Start Small, Think Big!

Welcome to the first in what I hope will be a long series of Motivational posts, aimed at artists and creators, makers and shakers of all kinds....but I'm sure others will get value from these posts too.

Four very powerful words,
to get you started when you feel stuck

START: It doesn't matter, how, what, why or where....the operative thing here is to start. Start right now. There are no wrong ways and You are the only barrier to starting.

SMALL: There's nothing wrong with small. Everything, even in nature starts small. From little acorns do great oak trees grow. Small keeps us grounded and less fearful of taking huge risks. It gives us the courage to at least 'have a go'.

START SMALL: There's nothing wrong with starting small. Most companies and big ideas start small. Starting big would be foolish....better by far to take baby steps and feel your way through.

THINK: Never underestimate your thinking time. Thinking encourages planning and vision. Without thinking nothing would get done. Thinking brings about your creative side. But be careful not to think too much and talk yourself out of it!

BIG: Now, here's a word. Big is your focus and vision. It's where you would like to be....sometime in the future. Where the particular road you are travelling down could end up. Stay focused on that vision.

THINK BIG: Oh yes! Definitely THINK BIG! If you think big thoughts and dream big dreams you never know where you will end up.

The art of Start Small, Think Big

Start very simply.

On a piece of paper rule 3 columns.

At the head of the columns write Short,

Medium and Long Term Goals.

SHORT TERM: The immediate problem, idea or focus. The 'Getting Started' bit.

MEDIUM TERM: Give yourself a year. Decided where you want to be after one year is up....again, commit to your sub conscious mind by writing this down.

LONG TERM: This can be any time scale. I tend to look as long term at around 3 years. By setting the long term goals and looking at the short term ones, things will become clearer as to how to get from A-C....The B section (Medium term) will give you your plan of action.

Above all never forget these 4 powerful words:

START SMALL, THINK BIG

If you find this post interesting, encouraging or think it would be of value to someone else right now, please share using the share links below.

Feel free to add your comments

or share your wisdom on this topic

by clicking the 'comment' button below,

alternatively feel free to comment on my Facebook page.

Thank you and Creative Blessings,

Sue x

If you would like this quote in print form:

click on this link to my Etsy Shop :o)

Some hand made books

As most of you know, making books is a great passion of mine. Before I leave for the weekend I thought I would share a couple of the books I’ve made in the past….so here they are.


Above - The first page of a book before the calligraphy which will read 'Two hearts connected by one thread
The front page has a pastel heart wit little triangle windows cut out of the corners.


Page 2 of the same book has a cut out heart. Page 3 and 4 also have cut out hearts and a gold thread is sewn from page 1 to 4 making sense of the quotation.


And an Egg Box Book....Very simple and effective


A close up of the book

Squares of paper folded into 4 and then folded the opposite way to form a type of cup that are then glued back to back and concertina up when they are closed.

This post is from waaaaay back and I found it in my Drafts box when I was having a good clear out of the last 5 years of my posts.
I will, sometimes soon give full details and instructions on making thus book, Stay tuned and happy creating :o)

Journal Keeping for Calligraphers, Artists and Oth...

While looking over old posts.....wondering what to keep and what to discard....I came across this, which I think is worth reposting. Click on the hyperlink to read the whole post and see some pictures.....
The Creative Spirit: Journal Keeping for Calligraphers, Artists and Oth...: Ideas come and go. Inspiration strikes at the most inopportune moments. Keeping a journal is a purely personal matter, but journals can take...

It's not a hot flush.....it's the sparks that are flying!

Well, what can I say! I've been thinking a lot recently about the menopause and why is should be called 'The Change'.
there's one helluva lot of synchronicity happening around me right now and we must learn to go with the flow.
this blog is about to undergo MAJOR changes....driven on by many factors, but mainly a deep need inside to make it somewhere for people to come and

BE Inspired, BE Motivated and BE Creative!

I've been working on many projects and the universe has given me a good hard shove in a direction that I have procrastinated about for years.

It's all about working to your strengths.

Where this started and how this come about is any ones guess. I've tried to work back on a time-line to pin point the exact moment when this 'Change' happened in me....but I can't! That's another symptom of the menopause.....FORGETFULNESS!

