ParkLand Walk, London.

With some time off and the summer (hopefully on its way) Decided to go along the Parkland walk, which runs from Finsbruy Park to HighGate, then if you walk through the ajoining Hiahgate woods you come out at Alexarder palace, Such a beautafull and pieceful walk.

The parkland work is a national trust walk that that runs the lengh of an old rainway line, which used to run between Finsbry park to Edgeware (which opened in 1872) The branch to Alexandra Palace followed in 1873 when the Peoples' Palace opened . Its such a beautiful walk, the nosie of trafic scilenced by the tress. 

Part the way along the walk you come across the remains of the station platform, the reminders of a world forgotten. A lonesome lamp post, (making you wonder if you have step for the craziness of London in to the quite of Narnia.

Griffitted old tunnels and brick walls with artist tags and bright colourful art work line the path. As ugly as some of it is, it brake's up the greenness of the world around. As much as it would be nice to see it cleaned off, done right this modern dislike could be made to fit in with its surroundings if it artists went with the location. Creating colourful images of flowers, fairytales and Alice In Wonderland. Modern art within the art of nature.

I also went armed with my Olympus Trip 35mm film camera, with 400 iso Black and white film, Still have to finish the film off thenI shear them on here and on my art blog, www.MyTheoryOfTheCrows.BlogSpot.com

A Lonesome Lamp Post

End of the trail at Highgate.

My Traveler's NoteBooks 2015

I recently posted on the Midori Traveler's Notebook resources face book group and the UK Midori Traveler's Notebook resources group a photo of my travellers notebooks that I have and what I am using them for. I was surprised with the response I got so I thought I would shear it in a blog post.

What Is A Midori Travellers Notebook, Or A Faux-dori?
It is a peace of leather that is stand by using vegetable dyes or leather dyes and paints, It has four holes punched into it and threaded with elastic allowing you to place saddle stitched or stapled books into it. Held closed with an elastic that is treaded through a hole either in the back and in the spine of the notebook, that then goes around the book.

What I Am Using?
I have always been a Filofax girl, Using them for the past 10, 15 years, but about a year ago through you tube and Pinterest I discovered The Midori Travellers Notebooks. I was intrigued weather it would work for me and how I would use it. 
After a hunt through Amazon I found a range by ZLYC which sell them as a set, with the standard size, (22cm by 26cm, when opened flat) a passport size (13.5cm by 21cm when flat) and a pen holder, as well as selling them individually.
As the set was the cheapest option at around £23 with free postage I went with the purchase and ordered the black set.
When it arrived I feel in love with it. The smell of the soft black leather with its orange elastic on both the standard and passport looked and still is beautiful.

Each one came with three book inserts. the standard came with two plan books and a calendar insert which has 26months (one month on two pages) and one credit card / zipper pocket insert.
In the passport size I got two grid book inserts and one calendar insert.

As It was my day off when I received them I decided to go to Paperchase and pick up things that I could use in them. I did not pick up much but I got a pack of three spotted covered lined A5 notebooks for £6 and a set of three Kraft lined notebooks for £5 (with white lined pages). Once home I set about cutting them down to size ( ).

After a week of using it  I found hiding in my bookcase three notebooks that I had brought from Paperchase about two years ago, which was their version of a travellers notebook, which are the exact size of the standard size notebook. They are now sitting in the pile ready to be used.

With the passport size I was really lucky to find that a small independent art shop near me had small plan saddle stitched sketchbooks for sale for only 85p, at that price I could not resist and picked up six of them, (since then I have pieced up another three of them as soon as they had them back in stock.

 

The Standard size one I have been using for my blog/location research.
and the passport size i have been using as a todo list/ bullet journal, shopping lists and sketching on the go.
I have found that Daler-Rowney A5 sketchbooks are a wonderful size to cut down to put in to the notebook. It has 20pages (40 sides).

After a month I decided to order another set, mainly only for use as a personal journal ad for my notes on tarot card readings (that I do). This time I ordered the dark red.
The red on this one is a very earthy deep red and is stunning. The standard one came with three lined notebooks and a credit card /zipper pocket insert, which meant I did not have to change out the books and I started to use it straight away. The passport size came with three grid inserts.

