Scared

So I've been thinking more and more about trying to sell some of my affirmation cards on Etsy.
I'm getting closer and closer to doing it, and am trying to find out more about how I would go about it, but I'm so scared that there's no room for my art. That it's already been done. So scared that I want to do something big but no one else will see it that way. I've found so much pretty stuff on Etsy and I just don't know how I would get noticed, and it stops me from even starting. Blah.

I have found some great inspirational stuff on Etsy, very exciting but also I worry that it means potential competition for me!This is a beautiful print by Kelly Rae Roberts I might treat myself to. Ok wait I just noticed shipping is $25, damn. I cannot justify US$50 for a print. Sigh. I'll just keep admiring it here on my blog.

She does have a book though which I have decided is on my birthday list, Taking Flight. This one may be affordable.

Also on my birthday list is the book Walking in this World and a wooden spoon. For cooking. We don't have one.

Bits and pieces

I've had lots I've felt like posting about over the last few days, but never bothered to actually sit down and do it... and now I'm quite tired and not feeling enthusiastic about it all. So I'll keep it short but still try to cover everything.As soon as I found the Think Love store, I knew I wanted to make a card for them. They have beautiful affirmations and art on the walls and I wanted to contribute my little bit of creative love. I've had this in my head for a few months and have only just made it, and my perfectionist is very disappointed because the lettering is crooked, but I'm trying to let that go. So I'll send it anyway. But I am loving this colour combo.
Plus look at the delicious card textures, yum.

For a friend's kitchen tea on Saturday we all gave a copy of our favourite recipe, mine was a family recipe for chocolate biscuits. I hadn't made them in a while so whipped up a batch on Friday just to make sure the recipe worked...
... it did.
This was the beautiful sunset on Sunday seen from Josh's kitchen/dining area... so pretty.

More photos to come, hopefully tomorrow!

xo

Hello!

Wow, I have been finding some amazing websites... I just keep finding things that are closer and closer to what I'm interested in, what I want to be doing...

Before I decided what I wanted to study, I did consider life coaching, but it felt too corporate and rigid. But then I thought, what if I could be a creative life coach, or a spiritual life coach? I didn't really think there was such a thing though so I told myself I was being silly and decided counselling would be useful.
But then I kept finding things that were more specifically what I wanted, like holistic counselling, and then the transformational life coaching that I'm now doing. It has been suggested that when we actually finish and start working, we specialise in a certain area of coaching, for example, business or relationship coaching. I wasn't really sure what specifically I would want to work with, but then with some of our exercises I realised how important art and creativity is to me and how I always picture it as a big part of my future, and so I thought... what about a creativity coach? And again I told myself I was being silly because I'd never heard of it, and I'm no art expert anyway. And then a few days later I saw a sign for a creativity coach in Glebe, so it does already exist!

It has just been so exciting for me, to have an idea of what I want, and even though I tell myself it can't happen, then to find little things around in the world that confirm it is possible... so it seems I already know what I'm capable of and what it is I want, but it's just challenging to find out how to do it and see how it fits into the world.

So, these amazing websites! I first found this coach, Jennifer Lee, by searching for values cards on google (we've been working on values in class for a bit), and she had made some personal value cards. Oh! And she works with mini vision boards! Vision boards have totally caught my attention over the last few weeks so I was so pleased to see that she used this technique. But anyway she is a coach that works a lot with her own creative expression, which is of course what I want to be doing, so it is so exciting to read about someone who's already doing it.

Check out some of these websites, they are so inspiring! And there are so many other great links in there too, it's like a magical maze.

Jennifer's coaching site

Jennifer's blog

Wishstudio - 'an online gathering place and resource for you and your creative and soulful life' - Jennifer writes the Musepreneur column.

Creative Every Day - I haven't had a chance to properly look at this but it sure sounds exciting! 2 different challenges, Creative Every Day and Art Every Day month.

I've also been watching a heap of Etsy videos, about the artists and their techniques, it's all so fascinating and inspiring! Or you can find them on their youtube page.

My next step is to create a list on the side here that lists all the websites I love so I can find them all in one place!

Oh yeah the affirmation card up the top is for a friend, I haven't given it to her yet but I'm pretty sure she doesn't read this blog (yet). I really love it and want to make one for myself and another friend, so they are some little upcoming projects for me.

Stay inspired!

xo

Sunday night

Domestic Goddess

Yesterday I had a wonderful day at home being very domestic getting lots of little things done!
It's funny, I always wondered why people who worked full time would spend their weekends gardening and doing the boring jobs that needed to be done around the house... but now I'm here, I kind of get it. It's so satisfying to spend time putting effort into the place that you live. So I cooked, cleaned, washed, scrubbed... and it felt great!

