"Oh, it was nothing" and other ways to Celebrate your Success

Many of the women I know are quiet about their accomplishments. Ask them how they managed to pull together their company's most profitable project in three years and I am likely to hear that it's all in the teamwork. Do you know women like this who feel more comfortable shining a light on others rather than verbalize their own achievements? In the fiber art community of my profession, female artists often explain their amazing needle art expertise by pointing out that their mother, grandmother and aunts all inspired them with their simple homemaking skills like sewing clothes or embroidering tea towels. I know how this works because I have done it myself. The real hero in our life always seems to be someone else.

American women are often raised to be polite, humble and modest, and this leads women to view accepting praise as a form of bragging. Are we selling ourselves short? In order to deflect a robust statement about the value of our accomplishments, do we have to engage in a version of negative self talk? "Oh, it was nothing" may sound humble, but does it actually undermine our confidence or demotivate our future efforts? I believe that all people, male and female alike, should practice a few techniques to celebrate success so that their full participation in life is acknowledged and their anticipation of future success is enjoyed!

Awesome Efforts deserve Vibrant Recognition
1. Pat someone else on the back. Because I am an artist and so enjoy looking at art, there is not a week that goes by when I cannot find a fellow artist who has made something that inspires me. When I contact them and offer my sincere praise, you might think I am doing this for their benefit. That is only half of the story. Talking about others' accomplishments helps normalize the behavior, making it even more likely that I will mindfully appreciate my own victories.
2. Take a trip down memory lane. At the end of the week, after you have given your daily life your best shot, take a quiet moment to review your actions. Think about three specific ways your accomplishments made a positive difference in this world. Thinking about specific actions like this requires your rational brain to do more of the thinking work than your emotional brain, which means that you can more easily override your early polite-girl training to be humble and quiet about awesome abilities. Luxuriate in your thoughts of contribution.
3. Practice asking for what you want. We've all thought it from time to time. Women who are blunt when asking for stuff get called not-so-nice names. This cultural habit does not serve us well, and even keeps us from verbalizing our needs. If something you want is related to an accomplishment from your past, say stellar performance on the job, how hard is it for you to speak up and ask for an appropriate reward? Have you ever felt passive about life as you wait and hope for the acknowledgement you deserve? I know I have. It almost seems like praise from an authority figure or another person whose opinion I trust (like my husband), is something that should come my way unbeckoned in order for it to be legitimate. Here's the skill I am practicing to boost my confidence in this situation: ask for advice. "I am trying to figure out the best way to be included in the Main Street Art Festival in September. Do you have any advice for me?" This approach allows me to get closer to asking directly for what I want, and every step in that direction increases my chances of getting what I want more often.
4. Ritualized Mini Celebrations. Are you the kind of friend who notices when your girlfriend's child receives an award? Do you call her up and help her feel special about her special little girl? Why is it easier to get pumped up about another person's success than it is to get pumped up about your own? Jessi L. Smith, Ph.D. says it is due to what's called "negativity bias," which causes our brains to look at what goes wrong before it looks at what goes right. This little protective devise helps us survive, I suppose, but I vote that we should thrive more than survive! So the next time you accomplish anything, truly anything, give yourself 20 seconds to mentally Happy-Dance. Who knows, this might even lead to actually moving your body around in a little jig. Now wouldn't that be a fun-loving way to enjoy yourself?

Looking at feminine accomplishment and applauding it is something this old world of ours needs. And sometimes, this is an inside job. When we take the time to notice our efforts and give ourselves the positive credit we deserve, and then that naturally leads to an embodied experience of joy, you can bet that our motivation to succeed in the future will be heightened. All of our awesome efforts do deserve vibrant recognition, because that, my friend, is no small thing.

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

P.S. I would love to have you follow my blog! I invite you to do that because the content I offer here is awesome. Getting to know you through comments and such simply fills my heart with joy. Thanks!

Uplifting and Nurturing Yourself and Others

When was the last time you spent four full days unplugged, surrounded by vibrant women of all ages, while being encouraged to rest and be completely well-fed and pampered? If this sounds appealing to you, I highly recommend the event I just attended in Colorado!

