One of my Paper artwork pieces was just featured on the Paper by FiftyThree website. Smiles all round!

In case you missed it – Lovely quote made with Paper by @emmaholmez. madewithpaper.fiftythree.com/post/486356293…

— FiftyThree (@FiftyThree) April 25, 2013

Have you ever felt stuck? Felt like nothing ever changes? You try, but your days seem to repeat much the same? I know how you feel.

I headed out in the car, to a familiar hill, at an unfamiliar hour.

I have driven the route many a time, always the same. Nothing new here.

Except tonight, a small difference. A “Police, Slow” sign in the road.

As I turned around the corner I was greeted by a recovery truck with lights flashing.

Oh, and a man stood in the middle of the road dressed up as a lion, drinking a bottle of beer. Now that’s new and unexpected.

The lion approached my now stationary car and casually informed me that a car had gone over the verge, no one hurt, and it wouldn’t be too long.

“Thanks”, I said, much bemused, asking what the occasion was, meaning, why the hell are you dressed like a lion and drinking beer in the middle of the road?

Just a standard Saturday night. That and some country dancing event.

With that, out of the car in front appeared the Tin Man and the Scarecrow.

I smiled.

Then on top the hill, the hill that is always the same, a stacked rock formation had magically appeared:

It was as if the universe was saying, everything is possible, new things are only just around the corner and you never know what they might be. You cannot even imagine what they might be.

I’m off to see the wizard anyway.

Until next time.

Today I caught myself saying “Life is too short” when justifying something that I wanted to do. Something good.

Words are powerful and so I think from now on, whenever I think that, I will instead use the phrase “Life is for living!”

I don’t want a short life, I want a long happy life filled with good things. I am sure you do too.

So, until next time, remember… life is for living, enjoy it!

Image by myself. Instagram: emmajholmes

I left my Dad’s birthday gathering inside the family home and stepped out into the in the darkness. It was pouring outside.

He put up an umbrella to keep us dry and walked me to my car, gift of coronas in hand.

We said goodbye and I drove away out of his sight.

I could have driven 2 other ways to get back to the main road and continue my journey.

This time however, I chose the ‘turn around’ option that would take me past the family home once again.

Driving back down the road towards the house, I briefly wondered if my Dad would still be outside. But why would he be? It was cold, dark, raining and he had no way of knowing which route I would take back home.

But sure enough, there he was, waiting patiently in the pouring rain to see if I would drive back past, smiling like the sun and waving me off.

Because that’s the sort of thing great Dads do.

Thank you for always braving the cold, rainy dark times with me Dad. You are a ray of sunshine!

Wishing you once again a very Happy Birthday for yesterday.

xxx

I recently raised my prices on all my digital products I create for Studio Scratches.

Why?

The prices didn’t reflect the effort that had gone into making them and the value people get out of them.

Whilst they do attract many casual customers, I would rather attract people that really value what I do and the products I create to help them with their DJ practice. These customers usually return as repeat buyers for all new products.

Otherwise my cheap products become just lost amongst all the many other cheap products.

I want people to use my products deliberately not just buy them because they are cheap.

My guiding force is always for people to receive more in value than the actual price they pay.

I get people writing to me everyday wanting free information, information that I have spent 12 years researching and working out for myself. I don’t mind sharing and helping out, but perhaps it is time to value what I do more highly and put a better price on it. Then it becomes a win win situation for all involved.

The people that really want to know more are usually happy to pay and support what I do, the rest move on to the next person offering everything for free.

I used to release a free something every week. I put 2-3 days work into it. People hadn’t had time to fully digest the first freebie when I released the next. The value was seriously diluted.

Since I slowed down on the release of products, my work has a higher value. I don’t break myself trying to respond to everyone. Instead I consider what people are asking and how I can make this into a product or fully featured post that benefits a lot of people including myself. I’m always thinking win win.

As I write this post, I received a bulk order for 8 items, all paid for and delivered digitally without me doing a thing, as if to confirm I am on the right track. It’s so awesome when that happens.

