Making art and making a living. Lots of folks here on Scoutie Girl and elsewhere have plenty of goodness to share on the topic.

My angle: I agree with Lewis Hyde – author of The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World – that artists (and other folks with gifts to give to the world) have always put food on the table in a few different ways. Looking at this historically can help us creatives remember that we are part of a long lineage of those who have gone before.

Hyde writes:

[T]here are three primary ways in which modern artists have resolved the problem of their livelihood: they have taken second jobs, they have found patrons to support them, or they have managed to place the work itself on the market and pay the rent with fees and royalties.

I want to look at the last of these first: selling the actual products of your artistic labor.

With my new album, “at the edge of the unknown,”  being released as we speak, issues surrounding selling our artwork is definitely “up” for me right now. Every time my phone buzzes with an alert from Paypal that someone else has bought a CD (a CD, can you believe it, in this day and age?!?) I feel a little thrill. And when I put them in the mail I know I will be thinking: “There it goes, one sweet shiny disc with all of the love that I tried to squeeze onto it, winging out to spread hope in the world.”

At the same time, I feel torn. Do I actually want to try to make money from selling CDs (or downloads) or do I want to be able to give my music away freely? Which approach will actually feel more nourishing to me? And how can I make my approach to sharing my music with the world best line up with my larger mission of helping people find their truest voices? As another recent post here on Scoutie Girl pointed out, we don’t want to monetize everything we make.

One danger Hyde points out is that relying on sales of your art to feed your family can lead toward making pieces based too much on what we think will sell.

How do we balance the urge to give people what they want with the need to return over and over again to that deepest Well of Creativity itself?

And then, some art is priceless; we give away what is most precious, like the quilt my sister-in-law is making in honor of my wedding.

Are you wrestling with questions of selling your art? How to price what feels priceless? Does the question of making things for market trouble you, or do you feel like: “People pushing to pay vast quantities of money for my art? I should have such problems!” Or have you made peace with piece work? Let me hear you!

What do artistic graffiti, photography, and interior design have in common? They are all divisive when referred to as art forms; while some consider them creative, others do not.

Those against graffiti have the fact that it is a criminal act on their side; photographs are already an essential part of life for many for documenting their children’s development, recording special occasions, and more.

But what about interior design?

Can a well planned and stylishly decorated living area ever be as evocative as a painting or sculpture?

Can your kitchen ever inspire strong feelings like a piece of graffiti on a public wall or a perfectly timed and exposed photo can?

Do you see clutter or cosiness? Minimalism or emptiness? Just as there is no clear interpretation of a painting or piece of modern art, there is no right answer when it comes to the way we decorate and furnish our homes. Personal preference reigns supreme.

This piece looks at whether a few creative flourishes and the right choice of furniture and colours can turn a living space from a purely functional area into a feast for the eyes and soul that is inviting, reflects tastes and personality, but is also warm and comforting.

Since forever, the home has been the ultimate showcase of its inhabitants’ personal tastes and preferences; furniture and decoration can powerfully showcase a person’s way of thinking and even the kind of life they lead, and that is a very powerful effect for an inanimate object to have. The home can be an accurate representation of the self, and in very much the same way as you may hang a classy painting on your wall, furnishing your home can represent your artistic outlook and tell your guests a lot about you.



Take these designs, for example.

photo via Fashion For Home

A number of aspects shown here in this bedroom layout can definitely be considered artistic, the most obvious being the colour scheme; the basic cream contrasts with the black to create a sophisticated feel, and the brown sets a tone of warmth and friendliness, crucial in the bedroom. This ability to use colours to create a mood is an art in itself. Minimalism is created with straight edges and symmetry in this layout, influenced by the artistic movement because of its suggestion of modernity in simplicity.

photo via Fashion For Home

This living room feels very modern, with contemporary furniture design that is classy but almost post-modern as it has taken traditional ideas such as sofas, coffee tables, and bookcases and put a futuristic spin on them.

photo via Fashion For Home

This stylish living room continues the theme of minimalism, with its use of plain white – a colour that generally suggests neutrality but may project hospitality to some guests, proposing that a living room can be as subjective as any painting.

It is products like these designer beds that reinforce interior design’s demand to be considered true art. The common artistic aspects shown here, such as colour schemes and usage of space, value interior design as a valid art form.



