Melody Ross makes you BRAVE

When first entering this "world" of fellow artists, you tend to stay back along the wall and spend time just quietly looking around. You are drawn to so many expressions of art, love and soul. Some whisper softly to your heart. Some share their own heart and soul so loudly that it stops you in your tracks. You listen and instantly begin to think that you too want to sing loudly.

Melody Ross of Brave Girls Club, is one such artist, and has an incredible tale of Life that she bravely shares with all who read her blog.I was introduced to the work of Melody Ross when she was a guest artist in a creative eCourse. Her energy seems endless and she showcases LOVE in all she touches. I quickly signed right up for "Daily Truth" emails to arrive in my inbox. Little snippets of light and love to encourage daily. Some days while fighting my own demons, that email is a great light in fighting my darkness. I've fallen madly into her intoxicating world of art and creative bliss.

While making folk art raggedies will always be a strong calling to my own creative side; playing around with strands of multi colored wool fibers and needle felting has been something occupying my mind for a while now. Miniature felted landscapes came out of that creative play.

One morning, I got brave enough to share a peek of this art form on Facebook. Imagine my surprise and sheer delight when Melody left a comment under the photo. She wanted to buy it and be my first customer for one. An artist that I have sat and admired for so long was liking something I had created. I pinched myself all day long and broke into silly giggles of happiness.

Since that moment, something shifted in me. Whispers were speaking and pushing me to do something.
Be like her light. Be brave.

Melody Ross recently went to Manila with Full Circle Exchange to start working with survivors of human trafficking. Human trafficking is one of those topics of conversation that you don’t actually want to talk about. You don’t casually bring it up around the supper table. You may read books on the subject or watch a documentary on it but what happens after that? It's something you can't close your eyes to once you know about it. Most don’t pack their bags and go experience first hand the horrors for themselves…but that’s just what Melody Ross did.
(You can follow more of this incredible journey here.)



In honor of these incredible young girls being given such an incredible second chance.
In honor of Melody Ross and the size of her love and heart.
Because she saw a necklace I'd created and shared such encouragement and joy about it.

With each of my felted landscape necklaces that I sell, I pledge $5 to benefit Melody Ross and her campaign with Full Circle Exchange to help change and better the lives of these women in the Philippines, as well as other women around the world.
I will honor this pledge for the whole year of 2013.

May these incredible young woman continue to draw deep strength and light from Melody Ross and the incredible folks with Full Circle Exchange.

Come on in....we are open for business

Thru all the nerves and jitters, I did it.
 I launched a website again.
THRU THE ATTIC DOOR
I'd forgotten how exciting and fun it was to have one. Found myself really missing it actually. It was time to open one again and take my business further.
Did much needed research, crunched numbers,dreamed big, shed some tears, pulled hair out in frustration,laughed and took a deep breath. May have sounded crazy a few times to the friends and folks I was asking a zillion business questions too but they never gave up on me or my dream. Found an amazing eCourse to keep me pushing on in the right direction. (Building a Creatively Made Business - by Jeanne Oliver) She shared some incredible insight and became just the push I needed. If you are thinking of starting a business for the first time or are like me and opening one again, I can't talk about this course enough. What an huge difference it has made for me. She shares so many insightful tips, tricks and techniques from running her own business. Plus has guests that shares their own insights. I filled a full journal with their information and am putting it all to good use with my own business now. Some of the best money I have ever spent on my business.

I have been making primitive style folk art raggedy dolls for over 10 years now. It is something that I will always continue to create. Something about going from a simple pencil drawn sketch on a notebook page to sliding muslin thru a sewing machine makes me feel alive. Watching the raggedy doll have a personality emerge with the addition of button eyes and whimsical wool hair. There will be plenty of new dolls in the future.

Having said that though, I must confess that my artistic dreams have expanded in directions I couldn't have imagined. I'm playing with paints, inks, canvas, papers and so much more. I'm spreading my wings and discovering my place in the world of mixed media. That realm of creativity has my brain spinning. I'm feeling challenged to expand and grow.

At the moment I'm also tangled up in fibers. Blending strands of wool roving with my felting needles as if they were watercolors under a brush. Each twist of a thread slowly morphing the colors into a scene from my minds eye.

I hope you will enjoy this next path I am walking on. Each step taking me deeper into the artistic world that makes my heart skip a beat and my soul sing loudly. Please feel free to bookmark my website.
I have plans to share many different things.
You can also find me on Facebook where I share sneak peeks, laughs and much more.
Come *like* me and not miss out on anything happening Thru the Attic Door.