Blocked!

What do you do when you're blocked?

I don't mean that I'm not creating anything. At the moment I'm knitting, writing the programme and preparing the elements for a women's retreat, preparing to give my testimony at a dinner (aaaagggghhhh!), and writing some stories.

I'm not blocked completely. I just feel that my journal pages have become a little samey - I reach for the same media, the same colours, the same shapes.

I've reached the end of a particular part of the journey and not found the beginning of the next bit.

So I'm starting an art book on Psalm 23. I'm going to deliberately choose techniques and colours that I'm not that familiar with. I'm sifting through my books for inspiration and moving out of my comfort zone.

So what would you do?

Know when you are finished

Sometimes I look at a page I have been working on and know that it needs some words on it. This time I was staring at this and thinking it's done. There's nothing else I feel I need to add.


How many times do we continue with something even when we have gone beyond the end of it?

There is a need to know when something is done. When it has come to the end of its life. I know that often in churches programmes go on even though they are no longer effective. Sometimes it is because so-and-so needs to feel that their gifts are being used, or 'if we stop this there will be nothing for such-and-such a group of people to do.' Or even 'we've always done this. It's tradition.' Are those good reasons to keep on with something that has so obviously done its time and is now finished?

Yes, it can be scary looking at doing a new thing - you don't know how well it will work, if at all. You don't know if anyone will support it. But that is no reason to keep on with something that is over and done.

We need to learn to end things well.

Are you harvesting the crop you want?

If you want to grow oaks, you have to plant acorns.

Duh! Obviously, you say.

But we don't always think about this in terms of how we live our lives. We don't always think that if we look down on someone, then we will not be growing a friend. If we are mean and spiteful, why should we expect a crop of love in our lives? If we don't dream big, why should we expect miracles?

What are you planting?

Do you need to change your seeds?



And to change the subject entirely, hop on over to inspired.gumnut.net  where I was recently interviewed by Liz Powley.

Inspired People

Just a quick note to say that I will be the featured artist on Gumnut Inspirations on Monday. Go and see and have a rummage through Liz's website which is full of fun and interesting artwork.

Enjoy your weekend!

Busy, busy busy!

I haven't finished any new journal pages in the last few days. I finished my last journal and have been prepping a new one.

Along with writing the programme for a women's retreat and doing all the preparations that go with it, filling in my report for my homeschooling inspection, tracking down books for the next academic year, and writing a story for a competition, I have been answering questions for Liz Powley  for her Inspired People series. Look out for it in the next few weeks. And check out Liz's bubble-paintings, they're fabulous. So much fun and exceedingly messy. What's not to like? :)

I hope to get some more journalling done in the next few days - the pages are primed and ready. Just need five minutes to scribble on them now...

Illuminated Living

This page started out with a layer of tissue paper that had been used to package a scented candle. When I did my overpainting, I was left with a paler section that made me think of the glow of a candle so I went with that as my image. Closer inspection of the tissue paper revealed the words 'illuminated living'

'Illuminate' is defined as: to light up; to make understandable.

This made me think about how much light there is in my life and how much light I bring to others.

What is your life wattage?

Deep in the earth...

Had such trouble photographing these pages - the black really reflects the light even when you turn off the flash. Never mind...

I came to this page with a black background and groaned. I've done a few with black backgrounds lately - must have gone a bit mad when I was prepping the latest batch of books. I liked the golden yellow surround which reminded me of a sunny day. That got me thinking about the warmth of the sun working on the earth and seeds preparing to sprout up. I've been out working in the garden, so perhaps that's why my mind went in that direction.

Anyway, I thought of seeds sprouting in the dark while aiming to reach the sunlight. Much like when something new starts in our lives. At first it is all dark and quiet. The seed sits there while you ponder and prepare. Then the first root and shoot sprout. Everything is still dark, but you have some idea of what direction you need to push in. A bit more growth and you break through into the sunlight and can really get going.

What is sprouting up  in your life at the moment?

Summer of Colour - week 6

The final week of Summer of Colo(u)r. I'm so glad I found this challenge. I've discovered all sorts of lovely new blogs and been encouraged enormously by all your lovely comments. Thank you to Kristin for hosting this challenge and providing a lovely burst of colour in a wet and cold Australian winter. And thank you to all you lovely people who have visited over the past few weeks.

So, this week's colours - the beautiful red and black of watermelon. I stuck with the actual flavour for this and drew a piece of watermelon on my red page layout. This led me to think about watermelon and how refreshing it is on a hot day, and how other things are refreshing such as a cool shower on a hot day, and honest opinions expressed in a loving way.

What do you find refreshing?

Time to blossom

There are times when we have to take the leap and just go for it. It might be something small or it might be a huge change. Whatever it is, we come to the point where we know we can't hold it in any longer. It is time to step out of the comfort zone.

It is time to blossom.

What areas of your life are ripe for change?

Where do you need to blossom?

summer of colour - week 5

Loved the colours on this week's flavour - they looked unreal in terms of ice-cream :)

As you can see, they brought to mind the colours of a peacock and therefore the theme of pride.

Sometimes pride gets a bad press. There is nothing wrong with taking pride in your own work and being satisfied with what you have done.

The rot sets in when we start to compare our work with that of others and think of ourselves as above them. Why compare? We are all individuals each given our own gifts and talents.

So make sure your pride is the right sort - the one that comes from a job well done being its own reward.

P.S. I am looking forward to Friday when our internet connection will finally be up to speed and I can catch up on looking at all the lovely things everyone has created in the last couple of weeks.

Anticipation

Anticipation.

What does the word conjure for you? Excitement? Anxiety? Butterflies in the stomach?

Anticipation comes in the time of waiting. You can be waiting for something good or something scary, but either way you know it's coming.

It's about expecting something and preparing in advance as best we can.

Summer of Color - week 4

Love the colours in this week's challenge. The flavours sound good, too, although with it being a chilly and wet winter here in South Australia, I don't think I'll be tucking in to any ice cream for a while :)

The pinks and yellows just cried out for flowers. The quote is by Robert Louis Stevenson. I like his attitude - don't look for what you got out of the day but at what you put into it. A good way to live life.

Hi to all fellow summer-of-colorers. I'll visit as many of you as I can but my internet connection is very slow at the moment :(   I'll catch up as soon as I can. Bowled over by the range of fabulous creative endeavours from candle pots to tissue stars to quilts all inspired by ice cream. Well done everyone and keep at it. You make the world a brighter place.