☆Life Book 2015: January Recap

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From the end of February I am moving! 

Unfortunately I will no longer post here but can be found here instead.

 I hope that you will continue to join me over on my new LilliBean Designs blog. 

I have been so fortunate to be a part of the Life Book courses from the very first year + I cannot tell you how much I love it! 

When I first started I was scared that I wouldn't be able to complete the classes, that I wasn't a good enough artist. I was worried that it would be destructive to my fragile artistic ego, and that I wouldn't complete all the classes. 

But what I found during the journey of that first year, was a supportive group of artists of all levels + who all had the same little bitch telling them at different times they weren't enough too.

This year when it came time to sign up, there were no hesitations, no thoughts of enough, no lingering fear. Just excitement + joy + bloody hell was it still two months away before I could begin!

The last few years, I have shared on an almost weekly basis my Life Book creations, but this year I've decided to have a monthly recap instead.

SO LETS JUMP IN!

Our very first class was with Tam Laporte. I love her whimsey style so much, but I also love how I can incorporate my style with her lessons. My Beacon of light is a symbol of all the hopes I have for the coming year, and is surrounded by symbols which remind me of these dreams.

Week One: Beacon of Light

The dragonfly is my personal talisman, the stars for my kids + the heart for Mac. My word of 2015 growth (check out why it's my word here.) is also featured as yet another reminder for myself.

Week two was a playful tag making session with Roben-Marie Smith

I used old manilla folders for the base of the tags, some of my super cute mini moo biz cards for the art work + spray inks for the back ground.

Week Two: Playing Tag

I also dove into my draw of crap + dug out some chipboard elements to use as well + then I decided to doodle some. The words I chose didn't really have a hugely symbolic meaning. The love card, because it had hearts on it just seemed to be appropriate, the fly card was a painting of an angel who was unsure of her path (full painting here).

The middle card represents my three girls - these paintings were their christmas gift a couple of years ago + they for me, totally represent the three of them.

Week three has us playing with lettering with Joanne Sharpe.

And if you have been reading for a while, you all know I am slightly obsessed with lettering. I love it.

So I used a quote that I am particularly fond of one that reminds me to hold tight to my dreams + strive for them.

Week Three: The Artful Wordsmith

The roses were totally inspired by Charles Rennie Mackintosh's style. I adore his work. (I was so cool when we lived in Scotland to be able to see his work in the flesh!)

Week four was a cute little ballerina girl to inspire us to have courage by Patti Ballard.

A mixed media page, I went for a little tight rope walker because I felt that week that I was balancing precariously, just holding it together but that it would only take a small nudge for the whole house of cards to fall down around me.

Week Four: Courage Dear One

Funnily enough, that was all it took...a small nudge. 

Life imitating art or art imitating life?

I ended up journalling a little on the rope + around her skirt.

So that is January! It is amazing to think how much I have actually achieved in the first month of life book, four pages that I am so very proud of. 

I am so excited to share next months with you (soon I promise!)

If you enjoyed these pages, you can pop over to my instagram or Facebook page, where you can see the in-progress shots, my joy + my frustration during the painting stages + the final work - first.

Did you know I send out an email with Studio snippets, freebies + give aways once a month? You can have your very own Studio Snippets delivered into your inbox, with free desktop art, discount codes for my online store, snippets from my life, my art + my brain. And absolutely everyone who is a member is in the draw for the monthly give away. Wanna know more? Then click HERE

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☆ Brave Courageous You [Life Book]

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Week 45 - Brave Courageous You with Tamara Laporte

This is another paint over technique lesson, one celebrating the fact that we, well I, am a courageous person.

And while I was painting this one, I was thinking of the things that make me courageous.

Things such as my hope that everything will work out or being open to love and the grace I have for me when I am feeling a little nasty + mean about myself...

I really enjoyed this and the way that this painting turned out.

Have you thought lately about how courageous you are? About how brave you are? Spend five minutes today + I promise you will be amazed!

Have an awesome week.

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☆ Expressive Florals [Life Book]

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Week 42 - Expressive Florals with Tam

I have learnt so much this year with Life Book - I have been loving the different styles, the different techniques, and I adored this weeks lesson, again with the fabulous Tam.

This is a painting that I adored the actual process. It felt loose, messy + abstract, but in the end there was a recognisable item in the final painting.

I love the bright pop of colour that they give off, especially in my journal that has lots of pastels, greys + teals!

By the way - I will be attending the Bathurst Christmas markets this weekend (nov 15th + 16th) so if you are in the Bathurst area I hope you will pop in + say hi.

And if you bring this voucher with you, you can receive 10% off everything in store.

You can download it by clicking on the voucher above or here.

