I love to quilt. I see something and it just inspires me to create it in fabric, to bring together different colors, textures and patterns with uneven hand-quilting to bring up details and contours. My quilts never look exactly like what I initially saw to inspire me; they take on their own identity through the […]
In the business world, even the small business world, the phrase “best practices” comes up continually. There are many experts that will tell you emphatically that “best practices” should always be followed. But I am a firm believer in the fact that generalized statements are rarely true, and here’s why. What Are “Best Practices?” Best […]
We see it everywhere, beautiful crochet baby blankets, hats, scarves, toys, even jewelry; but do you know where it got started? According to the Crochet Guild of America, the name comes from the Middle French term croc or croche which means hook and was probably developed as we understand crochet around the 16th century as […]
Perhaps the question we hate the most and answer continually is, Why is your stuff so expensive?As you read what follows, replace the word stuff with whatever your medium is. There’s a piece of me in all of my stuff. Long before my stuff exists, I spend considerable time just thinking about what my stuff […]
They say that doing puzzles helps to keep your mind sharp! In honor of National Puzzle Day may I present to you some handmade treasures that celebrate puzzles! Do you love to play escape rooms and do you have any idea about how to escape from that puzzle rooms? Here is a puzzle room tips […]
Did you make a New Years resolution to organize your life? How is that going? While many of us take a look around our homes and swear we are going to clean up and clean out, when it comes to actually doing it, we often fall short. Paris Travel Wallet Do you need a place […]
When you hear the phrase Handmade Life what do you think of? A person living off the grid, growing their own food and making their own clothes? A suburban mom who cooks from scratch rather than boxed or take out? How about trying to buy as much local as possible but never creating anything themselves? […]
You’re an artist or craftsman, and you are also a business. You’ve been doing this a while, and each year, you show some financial growth. You’ve found a niche that is supporting activities you love to do. Re-inventing yourself is not something that’s on your list, let alone near the top…. it isn’t broken; why […]
I’m sure you have heard that part of a business is a business plan, but why? You can understand why the big retailers would need one, after all they are working in big bucks, but why would a small, often one man show, bother? In the end, it comes down to whether or not you […]
With my new direction of applying to “better” shows came new challenges and learning opportunities. I recently completed my application to the St. George Art Festival. It included the typical personal information (name, address, medium, etc.) and pictures of my work and booth. Additionally, it required that I submit an Artist Statement and a CV/Resumé. […]
