In the News - Encouraging the Young - Sir Karni Music

Welcome to In The News!  Today is going to be all about one young man who, has grown up and has many talents and I thought I would share his latest achievements with you.  We have to encourage our young, the men and women of our future to step out and use the gifts, talents and abilities that they have.  It is their generation that will be the worlds next leaders and movers and shakers and as we encourage them we see the fruits of our labor.

 Over the years I have shared aspects of my son Sekani's life, this little bundle of joy has provided us with an immense amount of laughter, love and he has a generous heart.

He was always caring and wanted to help, with his inquisitive and easy going nature he shone - he was known as a chatter box!

It is amazing to think that time has flown by so quickly and I wanted to congratulate him on an achievement that he has made.

Sekani, with his stand out and not follow the crowd personality, has been working hard on his music and collaborating with friends..

He is creating his own path, stepping out into the talents and gifts that he has and sharing them with others.

Our son, the young man whose name 'Sekani' means 'man of wealth and laughter', who has given us so far 19 years of laughter (and a few tears) - but that is all part of life as he matures into the man that God has called him to be.

As well as playing the piano, Sekani has been writing his own songs as well.  I wanted to share with you the latest project that he has been working on (in his home studio) which is his first song released on valentines day called 'I Wanna Be', featuring a couple of his friends, Pressure H and Tenzin C. The song has been taken from the album that he released.

Show him some love and visit his YouTube channel and listen to the song, and give him some encouragement.  His music links are - HERE

Stay blessed and be a blessing!

Digital Art - Growing

Been messing around with a drawing app on the Surface Pro over the past few weeks.  My husband Alan got himself one recently.  It is quite a handy little machine and I have really been taken with the drawing package.  It reminded me that I have a drawing pad that had been gathering dust, and digital art was something my late brother Robert had always been on at me to try, I resisted as I just couldn't see how it could ever come close to working with real paints.

I guess I didn't give my drawing pad a good enough chance and will have to dust it off to see what I can do with it, cause I really enjoyed creating these images, and hope to develop over time...

I really like the way you can use the different paints, watercolor crayons and brushes on the drawing Surface Pro, and these drawings were created using my finger and changing the brush sizes.  It does come with a pen but I couldn't quite get the hang of it and found my index finger quite flexible and freeing without the mess of painting with your hands.

All in all it gets a thumbs up from me, though I'm not sure how close Alan is going to let me get to it his Surface Pro, so I will try using the drawing pad I got a couple of Christmases ago...

I might give myself a 30 day challenge to start creating some digital images as it was great fun!

I would love to see what you have been up to digitally, leave a comment and a link to your site and I will come and visit.  Stay blessed and be a blessings!

UBC Day 3 & Gratititudes and Celebrations - Week - 59 - Savor

As a carer there are so many things that need to be done in order to get through the day.  You are not only thinking of yourself but another adult who needs your support for all their needs.   You can then find yourself busy in a lot of stuff, with deadlines and to do lists, busy, each with their own pressure and sometimes feel that you are rushing through life missing out on the blessings and relationships that are actually right in front of you.

You plan, and schedule, burning the candle at both ends, trying to reach a goal and then wonder why that headache that has been bothering you is still there, and when you start to think about it those aches and pains have been around for a while and so many things hurt.  The time that you crave to spend on those things that really matter and that nurture and minister to your soul are put aside and you are all timed out. 

What you need is balance and the time to savor, to sit, to think and reflect.  Among those plans and schedules and the daily things that you have to do - including looking after those you care for you have to make real time for those you love and to be with friends and share your life.  You have to notice the little things and take stock of where you are right at this moment and savor it, even if it is just for 5 minutes. I have found it important to savor the moments that I am able to spend with my mum, each special in its own way, where we can be in each other's company and just be still. 

I am grateful and celebrate the still times that I can organise just to be.  Without watching the clock or chasing another deadline, or worrying about what needs to be done but to spend time with those people that really matter in my life.

What can you to to take some time out to savor in your life right now

I look forward to the journey and hope you come along and join me. Why not start your own journal, keep it as simple or complex as you wish, but do something!

You can also click on the 'Celebrating life' image to be taken to the rest of the posts

Check out Silver Sunday which is an annual day of fun and free activities for older people across the UK. Led by The Sir Simon Milton Foundation, it celebrates older people and their contribution to our communities while combating loneliness and isolation. Everyone can get involved, and you can organise your own event, spread the word, or simply attending an activity. Silver Sunday will take place on 5th October 2014!

