Category: Creativity

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online book

capture 2

I have decided to bring the free download of Capture 2 to an end soon and to launch the last couple of weeks with a online publication as well.

To download it for free for the last two weeks click here: capture 30 days of inspiration

I discovered something really fancy today whilst slouching around the internet. You can publish your books online and people can read them like a real book!

So if you don’t want to download it, but want to read it online you can do so by clicking here:

Capture 30 days of inspiration 2; desperate for change

I’d love your feedback in regards to this book. I have started getting quotes to print it as a soft cover publication and my hope is to use it as a manual with young adults especially, helping them explore their purpose and passions.

‘There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story, you can never quite tell where they will take you…
Mine took me here…’

Miss Potter

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yestember

One of my friends is having a hard time of late. Especially in the area of being single. I set them this challenge and it is called yestember.

They have to complete all 30 by the end of September. It’s not actually about finding a man, it’s about mixing up their everyday and pushing comfort zones and generally just doing things that they don’t normally do.

Sometimes all it takes is a change of perspective.

I found this quote and I loved it…

“make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservation, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. If you want to get more out of life, you must lose your inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life that will at first appear to you to be crazy. But once you become accustomed to such a life you will see its full meaning and its incredible beauty.” Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild

So if you are feeling a little glum. It’s spring and join in Yestember with us.

Download the list here: yestember

* say yes to this project.

* Buy a coffee for a stranger.

* Go to the wine bar and talk to anyone whose there, The goal is to get someone to buy you a drink.

* Arrange a BBQ/ party at your house and invite people…

* Arrange a dinner in the city with a group of people.

* Plan a holiday at home (provide evidence i.e itinerary).

* Invite someone out for coffee (guy or girl).

* Talk to 5 guys at church…

* Go on a young adult camp/ retreat/ or organize a weekend away before the end of the year with young adults.

* Go to 3 different churches (and go to church every Sunday of september).

* Write a letter to myself and post it back to myself and open 1 October.

* Start a conversation with a guy in a shopping centre.

* Book a counseling session and talk about disappointments.

* Organize a chicks night at movies with pedicure, wine and chocolate.

* Dance naked around the house with music blasting.

* Start a journal to give to your husband on your wedding day.

* Go and burn any letter from x boyfriends and delete all text messages.

* Book two tickets to an event or movie and put on facebook a week before that you’ve got a spare ticket and see who wants to join you (Guy or Girl).

* At the Gym, ask someone a question about health such as “Protein shakes”, “How to use gym equipment”.

* Try a different sport i.e. Bikram Yoga or Crossfit.

* Cook a recipe that you’ve wanted to try.

* Go to a sports bar to watch a footy finals or the grand final with someone.

* Do a Random Act of Kindness.

* Join a volunteer group or event ie. Man the phones for telethon, Do the soup run, Visit an old peoples home etc.

* Read a new book.

* Be Confident and Open to what the month brings. Say yes to offers and chat to everyone even if they’re not your type.

* Go into a bottle shop and ask the attendant to suggest a wine that will go with your meal.

* Go dancing after your dinner in the city.

* Try a relaxation or meditation CD before you go to bed.

* Write your own positive message for the month and repeat it every day. Put it on your mirror & say it ie. “I will reach out of my comfort zone this month. I am strong. I am confident and I am willing to meet new people and let God lead me where I need to go”.

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A cup of tea with Em






I have only met Em from Tea Cups Too three times, maybe four in fact and each time I have encountered her, there is something about her heart and presence that makes me smile.

We have some mutual friends and we live a stone’s throw away from each other, but I stumbled across her blog whilst looking for pictures from an event we both went to on the weekend and I stayed at her place online for a while.

So, today I have put my little man to bed, my big man is scraping the peeling paint off our wooden window sills that have been corroded by the sea air and I wanted to have tea with Em online.

The isolation of motherhood has the capacity to take us to beautiful places and dark ones also. As I read your recent post on motherhood, it reminded me of a quote I have been repeating to myself lately.

