31experiment

Something Beautiful

2010-09-19T11:58:00.003-05:00

I know I have been quiet for so long. I am aching to come back and share my thoughts and dreams and life with all of you dear friends. Let's start right now.

this one life

2010-03-15T13:25:00.006-05:00

The only rule is to make it perfectly and uniquely YOURS.

Happy Banner

2010-03-13T15:08:00.007-06:00

I made this little banner (out of tissue paper) for my office while attempting to watch The Hurt Locker last night. The banner makes me happy whenever I see it, however I didn't last through the whole movie. I am an emotional sissy when I watch people being blown up. I can't take it.

Dream Report Week 4

2010-02-20T09:05:00.004-06:00

Just wanted to let you all know that my dream report: week 4 is up over at Make Under My Life. Here is a little sneak peak.....

Click here to read the post.

I am a Dream Reporter

2010-02-10T12:11:00.006-06:00

I am still a little slow in returning to my own blog but I wanted to let you all in on what I have been doing elsewhere. I am now an official "dream reporter" for Jess LC's Make Under My Life blog. I am so excited to have this opportunity and I just know it is exactly what I am supposed to be doing right now. I will be blogging every Saturday about what it looks and feels (and smells and tastes) like to follow my dreams. As raw and authentic as possible. I really hope that you will join me there!

Below is the first post that went up 2 saturdays ago.

Hi everybody! My name is Ashley Inzer and I have some big dreams. For as long as I can remember I have been a dreamer and not a do-er. I constantly get tons of ideas, get really excited about them and then quietly let them go without acting on them. There are a ton of things that I have allowed to hold me back…fear of failure, fear of success, insecurities, jealousy, fear of responsibility, money mindsets, debt, getting older….the list could go on forever. So here I am, at 32 years old, ready to kick some serious dream butt. When Jess asked me to be a “dream reporter” for her blog I felt some serious fear. What if I can’t do it? What if people think I am ridiculous? What if I am too lazy or unorganized or a terrible writer? But somewhere deep in my gut I know that this is exactly the thing I need to do to end the “dreaming only” cycle and start the doing process. First I want to mention that I am not “prepared” to be a dream reporter…I do not have my ducks in a row, I don’t have a specific plan, I am not a life coach or a self-improvement guru or a writer with a blog filled with amazing content that will help you on your way to your dreams. This whole thing is about the process. Its about the raw realities and authentic experiences. This is an experiment to document exactly what it looks like when a woman decides it is her birthright and responsibility to follow her dreams and live within her purpose.

To get a better understanding of where I am coming from here is a bit about me and my dreams….

I created a “personal statement” for myself a long time ago….”Creator of beautiful experiences”. Since I am a multi-talented person (I enjoy doing lots of different things), this can manifest in a variety of forms. Ultimately if someone encounters me on any level I hope that when they leave they have had a beautiful experience and are inspired to live authentically and with intention. My dream is to be an entrepreneur and to inspire people to dwell within the world of possibilities and to live creatively with intention. I feel my purpose is to inspire people to live authentically.

I have had an entrepreneur mindset since i was a kid. At 7 years old I was going door-to-door selling my own watercolor paintings (for 10 cents) and loom-weaved potholders (for 25 cents). There was never a weekend when I wasn’t selling something in my front yard or trying to explain to people why a certain office supply (that I happen to find in a drawer in my room) or a cup of my special recipe lemonade (that probably just had 2 extra cups of sugar added to it) would make their life so much better.

I have also always loved creating experiences for people. As a kid I would put on productions (fashion shows, carnivals with free prizes, cooking lessons, etc) and go around the neighborhood and pick up other kids in my wagon and bring them to the “event”. As an adult I have coordinated, produced and designed several special events as well.

I also happen to be a designer and artist. I love working in every medium possible. Painting, ceramics, sewing, embroidery, illustration, photography….I love it all. I currently make my living as an Art Director designing print materials mainly for women’s magazines like More, Redbook, Ladies Home Journal, Budget Travel, etc. Also recently I have been working with brides to create print materials and DIY decor to create a truly authentic wedding that is specific to the couple. I started a blog almost a year ago to document my crafty creations and to communicate what it looks and feels like to live an authentically creative life. Unfortunately when we moved, in September, to a new state I kind of lost my center and have been struggling personally (with being so unhappy at my job and wanting to follow my dreams so badly) that my blog has paid a price. I am ready to get back to it. I was never happier than when i was communicating and sharing my story and connecting with other like-minded peeps. I love stories. I want to tell stories because they really are what bring us all together. I love hearing other people’s stories and connecting on that level.

I am so ready to do this dream thing that I can hardly stand it. I have taken several steps to get me going in that direction (mainly personal steps like hiring a coach, a nutritionist and a boot camp physical trainer) though I am still on the edge about exactly what I want to launch. Starting Feb 1st I will be taking a business class (http://www.unconventionalguides.com/100biz.htm) with Chris Guillebeau and I will leave my 28 days with him with a business plan in place (the dream will sprout legs!).

So hopefully all of that makes some sort of sense. The most important thing for me is to be honest and authentic about where I am in this process. It is all very raw right now for me as I don’t have a definite course of action laid out….I only know what I want. I am very nervous about stepping fully into my dreams….I have major financial concerns (especially since I am the only one in my home generating income at this point – my partner is in school full time – and we have a good bit of debt) as well as issues with my confidence and trusting myself to make decisions from my heart. I believe that each person is different and each person has the ultimate power to create the life that they want to live. I don’t want to live re-actively, I want to live creatively (and I don’t mean only in the artistic sense) and with intention. I don’t want another year to go by where I am just wishing that I could be doing something else or being someone else. I want to inspire other people to live authentically as I am doing it myself. I like the idea of revealing the good and the bad…the true path to living my dreams.

As scary as it all seems, spending my life outside of my purpose for yet another year seems a lot more terrifying. When I step back and get that perspective it doesn’t seem so much scary as it seems necessary, important and responsible. (I wonder what the world would look like if every single person was dedicated to living within their true purpose?) So what do you think? Will you go on this journey with me?

Click here if you want to read the post from Week 2!

I am missing you

2010-01-20T15:42:00.002-06:00

Clearly I had to take a little (well, maybe not so little) blogging break. Im coming back though. Blog world I have missed you so much!

Holiday Photo Attempt

2009-12-17T12:16:00.008-06:00

We tried. We really did. I had full intentions of getting a Christmas card sent out this year. Not gonna happen. Its going to have to be a New Year card.

See the thing is that we just moved to this new city where we don't know anyone who could actually take a photo of us, and we live in a home that doesn't get the greatest light, and I can't find my tripod, and I am seriously opposed to using a flash on a camera. So we tried to make do with our current situation and this is what happened.....

Doesn't he look so excited to be a part of the "light testing"? And the felt linked garland that I made WAS cute before this particular day.

I didn't make it back in time after hitting the button....(for about the 15th time)

I painted this little sign thinking that it would be really cute to use in our photos. However, neither one of us look very merry or bright at the moment.....

Here we look like homeless, dirty hippies camping out downtown....

1. Don't you love the factory artwork in the Ikea frame? I thought it would be perfect for a holiday card (im kidding, i was planning on photoshopping a little illustration in that spot) 2. I think Spencer is over it all and is trying to be nice about telling me its time to quit.

At least we got parts of the whole family in the picture. None of the kids were happy and I ended up with quite a few (deep) scratches - but I WAS NOT GOING TO LET GO. WE WERE GOING TO TAKE A FAMILY PHOTO DAMMIT.

Here we were just so over it all that we started making ridiculous faces....

I had to grab his butt to get this half way decent laughing shot.

We will be heading to my parents house in Alabama for Christmas so hopefully I can talk him into suffering through one more photo shoot with my mom (or at least a tripod) as the photographer. Sometimes I guess getting just the right photo takes time....and apparently lots of patience if you are a man.

100 Holiday Crafts

2009-12-09T15:24:00.003-06:00

Holy craftballs this is going to keep you busy until the next holiday season. 100 crazy fun craft projects in one gigantic list. heaven. I was so excited when I found this I started drooling. Not really, but you should check it out at The Long Thread.

Thank you to Kind Over Matter for revealing this goodness to me today. Have you ever visited the Kind Over Matter blog? Its one of my very most favorites.

gratitude day 4

2009-11-23T21:09:00.003-06:00

Today I have a little gratitude humor video for you...its hilarious and worth it to watch to the end (4 minutes).

Today I am grateful for computers and technology. I'm grateful that my dad always made sure that we had a computer in our home (even in the early 80's when everything was run through DOS and I played Donkey Cong with joysticks). I grateful for the blogs that changed my life. I am grateful that I have been able to reconnect with friends I never thought I would see again on Facebook. I am also grateful that I can create and sell beautiful artwork through this box of wires and switches....it all seems so insane when i really think about it.

gratitude day 3

2009-11-20T21:00:00.004-06:00

Oops, I missed a day of blogging gratitude. I spent the entire day yesterday in Tampa at a Hay House conference. It was so exciting to be in the presence of some of my favorite authors...Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson....and so many more. I loved every second of it.

Before I move onto the part about gratitude I wanted to share a little project I finished up today that incorporates some of my most favorite things....felt, flowers, linen and beads.

I can think of about a bagillion things I could do with these little felt flowers....stockings, wreaths, gift bags....

OK, on to my quote about gratitude.

"Each night before I go to bed, I write down five things that I can be grateful about that day. Real life isn’t always going to be perfect or go our way, but the recurring acknowledgment of what is working in our lives can help us not only to survive but surmount our difficulties.
Simplicity, order, harmony, beauty and joy – all other principles that can transform your life will not blossom and flourish without gratitude…You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you.

As you focus on the abundance rather than on the lack in your life, you will be designing a wonderful new blueprint for the future. This sense of fulfillment is gratitude at work, transforming your dreams into reality. Begin this day to explore and integrate this beautiful, life-affirming principle into your life, and the miracle you have been seeking will unfold to your wonder and amazement’.

Quote from The Science of Getting Rich. Read it for free here.

Today I am grateful for the abundance of craft and art supplies that sit, waiting to be used in a beautiful creation, in clear containers in my studio. What are you grateful for? Can you feel it in your gut?

graditude 2

2009-11-19T10:05:00.004-06:00

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity .... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

-- Melodie Beattie, author

Today I am grateful for these guys. For all of the lessons they teach me, for all of the kisses they give me, for all of the poop i have to scoop, for all of the times that they walk on my chest and it hurts so freakin bad, and for all the times that they know when I am crying and come to my side to let me know they love me. They are the most wonderful creatures and they are mine.

What are you grateful for today?

gratitude

2009-11-17T16:22:00.008-06:00

I believe that at any given moment there are only two ways a person can be thinking...either negatively or positively. There doesn't appear to be really any in-between. One of the greatest thing I have ever learned is...how I choose to think has a direct correlation to very specific outcomes in my life. Instead of waiting to feel inspired to paint or run or work or whatever, I show up and choose to be inspired. This way I can never, ever claim to be a victim. It seems simple, but it took me a very long time to realize that I actually hold that power myself. I can literally and very specifically create the kind of day I want to have, I don't have to let the day just happen to me.

