Using JING for free screen captures and to create and host free videos, I made my first video! It's a video tutorial on how to use Photohop to quickly resize images using the actions button.

Overriding Microsoft Word's Auto formating - tables

Overriding Microsoft Word's Auto formating - tables

Problem:

When manually trying to line up two columns of information, even if each line has the same number of spaces, they don’t always line up vertically. In this case blogger won't even let me spacebar over the states and country, so just pretend they are lined up, but a little off skew:

Sacramento California

London England

Denver Colorado

Portland Oregon

Solution:

To make the columns line up perfectly, you can do create a table and then change the lines to white to hide the table.

First - draw a table. In Microsoft Vista you got o Insert – table.

Second – type in your information. It should look something like this: (The vertical line all the way to the left should appear, but for some weird reason here in blogger it is not. Just use your imagination.)

Sacramento	California
London	England
Denver	Colorado
Portland	Oregon

Third - click on the lines and move them closer to the words. Mess around with the table options; you can do all sorts of things like alter the line spacing.

Sacramento	California
London	England
Denver	Colorado
Portland	Oregon

Forth- Right click and go to “boarders and shading”

Change the color to white and you should end up with a list that is perfectly spaced:

Sacramento	California
London	England
Denver	Colorado
Portland	Oregon

Hint – you can use this same technique of changing text or lines to white to control formatting. If you have a line of text that is magically locked in place and won’t let you indent, tab or bullet, type in any letter, hit tab to make the spacing the way you want it, and then change the random letter to white- problem solved!

11 Guidelines to Getting Art Grants

11 Guidelines to Getting Art Grants
-Elizabeth Symington

There are lots of places to find grants for your art projects. In fact there are so many it might be overwhelming. This is an investment of time and staying organized is very important. Grant deadlines are often in the spring, so start looking now for where you can apply and put the pertinent information into a database, like Excel. You don’t want to wait until the last minute and possibly run out of time.

One thing to keep in mind is that most grants are from non-profit organizations since the donator gets a tax benefit for giving to them. One way to work this to your advantage is by teaming up with a local non-profit group. For a list of grants for individuals check out the Foundation Center. (Hi Deb, would you please hyperlink to the foundation center? http://foundationcenter.org/) You can go to their brick and mortar location and search their database for free or pay a minimal fee to use it via the Internet.

Look for grants from the government on the Federal, State and City levels, along with private granters. The government offers grants because they need help fixing a problem. In the application write about how you can help them with their problem. Local grants attract less competition which works to your benefit.

The place to start is by writing out what you specifically need the funding for and how much of a budget is required for the project. Then look for granters who have similar goals. You can find this information on their web site under “Vision.”

How to Put the Odds in Your Favor:
1. Confirm Eligibility. Before going through the work of applying for a particular grant, make sure you are eligible. If you are unclear pick up the phone and ask. This will save everyone time. By talking on the phone you starts the relationship with the funder, which is key to getting selected.

2. Plan Your Time. Put the deadline for the application on your calendar and see if you have enough time to get all of the paperwork together, such as a proposal, budget, and letters of recommendation. Be sure to note when the deadline is and when the application needs to be either received or post marked. If you are late, most likely it won’t even be considered and your hard work will have been for nothing.

3. Follow Their Rules Exactly. Each application process is specific to the granter, so make sure you follow their rules to a T. If there are a lot of great applications, they might narrow down the list by eliminating those who have missing paperwork or who didn’t follow the guidelines exactly.

4. Create an Accurate Budget. Some applications will ask how much money you are requesting, so take the time to plan out a detailed and accurate budget. Be as thorough as possible to show that you are thoughtful and that their money will be safe in your hands. Some granters will let you include in the budget the cost of your labor. If you are unsure about including anything in the budget, give them a call.

5. Research Past Winners. It is a good idea to see who has received the grant in the past to get a feeling for what the grant readers are looking for. Often past winning applications are online for you to read.

6. Proof Read Your Application. Allow time for someone to proof read your proposal. Some granters that you apply to will even proof it for you.

