My Art Space = Happy Place

 I am lucky enough to have a whole room to myself to create beautiful things. It took me forever to figure out that I am happiest when I'm in my art room making something for someone else or even for myself.

My aunt asked me to make a baptism card for her granddaughter. It was fun to come up with a design that I never made before.

I have made tons of art and decorated my whole house with it so there's a lot more to come. Stay tuned!

Favorite Find Of The Week

 Thrift shopping is the new black & I'm in love. I have a new obsession with going to Goodwill stores, random thrift shops (like St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store), and other shops that pride themselves on re-purposing items. I try not to buy new when there is so much out there that with a little bit of imagination and maybe a scrub down, it's like brand new. America is obsessed with mass producing items and half of them end up in the clearance aisle because that store bought too much. This is ruining our Earth... I won't go any further, you get the point. 
I love looking for items that "scream" they belong to me and it helps make my house that much more personable.  The hunt, the find, and the good price... why isn't everyone addicted to this? Tons of items are are gently used and some have never been used. There ARE some items that I would be scared to touch but guess what?! I don't have to. I wash and wipe down everything and then it's all mine.

I found this awesome 1950s(ish) orange juice pitcher. There was just something about it that was so happy. I love things with a lot of history and this screamed it. I picture a 1950s family eating pancakes on a Saturday morning with their fresh squeezed orange juice in this simple pitcher. I swear I was born in the wrong decade but instead I was born in the 1980s with the love of a 50s pitcher.    

               Wouldn't you rather have orange juice in my lovely pitcher instead of... cardboard. Yuck! Everything tastes better in a pretty glass and strawberries never hurt anything. 

I also found a beautiful sunshine yellow table cloth and some turquoise/green/white/yellow cloth napkins. Some awesome finds for this lucky girl!

Quote Of The Day

"I am on a journey...

with my work, my explorations, &

a few sad stories.

I travel with a suitcase full of

outrageous blessings.

I am on a quest for truth, beauty,

& a quiet joy.

I am an artist, a writer...

an explorer."

Just Be.

I have spent the last 5 years of my life waiting... trying?...to figure out what I'm supposed to do with my life. Hoping that someday a light bulb will go on and I go and do whatever it is. Hoping that all the stars will align and everything will make sense. Nothing has made sense since the day I graduated in May of 2007. I thought I would graduate, I did, with honors, I did, have a great summer, I did, get a wonderful job, I did... not. Meet new people? Nope. Lose all of my self-esteem? Oh that I did. Think that my college education was a big waste of time and money? Yup! Except for the amazing life-changing people I met there. I wouldn't trade them for the world. But that's it. I have spent HOURS trying to figure out what I am supposed to do just so I can pay back those stupid forever-haunting student loans. I have spent A LOT of time and money, mainly in therapy, trying to figure out, make sense of this madness called life. I have gone through hell and back with depression and I feel like I can say I'm on the other side of the darkness (knock on wood). I feel happy now, most of the time, I feel, peace (huh?). Why yes, I do. I can feel peace and breathe that sigh of relief that I waited to feel for so long. And again, this is thanks to some pretty amazing people God has put in my path.

But, in all the work that I've put in I have found the most peace in two little words that were in a 3 hour conversation with a man from Africa who I don't even remember his name. The words: Just Be. I know, it's random. maybe a little weird. Just Be. It applies to everything.

Just Be: still.  Just Be: happy.  Just Be: with God.  Just Be: good at something. Pick something. Anything! Just Be: it.

Just Be: present.  If you need to be sad or angry. Just Be.

Stop fighting the thoughts, the feelings, the stereotypes, the molds society tries to put you in. Just Be: you.


Isn't that good enough: Just Be you. You don't have to know what defines you. You don't have to map it out all in one afternoon or be pissed that you don't know where to start. You like art. Make it! For who? You, silly! Who else is going to appreciate it more than you?
Music? Or Thrift shopping? Or playing with dogs? Just Be the person you are when you are doing what makes you happiest. Just Be and it will all fall into place.... It has to eventually.

I have a feeling life is really simple. It's so simple we make it complicated. So many people before me have lived with far less than I have and much more of a drive to live life to the fullest. I know they didn't sit on their porch swings saying "I can't wait to start living my life." No, they were living with the thought of Just Be.

It makes me think of this quote: "You don't have to travel to a far country to see great beauty, it's all around you."

If you have the means to travel, do it. But if you don't, change the way you look at things. There is great beauty around us all. Just Be!

I swear God was talking through that man that day. I believe it was my own little sermon God made just for me. I needed to hear it. I prayed sooo many prayers asking for His help. So many times, I thought He forgot about me. But this whole time he was writing a sermon just for me. I'm a lucky girl!







*One day, in the future, I will feel sad, angry, and maybe even throw myself a pity party and I will have this to look at and remember to Just Be. *

Fresh Start

Needless to say, I fell off the blog wagon. I don't believe that I have fallen out of love with photography but I have definitely learned that my heart is with other passions. Now, photography does fall under art, so I know I will dabble here and there but my true passion has always been painting and making art with that and paper.... & fabric & buttons, glitter, ribbon, oh & stamps too! I honestly get in a groove where I will paint like crazy and make like 3 pieces and then I will come across a blog where they give a tutorial on how to make wristlets and then before I know it, I'm dragging out my sewing machine & buying a crap ton of fabric.

I've just decided that I don't want to limit myself. I feel like I have been limited by people around me or limited myself for far to long. I've spent a lot of time realizing that I hold myself back because I was concerned about what people think or what other people do. I am LITERALLY having to train my brain to think differently. It's not easy. It's like ripping up a concrete path with your finger nails and replacing it with mulch and flowers. Hard process but it will be worth it in the end.

So, I'm not limiting myself to anything. Or trying not to. This blog included. I'm not going to judge myself. Not with my thoughts or my feelings or my grammar and punctuation. I know there are some of you out there (ahem.) that will be correcting all my mistakes but just keep it to yourself. I need to figure things out on my own and trust me, I have always judged myself much harder than you ever could.

So, some rules, (mainly for me):
1. No judging - my art may suck but I make it for me. If you like it, it's a bonus in my world. But, you may think "Gosh this girl is awful!" And that's fine but don't spread your hate around here.

2. No erasing. I often feel bad about how I feel and I am working on accepting my feelings instead of suppressing them. I suggest you do the same. Haha!

3. When in doubt take my comments as sarcasm. I have a great sense of humor (i think)and often make sarcastic comments. So when in doubt assume I'm being sarcastic & I never mean to offend.

4. Share your work, advice, quotes (i love quotes!), we all have inspiration to give. And I will be sharing some blogs where I find A LOT of my inspiration. They deserve tons of credit. I will share the love soon and you will thank me when I pass on their magic.

5. Have fun, Have faith, Life is too short not to.

I'm sure I could think of more but that's good for now.

First up, changing the blog. I don't know how or to what but I love changing it around. Then pictures of stuff I've already made. Then we will go from there.

So, let the creating begin!