Be Inspired - Letters

Words to Inspire

“Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.”

Idea to Inspire

Take a walk around town with your camera, and capture all the letters of the alphabet in different colors, textures, and styles.

Photos to Inspire

Today's collection features found letters from Flickr.


letter I by Leo Reynolds


The Letter N by Lite Brite Neon


S by chrisinplymouth


letter P by Leo Reynolds


i by Leo Reynolds


Monogram letter R by iheartflowersuk


E by duncan


Dragon Cards D by Jigme Datse

A New Season

It's always a little exciting when the fall and holiday season start.  This is the time of year I like to start new things and challenge myself to reach new goals.

I am thrilled to share with you a few changes that will be happening over the next few months. 

♦ I am excited to announce that I have added 2 new regular blog post contributors. 

• Kelly from The Kelly Tang blog will be doing a monthly post about fashion. 

• Kim from Kzdesign will share a DIY tutorial with you twice a month. 

• Pam from Open Space will be back doing a monthly post with tips to simplify your work and life.

Look for their new posts starting in September!

I am looking for additional contributors. If you have an idea for a monthly post and would like to write for Everyday Inspired contact Valerie at additionsstyleblog@gmail.com

♦ Don't forget to share in my monthly post Check This Out (usually mid month). It's a great way for each of us to get to know each other better and updated everyone about what's happening in your shop throughout the holiday season.

♦ I will also have guest posts from Etsy artists sharing what inspires them. Look for the monthly Artist Inspiration posts, starting in September.  

♦ Looking for a place to advertise, look no further. Everyday Inspired is now offering advertising spots at a new low rate.  I also have a special offer for September - December. Click here for more details.

♦ As I mentioned in yesterdays post I have set a goal for myself to make 100 sales in 100 days, and I would love to have you join me.  Look for all the detail in the September 6 blog post!

Lots of new and exciting things happening this season, I hope you join me on the journey.

Do you have big plans for the fall and holiday season?

If you have any ideas or suggestions for Everyday Inspired, I would love to hear from you. Contact Valerie at additionsstyleblog@gmail.com

Motivation Monday

It is so easy to get things done when they are routine.

Sometimes to achieve greater success you have to step out of your comfort zone, go out on a limb, and push yourself in a new direction.

Stepping out of your comfortable zone will challenge you and give you the motivation you need for success.

Next time you need a little motivation ask yourself:  what do I need to do to go to the next level? Don't think about the costs or the challenges, just make a list and then create a plan to achieve that success.

What have you done outside of your comfort zone lately?

Do you want to challenge your sales for the fall and holiday season? Join me in my goal to make  100 Sales / 100 Days. The challenge start September 7th.  Check out the September 6th blog post for all the details.

New at Additions

I don't do this very often, but with a few shows coming up and have created several new pieces and I wanted to share.

Have a peek and let me know what you think.

Pendant necklace with chrome washer

Dangle earring with black c clamp and washer

Bead and wire wrapped hardware necklace

Wire dangle earrings with washers

Multi chain bracelet with washers and chain

What new pieces have you created lately?

Check This Out...

This is a monthly post where you can share 3 things about yourself or your business. Giving us an opportunity to get to know each other and our businesses.

Suggested ideas:
-business goals or goals you have met
-books you are reading
-a new project you are starting or doing
-places you have visited
-blog posts you have enjoyed
-a post you have written that you would like to share
-new items you have added to your shop
-new materials you are working with
-family plans or an event you are excited about
-need help with an idea - ask for help

All I ask is that you are a follower of my blog to participate and that you check out a few links from the other people who leave comments.

Let me know if you have any suggestions,  ideas or questions.  You can contact me at additionsstyleblog@gmail.com.

Be Inspired - Vacation

Words to Inspire

“If the road you travel has no obstacles - it leads nowhere”

Idea to Inspire

On your next trip down a road you have never traveled, take photos of all the inspiring sights you see.

Photos to Inspire

Last week's idea to inspire was to journey on a road you have never traveled. Last weekend my husband and I did just that and took a mini adventure around the state of Michigan. We had the opportunity to visit Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Here are a few photos of our journey by the lakes.

My favorite shot - from the car window 

I love rocks

I loved watching the waves come a shore

My husband and I on the beach

My little dog watching the waves 

I enjoyed the opportunity to get away and feel re-inspired for a successful fall and winter season.

Artist to Know - El Anatsui

Today's artist to know elevates recycling to an art form.

El Anatsui

El Anatsui is a West African artist who taught at the Nigerian university for three decades, and is known simply as “Prof”. Today he create amazing wall sculptures with discarded liquor bottle tops.

Before he started working with the bottle caps about 10 years ago, Anatsui was a well known wood sculpting artist. He started working with the bottle caps after finding a bag of them on the side of the road.

Anatsui began experimenting with the bottle tops by cutting and folding their pliable metal into flat swatches, and then stitching these together with copper wire. The result resemble fabric metal cloth.

Anatsui insists that his hangings be draped rather than hung flat, but he doesn’t need to drape them himself, in fact is perfectly happy to have galleries or museums do so.

