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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 10
#WhatILearntThisWeek
The battery in my car recently died and for 24 hours I couldn’t figure out how to reset the radio. I don’t drive a lot as I work form home but it wasn’t until I was left sans radio that I realised how important singing in the car is to me.
Something happens when you’re alone in the car and a ‘sing-along’ song comes on… this is a song that you know all of the words to and is in your range so you can sing it loud and proud. It’s hugely satisfying, a great stress relief and good exercise for your lungs… but there is a letting go that happens (at least for me) that somehow cleanses me of my stresses.
Today I had the radio on 101.7 WSFM and Toto’s Africa came on… this has to be one of the best ‘sing-along’ songs of all time. I really let go and sung my freaking heart out. Mid song I did become aware that while no one could hear me, they could see my enthusiastic and energetic performance including air drum solo… I decided not to give a fuck and kept going. By the end of the song I was practically out of breath and exhausted but felt bloody awesome.
It’s a magic that is hard to replicate… so make sure that at least a few times a week you have a reason to be on your own in your car, find a daggy radio station that plays songs you know really well and let it rip… it’s good for the soul (just keep your windows shut as you don’t want to get arrested for noise pollution).
[youtube id=”FTQbiNvZqaY&list=RDFTQbiNvZqaY” align=”center” maxwidth=”1000″]
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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 9
#WhatILearntThisWeek
With fast food on every corner and a new food TV show premiering every other day it’s easy to see that as a culture we are obsessed with food.
Regardless of our weight we are all pretty preoccupied with food. I myself am guilty of this. We use food to make ourselves feel better if we’re a bit sad, reward ourselves for working hard at the gym or to celebrate life’s milestones. But something insidious happens when we start using food as a constant reward… we want to feel good so we eat something rich and delicious and the vicious cycle begins.
It’s not just the amount of food we are eating… it’s the richness of food that is a huge problem. It used to be that rich sauces and mayonnaise were treat items, or that rich decadent cakes and heavy deserts were a once in a while indulgence… now everyone wants to feel rich and decadent all the time. This is taking a toll on our dress size, waste line, long-term health and emotional wellbeing.
I am guilty of this myself… if I’m having a particularly bad day and am in loads of pain I will comfort myself with a row or two or a block of chocolate. But what happens when you’re having 10 bad days in a row… or you have that much pain every day for the rest of your life? Do we still keep comforting ourselves with what we used to consider ‘occasional’ foods?
The difference between an addiction to food and other substances is that we cannot stop eating food. We need it to survive. So what is the answer? The answer is to not eat your feelings. Easier said than done – I know. But the next time you want to eat a snickers bar because your boss yelled at you, be aware of what you’re doing. Is eating that snickers really going to make you feel better? or are you temporarily filling the hole you feel inside with junk? only to feel empty again in a little while?
Food has a functional side and we should try to focus on this. If we eat clean healthy food 80% of the time then we can indulge for the remaining 20% of our meals. The great thing about not indulging all the time is that when you do it feels special… it actually means something. If you’re eating 4 meals a day, that’s 28 meals a week… if you take 20% of that you can have 4-5 meals indulgence meals a week.
This is not about weight loss… this is about health. Both physical health and mental health can benefit from exercising restraint when it comes to our diet. Being healthy does not mean living like a monk… just be sensible and keep your indulgence for the weekends. Have a good lunch x
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Tosca the dog
what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 8
#WhatILearntThisWeek
Have you noticed that nobody is listening? You probably haven’t, as you’re too busy talking.
There has been a fundamental shift in our collective attention spans as we are constantly bombarded with images, text and sounds from every angle. There are so many things competing for our attention that we have forgotten how to have a conversation.
Notice in use of the world ‘exchanged’ in the definition of conversation. It indicates that the talking is two way… not a monologue.
