What I Read

Photography Challenge: And I Need Your Help

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I am someone who tends to leap at ideas and am quite convinced if I didn’t have some very sensible people in my life I just might hop around this planet moving from one thing to the next leaving a bit of chaos and glitter in my wake.

Not saying that would be a bad way to live mind you.

It is in fact my retirement plan.

Today’s post is an example of my random ideas.

I wasn’t sure what to write about and the idea of a photography challenge popped into my head.

So here we are.

My personal plan is a loose one. I want to wander, intentionally but still wander around and take a photo of something that caught my eye. It could just be neat, pretty, cause me to pause and take notice-it doesn’t really matter I just plan on taking a photo. I am also planning on using my film camera along with my phone or digital camera. The digital is so I can share with you the photos and the film because I love film and I have a partial roll that needs using up.

Now most challenges include things like prompts but I always find them very limiting so I never follow them. I can appreciate that you, however, may want some prompts so that is where the help part comes in.

I would love for you to share in the comments to this post some prompts. It sounds like a fun way for us all to take part (whether you want to snap photos or not) and to come up with some unique ideas beyond what I could come up with on my own.

Of course, I am taking photos but if you are doing other things-painting, writing, sculpting etc and want to take part please let me know what you are making and feel free to share on your own Stack and tag me so I can see. We are creatives after all so I feel like rules play no part here.

What I’ve Been Up to this Week…

As I mentioned in another post I am letting my studio space go. I have been renting a space not far from home for the past 4 years and this July I am letting the lease end. It served it’s purpose at a time when I needed to have a creative space to go to at the end of each day to create but now I find it’s not what I need. Instead, I am hoping to build a small creative space on our property but for now I will need to be condensing two creative spaces into one.

So this week I am assessing my current creative corner. It’s turned into a wall in our bedroom and to be honest it’s jammed packed. So this week I am slowly starting to go through, get rid and store a lot of what’s here. My plan is to take two cabinets and use them to hold everything.

It’s completely and utterly overwhelming but I will get there in the end and I’ll share some photos as well.

In the interest of doing that I am trying to use up the several bags of junk journal supplies I have collected and started making a few small journals out of some junk mail. I was inspired by Janet Nash’s channel (Linked below) and a recent video she shared. I am going to work on making some more video content this week as well so here’s hoping.

I have also decided to offer for free my entire weekly posts. I have some ideas for paid tiers to come in the future but for now I think I am going to just stick with sharing here, building my community and seeing how things go in the end. I am really liking the idea of regular creative sessions and so I am going to have a play with what that would look like. How about you would you like to have some creative sessions throughout the week that you could join in and create alongside me?

So that is it for this week’s post. I hope you are all doing well and I look forward to sharing my pictures with you next week.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

 

What’s Inspiring Me

Janet Nash’s Channel. I have loved Janet’s channel for a while and if you are looking for something that is peaceful and calm to watch while also being inspiring I highly recommend. She was making junk journals out of old magazines and that was what inspired my project this week.

What I’m Making

I did it! I finished my bandana bag! Last week I shared how my beloved sewing machines was fighting me and I was getting a bit grumpy to be honest. I was following a tutorial from She Sews Seems (you can find the video here). To be clear her tutorial is awesome I was just having one of those “everything I touch breaks” kinda days. So I set it aside but really wanted to finish it this week and I did! I forgot to do the embroidery but I am honestly happy about that. I do love the technique she shares and I am planning on trying it soon.

I am still planning on using it as a comfort bag filled with everything I love to leave the house with but can’t fit into my purse. I am still working on what to put inside and I’ll keep you posted! For now here are some pictures:

What I’m Reading

I am still reading:

“A Fire at the Exhibition: A Lady Hardcastle Mystery, Book 10” by T.E. Kinsey (Affiliate Link)

Book of Innocence: A Channeled Text
(Book Two of the Manifestation Trilogy) by Paul Selig (Affiliate Link)

In this next installment of the Manifestation trilogy, renowned channel Paul Selig shares the words of The Guides as they offer a glimpse of a world that transcends our own limited understanding.

The Guides, otherworldly beings with deep spiritual insight, speak directly through Paul, and their message has been transcribed word for word in this revolutionary new volume.

The Book of Innocence invites readers to explore a new vision of themselves and the lives they lead—one that is pristine, fundamental, and innate. Instead of being blinded by spiritual and physical distractions, The Guides offer a return to the primal simplicity of a deeper knowing. This powerful book welcomes readers into a paradigm shifting experience of renewal and rebirth, shedding cynicism and conceit in favor of authentic, life-changing innocence.

