Pinch Punch – First of The Month

May is my Birthday month and as I move toward 49 and my 50^th year I have a lot of plans for this month.

Out with the old and in with the New

I’m starting fresh with new journals and sketch books.  I work with 2 journals.  An A5 size that I keep at home, use for morning pages and at when I’m at my desk and an A6 notebook that I can carry in my handbag.  I download the ‘good stuff’ on a regular basis to writing and inspiration files.  I’m looking forward to drawing and designing a lot more starting this month and so have replaced my A6 carry everywhere sketchbook to an A5 size.  Another thing I treated myself too was a box of crayons, inspired by a new Spoonflowerchallenge for Crayon Drawn Monsters and my wanting to reproduce some of the early pieces created on my creative journey.  I intend to have a post about that later on in the month.

Out in the world wide community I’m joining Zoe atSozoWhatDoYouKnowBlogspot on the Me Made May Challenge. 

My pledge:

I, Catherine McAtier(http://catherinemcatier.blogspot.co.uk/ ), sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '14. I endeavour to wear at least one garment or accessories made or modified by me each day for the duration of May 2014' (not the bracelets I always wear).  I am challenging myself to show my work - and be proud of it.

I’m sure there’s still time for you to sign up, or just join in.  I’m not one for ‘shoulds’ but we really all ‘should’ share our creativity with the world and show it where we can.

I’m also taking part in Mindful in May, making a contribution to Charity Water and sticking with my Daily Meditation.  It really does make a difference.

And I’m looking forward to getting my May Full Moon Dream Board put together with Jamie Ridler.  May is truly shaping up to be a Blooming Lovely Month.

All that and I’m getting to work on my book/s – more about that one later.

Here’s to a Very Happy May.

Namaste

Catherine

Monday - Making Pretty

Monday again already.  And I’ve been a little busy.  I did some editing in my studio area – and yes, there are more pom poms.  I’m feeling more organised and am staying in a good place.

Making My Studio Area Pretty with Pom Pom Flowers

I’ve done some work on the third broom on AnnaKunnecke’s Queen Sweep and I am definitely polishing that crown.  This week was closet week and Rebecca McLoughlin’s advice re asking what your body says about things was a pretty quick way of clearing out my closet – there was a whole lot of ‘bleh’ going on.  I’ve got a before picture but haven’t quite got to the ‘after’ yet.

The Closet Before The Sweep

After sweeping this week’s broom I have come  to the conclusion that my closet has potential, it needs to be appreciated more for what it can do and it is not broken but has lost it’s way a little – I’ll bring you the after picture next week.

Today I embark on my third week with Oprah and Deepak ‘finding my flow’.  I’m getting a lot out of meditating every day, it’s helping loads with my internal spring clean.  Whilst watching The Good LifeProject interview with Marie Forleo and learning Marie started meditating at 17 I too was perplexed with the question of ‘why don’t they teach this in school?’  But that really is a whole other post and more of a ‘Thoughtful Thread’  post – a whole new thread – I’ll be introducing in May.

Also coming up in May I’m planning on taking part in the Me Made May, finally showing my work.  And my other May thing will be Mindful in May – keeping up the meditation.  Getting lots done and staying chilled.

Hope you all have a productive and sweeping week.

Namaste

Catherine x

Look What I Made

It's been a while and I have so much to tell you about what's been going on in my life.  Resisting the crazy urge to tell you everything at once and throw everything out there I am sticking with my new self imposed structure and focussing on one thing at a time.

Monday has always been about making and I see no need to reinvent the wheel, especially as there are already such strong foundations in this realm, with Handmade Monday to mention but one.  And my resolve on this decision has been strengthened further by Jamie Ridler's introduction of I Made This Monday - I will be linking to both once I've completed this post and checking in on all the other great creative minds out there regularly.

So with no further ado I will start with a picture of what I made.  Look...

My Beautiful Bathroom Space.  I am so proud of this.  I used what I had, balls of wool(yarn), twine, fabric and buttons, lots of buttons.  The pelmet was an old roller blind, ends cut off and appliqued with Relax in wool and multi-coloured buttons; the rugs were made from pom poms inspired by Pip Lincolne at Meet Me at Mikes; loving the pom poms I made flowers inspired by the lovely vase always on display at Marie Forleo's Studio; and the little containers were little terracotta pots, a little chipped and cracked, pulled back together with a roll of twine and some gorgeous fabric I found in my stash. I really am loving this space and inspired daily to crack on with making the rest of the house  feel as fresh, light and sparkling.

Another thing I've been working on this past week with the arrival of the Full Pink Moon has been this:

My Full Pink Dream Board for 2014

I took Jamie Ridler's 'Pink Moon Dream Board Workshop' and loved every minute of it.  My board is virtual rather than paper and glue because my life is pretty virtual these days and I like the idea that I see this on my screen whenever it lights up.  The five words were inspired by my Desire Mapping work with Danielle La Porte, that journey has been and continues to be truly enlightening.  Thank you so much ladies.

Whilst I made March a month of meditation, and I'm looking forward to doing a lot more of that in May, April has all been about Spring Cleaning, inside and out.  This has been spurred on with the help of two lovely ladies.  Anna Kunnecke who has introduced me to the Queen Sweep and has definitely helped me see the beauty and serendipitous timing of my beautiful space coming together.  The other, Rebecca McLoughlin brought me 'The 5 Key Ways to Wake Up & Love Where You Live' and again my appreciation of my space and taking gentle steps is helping me with the task at hand.  I am still working my way through my work with both ladies along with Desire Mapping with the ever sparkling Danielle La Porte and checking in daily with Jamie Behind the Scenes of Her Studio.  Like I said at the beginning there has been so much going on and there are lots of beans still to be spilled on another day. 

I am so grateful for the inspirational people that have shared my life recently and definitely brought lots more light.

For now I'm going to get back to editing (thank you Anna) my studio - Editing fits me so much better than decluttering, with the editing I'm taking what I've got and finding it a better place.  Decluttering, well I'm just not going to go there any more - perhaps I should be doing some laundry, but I don't do 'should' any more either.

Enjoy the links and the creativity and I hope the sun is truly shining with you, physically and/virtually.

Namaste

Catherine x