Catfood27Cents

Four

This past weekend, Isla turned FOUR.  My dearest - I had a beautiful post written out and then the stupid mouse feature where all you have to do is BARELY TOUCH THE GODDAMN THING and it flips back a page and EVERY IMAGE AND ALL MY TEXT was wiped clean and I almost threw the mouse at the computer (but did not as that would have been extremely stupid) so ... I'm starting over.  

Sigh* 

For starters, how is it that you're already four?  Weren't you turning three a few minutes ago?   

No - you're getting so big. 

You call yourself an artist - "I'm an artist, mama, that's what I'm good at".  If only we all had such confidence in ourselves.  

You see yourself in the mirror and you only see beauty.  You only see perfect.  You only see potential and the knowledge that you can do and be and think and dream anything.   I'd move mountains to keep that for you.

You have a sweet tooth and an equally salty one.   Thankfully you still love most vegetables.  

You love drawing and art and paint at least once a day.  

You change clothes sometimes three times a day just because...you can.  

Your favorite show is the Octonauts.  

You love singing silly songs.  

You ask for lip balm the minute we get in the car.  

Clothes should be feminine - usually dresses, but sometimes you want jeans and a tee shirt.   

Baby Mousie is still number one.  

I know that this is the year, especially as you begin preschool - which I think you'll love, but you'll also not love because you SO do not like rules, that the doubts will creep in.  You will taste rejection.  You will be tested and you will see that the world can and does hurt at times.  And sweetie, I'm here to help you keep your balance.  For there is good in this world and I have to remind myself of that daily or else I'll let those waves go over my head and it's so hard to swim back up to the surface.  I see a little of that in you and in your older brother.  That sensitivity.  That little bit of melancholy.   The beautiful empathy.  And as you venture out on your path a bit farther than you ever have before I will be interested to see how you lead yourself.  And I will always be here to help you.  And I will always love you. 

 

 May four be a year of love and wonder and childhood innocence and beauty and dreams coming true.  

Stellan, Just because

And, simply because I dislike having negative things on my blog for very long.  Here's a little Stelly eye candy.  

His face.  It's practically impossible not to continuously smooch on him.  

(and... is it me or does he sort of kind of look a bit like Bette Midler in that bottom right pic?)

Rage against the machine guns

Normally I like to keep things a little more gentle here on the blog, but I've about boiled over and I had to get this off my chest and written out.  

I don't understand the love affair this country  has with guns.  Too many idiots can buy them and there is VERY LITTLE accountability when things go horribly wrong (which they frequently do).  How is it that a five year old shoots his toddler sister in the chest with his very own (child sized) rifle that he was given for his birthday? You know, the rifle that was kept loaded (oops, we didn't know!!!) and "in the corner".   If it weren't so common I'd be shocked.  But I am disgusted and that is what is fueling this post tonight.  

Here's a glorious eyeful for the curious.  Crickett Firearms: a lovely way to indoctrinate your tyke into the world of lethal weapons.  But of course, we're only teaching our babies gun safety.  Yes, yes, I know that's the war cry.  Please keep in mind that the link directs you to the "kids corner".  That's right - because you're never too young to learn that the most important amendment is the second one.  Please get an eyeful of the little baby towards the bottom on the far right column, sitting on his little bum, with a gun draped over his lap.  Adorable.  I'm sure there's a lovely canvas print of this adorning someone's mantle.  Excuse me while I go vomit.  Where's the picture of the baby with pipe bomb or noose?  Those were also invented to kill, were they not?  Not as noble as the rifle I suppose.  Lest we forget, all of these items were invented with the intent to kill humans.  Sure the rifle has long been the hunter's choice, but it was designed for military use.  No romancing that up.  

We allow bullshit fillibuster by sparsely populated states who happen to have equal voting power (and are besties with the NRA) to block sensible gun control measures that the VAST MAJORITY of this country supports but we wring our hands when children get shot and wail "HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN!?  

In the case of the above-mentioned story regarding today's tragic shooting, the ineptitude of the parents have now cost their daughter her life and their son his innocence.  Sure, guns don't kill people, people kill people.  Yet, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that someone would be tucking her toddler into bed tonight safe and sound if a loaded child sized rifle wasn't just "in the corner".   But heaven forbid we suggest that a lethal weapon designed to kill living things, and one specifically designed for children, no less was in the wrong hands and kept improperly because that might in some way impinge on the precious second amendment.  Oh I'm sure there will be an investigation and maybe even charges pressed.  But we'll call this a tragic accident.  Like it's a rare occurrence.  But it's not. 

