Classroom 101: Branding Your Name And Mission Statement

I started this series on branding thinking that it would be just the one post about how important it is, and some general thoughts.  I either underestimated the size of the topic, or my willingness to talk about it, but here it is three weeks later, and I still have things to say. Ha-ha-ha! This week, I’d like to talk about what I feel are the two core items of any brand: The name, and the mission statement. These two things  not only tell who you are, and what you do, but they also are your most portable marketing tools because they are essentially just words and ideas. I can talk to somebody in the lift about Fusion and within 30 seconds she will have enough information that she can tell anybody who is looking for a unique, handmade gift exactly where to go.  These core ideas are also the seed that your visual style will grow out of, and having what you want to say makes what you want to show easier.

Names are important. Any filing system relies on names to locate information, and our brains are no different. There’s a reason we agonize over what we want to name our kids, our dogs, our bands…it’s because we want the name to ROCK fit. We don’t want our son Ted to go through life with everyone feeling like he should have been named Bill. The name of your business can be as simple as your name. Some of the biggest companies in the world did it, just look at Disney, Warner Brothers, Lucasfilm, even Wal-Mart is basically the name of the guy who started it. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. A name can be a made up word like Kodak or…okay, that’s the only example I can think of off the top of my head but  maybe this will set you apart from, well pretty much everybody, Ha-ha-ha! Finally it can be a name that describes what you are or do like Pepsi, Pixar, Super Save-A-Lot or Wyld Stallyns.  As with anything we do, the name should tell a story about us. It will be memorable and linked to us based on it’s fit. Just don’t let your story never begin because you never stopped searching for a title.

Just what is a mission statement? In a nut shell, it’s what you want to do, and before you ask, “make money” is not a mission statement. If you were to ask Bill and Ted what theirs was, they might say “Be excellent to each other”. It’s short and to the point, and it tells a story about what’s important to them. To show that I’m not just making this up, and looking for excuses to talk about an excellent adventure, here’s an actual example I pulled from the interweb, for Pixar:

Pixar’s objective is to combine proprietary technological and world-class creative talent to develop computer-animated feature films with memorable character and heartwarming stories that appeal to audiences of all ages.

Put it all together and you have a compact idea that makes it easy to tell people who you are, what you do, and why you do it.

I hope that this shed a little bit of light on getting started in your branding. What do you think the core of your branding package is? Do you think your mission statement tells a story about you? Let us know in the comment section, we love from hearing from you! While I’m on the subject of comments, we’re coming up rapidly on summertime and I have an idea for the blog to help break up the year a little bit, have a little fun, and try some new things. The first half of July, I want to do a series of posts called “The 11 Days of Pinterest”. The idea is that I will do 11 different projects found on Pinterest, trying some new things and document them for the Fusion blog. Hopefully I won’t mess things up too much, and hopefully when I do it’ll be hilarious. Ha-ha-ha! So what are some of your favorite projects from pinterest? You can either leave me a comment with a link here, or tag me in the pin (@redherringjeff). Thanks for stopping in, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Links:

• Paul Frank: www.facebook.com/paulfrank
• Pixar: www.pixar.com
• Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure: www.imdb.com

17 Questions With Shelah McClymont of The Foundrie

When I first walked into the Foundrie, I was struck with just how cool a shop it is. Not just cool, but rich…like a dark chocolate mousse, or the smell of aged and oiled leather. There’s a feeling of caring craftsmanship that permeates the whole shop, from the window dressings all the way down to the smallest handmade item. Wait! Did I say Handmade!? Why yes I did! Our friends at the Foundrie stock all local handmade and vintage items.

Recently, they decided to move to a new storefront in Chesterfield mall, and (from what I could see by peeking through the windows) it is going to be even better than before! I thought it would be great if I could tear Shelah McClymont away from preparations for the grand opening on April 18th to ask her 17 questions about herself, the shop, the community, and of course Star Wars.

How did you come up with the name for The Foundrie?
I wanted a name that helped convey that we sell found/vintage items and a carefully curated selection of handmade wares. A foundry is typically a place that makes metal castings and parts so I thought the name was fitting. However I didn’t like the way Foundry looked so I chose to spell it Foundrie instead. Then I searched for the domain name and once I found that it was available, I knew I had a winner.

If you had to describe the mission of the Foundrie in three words, what would they be?
Support small business.