I Finished Reading:

“Can’t Spell Treason without Tea” by Rebecca Thorne (Affiliate Link)

 

Just for Me: A Reminder to Just Enjoy

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There is a core belief I have held that needs to be released.

The belief that my creativity needs to be earned.
Needs to be valued, ie, paid for, in order for it to be valid.

I am not sure where this belief came from really. From a young age I wanted to be a writer. Somewhere along the line I believed I needed to have a “real” job until I got my big writer’s break and was given a writing contract thus solidifying my happily-ever-after.

I started out as a nursing major in college and quickly realized that was not where I belonged. I tried journalism and life (thankfully) knocked me off that road as well. And over the years I have grown up, bought houses, married, had children am raising and homeschooling said children all the while in the back of my mind trying to figure out how to validate my creativity.

That is, to be paid for it and making myself a “real” writer and a “real” artist.

I was talking with my (turning 12 this week) year-old son the other day. He was showing me the comic books he’s been working on. The characters he’s created, the back stories, telling me the story arcs he has planned. At one point I mentioned selling them someday and he just shrugged and said, “eh, I kind of just want these to be for me you know?”

Just for him. I smiled and told him how great that was.

And that little phrase has been running around my head now for the past week.

“Just for me.”

What would it look like if I made art just for me?

If I didn’t stop and think about how this sketch would get me better at drawing faces so I could sell those stickers I had in mind.

If I didn’t silently chastise myself each and every day for not making strides toward my creative career.

I had an astrology reading done recently by KV. You can check out her Substack here (if you want your birth chart done I highly recommend her-she’s amazing!). In this reading she writes about how before I can share my spiritual gifts I need to walk the walk first, need to really go through the process myself so that I understand what it is I am going to be sharing.

Our creativity is just like that. First and foremost creativity is for the creator. It’s the way we understand what we experience in the world. It’s how we make sense of the random thoughts and ideas that stream into our conscious and dreaming minds. (Dragons anyone? No? Just me?).

We create worlds so that we can play in them. See what’s missing and add it. We get to know our way around our sketchbooks and our creative practice and that learning, that refining, that play is what brings us into alignment with our creative selves.

Whether or not we do anything more with it is a question for another day.

So, if like me you are chastising yourself for what your current creative practice looks like. If maybe you are thinking you should be doing more with it. Making it something else, I hope this is a quiet little reminder to do something just for you this week. I know I am.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

*If you are a fan of cozy mysteries and would like to be kept up to date with Book #1 in the Cassie and Polly Mystery Series you can click here. I promise no spamming or anything like that. It’s free and of course you can unsubscribe at any time. I am just getting that substack going but your support means the world!

You can continue reading the paid content over on my Substack here.

Creativity Looks Like Tulips: And an old wooden bench

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Not quite 10 years ago we had a very large pine tree removed from our backyard. I do hate taking down trees, however necessary, and I had asked the owner of the tree removal company if he could make us some logs we could use as seats around our fire pit. I liked the idea of giving the tree purpose and keeping it with us in a sense.

He took things a step further and had a friend who owned a lumber mill make us several, very large planks of wood. He was very excited about how we could use these to make a picnic table or something similar. It was a very kind idea and something I imagine wouldn’t have been inexpensive had we decided to do it on our own.

There was one problem however.

They were huge.

And heavy.

My husband is very handy however he doubted any of his tools would be able to cut the boards, assuming we could lift them anywhere to begin with.

So, we covered the boards up with a tarp and put them over near our compost piles until we thought about a project we could use them for.

And time rolled by.

This past weekend we had gorgeous weather. It was nice but not too hot and we spent it out in the garden. We swept the patio and set-up the pond, I weeded beds and picked a few spring bouquets and relished being outside again.

I am forever rearranging things. Moving this chair to that room, that picture to this table. I love sprucing things up just a bit here and there. A few years ago our poor front porch was in need of repair and I was very excited to re-do the decor once the hard work was done.

I purchased a very sweet little loveseat and two chairs. It looked adorable and I was very happy with it.

This past weekend however, I decided to move the little loveseat to our patio. Our patio in the backyard is one of my favorite places to sit and journal or enjoy a cup of tea or coffee. The loveseat looked adorable on the front porch but it wasn’t being used so, off to the patio we carted it.

Later that night I was trying to figure out to do with the empty space on my porch. I was browsing Pinterest and I found one photo that had a rustic wooden bench (picture #12 in the link below) and another photo that had a bench filled with plants (picture #20 in the link). You can see the inspiration photos here.

