What do I do when it's a day off and I have a camera and a beautiful niece with nothing better to do than spend an afternoon with her aunt? I messaged her with "Hey, wanna go get thrown out of Hobby Lobby with me?" and a link to this video. I shouldn't have been surprised when she agreed, so I charged my camera batteries, packed extra SD cards, and off we went to complete the Hobby Lobby Challenge! 

What is the Hobby Lobby Challenge, you ask? It's basically taking staged photos inside your local Hobby Lobby (or any craft store.... any store at all for that matter). Both of my nieces are always game to help me add new photos to my website, and are always (seemingly) keen to wear my jewelry for a bit and earn a little modeling fee, or free lunches, or both. 

shelving units, tags and posts visible between the vines and flowers, so most of these images required a rather intensive amount of post-editing. But I used free software with Photoscape and Snapseed, and it's easy to get a good basis for some great life-style shots this way. Plus, the weather was uncooperative with a light but steady rain, so an indoor location like this was an ideal exercise in photographic creativity.

Tarissa was such a sport! She chose her own outfit for the shoot, which worked out beautifully with the greenery of the floral department, and she was never too shy to sit on the floor, sit on shelving units, tuck herself behind fake ferns and generally just rock it! 

One of the first things I learned as a home-based business owner was that the saying "you have to invest in yourself before anyone else will" (I have no idea who coined that phrase) was entirely accurate. BUT, I also learned that there are things you can utilize to propel your business forward that wont require the black-market sale of a kidney. Or both kidneys. 

So I'd like to share with you some more resources I've used in my business practices. 

ACCOUNTING, TAX PREP, INVENTORY MANAGEMENT: First, one of the most popular and prolific questions I'm asked regards accounting, tax preparation and inventory management. I am not a tax professional and encourage everyone to talk to a tax professional before instituting any accounting, tax or inventory software or processes. But, if you'd like to get your feet wet with some research, this invaluable resource was introduced to me last month that is a rather comprehensive list of resources to suit the needs of this category. Check out THIS RESOURCE (click here) from Cloudwards for a thorough walk-through of some of the most popular accounting, tax and inventory solutions. 

PHOTOGRAPHY: If you've followed me for a hot minute, you'll know I'm a photography enthusiast. While, as a hobbyist, I have invested in pro-sumer camera equipment, those beginning to build their home-based business can use free, inexpensive or on-hand resources to create stellar marketing and sales photography. 

WEBSITE AND ONLINE PRESENCE: I've said it before and I'll say it over and over again. I no longer have any affiliation with them, but if you're looking to build your business from the ground-up and finances are tight (we've all been there, may still be there, may find ourselves there again....), try Storenvy. It's free. It's customizable. You can link a free Blogger, Wordpress or Weebly blog to it, create static pages for a gallery of past work, an About page, a policies page, for a complete online presence. For the price (you know... free), it's an absolutely amazing option. 

These are my most-used or most-referenced resources in the running of my business, or have been in its beginning stages. I hope you have fun giving them a go! 

Stay creative, folks!
​Nicole

Wow. Just.... wow. 

The entries I received for this design challenge were all out of this world, and completely, unabashedly unique. I'm so tickled to see such a level of uniqueness derived from the same beginning steps, the same materials and tools. The magic factor here is, of course, the imagination, talent and creativity of those who entered... who managed to blow us all away! 

If you haven't already seen the GALLERY OF ENTRIES please CLICK HERE. Note: It's best to click from a laptop of desktop. For some reason, I've failed at technology and social media this month, or Pinterest changed their platform, or perhaps a combination of both, but apparently folks had trouble accessing the album and, from a phone, the link was sending you to the Pinterest main page. So... I'll probably rethink things a bit for the next one! It's a learning experience for me too! 

Still, we had a total of 68 beautiful entries and each one deserves a round of applause. From these 68 entries, the participants placed a vote for their favorite and the highest vote won the honor of "Group Favorite". A panel of seven judges, consisting of both consumers and jewelry artists, came together to pick a "Judged Favorite". As in previous challenges, the winner of the Group Favorite vote wins my completed version of the project as well as 10 tutorials of their choice. The Judged Favorite also wins 10 tutorials of their choice. 

And... get this... we had our first ever TIE! That's right... a tie for "Group Favorite"! This is the first time I've ever had the extremely difficult tie-breaker job! There were a few votes that were not qualified (cast by non-participants), so posting the winners took a bit longer than anticipated as I cross-checked votes with participants. 

So let me introduce you to the two participants who tied for GROUP FAVORITE! 

These were both incredible designs, showcasing a load of originality and daring, each with a mountain of movement and character. Ultimately... as they say in Highlander.... there can be only one. I will emphatically state that choosing one over the other in no way implies one is actually BETTER than the other. However, I had to go with where my spirit called me. 

