A bunch of new followers around these parts… (HOORAY!) so I thought I’d reintroduce myself! WHO DA FUQ AMMMMM I?????
Fuck meeeee, where do I even begin?
How can I tie up all the parts of the rainbow that is me into words? I’m a multitude of things, and I am glad of them all.
I’m sitting here typing on the couch, on my laptop because I still can’t master full thoughts when typing upon a phone.
Kids are playing puppies and kitties in front of me, dog and husband beside me.
Fluffy old dog is sound asleep, positively geriatric but still as verdantly furry as her youth.
Husband is tinkering with tech as always, in ways I don’t understand but am endlessly grateful for.
Today, I sat on our wooden verandah and taught my eldest how to draw with oil pastels.
I reminded my youngest roughly a million times that bouncing on couches or beds is not a great idea when you already have your head glued together from the weekend’s previous bouncing endeavours.
Then when the afternoon was quiet, I snuck away for a couple of hours to work. I wrote love letters to the world, and made handwritten art, and created courses to teach people anything I know that might help them. I filled my well by learning from others. I ate Shortbread Creams and drank Spiced Apple tea.
All in all, it was a very fine, very ordinary day. Just the way I adore them.
And that’s how my days normally go: family first, always.
And then, I disappear into my creative corner to make art.
And help people.
And turn up to listen to Spirit, and hear what wants to come through.
I have businesses and best-selling books and all the rest of the jargon. But none of that really matters. What matters is that I get to do what matters to me, everyday.
I’m glad you’re here.
I’m glad we’re on this magical journey together.
Deep love,
P.S. If you’re keen on hearing more from me and staying in touch, social media suuuuuuucks for that. Make sure you’re signed up for me free weekly love letters instead.
Not long ago I was grieving the loss of a friendship. It was odd, because the friendship had ended some years ago, and I felt quite at peace with it now.
So I enquired a bit further. What was it that I was truly missing?What essence do I feel I have lost?
And I realised the thing I was actually missing was having a creative friend to do mail projects with. This friend and I had done loads – we were penpals and we regularly did creative courses together, read the same book at the same time, shared journals and made altered books together.
That’s what I was really missing.
(And of course, I do miss that friend too. I miss the sweet years of our friendship. I don’t believe we would be able to be friends again, nor do I think it would be the right thing to do. Still, I miss the magic from that connection, and how unblemished my love for her was. I say this, because it’s taken me years… but I’m learning it’s okay to feel ALL our feelings!)
Anyways, once I knew the essence that my soul was asking for: creative friends! mail projects! I knew I could find a way to make it happen for myself.
Now loves, as you’ve probably discovered about me… I am not someone who sits around waiting for something to happen. I don’t say “I wish…” – I say “I want this so I am making it happen!”
I do it in my business. I do it with my goals. I even did it with my husband! He was the cute guy at work… so instead of waiting around and hoping… I asked him out! Jump on the Cutie Train you wish to ride! Ha!
So, knowing my goal was more creative connection with mail projects, I did a review. I realised I already HAD lots of creative friends… but they were all isolated, didn’t know each other, and we just didn’t talk that much about our art, oddly enough.
So I put out a call to my mates:
Then I made sure to tag all my creative friends that were at the top of my mind to see if they wanted to opt-in.
Then I created a Facebook group message for everyone who was keen.
I didn’t create a FB group because it’s hard to keep interactions alive in there and it’s easier to miss. I prefer the immediacy of group messages.
Just having a Facebook group message called CREATIVE CIRCLE is inspiring. In it, we share photos of the latest projects we are working on, books we are reading, new mediums we are trying out, creative questions we have.
I swear it’s made me increase my creativity SO MUCH because I love being able to share about the end results with friends.
Then I also asked everyone if they wanted to participate in a Travelling Art Journal.
Here’s how it works:
Everybody buys a smaller A5-ish sized journal. Some people grabbed Moleskine Cahier Journals, some grabbed plain art journals. We did it that size to make it cheaper and easier to post.
Everybody does 4-6 pages (or more!) of art journalling in the journal.
They send it on to the next person on the list within 2 weeks or so.
Everybody does 4-6 pages (or more!) of art journalling in the journal.
They send it on to the next person on the list within 2 weeks or so.
And on and on it goes until the journal is full and gets returned to the original owner.
Notes on Logistics:
I created a spreadsheet with everyone’s addresses, and the mailing order, and shared it with everyone.
This is probably a bit over the top, but I also created an extra part of the spreadsheet where people could mark when they had sent off a journal, so we know where each journal is.
There’s about 10 people in our Travelling Art Journal circle currently. You can do it with more or less. Even just 2 people is fun!
You will probably want to keep the journal within the same country for postage costs. Our circle is spread out over Australia and New Zealand. I tried to map it so the journals travel in the most efficient way possible (i.e. it makes it way down the coast of Australia in one direction, visiting people as it goes).
What can you do on the journal pages?
Whatever the fuck you like!
I’m envisioning by the end of the journals’ journeys, they will have all kinds of mediums and styles in there including:
sketching
painting
collage
written word
photos
whatever else takes people’s fancies!
You could also choose as a circle to alter each other’s journal pages as you go to layer it even more!
What’s it like?
In our circle, there are people with Art degrees, accomplished professional artists, hobbyists and people who haven’t done art since high school. It’s all welcome, all completely beautiful, and everyone’s pages are so deeply valuable and inspiring. I truly hope that’s what everyone receives from this experience – no comparison-itis needed here.