I have partaken in a lot of monologues lately and I’m not the one doing all the monologuing. I keep getting talked at more and more. I have finished 3o minute phone calls and realised that I contributed nothing (not for lack of trying). I have caught up with friends to only later realise that after the compulsory ‘how are you going’ greeting there was no discussion of my life, my dreams, my views or me. . Am I doing something wrong? Are people using mates as free therapy? Can we please go back to a two-way discussion?
The next time you have a chat with someone just sit back and observe what is going on. Are you overrunning the conversation and not letting anyone else chime in? Or are not getting a word in? Whichever one you are, something has to change.
Maybe you could be direct and let your friends or family know that you desire conversation and not to be talked at. Or maybe you can make a point of stopping your mouth for a moment and letting someone else fill the space with noise. There is a lot to be gained from good conversation. We can learn from our friend’s points of view… even if we don’t agree with them.
Try to have a conversation today… an exchange of ideas. You might enjoy it!
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Chloe the dog
Toshi the cat
what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 7
#WhatILearntThisWeek
Things cannot grow forever… this is true of people and living things, the economy, the planet, the universe… basically everything!
Every day you see politicians on TV talking about jobs and growth, jobs and growth… but growth cannot be eternal. Politicians want eternal economic growth so they want to increase the population to make this happen… there are limits. One day we will run out of room and resources to sustain ‘economy’ saving population growth and what will we do then? Surely growth will have to stop and decay will begin.
People, animals and plants don’t grow forever (with the exception for some species of sponges in the ocean off Antarctica and some black coral that could be thousands of years old but one could argue that they don’t really grow but keep regenerating). All things within the world we know and live in will come to an end… eventually.
Maybe it’s the end that makes the middle so much better. If we didn’t have a deadline for our work we would likely never get anything done. Likewise, if we didn’t know that one day we are going to die then we would never get anything done. Our guaranteed demise is what makes us the creative, productive and awesome creatures we are.
So why do we think that empires will always grow, economic growth MUST always move in an upward direction, that the stock market must grow and that the earth can sustain uncontrolled population growth FOREVER. Like all great civilisations in the past ours will one day crumble and another will emerge to take its place.
I’m sure in the time of the Roman Empire no one could ever envisage it’s demise but we know that once great civilisations collapsed and other civilisations sprouted up from their ruins. Just as O.J. Simpson was a greatly admired sportsman and celebrity in the 1980’s… look at him now!
Growth cannot be eternal, fame cannot last forever, young perky bosoms cannot stay perky for an eternity, our favourite plants will eventually die and yogurt will eventually go off. So keep this in mind (in a good way) and appreciate everything we have right now… it won’t last… maybe something better will take its place but just in case lets make the most of what we’ve got RIGHT NOW!
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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 6
#WhatILearntThisWeek
By observing people (including myself) I have come to the conclusion that humans are addicted to suffering.
Think about it! We know logically what we should do to live a better life, feel great about ourselves and live longer BUT how many of us actually do that! Sadly not the majority 🙁 Don’t get me wrong… I am super guilty of this so I am not passing judgement.
We know that if we get up in the morning and go for a walk in the crisp morning air we are going to feel great for most of the day… but do we do it often? NO!
We know that lying in bed all weekend watching reruns of True Blood may temporarily satisfy us but it will make us feel horrible about wasting an entire weekend and getting nothing done. Do we put down the remote and go out to brunch with mates? NO!
We know that eating foods that are no good for us (for me things I’m allergic to) will make us sick (either in the short or long term) but can we stay away from their deliciousness? NO!
I’m not sure why this is true for most humans and what the evolutionary advantage was for doing things that make us feel bad, but I’d sure like to understand why.
So maybe in an absence of understanding we can choose to identify it as a problem and change our behaviour. Easier said than done. However, if we are aware that what we are doing is making us miserable or less happy than we could be then maybe we can do something about it regardless of our lack of understanding as to why we do it in the first place.
So get up early on the weekend, eat food that makes your body sing and get out in nature. We don’t have to know why we enjoy suffering so much but we can decide to stop wallowing in it 😛
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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 5
#WhatILearntThisWeek
Sugar addiction is real and getting off the white stuff can really hurt!