‘Embrace the chaos’

For those who don’t know me, I am a stay at home mum with one son Maximus, one husband (who works in Juvi with young offenders and is a body builder, I know not sure what happened there…) and I write often here and also here.

Aside from my writing, I do heaps of other stuff, which you can find more about here. To say life is chaotic is an understatement. Max just turned eighteen months; 6 days ago, and the last year and a half of my life has tippled into toddler oblivion,my priorities and preconceived judgements on mothering have been dramatically turned upside down.

This is the quote recently that made me smile and I have decided to make it my summer mantra.

chaos

Chaos (especially in my house and my diary) often makes me feel overwhelmed, but there are moments when I stop my mind from trying to control the moment and I embrace the cry of my heart to live a life that contributes significantly and my little heart secretly starts to roar.

It’s like I have a little dinosaur inside me, that when I think thoughts of beauty and creativity, when I produce moments of inspiration and life, whose eyes grow large and a mighty roar begins to emerge. A roar that no-one can hear but I can feel it rise in my heart.

Finding a sense of purpose and contribution in my days, helps me to embrace the chaos and to allow the dishes to harden, the washing to stiffen, knowing that my time is being given to that which makes an eternal impact.

Your post Em, reminded that the times I spend with my son, screwing the lids on and off, the times that I walk slowly so that he can rip lovely flowers apart, are just as valid and important as the times that I am recording moments for radio, writing books and helping women in far off places.

Embracing the chaos and not trying to contain its place, allows us to live in those moments that full vibrant colour filled memories are made and allows us to build a life of beauty rather than contained order.

Does it mean I think allowing our lives to be messy and out of control everyday is helpful?

No, in fact spring cleaning, keeping my housework at bay and structure allow my creativity to thrive.

However, its just changing the priority scales of its importance and allowing the opinions of others to fade and the ideas that brew late in the evening hour, to become reality.

Embrace the ROAR Em.

Each time I have met you, I have sensed a great potential for beauty, awaken-edness and life.

You are delightful and your life produces beautiful things.

Let’s have a real cuppa soon, or watch the sun on the ocean go down with a glass of wine and forget that toilet training creates a lot of mess, on top of the dust piling on my lovely wooden floors.

Smile often,

Mumma V.

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A cup of tea with Em






I have only met Em from Tea Cups Too three times, maybe four in fact and each time I have encountered her, there is something about her heart and presence that makes me smile.

We have some mutual friends and we live a stone’s throw away from each other, but I stumbled across her blog whilst looking for pictures from an event we both went to on the weekend and I stayed at her place online for a while.

So, today I have put my little man to bed, my big man is scraping the peeling paint off our wooden window sills that have been corroded by the sea air and I wanted to have tea with Em online.

The isolation of motherhood has the capacity to take us to beautiful places and dark ones also. As I read your recent post on motherhood, it reminded me of a quote I have been repeating to myself lately.

‘Embrace the chaos’

For those who don’t know me, I am a stay at home mum with one son Maximus, one husband (who works in Juvi with young offenders and is a body builder, I know not sure what happened there…) and I write often here and also here.

Aside from my writing, I do heaps of other stuff, which you can find more about here. To say life is chaotic is an understatement. Max just turned eighteen months; 6 days ago, and the last year and a half of my life has tippled into toddler oblivion,my priorities and preconceived judgements on mothering have been dramatically turned upside down.

This is the quote recently that made me smile and I have decided to make it my summer mantra.

chaos

Chaos (especially in my house and my diary) often makes me feel overwhelmed, but there are moments when I stop my mind from trying to control the moment and I embrace the cry of my heart to live a life that contributes significantly and my little heart secretly starts to roar.

It’s like I have a little dinosaur inside me, that when I think thoughts of beauty and creativity, when I produce moments of inspiration and life, whose eyes grow large and a mighty roar begins to emerge. A roar that no-one can hear but I can feel it rise in my heart.

