Inspired Books For Your Creative Business

This is the time of year that I like to learn some new things to run my business. and a new technique for creating new jewelry.

I have several book in my library that I like to pull out and read, to find new ideas for marketing my blog and Etsy shop.

This year I have 5 books that are inspiring me right now, so I thought I would share them with you.

Jab, Jab, Jab Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World by Gary Vaynerchuk
This is a great book about social media. It is full of examples of good and bad posts, that has helped me fine tune my social media posts. I also recently found an online class that he is teaching about the same subject, so if you prefer to have all the info you need via video verses reading then this class if for you.

Engagement from Scratch! How Super-community Builders Create a Loyal Audience and How You Can Do the Same by Danny Iny
This book is filled with info from a variety of different blogger like Kristi Hines from Kikolani - Blog Marketing and Blogging Tips, and Guy Kawasaki from How to Change the World blog, sharing tips and ideas for building a blog community. I have really enjoyed each persons perspective on blogging, and all the actionable ideas.

Maximize Your Potential  - Grow Your Expertise, Take Bold Risks & Build An Incredible Career by u99.com
It is a collection of post from a variety of people in the business community. This book is very inspiring and full of helpful ideas. It is an easy read and something you will want to refer back to several times during your career. u99.com is a wonderful website, that will inspire.

The Little Big Things - 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence by Tom Peters
This book is filled with easy and practical ideas for your business. Not all 163 will work for a creative online business, but most can be adapted to for your creative business. You don't have to read this book straight through, it has a great table of contents and you can easily find a topic and just read the sections that are important to you and your business.

Achieve Anything in Just One Year - Be Inspired Daily to Live Your Dreams and Accomplish Your Goals by Jason Harvey
This book is set up to read one page a day, with 365 days of inspiration. Each day offers inspiring words and actionable ideas for working on your goals, staying motivated, and feeling happier with life.





I hope you find these titles inspiring and informative for your creative business. I would love to hear what you are reading for your business, and I'm sure everyone else would like to know as well.  Share the titles of the book your reading in the comments section.

Books as Art

I could never imagine using a book to create art since I'm a crazy bookoholic, but there are some amazing artists who use books as their medium and create art that is visually stunning. Enjoy this collection of unique book sculptures.

Source: kopfdreck.tumblr.com via Recyclart on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Jennifer on Pinterest

Source: orientaltiger.tumblr.com via Joⅆi on Pinterest

Source: recyclart.org via Recyclart on Pinterest

Source: urdustar.com via Recyclart on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Hoi on Pinterest

Source: ihlet.com via elle.eye.ess.eh on Pinterest

Have you ever used an old book to create art?

Your Favorite Books

One of my favorite things to get for Christmas are books. I work on my wish list all year and then hand it over to my husband and let him surprise me.

Lets start a wish list together. Share 3 books that inspire you. Include books about art, crafts, and business. 

I will create a master list we can refer to all year long. You might even discover a few books you want to add to this years holiday wishlist.  

Here are 3 titles on the top of my list:

What are 3 of your favorite art, craft, or business books? Share the titles and authors in the comments.

Nothing Is Original

A couple of weeks ago I shared with you a list of the books I was reading over the summer. One of those books is called Steal Like An Artist by Austn Kleon.

One of the chapters in the book is called Nothing Is Original, it got me thinking about design and the design process. In the book he says "What a good artist understands is that nothing comes from nowhere. All creative work builds on what came before. Nothing is completely original."

For me this is a true statement. I am inspired by everyday things I see around me, light fixtures, buildings, unusual objects. When I see these things I break them down in my mind and take the shape of the parts and come up with some of my designs.

I would like to think my ideas are original, but I understand that I am not the first person to create jewelry with hardware and I won't be the last.

The book says that if we are free from the burden of trying to be completely original, we can stop trying to make something out of nothing, and embrace the influence.

What do you think? Is nothing original?

Summer Books

I spend my days listening to books on my Mp3 player while I am making jewelry. I love mysteries and thriller stories, and I listen to at least 2 books a week.

I like to read actual books at night before bed, and I usually prefer business or inspirational books. I prefer to read these types of books because I retain the information better. I find that when I am listening to a story on my Mp3 player I get lost in the story and the details are only necessary to set the scene in my mind.

I recently purchased a few books that I am really enjoying and I thought I would share the titles with you.

The Fire Starter Sessions: A soulful practical guide to creating success on your own terms
By Danielle LaPorte

The $100 Startup: Reinvent the way you make a living, do what you love, and create a new future
By Chris Guillebeau

Do the Work: Overcome resistance and get out of your own way
by Steven Pressfield

Grow Your Handmade Business: How to Envision, develop, and sustain a successful creative business
By Kari Chapin

Steal Like an Artist: 10 things nobody told you about being creative
By Austin Kelon

Each book offers a little something different for my business and inspiration for my creative life.