I have been working really hard lately to develop new habits in my life that help me practice the act of creating positive thoughts and feelings. I believe that the more i create positive feelings and thoughts in my life, the more I will have positive experiences. So a few weeks ago i started a nightly ritual centered on gratitude. I have a little notebook and pen on my nightstand - its right there, every night, no looking for it - and every night when I go to bed I write 5 things that i am grateful for as well 5 gifts and 5 gains that happened throughout that day. I go to bed each night with a feeling of gratitude. It seems to me that gratitude is about as close as you can get to peace and joy.

Today I am thankful for this guy......

What are you grateful for today? Try to really feel it.

Stuff from the week

2009-11-16T12:36:00.006-06:00

I apologize for being so quiet lately. I've been extending so much energy in other places and I don't like to do "filler" posts. I am still so grateful for my faithful readers who have sent me sweet messages wondering where i have been. Tomorrow I will start posting daily till Thanksgiving with a series on gratitude. Even though it seems like such a simple and possibly over-done topic, I have realized that focusing on it can bring about some powerful affects.

So for now, here are a few photos from the week.

One of my biggest items on my gratitude list of the moment is...the library! You can check out up to 99 items at a time...for free!

These have to be the coolest books I have ever seen in my life. The Woodstock one was published in 1972. I want to "loose" them so I never have to return them. (No mom, I won't really do that)

Sometimes I just need to draw. There is something about pen on paper that is so meditative for me.

I made these curtains for our kitchen from some vintage sheets that I found at a flea market for $1. Sorry about the yucky photos in this post - the light was impossible to work with.

And this is a really big wood panel that I painted for our living room. It still needs work but I wanted to go ahead and get it up on the wall to see if I liked it. I don't. But it's not a problem, now I get to make something else to go there!

Happy Monday to you all.
xoxo

envy vs. enough

2009-11-05T10:43:00.002-06:00

(tiny paintings to be used in a LARGE project, can't wait till it's finished!)

Creativity is life giving. It is generous. It is healing. It is beautiful, lovely, encouraging, patient, kind, hopeful and all of the best things you can imagine in your head and heart right now. There are very few things I claim to know...but I do know these things to be true.

I also know that envy and jealousy are a very real part of my personality. I have felt it for as long as I can remember and now, as a blog reader and creative person, there are times when I feel it everyday. However, while I can feel envy and jealousy with such intensity as I go through my daily RSS feeds, I can also feel kindness and gentleness and abundance with just as much intensity. And my choice, when those scarcity feelings start to creep in, is to direct my thoughts in a different direction. What if instead of focusing on lack we all started focusing on abundance? What if there is enough for everyone? What if there was no such things as artistic competition? What if ideas were "gifted" and couldn't be "stolen"? What if all creativity was available to anyone who asked for it? What if we shared and grew TOGETHER? Wouldn't our creative journeys be that much sweeter?

To all of my fellow artists and bloggers and creative folks....I am filled with such joy to be in this adventure WITH you. I learn about life and art and Essence and even myself from you everyday. I am proud of you and I want you to succeed - even if you do bring the ideas I have had swimming around in my head to the market before me. The gifts I receive from fellow creative bloggers far outweigh any gifts I could ever provide to the readers of my own blog. I feel honored to be a part of something so huge and beautiful and brilliant.

big dreams

2009-11-02T18:33:00.003-06:00

Tell me I'm not the only one. Please.

that time of year again...holiday photo cards

2009-10-30T15:23:00.003-05:00

I know its the day before Halloween and you probably don't want to hear about Christmas just yet...but it makes me so happy! My absolute favorite time of the year is the Holiday season. I think it is all of the good energy and visual stimulation that comes with the excitement of giving...and the pecan pie.

But the holidays will be here before we know it. And although I haven't started listening to Holiday music just yet, I have started designing Christmas cards.

These designs are being sold through Sarah Pay Designs....and if you place an order (you don't have to decide on your design yet, just place the order) before November 14th you will get 20% off your entire order! very cool.

Check out the Flickr site for more designs and email spay (at) carolina.rr.com for a rate card and more info. Or you can email me ashleyinzer (at) gmail (dot) com and I can help too.

Sarah and I are also willing to work on custom orders....if you have an idea in your head we can make it become real. We are good at that!

Sarah and I go WAY back (we met at summer camp) - she is super talented and we have such a unique friendship...when everyone else thinks we are "weird" we just get each other. I admit, I am a bit of a control freak when it comes to projects and getting things done well and right....and I have to say Sarah is one of the only people in the world that I would trust my life, my business, my art and any project imaginable to. She is a genius of all sorts. Like a real genius.

Please buy cards from us this year...it would make me SO SO happy!!

DIY bookcase

2009-10-27T12:31:00.004-05:00

We searched everywhere to find the perfect bookcase that would fit behind our couch....to no avail. We didn't even find a "create your own combination" at Ikea that would work. So we decided to make our own (which interprets to... I decided what it would look like and Spencer actually built it). I really really love the way it turned out...perfect.

One of my favorite things to do, when i enter someone's home for the first time, is scope out their books. I feel like the books a person reads says so much about the life they lead...or at least the life they want to lead. Books are one of my most favorite things in the entire universe. Just before we moved I did some serious decluttering and got rid of about 75% of my books. It was SO hard to do! I have moved over 30 times in my life and my books have been the one constant in my life. I am so attached to them.

The photos are kind of small but here is a sneak peak into the books in my life....

Do you love seeing what other people are reading too or is it creepy?

linen bunting and a few favorites

2009-10-25T16:55:00.007-05:00

Hello hello! Just wanted to share a simple little project I did that involves some of my latest obsessions....linen and buntings. I can't stop making things that involve garland or bunting. I know its a fad that is about to run it's course but I have always liked things that hang and I just don't think I will ever stop.

I cut the bunting shapes out of linen fabric, machine stitched them onto thin ribbon and then painted little hearts in various shades of reds, pinks and white on each one. Here is a closer look...

I think they would be fun at a wedding shower or rehearsal dinner.

Also, a few more of my favorite things of the moment....

My favorite magazine of the moment. BUST. They have a great website too.

My favorite book of the moment. CANT. PUT. IT. DOWN. Not everyone will be into this but if you are open to it it will change your life. Seriously. Any other type 4's out there??

My favorite song of the moment....Overjoyed by Christine Kane. This woman is phenomenal in so many ways. She is a singer/songwriter (as wells as a speaker and writer and serious butt kicker) and her music style is coffeehouse/folk/acoustic. And you should really check out her blog if you want to uplevel your life and learn how to live consciously creative.

We had a great weekend. We explored our new city and allowed ourselves a few hours to just relax and read and play music. Now off to make something cool.......

So glad to be back!

2009-10-21T13:17:00.006-05:00

I've been gone for so long from the blog and I have missed the constant companionship and connection that it has always brought to my days. I have missed you!

We are still working on getting settled into our new house. It is so sweet, i wish I could invite you all over for a get-together. It would be nice to have some friends here. We love the city and especially the area that we live in. Every morning I get to run through the cutest streets with shops and cafes and little parks...i think it's the closest you can get to Park Slope, Brooklyn while in Florida (its a stretch - i know).

So much is going on in this little mind of mine and though I am loving this very moment on this very day in this very second, i am excited to see how life looks a year from now. For starters, Spencer and I have gone "complaint free" and it has already shifted the energy in our lives. It's amazing and I highly recommend it. Just try it for a week and see how you feel.

We have had a couple days of "fall" weather in central Florida....it has been unusually chilly and it reminds me of the early falls in NYC and Vermont. I love it! But I think we will be back up to 85 tomorrow. I enjoy that too.

I hope I still have some readers out there...thank you for sticking around during our move. I am SO glad to be back!

Here are a few photos from the week...

We are heading out to Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights tonight....are you doing anything fun to celebrate the fall season this year?

be gentle

2009-10-14T12:52:00.006-05:00

I am still alive!! I am here! i love you!

I am just taking some time to get REALLY clear about what I want to be, do and have in my life.

For example, one thing I know I want is to feel as beautiful as possible. Since I hadn't had my hair cut in almost a year that meant a trip to the salon was in line. And since hair cutters LOVE to make curly hair straight (which really bothers me), I couldn't get out the door without a big fat round brush being taken to my head.

Ill be back next week with creative goodness, i promise.

As for today....be very gentle with yourself. Relax. You are probably more OK than you realize.

Go gently today,
Ash

still getting settled

2009-09-30T17:13:00.004-05:00

It is taking me a while to get settled into a new house and a new city. I am loving every minute of it! But it has taken me away from the blog for a little longer than expected so i wanted to let you know that I haven't disappeared...i just can't focus on crafty and artsy stuff when my house looks like a tornado hit it. So a little longer and then I'll have lots of things to share!

Check out our newly painted door...

I know painting a door isn't really high on the priority list right after moving but I was so excited about it that I just couldn't wait.

I'll be back soon with lots of fun stuff!!

moving on

2009-09-20T22:54:00.006-05:00

We are right in the midst of moving from the coast of Alabama to Orlando. And since I am really on a decluttering kick (i want to get rid of everything) Spencer and I have been having so much fun going through every single item that we have in our house. Check out some of these really funny things that we uncovered....

...before there was Gameboy I had portable PAC MAN!!!

You know you had this too....it's ok. I won't hold it against you.

I had every book in the series. My favorites were the vacation specials...they were extra thick!

Reece has found his own special spot in the middle of the moving madness.

And at night...when I was too tired to pack anymore, I painted a special little zebra for my friend Jana who had sweet Drew 16 days ago....

I wont have access to the internet for a while during the actual relocation process so Ill see you back here in a few days....I am SO excited to get moved and settled in to our little house on the brick road. I can finally start selling my art online!!

See you in 500 miles!

i love you

2009-09-13T17:21:00.004-05:00

I've been feeling the love big time lately. I made this for my sweet Spencer.

note: I realized after I created this illustration that the concept is similar to the poster that says "I love you more than blogs and coffee". I wasn't thinking of that when I was designing this so I hope it doesn't appear copied.

change is the best

2009-09-07T18:51:00.006-05:00

I think I am going through a time of quiet reflection right now. I am feeling the ebbs and flows of life intensely and I love it. It really is so good to be alive.

I am learning so much right now and I want to share it all with the world but for some reason I feel the need to just let it sit in my head for a while. There is so much change happening right now and, honestly, I love it when I am in that type of place in life. Although it feels very uncomfortable and scary, I have finally recognized that these exact moments are the ones that are filled with faith and trust, hope and longing, excitement and fear - the best parts of life. These are the really good times.

I realize now that nothing makes me feel more alive than stepping out in faith when I have no idea where I will land. As comfy as "knowing" feels, its no where near the life I want to live.

So here are a few photos from my week.

I am LOVING freehand embroidery! And yes, I spelled it wrong. How is it possible that I spelled my most favorite word in the whole world wrong? I don't get it.

Very simple gift wrap made out of materials I had on hand. Happy Birthday, Sharee!

I love my cats, obvious I know. I am one of those crazy cat ladies who doesn't have "real" kids.

My hair has been the same since I was 18 years old....I am 32. It is SO time for a change. The trick is to find someone who actually knows how to cut curly hair....not easy at all.

I have been pretty slow posting lately, but after the move (we are moving to Orlando in 2 weeks) I assure you that I will be around more often. I can't wait to share about all the plans that are in process!!

One more thing....

