A Dose of Encouragement

Oh yes, it's Friday friends!

Thanks goodness.

How are you doing over there? I wanted to share a bit about what's going on with me lately, and a few links to inspire and encourage you.

I've been blessed with commissioned artwork requests the past few weeks. The serendipitous thing about this is that just when I decided to take a break from working at the crazy pace I had been, some really wonderful and meaningful projects came my way.
This is the most recent one:

When this request came to me, I immediately knew how I wanted the finished piece to look. One of my favorite things about these pieces is that they stretch me to draw new subject matter. I had never drawn an amaryllis before, and it was a fun challenge. 

This dog portrait was a surprise birthday gift which made it even more fun to create...

And how fun is that name?! I used one of the owner's tattoos for inspiration for the flowers and color palette. 

And finally this piece was created for the shared bedroom of two young sisters. Do you see the little bee and lady bug? Those represent them...how sweet is that?! 

I'm sharing all of this with you to prove that the universe has your back. Just when I felt discouraged and that my art wasn't the quality it should be, or reaching the audience I wanted it to, these projects came my way. 

That validation means everything!

And as I promised, here are a few links to encourage and inspire you...

• What it takes to Turn a Hobby Into a Career at Age 40 with Lisa Congdon
• Jen Hewett on Letting Go of Perfection and Growing Multiple Skills to Enrich her Creativity
• And finally my FAVORITE podcast for creatives - check out the latest episode of Creative Pep Talk! The 6 Step Process to Unlock Powerful Creative Business Momentum

Hope you have a fantastic weekend friends!

XOXO,

Coffee Talk

If we were having coffee this morning, I would tell you that whatever you are struggling with, you may think you can't handle, but you are most certainly qualified.

I would tell you that you are growing and learning, and through this hard stuff you are becoming even more of the person you are meant to be.

I would tell you to keep moving forward, to remember to take deep breaths, and to not feel guilty for that extra dash of cream and sugar in your cup.

Wishing you an encouraging, cozy, and joy-filled Friday friends!

XO,

Hope

“Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come.” - Anne Lamott

If you are going through hard things, in a tough season, feeling hopeless, raw, or exhausted, this is for you. 

You are not alone friend, and we're in this together.

XO,

A bit of encouragement for all of us...

The creator’s journey is not for the faint of heart.

Once you figure out that thing you want to do with your life, you’ll do just about anything to make it happen. But the path is usually unclear. Sometimes you wonder if you’ll ever find it.

It comes with hurdles, speed bumps, closed doors, and doors you have to decide to open or not. It takes courage to accept the lot of it, allow yourself to wallow for a bit in disappointment, be okay with settling into discomfort, know that you will never do it perfectly, know that there will be times of genius and times of absolutely no inspiration to be found, know that there will always be competition, but also know that no one else can do it like you.

And the path you are paving is only creatable by you.

For all of us that are finding our way toward our creative destiny, we are not alone.

So keep going.

Don’t give up.

We were made for this.


Hanging in there with you,

Breaking Free

There have been two times in my life when I felt as if the universe was guiding my soul and circumstances in a way that was not under my control.

The first was five years ago when I came back to drawing.

The second is happening pretty much right now as I type this, and has been ruminating for almost all of 2018 so far.

Everything feels a bit like it is floating in a holding space, between the now and the what is going to be, and I'm just waiting for the second gate to open and let me through. 

Meanwhile God is sending me some stellar growth opportunities.

That last line was written with a bit of sarcasm, because GOODNESS. I'm spent.

Now is the time when I need to admit I had gotten myself to a very cranky place. And when I say cranky I mean bitter, annoyed, frustrated...all of those emotions we are taught to hold inside, mask with a smile, work through with a few encouraging images shared from Pinterest. I've been trying that last one and it does help a bit. 

Funny thing about God and the universe is that sometimes when you are begging for mercy, it comes in the exact opposite form you were expecting. 

