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The Editor's Desk - From Beneath the Clutter
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How busy can I be? I spent a good bit of time this weekend helping my brother-in-law get his first website up. We've been talking about getting a site up for him for over a year now, but I finally forced him to sit down and learn how to do it! He's going in for heart surgery sometime in the next few months, and really needs a way to help with the family's income. I can't think of a better way to help out than to start him on this path. He still has a lot of content to add to the site, but it's a start.
For those who are interested, his site is Family Camping and Fishing - two things he really loves to do. We're going camping with him near the end of October, just for the weekend. First time since before my husband and I married that we've found time for camping, even though we've discussed it every summer.
Honestly, I LIKE being busy. If I didn't, I wouldn't have started my business in the first place. Let's face it, with small children in the house, I don't exactly have a ton of free time anyhow. But having a home business gives me that stimulation that kids just can't provide, and the opportunity to interact with other adults, even if only online.
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Recently a friend was talking to me about her first experience in a store where you can paint your own pottery. She was excited and animated while talking about this experience, and explained how she wanted to be there everyday during lunch to paint. That she could just live in that store and paint all day. I understand that passion and loved seeing it in her.
Then she said something that I nearly fell off my chair. "I've never done anything like this before in my life, I'm one of those people who have no talent, or an artistic bone in my body." I asked her if she really truly believed that, and she indicated that she did honestly feel that way.
I do not believe that about any person. I believe especially in people who haven't found their "niche" yet, that there is a wealth of hidden, undiscovered talent, which just hasn't been found yet. I love meeting people like this because to me, I sense a treasure hunt.
I have found in my life that the seasons where I'm not doing something creative, there was something vital missing. That I'm off balance somewhat. I've been that way since I was a child. I believe people are born with a need to express their creativity. The obstacles to blocked creativity are finding what that medium should be, and probably also defining some goals, and perhaps some defined reasons they are blocked.
Expand your thinking and definition of what creativity is. It isn't only a person who can draw or paint or write. Most didn't just take it up and were good at it at their first attempt. It was a natural talent, but it needed developed. They learned and practiced to become good at what they do. Just about anything and any medium can be created into art. Gardening can be an art form for instance. I've seen some gardens that truly were a work of art and almost breath taking. I've seen junk turned into art, there's jewelry making, basket weaving, knitting, spinning your own yarn, photography, too much to list. Start thinking big.
Where does your interest lie? Take some time to really think about that. What are some areas you've told yourself, "someday I'd like to learn that." What are some areas that you've seen others do that you find totally amazing and you seem to be the last one hanging around admiring all the small, finite details, wanting to know all about it? Look at those areas first.
Invest in yourself. Take a class, get a book or find a possible mentor. Put into action a commitment to learn. Each one who has mastered a skill goes through a learning process and starts at step one. Start. Put away the excuses and fears. It doesn't have to be perfect; you don't even need to show it to others if you don't want to. Give yourself permission to fail, but give it enough time and dedication to see if it's something that fits you or not. If it doesn't, move on to try something else, but keep looking until you find that fit.
Don't be terribly surprised if doing this however, brings up issues in your life. I've found in mine that to be true. I'm not sure if it's because it's working another part of your brain and taps into that creative side or what. But I've found that to push through those feelings, to talk to a good friend or safe person about those feelings. In the last few years I've taken up candlemaking, and I had made candles as a child as well, so it was a return for me to an art form I long ago loved doing. I was very surprised at some major issues to come to the surface in my life, things far too personal to go into here, but they were so major that I nearly quit; despite that it was something I loved doing and had invested heavily in. I cried for 2 weeks. After grieving an ugly truth I had long ago pushed down and ignored in my spirit, I realized that ugly thing had robbed me too much in my life already, and it was time for it's power over me to stop. Through the pain, I chose to make it a business and it came forth with the name: Joyful Designs in Soy. I gained some real personal freedom through that process which I am deeply grateful for, and my business name is a declaration of a new truth in my life. I also carry a new joy that I didn't have before, into the rest of my life.
Our creative side isn't just about what we're doing, it's also about who we are, and that touches people near us. Just like tossing a stone into a pond, those ripples it creates, flow out and affects others.
