I came across this blog post on Pinterest and I thought I’d share because it is a great read.  These 10 tips are from ardithsart.blogspot.com and they were written by Ardith Goodwin, a self taught painter and artist.

A little preface from me.. lol..

Choosing to be a self-taught artist is a journey filled with failures, challenges, and learning experiences. For me, teaching myself how to sew was something I wanted to do as a hobby in the beginning and grew to be passionate about over time. Once I started to teach myself, I realized sewing may be harder than I thought. In the beginning I struggled with self doubt a lot. I often wondered would I ever be good at this, should I quit while I’m ahead, when will I create something I like? However, if you are truly passionate about your art you will push through those moments of self doubt. The thing that kept me going was my love of learning, being inspired by other people and blogs, and having a sewing mentor. Although my sewing journey is far from over, I am excited to continue growing. I started this blog because I want to share my journey in hopes to inspire someone else who wants to sew! It doesn’t matter if you are a music artist, a jewelry designer, an author, a hairstylist, a fashion designer, a painter, basically anything you do that involves you creating something that you ultimately share with the world, remember:  The key for any self taught artist is to silence the voice of your inner critic and release the voice that serves you toward growth. Don’t feed your fears. It is possible to be a successful self taught artist, don’t let anyone tell you differently, all it takes is passion and effort! Stay committed to your craft, because anyone who is an expert, was once a beginner.

1. Fall In Love With The Creative Process

At some point, you LOVED making stuff as a child. Either with crayons or clay or even mud…you loved being a creator. As an adult who chooses to become a self-taught artist, you must fall in LOVE with the creative process all over again.

Explore ideas with reckless abandon. Test out new techniques and supplies and mediums to see what your heart loves…and what it doesn’t. View the works of master artists and contemporaries of our present day. Learn what you are drawn to, what styles captivate you, what genres you feel akin to. Then ask yourself why…and then ask again.

Wake up with the excitement that every day is a new experience to create and learn and experience the act of being an artist….for no other reason than because you love it, because you can, and because it makes you happy. First be true to creativity itself.

2. Pay Attention To What Fascinates You About The World

A Self-Taught artist needs to know what fascinates them about the world. Are they drawn to lines and patterns or textures and light? Do birds and everything about birds keep and hold their attention like no other animal? Does love or heartbreak move them…to music…to color…to expressions?

We are each hardwired with a brain and heart that finds some things in life more fascinating than others. When we truly find those juicy tidbits that rock our own world, we then are able to tap into our own, unique point of view which is the pathway to our artistic voice. Create in response to what fascinates you.

3. Practice Your Art Everyday In Some Way 

There is no getting around it. If you want to be a successful self-taught artist you must practice. You must not just practice…you must adopt being a creative as a way of life. Seek out the practice that moves your joy. Create a consistent pattern of showing up and doing the work. On off days, think creatively in a different capacity…bake something, grow something, build something…but keep creating.
When you are called to rest, rest. Give thanks for the ability to practice and do what you love, and create the next day. Practicing our gifts…and growing our skill sets is what we are called to do. There is no short cut to success…you must do the work…you must do the work.

4. When You Decide To Go From Hobby to Profit….Learn The Business

The minute you choose to go from creating because you simply love it for fun…and that is a beautiful thing, to creating with the intent to sell….LEARN THE BUSINESS. Get a business license, study and become informed about taxes, pay attention to the market and what you are up against. I say that because in business you are always up against something….know your mountain. Learn how to climb it by viewing what other successful artists are doing.

Make a plan. The business side can zap an artist’s spirit so fast and believe it or not, not every artist is set out to be a business person. Get help. Ask…. and OWN the fact that you are now in business and that your work is ready to sell to a greater audience.

Put meticulous care into creating the best product you can and develop a beautiful connection to customer service. It will always pay off…it will.

5. Find Teachers/Mentors/Study Programs To Help You Master Your Skills

Be willing to study…to learn…..and to seek help. Choosing to be a self-taught artist gives us a lot of freedom, but it also calls us to truly understand our craft and practice. Depending on what type of art you create…become a master at that type of art. If there are techniques you need to learn, be willing to sacrifice if necessary to pay for the best training you can.

