gathering spriggs

Happy Weekend with Pretty Pictures

Happy Friday dear friends. Its been a great week here with you ... listening and responding to you and with you over great advice and lovely counsel. Do you have any weekend plans??

I am having fun with my new love, Pinterest... a perfect way to collect all the web inspiration found daily. Which all of these images came from. Find more on my style pinboard. 

Also, here is a fun challenge that I am excited about trying out...

So what are your creative projects or things you are challenging yourself with this weekend? I'd love to hear all about them.

top image: etsy, made by girl, collage-etsy and dress design decor, home ideas

Things I Love Thursdays: Watercolor Art

 

Yes, I'm on a watercolor high lately. After purchasing some Holbeins and some new paper recently I am having fun playing with water media again. Of course I am not nearly developed as some of these highly accomplished artists (who are my inspiration right now), but I am having fun in the process. Or at least trying...And sometimes that seems to be the hardest part for me is enjoying the process and not fretting about the outcome. {especially when my mind is saturated with new business ideas and marketing tips } But those darn negative voices that whisper to me during the process makes this feel more like a battle than a Sunday picnic. However some have pulled through this battle and made it to the other side. I really found Stephanie's advice from yesterday's post very helpful and wanted to share... She seems very balanced and in tune with her creative self.

"I think the best advice I can give is to show up and follow through. Don't get overwhelmed by all of it. Take it one small sweet step at a time. There were so many times that I talked myself out of following my dream. My work was never quite right, I didn't have enough money for start up costs...if only you could have been in my head, it was exhausting. I finally decided to just do it and developed my "I can do this" mantra. I nibbled away at my to do list and every time the negative self-talk started I would repeat my mantra. It actually worked."

Do You have a Mantra to help you through your creative struggles?? I'm all ears.

images: sweet small steps, gathering spriggs, masha dyans, dimdi

Crafting a Business

  

Have you read this book from Kari Chapin? I really can't believe I hadn't heard of it until I stopped into a local bookstore last weekend and picked out from a shelf of Art and Design books. In The Handmade Marketplace, Kari has detailed and sourced all that good info found on the web about " how to start and run a successful online crafting business" and compiled it into one stellar resource.  The book is broken down into three sections starting with "Getting to Know Yourself and Your Business" , "Spreading the Word-and Images" and then ends with " Getting Down to Selling". She has even collected interviews from top sellers and bloggers with nuggets of golden advice for people like me who are slowly trudging along trying to find myself "out there". I am thrilled that it is easy to read and I can read bits at a time as needed and then refer back to it as a handbook.

So how about you? Are you an artist or crafter or creative entrepreneur trying to find your voice and make an online presence for your work? What advice would you offer? Im all ears and excited to learn more as I begin to approach my own work with more seriousness.

images: heather spriggs thompson

The Midas Touch

 

 

Thanks to Daniella of Dress Design Decor, I was inspired by the idea of a touch of gold for this time of year. Not naturally a yellow person, I do love a rich metallic gold, especially in a shimmer of wallpaper (or stencil), a chandelier or opulent mirror. And you know, with the return of brass as the new "it" metal, I am thinking I could really play up this accent color. I really love it with the pops of pink....What do you think? Friend or foe of gold? How do you like to do gold? .. in your home, jewelry, fashion or elsewhere?

images: all gap interiors except perfume bottles, dress design decor

Blog of the Week: Zimmer Kueche Kabinett

Dear friends, Hello. How is your day today?  Honestly I am at a loss for words today. I was up late last night pondering some message of inspiration and greatness but I feel a little disconnected today so I will leave you with these poetic images from Zimmer Kuche Kabinett. This blog is a little allusive to me even with Google tranlate. Do you know anything about the author and their beautiful photography? Maybe sometimes things are better left unsaid and mysterious. What do you think? Is it better to tell all online or keep a few things private? Or is there a balance in between somewhere.. How do you know what to share and what not to share on your blog?

images : zimmerkuechekabinett

Kerry Cassill, Textile Designs

How about a little eye candy this afternoon? Love, love these designs from talented textile designer Kerry Cassill that I discovered via Shelter. Wow! What a burst of summer color. This woman is amazing with bedding and unique clothing designs. I'm inspired once again. Love this orchid color! How about you?

