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An Artist in Florence | With Melissa McArdle

In 2018 I knew that 2019 was going to be the last year I led overseas art workshops for the foreseeable future. As much as I loved gathering, teaching and traveling it was the most deep knowing that it was time and I had complete peace about my decision. Then 2020 changed all of our worlds and I was not only grateful that I didn’t have scheduled trips to cancel but it also was a reminder how much I had …

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Fall Tablescape | Into the Woods We Go

This post is sponsored by AllModern Fall begs for gathering and I think the most beautiful and inviting spaces can be created outside. We have been having the most fun creating cozy spaces and “rooms” throughout our land and today I am sharing our newest space for the Farmhouse Holiday Series hosted by Ella Claire. I wish I could take you along on all of the trails that we have created off of this space and throughout all of our …

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If Adventure, Creating and Travel Speak To You {I have something for you}

Sometimes we get to be wild explorers and travel far away, other times we can connect with other creatives not far from home and at other times we have the joy of hunkering down right where we live and creating among our day to day life.  Each one of these are life giving and creative building travels. I love that my travels have allowed me to build beautiful new friendships, sketch among stained glass windows and old wooden pews, sip …

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A Sold Out Workshop on a Sold Out Ship {one spot just opened}

******ONE spot just opened for this sold out art workshop on this sold out ship****** Ever since I have been a little girl I have been a lover of history, architecture, art and I have ALWAYS known…I would travel. I am greatly driven by my desire to learn, explore and to discover more of this world. My family makes choices all of the time that will make it possible for us to travel more and to have less of other …

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Photography 101: Through The Artist’s Eye Begins on Monday!

Nothing has defined our business and brand as much as finding my own style through photography. This has been a gift that has not only grown our business but allowed me to capture my family and the day to day.  Photography 101: Through the Artist’s Eye with Cynthia Shaffer begins on Monday, April 25th! The registration price for this one week course (4+ hours of content) is $46.00. This course will begin on April 25, 2016, all content will be …

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The Living Studio Along the Seine River Cruise

Ever since I have been a little girl I have been a lover of history, architecture, art and I have ALWAYS known…I would travel. I am greatly driven by my desire to learn, explore and to discover more of this world. My family makes choices all of the time that will make it possible for us to travel more and to have less of other things. We want to collect adventures and memories and not just things. I have an …

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Is The World Your Studio? {a glimpse into Savannah}

A few years ago when I came up with the concept behind The Living Studio I had hopes of traveling with women, connecting with different cities and creating outside the studio. My heart’s desire was to encourage women to get out of their comfort zone and to implement daily practicing. I wanted us to become those we had maybe admired for years in the parks, museums, cafes.  To become those that were creating whenever the opportunity arose. As of this …

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Creativity Takes Courage {Cat Bude}

*** For those of you that are new to the blog I want to tell you a little bit about the free series. My creative network offers free videos, new online courses, live “chats” and now interviews with courageous lovelies from around the world. Over the past two years I have had the opportunity to interview some of my favorite creative women and business owners. You can see the talented list of interviewees over on my creative network under Creativity …

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Just Dreaming About It Won’t Get You There

In the new year there can be long lists of dreams for the year and maybe even a yearly bucket list.  What I have found to be true is that me just dreaming about something has never led to the actual doing and experiencing.  If I want to learn something, go somewhere, spend time with someone… I have to make a PLAN OF ACTION. There have been more times than I can count that I had no idea how I …

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The Living Studio Normandy, France {registration is open}

My heart behind The Living Studio is that we will all learn to explore and create wherever we live. I hope to inspire people to step out of the comfort of their studios and out into the world and boldly create based upon the beauty all around them. This unique retreat combines my love of travel and creating and connecting with other women. I don’t know how many times over the years I had walked past a person sketching in …

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Italy {Bellagio and Off To Florence}

I have loved looking through my Italy Instagram photos for these posts. I didn’t pick up my camera very often and I have to admit that using mainly my phone made me enjoy the moments more. I want to make a book with all of the Italy Instagram photos and I will let you know what company I go with (and how it turns out). We are now on days 5, 6, 7 and 8. You can read about the …

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Flashback Friday {Inspired: What Katie Ate}

{Originally posted on January 31, 2011} About a month ago my friend Kim shared a website with me that I had never seen. What Katie Ate is a foodie blog by Katie Quinn Davies. From the moment I saw it I was mesmerized. In fact, I wanted to live in the blog and perhaps roll around naked in a few of the recipes. I do not regulary photograph food…but the way she stages and photographs will inspire you no matter …

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Living Beyond Happiness {Reaching For The Joy}

