Terry Grahl of Enchanted Makeovers

Terry Grahl- CEO 

It is with great pleasure that I share the story of Enchanted Makeovers with you. Terry has done something so beautiful and it all began with her following her heart. As you can imagine living in a shelter would present many challenges and Terry and her team have made life in a shelter more comfortable, more cozy and more cheerful for dozens of women and children. Let's help her continue improving the lives of our neighbors. You can make donations at www.enchantedmakeovers.org

Terry founded Enchanted Makeovers (EM) in 2007, and has been on an extraordinary journey ever since.  She creates the vision for the organization, and pours her heart and soul into every last detail, from makeovers to programs to events to strategic planning. Terry is an award-winning decorator who's creativity, child-like innocence, and whimsy is reflected throughout the mission. Terry was named People Magazine and MLB's "All-Star Among Us" in 2010 out of 7,500 nominations nationwide. Within a week she was standing on the Los Angeles Angels Baseball field watching as celebrity Sheryl Crow presented a video on her non-profit at the MLB All-Star game in California.

She's been featured in dozens of outlets both online, in print and television, such as Woman's World, Better Homes and Gardens Quilts & More, Martha Stewart, Country Almanac, Paint Magic, People Magazine, Cottages & Bungalows, Ladies Home Journal and Oprah Winfrey Show. Most importantly, she's a wife, mother to four wonderful children, and a passionate woman on a mission to inspire people to dream while they are awake, follow their heart, and to see each other truly as an extension of one's self. www.enchantedmakeovers.org

 

~Follow Your Creative BLISS~ 

Sharon

Dream BIG!

Dream BIG! 

And why shouldn't You? 

The sky's the limit really isnt a cliche. 

Your dreams define you, Be you!

~Follow Your Creative BLISS~ 

XO~Sharon

Truth from a fortune cookie!

 This fortune has been pinned on my inspiration board for months

if not a year or two and I just realized that its 

YOUR FORTUNE TOO!

I know you have dreams and I know you have doubts. 

We all have doubts, but we also have within us the ability to overcome obstacles.

Don't let the doubts crowd out your dreams. 

Believe in Yourself.

I Believe in YOU.

Please share what you are dreaming about, I'd love to hear from you.

~Follow Your Creative BLISS~

Sharon

I'm Ashley from The Shine Project, and I need you to help me CHANGE the world.

Yes, I said it, we CAN change the world!

I started my blog The Shine Project at the beginning of the year to motivate everyone to go after their DREAMS.

I wanted a place where people could come to feel supported, inspired, and encouraged.

I wanted to see how much good we could do in the lives of those around us, and see changes.

To do this, I started doing weekly SHINE CHALLENGES.

Each Monday, I post a challenge that pushes us out of our comfort zones.

From doing something you've never done, to writing a note to a teacher who's influenced you,

the goal is to get us to STOP procrastinating, and do these things NOW!

I also set up service projects so we can all SHINE in our communities. YOU all have the opportunity to be a SHINE service leader in your city! 3 weeks ago we did a clothing drive for a domestic violence shelter in downtown Phoenix,and spent a few hours organizing their donation center. It was AMAZING to team up with people around Arizona who wanted to spread their light to those who needed to be helped out of darkness.

This is what YOU have the potential of doing.

The Shine Project is coming to SAN DIEGO, June 11th for a big beach clean up!

JUNE 11th is the day for us ALL to help clean our communities, whether you can make it to Mission Beach or not!

(email me at ashley.theshineproject@gmail.com for details)

I believe that all of us can use our talents to influence the world for GOOD.

As a daily reminder, I created SHINE necklaces to motivate us.

$1 from each one sold goes to The Shine Project Scholarship Fund which will give a scholarship

to an inner city highschool student in January 2012. SHINE t-shirts are also available.

Raise your hand if you've ever had a dream that you've put on the shelf. Raise it higher...I'm right there with you! Could you imagine what would happen if we all lived up to our potential?

Let's make the world SHINE.