Emerging Women 2013 is an event I attended October 10-13, and as a entrepreneur and family-centered woman, I found it to be important both personally and professionally. Emerging Women is a new movement and event designed to support and inspire women to express themselves authentically through the work that they do. This energetic group strives to provide the tools, knowledge, and networking needed to help women lead, start and grow businesses in ways that integrate feminine values such as connection, collaboration and heart.

I did feel included and nourished by this event and am glad that I invested both time and money as a participant. Do you know about any heartfelt events such as this near your hometown? Do you give yourself permission to take personal or professional-growth mini-vacations? I hope you will consider finding a special time-out in your upcoming schedule. Here are some of the inspirational ideas that female thought leaders I visited with presented...along with the part of their message that I found most inspiring!

• What role does creativity in my work as an artist play in my health and wellness?

Brené Brown

• Eliza Reynolds, a 20 year-old woman asks me about the crisis of perfectionism, and the message young women misunderstand today. She reports that being told "You can be anything," actually is heard as "You have to be everything." She has asked me and all the women at this conference to be a teacher to young women about what it means to be a Whole Woman, instead of a dissatisfied woman who fractures herself by seeking perfection.

Alanis Morissette

• Tara Moore encourages all women to pay loving attention to our biggest challenges and our true calling in life. She reminds me that the human body is beautifully designed to give each of us hints and clues about what arenas in life are part of our greatest good. For instance, when was the last time you felt goose bumps on your arms and the thrill of excitement in your chest when you began a project in your work? Living your true calling would provide you with this physical response, as it is your body's way of telling you that you are in your true flow.

Eve Ensler

• Sera Beck was unknown by me before this event, and her presentation was dramatic and heart wrenching. She gently reminds me to put my energy into my soul's work ahead of any sort of business template or to-do list. As a determined A-type person, I needed to hear this advice.

• Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the popular book, Eat, Pray, Love reiterated Sera's message when she told the crowd that her best work has always been accompanied by ease and joy. 

Elizabeth Gilbert

• Kristen Neff is a researcher and college professor who reminds us all that self compassion is related to well being as the flip side to self disregard. When was the last time your inner critic told you that you don't know what you are doing? How easily I can speak harshly to myself, in a manner I would never speak to another person!

• How would you describe your one most true and natural talent? 

• How do you take care of your future self? Do you sometimes think that living a long life would be great, as long as you never become a burden to your family? What could you do now to reduce the chances that you will be feeble in old age?

• How do you give yourself creative license?

Georgianne Holland

• If you make a product or an artistic object, or if you have a service to provide, how do you decide the price folks should pay? Do you feel that a fair price is paid for your skills or expertise? Did you know that if you charge less than a fair price, the transaction is unhealthy for both you and your customer/client? No one wants to be belittled, or sell themselves short. Exchange value for value.

• Women are designed to be interdependent and relational. Being truly happy for one another instead of feeling competitive toward one another is attending to your wellness. Can your work be pursued while you attend to your primary relationships and make self-care a priority?

As I revisit my notes from this dynamic weekend, I know in my heart that being "all that I can be" is at times an overwhelming responsibility. Women have such potential for greatness, and when we think big and live large, like I did this past weekend with 375 new friends in Boulder, I am reminded that the great success of my dreams will largely depend on the support and encouragement I both receive and give. Yes, my friends, we may have many skills and goals, but we are not, in my opinion, designed to function as an island. We are meant to succeed as a community, helping one another rise/fail/rise again/learn/trust/nestle/soar.

Thanks for stopping by! I appreciate being able to share my journey with you.
Georgianne

Fiber Art in Action: Do you Dress Locally or do you Dress Globally?

Rebecca Burgess

Have you ever made an effort to eat local, organic foods? I belonged to our local CSA (Community Sponsored Agriculture) co-op last summer and enjoyed food grown near my own backyard. I love the idea of keeping my purchasing power in my own part of Colorado! It is environmentally friendly to do this, especially as you consider the reduced effort required to ship or transport items to my front door.

I recently learned about Rebecca Burgess who has been inspired to start a fiber co-op, called a Fibershed, that has been built using this same love of keeping things local. In a working Fibershed, folks combine forces with their neighbors to capitalize on their various fiber "processing" skills, like weaving, dying, hemp cultivation, spinning, and garment sewing, and then they join together to sell the combined products of the larger community.