For me, mercy has looked like two weeks full of challenging situations...using my voice, speaking up for myself and for others, facing hard truths, and stepping into my fullest potential. 

It has been EXHAUSTING and at the same time EMPOWERING.

You feel like you are facing it all alone. And at times you are. But I've also had friends stand up for me, take my hand and say, "I'm with you," thank me for having the courage to speak up. 

I even got a "That took guts!" which I have never, ever in my life been told. 

I have guts?! 

Surely they were mistaken.

But you know what? Turns out I do. They've been in there all along. 

The five-year-old who used to hide behind her mother's legs at church. 

The early twenty something who quit more than one job because she was terrified of failure. 

The girl who dropped an art class in college because she couldn't stand anyone watching her draw. (I know, right?!) 

She had guts. She didn't know how to use them yet, but they were already there. 

And the funny thing about using your guts is they multiply exponentially super fast with each use. Kind of like eating Grape Nuts cereal. You take one bite, and it's replaced with two more. 

The supply just keeps building, cheering you on from the conference room, the art table, the coworker's office, the email inbox. 

I was on the treadmill yesterday morning thinking about the past few weeks and shedding a few tears, (exercise is emotional you guys) and quickly typed up this list of instructions that helped get me through...

• Speak up
• Even when it is hard. Especially when it is. 
• Lean in
• Don't run away from the hard stuff. Know that it is helping you grow.
• Hold on
• Tight. To whatever you know is true and good in your life. The people, the feelings, the experiences.
• Power down
• Rest. Relax. Do what you need to do to regroup.
• Zone out
• Sometimes you have to escape from all of it, even for a few minutes. That's OK! Turn off your mind, take a nap, meditate, eat a pint of ice cream. Whatever works. 

*May I suggest 4 & 5 be done appropriately with your favorite Netflix show, your comfiest pants, and whatever comfort food fits your mood at the moment. 

Here is an illustration of me powering down, you know, for visual reference.

The lesson in all of this is I'm right where I need to be. And you are too. 

Life being hard and challenging doesn't have to mean you are stuck. 

Sometimes it is giving you the opportunity to break free. 

So a little recap for us all:

• Use those guts God gave you
• You are not stuck
• You are right where you need to be
• You are breaking free

You got this.

XO,

For You

A bouquet for you...

Just because.

Maybe it has been a rough morning, or week, or year so far.

Maybe you are doubting yourself or your talents.

Maybe you simply feel like crap.

You are OK, friend.


XO,

A Year of New Things

A new year brings about all sorts of resolutions and exclamations that, "This year will be different!" I'll do this, and stop doing that. 

I've never been much for resolutions. I don't perform well under pressure. I like to move where my soul leads me. 

But I do like this idea of starting something new. Fresh beginnings. Not a new diet, or a new set of goals, but new practices that will bring me closer to my best self.

New breath

New choices

New joy

New grace

New attention

And maybe not always so much "new" but "reNEWed." 

What will be new or renewed for you this year?

Choosing Slow

Things are moving at a slower pace at our house these days.

It was an intentional change, but not one without a fair share of anxiety, fear, and a few tears. 

My husband quit his job on August 5th.

And on August 6th we began a whole new way of living as a family of four. 

(On my 39th birthday...what wonderful timing!)

It is, for lack of a much better word, wonderful.

This isn't our first time with him staying home with the boys. Back when they were babies, he quit his job to stay home with them from about 16 months until they started kindergarten.

And that was wonderful.

But a TOTALLY different kind of wonderful. A much more tired version.

*one of the more tired days (twins + IKEA)

We had two babies, our income was quite a bit lower, we had just moved into a new house, and we were both navigating what it meant to be parents. Me a working mom, and him a stay-at-home dad, which isn't something our culture encourages or celebrates nearly enough. 

Even though he was home, he was much busier keeping up with the demands of young twins. I was figuring out how to deal with the guilt of not being home with the boys, and how to keep up with my day job while mom brain was in full effect. Those days were tired. Wonderful, but oh so tired.