Let go of the mindset that you don’t have the money for workshops or mentors. Start setting aside a little everyday…or every week. Make your business and your passion a priority. Ask yourself, “What am I willing to give up so that I can do this or that?” I literally gave up eating out for 4 months to save enough money to attend a week long workshop that changed my entire artistic life. It was worth every single can of beans I ate instead.
6. Own Your Confidence, Share Your Journey

Self-taught artists seem to come out of the gate feeling the need to prove themselves or measure up. I get it. To offset this way of thinking, know your place and time in your journey. If you are a beginner, celebrate being a beginner. Own every single moment of practice to learn and better yourself…..and to show up for the creative process.

Do your very best not to compare. In fact…thump the comparison fairy on the head every time it flies into your head. The very fact that you are willing to show up every day and do the work is golden. Be proud of that…be PROUD.

With that confidence, share your journey. There are many artists in the world in the exact same place you are, so sharing your journey helps them relate to theirs. Don’t profess to be more than you are, but don’t profess to be less than you are either. When you choose to share your journey you become a Wayshower. The world needs more Wayshowers.

7. Practice Authentic Marketing

Be true to who you are…and to the profession of creators when it comes to marketing. If you copy to learn, bravo…but don’t share that as your own. Market what you create that is uniquely yours. We are all influenced by external forces, especially visual ones, and at the end of the day, we must choose to honor the artists who create from their unique voice and honor our learning path as well.

Realize that marketing is important, creating your own brand is important, but underneath all of that,  honesty and integrity in the business world should rule the day. Don’t undercut your galleries, be consistent with pricing. Don’t sell high one day and then cut your prices in half the next for a ‘flash sale.’ Really seek out the steps in marketing that ring true to the customer as well as your artistic brand.

8. Serve Others 

At some point, give back. One of the beauties of living a creative life is that it gives you so many opportunities to give back. Volunteer to speak at a school, offer to share a craft with a local senior center, write a blog offering how-to lessons for free. Find a way to use your gifts for the greater good. It will fill your wellsprings, it is a community minded way of thinking, and it is so very needed in this world.
If you are called to teach, teach…but know your subject matter. Don’t jump on the bandwagon of teaching because you only see profit, truly know what you are going to teach and meet your students needs as best you can. Serving others is how we move creative love forward.

9. Understanding That Timing Is Everything

Patience is a big deal. Just because you see a painting that you love…and you want to paint like that, doesn’t mean you know how to just yet. Give yourself the time to develop as a creative. If you put in the work and the effort, the doors will open. They will…but all in good time. There is a level of work ethic that you must find your balance to…and be willing to put in the hours, but when you do, the timing of opportunity will reveal itself.

Some artists study for years before they know they are ready to go full time. Explore, learn, have a riot of a good time, and trust your inner voice. He/she knows the way for timing.
Trust the timing.

10. Understand That Everyone Of Your Marks Matters 

Never let anyone else, or yourself, convince you that your marks don’t matter. Every mark we make from doodling to scribbles to the fine lines of a finished piece are the steps it takes to achieve greatness. Without the little steps, the big steps wouldn’t connect. We are not giants…we are humans that through courage and grace have chosen the calling to be a creative. We create marks to learn, to grow, to expand our point of view, and to share with others. EVERY SINGLE MARK MATTERS…it does. Go make your marks.

Anybody who knows me knows I’m in love with Pinterest. I’m on it all the time and I often visit there for inspiration when looking for my next item to sew. So when I come up with something to sew that I find off of Pinterest I call it Pin-spiration. (the combination of Pinterest & Inspiration) lol This project is the result of some “Pinspiration” I found a couple weeks ago. I saw this outfit and fell in love with it, but y’all know I had to put my own twist on it. So I switched the colors around and made my top the camel color. My top is made out of a ponteroma knit fabric from Hancock Fabrics. Ponteroma knit is actually kind of heavy, it is a perfect knit to use for fall or winter sewing. This was my first time ever making a turtleneck and I love how it turned out. I knew I didn’t want a super tight turtleneck because the fabric is kinda heavy but I also didn’t want a cowl neck. So in the end I guess I just have a loose turtleneck. lol

To sew this look I used McCalls 9172 which is actually a very old pattern. When I say I have used this pattern as the basis for so many looks, it is ridiculous. It’s just so versatile. As you can see this is a dress pattern, but of course when you slit it all the way up to your stomach on one side it then becomes a shirt or a tunic. So I used view A,  made the sleeves long, the neckline higher, added a turtleneck, and did not sew up one side of the dress to get this look. Below are some ways to wear a this top. I definitely love this tunic and will be wearing it again, paired with other items. I didn’t want mines to sweep the floor, so I brought it up a little bit more. This top can be dressed up or down.

