She Helps Me Be Better

Yesterday was kind of a hard day for me.  For various reasons, there was quite a bit of sad news from people that I care about, and my heart feels so heavy for them.  I was playing around with an old photo of my great grandmother and her sister when they were in their 20s.  I started thinking about those people that we become connected to in our lives, and how we effect each other and force change and growth for one another often even without knowing it.  It is through their experiences and our relationship with them that we feel challenged and supported and motivated to change, be better, try harder, and love more fully and be less selfish.  A family that I love lost a loved one yesterday, and as my heart breaks and weeps for them, I am also finding myself wanting to be a better mother, a better friend, a better sister and daughter and wife.   I want to do these things because I am reminded so acutely that our time on earth is limited and our relationships are the one true good thing that we have while we are here.  People matter, they matter more than stuff, more than experiences, and more than our individual accomplishments.  When I work hard to love someone really well, with truth and an open heart, I become the best version of myself that I can be.  I was reminded of this again yesterday when a beautiful young soul left this world.  She had very little time here on earth, but I dont believe that makes her life tragic, but instead makes every moment that she brought joy to those who loved her that much more special and important and life changing.  I hope to keep being reminded of this.  I pray that I can always keep striving to be the best version of myself, and I have many many amazing people to thank for that lesson.  Thanks for letting me ramble a bit today.  I made this artwork to thank those amazing people who inspire me in this way.   I hope this message blesses you where you are at.  It is definitely what I needed to hear today.  Who inspires you to be better?  Find a way to thank them and bless them today.

XO, HARMONY

Be Courageous

 "Be Courageous" Mixed Media Original by Harmony Lenasbunt 2011

It was an unexpected side effect of becoming a mother that finally started to realize that I didnt really have all the time in the world to pursue my passions and create the life of my dreams.  Before kids, I just went along slowly, as I pleased, figuring, "I'll get to that someday."  Then everything went into hyperdrive.  Life is speeding past me, mostly the growing and changing of my now 3.5 year old child and almost arrived little one, and I am trying to stay on board while still holding onto those parts of me that make me feel authentic and true to my heart (mostly creating art).  Sometimes I get stuck at a decision, weighing the options of what I want, vs what I can actually accomplish, vs what my family needs.  Deciding to do shows this season, amidst preparing for baby #2 was one of those decisions.  I am still not sure I made the right one, but we (my little family) survived it, and I definitely learned many things about my limitations and how to ask for help (something I've never been good at).  I am in the middle of another of those decisions again right now.  I am starting to realize that once you create a family you adore, these types of decisions continue to keep coming.  So here I am, thinking about my son, my newborn son due in 16 days, my hardworking and loving husband, and then my desire to create art and pursue it as a lifestyle and buisness.  Should I wait another year and just focus on nothing but family, like I did when my first son was born?  Or should I go for it, pursue my passions, and ask my family to adjust to the changes in "mom's" schedule as we have before?  Is it fair to my second child to be more distracted and busy than I was with my first?  I think I know what the right answer is, because a happy and contented mommy really does make a happy and contented family, but man! this mom guilt thing is powerful.  I am sharing this because I believe that we all face these kinds of decisions no matter what walk of life you are in.  Whether you are a parent, are in a significant partnership, close family or friends, or are a singleton facing the daunting world with a dream in hand and very little direction, we all have our moments of wanting someone to tell us what to do and how it will turn out.  But we will never have that, and so I wanted to encourage you as I have needed to encourage myself... Be Courageous!  While it is perfectly appropriate to be cautious before making these such decisions, we should never make them while influenced by fear or guilt.  So let's be courageous together! What obstacles are you facing this week?  What choices will you take a leap of faith in today?  Be blessed in all of them!

XO, HARMONY

Grow Fearless...new artwork and a message for you.

This is a new painting and part of a new inspirational mixed media style for me.  I have been really evaluating what I want from all this, the blog, the etsy store, the craft shows, the art that I make.  I have some really big dreams for it all, hopefully resulting in the running of a creative retreat center.  Sometimes I get really overwhelmed by how far I still need to go to get there.  Sometimes those thoughts turn into negative voices telling me I wont get there so I should stop pretending that I will.  Do you have big dreams that seem so far away sometimes?  If so, I just wanted to say to you today to keep stretching, dont look back or hold yourself back with your fears, Keep Growing and Grow Fearless!  I think that everyone should live their life free of fear and hold on to a boldness of heart to always move forward towards whatever they desire for their lives.  Just wanted to encourage you with that today.  I am offering prints of this painting at my Etsy Store, if you want to bring one home to remind you each morning to Grow Fearless in your life.   My fearless moment in the next week or so will be putting all this new art I just finished out there for people to see, judge, and decide whether there is a market for it.  It is always a scary moment to put new work out in the public, when I dont know how it will be received, but it is my dream to make inspirational art to encourage closet creatives like I was for so long.  So for every "I dont like it" or "I could make that" comment I will hear at the show, I will hold on to courage and wait for the person that discovers the meaning and heart of my work and gains a bit of their own fearlessness.

