Spotlight Sunday - Wendi May New - illustration, silk painting, design work (digital)

Shockingly another week has gone by and already it Spotlight Sunday time again....so make yourself a cuppa, pull up a chair and be prepared to be inspired.....
What’s your name?Wendi May New
In what form does your creating take?illustration, silk painting, design work (digital)
Describe your business? murals mostly at the mo


What are you offering?
I can help with lots of things - quite diverse, keen and enthusiastic, like learning new things and trying new things
willing to share ideas and also my skills

How did you get started on your present art/craft?

I went through art college and then taught in various establishments and met a lot of makers along the way and picked up a lot of skills

In a word, describe your creative process?detailed, intricate, colourful chaos


What inspires you the most?mostly visual things, everyday things, being outside, talking with other artists, === probably a crap answer!!
but i love getting ideas from vintage textiles, colourful objects, unusual scenes at a jumble sale - people watching --

Who inspires you the most?Other artists - contemporary illustrators

Where does the magic happen?in my dining room and cupboard under the stairs lol xxx

What’s the most valuable piece of advice you can give someone considering starting up a business as a creator?

Keep doing it - you can only please yourself and if you are happy your work will oooze this emotion which will make it an object of desire

Where else can you and or your work be found on-line?

Blog: http://wendiwobble.blogspot.com

Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/wendiwobble

Thank you Wendi for taking part and I know you have agreed to writing some articles for this blog. I've seen her work in the flesh so to speak and it's truly amazing!

Feel The Fear.....and do it anyway!

Whatever you may think and feel while reading this blog, I want to share this with you:

As a fellow creator, I am no different to you. I have had the same doubts, the same anxieties, the same insecurities and the same fears as you feel. Ironically it was during a time of great illness (cancer to be precise) that I started to read positive thinking and self awareness books.



One book in particular comes back to me over and over again and it is with the highest recommendation that I suggest this to you.
The book is 'Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway' by Susan Jeffers.

The book will teach you how to turn your fears and indecision into confidence and action.
Many creators feel the fear. What if no-one will like it, what if no-one will buy it, what if I fail, what if.......
Ahhhh.....but the point here is 'What If'.....they DO like it? What if it DOES sell, What if you DON'T!


Unless you try and at least have a go, then you will never know. It's easy to buy all the gear and never get started.....why? Because of your fear of failing? Let me tell you right now.....There is NO such thing as FAILURE! It's a word that need eradicating from the dictionary! 


Surely it's better to try than never try at all. And surely trying something and finding that that particular thing does not work is a success because it may just lead you onto something else.
I started my creative career doing something completely different....in fact I have had 2 other businesses before this one. Both I gave up, but boy did I learn so much from both of them.
From the first I learnt to teach groups of people, something that would stand me in good stead when I taught at Further Education many years later. It taught me how to teach a structured craft class and how to communicate with different type of learning models.


The second taught me how to sell my work....to the general public and later to approach shops and outlets. Neither of the first two made me a fortune, but the valuable lessons learnt were priceless.


So....be brave......take the bull by the horns and make a start. If that fear is still inside you try this:
Take a sheet of paper and fold it in half. On the left side write a list of what you fear most about starting to create and on the right what have you got to gain if it works!


Then tear the sheet in 2 and taking the right hand list, pin that somewhere where it is visible daily and often, say the fridge door perhaps.....remind yourself EVERY TIME you see that piece of paper WHY you want to create.
Question: What holds you back?

If there is something in particular I will write an article sometime soon, because you can be sure, if you are being held back by something or have some doubt or fear.....then someone else will have.
So.....Feel That Fear..... AND DO IT ANYWAY!

Please feel free to leave a comment... 

We love hearing from you!

Article (c) Sue Simpson

Inspired by Script and North Yorkshire Weddings

Finding Time

Oddly enough, I find that women have a far harder time, finding time to create than men. Women always seem to need a reason for doing something creative......while men just do it.

I'm wondering if this is related to when kids come along, time is at a premium and we take on more responsibility, because I have certainly found that mothers in particular struggle with finding time.

Creating is something they tend to 'fit in' after all the other chores have been attended to and then they are usually too bushed to actually do anything.

Many times there is an overwhelming sense of guilt attached to this 'me' time. But, when examining it closer the problem seems to be self induced. I think that partners, husbands and the kids certainly benefit from having a happy, creative mother around and the kids can often be given their own 'workstation' to be made to feel a part of it all. If this is not possible you can always wait till the kids are in bed or at school.

One of the most important things however is to schedule in your time. Jot it on the calendar. An hours creating every day may not seem much, but multiply this by 5 days and then by 52 weeks and you will soon see how the hours stack up...around 250 hours a year.

The trick here is to block it in and do nothing else....just create. Within just 4 weeks you will see how the small pieces of your creativeness stack up, this then will help you carry on to make more. Little and often is the key and do not be distracted by anything else. The washing, hoovering, bed making.... and the ever growing list of other things that busy mums have to do will not suffer because you took an hour off, If anything you will find that because you have LESS time, the chores get done a lot quicker.

