Time management & procrastinating

This week I've had a kick up the butt by my significant other. Bless him.
One phrase that stuck with me was, "You're better than this". Yes, I am better than this! hah! Thank you!
As well as a big discussion about my goals, fears, time management, skills and career options.
Geez, haven't you been reading my blog? I'm totes on it bebz! Or maybe I'm not.
This year is going so quickly!!! I need to pick up the pace and catch up.


So there is no better way to start this blog, than with an article on "The Art of Getting Things Done".
I read this article, ate breakfast, and got 3 things done. Huzzah!

But lets not forget the importance of animated gifs. Be careful not to get lost in the abyss.
This blog is just really funny: WHAT SHOULD WE CALL ME

Fireworks & Crazy Cat



These are just beautiful & interesting - taken from: IF WE DON'T, REMEMBER ME. Can you guess which movies they are from? Roll over with your mouse for the Answer.







Here are two articles on the struggles of freelancing.
The first is an opinion piece by illustrator Kelly Thompson: RIP IT UP AND START AGAIN
AND a response article by Lauren Winter of Blooming Leopold

One can also get easily distracted and deeply involved in talking to your best friend about whales, foxes, dogs and dolphins. "I love whales, I love foxes, I love dolphins, you love dogs, you love whales, I love whales too, dolphins, foxes, whales." Sometimes we get so intense about animal conversations, that we get lost in our own magical animal world and forget about what's going on around us. I think this is what it could look like:

I'm really obsessed with water colours at the moment. I guess because the result is so quick. I just love playing, experimenting, mixing and blocking out colours. These are all quick rough water colour sketches that take about 15mins each.

Saturday I went to my first ever baby shower.
Pregnant bellies are amazing and magical.
I made blue cupcakes and a nesting birds card to accompany a very cute 'Spot' the Dog toy.





Remember this?


This is what my studio looks like at the moment:
My studio area is a closed in veranda/sunroom and is surrounded by windows and great natural light! Since Christmas my studio has merged into a studio/dining room. It's probably time to move the kitchen table back into the kitchen, except that I love having two tables to work on! (We mostly eat dinner in front of the TV anyway! )
I like spreading myself out with water colours and paints and sketch books on one table, this table also has great lighting for photographing my work. On the other table I have my laptop, scanner & wacom tablet (and less glare on the laptop screen) for when I want to work digitally. I can roll between the two tables! Or roll my chair to the lounge room & say hello to my lover.




Here's a silly unicorn following its dreams.

Crossroads

Change must be in the air at the moment. I’ve been feeling restless and have been having trouble putting my finger on why.
Tonight it just occurred to me that all of my friends are going through some dramatic changes at the moment! And this has made me question my own life!? What are you doing to me guys??? I was just happily floating along in my own little bubble… when all of a sudden I got left behind the pack! (Not that it’s a competition…) I am excited and scared for you all.

Slow & Steady wins the race?

I just recently discovered that not 1, but 3!! Of my good friends have decided to move to the UK together! And soon! They will be joining my other good friend who moved there earlier this year to be with his beautiful girlfriend. I have a few friends spread out across the country – but the other side of the world is another thing! I have seen good friends quitting jobs, starting new careers, ending long term relationships, getting engaged and getting pregnant!
And now I have just seen a photo of one of my best friends with new pink hair! (It looks amazing!)


Then tonight I skype chatted to my friend that is already living in London (the one with the lovely girlfriend) and he was telling me how he has some studio space and that he shares it with 2 photographers and an illustrator that he thinks I’d like. Well I really do love Yasmeen Ismail’s work!! It’s beautiful! Check it out here: http://auntyyaya.blogspot.com.au See some of her work below:



And this made me so jealous – even though I have a great studio in my home and am perfectly capable of working there.

Now I know that I don’t need to be a lemming… but I have a sudden strong urge to die my hair pink and move to Melbourne, or London, or New York, or Tokyo, or Sydney, or Paris, or … the beach somewhere!

And I want to make my house look like it’s in the Design Files! I think this house is just beauuutiful. I love the fresh white sheets, linen curtains and outdoor bath. It’s so fresh and clean and relaxing!



But really I need to stop comparing what I have to others and envying everyone else and take action in my own life!
I have come to a crossroads now and it’s time for me to make some big choices! The decisions and plans and options that lay ahead of me are overwhelming.


And now I think a perfect metaphor for my situation.
Shane bought me a delicious looking fig from the fruit shop yesterday. I have been so excited about eating it and saving it as a special treat. I have been thinking about all of the great possibilities for the fig – I could have it on cereal, I could make it into a smoothie with a banana, I could caramelize it with brown sugar and icecream, I could just eat it by itself!! I spent so much time putting the fig on a pedestal that I hadn't actually eaten the fig yet. The idea of the fig is so great that I was too scared to make the wrong choice in how to eat it. It’s not the only fig in the world. Well I ate the fig this morning for breakfast - in it's natural state. Wait, what does that mean? I'm not sure. No. Actually I’m just rambling about figs...


*Disclaimer: for my boss who reads my blog - Don't worry Bobbie, I will definately let you know and give you plenty of notice when I eventually make some changes. I'm not going to move to London without telling you! hehe

On feeling sorry for myself:

I've been feeling a bit sorry for myself lately... and it's time for a positive new outlook. However, I would like to dedicate this post to being dramatic and self centred. So please feel free to post a comment on how you feel sorry for YOURSELF, guilt free. Be as dramatic and pathetic as you like. I'll start:

I'm feeling sorry for myself because my head feels like it is about to explode with a massive pressure headache because my face is full of sinus infection and the changing pressure in my head due to the sinus draining is leading me to believe that I actually have an oncoming brain aneurism instead and will die at any moment. I also have an extremely stiff neck and swollen glands and rock hard traps that are radiating nauseating pain that is running (especially on the left side) from my right shoulder up my neck and into my head and then throbbing down my arm and into my fingers. I have a sense of impending doom that something bad is going to happen to me. AND I have a shit load of work to do.
This is how I FEEL:

And this is a girl eating an apple... Inspired by Audrey Jeanne's style...


Here are some comforting cushions also by Audrey Jeanne that I could rest behind my sore back:
( I am actually on the look out for the perfect collection of cushions by designers that I love... I have a cushion design fetish)



At times like these it would be good to make a fort and curl up inside it: (This inspired fort is by Maya Walker, see more of her beautiful work here!)


But it's time to get out of the fort - and into action! And I do have an action plan challenge: I'm going to exercise for 30mins every day for 1 week. As apparently this decreases your risk of heart disease by 50% I need to get moving.

I have been spending some time with my furry little friend this weekend. He has been a good companion. We went for a walk together yesterday and I gave him a bath in teatree shampoo, then I brushed him and he entertained our guest while we had wine and baked potatoes, then we watched The Birdcage and slept on the couch together. Today we went for a walk and I documented Pommy's perspective.