🚨 Creative confession… Two weeks before launching 9 new Whimsykel designs, I had what can only be described as an excellent terrible idea. “I should stop procrastinating and totally rebuild my entire website.” Because obviously that’s what every sane person does right before a major launch. 😂 I’d been avoiding switching themes for months, and suddenly my brain was like… TODAY IS THE DAY. So I dove in headfirst, fully convinced I’d have everything redesigned, connected, polished, tested, and looking like I’d had my life together all along. Narrator … She did not. After 2 weeks of hard work and focus. I launched today anyway. Now I’m finding pages that have apparently entered the Witness Protection Program. Buttons are playing hide-and-seek. Links are out there freelancing. Pages I know I connected have quietly decided they’re independent contractors now. When I told my sister I’d launched and then discovered all these missing pages, she said, “Wow… you must be stressed.” Honestly? Nope. Launching reminds me of throwing a giant party. You spend weeks cleaning, decorating, planning every little detail… then your guests arrive and you realize there’s still a roll of toilet paper sitting on the kitchen table, you forgot to light the candles, and the chips you thought were in the pantry have magically disappeared. Do you stop the party? Nope. You laugh, move the toilet paper where it belongs, light the candles, forget about the chips, and get back to enjoying the people who showed up. That’s kind of how I look at creative work. The website will get finished. The missing pages will find their way home. The buttons will eventually remember what they were hired to do. I’d rather launch something imperfect than spend another six months polishing something no one gets to enjoy or let’s be real procrastinating because it’s hard. Progress has always been more interesting than perfection. Now tell me… what’s the “toilet paper on the kitchen table” in your current project? 😂

One of my goals for July is to start closing some of the open tabs in my brain. You know... those creative projects that have been patiently waiting their turn for years. 😄 This little chair is one of them. My parents brought it back from Scotland after my dad was stationed there, before I was even born. I almost ended up with dual citizenship, which would've been pretty fun. The chair has spent most of my life tucked beside my dad's closet. Time has definitely done its thing, and it's looking a little tired these days, but it has a lot of history. When my mom lived in Scotland, she collected several beautiful Scottish fabrics. Since I'm apparently the designated keeper of all things creative in the family, they've been waiting in my fabric stash for just the right project. Now that my dad has moved into his new bedroom, I think it's finally this chair's turn. I've included a photo of his room because I'd love your opinion. The chair will sit where I'm standing to take the picture. Right now I'm leaning toward the classic Scottish plaid. It feels like the perfect way to honor where the chair came from while giving it a second life but then I flip to the pop of teal which is very close to the color or the dresser in the corner. 🤔 Which fabric would you choose?

This week's moodboard is a little different. I came across this brightly colored parrot on Pinterest and started playing with his colors in Photoshop. After a little experimenting, I landed on this soft mint green and blush pink palette and immediately thought, "Now that's interesting." Next, I adjusted the leaves to match the same vibe, then searched Pinterest for a few more images that fit the palette. Before long, this entire moodboard came together. One thing I love doing is shifting the colors of existing images in Photoshop or Canva. It can completely change the mood of a photo and spark color combinations you probably wouldn't have considered otherwise. It's a great creative exercise when you're feeling stuck. Now tell me... why does this moodboard make me crave a Cosmopolitan and mint chocolate chip ice cream at the same time? 😂 One of my favorite Pinterest features right now is Collages. You can pull elements from different Pins, arrange them into your own moodboard, and even share it as a post. It's a fun way to experiment with color, texture, and style without needing any fancy design skills. Just one warning... set aside a little extra time before you start. Pinterest has a funny way of turning a five-minute idea into an hour-long creative rabbit hole. How would you use this color combination? Would you lean into a retro diner vibe with black and white? Maybe a coastal cottage, a glam bedroom, or a painted furniture piece? I'd love to hear where this palette takes you. 💚🩷

Simply wanted to pop in and say hello. I hope everyone’s summer has gotten off to a great start and it has been filled with family, friends, and creativity. A couple of months ago I exited due to received some devastating news. My mother-in-law, who has been like a second mum to me, was diagnosed with stage 3 multiple myeloma and as a result she is now in stage 4 kidney failure. My husband, me, and our sons, have taken on the roles of caregivers and it has been difficult, and heart wrenching. As with all things there is a natural balance. Shortly after receiving the diagnosis, our oldest and his wife found out they are expecting their second child in October. I truly believe this is the sole reason my mother-in-law is holding on so fiercely. She wants to meet her new great grandchild. Creating has always been my therapy. It has gotten me through events in my life that I otherwise would not have survived. Recently that was not an option due to caring for mum. She asked me a couple of weeks ago why I was not painting and I simply answered, “I have more important things to do.” And I smiled while secretly trying not to cry. Apparently that was the wrong answer and she lectured me in her half English, half Baltic voice I so love. “Help me make something for our new sweet maza.” I had bought fabric already to make a new quilt for my grand baby, but had not started it yet. Mum suggested I create a piece of furniture to match. I went on line to show her the fabric I had ordered and she took it from there. She told me what she wanted and I searched. We ended up buying the cabinet off FBMP, paint and all related supplies that day. It’s still a work in progress but I hope to have in completed in the next week or so. I want her stamp of approval. All of us are supposed to be taking care of her, yet she knew what I needed to get through this - and gave it to me. I can’t express how much I love this woman and how fortunate I feel to have had the amazing in-laws I gained when I married my husband.

This coming weekend marks America's 250th anniversary, and it got me thinking... Inspiration doesn't always arrive as a finished idea. Sometimes it arrives as a feeling. The deep navy of an old flag. The warm cream of weathered wood. The faded red of a vintage quilt. The sparkle of fireworks against a summer night sky. The woven texture of a picnic basket. The stories tucked inside heirlooms that have been passed from one generation to the next. None of those things are artwork. But together... they become a color story. One of my favorite ways to begin creating is with a moodboard. It slows me down and lets me collect pieces of an idea before I ever decide what I'm going to make. Maybe it becomes a painted dresser. Maybe a quilt. Maybe jewelry, pottery, floral arrangements, furniture, or a mixed media canvas. The point isn't to copy what you see. It's to let the feeling guide your creativity. As artists, we can find inspiration almost anywhere if we're paying attention. Holidays. Nature. Music. Architecture. A favorite restaurant. A flea market. Even the colors of a celebration can become the beginning of your next masterpiece. So here's my challenge for you... What's happening around you right now that could become your next moodboard? I'd love to see what inspires you.