Ten for Creativity. Day.24 Sure, we’re dreamers, but do we think we’re the only ones?

Yesterday, I wrote about nurturing our own dreams.  I could dedicate this entire blog to that subject, there’s just so much to say.  Dreams are vital to our lives.   People who support our dreams are invaluable.

Today, my mind is full of thoughts regarding how we support the dreams of those closest to us.  I think the sad reality is that often, dreamers can get so caught up in their own lives that we fail to acknowledge that other people are dreamers, too.  I think if we are not careful, we can get frustrated that others are not supporting OUR dreams, and we begin to tread down the dangerous road of becoming a victim.

Once you become a victim, no one can convince you otherwise.  That is what you are.  There is nothing worse.  Being a victim is not conducive to living a life of fulfilled dreams.

I also think that we tend to become the worst critics of our friends and their dreams.  We filter their dreams through our own eyes or question their judgment.  Yet, we hope that those we love will wholeheartedly support our dreams, simply because we believe in them, simply because they are ours.

I’m not an expert on this subject, but I am a dreamer.  I have many friends who are dreamers.  I don’t want to get lost in my dreams, so that I lose the ability to support others.  I want to be someone who is known for being a dream supporter, just as much as I want to be known as a dreamer.  What good is one without the other? 

The other day, I felt a little down.  For a moment, I wondered what the point was of writing these blogs, of  pouring into the details of my shop, and sharing my art with others.  Note: I did not question the very point of creating art, just the idea of sharing it with the world. 

I almost willingly ventured down the lonely, dangerous trail of asking, what are other people doing to support MY dreams.  Yikes.  Luckily, I stopped the whining introspection.

In that second, I wondered how many other people were sitting at their desks, at that very time, thinking the very same thing.

:::

Today, let’s become dream supporters with as much vigor and passion as we are dreamers.  Take some time to ponder these ideas.  Open your journals, type away on your keyboard, call a friend to chat over coffee. 

Oh, and listen to this phenomenal song.

You are not alone in this world.

 

-Olivia

P.S.  Have an entirely lovely, fantastic weekend.

5 things Fridays.

5 things Friday is something new.  Part treasure hunt. Part random bits of goodness.  100% fun.

Happy Friday.
Friday of a long weekend.
Those are the very best kind.

Today, I want to share some great finds from a few of the shops of my team members, with TeamCAC on Etsy,  (Christian Artists and Craftsmen).  Be sure to shop by their shops and keep them in mind for future shopping needs. 

{All Occasion Smile Card from RightBrainy}

Some of my favorite colors.

:::

{I can fly Clock from MechelleDesigns}

Mechelle turned a set of bird paintings into clever little clocks.

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{Deep Purple Organza Hair Clip from GreenviewLane}

I just love this, I have a thing for feathers lately.

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{Zippered Pouch in Linen from CreekBedThreads}

I also have a thing for linen.  I love. it.

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{Wood burned Peacock Wedding Signature Mat from InspiredbyMarie}

What a beautiful, unique idea for a wedding!

Hope you enjoyed these five things.

When was the last time you took a treasure hunt?

-Olivia

Ten for Creativity Day.23 Dreams

I haven’t really worked out all these thoughts in my head yet, but some times that is exactly when blogging is best.

Today, I’m thinking about dreams.  We all have them, some more than others.  Rather, some realize their dreams more than others.  Some people fight  and work hard to achieve these dreams for years and years.  Some people sit around waiting for dreams to happen.

For example, I’m hoping for the entire Anthropologie store to end up in my closet, kitchen, bathroom, living room, and bedroom.  However, I don’t spend time each day trying to make that happen.   A girl can dream.

But, I don’t sit around each day wishing and hoping to become a successful artist.   I have to put in the time, dedication, energy, and emotion, daily, because this is a dream worth fighting for.  Yes, I’m already an artist.  Yes, I’m a wife and mother.  Yes, I have an impressive collection of coffee mugs.  I’m already living these dreams and they take a lifetime of commitment.   If I

I can’t measure success by the popularity or high demand for my work.  I can’t measure it by the dollars earned.  Success is the daily act of realizing and pursuing the dream.  It’s showing up everyday, especially when, you’d rather take a nap.  It’s surrounding yourself with inspiration and turning off the outside voices that distract you.  It’s being satisfied and pleased with your work, but knowing you can do more.  It’s setting up your life, your schedule, and your mind to allow for inspiration and creativity.

