Being Creative Gallery Check In ~ December (and what happens next)

Hola!

I'm bringing you the Gallery Check In for December a couple of days early this month, with it being New Year and us still very much in Holiday Mood!

I hope you've all enjoyed your Christmas, wherever you are in the world - this Gallery Check In is the last one of the year, and this post will also explain what will be happening to the Being Creative Project Group in 2012.

The theme for December was WINTER.

I decided to include my recently re-found painting, Yorkshire Snow to the Flickr Group Pool, as this conveys Winter to me just perfectly...dark dry stone walls, a white patchwork of snowy fields, tiny farm cottages and swirling snow storms...

I hope you've enjoyed the theme this month, and I look forward to seeing your contributions in the Flickr Group and in the Gallery - you can add your link to the widget at the bottom of this post to link back to relevant work on your blog, website or photo hosting account.  PLease do not link back to any online market place such as Folksy or Etsy please, many thanks!

I've really enjoyed hosting the Being Creative Project this year, it's allowed me to discover some amazing souls the world over, and it's been a pleasure to connect with these people and make new online friendships.

So, you may be wondering where the group is headed in 2012...?

I've given this a fair bit of thought.  I knew that I wanted to continue to host a facility for people to come and be inspired, to be creative amongst a group of like minded souls and to be able to share images of their work.  I wanted the Project to be flexible yet supportive, and I knew I wanted it to be informal and friendly and accessible.

In 2012, the Project will operate in a slightly different way - it will still be up and running and there will still be themes for you to work from.  What I'm going to do is launch a Theme Pool (which you can access on the Being Creative page of this blog above from early January).  The idea is that there will be a whole heap of themes for you to choose from, so you get to choose something that really lights your creative fire rather than be stuck with one that perhaps doesn't.

You can also choose how long you want to work on your theme; you might pick one a month like before, or pick one to turn into a year long project...you might also want to work with a different one each week - the choice is yours.  I hope this flexible approach makes the group more appealing and accessible for you all.

Another change is that I'm not going be hosting the monthly gallery pages any longer.  You will be able to share images of your work in the Flickr Gallery Group which is already hosting some amazing works of art and craft and is a really inspiring place to visit.  You can add your images there whenever you like, and there is also a discussions forum if you have any questions or require some support.

I will also continue to send out the Being Creative Project newsletter - this will be sent to you on a happily random basis and will be bulging with inspiration, guidance, advice and tools for you.  If you haven't signed up already, you are most welcome to do so and can find the sign up form on the Being Creative page (click tab above).

So for the last time, I give you the gallery to host your Winter themed work.  I'm looking forward to seeing your contributions this month!  The gallery will be open for one month so you have plenty of time to add your links.

I hope you are happy with the changes, and that the group still provides a friendly and supportive space for you to get creative.  If you have any questions, i'd be more than happy to hear from you.

Sending you love for your creative journey, and wishing you all a sparkly and marvellous 2012 ~ thank you so much for taking part, hope to see you all next year!

Julia x x x

Being Creative Gallery ~ November

Hello!


Welcome to the Being Creative Gallery Check In for November.  The theme for November was....


VINTAGE!


Before I launch the gallery link I just want to apologise for not getting an inspiring email support letter out to you this month.  November has been Bursting-at-the-Seams-Busy and before I knew where I was, it was almost Gallery day again.  Somehow I bypassed the part in my To Do Book which said 'Being Creative Email' and sailed forth.  This has taught me that sometimes with even the best intentions, we sometimes cock up and forget stuff, and that's OK, it shows how spendidly human we are I think!


I hope you have managed to find some inspiration for the theme, and I look forward to seeing what you've been up to!  


If you have a piece of work you would like to post in the Gallery this month, then you are welcome to add your link using the widget at the bottom of this post.  The link must lead back to a picture of relevant work, either on your blog or on your Flickr or photo hosting account (I do ask that you please don't link back to any online market place, such as Etsy or Folksy, thank you).


The Flickr Group is also open to post your images on a daily basis, while this gallery will be open from 1 - 31st December.  You can easily access any of the gallery pages from the link in the right hand side bar.


Don't forget, you can still sign up to receive the Being Creative Newsletter, which I send out once a month.  You will receive a free mini Being Creative e-book with this, along with links to some blog entries that you may find inspiring, and which may help you get started on your creative journey.  Although there's only one more theme this year, you are still welcome to sign up and join if you haven't already by clicking the tab at the top of the page.


