It’s the ‘container’ that both holds and reflects your unique way of being in the world. 
It is part of the proper care and feeding of your gifts.

It’s also a divine way to learn more about yourself. 
About what you love, what you need and what matters.

This act of feathering your creative nest can serve to bring you back to yourself.
It's part of uncovering and recapturing the dreams.  Those visions long held for yourself and your gifts.
It helps you to recognize your own growth and evolution.
Because…

We often lose track of 'us' while living life.
We are busy.
We are caregivers. 
We are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters.
We are givers and worriers and travelers and lovers.
Way too often we lose ourselves in the midst of all that is.
So much so that when someone asks what lights us up, we find ourselves at a loss for words.
We lose our way and this is can spill over into our surroundings.

Building (and re-building) your creative nest provides a kind of magic. The kind that pulls you forward in your creativity.
It takes into account that you are evolving.
It’s a way for you to do something kind and good for the most important person you will ever know.
You.

This first step requires some dreaming on your part…
Grab a seat and your favorite beverage. Let's begin dreaming about what your perfect creative space would look like.

• Perhaps a studio with amazing windows and ample space for meditation and yoga. Complete with a light-filled painting area—all spilling out onto the beach.
• Maybe it's a treetop studio hideaway, tucked into the lush mountains of North Carolina. Filled with peaceful silence, mountain streams below and only you to paint the day away.
• Or maybe you're an urban kid at heart with a need to keep your finger on the pulse of the city. A tweaked to perfection industrial space. Within walking distance of all the hip places, of course!
• How about a studio in Paris, France? A little nook in the heart of Montmartre. The arts district where Renoir and Picasso honed their skills sounds perfect!

Take your time on this step. What’s in that awesome ‘nest’ of yours?
 There are no ifs, ands or limits!

‘Imagination is everything. It is the preview to life’s coming attractions.’ ~ Einstein

Now hold onto that dream nest and let’s feather it out, bit by bit…
(Hint: For this step, you are probably going to want to write some things down!)

What excites you about this place? Is it the freshness of the breeze? The sounds of the city or the call of the birds? What is it that you hear? French music playing? How does that make you feel? Optimistic, inspired, peaceful?

The pounding of the surf from the ocean —what is it that you love about it? What is it about walking on the beach that so opens your heart?

Are you alone or do you have some artistic partners in your space?

How does your day go here at your amazing studio? Do friends pop in for delicious ‘after hours’ conversations? The ones that only artists get excited over? Do you perhaps linger together over a nice French wine and ponder the day’s work? Or does your conversation take place with the local birds near your treetop studio?

What items are in this nurturing space? A vintage easel that provides a touchstone and a reminder that you are worthy? Hand thrown pottery to hold your brushes? A desk that calls you to your writing? Are there jasmine vines framing the doorway to your studio, heavy with scent? A child's drawing (perhaps even your own childhood drawing)? One that reminds you of the innocence and beauty of simply being yourself?

Where does your heart and mind travel? What words from yesterday’s conversation still turn over in your mind? Creating new pathways of inspiration?

Don’t be shy about asking yourself lots of questions at this step.
Dig deep into the why.
You will find it shines a light on what you love, what you need and what matters.
First dreaming, then questioning—will give you a clear vision of you.

Time for taking action…
Dreaming is awesome. It’s a doorway to encountering our true selves. And we needn’t wait for ‘someday’ to arrive to take action on those dreams.
We can begin in the here and now to honor ourselves and our gifts. Whatever gets our creative blood to pumping is worth every bit of effort!

An ocean studio dream can begin to come to life by adding just the right touches. Things that at a glance connect you to your vision. A bit of sea glass, a zen sandbox or an ocean soundtrack.

Treehouse studio dreams can take form. With each placing of found bird nests and feathers, we call forth the sacred spaces of our hearts. Scents that conjure up the great outdoors and favorite hot beverages add to the feeling.

A Paris studio—oh wait—that’s for the next post! (I’m guilty of cramming a lot of Paris into my cottage studio and can’t wait to share!)

What can you bring back from your dream and put in place in your current space?
What changes can you make to reflect this vision?
What things need to be added? What things need to be let go?
In what ways can you begin to bring your dreams to life?

You can begin doing this no matter what size space you have. Be it a solitary table top in the kitchen (I started out this way) or a full-scale space that you’re not quite sure how to fill.

Aspire to create a magic place for yourself to create from. It can begin with things as simple as music that connects you to that which you love. And sipping a drink that adds to the present moment.
It needn’t be big or elaborate to make the magic happen.
It only need connect you to your dreams.
Easy, peasy.

The Plan:
Dream big.
Distill it down to tangible things that connect you to the spirit of the dream.
Add these things to your creative nest.
And then...
Dwell in that space which holds what you love, what you need and what matters.

It’s time to begin feathering your creative nest, my friend. Leave a comment below and let me know what you're dreaming of!

P.S. Did you miss reading the companion post to this? Read ‘Wanted: A Creative Nest’ — click here.

Coming Up Next Post: Inside the Dream.Love.Paint Cottage Makeover!
All the fun, all the changes and most definitely, all the why’s!! See my choices for watercolor and oil organization, my favorite writing desk and more!