Books provide some of the best inspiration. So, without trying to start a book club or create a definitive list, I thought I would share some books that have left a mark on me. Some stories were incredibly beautiful, others were incredibly disturbing. All were enjoyable in my opinion.

In order to create this list, I simply wrote down the ones that immediately popped into my head when I thought about creating a fun, summer reading list.  
Nonfiction

Mukiwa: A White Boy in Africa  by Peter Godwin
Half a Life by Jill Ciment
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
Daughter of the Queen of Sheba: A Memoir by Jacki Lyden
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Safekeeping: Some True Stories from a Life by Abigail Thomas
A Three Dog Life by Abigail Thomas
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer
The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea by Sebastian Junger                 
Moments of Being by Virginia Woolf

Fiction

In the Time of Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
The Griffin & Sabine Trilogy: Griffin & Sabine/Sabine’s Notebook/The Golden Mean by Nick Bantock
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
Woman Hollering Creek by Sandra Cisneros
Stones for Ibarra by Harriet Doerr
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
Enchanted Night: A Novella by Steven Millhauser
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
The Kitchen God’s Wife by Amy Tan
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Poetry
Verses by Ani DiFranco 
Fully Empowered by Pablo Neruda

Children’s
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Right now, I’m reading, Love Walked In by Maria de los Santos

Inevitably, I have left off books that I will kick myself for later. I am always on the lookout for good books. So, please share your favorites; the ones that instantly come to mind because they moved you.

Photo courtesy of Sandi Henderson of Portabellopixie

When I first stumbled across designer Sandi Henderson’s site, Portabellopixie, I instantly fell in love with the vibrant colors of her fabric collection and the fabulous music that played during my visit. Over time, I discovered that Sandi is not only a talented designer but she is also a friendly, down-to-Earth woman with a great sense of humor. When I recently caught up with Sandi, who had just unveiled Farmer’s Market, a striking, new fabric line, she shared her thoughts about music, starting a business and balancing work and family.

CN: You are the creative mastermind behind, Portabellopixie, a fun, colorful site that’s always filled with music. It’s clear you love music, if you had a theme song for your life what would it be?

Sandi: Oh, can we just do an entire post on this one topic?!  Yes I love music-it was my first creative endeavor.  I have played the piano for pretty much as long as I can remember.  Learning how to read music through playing the piano made it simple to learn other instruments in a day.  Once you have the fingering down-you already know everything else!  I can play 6 different instruments even though I have only studied one extensively.  Music is a huge part of our household and we play/listen to everything (which is probably evident by the broad spectrum of music I play on my blog.)  Except for the angry stuff-that doesn’t make the cut.    I find it incredibly hard to design or work without music playing.  I pretty much always have a song that is my favorite at the moment, right now (don’t laugh!) it’s “Lost Highway” by Bon Jovi.  It gets me up and moving.  Another thing I love, books on tape.  Listening to Harry Potter at the moment-I love them because they are so long that it’s hard to feel like you’re ever listening to the same thing over and over.

CN: What is your first memory of creating a piece of artwork you love?

Sandi: The first craft that I became addicted to was scrapbooking.  I remember how incredibly excited I was when I discovered it!  I scrapped one 12 by 12 page with about 20 pictures on it (trying to get the most bang for my buck-I was a sophomore in high school).  I was in love with paper crafting!  Now when I look at that page, I realize how rather pitiful it is, but I still love it.
 

CN: Tell us a little about your children. Do you involve them in your creative process? Do you try to foster creativity in your children’s lives? If so, how?

