Behind the Art with Felecia

A few weeks ago, one of the articles trending on my Flipboard account was a very detailed set of instructions on when and how to wear ankle boots vs. when and how to wear knee high boots. 

I'll be honest, not being one of the fashion elite, I sort of needed this advice. So i opened it. But as I read it, the details of when and how all started to jumble together. I couldn't honestly see the difference between this pant and that pant or this hemline and that hemline...and in short, I ended up thinking - this article is for people who have so little security in their own clothing choices that they need a rule for everything. 

And that is where I had sort of an epiphany...

I've come a long way...

There was a time when I would have printed that article, posted it on the wall of my closet and followed it to the tiniest detail.

At some point, I started to ask myself - why isn't the style that I gravitate to enough? Why aren't my own choices about my own hair color or my own heel height or my own lunch or my own art enough.

And I began to approach my life differently.

I believe that raising kids has been part of my transformation, but also burn out and frustration over wanting to be a "designer" took its tool. I spent too much time hiding me and not enough time being the me I was created to be. 

Its taken a lifetime (so far) to learn to be ok with my own perspective, in my art, my home, my food, my writing...all of it. 

I frankly should have trusted long ago.

The design of this project was to focus perspective on "me" in the center. It made a perfect place to hilight "my" way of layering - which is to say, not overly layered and still simple in its approach - and my favorite technique thus far - mist splatters.

I honestly wish I could have come to some level of comfort in my own skin long before. I think in today's culture of social media and subtle shaming, its brave to live out loud, as it were. Its brave to make a choice NOT to follow the rules of fashion or art and just be....

Peace, ya'll!

Behind the Art with Felecia

Brave - what is brave?  What do we do that could be classified as brave and courageous.

To me, choosing to raise another human being is brave thing...small people...huge responsibility.

In all honestly, choosing NOT to raise another human being is just as brave, but for completely different reasons.

For my life, my husband and I chose to raise not just one, but two human beings. As luck or fate or blessings...or God's very wry sense of humor...would have it, they are both male.

If you have boy children in your life...or have ever been someplace where they are allowed to be themselves...you will note that it is a chaotic, energy-filled experience filled with baffling things like the love of bodily noises (mine seemed to be born thinking they were funny) and baseball hats.

My first project for the Brave Kit was to document this crazy beautiful choice and what it means to my life now.

I used two photos that are far from perfect, blurry and in motion, but well show my smiley little men. I also chose to distress the edges of all my pieces, cross the pieces in a somewhat haphazard way, scatter my embellishments across the layout (kind of the same way I find things scattered all over my floor!)

The final embellie I chose was the "you amaze me" button...partly because THEY amaze me and the experience of raising them amazes me.  But also because I amaze me...mothering them is the toughest job I have and the most rewarding. It carries with it my biggest challenges and more love than I ever imagined! Its hugely risky - more risk that I would normally take - and full to overflowing with joy and laughter.

For me, definitely a very BRAVE choice.