Weekly-ish notes on navigating big change

Good Shtuff

The Adventures

Each week is an adventure. And each week I take a minute to acknowledge it, right here.

Let's try something new this week, inspired by Ali.

This week, I am…

Trucks of pumpkins = my new favorite thing.

Delighting over pumpkin trucks.

Still thinking about last night's dinner: roasted tomatoes & garlic, blended up into pasta sauce. Simple+perfect.
Roasting tomatoes and garlic for the easiest pasta sauce (blend up with a bit of salt and fresh basil.)

3 hours in & nearly all my list is marked off! #reasonstotakeeveryFridayoff

Marking things off my list.

Just realized I have a date with my favorite new mama tomorrow...and I didn't have any baked goods. Pumpkinish Spice Cupcakes to the rescue.

Perfecting a Pumpkin Spice cupcake.

On either side of me. Time for bed?

Snuggling Andre + Beau.

After a year of near-veganism, I think I finally figured it out. (the secret: buy way more veggies than you think, or else you'll order a pizza on Wed night)

Reveling in the farmer's market bounty.

My first cup from new pour over (also, first cup made at home in years)

Sipping coffee from my new  pour-over coffeemaker. Pumpkin Spice Lattes at home? Yes!

And…
Anticipating Gone Girl (it finally came in at the library, I'm waiting for the weekend)

Sending this to everyone. ( #14 is our mantra.)

Winding endless skeins (625 yards each!) of hemp laceweight for a wholesale order (in Norway!)

Collecting success stories from Starship Captains. It is amazing what people have done in even 3 months inside. It's really making my week, every week.

Connecting in new and interesting ways. From videos with Kim to planning with Cairene to editing with Diane. It feels good to get out of my own head + notebook and see the world with someone else.

Exploring a new way of working. As I let go of old projects, I get to explore how I want it to be, with how I want to feel, and what I want to create. Every project, old and new, is up for renewal. It's both terrifying and thrilling.

 

 

 

What adventures did you have this week?

Share them here: comments.

 

The Adventures

The view

Knitting the TARDIS shawl with the Doctor.
The best thing about having a dog is that, no matter how bad I feel, I'm forced to go outside and watch for bunnies.

On rainy days I survive on soy lattes & colorful accessories.
The cats are bonding over squirrels. (I think. I can't be sure because they refuse to admit their friendship)

A stack of photos, a pile of ticket stubs and one happy Sunday afternoon to put it all together. #projectlife
Packing up monthly yarn mail! (still a few spots left - http://www.blondechicken.com/ )

Knitting with the Doctor :: bunny-spotting :: cheering color :: bonding cats :: project life-ing :: packing up Monthly Yarn Mail ::

The Finds

My new class (live next week!) with Kim, is the most exciting thing this week. The class has generated great conversations on Twitter & in my inbox. Join More Than One Thing here.

Can we just agree I'm going to love everything Cairene writes? Her series on why it takes longer than you thought is spot on.

This week's jam is PYT and (my secret shame!) MmmBop. Go on, you know you want to!

Blogsy is my new favorite app; I finished this post on my iPad while waiting.

 

And just in case…

I've been getting a really stunning amount of interview/writing requests lately. If you blog or think or wonder about crafty businesses and you'd like to ask me questions (or ask me to write about it), get in touch, right here.

 

The adventures

This week has definitely been an adventure. A travel-cross-country, get stranded in an airport, totally exhausted kind of adventure. But! I loved it! And it inspired me to add a new section to this here weekly round-up of Adventures: The Lessons. Scroll down to see 'em!

 

The view

Seattle skyline from Bainbridge Ferry :: Teaching an EtsyRAIN workshop :: Knitting the TARDIS shawl with a DALEK :: Captain Kirk's actual chair :: At the baseball game :: first Pumpkin Spice of the season, as I waited for my much-delayed flight

The lessons

Captain Kirk's chair isn't that impressive in real life (kind of a peel-y vinyl), reminding me again that the symbol is the thing, and the value we bring to objects.

