Update: Colorado Living

     Oh my, I have been a slacker these days when it comes to blogging. Here's an update of what's been going on here in Colorado, and hopefully I'll have some pictures of town and life to share with you all soon. I've been feeling slightly...unmotivated, and trying hard not to let that feeling take over.

     Life has been falling back in to a normal routine. I'm still slowing bringing things home from storage and trying to make our place cozy. 

     I've been on the job hunt for a while now and haven't had too much luck. I keep waiting for feelings and I'm not getting them. For those of you who don't know me well, I'm a very feelings person. I get these gut feelings sometimes that I just have to go along with. Such as my previous job. I vowed I would never work in childcare, and as soon as I saw that job listed in the newspaper, and I knew instantly I was meant to apply and that I would get the job. I haven't had that feeling yet. Well...not completely. I have a few conflicted feelings about a couple places, so prayer for clarity would be greatly appreciated. I have a follow up interview at Sports Authority today, which I had a good feeling about yesterday, and today have an odd conflicted feeling about. 

     This past weekend I went to Lunafest with my mother-in-law. For those of you who don't know what Lunafest is (like me before researching it) you can find out all about it here and perhaps attend one in a town near you! It was a fun night with dinner beforehand, and then the film festival at the historic Hotel Colorado.

     Yesterday I helped a dear friend substitute (she substituted, I mostly observed for future reference) at a local private school that we both have a soft spot for. She graduated from the school as well as taught there, and I spent much of my childhood with people who attended the school, went on field trips with them, and took a few classes there as well.

     I've been trying to branch out more and surround myself with people. I've spent a lot of time with good friends, been hanging out at the local coffee shop, gone to Trivia Night at the local burger place where my husband works, spent time with his friends, went to a worship concert in Basalt, assisted substituting, attended a women's film festival. I'm trying to say yes to things I might otherwise have said no to. I feel like since I was in California, that I am more outgoing and want to be around people more. 

     I'm trying to get back in to the swing of things as far as eating healthy and working out. Which hasn't been too successful so far, but I'm going to try and really start this journey in the next week or so. Prayers!

     I've spent a lot of time walking around lately, and taking in the beauty that is a small mountain town. I'm learning to be content where I am and find splendor in the small things. Snow gently kissing the tops of the mountains, tiny flowers popping up along the sidewalks, the familiar feel of my favorite coffee shop, running in to friends unexpectedly. 

    I may not know exactly what I'm going yet, but I know I'll figure out. Life doesn't stand still, and I don't want to either. So for now, I'll continue to love where I'm at, and be grateful for every second. I will try and blog more and keep you updated. 

There are some discounted prices at the shop! Please take a look and maybe something will say "buy me!", hehe.

Check out my Etsy shop here!

  

Do What Makes Your Heart Sing

      I don't know about you fellow artists, creators, DIYers, but a lot of times when I'm creating, I do it with the purpose of pleasing others. I tend to lean towards things that I know are trendy right now and that a general audience might be drawn to. And, I don't think there's anything necessarily wrong with keeping your intended audience in mind, but only if  you plan on selling what you're making. 
      For me, I'm trying to switch gears in my brain. I'm trying to break free from the mindset of "following the crowd", and I want to make what makes me happy and inspired. Because chances are, if I like it and I am inspired, that someone, somewhere will also enjoy it! Obviously, this is how many people launch their own businesses and whatnot, but it's been something I've struggled with for a while. Create something I know will probably sell because it's trendy, or create something unique that may not be well received, but it brought me joy making. And the number one game changer for me has been to only make things that I would personally pick up in a store and say "hey! I need that!". A little taste of my own personal style you could say.

     I'm still a work in progress, but I find that when I do what makes my heart sing, my products are better received, and I'm happier because I don't feel like I've copied a million other people or that I'm trying to appeal to the masses. I've made something that is personal to me. 

     I would like to take you through a little bit of my creative process I guess you could say, and show you some of my newest listings that you can find here!

