Kelly Rae Roberts's Blog, page 53
July 19, 2012
this is my anxiety story.
I've written this post in my head countless times. I kept waiting to get to the other side of this particular struggle before I shared. And then the other side never came, even with lots of effort. I often wondered if I'd ever get to the other side at all. I *think* I'm there....and I want to tell the story...
This is my zoloft story. My OCD story. My anxiety story.
For most of my life I've struggled with some variance of anxiety - perhaps related to losing a parent at a young age, perhaps to genes, perhaps to early life trauma/drama, perhaps to life. Whatever the reason/root/cause - I've had it. Lots of it, especially before I started making art. All the women in my family seem to have it, too. And most of the men. For me my anxiety manifested itself all the way to the extreme of the spectrum when I had a run in with full-on OCD when I was 19 years old. I was in college, and totally completely utterly freaked out by what my brain was doing. I will spare you the details, but I will say that it was extreme, causing major interruption in my life (school, work, sleep, etc). Luckily, a nine month effort of counseling and a newish OCD drug at that time (called Luvox) helped me tremendously. Add in some amazing friends + family, a supportive (but equally freaked out by my compulsive/repetitive behavior) boyfriend, and a major reduction in stress (my course load was too much, work hours were too much, etc etc), I made it through and successfully weaned off the drug within a year.
(that's me on the right around the time of my OCD journey)
I never forgot that experience and how on-my-knees-grateful I was to get through it without suffering my entire life with OCD. I wouldn't wish it's merciless grasp upon anyone and I have deep compassion for those who suffer. I also remember feeling grateful that modern medicine was able to help me, coupled with traditional counseling (cognitive). Even then, I was skeptical of popping a pill, but I was desperate and in big need. And I'm so glad I did it. 15 years later, I would find myself in that space again of desperate need, this time it wasn't OCD, but rather PTSD.
(me, during my PTSD journey)
I've shared a little bit about my birth trauma here in this space. The PTSD hit about two-three weeks following the birth and it was unrelenting - in the shower, in the car, in bed - could not escape it. A constant reliving of specific moments, a constant stream of phantom crying, a constant stream of awful visions of worry that something or someone (other than me) would harm my baby - all related to a specific moment during my labor where I felt my and True's safety were in danger, a moment that pushed me over my physical capacities and sent me, truly, into a dissociative state. I talked about it the PTSD over and over. I cried about it. I tried very hard to process, but I found it impossible to manage and process the symptoms while also managing a newborn and the lack of sleep and not a moment to one's self that comes with being a new mom.
It was a very, very difficult time and in some ways, I am still grieving those first few months of new motherhood. True was everything to me, still is, but I just wish my heart wasn't so broken at that time. I waited until True was 7 months old before I called my midwife. I was in our parked car, alone, in the driveway when I finally mustered up the courage to call. I got her voicemail. I sobbed on the voicemail. She called me back. I started zoloft the next day.
That was a little over a year ago. The relief came quickly, and I found myself in that place of on-my-knees-grateful for the gift of medicine. It gave me the relief I needed to distance myself from the sheer acuity of the symptoms so that I could find my way back to stability. It totally worked and I was incredibly, incredibly thankful to Zoloft. Eventually though, after about 7 months, I was ready to wean off of it. I felt like I had done the work, the soul work, the processing work and I was ready to wean. Not so simple! Every time I tried to wean off of it, I'd have major, debilitating fatigue, and uncomfortable zaps in my brain for what seemed like weeks. This went on/off for about six months - my trying to slowly wean, but without success due to the strange, overwhelming fatigue and brain zaps. Six months. Wow. It affected my work, my home life, my everything.
Depression starts to slowly step in. Helplessness starts to set in. Vicious circle.
Finally, I landed in the office of a naturopath earlier this year (Dr. Noel Thomas - can't recommend her enough for those of you in the Portland area). Intuition told me this was the way, and I began LENS neurofeedback treatments. Having never sought out alternative practices, I was skeptical but hopeful. Over the course of a a few weeks, I was 100% successful in weaning (quickly and without the side effect that came with previous efforts) off Zoloft. The neurofeedback also helped (tremendously) with general anxiety symptoms that lingered: sleep, motivation, mood. I am crazy grateful for this alternative method. Crazy grateful to be free of PTSD and crazy grateful to be free of Zoloft weaning symptoms (arguably worse than the PTSD symptoms).
It's been many weeks since my treatment completion. And I'm all good. Now that I have this particular struggle under control, I can inch my way toward my next wellness goal which is losing my pregnancy weight (finally) and sustaining important diet changes to maximize my health - another thing Dr Thomas is helping me with. I'm on a bit of a wellness mission :)
I wanted to share this story because I believe in telling the truth of our stories. Because it’s where connection lives, where we see ourselves mirrored in one another’s stories, where comfort and belonging reside. There is just so much, so much beauty in our brokenness and our wholeness (I believe in sharing both). I know that anxiety will likely always be a close companion for me. Although I hope to never experience the extreme of it again, I'm also realistic that it's a possibility. I am comforted that there are therapies if/when that time arrives - alternative therapies like neurofeedback are effective (for me) and traditional therapies are also effective (for me) as well as talking and sharing and telling my story - all effective, all necessary for healing. I don't believe in continued suffering (staying in a place of suffering vs reaching out for help). I don't believe that one must suffer to evolve or to reach divinity or to be more whole. I do believe that our sufferings bring us together, that they teach us something, that they mean something.
So in some ways I am grateful to this particular piece of my journey, this particular road of suffering. I wasn't for nothing, and it was meaningful to the whole of my life.
This is my zoloft story. My OCD story. My anxiety story.
