Being Encouraged to Encourage.

Hello Lovelies!

I said I would let you know the story behind my little encouragement cards which I shared on Instagram and Facebook recently, so here it is...

Since the beginning of the year I have been thinking of sending cards of encouragement to folk, but hadn't got round to it...

Until now! This week I had a revelation of the importance of encouraging others! 

I love Instagram-for its inspiration and its connection to people from anywhere and everywhere! One of the people I follow is a lady from the site called Illustrated Faith, who does an awesome job doodling in her Bible (amongst doing other amazing things too!) and she creates some gorgeous layouts! Check her out here: http://www.illustratedfaith.com/blog/ She reposted an article from DaySpring cards which you can check out here: http://www.dayspring.com/articles/why-are-we-called-to-encourage 

I read the article and it blew me away! I am always trying to find things to make my creative life more authentically 'me', as I guess every artist does, but this article really struck a chord with me-I needed to include encouragement in my work/life on a regular basis! Some years ago someone said that they saw in me an Encourager's heart, but I didn't really see the impact that it could have if I really took this on board! After reading the article from DaySpring, I realized that it was a central thread of being 'me' and that it also needed to be central to my creative process.

So, armed with my Bible, a pen and my Devotional Journal, I spent some time looking up what it meant to 'encourage' and I was amazed at how much we are 'encouraged to encourage' from the Bible's point of view!

Encouragement gives strength. 

Encouragement changes the heart.

Encouragement is wise.

Encouragement unites us.

Encouragement gives comfort and hope.

Encouragement inspires steadfastness and keeps us on course.

Encouragement changes lives!!! Isn't that awesome, that something so seemingly so insignificant as saying a few words to cheer up a friend can actually have a major impact on their wellbeing! I believe it really is that important!

So, I intent to embrace encouragement as much as possible from now on, starting with sending an encouraging card to at least one person every month-(starting small at first) and I will document the process as a record. (Don't worry, I will not disclose the details of who etc, but I just want to keep a record to remind myself to keep at it!) 

I would love it if you feel you are able to join me on this journey and document it as you go! Think how many lives we can touch together with love and friendship and a bit of heart cheer! Let us adventure together-encouraging each other along the way!

Thanks so much for reading and dropping by! My heart is cheered by you!

Till next time!

xxx

Our Daily Future.

Hello Lovelies!

Just a quick post today- life is rushing by so fast these days...

I just wanted to encourage you today- it is in these moments of the every day, the ups and downs, the hard work and persistence, in the commitment of our holy beautiful everyday lives that our futures are made.

I find that I can easily get bogged down with the dissatisfaction that I am not where I want to be in terms of business and creativity, family life and heart relationships-but I am looking at things from the wrong perspective!  It is the dailyness of life and what we do with it that creates our future!  Those moments where we choose to love, again and again; where we keep on giving and loving even when we can't see where it is going; where we build up the relationships with those we are dear to and where we work hard at our dreams and hopes when we can't see the outcome yet. It's in the forging of those things that brings us to the future of all our hard work.

I am reminded of a Scripture given to me by a dear friend: " God is not unjust- He does not forget your hard work and labours of love. ..." Heb 6 v 10

So, dear friends, keep on keeping on!  For it's taking the baby steps each day that get us further along the journey!

Keep on keeping on, today!

Xxx

Plan, create and grow.

Hello Lovelies!

I am sitting at home, feeling a bit low on motivation today, after a few weeks of working hard for an upcoming exhibition. I have been making progress on my work, but knowing that I do tend to drive myself a bit too hard at times when I have a deadline looming! Then, after the event, I can't face doing any more work for ages after, because I have burnt myself out!

So, after my sewing machine jammed on me this lunchtime, i decided I wouldn't start anything else on my 'to do' list, I would give myself a break!

So, here I am, under the blanket, and sharing with you instead! 😁

I have been thinking lately about being intentional in my art, and that it is important to have a plan/ vision for one' s creative journey. Otherwise, I know I can easily be swept around by good ideas from all different sources, which may well be fantastic ideas in themselves, but may not necessarily be what is right for me at the time. At the start of the year I like to set aside time to reflect on a word or phrase for the year ahead- a focus and a vision for the coming year. This year, the words which spoke to me were: 'Plan, Create and Grow'. 

I am a sucker for comparing my journey with that of those around me/ online and it never does me any good because I always end up feeling that I am not doing well enough compared to others! 

BUT having my goal words written in my devotional journal means I can look back at them and keep myself on track with where I am going on my journey! And looking back, even over the last few months since the start of the year, I can see that actually I have accomplished a lot in relation to my goal words, which then encourages me that I am on the right track.

