Saturday, July 31, 2010

A bit of YOUR creativity {Day 6}

I stayed up till 2 last night! This summer time zone my family is in...I tell ya'. It's fun but then I sleep later than normal. I'm writing this at 10:15 AM!! So much to do today!!

Yesterday I gave you the Challenge to write down 50 things you love. How did you do? Was it hard to come up with 50 things? Were several of them the same types of things? Here is a peek at some of MY 50 Things I LOVE...

1. Family vacation-road trips and listening to Bon Jovi's "Lost Highway".
2. Sugar and cinnamon pies-Yum-o.
3.Being cozy in our home with my family.
4.The first time I hear Christmas music.
5.Walking with friends. 
6. Getting a letter or a surprise gift in the mail. This is REALLY fun!
7. Blizzards, hot chocolate and crafting or reading with the kids.
8. Reading inspirational blogs.
9. Hearing Dave's diesel truck coming home.
10.Writing in my Blog. It gives me pure joy!
11.Fresh popcorn with REAL butter.
12. Riding roller coasters with my kids.
13.Old typewriters. I want one really bad.
14.The smell of apple orchards.
15. Going out to eat with my family. And talking. And laughing. Love it!!

This is just a sample of my 50 things. Not only did I enjoy doing this but I now have 50 scrapbook or creative art project ideas!! My creative plans today include making a layout from one of my "loves" and then sharing here next week.

Here is Day 6's Challenge:

What wonderfully creative things are you doing today? Spending time with family can be so inspirational. Challenge #6...invite your family to create with you. Maybe do a photo shoot, share your art supplies with your children and play or bake something together.

 

Before I go just a few things...

I will be posting EVERYDAY of this Challenge. Normally I don't do Saturday and Sunday posts...but I am during these 31 Days!!


Another thing...remember last Tuesday or Wednesday I challenged you to come up with your 3 favorite words then create a piece of art with them? Please visit Leanne's blog this weekend from "Chaos Comes Happiness" to see what her and Cindi and Peggy came up with...just AMAZING!!!


Love you, girls. Have a family filled, creative  and inspiring weekend.

Friday, July 30, 2010

100 Mark!! {Day 5}

So much going on here. whew! Okay...how are you? Is your creativity level at an all time high?! I know my mind is literally racing with ideas!! So grateful for this time in my life.

Here is today's challenge...

During my walk last night I found myself listing all the things that I LOVE in this world. I was so overcome with gratitude! Today I want you to make a list of 50 Things you LOVE!! When you're done pick out a few of those things, find come photos that match a...nd create a scrapbook page. Enjoy:)

 

I also see that Words of Me is now up to 100 FOLLOWERS! WHOO HOO!! If you were NUMBER 100 leave me a comment for some goods from me:)

You all mean so much to me. I am enjoying reading your blogs so very much and seeing what you are up to. 


Today I am playing Monopoly with my kids, catching up on laundry then working on my "Be" piece and perhaps a bit of scrapping!!

 What are you doing?

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Artistic Mother:background papers {Day 4}

Whew. We have been doing lots of creating haven't we? Please remember to not burn yourself out!! The goal of these 31 Days is to inject something creative and inspirational into our days everyday.
Remember Creativity is all around us. It's in everything.

I think this quote by John Updike says it best. Creativity is merely a plus name for regular activity. Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or better.





A couple of months ago I bought the book "The Artistic Mother" by Shona Cole. I've shared it here before. I am also a part of an on-line group of women who are doing the 12 week course laid out in the book. Part of the inspiration for this 31 Days Challenge comes from Shona's book. Several of my readers are playing along there as well including Cindi. You should stop by her Blog today for a boost of creative energy!! I LOVE the page she created today!!!

In the book Shona encourages us to create our very own background papers to use in art journals, scrapbook pages and more. Here is what I've been up to! I love using foam brushes and acrylic paint and just kind of swirling and twirling it on the paper. These ribbons are so FUN!


See those pink polka dots? I used a Coke Zero bottle cap.

Here's a background paper I made using just pink paint and a foam brush. I ended up creating a layout with it and really love how it turned out.

One of my favorite backgrounds so far is this one...pink and brown are two of my fave color combinations.



After the paint the paint dried I outlined the letters with brown marker and wrote my art goals down.

