I feel like dancing all night because I have finished my 31 muses from The Daily Muse. 

Back on 30 November I was up most of the night because an idea formed in my mind of creating A Muse A Day, I decided to start with Eve and then they just kept coming, every day. You can see the first 11 here  and the next 7 here.

I have adored doing this; it has taught me alot about my illustration style and how they form part of my meditation.  Plus it has given me a plethora of new work that I can create with.....  *happy dance*

Today, the last day of 2013, I am so proud to be releasing these here.  Here are the remainder.  Please enjoy and watch this space for exciting developments with Jules Dolly Art in 2014. 

Day 19

Muse Faye, who wants us to 'let the fireside calm you', this could be indoors by the fire, or making a fire outside.

Day 20

Here is Glenora who I needed today as we left Cornwall. The smells I smelt all week, whilst on the beach, made me stop and really smell....... really deeply inhale. Seaweed, salt, sand, takes me back to sitting on the jetty with my mum in Wales. 

What can you do to find nostalgic smells that soothe?

Day 21 Winter Solstice

Muse Freya just appeared to me to prompt 'Now is time to vision'. The Winter Solstice is a magical season . . . one that marks the journey from this year to the next, it's a time for visions. Freya wants us to know it's time for us to create our own visions, and she's here to help us make our dreams real 

Day 22

Muse Selene, a nurturing, passionate and healing muse, with compassion for all sentient beings. Three days before the moon becomes full and for three full days after, Selene has the strength and power to manifest goals and bring matters to form. 

Day 23

This is Muse Leah and she wants you to find your special prayer shawl. 

Let me tell you a story .... I was bought a beautiful scarf, a really large one and I wore it all the time. I came to view it as my prayer shawl, one that I would wear when I wanted sacred time, quiet space and ritual. Last week, would you believe this, I opened it out to iron it because it had got so very very creased, and what did I find? The words LOVE are written all over it and I didn't know it! So today's Muse, Leah wants you to find your own prayer shawl, or scarf, something that makes you feel extra special. Listen to Leah.

Day 24  Christmas Eve

This is Muse Deva reminding you to 'have faith in your own voice'. This may be actually singing, carols, prayers, pop songs and alllowing your voice to beam out, releasing the vibration. It may also be to do with being heard and speaking your truth. These next few days may be a challenge for you, so have faith in your own voice. 

Day 25 Christmas Day

Here is Christie. What is she telling us? 

She's the bearer of gifts, she loves to give ... gifts of time, of love, and of physical joy. 

Day 26 Boxing Day

We can sometimes feel a little full, maybe overwhelmed, so here on Day 26, Muse Bella is here to remind us to Take Twenty. 20 mins out for peace, quiet and solitude. Take time away for yourself - just for twenty.

Day 27 

This is Muse Teya who invites you to have a cup of tea or coffee with someone who you feel could need some comfort. This may be someone who is in your life, or it may be someone who you see in a cafe ; Let's pay a Latte forward.

Day 28

Muse Celeste is encouraging me (and you of course!) to reflect on the year that is leaving and inviting us to write down our dreams for the coming year. I started reflecting on 25th and will continue over the next few days.

Day 29

As we move through these next few days of reflection and desires, Muse Zanna wants to protect you from feeling down or low about things. The new year is a fresh cycle. Like every new day, we can choose. Zanna wants you to Be Gentle on yourself. 

Day 30

Here is Muse Mary, taking my inspiration from Mary Poppins, who I watched today (and was also gifted the DVD for chrimbo). Mary reminds us all to Have confidence in our actions. Taking things forward into 2014, we have to have confidence in whatever we're planning and manifesting 

Day 31 

Here Muse Shana is centred and calm within, surrounded by CELEBRATION. We can have the best of both worlds; we are on the precipice of a new start - there's something MAGICAL about moving into even numbers.

If you'd like to sign up and keep up dated with all the goings on in my studio please do fill in your name and email address below and you'll hear from me every New Moon and Full Moon.

