Are you participating in the Good Reads 2016 challenge? I am. And already I’m ahead of schedule. Woohoo! That’s good ‘cuz who knows what the year will bring to interrupt my love for reading. Although so far, nothing has ever been able to do that!
I just finished a little book written by Austin Kleon entitled Steal Like An Artist. It’s subtitled: 10 Things Nobody Told you About Being Creative. I enjoyed it so much that I read several parts out loud to Jeff. (He just loves when I do that!) Especially the parts about having multiple projects going at one time. Kleon calls this “Practicing Productive Procrastination.” PERFECT! I have this down. I’m an expert in this and can teach others a thing or to about PPP. Chances are good you’re an expert at this, too!
What I liked best about this book wasn’t even in this book. It was Kleon’s promotional blurb about another book he’s written about self-promotion for those who don’t. (If you’re interested, it’s called Show Your Work .) Here’s what I liked:
Use your network instead of wasting time networking.
Share something new everyday (but don’t turn into human spam).
Be open, generous, brave—an artist others will steal from.
—Austin Kleon
I really like the bit about becoming “human spam.” I have been deleting my subscriptions to blogs where the author has become that yucky (?)meat. This especially includes blogs where so much advertising and self promotion makes the page time out! Two bakers whose names I won’t mention (okay, one is something about Grandbaby Cakes) have almost no new content on their blogs. Just information about book sales and book tours, yada, yada, yada. Unsubcribed! Same thing with White Threads (Vetty Creations on FB). She occasionally has something useful, but if the content isn’t about her latest book, it’s a query about a topic that you can be sure is related to research for her next book! Bye, bye! I’ve even taken breaks from Mary Corbett at times when she’s promoting a new kit or doing an infomercial for some nice but not necessary product.
While I’m constantly considering whether particular newsletters represent human spam or not, I can tell you that there are certain bloggers who I will NEVER unsubscribe from. I will not extol their virtues here. Suffice it to say they are artists who I steal from to support my own creative engine. If I’m just scanning my emails, I save theirs for later so I can savor every thought and picture. They are the ones I dote on. If these blogs aren’t on your list they should be:
- Berlin Embroidery (I know I’ve shared the link to her store, but she has great tutorials, gold work supplies, and blackwork supplies. She is also an incredible teacher and I want to know if she’s ever doing a class online or in my area.)
- Luzine Happel’s Schwalm Whitework Embroidery
- Anna Scott’s Embroidery
- Sharon Boggon’s TAST challenges
- Mabel Figworthy’s Fancies (Hardanger class/SALs are very affordable and you learn a lot, at least I do!)
- Méri’s Needle or agulhas da Méri
- Under A Topaz Sky (I love all the work I find here and have had many “ah-hah” moments when reading and drooling!)
- With Thread and Needle (Kathy’s work is impeccable and soooooo inspiring) I also follow her blog The Unbroken Thread.
- Long Dog Samplers (Of course, Julia Line must be on the list. She is one funny lady!)
- Palkó-Lap (Palko always has a SAL going on. Her thread/fiber interests are numerous and so you can find lots to love here.)
- Brodeuse Bressane (Usually a good blackwork SAL happening here, too!)
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Jeanny’s Merklapperie en nog veel meer ! (Jeanny is another impeccable stitcher. Her blog is easy to read—she lets the pictures do the talking!)
I know I’m leaving someone out, but can’t think who right now. When I think of it or more I’ll just post a sticky note and you’ll know what it’s about! Which blogs or newsletters will never be cancelled by you? That you think everyone would just love? That isn’t human spam? (By the way, I also have knitting, quilting, lace making and cooking blogs to live by as well. I can list them if you want? Would love to know about your other must read blogs, too!)
Oh, and I’ve been “working,” too. I’ve started developing the schema and collecting ideas for images for the Confessions of a Pagan Nun sampler I want to make. The author, Kate Horsley, gave me permission to use my favorite line from her book! This is the line:
Use words to please, to instruct, to soothe; then stop speaking.—Kate Horsley
And, of course, stitching and knitting. (The links are not showing up with the pics, let me know if you want to know where to find these free patterns.) Started to tangle, too. Take a look and maybe drop a line my way!
The Shop Sampler 