Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Envy... Cafe display

I have my prints on display again,  funky 'Cafe Envy' this time at Mooloolaba, visit during November if you wish to see these ones xo


The Shabby Chic, fun ones

3 of the Yoga Series, holiday fun, and some red delicious


These are canvas prints
... you'll find my original artwork at


I took a delightful 'mental health day' off today, a hot stone massage with gorgeous Angela, and then a couple of hours at the beach, I didn't do any 'work' and I accepted that that was OK!!  

Self acceptance. 

Denise xo



Monday, November 1, 2010

"You need to play"

Good morning,


It's a bright sunshiny morning ... I've been for a beach walk along Mooloolaba earlier.. and on following my own inner voice I did not take my ipod today.  So while walking along I asked myself... what do you need from me today?  The answer was quite clear - "I want to play" ...  


It may come as surprise to hear that despite having a studio filled with paints, materials, and a bunch of spare canvas's I rarely, if ever, make time to play.... because I am a 'professional artist' it all gets a bit confused for my Virgo Time Manager Self... that part that always thinks I should be working towards something worthwhile, or not at all.  It's quite a sparse way of thinking... because intrinsically I know better.... when we allow ourselves to have fun and play; that life giving energy spills over into the rest of our life, work and mothering or whatever else we show up in the world to offer.


So that is the message for me this week... make some time to play.


I thought of using a pale blue with some red... and some patterns... 


Oh... speaking of colour.... I'm totally loving the The Color Wisdom Cards that I ordered recently... they've come in the post from USA... and I did myself a 4 card reading on the weekend - about being 'Blocked' ... some great insights were given to me, I'll have to ponder that a bit more before I can put into words.  You can get a free reading online anytime if that tweaks your interest too.  Today I've chosen to write in blue... that's all about communication and the Throat Chakra.  (Two of the cards that showed up in my spread were Blue November and Brad Blueberry


"Blueberry Tartlets" on display now at 




I went to see the movie 'The Social Network' last night, WOW... those programmers are very passionate about their work... it's amazing what effort goes in behind the scenes for a platform like facebook.  I love Michele Meiche's take on it that the internet and the social networking abilities are a divinely inspired tool that can be of great use for us to connect with other like minded souls.  She has a great radio show Awakenings  I listen via podcast regularly to.   Here's her blog http://consciousinspiredliving.blogspot.com/ 




So... I'm going to sign off for now... 


Have a great week,


Love,
Denise

Monday, October 25, 2010

SPArkle event... phew 'Spring Things' ready at the last minute

... goodness me... this blogging thing really needs far more attention than I seem to be prepared to give to it!


I was in a big flurry last week... wanting to finish a painting in time for display at a Breast Cancer Fundraising event..Pacific Kia SPArkle Night Oct 2010

Gorgeous friend Rachael Donovan, Kim Morrison, 
Denise Daffara & Fleur Whelligan 

"Spring Things"
120 x 85cm
now on display at


and here is the gorgeous Tiffany Jones looking stunning at the SPArkle night, where she, Rod & Stefan set up an absolutely fabulous display of artwork especially for the viewing pleasure of those who attended; featuring very special Australian artists, pictured above is a luscious red pastel by Kate Smith.  It's a rare occasion to have such a high standard of artwork on display  at a local event, and out of the gallery, so I really appreciated Tiffany's hard work to make this happen.

"Bon Jour" is available as a petite print on canvas
rolled $75 (easy to post)
or stretched ready to hang $125 


One lucky lady won a print of 'Bon Jour' that I donated for the night...

So.... that was last week... and this week I'm thinking of what new paintings I can do for the coming holiday season, the local toy store is so kindly telling us with their outdoor signage... only 9 weeks 'til Xmas!!  Oh my gosh!

My youngest daughter and I will be taking off to the Woodford Folk Festival right after Christmas day... so I'd better get things very organised before that... I'll be off the air for a couple of weeks in January for sure.

