Kelly Rae Roberts's Blog, page 52

Motherhood + Business: Hannah Marcotti

I've been thinking about launching this new series for a long, long time and I'm delighted to launch it today!  The goal? To share brave, honest, sometimes hilarious stories of how we hold it all together in one breath and let it all go in another. I want to share stories of what mamahood + biz really looks like, and demystify the idea that we can’t do both well....because I believe that we can do both really well.
As a newish mom I created these questions as a way for me to sit and pause inside the wisdom of the mothers who are ahead of me. I'm deeply interested in hearing what they have to say about how they manage, how they cope, how they do their work in the world while also being fully present in the center of their motherhood journey. I need the examples, the stories, the truth.

 (Hannah, me - few weeks ago)
When I met Hannah a few weeks ago, I was deeply struck by how solid she is. Calm, centered, peaceful...I just wanted to be around her for a long time and absorb her energy. I also wanted to talk to her about motherhood, business, anxiety, creativity, tribes, family, sensitivity...everything. Later, I asked her if she would participate in this new Q+A series because I deeply knew I needed to read her answers to these questions. I knew she could inspire me - a newish mom on this amazingly wild ride - to pause for a few moments and soak in bits of clarity and wisdom. I knew she could offer up peaceful examples, suggestions, and a sort of perspective that I would understand and get. And that's exactly what she has offered up here in her thoughtful, brilliant answers.

Get ready to be inspired. To be struck. To pause for several moments while letting her thoughts sink in.  This is a woman who has done the work - her soul work - and she continues to live and breathe that work and offer it up to those of us who need the reminder to do the same. And please be sure to check out her website where you can read all about her amazing business guiding women to their highest potential.


::SPIRIT::What makes you come alive?
A kiss on the back of my neck, kissing my little’s necks, a steaming mug of coffee (decaf, non flavored with coconut milk) in a huge white mug, watching a child blow a dandelion puff and wish so deeply, dairy/gluten-free chocolate pudding pie, daydreaming in my minivan, the goosebumps remembrance of falling in love, a glass of red wine while creating my work, waking from a dream that feels real, letters from women all about their acceptance of change, a new idea (oh-my-lord!), connecting to a soul-sister, bracelets sparkling on my wrists, that first moment you smell the beach air and feel the softness in your hair, moving furniture, new gorgeous fabrics to wear, when words flow from a place I can only imagine is ultimate beauty, white stones, feathers flowing, pulling weeds, candles dancing, holding hands in silence, that look in someone’s eyes that sends little sparks of knowing into your core, being with myself and capturing photos and stories of all of it.



::VALUES::What matters to you most?
Trust and truth. Not the dictionary versions but the lived versions. How those two things are scary and beauty all at the same time. I desire them, I don’t always live them. I crave the level of trust with people so that when the truth is what is spoken or heard, I am safe. We are safe, together. Trust and I are working on a new way of being together. Age will do that to you.

Magic. Magical people, places, moments - these are must haves in my life. I stop making sense without the connection to the beauty of magic inside what/whom I love.

Deep connection. Giggles, tears, sweat, near or far. Touch. Words exchanged. Compliments that move you to tears.

Joy. The soft, cozy, deliciousness of knowing that joy was born inside of me and everyday I get to choose to shine that light. Or fight it.

Being Real. Always feeling like I’m different depending on who I am with. I struggle with how to be the same in different parts of my life. I value the realness of knowing that I’m getting closer each year to being one self. One whole. One love.

 ::BOUNDARIES::How has being a mom changed your boundaries & priorities when it comes to your business? What do you find yourself saying NO to, when you used to say YES?
When I was pregnant with my third child I knew that a part of me no longer was alive and that I had to find a way to connect back to her. I had been living only as a mother and the creative side of me was coming out in craft projects with the kiddos and elaborate birthday party themes! But I was depressed. Anxious.

I initially started my work with the mission of connecting women back to themselves, because that is what was on a mission to do.

Life changed quickly. I no longer was lazy nursing, I was nursing while writing blog posts. I started to say yes to things I never thought I would. Like the ipad my little one is on while I’m typing these words, although that also comes with having two older siblings who teach the little one how to use an ipad!

I went from a rather social mama to really needing my introverted ways. Mothering makes us social by default, I had to learn to be more out in the world on playgrounds, talking to other mothers or in La Leche League meetings when I had my first two because I was so lonely and the kids needed interaction. Every day we had something going on.

With my business, I craved quiet space to create and write and dream. Finding a way to treat my business as a real part of my world meant finding help with the kids. That was hard for me. The hardest thing for me is reaching out for help. This business has given me the opportunity to work those muscles time and time again. Still learning this one.

I do say no to spending 3 hours on a weekend at some crazy over-stimulating birthday party with one of the kid’s friends (or sending their dad!). I’ve been lucky that so far I have just put my trust in my gut. When women started asking me to meet them for tea or have phone calls to talk about their businesses, I knew I would need to start to draw boundaries.

So I created a whole new coaching service for them. That is a great way to make a boundary and magic all at the same time!

Because I never had this business without the craziness of being a mom, I don’t know what it would be like to have great expanses of time to work. I learn how to fit days into hours and to let go of things that aren’t feeling good to my spirit.

