The winner of the...

Hip Mountain Mama $30 gift certificate is...

Thanks for stopping by and for leaving your fabulous comments.  I'll be introducing another free spirit soon with another great give-away!

And mark your calendars...registration for Inside Out: A Creative Adventure of Self-Discovery opens December 1st!

Your Personal Reflection:  Are you ready to make 2011 the best year yet?

.

Create Wherever You Can (& another chance to win!)

This next Free Spirit Spotlight introduces you to Suzy, creator and owner of Hip Mountain Mama.  Many of you are probably already familiar with her as she has a wonderful presence on her blog in the world of Twitter.  She sells natural products for mamas at her on-line store.  I just ordered a Moby wrap from her and can't wait to start using it with Ashton. 

Enjoy her lovely interview, and leave a comment for your chance to win a $30 gift certificate to use at the Hip Mountain Mama shop!

*Photos provided by Hip Mountain Mama.

1) How did you come to a place in your life where you embrace yourself as a creative person?

I guess I have always felt like a creative person.  There are certain mediums that I am better at using than others, but as a whole I'm pretty creative.  I think a lot of this comes from my mom always telling me how creative I am.  She really boosts my confidence when it comes to my creativity and it has been important to have someone in my life to keep me feeling good about my creations.  I honestly feel that we are all creative beings; we just need to recognize and embrace it.

2) What's your favorite art medium for self-expression?

I really enjoy putting things together...making something beautiful from just a few materials.  Things like jewelry, knitting, and basket weaving.  I feel that when given a few materials and asked to create something, this really brings out ones personality and is such a wonderful freedom of self-expression.

3) Where do you get your inspiration?

I get a lot of my inspiration from nature.  I love creating things using natural materials or even things taken right out of nature.  I also find tons of inspiration from other creative people through blogs, craft fairs or friends.

4) How do you manage to find time and make space for your creative projects?

Well, if you are literally talking about space...I usually find myself crafting on my bed, or couch, or the kitchen table with materials spread out all over.  I don't have a craft room or area of the house, so I keep most of my supplies in my closet or mixed in with the kids art supplies.  As far as time goes, I usually create with the kids so I am basically killing two birds with one stone, right?  I get to spend quality time with the kids while teaching them the importance of fostering their creative sides, while also getting to embrace my creativity at the same time!  There are also times I find myself knitting in the waiting room of the dentist office, or in bed at night, or in the car on the way to Grandma's house...I sneak it in when I can!

5) What is a free spirit to you and do you feel like one?

I totally feel like a free spirit.  My definition of a free spirit and why I feel like one is: 

~having an open mind ~willingness to try new things ~not afraid to get messy ~lots of laughing and having fun ~exploring new places.  

To me, being a free spirit means having a blast, but also taking care of your loved ones and acting in a caring and responsible manor.

6) What would you say to those who want to live a creative, free spirited life but don't feel very creative and don't know where to begin?

Like I said in the beginning, I completely believe that we are all creative beings.  Think about it...when we are kids, we are all given crayons and glue and other materials and we know just what to do with them.  There is some point in our lives when we stop playing with those materials and we seem to lose the desire to create.  My advice is to start creating again!  Pick up those crayons and doodle, paint, learn to knit, start a blog, or take guitar lessons.  Don't worry about the outcome or about getting messy - just have fun!

*******

BIG thanks to you, Suzy, for sharing your creative spirit with us.

Your Personal Reflection:  Do you carve out enough time in your day for your creativity?  Leave a comment here for your chance to win a $30 gift card to be used at Hip Mountain Mama.  Join my Facebook fan page if you want a double shot at winning.

I'll announce the winner later this week!

The winner of the...

 Experimental Art E-course is...

Mridula!

  

Congratulations!  And thanks to each of you for entering this random drawing.

Check back tomorrow for the next Free Spirit Spotlight interview and for your chance to win another great gift.

Your Personal Reflection:  Do you openly accept the gifts that come into your life?

The List:

The question, "What is a free spirit?" has been on my mind recently.  So I put together this list and I'm posting it today in honor of Artsyville's List it Tuesday.  I'm also happy to say that creating this (and the badge below) counts as my Art Every Day project!

I have met so many amazing free spirits over the last year - through blogging, through art and mama forum's, through Twitter and Facebook, through my e-course and even at my prenatal yoga class.  I believe we should surround ourselves with those people who bring excitement, enthusiasm, inspiration and joy into our lives - and that's what free spirits do for me. 

Over the next two weeks I will be introducing three of my favorite free spirits.  And in honor of this month of gratitude, they have kindly agreed to offer "thank you" gifts to some lucky readers!

