Blue Mandala - An 'In the spring' allegory for IA & a completion of last week's texture challenge

 

This week's Inspiration Avenue challenge, set by the lovely Lisa, asked us to use Botticcelli's 'Primavera' ('In the Spring') painting as inspiration for creating allegory, something with a hidden meaning and something from our soul. In my last post (underneath this) I shared a WIP for the IA texture challenge and this mandala painting is the finished result. I'd also like to link this up with Paint Party Friday today and catch up with some bloggy friends there.

The 'tropical' blue was inspired by the gorgeous blue Spring skies we've had this week. Mandalas have been used for centuries as a way of conveying meaning and soul. This is one of the simplest mandalas I've created. Often I like to include lots of fiddly details in my mandalas - but not this time.

Whilst creating this mandala I was feeling the need to strip back, clear my mind and be calm. Interestingly, without consciously making it so, this mandala seems to reflect that inner need. Now looking at it with this in mind: this mandala is also about growing from the inside out, being unafraid of the empty quiet, floating on calming oceans with rhythmic waves, happy making skies and radiating light. But honestly, I didn't think about making meaning as I made this, I just enjoyed getting lost in the act of creating.

Fascinating how art, writing, music or any form of creative expression reveals something of its maker even without their intention. After reading part of my YA novel a friend commented that, despite the story being fantasy fiction, she had learnt so much more about me as a person from my writing. This at first surprised me, almost scared me; I'd known that authors reveal themselves in their fiction but somehow hadn't spent time considering it in a personal context, with me as the author! Silly of me really because of course we put ourselves into everything we create.

• What does your creative work say about you?

I'm unlikely to get much internet time next week but when I'm back online I shall write a catch up post & share with you what I was up to whilst away from my computer...

Wishing you all a great weekend & a happy week to follow!

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"Texture" work in progress (IA) & becoming an Olympic athlete

This week's Inspiration Avenue Challenge was "Texture". I had so little time this week but wanted to share my work in progress inspired by this challenge. In fact it gave me the push I needed to make a start. I do love building layers and textures in a mixed media piece. It reminds me of building a story and the act of creating takes me on a journey with a flexible destination depending on how it develops. I've glued string and wooden shapes on a 10 by 10 inch, deep edged canvas. Since taking these photos I've added two layers of paint. We only just got back from doing a carboot sale half hour before the deadline and so I didn't get time to take the latest photos. But below you can view this from a different angle.

I shall try show the finished piece as soon as I've finished.  It has been a super busy week which I'm pleased to say I've handled well health wise. Hurrah! My friend had a 40th Birthday fancy dress party yesterday. So I spent much of the week desgning and making costumes for a group of friends that would help us transform into comical Olympic atheltes. We all had our individual specialism and a funny quote on the back. Mine (thought of by my good friend & in reference to my mobility problems) was "SPRINTER: 0-60 in...well...never!"  On the front of the t-shirts I transfer printed appropriate wording for us coming from Cornwall like 'Cornish Olympic Team: fuelled by pasties and racing dreckly to the finish line'. For those of you who don't know pasties are Cornwall's most famous food. And 'dreckly' means you'll get there all in good time and is a tribute to the laid back affable Cornish character. I also made accessories like earings and sweat bands etc. It was lots of work but great creative fun and our friend was happy at the amusing effort we made.

Do take a look at the other entries into this week's Inspiration Avenue 'Texture' challenge - there's bound to be oodles of beautiful talent to view. Thank you to Maggie who hosted this week's challenge!

Oooh I nearly forgot: enter voucher code 'PRESPRING50' when checking out and you can claim a whopping 50% discount in my etsy shop. This means you get the chance to buy something beautiful for between 50p and £7.00. Please do have a browse. I post worldwide :-)

Wishing you all a Happy and Creative week!

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Making space for the new...50% off voucher for my shop

My blog posts aren't usually commercials but I wanted to share with you that I'm having a sale in my etsy shop to make way for some new designs I'm working on.   To claim a 50% discount all you need to do is use coupon code "PRESPRING50" at the checkout.

Using your discount code will mean you can grab bargains from only 50p to £7.00 making some affordable gifts for all. And yes I do ship worldwide. Please do take a look now. The sale begins today and will end on the 2nd March after which time many of the unsold items will become unavailable.
Thank you for reading :-)



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Rocking Horse & Bubble Blowing Happiness.... (IA, CED2012)

This week's Inspiration Avenue challenge is being co-hosted by (Bleubeard and) Elizabeth from Altered Book Lover. Anyone who follows Elizabeth will know she collects rocking horses and has over 400. This is my rather amateur attempt at doodling a rocking horse. I named him 'Happy' because drawing and colouring him made me happy. I know there's a lot of pink for him to be a boy but he is a boy - I just know it :-) 