imgaes: kerry cassill

Gathering Inspiration

Happy Monday!! Its a new day, a new week with no mistakes in it...yet! So lets rejoice! ... Well, maybe another cup of tea first. How was your weekend? Mine was a lesson in being still with less doing and more being. After injuring my ankle last week and being forced to stay in bed, I never realized how hard that was for me. But it gave me time to ponder, journal, read and work on more small paintings. When is the last time you took time out from laundry, dishes, work, errands, school, kids activities, just to ponder and dream?  It seems like a forgotten and almost forbidden task. Its hard. I realized how much pressure I feel to be busy, to always be on the go. For me, the temptation is to stay busy and disconnected from my heart, from my art , from my family... the things that really matter. So I began thinking about you, my dear community of friends. I know so many of you are creative people who nurture your art , and your hearts. How do you do it? What helps you "stop and smell the roses" of life?

I would love to hear and see what inspires your life art .... So please leave me a comment with your favorite quote/motto and some images at the Gathering Spriggs Flickr group so we can share, encourage and inspire each other! :)  Then I will pick 5 images per week to share with you here ... on this new weekly post.. Gathering Inspiration. (all of the above images came from this group and inspired some of my art work this weekend)

images: simply hue, me (heather spriggs thompson) , twiggs in lisbon, and laura evans

Shop Around the Corner: OK Corral

 

Thank you all so much dear friends for your well wishes yesterday!! :) I feel blessed to be surrounded by a beautiful circle of friends who offer so much kindness. I have had more offers of people wanting to come by and bring me aid than I know what to do with! 

Fortunately, I was finally able to rest all night and half the morning (goodness), and am feeling much better. So I bring to you a wonderful shop introduced to me by Marie Nichols of Whole Lotta Lovely who wrote about this new find several weeks ago. It was love at first site and I have been eager to share with you! Ok Corral is the new creative endeavor of UK phtoographer Holly Jolliffe : an online vintage shop chock full of simple beautiful housewares. I just love it when creative people explore new ways of using their giftings! So on that note here are a few new links from creative people in my life for your weekend reading.  How about you? Do you have any creative projects lined up this weekend?

Sunday Clothes (my sister's blog , after having my nephew she is back to blogging about her new home)

Eve's Eden  (my friend Eve, has started her own Etsy shop full new silkscreened items)

Happy Weekend Friends!!

images: whole lotta lovely, holly joliffe

Things I Love Thursdays: Pretty Packaging

Hello dear friends!! Shwew! Its been one of those days. Last night I found myself at the Urgent Care Center after falling down my stairs with a hugely swollen ankle. But after the Xray they determined that it was not broken just severely sprain. So I am on bed rest for the week and weekend. Oh, my. I have never had an injury like this before but its so hard being immobile. (especially when I have stairs). Have you ever been immobile? or had bed rest?? I never knew how much I liked moving around. But its great because I have even more time to spend with you!

So to make myself feel better, I am pursuing all things pretty. I love sending out pretty packages from my Etsy shops. And did you see the personalized calligraphy return address label stamp? (LOVE!) 

So thanks for being with me dear friends... more later.

images: tinted mint, california craft, ashley pahl, lemon and lavender, oh so beautiful paper

Blogging Success

Dearests, I am beyond excited to share with you a little something to offer you a little blogging boost. Are you like me and always wondering how to create more interest in your blog? Well, while on Twitter yesterday I discovered this link for 7 Secrets to Running a Wildly Popular Blog.

I know for me I get so caught up in perfectionism (hence yesterday's post) that I tend to forget to relax, and have a good time on my blog. Plus I am also a severe introvert with a tendency to withdraw into myself,  so these points (and the article) were very helpful. What do you think?  And what tips would you add to the list? What lessons have you learned to be a better blogger??

ps. Did you notice my blog redesign?? Thanks to the talented Rachel of Lovely Clusters, I have a fresh new look. She does custom blog design work and more...

images: heather spriggs thompson for gathering spriggs