Saturday, March 01, 2008

INSPIRE!!!!!!!

Where have I been????? It has been a long time since my last post. I guess I have had a bit of the seasonal affective disorder going on here in the cold and wintry Midwest. Go to work, come home exhausted, watch TV and read a bit. I am about to enter the second half of my on-line paralegal studies so I will have to buckle down with that starting next week.

I have had my senses engaged however. While visiting blogs, reading magazines about stamping and mixed-media, and just generally appreciating the simple beauty around me I have become inspired. Inspired to start a journal about the things that inspire me! I think this idea came about in parts. First, my friend Jane and I were organizing her new craft room (pictures to come!) and we were going through all of her gorgeous 12 x 12 paper. I found a piece in her stash I had never seen. It was blue and had some lovely whimsical illustrations of ballerinas!!! I felt that excitement you feel when something is just so cool and lovely and you want to jump right into the picture of it!! I then thought why not start a journal based on all of the scrapbook paper that I love......You know, that stuff you hardly ever use because it is so pretty?? This way I will always have some in a special place, and then I can use what is left to make cards for others!!!!
So, this sprawling post has lots of pictures of things that are inspiring to me. Stuff that makes my heart race a little.
If you want a quick dose of inspiration I have two suggestions to start you off:
SuziBlu has really got me excited about starting a little journal of my own! I think I will simply call it Inspire! Here are parts of the definition of the word inspire that really got me excited........to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence and to give rise to.
I am inspired by all the photos on this blog.....Above, I am inspired by the beauty of this domestic scene (although, unfortunately, it does not move me right into the kitchen to start cooking/baking, etc.).........
I am inspired by this wall of stamps in my friend Trish's stamp room. I am inspired by my friends.
I am inspired by the beauty of these drawings!
I am inspired by these rolls of vintage wallpaper (photo courtesy of Everyday Beauty)

I am inspired by the beauty of things I have never seen, but hope to someday. On the top is La Sagrada Familia a church designed by Gaudi (I am about to study his architecture because it is so whimsical, amazing and gorgeous!) and one of my all time favorite buildings, The Flatiron Building, in New York City which I have never seen but hope to someday!
I am inspired by so many things around me, my husband, my family, trees, birds, going to court the other day and seeing how much love a father has for his son, the patterns and colors around me, the possibility that although I know that I will probably laze around and blow this weekend in terms of accomplishing something big; that I can be happy in the small accomplishments I do make.....and the dream that someday it will all come together......meanwhile if I do a first page in my inspire journal......that will really be something.


9 comments:

Jeanie said...

Wow! I am totally inspired by your post! First, the photos are lovely, and it strikes me that some of the images that inspire you are ones that I gravitate to as well, so that's always fun! Love the buttons! And the graphics. Well, I think about everything here! The journal is a terrific idea.

And I couldn't agree more about the current issue of "Artful Blogging." Gorgeous and yes, inspiring, in every way!

Nice to see you back, Fellow Tab Fan!

Trixie said...

What a great post! Eye candy, jump start to the pulse of creativity and as always, a little glimpse into your world! Thanks also for the shout out! Your journal idea sounds wonderful to boot!

beth said...

what a great post !!! It's nice to have you back !!!

I think you hit inspiration on the head....it's almost always the little things or the things we take for granted that inspire us the most and usually we don't take time to give them credit....but today you did and it was beautiful !!!

Can't wait to see your journal become "you" filled with what you love !!!

The Feathered Nest said...

Hi Laura!! Thanks so much for visiting my blog! and WOW what a wonderful post...you are so right, grabbing inspiration everywhere you turn ~ Artful Blogging is wonderful this time isn't it!! Thank you for your kind comments and please visit me again as I will you!! xxoo, Dawn

Unknown said...

Your ballet pattern envelope is SWEET! I gravitate to vintage patterns- for the vintage super models and tissue inside! Your buttons are yummy and I wish I had your friend's display shelves for stamps- mine are stacked in cardboard boxes under my windows- LOVELY! NOT! heehee

Holly Loves Art said...

Thank you for sharing all the wonderful inspiration!!! Its good to see you back after a few weeks away! Hope you're having a wonderful, inspirational week!
Holly

Lelainia N. Lloyd said...

THe work of Gaudi is amazing Laura. I lived in Barcelona and saw La Sagrada Familia up close and personal. I also visited Parc a Gaudi which has all these odd walls with mosiac work in them and cave like sloping structures. I also got to visit the home of Picasso. It's a city filled with art history.

That flat iron building is funny because we have one just likie it here in Vancouver, in downtown in Gastown.

I love architecture.

Nan said...

Laura, your love of the Flatiron Building reminds me of a book called Time and Again by Jack Finney. Have you read it? It deals with time travel but not in a sci-fi sort of way. I think you'd love it.
The pics in this entry are beautiful. I especially love the buttons.

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