How about you? What keeps you motivated and going in the right direction for you, when your mojo is low? (And BTW, by just writing this post has helped my soul feel encouraged! I feel better already)😉 

 Well, time for the school run! Have a lovely rest of the day!

Xxx

Happy 2016!

Hello Lovelies! And a happy new year to you all!

May the year ahead be full of adventure and promise! Looking forward to sharing more if my journey with you all in 2016!

And in the words of Cinderella: " Have courage and be kind."

Till the kids have gone back to school and I have a bit more head space...

Xxx

Really must post more often!

Hallo lovelies!

I can't believe I leave things so long before I blog- time just runs away with me these days it seems!

But here I am again with things to share with you so that is good!

Life round here has been crazy busy lately.  In September I celebrated my 40th birthday - I was amazingly blessed! My hubby took me away for the weekend before my actual birthday, to a beautiful hotel in Worcestershire. We spent a lovely afternoon having ice cream by the canal, I bought a funky pair of red boots and we had a great meal out in the evening. The next day was spent in Stratford Upon Avon before returning to pick up the kids from our amazing neighbours round the corner who had looked after them for the weekend! Thank you, great friends!

Hubby and me by the canal

Our gorgeous hotel break

Mustn't forget my funky boots!!

I spent my actual birthday with my best friend, Emily having lunch and a mooch around a butterfly Farm/ Garden Centre near Swindon and she blessed me so much with her generosity of heart in the birthday gifts she gave me!!! (We were so busy having a lovely time that I forgot to take a photo of enjoying ourselves!!)

My celebrating was topped off with a shopping trip to Cardiff  a week later with my church besties and a meal out with some of  my school mum friends!

I feel truly blessed to have such wonderful friends to share this journey of life with! Love you all ladies! xox

Since then I have been progressing with my painting and getting work ready for a Christian Art Festival in Cheltenham next year as well as being accepted as one of the artists selling work in a newly opened Arts and Craft shop in Cheltenham! The shop opened last Tuesday and I am excited to see where this will take me! 

My space in the new shop!

Art work aside, we also have two new additions to the family as my daughter asked for some guinea pigs for her birthday this year!  So we are all getting used to the little fellows being a part of our family! I can truly say that life is full! Full, but good!

Well cooking tea calls so I shall say bye for now!  Will try not to leave it too long before my next post!

Xxx

Time Flies When You Are Having Fun

Hello Lovelies!

Well, that's the end of the summer break then! We had a busy 6 weeks but with lots of fun too-visiting family and friends, days out, days in, late nights, late mornings...it was lovely. I am so grateful for the job my hubby has as a Teacher because it means that we can all spend quality time with each other during the holidays especially while the kids are young. Having him around makes for some super memories together!

On top of that this summer I was able to stay more creative than in previous summer holidays and have been working on the holiday face challenge that I set myself at the beginning of the break. I made sure I didn't pressure myself into unrealistic goals, but managed to do 14 faces over the 6 weeks-just over 2 a week! I am chuffed! I have always said that I need to be totally on my own to get creative, and although I did nip out into my art room on occasions to draw, I am super pleased that I managed to get so many ideas into my sketchbook with the family around. And I have decided to keep the challenge going for myself as it its good practice to keep on practicing! :-) Here's a peak of some of my faces. (My friend Emily also joined in with the challenge and you can see two of her sketches at the top.) I have really enjoyed setting myself this goal, and was extra pleased that Emily joined in too! I wonder how long it will take me to fill up the sketchbook! Now that's a challenge!

I have been thinking of how to progress with my artwork and have been coming up with some possible ideas too...more on that soon! Hope you are all well and that you have had a great Summer.

Thanks for reading!
xxx

The Summer Holidays have arrived!

Hello Lovelies! 

I can't quite believe that the Summer has arrived! It only seems like yesterday that my eldest was starting at Secondary School and here we are at the end of the first year already! I know I have been busy, but time does seem to have flown by!

I always seem to find it rather tricky  to fit creativity into the Summer break as there are lots of things to do, and 3 kids to keep occupied, but I have set myself a mini challenge this time round to see if it helps me to continue with my creative process as well as enjoying the kids being at home.

So! I have decided to try and keep a sketchbook of face designs over the break-exploring and developing my whimsy faces. The sketchbook is fairly small so I am not giving myself a huge task to achieve each time, but I am going to try and carve a bit of time every week to keep my creativity flowing.

Funnily enough, it seems to have already helped me to keep my focus!  Because I haven't 'written off' being creative in my head I have taken quite a few photos of things that have inspired me over the last few days, which has also been lovely! 

