An Unexpected Snow Holiday

"Snowbound" ACEO

Here in the Piedmont of North Carolina where I live, we don't often get major winter snow storms... but last week, Winter Storm Jonas paid us a visit, leaving behind more sleet than snow. My husband & I were thankful that our power stayed on and that we had plenty of food in the house. After checking to be sure that our parents & grown kids were safe & warm, we settled in 'til the snow melted. And so, being the introverts that we both are, we each dove into the books we'd been wanting to read & the creative projects around the house we'd been waiting to do... loving this unexpected Snow Holiday in our quiet home.

My Aha! Moment

I have to be honest with you... I feel a little foolish about writing this blog post. At the beginning of last month, I thought I had all my art plans figured out... I was going to create digital stamps & offer them for sale to crafters through my Etsy shop, PholkartStudio. I set about the process of creating TWO new blogs... one to feature my handcolored digistamps & another to host a monthly challenge for crafters who create handmade cards. Yes, my plans were coming together nicely!

But something just wasn't sitting right with me... and without taking time to explore my discomfort, I pushed those uneasy feelings aside & pressed on with my plan.

Midway through the month, I began to realize that I just wasn't very happy. I was feeling a constant inner push to create brand new designs. I had put on my organizer's hat & was directing my new operations, clucking over each area like a mother hen over her chicks. I had taken on the role of marketer/social media guru with new zeal & began spreading the word about my big plans... In the end, I discovered I was juggling too many balls in the air and I was feeling completely frazzled!!

Finally, I took time to listen to my heart. And I rediscovered what I probably knew all along... I missed creating colorful little pieces of original art by hand & I missed working on my illustrated art blog. As a BIG introvert, I had been pushing out beyond my comfort zone & I wasn't spending quiet time renewing my energy. Most of all, I was running out ahead of the Lord.

And so... I began the process of pulling back & deleting. No more digital stamps. No more challenge blog. I put the brakes on my daily social media. And I went back to my studio & started "makin' stuff."

"Little Red Riding Hood"

Honestly, I began to feel lighter... and happier... and more "me" almost right away.  My inner self breathed a deep sigh of relief.

So here I am... a little lost, a little 'between things,' with no big plans or arty business goals. I'm just trying to show up each day with my sketchbook in hand, trying to listen with my heart to the Lord & hold whatever comes next for me very loosely.

Thank you Lord that you keep loving me even when I go off in my own direction. Thanks that you have good plans for me & I can trust you to lead me. Please help me to listen to you with my head & my heart... and to follow wherever you go.

Follow Me...

Photo Courtesy of BigStock Photos

Back when I first starting creating art (with the hopes of other people liking & buying it!), I had absolutely NO idea that achieving my hoped-for goal of being a little art biz involved anything more than simply making art that I loved & "putting it out there" on the internet for others to love too!.... Really, what's so complicated about that?!

You see, I had a "If you build it, they will come" kinda mindset (thanks to the movie, Field of Dreams for the perfect phrase to describe my thinking!). I soon found out that I had a LOT of learning to do! It just wasn't as simple & easy as that!

Along with nurturing my art skills along (read here... mostly trial & error!), there was a whole GINORMOUS, always-changing world of Social Media to get a handle on. Sheesh!... Who'da thought??? Not me, that's for sure!

Photo Courtesy of BigStock Photos

So... being a natural researcher & a great lover of learning new things, I happily dove into the process of coming up-to-speed on all things Social Media... blog writing, & facebook posting, & image sharing on flickr & Pinterest, & arty newsletters (Oh My!!). I have to admit, I never really got the "hang" of Twitter (...what do all those hashtags mean, anyway?).

But recently, I found myself "hitting the wall." I felt I just couldn't "push myself out there" anymore. Having an online presence had ended up feeling like a huge burden to me (especially as the BIG Introvert I am!). After all, what I really wanted to do was to authentically be myself & MAKE ART!! So, I backed away from my beloved computer & quietly hid myself in my studio to regroup for a while.

And I'm still in that regrouping process... Mostly, I've been trying to simplify (goodbye Twitter!). I'm trying to listen to my own heart. I'm trying to get in touch with what nurtures me & what drains me. And then, I'm trying to ignore what everyone else out there in cyberspace is doing.... and what all the current advice is saying... and simply show up with my art when I'm able to & be myself.

I know this may be "wrong thinking" to many art business owners' ears... but for me, I need to follow my own arty path. I need to feel free to be HAPPY both in making & promoting my artwork.

** ps ~ I would be DELIGHTED if you'd like to follow me anywhere my art is found! There are links to my Facebook Page here on my blog, as well as to my Shops &  Pinterest collections. I hope you LOVE what I create!... I certainly LOVE creating it for you to enjoy!  :)