For more info about the Challenge click HERE

Today’s topic: Creative Fashion?

I don’t claim to be up with the fashions but sometimes I like to experiment. I bought myself a new handbag today – I loved the colour – sort of ochre brown. It has four different compartments. I decided to have one for essentials (car keys, sunnies etc.) The second one is for a spare carry bag, comb, pens etc. – not things I need everyday (I do comb my hair everyday but not with that one!). I decided to use one of the outside compartments for my mobile phone (leaving one spare).

From previous experience I always forget which one is which so I came up with the idea of a little adornment to help me to remember where my phone is if I need to get to it in a hurry. What do you think? Does it work?

I guess only time will tell!

The jewelry is a gift from a friend but I prefer to look at it rather than wear it!

For info about the Challenge click HERE

Topic – WordPress Themes

I do quite like the theme I have for my blog – Hemingway Rewritten. I haven’t always used this theme and used to change themes periodically for a fresh look.

Recently I have noticed that my blog doesn’t show up well on iPads and iPhones and started thinking about upgrading. Tonight I have been exploring all the different themes that are available if I upgrade my account to Premium. I decided to upgrade but now am a bit nervous about making the change. I have over 9 years of blog posts and photos here and I am not sure if the changeover will go smoothly!

Some people plan for weeks and in great detail before making such a leap. I am more inclined to press GO and then sort things out afterwards. What is the better option? Well I decided to have a cooling off by writing tonight’s post before making any major changes. How does this relate to creativity? Is creativity impulsive and risk taking or is it more considered and careful; or is it a bit of both?

The themes I am considering include Rosalie, Finder or Huntt. Perhaps I should sleep on it and make the change in the morning! You may not recognise me next you check out my blog!

For information about the Challenge click HERE

Topic – Creativity capturing memories

In one of my posts last week I received a comment from David at David Oakes Images (I recommend a visit to his site). David said that “Creativity starts with creating memories….. then maybe capturing them 🙂.”

That made me think about the fact that every day we create memories (without even thinking about it) so why not create happy memories as we have that choice, if even for a few moments each day. I was inspired to make a little poster to put up in my office to remind me. Here it is below:

For more info about my Challenge click HERE

Today’s writing prompt: What would you take with you if you had to evacuate your home in an emergency?

If you have seen the news this past week you probably heard about the horrendous bush fires burning throughout Australia as we face record heat waves and drought conditions. Many homes have been lost and sadly, some lives as well.

I have seen many people on television saying they didn’t have time to grab anything apart from what they were wearing at the time. Ironically I have some friends who were in Queensland last year (Townsville) and they lost nearly everything in the floods. They had only what they could fit in their car.

So what to grab in an emergency? Photos are often mentioned but today most photos are stored electronically. I have scanned most of my older photos with the originals taking up several boxes. So I guess the sensible thing would be to grab the computer, laptop, external drive or iPad.

It is hard to replace legal documents so I would grab my file with my passport, birth and marriage certificates, insurance policies, wills etc. I also have a file of children’s drawings, news clippings about my sons and grandsons. They are precious and irreplaceable.

I am told the hardest part of losing everything is that the sense of loss goes on for some time. My friends from Townsville said they would go to get something mundane and then realise they no longer have it. This would happen time and time again reminding them of their losses.

I would like to think that I would be grateful to get to safety with our lives intact. After all, most other ‘things’ can be replaced in time. I have a bundle of letters that my Mum wrote to me over a period of a few years. I started a blog (not public at this stage) recording those letters as she was the hub of the family and kept me in touch with what everyone else was up to. I wouldn’t want to lose those.

I sincerely hope I don’t have to face such a situation but thinking about it makes me consider how so many people are dealing with this right now and their futures are uncertain with no homes to go back to. I only hope they are resilient enough to start afresh.