So make sure you stop by often to get inspired and for your chance to win.

I invite you to grab this badge and place it proudly on your own site or blog.  Feel free to link it to the "How to be a Free Spirit" list that can be found here.  Isn't it a great reminder to continue living our life more fully, boldly and freely? (If you do put this on your blog, let me know by posting a comment here.  I'll make sure to mention you in future posts!)

Your Personal Reflection:  What does being a "free spirit" mean to you?  What else would you add to the list?

And the winner is...

Well, Kestan was the winner at the garden last night when he found our first watermelon!  It is such a joy getting to watch him discover how our seeds grow into the food we eat.

And the winners of my random drawing for the next Inside Out: A Creative Adventure of Self-Discovery e-course are...

(Yes, I said winners!  There were so many amazing, wonderful people wanting to win a spot that I decided to randomly pick two!)

Momma Rae and Karen

Congratulations to you both.  I'll be emailing you soon with details.  BIG thanks to all of you for taking the time to share your comments with me.  I SO appreciate your excitement and enthusiasm for creating the life you love.  You all are an inspiration to me.  xoxo

Your Personal Reflection:  What kind of surprises are you discovering along your life's journey?

A Few Lessons Learned and Winner Announced!

What I've learned this week:  That nature helps me connect to my heart.  That letting go, especially of things I love, is hard.  That being authentic and true to myself is the only way to live.  That connecting on a deeper level to a community of free spirits is enriching beyond belief.

Thanks to each of you for your support of my last post and for sharing how you are working to embrace your own authentic way of being.  I appreciate you all so much.

The winner of a spot in my upcoming Inside Out e-course is:

Barbara!

You all still have a few days left to register, so check out the link and give yourself a gift that will truly celebrate YOU this summer.  Isn't it time to put you and your dreams first?

Here are what some explorers have shared that they learned on their Inside Out adventure:

I've learned the importance of reviewing intentions and honoring the process of practice - profound change doesn't happen overnight and making space and time for oneself takes practice and...intention!


I've learned that I can be more than one way.  I can be a serious, ambitious medical student without sacrificing the joyous, free-spirited, light hearted, creative side of myself.  It's okay to pursue meditation and yoga and doodle in my journal.  In fact, it makes me more who I am, it makes me stronger, and instead of taking away from parts of my life, it adds to it. Thank you for that!


I have learned so much already (and I'm only on day 17.)  I've learned I need to make time in my life for solitude and stillness, that I also need to make the effort to connect deeply with other people.  I've learned that I need a space to be creative, and that I need to travel and write.

The best thing I have learned is that I have been able to take all that life offered and turn myself into a strong person, fun loving, adventurous and a support for all those in my life, and that I have no doubts about what I am anymore.  I needed a catalyst and this course has helped me take my true self beyond tomorrow.


I've learned that I CAN.  That my inner artist is there...waiting for fabric, pen or yarn to shine on through...


I have learned that I have lost my own personal confidence.  And most importantly I have learned that I can get it back!  I have learned that I can be a creative person, that I am a creative person, that I am good enough to be the person I have always dreamed of being!


I have learned how to change my world from black and white to technicolor!


If you would like to read more testimonials about my e-course from past explorers, visit here.
If you are interested in learning why I created this course and how I found my inner artist, visit here.

Your Personal Reflection:  Do you want one more day to go by where you aren't fully LIVING the life you've imagined?  What steps can you take, today, towards creating the life you love?

And the winner is...

Rachel Hower!  You won a spot in my new summer e-course.  I promise to tell you more about it very soon.  I'm busy stuffing it full of creative messes and summer easy-breezy fun.

Thanks to each of you for sharing your celebrations with me.  You all have so much gratitude in your life and that is beautiful to see.

Your Personal Reflection:  What fun will you have today?

Why I Journal

I have written, sketched, collaged and doodled in journals for several years.  I remember when I was around 12 my uncle gave me a journal and told me he'd pay me $1 for each entry I wrote, up to $15.  I think I wrote 15 entries in just a few short days.  Nothing like having the motivation of getting paid to write!  That experience introduced me to the world of exploring my deeper self through words.  I wrote off and on for years.

About 10 years ago I read The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron and that's when I fell in love with what she calls "morning pages."  It's basically writing, as much as you can, first thing in the morning.  Writing without thinking about it. That was a new concept for me when I first started.  It was hard to not think.  But the more I practiced the easier it came.  My writings were filled with questions, reflections, confusions, frustrations, and celebrations.  The more I wrote, the more clarity I discovered.