      I'm pretty sure that those who know me well, know that I love me some infinity scarves. When I first started making these scarves, I would knit one (with the intention of selling mind you), and before I knew it, I had finished it and was keeping it for myself. Yeah. This happens frequently. I personally own three or four of my own circle scarves now, and I have every intention of adding cream and black to my collection before it's too warm to wear them anymore! Hey, free advertising right? 
 
     My very first scarf was supposed to be part of a blanket. I had just started getting back in to knitting, and was making googly eyes at all the lovely knit and crocheted blankets I was seeing on Pinterest. I am an extreme DIY girl, and if I see something that I can't afford to buy, I will make it. Or at least...attempt to make it.

      This is what was supposed to be a blanket! I quickly realized, that it was going to take a lot of yarn to complete. So I knitted a rectangle, and then let it sit for weeks with every intention of finishing it. 
     One day, I was fed up with looking at this blue mass hanging from my knitting needles, so I finished it off and sat there staring at it. It suddenly occurred to me, that if I sewed the ends together, I would have myself a long coveted infinity scarf! And thus, the scarves were born. From there, I started posting about them on Facebook, and soon friends became interested (another great way to achieve free advertising!). One friend traded me a TV for scarves for his whole family! Uhm, win-win there!

You can view all the scarves I have available at etsy.com/shop/forestandseacreative. Also, check out my Scarf Happy post here!

     Imagine if I had finished that blanket. I never would have launched a "business" of my own if I hadn't started with that simple pile of blue yarn. They are what made me want to truly pursue becoming an Etsy seller. And hey, if nothing else, I have my own collection of glorious scarves just for me, haha!

     Jewelry has been an area I've struggled with the most. I know what I like. It should be that simple right? Wrong! This is where I have had the hardest time creating for me and not for the crowds. I recently made my first sale on Etsy, and that was a slight ego boost my friends! Especially since it was something that I wasn't sure how well it would be received. It was different, it was big, and was sparkly. And it was the first thing to sell! I cannot tell you how that has helped change my thinking about what I do. It just reassured me that creating with my own originality in mind is the best way to go.

My first sale on Etsy!

     Making this first sale gave me the motivation to continue doing what I love. It inspired me to create a second, similar piece.

I am obsessed with these harem style bracelets!

     I had this deer charm sitting around for so long. It's when I let go, and let the piece create itself in a way, that it all comes together in a magical way. I know it's not everyone's style, but I love it so much!

   A recent trip to Hobby Lobby, in search of a birthday gift, quickly turned in to a shopping-for-myself trip (anyone else do this?). I will admit, that I did not come home with a gift. I came home with supplies for myself. Yeah. Uh huh. It happened. But, just look at these darling feathers! Can you blame me?

I bought these purple/floral beads years ago and have never found the right project for them. It got to the point where I hated the sight of them because they had been around for so. long. Clearly, because they were waiting to complete these earrings! Sometimes I think the pieces just know what they're going to become one day.

I adore these white and pink speckled beads! They remind me off tiny eggs. And those turquoise glass beads? Love this combo!

      I know I'm doing something right, when I sit down to make something and there isn't the slightest hesitation in my mind. Everything flows together in a magical way, and the pieces are created effortlessly. I know I need to take a break and reevaluate what I'm doing if I've hit a creative roadblock. 

This gorgeous turquoise color is just speaking to me lately. And there are those speckled "egg" beads again!

     
     Sometimes when I'm out shopping for supplies, I see something and I instantly know what I'm going to do with it. That's how it was with these metal Indian head charms. And also, with these cute, geometric wooden beads.

I love the natural feel of wood. It's simple and beautiful. How about those speckled beads again though? Haha.

     These little treasures were another one of my birthday-gift-shopping-but-shopping-for-myself finds. Can we just talk about how cute these are for a minute? Please? They are so tiny, to minimalistic, so adorable! And the best thing, they came in a pack of about twenty, so there are endless possibilities here! Suggestions for the next project?