The theme for December is...


WINTER.


Thank you so much for taking part, I look forward to seeing your Vintage inspired work!


Julia x x x

Being Creative Gallery ~October

Hello


I hope the 1st of November finds you well ~ the theme for the gallery for the month of October is Fire...I have a feeling this may have been a tricky one, but all the same I will look forward to seeing what you have created, or hearing about your ideas.

'Fire' for me conjours up many images and ideas; the colours of fire are so inspiring and are so in tune with our current season: burning ambers, golds, oranges and reds...but the heart of a flame can also be blue and green and white.  
Fire can also mean passion - a passion of the soul, a fire in the heart...I wonder if any of you chose to take the theme in that direction, and create a piece of work based around that?


The Being Creative Project has so far being an eye opening journey for me, and even on the months where I don't actually create anything I find myself still thinking about ways I could tackle the theme, and I'm being inspired in new and different ways.  I see this as positive growth ~ as artists it is easy to become comfortable within the boundaries we create for ourselves, to work with what feels OK and familiar.  It sometimes feels a little scary to push beyond that, to consider something new, to have to think about something we may not ordinarily do so.  I am pleased that from this project I have been able to work with clay, have rediscovered embroidery and also considered getting into linocut print work again.  I wonder what avenues it may have opened up for you?


If you have a piece of work you would like to post in the Gallery this month, then you are welcome to add your link using the widget at the bottom of this post.  The link must lead back to a picture of your work, either on your blog or on your Flickr or photo hosting account (I do ask that you please don't link back to any online market place, such as Etsy or Folksy, thank you).


The Flickr Group is also open to post your images on a daily basis, while this gallery will be open from 1 - 30th November.  You can easily access any of the gallery pages from the link in the right hand side bar.


Don't forget, you can still sign up to receive the Being Creative Newsletter, which I send out once a month.  You will receive a free mini Being Creative e-book with this, along with links to some blog entries that you may find inspiring, and which may help you get started on your creative journey.  Although there are only two more themes this year, you are still welcome to sign up and join if you haven't already by clicking the tab at the top of the page.


The theme for November is: VINTAGE - I hope you'll have fun with this one and I look forward to once again seeing all your creations!


Thanks for taking part,
Julia x x x

Being Creative Gallery ~ September

Hello to you!


September seems to have whizzed by very fast, and I can hardly believe that it's the 1st of October already!  I imagined that when I wrote up this gallery page about our Autumn theme, I would be looking out my window at stormy grey skies, and frisky breezes whipping up carpets of fallen leaves into spirals of colour.  But today, as I write this the temperature is creeping up towards the 80's, the sky is pure azure blue and there is a magnificent yellow sun cracking the pavements.  Butterflies are wafting about the garden lazily, and we are wearing our t-shirts and coolest clothes.  Autumnal it is absolutely not but there we go, that's the Great British weather for you!

I decided I would add my most recent painting to the Flickr Group this month. After all, it was painted with this time of year in mind and represented a coastal Autumn to me.  I've also noticed some new offerings in the group pool which I haven't had a chance to comment on yet (but I'll make time to visit and have a good old nosey as soon as I get the chance) and there looks to be some really interesting offerings this month.  
I continually love how creativity is expressed in so many different ways - the members of the group who share their work surprise me each month with the variety and ingenuity of their creations.


So!!  The theme for September was Autumn.

For those of you who would like to share your work via your blog/Flickr or other photo hosting webpage, you are very welcome to add your link to the widget at the bottom of this post (please just link to the page your work features on).  Don't forget to use the whole caboodle of http://www...etc or else the link won't work.

Anyone who has already posted in the Flickr Group are also encouraged to share your images in the gallery here too.  Please don't be shy about sharing...encouragement and support is the key to growing in confidence with your creativity, and although it can feel a little scary, I think you will feel a huge sense of achievement when you share your work and get feedback from the other participants or blog readers here.

You will be able to add your 'Autumn' themed work to the gallery here until the end of October.  There is also a list in the sidebar so that the gallery pages are easier for you to find.