After finishing The Artist's Way, I didn't write morning pages everyday, but I did visit my journal regularly.  My journals have become my old friends.  I can look back at them and see where I've come from.  I can see my struggles.  I can see my patterns.  I can see my fears.  I can see how I longed to be me, to live a life that was true to my nature, one where I felt alive, vibrant and free.

Through writing, I have created visual reminders in my journal.  I can return to them when I'm lost and confused.  I can trust them, and they help me awaken to that place that I know is always there.  I now can say I'm the happiest I've ever been, and I believe my journaling practice has helped me get here.

My journal used to be much more black and white.  I would paint and sketch from time to time, but mostly I loved the freedom of a simple black pen on white paper.  It's only more recently that I discovered my great passion and joy for art journaling.  I now merge my love of free-form (no thinking) writing, with my love for intuitive (no thinking) painting, to express a deeper side of myself.

I journal because it makes me feel safe.  I journal because it helps me build strength.  I journal because I discover new dreams.  I journal because it helps me find peace of mind. I journal because it gets me out of my head and connected to my heart.  I journal because I long to go deeper.  I journal to learn more about me and this life I'm living.  I journal to stay grounded.  I journal to explore my creativity.  I journal because it helps me remember that all of the answers I ever need in life are within me, and that I am right where I need to be in this moment.

Your Personal Reflection:  Do you journal?  If so, why do you journal?  If you've never tried journaling, what other forms of free-form, intuitive expression have you allowed yourself to explore?  

If you've always wanted to explore a deeper side of yourself, check out my upcoming e-course.

Go visit A Journey to a Simple Happy Life on Friday for your chance to win a spot in Inside Out!

And, the winner is...

Congratulations, Stephinie!  You are the winner of my random drawing.   Stephinie just finished the course and had entered, hoping to win a spot for her special friend.  Well, Steph, get on the phone and call her up!  What a great friend you are.  She now has a reserved spot in my upcoming e-course, Inside Out: A Creative Adventure of Self-Discovery!

Spots continue to fill quickly, so if you are thinking about joining us, visit here to learn more.

Thanks to each of you for your mindful, warm comments.

A special thanks to Heather for interviewing me on her lovely blog last week.  I felt a little vulnerable sharing so much, and yet, I've met some new friends from doing so.  I believe that the more we open up and share, the more we can connect on deeper levels.  So thank you, all, for that opportunity.

Thank you, Dena, for sharing how Inside Out has changed your world!

And the biggest thanks of all, goes out to you, my sweet Christopher.  Today, we celebrate 7 full, amazing, transforming years of marriage.  I've said it before and I'll say it always, you are my home.  Thank you for that, and thank you for being you.

Your Personal Reflection:  What are you thankful for today?

And the winner is...

Congratulations, Lynn.
You have won a FREE spot in my upcoming e-course:

Inside Out™
A Creative Adventure of Self-Discovery:
through personal art journaling (and more!)

Registration is now open. Click HERE for details.

And the winner is...

Well, it seems appropriate that I was giving a thank you in appreciation for Leah's art challenge, and that Leah herself would be the winner!

Kestan picked her name first out of the jar this morning. I'm sending Leah this felted necklace.

Be on the lookout as I'll be adding felt necklaces to my Etsy shop by the end of the week! And, I'm extremely excited to announce that registration for my e-course, Inside Out: A Creative Adventure of Self-Discovery opens this Thursday! I will post all about it.

Kestan proceeded to pull out ALL of the names from the jar, so for all of you beautiful women who left comments on the contest post, (Barbara, Ni, Pam Q, Jamee, Juliet, Kim, Julie, Michelle, Suzy, Diane, Leah, and Anairam), I would like to offer each of you a gift as well!

You all will receive $6 off my e-course if you decide to sign-up. That's $33 for 30 days. If you aren't planning to take the course but would like to buy a gift certificate for someone instead, you can use the discount for that. Thank you so much for sharing your comments! I loved all of your responses. Email me directly for details if you are interested in the discount. livefreely@mac.com

On a side note, it's 60 degrees in Kansas on December 1st! We're heading to the park... Happy day to you all.

Your Personal Reflection: Is there someone in your life that you could give a special "thank you" to?

Thank You November

In appreciation for an amazing gift that Leah has provided through her Art Every Day Month experience, I would like to share a gift with you!

As we welcome winter - the month of retreat, reflection and solitude - and with the new year just around the corner, I'd like you to think about this one question:

Your Personal Reflection: What would you like to bring into your life this new year?

Leave a comment for your chance to win one of my free spirit funky felts. I will draw a name on December 1st.