  {image found HERE} I hear it all of the time… You deserve to be happy I deserve to be happy If I only had xyz… I would be happy It is not that happy is a bad word. I just know that there is more! {image found HERE} You are surrounded by it every day. Surrounded by this idea that happy belongs to you and it you aren’t living it every second than you are doing something wrong or …

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Easy Instagram Tips {filters and so much more}

I love my Canon 5D Mark ii. I really do. I have been cheating on it for awhile now though and I am not ashamed. I use the inferior camera on my iphone everyday and I use Instagram to document our days. It is not just the ease of Instagram that has me hooked but all the awesome apps that you can purchase to instantly change your photos. That whole instant thing is pretty fun and convenient. I thought before …

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Up Close and Personal {The Sophie}

When we have a brand new bag that we are launching I like to give you a closer look at the bag. I hope this is the next best thing to you being here at our studio. Today I want to give you a closer look at the Sophie Leather Messenger Bag. Here are some of the sweet highlights of this gorgeous handmade bag. The Sophie * made from soft buffalo leather * closes with a substantial rounded flap * …

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Are You The Winner? {Come and Find Out}

Thank you for everyone that has been loving on our new Vintage Collection! Thank you for telling your friends and family. {vintage yellow dress} Thank you for sharing it through Facebook, Twitter and your blogs. Thank you for all your pins on Pinterest. We are a small business that has the honor of constantly growing because of YOU! {Lucy Ruffle Tote} We have been crazy busy over here lovingly wrapping up hundreds of orders. Packages are being shipped all over …

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Old Glory Antique Show {and time with the Fancy Farmgirl}

(all of the photos were taken by my phone in tons of sunlight..sorry) I live in Colorado as most of you know. We are known for our beautiful mountains, incredible weather, occasional wildfires, Tebowing and hiking. Not known for amazing shows. When my friends in the PNW are all heading out to the Farm Chicks show I am just a tad jealous. When my midwest friends all pile into a car to shop at the Country Living Fair I mope …

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You Can’t Do Everything {I can attest to this}

  {image is mine} I love this quote. Today is proves very much true. I sometimes can be delusional that I can juggle a million things. The truth is I can’t. When I try I usually prove that all I accomplish is to do everything half way. When you really put yourself into something everything else falls to the wayside….at least for me. Today we just launched our new course. My office is a disaster, the laundry could be climbed, …

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Lover Of Words

As we are putting the final touches on the new course I wanted to share some of the quotes that we will be sharing. I love including words in my art and it is so fun to put these together for the courses. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do. Enjoy your weekend. And for those of you ready to grow your business or learn how to start…..I will see you on Monday afternoon.

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Positive Gossip

This past January I went to Alt with Kimberly, Mel and Estelle. I wrote about the weekend HERE. The last night of the conference we were all relaxing, talking and having a few drinks before we all went our separate ways the next morning. Around the table with me was Kim, Mel, Estelle, Beefy, Melissa, Courtney and Melissa (I wonder what the popular name was 30 something years ago..hmmmm). Towards the end of the night Kim suggested that we play …

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Finding The Lovely {Week One}

My friend, Kimberly Taylor, and I were looking for a fun way to document the lovely things in our lives for the month of February. Since it is the month of love and and we do LOVE taking photos….this is the idea we came up with. We wanted to be intentional about  looking around us everyday and finding the little things that bring great joy and are just plain ol’…LOVELY! We wanted it to also be easy. We didn’t want …

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Old Roads {and making room for the new ones}

Dinner was on the table at the farm and my children were nowhere to be found. My brother obligingly set off to find them. I also went out to check on their progress of pulling themselves away from the freedom and wonder of the farm….to obey. All three of them were running down the country lane. I rushed back into the house to grab my camera and quickly capture them, the setting sun, the light on the golden cornstalks. It …

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Top Ten List {Dream Girls 2}

{Top Ten List} 1. Beef Bourguignon tastes the best when you are sitting around a table with a dear friend 2. When I heard the theme was hillbilly…I didn’t really have any concept of hillbilly! 3. That being hit on at the Yella Beak by a woman is fine with me at this point in my life. 4. Brainstorming with creative women helps me to come home more inspired and focused than before. 5. 40 women should not solder without …

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All Four Love {Loved Deeply}

Good morning! I hope you have been taking some photos this week. {previous post HERE explains the whole thing} I have to admit that my photo taking was not too impressive this week with the snow storm and all. I am hoping to get outside over the next three weeks and not only take photos inside my home:-) Even though this week was {loved deeply} there are obviously many people missing from these photos. {here are three that make my …

All Four Love

I love to take photographs and you will usually see me lugging a camera around with me wherever I go. My friend Courtney and I thought it would be fun to take photos with a purpose for the month of February. A way to show all the beauty around us through the lens. We named it All Four Love…for the four Fridays that we will be posting the photos. To make it even more fun we wanted to invite all …