finding inspiration.

beautiful. just amazing little creature. the colors wow.

again with the color that looks like a watercolor.

looks like a perfect little old soul i would love to have dinner with.

Today as I created in my studio and watched mother nature rain, sleet, sort of snow. I thought a bunch about how much I love color and little creatures and nature. I long to see more of it. These photos spoke to me when hoping over to pinterest quickly. I was soothed by the colors. Not to mention these perfect little guys are real. Wow.

Tomorrow I wake and will be lucky enough to spend the day designing again. I am going to create something special using these three photos as my muse. I will post my happy ending tomorrow.

Thanks for being with me as I journey through designs, life and inspirations.

Designs and stuff by me found here http://www.facebook.com/730Thursday

Photos courtesy of http://pinterest.com/

my nest.

sunshine was beautiful today in the entryway. i just loved it.

This weekend was a rather reflective one for me. Lot of decisions made, lots of designs created, listened to fun live music, had a lovely dinner out with hubby, saw pretty dresses on the Oscars. I have always known how important my environment is to me. I am always moving things around, painting, covering, changing our home to feel more like me (any given moment) things can get moving.

I have been adding lots of ocean items around me as I long to live by the water. I grew up in a tiny little sweet river town. Grew up on the Mississippi river and adore water.

So my dream is to live by the ocean or the sea. Big plans to move and re create a new nest.

So this week starts a bunch of moving, changing and creating for our nest. We will be selling this lovely nest I have lived in for seventeen years come Spring. There I put it in writing (always seems more real)

Here is to dreams coming true and working very hard with passion to make them happen.


More inspiration from me http://www.facebook.com/730Thursday

artful production of 360 cards marching on

each card is hand cut, embellished, here are some drying overnight. i love bunches of items. always have.

me in my tiny studio creating to happy music in the background.

Today I sold my first 36 cards to a lovely shop. I enjoyed this more then I imagined. Funny but, seventeen years ago I started card lines (very different) designs then where I am at today as an artist.
I had a ball creating and making those cards. They soon within a year became bigger then me trying to hand make each one. I had no clue how to manufacture (still don't) learning. So I ended up leaving my love for creating cards to sell in mass behind.

I am now deeply involved in my class Hello Soul. Hello Business. and returning to some loves I left behind. One of them being happy cards, joyful, silly, how do you do fun cards. I still need help manufacturing ~ this time I am creating with the vision of coming full circle and getting my goods found nationally.

So for tonight I close up my little studio and wish to this big universe. Here is my wish, please send the right good folks to help me on my way of being found. Yep, that is the biggie.

More design by me found here http://www.facebook.com/730Thursday

Introducing the world of Pearl Button. My new card line ready for shops.

Pearl Button lives by the sea. She collects pearls of course and loves sand.

Pearl Buttons first collection of 23 designs ready for shops.

My little studio has been a flurry of activity these days with a new line of cards created called Pearl Button. Introducing the world of Pearl Button, I am. You see I am lucky enough to view the world in a lovely silly happy endless adventure kindof way just like the small Pearl Button. She and I agree on so many important things. I decided to take a moment and create a tiny window of happiness into her world.

Here is my first collection of 23 cards. Designed from vintage fabrics, bits and pieces of random collections, patterns, and fun little saying from Pearl and I. Each card is printed on a lovely white heavy stock, hand trimmed, embellished with silver glitter (just a touch) and a pretty ribbon.

Pearl and I are most excited to share these with you. Our hopes are that they make you smile, giggle and maybe, even make a little dream of yours come true.

My shop list where you can find these will be a post soon. For now you can find me in my studio and most happy to talk with you and nest a bunch for you. I will also have them in my trusty little Etsy shop soon.

studio http://www.facebook.com/730Thursday

my little etsy shop (remember the cards are coming soon) http://www.etsy.com/shop/kellimay

crazy goofy happy designing new card collections

gazing up she knew. dream big.

she only thought of treats. precious.

she loved her friends. nest.

she often dreamed of giant strawberries while on her picnics. sweet.

floating in pretty. she loves sunshine.

One of the twinkle lights that went off in my head the other day was this. Pearl Button a new fun wacky and happy card line based on our little JRT Pearl Button. Sure I have other cards in this line that do not have Pearl in them. I just happen to be flipping about the Pearl dog ones right now.

I have just sent the first batch to my printer and I am most excited to see what they look like printed.
I am really excited about my little cards. I feel like I am breaking into a new journey for me that will make me most happy. My hopes are folks who see these cards will smile, maybe giggle and most of all enjoy and share them.

So on I march into new card lines and to the moon with ideas.

More creative by me found here http://www.facebook.com/730Thursday

finding joy in the simpleness of being me

so true. it takes time to believe this. i believe.

i found my passion when i was 6 and still believe.