For most of my life I've struggled with some variance of anxiety - perhaps related to losing a parent at a young age, perhaps to genes, perhaps to early life trauma/drama, perhaps to life. Whatever the reason/root/cause - I've had it. Lots of it, especially before I started making art. All the women in my family seem to have it, too. And most of the men. For me my anxiety manifested itself all the way to the extreme of the spectrum when I had a run in with full-on OCD when I was 19 years old. I was in college, and totally completely utterly freaked out by what my brain was doing. I will spare you the details, but I will say that it was extreme, causing major interruption in my life (school, work, sleep, etc). Luckily, a nine month effort of counseling and a newish OCD drug at that time (called Luvox) helped me tremendously. Add in some amazing friends + family, a supportive (but equally freaked out by my compulsive/repetitive behavior) boyfriend, and a major reduction in stress (my course load was too much, work hours were too much, etc etc), I made it through and successfully weaned off the drug within a year.
(that's me on the right around the time of my OCD journey)I never forgot that experience and how on-my-knees-grateful I was to get through it without suffering my entire life with OCD. I wouldn't wish it's merciless grasp upon anyone and I have deep compassion for those who suffer. I also remember feeling grateful that modern medicine was able to help me, coupled with traditional counseling (cognitive). Even then, I was skeptical of popping a pill, but I was desperate and in big need. And I'm so glad I did it. 15 years later, I would find myself in that space again of desperate need, this time it wasn't OCD, but rather PTSD.
(me, during my PTSD journey)I've shared a little bit about my birth trauma here in this space. The PTSD hit about two-three weeks following the birth and it was unrelenting - in the shower, in the car, in bed - could not escape it. A constant reliving of specific moments, a constant stream of phantom crying, a constant stream of awful visions of worry that something or someone (other than me) would harm my baby - all related to a specific moment during my labor where I felt my and True's safety were in danger, a moment that pushed me over my physical capacities and sent me, truly, into a dissociative state. I talked about it the PTSD over and over. I cried about it. I tried very hard to process, but I found it impossible to manage and process the symptoms while also managing a newborn and the lack of sleep and not a moment to one's self that comes with being a new mom.
It was a very, very difficult time and in some ways, I am still grieving those first few months of new motherhood. True was everything to me, still is, but I just wish my heart wasn't so broken at that time. I waited until True was 7 months old before I called my midwife. I was in our parked car, alone, in the driveway when I finally mustered up the courage to call. I got her voicemail. I sobbed on the voicemail. She called me back. I started zoloft the next day.
That was a little over a year ago. The relief came quickly, and I found myself in that place of on-my-knees-grateful for the gift of medicine. It gave me the relief I needed to distance myself from the sheer acuity of the symptoms so that I could find my way back to stability. It totally worked and I was incredibly, incredibly thankful to Zoloft. Eventually though, after about 7 months, I was ready to wean off of it. I felt like I had done the work, the soul work, the processing work and I was ready to wean. Not so simple! Every time I tried to wean off of it, I'd have major, debilitating fatigue, and uncomfortable zaps in my brain for what seemed like weeks. This went on/off for about six months - my trying to slowly wean, but without success due to the strange, overwhelming fatigue and brain zaps. Six months. Wow. It affected my work, my home life, my everything.
Depression starts to slowly step in. Helplessness starts to set in. Vicious circle.
Finally, I landed in the office of a naturopath earlier this year (Dr. Noel Thomas - can't recommend her enough for those of you in the Portland area). Intuition told me this was the way, and I began LENS neurofeedback treatments. Having never sought out alternative practices, I was skeptical but hopeful. Over the course of a a few weeks, I was 100% successful in weaning (quickly and without the side effect that came with previous efforts) off Zoloft. The neurofeedback also helped (tremendously) with general anxiety symptoms that lingered: sleep, motivation, mood. I am crazy grateful for this alternative method. Crazy grateful to be free of PTSD and crazy grateful to be free of Zoloft weaning symptoms (arguably worse than the PTSD symptoms).
It's been many weeks since my treatment completion. And I'm all good. Now that I have this particular struggle under control, I can inch my way toward my next wellness goal which is losing my pregnancy weight (finally) and sustaining important diet changes to maximize my health - another thing Dr Thomas is helping me with. I'm on a bit of a wellness mission :)
I wanted to share this story because I believe in telling the truth of our stories. Because it’s where connection lives, where we see ourselves mirrored in one another’s stories, where comfort and belonging reside. There is just so much, so much beauty in our brokenness and our wholeness (I believe in sharing both). I know that anxiety will likely always be a close companion for me. Although I hope to never experience the extreme of it again, I'm also realistic that it's a possibility. I am comforted that there are therapies if/when that time arrives - alternative therapies like neurofeedback are effective (for me) and traditional therapies are also effective (for me) as well as talking and sharing and telling my story - all effective, all necessary for healing. I don't believe in continued suffering (staying in a place of suffering vs reaching out for help). I don't believe that one must suffer to evolve or to reach divinity or to be more whole. I do believe that our sufferings bring us together, that they teach us something, that they mean something.
So in some ways I am grateful to this particular piece of my journey, this particular road of suffering. I wasn't for nothing, and it was meaningful to the whole of my life.
July 17, 2012
Operation weight loss: it's time.
Viv McMaster, thank you for making me look + feel beautiful at a time in my life when I simply don't generally feel it.I feel like I have so much to tell you - not so much about happy announcements, but more about the hard bits and pieces I've been working through lately, or make that all year.
I want to tell you that I've gained over 20 pounds, how the second I stopped breast feeding early last year, the pregnancy weight came back and I've been battling it for over a year now. I want to tell you how I can no longer walk around barefoot because my body aches with the extra weight and this in particular makes me sad. I want to tell you that I think I've reached my breaking point on this issue. I don't mind the curves really, but I definitely mind the lack of energy, the lack of general wellness, the comfort food eating habits, but mostly the energy. Totally depleted. That, and I barely recognize myself.
I am taking slow, mindful steps. I rode my green bike to work today, and I bought some bright pink tennis shoes. I went on a 21 day whole food cleanse and am in the process of radically changing my diet which means major meal planning and cooking - both new to me. I've never eaten so much kale and spinach in all my life. Really. And Zumba. I signed up for Zumba and sincerely look forward to flailing around and making a total fool of myself in the name of losing weight and having fun while doing it.
I've never been overweight. And now I most definitely am. I feel it with every single step. And I can see how this particular struggle is directly related to my not putting myself first - something I've been majorly struggling with since becoming a mom.