I would be considered a work-aholic at any other job. Because my business is my joy it is tough for me to not blur the lines. My clients laugh at me because the kids have all made appearances in my videos. On the porch one day I was making a video for one of my programs about surrender and how it changes our lives when we can embrace it and my three year old says, “Mama, see that lady bug?” He continues to talk about lady bugs and I pause for him and his special moment. Great teaching moment of surrendering to perfection or how it should go.

I don’t have an office, I have a porch, a couch, a bed and a table in my teeny tiny home. If I need to make a video from my minivan my daughter might be incorporated into it because she came with me to the coffee shop while I work.

My business was born because of my motherhood. For this I am forever grateful.



::DAILY RITUALS::How do you structure your day? When do you rest, when do you create, and how do you summon the energy to show up for your kids, while running a business?
My day starts with sleeping as long as I can before all three kinds pile in or the dog makes his needy sounding noise. Making it to 7:30 am is awesome! I pray each day that I can wake up to a house without fighting, but that clearly does not always happen with all of these pairs of little feet running around.

I like to catch up on emails in the morning. So if the two big kids are at school or camp Lucas (3 year old) and I have work time. He’ll either go out and ride his bike or on the ipad and I’ll do my emails and social media. Then we need to move and groove. We walk the dog or go out together. He has been my little assistant for the last 3 years and next year will start some preschool time. Should be life changing for me. For us. I will start to lift weights again and have little meetings with friends over tea. I’m in complete happy overwhelm for what this time will open up.

My creation time is rather specific. Wed evenings I have a work night while my kids go to one of my dearest friend’s house. We have co-parented our children together since they were born. This is when I sit with my tea and then wine and create. My weekly love letter, Making Space, is always written during this time. I am a believer in being as present as I can be. After I write I will spend time in my house alone. Music, some cleaning and I cook a dinner for Patrick (my husband) and I to eat when he gets home with car full of our children. Being home alone heals me. Candles, wine, music, me.

Saturdays I will take the computer to a coffee shop and create. I catch up. I breathe into the uncomfortable places of feeling scared or comparing myself to other women by doing. the. work. Nothing changes my perspective more than a full day with lattes and creation. So today, I am sipping a soy latte, answering these beautiful questions, writing a few days of my new program, working on an about page for a new site that I am co-creating and doing my email coaching.

Creation days are days when I move through the fear. I sit in scarcity until I realize my abundance. I stare at a blank screen until the beauty soars from my soul. I let my eyes fill with tears and they become the source of my power.

Creation days are when I let myself feel.

When I get lonely I pop onto FB and start a thread, today about coffee! These days I’ve been daydreaming about a co-working day once a week or month. This has me quite jazzed up!

So that all sounds lovely, but honestly, I work all the time. I fit in a blog post when inspiration hits whenever I can. Often I am up way too late at night, currently working on changing this habit. Last night I took all the kids to the beach knowing that I would be off in creation today. We had such a beautiful time, we filled up on each other and today I am able to have that space.

Energy is a natural extension of doing what I love and when it burns out I know I am depleted and not showing up for myself. I struggle with asking for space. That is why I teach how to make space, it is my most beautiful and terrifying journey.



::VISION::What kind of world are you trying to create for your child to grow up in?
A world where they can step into their joy and passion and it isn’t seen as odd but the norm. A place where we don’t use paper cups and overflow landfills. One where choices are a gorgeous extension of living, not a place of anxiety. A world where when they shop they don’t have to go to special stores that don’t have BPA lining in the cans. A world where every front yard is a garden, not grass. I want love for them. A place where mystics dance around trees and we don’t think that is odd because they are healing our world.

::MELT-DOWNS::Have you ever had a full-on, grown-up-lady tantrum or puddle-of-mush meltdown? (Be honest.) What triggered it? What was the lesson, for you?
A few years ago I found myself on the kitchen floor sobbing. Perhaps less of a melt-down - those I think I have on a daily basis - but a breakdown.

I wasn’t showing up as the mother I wanted to be and as a Highly Sensitive Person I was constantly triggered into anger at my kids. It was me not knowing how to process being so overstimulated all the time. Noise is a big one for me and I have 3 kids. I don’t live on a farm. I run a business in a tiny home. I felt like I was living a double life.

My husband after one of my anger bursts, combination of exhaustion and stimulation, said, “I don’t think the women you work with would even recognize you if they saw you at home.”

It was a defining moment for me. I am honored that my husband felt strong enough to say that to me. I sat on the floor sobbing, sobbing for what seemed like hours. What came to me after the release of tears and my kids coming to sit next to me, no talking, just touching me, was what changed everything.

I knew that I wasn’t alone. I knew that I couldn’t be the only person who felt like the work they were doing was in opposition to their truth. I know that we teach what we most need to learn. And so I wrote about that moment and from then on decided to have as much transparency as I could in my writing so that women who were gifting me with their time and energy would know that they were not alone. I photograph my jiggly belly. I talk about my marriage almost falling apart. I take pictures of my dirty dishes.

I’ve spent years now trying to understand my HSP nature without being medicated and it is a lot of work. I don’t always feel like a great mother because I am highly reactive, but I know that this is one of my lessons to learn and teach. For that I am filled with grateful. And it is really hard.



