Monday Mantra - dont give in to your fears.

Good Morning my dears...today's mantra for the week is about facing our fears, about taking something that has scared us down to the depths of our soul, and taking it down.
I wanted to put this one up, because for many years, I've lived my life in fear, fear of so many things, and it makes one so tired being scared of so many things. ..
For over 10 years, I haven't stepped into a pool...for me that is a big thing, as I grew up beside pools, swimming was one of the things I ADORED, as I got older and more ashamed of my body, I stopped swimming all together.
a couple of weeks ago, I decided to face my fear, I picked one of my kid free days, got my swimmers, walked to the public pool...and spent 2 hours swimming as part of my workout...I almost turned back so many times, but I made it to the pool, got changed, and got in...and it was fantastic. The only reason I have a photo, is my girlfriend wanted photographic proof that I actually went swimming! So there you have it, do one thing this week that is a big fear of yours...I did...and I'll face it every Friday, when I go back for another 2 hour block of swimming, I know and hope it will get easier every week...for now my fear, has no power.

have a fantastic Monday! and a great week, I'll see you soon
xx Courtney

Friday Pages - What I'm working on.

Well it's Friday and that means one thing! Friday Pages...Showing off what I'm working on between the pages of my little art journal! 

 

playing with my art supplies on video this page still has a long way to go before shes finished, but I am enjoying the crazy mess that's coming together at the moment!

 

playing with little creatures in amongst the paint and ink! this little love popped up holding onto the heart.

 

altering photos is my upcoming artgeeks prompt! turning ourselves into whimsy creatures to give a little fun to our photos! I am currently waiting for a spare moment to myself to get some self portraits sorted so you can see what works for this technique! so simple, and yet so much fun! 

and using some of my spare photos that I'd printed out and just having fun with colour and tapes! They are so simple, and yet these are some of my fave pages, the background is using Gelli plate prints I'd done in the past! 

speaking of which...here is one of my altered gelli plate images

and one of the previous images...before I started altering myself into a bunny

thats all from me! I'll have another friday pages post next week with some new work I've been working on! have a fantastic day!
I am thinking of turning friday pages, into a journal meme! so you can sign up on fridays, showing off your pages, I love a good page perve!
xx Courtney

Part two of my journal play video

enjoy the second part of my journal spread!

have a fantastic night
xx Courtney

Supply Sunday - Coming Monday!

I decided during the family bbq today that I wanted to do a video using my copics for supply sunday, then by the time we got home out of the heat, with the kids fed bathed and in bed, I was and still am much too tired to art. So my dears, this weeks Supply Sunday will be posted tomorrow, so you get a nice little art vid to go with the post.

below today's tired selfie after a day in 31 degree heat!

my little ones had an awesome time thats for sure! they played for three hours straight with small breaks for water guzzling and lunch. Here is eli after his first go on a flying fox! he was so proud of himself.

and after the bbq, the boy and I decided to take the little ones to an ice cream parlor for a much needed cooling down...lily got more on herself then in her mouth!

and I swanned around in a bright dress, and my inner dorothy shoes...how I love the wizard of oz.

I shall see you tomorrow, for an art vid and supply sunday!! (monday)
xx Courtney

pop into my home for a cup of tea and some sewing.

Another hot summer day here in the nook, with the kids slumping from the heat, watching carebears and playing inside games in front of the fan. While they sat silent for a while, I got the boy to snap a selfie for me since its rather hard to shoot at that angle.

yesterday I mentioned we bought a simple little desk for my sewing table, and today I got a chance to put it together ready for the days when the little ones are at school and daycare, where I can concentrate on the little work in progress basket and to start some new projects, a few quilts need to be constructed this year, and with the purchase of a walking foot, I think I'm ready to go!

one of my fave things...my handmade cushion by the darling quilt goddess Ellie.

I thought I would show you lovelies a few sections of my house as the year progresses. Here is my favourite teapot in the kitchen.

and a sneak peek at the little lily's room. I secretly adore her room, I'm a young girl at heart and all that pink and white just makes me gush!

and on the arty front, using some of my blog photos in my art journal to create little photo journal pages so that I can see my year in pictures within my journals.

playing with my watercolour crayons since it's been too long since I got them out, on Sundays I'll be doing a Sunday Supply post, where I feature my favourite supply for the week, and show how I used that supply within my art work, and also links where to purchase them for the best price.

that's all from me today, it's too hot, I'm going to grab my book (Flowers in the Attic) and read in front of the cool fan.
xx Courtney

a January Undertaking

a friend of mine linked this on her facebook, and I thought to myself why not, so I decided for this challenge I'd just use the ipad to take the photos, and upload them via Instagram. So here are my 4 days so far of the Jan Challenge.

it was this challenge that gave me the idea to take a self portrait everyday, (that post to come next) so a selfie...

my breakfast for the second day.

something I adore, being a journal keeper and my man...he posed so nicely for me too hehe

and our little old letterbox for the 4th day.

just a little intermission post while I upload my daily post photos.
who would have thought, two blog entries in one day!
lucky lucky!
x Courtney

a Tuesday in my life.

I'm back, and making time for my little blog to keep up with posting daily, making the time for my creative practice and enjoying the little things...such as my self portrait today, enjoying spotty shoes in summer.

Having breakfast alone, this may seem odd, but there are some mornings when I wait till everyone is finished and off doing their own thing so I can sit and daydream a little while I have a moment to myself to enjoy my food and a hot tea. Its the small moments of sanity when you are a mother, that you cherish deeply. Many understand this, I know that for a fact.

we took the teacup humans and went to Ikea to get a few things, a little sewing desk for me was on the list till I could afford my dream desk. We found one and a bookshelf...whilst the boy put together the desk, I set up my art supplies and journal at the dining table and just arted quietly.

a little bit smitten with my LAMY fountain pen, writes like a dream, such a sweet pen to doodle with.

and I leave you with my little lily boo...my eli is growing into a photographer, and lily..has my other passion...drawing and writing in little books aka ' my dornal' it seems all the good parts of me, are rubbing off on them.

see you tomorrow for something else, who knows what!
and pop in on friday for...

the world through elijah's eyes.
xx Courtney

a little one finds his passion.

Another day into the new year, with lots to do, the boy and I have been re-organizing and doing the last of the few book boxes left, but we found a spare few mins to take a drive into town, to get a few things... so I thought why not since yesterday was a selfie..keep the tradition going...365 self portraits, maybe blogged..maybe just printed for my journal who knows!

Something that makes my heart sing, is this little man of mine, finding something that he really loves to do...taking photos, and little movies. So today, we gave him a little camera, took him to the shops bought an SD card and a battery recharger and let him loose. Its rather beautiful some of the photo's he has taken, the framing of them..you would think I took them. I am thinking of making a little scrapbook for him, so he can print his faves out and we can glue them down.

In the spirit of keeping very busy and very creative, I joined a few things to keep me on the creative path, one was Alisa Burke's new course, step one was to organize your creative space...and I started doing just that, making my nook inviting and easier to work in.

once a week, I will be posting my Creative Mantra, and this weeks little message came from my SARK cards, gave me a smile when this card fell from the deck... embrace it and live it...

enjoy your day!
x Courtney