So my question to you is, have you ever considered "dressing locally"? If you were required to dress yourself and your family using only fabrics or clothing manufactured within 200 miles of your own home, would you even know where to start?

There are obstacles to this type of green economy. Rebecca reports that the largest barrier to dressing locally is that there are few fiber artists who loom fabric made with locally-grown raw materials. Finding people to sew clothing for you, if you are unable or unwilling to sew it yourself, is also an obstacle. So perhaps we won't be able to buy clothing made totally from local raw materials, but we can certainly open our minds to that possibility!

Do you find in your community that people have developed the habit of buying clothing that is made inexpensively and without regard to the conditions under which those clothes are made? One of Rebecca's comments that really hit me between the eyes is her explanation about dyeing fabrics in the August 2013 issue of American Craft magazine. She talks in that article about the externalized costs of ecology and labor. Take the manufacture of blue jeans for example. "The face-value cost to shop at Walmart versus the real cost of shopping at Walmart: the Pearl River Delta [an industrial region in China], where most jeans are made [along with the resulting pollution]; genetically modified cotton fields; suicides related to that kind of practice because farmers are so deeply in debt" ...all of this is part of the narrative that Rebecca provides consumers about the way most of us in the US have gotten used to shopping for blue jeans: convenient, fast, inexpensive, and easily available. Perhaps you are ready to step away from this "fast-food" mentality regarding the way you dress? I know that I am!

What kind of alternatives are available to you and me for buying clothing made in healthy circumstances with fibers that have a reduced polluting impact on the Earth?
 
Fibershed has created an online marketplace to connect farmers, artisans, and consumers. That choice means that the manufacturing of the clothing may not happen directly in your own community, but it does mean that you and I will be better informed about the health of the garments we buy. I am always in favor of supporting independent artisans.

Bullet Blues is a company in Florida that makes from American-made denim fashionable blue jeans that are sewn in Florida. For me, that's a step in the right direction.

Earth Creations is a company that I have recently found and find helpful in my desire to shop for clothing that is made in healthy circumstances. "The sewing facility where most of our garments are sewn is located in rural Alabama. Our employees are paid a fair wage and work in a clean and safe environment. They actually believe in what they do and enjoy their work. By providing local jobs, hopefully we help keep a piece of our rural American culture alive."

What resources have you found to dress locally where you live? Are you a fiber artist who would love to be connected with a Fibershed community in your town or city? I would love to hear from all of you!

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne
Georgianne

Her Point of View -- Cindy Grisdela, Fiber Artist

Coral Reef

The fiber art community is a warm and welcoming place, and meeting new friends around the Colorado fiber art and fine craft scene is a joy! Visiting with other artists face-to-face adds greatly to my understanding of the varied opportunities in my field as well as opportunities to stretch and grow as an artist.

Interestingly, meeting other artists over the Internet has become a more steady part of my outreach in the fiber arts community. While we may never meet face-to-face, I can certainly tell you that delightful friendships can blossom through cyberspace!

Cindy in her sunny studio in Virginia

I would like to introduce you to one such new friend of mine, quilt artist Cindy Grisdela, from Reston, Virginia. She has also spent her time and talent getting to know other fiber artists, and in a recent interview, I learned a lot about how this successful, exhibited artist has built her career, year by year. Here is Cindy's point of view--

Georgianne Holland: Have you always been confident in letting your art quilt designs develop without a firm (design) plan, or did you need to build up your courage to work this way over time?
Cindy Grisdela: I started out as a self-taught traditional quilter about 30 years ago. I loved the old patterns and hand-stitching and made many quilts for my family and to give away as gifts. I almost always would tweak a pattern slightly to make it a little different than described. About 10 years ago I looked around at my quilts and realized that all of them were someone else's design, and that it was important to me to begin doing work that was uniquely mine. I started out revisiting traditional patterns like Sunshine and Shadow and Drunkard's Path and recreating them in a more contemporary style. You can see Coral Reef and Splash of Color on my Etsy shop page. Over a period of time, I became more confident in using a completely improvisational style, where I begin with only a general idea of what I want to accomplish and let the design evolve on my design wall. One of the first pieces I did that with was Amber Harvest which won a juror's choice award at Art Quilts Lowell in 2010.