Sandi: My kids are amazing.  Hands down the funniest kids I’ve ever known.    My daughter is truly the reason I am where I am.  Before she was born, I was a phlebotomist.  I fully intended on returning to work after she was born, but the second I saw her I knew there was no chance of that happening.  I have always sewn, and when she was born I started making her little dresses and hair bows.  It is truly one of the happiest times that I can remember-having nothing else to do but hang with my kid all day and craft for her.  The first few months of her life during all the crafting heaven, I kept researching ways to add to our income from home.  My husband was in school, not bringing in money wasn’t an option.  I stumbled upon eBay and found that mothers like myself were selling their children’s clothing for big bucks (in my eyes at the time, now I truly see how underpaid these wonder women are!). The search for a brand name started. I wanted something that was a completely new word to avoid copycats.  I have always had a soft spot for Portobello Road which is where the root of my name came from.  I changed the spelling to make it my own and added “pixie” to add a fun element to it.  Portabellopixie was born.  That venture introduced me to designer fabrics and the rest, as they say, is history.  If I had a boy first, I am 100% positive that I wouldn’t be here now.
 
My son is every bit as inspiring as my daughter.  When I designed Ginger Blossom, I thought I had finished and realized that there was nothing that I could use for my son!  Tortoise Plaid was born.  He is also the inspiration for a collection of boy projects and patterns I am working on.  It has been a fun to switch gears and design for boys!  Stay tuned…

CN: Do you ever have those days where you just want to stay in bed with a good book or a pint of ice cream and a good movie? What motivates you to get up each day and get back to work?

Sandi: Yes.  And I take them!  A lot of people have the view that I must be going on 3 hours of sleep each night but I can assure you that is not the case.  I am not the kind of person that can do that-occasionally the late nighter will occur but generally I am a bear if I don’t get 8 hours of sleep each night.  So that’s pretty much the key to my getting up and keeping going-decent amounts of sleep.  But even still, those lay around days still happen and I relish in them and never feel guilty.

 Featured in this photo is the new line, Farmer’s Market. 

Photo courtesy of Sandi Henderson of Portabellopixie

CN: How do you know when you are finished with a design and it’s time to let it go?

Sandi: I just “know.”  I usually try arranging art for one print in dozens of different ways and when it finally works, I have an “ah ha!” moment and smile, save it and move on.  I am usually going on a “feeling” I am working for and tinker my art until I find I have found that “feeling.”
 

CN: When you need to recharge your creative batteries, what do you do?

Sandi: Luckily I haven’t really experienced a creative block yet.  There is so much more to an art based business than just designing.  After I turn in the artwork, there is months of business work to do to promote the fabric so by the time I am ready to get started on a new collection, enough time has passed and my fingers are literally itching to get going again!  That’s where I am right now and my head is overflowing with ideas for the next line.  This probably seems funny because Farmer’s Market has just debuted, but I turned in the work on it about 7 months ago.
 

CN: When you get to the end of your life, what are the three creative goals you hope to have accomplished?

Sandi: Oh I’m pretty lucky.  I’d say I’ve accomplished 2 of them already.  Signing on with a fabric manufacturer, debuting a line of sewing patterns-both of which I have done!  The last goal would be difficult but wonderful to accomplish.  I would love to have my brand continue to benefit my family after I die.  If I were to die today, so would the business.  Look at Marimekko-when founder Armi Ratia died in 1979 the company didn’t flounder.  It is still going strong and very popular.  I’d love to see Portabellopixie or Sandi Henderson have longevity like that.
 

CN: Do you remember the moment you decided to pursue your dream to become a designer? Since that time, have you ever doubted yourself? If so, how do you fight those feelings?

Sandi: Yes, I remember.  Again it was an “ah ha!” moment.  I felt that I had found the way to turn my craft into a real source of income for my family and never looked back.  There are certainly times of doubt-starting a business is not easy and to be successful is based on much more that just your art.  Writing big checks is hard when you don’t have a lot to fall back on in the beginning.  Dustin and I have been very careful to only progress on what we could pay cash for though so if something doesn’t pan out the way we expect, we don’t have to worry about paying for a loan that we don’t have the income for.  Luckily, we’ve been very blessed so far and haven’t lost money.  I wouldn’t say that we’ve made much yet either though LOL, but that also comes with starting a business.  In a few more months, I think we’ll actually be able to keep some of the money coming in.
 
CN: Who has been the biggest creative influence in your life?