I was chatting to a very dedicated blogger & client who became a friend Nikki Parkinson of Styling You at the event.. and she recommended I really try and blog at least once per week!  So I'm going to try to get here... ok...  She even does vlogs now!!! omg... I am sooo going to do that one day... I could pull up with a cup of tea and chat for a few minutes... surely??

Perhaps I could ask for topics that might interest you?

Thanks so much for stopping by... 

Love,

Denise. xo



Thursday, September 30, 2010

a month later . . .

Helllloooooo


I can't believe it's been a MONTH since I last dropped in here... I had thought I'd be telling you all about my progress in my Feminine Power Telecourse... well... it's been so jolly fabulous I've not even thought of blogging!!!


With this course we've been listening in to a 2 hour session on Thursday mornings (Wed night for the USA peop's) then that goes on to a shared time of about an hour, where we have been able to speak to women from all over the world sharing our inspirations and learnings from that particular weeks topic...  it has been truly life changing!


Since beginning this course..


I have joined in a co-creative partnership with a friend to create a website (she did most of the work on that...) called Luscious Lunches we hosted our very first Luscious Lunch on Friday 17th Sept.. with 29 guests!!!!  and launched a gorgeous meditation cd of a beautiful friend of mine Linda Ireland of Mountain Heart Meditations... which I did the cover for!  






 I have taken myself out for my birthday lunch... met the owner of the restaurant I chose to dine it... to find that she was ready for a change in the artwork in there... offered to show her some of my works that are available as prints... and two weeks later had organised them to be printed and stretched and they are now hanging in a prestigious gorgeous restaurant space on the Mooloolaba Esplanade, in Queenland, Australia....


Me, Linda and Nik 


just over a week after my artwork was hung in that restaurant... http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=202898&id=135083163527&ref=mf


also at that Lunch... I was able to speak and share the little story about taking myself out for lunch and then being invited to hang my artwork in there.... I was so thrilled about this experience.


Our Lunch was a fabulous success... and later that night I got a call from the staff at the restaurant to say one of my large prints had sold!


... you know... I 'm going to sign off for now... there are more things but I have to go back to a painting I'm working on...


bye for now,
love Denise xo

Monday, August 30, 2010

Smashed to pieces

“There are very few human beings who receive the truth, complete and staggering, by instant illumination. Most of them acquire it fragment by fragment, on a small scale, by successive developments, cellularly, like a laborious mosaic.”
- Anais Nin


How very interesting . . .  I have had that quote on my website for years now... ever since it's beginning, the words of Anais Nin resonated within me so well.  So... it is with some perplexity and a certain amount of acceptance I faced a small creative dilemma . . . probably over a year ago now I went to some mosaic classes, this art form has always fascinated me and I was busting to break stuff and turn it into something gorgeous for my garden... but interestingly.. I did the project to about 90% completion... I made a beautiful bird bath... but had not permanently fixed the platter to the top, and I had NOT GROUTED the finished base.  

So... earlier this year when we had builders doing our home renovation my 'almost complete' bird bath got knocked.. and the platter on the top fell and lost some of it's tiles.. this was ok I thought... no harm was done to the base... I'll get to it one of these days... "Nooo, don't worry about it" I said.  "It doesn't matter"

Okay... so now just a couple of weeks ago my husband dragged the hose across the path of my  'ac' bird bath.. and this was the result : 



it's quite "shattering" really... I have learned I need to follow through and complete a job... 

I abandoned this project before it reached it's full potential and beauty.... and I am learning through the Feminine Power course that I am taking... I have actually been abandoning the girl inside me all of my life.. and now I am the woman she needs me to be to take proper care of her.  This is a huge realisation, and only came to me today thanks to the amazing facilitation of the course . .  

Deep emotional wounding is apparent in us all . . . it's how we come to terms with loving ourselves out of it, and being true to our wonderful selves that is one of life's mysteries and blessings all at the same time.

I'm putting myself back together again... 

with love
Denise x

Monday, August 16, 2010

Feminine Power week one...

I have begun a very interesting journey along with over 800 women from 24 Countries around the world!  I think that in itself is remarkable!!!