Splash of Color

GH: Congratulations on that award! How would you describe your business style as a fiber artist?
CG:  Although I'm a self-taught fiber artist, I do have an undergraduate degree in Art History, and a master's degree in Business. I'm very focused on the business side of my career, and I try to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves. Early on, before I could really afford it, I hired Gloria Hansen at Gloderworks to design a very professional website for my work. That has been one of the best business decisions I ever made, since having a nice website has helped me to get gallery representation, commissions and other opportunities that I don't think would have come my way otherwise. Having a blog integrated into my website has also been important, and I try to blog at least twice a week--summers are a little slower for that though. I also joined TAFA in the early days and have tried to give back to that community as well. Plus I have a shop on Etsy, I blog regularly and I have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

Amber Harvest

GH: What kind of community support are you finding in your hometown, and how has that impacted your work?
CG:  I belong to a multimedia arts group in my area called Great Falls Studio which has been tremendously important in the development of my work. It's been a huge advantage to be part of a group of creative people who support each other, even though I'm one of the only fiber artists in the group. I don't think I would be where I am today in my career without them. I started exhibiting in their local shows about 8 years ago. That was an invaluable learning experience that gave me confidence that I could have an art career at all. The key was to get involved though. I'm very active in the group, on the board of directors now, even though when I joined I only knew one other person. 


If you are a fiber artist who longs to build your professional presence, or you are a lover of colorful quilt art, I believe that Cindy is an artist whose expertise with both business and the tactile medium of art quilts is an ideal role model and guide. Thanks to Cindy for letting us see and learn more about the lovely world she has created in Virginia! I am a huge fan!

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

Top Ten Tuesday -- April 17, 2012

My Nestle and Soar studio office has a large dream board that I love adding to, and each week that is where I stash my Top Ten Tuesday picks. I figure that if a handmade item plays with my heart strings enough to make me want to add it to my inspiration board, then it will probably be a perfect item to share with you! This week's items are all very sweet and colorful. The attention to detail that each crafts person/artist shows is impressive, don't you think? I'd love to invite all of these folks to sit around a table and be creative together...who would you want to invite to that crafting social?

Red Orange Bird Archival Print

I have fallen in love with the art of Cori Dantini, a talented illustrator from Washington. She has a charming Etsy shop since 2007, and this archival bird print is one of my favorites! The illustration is 8"x8", which is a great size to hang in a little nook in your home. You can see more than 100 lovely whimsical illustrations by Cori's at Corid on Etsy.

Tiny Watercolors from Little Dear

I love learning about entrepreneurial women who create in many arenas, and I've found that in Aimee Ray, the creative force behind Little Deer. Aimee hand paints these pin back buttons using watercolor, and she also is an expert at embroidery! Her Craft Patterns and Embroidery Patterns are very popular, and I can see why...I hope you have fun looking at Little Deer on Etsy. I know I did.

We are All Connected!

I'd like to introduce you to a special artist I've gotten to know a little bit, Jen Renninger of sunny Florida. I purchased one of her prints and I get so many great comments from friends with it: seems as though folks feel really good about being connected! I tried my hand at a paint-by-numbers landscape years ago, and when I saw Jen's print, it helped me remember that fun experience. I also love the name of her Etsy shop -- Please Be Still. Those are words to live by, too!

Twine and Rag Nest by Carolyn's Homework

I love a whimsical nest perhaps more than most, and this lovely twig and fabric scraps nest is top drawer. Carolyn has a sweet and simple aesthetic and uses natural colors and homespun materials in a fun way. This little shop has only been open since 2010 and I am very excited about keeping my eyes on her work! You can find her at Carolyn's Homework on Etsy.

Appliqued Owl Pouch

What a cheerful handmade owl pouch I found at Mama Blue Designs. I can see one of my little granddaughters enjoying this cute pouch as a purse and I can also see my youngest daughter using it as a make up bag! Every girl I know loves owls! Artist Laura Clausen of California does a great job with machine stitched lettering, so if you'd like one of her popular pouches personalized, you will love the results!