For those of you who are working on the project and don't have the facility to share pictures of your work, then you are welcome to add your thoughts about your creative journey so far in the comments section at the bottom of this post.
I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on taking part in the Being Creative Project, so please do share or feel free to email me privately.
The theme for October is: Fire

You can post your work freely in the Flickr group as and when you like; don't forget to make use of the Discussion facility if you have any questions, or require some support :)

I'm really looking forward to seeing what you've done this month - thank you so much for aking the time to share your colourful and glorious creations! 

Much love
Julia x x x

(edited: oops, seems I got ahead of myself on the calendar! We're in October, not November as I previously wrote, but the theme is still Fire - apologies for the confusion) x

Being Creative Gallery Check In: August

Hello

Welcome to the August 2011 Gallery for the Being Creative Project.  The theme this month was Travel.  Have you taken part this time?  Are you ready to share some work with us?  I do hope so as I'm looking forward to seeing how you have used the theme this month!


I have been travelling about a fair bit myself this month ~ we were lucky enough to visit Northumberland for a spot of camping and I was inspired by the beautiful Farne Islands that we took a boat trip to whilst we were there...the RSPB ranger on Inner Farne (where our boat docked for an hour of exploration and tranquility) explained that this time of year the islands are used as a resting place for birds passing through on their migrations.

This got me thinking about birds and travel, and the amount of miles that these feathered souls fly to reach their destinations.  I wanted to share a piece of work that would depict this time of year and a flock of migratory birds travelling their annual journeys. 

I seem to like the wistful feeling that arises as Summer draws to a close and the first signs of Autumn appear.  There are gentle changes to the landscape and unseen movement in the natural world that tell us that the seasons are changing; it's often more of a 'feeling' than anything visual at first.   But the sight of a faraway flock of birds, their distant calls just audible in the still air seems to lend itself to something melancholy, lonely and magnificent all at once.  In that moment you know that you're seeing and hearing the rythmns of nature repeating their age old patterns, ones that you can really feel, that you're connected to and that beat like a drum in the very centre of soul.

Here's a piece of work I did a few months back which captures the very essence of this time of year, and the theme of Travel...

'Home' - available in my gallery at www.juliacrossland.co.uk

So!

Gallery Posting:  You can share a URL link using the link tool below.  Use this to link back to your Flickr, other photo hosting webpage or Blog page, but please do not link back to Folksy, Etsy or other online marketplace stores.

The gallery will be open from September 1st ~ September 30th so you can come back and post your links through the whole month if you're still working on something, which is absolutely ok by the way - this isn't school and there aren't any concrete 'deadlines'.  I prefer to not restrict projects by killing them off with a deadline anyway, it sounds so terminal and causes unnecessary stress and worry - and this is meant to be fun remember!  So, worry ye not if your work isn't finished already.  Why not consider giving yourself an extension...oh and I love what author and artist Sark did with that word; she disected it and turned it into a word with new meaning: ex - tension...get it...?!! I just love that idea and it completely works for me!  Feel free to gift yourself with one if you need to!

In case you lose this page during September, you'll find a link in the right sidebar which will enable you to find the Gallery post again, once new blog posts replace this one.

You can also post in the Flickr Group pool (there is also a link in the right hand side bar) and your work will be welcomed by the friendly and supportive members of the group.  You can also use the Flickr Group as a place to open a discussion, to see what other people have been working on, and to find inspiration for your own creations.

*Note about my role as Being Creative Project Host:  I am really enjoying hosting this group on my blog for all of you but I am choosing to step back from the actual creating side of it and will be running it in more of an administrative way.  By this I mean that I will be focusing more upon the supportive element of the group; dealing with personal emails, sending out the newsletter and working on the monthly gallery pages.  I will of course share art/craft and illustrations with you where possible but I have to allow for the fact that I'm sailing this little ship single handedly and there are other business and family commitments that I have to allow for too.  I am thinking about choosing a piece of work from the Flickr Group to feature on Gallery Day when I don't have a relevant piece of my own to share...what do you think about having your work featured on my blog?  I hope that these little changes don't upset you or cause a problem for you ~ please share your thoughts with me in the comments section below.

I would just like to thank ALL OF YOU who have signed up to receive the FREE e-newsletter so far - there are heaps of you (wowzers!!!!)  I hope that you are enjoying the newsletters which I aim to send with scoops of guidance, ideas and support for your creative journey.

