Dance Like No-ome is Watching...

Work like you don't need the money,
Love like you've never been hurt and
Dance like no-one is watching

I love this quote and I have written it out countless times over the years. I think it resonates with the eccentric, Pixie, alter ego. Side of me. The one where in the right company I’m apt to do something out of the ‘norm’…. but I do have to be in the right company! Life is too short to be serious, embarrassed or shy.
The quotation was brought back to me during a post from The Daily OM, a website that I love for inspirational thinking and so often works in synchronicity with how I am feeling and what I am thinking of at the time. Regular readers of my blog, know how much I love inspiring or self development insights and so I would like to share the post with you….

November 19, 2009
Like No One Is Watching
Shake Your Tail Feathers

Most of us express our distinctiveness in many ways throughout our lives. Although, as we proudly share our offbeat traits and preferences with the world, we take great pains to downplay those eccentricities we ourselves deem odd. Instead of living lives coloured by these quirky impulses, we seek out socially acceptable outlets for our peculiarities. We may not realize that we are editing ourselves in this way because our individual societal awareness is unintentionally attuned to the attitudes of the people we encounter each day. Over time, we have learned to suppress some of the most fun aspects of individuality. To rediscover and embrace these buried traits, we need only ask ourselves what we would do if we knew for certain that no one would judge our choices.

Visualizing this day without judgment can help you better understand the idiosyncrasies that are an important part of who you are but seldom manifest themselves in your existence. Perhaps you secretly dream of replacing grown-up, conservative clothing in favour of a changing array of costumes. You may envision yourself painting your car electric-green, hugging the trees in a crowded local park, singing joyous songs as you skip through your community, or taking up an exciting hobby like fire spinning. Try not to be surprised, however, if your imagination takes you in unexpectedly simple directions. In your musings, you may see yourself doing things such as breaking out in dance or dying your hair a fun colour.

Regardless of the nature of your suppressed peculiarities, ask yourself what is really stopping you from making them a part of your life, and then resolve to incorporate at least one into your everyday existence. Life as we know it is so short. Making the most of years we are granted is a matter of being ourselves even though we know that we will inevitably encounter people who disapprove of our choices. When you shake your tail feathers like no one is watching, you will discover that there are many others who appreciate you because you are willing to let go of any inhibition. By doing this you help others know it is okay. No one else in the world is precisely like you and, each time you revel in this simple fact, you rededicate yourself to the celebration of individuality.

To find more inspiration...go to The Daily OM Website... and indulge yourself!

Quotation - Enjoy...

Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets,
so love the people who treat you right,
forget about the ones that don't,
and believe that everything happens for a reason.

If you get a chance, take it.
If it changes your life, let it.
Nobody said life would be easy,
they just promised it would be worth it

Update on last post

Hi everyone I just want to give you a quick update on THIS POST

I've had a text from Penny this morning and I'm afraid the news isn't good. Trev has cancer of the liver and stomach. She's booked a flight down to Southampton tomorrow, paid for on her mums credit card. Your welcome donations will help go towards paying that back, so thank you so much for those who have so freely given.
As you can imagine she is devastated. I'll know more when I call her tonight as she cannot speak right now.

Much love and bright blessings to those earth angels that made her flight possible. xxx

I Need your help

I belong to a very special bunch of people. They are an eclectic mix of Wise Women. They are Creative Spirits, who have a lot to offer. For probably years I've been thinking of writing a book, but over the last year or so I've been toying with the idea of a collaboration. This collaboration will involve many people who I have grown to know and love through their Blogs, on Facebook and other Creative Groups of which I have the pleasure of being a member of.

The book itself will comprise of Photographers, Writers, Poets and of course all this backed up with Calligraphers and Lettering Artists.

The title of the book is to be something like " Things I have learned so far.... " and I hope the content will reflect and impart words of wisdom and inspiration to uplift the spirit and guide them on their journey.

Full credit to the artists and creators will be given and I will include a list at the back of the contributors Websites or Blogs.

For those who do not consider themselves Artistic, send me a quotation or two. You can send one line or a paragraph, one photograph or a series of photographs.....So whether Writer, Artist, Calligrapher, Lettering Artist, Poet or Creator of any kind,contact me direct on this email: letteringartist@gmail.com to register your interest and I will be in touch in due course. And please, feel free to pass this around to anyone who you think may be interested.