"One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time." - Andre Gide

rehersal dinner invites

2009-09-01T11:34:00.005-05:00

A very dear friend of mine, Carolyn, is getting married next month. She is doing pretty much everything for her wedding herself and has put in a ton of time and creativity to make sure every detail of the event is perfecto. Check out her amazing wedding blog for step-by-step details of all her crafty projects so far.

I was lucky enough to get to help her with her rehearsal dinner invites. The event is going to be at a beautiful historic apple barn in the mountains of North Carolina. She wanted to set the tone with the invites and she already had an idea of what she wanted.....

By the way, somehow this girl pulled this design together in Microsoft WORD. What??!!

Carolyn was also open to new ideas so I sent her a couple of completely random designs that were stewing around in my head....

In the end she settled on the doily theme and I printed them on Kraft paper to give them a bit of a rustic, earthy feel.

She ended up printing a banner design (using WORD and clipart - what??!!) on vellum envelopes and punched out circle confetti to make each invite special. Check out her blog for step-by-step DIY details on this and many more really cool wedding projects.

faith

2009-08-31T20:07:00.003-05:00

Something happens in the mind and heart of a person who stares hell directly in the face yet is able to defeat it. Such a deep and raw beauty emerges. After such an experience, life carries with it a sweetness and a peace no matter what challenges may arise. I don't know that I can really explain this concept with words, it might simply have to be lived, but I think this quote does a pretty good job conveying the message. (I found the quote today on one of my favorite blogs, Apples for Poppy Anne - thank you Erin!)

I'm back from vacation and I have a lot of catching up to do. Thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday....they really do keep getting sweeter and sweeter every year.

stuff from the week + vacation

2009-08-23T00:02:00.003-05:00

I am going on vacation tomorrow (well technically today since it's already Sunday)!!! But first, a few things from the week......

I'll see you all next week!

Belgium train station

2009-08-20T09:41:00.007-05:00

ok, this is just way TOO COOL not to post about. You might have already seen it and I am late to the game, if so, watch it again cause it will make you smile big time.

I want to do something like this!!

reality

2009-08-19T21:45:00.005-05:00

its SO true. i promise.

By the way, I learned this concept from the e-course I have been taking for almost 3 months now - Creative Pathways with Deb Owen. It has been an amazing experience and has truly changed my life. A lot of times I go into something hoping that I will be moved in some sort of profound way only to be let down...not true with this course. I highly recommend it if you are a creative person or struggling to get unstuck in some area of your life. You can email her directly for more information deb (at) djocreative.com.

Have you taken any e-courses that you have loved? I would love to hear about them.

welcome home

2009-08-15T21:50:00.006-05:00

While procrastinating on doing the things I really NEED to do I painted a little sign for our home last night.

(sorry for the annoying glare)

While I was painting it I was not only thinking about the environment I want to exist in my home but I was also thinking about the environment I want to exist on my blog. I really genuinely want to connect with people and create a place where people can feel safe to be themselves and to explore their own uniqueness - no matter how quirky or weird it may seem. I hope that when people visit my blog (and my home) they feel safe to be completely who they are.

I like it when people feel so comfortable in my home that they will open the fridge to get a drink without asking me first. I want my bloggy friends to feel the same way. If you want to leave a comment, leave a comment...if you want to send an email, send an email....you are welcome in this place to think and to feel and to experience life unedited.

There is no judgement here, and if you sense judgement please kick me in the rear, ok?

let it rain painting

2009-08-10T19:02:00.005-05:00

I seem to be struggling with words a bit lately. I am in a phase where I am learning and absorbing so much and I just want to keep quiet and allow it all to soak into my being. But I really wanted to share with you something that I learned from this little guy....
He taught me a huge lesson yesterday. He taught me that I can trust myself, trust my inner artist and trust the creative process. He taught me that if I do my part, and just show up at the canvas, the universe (God, higher power..whatever) will take care of the rest. JUST SHOW UP.

Sometimes, when I think about doing something creative, I get completely paralyzed with fear. I feel like I can't get myself together enough to just start something....anything..because I am obsessed with a beautiful outcome. I am a perfectionist and my art MUST be perfect...otherwise what is the point??? This way of thinking can be completely overwhelming and kept me creatively blocked for years.

Here is what Julia Cameron has to say about this stuff...

"Our ego plays this little trick to keep us from getting started. Instead of allowing ourselves a creative journey, we focus on the length of the trip. 'It's such a long way,' we tell ourselves.

At the heart of the anorexia of artistic avoidance is the denial of process. We like to focus on having learned a skill or on having made an artwork. This attention to final form ignores the fact that creativity lies not in the done but in the doing."

Did you get that???? Creativity lies not in the DONE but in the DOING. Whoa!!! It is so easy for me to forget this, especially working in graphic design and advertising when all that matters to the client is the printed piece that brings in sales.

So back to little elephant guy. When I finally gathered enough courage to show up at the canvas yesterday he is what appeared. I took things one tiny step at a time. I had no idea what I wanted to paint, I just started with one small thing, then another and another. And he was born and I love him.

I LOVE this painting. Not necessarily because it represents any great talent, but because of it's birth process.

So now I am trying to meet authentic creativity where it truly exists.....in the process. I am learning to relax and trust. I am learning, when it rains to let it rain....soak it up!!

get past the fear

2009-08-06T21:26:00.001-05:00

stuff from the week

2009-08-03T21:45:00.007-05:00

Hello hello hello!! I just wanted to share a few VERY random photos from the very random stuff I have been into the past few days.

These horses live across the street from me (i know...its weird that I live across from a farm). For my weekly Artist Date this week I went to visit them and took tons of pictures. This one was my favorite.

This was my second favorite.

This is hanging on my front door so I see it every time I leave or arrive. Yes, I spelled precious wrong....does that make the drawing more precious? I think so.

Seriously, I will never drink them. I just loved the packaging so much that I had to purchase them. Have you ever done that? Maybe it's because I am a graphic designer.

I found these adorable birdhouses at Old Time Pottery for $2!! I loved them so much that I had to buy 3 of them. I spray painted them white for now but have a feeling that a solid coat of bright pink or turquoise might be in their near future.

I feel like this blog post was so random...but really that's how my week has been...very random. I can definitely feel the affects of not setting time aside to paint or create something tangible this week. Does that happen to you too?

good morning world

2009-07-31T14:58:00.005-05:00

I know my posts have been few and far between lately. But I am still here! I still love you! I am still dedicated to this blog and to living an authentically creative life. It would be easy for me to get all mad at myself for not posting more lately. That is my natural reaction to things when I feel like I don't measure up to my (mostly unrealistic) expectations.

But today, instead of beating myself up about all of the things I mess up on, I woke up and said this......

(good morning world, by ashley inzer - size 5x7)

I am learning (thanks for an AMAZING e-course I am taking with Deb from djo creative) to ask myself "how can I contribute" each day. When I do this I am taken away from thoughts of fear and comparison and brought into thoughts of abundance and trust. It reminds me that the things I am good at and love to do are actually the things I am supposed to be doing....if I stay true to my natural talents and desires I can actually be of service to the world in a great way (and, more than ever in my life, I have such a strong desire to be of service).

Feel free to download the pdfs in blue/yellow or black/red to print out and put on your nightstand or hang in your bathroom so you can remember to ask yourself the question each morning. I wonder what would happen in the world if we all did this??

baby shower

2009-07-27T08:50:00.009-05:00

The baby shower was a success! The food was yummy, the atmosphere was fun there were even crafts involved. We had a onesie decorating table with tons of supplies for everyone to choose from...there were paints and stamps and embroidery and iron-ons. I think it was set it up so that even those who don't believe they are creative wouldn't feel intimidated. The results were beautiful!! ( photos below)

I have thrown about a million showers in my lifetime and I have to admit that this is the very first shower that I didn't purchase a single living flower for. Not one. This time I decided to make them all out of tissue paper. There were tissue paper flowers all over the place....hanging from the ceiling, in vases on the mantel and on the tables, on the mailbox outside....I think it turned out beautiful and special and unique.

The flowers outside got blown around a good bit by the wind but I still think they were pretty. The garland was made from felt and twine.

Fun favors for all of the guests to take home. We filled mason jars with the yummy Oreo Truffles that Spencer is wildly famous for providing at all of my office functions. These labels are available for download right here.

I LOVE this garland...made out of felt and twine. I might have been the only person that thought it was adorable..... but it wouldn't be the first time.

Guests were able to choose pieces of clothing from the clothesline to decorate. It was functional and completely adorable as decor. I mounted photos on felt that Jana (the mom-to-be) provided of her and her husband as babies.

The labels that I designed for the drinks and jellies are available for download right here.

I'm not a fan of baby shower games but this one was so much fun...and hilarious, at the mom-to-be's expense. (don't hate me Jana!)

A corsage for Jana made out of felt and ribbon.

The onesie decorating table was covered with different color fabrics and pieces of brown kraft paper. (I got a huge roll of it from Home Depot...I use that stuff for everything)

The onsie decorating results were so cool. I loved seeing which supplies each person was naturally drawn to and what they chose to do. It really was so much fun.

Thank you Jana for allowing me to be part of such a special occasion! I can't wait to meet little Drew....not too much longer!

printable tags

2009-07-22T22:46:00.003-05:00

I have been super busy this week and haven't had much time to devote to blogging. But to let you know that I appreciate you more than you can imagine I designed some printable tags for you to download and use whenever and wherever you please! These are great for gifts, favors, labels, scrapbooking...I'm sure there's more but I can't think of everything right now (so sleepy).

Download the tags here and enjoy!

Love you,
Ash

p.s. just one quote...you know I am obsessed with them right now...

"Rejoice in your growth, in which you naturally can take no one with you. And Be kind to those who remain behind and be sure and calm before them and do not torment them with your doubts, and do not frighten them with your confidence or joy which they could not understand." taken from Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

painting my deepest truths

2009-07-20T21:40:00.004-05:00

"This is the leap, when you’re ready to share your gifts with the world, to take the risk and say, “Here. Here is who I am. Here is what I’ve created.” It’s a bold time, a brave time, a time full of risk and of joy. This is when you embrace the deepest truth of who you are and step fully into what you want to bring to this world." - Jamie Ridler

What do you say we all embrace our deepest truths and experience profound peace in the midst of our deepest fears? Lets all do it together....right now.

keeping peace

2009-07-16T22:24:00.005-05:00

The pink Make Peace illustration that I posted for download a while back seemed to really resonate with a lot of people. One Pretty Thing posted about it and Soule Mama even listed it on her "loving" section of her blog (I feel like she is super famous and was pretty shocked to see that she somehow knew of my little blog).

Anyway, ever since I noticed people responding to my illustration I began to really think about how reminding myself of a few simple words on a regular basis can be so powerful. I can be in the midst of a miserable situation and take a look at those words and immediately be reminded back to peace. Its powerful stuff, really. It actually works.

So to honor these beautiful words I have started a series of illustrations for you to download and print yourself. This way you can have one for every room of your house or office or car or...wherever!

Here are 2 new designs......

download the above make peace - lace illustration.

download the above make peace - scallops illustration.

More designs to come!

possibility

2009-07-14T22:40:00.005-05:00

Right now I am daring to dwell in the midst of possibility. Will you join me?

reading deprivation

2009-07-07T21:36:00.004-05:00

(I am trying out new stitches. It's kind of like freestyle embroidery....i love it!)