::AWESOMENESS::What is the BEST thing about being a mom and an entrepreneur?
I work in my pajamas from the couch, or the porch while the kids ride bikes. When my daughter makes little cartoons about her mother helping women or writes stories about me. That I can model pride, abundance and joy.

The pride that I feel in my belly when I pay for camp, groceries, travel and new shoes. And I hear the whisper of, “I did that, I created this. From only my soul.”

::BALANCE::For you, is balance a myth or something you reach for - tell us your philosophy, your secrets, your ideas.
I think the word is gorgeous. My daughter has developmental coordination disorder, which for her meant crawling, walking, climbing stairs took more work and practice. She is a bit clumsy and awkward running or moving around space. I watch as her body is always seeking balance. One side of her body has to work harder than the other. She moves in and out of balance without grace but with pure desire.

This is how I feel balance is in my life. I am moving in and out of balance without grace but full of pure desire. So it continues, the highs and lows.



::LESSONS DISGUISED AS AWFUL-NESS::Your biggest struggle? How do you handle/manage/cope?
The irony of me doing this whole business thing is that I am not organized. I procrastinate until the final hour. I love the rush of adrenalin. I have no concept of grammar and my husband tells me I make verbs nouns. My virgo self is so not hanging out in the virgo glory.

My biggest fear is that someone won’t like me. I recently had my first blog post written in criticism of my work. It stung like a nest of bees right in my gut. The Universe always sends us what we need to learn, to let go of. During this time I was receiving letter after letter from women describing how my programs and coaching had changed their lives, from leaving abusive marriages to finally making a profit in their business to saving their marriage.

I would cry when I read these notes and then go back to obsessing how I could make this one person who criticized me like me. I imagined seeing her in the grocery store and asking her for tea. I wrote the letter to her in my mind for days. I wanted to send her a gift, that is how crazy I was to hold onto that fear.

I had to surrender to the pain of not being liked. I sat in it. I felt it. I forgave myself for needing it so deeply. I sent the woman a blessing. I released the fear. I went back to doing the work. My abundance shifted within days of that release.

::The BIZ-BRAIN, at HOME::How has being an entrepreneur influenced your parenting style? Do you bring your entrepreneurial spirit ‘home’ with you?
I am pretty sure I bring my parenting spirit to my entrepreneurial style. Being a mom to three kiddos gave me a strength and conviction I couldn’t tap into before. I became a woman with these children. I became an entrepreneur who sat on her couch, baby in arms and believed she could. And did.



::The MOM-BRAIN, at WORK::How has being a mom influenced your business? Do you bring your mama ways to work with you? If so, how?
See above!

::SELF-CARE::What’s one of your secret indulgences . . . something you love to do, when you’re unplugged from your work & nobody’s watching?
I love watching shows on the computer, Downton Abbey, complete addiction. I rearrange furniture with reckless abandon. I also love hours on etsy filling up a shopping cart full of pottery and jewelry and art. I don’t buy it all but it is like my vision board of who I am becoming. Ordering something from an artist, exchanging money energy for creative energy is a pleasure of mine.

::SILLINESS::If you kid was in charge of your business, what changes would he or she make — immediately?!
Well, I asked the kids. First they would have me work less, I saw that one coming. Then my daughter would have me post my daily outfits on my blog. This is a great plan, I can rock out some yoga pant outfits! 

::EXTRA CREDIT::Anything that you feel compelled to share? A story? Advice? Secret weapons and resources?
As I opened these questions I started to cry. I did a quick check in.

Me: Hey self, what’s up? PMS or what?

Self: Yeah, kinda PMS but I just feel so grateful to be here now. It is really amazing isn’t it?

Me: Thank you.

Self: Yep.

Sometimes being where I am feels a bit like a dream that I am living. As a little girl I knew that I would help change lives, that I would create beauty. Living it, even the bits that are filled with struggle, I am in awe how each year of my life brings me more peace, joy and love. I turn 38 in a couple of months and I am surrounded by my soul-sisters and a community that I have created through lots of work and with a heart full of love.

I choose to shine this light.

Shining is a choice.

My mantra: Yes, I can. Thank you.

Huge thanks to Hannah for her time, her wisdom, her inspiration.
You can connect with Hannah through
Website | Facebook  |  Twitter

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Around here lately....

I had the pleasure of video chatting with Monica Lee over at Smart Creative Women. Do you know her site? She's got gobs and gobs of awesome chat sessions with all sorts of creative women. I often listen in while I make stuff - always lovely to hear other women dishing on all things business, creativity, challenges, celebrations, life!

So anyhoo, that's what we did. We chatted for about an hour - you can listen in on part one here and part 2 here. I found myself telling stories I haven't told in a long time. Like the time when John and I had had enough of the Portland rain and up and sold our house, put everything in storage, quit our day jobs, and high tailed it on one very cheap adventure (camping! for months!) - we were 26ish I think and this was years before my finding art. I had no idea what I wanted to be or do but that big risk/decision would be the first of many that led me to where I'm at now. Life is short. I err on the side of adventure, even when it turns out to be way harder than expected.

Listen in over here and here.


 Mom is letting her red hair go grey. I love it and I think it makes her look wise and serene and seriously stylish.

