The first thing you need to do is sit down and set your goals. Diana Scharf Hunt said “Goals are dreams with deadlines.” A lot of times, people are thrown off by the idea of taking the time to set their goals.
Turn your stroller into a perfect travel system
The first thing you need to do is sit down and set your goals. Diana Scharf Hunt said “Goals are dreams with deadlines.” A lot of times, people are thrown off by the idea of taking the time to set their goals.
Baby Jogger Australia Donate To The Taronga Foundation
The first thing you need to do is sit down and set your goals. Diana Scharf Hunt said “Goals are dreams with deadlines.” A lot of times, people are thrown off by the idea of taking the time to set their goals.
Studio Scenes: May
A little look at what’s been happening in the studio in May. Every card and print is hand drawn and hand made from start to finish. So this month I’m giving you a look over my shoulder and inside my sketch book at how my illustrations start.
“Often I sketch an idea in my journal or sketch book and then come back to it a day or a week later to flesh out the illustration.”
The illustrations above are from a personal series I am working on. The ‘a grieving heart’ is now available as a card in the shop, and ‘an open heart’ will be available soon as a print and card.
Follow me on Instagram for more behind-the-scenes.
Our day out apple picking
A couple of weekends ago I went apple picking in Lenswood at Harrisville Orchards. I love finding everyday adventures that allow us to explore our local area, and are fun and affordable. After arriving at the orchard and collecting our bag, we set off to pick the juiciest Pink Lady apples.
With Harry holding my hand, we wandered through the trees and took our time looking for the perfect apples. I like finding the reddest apples and Harry favoured the small ‘baby apples’ as he called them. At one point Harry even sat down in between the trees and munched on an apple, with the skin on which he has never done before.
“It was a wonderful morning in the orchard and showed Harry and us grown-ups where the produce we buy from the farmer’s market comes from, and how important it is to eat seasonally.”
An interesting fact I learnt was some of the little apples had bumps on them, these weren’t a disease but from a hail storm in October that left small scars on the young fruit which healed into bumps as they grew. The apples were called ‘hail heroes’ and this made me think how we all have bumps and scars from life but are still whole and worth picking.
So why not plan a weekend adventure fruit picking in your local area, like straweberry picking in summer or apple picking in autumn.
My first illustrations
Two years ago I picked up a pencil and paper and drew my first illustrations. I really felt like I had something to share with the world, so I started an Instagram account as a creative outlet. I was a little embarrassed in the beginning to be honest as I hadn’t studied art, I was self-taught and thought I wasn’t good enough. I didn’t even tell my family and friends. I was worried about what people would think so this anonymity was appealing; it was like I had a secret superpower.
I was being brave, curious and adventurous. Like when I was a child climbing a new tree in the garden and unsure whether I could reach that next branch.
Eventually I shared my account with family and then friends. Then people who I didn’t know followed my account. They cheered me on and along the way my illustrations and confidence grew. I challenged myself by drawing new characters, which often led to frustration or the exhilarating triumph of ‘I did it’!
“Even in these moments of triumph I would hear my own voice saying to me ‘you’ll never be as good as (insert better illustrator here)’ or ‘you can’t draw’. This is my kryptonite. My own self talk.”
Now when I hear my inner critic, I think of that adventurous little girl reaching for that next tree branch. While she might have worried about falling, she tried anyway.
By no means have I stopped the self doubt. I still don’t feel comfortable calling myself an illustrator because I don’t think I have earned the title through study or years of practice. What I have learned is to be my own cheerleader and give myself pep talks, like saying ‘you’re doing so much better than you think’.
I encourage you to find your brave, curious and adventurous inner child, reconnecting with them could help you find your passion.