Happy New Year! May 2017 bring you health, prosperity and good times! *insert emoji with sunglasses*
Instead of doing another more general recap like the one I did for the #12 months of DIY series // here // I thought I’d share 5 things that are inspiring me for 2017. Partly as a way to set the tone for the year ahead, but also as a way to show where I’ve come from.
It’s also the time of the year where I’m sharing my reader survey // here // and I would love love love if you could take a minute to complete it. I did it myself and timed it, it took me 1min 27 secs. and that’s with the long form question being thoroughly answered.
You can find my survey // here //
*The following product links contain affiliate links. Thank you for supporting the brands that make PMQ for two possible. For my full policies click // here //
1. Grace Bonney’s In The Company Of Women
Wow. I spotted this book on the shelf in Indigo while I was doing some Christmas shopping (because book shopping is the best) and then quickly balked at the price. However after flipping through it and reading a few of the profiles I was convinced I had to buy it.
It’s a collection of inspiring advice from over 100 makers, artists and entrepreneurs. It’s formatted sort of like a proust questionnaire, and the questions vary a little from profile to profile. It’s been sitting on my bed side table since Christmas and I read a few profile every evening before bed.
I love the strength behind these women, their candidness, and the advice they have is bang-on. The most common one to date is “get the money first.” My first thoughts were not nearly as eloquent, and probably along the lines of “shiiiiit, a hooker coulda told me that!” but then I remembered that as makers and small business owners all too often people try to take advantage of us, or offer us crappy terms and most of us agree to them. Getting paid up front is a nice way of saying “value yourself, because no one else will do it for you.”
2. Tiffany Pratt’s This Can Be Beautiful
I heard her speak this fall at Blog Podium in Toronto. She was inspiring to say the least. She didn’t come at us with tired ideas or advice that makes you go “wut?” instead, she tried to inspire us, and shared ideas on how we can be more present in our creative process.
I liked the anecdote she shared about how if you send her your blog or your instagram account, she won’t look at it. *honest, brutal truth right there* Not because she doesn’t like what you’re doing or respect your hustle, but because she choses to create on her own, free from comparison to others or in relation to what they do. Tiffany is Tiffany.
I was lucky enough to win a copy of her book before it was released this fall, and I spent a few hours perusing it and really thinking it through. I even did one of her projects for my Christmas entertaining- I spray-painted a punch bowl!
Worth picking this book up f you’re looking for some fresh and colourful DIYs that are heavy on the whimsy and glitter.
3. New colours and inspirations: pulling from fashion and nature
This past year I pulled a lot of inspiration from objects: things with vibrant colours, lots of thick heavy gloss, and more than a fair share of glitter. I loved it! However I’m expanding my colour repertoire, and delving into deeper and richer tones. In 2016 I tested the waters with jewel tone colours with our living room built-ins // here // and our master bedroom // here //, and I loved it! So much so, that as I move forward in my design journey, I’m looking to fashion and nature for more inspiration this year. The colours are truer, less likely to be based in a trend, and will reflect their environment well.
If you ever need a greater indication of what’s inspiring me, follow my I N S P I R A T I O N board on Pinterest // here //.
4. My online community
I work from home, alone. Well, not completely alone. All my colleagues and business partners are online. I frequently spend an entire day without actually using my voice to speak to someone. I’ll have had several conversations and discussions online in a given day, but because my community is so vibrant and engaging I never feel alone.
The women makers around me continue to inspire me on the daily, and I know that life as a maker and entrepreneur would be very different without them. Here’s to move late night wine and popcorn parties in our hotel rooms during conferences, and late night chats in Facebook groups while waiting for the ORC link-up to go live.
5. My hands
I use them to do everything. They are my tools, my power and what allow me to make the connection between what’s in my head and what I want to create. I enjoy making and doing, so 2017 will be no different. I will continue to make and to do, and to maybe moisturize the old gals every now and then.
I want to quickly take this time to thank all the brands that worked with me in 2016. I couldn’t have made 2016 the year it was without you! And thank you to all of my readers for supporting me through a move, some colour corrections and my first ORC! You guys are the real reason PMQ for two works.
Don’t forget to do my reader survey // here //
that anecdote about tiffany- i have been thinking so much lately about not reading any other blogs. i hate that because i feel guilty about ditching my friends…. but then i think it would be so good for me personally. so i am not sure what i will be doing!
love your direction and the new colors and i love the thought you clearly put into what you do.
For real! That being said, I draw so much inspiration from other peoples’ sites that I would be afraid of turning off the faucets.
I’ve also always just done my own thing. That being said, you are always first with a comment, and I would miss that.
Love the new direction you’re taking too!
Those books certainly look inspirational and I too found Tiffany’s speech at Blogpodium useful. I don’t think you can create on your own, free from comparison though, especially in this day and age with Pinterest and Instagram and the like. We are always being influenced by what’s around us whether consciously or not. And I don’t think that’s a bad thing because I find what others do inspiring and we will always have our own take on things and offer something unique. Here’s to a wonderful new year of creativity my friend!
That’s true, I don’t know anyone who truly creates on their own. That being said, whenever I think I’ve done something fun and new, I see it on five other blogs shortly thereafter. The desire to create fresh and unique content is strong!
I also find what others do very inspiring though. I routinely visit a few blogs to see what they’re doing. I just try not to imitate them
This is good post to start off the New Year! I never heard of Tiffany but I am curious to know what is in her book! I agree with what she said and I will admit, I stopped reading my favorite bloggers blogs bc I did not want their creations to sway my creative direction. I want to be original in what I do.
Her stuff is bright and colourful and there is a lot of glitter involved! May not be your exact cup of tea, but I can see you putting your own spin on a lot of her projects.
I too struggle with that one. I love following what others are up to because I truly do draw inspiration from them. On the other hand, I’m worried that I draw from them too heavily sometimes. It’s a tricky space to be in
These are great inspirations for the year ahead! I have yet to pick up both of those books but I do plan to. Cheers to more late-night online discussions during the ORC and to meeting up at conferences!
thank you so much Lesley! I highly recommend those books, and if you want to pick ’em up online, using my affiliate link would be lovely <3
I think your blog is looking better and better. I am pretty impressed at your photos and content lately. Congrats.
Thanks Mila!