Painting Transformation

As I was sitting on  my hammock enjoying the sun over the last few weeks I saw our very sad, chair, hanging around in the corner.  I bought this patio furniture set in Woolworths 5 years ago when moving in.  The table has been donated to Will's allotment along with the other 2 chairs, keeping 2 here for us.

But oh dear, they look sad and not very inviting.   In a flash moment of colour, I decided I was going to do some painting, only this time - the furniture.  I had some lovely emulsion paint left over and a spare mixing pot, so here I became Miss Mixer and had a base blue and added some white.  I just love the colour I made.

Sad looking thing before

The 2 chairs looking more fun and alive

Miss Lucy always is in frame when I'm taking photos!

I also found a little stool that I had bought from Ikea ages ago and thought it would make a lovely little addition to the chair family.  So I painted the top.  Not too sure at this point whether to keep it all blue.

Then, my friend Lesley popped over for a cuppa and she said "Why don't you paint one of your girls on the top of that little stool?"  You know what?  That's a fab idea.  It didn't take me long to decide who was going on there as I have a little supply of girls for canvases etc...  So I did.

I'm soooooo delighted with the outcome.  It completely enhances our lovely little garden.  The colour blue reminds me of the sea and for some reason I feel all Mamma Mia'ish when I look out there.  They're now sealed with outdoor varnish so they're ready to spend the summer out there.  Love them.

A bouquet of hearts for you x

Lots of Love
Jules xx

Today's the day - My Book is Published!

Me holding a copy of my book!

I really must blog more as I have so much to write about.  It has been over 2 weeks since my last post, gosh, where has that time gone?  I have been so involved with my book arriving, painting, creative, getting my workshop organised for May 8th, booking a workshop in Portugal with Flora Bowley, organising my wedding in September (oh I don't think I mentioned that!) and working on some personal creative projects around the house. (plus more painting in the garden).

Need to take a breath.  Let's tackle one thing at a time.  

Firstly, I received about 200 postcards from the publisher for me to send out, which are just delightful.  When I saw them I felt a flitter (or this flutter) of anticipation and just thought... oooooooooooo wooooooooooooooow.

and.. breathe Julia ..

Then at the weekend, a package arrives on the mat.  Could it be?  Yes it was.  My book!!!!

Gosh, the feeling of opening the envelope and holding it.

A day later I received some more complimentary copies of my book.  Such a wonderful feeling.

For those who may be reading this, wondering what it's about: well it's a coaching book that helps those applying to UK universities to creatively start the blooming process for writing their personal statement. Selling themselves on paper, in a nutshell.  In alot of the work I do and have done, I work with individuals who face a blank page and just don't know where to begin.  

So whilst in France last year, I sat down and thought about all the times I have helped, supported, creatively coached people and decided I would start to dabble with the concepts.  What evolved was a seven step process.  

• Collect it
• Expand it
• Prove it
• Draft it
• Build it
• Review it
• Submit it

Hey Presto.  I submitted it to a publisher I had found in my Writers Year book, How to Books Ltd in Oxford.  Their spec seemed to fit the bill.  I sent off my proposal just as I left France to return home to Liverpool having spent 5 months there.  (writing for 3).  I received an instant thank you from the publisher, Nikki, and then about 4 weeks later, I received an email saying they would like to publish it.  

Here I am, not even 1 year later since I returned and I hold the copy in my hands.  In September 2010, I submitted the full manuscript and 7 months later, it's published.

It just shows me and proves to me what I can achieve.  I have wanted to write this for such a long time.  I really hope that it helps those people who perhaps do not get the support they need from their schools/colleges and more so, for those who apply as individuals and are doing it all pretty much on their tod.  

Now nearly being published and realising that everyone has the opportunity to read it and to critique my 7 steps, I feel the nerves of  vulnerability - people assessing what I've written thinking that it's either a load of Tosh, or Fandabidozi.

Well, let's hope mine is the latter.

Right, I'm off to watch the Royal Wedding - Today is a day for champagne all round, a toast to William and Kate plus my book.

Love, Love, Love
Jules xXx

Miss Lucy always gets in the photos!

Painting in the Sunshine

I find if I am to paint then there's nothing quite having a block of time to spend, lost in colour.  I tend to have more than one painting on the go - sometimes I'll be finishing off one and I'll need to add some detail, perhaps another layer, then move on.  

This is how I spent my afternoon.  Today Will spent pretty much all day on the allotment and I de-camped and set up a table outside in the garden.  The sun was just gorgeous.  As a Leo, I love it.  So I took my little table, shlepped it outside, and then whatever paints I had at home.  I still have my studio over at my parents, tho' I find that I need to be more home based these days with work, clients etc... so I have to double up on art space.