What does handmade mean to you?
Handmade for me has a more broad definition than it did several years ago. To me handmade is something that is being independently produced by a single person or a small group of people using handmade elements in their products. It is people using their creativity and drive to carve this niche for themselves in the business world and I am so proud to be a part of this community of people.

What do you enjoy most about selling your handmade goods?
The opportunity to connect with like minded individuals who want to support local artists and small business owners.

Why do you think it’s important to buy handmade?
Being involved in the handmade movement over the past 5+ years has honestly shaped my path in life and allowed me to pursue my dreams of owning my own business. Without handmade and a following of great people wanting to buy handmade to support local artists and designers, I wouldn’t be able to do what I love for a living.

What do you think differentiates crafting from other types of business?
The crafting “community” is much less cut throat than other types of business and we all want to see each other succeed. There is a lot of sharing of information and resources and cross-promotion to help ensure success for everyone who wants to be involved.

What personality Trait do you possess that you think helps you the most as a professional crafter?
Stubbornness? Or I guess a gentler word might be tenacity? I like to do things my own way and I always have. Working for others has always been a challenge for me and although I learned so much as a visual merchandiser for big box stores I am so happy to be my own boss these days.

I noticed that you carry both Handmade and Vintage goods in your shop. What do you think it is about these things that make them go so well together?
People who appreciate handmade items like the one-of-a-kind nature of these products and I think vintage items are the same way. When you find something vintage you never know if you will ever see another like it and you love the uniqueness of the item. It is also a way to keep parts of our history alive and buying vintage is about as eco-friendly as you can get, which is super appealing to the handmade shopper.

You have a great storefront, but you also pack up and take the show on the road to do shows. How are the two different, other than the obvious change of venue?
It is always a challenge to scale back our displays and booth setup since we are spoiled to having the space, tools, and time to create amazing in store displays. But we love traveling like gypsies from show to show and getting to meet new people, spend time with crafty friends, and find new handmade product for the shop so we keep applying to bigger shows and always do a little happy dance when we get an acceptance email. Our next big show is Renegade Craft fair in Brooklyn, NY this June and we can’t wait!!

How do you find and/or select new artists?
As mentioned above we scout artists at craft shows and we also stalk Etsy and invite favorite artists to apply to consign. A lot of artists come to us through our website and friends who help spread the word when our applications are open for consignment.

When selecting artists to consign have you ever come across an application that made you go “What the, what?!”
Of course. That is the nature of “art”. Everyone has their own aesthetic and sometimes it isn’t what we have in mind or our shop. All art has it’s place but you have to work hard to find the place where it fits and will sell. We had a painter/sculptor apply recently and although their pieces were cool and interesting it didn’t fit in with the aesthetic of our shop and the price points being between $500 and $1500 were just too expensive for a shop in a mall. Their reply to not being accepted was, “You fools. Your loss.” That had us much more shocked than anything so far.

How many different artists do you have showing at the Foundrie?
This summer we have over 50 consignors.

Running a store front sounds like a lot of work. Do you still find time to make anything yourself?
It is a lot of work. I find myself working on my own jewelry in the couple of days leading up to a big craft show because when you have the expenses of traveling and booth fees the only way to make your money back is to sell your own work. And then I get to bring the leftover inventory back to sell in the shop so it all works out pretty well.

Do you have any short-term goals? Where do you hope to be in 5 years? 10?
I am definitely a one day at a time kind of gal and thinking too far in the future freaks me out a bit. Our short term goal is to get the store re-opened in our new location by April 18th. This summer we are looking to hire a couple of interns to help grow our business. I think we just want to take it slow and steady and see where this road takes us. I hope 10 years from now I am still doing what I love surrounded by a supportive group of friends and family.

Where can we find out more about the Foundrie, your artists and show schedule?
Our website is being updated as we speak but you can always find all of the info at http://www.thefoundrie.com.

If you could go back and do it over again, what would you do differently?
Not a thing. I feel like everything is a learning process and a chance to evaluate past decisions and experiences and use them as a platform for change and growth.

Who shot first, Han or Greedo?
My husband was only slightly disgusted when I asked for his help with this question and he said, “You know it was Han, right?? Right??” So I guess I am going with Han.

Thanks so much for taking a minute to talk with us today, Shelah! We’re all looking forward to checking out the new shop on its grand opening on the 18th!

