Fun and Excitement

I worked the shop this morning while The Motivator ran the Paint n Create workshop.

We had a lot of traffic through the shop while there was noise coming from the training room indicating fun and excitement!

The participants learned a new method today and they were obviously very happy with their results, leaving at the end of the morning with very big smiles on their faces.

The Motivator and I also left with very big smiles on our faces.

I came home to watch YouTube and in about 15 minutes created this ...

It’s not what I expected, but will try again tomorrow.

For me, there has been disappointing results in the footy finals this weekend and I am currently in bed watching an AFL finals game between GWS Giants and Brisbane Lions. It’s very close! Go the Lions!

Tomorrow is 15th September and it’s the date that Adoring Husband and I choose to celebrate as our Valentines Day. It’s the day we met face to face for the first time, after many months of chatting on line and over the phone - before the days of Skype and FaceTime.

2003 was the year, so it’s been 16 years!

Our valentine date will be a lunch in The Bay, probably at the marina. I’m excited!

Anyway, time for sleep now!

Nite all.

Write Off

Thursday was a write off for me.

Nothing major, but one thing after another, after another so that my day was busy and full and exhausting.

I did some art, one of which is sold ...

Today, I attended a six hour retreat at “That Peaceful Place” near Torbanlea.

There were 18 women, including myself, in attendance.

Watching and listening to all of those women made me realise how far I have come in the last couple of years and I recognised my old self in so many of them. They really helped me feel like I’ve got my shit together (excuse the language).

These women recognise that they’ve lost their power somewhere along the way and they are ready to reclaim it. Today was a chance to learn about some useful tools to help them do that and to help them navigate their way through some of life’s challenges, be they physical, mental, emotional and/or spiritual.

Learning to drop the roles that we have taken possession of through our lives and finding a more meaningful and fulfilling way to live and love.

At the end of the day, even the young ones (in their 20s) had tears streaming down their cheeks. There were no tears from me, but I felt an intense joy that left me on a high.

There were lots of aha moments for most of the women and they were all feeling the love and so much gratitude for the life changing six hours that they had just experienced.

It was a great day in a beautiful location and The Gypsy has created a space that is so calming and healing and, as the name suggests, peaceful. I loved being there and I don’t know how she ever finds reason to leave!

If and when you’re ready to face your own blocks, triggers, vices and fears, this kind of retreat will change your life and give you the greatest feeling of empowerment. There were still a couple of rescuers there who weren’t ready to face their own stuff, but more than ready to help others face theirs.

People are so interesting.

I’m so glad I attended today, but boy am I exhausted!

Nite all.

Working Woman

I worked today, and although a lot of people came through the door, they weren’t in much of a spending mood!

I used the time between visitors to check my website - for the first time in about a year! I will have to re-train myself on the ins and outs and how to edit/post on it! I have totally forgotten everything!

Adoring Husband was right on time to pick me up and at home, I got changed out of my work clothes and went straight to the studio.

I made these ...

Now I have no drying room left!

Definitely ready for bed now.

Nite all.

Lesson Learned

All the varnish that I poured onto my paintings has cracked and split.

I’m deeply disappointed because I followed the instructions via a YouTube video made by a woman who sells her paintings at a high price.

I’ve now destroyed three of my best paintings.

Luckily they weren’t paintings that I’ve sold!

The lesson learned is to do it the way I know how to do it and they way I’ve had success in the past.

Meanwhile I created this one this afternoon and as soon as I posted it on Facebook, I received a private message from a cousin asking me to make a larger one so that she could purchase it for a gift for someone.

That’s three times I’ve posted a pic of a painting and it’s sold within five minutes! 

Weirdsville!

It was a nice day today, starting off with the girls for coffee morning and then some quality time with The Motivator.

I cooked up some lunch when I got home and then had the disappointing moment with my paintings.

It took me another moment to climb out of that funk and actually create something, but I was happy with the outcome.

I’ll be working tomorrow and was looking forward to meditation, but it’s been cancelled so I’ll just have to meditate at home before I leave for the shop and then spend the day manifesting another bonanza sales day!

Right now, I’m off to bed.

Nite all.

I’m Exhausted!

On Sunday, I spent the day cleaning and tidying my studio and cleaning some canvases to prepare for varnishing, which is not an easy job!

Firstly I have to coat them in cornflour to soak up any excess silicone oil on the surface (drops of silicone oil goes into the paint to help form cells). After the flour is removed, the canvas is cleaned with a damp cloth, then it’s wiped down with baby wipes and then dried with paper towel.

I cleared all the canvases off the drying table so that I’d have room for the varnished paintings to dry.

My first priority this morning (Monday) was to prepare a big healthy paleo meal for our breakfast ...

Once our bellies were full, varnishing was my priority.

When the varnish was poured, I had to use the kitchen blow torch to burst the MANY bubbles in the varnish before placing the paintings completely level on the drying table.

Unfortunately I used up all the gas that was left in my three blow torches, so when the varnishing was finished, I couldn’t do any more paintings.

Adoring Husband offered to drive into The Bay to get some more Butane, so I made myself presentable and jumped in the car to accompany him!

What an expensive trip THAT was!

I bought more varnish, 4litres of Floetrol, 18 tubes of paint, 11 new canvases, 2 mini tubs, 4 floating frames, a packet of sponge brushes, a can of butane gas, 2 silicone mats, 6 squeeze bottles and NO shoes!

So I’m all set now, but it’s amazing how quickly canvases get used! Or should I say it’s amazing how quickly “I” use up canvases!

When we arrived home, I unpacked all of my goodies and then inspected my varnished canvases.

Guess what I found!?

Ugh!

A fly had landed in the varnish and got stuck. One of those tiny little flies now encased in the only dry varnish on the painting.

&*$%!!!

The safest thing for me to do was leave the room and close the door. Hope against hope that there are no more creepy crawlies hanging about and that there are no loose hairs or dust particles waiting to float down and land on the wet stuff.

Anyway, all the cleaning, tidying, washing, varnishing, bubble popping, shopping, unpacking and fly discovering has worn me out and I need sleep.

Nite all.