Sandi:  Oh boy…there are so many creative people that I admire.  But I would have to say that the one I am most impressed by is Amy Butler.  I read in her Midwest Modern book that her studio takes the stance that every person is worth the time to answer a question, email or call.  I know this to be true and not just words for a book.  When I was selling on eBay, I emailed with questions for her and always, always had a return answer.  I was a teeny person in regards to her, my fabric purchases made her personally about 50 cents, but they always saw that my questions were answered.  It is something that I have tried to apply to my business.  I always try to answer all questions that come my way.  Moreover on Amy, when I finally met her and her husband David in person, they remembered who I was which was huge to me.  So while I think my style is much different from hers, I have watched her trail with much admiration.  I hope that in 5 years people will look at me with a fraction of the respect I have earned for her, which is based absolutely not at all on her success but how she treats the people around her. 

CN: As a kid, I would draw on the walls; sometimes I still do, don’t tell anyone. Where is the craziest place you have ever sketched a design?

Sandi: Fun!  I draw on the walls too.    My bedroom has a big mural type thing that I started when we moved into this house and still haven’t finished.  The weirdest place is probably on myself.  When inspiration hits, I’ve got to get the idea down before it flees my short lived memory!  I’ve been known to have flowers or shapes sketched on my skin.
 

CN: If you were asked to create an original, specialty dish at your favorite restaurant, what would you create and what would you name it?

Sandi: Hmmm…I would probably do a sampler plate of my favorite foods.  If would definitely have Fresh Mozzarella, Fresh Basil and Fresh Tomatoes, Carmelized onions, Spicy Tuna Sushi, really good Chocolate, mango and really good bread.  Dried Apricots with a little sea salt on it (sounds very strange, but it’s so good!)  That’s my favorite kind of food!  Yum.  

CN: Nacho readers are a diverse, creative and inspiring group. Many are balancing full-time jobs, creative projects and/or families. For all those who are reading who may want to create their own fabric line, what advice would you give on how to balance running a business with raising a family?

Sandi: To make sure that your family is really on board.  It takes support from your loved ones to make it work!  Set priorities, realize you can’t do everything.  When you can afford it, hire help!  Don’t go into debt; only take on what you can realistically accomplish.  Over deliver when you can.  Find a niche that isn’t already being filled.  If it’s what you are truly passionate about, don’t ever give up!

Thanks for spending time with the Nachos, Sandi!

For information on how Sandi designs fabric or to view more of her work, visit http://portabellopixie.typepad.com/portabellopixie/.

Behind these shades you will find an avid people watcher and, sometimes, listener. (By the way, I hijacked the shades from my friend, Theresa. Shhh, don’t tell her. She’ll get a ransom note soon demanding a large bag of M&M’s in exchange for their safe return.)

When I want to jumpstart a character that seems stuck, I listen for inspiration. I head out into the city and instead of tuning in to my iPod, I tune into everything and everyone around me.  I’m not eavesdropping on conversations because I’m not stopping and lingering to listen to people. I simply snatch the few words left dangling in the air by those in mid-conversation as I stroll past. Armed with those words, I begin to play. 

For awhile, I turn the words over in my mind. Sometimes a character will grab hold and spin them into part of a story and other times I just play with what I’ve heard in an effort to entertain myself.

Yesterday, I was in play mode. As I walked past a tall man, his arms folded over his chest, talking with a shorter man who wore an incredibly long mustache, I overheard the tall man say: 

“I’m not sure where he went. We just got back but I bet he’s off looking for hot sp…..”

That’s all I heard; I didn’t even get the last word.

Now, I play.  I imagine what the end of that conversation might have sounded like. I picture the tall man saying:

“I bet he’s off looking for hot, spicy tamales again. I swear he believes everything he hears on TV. Some chain restaurant has a new dish and that’s it, he has to have one. Doesn’t matter what we have planned he just takes off. You know last week, he left at 5am. 5am! Do you know where he went?? Do you? Dunkin’ Donuts to get the fresh, new donut before anyone else. I’ve had it with his food obsession!”

That’s only one way it would go. How do you think the conversation ended? Come on, your turn. You finish it!

Or tell me, what’s the funniest, strangest, silliest thing you’ve recently overheard?
 

