1. Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am Bonita Rose and I live on the flat plains of North Dakota in Fargo ND USA. I live here with my husband of seven years Greg and our cute dog Angel! I'll be 50 next year, yikes! My oldest daughter Sara is graduating from high school this year, and her younger sister Bethany will be graduating next year! The years do fly by! You can read more about my life and my story on my blog. My life's purpose is simply ... to inspire. I love to write and blog, and I want my words as well as my art to inspire others and make others' lives happier.
2. What do you make and how did you get into this?
I started scrapbooking almost 20 years ago, evolved into a paper artist and card maker, and since last year, have delved into the world of mixed media and painting! I love playing with bold color in both acrylics and watercolor paints, and love creating anything - that's the truth! One thing I haven't mastered yet is the sewing machine, for some reason, it intimidates me! Crazy, I know!
Since losing my part time job to budget cuts last fall, I have since been working on establishing my creative business and growing my art and my techniques. I am currently working on my very own website in the future to be called bonitarose.com and a new blog design as well! I'll be getting an Etsy shop makeover in the coming months - it's all very exciting!
I am currently facilitating my first ever e-Course called COLOR YOUR WORLD and I'm absolutely loving it! The course is currently running till the end of March. After that course registration will be open again indefinitely and the course from that point on, will be a self-paced class, available to anyone at anytime! I'm so excited to be offering it again!
Currently my Etsy shop houses my greeting cards, unique supplies like Punchanella and more, art prints, and art originals. In the future, I'll be selling fabric products as well as some digital downloads, such as my painted collage backgrounds. More to come in the coming months as my new website and blog go live!
3. Why did you name your shop A Life Unrehearsed?
Currently my shop is called A Life Unrehearsed. I chose to call it that simply because up to now that has been the name of my blog on Blogger. I chose that name simply because I believe all of us, are truly living our lives, unrehearsed. We can't ever predict what will happen in the future, can we? Things come up, situations happen, and our lives take different paths. I just believe that although our lives may be unrehearsed, we can still live our lives beautifully and with honor and respect.
I am changing my Etsy shoppe name as well as my website and blog simply to be my name, Bonita Rose - life.love.color.art. I want to use this website and blog and shop for all things me in the future... and what better than my name? I want people to remember Bonita Rose. I am unique. That's me. So in the future, everything that is a product of me, will be on these sites, I won't have to add a new site, or change a name in the future.
I chose life.love.color.art because I just didn't want my website and blog to be restricted by just art, I wanted my sites to be a compilation of everything that is my life. Who knows? One day in the future, I may not craft/make art as much as I am now, and I still wanted to use the same site and blog etc.. to perhaps to write more, or to share more personal stories and photographs. Using these four words, life.love.color.art will allow me to do that! It won't necessarily be known as a DIY blog, or a crafty blog, or a photography blog. I wanted it to be remembered for me, the person... and all that makes up me. Every part.
I am changing my Etsy shoppe name as well as my website and blog simply to be my name, Bonita Rose - life.love.color.art. I want to use this website and blog and shop for all things me in the future... and what better than my name? I want people to remember Bonita Rose. I am unique. That's me. So in the future, everything that is a product of me, will be on these sites, I won't have to add a new site, or change a name in the future.
I chose life.love.color.art because I just didn't want my website and blog to be restricted by just art, I wanted my sites to be a compilation of everything that is my life. Who knows? One day in the future, I may not craft/make art as much as I am now, and I still wanted to use the same site and blog etc.. to perhaps to write more, or to share more personal stories and photographs. Using these four words, life.love.color.art will allow me to do that! It won't necessarily be known as a DIY blog, or a crafty blog, or a photography blog. I wanted it to be remembered for me, the person... and all that makes up me. Every part.
4. Where and when do you like to create?
I create mostly up in my Art Studio on the 2nd floor of our home here in Fargo ND. I am blessed to have my own room/studio space. I have shelves and vessels everywhere, filled to the brim with supplies, paints, papers, you name it! Of course, you can truly never have enough room, now can you? I find I'm always needing more space and one day, it's our dream to move to south coastal Georgia where we can have an even larger studio space with big windows near the ocean. One day. I mostly create in late morning/early afternoons. That is the time for the best light in my studio so I try to take advantage of that!