     My bird nest jewelry has been my "best seller" through friends and family. I've made rings, earrings, and necklaces. This was my first stab at a bracelet. And I am in love with the leather/wire combination! This was time consuming. Probably the most time I've spent on a single project. Mostly because it was a trial and error project I think. I've had the leather cord for quite a while, and every time I've attempted to make a bracelet or necklace out of it, I've hated the outcome. This one came together pretty effortlessly as far as design. It was simply the assembling that took some brain power, and creativity, and left me with sore fingers afterwards!

I love the contrast between the delicate wire, and the more masculine leather.

     I will say, my "Eternity" bracelets were definitely inspired by other sellers. I have longed for one for quite a while, and have tried making my own and just wasn't happy with it. Somehow, this happened. And I think it it absolutely darling! Ideally, I wanted a more delicate looking bracelet, but I'm quite happy with the results, and even made one just for myself which I wear on a daily basis.

     For now, I am content with what I am making. It's inspired by my heart and what makes me happy, and I want people to feel that when wearing my pieces. Each item is made with love! I am looking forward to branching out, and moving up, and getting the chance to work with more materials, and creating higher quality products. That won't be tomorrow, but I know it's coming and I am excited to see where this adventure leads me next!

What words would you use to describe my style? Please comment below or head over to the Forest and Sea Creative Facebook page and leave your words! And as always, if there is something you would like to see, I love suggestions!

Embracing Life

     When it rains, I feel somber. Melancholy. Pensive. And I love it. Sometimes, I wish it would rain for weeks on end. It's the perfect time to be still and reflect. To sit cozy with a book and a mug of coffee. To paint a picture....

     I've found myself the last two days writing. The thoughts just flow into my head and I record them without rhyme or reason. I'm not sure what the cause of this is, perhaps Holy inspiration, but I'm loving the freedom of expression. 

     I've been sitting down and letting the words flow from my pen onto the paper without really even knowing what I'm saying. No deep thoughts. No profound ideas. Just writing. Releasing emotions and thoughts that were hiding for no reason other than being afraid of my own judgement towards myself. Towards my words, my thoughts, my art.... The words seem disconnected; but it feels like another person has written these streams of sentences. I like it that way.

     I am praying to adapt this mindset always, starting in 2015 and beyond. My words are no less great than Charles Dickens or Jane Austen. My ideas and thoughts are no less profound than Albert Einstein. At least in Jesus' and my eyes. 

     I am the unique individual. From here on out, I will stop trying to please the crowd. I will begin to focus on me and the impact I might have on those around me. I won't be judgmental of my words and ideas because they are mine. They were given to me by Someone who knows my heart, my mind, my life. They should be used to inspire others and not meant for my own selfish want of the perfect sentence, the perfect journal entry. Does anyone else have this obsession with the "perfect journal"? 

     I have many empty journals. Yet I keep acquiring more. Why? Because I want to fill these pages with life, with passion, with love. I want the words to drip from the pages as someone reads my story and cries. I want my words to inspire laughter. Yet here sit these empty books. Many times have I begun to write my "story" only to rip out the pages when the thoughts don't flow, and the words become jumbled, and the story isn't perfect. Selfish. Absurd. Wrong. 
     
     I look at old photographs of people in days gone by, and I want to know them. I want to hear their story, I want to know their thoughts. But who will want to know my story? Who will wonder what I thought on a rainy day in 2015? 

     No story is more worth telling than my own. And that is a truth I have only recently accepted. The words of the world, their lies, have led me to believe that because I'm not a world traveler, wealthy, or a genius, that my story isn't worth people's notice. Not true. Each story, each of our stories, your story is special. Don't be afraid to tell it. There's no greater time than now, for there may not be a tomorrow.

     I strongly encourage you to embrace yourself this year, this great 2015 that is just begun. Move past the lies in your head, the lies that are fed to you. Become who you are destined to be. It's not somewhere down the road, it's not something you missed out on, it's now. Now. "The enemy lies to you heart to bring you down, but God is for you."

     He is for who you are right now. Be that light, be that love, be that story that you are destined to be. Explore your mind, your words, your actions. Trial and error is life, and the imperfection is what makes it perfect. 

     
     My theme for this year: I will judge myself no more. 

Empowering. Freeing. Peace inspiring.

