Stormy weather

There should be more creative challenges with this theme - as it seems to have prompted the opposite in reality. The past week has been a positive delight - a taste of Summer, teasing us into our t-shirts. Bliss!

So I'm back to painting. I am getting acrylic all over the furniture and up the walls. I have very dirty fingernails. It feels good!

I've had an amazing week. I've launched my eCourse through my new creative business - The Wright Brain Stuff. I've also kicked off a book group picking up where us 'wreckers' left off a couple of summers ago when we destroyed our Keri Smith journals. We're going to attack another of her books this year - I'd love it if you got messy with us too - all the joining details are here.

Back to the art... These were really free and loose. I googled a couple of images of stormy scenes as my inspiration then just got messy with paints and oil pastels. No paintbrushes allowed. Although I loved the final results (below), I couldn't reist a little enhancement with some textures and extra layers in PhotoShop (above).

I can't believe I paint like this now - so carefree. Just a few years ago, the same painting would have been trying very hard to look exactly the same as the original photograph. I just couldn't 'see' the way I do now. It is so much more fun! It's why I wanted to run my course - I feel I have so much passion to share - I want to inspire you all to create words and pictures.

Posting for the Inspiration Avenue 'Stormy weather' challenge and Paint Party Friday.

I'm also having a Giveaway - don't miss out!

Normal service will resume shortly

Readers. I totally need to focus on my new business plan and avoid all distractions until I can come back here and properly tell you all about it.

I'm going to slip off the radar for a week or two, best rest assured I'm thinking about you all and working on something I hope you are going to love!

Back soon!

Entrepreneurial me

Yeah yeah, it's another girl on a book page... What can I say? I like drawing girls on book pages. I find the whole process soothing and restful.

Chill time is definitely something I have to make the most of these days - as well as ensure I make time for. I'm on a roll with launching my new business plans. I'm already self-employed as you know, but I've got a few new irons in the fire in addition to the work I do out in the corporate world - I'm branching out into the fairy-tale magic of creativity.

When I was made redundant three years ago I had a number of sessions with a career advisor and at the time she said she saw me owning a portfolio of businesses; that it would suit me. These thoughts have simmered gently at the back of my mind but then the gentle bubbling began boiling over as the urge to embrace the creative tribe forced its way to the surface.

I can't see myself being anything other than an entrepreneur. The thought of being tied to one company now sends shivers down my spine - the kind where bunch of ramblers take an amble over my grave! At last I am in the vocation I was born to do. It surely explains those old Sunday night feelings of dread as I contemplated another week at the grindstone of my employers. They are long gone! At last I am free to do what I love. For my corporate clients I write and advise. I let rip with creativity and my heart and soul into doing the best work I can.

And now, I am on the cusp of an additional venture. I want to take what I've learned and inspire others to write and paint, craft and create. I want to work with this creative tribe I have found online and weave magic together.

I'm finalising my offering and will be sharing it soon, I promise. In the meantime, you can sign up to the mailing list (see the box in the top right of the sidebar) and I've also created a separate Twitter account @WrightBrains.

Sharing this piece today with Sunday Sketches - pop over to Sophia's blog and check out what everyone has been creating this week!