Links:

• The Foundrie: www.thefoundrie.com
• The Foundrie on Facebook : www.facebook.com/thefoundrie
• Renegade Craft Fair: www.renegadecraft.com

If You Live Here Book Reading Event

Meet local author, April Diaz de Leon, (the daughter of Fusion artist Dana Diaz de Leon) as she reads from her latest book, If You Live Here, an exploration of different homes and habitats.

This activity is just perfect for kids and there will be several make and take crafts just for them.
Hope you can stop by for this fun, educational event, Sunday, April 29 from 12-4!

Applications for the Summer Quarter are Live!

Applications are now live! If you are interested in selling your handmade wares at Fusion, please apply by clicking the link below. Want more info? Check out the General Information under the Apply tab! You can also find the application link there as well.

We’ll be accepting applications until April 16! May the odds be ever in your favor! (Bonus points if you know what I’m referencing)

Click HERE to apply!

Crafternoon Delite And Other Events At Fusion

As a blog follower, I often notice when bloggers post late…So I’m sorry for my tardiness after the holiday weekend, ha-ha-ha! And to top it off I’m not even posting about what I said I was going to, so I’ll go ahead and apologize for that too. I’ve been blogging for awhile now, but am still learning some things about it. For instance, the fine art of planning more than a week ahead for posts, or having it written before the day I say it’ll be posted. I’m getting better though, so thanks for bearing with me. Can I put a smiley face here? I’m going to put a smiley face here. 

While I’m on the subject of planning, I have a calendar book where I write down all those important dates. On Sundays I’ll take a look at it and see what days I’m babysitting, and what days I can get the car if I need it. Days with the car are kind of special, because it’s a hassle to have it. Basically we all have to get up early to take mom to work. Ugh, I do not miss getting up and going to work in the morning. At any rate, when I have the car, I try to plan something fun to do with the girls to balance out the early morning and hours of errands. Several months ago my 3-year-old daughter Abby and I went to story time at the local library. We heard some stories about camping out, sang some songs and made a craft. A pretty sweet campfire to hang on the fridge, I think. I love spending time at home with my kids and making things in our own space, but sometimes it’s great to get out there and do something with other people.

I remember a couple of years ago being sick and watching all the extras on The Lord Of The Rings while I lay on the couch feeling sorry for myself. I lay there and watched this team of people work on their separate projects, or together on something grand and simply incredible like this “miniature” of Minas Tirith and thought how wonderful it would be to sit with creative people and talk, encourage, support and push each other towards greatness while we worked on making things. This was pretty soon after I’d moved to Saint Louis, so I was still working at a non-art job, and wasn’t a part of the local community yet. I’d have friends come up for the weekend and we’d work at the kitchen table and then later we moved to a weekly sketch group either at one of our houses or out at a local coffee shop, bar or restaurant. That feeling of connecting with other people who shared our interests was awesome, and was always a good time.

Fusion has a huge class room space in the back area of the store with plenty of tables to work on, chairs to sit in and space to spread out. Christine Warner of Color Wheel Art does classes back there every Wednesday and Saturday, which is a great use of the space, and our other artists schedule classes in their specialties every now and again as well. We also use it for events like our quarterly open house and monthly Crafternoon Delite! The Crafternoon event started as a way to get together with our crafty friends that we only see at shows, eat some snacks, chat and hopefully get some work done in the process. Like my blog posts though, throwing successful events on a monthly basis is sort of a learning process. Sometimes we try things, and they just don’t work, so we tweak the idea to see if that works better. In talking to people about what they don’t like about the event, or why they can’t make it, there are two big things that have come up time and time-again. The first one is easy, we’ve been having the event on Saturday afternoons. If there’s not a craft show, then somebody’s getting married, or going to a birthday party, mowing the lawn, washing their hair… the point here is that Saturdays are busy. So to address this, the event has been moved to a week night.

Usually I bring some of the smaller hand-work that I have to do, whether that’s sketching, stitching or tagging. My wife on the other hand will lug her sewing machine out along with some fabric to cut and stitch. A lot of our crafts require pretty specific equipment and supplies, and it’s kind of a drag to lug it all over creation to do what you could do at home, but I maintain that doing it with other crafters will be both encouraging and maybe we can all learn a little more about each other and the things we make. Is there anything else you think we could do to make events more successful in the shop? What types of things would you like to see? Do you prefer a presentation with activity type of event, over a more social one? Let us know! Leave a comment in the comment section, we’d love to hear from you!

