Seeing a theme

Part of my art journey has been the exploration of what I gravitate to.  Birds, flowers and wood picket fences always seem to be some of my favorites.  

I've come to realize that it's more fun to just go with the flow of what you love, rather than listen to that self-doubting voice that tells you to desperately force yourself to do something new.  

I do enough "new".  So today I'm just enjoying my favorites;)

Altered Brush Project

(If you are looking for the Giving Back, Giving Flight post, click HERE.)

Today I would like to share with you the altered brush that I am mailing to Donna Downey Studios.  If you aren't familiar with this, Donna has a new studio space (located in Huntersville, NC), and she has one big blank wall in her bathroom.  So, she decided to sponsor having anyone that wants to participate to purchase a 4" bristle paint brush from her, alter it and send it back to proudly hang on her bathroom wall.  Too much fun!

Since I've been a Donna Downey fan for pretty much FOREVER, I had to have a piece of my art in her bathroom, LOL!  So, here's my piece:

Retreat Instructor Spotlight

If you are looking for the Giving Back post, follow this LINK.

Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to Linda Kinnaman.  Linda is one of the great instructors that will be teaching at the Creatives - Celebrating Sisterhood Retreat in April, 2013.

Please take a moment to stop by Linda's blog at www.LindaKaysArt.com/blog.  She's a fantastic artist that does a lot of wonderful charity within her community.  Better still, come and meet Linda in person at the retreat next April;)

Giving Back

2011 Fly Tribe

I am very proud to be a part of one fantastic, generous group of women!  It all started last year when I took an online course by Kelly Rae Roberts, Flying Lessons:

This awesome class included a private Facebook group for all of us taking the class to converse - all 350 of us!  Well, it's been a year and the class is long done, but a day doesn't go by that I don't chat with my new online friends.  I've even met with some of them.  We are all from different states, even different countries!  We support each other in our creative endeavors, but also confide our secrets, hopes, dreams, hurts and joys.  I can honestly say that my life has changed for the better because of this amazing group of women.

So, in order to celebrate our sisterhood, we decided to take up a collection to sponsor someone else to take Flying Lessons ecourse.  Interesting even more, Kelly Rae Roberts has decided that this is the LAST time she will offer this online course.  So she told us that she would match how ever many registrations we donate.  Well, at last count, we came up with enough money to sponsor EIGHT students, which means that with Kelly Rae matching that, SIXTEEN lucky people will be able to take this awesome class!  Isn't that amazing!!  Like I said, I'm so proud to be a part of this.

If you are interested in taking Flying Lessons and maybe even winning the opportunity to get your registration paid for by US, the 2011 Fly Tribe, then checkout our Fly Tribe blog.

My personal journey this past year, thanks in large part to Flying Lessons, is the revamping of my Live, Laugh, Love Retreats business.  My retreat business allows me the opportunity not only to share my joy of creativity, but also to help promote other incredibly talented artists on their journey.  There's nothing more gratifying than a business that gives.

I would like to encourage you to checkout my other sisters' blogs in this hop.  We each have our own amazing, creative journey that we are on, and I hope you appreciate our growth.  We sure do!

Janet Forrest http://www.tatterednworn.wordpress.com

Cat Athena Louise http://www.catathenalouise.com

Stacey Bockness Curry http://starhitchedwagon.blogspot.com/

Kris Lanae Binsfeld http://cherishdesigns.wordpress.com/

Renee Burke http://happilyeverafterbyreneeburke.wordpress.com

Mary Sterk http://www.justmarydesigns.com

Michelle Reynolds http://www.shellsinthebush.com

Constance Rawlins http://livingwithinyourharvest.com/2012/08/19/fly-tribe-anniversary/

Kelly Hoernig  http://www.kellyhoernig.blogspot.com

Cindy Jones Lantier http://www.lantier.org

Kathleen Conard http://newfromoldcreations.blogspot.com/2012/08/giving-back.html

Claudia Dow http://www.claudiadow.blogspot.com 

Susan M. Walls-Beverly http://susanscharmingtrinkets.blogspot.com/2012/08/flying-lessons-and-art-of-giving-back.html

Linda Kinnaman http://lindakaysart.com/blog/2012/08/19/my-dream-journey-one-year-now/

Cheryl Dossey http://www.cheryldossey.com/

Sofia Dabalsa http://sofiadabalsa.blogspot.com

Jill Lambert http://jill-lambert.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-spirit-of-giving.html

Sally Rose http://sallyhow2.blogspot.com/

Ursula Smith http://EasyScraps.com/blog

Deborah Eaton http://www.deborahgeaton.com/blog/

Lori Leissner  http://www.leissnerart.com/2012/08/giving-thanks-giving-back-giving-flight.html

