I have a vision …. board

I haven’t had a great deal of time to be creative lately due to my study commitments and daily workload. They have left me feeling a little drained and uninspired. But – last weekend I finished my course after two and a half years of hard work. So to celebrate I started working on my vision board for the One Little Word prompt from February.

I had all of the materials ready and waiting for this since about March so it was always going to be the first of the long list of projects I have planned in my head.

Getting messy

From the moment I read the prompt for February, I had an idea of what I wanted to create. It did change as time went along though, for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, I had time to think about exactly the kinds of things that are inspiring me at the moment. and secondly, because I have realised that I really need to slow down. The pace I have been living over the past few years is having a bad effect on my health. So my vision for the future is one of peace, quiet, relaxation, and basically just minimalising – reducing, reusing and rekindling.

Reduce, reuse, rekindle

I took a lot of my inspiration from my favourite artsy magazine Frankie. I just love the illustrations and minimal look and feel that it has, and the down to earth articles. It pained me to do this, but I went about cutting some old editions to pieces, to gather illustrations and phrases that just jumped out at me.

I also knew that I wanted to play with paint or mists to add colour. I originally thought I would do some brush script as well, but ran out of room, so will save that for another project. I feel an art journal experience coming on!

So after a few hours of sitting at my kitchen table (as opposed to my craft desk!) I came up with this vision board. And I love it. I am still undecided as to where it will live – for the moment I have hung it next to my bed where I will see it every day. But maybe one day it will move to my craft space – I’m not sure.

Close up of Vision Board

Finished Vision Board

I’ve linked this post to Give a Girl a Blog’s Currently Creative page. Check it out here.

I’m back….

I’m back after a few weeks break from blogging. I thought I was inspired and ready to write regular posts after completing the Blog Every Day in May project – but to be honest I think it wore me out. Well maybe it was a combination of that and the finalising assessments for last few weeks of my course, the never ending pressure I get from work, and the general running around after my little family. All in all it’s been a busy time.

I also discovered recently that I have a health condition that isn’t being helped by the pressures I put on myself. So I’ve decided that a lot of things need to be simplified in my life. I thought one of the things that would have to go would be this blog, but I’ve changed my mind. I’ll continue sharing things here – but I won’t be putting pressure on myself to write every day, or even every week.

I want The Drawing Board to be my place to share the things that I am passionate about, and think that other people might be inspired by.

So I apologise for disappearing, but I hope you’ll stick around. I have some fun cooking and crafty projects in the pipeline that just might make an appearance in the near future.

Gratitude

Day 31 of Blog Every Day in May

Today is the last day of May, so therefore the last day of the Blog Every Day in May project. This project has been fantastic for me – it has made me really think about the posts I am writing for my blog, and has given me a reason to keep it going. I’m a little bit sad that it is over to be honest. But there is one last prompt – gratitude. And oh boy don’t we all have a lot to grateful for!

I have decided to write a bit of a list (I’ve mentioned before I am a list writer haven’t I?)

I AM GRATEFUL FOR….

1. the love of my husband
2. the three children that provide me with so much joy and make me proud every single day
3. my beautiful fur babies – all 8 of them – yes 8!
4. my friends and family and their love and support
5. the food that we put on our table every day
6. living in the most beautiful part of Australia (I still call Queensland home, but Tassie is just too beautiful to compete with)
7. my job
8. the house that we live in that keeps us warm and provides me with the most spectacular view of Mount Wellington
9. my garden and the satisfaction it provides
10. my health. I consider myself very lucky to be a fit, strong and healthy lady – not perfect, but healthy enough to live a fulfilling life.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/154177987218074175/

What are you feeling grateful for?

 

A wedding project

Day 27 of Blog Every Day in May

On Tuesday as part of the Blog Every Day in May project I was supposed to share with you all a project that I have been working on. Well most of my projects have been boring house work projects, or study projects that I am not ready to share. Instead, I am going to share a project that I started back in March but has been sitting in my craft waiting until I have some more free time.