Excitement - Memories of Home

Well, it is the first day of the year and I wish you a very Happy New Year. I hope you enjoyed your celebrations seeing the new year in and where ever you are. 

Welcome to Memories of Home, if you would like to find out more information about the series, Click here

Being in a supportive environment is important to our growth as individuals, not everyone has had that opportunity and as adults we try and create an environment that will nurture and bless our children and indeed ourselves.

Excitement

Mixed Media House

Growing up there was always excitement  that came over you when the New Year celebrations had passed and everything had settled down.  You were back at school, it seemed like everything was made new and you had a fresh slate to try and experience new things.As kids we were always excited about the year to come, you had different celebrations coming up, birthdays to celebrate and you hoped that this year you got at least one thing on your wish list.

Being older the New Year and the first few weeks is of the year still fill me with excitement and it is all about that feeling of newness.  I have got the spring and summer months to come and look forward to making plans.  I plan the things I want to achieve for the year and armed with my diary look at lists and balance schedules.  Another thing I feel compelled to do at the start of the year is a spring clean.  This is currently at the top of our list and we are planning to get rid of a lot of things that are just cluttering up the home and not being used, trying to find a good home for them. We also see courses starting and it is an opportunity to learn new things and get those brain cells moving.

What fills you with excitement about the coming year, have you got something specific planned, ideas that you are working on or are just a thought without a form at the moment?  Speak life into these ideas and give them legs this year, and remember to share how you got on!

I would love to hear what big and little things you have planned I hope you continue to join me on my journey over the weeks, as I share my mixed media houses and look back to the memories of home. I look forward to hearing about some some of your own memories. Blessings and peace to you!

How does your Garden grow? - Creating in Faith

Cordyline Australis - Palm like tree!

For close to 16 years I have been working on my garden which turned it from just a patch of grass with a fence either side, to an established space that can whisk you (in your mind) to far off destinations – if you use your imagination.  My garden also reflects the amount of work that has been lovingly put into it over the years and is full of palm trees, scented flowers, evergreens and a plum tree.  I wouldn’t say that I am an expert, but over the years I have gained much knowledge in how to look after  plants to get the best out of them. My garden is about  40% brought  as small plants 20% from seeds and 10% as gifts from the birds and 30% grown from cuttings I have received from family and friends.

We need balance in our lives

We grew up in an apartment/flat as children and my mother had many houseplants dotted around the house that she would tend to.  I would see her lovingly water and clean the plants on a daily basis and this action promoted their growth and in turn she would then propagate the plants.  I was always amazed that from one plant many generations could flourish.  When I moved out of my parents and into my own flat mum would give me plants that she had been growing and I in turn developed a love for plants, and went out and got my own.   I was amazed at how the right conditions could make a big difference to a plant that grew and blossomed to one that failed to thrive and died.  Back in those days the houseplants of choice were the Swiss cheese plant, the Rubber plant and the Spider plant which are all easy enough to look after yet give some spectacular results.

Graduating to a Garden

When I started a family of my own I was faced with a 100 foot garden, Sekani who was then just 2 years and determined to be my helper and my houseplant experience to lean on.  I was overwhelmed at first with the size and the job at hand but knew that if I had a plan of what I wanted, read up about how to go about it, I could make the garden become what I wanted over time. Some of the main things I wanted in the garden was colour, scent, birds and trees and a way to provide privacy from the neighbours each side.  Once I knew what I wanted shaping the garden to how I wanted it to look became the adventure and I was always up for the challenge of trying something new. 

Tools for the job

Each year of tending to the garden brought different challenges and blessings.  My very first plants that I grew from seed were sunflowers.  These plants are the most gratifying and a very easy to grow. With their big heads of flowers I was able to grow 9 foot specimens, and provided much food in the winter months for the visiting birds. I experimented over the years with different plant combinations, learnt to understand the soil and what was necessary to promote growth.  I decided quite early on that I didn’t want to have one of those gardens where you had to bring plants in for the winter months or dig up bulbs, but that whatever the season with the right care the plants were able to handle themselves despite the elements.  

Scented roses at the back of the garden

 

I have shared in posts on my blog the many presents the birds have brought in the form of seeds that turned into a wide variety of flowering plants and trees, and I have either allowed them to grow where they have fallen or relocated them to a more suitable place within the garden

Putting your back into it!