Today I have thought a great deal about my life. Again with the journey my class Hello Soul. Hello Business has me on. I feel like I am waking up from a deep slumber to find really happy good stuff just waiting to say hello to me.

I am so grateful that my entire life I have had the escape, safe place to live in my art. I am just getting how lucky I am to be connected by so many threads to so many beautifully gifted artists in the world.

There are over 300 women in my class from all over the world. I am finding that the common bond between us all is spirit.

Find your spirit. Live it. Love it. No one on the planet has a spirit like yours. You are given gifts, use them, take them and make them yours each day.

Play. Dance. Create. Love. Be.

I am taking tomorrow off from my blog (I think) I am just going to be creating.

These fabu quotes are from http://pinterest.com/

perspective. learning. knowing.

one of the views that gives me daily energy.

yep, the med. sea from my window on the plane.

oooh, i could hardly wait to land.

Learning a lot about myself these days.

Perspective. Giving. Taking. Creating. Knowing.

There is a knowing inside that nothing and no one can ever get to. These pictures I took on our landing into Nice, France. I have peace inside just knowing that this place is real, it exists, it is good so very very good.

Perspective for me on life is so easy = enough money to live, love all around me, creating daily, dogs at my feet and the dreams of moving forward each day. So lucky am I do this.

Learning for me is good = my online class is life changing. I am learning more about me then I ever knew possible. I am taking risks, going into the world more whole and open.

Knowing. There are certain things in life I just know. I am learning that these are the keys to me.

So for the weekend I wish for all of you a bit of perspective, learning and knowing.

inspired. twinkle lights. moment to embrace.

New card designed by me for my new lines. Daily fun!!!

I waited and waited and today it happened. The light bulb burned bright for me. Really it was more like a strand of twinkle lights went on one by one, twinkle, twinkle, twinkle yep, then all at once this magical line of lights appeared.

Limits. I have been limiting myself creatively speaking. Why pick one style I design and create. Pick several and do them all. I am doing them ALL. This twinkle light day has me giddy. Giddy I tell you.

So here I go designing several lines, several styles and all of them from my soul.

Giddy me. Lucky me. Crazy silly happy me.

more of my stuff http://www.facebook.com/730Thursday

simply say i love you.

mercury glass heart in our entry way = welcome love

tiny mercury glass hearts floating in our room = charmed.

handmade heart = the best kind.

simple flowers, candles, shells and my love = lucky me

Today we celebrate love. I say let's celebrate it everyday. I try to. Yep. I know that Valentines is a fun red pink and glowy time to say I love you.

I really like finding simple ways to show love.  I am very blessed to be loved and cared for. I am one of the lucky ones who really knows what love is. I never take it for granted and I always count it as one of my best blessings when I go to bed each night.

So for today on Valentines Day I wish for everyone to feel loved. Enjoy this sweet tender day and just play!!!

the love of textures, design, handmade = lucky me

Take this beautiful pitcher (30 of them)

Design a card, hand detail (30 of them)

Hand create sewn embellished envelopes (30 of them)

Take good ole burlap and sew bags to nest the pitchers (30 of them)

Take burlap bags, pitcher, tissue, gorgeous beaded ribbon, attach cards.

This was one of those lucky projects that I jump up and twirl about. Yes, it is a bunch of hand work, time intensive, details a plenty, but I adore this kind of project. I was lucky enough to have a client who needed 30 gifts and hired me to create them. Yippee.

Okay, so while I was in the midst of trimming out the burlap for hours I thought maybe, I am crazy to love such projects. I simply adore the process of seeing pieces and piles of fabric, paper, design ideas swirling in my head all come together and end in something lovely fresh and artistically done.

So I end my weekend and start my new week with this project happily given to my client. I wish for more like this. Designing keeps my soul alive. Grateful for the gifts I have been given.

More designs by me http://www.facebook.com/730Thursday

some valentines flying out of my studio

sweet little girl marigold

you make my heart happy

dreamy love

a snappy little collection

Creating some new fun cards in the studio. Taking my love of vintage, silly, words and patterns ~ not to forget color. I am creating some new little card tags. I have always made cards in one form or another. I love the handmade textures, layering, painting, sewing really all of the details that go into creating a handmade card.

This collection I am creating is so much fun to create. I have found that I have ideas just swirling around in my head so I figured just design them. I am.

For today just sharing a few new treats. Happy almost Valentines Day!

a peak into my sacred world i call my studio

730 thursday studio name

a few of my collections i adore

favorite books new and old (of course)

more random books

one really messy yet organized surface

So I am learning a lot about myself these days. This Hello Soul. Hello Business. class is really filling my mind up with lots of learning about ME. All good just heavy stuff.

I would have to say I spend more time in my studio then you can imagine. I love my studio. Yes, I long for cement floors and five times more space with loud French music and even a bar and sitting area with vintage goods. Until then I create, and create and create in my little 10 x 11 studio space.
Really, amazing considering how much stuff I crank out of this little space.

