Monday Mantra

 Image found Via Eternally Classic

Good Morning!
I know it's been forever! but fear not with all my crazy planners, I've finally got my act together and got a posting scheduled together for the blog, and also you tube.  A lot of people have been wondering where I am! hoping for a post, or a video something! I have been around, I am just stupidly busy trying to get on top of a few things, and planning for the wedding in October!
What you will see in the space in the coming days and months :-
Monday Mantra posts. ( I miss these)
Art Journal posts, featuring pages from both my art journal and my written midori journal.
A Weekily or Bi Weekly Youtube video post.
Friday Faves which will feature my top thing for the week be it an art supply stationery makeup handbag.
A Sunday Round up post featuring the photos that havent made it to instagram or the blog from my big camera.
and every other week either a wedding post, a weightloss post, or a recipe...who knows...

But for now, remember, if the day truly sucks, or you've broken your diet...its not too late to start over...we all love a clean page, it doesn't have to be ruined, we just need to turn the page.

Take care and I'll see you soon!
x Courtney

Inspiration Tuesday - The Filofax obsession!

You know how you get stuck in a looop...today I found myself stuck in one of those loops, the filofax loop...I dont even know how I got onto the crazy loop...but I lost quite a few hours today in it.
So today I am inspired by the filofax trend that is swooping through youtube and pintrest...and with my word for 2013 being organized I am now currently saving for my own leather filofax.

the above image is from the delightful blog lime tree

I've always kind of stayed away from filofaxes, because I am a left hander and ring binders really dont love us leftys, but I am warning to the idea of owning one, purely for helping me with my tasks, family, kids school, bills, blogging, and trying to grow my business as well as all my housewifery things lol. 

the above image is from an amazing tumblr site devoted to filofaxes

the lady also has an awesome youtube account which I did watch many vids off yesterday 

pop on over and check her out Alondra

people on youtube has decked them out with all the bells and whistles, and I can see my use the quirky stickers and post its I've got in my tubs in the studio, I have the thought of..do I want to commit to one planner for the next however many years, or do I want to try and customize a notebook like some people have done...filofax is winning hehe.

this image is from a lover of filofaxes Stevie.

 I am wanting a leather one, because if I want something to hold up to my pulling in and out of my bag, I want it to also feel lived in, and the one thing that gives that feel is leather.

but the geek likes the bright ones too

this image is from the adorable blog onlylady

 

this image is from Pixellated spiff

I love how people have personalized their own books and it really does reflect them as people, I look forward to that aspect a lot.

this little vid was cute, was one of the first I watched and also features the filofax I am saving for. Please enjoy Little Red Moose's video

this image is from a beautiful shop called pens and leather

so there I am....in a pretty little filofax loop...

enjoy getting lost in this papery artform

xx Courtney

Inspiration Tuesday - Collections are Beautiful

I think collections of things are so lovely, they move a person to love it so much that they want multiples of this one thing..they really do fascinate me.

here are some collections that have won my heart lately.

 

above is Gertie Jaquet's handcarved stamp collection which I gasped at when I saw it! so so amazing.

of course whats collections post without journal collections

 

a year of journals from the blog Wild thyme

 a beautiful collection of teacups from the blog inspire Bohemia 

do you collect things?

I know I have a few little collections happening, maybe one day I'll photograph them

enjoy your Tuesday

x Courtney 

Monday Mantra

A touch of whimsy for your Monday this week, in the words of Jk Rowling, Don't let the muggles get you down! live your day to the fullest.
I wont let the muggles get me down this week!
xx have a fantastic Monday

Inspiration Tuesday - List Me Baby!

The other night in my sleepy haze after a big day, I found a link to 52 Lists for the year, I am behind of course, thats how I roll most of the time, behind the 8 ball, but I started to print them out, and will be filling them in, till I catch up. These lists will be put into my Project Life Folder, (which I'm also catching up on lol  - pics to come!) I decided that week to week with project life is just too much for me, I have photos for months..so I thought, I will just document my year, any way I can, so my folder will be our entire year with no fixed, boxed in ways of documenting, just what I get done...anyway! back to the lists!
Moorea Seal is the creator of the list project, and I must say I am enjoying filling these out!!