For Work.
Since 2005 I have always used Filofax’s and A5 notebooks and diaries for work, holding all notes, dates, contracts and everything else, but over the past year I have been using them less and less as I have been using sketchbooks - as my job has moved more in to the design side. 
After using my Travellers notebooks for personal and blog, I thought that I might give it a go ad use one for work. So with my eyes closed I pressed the buy button and ordered the ZYLC Dark Green set.
This arrived with two lined inserts, a diary insert and a credit card /zipper pocket insert, the Passport two lined and a diary. the green on this is very dark, 
Straight away I set about taking it apart and putting in the inserts that I had already had cut down and had began using before it had arrived.
I now have inside four inserts and the credit card / zipper insert, (five inserts in total).

*One which has my hyperdex and todo lists for the day in (this is for time tracking).

*One for all my brain storming.
*A sketchbook.
*And a home made insert with shop floor plans and contact details of the staff I work with.

I find using it great as I don’t have to carry my sketchbooks and note books too and from work, I can leave them at work and have one to take back and forth to jot things down she I’m out, on my way home or at home, as I don’t have a smart phone it is a great way for me to work.
I do kind of miss my Filofax but (hopefully) I will find a use of it 

I also have a black paten ZYLC standard size notebook which I am using as an art journal. The leather on this one is more smooth to the touch, unlike my other ones and is a little more stiffer, the only way I can describe it is it is like the leather on the Filofax original range.

This has become a bit of a new love affair they are a convenient size to carry around, and a fun size to use as a sketchbook, it makes a change from using A5.

Even though I am using one of the notebooks for my blog I am still using A5 note books for my short story’s.

I would defiantly recommend these notebooks for anyone that blogs, writes, draws. Is just a nice size to use and create within.

Links:

ZLYC Traverlers notebooks form amazon.co.uk 

Handmade Refillable Leather Travelers Journals Pencil Case Set of Three

Paperchase.co.uk

Kraft A5 slim plain exercise book - pack of 3

Kraft A5 slim ruled exercise books - pack of 3

A5 yellow arrow print stapled sketch book

Cowling and Wilcox

Daler-Rowney A5 sketchbook

Slanchogled arts and crafts

Girl of Venezia

Dressed in pink, lilac and gold, silk, cotton and lace.
Upon a bridge of ancient stone she stands.
With a china painted face of gold and cream, and stones like stars upon her brow.
Gazing at the river of water flowing silently below. As candles flicker and glow on steps  that lead down into the black turquoise logon night waters.
Light beams track through the air from open shutters, from a sulpha mist hanging in the air from the fireworks in San Marco square.
Music and song echo around the labyrinth of narrow streets lit only by shop lights, and iron ornate lanterns hanging on the cross roads of paths, and the white blue fairy lights draped between shops on tourist trap streets. 
With Bright blue eyes framed with black shadow paint, they watch the floating candles and flowers of red, yellow and orange  move slowly along their watery path leading out to sea.

On The Ponte di Rialto they do stand. Bauta, Columbina, Servetta Muta, Volto, Pantatlone, Arlecchion, Zanni, the Mask maker, Joker and the Doctor.
With strange ghosty movements and darting eyes.
Dressed all in Black, red and gold.
Hand in hand and arm in arm. 
In dancing movements they move towards the lapping waters of the grand canal. 
The echoing drum of the gondola as they kiss on the waves. 
the distant sound of gondoliers song can be heard. echoing along the waters path.
With laughter, the high tide they wade, like black ghosts. 
Their footsteps echo, as they move slowly along the stone roads, in search of the girl in pink, lilac and gold.

Through cold salty waters she treads. 
The bottom of her gowned turned darker shades of pink and lilac and heavy.
Throw the flooded streets she walks heading to San Marco square.
Flooded with candle light and lanterns hanging in across the square, 
Packed with masked faces and ball gowns, and capes, steering judging eyes from each face she sees.
Looking. Searching.
A cross the crowed square a glance of prying eyes behind Black red and gold, watching. plotting, hand in hand and arm in arm the steer at every move she makes.
A whisper in the ear of Columbina from Zanni, With his black red long nose. A tipped head in laughter from Columbina of secret unheard.
Un-easy and unsure the girl try’s slowly to move through the crowed. 
A white gloved hand reaches form the crowd and takes hold of hers startling her, she looks and sees the smiling eyes of piecing blue behind a mask of dark cream and gold. Dressed in dark pink, lilac and gold.

A loving hand guiding her away from the watchful eyes, of a haunting group in black, red and gold.