Over at Free Spirit Life Shannon has a post entitled 'Laugh More, Play More, Love More' . This energising post reminds us to slow down and enjoy the moment. She challenges her readers to laugh, play and love more in February. Like Shannon, I believe we can all learn from being with and emulating children's attitudes. I often read Shannon's posts at just the right moment and regularly we're in synchronisation. This week is no exception.  I am trying hard to immerse myself in the moment, find the joy in the small details and be completely present when with my children. A couple of days ago my friend's three year old begged me to go outside and blow bubbles with her. I was tired, it was very cold and I wanted to talk to her Mum inside. But I realised I shouldn't pass up precious fun moments. I was well enough and so I decided to grab the opportunity. We had a fantastic time with our bubble wands, admiring the pretty colours and the way the bubbles danced in the breeze. Our imaginations soared with the bubbles, some of which flew to visit the moon. Priceless. During that time I didn't worry about medical stuff, bills or anything. I simply delighted in the wonder of the moment, caught up in the giggles and simple joy we shared. Drawing and colouring this rocking horse wasn't quite as wonderful but I did experience the childlike joy of colouring 'Happy' into a multi-colour existence.

• Have you recently done anything for the simple joy of it? Have you allowed your child self the freedom to kick back and enjoy a simple pleasure? 
• If not: give it a go. And maybe you'd like to join Shannon in her 'Laugh, Play and Love More challenge'.

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Alphabet Affirmation (IA & CED)

...in love.

...in kindness

...in hope

...in joy

...in your dreams

...in the value of friendship

This late night doodle is my entry for the Inspiration Avenue 'Alphabet' challenge. I've used it as the first part to an affirmation meditation.  Remember: love and kindness are not just for giving to other people. We need to treat ourselves with kindness and love. This is what I'm trying to learn this week.

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Butterfly Spirit (IA & CED2012)

This week's Inspiration Avenue challenge set by the wonderful Hettienne is "Butterflies" and the Creative Everyday theme for January is "New". These two themes so perfectly fit together and compliment my personal experience that I felt inspired to create and blog (at last!! I know its been so long I've nearly forgotten how to blog ;-)).

I created the background with a variety of inks on wet watercolour paper. Next I added butterflies taken from my favourite Tuscan Rose collage sheet. Then added words that I'd written on hand made papers. The wording reflects how I'm constantly having to adjust, reassess & renew in order to live with unpredictable health. At the moment these words reflect the stage I'm at and echo the symbolism of butterflies.

To read some interesting philosophical thoughts on Butterfly symbolism and meanings visit 'Whats-Your-Sign'. 

After last year's difficulties I'm reminded to take everything day by day and moment by moment. My energy is still very low and so as I'm gently easing myself back into my creative and online activity. I've accepted that I need to cut back and am trying to follow my heart as to where I spend my limited energy. One thing that hit me at the start of this year was the urge to go back to spending more time writing fiction. I've dusted off the manuscripts of three books and am feeling inspired to work on my dream of having a book published. I realise I do want to share the stories I've written and so have made a start on edits & rewrites of my YA fantasy novel. 

A caterpillar embraces the changes it must make to become a butterfly. I guess they have little choice :-). However, we humans can struggle with times of change and the unpredictability of life. It is sometimes difficult to adapt and go with the fluctuations. 

• What new challenges & changes has the New Year brought for you?

Wishing you all a Happy & Creative week :-)   

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Tested Yet Blessed...Wishing you all a Happy Christmas

So sorry I've abandoned blogland for so long. I've come back to wish you all:

Happy Christmas, Happy Holidays 

& 

A Happy New Year 2012!

Also I wanted to share the little pre-Christmas creativity I've managed with my children (the above snowman decoration was made by my two babes). And to share a story with a positive ending....

I am used to having health problems but I've just got the other side of a particularly testing couple of months which pushed my limits. Yet I did get the other side of it, am doing quite well now (albeit a little more fragile) and have been repeatedly blessed by kindness & friendship. The help, patience & generosity we've been shown by amazing friends and even strangers proves how loving the human spirit is. We've received unfailing support and care from our amazing friends, listening ears, practical help, gifts and treats from organisations....so much.  And I feel humbled, grateful and blessed.  I just wanted to share with you the good that came from bad so that if you're having a really bad time you may know that its worth holding on and keeping hope because so much love and light does exist even in or following the darkest times.

