SEW HAPPY!

One pile of scraps + 3 lovely, quiet hours of cutting and sewing = lots of bags

The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women

Secret 5: Commiting to Self-Focus
The way for me to silence those voices in my head telling me I have more important things to do than collage or sew, is to have a plan and stick to it. Routines and rituals feel good to me. I feel at ease when I know that I am taking care of myself and my family, when I can open my door and not be ashamed of my apartment or my appearance and when I have enough time to create and to be with family and friends. When I don´t plan my days and just let them happen, time runs away from me and I feel like I´ve done nothing.
During Soul Coaching I made my Zen Teacup - I know what´s important to me and I don´t let much else in. It´s MY cup, it´s MY life! I´d love to see what´s in your cup.

The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women

(Wolfsberg and Bad St Leonhard-where I live)

Secret 4: Surrendering to Creative Cycles

In the past I have often felt stuck and lost - mainly this had to do with my financial situation. Living in a house too big for my pocket had me frantically looking for ways to be creative to make money. I started to realise that it would be easier to find ways to live well without spending so much. I started buying groceries locally- directly from farmers, baking my own bread, cookies and cakes and making yoghurt, pasta, marmalade and cordials myself. I learnt how to grow a vegetable garden that almost feeds us during the summer months and I started making gifts and cards instead of buying expensive gifts for friends. I used to feel held back by not having much money but now I see it was my ticket to creativity.

Right now I love what I do - teaching english to adults and children and including my own creative ideas within my teaching. It thrills me to see people develop confidence in their language skills and I love that I am able to put them at ease so they enjoy their time with me and go away smiling.

Being outside, exploring my surroundings, fresh air and the change of seasons stimulates my creativity. I love moving with the seasons like people did years ago. Being in the garden in spring and summer, knitting socks, scarves and gloves in autumn, slowing down in winter and using up what I have. The year moves a little slower when I live with the seasons and appreciate what each one has to offer. Going for walks and really seeing the world around me opens my eyes to the beauty all around and makes me feel invigorated and open to creative impulses.

The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women

Secret 3: Following Your Fascinations
REACH: to get to or get as far as in moving, going, traveling; to come to or arrive in some course of progress, action; to succeed in touching or seizing with an outstretched hand; to stretch or hold out; to extend so as to touch or meet; to establish communication with; to amount to, as in the sum or total; to succeed in making contact with.

There is so much in Chapter 3 that speaks to me. I know what fascinates me, I know I am strong, I know I work well under pressure when I really want something. I want to reach out to others, reach out beyond myself. I will take this knowledge with me tomorrow when I start my training. I really believe "It´s only too late if you don´t start now"(Barbara Sher´s book title) . I am so excited!

The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women

Secret 2: Honoring Your Inspirations

Creative Style Inventory
1. When did your creative awakening or reawakening occur?
I was always creative, I just didn´t recognise and make time for it. This changed shortly after I started blogging. By getting feedback from people I thought were fabulous, I became more adventurous and proud. I started to feel the need to make things with my hands and move away from consumerism.
2. What talents do you have naturally?
I´m a good talker and teacher, I make people feel at ease and I don´t get nervous very easily. I have a good ear for music and I love to sing. I am a natural leader. I am great at making something out of almost nothing. Friends often ask me for for ideas when they are decorating, looking for a gift or creating something and I always have an idea. Ideas just pop into my head. I´m also great at combining colors and patterns.
3. Which elements draw you toward them?
I love water and swim whenever I get the chance, even when it´s really cold. We have a lot of wood in our home as my husband is a carpenter/cabinet maker and I love the cosy atmosphere it creates.
4. Where and when do you create?
I create at my sewing table, my kitchen table or my coffee table. I put 2 hours aside every day to sew or collage or blog or just be open for ideas which I write down in an ideas diary. I check my timetable the night before and write down a 2 hour appointment for the next day in my calendar for creating. I have 3 hungry teenage sons, a large appartment and a small garden so there is always something that has to be done. If I didn´t put time aside for myself it wouldn´t happen.
5. What activates your creative energy and what drains it?
Going for a walk each day, noticing the weather, the change of seasons and the colors outside, breathing, these things make me feel alive and full of energy. Having a routine to keep my surroundings organised and my family fed and clothed gives me energy because I can create without that nagging voice in my head telling me I should be doing something else. I am the assistant director of a girl´s choir. Working and being around them gives me a lot of energy too. Being tired drains my energy so I try to get enough sleep but I don´t always succeed - I´d rather read blogs and books.
6.Do you use creative rituals?
I have my utensils sorted into activities. All the sewing stuff in one place, a box for collaging materials, my knitting things all in one basket. One ritual is to put away these things after I am finished so I don´t waste time looking for things. Before I go to bed at night I make sure my living space is tidy so I can start the next day with a clean slate.
7. Does nature influence your creativity? How?
As mentioned in answer 5. There are so many inspiring sounds, patters and color combinations in nature, everywhere you look.
8. What has been your greatest creative hurdle so far?
Silencing the voices in my head telling me what I create is not good enough and that I should be doing something more worthwhile with my time. My routine, positive feedback and a partner who is supportive and creative himself really helped.
9.What time of day are you most receptive to inspiration?
I find mid-morning the best because I´m home alone and it´s so quiet.