Don't forget, if you haven't signed up to get your copy of the Being Creative Project E-Letter yet, then you can do so by filling in the form on the Being Creative Page; there's also a FREE MINI CREATIVITY E-BOOK for you, to get you started on your creative journey!  Aaaaaaannnnnnnd....talking of books, I'm sooooo excited!! Some of you may know that I've been working on a brand new Creativity E-book these last few months and I'm pleased to say it's all finally coming together and will soon be ready to lauch!  As well as it being chocka-doodle full of illustrations, guidance, tips, inspiration and support, I'm really delighted that there are also a gorgeous scoop of creative entrepreneurs who have dedicated their time, wisdom and experience to contributing to this book too.


I'm looking forward to sharing it with you all ~ sign up to the newsletter to be the first to hear about the launch!

Righty~ho!  This month's theme is Autumn.  I hope you will be inspired by misty mornings, carpets of golden leaves, the scent of bonfires, home baking and walks in the forest...what does the word Autumn conjure up for you? 

I'm looking forward to finding out.

Sending much love, thanks for taking part!
Julia x

Being Creative Gallery Check In ~ July

Hello and a belated but warm welcome to the July Gallery for the Being Creative Group.

I'm just back home from a little holiday down at my sisters and am doing a rather quick blog post so you have somewhere to link your gorgeous work from!  I'm looking forward to seeing your contributions this month, and will be adding mine in due course (I'm typing this out in between bundling loads of washing on and unpacking a tremendous amount of bags - sure we didn't take that much stuff with us!).

Anyway, the theme for July was 'Summer' - I've already enjoyed seeing some of your creations in our Flickr group.  For those of you who have just signed up to the group, you are welcome to join the Flickr group too.  This is a useful way of sharing what you have done if you don't have a blog or access to share your pictures with us any other way.

You can use the link tool at the bottom of this post to share links to your Flickr page or blog page - just copy and paste the URL to create a direct link that allows others to see your creations!  The gallery for the July theme will be open until the 31st of August for you to post your links, you can also find gallery pages for previous months in the side bar. 



I must apologise if this post seems a little rushed - indeed it is!  I was actually due home yesterday but we were delayed by a sudden heatwave and took off to the Norfolk coast instead of coming home (naughty naughty).  I've heaps to catch up on so I'm going to leave it short and sweet for now - normal service will be resumed for next months gallery page, where you will be able to share work for the August theme of TRAVEL.  I'll be posting out an e-letter for subscribers of the Being Creative Project Newsletter during August with tips and creative support for this months theme.  If you haven't signed up already and would like to, it's free to do so and you will also receive a free mini creativity e-book!  Just fill in the subscription form on the Being Creative page (tab at the top of the page).

If you are new to the group or have any questions, please get in touch!

Sending love,
Julia x

Being Creative Project: New Mailing List and FREE Creativity E-Book!

Hi!

I've just popped in to tell you about the brand new Being Creative Project E-Newsletter that you can now sign up for.

The group is slowly growing as new people subscribe on the blog, and sign up to the Flickr Group.  I felt it was time to introduce an email newsletter to keep the group focus going, and to provide a better way of connecting with participants regarding gallery days and other relative stuff.  I've also had feedback through the blog and by email from participants who think this would be a good thing to have too.

About the newsletter...

If you sign up, you will receive at least one monthly newsletter which will let you know about Gallery Day (when you get the chance to share links on my blog to images of your work on the web) as well as relevant tips, stories, support and advice.
There is also a FREE Creativity E-Book for you to download, to help get you started on your creative journey!


I love the emails that I've had from participants, that have said how the group has provided a safe place to start creating again ~ some people who have taken part haven't done anything in years and it has been a catalyst for them starting again ~ others have used it as a platform to try new mediums to create work for the monthly themes.  I love that the group is expanding and helping people make creativity a part of their lives.


If you want to sign up, you can do so by clicking on the Being Creative tab at the top of the page here, and scrolling down to the sign up form on the page.
Just fill in your details, it's free and it's easy and you will receive an email with a download to your free Creativity E-Book!



Meanwhile...

The gallery is open for you to share links for June's theme of OCEAN.  You can find it here, or by clicking on the link in the sidebar.

If you are not a part of the group already, are new here and would like to find out how to start taking part, then click here to read all about it.  You are very welcome to sign up and join in the monthly projects, and all ages and abilities are invited.

