Finding more

Like the crashing waves of lake superior... I feel huge waves of gratitude swelling up inside me and spill over onto the rocks of this fricking amazing thing called life.

I spent a weekend with my 2 loves at our favorite place on the Gunflint Trail. Coming home was hard. Hard because of my husband's work schedule, our time together is just too precious. I hated to see it end. I felt like a kid who doesn't want Christmas to be over. The love of family gathering at Christmas is one of my favorite childhood memories, I was always sad when the holiday was over.

Gratitude became crystal clear when I made time and space for it.




Clutter clearing... time away.

The north shore and north woods have a way of soothing the soul.

It moves me.

Captivates me... and draws me in.

This is my getaway.

This is my place of peace.

Where the blue water meets the blue sky.

The distractions melt away.

The stress melts away...

and all I can see is beauty all around me.

It washes over 
and through me.

This is heaven 
here on earth.

I can't get enough of it.

Even just looking at the pictures brings me to tears.

It's home.

Inspiring.

Beautiful.

Magical.

There is so much
beauty here.

So, so much.

I see with new eyes.

The sounds are magnified and so close.

And my heart opens up wide.

Here is a peek into the woods (and water) I love so much...

Time to stop, time to slow down, shut off the distractions and 
let in the light!

Time to drift into our own thoughts.

Dream dreams. Remember why we are here. Stop and realize our life here is so precious.
SO important.

My hope and prayer is that everyone would find their place of magic, inspiration and joy and the time and space to find gratitude and beauty.

Because you deserve it. Believe it.

This beautiful world is calling you... to find her-find it, and find yourself while your there. 

Go...  

Documenting Life

Lately I am obsessed with documenting, and getting all my photos in order! Unfortunately with the digital world we live in I have not kept up on all my printing of photos. Do you have this same problem!? Even some of the most organized people I know don't have their pictures in print! I really can't imagine how I will be able to keep up with it all when I have kids! Yikes!

I have given up on scrap booking completely! I realized I don't love scrap booking like I love other things like painting, and illustrating, and taking pictures and cooking...
AND guess what?
There are only so many hours in the day!
It's hard to make time do do the things I love let alone things I just feel obligated to do..
so people...
let me tell you something...
Do what you love... and Love what you do.
Don't waste time on hobbies, activities or people that don't light you up!

My goal for the end of the year is to get all caught up on my photos!
Shutterfly has a free book deal going on until tomorrow! I decided to make a book of all my recent paintings! One of my big ones that sold this year I never got a good picture of it! How sad! Take my advice... Keep up on it so it doesn't become ONE huge task! 
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY....
Make it easy and fun! 
For me Just slipping my photos in a "old fashion" photo album is 
AWESOME AND PERFECT! And making books like this one on Shutterfly are fun and easy!
YEA!

Click here to view this photo book larger

You'll love award-winning Shutterfly photo books. Start your own today.

Adventures on the Gunflint!

My 2 loves and I had the chance to escape to the edge of Minnesota, the Gunflint Trail which borders Canada. Each trip... we fall more and more in love. Each trip we contemplate buying land, a little cottage in woods were we could escape to! It breaks your heart to leave, it's just so beautiful. It's magical, there's no other way to describe it! I'm excited... we actually book a fall trip before leaving so that made we feel a little better about leaving! The well is overflowing with inspiration from this trip!

This picture below was taken from inside our cabin. Although you don't really need to be inside your cabin as you can see they will eat right out of your hand! The resort has corn and black sunflower seed for you to feed the deer, so cool! By the end of the trip buddy was  used to them just coming right up to the window! 

The trails even in winter offer beauty and surprises! Birds, deer, squirrels, eagles, and lots of fresh prints in the white snow from rabbits, foxes and we even got to see a fresh kill (a big bloody spot along the river where some animal just had lunch!! We think an eagle or fox) We were expecting the trip to be a muddy one, but it was a winter wonderland. This year spring just won't come! We actually drove up in a blizzard. It snowed every day we were there except the for one day were we had aqua blue skies!

Loving this moment I captured of my 2 loves! Both love to go to the V E R Y edge of of the trial, the edge of the mountain, and sit to look over... I'm the cautious one! 

On our way home we stopped at one of our favorite beaches... it was a beautiful day and we picked tons of rocks and tried to soak up as much of Lake Superior as we could!

