Compost

Compost is such a wonderful alchemical activity.

It is a beautiful mix of some of the most treasured things in my life -
gardening, recycling and magic-
I love how you can take a pile of rubbish - weeds and food scraps and grass cuttings and fallen leaves, gather them into an intentional space and combine nitrogen, carbon and water and create magical nourishing food for our gardens and our beloved planet - pure magic

In this page I took all of the rubbish that floats around inside my head and gathered it in an intentional way - free writing all over both pages and then I added the magical ingredients of self-acceptance and self-love, gesso and collage and grew a beautiful garden 

Reset- renew, refresh, restore

Love these colours they are scrumptious!
I am doing a 28 day cleanse right now, following Jason Vale's 28 day juice plan and it's going really well. I did this page on day 4  and filled it with my hopes and intentions on the left hand page and left the right hand side to journal when I am finished or very close to it. 

I am writing this on day 13, so pretty well midway and I have only had juice, water and herbal tea for that time. I am sure my body is loving having a break from coffee and wine and salt and fat and meat and all the other things I normally pass through my digestive system.

I have dropped quite a few kg but I am really loving the other results-
I am sleeping better than I have in years,
the swelling on my legs and feet is gone,
skin and hair are wonderful
and I feel great. 

Gypsy is Home

Oh, my lovely Gypsy is home!

She is a travelling art journal from the sixth round of the Australian Art Journal Swap and has just travelled around Australia, now she is home and full of stories to share, the horses are unhitched and free to roam, so find a space by the fire, pour yourself a glass and enjoy her return with me.

Once we open up the wagon we are greeted by my gypsy woman page, she is waiting at her crystal ball and ready to tell your future. She shared her message with all on her way.

Her message is bound in red thread and tucked in behind her crystal ball when folded open and removed it reveals the stairs to enter.

There are mysterious old maps on the inside covers no doubt showing the secret gypsy pathways for her to get where ever she needed to go, they must be good maps too because she has made the full circuit and returned home.

 

First stop was in Cairns with Janie, oh the things they got up to!

Barefoot dancing in peacock feather skirts, poetry, palmistry and more feathers!

Then she took the long road over to Western Australia, I just know we will hear many more stories about Darwin and the far north of WA but that will be at another campfire.  Once she got to Perth and caught up with Deb they got serious about the palmistry and they had a bright and beautiful time. 

She hitched up the wagon and headed back east to visit Jenny and all of her adorable kitties. Jenny had a paddock full of the most amazing sunflowers and the sunsets were amazing.

The wagon looked so good nestled in that field and I believe a lot of creative fun was had with Jenny and they wore fabulous fun and funky hats. 

Next camp was at Lisa's in Melbourne, the horses were not impressed by the trams in the city apparently, however, they got out the beautiful Tarot cards Lisa created and I hear some coins crossed their palms in the Burke St Mall. 

There were many wonderful camps in Victoria however the call of catching up with Colleen in  Yacka, SA,  her gorgeous camp was just what was needed after the big smoke and the horses were much happier by  the beautiful bubbling brook 

Colleen pulled out a fabulous old map and shared some definite possibilities, this Gypsy girl has itchy feet and is always looking for the next adventure. 

Robyn put out a call for a gathering happening that our gypsy just had to get to, it was so good to catch up with everyone and the music around the campfire every night was fabulous. 

Robyn even made a beautiful tambourine, and the gorgeous silk ribbons were scented 

Our gypsy girl was really keen to catch up with fellow gypsy and super talented painter of gorgeousness Annabelle, 

Annabelle has a bit of a reputation for her beautiful faces and despite a heavy travel schedule supporting family on opposite sides of this vast land they really enjoyed catching up and Annabelle even beautifully captured one of the horses. 

Catching up with dear Rozzie was next who had so many stories to share of all the gypsies all over the world, and she not only put her heart and soul into her pages, she used gorgeous fabrics, beads and coins from her clothes.

It was really beautiful camped at the foot of the Blue Mountains, the stars at night were so clear and the air so fresh, especially in the mornings. 

Next camp was a home camp <3
Camping with Mama,
looking out on Mt Arthur every morning and the amazing skies.

 

Family is important to gypsies, as are friends,

human connection makes life so richer and I am very blessed to have this evolving group of wonderful creatives to share this journey with year after year.

Next camp was at Sharon's,

she was putting on a show and it was going to be spectacular!

The set was so lush and it was a fabulous evening

the highlight of the show has to be the snake charmer!

Thank you so much to all of the beautiful creative gypsy women who hosted my journal on her journey and worked so beautifully in her. I treasure it. She is a little worn but how could a handmade wagon cover all of those miles without showing signs of all the love and work she gathered.

A little bonus is the charms added on the way - thank you again.

Sacred

More deep cleaning on self-acceptance.
Many layers here undergoing transformation  

Queen of my own heart

As my summer journalling continues I am playing with various techniques and still digging in deep to my psyche, determined to change my life for the better in every aspect. Time is fleeting. I am only spending my time with people, activities and spaces that nourish me.

Whilst the journalling has slowed down now I am back at work and trying to live all of my intentions I still have a few to share and I am working on a special heart project for the Shimmer Sisters Online Art Trail for ‘Inspire Your Heart with Art Day’ I am no longer shimmering with Tanya and Danie but wish them all the very best and I love this art trail they are putting together.

Unencunbered

Oh my goodness I have so much stuff! The responsibility of it all weighs me down to the point of squashing me. Sleepless nights trying to manage it all leave me overwhelmed and stressed.

In the last few years, I have had to amalgamate 3 houses into one, and much of that was after my husband died, so I have a double garage filled with things waiting for the public trustee to be finished with them and we sold our airbnb and now its ready to burst. Not to mention all the stuff 26 years of homeschooling amass and a working art studio and various other hobbies and interests- aghhhhh!  In my favour number 1 son and his lovely lady are getting their first house early in 2019 and I can so easily fully furnish it - lol - hopefully they can fit their stuff in too. 

I know I will feel so much better when it is all done but I need motivation, a goal and accountability to tackle this big a job. Art journal pages tend to be my to-do lists so I will quite probably do lots over the process simply to get my head around it all. 

My motivation is to be downsized enough in 2 years or so- when number 2 son is ready to move out,  to fit everything I need personally in my van. I am really ready to let go of houses and stuff and so need the freedom and lightness of van life. I will still have a house to be in at that stage and will continue to work but I will be unencumbered. 

Coming Out........ to Myself

Are you connected to your self?

Do you practice good self-care?
Do you know you?

These are ongoing struggles I have, and ones I am addressing now to finally get on top of them.
( Are you familiar with using self-talk in present tense so you hear that what you want to manifest or change  is more heard then the ' planning to '  or  ' going to '  part of the thought)

So this page in my summer journalling is all about getting real with myself, owning up to all of my strengths and weaknesses and tuning in to what I am thinking and feeling right now. Accepting who I am- all of me and being honest about what is making me uniquely me, also knowing that I am as are all of you- works in progress- I am  ( and you are ) worthy- of love, acceptance, respect, everything you need and desire - just as you are now.

Of course being works in progress we have a long way to go but we are fine just as we are.

I have had a bit of feedback about not showing the entire page in this summer journalling and that is because I am doing deep and personal work. I am happy to share a bit of the page and my thinking behind it but sometimes the words are for my journal only.