Creativity Challenge - Result #1

I've been accepted as a client in a supported employment program.  Supported employment programs are meant to help adults with disabilities find paid positions; work that they can do in spite of challenges, physical limitations, etc.

After more than two years of fruitless job search, I'm excited to be working with an advocate and job development coach!  It's been difficult getting to a point where I could admit and accept that I need the help, just as it's been hard getting to an acceptable comfort level within myself, moving past the "my body is a betrayer" and survival mentalities and finding ways to stabilize my health without the benefits of medical insurance or prescriptions. I've done an enormous amount of self-coaching, lol!

My advocate is taking a two pronged approach.  The first involves helping me find work.  Not just any job, but one that takes into account my interests, skills and passions.  The second involves supporting me in building an online income via my crafts and finding ways to begin utilizing the coaching certificate that I earned over a year ago.

She's given me a challenge - to come up with five ideas for products that I could make, using only what I have on hand.  I've decided on the products and have begun creating the 'prototypes' for each.  I hope to post each item on my blog as they're completed, and will be having a giveaway when all five are ready.

The very first creation is made using three vintage fabric hearts, hand appliqued on muslin and decorated with embroidery, beads or buttons and embellishments.  Each heart is unique and loving stitched. 

The first heart is in blue and white ticking, with embroidery stitches, tiny flowers and seed beads.

The second is a darker fabric with tiny white dots, embroidered with a running stitch, flowers and seed beads.

The third heart is a pink and white stripe, embroidered and decorated with colorful buttons.

I have a stack of the vintage hearts and plan on making each one unique.  I haven't decided whether to mount the hearts in wooden embroidery hoop frames or to mat and mount them in standard frames. 

What do you think - hoop or frame, and why?  I'd love to hear your opinion, so leave me a comment!

Leap Of Faith

I've just made an announcement on Facebook that I'm pretty excited about.  I've been playing games there - Farmville and especially Cityville.  The games started out being something that I could do on those days when pain or fibro fog prevented me from doing much else, but quickly developed into a daily habit. And I won't lie. I've had fun with them. But they really are time consuming and just a wee bit addictive.

My announcement was that I've decided to stop playing both games so that I could focus on planning the beginnings of my CreativeARTitudes and ARTbundance coaching business and on nurturing this blog and creating a fantastic freebie for all of you. To have the time and grace to make and learn art and nurture my connections within the creative community.  And to create a second blog focused on '99'ers and frugality ('99'ers is the term used for those of us whose unemployment benefit extensions have expired). 

Being ill with bronchitis lately has been really difficult in the sense that I haven't had the health or energy to focus on anything else.  But, starting the healing process has given me plenty of time for contemplation and the grace to truly appreciate the wisdom and support that exists within and around me.

My financial situation IS hard; my health is a huge challenge too.  But my current circumstances don't negate the fact that I have a lifetime of experience and wisdom to offer, or that I've finally found the things that truly speak to my heart and soul - life balance and creativity coaching and creating art.

With my background, I've always found trust to be an issue.  Trust in myself?  Trust in others?  Trust in the Universe and what it holds for me?  Ha!  And yet I've come to a place where that trust is not only necessary, but essential.  To my well-being, to my survival, to my ability to grow and thrive.

And so I am taking a leap of faith.  I'm wrapping courage and conviction around myself.  I'm embracing this year and this time that seems to be all about new directions and new adventures!  Woohoo!!  I hope that you'll travel along with me on this journey!