The voucher is valid at all the markets I am attending for the rest of the year:

Until the end of the year you can find me: 

• Bathurst Christmas Markets: November 15th + 16th @ the Bathurst Show Ground
• Cowra Harvet Markets: November 29th @ Brougham Park Cowra
• Cowra Night Markets: December 12th @ Kendal Street Cowra
• Farmers Markets: December 20th @ Cowra Show Ground [still confirming]

I hope you have a bright + happy week!

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☆ Exploring Intuition {Life Book 2014]

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Life Book Week 36: Exploring Intuition with Tamara Laporte 

Painting intuitively sounds relatively easy, but for me it is one of the hardest things to do. I find it difficult to turn off the back ground noise sometimes.

And if the back ground noise has been muted, sometimes I find it hard to create outside my comfort zone.

But this week, I surrounded my self with about seven different mediums that were close to hand.

Tried not to over think my every move...

Used mediums that felt 'right' at the time....

Used colours that spoke to me...

And felt what I needed to feel....

And totally adore what came out.


And p.s. what I wrote is something that I definitely needed reminding of, but something that totally is true for me.

When I am vulnerable I can achieve great things + great things happen to me. When I am closed off, guarded that is when I struggle to connect, to feel beauty + have balance.

And as all Life Book lessons lately, something I have needed to have a reality check about...

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☆ Sacred Inner Eye with Tam Laporte [Life Book 2014]

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 Week 28 - Sacred Inner Eye with Tamara Laporte

This was such an awesome lesson.

Not only where we painting one of my favourite subjects, but I also used a variety of different materials, many of which I haven't used in a very long time.

Using my rarely used (these days) pro markers on the iris, I also used a combination of charcoal, graphite, gesso, and spray inks.

I love how this turned out + I adored how the writing looks - all linked together in long cursive.

I think it will be my new favourite way to journal.

Have a great week.

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☆ Stags, Pattern and Ritual [Life Book 2014]

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Week 23 - Stags, Pattern and Ritual with Tam

I had been a little hesitant with this lesson, all these fabulous stags popping up in the Life Book Facebook feeds, but I had decided that this week was the week, I was going to try this lesson, and I can't tell you how much I love my stag.

Although I use teal + turquoise in a lot of my paintings + I originally thought that I would use a different colour for my stag. I really tried.... seriously I did, but in the end it ended up being turquoise any way!!

There was a pattern element to this weeks lesson as well, which was fun + I had to hold myself back a bit...

I knew that I could end up patterning everything...

So I kept it kinda simple.

'Majesty'

And in the end this is one of my favourite pieces from the year. And the word "Majesty' comes to me every time I think about this painting.

Have a majestic week!

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☆ Limited Colour Painting [Life Book 2014]

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Week 18 - Limited Pallet Portrait with Tam Laporte

This week was a bonus lesson, and after watching a fabulous interview with the talented Carla Sonheim, Tam challenged us to create our own limited pallet portrait.

You can see Tams video here on her you tube video (if it doesn't work below)

I loved the challenge of using a few colours, I also loved the really free flowing feel of painting this, I only used a few guidelines for my sketch, everything else was just where the paint took me!

And I really love how this turned out.

There is something liberating about using only a few colours, it is definitely a great challenge.

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☆ Quirky Animals [Life Book 2014]

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 Week 15 - Quirky Animals with Tam

Do you remember last year when I shared the series of Quirky Birds that I had done as part of the Life Book 2013 classes?

Well that was such a popular lesson, with quirky birds are popping up all over the internet, that this year, instead of birds, we did a series of quirky animals.

I love drawing stylised animals. Besides my big eyed girls, it is one of my favourite things to draw, (check out my alternate alphabet). And I have been drawing stylised animals since I was in high school. (Mainly because I couldn't draw then realistically!)

In particular, my lion, (Lionel) has graced pencil cases, diary pages, folders, sketch pads, paintings + friends arms. 

If you have know me since I was a pimply faced teen, you will probably remember Lionel!

So it was hugely fun to choose animals, which mean a lot to me spiritually, emotionally, physically. Some who are new to me + some who are old friends

So meet my quirky animal team:

• The Monkey - because I need to remember to play more, have fun, life is not always serious.

• The Zebra - because although we may all look similar, we are all different, unique + gorgeous creatures

• The Koala - Because I really need to look after myself more + get more sleep. Candle burning both ends here guys!

• The Deer - Because I am a sensitive + I need to be reminded that my intuition is almost always  right. Trust in it.

• The Elephant - Because I need to just barge through the road blocks + obstacles that I put in place to obtaining my dreams.

• And Lionel, my lion -  a reminder to be constantly brave + grab my courage + let go. Also, he is the freaking king + no one talks shit to him, so a reminder not to take any shit - no matter how well intentioned.

So there you have it, my animal totem.

Do you have an affinity to a particular animal? I would love to know which animal speaks to you + why that animal is so special.

Oh, by the way - thank you every one who left a comment on Fridays Kimmi Doll post, with your fabulous suggestions + ideas for marketing them in the future x

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