thinking about abundance

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Abundance and worth have been on my mind lately; my thoughts shifting like a playground see-saw ...

yes I am ... no I can't be ... of course I am ... well where's the results?

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I've never wanted to buy into the whole 'starving artist' thing, because I know in my heart of hearts I have bucket loads of uniqueness and beauty to share ... yet I'm finding that I seem to forget that about myself from time to time.

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So I'm now a woman with a plan ~ I'm changing my mind for the better!

I'd like to share these wonderful, uplifting links I've recently come across, specially written for creatives on the topic of embracing worth & abundance ...

I hope they give you some food for thought too!

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• Earning What I'm Worth (a blog post)
• Embracing Abundance (another blog post)
• Pricing Your Craftwork (a fantastic book)

peacocks and pinstripes prints on etsy

The Peacock Aura Soarer. 2010

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I've been so busy lately getting my upcoming canvas print range organised (amongst other creative endeavours) that I forgot that in the meantime, there's a load of giclee prints on paper sitting pretty in a folder, all printed up and waiting to find a new home!

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Waste not want not, I say ... they're now available in my Make Art Hug Trees Etsy store!

community art mural progress

Remember back in March I was telling you about an upcoming community art mural project I'd landed @ The Bulimba Creek Southside Sustainability Centre? Well it's shaping up to be a goodie!
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Bulimba Creek Southside Sustainability Centre ~ at present
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After running a series of creative consultation sessions with the centre volunteers and two local school groups, we've determined:
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THE DESIGN STYLE OF THE MURAL:
Will be flowy and pattern-based (similar to below), using inspiration gleaned from the kids' designs (coming soon)
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Walter Street 'River Stories' community mural, facilitated by Chrissy Foreman C, Caboolture QLD
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THE COLOUR PALETTE FOR THE MURAL:
Will be using shades of green, blue, earthy red, yellow, purple and brown
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THE THEME FOR THE OVERALL MURAL:
Will be based on environmentally friendly and sustainable activities & practices existing at the centre, such as PLANTING TREES, SAVING WATER, USING WATER TANKS, SOLAR POWER, RECYCLING, NURTURING LOCAL FLORA & FAUNA etc
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So ... the next step is for me to go back out the school groups with a list of the theme topics and facilitate a design session based around these topics.
From there, I'll be using the designs as inspiration to feed into an overall mural design. After that, we can all work together to paint it and get our hands dirty!
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This is such a cool job ~ I love my work!

hmmm ... look what i found :/

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Seriously kitty, there's millions of other places you could have chose to sleep!

Really? On my new (old school) Pfaff sewing machine? Balancing precariously? Do you have to??

anniversary present :)

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Hubby's anniversary present arrived in the post today ... A garden marker specially inscribed with 'Let's Grow Old Together', ready in time for our 2 year milestone! LOVE IT!
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A huge Thank You to Monkeys Always Look for your hand-made goodness!! (check out their Etsy store, it's awesome!)
♥ C

totally awesome op-shop finds!

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2 photo frames, 3 metal plate thingies, 1 old-school deer print on raw wood, 1 mint condition English flower press, plastic trees, a ceramic bird, 2 small black canvasses ...
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2 new bath mats, 6 stackable containers, 2 retro aprons, 4 lengths of retro fabric, a whole bag of crocheted squares, two balls of ribbon and a bag of crocheted round things

... ALL FOR THE BARGAIN PRICE OF $30!
Schweet-ah! What a rush!
Now I can't wait to go make stuff with it all! Yippee!!

coming soon (how exciting!!)