I find being in the garden to be a really relaxing experience, but you have to work hard to get it to where you want it to be so that you can enjoy it.  I find maintaining  the garden an enjoyable experience,  many a time I come out it is to either relocate, plant or take a cutting, some much needed weeding and general tidying up, or just to sit with a book and enjoy the sound of the birds.  

Down side of the Cordyline  - it sheds its leaves

The weeds and fallen leaves are something that are always going to be there so you need to make sure you keep on top of them and put things in place to make it easier on yourself.  For me the weeds are a natural part of the cycle and there comes a time in our lives when we have to look at what we are doing that really doesn’t add anything to our lives, but instead like the weeds choke progress and development.  We have to work hard for our dreams, spending time on a regular basis to see them come to pass.  The soil also needs to be nourished and you have to take notice of those times when a plant needs that extra special boost.

plants now established

As I talk about my time spent in the garden, I realise that I have to remind myself to spend time ‘looking after’ myself. As the winter approaches we loose the sunlight and the much needed vitamin D production that would normally take place and so we need to ensure that our bodies are in tip top form and have all the nourishment that it needs.   In the same way that I would have a clear out of the garden, looking to see which weeds were trying to find a home amongst the plants I need to spend time in my own life seeing what activities I am involved with or practises that need to be stopped because they are not adding any benefits to my overall health and well being.   

Fruitful

Plum tree bearing fruit each year

 

We have to make sure we are doing those things that will enable us to be fruitful in all that we do.  The bible tells us that God is the vine and we are the branches and every now and then we have to prune that which is not being productive or bearing fruit.  We can all think of activities that are a waste our time and an ineffective use of our time, so what are you going to do about it?  Take time this week to think about not only what jobs need to be done in the garden, but what maintenance jobs you can do in your own life to get things ready for the autumn and winter months and stay blessed!

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  John 15:1

..He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things...Acts 17:25

G is for Growth

Growth is part of a process and we assume after a period of time  there should be some changes.  On Saturday I talked about being fruitful and part of producing fruit is a result of growth taking place, the quality of the fruit is something else!

As a mixed media Artist, I never assume that I know all there is to know about art, I am still a work in progress and appreciate that there are still many things to learn - new techniques and equipment that I have yet to try.  I therefore think it is vitally important to make an investment each year in my learning and development.  Along the way I also do a lot of reading and interacting with other artists, for with each encounter I want to learn something new, gain a new insight along the way which I can apply to my life and essentially grow.  Taking part in this challenge is always a learning experience and is something that has made me more confident to blog.  I celebrate my life today and I am thankful that learning is important to me.  I will continue to invest in my growth.  Can you identify areas of your life where growth has taken place?

Painting of the Day - 

Each day I share some of my newly completed work!

Mixed media 11"x8.5"

 Blog Love

I am sharing some love with a random selection of those who are also taking part in the 2013 A-Z Challenge, it's not everyone whose blog starts with the letter G, but a few of them for you to start with...

Going the Distance

Growing Up Victoria

Golden Lilly Crafts

God Has No Problems

Grace Grits and Gardening

52 Weeks of Colour - Growth

Reflection

Do not accept other people’s definition of happiness; carve out your own truth.

Quote

What soap is for the body, tears are for the soul. ...Jewish Proverb

Scripture

"God is not a man, that He should lie". Has He said, and will He not do it? Numbers 23:19.......

365 Days of Colour - Flower of the Day - 307 - 313

Growth

If we don’t grow we stand still, wither and fade away.  When we don’t use our mustles they become weak, if we don’t continue to learn and use our brain our cells die off.  A child grows up to be an adult and has responsibilities.  What area in your life do you need to turn the spotlight on to encourage growth?

Day 307

Reflection 

You have blessings waiting for you!

Quote 

Art is not to do with the practical side of making a living. It’s to live a fuller human life. ...Henry Moore 

Scripture 

Delight yourself in the Lord; an He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

Day 308

Reflection 

Today matters!

Quote 

Art is an experience, not an object....Robert Motherwell

Scripture 

The Lord isgood, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7

Day 309

Reflection 

Miracles are waiting to happen – open your eyes!

Quote 

Wander a whole summer if you can. Thousands of God’s blessings will search you and soak you as if you were a sponge, and the big days will go by uncounted....John Muir

Scripture 

I am the vine, and you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit. John 15:5

Day 310

Reflection 

You have wonderful things happening in your life.. 