No diets for me. Just lifestyle changes. That's what feels right, feels healthy, feels necessary.
Part of me wants to start a Possibilitarian Weight Loss facebook group but I don't think I can manage anything extra on my plate right now (pun, intended). I just know that doing the things I never thought I could do - running many years ago, diving into art many years ago, creating a successful biz - could have never happened without the element of community.
OVER TWENTY pounds, friends. I'm curious what else I'll shed in the process of overhauling my life - feels like an important journey of discovery. That, and I really, deeply want full wellness in my life. My body is telling me something. I'm paying attention.
Do you guys have inspiring weight loss stories? Please share.....I'd sincerely love the inspiration as I know this must be a struggle for so many...and if you have any awesome wheat free, dairy free recipes, even better :)
Wish me luck...I'll keep you updated on the progress.
XO
Kelly Rae
July 16, 2012
Hello, Inspired and a Hip Hip Hooray! Giveaway!
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I'm hosting an amazing giveaway today (details below - enter a comment to win!), but first I wanted to share some recent inspirations:
- Finding hearts - definitely adding the one above to the collection
- Total girl crush on this woman. Kindred. Had the pleasure of hugging her and talking her ear off for approximately five minutes last week. And this one, too.
- Inspired that my parents put up a little free library in their front yard. Theirs is the same style as ours, but mom painted theirs which is so insanely CUTE!
- The art the message = amazingness.
- Her clense recipes are helping us completely restructure our diet - more on this soon.
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[image error] Sponsored by: Claudine Hellmuth
The Giveaway: One spot in Claudine Hellmuth's online class: Composition for Collage.
Details: Claudine Hellmuth has taught this popular workshop live internationally, and she is excited to bring it back online again! She has boiled down the various methods, gleaned from her art college days, and developed surefire tools for creating strong compositions in your work. Easy to learn and quick to implement, you will be making professional looking collages by the end of the first week. Last year students who took this class raved about what a difference it made in their collages, scrapbooking, and journaling. More information about the class is on Claudine's blog.
** If you are interested in the course, please sign up in advance; your registration fee of $30 will be refunded if you win the giveaway. **
You can connect with Claudine through
Facebook | Twitter | Blog
Quick message from Kelly Rae: My very first mixed media workshop was taught by Claudine. It was 2006 and I had NO IDEA what gesso and gel medium were, what paints to use, etc etc. She was a great teacher, extremely generous with her knowledge and remains a huge inspiration to me today. Her ecourse is just $30, and I can guarantee you'll get WAY MORE than $30 worth. Way more. Big thanks to Claudine for offering this giveaway!
Enter the giveaway: Just leave a quick comment, and you'll be entered! Winners will be announced in a couple of days.
July 14, 2012
Weekend Spotlight Love
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Weekend Spotlight Love is a weekly series that features my amazing sponsors. Want to reach 150,000 Possibilitarians with your business message – every month? Become a Sponsor – all the details are right over here.
**************
Jane Davenport | The Artomologist
It’s my birthday this week, and I’m feeling very appreciative of everything the universe (and ok, some hard work!) has thrown my way…and whenever I run ‘Supplies Me’ as a Live class, all my Alumni are invited to do the workshop again. That's a 600 strong team, so it takes courage to offer that!
A ‘Live’ class doesn’t mean I’ll be flying down your chimney and tap dancing around your lounge room (although that would be hilarious!); it means it’s running …well… live! A bunch of awesomely creative lovelies all head off on this unique ARTventure together! There’s more energy, more artwork uploaded, more bravery happening and creative courage is what I am all about!
So! If you would like to join us, then come along! The more the merrier…
Click here for info and to register.
You can also connect with Jane through
Facebook | Twitter | Blog
**************
Danita Art
I'm Danita. Art is my gateway. When I create, I travel to a world where everything is possible, dreams come true, animals are your friends and you can fly on top of a paper bird, just because you want to. It keeps me sane in a crazy world that spins faster than my head can, it keeps me away from the ugly, the bad and the things I can't understand. This peaceful wonderland is dying to escape into our reality, and it does it through my art, dying to show us that all we need is love. Every time you look at my paintings, you leave a comment or you take one home, you share a piece that dreamworld with me. And I thank you for it, deeply, from the bottom of my heart. Because you let me know that a dreamer can dream, and that my dream is not that crazy after all.
Follow my dreams at www.danitaart.com and shop art from the heart at shop.danitaart.com
You can also connect with Danita through
Facebook | Twitter | Blog
**************
LeahCreates
LeahCreates makes websites for creative entrepreneurs (artists, yoga teachers, coaches, etc). My designs are clean and professional, with a whimsical edge. I pride myself in making my clients' personalities truly shine through their web presence. I have several website offerings, starting at as little as $750. All are built on the WordPress platform so that you can manage your content (including a blog!) on your own.
Additionally, I offer web presence consulting and content strategy so we can make your web presence truly work for you and your business. Visit me at leahcreates.com.
You can also connect with Leah through
Facebook | Twitter | Blog
**************
Big thanks to my sponsors! I'm honored to highlight their offerings. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor you can find out more information here.
Weekend Spotlight Love is a weekly series that features my amazing sponsors. Want to reach 150,000 Possibilitarians with your business message – every month? Become a Sponsor – all the details are right over here.
**************
Jane Davenport | The Artomologist
It’s my birthday this week, and I’m feeling very appreciative of everything the universe (and ok, some hard work!) has thrown my way…and whenever I run ‘Supplies Me’ as a Live class, all my Alumni are invited to do the workshop again. That's a 600 strong team, so it takes courage to offer that!
A ‘Live’ class doesn’t mean I’ll be flying down your chimney and tap dancing around your lounge room (although that would be hilarious!); it means it’s running …well… live! A bunch of awesomely creative lovelies all head off on this unique ARTventure together! There’s more energy, more artwork uploaded, more bravery happening and creative courage is what I am all about!
So! If you would like to join us, then come along! The more the merrier…
Click here for info and to register.
