Round and round we go

Just finished this week's Twitter webinar, which got me looking through and searching in Twitter for any references to anything in my bizness.

Found this Capital Gains article, which I knew was being written, but hadn't realized was out.

I also found some very interesting people today. It's starting to get fun.

The class was about how to keep Twitter from taking over your life. So far, not a problem.

Celebrity Gift Opportunities

Recently I've had some contacts from people who want to include the CADDi in "celebrity gift bags". It sounds fun, but in the end you give them product and pay a HEFTY fee to them- all on the off chance that your product MAY get in the hands of, or be seen getting used by, some (unidentified) celeb circle.

Someone just passed this article along. I think it gives a great overview of the celeb-gift experience. Even if you don't plan to work with something like this, it's interesting reading.

Enjoy.

Fairy Houses at Mackerel Sky

I'm really thrilled that Mackerel Sky has agreed to show my fairy houses at the gallery. I LOVE Mackerel Sky and think the fairies will, too.
For what it's worth, the fairy houses are safe, slightly protected, out of doors till frost. Some sit on surfaces, others can hang from a walls, or trees. Some have copper hanger, so they can go in trees.

Mackerel Sky is showing the full spectrum, from teeny to dramatic.

Fairy houses are great for house-warming or wedding gifts and come with a card, reminding you to invite your fairy and, along with that, just a little joy.

I hope folks like them, so I can keep making them.

Catching Up.

It's been a full week.

Swimming in the Twitter pool has been interesting and I'm still curious enough to pursue.

I GOT MY ISBN # for E is for Entrepreneur - this is more exciting than I thought it would be...I mean, really - our dates have consisted of bookstores for years, so having my own number is just plain cool.

Got the PayPal button on the site for the book, so people can reserve a copy at this point. I'm hoping to have it to the printer by the end of next week and it's only a couple of weeks out from that for the book itself.

We posted All Dogged Up for sale. A hard decision, but none of has time to take it where it needs to go. We are very proud of the work and it was really amazing to look at it all and realized we'd accomplished it on basically an hour a week of planning (cannot count the hours in foundation work, but that's done - the fun stuff is what's ahead and we still can't do it - too many hats).

Two new clients this week and both very nice.

Women's Caring Program volunteering coming along - developing a system so people can have parties to raise $$ for working families needing daycare.

Still seeing orders of CADDis and sent some off to a big event in Chicago - only had to send 6, but will have info in 600 bags for guests - a very nice trade-off for me!

Had some labels made for CADDis, so am offering just a few with the ORAL image just for fun.

Might paint the studio - maybe it's the cold winter, but I'm feeling the need for something a little less neutral. Got a gorgeous hooked rug wall-piece (at last year's Women's Caring Program silent auction) with rich colors and want to show those off a bit...feel the warmth.

Am starting to get a rythm for going into the Walnut studio and working. I LOVE this space - the most peaceful room I've ever had for making art. A little clay, so painting, some fibers. Trying to just have fun making marks...it's working!

So, lots of hats, as usual, but they're all fitting pretty well right now.

Good info on Social Networking

And so it begins. Found this through a Twitter profile and her site is full of juicy and helpful tidbits and articles.
Check it out:http://kelbycarr.com/

Interesting Article

Just a little food for thought -
The Science of Entrepreneurship

FLIPPED OUT!

Fun day - my spouse got me one of the FLIP cameras, so I'm going to have to record a few things - starting with my dog's compulsive licking and this gorgeous snowy day, but there'll be tons. I'm not a huge taker of pictures, but the idea of having sound, too, is great. This is such a great little tool.

And - the Twitter thing is proving interesting. I've signed up for a workshop to learn more - have some catching up to do. I played with getting an image on my profile and finding people and such.

Something new every day...just the way I like it.

Twitter and Get the Dash

Today I joined Twitter and have to say I'm actually pretty excited. It feels like a good fit. I've been tiptoeing around it, but yesterday, at the suggestion of my LWL leader, listened to a webiniar about Twitter etiquette.
It was put on by this woman (Laura Roeder) who really knows her stuff and explains it well. She has a workshop I think I'll do in coming weeks to really get a handle on it.

Here's something cool - Getthedash.com.
You sign up and Laura gives little weekly assignments which will help you fine-tune your social-media effectiveness. It's just a little something you can do each week, but in asking this, she helps you think about much more than the assignment - what are you trying to accomplish? Who is your audience? It's really fun and a little bit exciting. But then, I was one of those who always loved school.

E-signature - learning curve of the day

After watching a video, reading lots of how-to's and instructions, I finally got a signature for some of my e-mails. When I typed text in the text area, nothing worked. There was a CHOOSE component at play here and I didn't know how to prep a text file to be chosen, so I took a leap and chose a j-peg. That worked - j-peg in an area calling for text.

This took an hour. I was hoping to have a link, but that's not signature 101 and I need a break before I try html...a break and a mentor, but I'm determined to figure all of this out.

At least I have SOMEthing for today.

Linked in - so what?

Apparently I'm not alone in not quite GETTING LinkedIn

Peter Shankman just wrote: "Do you use LinkedIn?" Everyone raises their hands.
Then I ask,"Anyone know what to do with it?" And everyone gets quiet, and
looks at their water pitchers. That's probably because they haven't
read Jason Alba's new book, "I'm on LinkedIn, Now What?" - This is
like the bible for LinkedIn - Check it out on Amazon here:
http://tinyurl.com/ddgnhz - Then check out Jason's blog behind the
book: http://imonlinkedinnowwhat.com/ - Good stuff.

CADDi moment

Hi. I just got this comment:

...this image - reminds me of coming down my icy outdoor stairs, carrying briefcase,bag and baggage -- AND coffee mug -- wishing I could find my caddi. I Need another one! (Or two)!!
Frances Doezema

I call it the CADDi moment - I love it when people tell me they really could have used a CADDi, or had that moment when they truly understand the point of it.

Thanks, Frances - made my day!

SparkPlugging

Here's a new resource (at least to me): SparkPlugging - a networking community for at-home workers.

Type A Moms

Just got listed at this site - a fun networking place for moms in business.
Worth checking it out, for sure.

Detour to Entrepreneurial Motherlode

I just had a one-hour detour in the middle of writing this entry.
1. I was looking for the Biggby/Bob Fish article in Entrepreneur Magazine. They were sold out.
2. I DID find another publication by them (I think)- a quarterly called Entrepreneur's StartUps.
which is one cool thing to read.
3. In looking for a web-site to mention here I ended up logging in, profiling up, and deciding this is an amazing site. It's full of blogs and ways to look at and connect your business (though there is no listing - there never is- for commercial illustration and I REFUSE to stick myself in arts and crafts (no disrespect - it's just not the same).

I recommend this as worth checking out.

Now, I think I'm going to go spend some more time exploring there, myself.