Creating Yourself... and a Grateful Giveaway

"Life isn't about finding yourself.

Life is about creating yourself."

— George Bernard Shaw

Oh, do I love your inspiration Georgie!

I think I am in a perpetual George Bernard Shaw state of mind.
Exploring~ creating~ exploring~ creating. 


So I've had this burning desire to use the backgrounds I painted. 
Funny, but I wasn't sure how I wanted to approach them. 
I got to thinking perhaps my watercolors 
would look interesting collaged on top.
(With other interesting things of course...)


I tried laying one of my pears on top...
Wasn't sure if the colors worked, or if  would even look good- 
but after looking at it a while, 
I'm feeling it may have potential. 

I don't know about you, 
but I have this habit of having to look at the steps I am taking,
 for a while, and then continuing on. 
It's a broken up process for sure, but I've never been able to crank out pieces.
I am not really sure if that's a good thing or not. 
There's a rhythm to my process, that is like a dance... 
take some steps~ stop~ observe~ feel~ think... 
take some steps~ stop~ observe~ feel~ think...
hmmm... maybe a visual cha cha cha!
How about you? 


What kind of process do you go through when you create?
We all have one~ 
much like the individuality of our strokes on the canvas,
the medium that we choose to work with,
and the things that "move us to create".

ahhh... but the best part of today's post is 
my  g r a t e f u l  giveaway... 

I've been wanting to do a giveaway 

of one of my more recent birdie houses.

I have been overwhelmed with the encouragement, 

the cheering on of my journey,

and the ever so kind comments that everyone has been leaving.

So it is with much  g r a t i t u d e,  that I am going to offer 

the item below, as a sweet giveaway

for all of that kind support, friends.

To participate, become a follower of my blog 

(and thanks in advance if you already are).

Leave a comment, and tell me what your inspirational words would be...

because, if your name is drawn,

I will personalize this birdie house with those very words.

One lucky winner will be posted Friday September 2nd. 

thank-you friends!

Seeds of G R O W T H... and a G I V E A W A Y!

"We come from the earth, 

we return to the earth, 

and in between we

 g a r d e n."

anonymous

So, for the past year, I've been planting some seeds. 

I've been working the soil of my creative journey. 

Some days turning the dirt and adding lots of nutrients, 

and other days just looking at the soil, 

pulling some weeds, 

and wondering when the sprouts are going to shoot up.

Lately, I've been seeing some sprouts. 

I am starting to see a few glimmers of those colorful flowers 

that I so desperately want to grow.

 I do  b e l i e v e  

the flowers 

are really, really starting to grow!

... and I am encouraged.

a list of my  s p r o u t  sightings...

~ I'm seeing some increase in my etsy sales

(Every time an order comes through, I'm like a child at Christmas- 

the sales seem like they are creeping in slowly, but creeping in, is good. 

I feel a lot like a snail in the soil sometimes!

I've started to "renew" and add items more often- as well as join a couple of etsy teams,

which I think is another contributing factor to the visibility. 

Meeting new people on a team, and supporting each other through team treasuries, 

giveaways, & team blogs, I think has definitely been a boost. 

I am sooo thankful to the people that have included me in a treasury, or a feature, or their blog. )

~ I'm seeing increased visibility

(I'm starting to notice that my work is being recognized at shows, the more I attend repeatedly- 

I had a couple of people looking for me- yea!

Also I am noticing that the wonderful connections and friendships from ecourses, blogging, blog hops, 

giveaways, and social networks that have been continually taking root. 

This is the most wonderful area in this crazy journey of creating art. 

I cherish each and every connection that has been made, and am trying to recognize and support 

each and every sweet person that is on their own creative journey beside me.

It's amazing to see some who have arrived to the place of enormous growth- completely in B L O O M.

It inspires and encourages me always. 

It's amazing to see some who are on a parallel path and others who are just getting started. 

I am inspired by and in awe of each and every one!)

~I'm starting to approach shops  and bigger shows

(Finally being B R A V E and approaching a few shops to see if I can get 

any of my work in another venue- got a couple of consignments started. 

Also doing a show in a couple of weeks that is a much larger venue than I am used to...  

Patchwork Indie Arts & Crafts Show. 

Talk about butterflies and preparation! yikes!

Hey if any of you are in So. Cal and are attending, 

or are exhibiting there- give me a shout out in the comments- I'd love to meet you. ) 

~I'm starting to see a path

(As I am starting to see a path, it feels right, to acknowledge this grateful list of sprouts. 

There is so much soil I want to cultivate, and yet sometimes 

it's good to just stop, 

look for the growth, 

and see the colors as they start to reveal themselves.)

what is on your "sprout list" ?

what new things are happening for you?

Feel free to leave a comment today and I will enter you into my giveaway 

to  C E L E B R A T E  

s  e e d s   o f   g r o w t h

s p r i n g

&  g r a t e f u l n e s s

To enter to win (one of my little birdie houses shown above)

Leave a comment on my blog~ it's as simple as that!

Drawing will be on Friday!

2 entries if you are already a follower or if you become a blog follower.

Thank-you faithful followers!