Creativity won’t happen unless you take time for yourself.  It won’t happen if you say yes to everything that everyone wants you to do.  It won’t happen if you don’t restructure your life towards it.  I mean, your house isn’t going to clean itself, just like creativity isn’t just going to happen.

We water plants to make them grow.  We educate our minds.  We clothe and feed and nurture our families.  We eat healthy and strengthen our bodies.

What are you doing for your creativity?  Are you waiting for it to strike?  Or are you aligning your life to work in sync with your creative dreams?  Are you making time to write in your journal, to walk through rose gardens, to glean wisdom from brilliant writers? 

Today’s activity is simple and not so simple.

Show up.  Nurture your creativity.  Soak up the inspiration all around you.  Take another step towards realizing your dreams.

I promise, it will be worth it.

I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for.

  -Georgia O'Keeffe

-Olivia

 

Make Art. Make a Difference.

I’m so excited to be partnering with this great project, A Beautiful Idea.  They really believe that artists CAN change the world.

This is how it works.  Artists create a product.  They sell it online.  All the profits from that product are donated to charity to help people all over the world.

A Beautiful Idea makes it easy to take part in changing the world.  Learn more about how you can get involved.

I am contributing the proceeds of this piece to A Beautiful Idea, and will continue to create more art for the project in the future.

{A Hymn of The River, Original Oil on Canvas, by Olivia Moore}

Spread the word about the word about A Beautiful Idea, let’s do what we can to help in small and large ways.

-Olivia

Ten for Creativity Day.22

Living in a new city is great.

New restaurants.  New stores. New parks.  New coffee shops.  I love being able to spend time with family on a regular basis.  We can get together for dinner, just because we can.  That never happened when we lived approx. 900 miles away. 

We brought all of our clothes, books, movies, coffee making tools, and the entire wealth of Hudson’s toys, but we couldn’t pack our friends in boxes.

Coffee shops are easy to find.  Friends are a bit more difficult.

Today, take ten minutes to make a card for a friend.  For whatever reason you desire.

You could use a cute little card that you already have on hand or you could make one using, fabric, ribbons, scraps of paper, string, paint, yarn, buttons, etc.

Or for the more ambitious, make paper.  I’d love to learn how do to that.

After you make it… don’t forget to send it, because cards don’t necessarily belong in a pile on your desk, waiting to be sent.

Oh, I need to go to the post office.

:::

Also, I need YOUR help.    A friend of mine is looking for some great photo ideas.  She has all these photos, but doesn’t really know what to do with them.  So send me your favorite photo projects!!  I’ll share them on here soon.

Sir, more than kisses, letters mingle souls; for, thus friends absent speak.  ~John Donne

-Olivia

Ten for Creativity Day.21

Yesterday…

• My sweet little boy woke up at 3:30am
• He didn’t go back to sleep until 12:30pm.
• The internet was down.
• We had a meeting.
• We had a flat tire.
• We didn’t buy groceries.
• We picked up Wendy’s.
• Watched an hour of The Biggest Loser finale, before we decided that going to bed before 9pm was the best idea of the day.

My creative moment:  trying to stay awake.

Moral of the story: some days are less creative than others.  That’s ok.  Every 24 hours brings a new day.

Did you take ten minutes for creativity?

-Olivia

Ten for Creativity Day. 20 Must Make Space

 

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As we continue to become more intentional about creativity, it’s important to find a space that can be completely dedicated to your art.  Don’t you wish you had a room like the one pictured above… one entire room full of your supplies, inspiration, and a door to shut out the rest of the world.

Perhaps one day, I will again, but right now, we’re temporarily living with family and the three of us, share a large open basement. 

In the mean time, I have two little areas just for me.  It’s important to work with what you have.  Instead of purchasing brand new, matching organizers, I collected glass jars, formula tins, and oatmeal tubs, that I covered with brown butcher’s paper.  Then I wrote in English & French what each container held.