You can also connect with Jane through
Facebook | Twitter | Blog
**************
Danita Art
I'm Danita. Art is my gateway. When I create, I travel to a world where everything is possible, dreams come true, animals are your friends and you can fly on top of a paper bird, just because you want to. It keeps me sane in a crazy world that spins faster than my head can, it keeps me away from the ugly, the bad and the things I can't understand. This peaceful wonderland is dying to escape into our reality, and it does it through my art, dying to show us that all we need is love. Every time you look at my paintings, you leave a comment or you take one home, you share a piece that dreamworld with me. And I thank you for it, deeply, from the bottom of my heart. Because you let me know that a dreamer can dream, and that my dream is not that crazy after all.
Follow my dreams at www.danitaart.com and shop art from the heart at shop.danitaart.com
You can also connect with Danita through
Facebook | Twitter | Blog
**************
LeahCreates
LeahCreates makes websites for creative entrepreneurs (artists, yoga teachers, coaches, etc). My designs are clean and professional, with a whimsical edge. I pride myself in making my clients' personalities truly shine through their web presence. I have several website offerings, starting at as little as $750. All are built on the WordPress platform so that you can manage your content (including a blog!) on your own.
Additionally, I offer web presence consulting and content strategy so we can make your web presence truly work for you and your business. Visit me at leahcreates.com.
You can also connect with Leah through
Facebook | Twitter | Blog
**************
Big thanks to my sponsors! I'm honored to highlight their offerings. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor you can find out more information here.
July 13, 2012
a weekend in PDX with some special peeps
I love that The World Domination Summit is held in Portland. For one weekend a year, a whole bunch (thousands) of good people descend upon the city. There are blogger meetups, dinners, lunches - many online people meeting one another for the first time, a bubbling of frenetic energy. It's FUN, exhausting, sometimes even confusing (i.e. social anxiety), but mostly just a whole lot of love and possibility fueled connections happening in seconds upon seconds.
My friends Ali + Andrea + Mati all stayed at my house for a girlie weekend of lounging and fun. I love these girls. They're family to me.
(here we are in the studio)
We did a ton of lounging around, catching up, eating good food, coffee...
John and True spent the weekend at my parents house, giving us full reign of our house. I am so lucky to have this kind of flexibility....
John snuck away one morning took us all paddle boarding. Love! Major workout.
Mati extended her stay a couple of days and we made it to the photo booth before heading out for a cocktail, followed by a trip to the movies (Magic Mike - super fun movie for girlie fun).
The highlight of the entire weekend was our meeting up with Brene + Hula - a mini Lovebomb reunion.
We gathered in our backyard all afternoon and evening. John made us a delicious meal (seriously, I adore my husband).
We stayed in this very spot late into the night, talking about everything. I am incredibly thankful for these friendships. I just really, really am. They ground me and lift me all at once.
At the start of the weekend, Andrea and Ali and I decided to invite a few peeps to my studio for a quick gathering:
It was so fun, so rewarding, so sweet for all of these AMAZING women to come to my studio for a gathering. As awesome as it is to host a bunch of friends in one place, here's what I'm learning about myself: I want to be social, and have good conversations and connect, but I find myself having a hard time doing those things when hosting. I'm too worrisome about the collection of hearts: Is everyone ok? Are they having a good time? Is she feeling excluded? Is she nervous? What can i do to make her not nervous?
I suppose I feel responsible for all those hearts. I know how scary it can be to walk into a room and feel alone. And since becoming a mom, my I-must-be-sure-that-everyone-is-ok radar is on overdrive. It happened at this event, and it's happening in my life. It's exhausting! And totally my own doing. Crazy making, right?
Meanwhile, all of these lovely ladies are IN MY STUDIO. I want to talk to each of them, sit down with each of them, connect with each of them, have fun with each of them.
In the end, I met a couple of my girl crushes, had a really good time, and felt really good about connecting some special people to one another. I'm learning that one of my superpowers is to connect people both online and offline. I don't have much to do with the magic that happens when the gathering unfolds but I have a knack for putting just the right people in a room together. Someone told recently that I was a Connectress. A connectress! I am grateful for that role. I really am.
XO,
Kelly Rae
My friends Ali + Andrea + Mati all stayed at my house for a girlie weekend of lounging and fun. I love these girls. They're family to me.
(here we are in the studio)
We did a ton of lounging around, catching up, eating good food, coffee...
John and True spent the weekend at my parents house, giving us full reign of our house. I am so lucky to have this kind of flexibility....
John snuck away one morning took us all paddle boarding. Love! Major workout.
Mati extended her stay a couple of days and we made it to the photo booth before heading out for a cocktail, followed by a trip to the movies (Magic Mike - super fun movie for girlie fun).
The highlight of the entire weekend was our meeting up with Brene + Hula - a mini Lovebomb reunion.
We gathered in our backyard all afternoon and evening. John made us a delicious meal (seriously, I adore my husband).
We stayed in this very spot late into the night, talking about everything. I am incredibly thankful for these friendships. I just really, really am. They ground me and lift me all at once.
At the start of the weekend, Andrea and Ali and I decided to invite a few peeps to my studio for a quick gathering:
It was so fun, so rewarding, so sweet for all of these AMAZING women to come to my studio for a gathering. As awesome as it is to host a bunch of friends in one place, here's what I'm learning about myself: I want to be social, and have good conversations and connect, but I find myself having a hard time doing those things when hosting. I'm too worrisome about the collection of hearts: Is everyone ok? Are they having a good time? Is she feeling excluded? Is she nervous? What can i do to make her not nervous?
I suppose I feel responsible for all those hearts. I know how scary it can be to walk into a room and feel alone. And since becoming a mom, my I-must-be-sure-that-everyone-is-ok radar is on overdrive. It happened at this event, and it's happening in my life. It's exhausting! And totally my own doing. Crazy making, right?
Meanwhile, all of these lovely ladies are IN MY STUDIO. I want to talk to each of them, sit down with each of them, connect with each of them, have fun with each of them.
