For The Record!

There's a love affair happening world wide - t's the massive revival of the enjoyment of Vinyl Records.
And according to Forbes, record sales have grown 260%  since 2009.  But why? 

A generation has grown up listening to CD and digital files. Music has become, portable, instant and constantly available. Perhaps even isolating.

Record aficionados say the sound you get from an LP is warmer and fills the room in a way digital music can't. For those of us who grew up buying records, they're the vessel that transports us back to our youth.

So what's happening when your in a room and someone puts on a record?
Everyone wants to talk about,

• the artist
• the era
• the album cover
• what they were wearing at the time
• where they were when they first heard the music
• seeing the artist live

I'd like to think that the revival of the record player and records might simply come come down to our love of sharing experience with others. A room full of music, talk and laughter is a great place to be.

Enjoy your creative life, Jules

Why Is Art Full Of Naked People?

This is a very good question!
I think we make leaning about art and understanding art, too complicated most of the time.
While searching for some art history books, suitable for school aged children, I came across this little gem below.

With chapters such as, 'What's With All The Fruit?', 'Why Is Art So Expensive?' and 'Do You Have To Be Clever To Look At Art?', I was hooked.

Ever wanted to have a better understanding about,

• Rock Art
• Still Life
• Impressionism
• Abstract Art
• Cubism
• Judging Art
• The Value of Art

This book is for any age and for anyone who's interested in art. 
Great Book. Great Idea.
Enjoy your creative life, Jules

Love Every Day!

We are truly blessed when we can watch the beauty of a sunrise.

A Sydney sunrise and the start of a brand new day

More than ever, I want to LOVE EVERY DAY I have on this incredible earth.

Take nothing for granted. 

There I was, worrying about having enough time to complete my manuscript while teaching part-time. Then yesterday I received the awful news that a friend is gravely ill.

Who know what lies ahead for any of us?

When I think about how unpredictable life can be, I remember this piece of dialogue from the movie, Out of Africa -

"Denis gave me a compass, to steer by he said. But later it came to me, that we navigated differently. Perhaps he knew, as I did not, that the world was made round, so that we could not see too far down the road."

Life is so precious. 

Love Every Day!

Enjoy your creative life, Jules

Creative In The Kitchen!

What is it about a Pavlova that everyone loves?

Dressed with whipped cream and fruit, the Tiered Pavlova is one dessert that can make a grand entrance at the end of any meal. 

I've been asked for this recipe many times and thought I'd share it with you. I've been making this Pavlova for so long, I don't even have it written down. 

There are two essential elements to making a good Pavlova. Firstly, the eggs must be room temperature and secondly, do not open the oven and remove the Pavlova until the oven is totally cold. For this reason, I usually make my pavlova bases at night and put them into containers in the morning. 

Jules Pavlova

8 Egg Whites, 2 Cups Caster Sugar, 6 Teaspoons Cornflour, 2 Teaspoons White Vinegar, 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence. Heat oven to 160 Celsius, reduce to 130 Celsius just before you put your Pavlova in the oven.

Beat egg whites until they are firm and forming peaks. Slowly add the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time and keep beating. (I use a hand-held mixer). Your mixture should thicken and become white and glossy. Sift in the cornflour, add the vinegar and vanilla essence.

Spoon your mixture onto trays with baking paper. For a 3 tiered Pavlova I use round pizza trays, and rectangular trays when making individual pavlovas.

Cook for 1 1/2 hours (one and a half hours) then turn your oven off and don't open the oven door (even though you might be tempted).

Pavlova bases before they're assembled

Whip 600ml of cream and sprinkle in a dessert spoon of icing sugar. Go to town with the cream, bananas, strawberries and blue berries. I sometime add sliced peaches. Drizzle each layer with passionfruit and dust with icing sugar.

Present your dessert on a large board or platter and let everyone help themselves. 

Enjoy your creative journey, in the kitchen, Jules

It's just fruit!

Use your mixture to make individual cases and let your guests create their own Pavlova

Welcome To Spring!

It started out with the simple act of hanging up a dress.

2 hours later I'd gone through every dress, skirt, pants, shirt, jacket, a pile of jeans, shoes, bags, belts and scarves I own. I used, what I call, The Love System.

Leave it in - it has to fit you, suit you and you have to love it

Out it goes - you've moved on, so has fashion and so should this item

Vary or Alter - can a pair of long pants have a new life as 3/4 pants?