Love the pinks!! There are those polka dots again:)

Yesterday I had a blast with the cool dollar products I purchased on Tuesday...remember? The sponge, the dish scraper and bubble wrap? Here is what happened...using the sponge...

This page was created with the wire pot scratcher. This was just fun to play with and I love the effect.

Another technique {learned from Shona's book} is this one...

Those black lines were made by dipping an old credit card in paint then dragging across the paper. Looks grungy. Very cool. Probably my very favorite look though is the bubble wrap. See those tiny dots below? Just put paint right on the wrap then lightly {or not depending how you want the dots to look} place on your paper. This was a fun collage to make last night. This background color was amazing, too.

Rmember that "L" I showed you yesterday. I finished it, too...

Okay, so the lighting is just terrible...sorry...here's a close-up of the sun I drew with cra-pas...

Now, girls please know that I don't even pretend to be an artist. I am stretching myself. I have never done this before. I was always a scrapbooker. This is all very new to me and I'm just taking baby steps. So if this all looks juvenile...it is:)

And remember our Challenge from Tuesday to pick 3 of your favorite words and begin creating art with them? Here is a sneak peak at what I'm doing...

A few more photos...snapped this one of Gizmo a few minutes ago. He is a little stinker:)

And finally this is me at the computer writing on my Blog. Jackson told me that you all need to see what I look like when I'm "talking" to you!!

That silly guy!!!

Before I go here is today's Challenge:

Day #4 Challenge: Today I want you to take a deep breathe and realize how AMAZING you are!! The fact that you are putting yourself out there and creating, and writing and sharing is enough. TRULY enough. Today, catch up on the past 3 days, write down any inspiring thoughts or ideas you have in your journals. Just take time to BE...

 

How are you doing girls? Please let me know. I LOVE your comments and I LOVE reading YOUR blogs!!!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

We're on a Roll! {Day 3}

So, how are ya' doing?! From the looks and sounds of things...I'd say pretty darn creative:) What an inspiration you are to me. Here are what a few of my friends are doing with this 31 Days Challenge. You will BE inspired...

Leanne has whipped up a yummy treat and just yesterday she got right in the thick of things and painted with her girls. Be sure and see what the end result was here.  SWEET!

Peggy had fun on Day 1 sorting through photos and getting her mojo on. Stop by and see what she's doing!

Then there's Jodene. She is one creative and spiritual soul. You will be inspired!!

Yesterday I challenged you to come up with THREE of your favorite words, think about their meaning to you then take the next few days {or weeks} and create something. My 3 words are:

write
faith
be


I wrote each word in my 31 Days journal then listed what I associated with each word. Here are a few examples...

write: my column, My dream of writing a book, of inspiring others, my grandma Kern and the diary she gave me.

faith: Heavenly Father, finding the church, my fave chapter in Hebrews

be: being Me, Gordon B. Hinckley's "Be" Speech, the Beatles "Let it Be"

I plan on taking my words and what I associate with each one and creating. I think I'll use a canvas and a few new painting techniques for each one. Remember to really think about these...you can actually create them later in the Challenge!

I did lots of creative things yesterday. I started my morning posting here then headed to my kitchen to tackle these...
We have a huge garden outside of town we share with other families. We have been blessed with so much produce!! 
Anyway, after reading Leanne's post from Monday I decided to try making homemade spaghetti sauce. I chopped up the tomatoes...



Gathered my seasonings...

Softened the onions and garlic and a bit of green pepper in the skillet with olive oil...



Then placed all this in the crock pot, on low for 6 -7 hours. Check out who helped me chop up the pepper:)

 I think he just wanted a spot on my Blog...Hi, Honey!!



While this was cooking I made our favorite summer dish...cucumbers with seasoned rice vinegar. You take these...


add to the cucumbers then sprinkled these on...

and you have a yummy treat...

Zero calories, tons of flavor. Yum-o!

Okay, so after that I ventured uptown to the dollar shop looking for anything creative I could find. I was thinking outside the box here...not paintbrushes or markers or paper. No, something not meant for art. I found the coolest "paint tools" that I'm trying today!! After that I went a few blocks to our local library hoping to find collage art or mixed media art books. No such luck. However I did find a delightful book by Sarah Ban Breathnach all about the Victorian Era. Everything from poems, to photos, to drawings and other super cool stuff. Sure to be inspiring:) Check it all out...