I am going to disappear for a few days. From my blog, from your blogs, from twitter, Facebook and all of the precious books and magazines I own. Yesterday marked the start of my week of reading deprivation. Julia Cameron teaches that if I really stick it out " Our reward will be a new outflow. Our own art, our own thoughts and feelings, will begin to nudge aside the sludge of blockage, to loosen it and move it upward and outward until once again our well is running freely."

I often find myself thinking the same thought time and time again....I want to find my voice, my style and my own authenticity. Maybe Julia is right and the best way to do so is to limit the media chatter that I fill my mind with all day long. I am willing to give it a shot.

This is not something I am looking forward to. This actually scares the crap out of me. I was telling my mom the other day that the whole reason I love Twitter is because it allows me to constantly be distracted and bombarded with information all day long. I love the combination of information and technology. Sometimes it feels like I need it like I need air.

Hopefully there will be rewards from this experiment that I can share with you all next week.

I'll see you on the other side!

stuff from the week

2009-07-06T18:13:00.004-05:00

I hope you all are having a great week. Thank you for your kind words and friendships. They mean more to me than I can express.

Your friend,
Ashley

baby shower invitation reveal

2009-07-02T21:36:00.005-05:00

Ok, as promised...the reveal of the final invitations......

But first, a warning....I have a REALLY hard time photographing products, especially paper products. I hope you can get a good feel for what they really look like. I am working on improving in this area, along with about 4000 other "areas" in my life.

Note: Captions are above photos in this post

Here are the invitations and address labels pre-cut (printed on a laser printer)

Here is a close-up, still pre-cut....

And here is the front of the invite with the envelope....

This is the back of the invite....cute little pattern.....

And this is my favorite part.....the labels!!

The labels wrapped around to the back of the envelopes....

So what do you think? I think these little animals are going to be such a fun theme to work with. I plan to incorporate the bright colors into every possible aspect of the shower. It's gonna be like someone puked a rainbow.

baby shower invitation concepts

2009-07-01T22:45:00.006-05:00

Later this month I will be throwing a baby shower for my dear friend Jana. I LOVE planning parties and having an excuse to create all of the fun DIY stuff that can go along with these special events. I hope you don't mind but I'm gonna share it all with you through the planning/making process. I love this kind of stuff!!

First lets start with the invitation concepts. I swear I could have designed 100 different styles because I love illustration work so much. But i had to limit myself to just a few.

Which one do you like best??

p.s. They have already been printed and mailed out. Tomorrow I will reveal the final results!!

why do you love what you create??

2009-06-27T17:27:00.005-05:00

(i am playing with typography by painting it....not completely done with this painting yet)

Living where I do I have had to become quite resourceful in connecting with creative people and finding the energy I need to feel sane. Thank god for e-courses. If you have never taken one you are really missing out. They are mostly affordable and I have developed some amazing friendships with some of my fellow classmates. I plan to write a more in depth post soon about e-classes but right now I just wanted to share something I learned from my "In the Fish Bowl" class I am taking from Marisa over at Creative Thursday (love her blog and podcasts).

In the fist podcast of the class Marisa asked us a question (we are all artist who want to sell our work online)....she asked "why do you love what you create?" It took me over a week to fully articulate my answer but now I can see it clearly. I can feel it clearly.

I love to create because my creations reveal things to me....more than anything else in the whole world. They teach me about myself and about my world. They keep me amazed at what I can truly accomplish. We speak a secret language....only to each other. Sometimes onlookers understand and pick up on this language then they join in the conversation. This creates a beautiful experience.... and my personal life statement is to be a creator of beautiful experiences. My creations always bring me what I want most out of life....connection with other human beings and to my real self. My creations form authentic and raw relationships.

I have to create. When I don't my world falls apart. I loose all sense of wonder and curiosity with the world. Peace begins to slip away. I begin to be very mean to myself and sometimes even to those around me. My creations are the best form of psychiatric treatment or drug I have ever encountered (and lord knows I have encountered plenty). As bizarre as it might sound, sometimes I wonder if every person on earth was required to make something every single day if we would even have war and hatred at all. I actually feel that strongly about creativity.

I could literally write about this for hours but I have probably already lost the readers who think they are "not creative".....and you don't want me to get started on how I feel about that way of thinking.

i choose roses

2009-06-23T23:21:00.006-05:00

I'll choose something real and raw any day.....the beauty and the thorns. Wouldn't you?

Click on an illustration to download and print a pdf in the color of your choice. Enjoy!

stuff from the week

2009-06-20T20:43:00.001-05:00

Raw Reality...my new favorite

2009-06-18T14:21:00.006-05:00

I am a highly sensitive person. Not dramatic like the women on the Housewives of New Jersey, (although everyone around me does usually know when I am hot or hungry) but I feel things intensely. Especially when it comes to the realities of life and the things that actually weave us all together on a basic human level (because really we aren't all that much different and i just don't understand why people think we are). We all really want the same things in life....peace, security, love, joy. What we associate with those things are different but it really all boils down to the same fundamental feelings. I love that.

So back to me being highly emotional and feeling things intensely. I mention it because it has a direct affect on my blog. What I am feeling that day or what I am most excited about at the moment is what you read about. When I learn about something new or have an authentic life experience (aka a-ha moment) I can't help but share it. I literally can't help it. There is something within me that will not rest until I get it out into the world (hence the birth of this blog). Sometimes it drives me crazy.

My latest emotional reaction just occurred about an hour ago. I stumbled upon a writer/blogger/speaker person who is my new hero. Of course I am having this anxiety attack about why the heck it took me so long to find her. But at this moment if I could be anyone in the world, I would be her. Her name is Danielle LaPorte and this is what she has to say....

"I’m here to evoke the truth – my version of it, and your version of it, the precious pursuit of meaning. I’m interested in raw reality, and grace. I’m curious about common ground and velocity. I think feminine power and conscious commerce will revolutionize how we live – that, and forgiveness. In my experience, if you steer clear of dogma and muster up more love than you thought you had to give, then your vitality increases, satisfaction sets in, sweetness surfaces. I believe in the creative power of pleasurable feelings. I’m convinced that the desire to be real is everyone’s divine imperative."

Raw reality, grace, common ground, feminine power, conscious commerce, forgiveness, love, sweetness.....those are my favorite parts.

That's Danielle - Photo credit www.whitehottruth.com

Here is an amazing talk she gave where creative people get to show 20 images on slides, each shown for 20 seconds. She talks about life and creativity and authenticity and forgiveness. It's beautiful. (I found this video via the blog of Rebecca Walker - another amazing lady!!)

Danielle has written a book called Style Statement which I can't wait to read. She also writes for various other magazines and websites and is working on her second book titled White Hot Truth. And she has dreads!

I leave you with this final message today: "Technology is good, but you need to educate your society in values…women are the ones to do this, they are the leaders of the future." the Dalai Lama as told to Danielle LaPorte in a private meeting.

a few things

2009-06-14T18:42:00.003-05:00

No wonder our perception of beauty is distorted

2009-06-12T23:34:00.003-05:00

This video is only 1 minute long but it speaks volumes. It exposes the lies we tell ourselves and each other. It reveals the truths of media and societal expectations. It allows women everywhere to breathe a little easier because we realize we don't actually have to suck in, pucker up and cover up ALL the time.

This video might be old news to some of you but I don't think it can hurt to be reminded of it's message.

(video found via JesseKate Designs)

peace

2009-06-10T22:07:00.007-05:00

Sometimes I feel like life is going way too fast and I just can't keep up. Sometimes I feel like I have made so many mistakes in my past that I don't think i can ever make up for them. Sometimes I feel like I will never get to where I want to be. Sometimes this happens all at once.

Clearly I need to be reminded of this constantly...unfortunately it just isn't second nature for me yet. So I created this little illustration to keep my mind in check.

Do you need to be reminded too? Feel free to download the illustration for free. Hang it on your mirror or at your desk...print one for your mother or sister or daughter. In my opinion, the more the merrier....I am all about positive energy. Enjoy!!

Artists Who Blog

2009-06-07T13:52:00.006-05:00

I'm baaack! And of course, while I was away, I spent some time thinking..... (sometimes i wish I could get paid to think....i wish my thoughts were so profound, ingenius and groundbreaking that I could get paid for them....then I would have an excuse for the hours each day when I can't identify a single accomplishment).

I have been thinking a lot about blogging and how it has affected my life....not only on a creative level but also on a personal level. I can honestly say that, even in the short time that I have been writing my blog, my life has been affected profoundly. I have learned so much more about myself and about living authentically than I ever thought possible, and I have made so many new friends from all across the world....and I have only been blogging since February!

One of my favorite blogs, Artists Who Blog, centers around this very topic. I learn so much from the words that each blogger so openly shares with the world. Here are a few statements taken from some of the latest interviews that really resonate with me....

"my underlining goal has always been to find my own voice and to walk the path towards making my creative dreams real." - Alessandra De Souza (www.gypsygirlsguide.com)

"Blogging gave me a much needed structure to stay constantly inspired and taking creative action on the daily basis." - Alessandra De Souza (www.gypsygirlsguide.com)

"make it first and foremost a gift to yourself." - Alessandra De Souza (www.gypsygirlsguide.com)

"Until you dream, there isn’t a mold. Until you speak, there isn’t a promise. Until you move, there isn’t a path." - Alessandra De Souza (www.gypsygirlsguide.com)

"Just dare to try and dare to fail." - Dana Lake Komjaty (www.leililaloo.blogspot.com)

"you see beautiful things every day so you have to have confidence in your own ability and style to keep going." - Francesca Iannaccone (www.mrseliotbooks.blogspot.com)

"If you don’t get any comments for a while, don’t worry about it. I didn’t get comments for ages, I still have a very low comment count! And a small amount of ’followers’, but for me, if one person gets something from something I write or display, that’s hugely flattering." - Francesca Iannaccone (www.mrseliotbooks.blogspot.com)

"It’s nice to know people are watching and it also adds a necessary pressure that I think all performers would agree keeps us working hard and challenging our creativity." - Dolan Geiman (www.dolangeiman.blogspot.com)

"Just blog about whatever gets you really excited!" - Brandi Strickland (www.paperwhistle.com/blog)

"Just do it. It won’t be easy, especially today with millions and millions of blogs out there but just try and see what happens, just put your soul to it, it won’t happen in a day but I’m sure you will get positive reactions. It’s worth it." - Sofia Barao (www.lafeecoriandre.blogspot.com)

"I like to step into artists and creative people’s worlds. This is the most inspirational thing of all about blogging." - Sofia Barao (www.lafeecoriandre.blogspot.com)

"I think it has made me much more productive because I like to post something new almost every day." - Vivienne Strauss (www.vivienneart.blogspot.com)

"Be yourself." - Marisa Haedike (www.creativethursday.typepad.com)

(When asked what was the most positive aspect of having a blog) "The chance to get to know myself better." - Marisa Haedike (www.creativethursday.typepad.com)

"The most difficult part is to continue to trust your creative intuition. And the most rewarding is when you do trust it." - Marisa Haedike (www.creativethursday.typepad.com)

How about you? If you are a blogger or even just a blog reader, has blogging impacted your world?

40% off = new toy

2009-05-29T18:18:00.006-05:00

I am so excited about the new easel that I got from Hobby Lobby. I got an amazing deal because I used a 40% off coupon that I found on their website. Today's lesson......don't ever go to a craft store without a 40% off coupon. Most of them even accept competitor's coupons so you can take a Micheal's coupon (sign up to receive them via email) to Joanne's (coupons also sent via email) and still use it. I love coupons!!

