Be creative and grow

My little girl  (who is now 21 where does the time go)  If off to to British Columbia  Canada, on a church mission this week.  She will be gone for 18 months.  We have spent much of the last couple of weeks organising her wardrobe and all her other things she will need for 1 and 1/2 years.  It all has to fit into 2 suitcases and one carry on bag.  It has been hard going but we are nearly done!

It will be so hard to see her go but I am sure she will be well looked after and will have an amazing experience over in Canada.

Life moves so fast.  We need to take time to stop and smell the roses.  It only seems like yesterday that she was born and toddling around on her wee little legs. Now she is a grown woman ready to take on the world.

The same thing can apply to giving ourselves time to look after ourselves and to be creative, because time disappears for us and before long moments will be lost until we have no time left at all.

 Take hold of the moment now and value each second life gives us. 

Breathe it in,  use it to the best of our ability,  make it work and grow!

Being kind to yourself

Being kind to other is so important but what about ourselves.  I am not meaning in a selfish way but a kind a loving way.  When was the last time we took time to be, to think and to breathe.  Women can be their own worse enemies because they look after others so well and give and give and give but don't stop to look after themselves.  

So my aim this month is to be kinder to myself by....

1. Taking time to breathe
2. Having one massage during the month
3. Taking time each day to connect with my spirit
4. Getting to bed early 
5. Loving who I am
6. Taking time to be rather than doing all the time
7. Going for a walk
8. Being creative
9. Saying no to to many 'extra' things that aren't really important
10. Resting when I need it
11. Being true to myself 
12. Enjoying being me

So how can you be kinder to yourself this month?

Photography this week: Water

These photos were all taken at the Hamilton gardens in NZ.  They are all different views of water.  I love how water can be still and peaceful,  fun and playful or fierce and powerful.  Here I have captured the peaceful and playful moods of water.

Finding inspiration through photography :Part one

When the creativity block starts to weave its vines around me I reach for my camera and start to take lots of photos.  The more photos the better.  I try and take the subject from a variety of angles and if possible with different lighting. It is important to record as much information as possible of the subject for later reference. I find photos work well for me when I can't stop and sketch because I have children dashing off to the next garden or running down the bush track at break neck speed. If I have time to stop sketches add a greater depth of information of the subject if I can',t photos are just fine.

But how can these photos be used in art work? 

• Use the photo as is.  Replicate a well composed photo

This photo of a Kaka (a native New Zealand parrot) Has all the information I need.  I could create this bird from material as a appliqué quilt in traditional or raw appliqué technique, I could paint and then quilt him or I could free motion quilt the lines of the photo on a whole quilt.  I could choose to make the quilt look exactly the same or near to the original photo.

• Take a portion of the photo and replicate 

Original photo

Cropped portion:  I could use appliqué,  quilt or paint this onto to fabric too.  Cropping is a great way to focus in on a small detail of the photo or to take out any distractions in the original photo.

• Take 2 L-shaped pieces of card to see what crop you like the best.

I liked the shapes of the 2 glasses.  The lights behind could be used in texture on the fabric or polka dotted fabric could be used. 

Using this technique is great if you love your original photo or love more realistic art work..  Try to use your own photography though if you intend to sell your work other wise you start getting into copy write issues and they can start to get complicated.

Photography this week

We went to a inland ecological island near our home this week.  These are some of the photos I took of the Kaka ( a native New Zealand parrot)

Photography this week

We had an very foggy morning.  It was very eerie and beautiful.  The spiders had been out to work during the night and created their master pieces. The patterns are beautiful.

Flying time

My goodness how time has flown since I last posted.  We have been beginning our renovations on our house.  It is going to wonderful when they are finished.  We are starting with a complete new kitchen,  new carpet, a heat pump and making our tiny office into a small bedroom. 

It Took quite a bit of work to move things around in the small bedroom and walk in wardrobe

But the extra metre of space in the office has meant we can use it as a guest room

 We had planned on making my art studio next but I think that will have to go on hold for a wee while.  So this is creating some challenges in making art at the moment.  It is too cold in the garage without the walls done and too dusty in the house.  I know this will get change once jobs are completed but for now my fingers are itchy and wanting to create. I have had to be content with,,,,,

• Doodling
• Making creative meals
• Learning a new way to put on make up 
• Op shopping for second hand funky clothes
• Challenging children to create
• Reading blogs
• Pinning on pinterest
• Collecting ideas for my home
• Making a story board for my home 
• Choosing carpet colours
• matching cabinetry to bench tops
• Gardening
• Setting up new homework routines
• Being creative with children's spelling practice
• Putting roses (from my garde) in vases to brighten up my home
• Covering some cushions for my bed 
• and having fun discovering new places to see in Te Awamutu

There is creativity everywhere we look,  everyday and in every place.