This is the view from my desk.  I filled the deep nook of the basement window with journals, files, and containers holding important things like scissors, pencils, buttons, and ribbons.  Even bills look better in my Liberty of London file folders.     There is one frame of four black and white photos of my son when he was two weeks old and my favorite picture of my very handsome husband.  A tall Paris mug, a goodbye gift from a dear friend is filled with random feathers next to the lamp on my beautiful, $10  (garage sale find) secretary-style, wooden desk. 

Here’s the other space,  on a table in our small kitchen.  It’s not the table where we eat, but a table that didn’t really have any other place to go.  So, we took advantage of the space.  The set of three drawers holds most of my supplies. One drawer is dedicated to paints, gesso, brushes, and such. The second is stuffed full of fabric, ribbons, and all things sewing related.  The third holds my postcards, business cards, and other paper products that I use. All of my recent paintings are stacked up against the drawers.

It’s not my dream set up.  It’s no art studio in an old converted warehouse, with exposed brick walls and paint covered floors,  but it’s my space and I need to create whether it’s in my kitchen or my dream studio.

Today, look around your home.  Is there a small space that you can convert to your creativity corner?  Do you have a shelf in your closet or a desk to fill with supplies?  Maybe you only a tiny corner in your room.   Whatever you have, begin to think of ways to use that space for your creativity. 

Here are some ideas:

• Use a cute hat box to hold ribbons, fabric, and embellishments.
• Find an old wine crate for sketchbooks and journals.
• Collect glass jars to hold beads.
• Use your favorite coffee mugs to hold pens, markers, and crayons.
• Use a small wooden dowel to hold your spools of ribbons and thread.
• Discover a cute vintage suitcase perfect for holding fabric.
• Collect gift boxes to hold papers.
• String up a piece of twine on the wall (between two nails) and use clothespins to hang inspiring pictures.

Do you have any great ideas for making the most out of our your workspace?  What has worked best for you?  I’d love to hear what you are doing to turn  small areas into the working creative spaces.

Just a thought…

If we don’t create because we say we don’t have space, then perhaps we don’t want to create badly enough.

-Olivia

Ten for Creativity Day.19 Lost in Pictures

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” –Thomas Merton

It’s Friday.  The sky is filled with soft blues and light grays.  The sweet breeze hints of a cool rain.  The pale white cotton curtains are waltzing with the wind.  Pandora is playing my Mumford & Sons station.  It’s been a busy, wonderful, and exhausting week.  My son appears to have taken on nocturnal habits as of late, and truth be told, I think I could sleep all weekend.

Today, I have a fun little activity for you.  It’s about reflection.  It’s about emotion.   Think back to the last time you visited an art museum.  Was there a piece of art that drew you into its colors and lines?  Did you get lost in the shadows and textures?  How did it make you feel?

As you reflect on the following paintings, I want you to get lost in the pictures.  I’m sharing three of my own paintings, because well, I can.

• What do you see?
• How do these images make you feel?
• What stands out to you the most?
• What words come to your mind?
• Does this trigger an event or memory in your mind?

#1

 

#2

 

#3

I’m definitely interested in hearing your thoughts on this one, so don’t hesitate to leave a comment.

Have a great weekend.  I hope it’s filled with lots of one of the following:  sleep, rest, fun, adventure, productivity, creativity happiness, joy, peace, and more sleep.

-Liv

Thank you all for the wonderful birthday wishes.  It was certainly a good one, full of so many things that I love.  I think that was the best part, it wasn’t this huge celebration, but the whole week was full of delightful goodness.

This photo is from dinner at Midtown Global Market, taken by my mom.  For years and years, she has unsuccessfully tried to get us to all stand nicely and take one “fake” posed picture.  We’re not buying it. Sadly, the chances of capturing five kids, three spouses, and two little boys in perfect dream shot are very slim.  

*Our son was too busy playing to be bothered with photos.  Plus, the two younger kids don’t live here.  But, they will be here in a few weeks and we’ll all be together again.  (The last time was Christmas ‘08).

I’ll be back later with today’s Project: Ten for Creativity.  I must confess, I didn’t even think about blogging yesterday.  My son has temporarily become a nocturnal creature and our sleep is less than ideal.  We’re hoping this is just a very short fad.

-Liv

Ten for Creativity. Day.18 Life List

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Today is my birthday.  Happy birthday to me.  I might love my birthday more than most people, it might have something to do with the fact that my family called it a national holiday.  It tends to be more like birthday week rather than just a one day affair.  I must admit, I don’t hate that at all.

