{awash with colour}

I know, I've been a bit quiet on the blogging front lately.  Just taking a bit of time out.  Listening to the birds and to my heart.  Noticing the small details.  Dreaming big.  The usual stuff.

And painting.  Always painting.  Working on the commission, getting work ready for a couple of group shows that I'm entering and starting on a whole lot of new pieces.

And joining in with My Creative Space for the first time in a long, long time.

{just around the corner}

Do you realise that there's only 8 sleeps until BLOGTOBERFEST begins? 8 sleeps peeps!

I have been working away, getting things ready and you are going to be so excited when you see all the goodness I have in store for you.  Oh my goodness, I can't wait to spill the beans.

Firstly, there's the blog button.  It's all ready to go.  Someone super talented and super lovely designed it and I can't wait to show you.  But I'm not going to spoil the surprise.  You'll be able to pick it up here on Sept 30th when the sign up list goes up.

Then of course I'll be having the Friday giveaways every week.  There's 5 Fridays in October this year, so that's 5 giveaways from me.  I've got some absolute beauties planned.  You won't want to miss them. 

My super fabulous crafty-partner-in-crime will be managing the BLOGTOBERFEST giveaway list again this year.  Last year there were around 150 giveaways across the month.  Maybe you'll start planning a BLOGTOBERFEST giveaway of your own.

And then, I've got some seriously super secret squirrel business that I'm dreaming up.  Something for the dreamers and soul searchers amongst us.  I'm not sure if it will happen this year or not.  My gremlins and inner critics are riding me pretty hard on daring to dream of putting myself out there in such a big way.  Stay tuned.

So that's what I'm up to at the moment. Planning and scheming, thinking and dreaming, writing and making, all in preparation for BLOGTOBERFEST.

Who doesn't love a festival?  Will you be joining me this year?

{i am a painter}

 

Last night I had a dream.  I was talking to a stranger, who asked me what I did for a living.  I said...

I'm a painter.

I woke up this morning and knew that it was true.

More Creative Spaces over here.

{ode to titanium white - part II}

If I hadn't already truly bonded with the name Tinniegirl, I might think about renaming myself Titanium White.  My love for this colour (or is it an absence of colour?) knows no bounds.  In fact, I think it's becoming one of the signatures of my work.

I wonder what other creative peeps are up to today?  I think I'll pop over here and have a look.

Don't Overthink It

I had a few hours to play with this morning and so I got busy making.  I had an idea a while back to make a guest book for the opening night of the exhibition.  

When I was thinking about the cover I just grabbed a whole lot of scraps that have been lying around in the studio for ages.  "Don't overthink it" I told myself.  Just enjoy the process.

There's a few other things that I'm applying that approach to today.

The red dots sitting in the pile of things to take with me this evening.

The party outfit, sitting ready to wear, to a place that I usually wear my track pants to.

The thought of being on show for all the world to see.

It's all a bit surreal really, and buzzy, and scary, and ...  Like I said "Don't overthink it, just enjoy the process"

Hope to see you tonight.

More Creative Spaces here.

All The Fish...

...are swimming in the water,

swimming in the water,

swimming in the water.

All the fish are

swimming in the water.

All day long.

More creative spaces here.

The One In Which I Have Nothing To Say

More Creative Spaces at Kootoyoo.

I Glanced Over

and there it was.

Exactly as the picture shows it.

The undeniable evidence.

That an artist and writer resides in this space.

Visit Kootoyoo to see who's residing in other Creative Spaces.

Must Fly

After giving myself the gift of a week with no plans, the universe gave me casual work for the rest of this week, and most of next.  Go figure.  Can't complain about money in the bank.

I'll be hooking my heart out at the Northern Craft Bonanza tonight.  Maybe I'll see you there.

Dash off to Kootoyoo for more Creative Spaces.

You Tell Me

I can't decide.

This painting needs a little something to finish it off.

Brilliant purple or bright aqua green?

What do you think?

Kootoyoo has all the goods at her place today, including something of mine.

Ode To Titanium White

How I love your crisp, stark coolness.

Head to Kootoyoo to see what's happening in other creative spaces.

It's pretty quiet around ole' Melbourne town blogs this week. We're all about the Stitches and Craft Show in this neck of the woods. Don't forget to pop in and say Hi to me at the Notebook stand if you're at the show on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

Practicing

In life, as well as with the brush.

I reckon I'm making pretty good progress, most of the time.

Now off you go to Kootoyoo to see what other creative spaces abound.

Oh, and do pop in and see my good friend CurlyPops today. She's having herself a birthday.

That's Better

The gessoing did the job. The colour paints were out in no time at all.

I love disposable palette paper. I can sing it's praises all day long.

I love the colourful sheets of paper that you end up with after a painting session.

I love how when you've finished making a delightful mess you just tear of the sheet, screw it up and throw it out, and you're all cleaned up.

Someone once told me that palette paper was an unnecessary waste of money but I don't agree. Not only is it convenient, but it also allows you to mix colours really easily and I find I use less paint. More importantly, spending money on quality supplies helps me to value and take myself seriously as an artist.

