Things That Inspire Me This Week

I feel like my brain is overloaded with information this week, but I feel good about this because some of the information is infinitely pleasing. Have a look at what has been inspiring me this week!
I'm still eyeing the fabulous patchwork projects by Pink Penguin, and she made this super adorable pincushion. It sold instantaneously in her shop and, if you can believe it, her shop is completely empty right now. I'm so envious of her ability to sell products, but even more envious of the person that snatched up this pincushion. As soon as I get a hold of some cherry fabric and awesome Heather Ross gnome fabric, I'm making a pincushion JUST LIKE THIS!!! Actually, I say that about everything she makes, lol.

I have a fabric scrap pack arriving soon, so you can bet that I'll be scouring it for any sign of bits and pieces that I'll be able to make into a log cabin patchwork pincushion. I spent a good amount of time last night watching YouTube tutorials on how to create log cabin patchwork. I love the look of the log cabin patchwork design.

I also came across the amazing work of Laurrain Yuyama of Patchwork Pottery. She's an amazing artist. She made that quilted pillow out of a drawing that her little daughter's best friend made. I think that is so sweet and thoughtful. This pillow was then given to the little girl for Christmas. If I ever had a little child and they drew a picture that I loved, I would hope that I could immortalize their artwork into something breath-taking like this too.

So, devoid of the time to make such lovely things myself, I did what little I could... I made piles of coloured paper butterflies. Fluttering en masse all over my desk, they bring a little light into my life.

I also stopped by the local thrift shop and filled my eyes with all the different kinds of new and vintage fabrics. It's a very different thing to look at a shop and to only view each item of clothing as a potential fabric source. Suddenly, the most hideous dress becomes a treasure trove of the most ideal fabric. I carried one little children's shirt around the shop with me for a period of time before I finally set it back down. It had the most perfect floral print on it, "but if I just have a little patience," I told myself, the real fabric stash will be arriving shortly. I can hardly wait!!!

Things That Inspire Me This Week

With the onset of Fall weather, my mind is on crafts and Nature. Here are some things inspiring me this week.

I came across a blog by Pink Penguin and discovered her amazing patchwork pouches. All I can think of about now is how I have tons of pretty scraps of fabric and how I would love to make pouches like these. She even has a tutorial! If I had time, I would make this amazing afghan covered with flowers! It's so beautiful! Can't you imagine it in your living room spread out on top of the couch? Or in a little girl's room? (Heck, forget a little girl's room, I want in in MY room!) It would look so good!

I find Fall leaves to be an easy inspiration for me, especially as the sunlight streams through them. They light up like bright reddish flames and I can't help but stare at them in wonder.

On the lawns, the yellows and reds contrast well with the still-green grass, and each one is unique from the next. I look up and it seems like the leaves go on forever into the sky.

And there's something romantic about the way this picture turned out. I can't quite put my finger on it.

Have a happy weekend!

Finding Inspiration - The Resources You Need To Succeed

In exploring what I want to do next in my career life, I took a course called Career Builder Plus at Douglas College. It was a ten day program, and it focused on finding out what it was exactly that inspired each of us, motivated us, and gave our lives meaning. If we could discover this very crucial information, we could find direction to pursue the career of our dreams. We were tired of jobs we didn't like, didn't love, or simply didn't care about.

In the duration of that program, I was introduced to the inspirational speaker, Les Brown. I found that he really did have the power to motivate me and give me some hope for finding the right job for me. I vowed to watch more inspirational talks when I felt down and out, simply as pick-me-uppers when things got stale.However, I soon lost sight of this until today when my friend sent me a link to a marvelous site called TED.com. TED is a nonprofit organization committed to spreading the best ideas in the world for free. There are videos galore and you can learn so much, that's it's really quite unbelievable. In particular today, I watched a talk by Seth Godin on standing out, and a talk by Dan Pink on the surprising science of motivation. If you're remotely interested in business (you run an Etsy shop, manage people, etc), you should check these out. Seth Godin talks about how marketing has changed. It has gone from bombarding people with information until they buy your product to standing out so that they will pay attention to you and spread the word on your behalf. Dan Pink talks about how some companies suffocate innovation and creativity by using extrinsic motivation instead of intrinsic motivation.
Seth Godin also has another talk on "the tribes we lead". Something that stood out for me in that talk was his observation that people want to be missed. They want to know that they will be missed when they are gone, and that our jobs as tribe leaders (companies, managers, etc) is to make sure that our customers and employees feel missed when they are gone. In other words, people want to feel like they belong and that they have value. If you can make your customers and contacts feel like they are missed and valued, then you will touch a chord with them and be able to reach them.