As I start this 26th year of my life, I look forward to new possibilities.  New dreams.  New opportunities.

This year:

• I will celebrate my third wedding anniversary with my favorite husband ever. 
• I will celebrate my sweet little wild thing turning two. 
• I will explore and make this new city home. 
• I will enjoy living near my family. 
• I will continue to pursue and live my creative dreams.
• I will use my art to make a difference.
• I will hold on to old dreams and make room for new ones.
• I will keep loving and serving my God,  husband and son.
• I will keep in touch with old friends and meet new ones.
• I will keep finding the truth, beauty, and goodness in the world.
• I will keep writing.
• I will figure out just what to do with a whole fresh artichoke.
• I will learn how to knit something other than scarves.
• I will find a coffee shop that will make me an iced ginger, coconut latte.  (Or else, I’ll make it myself.)
• I might  convince myself to starting running…. maybe.
• I will continue to make my life into a meaningful story about  girl who loves and dreams and  paints and drinks coffee.

What will your year look like?

-Olivia

Results of Day.17 - Destroy it.

Today, I challenged you to destroy one of your pieces or art.

Perhaps you tore up a skirt you made and turned it into a pillow.

Perhaps you covered a lamp shade with fabric and ribbons.

Perhaps you turned an old sock into a cute little sock monkey.

Whatever the case, the process of art is often about taking something that is just “good” and making it better.  It’s transformation, because we must create.  It’s change, because change is good for your mind and soul.  It’s down right fun.

I took two paintings, both 8x10 on canvas,  that were sitting in a pile with other art, feeling down about themselves because well, they were simply mediocre.  I love how they turned out.

Painting One:

This was part of spur of the moment set that I did three years ago.  The rest of the set is gone.  It was time for this to go.

I applied a fresh coat of Gesso and added some of my old business cards to the mix for extra texture. 

Now, we have a fresh new canvas.  Tip: Gesso is supposed to dry over night.  I am impatient.  I used my blow dryer.

I added a coat of Soft Apple Green.

  I applied the buttons while the paint was still wet, so it acts like an adhesive.  Then painted the numbers in black.  I think I’ll hang this in Hudson’s room, when we find our own place.  Who says art can’t be educational?  No one, oh, ok.

 

Painting Two:

Yet another average little canvas.  I have no attachment to this piece.  Time for destruction.

I applied a coat of modge podge and then covered it with two pages from the King Louis XXIV book, that I have been using for everything.  A bit of art. A bit of history.  Then I sealed it with another coat of the miracle modge podge.

I traced a simple city skyline, I’m all about this skylines these days.  Then I filled it in with a layer of black paint.

For the brush of colors in the sky I dabbed some red, blue, and yellow and wiped it across the canvas with an old piece of fabric.  Most of the colors were taken off, but just enough remained to give it the feel of a gloomy night like any scene from a Tale of Two Cities or Upton Sinclair’s, The Jungle.  Or perhap it’s a smog filled  Los Angeles sky ?  Then I added lights to the buildings with yellow paint.

I have no idea what I am going to do with this painting, but I have a great deal of fun making it.  Sometimes, that is the point.

If you want to participate in Project: Ten for Creativity Day.17 Destroy it, read more here.

Happy Destroying, I mean, creating.

-olivia

Ten for Creativity Day.17. Destroy it.

I have this idea in my head, that I can’t quite seem to let go.  I’ve been looking through my collection of paintings and whenever I see certain pieces, my face gets all twisted and I declare, “uggh.”  I also have that same feeling inside, uggh.

It’s not just be being critical of my own work, the truth is this… Sometimes, we create something that is good for the moment, because we needed to create, but when we look back, it’s just ok, and as the saying goes, good is the enemy of great.

This weekend at the art festival, one artist was giving away canvas bookmarks that were cut up strips of old abandoned paintings.  Perhaps, they were projects he never finished or he literally found them abandoned.  I don’t know, but they were some of the coolest bookmarks I’ve ever seen.

What if we took a look at our work and we were brave enough to destroy it, to turn it into something else?  What if we said goodbye to the good and took a chance at making it better?

Today, I challenge you to literally destroy one of your creations, with the possibility of turning it into something  great.

I can’t wait to see what you do, so please document this process with some photos… I’ll share mine soon.

