Category Archives: Motivation

October 2024: Refilling My Creative Well

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I mentioned last week that I’d been reading a lot. The last ten months have been full of strife, stress and worry. Life often leaves us feeling depleted. It’s important to fill your creative well. And my well felt very, very empty. I couldn’t see my way to doing the things that I have always done to feel creative. And because my creative well fuels my writing, I haven’t been writing very much at all. But it’s time to change that and to be able to do that I have to once again fill my creative well.

My sister gave me a watercolour journal for my birthday. I cracked it open and feathered through all thee crisp clean pages waiting for colour. I love playing around with my watercolours. Nothing too serious. I find inspiration on Instagram and Pinterest and go from there. Lots of times I’m happy with the results. But mistakes will be made. There will be times when I don’t like the colour combinations I’ve used or the strokes or the idea anymore. Or a host of other things. But none of that matters because it’s all about the journey. It’s about exploring. Not about criticizing my efforts.

I’m also working on a very little something for my granddaughter. It’s something I’ve never tried before, a little attempt at a tiny magazine. She may like it, she may not. And that’s okay. It’s not something precious. It’s just a little something I wanted to try that might make her smile. What she does with it is up to her.

So there it is, a little look into my creative process lately.

Until next time…

How are you filling your creative well these days?

2022 A Depth Year

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I had never heard the term depth year before this week. Anyone else? Or is it just me?

“You take a whole year in which you don’t start anything new or acquire any new possessions you don’t need. No new hobbies, equipment, games, or books are allowed during this year. Instead, you have to find the value in what you already own or what you’ve already started.”

David Cain

A couple of reasons why 2022 is a good year for a depth year:

1) I love a good challenge and to shake things up.

2) I want to simplify and to be less of a consumer.

3) It feels like I’ve already started the process though I haven’t been calling it a depth year.

There is nothing like having to pack up your possessions then unpack them again to make you realize you have way too much stuff. The real eye opener was that fact that I hardly missed any of it while it was tucked away in boxes. Check out this article: 7 Reasons We Buy More Stuff Then We Need. I did a major purge while packing up. I’ve done another purge while unpacking. I have a plan for the items I’m donating. Does anyone else tend to set these aside and purposely forget about them so you don’t have to deal with them? Or is it just me?

Time to start fresh and use the things I own. I bought them with the best of intentions. Something about the items appealed to me. But there is a double cost to most things we buy. One is the initial price. The second is a cost I don’t really think much about and that is the time it takes to put the item to use. In some instances, learning to use it takes time and practice and money. In others, it’s taking something you had a passing fancy in and then realizing the experience wasn’t one you’re invested in.

I think craft supplies is the place to start for me. I love them, or perhaps I should say I love the idea of them. All the colours. Textures. Sizes. Shapes. So many possibilities and I’m a creative person. And who didn’t overindulge in the buying department these last couple of years? Waves hand in the air!

But where to start and how to keep my goal small enough as not to be overwhelming. My answer: an art journal. Which I had started and abandoned. It’s an excellent no stress way to incorporate all kinds of mediums. And to work on my word of the year, Dream.

So, once a week I’m going to work on a page in my art journal. It will be interesting and once the weather is warm enough I can take it outside. Time to get inspired and do some dreaming. It promises to be loads of fun.

Until next time…

Anyone else art journal? Or thought the idea sounded good but haven’t started yet? Maybe some of you are attempting, or have attempted, a depth year? What are your thoughts?

Develop Your Playful Side

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Every December I pick a word for the upcoming year. Except for 2021, which I skipped. Which likely explains my choice for 2022. DREAM. Of possibilities. Both fantastical and ordinary. Chasing the dream, not in a busy, get it done kind of way, but a whimsical exploration. To play and paint and stargaze. Purely for the joy and entertainment of it all.

This is me on a long ago trip to Vancouver gazing out over the water while on a dinner cruise. Can staring off into space considered a hobby? If so, it’s a favourite of mine. Always dreaming up stories.