All Images © Julia Dolowicz 2010-2013

Writing first thing in the morning is a practice that I have developed over the past year - most days. If there is ever a time when I don't write or journal, something feels off.

So today is no exception. I woke early and have spent the first hour looking back over my year.

My word for 2013 was Alignment. I chose it this time last year and everything I have been working towards this year has been about aligning all the things I do.

This time last December, I sat down with the printed copy of Susannah Conway's 'Unravelling the year ahead 2013'.

I wrote, scribbled and brain bloomed about all things life and business, splitting up my goals into different areas.

I let go of many things, of doing everything all at once, all at the same time. I reflected on the people in my life who had helped me, I celebrated the new studio space, honoured new friendships and letting go of others. I wrote down my wishes for 2013 and how I wanted to move through it.

I remembered actual occasions that made my heart sing, as well as things that didn't.

I savoured and I let go.

All this happened, just me, my pen and pad, what worked well and what didn't, I wrote it out.

Through this writing time, I declared that I wouldn't do anything that would make me feel 'off' and I would continue to use my gut instinct and intuition.

Choosing 'Alignment' for 2013 focused me in the direction I wanted to go.

There were so many things that I wrote down about what I saw in my December 2013, I let my heart write and write.

Then, around May time, I watched a video by Danielle La Porte who talked through 'goals with souls' and The Desire Map.

Danielle guides you through a process to discover your core desired feelings (these are feelings you want to feel in your life in all you do) and after I discovered them everything you then do reflects those feelings.

It took me a while but I discovered my CDF's:-

• Divinely connected
• Creative
• Energised
• Radiant
• Enthusiastic.
  

I then focused on things in my life that would make me feel these feelings.

Even just writing this today I can really see how I have guided my last year and how I create and live my life according to these fundamental feelings.

I truly feel that I have been guided by Alignment.

For those of you who have never done a yearly review or plan, I hand on heart recommend that you just stop and get off the roundabout and take a look at what's working well for you and what you need to let go of.

When you carry on and don't reflect, you are carrying round practices and behaviours that don't make you feel great. You find another year has passed and you still feel stuck and you don't know why.

This is serious stuff. It works.

This isn't about having tonnes of money to buy the life you want, this is about knowing what it is you are working towards and what it is you really really want to feel.

Remember happiness is a journey not a destination.

So do this for yourself, grab a couple of hours and find your favourite pen and just begin.

I promise you that this time next December 2014, you will be looking back at what you have written and you will realise that you are a little closer to happiness.

Wishing you much Joy.

Have a happy Christmas Day.
Jules xxx

Susannah Conway's Unravelling the Year Ahead 2014 (free to download)

Leonie Dawson's 2014 Create your amazing year Life and Biz Edition Workbook

Danielle La Porte The Desire Map

We are away for the week, tucked up in a small cottage in Cornwall.   

This has been a lesson in taking my work with me and being able to carry on creating no matter where I am.  

This is hubby's home turf and I always feel at home being here.

Little Luna has really embraced the whole Cornish beach experience. It has been mixed, weather wise, but there's nothing I quite like more than putting all my outdoor gear on, my doggy wellies and bracing the wind and the rain. 

Time here, working away, creating my daily muses and completing commissions from the little table in the lounge gives me lots of thinking time about what 2014 holds for me.  

I can either sit around and wait to find out, or I can sit down to plan what I want to happen next year.

I know that I want to feel a certain way and I'm going to set about making these feelings happen.

What I know for sure is I feel really called to create art, teach art, write and create colourful healing books and guides plus courses that guide people to heal the way they see themselves. 

Last week I introduced you to the first 11 Muses that I have completed.  I am really getting something out of creating them, they are soothing me every day because first thing in the morning, I sit down with a blank page and pencil, then I just listen to whatever the message.

Now I am on Day 18 and past the half way mark, really excited to see what I will do with all of these muses and how I will continue to create every day.  What's next?

