Mindful Wednesday WALK ON THE WILD SIDE Free colouring book download

Mindful Wednesday WALK ON THE WILD SIDE Free colouring book download

Hi there!
So glad you found time to drop in.
When you read this I shall hopefully be up, up and away,
en route to California with Dave and my brother Steve,
 for what promises to be the road trip of a lifetime.

But this Mindful Wednesday Blog is fast becoming 
an exceedingly important part of my week,
and I take it far too seriously to miss.
Despite not having packed yet, and having a hundred and one boxes to tick before we depart, I am so glad I can take myself off to a quiet place with you, and speak from the heart for a while. 

At the Port Sunny Show on Saturday, I was fortunate enough to speak to several ladies who are enjoying this particular mindful path I am treading.
Isn’t it amazing how many of us share the same story?
We just don’t know it because so often we lock it up inside
and 

But then, just by sharing openly and honestly,
without shame or fear,
the door opens for others to walk through.
I like that. It feels right.

This week, being as we are heading for San Francisco,
and then hitting the road through the Southwest,
I thought we’d get in the groove.

Remember a couple of Wednesdays ago,
 we talked about actually experiencing what we are doing, 
like drinking a cup of tea?
How often am I so distracted, so not where I actually am, 
caught up in my thoughts?
Sometimes I’ll stop at a set of traffic lights, and wonder how the hell I have just managed to drive 5 miles without even registering the road I’ve travelled !? And I bet you ALL know that one!

So today, let’s talk about walking. 
Actually putting one foot in front of the other.

Most of us take that exercise so very much for granted.
We slip into our shoes and just run around, without feeling the ground beneath our feet, or seeing what we are walking past.
I must add that I am and always have been very mindful 
of disabled people, and those who aren’t able to walk.
We try very hard at the shows to make our Clarity stand 
wheelchair friendly, and accessible for all.

I am guilty of walking without awareness every single day.
I can traipse through an ancient bluebell wood and be having a full on battle with the landlord’s secretary in my head from one end to the other. So why didn’t I just stay at the office?

But today I want to take with me a mindful attitude to America.
When we get there, I want to stay with my feet.
If my feet are in America but my head’s in England, 
then I may as well not even get on the plane.

I know that Wurka and Hollick are intent on coming on the trip.

And given half a chance, they will have me spinning like a top,
 and right back here in my head before my feet even hit the 
U.S. of A.

I have worked out a way to kick them into touch – literally!
By concentrating on the balls of my feet, my mind shoots straight back to where I am. 
Concentrating on my breathing helps too, 
(but I usually reserve that exercise for anxiety attacks!)

In keeping with the theme of walking, 
how about these boots for size?

It’s comical really. 
I have always been so self-conscious of my huge feet.
So what better way to draw attention to them than to wear absurdly outrageous cowboy boots ?

These ones need a bit more scuffing 
or a bit of teabag staining…

These ones require major foot surgery; 
I have way too many toes.
And here are my latest acquisition.
Now them’s some serious shit kickers.

Especially in Edenbridge! 
There are plenty of cowboys round here, too, 
but more of the Transit van variety…

Enough flippant woffle!
Remember the free teapot picture download? 
Well, I can tell you, I have a folder FULL of wonderful, colourful teapots. Thank you so much for joining in.
Keep ‘em coming – I have a plan!

This week I want to offer you another colouring project.
A FREE pair of cowboy boots!
Different sizes, too.
You may recognise the image; it is one of our lovely CLARITYSTAMP DESIGNS.

The thing about these boots is they are quite plain, 
not all ornate and showy, like my mad ones!

