Treasuries

Autumn Colors. By TheRedPistachio

Avairy or Asylym? By KnotChaCha

Giveaway!

A little exciting news I wanted to tell you days ago! Vicki over at one of my favourite blogs - Simply Hue, is running a Spotlight on Artists feature. You have to go check out all the talent there, it's a great feature! While you're there though, make sure you leave a comment to be entered in my giveaway! That's right, I will be giving away one of my originals as part of the feature! Go see what you could win here!

A Sunny Spot

Finally.. time to introduce another new painting! Painting has been such a slow process now that I'm back at work full time, but I've been painting whenever I can. I enjoy the little time I do get to be creative so much more now there is less pressure to create! I could go on about that some more, but right now I'd just like to show you my painting! So here is my latest creation, titled A Sunny Spot and just listed here!

A Happy Place!

One day when I go on an Etsy spending spree, these are some of the purchases I will make! Visit the treasury here!

Trust the Process

If you are an artist or creative type, you would probably be familiar with the 'paralyzed with fear' feeling that comes sometimes at even the thought of beginning a creation.

In my post yesterday I asked this question.. "How often do we miss the experiences of the ''journey' because we are so concerned with ending up at the destination?"

I was thinking more about this today, and I realised that it is just the same with our creative journey. Often when we are planning an artwork, we have a vision in our mind of what we want to achieve. We see the colours, the textures and can close our eyes and visualize the artwork as a finished product. We can already see how it will look hanging on that wall, or sitting on that shelf.

We focus so much on this final artwork, and our vision of what it 'will be' that the creative process that actually leads to our vision can easily become daunting! We are overcome with fears that it won't be as we imagined, and we doubt our ability to actually produce what we were able to visualize.

I love this amazing and inspirational post by Ashley at 31 Experiment, and the painting below that inspired her words. In her post Ashley also quotes Julia Cameron on why we struggle to start sometimes.. "Our ego plays this little trick to keep us from getting started. Instead of allowing ourselves a creative journey, we focus on the length of the trip. "It's such a long way, we tell ourselves".

Such a long way, and we're not even sure where we're going, or if we'll even end up where we want to. The reality is, often things don't turn out as we imagined. But I have found when we do trust the process and show up at the easel with our paint and brush, often it turns completely different and perhaps even better than we could have imagined.

As Ashely puts it, "Creativity lies not in the DONE but in the DOING". Such a simple concept, but how easily we forget! Trust the process! Believe in yourself!

Letting Go

I wonder sometimes, at what I have missed out on experiencing because I have been held back by fear. Undue fear at that. By nature I worry - if there is something to worry about, or even if there isn't - you can always count on me to worry about it!

I learnt a valuable lesson over the weekend. We had an amazingweekend, one of those ones where you don't make any plans and just do whatever seems like a good idea at the time!

Late on Friday afternoon we decided to pack up and go camping. With no real plan in place, and without a map we just drove.. It was well and truly dark when we finally found somewhere to camp. We could hear water running but other than that we had no clues as to what we would find when we woke up in the morning. So, imagine my suprise (and delight) when I sat up and saw this...

How many times do we let fear hold us back? "What if we can't find somewhere to camp? What if we get lost? What if it storms?" So many fears that would normally slow me down and make me think twice. Letting go is sometimes scary, some of us like to be in control.

How often do we miss the experiences of a 'journey' because we are so concerned with ending up at our planned destination? When you take away that destination, when you don't know where it will end - all you have to experience is the journey, and you can be entirely in the moment.

We couldn't find anywhere to camp for quite some time, we did get lost - many times, and it did rain. However while we were lost, we saw some amazing things and found places we would otherwise never have found. We laughed a lot. We slept under the stars, and when the clouds covered us and it started to rain we put a cover over us and snuggled closer.

On My Easel

Here is another painting in progress! It's a slow progress now I'm back at work, but there is one coming along!

His and Her

This treasury was actually my husband's idea, titled His and Her.

A Cute Find

Hello there, look what I found! I thought they were too cute not to share - even on the weekend! These little creations are by gypsy and twink, and there are lots more to be found here!

Shades of Romance

The sun has set in golden skies, it's a perfect evening for romance..

Something to tell you..

Hello dear readers.. I have a little sad news today. I've been putting off this moment where I share my latest for too long already. So here it is.. Today, my dreams of making a career out of my artwork have been put on hold, as I started back at a full time office job this morning. There are quite a few reasons why I needed to take the position, I won't go into it all now. It is just a temporary position, but I don't think I will be able to be back here creating full time for a while. I may be able to have Friday's off, and I'll be painting where I can.. in fact, after a day in the office today I just can't wait to be able to sit down at my easel again. I will blog as often as I have time for, so please keep dropping in - Art and handmade is my passion, I won't be going far away!

Looking Forward by Shirae

Dear Mr. Blank Canvas

You know what? I just did a quick count of all the big blank canvases I have sitting in my studio - there are 19. Can you believe that? Nineteen huge white canvases with a whole lot of nothingness on them. Problem is, for some reason they are freaking me out lately. It's as if they are sitting there threatening me with an artistic failure if I dare touch them with a brush. Can you relate to this feeling! I love this image by Ashley at 31 Experiment.

I know from experience that the only way to break Mr. Blank Canvases power over me, is just to splash some paint at him. Just start somewhere, anywhere..

Through Olive Groves

I hope you're not too bored with all these treasuries, I really love curating them so they're probably not going to stop popping up here! This one is inspired by that gorgeous olive green. Here's the link!