You owe it to your partner and kids. Frustration for not being able to create, often laden with excuses as to why you haven't, can lead to resentment. Better to have a cluttered happy home, than one where you can eat off the floor but the occupants are miserable.

Two quotations spring to mind here:

Creative Clutter is better than idle neatness.
and......

A tidy house is the sign of a sick mind.

Why not write them out and pin them up for all your visitors to see :o)

Happy creating to all domestic Goddesses out there!

Please feel free to leave a comment... 

We love hearing from you!

Article (c) Sue Simson
Inspired by Script and North Yorkshire Weddings

Buy UK Handmade Canpaign!

UK Handmade is launching a campaign to get people buying Handmade and supporting independent designers and makers throughout the UK.
Sign their pledge and join the cause! http://ukhandmade.co.uk/buy-handmade-campaign



Go and have a look and add the badge and link to your blog and or website! Support hand made!

Calling All Creators - Spotlight Sunday

It's my intention to highlight and spotlight makers and shakers by way of sending them an email and asking some questions on about their creating and what motivates them Are you a Maker or Shaker that would like to take part?

This is YOUR opportunity to show off your Art/Craft/Designs, Blog and/or Website to the outside world..... the questions are as follows...

What’s your name?

Where are you based?

In what form does your creating take?

Describe your business?

What are you offering?

How did you get started on your present art/craft?

In a word, describe your creative process?

What inspires you the most?

Who inspires you the most?

Where does the magic happen?

What’s the most valuable piece of advice you can give someone considering starting up a business as a creator?

Any other advice?

Where else can you and or your work be found on-line?

Website:

Blog:

Etsy:

Folksy:

Facebook:

Twitter:

Would you like to write articles for this blog?

Any particular field of expertise?

Please feel free to attach any photos and other information, including Q&A that can be used in the blog post to help promote your work. And thank you for taking the time and effort to answer these questions. Cut, copy and paste these questions along with any photos to:inspiredbyscript@yahoo.co.uk

Exposing yourself or Flashing for Beginners

Ok…..so you are new to this Making and Shaking business. You love creating, but haven’t a clue where to start when it comes to ‘Putting It Out There’ right? You hate the very idea of the word ‘Marketing’ and would prefer to stay away from such stuff….but the bottom line is this:

No publicity = no sales

And whether you like it or not you HAVE to get into the mode of thinking, that if you don’t ‘Put It Out There’ no one will find you…..EVER!

One of the first things I suggest you do, it get yourself a blog! Personally I prefer http://blogger.com rather than wordpress (and I have tried both) mainly for it’s ease of use and uncomplicated instructions. Very soon you will be on your way. 


Another great thing about Blogger, is it's supported by Google so with regular postings you will soon find yourself up the ranks and being found by people from all over the world!

Take pictures of EVERYTHING YOU CREATE...all of your work, add them to your blog and write a little about your thought process, the way you created it and engage with others to make a comment.

Comment on others blogs too, so they can trackback and have a look at yours, this way a large network of other creators is born. If you want to see how I did this, look at the first blog I created ‘The Creative Spirit’. I made a huge variety of friends and you will find them in the side bar.

Look at otherscraftersblogs to find inspiration and decide how you want your blog to look. There are many variations. 

The Creative Spirit was originally formed as an on-line journal of my life. I never expected anyone to find it never mind read it! Sadly, at the time I was not focused on the reason for the blog and I tended to jump around a little…. It ended up being more of a gossip blog….so learn from me and stay focused in your intentions.

Your blog is to showcase and share your work! Later when you have opened a shop or have a website, you will have a ready made following who you can direct to your items for sale.

One last thing….when you have created your blog or if your already have one, leave a comment on this post so others can also find you :o)


Please feel free to leave a comment... 
We love hearing from you!


(c) Sue Simpson - Inspired by Script and North Yorkshire Weddings

Starting anew!

I first created this blog a year ago.... but life got in the way. For some time I have been helping others start off their own small businesses, usually in encouragement only but sometimes in an advisory way.

As a way for starting afresh, I've sent the old post into 'Draft' and over time I will re look at and re edit the posts and try and bring them more up to date.

A lot has changed in a year. I have changed, my business has changed and my experience of running your own small business has changed and I hope I (and anyone else that wants to join in) will help each other, comment, share their work as well as their ideas and help form a great new community.

I started a new blog.... and suddenly came across this one.... same thoughts, same ideas, but with a different title. So, that's my reason for rehashing this old lady. Breathing new life into her and hopefully, with far more commitment this time!

I hope in time, you will feel comfortable and confident enough to wave a big hello, come out of your hermit like room and interact with us all, so we can get to know each other.

So, I raise my glass to a bright new blog and looking forward to meeting new friends.

(c) Sue Simpson
Inspired by Script and North Yorkshire Weddings