Recent work

I figured I'd do a catch-up post of some projects I've been working on lately:



I've been playing around with my tablet...

And I've been doing some more needle felting....

And some new watercolor/ink drawings:

Goose Music

I started a new job yesterday - staffing wedding events at a garden. The garden includes a lake/pond, and there are lots of geese and ducks wandering around. We were cleaning up debris from a meadow area, when I heard something surprising.

It sounded like rain. That really lovely pitter-patter of raindrops gently falling on the roof, ground, and rustling through the leaves.

Now, you may not think that terribly surprising, except for the fact that it was a hot, sunny, perfectly clear day, and I was not being rained upon. So I turned around, and all I could find as a possible source was a flock/gaggle of geese*. It took me a minute to figure out, but apparently a group of 30 or so geese all eating grass at the same time sounds a lot like a light rainfall!







*Did you know that a group of geese is called a gaggle when they're on the ground, but a skein when they're flying?

42

Quite a while ago now, I worked to rebrand my business/Etsy shop/artwork, changed the name of my blog and my Etsy shop, got new business cards, and set up a Facebook account.

Facebook was something I had hesitated to get involved in, since I didn't have a personal account, and didn't really want another thing to deal with. BUT social media is all-important these days, especially for someone just starting up and wanting to get the word out. My blog is great and all, but in order to see every post you have to remember to look at it. Or do that whole RSS-feed thing (is that even right?) and most people don't know how or want to do that. With Facebook it's easy, because the structure of a regular audience is already there for you. Yes, people have to 'like' your page, but that's an easy, one-time thing to do that they're already used to, and isn't at all complicated. And then, you have a captive audience. As long as they spend time on their Facebook (and most people do that regularly) they will see your posts. Or at least some of them. And really, that's all it takes. (at least, ideally)


I was also afraid that I'd never have anything to post on Facebook that wasn't a copy of something from this blog. Then I figured I'd post short things on Facebook, and longer, more involved subjects here. Then I only ended up posting on Facebook, and essentially ignoring my blog.

It's easier on Facebook - easier to post a photo and add a caption. Easier to just post a photo and not feel like you're short-changing your readers/yourself  - because Facebook is all about the short burst of info. Easier to see you're actually making an impact - people comment on things, or at least like them. And barring that, you do get to see how many people saw your post. Which is something that I can see on the blog, but usually it seems to be random people finding it through weird searches - and only a couple a week. (Although it would probably help if I posted more).

But there are also people who don't have a Facebook account, and look to my blog for updates. Plus, I've found that although I'm posting more frequently, it is usually photos, new items, and not anything longer. And it's good for me to be on here writing about things that are important to me.

I think I've always been stressed about writing on this blog - every post has to be worthwhile, has to be perfect, has to be entertaining and gracefully written. But for what? For the hundreds and thousands of people who eagerly wait for my next post? That might happen eventually, but it certainly isn't now. So in the meantime I'll write for myself, and for the off-chance that someone might happen upon something I've written that helps/teaches/inspires them.

Wish me luck!!