Is it time for you to raise your prices?

Have you ever done this? What were the results?

You can tell me in the comments below or on G+.

A little photo I took on a photo walk today.

The spring blossom is here and it is a real picture. The bees are loving it!

At the beginning of this week I booked a flight in June from my home in the UK to San Francisco, USA.

Why? Why not! Life is for living and getting out into the world and experiencing all it has to offer.

I’ve always wanted to experience this city.

I’ve never had the *ahem* balls to just book a solo trip with no idea of what I am doing, where I am staying, or what I’ll do when I get there. I’ll be there for 12 nights.

I have a few classic ideas of places and things to experience when I get there: the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, a road trip to Yosemite.

Sure I will experience some tourist things, but I will also discover new places, people and find out more about myself, which is where the real adventure lies.

Sometimes the only thing to do is take a risk, jump into the unknown and see what happens.

I have no real plans. I’m a little out of my depth. I’ll be travelling light.

I am reminded by Lao Tzu that “A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.”

The last time I hopped on a plane into the unknown was in August 2004 to work on the Paskowiz Surf Camp in San Diego with people I had never met. I surfed all day, lived out of a tent for 4 weeks and had nothing but a bag of clothes and a minidisc player. It was truly awesome!

I’ll keep you updated on this new adventure.

Perhaps i’ll write and share a journal of my experiences. I’m taking a camera.

What should I do when I get there? Would you be willing to share suggestions?

I would love it if you would tell me here.

One of the greatest gifts people give me is the simple art of listening.

They don’t try to fix things.

They hear me out patiently, only adding words if needs be and never just for the sake of it.

They are patient and understanding about the fact that I am, more often than not, working out there and then how I actually feel and what I think about something by verbalising it to their ears.

They know that they do not have to create a solution on the spot, rather, they let me think it through myself as I talk it out.

I always feel better after and usually no action has been taken, other than the fact that I have got clear about how I feel and I know how to deal with whatever it was that was bothering me. I know then what I have to do.

I cannot put a price on that.

Thanks for listening to me.

How do people help you by listening? How do you help others by listening?

Tell me here.

I haven’t written much lately.

I finally got over what some might call ‘writers block’ last night.

Here is my suggestion list of what worked for me:

• Write SOMETHING, anything.
• Write about something you don’t care about, something you have no attachment to, just to get in the flow again.
• Write a list. About anything.
• Play with words, write random words in handwriting.
• Write some things you did in bullet points.
• Write a journal. Not long, maybe even bullet points as above.
• Take a walk.
• Get outside.
• Do something worth writing about, staring at a screen won’t help.
• See the world.
• Ask some questions on your favourite social gathering space.
• Talk it out. If you have things on your mind, that you cannot seem to write about, how about talking it out with someone who will listen. I mean really listen. Many times I find it enough simply to verbalise it and then POW, its out and gone and life can move on.

Refuse to believe in writer’s block. That’s just an excuse we tell ourselves and we know it!

What will you write today?

Let me know in my comments here.

Today I got out and about with my Canon 600D.

It was raining and grim but it’s always good to get off the beaten track.

After a quick tour around some local hills and valleys, the rain hadn’t stopped so I opted for tea and biscuits (oops!) in the warm.

I’ve been learning quite a bit about my camera and photography in general.

Things got interesting today when I shot some pics of the sunset and got to grips with more camera settings, then I decided to see if I could capture some stars in the ‘magic hour’.

You can see the full set here.

The 2 super bright stars planets that look like stars are Jupiter and Venus and apparently will be appearing closer and closer together as the days progress.

It was really very relaxing, standing in the cold, fresh air, waiting 30 seconds for the shutter and each image to appear. It was so quiet and still. I could get used to taking these. I love the wispy blurred clouds. Clouds always make sunsets and skies more interesting in small amounts!

I edited one of the photos with some typography which will be featured on Be Deliberate tomorrow. Make sure you get signed up if you want it in your inbox.

Thats all for today.

Night night!