Last Chance to Vote

Good morning on a THURSDAY!

Today is the last day to vote for the before and after photos at Natural Built Home FB page.

The contest features four great kitchen makeovers and Shelly's Design Studio submitted one of the projects.

Voting ends at the end of business today. If you haven't voted yet, please do, by clicking the 'like' button on the photos you like the best.

(Shelly's Design Studio is photo group 1 of  4)

If you have voted, thank you for your support. The first prize is a professional photo shoot of the project. This would be fabulous!

Have a great thursday! Check back tomorrow... for friday's post.

After photo submitted to the contest

 To see the before photo, you will have to go to the contest! Enjoy, it is quite a difference!

To the left of the Range

Burned Out on Inspiration- Too much of a Good Thing

Back in the studio....

The task of taming the inspiration. I believe this is the culprit that incites overwhelm. There are magazine tears in boxes. Ten of them I think... pretty full of magazine photos and articles of things that I wanted to read, integrate and just plain find beauty in. I have had these in my possession for many years.. they are the reason I no longer purchase nor subscribe to magazines.

I found that I was backed up with unrequited and unfulfilled creativity that were tucked away in these Ikea boxes.

Two of Ten..... 

The articles, represent the knowledge I fear I am lacking. The photos represent the beauty that others are creating, that I could only hope to achieve.

Well, I have been looking at that through new eyes.

With the vast access to information as well as personal accomplishments over the years, the information is outdated, integrated or accessible online. So, out they go!

Some of the photos, I found were still truly inspiring... calling to the artist that I long to be, while other things, I have integrated into my design work and my creativity. Still other things were of the 'What was I thinking?' category... I promptly tossed them onto the floor as well.

Magazine pages of articles and once inspiring photos

Making it through six boxes, there are four to go. They are the fullest ones left, but I am in a purging mode. First gleaning through fabrics, then magazine pages.. we will see what I am inspired to do next.

There were a few articles that I now dispute, based on my experience and knowledge, myths that once believed, had become a barrier that had to be charge through.. I will share some of those design related tales at Shellysdesignstudio.com for another day.

Paula, at Gettingthingssewn.com has been in a stash busting mode as well. She is much more graceful about it than I. It is such an emotional thing for me to let go of things... I have struggled with this all of my life.. I keep the weirdest things sometimes...

Drawing Down from the Ethers, Order from Chaos

In sorting through all of the totes and bins of late. I happened upon some finished pillow covers, some I had made, the other, I purchased when on a trip to Paris.

The orange tree tapestry pillow cover from Paris

The one, is a cover I had made a long time ago from the same vintage fabric as the curtains in the living room. I have decided not to put anymore time into them, the next place, the bottom portion of the panels will be taken off. the polyester is a horrible choice. It doesn't hang well, the seam where it is attached is not pressed well, as it has a very LOW melting point. So, it will be refurbished in the new space or a later space. For now, it is a little dumpy, frumpy, cottage-ey look, that serves me just fine.

The frumpy cottage curtains

I have been considering tackling making a slipcover for my sofa, but that is a huge undertaking and a time commitment. Not sure I am ready to start something like that. Someday I will.  I have a couple of fabrics that I could work with, but none really capture the vintage cottage look I have now.

Then there is the idea of bedspreads and bedskirts. There are several fabrics that I have in mind for that too. But again, time and space commitment are challenging, the biggest challenge being, the unmade fabric takes less space and is easier to store than a finished slipcover, bedskirt or bedspread. So, I must take on those challenges first.

Well, this is good, if not now, when? Why?

Do you have silly excuses for not doing something? I can bet that if this is going on in my creative world, it is all over the place in other areas of my life as well.

Is it a matter of prioritizing? or simply taking action? (Taking action, apparently, isn't that simple for me!)

For some reason, I feel like I would make a bigger dent, working on smaller things. Things that take less time, less space and are easily given away. Really? Would I give anything I made away? I have a hard time parting with something I have put that much energy into. The other thing is, I know where all of my flaws are. I know the 'imperfections'. It would be horrible if others were able to find them. I would lose all credibility.

On the other hand, if it is a project that is particularly well executed, I would want to keep it. Because in my possession, I have proof, a reminder, a sample of my progress.

Does anyone else find this silly? Does anyone else have this circular way of thinking? Does it work for anyone else? It is very self defeating for me. I find that I am becoming more and more 'afraid' to jump in and do something because I am becoming so much of a perfectionist.

There is a difference between knowing and doing. Knowing is the concept, having worked all of the details out in one's mind ahead of time. Minimizing surprises, accurately predicting results and working out the theories and relationships ahead of time.