Here are some figures, for those of you who like numbers ...  Australia 49, Canada 85,  Chile 2 China 1, Denmark 4, Finland 2, France 4, Germany 5, Guam 1, Hong Kong 2, Ireland 3, Italy 1, Netherlands 7, New Zealand 3, Norway 2, Kataar 1, South Africa 3, Spain 3, Sweden 2, Switzerland 1 United Arab Emirates 1, United Kingdom 34 and USA 572!!!  


So.... to begin with we set our personal intentions for the course.. I'm not sure about sharing it here just yet... I may prefer to just talk about the course, and leave the contents safely in their cocoon of the group.... I'm finding that these online courses (this being my third) really can become a magical nurturing and inspiring little place of safety.  When you listen to an inspiring speaker, and are invited to join a group of women... a little door of your heart can experience a little knocking... sometimes a still small voice can be heard whispering to you to ... trust... let go... leap... 


this is an example of something that can happen... when you listen to that little calling... and take that leap...



An  Amazing Synchronistic Magical little Story... 
Just since our call at the beginning of this journey (Thurs 12th August)... I heard the voice of a lovely who said she lived on the Sunshine Coast... she actually lives in the next suburb to me.. minutes away!  we had never met... and during that call when we were asked to say hello from anywhere around the world, I thought.... ok... this course is about stepping into my power... so I quickly pressed ‘1’ before I changed my mind... so I too got to say hello to all who were on the call from all over the world.. and I felt so privilaged and happy.
...so.. this Lady on the phone and I saw eachothers faces on the forum, and connected very briefly in writing, saying we would soon be able to have a little local group.. and another lady has popped up just 20 mins away in Noosa...!
ok... so here’s the magical moment...
 my husband and I were walking along through the cafes at a little place called Cotton Tree on Saturday... I was feeling particularly good this day, and I was thinking about the course I had just begun, the sun was shining it was a brilliantly gorgeous day .... and at that moment I looked across to my right... and a lady was sitting at a cafe table smiling straight at me, I instantly recognised her as the woman I had heard introduce herself on the phone, and who's picture I had seen on the forum... we embraced like old very special friends immediately and introduced our bewildered husbands... and then my new friend wisely said “To Be Continued” ... it was one of the most enlivening, beautiful and lovely things I’ve had happen in a while.  
and that’s only two days after the course started!!!  What will these next six weeks hold I wonder?  xoxo

the view from a little seat in a rock wall at Alexandra Headland,

from the same seat.. looking across to Point Cartwright. 

I am deeply grateful for the place I live.

and for the potential for miracles in the every day.

love Denise xo





Tuesday, August 10, 2010

goodness me...

Good evening ...


it's a New Moon in Leo today/tonight, it's an important time for setting intentions, wishes, dreams and plans for the coming days/weeks.  I had a full day, highlighted by meeting with a like-minded dynamic woman who I am so happy to have met.  Another intuitive friend pointed out... the first two weeks of the New Moon time are for setting intentions, and taking ACTION, and then the second two weeks you get to sit back a bit and see the fruit of your actions playing out.  Something about that made me feel the urgency to quit mucking around and get a bit more serious about doing something!  I must admit, I sometimes get a bit flakey on it and hope/wish/day dream it's all going to work out... well... I have come to realise that I owe myself a bit more of a commitment than that.


I begin the 7 week tele-course this week with Feminine Power (facebook page fyi) and I'm feeling the rumblings of something being stirred up.  


here's another interesting post I happened upon... as I went googling for a 'New Moon in Leo' pic to share : planetaryapothecary.com ... unfortunately, I haven't quite figured out a super fast way of finding an image, getting it onto here and including where I got it from.. mm, yeah, need a bit more practice on that.. and now is not the time for such things!!


ok... so I'm off to set some intentions.... oh... and it looks like I've made the new banner WAY TOOOOO   W I D E !!!!!  mmmmmm, I'll fix that as soon as I have the inclination! 


Denise xo