We call these events an "accident".  How is this an accident?  We imagine in bizarro-land that a five year old is in any way shape or form responsible enough to properly care for a real weapon?  When does that age of reason kick in?  Okay, okay - yes, it's the parent's fault.  I totally agree with you there.  It is 100% the fault of the parent.  And it's also 100% our fault.  Our country glorifies weapons.  We've made them sexy.  Start them young with a pink rifle and tell them to imagine they're protecting the homestead from the government.  Guess who's going to need protective weapons pretty soon?  The 70% of us who have to fight back the crazy people who think we're going to need an armed rebellion within the next few years.  Who are these people?  Well, obviously they're NRA members being fed the crazy from that sick organization.  Shame Shame SHAME on the NRA.  YOU should be held accountable for these deaths.  You are not teaching "responsible" gun ownership, you are encouraging rampant gun purchases for anyone who can pay for one so your "corporate partners" can make more money.  Who cares how many toddlers die in your wake?  Who cares how many people of any age die because of your greed?  

The other day I was out with my family and we were standing in front of the frozen yogurt place we frequent in downtown Daytona Beach when a few pops rang out from fireworks that had gone off over the baseball stadium.  Do you know what my first initial response was?  I immediately felt adrenaline surge throughout my body, my heart started racing and I scanned the street for someone carrying a weapon for a second before I realized what actually made the noise.  What has become of us?  

Now, I realize that I have written this post in a place of anger.  But it's not hot.  It's the same cold anger that I have regarding this topic that I've held for years.  Sure, I have many many family members and maybe some friends who think I'm some ignorant, bleeding heart liberal.  And that's fine.  I really don't care anymore what anyone thinks about me.  I can be angry and pissed off but that doesn't mean I'm not educated on this subject.  Apathy is ignorance.  Blindly clutching to a 200 year old document without questioning it's application to our current world is ignorance.  I know that there are many many many responsible gun owners out there.  I'm sure most of them are, in fact.  But we need accountability.  How is it unreasonable to require a background check?  How is it unreasonable to require a waiting period?  How is it unreasonable to require safety locks and secure gun cabinets?  If you are not actively participating in a war - why does a regular citizen need an assault weapon?  Really, why?  We have to wear seat belts by law.  Is that taking away our personal freedoms?  Most people would say no, because they know that an auto accident without a seatbelt will likely result in serious injury or death.  Most states require a locked fence around a pool, and many insurance companies charge higher premiums for pool ownership.  (I bring these up as they are often used as straw man arguments in this debate).  

So, to get off my high horse here, I'll just say that I'm sick of our pandering to the vocal minority here in America.  The recent Senate Bill defeat is case in point that we are at the mercy of big corporations whose only interest is in their own pocketbooks.  When will we have had enough?  

 

Homeschool and Insecurity. Lovies and Love.

 

Well, today is May first (Happy Birthday Molly! - not Mollie - your birthday is tomorrow, this is not a typo) and thus begins the first year of homeschool wind downnnnn..... Or is it?  

Actually, I just ordered my curriculum package for next year for Ronan.  If you're interested, we'll be using Oak Meadow as our "main" structure and for our blocks and then we'll be adding elements from Christopherus first grade.  Oak Meadow is a lightly flavored Waldorf inspired curriculum and Christopherus is generally considered a bit more Waldorf-y.  It's surprising how strong the opinions about Waldorf Curriculum are while searching for reviews on the internet.  Oak Meadow is considered either too "academic" or "not academic enough" (too academic for those who are really living a Waldorf lifestyle and not academic enough for others who expect their child to be handily reading Goethe by seven).  So, whatever - if I've learned anything this past year, it's that no matter what I choose, someone's going to be doing something different and maybe it'll be better, maybe not.  

To be honest, I am REALLY looking forward to using a laid out curriculum.  Here's what I've learned about myself: I need structure and I'm not the best planner.  Okay, I mean, we're getting stuff done, but for me? for us? we need more organization.  I still believe in gently introducing young children into academics, hence my curriculum choices for next year (who knows about the following years, we're doing this one year at a time) but I really want my year laid out in a slightly more than skeleton outline.  This is also why I've purchased the coming school year's curriculum already.  For one, it went on sale today, and two, I plan on creating a planner during break that will be MY main lesson book.  My calendar system did not work as I'd hoped this year.  

