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Video Skills for the Win: Yes, You Really Can!
22 Takes Later…. So, I’m learning the ins and outs of recording video…. video blogging? vlogging? Whatever you call it, seems I’ll need a bit more practice….. LOL Wanna see what happens when you forget your name, do an (unplanned) Fonzie impression, and…. you’re recording the ceiling?! Oh, and your sweater and coffee cup don’t match!? Holy moly! I’m a hot mess!!! #Outtake #Blooper #WhatNotToDo #Learning Want to know when there’s more of this nonsense? Be sure to subscribe to get my latest shenanigans (ummmmm…. in-the-trenches-I’m-going-to-figure-this-stuff-out learning!) delivered right to your inbox. Entertainment free of charge… you’re welcome. 😉 p.s. Thanks for watching/reading and sharing! (Don’t forget Insta…. my favorite…
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Ten Years in the Making: How Fear (Eventually) Led to Flying from Educator to Small Biz Owner
I shared how it all began over on my About page… but wanted to share how it all turned out…. in case my twists and turns might help you realize fear is a speed bump that often slows us down but is 100% “overcomeable.” (And so darn worth it!) A quick recap in case you missed the first part of my story…. In 2011, I was in my 17th year in Education: eleven years teaching in classrooms two years as a Reading Coach for Alternative Education four in our school district’s main office as an Instructional Support Teacher (IST) and PD (Professional Development) creator/facilitator for our district’s Career Technical Education…
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Just. Write.
I often listen to people thinking through things at work. As an Instructional Coach, it’s a large part of my role… to listen. Just this week, I listened as a fellow teacher who’s in a new teaching role this year shared how much she dislikes what she’s doing. Not her students, but the challenges that are systemic and largely unchangeable right now. (I’ve said for years our traditional educational system in the U.S. continues to fall short of our societal needs.) As I listened, I could hear myself saying to her in my head, “Write it down. Work through it. I promise. It will help.” And yet, I didn’t say…
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Bit by Bit: Creative Elements and Life
It’s been a while since I cobbled words into a blog post. Nine months give or take. Where does the time go? To be sure, I’ve been writing plenty since then – filling writing notebooks before sunrise, building words into my art, and making notes in the margins as I read books that fill me with answers and more questions about the reading/writing/creating process. Business ownership also became a central theme as I committed to moving in the direction I’ve intended the past four years. Less than 48 hours ago – after a month of planning, I enjoyed a Friday night Sip and Make Mixed-Media Art Workshop with friends –…
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Art, Visual, or Creative Journaling?
Ready to do some artful journaling? Wait. What? You can’t because you’re not a trained artist? Well, that’s okay. Me neither. 😉 Commonly called Art Journaling, putting colors and words on a page to express what’s on our minds is a way to creatively say what we need to say – even when we don’t realize we need to say it. Our ideas need a place to ‘be’ – especially in this noisy world that constantly pokes at us. I’d like to share something with you that I learned recently: “Artful” journaling isn’t just for trained artists who are working out project ideas or practicing new techniques. Turns out, journaling…
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Writing Short(ly)
How many words does it take to tell a story? One could argue that using fewer words conveys more meaning and requires more thinking. Brevity is king. In fact, many writers prefer to tell stories in short form, guiding the reader on a literary journey – in 100 or fewer, 50 or fewer, only six words, or even 140 characters. Writing shortly, often under the umbrella Flash Fiction, goes by many names. Here are a few: microstory short story short-short story flash fiction six-word story the 140-character story (also known as twitterature) micropoetry No matter what it’s called, each short-form story has a similar quality: the writer carefully selects…
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Drawing Them Out: Faces Reveal Artist’s Growth
As 2018 unfolds, I’ve been reflecting on my creative journey. What began as art discovery (a form of therapy, if you will) during a difficult time in my life – personally and professionally – has developed into a way of living that is as necessary to me as breathing and eating. My head often feels like it will burst to let the ideas out! When everything in art was brand new to me three years ago, I was taking it all in and sampling techniques, tools, and materials – but not choosing anything specific. Window shopping. I suppose that’s how I discovered ‘mixed media’ – I tinkered in a little…
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Ten Tips: Keeping Art Brushes, Sponges, and Stamps Usable
One of the things I learned from our first Creative by Discovery Mixed-Media Art Party was that sharing tips I’ve learned about the process in the past three years is a “how-to” I can gladly contribute. Here are a few things learned along the way…. Ten tips for keeping brushes, sponges, and stamps usable… (because it gets expensive replacing them!): Do not leave brushes/sponge brushes in water for long periods of time. Do not let paint, ink, or adhesives dry on brushes, sponges, or stamps. Let them rest in a brush tub, to keep them moist. Use the scrubber in the bottom to gently loosen paint. Change water often when painting, especially…
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Our First Art Party is in the Books: Feedback + Lessons Learned
Sunday, February 25, 2018, RobinLK Studios hosted our first-ever Creative by Discovery Mixed-Media Art Party. Our project: Mail Art Our party experience: Wow, it was a LOT of fun! My party experience: Wow, it was a LOT of fun and a LOT of work before and after, but very much worth it(!). Like any good party, details matter. This event was no different. Three weeks of intense planning and preparation led to wonderful feedback from guests. Here’s what they shared with me in text messages, Facebook comments, and before leaving that day: “It was sooooooo much fun!” “…a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon with friends” “…such an enjoyable…
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The Counting Game….
chicken Crystal Light cat food coffee creamer Creating my list for a quick stop at the grocery store is a mental game for me: Make a mental list. Repeat it a few times out loud. Count the items. Keep the numbered items in my head. Enter the store. Go to it! I’m sure people wonder why I have a quizzical look on my face as I stand between aisles. Actually, who am I fooling? They aren’t paying any attention to me. They’ve got their own lists and looks. I wonder: Are they playing the counting game, too? Yesterday I added Chobani yogurt, celery, and cheddar popcorn to the cart {bonus!}. Seemed to be a C…
words + colors guide the process