For info about my Challenge click HERE

I was just putting some finishing touches to our U3A Course Booklet for Semester 1 and I discovered that Microsoft Office 365 has a function where I can attach an icon. There were pages in the Course Booklet where there was white space I wanted to fill in so I was able to use the icons. I had never noticed them before. So I can show you, I attached a sample of icons on a Word document and then I used the Snippy Tool so I could put it on my blog as an image. Here it is below:

This creativity stuff is FUN 🙂

I thought that tonight I would share a little about how I am finding challenging myself every day to do something creative.

Some days it has been easy and I see creative opportunities all around me. Other days I am questioning the purpose of the task. I just really want to be more creative and to understand creativity more that I currently do.

I also realise that we have different areas of creativity that we feel more comfortable with. In the past my writing was the area I felt most at ease. Not so today – I rely a lot more on photos telling the stories these days.

The other insight is learning I need to put in some effort if I want to get good results and yet I am wanting to have fun! That is the end result.

It is New Year’s Eve with only 3+ hours until we (here in West Australia at least) move into a new decade. I wonder what it will hold for us all. My best wishes to you for good health and happiness for 2020!

For info about my Challenge click HERE

Today’s Topic: Editing iPhone photos of my garden

I have small garden that is mostly in pots. I took some photos this evening just after they were watered. I was surprised to find some mint growing – self sown! I also have some self sown parsley which is good. I am pleased to see my rhubarb doing well.

So here is my selection of edited photos for today.

For more info about my Challenge click HERE

Topic: Six Thinking Hats

The writer (Cate Russell-Cole), of the Course I am doing (Unleashing Your Creative Spirit) suggests using Edward De Bono’s ‘Six Thinking Hats’ as a good tool to look at projects creatively or in a different light. For tonight’s exercise I will try and do just that. I will also highlight what hat I am using and what it signifies.

My task is to write about this photo from the six perspectives.

The White Hat calls for information known or needed. The image is of the weir that is opposite the main street in Cohuna, Victoria. The weir can regulate the flow of water passing through. The water is deep and fast flowing. The pedestrian bridge gives access to the swimming pool adjacent to the weir.

The Red Hat signifies feelings, hunches and intuition. The weir can be dangerous and people have drowned there. As a child I was frightened to walk over the bridge because the rushing through the weir was flowing so fast and so loud.

The Black Hat is judgement: the devil’s advocate or why something may not work. Is there a need for a weir in this location? Has it been proven it is dangerous? It is not suitable for swimming for a number of reasons. The engineering of the bridge is questionable.

The Yellow Hat symbolises brightness and optimism. Seeing the water pass through the weir reminds me of the flow on effect on the local farming community who use the water for irrigation. There is a future in this farming community!

The Green Hat focuses on creativity: the possibilities, alternatives and new ideas. The weir is a great attraction for tourists visiting Cohuna and is also a popular fishing spot. It could be further developed with diving boards and a fenced off area for swimming for people who enjoy the deeper water than the public pool.

The Blue Hat is used to manage the thinking process. Given all the above ideas it is now time to prioritise the responses and make sure that all points have been noted and all concerns recognised. A short report will be provided for all participants to consider all the above options.

So there you have it! It is better to do the exercise with a group of people as more ideas flow and you can get the categories more finely tuned! Note that the image below uses the Red Hat twice.

For info about my Challenge click HERE

Tonight I felt like dabbling with my Super Eyes microscope. My husband gave me some nail polish for Christmas and I wondered what that would look like under the ‘scope. Here are the magnified images plus the originals in their bottles.

A creative project in the wings – charcoal drawing. I have some charcoal sticks for drawing that I kept for many years and may yet do some drawing with them some time. Here is one of them magnified.

Yet another creative project that I hope to engage in more is calligraphy. Here are some magnified images plus the originals.

I realise that these things are not going to happen without some planning and goal setting. That is what I hope to do better at in 2020!

For info about my Challenge click HERE

Topic: Poetry – time I tried to write a poem!

Inspired by a quote from Friedrich Nietzche

There is an innocence in admiration; it is found in those to whom it has never yet occurred that they, too, might be admired some day.