I just opened a box of Crayola Crayons. You know, that huge 96 crayon box with the sharpener? I love cracking it open and inhaling the crayon aroma. It’s like delicious colors and childhood all wrapped into one. Those crayons got me thinking about smells. Here are some that I love:

-my daughter’s hair after a bath
-fresh strawberries
-Christmas trees
-newly cut grass
-the smell of the Earth after a summer rain
-roasted peanuts
-root beer lipstick (When I was a kid, I had these little lipsticks that smelled of various
 flavors – cotton candy, bubble gum and root beer. Did you have those??)
-the smell of your skin after a day at the beach
-mango scented candles
-Orchard Blossom Lady Speed Stick Invisible Dry deodorant (what? Too much information?)
-a bakery – but I’m not really a fan of the smell of fresh bread. Instead, I LOVE the smell
 of cookies and cakes and cupcakes, oh my!
-laundry that’s been hanging in the sun all day
-newborn babies
-pizza at the end of a drinking evening
-garlic knots (I can’t help myself)
-Moonlight Path shower gel from Bath & Body Works
-the crisp, clean air after a snowfall
-a crackling fire on a winter afternoon
-a cup of hot cocoa

It’s amazing that I can tie a memory to each one of these smells. I could use these aromas and memories as a springboard for creating a new story. Try it. What smells do you love? Write down the first things that come to mind. Then look at your list. Does each smell have a story? Use it as inspiration to take that new photo, write that story, paint that picture or any other creative endeavor.

So tell me, what smells do you love? 

The Nacho playground has a whole new look. The banner drawing was taken from a card I created; it’s been revised for this site.

As I was putting it into place, it felt as though I was giving myself a little present. That feeling got me thinking about cheerleading again. We’ve talked about assembling a cheerleading team of positive people with constructive criticism and removing the Debbie/Donald Downers from your life but what about being your own cheerleader? What does that mean?

There have been times when my enthusiasm or dislike for a project hung on another’s enthusiasm or dislike for my project. If their level of excitement exceeded my own about a particular idea, I would think to myself, “Hmm, maybe you should pursue it.” Later, if their excitement was not at the same level, I would take it as a sign that they no longer thought it was good or they were no longer interested and shelve my plan. Is that crazy or what? I based everything I was doing on the opinions of those I loved. While I valued the advice given by my cheerleading team, I realized that I needed to trust my creative instincts or I would never be able to find and live my passion.

Everything I’ve read says that you need to be an inspiration to yourself first and that is 100% true. If you let your life revolve around what other people like or dislike, you’ll not only go insane but you’ll miss out on that feeling, the one were you feel like you swallowed a million stars, when you are doing something you love.

Remember when you colored tree trunks purple and made the leaves pink? Remember when you made mud pies and served them to friends? Remember when you danced in puddles and sang off key while twirling your umbrella? Remember when you flipped things over and banged on them pretending that they were bongos? Remember when you pretended that you couldn’t step on the floor because it was covered with alligators? Remember when you finger painted …with your toes??? I do!

I did those things because they not only felt good but they were the perfect expression of what I was thinking and feeling. When you are creating something and you feel all lit up inside and lose hours to it, thank the Universe because you’ve found your passion. Regardless of what other’s think, you need to travel that road and put everything you’ve got into that project. Inspiration is contagious. When you are your own biggest cheerleader, when you are an inspiration to yourself, you have no idea who else you might motivate. 

For a long while, I focused so hard on one area of writing; I didn’t leave room for anything else. I love writing and drawing. The two things together bring peace, happiness and fun to my life. More importantly, when I create something with color and words and then share it, well, I feel like a flower blooming.

So, I’ve started to share here. The new “About” section on this site is a little window into my warped mind. The banner drawing represents what is to come.  I hope you enjoy!
 

My daughter makes this noise, a primal hum, when she is in that space between waking and sleeping. The sound soothes her and allows her to return to the peace of sleep. It reminds me of the moan Harry (Billy Crystal) made in When Harry Met Sally only more drawn-out and infinitely more hilarious.

