How to run a freelance business

You might have seen this book floating around the internet lately: Creative, Inc. by Meg Mateo Ilasco and Joy Deangdeelert Cho. If you're thinking of freelancing in a creative field, I highly recommend it. When I transitioned a couple years ago from working full time at a design firm to working for myself, I read through several books on this topic. Most of them left me slightly panicky and overwhelmed with complex legal terms and business forms; not to mention many of the books were outdated. But this little volume offers clear, accessible advice and steps to follow. It's realistic: yes, you'll need thicker skin to deal with rejection. Yes, you'll put in lots of hours for what feels like little return (at first). But it's also inspiring. The interviews with successful freelancers are fascinating, and the useful information from Meg and Joy provides a road map to get you where you need to go. I wish I'd had this book earlier!

Cute things to make with fabric

A collection of sewing tutorials from around the web:
Mug cozy from Hazelnuts
No-sew pillows decorated with felt at Woman's Day
Guitar strap cover by A Pretty Cool Life
Tiny letter needle books at KellyRachel
Simple coin purse by PMThreads
Land of Nod-inspired floor cushion at Living with Punks
Patchwork pencil pouches from Little Big Girl Studio

Customizable crest monogram

Know some folks getting married? They might like to customize their own fancy crest from Maemae Paperie. Choose colors, enter text, and a file with the personalized design will instantly be emailed out. (Via Papercrave.)

15-Day Slow-trip through Canadian Rockies and Prairies - Itinerary

A Spanish travel companion once asked for my personal recommendation of Canada's best destinations.

Niagara Falls? Oh please ... it's not even the best of Ontario in my opinion. The old towns of Quebec City and Lunenberg? Now that's world class ... but my European friend would feel just like vacationing at home. The northern lights, walruses and Inuit people of Nunuvut would make the ultimate Canadian adventure ... but the cost of CAD$4000+ per person isn't affordable for most. So I came up with my definitive answer ... the Canadian Rockies, pristine, majestic and easily accessible.



To me, touring the Rockies is a very Canadiana thing that every self-respecting Canadian should do at least once in his/her lifetime. But it was painfully embarrassing that although I lived only a day's drive from Banff and Jasper, I had never spent more than a half-day in the Rockies. That, of course, doesn't fit anyone's definition of "touring" -- this is a world-class destination that deserves more than a week's time.



Not anymore! Finally I've put together a proper vacation in my own Canadian backyard, to slowly savour the worthiest destination of my own country on a 15-day slow-trip. This would be a long, long road trip, covering 4,500 km through the interior of British Columbia and southern Alberta, through immaculate river valleys, chilling mountain passes, and boundless prairies under the scorching summer sun.



The Rocky Mountain national parks of Banff, Jasper, and Yoho are of course this trip's star attractions, but southern Alberta is jam-packed with three more lesser-known UNESCO World Heritage Sites, separated by only a day's drive. Dinosaur Provincial Park and Waterton Lakes National Park are highly underrated and unknown to most Canadians, but that's where some of my favorite photos were taken.



After much planning, our final itinerary evolved to something like this:

Day 01: Vancouver - Yellowhead Highway - Jasper National Park
Day 02: Maligne Lake - Maligne Canyon
Day 03: Columbia Icefield
Day 04: Icefield Parkway - Banff National Park
Day 05: Sunshine Meadows
Day 06: Lake Louise - Bow Valley Parkway
Day 07: Calgary
Day 08: Drumheller - Dinosaur Provincial Park
Day 09: Southern Alberta's Prairies - Fort MacLeod - Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
Day 10: Waterton Lakes National Park (Canada) - Glacier National Park (USA)
Day 11: Waterton Lakes National Park
Day 12: Bar U Ranch - Banff - Yoho National Park
Day 13: Yoho National Park
Day 14: Yoho National Park - Mount Stephen Hike
Day 15: Golden - Vancouver



I'm currently planning about 10 posts over the next few months, with a couple hundred photos in the works. Many readers and friends have prodded me for new materials after more than a year's hibernation ... so it is. Stay tuned!