Support is all around. Again and again during the trip, I'd worry about something (like which busses to take to get to my workshop, without getting sweaty) only to have support show up (within an hour, three different people texted, unprompted and offered to drive me.) This happened so many times I lost count. Note to self: Keep your eyes open, the help you need is within reach.

Setting goals is powerful. I've had a dream/wish in mind all summer, but didn't know how to make it happen. Way back in June, I wrote that I wanted the Starship to my full-time focus  by September. But it seemed impossible, so I didn't make any plans for it…and then a series of random events made it possible to extricate myself from long-term client projects (happy on all sides) and dedicate myself full-time to the Starship this month. Magical. Also, freaky.

The finds

  • Breezy – A life-saving app! I had to print worksheets for the workshop (and couldn't print them ahead of time or they'd get all squished in my luggage), and Breezy lets you send any document to any local, public printer (like, Kinkos!) right from your phone or iPad.
  • I like what Cairene is saying here about commitment leading to magic. I've been learning this lesson over and over again lately, and I'm so glad she wrote it.
  • This is a pretty impressive handknit sweater for a baseball fan. I'm kinda tempted. Recognize the pattern?
  • Marlo! We had lunch after my workshop and she is just…well, it's hard to talk about her without sounding cliched. Smart! Great! Hilarious! Also, so so in tune with what crafters need to know. Since I don't work one-on-one with clients anymore (unless you're already in the Starship), I'm referring everyone to her.

And that's it for my Adventures this week – what were yours?

 


Another lesson  learned? I love talking to you. So now, for this month only, every one boarding the Starship gets a free jam session. We'll talk about your questions, your dreams and your plans, so you enter the Starship prepared to get exactly what you need. Offer ends (and the Starship closes to new members) on 9/14.

The Adventures

Welcome to a new little weekly thing, wherein I bring together the scattered pieces of a digital life. Each Friday I share pictures (from Instagram), my favorite links (I usually tweet them), and whatever else I think you’ll like. This is totally inspired by Colleen and Elise. See all the Adventures here.

The View

My kinda beans #pink #nofilter

The colors of my morning.
Seeing Singing In The Rain. On the big screen. #bestdateever
Pink beans :: picking the right belt for my Seattle workshop :: making this hummus :: colorful morning :: seeing Singing in the Rain, in the theater!

The Places

  •  The most important thing I did all week was admit that you're dangerous…and I like it.
  • “Every project you do broadcasts your intention.” I was looking for something else, and found this, about working for free.
  • I'm totally biased, because I'm Kelly's Idea Partner (yeah, we made that up), but I'd love her Bear + Bunny videos (secretly about writing for your business) no matter what.
  • Another person I'm biased towards (because she's just that great): Cairene. And she's got an ANTHOLOGY. Read it. Now!

The Finds

  • Thanks by WS Merwin is the poem that won't leave me. We are saying thank you…
  • “Practise makes permanent. The more you practise the wrong things, the more you lay on the hard drive and the harder it is to get rid of it.”  It's about archery, but it's true about everything, don't you think? 
  • A Dr. Who inspired shawl? I'm all over it. Cast on this week!
  • If this week had a song, it'd be Brand New Key, by Mad Tea Party.
Next week I'll be adventuring on the West Coast. Do you have any suggestions (coffee, yarn, fabric, food) for Brookings, OR or Seattle? 

 

The Adventures

Welcome to a new little weekly thing, wherein I bring together the scattered pieces of a digital life. Each Friday I share pictures (from Instagram), my favorite links (I usually tweet them), and whatever else I think you’ll like. This is totally inspired by Colleen and Elise. See all the Adventures here.

The View

Anniversary dinnerIs there anything better than getting real mail, so sweet and handwritten you tear up? Thanks, @lindsaydrake, for cheering up my afternoon!