This is where you get to customise your own boots.
Mmm. These boots are very open, aren’t they? 
Quite difficult to colour in.
Here’s an excellent example of super colouring in 
by a friend of mine, Diane Whitehouse.
She’s one of the best colour innerers in the business!
But let’s treat this as a de-stressing exercise again, 
not as a test of your colouring skills! 
It would be much easier if they had patterns that you could colour in, don’t you think?
Have you heard of Zentangle? 
Or Filigraphy? Or creative doodling?
It’s a wonderful way to break an image down into smaller more manageable colouring pieces. 
Let me show you what I mean….
These aren’t finished. In fact, the thing about this artistic process 
is that it never looks great until it’s finished..
I am taking them on the plane with me….
Cowboy boots in my hand luggage….
But you get the picture.
By breaking it down into patterned areas, 
you can create the most fab creations.
It also happens to be one of the most relaxing therapeutic pastimes I have ever discovered.
And you don’t even have to apply any colour actually!
If you get to the end, and wish you had done it differently,
then print off another boot and fill it again!
FILL YOUR BOOTS , as they say!!
Please join in, print off a pair of cowboy boots, use the crazy ones of mine for inspiration, and give it a go.
Send a photo of your Zen-Boots to barbaragray123@hotmail.com
I have a cunning plan…
You know it makes sense.
We know it works.
It really does.
Gotta go folks
x
Lots of love,

48 thoughts on “Mindful Wednesday WALK ON THE WILD SIDE Free colouring book download

  1. Hi Barbara
    WWOW- wise words on Wednesday. You inspire us all with your artful skills and your PMA.
    I love your boots and will enjoy colouring them. It is so relaxing. Enjoy the USA .
    Hugs from Chris

  2. Great words of wisdom about mindfulness and I love the boots to colour in. I really must make time for colouring, the teapot is still waiting on my desk to have some colour added.
    Have a great trip and I hope you managed to leave wurka and holic behind.
    Jackie x

  3. Hope you had a good trip Barbara. Thanks for today's blog and the download. I will find time to colour these and the teapot! Like Jane I hope Wurka and Hollick missed the plane – well actually I hope they didn't get as far as the airport. 🙂 hugs xx

  4. I think you should market your own range of boots called 'Shit Kickers' that made me laugh when I tread that. I love to doodle and am looking forward to doing these, I often don't add extra colour mine just doodle the lines and fill in spaces with the same colour of pen. Very relaxing and freeing as well because if you use pen and make a mistake you just have to accept it and make it part of the pattern. Have a super relaxing trip to America, I love San Francisco, blow a kiss to the golden gate bridge for me! Enjoy your time with Mark and Grace. XX

    1. Oh no Donna, I thought the teapot was hard enough!!! I think I’d rather us be doing busy than empty and trying to fill!!! And you haven’t even done half your teapot yet, thanks to me! I’m hoping to let you get back to it soon, even if I don’t feel any better in the next few days, I’ll give it a go again, see if I can find a way round my dodgy eyes!

      Thank you for your reply yesterday. Where I live, we don’t need to go far to get somewhere more rural :-). Just as well because I also have very bad travel sickness, although I've got the magnet pressure point things, that do, surprisingly, work. My arty project is one of many, that kind of spring up in my head and mostly, so far, never get an airing!!!! Hopefully soon I’ll be taking that seat you’re reserving for me on Barbara’s arty train, and all my ideas will be given a go! The trouble will be remembering them as most don’t even get as far as being written down! I should tie a pencil and paper to me, instead of my usual ‘I’ll write that down later’!!! I could give Diane’s idea a go, I’ve got a graphics programme, supposed to be using it, but it kind of got attached to the really bad stuff a year and a half ago and I don’t need any extra reliving of all that! using it is something I can do craft wise when not able to do proper craft. I might come back to you for the name of a good CD instead though!!! Maybe this mindfulness stuff, trying to stay in the present and not let using the graphics programme take me back to the bad stuff! Hey, maybe I am starting to work out what it is, even though consciously I don’t quite get it yet 🙂 Don’t suppose you've got the name of a CD Rom that has maps on it, like ordinance survey ish generic map type thingys with an unrestricted angel policy? I’ve been trying to find one, the one I got has only one page and only a small part of that page is usable for what I’m after. I was thinking of doing something similar to the book pages but using this kind of map and transport /sport stamps for guys cards. How's it going with you? xx