Exit Elsewhere - find a new home for the items that are no longer right for you

Spring Clean Your Wardrobe and Get Creative With Your Clothes

Hang everything together in "Item Blocks" - Pants / Dresses / Skirts / Shirts / Tops

Then, hang each "Item Block" in "Colour Order" - Black Pants / White Pants / Patterns etc

You'll easily see what you have plenty of and where the gaps in your wardrobe are. Maybe you're right for jeans but are short on great casual tops. Or you have lots of neutral tones and need a blast of colour here and there. 

A Clothing Spring Clean frees you up, not just physically (more space in the wardrobe), but more importantly, emotionally.

And sometimes, it's nice to simply reinvent yourself a little. Welcome to Spring!

Enjoy your creative journey, Jules

Bloom In Many Directions!

Creative people work hard at their craft - building a business, completing a manuscript, finalising an art work or making music - whatever it may be -  while constantly challenging themselves to produce the best they can.

It's easy to become consumed with being creative, leaving no time for anything else.

Here's a thought 'd like to share. 

Let  Yourself  BLOOM ........... In  Many  Directions!

Catch up with friends who make you laugh

Walk of a morning and see the sunrise

Cook a beautiful meal and share it with someone you love

Find time away from your creative pursuits to recharge your battery

I needed some down time recently, so I watched the movie, Under The Tuscan Sun.

I've seen it many times and it has to be one of my all time favourites. But this didn't matter. A night on the sofa watching the beautiful Tuscan country side and I was re-energised and inspired. If you've never seen it, click HERE to see a trailer.

Bloom away!

Enjoy your creative journey, Jules

How A Cross Body Bag Changed My Life!

This sounds extreme, but it's true!

Shoulder Bag, Hand-Held Bag, Clutch Bag - I've tried them all. And there's definitely a time and place for these little treasures. But the bag that gives you the greatest sense of freedom by far, is the Cross Body Bag.

Stylish, Contemporary, Practical - the ultimate grab and go bag that totally frees you up to

• text and walk
• flick through those sale racks
• carry shopping without having a shoulder bag slide down your arm
• walk the dog and drink coffee
• move freely as if you weren't carrying a bag at all

I became a convert years ago and have never looked back. I still love finding a Cross Body Bag in a new size or colour.

Best of all, this style of bag works with everything in your wardrobe, informal and formal - jeans & tops, dresses, skirts & shirts, jackets, pants, jumpsuits and knitwear - the lot!

So, if you haven't crossed over, why not consider this type of bag as a fashion option and...

Enjoy your creative journey, Jules

The $20 Piano!

There's no end to how creative you can be in this life.

On a recent Trip to New Zealand, I discovered the hauntingly beautiful music of A J Hickling - a classical pianist who busks by the water in Queenstown during the winter months.

The piano you see in this photograph, was bought by AJ for $20 at a rubbish dump and lovingly restored. His story is quite remarkable. Click here to visit his website.

Tranquility

Soulfullness

Elegance

That's what fills the room whenever I play his music. What A find. And all because I decided to walk along the waters edge in Queenstown one winter's evening!

Enjoy your creative journey, Jules

Paddle Your Own Canoe

Were you ever given a piece of advice that you still draw on to this day? Do you have a saying or mantra that truly resonates with you?

When I was a little girl, my father would say to me from time to time, "Paddle Your Own Canoe".

He was teaching me, in his subtle and gentle way, the importance of being an independent thinker and decision maker long before I understood what those two skills really meant.

Throughout my life, Paddle Your Own Canoe, has guided me in countless ways - 

• given me the confidence to say No in some situations and Yes in others
• helped me to believe in my own abilities
• and made me think creatively about what I could do in life

Just four simple words, Paddle Your Own Canoe. Pretty good advice if you ask me!

Enjoy your creative journey, Jules

Photography, From The Top Down!

So there I was, playing around taking photos of some of the Vintage Costume Jewellery I've collected over the years. What I was trying to do, was to shoot TOP DOWN. And it's a lot harder than it looks. 

My hands kept moving and it was difficult to keep what I was photographing, well balanced. There had to be a better way to do this. A little search on the internet and I discovered a nifty little product called the Lightcase #Flatlay -  photolightcase.com - so check this out.

Vintage Bracelets from the 1950's & 60's

Someone got CREATIVE and solved a problem for anyone wanting to take TOP DOWN images. I like the fact that this product is made from recyclable materials and can be easily folded and stored.

So.....got a problem that needs solving? Start thinking outside the box and ........

Enjoy your creative journey, Jules