The actress Hedy Lamarr once said,

A good painting to me has always been like a friend. It keeps me company, comforts and inspires.

She highlights the charm art can radiate, and where else would such emotional reaction be better suited than your own home?

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Mike Gracia currently writes for Fashion For Home, a home fashion retailer, who are members of the Sustainable Furnishings Council.

Last week, I was catching up on a friend’s blog and she mentioned that a buddy of hers, Megan Gilger, had just opened up a new print shop. So of course, I headed over to check it out and immediately feel in love with darn near every print in Megan’s shop.

Those are a few of her designs above. To see more of her work, visit Hitch Print Shop.

Thoughts to lead you into the rest of your week…

There are more bloggers and Etsy sellers these days than you can shake a stick at. So it is easy to fall into the “Little ole me. I’m not as popular as ________ and what I create doesn’t seem to matter because no one is noticing me.” attitude. I get it – there is a lot of  ”competition” and some of your competitors seem to have it all figured out, with thousands of sales under their belt and tens of thousands of subscribers to their blogs.

BUT you don’t have to reach tens of thousands of people with your voice, your message, your beautifully crafted clay animal figurines. At least not yet.

Just start with one.

Every great thing in this world started with just one person thinking it was so.

And then another, and another.

Your work could be the thing that brightens someone else’s otherwise dismal day. Your message – that heartfelt blog post you wrote last week – can make an impact and strike a cord with a perfect stranger.

That sounds pretty powerful to me, even if you do only have 42 twitter followers.

So go ahead, stop comparing your small potatoes to another’s seemingly abundant garden.

Looking over the fence isn’t going to help your garden grow.

You need to plant your own seeds.

With that in mind, I have a challenge for you: Start this week to make a difference. Attempt to impact just one person’s day, outlook, or attitude. Ignore your follower count and those other thoughts swirling around in your mind – aim to reach just one person. It won’t be long before that one turns into two and two turns into ten…

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images above c/o Megan of Hitch Print Shop Be Real + Be Bold + Be True

Hi there, Scoutie Girls (and Guys)!

It’s so exciting for me to be sharing this, my first review, here on Scoutie Girl. As a long-time reader, I know the importance of sharing valuable information, stuff I might not read other places, so I hope to bring that uniquity to my posts.

First, a bit about me: I keep a blog and teach writing workshops based at my site, A Forest of Stories. Through my own storytelling and evolution, I have discovered my passion for personal narrative, for truth-speaking, for facing our demons. In addition to be a writer and editor, I am also an aspiring attorney, walking the long, slow journey to juris doctorate to find a voice in the legal system for others to tell their stories. It’s an amazing and profound journey, and I feel blessed every day to walk this path.

What does this have to do with Scoutie Girl and all of you? Well, you can anticipate from me an eclectic mix of reviews, from indie musicians to books you absolutely must read to the next great undiscovered novel. Not only am I interested in personal storytelling, but in the components that make up our stories – particularly our money stories.

Which leads me to this month’s review of Emotional Currency by Kate Levinson.

“Feelings…offer the only path for healing our wounds from our painful experiences and emotions involving money.”
~ Kate Levinson

I stumbled upon Emotional Currency while reading Tara Gentile’s The Art of Earning. I had been wandering my local bookstore, searching for more information, more text, about the relationship between women, earning, and financial responsibility. As someone who has been categorically “poor” for most of her life, I had finally realized that my experiences and encounters with money were connected to something deep, something really challenging, and I was ready to slay that dragon. When I came across this book, sitting alone on a shelf, I realized that it was exactly the approach I needed to take.

Dr. Levinson’s book isn’t just for women, let me be clear on that. While she writes and markets her strategies for female brains, I believe these tools are just as useful for men, and deeply valuable given our proclivity for discouraging emotions in male lives.

What she advocates, on a basic level, is the exploration of our experiences, encounters, history, and emotions surrounding money – of all kinds.

The good, the bad, the disastrous, the brilliant.

The dominant activity in this book is creating a “money memoir,” a written account of financial situations and the lessons they teach us. Using incredibly pointed questions, and a gentle hand, Dr. Levinson guides us through the twisted and often terrifying memories of money: having it, not having it, spending it, saving it, losing it, and everything in between.

