{it's time to play the music, it's time to light the lights}

Blogtoberfest 2011 

designed by Betty Jo Designs

I'm so excited that it's time for yet another Blogtoberfest to begin.  Sometimes I really do have to pinch myself when I think about this humble little festival and all that it's become.  But today is about practicalities not sentiment.  I'll save that for another day.

If this is your first Blogtober let me give you the scoop.  By signing up you are taking on the challenge to post daily to your blog in October {of course if you don't quite make it nobody will hold it against you and you can sign up anytime throughout the month and join in from there}.

You'll also be giving yourself the opportunity to connect with new blogs, ramp your blogging mojo right up and have a whole lot of fun.  I like to think that Blogtoberfest is a celebration of the best things about blogging - self expression, creativity, community and fun.  It's also a great way to celebrate the ordinary and every day.

A word on giveaways:  lots of people like to have giveaways on their blogs during Blogtober to add to the celebrations.  If you are having a giveaway you'll be able to add it to the giveaway list that CurlyPops hosts on her blog {more details to come}.  Please don't feel like you have to have a giveaway.  It's totally cool if you do and totally cool if you don't.

Big, big thanks to Betty Jo for the gorgeous blog button.  I'm such a huge fan of Liz's work and I was so excited when she agreed to create this year's button.  You can pick it up over in my sidebar.  

To add the button to your blog: select all the code in the text box and copy it.  To add it to your own blog you need to find the design area in your blog, choose the "add a gadget" or "add a widget" option and choose add "html/java script" or something along those lines.  If you're struggling with this I can do a tutorial for blogger.  Let me know in the comments section.

So without further ado, let's get to it.  If you're joining us this year add your link to the sign up list below.  If you've got any questions you can email me at tinniegirl/at/optusnet.com.au

I'll see you tomorrow for Day I peeps!

it's time to sign your name up

for Blogtoberfest to start!

{how to have a really great holiday}

• Wear your PJ's more than any other outfit
• Read a book in one day
• Go on spontaneous winery tours
• Walk for hours on end
• Get lost
• Have no plans
• Eat delicious and healthy food
• Dream, both day and night
• Let go of all expectations
• Be delighted by everything
• Make friends with echidnas & kookaburras

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2 sleeps till Blogtoberfest!  2 sleeps peeps!

Sign up starts tomorrow.  Pop by and put your name on the list and grab the button.

{the cold hard truth}

I had this great post planned for my return from holidays.  I had a great title planned and everything: {read, eat, sleep, repeat}.  I'd been writing it in my mind for days.

I was going to tell you all about the fabulous time I had taking it easy.  How wonderful it was to relax and unwind.  How easily I fell into a routine of reading and sleeping and eating.  I wanted to tell you how stepping away from my regular life always creates space for new thoughts to take hold and how I realised a few important things while I was away, particularly that I want to work harder at being a positive person and to challenge myself to focus more on all the good in my life.

Yep, I had it all planned.

We arrived home around 5pm in the peak of today's stormy weather.  We unpacked in the rain and started putting things away, loading the washing machine, etc, etc.  Then I looked up at the ceiling in the bedroom and saw that it was raining inside ....

3 hours later, a lot of time spent on the phone to real estate agents, a visit from the State Emergency Service and a plumber scheduled to visit tomorrow we no longer have a leaking roof.  It's still raining in the bedroom though because all the water pooled in the ceiling has to make it's way through the plaster.  The roof is patched not fixed.  I'm not sure if we'll be able to sleep in our bed because the water keeps spreading and the noise of it dripping, dripping, dripping is quite annoying.  I'm worn out and instead of having a lovely night at home it's been an absolute pain in the ass.  I've tried to be positive and to look for the adventure in all this but the truth is I'm tired and I feel like the universe is just asking too damn much of me.  I said I wanted to work harder at being more positive but I didn't realise I'd have to be ready for it straight away.

I thought about posting {read, eat, sleep, repeat} just as I'd planned it.  I thought perhaps that would be the positive thing to do.  But it wouldn't have been the truth.  And if there's one thing I'm absolutely passionate about it's authenticity and truth.

I don't know how I find the balance between being a more positive person and allowing myself to be genuine in my feelings about things.  It's something I'm going to have to work at I realise.  I'm not sure that I'll ever be a person who can take these glitches easily in my stride.  In fact it always seems to be the minor things much more than the really big stuff that really brings me unstuck.  

But I am going to work at it.  I am going to work at being more positive.  Maybe just not tonight!

Anyway, it's good to be back.  And Blogtoberfest is just 3 sleeps away.  The sign up post will be up on Friday 30 September.

{hooray hooray}

it's a holi-holiday!

I'm off for a mini-break with my beloved.  

I'll be back on Thursday.  Just in time to get ready for Blogtoberfest!  I don't know about you, but I can't wait.

In the meantime ... enjoy!

{instructions to self}

detail on collage

These words feel like a mantra, a message from the universe and a hope all rolled into one.

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Pssst, Blogtoberfest is only 10 sleeps away.  Are  you excited?

{collage one, two, three}

Had lots of fun at the Katherine Hattam workshop on the weekend.  It was a change for me to stay mostly away from the paint and instead work primarily with paper and glue.

I enjoyed it but I don't see myself racing off in a whole new direction.  It's all a bit minimalist for my tastes.  

I loved hearing Katherine talk about her journey with art and her processes.  It's always fascinating to get insight into to the ways in which other artists work.

I did also very much enjoy sketching with my eyes closed and particularly with my toes.  This last piece isn't finished yet.  Not sure when I'll pick it up again though.