15-Day Slow-trip through Canadian Rockies and Prairies - Itinerary

A Spanish travel companion once asked for my personal recommendation of Canada's best destinations.

Niagara Falls? Oh please ... it's not even the best of Ontario in my opinion. The old towns of Quebec City and Lunenberg? Now that's world class ... but my European friend would feel just like vacationing at home. The northern lights, walruses and Inuit people of Nunuvut would make the ultimate Canadian adventure ... but the cost of CAD$4000+ per person isn't affordable for most. So I came up with my definitive answer ... the Canadian Rockies, pristine, majestic and easily accessible.



To me, touring the Rockies is a very Canadiana thing that every self-respecting Canadian should do at least once in his/her lifetime. But it was painfully embarrassing that although I lived only a day's drive from Banff and Jasper, I had never spent more than a half-day in the Rockies. That, of course, doesn't fit anyone's definition of "touring" -- this is a world-class destination that deserves more than a week's time.



Not anymore! Finally I've put together a proper vacation in my own Canadian backyard, to slowly savour the worthiest destination of my own country on a 15-day slow-trip. This would be a long, long road trip, covering 4,500 km through the interior of British Columbia and southern Alberta, through immaculate river valleys, chilling mountain passes, and boundless prairies under the scorching summer sun.



The Rocky Mountain national parks of Banff, Jasper, and Yoho are of course this trip's star attractions, but southern Alberta is jam-packed with three more lesser-known UNESCO World Heritage Sites, separated by only a day's drive. Dinosaur Provincial Park and Waterton Lakes National Park are highly underrated and unknown to most Canadians, but that's where some of my favorite photos were taken.



After much planning, our final itinerary evolved to something like this:

Day 01: Vancouver - Yellowhead Highway - Jasper National Park
Day 02: Maligne Lake - Maligne Canyon
Day 03: Columbia Icefield
Day 04: Icefield Parkway - Banff National Park
Day 05: Sunshine Meadows
Day 06: Lake Louise - Bow Valley Parkway
Day 07: Calgary
Day 08: Drumheller - Dinosaur Provincial Park
Day 09: Southern Alberta's Prairies - Fort MacLeod - Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
Day 10: Waterton Lakes National Park (Canada) - Glacier National Park (USA)
Day 11: Waterton Lakes National Park
Day 12: Bar U Ranch - Banff - Yoho National Park
Day 13: Yoho National Park
Day 14: Yoho National Park - Mount Stephen Hike
Day 15: Golden - Vancouver



I'm currently planning about 10 posts over the next few months, with a couple hundred photos in the works. Many readers and friends have prodded me for new materials after more than a year's hibernation ... so it is. Stay tuned!

Fort Worth Stomp

 all Texas sassyNpunk fans ! sassyNpunk products are going to be making a big splash at Fort Worth Stomp on October 2! Our items will be available at the Dynamite Dames Photography booth. There will be no sassyNpunk vending booth!! The wonderful ladies of Dynamite Dames are going to be representing us and will be in charge of our sales. 

Expect to see some awesome official Dynamite Dames jewelry & accessories by sassyNpunk along with all your favorite kawaii goodies like the Peanut Butter & Jelly Budddies! Most of the items we will be selling at the even will be retro and pin up themed and will be new designs that we have never done before! 

But shoppers aren't the only ones who will be treated to our kitschy goodies! The lucky Pin-Up Pageant winners will be getting some sassy surprises in their prize packages! If you didn't get your pageant applications in on time, don't cry! You can still snag your goodies at the Dynamite Dames booth! wuhuu!

sneak peek at what to expect!

Instant business jargon translator

If your clients are business people and your spouse regularly brings home jargon from the office—in other words, if you're me—Unsuck It can help. It's a little bit vulgar, but lots of fun. Next time someone suggests an ideation session and you wonder if that involves a visit to a doctor, enter the phrase right here and discover it's just a meeting. Whew! (Via Notcot.)