Leave me a comment and let me know how you are going to take steps this week to be more fearless in your life.

XO, HARMONY

Made With Love: Mail Art!

Hello dear readers, and welcome Freckled Nest Fans (i know you are all checking in from her giveaway right now) :)  Just FYI: for more giveaway fun, today is the LAST day to enter my sponsor giveaway!  There are 8 gorgeous prizes available for one winner.  Take a sec and enter your name in the fun.  Well, I hope you had a wonderful week and have a restful weekend ahead of you today.  Despite my ever expanding pregnant body and the mounting stress of being WAY behind in my schedule for getting ready for my craft show in 3 weeks, I had some truly soulful moments of connection and creativity that I wanted to share with you.  As my 3 year old son loves to say for no apparent reason, "Ta-Da!" It's my first post from my Made With Love mail art project with three amazing creations sent to me by some incredibly talented and beautiful souls.  I am so excited about this project.  If you are new here, click HERE or on the button that says MADE WITH LOVE, on the Right Sidebar for more information.

Now on to the loveliness...

There are no rules for what you send in the mail art project, just that it be something you created that is intended to lift and encourage the recipient's spirit!  I have to say, nothing lifts my spirit more than beautifully decorated envelopes sitting in my mailbox.

Love this sweet Creative Soul and her pink and blue hair! Thank you so much Nessa! She is just lovely and now sitting on my shelf reminding me to believe in myself.

This sweet little collage was made by Karenann.  I love vintage illustrations used in artwork, and the mother and children was a truly sweet touch.  Thank you dear girl, I cant wait to add it to my art journal that I work in for my kiddos.

This one was sent to me by the lovely Bonita Rose.  She made this fun and gritty little card and included this incredible vintage crochet scrap.  You have no idea how happy this made me!  I collect vintage scraps like this for use in my artwork, and this one will have a special meaning to me when I decide to use it.  Thank you Bonita, this was really special!

What a wonderful way to celebrate the end of a week, with friendship.   I cant wait for you three to get your mail art from me!  If you want to connect with fellow creatives, give and receive encouragement to each other to keep following our creative dreams, join my Mail Art Project!  It's simple and fun, and I will feature all the art that I receive on my blog.  Have a wonderful day everyone!

XO, HARMONY

New Painting! Bloom In Your Own Time.

I've been working on a new series of paintings based on acceptance and empowerment of self.  It's something that has been on my heart for a while.  Maybe it's my background in Family Therapy work, maybe it was all those years working with at-risk teens, and maybe its partially due to my own trauma and drama of navigating womanhood as a teenager and in my early twenties, but I really have a heart for women young and old, reclaiming themselves as powerful, brave, beautiful, and special.  There are too many negative messages in our culture, and I've been wanting to start creating paintings that will inspire and motivate women to love ourselves a bit more.

Here's the first one that I will share with you...

It says "Bloom in your own time, redefine beauty."  I picked these words because I often feel the pressure to keep up with the women around me (in the art world, in the parenting world, in the business world...) in ways that I just may not be ready for yet.   I am still growing, finding myself in my process, and when I am ready to bloom, it will happen in my own time and space that is perfect for me.  I will redefine what is beautiful and lovely in my own way and time.  Do you ever feel that way?

It was made using layers of vintage gift wrap papers, acrylic paints and alcohol inks for the background, then I applied vintage lace remnants and used my own hand carved stamps for the wings.  I hope this message is meaningful to you, or perhaps pass the link along to someone you know that could use the encouragement.  Have a lovely Wednesday because you are so lovely too.

FYI: There is still time to enter my Giant Sponsor Giveaway! I have 8 amazing artist and crafters donating incredible prizes for one winner.  There are lots of ways to enter. Click HERE for more information.  Dont miss out!

XO, HARMONY

Guest Post: Inside Nessa's Art Journaling World

Hello Dear Friends, I am so excited about today's Art Journaling Post!  I get the honor to introduce you to my new friend Nessa.  She is incredibly talented and makes the most beautifully expressive Art Journal Pages.

