MUSINGS: Endings & beginnings

I'm not very philosophical, and I'm still very much hog tied as to what I can and can't say

all that I want to share is that I come from a place where all I want to do is help others - that is deeply rooted in my soul

I want to help where I can, and if I can't help in my current role, then I need to make changes.

We aren't trees

So we make movements slower than we had hoped, but eventually we find the path that we want to be on - and usually it's within us

I heard a great quote once - whatever you are willing to put up with, is exactly what you will have

My new journey starts soon - and I'm just writing the story now.  Soon I can say that I've finished that chapter, and I'll be rewriting a new one.........................if soon comes along sooner that'd be great!

it's all about learning lessons and taking the good with the bad - it could have been worse and it could have been better

All that matters to me right now, is that I have my health & home, my family by my side, and my passion

BRING IT ON 2014..............I AM READY!!!

2014 - my year of rebirth

so many things I'd like to be able to share, but alas my hands are tied.

I have big plans for 2014 for Dottidoo and my artwork - without giving anything away, I'd like to share my plans for this year

1. get my personal Facebook page up & running
2. get Dottidoo online & start selling on Etsy & madeit
3. do some local markets
4. be more involved with BrisStyle in any capacity
5. start to get my own work out there!!

As I have written my intentions down, so shall I get s&%t done this year!!!  I hope you can enjoy and learn lessons along the way too!!

As a footnote, I thought I'd show you the Week 1 from Willowing's Life Book!!  It's 52 weeks of art tutorials and lessons, tips & tricks, and if this is what I've achieved with the ENOURMOUS AMOUNT OF INFORMATION I got from week 1, then I'm very confident IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT YEAR!!  XXX

Will your dream ever become your reality?

One of my friends Coral from creativewomensbusiness recently posted about BEING SO CLOSE TO YOUR GOALS THAT YOU CAN ALMOST TOUCH IT

She has a wonderful blog that talks about the stresses & challenges of being creative and trying to make that transition from hobby to business, while tackling a job and many other FUN THINGS!!

She went to an inspiring class recently (Go check it out!) and was posting about her doubts.....(quotes from her post below)

You can’t just cross your arms and nod your head like ‘I Dream Of Jeanie’ and poof, there it is.

Because you know it takes a lot of work to get to that point.  And while you love living it just for a day or two, you are reminded just how far away you are from it being your every day.  And I little bit of ‘I’m not good enough’ creeps in even though you know better.  Even though you know that’s not what it’s about.

 

I wrote a comment back to her about what I thought it meant to be close to your dream..................and I wanted to share it here.

 

 

 

Was I being too judgemental and thinking she was 'down on herself' too much?  Did I assume because she mentioned her doubts that she was automatically meant she had taken a back step? 

 

here's what I wrote

 

I HEAR YA SISTER!!!
I posted something the other day that may resonate for you…..
Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy
I know exactly what you mean about the life you can see others living that you are hoping to have yourself………….and I know that negative thoughts will sometimes stop your mind from believing you can have that life too.
But I suppose the difference between them & us is that they are just a little further along the track.
Doesn’t meant that you’re not already there in someone else’s eyes though
for sure, have an end goal, draw up a vision board, get back to Oprah reruns and read up on The Secret………..but PLEASE also remember to ENJOY EVERY DAY along the way.
It’s so easy to get caught up in everyone else’s highlight reels that we forget how far we have actually come, or how lucky we already are.
Just remember that you have an amazing gift, and it’ll all fall into place……if it hasn’t already fallen into place and you just need to see the forest rather than the trees xxx

 

I think my comments are trying to inspire Coral, but I also don't want her to think that I'm living the dream.........

 

Because I don't personally think anyone is ever living the dream..........all the time.  I think it's less about searching for happiness, and choosing to be happy where you are RIGHT NOW

 

 

 

I'd love to know what you think about how our internal dialogue is constantly in dispute with our outward persona..........is it right/wrong or does no one but us really care!?!!