 

Thanks to all who have signed up so far, and taken part.  Don't forget to share this with family or friends you think might like to hear about it!  

With love, have a great weekend!

Julia x 

Being Creative Gallery Check In ~ June

Hello friends, it's that time again!

This months theme was 'OCEAN' and there's been some great pieces of work emerging in the Flickr Group - I hope I'm going to see more now that the gallery is open with links back to your blogs and websites!


The ocean for me is a huge source of inspiration.  At first I contemplated doing an underwater scene, and then something more scenic, but undecided I just let myself loose in my watercolour book and this eventually came about:

'The One That Got Away...?' 

This is a watercolour and ink piece.  I wanted to do an illustration that showed something under the sea, so I could use all those delicious deep blues and teals.  I also posted a painting in the Flickr Group that I created a few years back, which is now in a private collection in Australia called Dream Haven.  It reflects the calm and tranquil nature of the ocean when housed behind strong, stone walls:

 

Before we get down to the business of opening the Gallery this month, I just wanted to write a little about posting work that's been created in the past, in the Flickr group.

I really don't mind you sharing pieces of work that you have created in the past, if you feel that the work is relevant to the theme that is being hosted.  However, the main focus of the group is to encourage creativity now, and the idea of the monthly themes is to have a brand new project to work on currently.  I love the work that is emerging through the group and hope that I continue to see you sharing more of your current works as well as older creations too. 

So, back to this month's theme: OCEAN

For those of you who would like to share your work via your blog/Flickr or other photo hosting webpage, then you are very welcome to add your link to the widget below (please just link to the page your work features on).  Don't forget to use the whole caboodle of http://www...etc or else the link won't work.

Anyone who has already posted in the Flickr Group are also encouraged to share your images in the gallery here too!  It's going fantastic to have a monthly source to access everyone's work so please don't be shy! 

Email Support

I would also like to take this opportunity to ask the group whether they feel they would benefit from email support?  I am considering setting up a mailing list for the participants who would like to receive tips, ideas, guidance and coaching via mail.  Is that something you feel would be useful for you?  Please let me know if you're interested in the comments section below.

You will be able to add your OCEAN themed work to the gallery here until the end of July.  There is also a list in the sidebar so that the gallery pages are easier for you to find.

For those of you who are working on the project and don't have the facility to share pictures of your work, then you are welcome to add your thoughts about your creative journey so far in the comments section at the bottom of this post.
I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on taking part in the Being Creative Project, so please do share or feel free to email me privately.

The theme for July is SUMMER

You can post your work freely in the Flickr group as and when you like; don't forget to make use of the Discussion facility if you have any questions, or require some support.

I'm looking forward to seeing what you've done - thank you so much for sharing the vibrant, colourful energy of your glorious creations!


Julia x

Taking Time Out

Hello!

We had our first camping trip of the year last week; we pootled down to Adam Henson's Farm for a few days with a group of friends and it was a complete tonic.  The sun shone everyday in a bright blue sky, peppered with cotton wool clouds and it was HOT!  There were barbecues, tractor rides, rare breed animals, new lambs being born, ice-creams, football games, laughter... it was a heavenly break.

Adam's Farm is in the beautiful Cotswolds, rolling fields of brightest green and zingy yellow undulated as far as the eye could see.  Our last evening was bright and clear and we sat outside our tents until after dark with the candle lanterns flickering, watching the satellites silently travelling the starry sky and listening to a fox barking in the woods.  There were shooting stars and the air was warm and still.

I thought to myself how good it was for the soul to switch off from Real Life like this.  To be away from televisions and computer screens, the chores and the day to day responsibilities.  Life had been pretty full prior to this trip and I had been feeling pretty worn out and run down, it gave me some space to think about doing things differently for my family in order to keep us all happy and healthy.  All we had were the basics: camping equipment, warm sleeping bags, a kettle, some good food and good company, countryside, nature and wide open skies.  It was all that we needed.

What can be nicer than waking to the sound of skylarks calling above, seeing the sunlight streaming through the fabric of the tent, and making a cup of fresh coffee to drink in the warm morning air?  There is something deeply satisfying about walking through the dewy grass of a long field to go for a wash with the little one, past tall pine trees where golden light casts long shadows across the pine cone strewn ground.  Hearing the bleating of newborn lambs in the field, the sounds of nature, breathing in delicious gulps of fresh country air...

