Crafty Cutie

It is kind of funny how random my inspiration can be. Today I did my weekly Spinning class, which is an indoor cycling program, and left bursting with inspiration. This class  always seems to motivate me to push myself beyond what I think I am capable of. I love how during the workout I am constantly reminded to breathe and yet at the same time it can leave me breathless. Once class is over, I walk out the door feeling alive and ready to take on whatever that day is going to throw my way.

Today I realized that this class has taught me some lessons that apply not only to exercise but life in general. First of all, I have learned how resistance, while it can be physical is mainly a state of mind. When you feel it coming on you have two choices, allow it to push you back OR embrace it and push forward against it. I hate to be cliche, okay I actually love to be cliche, but all to often “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.” It is important to notice the verbiage of this line. It doesn’t say the weak get going, it says the tough do. So imagine how hard it is for little weaklings like myself to keep going when I feel resistance. Life is hard and it’s resistance inevitable. We need to constantly remind ourselves that we are stronger than we know and push forward. The second thing I learned, is the harder I push, the further I go and the faster I get there.

So as the sentiment on the card above states, “Dream it, Believe it, Achieve it!” Dream big, believe in yourself and if you push hard enough, even when resistance comes your way, you WILL achieve your goals.

A thank you to Hero Arts for creating the beautiful stamps I used to create the card featured at the beginning of this post. Without their imagery it would not have been as easy for me to turn my artistic vision into reality. As soon as I wrote this post I thought of the Hero Arts “Bicycle” stamp, then came up with the rest of the design in which I also used one their “Three Girls” stamp and “Vertical Clouds” stamp. http://www.heroarts.com

Wishing you smiles and sunshine,

Tatiana

“He who spends time regretting the past loses the present and risks the future.”                    – Quevedo

The weekend is here and I am grateful for the time I have to spend with my family.  While playing with my boys this morning I was struck by how big they are and wondered where the time has gone.  I started thinking about how I should have spent more time with them, instead of pursuing my own artistic endeavors.  As I was going through this thought process I was reminded of the above quote.  “He who spends time regretting the past loses the present and risks the future.“  It is so important to remember that we need to be living in the present.  Instead of regretting our pasts, we should embrace them and learn from our mistakes.  Also remember that even the things we consider to be negative aspects of the past can mold us into becoming better people.  As much as I love creating art, I sometimes wish I didn’t have anything taking away from my family time.  But then again, I realize that I would not be as good of a mom and wife if I did not have a creative outlet.  I guess I will just enjoy the time I have with my family and my art, since they both make me who I am, happy!  It all comes down to life being about perspective…make yours a positive one!  Learn from your past, live in the present and put your hope in the future.

Wishing you the best weekend ever,

Tatiana

“With enough caffeine, I could rule the world.”

Well, it is only Wednesday and I am wondering how I am going to get through the rest of this week.  If you are anything like me there is only one solution…caffeine.  As I anxiously await my coffee to finish brewing, my ADD kicks in.  The situation I am in reminds me of a piece of artwork I created and a lovely Barista I met this weekend.  So instead of waiting impatiently while being tortured by the smell of coffee, I decided to share the picture with ya’ll.  The trees are made out of recycled Starbucks cups and the girls crown and shirt are made out of a Coke can.  I hope it makes you smile!  And yes, one day, with the help of caffeine, I will rule the world!  Haha(:

Happy Wednesday,

Tatiana

It’s been quite some time since my last blog entry. As some of you know my artistic scope has expanded to that of photography. What was once just a hobby of mine turned into a part time job this past year. What an honor it has been every time someone has hired me to capture their special moments. The thing with privilege though is it usually comes with great responsibility. Having two wonderful little balls of energy, Elijah (4) and Lukas (2), to chase after really limits the amount of free time I have. The few hours I am able to squander in the wee hours of the night I have been dedicating to editing pictures. All this to say, as wonderful as this season of photography has been, I REALLY miss making my art and jewelry.

I miss creating something out of nothing. I miss being inspired by words and using my imagination to bring them into a tangible life. I miss the smell of clay and the release I experience while kneading it in my hands. I miss how the red clay stains my fingers and how I am unable to mold it into anything but a heart. I miss hammering metal for no apparent reason and just shoving it into a drawer awaiting the day it calls out to me. I miss covering dull, lifeless objects with paint and giving them life and emotion through color. I miss having my hands covered in glue as my fingers stick to everything they come in contact with. I miss going through books and magazines and cutting out whatever words or images speak to me. I miss going to thrift stores in search of a certain something for a work in progress and feeling my heart drop when I find the perfect match. I miss creating miniature worlds that come to life within my jewelry. But most of all, I miss creating artwork that will encourage and uplift others.

I could go on and on about the things I miss and the time I wish I had to create my art and jewelry, but I think you get the point, just as I did while writing this entry. I find myself at a difficult place in life where I have to choose between two loves…art and photography. I am sure many of you reading this have been in this same uncomfortable place before. If you have found yourself in this predicament consider yourself lucky, to have more than one love is a wonderful problem to have. After much thought and deliberation I have come to realize that although I love photography, I can not live without art. As the saying goes, “If you love something set it free, if it comes back it was meant to be.” These beautiful words inspired the piece above which is called “Set Free.”