Life is going well!

Guess what!? I think finally things are all coming together, and I have even figured out how to slow-down, enjoy life more and not take too much on! - yay me!!!

Of course, there is always a LOT on my plate - but I am feeling much more relaxed. I am getting better at 'switching off' on the weekends - or most days that aren't a work day for me - and accepting that my 'deadlines' and expectations of what I can achieve in my business need to be thoroughly flexible.
Here's a bit of what I've been up to so far this month:

July commenced in the school holidays - and for the first time in a while I had not overloaded myself. At the start of Term 2 the Lake Kawana Community Centre had contacted me and asked if A Little Creative would do some workshops at their centre - so of course I said yes. For a fixed fee (in the $hundreds) and them handling all the marketing and bookings it was quite a pleasure!

So being smart - I just did the one day of workshops at their location - and only marketed the studio available for 'private bookings'. It was so good to have a bit of time to relax in the school-holidays, and of course enjoy doing extra-fun things with my kids :)

The two weeks really goes by so fast! - here Tilly was helping me paint some of the prototype dinosaurs for the holiday workshops  the day beforehand. So lovely to be able to go into the studio with her and she is completely happy painting, drawing, making or doing what-ever she wants to. We can pretty much spend a morning in there (or a few hours) where both of us enjoys doing our own thing - can't quite say the same of spending time in there with little Curtis! - but I'm sure he'll get there in a few more years... he has started to take more interest in his art, and that is so enjoyable :)

At the end of the holidays we went to the Abbey Medieval festival at Caboolture for the first time. It was a fabulous outing, and quite a hot day! Curtis started out in a little Knight costume, but didn't keep it on for too long - neither would Tilly wear her tall hat for long which completed her outfit and made her look like a well-to-do maiden, rather than just Snow White! It was a great experience going there - but the queues were very long and Curtis didn't have that sort of stamina.. we will probably wait a couple more years before going again - but we are already looking forward to the next time - and Tilly is planning her next costume to wear!

Regularly we go to Shelly or Moffat beach for a walk/play with the kids - and I always marvel at how awesome it is to live where we do!! I just love it! Shelly and Moffat beach are my most favourtie places in the whole world - I am pretty convinced that we could travel anywhere in the world and I would still think the same. In this pic below, it was a cloudier, and colder day than usual - but still stunning to be there playing on the rocks. Curtis's main attire lately involves a costume - usually batman, spiderman or darth-vadar.

Last weekend - I made myself a bit busy by 'volunteering' to work for free at the local Baby and Kids' Market. A Little Creative did free Christmas craft for their 'Christmas in July' theme. I managed to keep the task relatively simple: just painting and collaging Christmas tree shapes (which had all been cut on my new KNK Maxx cutting machine!!!), and also some Christmas stamp-printing and drawing. It was quite a hit! We were flat-out (probably had about 80 kids do craft in the 4 hours) - and I think it was quite good marketing for my business.

Finally, my Term 3 classes have re-commenced - and I am now running 4 x afterschool classes!, 2 x Kindy-Art classes, and a new Studio-Art workshop for children on a Saturday morning fortnightly.. most of my classes are full which is such an amazing achievement. I really am feeling quite proud of myself :) Our artist of focus this term is Andy Goldsworthy (one of my favourite artists!) and although I am still not giving myself very much time to indulge in my own art - at least I am constantly being creative making examples and ideas for the children's classes - and I am in a good mind-set to be able to think more creatively and do more of my art in the future...

I've got to rush now - as my small amount of time is up, as the kids have emerged from the bath and it's now story-time.

Tomorrow's is Curtis's 3rd birthday!! - so a bit more on my to-do list for tomorrow! - and hopefully I'll make time to write again soon - and show some birthday pics of him.

Goodnight xoxo

Feeling PROUD and positive!

Hmmm, maybe I subconsciously knew something when I wrote this sentence in my last post: "..maybe I'll have a better idea next week and do that instead..." - because that's kind of what happened!
Yes, during the past month I have noticed a few new creative businesses about that irritated me a bit, or made me question my direction... but most of them I dismissed as not really being a threat to me, and realizing that I was quite happy with the path I am on and all the decisions I have made for very good reasons... Then one business I became aware of is moving right into my territory and is running their classes at a couple of local schools (something I have always thought would be a good idea, but have never acted upon)... Seeing their business had quite an impact on me... - so I have decided that I definitely will aim to expand my operations and target schools as a venue also (and hopefully wipe the floor with them!! - no, not to be nasty, but I do think my classes are and will be better than theirs...) - So 'action expansion' is underway, and I am feeling very optimistic about it!
I now have 3 x art-class teacher employees, plus will be getting two others to assist me with moving the business in this new direction and aiming to expand nationally..

Things are just going very well - and I am at the stage where sometimes I feel the need to pinch myself just to check that it really is all true and working out so well! It is quite an amazing and incredible feeling - especially after a few years of working really really hard - but not seeing the instant results.. (of course nothing ever is instant - it takes time to reap the rewards of the seeds you sow... but I guess I got used to not being too hopeful in case it didn't work out as planned..)

But yeah, life is pretty awesome. I am busy, but I like it like that. I took most of the holiday's off to play with my kids and enjoy ourselves, and have lots on my agenda for Term 3 and Term 4 - but aiming to still take time to have fun and exercise and look after myself more...

I have had a couple of amazing compliments through my business lately: one mum wrote: "Thankyou Lindy - your a very important member of the community"


And just the other day Kate in Melbourne (a friend of Sarah's) wrote under a picture of our school holiday classes: "...Lindy, I really hope that when my Matilda is old enough to do these workshops you have franchises of 'A Little Creative' in Melbourne!.."

needless to say I felt pretty proud of myself! - But especially realising that the chances of A Little Creative operating in various locations throughout Melbourne in the next few years is very high!!!

Yay me! Bring it on! - A huge motivating force behind my business has been to be able to provide for my family in the future in the event that Ben is no longer working full-time... And even if his health holds out well for years to come, I still really would love to 'liberate' him from having to work at his engineering work - so that he can have the opportunity to do some of his own designs and follow his passions too... It is so amazing to realise that I am quite on track with my goals - and everything that I dream of is quite possible!!! Just got to keep going!, but in the meantime you will tend to find me with a rather large grin on my face!

 On the family front - we went to the Abbey Medieval Festival yesterday - it was  great experience! the queues were a bit too long for Curtis, who didn't have the stamina or patience for much - but we will love going back in a couple of years' time - probably all dressed up!