Creative Collective // Skillshare

This week the Creative Collective prompt was to - Take a Skillshare class -
Easy right? Kinda. Actually not really.

I have personally never taken a Skillshare class (and still haven't! oops.) but after checking it out I was blown away. There are classes on everything and anything creative, and after browsing for 5 mins I already wanted to take 10 different classes. A good problem to have I suppose.

This past weekend I went to the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point NOWhere Design Conference (my alma mater) where I took a workshop that I am using as my "Skillshare" class! It was a hand lettering workshop which is very popular on Skillshare so I figured it would count. Good enough right? The workshop was hosted by the very talented Xavier Casalta from France. He is an incredibly talented letter and works very hard at developing his craft. You have to check his work out. It is amazing. I was lucky enough to get to know him pretty well and cant wait to take a trip to France for a visit!!!

I haven't gotten a chance to transfer my design to nice artist paper but that is the next step! Let me know if you want one because I want to make prints to give out!

Xavier Casalta // WEB

Insta-Fam // @JonTheGingBeard @CasaltaXavier

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Creative Collect // Celebrate

This is my first installment of The Creative Collect. What is this Creative Collect you say? It is a spectacular concept for creative blogger such as myself brought to you by Melyssa from The Nectar Collective. "It’s based on the idea of community and creation. 23 planned out creative activities for 2014 — all you have to do is show up and get your groove on."  For all the details check it out here! I just found out about it this morning so this post is a little "fly by the seat of my pants." Just the way I like it!

The first activity is to // Think of a word(s) that you want to focus on in 2014. Easy enough (NOT)! Once you have your word or words grab your crayons, markers, paint, glue, "cough" wine...  Whatever gets your creative juices flowing and create a masterpiece!

The words I chose were // Celebrate w/ Strangers

This may seem a little strange to you all but the idea actually came to me about a month ago when I was trying to think of a cool birthday party to throw myself. I am so cool that I have to throw myself a Quarter Century party. The big 25. Scary. I knew I would be out of town visiting a friend over my birthday and I had this idea to throw a party and only invite friends of this friend that I was visiting. Crazy ha? Well my birthday is in a week and I still dont know if this conceptually abstracted birthday party is going to happen, but it did get me thinking even more about celebrating with strangers and how wonderful it would be if we all celebrated the achievements of others even if we didn't know them. And they would celebrate with me even if they didn't know me. It would be like one huge fan club.

As a freelance designer I am always working with people I dont know and often hand off my work and never get to celebrate my clients successes. I want to celebrate with them as they grow and develop as a business or an individual, and I want to see how my designs have positively impacted them.

Celebrating brings joy to yourself and others. So lets band together as creatives, coworkers, families, and strangers and celebrate each others lives and achievements. Lets Celebrate w/ Strangers.

Wallpaper 2 // Giving Thanks

I have been blessed so much since I started freelancing full time in August and have an over abundance of things to be thankful for. I am so grateful for the big things that have happened like getting my loans deferred so I can fallow my heart and throw all my passion into freelancing and having enough work to support myself. It has been such a great journey, even though it has been a relatively short one and I know it will only get better in the coming months and years. I am also especially thankful to several great friends that have been willing to collaborate with me on my blog and my family for backing me in my freelancing endeavors.

A big thanks to all of you that have taken the time to follow me on my journey. My goal is to tell my story and in doing so, encourage others in theirs.  You are all such a blessing in my life and I give thanks for the impact you have had. Even if I dont know you and you are visiting this blog, you dont know how much of an encouragement that is. Thank you.

I would love to hear what you are grateful for in this time of Thanksgiving. Please leave a comment on who has impacted your life this year, what has inspired you, and who/what you are most thankful for.

Enjoy a blessed holiday!

Download Thanksgiving Wallpaper
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