Creative Courage Soul Sisters : Part I

There are loads of creative e-courses out these days, I know. A unique strength of Creative Courage is the huge variety of fresh, talented guests I gather to share with us each session. 

I'm so very honored to have these amazing women join us on our new journey this September! Each week, my course features two exclusive interviews where our Soul Sisters will share their secrets on how they have realized their creative goals. Spaces are filling quickly for this session, so please don't hesitate to sign up here. 

The next session starts in September (my last Creative Courage session for 2012), and I'm delighted to introduce the following incredible guests who will be joining us:

*****

Alena Hennessy does what she loves best, living life as a working artist, author, and teacher. She is deeply inspired to teach others the creative process and to find their own unique voice though art making. She also has a passion for free movement, yoga, plant spirit medicine, and the healing arts.

Alena's book Cultivating Your Creative Life: How to Find Balance, Beauty, and Success as an Artist, published by Quarry Books, is now available and she is also leading an online workshop called Abundant Wild Life starting in October. 

Her prints and gift-wares can be found through out the US and abroad. She has exhibited her paintings in galleries in major cities though out the United States and has received press from several publications including Dwell, The Washington Post, ReadyMade, Redbook, ME Home Companion, Victoria, and Natural Health magazine.

Christine Mason Miller is a Santa Barbara based writer, artist, illustrator, seeker, explorer, and author of several books including Desire to Inspire: Using Creative Passion to Transform the World and Ordinary Sparkling Moments. 

Christine's mission to inspire has provided the foundation for all of her creative work; the desire to encourage others to pursue their passions and create a meaningful life is the common thread throughout an expansive body of work that includes mixed media collage, commercial illustration, photography, writing, teaching and speaking. 

Arounna Khounnoraj is a cofounder of bookhou, a multidisciplinary design studio based in Toronto, that emphasizes natural handmade materials, editor of the poetic bookhou at home online journal. Together with her husband she creates furniture, textile accessories and home goods, they started the company 10 years ago and currently run their practice out of a studio/storefront in Toronto, Canada.

Arounna’s work includes drawing, sculpture, ceramics and fiber-arts, with a particular focus on screen-printed textiles. In addition, she has also spent 15 years teaching art and design in various institutions inspiring students at all levels from children to college and university.

Combining her studio, shop and home, Arounna has found a way to live a creative life, and to make it part of her everyday experience. 

Victoria Smith is a design expert, photographer, writer, and editor of sfgirlbybay, one of the West Coast's leading design blogs. She is a contributing writer to uppercase, anthology, and 7×7 magazines, and she has also worked as a freelance art buyer and stylist producing photo shoots for advertising agencies and designers on accounts such as condé nast publications, including high profile home and shelter magazines domino, architectural digest, house & garden, gourmet and bon appetít.

Victoria has 1/2 million followers on pinterest which include influencers like oprah winfrey and ellen degeneres. She was just mentioned in this forbe’s magazine article: “new web 2.0 phenomenon pinterest saw its success finally take off after after partnering with influential blogger sfgirlbybay.”

Heather Moore is an illustrator, writer and designer from Cape Town, South Africa, creator of the design label Skinny laMinx, owner of the Skinny laMinx store & studio and extremely successful Skinny laMinx online shop. 

Visit Heather's blog at www.skinnylaminx.com to find out more about her work, and you can watch a beautiful Etsy produced video profile about her home, studio and work here. (You will love Heather's gorgeous South African accent too!)

Alicia Paulson is a Portland, Oregon based designer, writer, photographer, crafter, and charming, delightful multi-talent. She is the author of the books Stitched in Time and Embroidery Companion, and  the creator of the lush, beautiful Posie gets cozy blog.

Alicia's drop dead gorgeous photographs and her gift with words never fail to cheer me up, to make me hungry, and to desperately want to visit Portland, Oregon. Be sure to visit Alicia here.

Thank you lovelies for taking part!

And I hope you will join us starting in September! Be sure to register today to save your spot here.

Hugs from sunny Berlin and Part II on the way...

xoxo

Stephanie

Creative Courage Fall Session Now Open!

 

Hi lovelies! I'm delighted to open registration today for our next session of Creative Courage! 

Our Fall Session will run from September 24, 2012 - November 2nd, 2012. I'd love for you to join us! Be sure to sign up today to get your Early Bird Discount.

Creative Courage is an international e-course for women around the world, and I've designed it as a practical guide to help you start making your creative goals real.

As always, I've invited 12 expert guests to join us for brand new, fresh, and exclusive Creative Courage interviews.

I'm thrilled with the amazing group of women who will be joining us! 