The project is my wedding album. My husband and I have been married for 15 years so it’s been waiting a long time! But better late than never I guess.

Every time I look at the photos I am reminded of what a beautiful day we had. It was perfect in so many ways. A perfect ceremony where we declared our love in front of those nearest and dearest, perfect weather, amazing food. Everything I could have hoped for and more.

Anyway, here are a few shots of where I am up to. Its still very early days.

 

 

I’m using a Snap 6×8 album and a mixture of the digital Becky Higgins Wedding Kit and Midnight kit, as well as some other cards that match the theme – Red, Black and White.

I can’t wait to be able to finish it off and have the album on my bookshelf for the kids and visitors to look.

What projects are you working on?

Guest Starring …

Day 26 of Blog Every Day in May

As with a lot of people, this last week has been a little crazy with sick kids and busy work days. Anyway, it means I’ve gotten behind on my posts – but I’m catching up now. The prompt for Monday 26 May on the Blog Every Day in May project was to ask someone to guest post on my blog. So I’m here to welcome the lovely and extremely talented Project Lifer Sue Ko.

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I am very excited to guest post for my friend Tanyalee (TL) today. We have set ourselves a fun Project Life Challenge. More on that in a minute.

I met TL possibly 16 years ago when we worked in the marketing department at TAFE. Although this was only for a few short months, we became friends instantly.

The TAFE ran hospitality courses which meant there was a fully operating restaurant, café AND bakery which we frequented often. We also branched out to gourmet bagels, sushi, Vietnamese and the like in the nearby foodie precinct. Our love of food may have cemented our friendship!

As our life circumstances changed with family, work and relocations, our conversations became few and far between. And although we criticise social media, it was through Facebook that we reconnected! We discovered our mutual love for crafting, memory keeping and Project Life and we have not looked back.

We live in different states, but we text EVERYDAY!

After not seeing each other for almost 10 years, can you imagine my excitement when TL booked a flight to visit earlier in March this year!?!

Which brings me to the Project Life Challenge we set for ourselves. We decided to scrap exactly the same photos from her visit, but with NO CONSULTATION with each other during the entire creative process until our pages were finished.

This is a bit different from how we usually craft as I am used to sending progress photos to TL and vice versa. We normally know exactly what the other is working on at any given point in time 🙂

So here is my page from TL’s recent visit in March this year.

Over on my blog The Making Table , TL is guest posting and sharing her page for our Project Life Challenge, using the same photos as I have used here! Head on over and check it out here.

So that’s it from me today. Thanks TL for having me here on your blog – it’s been awesome fun! Love you lots my beautiful friend.

This week

Day 25 of Blog Every Day in May

Well I made it to the last week of the Blog Every Day in May challenge and have only missed a couple of prompts. I’m hoping this week is a little easier on me than last week where I had sick kids, heaps of study to catch up on and mountains of washing and housework to do.

The prompt for today is to share my list for the week. Well this one is right up my ally – I love lists. They keep me going and I really couldn’t survive without a list! So here is my list:

1. Keep up and finish the Blog Every Day in May challenge
2. Post parcels that have been sitting on my desk for three weeks
3. Remember my One Little Word – Accept in times of trouble
4. Complete two more assessments
5. Reduce the number of hours I waste on Facebook and other social media
6. Remember to do the exercises for my sore ankle

Its a boring list really – but it is bound to keep me on track for the week.

What’s on your list this week?

Look Up

Day 22 of Blog Every Day in May

This video did the rounds on Facebook recently (kind of ironic don’t you think) and it really struck a nerve with me. I am so guilty of being attached to my device and hiding behind my social media presence. It really made me think and I have made a conscious effort to reign it in.

Too much on my plate

Day 21 of Blog Every Day in May  (Catching up – again)

Do you ever get the feeling that maybe you have bitten off more than you can chew? Overcommitted yourself and feel like you are drowning? Well that is kind of how I am feeling right now. So a blog prompt asking me ‘whats on my plate’ could have gone two ways – the literal sense of a photograph of what was on plate, or a reflection on all of the things I have I have on my plate that are making me feel like I am drowning.