Links:

• Events at Fusion: fusionbysmh.wordpress.com/events
• Lord of the Rings photo found here: theonering.net
• Crafternoon Delight at Fusion: fusionbysmh.wordpress.com
• Afternoon Delight on Youtube: youtube.com

Classroom 101: An Introduction To Branding

Take a look at these two photos. What things come to mind?Before you start rolling your eyes, and thinking that this is another blog post by somebody in the handmade community saying how awful big-box stores are, let me assure you that it’s not. What I’m talking about today are some of my thoughts on branding. What is branding anyway, and why is it important to us as people in the business of selling arts and crafts? In a nutshell, branding is a combination of the ideas you express about yourself, and the way the public interprets those things. This is really where these two store fronts come into the picture. At the end of the day, what you can find in either of these buildings is the same. What is different about them is the way we perceive them, what they sell and the people who shop there.

When we think of brands in our day to day life, often it’s in relation to products. For example, General Mills is a brand of cereal that makes Captain Crunch. Pretty straight forward on both counts, if we see the General Mills logo we expect to find cereal, and Captain Crunch will have those sugary, yellow, razor-sharp nuggets in it’s box. There are less straight forward applications of branding though, and I’m going to have to ask you to bear with me on this because it really does relate, I promise. Over the course of 50 years, the Doctor in the “Doctor Who” series has been played by 11 people. Normally when shows do this kind of thing, like when Aunt Vivian was replaced in “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air”, it’s jarring. That’s because it’s breaking the brand of the show, giving us something that we don’t expect and doesn’t really make sense. In the case of the Doctor however, he’s a time-traveling immortal, who “regenerates” into a new body when the old one dies or is killed. The changes of actors is actually built into the entire concept of the show, adds variety and longevity to the story and remains internally consistent. So what does all of this have to do with us? Remember a few weeks ago when I talked about stories, and how important they are for engaging our audience?

Each and every one of us as artisans and craftspeople, in the business of  selling our work should be aware of our brand. This is how our customers and fans know us. It starts out with what we make and why, carries over to our logo, then to our business cards and signage, our website/blog, facebook posts and comments, and finally to how you look and act at shows. Doing things that break our brand in a way that doesn’t make sense or doesn’t seem genuine, can make a customer falter when purchasing or referring others to your business. Many of us get to know each other through what we see and read on the internet. We develop a relationship with the persona before we ever actually meet the person. For example, all of my profiles mention that I’m a stay-at-h0me dad, graphic designer and illustrator. Often I mention urban homesteading, baking, and my children. I work hard to make sure that my photos and comments reflect these things as well as some of my other interests. The sum of these things paint a pretty clear picture of who I am, so if I were to show up to my booth with a Jerry Maguire persona, exploiting this character I’d created to sell something it would raise questions about how honest I am about the rest of my products and ultimately my brand. This is all important because relationships are what drive this business. Our relationship with our customers and the quality of our handmade work is the added value that enable us to compete with mass produced goods.

Over the next week or two I’m planning on talking about branding a little bit more, as well as product photography and how it relates to our brand. The photography post will be a two parter with Melissa Villadiego of Villa Design, and will offer some thoughts on themes, props and composition as well as some of the more technical aspects including processing your photos. In the meantime, we’d love to hear some of your branding stories!

Links:

• Villa Design: www.villadesign.org
• I got the Doctor Who photo here: www.matthewsland.com/doctorwho

Fusion Open House ~ Summer 2012

Well, it might as well be summer already considering we’ve had 10 days in March over 80 degrees. It’s unheard of this time of year in St. Louis. But that just means we are close to Fusion’s Open House! Just what is it exactly? It gives a chance… you the artist or crafter, to stop by the shop and ask us questions! Come by anytime on Monday, April 9, 2012, between 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

For more info, check the Apply tab at the top of the webpage!

WHAT: Fusion Open House
WHEN: Monday, April 9, 2012, anytime from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
WHERE: 209 Chesterfield Mall, Chesterfield, MO 63017, 2nd level in the Sears Wing

17 Questions (Because 17 Is Better Than 10) With Andrea Lammle of Zenbot Baby

We have a great bunch of artists working and showing here at Fusion, and it’s really exciting for me to be able to share them with you all!  There’s always things we wish we could ask artists when we are looking at their work, but often they are not around to ask.  One of the things I find difficult when I meet artists at our Open Houses or at shows is finding that first question to get a dialogue going. As I’ve gotten to know my artist friends though, the questions just sort of build on themselves.  So, with the help of our friend Jessi at I Am What I Am on Main Street (who I’ve shamelessly stolen a lot of these questions from), and friends from the crafting community, I’ve compiled this list of questions to get the ball rolling.

