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stepping out into the big world of publishing

Book publisher 2

finding a book publisher

I sat down this afternoon and had this cup of tea, with thoughts whirring around my head faster than the bubbles frothed in this milk. My heart was racing with a sense of purpose and potential.

Over the last few weeks I have had such a sense of clarity about the next years of my life. The kind of weeks that only come with a whisper. Maybe they have come because I journeyed the well-worn path on my knees of forgiveness and letting go.

A whisper that has been saying;

Go on have a go.

You never know this could be Divine.

Life is way too short for maybe.

One of my big decisions over the last little while has been to launch these Creative Retreats. A one day retreat facilitated by me with one person, near the ocean, creating space to dream. I have been so overwhelmed at the response with only two places left.

Another moment of clarity has been around my latest manuscript that I have been working so hard on this year. I have decided to step out into the crazy world of publishing and pursue an agent and publisher for this book The Summer of Love; single, over 25 and exhausted. The letters that my readers here wrote, all 30 of them are so inspiring. My intern read them and started to cry, my author friend read them and was like YOU NEED TO PUBLISH THIS.

So, I have taken a deep, long breath and have committed.

I am scared out of my heart. It is pumping and writhing, full of fear and trepidation.

I have been on a journey where I have self published and put my ideas out there, for you, the people who choose to come and read this blog. (which by the way this week has gone over 2 million hits for the year! WHAT! with 65,000 unique visitors this year alone.)

My first book sold out this year in hard copy and I smiled this week when a reader from France emailed asking for a book for a friend in London, as Amazon was selling a copy for $199 due to it being sold out.

Crazy Days.

I am tentatively going into places I have never gone before and who knows I may fail, but I am stepping out anyway.

If you are a praying type, pray with me. There is a song that has been popular lately that says this…

‘Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters, wherever you may lead.’

When we sing songs like this, do we think that God doesn’t hear our cry and take us into unknown territories?

An anthem that is exciting as we sing it, but are we ready to actually do it?

This could be a whole new day for Capture as I send off my book proposals and manuscript this week.

Tentatively,

With a deep breath,

I am just having a go.

These photos that I took today of Libby who fell asleep on the floor this afternoon as I drunk a cup of tea, remind me that I am influencing little people daily.

An inspired Mum, is a happy one.

And that I am.

What do you need to step out and do?

What have you been waiting for?

These are the best of days, the ones where we fearfully step out of the boat and start to see our dreams become a reality.

Till tomorrow

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Ps- If you are looking for ideas for homemade Christmas gifts this year, my e-book Capture 30 merry days is available to download today, with lots of fun and interesting gift ideas.

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inspire 15

inspire 15 v

inspire 15

Life just got real.

It’s Monday morning and over the weekend I told the world my two goals for 2015.

Shut the front door.

I had a vulnerability hangover so I put my yoga pants on and went down to the beach.

My little miss nearly 4 months old, decided sleeping wasn’t on the agenda last night and I asked my body builder for some help this morning.

I asked him to personal train me.

Yes I did.

It just got real.

Monday morning real.

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Let’s be honest. I had the most amazing time, boxing on the beach, until I felt a little overwhelmed, a little vulnerable, a little ashamed and then I self sabotaged.

I picked a silly little fight and I walked away.

Sitting here, thinking, saying sorry and realising, this is why this goal has never stuck.

In some areas of my life I am like a dog with a bone. If I want to do something I will drive that baby all the way home. But in this area of wellness, exercise, eating, I self sabotage.

I say it is too hard.

If my exercise companion doesn’t show up, I am secretly stoked.

If we go out and the menu options are limited, I have a wry smile.

No more.

Little great choices, everyday.

2015 is just around the corner, but I needed a little head start in this area so I have begun already. I don’t need January 1 to tell me what I want change in my life. At the beginning of the year, I filled in these Change Pages, something I have done for the last ten years and there is a reoccurring theme. Enter my goals for this coming New Year.

Out of this reflection, I have decided to run some one on one day creative retreats, to help people fill in these pages and find their goals for the coming year.

My two goals for next year are this;

1) Loose the 30 kgs I have put on since having my two babes, over the last 3 years.

2) Get ‘The Summer of Love; single, over 25 and exhausted’ published.

What is it that you want to do next year?

Follow my hashtag #inspire15 and let’s do something worthy together.

Also subscribe on the front page here: Capture Life to have my blogs delivered straight to your inbox.

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Failure and beginning again

failure

failure 2

At the beginning of 2014 I set myself a goal. My goal was to draw in this journal every day of this year.

