{ Kaileen Elise } Make Every Day Extraordinary

Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?
(Frida Kahlo)

Welcome to Sparklista Sundays—the first in a new series of interviews with creative, refreshing and inspiring folks on the web. Maryam is our first featured Sparklista. She’s the lady behind from the blog Pamplemousse 1983 and a fresh new Etsy shop full of her beautiful photographs.

I adore Maryam because of her smart style, and online musings about life, pretty inspiration and things that make her happy. She’s brilliant, beautiful and generous. If you haven’t had a chance to, I recommend you enter to win her En Pointe print as part of my Shimmer & Sparkle Giveaway!

1. Why do you blog?
I blog because I love to share. I love to share ideas, happiness, eye candy, support, everything!  I stay motivated by thinking of blogging as a type of creative outlet. Honestly, I am not a writer, in fact I don’t particularly enjoy writing! But, I find blogging to be a less strict medium and there isn’t as much pressure for me when I blog as there is when I have a pen and paper.  And when someone leaves a positive comment on something you’ve shared, there is no greater feeling!

2. What are your favorite creative resources?
I love to read crafty blogs, sort through photos on We Heart It and go thrifting. I have found some of the most beautiful glassware and fabric at thrift stores.  I also love exploring parts of town I haven’t been to before. I use my iPhone camera to document things I find inspiring!

3. Who inspires you online? Offline?
Online inspiration comes from all the friends I have met through blogging and tweeting. Some of my favorites are Elsie from A Beautiful Mess, Janel from Run With Scissors and the team at Oh Dee Doh…I know it’s a blog about kids stuff but they have the coolest stuff!  Offline my inspiration comes from my interaction with my environment, either at school teaching the kiddies about art, sifting through fabric and knick knacks at Thrift Town or checking out graffiti south of downtown!

4. If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself as a budding blogger?
Set a schedule for yourself! I don’t mean blog every day between so and so time, I mean, Monday I will blog about this, Tuesday I will blog about this, etc.  When I first started out, I had such a hard time thinking of what to write and when I finally put together a schedule it because SO much easier!!

5. What are your favorite things to do when you’re not online?
I love to take pictures (my B.F.A. is in Photography), be outdoors, read, sip tea and spend time with my husband and my dogs, embroider and do various crafty things, and I’m also learning to sew!!

6. How do you make every day an extraordinary adventure?
As Monty Python says, “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life!” The more time you spend fretting over this and that, the more time you waste living your life! Even the littlest things can be inspiring. Like the fact that my dogs are ALWAYS happy to see me, or that someone hearted something in my Etsy shop. The more positive your mind is, the more extraordinary your life will be!!

image credit: via Maryam

Tags: 32 Days, Guest Blogs & Interviews, Inspiration, Sparklistas