I’m a mum of three kids who I love dearly, I work full-time, and I am studying full time for an Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design (formalising my qualifications after years of learning on the job). So I have a lot on my plate. All totally my own doing so I am not looking for sympathy at all. It is what it is. With all the busy-ness I have developed some strategies to help me keep on top of things so I thought I would share some of them.

1. Lists – I’m a list maker – always have been, always will. I used to write down these massive lists of everything that I had to do and then feel even more overwhelmed. So on the recommendation of a good friend of mine, I started breaking that massive list down into more achievable lists of three things. Those three things could even be smaller tasks that will eventually lead to the completion of a task on the main list. And I am not ashamed to say that some days (particularly on weekends) I need to add ‘have a shower’ to that list.
2. Make time for yourself – go for a walk, visit a friend, do some craft, see a movie. Just make time for you or the drowning feeling will keep getting worse. Make time to do something you enjoy.
3. Exercise – for me a run or a game of touch football really helps blow off some steam. It gets those endorphins flowing – natural happy drugs.
4. Get more sleep – sleep is important in times of stress. I know its easier said than done when you have a million things running through your mind, but taking yourself to bed just a bit earlier each day could make all the difference.
5. Accept – sometimes things are out of our control and you just need to accept that and move on. Accept is my One Little Word for the year (see my post about that) and it has become a bit of a mantra for me. I made a 3×4 card that I have printed multiple copies of and stuck up in prominent places – like on my wall at work and on the fridge.

One Little Word – ACCEPT

So that’s my take on whats on my plate. I hope you find some of my tips useful.

How inspiring

Day 20 of Blog Every Day in May  (Catching up – again)

When I first read the prompt from the Blog Every Day in May project for 20 May I immediately thought of all of the people in my life who inspire me on a daily basis, but I didn’t really want to single anyone out. Everyone in my life is inspiring in their own way and deserve the recognition.

So I got to thinking about external influences that inspire me. I thought about all of the creative people I follow on Facebook and Instagram and Pinterest – but again, everyone is inspiring for a multitude of reasons.

So I decided to take a different approach and think about a cause that is inspiring and I couldn’t go past Samuel Johnson and the Love Your Sister campaign. This guy is a dead set legend. Who in their right mind would commit to riding a unicycle around Australia – well someone who is so set a challenge that’s who.

What was the challenge? To set a new Guinness World Record for the most distance travelled on a unicycle, raise $1 million and spread your sister’s message of breast cancer awareness.

I am seriously in awe at the dedication. And I wish Connie all the best in her battle. Cancer is a terrible thing and the sooner a cure is found the better.

When I grow up …

Day 19 of Blog Every Day in May  (Catching up – again)

I’ve been thinking a lot about my future lately – we have quite a few big changes on their way and they are making me doubt myself in many, many ways. So when the blog prompt for Blog Every Day in May was ‘What is your dream job’ I was kind of stumped.

What do I want to do when I grow up? Do I love what I do now? Am I going to be happy being a graphic designer for the next 35 years (or longer if the retirement age keeps changing)? I really don’t think I will be. Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE my job. I love that I get to be creative every single day. I love that I get to see my work published on a regular basis. I love that people like my work. But sometimes the pressure to be creative every single day gets a little bit too much. And sometimes the battles with management over publications are just too great. And sometimes the criticism I received is just too much to bare. And sometimes, being creative every  single day at work stifles my creativity with the many and varied projects I would like to complete at home.

So what would I like to be doing? I don’t think I can actually answer that. I’ve already tried being a secretary for a few years – it was great for a while – but eventually it stopped challenging me, I’ve played in the web domain – that was fun and challenging and creative, and as I’ve already mentioned I’ve been a graphic designer for the past six years. So where too from here? Who knows!

I’m sure when the time is right, the answer will be staring me in the face. And in the meantime I will keep making pretty things I guess.

What is your dream job?