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 I recently posted a discussion in the Artella Cafe, in which I asked people to share why they enjoyed participating in Artella contests. My goal was to give people who are new to Artella Land the encouragement to “come on in, ’cause the water’s warm!” The comments revealed what I had already suspected: far more important than prizes or recognition is the simple, powerful act of sharing your creativity within a safe, supportive, inspiring environment.
For example, Julie Berger said, “Even though I was very shy and hesitant to enter into the challenges when they first started, it is one of the best things I've ever done because it has rocketed my confidence from Earth’s inner core into the brightest stars in the Solar System.”
And Sooz said, “The Artella contests and community have healed me; I know that I am --- most definitely --- not only acceptable, or "OK", but really a great person, in my unique way. It's the most healing thing I've ever experienced, and I'm daily, immensely, grateful for it.”
Just as the proverbial tree may not make a sound if it falls in a forest, creativity that isn’t shared becomes tragically silent. My most vivid passion since starting Artella has been to help people get their creative work “out of the drawer” and into the world. For six years, here at Artella we’ve tried to create opportunities where that can happen.
In the Artellagram News section below, you’ll find some great ways to play and share in Artella Land, including our Summer S.H.A.R.E. Special, where you can save 25% off hundreds of Artella products AND share each item with a special friend! It’s never been easier to S.hare H.appy, A.rtistic, R.evolutionary E.xperiences from Artella with the creative people in your life!
If you're in a hurry, here are some "quick links" to the highlights in today’s ARTELLAGRAM. You can simply follow the links that you're interested in to go directly to the relevant information!
| | p.s. – That’s my little baby Kai in the photo. He’s just 3 months old, so he doesn’t know how to share, yet. :-)
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The Shoppes of Artella are filled with products created by talented artists in the Artella community. When I knew that I would be writing about sharing in this Artellagram, I instantly knew that we had to feature Glenda Miles in this section. Glenda, who calls herself a "Wishcrafter", is one of our artists in The Shoppes of Artella, and I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting her in person at Artella retreats in past years.
Glenda is all about sharing bliss wherever she goes. Both she, and the things she creates, are gifts to the world. I hope you enjoy this interview with Glenda in the ARTELLAGRAM’S new “In the Studio” Feature.
Artella: What was happening in your life at the point where you were able to say "I am an artist"?
Glenda: I believe in my heart that we are all brought into this work as creative spirits, and our different life experiences manifest our creative outlets, whether they be art, dance, epicurean, gardening, parenting…the opportunities are is endless, because creativity is limitless. My personal artistic expression, was nurtured at a young age by my Grandma Aletha who taught me resourcefulness, home-made thinking and the gift of poverty.
Artella: What advice do you have for those who struggle with having the opposite of writer's block: too many ideas, yet not able to complete any of them. Can you relate?
Glenda: YES, yes, yes! I often feel like an overflowing tea-cup – with SO many creative thoughts and ideas I have to write/sketch them out in my journal. At first, I felt a sense of urgency to complete and 'DO' them...and all I felt was overwhelm and very little results. Once I realized this didn’t work, I now simply ALLOW all my ideas to flow and I capture them in sketch form and honor and appreciate them knowing they will unfold at a later time. I often have multiple projects going, I keep them organized on these nifty large boot trays I found at my local dollar store so I can keep everything all together, move from place to place and not allow my ephemera clutter to overtake me. This has helped me stay focused on completion and the ultimate 'releasing' of creativity out into the world versus my wonderful ideas staying stuck in my mind and in piles.
Read the rest of Glenda’s interview, here!
See Glenda's Inspiring Creations in The Shoppes of Artella, here.
 If you want more artist interviews from Artella, take a look at our eBooks Artist Profiles Assembled and Artist Profiles Assembled, Vol 2, and look at the "Ask the Artist" column every single day in The Artella Daily Muse, our daily online creativity newspaper. You can even sign up to preview a subscription to The Artella Daily Muse, to see what it's all about.
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 ART TIP OF THE WEEK: As you’ve just read, Glenda is magical when it comes to wishes! A great way to share your affection for someone you care about is to do something special to honor their wishes.
For example, I once created this altered book page for a friend of mine, to celebrate her ability to make her wishes come true. I cut “niches” in a book and nestled in them lids of tiny storage containers, which frame dictionary definitions that described her wishes. It was a fun project for me, not only because it was the first time I had ever cut niches in an altered book, but because it was incredibly uplifting to create something while my heart was filled with her wishes. You could try something like this for a loved one, or make something like this for yourself, to honor those wishes, dreams, and goals that you hold dear. See step-by-step instructions for how to create this project, here. WRITING TIP OF THE WEEK: A wonderful gift for someone you love is to craft a written piece that paints the picture of that person living her dreams. For example, does someone you know want to publish a novel? Write a story about what happens when your friend hits the Bestseller list. Add lots of details to make the experience come alive. This written record of her dreams coming to life will be a gift like no other. And try this yourself, for a dream of your own. 