Come join me! 

www.ashlemieux.blogspot.com

If that didn't inspire you, I don't know what will! Get involved, SHINE!!!

Creatively~
Sharon

Lisa Gundersen of Polka Dot Pound Cake

 

~ From Ballet Slippers to Banana Bread ~

After owning a dance studio for 12 years, I decided to hang up my tutu so I could be home with my two year old daughter Emily. A year later, Hannah arrived and soon a favorite afternoon activity for us was baking.

A very fast 10 years later, as flour flew around the kitchen, I found myself thinking of creating a new business...and the answer was on the kitchen counter, the Banana bread that had been baked earlier that day. 

In the fall of 2008, after taking care of all the legalities, I started selling my cakes at various fairs and festivals on Long Island NY. I was filled with a passion for baking and the entrepreneurial spirit.

My passion for baking was inspired by my childhood memories of the heavenly aromas of my Norwegian mother's daily baking. Her influence is found in the traditional American classics that are baked lovingly at Polka Dot Pound Cake. The company name and signature polka dot ribbons are a tribute to my mother. A sweet reminder of the decorative ribbons that she sewed onto my childhood dresses that she made for me.

The biggest obstacle I faced this year was finding a commercial kitchen space that was affordable to rent.  Finding one was necessary to take my business to the next level. Thankfully I found one after months of searching.  This will allow me to sell at 4 LI Farmers Markets June-November. I am thrilled to take this huge step forward!  I also look forward to the day that I can hire employees. Currently I hold the crown for employee of the month J

It can be difficult at times to juggle being an entrepreneur, wife, and mother.  Family and friends had suggested for years that I sell my baked goods. They continue to be incredibly supportive and enthusiastic about my goals and dreams. They believed in me from the beginning even when I had my own doubts!  

I feel that it is necessary to connect with other women entrepreneurs. The Networks that I belong to { Savor the Success and Martha Stewarts Dreamers into Doers} have been a valuable source of advice, and friendship. It is very easy to find myself working almost 24/7 when building a business, but making time for my family and for me is so important. One way I find time for me is teaching an adult tap class every Monday night.

My advice to anyone who has an idea for a business would be to start slowly. Do not be in a rush, let the business evolve and take you on a journey. For me, when I look back and connect the dots…I see why and how I got to be where I am now. I look forward to where Polka Dot Pound Cake will take me.

To contact Lisa or to order her amazing baked goods visit www.polkadotpoundcake.com

lisa@polkadotpoundcake.com

www.facebook.com/polkadotpoundcake
516.641.2586

Sonia Crouse of "Creating Vintage Charm"

Meet the Beauty & Brains behind the magazine, Sonia Crouse

Interview by Cari Robertson

1.  Tell me a little bit about your childhood - have you always enjoyed arts and crafts?

I have wonderful memories of my childhood; it was simple living with the advantage of being brought up on a small island, surrounded by family and friends continuously. I had several cousins from different families growing up on my street, from both mum and dad’s side of the family, besides having three siblings of my own. What child doesn’t like company to play with? We played outside every evening, all summer long, and on the weekends, we packed our car and left for the beach.

During the summer, I also remember sewing a lot, by hand. My doll had a new outfit everyday with clothes I designed for her using ideas I got from doll catalogs. I tried to put together the dresses as best I could. Drawing and sketching were also things I did continuously at home and school, and as I progressed, it drew a lot of attention from my high school teacher, Ms. Ventura. She encouraged me and inspired me in many ways.
 
2.  What artistic expressions are your favorites?  Do they change?

Artistic expressions do change for me, yes. There are so many ways to let out creativity and art. I do like to try everything once if I get the chance. I did a lot of painting and still life while in high school and after.

Then after that, I was more interested in textile design and sewing. At the same time, I developed a digital art and graphic design interest, also involving photography.

I am interested in most creative outlets and also have developed visions of my own creations in so many ways and would love to work on them all. It may take me a lifetime, but that is fine by me. 