Quote 

The key is to trust your heart to move where your talents can flourish. This old world will really spin when work becomes a joyous expression of the soul.....Al Sacharov

Scripture 

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

Day 311

Reflection

There is a time and a place for everything, and everything in its season

Quote 

Every day I discover more and more beautiful things. It’s enough to drive one mad. I have

such a desire to do everything, my head is bursting with it.......Claude Monet as a young painter 

Scripture 

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing 1 Peter 3:9 

Day 312

Reflection 

There are blessings waiting just for you

Quote 

Art is a language. It’s not a skill. It’s not a stunt. It’s not something that you just learn to do and put it down. It comes from the heart. ...Wynona Mulcaster

Scripture 

Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. Psalm 127:1

Day 313

Reflection 

Everyone who truely knows you believes in you, do you believe in yourself?

Quote 

Good art speaks truth, indeed is truth, perhaps the only truth...Iris Murdoch

Scripture 

The Lord longs to be gracious to you....He waits on high to have compassion on you.  Isaiah 30:18

Football at every turn!

Summer’s come to an end and the past few days have given us some hazy sunshine - Indian Summer I've heard, though we are having some rain today. The kids have been back at school for a few weeks now and with this brings the after-school and weekend activities that  require us to ferry them back and forth.  We've had unexpected growth in our house that produced an extra inch in my son's height, arms and feet and we are having to shop in the mens department to fit his 5ft 10 frame.  With all this training he has been doing these past few weeks we expect further growth and another trip to the store to buy some bigger sizes. 

I do marvel at the changes that are taking place literally before my eyes.  I posted a while back on how he is growing up so fast and is no longer the sweet little boy who used to want to hold my hand as part of the A-Z challenge called Growing

He has been attending training every week and wants to push this up to two – school work permitting and has also been doing his weights at home. 

Warm up before the game

Discovering he can watch American football on channel four and Sky sports one opened up another dimension, and he has been pre-recording the 1am programme to watch at his leisure.  We now have both Sekani with his  American Football and Alan not only watching English football on the tv he is also coaching 2 times a week for Aslan Football Club   – with the football season started August you can imagine what ‘joy!’ it has been in our house with cheers, roars and ‘yes’s’ with almost 24 hours of sports on the go!  I suppose I’ll have to get some ear plugs or schedule my creative walks and do some more photography, which isn’t a bad thing I guess....

Sekani played in a match on Saturday at Crystal Palace Stadium, there were lots of other tournaments going on from teams up and down the country.  They had to meet up at 7am kicking off around 10am and me and Alan were at the sidelines cheering him on till around 5pm.  I have a confession to make... I never thought it would be quite as exciting seeing them play, If I knew the rules I guess I would be better placed to know what was going on....Sekani said he will teach me, took lots of pictures and here is him in the throws of play - number 47.  (You hear me shouting in the background before I drop my phone).

and here as he attempts to block another player....

All in all I am not totally converted, but I might even be able to watch a game or two as I take a break from my art corner

If you can't beat them join them!

Growing

Growth is an indication of change.

When I look at my son as a baby, so cute, wanting to hold my hand and have a big hug from his mummy.....

.....to being the tall young man with a deep voice who seems to always be hungry and who will one day fly the nest, I have to change the way I relate to him, no longer wanting my cuddles and sloppy kisses, but needing me to relate to him in a different way - sharing wisdom, love, support, laughter and inspiration.

With the A-Z Challenge I grow in my writing style and content, as an artist I feel I have grown in my approach, techniques and dreams.  In my loss of a dear friend I grew having to reach deep within, to come to terms with the situation, find unknown inner strengh, determination and hope.  I continue to grow as new situations and circumstances arise, and change and challenges present themselves.....

Friendship

I said goodbye to a dear friend on Saturday 26th March, Barbara,  who unexpectedly passed away. She was the one I referred to in the post Balance and taking time out for friends, I’m so glad we spent the whole day together talking about our art, exhibitions, favourite artists, new techniques, faith and generally what was on our heart.

We have known each other for over 30 years having gone to college together studying a secretarial course. We came out after two years ready to face the world as PA's. Whilst this was not our passion we committed to it. Our paths throughout the years ran parallel at so may points.....

We sung together, trying to fulfil our 17 year old heads the dreams of forming a group with college friends Vilma and Juliet, hoping to tour the world. We trod the boards together, joining a group to write and perform our own community opera called Bloodties, and we toured many theatres.

