Changing Girl

"It's a bigger part, when our instincts act"...sings Paul Weller in Changing Man.

On days when I know I am acting on instinct/intuition, I always have Changing Man playing on the jukebox inside my head....and today, I am changing.  I have been decluttering (again), I am clearing, to allow for something new to come into my life, preparing the way for the Mondo Beyondo List (I have added to that list again today).

I have also started an Art Journalling course (which again is supporting the Mondo Beyondo List) - it's a 4 week course called Creative Journal Magic, it's only just started -  so more to come on that.

I am seeing small manifestations of "the list".  A dream is to take beautiful photographs.  I think I achieved that today with a picture of a beautiful poppy growing in my front garden:

It's all about the dogs

Snapping away in the back garden on a Saturday afternoon, trying to stay loose, experimenting with different camera angles and my best result are always the dogs!

Who can resist a face like this?

Do they make Grecian 2000 for dogs?

Jasper - he's a beautiful Blue Roan

If you don't like feet - look away now!

Reach for the skies!

My first mixed media canvas. 

Hermosa Mariposa

I attended the first of a series of workshops called "Create Your Own Cacoon Canvas" by Jules Dolly.  With a blank canvas, a Jules Dolly template and lots of goodies, I created Hermosa Mariposa.(Spanish for Beautiful Butterfly).  Please check out Julia's website for details of her next workshop at the National Wildflower Centre, Court Hey Park, Liverpool, 17th July 2011 - www.julesdollyart.co.uk

Have a great week-end everyone! x

Warm African Winds

I was shopping in Manchester on Wednesday with my daughter and Aunty Denise, as we stepped outside of the Arndale Centre in search of a place to have lunch, we wandered past Jali Nyonkoling Kuyateh a Gambian Kora Player - I found the music captivating.  It was a lovely warm day and the Kora sound seemed to dance in the air, I couldn't help myself, I was being drawn towards the source and purchased his cd.  By chance I found him on youtube so thought I would share such a magical find!

 

Creating Space & Simple Things

Most week days I recieve a phone call from my Mum in the morning asking what my plans are for the day, this puts me under pressure sometimes as I feel like I should know what I am doing with my day, sometimes I don't, sometimes I do, yesterday morning I knew I had lots to do, but didn't know where to start. So, I checked in with  Mondo Beyondo  and the topic was creating a clearing.
A clearing is a wide open empty space in your life that is ready for something new or amazing to emerge. A clearing can be a cleaned-out closet or a regularly unscheduled Saturday. A clearing can be dissolving an unproductive business partnership or going to bed early two days in a row. A clearing can be saying no to a pesky friend or saying yes to a forbidden treat. A clearing can be as simple as taking out the trash or as serious as leaving a job or ending a not-so healthy relationship. A clearing can be recycling that piece of furniture you never really liked, not for one second.

I decided to get rid of the clutter in the cupboard under the stairs to create a clearing - it was bursting at the seams, each time you opened the door something fell out of it!  So, a couple of hours later with much huffing and puffing, I cleared out my cupboard, the contents of which were divided into recycling and charity bags.

My cupboard under the stairs is now fit for Harry Potter to have a bedroom!

How ever you choose to create your clearing, the point is that you let go of something in your life that has no purpose anymore, drains your energy, or draws your attention in a direction that leaves you feeling more burdened than free - I definitely feel less burdened.

Feeling inspired, I sent my work stressed partner an email asking him what time he was coming home, he replied that he would try and get home early, and he did!  I packed up Dora (my campervan) and we spent a a very pleasant English summer evening walking the dogs down the  Lancaster Canal and having tea in Dora.

As soon as I stepped onto the tow-path I sunk deep into my soul and felt at home - I'm a simple girl, my heart sings when walking down a beautiful canal path on an English Summer's evening.

What a sweet little Canal Boat named Blue Jay!

You can just make out the name of this boat - Night Owl - lots of bird inspired names

Beautiful Flowers

Jasper - my 9 month old Cocker Spaniel - went for a swim and got stuck trying to get out!

Conny - my 9 year old Cocker Spaniel - she is such a gracious swimmer

A bit wonky but I would have fallen into the canal trying to get a straight view!

I am now inspired to add a few more things onto my Mondo Beyondo List!

What inspires you and what simple things makes your heart sing?

Tic Tocc 8

After the DWYL Art & Enterprise Retreat, I had a bit of a web attack! Not only did I start my own blog, but I started following loads of blogs, signed up for Mondo Beyondo  and joined various groups, one being The Wright Story and the Tic Tocc exercise. TIC TOCC consists of simple timed creative exercises designed by Kat and delivered weekly free to your email address. TIC TOCC  is a just a fun anagram for - Ten-minute Inspiration Catalyst   Timed Optional Creative Challenge! :-)

It doesn't have to be 10 mins, it can also be 20 mins, and by using the TIC TOCC prompt which was this:  

"On the rocks you find a smashed ceramic container. Inside there is a rolled piece of parchment. Most of the words have been damaged; washed away by the sea spray. But there are three words visible. They are:

Garnet * Blood * Magic

I created this in 20 minutes:

I am your rock, I am your shining light.  I keep you safe in my waters as you pass during the night.  For I see you, you do not see me.  I am a magic mermaid, my blood is the sea.  On Garnet Rock, I sit and wonder if you dream of me?

20 minutes wasn't long enough but it was a good starting point to get the creative juices flowing and I really enjoyed the process.  But it did make me think, there could never be enough time because knowing when to STOP is really difficult!  I am finding this out as I journey with my 2nd canvas from the Art Retreat, it is still being worked on and is looking the same but a little different: 

Maybe I should give myself a deadline to get her finished by?....note it's a "her", she looks like a mermaid to me and she came "out" of the picture. I doubt,  I KNOW, that I could not have intentionally created this - I  like this organic way of painting as its exciting to see what it gives birth too!

Ok, working with what I have just written, maybe I should think of her as my baby, I am in slow labour, its tense, frustrating, joyful and painful at times, but I have to keep focussed on the end result, if no show by the week-end, I will need a rocket up my bum to get her OUT!!  

More to follow on the live adventures of a Swiryl Girl - now where is that Gas and Air?.................... ;o) x