While on our rock picking excursion I captured this shot. We were each just in our own worlds... and I looked up to see where they were and this just made me smile.
Filling the inspiration well!

And of course I had to share this one... I got a few of these shots where Buddy is just LEAPING in the air!
Pure Joy.
Pure Happiness.
He was getting energy out... and loving all the fresh powder up there... he was SO HAPPY!
The Gunflint Lodge is a dog's dream resort really!
If you ever have a chance to head that far north, the resort is a treat and completely geared towards tree-huggers!

It's April 22nd - Earth Day and it's snowing tonight... they think 3-6 inches overnight here! 

Up north the snow was so beautiful... but now that I'm back to reality in the city... I'd like spring to come!
Nat

Instagram Takes Over

My year so far has been amazing... 
I CAN NOT believe I haven't had blogged ONE TIME!
So Bad! I think my followers (if I have any left) think I fell off the face of the planet!

I LOVE, LOVE, photography and I really feel like Instagram has changed my blogging habits. I got a smart phone at the end of last year and it's not really convenient to blog on a phone and I typically just don't pull out my computer at night! I miss this space though! It's not going anywhere!
I'm back! I'm back!


So since I was too busy Instagraming....I thought I'd share with you a few of my favorite Instagram pics that I've taken this year!! 

We opened the year with relaxation, family, and lots of snuggling up by the fire. We bought a load of firewood which  was something we have wanted to so since we owned our house. I just love it. It's romantic, and soothing, relaxing.

Here's my best friend... keeping me company on the bed (so bad I know) He typically doesn't even like to jump up on the bed anymore he's 7 now! I can't believe we've had him for 3 years now this February!

The best dog I've ever had!
Nick name: Sweet Sweet

In the winter we send a lot of time at the dog park! It's happy hour for the dogs and the people. 
 I can walk of my work day and, get some fresh air AND get some nature in, while buddy gets a ton of exercise! It's a win win for us both!

This was a spontaneous big one for us! We bought a new car. It's green, and it's a little mini SUV thing, and I love it. It's my first ever brand new car!

Room for dogs, future kids and all my art supplies! I'm happy.

My moms friend got sick with the flu so
I by chance got invited to Priscilla at the Orpheum Theatre. 

So funny! Beautiful costumes!
SO INSPIRING! 

My husband and I went to Ike's for breakfast in downtown Minneapolis.
One of my goals for 2013 is to try lots of new restaurants!
YEA!
Most amazing Bloody Mary Ever!
Delish!

One night my mom and spontaneously stopped at the Eastman Nature Center and saw this big guy from the glass windows inside the Nature Center!

My paintings are up for 3 months at the local Dunn Brothers in Maple Grove!
I am over the moon phyced and excited!!
I am in charge of a new program at the Maple Grove At Center called The Business of Art... this program gets art into local businesses!!

Another amazing
sunset at the 
dog park!

My word for the year is CREATE. Even though I'm an artist and graphic designer my goal is make time to do something CREATIVE every day! Maybe it's sketching, blogging, painting. Something creative!

I painted a canvas Valentine's Day banner!





Working on lots of new canvases!

Ice fishing with my dad on Bass Lake!

Capturing the beauty on Bass Lake...
While we were out on the lake it snowed a couple of beautiful white fluffy inches!
This really inspired me!

Adding Luscious layers to my canvases!

Really loving this canvas! 
So dreamy!

What's your favorite thing to Instagram!?!?

Oh ya... did I mention you can follow me on Instagram at: Cre8tiveQueenNat

Beach In November

Buddy and I got to visit lake Superior a couple of weekends ago... it was a girls weekend with the exception of Bud!
No matter what the weather.. the lake has this amazing calming effect on me.

Do you have a place you like to go that has a calming effect on you!?

I wish Lake Superior was 10 minutes away!
 
Buddy loves treasure hunting on the beach as much as I do!
I have Christmas project in mind for all the driftwood I've collected! =)

Stay tuned...
Nat

Fall Eye Candy!

I think I'll take these AMAZING fall COLORS... to the canvas!
These were snapped last weekend before the temp dropped and the wind started howling today!

Lots of love and inspiration!
Have a beautiful weekend,
Nat