I went sugar free a few years ago. And when I say sugar free I mean processed sugar free. I still ate fruit and less processed sugars like coconut sugar.
In January last year (2015) I went on a really strict elimination diet to once-and-for-all determine what foods make me sick. While on such a strict diet my managing dietician advised I go back on sugar as so few food options were available to me and that I would likely go nuts. I really enjoyed the sugar rush and embraced my new sugary reality.
Now that I know what I can’t eat I have also put on a few extra kilos. I put this weight gain down to the sugar I so enjoyed.
Since 1 January this year I have tried to incrementally reduce my sugar intake (once all of the Christmas chocolate and candy were consumed) and it’s just as hard the second time around. Perhaps it is harder as I no longer have the crutch of coconut sugar (no one can tell me definitively if it contains salicylates or not).
I have had MASSIVE sugar cravings and at times feel positively cranky looking for a sugary fix. I know it will pass but it hasn’t passed yet. Most of the foods that people consume to make the transition easier are off the table for me, so I’m going cold turkey. The only kind of cold turkey I enjoy is thinly sliced on a sandwich with lettuce and cranberry jelly – but I’m also allergic to that! Does the madness ever end?
It’s safe to say that I may have an occasional indulge on the white stuff in the future (no one can be a saint forever) but I will never go back on it. Having a lapse or treat day is very different to forming a habit. Habits are hard to break… I will beat the white daemon but don’t piss me off in the meantime LOL.
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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 4
#WhatILearntThisWeek
We recently had a big storm. It was a big deal and our street even made it onto the evening news. Trees brought down power lines and poles and we were technically homeless for a few days. On the 3rd day the power was restored and we moved back home and started cleaning up the mess.
I have spent the last 2.5 weeks trying to get Telstra to reconnect my phone line and cable Internet connection. Every time I speak to someone in their offshore call centres they are perfectly polite and they promise to get it fixed. However, it never happens. Technicians have been booked that don’t turn up. The ones who do turn up cannot make the reconnection as a really big cable has been cut and they book it in to be repaired.
Days later it is still not repaired and the cycle starts all over again.
Now I am getting text messages from Telstra telling me that my phone line is working (which means they are no longer trying to fix it) but it is not working, as they have not restored the large cable that supplies the whole street. I called them back to let them know that it has not been fixed and they sent a technician right away to secure downed power lines – clearly something was lost in translation and he could see the problem but could not fix it.
I even made a complaint to the ombudsmen and Telstra didn’t bother to call me after that. They clearly don’t give a shit. What gets me is the denials, broken promises and blatant lies.
I have now made contact with someone in the complaints department and it should be fixed in another week… just not good enough.
On the flip side Ausgrid (another seemingly soulless corporation) have been great with recent storm related outages, updating us instantly on their website and via twitter. They get it and they talk to their customers. If only Malcolm Turnbull lived on my street… I’m sure I would have been connected by now.
Telstra Sucks ☹
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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 3
#WhatILearntThisWeek
I am conflicted about Australia day… I am so incredibly proud of Australia and the fact that I am Australian. My parents made the brave decision to come to here from South America at a time when the Internet was non-existent and long distance phone calls were very expensive and could not be made at home.
I have had a wonderful life in this glorious country and have had many opportunities to live the best life I can.
However, Australia Day doesn’t sit well with me… this day seems to mean something other than pride in the racist bogan minority. They seem to think it’s a day to celebrate white Australia and take the opportunity to intimidate our migrant brethren (including a part of me I guess).
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of Australia Day is the date… we seem to be celebrating and gloating about what our Aboriginal brothers and sisters call Invasion Day. I’m not sure how we can expect our Aboriginal friends to jump for joy on a day that is celebrating the arrival of their violent oppressors.
In Hawaii they don’t jubilantly celebrate Pearl Harbour Day… they hold remembrance ceremonies and cherish the dead. They don’t hold street parties in Hiroshima on the anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb… it is a sombre remembrance of tragedy and suffering.