Thankfully, I've been slyly assessing Ronan using a few different resources and it seems like he's got the "core" standards for Kindergarten down pretty well.  So despite the fact that it hasn't been the dreamy and idyllic homeschool experience I'd hoped, things still worked out.  

For next year, Isla will be attending a sweet little preschool three days a week, and fortunately there are already several children there whom she knows well.  I plan on using those days as our "main" days for school with Ronan.  I will also have help with Stellan so I can focus on Ro with as few interruptions as possible during our morning school time.  I'm already looking forward to the next school year and will likely start sometime during the summer.  

we went strawberry picking last week.  

But of course, with any big decision, and I consider how my children will be educated to be one of the biggest decisions I can possibly make as their mama, I am always fraught with doubt.  Is this the right decision?  Are my children learning enough?  Are we happy as a family?  Am I getting burned out?  Sometimes the answer to all of these questions (all at the same time!) is a resounding YES!  Sometimes it isn't so clear.  Yes, I have been feeling a little burned out lately and I think a lot of that is due to the fact that it's the end of the year.  We've been busier than ever.  I've been feeling pretty pulled in about eight million directions.  It's so good and good and good and then hard and busy and I'm sinking, then it's great!  So, yeah, we'll keep on keeping on for another year.  At least that's where I'm at today!  

In other news, the big kids have finished up their first round of swim classes and Stellan is still working on perfecting his lifesaving roll and float skills.  He missed a couple weeks due to a bad cold, but he's really rocking it now.  Some things I'm REALLY passionate about when it comes to children's safety is appropriate and safe car seats for kids and knowing how to swim.  So the kids have all been involved in some serious swim lessons for the last few years.  Ronan and Isla have graduated to group classes, with Ronan getting ready to take a stroke class and we're really stressing Stellan's floating.  The kids are taking swim lessons at Aqua Journeys Swim School.  I HIGHLY recommend them if you're in the area.

So, other than just trying to make my way through managing schedules, keeping our home running as smoothly as possible and trying to squeeze in a little "me" time (namely through Pilates classes and acupuncture) I'm also taking another online photography class through the Define School.  This is my second class through this online school and it's really been inspirational, helpful and I'm learning so much.  I'm already planning which class I'd love to take next! ...

Here's a shot I submitted this week.  We had to take a photo in a supermarket, so my friend, Dee, was up to the challenge of modeling for me.  Thanks for being such a sport, Dee, and for coming up with funny grocery store scenarios for my homework.  xo 

And lastly, Jill of Baby Rabies wrote a post about finding her daughter's lamb lovey.  Then she posted this short little YouTube video.  Since I am probably attached more to my children's lovey's than they are (ahem, Baby Mousey I've probably spent at least 39 hours of my life searching for you) I found this so sweet and emotional.  And yeah, this is a total tear jerker.  

 

 

 

I totally ugly cried.

Phone Pics!

Here's just a snippet of what's been happening lately via my phone.  Remember - to see all my Instagram photos (ahem - mom and dad) you can just click right on over there on the right on the instagram widget (below the flickr one) and it'll take you to the Instagram page where all my images can be found.  Easy peasy!  Or, click HERE!

 

Bloglovin'

Since Google Reader is leaving us very very soon... you can...(this is something I'm trying out, I'm sure going to miss Google Reader). *sniff

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Yeah - so, if you want to keep up with me - click the sexy little icon lady over there on the right. She'll show you the way.

I'm not on Facebook anymore (more on that later) so I know readership will plummet and that's a little sad to me, yes indeed as it always felt a bit like I was talking to a group of friends.... But I do keep up with Instagram so hopefully I'll still see some old friends come around once in a while.  

With time off of FB, I hope I'll be able to be a little more attentive to my blog, who is my first social media love.  

Blue Skies

This past weekend we headed down to the New Smyrna Balloon Show.  Alas, the 20mph winds made it so there were no balloons (You know, I don't believe I've ever seen an actual hot air balloon "in the wild".  My husband was incredulous, but I'm pretty sure I've only ever seen them in photos or on television/some sort of screen.)  There were many lovely old WWII planes, the usual carnival food trucks, and then your small, but hilariously cheesy fun carnival itself - complete with ferris wheel that you cannot help but think the entire time of it falling apart while you are up in the highest spot.  Isla thought it was a blast, I kept scanning the old jalopy for rusting bolts and weak spots.  So typical me.  Anyway, it was a sweet sort of old-school Americana kind of day.  It's nice to pepper those into your life now and again.   

it was windy^

sharky plane

snack break

carousel/big fish kite

air show

carousel

top photo is my attempt at slow shutter movement capturing....this was the best shot... clearly this is a skill in which I need some major improvement.  

