My Artist Studio

The welcome sign outside my back porch (aka artist studio) and one of our many resident lizards

Welcome to the Golden Cottage and to my artist studio on my back porch. I'm joining the Where Bloggers Create 2016 blog party this week.

I'm most inspired to create when in nature, so my outdoor studio is perfect, and because I live in central Florida (aka paradise), I can enjoy it almost all year 'round.  Come on in and I'll show you around.

I'm a published author and poet, a musician and an artist.  This is my tiny desk, which looks pretty messy.  I'll share more about that in a minute.

The green wicker rocking chair is where I begin my creativity each day.  Early morning is my special time to commune with my Creator.  It's here that I worship Him, talk with Him, and listen to Him.

I turn my chair around to face my backyard, which includes a small pond surrounded by flowers, birdbaths and bird feeders.  My sweet husband is the Golden Cottage gardener, and made this for me to enjoy.  We call it Golden Pond.

 I love the birds that visit each morning.

My neighbor's cat, Bentley, usually visits in the morning, too.  I think he likes to listen to the music on the CD player.

As I read the Scriptures and my devotional books, I'm often inspired to write a poem, an article or blog post, or to paint a picture.

Here's the CD player, next to my artist desk.  I have a CD of birds singing that I play almost every morning. I think it attracts the birds to come by for a visit.

When I'm inspired to draw or paint, I take my artist supplies and place them on the stool you see under the desk, and move it beside my chair.

Here are a few other things I use to create.

The bag above is a tool bag that I bought at Harbor Freight for $7.00.  I love the pockets because I can slip in whatever I need at the moment.

This bag is smaller, but good, too.  I bought it at a thrift store for a couple of bucks.  The Brighton case holds my charcoal.  I love to draw in pen and ink, too.

A friend of mine made the brush holders for me, and I've used them for over thirty years.

I love watercolors, and so often I'm inspired to use them as I read and pray. The little crystal goblet holds the water.  It makes me feel so fancy.

I enjoy using watercolor pencils, too.

My pens, and their nifty carousel, are my newest addition to the tools I use.  I enjoy using them on the coloring sheets that are all the rage right now.  I do coloring just to relax when I have a few minutes to spend on the porch in the late afternoon.

Here are the books I read in the morning that inspire my creativity:

My much-loved and falling apart Complete Jewish Bible, my Messianic Jewish Bible which is brand new, and my daily journal.  In back are the devotionals I use:  100 Days of Blessing (2 Volumes, both wonderful) by Nancy Campbell, The Morning Hour (published in the 1800's) and Streams in the Desert (which I have used for over thirty-five years.  The red book is my goal / vision journal which has pictures of the things I'm praying for (such as my children) or have received a vision about.

I also have instruments I sometimes use in worship, but I don't keep them on the porch.  They are just inside the porch door for easy access.

I have a lap harp, a flute, a Celtic harp, a keyboard, and my newest addition -- a mountain dulcimer.  Playing music is one of my greatest joys.

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope I've inspired you to create even if you don't have a formal studio space.  I hope to have my own artist studio in its own room one day, but until then, I'm happy on the porch.

Bentley says, "Y'all come back real soon".

I'm linking up with Karen Valentine's Where Bloggers Create 2016 today, along with some other bloggers.  Pop over there to see some other creative bloggers.

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I sometimes share my posts  with  friends at: 

Spiritual Sundays      THE SUNDAY COMMUNITY – #GIVE ME GRACE @SEE SPEAK HEAR MAMA Kathy’s Return to Loveliness at A Delightsome Life     GRAND Social       The Beauty in His Grip Link-Up   

Modest Mom Monday Link-up         Growing Homemakers Link-Up        The Gathering Spot Link-Up 

MOTIVATION MONDAYS – @EMBRACINGHISWILL      SHARING HIS BEAUTY – @THEBEAUTYINHISGRIP

The Art of Homemaking Mondays
Monday of Many Blessings 

Titus 2 Tuesday     Share Your Stuff Tuesday    TITUS TUESDAYS @CORNERSTONE CONFESSIONS    

Wordless Wednesdays    Jennifer Dukes Lee Tell His Story  Teaching What Is Good Link-Up

Classical Homemaking Link-Up    Judith’s Wholehearted Wednesday     Raising Homemakers Wednesday     A Wise Woman Builds       Wake Up Wednesday     A Little R & R Wednesday     Wednesday's Prayer Girls & Link-Up Party Thought Provoking Thursdays at 3D Lessons 4Life     Thursday  Favorite Things 

 Home and Garden Thursday at Delightsome Life 

Friendship Friday