52 Week Life Make-Over

"Art is not a part of life, it is not an addition to life, it is the essence of those pieces of us that make us fulfilled. That give us hope. That give us dreams and provide the world a view very different than what it would have been without us."
Hasan Davis 

Art and healing go hand in hand. I know that when we are lost and scared and hurting...creating can take us to a place of peace and love and hope. I am so grateful for the serenity my studio brings me. Making art is time well spent.

Girls...I am ready to shake up my life...change and grow and become. I am ready for a Life Makeover and want to take you with me. 

It is TIME for living TRUE. It is TIME for freeing our spirit and mind and Embrace all that we are!! 

Beginning Monday, June 3rd join me for 52 weeks of  artsy ideas, soul-searching prompts, images and words that speak to your heart and will help you move forward in your journey.
Hear from other artists and bloggers to find out what feeds their passion and creativity. This course will encourage you to set weekly art goals, take care of your body and feed  your spiritual self, too. It's a 52 week Life-Makeover and it's completely FREE!!

Stay tuned for more details as well as a button for your blog!! Be sure and share with all your artsy friends, too!!!

Questions?? Leave me a comment!!!

Artist Inspiration: Sarah Ahearn Bellemare

Sarah's work

I absolutely ADORE mixed-media artist Sarah Ahearn Bellemare!! She is a burst of HAPPY! The first time I saw her work was in a Somerset magazine and I went NUTS!! Her work is so simple, so bright and cheerful. It inspired me to paint my very own canvas...I LOVE the results!!

The canvas is 11x14 and filled with bits and pieces of my favorite epherema.

I used very watered down acrylic paints, stamps and pencil.

The quote I used was actually taken from one of Sarah's pieces...it is now one of my all-time favorites!

Here is my finished piece!! It hangs in my studio and makes me smile every time I see it. I plan on painting many other Sarah inspired pieces in the coming months. This was just so much FUN!

Be sure and stop by her blog...I think you'll really like it:)

What artist is inspiring YOU lately??

Free Art Journaling Course

“Clean out a corner of your mind and creativity will instantly fill it” – Dee Hock


When it comes to my creativity...I am moving right along and loving it!! It seems I have found my niche and that is teaching. I LOVE seeing women who have never even thought about being creative...create something!! The sparkle in their eyes and joy on their face is priceless!!

Throughout the summer I have scheduled nearly a dozen classes at our local art studio where I hope to teach and empower many more women.  We are ALL creative souls!! All of us!

Speaking of teaching...it's time for another one of my FREE e-courses. Girls...I have so much fun coming up with these prompts and ideas and just can't wait to share what I have thought up this time:) I will tell you it is BIG and I PROMISE that as we go along...this course will change your life!! It will....and mine, too. Sooo excited to share!! Be on the lookout for ALL the details and blog button very soon!! This course will begin on Monday, June 3rd.

“To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty, you want to bring a little more music to it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it.” – Osho

My Soul Neighborhood

“Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten. Then when you hit puberty they take the crayons away and replace them with dry, uninspiring books on algebra, history, etc. Being suddenly hit years later with the 'creative bug' is just a wee voice telling you, 'I'd like my crayons back, please.” 
― Hugh MacLeod, Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity


With our lives on the edge of chaos this past 18 months, creativity has been the one quiet and sure place I can go to find comfort. Painting, gluing and doodling has a way of healing my heart and making me feel whole again. I am so grateful for it!

Last summer sometime my blog friend Becca wrote a post on her "dream neighborhood". She shared how cool it would be if only those people in our life that lifted us up and supported our dreams could be our neighbors. I loved her idea and was totally inspired to create my very own Soul Neighborhood on canvas!!! 

I actually started this last summer but had trouble getting it just right. It's the largest canvas I have ever worked with and to be honest I was quite intimidated by it. You can't tell but this piece has sooo many layers...I kept painting and re-painting it...lol. I FINALLY finished last Saturday!! It has been sitting in my craft closet and I was just in the mood to get it done!! Sooo excited to share my "Soul Neighbor-Part One" with you!!! 

So when I was planning this piece I thought about all those amazing women that uplift me, motivate me and inspire me with their creativeness, love and style. Before long I had over a dozen women!! I knew I wanted my houses to be pretty large...so this is just part one. I hope part two doesn't take as long...lol.

The cute skinny house on the far left is Melody Ross from Brave Girl's Club. Melody never ceases to amaze me!!!!

By taking her classes and being a member of Brave Girl's Club I have learned how to truly listen to my heart!!

Right next door to Melody is my dear friend Leanne from "Chaos Comes Happiness". She has been one of my biggest suppporters, creating my blog look (I LOVE it!!) and always being there for words of encouragement.

The words to the left of the flower read "She was so grateful". Leanne is soooo amazing with her family and sooo grateful for them. She has lifted me up on many occassions with stories about her daughters. She is an amazing mom!!

I chose the drama masks since she loves the theater and that Julia Child quote fits her philosophy so well:)

Next in line is the very talented writer and artist Courtney Walsh. Courtney was near the top of my list for many reasons!! Not only is she a super talented writer and scrapbooker but she her spirit-filled heart connects with mine. She lives her faith and it is so evident in all that she does. 

 She is a definite must in my Soul Neighborhood!!!

Next door to Courtney is another blog friend and mentor...Jodene Shaw.

Jodi lives on a ranch in South Dakota and LOVES taking photos of sunflowers and birds. Her mixed-media art and love of Jesus Christ is what I love most about her!!! I have watched her blossom into a very talented photographer, artist and teacher. Her art speaks to me and makes me happy:)

The last friend in my Soul Neighborhood is the whimsical and darling Kristin from "Twinkle Twinkle". Not only is Kristin a super talented mixed-media artist who has been published several times in various magazines...but she is also sweet, charming and crazy about her cutie patootie, dinosaur loving daughter Kendra. 

I think this quirky, little house with lots of sparkle and bling is perfect for her:)


So there you have it...my perfectly happy "Soul Neighborhood-Part One".
I hope you enjoyed your visit!!

Easter Fun!

These two little cutie patooties are growing up sooooo fast! 

And even though a part of me is sad...I am enjoying them so much as young adults!! The best part is our family has gained two more kids...Jourdain and Bailey.

Saturday night we had everyone at our home for home-made chicken enchiladas and coloring Easter eggs!! We had such a wonderful time!!!

Love my Jackson and his girl Bailey!! She is bright and colorful and just so much FUN to be around! Love her positive attitude:) She is a burst of sunshine!!!

Emma's missionary finally made it to our home Thursday afternoon.

Em met Jourdain while he served his 9 months of his mission here in Maryville. My husband Dave drove to California and picked him up last week!!! He is so wonderful!! We all love him:)


After church on Easter Sunday I made the kids keep their church clothes on a bit longer for photos...

As you can see Jackson was quick at getting his jammies on;)

Another picture of Em and Jourdain...

Yes....he is TALL...6'7!!! He played basketball at Utah Valley in Provo.

A family photo...

Love all of us together!! My family means the WORLD to me!!:)

Girls, I hope you had a blessed Easter and look forward to seeing your photos you post on your blogs.

I have some life-changing news to share with you tomorrow!!!!

LIFE CHANGING!!!!!!!