I like going to concerts, buy cds (prefer disks over downloads) and look for new tunes and artists on the internet. Just before the weekend I treated myself with a new cd that I would like to share with you. After a little hard time to chose (I have a little wish-list for cds), I went for the album: Lohengrin by Wouter Hamel.

He is a musician making pop-jazz-just call-it-nice music, from The Netherlands. And Lohengrin is his third record (the first he produced by himself). I could try write about him, but he can do that way better on his website.

Also I know from experience, it's great fun to see Wouter and his band (Rory Ronde, Sven Happel, Jasper van Hulten and Gijs Anders van Straalen) play live.

Cover photo by Pablo Delfos, Check his photography. I think it's beautiful.

The album is happy, sad and a little nostalgic. But what I liked most of it, was listening to all the different sounds and instruments that are used in the songs. Listen to this live session of the song Zhavaronki by Wouter Hamel and his band.

Enjoy Tuesday!

Monday Miles - The sky is the limit

Maybe you've noticed I've been comming up with these images for my blogposts. They're only a small part of a bigger picture, taken by me. I love taking photos (but I'm not a pro at all, using a humble Canon digital Ixus 80IS). Especially when travelling. Trying to capture stunning nature, a pretty building or just an atmosphere. Through this blog feature I would like to take you on a little travel. As I go through my (very long and always growing) list of places to-go and the (much shorter list) of the places I've been. This monday I would like to share with you the whole picture from the image above.

It's taken from an airplane somewhere above Munich (Germany) in 2010. Together with some people from church we were on our way to Romania for a working vacation.