© sarah jane patel

NoteBook of a Girl Entry #6

A stuffy airless room with an eternal lingering smell of feet and dust, occasionally lost under the smell of microwaved food and fast food take aways.
Open newspapers spread over the table with mugs of tea sitting on them. The silent companion and  fluid he per of the papers reader attempting the days souduko puzzle. Now left alone while they carry out their chore.
The ten year old TV plays its ground hog day version of the film, with its faded colour and distorted sound with flickering grainy image again for us all.
Maybe the buildings version Ground hog day is envious of the new plasma screen TV that sits below and wants to be played on that?
Sitting on the sofa steering at the TV, zoned out, my feet resting on a box. Not sure whats with in. It might be tap, it bight be bulbs, it might be a million pounds. I don’t know, I signed for it but have not open it, in fear that it might be the printer ink for Satan, the photo copper, and it is. Its evil. Only working when it wants, copying only half a page and when you change the ink you can guarantee you will end up with half of the ink that is left will be all over you. It even has a name sticker on it reading “Hello. My name is Satan” It needs a special touch, thats why I leave it to the admin staff to feed it, its toner ink.
And my feet are comfortably resting upon its lunch.
Being awoken from my day dream abruptly, (like being shaken awake from a deep sleep) by a herd of elephants that are the dancing twirlys of the show go running up the stairs beside the room.
Graceful and delicate upon the stage above the room where I sit. Clumsy and loud behind the scenes where they can not be seen, is the nature of the dancing twirlys of the show. 
Don’t get me wrong they are a lovely bunch, but the stamping feeling of  tap shoes on the metal stairs is not the best treatment for a press night hangover form the night before.
All that free wine was a bad thing, Should have gone home and stayed in. But then I would have missed knowing who kissed who while watching the walk of shame as they entered stage door. Dark glasses and coffee to nurse the pain. No eye contact with the press night fling.
Looking down at my blue cover note pad, with my drawn flower upon its lined page, how productive my last hour has been. Know it is time for move and ascend the stairs and complete my cues.

Now that I am back I am on page number three of writing nonce upon its page, of old TV’s and fairy elephants, upon the stage. A journal of nothing but my distractions.
I watch act one draw to a close on faded colour and flickering pitcher, we wait for the signal as we finish our tea and black coffee’s, that all is ready for us to do a transformation upon the black stage.
Waiting patiently  the dark for the next event to take place. A falling curtain and moving set. this is the dark side of the magic that we take part. The desert becomes Aladdin’s cave, filled with good and treasures, Cinderella’s kitchen full of sadness and broken dreams, disappears in flash of light and smoke and Place you are now within at the ball to meet your prince.
 All dressed in black the silent unmentioned dream makers that you don’t see. 

The smell of fish and chips, freshly made coffee and Chinese fills the room, with its walls of different colours, Shades of white and cream and mix mach of chairs and sofa and arm chair. My box with its mystery contents has been taken, maybe by the admin staff that have descended to the depths of the sub-stage world two floors down, to collect their package.
The TV plays late afternoon Tv while the other shows the  empty stage with cast on coloured mats do yoga before they have their salads, counting calories and watching potions while I sit her eating bugger with cheese and ketchup. No salad here please, we’re british.
One of the guys try’s to send a text walking around holding his it up to the sky hoping that it will connect.
I cant figure out why we do that, walk around holding the phone above your head. its not going to make much difference if your out of range of the aerial. 
Your out of range and all the moving around and holding it in the air and standing on chairs are not going to make a difference especially if your two stories below the ground. 
Two levels closer to the centre of the earth,
Two stories below street level, where it sometimes might seam that this dark Cavan beneath the stage of bright lights, where lover stories and tragedies are told, and where those of us that are forgotten, those who make the magic and placed and forgotten.

Sudden Shirks of laughter and shooed words erupt from the floor above. Curious eyes go out to see. return with smiles and laughter and shaking heads, with tales of ice cold baths and lead cast members being dunked part clothed ing the freezing icy water of the old cast iron bath in the bath room. One of many pranks and jokes that will get pulled, over the weeks to come.

A second family, almost this group has become in such a short time, still a long way to go till closing night drinks and tears. Tempers my fray and moods may change, friendships forged my last longer then just this run. longer then the box of celebrations that sits on the coffee table, less then a quarter left after less then a day here, in this stuffy airless room with an eternal lingering smell of feet and dust, occasionally lost under the smell of microwaved food and fast food take aways.

©sarah jane patel