-Liv

Last week in paint…

{Possibilities fill the air, original mixed media}

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{Winter Light, original acrylic on canvas}

Both are available in the shop now.

-liv

Ten for Creativity Day.16- Focus.

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It’s a new week and I’m back with project: 10.  I spent half of last week in a creative daze and the other half in an daze of exhaustion from taken care of a sleepless, teething toddler. 

I hope that you were able to continue your creative pursuits and devote time to seeking inspiration.  As we return to the project, I wanted to share some really great insights on creativity from one remarkable source.  I’ve mentioned The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron many times and if you haven’t picked up a copy… that’s silly. 

On her website, Julia answers some questions about creativity, here are a few great answers that I’d like us to consider today.

Q. What is the most common misconception about creativity?

A: The most common misconception is that we would have to leave our current lives in order to pursue our dreams. It is easier for us to use our jobs, families, financial situations, time obligations, etc., as a way (or ways) to keep us "safe" from the anxiety caused by stepping out of our comfort zones into the creative process. When we allow ourselves to be thus thwarted, we deny ourselves tremendous joy. The most effective way to center confront blocks is to form creative cluster groups in the lives we're already leading.

Q. Is true creativity the possession of a small number of people?

A: No, absolutely not. We are all creative. Creativity is a natural life force that all can experience in one form or another. Just as blood is part of our physical body and is nothing we must invent, creativity is part of us and we each can tap into the greater creative energies of the universe and pull from that vast, powerful spiritual wellspring to amplify our own individual creativity.
As a culture, we tend to define creativity too narrowly and to think of it in elitist terms, as something belonging to a small chosen tribe of "real artists." But in reality, everything we do requires making creative choices, although we seldom recognize that fact. The ways in which we dress, set up our homes, do our jobs, the movies we see, and even the people we involve ourselves with these all are expressions of our creativity. It is our erroneous beliefs about creativity, our cultural mythology about artists ("All artists are broke, crazy, promiscuous, self-centered, single, or they have trust funds") that encourage us to leave our dreams unfulfilled. These myths most often involve matters of money, time, and other people's agendas for us. As we clear these blocks away, we can become more creative.

When you read these answers, does anything stand out to you?  Perhaps, something that you can relate to in your creative journey?  Perhaps, you still don’t believe that you are really creative?

Paul writes in the New Testament.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

-Ephesians 2:10

YOU are a masterpiece.  God created you with every attention to detail that a sculpture creates his art.  Have you ever considered how wonderful that is?
Today, take a few minutes to finish five statements about who you believe yourself to be.

1. I am __________.

2.  I believe I am capable of  _________.

3. I believe my creative dreams are __________.

4. Art allows me to ________________.

5. I’m still unsure of __________.

As always, if you want to share you statements with me, I’d love to hear them.  You can share a comment, a link, or e-mail palettetheory (at) gmail (dot) com. 

Hope you’re ready for a great week full of discovery and creativity.

-Liv

friday is here, once again.

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It’s Friday.

The sunshine is dancing over the world, and the weekend is  full of adventures like: art festivals, apartment hunting, and chocolate cobbler baking.

I’ll be back next week with  more Project: Ten for Creativity, new art,  and other stories about this lovely, little life of mine, PLUS lots of fun birthday week wonders, I LOVE my birthday… but who doesn’t?

-Liv

The adventures and horrors of apartment hunting in a great big city.

I should know better than to take up the apartment search online, during my last waking hours of the day.  Last time, I looked, I spent the night having nightmares of people showing us terrifying ugly, dirty, scary, and strange apartments.

It was terrible and I wanted to cry.

Last night, I gave up the search feeling utter exhaustion and defeat.  Moving from a relatively smaller suburban town in Tennessee to this wonderful thriving city, in the great north has been full of transitions.   Most of them good.  Instead of having one Target in town, there are twenty.  Instead of having 5 coffee shops in town, there are nearly 2,000.   There are museums, restaurants, markets, river walks, spectacular buildings, lovely parks, and so far, little humidity.   While living with family has been a much needed blessing, we’re getting anxious for our own space.  So I faithfully browse the internet and other sources, looking for the right place to jump off the page, as our new home.

