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

Sweet Sunday - Happy New Year!

  Sweet Sunday! This Sunday is extra sweet because there are 2 more days to the weekend! Whoohoo! The holidays have come and gone, and although they were fun they were also a little crazy. We threw a huge party and I just didn't get to baking and candy making. I barely bought all the presents, so to be honest I am sort of happy they are over - 6 events in 4 days was enough for me.
  I am looking forward to creating some new canvases I bought with Christmas money, and a fresh start. I miss my art. I worked on this sweet little piece this month but didn't actually get them printed in time for Christmas so I am going to use some for Thank-you cards. I think I'll work on planning out 2013, creating a vision board and my goals!

 

I'm celebrating Sweet Sunday over at Diana's blog...but I just went to create the link and realized it's supposed to be Sweet Saturday! Ahhhh, I can only laugh! I'm sort of screwed up on days... anyone else? Diana is a favorite illustrator/blogger of mine since I started blogging!

Hope your Sunday is super sweet! (and hope your Saturday was too!)

Happy New Year,

Nat

 

December Bliss List!

I've missed the blank blog canvas page... where I can let my thoughts flow... I can contemplate.. and write... dream... and share.
I thought I could dive back in with the Bliss List, because at this time of year, when we spend time with our friends and family I get all gushy, mushy and sentimental.

I have entered the world of smart phones! FINALLY! And I JUST LOVE Istagram. I try to capture gratitude moments every day.
Here are some of the recent moments I've captured with my phone! I've been thoroughly enjoying the Christmas season so far! We're a week away and I do have a lot of shopping to do but my heart is full and the stockings are hung by the chimney with care.

I am thankful for my dog buddy bear this week I had a scare that he might have cancer (but we're all good he is healthy!), our pets have such an impact on our lives. WOW!
I am thankful for my sweet husband. This past week we have had so much fun! The big pic on the bottom right was a date night, we went ice skating and a romantic dinner. Another night we drank wine, listened to music, watched tv & talked.
And last night we drove around our neighborhood and looked at lights...this is such a big deal for us - we don't get do do this very often with our work schedules. 

I'm really looking forward to Christmas with my family, I feel blessed I have a family to celebrate with.
I can't imagine it any other way and this year I am kicking off the big holiday weekend hosting a big party for my hubby's side of the family!
   

 

I'm blissed out, so happy so blessed! Bliss Blessed!
Thank you for stopping by... hope you have a blissful weekend,
Nat 

 

Update From the Art Room

Here's one of my latest paintings I'm working on. As you can sort of see in the pic I have a picture sitting on my table that i was looking at for reference. It's a sweet picture of some moss I took in Ely... it can actually be found on this post!
The process of painting is a p r o c e s s! Sometimes it comes so easily sometimes it takes work, take patience, takes practice.
I'm not 100% happy with this piece yet... I just keep working it and re-working it adding more and more layer. They are all so individual, telling a story of my days, my life. I recently read something... it related our life's being like a puzzle and sometimes you have that piece that doesn't quite work... that one that seems like it won't fit. But it takes putting together that entire puzzle to figure out WHERE that last piece fits!
That's kind of how I feel about the "moss" painting. 

In other news
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
This is my new easel

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omg, omg, omg!

I feel so blessed to have this beauty! My husband bought this for me for my Birthday/Wedding Anniversary present back in July but it just made it home because I had to get a truck to get the thing home from Duluth. The cool thing is, an artist friend made it too! Best presents ever!

Really need to go buy some big canvases now!

Captured these while painting...

love the drips!































OHHHHH and did I mention I'm on Instagram now!
I am so flipping excited!

Follow me at: Cre8tiveQueenNat

Much love,
Nat

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

Gratitude & Abundance!

Do you ever get crabby? In a FUNK? Beaten down? Frustrated?
Or maybe its just that you're chugging a long... finding it hard to FIND THAT inspiration and joy...
Or maybe you have a bad experience? A crabby waiter or store clerk? 

We all experience these "Funks or Bumps"...
and that's why I wanted to give you a few ideas for boosting yourself back to gratitude
These are DAILY HABITS to practice... not just a one time deal and your good for life!

5 Easy Tips to Bring More Gratitude & Abundance 
Into Your Life!

1. PICTURE IT!
One my favorite ways to express my gratitude is to take pictures through out my day of the little things in life... that I'm grateful for. The other night I captured this shot on my walk with bud...with technology, iphones and pocket cameras this is so fun & inspiring!
 
2. WRITE IT!
At the end of your day - make a list of the 5 things you are grateful for. (Sometimes I sketch mine) If you can write more... AWESOME! There have to be at least 5 things that you can be thankful for, even if it's as simple as your warm bed or a cup of tea.

