He is so precious! Love the serious painter face with the hip hat.

Family. Family makes me tick and fuels my creativity and encourages me to be the best (and sometimes silliest) Melanie I can be. They’re there to eat dinner and play board games, help you make clothespin people, and help you make up songs and dances. You can listen to the wisdom of a four-year-old and see new life radiating from a newborn. You can heed the wisdom of your mother and your grandmother and spark new love planning a wedding with your fiance.

Most of my inspirations comes from other people. A combination of projects I’ve seen will spark an interest to try something of my own, etc. Seeing arts and crafts and then altering them to fit my needs is how I get most of my inspiration.

Travel! Nothing inspires me more. It’s my chance to learn about new cultures, people, ways of live and thought. It always leaves me appreciative of the life that I have and gives me admiration for others. It helps me to revel in the vast diversity of the world whether it’s in people, ideas or nature. It also never ceases to challenge me and make me challenge my beliefs. Oh, and it’s always an inspiration for interesting new photos!

When I feel down about the sad things that have happened in my life, I am picked up and restored when I remember how much my heart has been able to heal and expand through loss and of course, as my family and my friendships grow. Our hearts are truly boundless. We have the ability to love and grow as much as want. It’s easy to get caught up in the world and forget that.

Sometimes I see so many cool creative things people are doing “out there” in the world and I get a little freaked out. “Oh no! I should be doing that!” I think to myself. So I just close my eyes and look inward and see all that awesome growth and healing I’ve done and I’m chilled and ready to move forward in a creative way that is unique to my own path.

Beautiful calendar girl. Your photographs always make me want to slow down and see the beauty in the world. I go too fast to see it most of the time!

What inspires me? USMC…the men and women who are over seas fighting so that we can do what we do everyday. My brother is a US marine and in Jan. was sent to Afganistan. He is over there protecting all that inspires us each and every day, so we can have more days together. Family is very important and for us is the base component of everything we are. Things get put into perspective more when life becomes more real and your very actions can save someones life.

I am inspired by a sunrise or a sunset. It make me happy to start/end my day that way. Truly God’s magic at work.

George Washington. No joke. As historian Joseph Ellis wrote, “Franklin was wiser than Washington, Hamilton was more brilliant, Jefferson was more intellectually sophisticated, Adams was more engaging … Madison was more politically astute, but Washington was still the greatest. And they would all agree to that.”
The brand new United States of America was minted with Gen. George Washington’s victory at Yorktown in 1781. A lesser man may have used this victory to seize power – Washington didn’t. He went back to Mount Vernon and farmed. There’s something very inspiring about a good person doing a good thing for no more reason than it was the right thing to do.

Children. To look through child eyes and really “see” the world. Everything is an adventure and an inspiration.. there are no unrealistic expectations because everything is so new. When I look at children, their hunger for life and new experiences is contagious! (and always a great giggle!) My inspiration is to have that child-like perspective. When I shoot, I shoot as if I am seeing it for the first time! If I can keep in mind that I’m not promised tomorrow and that every moment is unique in its own way, life will never be boring or expected! That leaf that you see might be its last day before the wind takes it away, that sunset and the colors with the snow lightly falling might never have the same “glow”, that little baby who discovers his/her laugh for the first time… the list could go on and on… :)

i am inspired daily by the colors and textures of life around. by the love of God, by the daily rituals that i sometimes dislike, but that make life so lovely and wonderful. i am inspired by my step-daughter’s spirit, by my man’s positivity, by the trees, oh the trees. i am inspired by the trees. and mostly my blessed, life that family and friends always remind me of when they tell me they love and miss me so. especially my nephew and his “i looooove you aunt baaaaabs (in his 23 month old voice). :)

Wow. Where to even begin with this one..

Nature. I am amazed by its ability to humble me with its graceful complexity. And when I stand in front of a mountain or an ocean, to remind me of my smallness. I need that sometimes.

