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25 Ways to recharge creativity & de-stress
Business Tips

25 Ways to recharge creativity & de-stress

ByNicole Stevenson December 1, 2020December 26, 2020

You know that feeling when your TO-DO list seems better suited to being written on an extra long roll of paper towels than on a Post-it? It seems like for every thing you cross off, a new thing (or two…

Read More 25 Ways to recharge creativity & de-stressContinue

25 Ways to recharge creativity + motivation + combat feeling overwhelmed
Business Tips

25 Ways to recharge creativity + motivation + combat feeling overwhelmed

ByNicole Stevenson August 1, 2014August 1, 2014

“How do you do all of that stuff?” This is a question I get asked often by people who know me, as well as by people I meet who find out I’m juggling two businesses, a blog, writing a book,…

Read More 25 Ways to recharge creativity + motivation + combat feeling overwhelmedContinue

how to make image transfer gift tags + sizzix giveaway
DIY Projects

how to make image transfer gift tags + sizzix giveaway

ByLisa Rios June 25, 2014July 13, 2014

Just so you know: Dear Handmade Life received products from Sizzix that we mentioned in this post. However, we only write about and recommend products that we use personally and believe are awesome!   You know how there are certain…

Read More how to make image transfer gift tags + sizzix giveawayContinue

are you ready to hire a rep for your creative handmade business
Business Tips

are you ready to hire a rep for your creative handmade business

ByNicole Stevenson June 13, 2014July 13, 2014

“Where’s the rest of your line?” The woman asked as she pulled my shirts out of a Trader Joe’s paper sack. “My line?” I had no idea what a line was and at that point I didn’t know enough to…

Read More are you ready to hire a rep for your creative handmade businessContinue

diy washi tape and image transfer candles
DIY Projects

diy washi tape and image transfer candles

ByNicole Stevenson March 5, 2014July 22, 2014

Just so you know: Dear Handmade Life received products from Scotch that we mentioned in this post. However, we only write about and recommend products that we use personally and believe are awesome! When I was 24 I lived in…

Read More diy washi tape and image transfer candlesContinue

how to make a quotable applique tote
DIY Projects

how to make a quotable applique tote

ByLisa Rios January 8, 2014July 27, 2014

If your 2014 New Year’s resolution is to craft more and tote around a super cute tote bag, you’re in luck! While I personally don’t make firm resolutions (I can never seem to keep them any longer than the time…

Read More how to make a quotable applique toteContinue

how to make a needle felted mushroom terrarium
DIY Projects

how to make a needle felted mushroom terrarium

ByLisa Rios December 11, 2013July 27, 2014

The holidays are definitely in full swing at The Makery. Between teaching a series of handmade gift workshops, making and installing studio decor and creating and assembling a new line of studio craft kits, I have been putting in some…

Read More how to make a needle felted mushroom terrariumContinue

diy craft tutorial: how to make an recycled stuffed animal from a sweater
DIY Projects

diy craft tutorial: how to make an recycled stuffed animal from a sweater

ByLisa Rios October 23, 2013July 27, 2014

*Editor’s note: Can we just tell you how much we love Lisa Rios… She is a beacon of crafty and entrepreneurial inspiration and she emanates positivity and authenticity. You may know her from her last Dear Handmade Life tutorial on…

Read More diy craft tutorial: how to make an recycled stuffed animal from a sweaterContinue

How to make diy halloween bat garland
DIY Projects

How to make diy halloween bat garland

ByLisa Rios October 1, 2013October 1, 2016

My first apartment was a typical first apartment. The parking situation was impossible and cars were broken into or towed away on an almost daily basis, not to mention horrible storage and little critters that popped up in cupboards and…

Read More How to make diy halloween bat garlandContinue

how to make paper flowers with courtney cerruti
DIY Projects

how to make paper flowers with courtney cerruti

ByNicole Stevenson August 28, 2013July 11, 2014

you know that fine balance between your personal life and your business? the past two weeks mine has been completely off. a few days ago i woke up at 4am and my brain was going a million miles a minute….

Read More how to make paper flowers with courtney cerrutiContinue

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If you want the easy road… choose something el If you want the easy road… 

choose something else to do for a living with a clear path, a 401k, and steady paycheck. 

Those things are probably pretty great. I don’t know as I’ve never had them but what I’ve had is the true joy of paying my bills doing what I love for the last 20+ years. And for me, the ups and downs (and some of those downs were SO low, I almost threw in the towel MANY times) of being a creative business owner have been worth it. 

It took me a long time and I learned everything the hard way through trial and error. But you, don’t have to! I’m here to help.

Ways I can help you for FREE:

🎧 Over 150 episodes of our podcast featuring business advice from inspiring successful creatives.

💻 Hundreds of our blog posts with solid actionable advice to help you start of grow your business.

📱 Thousands of posts and videos here on social media with tips and stories to inspire you.

For an investment into serious mentorship and a quicker way to your goals:
✨ The Club is our members-only community for creative small business owners to get practical business skills, goal-getting guidance, mindset shifts + support and accountability to discover and take your next big leap. Join the waiting list via our bio link. 