   
Speaking of my mom, I walked into her house the other day and saw this awesomeness. She took her "foot" bookends and screwed them to the bottom of a suitcase to create a funky coffee table. How cute is that? You can see her other "feet" projects here. For this one, she screwed the bookends to the bottom of the suitcase by placing pieces of wood inside the suitcase and screwing those pieces of wood down into the bookends. Brilliant.

 
Thought this light was so lovely in our home the other day...had to capture it.

   
Been making some big art. LOVE the happy messes that come from creating.
   
From our veggie/herb boxes in the front yard. Did you know that if you plant food or plants, they actually grow and then you can eat the stuff that you grew? SATISFYING! I made spinach basil dip with these. Two handfuls of spinach, one handful of basil, 2 advocados, pinch of salt, a garlic clove, and lemon juice from one lemon - add to food processor and voila - yummy goodness.
    Speaking of growing stuff, these lovelies all came from our yard. FROM THE YARD, friends! The dahlias are in bloom it's just one of the reasons why Portland rocks summertime. Dahlias everywhere.
   
Spotted this happy face on True's plate of waffles. Love.
   
Also spotted this massive heart while on a family bike ride with True and John. Made the whole caravan stop so I could capture it. Definitely going in the collection.
Sending summertime warmth to each of you out there...

Flying Lessons: The LAST run!

Dear friends, I've made a big decision about my e-course. I love it, so so much, but it feels like it's time to retire it. I ran it for the first time in 2010, then again in 2011 - both extremely popular and both filled to the brim with amazing students. The upcoming class will be the last! I'd love for you to join us for the last run! 

The Flying Lessons ebooks will remain available, but the e-course with the community aspect will no longer be an option, so if you're looking for the most amazing creative biz community you could EVER ask for, now is the time to enroll in the e-course. The community alone will change your life. And it will be yours forever - long after the ecourse has ended. 
Flying Lessons: Tips + Tricks To Help Your Creative Business Soar. Registration starts immediately and this five week online class will start Monday, Sept 17th. All the details are below. Again, I will not be offering this content ever again as an ecourse. Now is your chance! It's going to be amazing and I sincerely look forward to spending this last run with the most amazing group of online students!


"Holy Moly, Kelly! Thank you for being so generous and thorough in everything you are covering! I've taken several e-courses and read many e-books, but this is by far the most practical and actually makes me feel like I can do it. Awesome."
"I cannot thank you enough for this wonderful e-course and the fact that it was not just informative, but that you, yourself, Kelly Rae, came shining through, making it all so personal. This is the most amazing, WORTH IT ecourse I have ever taken."
"Holy Camoly. Where in the world could we find all this info in such a short time, from someone who KNOWS? It would have taken me a LIFETIME...thank you so much Kelly Rae!"
"This ecourse has been a catalyst in helping me to see exactly where I want to take my creative business. Before I felt like I was floundering around in uncertainty and fear. Now I really believe that I can make my artsy dreams a reality! You have given me the resources, tools, and knowledge to take my creative business to places I thought were only open to a chosen few."
"Kelly Rae, this is generous.... and I mean GENEROUS amount of info and insight you are showering upon us! Thank you!"
"I am blown away by all the work you have put into this Kelly. WAY BEYOND what I expected."
"I am absolutely floored at the empowerment you are giving me. I don't think I have ever felt as confident as I do now."
"This e-course has been beyond helpful. You've answered every single question that had been circling my brain for months, and now I feel so much better prepared to get my creative biz up and running. Thank you!"
Everyday, I receive emails from creative souls asking for my advice. They want to know how, in a span of just a couple of years, I built an online presence and successful online shop, wrote a best selling book, got published in several magazines, and launched successful gift collections (via licensing deals) that are sold in stores nationwide. They ask advice on how to sell original paintings, how to get traffic to their online sites, how to create and package prints/jewelry/originals, how to create a website and community. They ask about licensing, money, publishing, and press. They ask me how on earth I manage my time, how I face my fears, how I stay organized.

I know exactly where they're coming from. It wasn't that long ago that I was sending similar emails out to artists I admired, people who seemed to have booming creative businesses. Some would answer me, but most didn't. At the time I was crushed - why weren't they responding?  Now that I'm crazy busy over here and on the other end of that email exchange, I get it. I'm sure some didn't respond because they were simply too busy to give advice to a complete stranger and I'm sure some didn't respond because they wanted to protect their hard earned information - afterall, nobody told them how to do it when they were starting out, did they? For me, it hasn't been a matter of not wanting to share what I know, it's been a matter of time and the value of that time.

In the end, I deeply believe in finding a way to share our stories, our resources, and how we've made it to where we are now. I also believe that there is tremendous value in what each of us has to offer when it comes to inspiration, concrete advice, and tips when it comes to creating a successful creative business. After months and months of writing, strategizing, and thinking about how I could best share everything I know (and finally answer, in detail, the questions that come my way) I came up with something that I think is pretty darned special: an e-course called  Flying Lessons: Tips + Tricks To Help Your Creative Business Soar.


