The Chances We Didn't Take

This quote is giving me comfort today.

I had to think long & hard about my artistic journey & career this weekend. I had to say 'no' to something & that was so, incredibly hard to do- to turn down money. I had so many thoughts rushing through my head like 'Are you crazy? How can you possibly turn this down? We are in a recession Woman!!' or 'You'll loose a contact over this' & even 'You can't pick & choose your jobs, you should be thankful & take it'. My ego rattled on & on in my head but then I remembered an interview I heard at the Creative Thursday blog with Matte Stephens & how he struggled to make ends meet in the beginning, selling his paintings on Ebay, but he carried on regardless. What courage that must have taken. I also then thought of Eckhart Tolle who was very poor for a while & somedays didn't even have enough money to eat properly but still carried on the path he felt he should be on. I'm very fortunate that I'm not in that situation & certainly wouldn't go hungry by turning a job down but still I have this inner argument going on inside of me. It's definitely a money thing. If money didn't come into it, it would be a no brainer & there-in lies the answer. When I said 'no' I felt instant relief, whereas the thought of saying 'yes' made me feel miserable. I'm just going to have to be brave & trust my instincts as who knows what work I may produce in the time I would have lost if I had said yes? Let's wait & see.....

As I write this I have a little bunny sleeping next to me- just too sweet for words- I had to share it with you.

And I wanted to share a mother & daughter collaboration that we finished a while ago. I've had this huge canvas for years & just didn't know where to start on it, so I let my three year old go wild on it!
We put a layer of paint down first, then pens & pencils. She then stuck down paper on top, which is how our Cheetah came to life & I then immediately thought of Africa as we had used lots of hot colours, so we added clouds & a sun & moon with a stencil I made. We loved every minute of it & it now hangs above her little desk in her play room :)

I'll be back soon with some more work to show

Love & light

Em

Mummy Monday with Cupcakes For Clara

Hello all! Did you have a good weekend? I had a great weekend but the little one is currently teething which = a lot less sleep so I am really feeling pretty sleepy this afternoon. But one must push on because its Mummy Monday! Hooray! I met this lovely & super talented Mummy in the land of the Tweets. Her name is Laura and she is the creator of Cupcakes For Clara. Laura is (as you'll read) a very busy mother of two & is seriously dedicated to her work- sometimes working the whole night if she has too- yes you read correctly! No sleep whatsoever!!! As you'll see in the photos she has many strings to her bow- not only is she a talented illustrator but she also designs in felt, makes softies & paper craft & has had a book published. Take a look at her Christmas goodies here! This is a great read & really made me giggle as I could relate to so much of what she wrote. (Laura, even as I write this I've had to stop Evie from trying to climb into the bin several times!) Read on & enjoy........

A Day In The Life Of Cupcakes For Clara

At Some point in the early hours of the morning..........

My 14 month old wakes up for cuddles & sometimes milk (he was 10 weeks early so is really like a 12 month old), he usually wakes his 3 year old sister up as they share a room, which is just great!

6.30-7.30am- My husband gets up with the kids whilst I sleep in (yeay!)

7.30-8.30am- We’re all up & getting ready for work/nursery/toddler group/music class. If it’s a Weds or a Fri, both kids are in nursery until 5.30pm so I get to work all day – luxury!! If not, it goes something like this…8.30-9.30am- Tom has gone to work, and I scramble around getting second breakfasts, re-putting shoes on wriggly feet, changing nappies, bundling one into the pram whilst the other probably takes her coat off again, more snacks, and checking my emails.

9.30-12.00pm- Toddler group or music classes. I always optimistically think that I might be able to reply to emails whilst I’m there, but it usually ends up with me getting play dough on my top, or trying to stop Theo from crawling into the bin!

12.00-1.30pm- Heading home & having lunch. Whilst they eat lunch & watch cbeebies (naughty me), I attempt those emails or maybe writing a blog post.

1.30-3.00pm ish- Theo goes for a nap. This has recently changed from two naps a day to one, so we’re still all over the place. Matilda loves to draw & paint so I try and set something creative up for her to do whilst he sleeps. We both sit at the dining table or get a great big messy mat out on the floor. If she’s happy to get on with it, I’ll work for a while. Packing orders, preparing products or drawing. Usually, just as I get started Theo wakes up.

3.00-5.00pm- Milk for the boy, snacks for the girl. Depending on the weather we’ll head out to the park, or catch up with some friends. Unless it’s been a particularly calm day, we’ll go to someone else’s house as ours is usually in too much of a crazy mess to have them come to us!!

5.00-6.00pm- Dinner for the little ones. Tom arrives home at some point during this, and I hand them over to him for at least a few minutes. Even if it’s only so that I can have a cup of tea whilst it’s still hot!

6.00-7.30pm ish- Getting the kids to bed. Tom takes Matilda up for stories & snuggles, and I give Theo his milk downstairs. He usually snuggles to sleep on my knee. Because they share a room, if they both go to bed at the same time it is impossible – they keep each other awake. One day we will have a big enough house for them to have a room each. Wishful thinking!