I really loved the idea of a rustic bench with plants and asked my husband if he thought he could make me something like that. It was a lazy rainy Sunday but in the afternoon the skies cleared and we were able to make our way back outside-and back to the stack of pine boards.

The years had significantly changed the wood. It was light and surprisingly in fantastic shape! I explained my idea and we quite literally knocked this wooden bench together in around 20 minutes. Well, he knocked I held the planks and offered ideas.

And just like that, I have a new bench on the porch that looks amazing and brings a smile to my face whenever I come home. I have used it to take some photos of my bouquets and with a few coats of some sealer I am pretty confident it will be a lovely display on our porch for years to come.

Sometimes I forget that my creativity is first and foremost for me. Whether it’s decorating, arranging bouquets, writing or making art it starts with filling a need for expression. A need to create what doesn’t yet exist. It doesn’t have to be about content or productivity, not at first, not ever.

It can simply be about experiencing the joy of moving from idea, to concept to existence. And adding a few tulips on top for good measure.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

*If you are a fan of cozy mysteries and would like to be kept up to date with Book #1 in the Cassie and Polly Mystery Series you can click here. I promise no spamming or anything like that. It’s free and of course you can unsubscribe at any time. I am just getting that substack going but your support means the world!

This week I am offering a sneak peak at what subscribers of my Substack receive as part of my Letters for Creatives. You can see the extra content I include each week below. In addition to the content below you receive a mailed zine sent to you each month that’s great for collection, collage and general whimsy. Thank you so much for being here and supporting my work!

What’s Inspiring Me

I have been truly enjoying Samuel Meads reels over on Instagram. He has such a lovely and positive approach to making art and watching him make some of his pieces has inspired me to get my materials out on my desk so I can pick them up more easily when I feel the inspiration. You can follow him on Instagram here.

What’s I’m Making

Bouquets! I have been cutting the beautiful tulips from my garden and making some really lovely bouquets. I am dabbling with selling my flowers this year and have had two orders already. I cannot wait until I can get out there and plant the summer flowers!

What’s I’m Reading

Here’s what I finished this week:

“The Book of Knowing and Worth” by Paul Selig (Affiliate Link)

This is a re-listen for me. As I mentioned my spiritual journey has been full on lately and this book has been sending me off to sleep at night. I really enjoy the peaceful narration and the channeled text is very enlightening.

Here’s what I am (still) reading:

“A Fire at the Exhibition: A Lady Hardcastle Mystery, Book 10” by T.E. Kinsey (Affiliate Link)

As you know I am a huge fan of the Lady Hardcastle Mysteries. I listen to them all on Audible and really love the performance. This one is no exception

“Can’t Spell Treason without Tea” by Rebecca Thorne (Affiliate Link)

This is a re-listen for me. As I mentioned my spiritual journey has been full on lately and this book has been sending me off to sleep at night. I really enjoy the peaceful narration and the channeled text is very enlightening.

“A World Made New: Book Three the Manifestation Trilogy” by Paul Selig (Affiliate Link) I have listened to a lot of Paul’s channeled texts over the years and I really enjoy the audio books because he reads them himself so it feels really authentic. I realized as I am writing this that I hadn’t actually read the first two books in the series which makes sense as I wasn’t following along with this one as I usually do. So I am going to be hopping off this one and heading over to book #1 but it’s still a great listen!

Doing It My Way: An Unguided Path to Creative Play

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I am working on my book. Did I mention that here? I am currently editing my first cozy mystery called “Houseplant Homicides” * that I should be releasing later this year.

The dream of making a living as a writer has been with me since I was about 10 years old. That’s quite a few decades and yet, it hasn’t happened for me yet. Of course it’s all to do with my own lack right? All the ways I haven’t been doing things correctly:

  • I wasn’t consistent enough
  • I wasn’t disciplined enough
  • I didn’t do an outline
  • I didn’t wake up early enough each day

    This is just the tip of all the things I have been saying to myself. Of course there is the constant comparison, the fact that I’m probably not a good writer anyway because I write just like a talk in full run-on sentences like my teacher in grade school used to always correct me about. Then of course there is just the realities of life and things happening and not wanting to.

So what’s new?

Well, there has been a lot of energy happening lately-maybe you’ve felt it? The spiritual part of me has been studying and learning and growing and, if I’m being completely honest totally freaking out. Anxiety? Check. Fear? Check. Moments of complete union and peace. Check.

I mean what is even happening?

So I’ve ridden the waves of uncertainty, panic, fear and self-doubt (screaming if I am being completely honest) and somewhere in the midst of all that I realized something.