Special Friends - Healing Thoughts

It's hard to believe that a week has gone by when my wonderful friends Amber Moggie and Mr Mog came to visit. They planned to stay overnight but as other commitments took place they only managed a few hours on the afternoon and not nearly long enough for us to fit in all the things we needed to talk about...I do ring her on a regular basis, but it's always nice to catch up face to face. And as usual she came baring gifts....This wonderful nature inspired green shawl and Moebius Scarf in the more wonderful of Autumn colours.
A Moebius is a construction with only one side and only one boundary. The most intriguing structure and fascinating to all who look at it. It reminds me of the chant:
We are a circle, within a circle, with no beginning and never ending.


The gorgeous green bead laden shawl adds to my collection of 4 now (I love them!) and is long enough and think enough to use for when I am sat in my garden during the cooler weather.
Her knitting is made even more amazing when you actually know Amber (not her real name) and realises that for the most part she is in tremendous pain, when sitting or standing, from head to toe, but never do I hear her complain. In fact the opposite. She's a smiler and bringer of joy and inspiration to all who cross her way.
And I've added this picture...I arranged the items on the table and went to get the camera. Just before I took the shot, Blue rushed onto the shawl as she wanted to get herself in the picture and tell Amber that the Moggies in this house love her too.
I think her smiley eyes are saying it all....


Never one to complain about her own aches and pains, she makes these wonderful Elementals, usually to bring love and joy to others.

She is one of the most caring and generous people I have ever met. At the moment the pain is almost too much to bare for her, please I ask everyone who reads my blog to sent some healing light and thoughts to her, in the hope that her pain relief gets sorted out soon... for she is the last person who deserves to be in pain.

And talking of pain...pain comes in many ways....I am at the moment trying to comfort the husband of a dear friend of mine who died 8 weeks ago. He is not dealing with it very well at all. He is exhausted from the constant trips back and forward for the last 6 months of her life. Although she was oozing stomach acid through a hole in her abdomen, created to stop the infection and toxins getting into her blood stream, he never gave up hope that she would eventually come home.

Now he is lost. All the plans and dreams of what they would do when they retire all gone. They have no children and so he feels like life without her is futile. After watching Barbara in pain for so long, he is himself now in pain...of a different kind. Having been through this myself I am doing my best to reassure him and tell him that his pain will eventually heal.

And there's dear Laoi over at Solstice Breamer... who now feels that she shouldn't have spilled on this post about feeling so wretched... and there are other bloggers who are also in a lot of pain one way or another. Please do not feel bad about spilling, that's what we are here for, and why I created The Honest Blogger Award!

To all those and many others, known and unknown to us here on Blogger, I send warm loving light to everyone at present in pain, whether physical or emotional. For pain comes in many guises. Remember, the Sisterhood rocks. Sharing does not make us weak or less of a capable person, it makes us human.

PLEASE NOTE: Blue only stayed on the shawl for the duration of the photograph, then was given a swift foot up the...well gentle hand on the behind... I'm not in the habit of letting my precious shawls being used as a cat bed. FAR too valuable!

So.....Just "What is a Potboiler?"

Well....according to About.com it says that it's work of a low or poor quality, I wouldn't go that far and I've blogged about it on my Inspired by Script Blog.
As I am without a website at the moment and another will take quite some time to redo, I've took to selling my work through my studio blog.

As most of my traffic comes through my Creative Spirit (hello you lovely people and followers xxx) I will inform via this blog when I update....so please forgive the intrusion.

Below are some pictures of my 'Potboilers' for a closer look, do go and have a look at my other blog here inspiredbyscript.blogspot.com

I know that a lot of Creative Folk who have a blog sell their work and are reluctant to blatantly offer their work through their blogs...so I'm encouraging everyone who does to GO FOR IT! There is no need for embarrassed or feel you are being pushy, people have a choice. Who are you to deny them that right?

And here's a closer look....

I would rather spend my money on buying something hand crafted and unique and supporting a fellow artist, so if you do sell, please leave a comment with a link to your blog.