This section will have lots of different things on the topic of creativity and adding to it regularly, perhaps you'll find something that speaks to you or fits your life. May your creative side flourish and prosper as never before, and may it be a blessing both to you and to those around you.
By Valerie Garner, mother and proud grandma. The Comfortable Life is a resource guide featuring many ideas for making life more comfortable, on a wide range of topics. Finance, creativity, beauty, health and more. Visit today at http://www.thecomfortablelife.com
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The true unadorned truth about becoming a work at home Cafepress.com shopkeeper "Wanna-A-Be!"
A few months ago, I accidentally found the Cafepress.com site as I was deleting the porn collection from my son's computer. Guess he must have gotten side-tracked a bit and found Cafepress! (Somebody must have some really juicy keywords working very well! Wonder if I can borrow them?)
As I was scoping out the sight looking for the airbrushed pictures (Sorry guys, but it's true) of naked women that my dearly departed son had collected (No, I didn't kill him … just maimed him a little), I took the needed break to read and analyze the marketing concept of Cafepress. I was hooked!
Immediately, I ran to my "porn-free" computer and started out on the adventure of my life! Honestly …this Domestic Goddess was looking for a little more excitement than making beds, cleaning the cat's litter box, and the unsatisfying emotional rewards that scrubbing toilets offered.
Now most rational people would assume that you'd need some tiny degree of computer knowledge before embarking upon such an adventure. But due to the un-debatable fact that I am a stubborn lady and anything but rational, I didn't let that stop me. No sir-e-e-e!
I threw up (no, not vomited) a few designs and sat back waiting for the millions to roll in! I sat and waited, I sat and waited some more, nothing happened except my butt going numb. What could possibly be the problem as the world should be knocking at my shop door?!
Finally in desperation of the self-seeking validation of my talented efforts (and because my butt had turned blue due to lack of circulation), I decided to check out the Cafepress Message Board forum. Honestly, I thought it was an arena to send a message to the Cafepress staff on how to deliver the bounty from my world shaking t-shirt and gift designs!
Upon reading hundreds of postings from folks all over the world, I soon discovered I was not only in the dark, but the lights had gone out and nobody was at home in my approach. Ya'll (from Tennessee, get over it!) will understand when I say that all the folks in the forum were talking about SEO, HTML, KEYWORDS, etc. I had no clue what those were, so I ran out to my local bookstore (Yes, folks in Tennessee do read) and approached the ten year old clerk of the store asking for books on the topics.
"Excuse me young lady, do you have any books on Sex Equals Opportunity, and How To Make Love internet books?" After all, I did find Cafepress in my son's porn collection!
Once I explained what I was trying to find and the laughter subsided (about an hour), she loaded me up with every Dummies and Idiot books she could find. Then we all prayed over them, I paid the bill and took my leave in red-faced embarrassment.
I am happy to report that I now know that PC is not an abbreviated term for "pretty cute" and a few "good shoppers" have actually bought and paid for my wares! (Applause, applause) Miracles never cease!
The moral of the story is (Bet you thought we'd never get there!), the world is made of many people just like myself (Heaven forbid!) and you may find yourself feeling like I did when I hit the wall of setting up a "work at home" internet business. But hang in there, the light bulb will switch on (mine's ten watts) and eventually illuminate your way to fame and fortune. Okay, okay …a tiny little fame and teeny fortune.
Working at home offers the hope of unspoken dreams for many folks. Are they attainable? Yes, but not without the work it takes to make any dream come true. Hang in there and keep at it. (Hey, I'm not throwing in the towel anytime soon - but I might have to launder it!)
Just send up a flair for help on the internet and knowledgeable folks will come running to help you with all the marketing and website promotional information you could possibly need. Just remember to get out of the house once in awhile and enjoy the world we live in.
Gotta' run and filter my son's computer as he's been looking especially happy the last few days. That rubber smile is a dead giveaway!
Keep the faith and hang in there. Hey, if I can do it … anyone can do it!
Websites: SagArt T-Shirt Designs http://www.sagart.net
Children's T-Shirt Teacher http://www.t-shirtteacher.com
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