At the root of it all, was me, trying to not be me.

I was in fear because I feared what would happen if I was truly me and “they” didn’t like it.

I was in doubt because being me couldn’t be enough could it?

I was panicking because I really wanted this thing but I have to do it in a way that isn’t me-don’t I?

So I started to let some of that go. Not perfect of course, I’m sure the waves will come back for me soon enough to deepen and expand what I think I’ve learned and expose the places where I haven’t learned enough.

But, I started.

I started to let go of anything that started with “should.”

“I should be writing now not working in the garden.”

“I should finish this thing before I start that thing.”

“I should write like this.”

Instead, I started to follow the things I found exciting. Like printed materials!

I am really excited about making books, printed, hold in your hands paper books. The ideas are coming forward and it feels so fun!

Work shouldn’t be fun right? It’s serious business.

Only, I’m not serious about business. I don’t even like the word business. I want to write, I want to share what I write. Maybe that’s success enough for me.

I mean, I am the one who gets to define what success looks like for me right? Like going from 12 to 19 subscribers since the start of the year-that’s success!

Writing a book-that’s a success!

Writing this substack post-success!

Having a publishing plan that looks nothing like something you would find in a “10 Steps to a Successful Book Launch” e-book-success!

It’s taken me longer than seems sensible to realize that I get to define this little life all for myself. Silly right?

Letting my creativity lead the way instead of studies or statistics feels like the best path for me. Allowing myself to create something in the way I want without getting caught up in the shoulds and have-to’s feels like the most authentic way to create and at the end of the day, it’s the act of creating that I love.

So here’s to doing it our way-whatever that is. Even if we are still figuring it out along the creative path. I’ll be sure to wave to you while I walk mine should ours intersect and the kettle will probably be on as well.

Much love!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

If you would like to read the subscriber supported additions you can subscribe to my Substack here.

Video: Book Club-What I Read in August

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This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links I may earn a small commission but you do not pay any more.

August is coming to a close and I am so excited to share all I have read with you.

I had a great reading month. Everything I am about to share is a book I would recommend (presuming you enjoy the genre) and in fact, they are all books I plan to find copies of for my bookshelf.

I want to start off by saying that even though all the books I read were fabulous I also DNF’d a lot of books. I think there were around 4 or 5 that I read a few pages and quickly put aside to the “return to the library” pile. I noticed I was feeling like I had to finish one book but then I laughed a little and reminded myself I read for enjoyment and I don’t have to force myself to read anything. It made such a difference and I ended up with some really wonderful reads and a few new series to continue on.

So here goes!

First up is “The Ogress and the Orphans” by Kelly Barnhill. (affiliate link) I absolutely loved this story. For me it feels like a classic book and one that I am sure I will be re-reading down the road. It’s a sweet and sad story of a lonely but kind Ogress who moves to a town that was once very lovely until a series of unfortunate events happen and suddenly the town is no longer lovely.

Next up is “Shady Hollow” by Juneau Black (affiliate link). This is Book #1 of the series and it’s a cozy mystery with a twist-all the characters are animals living in a little woodland town. These animals are very human in civility having a local newspaper, coffee shop and sheriff’s department. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone who loves a cozy mystery.

Once Upon a Broken Heart (affiliate link) is the first book in a new Fantasy series by Stephanie Garber. When Evangeline Fox makes a deal with a fate to win back her true love things go, well about how you would expect them to go when you make a deal with a fate. I just loved this story and all the characters and for me there were lots of unexpected twists and turns. I am really looking forward to reading book #2 and will be puchasing these for my bookshelf.

Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie (affiliate link) is of course fabulous. I had zero idea “who dunnit” and loved every twist and turn. I listened to this on audiobook while working in the studio and it was just such an interesting story. I am enjoying working my way through the Agatha Christie challenge.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman is next up on my list and again-I just loved it! I am looking forward to watching the movie adaptation of it-possibly this weekend to see how it compares. If I am being honest I am thinking about making a Coraline doll (felt or wooden I am not sure) along with recreating Coraline’s house in miniature. It feels like it would be such an awesome project!

And the last book I read in August was “Cold Clay” by Juneau Black (affiliate link) which is Book #2 in the Shady Hollow series. Another wonderful story and I think in some ways I liked it even better than the first which isn’t always the case. This series is going on my purchase wish list for sure!

Well I hope you enjoyed my August update! If you would like to see my BookTube video I have that down below. Have you read anything good in August? I would love to hear!


Until next time….

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante