stephanie levy : a studio with a view

Barcelona!

2012-01-25T15:29:00.001+01:00

I can hardly believe that it is already time for me to pack my bags and take off again. My next trip is to beautiful Barcelona, Spain! As usual, I made a new collage for the occasion, which I will send you as a personal postcard directly from Barcelona to your own mailbox when you order a card here in my shop.

There are still six cities left on my 12 Countries tour, and if you'd like to receive a postcard from all six cities, you can purchase a European postcard subscription. Find out more about that here.

I'm truly hoping for some Spanish sunshine while I'm in Barcelona... the weather forecast is calling for rain this weekend, but I am refusing to believe it! I'll be sharing detailed travel reports live from Barcelona with my Creative Courage group - but don't worry, I'll have some goodies to share with you here on the blog too :)

Hope you are having a good week, and if you'd like a postcard from Barcelona be sure to place your order before Sunday, January 29th. Thanks so much, and I'd love to send you a personal hello!

xoxo

Stephanie

p.s. - If you have any tips for places or people to see, things to do or eat, I'd love to hear about your Barcelona experiences and suggestions!

anna betts : artists who blog

2012-01-19T12:34:00.001+01:00

Anna Betts is a delightful young British illustrator and designer who studied at the Cambridge School of Art. She works as a freelance illustrator, at a small creative agency, and at a museum, and she teaches pottery to children. Busy, busy girl!

Anna also has a lovely blog and Etsy shop featuring her handmade jewelry designs, so be sure to have a look! Enjoy :)

Anna's blog: www.colourandsound.blogspot.com

Anna's website: www.annabetts.com
Anna's shop: www.madebyanna.etsy.com

Why did you decide to become an artist and could you imagine doing anything else? If so, what?
I always liked the ideas part of art lessons at school so I suppose Illustration suits me well in that respect. I think that there's something fascinating in translating an idea in writing into something visual. That's still the most rewarding part of any project for me. As a teenager however, I was a keen air cadet. It seems strange now but I seriously considered going into the air force!

Do you still believe “do what you love and the money will come“?

Yes I think so. I've always propped up my creative work with part-time work that pays the rent, but I have a lot of respect for people that throw everything into their creative endeavour, it's brave and I think often those people make their own luck.

How has blogging/the Internet influenced your work as an artist?

While I was studying for my degree I was writing my blog and showing bits of work I was making. The feedback I got from my readers was often interesting in being different to what we talked about in class. I think the internet in general has perhaps encouraged me to pursue a more graphic approach to my work, though I don't know if I could explain why. Selling on Etsy is certainly good for my confidence too.

Please name 3 of your favorite blogs and tell us why these blogs are special. (Please provide links!)

rummey bears - I love Anna's photographs of her beautiful family, and the frank way she talks about motherhood.

sunken treasure - Sophie's blog is just so gorgeously documented it makes me want to move to Scandinavia (she's from Belgium actually but the heart wants what the heart wants!).

aqua-velvet - I love the mixture of vintage typography and design, architecture and illustration that they blog. It's often stuff I haven't seen anywhere else.

What is your greatest fear and what do you do to overcome it?

Pretty much everything is terrifying in the months after you graduate, but I recently watched this amazing talk by Steve Jobs, 'Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish' which helped:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc

I hope I can look back and see how the dots connected in this part of my life.

Who would you like to trade places with for one day? Why?

That is a really hard question. I'm going to say an olympic athlete. I'm not very sporty and wonder sometimes what it would be like to be world-class fit and muscular. I'd like to be able to run really fast, but then the next day I'd like to go back to eating biscuits!

What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?

I wouldn't say I've got this quite right yet, but I'm working on it. I currently have four part-time jobs alongside my own creative work so having a diary and smartphone certainly help me organise myself. I'm a chronic list-writer. I've just started having Fridays off as my illustration day - which is lovely and I hope will help me get a bit more of the good stuff done.

If you could live anywhere in the world – all expenses paid – for one year, where would that be? Why?

Cape Town, South Africa. I was born there and haven't been back since we moved to England when I was two. It's really arty and the landscape is stunning. I'd be excited to see how my visual work would change in such different surroundings.

How do you maintain a healthy balance between your professional and private life?

I don't. I think it's really hard to when you work from home as it's there, staring at you as you cook your supper, when you get up in the morning, when you're supposed to be leaving for work but you just want to get this last piece of vintage paper cut and ready for a new set of collages.... You see what I mean. I also have a very patient boyfriend.

What are your top 5 goals that you’d like to accomplish within the next 5 years?

1. I currently work 4 days a week for other people and one for myself. In five years I'd like this to be reversed. I'd like to be able to pick and choose to do bits of work for other companies or educational organisations.

2. I'd like to be able to travel a bit.

3. I'd like to be doing illustration work for nationally and internationally recognised newspapers and magazines.

4. Have my work published in a book, preferably a yummy hardback one!

5. I'd like to study for an MA.

What is your advice for someone who would like to turn his or her creative dreams into reality?

Get on with it already! You won't know until you try. Get a blog and see what is going on around you. Saying that, I don't think anyone can survive on blogging alone as a means to keep you motivated, so go to exhibitions and see real stuff. Meet people and ask questions, do a course! Have fingers in a lot of pies.

Thank you for joining us Anna! Your responses and your lovely illustrations and jewelry are refreshing and inspiring! xo

Come, Play & Learn

2012-01-13T14:55:00.001+01:00

Beginning the Creative Courage e-course this week has been a joy! We have a lovely mix of new and returning participants, and it feels wonderful to be a part of such a supportive, encouraging community of women from around the world.

Creative Courage has developed into an international meeting place, where we all come together to share our creative ideas, release our fears and frustrations, and think of fresh ways to approach whatever is on our plates at the moment.

This is one last invitation for you to come, play, and learn together with us :)

Everything in the course is very "do at your own pace," so there is plenty of time to jump in, and we'd love to have you with us during this 7 week journey.

Have a lovely weekend and all the best to you!

xoxo

Stephanie

p.s. - The current session of Creative Courage has now sold out! Thank you for your support!

The next session of Creative Courage begins on April 9th. We'll have all new Monday videos, 12 fresh guest interviews, and we'll be going to Paris for this session, yay!

** To be the first to know about my Early Bird Registration Discounts, please join my mailing list here.

My Munich Neighborhood Walk

2012-01-12T17:13:00.001+01:00

Sometimes my husband and I question our decision to raise our girls in an urban environment instead of a place with idyllic countryside views... but I must admit that I personally love peeking in the windows on my Munich neighborhood walks. For instance, I adore the beautiful homemade tarts at our bakery,

the colorful flowers arranged so cheerfully at the local florist,

and the funky little shops that sell all sorts of things

and sometimes even have sales!

I am always enchanted by the unusual jewelry store

where the window styling is an artful composition.

The fairytale lights set off sweet ceramic collections

and the windows glow with cut paper stars.

I hope you are having a beautiful day in your neighborhood!

You can check out more fun neighborhoods that Aimee is discovering on her cross country move with her family here.

Where would you like to take your next neighborhood walk?

xoxo

Stephanie

Retro Words of Wisdom

2012-01-09T23:51:00.000+01:00

I found some wonderful words of wisdom today in a storefront window in my neighborhood.

I love these retro style collages, kind of like pin-up graffiti,

the messages so simple and so true!

Because it is January 9th and Simone de Beauvoir's birthday, I also have a quote from her:

"Change your life today. Don't gamble on the future, act now, without delay."

Another beautiful idea from Boris Pasternak that I discovered recently:

"The unforeseen is the most beautiful gift life can give us."

I hope you are having a wonderful Monday!

We are celebrating with a new video

over at Creative Courage

and it is a full

moon!

Love

2012-01-06T15:49:00.001+01:00

I've been lucky enough to receive some beautiful love recently, and I wanted to share some of it with you today :)

This gorgeous, handmade card (look at that detail!) arrived in perfect condition from Maryline in Switzerland, who took part in my last Creative Courage e-course. Maryline is a gifted, artistic quilter, she shares her wonderful photography and travels on her blog, and oh my goodness - have a look at this truffel triple chocolate cake recipe! Thank you Maryline!

Lisa, a graphic designer who also took part in Creative Courage, sent me this lovely modern prayer flag - such a kind and thoughtful gesture! On her Jersey Murmurs website, she explains that "the people of Tibet believe that when prayer flags are wafted in the wind, prayers ascend on their behalf."

You can find lots of fun and inspiring prayer flags in her Etsy shop here. I particularly love this one pictured above - it really made me smile! Thank you Lisa!

Speaking of Etsy, I was so excited to finally be able to hang up the 2012 silk screened tea towel calendar that Etsy gifted everyone who attended Holly Becker's Decorate book launch party in Berlin. I love it! Thank you to Holly, Matt, and the Etsy Berlin team!

Why does everything immediately look more elegant when it is written in French? The lovely Catherine from the French Vagabondes online magazine asked me to share an interview about my experiences on my 12 Countries in 12 Months art + travel project. You can get the story behind the travels I made to six European countries in 2011 (still six to go!) in my interview here. (Don't worry, the interview is in English :) Thank you Catherine!!

The wonderful, witty Susie Lubell of Mishmish Studio recently moved from California to Israel with her family, and she has started a series of interviews called "Strangers in a Strange Land" with expats and other transplants to find out how they have come to deal with their transitions. I am completely honored that she asked me to share an interview on her lovely Inner Toddler blog this week.

You can read all of my secrets about why I moved to Germany and the ups and downs I experienced while getting adjusted to life abroad in my interview with Susie here. Thank you Susie!!

*****

I'm sending lots of love and gratitude to all of you as well! Right now, I'm busy working on getting everything ready for the next session of Creative Courage which as you know starts on Monday. Only 3 days and just a handful of spaces left! So excited and lots to share with you...

Have a wonderful weekend!

xoxo

Stephanie

Creative Courage Soul Sisters: Part II

2012-01-06T12:44:00.000+01:00

More shining light from these Creative Courage Soul Sisters today! I'm thrilled that these inspiring women will be sharing their exclusive interviews with us in my Creative Courage e-course, which starts this Monday, January 9th :)

*****

Kelly Lynn Jones is an artist and curator living in Oakland, California. She received her MFA in May 2010 from the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. Kelly has shown her work all over the US and in the UK.

Kelly created Little Paper Planes in 2004. After graduating from art school, Jones wanted to create an online platform where she and her friends could sell the pieces they were making to help support their individual art careers. LPP was one of the first online stores offering artist editions.

She has spoken on several panels including the Hello Etsy Summit in San Francisco and she has also given lectures in classes at Parsons The New School, NYC, San Francisco State University and the California College of the Arts in San Francisco.

Kelly told me she couldn't pinpoint only one creative dream for this year. "I want to just be constantly making work and spend as much time in the studio. I am working on a one-off clothing line so hopefully I can get that launched in the next month of so. Art is a way of life and I just try to live it everyday."

photo credit: Thea Coughlin

Mati Rose McDonough went back to art school when she was just shy of 30 years old to study painting and illustration at the California College of the Arts. Now at 35, Mati has had over a dozen art shows, taught painting classes around the world, and created illustrations for many top clients. One of her elephant paintings was recently reproduced on a giant Pier 1 billboard on Times Square in NYC!

