Sunday, November 15, 2009

SMALL INVESTMENTS: EXOTIC INSPIRATIONS

Small investments shown against a Moroccan interior

You know how Morocco stirs my inspiration. Our riad, Les Yeux Blue in Marrakesh is furnished in rich textiles, a collection obtained by the French woman who owns the guest house we stay at each excursion. Every time I bring my knitting group, I'm obsessed with taking photos of the carpets, the wall hangings, even if I've snapped the same scene a dozen times before. I never tire of seeing that rich orange carpet that lines the upper balcony, for instance, or the silk pillows that cosy up the little library. Above I show my new pattern, Small Investments, against the backdrop of that hallway.

And here's Small Investments Pasha against a Turkish carpet

Inspiration overflows while I'm travelling and I dig deep into my trove of photographs and textiles to stoke the creative fires during my nesting months. I can't help myself. On my excursions, I lead fellow questers deep into realms of color so that they, too, will return home laden with fuel for longer, quieter, days.

We've decided to postpone Istanbul for this year seeing as the city has been declared Europe's cutural center for 2010 and the prices have gone a bit wacko but there's still room on the Moroccan excursion for March. Imagne the color, the textile feasts, the spicy scents, and the wonder of it all. Check out details on the Moroccan adventure here on my website under tours.