Unfortunately Etsy (although the sellers are worldwide) doesn't get the support and is not really well known in the UK.

Goddess Lovers....just go and have a look at this!

I've known Cari for longer than I care to remember.....12 years at least and possibly as long as 15! Doesn't time fly when you're having fun! We belonged to an amazing bunch of folk, worldwide and all Calligraphers or Lettering Artists and we belonged to a huge group... LONG before Social Network Sites came into being. We formed deep friendships and talked about not only our love of our craft, but our personal family issues too. Since Blogging and Facebook came onto the scene, we have forged even stronger bonds and we are getting closer and even more open about our individual spiritual paths.

For all you Goddess lovers out there (and even those who aren't) go and take a look at this post on Pagan Prayer Books the article is wonderful. What's even more wonderful is the link to The Giaian Tarot with it's gorgeous paintings of the cards, done in a rather unique way, and the descriptions are poetry in themselves and have a lot of inspiration.

Also on Facebook was a link to this book Earth Psalms where the writer Angela Magara rewrites the Psalms from a Goddess perspective. Angela also has a blog at Angela From The Center

Tomorrow I'm teaching at North East Scribes, and so looking forward to it. I hope the Lively Lettering and Contemporary Calligraphy goes down well. It's always inspiring in itself to get together with others and share so creative energy!

Pot Boilers For Sale

So.....Just "What is a Potboiler?"

Well....in Answers.com it says....

Potboiler or pot-boiler is a term used to describe a poor quality novel, play, opera, or film, or other creative work that was created quickly to make money to pay for the creator's daily expenses (thus the imagery of "boil the pot" which means "to provide one's livelihood").

Authors who create potboiler novels or screenplays are sometimes called back writers. Novels deemed to be potboilers may also be called pulp fiction, and potboiler films may be called "popcorn movies" or, in film industry slang, "tentpoles" (large-budget films typically based on well-known characters or prior works, which, due to their immense popularity, support the studio economically, like tent poles hold up a tent).

Well, I wouldn't go as far as to say they are, "poor quality" but they are produced More quickly and perhaps not up to the usual standard of a regular commission where the price would be a lot higher. I produce Potboilers as interesting and affordable, unique pieces of original art to basically sell for a low profit and keep the wolves from the door and enable me to keep the studio going. They are fun to do and created from the heart.

I work on the principle that I would rather someone have the pleasure of looking at something on their wall than have it gathering dust in my gallery. Much art these days is overpriced and as artist we have to work on the principle of either sell a very expensive piece once or twice a year or sell lots of smaller things on a regular basis. Personally I would rather r do the latter.

So on that note...I offer the following.....

Your Vision will become clear,

only when you can look in your heart.

Rumi

Size: 12.5 x 44.5 cm (8 1/2" x 17 1/2 ")

Materials: FW Acrylic Ink, Gold Pen on Canaletto

£14 including FREE P&P

BELIEVE in the power of your dreams

Size: 18cm x 41cm (7" x 16")

Materials: FW Acrylic Ink, Gold Pen on Canaletto

£10 including FREE P&P

The value of friendship,

cannot be measured,

only treasured.

Size: 21cm x 42cm (8 1/2" x 16 1/2")

Materials: FW Acrylic Ink, Gold pen on Canaletto

£12 including FREE P&P

Forget safety,

Live where you fear to live,

Destroy your reputation

BE notorious!

Rumi

Size 23cm x 38cm (9" x 18")

Materials: Dr Martins Bleedproof white,, silver pen on Canson.

£15 including FREE P&P

Nothing can grow,
until the ground is turned over

Rumi

Size: 20cm x 31cm (8" x 12")

Materials: Dr. Martins Bleedproof White and Silver Pen on Canson

£10 including FREE P&P

Do what you love,

the money will follow.

TRUST that as long as you work from the heart

all will be well

Size: 22cm x 50cm (8 3 /4" x 19 3/4")

Materials: Dr Martins Bleedproof White, Silver Pen on Canson Navy Blue Paper

£15 including FREE P&P

PAYMENT: I can take payment by Paypal, cheques or postal orders.

SHIPPING: All pieces come packed flat, are ready to frame and signed by the artist.