“In what ways, and under what circumstances, do you judge yourself for what you have? Do you fantasize about being taken care of (financially)? Or being self-supporting? How did the financial resources in your family growing up affect how you live today? How does how much you earn influence your sense of your own value in the world?”
~ Kate Levinson

When I first read this book, I was neat and clean. I didn’t take many notes (and certainly not in the book itself), skimmed over many of the questions, and generally read it at the surface level. Then my world turned upside-down, and what was once a financially stable situation left me scrambling for housing and income. I came back to this book with a fervor, frantically scribbling in the margins and dedicating a journal to my own “money memoir.” What I learned, in this second reading, was that my own eagerness to learn about financial responsibility actually triggered my fear of financial responsibility (funny how that works).

“[We] seldom see ourselves and therefore our money in isolation, but instead as part of a web of relationships…that we have strong feelings for people and relationships, and these feelings need to be included in our decisions about money.”
~ Kate Levinson

If you’re at all interested (or even a bit curious) about deepening your relationship to money, or about understanding the motivations and experiences behind your financial decisions, this book will completely change your understanding. I am on my third reading now, and I still gain new insights and have “ah-ha” moments with each page.

I’d love to hear about your experiences with the emotional aspects of financial life!

To cure this little issue, I created three simple and naturally sweetened fruity drinks. Each of these drinks clocks in at just about 150 calories and would be the perfect accompaniment for a warm summer evening.

Pineapple-Mango Frozen Margarita

{makes four drinks}

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of frozen, chopped pineapple
• 1 cup of frozen, chopped mango
• 6 ounces of pineapple juice {no sugar added}
• 4 shots of tequila
• 2 cups of lime flavored {unsweetened} sparkling water
• lime slices and/or maraschino cherries as a garnish

Put pineapple, mango, tequila, and pineapple juice in a blender. Add a splash of tap water if this is too thick for your blender. If you cannot find frozen mango or pineapple, use fresh and add a handful of ice to the blender.

Once mixture is completely blended, add sparkling water and stir. Serve each drink with a garnish of lime slices or maraschino cherries.

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Whipped Pear Cocktail

{makes one drink}

Ingredients:

• a flew pear “ice cubes” {aka – frozen pear pieces}
• a shot of whipped cream flavored vodka
• 4 ounces of pear juice {no sugar added}
• 4 ounces of sparkling water
• ground cinnamon

In order to make the pear ice cubes, just freeze peeled slices of pears on a plate lined with waxed paper. I used canned pears {the kind packed in juice, not syrup} but fresh would work, too.

Fill the bottom of your glass with a few frozen pear slices.  Pour in the whipped cream vodka, pear juice, and sparkling water. Garnish with a sprinkling of cinnamon. This drink tastes like a dessert -it is so rich, yet refreshing, and so, so delicious!

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Sparkling Mixed Berry Wine

{makes one drink}

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces of white wine {whatever you have on hand – I used pinot grigio}
• 4 ounces of berry flavored sparkling water {unsweetened}
• a few tablespoons of frozen, mixed berries

Fill the bottom of your glass with the frozen mixed berries and pour in the wine and sparkling water. This is such a refreshing, simple, and very low calorie option.

Cheers!

Deep Sea Dreamer by Studio MME - click image to view more

How do toy-makers make a product 10 times more appealing to kids?  They make it glow in the dark!

When I was little, I dreamed of putting glow-in-the-dark stars on my bedroom ceiling. However, my mother had an aversion to glue, nails, tape, and anything else that marred the house’s painting surfaces, so my ceiling stayed a boring white. (My brother didn’t get his bust of Napoleon, either, but I think my mother turned down that idea because she feared it would fall off the wall and brain him while he slept.) It’s still my dream to have those stars, but now I want to paint them myself and create an accurate view of the night sky.

The nature of glow-in-the-dark stuff completely intrigues me! While bioluminescence exists in nature, it wasn’t until 1965 that we patented the glow stick. For the first few years, only the armed forces got to have proper dance parties and night-time semaphore meetings. In 1977, glow sticks got picked up by campers, night drivers, and rave-goers.

