There are stages and seasons of uninspired struggle, despair, and lack of incentive to continue your art practice. As artists, we can get lost in this sea of struggle and lose focus. Losing focus can stall our movement and crush our spirit. But, there is hope! In this post, I will address how to challenge your inner critic and renew your art practice. Asking Key Questions First, you need to ask yourself some questions to determine what the struggle sounds like. Are you struggling with ... continue reading...
How to Find Your Creative Confidence
Confidence is like a muscle, you have to exercise it to make it grow. Yes, some artists are naturally gifted with more confidence than others but I am almost certain it came from practicing their art, accepting failure, learning from others, doing what they love and challenging their inner critic. In this post I will guide you through these five essentials for how to find your creative confidence. 1. Experiment Firstly, don't be afraid to try new mediums. Spend a few hours in an art store, ... continue reading...
How to Set SMART Goals
Just as I spoke about in the recent post, How to Do a Brain Dump, you need to stay focused and on track in order to accomplish your creative goal. It is important to have a reference to measure our process against. SMART Goals are exactly that. It should be used as a continuous check in for you. In this post, How to Set SMART GOALS, the process requires you to ask important questions that keep you on a very specific goal path. What is a SMART Goal? It is a well-known acronym for five key ... continue reading...
Free Printable Goal Sheet
September is a new year, a new beginning for so many. Change is in the air; hopes and dreams are renewed towards accomplishing our goals. Each month, I send out a free printable goal sheet or task list. This September I have a beautiful freebie for you! One of my favorite flowers are sweet peas. They are so fragrant and delicate and remind me of my wedding as we had them in the bouquets and on the guest tables. I have a small but beautiful array of these beauties trailing up my veranda ... continue reading...
Two Essentials for My Quiet Time Routine
Along with the release of my monthly Free Printable Task list, I like to include a sampling of new products for my shop. This month I have released four new products (journal and coffee mug) with my two favorite flowers; peonies and roses. I love the peonies and roses that adorn our front flower garden. Keep reading for learning the two essentials for my quiet time routine. Along with taking in the beauty of my garden each morning, there are two constants to my morning ritual; my journal ... continue reading...
Transform a Dress into a Cowl Sleeve Blouse
Have you ever tried to create a blouse from a dress pattern? It is a simple process, you just need to pay attention to a few key tweaks. Some sewers would rather just buy a blouse pattern but this method helps you create more than one look without spending more money. I will share the following changes and keys to making a cowl sleeve dress into a cowl sleeve blouse. The excitement was real when I received my "Shapes of Beauty" from my Jewels fabric pattern collection in poly crepe de chine ... continue reading...
Sew a Vintage Tweed Jacket
Going thrifting is always a joy and a surprise as you never know what treasure you are going to find. I often find great fabric at my local Value Village as well as sewing patterns. This lovely pink tweed fabric was just enough for either a skirt or short jacket. And it was only eight dollars! But I wasn't sure what I would make until I found a McCall's 5585 pattern from 1991. The pattern was an updated 90s version of the Chanel tweed jacket. I knew right away that I would use the pink fabric to ... continue reading...
How to Make Your Creative Practice Mindful
Mindfulness can be useful in any practice including your creative practice. Mindfulness is important for your creative practice because it creates intentionality and an attunement with all that you do. It takes your values and beliefs and weaves them into your creations. If you create for work, for fun or both this post is for you. In this post, I will be covering what mindfulness is, why it is crucial to make your practice the best it can be and tips for how to incorporate it into your every ... continue reading...
Jeweled Bow Blouse
After receiving my gorgeous "Jeweled Splendor" fabric from my Jewels Collection in poly crepe de chine from Spoonflower, I knew I wanted to make a bow blouse. The fabric was so soft and had a beautiful drape. I had created the bow blouse previously from a retro 1983 Stitch 'n' Save McCall's pattern and I knew it would be a perfect match for the fabric. In the following video, you will be able to see how lovely the fabric is. Follow along with this lovely make and learn some tips for your own ... continue reading...
DIY Reversible Kimono Jacket
One of my go to pieces in my wardrobe has always been a blazer. A blazer gives an outfit a classy feel whether dressed up or casual. Another one of my favorite pieces is a cardigan. I wanted to marry the two together to create my own vision of a blazer mixed with a cardigan and a touch of kimono/robe feel. When I created the jeweled ladies pattern called "Adorned", the image in my mind was of a flowing robe. The large print is best displayed with a longer garment, so I took my inspiration and ... continue reading...