Farmer's market haul (we found a local grower of chile peppers) :: Quilting with The Doctor :: Roasting :: Anniversary dinner :: Thanks

The Places

  • Monday I started a Grand Experiment and asked you to join me. Have you?
  • After the Experiment started, the scaring-myself just didn't stop, with thoughts on commitments and crickets.
  • I've been using the Translation Guide on my client's work for years, but I finally shared how to make it work on your own, right here on Rena Tom's lovely site.

The Finds

  • I'm probably the last person in the world to discover the joy that is Dr. Who. My extended family has been into it since the 70s, and of course the whole knitting world has been laughing at the inside jokes since forever…but Kyla's claim that it really is that good finally flipped the switch. And it flipped hard. After just one week we're on Season 2 and going around saying “Exterminate!” in screechy scary voices. I might even be having dreams about it.
  • My new favorite thing is Literary Jukebox. A song paired with a quote. This is my favorite. But this one too. Just listen to them all, ok?
  • I found this great handmade bag, thanks to Twitter. But I still can't decide between it or this one.
  • A good chunk of this week was fixing up the email adventures I send out. Now you can get all the blog goodness in your inbox. Clickety Clack.

The Adventures

This week was full of real-life adventures (I traveled solo) and internal adventures (family) and crafty adventures (quilting).

The view

Starting a four-day solo adventure. #selftimer The new shoes are a perfect match for my kindergartener-appropriate outfit
My week is full of meeting babies. Today: Flash the lamb.
3 days with mom = 2 quilts. Of course.
No one looks cool singing aloud on the car
Finished top, ready for quilting.

Farmer's Market score :: vegan smore's :: driving :: new shoes :: lamb! :: quilting :: singing along to FUN! :: finished quilt top

The finds

This week I was almost entirely offline. My short time online (1 hour every morning) was spent entirely inside my new class. Even so, I managed to stumble across a few internet wonders:

If you're at Stitches Midwest, stop by booth 631 and say hello to my publisher! And get some lovely yarn from Starshipper Riin in booth 327.

 

What adventures did you have this week?

The Adventures

Welcome to a new little weekly thing, wherein I practice noticing the week's good and gathering it one place. Each Friday I share pictures (from Instagram), my favorite links (I usually tweet them), and whatever else I think you’ll like. This is totally inspired by Colleen and Elise.

This week was all about getting ready for next week's class. Not just because it's a lot of work, but because this is very rare for me. If you look around this site, you'll notice that there's not a lot going on publicly. I don't have one-on-one consulting open to the public, I no longer do small classes, and I don't have many products for sale. There's the book and Map-Making Guide (each around $25) and then…the Starship. Which is a one year, $500 investment. If you wanted to get my take on something, or just learn from one class, there's not a lot of opportunity for that. Monday's class is only the second one I've offered all year. But I do teach classes monthly, I answer people's questions daily, and I brainstorm and problem-solve  live for over 30 craftybusinesses every week…inside the Starship or with my long-time clients.

So this, this 8 day, $50 class, which comes with lessons and one-on-one conversations and question-answering – it's all the awesomeness of the Starship, but in a tiny, easy to digest bite. That's great for you, but it's challenging for me. Its a bit vulnerable to put out a class that might or might not fill up. To dive into something short-term so fully and boldly. To risk and to pursue, without getting a big commitment in return. It's an opening up (and it's kinda uncomfortable).

But!

This opening is a fractal. Both a sign and cause for openings all over the place this week.  I took part in my first on-air broadcast. In it, I spoke honestly about the wretchedly overwhelming year that came after I quit my dayjob.  I encountered (gently, and quietly) a personal pain I've been avoiding for a long time. I cleared up and automated my finances, so that I'm making measurable movement towards my goals. I created (and found a sponsor for) a live event in Seattle.* I got my first royalty check.