I did the painting sometime last year. It's just basic acrylics on canvas. I think it would look great in a nursery. Why do I always end up making stuff that would be perfect for babies and children?

One more thing: I am heading to New Orleans for a magazine design/publishing conference tomorrow so I will not be posting for a few days. Yes, there are still people in the world who design and publish magazines.

And yet another thing: I am going to be changing the name of my blog. Lots of change is in the air...so many plans being made (not enough time to get them all done). Have any of you pulled of a name and web address change successfully? Please share!

cultivating talent

2009-05-26T21:17:00.009-05:00

I hope I take a photo as beautiful as this one day.
Image Source: Clione's Flickr photostream.

I am a designer. I design for print, web, video, etc. I have been doing this type of work for 8 years and you would think it would come pretty naturally to me at this point in my life. No. Not the case. Actually, I don't think it has ever felt "easy"to me. Today I sat for hours in front of the computer and attempted to design a new website. It just didn't happen. I couldn't design a single thing. Nothing. So this got me thinking...why? What is the deal? When I couldn't come up with a logical answer my mind went to thoughts that actually made sense to me....."you suck" and "you are a phony"and "you should be ashamed of yourself"...rational solutions right?? And then, like always, I ended up thinking back to the amazing designers that I have had the opportunity to work around in the past and began the whole "you will never be as good as them so you might as well just quit now."

This happens often. It sucks.

Literally moments - not minutes, but moments - after beating myself to a pulp with my brain the DailyOM appeared in my inbox and had this to say......

"Throughout our lives, we glimpse only the outer hull of others’ life experiences, so it’s tempting to presuppose that the abundance they enjoy is the result of luck rather than diligent effort. In a small number of cases, our assumptions may mirror reality. But very few people “have it easy.” Everyone must overcome difficulties and everyone has been granted a distinctive set of talents with which to do so. An individual who is highly gifted may nonetheless have to practice industriously and correct themselves repeatedly in order to cultivate their talents. Their myriad accomplishments are more likely than not the result of ongoing hard work and sacrifice. You, no doubt, have natural abilities that you have nurtured and your gifts may be the very reason you strive as tirelessly as you do. Yet others see only the outcome of your efforts and not the efforts themselves"

Clearly the Universe had something to say to me today.

The whole article was amazing, click here if you want to read it.

p.s. The image in this post has no correlation to the words. I just thought it was too beautiful not to share with my friends.

wood grain wall art hanging

2009-05-24T21:54:00.004-05:00

I know it's a reality of being an artist but doesn't it suck to work so long on something and then not like it?? That's kind of how I feel about my latest project. Maybe it's not that I don't like it, maybe it's just that I don't like it for my living room. It might be perfect for a nursery or play room. What do you think?

I had the idea in my head and needed to find the right supplies at the right price. I ended up purchasing packs of thin cutting boards at Walmart. I'm sure there is a much better solution than the one I came up with, especially since the paint didn't stick to the plastic very well. But since I got new orange curtains I needed to paint the surfaces to match. After I painted them with cheap acrylics I measured and punched holes in each one and then connected them together with S hooks. I need to figure out a better way to hang the whole piece but first I wanted to see how it would look so I just used nails for now.

I cut the design elements out of wood grained contact paper that I found for $1. That was the fun part. I am really into organic shapes right now...have you noticed?

So that's my latest project. What do you think? There are so many stinkin things on my to do list and all I want to do right now is lay on the couch and watch Deadliest Catch. Seriously, what is up with that???

the fabric of my life

2009-05-22T20:30:00.009-05:00

This week I have been trying to pay close attention to the tangible things in my life that are really important to me and that I love. Fabric is one of those things. I especially love fabric made up of bold graphic design elements.

From my closet to my couch, these are a few samples of fabric that you will find in my home.

One day I will design my own fabric line. I will. I promise.

edit: crap, I just realized that two of those swatches above are not fabric (the orange and green dots)...they are metal tins from Ikea. oops! They would make cool fabric, don't you think??

take back

2009-05-19T19:10:00.006-05:00

have you ever said something and really, really, really wish you could go back in time and take it back? have you ever done that in a business meeting? have you ever done it TWICE in the same meeting?

and then after that have you ever driven to the gym and when you got to the parking lot just kept going? and then somehow immediately end up at Papa John's? and then eat 4 slices of pizza?

thank god I can tell you guys about this stuff.

reflections and painted mirrors

2009-05-17T18:43:00.004-05:00

This week I have been doing a photographic study on reflections. During the study I learned a couple of things...1. I hate looking in mirrors and do so as little as possible 2. i didn't have a full length mirror in my house. So naturally, since I hate looking in mirrors, I decided to buy one. And also, since my life seems to be filled with one project after another I decided to turn my new mirror into a project. So I painted it.

I went to Target and bought a cheap beveled edge mirror. Then I cleaned it and painted it with acrylics. It was hard to find a neutral place to take photos of it and I ended up in the bathroom. Taking photos of mirrors is challenging because you have to make sure there isn't a ton of crap in the reflection distracting from the actual mirror!

Apparently my repulsion for the color yellow is changing. I'm even wearing it now.

Honestly, I don't think painting a mirror is practical at all, at least not with basic acrylic paints. I probably won't be able to clean it very often, if at all. But it sure is pretty, right???

You can see more reflection photos in my Flickr photostream.

self-portrait collage

2009-05-15T22:40:00.005-05:00

I am not in the writing mood today so I have been procrastinating on this post. But I have a goal of posting every other day and I am trying my best to stay on track. In my past I have always had a tendency to give up when things don't feel good. Now I am at a point in my life where I am understanding the power and importance of persistence and dedication and commitment. So here I am whether you like it or not!

See that picture of me above? I made that. It is the only project from my years in college that I framed. I am kind of proud of it. You know why? It's because of how it was made. I cut out a bagillion pieces of magazine in all the perfect shades of black and grey and white. Don't you think it looks just like me? You can't see it in this picture but even the white around my head is pieces of magazine.

Here is a little closer look...

On another note: I am putting this out there because when I write about things on my blog it becomes more real to me....I am opening an Etsy shop. It's only in the beginning stages but I just wanted to let my friends know. I value each of you and am so grateful to have you in my little world. Thank you for your constant support and encouragement. You all help me to keep calm and carry on.

Any suggestions on what I should sell in the shop??

eklektick's wreck this journal

2009-05-13T14:58:00.008-05:00

Have you guys heard of the book Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith? You will probably either think it is really cool or really stupid. I am going to try to convince you that it is really cool. (captions are above the photos for this post - don't mean to confuse anyone)

Let me introduce you to the artist Kristin Krause (eklektick). This is her book on day one. This is what you start out with......

image source: Eklektick's Flickr photostream

Then you follow the instructions on each page in your own creative way. Like on the page below it says to "fill this page with circles"....

image source: Eklektick's Flickr photostream

And on this page you "pour, spill, drip, spit, fling your coffee here". Kristin made coffee splattering a true work of art.

image source: Eklektick's Flickr photostream

On this page the instructions are to write one word over and over again. Remember, this started out as a blank page with only the words of the instructions.

image source: Eklektick's Flickr photostream

Check out the "later" version of the book. Its all just so beautiful to me.

image source: Eklektick's Flickr photostream

I am a fan of Kristin's work. She has some amazing photos in her flickr photostream. Be sure to check out her monthly "making the bed". Her bed gets a new outfit every month. So inspiring!

Here are a few more of her Wreck This Journal pages....

image source: Eklektick's Flickr photostream

image source: Eklektick's Flickr photostream

image source: Eklektick's Flickr photostream

image source: Eklektick's Flickr photostream

If you have images of your Wreck This Journal pages please share!

Painting

2009-05-12T08:56:00.004-05:00

I love to paint. I will slap some paint on pretty much anything. I even painted the shoes that I wore to my senior prom because I couldn't find any in exactly the right color.

I just bought some new orange curtains for my living room so the last painting that I did (see below) is going to have to come down. Time for a new one!

I haven't been painting much lately but I can feel it calling me back. I love that. Going back to my roots.

Unravelling: Feet

2009-05-10T20:41:00.006-05:00

So I have been loving the online class I have been taking with Susannah from the blog Ink on my Fingers. This first week has taken us all on an adventure with our feet.

While explaining the first assignment Susannah said "it’s our feet that carry us through life; if our feet hurt we can’t walk, and if we can’t get about we can’t live." I am not a huge shoe girl and I have gotten a pedicure once in my life (it was a bridesmaid thingy - I'll probably never do it again) so I have never really given much thought to how my feet play such a huge role in my life. It is kind of embarrassing to admit that, especially since I was a dancer for so many years and have a cousin who has Cerebral Palsy and can't walk without canes. I have completely taken advantage of the fact that my feet work perfectly. So, as I went through the daily ins and outs of the week I constantly had my feet in the back of my mind (figuratively - of course). I also have been lugging my good camera around with me everywhere to capture it all. And though I have gotten some bizarre looks from these southerners down here I have really learned a lot while focusing on my feet....as weird as that sounds.

Here are a few of my favorite shots.....

I once was a ballerina.

yes, my third toe on my left foot is longer than any other.

I love it when cats do this.

I wonder what it is about feet that cats love? My cat Reece is obsessed with both feet and shoes.

My parents always have the prettiest yard in the neighborhood. Hey mom, did the flowers here ever go back to normal after I squashed them?

One of my most favorite places to be with him.

We live at a very beautiful beach. Sugar white sands, a salty breeze and warm water.

The veins in my feet are kind of freaky looking.

Spence and I love to bowl. We do it a lot.

So those are some of the places my feet have been this week. After all of that I broke down and bought some nail polish. I'm gonna try it out tonight. I'll let you know how it goes.

Edit: the toenail polishing was a success! It might become a new obsession for me.

pretty little paintings

2009-05-07T21:50:00.004-05:00

Painted these simple little ditties for my mom. She has a very "cottage" style home with very beachy colors. Love you mom!

beaded flower clips

2009-05-05T21:11:00.004-05:00

Do you want to know what Spencer and I chose to spend our money on while on vacation? Books. Yeah...I drug Spence around to Anthropology and Paper Source and Urban Outfitters and a multitude of beautiful stores....and we ended up with books. I have been that way since I was a kid (Baby Sitter's Club anyone??) so it shouldn't surprise me now.

We took full advantage of being in a "real" city and went to a total of FIVE different Borders bookstores. Five...in 3 days. One of my favorite purchases is that big, thick Martha Stewart Encyclopedia of Crafts book. Holy crap it's got so much cool stuff in it.

I made my first Martha project.....beaded hair clips.

For the past couple of days I have been feeling completely boring and uninteresting so I needed a project that I knew I could complete in one sitting and then use immediately. Those kinds of projects make me feel good.

Back to the books....a few others that made their way into my home via the real city:

I Thought It Was Just Me by Brene Brown. If you care anything about living an authentic life you will love this book. It will blow you away. I am doing the read along via her blog too.
The Guerilla Art Kit by Keri Smith
ProBlogger by Darren Rowse and Chris Garret
How to See by George Nelson (thanks to Sarah!)

Spencer bought 3 or 4 Piano books because he just got a great new weighted keyboard for his birthday. He is crazy like that. He just decides he wants to play an instrument and then goes and does it like it's no big deal. He is way cooler than me.

