Monday Mantra

Now that the engagement party is over, and a week working at the craft fair with the lovely Jane Davenport and that my family have now also returned home, I can now settle back into the blogging.

I sat for a while trying to think about what I wanted my weeks mantra to be...I had a lot of options, but this one seemed to be prevalent for the week. I think I spend too much time existing, and not living. We always want to get through another day, instead of living in it. I am going to try and be more in the moment and living...then purely existing.

this week I have some paleo cookies for a we try it wednesday I made them on the weekend loved them and thought they would be a good recipe...they are a TREAT still.

I have some journal pages to show you in Friday's pages, I am also filming the part 4 of the journal keeper, which I know many are waiting for!

I want to undertake a little winter craft soon, as its the weather for it...but lately my crafyness has been a little lack lustre lol, maybe this will be my year of finishing...pft lol we shall see

have a fantastic monday, and I'll see you back here with Inspiration Tuesday
xx Courtney

Fighting the Black Dog - How I do it.

image from Bill Taylor

If you have been a reader for a long time, you know that I live my day to day life with an illness. I battle Depression day after day, and currently I am fighting it with no medication...just my diet and exercise and my art...but there are a few things that I do, each day to arm myself with enough happiness to get through another day.

Depression is a sucky illness, it can make your day go from 10 to 0 in a matter of seconds, it sucks us down into a hole which we try to claw our way out of over and over. I was diagnosed just after having eli, it started as post natal depression and then evolved into full blown depression. I've been on medication for years, and its only been the last year and a bit that I decided to try something different. What I was doing wasn't working...I was still stuck in the hole...and I wasn't making any headway trying to claw my way out.

so here are a few things I do in my day to day life, that helps me deal with the black dog.

1.Take each Day as it comes, living in the moment helps you put blinkers on so your're not getting lost in the things that are going on around you..you can focus on just now..just this moment...and live it to its fullest.

image from Poppies and Sunshine

2. Surround yourself with Light! - As kooky as this sounds, Sunlight is a natural mood lifter. Our moods and emotions are so in sync with how a day looks visually. I try and get up and open the curtains and windows. Every morning letting the light in is a simple way to make a day seem lighter and more uplifting, easier to deal with.

3. Give yourself permission to wear bright shoes! - This may seem silly...but honestly this is one of my go to things when I feel those emotions starting to creep in. Get yourself a pair of shoes that make you smile. I put on a flowy bright skirt and really bright shoes and walk into my day with colour!

image from Now and Then

4. Take some time out of your day, to walk in the sunlight. We need a little Vitamin D, yes you can get it in a pill form..but nothing beats taking a few moments to soak in some sunlight....I get some of my best ideas sitting on my back porch with my journal just daydreaming...we need that time to sit still and just soak up the rays of sunlight...close your eyes and look towards to light...you should see rainbow colours within  your eyelids...its beautiful. I need sunlight like I need air most days.

5. Feed your body With Love - In our current society, our food doesn't resemble food anymore...we are putting things into our bodies that is doing more harm then good! With additives and preservatives and colourings and sooo much hidden sugar...these are all factors in our moods...whether we like it or not! When we feed our body with junk and bad food, our mood reflects that food...and believe me, I did not understand this step..till I lived it. I went Paleo,  I eat whole foods, nothing processed, no sugars, as natural as I can get! and the lift in my general demeanor was very evident. When I moved house, we had a heap of takeaway because hard to do paleo while you move..and you could see the shift in mood! I felt heavy and sad, frustrated angry! (not just because I was moving) after we'd eaten, I felt so disgusting. So if there is one thing you do to fight depression...let it be this step, its a life changer.

image found via Pintrest

6. Take some time out of your day, to do some exercise, it may be small, it may be huge...but do it. I was and still am a hater of working out, but I do it, because I feel better after I've done it. I work out 6 days a week, for 45mins to an hour a day. Its part of my wellness plan, I know its good for me, I know it helps me keep above water.

It's not rocket science, and I know they may seem like huge steps...but I promise you, try them out for a week...it has taken me years to get to this stage, but I do it everyday, to fight the darkness. 

I hope this post has helped you in some way shape or form..and please if you want to talk to someone shoot me a email, I am a good listener - theinnerstitch@gmail.com 

Have a lovely Thursday.

xx Courtney

Monday Mantra a day late.

I had this draft saved and everything then forgot to come and publish it! I am off my game these last few days, we took the teacup humans to the zoo, and I think my body is just recovering.  This week is about not letting small things get you down...you adjust and move on with full speed! Not everything is going to go our ways..and thats ok...for we like a challenge to prove the world wrong.
have a fanstastic week gusys!
xx Courtney

Inky Pages - Art Journal Spreads.