3.  Tell me about an artist who inspires you.

There was no artist in particular that inspired me. It was more of a collection of artists and their work collected in a book. This one book called Enchanted World: The magic of pictures, by Bryan Holme, belonged to my brother, and I flipped through this book countless times, mesmerized by each painting and all different artwork styles and eras. I was particularly fascinated by the Baroque and Rococo era art work - the romance and the detail in their work. I could stare at each painting for a long time, searching for new hidden details. A later painting by  Walter Crane called "Neptune’s horses" also fascinated me. Growing up on an island, obviously surrounded by the ocean, when I first saw Walter’s imagining of white horses representing the white foamy waves riding to the shores, it really struck me as amazing.

Creating Vintage Charm Magazine

4.  How did you first decide to publish a magazine?  How did you decide on the focus of vintage arts and crafts?

After contemplating graphic design for a newspaper, I had this thought about how much more fun and inspiring it would be if I was creating a publication about artwork that I (and so many others I am connected with) enjoy. That is creating vintage charm. Honestly at first I thought that it was an idea way beyond me, but somehow I kept reaching toward it and searching about how I could actually make it work. The more I realized how possible it could be for me, the more excited I got, and the more ideas I had about the magazine. I guess, you can say, there was no turning back from there. It simply became a mission for me.

I also know so many of us who do the most beautiful work and show it in the most humble ways; yet, we all are proud of each other and what we create. It is amazing to me what a great, supportive community of artists we have created. For any of us, seeing our work printed and distributed in a magazine is the most amazing thing that could happen. But not many of us ever give much thought to seeing our own work published. My mission is to reach out and help artists reach a new level in publicity for their artwork and perhaps in a "not so overwhelming manner" since I am one of the crowd. 

5.  What is especially gratifying for you as you create the magazine?

The reviews and emails filled with compliments and encouragement to continue the good work. Especially those who are inspired by the magazine to explore their creative outlet.

 
6.  What is difficult or scary about being in charge of the magazine?

I get more nervous the closer I get to releasing an issue. I work on the magazine continuously and being the one who develops it from start to finish, I don’t get the opportunity to look at it with fresh eyes like the readers would. That is scary to me - not knowing how it will look to those flipping through the magazine, since I cannot experience that.
 
7.  How does being a single mom influence your creations?

It makes me appreciate more the time that I do find to create.

One of many of Sonia's beautiful creations

8.  If you could spend a day creating anything with anyone, what would you choose and why?

Right now, I would say painting or mixed media collage. I have nothing in particular in mind, but I am inspired by so many beautiful things in nature and style that somehow I want to put them together on canvas.

Sonia's Studio

9. What words of encouragement would you give other women out there who are looking for opportunities to be creative in a way that counts?

Never give up, of course. If an idea hits, don't dismiss it without any further thought. Even if it is too big and you have to start small, at least it is a start. There is always room to grow later on and perhaps make changes to where you can make it work better for your needs. After all, if you got excited about the idea in the first place, then you are probably going to enjoy it. 

To order your copy of Creating Vintage Charm visit Creating Vintage Charm

Meet Cassandra VanCuren

 You may have heard the buzz about Cassandra's 

Marie's Danse des Fleurs Event but here is

the story behind the girl that dared to dream!

 

"It's who you know"

as told by Cassandra VanCuren

I am sure you are familiar with the phrases, "It's not what you know, but who you know!"  or  "It's all about who you know!!" These phrases have raised much dispute and controversy for me throughout the years.  I, for one, have looked at these catchy sayings as "passed down irritating advice" that invoked negative feelings for me.  I would often wonder, "How do you meet this magical person that will make my dreams come true?"  And fearfully I would worry, "What if I never cross paths with my "who you know" person, then what do I do?"  However, over the last year my perspective on this phrase has greatly changed.