 

Curious to read your thoughts on it all

inspiration - when it strikes is up to you

it's a hard thing having a blog.........and running a business.............and staying sane while raising a family................

the momentum is very much like a roller coaster for all three of these things.............

sometimes you're cruising along and things are working well - then you have to dig in and climb an invisible wall just to see the other side.

at other times you are filled with endorphins that can only be explained as fireworks going off inside..........I think these moments happen mostly when you stop and just allow the world to show you all you have..........rather than when you are running around chasing your tail and wondering if there's light at the end of the tunnel.

Want to know the truth!?!!

THERE IS NO TUNNEL!!

There is darkness and there is light, and the light that you notice is always there, if you are IN THE MOOD to notice it.

You can't rely on other people to show you that light - cause you'll be in the zone now & then, but it's something that you have to learn to find yourself...........

Whether is be in the form of daily meditation
or if you feed yourself well and look after your body (which means you'll notice how fit you are)
or if you spend ten minutes a day being creative (see my #committobeingcreative post here )
or if you just sit with a cuppa and a magazine at the end of the day, and find some time to JUST BE

So find that time when you can...............but make sure to give yourself CONSCIOUS SIGNS TO DO IT.

    *    post it notes telling you to JUST BE
    *    get a tattoo that says it and remind yourself often
    *    set a time on your phone
    *    do whatever works

Cause it's not going to happen as often if you wait for it to spontaneously occur.  

 

If you're still stuck, Nik from the Mindfulness project is an expert who can advise you about what you need to do - it's a great blog and I think I'll have to book into the 8 week mindfulness course very soon!!  Here is her blog about Here is her blog about a change of pace

holidays = rest, reconnect, release

August was a break for me and my family - we haven't had a holiday since I opened up the shop over 3 years ago - so it was well overdue!!

We decided that it was time to go to the snow!!  Having had no experience myself (apart from a small toboggan ride on the side of the road during one of our many family car trips,) I haven't ever donned the boots & hit the slopes.  Turns out my years of ice skating held me in good stead, and I can proudly say that I was able to stay upright for most of the time!!

Let's not mention that the kids skiied virtual circles around me, and that they went up to the next level of slopes (I had to support the local bar at some point, it's my civic duty!)

It was a wonderful 10 days of skiing, resting, driving, sightseeing and basically reintroducing myself to my beautiful family.  While testosterone heavy at times, it was so nice to reconnect with my boys (all 3 of them,) and the scenery that NZ put on while we were away was simply breaktaking!!

My pledge for next month - to get a display of photos up on a wall somewhere, framed or blu tacked.............so long as they're not simply stuck in a kodak envelope for the rest of eternity.

Oh yeah, and the other pledge..............to make sure I reaquaint myself with these gorgeous but crazy guys I am proud to call my family xxx

commit to being creative

woo - time is a funny thing...............

You think of so many things you're going to do at the beginning of the day, and then BAM!!!  it's 5 o'clock and you have NOTHING TO SHOW for it!!

it's not always like that, but most days, if you're anything like me, you have grand plans of doing a heap of things, but then a little thing called life gets in the way, and you're lamenting at the end of the day for the rest of the world to stop, just so you can catch up on what you had planned.

WELL STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!!!

You are not going to get everything ticked off your to-do list - so stop beating yourself up about it!

You are going to look at a million things every day (thanks Pinterest) that you want to do, but you JUST CAN'T!!

You are going to struggle each & every day to find some time to release that creative monster in you.............I know this................it eats me up each & every day too!!

BUT....................YOU CAN #committobeingcreative!!

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT!?!!

With life being so busy these days, it's almost impossible to find time for YOU!!  Husbands, wives, jobs, kids, pets, family, friends, businesses, volunteering, sports, groups, etc.  WHEN DID WE GET SO BUSY!?!!

My new mantra is commit to being creative - simply find 10 MINUTES EVERY DAY to do something that you LOVE!!

It doesn't have to be crafty - you can cook, sing, read, make chutney, declutter, clean, scream, laugh, listen to music, watch a recorded show, hell.........you can even sleep if you want!!

