Melbourne Saturday

Just this weekend gone, my partner and I went to Melbourne for the weekend, my main reason for planning the visit was to see a dear friend, Chelsea perform the lead female role in "The King & I", we saw that on Sunday night... she was fantastic!

I recently did a painting of beautiful Chelsea for her website : 
www.chelseagibb.com

So.... on Saturday, we went along to some very cool markets "Rose Street Art Markets" actually.  I bought a new dress that a clever lady there makes. 



Me at the Funky cafe area at the market for lunch.

pumpkin, coriander & coconut soup, mmmm!

new bracelet made from an old silver fork!! the other side is pretty with flower designs, and a new ring, that red one there with a flower in it, I happen to love daisy flowers... actually they're all over my dress too!!  It's quite strange seeing my hand like that... I have big stick out veins just like my Dad's hands.


I took some pics of the street art.. I'll have to post that separately, maybe tomorrow as I really need to get back to painting now,


Denise xo

OH Wow! Feminine Power Course

I have just listened in live to the introduction to this course... and have signed up!

Femine Power Tele Course

This is what was covered in the call :

The Keys to Awakening Power Base #1:
THE POWER TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE

• Why most popular approaches to transforming core beliefs don't work for women, and the brand new, leading edge process that really does
• Liberate yourself and others from the tyranny of old disempowering patterns, graduating forever from the dynamics of the past
• How to have a generative, empowered relationship with your feelings and emotions, and why you absolutely must know how to do this in order to realize your greater potentials

The Keys to Awakening Power Base #2:
THE POWER TO REALIZE YOUR DESTINY

• Experience the joy of being radically alive and dynamically engaged in the co-creative process of life
• Master the ability to discern your inner guidance such that you begin navigating life from an assured sense that you are on your "destiny path"
• Learn how to access the unlimited support and resources of All of Creation to cause the full flourishing of life everywhere you go

The Keys to Awakening Power Base #3:
THE POWER TO TRANSFORM THE WORLD

• Learn why we cannot be become ourselves by ourselves, and how to create evolutionary partnerships that will unleash the full realization of your unique gifts and contributions
• How to harness the power of the collective field to cause unprecedented transformations in our lives and in our world
• How to become a powerful agent of change and consciously join with others to co-create the future of our world

it begins August 11th, a couple of weeks from my birthday.. so I decided the course would make the perfect birthday gift to myself.


It's interesting to note, even though I am living my dream life, and doing what I love, still I find myself wanting to be and do so so so much more, and just not grasping exactly how to do this.  So it's at times like this, when something calls to me to give it a go... I am much more inclined to listen to those whispers than many years ago... I see this as huge progress in itself.  


I may come and add more to this post.. must get back to painting at the moment,


Denise xo


p.s. I'd love to hear if you've decided to do this course too xx

Scooting the Breeze

"Scooting the Breeze" (c) Denise Daffara


Over a year ago I went for my auto motor bike license, and passed ... just.  You see during the test I scared the living daylights out of myself by almost heading into oncoming traffic, forgetting the NUMBER ONE rule of bike riding, LOOK in the direction you want to go.  I was pretty shaken up but had to keep on going as I was in the middle of the practical test ride.  We did end up purchasing a brand new fabulous scooter a short time after that, and my partner has been the one to use it and I had avoided it completely.  It's been eating away at me as, it was my dream for years, to own a 'Vespa" and scoot to the beach for walks and swims, and to visit my friends etc.  being a one car family has its challenges, so this was to be my freedom, on two wheels!  I remember having a plastic motor bike when I was a little girl and riding around the path outside my house back and forwards all the time and LOVING it.


My sister even bought me this super cool key ring!

So, last Sunday morning I went for a beach walk with a dear friend of mine who has recently spent some time in Sedona and had some amazing experiences, she is truly an inspiration in my life.  You can read much more about Raelene at her website medicineforyourspirit.com and she encouraged me to go and get on my scooter that day, so I did!  My dear partner rode it over to our local school and I went up and down the car park several times... it wasn't much in terms of distance travelled, but it was a huge break through for me.  I've got a way to go with the scooting thing, but I'll keep at it, and look forward to mastering it to a point where it's a breeze, just like driving.  I can still remember freaking out on the inside when I first learned to drive a car, I wondered when would I ever get that hang of being in charge of this huge machine... so it's just practice I guess.  


bye for now,


Denise xo

Heron on the bridge

"Heron ... the bridge"

This gorgeous creature was sitting casually on the bridge when my partner and I took a walk this afternoon... and he stayed right there and let me take a photo... only about 1 metre away!  Wow, I admire these graceful feathered ones, and of course as one does these days ...

