Creativity – Page 63 – Amanda Viviers

Posted on November 12, 2013November 13, 2013 by Amanda Viviers — Leave a comment

capture: 30 merry days e-book

Downloadable E-book available here for purchase: Capture: 30 merry days

Ever since I started to walk, I have been a Christmas junkie. Each year, begging my nearest and dearest to put up the tree just a little earlier, so ‘that most wonderful time of the year’ can linger longer. I am addicted to collecting Christmas traditions. Like ornaments from every part of the world and also adding constantly to my Christmas Golden Book collection. Also finding Christmas records from op shops, so throughout December I can dig out my record player and reminisce.

When I was ten years old I hid behind the curtain in our living room on Christmas Eve, longing to discover Father Christmas. I found something that I wasn’t expecting; my Mum and Dad laughing and presenting, I snuck back to my room deciding I really didn’t want to know truth anyway!

Each year as I grow older, I try to pretend that Father Christmas still hides. The reality is though, my list and stresses grow just a little longer and the gloss of Christmas fades. I love this season but have a growing hatred of its consumerism. That is where the idea for this little e-book began. ‘Capture: 30 merry days’. It is a creative guide to Christmas kindness, encouraging home made- ness instead of crazy consumption.

Want to join the journey? All you need is some courage and a huge amount of crazy joy. If your projects fail, don’t worry it’s all a part of the fun. You can see my projects aren’t perfect but my family and friends adored them last year. I think a little bit of effort goes a huge way.

It is available on the 14th of December for 24 hours at a special price of $4.95 and then it goes to $9.95 from now till Christmas.

Here is a teaser of the book:

capture 30 days teaser

The best way to enjoy this publication is on an Ipad or tablet. What you need to do, is add this item to your shopping cart when it is available. Then you will receive an email and a receipt from me. On that email is a link that enables you to download this e-book. Once downloaded here is the best way to enjoy it.

1) Open the publication on your iPad in Ibooks. Or on your android in your ebook reader.

2) Watch out for all the underlined yellow sections. Every section that is underlined is a hyperlink to another website or recipe.

3) The menu page has an easy bookmark function, every recipe/ instruction can go straight from the menu page through to that page. Click on the day number and it will flick you straight through to the page/ recipe you are looking for.

Lastly, do this Christmas junkie one favour.

Post a photo on Facebook or Instagram of what you have made from the book and tag me or email me a photo.

This would make me so happy.

Enjoy and Merry 30 days of creating

All my Christmas love

Amanda

Posted on November 12, 2013November 12, 2013 by Amanda Viviers — Leave a comment

coconut weakness

This recipe has 3 ingredients and a pinch of salt!

3 simple little items, that you probably have in your cupboard.

When they are put together, with a simple recipe, you can make this brilliant christmas gift.

I have called this truffle, ‘coconut weakness’

These little balls of goodness packaged together in a little box, with a ribbon, such a great Christmas present.

The recipe for these are found on day 17 of my new e-book due for release in two days.

Capture: 30 merry days ‘a creative guide to christmas kindness’.

On thursday 14 of November as it clicks past midnight and into the new day here in Perth, for 24 hours all my e-books will be on sale for $4.95 and my original printed capture book will be on sale for $9.95 also plus postage. If you are in Perth I can do local pick up.

Posted on November 11, 2013November 11, 2013 by Amanda Viviers — Leave a comment

coconut and peppermint body scrub

I have two flavours that I love immensly.

Coconut and Peppermint.

When they combine to make a scrub for the shower, I am in relaxation heaven.

Who has time to go to the beauty spa to have a body scrub?

Not me.

Your girlfriends and family members will love this homemade gift this year.

Here is a pretty printable tag that you can attach to the present to make it look fine!

coconut and peppermint body scrub

The instructions are in my e-book due for release in two days…

Capture; 30 merry days ‘a creative guide to christmas kindness’

42 days till christmas.

Posted on November 11, 2013November 11, 2013 by Amanda Viviers — 10 Comments

Breathe

I have just come back from the most amazing time overseas. Travel with a toddler is never relaxing, but my curious adventurer alter ego has been quenched for now.

Bangkok was a curious mix of indulgence; with beautiful massages, heartfelt connection; hanging out with people we have missed dearly and lots of challenge seeing the poverty and difficulty faced by those in the third world.

I was full of perspective and inspiration. I turned off my phone, I celebrated my loved ones, our dearest friends gathered around dinner tables and I was ready to come home.

The day before I left Bangkok, I found a tirade of messages from one of my closest friends that I needed to contact her urgently.

What unfolded shocked me deeply, as she told me that one of our closest friends had discovered a brain tumour.

Honestly the world stopped that morning in Bangkok. I felt completely torn that one of my closest friends was going through the hardest time of her life and here I was flitting around Asia, loving life.

Breathe.

Perspective.

Faith.

I would be lying if I told you I had it all together. I arrived back to Perth and I honestly felt like I couldn’t breathe for a few days. I felt so overwhelmed for my dearest friend and I didn’t know how to express it in any way.

It was crap news.

Terrible.

Some would say I should have risen up in faith, but honestly I had no words to fill my discomfort.

There is a story in the Bible of a man named Job. His world had fallen apart, everything was crumbling. Death, decay, mistrust, brokenness. His life was torn apart.

One of the most alarming parts of the story of Job though, is the way some his friends reacted to the devastation of his life.

In a short sentence, they had way too much to say!

I don’t know if it is our own discomfort, or our love of cliche, but sometimes it is just okay to have nothing to say.

Sometimes it is okay, if you did nothing but breathe that day.

Somedays just suck and I think we try to escape the pain of that place of ashes and lament but it is unhealthy to do so.

Somedays we just need to breathe.

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words” (Romans 8:26).

Before I left for Thailand, I bought this pillow above and I did not realise how important it would be in the season I was about to enter.

‘Breathe. Let go and remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.’ Oprah Winfrey

Life throws us crazy curve balls.

Somedays the best thing to do is lament with those who are broken.

Sometimes no words will ever fix the desperation of the situation.

Then a day comes where battle ensues, a day comes where words of mercy and comfort reign and a day comes where having a glass of wine and laughing is the best therapy ever.

But when lament and silence is required

Embrace it.

Amanda