In the end, I met a couple of my girl crushes, had a really good time, and felt really good about connecting some special people to one another. I'm learning that one of my superpowers is to connect people both online and offline. I don't have much to do with the magic that happens when the gathering unfolds but I have a knack for putting just the right people in a room together. Someone told recently that I was a Connectress. A connectress! I am grateful for that role. I really am.
XO,
Kelly Rae
July 12, 2012
Mati Rose: Daring Adventures In Paint.
Mati + me, 2008 - photo by Andrea ScherMati Rose and I have been creative besties for a long time. We've grown up creatively together in a lot of ways. We've taught together, taken major life/creative/biz leaps together, rooted for one another, strategized with one another, cried with one another. Once, we even had our photos taken together that were published for an article I wrote about friendship (a super girlie/giggly experience). For all that time, and even before then, I have been a huge fan of hers. I own a lot of her artwork. I think she's brilliant in how her work is both sophisticated and childlike. I think she's extremely generous, kind and I just adore the way she sees the world.
Our conversations are often hilarious and comforting all at once - we can go on and on from topics as easy as The Bachelorette to as hard as life transformations, lessons, and heartbreak....a definite sisterhood. Even our dorky, awkward childhood, pre-teen photos are strikingly similar. We both grew up in rural America, had mullets, and were tomboys forced to wear awful dresses. I love her art, but her heart is truly astonishing.
All of this is to say that I KNEW her book would be a reflection of her amazingness.
And friends, it is, it is, it is. I am so proud and just so thrilled that her specific magic will inspire countless others to find their own.
She was in town earlier this week for a few days so we did a super quick video where I asked her a couple of questions and we chatted and giggled and talked about how to show the world our magic, how to work with our inner critics, and how what's happening on the canvas often mirrors what's happening in life.
Enjoy! But most importantly, get this book. It's inspiration, lots of techniques, and some serious eye candy. It will inspire you to be daring in your painting and in your life. GORGEOUS!
A peek into the book:
July 11, 2012
How Cute is That: Put Feet on It...
How Cute Is That? is my mom’s favorite expression — and our ongoing home decor & DIY series. From aprons to attics to alternative offices, we’re breathing new life into anything old, sharing inspired ideas, and spinning mismatched scraps into charming decor. And YES, you can try this at home!
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Mom: If you’ve ever watched Portlandia, then you know the infamous reference of “put a bird on it and call it art.” Well, I admit I put birds on everything and call it art. I also put feet on everything.
Kelly Rae: It's true. My mom puts feet on everything.
Mom: I love buying storage boxes from Target, and putting feet on them. Why not…it's a nice way to add a unique touch to something store bought.
Mom: For "feet", I mostly use glass or ceramic drawer pulls from Hobby Lobby or Home Depot or even Target and Anthropology. I've also used old metal bobbins, old wheels, glued-together buttons, and antique doorknobs. It’s probably an obsession. Adding a little bit of whimsy to everyday items and décor will make you smile.
Kelly Rae: So simple, but so cute!
Mom: There are several ways to attach them – the quick and easy glue gun, a screw, or a more permanent glue such as liquid nails or super glue. I prefer the glue gun just for the sake of instant gratification. I've even hot glued feet on an old white meat patter and served cookies on it. If you use a glue gun instead of permanent adhesive, soaking in hot water will remove the feet after a party.
Mom: The pictures in this post share just some of the many ways to be a little be quirky with feet. Look around your house and put feet on it!
These feet were attached to the vintage suitcase with screws - awesome DIY table!
Kelly Rae: How cute is that! Thanks to my mom for her brilliant feet inspiration!
What you guys think? Do you ever put feet on your store bought items? We'd love to see and hear your ideas!
Click here to see all posts in the How Cute Is That series.
July 9, 2012
NEW Products!!!
You guys,
I know I say this every six months, but this is my favorite product launch yet. It really, really is. All of these products are brand new additions to the Kelly Rae Roberts Collection with Demdaco. As always, Demdaco has knocked it out of the park, but there is something about these newest products that shine. They're beautifully designed, high quality, sturdy, and just lovely.
All of these products are making their way into stores now, but you can find just about ALL of these products right now, right here online.
Let me give you a tour!
The mugs. THE MUGS! I am in love. Six different designs. Amazing full color art all the way around the mugs. Awesome.
The explorer one above is my favorite, but I definitely think this one is the best for giving to a dear friend. This one too. LOVE!
Besides the mugs, my next favorite new product are these photo frame wall art pieces. You get the wall canvas + the wooden frame + a spot to hold a photograph ALL IN ONE! These are super substantial, sturdy pieces of home decor. I cried when I fist saw them. I'm not going to lie. I love them that much and it makes me incredibly happy to see my artwork applied in such gorgeous ways (thanks, Demdaco).
I have this frame up in our dining room. When True saw it for the first time he said "Whoa! Cool!". They've been in the works for a long time. So happy to have them a part of the collection. There are three of them. One. Two. Three.
Swoon! Pillows. With ruffles!
I am in love the dream big one. I've got it on my office chair - a perfect, comfortable reminder to dream big. It's available here and the others are over here.
In addition to adding pillows and mugs to the collection, we've also added decorative plates. I cannot underestimate how gorgeous and well crafted these plates are.
The images under the glass just pop with depth and color. Love, love, love. And yep, they've got them over in their online shop. My favorite? This one.
We've added an entire new collection of bookmarks, and let me just say this: with their word charms, velvet ribbon, and colorful beads, these metal bookmarks SHINE.
I'm using this one to mark my spot in my weekly calendar. The added word charms totally take the cake for me. Perfect. And price is phenomenal for what you get.
Yep, they've got them over here for sale :)
We've added seven new wall canvases as well with my favorite (maybe of all time, even) being this large one.
You've heard me go on and on already about the cuff bracelets. Enough said. MY FAVORITE THING EVER! And if you missed out on buying one, then you can head over here where they've got them all in stock.
We've added three new decorative art girlies to the collection as well. I'm thinking these might be my favorite. Large, sturdy, and they can either hang or stand. I have loved these ever since they debuted a couple of years ago.
