A little walk about...

I seriously can't believe it's been almost a whole year since we walked together in our beautiful forest.  I have missed it so much.  I just didn't realise how much.

We were so busy coping with Digby's accident and life after that and the craziness of last year that we hadn't fully grasped just how much we had lost in terms of our quality of life.  How we stopped walking and hiking over and above his cycling.  We took this simple ability for grant.

Digby has been learning to walk again without pain and limp and the progress has been tedious and slow.  That being said, we are grateful for each new day that gets a little easier.

We aren't there yet and getting a tiny taste of something so familiar as walking in our beautiful forest felt overwhelming and deeply emotional.  We totally took for granted that we could run down the road, walk up the mountain or cycle around the Peninsula.  As an active family, it has been a massive blow to our life and today we understood what it was we had actually lost last year.

We had no idea while we were going through it, we were so busy surviving.

It is a long walk back but for now we look forward to the day when there will be no swelling or pain, to have total mobility, agility and restoration.  We continue to walk in hope and look forward to many more gentle walks in our forest and on our beautiful mountain.

Love, me

Dabbling with my paints...

I have quite a few pieces lying around my studio from my {Held}Captive Class.  Some were unfinished and some I thought were finished but sometimes they call me back to do more.  This is a good place for me to warm up... it feels safer and a less intimidating.  It is like having an underpainting and I get to keep on playing.  I love going back to old pieces.  It is part of why I never throw failed pieces out.

When all else fails, I still have a prepped canvas to work with.

I loved playing here last week.

Dipping my brushes in beautiful paint... felt like Christmas.  A real gift.

Although I haven't felt ready for much, I sure did miss this and this felt good.

Much love always, Jeanne-Marie

Lost at sea...

Okay, so what is it that is making me feel so bluesy at the start of each new year...  I have been getting up early to write and work through some of it.  I think it's partly coming down from such big years that have been project driven that has left me feeling a little lost at sea with what to do next.  That coupled with fatigue, which is understandable.

When I do big projects that help give me direction the whole year through, suddenly waking up on the 1st of January with nothing to do appears a little frightening... right?

Although to be free of obligation is good for me too.

So with no goals or ideas for the year ahead - I feel a little like a fish out of water.

But I am working on it.

The biggest step I took this week was sharing my struggles with some of my dear friends.  Just to quietly whisper that I was feeling lost made me feel less alone and I'm so grateful for that.

We set up some accountability and daily check ins to help us through our slumps and it also helped me realise I wasn't the only one struggling to kick start this year with gusto.  So on that note, I'm giving myself permission to ease into 2018 gently with my pencil and eraser in hand.

To show up quietly and slowly and to give my creative soul the space to heal and recover, the space to breath and sigh, just a bit.  And of course space to rediscover... what's next.

Beautiful Bags...

After using my bag everyday since I got it, it was time for a clean.

Although Township Bags don't recommend submerging the bag in water, I did... partly because I was curious and you know I need to test everything. Plus I'm practical and I don't have time to fuss.

I wanted a thorough wash and I wanted to see what would happen. 

---

I threw it in the washer on a short cold wash cycle because it is 100% cotton.

I am happy to say that the image on the front of the bag is completely colorfast.  There was a slight variance to the size of the bag due to the fact that Township uses 100% Organic Cotton that is not treated with chemicals.   My bag is still gorgeous, much softer and beautifully organic.  I do love cotton.  I am thrilled with the durability and complete functionality of my Beautiful Bags.

I am one happy girl.

I'm heading back to Township Bags in the week to hopefully process my next batch of bags.  We will be working on some new concepts for my second batch.  I will be testing some different images too and keeping some of the popular ones.

#prettyexcited

#365TinyCaptures...

Week 3

I had to keep things pretty simple this week because I was mostly in bed with food poisoning and didn't get out and about much.  I also got to use my #WaybackWednesday lifeline because I really didn't leave my room.  It was good to find old pictures of our old life in our RedVan and feel nostalgic.

#15 Getting my Notebooks ready for 2018

#17 Wayback Wednesday - Life in the Van

#16 This Crazy Girl is home

Corks got back from her cycling training camp with 750km's in her tired legs.  She also headed to Western Cape Champs today.  Kitty went back to school and Digs back to work this week and the routine is fully back in swing.  I managed to get all my paperwork filed and admin done in between naps.