I don’t claim to have the solution but I do know that something is not quite right. We should have a MASSIVE party and a public holiday to celebrate what it is to be Australian (for all Australian’s black white and in-between) how bloody lucky we are. There has to be a way we can celebrate that includes Indigenous Australia and celebrates their survival.
Happy Australia Day and VIVA AUSTRALIA!
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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 2
#WhatILearntThisWeek
“I’ve always depended on the kindness of strangers.” Blanche DuBois, A Streetcar Named Desire.
I am writing this in a local cafe using someone else’s log in and password 🙂 A recent mega storm rocked my suburb and I posted updates of what was happening with the intention of sharing my experience. Luckily even though for a time I could not access my home and then couldn’t stay there for a few days I was sweetly surprised by the offers of help form absolute and relative strangers.
I posted a short video of the devastation on a local community group just to let everyone know what is going on and I received offers of help from strangers I had never even heard of before. People were offering to help me out with somewhere to stay, a meal or an opportunity to charge my devices. It was really lovely.
I was very lucky to have family very near by and they took us in without question or complaint. It was actually kind of fun to have extra hanging out time with my sister and brother-in-law – it seems you have different conversations when you visit someone verses when you stay in the same space for a while.
It was comforting to see neighbours helping each other out and a lovely man who I had not met until the storm even came to my house and helped is cut down a badly damaged tree.
Then when I did the #firstworldproblem whinge about no internet and using up all of my mobile data, someone I worked with 20 years ago offered to share his log in and password to his Telstra Air account so that I could access the net via his credentials.
I am often too proud to ask for help but this experience has taught me that it is not just offering help that makes a community – accepting it is also part of the deal.
Thank you to everyone who offered and helped. I live in a wonderful world.
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Ebony the dog
what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 1
#WhatILearntThisWeek
The old saying ‘you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone’ also applies to the gym.
Over Christmas my gym/Pilates studio shut down for 3 weeks and it felt like a great break. However after a week I started getting up early and doing a much bigger home workout than normal and by the time the gym opened again I couldn’t wait to get back in there.
It’s amazing that in such a short period of time I can lose muscle strength. I’m now working hard on getting back to where I was at the end of 2015. It won’t take long (fingers crossed) but I will have to take extra measures next holiday season to make sure I stay fit and strong in the off-season.
GET MOVING and stay strong!
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Bianca the dog
Sally the dog
@cectimm #whatImdrawing
“My mum & dad wanted me to send you a big thank you for the picture of Sally … They think it’s perfect.” – Amanda
[contact-form-7 id=”3580″ title=”Pet Portrait”]
Sugar the dog
@cectimm #whatImdrawing
“It was one of the best presents I have given my folks.” – Taga
[contact-form-7 id=”3580″ title=”Pet Portrait”]
Florence the bunny
Sparky the dog
@cectimm #whatImdrawing
“Cecilia your work is beautiful!” – Natalie
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Tama the dog
@cectimm #whatImdrawing
“I can’t stop looking at the picture. You have done an amazing job and I can’t thank you enough.” – Min
[contact-form-7 id=”3580″ title=”Pet Portrait”]
Turbo the dog
@cectimm #whatImdrawing
“You have totally captured him – surpassed, WAY beyond my expectations!.” – Anna
[contact-form-7 id=”3580″ title=”Pet Portrait”]
what i learnt this YEAR:: 2015
#WhatILearntThisYear #WhatILearntThisWeek
For many years I wrote long lists of resolutions that I never fully completed and finding these lists unfulfilled made me feel like a failure. I decided to change something and at the beginning of 2015 I said “NO MORE RESOLUTIONS”! Instead I decided to start my own new tradition and began sharing one lesson I learnt each week with the world.
I didn’t prepare these in advance… it really was some kind of revelatory thought I had each week and regardless of wether it was read or shared by anyone I really got something out of marking each week with a lesson learnt.
