maybe it's better to seek out some criticism .... the kind that offers up just a little love bite though, not the kind that requires stitches

It is usually easy to find people to tell you how great your idea or thingamajiggie is and how you can absolutely sell that great idea or thingamajiggie - "they'd sure as hell buy one" they say - although they likely never will ...

(unless of course, you are in my family - the "do you really want the truth?" clan of solemn pronouncers of doom and gloom, yes - that's where I get it)

sometimes though - it is best to ask people

what they don't like.

So, instead of seeking approval, maybe asking, "what is wrong with this? how can I make it better?" could be more likely to get something real ... and maybe helpful ... and maybe valid.

It also requires the person who's opinion you value

(and if you don't value their opinion, then please do not ask them)

to really look and listen to what you are showing them.

You can, of course, totally disregard their answers, but if you are really looking for feedback - this approach may yield you some important talking, thinking and action points that you hadn't thought about.

(a final note about asking someone else about your work - remember an important life lesson here - you can only be to someone what they see you as - and yes, I realize I am dangling a participle here, but stay with me - what people see has more to do with what is behind their eyes than in front of them, so keep that in mind - this is not an exercise in giving your power away - but solo workers need the power of collaboration sometimes, too)

* if you're gonna shoot print by petek design

happy halloween!

hope you get lots of candy ....... xo

* love live halloween block by danita

stop waiting for THE opportunity, the one you have IS the opportunity

We may be waiting on the perfect job for the perfect customer

(the job that will make us a household name like Windex or Brillo or ... uh, wait, not them, like Martha, yeah that's better like Martha or the project that will keep us busy with something challenging for awhile)

the problem with waiting is that it leaves us ... well, waiting. It is a pretty reactive place to be.

And I am not talking about going out and making it happen in this post

(although yes, we do have to do that sometimes, although maybe not as often as you might think)

but about just taking the job that you have in your hand, the one that you have done before, the one that you could do in your sleep, the one that is on your work table right now and making that job THE job.

Get out of that ego place that tells us that we are not doing enough - be joyful about that bird in hand.

*bird in the hand print by Tammy Olson

NOTE - I wrote this post several weeks ago and for some reason never posted it. I pulled it out today because I still feel it is valid and timely and hope someone will resonate with it.

The truth for me these days, is that there are so many bigger things going on in the world that talking about business right now feels very small potatoes

(as my grandma would have said - sniffle)

and I feel a certain sense of disconnect with it. At least in terms of posting about growing our businesses - what I really want to be writing about is this incredible opportunity we have as creators to be helping the world evolve into something better ... and maybe I will ....

xo

Upcycled Wood & String Name Plaques - Handmade Holiday Gift Countdown Week 5

You have probably seen these wood letters in the craft store and this is one easy-peasy way to make them uber cool!

You will need: the letters to spell someone's name or initials, wire brads (I used 3/4" X 17), colored string, hammer, I got away without drilling starter holes- but you could split the wood, so if you have a drill it might be a good idea, sawtooth hangers

1. Add a sawtooth hanger to the back of each letter (I didn't do this step until the end and you do not want to do that)
2. Nail in your brads - placing one each time the line of the letter changes direction - you may need to glue the brads in
3. Tie on your string and follow the brads. Tie it off.

Voila! I think these are super cute and turn those cheesy letters into something adorable.