His work has been shown in Australia, London, Venice, and New York, and  even thou he does not consider himself an international artist he is know as one all over the world.

Motivation Monday

Keeping motivated can be as easy as changing up your routine.

During the summer I spend more time going out, working on projects, and working outside. There are many days during the summer when I just don't want to work at all, so I try to find other things to inspire me.

This is a tip to use all year around - change up your routine often.

I try to go out at least one day a week and work in a new environment such as the library, bookstore, or coffee shop. Some days I even work in different rooms of my house. Occasionally  I work on my creative projects first and do my office work later in the day.

These simple changes give me the boost of motivation I need keep coming up with new ideas.

How do you change up your routine to stay motivated?

On the Road

I'm on a weekend getaway by Lake Michigan with my husband, so I hope you enjoy a beautiful photo of Lake Michigan for a little bit of inspiration today.

Lake Michigan Shoreline by ColleenMBrown

“The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.”

Don Williams, Jr.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Off to College

All of this has to fit into our car plus a refrigerator

Today's the day we are taking our daughter to college. 

We have loaded up the car and hit the road. My daughter is very excited and looking forward to starting her career in college, and I am excited for her.

I promised her I would not cry, but I don't think I am going to be able to keep that promise.

I can't believe it all fit

We were still able to save room so my daughter would have someplace to sit.

My husband and I are getting away for the weekend, so I will be back Monday with an all new post!

Be Inspired - Summer on the Road

Words to Inspire

“Remember today, for it is the beginning of always. Today marks the start of a brave new future filled with all your dreams can hold. Think truly to the future and make those dreams come true.”

Idea to Inspire

Take a bike ride, go for a walk or even a drive on a road you have never traveled, and let the sites, sound, and smells inspire you.

Photos to Inspire

Enjoy the view from the road by these amazing Flickr photographers.


road to nowhere.. by David John Harris


Road to heaven by Carlos Gotay Martinez


Road Less Traveled by camden olive


road to the sol of wmspics


Road! by Nick-K

Inspired Blog Content

The hardest part of writing and updating a blog is finding interesting content.  Looking for content for this blog is something I work on everyday.

I recently pulled out old out of printed magazines such as Blueprint, Boho, Adorne, Craft Business, and Craft, for some new ideas. It's a lot of fun going through old magazines, and I found lots of cool stuff that I will be sharing with you over the next couple of months.

Sometimes just a word is all I need to come up an idea for my blog. I remember reading an article in the newspaper and I saw the word procrastination, which inspired this popular blog post.

Daily I like reading other blog, checking out links on Twitter and Facebook, and going through my books, all these activies inspires new posts all the time.

Finding inspiring blog content is work, but worth it when a post can inspire creative ideas, share information, and starts an interesting conversation.

How do you find inspiring content for your blog?

Motivation Monday

Summer Fun

Summer is about hanging out in the park, taking vacation, bike riding, gardening, swimming, going on picnics, outside concerts, and going to art shows and festivals.


There is always something you can do, or someplace to go during the summer.

My summer has been about shopping and getting my daughter prepared for moving into the dorms next week, having coffee and lunch dates with friends, relaxing on my deck, and visiting with family.

It has been a busy summer, but we have also had a lot of fun too.

What have you been doing for fun this summer?

Day or Night

My Mom goes to bed around 2:00 am or later every night. She always calls me late at night and wants to chat on the phone, when I am getting ready for bed.

She gets up after 11:00 am, and is pretty crabby if you call her before then.

My Mom is a night person. 

I personally like to get up early and get my day started right away. By mid afternoon I am starting to think about what I am going to make for dinner, maybe watch on TV, and how I can finish up what I am working on quickly.

I know if I don't get most of the things I need to get done early in the day, then I tend to find excuses for putting things off until the next day.

I am a day person.

Are you a day or night person?

Be Inspired - Summer by the Lake

Words to Inspire

“Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.”
John Lubbock

Idea to Inspire

Enjoy an afternoon by a lake, river, pond, or even a fountain. Be inspired by beauty of water.

Photos to Inspire


lake tarawera by pangpong[bz]


Lake Clifton WA HDR... by Christof in Oz


lake front by pangpong[biz]


Sunset @ Lake Macquarie by -yury-

Graffiti Knitting

Five years ago Magda Sayeg is credited for starting a new movement called graffiti knitting or yarn bombing.

It all started when Magda covered the door handle of her boutique with a custom made cozy. People who walked by her shop loved it.

Next, she knitted what looked like a leg warmer for a stop sign down the street; from there she slowly infiltrated Houston with her stitchery. Within a few years, she had tagged dozens of lampposts and stop signs.

Soon she was commissioned to do larger projects. Fortune 500 companies have paid her as much as $20,000 to wrap their wares in yarn. Toyota hired her to knit a Prius a Christmas sweater last year for a promotional video.

She recently covered the air ducts in the Brooklyn offices of Etsy.com.

Graffiti knitting or yarn bombing got a big boost when the book "Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti,” by Mandy Moore and Leanne Prain came out. Yarn bombing is now a international phenomenon.

Check it out on Amazon.com

Have you seen any yarn bombing in your neighborhood?