Mati's book Daring Adventures in Paint will debut in 2012 with Quarry books and she has also illustrated 2 children's books. She is happily represented by the illustrious Lilla Rogers Studio.

One of Mati's favorite illustration projects was designing a line of t-shirts for Patagonia

while she visited an olive farm near Florence, Italy.

Mati is inspired by beauty, truth, lies, urban animals perched up in trees, bits of eavesdropped conversation, young imaginations, faded signs, the ocean, patchwork quilts, ornate iron work, ice cream carts and stories of longing.

Mati's creative dreams for 2012: "To flourish creatively - paint heaps and prosper."

Belinda Kemp, aka Gretchen Mist, is a visual artist living in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and 2 young children. Her mixed media work explores the emotions connected to imagined/remembered landscapes, shared experiences and thought processes.

Influences on her artwork include; romantic ideals (road trips + life by the ocean + large open spaces) and the shapes, patterns, and colors found in plants and gardens.

Belinda writes, "I've always had a love of art + design, magazines and creating/making things. I feel odd if I don't have some type of design/project on the go or at least brewing in my mind. Although I am drawn mostly to abstract art, I also love decorative and illustrative work. "

Belinda's creative dream for 2012: "I want to fill a sketch book {or many sketch books!} with daily drawings and/or watercolour paintings and see where this takes me by the end of the year."

Amy Ng is the founder and editor of Pikaland, a blog dedicated to art and illustration since 2007.Amy constantly finds new inspirations from artists and illustrators, and she created Pikaland as a place where she could gather them all together. She hopes that Pikaland is a platform that will be able help promote the many artists and illustrators she features.

Amy is based in Malaysia, and she was an editor at a regional architecture and design magazine before realizing that her first love was illustration. She's now happy to be working as a full time blogger, editor, and illustrator.

Amy's latest creation is Camp Pikaland, a collaborative effort in bringing together the best of art, craft, illustration and small-business based online classes to people all over the world.

One of Amy's creative dreams for 2012: "For Pikaland to do more for fellow artists and illustrators in 2012 through various projects and collaborations; as well as dedicating more time to pursue personal projects!"

photo credit: In Her Image

Kate Swoboda is a life coach, speaker, and writer. On her Your Courageous Life website (full of resources), she sounds the call to revolutionize your life from within, through practicing courage.

Since 2006, Kate has worked with coaching clients from around the world, and she completed her counseling/coaching training with the Interchange Counseling Institute after receiving university degrees in Sociology and English.

Kate created The Courageous Living Guide and The Coaching Blueprint, a resource for coaches.

Some of Kate's loves include essential oils, Pema Chodron, tattoos, spending the afternoon thumbing through home decorating books, running road races, hanging out at libraries, lattes from Peet’s, connecting with friends, and that delicious moment of unwrapping and cracking open a brand-new hardcover ruled Moleskine notebook.

Two of Kate's fun creative dreams include: "shadowing Annie Liebovitz on a photo shoot and spending a year traveling."

Amelia Critchlow is an artist, writer and creator of the experimental art e-course and gift grants. She lives and works in London, UK with her two children. She recently authored an e-book called How to Make Money to Do What You Love.

Amelia graduated from Wimbledon School of Art in 2007 with a BA Honours Degree in Fine Art. Since then she has participated in group and solo exhibitions and fairs and is currently studying for an MA in Fine Art.

She also teaches, runs workshops, and undertakes funded projects within her community. Her work is currently represented by ArtDog Gallery, South London.

Amelia's intention is "to start a quiet revolution changing the world into a creative playground where people carve a life they want to live." She invites you to join the journey: "discover your passion, live creatively, and experiment artistically - we are all artists of our own lives!"

Amelia's creative dream for 2012 is: "to finish my art MA the best I possibly can with it leading to all sorts of amazing art adventures :)"

*****

I can't wait to start sharing all of these inspiring interviews with you in Creative Courage next week. If you're curious to find out what it's all about, I'd like to invite you to come over and join us here.

Who would you like to see me interview for future sessions of Creative Courage?

Hope you are having a great week!

xoxo

Stephanie

Creative Courage Soul Sisters: Part I

2012-01-05T17:55:00.001+01:00

I'm so excited to introduce you to my Creative Courage Soul Sisters series, featuring the brilliant women who are contributing interviews to my e-course which starts this Monday, January 9th.

I'll be posting these spotlights in two parts today. A whopping total of 12 amazing women are joining us to share their ideas and personal stories of how they are living out their dreams of making art, writing books, publishing magazines, teaching e-courses and workshops, and helping other women achieve their own creative goals. I'm so delighted that these gorgeous ladies will be taking part - and I hope you will join us too!

Andrea Scher is a photographer, life coach, creative entrepreneur, writer, and mama living in Berkeley, California. Through her e-course Mondo Beyondo and award-winning blog Superhero Journal, Andrea inspires other creative souls to live authentic, colorful and extraordinary lives. You can also find Andrea over at Superhero Photo, an inspiring e-course that lives in that sweet spot where creativity and personal growth intersect.

She is also the co-author of the book Expressive Photography: The Shutter Sisters’ Guide to Shooting from the Heart. She lives with her husband Matt and her two boys Ben and Nico. You can often find her sitting on the kitchen floor with her four-year-old, asking him to leap so she can take a superhero portrait.

One of Andrea's creative dreams is to "Publish a beautiful, best-selling book."

Jill Bliss is an artist, designer, teacher, and naturalist now based in Portland, Oregon. She studied illustration in New York City at Parsons, and design at the California College of the Arts, then established her own company - blissen.com - in San Francisco before moving to Portland.

Jill's art is inspired through her relationship with the natural world. She studies the plants, animals and ecosystems in the area where she lives as well as on her travels, and these studies serve as a basis for many of her illustrations and artwork series.

Jill eloquently writes, "Our everyday world consists of both human-made and natural environments that co-exist, which is something we all have to find ways to recognize and come to terms with – whether it be planning, speaking, drawing, photography, writing, what have you. We all have the potential to be thoughtful, creative cultural producers AND consumers everyday!"

When asked about her creative dreams for 2012, Jill said, "It would be awesome to travel to a new part of the world each year so I could intensely study and draw plants and animals worldwide, and learn the differences and similarities of all."

Heather Smith Jones is an artist, author, and instructor working in mixed media on paper, painting, and letterpress. She owns and operates her letterpress business Blue Sparrow Press and in January 2011, her book Water Paper Paint, Exploring Creativity with Watercolor and Mixed Media was published. For the past eight years she has been teaching young artists in the Arts-Based Preschool at The Lawrence Arts Center.

Heather's paintings and drawings are represented in several galleries in the Midwest and on the East coast. In 2001 Smith Jones earned her MFA from The University of Kansas and her BFA in Painting from East Carolina University in Greenville, NC in 1996. Born in the mountains of Tennessee she now lives in downtown Lawrence, Kansas in a little house with her husband and their three cats.

Heather shared with me, "My creative goals include working in new media and I am starting a few personal projects which I intend to work on throughout the year."

Janine Vangool runs UPPERCASE publishing inc., which is based in Calgary, Canada. She publishes books and a quarterly magazine inspired by creativity, craft, design, and illustration.

Since opening in 2005, originally as a gallery and retail shop, UPPERCASE has hosted some notable exhibitions of Canadian talent and curated numerous thematic and group shows featuring international artists such as Camilla Engman, Christopher Silas Neal, Lisa Congdon, Ryan Heshka, and Hatch Show Print. She also ran her graphic design business from the space.

After years of freelancing, Janine took the leap to follow her own creative path and retired from working with clients. She closed the retail shop to focus on publishing, editing, and designing the exceptionally beautiful UPPERCASE magazines and books featuring artists and designers from around the world.

Janine's inspiring creative dream is to: "Live abroad for a year! We hope that someday my husband gets a writer-in-residence position in an intriguing location! Other than all the inventory, UPPERCASE is actually very portable."

Michelle Ward has personally helped almost 200 creative people devise the career they think they can’t have – or discover it to begin with! A certified life coach by the International Coach Academy, a musical theater actress with my BFA from NYU/Tisch, and a Corporate America escapee, she's been an expert contributor for Newsweek, Forbes, Psychology Today, Yahoo! and AOL Jobs. Michelle has also led workshops and seminars at SXSW and the sold-out Etsy Success Symposium.

She encourages everyone to claim their uniquity via The Declaration of You and you can learn more about Michelle and her unique creative coaching programs on her website whenigrowupcoach.com.

Michelle's creative dream for 2012: "Find a publisher for one of my book proposals (I got two in the hopper!)"

Jen Louden is a personal growth pioneer who helped launch the self-care movement with her first book The Woman’s Comfort Book. She's the author of five more books on well-being and personal wisdom that have inspired more than a million women in 9 languages.

Jen has been a national columnist, radio show host, and she even sat on Oprah's couch. She believes self-love + world-love = wholeness for all. Together with Susannah Conway and Marianne Elliott, she'll be leading The Creative Joy retreat in the summer of 2012. Learn more about Jen's books, workshops, and retreats on her website: http://JenniferLouden.com.

One of Jen's current creative dreams: "To write and self-publish my novel in 2012."

*****

I'm blown away by these inspiring women, and I'm so very appreciative of the time and energy they have put into their responses to my many questions about how they've accomplished many of their dreams.

I can't wait to share their in-depth, exclusive interviews with you in my Creative Courage e-course. There are still a few spaces left, so I hope you'll join us on this Monday, January 9th. Find out how to sign up here.

Creative Courage Soul Sisters: Part II coming up!

xoxo

Stephanie

Glow

2012-01-03T11:59:00.000+01:00

Happy New Year! Here's to new beginnings in 2012. I caught this amazing sunrise over the rooftops outside my window yesterday.

I've noticed lots of people talking about choosing symbolic word for their year during the past couple of days, and it got me thinking... What do I want to create in 2012? Is there a word that symbolizes where I want to be at the end of 2012?

And I've decided that I would most like to "glow" in 2012, inside and out. You know that special glow that people get when they are content, happy, healthy, and completely at peace with where they are in their lives? I want that too!

To work on my "glow," I'll be doing my best to get more sleep, laugh more with friends and family, exercise, eat healthy, delicious meals, and relax. I tend to be a workaholic sometimes, and I want to learn to pace myself better, to take more time out to just enjoy.

I feel lots of exciting changes and new projects coming up in 2012. While these are all wonderful opportunities, I do need to learn to let go and take breaks more often.

So maybe "glow" sounds like a strange word to choose, but I mean it in a holistic way. I'd like to develop a strong inner glow of joy and enthusiasm that is contagious and lights up other people too!

Children seem to have it naturally, don't they?

Whether they are modeling new Christmas dresses,

dancing in vintage petticoats,

or riding on Papa's back... kids glow from within.