Finding a sense of purpose and contribution in my days, helps me to embrace the chaos and to allow the dishes to harden, the washing to stiffen, knowing that my time is being given to that which makes an eternal impact.

Your post Em, reminded that the times I spend with my son, screwing the lids on and off, the times that I walk slowly so that he can rip lovely flowers apart, are just as valid and important as the times that I am recording moments for radio, writing books and helping women in far off places.

Embracing the chaos and not trying to contain its place, allows us to live in those moments that full vibrant colour filled memories are made and allows us to build a life of beauty rather than contained order.

Does it mean I think allowing our lives to be messy and out of control everyday is helpful?

No, in fact spring cleaning, keeping my housework at bay and structure allow my creativity to thrive.

However, its just changing the priority scales of its importance and allowing the opinions of others to fade and the ideas that brew late in the evening hour, to become reality.

Embrace the ROAR Em.

Each time I have met you, I have sensed a great potential for beauty, awaken-edness and life.

You are delightful and your life produces beautiful things.

Let’s have a real cuppa soon, or watch the sun on the ocean go down with a glass of wine and forget that toilet training creates a lot of mess, on top of the dust piling on my lovely wooden floors.

Smile often,

Mumma V.

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A Perth Creative, making it big in NYC

PERTH-born actress Danielle Brewer has successfully transitioned from Australian ‘Telly’ to the American TV and Film industry with her appearance last month on the The Good Wife and upcoming lead role in the film Silene.

Australia has long been the breeding ground for successful actors taking flight internationally to the big screen and Broadway, including Isla Fisher and Naomi Watts. You might recognize Danielle as Nestle’s national Light & Creamy girl in the Australian Women’s Weekly or the chilly ice cream aisle at your local supermarket. But that was just a scoop of fun on the side for Danielle while she was working on set with lead roles in various Australian independent films, including First Sleep and Newton’s 3rd Law, both shot in Sydney.

The American Golden Globe winning TV series The Good Wife is shot in New York City. Danielle remarked at her time on set with the show. “It was a seemingly normal day preparing for background work in the studio when I got chosen to play Sabrina. Little did I know it was an extraordinary day where preparedness and opportunity where going to meet.”

With a background in music and ballet from the age of 5 her desire to tell the truth of every story has fuelled her passion in the arts. Danielle learned, “Sometimes the heart is a beautifully messy and awkward place … finding that delicate balance between sharing yourself and creating something new is a real honour.”

In addition to her love of the arts she completed a Bachelor of Business at Edith Cowan University in 2004. At the same time, she professionally embraced her natural ease in front of the camera by working with Riverview Community News as a lead presenter and her guest role on channel 9’s Getaway.

Danielle pursued her training at the Perth Actors Collective before moving to Sydney where she continued study at NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art). She commented on her journey, “I love that I get to play an emotionally disturbed housewife one day and a perky cheer leader the next. Not knowing what’s around the corner is exhilarating because I never really can tell what is going to happen.” Realising the potential of international networking, Danielle embraced the opportunity to hone her skills at the New York Film Academy with the one-year acting conservatory in The Big Apple.

Danielle has found herself navigating the acting world with corporate sensibilities as much as a creative fervour. She referred to the importance of understanding the industry, “The blend of my business and creative experiences has supported me in a way I would have never expected, one would have never matured without the other”.

The excellence of her work has flowed onto the stage. My Perfect Life, starring Danielle as Carolee, advanced into the final top eight at the Long Island City One Act Play festival in April. Most recently, she performed in the production Satire Off-Broadway at The Producers Club in Times Square this month.

Currently based in New York City, Danielle has just been cast in the feature film, Silene, directed by John Desiderio, which will tell the story of a woman who is working through the loss of her unborn child. The multifaceted drama is set in Queens just outside the bustling city of Manhattan. Desiderio who handpicked the cast commented saying, “Danielle is an enormously talented actress who was my first choice for this character.”

No doubt Danielle will continue to find favour in the American Film and TV industry. You’ll want to remember the name, she’s one to watch.

www.daniellebrewer.com