Someone asked me recently how I keep things fresh and new in my creative business… and I responded with an initial “I don’t know.” But after thinking more about it, I responded by saying that creativity is a muscle. If you only use it every once in a while, it won’t consistently produce as effectively. However, if you make a point to exercise your creativity on a consistent basis, your capacity for growth and consistency increases exponentially… and continues to grow as you continue to challenge yourself. There are definitely days when I feel like I can be creative anymore… like it’s all been done already. It’s SOOO easy to get stuck in the rut of “what works well”, but I have to find new and “outside the box” ways to challenge myself in order to keep getting better and to be come more of who He created me to be.

I wanted to share a few “creative” projects that have been my challenge in the past 10 days….

1. My OWN Save the Date Cards. The problem with being in the wedding industry is I feel like people EXPECT greatness from me in anything regarding weddings. So when I’ve been trying to decide on colors and themes and places and flowers and photographers and invitations and caterers…. it’s been so hard to remove myself from that unnecessary pressure in order to make a decision that reflects Christopher and Me… and not what I think other people expect of Christopher and Me. So, finally, I finished the design for our Save the Dates and I feel pretty good about it. What do you think?

2. My OWN Wedding Website. I’m finally getting excited about my wedding day. I’m in the middle of putting together our wedding website… but I love it so far… and it’s been so fun being “the bride” in all this! I’ve still got a lot to go, but I’m stoked.

3. 6 Items or Less. My good friend Holly in Heels turned me on to this challenging social experiment… and I’m excited to say that I’m DOING IT! Click here to read my first blog post about it…

So all this to say, January 2011 is a time for new beginnings, and I’m fighting hard to challenge myself creatively, to find and establish who I am creatively aside from the world’s perceptions… and, hopefully, become more like who He created me to be. Happy Monday!

Lately I’ve been pounded with the word “gratitude.” Not in the “you should be more grateful” kind of way, but in the still small voice that says, ” I love you; you’re my desire.” Living in a part of the world that screams “I want more” in every aspect of its lifestyle, it’s really difficult centering yourself on a different road than the one most traveled. But gratitude is worth the fight, I think…. and it’s only in that thankfulness and willingness to have a loose grip on the things I’ve been given that I find the peace and fullness I need. In the past few weeks my eyes have been opened to how He loves me… and in seeing his blessings unfold before me, I can’t help but feel overwhelmingly grateful. Those blessings have taken the form of some roses Chris picked and surprised me with in the middle of his work day, some Tulips that were given to him randomly… which he, in turn, gave to me. It’s also taken the form of abnormally spectacular Socal sunsets this January, and even in the “cozy hot chocolate and blankets while it’s pouring outside” kind of weather we’ve been having here the past week. They haven’t been monetary things, they’ve been simply beautiful…. it’s the simple things that get me sometimes. Just wanted to share my thoughts…

Here’s a sneak peek at a mini shoot I did for my parents recently in Laguna….