So…I will bloom with renewed vigor…planting seeds and flowering plants in my little flower garden. And…I continue to plant new designs into my portfolio of hope!

Enjoy the sunshine when it arrives…

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. ~ Charles Dickens

So I look forward….leaving behind those things that might keep me from accomplishing goals or growing personally. 2010 is a new year of great possibilities and I will find something good in every day. I will look for all the opportunities, walk through the open doors, stay focused on what is important, let go of excess baggage and most of all I will LIVE!

There is much work to be done in my life this year…many dreams to continue pursuing and opportunities waiting to be explored. So I am pressing forward with a grateful heart in anticipation of good things to come.

I recently discovered this website Craft for Health and today my art and my story are featured on their blog. This is a great site and I look forward to getting to know these two ladies and learning about their work.

Artist Tara Reed http://artlicensingblog.com/ has a great post on choosing a verb for 2010 rather than making resolutions.  A great idea…I think I will need more than one verb…create and prepare. Two action verbs that will lead me further on this licensing journey. There are lots of opportunities and I want to be ready for everyone that comes my way!

Live the creative life!

So today…I am taking that opportunity to share a great resource.

I have been reading  http://katydiddys.blogspot.com/ for quite some time….Laura Bray has a wonderful blog and she is always sharing information and encouragement with her readers.

Recently I signed up for her upcoming eclass: “Multiple Streams of Income”.   Information about the class is  here http://www.katydid-designs.com/Workshops___Classes.html

Laura has signed up creative experts to share their expertise and I am excited to learn and grow my business.

Go check it out…invest in your dreams!

This photo was taken this morning in my flower garden. I enhanced the photo in Photoshop.

“a wise investment is one that moves us toward where we want to go”. vlos2009

Quite frankly I don’t know what lies ahead….however, I don’t plan on giving up my dream! Some things can be put off or given up….licensing my art is not one of “those things.” Success comes slowly over time through hard work and perseverance. The key is to keep pursuing, never give up.

The first step to achieving a dream is action….do something. For me that means creating art to build a portfolio, developing a brand and researching the licensing markets. All of these are time consuming and will involve lots of work.

My theory in life is simple—I was going that direction anyway so why not work on a dream or two along the way. If I am going to achieve, I must put in the time and work to make the dream happen.

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you have imagined. –Henry David Thoreau

I love fabric…all kinds of fabric. My stash is large and it is very hard to pass up buying more fabric anytime I set foot in my local Hancocks or Hobby Lobby, in fact any fabric store works for me…just give me fabric.

Since I have been sewing from an early age…eleven or so…my sewing machine has had lots of fabric pass through the feed dogs….dresses, blouses, slacks, coats, purses, home decor and of course, there are always the patching jobs that seem to fall on me.

Sewing and crafting have been second nature all of my life and I learned through the patience of my mother who along with my grandmother could sew anything they wanted. They both loved quilting and my mother still keeps a quilt in the frame and one or more ready for the frame.

So….fabric has played a big part in my life and walking down the isles touching and seeing the bright colors and wonderful designs is like walking through a candy store for me.

As an artist. one of my goals is to design fabrics….it will happen!

These pictures are of some of the quilts I have inherited from my mother and grandmothers.

Nothing fancy….just scraps from clothing projects or even old feed sacks; however, each stitch lovingly placed by dedicated hands.

There are many creative people on the web and I love reading the blogs and looking at creative sites.  As this site develops I will be featuring other artists who inspire me to keep going after this dream of licensing my art. So many artists are willing to share their knowledge and that really impresses me.

Today the sites I would like to highlight are:

www.artlicensingblog.com This site is a wealth of information and Tara Reed is one talented lady and so sweet to share her knowledge.

www.melodyhogan.com Melody Hogan is a gifted artist and a friend

www.monicalee.typepad.com Monica Lee is another talented artist and her site is always a neat place to visit.

I wish all of these ladies much success as they continue to pursue their dreams.

Live your dream!