But this time, the decision for him to quit his job wasn't out of the same necessity as 8 years ago. The need was different, but equally important.

To be honest, our mental health was at stake. His mental health especially. His job had turned into a horrible mess. My husband wasn't himself at all. We were bickering, short tempered, and tired. The house wasn't being taken care of, we weren't eating well...the list goes on and on. 

And it changed in the matter of a few weeks. His job went from bearable to inducing panic attacks. It felt like one of the hardest and yet easiest decisions ever to say JUST QUIT.

JUST QUIT.

This life we are given is worth more than countless hours spent working hard for a company that doesn't respect your work ethic or your family. To make money to spend on more stuff you don't have time to enjoy. 

Oh it felt SO good to make this decision as a family. I honestly haven't felt closer to him than I have the past few weeks as we made this intentional decision to find a new way of living. We've been together since he was 19 and I was 21, and I am amazed to see how we have grown together. And I am so very thankful that growth has brought us together, and not pulled us apart. Because oh there were times I worried it would. 

I've wanted to share this with you all since it happened, but needed to wait until the words came. And today they came.

And I want to encourage you, if your way of living right now doesn't feel like it is working. If you are exhausted and cranky and not enjoying your family or the things you feel like you should be, it is ok to start over. It is so much more than ok to find a way of living that doesn't look like the way anyone else is doing it. And don't worry about what others think or say...all that matters is that it works for your family.

And the peace we feel in our house these past few weeks. Man I wish I could bottle it up, because everything about it is so very good.

And speaking of remaking your life, this Super Soul Sunday talk from one of my absolute favorite authors Shauna Niequist is all about slowing down and it is really wonderful. 

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I hope it resonates with you in some way!

XO,

Full Sized You

I drew this a few weeks ago after jotting the words below in my notebook...

Don't stop. 

Don't hide. 

Don't discount your talent. 

Don't apologize for it. 

Don't shrink!

The world needs FULL SIZED YOU!

We really do. Give us all you got!

Sending love and brave vibes to you today friend,

New Product + Encouragement for YOU!

Happy Wednesday friends!

I have some exciting news to share with you today...a new product launch!

So a little back story...if you can humor me for a minute. And I promise there is a reason for the story that I think will encourage you.

About a month ago I posted a new pattern on my Instagram... 

A new Insta friend, Elaine, commented on the pattern that it would be lovely for bible journaling, and asked if I had a printable of it available. 

How did she know that I've been wanting to start creating scrapbooking illustrations? It was like she read my mind.  

When I saw that she works for Illustrated Faith, I sent her a direct message and asked if she had any tips on what types of items would be popular for bible journaling, since that is a completely new concept to me. 

She replied with a few tips, but also an invitation to be the April guest designer for the Illustrated Faith digital shop!

Talk about an exciting invitation! And one that I didn't need much time to deliberate. 

Umm, YES PLEASE!

Those who have followed me for a long time know that I used to be an obsessed scrapbooker which makes this new adventure all the more exciting. Creating my OWN scrapbooking embellishments?! 

Holy.Cow.

Even though I don't scrapbook anymore, I've always had a huge thing for the patterned paper, the stickers...all of it.

Because Elaine loved my pattern so much, I took it as my starting cue for the collection, and went with a theme of hope and faith in things unseen, because that is a huge mantra for my life these days. 

The kit includes a page of embellishments and another page with four journaling cards. 

There are a few things I really love about it.

It is authentically me. The hand drawn images, the child-like feel, and the message of hope. It is all ME. I'm a ridiculously hopeful person and I also believe in the magic and mystery of what we can't see and how it brings together fantastically wonderful opportunities for us in this life. 

This kit pulls together all of that into a sweet little printable you can buy for $4.50. I tell ya that is quite a deal, right? Right. 

I'm just over the moon about it. 

Right now I'm using one of the bible margin covers (the long skinny pieces) as a bookmark which is just perfect, especially for my new Anne Lamott book (all the heart eyes!)...

