Scrapbooking packs, Etsy and behind the scenes art studio

This week I have been making colour co-ordinated scrapbooking packs to put on Etsy and I didn't realise how many lovely things I have in my boxes, they have inspired me to be more organised and I plan on a day of sorting soon to make it easier to find things in the studio. 

I really enjoyed looking through all my collection of things like papers, buttons, photos etc, I have been collecting for about 6 years now and hardly look through them unless I am doing a project

So this was a lovely way to discover them, I love colour co-ordinating and seeing what works together well. Imagine being an interior designer, that would be so cool, collecting samples, swatches etc and making a vision board.

I discovered things I totally forgot about like this vintage cigarette card that was sent to me in a blog swap about 6 years ago!

I finally made a bright and bold one, even though I love colour so much I tend to shy away from bright colours in mixed media, thats pretty interesting seen as though my studio is bright and bold and I adore it.

A peek behind the scenes, I don't think sometimes people realise how long it takes to do one listing, you have to source the items or make them, then you have to set up an area to do the shoot, then you have to take photos, get the lighting right etc, then upload to the computer, edit them, and then do the listing and them promote them to get them seen, don't get me wrong, I love doing it and enjoy the process but there is more to it than meets the eye ;)

Mr Delightful is working on my website to get it running better with an in built shop and my newsletter sign up on there. (Or if you can't wait you can sign up now below). So I can crack on with the next part of my artistic journey.

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Love Dotty xx

Do you know how important it is to love yourself?

Do you know how important it is to love yourself?

Not in a big ego “I’m so pretty” way, I mean truly loving yourself from inside out. Your body is amazing, think about that for a minute, think about how all the organs inside you are working in harmony, how your strong heart beats, how your lungs work so you can breathe. How each day you can walk, talk, see, hear, feel, taste and you are alive!!

Be grateful for your amazing body.

Look in the mirror, really look into your own magical eyes and see the beautiful person you are. Tell yourself out loud or in your head if you feel self conscious, 3 amazing things about you, what makes you unique?

Be grateful for your unique qualities.

Each time you see your reflection today I want you to smile at yourself, really smile and think “I’m beautiful”.
Tonight before you go to bed, look in the mirror, really look at your face and say “I love you”

It may feel strange at first, you may feel like its silly, you may not even believe the words that you are saying, that’s OK.

The universe does not know the difference between positive and negative thoughts, it just acts on what you think/say. So each day tell yourself how lovely you are, not how fat you are or that you have wrinkles because what you focus on becomes a reality. So start off by pretending when you say the words. Eventually you will believe them.

We love you!

 Love Dotty xx

Artist burnout recovery

Just wanted to share with you, a month or so ago I was pretty down and felt burnt out, I became ill and was forced to take nearly a week off, just lying on the sofa and trying to recover, it was so frustrating to me but I obviously needed it, then after many days just reading, taking the dogs to the beach etc, I sat at my easel and tried to draw, nothing came, I did something else, the next day I tried again and did a little background and felt it was rubbish. 

No matter how many times I tried I just couldn't get into the zone, I was doodling like a 3 year old. Instead of getting sad I concentrated on doing Kelly Rae Roberts Flying lessons, learning from Leonie Dawson academy, browsing pinterest and making plans in my bujo.

 Then a couple of days ago I woke up with an idea and tonight I finished Autumn girl, I am so happy I feel like this is the best art I have done so far. Sometimes we just have to listen to our bodies and come back even stronger 

Rest when we need to and take time to just be, how many times do you watch a film and be on your phone or knit at the same time?
 

We need to get back to living in the moment and totally being absorbed in one thing at a time.