Courtney Oquist

Just sharing another one of my 'hearts' tonight, these cute drawings are by Courtney Oquist. I can't stop looking at this little owl, those feathers are adorable!

More Beautiful Treasuries!

Here are another couple of treasuries I've found my way into!

Thankyou baahar...

and kanokwalee!

Fruitfly Pie

You might've noticed a little yellow owl down in the corner of my most recently curated treasury. This adorable owl is made by Wendy of Fruitfly Pie. When I finished creating my treasury I had a browse through each of the shops featured, and WOW! I fell in love with many things, but none more than these vintage inspired ceremics, you have to go see for yourself!

Into the woods...Through fields of gold

I curated another treasury today, titled "Into the woods...Through fields of gold". Here's the link, check it out for yourself!

A little distraction!

Hi!! I know, I know.. it's a beautiful Saturday afternoon and I should be at the beach, the markets, kickin' back with a good book.. anywhere but here! But I've been a bit distracted lately, I've had a shocker at my easel this week, so I just popped in today to say hello and let you know a little of what I've been doing! Besides trying to figure out the best way to make prints of my work, we've actually been looking at houses - that's right, we're hoping to buy a house soon! I've spent hours collecting decorating inspiration, here some of my flickr favourites. I am hoping that when we do buy, it will be a house that has potential for a little renovation so that I can inject my own style/personality into it. So that's what I've been up to, I will keep you posted! Have a great weekend!

In a Mustard Field

I made a treasury over at Treasury West today, it's titled "In a Mustard Field". How cute is that little apple cover?

A new addition!

Hi there.. I'd like to introduce you to my fancy new printer tonight! (It isn't the exact one pictured, but it is the same - I just couldn't wait until tomorrow to take a photo for you!) It's an Epson Stylus Photo R2400, I have been wanting one since forever (so long that there is now a newer model out but shhh..!) This one will be more than perfect, and I'm excited that I'll be able to offer amazing prints of my artwork very soon! I still have quite a few things to sort out, the main issue is being able to offer US Letter sized prints as well as A4. But get excited, it's finally happening!!

Golden Rod and Blue Sky

I know, I know.. another one, its just so pretty though! Thankyou baahar for the feature, here's the link if you want a better look. I have a thing for that duck egg shade of blue at the moment, more about that later!

"Blueberries for Breakfast" 20 x 30

Blueberries for Breakfast..warm morning sun - this pair have it all! Available here now! Oh, and I was in such a hurry to photograph it before the sun went down today, I forgot to sign the front! Why is it you only notice little things like this after you've spent an hour making the listing pics?

A Delightful Duo

I was in the right place at the right time tonight/this morning, and managed to get myself another treasury. I love curating them, I could click through Etsy for hours and hours! Actually that is exactly why I'm still sitting here past 1am. Hello there Monday.. So before I go and shut my eyes for a few hours, here is the link to this treasury, titled "A Delightful Duo", good luck to all the sellers featured!

Red...Meet Blue!

I managed to snag another treasury tonight! It is titled Red...Meet Blue! It was inspired by my last post here! I'd love for you to visit, and leave some clicks behind!

Spring!

Loving that it is the first day of spring here! Beautiful warm sunny (longer) days, clear blue skies, flowers, birds, what's not to love? I was trawling through flickr today - looking for new painting inspiration.. I don't know if it had anything to do with the change of season, but I noticed the photos I were adding to my favourites had quite a bit in common..

1. Dogwood Blossoms at Spring Grove 2. Hello Spring

3. Dogwood Blossoms 4. Spring Pink

Purple Berry Breeze

Hello there.. I'm back! No more holidays for a while either, I have so much to do! Thanks to all the lovely people out there who have supported my dreams by purchasing artwork lately, I now have a very bare shop! There are still a few paintings available, but I've temporarily topped my Etsy shop up with listings titled "custom". I am always interested in doing custom work if you like my style but want something to in a particular colour or size. Here is a custom order I did while I was away, it is going in a bedroom that is dark purple with hints of green. I sent it off to its new home in California today!

Crafty Treasury

My note cards are included in this crafty treasury, go check it out!

Hello From 'Home'!

Hello! How are you? As you know I am still on holidays (vacation for some of you!).. I just wanted to pop in give you a little update! I have missed my blog and readers, 1 more week and I will be back posting as usual! I currently have my feet up at my parents place (home), out in the country in South East Queensland. I didn't leave my work behind completely, I packed a few canvases and my paint, and I'm glad I did - I just received a custom order today! The weather is beautiful here - fairly cold at night, but the days are amazing and these photos I've snapped around the garden are evidence that spring is just around the corner!

Another Treasury.. and Holidays!

Wow! I've never been featured in so many treasuries in a week! Thankyou Bon Bons and More for including my otters in your sweet treasury! I am in such a hurry right now - we are offically on holidays in less than half an hour.. so much to do still! I will be posting here when I have access to, but my blog will be a little quieter for a week or so. I have sold so much original work this week, my shops are looking a bit bare.. so I think I will be spending my holidays painting! I will still take orders in my shops, but just remember I won't be able to ship anything until the 27th of August.

"The First Scents of Spring"

Another painting - inspired by all of the flower buds starting to open, spring is so close! I fiished this one of Friday, you might have already noticed it listed on Etsy. I can't decide which orientation the painting should be, portrait or landscape? I think I will leave it up to the buyer!