In the end it was about practicing mindfulness. Taking a moment in my week to either come up with something amazing I had learnt that week or choose from a massive list of lessons learnt… take the time to fit it into a short and concise sentence… get out my paper and makers to draw it up… scan it in and make it into a jpg file… write it up and explain what it is I meant… share it with everyone or no one… this in itself was an act of mindfulness.
In a way it was a weekly reflection, a moment to stop time from just passing me by and meditate on my week, my mind, my heart and my feelings. It has been bloody lovely.
I have received some wonderful feedback on some posts (both privately and publicly) and criticism and ridicule for the occasional typo (both privately and publicly) – both of which I’ve taken on the chin. This project hasn’t really been about what other people think (although that can be lovely) it’s been about sharing my thoughts kind of for my own sake.
So maybe instead of writing out a long list of resolutions you could make just one resolution… practice some kind of mindfulness in 2016. It might be walking, running, napping, laughter yoga, mediation, prayer, journaling, practicing gratitude, therapy, wine with girlfriends, a chat to your mum, spending time with your dog, leaving your phone at home, drawing, writing, nude bush walking, base jumping… whatever your mindfulness drug of choice is make a point of stopping your crazy busy day-to-day life and be alone with your mind, take a breath and maybe you too will find some clarity and happiness… at least it worked for me 😛
Happy New 2016… may your year by filled with laughter, mindfulness and lots and lots of joy xo
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what i learnt this week :: WEEK 52.14
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There is a 53rd Monday in 2015 but it is not an entire week so I’ve rounded it down and am calling this one Week 52.14.
The best thing you can make sure you have in life is an amazing base. What is an amazing base I hear you ask? It’s a safe place filled with people who love and support you. This may be your family of birth or your family of choice or a blend of both but it’s the people who prop you up in life who know you can do better and encourage you to shine.
Barbara Streisand said it best with the lyrics “People, people who need people, are the luckiest people in the world.” Humans are pack animals and as much as we would like to think that we could be 100% independent, the truth is we need people and at the same time ‘people’ need us. So it’s best to choose who these people will be and not just let fate dictate.
When I was younger I let people choose me… if someone liked me that was enough for me to accept them into my life. I ended up with a large and eclectic group of friends and they weren’t necessary good for me. Some people make themselves feel better by putting you down, don’t encourage you to be your best self or are happiest when you’re down. It takes time to figure out what a good friend is and what qualities you need and want in your nearest and dearest.
On the flip side, just because you are related to someone it does not automatically guarantee that they want what is in your best interest. Being related is not enough to guarantee a seat at your “inner circle” table. Sometimes we have to distance ourselves from relatives who put us down, feel threatened by our dreams or success and make us feel bad about ourselves.
I can honestly say that 90% of everything about me that is awesome is directly influenced by the ‘knights of the Cecilia table’ – the people I hold close and trust with my dreams and ideas. Some members are blood relatives and others are family of choice. I know I can stand up in the world and share my thoughts, illustrations and words with you because I have this amazing base.
I wish everyone had an amazing base because you can do so much more than you dreamed possible if you have a team of backers and advisors pushing you forward.
Start curating your own “inner circle” table and choose wisely 😛
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Lil’ Wendy: 52 week illustration challenge WEEK 52
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what i learnt this week :: WEEK 52
#WhatILearntThisWeek
I’m not sure exactly why but I seem to be less tolerant to the excesses of Christmas.
Did I always get sleepy after eating WAY WAY TOO MUCH DELICIOUS FOOD? Or am I just remembering through rose coloured memories?
I just can’t seem to sustain a full week of eating terribly rich and highly sugary foods like I used to. Three days into my week of debauchery and I’m opting for my normal healthy breakfast of yogurt + oats + banana + raw cashews. I’ve also started having a healthy lunch that contains a reasonable amount of calories – when did this start happening?
I used to go a full 7 days up until the New Year before I thought about getting back on the ‘normal’ eating band wagon.