This D.I.Y  project was inspired by me wanting a new trench coat but not ever seeing one I liked enough to buy. lol I have a trench coat from H&M but its a classic tan trench and it is kind of dressy as are my other 3 trenches. I do love them, however I wanted a trench that was a little different, and that wasn’t tan. This jacket was about $12 from the thrift store and it was a size 12. I am a size 2. The jacket is now probably a size 6.

*Sidenote* I just want to say that pretty much any and everything you get from the thrift store should be washed or at least rinsed thoroughly before use or wear. If the item says “dry-clean only” it is probably best to dry clean it, especially if it is a different material like sequins, anything beaded, or leather. Always wash tops, dresses, pants, etc. before wearing. This jacket did say dry clean only, so I took it to the dry cleaners before I altered it. Here is the before picture.

The first thing I did to help make this jacket wearable was to remove the shoulder pads, they were huge. lol The next step would have been to remove the lining, but luckily the lining on this coat was not fully sewn on. So I was able to alter the jacket while keeping the lining in tact. After that, I figured out how much I would need to take in for the jacket to fit. Most of it had to be taken in around the arm area. I was able to do one long stitch from the arm of the coat down to the bottom in order to take it in, which is really what made this a fairly easy project. I did want to leave it a little bit big so the coat can have a slightly over-sized feel but I didn’t want it to look weird either.  It took a few tries to get it right but I finally got it to a size I liked. The last thing I did was change the buttons on the coat to the military style buttons. I thought it enhanced the vintage/army/military feel of the jacket! In the end I looove this coat and it will be my new go-to trench! I love it with jeans and heels but also dressed down and layered. What do you think?

So you all know everything old becomes new again in fashion, and patchwork or “piecework” is def one of those things. You probably remember patchwork being “in” when you were younger and especially in denim! Patchwork is a form of needlework that involves sewing together pieces of fabric into a larger design. The larger design is usually based on repeat patterns and built up with different fabric shapes and colors. These shapes are carefully measured and cut, and since they are basic geometric shapes they are easy to piece together. The technique has been around for ages and is widely used for quilts but is also used in the fashion industry to create stunning pieces.

Patchworked pieces used to consist of drab fabrics and colors or are monotone like most denim pieces. However, nowadays  patchworked pieces have taken on a whole new vibe, they are a bit more colorful and playful, yet still minimal. Most pieces have simple lines and are not complicated in design, making the technique great for long coats! Lately I’ve been seeing patchwork around, and although I don’t know if I have the patience to actually make something patchworked, I definitely would buy a patchwork piece like the ones below!! I’m loving the trend! Would you wear it?

The holidays are upon us… No matter what holidays you celebrate or don’t celebrate I’m sure at some point you will get dressed to go somewhere! So I’m sharing 3 D.I.Y holiday inspired looks I created in order to inspire you to create something yourself! They are super easy and skirts can be created in about 1-2 hours!

The first is this adorable silver pleated lame maxi skirt. This skirt is soo easy to make. I honestly think even a beginner could make this skirt in about 1 hour. It is just a straight maxi skirt with one seam down the back and elastic at the waist. I decided to use a really thick elastic for my waistband. If you also made the skirt a little too big, but not my elastic, so I could gather the skirt to the front, to give it a drape effect. I actually bought this fabric randomly and made the skirt out of it because I had no idea what else to do with it or how to sew with it. When I looked online I didn’t find any help either.

This fabric is weird because it has a metallic finish, but it stretches because of the tiny pleats, and it cannot be ironed. I’m lazy so I used black thread and a metallic needle when sewing this but I’m sure you can and probably should use metallic thread if you want it to match. Another thing that makes this really easy to sew is that you don’t have to hem it! This fabric does not unravel, and it canNOT be ironed so its best to cut your hem in a straight line and leave it as is. I love the result of using this fabric! It is shiny, lightweight and head turning. lol The only thing I would do is make my skirt a tiny bit shorter, I wanted it long, but mines is a bit too long. Pair it with a slinky v neck blouse, heel, statement necklace, and your ready to turn heads at the holiday party!

