Life has been a complete whirlwind lately!  This past weekend was my daughter’s 3rd birthday which ended up taking a LOT more time and energy than I originally anticipated (isn’t that how most things go?).  Thus, I’ve been terrible at updating this blog… I’m so sorry.  :(

Today I’ve got a giant project that’s my first priority, but I would feel really badly to miss posting today again so I thought I’d share a link from one of my favorite blogs, TheCreativeMama.com.  This post by Jessica Cudzilo has really got me excited and eagerly anticipating spring and especially spring fashions: Dreaming of Spring.

These items were the ones that got me the most excited.  The jacket is from Ruche and the sweater is from J. Crew.  Aren’t they fabulous?!  I am loving the spring fashion trends for 2010!  Everything is looking very basic and balanced with lots of feminine flair (especially in the ruffles!!!).

Be sure to check out the full article on TheCreativeMama.com.  There’s LOTS more yummy spring fashions that you’re sure to adore!

Today it is truly an honor to feature one of the creative chicks I look up to most, Jefra Linn.  Jefra is a photographer who epitomizes – to me – what it means to be a photographer: she captures the world as she sees it.  Jefra’s unique perspective and her ability to allow herself total freedom of expression inspires me to let my own creativity shine.  I’m going to put some of Jefra’s pics throughout the post so you can really get a feel for her style and creativity.

A little about Jefra:
I’m a picture person. I love visual things. Gorgeous photos, design and everything else. The older and junkier the camera the better. And that includes digital cameras.

I think you get to know someone so well by just reading what they love – here’s me…

Maker of messes.  Would eat cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner – oh wait! I do.  Gatherer of tchatchkes.  Revels in design.  Tries to do stuff.

List of cool stuff I love – – (in no particular order) old wooden molding, bare concrete with a thick layer of varnish, mid-century modern, tacky vintage tchatchkes, stuff that’s really dry and understated. Chuck Taylors.  Handwriting and scribbles.  Lens flares.  Communication Arts, HOW, Luerzers.  Grasses.  Graphite and ink.  Mistakes.  Beads.  Film grain.  Paper/ textures.  Fonts.  Toy cameras and old cameras. The more esoteric the better.  Fabrics (the fabric store is heavenly).  Transparency.  Shadows.  Abandoned places that once were called “home.”  Old Buttons of all kinds.  Anything antique, retro, vintage.  Old buildings.  Plants.  Station wagons.  Scanning stuff.  Symbolism.  Birds. Birds on wires. Birds in trees. And just plain Birds.  Printmaking. And Letterpress. Of all kinds. I LOVE that stuff! Love this.  Etsy. I love everything about it.  TACKINESS. Tacky Christmas stuff. Tacky religious stuff – but only if it’s really over the top.  Positive/Negative play.  I’m into Architecture In Helsinki and love Philip Seymour Hoffman and Cate Blanchett.

1. Why is creativity important to you?

Creativity, to me, is another way of speaking, of expressing yourself and using your individual voice to lift others on their way as well.

2. What do you enjoy creating the most?

Pretty much anything that I can do sloppily. I’m not a very patient person and so I am always happy when I can make fast and dirty projects look good. I kinda find it inspiring to be given parameters and then have to make those work. This is the case with shooting for me as well.

3. Do you have any fears when creating?

I think it’s inherent in all creators to have fear. You’re exposing yourself in a very personal way and with that comes vulnerability. I come from a family of art people and my husband, David, is an amazing, supportive (more supportive of me than I am of myself actually) artist as well – www.davidlinn.com. Also surrounding yourself with a creative scaffolding of friends is immensely helpful.

4. Are your family & friends supportive of the things you create?

Not only are my friends and family supportive, they are what always keep me going!!

5. How do you find time to create?

I pretty much throw my responsibilities in front of the bus. It’s not pretty when it happens.

6. Words of inspiration to creative chicks:

Reward your curiosity. For creative people, curiosity is a necessity, not an indulgence.

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Jefra’s photography and her perspective on life and creativity are always a breath of fresh air for me.  It’s so easy to get caught up in comparison and worry that you’re not enough.  Whenever I have those weak moments, I think of Jefra and take courage to simply myself and be peaceful with my growth and creative process.  If you ever get the chance to hear Jefra speak or have her take some pictures for you, TAKE IT.  It will be an opportunity you’ll long-remember and reflect upon.

Right now Jefra is teaming with one of my favorite designers, Liz Tamanaha of Paislee Press (featuring her soon!  Stay tuned!), for “Develop: on Fridays.”  Each week they post a new photography challenge set up to teach everyone new skills while also allowing everyone’s own unique voice to shine through their photos.  I’m a huge fan of this project and have been very inspired by it.

Jefra, thank you so much for inspiring us with your creativitiy!  xoxoxox

Check out Jefra’s photography site, JefraStarrLinn.com, and her fabulous blog, JefraStarrLinn.com/blog.

It’s Monday again already?!  Wow, time is just racing by!!  I’m quickly updating today as I’m crazy busy again today with lots of custom wordpress blog designs.

Here’s a blog design file for Amy’s that I’m working on this week:

Amy is a photographer and we’re building her a portfolio site with Wordpress as the platform.  I just adore working with Amy!  She is such a sweetheart.  Her photography really deserves a beautiful site to show it off on (one of her pictures is the lovely nature pic in the right side of her design file).  I also loved how specific she was with what colors she wanted me to use in her design: celadon and wedgewood blue.  It’s turning out to be a really gorgeous design because of these color choices.

