Highly Creative Blogger Interview #12: Laini Taylor

I hope you enjoyed our interview with Laini Taylor. A creative power e-pack of all 12 inspiring interviews plus over 122 pages of accompanying transcripts and bonuses are now available at Your Creative Spark.

Laini Taylor is a writer and artist living in Portland, Oregon. Her first novel, Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer, was published in 2007, and 2009 will see the release of its sequel, Silksinger, as well as her third book, Lips Touch, a trio of supernatural tales about kissing!

Though Laini had always wanted to be a writer, a patch of *writer's block* after college (a symptom of staring at a computer screen all day at her first *real job* as an editor) led her on a winding path to art school in her mid-20s. She now designs a licensed product line, Laini's Ladies, that is sold throughout the country and beyond. She lives with her husband, illustrator Jim Di Bartolo, and their old dog Leroy, and spends her days writing and designing.

More about Laini...

Website - Laini Taylor
Blog - Grow Wings
Blog about writing - Not for Robots
Along with the magnificent Megg, Laini hosts - Sunday Scribblings

Highly Creative Blogger Interview #11: Sunny Schlenger

I hope you enjoyed our interview with Sunny Schlenger. A creative power e-pack of all 12 inspiring interviews plus over 122 pages of accompanying transcripts and bonuses are now available at Your Creative Spark.

Sunny Schlenger is a professional organizer, author and mentor with over 30 years of experience as a pioneer in her field. She helped launch the “custom-tailored” approach to getting organized in the 90’s with her best-selling book, How To Be Organized In Spite Of Yourself, whose approach was licensed by Harvard University’s training and development program. She then took the concept of organizing to the next level by integrating it with spirituality. The result, Organizing For The Spirit was published in 2004.

In addition, Sunny has also been named as a “flow master” by Charlene Belitz and Meg Lundstrom, authors of The Power of Flow (New York: Random House, 1997). The title designates someone who is one of a group of people “highly engaged in the natural, effortless, unfolding of life in a way that moves them towards wholeness and harmony.” As a consultant, author, coach and mentor, Sunny has worked with thousands of people, assisting them in their quest for self-realization, productivity and peace.

You can find Sunny's website here and her blog here.

Sunny is currently offering a new course: My New Year How to Set Intentions That Stick
From the Big Picture Scrapbooking introductory page:

"We know that January is long gone, but 2009 is still fresh and new and with Sunny's techniques, you could even start a new year on December 31st! Regardless of what the calendar says, this could be the first day of a new year filled with potential-just like you! Come take part in this fascinating and FUN process and make this the year you feel like a winner!

Sunny's class includes: Five voice messages available as streaming audio, downloadable MP3 files and transcripts Inspirational and instructional messages and handouts to coach you through the intention-making process Bonus handouts with layouts by Big Picture Scrapbooking's Featured Teachers: Georgana Hall, Lisa Damrosh and Elizabeth Dillow Email access to Sunny Gallery to share your work and view the work of your classmates

Registration

Highly Creative Blogger Interview #10: Darlene

I hope you enjoyed our interview with Darlene. A creative power e-pack of all 12 inspiring interviews plus over 122 pages of accompanying transcripts and bonuses are now available at Your Creative Spark.

Darlene J Kreutzer is a published photographer and poet who lives with her musician husband and sports minded son in the diverse landscape of Western Canada. When she is not scribbling in her notebooks or playing with light, she can usually be found playing with paints, twisting up jewelry designs, creating culinary vegan delights or puttering in her garden which is currently sleeping under a few feet of snow.

She has an English Literature degree and a Secondary Education degree and works full time as a project coordinator in the healthcare sector. She and her husband also started a photography business in 2008 which specializes in artist, lifestyle and wedding photography. She continues to take art, writing and photography classes and workshops when she can and hopes that she will continue to learn, grow and change as the years go by.

She is grateful for: family, the light that casts beauty across shadows, music that lifts emotions, a little house and garden filled with colour and love, friends and inspirations, the beauty of nature, the ocean's cold spray, the soft barnacle skin of the grey whale and the possibilities that exist in life.

Darlene can be found at:

http://www.djkreutzer.com/moments (blog)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/daisies (flickr)

business sites:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5039622 (etsy)

http://www.dpartistry.com (photography portfolio)

collaborations

http://www.pluckthepetal.com/polaroidgirls

http://www.pluckthepetal.com/thefour (this site is a collaboration between four canadian blogger photogs and will be going live this monday :)

Offer for The Next Chapter participants: Free shipping on all items in my etsy store starting the day my interview airs and for the following two weeks.

Highly Creative Blogger Interview #9: Jen Lemen

I hope you enjoyed our interview with the the wonderful Jen Lemen. A creative power e-pack of all 12 inspiring interviews plus over 122 pages of accompanying transcripts and bonuses are now available at Your Creative Spark.