So there's my plan! I have finished my first face, so that's a good start! Let's see how many faces I can create in the next six weeks! You are very welcome to join me on this challenge too! Would be fantastic to see how you get on! :-)

Hope you all have a joy filled summer break!
Xxx

challenge no.1 18.7.15

Here and now Joy

Hello Lovelies!

Today's devotional reading in Ann Voskamp's book 'One Thousand Gifts' struck a chord with me.

It reads "As long as thanks is possible then joy is possible." 

I find it so easy to get tossed about by things which alter my state of joy. I find I can move from being satisfied and happy with life one minute to being frustrated and fed up the next-all in a matter of minutes-just because something has shifted the perception of my world from feeling 'all is well' to 'nothing is right and it's all a mess!' 

But if what Ann says is true, then when I thank-when I choose to thank, then I can experience and live in joy, because joy is always possible when I thank. If I slow down to see it; to search high and low for it if I have to, it can be found, in the here and now.

What a challenge this is! But a fruitful challenge which will result in a renewed sense of wonder and thankfulness for the celebration of our daily lives; for the celebration of Today!

So I will remind myself: Be thankful, and celebrate Today.

Have a lovely weekend.

xxx

Adorned in beauty

I Choose Joy.

Hello Lovelies!

It feels like I am letting life pass me by so quickly these days and I am forgetting to be thankful for the little things.

So today I choose joy, in naming the things I am thankful to my Maker for:

*  Today
*  Strawberry slices and rocket leaves
*  Squirty cream into open mouths
*  A growing boy!
*  Beads and wool in the hands of a creative girl
*  The pre teen in his uniform
*  Coming together in prayer
*  Hubby eating breakfast
*  Togetherness in the morning
*  The little one still needing hugs
*  Turning round to wave goodbye at the school gate
*  Brother and sister walking into school together

So small and yet so Big! And my heart is fuller because of them!

Have a beautiful day all.

xxx

Building a Brand

Hello Lovelies!

Wow! I hear you say! Two blog posts in one month! A miracle! :o) 

I am just so excited at the moment and I wanted to share with you! I have been thinking about branding a bit lately, when my friend posted a photo on Instagram of a new book which she thought I might be interested in~'How to style your Brand' by Fiona Humberstone. Anyone read it? What do you think? Anyway I became aware that maybe this is what I need to hear at the moment!

I was tidying up a drawer yesterday, and came across an old birthday card. The words just went straight into me! Inside it also said: "You make a difference just by being you, and you are a blessing to all who are touched by your life." How beautiful is that?!!

Reading this just lifted my heart and I caught a glimpse of how we can enrich peoples' lives by being ourselves and loving them!

A quote on Facebook posted by another friend, and by Catherine of Sienna, also spoke to me, adding weight to the card from yestersday: "Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire!" 

(Isn't it amazing how these things all come together, and when God wants you to know something, He manages to get through to you from all different places? It's all starting to add up, excitingly!)

I was tidying (again!) in the kitchen and found some notes from a video from Art Agent Lilia Rogers a few months back. and after reading the notes I made I just felt I wanted to share them with you to encourage you! 

So here goes: (Please note that this information is a response to the comments that Lilia Rogers spoke on her video)

We already have our own unique brand inside us. Because we are all unique we already have our own tastes, likes and dislikes, preferences and favourites, whether it be colours, shapes, styles we like, patterns we are drawn to, types of people we spend time with etc. We already have that inside us. Branding is about discovering that uniqueness and letting the world see it! And the whole point about us being unique is that our art expression won't be the same any anyone else's! Yes, we have influences, but when it comes down to it, our own style needs to come from who we are individually, not from copying someone else's style. We need to be brave and show the world ourselves! For we are beautiful and creative and that is what the world needs to see!

Our art is to become a reflection of the unique brand and style that already exists inside us! There is much to learn by embarking on the journey that unveils what is special inside us, and releasing that to the world. we need to allow ourselves to be 'me'' outside and on canvas as well as inside!

We need to own what makes us special. What is it that makes me-'Me'? Can I start to choose imagery in my art which is individual to me and expresses how I view the world, and incorporate that into my work? These then become part of my work and my message from the heart. 

Once we have found our voice and imagery in our work, the next step is to be brave in stepping out and expressing that to others. That's the scary bit! But also the exciting bit! We will not know where our unique brand and style will lead us, but that's part of the journey~seeing where our brave, amazing uniqueness will take us; who we will meet, who we can share our story with and how we can impact and encourage others to find their own beauty in their work and so tell their story too!