In fact, all the pictures you see here are her gorgeous work.  Nessa has a sweet spirit and pure heart, which can easily be seen in her art and through her blog where she shares her creative process with others.

She also happens to be honoring me this month by participating in my sponsor swap.  I couldnt be happier to show off her amazing artwork and let her share a bit more about herself with you. 

From Nessa: "Hi!  My name is Vanessa Colant but more known by my nickname as Nessa from Pretty Days Studio.  I’m a creative Stay at Home mum who lives in Belgium(Europe) with my man and my 2 little sons. I’m 31 years old and I’m a creative soul.  I can’t live without ART. I’m a painter. I’m a mixed Media Artist. I’m an Art Journaler.  I love bright colors and using all my art supplies in my art journals. I love having paints on my fingers, feeling alive putting my hand in my gesso jar.  Art has saved me, Art makes me feel alive.  I need to write and draw into my journals to feel better and to write my story, my feelings, my emotion, …. I love staying hours and hours in my studio creating a canvas or an art journal page.  I live a creative life and I’m so proud of it…It’s a full time job. I love being an artist and a mum together.  You can see my art on my both English and French blog at Pretty Days Studios and being a fan on my facebook page.  I hope you enjoy my art."

Nessa's website is so fun, colorful, and totally inspiring!  I hope you'll take some time and check her out and add her to your read list.  She also posts art journaling videos.  I just love these! Here are a few of her latest videos, the first creating a background for a journal page and the second of her completing it.  I got lots of new ideas and learned some fun tricks from watching her work, and now I am totally inspired to work in my own journal today! Check them out right here or on her blog.

Thank you Nessa for sharing so much of yourself with us today.  Happy Journaling Everyone! I hope you got inspired too.

XO, HARMONY

Pinterest Inspiration...the power of words.

A few words of encouragement that I found very Pinteresting today...

Source: None via Harmony on Pinterest

Source: lylaandblu.com via Harmony on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Harmony on Pinterest

Source: None via Harmony on Pinterest

Source: nicholeheady.typepad.com via Harmony on Pinterest

Source: debbie-smyth.com via Harmony on Pinterest

I hope you had an amazing start to your week.  If you would like more encouragement today, click on the button on my sidebar that says Made With Love and join in on the fun!

XO, HARMONY

Artist Inspiration of the Day: The Lovely Wyanne

 Together is Better by Wyanne

I really wanted to show you a new painting process video today, but it seems that hitting the 8 month mark in my pregnancy has seriously slowed me down and I am not working as efficiently as I used to.   So until I finish that project later, I thought I would share another artist's process video today.  This is a snippet of one of my favorite artists to get new technique ideas from.  I watch her videos all the time and get filled with inspiration and creative energy.  Her name is Wyanne, said "Y"-an, and if you havn't discovered her yet and explored her world, you've been missing out on some beautiful paintings and probably some of the best painting process videos I have ever watched.

Garden Wild by Wyanne

It was actually her videos that encouraged me to start using alcohol and inks in my mixed media works.  She just posted several new videos and listed new paintings, and I instantly fell in love with this amazing little owl.  If I could afford to snatch it up and put it in my boys room, I would do so in a second.

Hello World by Wyanne

Whether you are a painter, art journaler, creative player, you should spend a little time today exploring her videos, they truly are inspirational and FUN to watch.  Maybe it will give you he courage to try something new and artsy today.

I hope you found something inspiring here that brightens your day.  The idea is to keep going, keep pushing through, and keep your eyes open to discovering your creative self bringing the world alive to you in totally new ways (oh and playing with lots of bright colors helps too). 

XO, HARMONY

Get Inspired! Vintage Gift Wrap and the Feeling of Neon Pink

Ever since a friend of mine gave me a few scraps of wrapping paper from the 1950's that she had found in a relative's attic, I've been hooked on the stuff.  I cant get enough!  I love using it in my artwork so much that I even bought a book about it and was even more inspired.  Nobody can do patterns and odd color pairings like the paper designers of the 50s, 60s and 70s.   I just love the bright colors, the bold patterns, and the thinness of the actual paper used, making it perfect for using in my mixed media background layers.  I thought we could all use a dose of color inspiration today.   Here are a couple of my favorites!

