Sunday, October 17, 2010

Home is Where Creativity is Born by Bloom Guest Michelle

So happy to introduce another guest and another installment of our Home Is...Series. Bloomers, meet Michelle. The tagline on her blog is "Lovely By Me" - I can't think of a better word to describe her - her style, her voice, her gentleness - it's all very lovely. And so are her thoughts about home...
Home is a place where creativity is born.

I love to think back on my childhood and remember the clever gifts & projects my parents were always {and still to this day} working on. Sewing, painting, woodworking, stenciling, stamping, scrap booking, beading...

Friday night dates with my dad consisted of a grilled cheese sandwich at Arctic Circle and then a browsing at the local craft store or a smelling of wood at the local hardware store. He wanted to see what new project he could stir up and all the while was instilling a love for the art of creation inside me.


As I grew, the need to express my creativity did as well. I was blessed to marry someone with the same need and many amazing talents & skills in order to do such. This is what now makes up our home; always a project, always ideas shared, always inspiration found. And the wonderful part is that this spreads throughout our extended families as well.


I love that my brother sent me a picture message of his son wearing 3-d glasses wrapped in colorful pipe cleaner; an afternoon art project with dad. I love that the whole family pitched in to remodel my grandparents 100+ year old home so that my brother & his family can live in a charmer. I love that our walls are adorned with my husbands oil paintings, my photography, and paintings we have done together. I love that in the moving process we have more craft/art supply boxes than anything else. I love that we don't have to have a fancy studio to create; but just a fold out couch, a painting easel, and each other. I love that my parents always have a surprise that starts with a riddle, a poem, or a maze. I love that my younger brother picked out fabric with my dad and then with the help of my mom sewed heart shaped pillows for everyone for valentines day. I love that my children's art will be the best wall decoration anyone could ask for. I love that my father in law has created a beautiful garden that we all love to walk in and pick fruit from. I love that a lot of our furniture has been made out in the garage with my husband's two hands. I love that creativity is not one particular definition. It is who you are and who you want to be. I love that this can be nurtured in any home anywhere. I love that it started in my home as a child and is now the type of home that my children will grow up in.


See? Lovely, wasn't it? Thanks so much for your thoughts, Michelle.

Looking for previous Home posts?
Here you go.

2 comments:

Joan said...

I share your sentiments for creativity exactly.
I remember my weekend trips to Michaels with my dad (who was a leather designer at the time). His eyes would glitter as would mine with thoughts of all the possible projects and crafts that we could create together. Some of my favorite memories as a young girl :)
I enjoyed reading about your family and the creative memories you've made together. Thanks so much for sharing!

Ryan & Keri said...

Can I just say that I am really anxious about all of the holiday posts for your site?? I just revisited last year's holiday crafts and what not and I'm feeling in the season of spooks, gratitude, and jolly-ness! Thanks for creating this online community. Though, I do not often comment, I revel in the wisdom supplied by such vast numbers and varied mothers.