Trees

The theme for September over at Mix-it-Monthly is trees.

I've said it before, and will doubtless say it again - having the seasons turned around when you move into a new hemisphere really messes with your head! There is no mass drop of leaves in the autumn leading to the bare greenlessness of dark brown limbs reaching for the sky in winter. There is no sudden burst of new life with the greening of spring. The new-life symbols of Easter just aren't there as it now happens in the autumn. Christmas brings rising temperatures - the furthest from snow you can get.

So I'm having to learn new cues from the trees. The bottle-brushes are red with blooms and the May blossom is out, so it must be September. When the jacarandas are Dr. Seuss purple, it's November and Christmas is coming, even though the days are getting hotter and longer. If the lawn has suddenly gone from flat, brown, and crunchy to green and knee-height overnight, the first rains of autumn have fallen and it must be April. When there are crunchy leaves on the floor it's of no help whatsoever, as the plane trees seem to drop leaves all through the year depending on how extreme the temperature is!

The seasons may not be so baldly plain as they are in the UK, but I'm starting to see the subtle differences in the trees.

What sort of house will your heart live in?

I was reading through Ann Voskamp's blog the other day and this quote really struck me, especially as the theme at Art Journal Journey is houses and at Mix it Monthly is home.

This quote made me think about what sort of house I want my heart to live in. Will I allow my circling, negative thoughts to become a prison for it? Or will I listen to the truth and make a place of refuge?

Journal Fodder 365 - prompts #47 & #48

The journey through Journal Fodder 365 has finally come to an end after almost a year. I did the last two prompts this week because it's always fun to finish a journal :)

This spread is inheritances and legacies - what do you bring from the past and what will you leave behind?

I thought about the inheritances as seeds that were planted in my life and the legacies as the fruit that comes from them. I think my main inheritances are a desire to keep learning and sharing skills. The ability to read and follow instructions (not as obvious as it seems!) means I have been able to teach myself several skills by reading books. I love to learn from others, but sometimes there aren't the opportunities to do that, so you have to make do with what others have written.

As for the fruit - I hope to leave people with the knowledge that they are creative, even if they haven't found their niche just yet. I hope to be generous in sharing skills and encouraging the creativity of others, just as I have benefitted greatly from those who have been generous to me. And I hope to leave an abundance of beautiful books and jewellery. 

The final prompt was to look back at the journey through the book.

This journey has been a long one. Some of the prompts I have found easy, some of them I just didn't seem to be on the same wavelength as the authors. But I have interpreted the prompts as they appealed to me.

Working through the book has helped me to nail down my hopes and dreams; to see which fears are holding me back; to be grateful for all that has gone before, because it has made me into the woman I am, even if it wasn't fun at the time.

Thank you for joining me on the journey!

I will be sharing this page with Mix It Monthly, which has the subject of maps this month.