AM~Erica Has Some Crazy-Talented Friends

So anyway...

I love trying to be creative. With my dance & theater background, my draw to fashion & costuming, and the most recent one being cooking/baking (with a blog of it right HERE), I love putting it all to use. I sing a little, I draw a little, I write a little...but I just tend to put it together in my head & see what comes out. However, I'm creative-not-crafty. If you have me try to actually make some kind of decoration or kid craft...you'll realize it was not a good idea.

However, I have friends who are like me...plus ones that do so well things that I would love to do...but I'm pretty wrapped up in a lot of other things...motherhood included. But I have friends who cook well, write well, sing well, sew well, crochet/knit well, and sculpt well, paint/draw well...you get the idea. So many things I wish I could do, or do better...but I have these fabulous folks to live vicariously thru.

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Just over a year ago, I volunteered to help out a high school friend who is an absolutely amazing artist! She was looking for folks to just do a "quick" sitting (of 3 or 4 hours) so she could hone her skills in being a faster painter. I volunteered to be a test subject...

The time I set up to sit with her, it was the day after the funeral & burial of MY FRIEND, RENEE'. I was in a very melancholy state of mind that day. Being able to just sit, listen to music & reflect about what had just happened & not having to do a thing was actually very therapeutic for me. Plus...it was a very low-pressure setting. And...it was awesome to see & spend some time with my friend, Tina, again. When all was said & done, I couldn't believe how the "practice portrait" turned out:

Very pensive & impressive. I love knowing people like her! And would love to sit for her again if we can work it out.

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There's also this awesome chic who blogs & crafts...and is a suburban princess. Some of you may know her as The Mother Freakin' Princess. (Facebook page HERE; blog HERE) She is pink-haired & awesome! She has done this thing where she would send out mail to some of her BFF's (how she affectionately refers to her subjects...or followers/fans...or BFF's). When I got my real mail from her (which was super exciting) and I opened the envelope to find this:

Glitters & colors, and a big giant 'E'...all for me...from a princess. And she is all crafty & stuffs, too! She just joined Etsy...so I encourage you to check out her stuff & get stuff made from a princess, yo!

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I have another friend who I worked with (at the same time as Renee', actually), and she always cracked me up. She's gonna laugh (hopefully) when she sees this...but Louise was always the blonde joke waiting to happen. Some of my favorite times would be when she would tell crazy stories on herself AND act them out! Those are times that rate up there as some of the hardest...like...almost peeing our pants. And she was always so much fun to shop with, too!

There is another talent she possesses...it's art, also. I had seen pictures she'd drawn and photos of her murals & things. I was always amazed by what she could do. She recently opened her own Etsy shop, and she has been working on painting Christmas hat boxes. They are so adorable...in the pictures.

I got a message on Facebook, in the last few days, from my adorable friend wanting my address so she could add it to her Christmas card list! YEA!!!

Today, as I got the mail, I noticed a package on the porch...it had my name on it...and it was from Louise!!! Awwww...I was quite surprised as to what might be inside.

I opened the box & there was a precious note from her, addressing me as one of our rotating pet names that would make you shake your heads, then apologizing for fibbing to me but that I would end up on her Christmas card list, and that she saw this picture & wanted to paint it for me. It was on a hat box, I could tell that. The colors I could see (on the bottom part of the box) made me wonder if it was some Halloween or autumn scene. So I took off the newspaper that covered the top of the hat box...and I couldn't believe what was looking at me! Seriously!

In that moment, I was overcome with emotion as to what was in the box. Floored. Because, I was staring at me...

Is this work breathtaking? My hubby was more than impressed when I showed him, too. Teen Girl was dumbfounded as to what she was looking at. And you might recognize the picture if we are Facebook friends.

This is the picture that inspired her to paint me a hatbox! Oh. My. Goodness.
And...like a true friend...she obviously used the airbrush technique. LOL!

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I am delightfully surrounded by amazing people. Amazingly-talented people. I am inspired by them all the time! Even ones I haven't met face-to-face [yet]. Pictures & ideas they post on Facebook & Pinterest of what they want to try or pictures of their actual projects amaze me. So if I ever find out that I inspired them at all...I become this giddy fangirl. I get giggly ridiculous...and emotional. Usually it's shock, awe, and emotions.

The amount of respect I have for my folks who are the actors, singers, musicians, crafters, knitters, sewers, painters, writers, drawers, and most any other kind of artist...you all amaze me. You all inspire me...all of the time. And I am humbled by the lot of you!

And, in the meantime...please go check out these amazing friends of mine! Get some of their stuff! I am in awe of their talents...

Tina Garrett - Professional Artist, Tina Garrett

The MFP - Art Unglued

Louise Irvin - Lou's Paint Shop

Then...they might inspire you, too.

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica