Happy Friday All and olive shares a video

Olive loves this pup Ricochet and since Ricochet is doing some fundraising Olive insisted

(ie refused to get off the couch, otherwise known as her bed)

I share this one. There is a little lesson in here about letting go of our expectations of others (yes, even our pups ... sniffle) so they can grow into themselves.



Last week's giveaway winner for Ophelia's Apothecary's $35.00 gift certificate chosen by random.org is = Min: 1
Max: 564 Result: 264 Ana Carina
- congrats Ana and thank you to everyone who took the time to enter!

Enjoy this first weekend of summer everyone!

Putting Our Money Where Our Mouth Heart Is ... the gift of investing in ourselves

Back when I had a "real job" at a desk that wasn't located within 10 feet of a washing machine, with a weekly paycheck and a dental plan, I didn't think much about investing money into it.

(it was more about getting money out of it)

I mean, I bought books related to my job and clothes so I would fit in and look the part,

(even the uncomfortable shoes that were way too uncool to be that uncomfortable)

and I took classes when the company paid for them - but it usually ended there.

I didn't think of these things as investing in myself.

(although of course, they were)

When we land, are pushed or jump into the world of the self-employed we need to evolve out of this employee-mindset.

(a mindset that is all about someone else taking care of us and getting as much money out of our venture as possible while putting as little money in as possible - the old employee paradigm that can keep us stuck)

It is easier to put money into our business when the return on investment is obvious and fast - a new piece of equipment that obviously speeds things up for us, a new app that streamlines certain routine tasks, buying things in bulk that we use all the time - it may be harder to put money into things that don't always have such visible returns right away.

Things like classes and books and ebooks and seminars are the kinds of investments in our business (and ourselves) that adjust our mindset from employee thinking to self-employed thinking

and

send vibrations out into the ethers that we are ready to invest in ourselves, that we trust our business will be around long enough to recoup the return on investment - that we aren't going anywhere - that we will be sticking around awhile ...

Maybe this summer would be a good time to invest in something that supports the long term goals of our business.

"As for the future, your task is not to predict it, but to enable it.”
... antoine de saint-exupéry (love that one)

*the past is the future - wood block print by lucius art

GIVEAWAY - Inbook - Upcycled Book iPhone / iPod Charging Dock! CLOSED

WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON FRIDAY!
know I said last week was my last giveaway until fall, but ... I changed my mind!

(which is totally allowed because this is my blog, although I did have to talk it over with Olive first)

I love books and I love upcycled books, so when I had the chance to grab us an amazing upcycled book charging dock from Inbook for your iPod or iPhone (Maccies pay attention here) I had to take it!

It looks like a mild-mannered book on a table or a desk, you almost don't notice that it's a charger.

No more dropping the cord behind the desk! The charging cord is well secured into the book, and it's designed to be compatible with all iPods and iPhones (iPhone 3G, 3GS & iPhone 4G).

Rich Neeley creates these in his studio in Southern California and I think these are super clever and would look amazing in anyone's home. He also has a great book selection.

WHAT YOU GET:

One lucky winner will receive a $57.00 Inbook gift certificate to choose your Inbook charging dock!

HOW TO WIN:

It's easy, peasy - just leave your contact information below!

For additional entries:

(5) Twitter this post
(5) Blog about this contest; linking to this post
(5) Follow my blog
(5) Facebook this post
(5) Follow Rich on facebook

Let me know if you have done these things so I can give you additional entries. This contest is open to everyone.

DRAWING:
Enter by midnight, Sunday, June 26th! Good Luck!

Happy Friday- new work in my Uncorked and Polarity shops & a giveaway winner!

I made time -

(yes, I am "making time" now, please don't hate me, I still can't make a decent egg salad sandwich)

to get some new work into both shops this week including 2 new beaded lockets - a) another locket with the amazing Rachelle Levingston b) a new locket with the amazing (and patient) Caragh Buxton and c) a fishing fanatic keychain with the incredible watercolor artist (and Rachelle's dad) Richard Beck!

The winner of last week's giveaway for Mary's Granddaughter's wonderful moleskin journal as chosen by random.org is:
Min: 1 Max: 371 = 319! Carolyn McIntyre! Thanks to everyone who took the time to enter. My current giveaway is the last one for the summer when the internet gets lazy and I do, too - so don't miss entering this one!

I wrote a shop critique of a wonderful natural woodworking shop Earnest Efforts HERE that might have some info other makers can use.

Hoping everyone has a wonderful weekend filled with sunshine and laughter ...

(and kittens and puppies and bunnies and ... yes, I've gone soft, don't tell anyone)

xo all