Don't be ashamed to meditate

Over the last few days I've stumbled onto the name Abraham Hicks, if it's not familiar to you, like it wasn't to me at the start of the week, the concept that they share may seem a little far fetched and out there.

I've always believed there was something bigger than ourselves and the physical world, just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist, my favourite way to prove this to point out that you don't see radio waves yet to can hear the sounds they carry with the correct equipment.

On and off over my teenage years and until my mid 20's, I used to meditate.  I didn't tell people that I did this, I did it in secret but after listening to a recording from Abraham Hicks, I was tempted to give it another go, then I realised that I was ashamed to tell people that I meditated.

WHY?

The only reason that I can come up with, is that I worried about what people would think of me.

But now I realise, it's none of my business what opinions people have of me.

Worrying about what people think of you, robs you of any joy that you get from doing the thing you do.

To celebrate this breakthrough, I created this piece of digital art.

I hope you like it, if you do please download yourself a copy and let it remind you to be proud and uplifted at the choices you make.


If you're interest to hear the video that inspired this little bit of digital art, then you can listen to it here.

Warning - for some people it might be a "little too out there"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL8WQIvfbIY

Take care and enjoy being you.

New digital scrapbooking store

Happy New Year!

It's been a while since I've updated this blog.  Please forgive me, I'd love to tell you that I'm really consistent with my writing, but I can't.  I write when the need strikes, so I'll never be a "good blogger" but today I wanted to let you know about my new digital store on etsy.  There's not much in it yet, but I'm going to focus on it this month and I am to get at least 50 digital paper packs on there.

Yeap if you've ever looked at the instant download section on etsy you'll have seen the thousands and thousands of digital paper packs to buy so what makes mine so different?

First of all I've tried to create matching colour palettes so you're not getting the same design in 12 different colours that you can't use together in your projects.  But more importantly if you sell what you make, these come with a commercial license so you are free to sell what you make without any quantity restrictions.  So that's one less things to you to keep in mind.

You can check out what I have already in the store here.

To celebrate I wanted to offer you a free paper pack, it's only free for the month of January 2015 so if you've don't jump in quick, you'll need to pay for it through the etsy shop.

Here's the link to your free download. https://app.box.com/s/ejhqy7oexbkw2clqksv1

New Motivational Accessories

Wanted to let a quick blog post just to show you the new motivational accessories that I've designed for Glass Charmed.

I have been influenced by a lot of reading this week, well actually a lot of listening. I've been using YouTube to listen to audiobooks on motivation, confidence, self-esteem and fear. I doubt there's not one person who isn't affected by fear, and most people allow that fear to dictate what they do.

Sometimes we need visual reminders to alter our actions and thought patterns so with that in mind.  I've developed a range of hair accessories, pendants, earrings and wine charms with motivational sayings with backgrounds that I designed myself.

Let me know what you think in the comments section, I'd love to get some feedback.

Free Print - Keep Calm and Write on

I've been expanding my photoshop skills and part of that is to create some simple wall art.  I know keep calm and carry on posters have been done to death but I couldn't resist creating some inspired with vintage images.

I've done a range of these and I wanted to share this one with you for free.  Designed for writers whether you're writing a book, a blog post or school work, keep yourself motivated with this classic vintage inspired print.

Feel free to pin, share, download a hi res image to print and add to your wall, resize it and create your own artwork with it.  Credit is not required but if you use it please leave me a comment so I can see what you created. 

Right click to save an image you can use online, or to download a hi-res image for printing please click here.

I've also created a keyring using this image, you can purchase it from my etsy shop, Glass Charmed.

Featured with the best

I sell a lot of my work on Etsy, if you've not heard of it, it's a place where crafters and artists and those who support them selling supplies like to sell their wares.  It's nothing like Ebay, the mentality is very different.  Here is about creating something personal, being able to buy from real people instead of large corporations, finding unique things and asking for personalisation.

I just received an email from a fellow Etsian letting me know that she featured one of my glass pendants in her latest treasury - a treasury is a curated collection of items tied together by a theme.

Here's part of the treasury

There's lots more to look at to so hop over and take a peek Orange and White Treasury

I wanted to also give a shout out to the curator of this treasury too Margarita she create her own style of art and you can check it out in her shop.

Have fun on Etsy, don't get lost on there, there is so many amazing things to look at :)

A grateful Attitude - My little experiment

Its been busy these last few weeks running up to Christmas as my Etsy shop Glass art Dreams has seen an influx of customers looking for stocking fillers for their friends and family.

Wedding and Gems is always quiet this time of year, not many people are focusing on Weddings so my fingers get a break from making more complicated things.  I have made a commitment to myself to post regular blog updates on there though.  So far I'm blogging every Wednesday and Friday.  I've even sent myself up some systems to take the hassle out of doing it too.

I really struggle writing when I'm not in the mood, so I have a habit of writing at random intervals.  Hopefully for Wedding and Gems at least I can put a stop to that, here - well here you get my random thought processes, so you only get them when I'm in a inspired mood.

So why am I feeling so inspired?

Well it's a bit of a longer story so I'll skip over some of the details.

A few weeks ago I found an amazing website where I get to watch a lot of workshops for free. So far I've learnt so much that has really helped me in changing my perspective on the world and help me figure out exactly what I want to do with my life.

I was watching a course with Sue Bryce - she's a photographer with an amazing outlook on life.  Really down to earth doesn't sugar coat a thing.

She shared an old book that she had read - The Science of getting rich.  It's out of copyright so you can download the pdf for free.  I'm constantly on the move, so I decided to listen to someone else read it for me on youtube.

It's written in the 1910, so the language and examples given are dated but the principles behind them are the same.

The one thing that both Sue Bryce and the book that really resonates with me is to be thankful.

Yes I say thanks to people holding the door open, or letting me past them with the pushchair, but I mean to really stop and find something in your day to be really thankful for.

Sounds so wishy washy doesn't it - apparently my life will be so much better if I start being more thankful.

So I decided to give it a little test.  Because I am lazy, I needed to find the easiest way to make me stop and find something to be thankful for.

Sometimes I need a little nudge so I decided to use a website called Idonethis and set up a daily email to ask me to list the things that I've been thankful for that day.

When it arrives, I hit reply, enter everything that I can think of being thankful for, then I think of anything bad that has happened and put a positive spin on that.  Then just hit send.

I've only be doing it for a few days but here are the things that I have noticed.

I am much more likely to realise that I'm thankful for things that I take for granted.
I am less likely to be in a bad mood, I'm not allowing myself to dwell in the negatives but force myself to find the positive within it.
I feel better generally, more perky, more creative and productive.


Not bad eh,

I'm going to carry this on for at least a month and how else having a grateful attitude affects my life.

Why don't you join me in the challenge? Let me know your results below.

New Gemstone Jewellery

Just a couple of things to share with you today.  I've been working on a new line of gemstone jewellery but I haven't had chance to photograph much so there are currently only 2 pairs of earrings available in my etsy shop.

I've been obsessing over the photo's as I want them as perfect as they can be and thankfully photographing coloured gemstones such as the blue chalcedony and yellow topaz below is much easier that clear Swarovski crystal.

I've taken quite a few photos so here are just a few of them.  I picked up the wood and pebbles on our recent family holiday to north Wales and I love the contrast of the rustic natural feel to the super polished gemstones.

I'm still experimenting with photo backgrounds so if you've got any suggestions I'd love to hear them so leave me a comment below.

Here are the natural beauties I created recently.