This year I will be working within an independent group of international language trainers, interpreters and translators - on the 27th of January our new language training center will be opening with courses beginning in Febuary. We also plan to include art, craft and sewing courses aswell as personal development workshops sometime in the future. I will be starting a series of courses and seminars at the end of January to become a motivational trainer for adults and children. And to top it off I will be learning to play the piano so I can incorperate music and singing into my courses aswell.This week I will concentrate on my new work situation and how to use routines and rituals to make this dream come true.

101 things in 1001 days. Number 32: Write a poem.

My Creativity

There´s this thing inside of me, part of me.
You may see it glowing.
If you´re moving along too quickly,
then you probably can´t tell.

For a long time, I didn´t notice it.
I was busy with other things.
Having kids, teaching, living – sort of.
Worrying, running, suffering.

In my relationships, my jobs, my homes.
It was there, glowing.
But I was moving along too quickly.
I just couldn´t tell.

These days I move slower, I live slower.
I walk with my eyes and ears open.
I love with my heart open and let what´s inside out,
like rays of sunlight.

I wish that everyone´s creativity be alive in them and beyond them, joining together to brighten this world.

The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women

Secret 1 - Acknowledging Your Creative Self

"What you love is a sign from your higher self of what you are to do". (Sanaya Roman)

I used to think I would have to change my profession to be happy as I felt too restricted in my teaching job - but I have come to realise that it wasn´t the work that had me feeling restricted, it was my position within the company and a boss I didn´t like. While staying in that job I was restricting myself and not acknowledging my talents which are

*Teaching *Motivating *Leading *Crafting *Singing

Now I´m learning and experimenting with new processes so I can combine these talents and use them to make a positive difference.

My husband made me these wooden letters. I´m so grateful that we found and said "yes" to each other.

YES!

2009 is spread in front of me like a new book waiting to be read, like a new journal waiting to be filled. On this fresh, new, exciting first day of the year I say YES! Yes to life, YES to me, YES to all the old things I love and all the new things I know are just around the corner waiting for me to welcome them in, YES to all the things I have learned and have yet to learn. Happy New Year!

And the winners are...

Congratulations! I´ll be in touch.

Quest: Beyond the 28 Days

"I am a hole in a flute that the Christ´s breath moves through, listen to this music!". (Hafiz)
Inviting acceptance into my life, taking time to be still and just listen, move my body, connect with others and do the things I really enjoy...that makes for good music and rythm for me.
And TOGETHER my friends, we are an ORCHESTRA!
(To celebrate Nikolaus I am giving away 3 inspiration card mobiles...just leave a comment and you´ll be in the draw on the 6th of December.)

Day 28

It´s been a wonderful, sometimes painful, 28 days. I am so grateful for ALL that I´ve learned. Thankyou for your comments, especially on the rough days. It´s been a pleasure getting to know you all.

Day 27

Day 26

My soul feels at home here, amongst you.
Thankyou!

Day 25

Day 24

I have been looking at some photos of myself and I have realised something. My weight has been up and down, give or take 10kilos...but I have always felt dreadful about my body. I see photos where I looked fabulous but felt horrible. WHY???

Day 23

I have been crying cleansing tears today...all this body stuff is really getting to me.

Day 22

Body image is a big issue for me. I can´t remember a time when it wasn´t. I don´t understand why and I hope this week gives me some answers. I hate my stomach area but otherwise I am generally happy with my figure and my clothes and I leave the house feeling great then I pass a shop window and see my reflection and my heart is in my shoes because how I feel inside doesn´t match what I see. I suffer.

Day 21

An ABUNDANT life : lots of time to love, read, sew, talk, relax.

: good, healthy food, clean water, air and light.

: color, comfort, acceptance.

Day 20

I put on some colorful clothes and smiled at everyone I passed today. Some people thought I was crazy, some smiled back openly and others reluctantly. I wanted to be like a butterfly - here one moment, gone the next leaving positive energy behind.