What I've learned in the last few years is that we can propel ourselves into living our dreams with successful creative businesses with two must haves: inspiration + tips. And that's exactly what Flying Lessons is all about. Inspiration comes from sharing the stories of our creative journeys so that we can begin to dismantle all the misconceptions of what the creative life looks like. It means getting our hearts engaged in the business side of what we do. It means connecting to, and acknowledging, all the layers of our creative lives - our joys, successes, and downfalls.
And then there are hugely important tips - practical information and advice that we all need to be successful. When I started my creative journey, I was surprised at how hard it was to find answers to many of my questions: How do artists sell/price/package their works? How do they build a following and an online presence? How do they create their websites? How do they deal with the fears? And later it was: How do they get published, licensed, and accepted to shows? How do they organize their time? How do they market their work and get all that press? And most importantly: How do they stay engaged with their hearts and inspiration while managing the business side of what they do?

In Flying Lessons, you'll receive the answers to all those practical questions and more. I'll share my own personal stories of what's worked, and what hasn't worked as I built my creative business. And I'll give you concrete information and tips along the way so that you, too, can create your own success whether you're a crafter, a photographer, an artist, a writer, or someone who is still learning!

You'll find musings, encouragement, practical tips and thoughtful guidance on everything from how to create an online presence to how to create a creative community to how to successfully market your business to receiving press to getting published to facing the fears that inevitably come when we push ourselves to do things we've never done before. We'll discuss the ins and out of money, creating a sustainable income from our creative businesses, licensing opportunities, craft shows, teaching opportunities, and how to handle the inevitable gremlins of competition, exhaustion, and overwhelm. And, of course, we'll dive into organization strategies that are effective and promote the idea that small steps lead to giant leaps when it comes to creating the success we've always envisioned. Along the way, you'll find inspiring quotes, interviews with successful working artists, and a few excerpts from my best selling book, Taking Flight. 

More specifically:* I'll be posting nearly everyday for five weeks to the class website. Posts will be informative, inspiring, and full of resources. In addition to my posts, content will also include ongoing Q+A's with me, and interviews with working successful artists.

* Class will be formatted and conducted on a private blog (password protected) with comments open to promote discussion and questions. The idea is to promote topic focused discussion within the comments, but also to promote community amongst participants (so important and fun!).

* All participants will receive a gorgeous, interactive, 200+ page pdf of all the content covered. You'll have it for years and years to refer back to.

* A private, life long facebook group with your class peers. This was life changing for previous year's participants - the ongoing support and discussions with people who understand where you're at and what you're doing is priceless and hugely valuable.
* Weeks one and two will focus on creating an effective online presence via blogs, websites, social networking, and more. We'll talk specifically about the ins and outs of these resources including how to create, how to improve, and the secret ingredients to using them effectively. We also talk about networking and the importance of creating community and how to build long lasting creative allies. We'll discuss all the fears that we'll inevitably come up against as we push the boundaries of our horizons and how to effectively push through them.
*Weeks three and four will focus on selling strategies (both online and offline). I'll give specific strategies for selling on etsy and other online marketplaces. We'll discuss effective ways of styling, photographing, packaging, and pricing our products and/or services. We'll also focus on a number of effective marketing strategies to get the word out about our businesses, including print media, newsletters, advertising, blogging, and more. We'll also discuss in detail all the ins and out of getting press and getting published. Finally, we'll discuss the actualizing of goals, creating schedules, and time management.
* Week five will focus on recharging our souls, handling competion as well as overwhelm and burnout. We'll talk about creating other creative ways of income such as teaching, licensing, blog sponsorships, affiliate programs, and more. We'll discuss an overview of money, and when it's time to ask for help (interns, etc). Finally, we'll wrap up what we've learned together and celebrate taking flight into our creative dreams!
Whether you're a beginner, an accomplished artist or crafter, or somewhere in between, this e-course is for anyone who wants to start or grow their creative business.

More specifically:
* Anyone interested in how to create an online presence that will benefit their creative business and increase traffic to their websites and online shops. If you already have a blog/website, great! You'll still learn a lot. This course is also for anyone who doesn't have a blog, website and/or social networking accounts but are eager to jump in with a focus of growing their creative business.* Anyone interested in how to effectively use social networking (twitter, facebook, flickr, etc) to promote their creative business.* Anyone with dreams of growing their creative business in order to financially supplement (or possibly replace!) their full/part time jobs. * Anyone with a creative business dream who needs the practical tools and small steps to make that dream a reality.* Anyone interested in how to create a variety of income from their creative business, including blog sponsorships, licensing deals, teaching, wholesale accounts, and other means of creative/smart income.* Anyone needing inspiration and gentle nudges of confirmation that we must listen to the whispers of our lives calling us to begin, to create, and acknowledge the dreams tugging on our hearts.* Anyone needing practical, concrete tips and information on how to market and promote their blogs/websites/shops in online world with the goal of increasing traffic to their sites.* Anyone interested in how to create a true blue community of artists, both for personal and creative business growth.* Anyone needing tried and true tips on how to get press and how to get published in your favorite publications. Have big dreams of writing a book? We'll discuss that too!* Anyone needing advice on how to push through the fears that are inevitable along the creative journey.* Anyone needing effective strategies for time management and ways to organize and implement their creative business goals, one by one.

