dreams can come true....

MAGIC HAPPENS WHEN YOU FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS

I can hardly believe I am getting ready to go on the Flora Bowley Bloom True painting workshop at the Do What You Love retreat.  NEXT WEEK!!  Back in January I put out a plea to the Universe to help me.  (Read this post to see exactly what I wrote back then).  I wanted to go on this retreat, but it seemed difficult, too far, too expensive.  But I really really really wanted to go.  And you know what, I decided to pay the deposit and FIND the money.  And that very week, a job I had been turned down for, called me up at the last minute and got me in.  And I earnt the money there and then.  It wasn't quite that simple, because it was still a lot of money and now that my 3 year old son is at preschool, I am contributing to the household income and it was still a lot to be spending on myself.  But since January I have consistenly got work, and good work too.  More of the 'supergroups' product development stuff that pays really well, more of the work in the gallery, more childminding and more portrait commissions.  The UNIVERSE answered me! And next week.  I am going to GO!!!! WOO HOOO


I have been packing up my kit list.  Phew, its a lot.  I have got my shed loads of paint (bought a job lot on ebay!) and shed load of brushes.  I have even got some rags and some mark making stuff like old pencils and bottle tops.  I have got a load of acrylic medium and a palette block.  And a water sprayer. 

It has been a real learning curve simply getting my kit together!  I am not a painter (yet!?!) and was initially scared and baffled by the long list of things to get.  e.g. 4oz minimum of 4 colours you really love.... all tubes in this country are like 60ml or 120ml what is 4oz?.  Should it be fluid or not? And even what appears simple, like 'colours you like', freaked me out as I am not familiar with the names of the colours! What is pthalo blue or cerulean or burnt umber.  And why are some paints £16 and some £3? And did it matter?  Luckily Beth had organised a Yahoo group for all attendees and I was able to chat with others who knew what they were talking about.  And I learnt.  I learnt that Goldens are the best acrylics but that System 3 would be fine. I went to the shops and I looked at colours on tubes and wrote down the names of the ones I liked.  I bought a colour wheel and found out what medium glaze is used for.  I even know where to go and get the foam brushes  - and yes you can get them in 'hardware stores', just not B&Q.


I am getting a lift up to Yorkshire (or 'Orkshire', as Bub has taken to calling it.... "you are going to Orkshire to do painting...) with a lass who lives near me, who it turns out is a brilliant painter herself and also a friend of a friend.  And a yoga teacher too.  We have been in email contact since the lift arranging and she has been really helpful and supportive throughout my kit purchasing panics!  In fact any contact with any of the others has been really supportive, friendly and generally mutually excited about the whole event.

I am absolutely over the moon about it.  I feel SO LUCKY to be going.  It's like a dream come true, it really is.  I am almost having to pinch myself that next Wednesday I will be travelling all the way up to 'Orkshire' to spend 4 nights in a LUXURY eco lodge, eating meals prepared for me,  in like minded creative company and PAINTING PAINTING PAINTING for 3 whole days!  Seriously I am the luckiest lady alive.  I have to say BIG THANKS TO THE UNIVERSE on this one.

And I am now working on stuff that I am taking for my wee stall on Saturday night.  Its all so very last minute,  but inspired my my last minute portrait commission, in which I did some  mixed media portraits I was very happy with, I am in the midst of creating portraits of a few of the bloggers and art bods who I know are going.  Beth Nichols, the organiser of Do What You Love (it is such a cool name isn't it?)  is getting one, and its my plan to have these on display at the event so folk can see my work and order portraits of themselves or of their loved ones, if they want to.  SO more Merry Creative Mayhem in my house tonight and for the next two days...... Oh and I need to decide which clothes are going to be my painting clothes...... hmmmm.

xxx merry blessings to you and to the universe xxxx