Thoughts, an Interview and {Day 8}

Here is today's Creative Challenge...

Day #8: Make sure your list of 50 Things you Love is finished. If you haven't picked out a subject from that yet and created a scrap page...work on that today. 

It is hard to believe we are on Day 8 of the 31 Days-Wow! Thought I would share what I'm doing and learning on this creative journey and then you are in for a treat! I have an interview with published artist, Kristin!! Lots to share so settle in and let's get started.

 

**What I'm Learning and Doing** 

On Day one of the 31 Days I promised myself that I would so something creative everyday. It didn't have to be in my art space and it didn't have to be art or scrap pages or sewing or knitting or anything crafty. No, I wanted to begin changing my perspective on what creativity really is. To me it's about seeing my life, the world around me in a whole new way. Like everything is a possibility. Like something magical is just around the corner.

"A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral. " ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Flight to Arras, 1942

Here is a breakdown of what I've done everyday since the Challenge began last Monday.

Day 1- blogged, worked on a 6x6 album of Em's toddler photos

Day 2- I made my first homemade spaghetti sauce with tomato's from our garden, blogged, took photos, gathered my 3 words for my art project, made a list of art supplies that speak to me:), ventured to the Dollar Shop for funky, new tools to create backgrounds in my art journals and checked out 2 inspiring books at the library.

Day 3- Painted a bunch of new background pages. So fun! Played Monopoly with Jacks. I wrote this in my journal..."The thing is, thinking and doing all this creative stuff has me feeling so good. Like I can just keep doing more and more. I love my Life!:)"

 Day 4- Blogged about my background pages, shopped in St. Joe intent on finding something for our dresser. I am trying to spruce up our home during the 31 Days. I bought art supplies today and 2 art magazines. Also 2 small canvass's!!

Day 5- Played Monopoly with my kids. {hey, you gotta get pretty creative trading properties with Jackson!}, sat on the couch and wrote down 50 Things I Love.

Day 6-Em and I just hung out and shopped somewhere new in a tiny town near Maryville. We found the cutest clothes. I bought something totally different from what I normally wear! I am wanting to dress more "artsy":) Here is another excerpt from my journal..."Gosh, things are different. I feel more centered-more at peace. Like I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. Life is good. Heavenly Father sure does bless my life:) I love Him." Today I encouraged Em to make more of her cool bracelets and I spent a lot of time thinking about my blog and my Art. What direction I want to take. I also finished up my 3 Words sign.

Day 7-Blogged, looked at both of my new art magazines and wrote down stuff that inspired me in my journal. Also wrote down all the blogs and on-line stores that were featured in them. Checking them out this week. I also worked more on displaying various photos, trinkets and other stuff in my home. Trying to make it cozier:)

So there ya' go, girls. A sample of what I've been doing to live a creative life. I sure hope this helps you. Enjoy this Challenge!!!

Let's get on with our "Make My Monday Interview". Meet Kristin from "Twinkle, Twinkle". Kristin was recently published and is a wealth of creative inspiration!

***ALL photos and artwork throughout the interview are from Kristin's Blog "Twinkle, "Twinkle"***

I found you through the Artistic Mother's Group. From the first moment I found your blog I was like-WHOO HOO!! A collage/mixed media artist!!! First tell us about your blog and how long you have been posting.

First let me thank you for thinking of me - I'm honored to be a part of your Make My Monday interviews! To answer your question, I started Twinkle, Twinkle as a way to spread the word about our family's hope to adopt another child. We were looking to tell as many people as possible about our desire, and I thought that a blog could be a great way to accomplish that. The only problem was, I didn't know what to do with it! So I decided to join the challenge site Mixed Media Monday as a way to get people to see our plea for help. That was almost a year ago and I have been participating ever since. A few months back, I took on another challenge by joining The Artistic Mother's Group and have been overwhelmed by the support and camaraderie I've found in other artists and mothers who are also a part of the team. Of course, what I didn't know when starting a blog to find a baby, was how much my creative life would change because of it. Before the blog, I thought about creating. With the blog, I was actually doing it. And I have never felt more fulfilled, as both an artist and a mother.

What drew you to the art of Mixed Media and Collages? How long have you been creating your works of art?

I spent my career as a makeup artist. I did everything from selling behind a department store counter to, before our daughter was born, having my own on-location makeup artistry business. I loved what I did, but would never have considered myself a real artist. It wasn't until I started scrapbooking the birth of our baby that I discovered how much I loved paper and paint and how - surprise to me - all of those years working with color, contour and texture translated into a clear understanding of composition and color theory. I started reading everything I could about the subject of paper arts and when I found the line of Stampington magazines, including Somerset Legacy (now Somerset Memories) and Somerset Studio, I was hooked. I've been playing around with mixed media and collage ever since, but only on a regular basis since I started my blog. 


I know you were recently published in one of the Somerset Publications {my faves!!}. Can you share some details? Was this your first time being published? If not where else??

It is a first for me. One of the tasks of The Artistic Mother's Group (an online group of women who are completing the 12 projects outlined in Shona Cole's book of the same name) was to create an Artistic Vision Statement in which we were asked to write down our artistic goals and objectives. It was a dream of mine to be published, and I intended to submit some of the pieces I made in the last year to Somerset Studio, but it wasn't until I committed to doing so through the project (and shared it on my blog for all to see!) that I actually took the chance and did it. I sent in several pieces hoping that something would hit and was surprised to hear from the editor less than two weeks later. 

What does it feel like when a magazine editor calls? Share your experience with us!:)

I was checking my email one day when I saw "Somerset Studio" in my Inbox. I didn't know what to think and to be honest, my heart skipped a beat. I remember being alone with my 4-year-old in the living room and I started to scream. She looked at me with big eyes and said, "you okay, ma ma?" I told her that I was crying happy tears and that I was perfect. Turns out, not only was I going to be published in the next issue, but I was selected to be on the Last Page and was asked to write an article, of 100 words or less, about my discovery of mixed media. I spent the entire two days I was given writing page after page of I don't know what in an effort to write the equivalent of one paragraph! When the magazine came out (at the beginning of this month), I was honored to see that the box that I mailed my pieces in was also published on the Letters to the Editor page.



How do you mix your creative life with life as a Mom?

Depends on the day. Our daughter goes to pre-school 3 mornings a week, but as most of us know, a lot of that time is spent running errands or visiting my second home, Target. So I really work when and if I can. I try to incorporate her into what I do, creating art side-by-side as much as possible, but sometimes it is done when she is busy with other things, like watching Dinosaur Train on TV or playing with her Daddy. I know that I'm lucky to have a flexible schedule that allows me to do that. 

What 3 books have most inspired your creativity?

1. I have really been loving Shona Cole's The Artistic Mother. I'm exactly half way through the 12 projects and am so grateful for the push - through The Artistic Mother's Group - to complete them all. Shona Cole is an inspiration as an artist, poet and mother.

2. My newest purchase is Taking Flight by Kelly Rae Roberts. I adore this book and have learned so much from her techniques, especially how to create luscious backgrounds.

3. Lastly, one of my all-time favorites is The Art of Personal Imagery by Corey Moortgat. It is a beautiful book filled with personal photos and symbols and one that I turn to again and again.

Anything else you want to add?

I appreciate the opportunity to share a bit about myself and want to thank you for your time. I would love to add that my husband, Kendra and I are still looking for a possible Birth Mother in hopes to build our family by way of adoption. If anyone you know would benefit from an open-adoption scenario as much as we would, we would be more than grateful if you could pass the message along. . .

Thank you so much Kristin!!

One more thing...what have YOU been up to?