The longer this pandemic drags on, the harder it is to take time away from the overwhelming amount of statistics, the constant updates, the frustration, and the worry. Now it’s winter and getting through the next couple of months seems rather a daunting task. There’s not much I can do about the pandemic, other than getting my booster, washing my hands, social distancing, and wearing my mask, or the long winter months ahead, but I can dream. I can add joy and playfulness into each day.

Somewhere along the way play turns into something immature and unwelcome as we get older. But 2022 is going to be my time to practice taking a break from reality, to remember to play and laugh. I will remember it’s okay to be silly for a few minutes each day and that adults need recess, too.

The Benefits of Play:

Define What Play Means to You:

Let your imagination go. What is something you’ve always dreamed of doing, but didn’t pursue? Be aware of your energy levels. We’re all drained right now. It’s okay to start small. Be an amateur. Make mistakes. Try something new. Rekindle an old hobby. Do what’s right for you.

It can focus on creativity, like crafting, doodling, knitting. Maybe exercise is your fun thing. Seriously, the belly dancing class I took way back when was a complete hoot. Go for a hike. Try pickle ball. Maybe self examination brings you joy. I know it does to me: journaling, yoga, meditation. Music is key for a lot of people. Try karaoke, or learn a new instrument, take a voice class (even if you think you can’t sing). Socialize. It doesn’t have to be a big group. Maybe it’s scheduling date night. Go axe throwing. Take in a dance class. Go to a poetry reading. But keep it safe.

Make it Happen:

  • Clear your schedule. Set aside a block of time, big or small, to be silly and have some fun.
  • Turn off your phone, TV, and other devices. You can do it.
  • Give yourself permission to do whatever you want. This is your time to dance like no one’s watching. Or to be still and sit and dream.

Until next time…

Live laugh play. Here’s to a playful 2022! What do you do to take a break from life?

September Musings

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September always feels like the start of the new year, rather than January. I love the return to routine after going this way and that way and packing in as much summer goodness as I can into July and August. September is a time to get back at it, whatever your ‘it’ is. Even though we’re in the midst of the 4th wave of this pandemic, and there is a federal election looming, and we’re all tired and frustrated (possibly angry), September is a time to set things back to rights.

My house is relatively organized except for two rooms, my office and the basement bedroom. Oh, and one very large cupboard that is full of memories. My wedding dress is in there. My childhood memories are stored in there. Our children’s memories. This cupboard is packed with all the feels. There is also a tent. I don’t know why.

Reorganizing is a priority right now because we are about to begin renovating the upstairs of our house which was built in the 70s. Very little has changed on our top floor during that time. Removal of wallpaper and painting of bedrooms. Goodbye blue carpet and ugly wallpaper. Have I mentioned that there was either wallpaper or a wallpaper border on every wall of our house. There are also hanging snowflake lights in our bedroom. And a mirrored wall.

Getting everything ready means purging some things that should have gone long ago. Not only the dated decor, but the other stuff. Things that I’ve tucked away and haven’t dealt with. Which makes me wonder why I’m hanging onto certain things. I’m asking myself who will want it? Our children are busy accumulating their own stuff and filling their own nooks and crannies with things that are special and important to them.

I found the article, The psychology of clutter: Why we hold onto ‘stuff’—and what that may be teaching our kids, gave me some insight into why I’m hanging onto an endless amount of craft supplies. I mean I might find a use for them some day, right? Probably not. Why have I held onto it. The answer is guilt. And it will come as a surprise to no one that guilt is not a good reason to hold onto something.

This article was also helpful: 10 Ways to Get Rid of Sentimental Clutter.

I’m relieved to say I’ve made a dent in things. And excited to welcome in the new. Like vinyl plank flooring, soothing spa colours. Fresh, modern, accompanied by less of everything.

What I’m reading:

Print: Bombshell (Hell’s Belle, Book 1) by Sarah MacLean. Finishing the very last few pages of Sesily and Caleb’s story. Sooo good! Definitely recommend.

eBook: Just started an ARC of The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen coming out in early 2022. I’m fascinated by writing duos. And this book is off to a great start!

