Creating in January

"Genuine beginnings begin within us, even when they are brought to our attention by external opportunities."

Willilam Bridges

I have to say that before blogging, January was my least creative month. I spent the month looking at the stark Winter's sky, empty of cozy Christmas decorations only emphasizing the emptiness of the month. Too soon for Valentine's Day, Spring or Easter, I usually spent the month Spring cleaning and getting organized. Now there are so many creative challenges, Zines, and groups to join, which I find really inspire my creativity.

Joining Winter Bella Zine was a good choice. Teresa McFayden has introduced a different technique and idea every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. These ideas have inspired me to create every day, which is such a good thing.



This is a sign inspired by Teresa's Welcome sign design.

It is always fun to learn a new technique, but what I loved about Winter Bella is that she gives you lots of downloads to work with, like this charming Vintage postcard. I used it to also make my Valentine's Day cards.
















So far, I think her cupcake inspiration was the most fun for me. I love painting cake of all sorts, and the most adorable is the cupcake. I used her template for the cupcake design and the banner and quote that she supplied in her download. I stuck pretty close to her framing design, but I added a bit of my own style by using my ribbon and roses card design and for the cupcake icing I used fabric dimensional paint. I cut out my roses from my notecards to add the cherries to the cakes. Then I cut up an old shopping bag to retrieve these two fun cakes on their stands, which matched the cupcake paper and Ta dah...the cute Cupcake! Making this project did make me hungry, so when it was finished, and tucked safely away on my baker's rack, I decided to bake some real cupcakes. I sat like a little kid with cupcakes stacked high with icing (like my Grandmother used to make) and with a glass of milk admiring my creation. I would have hung it on the refrigerator, but it was too big. I think I just figured out why cupcakes are the rage these days, besides eating comfort food, creating comfort food gives you the same little kid feeling that all is right with the world.


My baker's rack is full of inspiration thanks to the crafty photo challenge approaching on January 29th at Beachy Cape Cod Cottage , Winter Bella Zine and the inspiration to create more canvas collages.



Blogging is a good idea, and joining all the wonderful swaps, challenges, and zines is a sure ticket to inspiration.




Thanks for stopping by, have a lovely weekend. I hope through your travels today in Blogland you find your inspiration to create something that speaks to your heart.



The song for this post is The Love Nest. I can't remember whether they used this song for the Donna Reed Show, or Father Know's Best. But it strikes a cord of some comfy familiar place within my heart.