I have been working on a commission and also finishing off my paintings so that I can make prints, and create some stock for my soon to be launched etsy shop.  Started making a design for my wedding invitation, which I thought would be a lovely Julesie thing to do.......More about this another time! 

I enjoyed being outside, catching the sun and deep in thought as I played with paint, colour, layers.   I have been reading my Kelly Rae Roberts book again which I just love and spent some time earlier going through her blog post timeline and how she started her art journey and where she is to this day.  It's inspiring and I must remember that it's possible for me too.  I'm doing quite alot of soul searching these past weeks about different aspects of my life.  Focusing on much journal writing, drawing and sketching, plus looking at how I can support my book coming out on 29th April.  Got to get my head round this and put some energy there in recording video.  Yikes!  

There's nothing quite like SunDrying!

My Muse and Painting Protector

Anyway I have found a great way to store my paints which was suggested by Melody Ross over at Brave Girls ... ingenious! I'll post that soon.

Happy Sundays 

and Mondays 

xxJulesxx

  

Have you ever been to therapy?

at Dream

I suppose you could say that I'm a portfolio worker.  What this means is, my time is split between various jobs that I do.  Part of the week I'm employed and then all the rest of the time I'm self employed as a artist, writer and creative coach. I don't necessarily call them 'jobs' but they're all projects.  I have been pondering on the word 'do' for a few weeks now since I started Beth Nicholls ecourse 'do what you love' which is hitting out some very tough questions.  The very first week we were asked not What do you want to do in your life?  But, how do you want to feel in your life?  Have you ever thought of this?

So, in my employed time, I work as a careers coach in an independent school in Liverpool and I also work in a health food shop, just me, on my ownsome, advising customers about vitamin and mineral supplements etc... and the other day I  am flicking through the March edition of "Your Healthy Living" magazine, and start reading an interview with Cindy Crawford.  We all know who she is right?  The interviewer asked her "have you ever been to therapy?"  I think that's a tad nosey but ok, I'm reading it, so this is how Cindy replies:   

"It's funny because I go to the homeopathic doctor and he's a great friend of mine, I walk in and he says, how happy are you on a scale from 1 to 10 and I say to him; Jim, my goal in life is not to be happy.  I don't need to be happy all the time, I need to feel.  First of all, you can't be happy all the time.  So if that's your goal, you're going to fail.  I just want to be present in whatever it is.  Even if it's the bad stuff.  I'm not afraid of rolling up my sleeves and talking..... I want to engage with whatever it is, good or bad.  I don't measure success by happiness or by things, I measure it by whether I was there"

Thump.  I felt hit by this very short paragraph.  I have read these words so many times over the last 20 odd years, in various forms.  But for some reason, on this day, this really made me go.  'Yes.  You're right Cindy.'  (believe me, I never thought I would be writing about Cindy C).  This article has been playing on my mind which is why I'm writing about it here. 

I had realised that pretty much all the time, I do have very high expectations of myself.   

I strive to be happy, to live a peaceful life, in a certain way and sometimes, it just doesn't happen that way.   If we could buy a measuring tool for happiness - I'm sure I'd find that what is being happy for one is not necessarily being happy for another.  If I'm not feeling whatever it is I need to feel, then I just surrender to it and say to myself 'It is, what it is'.

I thought I'd have lots of children by now and I don't have any.  Does that make me unhappy?  It does, Yes.  And yet, I'm working with this one and coming to terms with it.  I'm feeling it.  I can't measure my life against it.  I don't want to measure it against my happiness.  Does that makes sense?  Does it?

Who would have thought that a simple paragraph in a freebie health magazine would have sparked these thoughts.  It just goes to show that the written word is still incredibly powerful. 

Hope this makes sense.

Phew, you made it to the end.

Love

Jules xxx

The Magic Faraway Tree

Sometimes I wish I could go down to the Enchanted Wood at the end of my garden, climb up the magic faraway tree and spend some time hanging out with Moon Face, Silky and Mr Saucepanman.  I'd be able to visit the land at the top of the tree and I'd be one lucky lady as it would always be a land that was positive, peaceful, joyful and heart warming. 

i have recently started re-reading my three Enid Blyton books which I have treasured.  I'm now reading the  above book which is number 2. (I know that because even as a young Jules, when I used to keep my own library, I wrote the order down in each of them - which came in handy as I couldn't remember!)  They're printed around 1971-72 and I love these stories.   I think that it was the escapism, magic and wonder of the world at the bottom of the garden, the connection with nature and the relationship with animals.  Sounds like me.  Not everyone thinks Enid Blyton was the best writer in the world, and I'm not here to critique her words.  I just say blah blah blah, she's fab!  If you feel a little out of sorts, or down, go and read something you used to read as a child that has warm connotations for you. You'll know when you read this right now what book you're thinking of.  Is it Pollyanna?  Emil and the Detectives?  Mrs Frisby and the rats of NIMH? Treasure Island? The Secret Seven.  I could go on.

