#BeInspired Cass Art Challenge Part 2 - My Artwork

Yesterday I shared a review of the materials I received from Cass Art for taking part in their #BeInspired campaign.  Today I can share with you some of the art work which I made using my new materials!
Some of the materials are similar to things I already use and some have been completely new to me but I have really enjoyed trying all of them out.  It has been great just to play around and see what happens and not to worry so much about what the finished piece will be like.  I definitely want to do this more and am planning to get some new sketchbooks and spend more time in 2017 experimenting with different materials in them!

Positive Thinking - Nothing is Impossible

I'm still enjoying using rainbow colours at the moment, which you can probably tell from this colourful piece of hand lettering! It's my latest post in my 'Positive Thinking' series. I like this Audrey Hepburn quote - it's a fun play on words and a good, positive reminder to keep trying - "Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!".

Positive Thinking - You Can't Use Up Creativity

Does anyone else worry that they will run out of ideas?  When I think about it, that's a silly fear really - just think of how much creativity is in the world and how much inspiration, the number of paintings in galleries or craft projects on Pinterest!  As creative people, we may have times when we don't feel inspired, or motivated to be creative but trying something new can often be the spark to get things going again.  Since I usually have a long list of things I want to make, paint or draw, I should probably trust in this more!...

You can't use up creativity.  The more you use, the more you have. - Maya Angelou

Stop Worrying About What Could Go Wrong...

I thought it was time I did another 'Positive Thinking' post (the last was back in February - how time flies!).

If you're like me you'll easily come up with a million things that could go wrong; "but what if....".  It might happen, or it might not.  Worrying doesn't really help but it can sometimes be hard to stop.  I try to remind myself of these words, and focus on something more positive.

Stop worrying about what could go wrong and focus on what could go right.

Find What Feels Good

Yoga With Adriene and 'Find What Feels Good' are the inspiration for this post, which is part of my new series on positive thinking.  I love these words as they not only encourage you to do things that make you feel good, but also to look for the good in a situation that maybe doesn't seem good at first.  Not that I am able to do this all the time, but it is something to aspire to.  I had fun playing with watercolours writing these words in my sketchbook too. :)

This week I completed Yoga Camp with Yoga With Adriene (an online series of yoga videos).  I managed to keep up with it everyday for 30 days and even completed the longer 40-50 minute sessions!  I say this with a sense of achievement because although I did her 30 days of yoga last year it took me longer than 30 days and I have struggled to keep up with some of the longer sessions before.  I'm not a sporty person, but after discovering Yoga With Adriene I have found a form of exercise that I actually enjoy and want to do!  I can follow the online videos at my own pace, in the comfort of my home.

Adriene encourages you to 'Find What Feels Good' and this is what I love about her videos!  I enjoy her humour and positive approach to teaching.  She guides you through the yoga poses and suggests alternatives if you're finding something difficult, encourages you to keep trying and it's not about being able to make the perfect pose - it's all about the process, how you feel.  Since doing yoga I have noticed that I am getting more flexible and stronger, I notice that certain poses are not so hard as they used to be, and it does feel good!  I still have plenty to practise and work on (which is good too); pigeon, side plank, seated forward fold and crow are some of the things I would like to improve.

30 days of Yoga Camp was also about using positive mantras, each day had a different mantra and I found these to be really beneficial too.  Yoga isn't just about getting yourself physically fit, but taking care of your mind too.  I do find that yoga can help with anxiety; the exercise, moving with my breath, practising the different breathing techniques and positive mantras - these are all things I can take and use off the yoga mat as well.

I liked how setting myself the challenge of Yoga Camp kept me motivated with doing yoga everyday and I want to keep that up.  I've been doing some of the videos from Adriene's Post Yoga Camp Playlist and I think I will do the original 30 Days of Yoga (from last year) again.

Do you do yoga?  What are your experiences of it?  If you're interested in having a go I can definitely recommend Yoga With Adriene! 

Namaste!

Positive Thinking

The subject of this post is something which I have been thinking about for some time, but it has taken me a while to find the right words and work out exactly what I want to say.  I started this blog mainly for my work; to share things I have designed and made, so I wasn't sure if I wanted to write about other things and mention something that I've not talked about with many people in 'real life' let alone online. But I want to try, because I read other people's blogs and find it helpful finding people with similar experiences and I don't want it to be a big secret, something to feel ashamed of.

I suffer from anxiety.  Some days it's not too bad and others it can affect me a lot.  Everyone experiences anxious thoughts at some time, but if you have experience of anxiety and panic attacks you will understand what I mean, how unpleasant it is and how much it can affect your life; the things you do.

Maybe it seems silly, that it's taken me such a long time, and a fair bit of worrying, to actually not say very much.

I wanted to mention it though, because it was the motivation for an idea of a new series I want to do on positive thinking.  Whether you have trouble with negative thoughts or not, positive words and phrases can be really beneficial.  So I'm starting a new series of hand drawn, positive words, phrases and quotes as a way to both help myself and as a way of sharing positivity with you.  It will also be an opportunity for me to practise my hand lettering.

I already have some ideas of words and phrases I would like to illustrate, but I would also love to hear what positive words, quotes etc you like.  Leave a comment below and I might illustrate them in the coming weeks.

P.S.  I couldn't help having the Morecambe and Wise song 'Positive Thinking' in my head while I drew this :)