Recently, I was feeling jammed up. My head was flooded with thoughts about work, creative projects, taking care of my daughter, familial issues, financial concerns, the need for a vacation, etc. I needed to quiet my mind but found that screaming, “Stop Thinking” in my head over and over was not the solution. Just then, I heard her on the baby monitor. She was curled up, eyes closed, humming herself back into a dream.

That moment was just the inspiration I was seeking; I just hadn’t realized it. I decided to lie upside down on my couch allowing my head to hang off the edge. With closed eyes, I exhaled letting a small sound slip from my lips. It was like a teeny, tiny growl. Gradually it built to a nice, respectable level which was just shy of being loud enough to wake her. My focus began to shift away from my hodgepodge of thoughts to my breath mixed with this growl. As the last bits of sound escaped, I felt an urge to laugh. I’m not even sure what struck me as funny. I felt light, free and utterly relaxed. Every part of me was filled with urges to color, write on the walls and dance around the room. Somehow this little, inner rumble brought me back to my playful self.

In college, I took part in a primal scream during exams but it didn’t make me feel half as good as my ridiculous growl.

What would you prefer a primal scream, growl, hum or something else? What’s one silly way you love to clear out tension and uncover creative fun?
 

 Bridget Murphy’s First Race

Bridget Murphy is one of those people you want to have in your life. From her ability to make others feel comfortable in any situation to her knack for making people laugh when they least expect it, she is a true inspiration. Bridget is driven to succeed but her drive does not blind her to the needs of others. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The closer she moves toward accomplishing her dreams, the more she strives to help others to follow their passion. As Bridget prepares to run the NYC Half-Marathon, she is not just focusing on training, she’s working to help kids improve their health and their lives. 

CN: Congratulations on being accepted into the NYC Half-Marathon! When did you decide that you wanted to run it?

Bridget: I’ve always wanted to run a marathon – specifically the NYC marathon. I saw that the NYRR (New York Road Runners) posted the application for the Half-Marathon so I applied through NYRR and eventually through the charity, Team for Kids.
 
CN: The Half-Marathon will bring you one step closer to the NYC Marathon. How long have you dreamt of running the NYC Marathon?

Bridget: As long as I can remember I’ve always wanted to run the NYC Marathon. I can remember walking to First Avenue with my family and cheering all the runners on. I always thought it was such an amazing accomplishment and wonderful experience to run through all five boroughs and have millions of people cheering for you. I’m not an athlete by any stretch of the imagination but it amazes me how every year hundreds of ordinary people run the marathon.
 
CN: Has running been a childhood dream?

Bridget: Not running but the marathon, yes, has always been a dream. I would also like to train for triathlons.
 
CN: What is your first memory of running?

Bridget: Hmm…probably a first memory of running was just with my brother running crazy through the park or in the fields in Ireland.
 
CN: What benefits does running give you – mentally, physically, and emotionally?

Bridget: So far my longest run was the Colon Cancer Challenge last year that was a little over 9 miles – mentally I would say it prepares you for challenges in life – everyday life. I say to myself – well if I can run such and such a distance this challenge at work shouldn’t be too bad (I just have to keep reminding myself of that!). I’ve always admired a woman that has a strong athletic body – not the slinky kind we normally see. But I’ve only recently strived to achieve that strong body not just a sexy bod (ha!). It’s incredibly challenging. Emotionally, it’s true after exercise the endorphins are released and I do feel energized. While I’m running I listen to my music and all kinds of thoughts flow through my head! I can think of the bills I need to pay or a song may come on that reminds me of my grandma. Running gives me the freedom to just think clearly.

CN: So, you use music when you are working out/training, what’s the one song that really keeps you motivated and excited to push yourself?

Bridget: I always use music! It’s the one time that I always listen to music. Rocky – seriously rocky pushes me. The trumpets and the visual I have in my head of him boxing Drago (Rocky IV) and running up the steps really pumps me (even if that is corny!).
 
CN: You will be running for Team for Kids…tell us a little about it? How can people help?