So I think it must be possible for us adults too... Here's to turning our glow on in 2012!

Do you have a special word for 2012? What do you do to make yourself glow?

xoxo

Stephanie

p.s. If you'd like to meet an entire community of glowing women next week, join us here.

Leap with me into 2012

2011-12-30T13:51:00.000+01:00

Hi friends!

Are you ready to celebrate the start of 2012?

I'm excited that 2012 is a Leap Year because "leaping" seems so very symbolic of taking chances, exploring new things, and springing into the glorious unknown.

I feel many positive changes coming this year! When a new year begins, I always enjoy creating some pleasant rituals to ring in a fresh start.

For me, this often means simply buying a new journal, hanging my calendar, taking a long walk, and writing down some of my goals for the new year.

What are your plans to celebrate the start of 2012?

This year is very special because on January 9th, 2012, we'll be starting an all new session of Creative Courage. I can't wait to get started with this inspiring group of women, who are all working towards the fulfillment of their creative dreams.

I love that this course enables us to join together from around the world to bundle our ideas, energy, and build supportive connections with others who are also in the midst of growing and learning in our creative fields.

We'll be celebrating the next weeks with many creative projects and exercises, learning from weekly interviews with inspiring guests, enjoying delicious seasonal recipes, and sharing adventure on a trip to Barcelona, Spain.

Would you like to join in the fun and "take a leap" in the next session of Creative Courage? Registration is now open and I'd be thrilled for you to take part. Find out more by clicking here.

I'm sending you light, love, courage, creative spirit, and big hugs from Munich today!

xoxo

Stephanie

p.s. - For a special bonus surprise, you can click here to read my newsletter today.

Scroll to the bottom to get your bonus, and be sure to subscribe to get all future codes ;)

Let's leap together in 2012!

Dana Komjaty from Leililaloo : an artist interview in Amsterdam

2011-12-29T13:31:00.001+01:00

Today I am happy to begin sharing more of the conversations I have had with the wonderful, creative women I have met during my travels over the past few months. In all, I've interviewed 16 talented women in five European countries, who were kind enough to take the time to meet me where they live and work.

I'll start with Dana Komjaty, a delightful, charming Dutch artist living in Amsterdam, who runs two Etsy shops - Leililaloo and Dana Komjaty - and who has a warm, entertaining blog as well.

Dana and I have had email contact for quite some time. In May 2009, I did an in-depth interview with Dana for my artists who blog series here, and she interviewed me for her Balancing series on her own blog here! When I decided that I would be visiting Amsterdam, I knew immediately that I wanted to meet Dana and include her in my 12 Countries in 12 Months interview project.

We met on a rainy day in a local Amsterdam cafe and had a lively talk over fresh mint tea and coffee. I asked Dana to tell me a little about her background and here is what she had to say:

"I was born in a small town in the South of Holland, but I have been in Amsterdam for 15 years. Amsterdam is the only city where I can imagine living in Holland now. I like the relaxed, open atmosphere and the international, multi-cultural aspect. People are accepted here.

I studied art and fashion design in Breda, and I worked in surface and textile design for a while, but I found it very isolating. I started wondering about the meaning behind my art... What was I giving back to the world?

So I stopped textile design, and I made an extreme job switch. I worked with refugee children here in Amsterdam as a social worker. Most children were asylum seekers from Angola and orphans and I worked 24 hour shifts. Then, because of political changes here in Holland, the children's home was closed.

For a while I worked doing backstage help with the theater for the National Ballet, but I needed a steady job. I did training to be a home healthcare midwife, who helps women after the birth of their children. It is an exhausting job, but always rewarding."

These days Dana also runs two online shops, and she is very productive making handmade artwork, jewelry, and textiles. She also has two young children, and is a single mom. Amazing!

I asked Dana why she started blogging and she told me that it all started for her when she discovered Rosa Pomar's blog. (I also interviewed Rosa in Lisbon, so you'll be hearing from her later on!)

Dana explained, "After I saw Rosa's blog, I started discovering how the creative world of the Internet works. I researched everything for about 2 years before I got the courage to begin blogging myself. When I started my own blog in 2008, Rosa's blog was the compass for me.

I looked at Etsy and at first, I didn't really understand what it was all about. It has grown so much now, and so many people are blogging and so many have Etsy shops."

Dana went on to say, "I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now without the Internet. I even named my daughter Indie Mae - 'Indie' for the movement in the US, and 'Mae' as her second name was suggested to me on my blog. Faythe Levine's book and movie 'Handmade Nation' are a great inspiration for me."

One of Dana's dreams for the future is to give workshops where women could come together and make creative things collectively. For instance, she loves what she sees happening at the Teahouse Studio in San Francisco, and especially the artwork and classes of artist Mati Rose McDonough.

When I asked Dana what she loves about the city of Amsterdam, she told me, "The creative side, the way people dress and the crazy combinations they come up with. There is a special 'Pippi Longstocking style' among some women - with braids and rain boots on their bikes... What I dislike are the stereotypes with windmills and wooden shoes, also the drug problems in the city.

My favorite day of the year in Amsterdam is Queen's Day on April 30th. There is a fun, funky atmosphere and it is a flea market paradise on that day!"

*****

It was a real treat to meet Dana in person. She has such a great sense of humor and a warm heart. My daughters were so enchanted by the beautiful pillow I brought back from Dana's workshop in Amsterdam, we now have a family of five original, handmade Leililaloo pillows!

In case you are wondering where the name Leililaloo comes from, Dana's son Leilani came up with it as he was trying to pronounce his name at age one. What a cute and unique story.

Be sure to visit Dana at her Leililaloo shop and on her lovely blog :)

Thank you Dana for being a such a kind, generous host and for sharing your thoughts and artwork with us in Amsterdam! I'm wishing you a wonderful 2012!

xoxo

Stephanie

Merry Christmas from Munich!

2011-12-24T22:25:00.001+01:00

Merry Christmas from Munich

where we've all been indulging in

cinnamon sugar stars from the Christmas market.

My girls rode the Christmas carousel more times than I could count.

I think they would have loved to ride all night!

We had our share of Bavarian Christmas treats

and evening strolls with twinkling lights.

But mostly we've just enjoyed hanging out at home

decorating the tree

and spending cozy, relaxed, cheerful time together.

*****

Thanks to Jan for featuring my Munich neighborhood Christmas tour on Poppytalk today!

I wish you all a wonderful holiday celebration and all the very best from my home to yours!

xoxo

Stephanie

Holiday Magic from Portugal

2011-12-23T13:48:00.000+01:00

Portugal was the last stop on my 12 Countries tour this year - and what a wonderful place it was to celebrate the halfway mark on my journey. In holiday spirit, the bakery windows were full of colorful yeasted "Bolo Rei" or King's Cakes that are traditionally eaten on January 6th for Three Kings Day.

I only made photographs of the lovely Bolo Rei,

but I did indulge in a few creamy galaos (Portuguese style caffe latte) and various sweet treats,

including these famous Portuguese custard tarts, oh yum!

I had a gorgeous view from my Lisbon apartment that I found through airbnb - highly recommended!

And I was enchanted by the orange trees everywhere in my neighborhood

that quite unpretentiously lined the streets!

Holiday decorations were rather spare this year in Lisbon with everyone talking about the "economic crisis." However, in my charming, historic neighborhood of Alfama, the streets were decorated in a more improvised and funky style.

The main square in Alfama was lit up by a sparkling, neon nativity scene,

while other streets were decorated with holiday greetings in Portuguese.

I had heard that the village of Obidos was famous for its Christmas celebrations, so I took a day trip to see this walled city dating back to the Middle Ages.

The village was full of beautiful, tiny, cobblestone streets that felt like secret pathways

and I loved the bright spots of color and handcrafted items on display.

In the evening, Obidos turned on its true holiday charm.

So I grabbed a bag of fresh, hot roasted chestnuts and continued to explore.

The village houses were decorated simply and elegantly,

and there were cute little Christmas market stands selling all sorts of holiday foods.

I enjoyed a perfectly made delicate crepe

and one of the richest cups of hot cocoa I have ever tasted!

Tiny cups made out of edible chocolate and filled with cherry liqueur are a well-known Obidos specialty,

and the friendly locals were ready to pose for a photo and make a toast in Portuguese.

Colorful Christmas trees lit up every corner

and the village church square was graced with a life size nativity scene.

Even the olive trees were decorated with hanging lights!

Oh magical Portugal! What a delight it was to visit, and I can definitely imagine coming back again for a longer stay.

I hope you are enjoying my little holiday getaway series! Perhaps it will help us all remember to relax and enjoy more this season... Be sure to check out my holiday guest post on Poppytalk today too.

Next up: a visit to the Xmas market in my Munich neighborhood!

xoxo

Stephanie

The Golden City of Prague

2011-12-22T11:15:00.000+01:00

Only a couple of weeks ago, I was standing on the Charles Bridge in Prague ago, gazing at this beautiful golden city. From the beginning, I knew that Prague was definitely one of the places I wanted to visit on my 12 Countries in 12 Months tour.

Twelve years ago, I took a trip to Prague with one of my best friends from the US. Since then, Prague has changed quite a lot, and these days Prague is a glorious mix of Old World charm

and modern trends.

Visiting the big Christmas market was something I really looked forward to in this trip to Prague.

Many stands were baking and selling "Trdelnik," pastry dough wrapped around turning metal rods that were baked over an open fire and then dipped while hot into cinnamon sugar.

Yum!

Other stands sold nougat and marzipan candies,

and I saw more Czech style sausages than I could count.

These warm, homemade cheese and herb filled pastries were wonderful too.

Some of the holiday traditions are very similar to those in Germany. For example, the florist stands were full of advent wreaths for sale.

But the mod Eastern European style came through in other areas, like in this subway station design.

A highlight of my trip was meeting Suzana and her sister Sanda, who run a lovely shop in Prague selling handmade knitted items. I'm now a proud owner of one of Suzana's unique necklaces (and a scarf is on the way!) I'll be posting their interview soon, and in the meantime you can visit their online shop Suzann61.

The beautiful stained glass windows at the castle cathedral were simply breathtaking. The afternoon sun gave this huge window a gorgeous glow.

You can see even more photos and read about my trip to Prague on Poppytalk today! All this week, I will be sharing my Christmas market visits on Poppytalk (new posts on markets in Portugal and Munich are coming up), so I hope you'll drop by. To have a look, just click here.

Hope you are enjoying some holiday spirit where you are today! I'm about to go do a bit of last minute shopping and have one last look at the delightful Munich Christmas markets today ;)

xoxo

Stephanie

3 Creative Last Minute Gift Ideas!

2011-12-21T12:17:00.000+01:00

If you are like me, you may be still looking for a few last minute presents this week... So I have created three last minute gifts that you can download and print - or send on via email to the recipient :)

My Creative Courage e-course will begin January 9th, 2012. This course is the perfect gift for yourself or for someone who would like an extra boost of courage and creativity to begin 2012. Our creative community is still going strong, and I am so inspired by all of the lovely women who have chosen to participate!