At the moment I'm working on mini-art pieces....quite unlike the formal calligraphy I have been taught. Driven on by my dear friend Melissa Dinwiddie and her idea of creating some art EVERY DAY. Melissa herself has been though some big changes too, you can read all about her on her blog.

Reading and connecting with her has probably been the catalyst for the biggest changes in me and what I am doing at the moment.....but there are others who have been a big part of this synchronicity, energy shift, universe kicking up the arse thing that's happened to me and I'll write about then very soon.

For now, the blog needs a revamp. BIG TIME revamp and it's all in hand. Articles are being written and the old posts, no longer relevant are being removed.

I did wonder whether to start a new blog and delete this one altogether, but I have many followers both on Blogger, Email and Facebook it would be a shame to loose them.....beside which....I LOVE the name and it very fitting for my new blog.

Am I excited?

Oh YES, I most certainly AM!

I will be back very soon....in the meantime.....

BE Inspired,

BE Motivated and most of all

BE creative!

While I busy myself in the background

and make those changes....

MENOPAUSE ROCKS!

It's not a hot flush.....it's the sparks that are flying!

Did anyone else feel this way when they hit menopause?

you hear so many bad things about this stage of life....I'm interested in hearing YOUR story....either leave a comment, write on your blog and leave a link in my comments box or email me inspiredbyscript@yahoo.co.uk

I'd love to hear others exciting experiences

TRUST ME GIRLS....It's not all bad! :o)

Bright, hot blessings,

Sue x

Inspired by Script on FLICKR

Just a quick post.....
Here's the link to my FLICKR PAGE
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30445846@N06/
Sadly, adding it to my side bar just didn't work.....
so make sure you bookmark it won't you?
Enjoy! :o)

We're off to a Wedding.....

We're off to a Wedding..... and it's a chance to be girly! :o)
Although Ian is my late husbands cousin, he was only 6 when I got married and around 7 and 1/2 when I had my son, so he's more like a nephew than a cousin.

I've done the Invites, Table Names, Seating Plan and Place Cards as their present....and as an extra surprise I've made them a Wedding Post Box.

Their theme was Ivy....

And the colour was green....

The lettering was foiled in silver to give it some pizazz...

And here's a close up of the cut-out Ivy....

It's a great chance to meet up

with the 'other side' of the family....

some of which I haven't seen

since my own wedding 32 years ago.

Doesn't time fly?

Now.....if I can only stop fighting

with my fascinator,we'll be on our way!

UPDATE: Realised it wasn't a good idea posting this as we were about to leave the house unattended all day.....well you never know who's reading this blog. So, I'm posting it AFTER the event.....and a good time was had by all. Great to see the family, although sad that their numbers have now dwindled drastically since my own wedding 32 years ago, but wonderful to see, that although we may have matured in age....the years simply fell away as we reminisced about times gone by.

Although many are no longer with us, they were definitely alive and well today.

Proud Grandmother? You bet the hell I am :o)

I've removed the video as it's slowing up my page so much....but here's the link if anyone is interested.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZTt1gPA9ds&feature=player_embedded

The great news is that Daisy Doodles is going to have a baby Brother....due 2 weeks before her second birthday and Grandma and Gramps are sooooo looking forward to having another little, happy soul to spoil and play with :o)

Mini-Doodles....more Doodle Fun!

Inspired by Script: Mini-Doodles....more Doodle Fun!: After posting about these doodles I thought I would also share some mini doodles in the hope that it would spur others on to have a go. ....to see more of this post click HERE

Believe in Yourself

And here's another little colour, affirmation doodle, to serve as a gentle reminder to:

Believe in Yourself

This is probably one of the hardest things to learn. I remember from way back, reading a book on Self Awareness, when I was told that it's far easier to remember the bad things people say about us than the good.

No wonder then, as adults the difficulty and struggle we have with this one. At times you may feel it's rather arrogant to 'Believe In Yourself'......But wait a moment....if you have no belief in yourself it's very unlikely anyone else will believe in you too.

Damaged self esteem can take years to repair. Starting is that hardest thing.....but once you do, you will find that it makes such a difference, you will never want to go back.

