First Year of School/ Back to work for me!

Wow, so much has happened in the last couple of weeks!
The holidays are over, and my youngest has started her first year of school. Look at her, she looks all grown up. It is an end of an era for me, no more stay at home mum, now I go back to work.
I have mixed feelings about it all. But most of all I am excited about all the new changes coming up, a little anxious too, but mainly excited about what work will bring to all of us.
Firstly more money, less pressure for my husband to be the only bread winner, more independence for me, meet new people make new friends, and earn more money so I can buy more art supplies! (Last year I really had to watch what I spent my money on, most of it went into the art class.) So many positive things will come from it!

In the last few weeks I was also thinking about no longer writing my blog, giving up art, because I was feeling the pressure to conform, just concentrate on work and the family. But the weirdest thing kept happening, I kept hearing this voice saying "Keep the dream alive". So after more thinking, and hearing this voice in my head, I thought, no, NO. I will not give it up, I will not leave it till later, I will not forget about my dream, my spirit, I will not shelve it away till it gets all dusty and worn. Even though I haven't kept up with my blogging as I would have liked it too, some nights I am just too tired, blogging and its community has come to mean so much to me, I would miss catching up with all of you, I would miss seeing everyone growing and changing, also I would miss sharing my art with you, unfortunately in my circle of friends i have very few people who get what I do, who understand why it has become so important to me. So I am keeping the dream alive and as Oprah says, live my best life! ;)

So whilst going through all the turmoil of feeling a little down and blue, I made a journal page titled "What makes a house a home?" I felt that after so many years as a stay at home mum I felt very privileged to have had that opportunity, to make a home with my husband and children. And some of the words which came to me were; love, laughter, sharing a meal, cubby houses out of blankets, artworks displayed, music, tea breaks, acceptance, hugs, sanctuary.

I found this wonderful artist "Mystele" who paints lovely pictures in mixed media and she is doing a 2 week course which I have joined, very excited about starting it 1st of February, go have a look at her website and if you are interested in her class, I think she has a great presence.

This year for me I don't have a resolution as such but more a promise I have made to my self, to make art which resonates with me, more authentic, even if at first i may stumble and make ugly art! (quite a scary concept for me), but I just want to let go of my inhibitions and open my heart.
One type of painting or drawing I have been interested in is intuitive art/painting, where the artist allows the art to come from another place, inside of themselves.
Let's see where all this will take me!

Thank you all for coming on this journey with me, my blogger friends old and new, it has meant so much to me. Angie ox

The new year.....

Happy New Year to everyone :)

Better late than never!!!

I have been busy so far with relatives visiting, friends popping in and keeping the young ones entertained. We have three weeks to go of our holidays and the kids are getting restless, so we go out a lot. Tommorow skating, we swim every day, and go for walks at our parks close by.

I must admit I have started a lot of projects, and I am grateful for having found the time to do them in little stolen moments, but most of the art pieces are unfinished. Hopefully as things slow down back to our 'normal' routine I can finish them.

I would like to thank firstly HybridJ for sending me her gorgeous work of art "The Christmas Sky", beautifully hand drawn by her as a give away for Christmas. I was so happy when it arrived. It is displayed on the kitchen bench side next to my other art pieces that I admire daily. I will cherish it always :) Thank You HybridJ, such a lovely gift!

This week I will also start with the "Creative Everyday" prompt for January, THE BODY.
I made a "Soulful Diva" art doll as displayed in the magazine Get Creative, the artist who makes this is a lovely lady called Sarah Lawrence and from this article I was then inspired to make one of my own,( I may make more to dispaly as a group) and I have also bought a book by her titled 20 To Make Art Dolls.
This Soulful Diva is not yet finished, she will be stuffed with filling and other little trinkets (like a little paint brush) and special words/poems to give it special meaning for me.

Hope you like the "Soulful Diva" she gives out an energy of calmness, of knowingness, she seems wise beyond her years, and so very grounded. She is like a good friend always there when you need her, even if it is to just sit quietly and contemplate life with.....

I hope you have all had a lovely break and have started the new year with lots of creating.

Angie oxoxox