Good Evening my darlings, it's a cold Saturday night, the little ones are tucked up in bed, water bottles warming their souls, and I sit at my desk, in a scarf and green ugg boots getting things done in my altered journal. I never expected to get so attached to a book. It goes almost everywhere with me, and yes, I have shoulder pains because of it lol, but it's worth it, I sit at my little man's school with it open just working on odds and ends, washii tape in my purse, a few photos tucked into the back to whip out when I think a pages needs some love.

the below picture is a girl I created with some watercolour markers, some india ink, prismas over an old letter I had lying around. the ink from the letter did morph a bit, but it made me love it more.

a photograph, a day tag, a cute fabric off cut from some random thing in my drawer and I was rolling along with this page, the waves were drawn in the windy cold of the primary school hehe. Some of those red flowers I love so much, they have become a big part of these pages. Photograph is one of my bus stop self portraits I do on instagram sometimes.

in the last moments of last night, I grabbed my pencil and created this little long necked odd girl. I played with colouring her in today, I like the look of her, shes simple, I'll keep playing with the long necks in a few sketches to come I think

below I found an old image on a clear oht page, turned it into a little pocket. Making use of the random junk that lines my bottom drawer.

Have a beautiful Saturday evening, curl up with your journal, and the junk that lines your drawers, letters images, tags..anything if fare game...and its all part of your life.

xx Courtney

Friday Pages - Art Journal Play

Another Friday is upon us! and with that, more pages from my Art journal, I'm losing a little steam in the ole' journal department, I think maybe its because I'm not pushing myself hard enough, trying to get out of the box, so that is next weeks challenge, to come up with new ways to journal, that I've not tested before.
I worked on some sketches then glued them down to give them life - there was a video of this, but imovie cracked a tantrum! so looks like no video till Tuesday when I'm kid free again. Sorry my dears.


I wasn't very happy how the entire page turned out, and I think her hair is a little too big lol. I might even work back over her, gesso out what I dont like and start again....we shall see.

in this spread I played with some stamping, and some watercolour paints in tubes, using a baby wipe and just staining the paper with it, I really liked how it came out, so that will be somehthing I do alot more I think.
and a page I haven't journalled on yet but I really like this, so simple, just a bit of paint glue, designer paper and some gesso, the girl used watercolour crayons, graphite, and a little stamping like I said simple.

and a work in progress...image transfer from an old encyclopedia didn't take, the ink mustn't lend itself to transference so I'll find that little mess with something, not sure what...you shall find out next week.

and there you have it, those are the pages I worked on during my spare time, a little of this a little of that, maybe next week I'll have some totally new things to show you, if my challenge for myself actually is that, out of the box journalling!

take care of yourself
and make sure you get your journal out over the weekend and make a mark...anything is better then nothing.
xx Courtney

art journal play

How Friday's Pages were created.
x C

Blog Watch - A nook in the Attic

Its been a little while since I made a blogwatch post, but I have been collecting my faves for future posts! Although this blog is only new to my favourite lists, I think I've read almost all her entries, as they are really touching and beautiful, not just to look at, but to read. Imagine a worth with stunning colour in every corner of your house, this adorable blog has splashes of stunning in every post, and I was drawn in like a moth to a rainbow bright flame.  Step into the crochet brilliance of Attic24

how can you not smile at the abundance of colour and perfection these blankets, granny squares, teacups and flowers. They are some of my most favourite images I've seen to date on a blog. I could literally print them for the walls of my craft room I adore them so much. It has made me ache for a basket full of brightly coloured solid balls of yarn and a crochet hook. Just so I too can make blankets like this.

Although I adore every image on this blog, it's not just the pictures that draw you in, her wonderful luscious stories are just a breath of fresh air, being a mum to two little ones myself, its always so lovely to read other mummy posts. The post on Yes Day made me smile at the absolute simplicity of making children happy. That we as parents have the ability to say yes, all the time if we want to. Even if you look at nothing else on her blog, please read yes day, its innocent and beautiful.

For now, I'll leave you with some more gorgeous photographs, this blog is as I said before, literally dripping with colour and muse dust! If you cant crochet, pick up a hook and start, if this isnt a wake up call for dormant crocheters I dont know what is. I now want to make my very first granny square blanket, and only wish it as beautiful as her work. Enjoy the loveliness that is Attic24

Tea and Yarn, and future bright blankets

Courtney 

xx