And the winner of GROUP FAVORITE is.... LOIS DEMERS! Lois wins my completed project as well as 10 Nicole Hanna tutorials of her choice. 

However, I would like to also offer Caroline Louise her choice of 10 Nicole Hanna tutorials as well, because she made a stellar piece of art!

And as if these two pieces aren't enough to wet your creative whistle, let me introduce to you the JUDGED FAVORITE!

First of all, manipulating that 14 gauge wire is a BEAST, but she also managed to make the leaves flow effortlessly, creating a truly cohesive flow that moved seamlessly with the required steps. Really beautiful work. Angelina wins 10 Nicole Hanna tutorials of her choice. 

But you know what. I wanted to offer up an HONORABLE MENTION as well, because it's my design challenge and I wasn't NOT going to mention this piece...... 

I mean... come on.... Not only is that an example of the most meticulous weaving I've ever seen (sure... I may be a little jealous), but the symmetry is SPOT ON and the photography is natural and inspired, and she received her fair share of the votes as well. I can only say I wish I'd designed this first. Lovely. So, with that said, I'd also like to offer Donna 10 Nicole Hanna tutorials of her choice. 

And that, my friends, brings to close another amazing "Finish It!" Design Challenge. Please give these winners a huge round of applause and congrats. They deserve it, as do all the entrants who took the time to challenge themselves and complete and submit their entries. 

Thank you so much everyone for participating, for encouraging the participants, and for your patience during my social media/Pinterest kerfuffle. Hopefully I'll have things a little more clear for the next run. And there will definitely be a next run, so keep your eyes peeled and check back often! 

Stay creative! 
​Nicole

Imagination... that creative spark we ALL have, is really the driving force behind these "Finish It!" Design Challenges. There were a beautiful handful of tutorials I've learned from over the years and, during that time, I've heard others refer to the use of tutorials as a "crutch", that everyone should "design for themselves" (and I have blog posts arguing against that idea for a variety of very valid reasons). This contest proves that tutorials can be a jumping-off point, the spring board from which these 67 entrants launched themselves and their creativity. And I'm so thankful they did. Every day, I was truly gifted with these entries flowing into my email inbox, inspired by them, motivated by them, and awed by them. I hope you will find them all equally amazing. 

(Please note: I received 66 emails and responded to each, as well as one Facebook submission, totaling 67 entries. I checked my spam folder daily to make sure I didn't miss a single entry. If you attempted to enter and do not see your entry in the gallery, please send me an email ASAP. I will add your entry to the gallery as quickly as I'm able.)

​Me-1, Anxiety-0. SCORE!

But let's get back to that atmosphere I mentioned. The moment I stepped off the plane, I felt immediately relaxed. I wouldn't be so bold as to say I felt quite at home with myself, but... it's as close to that as one can be when not actually at home! Glastonbury has it's own magic, of that I'm certain. While that may be tapping into a whole pocket of cliches, given the nature of the place, the Abbey, the legend of King Arthur and all the tourist elements attached to it (which I totally eat up, by the way), it's also absolutely true. If I were never a believer in reincarnation, Glastonbury is the place to change my mind. And I think maybe I leave a little piece of me behind when I pack my bags to head home. Or, perhaps, say goodbye to a piece of me that's always been there.

It was also incredibly cathartic. I'd been in a very weird head space the prior few months. While I was creating consistently, a certain drive was lacking. I had plenty of ideas, but without the motivation and passion to see them to fruition, it began to feel like "work". Blech. There are always elements of running a business that will feel like... well... a business, but there had never before been a time when I looked forward to "clocking out" at the end of my day, stepping away from my desk and binging a season of Downton Abbey.

I didn't like that one little bit. I mean... I love Downton Abbey, but you get what I'm saying.

​And I was determined to carry that magic home with me. Or, perhaps "determined" is the wrong word, because an excitement for the creative process just sort of happened, embedded itself into my psyche. I don't think I had much choice but to allow that excitement to carry me forward.

It did, too. Until I got sick.

Before I get into that, let me tell you a little something about our airport.... it's awful. There are these horrible new kiosks that ask you whether you've touched livestock or purchased fine art, and then it takes your photo and prints you a receipt and you shuffle off to a customs agent for more questions and a detailed analysis of a stunningly bad passport photo. And, I'm not ashamed to admit that I got lost leaving my own airport. I walked around for 10 minutes before dropping my bag on the ground and, with a whimper, saying to the nearest employee "I don't know where I am." He touched my arm and said "Hun, where are you trying to go?" And I replied "Out. Just out." Ha! We both laughed and I found my way to the passenger pick-up. And, despite the travel time, I wanted to work that night, when I came home, and I did work for the next few days. Until The Great Ick arrived. It's not just a bug. It's a "sitting next to a man on a plane for 9 hours who stashed nasal spray and tissues in the seat pocket before him" kind of bug. But, at least that's given me time to write this post and imagine all the ways I can create my own magical atmosphere here at home. I envision a meditation station in the corner of my living room, new hanging lanterns above my desk for ambiance, and a fuzzy rug beneath my chair for some tactile fun for my feet. And while that may be further feeding the cliched idea of magic, and isn't quite indicative of the atmosphere of Middlewick, it's a type of magic all the same, I think.

