Gratitudes - Inktense Pencils

 Inktense pencils have the vibrancy to them and I recieved them as a gift from my sister.  I really enjoy using them - they work on so many surfaces.

What are you grateful for this week?

Reflections - January Challenges

 

It has been a month full of posts as part of the Ultimate Blog challenge, and I hope you have found some thing to inspire you.  It is always great to come to the end of a challenge and as you look back at your journey, you are able to see areas that you might like to pursue.  I managed to fit in two challenges in the same month and also took part in Motley Souls 21 day challenge and produced a series of Art Cards.  It has also been great doing this as I have been able to experiment with different materials.

Sharing the inspiring websites I come across and celebrating the work of the lovely creatives who follow this blog each week will continue.  I enjoy reading, so will review and post - If you are a writer I would love to hear from you and you can share your journey on my wordpress site.

 

A challenge certainly stretches you and enables you to learn new things about yourself.  As well as my own post it has been lovely to visit new blogs and make new acquaintances which I am sure will continue. If you are contemplating starting or joining a challenge I really do recommend it, you will come out the other end with new insights and purpose!  Let me know if you come across any interesting challenges, or perhaps you too are just completing one!

Delight - 52 Weeks of Colour

A thought for the week....

Know your worth!  Do you constantly find yourself settling or playing it safe because you have always done it that way? For today, take a moment to delight in all that you have and what you could achieve in your life. Do not worry about how you will get there the main thing is that you make a start, having a good support network around you is key, especially when you feel like quitting.

Quote

This human being is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival.  A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still treat each guest honourably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight. ...Rumi

 Scripture 

"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." 1John 5:14........

Childlike - Creating in Faith

We often hear the term childlike/childish being used in a negative context with the offending party is deemed to be acting like a child when an adult response is required.

As artists on the flip side we encourage tapping into your creativity the way a child would.  Children often approach creativity with a 'can do' attitude without the baggage and fear that can come over you when you start to tell yourself your not good enough or talented enough.  Fear of anything other than loud noises and falling is a learn behaviour that starts when our children are young and like sponges they soak up the fear of spiders, lack of confidence, or being good enough.  When taking my son to school when he was little you would hear how the children talked to one another, imitating conversations they had heard from parents and some learnt from an early age how to undervalue themselves.

Deep rooted insecurity 
The negativity embeds itself deep in to their minds and I'm sure we can all think of a throw away comment made by someone when we were young that had quite an impact on us even though many years have passed.

Prior to the remark that embeds itself in a child where they think they 'can’t' or worry about what others 'might think' there is a freedom in the way they approach things, an inquisitiveness and a sense of awe and adventure.  Watching how babies explore their surroundings and learn to walk, if they held onto the impact of their first fall they would never walk again.  But they get up time and time again, strengthening their muscles until they take their first unaided steps.

Letting go of the critic
As adults we try to gain that sense of being back to when we were children.  As we approach our creativity our critic often says ‘who do you think you are’ and we stop in our tracks beginning to doubt just who we thought we were. But we have to face it head on, let go of the critical comments and allow ourselves to soar!

When God encourages us to come to him like a child it is so that we come without the baggage and the fears and doubts that can often surround us, wondering if we really are good enough, he says ‘come’ with his outstretched arms with no motive or calculated plan, just the desire to show love.

What areas of your life can you put a different spotlight on approach in a different way?  What possible  results do you think you can get?  I'd love to hear your views.....

Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest...Matthew 11:28

Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
    to silence the foe and the avenger. Psalm 8:2 

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  Matthew 19:14

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Romans 8:16

Come join the group - Creating in Faith, show us how you will be incorporating the words and scriptures and reflections in your art this week.  Step out and be a blessing and you will also be blessed!