We’re on Facebook!!

If you like the artists here and wanted to connect with others who are like-minded, this is your spot. There’s a discussion forum which will work like our discussion email list plus I’m hoping it’ll be an easy way for artists to update their news and for you to hopefully share yours.

I always think of this site as the little site that could since its launch in 2002. When I first created this site, there wasn’t anything else like it on the web. In fact, most of the artists you see featured here didn’t have blogs or post on forums and creative online communities were almost non-existant. Yet there was a huge, huge need for it. My site, the original Girl at Play, chronicled my steps from leaving my corporate job to be creatively self-employed, and it received over 500K visitors each day and thousands of incoming emails. I knew that not only was I not the only one to be doing what I was doing but there were better and different examples of women who were beyond where I was. So I sought them out, asked them some questions, built a site and here we are.

The site was built before wordpress or blogger and was hand-coded with love. There weren’t widgets or ways in which to share the information easily, there wasn’t any advertising options which was hard because at the time, bandwith was an issue and this site combined with my other, cost me about $400 a month to run! BUt I always believed the purpose – of reaching other women to let them know its possible and that struggles are completely normal – was far greater than the cost.

But as my business gained momentum and I took on other projects, this site kind of fell by the wayside in terms of updating (both in content and site features). It just remained a little site full of great, basic, simple content. And somehow, that’s worked. It still receives over 150K visitors a day which makes me very, very happy but more than that, very very proud. Proud to know the women featured here but more important, to know that so many women are looking to take that first step and get creative. Love. That.

And I think during these testing times, more and more women are looking for something that is not only financially viable, but just viable period. Something they can do that will make them full of life, that will inspire them to work and others to do the same. We’re all looking for a change that can make us feel and do better and because of that, this site has received a resurgance of visitors over the past couple of months. And this is where I feel slightly sheepish. Because I have been helping people with social media and community all over the place yet here, where the conversation is really needed, it’s not happening.

So I’m updating the site to open comments, to make sure you feel like your voice is heard if you want to say something or have an easy way to share a profile or newsletter with someone you think might be in need of it. You’re coming here to be a part of something whethet it’s just to read or to add something that’s missing. And I want to make sure you know you’re part of all of this.

With that, I’d love any input you have on how I can make this more open for you – from coments to widgets to the email digest list – if there’s room for improvement, please email me or leave a comment below. Your opinion matters. It always, always does.

It’s interesting I have been getting a lot of emails lately asking where I exactly am I in the creative world. This strikes me odd for a couple of reasons. One, there’s the assumption a person can “leave” the creative world and that I’ve done just that or the second that because I am not posting sketches or art or talking about the woe’s of an artist, I am not involved as a creative anymore. And neither could be further from the truth.

What is true is that being a full-time traditional artist/writer wasn’t my calling; I am not good at it really and don’t get much joy from it. I require living a full life (travel, work, people) in order to write and create so working at home, alone, just isn’t useful or healthy for me. I’m someone who thrives by working with people, I love dressing up and having a place to go, I love changing up my work and incorporating art and business. Although it took me awhile to realise both those things and I’m glad I tried to be that full-time creative from home to really learn really what does – and doesn’t – work for me. And when something doesn’t work, I shift and find something that does.

What my experience has also taught me is that “Creativity” is a HUGE word – bigger than “art” and “writer” and talking about feelings, fears, dreams. There are people that can do those things and even I did them when I first started to be full-time creative in 2001. There was a purpose for me being a writer then and talking about what I was going through. That purpose was this site which launched <a href=”http://anothergirlatplay.com”>Another Girl at Play</a> which launched a lot of artists, female oriented creative sites, a creative community and a whole new movement online. But once that purpose wore off, I was a very unhappy creative person because just talking about being a writer, just talking about being creative and staying stuck in that role was anything but creative!

It’s often so easy to see when you’re in an unhappy rut in a corporate job but not so easy when you run your own company doing what you supposedly love. It can get  so easy to become stuck playing out the artist or writer role, of making personal discoveries you feel you must share every day and talking only with other artists and so forth. I think that can be a dangerous path to be on. I take a look at some of the people who started out along with me or just after and see them in the same place mentally, physically and creatively. Nothing new is coming out. Nothing new is being produced in their creative communities. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of joy but a lot of struggle and always challenges at self-acceptance. I think that’s because they’re stuck and it’s scary to let go. It’s so scary to stop what isn’t working – we all know this. But if what you’re doing is creative and supposed to be amazing, it can seem like a downright failure to stop – especially if you’re public about it.