Jen Lemen is a writer, artist and independent publisher with a passion for creating community and friendship wherever she goes. Whether she’s telling knock-knock jokes in the kitchen with her two kids Madeleine and Carter or trekking across the Rwandan hillside collecting stories of confidence and hope, Jen believes that ordinary people can do amazing things with whatever they have, wherever they are. You can read more about Jen, her life and her work at jenlemen.com.

Highly Creative Blogger Interview #8: Leonie Allan

I hope you enjoyed our interview with the lovely Leonie. A creative power e-pack of all 12 inspiring interviews plus over 122 pages of accompanying transcripts and bonuses are now available at Your Creative Spark.


Leonie Allan is a Goddess living in Canberra, Australia. She believes that inside each of us, there is a Goddess - a woman of wisdom, beauty and deep soul. Leonie creates art & events to help women discover and celebrate this Goddess inside each of us. She make artworks to celebrate your Soul Story and the Goddess In You. Leonie has photographed women as Goddesses from the desert centre of Australia to villages in India. She create e-courses and retreats for you to help experience the creative and spirited Goddess inside you. And she also runs Goddess Guidance coaching & oracle reading sessions for gorgeous women all over the globe, to help them find clarity, guidance and spirit on their journey.

You can find Leonie at Goddess Guidebook.

Highly Creative Blogger Interview #7: Melba

I hope you enjoyed our interview with marvelous Melba. A creative power e-pack of all 12 inspiring interviews plus over 122 pages of accompanying transcripts and bonuses are now available at Your Creative Spark.

Melanie (Melba) McMullin loves...to write in her journal...to create collages with scraps from her life...to read...to be alone...to be present with her family...to think...to meditate...to listen to music...to share stories...to drink coffee, tea, or cocktails...to eat...to dream...to consciously create...to feel connected. Melanie lives with her loving husband and two very imaginative young children in Cape Cod, MA.

Melanie shares her art for sale in her newly relaunched etsy shop. Just until the end of February Melanie is offering all of her original collages for $25 with free shipping for her fellow Next Chapter participants. To receive free shipping enter the code "next chapter" in the notes section when you make a purchase and then wait for me to send you a revised invoice before paying.

Melanie shares her journal pages on her (very) personal blog an eager soul's journal.

Melanie shares her latest collages on her creative blog creating in the midst.

Melanie shares her love for connecting with other creative bloggers on her collaborative blog justBeConnected.

You can connect with Melanie at melbamcmullin@comcast.net

Highly Creative Blogger Interview #6: Andrea Scher

photo credit, by Denise Andrade

I hope you enjoyed our Week 6 interview with Andrea. A creative power e-pack of all 12 inspiring interviews plus over 122 pages of accompanying transcripts and bonuses are now available at Your Creative Spark.

Andrea Scher is an artist, mom and life coach living in Berkeley, California. Through her company Superhero Designs and blog Superhero Journal, she aims to inspire other creative souls to live authentic, colorful and extraordinary lives.

Highly Creative Blogger Interview #5: Christine Mason Miller

I hope you enjoyed our Week 5 interview with Christine. A creative power e-pack of all 12 inspiring interviews plus over 122 pages of accompanying transcripts and bonuses are now available at Your Creative Spark.

Christine Mason Miller is a Santa Monica based artist with nearly 15 years of art, design and illustration experience. She is the creator of the internationally recognized brand Swirly, and her work has been inspiring people of all ages worldwide to follow their dreams and passions since 1995. Her work as an artist has evolved far beyond the Swirly world, with collections of paintings and mixed media creations being sold and exhibited nationwide. Christine's work gives viewers a peek into a variety of details of her life, from travels around the globe to memories shared with her grandma. Using materials as varied as acrylic and oil paints, pastels, ink, vintage photographs and other ephemera, Christine's creations are full of color, texture and hidden stories.

Her latest creation, Ordinary Sparkling Moments, is a full color self-published book that combines her mixed media work and writing, all aimed at exploring the joys of finding wisdom in everyday life. Ordinary Sparkling Moments was released in August 2008 and can be purchased on this website, Etsy and Amazon.com.

Main Website: http://www.christinemasonmiller.com
Blog: http://www.swirlygirl.typepad.com Swirly Website: http://www.swirlygirl.com
Etsy shop: http://www.swirlygirl.etsy.com
A Year of Inspiration: http://www.sparkletopia.squarespace.com
You can reach her at christine@swirlygirl.com.

* Special Offer for Listeners: Order my book on Etsy through March 1st and enter the code SPARKLE for a free postcard set.

Highly Creative Blogger Interview #4: Leah Piken Kolidas

I hope you enjoyed our Week 4 interview with Leah. A creative power e-pack of all 12 inspiring interviews plus over 122 pages of accompanying transcripts and bonuses are now available at Your Creative Spark.

Leah Piken Kolidas is a mixed-media artist and creativity guru living near Boston, MA with her husband and their four fuzzy cats. Leah sells her original artwork and prints on http://www.BlueTreeArtGallery.com and http://leahart.etsy.com and also leads the month-long "Art Every Day Month" challenge every November and the year-long "Creative Every Day Challenge" on her blog, http://www.CreativeEveryDay.com.