7. Make Their Life Easier. Help the grant reader by making your application clean and professional. Be sure to type up your proposal, use a legible font size, and spell and grammar check everything. Often the grant readers are over worked and may even be a volunteer so make their job easier. They will appreciate it!

8. Create an Assessment Plan. In your proposal include how you will asses if the project was a success. The granters want to know how they can concretely determine if their money made a positive impact.

9. Apply for Multiple Grants. Apply to lots of places. It’s best to get so many offers that you have to turn them down, then to not get enough. If you get a grant, it will show the grant reading community someone considers you trustworthy, so be sure to note on your application (if asked) if you have received any grants. You might end up getting the funding you need from several sources.

10. Send a Thank You Note. Just like after a job interview, send a handwritten thank you note. It will put you in a favorable light as a considerate person and remind them of who you are.

11. Reapply Next Year. If you received a grant a previous grant from them and used the money responsibly, they will know that they can trust you and consider giving you another grant. If you have applied before, it shows you really want the grant and they will recognize your name.

There are lots of places to help you with finding funding. There are free classes on how to write a budget like at the Foundation Center (both in-person classes and online). Or, if you’d rather have someone else write the proposal, hire a grant writer and use the proposal as a template for future applications or purchase DIY grant hunting programs.

If you have any suggestions or when you get a grant, please leave a comment. We’d love to hear about your success!

Miniature Sheep Contest

DEADLINE was Midnight on Wed. April 15th, 2009.

1. Choose a sheep image.
Like this sheep with magnets in its feet.

















2. Put the sheep in a different location, using photoshop or a camera.















Deadline: Midnight on Wednesday, April 15th

Prize: 1 tac sheep!!

• Winner will be announced on Friday, April 17th
• Sheep will be mailed to the winner on Monday, April 20th.
• wire legs are posable
• The sheep are not toys. They are made to live on the ceilings, walls or cork boards.

Submissions:
To enter your image, revisit this blog on either April 14th or 15th. When you submit, I will have Mr. Linky set up. You'll type in your name and the url that has your image (such as the specific page on your blog). It's super easy.

Grading Criteria:

1. Mastery of image manipulation is not required.
2. If you don't know how to use Photoshop, you can photograph the quadruped in a new setting.
3. I'm looking for the most creative, quirky... Something that makes me laugh. It needs to look thoughtful and not slap dash.
4. You are welcome to change the color of the sheep, alter...
5. Offensive, sexual or violent images are not accepted.
6. You may include more than one sheep in your compilation, but it more won't win you extra points.
7. Bonus points for looking at others submissions and leaving positive, constructive feedback or encouragement. Butt kissers need not try.
8. Please include a few sentences describing why you chose the location that you did.
   

Images to Pick From:

































More images of sheep to pick from at ElizabethSymington.com. They're with the installations under the portfolio section.


Related Links:

• 10 minute documentary on creating these miniature sheep
• Fell in love with a blue sheep? Buy one online at my etsy store.
• photoshop tutorials

If you have questions, leave a comment here and I'll get back to you in a timely manner. Have fun!

Week 13 Happenings in the Art Studio

Quarterly Report minus the Numbers

From reading the Essential Buffett, I’ve picked up that managers should be honest to the stockholders by disclosing the year’s successes and failures. It’s the failures that speak the most about the character of the owner and managers. Following suit this is my informal quarterly report for HITS.

Over this time a major goal was to increase the content on this blog. I feel that has been attained, since I’ve posted 102 times during 2009 compared to 140 for the entire year of 2008. The layout and features have been improved, by adding a home button and revising my profile and mission statement (that’s in the header). To make the site more interactive a slide show has been added, along with a weekly photo album, several polls, shot a documentary, added digg it button and a contest that is currently going on involving blue sheep.