Class starts on Monday, Sept 17th and ends five weeks later. To register, please click here! After you've paid for the class, you will receive an email from me with everything you need to know. All sales final. Thank you!

Q: I would love to sign up but the timing isn't the best for me right now. Will you be offering another one soon after this one ends?A: This is the LAST time I will be offering this ecourse, ever.
Q: I really want to sign up but I'll be out of town for a week or two during the class. Will the class content still be available after the class is over? A:  The content will stay on the site for two weeks after the class is over so you'll have access to all the content for a total of 7 weeks. You will also receive a 202 page pdf of all the content that you will have forever and ever.
Q: I've never taken an on-line class before. Are the classes LIVE? Do I have to be at my computer at a certain time during the day in order to attend the virtual class?A: The whole course is entirely self paced, meaning you don't have to be anywhere at any given time to make it to the class. There are no specific times that you need to log in (meaning, nothing will be LIVE at 8pm, 8am, etc.). You can log in whenever you want and have access to the content that I've uploaded thus far. You can log in everyday or every other day or once a week. Either way, the content will be uploaded and waiting for you!
Q: Will there be a pdf offered?A: Yes! Each student will receive a gorgeous, totally interactive, 202 page pdf that will contain all of the content from the class. This pdf will be your trusty guide forever and ever!
Q: I live abroad. Can I sign up?A: Yes! That's the beauty of online classes. Anyone can sign up no matter where you live!
Q: I heard that previous year's ecourse students started a private Facebook Group? Will there be one for this years students?A:  Yes! All students enrolled in this years ecourse will be invited to join a private, life long Facebook Group. Having a community who can relate to what you're doing, and support your creative business growth is absolutely essential. We found that having a Facebook Group was one of the absolute most valuable offerings of the course. The groups from 2010 and 2011 remain extremely active and many of the members have  grown their businesses significantly because of that ongoing support. It's a great way to keep the conversation going from all that you are learning together in the ecourse. So, yes, a brand new (separate from previous years group) Facebook Group will be started specifically for this year's ecourse participants. This is a MAJOR bonus of the ecourse.
Q: I took the ecourse last year but I'm interested in taking it again. Will the content be the same as previous year's Flying Lessons E-course?A: Most of the content will be the same. However, there will be updated content in regards to the time management section for all of you mom's out there juggling motherhood and creative business - I've learned many things on this front as a new mom and I will be sharing what I've learned. There will also be many content updates throughout each week based on what I've learned in the last couple of years since the first ecourse ran, specifically when it comes to websites, hosting, e-shops, newsletters, licensing, and more.
Q: I bought one or several of your ebooks. Is the content you covered in the ebooks the same as the ecourse? Will I get anything out of the ecourse if I already bought one of the ebooks?A: Yes, the content in my ebooks is the same content that is covered in the ecourse. The only difference (and it's a big one!) is the community you get with the ecourse that you don't get with the ebooks. The ecourse, and it's life long private facebook group, is by far one of the most absolutely valuable aspects about this ecourse. Long after the ecourse is over,  the community that has formed among the participants will continue to support one another via the private group. Last year's Facebook Group continues today and remains extremely active, and its members are thriving in their creative businesses.
Q Can I get a discount if I already bought one of the ebooks or if I took the ecourse last year?A: If you were a student in a previous years Flying Lessons e-course OR if you've purchased The Whole Shabang ebook at full price (not on sale), then we'd be delighted to offer you a 50% discount for the ecourse. Simply send us an email with this request, providing proof that you paid for last year's ecourse or for The Whole Shabang ebook, and we'll get you started!  
Photo by Tracey ClarkI can't tell you how thrilled I am to offer this course one last time and share everything I know, everything I've learned along the way, and to also learn from you! Questions? I'm here to help - please send your questions to kellyraeroberts[at]gmail.com!

Before + After: The Front Yard

I recently showed you guys are back yard makeover, so I thought it would be fun to show you the front yard makeover. Just like the backyard project, we've been working on the front yard the last couple of years and with the recent sod replacement, it's finally, sort of, done.

Let me give you a tour of the whole yard....

BEFORE: 

AFTER: 

The curbside project: 

What we did:The biggest project in the front yard was the curbside area where we planted two trees, put in veggie boxes (a very acceptable and common thing in Portland), a little library, and stepping stones. This was ALL John's vision, and he's been working seriously hard to make it happen. Love! By the way, the veggie boxes are lined with garden fencing - an idea my friend Alicia did and we followed suit. I found them at a local store, but have been unable to locate them online for you (so sorry!).

We lined the front of the yard with rocks and a ton of plant stepables that have grown and spread nicely over the last many months. John sprinkled wild flower seeds on the backside of the rocks and OMGoodness, what a delight it is to have a wildflower garden along the sidewalk!  Poppies, dahlias, the works. We put more stepping stones/pathway from our porch to the driveway plus a fence and we're calling it done.

Best part? True and Bella roll in the yard together and we've met so many sweet neighbors who stop by on their walks to visit the little library and pick a wildflower. LOVE. This really is the first time we've ever lived in a neighborhood with neighbors we know, a community we adore, and a yard that we love. Feels like we're growing up in a strange way, where our interest have grown to include our immediate community, and the simple ways that we can add to its beauty with trees and flowers and green, green, green.