There's a sponge, bubble wrap and wire scratchers for painting, Sarah's book is on the left and that's my journal on the right...did lots of writing in there yesterday, too.

After running some other errands, picking up my niece on the border of Nebraska, finishing up some laundry and cleaning bathrooms we finally got to eat the sauce from earlier in the day! Here's Jacks and Em dishing some up...

And the finished product...

It was delicious!!!!!!!

On to today's Challenge.

Here is Challenge #3: Look at a space in your home that needs a makeover or just "gone through". It may be a bookshelf, a jewelry box or like me my bedroom dresser. Clear it out, go through each book, or piece or whatever it is. What are your thoughts and feelings? Are you finding things you forgot about? Re-organize,... re-invent- create a whole new "feel" or look! 

 

I took this photo yesterday of my dresser. I am going to create a whole new space...

It's usually filled with oddball stuff, hairbrushes, change and dust {lol} No more! I want to create a place that's filled with pretty things I love. Tomorrow we are headed to St. Joe to shop...I'm searching for maybe a bird or two, a few things around here...something nice. I'll let you know how this turns out:)


Okay, so looooong posts lately girls. Sorry:( I have so much to share! Be sure and find the Daily Challenges on Facebook of you don't have time to stop by here!! 


How are you doing? What creative things are you doing? I can't wait to hear!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Overjoyed {Day 2}

All I can say is Wow. 

I have been told throughout my life that if you just put yourself out there...your ideas, your truth, your passion, your whole heart...if you do that over and over and over again, that someday all that goodness, all that energy will come back to you ten-fold.

Yesterday I realized there is truth in that statement.

 I am so overcome with joy and happiness. This 31 Day Challenge has become so much more than I ever could have imagined {and it's only Day2!}

From reading your blogs, to seeing your projects to a phone call received last night from a friend taking the Challenge here in town...just seeing and hearing and feeling your excitement is nothing short of amazing to me.

It shows me that when you are passionate about what you do... When you sincerely give your whole heart to something good things do happen. It may seem silly to some people. Maybe even to you. I mean it's not like we're solving World hunger here or finding a cure for cancer. But we are trying to better ourselves. We are a community of women who are filled with passion and love and support for one another. If only we could take all this energy and bring it out into the world. Then, maybe we could, at long last "love one another".

Thank you girls for putting your whole hearts into the first day of the Challenge. Just think of the positive force you will be in your own lives by the end of 31 Days!!!

Speaking of positive force I would like for you to meet Soraya. I was fortunate to find her during Kelly Rae's e-course. She has become a good friend and mentor to me.


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Soraya, I was blessed to find your blog via Kelly Rae's Flying Lessons class. I fell in love with your art!! Just beautiful. Tell us what you do and can you share some of your work with us?

Thank you so much Leslie! I paint mixed media art (acrylics, oils, pen, collage). As you can see, my art is very female-centered and speaks of the many aspects of the female SOUL; empowerment, courage, wisdom, grace. Yet I also address the broken parts of ourselves-the fears and vulnerabilities-that make us human. I believe it is when we acknowledge and share all parts of ourselves and our journey ; therein lies the power .  I put my heart and soul into my art-every piece becomes a part of me. Nothing makes me happier than when I have touched another person’s heart with my paintings. I strongly believe in the power of storytelling; an ancient ritual found cross culturally. It is through our stories that we learn, share, grow, celebrate, love…live. Each one of my paintings tells a story of the deepest parts of ourselves. Of what it is to be fragile, vulnerable, joyful, hopeful…of what it is to be human.


How long have you blogged? What has the experience been like for you so far?

Leslie-I have an interesting blogging  story that I would like to share! I actually set up my blog about 2 and a half years ago but I only wrote my first post at the start of this year! Sure I had so much going on in my life-I had just got married and  my husband deployed to Iraq a few months later. Then we had our first baby and moved across the country. But the real reason I didn’t start blogging until recently is because of deep fears and insecurities. What would I have to say? Who would want to read it anyway? and on and on. Also, blogging seemed so…vulnerable and raw. I tend to be a private person and exposing myself in this way was pretty scary But at the start of the year, I decided to push past my fears and let go of those insecurities. So far, blogging has been such an amazing experience. It has encouraged me to be more creative in so many ways. It has also given me the opportunity to hone my writing and photography skills. However, by far, the most important gift that blogging has given me has been the gift of community. I have met so many wonderful, kindred souls that have been so kind, loving and supportive.  And I have been exposed to the most amazing ideas, photos, art, writing…it has been a gift and a blessing! I can spend some serious time reading blogs!