So if you are looking for something to bulk up you project life, or just a bit of a list lover like myself, why not catch up like me! and do 52 Lists!

have a beautiful Tuesday!
xox Courtney

Monday Mantra!

 

Image found via Pintrest

Its probably been blogged in so many places, but thats ok, I wanted to remind us to do things that make us awesome. Things that make us happy, things that feel good...these things make us better people! I know I'm going to be doing just this!

I refuse to be anything but awesome!

have a fantastic Monday!!

Inspiration Tuesday - Handbound beautiful

There is something magical about a hand bound book, it has a soul, it whispers...it beckons you to flick through its pages...I am an avid believer in keeping journals, and to add to that passion, is to keep handmade journals.

Mary Ann Moss over at Dispatch from LA, is a woman who makes some of the most unique and beautiful handbound journals I've seen to Date.

they just look so loved, and so filled with life and memories. I have taken two classes from her on bookbinding and I adored every second of both classes.

another beautiful book binder, is the adorable Pam Garrison

who also sings to my journal keeping soul, with fabric and vintage flowers, pops of colour and a lot of handbound beautifulness.

 

so magical, it makes me want to go into my studio and just start making books, so I can spend the rest of my years, filling them with memories and photosgraphs.

 One last book binder who I adore, she is so down to earth and such a genius when it comes to making handbound books is Jenniebellie 

if you have never bound a book, I suggest you immerse yourself in these women's blogs and fall head over heels in love with them. I will be spending my weekend this weekend, folding pages, and creating books for myself, and my little girl, as I know she will love a book bound by mummy

enjoy your evening...make a hot drink and go blog hopping.

xx Courtney

Inspiration Tuesday - a little practical magic.

One of my all time favorite movies to date is the wonderful Practical Magic, if you've never seen it, do check it out, it's so beautiful in its story, and its set. So my Inspiration for the week is based loosely around the movie...and the feeling that movie gives me.

image from a Fanciful Twist

with gardens that make you want to sit and just lazily bask in the sun...

 

to rooms, filled with clutter and wonder

 

to adding the leaves around you to the pages of your journal...

to women who run in the wild...

to the deer...that gallop through the snow...

there are so many beautiful feelings this movie brings to the surface...

Even though I had watched this movie so many times during my teens and early 20's I sat there the other night, glued as if it was the first time I had seen it...

I hope this has inspired you to pop on the movie, and get lost in the beautiful

xx Courtney

Inspiration Tuesday - Illustration Obsession.

Lately I've been drawn into the lovely world of illustration side of pintrest, finding kooky creatures, and whimsy laden words I've gotten lost in the lovelieness of it all. I need to start filling my walls with prints of these artworks...I need a wall devoted to it in my house...let me take you away...

If i can track down the original artist, I link back otherwise all images found via pintrest.

This beautiful soft sad little character stole my heart. I adore her...and the fact that she is on a bookpage makes her most lovely.

 a little tree character to make you smile! I see her walking through the forest making sure all the trees are happy, her leaves shaking when she laughs. so simple and yet so emotive.

from the amazing mind of Nathaniel Mather This is so cute! I saw it and had to include it in my picks for today's inspiration!

a girlfriend of mine loves boats, so I saw this and thought of her...traveling the ocean and the stars by boat..what better way to do some traveling.

I'll be back tomorrow with an I do Wedding Wednesday Post..and also will be posting some of my work I'm working on in the Mermaid Circus post..I didn't get Friday pages done as I was at my sickest with this cold thats holding on for dear life! so more art to come, I promise.

I hope you enjoyed a step into my world...and my love for illustration.
x Courtney

Monday Mantra - Why Not?

It's another Monday morning, and I'm looking through my picks for Monday Mantra, and this one seems fitting. Why not Today? there is nothing from stopping us from making changes today. If we wait for the perfect moment, we will never change something. You can change your life at any stage, you just have to be willing to jump in with both feet.
So Why not today? change something today, try something today...there is no time like the present.
xx Courtney

the dancers of the ocean - Inspiration Tuesday.

 

 image from Mermaid Circus

 I am very very lucky to have the opportunity to be able to take part in this art class. 