I hope you have been encouraged by my thoughts! Have a blessed day! You are awesome!

xxx

Keep on Journeying.

Hello Lovelies! Isn't time flying by as always! It has been a while since my last post and our Art Exhibition! I am thrilled to say that it went very well, with lots of lovely feedback and some great contacts made for future events which is very exciting!

Life is crazy around here as always, and juggling family, home and artwork is a fragile balance! It has taken me a while to get back into painting since the show, due to the Easter Break (which we spent in DISNEYLAND PARIS!!!!!It was sooo good!!) and the fact that I was feeling rather burnt out from putting all the time and effort into preparing and making work and having the exhibition. I forgot how much emotional energy goes into doing these things!

Thankfully I have got my inspiration and motivation back and am so thrilled with my latest beautiful girl!!  She is now my favourite!!!Maybe its due to the place from which she emerged~from me learning that as I let go and open up my heart again to letting Love flow and heal, I am fuelled again to carry on!

Loving the journey-(even the bits I am out of my comfort zone) is so hard to do sometimes isn't it?!

I have also some really exciting news too-I have contacted a printer who can print my images onto a range of products!!! Soooo excited!!! So far, we are in the preliminary stages, but once I have figured out which designs and products to use, I will be stocking them in my Shop and on my Facebook page!!! So watch this space!!! So excited!!!

Thanks for stopping by! Stay inspired!

xxx 

Love and Beauty surrounded her

Samples of my artwork on products!!! Eeek!

And me, modelling my bag!!

Finding joy.

Hello lovelies! Just a little post today. Things are rather crazy round here lately as I am working hard getting my final pieces of work done for our exhibition! So on this cold, grey day, just remember the beauty all around as you do whatever you are doing today! You are awesome!!!

Xxx

Onwards and Upwards

Hello lovelies! I hope you are enjoying the first glimpses of Spring that we have been experiencing lately!  I am very thankful for washing on the line this morning! 

So, what's been happening round here lately?

Well! Since my last post on setting goals, I have bought myself a week-by-week diary to help me stay intentional in my young art business. I seem to find it so easy to lose time in the week if I haven't got a specific idea of what needs to be achieved, and more often than not, I can end up doing the things I LIKE TO DO rather than doing the things I NEED TO DO! So writing down the tasks that need to be done-setting the goals for each day seems to be helping me. (And the fact that the diary is a very cute and colourful design is a bonus, of course!)

So, Brave action not procrastination!

  

I have found that at the moment I have both my art tasks and my home tasks on the same planner which then helps me not to forget the family events/tasks that are just as important as the creative things!!! (Just in case I get carried away with painting!!!)

Planning with the birds!

This is also going to help me with my next exciting news! A group of friends and I are putting together our very first Art Exhibition at our Church venue in March! We are so excited about this as it is the first time we have organised an event like this from scratch. So we are all working hard to get our work ready for the Private View on Sunday 22nd from 2-4pm. 

Everyone is welcome so if you are in the area do pop in and say hi! We would love to see you!

Our very own Art Exhibition!

One thing in getting together with my friends to plan the exhibition, I have found it to be very encouraging for me personally. I am happy to spend the day painting on my own, but at the times when I am feeling disheartened or lacking in motivation, it has been so good to chat and share ideas and suggestions with folk who are like-minded. It all helps to re energize and spur us on! 

On a totally different note- I saw these strawberry tops the other day- don't they look like an interesting kind of flower??!! 

Or maybe it's just me! 

But I am going to have to do a bit of drawing/doodling methinks!

Til next time! Keep on keeping on!

xxx

Flowery strawberries!

Grateful for Goals

A little while ago I bought a ecourse from the very talented artist Paulette Insall as I wanted to develop the faces of the ladies I depict in my paintings. It was one of my goals in the new year to make time to actually complete the series of sessions and I am so glad I did!  Paulette shows so many simple yet really effective tips and techniques in the course and even after completing just one portrait using her suggestions, I am so happy with the results! I can see the development in my style already!! So, huge thanks to Paulette! You are an inspiration!

I really enjoyed creating this piece. It took longer to look 'right' to me than some of my previous pieces, but I kept on working into it until I was happy with it. I especially loved using the inks to add drips and spray, and also my own handmade flower stamp in the background. I am amazed at how different the final piece looks to the start-the three birds were actually flowers in the beginning! And I love that the words look like they are being spoken by the bird! Happy accidents turning into beauty!

And am really loving too the sense of my paintings really being from a place of personal symbolism too-it is MY message to the world! My story! And I so love that!

Hope you enjoy!

xxx

Wooden Wings and a Dress on a Canvas.