The reason why I'm reflecting this evening is because there's so much going round in my mind about creating the life that I want, doing what I love, that I find I become overwhelmed with it all.  Constant dialogue and discussion with just myself.   My creative community is online and virtual. I need a creative buddy because all I manifest comes from within - which I know is a good thing - but still, I do need sparks.  

I have my book being published in late April, early May.  A book which is a workbook for creative expression and a manual to help people write an expression statement for their university application.  I have worked as a coach for all my life (if I'm truly honest).  I also seek to help, guide, support, bring forth ideas, nurture others potential.  The book emerged whilst I was in France and I'm soon going to hold it in my hands.

So why do I feel overwhelmed?  Well I need to organise the website that supports this book.  I want to create a virtual coaching course which individuals can download so this supports them to write their statement.  I can't decide to go with a blog which would be more alive than a static website.   All these ridiculous questions flying round my mind.  

All I really need *want* to do is spend time in the Enchanted Wood - I'm sure, there, I will find answers.

So, can I?  

Today whilst walking Miss Lucy in the park, I stood and watched these tiny little birds having some kind of argument. (Sorry not sure what they were but very small) Well, that's what I thought they were doing.  It looked like one was chasing the other and boy, were they chirping at one another.  I just stood beneath them, amongst the trees, watching, seeing how quick they moved and how vocal they were. It could have been a game, i wasn't going to presume. For just this moment, I just let myself be with them and listen to them, without pondering on all the chat that goes on in my brain.  

I'm hoping that I'll discover the answers.

Now go, go dig out that book you used to love to read.  If you haven't got it, go find it.

Warm sunny March love 

Jules xx

Postcard Received from USA

Well here it is!  I received this from BFree from Grass Valley California in the good old US of A.  It came through the post just like this (without any over packaging) and it really created a breath of fresh air.  I bet Mr Postie was pleased too.  You can check out BFree's blog at www.askmamabear.blogspot.com

I have really loved doing Beth Nicholls Great Big Stitched Postcard Swap and was really chuffed to have sent mine to USA too, you can see mine here.

It feels like things are all coming together these past couple of weeks with Jules Dolly Art.  Since putting out there my Create your OWN Cocoon Canvas Workshop on 8th May in Liverpool I'm pleased to say that I have only 4 spaces left! Wow, that's so great.  I'm very excited.  If you'd like to pass on this information to anyone in the Liverpool area on Sunday 8th May, then here's all the information

I have also been asked if I would be interested going to Israel to run some workshops there.  This I'm contemplating and working out if it's viable but there's a part of me that's dancing a jig when I think about that.  Just got think about the formalities of it!  

Haven't posted for a while, it has been too long.  I have not spent as much time in front of my mac - I know for those that know me, this sounds too ridiculous but it's true.    Will be back soon over the weekend - I have a weekend off!! Yay!!  

The Great Big Stitched Postcard Swap

The Love Fairy

So I haven't written a blogpost for over a week and I wondered why.  Then I realised I had set myself the challenge of no TV 2 week challenge.  Here's the thing.  I haven't achieved everything on my list but I am part way to organising space and I have just been painting quite alot.  Not having TV in my life and listening to classic fm has made a subtle shift and created Space in my Soul.  I am writing about this alot these past few weeks. 

So.  I am taking part in the Great Big Stitched Postcard Swap which is being organised by Beth Nicholls from Do What you Love for Life (she's organising the fab retreat in May in Yorkshire).  The idea behind the postcard swap is to create a postcard, on the theme of LOVE and it has to contain some kind of 'stitching'.

So I have worked on my Love Fairy.  She was asking to be made so that's what I did.  Using Matt photo paper which has a durability to it, I created my background and added the Love Fairy. I used a variety of mediums, acrylic, tulips, glitter, and I have recently purchased Faber Castell Big Brush Skin Tone pens which are just divine. 

Reverse side

So the next step is I sent this off to my recipient in USA and I will be waiting to receive a stitched postcard from whomever has been given my details. We then all write a blog about the one we have got and post photos on a special Flickr album.

It's all quite exciting and something I have never done before.  A great way of meeting people and getting to know this global creative spirited community.  

On another note, I have been to see a lovely venue today in Liverpool to organise my own workshop.  A day where you can learn how to create your own canvas, jules dolly stylee and release the creative soul within.   Details to be revealed when I finalise them but watch this space.  