 Do these colors inspire you too?  I thought I'd turn one into a color palette for anyone to use.  I really liked this particular palette because it plays with primary colors with the bright neony pink on a background of mustardy yellow, something I would NEVER think to put together, and it just works beautifully! Try this one out in your next work or in your sketchbook or art journal.

I dont know what it is about the neon pinks in these papers that just make me so happy.  So here's hoping your day is feels like the color neon pink today! I've got the whole afternoon to work in my studio, so I know mine will!  What color does your day feel like to you?

XO, HARMONY

Inside My Art Journal: New pages from a mama's world

I am going to be honest here.  Sometimes art journaling is about having fund with art with no pressure, and sometimes it really and truly is a healing process for my own emotional funk that day.  I've been having one of those pregnancy hormone surge weeks where everything seems to overwhelm me and everything seems to make me cry.  It's a normal thing, and having been through it once before, I know that it will pass soon.  So instead of crying in my palette over a wrong brush stroke or a color choice misstep, I put away the expensive paints and canvases and pulled out my art journal and $2 craft paints.  I played, I sketched, I doodled, I went over images several times.  I wrote words to myself, and to my son (who has also been having a cranky week this week).  I experimented with new techniques and materials I've been wanting to try.  In the end, I got no closer to checking anything off my "To-Do for Craft Shows" List, but I feel a lot better.  Thank Heavens for Art Making!  It is my favorite therapy.  Here's a few of my pages from my week.

There you have it.  A peek into my head this week.  I am definitely enjoying working messier and playing with brighter colors.  Both of those things make me feel authentic when I work, instead of my previous process of working and reworking and obsessing over "perfection."  I think I may be growing creatively :)  Feel free to share links to your art journal pages, or if you dont art journal but want to start, dont wait any longer!  Pick up a regular ol sketchbook with heavier pages, or stop by my Etsy Shop and take a peek at the creativity journals I make for art journaling, stock up on cheap supplies you can play with (sharpies, pencils, cheap paint, collage scraps, stamps, pens, markers, anything goes!), and start creating.  There are no rules!  Let the process free you from whatever worries and stresses you are carrying with you.  Time to play :)  (and that is my soapbox).  Have a wonderful and creative Wednesday!

XO, HARMONY

Discovering My Vintage Side

It's Pinterest Day! I've been noticing a bit of an odd trend in my pins for me lately and thought I would share a bit of my sources of inspiration with you today.  You see something strange has happened to me this year.  I am becoming a vintage girl totally without my consent.  I was never attracted to "vintage" growing up.  The word meant "old" to me as a child and that we'd be buying my Easter dress at a thrift store instead of a department store.  Then later meant "country" while as a teenager as I watched my mother fill her home with "vintage" finds that made our rural home look like the decor of a Cracker Barrel restaurant (you southern interstate travelers know exactly what I am talking about).  I was totally against vintage...until now.

Now I find myself obsessing to find the perfect group of 60's and 70's bed sheets to make a quilt from.

Source: flickr.com via Harmony on Pinterest

Or I'm doing late night ebay searches for vintage newborn outfits.  They are just so precious on chubby baby legs!

Source: etsy.com via Harmony on Pinterest

I am also quite seriously thinking about starting a collection of vintage tea plates for my kitchen wall (yes totally Dolores Jane Umbridge style except less cats).

Source: etsy.com via Harmony on Pinterest

And I definitely am starting an obsession with vintage patterns and papers.  (I would love to do this to all my doors in my home with vintage wallpapers, some paint, and a sander).

Source: flickr.com via Harmony on Pinterest

I still cant quite bring myself to shop primarily at thrift stores for my own clothing, but I figure I'm taking baby steps in my transition to becoming a vintage type of girl.  Instead I fall in love with new lines of clothes in a vintage style, like these amazing tea dresses.

Source: etsy.com via Harmony on Pinterest

I am dying to donate all my matchy-matchy totally boring coffee mugs that I amassed from my wedding and start collecting retro cups and mugs to start my day out with some whimsy.

Source: etsy.com via Harmony on Pinterest

One thing I can say for myself is that I have always adored old books. I dont care if I ever read them, but I just cant stop collecting vintage literature.  I love the way they make my living room feel when they are filling my book shelves with all their stories both told and untold.

Source: etsy.com via Harmony on Pinterest

I wish I had discovered the gorgeous magic and fun to be had by wearing enameled flower brooches before they became so incredibly popular.  I mean have you seen those wedding bouquets made from collections of these vintage pins?  I'm only seven years happily married and am ready to have a second wedding just to carry one of those.  I just love the incredible colors found in these bobbles.  I might have to let them inspire a painting...hmmm.