Admiration of another is Personal

I see it my way and you see it yours

I don’t look for power or one with aspirations of greatness

Or for a beautiful body with riches aplenty

I admire a person who is quiet, yet strong

Self possessed yet not short of humility

I look below the surface to see the gold underneath

That rare gem of a person who is good and kind

They may also be witty and wise – that’s a bonus!

Someone I know can be relied upon

And yet …

They will probably not even realise I admire them!

TOPIC: IT IS CHRISTMAS – CREATIVE PEOPLE

My daughter-in-law is amazing! Not only is she a creative and intelligent young career woman, she is a fabulous cook and was a great host today at Christmas lunch. The pictures above give a glimpse of the delicious lunch she prepared for us. The Christmas Pudding is the one I cooked and featured a few days ago!

For info about my Challenge click HERE

Topic: Christmas (gratitude)

• C is for Children – three sons who grew into men that I am proud of and two amazing grandsons
• H is for the good Health that I give thanks for each day
• R is for Reading – such a great way to escape and have adventures without leaving home
• I is for Ideas and Inspiration to make life interesting and add sparkle to my days
• S is for a Sense of humour to remind me to ‘lighten up’
• T is for Tom who I am grateful to share my life with
• M is for Moments to be cherished with family and friends
• A is for Attitude that I get to choose (hopefully wisely) each day
• S is for the Serenity that comes with knowing what I can change and what I can’t!

Wishing everyone a Happy Christmas or Holiday time. Stay safe and enjoy the moments!

For info about my Challenge click HERE

Today’s task – write a response to the two questions below?

1. What is your favourite childhood memory?

My mother worked shift-work as a nurse at the local hospital. This meant that often she was at work by the time I got out of school. Unless of course she had a day off during the week. Sometimes she would walk towards my school and meet me half-way and we would walk home together companionably. One day I remember we went to Goulding’s Cafe (it was a very cool place to be and they had a Juke Box). We ordered milk-shakes and I selected the songs for us to listen to. It was a simple outing but as an adult, I can appreciate that she was trying to reach out to me as a teenager – and that was no easy task!

2. Where do you want to be in five years time?

In five years time I will be seventy! I really only feel about forty five! I would like to achieve the following:

• keep my husband happy!
• maintain good physical and mental health and keep going to the gym
• maintain meaningful friendships and have good relationships with all my family
• play a constructive role in the community I live in
• learn how to deal positively to all the challenges that ageing brings
• keep learning and growing in knowledge and wisdom
• express myself creatively in some medium.

For information about the Challenge click HERE

Today’s task: Cooking – Christmas Pudding

The recipe above is close to the one I used. I was a little ‘creative’ with some of the ingredients. I used sherry instead of brandy; butter instead of suet; and added a grated carrot! My late mother-in-law always added a carrot along with the other ingredients. She showed me how to make the pudding and today I felt she was watching over me closely and making sure I got it right.

It made me think how good it is to actually do something alongside someone close – it helps build positive memories in their absence.

For more info on the Challenge click HERE

Today’s Topic: Craft: Greeting Cards

One of my little projects is making greeting cards. I like using the wildflower photos I have taken for the front image. I still have a bit to learn as far as technique goes but it is fun!

Write a response to “What is a new skill you would like to learn?

For info about the Challenge click HERE

I would like to know more about graphic design. It has been a great experience using WordPress for around 10 years now. I have created websites for other people and I really enjoy doing it – I find it a real pleasure in fact!

My skills are limited to what is intuitive within WordPress. Sometimes I have ideas of how I would like to display images etc but I don’t know where to start. I often get ads from Adobe promising me the world but I am reluctant to commit to a monthly payment for something I am not sure will meet my needs.

I would like to be able to produce a range of products such as attractive flyers, cards, programs for print and online. It would be good to use these skills on websites as well. I would appreciate feedback from any readers who have gone down this path.

This is an example of me wanting to be more creative but getting discouraged easily when I don’t find the right tools. In the course I am doing, “Unleashing Your Creative Spirit” it talks about the barriers we allow to stop us from achieving our goals. I need to get down and do some research about the best way to learn graphic design. I need to set myself a time frame and persevere until I achieve my goal!