    2. Brenda, I do understand a little of where you are coming from. I have only just summoned up the courage to dive into my craft room to sort it out. That, too, has been associated with the worst time in my life, and only now am I able to do things in there. I spent most of last week filling rubbish bags and recycling boxes with "stuff" that I will never use, and felt so much better when I threw them into the receptacles down at the tip – throwing some of the bad feelings away with them. You do have to do these things at your own pace, and no-one can do it for you. My great need this year is to get to the sea and just listen to the sounds and watch the waves rolling in and taking my bad feelings out with them. I hope you can find your time to face those bad things and throw them away. xxxx Maggie

    3. Thank you Maggie. I totally relate to that. I've done the practical chucking out part for what happened here a year and a half ago, not that long ago actually, and it did make me feel better, lifted something off. Still trying to work out a way to do that with the mental stuff, especially when I've got no closure, no answers as to why, or any chance of the injustices put right, and unfortunately I'm still living it because it's still for real impacting on my current situation. Even more reason to work at Barbara's mindfulness lessons because otherwise they win, eh. I hope Barbara's mindfulness will be able to help you with yours too and you get that trip to the sea this year 🙂 xx

    4. Hi Brenda, have had a look through my CDs (can't ever remember whats on what disc!) have found a couple of useful ones that contain both script and map type backgrounds. The first is by Debbie Moore and is called Vintage Discovery, it has maps in a vintage style and colour a couple are quite dark so may not be the best to stamp and colour on. The script page has birds in the corner but you should be able to get an A5 size out of it easily. The second is from a company called Krafty Hands and is called The Garden – Floral Collection. This one has a whole A4 size script background in a light colour but does also contain little vintage images that are faded into the background. The map page is like an old style flattened globe in a light grey colour again with pictures faded into the background. Hope this helps.

      Don't worry about the teapot, you will feel ready soon I'm sure of it and then we can start again……………I am also going to be doing the boots, are you up for it? XX

    5. Thank you for doing that Donna, very kind of you :-). I'm the same, forget what's on them, or know I have something but can't remember where!!! I'll see if I can find any pictures of these ones. I should be able to lighten the dark colours in craft artist. I'm going to have to try out my ideas now that I've made you go to all this effort 😉 I'm up for attempting the boots but I'm going to struggle even more with trying to get zentangle! You'd think it would be my thing with me doing lots of doodles and lines and stuff on cards but it all has a purpose – embellishment, to frame, to outline, to make pop etc. My Asperger's brain needs it to be logical and a reason, like the teapot, I see what it resembles and choose the colours for that. (I was good at the clouds game!!!) Taking a blank thing and filling it abstractly, that's going against everything my brain screams at me, and is going to be some challenge!!! But you never know if you don't try, eh! Love Brenda xx

    6. Absolutely! You never know, but I have a feeling you will get it. Its all about taking a big shape (the boots) and separating it into smaller sections. Then filling those small sections with a repeating pattern, like dots or stripes. I started by drawing boxes and then filling each box with a pattern. Then I could see which patterns worked well together. I'm no expert but I do love it as I stop thinking about other stuff and think only of the pattern…………….sounding very zen like 😉 love Donna. Xx

    7. Had a wee look at the Debbi Moore one, couldn't see the maps but what I did see looks really useful for incorporating into all sorts of cards /artwork etc. and variations of Barbara's idea. And no ripping pages out of books, yay!!! Didn't think I'd be able to make myself anyway!!! I'm not really into vintage, I'm vintage enough!!!, but it doesn't look vintage vintage, and is on special offer just now so I think I'll treat myself – I'll tell myself it will save me lots of precious time searching, I can spend that time crafting ;-). Thank you

      Hope you've realised that's you talked yourself into helping me fill my cowboy boots in!!!!! 😉 xx

    8. sounding very mindfulness you mean 😉
      right I better get going, I've still got stuff to do for tomorrow and I'm supposed to get up at 10am, that's going to be a tough one! And more important Daisy hasn't had her treats yet! Night night xx

  5. You must as lovely in person because you can't fake it . Welcome to america again . Have a wonderful,time . We will be in Brooklyn New York and also Manhattan visiting our son .,It would be wonderful if you could someday do a class there . I'd be there with my boots on ( I would have to get a pair first) I have been doing Tai Chi for years and there is a mindful, walking meditation .
    Joy now jan

