CreativeSteph13: 2017

Strength, Determination and Being Enough. Art for a New You in the New Year

She made broken look beautiful
and strong look invincible.
She walked with the Universe
on her shoulders and made it look like a pair of wings.

Ariana Dancu

Here's to the Survivors.

Strong in the midst of adversity. Digging in a little deeper when things get tough.

Saying NO to drama and blaming others and "it's not fair".

Instead... working harder, making the best of each situation, persevering and holding onto hope, helping others, letting go and moving forward.

As I added each layer to this art piece, my goal was to encourage those who have had to "survive".

Whether it be an illness, an incident, a diagnosis, a loss, or just ongoing struggles,

you are stronger than you think and you are definitely ENOUGH.

The world may try to tell you you're not, BUT YOU ARE!

As we reflect upon the end of this year and the beginning of next...

remember these words as you head into each day.

You are Strong

You are a Survivor

You are Determined

You can Let Go of the Past

You are Enough

You can Persevere

You can Change Your Thinking

You can Overcome Obstacles

You will Laugh

You will See the Good in Each Day

You will Hope

Original, Prints, and Magnets available here

May your year be full of happiness, peace and laughter.

Love, Steph

Fun Kitchen Decor - Hanging Rod Project - Ikea Hack

Take an Ikea Fintorp (don't you just love their names) Towel Rack - turn it upside down and you have a quick change decorating method for your kitchen.

A couple towel racks, some brackets and hanging hooks. The hardest part was having to practically stand on my head to install the brackets underneath the cabinets. I wanted a longer hanging space so I connected two racks and added some hanging hooks to mix things up a bit.

Once everything is installed, you have a blank "canvas" to decorate for any season or holiday you want. I have a bunch of fun tea towels so I use this to display them. I'm also going to make some vintage wood signs to hang here. (added to the never-ending To Do List - everyone has one)

Springtime

Mom bought me these cute Teapot tea towels.

Halloween

July 4th

Have fun with this quick project you can do in an afternoon.

Love, Steph

A To Do List Art Piece that will Make You Happier Every Day

I love To-Do Lists (like that surprises you). I've got lists for everything. There's something about those little check marks that make me feel like I've accomplished something (and that I actually have a little control over my hectic life). But even if you complete your list, it's only for a short time, and you'll only to have more items to complete later on.

So how about a To-Do List that makes you happier every day?

I put together some of my favorites in a bright mixed media art piece. Focus on these each day and, you can have a life that's full of more joy, and more peace, and whole lot more happiness.

Encourage Someone

(a compliment, a happy word, people love to be noticed)

Laugh A Lot

(there's usually something funny - even in the not-so-funny moments)

Try Something New

(keep learning, be bold, get out of your rut)

Say Thank You

(such a lost art - if you don't express gratitude, you're expressing ingratitude)

Listen with Your Heart

(not just your ears, look beneath the surface of the words)

Enjoy the Little Things

(make a concerted effort to look for moments of joy)

Be Yourself

(it's exhausting to keep a mask on - put it away and let the real you shine through)

To Do List by CreativeSteph13

Hope you accomplish everything on THIS TO-DO List.

Love, Steph

Set Yourself Free...When She Let Go of the Past Her Heart Whispered Thank You - New Mixed Media Art

The past can often seem comfortable and familiar, but it can also hold us back. Letting go helps us to move forward. Deciding. Choosing. Committing. To. Let. Go. is in our hands (and in our hearts).

In creating this art piece I was inspired by some of the quotes below.
Letting go is so freeing (but soooooooo hard).

The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself,
unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over,
you cannot move forward.
Steve Maraboli

We must be willing to let go of the life we’ve planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us. Joseph Campbell

When you let go, you are truly free.

Unknown

Forgiveness is letting go of the hope that the past can be changed.

Oprah Winfrey

We can all let go of the past. And our hearts will thank us.

Quick Pantry Makeover - Find Things Easier & Save Money

While taking care of my mom a few weeks ago, I was organizing things (like that's a surprise) and got to looking at her hallway and the bunches and bunches of photos and frames. Over the years, as more frames were added, it got to be a bit of a jumble. So we started talking about creating a photo gallery wall.

Step 1 - Pare Down the Photos

Remove any that are faded, blurred, or don't "bring you joy" to look at everyday. Had a few old favorites so I scanned them and was able to restore them.

Step 2 - Matching Frame Color for a more Polished look.

Some were already black so I pulled out my spray paint and painted the other frames we wanted to keep. Also took the glass out of the frames for a lighter look.

Step 3 - Choose Your Layout/Design

Wanted a simple, classic look so went with a Parallel Split Display where all the upper frames aligned at the bottom and all the lower frames aligned at the top. Laid out the pictures to determine what went where. Mixed up the sizes of the frames for a more interesting look.

Step 4 - The Line Up

Measured the center of the hallway and picked my bottom and top points as well as how much space I wanted between the two lines of photos (I used around 8 inches, but use your personal preference.) Used a ruler, level and painters tape to create a line.

If you have a more complicated layout, a great tip is to use brown wrapping paper to cut out your frame sizes and then play with the layout on the wall before you start hanging.

Step 5 - The Hang Up

To avoid making multiple holes in the wall I used Velcro Command Strips to hang my photos (used at least one at the top and bottom of each frame for stability). Then, with the painters tape as a guideline, started in the middle of the hallway and worked outward. Hung the bottom row first and then staggered the top row. This also makes it so easy if you ever want to change out frames/photos.