Love Dotty xx

Wearing no bra with big boobs

My friend snapped this photo of me without me knowing and I love it, I'm in the river Dee in Wales for conscious camp, it's freezing but invigorating, I'm wearing no bra, this is a big deal for me, to be in public with no bra, I have large G cup boobs and they sag down, I don't want to wear a bra for health reasons (lymphatic system can't drain toxins properly when constricted) but having them swinging around goes against the norm. It's weird when you start thinking about how society has moulded us into believing certain things and when you go against the grain you are deemed the weird one ;)

 I also feel a bit weird and unattractive without a bra (conditioning I know) sometimes it feels freeing and I don't get back or shoulder ache or headaches either when I don't wear one, I wear scarves a lot to cover them but find most of my wardrobe now totally unsuitable for going bra less, the cuts of the dresses are made with pert boobs in mind. 

It's a quandary because I feel it's important for breast health not to wear one, with underwires digging in and your lymph system being squashed, it isn't healthy at all. There have been links to breast cancer and bra wearing plus I feel constricted when I've got one on. But I feel hot and heavy without one. 

At home I tend not to wear one at all, I got this stretchy bra with no wires/structure to it that I wear if I'm doing housework, exercising or if guests are coming over. 

I figured out if I buy loose fitting tops, and wear scarves you can't really tell I am not wearing one out the house and I am sarong mad, I use them to tie around my chest in various ways to let them swing free and keep cool.

Got any tips? share them in the comments 

Check out this video about ditching bras by Nikisha Brunson

I would like to know your thoughts on going bra-less (please keep it friendly)

Check out this unapologetic account from a mum about men drooling over freed nipples!

Reading Miracle morning has given me more energy

Yesterday was all about planning and sorting out my week for work, cleaning and personal development, reading some more Miracle Morning 30 Day Challenge, getting locations for our vision wall and drinking THE most incredible smoothie that tastes like mint choc chip pudding crossed with horlicks, yummers indeed

 We are going to make a chart like they used to have on Blue Peter, for saving money for our passports and surround it with photos of destinations we want to visit.

Today I was up at 6.30am, I am trying to get it down to 5am and I am sure that will come soon to do the miracle morning, so far I have journalled, taken the dogs to the beach with my son, been to the cinema to watch Nine Lives, cleaned both bathrooms, fed pets, read an inspiring book, meditated, hung washing, had a catch up with 2 different friends, stuck unicorn stickers on my computer desk (that was most important) snuggled the dogs, exercised for 20 mins, made lunch, made cacao orange bliss balls, got some food shopping for tea and now I'm going to paint some backgrounds on watercolour paper ready for a positivity book I am making.

 Hope you have had a most excellent day, I feel I am back on top form! 

 Its only 5pm and there is so much more to do with the day, make the most of every minute, as far as we know we only get one life, choose to spend it wisely doing things you love and enjoy, filling your body and brain with goodness.

Love Dotty xx

Artist studio tour 2

It's been a weird month August and I can't believe it's nearly at the end already, I have been having a hard time the past few weeks (damn that full moon) feeling totally exhausted, my immune system has taken a battering and I had mastitis and Hidradenitis suppurativa, I have been running on empty for a while but kept going to be supportive and I felt I needed to be strong for everyone else. 

I feel my hormones are all over the place and making me feel totally disconnected, snappy and tearful, I have been keeping in my emotions of feeling unlovable and slightly depressed to myself, but I shared them with Mr Delightful in a heart opening way, I allowed myself to feel vulnerable and explained everything, after his kindness and total support in finding ways to change my diet and take supplements to help me and after using some natural remedies, I could actually face up to these past few days and share with you. 

I didn't want this truth to break the 'always positive' delightful me, but I feel you deserve to know why I haven't done any art, posted on my blog or been attending anything.

I have some wonderful friends who are so caring and their messages have kept me going on the dark days, I have been reading, watching films, resting and restoring myself. 

So all I have to offer is some photos of my studio, this place brings me joy, I am so grateful for this space.

Little things here and there, that have been given or collected over time.

My easel really needs a good tidying up, it is full of unfinished projects.