The holidays are upon us… No matter what holidays you celebrate or don’t celebrate I’m sure at some point you will get dressed to go somewhere! So I’m sharing 3 D.I.Y holiday inspired looks I created in order to inspire you to create something yourself!

I’m all about statement pieces and a sequin top definitely makes a statement! I have a love hate relationship when it comes to sewing with sequins. I love them because the result is soo pretty and luxe looking but I hate sewing with them because it is so time consuming and messy!

Here are a few tips if you decide to sew with sequin fabric:

• Don’t use your good scissors while cutting sequin fabric because the sequins can dull them
• Its good to protect your eyes from flying sequins
• Always line your sequin fabric because it is itchy on the opposite side
• Use a heavy duty or leather needle if you are sewing on your machine
• If you want flat seams on your sequin project you should remove all of the sequins from your seam allowance! This is where your patience and vacuum are NECESSARY! lol I did remove the sequins from most of my seam allowances. When I didn’t remove the sequins I just sewed very slowly and made sure the sequins were flat.
• When you are done sewing your project you may have to go back and hand sew sequins onto any areas that are bare so save some loose sequins!

I bought this sequin fabric on a whim because I had this idea I would make a midi skirt with a side split out of it, but that idea was quickly scratched after I saw the “Dior Second Skin Turtleneck” and other sequin tops. Sequin fabric can be very expensive. This particular one was $60 a yard so I only got half a yard and figured if I failed at using it, at least I only wasted $30 instead of $60! lol As I stated, I initially was going to make a midi skirt with a split on the side but I wanted to do the shirt and I only had a half yard of this fabric so I had to squeeeeze the shirt out of this material. I wanted to do the turtleneck also but I just didn’t have enough fabric! To hem this fabric I used fusible tape. Sequin fabric can be hit with the iron as long as it is covered by a press cloth of some sort. Despite the challenges of sewing with sequin fabric the result is soo pretty. I wore this shirt on a night out with my siblings and nephew, but I would definitely wear it to a holiday party, you could even dress it up more and pair it with a skirt!

The inspiration behind my top!!

The holidays are upon us… No matter what holidays you celebrate or don’t celebrate I’m sure at some point you will get dressed to go somewhere! So I’m sharing 3 D.I.Y holiday inspired looks I created in order to inspire you to create something yourself! They are super easy and skirts can be created in about 1-2 hours!

Simple, Easy, Classic. A plaid midi skirt can easily become a staple for your wardrobe. I made this skirt last year and I feel like I’m going to wear it every year around the holidays! lol Plaid is so appropriate for this time of year, I feel like when you wear plaid you automatically look like your in the holiday spirit! lol I do not have waistband on this skirt, it is interfaced, serged, and folded under. This skirt has a 7 inch zipper down the back. I used to stay away from plaid because I thought it would be too hard to match the lines but trust me it isn’t hard at all and sewing a skirt is like the easiest clothing item you can make out of a plaid fabric.. So give it a try! This outfit is perfect for a holiday happy hour!

According to Thomasnet.com “grommets, also commonly called eyelets, are found in everyday places, from shoes to shower curtains, electrical wires to surgical devices. Made of metal, plastic, or rubber, grommets are typically inserted into a fabric hole, such as leather, where they serve to reinforce and protect the hole.”

A small grommet may also be called an eyelet, and is mostly used on shoes and clothing items (like corsets) for lacing purposes. Lately I’ve been spotting eyelets and grommets on fashion items not for lacing purposes but just for decoration. This is a super easy way to update an old item of clothing you have. You can add a twist to a regular trench coat by adding grommets to the lower part of the sleeves, or lower part of the jacket close to the hem. Grommets and eyelets come in a variety of sizes, they are inexpensive, and they can be found at your local fabric store. You will need a few tools if you plan on applying grommets or eyelets to an item but you can find them at the fabric store also. If you need help applying grommets here is a great tutorial. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uslIa0Ddtc  Scroll down for some grommet/eyelet inspiration and ideas, a great D.I.Y project for this fall/winter season!