This weeks featured artist is Andrea Lammle of Zenbot Baby. Described by some as a super hero, Andrea is  a member of both the St. Louis Craft Mafia and Show me Etsy, and is very active in the local crafting community. Using her powers mostly for good, she lends both her crafting talents as well as her skills as a graphic designer to many local craft endeavors. We’re really glad that she’s and that she was able to take a minute to answer our 17 questions.

What do you create?
I create sewn handmade goods that fill some sort of need. A diaper change kit for the mom & dad on the go. A sandwich wrap for those trying to reduce waste. A coffee cozy for the caffeine addict who wants to be just a little more eco-conscious and stylish.

What is your bestseller?
That’s a difficult one to answer. My best seller changes from season to season, year to year.

If you had to describe your crafting style in three words, what would they be?
Modern, functional & fun.

What goes into making your creations?
A stiff back from sitting at the sewing machine, lots of coffee and lots of podcasts. (Nerdist & Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show are my favorites)

How long does it take to make your product?
Depends on the product. I tend to assembly line my items so at the end of a few hours I can have anywhere from 5-10 items.

Are there any materials that you have used in your products that you think may be unexpected?
I use a fabric most commonly used for modern cloth diapers. It’s machine wash friendly and can be sanitized by a high-temp wash. It’s a dream fabric.

Why handmade?
Why not? With a handmade product you can usually bet on it lasting longer and being made by someone who is passionate about the product they put out.

What do you think differentiates crafting from other types of business?
The sense of community. In our crafting community, we want to help and see each other succeed. We are not an overly competitive bunch.

What do you enjoy most about selling your handmade goods?
I enjoy interacting with my customers and talking about who they are buying it for or how they’ll use it.

What personality Trait do you possess that you think helps you the most as a professional crafter?
I’m a “creative obsessive.” I have to be doing something creative at all periods in my life. Art & craft is something that has always been around and always will in my life. Right now, it’s sewing. Who knows what it will be in the next few years!

Do you take custom orders?
Yes, indeedy!

Who are you outside of the business?
I’m a mom, wife, exercise enthusiast, Whovian, Nerdist, Downton Devotee, Fillion Fan girl, Comedy idiot-savant, and Dave Matthews Band fanatic.

Do you buy handmade, and why?
I try to! I like to support other handmade artists!

Do you have any short-term goals?
I hope to take my wares out of state this year and expand my audience.

Where do you hope to be in 5 years? 10?
I don’t know. I hope to still be making a living off of my own creativity and sharing art and craft with my family.

Where can we find you to see more of your work, ask questions, and give you our money?
The interwebz at my Etsy – zenbotbaby.etsy.com and my website for my show schedule: www.zenbotbaby.com

Who shot first, Han or Greedo?
Han shot first, dammit.

Thanks Andrea for chatting with us today about the who, what and why of Zenbot Baby! Learning about the materials and work behind my fellow crafter’s work always inspires me to work harder at the things I do.  How about you all out there in blog-land? Is there any thing that you’re just dying to know about Andrea and her eco-friendly creations? Leave us a comment!  We’d love to hear what you have to say!

Links:

• Zenbot Baby’s website: www.zenbotbaby.com
• Zenbot Baby on Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/zenbotbaby
• Zenbot Baby on Facebook: www.facebook.com/zenbotbaby

Make Your Own Scented Bath & Body Products at Fusion!

Traveling Bare Naked Medicine Show and Apothecary Day
Have you ever wanted to make your own signature scent? Sweet Nectar Spa, who sells here at Fusion, will be hosting a Traveling Bare Naked Medicine Show and Apothecary event. They will be bringing their best powders, oil, scrubs, butters, and sprays – but they’re coming to the party BARE NAKED! You can make your own scented sugar scrubs, body sprays and hair products… and that’s just the tip of iceberg of the products they are bringing! For more info, check out the link HERE.