🌴 Craftcation is our life-changing conference beach in California featuring over 200 craft and business classes and lots of social gatherings to connect, educate and foster community. Discounted early bird tickets are available now. 

#smallbizlife #smallbusinessowner #smallbusinesssupport #smallbiztips
Relatable? Drop an emoji! 📣BTW: 🗓Today is th Relatable? Drop an emoji! 📣BTW: 🗓Today is the last day to apply for our fall @thepatchworkshow season! Apply via our bio 🔗. 

Our fall Patchwork Show schedule:
🏖 Long Beach @marinestadium 10.29
☀️ Ventura @downtownventura 11.5
🌆 Tustin @oldtowntustin 11.12
🌉 Oakland @jacklondonsq 11.18
🌳 Redwood City @cityofredwoodcity 11.26
🎨 Sebastopol @sebastopolarts 12.2
🛳 San Pedro @craftedportla 12.10

#shopsmall #shopsmallbusiness #smallbiz #craftshow #patchworkshow #craftfair #craftmarket #makerfaire #makermarket #communityovercompetition #communityevent #longbeach #sebastopol #oldtowntustin #sanpedro #oakland #jacklondonsquare #marinestadium #redwoodcity
Rather be getting crafty than making content for I Rather be getting crafty than making content for Instagram? READ THIS ⤵⤵⤵

Same friend, same. I used to spend HOURS searching for trending audio, scripting & shooting reels and writing captions for Instagram. After lots of trial and error I now I have a real strategy I use to plan, create and post here on Instagram. I’m able to conceptualize and create a month’s worth of posts in a day and I love never having to wonder...

What should I post today? 

I’ve got it planned out and my posts support my business goals. 

I’m ready to share it all with you in our new course debuting next month,
📱 Instagram for Creatives 🎨 where you’ll learn to confidently create and plan on-brand content that builds your community and business on Instagram.

Join the waiting list via our bio 🔗. 

This course is years in the making and I can’t wait to show you the behind the scenes of how I manage two accounts and over 30k followers.
Einstein said, “There are only two ways to live Einstein said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

If it’s not obvious, I choose the later. 

Here’s to my 47th year on this planet and every beautiful, sad, funny or confusing moment. Thank you to all the people who have loved and supported me and made life more interesting. Ever grateful for it all. 

P.S. - Last year I started this birthday tradition of making a slideshow of myself through the years. The idea behind it is to destigmatize self-celebration. Why shouldn’t we toot our own horn? The answer is, we should!

Birthdays are the ideal time to look at yourself with the eyes of someone who adores you. YES, you can (and should) adore yourself! We’re taught that self-love makes us conceited & that it’s a bad thing but loving yourself is actually pretty selfless.

Hear me out! If you love yourself, you’ll embrace the best parts of you & share them. When you share those parts with the world, you make it a better place!

It’s scary to put yourself out there but you can’t let that little voice hold you back.

Think about the artists, musicians, actors, chefs, writers etc. who inspired you, made you see things from a new perspective, caused you to swell with emotion or made you feel less alone.

I bet every single one of them wrestled with their inner critic. How much less magic & beauty would be in the world if they gave in to that voice saying, “what makes you think you’re so special?” etc.

If you want to get me a birthday present, it won’t cost you a dime.

Comment below with something you love about yourself. It can be a talent, accomplishment, natural gift etc.

It can be BIG or tiny (if you’re proud of yourself for getting out of bed today despite feeling anxious/depressed, that’s something to be proud of & love about yourself and it isn’t tiny). Sometimes the smallest things can feel like mountains.

Get to it! I can’t wait to celebrate YOU today!

#innerwork #innercriticbegone #impostersyndrome #movingforward #keeponkeepingon #birthdaywishes #smallbizsupport #smallbusinesssupport
What can you expect at Craftcation 2024? ✨Five What can you expect at Craftcation 2024?

✨Five life-changing days at the beach in California.
🎨💻Over 200 craft and business classes taught by industry experts.
😍Lots of social gatherings to connect, educate and foster community.

As multi-year alum @marshmueller said...
“Craftcation has this effect… when you walk through the door it’s almost like a magical transformation.”

Holly and all the other alums and newbies... we can’t wait to see you next April!

Discounted early bird registration is open now! 

#craftcation #craftconference #smallbusinesssupport #smallbizlife #artconvention #craftconvention #makersformakers
Which emoji best describes how you cope with appli Which emoji best describes how you cope with application anxiety? 

🍷 📓 📚 📺 🎧 👯‍♀️ 🌮 👟 or something else? 

Application anxiety is real! Remember, one craft fair won’t make or break or break your business.

BTW: Our @thepatchworkshow applications close next week on 9.27. Apply via our bio 🔗. 

We have SEVEN awesome locations in California this fall.

🏖 Long Beach @marinestadium 10.29
☀️ Ventura @downtownventura 11.5
🌆 Tustin @oldtowntustin 11.12
🌉 Oakland @jacklondonsq 11.18
🌳 Redwood City @cityofredwoodcity 11.26
🎨 Sebastopol @sebastopolarts 12.2
🛳 San Pedro @craftedportla 12.10

#craftshow #craftshowprep #smallbizowner #smallbiztips #smallbusinessowner #smallbusiness #makerfaire

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