2015 in pictures

2015, to me, personally, was better than the year before. It brought me peace and the joy of watching my daughter grow, while at the same time I saw friends and family suffer with their own losses. It also brought me a few professional challenges, which were great ways to learn new things.

I suppose a year is a long time when both wonderful and awful things can happen, so I want to focus on the good and celebrate what was positive this past year. And in my heart I hug all those who lost loved ones and saw their lives shift in unexpected ways.

So… shall we start?

January

We went to London! We visited family and friends who lived there and walked those beautiful streets, looking at brick houses and cute doors. We had amazing weather and almost no rain. In January! In London!

January 2015 - we went to London!  January 2015 - we went to London!

 

February

We went skiing in the Pyrenees in February. We went to a lovely, small, family-friendly ski station. When we got there, there was no snow in sight. But that first night we got an amazing snow fall and lots of powder the next days. We never get snow in Lisbon, so for me every time I see little flakes falling I feel like a kid again. And skiing is a great way to play with snow!

February 2015 - we went skiing February 2015 - we went skiing

 

March

The arrival of Spring brought me a new sense of creativity. After several months recovering from labor and grief while learning to be a new mom, this Spring brought me a new sense of creative energy, in which I reveled. I started a few new embroidery projects that may or may not see the light of day. They still served the purpose of getting my creative gears in motion.

March 2015 - Spring! March 2015 - new beginnings!

 

April

This was such an eventful month! We went to the Opera, we celebrated Dad’s 70th birthday, we traveled East to visit the city where I spent my teenage years, Macau. We spent a few days in Dubai on our way to Hong Kong and this was one of my favorite trips in a long time, because I got to revisit places that are special to me in the company of my husband and daughter. We joked that these were the “no sleep vacation” because there was so much to see and do, and a little someone we know absolutely didn’t want to nap in her stroller. I could almost hear her thinking, why would she close her eyes with so many new things to see? Can’t really blame her, now can I?

April 2015 - at the Opera April 2015 - at the Opera April 2015 - at the Opera

Above, the beautiful Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, where we saw “Cenerentola” by Gioacchino Rossini.

 

April 2015 - Old Dubai April 2015 - Old Dubai April 2015 - DubaiApril 2015 - Dubai

We had a three day stop over in Dubai to ease jetlag and visit a new country. I enjoyed it much more than I anticipated!

 

This is how she does it.

Some of us travel in style… 🙂

 

April 2015 - Hong Kong April 2015 - Hong Kong April 2015 - Hong Kong April 2015 - Hong Kong April 2015 - Hong Kong April 2015 - Hong Kong

After ten years, it was wonderful to go back to Hong Kong. So much has changed, and yet so much still feels like home.

 

April 2015 - Macau April 2015 - Macau

Yes, Hong Kong has changed, but what about Macau? Macau changed even more, or maybe those changes are more apparent because it is a smaller territory. Several years of wealth have brought radical changes to Macau. Sometimes I had to make an effort to picture what stood there ten years ago. It was an emotional trip and one of my favorites in the last few years. I loved visiting so, so, so much. (Also, not pictured, the food. Oh, the food.)

 

May

May is full jacaranda season here in Lisbon. We celebrated Alice’s first birthday, and remembered our baby boy with a fundraiser.

May 2015 - Jacaranda seasonMay 2015 - Baby Blanket: finished!

After many months not knitting (or feeling like creating), this blanket was a kind of barometer of my recovery after the loss of my son, and its completion, a milestone.

 

May 2015 - First Birthday

On Alice’s first birthday, we visited the Lisbon Oceanarium (it’s a must visit, everyone!).

 

June

The fundraiser ran from May 22nd to June 21st. It was a very important time for me, not only because I felt like I was turning a page in my grief and my life, but also because I could feel how so many of you wanted to show your support. Understandably, the fundraiser occupied my mind for most of the month. Other than that, I had lots and lots of cherries, because there are no cherries like those from the Gardunha region; and we attended a yoga retreat, which felt like a very welcome summer break to reconnect.

June 2015 - cherry season! June 2015 - yoga retreat

 

July

On July 2nd, we visited the Portuguese Red Nose Foundation headquarters to symbolically deliver the (huge!) donation we raised, thanks to all of you. Together, we raised over 7000€, which was well above our goal of 2000€. My feeling of gratitude is immense. I feel a lot of joy thinking that more visits to children’s wards across the country were possible because of this collective donation.

July 2015 - Red Nose Foundation

 

August

We took a weekend off and visited Barcelona in the summer. We were lucky enough to be there in time for the Festa de Gràcia, where we “visited” Japan and other exotic places just by walking the streets of the Gràcia neighborhood.

August 2015 - Fiestas de Gràcia, Barcelona August 2015 - Fiestas de Gràcia, Barcelona August 2015 - Fiestas de Gràcia, Barcelona

 

September

In September we took some time off and visited a few places in Portugal.

September 2015 - taking time off September 2015 - taking time off

September 2015 - taking time off

A week by the sea, in the south, to recharge our batteries.

 

September 2015 - taking time off September 2015 - taking time off September 2015 - taking time off September 2015 - taking time off September 2015 - taking time off

A power weekend in Alentejo, in the Alqueva region, to take a break from the city.

 

October

In October I launched the free, fun and fantastic air embroidery e-course. It was a lot of fun to create and share the tips and tricks I learned by trial and error. (You, too, can learn how to embroider, and it’s easy! Register here and feel free to share the link http://www.airdesignstudio.com/embroidery-e-course/ with your friends.)

Dave Matthews Band kicked off their european tour in Lisbon, and we were there to see the show. It was a four hour musical marathon!

 

October 2015 - air embroidery e-course is live! October 2015 - air embroidery e-course is live! October 2015 - Dave Matthews live in Lisbon

 

November

As the weather turned grey outside, I turned to warm and comforting colors indoors. Baking, embroidery, knitting and sketching and playing with colors make up for the seasonal lack of vitamin D.

November 2015 November 2015 November 2015 November 2015

(You can purchase this illustration at the shop – or by sending me an email.)

 

December

We took some time off in the Fall to rest a bit before the end of the year. We visited the mountains and had a wonderful time breathing in the fresh air.

December 2015 - trekking in Fall Wonderland November 2015 - visiting Portugal November 2015 - it's Fall and I love it November 2015 - it's Fall and I love it

 

Hoje na revista do @jornalexpresso, um roteiro de desenho em #Lisboa e #Porto. Obrigada à Katya Delimbeuf!

And last, but not least: my work was featured in an article about where to draw in Lisbon and Porto, in the Portuguese weekly Expresso!

Previously: 2013 in pictures.

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2 comments

  1. Laura Warren says:

    Your photos of the vibrant colored leaves are gorgeous!

    May 2016 bring love and joy to all.

    Laura

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