While Ronan and I did the giant trampoline/bungee jump thing (um ouch, but I did flip twice!) Isla rode the dino ride with some other little girl and Brandon  snapped this shot.  Not sure what was happening here, but this would make a nice caption contest photo!

Ah, so - back to the normal days of the week...

Do you feel like life is pulling you in too many directions?  How do you fit it all in?  All the living?  All that task managing?  Some mornings I wake up and I. Am. Amazing.  For example, a couple weeks ago I woke up early (after having a very rough night with Stelly), got the kids dressed and out the door for a pediatrician appointment, got them all breakfast at Panera where they were perfect angels, the usual passel of retirees smiled at me instead of scowling, then drove 40 minutes to Blue Springs State Park where Stelly chilled in the Ergo on my back and Ro and Isla were perfect little homeschooler's watching the manatee, spotting the alligators and helping me pick up trash.  I actually had someone come up to me and tell me what an awesome mother they thought I was.  That was a really good day.  

How is it that on another perfectly average day everything can be totally hectic and nuts and the house falls apart and the antique pull on your kid's dresser falls off in your hand while you're trying to open the drawer and the baby won't stop clinging to your leg, making you late for swimming lessons and and and...dinner sucks.  Man, sometimes it's so game on, then other times it's so game over.  

I'm looking at the summer schedule, watching it fill up with possibilities... and I just want it to be a luxuriously lazy hazy slow chug through the hot months filled with days at the pool, time with friends and family and some school thrown in for good measure (I'm talkin' bout for the kids y'all).  But I'm compelled to enroll them all in sports and lessons and Little Gym and maybe even summer school/play/fun thing that I'm not 100% sure I want to do but.  Maybe nothing at all?  It's fascinating watching the children grow up and as they get older feeling this pull to get. them. involved. in. everything.  I'm pretty sure I blogged about this last year as well, and likely even the year before that, too.  

I want them to have wonderful experiences, but I also want them to just enjoy the slow of the days when you don't have to rush out to the car.  And let's be honest, I don't have that many memories before the age of six.  Of course I have some, but, is Stelly going to care if he's in Little Gym?  Probably not.  

And there you have it, a blog post about lame first world problems.  Ha! Tell me, anyone have any plans for summer/winter (for my Southern Hemisphere friends) break?  What are you and your families getting up to?  

 

Easter

A lot of family in town.  Seven little cousins getting on just as we hoped they would.  A day at the beach, some time at the pool.  Just being together.  Legoland.  It really was such a wonderful time.  There is nothing more important than family. 

Where you stand

Are things black and white?

Or do you see color?

As I reflect on what this time of year now means to me, a pretty much ex-Catholic and non-practicing any particular religion and totally and completely okay with that but still sometimes wants some sort of definition... kind of person, I get a little hung up.  It was so easy being Catholic.  

"Oh, yes, God you say?  Of course! I believe x,y and z because I'm Catholic".  

I cannot tell you how many earnest people with pamphlets I've deflected with those words - I'm Catholic.  

But now, I certainly cannot claim the Church anymore than it would want to claim me.  And that's okay.  It was probably time for us to break up, anyway.  We had a good run.  I do reflect nostalgically on the lovely Byzantine traditions that marked so many moments of my childhood.  And I loved my Catholic High School, too.  But things started getting rocky between me and The Church while I was still in High School and I had to watch a program on the Rapture during an ECF class (like Sunday School) and I can remember thinking at the image of the empty swings continuing to sway from the inertia left from their newly zapped to salvation former occupants - "this is total crazy shit" and I never went back to those classes.      

And as I got older and met more and more people who were not Catholic and who were not "Catholic Approved" and as I started asking more and more questions - well, I suppose things just really cooled off between the Church and I and we haven't spoken for quite some time.  

How about God?  How's he hanging in there?  Jesus?  I'm down with God and Jesus.  I think the things that Jesus said and did are pretty awesome and I also think a lot of people aren't really listening to the things Jesus said and did.  And that makes me fairly sad, but what can you do except just live a good life and love people for all their faults because (pun!) Lord knows we all have a lot of them.  