Here are some links about some of the weird things that glow in the dark:

• Why Civil War Soldiers Glowed in the Dark – There were myths about the civil war soldiers at the Battle of Shiloh who were visible after nightfall but it took one inquisitive high school student and his microbiologist mother to figure out what made them glow. Be warned: the reason is a tad bit gross.
• Glow-in-the-Dark Cats – In 2007 scientists began cloning cats and used glow-in-the-dark genes to help determine if the cloning was a success. They’re hoping to use these cats to push AIDs research and stem cell research forward. This is a short news clip from the first cloning experiment and shows the cats glowing a dull red.
• Glowing Pygmy Shark – National Geographic loves to showcase strange animals and they’ve recently discovered a new shark that glows in the dark to escape detection. Who knew? A bit of reverse logic, but it seems to work for this little guy.
• Glow-In-The-Dark Experiments – Want to feel a bit like a mad scientist yourself? Hubpages has a whole list of easy experiments that show you how to make your own luminescent writing, drinks, or geysers (yes, a geyser). These are great for kids, Halloween parties, and just any event that demands a bit of after-dark fun.
• Life’s Little Mysteries – This site completely answers all the little mysteries we encounter! I think I’m a tad addicted now. I have always wondered why manufactured products that glow in the dark are always green.  Surely there could be more colors! If you’ve wondered this yourself, there’s finally an answer at this site.

What glow-in-the-dark toy did you love as a kid?

“I can’t believe it’s already May!”

I heard that a lot last week. It does seem like this year is flying by. Is it that I’m having fun? Or does time actually pass more quickly as you age each year?

It got me thinking about the year so far, and remembering November and December of last year when I was envisioning the shape of my business for 2012. Did you do that? Did you lay out any plans for this year? Set any intentions? Do the one word thing?

Before the year is halfway spent, this is a great time to do a “not quite mid-year review.”

This is not an opportunity to berate yourself if things haven’t gone as you planned. It’s a chance to do a check-in of your year so far, and do some reflection that will set you up to work smart until you have to remember to write 2013 on your checks.

• At a glance: What’s working this year? What’s not? What’s going on with the numbers? What are you getting the most mileage out of?
• What has gone according to your plans, and what has not? Be open to some of the “things that have not gone as planned” being things that turned out in your favor.
• And finally, do you want to reevaluate your goals and intentions for the year? You get to change your mind and your focus mid-stream if you want. Plans are based on the evidence and energy we have when we make them. Now that you’ve looked at the reality of this year, do you want to change anything as you move forward?

Download a free “not quite mid-year review” planner and spend some time investing in your business – before the year flies on by.

Gathering light,

Cash Tree by GM tree courtesy iStock

…or is it? Since attending The Art of Earning Live in February, I have been very aware that I need to change my prices (go higher) and attitude towards money – both in earning it and spending it. We have been taught in our culture that money is what we must strive for, and it is the root of all evil. Take the lyrics if this once popular song (Used in commercials still). Money, money, money, money…

Towards the end of the Art of Earning seminar Adam King said to me:

“You should not be selling anything for less than $1,000.”

I am unsure if he meant that literally, or as a metaphor for selling myself short, i.e. not valuing myself and my work. Either way I get it. If I am going to be a real artiste (*by my definition, a higher level artist) I need to act like one and price myself accordingly. I need to take myself and my work seriously! My highest priced item currently is $255, the lowest $25.

I talked with some friends about the idea of taking away all the tiny prints, 5×5 and 5×7 for instance, priced at $25 and only selling 8×10, or even 11×14 and above, at a higher price. Two of them vehemently disagreed. One said, What about the people that can’t afford more than $25, and what if they want to start small and see how it looks before buying big? Being one of those in the category of “can’t afford” currently, it is hard to say I am out pricing myself and some of my friends.

So, what if my “ideal customer” is not me and my friends?

Hmm I have to admit it makes me a tad uncomfortable, and so does the fact that, due to medical bills, and the awareness I may not live to a very old age, I need to earn more than ever before. My husband earns enough to keep us afloat when things are going well. Add the co-pays we are dealing with and we are more like knee-deep or more. I don’t need worry about money to take up my time when I am trying to heal. So, what is the solution?

It is time to take myself seriously, and hope my friends will too. I am an artiste!

(“Artiste,” as it turns out, is just French for artist, although it can indicate a musician more so than a painter. I however have always seen it used as if to indicate an artist of higher caliber.)