This one is my new favorite one. It reads, "Dear World, Thank you of your smallest of moments that bring the greatest of beauty. Thank you for your stars, your light, and your soulful hearts that make living worth all the love you hold." Available here.
And this one reads," Dreams, unspoken or not are living whispers inside our hearts. Our whole life's potential lies in the spaces between these whispers. Our dreams want us to say yes, to speak their truth." Available here.
If you're looking for more decorative art girlies, they've got them.
Last but definitely not least, we're introducing these AWESOME metal wing sculptures. Friends, these are crazy cool.
I've got this one hanging in my studio - not the best photo, but you get the idea. I just LOVE these...They're big, but not huge. And the color is awesome. Comes with chain OR keyhole hanger on the back if you don't prefer the chain.
They've got these in stock over here and here.
That's everything! Huge thanks to the good folks at Demdaco who do such an amazing job. And a huge thanks to the sales force who sell the line. I am forever grateful. Crazy grateful.
And we're so grateful to YOU for continuing to embrace the products and bring them into your lives, and your homes. Seriously thankful.
XO
July 7, 2012
Weekend Spotlight Love
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Weekend Spotlight Love is a weekly series that features my amazing sponsors. Want to reach 150,000 Possibilitarians with your business message – every month? Become a Sponsor – all the details are right over here.
**************
Nathalie Kalbach: n*Studio
[image error]
Hallo to you from Germany! I’m an European Mixed Media Artist, and I love to layer with an explosion of texture, dimension and often jewel-tone colors.
I have a huge passion for teaching on- and offline. In my workshops I share my secrets for using paint and ink products to reveal texture, tips and tricks for embedding found objects and embellishments and how to unlock your personal creativity.
I love to interact with my students, and my goal is to have you feel comfortable about your creativity and master the techniques.
Über*Media is my new series of online workshops that is dedicated to different kinds of media like Gesso, PanPastel or Acrylic Paint that cross a variety of materials. In these Workshops you learn how to use the paint medium in your Scrapbooking and Mixed Media Projects! The classes are a reference guide for you, showing all kinds of possibilities and techniques with different surfaces and media.
Come and Free Your Creativity!
For an overview of the current running workshops go here.
You can connect with Nathalie through
Facebook | Twitter | Blog
The Creative Explorer's Club
[image error]
I invite you to explore your creativity and become inspired in ways you may never have thought possible.
I'm Linda Matthews, a mixed media textile artist and designer. I run The Creative Explorer's Club <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Arial; panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} -- </style><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">–</span> a unique online group designed specifically to nurture your creativity, inspire you to think more creatively, and learn how to be more consciously creative. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Inside <a href="http://www.thecreativeexplorersclub.com/" target="_blank">The Creative Explorer's Club</a> you'll find </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>~ Inspiration ~</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">daily links to interesting and inspiring places around the web. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>~ Motivation ~</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">weekly creative articles where I offer up many different ways to motivate you and help you learn how to incorporate creativity into your life on a regular basis. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>~ Education ~</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">monthly artful tutorials where you can explore different mixed media techniques and applications. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>~ Plus ~</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">lots of "members only" specials, freebies and even online classes. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For full details about the club please visit <a href="http://www.thecreativeexplorersclub.com/" target="_blank">The Creative Explorer's Club</a>, or for additional information about me, please visit my main website and blog at <a href="http://www.linda-matthews.com/" target="_blank">www.Linda-Matthews.com</a>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="color: #660000;">You can also connect with Linda through</span><span class="st"><br /></span></i><span class="st"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/L.Matthews.T..." target="_blank">Facebook</a> <span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span><span class="st"><span style="color: #660000;"> |</span> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ozgirl57/" target="_blank">Flickr</a></span><span class="st"> </span><span class="st"><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span><span style="color: #660000;">|</span><span style="color: #660000;"> </span> <a href="http://pinterest.com/linda_matthews/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></span></b></div><br /></div><br /><div style="color: #660000; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Tattered Inspirations</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Tatteredinsp..." target="_blank"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MJOaMY3oflU... Inspirations_july7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Tatteredinsp..." target="_blank"><b>Tattered Inspirations</b></a> is an online shop created by Carol Mead who has an affinity with vintage and vintage inspired products.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tattered Inspirations provides <b>creative products with a vintage heart </b>to use in your scrapbooking, cards and mixed media art. We aim to encourage and inspire you to do something creatively different out of your comfort zone, in new and exciting ways, with unique vintage inspired products.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Tatteredinsp..." target="_blank">Tattered Inspirations Shop</a> offers vintage inspired kits with vintage elements, such as hat pins, flowers and a range of embellishments and kits that cannot be sourced anywhere else. We have customers from Australia and overseas and offer a flat rate postage rate.<br /><br /><b>The Design Team</b> Michelle Lark, Rachel Walsh, Helen Jolly and Belinda Comerford creatively use the products in exciting ways. These amazing artists provide our customers with inspiration to make their own creations something really special. There is a <a href="http://tatteredinspirations.blogspot...." target="_blank">Tattered Inspirations Blog</a> and a monthly email newsletter too.