Weekend Spotlight Love

Weekend Spotlight Love is a weekly series that features my amazing sponsors. Want to reach 150,000+ Possibilitarians with your business message – every month? Become a Sponsor – all the details are right over here.

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Susannah Conway: Unravelling e-Course


The Unravelling e-course is an 8-week online class designed to help you heal the way you see your self and your world, using photography and journalling to access hidden thoughts & dreams and encourage personal realisations, all in the safe space of a like-minded community.

Photographer & author Susannah Conway is your guide through this process, sharing her insights and wisdom gleaned from a four-year voyage through grief and healing. You don’t need any previous photography experience to do this course — all you need is a camera (iPhones are perfect for unravelling!), a journal & pen and an open heart.

Registration for the autumn session of Unravelling: Ways of Seeing My Self opens in August — you can see what past participants have said about their Unravelling journeys over here (there are videos too :)

Give yourself permission to take a couple of hours out of your week to devote solely to YOU; this isn’t self-indulgence, this is nurturing, nourishing soul time — come join us for some autumn unravelling!

You can connect with Susannah through
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Flickr
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Sleep and Her Sisters Katherine is the short, curly haired, New Zealand artist behind Sleep and her Sisters. She works part time from her kitchen table in the sunny Hawke's Bay where she likes watching clouds, buying apple flavoured lollies and often thinks about the day she had lunch in Paris.
She loves to create with pretty much anything that she can make a mark with, but especially white paint {for painting those clouds}.

She has recently discovered the world of surface pattern design and has fallen completely head over heels in love with multiplying everything {except mushrooms, she's not so fond of them}.

You can connect with Katherine through
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Blog
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Illuminating Words

I am Helen Lewis, the artist and owner of Illuminating Words. I bring my love of letters and words -- both the visual aspect of their shape, and the beauty and impact of their meaning -- to my calligraphy, mixed-media collage, encaustic, and design work. I am fascinated with the curve of an E, the elegance of old script, the crisp look of type marching across a page. I love the stirring in my heart as I read a meaningful quotation or line from a poem.

In my pieces, I combine my own lettering and painting with various ephemera, including snippets from old books and dusty hymnals, treasured correspondence from earlier centuries, pieces of vintage sheet music or wallpaper, and character-filled faces from old photographs. Recently, I am particularly focused on the luminous qualities that the encaustic medium brings to the surface as these elements are layered and fused together.

Please stop by my shop or my blog to see samples of my artwork. Email me to inquire about commissioned pieces incorporating your favorite quotes or family photos.

You can connect with Helen through
Etsy  |  Email  |  Blog
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Sacred Cake
Assemblage Jewelry by Jennifer Valentine of Sacred Cake
You want the jewelry you wear to be meaningful and expressive. Not the latest fad. Not mass produced. Affordable. You want your jewelry to be like you…timeless and memorable. One of a kind.

How about something a bit different? Something with a history. Something with a special story…jewelry with a past, yet relevant to the present.

At Sacred Cake you will find affordable heirloom quality vintage assemblage jewelry combined with timeless appeal. Whether it is for your wedding, graduation, promotion, a gift, or for your everyday victories; look to me for personal service that you can always rely on to exceed your expectations and make you feel as special and as singular as you are.

There is only one you. There is only one Sacred Cake. Every piece tells a story. What will your story be?

*Kelly Rae readers receive free shipping + a special gift. Visit my etsy shop and enter the code “ONEOFAKIND” to receive your free shipping and your gift. I’d love for you to visit my blog for more simple projects, stories and inspiration.

You can connect with Sacred Cake through
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Blog
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Big thanks to my sponsors! I'm honored to highlight their offerings. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor you can find out more information here.

Around here lately....

From the yard. FROM THE YARD!!! The weather around here has been so lovely. I found a little writing spot out on the fire escape of my studio. Love the noise below, the city sounds, the aliveness. I've been getting reacquainted with my bike lately. Love it the freedom the comes with being on a bicycle. The yummiest pesto chicken sandwich came with a heart shaped chip :) Super interesting article while drinking tea while baby naps. I am seriously appreciating my husband lately. You know how you go through phases and moods in marriage - the ebb and the flow? We are in the flow right now. LOVE. I just love him, appreciate him, admire him greatly. Another one in the front yard. IN THE FRONT YARD! I went to Zumba. There was laughing. There was sweating. There was motivation to keep going.[image error]

Atlanta Market Showroom Tour

Hi friends,
The big Atlanta Gift Market was last week - the place where all the new summer products in the Kelly Rae Collections are shown. I wasn't there this time around (I'll be there at the Jan show), but my friends over at Demdaco sent over some photos of the KRR displays that I thought I'd share. I don't have any photos from the Creative Co-op showroom but they also have several new product releases for my collection with them (I'll share those in an upcoming post).

Let me share a few pics of the Demdaco showroom with you guys:



Demdaco, as always, did an amazing job displaying the products. As the collection grows (can you believe it's been almost FIVE years?), I can imagine it can get tricky displaying it in a cohesive way that still lets each individual product shine, but they've totally done it. LOVE, love!



I'm completely smitten with the combinations of materials: metal/industrial mixed in with a girlie vibe.