What does this mean?

• I am going to be hiking my prices.
• I will only be showing and selling my very best work.*
• I will only be showing at venues that support the value of my work.**
• I will stand behind the work, and why it is worth what I charge.

Does this make sense to you? Do you price art with respect for your self and work?

For me I think the key is in how I look at it. As I say in the title, it’s all about the money…or is it? Well it is not. It’s all about the value. I put my very best self into my work, and price it like a sale item at a garage sale. Well, not quite that bad, but you get it. If I feel the work is gallery or museum worthy I don’t want to price it as if I’m selling at Target.

If I don’t take myself seriously no one else will, right?

There is one other troubling aspect to this decision. What do I do with the work I am currently selling at too low a price? It seems wrong to sell it at a higher price when people have purchased it for perhaps far less (I have already raised my prices once or twice).

Would you be upset if you purchased something for $100 and found out it used to cost $25?

I am keeping this short and sweet as it is difficult to sit at the desk these days. (For any of you that have been following there is good news! My spinal fusion has been moved up to this coming Wednesday the 9th. I will likely be unable to post in two weeks as I am scheduled to, unless that new laptop falls from the sky, or they start growing on trees.) I look forward to returning pain free to continue this discussion.

Please let me know what you think here in the comments! I really need your opinion.

From the Heart,

* I do not have a lot of pieces in my shop, but I do have some mediocre pieces there while I keep hidden some of my best. Time to purge my portfolio.

** For instance, no craft fairs where there are crocheted toilet paper covers, OK?

- – -

As I revealed in my previous interview, I learned how to sew so I could get undivided attention from my mom. A little bit of youngest child manipulation of a parent is nothing new. What I didn’t know at the time was how sewing would become such a huge part of my adult life. Thanks Mom, I loved everything you made for me and I am always grateful that you took the time to teach me how to do it myself.

I have students in my upholstery classes who are actually afraid of the sewing machine. It’s hard for me to imagine, since they aren’t one bit afraid of getting behind the steering wheel of a car. I guess the worst that could happen is running the needle through your finger. I’ve done that too, it’s no fun, but it couldn’t stop me from using the machine. That said, let me qualify all that’s to follow. I do not like to sew, just for the sake of running the sewing machine.

I love to sew because it’s a tool for making something I want or need.

For instance, if I want to make a color blocked ottoman cover, I’m not one bit excited about sitting down and doing the stitching, but I am excited about what I’ll get in the end; a stitched together color blocked piece of fabric to cover an ottoman.

The sewing machine is one of my very favorite tools in the whole world.

The Beginner

If you are just thinking about learning how to sew, here’s all you need:

• Sewing machine (vintage, old ones are truly the best)
• Sharp scissors
• Seam ripper

Shelly's Singer

To get a good start, read the instruction manual, learn how to thread the machine and the bobbin, and practice sewing forward and in reverse. Get a piece of paper and draw a big figure 8 on it. Practice stitching along the figure 8 so you can get the feel for guiding fabric under the needle.

A really easy Beginner project would be to take one of the reusable market bags from Whole Foods or another grocery, take it apart to use as a pattern, all the while noticing how it was put together. Make your own bag out of some scrap fabric.

Practice, practice, practice.

The Advanced  Novice

Once you’ve mastered straight stitching and simple construction, try your hand at sewing curtains or a pillow. Again, very simple stitching, but now you’ll be learning how to sew a hem, install a zipper, or perhaps attach ties or tabs on your items. It helps to study curtains you already have, or throw pillows on your sofa. Try to figure out how they were made, then mimic that. You’ll want to learn some simple sewing techniques that will ensure your final project looks handmade, not homemade.

There are basic tools that just make the life of a sewist easier. You’ll need:

• Zipper foot for installing a zipper and making covered piping/welt cord
• Cutting mat for a table and a rotary cutter that quilters use for cutting straight lines quickly and efficiently
• Clean, hot, steamy iron

Zipper foot in action at The Purl Bee. Click on the image for additional information.

Don’t overlook the iron. A good steam pressing makes fabric do almost anything you want it to.

