Farewell 2013



my favourite photos of 2013, 
i love the way they make me feel...




connected, cherished, alive, vibrant, free, expanded... 
THANK YOU 2013, 
i am deeply grateful! 

Joyeux Noel


to all of you beautiful people out there 
i wish you a wonderful Christmas! 


big love and big hugs
from 
moi 
;) 


xxx


the courage to speak softly

          

author of
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking 

summer time


summer has finally showed up,
in between some rain...
and it is time to be outside,
off the internet, 
in the studio...

i'll see you here now and then.
in the mean time 
wherever you are, love, laugh and be grateful! 
xxx


 new mixed media flower i painted in an attempt to brighten up 
last week


a word

this week i am planning to work through Susannah Conway's
Unravelling the Year Ahead 
workbook.
(easy to download here)


for 2013 i had chosen the word "LEARNING" 
and 
i've loved how this word has influenced 
every decision i made
and 
made it's way into my year in so many ways. 

so this week i need to choose a word for 2014... 
and i've got so many steep learning curves lined up for next year 
(more on that soon) 
that i am so tempted to use LEARNING again. 
though i'm not sure that's "legal" or good or whatever...
but i guess once i'm working through the workbook, 
a nice cup of tea in hand, 
in the flow, 
the perfect word shall reveal itself. 

i hope.





on showing up anyway

                
i found this video on Lisa Congdon's blog,
  Brenee Brown's speech about the critics at the 99u conference.

i dedicate these words and this video to my inner critic: 

artwork by Lisa Congdon

                

SO needed to hear all that, thank you!




ok and one more video from Brenee's blog,
just because i can ;)

           

catching up



catching up on all the fabulous 
assignments of Diane Culhane 


learning a lot
and also realizing that i need to draw a lot more, 
all the time.




learning... 

Last project

as i mentioned last week 
our December project for the Year of the Giraffe 
is "Timeline Journal the Giraffe" 



i had never done a timeline before...
 i loved, loved, loved 
taking a gentle look at this "Giraffe Year" 
and here are a few things i observed: 

- i have done more than i thought i had
- my mind tends to be too critical and focuses mostly
 on what wasn't done, hasn't worked, the assignments skipped...
- there is great value in acknowledging what HAS been achieved
- doing this timeline has been a great way to give myself some credit
- i can start seeing my own style emerging throughout the work
- making this journal has been a fantastic way to get my creative juice flowing again!

now a little peek inside: 









goodbye and thank you 
you wonderful Giraffes! 

Our Madiba


We've been very fortunate to have lived in the presence of this man.
Rest in Peace Madiba, thank you for showing us the true meaning of  humbleness, humility and forgiveness.


Timeline


the december assignment for the Year of the Giraffe 
is "Timeline Journal the Giraffe". 
it is still a work in progress
and 
i am loving going through what i've done and haven't done "Giraffewise this" year. 


i had never done a timeline before but i think i like it! 
learning ;) 

Looking up



african skies putting on a magnificent show. 
all in one evening... 
grateful 



In my sketch book



a few table top line drawings i did while on the road 
to keep my creative juice going
;)




Learning


taking part in the Year of the Giraffe class
this whole year has been a great experience... 
i learnt a lot about myself.
commitment, stamina, patience, letting go... 
sometimes being fully into it and involved, 
often falling off the wagon, 
being ok with that.

turtle steps, being gentle, showing up.  

and then last week in the bush the giraffes showed up too...
majestic, graceful, elegant.






what a gift!



learning