Thursday Thirteen | Blogs that Inspire

Welcome to another edition of Thursday Thirteen!

Shortly after I started Gratituesdays I did one about inspiration and how grateful I was for the amazing sources of inspiration I was able to come across. It was probably one of my most popular blog posts, so I thought I’d give you all an updated glimpse into where I’m finding my inspiration these days.

1. decor8 blog - I love every “inspiration board” shared on this lovely blog. Much like a walk through Target, I find it difficult to not allow a visit to this website to help me feel discontent with my life. It is truly a struggle every time I read a new entry! But I love it!
2. Spring Inspiration - I found this collaboration blog sometime last week and I LOVE it! Each one of the writer’s brings a unique touch to the site and I am super excited to see where it will go in the months ahead!
3. Oh, hello friend - Danny is so sweet, so cute, and so stinkin’ creative. I appreciate her dedication to her blog and all of the hard work she puts into each and every entry. From sharing the work of inspiring artists to simply finding and sharing inspire guides, her website is ALWAYS up to date with new, beautiful eye candy!
4. Flickr fav’s - ahhh… check out some of these talented beaut’s: here, here, and here. Flickr is always a great place to discover artists and these are some of my all-time fav photographers I follow on Flickr.
5. Unravelling course - Susannah’s Unravelling course has been an awesome experience for me. I’ll be honest, I haven’t been the best student during these past four weeks (hey! she says that’s okay!), but I will say that what I have participated in has helped me learn more about myself as an artist. I highly, highly recommend this course for anyone out there feeling stale, lost in their work, or stuck in a creative block.
6. The Savvy Photographer - I met Marsha at Imaging USA last month and it was SO great to finally put a face/name/personality to the person behind the scenes at the Savvy Photographer. She has dedicated a lot of her time to this website and it is such a fun resource for creative ideas and being introduced to the work of other talented photographers.
7. Deb Schweldhem - I have fallen in love with Deb’s writing. Her photography, of course, is amazing and inspiring in and of itself, but it is her heart that she shares through her writing that leaves me encouraged and inspired every time I visit her blog. You’ve GOT to check her out.
8. Shutter Sisters - This site has been around for a LONG time. It’s kind of the gathering place for all women who love to click their camera shutters. Ideas, inspiration, activities, and beautiful people are bountiful here.
9. Lynsey Stone - Birth Photography at its best. To be honest with you, her work has brought me to tears more than once. The emotion in every photo is so strong. Her works inspires me so much. I kind of get speechless when talking about it, actually. Just go see.
10. Melissa Jill - Melissa is always sharing wonderful photography business related ideas, tips, and tricks. Even for those who aren’t interested in starting their own business, she shares a lot of tips that even the beginning shooter would find helpful.
11. Jose Villa - Jose has a lot of fans and for good reason. This film shooter has a unique style that says “light, gentle, free” to me. And who doesn’t want a bit of a light, gentle, free feeling in their days? Take a few minutes and experience his beautiful work. (Scroll down to see his foggy morning session he just did. Breathtaking!)
12. Becky Earl - I was just introduced to Becky Earl’s website and I immediate fell in love with it for a lot of reasons, but one big one stood out: She stopped shooting professionally and decided to turn her camera lens in the direction of her home - putting her family first. I love that. Love it. I admire anyone who sets their priorities and is determined to keep them straight. Not to mention her words and photos are also beautiful. Oh! And she gives photog tips, as well!
13. Kelly Ryden - This girl (and her sister) works magic with her hands and I am simply amazed at the portraits she captures of newborn babies. Talk about inspiring!

Those are some of my favorite blogs and artists to visit recently. I love discovering new books, magazines, blogs and artists to follow and would love to hear about some of your favorites!

Though I am thoroughly enjoying the snow on the ground outside, part of me has been thinking thoughts of spring this week. Here’s a photo I snapped last summer that has me a bit excited about the season around the corner:

P.S. Have you entered this week’s Giveaway?