In October of 2009 I had been entertaining the idea of hosting a Marie Antoinette inspired art event in Florida. At this time I had no idea where to even start planning a themed art event nor did I have an inkling of the thoughts, emotions, people, and new experiences that would be ahead of me! The next year would be a year of learned experiences that turned my idea into a reality. Alas, Marie's Danse des Fleurs was born, February 2011! 

Cassandra with two of her guests.

 

Well... as you know all fairy tales have a beginning and mine starts with a man, who is my prince, and I am lucky to know and call him my husband! Despite his understanding of my artistic passions, he listened, encouraged, supported and had unwavering faith in me. Even when I doubted myself he maintained the attitude of:  “You’ll never know unless you try.”  And so it began...

So who did I know? Who was my special person that made my dreams come true?

 

I knew a special friend that spent hours listening to me dream, plan, worry, and sometimes even cry.  She helped organize my thoughts, encouraged me and helped me believe in myself.

I knew women with experience in art events that were kind enough to offer their time to guide and help oversee my dream come true. I knew talented artists and businesses that had faith in my idea and also supported and donated a piece of their own time and art. 

Every detail is perfect!

 

I knew a group of lovely women who dedicated a weekend to spend with me creating, sharing, and dreaming along with me. They traveled from coast to coast, with bags full of art supplies, gifts, art swaps and costumes to come enjoy and share what I had created for them.

Lovely attendees.

And most importantly, I knew myself!!  I learned to trust my abilities in myself and in my art and therein found the confidence in which to see this dream come true. As many of you know and can relate, it is not always easy to be your own cheerleader as  we are our own worse critics!  However, sometimes, you have to put your weaknesses aside and focus on depending on yourself for the tools that you need in order to achieve something you have dreamed about! It’s not necessarily a matter of whether you fail or succeed, but more about the experiences and knowledge you gain by trying. Each and every thing you learn along the way is a treasured tool that helps you learn and grow into the person you ultimately dream of becoming.

So now I do believe in the passed down advice of “It’s all about who you know.” Because if it was not for the people I knew, I may not have been able to experience this artful journey. I now believe that a person’s perspective of who they see being their magical person or persons is what makes the difference! Sometimes those special magical people that can change your life are the people you already know! Perhaps even yourself! For me, seeing my dream come true was an achievement that has been life altering! I am grateful for the people who believed in me and encouraged me. Thank you!

Gorgeous!

Avery special thanks to Tiffany Kirchner Dixon, The Fancy Farmgirl who captured the essence of this lovely gathering so well!  For more information on the magic she creates please visit www.thefancyfarmgirl.com

A table fit for a Queen!

Precious!

 I hope you were inspired to follow your passions just like Cassandra did. Visit her blog:

http://anartfuladventure.typepad.com/an_artful_adventure/

Join me for Tea!

Join me in Paris for a lovely tea luncheon and Launch Your Creativity!

 Swoon worthy!

 What better place to realize that you can make your dreams come true?

 The food here is excellent.

Your ticket includes a fabulous  tea luncheon,

5 guest speakers to inspire you, encourage you and teach you

how to start the business of your dreams.

A meet & greet with Jacqueline deMontravel, editor of Romantic Homes Magazine.

A gorgeous coptic journal made by artist Jenelle Van de Mortel filled with business basics,

How to find a product rep written by Lydia Reza,

gift bags and door prizes.

Tickets are $62.00 advance or $69.00 at the door. To reserve your ticket visit

www.LaunchYourCreativity.com

Launch Your Creativity is Saturday April 9, 2011.

Paris in a Cup

119 S. Glassell St. Orange CA 92866

Becky Schultea

 Meet artist Becky Schultea

I've been an artist all my life, drawing on every surface imaginable as a kid (sorry Mom!). I honed my art skills all throughout school and got my "big break" at 19 when family friends who had started a Christian gift manufacturing/wholesale business hired me to do some product design work in the summer after my first year of college.This company manufactured a variety of framed wall art with Scripture. I was hired to provide original artwork for new products they were contemplating, like magnets, notecards, and other giftware. I was hooked on gift design/illustration instantly and went on to work for the company as their creative director full time for the next five years. It was wonderful to be able to share my faith through art, which was (is) very important to me. In addition, it was in this position that I first learned about design cycles, merchandising, catalog shoots, going to market, advertising, and deadlines - all invaluable lessons. 

