There is an excitement in the house today, a clattering of tiny voices interrupting the usual calm and quiet.

Everyone is rushing around attending to the finishing touches of their hair and makeup, making sure that there are no fuzzy bits of wool out-of-place and that they all look their very best.

The belly butterflies are rampant and contagious for everyone – except Ester McShred, of course, he doesn’t see what all the fuss is about. Personally, he would rather just go to the gym for a workout.

Today is the day we have all been waiting for, today we are going on a road trip to the Seymour Art Gallery for a sleepover. Actually, “we” doesn’t include me, but I haven’t told them that yet.

Today, all these goof-balls are being taken to their audition (jurying) at the Seymour Art Gallery gift shop. They will be “sleeping over” there until next week when we get the results back.

This is my first attempt at a juried “anything” with my needle felted dolls. I have so far made it to the second step in the jurying process, so that alone makes me hopeful.

I am hesitant to share this process with you, as there is a very real possibility that I could be turned down. It would have been safer to write about it only if I had been chosen, but that is not what this Jodie at Play creative journey is about. It is about sharing the whole process of being an artist, starting from the very beginning. That includes the moments of anticipation when trying something new, the moments of excitement when those new things turn out and the moments of recalibrating when they don’t.

They say “the only failure is when you fail to try”, well I feel like I have already succeeded as I have been brave enough to try.

Now we wait…