5. What or who inspires you?
I think most often, it's my feelings that inspire me. I create from the internal more so than the external. Meaning I don't just paint what I see, I paint more how I feel. I am inspired by bold color and fun color combinations. I rarely plan out any of my creations. I just start. I grab a bottle of paint and see where it takes me. I grab a piece of paper and see where it takes me. I have the most fun when I create that way!
Who inspires me? I can't really name any names because honestly, there are just so so many people out there that do so many good things, that create such beautiful pieces of art! People that truly know who they are and authentic in every way, truly inspire me. People that are outspoken and share how they really feel without sugar coating anything, they inspire me. Being secure enough in your own person really inspires me.
I am always inspired by Ashley Ambirge of The Middle Finger Project. I recently purchased her e-book "You Don't Need A Job, You Need Guts!" and it's truly changed so much of what I was previously taught about business and being a successful entrepreneur. I admire that girl, she has so much spunk!
I think most often, it's my feelings that inspire me. I create from the internal more so than the external. Meaning I don't just paint what I see, I paint more how I feel. I am inspired by bold color and fun color combinations. I rarely plan out any of my creations. I just start. I grab a bottle of paint and see where it takes me. I grab a piece of paper and see where it takes me. I have the most fun when I create that way!
Who inspires me? I can't really name any names because honestly, there are just so so many people out there that do so many good things, that create such beautiful pieces of art! People that truly know who they are and authentic in every way, truly inspire me. People that are outspoken and share how they really feel without sugar coating anything, they inspire me. Being secure enough in your own person really inspires me.
I am always inspired by Ashley Ambirge of The Middle Finger Project. I recently purchased her e-book "You Don't Need A Job, You Need Guts!" and it's truly changed so much of what I was previously taught about business and being a successful entrepreneur. I admire that girl, she has so much spunk!
6. What’s the best thing you’ve made so far?
I don't think I really have a 'best thing.' I love everything I create, I honestly do, I more often than not, surprise myself at some of the art and things that come out of my studio. I am growing. I am a work in progress. There is always room for improvement. I try not to be a carbon copy of another artist, another seller/crafter out there - I try to put more of me in everything I create! What I want more than anything is just to inspire, to spread happiness with everything I make!
7. When you create what do you like to snack on, listen to, or watch?
I honestly don't eat or listen to or watch anything when I create. I prefer the silence. The quiet moments when I am up in my studio. When I can hear my soul stirring. No radio. No TV. No food. No distractions like that. Just me and my supplies.
I honestly don't eat or listen to or watch anything when I create. I prefer the silence. The quiet moments when I am up in my studio. When I can hear my soul stirring. No radio. No TV. No food. No distractions like that. Just me and my supplies.
8. What skill would you love to learn and who would you like to be your teacher?
I would love, love to be taught to sew, I am kind of intimidated about mastering the sewing machine. I will admit that! Sewing just intimidates me. I would love for fab artist Roben-Marie Smith, Elsie Flannigan or Leigh-Ann Keffer of the Freckled Nest to come to my house some day, and just spend a day showing me the ropes. It's a dream, but those are the people I would love to welcome into my home - to teach me.
I would love, love to be taught to sew, I am kind of intimidated about mastering the sewing machine. I will admit that! Sewing just intimidates me. I would love for fab artist Roben-Marie Smith, Elsie Flannigan or Leigh-Ann Keffer of the Freckled Nest to come to my house some day, and just spend a day showing me the ropes. It's a dream, but those are the people I would love to welcome into my home - to teach me.
9. What are you working on now and what are your goals for the future?
I am working on lots right now! I am working with a web designer on a brand new website and new blog and Etsy shop makeover! I am really excited about it, and can't wait when all the work is done and it can be LIVE and unveiled! The new website will be www.bonitarose.com and I can imagine it being live in the next few months - I'm so excited about it! I will have my own online shop on my website, as well as my Etsy shop! I am planning to open up my own Zibbet and Zazzle shops as well!
Some of my followers have suggested I turn some of my painted designs into fabric, so I might be downloading some of my designs on Spoonflower.com in the future, time will tell! I'm also delving into the world of pattern design on fabric, and with my new website in the coming months, will be offering swatches of canvas and muslin to fabric artists out there! I'll be offering swatches in these mediums: hand painted, screen printed, and doodled! What fun! So much more to come!
I have also been so excited to be taking the Indie Business 3.0 class with the Freckled Nest tribe, as well as the art marketing course, discovering Y.O.U offered by collage artist, Traci Bautista! I was looking forward to learning more and soaking up the knowledge and wisdom from others, and just learning more how effectively I can personally grow my own creative business!