I went through through this fear around 2005 when I didn’t want to be a full-time writer,didn’t want to be a famous blogger, and didn’t want to be the poster child for leaving a corporate gig for a creative one. I was so sick of hearing my own thoughts let alone sharing them and championing women into a role I didn’t necessarily believe was right for everyone. So I became quiet and shifted on my own.

I began working on film sets, I began helping producers adapt books into movies, I worked on web sites and wrote content for major companies like Disney. I created still life’s in famous stores and travelled the world to write about it for major publications. I consulted with new media companies about how to get into social media without losing the human touch, I helped all my friends who had their own businesses learn about branding and PR and contracts. Working with others and often other companies, is where I found my real groove. It’s where I came alive and where I found personal success that has been sustaining me all these last few years.

Although I love photography and sometimes sell my work with a travel article or for an ad campaign, I have no desire to do gallery shows anymore or sell prints. And travel writing is something I love doing on the side but right now, it’s not something I want to do full-time. And painting? Drawing? I’ve always hated it because I’ve never been good at it or crafty and trying to make myself enjoy it was a mess! So I have all these passions – photography, writing, travel – but I actually don’t make a full-time living at them and actually enjoy them so much more because there’s no pressure attached to them. They’re in incorporated into all my jobs and my life and that’s what keeps me going.

It’s why I now really believe that one should not always pursue their passion but bring their passion to everything they do. And I do. There is not one task I take on that I do not love, believe and want to be a part of. When I work, I love it. I’m creative. I play at my job and succeed at it – whatever it is. I don’t define it, I don’t measure it, I don’t say it has to be X and if it’s Y I’ve failed and I do not ever worry about it changing. Creativity means change and if you’re not comfortable with that, then really, do the steady 9-5 thing. You will, in the long run, be much more happy. I assure you. And there is no shame in that. There is shame in living a life you think you should have, whether it’s in the corporate or creative world, and not really loving it.

One finds happiness in the actions of their purpose and not in the dreaming and talking of it. Be weary of anyone who tells you otherwise and especially of anyone who is only doing the talking! Life is really in the doing so really make sure you’re doing something you want to do – whether it’s arty or business, in an office or at home – and that you’re bringing all you’ve got to it each and every day. And if it’s not working, look at why it’s not and tweak it until it’s not working anymore and then move on.

It’s that time of year when we make our lists and check them twice. Whether you’ve pledge to buy and give handmade this year or your pocket book has made you re-think some of the gadgets and fancy gear of years past, Another Girl at Play artists have created products that are perfect for gift giving to others (or yourself!).

From how to books to novels, jewellery to art, stationary to home ware, they’ve got you covered. And maybe you support local businesses (always fantastic) but maybe you support artists (even better). However you buy for the holidays, take the time to think about the gift – the recipient, the product, how it was made and what it can do.

And when you’ve wrapped the last gift and tied the last bow, think about you, your product, and what you can do. And then ring in the New Year and begin.

Happy Holidays!

P.S. We’ve got a new profile up – Tori Higa, artist. Her line of cards are extraordinary and are not only perfect gifts but are great note cards for yourself. And I love her bit of advice: I say that it’s great to have lots of ideas and daydreams, but if you really want to live your creative ideal you have to make time to do it and not just daydream about doing it. You literally have to Just Do It…and the rest will work itself out. It’s always about the doing, isn’t it?

In 2001 when I began my journey from corporate girl to creative entrepreneur, there just simply wasn’t a lot of online resources – if any for someone like me. Someone who wanted to know what it was like to be an artist, to make money, to feel insecure, what steps to take, what to do on day one and day 50.

There were some government sites about licensing and copyright but even those were hard to find. There weren’t a lot of artists talking about their business online, there definitely wasn’t the blogs. There wasn’t an Etsy or other networks to easily sell your ware or connect with an audience who’d buy it.

That’s why I created Girl at Play and this site, Another Girl at Play. I wanted to share all that I knew with others who I knew were looking for the same information. I wanted to create a community that didn’t exist yet. I wanted to share all the wonderful friends I had that were in the same boat as I.

As a result, this site started to reach over 150,000 people a day. Obviously that meant that people were looking for the kind of stories shared here because they wanted to create their own story.

Our community here grew, we gained more profiles, more blogs went up, other communities were created and more and more resources (it seems limitless now!) went online so that there was no reason to ever fear or be discouraged from following a dream. All one had to do was surf and you’d run into someone or something that could help.