Lottie Fun Crochet Flower Bracelet

Imagine a hand crocheted flower that is less than 1" across and then imagine how tiny the crochet hook would have to be to create the definition you see in this chic and colorful bracelet! There are eight double crochet daisies in this cute bracelet...the photo here shows the Lottie Bracelet (closest to the model's hand) as well as other handmade crochet from Gitte - Wearable Fiber Art in Australia. Open since 2007, this shop has many fashion-forward items that all have the homespun qualities of vintage, which I think is a lovely combination. Modern Vintage Style!

Little Knit Birds by Beaded Wire on Etsy

These soft pastel knit birds are all sitting in a nest, waiting to make your home a little sweeter! Beaded Wire is a popular shop based in New Hampshire, and her shop is loaded with a huge assortment of accessories either knit, crocheted, or beaded. All of her items are available for immediate shipment, which I admire. And the expertise of her knitting stitches...can you see it in the shaping of each little bird? I'm in love!

Art Quilt -- Tree of Life

Art quilts are an acquired taste in my opinion. If you learned to sew or quilt in home economics class, like I did, there was always great emphasis put on traditional geometric patterns. Art quilts are so very interesting because it is a fiber art in the quilting genre without all of the fussy rules and right angles. The Tree of Life quilt by Bozena Wojtaszek of Poland is a wonderful example of the expressive nature of art quilts. It is about 16" x 21" and packed with personality.

Straight Stitch Society Patterns

Whether you are an apples or oranges type of gal, this Oliver + S shop pattern is perfect for you. Having a handmade sewing kit was always the perfect beginner's sewing project, and making one this adorable will be popular for any age group. The finished items includes a pincushion, a zipper pouch for notions, a needle keeper, and tons of style. If you like this, you will really want to check out the whole Straight Stitch Society selection.

Funny Animal of the Week

I love books, too! Owls and books are a good combination, and it looks like these owls love books about birds! Hoot!

Thanks for stopping by,

Georgianne

Top 10 Tuesday

It has been a wonderfully busy week here at Nestle and Soar Studio in Colorado. I have found a few ideas, organizations, and folks that I really want to pass along -- these are the things that have made my work this week just sing! I hope you will have the chance to look into a few of these great offerings. I've tried to make it easy for you to find them and enjoy them.

#1  TAFA: The Textile and Fiber Art List

TAFA is a business community of entrepreneurs rooted in textile and fiber art products and traditions. A majority of their members (and I am a proud member) have social and environmental agendas at the core of their business. TAFA unites old and new traditions, their historical and modern importance, giving a shared platform to both contemporary and traditional textile techniques from all cultures. Click here to see more about TAFA!

You can also visit Nestle and Soar on TAFA here.

#2  PHOTO TREE

This is a great idea that was posted by a wedding design company,  Rustic Wedding Chic.

I think it is a wonderful idea for almost any type of outside family gathering.

What do you think?

#3  Container Garden for the Fashion Conscious

I know it is still winter and the time to be preparing plans for my yard is still months away...

but how about this clever idea from Dave's Garden?

I know just the purse to donate to the cause...

#4  Coexist Designer Pillow for Tree Lovers and Peace Lovers

Coexist Designer Pillow by Nestle and Soar

When all the beautiful birds come to rest in the tree that is your life, I think that is when you know that you have created a life that is filled with compassion, inclusiveness, and community.  Coexist Designer Pillow

#5  Pam Garrison's Blog and her Sailor's Valentines

These handmade hearts would be perfect year-round ornaments, gifts to your beloved, drawer sachets, pin cushions, couch pillows, or gifts. It is a lovely way to do a "little" embroidery without dedicating yourself to a huge project!

I found these lovely hearts here. Enjoy!

#6  Yarn Bowl

This week I learned that there is a recipe for making a paste with which you can make a bowl out of yarn! If you have lots of leftover yarn, like I do, this would be a fun afternoon project! I understand that Elisabeth used Carolyn's paste recipe and an inverted glass bowl with foil on it to create this bowl. She then soaked the yarn in the paste and applied it all onto the bowl.

Here is a link for the special paste recipe.

#7 Plus 3 Network 

Plus3Network is a fun and worthwhile way to pay attention to how much I move every day. When I go for a walk, I log it into the Plus3Network, and they alert their corporate sponsors to donate money to a worthwhile charity because of the exercise I recorded! The financial donation does not come from me, it comes from corporate sponsorship. I love this because it gives extra emotional reward to me every time I log a mile or lift weights with my girlfriends at the gym. You should check them out here.

