Bigger Than Me And My Insecurity

First of all I would like to share this story with you...

This week I received a message from the LFC supporters club in New Zealand. They reached out to me to share a story about a little girl called Saoirse. Right now Saoirse is fighting for her life, she is five years old and has been diagnosed with stage 5 cancer. Saoirse’s parents, David and Sylvaine are doing everything they can to get her the best treatment and give her the best chance of survival, she has got a minimum of 8 months of serious treatment ahead of her. Their story is extremely moving and of course I was more than happy to help any small way I could – donating shirts signed by my teammates and sharing her story. The emotional and financial drain this is causing the family is hard to fully comprehend. So to gorgeous little Saoirse and her family, I am sending you my strength and love, stay strong.

Go to this link to read more about Saoirse and to help.

https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/supportsaoirse

I certainly felt this was a great reminder stop and appreciate my own situation.

Stop, forget about your own insecurities and accept yourself for being you. It’s the only way you can better the world. What does it take to get to a level where there is no one that will make you nervous? A level of self acceptance where you are so sure of yourself and who you are that nobody can make you doubt yourself. That’s the level I want to get to.

“Cool means being able to hang with yourself. All you have to ask yourself is ‘is there anybody I’m afraid of? Is there anybody who if I walked into a room and saw I’d get nervous?’ if not, then you’re cool” – Rolling Stone, 1990

My friend asked the question: How are you going to make a dent in the Universe? This quote epitomises what came to my mind.

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman

My summary: Cool is a level of self-acceptance that does not know insecurity, it is a spirit that brings one alive.

Liverpool Docks, May 2016

It can be as simple as a beautiful sunset that makes me feel alive

I am almost ready to launch my website www.whiterosenewzealand.com I hope this will inspire more consistent and concise posts, updates, stories, art, and sale items. Here is a preview of what it is all about…

White Rose is the expression of a creative spirit that has lay dormant in me for my entire life. This project is the result of my efforts to both fuel and release the part of me that has been neglected and share it with the world.

White Rose is an artistic platform that has been designed to spread great initiatives, support amazing causes, and showcase creative work. Using natural and organic materials, the artwork sold through White Rose is handmade and limited edition. For every piece that I sell, I pledge to publicly donate a large portion of the proceeds to the charity or cause that has inspired that particular design. If you are one of the people out there making positive contributions to improve and restore our plant, then you my friend, are my motivation.

White Rose is allowing me to create something bigger than myself. I have often used creativity as an escape or a portal into this universe that enables me to physically stop moving. This transition into a limitless world is so much greater than me and my bubble-wrapped reality. Join me on this journey to create, to inspire, and to make a dent.

Geometric Tangle - four piece print (15x15cm each)

Keep an eye out and I will be posting on the instagram and twitter as soon as the launch date is ready!

Thanks for reading,

The Wonderful World of Undefinable Beauty

 The oxford dictionary defines beauty as: “A combination of qualities, such as shape, colour, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.” 

Autumn - Sefton Park, Liverpool, U.K

So in its essence, beauty cannot be universally defined. It becomes an individual decision to define something as beautiful or not. Perhaps the concern should not be what is beauty but where we gather our perceptions of beauty. I’d like to believe we have some natural responses to something we perceive as innately beautiful. I am under no misconception that society can be blamed for a lot of our ‘ideas’ of beauty. All the s*** that consume our senses and burr reality become our perceptions of beauty. Imagine pure beauty without the disturbance of society… what would it look like, what would it mean?

I think Sam Levenson is onto something here…

“For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed; never throw out anyone.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of each of your arms.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years.”

-- Sam Levenson

The latest and greatest adventure: The Wild West coast of Ireland. We experienced the dramatic drops at the Cliff’s of Moher. Although they are Irelands most visited natural attraction, I would definitely consider them to be purely beautiful. The intensity of the plunge and the sense of infinity with the ocean view speak a wordless language – Basically it’s pretty awesome and mind blowing and needs to be seen by the naked eye – Bute here’s a few snap shots to tickle the imagination.

Cliffs of Moher - Ireland, U.K.

Although fireworks cannot be categorised in the natural beauty collection they do offer another form of beauty. The booming of fireworks that thunder in your chest as they light the sky seems to unite frenzy’s of people.

Fireworks Display - Sefton Park, Liverpool, U.K.

Both of these last photographs were submissions for my latest photography assignment. The Liverpool Cathedral is one of the grandest cathedrals in the whole world. So the challenge was encapsulating it's size, beauty, power, and meaning into the shot. This was my attempt... 

Liverpool Cathedral, Liverpool, U.K.