The secret is to do it EVERY DAY,  for a minimum of 10 minutes..............that's all!!!

It's damn near impossible to find a half hour each day - and don't even TRY for a full hour to yourself.............but 10 minutes..........hey, that just might work!!!

SOME SUGGESTIONS TO HELP YOU FIND 10 MINUTES

Get up 10 minutes earlier than you usually do
put your hair in a bun instead of drying it for the day
put on lippy & mascara and forego the spakfilla makeup (you are beautiful enough!)
put the cereals & milk out for the kids and tell them to make their own (they can do it, believe me!)
reward your kids with tv time if they get ready early, then you can all start the day relaxed
get the train and use that time to do your thang
at work, during your lunch break (you know you're entitled to one!)
set an alarm for the same time every day so you don't forget
at night send the kids to bed and stay up 10 minutes later (if you can make it only 10 minutes!)

Now I'm not saying that it's going to be easy to find that time..........every day is different, and every situation is more challenging than the last...........and you'll probably find yourself spending more than 10 minutes a day doing it sometimes............but that's not a bad thing, is it!?!!

Before you give me your pity stories about how busy you are.....................I run a small business in a retail space that is open 6 days a week............I have to do the business work behind the scenes to make sure the business is running professionally after hours too (that BAS isn't going to do itself)..............I have a second job helping a friend two days a week (work that out!!)...........I have two school aged children who i need to care for and spend time with, who also play sports on weekends and train after school twice a week................I have a husband who is away more than he is at home (luckily he's also willing to give me time away when he gets back on weekends)................and I have no family members nearby that I rely on.

So................your excuses won't work here!!

Find 10 minutes a day to do something you love - YOU KNOW YOU DESERVE IT!!

I've already started the promotion on instagram last month, and we've already had nearly 700 posts from all over the globe!!

So why don't you join the party and #committobeingcreative...............starting TODAY!!!!

finished #5 - scarf top

finished #5 - scarf top

So you might not know that i'm addicted to Pinterest yet - WHO ISN'T!?!!

and I'm always searching for a few minutes between working full time in my business, and being a mum & wife for the rest of the time

Pinterest is a lovely escape and a great resource for all things possible.  If you want to be inspired, humoured or even shocked at times, you need to be a part of it - seriously.

But back to one of the jobs on my "if only I had more time..." board - A SCARF TOP

I found this image and repinned it so that I could look back onto the instructions later.  Sadly the link just takes me back to nowhere - so me being stubborn, I thought I may as well just do it myself!!

First thing I did was grab some fabric I had bought from a local BrisStyle gals de-stash http://kittybooboodesign.blogspot.com.au/ and cut 2 pieces approx. 1m x 1m (sorry if you're looking for the technical terms, that just ain't my thang!) and overlock the edges.  I did this as it wasn't a scarf I used for this particular shirt.  Next time i have time alone I'll be going to my local oppies & getting a few lovelies that are already edged.

next I put the pieces up to me, and pinned a spot on either side above my shoulders (just on the outside of the collar bone,) so that I could sew those spots later - note as per the picture that I only sewed a small space to join the front & back together.

After that, I then grabbed some black ribbon and (after turning the shirt inside out,) I attached the ribbon to the waist area of the top (this will differ for you - at this point it's probably best to put the top on and measure the waist area for yourself.)

The ribbon length, by the way, was approx. 55cm

Don't forget to turn the top inside out when sewing the ribbon piece in.

Once that's done, turn it the right way around and pop on.  You'll see the top sits nicely on your shoulders, and then the ribbon when tied together at the back also brings it all in - so simple & lovely!

 

 


If I was a professional I'd talk at this point about the importance of using the right type of material for the job and that the overlocking on my fabric one does tend to stand out.  If I can be bothered I'll be sure to maybe turn it around so it's not as obvious - but that'll have to wait - cause I've been distracted by something else I've found on pinterest!!!

don't forget to iron your finished product when you go out (like I clearly didn't!) - and also be sure to tell everyone, "thank you for the compliments, I MADE IT MYSELF!!"