  6. Hi Barbara, hope you're 'nearly there yet'. I think I'm getting an aversion to Wednesdays'!!! Only joking, well kind of only joking!!!! I am working at trying to make sense of this mindfulness and the exercises you set us. The cowboy boots, well that's even worse than the teapot I had trouble with until Donna came to the rescue, zentangle, something I've not been able to grasp. I do kind of have to pay attention to walking anyway, or that should be the pain makes me!!! Mind you if it weren't for the pain reminding me I'd be in real trouble especially if outside of the house!!! If I don't pay attention I'm more than likely to lose my balance and fall!!! When I used to get afternoons out, I was convinced my neighbours must have thought my support took me to the pub and got me drunk!!! You see, I'd walk out of here my normal way, bit not normal, but my usual, but after sitting in the car and or a chair for that long, and the road being on a hill, every time, without fail, when I got back out the car at this end I'd be stumbling and doing that kind of drunk fast walk trying to get balance that drunks do down the hill a bit!!!! The ironic thing is I never drink alcohol, never been drunk, rarely ever tried it when I was younger either! Maybe you do need to let Wurka and Hollick go with you on holiday and teach them mindfulness!!! Clearly trying to banish them doesn't work, but if you taught them mindfulness and fun and relaxing then they could reside in your head in harmony!!!! Hope you have a great time, love Brenda xx

    1. Brenda, I do understand a little of where you are coming from. I have only just summoned up the courage to dive into my craft room to sort it out. That, too, has been associated with the worst time in my life, and only now am I able to do things in there. I spent most of last week filling rubbish bags and recycling boxes with "stuff" that I will never use, and felt so much better when I threw them into the receptacles down at the tip – throwing some of the bad feelings away with them. You do have to do these things at your own pace, and no-one can do it for you. My great need this year is to get to the sea and just listen to the sounds and watch the waves rolling in and taking my bad feelings out with them. I hope you can find your time to face those bad things and throw them away. xxxx Maggie

  7. I have printed out a couple of copies already and another teapot so that I can take them away with me to do during the wee small hours when I cannot sleep in a strange bed. I love the teapot last week. Colouring in is my real addiction but I do have to work harder at doodling with a purpose. It does not come naturally to me as yet. Still, that does mean that I have to concentrate on it so it achieves the purpose of mindfulness, doesn't it? Hope you are there by now and had a good flight. Did you throw Worka and Hollick our mid-ocean without parachutes? Have a wonderful holiday. xxxx Maggie

  8. So much of what you have written today really hits home, thank you. Loving your shirt kickers lol. I have a rather jazzy pink and brown pair myself , I'll send a photo on FB. Love the boot template, your zentangled boots look amazing.

    Wishing you a calm flight and a wonderful break. X

  9. Hi Barb,
    Pack Wurka and Hollick in an old bag with big bottles of water, which will be immediately confiscated at our Customs, so you can jet off without a care in the World. Enjoy.
    Maureen xx

  10. Have a fabulous Time Barbara! Thank you as ever for the mindfulness exercises, boy do I need them at the moment! I shall be printing and doodling till the cow(boys) come home!Wx

  11. Hi Barbara I hope you have a wonderful time away. Keep your head where your feet are and really enjoy the experience. I worked with Visually Impaired children and trying to see the world from their point of view, so I can help them, had certainly made me more aware of my blessings. I do feel I am ready for a big change maybe it is the time of year. Hugs Jackie

  12. Another beautiful mindfulness download I've just sent you my tea pot it was so good to do and helped me a lot as I'm still in the hotel I carnt download the boots till I can get back home and hopefully it will be soon looking at bank holiday whit week fingers crossed hugs to all us crafters xxx

  13. So envious of your road trip – so my sort of holiday so go fill those boots and have loads of fun and laughter – and please post photos along the way!
    Love the download and love the zentangle you have done.
    Everything you say is so very true – we take for granted what we have until we are robbed of it but craft brings so many of us together that those issues melt away and we all become one.
    Safe flight to the three of you – yee haw!!!
    Much love to you all
    Kim xx

