Fake "Hits" on your Blog-vampirestat, uglystat, etc

So I've been getting a few more hits than usual on this blog, so was looking around, and found vampirestat.com as one of the main sources. A handy google search revealed that this is an automated hit count inflator, and not to go to the sites as malicious code may be present. At the very least, ads will be encountered which we all hate.

Creativity Series: Lack of Interest

Lack of interest characterizes depression, one of the main symptoms, in fact. I know when I start losing interest in things (going on a month now) that the depression is back, and needs attention. I haven't knitted or crocheted in at least 3 weeks, I'm getting frustrated and just want to QUIT photography, and really feel no desire to convince myself otherwise. Interestingly, I've been writing more.

I say interestingly, because previous to this I wouldn't have considered writing as one of my creative outlets, but it is!

People handle "lack of interest" in many different ways, by forcing the issue and discomfort etc that come with it, or by just doing something else/nothing for a bit. The only thing I haven't had to force has been writing, though, I am on my 3rd chapter in my novel and can't seem to keep going on it for some reason. I think because I'm not happy with the beginning of the chapter, it is an information dump. I am doing embroidery right now, too, but because I want to-also not a main outlet for creativity for me.

I feel like forcing it only gets you so far. Now if you're making something, vs designing/art, that already has a plan going, I think some force needs to happen, its too easy to abandon half made projects. But, creativity itself is hard hard hard to force, takes more work than usual to get a suitable outcome, and generally isn't as good as "normal" work. Beware!

Burnout

I'm a bit burned out on modeling photography, I think because I'm putting out effort but not really getting much in return, experience, yes, but not financial gains. I've been doing this long enough to know that people want free photography, I don't want to do family portraits, and I do want to move into the boudoir (plus women, army wives) side of things. I may be canceling several shoots this week, I'm not sure yet, but I don't feel like putting out so much effort, striving for things to come together, and then boom, no money at the end of the rainbow.

I feel the need to define goals right now. Doing what I want to do when I want to do it is at the top of the list, and I am lucky to live such a lifestyle that most of the time it works for me.

Targeted Marketing

I found a really interesting article this morning in my etsy-gram that is getting the rusty wheels turning in my head. What is the business I want to own? What is the product I want to sell? And who is my customer?

Knitting/crochet pattern design, one-off design, custom commissions comes to mind first. This is what I know best, maybe? I've certainly done a lot of it. How can I take it further? How does one, who does not and will not work a "day job" take these things and turn them into success.

There are a lot of stitchers out there trying to figure this out. Some are successful, some are not. But the key to determining success is the definition of success. Anyone who knows me, knows that this is a key to how I live my life. Therefore, it would make sense that it would become a key in how I run a business.

I think defining a customer niche is a good way to begin to figure out what I want to throw my head and heart into.

Photography, jewelry making/design, fine art, writing-all of these things I am passionate about. I think my next step is to define goals, ideas, ways to succeed with each and see which will be the most satisfying, and therefore successful.

Who is your customer? How does that define your success?

5000 Views on This Blog!

I was checking on things this morning, and noticed that I am at 4999 hits on this blog-if you're reading it, you may be 5000!

There have been lots of changes in the last year, but things are slowly settling down and I'm refocusing on my photography and art. I've done several shoots lately, but had to cancel several others due to fibromyalgia pain. Hopefully plan to make those up in the coming weeks.

Stay creative!

Plus Size Models

I read something yesterday that has kinda been on my mind.

"Plus size models promote obesity."

Ok, I have a few issues with that. Lets compare to the French model body ideal. It hit the news recently that these models will go to almost any length to remain "Paris thin," up to and including staying in the hospital on a drip most of the time, to eating tissues to feel full. How is that not promoting unhealth? OK, now back to reality. The reality is that most women are overweight in America. Most plus size models are still smaller than many women, but have a healthy body, healthy outlook on themselves. It takes guts to go away from the so-called ideal in such a way. Pinterest "Plus size model" and there are many, many absolutely gorgeous women, confident in themselves.

I have found with my own weight, that I tend to lose when I'm feeling good, confident, beautiful which increases the chance I will continue to lose. I gain when I'm eating emotionally, from the opposite of those feelings. So. To me, plus size models increase the good feelings, increase my drive to lose weight, not the opposite.

Thoughts? I'm especially interested in what the models who read this have to say.

Creativity Series: What is the art you WANT to make?

I've come to a realization lately that the art I make is much different than the art I WANT to make. I want to gain a cutesy style, mixed media with a twist of fine art, but cute-not the same as everyone's (No more butterfly winged fairy children photos) but not so entirely different either. The work I make is more gritty, expressionist, surrealist at times. My photography is clean and, well, not that creative. Drawing is something I need to improve on in order to get to the next level in my pursuit of Cute.

Pursuit of Cute. That's a good name for it. I'm not sure why I want to seemingly regress into cutesy, but I do. So many people work to free up their artistic style, which is a wonderful thing. Maybe it was art school's fault, but I need to work on tightening down. My sewing is tightening up, I made the decision starting with my current design, that if I'm going to sew I'm going to do it more accurately than I have in the past, no point in making clothing with bad workmanship.

Seems like I am doing that with several media at the moment. I'm zentangling, which is an interesting study in free vs. tight. I like the free patterns executed tightly, I think. My knitting is getting more accurate over the last year, I need to make another knock out design, like the one for KnitEdge (Out in May). It is very structured, short rows abound, with cables, structured stockinette and garter stitch. There is an amazing kick pleat type slit in the back, very structured, that I happened to knit on the fly. Details are where its at. I did a watercolor of a cutesy bird the other day, next steps on it are to add some of my new pearlescent watercolors to it, then draw on it, maybe even a hand lettered quote! That is something that scares me, writing. My handwriting is terrible but I actually can letter, I need to internalize that difference and GO FOR IT with lettering.

I got a book entitled "Creative Paper Quilts" and have been having the urge to work with paper lately. I may look into alternative media publishing-like paper, beads, etc. I have experience (of course) with getting knitting and crochet published, but I think publishing my other types of work would be so satisfying.

What is your favorite style of art to create? What do you want to create? Why don't you?