Creative Clearinghouse http://creativeclearinghouse.com/Online-Class-Reviews/blog/Ursula-Creative-Clearinghouse

Lenore Angela http://www.lenoreangela.blogspot.ca/

Katharina Star http://www.blog.katharinastar.com

Rachél Payne http://wp.me/pWRyw-10P

Sherry Richert Belul  http://www.simplycelebrate.net/cherry-blossom-soup/gifts

Deborah Velasquez http://deborahvelasquez.blogspot.com/

Shannon Etnyre http://www.livingwithumami.com

Kelley Miller Artworks http://kelleymillerartworks.blogspot.com/

Wini Dougall http://artloveandjoy.blogspot.com

Carol Bray http://theredpaintedcottage.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-spirit-of-giving-back-by-giving-flight.html

Tracy Yarbrough http://chickpeastudio.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-spirit-of-giving.html

Diane Enright  http://dianeenrightphotography.wordpress.com/

Jamie Burch http://www.dancingdownserendipitystreet.blogspot.com/

Mary Cottingham http://www.barnbugstudio.blogspot.com

Susan Dietz http://flutterbeforeyou.blogspot.com

Lori Moon Studio http://lorimoonstudio.blogspot.com/2012/08/fly-tribe-blog-hop-giving-back.html

Kim Hyer http://www.apaperaddict.com

Tina Carlborg http://www.tinachicky.blogspot.com

Catherine Pistone  http://catherinepistone.blogspot.com/

Mary MacIlvain http://maryart.macilvain.com/

Carolyn Chenault http://carolynchenault.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/the-big-giveaway

Very Important Anniversary

The month of August is extra special this year.  Not just because it is my birthday month, but because this August is the one year anniversary of when I met some incredible friends online through taking Kelly Rae Roberts' Flying Lessons e-course.

Image credit: Kelly Rae Roberts

This course has provided me not only with awesome, detailed ways to make your creative business a success, but most importantly some lifelong friends all over the world!  Truly, I start and end my days with these friends -- my "tribe".

artwork by Susan M Walls-Beverly

Because of the awesome KRR class and our great friendships, we will have some extra special treats in store for our readers this month.  So stay tuned for all of the announcements HERE.  

VERY exciting!!

Stitched Swap

Today I mailed off my big stitched postcard all the way to Italy!  I'm participating in Beth Nichols swap:

Do What You Love For Life

So, here are the pictures I snapped before sticking my postcard in the mail:

Did you participate in this swap?  I'm excited to get my postcard from Italy later this month!!

Last Call

Last call to participate in this month's Create & Bloom class project:

Class will be held at Polkadots and More tomorrow, Saturday 8/11, from 10:00 am  to 1pm.  If you would like to attend, email me at linda_barutha@yahoo.com or call me at 262-510-9909.  I have a few spots still available. 

Catching Up

OMG, I'm so behind on reading all of my favorite blogs!  I feel like I need a day to just put my feet up and read.  Do you ever get like that?  The weather was absolutely GORGEOUS yesterday!  Cooler temperatures were such a pleasant surprise.  On a sad note, there was a mass shooting at a temple in Oak Creek, WI.  So, so sad.  It gets to the point that you don't even want to listen to the news anymore.

I have some new items I'm working on, which I hope to share with you soon.  In the meantime, I'll leave you with this.  A page that is a work-in-progress.  Tattered Angels sprays on a canvas album I'm making.  Have a wonderful day!

Quick Giveaway

We are in total countdown mode for the Live, Love, JUNK! Retreat!  So I thought it would be fun to randomly (very randomly) have a giveaway that lasts less than 24 hours.  So, between now Sunday 8/5/12 at 5:30pm CDT and Monday 8/6/12 at 5:30pm CDT, if you register to attend the Live, Love, JUNK! Retreat, you will get $50 OFF your registration!

So what are you waiting for?  REGISTER NOW!

Hump Day and Giveaway!

My good friend Kris Lanae and I are hosting a retreat this September!

If you aren't familiar with Kris, she is a jewelry designer that actually has a couple licensing deals which means you can find her beautiful designs in stores nationwide!  She just had a new line of jewelry launch so she thought she would share her good fortune with a GIVEAWAY!  So if you click on the word "giveaway", the link will take you to Kris' website and the giveaway details!

Personally, I own quite a few pieces of her jewelry and wear a 'Kris Lanae' almost every day!  So go checkout the giveaway and tell Kris I said 'Hi'!