Good lord i am blabbering.

gem stone trees

2009-05-03T18:36:00.004-05:00

When I was young my most favorite time of the year was the ten days spent at summer camp in the mountains of North Carolina. And I think one of my most favorite parts of summer camp was arts and crafts. Actually, I eventually became the arts and crafts director at that very same summer camp. One of the crafts that I will never forget doing was the gem tree....my mom still has the one I made for her 20 years ago. I decided it was time to revisit those summer camp days with a 2009 version of the gem tree....except it ended up being about 20 versions....once I started I couldn't stop.

I can think of so many ways these could be used....as a baby gift, using the baby's birthstone....as a wedding gift, using the couples birthstones or wedding colors (usually the invitation is a good hint), mother's day gift, father's day....oh i could go on forever.

They require minimal materials:

floral wire
craft glue
"chip" beads
a rock

A good place to order the chip beads is Fire Mountain Gems (actually, a good place to order any kind of jewelry making supplies). But you can also find them at Michaels, Hobby Lobby, AC Moore and sometimes Walmart.

When I lived in Vermont I could just walk outside and find perfect rocks for the trees (the flat ones work the best), but here in Alabama I had to go to a nursery and purchase them for a few cents each.

These are adorable when you add a little tag with a quote or verse or name on them. They are the perfect gift to personalize.

On another note: Today was the first day of the Unraveling class I am taking with Susannah from one of my favorite blogs, Ink on my Fingers. If you aren't aware of the class you should check it out. I feel like I am on a constant learning adventure in my life. The day I quit learning is the day that someone needs to check my pulse.

cool baby stuff from Brella Baby

2009-05-02T18:43:00.006-05:00

Are you pregnant? If not, more than likely your sister is, or your co-worker is, or you cousin is or your neighbor is. Seriously, sometimes it seems like a contagious disease.

I have two very cool friends, Holly and Sarah, who run a very cool business. Brella Baby. They design and sell adorable and modern baby books, journals, birth announcements, calling cards, holiday cards and stationary. They offer pre-designed templates and they also do really beautiful custom orders.

I wanted to let you all know about these fine ladies because, if you are pregnant you are aware that the market for these products is completely saturated. It can be overwhelming to know who to trust and who will make sure that you get exactly what you were expecting. I have complete confidence that Holly and Sarah will meet your expectations and even go beyond. I have known them for over 15 years and personally worked with both of them and would trust them with any project that I needed help with...which is rare because I am a bit of a control freak.

One really cool product that they sell is their modern baby book. For anyone who just isn't interested in teddy bears or Dora this is seriously the perfect solution. Not only is each page beautifully illustrated but they are also completely practical. Its actually stuff you would want to fill out about the new little person in your life (none of that fluffy crap).

Also, right now they are having a major sale so check em out. Tell them Ashley sent you!

summer time = swimsuits = terror

2009-04-30T11:42:00.011-05:00

This time last year by body looked like the ones in the swimsuit catalogs that you get in the mail (minus the boobs). Not this year! I live about 2 miles from the beach and it's already hot here. This means I am about to have to enter brand new territory......buying a swimsuit to fit a far-from-perfect body. I realize this is a normal situation to be in but I am terrified.

I refuse to let that keep me off of the beach and out of the pool. Really. I could let it do that to me. It is tempting. But that is not the way I want to live my life. So today I did some research on how I can make this situation better and came up with some really great solutions.....

Retro Skirted One-Piece: Victoria's Secret $58

Merona Dotty Tankini: Target $15.99 for each piece

Merona Skirted Flower Tankini: Target $15.99 each piece

Malibu Dream Girl Hibiscus Swim Seperates: From Kohl's $30 each piece
(obviously I would choose the one on the left)

Solid Twist-Front Swing Top: From J.Crew $55 for top only

Women's Bessie Swimwear Separate: From Kmart $18.99 each piece

Aren't these swimsuits fun? My biggest problem area is my belly, and shopping in the maternity department seems to be off limits when you are not pregnant, but I think I was able to find some really great suits that might work with the most unflattering parts of me.

I know most of you are probably not quite in swimsuit season yet but full blown summer is almost here and sometimes it takes me a while to emotionally prepare for things such as this. I also wanted to post this for a couple of reasons. #1 when I post something to my blog it becomes more real to me for some reason. #2 I don't know many people who feel beautiful wearing a bathingsuit and maybe somehow, knowing that someone else feels the same way, this post could encourage you to be a little more gentle with yourself this year.

Be bold. Be you.

EDIT: ok, ok, ok! My closest friends keep sending me messages letting me know that it is NOT ok for me to wear a swimsuit with a skirt! I personally think skirts are adorable and will wear one if I want to....but I get the point already...bathingsuit skirts are not cool to the general public!!! And we all know I am all about being cool, right?

fun with wood

2009-04-27T23:18:00.006-05:00

Out of nowhere, a couple of weeks ago, I imagined a necklace that I wanted to own. I stopped what I was doing and immediately sketched what I saw in my head.

A couple of days later I made the trek to Hobby Lobby to see what I could find to make this project a reality. Look what I discovered!!

Have you ever seen these before? I haven't and I'm not sure why! It was a very exciting moment.

I had the rest of the materials I needed on had.

wood stain
acrylic paints
leather cord
those circle things to connect the pendants to each other and the cord
clasps
a hand drill (not the electric kind but the kind that works like you are rolling up a window)

Below are a few designs that I came up with. I really, really love them. Really, really love them.

Of course I had to try them all on at once. Good lord you can see every pore on my neck...look at those wrinkles...oh well, at least I finally have a little cleavage (it's about time). Lovely.

Is that a weird picture? I just wanted to show what it looked like when it was on but it's hard to take a picture of yourself from that angle. I promise I am not trying to show off my exciting new-at-thirty-one-years-old-cleavage.

Anyway, what do you think?

hold on to authenticity

2009-04-27T09:45:00.013-05:00

Photo credit Kelly Rae Roberts

I have not liked the past couple of days. I have felt a lot of really sad emotions. I have not been gentle with myself.

After I got back from my absolutely amazing vacation this week I just couldn't pull myself together. I was feeling all sorts of yuckiness that reminded me all too much of my past. Immediatly I became fearful of everything. I was afraid of my craft room..... of my computer......of my blog.....of going back to work on Monday.....of the things I thought my friends in NC were thinking after spending time with me for the first time in a couple of years.....of repeating the mistakes of the past...of the bulge in my belly that will NOT go away no matter how much i exercise or change my diet (nope, no baby there).

I allowed the yuckiness to linger for a couple of days, teling myself that there is a time for everything. I tried to be gentle with myself but it was a struggle. I kept getting angry and impatient. Thoughts like "you should be creating something," and "your life is perfect, you have no right to feel this way," and "here you go again, you will never get it right" kept creeping into my head over and over and over again. Reruns of Law and Order were not helping. I'm not sure why I thought that would work because I never watch TV, I don't really enjoy it. But, I guess I just had to "be" in it. I had to go with it.

I am a firm believer in living an authentic life. I just don't think it is worth living any other way. But I have a confession.....I have been avoiding my blog for a couple of days because I knew I couldn't fake a happy post and I was in a wierd spot of being too scared to talk freely about my real feelings. My rationalization was that I didn't want to bring anyone who happened to encounter my blog down too. Then I realized....Ashley, who do you think you are? Do you really think you have that much power? Then I started being mean to myself again. It is an ugly cycle.

So finally today I knew I had to take some sort of action to release these very real feelings of inadequacy, sadness, insecurity and fear. I knew that Kelly Rae would be able to help. She always helps. I spent a good 10 minutes on her blog and I was able to gain perspective. I think she is one of my heroes.

Here are just a few tidbits that I picked up from my 10 minutes spent in her world:

Photo credit Kelly Rae Roberts

Photo credit Kelly Rae Roberts

Photo credit Kelly Rae Roberts

Good stuff, right? I am grateful for Kelly Rae.

Later this evening.......posting some really fun necklaces that I managed to make during the "slump." Very easy, quick and cheap. Actually, i hate it when people say that about their projects....not only does it sound cliche' but "easy, quick and cheap" are absolutely and completely relative and can make people feel like crap. I will never say that again. I promise.

Also, I went to a VERY heavy metal concert last week and learned more than I ever imagined I could at such a thing. Now this is not something I do on a regular basis...actually it's not something I do EVER. I'll be sharing about that soon.

I am feeling a mixture of things right now. I feel freedom and peace and light. But I still feel a bit insecure and afraid. Such are the ingredients of authentic living. I honestly wouldn't have it any other way.

One more thing.....I keep seeing this really great poster that I need hanging in my home, office, car and gym....I leave you with it's message.....keep calm and carry on. Its true. Very true.

Vacation, Shout & Birthday

2009-04-18T23:16:00.008-05:00

Photo Credit: Wiseacre Photo via Flickr

I am going on vacation! We leave tomorrow for the week to visit dear friends in North Carolina. This means no posts for a bit. I wanted you to know in case you began to wonder if I just don't love you anymore. Not true!

So I will leave you with a couple of things that completely revolutionized my life.

#1 Shout Color Catcher: Are you aware of this almost too-good-to-be-true product? Now, I am extremely domesticatedly (is that a word?) challenged. And I certainly don't do things such as separating whites from darks. This creates quite a dilemma when i buy new fabric and need to wash it before I sew with it (I am really into red right now). Because lord knows I am not going to run 3 or 4 wash cycles in a day (i am lucky to do that many a month). Shout to the rescue! I promise these things are amazing! You can throw one in the wash with all your whites and darks AND new red fabric TOGETHER and you don't end up with pink towels! Go buy some right now so they won't stop making them. Please.....for my sanity.

#2 Spencer: Happy Birthday to my greatest love.

The boy, not the cat.

See you in a week!

apron love

2009-04-17T08:44:00.005-05:00

I needed to own an apron. All the cool people have them. They are uber stylish and can make you look super thin. That's the point of an apron, right?

Well I did it. I sewed my very first apron. I got the instructions off of the craft gossip site but I am weary in directing you to the exact instructions because there were errors in them and quite simply horrid and impossible to follow. Really I kind of made it up as I went along. And I KNOW....I went a little ruffle crazy.

Now, more than likely, I will never have this super cool, stylish and slimming apron on my body again. I don't cook.....ever. Spencer, on the other hand, is a Chef at a fancy restaurant (you know, the kind of place where you have no idea what the things are on the menu...the kind of place where I don't eat anything except bread because I prefer my food fried and served in a basket). But still, something tells me it's just going to end up in the closet. Ooooh...I could hang it in the kitchen and pretend like I am a cool kid that wears an apron...then it would become an interior design AND fashion statement. Good idea. I am going with that.

During the apron photoshoot the camera somehow got turned on Spencer as he performed his Tong Tricks. His tongs hold a very special place in his heart. I am so proud.

So my next sewing ambition.....a skirt! No ruffles involved.

Anyone know of a good skirt tutorial?? Preferably one where I don't have to make up my own instructions.

p.s. I don't really prefer my food fried and served in a basket but I do live at the beach in Alabama....it's nearly impossible to find anything that is not fried and served in a basket.

DIY business cards

2009-04-15T21:12:00.008-05:00

I am a huge advocate for branding....personal and business. I honestly believe in it. Most of the time, the company (or the employee) who has devoted energy and time to brand themselves end up on top. I would be willing to bet that it is the reason I have gotten the majority of the jobs I have had in my life. I am sure there have been plenty of times where I was under-qualified for a position but was hired simply because I understood the importance of branding myself.