Audio: A Perilous Undertaking, A Veronica Speedwell Mystery, Book 2, written by Deanna Raybourn and narrated by Angele Masters. LOVING this series! Both the story and the narrator.

Until next time…

Who else thinks of September has the true beginning of the year?

Summer Festivals

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There are music festivals, fringe festivals, art festivals, film festivals, and even kite festivals! Check out the top ten Canadian festivals according to Trip Savvy. But also scattered across Canada, and I’m assuming the world, are also festivals for readers and writers.

Last weekend was the annual Saskatchewan Festival of Words held in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and it was my first time attending and I can’t figure out why. It was an awesome experience. I met so many wonderful people and fellow reading enthusiasts.

There were interviews, author readings, and panel discussions. I attended my first ever poetry slam competition. In this photo author, and sometimes guest host on CBC’s q, Jael Richardson is interviewing award winning author, Eden Robinson, who is also the owner of the best laugh around.

One of my favourite functions was the Dinner with Renee Kohlman, a Saskatchewan chef and food blogger from Saskatoon. If you get a chance, check out her wonderful blog, Sweetsugarbean. Also, Renee’s cookbook, All The Sweet Things, is a delightful mix of heartwarming stories, soft, bright colours, and beautiful recipes. We also dined with a delightful couple of ladies whose husbands had been RCMP officers (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) stationed in rural British Columbia. Talk about natural born storytellers, they regaled us with story after story.

Sunday included two panels discussions and it’s always helpful when authors talk about craft, their process, and how they market their books. Left to right: Tanis MacDonald, Eden Robinson, Jael Richardson, Gail Bowen, and Drew Hayden Taylor.

I think the best surprise about attending the Festival Of Words was the connection I made with people from across Western Canada. People from places like Red Deer, Alberta; Swift Current, Saskatchewan; Edmonton, Alberta; Winnipeg, Manitoba; and the list goes on. People were more than welcoming and happy to include you in their group. Next year we’re going to win Trivia Night.

Until next time…

Are you big on summer festivals? What festivals are popular in your area?

Making The Most of Summer

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At the end of June, my writing group went on retreat to St. Peter’s Abbey. Founded in 1903, St. Peter’s Abbey is the oldest monastery of Benedictine monks in Canada. They follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, a book with 73 chapters that guides the religious life, including prescribing common prayer and manual work, and detailing how to manage communal living and receiving guests. The abbey welcomes some 3,000 guests a year, many of them writers, fibre artists, and visual artists.

The upper lefthand photo is the bell tower that tolls every hour. The photo in the lower lefthand corner is the original building. The upper right photo is the abbey. The lower left was taken on a walk of the property.

The abbey started as a farm with large gardens, grain fields, dairy cattle and beef cattle. Today the farmland has been rented out and the few remaining monks tend gardens, keep bees, and welcome guests. There is a sense of peace to this place. Of calmness. They also offer silent retreats and one was in progress during the first days of our own stay.

They sat apart in the dining room. They were there for self reflection and solitude. I admire them. Because I could never….not talk? Turn everything off? I have trouble meditating for a solid 15 minutes. But apparently it can be done. And now I can’t get the idea out of my head.

But maybe I should work my way up to a meditative style retreat and concentrate on making the most of summer by making some small changes. Doable changes. I enjoyed this article from Always Well Within and it’s solid tips on how to slow down and smell the roses.

My Goal for Slowing Down in July

  1. Except for my Author Page, responding to messages, and checking in and posting my progress on our writing FB group, I’m off Facebook for July. I will be hanging out on Instagram…because I have to post photos somewhere. And no checking in with the Twitterverse.
  2. Set a realistic daily writing goal of 500 words.
  3. To one thing every day that I’ve been avoiding. Does anyone have a list of stuff they’re just not getting done?
  4. Get back to using the Five Minute Journal app on my phone.
  5. More reading and less binge-watching Netflix.

Until next time…

What are some ways you’re slowing down this month? All suggestions are welcome!

