Flying Lessons: Round Two Part Two and Questions for You!

Another one of my new photos.

 
Back to Flying Lessons!

In the second week, the lessons concerned developing an internet presence:  websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, etc.  I have all these, sans the website.  My wonderful friend Emily, besides being an amazing florist and my #1 creative-biz cheerleader, is handy with web design and has offered to build me my first website.  She gave me an assignment -- find some websites I really like and pinpoint the elements I like about them.  Surprisingly, this has not been an easy task.  I realized that I mostly look at blogs, not actual websites, so I had to go hunting for them.  And honestly, it was difficult to find some I was impressed by.  Do you have any favorites to share?

I have been thinking about my blog (and Facebook and Twitter too).  I feel like I should be writing more "high-value" posts (I can't remember where I saw that terminology, but I mean posts that give something to my readers that they value).  I have such lovely readers/friends and I'd love to hear your feedback - what kind of posts do you enjoy reading (here or on other blogs)?  What draws you in?

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Flying Lessons: Round Two

A few months ago, I participated in Flying Lessons, Kelly Rae Roberts' first (and fantastic) creative biz e-course.  Flying Lessons was so packed with amazing and valuable information that it was difficult (if not impossible) to really absorb it in the moment while the e-course was running.  Almost every day, Kelly posted tons of information, and then the comments! Wow.  Over 500 comments most days.  Half of the fun was "meeting" the other course participants and checking out their blogs and websites and beautiful work.

Now I found myself voluntarily sans full-time job, with a little more time on my hands.  I've decided to start working through Flying Lessons again.  In the first week, the lessons cover goals, commitment, fears, and several days on the art and logistics of blogging.  Phew!

The "fears" lesson is particularly speaking to me right now.  If I am honest, I spend hours daydreaming about making a living creatively -- reading books and blogs and making grand plans.  And then I avoid actually creating anything like the plague.  I realize that I do that because of fear -- the fear that I will find out that I am actually not creative or talented at all, and then I will have to give up the dream.  While I don't make anything (and fail at it), I can still live in my fantasy future.  I also know that there is a learning curve to anything -- while I don't expect my first knitting or sewing attempts to be professional, saleable quality, for some reason the thought of making art or jewelry that I'm not thrilled with makes me want to give up before I even start.  Ridiculous, I know.  Does anyone else relate to that??

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Flying Lessons Meet Up

On Saturday I was fortunate enough to meet up with three of my classmates from Kelly Rae Roberts' Flying Lessons e-course: Kathryn, Norma, and Monica.  We spent two hours at a cafe and talked about everything creative under the sun!

Kathryn Hansen coordinated our meeting.  Kathryn is an incredible artist and is moving into photography.  You can see some of her work on her website.

Norma launched herself into the creative world by making hand-dyed, organic kids shirts. These shirts are super cute and have great messages on them (and inside them!)  Norma has a great website you can check out here.

Monica is a creative whirlwind, or as she calls herself, The Creative Beast!  Monica has lots of exciting projects going on that she blogs about here.

It was so great to meet up with these inspiring women.  Artistically, Kathryn's work just blows me away.  The way Norma got herself into the creative business world through her own hard work and figuring things out is so inspiring and motivating to me.  And Monica is a fountain of knowledge about creative people and opportunities and really puts herself out into the creative world, attributes I really admire and hope to emulate.  Thanks for the wonderful time and conversation ladies!

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Flying Lessons Classmates

Follow Your Dreams by artwithallie

I have been participating in Kelly Rae Roberts' creative entrepreneurship e-course for the last four weeks. My classmates are an amazingly talented (and huge!) bunch of artists and creative women and men of all kinds from all over the globe. Here is just a snippet of some of their work.  Enjoy!

Lady Has A Heart by NatashaMay

I just want you to know who I am by Sleep and her Sisters

Hold Onto Love by Pipi-La-La

Epiphany by MiraArt

Waiting Birds by vivaphotography

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Here I Am

I've been neglecting things (Etsy, blog, creating, housework...) a bit.  Feeling a little disheveled and not sure where the time has been going this past week.  This weekend has been one of those where you have to spend $520 on maintenance for a car you hate, you go to two stores and your (and only your) make-up shade is out of stock, and you unwrap a Laughing Cow cheese only for it to immediately fall on the floor. 

Anyway, less complaining...

Last weekend was much happier.  On Saturday (the 5th) two of my wonderful friends and I ran the See Jane Run women's half-marathon in Alameda, CA (near San Francisco).  It wasn't easy, much too warm for my liking (I hate running if it's more than 60F), and the last two miles were the longest of my life, but we finished.  Here we are afterwards with our medals (that's me in the middle!):

After the race (and much-needed showers), we headed to Viansa winery in Sonoma, where my friend is a member so we could taste as much wine as we wanted, for free!  Bliss.

Creatively, I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed this week.  I've been trying to keep up with the Taking Flight e-course and there is just SO much information, it's hard to read and take it all in, but it's all such gold I don't want to miss a thing.  I've also been trying to visit the blogs of other class members and show some support (and have received some wonderful comments and compliments in return).  The e-course also reminded me that I have been neglecting Twitter and I could definitely be doing a better job on my Facebook page also.  Sigh.

I've also been having trouble with the adhesive I use to make my jewelry, which was very frustrating and resulted in a lot of wasted materials, but I think I've figured out the problem.  I have one thing finished (one! but there are a few more near completion), photographed, and ready to list on Etsy, finally.  I haven't listed anything new for ages, tsk tsk.   Here's the owl ring I will be listing shortly:

Hope you all had enjoyable weekends and your cheese didn't fall on the floor.  I will be more productive this week!

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