I resolve to camp more - we need to be able to come away from our day to day surroundings in order to refuel and revive ourselves.  I always return home with a renewed sense of possibility; bursting with new ideas for paintings and new projects.  And coming home, there is the delicious feeling of climbing into a real bed; there are all the home comforts to welcome us back ~ rainbow crocheted blankets and cushions, my books, my paints.

I hope you have all had a wonderful Easter.  I will be posting the Gallery Page for the April theme of Being Creative on Saturday, and you are welcome to add links to pictures of your work on either Flickr or your Blog post, or add your thoughts about the theme in the comments section.  There are lots of people taking part now, and if you would like to join in yourself you can find out more by clicking the link in the sidebar, or the tab at the top of the page.  There has been some wonderful work emerging in the Flickr Group, and I'm looking forward to seeing what else you are going to share.


Sending love ~ thanks for visiting today, it's always a pleasure to know you've stopped by.
Julia x

Spring Morning

'Spring Morning'

Hello my lovlies!

It was a bleary eyed start to the 1st of April here.  As I registered the rain rattling against the windows, a Small Person sat on my head and demanded coco pops.  It was slightly before seven o'clock and as I blinked myself awake, Tiny Tears was shoved into my ribs and a foot squashed the breath out of me as the aforementioned Small Person made her mountaineering style descent off the bed.


But it was to get better!! 
A telelphone call from the Grandparents asking if they could take the mischievous Small out decided the fate of the day.  That Spring Morning canvas would be finished off - the paints would come out and a leisurely, impromtu day of painting and pottering would ensue.

I worked alongside these rather glorious Cornish Daffodils (a bargain from our little grocery shop, 3 generous bunches for just £2.00) and before long, the rain had stopped and the warm sunshine they had originally forcast arrived.

There's something rather pleasant, painting amongst polka dots and daffs.
Anyway - a bit about the painting!  It's an acrylic work on a box canvas (20x20cm).  It's also rather illustrative, featuring chickens, a dog, a chap digging his vegetable patch and a woman hanging up her laundry beneath the cherry blossom tree.  There are sprinklings of purple and yellow crocus not to mention a row of cheery daffodils by the wall next to the little yorkshire stone cottages.  And of course, a glimpse of the sea felt necessary for this picture!

You may recall it looked a bit like this the last time you saw it:

But I'm heartily pleased with how it's turned out!  This painting will be available on my website shortly.

Aren't pink trees just the best thing ever?!!  Our little village is a delight of candy-floss coloured blooms at the moment, and our own little flowering cherry which we planted the spring our daughter was born is looking beautiful...

 

We have had a rather quiet week at home this week, and the little one tried acrylic paints the other afternoon with a bit of mixed media thrown in.  At just three, I was impressed to see how she used the paint, colouring in this Girl that I drew for her with real effort; dabbing into the paint with tissue, drawing into it with crayon and using her finger to create texture:

 'Mixed Media Girl' by Carys

She finished her off with sparkly jewels, and her name stamped with some tiny alphabet stamps.  She has no qualms about calling herself an Artist, which really makes me smile.  There is no confidence like that of a child, their sense of self belief is limitless!  Talking of artists, can I just quickly mention for any Being Creative Peeps dropping in today, you can find a link on the sidebar for the March Gallery under our Flickr Group widget if you still want to post links to images of your work.  April's theme is Dessert, and Im already scouring my recipe books for inspiration and have something exciting planned - how about you?!

One more thing before I go ~ as the original of one of my favourite pieces, 'Home', has now sold, I just wanted to let you know that I am releasing a Limited Edition Print run of it.  The print is full sized and comes with a mount plus it will be numbered, titled and signed.  There will be only 50 of these, and they are available to buy now from my website.

'Home' ~ now available as a Limited Edition Print

You can still by Home as an open edition print too :)

Right! That's about it from me for today!  Thanks as always for stopping by to read my ramblings; "hello" and thank you for following to all of the new followers and email subscribers ~ it's lovely to have you here, and thank you to everyone who is participating in Being Creative with me, and sharing their creative journey.

I wish you a weekend full of surprises, a warm patch of sunlight to snooze in, a good book to read and a happy heart.