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Found an eco-friendly print supplier (YAY!) ...
Have a final load of artworks being sent off to professional photographers early next week (YAY!) ...
Canvas prints will be available shortly after that (YAY, YAY!)
Lots happening in my world at the moment and LOVING IT!!

fabric eco-rings

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Yay!
I've finalised the design for my new branch of eco-jewellery ~ fabric rings!
They're fully lined, durable and super comfy to wear, and I'm pretty chuffed with how they turned out.
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They'll be making their debut in my stall @ the Little Market tonight, so if you're around West End in BrisVegas, pop in for a wine, some tunes and say hi!
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I've also decided to do custom-made rings for online orders in the fabrics above. I'm excited!!!
C xox

little market at avid

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I'll be there selling my wares ... pop in and say hi!

my dream

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So for years now I've been dreaming of transforming my artworks into printed fabric to use on furniture. The very thought of it makes me excited!
Often when I finish a new painting, I sit and ponder to myself, 'Ooh, imagine this as a lounge or a pillow or curtains or a lamp shade or a ...'
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So, this morning I indulged. I found a lounge suite online, picked a few of my favourite artworks and Photoshopped away ... and I LOVE the results! Now I want my fabric furniture dream to come true even more!
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I actually even don't mind them as art pieces themselves ... I think some funky furniture prints could look really cool on my walls!

What do you think?

Have you ever designed fabrics or had them printed? Do you know the process or have any tips? I'd really love your feedback on this one!

artist showcase ~ Chicken Ink Creative

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Hello y'all!! A special treat today ... The lovely Tania, creator of Chicken Ink Creative, is my guest blogger, and she's popped in to share her loviness with us! Yaaay!
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Tania's beautiful, brightly coloured, hand-made fabric notebook covers have me constantly DROOLING with FABRIC ENVY!! I could eat them I love them so much! (Well maybe not eat them, but maybe gather a bundle together for a loooong, savoured bear hug!)
Anyway, enough about my drool & craziness, check out Tania's words and wares in the interview below and see for yourself!
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Hi Tania! Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do:
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I am a stay at home mum of 1 and live in East Gippsland VIC.
I wield a sewing machine and overlocker to create all sorts of items, but specialise in and sell fabric covered diaries, notebooks, visual diaries and address books from beautiful designer fabric.
If I never return to full time paid work, that would be just fine with me!
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How has your creative practice progressed over the years?
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For years, I wasn't really sure what which creative outlet was for me. I tried all sorts of artistic media, from painting (oils/water colour/acrylic) to ceramics and other media in between; but it was the skill of sewing that I learnt from my grandmother as a child where I finally found my zone.
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I set about making lots of different items for woman and children until I found which product gave me the greatest satisfaction and scope to be truly creative; who would have thought that it was covering books? Now my covers range from a standard plain designs through to patchwork, with embellishments which include a pen slot, buttons (often vintage), stitching detail and applique.
I have recently come to see these covers more like a canvas than just a cover.
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Your freelance craft business has gained huge popularity of late, including an article featuring your Made It designs ... Do you have some top tips for engaging your audience?
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** Be genuine, be informative, be unique, be interesting.
** If you come across something you love, share it. Chances are your audience (who have chosen to follow you for a reason) will love it too and they will appreciate the link up.
** Talk with your followers; get to know them, ask them questions.
** Always be professional, friendly and make customer service key.
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What’s the thing you most love about working with fabric?
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I used to struggle to get the image in my head onto the canvas. Working with fabric means that I can select already formed images/colour palettes that I love and see where I can take them.
It also means that I am not limited to my own style; so I can create book covers for people with tastes different to my own, and cater to a larger audience.
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Awesomeness Tania!! Last but not least, where can we find you?
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Visit my online store: www.madeit.com.au/Chicken-Ink
Follow me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChickenInkCreative
Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/chickenink
Thanks very much!
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Thank You too Tania!!

freebie competition on my facebook

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Hello lovely online friends!
Just a quick note to let you know that I've got a freebie competition going on my facebook art page if you want to get in on some of the action too!
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Basically I'm compiling a TOP 10 selection of artworks to make into CANVAS PRINTS for my online store. There will be TWO $20 VOUCHERS UP FOR GRABS.
Can you help me out?
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To participate, go to my 'STUDIO ARTWORKS' photo album on my Facebook art page @ Chrissy Foreman C and number your favourite artworks from 1 to 10 (1 being your absolute FAVE).
On Thursday morning 15th April I'll randomly select 2 participant's names from a hat to WIN a $20 voucher (in Aussie dollars) off any canvas print I make available (valid for 1 year) .
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Please forward this competition through your networks, I'd really love a broad range of feedback. The more, the merrier! THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!!!
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Luv Chrissy :)

fun making new fabric rings

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I think these might be my new favourites cause I'm LOVING them!! What do you think?