Always got to be feeling the love no matter how dull things seem, if you have no one else to love, always love yourself, and I am sure there are plenty of people who love you, even if you don't think there are, I love you, each one of us is a miracle, I mean check out how amazing it is and the odds you are actually here, its something crazy like there is only 4 hours a month in which you can get pregnant, that's is if a sperm actually reaches the egg and the egg actually gets fertilised, I won't go on, this isn't a place for biology lessons, but I hope you get my point, before anything else, how amazing is it we are actually alive!

Old books, new books, god I love books, I love the smell of musty bookshops, crammed from floor to ceiling with so many possibilities and ideas in those pages.

Rose quartz for love and my studio angel

These little 50p storage pots from Ikea are great for keeping all my bits and pieces in one place. My tiaras are in there too for the days when I need an extra princess vibe.

The summer holidays are nearly over, Autumn is nearly here again, what are your plans and how have you been feeling with this crazy moon?

Love Dotty xx

A day in the life of an artist

I am so nosey and love looking at other peoples 'a day in the life' stories, so I thought I would share my own with you.

Some mornings I really make an effort and make a super good and healthy breakfast and then other days, I really want to get into my work and make jam on toast, I know I shouldn't really eat bread as it makes my tummy swell, but I love it so. This is Hovis doorstop bread, its super thick (not very healthy) and is yummy with dairy free spread and cherry jam, I drink decaf tea, mainly Clipper and have hemp milk.

Each day is super different and I don't really have a plan as such but each day I try and do some work on my business which includes learning, I flit between Leonie Dawson, Kelly Rae Roberts and Lucky bitch, today was a lucky bitch day and it was so good learning about manifesting money in 24 hours, as its a video I listened while I prepped my canvasses.

I was painting larger canvasses today, I start off with the rainbow coloured background, I love how I blend the colours so they seamlessly flow into each other, it takes a while but is worth the finished look. I use a mix of acrylics and emulsion.

Then I stopped to take notes from the video while the canvasses dried. I browsed on Pinterest for a bit, while I had coffee and a couple of bits of Green and Blacks orange chocolate, I think I'm addicted! Then the Riverford organic box delivery arrived.

It's pretty cool getting the box because you never know what is coming from week to week (unless you look on the website) and dinners are often made up on the spot because of it, I think I am swapping back to Able and Cole though as you can do your dislikes with them.
The veg and fruit is always really nice though from both types of boxes.

I did some social media updates and had a look at instagram, then started doing a couple of mixed media canvasses for a fair I was doing at the weekend.
I love doing mixed media, I love the glue on my fingers and never knowing how a piece is going to turn out.

I did something to my camera and it went all blurry so I stopped taking photos at this point, I made garlic tomatoes on ciabatta with salad for lunch, played cards with the boys for a bit, did some more online research and posting, spent a while cutting out images from magazines, I am making a collection for a rectangle canvas I am doing of Alice falling down the rabbit hole. 

I also read a bit more of Kelly Rae Roberts flying lessons, I am up to the blog part weirdly! 

I ran in and out about 5 times through the day, sorting the chickens out, they squawk really loudly when laying eggs and if seagulls fly over!

We walked the dogs for a bit, as they was getting on my nerves barking at horses going past the house and then we we came home it was teatime, I normally make tea but Mr Delightful is a great cook and often does it if I have a lot of work on, I also make the boys wash up every night alternately except Sunday night where it's our turn, they also sweep the floor and wipe down the sides, we put this in place a few years ago and it is so helpful to me. 

After tea, I checked facebook and had a chat to my friend on it for ages, I also posted some photos on instagram ( I have two accounts one for Dotty Delightful and one for our other business naked wild and free and have to keep up with them, I finished some of the paintings while half watching a film with my youngest son. 

I snuggled with the dogs and fell asleep, waking up at 3am, cold and annoyed I didn't go to bed earlier!.

The only regular things I do each day are feed animals, collect eggs, take a skullcap infusion for my nervous tension, make dinners, check facebook and instagram and drink copious amounts of tea and 1 filtered decaf coffee, say "I'm hot" and "my back hurts" a lot.

Love Dotty xx