inspiration

I took this photo at Anthropologie the other day.

Imagination. Whoever started this company has plenty of it.  You can take a something that's dull - I don't know, an apron, a dish towel - if you've been there, you know what I mean - and just gussy it up by adding appliques on it, a little embroidery, whatever.  And it's transformed! 

I've been thinking about inspiration lately, and it's acquiring a deeper meaning for me.  Recently, Anna posted a couple of ice creams she'd made - lavender and honey and apricot. She mentioned a book with ice cream recipes, and I've seen several of those - most of them require eggs. No, thank you. Don't want the cholesterol, or the bother.  But she didn't bother with eggs either, I don't think.  She just made her own version of it without the eggs; using the recipe as an inspiration.

 I'm starting to get it.

I know a wise old man who talks about being a "good thief", as he puts it. He's referring to spiritual matters, but it can be applied to anything. Taking out of a thing what you can use, and leaving the rest. But still making something good from it.  I've been reading Anna's blog for a few years, and I'm finally realizing this is what she's doing!  Ahhhhhhh.  It's "freeing", as she put it to me once. 

Yes - yes, it is.