I'm on Etsy!

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I've finally opened an Etsy store! Yaaaay!
I've called it Make Art Hug Trees. Like the name? It wasn't hard to come up with, since I do both! (Yes, I really do hug trees ~ for real ~ they like it!)
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So at the moment I've just got my eco-jewellery on there, (spelt jewelry on Etsy. When in Rome ...) but I'll be introducing canvas prints to my Etsy store soon, so stay tuned!
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Anyhoo, if you're an Etsy person too, I'd love to connect online ... I'm new around town so please let me know your store so I can check you out!

C xox

The Display of My butterfly wings

I put myself out there.
Pegged myself on a line for you.

Some of you blew my fabric;
helping me to dry my newly emerged wings

Some of you admired my wings, yet
unable to fully sense their intricacies

Some of you paid more attention
To the clouds in the sky
Or the lines on the road.
It felt like a hailstorm with nowhere to hide
My wings crumpled a little

Yet One of you came, and saw me in my truth;
Saw me beyond myself,
Saw further than my translucent wing structure,
Or my cacoon;
Beyond the patterns I’d painted on my wing-shaped canvas

I’ll never forget you,
Truth-seeing-one
Your gentle breath pierced my heart;
Your warm air uplifting my wings,
soaring to a view I’d never experienced before

I’m beginning to realise
that beauty is like breath;
It floats and flows, it emerges and retreats
It exists, yet invisibly, impossibly, able to be seen
through your eyes, with the scope of my heart

My wings are mine alone,
They are fragile, yet capable of upliftment
They may quiver with your breath, from time to time,
Yet their vulnerability is their strength;
They bend knowingly in the direction towards home.

damn it feels good!

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This Easter was seriously the best one ever! Not only did I spend quality time with my beautiful family, eat loads of food & receive loads of chocolate .. I also sold not one, but TWO paintings!

Yeehaaa! She Emerged Fanciful (above) and Pared Out Peacock (below) now have new parents ... I've adopted out two more of my children {does that make me a bad Mum?}

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Releasing these two puppies must've created new room in my creative head-space, cause I also just finished a new painting today! I've taken this pic (below) at night time under fluoro lights, so the lighting isn't crash hot, but you get the idea. Her name is 'And gently, Saturn returns' ... and she's pleased to meet you!

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I had a lot of fun with this painting/collage, she flowed really easily and lovingly. I think it might even look great hung diagonally, like a diamond. What do you think?
I hope you had a great Easter too!

wishing you a ...

one door closes ... another opens

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Awww ... today is the day I collect my Peacocks & Pinstripes exhibition ... the end has come :(

I'll be sad to take them off the walls @ Frank & Myrth ... they really looked like they belonged there!

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In other great news though, after Easter Moxa Natural Therapies at West End will become home to a selection of originals that haven't yet found homes ... it's nice to think they'll be adding to a sense of joy and calm at their new location.

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Um ... Pssst ... Wanna know a secret? Between you and me, in truth, I've been worried I've been blabbing about myself too much & inundating people [insert insecure worrisome thought here] with all my arty stuff. It's actually a personal struggle I deal with regularly ... part of my want to share my little ass off, another part of me things I should shut up and be more humble.

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But you know what? Lately I've sweetly heard my other little Shoulder Angel telling me, You know what ... if people don't want to read about your journey & stories, they don't have to! Do what's right for you, not for everyone else! I think she's onto something!

now available!

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Ok, so just a quick note to let y'all know that a special selection of my new eco-earring range is finally for sale on my website!

The eco-necklaces and eco-brooches will be coming soon as well ... I'm still building up a stock pile ~ they keep going out to my shop stockists like hotcakes! Jeez, what a lovely problem to have!

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I'm feeling pretty chuffed about how the earring images turned out (for my website) ... I've added 'stitching' around the outside of the pics to echo the jewellery and make it look all puuurty. Yaaay! It's the finishing touches that count I reckon! Thank God for Photoshop! I really love using exclamation marks!!!

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Anyhoo, Check out the full range online here

Love C xox