tortagialla

Bloggy Break

L.Tieu — Tue, 08 May 2012 09:46:56 +0000

Working through my latest book read, The Fire Starter Sessions (Amazon link) and feeling the need for time away from the digital world. So I’m taking a little bloggy break to gather my thoughts. Sign-up for my newsletter to receive my weekly girls with a message… otherwise, goodbye… until, I’m ready to come back. ciao ciao!

Bloggy Break is from tortagialla

Creative Progress

L.Tieu — Fri, 04 May 2012 08:13:53 +0000

Random musings, neither here nor there… but I am enjoying my mini collage exercises. Something about color, pattern, mish mash, that is simply fun and happy. Perhaps this is a great way to use my supplies – one way or another…

I’ve also been trying to use the various watercolor paper I have stuffed in my drawer, soon realizing why I abandoned them. It’s obvious that I am rubbing a bit too violently for the seemingly peaceful nature of watercolor. Or it’s just cheap paper. Look at all that pilling up? Ugh.

Just play in the creative department these days. Nothing official besides my Girls With A Message series – still going!

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Creative Business 101: Reading, Planning – Action Already!

L.Tieu — Thu, 03 May 2012 07:49:56 +0000

I’ve been slowly working my way through The Right-Brain Business Plan (Amazon link) and as always, I found myself stuck in the middle of the book. In thinking about my life map – illustrating the significant personal and professional milestones that make you the most qualified person to head up your business – I suddenly dropped into doubt and more doubt. My experience is broad, but many may see it as a jumbled mess. As with last week’s thoughts regarding an about me page, I find myself struggling to define myself. It’s difficult to toot your own horn and I can’t help but feel too pompous or not qualified enough. Oh, it’s a fine balance.

Maybe I really need to take a few more left-brain chill pills, as Jennifer Lee says often and writes in the book as well. I get hung up on the details and intricacies that exist (probably only in my mind). All the what ifs, shoulds, doubts, worries… details that really don’t need to be addressed right now. I let them block me. After the holiday rest, my goal this week is to push through the whole book and have my action plan done. Analysis paralysis needs to stop!

Then it’s just a matter of keeping it all up. Easier said than done, I know! With all the information and great advice accessible these days, it seems that nothing is out of reach for anyone. (Despite my worries, I’m totally an optimist at heart!) I think the ultimate problem is getting off your butt in a constructive way. Not just being busy, but truly productive and inline with your plans. I feel like that is probably the killer of most great ideas out there, because they simply aren’t acted upon. Don’t you think so?

Creative Business 101: Reading, Planning – Action Already! is from tortagialla

Life Isn’t About Finding Yourself…

L.Tieu — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:41:21 +0000

I had the honor of being asked to create a little something for the Bazaar Collective zine and it was nice to go back to zines, since I no longer create new issues of Pensieri. You can download the whole zine and learn more about it all here. Thanks to Aisling for thinking of me! I was happy to be able to share my drawing… don’t you just love the quote?

I wholeheartedly agree that we have to make our own destiny. It’s not about crazy control, it’s about going with the flow, but on your own path. The river of a stream keeps flowing down, just as time is counting down. Sometimes you might coast a bit and let the water take it where you want, but it’s a lot more fun to put variety in your ride. Go with the current, go against, take a pit stop to see what’s along the stream, twist, turn, splash – have fun. Life is more interesting that way and you go down that stream in style.

Life Isn’t About Finding Yourself… is from tortagialla

Little Collage and a Long Weekend

L.Tieu — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:56:40 +0000

I had the urge to create a little collage in my journal. Something different, instead of the usual black ink drawing. It’s a creative warm-up for me…

I started to think how helpful little creative exercises might be. Specially collage because using existing elements enables me to consider the page complete in a short sitting. I’m not fussing over creating everything from scratch – one of those crazy crutches I have. It’s just a mix of painted papers, tape, tags, paper bits… a little paint… just a little collage.

It’s going to be a long long weekend in Italy (perhaps Europe?) as May 1st is like labor day holiday here. I usually separate creative time from family home time, but thinking I need to create more fluidity in my life, instead of switching modes all the time. Maybe little creative exercises will help, I should be able to slip them in every day. Perhaps filling in those gaps that seem like wasted time?

Do you take your creative time into your daily life routine? What types of creative exercises do you do?

Little Collage and a Long Weekend is from tortagialla

Creative Business 101: Newsletter Cleanse Continues and About Me

L.Tieu — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:14:05 +0000

Last week, I talked about my newsletter blues and since then I’ve quickly realized that it’s more of a cleanse. It’s a good thing to clear out the air and really connect to those who resonate with you, instead of speaking to people who have their backs turned. In a way, I’m looking forward to unsubscribes from uninterested people.

I think of it as the socially responsible thing to do as well. I know from statistics that many people aren’t even opening my emails. I really would like to decrease digital pollution. It’s a waste of energy, space and money for everyone. So do yourself and others a favor today, go and unsubscribe from stuff you aren’t interested in anymore. Every once in a while, unsubscribe in your spam folders too… instead of letting that pile up… cleanse! On the other hand, if you really want to get my weekly emails of thoughts along with a new illustrated girl – sign up here.