I did some searching around on Flickr and came up with several DIY/handmade alternatives to the traditional printed business card. If you are in need of some cards but don't have the budget to hire a designer and/or to have them printed, you have come to the right place.

The examples below can all be made from supplies found at a craft store or by ordering a custom stamp (just look in your local phone book for "stamp supplies" - the turn around time is usually only a few days and the cost is surprisingly low).

There are plenty of alphabet stamp sets in the scrapbooking section at places like Micheals, Hobby Lobby and even Walmart. The stitching above was done with a sewing machine but how cool would it be to add some simple hand-embroidery? Image found here.

The cards above were cut out of old menus using decorative scissors and typed with an old typewriter. Find the designer, Contrary, here.

The black cards above are so simple yet so powerful. Cut up some card stock and stamp away. Found this in a great portfolio set on Flickr.

Very cool. Very simple. Very handmade. Found here.

The cards above were actually intended to be table seating cards but they could easily be used as business cards. Found them here.

The cards above were hand stamped but you could also print your cards on your home printer and use a hole punch to add interest. Image above found here.

A few posts ago I wrote about my first attempt at carving my own stamp. It was very rewarding but it certainly requires patience. Found the image above here.

Go big. Very cool stamped cards above found here.

The cards above were screenprinted. I know we don't all have access to screenprinting materials but I thought they were too cool to leave out. There are plenty of resources online for creating your own screenprinting methods. Found the cards here.

The cards above are by far my favorite. They were made completely out of materials the designer had on hand. Image found here.

I really love this card. Found it here.

Many of the cards above were made out of materials you might already have in your craft room or office. I challenge you to look around at what you already have and see what you come up with. If this post inspired you to create your own business cards please share! I want to see!

Have fun!!!

EDIT: I just realized that I instructed you to look in your local phone book for stamping supplies. Why on earth would I do that??? I don't even own a phone book! Let me change my suggestion...you can check out yellowpages.com for local stamping supplies or you can google "custom stamps" and you will find a ton of resources for ordering online. Sorry for the silly suggestion.

Pretty Coasters

2009-04-14T09:09:00.005-05:00

I have a new obsession....linen. I absolutely love almost anything made from linen and I honestly don't think anything made out of linen could look bad.

The back of these coasters are canvas and just machine stitched to the linen. I just cut up a washcloth for absorbent stuffing in the middle and the embroidery around the edges is really what holds everything together. I don't know if it is smart crafting but it sure is cute.

I have played Easter bunny for my parents since I was 11 years old and this year these coasters made it into my moms basket.

I think I could have made 100 of these...quick, easy and fun. Perfect.

The Day Job

2009-04-10T21:09:00.011-05:00

I always enjoy seeing the workspaces of fellow bloggers and designers, even if the spaces aren't cool. I work in a very run down, boring office building but the design room is kind of fun and quirky. Warning: Bad lighting = unforgiving photos....sorry! There are some things that Photoshop just can't fix (ok, thats not true...there are some things that I just cannot fix with Photoshop).

Also, we had an Easter egg hunt in the office yesterday. I found the most eggs (though I did NOT find the Golden Egg which, by the way, was hidden in the soda machine). These eggs were filled with the yummiest candy. Not the crap candy you would expect to find at a company Easter egg hunt (company Easter egg hunts are normal, right?)...but the really good kind.... NAME BRAND. Finding the most eggs = getting the most candy = spending the rest of the day in the bathroom. How old am I?

These photos are WAY over Photoshopped, and those swirly things are so last year....I know.

I am working on my art/music/computer room right now at home which is where the really fun stuff happens. Mass quantities of art/craft supplies, musical instruments and computer cords. I found a cool desk on Craigslist that I am going to pick up today. I think I might paint it bright pink.

Also, more projects coming soon. Think Linen.

Mexican Revelation

2009-04-08T11:19:00.008-05:00

Do you know those moments when you realize you really LOVE something and can completely identify with it? It sounds cliche but it really is like a light bulb going off in your brain...suddenly you can see something you were completely blind to before. It happened to me today...with Mexico. Mexican style jumped right up and slapped me in the face. I am so happy it did.

Mexico and I are now kindred spirits. I found all of these beautiful items at aida coronado.

Failure: The Secret to Success

2009-04-07T16:27:00.004-05:00

I have failed a lot. A LOT. Actually, more than you would probably believe. I'm not going to get into sappy details, but you can imagine it. You have seen it on TV and in movies, and read about it in books, magazines and newspapers. I am a statistic. But I have overcome great odds. Sometimes it is really hard for me to believe that the same person that made all those failures is also the same person that has made the successes. Sometimes I don't think it is real. But it is. And I did it. One small step at a time. Lots of small steps. I am not a huge success in any way that would be notable to the general public (other than a design award here and there) but personally I have succeeded in ways I never thought possible.

When I fail, I fail hard. When I succeed, I succeed hard. I don't think that one comes without the other. Maybe I am wrong, but its what has been true from my experience.

I was profoundly moved when I watched this video. It may have just been the day, or the time or the mood I was in when I watched it. But it opened my eyes to see exactly what I needed to see at this very moment in my life.

I found the video at workhappy.net
I found the photo here

Spring Buds Garland

2009-04-05T17:03:00.005-05:00

One of my most favorite projects yet. I think because it was so simple and used minimal supplies. Sometimes I can overthink things and then overwork projects. I just have so many ideas that it's hard to stick to one thing. I want to do it all right that minute. Breathe.

Spencer is usually the one who makes the bed each morning. The picture below is what it looked like this morning....I'm sure the one black and one white pillow was strategically planned. I am just thankful that he does this on his own, otherwise it probably wouldn't get done at all.

I don't know if I am going to leave the garland hanging up. I just wanted to see what it looked like. I think its pretty and simple.

felt stuff and classmate questions

2009-04-01T20:30:00.009-05:00

I'm sure most of you who have any idea that my blog exists have already seen the latest projects I have been working on. But just in case (mom - i guess that means you) here are a few...all made of felt, my new favorite thing!

I know that I am not the only one who has benefited from the crafty companionship and constant inspiration that the Red Velvet Online Class has offered. The topic keeps coming up in the Flickr group, in our "live chats" as well as in comments across all of our blogs. So, I am working up some plans for us all to stay connected once the class is over (I'll keep you updated as things progress). I know how connecting daily with so many creative folks has affected my life but I am wondering how it has affected my fellow classmates. Would you be willing to share? Or maybe answer some questions?

1. What has been your favorite aspect of the class? The projects, the chats, the new friendships, learning new techniques, learning how to navigate Flickr???

2. Do you hang out with crafty friends in "real life"? (I hate to use the term "real life" because this is real life...I guess I mean "in person")

3. Has taking the class inspired you to create more?

4. What do you think your motivation was for taking the class?

It would be SO great to hear from you. Please share!

Teen drama + Bedroom

2009-03-31T19:40:00.012-05:00

Oh yes, as a teenager I was very dramatic. I have proof...painful proof. At the risk of utterly humiliating myself, take a look at my rooms during those dreadful teen years....

Disclaimer..... 1) please keep in mind that this was circa 1991-1995, not the best years for style or fashion. 2) you might want a pair of sunglasses close by - maybe even 3D glasses.

Room #1 below
Room #1 below - yes, i painted my bedspread
Room #1 below - yes I painted my curtains
Room #1 below- weird
Room #2 below - holy cow
Room #2 below - more of those spikey things...and whats with the cow splotches?
Room #2 below- Is that blood? You would think I would have at least made my bed.
Room #3 below- Whoa....girly swirls!
Room #3 below - is that a city skyline?
Room #3 below - Did everyone on earth have that cheap lamp?

My poor mom had to sand down the walls whenever we moved from one house to another. Thankfully both of my parents are creative and appreciate my weirdness...or whatever you call it. Thanks mom and dad!

Did you have crazy rooms like this?

I might be the only one who finds these photos hilarious. I'm pretty sure I am.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

2009-03-28T22:57:00.011-05:00

Today i beheld....

Is that snuffleupagus hiding in the wall of fabric above?

In other news, lovarevolution featured my Felt Trees on her amazing and beautiful blog. I feel very honored to be included amongst some really creative work. That makes me very happy.

Dorothy, Liza and the 1940's

2009-03-26T09:18:00.005-05:00

I was watching a TV show last night in bed as I was trying to get sleepy called Little Miss Perfect. So weird. Kind of disturbing. No offense to the pageant people out there but I just don't get it. Even weirder was that the dance studio where I was a competitive dancer for years was featured on this show as "pageant choreographers" for this particular pageant in NC. What? Regardless of its bizarreness, seeing this TV show got me thinking about my own days on stage.

Yep, that's me....Dorothy.

Liza Manelli. The dress version of her and the pants version. I was jealous of the girls who got to wear the dresses....i was always too tall.
And here as a 40's big band dancer.

All of this took place 15 years ago but it seems just like yesterday. I miss that nervous feeling in my gut just before going on stage, the 2 minute costume changes, the fake eyelashes, the abundance of pantyhose...it was also the only time in my life I have ever had an excuse to wear BRIGHT RED lipstick. The reddest you could find.

Good memories.

Hand Carving Galore...

2009-03-22T20:46:00.008-05:00

Although I had purchased the materials to create my own stamps several months ago, I was afraid to touch them, so they just collected dust......until yesterday. For my online craft class one of our projects was to create our own stamp with a lino-block and carving tool, and since I had the materials already I couldn't use the "I can't afford it right now" excuse. I had to go for it. I was nervous because you have to be very patient and gentle doing this.....lord knows I am far from patient or gentle.

Anyway, I am SO thrilled with the results. I was originally planning on creating my own fabric pattern for curtains in my bedroom but as I was testing the stamp out on poster board I fell in love with it and decided to frame it. I had a piece of black poster board sitting around so I tested it out on that and loved it too. I couldn't get a good picture that really shows the details and color contrast....i guess i don't have the correct flash or something, not sure.

Lesson learned #1: go with the detours.....beautiful things can happen! Lesson learned #2: you have to be painfully gentle and patient to get good results when creating your own stamp.

So after I created the first stamp I couldn't get enough. Next came the "skulls are creepy" stamp. I always joke with Spencer about his love for stuff that seems "dark" to me....skulls, heavy metal, black, horror movies. We are complete opposites in this respect but I appreciate his taste. I stamped some black floral fabric and plan to use it in a sewing project I am working on right now. A little surprise.

Stamping is fun, I think. There are just so many ways you can use it - the possibilities are truly endless. Have you tried it?

Art is cool.

2009-03-20T16:42:00.003-05:00

seriously cool. Thats all I have to say about that.

Pretty Pillow Painting

2009-03-19T15:45:00.008-05:00

I love painting pillows! They might be completely unpractical but I love the end result every time. This is the one that I wrote about in an earlier post that Spence finished off for me by doing the blind-stitching. This is also the one that Colby (the orange cat) threw up on, so I had to wash the canvas before I painted on it. Lesson learned #1: Don't let your cat throw up on your fabric. But if for some reason you have to wash your canvas before you paint on it, I would mix a fabric medium in with your paint so that it flows a little better. Lesson learned #2: I hate blind-stitching. Just FYI

Another big thanks to my classmates for all the support and inspiration! See a few of their painted pillows below... You can also check out lots more at our class Filckr pool.