This session, we'll enjoy 12 fresh, exclusive interviews from successful artists, coaches, and writers, plus new seasonal recipes for nurturing our spirits and bodies, and lots of hands on projects to get your ideas flowing. We'll also take a *virtual field trip* to Barcelona, Spain to get our fill of art and culture - and I'll even send you a personal postcard from Barcelona if you are enrolled in the course.

For those of you who would like to purchase the e-course for someone else, I will be more than happy to create a customized gift certificate for you that you can download and print - or I will be happy to send it directly to the recipient. For more information, please have a look here.

Do you know someone who loves European travel? How about a 6 month European postcard subscription? This is a unique and inexpensive way to get your travel fix or share some adventure with a friend or loved one. I will also be happy to send you a PDF certificate with purchase, so that you can download and share immediately with your someone special. For more information on ordering a postcard subscription, check out my listing here.

Art is always a beautiful gift, but sometimes it is difficult to know the exact taste of even close friends. I now have a brand new gift certificate available in my online shop, which is a perfect last minute gift and allows the recipient to choose exactly the artwork they love.

I'm also happy to customize your gift certificate with your name and the name of the recipient - and the amount of money you would like to give. To learn more about my new gift certificate, please have a look here.

Good luck on getting all of your holiday shopping finished soon, so that you can relax and enjoy! Don't forget to treat yourself as well, and give yourself more color, joy, love, creativity & courage in 2012.

xoxo

Stephanie

12 of my All-Time Favorite Holiday Recipes

2011-12-13T01:01:00.000+01:00

Cranberry Apple Tart

My Grandma's butter crust pastry is wrapped around a fruity filling of apples and cranberries in this simple tart recipe that tastes even more delicious than it looks!

Grandma's Butter Crust Pastry

2 cups flour
pinch of salt
2 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 - 3/4 cup cold milk

Mix flour with salt and sugar. Cut butter into flour mixture and blend until flour has the consistency of coarse meal. Stir in milk gradually until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Using more flour as necessary, knead dough for 3-4 minutes or until smooth. Roll dough out as thinly as possible into a large circle. Transfer dough into a deep dish pie or quiche form and let the extra dough hang over the edges of the pan.

Apple Cranberry Filling

4-5 tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced (I like to use Granny Smith apples)
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
pinch of cinnamon
2 Tbsp. butter, in small pieces

Mix apples, cranberries, sugar, flour, and cinnamon together and toss well until coated. Place fruit mixture into the center of your tart crust by spoonfuls, and dot with butter. Fold crust edges over fruit filling. If desired, brush pastry shell with 1 Tbsp. milk and sprinkle with a bit of sugar. This will help your tart crust brown nicely and give it a little sparkle.

Bake at 375ºF / 190ºC for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Let the tart cool for at least 10-15 minutes before serving. Best eaten warm and especially nice with a dollop of freshy whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

A lovely holiday dessert!

Austrian Linzertorte

A traditional Austrian tart made with ground nuts, spices, and jam. The lattice top makes it pretty, and it actually tastes much better a day or two after baking when the flavors have had a chance to ripen. A great, make ahead holiday treat.

10 Tbsp. (150 g) butter, softened
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. Kirschwasser schnapps or rum
7 oz. (200 g) ground almonds or hazelnuts (should be about 2 cups)
1/4 cup (30 g) flour
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
6-7 heaping Tablespoons of seedless raspberry or red currant jelly, stirred until smooth

Butter and flour a 10" (26 cm) springform pan and preheat oven to 350º F /175º C.

Cream together butter and sugar, then blend in egg and schnapps or rum. Add nuts, flour, salt, and spices, and mix well. Cover dough and refrigerate for 2 hours until firm.

Remove dough from refrigerator, and set aside 1/3 of dough. Roll out the larger portion of dough, adding flour as necessary - dough may be sticky - and press into the bottom of the springform pan. Spread jelly onto dough, leaving the outer edge of the tart, along the rim of the pan, uncovered.

Next, roll out the remaining 1/3 of the dough, and cut into 1/2" (1 cm) strips. Place strips onto jelly covered tart and press down around the edges. Finish the tart by adding one last strip of dough around the outer edge of the tart. Don't worry if it doesn't look perfect at this point, the strips of dough will spread out a bit during baking.

Bake for 35-40 minutes in your preheated oven.

Let cool before serving and dust lightly with powdered sugar. As I mentioned before, this jam cake tastes even better the day after baking. Make a pot of tea or coffee, light a candle, turn on your favorite music, and enjoy!

Luscious Lemon Tart Bars

Creamy, citrusy delicious decadence!

Crust:

1 cup flour

1/3 cup powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1/2 cup butter

Filling:

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 heaping Tbsp. flour

pinch of salt

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2-3 lemons)

1 tsp. lemon zest (use organic lemons!)

Preheat oven to 350º F/ 175ºC. Grease and flour an 8 inch square baking pan.

For the crust: Combine flour, sugar, salt, and butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Press mixture into bottom of pan as evenly as possible (you may need to dust hands with flour to do this). Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until lightly golden.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk together eggs, sugar, and cream. Sprinkle in flour and salt, stir well. Then add fresh lemon juice and lemon zest, mix until smooth and foamy. Pour the lemon filling on top of the crust - it's fine if the crust is still hot - and bake for 25-30 minutes or until just set.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely before cutting into bars.* I find these are even better after chilling in the refrigerator for a few hours, so don't get too impatient. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

*To make sure that your bars cut easily, try this special trick: fill a heat-resistant glass with hot water, and dip your knife into the hot water before slicing. Repeat with each new cut. Your bars will look perfect!

Jackson Pollock Toffee Bars

Add an elegant touch to this American classic cookie!

Cookie Dough:

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. molasses

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

pinch of salt

Garnish:

8 oz. (200 g) dark chocolate, chopped

4 oz. (100 g) white chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease and flour a large cookie sheet. Cream butter and sugar together, then blend in molasses, egg, and vanilla until well combined. Gradually beat in flour and pinch of salt. Spread batter into prepared pan, using a spatula or floured hands to press down dough evenly. (It doesn't have to be perfect - just fairly even.) Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden and tests done. Be sure to get your dark chocolate chopped and ready at this point - you can also use semi-sweet chocolate chips.

As soon as you take the baked cookie dough layer out of the oven, put the cookie sheet on a non-flammable surface and start sprinkling the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips on the surface. The heat of the freshly baked cookies will melt the chocolate. Give it a couple of minutes to melt completely, be patient. If your chocolate needs some help melting, you can place the cookie sheet back in the warm oven for a minute or so, but watch out and please don't burn your chocolate. Spread the chocolate evenly over the surface of the cookie/toffee layer and let cool.

The classic variation is to sprinkle chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts on the chocolate before it cools. This tastes wonderful, and you are welcome to do that! However, we found out this year that my daughter Lucy is allergic to nuts, so I developed this variation - and I really liked the result.

After the dark chocolate layer has cooled, melt your white chocolate carefully on the stove or in the microwave. Using a spoon, drizzle the white chocolate all over the dark chocolate surface and have fun doing it. I pretended to be the artist Jackson Pollock who is famous for his drip and splatter paintings. You can also melt more dark chocolate, or milk chocolate and create multiple layers of "action painting."

These look beautiful when cut into squares and were a big hit at our Christmas party. All of my German relatives kept asking how I made them. Now you know ;)

Spicy Cutout Cookies

These spicy sweet cookies are easy to make and have a delightful flavor!

Cookie Dough:

2 3/4 cup (400 g) flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. cardamom

1 cup (100 g) sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

1 1/4 (300 g) cup cold butter, chopped in pieces

Garnish:

1 egg yolk

1 Tbsp. milk

chopped almonds or coarse raw sugar

Combine flour, baking powder, spices, and sugar in a large bowl. Add vanilla, egg, and cold pieces of butter, then knead well until smooth. Wrap dough in plastic wrap or waxed paper and cool in refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight. Before using, let come to room temperature for 10-15 minutes and preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease or line cookie sheets. Prepare garnish by mixing egg yolk with milk in a small bowl.

Roll out cookie dough on a well-floured surface to approx. 1/8 inch (3 mm) thickness. Cut out your favorite shapes with cookie cutters and carefully place on prepared cookie sheets about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Brush tops of cookies with egg yolk/milk mixture and sprinkle with chopped almonds or coarse raw sugar. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Wonderful warm, and these cookies keep very well when stored in air-tight containers. Their spicy flavor actually improves with age!

Blueberry Sour Cream Pancakes

For a memorable holiday breakfast, these are the best pancakes I know!

**If you are living in the Northern Hemisphere, then blueberries are not seasonal right now for you. Use frozen blueberries or substitute cranberries or chopped apples/pears. A handful of chopped pecans or walnuts could be a great addition too!

1 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
3 tsp. brown sugar

3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup milk
2 large eggs, beaten
4 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 cup blueberries

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a separate large bowl, mix sour cream and milk, then blend in eggs and melted butter. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture all at once, and stir until just moistened. Fold in berries. Mix gently.

Cook pancakes in a hot pan with a bit of butter and/or oil, and keep warm in a 200ºF/100ºC oven. Serve with butter and warmed maple syrup. Yum!

Apple Cranberry Muffins

I love the combination of apples and cranberries, and these muffins are wonderful served warm. Perfect for a holiday breakfast or afternoon tea.

1 3/4 cups flour (you can use 1/2 whole wheat)

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup oil

1 peeled and chopped apple

1 cup cranberries

Topping: 1 Tbsp. sugar + 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400ºF / 200ºC. Butter or line 12 muffin cups. Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Separately, combine egg, milk, and oil. Add egg/milk mixture all at once to flour mixture, and stir until just moistened. Gently fold in chopped apple and cranberries. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Combine sugar and cinnamon for topping, and sprinkle over muffins.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown and test done. Spicy, sweet, tart, umm!

Tomato Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Great for holiday party buffets. The combination of flavors is melt in your mouth wonderful!

3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
6 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, shredded
3 tsp. capers, drained
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1 baguette, sliced diagonally, in ½“ slices
1 package (4 oz.) spreadable goat cheese (or herbal cream cheese, if you prefer)

Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl and set aside to marinate. Meanwhile, spread baguette slices with soft goat cheese (or cream cheese). Top each baguette slice with a spoonful of the tomato mixture and serve immediately. Yum!

Bell Pepper, Mushroom, and Red Onion Quiche with Feta Cheese

I developed this quiche recipe after trying and testing countless varieties. The filling is easy to make and you can substitute different vegetables if you'd like - zucchini and sun-dried tomatoes work very well too.

Crust:

Use your own favorite (unsweetened) pastry dough recipe for the shell (my standard is the Grandma's Butter Crust Pastry used for the Cranberry Apple Tart above, eliminating sugar), and pre-bake pastry in form for 10-15 minutes or until golden. Prick pastry dough lightly with a fork before baking to avoid air bubbles.