Bridget: Team for Kids is a great organization that supports youth running programs. These programs help children fight obesity, become more active, learn the importance of nutrition and support their self-esteem by setting goals. People can donate to Team for Kids by visiting their website, and clicking donate. If they are interested in donating under my name, my last name is Murphy registration number: 262140.
 
CN: How do you keep yourself motivated to run? Train?

Bridget: Well it can be extremely challenging to stay motivated. After a long day at work or school I can be drained. But I have to focus on my goals – whether that’s running a Half-Marathon or running one more mile than the previous day. For my training I am going to have to become diligent about my weekly schedule. I know I’m a procrastinator but when I have to finish 13 miles in 3 hours I’m going to have to stick to it. In between now and July the NYRR hosts other races and I plan to participate in those to keep my motivation alive.

CN: That’s right! You’re currently working a full-time job and going to school for your graduate degree. That’s intense! How will you juggle everything with training?

Bridget: It will be a great lesson in learning how to balance life’s complications! I know it’s going to be extremely hard but I’m not just running for me I’m running for a charity and I have lots of friends and family behind me.
 
CN: What is the most creative part of running? Putting together the training schedule?

Bridget: Well I’m really creative in thinking of reasons why I don’t need to run on a particular day - so the challenging part is remembering why I’m running. On days when it just seems tedious I may chose a different path or mix up my music. Eventually on the weekends I would like to run along the Hudson River.
 
CN: How will you put the schedule together for running the NYC Half-Marathon?

Bridget: Every week is different whether it’s because of work, school or friends. I will have to see what each week brings and make sure I’m getting in the amount of miles I need and within a good time. Team for Kids also organizes group runs which I plan to join.
 
CN: If you had a bumper sticker on you that everyone would see as you ran by what would it read?

Bridget: American Gladiator in Training!
 
CN: For all the people reading this who may dream of running the NYC Half-Marathon and NYC Marathon who are balancing work and/or family, what advice would you give them?

Bridget: I’m still learning that things you really want you have to really work for – and accomplishments don’t happen overnight or in a week. It’s incredibly easy to get side-tracked but it’s important to remember not to let those “interruptions” distract you. Just put your nose to the grindstone and work at it – but enjoy the small accomplishments along the way.

Again, if you’d like to support Bridget Murphy and Team for Kids, visit the Team for Kids website or simply click on the words, Team for Kids, here. On the Team for Kids website, select “Donate” and click on the link to donate to a Team for Kids member running the Half-Marathon and enter Bridget Murphy’s name and registration number: 262140.
 

Photo by Natasha Reilly

The thermometer hit 75 degrees in the Big City on Thursday and you know what that meant….Spring Fever. The first day of Spring, the first real day of it, always inspires me. The warm sunshine wakens me from my winter slumber and I notice things like the beautiful, new buds on the trees, people walking slower, kids playing Frisbee with their dogs and daffodils everywhere.

On days like this, I want to throw on my iPod, walk through the park and listen to some tunes. The same tunes grab hold of me at the same time each year- weird. They are:

- People Are Strange by The Doors – I loved this song the very first time I heard it. Maybe because when I was in grammar school, this song somehow made me feel like it was cool to be strange.

- Thank You by Led Zeppelin - I found the lyrics to this song in a friend’s yearbook and wrote them on my binder. I didn’t even know they were from a song. Then along came a person who would write the title of the song on that binder and change my life forever.

- What I Got by Sublime – My star-filled friend and old roommate, Claire, and I used to sing this in the morning before work and late on Friday nights….”Livin’ with Claire dawg’s the only way to stay sane….”

- Lover Lay Down by Dave Matthews Band – This song came out during my dating days. It made sense to me.

- Wonderwall by Oasis - Once upon a time, I needed to be saved. This song was popular when someone did.

- Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding – I have loved this song since I was a little girl for no reason, other than I adore the image it conjures up of summer and sittin’ by the ocean.

- All I Want is You by U2 – love this song. That’s all I have to say.

- Bright Side of the Road by Van Morrison – this song makes me want to dance around.

- Amber by 311 – this song makes me think of Hawaii; I love that damn place.

- 32 Flavors Ani DiFranco’s version – I dig the idea behind this song. “I am 32 flavors and then some”…oh yeah!