I know from reading your blog daily you have some exciting things planned. Can you share them with us? When can we expect to be able to purchase your work?

  Well, I have wanted to start a website, sell my art on Etsy etc for quite some time and after taking Kelly’s Flying Lessons I decided to just go for it instead of waiting for the “perfect time”. I am setting up my website (myself!!) on Squarespace and planning on selling my art (prints and originals) on Etsy. Hopefully I will have all of this set up for sometime in August. I will post it on my blog. You can take a sneak peek at my website here but please keep in mind that it is not complete yet!




Do you work outside the home? How do you manage your creative life with your day to day activities along with being a Mom?  

Great questions Leslie! How do I balance motherhood and painting? I will let you know when I figure that one outJ
No, I don’t work outside the home but I have 2 full time jobs! Taking care of Tara is priority #1 and then after she goes to sleep, I paint, blog, work on my business stuff! Sometimes I stay up until 2 a.m. and then get up again at 6!! It is very difficult, as we all know and I still have tons of  internal conflict over my decisions. Should I just put off my art business completely until she gets older? Should I stop blogging for now? Should I should I should I…But at the end of the day, I try to work it out. I strongly feel that it’s great for my daughter to see me following my dreams; hopefully one day she will follow hers as well. I go through overwhelm, mommy guilt, “how am I going to do all this?” and on and on…But I try to take small steps and plod on.  Some practical tips though-I don’t watch any T.V. at all , if I get 6 hours of sleep a night I consider myself lucky, I have a  really supportive husband and I really schedule my time ( can we say multi-task!!) . It really comes down to being committed to my art and putting in the time. Most days I am really aware of how lucky I am that I can be there for my daughter as well as paint. Both fill my heart with the most incredible joy.




You are so inspirational to me. So peaceful and a gentle soul. What are your 3 favorite inspirational books?

Thank you so much Leslie! My husband would certainly laugh at the “peaceful and gentle soul”-I have some fire in my belly let me tell you!! I have tons of favorite books but these top the list every time.
1. Women Who Run with the Wolves-by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes. I was blessed to read this book when I was about 21 and I continually look to it for wisdom, grace, empowerment. It is more than a book to me-it speaks to every part of my soul. It gives me strength, solace, wisdom, power, insight…every word is a prayer. Masterfully written from “one who knows”. It speaks to every aspect of a woman’s life and psyche.
2. The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran –another book that is so powerful it cuts across all barriers and …is a soothing balm to the soul. Every word is truth, grace, wisdom. At times in my life when I have been broken wide open by joy or pain, this is the book I most often turn to.
3. Anything by Joseph Campbell…his work on myth and the hero’s journey speak to me deeply, deeply, deeply. I  fully believe that we are all heroes…on this journey of life. I think that life requires that we be courageous… that we have heart, kindness, compassion,  love and strength. His words speak of all these things and so much more.
  



What else would you like to add?

  I would like to thank you so much for giving me this opportunity Leslie. I really love your interview style-you ask questions that reveal the person as well as their craft. Thank you so much-you have been so gracious and supportive. This interview has been a lot of fun!

**Please stop by Soraya's Blog today!!! Here is the link:) 

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Yesterday I spent 30 minutes or so in my art space. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do until I got there and suddenly the inspiration to scrap just hit. First I gathered all my supplies...



A photo album with Em' baby pictures, a cute 6x6 album, brads, papers and letter stickers. Before I start any project I like to take time going through my supplies to get a feel for where I want the project to go.

Here are the pages I created...



Keep in mind whenever I work on mini albums I create very simple pages. The idea for me with these smaller albums is to just get the memory down not so much about design.

I also love using up all the bits and pieces I have laying around!!


I also continued working on this piece I'm creating as part of the "Artistic Mother's" Group.


I painted the background then attached the punched out butterflies to make an "L". I will show you the end result later in the week.

**A reminder**

Be sure and check the Words of Me Facebook Page for today's Creativity Challenge {or look below} and other inspiration.

