Well, well, well! who'd have thought it after so long a break? But despite a exploration into another blogging site to promote my Arts Café, I just didn't want to abandon this site. And I still have an urge to write for myself. God knows what, cos I sure as hell don't, so The Confused Ramblings of a Creative Mind seemed the perfect place...
One of the things we spent today doing today at the arts café was trying to pin down the name for a new writer's group. The very talented young individual that I have handed the responsibility for managing this fledgling group and its projects to is very particular about the importance of names. She's even blogged about it! I have a feeling we finalised the name before the afternoon was through, but I won't bet my life savings on a last minute change of heart from our passionate literary creative. Did I mention that we're promoting the new group in 3 days time at the local Carnival? Wish us luck!
Some of us just need to create. It's part of who we are. And I guess at the moment I just have a writing itch that needs scratching. Tough luck on those unfortunate to read my ramblings!
Wednesday 27 June 2018
Thursday 30 July 2015
A New Obsession
It has been an interesting year. I have a new love in my life. Someone who has shaken me up and stimulated my creativity. First my photography and then my art has improved in leaps and bounds. And the name of my wonderful new love? INSTAGRAM!!
Ok, so any social media tool is what you make of it, but I have found Instagram to be a really positive and supportive place. I am following fellow photographers and artists and the support that I have had for my work is amazing and humbling. It is so good to see only positive comments left for others, too. There is the odd bit of spam, but not the trolling you find of other sites. Art exchanges, collaborations, meet ups and real friendships have all been forged. If you haven't yet discovered instagram, give it a try. And when you do, check me out at @madlou23
Ok, so any social media tool is what you make of it, but I have found Instagram to be a really positive and supportive place. I am following fellow photographers and artists and the support that I have had for my work is amazing and humbling. It is so good to see only positive comments left for others, too. There is the odd bit of spam, but not the trolling you find of other sites. Art exchanges, collaborations, meet ups and real friendships have all been forged. If you haven't yet discovered instagram, give it a try. And when you do, check me out at @madlou23
Friday 7 March 2014
Blogging on the Go
Wow! My second post in as many days. I said blogging was an important tool and I mean to practise what I preach this time. lol
I mentioned the joy of smart phones yesterday, and how we can use them as a business aid instead of a distraction. So with this in mind, today I trawled through the app store looking for the best way to blog on my mobile. There were 2 conditions - I wanted to continue using Blogger (obviously!) and I have a Windows phone. Ok,ok... I can here the screams and moans from here. But I have always liked Nokia phones. I know I won't change your minds, so we'll agree to differ on this one.
Anyway, back to the apps. After a few useless searches for a Blogger app, I found Google One. An app from Google for mobiles, just like on bigger devices. You sign in and go to Google apps to find all the things you're used to, be it YouTube (for distractions) or Blogger (for work).
No excuse now not to fill those non-productive moments with something useful and creative. Let's just hope I manage to get this published!
I mentioned the joy of smart phones yesterday, and how we can use them as a business aid instead of a distraction. So with this in mind, today I trawled through the app store looking for the best way to blog on my mobile. There were 2 conditions - I wanted to continue using Blogger (obviously!) and I have a Windows phone. Ok,ok... I can here the screams and moans from here. But I have always liked Nokia phones. I know I won't change your minds, so we'll agree to differ on this one.
Anyway, back to the apps. After a few useless searches for a Blogger app, I found Google One. An app from Google for mobiles, just like on bigger devices. You sign in and go to Google apps to find all the things you're used to, be it YouTube (for distractions) or Blogger (for work).
No excuse now not to fill those non-productive moments with something useful and creative. Let's just hope I manage to get this published!
Thursday 6 March 2014
At Last!
I have been meaning to catch up with you all for over 6 months now. Not in a ''...Oh God, I have to do this...'' way, but in a ''...I am longing to find the time to write...''. And there is the key! Why do we not spend more time doing the things we love? Especially when the can be so beneficial to us in so many ways.
Take writing this blog, for example. Now, I love writing. I have done since I was old enough to pick up a pencil. I write every day, even if most of the time it is just 'To Do' lists! For the last few years I have been running my own business, first for therapy and then for real. Writing is not only just something I love to do, but it is something that can really help my business. In the day where social media is king, for the small business, Twitter, Facebook and blogging is the equivalent of TV ads. So why do I not do it more often? What could possibly be more important than self-promotion, particularly when it involves using a talent a love using so much?
We all do it. We all put off doing things, believing that other tasks or yet another cup of coffee is more important. We delay things, thinking that there is still plenty of time to do them. And yet doing something we love can improve our health and our mood for the rest of the day. And it's an added extra if it benefits our business, too!
I must admit to cheating now. I am using my smart phone a lot these days, to set alarms with reminders to do certain daily tasks, like tweeting or setting events on facebook or emailing promotions. It looks like blogging will be added to the list!
Take writing this blog, for example. Now, I love writing. I have done since I was old enough to pick up a pencil. I write every day, even if most of the time it is just 'To Do' lists! For the last few years I have been running my own business, first for therapy and then for real. Writing is not only just something I love to do, but it is something that can really help my business. In the day where social media is king, for the small business, Twitter, Facebook and blogging is the equivalent of TV ads. So why do I not do it more often? What could possibly be more important than self-promotion, particularly when it involves using a talent a love using so much?