Start by making a list of all the things you are good at. However small you think that achievement is. Add to it daily....very soon you will build a list bigger than you ever thought possible.

Read this list on a daily basis. Repeat the list starting with the words:

I am good at.......
I am great at......
I am successful at......
I am brilliant at......

It will be hard at first....but once over the initial self doubt you will find that these daily affirmations will become more and more powerful and heal those long and deep ingrained beliefs.

REMEMBER TO: Stop judging yourself and being so harsh on your soul....treat it as a little child who lives within.
You would not speak to others the way you speak to that child within now would you? So make it your mission to STOP right now and pull yourself up when you catch yourself doing it.

You will exchange the negative destructive beliefs for positive creative beliefs and YOU WILL notice a difference.

Repeat after me (and shout this out loud)

I BELIEVE IN MYSELF!

Give this a try and let me know how you get on :o)

Follow your Heart!

I don't mind admitting it....I've got the bug! The bug for these little doodles!
Planning a workshop is never easy. You have to think from start to finish or rather how you will get the students from learning a basic technique and then running it through to a finished item.

People have different levels of experience and learn at different rates. The advanced students have to be held back, while the beginner students seem sometimes to be fast tracked..

It was while I was preparing this lettering workshop, that I got the bug for these colourful doodles.

For the advanced students my fear is that they will find it.....shall we say 'Kitsch' while I worry that the beginners will not grasp that the playful lettering is a different thing altogether than the formal lettering they are used to. Contemporary calligraphy can only come from a solid foundation and with experience of of formal lettering....no matter how easy it looks.

After, writing and rewritings my class plan, I've decided to 'Follow My Heart' and run with this idea. It will not suit everybody and it will appeal to some more than others. However, I have decided to take my own advice for once.

By following your heart you can be sure of one thing, you are being true to yourself, and from this comes enthusiasm which hopefully you can pass on to your students

So often we hold back through fear. When the head takes over and all sense or reason flies out of the window and the seeds of doubt creep in. Don't let your head rule your decision making. Just go wit the flow and 'Follow Your Heart', your most basic core instinct!

How will you 'Follow Your Heart' today?

I'm over it....well almost!

Well....I think I've just about recovered! I haven't been ill but I have been celebrating my big 5-HO Birthday and Steve was determined to make it one to remember. It ran over 4 full weekend.....yes you heard right 4 weekends.

The first weekend saw us swanning off to the South West and celebrating with Steves family, 2 of who also have birthdays in September (it's an expensive time for him lol).

The second weekend we celebrated with my family and we all went to Forbidden Corner, I love this place and it's suitable for both kids and adults alike.

Because the kids were there too, we decided to have parents and their kids photos.

First off my sister, with my brother-in-law and their daughter.

Then my baby brother (although not so much a baby these days), my sister-in-law and their daughter....

And then my son, daughter-in-law and my beautiful granddaughter Daisy. (Affectionately called Daisy Doodles by Grandma, because of her enthusiastic dancing and twirling).

Suddenly feeling left out, I remembered that my child was there too....and he promptly leaped on our knees for a cuddle......At 30 he's grow a little bit too much for this kind of thing and I think I should have been sitting on HIS knee!

The third weekend was spent with long standing friends in Scotland...

And had the chance to take some amazing photos....shame about the blade of grass.....

And this is only the second time I have seen these most beautiful Fly Agaric....ans there were loads!

And I also took lots of tree pictures....

And for the last weekend we went off to meet friends at a local, but private camp. We were exhausted and I was very definitely feeling my age, much to the amusement of Steve, who takes everything in his stride. So, a GREAT BIG thank you, to Steves and my family, great friends who are there when you need them and most of all my wonderful man, for making my BIG birthday so memorable and special.

For the last couple of weeks we've been catching up on unpacking his stuff, having a big clear out of long accumulated and no longer needed 'stuff'. It's hard trying to combine 2 houses into 1, especially when we had the combination of 5 bedrooms between us....but all duplicated items have been found new homes or skipped, with only a handful of boxes to go through. AND, we almost have a spare bedroom for guests....but as they say, Rome wasn't built in a day!