Many things happened this year.

My Mr made a rule that our family was not to travel anywhere outside of Western Australia. Which for the wanderlust obsessed is a big but necessary call.

We gave birth to most delightful baby girl.

I started writing a book about being over 25 and single.

Two blogs combined and helped a lady living on the streets in Greece find a home.

I considered giving up on social media.

and so much more that was never documented anywhere.

I keep looking at my journal and each time I am a little sad at the thought of my failure.

At the same time though, I am bursting with inspiration about new little happenings that are stirring in my heart and mind.

If we don’t fail, we don’t have the capacity to begin again and it is doing so that we keep becoming that which I believe we were created to be.

Failure may be embarrassing, but I would prefer to live a life of having a go, than one that sits on the sidelines commentating.

Here I find myself at the edge of a new year season and I am so excited about the challenges and commitments I want to make again for 2015.

I am offering one day guided creative retreats for people in Perth.

A one on one experience, where you have the opportunity to take time out at the beginning of the year to reflect and decide to make changes in specific areas of your life.

If you want change, you need help and accountability.

That is what these retreats are all about. Click the photo below for more information;

Creative Retreat

My failures, might help others succeed.

Every day.

Every season.

Ever learning.

Bring on 2015, I say.

PS- don’t forget to subscribe to my blog on the front page to receive your free code for Capture 30 merry days.

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Homemade Christmas Ideas

creativity at christmas

christmas creative

I sat on the floor of my friends kitchen this morning feeding my soon to be 4 month old, chatting, thinking, smiling and enjoying the company of wildly creative women.

There is something that is released when women create.

Inspiration.

Innovation.

A sense of self.

A uniqueness that reflects women of old.

A beauty that pervades, even as I sat and noticed one of my legs was half shaved and was impressed I had remembered to put on deodorant as I rushed my gaggle out the door.

This Christmas my body builder and I have decided to keep things simple, even though my christmas obsessed heart wants to race to the shops and buy every possible fire engine, truck and helicopter available.

This is what we have decided for each of our brood to buy.

Something made by Mum

Something to wear

Something to read

Something you want

Something you need.

Five simple presents each with a little tag to match. Which I have made as a PDF for you to download and print out if you like the idea. Click the link below for the printable version.

something

something

Last year I made a simple Ebook called ’30 merry days’ with 30 different Homemade Christmas ideas, from presents, to recipes, to ideas, to simple links to websites.

For the next few days, anyone who signs up for my blog via subscription will get an email from me with a code to download the book for free.

Go to the front page by clicking the capture header up above.

Go to the right of the front page and type your email address in.

You will get an email to confirm the subscription. (make sure it’s not in junk mail.)

Then I will personally send you a code for the book for free.

Have a fabulous week my creative friends.

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open windows

open windows 2

open windows

One of the first things I do every single time I come home is open every window I can find.

Every new hotel room I inhabit, I fling open the windows as soon as possible.

It is the very first thing I do.

Place down my bag and walk straight to the window.

How about you?

We live in a tiny apartment and over the last couple of weeks we have had six adults and two children in our beautiful shack.

It was stretching but we did okay.

It doesn’t matter how big the space is, as long as the window is ajar I can cope.

It is like the window is an opening to a place of inspiration and vision.

The window is an opportunity for my wandering heart to escape.

One of my favourite scriptures this year has been this..

‘He brought me out to a wide-open place. He rescued me because he was pleased with me.’

2 Samuel 22:20

When our hearts are free and our lives are secure, the human desire is always to find ourselves in a wide open space.

We were designed to feel small under the depth and width of an expanse of beauty.

The problem is, we sometimes go through seasons that are dark, times that we want to curl up in a ball, go foetal, close all the doors, windows and turn off the lights.

Seasons of transition.

Seasons of disappointment.

Seasons of brokenness.

It is so exciting to feel like I am at last entering this wide open space at last.

The last few days have been awash with thoughts about the coming years and I am inspired.

I feel like I am standing on the edge of a precipice, ready to dive into new and amazing waters.

I feel clearer about my future than ever before.

Standing in a wide-open place.

How about you?

Do you need to open a window a little?

Allow the light in, let a curtain blow in the wind and get ready for a brand new day to appear?

Stay open, dear thirsty heart.

A new day awaits.

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Ps- Hello to all my new subscribers. I am giving away a gift of the Elf on a Shelf book for anyone who registers for my blog to come to their email, or likes my facebook page or becomes a follower on instagram.