Imagine
Jonah Lehrer
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; $26.00

I’m going to start this review with a caveat: the book has been withdrawn from publication because the author fabricated quotes included therein. I was reluctant to include this review because of that, though once I finished the book, which had been recommended by a friend, I could see that it had something to offer this audience. The author, a neuroscientist, takes a look at how creativity works in a variety of situations. He looks at the science and explains it through anecdotes, making it accessible to many who would get bogged down otherwise. Some of what I got from the book: how we solve problems through insight vs analytically; why a relaxed mind is important for creativity; why the morning is better for solving problems when insight is involved; and how the unconcealing process works in creativity. The book has a lot to recommend it, so if you can find it at your local library, it would be worth reading. Just don’t rely on the quotes.

Look for the book at your favorite book retailer. Here’s a link to www.Amazon.com if you would like to learn more about the book.

Becoming a Confident Quilter
Elizabeth Dackson
Martingale; $26.99

Elizabeth Dackson didn’t own a sewing machine until 2010 when she was looking for a hobby as a new mom and picked one up at JoAnn’s. She ended up as a self-professed fabric-a-holic and admitted fabric geek. Her first book is designed to help beginners gain confidence so they find the same joy that she has. Written in her easy-going style that is familiar to followers of her blog, Elizabeth includes the essentials – fabric, tools, rotary cutting, piecing basics and pressing – before getting you started with any of her 14 projects that build your skills. I found lots of quilts to like, particularly the improvisational Wonky Fences. She also covers all the finishing techniques you need from adding a backing through adding a label. I appreciated the section on reading quilt patterns and the resources for modern quilters.

Look for the book at your favorite book retailer. Here’s a link to www.Amazon.com if you would like to learn more about the book.

I’m enjoying a vacation as well as a business retreat this week and getting to both involved flying. Of course on the flight, I heard the safety warnings, including the following:

“If cabin pressure should change, panels above your seat will open revealing oxygen masks; reach up and pull a mask towards you. … The plastic bag will not fully inflate, although oxygen is flowing. Secure your own mask first before helping others.”

When I first heard this years ago, my initial thought was that it seemed selfish. Shouldn’t we take care of those who can’t take care of themselves? Of course, if I don’t take care of myself first, I’m useless to those I need to help. After all, you’re no good to anyone if you are not conscious.

I saw two good reminders in this. First, I need to take time to secure my own mask. Immediately for me that would be the vacation. I think self-care fits here for most of us. It’s easy to neglect that mask with all we have going on. For those of you who are going to Quilt Market or Quilt Festival and have booths or anyone who is getting ready for a show, I know you can relate to taking care of yourself now so you can be at your best at the show.

My second reminder was “the plastic bag will not inflate, although oxygen is flowing.” I think that is why we need to keep growing by taking classes, going to workshops, attending business retreats. While we are receiving the information, we don’t always see the impact it is having in our lives.

Please share any parallels you see in your life or business below.

Tending the Garden
Barb Adams and Alma Allen
Kansas City Star Quilts; $27.95

If you love large floral appliqué, you won’t be disappointed with the lastest book from Barb Adams and Alma Allen of Blackbird Designs. The featured quilt includes nine different 28″ blocks and is shown in three distinct colorways and finishes. In addition to this quilt, you’ll find nine additional projects, including hooked rugs, cross-stitch pieces and quilts.

Do you ever wonder if you can actually have zero emails in your in-box? Well, I do know some people who have empty in-boxes. I’ll admit I never have. I fully expect my in-box to be full when I die. If you’re trying to move in the direction of an empty in box, here are six tips that might just help.

1. Send less email. Doesn’t that seem obvious? If you send less, you’ll get less.

2. Acknowledge receipt of the email. I do this with my clients when they send in prep sheets before a call. It lets them know I got their email and they don’t need to follow up. It’s a quick “Got it. Talk with you later.” This lets the original sender off the hook.