A better metrics system is being used now; Google Analytics. It is also tracking the traffic on the etsy site, which is my online store as of this year. My portfolio site has also been streamlined, along with updated content on the homepage. My Twitter and Facebook profiles have also been improved upon, with the goal of getting my art out there. I’m now a paid columnist for CapitalistChicks.com, which helps with the bills and name recognition. Technically speaking, I figured out via the infinitely resourceful Internet, setting up Mr. Linky, my personal signature, and customized blog template using HTML.

I’ve participated twice a week in carnivals since January. Traffic did spike on those days, but none of my art was sold because of them. Future carnivals need to be art centered, since that is the blog’s main focus.

Despite avid dedication to bringing awareness to the blog, only one piece of art has sold. I am confident things will pick up as I continue to learn more about social media marketing. I’m currently reading a book on this topic along with participating in a month long blog makeover taught by Darren on ProBlogger (that starts on 4/6/9). Over the next four weeks, things will get even more exciting! Don’t be surprised if there’s a new overall design!!!

My ultimate goal for blogging is to pick up advertisers, so I can spend more time creating art and less time marketing. When I have enough advertisers, I will be mobile to be anywhere in the world, as long as there is Internet. I get all giddy thinking about that. It is going to be a blast being free to travel.

Weekly Goals

















1. Make an original piece of art

April Fool’s Eve my cousins and I played a prank that I'd been saving just for this reason.



2. Make substantial progress in reading The Essential Buffet because there are several I want to start reading when this one is done.

I went from chapter two to the half way mark. Learning strategies from the big name investors on focus investing



3. Spend 2 hours a day continuing my education on investing.

Mom and I spent Monday and Tuesday at an all day investing workshop, which stressed with education and a plan, risk can be managed.

I’ve also been reviewing notes, taking online tutorials, reading the Essential Buffett, testing myself with flashcards and installed Papermoney (which is a software program that gives me $200K in monopoly money for the stock market, to practice the rules that I’m learning).



4. Finish one project that has been going on for a while
























Completed the dark blue elastic Cactus light plus 2 others.
And I cut out templates for all of the styles of record cover plates.



5. Use Zenbe

I registered for a free account with this list making program, but hadn’t used it till this week. So far, I like it because I use up less paper and I can easily move the tasks around. It is also freeing up space on the whiteboard, since I can type on Zenbe and not forget about it.


Biggest Challenge of the Week


Left brain burn out

Do you recall me talking a few weeks back about the importance of balancing right and left brain activities, otherwise you get an overload? That’s where I am at right now. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been putting off making art in exchange for “more productive” tasks like researching how to attract advertisers, writing a SWOT analysis for this blog, posting more art in online store… Ahh! No more screen time!

Hot weather is my biggest deterrent for being productive on the computer. All I’ve wanted to do all week was to tan. Several times I made excuses to bathe in the dry heat, by taking a book outside, flashcards or knitting. I can’t seem to get enough of it! As we speak I keep looking out the sliding glass door and telling myself to hurry up so I can get back out there.

Looking down at my feet, for the first time since last July, the tan lines on my feet are fading. This is so sad. That’s the “souvenir” from my train trip around Oregon and Washington. Today I keep taking breaks to sit in the sun, wearing the sandals that match the almost faded tan lines. I want them back. :-)

When I get in these burnout moods, I have to force myself to not obsessively mark on the calendar what was accomplished and long it took. I get stuck in a rut and default to computer tasks and then I have to kick myself off the laptop and do something else. Two productive things that I took care of was organizing the paperwork for my student loans and getting the details for my commencement in May. These have been dragging me down for too long. Now I feel more in control.

For me, the ideal career would be outside in the dry heat. Until then, I’m rotating from the laptop in the office to the rocker out back to knit Cactus Lights.

Thanks for reading. Have a good week.









Related Links:
Photos of April Fool's Prank and newest Cactus Lights

Miniature Sheep Contest
(deadline is April 15th, 2009)


read:
Week 14 HITS
Week 12 HITS
Table of Contents for HITS (Happenings in the Studio)

10 ways to find readers for your blog by leveraging other online presence Activity

Problogger is uber helpful, making it intimidating

While perusing ProBlogger I discovered that Darren makes a six figure income from his various streams of income. Now he has my attention. He's not just another writer, but a successful person that I can learn lots from. Even though I am still overwhelmed by his site because it is too helpful and informative, I am going to widdle away at his post archive.

