week of favorite blogs: Jane Brocket

Jane Brocket's blog, which used to be called Yarnstorm, but I don't think is anymore - at least it doesn't say yarnstorm anywhere on there - is almost my favorite blog; certainly the most visually beautiful I've ever seen. She has an eye for color, which is an understatement; in actuality, color is what keeps her going, it seems.  She's an Englishwoman; her home's interior is painted in exceptionally bright colors; she crochets and quilts (just look at this!) brightly colored things; she knits and bakes, although the treat in the previous photo was made and decorated by her daughter, who is very big on making beautiful-looking cakes.

Her photographs defy description. The color saturation in them is such a delight to look at - a trip to Jane's blog is a very cheering thing. She is interested in detail; a brightly colored door, a flower. And, look at that flower, it almost doesn't look real - in fact, the inner part looks more like a piece of pineapple to me than a real bloom.  She adores tulips and has many photos of them. Domestic pursuits are what seem to motivate her - she's attracted to art which portrays women in their housekeeping and needleworking activities.

I first heard of Jane Brocket at work - we have her book The Gentle Art of Domesticity at the library, and her blog is mentioned in it.  There are many women these days, Christians, who are very into the domestic scene - who see it as their God-given responsibility to stay at home and be there for their children and husbands, but for Jane this does not seem to be a reason.  Still, anything that helps in that department is welcome to me, and I refer to this book regularly for encouragement and inspiration. She recently came out with another lovely book, The Gentle Art of Quiltmaking.

What beautiful projects!!  Needless to say, I own both books, and will continue to enjoy her inspirational blog.  When Sister Wendy did this program years ago, I remember something she said about Cezanne, I think her favorite painter.  He would leave a bowl of fruit out, ripening, waiting for the different fruits to develop some sort of relationship to each other before painting it.  Jane Brocket's photos seem to have some of that quality to me - there is something beyond what is in the picture; the relationship of the objects.  Not like your usual snapshots.  I will continue to enjoy her beautiful blog for as long as possible.