So why am I bringing this up now?  Well, because it's Easter and for me, Easter has always been a 100% religious holiday.  Sure, we had a few egg hunts now and again, but for me Easter was way less bunny and a lot of time logged in at Church.  

So now, with children who are really beginning to get into holidays (and in a big way) I find myself pondering how I will teach them about God but in a way that they will eventually lead them to make up their own minds and be confident and comfortable with their beliefs and themselves.  

I don't have a great answer for this yet.  But I'm definitely thinking about it.  Quite a lot, if you must know.  

Well, anyway, I hope you all have a lovely weekend, regardless of your religion and traditions this time of year.  We've got family coming into town and I dream of a beautiful seven cousin photo where at least 2/3 of them are not scowling.  Tomorrow we dye some eggs and prepare to welcome our family into our home for a few days.  :)  We're all very excited.  

She is: Inspiring Women Part 2 - Carrie Schmitt Art and Design

 I am very excited to present Part Two of my ??? part series on awesome women entrepreneurs.  This week's interview is with my dear friend Carrie Schmitt of Carrie Schmitt Art & Design.  Carrie and I lived together in college my Junior year at Miami University above Bagel and Deli (with four other people!)  It truly was like a VERY real episode of "The Real World" and it was pretty wonderful.  Carrie has always been artistic and loving and generous and joyous, so it has truly been a pleasure watching her develop her art and turn it into something lucrative that she is sharing with the world.  As you will see, her joyful spirit is imbued in each of her paintings.  

Please enjoy and if you are inspired, please leave a comment!  Thank you so much! 

Tell us a little about yourself and your business.  How did your interest in art develop?  How long have you been painting professionally?  

What hurts you, blesses you. Darkness is your candle.” Rumi

I have secretly wanted to be an artist my whole life. I tucked this dream down so deep that I did a great job hiding it even from myself. I was afraid of failing or embarrassing myself. They say each painting is a self-portrait, and I was afraid to share my vulnerabilities and imperfections.

When I developed a life-threatening allergy to heat in 2009, I was convinced that my life was over—at least a physically active, outdoor life. One day, a voice inside me whispered, “You might as well do what you have always wanted and paint.” 

“I have?” I thought, surprised. But, as soon as I heard it, I knew it was true. It had always been true.

While stuck indoors for months due to the extreme heat that fateful summer, I picked up a paintbrush and began experimenting.  Today, my art is licensed with 3 different companies that sell products all over the world. 

Looking back, I am grateful for what at the time was a devastating diagnosis.  And shocked that it took hitting rock bottom for me to surrender to my heart’s deepest desire.  My advice to everyone is to not wait until you think your life is over to do what makes you feel the most alive.

How did you know you wanted to take fine art from something you enjoy for yourself to a professional level? 

When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy. -Rumi

As soon as I began painting, I knew that I wanted to do this professionally for a several reasons:

1. I want to live an artistic life. There is nothing I’d rather do than paint. It brings me a joy that makes me feel that my heart is exploding with each brush stroke.  This feeling permeates into the rest of my life. I’m a more joyful and giving person. 
2. I need to make money to pay for my children’s tuition. Either that, or get another job where I’d be pining away for my paints each minute. 
3. I love the flexibility and prefer working from home. I’ve never been attracted to the 9 to 5 corporate world. I like being able to set my hours, have time to make meals, pick up my kids from school and adjust to their needs. Not that this is easy, but the alternative isn’t as desirable to me.
4. I want commitment.  Sadly, a hobby seems easier to set aside, to deem unimportant, to not invest in, especially when you are a mom with a million other things to do.  The year we moved to the Pacific Northwest (2011), I only painted two days the entire year.  That would never happen with a job, right? I wasn’t committed to myself as a “real” artist at that point. Today, my family and I view art as my job—it is not dispensable.  

Forever capturing the beauty of a bridal boquet as a unique piece of art. 

I know for many people, going from the “inspiration” and “dreaming” stage to taking that first step into actually establishing a business and making your dream a priority is often the most difficult.  Fear of failure, thinking you’re not good enough, and wondering just how you can add this new venture into your already busy life can be debilitating.  Describe how you personally made that first step?  

Baby steps, for sure.  Lack of time is my biggest issue as a mom.  The process can be overwhelming if you don’t have some structure to model what you want to do.  The good news is there a lot of women who have done this already—let their experiences guide you! 

