We have all heard about the concept of personal responsibility. How do you define responsibility? I know for some of us hearing “Are you responsible?” brings up thoughts of blame. It’s a “Who did this?” and not in a good way. 

What does responsibility really mean? I looked it up in Merriam-Webster, and found this definition: “the quality or state of being responsible.” Don’t you love it when the definition basically includes the word you are defining? If you look at the word responsible, you will find, among other definitions, “able to answer for one’s conduct or obligations.”

To me responsibility, and particularly personal responsibility, means having the ability to respond. (I know I just used the word in the definition!) It includes no fault or blame to anyone, including ourselves. It is just being able to look at a situation, recognizing that we created it and deciding what to do. We created it, so we can un-create it. We can re-create it. We can totally get rid of it. It is our choice to make changes or answer in whatever fashion is right, no blame attached. That to me is really empowering.

My question to you is, How do you define responsibility?

Quilting … Just a Little Bit Crazy
Allie Aller & Valerie Bothell
C&T Publishing; $29.95

Both harboring a love of Victorian crazy quilts, Allie Aller and Val Bothell joined forces to create this resource for traditional and innovated crazy-quilting skills. The book includes 30 techniques giving you a variety of options. One of their major goals was to show that crazy quilts could be functional, and they succeeded at that. More than half the 10 projects are lap-size or bed-size quilts. I liked looking at two different approaches to the same concept. If you would like to try your hand at a crazy quilt, either using your stash or new fabrics, you will find ideas here.

Look for the book at your local quilt shop or book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

I love Pinterest. What’s not to love? You can be inspired and you get to dream. I have got so many ideas about decorating, cooking, dressing and art. If only I would live long enough to fulfill all those dreams!

I know many of you are already using Pinterest. Are you using it to your advantage, business wise? Here are three ways to do that.

1. Become the expert. How do you have time to develop all the content, pictures, etc., that you will need? The quick answer is you don’t have to. It is already on Pinterest. What you are doing is becoming a curator of information and sharing what you find. You might create a board called Art Tips and share relevant information that has already been pinned. By gathering and sharing useful information, you become the expert.




2. Drive your Pinterest traffic to your website. Did you know that Pinterest is the largest referrer to your website of all social media? And, even more important, people who come to your site from Pinterest spend more than those who come from other social media sites. Pinning great content is one way to get people to your site where they can sign up for your newsletter.
   
   
3. Engage your customers. One way you can do this by creating user-generated boards or by creating a board to promote your happy customers using your product. Look for ways to turn your pinners into your unpaid sales force.
   
   

What is your favorite business way to use Pinterest?

The Better Bag Maker
Nicole Mallalalieu
C&T Publishing; $26.95

I’m a sucker for bag patterns; just check my pattern files. What I like about The Better Bag Maker is it’s about learning the techniques behind handbag design so you are more successful in creating bags. Author Nicole Mallalieu is a well-known Australian designer with an international reputation for bag making. Technique covers the first third of the book, from specifics of materials, such as how to select the correct interfacing; to key sewing skills; to basic techniques, such as altering patterns. Once you have got the techniques down, Nicole suggests making a basic bag from which the other bags are derived. Instructions are included for an additional ten bags.

Look for the book at your local quilt shop or book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

Do you regularly celebrate your accomplishments? I am not surprised if you don’t. Many entrepreneurs are so focused on what is next that they do not take the time to appreciate what they have accomplished. That is why most of my clients take time weekly to look at what they accomplished and celebrate that. It is part of their weekly Success and Strategies Summit.

What exactly is the Success and Strategies Summit and how do you have one? I recommend setting aside 20 or so minutes once a week. It doesn’t really matter whether you do it at the end of the week or the beginning, what matters is that you set aside the time to do this. You go back and review the week. Ask yourself:  What worked well, what didn’t, what did you learn? And what you learned may be a specific skill or knowledge or it may be something that you learned about yourself. What were your challenges? What adjustments do you need to make for next week?

With the answers to the questions, I then look at what I want to accomplish in the next week to move myself forward on my goals. And, I schedule time for this in my calendar, along with time for any other non-negotiables, like self-care. This sets me up for success as I am prepared to start the week with an intention.

The one other thing I do is go back and look at all the successes I had. If you take the time to look at all you accomplished – big or small – you will be amazed at how much you did. That brings me to celebrating. I love to celebrate all that I am accomplishing. And the celebrations do not need to be big. They just need to be for you, something that recognizes what you did. I like the idea of listing ways to celebrate, putting them in a jar and surprising myself with something.

Do you have a practice to reflect on your past week and plan the next? Do you have a plan for celebrating your accomplishments? Please share on our Facebook page.

photo credit: sirwiseowl via photopin cc

Stack, Shuffle and Slide
Karla Alexander
Martingale; $24.95

In her latest book utilizing her “stack-cut-and-shuffle”plan, Karla Alexander introduces the “Slip ‘n’ Slide.” This technique gives you more control over different values and colors in each block. While you are free to set off on your own creative adventure with Karla’s technique, she includes patterns for 15 quilts, which appeal to both modern and traditional quilters. I was particularly taken with Shattered and its mosaic feel and Paint Chips, which is featured on the cover. I love Karla’s suggestion of a WRAP when you’ve finished a project: “wonder” about how the quilt might have been different; “reflect” on what you have learned; “appreciate” what you have accomplished; and “plan” your next step.

Look for the book at your local quilt shop or book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

What are the 3 R’s, you ask? Recycle, reuse, repurpose. How much of what you create just needs to be spiffed up or re-slanted to make it new? We see it all the time in other areas. Disney is a prime example. They often issue re-releases or special editions of their classics. They recreate the excitement, find additional audiences, and make more sales. How can you do this as a creative arts professional? We are all artists and continually look for something new. Here are some ideas:

1. If you are a pattern designer, go back to some of your older designs and remake them using different fabrics. Try a really traditional design in contemporary fabrics. Sometimes a fresh or modern look is all that is needed. Now you can re-issue and promote the pattern as a special or anniversary edition.
2. If you are a teacher, take a look at those classes you have been teaching. Do you need brighter samples to post with the descriptions? Could the class titles be jazzed up a bit? Do you have some faster methods you are now using? The new class, with the jazzed-up title is now Completely Revised or Now With Speed Sewing Techniques. This made me think of food manufacturers with the “new, improved” signs on their products. If it works for them, it will work for you.
3. If you are a longarm quilter, look at your samples? Are they dated? Try making a set of sample strips using some of those new threads you purchased. You can add them to existing samples, making it all look new again.
4. If you are a shop owner, repurposing is easy and it is something you are probably doing on a regular basis. When was the last time you redid your displays to give a new look to your shop? Just moving your existing displays can make a difference.
5. If you make and sell a product or notion, what can you do to update it? For example, if you sell hand-dyed fabrics, perhaps you can tweak the formula just a bit, and add a new color in a limited edition. Or take an existing color and rename it.
6. For those of us who write and share our work through our newsletters, we can reuse it by posting it on our blogs or on Facebook or other social media.

I am sure you have lots of ideas about how to recycle, reuse, or repurpose your existing product line. Please share them below.

photo credit: Ines Seidel via photopin cc