I think I'm almost all back on track with life.

#18 Back to School

#19 Back to Yoga

#20 Getting my Studio sorted and loving it

I managed to get back into my studio this weekend for a little graphite play too.

#21 GraphiteLove

Have a powerful week ahead.

Love Me.

Big Finale piece...

This was one of my last paintings for 2017 - it was my big finale painting of #FriendshipLove for my {Held}Captive class.  It is a BIG beautiful canvas filled with special friends and it was a tribute painting dedicated to YOU and our incredible online community that has so touched and changed my life through the past few years!

It's about love, it's about support and much much more.

This piece is currently up #inmystudio overlooking my work desk.

Thank you for lovingly journeying with me through my {Held}Captive Class and sharing incredible tenderness with me through my 2017 year and more.

No words can ever express how much it has meant to me and for now I'm loving having this touchstone piece close to me too.

Much love, Jeanne-Marie

#365TinyCaptures...

Week 2

I am loving being mindful of the beauty around me.  Seeking always helps me find and it seems to slow my heart and mind right down to absorb it all.  I don't want to take anything for granted and I don't want to miss a single thing.  How incredible to be ever present in a beautiful moment in each day to see, capture and hold.  I can't tell you how much I love that.

#8 My Favorite Flowering Tree - TheFrangipaniTree  They are all over Cape Town at the moment.

#9 Garden Love TerraCotta pots

#10 My own FrangipaniTree

#11 Spending time with MyLove

#12 KalkBayLove

#13 I love living by the Sea

#14 Sick in Bed, so grateful for my safe place

Riley survived his little operation and is recovering well, Sandy's recovery will be slower and she's getting lots of TLC.  This week was full of admin and being the last week of holidays for Kitty and Digz, it was nice to do some holiday things.

#365Grateful

My new blank canvas...

I think my garden is my new blank canvas and my shovel... my paintbrush.

I am soooo enjoying being in my sandpit and beginning to see something come together.  Yesterday my grey pavers arrived and we started placing them and working on the layout accordingly to our plan.  Our rough draw-up garden plan was definitely not to scale so for some zones we have had to get extra things but I love how I'm learning on the go about scale.

I am already finding some elements and zones that are completely pleasing to my soul and I'm looking forward to seeing things settle into place.  It is a physical labor as much as it is a creative one and I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying that.  I am enjoying the clean lines and there is definitely a feeling of calm to the space.

I'm looking forward to this weekend, to continue this creative play.

Have a beautiful week.

The Year of the House...

Being home a bit during the holidays and going slower has me looking around and realising our home needed some maintenance. I have neglected much last year because we were mostly on the run and I had no time really.  I'm loving taking a moment and finding balance.

We are slowly moving through each room - painting. clearing and sorting, which has been long overdue.  I am focusing on doing something small everyday.  Even if it's moving a piece of furniture around or putting up a picture.  I am real home body so this is ministering to my heart big time.  We are loving being home at the moment.

We have decided we are going to focus on making our "Old Girl" beautiful this year and we have all jumped onboard with this project.  Once we have finished working on the inside we will think about painting the outside, before winter.  Like all creative projects, they take time to unfold and come to fruition and I am thoroughly enjoying the process.

It's a great way to start the year.

LifeBook - 20% Discount 1 more week

As you know, I am going to be teaching on Life Book 2018 next year! I can't tell you how thrilled I am to be part of this year long healing, creative journey with you.

“Life Book, a celebration and honouring of YOU”

Tam has generously extended this special until the 16th January 2018.

#365TinyCaptures...

I wanted to start this project, again. Yes it's the 3rd year that I am attempting this project but I think I've found a way how to do it this time that's sustainable.

I'm using both my Fuji Instax Mini 9 Camera together my with cute Fuji Inxtax Printer.

Week 1

#1 PencilLove

#2 WaterWise Plants

#3 My Ouchie Girl

#4 DIY @ Home

#5 EarlyMorningReading

#6 Saturday - MarketDay

#7 Coffee with my Love

Which means on the days I can't get to capture life with my camera, I can still capture moments with my phone and sometimes that is a little easier especially for indoor shots.  What I might also do is allow one day to use an old image for #WayBackWednesday or #ThrowBackThursday for weeks that are challenging.  Just a small lifeline if I need it.  This project is harder than you think and it is easy to miss moments especially when life happens.