We all do it. We all put off doing things, believing that other tasks or yet another cup of coffee is more important. We delay things, thinking that there is still plenty of time to do them. And yet doing something we love can improve our health and our mood for the rest of the day. And it's an added extra if it benefits our business, too!
I must admit to cheating now. I am using my smart phone a lot these days, to set alarms with reminders to do certain daily tasks, like tweeting or setting events on facebook or emailing promotions. It looks like blogging will be added to the list!
Saturday 10 August 2013
Time and Tide...
Wow, is it the middle of August already? So where has that 6 months gone? See, that is what I was talking about when I blogged about resolutions and new beginnings! So here I am resolved to not to neglect my ramblings and to post a little on here each day!
It has been a productive few months. As well as the Darlington Sunday People's Market, which you can find U-Neek at on the first Sunday of each month, I've been attending other fayres and markets in the area. I'll be at a wonderful on tomorrow at the Dolphin Centre tomorrow in Darlington, in aid of Cancer Research UK. I have lots of new designs and a programme of workshops for the coming months.
To top it all, I have finally launched my website. As yet, unconnected to my own domain name, as it's still being tweeked, you can find it here. And any feedback would be welcome!
It has been a productive few months. As well as the Darlington Sunday People's Market, which you can find U-Neek at on the first Sunday of each month, I've been attending other fayres and markets in the area. I'll be at a wonderful on tomorrow at the Dolphin Centre tomorrow in Darlington, in aid of Cancer Research UK. I have lots of new designs and a programme of workshops for the coming months.
To top it all, I have finally launched my website. As yet, unconnected to my own domain name, as it's still being tweeked, you can find it here. And any feedback would be welcome!
Tuesday 5 February 2013
PIF - Pay it Forward
Back in the beginning of January a wonderful new viral message landed in one of my friend's newfeeds on Facebook. This one I decided to follow up on because it was such a fantastic idea and a really good way to start the year. The message said that the first five people to comment on the post would, at some point in time that calender year, be sent something hand made by the person whose post it was. All the had to do in order to receive their gift was comment, inbox with their address and (the important bit!!) PAY IT FORWARD by posting the message on their wall so 5 people could claim a home-made piece of art or craftwork from them!
So simple and so brilliant. I love the PIF (pay it forward) concept. You do something for someone, or give them something and they do the same for someone else, who does the same for someone else... paying the gift forward, spreading the kindness. I signed up straight away claiming my bit from my friend, and within half and hour I had my 5 takers! So i claimed again from someone else and posted again on my business wall!!
It is such a wonderful idea because we all love to give and receive presents. We all love surprises. It'll be like christmas all year round, waiting for something to arrive that a friend has made me! And from a business point of view, it is priceless. 5 or maybe 10 people this year will get an unannounced, free gift from U-Neek. Sometimes, opportunities come to us in the strangest ways. Most of the time we curse viral email and Facebook posts. Just occassionally they can hold hidden treasure for us!
So simple and so brilliant. I love the PIF (pay it forward) concept. You do something for someone, or give them something and they do the same for someone else, who does the same for someone else... paying the gift forward, spreading the kindness. I signed up straight away claiming my bit from my friend, and within half and hour I had my 5 takers! So i claimed again from someone else and posted again on my business wall!!
It is such a wonderful idea because we all love to give and receive presents. We all love surprises. It'll be like christmas all year round, waiting for something to arrive that a friend has made me! And from a business point of view, it is priceless. 5 or maybe 10 people this year will get an unannounced, free gift from U-Neek. Sometimes, opportunities come to us in the strangest ways. Most of the time we curse viral email and Facebook posts. Just occassionally they can hold hidden treasure for us!
Monday 4 February 2013
Britain's Best Market... It's offical!
Well, it's offical now. Darlington Sunday People's Market is the best market in Britain. As voted for by you, the people. Or us.
And there's the thing, and the reason I am always a little suspicious of these polled awards. I mean, our little monthly sunday market is the best market in the whole of Britain??? I know for a fact that there was a very small group of individuals who where up day and night while the poll was open voting repeatedly for our market. A fixed vote? Why would they do that?
This small group of volunteers are the faithful few who care passionately about our town and who run this monthly market. They tirelessly publicise it, spread the word and encourage new and inexperienced traders to join our ranks. They are up at all hours on Facebook and Twitter keeping the idea of DSPM alive and fresh in people's minds, so that it is not just another good idea that dies a death like so many before in this town. The publicity this award generates will do so much good for the market, continuing the work they have already started.
You know what? If it takes having such an amazingly dedicated bunch of volunteers to make an event great, I'd rather be trading at Darlington Sunday People's Market than anywhere else on Earth, cos we really do have the BEST!
To Samantha, Alex and the rest of the team xx
Photo credit - Hugh Mortimer
And there's the thing, and the reason I am always a little suspicious of these polled awards. I mean, our little monthly sunday market is the best market in the whole of Britain??? I know for a fact that there was a very small group of individuals who where up day and night while the poll was open voting repeatedly for our market. A fixed vote? Why would they do that?
You know what? If it takes having such an amazingly dedicated bunch of volunteers to make an event great, I'd rather be trading at Darlington Sunday People's Market than anywhere else on Earth, cos we really do have the BEST!
To Samantha, Alex and the rest of the team xx
Photo credit - Hugh Mortimer
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