I Shall

a bouquet of shouts

a bunch of sharing for today. these beautiful frangipanis are from across the road....

2 most amazing and creative women, who I had the pleasure to have in my journal workshops have taken the plunge and started their own blogs! Horray!

Alison has just moved to the UK for 12 months with her hubby and has incredible photos and beautiful words to describe her adventures and journeys on the other side of the world. Please take a look at Alisons Adventures. Truly a loving soul, it is inspiring to be in her company.

Kate is also blogging. You go girl. I loved reading about Kate doing a photo shoot in her wedding dress on the beach ..a shoot about trashing her wedding dress. I read on to discover the most beautiful transformed wedding dress that is now purple! Definitely letting go of the preciousness. ..something I talk about alot in my workshops.

Some good news on the arts upplies front. Anna is selling Golden products and offering free postage within Australia. Good time to buy up everyone!

and a finallly shout about me. One of my collage works has been featured on The Creative Jar

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no longer my responsibilty

a space of acceptance

I’m feeling very grateful for having a studio. I have always said that you don’t need a special place to create. Over the years I have painted and created in a 3 bay shed I have shared with my hubby. That was always a bit of a logistical challenge. He is a joiner by trade and was often making things, big cabinets, lots of saw dust. So it wasn’t always viable to be in the shed. And during summer it was definitely a sweat box. We managed to work around it. I always did as creating was important for me.

If the shed wasn’t available I would work inside on the kitchen bench or table. And if I was getting messy it would be out to the lawn. The challenge there was packing up before the kids came home from school.

When we moved to Hervey Bay our first place was a brand new house, we were the first etenants. It had white walls and floors and definitely did not lend itself to me painting large splashy canvases. This was the beginning of Photoshop learning. I could create and no accidental splashes of colour to clean off the walls.

Now we have bought our own home, I have, for the first time my own creating space. A room I can call my studio. It is the place were I can be totally me. I can hang whatever I want on the wall, or set up my beloved trinkets, and leave my projects out to come back to. Its like a room of total acceptance.

The concept of having a creative space that looks beautiful is a bit of foreign one to me. It was always about being functional and practical. Now I can have a balance, its a bit of a work in progress…I'm aiming for a room that is organized, feels great and has wondrous beauty. I couldn’t ask for more.

501 Celebration!! ~ original giveaway

This is my 501st post. I've been blogging since 2006 , not really thinking how far into the future I'd be posting.Yesterday 500 post popped up and I decided it was time to celebrate.Champagne for everyone!

Blogging has been such an important way for me to connect with other creative souls. At first it was like a visual window into another world of creativity that opened up so many possibilities.I was in awe...totally. I plucked up the courage to start my own, not really knowing if I had anything to share, but feeling drawn and inspired to create this space of art and words.Learning many lessons along the way.....some soul sharing and bearing.

I am grateful that you come and visit, read and perhaps leave a comment on the days you feel inspired to write pearls of wisdom or joy.In full celebration mode I am gifting this original painting, 'Daisy Days' (32cm x 42 cm), reflecting that joyful time of picking daisies as a child.

If you would love to have the opportunity of having this hanging on your wall in your home, please leave some inspired or positive messages....it shall be open for a week with a name chosen next Monday.

You would have thought, Happy 501 Blogging Posts xoxo

my bottle top fairy

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In my studio there lives a bottle top fairy...she comes in sometime when I'm not there and hides bottle tops around the place, like hidden treasure. Then I have the joy of finding them in very unusual places. She comes often, prehaps every few days......and just when I think I've put the last one back in the jar, I find one more.....


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My daughter swears its not her. Its such a lovely game we are both playing...so I'm going to continue to believe in the Bottle Top Fairy.

part of who i am

summer fun

my daughters crazy colour icecream with choc on top

As the summer holidays quickly draw to a close, I'm noticing the wonderful delights that summer brings with it.....all to soon the kids will be back at school and life shall be very much about routines, being organized and being on time.


Some summer delights I'd love to share....
Loved watching this movie with my daughter, really struck a chord with me.

my girlfriend Kym Breeze is back blogging about her art. Kym has an article being published in Artist Palette Magazine available at the end of this month.

Was truly touched by this blog entry by Grrl. about a beautiful knitted bridge.

Still in love with this summer recipe from Nigella.

And I can't seem to get out of these thongs. My feet wouldn't know what to do in a real pair of shoes.

I'll make the most of these balmy nights and heat filled days as I know they won't last.....

Raphys beach games...

This is us on the beach at 7 this morning. It was peaceful and calm with Fraser Island in view.Our 5 year old border collie Raphy... (short for Raphael) loves playing his game of ball.

This game entails us throwing his ball, he runs after it and with ball in mouth promptly heads to the water. ..where he sits, until one of us collects the ball.

All well and good unless the tide is out. Fun and games....isn't life is just a big game anyway? certainly is for our dear Raphael!

XOXO 4 U

an inspired gift for my sweet soul sister.....

