Introducing CREATIVE LIVING

I am pleased to introduce a new blog feature this week - "Creative Living." In interviews with friends and customers, you can meet some of my favorite creative people. I hope this feature gives you some inspiration and lets you know a little about some of the other creative folks out there. Remember - Make Everyday Beautiful!

My first feature is a dear friend from college days. Michelle, or Mish as I like to call her, is a gifted teacher and incredibly strong and kind woman. I hope you enjoy this glimpse into her creative world. Notice her beautiful mother of pearl necklace - she was one of my first custom orders and picked out the stones herself! Beautiful!

Tell us a little about yourself – your name, where you live, your work.

Michelle. I live with my husband in Ridgecrest, CA, a small desert town in a valley of the Sierra Nevadas. I am blessed to work at a private Christian school teaching a variety of grades and subjects - 4 year old kindergarten, high school Spanish and Sign Language, and coach of the high school track team. One of the reasons I was actually drawn to a teaching career is because of its creative nature.

What creative crafts or activities do you like to do? Tell us what you like to do and why it appeals to you.

The Bible is full of stories of beauty in unexpected places - a Saviour born in a barn, Christ's redemption of those foresaken in society. Whatever form of art I'm working on - photography, music, sketching, scrapbooking, card making, cooking, floral arrangements or stories - I want it to reflect the goodness and hope of God in what can be a very difficult world.

Do you have a person that inspires you (living or historical)? Tell us about her or him!

Overall, nature inspires me the most...so I would have to say first and foremost our Creator:) He's our spot of color in a grey world. And who has not been touched by the paintings of Thomas Kincade? As a painter of light, he allows Christ to shine through.

Do you have a book or movie that makes you feel creative? Tell us about it!
There's a scene in Schindler's List where, amidst the black and white film, a little girl's coat sticks out in bright red. I'm fascinated by those subtle nuances.

What is the most beautiful place you've ever been?
The Teeton Mountain Range in Wyoming. Tall snow-capped mountains, deep blue lakes, fields of wildflowers - absolutely beautiful.

What creative things would you like to learn this year?
I'm working on learning the guitar and Russian, and I hope to start painting landscapes. We'll see how that goes:)