You want to see what I've been painting? Come back tomorrow and I'll show you. I think you're going to like it.

Today though, it's Thursday, so you know where to go, and you know who's running the show.

The Curse Of The Clean Hands

There's only the tiniest bit of action happening in the studio this week. Finishing up items for a couple of missed deadlines and getting some swaps and prizes ready to send off.

I realised yesterday that I haven't picked up a paintbrush or dabbed my finger in oil sticks since Easter. That's almost 3 weeks. No wonder I'm feeling a little out of sorts.

I do wonder at times like these about chickens and eggs. Did the lack of painting lead to feeling blah, or did the blahs come and take the painting away? Whichever way, I intend to rectify the situation this weekend.

Move along now. More Creative Spaces to be found at Kootoyoo.

A Tangle of Threads

While My Creative Space is tidy, underneath it lies an enormous tangle of feelings, hopes, dreams and thoughts.

I've been thinking.

About blogging. About this story that I have to tell. This one single, amazing story that is my life unfolding. How I believe with all my heart that we each have one single, amazing story to tell. How the popularity, the stats, the followers don't matter. It's the story that matters. Always.

About work. The kind of work I want to do, the kind of place I want to work, the kind of people I want to work with. Defining it, so that I can find it.

About painting. How it makes me feel alive, and full, and hopeful, and certain, and thankful.

About colour. So many colours. How they fill my soul.

About intent. How I want to focus on writing and painting, and let go of all the other stuff.

About clearings. About making room for new things, and about clearing out my studio in line with my intent.

About being present. Really being present. Everyday. Letting go of ideas of a future me, a future life that will be full of everything I want. Embracing this me, this life and everything it has to offer. Everyday.

About old wounds. About feeling ready to heal them, and taking steps to do so.

About people who really inspire me. People who gift the world with their words and creativity, and make my journey sweeter. How I want to gather these people and draw them to me, and build a nest of creative souls who give each other wings. Kelly Rae said it so beautifully today.

About bike riding, and chores, and money, and weeding the garden, and cooking, and getting back to the gym.

About me. How I am finding my place in the world. How I am leaning more into my gifts and my story, and learning how it's possible to be both vulnerable and strong simultaneously.

And about prosperity and abundance. But I'll save that for another time.

Thanks Kootoyoo. For helping me to find my words today.

That's Exactly What I Was Thinking

Work in progress

A tropical paradise
Snorkeling on a coral reef
Beautiful sea greens and ocean blues
Gorgeous bright tropical fish

I can't believe that's what you were thinking too
Us creative peeps are so alike!

You'll find all sorts of other like-minded peeps and wonderful creative spaces over at the home of My Creative Space, the only, and definitely the only Kootoyoo.

**************************************

Thanks everyone for your comments on my previous post. It's all good here.

Can't Get Enough

I've got a tonne of things on the go in the studio at the moment but I'm excited to share these two finished pieces. They will be going off to my nieces to surprise them very shortly.

The Things She Could Do
Collage, Acrylics,Oil Sticks and Stuff on Canvas

I can't get enough of working with the Shiva Paintstiks at the moment. They are so much fun. They're messy and tactile, and smelly, and they just seem like the kinds of supplies that serious grown up artists use.

I am so grateful to Kelly Rae for sharing her techniques and secrets at An Artful Journey. She didn't hold anything back, and I think it's an amazing act of generosity for an artist to share so openly. There's a lot at stake for people like Kelly Rae, or anyone who teaches people their style. You can read what Kelly Rae has to say about it here. Well worth the read.

Bingo Was Her Name
Collage, Acrylics,Oil Sticks and Stuff on Canvas

I am also ever grateful to the fabulous Kootoyoo, the home of My Creative Space, for all the great things she brings to the blogging community.

I See Red

Getting back to some routines is just fine by me. I've been looking forward to joining in with My Creative Space again.

I've been painting non-stop pretty much since I got back from the trip.

Painting makes me happy.

More creative spaces at Kootoyoo.

My Creative Space...

I have been wanting to join in with some memes again for what seems like forever. I just never seem to have the right photos for the right theme at the right time with the right amount of energy to get the job done. I know, I make everything harder than it needs to be. Just ask Ms L about that one.



This week my creative space is all in my head. I have a wonderfully big idea brewing that I am so excited about. It's like I'm suddenly understanding the bigger picture about my creative path and the gifts that I am meant to share with the world. Let me tell you, it puts all the recent darkness into perspective and makes my heart beat wildly just thinking about it. Which, just so you know, I am doing all the time.

Thinking, dreaming, planning, wondering, and smiling. LOTS.

Head on over to Kirsty's, the home of My Creative Space, for a gluttony of creative spaces. Do you know Kirsty and her blog Kootoyoo? Ever since The Quilt Project I've developed quite a blog crush on her. Or maybe it is more aptly described as a creative crush. She's such a great community builder. I don't think there's many people around these days who you could really describe as truly altruistic but Kirstly is definitely one of them. Anyway, Kirsty rocks, you know what I'm saying?