I must say I am already grateful for the sweet joy of this project.  Not only is it visually pleasing to my heart but after a tough first week of the year, it is helping me see the goodness in spite of the hardships.

#SoGratefulAlready

WaterWise...

This time last year we had excavated and replanted my beautiful garden and I loved it so much.  I loved the green glow that greeted me each morning.  Sadly, we have spent the last year watching our little haven die a slow death as the drought became our reality.  We are running out of water in Cape Town and there certainly isn't enough water for gardens.

All the hours of work and money faded into the dust that is now our truth.

With the crazy year I had last year, I didn't have time to even go there.  Every time I walked past my sandpit, I cringed and turned a blind eye.

Bottomline, I was heartsore about it and I didn't know how to move forward.

When I was moving my studio around last week, I found this book I acquired a few years ago and we sat pouring over some ideas on New Years day.  We managed to pull some ideas together and we drew up a garden plan and for the first time in months I started feeling encouraged about our little desert.

With the use of pavers, pots and water wise plants we will try and recreate this space again.

I have around 10 lavender bushes that will run along the long side wall.  I ordered my beautiful dark grey pavers yesterday and that will run next to the lavender alternated with around 30 water wise plants.  We already have one zen circle and we will be putting in another one tomorrow which will cover most of the now sanded area.  I will start collecting terracotta pots for one corner and use them to plant herbs. 

I collected around 30 water wise plants that are evergreen but don't require water.

Terracotta pots in one corner

Zen Circle

Lavender is ready to be planted

It's a big project but I'm feeling encouraged and a little excited.  I love projects and I love gardening in my own little way.  I want to be able to enjoy being out there again.

I can't wait to share more...

Hygge, Lykke and Ikigai..

I've been reading and devouring these little books and they have been ministering to my heart and soul big time. Just reading a little bit everyday.  It feels like I have found something that gets the essence of who I am and then put them into words for me.  They are little gestures and statements that I adore and do and absolutely require.

This is where you will find me for the next while,  mingled in amongst these beautiful words and pages and images.  Just too beautiful.

I'm loving the gentleness and simplicity of this space.

TheHumblePencil...

All I brought with me for our week away was my mechanical pencil and eraser.  I knew I wanted to draw but I kept walking big circles around my new beautiful Leather Bound journal form my girls.  It was their Christmas gift to me. I am so grateful for their genersity.

Maybe it's because it was new and beautiful and full of scary blank pages, that I felt so overwhelmed to start.  Maybe it was because I was so exhausted and I know when my defences are low, my inner critic can be screaming loud.

I also knew first hand that studying a Master can be challenging after doing that in my class and I was feeling anxious about starting there first. 

Like with all things, starting and allowing myself to get lost with my humble pencil was all that was required and the peace came quietly.  It was good for my soul and I'm so glad I didn't give into my fear.  I think I'm going to spend a bit of time here with my pencil and my beautiful new journal because it is helping me grow, find peace and feel comforted.

I think it is what I need that right now. 

It has been a gentle way to close out my year creatively and a peaceful way to start my New Year too.

#SoGrateful

Bewitched...

My Mom has the most beautiful rose garden.  Mind you, the whole farm is so rich with plant life and color.  It is so outstanding at the moment.  They have had an abundance of rain, unlike us and the lushness was food for our soul after the dryness and drought we are having back home.

Je suis fatigué...

I ended off 2017 fatigued.

I know it was the hardest year of Digby's life with his accident and recovery.  We still aren't there yet and just before we left for this trip, he had his 4th operation to remove another screw which has set him back again.  It has been so long and slow and we are feeling vulnerable about it.  As for my Kitty girl, I know she found this year particularly difficult as much as it was life changing for her.  For Corks and me, it was HUGE.

That being said, I am so grateful for ALL of it, utterly humbled too.

The goodness rolled in with the hardships, the mighty lessons learnt and even facing some of my biggest fears this year.   I love how growth is never without a bit of heartsore.  So I will embrace it even with it's twinge of pain.  Our minds and hearts and love have been expanded this year with the enormacy of it all.