Important: use a 10 or 11 inch ceramic or springform pan. If you only have small 9 inch pie forms, then add another egg to the filling and make two quiches.

Vegetable saute:

1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
herbs of your choice
salt/pepper

Saute chopped vegetables in olive oil with a sprinkle of herbs of your choice and salt/pepper to taste. Be sure to saute the vegetables until they have released their juices and moisture has evaporated from the pan - otherwise your quiche may get soggy! Let cool.

Filling:

3 eggs
1 cup cream
1/2 cup milk
4 oz Feta cheese, crumbled finely

1 cup Swiss cheese, grated
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste

Combine eggs, cream, milk, and Feta cheese in a bowl until well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve the Swiss and Parmesan cheeses for later.

To assemble:

Scatter the Swiss cheese on the bottom of your cooled pastry shell. (This is another secret to keeping your crust crisp - not soggy.) Top with cooled vegetable saute mixture, then pour over egg/cream filling. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes at 375ºF or until golden and center has puffed.

Let cool for 10 minutes or so before serving to set. Wonderful with a fresh salad. Enjoy!

Potato Leek Soup with Fresh Thyme and Cream

A rich and delicious potato leek soup recipe to warm you up on wintery days!

2 leeks, trimmed and chopped
1/4 cup butter
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
3/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
fresh thyme

Saute leeks lightly in butter, then add potatoes. Cover the potatoes with water or soup stock and boil until tender. Add salt to taste (1-2 tsp.). Let cool slightly, then puree until smooth. Whisk in cream and pepper to taste. Add water, milk, or broth if you would like the soup to be thinner. Heat and adjust seasoning, but do not bring to a boil. Garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme (or chives or other herbs of your choice) before serving.

Lovely with fresh bread and a salad.

Note: If the thought of all this butter and cream makes you dizzy, you can substitute milk for some of the cream. The soup won't be quite as rich, but is also delicious prepared this way. Happy cooking!

Sweet Potatoes with Ginger and Lime

Enjoy the flavors of the fresh ginger and lime with a touch of chili in this recipe. An exotic and delicious dish for the holidays and winter months!

3 Tbsp. melted butter
1 Tbsp. peeled and grated fresh ginger
juice of 1 lime
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp. chili powder
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick

Stir together melted butter with ginger, lime, brown sugar, salt, and chili powder. Pour over sweet potato slices and mix well to coat. Arrange slices in a buttered 9 inch glass or ceramic form in overlapping circles.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350ºF / 175ºC for 25-30 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 30 minutes until slightly browned and tender.

Spicy, sweet, tart goodness.

Greek Village Salad

This Greek salad is delicious with quiche or as a light lunch served with hot bread. It is also a great way to boost your immune system this time of year with fresh vegetables, raw garlic, and lemon juice.

1 large or 2 medium size cucumbers, sliced into rounds, then halved or quartered
3-4 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced (or about 12-14 cherry tomatoes, quartered)
1 red onion, minced
1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
salt and pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon (or more to taste)
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
6 oz. / 180 grams Feta cheese, crumbled or diced
1 cup Calamata or best quality black whole olives

In a large bowl, combine cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and oregano. Add the Feta cheese and olives to dressing, then pour mixture over vegetables. Toss well and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

*****

I hope you enjoy this holiday recipe collection and get some new ideas and inspiration!

I wish you lots of joyful time eating good food over the holidays, listening to music, laughing and relaxing with your families, friends, and loved ones!

What are some of your favorite holiday recipes and food traditions? I'd love to hear, and please share links if you have them!

xoxo

Stephanie

Who would love a postcard from Lisbon, Portugal?

2011-12-08T13:54:00.001+01:00

I'm very excited that my next trip for my 12 Countries tour is to Lisbon, Portugal. I have such warm memories of Portugal and especially of Lisbon.

In 2005, I visited Portugal for 3 weeks with my husband Florian. We started in the beautiful city of Porto and worked our way southwards down to Lagos, visiting many lovely villages and small towns along the way. However, Lisbon is very special because it is the city where I found out that my daughter Sophia would be arriving 9 months later!

If you'd like to join in my Lisbon adventures for this trip, I am offering a new personal collage postcard sent directly from me to you from Portugal. For more information, just click here. I have also updated my postcard subscription offer, and if you'd like to receive collage postcards from the next 7 cities I'm visiting, find out how to do that here. This might be a nice gift idea for yourself or someone you know who loves to travel. I can send my collage postcards to any address worldwide.

I hope you are having a great week so far! I'll be posting a collection of my favorite holiday recipes, as well as more gift ideas coming up :)

xoxo

Stephanie

rhiannon connelly : artists who blog

2011-12-07T13:30:00.000+01:00

I'm so pleased to share an interview today with photographer Rhiannon Connelly from Edinburgh, Scotland. Rhiannon and I had the chance to meet at the Hello Etsy summit in Berlin earlier this year. She did a 12 Cities photography project in Europe using Polaroid film a short while back, and it has been so much fun to hear about her travel and art adventures and compare notes. More about her personal creative process today - enjoy!

Rhiannon's blog: www.starrybluesky.wordpress.com

Rhiannon's website: www.rhiannonconnelly.com
Rhiannon's shop: www.starrybluesky.etsy.com

Why did you decide to become an artist and could you imagine doing anything else? If so, what?

I've always been artistic and creative, from childhood drew and created all manner of things - puppet theatres inside match boxes and a full size pantomime horse made out of papier mache and material. First creative venture was a jewellery business at age 14. But when it came to choose what to study I was torn as I also had an aptitude for languages. In the end I chose languages , partly based on the theory that it would be easier to return to something artistic later on than vice versa. I don't regret my studies as they gave me a broad world outlook and some useful language skills , but it didn't take me long to pick up the artistic threads again ! Now ,if I look at my professional history, the two strands of language and art are nearly always present to some extent. However you can't always combine things so for the last 10 years I've been concentrating on the artistic.

If I had to choose something else I would study ethnography because I am fascinated by folk culture and the way that melodies and dances have moved around the world.

Do you still believe "do what you love and the money will come?"

I do believe that. But I also believe that it involves a little more than just "doing what you love." I think you also have to do the marketing and promotion so that people will find it.

How has blogging/the Internet influenced your work as an artist?

It has definitely influenced my work. It is now easier than ever for artists to take matters into their own hands and get their work into the world. Researching topics can be done in a few hours that would have previously taken days in a library. Blogging enables me to take part in a wider conversation and connect to other creative people whose paths I would never otherwise cross . Not to mention the inspiration of seeing so much art online.

Please name 3 of your favorite blogs and tell us why these blogs are special.

These are three blogs that I do come back to time and again.

Geninne Zlatkis - I just love her artwork and have a couple of her little birdies in my house. I enjoy seeing the way she writes about her inspirations, with just enough about her life to make you feel you have got to know her a bit better.

Pia Jane Bijkerk - Stylish and inspirational - always a visual treat.

Flora Bowley - one of the highlights for me this year was to do a workshop with Flora, so I enjoy reading her blog to see her latest work. For those who aren't able to do a workshop in person - great news - she has a book coming out soon.

What is your greatest fear and what do you do to overcome it?

Well, I am inclined to worry. So I do my best not to give it much house room these days. Artistically I suppose the fear is usually "is it good enough?" And what I do about that is to finish working on one thing and then move straight along to the next piece. When I read that people like Degas were frequently not happy with their work then I feel in pretty good company! And I just try to use it to propel myself onwards.

Who would you like to trade places with for one day? Why?

I'd like to trade places with someone who lived on Orkney 4000 years ago. I am so fascinated by the remains there and curious about the lives lived - they have left tantalising traces but many unanswered questions.

What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?

Years and years ago I came across the FlyLady website (A site devoted to keeping your house spick and span. Which is a necessary but not terribly thrilling thing.) She encouraged a technique of using a timer, set at 15 minute intervals. So, if I am starting a task I set it for 15 mins and get going. And then repeat it a couple of times to build momentum. The other thing I do is a "Sunday Summit" where I review the previous week and set my goals for the next week. I have also learned to factor in quite a lot of unallocated time - giving me margins to allow for things taking longer than expected - which they inevitably do!

If you could live anywhere in the world – all expenses paid – for one year, where would that be? Why?

Where in the world? Decisions decisions - I am torn between choosing a year in rural northern Romania, where I imagine the natural tempo of the year is still fairly evident and the mysterious, hectic city of Istanbul with all its layers of history. I feel both of these places would lead to very interesting projects and discoveries.

How do you maintain a healthy balance between your professional and private life?

What's that? Perhaps not the best way, but I don't really make a boundary between the two as one spills over into the other. Sometimes art takes most of the energy and at other times the personal sphere takes up more time (such as when moving house). I do try to keep to a different rhythm at weekends. And I am very alert to not working so hard that I burn out as I have experienced that in the past.

What are your top 5 goals that you’d like to accomplish within the next 5 years?

To exhibit my 12 city project in some of the cities I visited.

To write/illustrate/photograph a book.

License my designs.

Organise art workshops in Europe.

Develop a range of interior products based on my artwork.

What is your advice for someone who would like to turn his or her creative dreams into reality?

Just start.Secondly look for support where you need it. I have found the Artist's Way to be extremely valuable, both doing it on my own and working through it in a small group. And finally, don't compare yourself with others. Concentrate on your own work.

Thank you Rhiannon! What a pleasure it was to meet you in Berlin this year and to hear more about your creative thoughts and dreams. xo

Happy 93rd Birthday!

2011-12-04T06:34:00.001+01:00

Today my grandmother and the girls' great-grandmother is turning 93 years old! As far as I know, no one has lived longer in our family, and this amazing lady continues to inspire us all.

My grandmother's kitchen was a warm and magical place, and I have wonderful memories of baking and cooking with my grandmother as a child. She was always patient and soft spoken, and always did her best to cook everyone's favorite foods. Her Southern style pecan pies, homemade biscuits, black eyed peas, cole slaw, and fried chicken are still legendary.

When I'm baking with my girls, I try to be as gentle and kind as my grandmother was, even on days when we are in a hurry and that can be a real challenge. I truly hope one day my girls will have special kitchen afternoon memories to remember and pass on too.

Happy birthday Grandma/Granny! We are proud of you!

xoxo

Stephanie

Do you have special memories of time spent with your grandmothers?

I'd love to hear your stories :)

Hello December!

2011-12-01T23:30:00.000+01:00

Hello December! The last months have been so very busy, and I can't believe that I'm already almost half way through my 12 countries travel project, time has flown. I've already visited Vienna, Amsterdam, Berlin, Venice, and Prague, and soon I will be in Lisbon, Portugal - really looking forward to that!

Here in Germany the Christmas market and advent season is in full swing with mistletoe and red candles on every corner. I'll be sharing more about the Christmas markets I am visiting in Germany and abroad here on the blog on on Poppytalk.

For those of you who enjoy my artist interview series, there will be plenty of new people for you to meet in December, as well as several posts on European travel, food, and artwork :)

I'm sending you sunny, holiday hugs from Munich today!