Today’s Topic is Creative Place

Today I visited the Quill Collective. It is a new concept that literally brings creative people, crafts and gardens, events and workshops and good food/coffee together under one roof. And it is only a few kilometres from home.

As you can see from the images above, it is an eclectic place with nooks and crannies to relax and read and/or enjoy a coffee with a yummy cake. My friend Sandy and I enjoyed a coffee made with hemp milk – delicious. She is a talented artist and well experienced with the creative journey.

I am also working on building a creative space at home. More about that later …

For information about the Creative Challenge click HERE.

For more info about the Challenge click HERE

Topic for today is “What is Creativity”

I am exploring creativity from all different angles. It is not limited to arts and crafts as some people assume. It can be about using photography to create beautiful or haunting images; creating music or writing the lyrics for songs that may never be sung; it could be graphic design; home decor; it could be writing stories or poetry or it could be a whole lot of other things.

My basic understanding is when we are involved in the creative process we bring something into being that previously only existed as a tiny idea in our minds. We incubate the idea for a while until is starts to take shape. That might be hours, days or even years. Then we plant the seed and feed it until it grows into fruition as something beautiful.

The reason I am interested in exploring creativity is that I see myself and others get stuck! We come up with ideas and dabble with them for a little while and then let them go before there is a chance for them to take off. Have you ever started a project enthusiastically only to not follow through with it? There are 101 reasons we use to explain why!

Sometimes the reason this happens is we lose confidence and feel that our effort is ‘not good enough’. Sometimes we are not prepared to put the work in. I used to think that creativity would be a purely joyful experience but I have since learned that it can require effort, perseverance and planning.

I read somewhere that “The creative adult is the child who survived.” It resonated with me. There is something about being creative that is child like. It enables us to escape from being adults for a while and get in touch with our inner selves. Well, that is how I see it.

What does creativity mean to you? Please share ….

For information on the Challenge click HERE

A Visit to the Dentist

I was overdue a visit to the dentist.

I saw a new one not far from home.

I liked the decor as it looked a bit like this:

I was the only patient to their three staff.

I was ushered into the room where it all happens.

The dentist said he would see if he could find anything exciting (his words).

When he didn’t see anything exciting he suggested X-Rays may show up something exciting.

Yes, I needed a filling.

But first the disclaimer – he said “they don’t always work, you know”.

I am starting to wonder what I have walked into here – is he for real?

Next the drilling starts.

The dental nurse is in training – he tells her what to do in minute detail.

For example, “avoid the patient’s line of sight when passing the tools as they may get frightened”.

Next time I go I hope to find out what a spoon excavator is and what is the green matrix?

To finish off he extracted a large sum from my credit card and wished me Happy Christmas!

Reflections on Week 1 – It is harder than I expected! I am a harsh judge of my own activities! I have to keep telling myself that the purpose is to become more consciously creative; even it is a short burst to get into the habit.

Link HERE for the background to the Creativity Challenge.

Today I was inspired to take some photos with my Super Eyes microscope. I am growing a sweet potato vine and thought it would be interesting to see it up close. I will include a full size photo as well. It is worth clicking on each image to get a better view.

If you would like to participate in the Creativity Challenge (10 minutes a day for 30 days) click HERE

I have just spent an hour going through all the photos I took of my son Joel’s graduation yesterday evening. For convenience sake I used my iPhone even though I am not very skilled at using the photo functions. I came home with a few dodgy videos I didn’t intend to take!

We started out in bright sunlight and later in semi-darkness so I have tried to lighten and darken where I could. I have included one taken by the professional photographer. We were able to collect it immediately after the Ceremony – very efficient! I am including the enormous organ and the stained glass window at Winthrop Hall.

For info about the Challenge click HERE

Today I thought it would be interesting to do a gallery of small segments of some of the art we have in our home. It was a fun thing to do.

I also decided to take some photos of old and broken jewelry. Instead of throwing it out or putting away in a cupboard I have them displayed in my office. Even though I can’t wear them anymore, it is still nice to catch glimpses of them throughout the day/evening.