How do you create a magic work space? 

How has 2018 been so far? 

Well, there's been a seriously embarrassing amount of Netflix happening. And YouTube. So many YouTube videos, while I try to support as many content creators as I can with my views.  

And there's been a whole lot of things breaking.... our truck was hit while parked, the garage door tension spring burst into pieces, the water heater sprung a leak and, while it was being replaced, the valve broke, water sprayed everywhere and it took four city workers outside to find the shut off to our building. You know... good times. 

But, you know what? January was still a fabulous month. I spent some amazing quality time with my husband and my kids who are in college, who were not nearly annoyed enough by me. So I worked really hard to correct that oversight. I mean, I don't think it's unusual to burst into song (Moana... I'm looking at you) while at the grocery store with your 20 year old son...

but... I'm told it is. 

So, yeah. Lots of Netflix and Youtube. Lots of impromptu repairs. Time with family. And I got some jewelry made and learned some new photo editing software. I even bought a ring light for videos! 

Now, what's in store for February? Giveaways, of course! 

And don't forget! We're less than 1000 likes away from a 12-hour giveaway on my Nicole Hanna Jewelry business page! So we still have that to look forward to as well. Maybe we'll break the internet this time or, at the very least, break Facebook. Temporarily. We don't want to break it for good. Or at all. You know what I mean. 

Now I'm off to edit some photos for the site here and, if I'm honest, I just want to play with the new software I've been using. It's really fun. Even for those like me, who repel technology and software with a single touch. It's almost like a super power. Or a reverse super power. But still....

Stay creative, folks! Until next time. 
​
Nicole

totally clean slate! I taped coins to my door for prosperity and good fortune (which is a tradition I was tickled to learn isn't unique to me!) I read a book... one of only three books I actually managed to make time to read all year! I set up my planner for January and my business journal and made some goals which definitely included reading and sketching more.  It was, in three words, a glorious night.

So let's talk a little about what to expect moving through 2018! Not many changes, I promise... not many things that will really effect how you navigate my site. The treasure hunts are, for 2018, here to stay, and there is already two "Finish It!" contests (tentatively) scheduled. But one thing you may have noticed is the absence of activity on my YouTube channel. 

Unfortunately, Go Art Yourself took a turn for the worse last year. Starting in April, my laptop was officially on the fritz.. At only a year and a half old, it was sent into the shop for weeks at a time, which left me scrambling to function effectively from my phone or a tablet. I seemed to repel functioning technology last year which, sadly, carried on for about five months. With my laptop out of commission for weeks at a time, I finally decided to invest in a new computer. Which also means my trusty Windows Movie Maker program was a distant dream! It was no longer supported and no longer available for download, so that sent me on the hunt for new video-editing software (which I still haven't mastered... because.... technology!). 

Learning new software was, sadly, derailed when, in September, my son was hit by a drunk driver while riding his bike home from work. He's totally fine! A few scraps and bumps and very sore for a few days, but thankfully no lasting damage. Just a nervous and overly-protective mother! So I was, in essence, in a funk. It happens right? I'm considering being proactive and scheduling a funk into my planner for 2018 because, as George Washington once said "To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace", and I'm definitely down for making way for peace (and quiet) in 2018! 

THEN (yes, there's more) Murphy's Law decided my phone should stop working, which is exactly what I was using to record video. My new phone, sadly, has this weird 4k recording limit, which is really prohibitive, so now I'm on the hunt for actual video equipment. Shew! But you know what? I'm totally down with it. If you have any recommendations for video cameras with macro capability, let me know in the comments below! I'm looking forward to experimenting with a new camera and to start filming again! 

The pieces in this collection all utilize multiple stones, gathered together in a bezel of wire that is sometimes chaotic but always organic. Once I've chosen an ancient archetypal story to tell, I sit with the stones and the wire and allow the characters to manifest in my thoughts before taking to task the tools at hand.

I suppose it's a rather abstract representation of Gaia, for instance, to see a collection of Imperial Jasper and carnelian stones huddled together in a nest of curling copper. And her story may not be immediately clear to the casual observer. But I come to know her, or what her story represents, while I sit with the wire and allow it to move and dictate to me the direction it takes. Though I've been told or have read her tale many times over the years, each piece that I make in my effort to express her story in art is always unique, always showcasing an emotional connection that I've made to the Gaia in me, for lack of a simpler explanation.

I imagine this collection will be a long-standing one for my work. The opportunity to tell these ancient stories, however limited by my skills and technical knowledge, is one more step towards embracing the goddess within.