Title:

4 Tenets of Artful Living

Word Count:
699

Summary:
Artful Living reflects your choice to live with a heightened sense of beauty. It's
about paying attention to the details of your life. By designing your environment
and surroundings, you can enhance your daily experiences and elevate them above the
ordinary. I hope to make Artful Living a part of your life. In this article, I
share with you my philosophy of Artful Living as well as give you some great
pointers on preparing your foundation for Artful Living.

Shirley Anderson
San Francisco

Keywords:
Lifestyle Tips for Artful Living By Shirley Anderson, Free Interior Design Tips,
Fabric Ideas, Home Accessories, Decorating Tips, Minna Street Life Free
Newsletter, San Francisco Artists, San Francisco Designers

Article Body:
As a San Francisco based artist and creator of beautiful things, I strive to design
the details of my life so that my experience of beauty is enhanced to the maximum.
It's what I call Artful Living. One of my inspirations is beautiful fabric. What's
yours?

My business is sewing for custom interiors and I get great pleasure from working
with exquisite fabrics. Flowing silks, crisp linens and the bright flowers of a
waxy cotton chintz are a delight to the senses. My featured fabric from the house
of Fortuny is one of my favorites.

What I love about my work is collaborating closely with clients to create the
houses they want to live in and feel great about. Making everything from bedding,
window treatments and pillows, I create something exquisite every day. I have
extended the rich sensual experience of my work into my philosophy of Artful
Living.

Artful Living can encompass the materials, the texture, the color and the form of
the everyday items with which you surround yourself. Life is a feast and you can
take every opportunity to enjoy it's pleasures by enriching your daily experience
with beauty. Live Artfully by:

Have Your Special Signature Piece - Take an everyday item like your handbag, your
tote or a scarf and make it your special signature piece. A unique expression
reflective of you! For instance, one day in a great hurry, Babe Paley socialite and
trend setter in the 50's and 60's, tied her Hermes scarf to the handle of her
handbag thereby creating a fashion craze. Everyone who was anyone immediately did
the same.

Uplift and Enrich Yourself in Small Details - It isn't what you possess but how you
make the most of it by presenting and arranging it. Consciously design your life as
an antidote to the pervasive stress of the 21st century. Choose the details of your
surroundings to uplift and enrich your life. Perhaps it is something that was made
especially for you, or something that reminds you of a joyful time. Whenever I look
at the small Florentine paper picture frame which sits on my bookcase, I am
instantly transported to that magical shop under the Ponte Vecchio and the soft,
warm light of a spring evening. What small item takes you to a favorite corner of
the world?

Be Environmentally Friendly - Your artifacts can be fashioned from salvaged,

recycled, reused or renewable materials. You might think that this does not sound
sexy but you can have beauty and be kind to the planet at the same time. I reuse
vintage Japanese kimonos to make beautiful pillows and totes. My clients love them
because they are extremely limited pieces, made especially for them from high-
quality fabrics with prints that are no longer loomed. It's a real thrill to have
your own custom pillow, tote or accessory in a fabric that will never be made
again.

Be a Pebble in the Pond - As the ripples spread out from one small pebble dropped
into a pond, you can give others the gift of Artful Living by simply embodying it
yourself. Others will perceive and enjoy your increased sense of vivaciousness as
you unselfconsciously go about sporting your signature piece. Just think of how
good you feel when someone compliments you on your good taste and style. You can
also artfully maintain the details of your work environment. I often benefit with
improved mood and vitality by keeping a fresh cut flower (a red, orange or yellow
Gerber Daisy is my favorite) in a small elegant Japanese ceramic vase. I keep it
next to my computer and a couple of times a day or so, the color and fragrance
affords me a wonderful contemplative get-away into beauty. It lets me refocus on my
work with a renewed sense of vigor. You can experience the same benefits with your
own personal artful design. By expressing the radiance that is your true nature,
you will enhance your own life and the lives of others in surprising ways!
Get ready for an abundance of fresh ideas, energy and new beautiful items to
enhance your living!

Shirley Anderson <br>

<a href="http://www.minnastreetcreations.com"> Minna Street Creations </a>