Creative Every Day Check-In: March 7 – 13
March 7th, 2011, 35 Comments
This weekly check-in post is a place for Creative Every Day Challenge participants to share their creative activities.
Join in the Challenge: Read all the details and sign up for the 2011 Creative Every Day Challenge here!
Ways to share: Once you've signed up, you can leave a comment on this post and/or use the "Mr. Linky" widget below to link to a blog post(s) about your creative activities during the days of 3/7/10 - 3/13/10.
The widget below is an optional method of sharing your creativity that makes it easier for others to check out what you're up to. You can use it to link to a blog post (or posts) or flickr image during the week listed. Or if you have a bunch of posts and don't want to link to all of them, you can link to your main blog page once. Do it in a way that makes sense and is fun for you! If you're unsure about how to use the widget, check out the "How to use the Mr. Linky widget" section on the Creative Every Day Challenge page. (If you're reading this in a RSS reader or email subscription, you will not see the "Mr. Linky widget", so click on over to the blog to use it.) If the Mr. Linky widget is missing from this blog post, it's probably a problem with their server and it will come back as soon as it's fixed. You can always leave your link in the comments.
You can also take advantage of the great CED flickr group to post your images and see what others are up to. If you're on Twitter, you can use the hashtag #CED2011 to help others find your Creative Every Day tweets!
Theme: The (totally optional) theme for March is Nest. You can read more about the theme and some ideas to get you started here.
Happy Creating!
Where we love is home, Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
Nesting Sneak Peek
March 3rd, 2011, 22 Comments
I've had the Nest theme on my list of possible themes for awhile now, but this month it just seemed so fitting, both with Spring around the corner and also my fervent desire to nest at the moment.
This winter, I've been learning to sew, so I put some of my new skills into practice by ordering some fabric and making some very simple valances for the nursery windows and a matching crib skirt. I didn't do much sewing on the crib skirt, as I followed the general guidelines of the no-sew version here. I simply sewed the sides and bottom of each piece and then used the nifty velcro technique suggested in the tutorial to attach it. Fun, simple, and easy!
I've also painted the wood frame of a beautiful mirror to match the room and I'm about to start painting some trees on the walls. I don't think I've ever had so much fun (or gotten so giddy about) putting together a space! I hope you enjoy the little sneak peek! I plan to have as much done as possible this month (some things like the rocking chair might not get here til April), so I'll continue to share little sneak peeks and a bigger reveal when it's all complete.
The Right Brain Business Plan and a Giveaway!
March 1st, 2011, 59 Comments
I'm thrilled to share this interview with Jennifer Lee, author of the recently published The Right Brain Business Plan: A Creative, Visual Map for Success. Jenn is a friend of mine and I've loved seeing the process of this book go from a spark of an idea, to proposal, to draft, to finish product. I'm so proud of you, Jenn!
The book is awesome and I'm so excited to be giving away a copy! With all the creative folks who stop by here, I know many of you would benefit from this work. I'll have more details about the giveaway at the end of this post. I also want to be sure you've heard about the free Right-Brainers in Business Video Summit that's taking place this week. Check it out, there's loads of great information being shared.
On to the interview!
Jenn, how did you come up with the idea for the Right Brain Business Plan?
Funny you should ask, Leah, because the first Right-Brain Business Plan was born when I did your fabulous Art Every Day Month challenge for the first time back in 2007! So thanks for creating a space to help the idea blossom. During the last two days of the challenge, I was also working on my business plan and decided that I would use the opportunity to do something creative with it since I had to make art for the day anyway. I collaged my big vision for 2008 and beyond on one side of an accordion book and then the next day I put details such as my marketing plan, products and services, financial goals, and action plan on fun cards on the back. The plan helped me reach my goals the next year and became the inspiration for the e-book, workshops, e-Course, and now the book. Just goes to show you how having a regular creative practice like AEDM can spark fresh new ideas!
What advice do you have for creatives out there looking to start their own business?
You don’t have to go it alone. It can be scary to start your own business and put yourself out there, so make sure you have a circle of support – I like to call them your creative cohorts – who you can lean on and learn from. In fact, Leah, you and I connected through our blogs several years ago and have been great sources of support and encouragement to each other even since.
What is the first step to crafting a Right Brain Business Plan?
Start with getting clear about your vision for your business (and your life). What are you passionate about? What do you and your company stand for? What values are you honoring in your business? What does your success look and feel like? This will serve as the foundation for the rest of your plan.
How do you recommend creative people deal with the overwhelm and fear that can come with putting a business plan together?
Find ways to make it fun. Use colorful markers and sticky notes on fun paper instead of forcing yourself to go straight into a spreadsheet to crunch numbers. Pick one piece of the plan to work on and then jump to another part if you get stuck. Don’t feel like you need to have everything ironed out before moving on to the next piece. Give yourself healthy doses of what I call Left-Brain Chill Pills to quiet your judging mind.
What are the benefits of crafting your business plan in this way?
