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About Me

Artsy Fartsy Life is a spot for creative living grown ups! It's a place where we can talk about all my very favorite things… Creativity, Natural Living, Caregiving and Kids!

About You!

So if you are checking out this site, maybe you are daring to be a little creative… a wee bit bold about wanting to get more out of life than just work and kids and the grind.

Many of peeps have spent years growing their careers and possibly raising a family (furry family counts!) We have been head down, nose to the grindstone for so long that we have forgotten how to just be still and take some time to do things we like.

OR we had the creative knocked out of us by a series of judgmental authority figures. This is happening to my son right now (in the 4th grade). Matthew has been designated the “artistic” one is his class and Joesiah feels that any art he does is inferior to Matthew's.

It is so easy to extinguish that little spark that lets us think, “maybe I am a little creative.”

About Me!

I'm Tara Jacobsen and I have been a blogger since 2008 when I set up my business site, MarketingArtfully.com. Over the years I have worked with almost a thousand women (and some men) on their marketing, business development and product creation.

I have a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Kent State University which helps so much when dealing with my Dementia Mom and my adopted foster kids!

About 3 years ago I opened an Etsy store and grew even closer to “artsy-ness” even though my store was all about business forms (darn it, can't get away from that pesky business stuff). And then I opened a vintage Etsy store and bam… FINALLY… full on non-business… wheeee!

But of course I focused on business and started growing a tribe of women who  were either super creative or at least wanting to step into creativity a bit.

It was so fun to see how many ladies joined my email lists who listed their interests as Realtor/Author or Financial Planner/Etsy. Come to find out that there are lots of us who want more than just work, work, work. Who are looking for a way to add some fun and creativity to our lives.

So many blogs are for young people just starting out and that is great, but I am in my 50s now and the things that consumed me then have no place in my world now.

I am content with my family and my life. I am a successful businesswoman who has the time to be artsy fartsy and dabble around with all different things.

I am not on a budget although many of my ideas have a decidedly frugal twist as I come from NW Pennsylvania where we learned to buy quality and save where you can.

My Family

Our Adoption Day Picure

I actually started my Etsy store after we adopted 3 kids and I realized that they would not be super excited to have a mom who was working all of the time.

They said get a hobby so I did… I started an Etsy store (or two, okay two) and being obsessed with Essential Oils and keeping my kids from being bombarded with chemicals (maybe not what they had in mind).

And I also started making more time to do creative projects.

At first that felt like I was not helping, but soon I noticed that they all liked when I did the  house up big for Halloween or when we did craft projects together to make the house nicer (the ratio of “all me” to “them helping” is 90/10 but I will take anything I can get!)

My Creativity

I have to say that I have always known that I could draw and I have been a graphic artist for a while now, but I have never felt particularly “creative”.

Creativity seemed to me to be something that “real artists” did, but maybe something that was outside of my realm. My father-in-law is an “artist” so I am around real artists who get paid for their work. I go to galleries and attend openings… that seemed like real art.

But started to realize that there was less formal creativity. That I could live a creative life without having to judge myself or feel inferior (imagine that!)

Maybe it happened after I turned 50 for a reason.

At each of the 10 year milestones of my life I have changed. 20s were for fun, 30s were for work, 40s were for kids, and dare I dream, maybe 50s are for me?

Caregiving My Mother In Law

Last but not least in my journey is caring for my Mother In Law who has Dementia.

Whoa, I thought I understood the sandwich generation until I added someone who is super lovely, but very confused to the mix!

Every day is an adventure of caring either for my littles and all their “stuff” or helping Mom navigate the perils of having a horrible, soul sucking disease!

Join Me On The Journey

Maybe you have discovered that you would like to be a bit more creative or try something new. I would love to be a little spark that starts a fire in your soul and give you permission to do something really fun… just for you!

This site is my fun little project but I have a lot of help! Two gals who stand out are Donna and Suzanne who help with promoting it and content. I couldn't do it without you!