I've been busy preparing for a one day workshop that I'm teaching on Saturday....I forgot just how many hours prep goes into 6 hours teaching. Hopefully, they will enjoy what I have for them and at least appreciate the thought and time that has gone into it.....we will see.

I Am an Artist....

I just LOVE this!

Available from:

http://www.hesaidteeshed.com/

Are you STUCK, before even starting?

I love my job as a Calligrapher...but sometimes need to escape from the hum drum 'formal' lettering styles that people expect you to come out with on their commission work.

These Pen Play Doodles have been great fun and a welcome pause to the Creative Spirit.

I was chatting to a friend the other day who is finding it terribly difficult to start her own business. I'm trying to help her as best I can.....and advice is freely given if not always taken.

One of the problems is getting started.

The actual producing of any work.

It's hard when you are juggling kids, jobs, housework, partner, pets.....We've all been there, done that, worn the T-shirt.

Oddly enough, this came up with another friend as she was starting her business, so I thought I would write a blog post about it here....

OK.....so you have all the gear (and more) to start creating.....but something ALWAYS gets in the way. My main advice here is to STOP RIGHT THERE.....hold your horses and BREATHE!

OK....so if this was a conventional job, you wouldn't be able to make excuses as to why you hadn't turned up for work. So, you need to treat it just like that....like a 'PROPER' job!

When you first start out there are lots of reasons and from now on we will call them EXCUSES - (I'll come to this one later) as to why you haven't done anything.

Sometimes, the problem is that you are looking at the BIGGER picture.....looking at having a shed load of stuff to sell, make, create and because you are looking at the bigger picture it becomes overwhelming and you never get round to even starting.

SO....make some ME time....go on.....write it on your calendar right now.....even if it's only time on an evening....and while you're at it.....pen in the following 4 weeks....same time and day.

RIGHT - From now on.....at these Me times you are BUSY....got that? Hell can freeze over, but you are BUSY!

It's better and more conceivable to schedule in one hour per night than try and cram in a full day once a week.....so think carefully before you commit yourself.

Once you have.....it's immovable.

The above little picture is for you.....print it out and hang it somewhere prominent....print and give them away....but PLEASE do NOT try to sell them!

....remind yourself daily that

YOU are WORTH IT!

Believe me, the hubby will be happier, the kids will be happier, the household chores will STILL get done )and quicker if the truth be known!) and the sense of achievement will be AMAZING!

REMEMBER: Take small deliberate steps....each one leads you closer to your goal!

What advice would you give to someone who is stuck before starting?

From Pen Play to Crazy Colour

Well, here's another Pen Play and Doodle Fun piece that I created.....first outlined in 0.5mm permanent fine line pen....

And then coloured in using a water based brush pen.....diluted with water. the trick is to go around the edges with the brush, then use the water brush to dissolve the water from the paper and push it around. The result is 'similar' to watercolour paint, but far cleaner (she says with pen all over her finger tips!) .

The above pictures are a scan of the pieces, so the colour quality is a bit yucky1 I have taken photos and I'll share the finished piece, which I am going to add to my Art Journal.

Any type of colouring medium will work with the Pen Doodles, the choice is up to you. There is a variety of water soluble crayons as well as felt pens out there. Just remember: Permanent for the outline and water based for the colouring....you don't want your outline to be cloudy by painting over with heavy acrylic, but acrylic inks work well too.

Happy creative spirit :o)

Pen Play.....Doodle Fun!

Autumn Equinox is here....and a natural time for winding down.....why is it then that I feel so creative? Perhaps it's the thought of the nights drawing in, belly filling food, crisp mornings and warm cozy log fires that will soon be upon us. Whatever it is, it happens at the same time every year.
As I continue with my Doodle Art, I'm finding that I'm becoming More and more obsessed. It takes me back to when I was a kid and I always had time to create.....for no other reason than pure self indulgent pleasure. These Doodle Frames are just the beginning....

They are drawn with a 0.5, permanent pen and with NO pre-planning. Perhaps I enjoy this spontaneous way of working, because it becomes organic and grows from a small starting point...