I hope one of these books inspires you and your business.

What business or creative book are you reading this summer?

Book Review

I like it when I find a book that not only inspires me but makes me want to read it again and again.  Inner Excavation by Liz Lamoreux is that book for me.

When I ordered Inner Excavation I was looking forward to receiving it in the mail.

The description is as follows:
This book will guide you through the expressions of photography, poetry/journaling and mixed-media as they pertain to exploring how we not only currently see ourselves, but how we can learn to see new things hiding below the surface.

After reading that description, how could you not want to read it.

I loved this book. 

This book was full of wonderful stories from a variety of artists, ideas and suggestions for discovering your inner self, and lots of creative prompts.  I loved it so much I bought 2 more books that I am going to give to a couple of friends of mine for the holidays.  I am going to include a camera and a journal so they can experience everything about this book.

You don't have to be an artist, know photography, or be a writer to get a lot out of this book.  It's a book that has to be experienced.

Inner Excavation by Liz Lamoreux is a book that must be experienced.

Do you have a book that has inspired you lately?

Reading for Inspiration

I was really bummed to hear Borders bookstore was closing. One of my favorite things to do when I need inspiration is to head to the bookstore and spend an afternoon looking at magazines and books. 

I am going to miss my quite time hanging out in the bookstore.  I guess I will have to do more hanging out in my local library and reading at home.

The hardest thing about reading at home is all the distraction. When I sit at the bookstore or library I don't have the computer, or my supplies, or even those nagging chores starring back at me to get up and do something.

Creating a space just for reading can help with getting away from those distraction and enliven your reading experience.

The best position for reading is sitting at a table in a comfortable chair. You will find that you comprehend more and have more clarity of thought. Lying down and lounging may feel comfortable, but these positions are not good for alertness or concentration.

Try to find a space with the least amount of distraction and good lighting.

If you are doing a lot of reading remember to take breaks to avoid eye fatigue.

When you are reading for inspiration keep in mind your creative needs. The more you are aware of your needs the easier it will be to make a connection between ideas, concepts, and insights, as well as making it easier to grasp ideas.

Find the time and the perfect spot so you can read more often. The more you read the more you will develop your knowledge of creative thinking strategies and idea generation techniques.

What do you like to read for inspiration?

Be Inspired - Sounds Week 2

Words to Inspire

“Love is the voice under all silences, the hope which has no opposite in fear; the strength so strong mere force is feebleness: the truth more first than sun, more last than star...”
E. E. Cummings

Idea to Inspire

Start a collection of your own pictures of beautiful sounds, that mean something to you.

Photos to Inspire

More amazing Flickr photos of beautiful sounds.


Rocky beach by Thankful!


Like Fly, like flower by claustral


waterfall by sgwizdak


It don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing by dranidis

Be Inspired - Sounds

Words to Inspire

“All of nature begins to whisper its secrets to us through its sounds. Sounds that were previously incomprehensible to our soul now become the meaningful language of nature.”
Rudolf Steiner

Idea to Inspire

With all the distractions throughout our day, it's the simplest sounds of an ordinary day that we take for granted.

I recently enjoyed a book called 100 Sounds to See by Marsha Engle. In this wonderful book Marsha shares her story of how she is slowly losing her hearing, and how she collaborated with photographer William Huber to capture ordinary sounds in stunning photographs.

Over the next month the Be Inspired collection is going to feature photographs of ordinary sounds in photography.

Check out all the stunning photography in this wonderful book.

Photos to Inspire

This Flickr collection is inspired by beautiful sounds you can find outside.


Nature bird by doug88888


Fountain, Trafalgar Square by Simon Crubellier


Wind / beach / orange by ►CubaGallery


Rain Rain Go Away by Little Miss. Sunshine


Lightning_sells_arizona by dartleader

Let's Talk Books

I have mentioned it before, I love books.  I listen to books when I am creating, cooking, and cleaning,  and I try to read a book every night.

I am looking for some new titles to read and listen too.  I would like to put together a list of books to add to my summer reading.

I am currently reading Creativity is a Verb by Patti Digh, which is a great book so far. I just started it recently, but each night I can't wait to read another chapter.

So, what book have you read that has inspired you, and why?

Must Have Green Craft Books

While preparing for this months blog posts, I checked out lots of books full of crafts and ideas for recycling.  Today I thought I would share with you some of my favorites.

Big Green Book of Recycled Crafts 

Green Guide for Artists:  Nontoxic Recipes, Green Art Ideas & Resources for the Eco-Conscious Artists

Craftcycle: 100+ Earth-Friendly Projects and Ideas for Everyday Living

Rubbish!:  Reuse Your Refuse

If you need a little inspiration:
1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse: Remake, Restyle, Recycle, Renew
I was lucky enough to get 4 pieces in this book.  You can check out this blog post to see the pages I was featured on.