Invitation: The Creative Every Day Challenge is a low-pressure challenge and is open to everyone looking to infuse their daily life with creativity. Check out the details here: http://www.creativeeveryday.com/creativeeveryday/creative-every-day-challenge.html

Offer: Enter "creative09" into the coupon code at checkout to receive 20% off your purchase at http://www.BlueTreeArtGallery.com, now through February 14, 2009.

Highly Creative Blogger Interview #3: Jessie Marianiello

I hope you enjoyed our Week 3 interview with Jessie. A creative power e-pack of all 12 inspiring interviews plus over 122 pages of accompanying transcripts and bonuses are now available at Your Creative Spark.

For pet portrait artist, Jessie Marianiello, it’s all about capturing personality. Jessie’s paintings are a heartfelt gesture celebrating the unconditional love and infinite happiness that our four-legged friends have brought to us.

Jessie’s goal as an artist and animal lover is to create artwork that honors the unique life force within each of us. She paints to tell a story. But, even more so, she paints because it causes her to experience more love than she often know what to do with.

Jessie is a full-time artist living in the wintery tundra of Minneapolis, MN with her three dogs, 2 cats, and 1 husband. She loves strong coffee, is the creator of the Be Brave Project, and believes in creating a life that fills you from the inside out.

FIND JESSIE AT:

Personal blog: Diary of a Self Portrait
http://ravenn.blogspot.com

Website: Stray Dog Arts
http://straydogarts.com

Stray Dog Arts Etsy:
http://www.straydogarts.etsy.com

Patch of Sky Etsy:
http://www.patchofsky.etsy.com

SPECIAL OFFER FOR BOOK CLUB PARTICIPANTS:

FREE shipping on all greeting card orders from my Stray Dog Arts Etsy at http://www.straydogarts.etsy.com Please convo (or email) me and I will post reserved listings especially for you—minus the shipping charges! Be sure to mention this book club! Offer expires March 31^st, 2009.

FREE shipping on all print orders from my Patch of Sky Etsy at http://www.patchofsky.etsy.com Please convo (or email) me and I will post reserved listings especially for you—minus the shipping charges! Be sure to mention this book club! Offer expires March 31^st, 2009.

10% OFF commissioned pet portraits valued at $400 or more. Be sure to mention this book club! Offer expires March 31^st, 2009.

Highly Creative Blogger Interview #2: Suzie Ridler

I hope you enjoyed our Week 2 interview with Suzie Ridler of Chez Sacred Suzie. A creative power e-pack of all 12 inspiring interviews plus over 122 pages of accompanying transcripts and bonuses are now available at Your Creative Spark.

Suzie Ridler is an accidental dynamic domestic diva who found out that the homemaker's path can be fun, delicious and exciting. She is out to change our outdated ideas of women who create domestic bliss. Suzie loves creating in the kitchen and is currently turning her house into a home. She believes that homemakers can be young at heart, rebellious and anything but frumpy. Life at home is a beautiful thing.

You can find Suzie at her blog Chez Sacred Suzie NOTE: Suzie can now be found at Suzie the Foodie.
Her user id on Twitter is sacredsuzie.

Highly Creative Blogger Interview #1: Jennifer Lee of Life Unfolds

I hope you enjoyed our Week 1 interview with Jennifer Lee of Life Unfolds. A creative power e-pack of all 12 inspiring interviews plus over 122 pages of accompanying transcripts and bonuses are now available at Your Creative Spark.

Jennifer Lee

Certified life coach, artist and yogini, Jennifer Lee of Artizen Coaching empowers professional and entrepreneurial women to awaken their inner muse and live life in full color. A former corporate ladder climber, Jennifer now lives her passion and helps others do the same. She is the creator of the Right-Brain Business Plan and the Unfolding Your Life Vision Kit and is featured in two books. Jennifer is writing her first book about using art and creativity to unfold your life vision. Her faves: Ashtanga yoga, anything sweet (especially her husband, her dog and dessert!), reading, connecting with friends and doing arts & crafts.

Special offer for book club participants: The beginning of the year is a perfect time for creative visioning. Here are a few resources to spark your inner muse. In the month of January, when you purchase any of the items below, I'll send you my new illustrated "Your Life in Bloom" worksheet. Simply forward me your order confirmation and mention "12Secrets" and I'll e-mail your complimentary gift.

• The Unfolding Your Life Vision Kit - Make a portable vision board for 2009.
• The Right-Brain Business Plan e-Book - Business planning can be fun and creative with this innovative and accessible approach. Receive 10% off with discount code "12Secrets"
• Inner Muse Group Coaching Playground - A six-week tele-class for women seeking more creativity, fulfillment and focus. Monday evenings starting January 26th. Special rate of $225 through January 16th.

Contact Jenn:

• Coaching: http://www.artizencoaching.com
• Blogging: http://blog.unfoldingyourlifevision.com and http://www.rightbrainbusinessplan.com
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/artizencoaching
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Jennifer-Lee/652340602