Y’all. I can’t believe I am typing this right now. But on Friday last week, I finally signed the lease on a STUDIO SPACE!
This year marks my third year since taking The Crafted Life full time, and it’s such a incredible feeling to be able to expand the business like this. I can’t even count the amount of time I’ve spent moving furniture and working on the ground outside for photoshoots, but I can tell you I am more than thrilled about (hopefully) never having to do that again. Continue reading…
One of the questions you guys frequently ask is how do I take and edit my photos. So, to finally give you an in-depth answer, I’ve teamed up with the lovely ladies of Dear Handmade Life to create a jam packed e-course! Over the past nine months, I’ve been compiling all my tips + tricks that I’ve picked up along the past four years of blogging. I’ve been able to go from never holding a camera to having my work on Martha Stewart, Better Homes and Garden, Design Sponge and more. And I’m giving you alllll the insight for how I did it!
The course has nine chapters (each with downloadable worksheets) and covers everything you need to know about taking awesome photographs right away. Here’s a brief overview of what you’ll learn:
– How to communicate your brand through your photographs
– What makes good styling and why it’s important
– How to photograph a project, step-by-step
– How to source and use props to enhance your photos
– How to choose the perfect background as well as how to create your own
– How to create a studio at home and on a budget
– Basic editing and DSLR camera skills
– My step by step guide for editing iPhone photos
Overall, this is really the guide I wish I had when I started blogging. I’m beyond thrilled to be sharing it with you, so to celebrate, use code AWESOMEPHOTOS at checkout for 10% off. Act fast and start taking better pictures today!
Today is such a treat you guys. I’m starting a new column with Tiffany Han called The Crafted Biz, and I couldn’t be more excited! If you’ve ever met Tiffany before, you know that she’s nothing but amazing. I can’t tell you how many times she’s inspired me to do better as a business owner and just overall person. And now she’s going to be sharing that information with all of you on a monthly basis! As if that’s not great enough, the lovely Ann Shen has designed a free printable so that you can keep yourself motivated until the next column. Take it away Tiffany!
This column isn’t just about blogging or business but about the crafted biz – the one that you wake up in the morning excited to work on, the one that you can’t help but think about in your down time. This is about you creating and having a business that contributes to the rest of your life.
It’s about getting deliberate and believing that can have and deserve a business that you not only love, but that loves you back. And it’s about taking action towards that business without waiting around for someone else to do it for you.
The first step in making your ideal creative business a reality is to consider your why – why are you doing what you’re doing? What goal do you have in mind? What’s the end game you’re working towards? Without knowing what you’re working toward, you might build a business that looks great on paper but leaves you feeling empty. You might spend all your time on Pinterest and Twitter, reading everyone else’s best practices for a business that isn’t even what you want.
You might do the tricks, set up the systems, and keep taking strides, until, one day, you wake up and look around and realize that this isn’t even what you want at all.
BUMMER.
If you don’t have a business yet but desperately want one, keep reading. And if you already have a business but aren’t thrilled with how things are looking, keep reading. Have a biz you 100% love? High five. (But you might pick up a thing or two as well!)
Let’s start by figuring out your end game – what you really really want (Spice Girls style!) so that you have a goal to work toward. Take a few minutes to answer these questions:
Three years from now, how do you want to feel when you wake up in the morning?
What’s your favorite ways to spend your time?
Who do you want to be surrounded by?
What do you want to be surrounded by?
What are the non-negotiable-most-important aspects of your work?
For most of us, the specifics of how we spend our time are less important than how they make us feel. For example, whether I’m recording a podcast or writing a blog post or leading a group coaching call, my goal is to connect with people and inspire them to take bold action. As long as the connection piece is happening, I’m good.
I also know that when I wake up in the morning, I want to feel ease. And confidence. And excitement to get going. So I deliberately say yes to the things that help me feel that way – and no to the things that don’t.
Once you have your why in mind, fill in the blanks of the what. Start with what you already know right now – what are you already doing that makes you feel great? What are you ready to invite more of into your life? What can you let go of that doesn’t leave you feeling like the superstar you are?
Think you don’t know enough to start? Think again. You already know everything you need to. Really. Promise. You can spend your time researching forever. But you don’t even know what you don’t know until you get going. Instead of hoarding information just in case, take a breath and get started.
Raise your hand and say yes, trusting that you will figure things out as you go. Because – guess what? – the fact that you’re reading this blog post tells me that, up to this point, you’ve done a pretty swell job of figuring things out. If you don’t have a business yet, but desperately want to do something creative, what step can you take today?
If you DO have a business, what’s the end game you’re working toward? And how can you take a step toward that end game today? Like really. Today. Right now. Action is the key to everything. Trust that you’ll get the knowledge when you need it. The internet isn’t going anywhere.So take a deep breath, chillax, and take a step.
If you’re waiting for a sign from the Universe that the time to start is right, here you go. What are you waiting for?
Bonus – on Wednesday 9/16, I’m offering a behind-the-scenes look at my business in a free webinar. You’ll see what’s working, what’s not and what I’m looking at next – all in service of my bigger why. RSVP here to get all the deets! And don’t forget to grab your free printable!
If you can think all the way back to January when I shared my goals for the year, you might remember that one of them was to get in front of the camera more. It’s not necessarily something I feel comfortable with, but something I think is important as a blogger to do.
Up until now, I’ve taken my head shots myself with a tripod or with the help of my ever so patience boyfriend. Sometimes you have to work with what you have, right? I decided that it was time to upgrade now that I have pink hair. And what better time than with my trip back to SF so could work with Portraits to the People!
I ended up doing a combination of in studio and outdoor shots so that I would have a variety of images to use. If you’ve never worked with a professional photographer before, let me tell you, it’s amazing! At least that’s the experience I had with Sarah. Continue reading…
[Thanks for the keychain, Jill Makes!]
