Happy New Year arty friends!

Technology doesn't seem to want to work with me lately but looks like I can upload pics again to my blog and fingers crossed the problems with our work website will be resolved soon!

Quote from today's journal page:

"Currently at Eastern Beach, an incredibly stunning day. I don't think the sky could be bluer or the sun brighter."

This weather has been amazing. I love that I get to record it all in my journal. While laying about on the beach I did a wee watercolour of a broken shell in front of me. Bliss.

And on my desk tonight I'm working on a class that I hope to sneak in at NZ Scrapbook before my trip away next week. This is a Product Preview event by the way - so uses all new product from 7Gypsies. Boy I am digging the tray! Stay tuned for more info on that event.


So many things on my mind for 2010. Lots of hopes and personal goals as usual. 2009's focus was travel and happily that is overlapping into 2010. I find having an intention/focus really helps me stay on track with where I want to be. That's not to say I don't wander from time to time but it does help me regroup when needed. 2010 is art. So many of my art goals are unrealised, recent times some of the art I love to do has been pushed aside by other things. Having art as a focus for the year for me doesn't mean pushing it as a top priority but instead being conscious of making time to create, learn, experiment and record.

Exciting art includes sketching more (pure joy!), journal art (lurrrve), art while I travel (which I do anyways but yum!), art with my kids (both spend a lot of time creating so good to do together), art supports my business (I get to teach more), art to give away (I love making personalised gifts/cards for my friends) .. even just organizing my studio is fun. I have bigger art goals too but more on that at another time :)


If you haven't set a focus for the year I would whole heart-idly recommend it. 2009's travel year included: lots of short trips within New Zealand - Thames, Coromandle, Taupo, Rotorua, Waihi and Wellington, trip to Melbourne and 5 1/2 weeks in San Fransisco, Florida, England, Scotland and Wales! Next week is 3 1/2 weeks - San Fransisco, Arizona, Vegas, LA and Chicago. The focus carries over ... I hope to add Melbourne, Bali, Adeliade and New York also for 2010... how will I pay for this all? Perhaps by doing lots of art!


Create your life :)

Labels: Art, Create-your-life, Goal-setting, Great Places International, Journal-Pages, Sketching

More journal pages... No space untouched and jamming as much in as I can! The days here include friendly strangers, experimenting with style and achieving goals, plus a bunch of working, teaching and new jars of Vegemite. All good things!


The pic of the gal (bottom left) is from Metro Magazine - cute outfit which I set about duplicating. First time I have done this and it was fun to find pieces and making a look work on me. Try it!

I also set myself about 6 goals for the month. I got closer on all (progress) and when I could see I wasn't going to make it with them all, I kept working at them all but focused on making sure I achieved ONE. Encouraged by the achievement I made more goals for this month, 12 actually - this time using the same ratio I expect to achieve two then add one for improvement!

I get that I could just set 3 goals and achieve 3 of 3 but I want progress in all these areas, I feel like this way I acknowledge them, define then and make a plan for achievement. Even if the reality of the time line is longer than I hope for. Also if I was aiming for perfection, then perhaps I would be inclined to set goals that didn't truly challenge - and if its not a challenge, is it really a worthwhile goal? and instead just a task?

I have lots of ideas on goal setting, I'd love to hear yours.
In goal making and achieving, what works for you?

Labels: Create-your-life, Goal-setting, Journal-Pages, Street-style

Heyas!

Just as this Blog is called Create Your Life. I love finding more proof that this is true.

At NZ Scrapbook we are re-running our Book of Me crop series. For those not familiar with Book of Me, the concept was made popular by author Angie Pedersen and is about creating a scrapbook album where you can tell your story, your likes, dislikes, character, hopes and dreams. It's your opportunity to create an album that celebrates and records your own uniqueness.

Given my original class samples were made 6 years ago it was high time for an update.

The page I updated was from week two of our series entitled Just one Word & Pieces of Me. In short, choose one word that describes you and then additional words, personality traits and roles to paint a bigger picture.

Selecting one word is a real challenge! In the end I selected Earnest. Not in a boring, serious way. It was the meanings that got me: passionate, busy, diligent, eager, warm, purposeful, perseverant... and so on. But Earnest in what? hence the expansion into Earnest Explorer of Life Experience.

Here's the interesting bit:
I believe creating my original layout may have been a turning point for me. When you discover truth, there is no running away from it. The text in my original layout outlines my dissatisfaction with the word that best described me - Soft. Now I know that soft isn't all bad. The world needs soft. However life no longer happens around me. I take responsibility for my life experiences. I try to make each day a best day. I continue to be compassionate and caring without getting walked over. Oh, and take a look at my photo - yes I lost over 50kg (110lbs) in the journey from Soft to Earnest.


Not forgetting to mention being an Earnest Explorer of Life Experience is way fun!!


What evolution would you like to see in your life? It is possible, start now. Never give up.
~ Kathleen
xx

Labels: Book-of-Me, Create-your-life, Scrapbook-layouts