Small Wins

By Pam Winters

I’ll admit it: I’m not a very consistent blog writer, or reader, for that matter. I’ve come to the conclusion that it has more to do with overwhelm than a lack of desire to write, or read. In my mind, I see too many options in the way of topics, ideas and blogs to check out. Other times, I see a blank page, and I don’t want to face it. I started a blog last year, thinking it would be a good addition to my website as yet another creative outlet for my mind and hands. I’ve started thinking recently about the reasons why consistently writing for a blog seems to elude me, when I’ve literally written my thoughts down my entire life, in the way of journal entries, pieces of art, letters to friends, personal reminders and more. Upon reflection, I think part of the reason has something to do with a piece of advice I heard this week while watching Chase Jarvis’ interview with Tim Ferriss on CreativeLive’s 30 Days of Genius series: when approaching a new or existing project, Tim Ferriss recommended asking oneself, “What would this look like if it were easy?” In other words, how can we start accumulating and celebrating the “small wins,” as opposed to putting our efforts off for one more day, thinking perfection is the only option? When I apply this logic to the activity of blogging, I can clearly see the obstacles I’ve been unwittingly placing in my own path. These include thoughts such as, “What am I going to fill my blog with?” and “What if I can’t think of anything interesting to put on my blog?” and “It’s been over a month since I posted anything on my blog! I need to write something amazing right now!” Surely, I can manage to document one thought at a time (such as this one), posting highlights that readers will hopefully enjoy and find useful and/or entertaining. So, I’ve decided to take the expectation of the word “blog” off of my shoulders for now, and adopt a new goal that is within my grasp: one small win at a time.

Related links:
Chase Jarvis
CreativeLive
30 Days of Genius series (CreativeLive)
Tim Ferriss

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The Value of a Handwritten Letter

By Pam Winters

Summertime Favorite: Blueberry Buckle

By Pam Winters

Butter and sugar, mixed until light and fluffy, are the beginnings of Blueberry Buckle (Photos by Stacey Winters Photography, © 2015 by Pam Winters)
Adding an egg to the butter mixture, which will become the batter (Photos by Stacey Winters Photography, © 2015 by Pam Winters)
Peeling fresh orange zest with a special tool is the best way to infuse a little citrus flavor into the recipe (Photos by Stacey Winters Photography, © 2015 by Pam Winters)
Mixing the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, before adding them to the wet batter ingredients (Photos by Stacey Winters Photography, © 2015 by Pam Winters)
Wet and dry ingredients are gently blended together (Photos by Stacey Winters Photography, © 2015 by Pam Winters)
Cutting fresh nectarines into slices, then into thirds (Photos by Stacey Winters Photography, © 2015 by Pam Winters)
Getting ready to mix the nectarine slices with freshly-squeezed lemon juice (Photos by Stacey Winters Photography, © 2015 by Pam Winters)
Mixing fresh fruit together, including the citrus flavoring from the lemon juice (Photos by Stacey Winters Photography, © 2015 by Pam Winters)
Combined blueberries and nectarines are gently mixed into the batter bowl (Photos by Stacey Winters Photography, © 2015 by Pam Winters)
A handheld pastry blender mixes the topping ingredients: flour, butter, cinnamon and sugars (Photos by Stacey Winters Photography, © 2015 by Pam Winters)
Blended topping ingredients are sprinkled to cover the batter, which fills a square baking pan (Photos by Stacey Winters Photography, © 2015 by Pam Winters)
The cooked dessert is removed from the oven and tested with a toothpick in the center (Photos by Stacey Winters Photography, © 2015 by Pam Winters)
Just out of the oven, the dessert is set aside to cool for 15 minutes on a baking rack (Photos by Stacey Winters Photography, © 2015 by Pam Winters)
Cutting the first piece (Photos by Stacey Winters Photography, © 2015 by Pam Winters)
Bon appétit! (Photos by Stacey Winters Photography, © 2015 by Pam Winters)