Challenge #2:Pick out 3 words you love. Throughout the next few days let these words really sink their teeth in you. Take time to think about what they truly mean to you. then I want you to create "Word Art". Choose a canvas, a piece of cardstock, maybe a sheet of notebook paper, even fabric and CREATE a masterpiece us...ing your thoughts and feelings involving your word. Be sure and post in your own blog if you want!!



What are your plans for Day 2? What did you do on Day 1?

Today I am cooking, from scratch spaghetti sauce!! I better get to it!! I will have photos:)

Monday, July 26, 2010

Turn Your Light On!! {Day 1)

Howdy girls! I am way excited about the next 31 Days. We are gonna grow. We are gonna write and create and learn what it means to just be.

Thank you for joining me on this journey:)

And if you would like to join us be sure and click here to read about the 31 Days Challenge then grab a button on the right and get to work!

My goal for the next 31 Days is not to just "show up" in my art space or at the computer or with my journal 15 minutes a day.

Nope.

My goal is to learn to live creatively. To look at everything with a fresh set of eyes. Even the laundry-LOL!

Creating: “You do not have to be good to start, but you have to start to become good!” Dr. Jeanne King, Ph.D.

How many times have you told yourself that "Today is the day."? 

Today is the day I....

lose weight, work on my scrapbooks, start walking, create a blog, write in my journal, enjoy life.


I have promised myself over and over "today is the day".  Through the years I have read magazine articles and "famous" scrapbookers blogs and thought to myself, "why can't I be like them? Oh, I know why because I don't have time to create. I don't have time to even think about creating. I have too much to do. I have a house to run, kids to raise, scriptures to read, errands to run. My goodness, I am busy.


But in all my busy-ness I wasn't finding that peaceful, happy feeling I was hoping for. I was just busy. I was tired. I was grumpy.


Then, something happened. I began blogging. I began giving myself permission to take an hour out of my day to write and read and connect with others. I became inspired by all the women I found who were just as busy as me yet they were creating. 


I started to realize that all those "famous scrappers and artists"...they had families just like me. They had laundry and dust and dinner to make. 


The difference between them and me was they were making their creativity a priority in their life...they were living creatively.


"One must work and dare if one really wants to live."-Vincent Van Gogh


I am ready to work. I am ready to dream. I am ready to live my life filled to the brim with inspiration.

Here is my journal I created for my 31 Day Challenge and beyond.


It's one of those composition notebooks you can buy in the school aisle at Wal-Mart or Target. This one costs me just 25 cents! The paper is from Webster's Pages {a few years back} Love that on the paper it already said..."On this day".  And of course check out the butterfly!! I added a few more butterflies and a bird in the lower left corner. Letter stickers and other stickers are from K & Co.


Inside cover...


The paper is from Fancy Pants...my favorite company for paper.


And here is the back inside cover.


That pattern paper on the right is from Webster's Pages.


I am gonna use this book for all my prompts, my thoughts, project ideas and art journaling.


So here's to living the creative life, ladies. Remember, don't stress. This shouldn't feel like work. If you can't make something today, write a paragraph in your journal, find a creative quote on-line or spend 15 minutes searching out new, inspirational blogs. And remember if you find any good ones share them here!!!:)


Also...please don't feel like you have to share all this on your blog. If you want to share your journey that is AWESOME!! But don't feel like you must. This Challenge is about finding yourself. It's about enjoying the journey. 


My art goals for this week include trying at least 2 new painting techniques and finding the latest ART JOURNALING magazine from Somerset Studios. You can see that amazing magazine here. I will also post a challenge a day on the Words of Me "Like" page. Be sure and visit daily!!! Click on my Facebook badge on the right to sign up or visit my page!!


Join me tomorrow for a very inspiring interview with another creative woman blogger!!


Have a creative day girls:)

Sunday, July 25, 2010

The Night Before ~31 Days

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.  ~Judy Garland


Are you ready to be YOU? Are you ready to be the CREATIVE you you've always wanted to be? Join us beginning tomorrow for the WOMP 31 Days Creativity Challenge!!!

Grab a button on the right side of my blog and "like" me on Facebook. {the button is on the right side of my blog, too} Everyday beginning tomorrow through August 25th be inspired by quotes on creativity, journaling prompts, creative exercises and more!!!

Spend at least 5 minutes a day doing something creative!!!


Several photos to post tomorrow and our first creative exercise.


Sleep well and see ya' tomorrow!

Friday, July 23, 2010

Gearing up For 31 Days Challenge!!