Above by Margot

Above by tylersaunt

Above by newyearsbabe84

Balancing it all. And $$$.

2009-03-17T14:37:00.000-05:00

I have been business minded since I was just a wee one. At 6 years old I would go door-to-door selling my watercolor paintings and potholders (you know the ones - made with that little plastic loom- oh my fingers would hurt SO bad after hours weaving). My dad also built me a little store front to sell my random collections in the driveway. I would stay out all day long shamelessly marketing my chalk and expressing exactly why a shopper absolutely needed it in their life.

Oh there are countless stories like this and I can't ignore the significance of this business-minded brain in my life. So when I stumbled upon this new video series called Dialogue, from Design For Mankind, I almost peed in my pants.

Episode 1 is called "How Do You Balance it All?" It highlights several indie artists discussing how they balance blogging, creating and designing into their work, family and personal lives. Fascinating!

Design For Mankind - Dialogue Episode 1 from Design For Mankind on Vimeo.

Episode 2 is called "Finances Eek" and discusses what it is like to work as a freelancer in today's economic climate (i know - that phrase is really starting to get on my nerves, but how else do you say it??)

Design For Mankind - Dialogue Episode 1 from Design For Mankind on Vimeo.

I would love to hear from you! Are you a freelancer or do you work for "the man" while pursuing your creative endeavors on the side? Did you do crazy business things when you were a kid? Tell me a story!

Photo credit above from studiobeerhorst

If you are bitter....don't read, seriously.

2009-03-16T21:02:00.001-05:00

Before I met Spencer I was always bitter at those who had "found" love. Maybe a better way to put it is jealous. Terrible feeling, i don't recommend it. But now I have found him, so I am going to take full advantage of this situation and share 3 reasons why I love him so much. Just bear with me, ok, i waited 30 years for him!

Reason #1: The way to any girls heart is through shoes, right? I came home from work on Friday to find these...
And this sweet note.
Even Reece likes them.
Reason #2: It was HIS IDEA to go thrifting on Sunday.
It was also his idea to close his eyes when I took this picture. I don't get that logic though.

Reason #3: He is the most patient man I know. I was all flustered while trying to blind stitch closed the new pillow I painted....i don't have the patience for these kinds of things. And he actually said to me "mind if I try"? Ha! Really??? He worked diligently for over an hour and I have to say it is the most perfect blind stitching I have ever seen. China has NOTHING on Spence!
For those of you who stuck around for this long, I appreciate you putting up with my sappiness. If you are the bitter type, all I can say is hold out....if I found one, you can too!

Felt tepees....I mean, trees

2009-03-12T12:00:00.001-05:00

Felt tepees....I mean, trees
Originally uploaded by 31experiment

I am addicted. To felt. I love the way it feels and all the things you can do with it! I had never really worked with it before taking the online RVA class and I am finding that I want to incorporate it into all of my projects at this point. Thanks Rachel and Elsie!

I posted this this to our class Flickr group and have had a couple of people respond by asking me to share how I made it. I will certainly do that! Just leave a comment here if you are interested.

I also want to tell all my of new buddies at RVA that I am really enjoying the crafty companionship. It has had a definite impact on my life that I don't think I completely understand at this point. I need to think about it more before I can explain it.

Anyone else in the class feel this way? What are your thoughts??

N.E.E.T. is neat

2009-03-11T13:37:00.000-05:00

N.E.E.T. magazine is a super cool online publication. As an Art Director I design for the magazine industry everyday, but N.E.E.T. is different. Not only are ALL the photos delicious eye candy, the style is very much up my ally. It is also about all things DIY - my favorite topic! I would love to design for this pub. With tons of my favorite print magazines folding right now, hopefully this one can stay afloat since it is strictly web based.

Do you know of other beautiful online publications? Please share!!

Painting with Needles

2009-03-09T22:48:00.000-05:00

I have not done any cross-stitching since I was about 11 years old. 20 years later...ta da! I had so much fun with this project (don't I always say that?). But its true....it felt like I was painting with needles and thread. Against professional advice, I did not use a pattern. I just figured it out as I went along. Probably not the best idea. But if anyone is interested I can create a pattern for you to download and try out for yourself. Just leave a comment to let me know.

Lesson learned: It is super difficult to make pretty stiches when the back of the canvas is cluttered with thread. The cleaner you can keep it, the better. But in the end it turned out OK, so I guess it doesn't really matter. Try it and let me know!

Reece...why???

Spring Buds Scarf

2009-03-08T20:50:00.000-05:00

Another Red Velvet class project. Lesson learned #1: Ribbed jersey knit is almost impossible to machine sew with! Lesson learned #2: Embroidery works perfectly to cover up sewing messes!

Happiness is Still Homemade

2009-03-07T17:11:00.000-06:00

I am no expert with thrifting and antiquing. Actually, i am pretty terrible at it because I walk into a shop/flea market and get so completely overwhelmed and over stimulated that I end up leaving quickly without buying a thing. It is seriously annoying. I think I just get so excited about all the cool, cheap stuff that I can't handle it. Weird?

So I am very proud to announce that I came home today with my most thrilling discovery yet. I was at a local antique barn (apparently they are barns here in the south) coaching myself through the shopping process when i spotted it....it was almost as if a brilliant light shined down from the heavens and a brought us together.

Do I need to say more about why this is so fabulous? I will....the embroidery, the colors, the message, the chicken... and most importantly, the message.

I am going to paint the matte and the frame but I was so excited to share this discovery with everyone that I couldn't wait. I will post again once its painted and found it's spot on one of my walls.

Have you ever had one of these "magical" moments while thrifting? What was your find?

If You Hate Cats, Don't Read....

2009-02-27T18:36:00.001-06:00

My boyfriend's mom is flying in tonight from Arizona. This will be her first visit here and I really want the apartment to look nice. So to add a special touch I decided to buy some fresh flowers for the table. I carefully arranged them in the new vase that was also purchased for the occasion. I stepped away for less than 5 minutes to put in a load of laundry. I came back to THIS...

Colby (my orange cat) had eaten off more than half of the buds! Oh I was so mad at him. I immediately got the spray bottle. After cooling off I decided that the beauty could be salvaged and re-purposed. The picture below is what I came up with. It works.

At least now I have 2 spots of fresh semi-beauty!

I post this for fellow cat lovers as I am sure that they will eventually, if they haven't already, find this solution helpful in their time of fresh-flower-munching-anger need.

HOLD THE PHONE.... so I just walked back into the kitchen and this is what I found.....

Sorry, I have no solution for this.

Edit: I love reading the comments that folks have left about their own "little demons". Do you have any similar stories??

Photoshop Duh!

2009-02-25T08:47:00.000-06:00

How long have I been a designer? You would think it was all new to me after what I learned yesterday. If you have Photoshop open and a web browser open you can drag web images into an open document in Photoshop. Just click and drag, it's that simple. I have been using the screenshot method, an "image grabber" tool, and/or copy and paste, for years. So simple, I don't know how I missed something like this!

p.s. I am a web designer/graphic designer and I only use this for "mock up" purposes. I am very aware of copyright laws. I am not stealing anything - I promise!

X Marks the Spot Picnic Blanket

2009-02-23T19:35:00.000-06:00

After 15 minutes of trying to take a picture of project #2 for my Red Velvet class *without* Reece in the shot, I gave in. He is cuter than the blanket anyway.

I learned that I *love* quilt basting spray and I learned that I am not a huge fan of embroidery that takes a long time. I am more of an instant gratification girl. It sucks but its true.

Bratty cat! But I love him so much its annoying.

Hide Them Here Journals

2009-02-22T14:56:00.000-06:00

Project 4 complete! I am seriously enjoying the class I am taking with the Red Velvet girls. This was a quick project but so much fun. I wanted to use Moleskin journals but my local bookstore was out of the size and color that I wanted. So I ran to Target (yes, we actually have a Target here!) and got these for $1-$2 each and covered them with the cardstock, paint, foam and gel pen doodles. Fun fun!!

Edible Art Gift

2009-02-21T19:47:00.001-06:00

Spencer is an amazing chef, seriously...amazing (he is a chef at a fancy restaurant). His dishes are always so beautiful that I have to take tons of pictures. For Valentine's Day this year I decided to make him a recipe/photo book to keep track of everything that he makes. I made the book out of chip board, card stock and binder rings....very simple. He's not a huge fan of all the "designy" stuff that I like, so I knew I had to keep it very basic. He loved it!

And since he is always cooking yummy stuff for me I decided to do the same for him. I made these yummy V-Day cookies! And since I am domestically challenged I got the tutorial from one of my FAVORITE sites ever....One Pretty Thing. If you create stuff you will be in tutorial heaven. But one thing I learned the hard way....always use wax paper underneath the cookies until the chocolate hardens....otherwise they are stuck FOREVER!

Red Velvet Art Class: Project 1

2009-02-21T18:42:00.001-06:00

First project down.....29 more to go (well, i am half-way through 3 more of them). My very first "official" scrapbook. Check out more photos on the Flickr group pool. It was so much fun to experiment and see what happened. I learned that I am in LOVE with white gel pens. I am also learning to trust myself. Most of the pages were done in a matter of 5-10 minutes and I am really happy with the result. Most of the time I imagine that the things I create are going to turn out horrible.....but then they aren't so bad most of the time. Do you do this too??

I won an ADDY!!

2009-02-19T11:09:00.000-06:00

I won an Addy Award! I realize that most people have no idea what this is, but it's a pretty exciting thing for me.

Here is a brief description: (or click here to read more)

"The World's Largest Advertising Competition

The ADDY® Awards represent the true spirit of creative excellence by recognizing all forms of advertising from media of all types, creative by all sizes and entrants of all levels from anywhere in the world."

Just wanted to let my blog friends know.

Color Impact

2009-02-18T16:26:00.000-06:00

This is a photo of my favorite type of flower (Gerbera Daisy). I love flowers and I love Gerbera Daiseys. But this particular flower is yellow.... and that changes everything. I don't love it anymore. I can deal with it, but I would choose a weed over any yellow flower. Being an Art Director and designing for the general public every day, I struggle with this small, but disruptive part of myself. You will rarely find yellow in anything I design.....a yellowy-orange maybe, but never pure yellow.

I was reading an article today about how we relate to color. It says this:

"When we enter a room or see an object for the first time, our minds register its color before any other detail. The colors our eyes can perceive are like words that form a subtle language of mood, energy, and insight. Color can exert a gentle effect on the mind and the body, influencing our dispositions and our physical health. Color has the ability to trigger our emotions, affect the way we think and act, and influence our attitudes. You unconsciously respond to the color of the walls in your home, your car, your clothing, and the food you eat based on your body’s natural reactions to certain colors and the psychological associations you have formed around them. The consequences of the decision to paint a room or wear a specific article of clothing therefore goes beyond aesthetics."

What does that mean about my dislike for sweet, bright, and innocent yellow? I have felt this way for about 15 years, will I out grow it?

Do you feel this way about any specific colors? How does this impact your life?

New Friends at Red Velvet

2009-02-17T21:38:00.000-06:00

Thank you to all of my new classmates and friends over at Red Velvet! I am thrilled to embark on this new creative adventure with you all. And thank you for the inspiration and the push to get my blog started.

Much more to come, please keep checking in from time to time!