These are just a few that I have enjoyed over the last month.

Do you have a book that has inspired you to recycle?

Be Inspired - Books

Words to Inspire

Imagination is the route to everything we might yet create, or discover along the way.
A quote from:  A Thousand Paths to Creativity

Idea to Inspire

Use your books.  Take down those books you have not looked at in a while and flip through them to inspire new ideas.

Photos to Inspire

I love books, and these Flickr photos have turned an ordinary book into art.


Book Shelf by Irina Troitskavya


Book Shop by svenwerk


Books_01 by Javier Pico


Book Heart <3 by 大米 rice


Books are the quietest and most constant of friends by *midtownsky*

Collage Inspiration

In my creative quest, I like to learn about different mediums, try a variety of techniques, and experiment with new materials.

When I need a little inspirations I work in different mediums, sometimes I paint or work with paper, but I have never quite mastered the art of collage.  I believe collage is one of the most expressive art forms.

Original Mixed Media Abstract Painting by juliesteinrart

Interesting info about collage:

♦ Did you know that the word collage originated with the French word coller which means "to paste or stick".


♦ It is said that Cubism - a new way of representing reality in art - invented by Picasso and Baraque from 1907 - 1908 started the idea of collage.

Picasso 

♦ Collage - defined by Paula Grasdal an author and artists - "As an intuitive process of concealing and revealing, add and subtracting, until the desired result emerges from the layers"

Book by Paula Grasdal

To create a collage you don't have to be a skilled painter or good at drawing, it is the art of putting together unlimited pieces or objects.

You can work on a variety of surfaces, creating one-dimensional paper based collages, add in mixed media to create two-dimensional effect, or use collage to decorate a three-dimensional object, the ideas are limitless.

Songbird Mixed Media Shadowbox by jackandcatcurio

Give collage a try, pull out some basic art supplies, a few magazines, and start layering.  See where the act of creating something new takes you, and how it inspires you.

Do you work in different mediums when you need inspiration?

Are you a collage artist?  I'd love to see your work, share a link to your work in the comments section.

How many art books do you have?

I love books, art books, jewelry books, business books, personal growth books, all kinds of books. Buying books is one of my weaknesses, I always want the newest and the latest.

I have about 200 books in my collection, and I use them often for inspiration, or for a new techniques. I try to buy a new book at least once a month.

How about you?

How many books do you have about your craft/art?

How often do you use the books in your collection?

How often do you buy books?

Looking for a book?
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Additionsstyle NEWS

BLOG News

Would you like to advertise on this blog? Check out this opportunity to support an amazing project about artists and get exposure for your shop and blog. This opportunity is only available till the end of the month, don't miss out!

You can now get email updates of blog posts via Feedburner. Check out the left side bar to sign up.

Pam Moore is back! She will be doing a series of post about planning, organizing, and preparing for a trip. Her first post will be this Friday.

Creative Book of the Week
Make your Creative Dreams Real: A plan for Procrastinators, Perfectionists, Busy People, and People Who Would Really Rather Sleep All Day by Sark. Check out the right side bar for a link to Amazon.com.

SHOP News

I have added a new banner to my shop with my new photo's:

What do you think?

I have gotten a lot of mixed messages on my new pictures, some people like them, some people like the pictures with the colored background. Please share your thoughts on my new neutral backgrounds.



I am going to keep making changes to my shop and my blog, have any suggestions let me know additionsstyleblog@gmail.com.

Have a great week!


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Additionsstyle NEWS

BLOG News

I started making changes to my blog last week, if you did not notice I have changed the name to my blog it's now called EVERYDAY INSPIRED. I started with a new banner, and I will be working on changing the items on my sidebars so that the blog will be easier to navigate. Watch for new changes every week.

Coming soon, the Creative Business - Quick Tip. Ideas you can use for your creative art business. If you have any ideas you want to share, email me at additionsstyleblog@gmail.com. As the source of the tip I will include your name, and your shop and blog links to the post.

I am thrilled that guest blogger Pam Moore will be back with another series of post's about planning, preparing, and packing for a trip. Look for her first post next week.

As I mentioned last week, this month is going to have a travel theme. Last Tuesday's post was about Summer Vacation. Take a moment to check it out I would love to know what you have planned this summer.

Book of the Week

Last week in Check It Out... Kelly from Sour Tang shared with us a book she was reading called It's Not How Good You are, It's How Good You Want To Be by Paul Arden. It looks like a great book! Check the right side bar for a link to Amazon.com.

SHOP News

I started taking pictures with my new background last week, what do you think? I am hoping with the new lighter more neutral background I may get in more treasuries, and a few more features.

I am going to start adding them to my shop next week.

FREE SHIPPING on all Men's Accessories

In my Etsy Shop - until June 13

Give the men you life something fun and unique.

Have a great week!!