While I’ve been so proud to have created this site and even more proud of the thousands and thousands of you that have written to say how the artists here has changed your life, I’ve always felt bad about not being able to keep up with the newsletters, the additional profiles or the resources that have blossomed all over the web. So despite being ahead of it’s time seven (!!) years ago, this site has fallen behind the times over the past couple of years.

Last month, however, I rebuilt the site so that it’s finally modern which means it’s easy to update, easy to comment on, and hopefully, easy to navigate. What took days to do means that updating should only take minutes which means I hope to keep adding to the resources that everyone comes here looking for.

So with that, if you have a favourite resource, a place of inspiration, legal forms, blogs you love – anything, please either contact me or leave a comment here and I’ll add them to our renewed “Community Page.”

But one thing has never wavered despite technological changes; the women profiled on this site. Their stories are still relevant and inspirational, especially since they all keep coming out with new things, ideas, and overcoming their own challenges. So I’m very, very thankful to each of them for sharing their stories and to you who reads them. And to everyone who has been patient with all the changes that have been taking place over the past little while!

	Anna Maria Horner Designer		Alicia Paulson Designer & Writer		Amanda Woodward Illustrator
	Andrea scher Jewellery Designer		Catherine Aurelio Art Director		Claire Robertson Illustrator
	Debbie Drechsler Illustrator		Emira & Lauren Graphic Designers		Jen Griggs Sebastian Artist/Product Designer
	Jenny Hart Embroidery Artist		Keri Smith Artist & Writer		Jill Bliss Product Designer
	Julie Valentine Designer		Julianna Smith Card Designer		Katherine Dunn Illustrator
	Kathy Cano Murillo Crafty Chica		Laurie Wagner Word Wrangler		Lorena Siminovich Artist/Collage
	Lori Joy Smith Artist		Martine Locke Musician		Melanie Mauer Photographer
	Pamela Barsky Artist		Pamela Mueller Author		Ruby Bayan Writer
	Sarah Lugg Artist/Collage		Sharyn Sowell Paper Artist		Tammy Raybould Singer
	Stephannie Barba Calligrapher		Tera Leigh Product Designer		Hope Wallace Artist

Please go out there and do. Live. Don’t be the same as yesterday. Don’t live vicariously online. Don’t use language that has no meaning or talk ideas you don’t really live. Don’t hide. Don’t copy others or live their ideas or life. Don’t fear doing your thing. Don’t fear doing. Instead of reading a decorating magazine, paint that room. Instead of thinking of baking, do up a cake. Run, walk, bike. Put that self help book down and pick up yourself.

Let go of the snark, your worries, your anger and fear and give into possibility, action, joy and life. Do. Do some more. Stop thinking about you. Stop blogging about just you and your kid and your pet. There’s a world out there to connect to, really connect to and email doesn’t count. Being of use is more important than being popular. Think about the lady down the street, the person at the drive through, the man fallen in the street, about politics, the environment, healthcare, another country and then do something about it. Never stop at thinking.

Dream big, work harder. Have lots of fun, lift a finger, do something for someone else. Cheer your friends on. Cheer yourself up. Celebrate as much as possible. Enjoy everything. Right now. It’s OK to want more and do more but be present with where you are or who you are with. Don’t rush the situation – even if it’s bad. Move on when you can. Don’t settle. Try everything you can and get over everything holding you back.

Go outside. Go outside yourself. Make a difference, make some change. Don’t complain about someone unless you’re talking to that someone. Don’t complain about a situation you’re not willing to make better. They don’t have it better and you don’t have it worse. Don’t make excuses. You’ll never see possibility if you do. And you’re smart and worth more than settling for a life of complaining and limitation.

Hope. Hope more. Give someone else hope. Get healthy and contribute to a healthy environment. Think about everything you do, you buy, you say. Only be lazy on Sunday and even then, be conscious. Rest is useful, giving up is not.

Live with a light heart. Play more. Remember what it’s like to be seven. Remember to listen to a seven year old because you just have more words and life experience, not necessarily more wisdom. Have more questions than answers and don’t put everything into words. Sometimes just feel things and be. Be quiet more often, listen harder, talk exactly as you mean to.

Strive for your best and not what you think someone elses’ best is. Follow through. Don’t let others’ down. Don’t let yourself down. You are better than your circumstances. Ask for what you’re worth. Make magic happen don’t wish for it. Don’t envy others’ lives, envy yours. Live it fully. Teach by example how to live well, how to be treated, how to be kind, how to be alive.