7.30-10.30pm- Once they are asleep, Tom cooks dinner, whilst I wash bottles & tidy up. And then settle down to each do our own work. Tom usually writes, whilst I pack products, draw, prepare products for my shop, or write blog posts. I usually try to cram too much in and disappoint myself when I don’t finish my list. We cosy up on the sofa whilst we work, with wine or hot drinks, sometimes with a fire going, and usually a film or an episode of House on the TV. It’s pretty nice.

10.30-11.30pm- At some point around now we’ll decide that we’re too tired to work any more, and head to bed. If I’ve got deadlines, I’ll keep working. Sometimes until 3-4am if it’s crazy busy. And often the minute my head hits the pillow - Theo wakes up. Sigh! I’ll get sleep when they’re older right?!

And then it starts all over again!!

Website – http://cupcakesforclara.com

Shop – http://cupcakesforclara.etsy.com

Twitter – http://twitter.com/cupcakes4clara

Facebook – http://facebook.com/cupcakesforclara

For more information as to why I started Mummy Monday please click here. And if you would like to take part send me a message :)

Mummy Monday with Danita Art

Hello all! I'm back & have so much to share in the next few weeks! A trip to Brighton, our wedding (!!) & honeymoon & LOTS of new design work to show you also.

The past few months have been ridiculously busy juggling wedding & honeymoon plans, my freelance work & looking after a toddler. I'm only now starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel! And its a Monday which means.................yes its Mummy Monday! I'm super excited to be dedicating this post to a lovely & very talented lady- Danita from Danita Art. A very busy mother of two & seriously I am blown away by her commitment to her art & her passion for it. She's a very inspiring lady who frequently works long into the night in order to create her beautiful paintings, jewellery & dolls. Enjoy!

A Day In The Life Of Danita

My typical day starts around 7:00 when I dress up the kindergarden kid to go to school.

We have a quick breakfast and leave for school at 8:00.

I manage to squeeze some exercise in walking in the park with my baby and go back home around 10:00 shower and look after the kid and prepare meals.

At 1:00 I pick up the kiddo from school and run errands, get back to eat lunch and let the baby nap. In the meantime I use that time to check emails, sketch and do office work at the shop. Afternoon comes, we have dinner and I let the kids out to the park.

Around 7:00 we start getting ready to sleep and if I am lucky I can get started with real work around 8:30 or 9:00...

Then it's burning the midnight oil until I am sleepy... And the day starts again the next day!

You can find out more about Danita here:

Her Blog

Her Etsy Shop
Her Twitter Page
Her Facebook Page

For more information as to why I started Mummy Monday please click here. And if you would like to take part send me a message :)

Mummy Monday with Melissa Moss

Hello! It's time for another Mummy Monday. Today I'm really excited to be introducing you to one of my favourite artists Melissa Moss. She is a full time Mum & very successful artist whose paintings have been bought by Susan Sarandon no less! I've followed her blog for a while now and she really is an inspiring lady who followed a dream.

Enjoy! :)

A day in the life of Melissa Moss

7:00 Sam (who turned 4 in July) wakes up. I can hear him on the monitor. He looks at his Star Wars books and tells very animated stories to himself.

8:00 I usually get up around this time. For the past 6-9 months Sam is able to entertain himself in the mornings for about an hour. To get this extra hour of sleep has been amazing. I have much more energy throughout the day.

8:30 - 9:00 I fix breakfast for me and Sam. Sometimes we tell a story over breakfast or read a book but then sometimes we just sit in silence while I am still waking up.

9:00 - 10:00 I check emails and try to get a little work done while Sam plays. My husband usually gets up around this time and plays with Sam so this gives me some time.

10:00 I try to get out of the house by 10:00 with Sam. There are several things we do during this time...run errands, go to botanical gardens, the library, the park, the pool or visit with friends. We're usually out of the house for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

12:00 We get home and make lunch. If the mosquitoes aren't too bad we'll sit on the porch and eat our lunch.

1:00 - We'll read some books if Sam wants to. If he wants to play I can check email and work a little.

2:00 - Sam doesn't nap anymore but he does have "quiet time" which is about an hour (longer if I'm lucky). He'll play by himself in his room but after an hour starts to open his door and say "Hello?" This means he is finished with quiet time. I try to get some work done during this time but sometimes I'm too tired and have to take a cat nap.

3:00 - Sam usually has an after quiet-time snack.

3:30 - This is the time that's the hardest for me. If I don't take a nap I get really tired and coming up with stuff to do in the afternoon is difficult. Sometimes we'll run errands or take a walk before dinner. And sometimes (though I don't like to admit it) I'll let Sam watch an episode (or 2) of one of his favorite shows. This gives me more time to get some work done.

5:30 - We start thinking about and cooking dinner.

6:00 - We are usually eating dinner around now.

7:00 - We give Sam baths every other night so on the off nights we try to go for an after dinner walk around the neighborhood.

7:30 - Sam cleans his room and we read books until Sam's bedtime.

8:30 - Sam is in bed.

9:00 - 9:30 - Sam is asleep.