Sending love

Julia x

Being Creative Gallery Check In ~ March

Hi Friends!


First of all, apologies for yesterday - Blogger decided to somehow simultaneously publish two posts of mine at once, so I'm very sorry for any confusion there!  I've decided to post the Gallery Check In a day early for the Being Creative participants (originally planned for tomorrow) seeing how that post sort of self published itself, I figured I might as well put it out there now in case participants were looking for it and wondering why they couldn't read it.  

I'm really looking forward to seeing what people have come up with for this month's theme of Garden.
For myself, the project so far has been really inspiring.  I've made time for creating art in mediums that I rarely use and without any real purpose in mind other than having fun with colour and having a theme to work with.  I liked the focus having a theme gave me, and I decided to create some art based on the bird life in my own garden working with collage and pastel crayons.

I think, working as an artist, it was a really relaxing process for me to be able to switch off from the business side of it all and just allow the freedom of Creating For Fun to flow.  I have been blown away by the gorgeous work that has been popping up in our Flickr Group already, and the group has only been established a couple of weeks.  Thank You to everyone who has subscribed to the group so far, and to those who have been adding work to the Flickr Group.


For those of you who would still like to share your work via your blog/Flickr or other photo hosting webpage, then you are very welcome to add your link to the widget below (please just link to the page your work features on).  Don't forget to use the whole caboodle of http://www...etc or else the link won't work.  Anyone who has already posted in the Flickr Group are also encouraged to share your images in the gallery here too!  It's going to be wonderful to have a monthly source to access everyone's work ~ and please don't be shy about sharing...encouragement and support is the key to growing in confidence with your creativity, and although it can feel a little scary, I think you will feel a huge sense of achievement when you share your work and get feedback from the other participants or blog readers here.


You will be able to add your Garden themed work to the gallery here until the end of April.  I will also be creating a list in the sidebar so that the gallery pages are easier for you to find.


For those of you who are working on the project and don't have the facility to share pictures of your work, then you are welcome to add your thoughts about your creative journey so far in the comments section at the bottom of this post.
I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on taking part in the Being Creative Project, so please do share or feel free to email me privately.

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Oooh!! An one last thing before we start to add our links - the theme for April is DESSERT

Again, this theme can be interpreted or taken in any direction you wish, or you can use the word as a focus point.  There will be another gallery opening at the end of the month here, but the Flickr group is available for you to add your pictures to every day if you wish.

If you would like to join the Being Creative group and haven't already then you are so very welcome to do so - it's totally free and you can take part on a regular or more infrequent basis, whatever works for you best.  You can register your commitment to taking part by clicking here and adding your link at the bottom of the page. 

And now...here's the gallery for March - it's your turn! :)

Lil' Bits of This and That

Hello!  How are you?

 

I've been getting a couple of my paintings ready for selection day for the Great Sheffield Art Show.  Harbour is now ready to go, in a gorgeous deep beechwood frame, I'm delighted with it and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it gets chosen.  The other one I'm considering putting in is The Evening Stroll, because Spring is still not completed - it's at that stage where it needs a bit of figuring out and leaving alone, and so rather than rush it and perhaps spoil it, I felt that one of my other most favourite paintings in the universe would suffice:

What do you reckon? :)

 

Another thing I'm soaking up and loving recently is this fabulous new book by Jennifer Lee.  Now let me just say something about business books.  They used to bore me senseless.  I used to visit the business section of a book store to find something to educate my rather un-educated business brain; I'd take out those boring tomes that were very black and white, and chock full of business plans, charts, graphs and basically ding dang brain numbing, uninspiring chapters that made my heart sink.  Those books had the ability to make me feel like I'd never cut it in the harsh world of business.

Well here's the thing.  It's not all about power dressing and understanding Wall Street. I mean really, did you know business people do not have to wear suits!! Hoorah!! Of course we don't, you can give me a kaftan and a pair of flared jeans any day rather than that :) But seriously, Creative People need a different sort of business guidance, and oh this is it!! I've discovered some rather fantastic creatively based biz books along the way since those uninspiring bibles from way back when, but this is one of the best yet.  Suddenley business is fun, it's colourful and it's...exciting!!! Oh Yes Mama it is!!

