Getting Down To Business with Jeanne Oliver

{E-Course from Jeanne Oliver}

A few months ago, I took the Creatively Made e-course by Jeanne Oliver and absolutely loved it because it has opened my eyes to a lot of things that I was finding so hard to understand about myself and what I desired as an artist. Most of my life, I have struggled with self-doubt and insecurities. I knew I wanted to be an artist, but have been so afraid of taking myself seriously for fear of rejection. Or I simply didn't think or believe I could achieve anything great with it. My lack of confidence was limiting my growth and caused me to feel stuck. Deep down, I wanted so much to reach my dreams and just be who I knew I was meant to be. I'd ask God over and over, where am I going in life? What is my calling? I knew that first and foremost, I am a mom and a wife. Yes, I am fulfilled and complete because they mean everything to me and I value my role and purpose to love and care for them. But, I also knew that as a very creative person, that there was so much more I needed to do in life that served a bigger purpose using the gifts I have been blessed with. Finally, I can honestly say, I KNOW (not think) who I am and what I was born to do and now I'm more than ready to take it further and let my destiny unfold... This time no more holding back by fear! Yeahhhh!!!

So in regards to finally taking the step to realize my gifts and creative abilities, one of my dreams is to really build and grow my own brand and sell my art to retailers and wholesalers. I know that I can't do it alone and need the help and mentoring of others. Unfortunately, I don't have many people in real life that I can talk to or call upon for business advice or anything related to it. Thankfully, there's some wonderful people out there who are willing to help and share their experiences with others. When I heard about,  Building A Creatively Made Business, I knew I had to go for it. Jeanne Oliver has been so generous with her life to offer this course to those who are searching for the support and guidance in starting their own creative business. Her genuine and honest approach in what she shares and teaches are exactly what I believe has made this so invaluable and empowering. I look forward to discovering the things that has helped her build and grow her creative business. So thankful and excited to complete this workshop which started yesterday! And it's not too late to join in if you're interested!

  Being a SAHM for so many years, I am extremely grateful for having found so many creative and inspiring connections through the virtual community, many who are willing to share their advice, insight, and experiences with people like me who need direction and guidance. Otherwise, I don't think I would be where I am today. It feels good to be able to connect with other artists from all over the world who share in the same passion and creativity as I do. The beauty of it is supporting and learning from one another and watching each other grow. I truly hope that I can even meet some of them in real life one day :) So, if there's any creative artists or crafters reading my blog that is in my area, please do not hesitate to contact me! 

xoxo,

Back to Cali--Back to Reality

I'm back!!! 

Our Spring Break was spent up north in Seattle, WA and we had such a BEAUTIFUL time as always. Loved that even though the forecast expected rain for most of our stay, it was nothing but sunny blue skies and temperatures in the high 60's. It was surprising and even the locals were saying they think we must have brought them the sunshine. Ha! I'm just thankful that everyday during our stay we were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Pacific Northwest and do all the fun things we wanted to do without being wet from rain. Such a blessing!

Now that our break is over, its back to reality, back to the grind, and back to a healthy diet! We all know that when you're traveling and staying in a hotel, dining out is inevitable unless you have those hotel suites with a kitchenette so you can cook your own meals. But between all the activities, sightseeing, driving around town, and visiting with friends and family, I wouldn't have had the time or energy anyways. So yeah, I came home and weighed in to find that I had gained FIVE pounds. Oh snap! I don't regret it though, we ate some good food up there. Photos of my food journey coming up soon in another post!

Anyways, I am dreading tomorrow. Mondays usually suck, but tomorrow is probably going to be harder than usual as it always is after a nice vacay like we just had. But, I gotta do what I gotta do. We are all going to be in bed early (at least try) so we can actually survive getting up in the morning, get ready, eat breakfast, take the boys to school, hubby goes off to work, and I will need to seriously need to get down to business. Lots of ideas and goals I have for Makita Studio began to clarify while I was away and I need to stay focused and decide on where I want to take my art this year and the next 5 years, short and long term goals to be exact. :)

So, I hope to get the ball rolling and we'll see where this will go!


xo,

It's That Time Again -- Seattle Bound

Hello!

Just wanted to share how excited my family and I are to be getting on board a plane to one of our most favorite places on earth! Seattle is our home away from home. We love the Pacific Northwest and cannot wait to enjoy much needed time as a family there. It will be our 5th time traveling to Seattle, 4 out of 5 of those times were with our boys. Spring and Summer are usually the best times to go if you want to avoid all the rain, but its because of their rainfall, that Washington is such a heavenly green and so beautiful if you are like us, who love nature and the great outdoors. We also have friends and family that have come to expect us to visit almost every year, making us feel all the welcome. Yes, coffee is definitely a huge factor to why it is indeed one of the reasons that has made it a place we can call home. Seattle's Best, Starbucks, Peets are everrrrywhere!

Our agenda not only includes our usual hot spots like the Seattle Center, Pike's Place Market, and the surrounding neighborhoods, but also we hope to make it to their annual Tulip Festival in Skagit Valley, the Snoqualmie Falls, and maybe Mt. Rainier. :)

I hope to take lots of photos and if you'd like to keep up with live photo updates, please be sure to follow me on Twitter: @dahliaco or Instagram: dahliaco

xoxo