Above you can see that I finally bought some herbs! So far I've just got coriander, basil, chives, spinach and rosemary and I'm pleased to say that after 2 days they are doing great and are still alive!

Last Friday Josh took me for a surprise drive, I was instructed I had to keep my eyes closed until we got there... when we stopped we were just by the road which didn't look very exciting but then he took me down a path to a lovely grassy spot!
He brought some of my books and tea because he knew I love reading and drinking tea and being outside... it was so sweet and thoughtful! We didn't stay long enough to sit and read though because there were too many mossies. I'd love to go back but I don't know where it is because I wasn't allowed to look so I'll just have to wait for my next surprise!
Also I've been thinking more and more about trying to make money from my art and I really think it might be possible. I haven't got to the point of making any serious plans or goals with this yet but I've been looking into it more, Etsy has been great to hear about how other people do it and websites like Modish Biz Tips have been helpful too. So that's been on my mind while I'm still unemployed... I just want to be earning money in a way that is in line with the way I live the rest of my life... kind of hard to do when everyone needs money, but I'll work it out.

Language warning

I just got back from seeing Lisa and I quickly wanted to share what I made for her a few days ago... After I made it I was kind of hard on myself because it wasn't perfect, but then after taking photos I started to appreciate it more. I like how fun and colourful it is.

I also told her about another card I had made about a month ago:

I wasn't going to post this one but then I figured that anyone who may be reading this blog is grown up enough to deal with it. This came about one night when I was feeling lousy, too lousy to be creative, I had some wonderful ideas of things for friends but I was not in the mood to make anything pretty and perfect.
Then I read this little bit in a book called Walking in this World, in a section called Art is Therapeutic, Not Therapy... this part pretty much talks about working from where we are, rather than waiting to be in the right place to 'create':

'We may feel different after making something. We may see something in a different light, but that inner shift of focus comes from expressing what it is we do feel and see rather than striving to feel and see things differently, with more balance and less sting.'

And it just made me think, right, I want to create, so I'll just work from where I am right now... and actually I'm still very happy with it, and it's just so interesting to know that something can come from another kind of creative passion.

College was great today but quite challenging, I can see how this course is going to be hard when we have to deal with parts of ourselves that we've been able to ignore before. We started to talk about Ecopsychology though which I'm very excited about, and again was reminded how much I want to plant some herbs and veggies! I have to stop talking and just start doing, I think I can get a few things ready this weekend maybe...

"I realised...

... that the more things that are motivated by what makes you happy, the more happiness it generates."
-Zooey Deschanel

My pretty corner

So this is my corner of the balcony, just outside my room! It's very simple but I love it and it has everything I need to feel comfortable and relax. I'm very lucky.

One of the girls from college introduced me to this website, which has some wonderful posters...

It caught my eye because it reminds me quite a bit of Sark's work which is just delicious!I have quite a few of Sark's books and they are so easy to read, so creative and inspiring! It's quite interesting because when I worked in Borders I saw her books on the shelf but never took the time to properly look at them. But one time in New Zealand in a bookshop I'd never been to before, one book on the top shelf caught my eye: Make your Creative Dreams Real - A plan for procrastinators, perfectionists, busy people, and people who would really rather sleep all day (that's really what it's called)... and I'm most of those things! Thinking about it now that book might be helpful to read again sometime soon... anyway check out Planet Sark and see the fun and prettiness for yourself.

Too long...

When I started this blog I really intended to keep it up to date and post often... but things have been quite busy! And somehow not busy at the same time because I still haven't found a permanent job.

But I finally moved into my new place, yay! That has been the biggest change and a bit of a challenge too, just learning how to fit in with new people and seeing how they all work together. But I love my little room and have plenty of space to store all my stuff and even have a little corner of the balcony all to myself! I'm still settling in and getting all of my things in their right places but I think this place will be great.
Plus I'm planning on starting a mini veggie and herb garden (in pots) soon and I'm really excited about growing things I'm actually able to eat, and then cooking more and eating well. I found this guy on Youtube who has simple how-to videos for growing, he's easy to watch and it's been really helpful to have a visual to show how it's done!

I went on a little adventure to the button shop in Newtown last week... I have heard about this place for years but somehow never made it in... so many pretty buttons to choose from!

I ended up buying myself just a few little pretty ones, not quite sure what I will do with them yet.

Also college is going amazingly well, I just love the work we are doing and it's personally very exciting and satisfying! First term is looking at counselling and coaching in more of a personal way, so we get to experience some of it for ourselves before learning more of the skills and techniques in the next few terms. And oh boy the college library is wonderful... so many books I want to read, books I haven't been able to find anywhere else! So that will keep me busy for a while...

To do list:
-Find a job.
-Keep up with yoga and meditation.
-Take more photos (and then blog more often).
-Read, read, read.

<3