Source: flickr.com via Harmony on Pinterest

And lastly to share with you today, I have recently realized that vintage metal hoops make every embroidery project I frame in them look a bazillion times more lovely.  I will never use another regular old wood hoop again.  I've been converted to vintage only.

Source: etsy.com via Harmony on Pinterest

Well, there you have it.  My latest obsessions and inspirations.  Are you the vintage lovin type?  What are your obsessions in the world of vintage right now?  Any particular finds you are most proud of?  I am just getting started in my discoveries and would love to hear from you pros.

XO, HARMONY

The 5,4,3,2,1 of My Creative Process

I saw this profile series first on Mollie Johanson's blog Wild Olive.  Its a simple set of 5 questions about yourself and your craft, started by the super creative people at Craftzine.  I thought I would add my own 5,4,3,2,1 to the fun and so here goes...

One Product You Are Particularly Proud Of
The Magic Dinosaur painting that I did with my 3 year old son.  I could never sell the original, I love it so.  To me it completely embodies his playful spirit, the innocence of childhood, and the simple beauty that can be created when you let go of your expectations and free yourself. 

Two Mistakes You Made In the Past
1.  Putting too much pressure on myself to be an instant success as an artist selling on Etsy.  I  started to feel like it was a reflection of my talent as an artist when months would go by with no sales.  I wanted to give up and forget that I even tried.  I was painting and creating constantly worried whether it would sell, and it was just totally wrong for me and my creative process.  Lesson learned: create only from your heart and never your head.

2.  Not understanding what a non-juried "art/craft" show could be like before I bought a table space for an event.  Oh man!  Nothing prepares you for trying to sell your handmade wares that you slaved and sweated over and poured your heart into positioned in between wholesale sellers (you know those people selling off-brand purses and hawking low-priced cologne).  It was a very disheartening weekend of sitting alone in my booth full of my creativity, while customers shopped for deals on either side of me.  Lesson learned: Do Your Research!  Just because it says it's an arts and crafts show, does not mean that only artist and crafters will be there.

Three Things That Make Your Work Unique
1.  Pairing bright bold colors with Natural ones.  I just adore the juxtaposition of a totally unnatural color, like neon pink or bright teal with a dark natural green or a mustard yellow.

2.  Mixing the textures of sewing, fabric, paper, and paint to create my paintings.  I love the soft and hard mediums working together to make something really beautiful and interesting.

3.  Not being afraid to try something new in my mixed media: I love grabbing bits of whatever I can find around me when I paint to add into the composition.  You never know what you might find hiding in the paint layers.

Four Tools You Love to Use
1. Brightly colored oil sticks - these suckers will draw in wet paint!

2. Hand Carved Stamps to build a background

3. Vintage Papers and Photos - I stock up on old books at library book sales, shop flea markets, and raid my relatives' attics at any opportunity to find vintage materials

4. Distress Ink Pads - love this product! I want to own every color they sell.  Right now I have the linen, aged photo, and lipstick colors and I use them on everything to create depth and make something new look vintage.

Five Inspirations
1.  My Son!  I love to watch him draw and paint.  His freedom and playfulness with what he creates inspires to me no end to be more like that in my own process.

2.  Art Books.  I am obsessed with collecting art books of all kinds.  Modern, classic, abstract, photography, painting, paper arts, sculpture, you name it I have some of it on my shelf.  When I am needing a creative idea, I look through one of my books and get inspired by the master works of others before me. 

3.  My Artistic Peers - There was a reason why famous painters from the same era's all came from the same school's of art.  Nothing is more inspiring and motivating then surrounding yourself with your contemporaries and influencing each others work.  Nowadays there is the internet to connect with people from all over the world and build a support network of emerging artists and crafters and letting their talents push my boundaries and bring new ideas.

4.  Music - I love to play music when I create and different kinds of music creates different feelings and ideas as I paint.  I love how my process changes when I am listening some old-school Tori Amos vs when I'm grooving to Jazz.  No matter what I am listening to, I always have more ideas with tunes going in the background.

5.  Nature - God's incredible creation all around us gives me boundless inspiration and ideas.  From mimicking a shape, texture, or color palette, the natural world never ceases to be the creative master at producing unexpected and original ideas.

There you have it, my 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Things About Me! Try it yourself.  Now it's your turn! Do you own 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 post to your blog or social networks site, and leave a link to it here in the comments.  I can't wait to learn about your creative process!

XO, HARMONY