RED Valentino

One of my favorite items to buy from the thrift store is skirts! I just love how easily they can be altered. Most of the time all I have to do is one line of stitching. Lately I’ve been spotting straight midi skirts around and I’m liking the look of it. Straight midi skirts have such a cool, effortless vibe, opposed to a super tight one. It is convenient but summertime is over and I am an adult, so I have to give midi skirts and crop tops a break. lol I’m replacing stretchy midi skirts with their older more refined sister, the straight midi skirt. lol. Straight midi skirts go with almost anything. They look chic paired with a chunky sweaters, ankle boots, strappy heels, or button down shirts.

It only cost me $4 and took about 10-15 minutes to take my skirt from a size 14 to a 4. I do this OFTEN with thrifted skirts. As long as you have a ruler with a hip curve, some tailors chalk, and your sewing machine you can do this too! Normally hunter/forest green is not my color, but I’ve been into colors lately and I must say I loved the deep purple, nude, forest green color palette. My nails and lip were deep purple, skirt and sweater were nude, and the skirt was forest green. Scroll down below to see more straight midi inspiration and how I wore my thrifted straight midi.

Cocktails with Claire is an event held by fashionbombdaily.com CEO, Claire Sulmers. If you aren’t familiar with fashionbombdaily.com I suggest you stop reading and go visit now! lol The event took place Saturday, Nov 14, at Mal Maison in Georgetown D.C. I have been following Fashionbombdaily for years now. When “Cocktails with Claire” came 2 years ago I did not go, I admire Claire, her hustle, and her whole brand so this event was something I was NOT going to miss this year! According to Claire “the event was created so that Claire could step out from behind her computer and begin to foster a network of trendsetters, tastemakers, and influencers in the real world.” This year she decided to add shopping to the event making it more of a “sip, shop, see, network” kind of thing.  There were about 6 vendors there with their clothing and jewelry, which really I think added to the event. All the attendees are obsessed with style and fashion so why not add stuff for us to buy!

Overall the event was amazing! I loved every second of being in the presence of so many nice, fashion forward girls, all there to make connections and compliment each other on their hair and outfits. The venue Mal Maison was super chic and modern, as was the black and white decor. Tables were covered with black sequin fabric and white throw pillows had the FashionBombDaily logo printed on them. Super cute! The finger foods consisted of pulled duck sliders, tomato shrimp soup, and mini lamb shanks just to name a few. All amazing! I bought a ticket where I was able to drink free all night, so I felt pretty good by the end of the night. lol The drink selections featured white and red wine and cute mixed drinks like the “Splash of Fashion’ and the “Claire-tini.” They also had a beauty bar which gave makeup consulting and hair styling tips. The music which was provided by DJ Kitty Kash had me jamming all night to a mix of hip hop, reggae, & r&b.

During the event Claire was extremely personable. She walked around, shook hands, took pictures, introduced herself, and thanked people for coming throughout the night. The highlight of  this event for me was meeting and taking a picture with Claire. I’m not the kind of person who freaks out over celebrities, or runs up and begs for a picture. lol So even when Claire was arms distance away from me, I just played it cool, until the right time came. After giving a short speech, Claire was chatting and taking pictures with guests. So I waited around behind a few other people who were in line to get their one-on-one with Claire until my turn came! When it did, it was kind of like finally talking to your crush after admiring him from afar for years. lol She’s just soo pretty and tall and well dressed! So I introduced myself to her, we snapped a pic, we chatted for 2 seconds, I told her how much I admire her and her work, and she thanked me for coming. It was perfect.

Sometimes you follow or look up to a person for years, and you never think you’ll get a chance to meet them. So you admire from your computer screen, you follow their lives from your phone, and you support them even though they don’t know you. Some people never get the chance to meet the person they are aspiring to be. Some people do, only to find out they aren’t who you thought they were. In my case meeting Claire was overly inspiring and heart warming. If I had met Claire at her event and she was standoffish or mean I probably would have never looked at her the same. Her spirit is genuine and she really is a cool ass person. This night couldn’t have been more fun! I’m looking forward to next year already!