What are your December plans?

xoxo

Stephanie

cathy mcmurray : artists who blog

2011-11-27T22:45:00.001+01:00

I'm delighted to welcome artist Cathy McMurry, a native of beautiful Portland, Oregon as our creative guest today! Enjoy :)

Cathy's blog: Habit of Art
Cathy's website: cathymcmurray.com
Cathy's shop: etsy.com/shop/CathyMcMurray

Why did you decide to become an artist and could you imagine doinganything else? If so, what?

Art has always been an integral part of my life. I feel very fortunate that I’ve beenin the art field my entire professional life. I really can’t think of anything else I’drather be doing. Lately, I have been daydreaming about taking some classes incooking and weaving, but only to entertain my restless artist spirit. I am constantlyseeking ways to broaden and refine my creative skills.

Do you still believe "do what you love and the money will come?"

Very few people get to live a lavish lifestyle as a result of their talents. This isn’t tosay that the rest of us can’t have a rewarding and exciting career in doing what welove. It takes a lot of hard work and time- plus some luck- to get to a place that islucrative (I’m still working on it after two years!). If I was 25, I could afford takingmore risks and dedicating an insane amount of time to my art career, but as it is, Iam nearly 40, married, and busy being mom to two wonderful girls.

How has blogging/the Internet influenced your work as an artist?

For one, I couldn’t do what I do today without the Internet. A quarter of my onlinesales are international, and I wouldn’t be able to get that kind of reach with atraditional gallery experience.In the two years that I have been blogging on Habit of Art, I have connected withso many great artists and art enthusiasts. The positive reinforcement throughemails and comments have been incredibly encouraging. I also am able to getimmediate feedback on my work, which can have some influence in the direction Itake with my art.

Please name 3 of your favorite blogs and tell us why these blogs arespecial.

My favorite blogs are those belonging to artists. I especially love posts on theircreative journey and space. A couple that I follow on a regular basis includeGretchenmist and Jill Bliss.Cathy Cullis and Annekata (sadly, not active anymore) are two other blogs thathave inspired me with their slow craft ideas, like dying fabrics naturally and handsewing projects.And, I like pretty things as much as the next girl, so I like to browse design andimage heavy blogs like homecollection and intelligent clashing.

What is your greatest fear and what do you do to overcome it?

Fears go hand in hand with what we value most in life. So, my greatest fears relateto something happening to my family or my ability to create art. What helps meget through these fears and the daily worries of life is my faith.

Who would you like to trade places with for one day? Why?

Trading places with an art conservator working on a Michelangelo masterpiecewould be pretty thrilling. Geeky, I know, but I love history stuff, and the idea ofrestoring art seems virtuous. On my blog I have mentioned that if I was asuperhero, my alter ego would be an art conservator by day.

What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?

Having an organized work space is a huge help. I try to clean my work area aboutevery three weeks. That way, I don’t waste time looking for a particular art tool orpiece of paper. I’m a big list maker, too. So, almost every day I make a short listof tasks.

If you could live anywhere in the world – all expenses paid – for one year,where would that be? Why?

My husband and I have often times talked about moving for a year to a smallvillage in southeast France. We were there in ’98, and we fell in love with thescenery. I could live on baguettes and cheese for a long time, too.

How do you maintain a healthy balance between your professional andprivate life?

I work from home, which has its pros and cons. I love that I can work at my artdesk and the girls can play a boardgame in the same room. Or that I can start apot of water on the stovetop and package an order up at the same time. Workingfrom home also provides an invaluable opportunity to teach the girls some thingsabout running a business. (There’s already talk of a beaded bracelet collection thatthe girls want to launch.)Maintainging a healthy balance between work and personal life, however, is one ofmy greatest challenges. And being a blogger blurs that line between professionaland private even more. Sometimes, I’ll purposely leave my camera at home sothat I’m not looking for photo-op moments. But then, of course, something blogworthy happens and my husband or kids will say, “you should have brought yourcamera.”

What are your top 5 goals that you’d like to accomplish within the next 5years?

These are more hopes than goals . . .

Move into a studio space with more natural light!
Take cooking and weaving classes
Travel to Europe as a family
Ensure my girls make it through adolescence with little emotional scarring
Have a cabin in the woods

What is your advice for someone who would like to turn his or her creativedreams into reality?

Creating is the fun part. Promoting your work is the hard part. Those starting outneed to expect to spend at least half of their energy and time getting their stuff outthere. Start networking with other like-minded makers, and have an online place(i.e. blog, Etsy shop, or a website) for people to see your work. Make sure that thephotography of your work is excellent - can’t emphasize that enough! Andconstantly remind yourself that good things usually take time. So persistence andpatience, my friends.

Thank you Cathy for sharing your thoughts and lovely images with us today! All the best to you and your family! xoxo

Alpin Drums, Natural Poetry, and Cabin Porn

2011-11-25T22:17:00.001+01:00

A wild mix for you today :) First a video of a crazy Bavarian live percussion performance - my husband and father-in-law painted the Alpine landscape backdrop. Fun to watch!

A lovely student in my Creative Courage class shared this video, and then I noticed it on Jill Bliss' blog - truly incredible short film, you have to see this. One of nature's most spectacular offerings.

And I am completely taken by this super mod German house and the beautiful photographs by Berlin photographer Sebastian Heise, which I found on the very cool website called Cabin Porn - also via Jill's blog.

Hope you are having a nice weekend! I'm in Prague, and I'm planning to go see the famous castle tomorrow! I'll do my best to get a couple of fresh artist interviews up very soon for you :)

xoxo

Stephanie

Studio Sale + BOGO + free print offer :)

2011-11-24T09:11:00.001+01:00

Welcome to my Holiday Studio Sale! I have 3 super special offers for you during this holiday weekend :)

ALL originals in my online shop are now 50-60% reduced for this weekend only. This is a pre-moving and holiday sale, and I'm ready to get my studio ready to go. I am planning to phase out originals in my Etsy shop in 2012, so if you've ever wanted to purchase one of my originals - this is your best chance ever! I'm happy to gift wrap your original artwork for free, and I can ship anywhere in the world. See all original artwork here.

BOGO Sale - buy one, get one free - on all limited edition prints in my shop this weekend too! My prints make lovely, unique presents, and this way you can choose prints for several people on your shopping list for a great price. Simply write in the name of the free print of your choice at check out. You'll find a huge selection of my prints here.

FREE print when you sign up for my Creative Courage e-course! This offer is only good through Monday, November 28th, so if you've been thinking about signing up, now is the perfect time to register. After registration, just send me the title of the free print you'd like to receive. More info about how to get your FREE print here.

Happy holidays to all of you who are celebrating Thanksgiving today, and I wish everyone around the world a wonderful week!

xoxo

Stephanie

Ready to go to Prague?

2011-11-22T16:07:00.001+01:00

I'm getting ready to take off for Prague this weekend where I'll be visiting the first Christmas markets of the season! I've never been to a Czech Christmas market, and I'm curious as to how they will differ from the German ones.

As always on my 12 Countries tour, I've prepared a special collage postcard for the occasion, and I'll be happy to send you a personal postcard to you directly from Prague! Find out how to order your personal postcard here.

There are still 8 cities left on my European tour, and if you'd like to order a postcard subscription to get a new postcard from a different country each month for a reduced price, just click here.

I will be announcing some special holiday treats tomorrow, so stay tuned! Fresh artist interviews coming up too :)

xoxo

Stephanie

Der Himmel über München, Der Himmel über Berlin + a trip to Prague

2011-11-20T21:37:00.001+01:00

This was Der Himmel über Muenchen or "the sky over Munich" from my window

and my courtyard this evening

but in reality I am still thinking about Der Himmel über Berlin...

Did you ever see this famous, poetic and surreal Wim Wenders film, which is strangely translated as "Wings of Desire" in English?

I saw it years and years ago as a college student, before I could speak German, before I ever visited Germany. Once I noticed angel actor Bruno Ganz riding in the S-Bahn in Berlin. It is quite beautifully filmed and takes place in Berlin before the Wall fell, so I'd really like to watch it again now...

But these are just my Sunday ramblings when actually I need your help.

I will be going to Prague next weekend as part of my 12 Countries project, (hooray!) and I am looking for artists and crafters to interview there. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

I hope you have had a poetic, lovely weekend yourself, and I do have quite a lot to share with you all this week, including lots of overdue artist interviews, so please stick around :)

xoxo

Stephanie

Meeting Sandra Juto in Berlin + Bright & Happy CC News

2011-11-18T13:34:00.001+01:00

Last Sunday, I had such a nice afternoon meeting up with Swedish artist and photographer Sandra Juto with her husband Johann in Berlin. Sandra is brilliant and lovely...

and she of course knows where to get the best coffee in town!

I'm now a very proud owner of a pair of Sandra's hand-knitted Wrist Worms!

Sandra's Wrist Worms are so cool, stylish, warm, and comfortable - and these go perfectly with my red winter coat. You can order a pair or two (great handmade Xmas presents!) from Sandra's shop if you'd like - and they are 20% off this week! I'm already thinking that I may need another pair... I especially love these!

*****

The other news is that my Creative Courage guest interview list for the next 2012 session is now complete! I'm thrilled to announce our newest special guests from around the world:

Jennifer Louden - multi-talented author of bestselling The Women's Comfort Book, retreat leader, and creator of the Savor & Serve Experiment
Janine Vangool - creator of the beautiful UPPERCASE book and magazine series out of Calgary
Belinda Kemp - Australian artist and designer, aka Gretchen Mist
Amelia Critchlow - UK based artist and creator of the experimental art e-course
Kate Swoboda - writer, speaker, life coach, and creator of Your Courageous Life

plus:

Andrea Scher - creator of Superhero Designs and Mondo Beyondo
Kelly Lynn Jones - artist and founder of Little Paper Planes
Mati Rose McDonough - artist, creator of Get Your Paint On, co-founder of Teahouse Studio
Amy Ng - Malaysian illustrator and creator of Pikaland and the Camp Pikaland virtual school
Heather Smith Jones - author of Water, Paint, Paper and founder of Blue Sparrow Press
Jill Bliss - artist, illustrator, designer at Jill Bliss: art + craft + design
Michelle Ward - When I Grow Up creative coach and co-creator of The Declaration of You

I can't tell you how delighted I am to have the opportunity to interview all of these amazing women and share with you in the next session of Creative Courage.

What do my participants from the last session have to say? Here is a recent testimonial:

"It has been such a wonderful course. I have grown so much in this past seven weeks. I honestly cannot believe the changes I feel inside myself as a direct result of your words, exercises and interviews! I have made many wonderful connections and developed friendships with other creative soul sisters, which I am so grateful for! It has been the best money I have ever spent. I thank you, Stephanie, from the bottom of my courageous heart!" Kristen, USA

I'm so very grateful for the lovely group of participants who took part last session, and comments like Kristen's make my heart sing. If you'd like to find out how to join us in 2012, please click here.