Any questions please do not hesitate to email me at; inspiredbyscript@yahoo.co.uk

NEW Inspirational Prints

These are a couple of Rumi Quotations I've just done. These will be converted to Prints and Greeting Cards as part of a series.

The first one reads.....

This is a simple truth, whatever you love, you are.

This second one (and I LOVE this quote)

I have lived on the tip of insanity,

waiting to know reasons, knocking on a door,

It opens....I've been knocking from the inside!

Art Techniques - Using Resists

I have so much to blog about I don't know where to start, but as Blogger is playing up and won't let me move my pictures where I want them by dragging and dropping I will have to blog in small parts, over a few separate posts. This first post is about using resists in your Art Work and I'm blogging about this simply because this is what I have been doing today as a way of experimenting.

Firstly there are many things you can use as a resist. Wax is probably the most common medium, but almost impossible to write over afterwards. FW Acrylic Ink is waterproof when dry. The black in particular is good to use if you want to write something then have the wash go over it in a specific way. I decided to try white FW to see what happens.

First write or draw your words....
Ok....so you can't see it...it is Waite on white however. Then paint over your wash.... Here I painted over FW acrylic As you can see the results are pretty awful.

Perhaps I'll try the above with Watercolour and see if that makes a difference.

Next was something that I KNOW is wonderful. Pebeo Drawing Gum (Masking Fluid to the uninitiated) In the past I've used W&N and found it not only difficult to flow from the pen but it awful for getting off afterwards, peeling the paper away with it if the paper has a slightly fuzzy feel, especially the softer papers. Pebeo however is wonderful. You can easily see it on the page as it dries to the most wonderful dark grey.

When dry paint over your wash. and let it dry again....

Rub off the gum (make sure it is absolutely dry as a bone first) and....here we have it....perfect!

The paper stays it's original colour underneath and no rub off.

Lettering Art on Canvas - Rumi Quotation Let The Moving waters Calm Down

I've been working on a canvas today...... (Click on the pictures to enlarge)
Tomorrow (or should I say today - judging by the time!) I will be anxiously awaiting the arrival of two very good friends of mine Mrs Mog otherwise known as Amber Moggie or she who shall not be named (it;s all part of the mystery she tells me) and Mr Mog otherwise known as The Woodworker extraordinaire!

Now way way back in June Amber Moggie blogged about this shawl isn't it amazing and as I already have two shawls made by her, but neither of them Red, I just had to have it! That was the start of my 'Red' phase...and something that seems ongoing with me. Red is the colour of passion....hmmm not much happening in that department, but I seem to have an uncontrollable urge to buy RED stuff! Anyway, here is a sneak preview of the canvas I have done for her in return.

It's 16" x 20". Acrylic paint with silver pen and the lettering is done in FW Acrylic using a folded ruling pen and Brause nibs....specially flown in from the USA as I'm left handed and they have to be cut specially. No one supplied left handed Brause in the Uk and I find Wm. Mitchels terrible. I'm too heavy handed for them.

I've done a few Rumi Quotations lately and never even realised that this was one of his....just goes to show, you're never too old to learn something new!

Anyway, I just thought I'd share it with you before the presentation (*grin*)

I'm planning on doing a few stocking fillers both canvases and prints which will be sold as stocking fillers. As my website is down I'll post on here when I add them to my other 'Inspired by Script' blog and they're up for sale.

Website Problems

Hi folks, for almost a year my website Inspired by Script has had a virus attached to it and I've tried to no avail to got someone to sort it out. I'm not in communication with my ex who built it, spent so much time on it and did such a great job, Hopefully today my business advisor from Action For Blind People is coming over and deleting the lot to save further harm for any of my visitors and I'll be starting afresh. It's sad, but there is no other option and as people are prevented from going on it, i serves no purpose the way it is.

I post (but YES I'm miles behind) on my http://www.inspiredbyscript.blogspot.com blog any recent work but this is not helping me sell my work and I need to sell to keep doing the work I love. I'll keep you posted as to the developments....so if II go quiet you'll know why.

I'm currently working on a book structure which will take me sometime. It's an important part of me and cannot be rushed. I'm considering ever stage before I put pen to paper...something I'm not used to. I'll put photos up of this as I go along.

Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye....here I go....cheerio....