Clearance Sale!

I try not to be too spamy with my blog posts, but I wanted to let everyone who stops by know about my huge clearance sale at my Blue Leaf Boutique. Use coupon code: SPRINGCLEAR50 at checkout to get 50 percent off your purchase. I'm running this sale through Sunday so don't miss it. My prices are already very low to stay competitive in the growing handmade market but this is rock bottom. I have some great new items I want to add to my shop but need to clear some inventory first. Pick up a Mother's Day gift, Easter gift, gradution gift and maybe a treat for yourself!

Illustration Friday "Bottled"

"A bottle of wine begs to be shared; I have never met a miserly wine lover." Clifton Paul Fadiman

I don't care for drawing bottles. All the reflections. All the ellipses. It can be truly painful. It is not my cup of tea. I could have taken the not so literal route for this weeks theme but I decided to face my pains head on, with one caveat. If it was going to be painful, it was going to be quick. I decided to draw a cluster of bottles in 15 minutes flat. I wanted to test my skills to see how much detail and finishing I could muster in a limited amount of time.

My strategy was simple. First do a quick outline to get basic bottle shapes, size, and layout. Second do some minimal shading to add shadow and a bit of dimension. Lastly go back and add small bits of detail to the labels, etc.

How do you think I did? How would you have approached it?

Overcome Doubt

The blog TinyBudda recently asked the question "How do you overcome doubt?" Hmmm. Perhaps I don't. Perhaps I just learn to live with it. However, that is not a very empowering answer. So I'm going to write a new chapter and it will go something like this:

I keep moving.

Action is decisive and purposeful. It unkinks the knots in your mind and in your stomach. A path almost always reveals itself.

I keep dreaming.

Dreaming reminds me that I have goals that must be acheived, or what is the point?

I believe.

I believe in myself. I believe in my creator. I believe in having a purpose and a destiny to fulfill. I believe in a kind universe that wants the best for me and for others.

How do you overcome doubt?

Slate Blue

I am not usually a blue person. I gravitate towards the warmer end of the color palette. In fact, I usually group all cool colors into the category of "the color of institutional bathrooms." Harsh. I know.

But I have had a change of ways. A complete 18o on this thought process. All of a sudden I am dreaming of ways to incorporate more blue into my home. Not just any blue, SLATE BLUE. I don't know what it is about this color, but I am hooked. I am working on some new pillow covers. Just repainted a front entry piece, a coat rack, and some curtains all with variants of this lovely color. Here is a look at my painting project yesterday to repaint the shelf in my front entry (that just happened to be picked up at a yardsale.) Before it was just a typical wooden shelf that I didn't look at twice. Now stunning (in my opinion) just because of the color.

What are your thoughts on slate blue? Check out other frugal but beautiful ideas at The Shabby Nest for Frugal Friday!

Teaming Up

I just teamed up with Brittany from the Love Stitched Blog, to be a sponsor for the next month. Look for her post on Saturday to list her great new sponsors for the month of April.

This got me to thinking about all of the great relationships I have developed over the past several months in growing my Etsy shops and blog. Coincidentally all of these relationships were with women with similar paths to mine. Most of us are mothers and most of us are artists in some form, be it design, fine art, or crafting. These similarities could have allowed us to be competitive with each other or maybe even hostile. But I have found nothing of the sort, instead I have been surprised with every one's welcoming supportive demeanor. It is so encouraging as an artist and even more so as a person, to find such helpful, kind, and supportive women out there cheering each other on, making someone believe that living the dream is not only possible but is being done. Thanks ladies!

Let me know who are the people that have supported you in living the dream?

Illustration Friday "Duet"

"The Eastern Male Bluebird uses more than 50 song phrases to woo mates and stake out territory."

Looking Back

When I was nine years old I wanted to be a fashion designer. I would hide away in my room for hours designing ball-gownesque garments. I was also obsessed with the Anne of Green Gables series at this time so most of my designs resembled a mix of the eighties married with the Victorian era. Let's just say my tastes have changed quite a bit.

What strikes me most about looking back at that nine year old version of myself was my unabashed creativity and knowing of myself. I knew my tastes. I knew what I loved. I knew who and what I wanted to be. Over the years things changed. The books collected dust while I spent hours on the phone with the friend or boyfriend of the month. I cared more about what other people thought than what my true self wanted. Eventually I lost that little girl completely.

The best thing about loosing yourself is the opportunity to find yourself again. This period of reinvention is exciting. Funny thing is my true self isn't that different that the nine year old girl. I love to read. I love that quiet time all to myself. I love creating. I just started a line of embroidered hand bags in my shop. I wanted to expand my items to reach more of a market than just home decor. It has been really exciting and I love the feel of the pencil in my hand once more creating something beautiful with passion. Who knew looking back could give you so much to look forward too.