The article I landed on is called, "10 ways to find readers for your blog by leveraging other online presence." Turning it into a game, I read the article and gave myself points for every tip that he shared that I already do (I had more then I expected). Then in tandem I did the rest of the pointers while writing this post about what I did in hope to encourage you.


1. Twitter Background Image

I had no idea that I could alter the background in Twitter. In no time at all I created a custom image using photoshop. If you are interested, I can make one for your profile for $20.


2. Profile Pages on Social Media

First point for me! I already add my blog link to my social media sites. For some odd reason I forgot to write a bio on Twitter, so following their 140 character limit here's my bio: artist, entrepreneur, life learner, traveler, juggler, yogi, gluten/dairy/egg-free cook, blogger, optimist.


3. Social Media Sites (eg- Facebook)

I use to have an rss feed to Facebook of this blog, until the drama popped up that FB was claiming the rights to any content on their site. I'm waiting for them to revert back to the authors keeping the rights. However I do have an rss feed of my blog on LinkedIn.

ProBlogger recommended to register your blog on networked blogs on facebook. I'd never heard of that section before, but I figured others have, so I registered. To get verified, I need nine kind people to verify that I am the author. Would you please go to this link and verify me? Thank you!


4. Email Signature

Use every opportunity to advertise your blog, such as after your gmail signature. I already have the blog url plus my portfolio site after my siggy. Another point for me. :-)


5. Forum Signatures

I found from experience that leaving your blog url in forums, such as Craigslist, can bring in traffic. I wouldn't know this unless I had a tracking system, like Google Analytics. Don't be pushy and compulsively leave your url all over the forum. Find appropriate places to post it, otherwise people will think poorly of you.

I didn't let myself get intimidated by this informative Problogger article, so I didn't let myself to check out the links the first time through. This week I am going to check this link out!
How to drive 100s of 1000s of readers to your blog


6. Blog Comments

Take the time to build relationships. This encourages loyal readers and it's really fun getting to know other people. Some places to leave comments are on Blogger's blogs of note, carnivals or on blogs of the same niche. This is something I currently do, except I could do more of it.

When leaving comments don't be cut and paste about it and then leave your url. Instead leave a custom comment that encourages or has constructive criticism. There's no need to leave your url, it's attached to your name when you comment.


7. LinkedIn ‘Questions and Answers’
I had no idea that LinkedIn has a Q & A section! It has categories like financial, job seeking, small business, marketing... I could lose hours perusing the Q & As. I definitely need to get more familiar with LinkedIn.

I had to try it out, so I asked if anyone has any connections at Laika in Portland, Oregon. I asked this before in Craigslist in the arts discussion forum and didn't get a response. According to What Color is Your Parachute? having a connection is the best way to get the attention of the person hiring. It's also a great way to scope out the company before deciding to work there.

8. YouTube (and other Video and Photosharing sites)

This one is a check for me. Over the last couple of months I've weekly added photos to picasa. I also made a Flickr account to be cool like the other kids. :-) As we speak, my first documentary on my art is uploading to youtube! Be sure to include your url on all of these kinds of sites.

9. Your Other Blogs

Currently I don't have another blog, but in the future I could see singling out my art from my other interests and create its own blog. For now, I talk up this site on Facebook, Digg, Kirsty, Twitter, my Etsy store, ebay and on ElizabethSymington.com.

Thanks to Google Analytics, it's told me that I get a decent amount of traffic from the url in my blogger profile going over to my portfolio site and visa versa. I also put the link to my etsy store in my header and that has generated hits as well.

10. Guest Posting

This is something that I've thought about doing for a while. I'm hatching ideas and they are on the way. Darren on ProBlogger has several articles that I plan on reading on how to do this.

What are some ways that you bring in traffic?