Do you remember this lace top you gave me, not sure whether I was supposed to wear it or make art from it, but it is coming back to you. It has changed a little, but I believe as beautiful as ever.

My darling little girl took it to bed with her, to cuddle and smell because she missed you and it comforted her, for a number of nights.

Yes it is coming back to you, stretched on to a canvas frame, stitched with soft and lovingly uneven pink stitches and covered in hugs and kisses.

Thank you for being my sister, although we do not share the same blood we are sisters united by family connections and I am blessed we share the same name....my sister in love.

from my garden...

2010 zest!

my zest for life has returned in full and fine form today. i could feel it slowly creeping in a few days ago, when sleeping in didn't feel right anymore and lazy days with the kids felt indulgent. the need for being active was winding itself up inside me like a spring coil slowly but surely....with school going back in 2 weeks time it was well timed.

walking in the mornings, swimming at the beach and getting organized for school, thinking, dreaming,planning the year ahead......

today is the beginning of a New Moon cycle. it is the time when i love to journal and plant new seeds about whats going on in my life and what I would love to embrace. this New Moon is quite auspicious as there is also a solar eclipse....that simply means the energy is strong. Capricorn energy. Ashtara explains it in depth here. Ashtara suggests meditating at these times ... i feel i do it in my own way when i journal.i love that quiet time in my studio. my paints, glue and magazines....

so here is my years resolution. i haven't really journalled my resolution before, but it feels right and good.and visual.clear. a beautiful lady who has the most exquisite local shop asked me about my new years resolution the other day. all i could get out of my mouth was that 'i journal mine', or at least i intended to. she told me she was getting a life! next time i see her i can say 'i'm claiming my potential'.

stepping out

who am i kidding?

myself. i am a spiritual artist or rather i am artist that creates with spiritual energy. i have come to terms with that. there is spirit not only my art, but in all areas of my life. and i wouldn't have it any other way.... and so now that i have embraced that disowned part of myself ( what you resist persists!) i can happily create my Astro ideas. without fear of being labelled.

here is Miss Capricorn. the sun is in Capricorn at the moment with a New Moon in the next few days. happy birthday to all you Capricorns. above is my interpretation of Capricorn energy.

some words that describe the positive energy of Capricorn...

• responsible
• practical
• industrious
• in their own authority
• sets their own boundaries
• serious
• has systems in place
• aware of time + respects time
• results
• success
• self disciplined
• grounded
• ambitious
• committed to their own mountain top.
  

we all have this energy within us, just at varying amounts......and so i am using this energy to forge forward and put together a series of Astro images, a collection of greeting cards.

under the pier

one of Hervey Bays icons. 1.4 clicks long, makes for a great morning walk.but i love the images i found underneath the pier....

i'm beginning to realise just how much water surrounds me...

more illumination

today the aha came. like a sand dollar that buries itself in the sand , so too have i buried part of who i am.an innate gift, buried deep. this disowned part that has a great idea... but i'm afraid that if i create artwork around these themes i shall be categorized, put into a box, never to return to the freedom and light of being just me. maybe it is my own fear that has kept me from moving ahead...so i am going to be brave and dip my toe in the water and see how it feels. i can no ignore it no longer.

some of you know that i have studied perceptive astrology.in the past i have done readings for others. it was a strong calling to learn all that i could. and i have many spiritual girlfriends whom i share a special bond. its all been about getting to know myself better.


i've had ideas to create around the 12 astrological signs, but pushed it aside many times in fear of being called a 'spiritual artist'. it is part of who i am.... but not all.



this is my year of courage and toe dipping into waters unknown....

couldn't find one, so made my own

that's pretty much how i feel every year when the calender clicks over. i would love to be organized and have a diary before the end of the year, but i can never find one that fits the bill of practical, economical annnnnnnnndddd looks/feels good. after reading annas post where she covered her own diary, i figured i could paint and collage mine.

kelly rae talked about using the energy of one word for the year...which i love, but found that i had a few more words to include. courage and luck. seems like an unlikely combination, but the proof is always in the pudding.

i shall enjoy using my inspired diary, certainly a huge improvement on my boring black one from last year. here's to good ideas and being resourceful!!

more water

My parent-in-laws and niece are staying for a few days and in between the rain and sun showers we headed off to the new water park, Hervey Bay. I love going there. people of all ages getting wet and having fun. there is never any shortage of smiles when playing in the water. the park is themed around whales and tonnes of water spraying into the air. makes me feel like I'm a kid again running under the sprinkler.

to illuminate

I've been asking some questions in a visual form, through my journal. the word that kept coming up and through the journal page was illuminate...i had many images of candles, Moroccan lanterns, chandeliers and venetian mirrors. all seemed to point to the same word.

so going with what works i created a journal page around the word. i was able to put my hands on a snowflake that i made a few months ago, cut it into a circle and went with some simple pen embellishment. to me it now looks like a sand dollar.