(Note from Janice: I’d like to rub in the multiple times we’ve mentioned the need for a good iron. For example…)

The Experienced Needle Pusher

After the intermediate home sewing or fashion sewing projects, you may be interested in tailoring. At this level of proficiency many more sewing notions are available that assist in getting garments to hang just right.

• A sewing ham; used to steam in rounded areas like shoulder caps of a sleeve
• Rufflers that attach to the sewing machine’s presser foot to gather and stitch ruffles easily
• “Walking foot,” specific to industrial upholstery machines, pulls the top layer of fabric under the needle as the “feed dog” on the bottom of the machine pulls the bottom fabric through, so the layers don’t shift as they are stitched

Tailor's Ham by Katy at No Big Dill. Click on the image to see the tutorial.

The Stitch Whisperer

When you’ve entered the advanced sewist playground, you may want to invest in:

• Embroidery sewing machine
• Commercial tailoring or upholstery machine
• Serger

Whatever level you are, there are always more interesting, fun, and expensive gadgets and machines you can buy, but the truth is you really don’t need more than the first three items, a tape measure, and some school chalk to allow you to sew just about anything you could want. It’s more about knowing sewing tricks and techniques that allow you to make clothes, pillows, curtains, slipcovers, and boxed and corded cushion covers. Everyone could use a strict teacher hovering over them at the sewing machine to make sure they learn exactly how to sew darts, curves, zippers, or cording.

If you learn it right to begin with, you’ll never be satisfied with slipshod.

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Want more from Shelly? Check out her Digital Apprentice: Intro to Sewing & Upholstery ebook!

Last week, for the first time in my life, I went on a diet.  And, to my surprise, I loved it. It was only a week long, but as soon as it was over I started to miss it. In fact, I think I may go back.

No, I didn’t drink green juice for a week straight (although I’ve heard that can be exhilarating). There was no carb or calorie counting involved.

Instead, I went on an Information Diet.

Last month here on SG, I talked about having the unplugging bug, about wanting to dial down my information input and output. Many of you pumped your fists in the air and said, “Me, too!” This post is for you. We’re taking it from the philosophical to the practical, baby.

Here’s how I did it. For one week, I…

…checked email only twice a day, at predetermined times (at lunch and just before dinner).

…only looked at websites if I was going to immediately act on the information I was looking for. This means yes to checking movie times on date night, and no to aimless blog reading.

…read books, but only an hour or so of fiction before bed. This means yes to trashy novels (yay!), and no to that stack of business books or newspapers. Seriously!

…watched a little TV, but only an hour or less per day of pure entertainment. This means no news, unless it’s the Daily Show!

…unplugged from social media. No status updates. No Instagram (pictures are information, too)! No blog reading on my lunch break. No 140 character bytes of info coming or going.

…unplugged my ears, too. No podcasts or TED talks while I worked. But as much music as I wanted, of course.

Note: I modeled my Information Diet after the one found in The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss, which I highly recommend.

I’ll admit, there were a few minor deviations. I chose to read the Sunday paper, mainly light stuff, because that is a leisurely weekly ritual I hold dear. And I read fiction in the mornings, too. At first, holding to this diet was hard – waiting to read Danielle Laporte’s Fire Starter Sessions, letting my blog reader fill with unread posts, and not posting a single cute thing my son did to Instagram – ouch!

It amazed me to discover just how much information I took in on a daily basis that I did not need, yet had grown to depend on in order to feel smart or productive.

It amazed me to discover how compulsively I filled small moments with that information. Quiet times with my son, my lunch break, early mornings and just before bed.

But as the week went on, I felt the cleanse. A colonic for the brain. I felt vast spaces in my mind begin to open, fertile ground for fresh ideas, a deeper sense of calm and satisfaction. I began to feel more present with those around me as I stopped poking icons on my phone or sticking my nose in a business mag. I am there for the things and people right in front of me.

Here’s my creative challenge to you: Make more space in your mind for the important things by embarking on an Information Diet.

I’ve laid out some simple guidelines above to get you started. In essence, the diet is just this: immediately actionable information only, a little pleasure reading, and little pleasure TV. Try it. Stay with it. Start tomorrow, and then go for six days after that. I’d love to hear about your experience here!

A week really is enough to experience some cleansing. And hey, all that information will still be waiting…you just might not be interested anymore.

xxoo Maeg