 Loving the layering of the cavases on the wall space.

 

The wings are one of my favorite new releases.

 

More wall canvas layering with a few of the pop-frames thrown in. Love!


Thank you, Demdaco for the amazing showroom displays! Totally love...

If you're a retailer interested in wholesale, please get in touch with Demdaco - more info on my wholesale page right here.

If you're a customer interested in buying some products, we've got you covered.


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Before + After: The Back Yard

We've lived in our house for about two years and all the while our backyard has been a bit of a disaster. With only 13 weeks to renovate and move into this house before baby True arrived, the focus was most definitely on the inside and not on the outside.

We've been slooowwlly working on it and we're finally enjoying an actual backyard as a family. I wanted to share the befores and afters with you!

BEFORE


AFTER:


BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

WHAT WE DID:This was a huge project that played out over two years, but essentially we put in some stairs from the house to a deck that we built. After that John had a big vision for a tin roof coming off the garage with a seating area underneath that, plus an extra structure for gardening supplies (the doors on the gardening shed were found deep in our house's crawl space when we were renovating!). We added some detailing structure above the garage door, and cut the garbage door in half to create another dutch door like the one we have on the house (and in the house for baby safety). The hammock chair came off amazon and the deck gliders are from Grandin Road.

The most dramatic thing that finished the project was getting new sod - best move ever. That, and we put in a privacy fence that has sections custom made for climbers. And lots and lots of pruning the overgrown tree (it's a blooming dogwood tree) and bushes.



I can't tell you how nice it is to finally give True an actual yard (vs a construction site) to run and play in. Here he is watering the plants, one of his favorite daily activities.  By the way, his little wooden playhouse came from Costco.

Thanks, friends. I hope you liked the tour!
Biggest lesson I learned from this project? Patience - 24 months of it :)

Weekend Spotlight Love

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Weekend Spotlight Love is a weekly series that features my amazing sponsors. Want to reach 150,000 Possibilitarians with your business message – every month? Become a Sponsor – all the details are right over here.

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  Mondo Beyondo

What happens when you give an unspoken wish a place to become a dream come true? How do you gather the courage to help a new-found dream soar?
Join Andrea Scher and Jen Lemen as we explore “Mondo Beyondo” — the powerful mindset that transforms our deepest dreams into practical realities.
This 6-week adventure is rich with inspiring lessons, real life stories, secret missions, audio interviews and hands-on activities — all designed to help you carry your dreams from the realm of wishing into everyday motion.
And whether your Mondo Beyondo dreams are simple & humble, or world-changing & audacious, you’ll find just the right atmosphere to take the risks you've always dreamed of.
Join us for the next session of Mondo Beyondo, starting on September 10th, 2012. And experience the power of a mind designed for dreaming.  

You can also connect with Andrea through
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Blog
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Jump Trust Repeat - An eBook for Artists by Jessica Swift

I’m Jessica Swift: full-time artist, surface pattern textile designer, and rain boot renegade! And I just wrote my first e-book. It’s 120 pages chock full of stories and info about being a creative business owner.

Jump Trust Repeat is the story of my creative business: ups, down, mistakes, successes, and all. From the beginning when I was 23 years old until now, 8 years later. Part 1 of the book details my creative journey, the lessons I've learned along the way, and my insights into how to successfully navigate a career and life as a full-time working artist.

It's also a comprehensive tool full of answers to the nitty-gritty questions of how I run my business. Part 2 is question and answer style, filled with dozens of questions and detailed answers on topics like finances, licensing, social media, pricing, and trade shows.

If you’re an aspiring artist/creative biz owner looking for inspiration, encouragement, information, and answers, this is for you. Dive in and start thriving in your creative business!

You can also connect with Jessica through
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Blog
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 Kat Eye Studio - Exploring with a Camera

You are? Awesome! Kat Eye Studio is the right place for you. Photographer Kat Sloma will help you see the world in new ways!

Join Kat monthly for the Exploring with a Camera series and capture the world with your camera from a different point of view. Covering everything from composition to subjects, this series will spark your creativity and inspire your photography. There is no cost to participate in this monthly blog series, and you are welcome to join anytime.

Kat is here to help you use photography to express your experience of the world around you. Visit Kat Eye Studio to learn more about Exploring with a Camera, along with Kat’s other blog series and online courses. You’ll find a fun community of kindred spirits waiting for you there.

You can also connect with Kat through
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Blog
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Montage by Vivienne McMaster

Montage is a brand new E-Course from photographer Vivienne McMaster that invites you to tell your story through moving pictures.

This is a project based course in which folks are invited to create a soulful video that tells their story. Be it for your business, your blog or because you have a story that needs to be told, Vivienne will be arming you with skills to create your video.

Her courses also can’t help but be playful and quirky and this one is no different. Vivienne will help you seek out the story that needs to be told and invite you to let your creative intuition bring it out. The course is both technical and playful and the first session sold out within one week!

There is one more session coming up this August!

Are you craving to tell your story in video and moving photos? The time is now!

You can find out more about Montage as well as Vivienne’s other inspiring classes over at her site!

You can also connect with Vivienne through
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Blog
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Big thanks to my sponsors! I'm honored to highlight their offerings. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor you can find out more information here.