I am going to keep this post simple and you can go see the pretty over at this week’s featured blog of the week :: simple + pretty. Be sure to check out all the National Stationery Show reviews and all the other pretties (paper, fashion, design, living, photography) I love the layout of this blog, it really breathes
[image from simple-pretty.com]
I am sloowly (but surely!) learning about business. I’ve found an exceptional resource to help me with this. ModishBIZtips (edited by Jena of Modish, this week’s Blog of the Week) is a site dedicated to helping creative peeps (like me!) with the many aspects of running (and sustaining) a creative business. Regular features include: Do What You Love, Monthly Goal Meetup, Retail: Brick by Brick, and The Etsy Way. I have learned so much already and I’m bursting to get started. I realize, though, that I am not ready to venture out on my own (made clear by the impending anxiety attack) and thankfully, just in time, Jena posts: TAKE A PAUSE. BE PRESENT. BREATHE.
I cannot accurately convey to you how much I needed to read that post! I plan on participating in the Monthly Goal Meetup (starting with June) and I will keep you updated on my progress along the way.
[image from ModishBIZtips]
I am fascinated by the blog of the week :: Modish (pronounced: mode-ish). Or, rather, I am fascinated by it’s editor Jena Coray. Firstly, the look and feel of Modish is fabulous. I love going there and I never feel overwhelmed, which is saying a lot because there is so much going on over at Modish; Sponsor Spotlights, Handmade Spaces, Modish Loves, Picture Perfect and DO NOT forget the Giveaways. Secondly, Modish promotes handmade goods; an “editorial voice for the handmade community”. Not only that but Jena has started ANOTHER blog called Modish BIZtips that I had the opportunity to peruse last night (that makes 3 blogs by the way, her personal blog jena coray & stuff is pretty great too!). I was very pleased by what I found at Modish BIZtips and I am so thankful to Jena for sharing her business knowledge with us. I’ve got my reading cut out for me this week as I need to catch up on all of the MBT posts. One thing I am truly excited about is signing up for the Modish Monthly Goal Meetup, establishing my short term monthly goals and reading about others goals. How I love crossing things off a list and checking off check boxes and cheering other artists and business women on! It’s going to be an awesome Summer.
[image from modishblog.com]
Have you had the pleasure of clicking over to the blog of the week:
Fifi Lapin?
The world’s most stylish bunny, fashionista extraordinaire and my favorite desktop wallpaper since who knows when, has a blog, a big cartel shop, and an etsy shop. I really love the prints available in both shops and I adore Fifi’s fashion sense. My most complicated fashion decisions involve choosing which flip flops to wear to work everyday and whether to wear my gray, brown or white cardigan (I’m always cold, maybe it’s the flip flops?). I am in awe of Miss Fifi and her exquisite style. I, on the other hand, seem to have an exquisite talent for being uncoordinated or maybe we will say under-coordinated (physically and fashionably). Lately, I have felt I am in a bit of a style rut. So I am looking for inspiration (who, me? inspiration…huh, weird!) and contemplating becoming a tad more…fashion friendly. I also like to visit blogs like Creature Comforts for the unique color/texture combos and the chic for cheap posts. Apart from changing my hair color 5 times a year, I don’t really risk much in the style department and my closet is quite boring. I feel like I am ready for an overhaul.
Ok, now that I’ve painted my self as a complete flip flop wearing bag lady (oh, stawp, I’m just kidding!) can I also mention netvibes, the found objects feature this week?
“Netvibes lets individuals assemble their favorite widgets, websites, blogs, email accounts, social networks, search engines, instant messengers, photos, videos, podcasts, and everything else they enjoy on the web – all in one place.” ~about.netvibes.com
I’m trying it out and I definitely see the positives of using the netvibes interface as my permanent home page…we’ll see if it sticks. In my quest to be more organized and efficient, I see netvibes as a useful tool for both networking and as my homepage.
Speaking of efficient, let me give a thumbs up to the Etsy Secrets FREE 5 Day Course (graciously offered by Timothy Adam).
I took the course this past week and I think it would be a really helpful to new technology users, new Etsy members and all of us who sometimes aren’t quite sure how to market ourselves and NOT spend 5 hours a day doing it (can you say…facebooking?). Timothy really should have an entire blog post on creativitae so I won’t go into all the great things right now that he has done to help handmade artists and bloggers bridge the learning gap and become more effective in their market. I really love it when artists share what they have learned with others, it’s inspiring. Thanks Timothy!
[fifi lapin artwork lovingly used without permission from iheartfifilapin.com]
[screen shots from netvibes.com and handmadeology.biz]
new found favorite blog
Have you clicked on over to the blog of the week yet? Jess over at makeundermylife has a refreshing take on “designing a life with intention”. I love the clean look and feel of the site, it feels comfy and just makes sense! Be sure to go to the weeklies page to see all the regular features. I admire this section of the blog and I look forward to organizing my editorial schedule in much the same way. Jess not only blogs but also designs jewelry. Check out her shop here.
[image from makeundermylife.com]
I’ve had a strange weekend so far… I would like to blame the margaritas but really I know that I am the one to blame. On the thread of learning from mistakes and moving on, I thought it might finally be time to talk about Brené Brown and her work, website and outlook. When you visit her site, you’ll notice it feels like a warm and comforting place, when you read about her research and watch her speak you’ll also find comfort. I really appreciate how real she is when talking about shame, empathy and connection. I struggle with shame and disconnection. I’ve been under some stress that last 2 weeks or so and I can feel the urge to disconnect and withdraw. I want to disappear sometimes when stress gets to be too much. Nothing ominous in that comment, really. I just mean to say that I would rather shut down and not think about whatever is stressing me out. I’ve already learned that is not a helpful approach and obviously drinking a pitcher of margaritas is NOT the best approach either. I will spend most of today still recovering. I am also contemplating keeping the Brené Brown blog Ordinary Courage as the blog of the week for one more week. I think the topics she discusses require a tad bit more time for review than just one week can provide. I’ve pulled a video from her site for you to review and so you can get a sense of what Brené ‘s research is about.
(cute necklace too, huh?)
[clip and badge from Brené Brown]
That’s right! Due to the present state of our economy I am offering another kind of stimulus package…FREE e-cards (check out the shiny new button, stage right). I love the idea of sending a quick smile someone’s way…and the more inexpensive the better. And, you can’t get better than FREE! (unless of course the card paid YOU for sending it!) The FREE e-cards will include: happy birthday, thank you, new baby congrats(boy and girl), we’ve moved, along with hugs and holiday themes. I found bravenet (the host site for my e-cards) via Operation NICE, (the Blog of the Week). There you can find more free e-cards to make the world a nicer place.
(and please do!)
I was on my lunch hour today (paying bills, yay!) and was thinking about inexpensive ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day. I came up with: a dog walk and picnic in the park, (homemade…did somebody say paninis?) dinner and a movie (from redbox), walk on the beach and a trip to the ice cream shop, funny pictures in a photobooth to remember the day, a heartfelt poem or touching story, lots of hugs and kisses….oh, and FREE e-cards—(shameless plug–pleeze forgive me!) I’m off to read decor8′s Creativity Series now, I’m wondering what tip #5 is…oooh I’m all goose bumpy! Enjoy the e-cards and drop me suggestions if you have need for a specific card (i.e. birth announcement with picture—aw, cute!) I can whip one up and post it on the site for Y-O-U!
[artwork © Aimee Elizabeth McEwen 2009]