Here is a peek at our Fall Session Creative Courage featured interview list:

Alena Hennessy - internationally known artist, designer, illustrator, and author of the gorgeous, new book Cultivating Your Creative Life: Exercises, Activities, and Inspiration for finding Balance, Beauty, and Success as an Artist

Victoria Smith - design expert, photographer, writer, and editor of sfgirlbybay, one of the West Coast's leading design blogs, contributor to many major art and design magazines

Lisa Sonora Beam - mixed media artist, writer, workshop leader, adventurer, and author of The Creative Entrepreneur: A DIY Visual Guidebook for Making Business Ideas Real

Alicia Paulson - crafter, writer, photographer, multi-talent and author of Stitched in Time, Embroidery Companion, and creator of the lush, beautiful Posie gets cozy

Christine Mason Miller - artist, illustrator, seeker, explorer, and author of several books including Desire to Inspire: Using Creative Passion to Transform the World and Ordinary Sparkling Moments

Heather Moore - illustrator and designer from Cape Town, South Africa, creator of the design label Skinny laMinx, owner of the Skinny laMinx store & studio and extremely successful Skinny laMinx online shop

Arounna Khounnoraj - cofounder of bookhou, a multidisciplinary design studio based in Toronto, that emphasizes natural handmade materials, editor of the poetic bookhou at home online journal

Patricia Zapata - designer, illustrator, creator of A Little Hut and Zapata Design boutiques, author of Home, Paper, Scissors: Decorative Paper Accessories for the Home, guest on HGTV's That's Clever

Eleanor Mayrhofer - owner of e.m.papers, designer of unique, printable stationery, paper goods, and invitations, featured in Apartment Therapy, Martha Stewart Weddings, and BRIDES magazine

Heather Braun-Dahl - painter and ceramic artist based in Vancouver, creator of Dahlhaus and the Dahlhaus art shop, featured in InStyle, style at home, and House and Home magazines

Candy Glendening - textile artist and creator of Candied Fabrics, featured in Dyeing to Stitch, a DVD filmed on the set of Quilting Arts TV, prolific art quilter, designer, and author

Susan Schwake - artist, illustrator, owner and artistic director of artstream studios, a contemporary gallery and workshop space, author of the popular new book Art Lab for Kids

These powerful ladies from around the world will share their secrets with us on how they have published books, built online businesses, created workshops and e-courses, opened stores/galleries, been featured for incredible press opportunities, and are now thriving as successful artists, authors, crafters, photographers, and designers.

Creative Courage is 6 weeks of fun, color, inspiration, tools, and resources to kick start your creative life!

Our topics include:

• clarifying and believing in your creative dreams 

• pushing through your fears and developing your self-confidence

• fresh ideas on how to earn more money with your art and creative skills

• building an online presence to grow your career as an artist

• making connections and finding press opportunities to spread the word about your work

• creating artwork without inhibition and how to avoid getting stuck

• nurturing your body and soul to increase your creativity

• avoiding burnout and promoting balance in your life

• finding positive support for your work and building a community 

• connecting and collaborating with others to energize your creative business

• developing helpful strategies for time management for busy women

• and much more! 

I've added new, bonus material for this session as well:

• tips for using certain colors in your home and studio areas to activate your creativity

• my behind the scenes adventure tales from my 12 Countries in 12 Months European tour

• an expanded bibliography and resource list for continued learning

• brand new exercises to boost your personal courage and creative spirit

I'll be sharing my experiences as an artist, published illustrator, working mom, and American expat living in Germany. I'll also tell you how my family and I do our best to juggle it all and make our lives more creative, interesting, and rewarding.

You'll be able to connect with like-minded women in our private Creative Courage Facebook and Flickr groups. This supportive, community spirit is one of the very best parts of Creative Courage!

When you sign up for Creative Courage, you will receive:

• inspirational, visually inspiring daily posts (Monday - Friday) on a private website to encourage, support, and help you start turning your creative dreams into reality

• a weekly video featuring my personal tips for each week's topic

• colorful PDF worksheets to download, use, and keep forever

• fun, helpful activities to help clarify your thoughts and strengthen your self-confidence

• abundant resources with links so that you can explore each topic in depth

• exclusive, in-depth interviews with an amazing group of 12 of today's top creative experts

• access to a community of international, like-minded, supportive creative explorers who share your wish of living a richer, fuller, more colorful and joyful life

For more detailed information about the course and to read what previous participants have to say, please visit my Creative Courage information page here.

I encourage you to register for the Creative Courage e-course, open your mind and heart, and start listening to your deepest, truest wishes for your life. 

I'd love for you to take part in the Creative Courage e-course! Get six weeks of fun, color, encouragement, inspiration, love, access to a supportive community, plus 12 exclusive expert interviews for only $99.

Our Fall Session will run from September 24th - November 2nd, 2012.

To sign up for Creative Courage, simply click on the Add To Cart button below to secure a space and complete your registration. You'll be redirected to PayPal to complete your payment, and then you'll receive a welcome and confirmation email from me.

Thanks so much for your interest, and I look forward to beginning our next session of Creative Courage in September with you! 

xoxo

Stephanie

alicia paulson : artists who blog

Today's guest is Alicia Paulson coming to us from Portland, Oregon (so many good things coming out of Portland these days!), who writes the lovely Posie Gets Cozy blog. A visit to Alicia's blog is like an afternoon spent in the warm, colorful studio of an intensely creative friend, who always surprises you with something new for you to look at or try on or taste. Enjoy Alicia's words, and don't miss her shop and website featuring her handmade lovelies.



from October 3rd, 2008:

Why did you decide to start a blog?