We were at each other’s weddings. I remember when she first introduced us to her now husband, Phil in our 20’s we all hoped that one day we’d meet men like him. Our children were born and played together and she was blessed to have 4 beautiful daughters and a son. They have all been blessed with many wonderful talents waiting to be unleashed into the world

We shared our work environment for around 3 years literally side by side in the same organisation as executive PA’s sharing our experience, knowledge and much laughter. We shared our love and passion for art together. Barbara took the step to leave the organisation to pursue a degree in fine art. We always talked about wanting more time to be creative, having more space and inspiration but we encouraged each other, and she graduated in 2010. I was very proud of her as I attended her graduation show. We talked about collaborating again on an exhibition together later this year.

We shared our faith together. Barbara had an insight to the word of God that would touch your heart in the very place that it was needed. She had so many books within her waiting to be birthed; she had a unique wisdom and understanding. I saw her preach for the first time two weeks ago, and it was definitely a word for the season.

She touched many people’s lives over the years, both young and old and was a friend who I never imagined knowing after 30 years – (that seemed like a lifetime) - but time passed anyway...there were so many other things we were encouraging each other to do. This experience so brings home to me how precious our lives are, we don’t have any guarantee about tomorrow, so what are we going to do with our today? How many plans we make to see friends, catch up, or things we say we want to do, places to visit, but we put it off saying ‘I’ll do it tomorrow or next week’ and allow stuff to get in the way with our promises to ourselves being pushed further and further into the background.

I’m so glad that our day spent together was spent talking about our passions for art and creativity, our goals and dreams, in laughter and love. I value the years we have known each other and it has made me reassess all the other parts of my life that I have no guarantees about, everything I say I want to do, from my art, travel, adventures, to sending that card, making that call and spending more quality time with my family and friends. I will make the time and space for each, not putting it off or being distracted, but being in the moment, living in the moment and appreciating each moment, in balance.

My thoughts and prayers go out to those who have lost friends and loved ones. To Barbara’s family who I adopted many moons ago as my own, that they find the strength and courage to get through what seems like a very dark place, and find the joy and laughter that follow the tears as they ponder on the memories, Barbara’s grace, understanding, kindness, talent, humour, those laugh-out-loud moments, the way she encouraged and the way she loved.......Stay blessed!

The One Flaw in Women

I think I saw this as a video, and also in email, not sure who the author is but I was blessed by it, thought I'd share it here.  To all the beautiful, inspiring and talented women who sometimes forget how valued and treasured they are. Also, check out the Brave Girls Club for a community of supportive and encouraging women.

One Flaw In Women

Women have strengths that amaze men. They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy.  They smile when they want to scream.  They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous. They fight for what they believe in. They stand up to injustice.

They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution. They go without so their family can have.  They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally. They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards.  They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding. Their hearts break when a friend dies. They grieve at the loss of a family member,  yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.  They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colours.  They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you.  The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning.  They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideas. They give moral support to their family and friends.

Women have vital things to say and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN.....IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH..

Negativity/Insecurities - kick them to the curb!

At the beginning of your creative journey there is always something that seems more important than you spending quality time on your work and your development. I am half way through the Kelly Rae Roberts ecourse - Flying lesson and we are looking at the market places for your work. 

As I read through I was met with a barrage of fears and negative thoughts all designed to make you do a U-turn and dash your creative flight to the wayside as there is always something more important that you could be doing - like the hoovering, putting another wash in the machine, or a mountain of other things that often crop up when we are at the breakthrough stages. 

I decided not to ignore them but to write them all down, give my critic the space to voice its fear, and I came up with 2 A4 pages of all the reasons why I shouldn't be working on my art and creativity, but once the fears were voiced I could move on.

In the process I got myself a website and have been adding some of my work - You can see it HERE

Proverbs 3:5-6 says - Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths. When I was a child wasn't sure what I wanted to do, now I am older I am sure and its taken many years of reflecting, doubting, and going though to come out the other end with a lot of experience, knowledge, wisdom and a surety of how I want to express my creativity!

Like a child I nurture my inquiring mind, I am sensitive to my own insecurities and I support my growth. There will always be dishes and clothes to wash and hoovering to be done, at one stage or another you'll wonder what you did to receive so many blessings and be able to bless others with your work, but life is not a dress rehearsal and we have to live it to the full for we are not guaranteed tomorrow.

Check out some resources and book on Amazon that may help you with your creativity and direction.