We find ourselves torn between looking outside the city, for better prices, more space, more trees, our OWN laundry and parking; at the cost of losing the appeal of the city OR hunting down somewhere in a super fun, part of town that is much smaller, priced higher, and almost certain to come with community laundry and a parking free-for-all a.k.a. find parking at your own risk. 

As I browse the listings, I see amazing studio after studio with tall ceilings, crown molding, and hardwood floors available for great prices… and then I remember that we are approximately 1.5 years too late for a studio, as a family of three.  We need things like bedroom with doors, so a certain little boy can sleep.

Now, I am not saying there haven’t been some great selections.  In fact, there are tons of them.

They sound something like a  large trendy, loft with exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, a to-die-for-kitchen, tons and tons of storage space, a cozy little fireplace, a laundry room, a parking space, and of course, TWO bedrooms… but most importantly, a gorgeous claw foot bathtub.   (Priorities).  If you’re doubting that this place exists, doubt no more.   The only slight problem that arises is this: these magical places come at a price tag that would translate into: two full time jobs for everyone, including the toddler. (I believe there are laws against that).

….back to reality-ville-USA.

I do have realistic notions and an even greater sense of budget, and thus, I will continue to look and make calls and send e-mails.  I can only hope and pray that one of those response messages includes punctuation, capital letters, and a basic sense of professionalism.

And less of this:

“I can show the unit m-f 9-3.  Also the unit is a weird layout not for everyone it does have a bigliving room and dining area the rooms are a little weird.
Let me know”

Oh my.

Ultimately, I just need one person who I contact to show me an affordable place, in a nice area, with two bedrooms, at least a hall closet for my washer and dryer, a place to park our little car, and a claw foot tub.   Those are my realistic preferences…. and I’d prefer hardwood to nasty carpet…. but.. I’d settle for clean carpet.

 

Oh, the adventures and horrors of apartment hunting… stay tuned.

-Liv

the best projects are terrifying and thrilling all at the same time.

How was your Mother’s Day weekend?  Mine was lovely, I’m amazed by my husband and little boy and wouldn’t trade being a mom for anything in the whole wide world.

Project: Ten for Creativity is taking a few days off.  I am working on a really big project that equally terrifies me and and thrills me at the same time.  Perhaps, that is the best kind of project? 

During this tiny little break, I hope you keep making creativity a priority by taking ten minutes each day to find inspiration and dream.  I am hoping to be lost in creativity as often as possible…. and I promise to fill you in soon.

-Liv

Catch up on Project: 10 for Creativity here.

Ten for Creativity Day.15 Ponder

 

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I once read a book that talked about God being the most brilliant artist of all and that as humans we search for Him through our art… and as we search for him, he reaches out to us. 

You may disagree, but for me, my art is 100% connected to my faith.  This doesn’t mean that I’m painting crosses or scenes from the Bible, but when I paint a beautiful landscape or create a mysterious collage that shares truth or beauty… it’s just as important.  After all, God is the genius behind his masterpiece called nature and as an artist, he delights in us taking pleasure in his work.

As we wrap up week 3 of Project: Ten for Creativity, I considered doing something festive and silly, being that it is Friday, but I have been lost in thought most of the day, dwelling on questions of life, art, faith, and the whole purpose of it all.

I feel like this project is just starting to take shape, which is totally natural, because it takes time to nurture and discipline our creative self.  You may think that discipline and creativity are not related, but I have found that I can not successfully have one without the other.

For Day.15 of this project, I’d like you to take some time to dwell on these questions or maybe ask new ones.   Feel free to journal or blog or just ponder some of these important questions that will help us understand more of who we are and how art/creativity is a part of us.

Please know that when I use the word art, I am not simply referring to the kind that uses canvas and paints, art is so many things:  Sewing, making jewelry, knitting, crocheting, drawing, sculpting, designing, writing, scrapbooking, quilting, gardening, baking, and on, and on… So apply whatever type of art you do and start asking these questions.

• Who do I believe myself to be?
• Do I honestly believe I am creative?
• Did I once believe I was creative, but no longer do?
• Do I believe that art is a waste of time or a vital part of life?
• How will pursuing my own creativity help me? others?
• How can I use my talents to help others?
• What do I think about the connection between art & faith?
• Do I think God is creative?
• What is the role of art in my overall purpose in life?