During the summer of 1986, I found myself standing in a grocery store line with my mom. I remember perusing the magazines at the checkout stand, a habit I continue to have to this day. I’m sure I scanned the usual fare: TV Guide, Cosmopolitan, etc. Suddenly, a new item caught my undivided attention: Good Food Magazine. The cover displayed the headline “Star-Spangled Desserts,” placed just above a close-up shot of fresh berries mingled together in a perfect balance of red and blackish blue. I remember picking up the small booklet-sized magazine, intent on finding out what was meant by “Star-Spangled Desserts.” Whatever it was, it sounded right up my alley. The Good Food issue in my hands, I quickly turned the pages of the article in question, whereby I found not one, but an entire collection of colorful desserts. Even as a teenager, I was quite a baker, and I knew something good when I saw it. The thought came to my mind: did I hit the jackpot or what?

Well, as it turns out, there was one recipe in particular that would emerge as my true love from that article swimming with delicious summertime desserts. That recipe is Blueberry Buckle. Just the name itself was enough to close the deal. Who eats “buckle”? Sounds like fun! Looking at the article today, which contains a photo of all the desserts (yes, I saved the original cover and article pages from the magazine), I can see why I picked Blueberry Buckle as the one to make. First of all: blueberries and nectarines; need I say more? In the photo, Blueberry Buckle is cut into square pieces, which are stacked on one another, looking moist and dense—like the best kind of coffee cake—and showcasing clusters of baked fruit; each piece is adorned with a blanket of golden crumble topping. One of the best things about this recipe, besides its good looks and taste, is its versatility. Blueberry Buckle can be served warm or cold, and is equally delicious. It can be eaten for breakfast or for afternoon/evening dessert, along with coffee or tea; in the latter instance, a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream when the dessert is fresh out of the oven truly completes it.

Baking remains one of my all-time favorite culinary activities to this day. And thanks to Blueberry Buckle, I am never lacking for a summertime recipe to make for family and friends. Sadly, for the other recipes in that Good Food article, I have never had the heart–or perhaps more accurately, the willpower–to tear myself away from making Blueberry Buckle long enough to give them a try. That’s how good this recipe is, and why I continue to make it for all the special and wonderful people in my life. I love nothing more than seeing their eyes light up in anticipation of the infamous “buckle.” These moments, filled with joy, laughter and conversation, shared over a homemade treat, are a true gift. And I realize that, yet again, I’ve hit the jackpot.

Click here to view the complete Blueberry Buckle recipe, as it originally appeared in Good Food Magazine. Bon appétit!

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”

By Pam Winters

At the end of March, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to the paper art of quilling, as part of the Y Conference put on by AIGA San Diego. I had signed up for the conference just before it commenced, so the selection of free workshops (or “Thinkshops,” as AIGA calls them) that comes with conference attendance was limited. Looking at the remaining options, I saw that quilling was available. My curiosity was piqued, as this was something I hadn’t tried my hand at before. Some of the things that come up in an online search when looking up the term “quilling” are so beautifully ornate and intricate, I could see this was most likely going to be a fun, though somewhat challenging, experience.

The day of the quilling Thinkshop, I was pleasantly surprised to find a full room with almost equal numbers of men and women (probably 30 people or more total), sitting at tables, ready to hear the instructor, Candice Warner, a local designer and paper artist, give a brief description on quilling, show examples or her own and others’ work and give us some beginning tools, supplies and tips to get started on making some of our own things. I was inspired right away!

Candice was very generous, and set us up with the basics right off the bat: strips of paper evenly cut and in a variety of colors; a small quilling tool with a split metal head for holding the paper in place while curling; small clipping shears; a lightweight tweezers tool; paper-friendly glue; toothpicks; a disposable plate for placing small amounts of glue as we worked; and lastly, a couple of cards for practicing basic quilling shapes and structures and for creating a small design (pre-drawn on the card for us). Once we all got our hands on the goodies in front of us, we set to work. Our table consisted of a friendly group of people, and we chatted as we worked, talking about our jobs, other creative things we like to do and we also traded business cards. Quilling, it turns out, is not just a wonderful paper craft, it’s also a great way to network and socialize with your neighbors!