People who have unsuccessfully tried to do a traditional business plan have actually completed a Right-Brain Business Plan because they had fun with it. So actually finishing a plan (and a plan that you’re totally jazzed about and that you look at again and again) is a huge benefit. This RBBP approach allows you to think outside the box and make your plan in any format that tickles your fancy (I’ve seen a bracelet, a paper plate mobile, and even a plan in a paint bucket decorated with a feather boa!).
Above is the fabulous leather cuff bracelet created by Bevla Reeves of Hair Conspiracy.
What are some of your favorite creative business planning tools and resources?
So many. Basic things like sticky notes and colorful markers (Mr. Sketch and Staedtler triplus fineliner are my faves). I’ve been using the Levenger Circa notebooks for more than a decade – it’s an amazing cross between a spiral notebook and three-ring binder. I also love Levenger’s Oasis Concept Pad for brainstorming ideas. My friend Lisa Sonora Beam’s book The Creative Entrepreneur is also one of my favorite creative business planning resources.
How do you stay creatively inspired in your business?
I like to connect with other creative entrepreneurs and see what they’re up to. I work with a coach who helps me innovate and try new things. I look for ways to blend my various interests to form new ideas. I practice self-care Fridays so that I refuel my creative spirit. I love to read.
Where can we get more information about you and your book?
You can find out more about the book at http://www.rightbrainbusinessplan.com. You can also visit http://rightbrainersinbusiness.com to learn about the Right-Brainers in Business Summit started this week.
*Giveaway!*
To win a copy of Jenn's book, leave a comment on the post below by Friday, March 4th at 12 pm EST. If you'd like, leave a comment about how you think the book could be helpful for you!
UPDATE: Congrats to Sheri D. Maple who won a copy of Jenn's book!
Creative Every Day Check-In: February 28 – March 6
February 28th, 2011, 35 Comments
This weekly check-in post is a place for Creative Every Day Challenge participants to share their creative activities.
Join in the Challenge: Read all the details and sign up for the 2011 Creative Every Day Challenge here!
Ways to share: Once you've signed up, you can leave a comment on this post and/or use the "Mr. Linky" widget below to link to a blog post(s) about your creative activities during the days of 2/2610 - 3/6/10.
The widget below is an optional method of sharing your creativity that makes it easier for others to check out what you're up to. You can use it to link to a blog post (or posts) or flickr image during the week listed. Or if you have a bunch of posts and don't want to link to all of them, you can link to your main blog page once. Do it in a way that makes sense and is fun for you! If you're unsure about how to use the widget, check out the "How to use the Mr. Linky widget" section on the Creative Every Day Challenge page. (If you're reading this in a RSS reader or email subscription, you will not see the "Mr. Linky widget", so click on over to the blog to use it.) If the Mr. Linky widget is missing from this blog post, it's probably a problem with their server and it will come back as soon as it's fixed. You can always leave your link in the comments.
You can also take advantage of the great CED flickr group to post your images and see what others are up to. If you're on Twitter, you can use the hashtag #CED2011 to help others find your Creative Every Day tweets!
Theme: The (totally optional) theme for February is Passion. You can read more about the theme and some ideas to get you started here. March's (totally optional) is Nest, which you read more about here.
Happy Creating!
A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song. ~Lou Holtz
Creative Every Day Theme for March: Nest
February 25th, 2011, 27 Comments
At the end of each month I will announce the totally optional theme for the following month. For the month of March 2011, the theme will be Nest.
As always, this month's theme for the Creative Every Day Challenge is totally optional. Use it if it inspires you, continue being creative every day in your own way if it doesn't, or do something in between. You can sign up for the 2011 Creative Every Day Challenge anytime. More info can be found here and the sign-up page is here.
I'll be posting about the theme throughout the month on the blog to help keep you inspired. You can use the posts here for jumping off points or interpret the theme in your own creative way. If you need some suggestions, here are a few ideas to get you started. You could:
- *Draw, paint, or sculpt images of our fine feathered friends.
- *Feather your nest. Focus on bringing more creativity to your space.
- *Build a nest of sorts to create in. Maybe something like a blanket fort!
- *Get out in nature, snapping pictures of the building blocks of nests: trees, branches, bits of string.
- *Remove clutter from your space. See how it opens up your creativity.
- *Create an altar to honor your creative self.
- *Write about your ideal space. Draw a picture of it. What's one small thing you could do to get closer to that?
- *Create a piece of art inspired by Mary Oliver's "Wild Geese" poem.
- *Pick up a home decorator's magazine and use a color scheme in it in something you're making.
- *Use natural elements (feathers, branches, leaves) to create prints from.
- *Ever had dreams you could fly? Paint an image of it or a write a poem about how it felt.
How to use the CED themes:
If you're feeling creatively stuck or blocked at any point during the month, use the theme as a source of inspiration to get you moving. Feel free to focus on the theme in your creative activities for the entire month or as much as you'd like.