- These are the Days by Natalie Merchant - this reminds me of my closest and most hilarious friends and our own addition to the refrain when we would sing…you and you and you and me!

- Who’s That Girl? by Madonna – embarrassing admission but for some reason I love to hear this song when the weather gets warm and I will never be able to explain why. It is a complete mystery to me.

What song(s) do you want to hear right now?
 

For years, I’ve heard about how important it is to have a creative space to call your own. I’ve heard people talk about having a space that is filled with things that inspire them. When I was in high school that space existed on the covers of my binder where I wrote lyrics, bits of poetry and doodles. Later, it turned into the pages of my journal which I would decorate with colored writing, drawings, letters, old movie stubs, pictures and, sometimes, flowers.

Lately, I’ve had a yearning for more space. I want it to be filled with things I love and can look at constantly.  I don’t know about you but I can always remember the negative things someone says but the good things? Well, sometimes I need to be reminded of them. The things that remind me of amazing moments, places, and thoughts bring comfort and inspiration when I feel blocked or crappy.

So, I’m creating a little nook for the first time. I’m surrounding the area I work in with pictures of my family and friends, and lots of little pieces of fabulousness. Here are a few things: 

An Albert Einstein quote I love…

A little doodle…

An Anne Lamott quote…

One of my favorite moments in life shared with my husband and, later, framed by some of our amazing friends…

Photo by Natasha Reilly

A beautiful Willow Treet New Life statue by Susan Lordi given to us by an incredible soul after my daughter was born…

My friend, Torie, introduced me to Serah who sends some of the most amazing quotes. I love them all but this Rebecca Falls quote stood out to me…thanks Serah!

I’m looking to collect more. What pictures, quotes, poems, drawings, do you keep around that inspire you?

Bridget, a hilarious, fabulously creative and truly supportive woman in my life, and I were recently talking about life, family, work, and the future. I was sharing my concerns about starting my own business when she said, “What if Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream but chose not to share it with anyone?”

I stopped in my tracks. I had never thought about that; it got me thinking.

What if…

-Rosa Parks hadn’t valued herself and simply gave up her seat on the bus?

-Jane Austen hadn’t believed in her ability to write and never put pen to paper?

-Mother Teresa hadn’t believed that she could help change the lives of people in need?

-Albert Einstein had let the D’s he received in school be an indicator of his abilities and, based on that information, chose to simply dismiss his theories as foolish?

-Ian Reilly and Victoria Ludwin had not believed in their ideas enough to sit down and write their novels?

-Jackie Robinson had listened to those who threatened him, who told him he could not do it and never played baseball?

-Mark Twain hadn’t thought his life was interesting enough to write about and thus never penned, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn?

-Judy Beedle hadn’t decided to take the risk of working part-time in order to focus on her photography?

-Hunter S. Thompson had given in to societal standards of living and never created Gonzo journalism?

-Anne Geddes had never believed photographing children would get her anywhere?

-any person who has ever participated in the Special Olympics had let their disability stand in their way?

-Emily August and Dolores Kilcullen had been too worried about being vulnerable to share their full hearts with everyone?

-Rembrandt thought his idea to try to capture the essence of a person, their soul, on the canvas was stupid?

-Lorrie Veasey had not been believed in her ability to touch people lives with her Our Name is Mud products?

-Salk and Sabine had simply given up when things didn’t initially go according to plan as they developed polio vaccines?

-Danielle thought her own needs weren’t important enough to care for and had not gotten fabulous shoes and PJ’s?

-Gandhi had worried what others would think about his non-violent beliefs?

-Clara Barton had believed she was helpless to assist soldiers in war and, thus, never founded the American Red Cross?

-Lucille Ball had been too self-conscious to do comedy?

-Jon Jensen let the fear of the unknown keep him from traveling to Egypt where he continues to pursue his dreams?

-Nellie Bly had been too afraid to take risks to become a pioneer in investigative journalism?

If you ever think any of your ideas are ridiculous or that world doesn’t need what you have to offer, remember these folks.

I’m off to get to work.