Don’t get me wrong… there are still an abnormally large amount of chocolates and rich deserts in the house and I’m doing my best to get through them all (in between my sensible meals of course). I am eating WAY WAY more chocolate and sugar than I do in my daily life and it’s making me feel a bit crap. But even this seems like much less than I used to be able to handle.
I almost want it to be over so I can get back to normal… I’m not sure if I should binge hard and get it over with or be sensible and stretch it out over the coming weeks. A part of me wants to start the New Year with a clean slate – and a clean kitchen cupboard.
Please don’t suggest giving it away – I am not yet that mature and the idea is abhorrent to me LOL!
I will make my way through – and maybe next year I will rely on the chocolates and sweets given to me instead of adding to the problem with my massive amounts of baking. I hope you’re getting through the silly season without getting diabetes.
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ADVENT Colouring in competition: the WINNER + honourable mentions
#BonusAdvent #52WeekIllustrationChallenge
Drum roll please… and the winner is Dimitri. Showing true imagination, Dimitri stuck his colouring in to cardboard, used amazingly bright colours and cut out his entries into hangable decorations that he put on the tree. Ten out of ten for originality and taking it to the next level. A crafty and creative prize pack is coming your way Dimitri 🙂
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
A great idea
While not exactly an entry… I do love this idea shared by Kim Bergstrom. She set out a colouring in station on Christmas Day with colouring in form different artists to keep the kids busy and productive. What an awesome idea!
Thank you for all of your wonderful entries… it’s delightful to see different interpretations of my drawings. While I’m taking a bit of a break over the holidays I will be sharing more work in the New Year.
Congratulations Dimitri on winning… your imagination is fantastic and I look forward to seeing more of your work in 2016.
52 week illustration challenge BONUS: ADVENT 25
#BonusAdvent #52WeekIllustrationChallenge
Feel free to share my work, please link back to my site. Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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Merry Christmas to all and to all a wonderful holiday
#MerryChristmas
Merry Christmas to all.
May you have a wonderful holiday season with your people. It’s wonderful to take the time to appreciate the ones we love and remember the ones who are no longer keeping us warm at night.
This years Christmas message (as usual) features my boy Leroy Brown who recently left us. Even though he’s not here I can still feel his presence and I hope he’s looking down on all of us this year.
Have a wonderful time and remember to be grateful for all the wonderful things we have.
52 week illustration challenge BONUS: ADVENT 24
#BonusAdvent #52WeekIllustrationChallenge
Feel free to share my work, please link back to my site. Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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what i learnt this week :: WEEK 51
#WhatILearntThisWeek
Being out and about in Sydney and her leafy surrounding suburbs this week I have encountered the good, the bad and the ugly.
I really love Christmas. It is a huge deal in our family even though we are not religious. It’s a glorious celebration of family and it’s a really big production in our house.
However when you’re in the shops you see people who are worn down, frustrated, angry and who are not feeling the Christmas spirit. It seems that the pressure to have a perfect Christmas has taken a lot of the fun out of it and it’s sad when the joy is lost.
I find it interesting the way people buy in the supermarket. They purchase food as if the world is ending. The amount of food they buy and I wonder how much of it will really get eaten and how much will end up in landfill! The shops will only close for one maybe two days max. It’s just Christmas NOT armageddon! The shops will open again in a day or two and forgetting the icing sugar shouldn’t ruin Christmas for everyone.
I hope your Christmas is fantabulous and full of fun, family and frivolity 🙂
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52 week illustration challenge BONUS: ADVENT 23
#BonusAdvent #52WeekIllustrationChallenge
Feel free to share my work, please link back to my site. Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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52 week illustration challenge BONUS: ADVENT 22
#BonusAdvent #52WeekIllustrationChallenge
Feel free to share my work, please link back to my site. Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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52 week illustration challenge BONUS: ADVENT 21
#BonusAdvent #52WeekIllustrationChallenge
Feel free to share my work, please link back to my site. Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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