Here’s a second roundup of useful and inspiring resources and links.

It’s a mixed bag. Ideas for easy blogging. Thoughts on digital downsizing and social media as well as some beautiful and thoughtful inspiration for life.

EASY SUMMERTIME BLOGGING

• Take the 7 Link Challenge Today. The idea is to create a “sneeze page” that helps visitors to find the highlights of your blog, even as they drop off the front page of your blog. It’s an easy and fun challenge, and of course you can be creative and modify the questions if you like. From ProBlogger.
• Take a break from the pressures and expectations of regular blogging and let your photos do the all the talking for the month of August. The August Break is hosted by talented and lovely photographer & writer Susannah Conway.
• Blogging In a New Light: Simple Blogging. Turn your day into a poetic, enchanting poem accompanied by a photo. By mixed media artist Susan Tuttle.

TIME TO TAKE A BREAK FROM SOCIAL MEDIA?

• Time for a Digital Sabbatical? By Gwen Bell who owns a yoga studio, is writing a book about digital intimacy and is one of 2010′s Most Influential Women in Tech.
• Have you ever felt like you were spending too much time on social networking? Here’s a great read: Breaking Up the Social Networking Way. By paper aficionado Jen who creates delightful things made of paper and blogs at Simply Said.
• Social Media Has Damaged My Attention Span. An interesting article by jewelry designer and blogger Brandi who lives her life inspired by colour. Find Brandi’s jewelry at Catie’s Blue and her blog at Brandi Girl.
• Input vs. Creativity (Or, Thoughts on Surfing the Web) an interesting read by the ever resourceful, helpful, talented and friendly Sister Diane of CraftyPod.

INSPIRATION FOR LIFE

• Here are three thought-provoking articles for people who want to live life on their own terms by self development guru cowboy, Jonathan Mead of Illuminated Mind: Write Your Own Permission Slip, The Three Ways to Deal With Difficult Emotions and How to Overcome Limiting Beliefs.
• Finally, don’t miss writer and crafter Megs’ inspirational manifesto Live Like a Handful of Smarties. From Made By Megs.

Did you miss the first roundup of Resources for Creative Entrepreneurs?

Have you got any good reads about blogging, social media and digital downsizing that you’d like to share?

Tags: blogging, how-to, inspiration, resources, social media, tutorials

The very creative, brilliant, many-sided and lovely Valarie Budayr of Learn Sweden and A Place Like This has honoured me with a Kreativ Blogger Award.

Valarie writes about a range of topics including crafting, reading, cooking and her experience and passion for different cultures. Her family is international and one of Valarie’s many expressions for her Swedish heritage is her Swedish school where she runs online Swedish language and culture courses. Valarie also has a great love for nature, whatever you do, don’t miss her beautiful series Fox Diaries!

In return for the honour of receiving the Kreativ Blogger Award, I must pass on the love to seven other creative bloggers and then share seven things that you didn’t know about me. In the spirit of Valarie, I’ve selected inspiring blogs that span a wide range of topics, from culture, creativity and nature to living with several cultures and languages.

7 Creative Bloggers Who Have Been Inspiring Me Lately

• gardenmama – Nicole never fails to inspire and delight with her beautiful photography, creative projects and love for life.
• Turquoise Poppy – Love brought Tara from California to Turkey. The expat-induced identity crisis that followed, lead her onto an exciting path of self-discovery. Tara blogs about ways to “bloom where you’re planted” and examines the possibilities of a fluid identity.
• Gora! Gora! Gora! – Jason blogs about relocating from Sydney to India and accompanies his writings with splendid photography.
• artlovejoy – Wini’s blog is such a sunny, gorgeous and inspiring place to visit! I adore her taste and sense for colour.
• madebymegs – Megs writes poetically with great honesty, vulnerability and strength about the dark sides of her life, only to turn around to write about her appreciation of beauty or to tell a story with wit.
• ocasiocasa – the beautiful online home of Dale and Jeff. Poetic photography and stunning, eclectic crafts.
• williamboschdotcom – William modestly calls himself “an accidental photographer”,  check out his blog for a feast for the eyes!
• a house called nut – Michele is an American in Helsinki, Finland and she blogs beautifully about her adventures. From life in an eco-cottage in rural Finland to anticipating parenthood in the big city.

I’ll be back later with the other list.

Tags: blogging, celebration

Here’s a roundup of art, design, craft and business related articles, resources and links that I find particularly useful.

For those of you who are interested in a peek behind the scenes of a creative entrepreneur and to support and inspire those of you who run your own creative indie biz.

• Growing your business beyond Etsy. Tons of good stuff here! From pricing and marketing to growing your creative business by creating multiple revenue streams. From Crafting an MBA – business thinking for designers and makers.
• In an Abundant World, Scarcity is Opportunity. Another superb read from Crafting an MBA – business thinking for designers and makers.
• Your creative business blog & its sidebar. Is your sidebar like a sock drawer? Here’s how to get your blog’s sidebar to support your creative business. From Tara Gentile.
• Working it out, an action plan for taking your ideas and dreams to the next level from Susannah Conway.
• Why You’re Undervaluing Yourself (And How to Stop) – the title says it all – from Productive Flourishing.
• Finally, I just set up a shop for my art and icons with Big Cartel. Here’s my review of Big Cartel.

Have you got any good reads about being a creative entrepreneur that you’d like to share?

Tags: blogging, business, e-commerce, entrepreneur, independent, indie, resources, review, shop, shopping cart

Birch twigs decorated for Easter

It’s been an Easter full of contrasts. Sightings of black bunnies and crocus. Spring in the air. The joy of spending time with family and friends. There’s been egg hunts, reading, iPhone photography, walks and cooking projects (the lemon drizzle cake was delicious).

Imagine my horror when I woke up this morning and found the park covered in snow! And it wasn’t just a sprinkle of snow, it was a complete Christmas card landscape, except for the jingling of bells and singing of carols. I charged out onto the balcony and rescued the daffodils in the nick of time.

This Easter I wanted to spend some time ironing out the technical details for a new online store that I’m setting up for my new series of paintings. Somehow, I messed up big time and if you tried visiting my site during the holiday you will have noticed that Marmalade Moon was gone! What a failure!

I went through a series of emotions, everything from shock to relief to horror, until the site came back, magically resurrected…

Tags: blogging, business, celebration, iPhoneography, spring, technology

iPhone photography: Firefly lights and a sunset view from the studio.

In the winter, the sunset begins around three o’clock in the afternoon, and then it goes on for an hour. I often think, these sunsets are the reward for putting up with the dark and short Scandinavian winter days. Photos rarely capture these sunsets and although I’m often tempted to paint them, the paintings would probably be considered garish, cheap, unrealistic and even cheesy!

Today we’re closing the studio for the winter holidays. I’m busy finishing my last projects before the break and preparing a holiday e-mail with limited edition desktop goodies exclusively for members of Club Marmalade Moon. I expect to keep on blogging throughout the holidays. We’ll open the studio on the 8th of January and look forward to starting the new decade in a refreshed and inspiring environment.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who reads my blog, my window from my studio and to the world. Your comments and emails have been so encouraging, appreciative, inspiring and supportive. I wish you all the very best for the holiday season and for 2010!

iPhone photography: colour samples for paint

Tags: blogging, colour, iPhoneography, studio, sunset, winter