Day Dreaming With Jesus

     Hi everyone,
I started participating in an online "Bible study" (it's free to join; just follow this link) and it was strongly encouraged to take time out of your day for quiet. For stillness. For alone time with your thoughts and with God. I took the advice (which I've heard many times and only today have put it in to action), and chose to spend this time out in the semi-tranquil backyard, painting. Here's what I ended up with.

     I had been wanting to do a dream catcher painting because 1. I love them and 2. a friend of mine did a dream catcher painting recently and it was gorgeous and inspired me! 

     I had a..."moment" I guess you could say as I was watching today's video from the study. Jeanne, who starts the study off, was talking about how we are all born with gifts. We are all unique. We all have a path of our own to travel. Obviously, the old saying "life is a journey" is true. But today (with the help of Jeanne), I realized that I alone was born for this. I have been called to this life, right here, right now. And it may not be perfect, and it's always a little messy, but it's the life I was born to live. That is an empowering thought! It also gave me a little perspective on my creative endeavors. It made me switch gears in my brain, and I suddenly don't feel this harshness and judgey feeling towards my own work. Because what I am doing right now, is what I am meant to be doing right now. Talk about the pressure being lifted!

     
     Jeanne talks about not focusing on others lives and gifts because you may miss out on your own life! You cannot shine if you are not being you and doing what inspires you. She encourages us to not hoard our gifts. We were given our talents, our brains, our passions, our gifts to share with one another, and to share the gift of God. 

     So be encouraged, dear friends! You are where you are supposed to be, right now! God knows your heart. He knows your desires. And he made this day, this moment, with you in it for a purpose. This is your calling!

     A little Scripture as I leave you this evening...

      So use your gifts, whatever they may be. They were gifted to you by the One who loves you and knows you best. This is your calling, your path. Take pride in it, don't hoard your gifts, and give the glory back to Him.

DIY Nail Polish Flower Crown

     Can we just take a minute to oooh and aaah over this please? I am quite proud.

     I saw a photo going around Pinterest of this gorgeous little flower crown. And my mind was blown when I realized they were using nail polish to create these beauties! That's right, you heard correctly. Nail polish. So, I decided to give it a try. I unfortunately don't have a tutorial of my own, so I will have a link to the original post below. Here are a few things that I had to deal with while creating these beauties.

     There was a little trial and error here, because the wire for the petals had to be touching to keep the nail polish in this bubble wand like state. And first my wire was too thin and flimsy, and then it was too heavy and hard to shape. Thankfully I have a mandril so it helped with the shaping process, but honestly, a spoon or pencil or any other object with a similar shape will work great! 

     You can see the original tutorial that I found here. I absolutely love their color choices and I hope to make a full flower crown some day. Just to warn you, it is extremely time consuming, but so rewarding when you get to see the final project!

Scarf Happy

     So, I've been knitting up a storm over here and I wanted to share some of what's been going on. All of the scarves are listed on my Etsy Shop.

Warning: Excessive Knitting May Cause Brain Failure

Some great new colors!

 

Ribbed Scarf. Available in all the colors shown below!

Plain Scarf

A beautiful silver, gray. This scarf is so silky soft. It's to die for!

I will be making a black one for myself in the near future.

A beautiful soft, cream color. It goes with anything. Instant classic!

The newest color, just finished! Natural Brown.

Things got a little crazy over here....

They sure are soft and warm!

Happy knitting everyone!

BFF's And A Baby Niece

     Most girls have a BFF. Someone we can be completely ourselves with, and we know that they will love us anyway. For me, that crazy someone is Katelyn. We've been friends since we met on the second day of 3rd grade (precise, I know). That was 15 years ago! I've known her longer than anyone and even though we are now both married and live in different states, I can still say she is my best friend. We don't talk often, or see each other often, but every time we're we're together it's like no time has passed at all. That makes my heart sing!

We are slightly on the special side....

