welcome cathe!

Sometimes serendipity works it's magic in such a way that you can only stand back and scratch your head. 

This is what happened:

We unexpectedly had one last class to fill and we were a little worried and stressed. I had been emailing creative women to ask them to write a post for us on what sparks your creativity. I have been following Cathe Holden's work, like, forever, but I didn't know her personally.  So I sent her an email through Flickr asking if she would be interested in doing a blog post.  She answered that, yes she would be happy do the the post but she was hoping that I had contacted her to teach at Spark because she loves what we are all about.

And there you have it. Serendipity. Cathe is a dream teacher. She can do just about anything. I mean, have you seen her blog? Really? It's amazing.

And she's a delight to work with. We are over the moon excited to have her as part of our team.

After successful careers as an agency art director, design firm owner, graphic artist & illustrator, Cathe gravitated toward creative blogging and all sorts of crafting with an emphasis on repurposing and a passion for vintage style. Inspiring others through her blog, JustSomethingIMade.com, she has had projects featured in and is a regular collaborator with Country Living magazine. Her blog was recognized as Flea Market Style magazine’s Best Vintage Artist’s blog to follow. She is a weekly creative blogger for SC Johnson’s Family Economics since 2008. She lives in beautiful Petaluma, California among the dairies and vineyards with her husband, Jeff, and three teenage children.

Stay tuned because we will be introducing Cathe's and Donna's classes in the next couple of weeks and, belive me, they are super fun!

Cathe is taking Alisa's spot as one of our teachers. Alisa has some health issues going on in her family right now and she needs to focus on being there for the people she loves. We hope she will still be able to come to Spark and meet everyone and most of all we hope and pray for good health for her family.

Don't forget, we just offered split payments, so register today!

April

What sparks You? Cathe Holden

drapery ring lifesavers

I rarely if ever set the alarm to wake in the morning. Somehow, like many, I open my eyes from sleep about the same time every day. Then, if given the opportunity, I will close my eyes and lay in bed for about an hour as creative ideas flood my mind. How I wish I had a mental note pad, knowing that if I sit up to write ideas down, the lucid state of creativity will surely leave me. Often I can work out full design and craft concepts in my mind from beginning to end, troubleshooting, revamping, shopping for supplies, and displaying and photgraphing, all before leaving the pillow, working out all the kinks I can before I ever begin the actual project.

It’s a strange method I’ve learned to embrace. Creative ideas used to come to mind primarily in the shower or on long walks, when my mind was still from deadlines and duties. But I’ve discovered that early morning meditations are the most productive moments of my day.

I’ve always been a doodler. In high school, I found it was the only way I could absorb the information being spoken by the teachers. I bring a small sketchbook to church every Sunday morning in attendance and doodle page by page of ideas as they come to me, taking in every spoken word of the pastor simultaneously. 

custom paper tape

My sketchbooks are my journals. An addiction of sorts. They are my memory as my own begins to wane. I become disoriented if I find myself out and about without one tucked into my purse or car and available for jotting down ideas and concepts that find their way into my brain at any given moment as I know for certain they may be lost forever if not recorded. In the years since I began keeping sketchbooks, I have accumulated volumes of creativity, much long forgotten but occasionally revisited. I occasionally discover old ideas as if seeing them for the first time and at times I’m quite impressed.

I have a little notation system within my sketchbooks. As I sketch, (usually with a fine-point black rollerball pen), some ideas make more sense than others and are deemed craft-worthy, blog-worthy or book-worthy. Those get a "GI" (for "good idea") and a thick-lined doodled star. Then, whenever I hit a creative wall I can always turn to my sketchbook and find those GI-stars for previously scrutinized ideas to work with.

postage stamp perforations

Before beginning projects, I often pray, as ultimately, ALL of my creative sparks are the work of God in me. I have acknowledged Him always for my creative gifts and accomplishments, humbled by the fact that he would bless me in such a beautiful way. In return, it is my purpose to share those gifts freely with others, which in full-circle, enriches my life tremendously.

quilt jewelry

Cathe Holden is a graphic designer and an passionate crafter with a love of authentic vintage style. Her blog, JustSomethingIMade.com features her innovative craft projects & tutorials, creative inspiration and free digital downloads. She lives in beautiful Petaluma, California with her husband, Jeff, and three teenage children, ages 14-16.