Creative Morning Brain

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Apparently, the best time to be creative is immediately after waking. The best time to edit and proof your efforts comes later in the day, after your brain has let all those creative juices flow and is warmed up, so to speak. Or so science says.

My brain hasn’t gotten the memo. I’m not one of those people who have inspiration hit in the shower, nor does it spark with the first bits of toast. My mind has already started making a list of every single thing I need to get done that day. And every item on that list is seemingly more important than making time for my creative process to emerge. To combat that I make sure I get up early enough to read a couple of pages in a book or of the paper while I wait for my tea to steep. I have breakfast, get dressed, and settle into my office chair. Then I look to inspiration to strike. As I’m usually checking Facebook or Instagram, this rarely happens immediately.

But I’m trying to spend less time on social media and more time fostering creativity. Doodling is one of my favourite things. And watercolours are my new favourite medium despite having a lot to learn. Doodling and playing with colour helps settle my mind. Then I generally take care of marketing and promotion duties. I write for an hour. Then I write again in the afternoon. So, the opposite of what science suggests.

Maybe on of these days I’ll actually get around to listening to Robin Sharma’s The 5 AM Club: Own Your Morning, Elevate Your Life that is waiting patiently in my Audible to-be-read pile. But that day is not today.

Until the next time…

When do you fit in time to be creative? Or to read? Or do something that settles your mind or feeds your soul?

A Book Review And A Bit of This and That

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Well…March has entered like a lion in my neck of the woods with our area getting between 20 and 25 centimetres (8 to 10 inches) of snow. I know we’re not supposed to go on and on about the weather, because how boring, but holey moley that was a lot of shovelling. More so for Jack than me, if I’m being honest, which I almost always am. Also, a huge thank you to our snow blowing neighbours, of which we have three. Each of them took to heart the help a neighbour shovel out campaign and made runs up and down our sidewalks and driveway.

Also, of special interest to me as I’m the parent of a child with special needs, is the fact that March 7th marks the annual R-word: Spread The Word To End The Word campaign. We can all agree the R-word needs retiring, like other hurtful words that mock and malign have been in the last few years.

Spread The Word To End The Word

A Book Review

Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley

Some houses seem to want to hold their secrets.

Bellewether is my favourite kind of book and reading it gave me so much joy. I didn’t want it to end. Very well written in Susanna Kearsley’s usual clever style, I fell in love with the characters and I also felt like I was given a glimpse into the every day life of the times. The book is set Long Island, New York, in both present day and during the last year of the Seven Years War . It also had a Canadian connection, which I very much appreciated.

The heroines of each time have both had their lives upended, both having suffered tragic personal loses. Charley Van Hoek is settling into her new job as curator of the Wilde House Museum when she learns of the long ago doomed romance between a French Canadian lieutenant, Jean-Phillipe de Sabran and Lydia Wilde. She is determined to include their history in the museum’s tribute to Benjamin Wilde, Lydia’s famous brother. Not everyone on the museum board agrees with her, but luckily the Wilde house is happy to help her figure it out.

Romance, war, historical intrigue, Bellewether has it all. And I didn’t guess the twist until the end!

*I received this ARC courtesy of Netgalley

* Book Available April 24, 2018

A bit about the Seven Years’ War

The Seven Years War (1756–63) was the first global war, fought in Europe, India, and America, and at sea. In North America, imperial rivals Britain and France struggled for supremacy. Early in the war, the French (aided by Canadian militia and Aboriginal allies) defeated several British attacks and captured a number of British forts. In 1758, the tide turned when the British captured Louisbourg, followed by Québec City in 1759 and Montréal in 1760. With the Treaty of Paris of 1763, France formally ceded Canada to the British. The Seven Years’ War therefore laid the bicultural foundations of modern Canada.

Interesting Links!

10 Captivating Books That Portray Disease and Disability Through Fiction

https://themighty.com/2015/02/10-captivating-books-that-portray-disease-and-disability-through-fiction/

Reading List: Aspergers?Autism Romance

Reading List: Asperger’s/Autism Romance

Have you heard of or read other books by Susanna Kearsley? If you like time slip novels, check her out! Also, please share your recommendation of other books who feature characters who differently abled!