In other creative business news, I’ve been mulling over my about me page and trying to rewrite it. It’s not even linked up on this blog anymore, because I don’t feel like it reflects who I am. Everyone talks about how that page is the most visited by new readers… but I can’t seem to present myself properly. It’s always difficult for me to write up an all encompassing blurb, when at times, I still feel pretty confused about things. I realize that life is ever changing, so there is no such thing as a “done” about me page. But I need to get something done…

Today, I also received a bunch of new books in the mail – yay! Although I have a kindle, I still want the physical printed book at times. I’m excited to dive in although I have so many different books in progress right now. It’s good chaos I suppose, just like inside my head! I have an “active bookshelf” where I keep books that are in progress or frequently flipped through. If you are interested, here are the latest books I bought (Amazon links below)

Creative Business 101: Newsletter Cleanse Continues and About Me is from tortagialla

Creative Progress

L.Tieu — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:08:35 +0000

Those who subscribe to my newsletter know that I’ve started a weekly practice of illustrating my girls with a message. It’s been working out nicely and I’m happy to share my thoughts on why I chose the particular message for my illustrations. The latest is called let go and love, sharing my new perspective of what minimalistic living really means to me.

In other creative progress, I’ve been playing around with some of my old drawings in Photoshop to see if I color them digitally. I think it’s cute, but I don’t like the process of scanning and editing – I suddenly realize! Guess I should try to actually draw using my Wacom pen and tablet directly. I’ve just never gotten the hang of it and it is easier to just doodle with plain pen and paper. Sometimes, it’s hard to decide if I should spend time learning to use a new tool properly, if it’s okay to just stick to the basics.

What do you think about digital versus hand-drawn illustrations? Ultimately, it still takes the illustrator’s hand… but something is decidedly different… both in process and result.

Creative Progress is from tortagialla

Creative Business 101: Newsletter Blues

L.Tieu — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 07:09:09 +0000

For all businesses, the email newsletter list is supposedly the holy grail. It’s a direct connection to your fans, so that you can communicate with them like friends. The idea is that your list should be your biggest fans, otherwise they wouldn’t sign-up in the first place. I realized the importance of building a list and started a while ago, even though I didn’t know what I was going to send out. I still haven’t figured it all out… but I’m grateful for all the sign-ups. It means people care!

Or do they?! This week I’ve had some newsletter blues, aka unsubscribes. I started sending weekly Wednesday emails introducing a new Girl With A Message along with my thoughts. It’s supposed to be short and direct, but a constant connection to my audience. Since my newsletter sign-up offers a printable girl, I thought it would naturally be the most pertinent news to the list right now.

When the unsubscribes started rolling in, I started questioning the purpose of everything (in life). It’s inevitable to sink into despair at some point – “Oh, what’s the use! I don’t even know what I’m doing. There’s no point…” I think it’s difficult to NOT take an unsubscribe as a personal rejection and nobody likes rejection.

After calming my nerves, I tried to look at the situation objectively. Unsubscribes are normal! The statistics show that all businesses have unsubscribes and the bigger your list grows, the more there will be. It’s actually a good thing because it means uninterested people are leaving. In fact, I was elated to learn that April from Blacksburg Belle actually encourages people to unsubscribe from her list when they sign-up, if they aren’t going to be a good match. The key is creating a true list of fans. Think of it as a natural cleansing of your email list.

It’s not personal. If you think of your own email subscriptions, it’s easy to come up with completely impersonal reasons of unsubscribing. Every once in a while, I go through a massive sign-up phase and massive unsubscribe phase. It’s just a cycle of exploring new things and then deciding that I have too much going on or that it wasn’t what I wanted. It doesn’t mean I hate the person behind the business!

Think of your fans! We all seem to dwell on what we’ve lost, but’s it’s way more important to concentrate on what you have instead. You still have loads of people on your list, so think about serving them. Those people want to connect with you, how cool is that?

I definitely felt better after thinking a bit about this week’s experience. Thanks to all those on my list and it’s okay if you need to unsubscribe – I won’t take it personally. On the other hand, you can totally sign-up for my newsletter if you’d like to get a free printable girl and weekly updates of what’s new!

Do you have thoughts about how to handle an email list? What do you send out to your fans?

Creative Business 101: Newsletter Blues is from tortagialla

Spend Time With Yourself

L.Tieu — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:30:19 +0000

I’ve spent this past week with me, myself, and I. Lots of time throwing paint around, writing in my journal, wondering, dreaming, reading…

I often get completely derailed, practically drooling at the beauty of others and the cool happenings around me. It’s like this noise that gets louder and louder, messier and messier in my head… that puts me into a spin.

It’s great to have creative stimulation, but I think we also need to draw back into ourselves in the end. You can’t be out there experiencing 24/7. Processing time is necessary. I used to say that I’m a homebody, but really I’m an introvert.

I enjoy time with others, but I also need alone time to balance myself out. Sometimes, I might need a whole lot of me time. There are moments, when I just have no interest or energy to be in the company of others. Yes, I’m going to say it. Leave me (the hell) alone.

I strongly believe that it is a valid need and there should be no guilt about it! We should not be ashamed to have those feelings. We should spend time to address them. We all have different wants and needs… so spend some time figuring out what makes you whole. I actually just ordered some more books today, even though I shouldn’t be spending. Why? Because it’s an investment… in me.

Have you taken yourself out on a date? Or take yourself in for a nice movie? Or an imagination adventure inside a book? Or flow time in your art journal? I’ve realized how important it is to give myself ample alone time. For peace. For rest. For sanity.

You always hear people talking about the importance of spending time with family and friends. Why do we forget to spend time with ourselves?

Spend Time With Yourself is from tortagialla

Photolog: Yummy Italian Coldcuts

L.Tieu — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 09:29:15 +0000

Sorry for those who are not meat-lovers, but I see so many things in a plate of yummy Italian coldcuts. Beauty in the colors, shape and form. But also love – the love of food and old-fashioned living. The amazing glory of nature and man. Sweetness. Spicyness. Goodness. Home.

Photolog: Yummy Italian Coldcuts is from tortagialla

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Bloggy Break

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