Here's what all that opening looked like:

 

Goodness from the Farmer's Market :: Sliced peaches for this cobbler:: Knitting with my Starship Captain inspiration :: a homemade vegan coconut mocha frappuccinno to power the live video chat :: celebrating with Your Sister's Sister in the sofa cinema

 

The places + finds

  • The video chat! I learned SO much from the smarties who shared their stories. You can watch the whole thing at the bottom of this page.
  • Wanna get your own royalty check? My publisher is teaching a class called Get Published. Check it!
  • I wrote about Speaking your Customer's Language over at Rena Tom
  • Yesterday was National Ice Cream Sandwich Day! My favorite favorite vegan treat is this sandwich. YUM.
  • In my work with Vianza, I discovered and fell in love with the packaging vegan body goods from LOVE + TOAST. Then, yesterday, I stumbled on them at my grocery store and scored some shampoo. Today my hair smells (and feels) fabulous.

 

*Details of the Seattle event coming soon, but for now mark your PacNW calendars for September 1 at Noon.

 


A friendly reminder: If you want to craft a blog that works for your specific business, today's the last day to register for Crafting an Effective Blog. Don't dawdle!

The Adventures

Welcome to a new little weekly thing, wherein I practice being me, here. Each Friday I’ll share pictures (from Instagram), my favorite links (I usually tweet them), and whatever else I think you’ll like. This is totally inspired by Colleen and Elise.

 

The view

This is a two-notebook day. #brewingaqesomesauce
Catching up #projectlife
Striping away. #knitting
#nofilter #blueskies
Dal Makhti (with cashew cream), samosa-stuffed potatoes, jasmine rice #vegan #yum

Working on the new class, catching up on Project Life*, knitting, working at the library, Dal Makhti with cashew cream, samosa-potatoes, and jasmine rice

The finds

 

Notes to self

  • WHY + HOW: this is how I answer every idea or question, ever. Read more here.
  • I've been getting ready for the Effective Blogging class, and have been thoroughly enjoying finding all the past things I've said about the subject:

     

     

    That's it for me! Where have your adventures taken you this week?

     

     *I'm totally in love with Project Life and how it's pushed me to actually PRINT the photos I take. I've got a little system for doing it each week, but it's totally unrelated to running a craftybiz, so I'm curious: is this something you'd like to hear about? 

Radio, success, and hanging out with you

Right now (as you read this, not as I write it), I'm on a plane somewhere over the middle of the country.
Instead of waiting until I can come up with something clever or helpful to say, I'm going to share a bunch of randomness at once (much of which will be useful, I hope!)

 

 

  •  Wednesday I wrote for Handmade Success about Defining Your Own Success. This is a huge part of making a map – knowing what YOU really want and giving yourself permission to work towards that (no matter how it might compare to other businesses).  Read it here.

 

  •  I'll be in San Fransisco (for CCE! yay!) Thursday – Sunday and in Portland Monday – Thursday.  If you're in either town, I would LOVE to meet up and get to know you better (yes, you)!
    Like I said in my interview, every time I meet one of you (readers, crafters, business-builders) I get inspired and creative and have SO MUCH fun. I'd like to do MORE of this, so please, email me (taraATtaraswigerDOTcom) and we'll grab a cup of coffee together.

 

  •  Because I'll be out of town and hanging out with you, I won't be answering my emails, tweets, facebook messages in anything close to a timely manner. Thanks for your patience!

Good Shtuff: You can do it Edition

Good Shtuff is a weekly-ish (um, except I seem to have taken 2 months off) collection at what I’m reading and thinking about.

This time, it's all about the doing-it. And yeah, YOU can do it!

IMAG0679
If I can rewire my dryer, you can do ANYTHING!

Teeny tiny microsteps

The always-brilliant Victoria(shmoria!) makes doing your Thing super simple: Microsteps + Commitment = Progress. Just the reminder I needed.

Can you make a living creatively?

This week I wrote my first (in a new series) guest post for Handmade Success. I answer the oft-asked question, “Can I REALLY do this? And make a living?” Read it here.

Action via attention

My favorite can-do-ologist, Marissa, explains why sometimes you just feel like you've gotten nothing done, even when you've done bunches. Hint: pay attention to your attention.

What helpful bit of helpfulness did you read this week?
Share it in the comments!

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