I've been asked a few times recently how I manage to find time to create art and have blogs, while raising three children. (And still get other stuff done too.) 

Since it was super hard to get everything in balance at first (and I almost gave up many times) I can understand the sense of overwhelm. ​

Also, I think fears about time constraint hold so many people back from creating things, because we are pretty much taught that creating is a "hobby", not a priority. 

​Creating pretty things for your home is fun and magical. But art supplies can be expensive. 

So what if you are on a budget and can't justify buying all the pretty things? You shouldn't have to wait to create a few pretty pieces for your home. 

One of my favorite ways to collect a few free art supplies is by taking nature walks. You don't even have to be too far out in nature to find some wonderful treasures.  

Hunting for natural craft supplies can be a fun experience to share with your kids too! You can easily combine science and creativity while enjoying some fresh air and exercise. 

So, a new cartoon/illustration/doodle design! This one actually has some deep-ish meaning too. 

Okay. They deep meaning was an accident. I just wanted to draw a cactus with balloons. 

​But...

In my last post, I listed books as one of my five silly (yet motivational!) happy thoughts, and shared a picture of my kitchen bookshelf. 

Someone I know messaged me and asked which book from that shelf I would recommend the most so she can add it to her summer reading list. 

That sounded like a pretty great idea for a post!

The last couple of weeks have been pretty shabby. Snakes, summer colds, a broken microwave, a broken car, allergies, a lost birth certificate, a total dud of a yard sale. 

When so many negative things pile up in a short amount of time, it's important to focus on some, silly happy thoughts. 

 I don't know about you, but if I start to stress a bit and let myself get all glum and sulky,  I have a much harder time finding any creative motivation.