Doing, the practice of, is just that. It is a practice. It is taking the concept and all of its workings into an experiential world, a sensual experience. Sensual in that, it is experienced, not in the mind, as a concept is, but instead, by seeing, touching, hearing, tasting, smelling, emoting, a full-bodied experience.

It is the disappointment of something not being the way I want it that I am afraid of. I am my worst critic. "I know better" is my underlying statement. It is my inability to control matter that makes me absolutely crazy. In my life, I have been the observer. Watching relationships of people, things, colors, sounds, tastes, smells. A quest to understand the workings of physical matter in this material world.

That is my fascination with how design works. It is the source of the workings of reality. Taking an idea, a concept, a vision and drawing it down, through the ethers. First it is an illusion, a vague vision, in the deep recesses of the subconscious. It is a feeling, an emotion. It elicits a response. It then goes into the mental process or ordering, identifying and predicting. It is still not real. It is still a concept.

The emotion is the experience. To align with the feeling incited at conception.  It is this layering of the emotion to the desire that thrills and exhilarates.

The action of bringing all of the visualization elements into this reality, this dimension of being, is the business of laying vulnerable, ones power within the universe.  To know ones self and passions well, is a strong foundation, it is a channeling of energy to live one's truth. At those times in life, when, what one knows and what one experiences are so powerfully connected, a manifestation of confidence that is unmatched, is witnessed.  A confidence that is not mistaken for arrogance. It is the most alive feeling I have ever experienced.

A vision realized, almost

What is your most vivacious creative experience? What part of the process empowers you? What part of the process is your most vulnerable?  I would love to hear your comments, on your experiences, if you are relating at all to my experiences, or if the whole thing just doesn't make any sense to you at all.. or might I be crazy?

Oops It's Wednesday!

Design Project

Here I thought I was being so efficient, adding gallery pages and such to www.Shellysdesignstudio.com and commenting on Shelly's Design Studio Facebook page and Natural Built Home Before and After photo contest, I didn't realize, it is Vibrant Threads Post Day!

Well, there you have it, that is what I have been up to. I have some serious housecleaning to do for tomorrow, or I will have to set plates for the dust bunnies to dine with us! (The Ladies who Lunch are coming for the day, a great way to spend my Birthday!) Yesterday wasn't very productive in the area of housecleaning either, I talked with my mom for almost FOUR hours! Apparently, we had a great deal to catch up on.

After the conversation, I would just like to declare to the world, I have the best mom and dad! I love them both so much and am so thankful that they are still here to chat with.

It was so refreshing yesterday, because mom didn't do the mom thing and try and fix anything, she listened like a friend and offered her empathy with the situations that are going on. Yes, there are some struggles, but then who doesn't have them. They are for private discussions however, and there is no place for them on the Internet for me.

Lately I am starting to think of spring coats. I am in desperate need of one, so I will start gathering inspirations. I have a variety of spring green fabrics, that I think in combination would be a great spring coat. I just have to decide on a style.. must get to housecleaning.... have a great day and don't forget to check out the contest and vote! Thank you in advance for your support.

Contest Voting Alert!

Hello all of my reader friends! Just recently I entered one of my kitchen remodels in a contest.  https://www.facebook.com/naturalbuilthome?fref=ts

Voting is open until the 28th of February. Please take a moment to review the entries and vote on the before and after photos you like the best. You can vote as many times as you like..

Thanks for your support... All of the projects look really great!

Shelly

Creative Friends

It is a rather gloomy looking monday morning.. somedays that just seems to go hand in hand, doesn't it.

As I sit on my sofa, writing and planning my schedule for the week, getting it all out of my head and onto my calendar, the overwhelming feeling of the past few weeks is subsiding.

Thursday, the Ladies who Lunch are coming to my house for our creative conversations. Then in the evening, I am going to join Paula for the Lecture at the Goldstein Museum. We will have a great deal to talk about on Thursday. Paula just published her first blog post. It is a beautiful site and the photography is lovely. As someone who knows Paula, pretty well in her creative being, the website does capture her personality and I suspect... there are glimpses, of some surprise insights, as well. I look forward to following her creative journey! Here is the link to her blog... http://gettingthingssewn.com

Judy has showcased a fabulously detailed ensemble for the Go Red 'Hearts for Fashion Show', recently held at the Mall of America. I am quite happy to have been able to attend. It was great to be able to support a friend. Seeing the rewards of diligent work and dedication culminate in success! I took some photos, but they were very blurry, so nothing to show for it on this end.

Edith is just fun. She is enthusiastic regardless of what is going on with her personally. She has had some big challenges lately. Edith is always supportive and positive, providing wisdom and true caring.  Edith has big things ahead for her. She has a big goal, she is quite accomplished with her past work, but it is incomplete. There is a gift for the world there. I trust that it will emerge when the timing is just right. Sometimes setbacks are there to pace us with the rest of the world, they aren't quite ready yet... soon.

