Gratitudes - Smile

A smile can make some one’s day, and make a connection. 

What are you grateful for this week?



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Watercolours

 From this moment on....Let yourself imagine all the things you could achieve if you opened your wings to fly!

Making sure that you know how to use the equipment you have is important as it gives you greater room to be able to play and incorporate new techniques.  I have always shied away from using watercolours, feeling that they were not something that suited what I wanted to do as an artist.  Since developing my work in mixed media I have totally changed my mind, but what it needed was just a bit of understanding on how to incorporate and make it work for me.

I had been given watercolours in the past as gifts, they came in the tubes and for me I didn't find these worked.  I liked to see the colours and didn't realise that unlike acrylic, when watercolours dry, they could be reactivated with water.  I used them as I would acrylics and ran out quite quickly.  Once I learnt how to use them to fit how I worked I decided to empty the tubes into these mini pots.  It means that I can add water and use them directly. I have also mixed a few of the pots in colours that I didn't want to worry about running or drying out.  You can obviously get the pan watercolours which works on the same principle.

I also found you can put the watercolour in a spray bottle it won't dry out and render the bottle unusable, but you are able to use it as and when you need time and time again.  You can get some beautiful colours and combined with other mixed media materials create lovely effects.

I'd love to hear how you are incorporating or using watercolour in your work. Blessings 

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Taking Time to Notice your surroundings

As you went about your day did you notice the colours around you, did you hear any birds sing?

Frangipani in Barbados

I started 365 days of colour in 2011 and for a whole year I took pictures of flowers that I would see as I went about my day, whether doing mundane things or sunning myself on a holiday.  It brightened up my day to see the colour and delicacy of each flower, especially in the colder months to see a dash of colour peeping out against the stark grey. In 2012 July I continued with 52 weeks of colour, in which I continued to take photographs but also started to learn how to use Photoshop elements and wanted to experiment with the images more.

In doing both of these exercises I have grown to see my environment  in a very different way.  We are surrounded by beauty, but very often miss it because we are doing ten things at once.  Sometimes the smallest flower coming from a weed can brighten up the dullest day and this beauty is often right in front of our faces.

I recently met a lady walking down my street and said hello to her, it turned out she had lived on my road for the past 7 years, and we were both amazed that we had never seen each other.  In speaking to her it transpired that she was also interested in art so we made plans to get together and have a coffee.

This week as you go about your routine, take a moment to notice your surroundings, you might be surprised at what you find in your neighbourhood. I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments are always welcome.  Blessings

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Preparing for Alzheimers

Happy New Year!

How would you prepare for Alzheimer's, is it possible?  I recently saw a video that got me thinking about my life and as we make our way through another year I am sure new challenges and miracles will present themselves.

I have been writing about my journey as a carer to a mother who has dementia and also feelings that arise that I have been dealing with when I did the A-Z challenge.  More recently I put together a video called creative interventions which looked at taking art therapy and remaining creative, which have all contributed in enabling me to look at my role in a positive way.

While on the TED website I came across Alanna Shaikh who talked about her father who has Alzheimer's. I had always kept at the back of my mind the statistics that show dementia running in families and I began to think of ways that I too could avoid it in my later years, the possible implications of my son being put in the same position. 

Alanna mentioned the type of person that her father was before the dementia, he was very caring and loving to others and this magnified as the dementia got worse.  This resonated in me as mums personality became not only outgoing with a great sense of humour, but she was even more caring. 

As I look at my mother I definitely see the warmth in her, and she is still someone you enjoy being around. She cared for her family selflessly and that care and love shines through despite the circumstances.  So as I go through this journey with her I will ensure that I do all that is necessary to keep myself healthy, taking the necessary exercise, keeping my mind active and stimulated but more importantly will also try and be a better person, loving unconditionally, living fearlessly, valuing the relationships of family and friends while treating myself with kindness and compassion and living life to the full and being that blessing that we are all called on to be. 

I'd love to hear what insights you have realised about your lives.  Blessings

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