Brave Girls Club

Everyone should know about Brave Girls Club by developer Melody Ross. She is an incredibly gifted entrepreneur who, out of her own need, began a business/movement that is helping women all over the world. Just spending time on the website is inspiring. The letter above is today's daily truth written by Melody. Read. Be inspired.

Who do I want in my Who-Ville?

HSHB is encouraging us to choose those around us carefully. Who do we want working with us.....from our customers, to co-workers, to our team such as accountant, lawyer, supplier, marketer, etc.

It is of vital importance that we choose those people who have the same values. Would I want to sit down and have a meal with them....do I like them? Protecting who I am surrounded by will play a major role in the success of a business. This is just as important in our personal lives. It is so much more uplifting to be surrounded by positive, uplifting people who want to enjoy life than......

grinchy, negative people who steal the energy out of the room the moment they enter!

So who will make my light shine the brightest??? I want to be careful to be the kind of person for them that I want them to be for me. Knowing the type of people I am looking for ahead of time will help when the time comes and my business is ready for those steps.

Thanks, Dr. Seuss, for a little visual imagery.

Knitting a detour

This program has been temporarily interrupted due to the fact that.....I think I just learned to knit!! I made this scarf! I love this scarf! My sister-in-law taught me and I actually finished it and love it and will wear it! I can't wait to make some more.

The colors show more true in this picture. It's so light, lacy and frilly. I went to www.yarn.com today to order some more. I hope it comes in soon before I forget what I learned!

Okay, back to my regularly scheduled program.

HSHB is going well....just deep soul searching right now which is challenging for a shallow soul like me! Will share more later.....when I discover what's hidden way down in there.

Where's the Soul?

"Stand Tall. Stand Strong." (24x48)

I am on a mission looking for the Soul of my business. Passion and why we do what we do are two different things. Passion = the WHAT (my art) Why = the reason I am passionate about my art. Passion alone is not enough to fuel a business.....it goes deeper.

Through a series of exercises we were asked in Hello Soul Hello Business to list the common words that kept popping up. Oddly enough, my most common words were: independent, adventurous, free, fun. I know....kinda shallow..... but FUN!! Right now it adds up to this statement for why I am passionate about having an art business:

"To freely and independently provide for fun adventures while fulfilling a need to express and radiate encouraging inspiration to others."

How awesome it is to use art as an avenue to create a positive feeling in someone else!

Digging Deep

During the course of Hello Soul Hello Business, we will hear various conversations with leading entrepreneurs. They will provide us valuable insight and advice, as well as cause us to think about our own business in a new way. Today to prepare for that, we are asked 10 questions.....revealing questions. The questions are designed to 'dig deep' and get to know ourselves as a business owner. This is the soul part of the class. We are uncovering layers all the way to the heart. No hiding here. Exposure is absolutely necessary to continue.

I still haven't completed all 10 questions but question #1 sets the stage. I am so glad to know that we have two teachers who aren't afraid of getting to the heart of things and encouraging those taking their course to do so as well.

My answer to question #1:

1. What do you believe in?

First and foremost, Jesus. I can't separate that belief from myself and my business. That is who I am. That is Who has given me talent. That is Who gives me strength. That is Who I want guiding my life. I believe in using my talents in a way to make people feel better. I believe in encouraging and lifting each other up. I believe that we all play an important role and that our choices directly effect someone else whether we realize it or not.

Kind of unexpected for a business course, right?! We are encouraged to share our answers with our classmates who happen to spread out over 18 countries in the world. I'm really interested in what the others are brave enough to share.

Hello Soul, Hello Business!!

It's here! A business class I have been waiting for....combining creativity with practical business. Hello Soul, Hello Business by Kelly Rae Roberts and Beth Nicholls is a 9 week course that I can't wait to dive into with both feet. As we begin, we are looking at our creative business as a living, breathing thing. We are digging deep to uncover the WHY it is what we are doing so that will sustain us through the times of low inspiration and frustrating times a business goes through. If we don't discover the true meaning of "WHY" then the so called passion will fade and the business will die.

I am remembering my initial mission statement:

• To evoke a feeling
• Trigger a memory
• Start a conversation
• Create a meaning behind each original piece of art

I want to 'pay it forward' and allow my work to be an encouraging avenue to create a positive feeling in someone else. It's the butterfly effect - everyone makes a difference to someone. I think this 'WHY' ties in to my love of teaching and why I went into education. I want to help others in a positive way, to make an impact in their lives. It's relational. It's lasting. It matters.

Art Exhibit + Ribbons = $$$

I won some real US dollars! We had an art show this past weekend. I entered 3 ink paintings and the judge liked one enough to award $$ to it!! Very cool indeed. These are my first ribbons. ........I kinda like it!

Happy Merry New Year 2012! + new word

Happy New Year, 2012!! Long time no blog......and here's why.....

So proud of our son-in-law....a college graduate!

A very cool coaches party at our house with a few twists and turns. They filled out a menu for a three course meal with all items disguised under another name (icicle point=knife, Santa's sleigh=twice baked potato, etc.) Not knowing what they might receive for each course, they were good sports!

The basketball team played 17 games in the month of December.....whew! Only 3 of those were in town. Lots of travel! But.....they won 15 of those!!! Go Tigers! District gets underway for the month of January.

Christmas in Amarillo and Houston. Awesome time with family. Love. Love. Love.

Worked in a little ink painting with my sister, mother, and cousin.

Our family Christmas picture. Cheese!

Of course, the center of attention at all times........grandbaby! So adorable.

My new word for the year is ACTIVE. Last year it was Seek. I really enjoyed having a word to focus on so I'm doing it again.

Active: 1. engaging or ready to engage in physically energetic pursuits

2. (of a person's mind or imagination) alert and lively

3. doing things for an organization, cause, or campaign, rather thansimply giving it one's support

Actively pursue the use of my time in the best way possible.

I have just registered for two classes that I am very excited about that should help me focus on my new word. First: Hello Soul, Hello Business by Beth Nichols and Kelly Rae Roberts and

Second: Bloom True by Flora Bowley.

So looking forward to both of these starting in just a few weeks!!