A Look Ahead at 2018 and a Look Back at 2017!

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I’m looking back on 2017’s fondest memories and thinking ahead to 2018 with excitement.

2018

Every year I try to pick a word every year and 2018’s word is COMMIT. It’s difficult to explain to another what that word signifies to me. It’s a rather benign word without context. My writing has waited patiently in the wings these last couple of years while I’ve focused on improving other areas of my life. That’s not to  say I abandoned the process altogether, but writing wasn’t a priority. When I did sit down to write, it was a half-hearted, distracted attempt and my Muse knew it and made me work for any gains I managed.

Perhaps I should also explain that I’ve always felt my Muse was quite Nanny McPhee like, and therefore I don’t use the word lightly as she makes her presence known in my lowest of writing times.

“When you need me, but do not want me, then I must stay. When you want me, but no longer need me, then I have to go.”

I feel like she letting go now and winging her way towards another struggling writer.

I also seem to attach myself to a quote each year. I love quotes and I come across them all the time on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and a host of other places. I know the right one when I read it. Also, I’m a firm believer in the Universe providing. The moment I saw this quote I knew it had my intentions for 2018 written all over it.

“Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.” Ginny Weasley (J.K. Rowlings)

So, here’s to a productive and creative 2018!

2017

But 2017 was pretty darn awesome and, boy, did it fly by. To be more mindful, in 2017 I committed to slow everything: slow fashion, slow food, slow fitness…you get the idea. I focused on my health. I chose quality over quantity. I shopped local. I did a host of things that inspired and motivated me to do slow down and find my focus and it worked!

Slow Down

I’ll end with two of my favourite images of 2017.

By far the biggest event of 2017 took place on September 30th! The day our son and daughter-in-law were married amid much joy, love and celebration.

J&B Wedding

I went on my first writing retreat in the spring of 2017 and my second in November. We chose the tranquil calm of the Living Skies Retreat and Conference Centre in picturesque Lumsden, Saskatchewan to get our creative juices flowing.

SRW 2017 Nov. Writing Retreat

There is a huge wood burning fireplace in the main area that we congregated in front of in the evenings. In front of us were large floor to ceiling windows with views of the Qu’Appelle Valley and lots of comfy seating for writing during the days. There were walking paths and a lovely labyrinth to explore.

Living Skies Retreat and Conference Centre

What were two highs for you in 2017 and how are you looking ahead at 2018?

Learning New Things! And a Giveaway!

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*************THE WINNER is Lorrie!******************

A reminder that from now until the 28th of October I’m hosting a giveaway! Sign up for my newsletter and be entered to win a $25.00 gift certificate to one of the following: Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble. The winner will be announced on October 29th!

sign-up-formynewsletter-1

I promise not to overwhelm your inbox! You’ll receive cover reveals, release date announcements and be eligible for member only giveaways.

Learning New Things

I’m also fooling around with Canva and trying my hand at designing some of my own marketing graphics. It’s a relatively straightforward process, but still involves a learning curve and takes some practicing. I love taking photos, thus my love of Instagram, so I have a fairly sizeable supply of images. Although Canva has some very easy to follow tutorials, I went searching tips and tricks.

20 Tips & Tricks For Making Awesome Canva Graphics

https://designschool.canva.com/blog/graphic-design-tips-non-designers/

http://www.lovethehereandnow.com/canva-an-easy-how-to-guide/

I’m not sure what happened with the formatting above. WordPress sometimes stymies me. I wish I was a whiz at this kind of thing but I’m not, but I do like playing around. Often to the point of using it as a distraction. Like bullet journalling which I love but am trying to develop a system for using.

Bullet Journaling

Who knew I would develop and deep and abiding love of stickers at this age! And then there’s my addiction to washi tape. And markers. The good news is I’m no longer surrounded by bits of paper and sticky notes. My desk is neater and tidier than it’s ever been. Hallelujah!

Here’s to learning new things! What are you learning these days? What are you thinking about attempting?