Light. For all of its warmth and in all of its forms. Moonlight, sunsets, sunrises. It transforms objects with such ease. The way it silhouettes. The ways it glows off of the snow, sparkles on the water.. shows me new ways of looking at things.

Which brings me to the next thing.. Anything that helps me to see something out of someone else’s eyes. This may be anything from watching my babies playing with a bug for the first time, to reading a book that really captures me, to a conversation with a friend, to a really great photograph :). This is what wakes me up the most in life, to have the opportunity to stand in someone else’s shoes, if only for a moment.

Music. It can speak more words than words themselves will ever be able to alone.

Lessons. The ones that life presents me with, unexpectedly, yet so perfectly timed. And sometimes KEEPS presenting me with, until I catch on.

Resilience. Learning about the hardships that others have faced in their lives and how they have coped, regardless of how successful they’ve been. We are such amazing creatures.

And last, but definitely not least.

Serendipity. I’m not sure this one requires an explanation, but it sure does make me giddy.

This is by no means a complete list. I could go on, but I’ll stop here before it seems like I’m trying to take over the blog :)

When I’m feeling the need to be inspired, I first take a much needed break … drop everything, let everything go, and just breath. Once I can clear my mind and thoughts, I’m ready to fill it back up with things that make me smile – surfing some of my favorite blogs (this one included!!) cooking, yes cooking is often a great way for me to develop new ideas and inspirations :) Also magazines and antique stores … I love all things old and vintage, and love finding new ways to use them.

A simple smile. I’m pursuing a career in education and being able to help someone understand something that he or she thought was hopeless before and seeing him or her smile fuels my desire to teach. It even happens with friends and family. A smile can convey such a simple message such as “I love you”,”I’m so proud of you”,”keep up the good work” or millions of other positive things. A smile is all the thanks and praise I need. Even though it’s so simple and everyone can do it, smiles really do help change the world around us.

I am inspired by so many things- God’s creation, a warm day in February (!), and rest. With little kids, I find that most of my inspiration comes when I can finally stop for a moment and just rest. Some of my best ideas come to me when I have my eyes closed right before sleep.

My inspiration lies in people doing things for other people unconditionally that make them smile. When I watch someone do something as simple as open a door it can be a huge momentum shift in their lives and it really inspires me to do something to help others.
I also get inspired when people become a part of something greater than themselves. Maybe it’s being a part of a team (I coach basketball) and working towards a common goal, or maybe it’s a nurse who is a blessing to a little one who is in the hospital. These are the people that inspire me to want to do more.
I also get inspired by seeing other people succeed that you have helped along the way. I have always heard that the more you help others, the more you help yourself.
The small things in life inspire me too; the things that God has placed for us here that are truly miraculous. Sunsets, starry nights, dew drops, frost, fall colored leaves, and lightning bugs come to mind.
And who is not inspired by sitting in a rocking chair on a porch?!

Just Listen.

I’ve never been more inspired than by sitting down with another person and really listening to them. I’m amazed at how real, open, & sharing people of all ages are if you actually bless them with the time and effort to just hear what they are interested in telling you.

I’ve heard stories of love had, love lost, families, friends, animals, music, nature, books, poems- you name it. And I couldn’t spend better quality time doing anything else. It reminds us that we are all human. We all have our stories- and there is enough experience, love & inspiration out there for each and every one of us to share and feed off of :)

Truly rewarding.

The thing that gets me going is a Christian band called “Owl City” and they are absolutely amazing. They use alot of metaphors for nature and things around them that get you really thinking about the world we’re living in. The singer says in their song Dear Vienna: “I recorded the world is such a sad sight, until I viewed it in black & white. Then I reviewed every frame, and basic shape, and sealed the exits with caution tape.”

Although our world has so many wonders in itself that God has created for us, what if you tried in your mind to picture it all in black & white? You would miss all of the colors of the wind, all of the beauty that comes with the changing seasons, and a very important activity (which I see in your post above), coloring. :)

You two are inspiration enough for us all, keep up whatever you’re doing because it’s magnificent.

– Keaton of Webb Focus Photography