*****

Next week I am planning a week long celebration here on the blog... so please do come by for a visit! In the meantime, have a lovely weekend and all the best to you!

xoxo

Stephanie

Decor8 Book Launch Party in Berlin!

2011-11-15T11:01:00.001+01:00

This weekend, I spent a whirlwind 48 hours in Berlin to attend Holly Becker's decor8 book launch party. Holly has been a kind supporter of my artwork over the years with her award-winning design blog, so when I found out she was celebrating the German launch of her book Decorate, I knew I wanted to attend!

It was fantastic to meet Holly in person. She is incredibly witty and charming when she speaks, and she's a great entertainer. It is one thing to know a person's "written voice" - but Holly was such a pro in moderating this event and she truly did an excellent job. I was impressed and inspired by her gorgeous presence!

Holly also shared her very personal story, which I wasn't aware of before. It turns out that she studied business and marketing, and worked at a large corporation as a project manager before she turned to decorating, writing, and blogging.

Although Holly was very successful for many years doing her corporate work, she felt frustrated with her job and as if she was missing out on doing something creative with her life. So she started thinking about what she loved to do as a child.

As a young girl, she used to constantly rearrange the furniture in her family home and was always interested in design and decoration. She also loved to write, teach, and make books, and she even had pretend book signings with her stuffed animals and dolls!

After Holly quit her corporate job, she was so determined to succeed, she simply refused to give up. She told us about calling magazines repeatedly, editors hanging up on her, people telling her that her blog would never amount to anything, and others tried to convince her that blogs in general were a waste of time.

Her blog decor8 now has over 48,000 unique readers daily with an additional 78,000 daily RSS subscribers, around 500,000 unique IPs (individual readers) monthly, and over 1 million hits monthly - and Holly's new book is already in its 4th reprint and is now being translated into several languages. So how is that for "persistence pays off" ?!

Holly's main advice for blogging and establishing an online presence is to build a community first, and then allow the business to follow. She is convinced that people respond best to personal connections, and the more they can connect to you as a person, the more interested they will be in your professional side. Holly encouraged us all to use our blogs to show the process and the personal stories behind our creative work.

Her closing message was: Think bigger, think outside of your limitations. Be consistent, don't be afraid, and just do it!

Holly's charisma and confidence certainly convinced me, and I'm hoping that she will be hosting more creative blogging events in the future. Okay Holly? You can just sign me up right now ;)

Matt Stinchcomb of Etsy also gave a great presentation, and told us the fun story of how Etsy was founded. In a nutshell, four creative guys came together in Brooklyn and wanted to create a website where people from all over the world could sell their handmade goods. He talked about how Etsy's mission has evolved to empower creative people to set up their own businesses, and he spoke very passionately about what is going on with the Occupy Wall Street movement.

He ended his presentation with a lovely quote from German economic theorist E.F. Schumacher:

"Wisdom demands a new orientation of science and technology towards the organic, the gentle, the non-violent, the elegant, and the beautiful."

- from Small is Beautiful

Sitting right beside me in the audience (in the blue dress) was Holly's co-author - a lovely, talented English lady named Johanna Copestick.

On the celebratory side, there were gorgeous cupcakes in all colors, shapes, and flavors.

They were almost too pretty to eat - but only almost!

A quite famous German women's magazine called Brigitte helped sponsor the event, and they collected the blog addresses of attendees to post an online blogroll on their website.

What fun to click through this incredible, mostly European blogroll.

There I am with my friend Eleanor from E.M. Papers who also came up from Munich for the book launch. All photos were taken by photographer Sina Preikschat for Brigitte.

You could buy Holly's book in the German edition called Lust auf Wohnen or order Decorate in English.

Of course I got Holly to sign my copy!

As you can see, the event was both a great learning experience and an entertaining celebration. There were also interesting presentations in German from Brigitte's Steffi Luxat and Caroline Ditting of Callwey Verlag, Holly's German publisher. A personal recap of Holly's book launch is now up on decor8 as well.

A huge thanks goes out to Holly and her team for hosting such a fabulous book launch party! It was an honor to attend, and I can't wait to meet you again at many future events in Germany. I think the time is ripe for blogging to really pick up speed in Europe, and very successful blogs like decor8 are a huge inspiration for us all!

Big hugs from Munich!

xoxo

Stephanie

A fresh Munich neighborhood walk + lots of news

2011-11-08T14:41:00.001+01:00

In my Creative Courage ecourse this week, our topic is adding more daily adventure to our lives to awaken our creative spirits. This morning I went for a neighborhood walk, and I had so much fun making photos, I decided to share them with you here too :)

I walked by one of my favorite local shops

that specializes in handmade jewelry with an nostalgic, whimsical touch.

Each piece is unique

and the window displays are always unusual and fun to see.

Many of the pendants have small pictures, words, or photos embedded in them - such a creative, lovely idea.

Across the street, there is a handmade ceramics shop

with lots of interesting, elegant home decor.

Doppler is another personal favorite

that delights with vintage style and humor.

I noticed these silvery seasonal holiday pieces

and advent calendars

in every shape and size you could imagine.

Of course these beautiful German cakes caught my eye

and these gourmet goodies certainly looked delightful.

A florist shop with fresh, colorful blooming flowers made me smile

as did this cute little red house snuggled between the big, tall buildings of the city.

What kind of adventures have you been having lately?

Have you ever gone on an "artist's date" with yourself?

xoxo

Stephanie

More news:

Poppytalk Handmade just started a new, pre-holiday market with a showcase of beautiful, handmade items. Visit my market gallery here.

I'll be meeting Holly Becker from decor8 to celebrate her German book launch party of Decorate in Berlin this weekend! Will you be there too? Be sure to say hello if you are there, and I'll be sharing photos from her launch party with you next week ;)

Thank you to everyone who has already signed up for the next session of Creative Courage in 2012! This ecourse has been such a wonderful, life changing experience, and I am so grateful to all of my lovely participants. I know we are going to have a great time next session as well, and I can't wait to share 12 new, inspiring interviews with you, plus a trip to Barcelona ;) More info about that here.

Creative Courage in 2012!

2011-11-03T12:50:00.001+01:00

Are you ready to start 2012 with a festival of color, creativity, light, and joy?

I’d like to invite you to join Creative Courage, an international e-course about finding, following, and realizing your creative dreams. Creative Courage is a practical guide to help you clarify your own unique path and give you the tools you need to start making your goals real.

I'm happy to announce that the next session of Creative Courage will run from January 9th – February 24th, 2012.

I've invited 12 expert guests to join us for exclusive Creative Courage interviews. We'll get tips and advice on how to move more quickly in the direction of our goals, as these women us tell their personal stories and explain how they are finding and following their creative dreams.

Our special interview guests this session include:

Andrea Scher, creator of Superhero Designs and Mondo Beyondo
Kelly Lynn Jones, artist and founder of Little Paper Planes
Mati Rose McDonough, artist, creator of Get Your Paint On, co-founder of Teahouse Studio
Jennifer Louden - multi-talented author of bestselling The Women's Comfort Book, retreat leader, and creator of the Savor & Serve Experiment
Janine Vangool - creator of the beautiful UPPERCASE book and magazine series out of Calgary
Amy Ng, Malaysian illustrator and creator of Pikaland and the Camp Pikaland virtual school
Heather Smith Jones, author of Water, Paint, Paper and founder of Blue Sparrow Press
Belinda Kemp - Australian artist and designer, aka Gretchen Mist
Amelia Critchlow - UK based artist and creator of the experimental art e-course
Kate Swoboda - writer, speaker, life coach, and creator of Your Courageous Life
Jill Bliss, artist, illustrator, designer at Jill Bliss: art + craft + design
Michelle Ward, When I Grow Up creative coach and co-creator of The Declaration of You

This amazing group of women from around the world will share their secrets on how they have accomplished their dreams of publishing books, building online businesses, creating workshops and e-courses, and earning a living as successful, thriving creative artists, illustrators, authors, coaches, and instructors.

As a unique bonus in Week 4, we will travel on a virtual field trip to Barcelona, Spain to enjoy European art, architecture, culture, and design. I'll share my personal photos and travel impressions from Barcelona via the e-course website, and I’ll even send you a personal postcard featuring my collage artwork directly from Barcelona, if you'd like.

I encourage you to register for the Creative Courage e-course, open your mind and heart, and start listening to your deepest, truest wishes for your life.

The Creative Courage e-course is $99 USD for seven weeks of fun, color, encouragement, inspiration, love, 12 exclusive expert interviews - and it includes a unique *virtual* field trip to Barcelona, Spain, plus a personal postcard sent to you from Barcelona.

Simply click on the "add to cart" button below, and you will be redirected to PayPal where you can complete your transaction.

Register now to join us for the next session.

Spaces are limited, and the last session of Creative Courage sold out, so please register quickly to reserve your spot.

Thanks so much for your interest, and I look forward to beginning 2012 together with you.

xoxo

Stephanie

p.s. - To find out more details about the course, plus read lots of new testimonials from current students, just click here.

Adventures in Munich

2011-11-02T11:19:00.001+01:00

Hi folks! In case you are wondering what happened to me last week, the first bugs of the season came along and pinched most of us in the family. First Lucy was ill, then the rest of us fell like dominos.

Now we're all back on our feet and enjoying some Munich sunshine. Getting out and about here does make me appreciate more of what this city has to offer.

If you'd like to learn about some of the coolest shops, restaurants, and cafes in Munich, be sure to check out the new Munich City Guide that my good friend Eleanor (and fellow ex-pat) of e.m. papers put together for design*sponge. Eleanor loves Munich so much, she even has a blog called Wahlmuenchnerin, where she highlights more of her favorite spots and local events.

I partner coach with Eleanor once a month because she always has brilliant ideas, and now she has created a new website called Steal This Process about time and project management. It's good stuff - I know because I saw her do a presentation at Hello Etsy in Berlin back in September.

This morning I'm on my way out the door to meet Eleanor in person, but I will be back very soon with a big announcement later, so come back to visit me...

I hope you enjoy your hometown and can seek out some local adventure wherever you are today :)

xoxo

Stephanie

Dreams of Venice...

2011-10-22T15:23:00.000+02:00

I'm back in Munich now, but I'm still having dreams of Venice. Maybe you can see why...

A lovely, magical city. If you haven't been, you must visit Venice.

I hope you are having fun adventures of your own, wherever you are :)

xoxo

Stephanie

Venice

2011-10-18T08:54:00.000+02:00

I'm in Venice folks, and it is glorious! I'm sure it is very kitschy to share a sunset photo here, but I just couldn't resist. I snapped this one evening riding back to my hotel on the ferry - isn't it magical?

This was my first view of the city as I arrived last weekend - soft light, water, and gondolas... sigh.

I'm sharing my full scale tour of Venice, including my trip to the Venice Biennale, with my Creative Courage e-course students right now, but if you'd like to see how Gywneth Paltrow spent her weekend at the Venice Film Festival, you can peek at that here, just for fun. Gywneth even shares recipes from her favorite Italian restaurants in Venice ;)

Have a lovely week and I will be sharing more of my own Venice highlights with you soon!

xoxo

Stephanie

Who would like a postcard from Venice?