I googled meanings of 'grey heron' and found a bunch of things...  going with the flow... patience... and grace were are few things

I found a fabulously informative blog here : Symbolism of the Heron or Egret

"Most Native American tribes took note of the heron’s inquisitiveness, curiosity and determination.  As such this set the heron as a symbol of wisdom in that this creature seemed to have good judgement skills."

I was doing some thinking over these last two days as my head has been pounding with yet another head ache!  and I decided to take some time to check in and ask myself some questions in relation to it (as was a wise suggestion I read in Christiane Northrup's book just this morning!!!)  "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom"  so... I've realised I can't be giving from an empty cup... so it's time for lots of tea (haha, I already do quite a lot of that)... and tender loving care of myself... and taking time to play!   There's probably a bit more to it... but enough said for this tired artist for now...

on that note... I better get to bed... a good night's sleep is marvellous for repairing cells and things!  

Denise xo

from little things, big things grow

'Lyn's Family Tree'

(c) Denise Daffara 2010

It's Saturday night, our home is very quiet,  I've just been working on this painting above, and listened to a podcast about the 'Pachu Mama Alliance' and the importance of the Amazon rain forest, very humbling  ... it's a special painting done for my daughters tutor and been a couple of years in the fruition.  It's inspired by my 'Tree of Wisdom" painting, I can see I would like to play in these branches for a while longer and daydream about painting many more tree's, spirals delight me.

I had a wonderful visit from a dear friend yesterday and she had a 'sleepover' at our home, we enjoyed a delicious meal, omg, even if I do say so myself... have a look at that!!!

It's "Spicy beans with Baked Sweet Potato" and since my coriander is a baby plant in a pot thats Italian parsley pretending to be coriander, with sour cream and cheese sprinkled lovingly on top.  Mmmmmm, I'm one of those boring cooks who does the same dishes almost every week/fortnight, and so I am so excited to have found a new thing I can make that's super yummy and easy.

This was followed by a lemon meringue pie... but I won't speak much about that except to say I will definitely use a different recipe next time. 

Having my friend over was such fun, we stayed up late laughing and sharing til late and solved many of our own inner worlds problems... 'de-briefing' is so helpful for women I find.  

I have to stay up late and go and pick up my youngest daughter and her friends from an under 17 dance party at midnight... so it's going to be a loooong night.

good night,

Denise xo

p.s.  I am very grateful and relieved to say... when I rang the Dr's a few days after my mammogram, and held my breath while the receptionist looked up my file and came back to tell me "no further action required".  

mixed media for the first time!

Hey... today was fun... I had a wonderful friend come over with her two daughters, to hang out with one of my daughters and me... and we made our first mixed media paintings/collages, inspired by the fabulous book by Kelly Rae Roberts... see in the side bar.


Mine is the black & white one ...

and that's me right there...

I actually painted my lady on a separate piece of canvas because I had already glued down the 'flocked' paper and I didn't want her face to be all bumpy!  Yes.. the words 'control freak' often come to mind.

I happen to love all things Parisian, and black & white... and have an absolute love of chandeliers ... Alex found this one as we were working today and gave it to me which makes is even more special... the handbag comes from a birthday card from my dearest special friend in New Zealand... (we've been friends since we were 12,) and the dress is a piece of fabric that already had the black & white design on it.
I'm not sure if it's finished... but I might leave it for a little while.

Alexandria's creation looks all soft and 'vintage' I love it!


I noticed later on... the younger girls were much freer with using paints over the top and layering... Alex & I might play with that technique next time around... 




by Billie

By Ellie

By Billie

By Katherine

For a spontaneous school holiday activity it was fantastic... we all enjoyed ourselves... and ended the day with a bunch of new artwork ... and watched 'New Moon'.... I'm looking forward to seeing 'Eclipse' very soon.


team Edward btw haha.


love Denise xo

Monday... with a difference.

I had a new experience today that was quite eye opening... I went and had my first mammogram, it's just a precautionary one, I expect it to be all clear.  What was amazing was the thoughts that flowed into my mind as I was in the waiting rooms, and undergoing the various procedures... thinking how so many other women had come there before me and in a day or two received devastating news that would change their lives.

  

It's given me a bit of a kick... to think... why do we wait until devastating news to make significant changes in our lives... are we not worth making good healthy positive changes for ourselves regardless... 


So... I'll ponder that some more in the coming weeks... as I work on the lessons learned from Flying Lessons, and SARK... and the love from dear friends I have in my life.

"Full Bodied" 

by Kate Smith

I went to a beautiful art exhibition last weekend, www.tiffanyjonesfineart.com.au  this is where my own art is represented... but the show currently on is a beautiful display of luscious rich pastels by the very talented and delightful Kate Smith.


I was lucky enough to attend the opening and hear her speak about her artwork and some hopes and dreams she has for her future.

Kate Smith & Me.

I'm quietly working on a couple of paintings... one new one for the gallery which I hope to show you soon.  

Bye for now, 

love & light

Denise xo