Oh Creative Lady: Meet Shelly from Creating Creatives

Through blogging and Instagramming, I’ve been introduced to an amazing Virtual Sisterhood of Creative Ladies.

The Oh Creative Lady series is your chance to meet these incredible, kind-hearted, inspiring <insert ALL the happy, positive adjectives HERE> women.

I love a good Leap-of-Faith story. I also love a good Motherhood-Changed-Me-Forever-and-so-I-Took-a-Leap-of-Faith story. If you do too, then you’re going to love reading about this Oh Creative Lady.
Shelly is the Head Creative behind Creating Creatives, an insanely rad site for ideas on raising artsy and craftsy small humans. We first met on Instagram where we bonded over music, colour, British vs American English and the antics of her hilarious and adorable daughter. Shelly also happens to be just a wonderfully lovely and supportive human. Although I’ll overlook the whole Marmite-loving thing. #Vegemiteforever

It’s a pleasure to introduce, Shelly.

I am… Shelly Lloyd-Samson, @creatingcreatives, a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a Catholic, a swing dancer, a visual effects producer, a dreamer, a coffee drinker, a Marmite lover, an English citizen with an American accent, a traveler, a watermelon addict, a cup half full believer, a go getter, a teacher, a student, a little bit OCD, a Tottenham Hotspurs supporter, a sucker for a game of foosball / table football, a Gilmore Girl fan, an entrepreneur, a limited edition, a woman, an artist, and a strong, enthusiastic, compassionate creator. 

I find inspiration… all around; nature, street signs, coffee shop furniture, stories, music, but some of my favorite inspiration comes from my little creatives. They are 2, 4 & 6, and have such a wonderful way of looking at the world, and it intrigues me. I love that paying attention to them rewards me with ideas, it’s a major win from all aspects.

I am excited about … my new website. I mean seriously excited! I have been dreaming about this for the last 3 years. My husband, Roy, and I are always telling our little creatives that dreams can come true. However, saying this so often we quickly realized if we can’t make our own dreams come true how will they ever learn to make their own dreams come true.  After many long drives to and from work, and much discussion with Roy, I realized I wanted to create an online space with fun and simple projects to exercise the imagination, inspire thinking outside of the box, and encourage creative exploration. After many late nights, much coffee consumption, and a kick-in-the-butt learning curve of how to build and design a website, Creating Creatives is finally here. This is just the beginning, there is so much more in store, including some pretty awesome freebies.  If you don’t want to miss out head on over to my digital hang out and sign up.

When I’m in a creative slump, I… unplug and go outside. Sometimes I run around and play pretend or Pokemon with my little creatives. They are gold mines when it comes to creativity. They also bring me back to what matters, and center me, but when they’re tired and cranky and I need some magic creative dust I love going for a walk outside, there’s just something about fresh air.

 
I’m really proud of…  choosing my husband. This may be a weird thing to be proud of, but as I sit here sipping my coffee pondering my life and my achievements, I realize most of the things I truly treasure wouldn’t be here without him. Roy has given me my children, he’s the most amazing father and even more incredible husband. He’s my best friend who I have the most insightful and inspiring conversations with. He is a creative genius with ideas for daaayyzzz, (so that’s always handy when I’m in a creative slump) and has supported me in my new Creating Creatives venture to no end. He’s a Catholic swing dancer who used to be a skater in a ska band, with a heart as pure as gold… can we say soul mate?!Someone once told me…  to THINK before I speak.