My First Post

Well, this is obviously my first post. I have been lurking around the blog world for about 3 years now wishing that I could do this. I have blogs that I look at daily for inspiration and interest, and am amazed by other people's creativity. I am inspired by so many people and things, and I only dreamed of having an outlet like that to share my creations if not for anyone else, but for myself.
It finally hit me recently that why not stop wishing for all that, and just do it. I had to realize that I had to get over my fear of what other people would think about it so much, and realized what I have to say and what artwork I share is from my heart and that is what matters most. This is for me more than anything, and the thought of possibly inspiring someone else and meeting a community of others with the same interests as me is an added special bonus.
I was bitten by the creative bug at a very early age. My Dad is an artist and my Mom always has had some needlework project going on. Some of my first memories are of holding a paint brush and painting right along side my Dad before I ever even knew how to write. I guess that is why painting is my favorite art form, but I have always been one to love a challenge and want to try something new. Over the years my love of art grew as I expanded my creative world by trying new art forms and crafts. I have taken many painting classes, classes in pastels, and needlework. I later developed a love of jewelry making and working with pmc silver clay, an absolute obsession with scrap booking, and the list goes on and on.
It wasn't until recently that I discovered why I have such a love for art and crafts. I realized that it is my form of expression, it is basically my self journal. When I create I am sharing my true self, sometimes my deepest feelings without even realizing it completely until the piece is finished. I am a very private person who likes to keep my feelings to myself (not always a good thing to do), but when I create, that is my way of expressing myself, and there's always some little piece of that which I can find in what I create. It's probably not obvious to other onlookers, but I know it's there. There's something very healing and therapeutic about creating from the heart.
I now have two young daughters, Ashlyn who is 6 and Megan who is 5. They too will now be able to say that they have been holding a paintbrush before they knew how to hold a pencil and write. I can tell even at an early age, that they share my passion for creating. I am so inspired by them and my world around me and the pure beauty of our life. I try to create something every day, even if it is just doodling on a piece of paper, showing my girls how to do something, or taking a simple photo. I am creating is some way. By no means do I consider myself and expert, a pro, and a lot of the times even good at what I do, but I enjoy doing it.
I am a stay at home Mom of my two beautiful girls, a wife to a wonderful husband, Doug, and a Mommy to our newest "addition," our new Pug puppy, Memphis. My girls are exactly 1 year and 2 days apart. I have been so busy the last few years with my family, that I didn't create near as much as I would have liked or was able to. Now that they are older and most often like to create right along side of me, I am able to do it more. This to me is a beautiful thing.