2011-10-11T17:27:00.001+02:00

My Venice postcard is ready to go - and so am I! I'll be leaving this weekend for a short adventure to go see the Venice Biennale Art Exhibition - and I'll be taking my Creative Courage e-course students with me, yay!

Just for this special occasion, I have created a new collage, which I am offering as a personal postcard sent directly from Venice to your home mailbox - and as a limited edition print. Both are available now in my shop.

Join me and make your mailbox happy with some international post!

A "work in progress" peek behind the scenes. Collage is messy, but so much fun!

xoxo

Stephanie

shelley kommers : artists who blog

2011-10-07T13:42:00.000+02:00

For today's guest interview, I'd like to introduce you to Shelley Kommers, a Los Angeles based artist and illustrator. After studying Advertising at Art Center College of Design, Shelley worked as a graphic designer and illustrator, designed clothing, and owned a small handmade greeting card company. Her latest passion is mixed media collage. She currently lives in a cottage in the woods with her husband and two children. Enjoy!

Shelley's blog: www.oiseaux.typepad.com
Shelley's website: www.shelleykommers.com
Shelley's shop: www.oiseauxnoir.etsy.com

Why did you decide to become an artist and could you imagine doing anything else? If so, what?

I've been an artist since I was a very small person, and honestly, I don't remember there ever being a decision about it. I can't imagine doing anything else.

Do you still believe "do what you love and the money will come?"

Yes! Because it's true.

How has the Internet influenced your work as an artist?

I tip my hat to the Internet for helping me blossom as an artist. Years ago when I was pursuing illustration, there wasn't a way to share your work with the world unless you had a website (which I didn't) so my work was seen solely by my friends and family, and the handful of publishers it was sent to. I didn't have a real sense of myself as an artist and I was pretty insecure about my abilities.

When I discovered the world of art blogs in 2007, my head just about exploded. I was an exhausted new mom, and I wasn't creating at all, but I was so excited about how much talent there was out there, and most importantly: that all of it was unique and valuable in its own way.

It was posting my fledgling collage works to Flickr in 2008 that got me hooked on sharing my work. The feedback that I received gave me the confidence and excitement to continue. I began to see value in my work, and creating was a joy again. When I began my blog and opened my etsy shop, my work expanded even more, and I was lucky enough to be discovered by several great design blogs. Because of the Internet, I have a support group of artist friends from around the world... and for that I am very thankful.

Please name 3 of your favorite blogs and tell us why these blogs are special.

Out of my long list of favorite art and design blogs, my favorites lately are these three, which aren't so much focused on "art" but the "art of living":

Ill Seen Ill Said: http://seenandsaid.blogspot.com

Bluebirdbaby: http://bluebirdbaby.typepad.com

Simple Lovely: http://www.simplelovelyblog.com

What is your greatest fear and what do you do to overcome it?

That I'm not good enough/don't know enough/am not ready. This shows up in my life disguised as ennui, procrastination, indecision, and overwhelm.I have to overcome it every single day, by doing the work regardless of how I feel. Recently I challenged myself to a month of daily creativity on my blog, and what an experience! Talk about having to show up regardless. I highly recommend it to anyone.

Who would you like to trade places with for one day? Why?

I'd love to trade with the Loch Ness Monster. Swimming about in the cool, sparkling water... teasing the tourists... for a day, it would be heaven.

What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?

I work when my little one is at school or asleep (I'm a night owl, so that's helpful) and I rely on many, many, detailed lists.

If you could live anywhere in the world – all expenses paid – for one year, where would that be? Why?

I keep imagining myself in the italian countryside with my family, making art and picking olives. That is a life that seems simple and beautiful. I like simple and beautiful things.

How do you maintain a healthy balance between your professional and private life?

I say no to a lot of stuff; not in a limiting way, I just know that I require a lot of quiet and space in my days. Spending time with my family and creating are both things that feed me immensely; most of maintaining a balance comes from managing outside things like invitations, duties, etc. and choosing wisely where I want to put my extra energy.

What are your top 5 goals that you’d like to accomplish within the next 5 years?

1. Have my second child (due September 30th!) Note: Callum Corby Luna arrived on Sept. 26th! Congratulations Shelley!

2. Expand my artwork in scale and diversity

3. Publish a "how to" art book

4. Publish a young children's picture book

5. Learn to cook

What is your advice for someone who would like to turn his or her creative dreams into reality?

Choose to do it. Look at how others did it. Surround yourself with support. If you're scared (and most of us artists are) get this book and read it: The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, and then do it. The funny thing is: no one is out there waiting for our creative dreams to materialize. But the world deserves our creative dreams!

Thank you Shelley! Your words and beautiful collages are a joy!

alena hennessy : artists who blog

2011-10-06T14:16:00.001+02:00

Alena Hennessy is an artist, designer, and author based in Asheville, North Carolina, USA. Her extremely popular artwork, designs, apparel, and accessories can be found online and in stores throughout the US, and she is currently working on a new book. Enjoy Alena's sense of humor and lovely artwork in this special interview today!

Alena's blog: http://alenahennessy.tumblr.com
Alena's website: http://www.alenahennessy.com
Alena's shop: http://www.alenahennessy.com
Alena's facebook: http://www.facebook.com/alenalovestopaint

Why did you decide to become an artist and could you imagine doing anything else? If so, what?

Since I was tiny I have been drawing so its hard for me to say why I "decided" to be an artist. It chose me in a way. But in terms of choosing it as a career, I think I saw there was a real possibility to support yourself creatively via the web. I got inspired by what other artists were doing and knew that I liked to do the same things and so I wanted to give it a real go. I am so grateful I did and when I did, too.I am sure I could do other things too. I love to dance and write (OK those are still considered forms of artistic expression), but maybe teach at a college level or do traveling/consulting or humanitarian work. I once had a job doing window displays and that was pretty fun.

Do you still believe "do what you love and the money will come?"

Absolutely! Its been true in my life and a part of the current book I am writing.

How has the Internet influenced your work as an artist?

It's what got me started. I am constantly inspired by what other artists/crafters/designers are doing around the world. It keeps us connected and able to support one another. It's a vital tool for visual artists.

Please name 3 of your favorite blogs and tell us why these blogs are special.

design*sponge - I love how Grace has evolved her blog over the years. She wrote about my work the first day my website was live so I feel very loyal to her.

Delicious Days - If you like to cook, this is the blog for you. Its fabulous. I also love blogs that are photo heavy.

Wit & Delight This is kinda random but I like the layout of this blog. I almost used it for my own in fact. There are so many blogs out there, it is nice to change up the design.

What is your greatest fear and what do you do to overcome it?

Wow, well I have a few for sure! I was married for many years and went through a divorce several years back. I am dating some and had one serious relationship since then. So its something to the tune of ending up alone or not falling in love again. Ah, so sad I know.... but I am hopeful! I keep myself in positive thoughts and perception and try to see reality as it is and practice feeling grateful. Opening yourself up to gratitude is an amazing way to shift your state of mind.

Who would you like to trade places with for one day? Why?

Matt Damon's wife?! Haha just kidding. I think Mother Theresa honestly. I greatly admire her humanitarian work and ability to unconditionally love all people.

What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?

Being able to multi-task with ease. Also, prioritizing and working on things in a steady fashion.

If you could live anywhere in the world – all expenses paid – for one year, where would that be? Why?

Oh wow, fabulous question and yet so difficult to answer! Maybe Bali and can I also say Paris? I need to satisfy both sides of personality: one that loves Eastern culture and natural beauty and the other that loves, well, anything Parisian.

How do you maintain a healthy balance between your professional and private life?

I do not have Internet at home and its the best decision ever! But I do come to my studio quite often. If I do not balance the two, I can get kinda wonky so I make sure to keep balanced with play time. Plus I adore my friends and family.

What are your top 5 goals that you’d like to accomplish within the next 5 years?

One I am accomplishing right now which feels totally amazing and daunting and that is writing a book.

Another is to be a homeowner once again. I love having your own place to call home and to tend a garden and all that domestic bliss stuff.

A third would be to travel more for my work, to teach workshops or to do book signings (especially in Europe!).

A fourth would be to marry Matt Damon. OK kidding.

And my most important goal overall in life is to continue to enjoy it as much as possible.

What is your advice for someone who would like to turn his or her creative dreams into reality?

Stay true, stay focused and know what you want. "Patience and Diligence, like faith, remove mountains" ~William Penn

Thank you Alena! I can't wait to see and read your new book! xo

A Visit with Marina from Moscow in Munich

2011-10-05T13:45:00.002+02:00

No, it's not already snowing in Munich. In fact, we still have sun. But I wanted to share this wonderful visit I had with a Russian art historian and journalist, Marina Yushkevich, who came all the way from Moscow last winter to spend an afternoon in Munich, take photographs, and prepare an article for the beautiful Russian lifestyle and design magazine called Seasons.

Marina and I wandered around my Munich neighborhood of Haidhausen, which is full of artsy shops, boutiques, and cafes and I showed her all my favorite spots. Marina was so kind to bring Russian chocolate for my children - and delicious Russian caviar for the adults!

The final article was published a few months ago, and I wanted to share the layout with you. The article features lovely photographs taken by Marina and some images of my artwork too.

This is what my name looks like in Russian!

The entire magazine is really beautiful, full of articles on art and interior design.

Thanks so much to Marina for including me in her project and lovely travel article!

It was such a pleasure to meet you, and what an honor to appear in Seasons magazine.

xoxo

Stephanie

Oma & Bella

2011-09-30T13:54:00.003+02:00

This is an amazing video about two elderly Jewish women living in Berlin that I found on Kickstarter today. You have to watch it, I love this project.

To get more information about how to help fund this film project, click here.

Have a wonderful weekend!

xoxo

Stephanie

Creative Courage Celebration!

2011-09-29T18:17:00.001+02:00

The first session of Creative Courage is underway this week and it feels like a joyous celebration! I am amazed at what an international group we have, and everyone has been so kind and enthusiastic and open.

I'm experimenting with video, we have brand new Facebook and Flickr groups set up, and there is a true spirit of creative sisterhood and sharing. It is wonderful to be starting this new journey with such an inspiring, thoughtful, talented group of women - and if you couldn't join us this time, don't despair!

I'll be offering the next session of Creative Courage in 2012 from January 9th - February 24th. Registration will begin in mid-October. To make sure you don't miss out on the early bird discounts, be sure to sign up for my monthly newsletter.

I still have a lot to share with you here on the blog during the upcoming weeks as well. I have lots and lots of artists interviews in store for you: conversations with artists in Amsterdam, artists in Berlin, and more from my "artists who blog" series as well. Plus, I will continue to report from the different stations in my travels and share studio sneak peeks as I make new collages.

So stick around, there is plenty to come! Thanks again to the brave spirits who signed up for the first session of Creative Courage, and I hope to welcome you all to a future session in 2012.

xoxo

Stephanie