When the conference was over, I shared the practice sheet of quilling shapes I had done on Instagram and with family and friends in person. It was a beginning for me, and I kept my manila envelope with all of my newly acquired tools and paper strips at the ready in my workroom, should the mood strike me to start it up again. Well, it took a good couple of months, but I finally gave myself the opportunity to get back to it. And it took a crafting night with a group of friends, with whom I have also worked side by side over the past several years at a retail store, to break out that project I’ve been meaning to revisit. It felt really great to pick up where I left off with the quilling, and when I brought it home with me, I continued working on it.

Sometimes, it’s simply not enough to write down a to-do in your planner, or tell yourself to get back to something. It might take the company and support of friends to give you the permission to set aside the time to sit down with that thing you’ve been meaning to do for yourself. And once that inspiration is reawakened, who knows what’s possible? I like to think, anything at all!

“If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.”

By Pam Winters

This week, I am doing something that I have never done before: attending a conference that is strictly online. One of the best parts about this particular conference, Maker Mentors (MM), is the fact that it is three days packed full of information and inspiration geared toward creatives, like me, who are launching their own businesses. It is also for those wanting to improve a business that already exists and/or to simply soak in the ideas and inspiration that the conference offers. Another great thing is being able to enjoy the benefits of MM in the comfort of my own home. Still another great part about this experience is actually feeling like I’m at an in-person conference, in a sense, in that everyone attending can see each speaker talking in real time, ask questions via the chat room and interact with other conference attendees during the sessions, as well as outside them (e.g., in the forums on the MM site).

There are talented, knowledgeable and driven creative professionals behind Maker Mentors: Cassie Boorn (founder), Erin Wetzel (creative director), Liz Sabo (marketing coordinator) and Gary Robinson (graphic designer/webmaster). Having just completed Day 2 of the conference, I can say firsthand that the MM team is doing a fantastic job of pulling off this unique online event. Cassie and Erin check in with all of us logging on first thing in the morning (7:30 a.m. sharp), and briefly go over what to expect for the day, as well as general reminders, etc. I am thoroughly impressed with how smoothly the conference has been running, and with the fact that Cassie and Erin each have a laser-like focus on helping attendees get the most out of these three days.

For me, coming together with others who are serious about doing creative work; building and growing their own businesses and/or helping others get started and progress is the biggest gift I could give myself right now. I am truly grateful for the opportunity and intend to apply what I’m learning and absorbing to my own life, to the best of my ability. One thing seems pretty much universally agreed upon among conference attendees and speakers: one’s success boils down to showing up regularly, contributing and speaking from the heart.

Below is a brief list of shared wisdom, advice and positive affirmations that have stood out for me personally during the past couple of days (Please note: I have paraphrased from my notes on the different speaker talks and presentations, adding my own emphasis to certain words in the form of all caps):

Write a blog and say whatever you want to say in long format. The objective is to pick a platform and tell your story. ~ Cory Huff, digital strategist & actor
SMILE! Be enthusiastic and passionate about your product/business. It will transfer to others! ~ Jenna Herbut, entrepreneur & maker
Building a business is all about just DOING it, and creating something that aligns with who you are as an individual. ~ Jennifer Lee, coach & author
Take SMALL steps. Don’t let focusing on the “big goal” paralyze you and your work. ~ Kendyll Hillegas, illustrator & maker
STEP AWAY from the work daily, taking time to pause and regroup during the day. Breathe deeply and stretch. ~ Kerry Burki, teacher, author & maker
You HAVE to make sacrifices to launch your career. ~ Lisa Congdon, illustrator & fine artist
There is no “right way.” There is YOUR way. Trust in yourself is vital, and you have to practice it. ~ Molly Mahar, coach, teacher & writer
When you connect with others authentically, promotion comes naturally. ~ Tara Gentile, author & coach
You WILL get rejected a lot. Focus on moving forward to the YES. ~ Tracy Matthews, jewelry designer & mentor

Pictured above: Maker Mentors promo image; a photo from one of Friday’s sessions, featuring conversation with Joanna Hawley, creative director and blogger (© 2015 by Pam Winters); the quote in the title of this post is attributed to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Small Wins

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The Value of a Handwritten Letter

Summertime Favorite: Blueberry Buckle

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”

“If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.”

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