<br /><br /><b>Tattered Inspirations is offering a 10% discount for Kelly Rae's readers, enter the code kr2012 before you complete your order. </b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="color: #660000;">You can also connect with Carol through</span><span class="st"><br /></span></i><span class="st"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/TatteredInspi..." target="_blank">Facebook</a> <span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span><span class="st"><span style="color: #660000;"> |</span> <a href="http://tatteredinspirations.blogspot...." target="_blank">Blog</a></span><span class="st"> </span><span class="st"><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span><span style="color: #660000;">|</span><span style="color: #660000;"> </span> <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Tatteredinsp..." target="_blank">Etsy</a></span></b></div></div><br /><br /><div style="color: #660000; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">BEEstung Studio Owner, Hollie Chantiles</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://findingsweethomebook.blogspot...." target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A_O_Oyge5bs..." width="285" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Hollie Chantiles is the proud owner of BEEstung, a <a href="http://www.wix.com/violasbees/violas-..." target="_blank">Fine Art and Illustration Studio</a> that started out as a real honest-to-goodness store in 2005. Years later, it moved with her to her home, and exists as her working studio space. Now (working full time at a local flower shop) her focus for 2012 as an unpublished/unlicensed artist is to accomplish just that. Hollie just finished self-publishing her first book, “<a href="http://www.blurb.com/user/store/bee_s..." target="_blank">Finding Sweet Home: an Artist’s Interactive Journal to Inspiration</a>”, as well as receiving the AMAZING honor of being chosen by John Fluevog to make her shoe for his Open Source Footwear collection.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Right now, she spends most of her time sketching ideas for a line of paper products, & creating her first E-Course, while selling her terrariums, paintings, prints and handmade cards at her Mom’s shop, Frog and BEE. When she’s not playing with paint, she can almost always be found in the backyard or the woods, hands in the dirt, because that is where she feels most inspired and at home.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="color: #660000;">You can connect with Hollie through</span><span class="st"><br /></span></i><span class="st"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/BEEstun..." target="_blank">Facebook</a> <span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span><span class="st"><span style="color: #660000;"> |</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/BeestungArt" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span><span class="st"> </span><span class="st"><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span><span style="color: #660000;">|</span><span style="color: #660000;"> </span> <a href="http://findingsweethomebook.blogspot...." target="_blank">Blog</a></span></b></div><br /></div><br /><div style="color: #660000; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Regina Lord of Creative Kismet</span></b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.creativekismet.com/ecourse/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8aCzJNEsu3Y..." /></a></div><br /></div></div>Would you like a different way of looking at life? A way that weaves creativity with gratitude making life more positively glowing and happy?<br /><br />In the <a href="http://www.creativekismet.com/ecourse/" target="_blank">Art of Giving E-course</a>, you will learn how to create ways to whisk away the dark clouds and open an awareness of all the beauty around you.<br /><br />This 4 week course includes journal writing prompts, challenges, simple assignments and lots of creative merry making. Not only was this created for reflection and exploration, but a time to use your hands. Make things, beautiful things, that can be used as daily reminder to have an open full heart, accepting mind and giving hands.<br /><br />Learn how to create a gratitude art journal and altered board book, a blessing banner and some beautiful gratitude beads. Lots of inspiration and more than 20 how-to videos.<br /><br />Realize the power of gratitude and make it a daily practice. <a href="http://www.creativekismet.com/ecourse/" target="_blank">Start Now</a>!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="color: #660000;">You can connect with Regina through</span><span class="st"><br /></span></i><span class="st"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Creativ..." target="_blank">Facebook</a> <span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span><span class="st"><span style="color: #660000;"> |</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/creativekismet" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span><span class="st"> </span><span class="st"><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span><span style="color: #660000;">|</span><span style="color: #660000;"> </span> <a href="http://blog.creativekismet.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a></span></b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>**************</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i></i></span></span><i style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Big thanks to my sponsors! I'm honored to highlight their offerings. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor you can find out more information <a href="http://kellyraeroberts.com/sponsorshi..." target="_blank">here</a>.</i></span></i></span></i></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com...' alt='' /></div>
Weekend Spotlight Love is a weekly series that features my amazing sponsors. Want to reach 150,000 Possibilitarians with your business message – every month? Become a Sponsor – all the details are right over here.
**************
Nathalie Kalbach: n*Studio
[image error]
Hallo to you from Germany! I’m an European Mixed Media Artist, and I love to layer with an explosion of texture, dimension and often jewel-tone colors.
I have a huge passion for teaching on- and offline. In my workshops I share my secrets for using paint and ink products to reveal texture, tips and tricks for embedding found objects and embellishments and how to unlock your personal creativity.
I love to interact with my students, and my goal is to have you feel comfortable about your creativity and master the techniques.
Über*Media is my new series of online workshops that is dedicated to different kinds of media like Gesso, PanPastel or Acrylic Paint that cross a variety of materials. In these Workshops you learn how to use the paint medium in your Scrapbooking and Mixed Media Projects! The classes are a reference guide for you, showing all kinds of possibilities and techniques with different surfaces and media.
Come and Free Your Creativity!
For an overview of the current running workshops go here.
You can connect with Nathalie through
Facebook | Twitter | Blog
The Creative Explorer's Club
[image error]
I invite you to explore your creativity and become inspired in ways you may never have thought possible.