  14. Have a lovely trip and I hope Wurka and Hollick don't disturb you at all. I haven't even started colouring the teapot yet so am playing catchup. Will definitely give that and the boots a go though it might take me a bit of time to complete them both. It is true that colouring and Zentangle are both very destressing. Take care and enjoy life on the open road! x

  15. Hi Barbara
    Well by the time i get to mail u you will by up up and away on your trip. Have a wonderfull time.
    Thank u so much for another colouring project something so different to keep us all challanged.
    What a wonderfull way to sit in the sun and colour just like the grand chrildren but for big girls!!
    Once again many thanks xx

  16. Just printed my teapot today so a week behind, hopefully I can catch up. The boots are great, looking forward to zentangling them. Love what you did with yours. All what you say is oh so true, many a time when I've walked or driven, you suddenly come back to the here and now and can't remember the bit in between. Have a super break with Dave and your brother, hope you've left Wurka and Hollick on the plane.xx

  17. Wonderful post Barb, we do take walking for granted and not take in enough around us, I am sure we all do it. I certainly can understand the driving down a road and not realising what is around I do that every morning on my way to work, I am in auto pilot in the card lol!

    Love your boots, I wont download this one if you don't mind but only because I still have not got round to doing the beautiful tea pot, my Mother-in-law died on Sunday so I have not had time to do any craft and I really want to get the teapot to you.

    Have a great time (goes without saying lol!) in USA and especially with your children.

    Love & Hugs

    Jacquie J xxx
    http://jewelscardcraft.blogspot.co.uk/

  18. Oh, where did that time go? I started on my teapot, gabe myself strict instruction to spend 30 minutes a day getting mindful and almost as quickly abandoned it in favour of filling my time with more distractions! I am determined to get this mindfulness into my life so will pull out my teapot tomorrow, Then i'll be ready for the zentangle and I may have caught up by the time you are back from you jollies. Have a fab time.

  19. Hi Barbara &dave loved the blog and the boots are fab loved the shit kickers. Have a brilliant holiday safe journeys and happy landings stay safe barb dave and Steve love always xxxxxxxx

  20. Thanks for these Wednesday blogs Barbara they really are making me think a lot about my self and my world of stress and worry so thankyou again and have a great time looking forward to your wee photos of your travels if you don't mind sharing again safe trip….Dot..x

  21. Hi Barbara
    Love your cowboy boots, they are fab, big feet are great, they stop you falling over in the wind( in theory!) haha. Oooh the boot pictures look interesting, need to print off a couple of them and have them ready for daughter to do as exam stress relief! We did our mindfulness bit today, we took revision cards into the garden to sit in the sun and ended up listening to the bird song, lots of different birds and the constant cheaping of our baby blue tits. So much better than chemistry revision that I don't understand!
    I hope you have a fabulous holiday, are you on Harley's ? I hope you told Worka and Hollic you were going to Australia so they caught the wrong plane! Haha.
    Have fun and travel safely.
    Love Diane xxx

  22. Love all the boots, particularly the 'shit kickers '! I used to walk everywhere, it was my transport! I could out walk anyone and loved it! Everyone used to comment on it – loads of comments saying 'how do you do it' etc. 'I don't get tired' I used to say! Then I got glandular fever and almost nine years later, still battling with ME, I miss my walking. I took it for granted and thought I would be forever fit! Hey ho. It could be a lot worse! Have an awesome trip and as the song says, 'those boots are made for walkin'……..' xxx

  23. Hello Barb and co travellers Dave and Steve, hope your journey went without a hitch. Have a great time. Love the boots Barb, I know what you mean about big feet, we can always compare sizes. I took a long walk the other day, first time in ages, it is amazing what you see when not in a car. My teapot is still a WIP – taking it slow and doing it when I need to change the direction of my mind, but am loving the boots, so will download it and save it for later. Thanks for the great blog post. And if for any reason my other response appears – blame technology. Take care. Bx

  24. Have a great holiday Barbara, I wish I was following in your footsteps, though in my case, I'd be sitting on Rosie, my faithful mobility scooter! Definitely going to colour in those boots.

  25. Have a great holiday Barbara, I wish I was following in your footsteps, though in my case, I'd be sitting on Rosie, my faithful mobility scooter! Definitely going to colour in those boots.

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