Do. I can’t stress that one enough. Take action on your life. Make the change. No more sulking, waiting, thinking, reading, talking about. It’s time. You’re ready.

I think most artists, creative people, entrepreneurs go through very rough patches when they’re young which then causes a lot of us to not do publicly what we were meant to do. In fact, I think we often hide behind “safe jobs/hobbies/days” whilst secretly engaging in our real passions/pursuits.
But when a person finally believes even just a little in themselves to say “My talent is worth something – I am worth something” and then does something (no matter how terrifying or impossible) the result is always magic and life changing.

So what is it in you that needs to come out? Even if you think you don’t know, you do. And even if you think you don’t know how, you do. You don’t need to know everything, just one thing. Act on that and everything follows.

For more related posts read my article “Belief and Action” and listen to the Boss Lady Podcast from SXSW this year in which Emira & Lauren, Jenny Hart, Vickie Howell, and myself speak to what it’s like to run your own creative business.

Last month I was in Chicago at the same time Blogher was; I didn’t go to any of the panels but I did go to one after party where I “randomly” bumped into none other than Kathy Cano Murillo or Crafty Chica as she’s better known by.

There were two reasons meeting her took me off gaurd. The first is that she was one of the original people to say yes to being on this site (and that was back in 2002) and it was so amazing to finally meet her and thank her in person for believing in this site enough to say yes. And then to see how far she’s come since then and to know that the advice she’s shared here isn’t just words but advice built on a creative life that is actively working, changing and flourishing.

The second reason I was caught off guard was because when we were talking, she asked about the site and I realised that I hadn’t been posting here. There have been no newsletters, no real additions, no improvements to the site in a very, very long time.

This site has always been a labour of love and I”ve always been committed to the idea of sharing all this information for free (free to read, free to be an artist). Because it’s a labour of love, things get worked on as time allows and in the last few years, time hasn’t allowed me much. Just like Kathy, my work has changed and grown. Unlike Kathy, I haven’t been keeping up with a site that helped jump start it all.

But people keep coming, emailling me, and connecting in our list serv. That’s not something I want to forget. So I’m trying to carve some time to make a lot of site improvements and also to get back to writing the newsletters. If you have any time to help (ideas, you can code – anything!) please let me know. The one thing this site has taught me is that we’re not alone – we’re a community.

And I want to do more for it.

It’s that time of year when there’s guides galore; on blogs, in magazines and on TV. Hard to escape it so I was hesitant about creating a list. But there are so many wonderful companies that I just had to share. They’re all women owned, small and artisan for the most part. And I really believe that if you want to run your own business or be an artist or a writer, you must support others who have these careers.

Often I hear that people would love to create their own company but they fear not making money. Those same people then go to big retaillers and spend money and complain how “expensive” artisan products are. You can’t be a part of what you don’t support. So please support small companies and artists. Lauren at Boss Lady wrote a really great article about this.

But let’s move onto the fun of gift giving and online peaking from these wonderful online shops (and don’t forget to stop by our artists sites to see what they have going on for the holidays!):

Energy Muse: I’m in love with their jewellery. I met them a few years ago in LA and purchased a necklace for my husband who is not a necklace wearing kind of guy. However, he loved it and so I followed suit with a 6th Chakra Necklace. I’ve received so many compliments on it and I love telling the story of how the beads are meant to help you with a goal and how they’re made and all that good stuff that is best explained on their site. So if you’re looking for something unique and meaningful, give these jewels a try.

Small Spiral Notebook: My friend Felicia is a rock star. She’s one of the hardest working women I know – not only is she writing an amazing book, putting in hours at a publishing house but also finds time to put out this marvelous book every few months. You will feel all edumacated after reading it, I promise you. Give the gift of a subscription or pick up a single copy and pair it with some fine coffee and voila, a perfect book lover gift.

Rosy Little Things; I could not make a list and not talk about my friend Alicia. I have slept in her pretty pink spare room where I did nothing but read magazines and dream about her office and all the things she makes. She is the real deal when it comes to creating and packaging pretties. And her blog? It is my favourite – she knows how to write and be cheeky online. Love that! Her shop is closing up soon for the holidays so get some orders in quickly.

Mi Amore Skincare: What I love about Maki (besides the fact that she made my skin perfect with her facials at Ole Henriksen) is that she is a great example of someone who didn’t quit their dayjob to create a new job for herself. She created her company and products whilst working at the spa. All her efforts have paid off, however, because her products are the most amazing things ever. And if you know anyone who is pregnant this holiday season, you must get them the momma kit! They will thank you for remembering them and not just the baby to be!

