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

New Year- More Me

Believe in The Magic

First Wednesday of the 2014, first post and a plan for the year ahead.

I am so glad to see the shift in approach to the New Year.  Thanks to the works of Danielle La Porte and lots of other thought provoking women out there many of us seem to be shifting from those self sabotaging resolutions to finding a purpose and a way of being for the year - and for life.  After all “we” are for life not, just the holiday season.

I spent quite a lot of time in December with such women, Molly Mahar on her Holiday Council, letting go of the old and not only figuring out how I want 2014 to feel for me but how I can make that happen.  And sharing the Winter Solstice with the lovely Amy Ahlers, Shiloh Sophia and Christine Arylo was lots of fun, and a reinforcement of the whole heart and mind over matter way of living.  I like to think that I'm creating some new meaningful traditions for myself.  Letting go of the old and destructive and recognising what's important and sticking with it.

I must admit that I'm not sorry to see 2013 go.  It was a hell of a year.  The most amazing lessons, lows and highs really came from the same source.  Finally unwrapping the gift of Aspergers has brought a whole new perspective on life.  We do so get so much more of what we focus on so, I'm focusing on the highlights:

Favourite TED Talks : Top Spot has to go to Logan LaPlante . 

Winning designs - The Embroidery Piece that led me to the Holiday Council and my August Calendar

Favourite Book - Mind Over Medicine by Lissa Rankin MD

Favourite moment - a walk in the park and the beauty of ENOUGH

The word for 2013 was True and it definitely was a TRUE year

And so I let go of all the old baggage I've been carrying around for what seems like forever and pack light for my travels ahead in 2014 and beyond.

My theme for 2014 is to Believe in the Magic : Using what I already Have; Finding and Nurturing the Texture; and Surrendering to the Magic. I intend to have a great year.  As of next week I’ll be blogging regularly on Wednesdays (Wishcasting Thoughtful Threads - Sharing some good mojo), Fridays (The Spectrum of Mindful Living - Helping find the way through the minefield of mindful health info out there), Sundays(Usual Weekly BS - a curation of good stuff from the WWW for the week) and Mondays(Craft Therapy),  as well as getting my freelance mojo on over at my soon to be New Web Site (more about that very soon).

Buckle up it's going to be a spectacular ride.......

Keep Believing

Catherine

xxx

Diving Into the Seasonal Magic

And Opting out of the Holiday Madness

I'm setting out a new tradition, one that suits our truly authentic life.  I chose my word for this year back in January (in this post), True.  And 2013 had brought with it life challenges that have highlighted just how true my life needs to be.

I'm looking forward to spending the next 3 weeks with a community of Creative women.  And upgrading my lessons from 2013 in order to take this new truth forward to 2014.

Namaste

Catherine

xxx

Chilling out for Christmas

For those who have stuck with me through this year, Thank You.  As you may know 2013 has been a challenge in so many ways. So, I've decided to to take December out - focusing on my own Handmade Christmas and prepping for 2014 and beyond.

For my prep I'm delighted to be able to put my prize from Molly Mahar (for my Pinterest Quote)  to good use and will be taking part in the Holiday Council.  I  am so looking forward to spending December with a community of creative women - definitely just what I need.

So, I'm off to get my Christmas Card design for this year done - so far it looks a bit like this...

The background is a canvas I had in our old kitchen I'm planning on painting it a cloudy midnight blue.  I just have to add some words to my embroidery work.  Having spent the afternoon chilling out watching Craft Wars I'm feeling inspired and getting ready to dust up some of that Christmas Sparkle.

Namaste and Happy Holidays

Catherine

xxxxx

Crafting an Authentic Life - My September Issue

Right now,writing this, I'm listening to Gavin DeGraw's Follow Through.  I used to be really good at this 'doing what I say I'm going to do'.  Lately I've realised that I'm no longer so good at it.  Blogging is good for calling you out on that one because one week you blog that you're going to re brand your blog, your shop, smarten everything up and weeks if not months later you still haven't followed through.  Now my habitual reaction to such a revelation would be to beat myself up something awful.  Then to do that big deep dig and ask myself - did I not do it because I don't believe in it or me, because I know it won't work, because I'm kidding myself that I can make a difference.  You know what, sometimes shit happens and we kind of let it take over and find we're constantly on the wrong end of a shovel.  We lose sight of our priorities and values and just focus on the shit.  Well, you know what else, we get more of what we focus on and, you've guessed it, if you focus on the shit you get more of it.  I've reached the time for throwing down the shovel and looking up and seeing the light, because it's up there, it always has been I just forgot it was there.

This week I watched a fabulous documentary on Channel 4 - 'Fabulous Fashionistas'.  If you haven't seen it yet I thoroughly recommend that you do.  It tells the story of 6 women, with an average age of 80, who live the most authentic lives.  I took the front end message to be that 'style keeps you young'.  And there were some strong messages 'people notice what you wear more when your older' And hitting our screens in the midst of the fashion world's fashion weeks it had some powerful messages for the fashion industry.  The strongest message was in the lives lived by the women.  Every one of them authentic, with a zest and gratitude for the life they have. Definitely all living in the now.  And definitely something worth a whole post of its own.





I'm continuing to enjoy texture art and focusing on the Paisley Pattern.  I've completed another canvas and have been doing some drawing.  I found a tutorial for Lace Skeleton Leaves at How Did You Make This. I'm thinking this will be a great way of putting together some Paisley pieces.  And hope to be showing some of those off very soon.  And popping over to Handmade Monday to see what all you other crafty folk have been up to.





I had intended to have a folio of work together by now and be well on my way to living that authentically fit and happy life.  But life happens, there have been a few hiccups.  And whilst we're still in the thick of it I am shifting focus.  We do get more of what we focus on - and from here on in I intend to focus on the sugar.

My aim from here on in is to put more of my art out there, to use what I've got and to add texture.

Namaste

Catherine

xxx