9:00 - 11:00 - If I'm not completely exhausted this is when I will paint. Having a deadline helps me get motivated. But a lot of the time I will just sketch in front of the TV. It's very difficult for me to just watch TV and not feel guilty about it.

11:30 - I'm in bed reading my book.

12:00 - Lights out. My brain is usually spinning so it takes me at least a half hour to fall asleep.

You can find out more about Melissa here:

Her Website

Her Blog

Her Etsy Shop

An Interview With Creative Thursday

For more information as to why I started Mummy Monday please click here. And if you would like to take part send me a message :)

Mummy Monday!

It's time for the next installment of Mummy Monday! Today I'm introducing Belinda Fireman- a very talented artist who I met online on an e-course. As you'll read Belinda has a son and twin girls- she's certainly got her hands full and I was amazed with what she achieves in one day. Her work is such a breath of fresh air, I love how her pieces seem to radiate joy & happiness. Please read on :)

A day in the life of Belinda Fireman

I'll choose Wednesday, because I do something for myself that day:

5:42 Wake up and change into exercise clothes.

5:45 Meditate for 10 minutes.

6:10 Drive to the gym .

6:25 Exercise.

8:00 Pick up kids (twin girls and a boy) at home and drive them to

school.

8:30 Back at home with my son. Take shower.

9:00 Play with my son or bake. Some days I go to the chiropractor at

this time.

11:00 Lunch.

11:30 More play or some errand.

12:15 Gather paints and my son's school things.

12:30 Drive to school.

12:45 My son goes to preschool.

1:00 Paint at school. There is a parent room where I can do this,

which is great for the winter days when I don't feel like

driving back home!

Once every 3 weeks I have a session with my life coach at this

time.

3:00 Pack up paints.

3:15 Pick up my son. Hang out outside while the kids play on school

yard.

4:00 Drive home.

4:15 Make supper.

5:00 Eat supper.

6:00 Drive to karate lessons (for my daughters).

6:30 Girls start karate lesson while I play games with my son.

6:45 Hubby arrives to take over with the kids. I drive to my

weekly dance.

7:15 Help set up for dance.

7:30 Greet people (and take money) as they arrive for dancing.

7:45 DANCE!

10:00 Drive home.

10:15 Eat snack. Talk with hubby.

10:45 Get ready for bed.

10:50 Read until falling asleep.

11:00 Lights out!

You can find out more about Belinda and her work here:

http://belindafireman.wordpress.com/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/firemanbell

http://twitter.com/#!/belindafireman

For more information as to why I started Mummy Monday please click here. And if you would like to take part send me a message :)

Evie's Dream

It was my Evie's first Birthday today! "Happy Birthday Peanut!" I seriously can't believe she is 1 already- I have no idea where the year went! I remember her being born like it was yesterday. We've had an amazing year & it almost feels like I've been on a rollercoaster for the majority of it- not kidding you- its been a whirlwind of highs & lows, stops & starts, laughter & tears but WOW what an experience & I wouldn't change anything (apart from the birth!). Sometimes I still have to pinch myself that she's mine :)

I've been wanting to paint her a picture ever since she was born & last night I finished one- just in the nick of time for her Birthday. I've called it Evie's dream & I'm so pleased with how it turned out, it makes me smile when I look it so I hope it will make Evie smile too.

And I've not forgotten that its also Mummy Monday and I thought why not start with me? So here is a typical day where I am juggling work alongside being a Mummy:

7-7.30am Evie wakes up so I give her some milk and then we play with her toys in bed for a bit

8.00-9.00 Make & give Evie her breakfast & get her ready for the day.

9.00-9.40 Evie is playing whilst I take a shower & answer emails or make/finish any orders I have from Not On The High Street or Etsy that I want to post that day.

9.45-10.45 Take Evie to Hartbeeps - a fun, sound play class.

10.45-11.00 Bring Evie home, give her, her milk & put her down for a nap.

11-12.30/1.00 Whilst Evie is asleep I either work on any outstanding freelance briefs/finish orders/create new ideas.

1-1.30 Give Evie her lunch.

2.00-3.30 Either run some errands in town/take Evie for a walk stopping at the playground/meet up with a friend.

3.30-5.00 Come back home, give Evie her milk then we play, juggled with housework

5.00-5.30 Make & give Evie her tea

5.30-6.30 Either go out for another short walk/play in the garden or play indoors/watch some of the baby bedtime hour on CBeebies.

6.30-7.00 Daddy comes home and gives Evie a bath whilst I get on with any day to day housework/tidying up Evies toys etc

7.00-7.15 Give Evie her milk, read her a story & put her to bed

7.15-8.30 Carry on with some design work or house work.

8.30-9.30 Eat & relax in front of the TV

9.30-11.30 Carry on with my design work. If possible I try & make 11.30 the cut off point because personally I struggle to function on less sleep!

So there you have it- a day in the life of me :) I think seeing your day laid out like that really helps to put into perspective what is actually physically achievable in one day. Mummy Monday will be back next week!

For more information as to why I started Mummy Monday please click here. And if you would like to take part send me a message :)