Day 1 & 2  Behind the Scenes

“When you have something to write, get on with it.”

So, that’s what I have intention of doing, just going with the flow. I’m participating in Kims & Xanthes Behind the Scenes: A creative guide to blogging your Passion on line course. With Kim & Xanthe at my side, we’re part of a group of innovative and creative souls. Inspiration flowing from all over the world. We’ve only just started, but there’s such enthusiasm and strong energy I know I’m going to enjoy this journey.

As I’ve been only blogging for a couple of years, ‘blogging’ was a means of communicating with family and friends, of showing them where I lived in Italy, sharing my new culinary cuisine and the extreme climate changes, so different of what I was used to in Australia.

Moving to another country has really ‘changed’ me, in so many ways. I have said it before and still to this day, moving to another country, with a different language, customs and politics wasn’t easy, and my true character was hard to express. I was a complete stranger, apart from looking different: strawberry blond hair, blue eyes, pale skin and freckles…I stood out. Even though you try to speak the language, your accent doesn’t leave you! I was a complete stranger to myself, however, living a fairytale. I loved living in Italy, travelling Europe and meeting wonderful friends and new family. I studied the language and worked the whole time I was over there…but the true me was hidden within another shell.

I started looking on the internet, and a few of my friends started blogging and joining in social networking at the same time. I discovered WordPress, and I’ve enjoyed learning and progressing with them. I’ve actually changed my theme a few times, and have to admit I’ve only recently looked again at updating. WordPress, do have some wonderful ‘free’ themes to work with and they have great support & forums where you can interact.

Carnevale – Venice, Italy

Blogging for me, was my escape, my ‘nest’ where I felt at home to express me. My world of colours through diverse landscapes and European cities, to the cuisine of new taste combinations. Living in Europe was lonely and often in solitude of me and my four walls,  my best friend was my blog, and anyone who maybe -   just ‘might’ connect to me through my blog. There were no expectations of who I was, no time locks, no rules. I was me sharing the ‘outside’ world, which was easy. I remember the first Winter snow photo’s I took, I actually went out and danced in it. The snow was magical and captured me within a silence I had never experienced before. And I so wanted to tell ‘you’ how that moment felt.

Trying new recipes and experiencing the Italian cuisine was life –changing. I bought monthly cooking magazines just to learn how to write, spell and find the ingredients in the supermarket. And to learn how to combine those aromatic flavours and perfumes of the Italian cuisine. I still subscribe to my favourite magazines even now, with continual updates of the Italian cuisine. I have many memories of sharing wonderful recipes with friends, entertaining them in my home, and I cherish these times. I smile at the image in my mind of their faces at dessert time, sharing with them a pavlova…never had they seen a pavlova, filled with custard and seasonal fruit!

However, the ‘inside’ world of behind closed doors was a totally different story not so easy to talk about, it was a wonderful adventure, inseparable from a man I loved, and a friendship I still cherish to this day, but after twelve years my heart is broken..my fairytale is over. I’m now moving on in another direction, another adventure. And blogging has got me through all the hardships, all the sadness, the loss. My best friend is still with me. And we’re growing stronger together each time I write, or capture a photo that I still want to create and style for ‘you’. Although lots of people don’t understand the ‘blogging’ thing, it’s now part of me. My friend is helping me move on…my friend is helping me build and ‘find’ me again.

My timeline, would be something like this, graduating in the ‘early’ years as a Graphic Designer, art, colour and design have always been in my life. I have another giggle how I so disliked photography, in those years. The dark room and chemicals just never felt like a good recipe to me.Oh, how times have progressed and advancing technology made everything so easier! Leaving Australia and moving to Italy was the best thing I did…I saw and experienced Europe, and there’s no denying I hope to go back – stronger!  I discovered textures through Kim Klassen and developed my own ‘style’ in Food Photography.  Blogging has changed my life, I have met new friends, and communicated with so many of you – and I thank you for taking the time to visit.

So to the new group members of BTS – I welcome you to my blog. And look forward to sharing with you my passions of Food and Photography.

Why not subscribe to my blog – you’ll find all the widgets on the right hand side column, click the (like) button for my Yvette’s Twistedvines on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest

See you in class.

Love & Gratitude

Yvette …x