     We have a lot of memories together, and our families became close because of us. We both were home schooled (her family starting a year after us), which allowed us to spend a lot of time with one another. I always remember the time they were studying Egypt, and I got to help them mummify a chicken! Yeah, we home schoolers are awesome!
     She and her family moved to Oregon when we were still kids, and it was devastating to lose my best friend and sister. But we've managed to remain close through the years; I guess you could say we're "kindred spirits" (any Anne of Green Gables fans out there?).

     We had the privilege to be in each others weddings and I wouldn't have wanted anyone else as my maid of honor.

Photo by the wonderful Krystine Lewis. Aspen, Colorado.

     I've gone to visit her in Oregon and she's come to visit me, and we've both had the chance to meet up in sunny California on several occasions. She has a sister that lives here, which makes it the perfect halfway point for us both to see each other. Plus, who wouldn't want to spend some time in the sunshine?
    
     Fast forward a bit, and she now has an adorable baby girl; my little niece. And like every good aunt, I have every intention of spoiling that little girl. 

     I wasn't able to visit when baby Evelyn was born, but it happened to work out that I am here visiting family and she and her husband were making a trip to visit her husband's family (who also live in California). So I finally got to meet my adorable girl!

Spending some time with her Auntie, and not being still for the photographer.

Best friends, baby niece, and the nerdy husband. I mean...cool husband.

     We exchanged Christmas gifts (there may have been a lot for the baby), and I've gotta say, this lady knows me well. She gave me a beautiful wooden box that she wood burned a design in, a book about crocheting, and earrings that she thought would give me inspiration for my own jewelry designs.

     Funny side note, crocheting has always intrigued me as well as overwhelmed me, and I just ordered crochet hooks and some yarn to give it a try. And then she gave me a book about crocheting. Perfect coincidence!

     I'm so glad that I got to spend time with this wonderful family, and we will hopefully have a beach day later this week before they return home. I can't wait to use my new treasures, and perhaps make a baby gift with my new crochet skills (fingers crossed!).

     This little family is a treasure in my life and I look forward to watching them grow as a couple, and grow as a family. I love you all!

Catching Dreams

Happy Sunday to you all!

     I've always been intrigued by dream catchers. I don't believe that they really "catch" my dreams, but the delicate nature of them has always spoken to me. Maybe it's that teeny bit of Native American in me. Who knows! 
     Two summers ago, my husband and I took a road trip (check out our travel blog here) and I picked up a tiny dream catcher in Steamboat, Colorado. It sparked my interest once again, and I may have the makings of a new collection going....here's what I've been working on the past few days.

      There is limited work space in my current living situation, so my "studio" happens to be my bed. At least I have a pretty white blanket as a backdrop!

      The lighting was kind of dreamy the morning I snapped these shots too. 

     I spent many days laying out different pieces and looking at dream catchers on Etsy that grabbed my attention. And this is what I ended up with. Simple, unique, bohemian. Perfect!

     It looks slightly misshapen because well, it is. I wanted to use an embroidery hoop as the base, but I was too anxious to start creating to go out and purchase one. So instead, I used a semi-sturdy wire I had lying around, and fashioned a hoop out of it. I then used leather cord to attach the vintage doily I bought from a neighbor's yard sale.

      I bought the duck feathers from Michael's for just a few dollars, the geometric wooden beads for $1 at Wal-Mart, and the beautiful copper wire, I had already. Making my total project under $5. Score!

      I like this dream catcher because of how big it is (10 inches!). Just the right size for catching all my crazy dreams, hehe.

     I made a dream catcher last Christmas for my sister. I believe it's packed away in their storage unit, or I would share it with you all! Here's another one I made last year for myself, and is now listed here, on my Etsy shop. 

     It's made from the lace of a vintage dress, a vintage button from my great-grandmother's collection, and some other pieces of mine. I would love to host a dream catcher workshop one day. Maybe when I get settled back in Colorado....

Post-Christmas

     I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! 

     Although Christmas was different this year for us, we had a great day filled with gifts, good food, family, and love. I was thoroughly spoiled (as always) and ate way too much. We spent the morning at my Grandma's house where we opened gifts and devoured cinnamon rolls and monkey bread (after some baking mishaps). Then we drove to my Aunt's house where we had second Christmas, spent time with family, and of course indulged in turkey, tamales, potatoes galore (my 3 favorites), and so many desserts. I ended the day tired, and with a cold I was trying to keep away all day, but it was worth it.