If I've roused your curiosity a bit by my excitable waffling, you can take a peek inside this wonderful book for yourselves right here and you can visit Jennifer's fantabulous website here too.

I feel at this point in proceedings, that you may well be wondering where on earth the Ta~Dahhh moment was that I mentioned at the end of my last post...well, I have had a slight hold up in that I have run out of wool with only a few stitches to go.  Oh the frustration!! I really thought I'd have enough, so for now the Ta~Dahhh is postponed until I can get myself into town to replenish the stocks!!

In my next post, (which I'll be putting up on the 31st) it will be Gallery Day for the Being Creative group.  I'm really excited by the work that's already being appearing in our Flickr Group and am looking forward to seeing other work that individual souls might wish to share from their blog/Flickr links.  There will be a link widget for you to do this on Thursday, and of course, anyone who has already posted pictures in the Flickr group will be encouraged to share links to their work to create a Garden Gallery that everyone can look at via the widget.

I do hope you'll come by to see what we've all been up to - and if you haven't already signed up, you are absolutely most welcome to join us anytime along the way.  Just click here and scroll to the bottom of the page to add your name to the list.

I'll see you on Thursday!  Hope the sun is shining for you today ~ sending love

Julia x

The Art of Comfort

Hello ~ how are you?

After a bright and Spring like day yesterday, we are today shrouded with thick fog.  Crystals of dew cluster on the leaves of daffodils and the air is cold and damp.  It's days like this that I like a bit of comfort and here are some of the things that warm my soul.

My Sofa is a great source of comfort, a place I comandeer on a regular basis, a rainbow haven of crocheted cushions and blankets - an invitation to snuggle and relax. 

One of my ultimate foody comfort favourites is The New Covent Garden Food Co; Chicken Soup.  This is indeed fodder for the soul, especially a tired and weary one.  I admit to being a person who sometimes turns to food for comfort, but there's nothing wrong with indulging our tastebuds with something nourishing and delicious, that makes us feel good inside and out!

 

Sarah Ban Breathnach is a wonderful author and I have a couple of her soul soothing books.  Filled with beautiful scoops of wisdom it is a book I turn to when I'm feeling a little lost or in need of replenishment deep within.  It works every time.

Lavender Oil is something that I use for comfort as well as relaxation.  The scent is such a grounding and reassuring one, and I like to use it in a warm sea salt bath (with candles of course!) or to dab on my pulse points.  I've found this oil to be especially helpful when I'm feeling anxious.

I love to watch the film or read the book Chocolat.  It's one of my favourite stories of all time - I never tire of the plot, and of course the fact that it's chocolate based helps enormously (and it's got absolutely Nothing to do with the fact that Johnny Depp plays a rather attractive river gypsy in the film ~ nope, nothing at all!)

Speaking of Chocolate...

...I'm loving trying out different varieties of Raw Chocolate.  Several of these delicious bars arrived at my house last week and I confess to now being addicted to them.  Raw chocolate makes other chocolate pale into insignificance, and a little slice of one of these bars (which you can order online from Living Food of St Ives ) lifts the spirits and gives you that chocolatey comfort that is oh so necessary in life! :)

So those are a few of my favourite comforts - I wonder if you'll share yours with me? :D

Before I go, I'd like to say Thank You's to all of the people who have signed up as Participants for the Being Creative project so far.  The Sign Up is open throughout the year, so if you haven't joined yet and would like to then you are welcome to visit the Being Creative page to find out more and add your name to the list.
Already there are a few images appearing in the Flickr Group which I'm very excited about and I've had rather alot of emails from people about the idea itself which is very, very gratifying - so Thank You for joining me with this, it's going to be a fun and rewarding journey and I can't wait to see what unfolds.

I've just this morning created a little piece of art for the project - the fact that it wasn't work related made the whole process feel different - light hearted, playful, relaxed.  I can't remember the last time I made art just for the sake of it, and as much as I love my painting it was fabulous to work in a different medium just for pleasures sake.

So if you're taking part, how are you getting on with your Garden theme?  Don't forget you can post pictures to our Flickr Group (there is now a link in the right side bar under the Being Creative button), or if you prefer you can wait for the Gallery post at the end of the month to share links of what you are creating here on this blog.


Right - time for a cuppa!  I'll see you again soon - I hope the sun is shining in your part of the world!

Sending love
Julia x