Making It Count

"Plus 3 makes the world a healthier and better place by helping its members lead healthier better lives. Plus 3 Network will count millions of daily rides, runs, walks, or swims as mileage-rewarded fundraising. We are the social network that actively manages, motivates, validates, and rewards our members for participating in fitness activities. Plus 3 links our members with corporate sponsors and non-profits in a shared goal of worthwhile giving. Making It Count is our phrase for this process of bringing people, causes, and sponsors together for the good of everyone."

#8  Ancient Japanese Gardens

I want to share these phenomenal gardens with you this week. It is so impressive that the gardeners who continue to create these time-honored spaces consider it to be genuine works of art. I agree and I have visiting these gardens on my bucket list! 

#9  Insider Tips on Needle Arts

I am proud to have a new publication make the top 10 list this week! These free tip sheets can be found at my Nestle and Soar shop. The first tip sheet includes information on choosing the right kind of foundational fabric for needle felting and tips on embroidery. I would love to know if there are specific needle art topics you would like to see covered!

#10  Who Do You Love 

This adorable owl is very lovable...don't you agree?

Have a wonderful week ahead and thanks for stopping by,

Georgianne

Best wishes 2011 -- Happy New Fortune 2012!

Folk Art Flag, 48"x27", in process, 2011 Georgianne Holland

We are in the midst of many "Lowlights of 2011" news reels in the media. In seeing these, do you feel like I do that 2011 was a very sobering, "knock-the-wind out of you" kind of year? I'm speaking on a global scale here, which of course is where we all live. With this in mind, for my last post of the year, I'd like to wish 2011 all my best.

I am a natural-born optimist, and because of this, I am looking forward to 2012!

I know that there will be a lot of news coverage from Iowa next week, where grown men will argue and degrade one another, and call it a job interview. I'm going to keep my optimism anyway.

I know that as an American living in the beautiful state of Colorado, I am extremely fortunate each time I lay my head on my pillow and kiss my husband good night -- and then again when we both wake up in a warm, peaceful home -- we are truly blessed. I am going to be optimistic about our situation and lift up others in their daily life. I'm going to wish happy good fortune to families around their world in their daily lives in 2012.

Peace on Earth -- Goodwill toward All

I am also an optimist as an artist, knowing that I am making my living in a field that is often populated with those who call themselves "starving" artists. I am going to continue pursuing my best work, learning new techniques, elevating the quality of my craftsmanship and design, as I also look to forge new friendships with my clients and collectors. I've never done well with the starving-thing anyway.

I send my best wishes to you, oh historic 2011! It is time for you to come to a close. I choose to think about all the positive happenings of the year, at least as much as I think about natural disasters and bad decisions. I will put my focus on what went right with the belief that we get more of what we think about. And I think about chocolate, a lot.

As Will Rogers said, "Don't let yesterday use up too much of today." Amen

Happy New Year to each of you and thank you for your support of Nestle and Soar Studio. I know myself to be truly blessed.

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

A beginning...

Hello.

When I think of Nestle And Soar, I imagine the soft energies of relaxing into the comfort of a real hug or the feeling of gliding up above the clouds, on a breeze that keeps me afloat.

So I named my artistic experience Nestle And Soar because I want to use my imagination to animate the folk art and treasures I create with this soft energy. That gives me great joy.

Lately, and thus this blog, I have realized that my folk art is just one way that my life is charmed with Nestle And Soar. It is also fully a part of my spiritual experience, as well as my human life.

This blog is the place I have decided to investigate how this soft energy really matters to me. I am hopeful that it will matter to others--perhaps even to you. I invite you to have a dialogue with me and others who find this blog. I look forward to hearing about your experience with the energy of nestle and soar. I think it would be great to learn from each other.

I am including today a photo of one of my folk art pillows. I call it Red Bird -- super clever of me! It's how I started on this investigation and I honor that by including it here. You can see more of my folk art and graceful treasures at http://www.nestleandsoar.etsy.com.

I do believe that everyone deserves the chance to nestle and soar in their own way. I wish that for you and I wish you well.