I hope that you find answers that might shock and amaze you, that compel you forward on your own creative journey.

I’m elated to be taking this journey with you and to see incredible people continue to turn their lives into beautiful, meaningful stories.

Thanks for visiting The Saturated Palette.  Have a lovely Weekend!

-Liv

If you missed any days this week, find them here.

Ten for Creativity Day.14

Day.14 A Treasure Trove of Inspiration

Hi friends, I have a gem for you today, I’m so excited that I stumbled upon this little blog called Evie S. –Things of Beauty. 

In honor of Mother’s Day*, {this Sunday}. 

*I wouldn’t be upset if I got  a pair of brown slouchy suede boots, if anyone wondered.

Anyways… all week, she is featuring Creative Mom interviews from amazingly, talented, and inspiring ladies. 

Today, make a pot of tea or coffee and read some of these interviews, if they don’t inspire you… I’m not sure what will.

Enjoy!

-Liv

Ten for Creativity Day.13

I’m posting this a little later than usual today, because sometimes it’s more important to do yoga and you know, shower.   Both of those things make me feel amazing… so I try do to them often.

Before I continue, I must admit, that thanks to one incredible husband and a rather easy toddler*, I have an amazing life.  It’s not very difficult, so I have no reason to complain.

{*easy… mostly, sometimes…. except not always.}

If my little boy wakes up early, I can usually get him to fall back asleep, otherwise, we watch PBS and I drink coffee and read blogs or e-mail.  Sometime before lunch, I try to do those tasks that keep my family and our home functioning at a level of ease.  The baby boy naps almost consistently from 12:30-3:30pm everyday. During those three glorious hours, I am artist, blogger, yoga-doer, reader, and whatever else strikes me fancy.  I try to keep those hours free of dull household chores.   He wakes up, wanting to be held, so I hold him in with one arm and my afternoon latte in the other.  Around 4:00 my husband gets home… then comes the whole dinner/clean-up/bath/ maybe watch tv for a bit/put baby to bed ordeal at 8pm.  {Clearly, the most exhausting part of the day.} 

Sadly, there are some days when the necessary responsibilities of life interfere with MY time… those days when it’s absolutely necessary to balance the checkbook, in order to pay bills, and then compile a weekly menu and grocery list.  All of these items which bore me, immensely.  But,  we like having our bills paid and we also like eating, so what can you do? 

So here I am, 3:30, bills paid, groceries listed, yoga completed, showered, and dressed and the truth is, I’m not feeling especially creative today.  Yet, that is no excuse not to take ten minutes for the sake of inspiration and creativity.

And now my tale is complete…

Day.13 If nothing else, look at pretty pictures

Find five pictures that inspire you. 

If you’re looking online, here are some great places to browse…

RedBubble  |  Flickr  | Weheartit |  Etsy

I’m working on a project that has to do with balloons so here are my five images, enjoy…

 

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{source: Yvette Inufio Photography | purchase here}

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If you post your pictures on your blog, send me the link, I’d love to see what inspires you.

ALSO:  If you are interested in doing a guest post for Project: Ten for Creativity, contact me.  If you have a project to share or a creative exercise that really inspires you, I’m sure my readers would love to hear it.  E-mail me at palettetheory{at}gmail.com.

Hope you can find ten creative minutes during this busy day.

-liv

Ten for Creativity Day.12

Day.12  A bit of gathering

Collect pieces of fabric, paper, ribbons, buttons and anything else that you could use of some sort of collage piece.

If you have time make a collage, go for it… otherwise, set aside a piece of time to do it.

Here are some photos to get you inspired:

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{Fireworks Flowers Wall Art from Lostnrefounddesign}

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Happy creating!

-oLivia

day.10 + photo shoot

I wanted to share my photos from Friday’s Ten for Creativity exercise…  I waited until Friday evening, because I knew I would be going to a lovely and inspiring place, perfect for pictures.

You can find day.10  here.  The exercise was to have a little photo shoot.  The subject matter could be anything you wanted.  I focused on the details of the lovely piazza at the Crema Cafe.

 

Not only do they serve delicious food, coffee, and homemade ice cream, but then you get to enjoy it all here.  Isn’t it perfection?

This city is a good place for me and my camera…

and my love of coffee.

Send me your photo results… I can’t wait to see them.

-Olivia