And so to finish off the commissions I have going on and to paint more for selling, prints and greeting cards.  *Jules does a jig* 

No TV - 2 week Challenge

I have been thinking about this for a while now - not to watch any TV for at least 2 weeks.   I don't watch that much anyway but I find with it being cold and miserable during the winter evenings, I have probably sat in front of it for too long. Sometimes, I will sketch, often I'll have laptop perched.    So I'm thinking that now the nights are becoming lighter I can go and catch up on all the things that I have been planning for the spring.  They are [in order]:

• Paint the communal hallway and re-carpet it
• Tidy up the space outside the lounge window, create a potted plant area and screen off the bins
• Find a small writing bureau or make a desk to have a craft corner somewhere tucked into this home of ours.  (although that is a challenge as there's not alot of free standing space).
• Re-organise the bookshelves and the book space.
• Re-decorate the second bedroom which is a dressing room/drying room/mini storage area [and a bit yuk]. 

That's quite a long list.  And at the same time, there's work to go to, things to develop; paint more, write more and live more. 

I treated myself, (have been saving up for this one) and I'm going to start the Soul Restoration 6 week online course written by Melody Ross in USA.  It all kicks off April 5th so will hopefully get my supplies organised, my desk space sorted, the painting done, just in time for this.

Hence, No TV.

Have a lovely week 

Jules xx

Barefoot Doctor's Healing Music

No doubt you've heard of Barefoot, supercharged Taoist healer, author of ooh I think it's something like 13 books; he's someone I have known for a long while, been on a few tai chi retreats where I have learnt the entire short form yang style with him.  Two of them were in beautiful Cardigan Bay on Angel Mountain, and one was in Barcelona Girona.  

Anyway, it has been a real rainy day here today in Liverpool, but me and Lucy went for a walk and I thought who shall I listen to today as I'm walking?  I find that if I listen to inspirational music I walk longer. 

Modern poppy stuffy is ok, but not really what I'm after when I'm walking.  I have a number of toons that I downloaded from Barefoots website called:

Stroll, Satellite, Get Here and Soul Cleansing.  I would really recommend you go check them out - you'll find them quite hypnotic.  He's got a great hypnotic style which the clubbers in Ibiza get the chance to hear and dance to.    

http://www.barefootdoctorworld.com/medmusic/1/  Anyway, I have just been there to have a look and there's so much more on offer.   I would recommend the stuff.  Hope you're having a lovely day.  Here's me and Barefoot when I produced an event in Liverpool called "Barefoot in the Park" in 2004.  A great night had by all with 250 people, maybe time for another?  Love and Stuff xx

Art Retreats and Amazon

I'm an Amazon fan. Now, I know that it's really taking away emphasis from book stores and I do worry about that, (especially when Borders closed) but I still love the fact that I can search for books and one thing will link me to another.  I also love the fact that amazon will remember what I have been looking at and then send me an email to tell me of books that are similar to what I have been viewing.  That's great really and opens up not only a new selection, but introduces me to new authors.  I'm finding the more I embrace my art self the more I look, read and sketch and plan.  

Today I got a whole new selection of books through from them and found myself being captivated.  Such an amazing amount of effort in these books.   I have highlighted three of them here at the bottom of this post.  What is also so lovely is William has won £50 worth of WH Smith vouchers which he has said I can use.  How fab is that.  I'm not going to use them all, (he deserves them too) but I may just treat myself to one of these books.  There's another one that I love the look of but it isn't published here in the UK yet and it is by Pam Carriker and called Art at the Speed of Life.    

Whilst walking today with Lucy, I was also contemplating my teaching again and wondered about putting on a day workshop called 'Introduction to Art Journaling' or Make your own Mixed Media Canvas'.  I would love to go on a creative art mixed media retreat, there's not that many around in the UK - tonnes - of course, in the States.  However, there is one in Yorkshire in May called 'Do what you Love for Life Retreat' - it's quite steep-price wise.  But I'd love to go.   

Then there's Brave Girls Camp which takes place in Idaho USA, but it's booked out all year, so they're offering Soul Restoration An Online 6 week Course for $99.  There's just so much out there.  What I know for sure, is that the UK is just 15 years behind the states in so many ways.  Not such a bad thing because it gives us something to aim for when we're talking 'retreats'. 

Wouldn't it be lovely to organise a creative arts retreat - meditation, yoga, a beautiful venue, gorgeous vegetarian food and classes taught by individuals who are experts in their field.  Something to ponder I feel.  

Anyway just for any of you who may be interested, here's 3 of the books that caught my eye.

Lots of love for mid week Wednesday 

Jules xxx

1,000 Artist Journal Pages: Personal Pages and Inspirations  by Dawn DeVries Sokol Average customer review: Art Journals and Creative Healing: Restoring the Spirit Through Self-Expression  by Sharon Soneff Average customer review: Journal Bliss  by Viollette Average customer review: