Welcome, I'm Carole West.
Author & artist encouraging goodness in the garden, art & notions.
But if we're going to be friends, I should begin with my story...
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, became a florist, married an awesome Texan and homeschooled our kids. When the nest emptied, we drifted for a while and later settled in East Texas.
A great day for me is spent outdoors connecting with the land. I love gardening, writing, watercolor painting and canoeing on Caddo Lake with Robert is the best.
I am definitely a creative spirit; this began early on turning into my favorite escape. Through those same years I discovered writing and freedom took flight.
Then one day a friend introduced me to blogging. After a few practice blogs, I launched Garden Up Green in 2014 and established a collaboration with Texas Home and Garden.
From there my first book was published and freelancing for several national magazines followed.
It was a neat journey that kept me busy for six years. But doing the same thing wasn't good for my soul and the routine wasn't to my liking, so in 2020 I shut it all down.
In the years that followed I published two books, Ground Raised Quail and Garden Up Green. Both are resources that teach in addition to telling my story.
I also decided it was time to reconnect with my art.
Creativity & Encouragement
Through the encouragement of my husband, I signed up for some watercolor classes. Choosing this medium was about learning to relax and express a softer side of nature.
My approach became direct without sketching and I paint with a focus on water and color to create a feeling on paper. My work is more of an impression with a loose painting style you can't control.
Strengthening and sharing my gifts has become the center of my attention. Gardening continues to be a favorite activity, and I returned to blogging with a message of encouraging goodness.
I simply love to write and offer a variety of upbeat content that is easy to explore.
- Good Art | Creativity, artisans and my watercolors.
- Good Garden | Garden activity, helpful tips and resources.
- Good Notions | Living in the spirit and celebrating life.
Goodness in Celebrating Life
But I have to tell you, the expression, "encouraging goodness" wasn't something that happened overnight. It has been in the making for most of my life through many ups and downs.
At some point, I decided to live better, I would focus on living in the "Spirit of Christ" where true goodness takes root. Today, I travel through the joys and obstacles by celebrating life and sharing my gifts.
My wish for you is to recharge when reading, so let's connect through my Good Brew Sunday newsletter. This is where I share a weekly message in addition to what's new on the blog and Instagram.
I hope you always feel encouraged here and for my garden friends, pick up my free tips and planner. This tool will help level up your outdoor space.
Enjoy a beautiful day friend...
Carole West