After leaving that position, I designed and painted t-shirts for eight years for a gift store chain in Austin, Texas during the hand-painted clothing craze of the mid-80's/early 90's. In that environment I really expanded on the colorful, whimsical nature of my art, plus I gained training skills by leading a large team of "cottage" artists who painted the shirts I designed. I was also very fortunate to be invited to attend numerous gift and clothing markets in Dallas to stay abreast of design trends. I was exposed to gift market trade magazines during this time, and that is where I began to learn about art licensing. I was convinced that was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. So, I left that job, took some more art classes at college (I was in my mid thirties at this point), and put together my first set of greeting card designs to submit to a publisher for review. The rejection letter came lightning fast - within a week! I was so discouraged that I didn't send any more samples to any other companies...I just gave up right then and there! Really, really dumb.

I didn't do any art of any significance for almost 10 years after that. I sold real estate in Austin for a couple of years, then my former husband was transferred to Colorado, and we dropped everything and moved. Shortly thereafter I landed a software training job with a large corporation. During those corporate years I began to really yearn again for a creative outlet, and more than once got in trouble for over-using clip art in my training materials! Even though it was not a job in art, I will be forever grateful for the business knowledge and discipline that I gained there. While still doing training, I got a big break from a graphic artist friend from church who sub-contracted me to do a series of black and white drawings for a Christian activity book. I was so happy to be illustrating again, and began right then to plan a return to doing art full time. That was the Fall of 2004. 2005 would prove to be a watershed year for me. That was the year that my 22 year marriage unraveled and ended in divorce.

During those painful months, two important things happened along the path of my artistic journey. First, I discovered the world of blogging while I was researching about illustrators. I read online for hours and became so inspired by the artists' work and their stories that they shared on their blogs that I decided to start my own blog, and in June of 2005, Just Bee 'n Me was born. A whole new chapter began to open in my life. I was connecting with artists and designers in new ways and I was building my portfolio again by participating in weekly creative challenges like Illustration Friday. It was wonderful, and more confirmation that this was the direction I wanted to go in my life.

Then in July of the same year I attended the Christian Bookseller's Association (CBA) Convention which was held in Denver that year. That was the market we used to attend twenty-plus years before when I was designing for the Christian gift company. Attending that convention was a big turning point for me. Not only did I meet the owner and art director for my chief licensee Universal Designs there, but I was exposed to and inspired by so many manufacturers and product lines that I hadn't known of before. I was like a kid in a candy shop! This fueled my passion for pursuing work in the Christian market once again and I began to rebuild my portfolio in earnest and research how to reach art directors in these and other markets. 

By the end of 2005 I had moved back to my beloved home state of Texas to be surrounded by family who provided the love and support I needed to get back on my feet. I was still working the same corporate training job I had in Colorado (it was a telecommuting position so I could work anywhere), plus I continued to create designs for Universal Designs in the evenings and on weekends. I eventually met and married my sweet husband and life was wonderful! Then in late 2008, I found out my corporate training job was being outsourced overseas, and it didn't take long to see that this was my opportunity to take a big leap of faith and rather than try to find another corporate position, I would pursue illustration/artwork licensing full time instead.

So my dear supportive husband and I made some big downsizing decisions, rented out our home, and restored his paid-for bachelor pad mobile home on an acre in the country about 45 minutes away from where we were living. We moved there in February of 2009, and that Summer hubby built me a dream studio out of a storage shed. I spent the latter part of 2009 and the better part of 2010 trying to make a

go selling repurposed furniture and home decor in a local antique shop, and although I loved that work and that environment, it was an incredible time burner for not much financial return. All the while, I was still in hopes of taking my illustration/licensing to new levels, but I soon realized that it would take a full-time concerted effort to make that happen.