The lovely Teesha Moore, and Jane Davenport are teaming up to create a whimsy beautiful class called Mermaid Circus....so today I am being taken under the sea to to the underwater attraction of the Mermaids. I got lost in pintrest looking for images of mermaids...they really are magical beings...and I am falling in love with them..as I know many before me already have.

 image from Mermaid Circus

 

There is something about the flowing hair, and the colour palette of the mermaids that is just calming and beautiful. I am thinking I need some mermaid art in my house somewhere, maybe even in my bathroom...just to add some stillness and quiet beauty to my life.

I love this old fashioned almost botany sketch of the creature blow, she just seems so content.

 

 *sigh* they are majestic, and I'm totally smitten.

enjoy the loveliness that is the mermaids....they really make you feel...limitless.
xx Courtney

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

I do Wednesday - My fortnightly Wedding Post.

Hi there!
I thought is was time I started sharing my ideas and inspirations for my Winter wedding next year. Yes yes I am very EARLY but with a small budget and big ideas, I need to hash our how I'm going to make a beautiful wedding happen, on such a small amount of money! So every fortnight I will be posting a Wedding entry...who doesn't love a wedding right?

John and I, only picked colours like a week ago, and this was after I was frantically picking colours all over the place, from reds to mustards, purples and vintage blue, before I knew it I was drowning under a rainbow of colour combinations. I needed my husband to be to step in and calm blue ocean me!
We decided that Green and Grey would be our theme. Peridot green and grey, more to the point.

I am loving the idea of my Bridesmaids wedding lovely grey dresses with a pop of colour in their
shoes.

 

the artist in me would love to sport these under my wedding dress, but I think both mothers would be mortified heheh.

 

So that is where my head is at the moment, next post will be about our engagement party invites, which I am currently working away on myself to save money! I just needed the colours first before I could create anything! So you will get to see how they turn out, and how I used our colour combo to make it work.

I hope you enjoyed the first wedding post, there is a lot to cover! enjoy your day
xx Courtney

Inspiration Tuesday - Paint Chip Tuesday

The humble paint chip! you get them from hardware stores and paint shops, free 90% of the time, and you don't really notice them...and I admit it, neither did I...until I delved into pintrest searching for something to inspire me for the week...and I found some very cool uses for paintchips!

Putting them through your printer! and giving such a fantastic look to your family photos! this may not appeal to many, but this sung to the artist in me and the memory keeper! this is deffinately on my to do list! even if the photos just end up in my journal! still a great way to use your photos and give your art journal a splash of colour! totally my top pick.

 

How about adding some art to the walls of your house! This blew my mind, John wasn't sold on it, but me, I was in love! I may even make a mini version for my studio wall, I thought this was a stunning home decor way to use a stack of paint chips! and a very budget friendly way to give one of your walls a little attitude and brightness.

 

 One of my faves, purely for my little girls sake and her love of notebooks! was turning them into little notebooks add a little cheap white paper sew them down the side to hold it all together and before you know it, you have a great array of little notebooks! My little Lily will lose her mind over these, as she is a notebook hoarder, and has such a collection (almost as much as mummy) so I will be making these for sure...for the both of us, an easy way to throw a little book into your handbag for your daily reminders.

above is another take on the notebooks...can you tell I love them hehe. Such a simple idea...used in so many ways! there was alot of ideas for paint chips but I had to pick my three faves, or this post would be huge!

I hope this has inspired you a little to look outside the norm for something to brighten your day on a budget!
xx Courtney
see you tomorrow for my first wedding post!

 

Inspiration Tuesday - Embroider Me

Lately I've started developing an excitement for the art of embroidery. The idea of creating art in a different format, and having something really lovely is appealing to me, an art that is slowly making a come back but in a refreshed and fun way!

Turning some material and some thread into something so delicate and so inspired is lighting my heart alight!

Such simple stitches and yet, they are so lovely! this little pink embroidery made me smile so much the other day when I discovered it.
and this sampler below...blew me away

I am awaiting the day I can sit down on the couch with a hoop, embroidery thread and a needle...so I can make art on another level.
the thought of taking my creatures...and making them into something else...it has truly excited and inspired me.

 all images found via printrest. 

Have a fantastic Tuesday! and I hope this little post inspires you to take your art to another level! 

xx Courtney