I'm Linda Matthews, a mixed media textile artist and designer. I run The Creative Explorer's Club <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Arial; panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} -- </style><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">–</span> a unique online group designed specifically to nurture your creativity, inspire you to think more creatively, and learn how to be more consciously creative. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Inside <a href="http://www.thecreativeexplorersclub.com/" target="_blank">The Creative Explorer's Club</a> you'll find </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>~ Inspiration ~</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">daily links to interesting and inspiring places around the web. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>~ Motivation ~</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">weekly creative articles where I offer up many different ways to motivate you and help you learn how to incorporate creativity into your life on a regular basis. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>~ Education ~</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">monthly artful tutorials where you can explore different mixed media techniques and applications. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>~ Plus ~</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">lots of "members only" specials, freebies and even online classes. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For full details about the club please visit <a href="http://www.thecreativeexplorersclub.com/" target="_blank">The Creative Explorer's Club</a>, or for additional information about me, please visit my main website and blog at <a href="http://www.linda-matthews.com/" target="_blank">www.Linda-Matthews.com</a>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="color: #660000;">You can also connect with Linda through</span><span class="st"><br /></span></i><span class="st"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/L.Matthews.T..." target="_blank">Facebook</a> <span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span><span class="st"><span style="color: #660000;"> |</span> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ozgirl57/" target="_blank">Flickr</a></span><span class="st"> </span><span class="st"><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span><span style="color: #660000;">|</span><span style="color: #660000;"> </span> <a href="http://pinterest.com/linda_matthews/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></span></b></div><br /></div><br /><div style="color: #660000; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Tattered Inspirations</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Tatteredinsp..." target="_blank"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MJOaMY3oflU... Inspirations_july7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Tatteredinsp..." target="_blank"><b>Tattered Inspirations</b></a> is an online shop created by Carol Mead who has an affinity with vintage and vintage inspired products.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tattered Inspirations provides <b>creative products with a vintage heart </b>to use in your scrapbooking, cards and mixed media art. We aim to encourage and inspire you to do something creatively different out of your comfort zone, in new and exciting ways, with unique vintage inspired products.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Tatteredinsp..." target="_blank">Tattered Inspirations Shop</a> offers vintage inspired kits with vintage elements, such as hat pins, flowers and a range of embellishments and kits that cannot be sourced anywhere else. We have customers from Australia and overseas and offer a flat rate postage rate.<br /><br /><b>The Design Team</b> Michelle Lark, Rachel Walsh, Helen Jolly and Belinda Comerford creatively use the products in exciting ways. These amazing artists provide our customers with inspiration to make their own creations something really special. There is a <a href="http://tatteredinspirations.blogspot...." target="_blank">Tattered Inspirations Blog</a> and a monthly email newsletter too.<br /><br /><b>Tattered Inspirations is offering a 10% discount for Kelly Rae's readers, enter the code kr2012 before you complete your order. </b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="color: #660000;">You can also connect with Carol through</span><span class="st"><br /></span></i><span class="st"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/TatteredInspi..." target="_blank">Facebook</a> <span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span><span class="st"><span style="color: #660000;"> |</span> <a href="http://tatteredinspirations.blogspot...." target="_blank">Blog</a></span><span class="st"> </span><span class="st"><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span><span style="color: #660000;">|</span><span style="color: #660000;"> </span> <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Tatteredinsp..." target="_blank">Etsy</a></span></b></div></div><br /><br /><div style="color: #660000; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">BEEstung Studio Owner, Hollie Chantiles</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://findingsweethomebook.blogspot...." target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A_O_Oyge5bs..." width="285" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Hollie Chantiles is the proud owner of BEEstung, a <a href="http://www.wix.com/violasbees/violas-..." target="_blank">Fine Art and Illustration Studio</a> that started out as a real honest-to-goodness store in 2005. Years later, it moved with her to her home, and exists as her working studio space. Now (working full time at a local flower shop) her focus for 2012 as an unpublished/unlicensed artist is to accomplish just that. Hollie just finished self-publishing her first book, “<a href="http://www.blurb.com/user/store/bee_s..." target="_blank">Finding Sweet Home: an Artist’s Interactive Journal to Inspiration</a>”, as well as receiving the AMAZING honor of being chosen by John Fluevog to make her shoe for his Open Source Footwear collection.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Right now, she spends most of her time sketching ideas for a line of paper products, & creating her first E-Course, while selling her terrariums, paintings, prints and handmade cards at her Mom’s shop, Frog and BEE. When she’s not playing with paint, she can almost always be found in the backyard or the woods, hands in the dirt, because that is where she feels most inspired and at home.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="color: #660000;">You can connect with Hollie through</span><span class="st"><br /></span></i><span class="st"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/BEEstun..." target="_blank">Facebook</a> <span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span><span class="st"><span style="color: #660000;"> |</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/BeestungArt" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span><span class="st"> </span><span class="st"><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span><span style="color: #660000;">|</span><span style="color: #660000;"> </span> <a href="http://findingsweethomebook.blogspot...." target="_blank">Blog</a></span></b></div><br /></div><br /><div style="color: #660000; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Regina Lord of Creative Kismet</span></b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.creativekismet.com/ecourse/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8aCzJNEsu3Y..." /></a></div><br /></div></div>Would you like a different way of looking at life? A way that weaves creativity with gratitude making life more positively glowing and happy?<br /><br />In the <a href="http://www.creativekismet.com/ecourse/" target="_blank">Art of Giving E-course</a>, you will learn how to create ways to whisk away the dark clouds and open an awareness of all the beauty around you.<br /><br />This 4 week course includes journal writing prompts, challenges, simple assignments and lots of creative merry making. Not only was this created for reflection and exploration, but a time to use your hands. Make things, beautiful things, that can be used as daily reminder to have an open full heart, accepting mind and giving hands.<br /><br />Learn how to create a gratitude art journal and altered board book, a blessing banner and some beautiful gratitude beads. Lots of inspiration and more than 20 how-to videos.<br /><br />Realize the power of gratitude and make it a daily practice. <a href="http://www.creativekismet.com/ecourse/" target="_blank">Start Now</a>!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="color: #660000;">You can connect with Regina through</span><span class="st"><br /></span></i><span class="st"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Creativ..." target="_blank">Facebook</a> <span style="color: #990000;"> </span></span><span class="st"><span style="color: #660000;"> |</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/creativekismet" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span><span class="st"> </span><span class="st"><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span><span style="color: #660000;">|</span><span style="color: #660000;"> </span> <a href="http://blog.creativekismet.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a></span></b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>**************</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i></i></span></span><i style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Big thanks to my sponsors! I'm honored to highlight their offerings. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor you can find out more information <a href="http://kellyraeroberts.com/sponsorshi..." target="_blank">here</a>.</i></span></i></span></i></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com...' alt='' /></div>
July 5, 2012
little free library
A few weeks ago, I fell in love with Little Free Library (thanks to Jess for the introduction). True is crazy about books and I thought it would be great way to meet more kids and neighbors in our hood. I had, HAD TO, have one in our front yard....
The cool thing about their website is that they give you simple instructions to build one yourself or you can purchase one from their site. After looking at all the different options and getting inspired, my dad built this for us. He did an AWESOME job... and we just love it.
We've been doing some major work on our front yard - putting in veggie garden beds, new sod, rocks, and more. Adding in the library was the last little project for the yard and we LOVE it. Can't tell you how many curious neighbors have stopped by. I'm hoping others will join us!
We're including children's books and a variety of grown up books (gardening, novels, etc) and thinking about putting in a magazine here and there. Friends, can't tell you how much this delights me. I'm hoping more of these will pop up around our neighborhood. You can find other little free libraries in your area right here (they're all over the US!) or even better, put one in your neighborhood! Love, love this brilliant idea.
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