The Creative Blog Hop

Happy Monday.  This is a very special post for me.  Kim Young from Kim's Creations invited me to participate in The Creative Blog Hop.  Thank you, Kim, for giving me this special honor!

You may be asking - what is "The Creative Blog Hop?"  It's the brainchild of a blogger some time ago.  Unfortunately the person that started this can't be found.  How it works: a blogger is tagged along with two others who then answer some questions about themselves then tag three other bloggers for the following week.  There are no rules as to who you invite or what art the blogger you choose does.

About Me

I am a single gal living in northern New Mexico.  I am blessed with living in a place that is both beautiful and inspiring.  

I work full time but plan to retire soon (hopefully next year).  I can't wait to be able to spend more time doing the things I love.  What is that you ask?  I've discovered photography in the past few years and have really enjoyed it. I also have dabbled in beading, cross-stitch, mixed media, rubber stamping and knitting.  If you read Kim's TCBH post you discovered that I used to grab bars of soap and carve them into horse heads!  I doodled before doodling and zentangling was cool!

Now down to the questions!

1)  What am I working on now?  I'm in a Craft Fair in November so I've been knitting up a storm.  I make spa cloths (for those of you that have asked -- that's a fancy name for dishcloths/facecloths).  I love using the seed stitch even though it slows my knitting down.  I usually sell out of these every year!

Another thing that I'm currently working on is my photography.  I've been looking through my photos, deciding which ones I'll make into cards.  I might make some into canvases too.  

2)  How does my work differ from others in my genre?  I think we all have one thing in common.  We love and enjoy what we do.  There is so much inspiration for us on blogs, the web and pinterest.  One thing that might be different in my photography is that I don't manipulate my photos.  The only thing I've done is turn some of my photos into black and white or sepia - just to see what they would look like.  What I see through my lens is the final product.

Here's an example of a photo I took and made it into black and white.  What do you think?

3)  Why do I create what I do?  I love knitting in the evenings after a long day at work.  The sound of the needles and the rhythm relaxes me.  I enjoy taking photos because it gives me an appreciation of the every day things.  It's amazing how I notice things now.   The woodpeckers that come to my feeders, along with the titmouse and hummingbirds.

Now let me introduce you to the three people I've chosen to pass this honor onto:

Let me introduce you to Connie.  She's a woman after my own heart.  She has a way of creating great things out of recycled items.  Please visit her blog  Crafty Home Cottage. 

   

Hello, my name is Connie, I sometimes think that I was born with a crayon in my hand . . . I have always loved art, but in my family there was no value put on it.  You needed to be able to use your talents in ways to make a living, and art was only good for entertaining yourself.  Well, I now know that is untrue, but as a child that was the message that I received.  So, for years and years I entertained myself.  The same goes for singing.

I got the courage to share my art with the world in my forties.  I started by entering a couple of paintings in the county fair, to take home two blue ribbons.  That was a thrill and the boost I needed to feel good about my art.  Then at age 50 I had my first gallery show. 

As for singing, I was always a shower singer, until I took a job as an Activity Director in an assisted living facility . . . these folks loved music and needed to have a song in their heart.  So, I started singing in the halls, while pushing residents in their wheel chairs.  A lot of the time they would start singing along and others that we past would start singing, too, it was wonderful.  Now at age 69 I sing with a local group of musicians and I’m having a ball.

All that I can say is, the good Lord has blessed us all with talents and when we start to share them, we have the ability to make the world a happier place.  Do not let anyone put you down, for what you love to do.   If you love doing it, it is something you can become good at  . . . Even make a living at, if you’re fortunate enough to believe in yourself and put a little work into it :)

I started blogging on January 6, 2012 and it has changed my life.  I have met so many wonderful and talented people through blogging.  It's like having Pen Pals but much, much better :)  Now, I cannot even think of a reason that I would ever quit blogging.  It is a beautiful space to meet other creative and like minded people.  Ones like Kay here, I appreciate her so much.  She has been following me since 2012 shortly after I started my blogging journey and through that time we have become friends and have shared so many adventures together.  I have never met her in person, but I hold her in my heart and prayers.  She's my sister  . . . blogging has bonded us in a way of sharing your souls, the part of us that is creativity and fun, it is a marvelous sisterhood filled with lovely women (and a few men) from all over the world. 

Next up is Robin from rasz art.  Robin is a very sweet and talented woman.  We have several things in common, New Mexico being one of them.  She doesn't live here any longer but I know in my heart that we will meet someday.

First off, thank you Kay for inviting me to this blog hop. I am so excited to join in. Let's see, I am a happy 52 year old artist. I have three beautiful grown children. I have always been creative with a love for fabric and color.  For years I sewed and beaded Native American pow wow regalia.  By 2006, I was no longer able to bead and could only sew for a very short time because of pain from my neck and nerve pain that runs throughout my arms.  I gave up on being creative and focused my energy on working.  In 2010, my youngest graduated high school and I became an empty-nester.  I had this tremendous urge to create but didn't know what I wanted to do or was able to do. I read the book "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron and started doing my daily morning pages. I was amazed at how this book opened me up and made me realize that my creative days were in front of me, not behind me. 

I also read "Taking Flight" by Kelly Rae Roberts and found mixed media.  I was hooked and realized that to create, some days it may only be a couple of hours spread throughout the day while standing, sitting and laying down...but I could create and that is now my passion. Doodles, flowers, dragonflies, faces, totes...pretty much whatever I feel like using. 

My favorite medium is anything nearby, acrylics, watercolors, colored pencils, ink, markers, and the list goes on. I use to try and find my "niche" as an artist and what I have found is that my creativity comes out in all different ways and that it is okay.

Finally, let me introduce you to Nikki.  You can visit her blog at Graphix and Design.  Nikki is the creator of the button at the top of this post.  She's one talented woman.  We met through WOYWW (that's how I've met most of my blogging friends).  We then discovered that we have the same birthday.  Not sure about the year but I think we're pretty close!

Hi I'm Nikki C.  I grew up in a small town outside Toronto only to move here when I got older and I could think of no where better to be.   Our area has a small town feeling to it so it's wonderful for taking walks.  

I started doing papercrafts when I made Christmas cards for everyone I worked with (Just a simple card with a sticker on them) and then I found out about stamps and all the wonderful tools when I googled it. It's been on going since then.  I will say my cards are a lot more fancier since then lol.

I've been with the same amazing man for 23 years.  He is into building and is very talented at what he does; he's an artist in his field and has taught me a lot about home construction.  

I love all types of art and crafty things and do have more than just card making as my skills. I also paint and draw create digital stamps. I also create stain glass windows. I tried to make some lamps but lets just say its not my thing really.  I'm all over the map when it comes to arts & crafts. I wouldn't change a thing about it seeing it's so much fun to try different things. 

Thank you to Kay for nominating me for this amazing blog hop!!! Her and I share the same birthday and have become friends thanks to blogland and share a lot of the same interests too.  She's a fantastic person!! Happy Hopping on this creative Hop.

I hope you all have enjoyed this post.  It will be fun to follow the chain and see where it leads us!

Peace,
Kay