You can check out the lovely things Elaine did with the kit over on the Illustrated Faith blog. That girl is good! 

Here is one of her images showing the embellishments close up. Gah they make my heart skip a beat!

And I'm super happy to share that I'll be doing another kit for them in May! I can't wait to see what comes together for the next one. 

So the lesson in all of this?

Keep going. 

Keep sharing. 

Keep doing the things you love and the threads will connect together in the ways they are meant to. 

Those things that you can't not do with your time? The ones that excite you so much that you stay up too late on a work night or wake up first thing in the morning thinking about? 

Keep doing them! Even if you aren't sure where they might take you. 

That's where the magic is.

XO,

Courage = Confidence

Have you ever taken on a project that required every ounce of your courage to see it through? 

Something you know was meant for you, and would help you grow, but darn-it if it didn't scare the crap out of you?

I spent the past two Saturdays working on my scare-the-crap-out-of-you project in the most beautiful space full of light and nature...

and I discovered that when you decide to use up every ounce of courage available to you, it looks a lot like confidence.

It may look on the outside like you have it all together, but inside you are holding on for dear life.

But when you don't give up, and decide to hold all of your scared parts together, magical things can happen. 

Like this cutie patootie snail.

I also learned that you can turn a daisy into an echinacea flower with a simple addition of purple and brown.

So the next time a project comes up that scares you, remember that you don't have to be 100% confident, you just need to gather up all of your courage. 

I promise it will work!

XO,

Living Inside Your Art

I was chatting with my Mom the other night about a new retail shop in town that is full of succulents, organic goodies and gemstones. 

I told her they have a necklace that has a crocheted pocket to hold a gemstone which sounds so lovely. 

And then declared with a giggle that I'm totally turning into a hippy. 

And she replied that I'm becoming who I was meant to be. 

Isn't that a wonderful thing?

Becoming who you were always meant to be?

Remembering who you were when you were a child and returning to your roots? 

When I was a kid, I drew a lot. And I collected rocks.

I was obsessed with both.

And now I am again.

I'm finding so much joy in my art, and in collecting pieces of nature that help me feel grounded and connected to something larger than myself. 



It is something so special and yet scary at the same time. 

When you get to that place of truly knowing yourself, it feels like you are walking a tight rope without a net below you, because there's no more facade to fall back on. 

You're just....you! 



The real, stripped down, cleanest, and most pure version of yourself. 

A friend commented on one of my Facebook posts the other day that she loves how I "live inside my art." Goodness what a compliment. And it really got me thinking about the idea of living inside my art. 

I do really feel like I'm starting to do that. To incorporate my art into every facet of my life. 

Or is it the other way around?

Either way it feel fabulous.

And "art" can mean so many different things. It is the thing that makes you come alive. The thing you can't go 24 hours without doing. 

Do you know what your art is? 

If not I really encourage you to think back to your childhood and what you loved. What you would do with your time if you didn't need a paycheck. 

What would life look like if you were living inside of that art?

I'd love to hear what you think about this in the comments!

Happy Friday friends,

Luck (and a bit of magic)

Luck is the thing that happens when you listen to that still, small voice, you keep taking chances, you put your broken & messy self out into the world and offer up what you were created to do, and all of those lovely threads connect into something SPECTACULAR.

I also like to call it magic. ✨

Sending happy spring flowers your way!

morning meditation

I've started a morning practice of lighting the candle in my window when I settle in at work and taking a few moments to admire the rocks and other natural elements on my tray and enjoy the view outside. 

I have found it to be a very grounding and peaceful way to start what could be a hectic day. 

I thought I would start sharing these short videos on the blog, in case you would like to take a few moments along with me to be silent, meditate, pray, or do whatever brings you calm. 

Monday morning meditation 🙏

A post shared by Mandy Ford (@mandyfordart) on Mar 6, 2017 at 5:28am PST

Sending you love and light,