So that's where I'm at now, focused full-time on licensing my illustrations and creating for my online shops at Aimee Asher and CafePress. But I'm approaching my work with a different attitude than I may have had in the past. I am taking to heart something I wrote in a journal years ago:

"But WHAT should I create?  The eternal question....the answer lies not in "what" but in "why". The purpose must precede the product. Attempt to create much as you would with a friend or family member in mind. Strive to meet a need, offer encouragement, or share wisdom. The design and the medium will fall into place when you put purpose first!!"

And that is what I am doing...I am designing, not to primarily pad my portfolio, but to bring a little joy into the lives of the people I love, and that has made all the difference in my creativity and inspiration and productivity and satisfaction. Designing with purpose....that's now how I define success. And such sweet success it is!

"God has given each of you a gift from his great  variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another." 1 Peter 4:10

My links:

Blog (Just Bee 'n Me): http://justbeenme.blogspot.com

Portfolio Website:  http://beckyschultea.com

Just Bee 'n Me Digital Boutique at Aimee Asher (digital clip art/scrapbooking kits): http://www.aimeeasher.com/shoppe/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=52

Creative Celebrations with Becky (column for the Aimee Asher Blog): http://aimeeasher.com/shop/

Just Bee 'n Me Online Shop (CafePress): http://www.cafepress.com/justbeenme

I hope you enjoyed meeting Becky and are inspired by her story. This is a reminder that you should never give up on your dreams, they are what define you.

It's all in the family!

 I would like to introduce you to Deana Gayhart and her family...

Left to right: Connie Gayhart, Melinda Morgan, Deana Gayhart

"Two Generations Turning the Dull into the Divine"

Connie Gayhart instilled a passion for creativity into her daughters from a young age. As that passion grew, Deana decided it was time to pursue her dream of owning her own store. 

Here is Deana's story:

I always wanted to own my own store, but the idea of what kind of store was constantly changing. I have always loved creating, painting, sewing, upholstery, and interior decorating (all of which I learned from watching my mom). In college I studied business with an emphasis in entrepreneurship and finally decided on the type of business I wanted to own. 

My mom, my sister, and I where always sewing clothing, formal gowns, bathing suits, home decorative items…. you name it! I thought to myself, people are always asking us to sew things for them, we are really good at it, and we love it, why don’t we get paid for this?? 

My mom and I began doing farmers markets and craft shows selling things we hand made. Then we took a spot at The Brick Basement, an antique/craft mall. We sold our handmade things there, as well as a blend of antique and vintage finds. My mom always had antiques and collectibles in our home, so I grew up with an appreciation of “old junk”. This place was the perfect blend of all the things we truly love; creating and collecting.

While in my final semester in college I was taking a course in which we were supposed to launch our own business, sort of as a thesis. That is when my mom and I discoveredThe Brick Basement was for sale and jumped at the opportunity. Over the years we have added furniture painting, upholstery, and custom sewing of home decorative items as services provided through our store. After about three years owning and operating The Brick Basement we decided one store just wasn’t enough, so we opened a second, "Alchemy Fine Living".

In Alchemy Fine Living we really get to express our creativity. We carry a large line of fabrics and sew all sorts of custom designs for the home, from curtains and bedding to slipcovers and pillows. We sell a blend of antique, new and handcrafted items. We buy and refinish, repurpose or otherwise embellish antique and vintage furnishings for resale within the store. We also paint and refinish furniture for clients. We’ve become so busy that my sister Melinda has taken on most of the sewing and upholstery at The Brick Basement, while my mom and I focus on custom orders taken at Alchemy Fine Living. 

The Brick Basement

113 N. Harbor Blvd.  Fullerton CA

714-525-3692

Join us for our Spring open house at The Brick Basement

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Alchemy Fine Living

173 E. City Place Dr. Santa Ana CA

877-250-3674

Upholstery , lamp rewiring and furniture painting classes are available at Alchemy Fine Living.