Katherine Dunn: One of my all time favourite artists and amazing farm girl. Her blog charms me, her work makes me swoon and her farm bits for sale have me saving my pennies. From lavender harvested on her farm, to Goats For PEace Buttons to one of a kind artwork, her store items would be beautiful under anyone’s tree. She also has taken in ferrel cats and spayed/neutered them all so donating to help that is a great gift to give, too.

Sublime Stiching: Ok. For serious. Jenny Hart is a rockstar. When I met her years ago she took me to her little room which was just being made into her office. On the floor were “some patterns she was making for a book.” The book came out and rocked. Then she came out with another book. Then she’s rocking it out with the Austin Craft Mafia. Then she got really shiny hair (this has nothing to with business). I am not crafty but her first book helped me to stitch a couple of things that I’ve let people besides my mum see. It’s just that good!

See Jane Work: I love this company. Thanks to them filing isn’t a chore because my files are just so pretty! They have the best things from papers to pens to desktop accessories. And the packaging that it all comes in? Wonderful. I’ve had nothing but consistently great service from this group of women so should you know anyone that is starting their own business, think of outfitting them with things from here that are so not corporate!

Jennifer Causey Photography: I have a couple of her photos because with a simple click of the camera, she makes the ordinary, extraordinary. Her still lifes have such a cosy feel to them. I swear I’ve never looked at tea cups and saucers the same way since seeing her blog and owning some of her work. Again, she packages things wonderfully so receiving some of her work is great. And her postcards? Please send these out into the world. We need prettier mail!

Sugar Paper: And speaking of prettier mail, this company does custom made stationary as well as already made cards. Their charming store in Los Angeles is a must see but if you can’t make it, pop over to their site at least. Get creative and make your own stationary or give the gift of business cards to someone who’s trying to start their own project.

And lastly, Women for Women is a fantastic charitable organisation that I’ve been a part of for sometime now. It’s a gift that keeps on giving and actually helps to change another woman’s life. If you think you’re struggling, I really encourage you to try to sponsor a woman through this program because chances are, she’s having a harder time than you with less opportunities. It’s a way to help someone else’s dream come true, and what could be more holiday spirit than that?

If you were thinking of going to SXSW 2007 but needed some convincing, here’s a great reason: several artists on Another Girl at Play and myself have put together a discussion panel that’s been selected for the Interactive portion!

We all own businesses {all different kinds} with different backgrounds and ways of working. And we’re going to talk about all of the good (and bad) about being a female boss. You can find Jenny’s, Emira’s and Lauren’s profiles here.

We’re so excited about this panel and hope we get to see you there!

Link to this Newsletter | Subscribe to Another Girl at Play Newsletter by Email

Vote for an Another Girl at Play SXSW Panel!

Love the site, its ideas and the women? What if you could listen to a panel of us talking and interact in person instead of just on a site? Then please consider voting for a panel called, “Boss Lady” for SXSW 2007. Featuring 5 of the Another Girl at Play Artists and based on the wonderful site/book Boss Lady, our panel is aimed to help women succeed in business, whether its graphic design, crafting, production or the corporate world.

As Emira of Boss Lady writes:

We are excited to announce that we’ve proposed a panel discussion at SXSW (South by Southwest) 2007. Simply titled “Boss Lady”, it will cover what makes business different from a female perspective; the particular challenges the panelists have faced; how to create and maintain a business with or without employees; and how to achieve financial success – all without boas or pink markers. Our proposed panelists include:

• Emira & Lauren who run Boss Lady, a design studio and also used to run Soap Box Girls
• Alex Beauchamp, of GirlatPlay.com and A Girl’s Guide to City Life;
• Jenny Hart, Stitching Goddess, author of two books and the popular site Sublime Stitching;
• Vickie Howell, author of three knitting books, host of the television show, Knitty Gritty, and founder of the Austin Craft Mafia.

We hope you’ll vote for us – you can find our panel filed under “business / funding / entrepreneurial” and “work / career”. (Tip: it’s easier to find in the latter category since there are fewer entries there.)

SXSW is using a voting process to enable attendees (potential and confirmed) to select the panels in which they’re most interested. If you’re thinking of heading to Austin for the big event (even if it’s a long shot… participating in the voting process doesn’t mean you’re expected to attend), we hope you’ll cast a vote in our direction (do a search for “Boss Lady” or look under the category of “business / funding / entrepreneurial).

Voting closes Friday, October 13.