Because there is no pr- planning, there is no set time to stop. The piece can just grow and grow.

These pieces may be finished or not.....we will see. After the first couple the ideas come thick and fast. Perhaps I will add colour, perhaps I will add words, but more so on my mind is to make them into a colouring journal for adults, something I have been thinking about for some time.

There was no set reason as to why I started these. No hidden agenda. No ultimate goal in mind. Just a Creative Spirit, enjoying a little 'ME' time, after the flurry of the last few months.

However they develop, I will keep posting them.

The greatest appeal for me is the lack of materials needed to create them. This means they can be done anywhere and with just a pen and paper.

Why not grab a cuppa, pick up a pen and start doodling today?

Trust me it's addictive.....so stock up on the ready meals :o)

BUT - If you really can't be bothered and fancy a bit of Art Time, I've left the pictures big, so feel free to click on the one/s you like and print them out.....you may even add to mine.....if you do PLEASE leave a comment and link back to this post....lets see if anyone wants to participate?

Blessings to your 'Creative Spirit' this equinox xxx

Doodle Time

"CREATIVITY comes from

having an open mind to new ideas,

constantly questioning the established rules.

Though rarely does it come on those days,

when you set out to be creative".

Raymond Blanc

I've just finished a few Wedding orders and was hoping to get some time to play before anything else came in...this is what I came up with....

When I was doing calligraphy for pleasure and teaching, play time was important. From playing came new ideas and from new ideas came finished pieces of work.

When I opened my studio and gallery.....way back in 1999, playing became more and more a thing of the past. Mainly because I was suddenly thrown into the commercial viability of everything and I mean EVERYTHING I did.

I had to suddenly look at everything with fresh eyes and felt guilty at taking, what can only be described as 'Time Out' for fun and playful projects.

Often I'm asked to do commissions that are pretty formal in nature, whereas my overall style is more contemporary these days. So, the commissions very rarely reflect my art work as it is.

I started these flowers using water based felt pens and after wetting the ink with a brush and letting them dry, I rough outlined them with a permanent fine-liner. Oh what fun.

I'm not sure where these will take me and they are merely doodles at the moment. I'm not even sure I will use them at all.....but I certainly had fun playing and I'm looking forward to developing the technique more and coming up with other ideas.

Yes, playing releases the child within!

What a difference a new floor makes!

Inspired by Script: What a difference a new floor makes!: For quite some time I've been complaining about the lighting in the Gallery at Inspired by Script. We have thought about a few ways of makin...

CREATIVITY comes from having an open mind to new ideas....

I've been so busy lately, what with wedding Fairs, Wedding Orders and commissions, I've hardly had a day off for weeks.....but it's all gonna be worth it.

Tomorrow I'm getting new flooring in the Gallery. The blue carpet was dark, tired and worn out and it certainly doesn't do my shelves and wares justice.

I've also been listening to a lot of Talking Books this year on my way to work. The latest was a Biography of a well known Chef. Strange you may think? Well the wonderful thing is that there is an awful lot of synchronicity goes on with fellow creative, whether they create in paint, fabric, dance, music photography and yes EVEN food! The following quote I listened to over and over again and the words are still resonating inside me. I have been playing with doodles (more about this soon) and from these doodles are the stirrings of something new, something lively and fresh, totally unexpected and fabulous fun. But, that can wait until another time.

For now I share the quote:

CREATIVITY comes from having an open mind to new ideas,
constantly questioning the established rules.

Though rarely does it come on those days
when you set out to be creative.

Raymond Banc

Does this resonate with you?

When do you get your best ideas?

Does creativity always come when you want it to?

How do YOu clear the creative blocks?

Answers on a postcard please lol.

No seriously....share your answers with others by leaving a comment :o)

May your creativity run wild! xxx

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North Yorkshire Weddings - Blog: Wedding Fayre in Northallerton, North Yorkshire

Posted to my Wedding Blog.....North Yorkshire Weddings - Blog: Wedding Fayre in Northallerton, North Yorkshire: we are please to announce that we will be attending (Click link above to read more)



The Grand Wedding Fayre,
t o be held on Sunday, September 4th 2011,

At th...