Using the theme is entirely optional for CED participants. Use it if it inspires you, ignore it if it doesn't. I'll be sharing posts throughout the month around the theme (among other things) to get you thinking about how to incorporate it into your life. I'd love to hear how you use the theme in your creative world.
And have fun with it!
To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring – these are some of the rewards of the simple life.”
~John Burroughs
Heart Strings on the Water
February 23rd, 2011, 18 Comments
This was fun. I decided to start painting intuitively with Passion in mind. I chose colors and music to listen to with this in mind. I started simply painting in a passionate manner. Then I stepped away to let it dry and came back later in the day. The bit of yellow in the center of a red/blue landscape, made me think of a heart at sea, so I painted in the boat around it. A larger bright spot made me think of the moon, so I made that more clear. I played with the waves and sky and eventually saw a whale beneath the surface.
I think the red string has something to do with heart strings and an umbilical cord, blood lines and life. Whales are always loaded with symbolism for me, so I'm not surprised to see one pop up here.
I enjoyed painting with passion in mind! And I look forward to seeing more of your passionate creations!
Creative Every Day Check-In: February 21 – 27
February 21st, 2011, 36 Comments
Happy Valentine's Day every one! This weekly check-in post is a place for Creative Every Day Challenge participants to share their creative activities.
Join in the Challenge: Read all the details and sign up for the 2011 Creative Every Day Challenge here!
Ways to share: Once you've signed up, you can leave a comment on this post and/or use the "Mr. Linky" widget below to link to a blog post(s) about your creative activities during the days of 2/2110 - 2/27/10.
The widget below is an optional method of sharing your creativity that makes it easier for others to check out what you're up to. You can use it to link to a blog post (or posts) or flickr image during the week listed. Or if you have a bunch of posts and don't want to link to all of them, you can link to your main blog page once. Do it in a way that makes sense and is fun for you! If you're unsure about how to use the widget, check out the "How to use the Mr. Linky widget" section on the Creative Every Day Challenge page. (If you're reading this in a RSS reader or email subscription, you will not see the "Mr. Linky widget", so click on over to the blog to use it.) If the Mr. Linky widget is missing from this blog post, it's probably a problem with their server and it will come back as soon as it's fixed. You can always leave your link in the comments.
You can also take advantage of the great CED flickr group to post your images and see what others are up to. If you're on Twitter, you can use the hashtag #CED2011 to help others find your Creative Every Day tweets!
Theme: The (totally optional) theme for February is Passion. You can read more about the theme and some ideas to get you started here.
Happy Creating!
With me poetry has not been a purpose, but a passion. Edgar Allan Poe
Soul Art TV
February 16th, 2011, 11 Comments
My Creative Spiritual Revolutionary interview with Laura Hollick for Soul Art TV is now up! Laura asks some great questions about what inspired me to start blogging and how blogging has helped boost my art career. You can watch our interview here.
Be sure to check out all of Laura's fabulous Soul Art TV interviews with creatives while you're at it!
Love Note
February 14th, 2011, 10 Comments
Today, I want to speak to a special passion, the love I have for the hubster, the most amazing man I've ever met. Even though we've been together for 10 years, in the last year, I've grown to love him more than ever.
So on Valentine's Day, this is a little love note to my handsome husband, the father of our little girl, a man who brings out the best in me, supports me in everything I do, and makes me laugh every day.
I love you more than words can say, more than images can express. You are an amazing person and I adore you. So glad we're together and I look forward to many more special moments, days, and years ahead. xox
Creative Every Day Check-In: February 14 – 20
February 14th, 2011, 42 Comments
Happy Valentine's Day every one! This weekly check-in post is a place for Creative Every Day Challenge participants to share their creative activities.
Join in the Challenge: Read all the details and sign up for the 2011 Creative Every Day Challenge here!
Ways to share: Once you've signed up, you can leave a comment on this post and/or use the "Mr. Linky" widget below to link to a blog post(s) about your creative activities during the days of 2/14/10 - 2/20/10.
The widget below is an optional method of sharing your creativity that makes it easier for others to check out what you're up to. You can use it to link to a blog post (or posts) or flickr image during the week listed. Or if you have a bunch of posts and don't want to link to all of them, you can link to your main blog page once. Do it in a way that makes sense and is fun for you! If you're unsure about how to use the widget, check out the "How to use the Mr. Linky widget" section on the Creative Every Day Challenge page. (If you're reading this in a RSS reader or email subscription, you will not see the "Mr. Linky widget", so click on over to the blog to use it.) If the Mr. Linky widget is missing from this blog post, it's probably a problem with their server and it will come back as soon as it's fixed. You can always leave your link in the comments.
You can also take advantage of the great CED flickr group to post your images and see what others are up to. If you're on Twitter, you can use the hashtag #CED2011 to help others find your Creative Every Day tweets!
Theme: The (totally optional) theme for February is Passion. You can read more about the theme and some ideas to get you started here.
Happy Creating!
There is a vitality, a life-force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. ~Martha Graham
