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Popular Reads from the Studio

PAINT PURPOSE & NAVIGATING THE MESSY MIDDLE

Life  in the so-called “messy middle” is real. It’s that peculiar phase where everything you’ve been doing to juggle life, work, family, and just existing seems to collide—and your body and mind throw up their hands in protest. For me, it showed up as a feeling of discontent. A “wake-up call” the realisation that I’d stumbled into “Sniper Alley” and the realisations that come to meet you in the "Alley"  I remember laughing with a friend about how entering your 50s should come with a warning label and a welcome drink. Everything starts to feel a bit… off. You push through—because we’re good at that, right? You brush it off, go to work, help the family, show up for friends, and keep moving. But eventually, you notice you’re running on autopilot and that glass of wine or comfy blanket isn’t doing the trick anymore. So I started having those deeper conversations with others—turns out many of us are standing knee-deep in the messy middle too. We’re surrounded by wellness trends, s...
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HEART IN PAPER - FIND AND CREATE YOUR MOMENT

  Welcome to My First Blog:  A Place to Pause, Reflect, and Maybe Even Belong:   "Crafted Moments - The Beginning" by Nicky Bourke  There’s nothing particularly remarkable about me—at least, that’s what I used to think. I’m in my mid-50s, married, and a proud mum to a teenage daughter. We live in beautiful New Zealand, in a home my husband built with his own hands. It’s more than a house—it’s a labour of love, complete with blood, sweat, tears, and yes… a few swear words too. The gardens have grown slowly over the years, filled with plants begged, borrowed, gifted, or discovered at sales. Every bloom, every branch tells a story of patience and persistence. And now, when I look around, I see the vision we had taking shape before my eyes. They say “Home is where the heart is,” and I believe that deeply—because this home holds mine. So, What’s This Blog Really About? That’s a good question. This blog needs to have purpose—and more importantly—it needs to conne...
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CREATIVE EVERYDAY INSPIRATION - EMBRACING THE JOURNEY

Nicky's Blog Space Blog 2 'Creative Everyday Inspiration' Letting the Words Flow – From My First Blog Journey “The first step in creativity is setting your thoughts free”. Starting this blog wasn’t the hard part. My mind had been swirling with ideas for years, and never really having the time to  finally put them into words was a rush of pure freedom. The real challenge has been shaping those thoughts into something meaningful to share. Now I’m considering redesigning that first post – the font feels off, the background image is frustratingly wrong, and honestly, I have no clue how to fix it. Yikes! Time to learn, grow, and embrace the journey.  Bear with me - technology and me are another challenge altogether. Here’s the thing: I’m not going to go back to change it. That first post captured a moment of pure elation – the joy of finally letting the trapped words pour out. This blog is about discovery and growth, and I want you to see the evolution, mistakes and all. I’ll s...
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From Attics to Algorithms: Reviving Family Art in the Age of AI

Who I am today is because of who they were — and how we can now share it with others... Why this story matters Art isn’t only what’s on the paper—it’s the hands, the history, and the hilarious detours behind it. I grew up with paint-splattered mugs, half-finished vases, plates, rocks, and a mother who could turn a quiet afternoon into a full-blown creative experiment. Today, I’m bringing those pieces (and my great-grandmother’s watercolours from over a century ago!) out of the attic and into the world—thanks to a very modern toolkit. Growing up in Waikanae, a small town on the Kāpiti Coast of New Zealand, I spent quite some time watching as my mother learned to paint, asked for feedback, and continued navigating her own life in colour. My great-grandmother was a talented watercolour painter herself, but likely wasn’t aware of how her art would touch me 100 years later—a few of her pieces I’m lucky enough to have and enjoy as wall p...
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Never Say Never — Creating From a Moonboot

Never Say Never — Creating From a Moonboot Finding comfort in colour, creativity, and community. It’s been a while since my mind felt full of thoughts worth sharing. A few years ago I broke my ankle; recently I had surgery to repair ligaments and clean out the joint. Six weeks of crutches and a moonboot later, I’m learning a new kind of patience. Not being able to drive, walk far, or do much without help has been its own awakening—and I’m deeply grateful for the love, kindness, and generosity of friends and family who keep showing up. It’s 5:15 on a Monday morning. Boston (my cat) is tucked beside me while rain taps the roof and windows. Creativity feels like comfort today, and the need to express it has me up early, typing away. You know my love for colour and my ongoing search to uncover my creative voice. With mobility limited, my focus has shifted: I’m discovering how technology—ChatGPT, Facebook, Zazzle, Instagram—can carry my thoughts and creatio...
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