Hey, Hey, Hey...


it's FRIDAY! WHa HoO!!!!!

Lots to talk about today...first off...it has been FOUR weeks since I've shared my Words with you. So...going back to July 2nd here we go!

June 25th-July 2nd: This was the week we packed for my 25 year class reunion and family reunion. Busy but exciting. It was also the week "Eclipse" came out.

My word is: JAM PACKED

adjective crowded, full, packed, busy, crushed, mobbed, cramped, huddled, swarming, overflowing, thronged, teeming, congested, populous

July 3rd-9th: Family reunion, Seminary Training in Platte City, Dinner Theater with Mom and this is the week we decided NO vacation due to our finances. So while, it was filled with all good stuff their was that underlying disappointment from not being able to go to New Mexico and Utah to visit friends. It was a week filled with humbling experiences. To admit that we just couldn't go on vacation to our kids and to our friends. It was hard.

July 10th-16th: I took the humbling experiences from last week and used them to figure out where we needed to go in our lives. My husband did the same thing. We both experienced an awakening this week. We were blessed with so much this week as a result of our humbling ourselves, too. This was an incredible week for us! We are so blessed:) 

July 17th-23rd: I started walking daily again this week. Creatively I am alive. I have taken this week to study my new Seminary class {that's a story for another post}, spend time with my kids, clean up my art space, create, write and be a kinder person. This week has been filled with lots of restoring of myself. My word is restore.

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Are you ready for the 31 Days Creativity Challenge that starts THIS Monday?! Remember if you don't know what that is please click here to read all about it!! Grab a button, too so others can join in.

Here are a few things you can do this weekend to be ready for Monday...

1) Create a space just for you. Even if it's a card table in your bedroom with a shoe box full of supplies or your kitchen table. Have a set place you can go throughout the 31 Days. The front porch or patio works, too:)

2) Buy a notebook or find one at home...or if you already have a journal  then have that handy. You will need this to write down any journaling prompts I give you or any thoughts you may have throughout the 31 Days. Remember the 31 Days is not just about creating with paper and glue but it's also about writing and just taking the time to be

3) "Like" me on FB. Here is the link or you can click on my NEW badge located to the right. Everyday throughout the 31 Days you will find quotes on creativity and writing and the importance of just being yourself. I will post challenges on Facebook as well.

**Important**

This Creativity Challenge is supposed to be fun! Do not put pressure on yourself. Creativity is all around us. It may be something as simple as you are at the park with your daughter and you notice the beauty of a flower and are inspired to create something using that image or writing a poem. Creativity is about looking at the world through different eyes.

“The world is but a canvas to the imagination.”  — Henry David Thoreau 

Use this challenge to begin seeing your entire world as inspiration. 

” Creativity is the quality that you bring to the activity that you are doing. It is an attitude, an inner approach – how you look at things . . . Whatsoever you do, if you do it joyfully, if you do it lovingly, if your act of doing is not purely economical, then it is creative.” –  Osho 

I hope you'll join me on this amazing and  mind changing activity!!

EVERYONE participating in the 31 Days Challenge be sure and let me know!! At the end of 31 Days I have a special gift to one lucky participant:)

Let me know...are you playing along?? 

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Artistic Mother-Where I Create {all new!!}

Happy Thursday, girls:) 

Okay, so do you remember a month or so ago I told you I was moving some of my art supplies from my space downstairs to my computer room upstairs because I needed the sunlight?

I spent a week trying to decide what to bring up and rearranging furniture. Eventually it was done, I wrote a post about it, showed you a few photos and that was that. Well, not really. I hated it. I mean truly hated it. 

 I really love my computer room. It's cozy and their is lots of sun {which I adore} however....

there was just zero inspiration. ZERO.

Sooooo the day after I posted my "after" photos here I began to analyze my space downstairs. I realized several things:

1) Okay, so there isn't windows in the craft room BUT there are plenty of windows {aka SUN} in the family room and the family room flows nicely into the craft room so why not utilize them both and have one amazingly cool and inspiring place to create?!

That's what I did and that is where I've been creating my heart out ever since!! Here it is!!