 Black and white photography poses different challenges at the same time as offering new perspectives. Without the vibrance and simple beauty of colour, black and white photography offers a different level of depth and probes new emotions and details. The shades of black and white create depth in the image. I like the way black and white photography acts with portrait photos, I think it makes the image more intense and emotional.

Betsy ponder - Japan 

Anyway, 

That's all for now.

Hope you enjoyed!

Cheers, 

Rosie 

The Human Guest House

I have posted some of my new photo's along with some refreshing and insightful words from the wonderful Rumi. I heard this poem in yoga and I felt like it spoke a lot of truth to me at this point in my life. I have tried to make sense of it all to myself and this is a fairly raw and true description of what I came up with, so here it is... Enjoy :)

Liverpool skyline looking groovy on a moody sunset.... 

Liverpool Docks, Liverpool, U.K.

This being human is a guest house

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,

some momentary awareness comes

as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,

who violently sweep your house

empty of its furniture,

still treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you out for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,

meet them at the door laughing,

and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,

because each has been sent

as a guide from beyond.

~Rumi

Who knew Wales looked like this? 

This is my picture of simplicity and beauty and happiness. It's on my dream board and one day I want this picture to be my every morning. 

Freshwater East, Wales U.K. 

Approaching challenges and obstacles as though they have been sent to me as a ‘guide’ from beyond seems a little far out of my spiritual realm. However, in its essence this is a simple reminder of how to approach obstacles, changes and the challenges of this life. When there are those things that happen in our day or in our week that appear to be a malice or meanness, I remember that I have the great power to embrace these with laughter and gratefulness. This is the most powerful reaction I could have because it allows me to adapt, grow, and be happy. On the flip I have the perilous power to meet these challenges and changes with bitterness and sorrow this may appear to be the easy option in times of turmoil, but I have come to learn that this is to be avoided at all costs because it’s ramifications result in total self destruction. The mind has unbelievable abilities to revert the circumstances of a situation with attitude alone. It is easy to think positivity the greatest challenge comes with believing in and acting in that positive manner because surely that should be the most natural solution. 

We are all natural beings here on earth and when we think about how other natural things grow and prosper; they take the route of least conflict. A river will flow down stream taking a path of least resistance, although some water will make its way down stream along less travelled paths, the water will make it to the ocean in the end. Be like a river.

It's easy to forget about all the natural beauty surrounding us. When I look for it, I realise that it's everywhere to be found. It's definitely not always as overt as white sandy beaches and vibrant sunsets but it's still there. 

Barafundle Bay, Pembrokeshire, Wales, U.K.

Cheers for now, 

Rosie 

Where All Good Things Begin...

Where all good things begin... A dot to a line... to
anything you could possibly imagine.

I quite enjoy the quote “If we treat everything as an experiment, there is no win

and no fail. There is only make.” I like the idea of living in the moment and appreciating things for what they are in that particular time, whether it’s good or bad. There is nothing to be gained by fretting about the uncontrollable future. Of - course this theory has its limitations, like any. However, taken in its most simple form to me it says don’t drown ‘right now’ in the tidal wave of yesterday and tomorrow. Just enjoy the moment because that’s the experiment making you, you.  

I spend a good period of my time dreaming up ideas that I’m convinced for all of half an hour will change the world for the better. These ideas often float in and out of my mind as effortlessly as milk slides into a cup of delightful English breakfast. My problem is making ideas stick and making ideas reality. I hope that by writing about them and sharing them (interesting or dull) they become more useful and real than a brief thought in my own mind.

I have a lot of time for the simple things in life: art, food, sport, good coffee, natural beauty, immature jokes, good people from all walks of the earth, and so forth. I want to use this space to share the art, food, good coffee, natural beauty, immature jokes, and good people from all walks of the earth that I stumble across.

Although the last 10 years of my life have more or less been dedicated to playing football I’ve found the key to my own happiness comes from balance. I’d go crazy if the only thing I had on my mind was football and I think they only reason I remain to enjoy it is because I keep my mind off it in my down time. Taking on a diploma in photography has been one of the best decision’s I’ve made lately. It is something I do for pure enjoyment without pressure, without limitations, and without anyone else. A brilliant counter balance to another great decision I’ve made lately, which has been moving to Liverpool to play Football with Liverpool ladies.

I wouldn't have believed it until I saw it but Liverpool's shores have the ability to look like that --->

One of my favourite photo's that I've taken so far. I can hear the ukulele smell the salt and feel the sea breeze. It could be a shot from New Zealand or anywhere you imagine your happy place to be.

Perhaps I have captured a more accurate portrayal of the English skyline in this image... However, it goes without saying that if I take nothing else from studying photography, I now have a much deeper appreciation for natural colour in all its shapes and forms weather it be grey or vibrant orange.

There is so much to share and so much to see. 

Where all good things continue... 

Cheers for now!