I'm sure I'm not the only one having a tough time right now. Life get's hectic at this time of year, and when personal crises pop up simultaneously, it can be completely overwhelming. At times like these my advice is to show yourself some kindness and just let some things go!

If those things are important (like your creative practice!) give yourself a grace period and simply pick it up again whenever you can. Let's say "no" to hustle culture and embrace peace and joy this Christmas season.

In the spirit of all that, this will be my last episode for the year. But fear not, I'll be back in 2025 with more inspiration and encouragement to help you live your best creative life.

Are you curious about trying a new medium? Is there a little voice inside urging you to break out of your usual creative routine and do a different thing? Well guess what? It's ok to pivot!

Don't let the fact that you've invested time, energy and money into one medium, your lack of storage space for more materials or your identity as a particular type of creative prevent your expansion in new creative directions. It's all doable and it's part of your creative journey, so embrace the pivot.

I'm sure I'm not the only one suffering some overwhelm at this stage of the year! But I think we can all safely say that this is no different from any other Christmas lead up and maybe if we remember how we managed to get through it every year before, we might just feel empowered rather than on the verge of break down!

A little mindful creativity (hello mindful colouring book!) even a few minutes a day can also do wonders in keeping us on an even keel during the silly season.

I've found myself some creative friends and it's been surprisingly lovely for this lone-ranger! I highly recommend connecting with a person or a group who can be your support, your cheerleader and keep you accountable to your creative practice.

I almost didn't record an episode this week because I'm away from home and don't have my microphone with me and I was concerned about the sound quality. But then I remembered my new motto "Done is better than perfect" (not mine originally but I'm embracing it!) and realised I should just get resourceful and do it anyway, even if the results are a little messy.

The same goes for creativity. We could all use the excuse of having lack of time or other resources or the lack of faith our own ability to stop ourselves from doing cool creative things. But that would just be dull and lead to regrets. I say do it messy and do it anyway!

This episode was inspired by a ground breaking music concert I saw this week. There were combinations of artistic elements in this show that I didn't believe would ever be seen on the one stage. I was blown away, and excited by the creative possibilities that exist if we just allow them to.

I share a vulnerable admission and encourage you to give yourself permission to do the seemingly silly, the crazy and the impossible.

Hand made gifts are always that little bit more special aren't they? And with Christmas looming, now is a great time to utilise your creative talents and make unique gifts for your loved ones. In this episode I share some great hand made gift ideas and guidelines on how to get them done without last minute stress!

If you don't have the time or inclination to make gifts yourself, a hand made item by another creative is the next best thing (I will have some perfect gift-worthy mini artworks available in my upcoming studio sale; make sure you're on my mailing list) Or if your loved one is creative, how about putting some materials, tools and patterns/instructions together to encourage their creativity?

Listen in for the goods and happy creative gift giving!

I'm back from my mind blowing trip to Italy with some insights on finding creative inspiration wherever you are and my light bulb moment about finding my creative voice.

Listen in for the juice!

And make sure you're on my mailing list of you're interested in my upcoming studio sale...

I'm about to go to Italy!!

I'm really excited but of course there are now considerations about what creative materials I can pack, where I'll be able to sit down and do my creative practice and when I'll fit it into my travel itinerary. I've encountered this many times on work and personal trips both overseas, outback camping and interstate visits to family so in this episode I share some tips on keeping creative while travelling.

The tips are:

1. Pack smart

2. Create a routine

3. Pivot.

4. Take a class

5. Just try some new things

6. Take photos

7. Journal