Inspired by...blog it forward post

Hi friends! Have you heard of Blog it Forward? The sweetest Victoria from sfgirlbybay put it together as a way to connect blog authors (I dislike the word bloggers) and, well, get inspired. Yesterday, my colleague Darrah of artcetera wrote a lovely post about what inspired her and introduced me as "next" in the chain. It was hard to come up with my list as so many thing inspire me, but I narrowed it down to 7 things that inspire more than the rest. So, without further ado:

1) This man. I always tell him I wish I could write down every word he says, he's that clever, funny, and charming--the kind of guy people want to be around. He's my sounding board, debate partner, grounder, devil's advocate, and partner in reckless dreaming. The truth is, if none of our dreams come true I'd still be the happiest girl on earth with this one by my side.

2) Creative people. I love hearing stories of folks around the world who push boundaries, do things that have never been done before and spread smiles, like Hongtao Zhou who created this furniture out of ice, right in my "back yard" so to speak in Madison, Wisconsin.

Creative classes. In my adult life, I've taken classes in: upholstery, knitting, painting, sewing, book-binding, printmaking, photography and sailing. Each one has been a small piece of the puzzle that is me. I value learning new things and think it adds so much to life. Next on my list: carpentry and gardening. (Image: The Center For Book Arts)

A clean house. Nothing clears my mind more than a tidy, organized home. Laundry:check, bed:check, dishes: check, everything else: check. Perhaps that's why my mind is always cluttered, it rarely happens :)

A perfectly curated shop. If I'm feeling uninspired, my favorite thing to do is to go to one of my favorite shops, like Scout (pictured above) in Chicago or Unearthed, locally. When I step foot in shops like this my heart beats a little faster and I am immediately happy.

Old friends. They're the best, aren't they? This picture of me with my college roommates was taken in the summer of 1995. They are: giving, creative, stylish, funny, fun, elegant, loving and amazing. They make me feel inspired because they know me so well, and everything is so easy.

New friends. What a sweet surprise it's been to make truly good friends in my new(er) city. I honestly thought the "real" ones were only found in college and before. It has been such a treat getting to know these Madison gems. I find new and amazing things about each one of them with every new conversation.

So that's my short list (I spared you the long one). Check out the list for today's other participants. Tomorrow, Art Yowza will be running with the baton. Make sure to check it out.