I’ve learned so much from other entrepreneurs who teach online classes about how to run a creative business.  Two of my favorites are:

Taking Flight: Tips and Tricks to Help Your Creative Biz Soar by Kelly Rae Roberts. (http://www. kellyraeroberts.com/learn) This woman is a powerhouse when it comes to running your own creative biz. She is a HUGELY successful artist with tons of insight to share on everything you can imagine relating to any type of creative business, including time management, marketing, bookkeeping, social networking and more. She breaks it down into manageable and even enjoyable process.

Smart Creative Women. (www.smartcreativewomen.com) Monica Lee interviews successful creative entrepreneurs who share their journey and what they’ve learned along the way. What I love most about this is that you are listening to women who have made their dreams come true. It is quite inspiring. And contagious. 

Were there times when you felt like things just weren’t working out and you felt discouraged?  How did you push through those feelings and keep motivated?  

“Act boldly and unseen forces will come to your aid.” Dorothea Brande

I LOVE talking about this because I’ve had a bit of magic pop up in my life surrounding this subject.

Here’s the deal…

I feel discouraged A LOT. I cry sometimes.  I fall into despair. As a mom, I am constantly frustrated by the lack of time I have for my art biz. Most of the full-time artists I know that are where I’d like to be in my career do not have children or had them after their business was well-established.  This can be disheartening. 

Whenever I’m on the brink of giving up and throwing my paints out the window, something wonderful happens. I receive a Facebook message from someone telling me how much they love my art. I win a garden art poster contest. I sell a painting.

I am delighted by the serendipity.  I’ve developed a practice of ASKING the universe to send me a sign whenever I am doubting myself as an artist.  I honestly beg the universe, “I really need some affirmation right now.”

The first time I actively asked, I received an email from a stationery company to license my work. The next time, I received an email from Metcolors, an art publisher and distributor, who wanted to license my art for home décor products. This has really worked for me!

What does this mean? I’ve adopted faith and grace as a part of my business practice. I don’t think I could keep going without these. When you are overwhelmed, ask for help. Release it and welcome signs into your life that nurture you. 

 

What is your best advice for someone who wants to start their own business but might be feeling overwhelmed by all the “details” entailed therein?  Where does one start?  

1. Believe in yourself and value your dreams/goals. They are not frivolous. In fact, quite the opposite. You need your passion, and the world does too. 
2. Start wherever you are and take at least one step every day in the direction of your dreams. 
3. Seek mentors for guidance, but DON’T compare yourself to anyone else. Your life situation is unique—honor that.
4. Define your career path and priorities. I make lists all the time. Daily, weekly, monthly and long term goals. Check in often with yourself.  Some people like to write a manifesto or mission statement to help them define their values and goals. I recently interviewed an artist who wisely said, “I’ve learned that when you put your energy in one direction, you can usually accomplish what you set out to do.” I agree with her wholeheartedly. 
5. Dive in and don’t look back. I’m inspired by the idea that time is going to pass whether you do that thing you’ve been meaning to do or not. Why not do it? An accomplished author once told me, “I’m a writer because I write. I have spent 10 years writing 8 hours each day. If I had been doing something else, then I’d be good at that instead.” 
6. Network—find a strong support group. I have made wonderful artist friends online through classes.  Even though I’ve never met many of these women, they have become dear friends. We offer each other advice and emotional support that has been essential and life-affirming.
7. Research, learn, improve, grow. I’m constantly trying to move in this direction with my art and business skills. I’m always trying to learn more, but not all at once. Be patient with yourself. Above all, be gentle with yourself.

What are some of your hopes for Carrie Schmitt Art and Design in the future?  

To continue to share my art with the world in whatever ways I can because I feel that when I do, I am sharing the most joyful part of myself. 

I dream of teaching workshops and hosting creative retreats for women someday.  I’d love to see my artwork on textiles—I’ve always drooled over fabric. 

I’ve learned what is most important to me is constantly evolving and growing as an artist. By focusing on that, I hope to welcome “success” in whatever form presents itself.

PS—To see an amazing documentary that will really get you thinking about Motherhood and art or passion of any kind, watch and share this video: Who Does She Think She Is? (http://www.whodoesshethinksheis.net)

Thank you so much Carrie for taking the time to answer these questions.  You have truly inspired me and I am sure many others.  Please take a look at Carrie's website here to see more of her gorgeous work.  

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*If you are interested in being spotlighted on this blog, or know a mama that inspires you who you think may enjoy sharing their story of starting and managing a business while balancing family life, please don't hesitate to contact me via email (address is on the right!).