For more ideas on how to use art and writing to make your wishes come true and attract wonderful things in your life, take a look at The Wealthcare Program. And remember that for the rest of August, you can save 25% and share it with a friend, too. |
|   Introducing Artella’s Summer S.H.A.R.E. Sale! Now through the end of August, you can Share Happy, Artistic, Revolutionary Experiences with Artella’s Summer SHARE Special! For every downloadable Artella product that you purchase for yourself, we will send the same product to a friend you select, with a special note stating that it is a gift from you. This includes all eBooks, e-courses, seminars and recordings, Digital Altered Books™ supplies, Studio Collage Kits, downloadable image packs, and e-Artella issues.
Plus...you can save 25% off all of Artella’s hundreds of downloadable products with a special coupon code just for ARTELLAGRAM readers. Here’s how to save and SHARE:
- Go shopping and proceed to checkout.
- To deduct 25% off all downloadable Artella products, enter the coupon code in the coupon box during checkout: SHARE08
- Complete your checkout and make note of your order number.
- After your order is complete, you can designate the friend(s) you’d like to receive these gifts by going to this page, and filling out the SHARE form.
 This Friday is the final deadline for Poetic Idol! This coming Friday, August 15, is the final day to submit poems in Artella's Poetic Idol Competition. You can submit up to three poems of your choice for a low entry fee of $5.00. As a bonus, you will receive any issue of your choice of e-Artella e-magazine, which sells for $4.95. The first stage of judging is carried out by a panel of judges, who narrow the submitted entries to a handful of finalists. The finalist poems are then voted on by the Artella Community. The top three winners get monetary prizes - including the top award of $200.00 -- but that is just the beginning. Over thirty poets receive multiple prizes, such as Artella e-products, gift certificates, and more. Get more information and submit your poems, here!
 NEW Digital Altered Book™ Supplies are on the shelf! If you’re a fan of the Digital Altered Books™ phenomenon, you’ll be happy to know that we’ve recently posted an assortment of 10 Brand New Digital Vintage Books, and three new Digital Ephemera Packs (Denim DooDads, Clothing Tags, and Delivery Decorations). There’s a new Digital Altered Books™ contest coming up with a deadline of September 20, so whether you’re new to Digital Altered Books™ or you’re a seasoned pro, it’s the perfect time to start to work on a new book! To see some inspiring examples of what artists in the Artella community have done with this new art form, check out the Digital Altered Books Gallery!
 And speaking of new products, we also have several brand new products in the Vintage Ephemera Market, including Vintage Heart-Shaped Fabric Cutouts, Vintage Animal Photographs, and more.
 Attention Artella Studio Members – Just a reminder that your contest entries for the last Studio Kit, “Celestial Celebration” are due this Friday, August 15. Don’t forget to submit your artistic creations with this kit to win your entry prizes and compete in the next Studio Kit Contest. If you’re not yet a Studio Member, you can see what’s included in the “Celestial Celebration” kit, here. If you become a Studio Member, you’ll immediately receive the “Celestial Celebration” Studio Kit, and then you’ll also get this month’s kit, “Home Sweet Home”, which is coming out this weekend. PLUS you’ll automatically have access to literally thousands of goodies that come with your Membership. Get all the details, here.
 What’s New in the Cafe? If you haven’t been to the Artella Cafe recently, we hope you’ll drop by! Here are just a few ways to play: - NEW! Sign up for one of the exciting art swaps posted in Swap Central.
- Enter one of our many contests to challenge yourself and get great prizes, just for entering! You can find links to all the current contests in the right-hand sidebar of the home page of Artella Cafe.
- Vote for your favorite in our contests and pick up some great gifties! Again, you can find links to all the current contests in the right-hand sidebar of the home page of Artella Cafe.
- Join in one of the many writing challenges in the Word Playground forum!
- Get ideas from hundreds of artworks in the Art Galleries!
- Get inspired when you browse the blogs written by the enchanting folks in the Artella community.
- Get your own full-featured blog and personal art gallery when you become an Artella Member
 Interested in working for Artella? If you're interested in becoming part of the amazing Artella Team, check out this post in the Artella Cafe for details. We're rolling out some exciting new features in the coming months and would love to bring a few more wonderful, creative souls on board!
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This Quotz Crystal™ is a high-resolution jpeg image, suitable for printing. Print it out and post it somewhere to remind you of the expansive beauty of sharing.
Sharing all my favorite crayons,
 Marney
Artella Founder, Mango Lover, Hula Dancer
Artella Land ~ the creative isles of words, art, and spirit
Artella PO Box 6211 Kamuela HI 96743 |
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