Happy Saturday to you!! I have a great read for you to enjoy over a cup of coffee or tea (maybe even a great glass of wine). Today's blogger is Sandra of Raincoast Creative Salon. I first fell in love with her work when she interviewed artists in their work spaces and talked about what inspired them. She is a masterful photographer, and she's always coming up with creative collaborations and approaching new topics for her audiences. Enjoy!!

I started Raincoast Creative Salon in January 2012 because I had recently moved to Vancouver and wanted to make some friends who shared similar creative interests. It also was a commitment to making my own creative work a priority. I had spent far too many years putting my creative life on the backburner.

Two weeks later I zoomed off to the Altitude Design Summit in Salt Lake City where I knew no one! I spent a lot of time leaning against walls getting the guts up to talk to people and made some great friends. 

What keeps me blogging is those same two things. I've built a wonderful creative community (can I tell you even MORE how I love that we are no longer limited by geography for finding our kindreds???). I've spent two years learning photography, photoshop, lightroom, and illustrator. I've learned all sorts of social media and upped my writing game. It's creative - I can do whatever I want. And last month I won second place in the juried Canadian Weblog Awards in the category of arts & culture. 

I'm a food and still life photographer. Raincoast Creative Salon is the online home for what I love: creativity, creative process, art, photography and travel. I also share stories about my own creative projects.

You'll find me on Instagram where I host #foliophoto Instragram projects with Christie of Bedsidesign. In real life I host an evening Salon series in Vancouver, Canada for arty types. And last month Melanie Biehle and I launched We Are the Contributors, a community and publication for creatives.

It's hard to narrow it down to three. And looking at the three I picked, they ALL are collaborative posts in some way - I love working with others.

I'm a big fan of series and columns as you get to explore a topic in more depth and from different angles. The first "fave" is my Creative Couples series. I'm fascinated by the creative process of artists. Add in a relationship and you have interviews with couples who are creative AND making it work. It's real and there are useful insights for all of us.

My second fave is the first post in another series that the supremely talented Erin Cassidy did for me called Art One Oh One. The series is a fresh, hip take on the history of modern art and this first post is about Abstract Expressionism.

And my third fave post is the first one in ANOTHER series that I did with Jen Cooper called Talking About Creativity. In this post we bantered about jealousy and got a HUGE response. We're all dealing with it, right?

My biggest wish for my blog is that it's inspiring. First, that it'll inspire people to make creating a regular part of their lives. 

Second, that it'll inspire people to build an online and real life creative community. Even though many of us are extroverted introverts, I believe that we need a creative community to support and share and inspire.

Now that it'll be down in writing, I'd better make these things happen, eh? Seriously, though, my first wish for my blog in 2014 is that it'll be a springboard for more food and still life photography work. My second wish is that is that I'll continue to meet and get to know more creatives. And my third wish is that my blog continues to be a starting point for creative collaborations.

Be sure to add Raincoast Creative Salon to your blog reader and join in some of the new projects that Sandra has on her plate! Undoubtedly she'll be showing off some really yummy bites that she's just created as well.

On the tenth day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Raincoast Creative Salon.

On the ninth day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Frock Files.

On the eighth day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Design Improvised.

On the seventh day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Bring Joy.

On the sixth day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Minnow + Co.

On the fifth day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Donuts, Dresses, and Dirt.

On the fourth day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Design + Life + Kids.

On the third day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Design Stitch Go.

On the second day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Trouvé Magazine.

And Lulu the Baker !

P.S. Tomorrow's Day 11 Blogger can whip up an amazing celebration! Stop back tomorrow to par-tay!

P.P.S. Today's sketch for the #30sketch project is inspired by the true words of Beth Ables, a featured artist and blogger on Trouve Magazine. If you're a creative of any type, take a quick read. You will nod in agreement with every line.