 

{sunday snippets, and a linky list}

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As well as finally feeling back to full health, and having a lovely weekend full of good things, I'm also most pleased with myself for finally organising a linky list.  If you're playing along with {sunday snippets} you can now submit your link on the list.  {If you're new to linky lists click on 'click here to enter' and follow the prompts.  It's easy peasy.  I've put mine in this time around so you can see how it looks.}

Be sure to link back to here on your own post too.  That way more people can join the fun.

Next task: a {sunday snippets} button for your blogs.  Stay tuned!

{channeling katherine hattam}

Man's World, Woman's Place

Katherine Hattam

Well, I very much plan to be.  I'm taking a workshop with her today at Gasworks Art Park.  I'm sooooooo looking forward to a day of creativity, inspiration and play.

What are you up to?

{answers}

I'm amazed sometimes at how the most profound insights can arrive with such simple and understated elegance.

This morning I realised what an incredibly strong and determined woman I am.  And when I say realised, I mean the thought reached straight into my soul like a homecoming.

I have endured much in these last years, much more than I would ever have thought I could handle.  Much more than I wanted to.  But I have learned from these lessons.  They have shaped me. And while I've often recongnised the ways my outlook has been shaped into feelings of hopelessness and dismay, today for the first time I saw how things have shaped me for the better.  

Today I saw a woman who has, and continues to work hard, for the things that are important to her.  Today I saw a woman who never gives up on her dreams, whose life is filled with hopeful aspirations and steely determination.  Today I saw a woman who bravely puts herself out there in the world.   Today I saw a woman who could have easily become bitter and cynical {and at times is} but who mostly radiates a sense of acceptance and commitment to the journey .  Today I saw a woman who has been through a pivotal time in her life this year and has come through it knowing and seeing herself in deeper and renewed ways.  Today I saw a woman who is on her way to great things. 

Someone said to me today "you've got the sparkle back in your eye" and I thought "damn straight.  Sparkle and a little something more"!

Have a fantastic weekend my friends.

{right on!}

Found over at Amitie Girl.  Another perfectly timed message from the universe. 

{unfolding}

Out of the darkness of the last week a path is starting to emerge.  I'm re-examining decisions I've made in the past six months that now seem more like self sabotage.  It's interesting this business of finding your way.  Sometimes you think you've got it all figured out only to realise that everything you've been thinking is skewed through the lens of self-doubt.  That all you've really been doing is holding back and protecting, nurturing and growing your giant fear of failure. {When I say 'you' and 'your' I really mean 'me' and 'my' but I thought perhaps you might feel this way too}

Ms L was right, this sickness was a catharsis.  She knows her stuff that one.  

Boy do I feel like I've got a long road to travel though.  And I can hardly manage getting out of bed at the moment!  I'm looking forward to the 'Do What You Love' e-course starting up in a couple of weeks.  Feels like the timing may well be just perfect.

{sunday snippets}

My favourite boy is 15 years old today!  Happy Birthday BigCat.

An odd assortment today.  Life feels quite odd at the moment.

How about you?  Are you playing along this week?  Post your sunday snippets to your blog, link back to this post and leave your link in the comments {I got organised and signed up for a linky account but can't access my account today for some reason.  Let me not go into how I feel the world is conspiring against me at the moment. Blech!}.  

Share some of your world. I'd love to see what you've been up to.

{natural remedies}

It was the only thing to do!

{totally miserable}

Being sick is the pits!  I've no energy for anything.  No painting, no exercise, no creativity, no writing, no hope.  Nada! Nothing!

For some reason being sick pushes all my negativity buttons.  My inner critics completely take hold of my thinking. All my deepest, darkest fears about my career and creative success, or lack thereof, come to the fore.  I spend my time thinking about everything I'm not achieving.  It's fucking awful.  I hate being sick.

Ah well, tomorrow's another day.  We'll see what it brings.

{the dreaded lurgy}

lurgy

noun (lurg, ies)

1. (british) A fictitious, yet highly infectious disease; almost always used in the phrase "the dreaded lurgy", sometimes as a reference to flu-like symptoms

It's totally messing with my plans for the start of Spring.  Go away lurgy!  Go away!

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By the way, do you realise Blogtoberfest is only 22 sleeps away?  More on that soon.  If you're new to these parts and have no idea what I'm talking about you can find out all about it under the {blogtoberfest} tab.  Will you be joining me this year?

{you know you want to}

Live Large

Acrylics and mixed media on canvas

10 x 12 inch

{sunday snippets, a studio tour}

 

 

 

 

 

A special {sunday snippets} today.  A few people have been waiting to see my new studio.  I treated myself with the proceeds from my last exhibition.  I've been talking about updating my studio for 3 years.  I must thank Ms L and Louise Gale for giving me a good prod on making it happen.

The space feels so amazing.  It's bright and fresh.  It's comfy and colourful.  It's full of treasure and memories.  It's an expression of me.

Most importantly it's really functional.  It's a working space, which it hasn't been since we moved to the new house.

It's perfect.  I love it.  So does the studio assistant.  He spends most of his days up there on the windowsill.

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How was your weekend?  Did you capture it in pictures?  I'd love to see your {sunday snippets}.  Post some pictures on your blog, link back to this post, and leave your link in the comments here.  I promise a proper linky list next weekend!  Seriously, I promise!

{home delivery}

 

A Place Where Hope is Born

Acrylics and collage on canvas

7 x 2 foot

I delivered my most recent commission piece to its new owner last weekend.  One very large painting and one very happy customer.  It's such a joy to create work especially for someone.  Something I plan to do a lot more of throughout my creative career. I've got a super big idea brewing around this at the moment!!!

Have a lovely weekend peeps. I'm hoping for some serious studio time.