The wise Mr. Frost once said, "....No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader." 

While the last few days have been busy, I've still had time to think about what surprises are "inside" my creative mind. 

Jen suggested I watch this Ted talk, and since I am taking a Skillshare class with Andie Powers, who is behind GoMighty, I have also been thinking about why I want to create a small business, and what my unique perspective is.  

Not easy stuff to define, for sure.  

Happy Weekend!

Tell us: How do you answer the tough, often abstract, questions? 

-SM

Some more calligraphy progress.  Tonight, I plan to practice writing out all of the state names.  I'm also learning a new, more relaxed style and I've been focusing on working on my thick and thin lines.  

Tell us: How do you improve on your craft?

-SM

This weekend, I carved stamps for the first time.  I am happy with how well they turned out, and I plan to make more of them.

I used this tutorial, which was helpful and easy to follow.

Tell us: What tutorials do you use online?

-SM

This past week, I made this birthday card for a friend.  I am excited about the progress I've made with calligraphy in the last month, and I notice small improvements each time I practice.  

It was satisfying to make this card because I never think that Hallmark or Papyrus, as beautiful as some of the cards are, mean as much as handmade. 

Tell us: Do you think handmade is better?

-SM