Its been awhile since I've posted one of the FabulousFridayFinds. I thought it was due. It's November and there is a lot brewing online, offline and in life.
Its Friday. And while I want to be focused and keep going on the artpreneur and creative income topics sometimes we need to see what creative things are going on around us. A little creative fun, if you will.
Some really cute stuff is coming up online. And while the retail world may look at the passing of Halloween and the beginning of November as the beginning of the Christmas season, I look at it as the beginning of the holiday season. Fall is in full force and everything Thanksgiving. I'm still loving my pumpkin everything. Starbucks may have released their peppermint mochas but when I indulge, I want a pumpkin spice latte.
Speaking of, has anyone replicated a pumpkin spice latte with a home espresso maker? Because I need to talk to you. I can do a decent peppermint mocha but I'm lost on what to use for the pumpkin sauce notorious in the Starbucks beverage. Please advise in comments 
Other fall things. My favorite find is this gorgeous printable from Emily at Jones Design Company. Love it. I promptly downloaded it. I love these things too. So fall. I love good design.
I also loved her post about being thankful. "Let gratitude transforms my heart," she says. Yes please. I don't think there is any coincidence Thanksgiving falls before Christmas. Before we indulge in everything fun, glitter, gifts, nativity scenes, tinsel and sugar cookies, lets take some time to saturate ourselves in thankfulness. I can think of a few things right off. Being near my family this year. Hot coffee. Cold mornings. Falling leaves everywhere. Running in the cold mornings. Sisters to giggle with. Nephews to chase. Books to read. Snuggling with cats. Pumpkins on the front porch. Having more meals with family members in the last month than in the last two years.
Anyone ever get a good idea off Pinterest and wonder where it could go? Well, a few years ago James was looking around at Pinterest and came up with a simple idea for wood furniture. He didn't own a saw and he didn't know how to make furniture. But when he saw the amount of interest in wood furniture he knew he might be onto something.
The business now makes over 5 figures a month.
Interestingly enough James did get a day job but continued the furniture business on the side. He didn't quit that job until the furniture business making enough money to support him. James did something else that might raise an eyebrow. He didn't go to local stores or art and craft shows to sell his furniture.
Check out the podcast. It's quite the story. (Warning- there might be a little colorful language sprinkled through the podcast. The Foundation guys let loose a little more than traditional podcasts).
And this is the creative book I'm reading this week. It's a few years old but it has some very fun projects in it. So I should rephrase. Here is the book I'm getting project ideas from this week. (affiliate link). I read through it about two years ago when I first became aware of Kelly Rae Roberts through a magazine I love. Kelly's book is a mixture of content about one's creative journey (including topics like community, practice, originality, etc). It is a lot of mixed media and stuff you already have at home (found objects for stamping, old books) etc. . Plus, I tend to make it my own by not following all the directions.
My book cover came back and the newest book is getting ready to be released next week. More details coming next week. This is food book with no recipes! I spent the last summer in Boston absorbed in articles, books and podcasts about two main things: entrepreneurs and a (slight) obsession with women who have developed careers in food. I wrote a book about it. Then there was that darn computer crash. (yes, the one where I had let my subscription to my backup system expire. Experience is a good teacher). So I rewrote the book. The first draft is lousy anyways, right?
I wrote this book realizing most of the women I admire do not have neat, conventional, well-planned lives.
It's been a disaster in some seasons and gone swimmingly-well in other seasons. And in the middle of everything, they've learned, tried stuff, figured stuff out, let go of other stuff, learned some more, and persistently stuck with it.
What I've learned? The secrets aren't as secretive as some people would like us to think. We're capable of more than we think. Problems are overcome one little bit at a time. Big projects get done one part at a time. And the funniest thing many women learn? This pin my sissy Kjj sent me sums it up perfectly:
Bake, Blog, Build: What Women in Food Taught Me About Becoming an Entrepreneur is my favorite book thus far. I really believe we can do very well exceed our wildest dreams in our relationships, work and lives as we become who we are meant to be.
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