The Digital Gem for January is a tool for developing your personal power through relaxation and rejuvenation.

Unlike most digital resources, there’s absolutely nothing to learn, and no charge whatsoever. All you need is a computer and a six minutes to enjoy this free guided meditation by Sally Canning, who is a catalyst for personal growth.

This is an easy way to snag a few minutes to your self and indulge in some self care. Perfect for beating the winter blues. Ideal for strengthening your personal power and confidence! Give it a go and let me know what you think?!

Extreme Self Care

A guide to owning your personal power. A lovely grounding few minutes of relaxation and recharging time to yourself.

Tags: Digital Gems, ease, growth, meditation, recharge, relax, simplicity, winter

Life Compass

Isn’t it interesting to see how the creative process solves problems that crop up? Sometimes solutions come to me at an initial stage, while I’m brainstorming or mind mapping, which isn’t surprising since the whole idea with these techniques is to open up, be spontaneous, and gather ideas in a non-linear form. Sometimes I find solutions during the process, while I’m fully emerged in flow, working on a design, a piece of art or writing. But just as often I find ideas, or answers, when I step away from the canvas. Sometimes I can barely cross the floor to refill my mug of tea for ideas! I’ll burst out “oh, now I know”, and rush back to what I was working on. It seems to me that there’s no right, there’s no wrong, but the process itself is needed. And at the same time, it’s important to not get lost or too particular about the process or one would never leave the drawing board and one would have trouble accessing spontaneity and intuition.

Anyway, it was when I was trying to get another cup of coffee, that this idea came to me, “A Life Compass, that’s what it is”. I was talking (to myself) about my new Goal Kits. I needed a unified logo or symbol for them, an illustration and at this moment it arrived at me, a compass rose. Because the Goal Kits are a compass to guide you, to help you dream, plan, act, harvest, recharge and make your own chart. To find life balance and momentum and navigate through the seas of the seasons.

Tags: creative process, ease, flow, Goal Kits, goals, life balance, momentum, motivation, priorities, recharge

iPhone photography: red berries

Something unexpected happened with my September Shift list. First I put it out there. Then you gave me wonderful feedback both in comments and email. Thank you! I can’t really express how helpful it’s been!

And then I stared at my list. And spent time with the list and my thoughts. Gradually my thoughts turned more towards the season, towards the shift and how refocusing seems to be a recurring theme both in my life in general and for my creativity. (Here’s an example of Refocusing Creative Life.)

One day everything seems to be going well, I’m satisfied with how I’m supporting myself with yoga and swimming and healthy meals, my work is going well and is full of meaning. I’m learning new things, spending time with loved ones and the items on my to-do lists are getting ticked off at a gratifying pace.

Then one day, I’m out of sync with the beautiful plan, maybe it started with a cold that set off my daily routines or perhaps I started doubting myself, or had a technical difficulty, or got swamped with work, for what ever reason though, it feels like I lost balance and I have to make an effort to get back on track. Focus and then refocus. Perhaps it’s simply a natural part of life that we’ve lost touch with?

So I thought I’d like to do this deliberately, take stock and refocus, regularly, before I lose the plot. And since it feels so appealing and natural to me to follow the seasons, why not make a shift each autumn, winter, spring and summer? Then I thought that if I find this helpful, maybe other people do too? So I’ve been carried away by a wave of creativity and inspiration, working on a set of Seasonal Shifts! I’m so excited and almost ready to release the first one!

Tags: creative cycle, focus, growth, recharge, redefinition, Seasonal Shifts, seasons, transformation

iPhone photography: birch tree and lights

First the squirrels chase each other across the oak tree and then the pigeons arrive. It’s the acorns. It’s the end of summer. The scent of apples. A kind of clarity in the air. The last night the party lights are strung up under the birch tree. Harvest time and a shift to a different pace. 

And I’m not painting, which is what I really should be doing in my spare time. Instead I busy myself with things that seem important, or that seem fulfilling but that leave that slight feeling of unease or dissatisfaction… You know that feeling one can get after having indulged in fast food? It kind of wasn’t worth it? Busy work. The kind of work that seems productive, but actually just keeps you occupied. (Is it just me or does this happen to you too?)

So I wrote a list of what I need to balance and prioritise in the area of art and design.

• paint
• redesign my website (like disappearing down the rabbit hole?)
• design skins for iPhones and put them up for sale in my shop
• make an illustrated recipe book or perhaps prints with recipes (“Studio Cooking” perhaps? Quick, fun and easy both for a budget with the odd party thrown in. What do you think?)
• prepare some new super inspiring interviews with creatives for your reading pleasure
• open life drawing programmes start soon. I’ll be going to draw dancers in motion at the Museum of Dance and perhaps try a new one for the regular life drawing.
• website maintenance (yawn, and also another rabbit hole)
• make pixel art mini posters with Hype Hair designs
• write a micro magazine for members of Club Marmalade Moon. (The next issue will come with a pre-release of a new collection of Vintage Folder Icons)
• did I mention painting?

Lets see if writing this list puts things into perspective for me and gives you an idea of some of the things you can expect here at Marmalade Moon this autumn. What’s your autumn looking like? Got that back to school feeling of energy and clarity? Fresh beginnings? New projects on the go? Or still muddled up like me, with more ideas than time?

Tags: autumn, creative cycle, focus, goals, growth, priorities, recharge, redefinition, summer, transformation

On my way to the underground, down by the brook in the park, day after day I see a man at a distance. He’s practicing his electric guitar on a portable amp. (No he’s not in this picture, I’m too shy to ask if I can take his photo, and he looks like he wants to play the guitar, not have his photo taken.)

It looks so relaxing and creative and it reminds me that you can find creative time and space in unexpected places. Beautiful, creative space that doesn’t cost anything.

This summer I’m taking some creative time and finding space outdoors, away from my computer. In the meanwhile, I’ll (probably) be writing here about my creative inspiration, and summer adventures in Stockholm, but I’ll turn off comments (at least most of the time). If you’d like to get in touch with me you’re more than welcome to connect through email, and if you enjoy my writings, please consider “liking” on Facebook or tweeting on Twitter.

Tags: creative space, goals, life balance, priorities, recharge, summer