We quietly retreated to my Folks farm for a week... I needed to see my Momma and Pops and I needed quiet and I desperately needed slow.

Except for the early morning sounds of goats, sheep, chickens, and geese... oh and my parents rising at 4am to do farm duties, it was so quiet and it was just what we all needed.  It was actually such a beautiful week.  By the end of the week we wished we had another one.

We slept in most mornings and quietly rose to coffee in the kitchen once my folks got back from their early morning dairy duties.  It was about long leisurely meals together, chatting in the cheesery while they made cheese, sitting by the pool, long lazy afternoon naps and quiet.  It was about family and honestly it felt like it was the best we had ever been together.  It was a gift and I am so grateful.

Our last day was spent slowly packing up and saying tender goodbyes.  We were leaving with heavy hearts.  I know coming home is always good too but I also knew getting home meant duties and that means responsibility and I wasn't ready for that yet.

I felt like I needed a little more time to hide from myself.

Life Book 2018

As you know, I am going to be teaching on Life Book 2018 next year! I can't tell you how thrilled I am to be part of this year long healing, creative journey with you.

  Let me tell you a bit more about Life Book in case you haven't heard about it yet!

“Life Book, a celebration and honouring of YOU”

It is a year-long mixed media art class organised by Tamara Laporte from Willowing Arts.

Tam is joined by 23 incredible art teachers who are all gearing up to share their mixed media techniques, tips and tricks with YOU! PLUS this year, Life Book is going to be bigger and better by including another 12 fantastic artists and wellness guides who will focus on additional personal development practices and other art modalities, like sculpting, photography & writing!

I am so honored to be joining next year.

I am still developing my class idea, but I'm excited to be sharing about Nuturing your Artist Self.  We will be looking at some practical tools on how to do this and how to cope with your inner-critic.  How to gain ground and heal creative wounds, even the ones inflicted by and on ourselves.  Leading to creating an expressive self portrait starting in stabilo and building up into acrylic paints and lots of layers to help find yourself in the paint and brush strokes.

I'm so passionate about this theme and about sharing about Self Portraits.

Don't forget to use the Coupon Code: LOVEBOMB2018 to get 20% off - that special ends at the end of December 2017.

Looking so forward to this next year.

Much love, Jeanne-Marie

Treating myself...

I'm officially winding down for the year, I still have lots to do but the intense pressure is slowly shifting and I'm starting for find my feet again.  I'm excited to close out this year quietly on my parent's farm in the middle of nowhere with the baby goats and lambs.

One thing I know - it is quiet... maybe even beyond quiet.

I'm going geared with my iPad and while I'm sitting quietly under the trees, I will be taking in these beautiful classes.  I am only going with my pencil and journal and I'll be doing limited art while I'm there because I will mostly resting and restoring my soul.

Ivy Newport - Pencil to Paper

Robin Laws - Wild Whispers

Annie Hamman - Close Up

I adore these amazing gals to the moon and back and I love that we all released classes around the same time this year and there seems to be a complementing of each others classes to one another.

I kind of love that.

Much love, Jeanne-Marie

Class is in session...

My {Held}Captive class is live...

I can't even tell you how I'm feeling today.  My heart is full and feeling so relieved.  The love pouring in has been overwhelmingly beautiful.  Thank you.

I'm not going to lie, I'm fatigued and it feels like I have a bit of an "editing" hangover.  I didn't sleep much this past week, I was working around the clock.  I wanted launch day to be special.  After it went live, I dealt with some admin queries and I promptly headed out the door for some fresh air.  I had serious cabin fever.

When I got home and crept into bed and slept, really slept.

I can't thank you enough for being here with me.

For now, I am finding a bit of rest and I'm on standby for you in the classroom.  I'm already loving the connectivity in the class.  That makes my heart sing.

With all my love, Jeanne-Marie

They arrived and they are on their way...

My beautiful finished bags arrived and I'm sooooo blown away at how they turned out.

Thank you Township for such excellent work. They surpassed my expectations, truly.

I'm happy to say I packed up my orders immediately and got them ready to ship.

Your order is on it's way to you.

I can't thank you enough for the love around these bags of mine.

Much love, always... Me