3. If you don’t expect a reply, indicate that. I got one such email last week with NNTR, online code for No Need to Reply. It was great. I just read and deleted.

4. If you get marketing emails that you no longer read, consider getting off the mailing list. Or learn how to use “rules” in your email program and route those emails to a separate folder so you don’t see them all the time in your in-box. Then set aside time to look at them, or if you find you don’t get to them, trash them. If you rarely look at the emails, it might be time to stop getting them.

5. Don’t check email all day long. Set a routine for handling your emails. If you allow time at the beginning of the day, mid-day, and the end of the day and stick to it, you’ll do a better job at not letting the email get out of control. I’m not suggesting you do it three times a day; I’m suggesting you create a system and stick with it.

6. Follow David Allen’s “Two-Minute Rule.” Allen of Getting Things Done fame suggests that if it will take less than two minutes to handle the email, do it now, even if it’s not a high priority. (Remember you are setting aside time to do emails; you are not checking all day long.) He has lots of other good ideas for productivity in his book.

7. Get or use a spam filter. I use SpamSieve, and I can’t believe what a difference it has made. Now the spam heads right to the junk folder.I think it works better than the filter that came with my email program.

Please share your tips for handling your email in-box on the blog.

Organic Fiber Dyeing: The Colonial Williamsburg Method
Max Hamrick
American Quilter’s Society; $24.95

Dyeing your own textiles is not for everyone, and I’m grateful we have artists who dye for others. If you are interested in learning more about dyeing with natural, botanical methods, Organic Fiber Dyeing offers recipes for 14 different colors. While I don’t see myself becoming a dyer, I think those who are interested in dyeing will appreciate the recipes included. Having watched the dyers at Williamsburg, I enjoyed reading more about the history of dyeing in Virginia.

Do you have SAS? I don’t. “What is SAS?” you ask. It’s what I call Starving Artist Syndrome, and you don’t have to believe it. In fact, one of the clients I’ve worked with over the years said to me a while back that she realized that she didn’t have to buy into that mindset. A light bulb moment! Right on!

The starving artist mentality is totally in your head. I’m sure you see successful artists all around you. What is it that they have that you don’t? I’m sure your work is just as good, and I’m sure you work just as hard. The problem is that on some level you buy into that romantic, Bohemian notion that artists should be starving. This doesn’t serve you and it doesn’t serve anyone else. No one ever said that you don’t deserve to earn a decent income doing what you love.

So how do you escape SAS? Here are some tips:

1. Realize that being poor, or “starving,” doesn’t mean your art is better. I’d even say that if you can’t take care of yourself, your art is not as good as it could be. You have distractions keeping that belief and “starving artist” lifestyle alive.
2. Try to figure out why you really have those beliefs. Journal your thoughts about money and people, even artists, who have money. If they are negative, ask yourself, “Is this really true?”
3. Start today to approach your art as a business. Yes, you are the CEO of a business, your art business. Start to make your decisions from that place. When you are 100% responsible for what is in your life, you can make changes. Have you heard about the Law of Attraction? It says you bring about what you think about. Bring about a successful art business.
4. Work to build your confidence in your money mindset, just as you build your confidence in your art. It will happen and you will leave SAS behind.

If you have dealt with your mindset about being an artist, please share your struggles and successes with us below.

Quilters, Their Quilts, Their Studios, Their Stories
Jo Packham
Quarry Books; $26.99

Aren’t there some days you just want to be inspired and dream? If that’s today, pick up Quilters, Their Quilts, Their Studios, Their Stories from Jo Packham and Where Women Create. Jo introduces you to more than 20 artisans who share their love of textile art and their distinctive talents and techniques. I loved the tour of the studio spaces and learning how the artists worked. I loved reading the favorite quotes of the artists. I loved the color and inspiration that popped out from each page. Most of the quilters also provided a block with instructions as an online extra. I can see picking this up from time to time to get a jolt of inspiration.