My friend Jo came up to me the other day and asked me if I would like a pair of wooden wings she was getting rid of.  Of course the answer was a 'yes!' as I love wings! I wasn't sure where I would put these wings but I was sure I would find somewhere perfect! 

Over the weekend we celebrated my Father in Law's 80th birthday in Stratford. The family had booked a beautiful house for the weekend and we all had a lovely time.  The house itself is owned by  photographer, Danielle King and apart from being a gorgeous house, what struck me most was the artwork she had displayed round the house. It bought such personality to the home and really made an impression on me- I want the artwork I create to make an impression on the people who view it too!

 

So, today I am thankful for:
*Family gatherings
*Cousins playing
*Wooden wings
*Creative inspiration
*The courage to experiment and to make a statement
*Celebrations

My wooden wings

Unspeakable Joy.

'Joy! Unspeakable joy!

An overflowing well no tongue can tell

Joy! Unspeakable joy!

Rises in my soul never lets me go...'

The chorus of a Christmas Carol we sang this Christmas has stuck with me in this new year. In my quest for being thankful for all the gifts God gives us daily I am amazed at how the act of being purposefully thankful does indeed stir up joy within me.
So even this morning I looked a little harder at the start of the day and I thank. Joy rises up. And I thank again:

* My 5 year old exuberance and crazy love of life

*Giving of time to people instead of just rushing past
*Blue sky and cream clouds
*A bird flying past the window
*Writing down my thanks
*Pen and ink flowing across the page

I hope you have a joy filled day today!

Xxx

Little surprises.

I had a busy day planned for today and so I could have missed them. But I am so thankful that I somehow stopped just long enough. I felt the rays of bright sunshine warm my arm through the window. Then I noticed the scrap of paper that one of the little ones had left on the floor. As I looked closer, I turned the paper scrap upside down. It made me smile.

A love note for me if I just took the time to see it! And I did!

As I waited for my friend to open her door later in the day, I noticed an amazing collection of little gauze-like lanterns swinging crazily in the wind. They were breathtaking!

I so want to fill my garden with these!

And today was a full day-filled with meeting up with friends, but also with the added glimpse of The Maker's beautiful handiwork and love notes to remind me that the days can be even richer still when we just take a closer look.

Don't forget to look closely too!

Xxx

Beautiful Chinese Lanterns

Loving the tiny pumpkins!

Autumn Gifts

It was the children's Harvest Festival Service at school a few days ago and it struck me when some of the children read our their harvest thankful prayers that it was the simplest things they were thankful for. To them they were important enough to put into words as a prayer. 

I also went on a walk that same morning and I too began to notice the beauty in some of the smallest things around me! I have come to the conclusion that Autumn might just be my most favorite season!  

The colours! 

The berries! 

The leaves!  

There is so much beauty on my doorstep! So many treasures.  I could stay out here all day! 

Have a Beauty-filled day!

Xxx

Autumn jewels.

Berries dripping with dew.

Long shadows.

Beautiful red!

Grey velvet toadstools.

Lacy leaves.

An abundance of orange!

Golden leaves.

Angel wings!

Rubies on a branch.

The Art of Being Thankful

The mission continues to slow down and take note of all the blessings each day brings. It's amazing how even on the greyest of days, like today, Beauty is revealed in unexpected places, such as raindrops on the window panes. I am loving the practise of looking at things from a different perspective and just noticing more of the everyday wonders that I usually miss because I am just too busy getting through the day!

I must admit my days are feeling richer because of it!

 xxx

Raindrops on the window pane.

Sunshine colour on a grey day!

Autumn's jewels!

Beauty in an old buiding. Loving the door in the middle!

The evening blue quilt across the sky!

Beauty in unexpected places!

Hello there! I can't believe how quickly time has flown by since I last posted! What with the school holidays and my eldest starting Secondary School, things have been busy to say the least!
But now, as Autumn has started to appear I have found a few minutes to sit and put pen to paper so to speak.

I have been really inspired by book lately called 'one thousand gifts' by Anne Voskamp all about taking the time to see all the gifts around us for which we can be thankful. Amidst the daily grind of life there are gifts of beauty and grace presented to us if only we would slow down to notice them.

So I have decided to try and slow myself down enough to find these gifts of grace on my daily journey and try and record them as I go. So with trusty notebook and camera I am on a mission to find beauty in unexpected places and choose to be more aware and thankful for the gifts that are given by the One who lavishes them upon us all.

'Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows.'James 1v17

Have a beauty-filled day! xxx

Beauty in the food shop on a Monday morning. I never knew Limes smelt so fresh!

Dropping a box of buttons turned into a capturing of beauty.