ok... so where from here...not so sure, but often the aha's can come later on. i have no doubt it is all unfolding as its meant to....

creatively awake

Darling Diana sent me this beautiful and insightful book as a gift.Creative Awakenings. huge thanks Diana. I have spent a lot of time with this book, drinking in the pictures, journal pages and how to's. What I love about this book, is that Sheri Gaynor and the other 12 artists talk about how they use journaling to problem solve, discover and work their way through 'stuff'. it is very real and honest.

my all time fav is Anahatas chapter. you probably guessed I'm a huge fan and just love her collage works and all the applications that she turns her hand to.

and Sheri seems to be a bit of a dynmo herself, a creative coach who talks about setting intentions through journaling and creating pages that have a higher purpose. thats my kind of book. thanks Diana, I love it!

enjoying the newness

here's a shot of our lounge....with a new piece i created last night. a canvas painting had an overnight transformation. i covered the white areas with pattern tissue, then cut it off the frame.flipping the canvas over i measured 10cm strips and cut. then i selected a few pieces and sewed them back together, a bit like strip piecing patchwork. i only used a quarter of the canvas so i'm sure there will be other creations that evolve. sometimes i just know when a painting has had its day and this was one of them. i took shots of progress below.

some pen work and a rosette to finish, hanging by a recycled coat hanger

and its been raining here. on and off for a number of days. we took our border collie for a walk this morning to the hockey grounds and the kids and i got soaked....it was a lot of fun though. mind you it is still very humid and definitely still swimming weather.

our new home is a 2 storey home and instead of down pipes it has chains from the gutters. we all love watching the water pour down. the kids often play with the pouring water.

and some wet garden shots. it has a very Balinese feel to it. truly lovely, even in the wet.

white meets with colour

this is what greets us when we come through the door. a mix of colour, black and white and tones of white. its kind of like all my art phases rolled into one. when i first started painting i was very whimsical and colourful. just about everything had a black and white checker board pattern in it somewhere. strange but true when i moved to the coast i fell in love with all shades of white and cream. i can see how it all pulls together now.

almost every room in the house has an element of my black and white...in some sort of pattern. it just happens. i'm sure its innate.anyway i love the painting and table. and whilst i have moved on in my painting style i can still appreciate and enjoy this era. this was around the time i discovered Violette....was amazed at how similar our art was.

some precious pieces here. i am becoming more aware of creating in my home with 'things' that are dear to my heart. a glass apple from my beautiful Feng Shui friend Wendy, a bottle i found at the markets for a couple of dollars with an 'inspire' pendant around its neck.. a recent pressie from my mum. the Xmas tree from Sue with the 12 days of Xmas swap, (i used the wrap from this gift in yesterdays journal page) a collage from my friend Kathy who was also my astrology teacher and a collection of white buttons....just because.

and i spent some time in my studio today, reorganizing , refining where everything goes. i love this beaded fringe that hangs in my doorway..it flutters with such ease and grace.

i am rethinking some options with some of my older canvas paintings. i feel they are yearning for a new life, a transformation that includes scissors and the sewing machine.

sacred space

One of my new favourite spots in my studio....this table has my sewing machine and goodies underneath it. and i just love that i can sew with such ease. before it has always been about getting the janome out of the cupboard, clearing a space on the kitchen table and packing up after wards. i think i have made this a bit of a sacred space because it feels so special ... my daughter loves this table too, especially when the lights are on.

around my mirror are some treasured goodies. left to right. a beautiful piece made by Karin H. i received it in the 12 days of Xmas swap with the Australian Art Sisters. this is the second piece that Karin has made for me in a swap and I just love the tactiliness of her creations. my son made the red Chinese letters. he has been studying Chinese at school. i thought it was very cool...he told me when it is folded in half ( one character) it means like, 2 characters means love. then he pointed out to me that this symbol was in our glass at the front of the house.love that. a candle from the Fraser Island Retreat and a crystal from my darling friend Jude. and these wild cups were part of my ceramic painting era, they work perfectly.

and this is my journal page from this morning. not my usual strand of work, but it need to be simple, strong and powerful.self validation needs to be....

january journey

Here is where my intentions for 2010 got started.....some what bewildered i tried making a list, but how can i make a list when i don't really know what what i want to achieve this year? i had a feeling, unexplainable and challenging to put into words. even more so to write them down. so i got my journal out. i felt i need direction. once i know where i am heading i can shoot like an arrow, but it is taking the first step what i often find the hardest.

this journal page began with a random map i tore out of an atlas. turned out it wasn't so random after all...it never is. it is a street map of the capital of Australia. the heart of the city with all the roads leading into the centre. and i began to play with colour and pattern, noticing afterwards there was a key to the colours i used.

this was an important beginning for me.it unblocked things for me. it helped me start my intentions, got them rolling. and the list is becoming more refined and clear.

good ol' journaling....always makes the road much clearer. anyone else started journaling about the year ahead?