In finding inspiration to succeed, it has been important for me to look first inward to learn more about myself, and then to look outwards to find inspiration in the world around me. It appears that there are websites out there like TED.com that want to help you to succeed. Did you know that there are even more? In your local community, for example, is a library where you can read the latest books and magazines for free! There is a wealth of information there. And if you lose your job, you can go to the employment centers and find a case manager that can help you find free resources to job search, career search, and possibly get funding for education. In fact, some courses funded by the government will actually pay you a wage while you take the courses for free. Entrepreneurial courses, for example, apply to this.
You are not alone. There are people that want to help you, and to listen to you. They care about you even though they don't know who you are. They care because they're human too, and they go through the same things as you do. Problems, issues, lay offs, divorces, insecurities, stress, anxiety, loss - they go through them too!

So don't be down on yourself. Yes, the economy is bad and things are hard, but you have the ability to learn, to improve, and to change your situation. And, if you need a motivational kick, here it is:

Working Up A Storm

I've been dreaming about making something very fun for a long time now. Wednesday night, I put it into motion, and I can't wait to show you what it is. For now, I can only tell you that it has to do with this fellow:

It's Unloved Monster! He's going to be the star player in my next invention, and I'm very, very excited. I've been drawing late into the night to get it just right.

Today, I'll be heading to the printers to see my creation realized. Wish me luck!

I'll post pics soon!

Here are some cool finds from Etsy this week:

Robin's Egg Nesting Bowls from alinahayes, Treasure from Atlantis IV from valleycreekstudio, Rocket Ship I spy bag from thosegreatwomen, and Baby Guinea Pig Plush from Morumoto.

Have a great weekend!

Yay! It's Friday! Time to showcase some new discoveries!

Hurray! It's Friday, and I'm so delighted that I'll finally have time to work on some art again. I did get around to painting a little last night, but I wasn't completely happy with some of the colours so I might print out the linework and try again. Another option is to paint them digitally. It's for a number of new ACEOs that I feel very strongly about so I want them to be perfect. Who would have thought I'd like the ACEO (Art Cards, Editions, and Originals) format so much? I'm so glad that Quirky Corncrib suggested it to me!

Today I'd like to feature some Etsy artists. I really like some of these pieces so I want to share the love :)










This Patrick the monster stuffy from talkproof; a secret decoder valentine card from crankbunny; Delicate Heart, a jointed doll from woolandwater; and a woodland fairy princess tutu from FrogPrincessCouture.










Have a happy Friday and a great weekend!

Happy Friday

Hello! I hope you are having a great Friday (last day of the week! Yeah~!)

My sweetie took me out for a surprise yesterday. I was cautious as to what to expect, but guess where he took me? To the Circle Craft Christmas Fair! Talk about a guy that really knows me, lol. I saw so many great artists there.

My favourites were a shop that sold soft rag dolls made from organic cotton for babies, a shop that sold funny-looking stuffed monsters with giant soft hearts sewn to their chests and skinny limbs (but the seller was no where to be seen so I couldn't buy one!), a fellow that sold clay friendly-looking gnomes surrounded with real, fluffy moss (I asked him how he got into this business and he chuckled and said, "I guess the gnomes just took over!", and a beautiful shop full of lampwork glass beads of the most wonderful, drool-worthy variety. It was a very fun experience.

To celebrate the end to a good week, here's a funny link for you. It's about a man that tries to submit a drawing of a spider to pay off his bill. Read the whole thing. It's hilarious :)

Oh, and here's a link to a Pixar short called Burn-E.

Chubby Fat Squirrels and Crazy Crows

There was an odd crow this morning that insisted on cawing after every action.

Dig beak into dirt, caw-caw! Throw a leaf aside, caw-caw! Get beak stuck in the dirt, caw-caw! Wriggle beak back out, caw-caw!

A chubby, fat squirrel noticed the commotion and snuck up on the crow to investigate. After a stealthy creep and stop to behind the crow, he realized that the crow was simply a nut-case, so he turned sideways and pretended to be simply passing by. The crow turned to look at him, caw-caw! And then he turned back to his digging.

He wasn't very successful in finding any hidden worms. I guess he's just too noisy of a fisherman.

I hope all of you have had a good week. Mine was a whirlwind of work and crazy deadlines. However, I did have some good news in a bookmark sale that came with a sweet note. Apparently the customer was so pleased with the quality and packaging of the first bookmark that she purchased from me that she instantly bought another one! She said that the bookmark was better in person than in the picture. Hehehe... I guess that means I need to take better pictures!

I also came across some wonderful Etsy shops! Here are some felt towers from Intres, nesting owls from Savage Artworks, a rabbit among ferns ACEO from Carmen Keys Art, and some beautiful fabrics from Cicada Studio.

Happy Friday!

I'm so thankful the week has finally come to a close! Boy, has it been busy! Overtime every day is NO FUN! There just isn't any time to draw when I get home! (Lol, look at all the exclamation marks I'm using.)

I hope all of you have had a good week. I've been doing my best to drop by your blogs and to read them, even if I haven't had time to leave a comment.

Here are some things to inspire you. They have surely inspired me this week.

Woodland Conifer trees by Winsome Hollow.

Sentimental Journey by Irene Suchocki.

This little lemon and lime bird pouch is from The Wren.

This is a gorgeous bracelet from Magdalena's Atelier.