Wishing you a lovely week!

p.s. Have I told you that I’m the Creative Director for a local business review group called “SassyScoops?”  I want to start linking to what we’re reviewing each week on my posts here, as the reviews are really fun and informative.  This week we’re reviewing Caputo’s Deli’s chocolate and cheese classes (and tasting!).  There’s going to be an awesome giveaway on Friday, which I’ll be sure to also link to here.  Check it out on SassyScoops.com: http://www.sassyscoops.com/food/preview-caputos-cooking-classes/!

LOL!  I’m slightly kidding.  I thought that title was a perfect follow-up from yesterday’s random post.  The past two days have kept me crazy busy as I’ve had photo shoots during my afternoon work-time, one food photog shoot for Utah Business Magazine and the other shoot was for a personal trainer client, Laura from Transformation Trainer.  Today I’ve got a meeting with a new wordpress blog/site design client during my afternoon work-time, too, so I’ve got to do a cheater post today.  I’m hoping to get back on track next week with my full feature schedule.  Tomorrow, Angela will be posting for Fashion Friday and she’ll be talking about 2010 fall/winter trend colors!!!  Woot!  You do NOT want to miss it!  And if you missed last Fashion Friday’s post on 2010 spring/summer trend colors, check it out here: http://createdbychicks.com/2010/01/2010-color-trends-womens-fashion/.

Thanks, Crystal, for sending me this hilarous comic – totally made me laugh this morning & fits this post perfectly!

BTW, THANK YOU SO FREAKING MUCH for making my dreams come true by becoming my google friend in the sidebar!  You freaking rawk!!  The box is full of wonderful, beautiful, fabulous women and I love you all!  Thank you so much!

Today I have the great pleasure of featuring the gorgeous, inspiring, photographer Jessie Baldwin.  Not only is she incredibly talented, she’s delightfully funny and brilliant. 

Basically, I {heart} Jessie.

My name is Jessie Baldwin. I am a wife, mom, artist, and a friend. My love
of photography began in high school and has only grown since then. I have
been training and developing both my artistic and photographic skills since
1991, and I never go anywhere without my camera. My motto is “do what you
love” – and I love being behind the lens, capturing people as they are. And
that is what I hope to do for you, too. My goal is to preserve those
memories… to freeze those moments in time that you never want to forget,
so that years from now you can look back at that precious wrinkly baby and
suddenly you can almost smell that new baby smell again…

1. Why is creativity important to you?

Creativity is my therapy! Doing things that are inspiring and fun and creative helps me release tension and forget about everyday worries. Being creative every day helps me to be a better wife, mother, and friend. As a photographer, it is necessary every day to be creative and push my boundaries, because it is through being creative that I grow both as a photographer and as myself.

2. What do you enjoy creating the most?

I absolutely love photographing births. When I am able to be there at the moment a child comes into this world, it is an incredibly magical experience. To be able to photograph that story and present it to the new family is my greatest joy. Most recently I was able to photograph an international adoption and that was incredible. I would love to do something like that again!

3. Do you have any fears when creating? Are your family & friends supportive of the things you create?

I always have little fears crop up inside me before a photo shoot, wondering if I will be able to live up to people’s expectations of me. Because my photography is a lot of storytelling, everyone’s story is different – no two photo sessions are alike. I love that I learn something new from every single session and I continue to grow as a photographer. My family and friends have also grown to be supportive of me. When I decided to leave my steady paying job as a teacher and become a photographer, most of them didn’t understand what I was doing or why… but now they see that this is my passion, this is what I love to do.

4. How do you find time to create?

Because, as I said before, photography is my therapy, my family has learned that it is important to allow me the time I need to make it happen. When the kids were little, I would do most of my sessions on the weekends when my husband was home and edit late into the night after the kids went to bed. Once my children both went to school fulltime, it was easier to work while they were gone – but I still find myself staying up way too late, editing photos or designing cards and albums. Old habits die hard, I guess!

5. Words of inspiration to creative chicks:

Do what you love. Be yourself. Discover what style speaks to you and don’t be afraid to say no if you aren’t ready. I refused to shoot weddings for years because I didn’t have an assistant and I wasn’t about to do a wedding completely on my own. Learn everything you can possibly learn about your craft. Practice and practice and practice some more… read, research, and study everything you can. Don’t worry if your art isn’t perfect right away. It took me years to get where I am and I am still not where I want to be. As long as every day you push yourself to try something new, you will continue to grow! And my favorite inspirational quotation: “Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark. In the hopeless swamps of the not quite, the not yet, and the not at all, so not let the hero in your soul perish and leave only frustration for the life you deserved, but never have been able to reach. The world you desire can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours.” – Ayn Rand

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Aren’t you so inspired, now?!  I met Jessie this past spring at a Digital Scrapbook Memories retreat and we have since become great friends.  Jessie is based in Las Vegas and I swear the next time my family is there, we are scheduling some time to have her take our pictures.  Jessie has such a vibrant, lively personality that I’m sure we’d feel completely at ease during the session.

On Jessie’s website she writes: I am a modern family photographer. At your photo session, expect to play. Expect to be silly. Expect this to be a completely different photo session than you have ever experienced before. My goal is to capture real life and those genuine smiles, soulful eyes, laughter, (and sometimes tears) that encompass the richness and fulness of the lives we lead. We each have a story to tell, and I hope to capture for you a glimpse of that story.

I really loved how Jessie talked about overcoming her fears and pursuing her creative passion in her interview.  Thank you, Jessie, for being a creative inspiration to us all!  You rock, girl!

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You can see Jessie’s photography site by clicking here: Speckled Bird Art

And be sure to become her fan on Facebook to keep her creative juices rubbing off on you!