WHEN: Sunday, April 1, 2012, from Noon – 4 p.m. Come by anytime and stay as long as you like!
WHERE: 209 Chesterfield Mall, Chesterfield, MO 63017, 2nd level in the Sears Wing

5 Blogs That I ALWAYS Enjoy With My Morning Tea…

“There’s no better way to lose readers than to stop writing”. I don’t know if that’s an actual quote, but it sounds like it should be…so there it is. I’ve been talking a lot over the past few weeks about making our mark and making connections in this community.  Well, talking about these things is one thing, and I try to live up to the ideas I write about. This week I’ve put together a round-up of some of my favorite blogs. I follow a lot of blogs, but these are some of the ones that I look forward to, and I always get excited when I see a new post in my in-box.

It might sound silly, but Joe-A-Day is a great blog. This is a guy who knows exactly what he wants to talk about, and who his audience is. He posts every day, and is passionate about what he’s talking about: G.I.Joe action figures. To be completely honest, part of what makes this blog compelling to me is that I’m a guy of a certain age… I remember my older brothers getting the first 5 ‘Joes for Christmas when I was 6 or 7 and thinking they were the coolest things in the world. Which brings me to the second reason I find this blog compelling. Every figure he talks about and reviews has a personal story. Sometimes it’s a story about tracking that character down, and sometimes it’s a memory from his childhood about the the how and why he thought it was so cool (or lame). The point is, this isn’t just a blog cataloging a collection of dolls action figures. It’s a memoir using these miniature soldiers as a backdrop.

The route we take to discovering the blogs we enjoy is rarely straight forward it seems. Every now and again, one will show up in my feed and I’ll wonder where it even came from.  This isn’t one of those. I discovered Vivian of Oh Shoot! through an etsy site run by her and some friends out of San Francisco, Polka Dot Robot.  This is a good example of how each of our sites are connected and should (ideally) channel viewers back to each other. I continue to read her blog for it’s varied content: stories about her daily life, monthly goals, projects, plans and biking. She takes lots of great photos, and where the photos aren’t hers, they fit the content so well, and she’s really good about crediting the source (which is something we should all be better about). All of these things give her blog a certain tangibility, that makes it feel and read like a journal. (Image found here.)

Speaking of photos, I ran across this one by Julie Marie Craig from Always With Butter and fell. in. love. This one is such a wonderful example of the ability to share our interests and passions online. Also the branding is super consistent, and says handmade and attention to detail, all the way through. I have found that I love to read about food. Maybe it’s that feeling of satisfaction and comfort that comes from sitting down at the table with people you love and having a great meal that I relate to. Or maybe it’s the passion of the cook in making some thing wonderful that was always meant to be shared. At any rate, reading this blog, you can tell that Julie really enjoys what she’s doing. Also, I love how she sets up all of her recipes up on a downloadable card with handwritten and typed elements, instead of just typing them in the body of the blog. Details like that, combined with the stories and photos surrounding the recipes really add to the handmade feel of this blog, and the feeling of hanging out in the kitchen with a friend.

Aesthetic Outburst is one of those blogs that I honestly have no idea how I got there (though I suspect it was through Pinterest).  At first glance, it was a blog about a family renovating an old farm house, but it’s turned out to be more than that. Updated daily by Abbey Hendrickson, it’s about her family, her life as a freelance artist and crafter, renovating their farm house, and her love of art. She does a weekly round up of cool things she finds on the web as well. This sort of varied content stays thematically focused because it reflects her personal interests, and really helps us to feel like we’re getting to know her personally.

Finally we have Connie To The Wonnie by Connie Sun. I found this by following through a comment left on my friend Ben Hatke’s blog. I can’t stress enough how important it is to leave thoughtful comments that contribute to the conversation on blogs you follow. Not only does it let the writer know that you enjoy what they have to say, but it also provides a path for others to hear what you have to say. Connies blog is set up as an illustrated status message a day, and it is wonderful. First off, she’s consistent, she posts every week day. Her posts are also short, the time spent for me to read them is very small, and the payoff is almost always funny and/or insightful. I also really enjoy that she experiments with the drawings, and does a mix of cartoons and life sketches.

So, now you can picture my mornings standing at the kitchen counter, drinking tea and eating cereal…and reading blogs. I hope you take a minute and go check some of them out yourself, and leave them a comment, help continue those conversations.  What are some of the blogs you look forward to reading? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Links:

• Aesthetic Outburst: www.aestheticoutburst.blogspot.com
• Always With Butter: alwayswithbutter.blogspot.com
• Connie To The Wonnie: www.conniewonnie.com
• Joe A Day: www.joeaday.com
• Oh Shoot!: ohshoot.typepad.com/oh-shoot
• Polka Dot Robot: www.etsy.com/shop/polkadotrobots