My health has reduced my creative energy but as I started to feel better the past fortnight I've primarily focused on creating with my children (who, at just eight and ten years,  have been amazing through all the bad times). Below is a glimpse of making cards for grandparents with stamps, ink, embossing powder and peel-offs:

Last weekend was my good friend's 50th Birthday and below is the card I made her using wood, glitter peel-offs, card & ribbon:

And in the past few days I've been working alongside mine and my friend's children, painting canvases to adorn their bedroom walls. My friend's children had both just had their bedrooms decorated and needed pictures for their walls. We've been working together on large canvas paintings using acrylic. For her November Birthday my daughter changed the colour scheme in her room with new soft furnishings and so she is painting a large canvas to match. Then my son, who has not altered his bedroom at all, still wanted to paint with us and produced this lovely piece:

I feel my creative self beginning to gain inspiration, slowly unfurling after hibernation and rest. I very much hope that not too far into the New Year I will be recovered enough to be an active blogger and be busy creating again. Meanwhile, thinking of you all and wishing you a wonderful holiday season!
XXXX

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Creative with my limitations and focusing on the can-dos (AEDM2011)

To create every day you need to be able to adapt to and creatively use what each day brings.

I've wanted to create & post daily for Art Everyday Month like I managed last year. I've also yearned to visit other aedm participants and become an active part of the community like before. But this year I've been physically unable to do this. I've had to accept rest and healing time. Instead I've tried to find ways to be creative within these limitations.

For instance: It was important to put my energy into my daughter's Birthday a few days ago. I used my creative time to come up with new imaginative party games and activities and was happy that they were well received by the group of grinning girls. It wouldn't be appropriate to share the photos without parental permission but imagine giggles and plenty of creative activity. Oh and of course the prizes were an assortment of craft kits :-)

Also, whilst resting I've tried to work on projects that can be done at my own pace and from my armchair like the embroidered mandala that I did last week. (Thank you to everyone who left such supportive kind comments). And above you can see the result of me sitting down with material cuts and old buttons. I gradually matched, layered and assembled them into flower type corsages. I've used felt between layers to add dimension and was pleased to find a couple of buttons from my pre-loved collection to provide matching centres.  I'm hoping to eventually embellish these with some embroidery and attach to bags/purses.

Finding ways to create during challenging times and despite limitations keeps me positive. It gives me a positive focus on what I can-do rather than dwell on what I'm not able to do.

So I am participating in AEDM2011 in the ways I'm able to. I really hope I feel up to visiting you all soon but meanwhile thank you so so much for visiting my last few posts and leaving such lovely comments. They are a huge support.

• Today and every day try to focus on what you 'can' do.
• What can-dos are you celebrating? 

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Finished Embroidered Mandala (IA challenge/ AEDM days 9-11)

Its been a difficult week BUT I'm proud to say that I created a little every day and therefore finished my embroidered mandala design. For a first attempt I am happy with this and feel I've learnt a lot through the trials and errors involved in completing it. I am entering this into days 9 - 11 of Art Everyday Month and also into this week's Inspiration Avenue needlework themed challenge hosted by the lovely Hettienne.

• When did you last try something new in your creative work? How did you find the experience?

Thank you all for your recent lovely comments & messages. I'm sorry I'm not getting much chance to visit you all but I promise to visit as and when I'm able. Therefore bit by bit I shall get to you all and enjoy seeing your creations.

Happy Weekend to you all!
My weekend will all about celebrating my daughter's Birthday.

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Important Changes, TIC TOCC 23 & AEDM days 7 and 8...

AEDM days 7 & 8

Above you'll see my embroidered mandala has been taking shape over days 7 and 8 of Art Every Day Month. And I was very happy when last night I discovered that this week's Inspiration Avenue challenge is based on needlework! If I can just get it finished in time I hope to enter this.

Now this week's Wright Story Extra Newsletter & TIC TOCC is really important to me because it marks important changes, I'm proud of the challenge I've set and I'm really happy to have interviewed talented photographer Shelly Simpson.

Here's a snippet of the intro to the newsletter:
"I believe in the importance of stopping to listen to our body and intuition. Often life moves at such a fast pace it is easy to forgo this quiet contemplation. Anyhow, my inner self has been screaming out at me to settle down and write a particular book that has been growing gradually in my mind. It has also been urging me to spend a little time on my arty creations and develop my focus on creativity and wellbeing. I have recently bought new supplies in readiness for my my art ideas, I've been designing a logo to go with a new website domain I've reserved. And the book keeps begging to be written and I think now's the time. My health hasn't been too great of late and I've been struggling to do much at all. I think it is a sign for me to slow down and focus on where my intuition is trying to lead me in this moment. For this reason, for now, these newsletters and weekly TIC TOCCs are stopping for a break. If all works out I should be back with more exciting things to offer you eventually. I will still be blogging at Wright Story so please do continue to stop by my blog otherwise I'd miss you dearly. Plus I shall need your company and support even more with all the challenges ahead."


Please do go and take a look at this newsletter issue 23 and I hope you're tempted to join in with this week's TIC TOCC.


Thank you to all of you for the get well wishes. I'm making slow but steady progress. I'm just relying on a daily dash of creativity to keep me going (along with a bag full of medication obviously ;-) )




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