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Farewell 2023!

Hello Friends!

It’s officially the last day of the year and, as promised, I’m here to deliver an end of year summary! However, as I am currently of the belief that this once-a-year day should be spent doing the things you LOVE MOST, (yet inevitably never do enough of), I can hardly advocate that you spend your precious time reading this! Park it for tomorrow! Or the next day – I’ll never know!

… Speaking of the last day of 2023, I am writing this on the second last … and, I’ll be honest, my thrill for end of year reviews has diminished somewhat due to several days of merry making & relaxing. SO, consequently, we are going to keep this light and breezy!

Gearing up for the month of months

Gearing Up for the Month of Months!

Hello Friends!

Well, it certainly has been a while but I’m returning here feeling fresh & feeling GOOD! Healthy AND chilled, as if I’ve been granted an early fresh start! (Though I am sure I will need another come the new year :P) Can you believe it’s been over 5 weeks since I last popped up in your inbox?! Yet things have not remained completely stagnant on the site. I was here just last week uploading a new product … which you may or may not have seen … ;D

She NEEDS to Sort Out Her Priorities

I always enjoy the moment when I finally get the chance to sit down and write a new blog post – mainly because it means I am a little bit more on top of things! This morning I certainly did not feel that way, but after some morning tea and planning I’m feeling much more positive!

On the day-to day, I am still struggling a little to shake the feeling that I am failing to make progress in any aspects of my life. However, I recently watched Emma Watson’s Vogue Carry-On video and she mentioned how she has been ‘sowing a lot of seeds over the last four or five years. (That) you can’t always be in the reaping stage, or the harvest stage in life.’ I liked that concept because it really captures how I feel about this year – it has been a year of sowing seeds. Maybe next year I will begin to reap some of the rewards of harvest. Even tiny steps will eventually lead some place new.

A Day in the Life of an Illustrator

Despite being excited this morning by the prospect of an enjoyable Monday, I found myself procrastinating heavily throughout the day leaving me feeling… crappy. I found it particularly challenging to switch tasks without reaching for my phone to check for emails, news or missed notifications and/or scroll aimlessly through Instagram and TikTok, hoping for a spark of inspiration, engagement or interest – despite looking forward to the next task. I also kept sitting down to read my new book, ‘The Priory of the Orange Tree’, a rather addictive read.

A Month’s Neglect! Let’s Catch Up

Somehow, I’ve missed FOUR Monday Minutes & I’m rather disappointed in myself for that. Missing one or two? Fair fair, but a month’s worth?! I should note that two posts were culled before they were published during this time, due to a severe lack of creative content, so actually, I’ve had your best interests at heart. ;p But that is the thing, I simply haven’t been creating as much of late. In fact, my routine has changed up quite a bit!

Big Questions Answered? – Monday Minutes

It feels like we just did this, right? (& I apologise for the grammatical errors in the last email, I really shouldn’t write these things at night!) But it’s Monday and I have no excuses today – except that I do feel rather poorly. I think I may have picked up a minor stomach bug because food just hasn’t been sitting well with me over the past few days. Consequently, it’s been a little challenging to get into the swing of things today. I thought maybe a #MondayMerger challenge would help … but it felt laboured, despite selecting something as simple as a cake.

Big Questions! – (Thursday) Monday Minutes

Let’s be honest, the most difficult aspect of a blog post is starting it. I skipped Monday due to weariness from a trip to Melbourne, and Tuesday/Wednesday was spent seeking answers to a career predicament I am currently pondering. As a result, I’ve hardly touched Friend of Note since last Thursday! It is also currently 5pm … meaning not much is likely to change on that front, but at the least, I felt I could smack together a very brief, very belated, post.

Revisiting Neglected Drawings – Monday Minutes

Being in such a motivated mood, I thought it would be a grand idea to jump into a spontaneous pilates session before I got stuck into my blog post. And certainly, this would have been a solid idea… if I actually did pilates. Truth be told, I haven’t struck a single pilates move in probably a year. Therefore, laying out a very thin mat .. on a very cold & very solid floor .. and getting stuck into some moves without even stretching, was probably not the best idea. After less than 8 minutes I realised I was incredibly cold, uncomfortable and slightly head achey. So, ditching that, I’m feeling slightly less jolly than 30 minutes ago, but just slightly.

Sneak Peeks & Refreshments – Monday Minutes.

If you’ve clicked through my website in the last few days you will have noticed some changes! For quite some time, I’ve been wishing to freshen things up… so last week I went rogue on my ‘to-do-list’ and did just that. ;p

Recognising When Your Routine No Longer Serves You – Monday Minutes.

This week I’m concentrating on improving my efficiency and being more industrious with my time. In an attempt to maintain aspects of my old routine, I started the day off with a quick #MondayMerger. Although, what I discovered was how unnecessary it felt this morning! I was already geared up to get stuck into my latest illustration and yet when I had to go through the motions of drawing & colouring something entirely different, it became such a drag that I felt as though I was simply burning time. Certainly, the opposite intention of this practice.