I can’t tell you how moving it is. To see the private art of beautiful souls is such a tender, vulnerable blessing. To read their words is a gift. I feel like my heart is swelling, growing bigger. To have an art journal circle is connection and creativity intensified. It makes me want to write love letters to the world again.
Create your own!
Want something like this in your life? CREATE IT! BE THE ONE THAT MAKES MAGIC HAPPEN!
This project is one of the best things I’ve done this year. I’m so glad I’ve done it.
Every night for the last week, I’ve been THRILLED to go to bed… just so I can curl up with this book, and sup on it like the decadent treat it is.
“Wilding” by Isabella Tree is the true story of a British farm that decides to… stop farming and use the land for wildlife. Instead of careful conservation, the land owners instead allow nature to reclaim everything, believing that it will rebalance itself in time. It does, and the miracles are outstanding: animals considered rare or even vanished begin to reappear.
It’s a heartening, immensely inspiring tome for our times. And it is even more delightful with Isabella’s delicate turn of words, and reverential worshipping of nature.
Surprised by a “blizzard” of painted lady butterflies, she experiences a miracle of noise:
“The sound of a single butterfly is imperceptible. But tens of thousands have a breath of their own, like the backdraft of a waterfall or an accumulating weather front. It feels as though the oscillating susurration of their wingbeats, pounding away on their supernatural wavelength, might dissolve the world into atoms.”
Isabella Tree
I drink up this book like I am thirsty in the desert… then ration it because I don’t wish it to end. Then I go to sleep, dreaming big dreams of more spaces and places and humans becoming wild again.
We talked about being authentic as fuck in business, and covered:
My journey from working towards becoming the Prime Minister of Australia to shifting gears into becoming a watercolour rainbow-loving artist instead – and the real reason why I create anything (hint: it’s for myself first)!
How my astrology chart beautifully matches up with my authentic nature and what being truly authentic means to me
My tips for discovering your own authentic nature and owning it
The immense power of being vulnerable in your business
There’s SO many reasons why you should consider adding an e-course to your business.
They really can transform your life and business… not to mention the lives of the hundreds (and thousands!) of people you will teach through them!
14 Reasons You Need To Have An E-course
1. You can dramatically increase your income 2. You will help more people 3. You will stop selling just 1:1 and start selling to MANY. This is what makes income scalable + easily increasable! 4. If you still offer 1:1 services, you can charge a higher price for them. 5. E-courses can be a great way for customers to begin working with you. 6. Your work can go out into the world in a bigger way and create a movement and a legacy!
9. Customers get more accountability, connection and friendship through group e-course experiences. (Some of my customers have met their BFFs and business partners through my courses!) 10. People pay more for an e-course than for a book or e-book 11. Extra stream of income that is more passive 12. Be seen as an expert in your field 13. It’s an eco-friendly, sustainable way to create wealth. No more travel or paper materials needed to learn! No physical products to manufacture. WIN WIN WIN! 14. Expand your customer market to be worldwide!
Want to learn exactly how to create + sell an e-course?
Creative Goddesses make art because it fills them up with joy and light.
Creative Goddesses believe mistakes are sacred and add to an artwork’s story and perfection.
Creative Goddesses aren’t afraid of making art that doesn’t Look Good.
Creative Goddesses don’t make art for others, they make art for themselves.
Creative Goddesses make art that is true for them.
Creative Goddesses don’t need no stinkin’ outside approval.
Creative Goddesses make art that doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s.
Creative Goddesses trust in their intuition and vision to make *their* art as it is needed in this world.
Creative Goddesses listen to their soul’s calling.
Creative Goddesses dip their fingers in paint.
Creative Goddesses know the power of soulful creativity.
Creative Goddesses remember that every person on this planet is an artist, a Creative spirit, a soul who needs love, joy, creativity, laughter and connection just as much as water and food.
Creative Goddesses do it messy. And gladly. And reverently.
Creative Goddesses share their art when it is right for them, and hold on to the medicine of their art when it is right for them.
The Creative Goddess is inside you.
She is inside each of us, everywhere, all the time.
We only need a moment to hear our own grace and magnificence.
Lately I’ve been really feeling the pull from my inner child to do more creative projects just for the glorious fun of it.
One thing I’ve become slightly addicted to is painting plant pots and statues.
Some are old ones of ours that we’ve been lugging around the countryside since time immemorial. I’ve also dug some old ones out of the garden that were left here by the previous owners.
Somebody asked what kind of paints and varnishes on them.
The answer is: cheap student acrylics. I am lazy and cheap and am totally fine if these fade or chip… it will just add to the character. I DID find some ancient marbling glaze however so I might chuck that on a pot and see if I like it.
My cute kids have been painting everything in sight, including an old fountain and chairs. I love it… makes me so damn happy!
They also started painting a statue they found in the garden, but then lost interest:
So I decided to finish her up. Please note she has moveable GOOGLY EYES. My husband bought a bulk pack a while ago, and my kids glued them to everything, and I think it was the wisest investment we’ve ever made.
Here’s her now:
SO GLAM!
Totally want to encourage you to get colourful and crazy with your garden… when in doubt, remember the sacred motto: THE BONKERS THE BETTER!
Big love and paint-stained clothes,
P.S. Make sure you’re signed up to my Love Letters so you don’t miss a single post!
