the penny has dropped

when i signed up to this i didn't expect it to be as difficult as i have found it; after all, what inspires me should be a relatively easy question to answer, no?
but i did struggle! cause when i sat down to collect my thoughts, i found the inspiration drawer in my mind was as cluttered and disorganised like the physical drawers in my reality... hmm, have i missed the deadline for a spring clean?

anyhow, the baton lands on my blogstep today, so i need to think on my feet and rifle through to the gems which line my drawer... and that's when i realised the root of my inspiration always comes back to a very simple concept: strong, smart, creative women.

through blogging i was lucky enough to connect, in real life terms, with seven women who inspire me on a daily basis. their voices and talents can be seen in the bbc links to the right ------------>

but i am continually in awe and inspired by so much talent out there, and i know i have all but scratched the surface of what is available. that excites me because i feel this will be a neverending journey of inspiration for me, but in the meantime here are some women in blogsphere who are rocking my world. many of them will be familiar to you, some might not be, and they all inspire me!

ali edwards
the first blog i connected with, and i am still so inspired by her designs, her story telling and her honest photography...

boho girl
denise inspired me with her journey through (in)fertility and adoption. her raw, vulnerable and lyrical writing style continues to move me.

kelly rae roberts
i love that you can literally trace the trajectory of her success on her blog. she reminds me anyone can be an artist if they follow their heart.

sheye rosemeyer
one of my earliest inspirations as a photographer. i love her soft artistic style and the timeless element to her photography.

nienie dialogues
this woman amazes me and inspires me daily with how she finds gratitude and love in simply being alive.

suzi blu
inspires me as an artist. she is a woman who is completely mad and unapologetically so. i love that and wish a little of it will eventually rub off on me :)

dancing mermaid
mccabe's honesty is inspiring. she gives power to feeling vulnerable, by naming it and claiming it. she leads by example and is empowering little girls the world over; what a lady!

brene brown
her posts, her book, and now her DVD! the woman is inspiration.

elizabeth messina
as someone crafting a new business as a photographer, elizabeth's site and photography blows my mind.

and for now, last, but by no means least: victoria for coming up with this fabulous concept. through her inspiration alone i have had the opportunity to dip into so many worlds... please visit them too, particularly the pretty shiny things who follows me in this mash up after the weekend!