Today we have Muse Clarissa who wants us to 'Lie Down, Be Still, Listen' 10 minutes to soften. 

You know Kris Carr right?

She's a New York Times and #1 Amazon best-selling author, wellness activist and cancer thriver.

In 2003 she was diagnosed with a very rare and incurable (yet thankfully slow-growing) stage 4 cancer. As she writes:

"This whiskey tango foxtrot moment (that’s military lingo for WTF?!) sparked a deep desire in me to stop holding back and start living like I mean it! I wanted to feel better, love harder and enjoy my life more fully. So I hit the road on a deep healing pilgrimage and have never looked back. Nearly ten years later, my life is truly, madly magical–even with cancer. If I can pull that off, just imagine what YOU can do!"

I have been really moved by Kris and her vegan lifestyle, plus she's a huge dog lover and I can so resonate with this. In October, she found a stray dog living out in the woods and both her and her husband rehomed him. Buddy has captured the hearts of those who follow her and I am so moved by the fact that Buddy has healed, both physically and emotionally.

I felt called to draw them both.

So next week it's Christmas, I really look forward to connecting with you then and in the meantime I hope you're finding some joy from my Daily Muse series and I hope you're finding serenity in this festive season.   

Love
Jules xxx

 

On the 29th November, I woke in the early hours with Muse Insight.  This happens to me alot and instead of lying there 'trying' to sleep, I'll will usually get up.  On this night, I did and quietly tip-toed into the other room.  

Here's what the Muse told me in those wee hours. Be inspired and channel one of us every day for December, we want to share this with you and give you some oomph to illustrate.    

"Close your eyes and go wherever your Muse takes you".

This is how 'A Muse A Day' was born.  This first one is called Eve and she appeared on 30th November, featuring Glastonbury Tor, which is where I tend to go when I want inspiration (either physically or in my mind's eye).

So for the past 12 days I have created a new one every day.  

If I was just creating art and writing every day that would be wonderful and it is part of my 2014 plan, however it's not the case right now as I have other commitments.  

I'm a Careers Coach and an external assessor for my university and am often found filling my days with direct contact with students or sitting and marking personal statements.  All stuff I love to do as well.  

However, carving out time to create this has been quite wonderful.  Whilst I'm doing this I'm also spending time working on commissions that I am honoured to be given. 

I always sit quietly with my pad and pencil, often with soft music playing in the background and incense burning. 

Sometimes I'll smudge to clear the energy of the day and declare my art space 'open'.

I will start by drawing the face shape, and then the eyes.

Sometimes I will be inspired by a photograph - I also have a vision book filled with inspirations for me.

Many times the phrase will be on my mind before I even draw the image.

I love playing with words and cutting them out from magazines, I create my own phrases. 

So for instance, Day 2 Layla; "Where there is light, there is harmony" was inspired by a vision page I created.   I was looking for how I symbolise 'harmony' and I realised it was through light.... clear, clean, light.  Either artificial or sun.  Lightness is where there is harmony.  Where there is darkness, often harmony doesn't like to sit. 

We sit by a candle and, we feel harmony
We lie under fairy lights, we feel harmony
We light a 10 night lights, we feel harmony.

This is where my inspiration came from on this day 2nd Day.

When I create the initial sketch, I then fill with colour (ok sorry, if I'm stating the obvious!)  I totally love this phase.

When I'm happy with the whole illustration and she's blessed with Reiki, I then scan her in and play with her in digital software to boost colours and add some mystery and magic.

I have only just started doing this in the past month or so but I so ADORE this phase too.  

It's still all my work but just added sparkle and magic really makes my heart sing and I hope it does you to.  Which do you prefer?

Hop on over to my Facebook page if you'd like to see the rest of them appear daily. 

I'd love to know what you think in the comments below.

Do you have a Muse Inspiration? 

Till Next Week.