Let's start with the space with no windows. I LOVE this room!! I remember when we looked at buying this home I was downright giddy when I saw this...the perfect craft space {sure wish there was even just one tiny little window-lol}

While it's not very big it has a ton of storage and the counter is just the right height for me to stand and scrap or paint or whatever. Here's looking to the left...
Notice some of my favorite scrappy pages on the cabinets? This is what you see on the far left of the room. Can you believe this space was supposed to be a storm cellar?? The previous owners built the home and they actually got into an argument over what to do with the space. The wife won:)


Here are photos looking to the right now...

Through the years I have collected various organizers for my space. These white ones are from Target. They are my favorite! Each cube was $25 but I made sure and bought them on sale each time:) The punches are setting on one of those plastic spice holders you get in the kitchen department at Wal-Mart.
A close-up of my foam stamps. I did this 2 years ago. I was so tired of trying to figure out how to store these plus I would forget all the ones I had.

Each stamp is attached by velcro right to the wall. 

Okay...so now let's start down the hallway to the family room where the sunshine is-LOL!

So this is what you see when standing in the craft room looking to your left. That shelf holds photo albums. See that cool, retro looking clock on the right? I have an altered project in mind for that. Can't wait to get started. And btw, I can have total privacy in my craft space by using the pocket doors. {or i can use the doors when my space is a mess...which it was just a day ago-lol}

I purchased this cute cabinet at an auction for 5 bucks!! It houses my unused mini albums and a few favorite books.


We have made it to the place where I CreATe!! It's open, there is sunlight pouring in and it's inspirational. I love it!!!!!!


We purchased this hand made counter from a friend who had gone out of business. We paid $100 for it. The counter top has custom fit glass on them. What I really love is once again it is the perfect height for me to stand and work {yes, I am a stander!!}
This is looking directly where I put my project I'm working on and all the goodies that I have close by...

To my left...

To my right...
I am surrounded by my fave tools, flowers, brads, stamps, inks, words and quotes.

This is to the left of my counter...this is where Em creates her masterpieces.

We have loads of fun together:)

While I have most of of "go-to" items close at hand there are dozens of supplies I store in other areas...paint, papers, punches, more stamps, more ephemera and my idea books. This area is what I see if I'm standing and working...
It is behind our couch. I use it to store pattern papers sorted by theme {girl, boy, heritage, etc.} My honney bought me the clip it up 2 anniversaries ago!!

Here is what you see if you look to the right of my counter...

Lots of storage and my family photo wall. Makes me happy:) 

Some close-ups...
I bought this at an auction last spring.
It houses my paint, crayons, fave punches, photos and  other oddball type stuff.

That's all my Mod Podge on top. And remember that blue basket? It is my go-to basket if I'm wanting to create outside or at the kitchen table. It has all my "Journal Revolution" supplies in it.

That blue basket to the right on the floor has my art papers, felt shapes and larger objects I want to alter in it.

This darling little shelf was built by my Grandpa Kern. He has been gone 26 years.


I love that a part of him is with me when I create. He was a wood artist!!

My dear Pooh Bear...I have had him since I was 9 years old.


Love my white bookshelf.

The shelves are filled with mini albums {some finished, some in progress and some empty} along with my favorite art books.

During our 31 Days Challenge I am doing a post on my favorite books!! You won't want to miss that:)

Here's a few more inspirational photos and stuff on my bookcase.

To the left is my sweet little boy. I actually made that clip it's on at CKC last fall. Kam and Abbie are on top and my kids are to the top left with one of our fave missionaries Jordan!! That's my friend and one of my biggest inspirations Lisa Bearnson. We are in her scrap space. She and I have been friends nearly 5 years now. I created that "L" a few years ago. Love it!

Well, there ya' go. This is my space that I created and I LOVE it. And you know...even though I spent all that time lugging supplies upstairs and thinking that my office is where I wanted to be for awhile...doing that made me look at my space here differently and allowed me to make this a place I love with all my heart. One that I will use and be inspired by daily. 

I will leave you with a cute piece I made last week. In the book "The Artistic Mother" our first assignment is to create background papers. This is just one of them...

I used two different acrylic paints, outlined the piece with a cra-pas then added a rub-on, flowers a few stamps and my journaling. So fun!

Again, I hope you have enjoyed the tour and I hope that something I've done has inspired you today!!!

Remember to grab a button and play along with our 31 Days Creativity Challenge. I have so many ideas to help you in your creative journey!! Not sure what the Challenge is? Read all about it here!!

I would love to know what your favorite part of your creative space is...Leave me a comment!!!!