Work + Money

Most artists spend a lifetime finding both success and passion with their art. Tracy Lee Stum, known on Flickr as Tracy Stum, is one of those exceptions. Tracy makes a living traveling the world creating interactive 3D street art - beautiful chalk masterpieces on the sidewalk.

“I love what I do because I get to take a piece of pavement and transform it into this amazing, imaginary world,” Tracy says in the accompanying video. “And the great thing about it is people can actually step into and be a part of it!”



Tracy says she was born an artist who loved drawing and painting as a child. She studied art in school and became a successful mural painter. However, her discovery of street art was a total accident. In 1998, she happened upon a street painting festival in Santa Barbara, CA and was immediately drawn to it.

“I went over there and thought, ‘Oh my god! Here are hundreds of people, down on the pavement making these amazing masterpieces with chalk pastel! It was incredible,’” Stacy says.

Sadie Nardini (photo by Tyler McCoy)

I make around half a million dollars a year...teaching yoga.

When most people find this out, they say the same thing, "I wish I could make that much doing what I love!" Well, I'm here to tell you how.

I didn't start out with anything special, besides a natural interest in helping others. I didn't have money, training, Internet savvy, or special favors. I did, however, have a corporate job I hated, and very little energy left to put toward my dreams.

It took me about a decade to achieve what I'm about to tell you, but allow me to save you a lot of time. If you dive into these 10 steps you'll be more financially abundant and turn your work hours into your life's work instead.

Get a notebook, and give each of the 10 steps some serious thought. Brainstorm about them and write down what action steps arise. This is your "Dream Weaving Manual," and you'll need it to guide you as you go.

1. Tear down the walls. When it comes to living your dreams, you can be your own best friend-or your worst

The older my kids get, the more expensive their tastes become. I don't have to tell you that teaching our kids the value of money from a young age is vitally important - and just how important that is becomes more and more apparent the more iPhones and designer jeans they seem to need. Quite simply, the very best way to teach our kids financial responsibility is to provide them with the opportunity to earn money for themselves. What better way to get started than with a summer job! And since those video games and designer clothes won't pay for themselves, you need ways to get them to bring in some cash of there own. Click through for 7 summer jobs for tweens! -By Lori Garcia

MORE ON BABBLE
16 ways to avoid raising a spoiled brat
10 things I did as a child that kids today would NEVER do
25 horrifying photos of stuff kids have ruined