Me and the real Olive...

We were on our way down to Wellington for a girls weekend for my birthday and we stopped at my friends daughters house and there was Olive.   And all of a sudden I got an idea for another one of the sisters...  I asked Olive's Mum if it would be alright if I used her as inspiration for one of my new sisters, she said it was ok.  So whenever I do an new Olive picture I send one down for Olive and her Mum.

so much time...

I am planning a new series of collage paintings... they will contain words, sayings and thoughts that have inspired me over the years, which I hope in turn will inspire you.  Here is a sneak peak of a few parts of my first one...

I have made a few decisions recently... as life seems to be racing by at the speed of light I am thinking about the things I really love doing and making more time to do these things.  Apart from spending time with family and friends I truly love to spend time painting.  So to do this I will have to give something up and I have decided to not do so many local markets.  I really love meeting customers face to face but it takes so much time and energy getting ready.  I worried after I had made the decision that it was the wrong thing to do {I actually freaked out a bit} but now I know it was the right choice.  I think I have been learning that it is important to listen and really hear what your inner voice is telling you.  That little voice knows stuff...

no looking back...

{in a tangle}

Ariadne often finds herself in this predicament as she navigates her way through the labyrinth, she believes that sometimes you have to get yourself into a bit of a tangle before you can sort things out.  

I am feeling this way at the moment as I navigate my way through the first part of the 'hello soul hello business' course it feels a bit like some days are one step forward and two steps back, and then other days are like I am skipping forward three steps at a time and there is no looking back... exciting times.

noise...

Ariadne is taking a little time away from everything to think about things.

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to take yourself away from everything... to have time alone to really think about things.  This is what I feel like doing at the moment, getting rid of all that background noise so I can listen to what my inner voice is telling me.  

home...

{I like it here can I stay...}

We are lucky here in New Zealand, it is pretty hard not to live close to the sea... I thought this as I pulled back my curtains this morning, opened my bedroom window and heard a couple of sea gulls sqwaking down at me.  Although I have a very long 'places to visit' list I am pleased that this is where I call home, this is where I will be coming home to.

thinking things...

{I am not really sure where this ballerina came from... but here she is}

{I am in love with this image}

This course I am doing is really pushing me to think about all sorts of things... the way I think about things, the way I see things and what I want to do... what I really love doing, what makes me happy and who makes me happy.  I have always believed that you have to make your own happiness, you can't rely on other people to make you happy.  And although I still think this is true, I also think that maybe it is important to surround yourself with people that if you find yourself in a situation where you can no longer find the happiness in yourself they will take over for a bit till you find it again.

Cousin Ivy...

(cousin Ivy has been invited to the Kings party)

Sorry, I have been out of the loop since Christmas... back to work for three weeks getting ready for the students to all arrive and also completely immersed in the Hello Soul, Hello Business sessions with Kelly Rae and Beth.  Completely amazing... really got me thinking about what I am doing, what my creative priorities are and where I want to go with them.  I know I didn't spend nearly enough time creating the sisters last year and it is something I want to do way more of this year.  I have ideas for them that are so much bigger than anything I would have dreamed when the idea of them first popped into my head.

They got us thinking about WHY we are doing what we do... this is something I have never really thought about before, it was always just something I felt the need to do.  So to really dig deep and realise WHY has been immensely valuable.  So this is my why... "because I want to give people something to believe in.  A heroine to identify with, find hope in, to gain strength and courage from" I might need to tweak it as the course goes on but that is basically it.

I have decided that this is going to be my year of knowledge... so I have also signed up for two more e-courses, but will tell you more about them when they start up.  

R stands for research...

{Arabella's parachute dress}

It is weird how things come together and connect with each other...  On Monday I started the long awaited Hello Soul Hello Business course with Kelly Rae and Beth.  It is more than I ever expected and I can't believe how much it has got me thinking and how much has come about in just two days {we have 10 whole weeks}!  

Then today at work I had a meeting with our research tutor about my PBRF portfolio {can't really remember what this stands for but I am pretty sure the R stands for research}  I wasn't really looking forward to it as I was doubtful it would be something I would qualify for.  But it seems I have been researching for years and didn't even realise it... my girls have a history!!!   So today we scribbled out a whole lot of ideas and will come together again soon to bring it all together.  I am really excited about this and it has really helped with what I am doing/thinking in the Soul Sessions Course.

Back to Arabella... this is the parachute dress that Olive made for her.  If she is dropped from a height she can pull a ripcord and will float down to earth rather than plummet to her death.   Arabella is not entirely happy with it but she does like the list of birds down the front.

easing into 2012...

Olive's new party dress and hat

Welcome to 2012... I hope the start of the year sees you all well and happy.  I have been taking it easy the last week, going with the flow and enjoying the sunshine (finally) and savouring the summer fruit.  

While I have been easing into 2012 Olive on the other hand has been going wild making dresses for herself and her sisters.  She is planning a party to celebrate her Uncle's birthday and is making him a new crown.  Her Uncle has been talking lately about giving up 'this whole King business'.  This talk has upset Olive a little... she doesn't see how a King can just stop being a King because he feels like it and hopes a new crown might change his mind.

I am not sure why Olives face looks like it has a line just under her nose, I think it might be my scanner as it is not on the original picture... hmmmm

I have just finished my last market, my last day of work and my last day of big long to do lists for the year...

I am pretty much sorted for Christmas just the day before supermarket shopping.  So I now have time to sit at my kitchen table and do some painting.

I have a bit of thinking to do about this one... the words I am not sure about, her arms are the wrong colour, her wings are not quite right and the bruises on her neck are a scanning issue.  But I do like the flags, the sky, her pretty dress and the bumpy bits at the bottom.

I always feel Arabella is looking at me like she knows something I don't, like she is about to tell me a secret.

New Zealand creative retreats...

I have been asked to teach a self portrait mixed media workshop early next year with two wonderful women... Carol Neilson, Journalling and Leonie Wise, Visual Navagation.

I am really excited and honoured to have been asked to be a part of this wonderful venture.   To be away from everything and surrounded by a group of lovely creative souls will be so inspiring.  If anyone is interested in joining us or more information please click here.

Olive's Uncle...

I am really liking Olive on this deep royal kind of red background.  Which actually suits her as Olive comes from a royal line (her Uncle is a King of a small coastal land).  Olive has been thinking of creating him a new crown for his birthday. 

dream me...

Well... Olive has been busy creating a new look for herself.  And  I am not really sure what else to say as she has kind of caught me by surprise.

I think Olive is probably everything I am not... everything I am scared of being and everything I want to be.  Olive might be my dream me.