My Art Blog

How do you keep a surprise party a surprise?

Hello there my name is Dave, I think I told you. I would like to share a short blog with you about a surprise birthday party that organised for my lovely wife.

My wife was approaching 40 so I thought it was right that I should throw a party for her. I wanted it to be a surprise. I informed his family, which consists of his mum and dad and two sisters. I wasn’t quite sure how well one of his sisters could keep a secret so I kept it to a minimum what I actually told anyone. I was going to organise the party with the help of my sister. I knew she could keep a secret. It was essential that Gina should not find out.

I didn’t know where to start so I started making lists. Even the list looks so daunting I had to make lists of the lists! The amount of suppliers I had to call and the amount of people I had to call to get involved just grew and grew. I started looking at caterers and party organisers and even toyed with the idea of getting an events organiser to do the whole thing for me.

I looked at the party organiser and there is a whole world of things you can buy for a party out there. I looked at the fish and chip van, the popcorn cart, the hot dog van and the pizza delivery boy. Finally I decided on the fish and chip van which at which guests place to orders to get fish and chips late in the evening. I ordered chairs and chair covers and a sit down meal for during the day.

All these things took time and a great deal of patience to get organised. But the hardest thing was to keep the whole thing a secret from my wife Gina. I employed the services of his two sisters to help get some things arranged like transport and music. I still wasn’t sure if his younger sister had spilled the beans to her. Anyway I went ahead with my plans and just hoped that he didn’t know.

We ordered the fish and chip van, and the popcorn cart, for the children. The music was organised and a DJ was installed from early afternoon. Gina was sent out for some errands on the morning with a friend. I just hoped he hadn’t cottoned on. His birthday actually fell on the Thursday before the Saturday the party was due to be held.

On the Saturday morning a marquee was delivered and chairs were delivered along with covers. I had my sister and two of Gina’s friends to help me lay out the tables and chairs. The popcorn cart arrived, and I knew that was going to be a great success, especially with the children. The fish and chip was not due to arrive till about 7 o’clock. I had arranged with caterers for a sit down meal to be arranged. They arrived about 10 o’clock to set up their equipment. We had arranged for a curry and a vegetable lasagna to be the two choices on the menu. For pudding we had Eton mess or cheesecake. I kept my fingers crossed that the food would be a success. The lunch was due to be served about 1 o’clock, so with dancing and activities I thought people would be hungry again by about 8 o’clock in the evening. They could eat their evening meal between eight and 9 o’clock and then be ready to dance until about 1 o’clock in the morning. The DJ was booked till 1 o’clock. I have to say he was the star of the show. He played music all day long and varied it so much to change the mood with people arriving, and then sitting down having lunch. They could then enjoy themselves and have their fish and chips between 8 and 9pm ready to be off boogying in the evening until about 1 o’clock in the morning. The DJ was booked till 1 o’clock. I have to say he was the star of the show. He played music all day long and varied it so much to change the mood with people arriving and then sitting down having lunch and then up and dancing in the evening.

Gina arrived home about 12 noon. By this time quite a few people had started to arrive with cards and presents. The garden was decorated and the chairs were laid out in the marquee. Fortunately the weather was kind to us and it was warm and we had no rain at all. It all seemed a big surprise to Gina and he loved every minute of it.  I would never be sure if his sister had spilled the beans to her!

Thank you for sharing my blog with me Dave.

Glass is a beautiful medium and should be used as much as possible, especially around the house. It really helps the look of the house and can be made to look stunning. In many ways, this great product can be used for the obvious glazing options of outside windows, and some are beautiful today.

But it can also be used for splashbacks in kitchens, just go to your local glazier, they can come out and measure up your space and it could look like this;

You must admit, whether you like the colour or not, they do look impressive and can make a great impression and so easy to clean. Glass is a fabulous product, so go think about it, there are so many options to choose from.

Mirrors are another great idea, I will save glass mirror’s for another post, but seriously folks, there are lots of uses for the great material/product/art form that is glass.

As a point of note we used www.bexleyglass247.co.uk to do our kitchen spalshbacks.

The world is changing rapidly but the economy has been too stressed for too long.  Many people have been downsized and needed to find jobs to sustain them.  Many people took jobs not even in their own field or a field that they are interested in– thinking it will be just for a little while and then I can find something I like a lot better –

Just so you know this is not all about doom, gloom and the continuing credit crunch, but rather exploring new possibilities and achieving new goals.

We can either hide under our covers or face our futures fearlessly and full on.   You have a choice. Why not turn futility into fertility and use this time to be creative?

Like a lot of my new clients, for example, who, maybe like you, want to effect some major career changes, get a job they’ll love or maximize and improve on the one they already have.  Many of you, it seems, have been suffering great dissatisfaction in your careers and can’t see their way out. They have been working in organizations that put the bored into board meetings and it has been eroding your sense of self.

Work is such an emotive issue and, like money, has a whole host of unfounded beliefsaround it playing mind games with our psyches.  I once came from school of thought that said “you’re not supposed to enjoy work that’s why they call it work, liking a job is optional having a job is not.”  But I no longer have that belief with the help of some amazing coaching. I now actually enjoy my work as you should.

What scary or self-limiting beliefs do you have about work?

Maybe you subscribe to one of the following schools of thought around what work is

• “It’s a means to an end”
• “Well, it’s just a job. It pays the bills”
• “It’s what my parents wanted for me”
• “I’ve never had a clue what I wanted to do anyway”
• “I can’t complain. At least it’s safe” “Where else would I go?”

As a coach I don’t have within me, my desk drawer or in my magical tool kit the perfect job with your name and requirements written all over it. I can’t help you with that.

Yet, I may be able to help you find the thing you have always been looking for.

When I work with clients to help them find a job that feels fantastic, meaningful and as if they’ve “come home”, it’s a process that takes time and a lot of soul searching.

I say this because there are no quick fixes to finding something you would jump out of bed to get to each day regardless of what they paid you.

A dream job is a blessing and something you can definitely achieve.

In order to get what you want, you need to know what you want.

In order to know what you want, you need to know yourself.It is that simple and that complicated.

In order to know yourself you have to be yourself and to trust in what your heart tells you.  It takes courage, time, patience and belief that you’ll get there.

You probably already know what it is you want to do but you have suppressed or buried it as it may have seemed impractical, not what your parents would have wanted or you simply cannot see how you could make money out of it.

I guarantee the signs have always been there.

I work with my clients to help them clarify what their heart has always been telling them.We explore it further and work to come up with real and practical strategies to get them there.

Let me assure you, there are millions of folks out there doing what they love.  Turning interests and hobbies into lucrative careers, people who can’t believe they get paid to do what they do.  People like me and my clients.

I have stood where you are today feeling resigned, unhappy and yes, a little scared.  Not knowing what to do next is an uneasy place to be.   Why not do what I did, and many others are doing, and dare to look for something better?

Book a “Try Me” session @www.sunnylifecoach.com

Here are some pictures of graffiti art, I hope you like them. I think they are amazing, some more amazing than others, but incredible art. Such depth and colour, and accuracy as some are well known figures as you can see.

These guys who paint these types of work are true artists, and often go on to become very well known, in their own right. If you look around, there is so much art, not just graffiti but pictures, natural art, just look and you will amaze yourself.

And you, your self try some art, you will surprise yourself, it may be good, great, bad but it will be unique.