‘The meaning of life is to find your gift.  The purpose of life is to give it away.’  – William Shakespeare

My friend Boomdeeadda invited me to join in the fun and made a lovely introduction for three of us in her last blog post.  Boomdee is a Canadian blogger with an amazing eye for colour, form and detail in her paper crafting.  She once sent me a gift that included a handmade paper bag that was so intricately made, full of fine detail including special words and images that fit me perfectly – it was awe inspiring – really!  It still sits on a shelf in my art room and is often picked up and admired!  Boomdee is genuinely sweet and kind and generous and is much loved by her many followers.  If you have never met her you really must pop over and say hello and tell her I sent you!

Gift Bag from Boomdeeadda

I have to answer four questions for this Hop – so here we go:

Why Do I Create What I Do?

I have spent the past few years working as a Life Coach.  Much of my life has been spent helping others move from despair into positivity and contentment and healing.  First, of course, I had to start with myself.  Part of my personal process was painting. I painted huge landscapes, often empty, but full of potential.  I painted the sea – it’s changing colours and patterns and the vast sky above it with all its changing colours and moods.  I painted for a year and In a manner of speaking I painted myself back to health.  I put it away for a time, and went back out into the world but then as life began to slow down and as I prepared for retirement, I found myself returning to it.  This time I started painted whimsical faces and little mantras, sentences that mean something to me or are especially formulated for someone I know who would benefit from this thought.  Some are quotes from others, some are my own words.  It just depends.

How Does My Creative Process Work?

There is no one way into a painting.  Sometimes I have a quote I want to use and that is my starting point – I simply lay some colour down and see where it takes me.  Other times I start with a painting and wait for the quote to reveal itself.  Sometimes I collage a background first, other times I paint the face then create the back drop as an after thought.  I have favourite colours that I return to again and again – and then I will challenge myself and pull out a different palette to see what emerges.  Again, it just depends……

How Does My Work Differ From Others of It’s Genre?

‘Beauty is not in the face.  Beauty is a light in the heart’  – Khalil Gibran

I have no idea how to answer this question.  There are a lot of women working in a similar fashion to me, some are really well known.  I am not. I wonder if my intent makes my work different.  I want my painting to offer something deeper than just a pretty picture – I want it to wake you up, touch you in some subtle way, lift the spirits, speak to a quiet hope.

Selection of mixed media paintings

What Am I Presently Working On?

I am currently finishing off some organisers to put in my Etsy Shop.  There won’t be any more – these have been quite a challenge to get made!  I have begun work on a small gift idea that I picked up recently from another of my favourite bloggers which keeps me busy in the evenings and am re-finishing a small book that just needed a little something extra – I am terribly sanguine in my creating at the moment – blame it on ‘puppy brain’ – there must be such a thing!

I am mumma to a new puppy and it would seem that he is my current work  He certainly takes up the majority of my time.  I have two more paintings currently sitting in my head and several more little craft projects I really want to get on with too – but……. time is scarce and here is why:

Siddy the Mi-tzu Pup

The delightful Siddy who elicits the excited cry which all fans of ‘Despicable Me’ are familiar with “He’s so fluffy I could die!”  [And please, we mustn’t forget Orlando, the beautiful boy who sits on the header to this blog – currently very hard done by and not very pleased with the way his home and mumma have been usurped.]

Enough about me and my pseudo-grandbabies, let’s move on……  because now it is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to two more ‘down-under’ bloggers both of whom I really admire.

We are popping over to Australia first – to Tasmania actually, where the redoubtable narf77 – otherwise known as Fran – writes a weekly post about her life and escapades in her totally random and vastly amusing style in her blog ‘The Road to Serendipity‘.

Fran’s writings often feature her husband Stevie-boy, no slack hand with a whittling knife and a guitar, and Earl and Beziel their poor benighted  energetic dogs.  A student of something which I really don’t understand, a pretty knowledgeable horticulturist, permaculturist, gardener, avid shopper for exotic foodstuffs,  keen cook and pinterest surfer, Fran’s blog is never without a cup of humour, a dash of introspection and more than a tablespoon or two of common sense.

NB:- These pictures don’t show the ‘common sense’ aspect:

Used with permission from Serendipity Farm

Used with permission from Serendipity Farm

If you want to know what these photos are about pop on over.  If you time it right – and maybe even if you don’t – there is sure to be a glass of wine or two offered …….

Next we will zoom back to New Zealand and visit the top of the South Island where Wendy resides on her quarter acre piece of paradise with her husband and cat.

In her blog Quarter Acre Lifestyle, Wendy posts about living frugally, recycling and growing and preserving as much of their own food as possible.  She shares recipes and how-to’s, brings our attention to different life-styles, choices and options and wings her way into our hearts with her kind and caring heart.  Wendy is also a talented crafter and artist – though I know she will deny that.

This is a Wendy do-up and make-over:

Used with permission of Quarter Acre Lifestyle

Wendy’s latest post is about her first attempt at soap making – it seemed to go quite well, except for the part about the cat……….. Looks good enough to eat don’t you think?

Used with permission of Quarter Acre Lifestyle

I do hope you will pop into Wendy’s place for a visit – she is a treasure and is sure to offer a cup of tea and show you you her amazing stash of preserves and alcoholically dazed fruits.  Enjoy!!

That’s it from me and my little part in the great ‘Blog Hop Around the World’ – which was I know just a sojourn in the southern hemisphere – my northern hemisphere choices were AWOL, I expect it’s all that lovely summer weather they are enjoying!   But, please do pop over to these two blogs next Monday and see where they take you next.

Thanks for coming by today, I love that you did!  🙂