Yesterday, I spent the day with my friend Shelly Ann, finishing sorting through her mothers buttons. We sorted them mostly by color and then by size. There seemed to be a million little shirt buttons that were the prettiest green. Most likely from someones grandpa's flannel shirts. I gathered a few more for my projects, I ended up with a quart. She also found a lovely black satin collar that had been embroidered with white beads. It will be a lovely addition to a jacket I think. I know just the fabric, or two, they may have to audition with a few patterns, as well..

Beaded collar with two possible fabrics, depends on the pattern...

I look forward to getting together with my friend Kris, from college, to create something! Last month we got together and just spent the afternoon working on a short afternoon project. A crafty project, those are a good creative block buster! We covered cheap candles with decorative papers. I think we should have a creative day every month of just silly projects that are pure creative expression, with no end use in mind.

It is refreshing to be with friends who get me. Who allow me to be in the creative waters of my inspiration and imagination. Friends who are genuinely interested in the source of the gleam in my eye when another great idea strikes. Creative friends gather inspiration from each other, we support each others strengths and work through the weaknesses. (which are usually self induced, mentally!)

Do you have a group of likeminded creatives? Look at the support network available to you currently in your life and actively seek out others who will support you in your creativity AND WHOM YOU ALSO WILL SUPPORT. It is so enlightening to be able to hear the creative wisdom that is so easily taken for granted, when you share something about one of your experiences. Creative networks are truly a give and receive endeavor. Just sharing experiences and insights, provides the answer another may be seeking. Creativity works that way... mysteriously... Serendipity.

A whole lotta nothin'

It feels like a whole lotta nothin' is going on right now.

There has been much writing at the computer. It has been all over the place. Finally I feel like there is a tool to keep me on track and stream line the thought process when it comes to my self.

Snippets of writing have been happening for two days now. Some related to business plans, some creative ideas, some outlines for workshops and seminars. As the ideas come in, I create a new page or a new outline. It is a flood of ideas none very organized- Chaotic writing. I will glean information, connect the dots and it will be a finished picture of what I want my life to look like.

Right now is between design projects and it has been interesting and scary the thoughts that are allowed to come forth when I am not in partnership with others. I like collaborating on projects with others. I like to think of myself as a visionary, although when it comes to my own life, I haven't been much of that lately. The visionary for myself is starting to emerge.

Lately dreams have been insightful and interesting. My subconscious has been speaking to me in terms that I can understand and when I wake up in the morning, I can feel the resonance in my body as I correlate the symbolism of the dream highlights. With such clarity happening at a faster rate, I feel like there is something very exciting right around the corner. So, it is still important to explore everything and gather as much information about it all, as the window for 'application' and 'action' is about to open.

It is interesting to see the creative cycle. Is it a circle or is it a wave?  Inspiration, gathering information, putting it all together, making a plan, taking the action, completing, destruction and grieving of the end of it all. Maybe it is more of a wave, the well is the end and the next thing, building until it seems it will overpower. That may sound weird to many, but for me it is very real. I grieve the purpose and excitement of being the catalyst for discovery for others. To see their face light up when the moment of  uncertainty has passed and the vision is taking form, promising more than they had ever imagined.

Hmm, I see something in my own process. Why I have created the specific cycle of challenge I have recently found myself in? I am creating my life. There is the part of me that is all knowing and divine, connected to source, that has the vision and the master plan. As things have been progressing over the past few months (from my perspective, being in the dark in regards to the plan, it seems like nothing has been progressing) it is that very perspective, that lack of trust in the visionary of my life, my inner self, that creates the challenges of the journey. My inner self is much stronger than I, in the face of my distrust and uncertainty. Much like I am with my clients. When I know something is going to work, I hold the space for the vision being created. I am not influenced by their discomfort. If I am uncertain and they are uncertain, that aspect gets redeveloped and less risky, so as to ensure success. I am a risk taker, when I am certain of the outcome. I am also a risk taker when I am comfortable with the consequences of failure... this is an area I must expand, becoming more comfortable with potential consequences, for they too, create new opportunities.

It is time for me to finally have that trust within myself. After all, it is that wise, inner self that is the source of the visions created for my clients. I am merely the channel to make it happen. There is, in my life as well; I am the channel to make it happen. I am ready to see the vision... so, what has been in the works higher self? I am asking my Self, "Do share, I am on the edge of my seat"... I have a feeling that those who know me well, have seen glimpses of it all along. Now it is time for the Revelation, the mystery to be revealed. I hope it is soon!