Much Love
Jules xxxx

Today I had a deadline of work that needed to be completed by 5pm (or thereabouts). 

I was set up for a day of computer based work in my studio and then something intervened. 

I got a phone call from a friend who had a free ticket for Cats, being shown at the theatre here in Liverpool.  

Cats! Wow! 

I was only just saying yesterday how I'd love to see it (thank you Universe!).

What to do?  

I had to really think about this.

I have quite an important deadline to meet.  Not one of my own exactly but one from an organisation that I work for - so I had to really stop for a moment and ask myself.

What to do?

Ok, so this thing called life.... it's all about noticing and listening to opportunities in front of us right?

One of my desires is to say yes to Musical Theatre more.  

I have said that I want to go more for this for the past year.   I have tended to stay back due to the financial cost but my new desire from now on is to embrace more theatre, regularly.

There I have declared it, I do believe.

So I'm having this dialogue... convincing myself that I need to ask the organisation for some 'wiggle room',  a couple of days extension and I would be able to go to the theatre.

Theatre is one of my Yes'es.
I adore live musical theatre.
Toe-tapping, full-on Musical.
I love anything on stage, live productions.
I'm enamoured by sets, clothing, staging, musical numbers, dancers, singers, lighting.
You name it.
I'm mesmerised.
I feel connected to Life, to Creation and the human capacity to create Magic on stage. 

So here I am thinking about 'wiggle room' and the only way I know I will find out is if I ask.  

Yes, ask.

There's a part of me that doesn't like to let people down, especially people I work for. There's a part of me that thinks they'll think less of me because I haven't managed my time effectively to have had this work done before the day of the deadline.  

(I had already done 76%, this was the last chunk).

But then I came back to the main reason for this.

Musical Theatre was here, on my lap.  

Could I take off the afternoon?

Working for yourself, I'm always faced with a dilemma like this, but the more I develop my business, the more I realise that it helps to fuel my love of self, it inspires me, boosts me and then I return invigorated.

So first off, I write an email.  I didn't lie.  I told the truth.
I said I had been offered the ticket to Cats.

The reply I got was this:-

How could anybody possibly refuse free tickets to see CATS, I have seen it really enjoyed it.

Yes, we will leave processing the remaining work until Friday.

There and then, my wiggle room had been granted.

I was going.

The Magical Lesson of the Day is:

Sometimes we first need to know what is worth wiggling for and then we have to ask for it.

Oh My Goddess.... I loved it.

The costumes, the choreography, the sets, the music, the lighting.  

I had no idea that Cats is based on TS Eliot's book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cat Quotes.

After I left the theatre to walk and catch the bus home, I walked out of The Liverpool Empire onto a bustling Wednesday night of christmas shoppers.

Directly opposite the theatre is the neo-classical building, St George's Hall, built in the 1800's.  Such a wonderful site awash with huge panels of fairy lights, with a Menorah right at the heart of it as 8th day Chanukah comes to a close.

Couldn't be better!

Wiggle room rocks.

What am I saying Yes to?

Yes to losing myself in sketches, colour and magical pens

Yes to an armful of twinkly bracelets that catch the light

Yes to hair that is left to dried naturally

Yes to spontaneous theatre visits and kindness of friends :)

Yes to the heart to heart hug my dog gives me as she stretches herself along my chest.

Yes to stroking my cat’s belly

Yes to studio time

Yes to new and old connections and reconnections

Yes to taking time to light my altar

Yes to soaking my feet

Yes to candles

Yes to fairy lights

Yes to warm sweaters and thick socks

Yes to hot water bottle covers that soothe me

Yes to time off

Yes to time spent with my journal

Yes to hot tea and travel mugs and whipped cream

Yes to wicker baskets

Yes to organised shelves

Yes to warm loving hugs

Yes to kisses 

Do you need to ask for Wiggle Room?   What is it?  

Do let me know in the comments as I would seriously Love to Know.

Have a really lovely week.
Julia xxx