Lammas - It's time to reap what you sow!

It's been 2 years.....2 very long years.....since I last went to the annual Lammas Camp at Lime Tree Farm. It was my decision to not go to any camps at all last year and also planned a relationship free year, after seeming to have a knack of picking up mentally dysfunctional suitors, who came with serious mental health issues. I needed a year out, to take stock and gather my thoughts and focus on my business a bit more. The break brought it's rewards in more ways than one.
I met my wonderful soul mate Steve at Beltane last year and wanted to spend a year with him, getting to know him and simply enjoying each others company. This time it was slow and steady away....and I will blog more about this at a later date.
It was time for the Bell Tent to come out of her hiding place, get all glammed up and Grandma's Magic Tepee (as known by Daisy my Granddaughter) was ready to rock and roll once again. It was Steve's first camp, although he had met a few of my Pagan friends over the last year.


This time, we set up the bed directly opposite the door, giving extra space at either side. I don't know why this had never occurred to me before, but the Feng Shui really worked well and the tent had a more comfortable feel....perhaps it helped that for the first time I set up camp with no head banging off the steering wheel, no angst'y shouting and absolutely no stress....what a relief that was! and a true breath of fresh air.

A single burner is never enough on camp and we made the decision to buy a wood burning stove, which also doubled as a cooker, after reading about them on a blog post by The Hermitage. The wonderful thing about these stoves is that with a fixing kit they can be used inside a bell tent. It somehow just felt more apt and natural that the tent and the stove worked hand in hand and seemed altogether more aesthetically pleasing. For this camp we opted to use it outside to see how it performed.

However.....keeping Steve away from it was a different matter! What is it with men and fire....or men and axes, or drills, power tools and chainsaws for that matter??? Must be that hunter gatherer kinda thing :o)

The stove did well.....it kept us fed and watered all weekend and was a blessing at night when we sat huddled round to keep warm, whiled away the hours chatting and laughing and watch the moonlit sky.

The stall looked good. There is nothing so powerful as 2 artistic brains together. The broomstick took up her place by the side of the door, bringing the magic right inside.

Steve the ever relaxed one, enjoyed his morning coffee and really looked at home.....

And there was plenty of space for my stock too, thanks to the wonderful innovation of some trellis work to hang things on. This made a huge difference to my stall as normally the tables are full to bursting.

The weather was perfect, the company of friends was even better and everyone at the camp this year had a wonderful time and said they have never experienced a camp like it. There have been times when the tension was felt by everyone who was capable of feeling. Even 2 of my 3 ex's turning up did nothing to dampen the spirit, well I only needed one more and a had a hat trick.....wow I even managed to be civil to them both!

And we had a little visitor to our shoppe. I love Lammas Camp as it always brings out the Crickets, that seem to serenade us all day long and we were not disappointed.....this little fellow was set free after trapping himself in the netting during the night. It was a major operation not to break his leg, but he left happily and without injury after Steve set him free.

And there was a handfasting....of 2 of the most beautiful people. They have been through a lot in the past few years and have stuck together through hell and high water. They are both very special and really hold the standard for hope and love triumphs over adversity. No not these two....that's me and Steve......

These two.....and they must hold the record for the most people attending a handfasting. It goes to show how much they are truly loved.

And of course we had Damh the Bard to play at their Wedding... only the best will do sometimes :o)

Something major happened that camp. The ritual for the handfasting was to release and let go of past hurts. I never really thought I was holding on to any...I really didn't, but something definitely shifted in me (and others) that weekend!

It really was the best camp ever.The nutters seem to have gone. The weather was good to us and the people were all happy, smiley, relaxed and calm. It was over too soon.

We returned home to see the corn was being harvested off the field. The sun has done it's job and the harvest has started to be gathered in.

What a perfect year it has been. Many seeds sown and harvested and many more to sew. It's definitely a lesson in reaping what you sew this year. I feel blessed. Blessed that the business is finally working for me, blessed that I have a beautiful and treasured Granddaughter who is growing oh so fast, blessed with friends that are still strong friends no matter how little we see each other and blessed that I have truly met my soul mate, who can receive love as well as give it. Yes, blessed I am.