Craft for the Soul: A Book Review

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Craft for the Soul

Pip’s gorgeous book, Craft for the Soul, defies pidgeon-holing. It’s not a craft project book, although it contains beautiful things to create. It’s not a recipe book, despite being filled with yummy food. It’s not a self-help book, but it is filled with excellent, practical advice on living a creative and inspired life.

Perhaps rather than trying to allocate the book an ISBN, I should tell you about how it feels.  It feels like a cosy chat with a wonderful friend. Someone wise and generous with their ideas and experience. Pip’s book is filled with realistic advice delivered in her cheery voice. She doesn’t pretend it’s all sunshine and rainbows but she does encourage a positive attitude. More than that, she gives you ways to make that kind of life happen.  Read more…

Interview with Nikky of LaBelle Designs

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an interview with LaBelle DesignsNestled into a leafy corner of Tarragindi sit three little shops. A florist, a workroom and a boutique. They are the kinds of little shops that are filled with treasures. The biggest treasures of all being the women who run them.

Today on the blog I am I talking to Nikky, the owner of LaBelle Designs. She speaks about the need to be creative, owning a small business, managing a brain that never stops working and the importance of supporting locally made. Read more…

The healing power of creativity

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Healing through creativityYesterday marked three years since I last held my middle son, Xavier. He died when he was very young, only two weeks old. Three years. An impossible distance between my son and myself. There are rituals around this time of year. Things that I do to remember him, things to mark the hardest days of the year. His birthday. His anniversary. The memory days in between. Most of them revolve around crafting things for him. I firmly believe in the healing power of creativity and it’s ability to connect us to memory and loved ones lost.

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The art of saying No.

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steve jobs

I say yes to things. To ALL the things.

To events, even when they are back to back, leaving me drained and tired. To helping out, even when I realistically have no time to give. To Tupperware parties, even when I have a drawer full of it and need no more. To projects, even when my notebooks are full of unfinished ideas. To the lady at the Myer counter when she wants to sell me hope in a jar, even though I really cannot afford it. To doing things for other people, even when it means my own business suffers from inattention.

Where do all these yeses come from? From an intense desire to be liked by everyone (which I need to tame) and a crippling fear of missing out. Those are not good reasons to say yes. I need to learn the art of saying no. Read more…

Finding Creativity in Motherhood: The Challenge

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Creativity and MotherhoodEvery month I focus on a different theme, and this month is very close to my heart: CREATIVITY. 

The inspiration for this month come from a few different corners of my life. Firstly, Rachel Power’s amazing book, Motherhood and Creativity, which collates the experiences of mothers who are successful creatives. It was recently updated and reprinted. It is an honest and wonderful account of how motherhood shapes, aids and changes creative practice. I devoured every word, finding inspiration and resonance in equal measure. Read more…

Challenging the holding pattern – what if my best life is still ahead of me?

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I am often amazed at the power of words, the impact of speech and the way an altered perspective can change everything.

Pip Lincolne was recently in Brisbane, chatting about her new book, Craft for the Soul*. I was lucky enough to meet her in person and listen to her talk. She spoke about how the book came about and how she came to write and teach full time. She shared so many amazing things. As I tweeted what resonated with me, a theme became apparent.  Read more…