Ok, here’s the deal. I’ve needed a website/blog for a while now, but I’ve been totally perplexed on well, everything about it! What should be the overall feel of my blog? Most successful bloggers make their blog fit into a nice neat little package. For instance: fashion blogs, interior design blogs, homemakers blogs, cooking blogs, complaining mommy blogs, etc.

And then there’s, what do I write as my first blog post? That is a monstrous question that has been running through my head for literally months. I know, that sounds silly and trivial. Most of you reading this will be thinking, “Who cares?! It’s not like it’s that important.”. And maybe in some ways  you’re right. But I have so much riding on this blog, website, and all the things I have cooking in the pot right now. And by the pot, I mean the entrepreneurial pot. My editor wants me to have a blog, and for good reasons. Bottom line… I care deeply and equally about all of my endeavors, and want to succeed in each area. All of my endeavors are artistic, but at the same time, quite different from each other. I cannot seem to figure out how to put myself into a nice and neat little box, much less, figure out how that works for my website!

Let me lay it out for you, and maybe you will have some enlightened insight that you share with me. After all, sometimes it’s easier to see things more clearly from the outside looking in.

I’m an Actress. No, I’m not famous, but hopefully someday my talents will eventually make me a household name. I truly love the craft, and it’s not about being famous… well, who am I kidding… that would be flippin’ awesome! Sure! I’ll take a Lamborghini! Jokes aside, I really do love it. It’s probably my deepest passion, and dare I say… I’m pretty good at it. (My husband totally cringed at me patting myself on the back like that… but as an actress, if you don’t think you are any good, then you probably shouldn’t be doing it!)

Acting is a rush that I cannot even begin to describe. The moments before the curtain opens are beyond exhilarating. Through the pounding of your heart, you can hear the chatter of the audience, the orchestra tuning their instruments, and as you stand hidden in the wings you know that you are about to entertain all of them with something really incredible. At least you hope it is!

Do you know that feeling you get while playing hide and seek and you have to suddenly pee, just after you found that perfect hiding spot? I get that every stinkin’ time before I’m supposed to walk on stage. Darn you nervous bladder!

“It’s A Wonderful Life” at the Owen Theater in Conroe, TX. I played Mary Bailey, opposite Gale Tynefield.

I’m an Author. Well, about to be! Since childhood I have loved creative writing. I was lucky enough to have had some phenomenal teachers along the way that encouraged my natural talents. I also have my mom, who is one of the most inspired writing teachers that has ever walked this earth. Seriously. All of that to say, it has been a long time dream of mine to become a published author. With a little push from my oldest son, I finally finished a story that began as one of Cullen’s bedtime tales. Over the past 8 months or so, my husband and I have been in the publication process, and we expect our first children’s book to be released early this year.

Here is a sneak peek at one of Shane’s amazing watercolor and ink illustrations for our book. This Giant Fish is the main character of our story, which is a retelling of the Biblical story of Jonah.

“The Giant Fish & Jonah”, by Amy Lee & Shane Creel

I am an Artist. Art can be an enormous stress release. Seriously. Even if you aren’t any good… you should try it! Go buy one of those adult coloring books and go to town! Put on some music, color, and think about…. nothing. I taught art for 5 years in a public school and I loved seeing how art helped kids. I taught some rough around the edges kids, who had problems that most of us never have to encounter as long as we live. Art was pure therapy for many of them. It’s transformative. I could talk all day about this, so I’ll leave that for another post.

Now that I’m not teaching, I create art to sell and also commissioned pieces. My husband, Shane, is currently an art teacher, and he sells professionally too. Check out our art @creelartsandgraphics on Instagram.

I’ve recently gotten into incorporating hand lettering into watercolor and ink artworks. They are so much fun!

Be A Pineapple, by Amy Lee Creel

I am a Graphic Designer. This is actually what my degree is in! I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Advertising and Graphic Design from Sam Houston State University, in Huntsville, Texas. I really wanted to major in Theater… but my parents wanted me to major in something that they deemed more useful. I’m over it… really. lol. Soooo, I chose the next most artsy fartsy major I could find! Since graduation I have dabbled in freelance design, but as of recently, I am expanding it into more of a full-time gig. It’s fun getting to put my clients ideas into reality.

Here I joined my art skills with my design skills to create this adorable Valentines Day card! The little dino is watercolor, ink, and prismacolor markers, and I dropped it into my design programs to do the rest!

Stegosaurus Valentines Art & Design by Amy Lee Creel

Those are my endeavors in a nutshell. Acting, Artist, Author, and Designer. I’m still in the process of trying to fit them all in one pretty little picture for my website. So lets just call it what it is…. an artists work in progress!

God made me exactly as he wanted me to be, even if it seems a little all over the place. He made me into an artistic soul, and I am so thankful for these gifts. I am passionate about many art forms and supporting others in their endeavors too. It brings me great joy! I realize that some of the people I’m close to think I can’t decide what I want to do, commit to one thing, or am overreaching. That’s understandable. But I can promise you this… one of these days it’s all going to fall into place. I can see evidence of it happening already.