Creativity: Week 15 2024 - Showing Up

Week 15: Journey - I am on my own journey. I don't need to compare myself to others. 

(SoulSistersToo - Living)
Intention Setting: When you go in a new direction your path is unknown, there will be new experiences and things to learn. Keep going on this journey, look forward and over come any new obstacles.

Showing Up...

I am on a journey of showing up. I have a bundle of artworks that have not been shared and so I am holding an exhibition 31 May - 6 June 2024.

While on this journey, I remind myself that my exhibition does not have to look like other people's exhibitions. I am curating it, organising every aspect of it and I will be hosting during the opening hours.

I can choose what I artwork I want to showcase.

I can choose my exhibition theme and name.

I can choose to follow the conventions of exhibitions or not. 

I can choose to do as little or as much as I want. 

I will choose to follow the rules laid out by the exhibition space  manager so I can exhibit with them again eg. using white tack to add labels to the walls.

In the process of organising my first solo exhibition I am on a new journey; learning lots and overcoming all kinds of obstacles. And I am showing up.

Creative Life: Week 14 2024 - Mindful Music Listening

Week 14: Listening - Listening to music gives me comfort and pleasure. (SoulSistersToo - Living) 

Intention Setting: Make time each day to listen to some music in a mindful way.

Mindful Music Listening...

I listen to music every day. 

I put music on for background noise while I work. 

I play music for creative inspiration.

I play music in the car.

Sometimes songs pop into my head as a response to the world around me. For instance when I watch the sunrise I think of the songs; Here Comes The Sun by The Beatles or The Morning Has Broken by Yusuf / Cat Stephens.

I pop on the radio when I have an afternoon rest or before I go to sleep.

My days are filled with music 

BUT

I do not tend to stop and listen to the music and the words 

SO 

This week I have set aside time to...

Listen to music in  in a purposeful and mindful way. 

To notice the bird songs I hear.

To be still and listen to music without doing other tasks.

To listen to a song's lyrics...and sing them too.

To feel the music's beat within my body.

To move my body with the music's rhythm.

To hear music consciously.

Affirmations for April 2024

Affirmations for April 2024

Monthly Affirmation: Patience - Be patient. Make small achievable changes (SoulSistersToo: Living)

Monthly Intention Setting: Continue to follow my small and achievable life style changes. Reflect on what is working and what is not working.

Watching the Sunrise

Creative Life: Week 13 2024 - Replenishing Energy

Week 13: Replenish - I give myself permission today to do nothing, so I can replenish my energy. (SoulSistersToo - Living)

Intention Setting: If I feel low energy I will replenish my energy rather than push through the feeling.

Replenishing Energy...

The wise woman within reminded me that I don't have to push on trying to do things when I have low energy. Instead I can take moments to nurture myself, recharge my batteries and then when I feel more energised I can continue with my to do list.

This week I have replenished my energy through;

• a home facial - replenishing my skin
• meditation - replenish my soul and rest my body
• painting - replenishing my creative spirit
• watching something funny, laughter - reducing stress
• reading and completing a word puzzle
• watching the sunrise and sunset
• listening to music and podcasts
• journaling

Creative Life: Week 12 2024 - I Choose Me this Week

Week 12: Authenticity - I choose an authentic life. (SoulSistersToo - Soulfilled)
Intention Setting: Spirit, May I share my authentic self this week, where I do me, not what is expected of me. 

I Choose Me this Week...

This week I am choosing to listen to my authentic self. 

I choose to create or write right now, not in 30 seconds time because the bed "should be made". 

I choose to read rather than do the laundry chores.

I choose to replenish my energy with a nap or watching, The Real Housewives of Orange County, rather than doing items on my to do list.

I choose to have my main meal at lunch and not at dinner time because that's what we've always done.

I choose to spend extra time reflecting in my journal when I have an art exhibition to prepare for.

I choose to answer emails once in the am and pm, rather than answer emails as soon as they arrive in my inbox.

I choose to make connections with family and friends, and follow rabbit holes of my choosing, rather than following a social media thread selected by algorithms. 

I choose to create as my career.

I choose to work towards my first solo exhibition. 

I choose who I want to connect with.

I choose to listen to my inner child and follow the joy in life.

I choose a clam and slow path, rather than a busy lifestyle.

I choose to listen to my internal wise woman rather than external voices and seek external support when needed.

I choose the real me. 

I choose to make myself happy. 

Creativity: Week 11 2024 - Flower Drawings = Joy

Week 11: Delight - I choose to do things that make me feel happy. (SoulSistersToo - Creative)

Intention Setting: Spirit assist me in doing things that make me feel happy and to notice what things bring me joy. 

Flower Drawings = Joy

Every now and then I do some little stylised drawings of flowers, both real and imagined. Drawing simple flowers like these brings me so much joy, I begin to move into a feeling of creative flow.

I encourage you too to play with a pen or any mark making materials you have nearby and see how many different flower drawings you can create.  

Creativity: Week 10 2024 - Discovering Through Play

Week 10: Discovery - Today I will take the time to discover something new. (SoulSistersToo - Creative)

Intention Setting: Spirit please assist me to be open to discovering something new.

Discovering Through Play...

This week I've been discovering or rediscovering a range of different things; new music, re-tasting food and new creative explorations.

New Music: I listened to the Oscar nominated songs I have not heard before and I went down a rabbit hole listening to a music style called Bardcore. Bardcore is revamped popular songs using medieval style  music. I listened to quite a few songs by an artist known as the Canadian Hildegard von Blingin' eg. Jolene, Painted Black, Wicked Game, Holding out for a Hero and Bad Romance.

Re-tasting Food: I am in the process of feeding my gut biome a larger range of foods. This week I re-tasted sardines and artichoke hearts after years of not eating them.

Creative Explorations: I also took some time for intuitive creative play in my sketch book, while listening to bardcore music. Drawing lines and shapes with a gel pen*. Trying washes of light coloured acrylic paint. And playing with a red fineliner^ pen and unactivated Scribble Sticks*^, a water-soluble pigment, like a woodless pencil or crayon.

I hope that you too can discover something new this week or something you haven't done for a long time. 

* Uni-ball Signo Line Gel Pen 0.7 black

^ Staedtler triplus fineliner brilliant colours

*^ Dina Wakley Media Scribble Sticks, water-soluble pigments by rangerink