I started my blog in September of 2005. It was a time of tremendous stress for me emotionally and financially – I was designing my own line of products and had recently stopped doing wholesale; I also co-owned a boutique that featured a lot of handmade designers and the shop wasn't doing well. It was challenging to keep it all going; I felt pretty worried, and was physically pretty shredded. I was starting to really question my priorities and knew I needed to make some changes. While sitting in the shop researching designers one day, I stumbled upon the craft blogosphere and was pretty much agog – I'd seen blogs before but I didn't understand them at all. I just thought they were extensions of "work." So at first I thought maybe I'd have a blog so that I could keep in touch with my customers, and tell them about new stuff we had in the store, and post pictures of our events, and stuff like that. But it very quickly became clear to me that the medium of the blog was suited perfectly to me on a personal level. I'd done an MFA at the University of Montana almost ten years before, and although I had at certain times in my life loved to write, I'd only been a mediocre and not-very-passionate fiction writer. When I started blogging, it didn't take long for me to discover that I had a different voice as a blogger than I'd had as a narrator; in the blog I found my own voice. I'd never written in first person before, and this was a profound experience for me. In my family, verbal personal expression wasn't really encouraged. It turned out that I had a lot to say. Not that any of it's interesting or worth anyone listening to! But the simple act of saying it, the simple luxury of having a place to say it, has been truly profound.



How did you come up with the name of your blog?

Well, I've had a business named Posie since 2000, so the little rhyme seemed right – I felt like the blog was a place where I could really get comfortable and cross that boundary between the professional and the personal.

How has blogging affected your work as an artist/designer?

Blogging itself has affected me personally in many ways, and it allowed me, as a plain-old crafty person, to become part of a vibrant and generous and supportive community. But the ways that it's affected my work professionally as a designer have been quite literal: I truly doubt I would be creating craft books right now if I'd never had a blog. Not only do I think I wouldn't have the confidence had I not seen bloggers I admired creating their own books, but I doubt anyone in the publishing industry would've found me without the blog. It sits out there as such a comprehensive portfolio, in a way. I do feel like it truly represents me and perspectives in a fairly thorough way.

Now that I am making books, and feeling like that endeavor – although so different from blogging, or even just making things to sell – is undeniably well-suited to my skills and interests and past experience (I used to be a book editor), the blog is even more important to me for its more un-professional aspects. I am very protective of it, and try very hard to always keep it a place of flexibility and freedom, and personal expression, and generosity, and especially imperfection. It's very important that I keep that space in my life, that space where I can connect with people, make mistakes, figure things out, explore ideas, and try to make sense of my life and the things that happen in it. So much of writing and photographing and creating craft books is about trying to get things exactly right that it seems more imperative than ever to have that safe place where I can just be myself, and flail about when necessary, and share ideas and struggles, and get help and inspiration. I would never want that to change just because the blog also has to represent me professionally. I just try to be who I am, as a person and a designer, keep it all balanced.



What are your favorite artist/designer blogs? Why?

This morning I was on Andrea's blog Hula Seventy, thinking again about how much talent that lady has. She is endlessly curious, has a great eye for beauty, and writes from the heart, every time. My friend Vicki from Turkey Feathers supplies constant inspiration, and everything about her blog and her photos and what she makes is so honest and beautiful. I really admire her.




Why do you think blogs have now become so popular with artists and designers?

I think blogs in general are exploding, and it seems like everyone has a different reason for why they do it, or what blogging means to them, and I think that's so cool. I think blogging is popular with artists and designers in particular because artists and designers already have a predisposition toward expressing themselves in a visual way, and blogs make it so easy to post photos and stay on top of new work. There is something satisfying about the fairly controlled format of the blog that is relaxing – it's relieving. To me anyway. To be on that template. You have a sort of constrained freedom there that I find very appealing, and it seems to recharge my creative batteries for other, more off-the-grid design. But in general, I think most people enjoy talking about themselves, to anyone who might listen, and sharing what they make, don’t you think? It's just fun.



Do you have any advice for artists/designers who are starting a blog?

Honestly, all I can offer is what works for me, and what my friend Amy Karol (of Angry Chicken) said when I was first thinking about blogging: "It's good if it can come from the heart." That's really the only advice I have. The rest of it you just make up as you go along. Just do your own thing. Don't worry about what other peoples' blog are like, or what yours isn't like, or any of that stuff. Just do it because you can, and let it be whatever it is, and whatever it's going to be. Part of the fun of it is going along for the ride, and not over-thinking it all, or trying too hard.



What has been the most positive and inspirational aspect of having a blog for you?

Well, I said once before, a long time ago, that the real reason I do it is for my husband, to describe and illuminate the life we once thought we'd never be able to have. One of the goals of my life is to make Andy Paulson laugh – and sometimes cry. So I have to say that, at the end of the day, his interest is always the best, and most inspirational, gift.

Thanks, Alicia, for sharing your honest and direct thoughts with us here and on your blog - and for letting us come along for the ride!