     I wanted to share some Christmas traditions in my family.

•    Growing up, we got to open one small gift on Christmas Eve. I'm not sure if it's meant to build the anticipation or temporarily satisfy until the morning.... Since my husband and I were apart this year, we decided to have Christmas on Christmas Eve via Skype and open our gifts to each other early.
•    We open our stockings after everything else has been opened. This year we forgot to fill the stockings, so we passed out the candy and small gifts from a Target bag (hey, you make due with what you have).
•    In my "new" family (my husband and I), we have orange cinnamon rolls for Christmas breakfast. Two years ago, I made them in the waffle iron. Delicious!
•    My Aunt's family serves tamales for Christmas dinner. This is definitely a tradition I think I will be incorporating in to my family celebrations.
•    I usually fill my husband's stocking with the same 3 things each year: gum, gummy worms, and a Monster energy drink. It's always topped off with an assortment of candy, maybe a gift card, or a couple small gifts. I was sad I wasn't able to do that this year, but I sent him a big box full of goodies. I'm regretting not taking a picture of it though. My heart that longs for beauty sure enjoyed decorating the inside of the box and coordinating all the individually wrapped gifts. Maybe the Husband didn't notice, but I noticed, and that's what matters, right? Haha!

          

 What are some of your family traditions?

 

Merry Christmas: Sing Hallelujahs

     Merry Christmas my friends! I hope this day find's you happy and well. 

     Our day is starting off with coffee (the most important) and tearing in to all the colorful gifts. I was feeling more nostalgic this year, and found wrapping paper that has probably been sitting in my Grandma's house since the 1990's. So I threw pretty, sweet, handmade wrapping out the window, and decided to use what was already at the house for that touch of childhood I'm so desperately holding on to this season.

     This Christmas brings many emotions for people in all walks of life. For me and my family, this Christmas is laced with sadness. Many of you know, my Grandpa passed away in October, which makes this holiday season bittersweet. He battled cancer for many years, and thankfully we had the opportunity to come out to California last Christmas because we knew it could possibly be his last. Our Christmas was sweet and cozy, with all of us gathered around the tree and dinner at my Aunt's home with a surplus of good food. This year will be the same, but we all feel that piece of us missing.

     Grandpa was the most generous, open-hearted person you could meet. So many people loved him and speak about how kind and giving he was. Christmas and birthdays, we kids always felt so spoiled because he made sure to go above and beyond. He showed his love through giving. 

     Kind of like someone else. Jesus. We couldn't celebrate this miracle of Christmas if Jesus hadn't come to live among us. To love and to teach and give. He gave his life so that we may live. Let's just step back a minute from our Christmas hustle and bustle and really think about that for a moment. I mean really think about that. Can your mind comprehend the power of that act of love? Because honestly, it's hard for me to wrap my insignificant brain around. Me, being selfish, proud, sometimes hard-hearted...someone would want to die so I could live? It's mind-blowing and can bring you to your knees. Today, I pray, as you go about your day and prepare your meals, spend time with loved ones, listen to Christmas music, sing hallelujahs to His holy Name! In your heart, with your voice, in your soul.

"Suddenly a great company of heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.' "

- Luke 2:13-14

     Be safe as you go about celebrating today. Shower love wherever you can. I pray that if today your heart is sad or hardened, you may find peace and happiness in some small thing. Try giving time or money or even food to someone less fortunate than yourself. Sometimes even a note or a smile is enough to brighten someone's day. So as we go our separate ways today and celebrate our Christmas, I hope you can revel in the beauty of snow, the miracle of a "baby's first Christmas", maybe your flight got delayed but you still arrived at your destination safe. There are so many things to inspire awe this holiday season from our Savior's birth to the tiniest snowflake. As for me, I will sing hallelujahs and shed a few tears of sadness, as well as joy.

Merry Christmas to you all!