Fun News- an Inspiration Update

Revamping my blog! Movement toward my dreams and desires. 

HOORAY! After my recent tours of Sweden's amazing art museums, I have found much inspiration and the motivation to make some changes. I have revamped my blog and work habits so that I may easily move in the direction of my hearts desire: finding and spreading inspiration, motivation, and the incredible stories of those magical people who have taken leaps of faith, and the paths they followed.

My art museum tours came after I started reading Julia Cameron's The Artists Way. Cameron offers two tools for aspiring artists that she claims are essential to the process of discovering your inner artist: the Morning Pages, and the Artists Date. I am two weeks into her book, and have already felt a great change in my desire and strength as an artist. Before reading this, I was even apprehensive to call myself an artist- I didn't feel I deserved the title. I still feel a little uncomfortable claiming my desired title, but I am working through this discomfort. I have discovered many ideas and inspiration that I didn't even know existed in the back of my mind, while writing the Morning Pages (3 pages of free writing EVERY morning). I found fairies and jewels of hope and my childhood dreams hiding in the paintings and sculptures of each high-ceilinged room of the cool and brightly lit art museums, while on my artists dates (creative dates with yourself that encourage play and elate your inner artist child.) 

I was happy to spend the weekend in Stockholm, visiting my friend Helen, and my boyfriends friend and his family, but I am super happy to be home again, working on my blog, and putting all of this inspiration to work. I took so many photos this weekend, as well as video, and I am looking forward to editing it all and sharing it with you. 

I have been dreaming of my Artists Cottage a lot lately. I have this image in my mind of the perfect little cottage (about the size of guest house- maybe a little bigger) with large windows, an open arched ceiling with skylights, and a loft. The ground floor would be an artists heaven! Art supplies everywhere, and of every variety. I would have a vintage desk where I would do all of my writing- in front of a window that looked out over a garden. One wall would be a built-in floor to ceiling bookshelf, with a rolling ladder. The loft would contain a king sized mattress on the floor, and skylights above the bed. There would be a hundred pillows of all shapes, sizes and colors, and the blankets would be fuzzy and warm. And I would not have to go far for my afternoon Fika (Swedish for "coffee date"), as I would have a stone patio in the front, with a cafe style table and chairs. I am inspired by even just the thought of this place. This would be my "office" and my haven. 

I have decided to start making handmade business cards to hand out with my blog address on them. I have a habit of changing phone numbers, web address's, emails, and everything else, so this will be a cheaper and easier way to keep up with my changes. I will not have to worry about spending so much on business cards that will be void once they even are made- like the many I have piling up on my desk. Plus making them is more fun! Hand cut, hand colored, and hand printed. I think I will even get some linoleum blocks when I get home, and make some stamps (ooohhh- fun fun fun!) I have been wanting to get into block printing for some time now. 

I have many plans in the works for this blog, and will begin to apply these ideas very soon. Here is a sneak peak of what you can look forward to: 

~Weekly Artists interviews! Each week I will highlight a new artist, sharing their stories and their art. 

~Suggestions and Resources for inspiration and motivation. Books, videos, quotes, links, etc.

~Dream Leaper interviews! I will interview people who have taken leaps of faith, and share their stories of uncertainty, hope, and accomplishment. 

~Inspirational Song of the Week!

~My own story! My path of self discovery, becoming whole and secure in my Self, and as an artist. I will share my hopes, dreams, and inspirations, as well as my fears, difficult lessons, and stumbles along the way. 

My boyfriend is a wonderful photographer! Thank you, Jens!

Brightly colored supplies for my new business cards. 

Loving what I do~ Pure happiness shines through.