3. VISUALIZE IT!
I like to visualize! I walk everyday with my 4 legged best friend and as I'm walking I start to take in all the things around me and in my head (or sometimes out loud) I say...Thank you for the birds, Thank you for the beautiful trees, Thank you for the clean air, as I think about all the beautiful things in nature that I am thankful for I visualize that love and gratitude going out into this world. I always feel lighter and brighter after I do this one.

4. FLIP IT!
Have you ever heard the saying "Attitude of Gratitude" ?? When your speaking negative things or thinking negative things you are actually drawing that to negative energy into your life. My husband and I kind of have a deal, when one of us is getting into the negative talk or focusing on all the bad - we say "Attitude of Gratitude!" This is our cue - and our friendly reminder to one another to stay on track with a positive mind set. Catch yourself when you aren't in that positive mindset or if your speaking negatively - and FLIP IT! All it takes is that simple little shift!

5. EXPECT IT!
Ya, I just said.... expect it! You should expect greatness in your life. Why wouldn't you? When I expect my day to suck, it always does. When I expect that my day will be AMAZING, it ALWAYS IS. ALWAYS. Expect beauty. Expect joy. Expect love. Expect blessings. It is life changing.

Your attitude, your feelings, your words - can shape you, can transform your life and your days for the better or for the worst. Maybe you aren't sure which way you are being shaped right now but you have the power to change that....
RIGHT NOW.

Try one or all five! Gratitude = Abundance
xoxox,
Nat 

Finding My Voice

I love to sing. 
So, so, so much. Music can take you on a journey - it's so freeing. It's kind of like painting - I can get lost in it. I hate driving long distances but the best part about my 30 minute commute to work is jammin' out at the top of my lungs.

I was in choir all through elementary school and junior high.... then for some reason - singing in a choir just fell off my list of activities... for no particular reason, other than I was doing other things. I still loved music and had always had knack for learning the lyrics to every song on the radio. A couple of my friends parents growing up even called me "Singing Natalie"
I used to blare the stereo after school with my best friend and jam out to Celine Dion, Mariah Carey and Micheal Jackson. Singing our favorites on repeat for hours.

I wish I would have stuck with it.
I have felt this tug on my heart to sing again... for over a year.

At the church I go to they have a team that sings up in front... I've kind of thought wouldn't it be awesome if I was good enough to sing with them?

I have been out of practice for so long though... 
It's scary and a long shot!
What will my family and friends think?
Now all the sudden I want to sing? 
Do I really want to make that commitment?
How do I even approach that? 
What if I'm not good enough?
Do I love it enough?
These questions have been swimming around in my head for over a year, paralyzing me.
It was way too out of my comfort zone to start singing again.

One day my wedding photographer who I had no idea was a singer - posted this video on his website about how he found the courage to sing again after he had  given it up. He actually released an album! He encouraged everyone to GO DO THAT SCARY THING that we've been thinking about...just have the COURAGE TO GO FOR IT!

Oddly enough mine "scary thing" was singing too...

Now... don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to release an album any time soon.
I just want to sing.

As soon as the video ended I reached into my purse and found the little piece of paper I had grabbed at church the week before. It said
"Would you like to join the Music team at Journey? Contact.... so and so."
So I emailed "so and so" and set an appointment to meet him and talk to him about singing at my church.

He just started his position at my church and is the lead singer in the band at the alternative service. It's a laid back kind of service geared towards a more nontraditional approach.

When I went to meet him to talk about the possibility of singing somewhere (maybe at the nontraditional service) at my church, I quickly blurted out... "I'm not very good... I haven't done this in so long... I'm not ready to just join, I need to practice."

"Let's Jam" he said, as he pulls out his guitar...

OMG.

REALLY?

My voice was quivering.
I was was so nervous.
What am I doing?! 
(I thought)

I went and "Jammed out" with a total stranger at my church.
Seriously!
It's not skydiving but I was soooooooooooo nervous!!

After doing it... I kind of felt like

DAMN.

I did it.

Sounds simple, sounds like no big deal.

But it was a leap of courage for me.

I'm not sure where I'll go with this adventure but I'm on my way to finding my voice.
And it feels pretty awesome.

So just like my Wedding Photographer... I want to encourage you.

Go get em'.

This life is so short.

If not now... then when?!

You are never too old to start doing anything!

Who knows what's next for me? Dance, Guitar?

I won't limit myself. I won't be defined by what I think I can or can't do.
And you shouldn't either.

ROCK IT,
Nat