It is a sacred space for me. I have only had 2 people in it to create with me ~ ever. I am not sure why? Our home is always open and social and I love having parties. My studio however always remains tender for me to share. I will show more of the room as I continue to be more brave.

Yes, I am learning much these days about little ole me. Trying to face fears and open up and really believe in myself and know me. So I am sharing.

Thanks for being a part of my world.

More studio work found here http://www.facebook.com/730Thursday

being true to me.

adore.

Inspired by this photo I snapped while in Paris this past November at the worlds largest flea market. Where by the way I could live happily ever after. Oh my.

I am in the midst of change, self awareness, mattering more. Creating my world as I have always been so fond of doing. This is my year to actually let folks know I am an artist and I want to be known. I want to help others, I want to inspire others, teach others that it is possible to grow from dark places and find strength that you never knew possible.

Here I go. Please join me on my journey. I promise one thing, you will come out more aware and more grateful for each day.

more of me and my design world http://www.facebook.com/730Thursday

original design by me. vintage illustration by Harrison Cady.

Today starts more internal goodness for me. I am thinking about all the things that make me - well me.
I know that humor helps me survive. Without even trying to be funny or witty (as they say) I am.
Not sure why or how? I think it comes from my dad, he is very funny! Thanks dad.

I know how important it is for me to keep an edge about me. That can be a gentle edge, a silly one, or just my own little secret edge to get energy from. I loved this illustration taken from a vintage book of mine (thanks to the illustrator Harrison Cady) something about the quick zippy lines just spoke to me and I knew it needed to be seen again. The book is from 1944. How cool to know this little fox has been waiting for me to find him and bring him out to be admired again.

Witty on my path I will be today and tomorrow. Pour down all the goodness you can moon. I will be ready and waiting for all of your magic! Many moons of thanks, in advance.


design work page http://www.facebook.com/730Thursday

a good day for these.

just in case you are coasting along. get going now.

this is just so good.

for me it is all about getting the little bird out more.

Today starts another week. Another day to start a new plan, get going on a dream, start living the best life you can. I have so many dreams that I am working on. The bigger they get the harder I work to create them. Some seem so close others seem like I will be working a bit harder.

Me, well I do not mind hard work. I do have patience, to a fault. I just know that each day I wake up I get another shot at making a difference. Today I will find a new way to do something, switch up some things around me, and make sure that each day I move closer to my big dreams.

I am in the midst of great change. I can feel it. The class I have been taking is a real journey for the soul. So happy to be doing the hard work to make it count. 

Oh, and I really do appreciate the fact that I get to wake up and have another day.


Photos all courtesy of http://pinterest.com/

handmade birthday heart = love

start with a pile of scrap fabrics you love

cut a heart shape out of paper for a pattern and start layering your goodie

s

after all the pieces are sewn on flip over, pin and sew around your heart

finished heart. stuffed with love of course.

details on the bottom. you know how i love these details.

quick sewn bag to nest it in with vintage bird tied on and handmade tag

To be honest I never really know if friends like handmade presents? I think they do. I for one would much rather receive a gift handmade. So with that I show and tell you how simply a gift can be created. Read captions.

I love to create everything and think that giving something you make is so special and cannot be replaced. So for me this year it is all about handmade, vintage, lovely giving.

Quick steps to creating.
• find some random fabrics you have laying around in your pile of goodness
• make a heart shape pattern out of paper (cut a heart out like you did in grade school)
• trace the heart shape on the wrong side of the fabric (you do not want to see your lines when finished)
• before you sew the front and back together add some layers of lace, torn fabrics, goodness to one side (sew these on)
• simply pin the front to the back and sew around your heart shape
• leave a little opening for stuffing. you can stuff with cotton, batting, fill with lavender etc.
• add a few treats sewn on the top. stones, beads, crystals, words (personalize it a bit)
• sew up the side by hand with a few stitches

Instant present and so pretty. Oh, and I added a little loop of ribbon to the back for hanging.

Sweet!!! Have fun make many, you never know when you need to give a sweet gift.

she believed she could.

things I adore vintage picture of me, textures, strength and believing in me.

random pieces of design from my little studio.

Today I start the path of remembering one of my favorite statements. Any given moment can change your life. Yes, that is it. Without getting too personal I had my life change nine years ago and several times since. Tomorrow I will be reminded of this when I go in for my check up to see how I am.
Life is so fragile (I get it really I do).

One constant sane thing in my world is my art and design. These things can always take me out of my own world and into nothing but, creating.

I need to me more grateful for these gifts. I also want to make the statement, any given moment can change your life matter more.

Think about how many things in our lives really matter that often are overlooked. Take one new thing today and make it brighter, more fun, give it some of you. I know I will be, right after my test.