I am working on lots right now! I am working with a web designer on a brand new website and new blog and Etsy shop makeover! I am really excited about it, and can't wait when all the work is done and it can be LIVE and unveiled! The new website will be www.bonitarose.com and I can imagine it being live in the next few months - I'm so excited about it! I will have my own online shop on my website, as well as my Etsy shop! I am planning to open up my own Zibbet and Zazzle shops as well!
Some of my followers have suggested I turn some of my painted designs into fabric, so I might be downloading some of my designs on Spoonflower.com in the future, time will tell! I'm also delving into the world of pattern design on fabric, and with my new website in the coming months, will be offering swatches of canvas and muslin to fabric artists out there! I'll be offering swatches in these mediums: hand painted, screen printed, and doodled! What fun! So much more to come!
I have also been so excited to be taking the Indie Business 3.0 class with the Freckled Nest tribe, as well as the art marketing course, discovering Y.O.U offered by collage artist, Traci Bautista! I was looking forward to learning more and soaking up the knowledge and wisdom from others, and just learning more how effectively I can personally grow my own creative business!
My goal for the future is easy. I just want to have fun building my new website and blogging as I always have, building my own creative business. I want to try new techniques, I want to share more and really, all I want to do is have fun doing what I love for a living!
10. What are your five favorite websites?
I honestly have so many, but these are five that I read faithfully every day.
Freckled Nest: I love LA and Kyla and everyone there... I recently discovered them, and already I feel like we have such a kinship, is that possible? Love the fact they are in Winnipeg, my hometown where I lived for so long! So happy to be taking their Indie Business 3.0 e-course! Their genuine spirit and authentic spirits shine through, love these people!
Alisa Burke: Love this girl.. She takes the most fabulous photos and can draw and sketch like it's nobody's business! She is such a colorful person, and one day I hope to meet her! I love her art, her photography, her life! She lives near the ocean and that's my dream one day, to live by the sea! This girl is so talented.. there is nothing this girl can't do. Love her blog!
Creativity Unleashed: I just love Traci Bautista's style of art, her random colors, her designs, her caligraphy, her photography! I love the fact that she is so willing to teach her techniques and what inspires her. She inspires me every time I read her blog. So excited to be taking her art marketing course! Her community is here.
ABC Creativity: Andrea Schroeder lives in Winnipeg Canada too and I absolutely love her blog and I am so so happy to have found her! I have learned so, so much from her about dreaming and my creative life. Her blog always inspires me and helps me to dig deeper.
Wild Precious: My friend Effy Wild, I truly love and admire this girl. She is growing her creative business with guts and determination and I really admire her for speaking her peace and not ever settling to be anyone she is not. She speaks up for injustice and the negative things that often go on in any community of women and I absolutely adore her. Adore her. She's one of the people I honestly really look up to. Her community is here.
Freckled Nest: I love LA and Kyla and everyone there... I recently discovered them, and already I feel like we have such a kinship, is that possible? Love the fact they are in Winnipeg, my hometown where I lived for so long! So happy to be taking their Indie Business 3.0 e-course! Their genuine spirit and authentic spirits shine through, love these people!
Alisa Burke: Love this girl.. She takes the most fabulous photos and can draw and sketch like it's nobody's business! She is such a colorful person, and one day I hope to meet her! I love her art, her photography, her life! She lives near the ocean and that's my dream one day, to live by the sea! This girl is so talented.. there is nothing this girl can't do. Love her blog!
Creativity Unleashed: I just love Traci Bautista's style of art, her random colors, her designs, her caligraphy, her photography! I love the fact that she is so willing to teach her techniques and what inspires her. She inspires me every time I read her blog. So excited to be taking her art marketing course! Her community is here.
ABC Creativity: Andrea Schroeder lives in Winnipeg Canada too and I absolutely love her blog and I am so so happy to have found her! I have learned so, so much from her about dreaming and my creative life. Her blog always inspires me and helps me to dig deeper.
Wild Precious: My friend Effy Wild, I truly love and admire this girl. She is growing her creative business with guts and determination and I really admire her for speaking her peace and not ever settling to be anyone she is not. She speaks up for injustice and the negative things that often go on in any community of women and I absolutely adore her. Adore her. She's one of the people I honestly really look up to. Her community is here.
11. Where can we find you online?
Blog (currently) | Blog & Website (in the coming months!)
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