Friday Fun Links: Creativity, Yummy Food, Blogging, Do-Gooding and Events

A collection of blog posts and articles that caught my eye this week. I've organized them into sections: creative ladies, yummy food, nonprofits/do-gooding, blogging/social media, and events, so that you can peruse the ones that fit your interests.

Creative Ladies

Planning the Year Ahead on Jamie Ridler Studios

Wish on Create Your Own Beautiful

Holiday Poetry Book (Your Other Names) by Tara Sophia Mohr

I'm 42 and Full of Gratitude and Appreciation on SurfPrayLove

Unfun Decisions: Scraping Bottom by Gwen Bell

Forget Your Perfect Offering by Gwen Bell

Creating With Kids :: Still Shots from Goddess Guide Book

Something for the Weekend by Susannah Conway

Upcoming Right Brain Business Plan Events by author, Jennifer Lee, and licensed facilitators

Nonprofits and Do-Gooding

photo and t-shirt by kimberly wilson

Pig Animal Sanctuary on  Tranquility du Jour

Drumroll Please...Announcing Ten New Social Citizen Ambassadors on Social Citizens

Top 8 Tips for Writing a Fundraising Letter by Joanne Fritz

New podcast: Accessing student loan relief now on Idealist

Fast Company Profiles Open Philanthropy on Philanthropy 2173

Free eBook on Volunteer Management on Wild Apricot

Yummy Food

Kalyn's Favorite Baby Arugula Salad with Lemon, Balsamic Vinegar, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts on Kalyn's Kitchen

Nava's Hearty Lentil and Mushroom Shepherd's Pie on FatFree Vegan Kitchen

Warm up with Winter Squash Soup on the Kind Life

Blogging and Social Media

Why Bloggers Should Self-Publish on ProBlogger

Get Your Second Edition Copy of 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Today (for 25% off) on ProBlogger

The Best Blog Growth Strategy is to Say Thank You . . . A Lot! on ProBlogger

Why Data Smog May Be Making You Depressed by Dr. Andrew Weil on Time.com (hat tip to Beth Kanter for tweeting this)

Mindmap of How to Focus in the Age of Distraction (hat tip to whomever's Facebook page I found this on. I can't remember!)

Events 
 
December 6 (Berkeley): Seeds of Resilience: Women Farmers Striving in the Face of Climate Change hosted by Women's Earth Alliance.

December 8 (San Francisco): The Power of Women Leading from the Heart with Nina Simons

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What posts, articles and events inspired you this week?

Leaf photo by me.

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Friday Fun Links: Saving Libraries, One Million Bones, Faith in Your Calling, Food Revolution, and a Summer Hair Chop

A list of some of the people, things, and events that inspired me, or added fun to my week.

1. Still totally inspired by Save Oakland Library.  This week they had a 14-hour Read-in, presented 14,500 petition signatures to the City Council, and showed up at City Hall with shovels, rakes, and hammers to protest the potential closure of the Temescal Tool Lending Library.

2.  Yesterday I interviewed artist and social changemaker, Naomi Natale, for the July Big Vision Podcast about her powerful One Million Bones project.  One Million Bones is a collaborative art installation designed to recognize the millions of victims and survivors who have been killed or displaced by ongoing genocides and mass atrocities. 

3.  I wouldn't exactly call Robyn O'Brien's book, The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick and What We Can Do About It, fun, but it's definitely eye-opening.  I haven't finished it yet, but it's already affecting how I shop.

When O'Brien, a conservative southern mom whose belief systems were shaken when she discovered the connection between corporations, the government and food safety (or lack of safety), asked her parish priest what she should do with this new knowledge, he said: 

"[W]hen you are truly called to action, you have to let go of that control and really allow your faith to lead you.  It is a fearful thing to fall into faith's hands." 

4. Tonight is the last episode of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. Yay! I hope there will be a 3rd season.

5. Got a fun summer Shirley Temple haircut from Crissy King with lots of help from her adorable dog, Auggie (you can see his photo on her website).

What inspired you, or added fun to your week?

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Friday Fun Links: Studio One Soul, Mosaics, Samin Nosrat, Instagram, + Store Buyout

A list of some of the people, things, and events that inspired me, or added fun to my week:

1.  After the hubs and I heard the Studio One Soul CD playing during breakfast at Pizzaiolo last Saturday, we went right over to Amoeba Music, and got a copy.  I haven't stopped listening to it since. Soooo good.

2. After going to Amoeba, we visited a few artists' studios as part of the East Bay Open Studios, including the Institute for Mosaic Arts.  I wish I had the patience (and skill) to cover my whole house in mosaic.

3.  As part of the Omidyar Network's grant to Kiva, all donations through June 30th will be matched dollar for dollar.  Wahoo!

4. Had great chat with Samin Nosrat for the Big Vision Podcast about her work with Bakesale for Japan and Eating for Education.  Very inspiring woman. I'll post the interview soon.

5. Also excited to start editing my Arts and Healing Podcast interview with the lovely Susannah Conway about the healing power of photography.  I feel so lucky to be able to talk with so many inspiring people!

6. I'm still loving Instagram, the iPhone app that makes all my photos look fabulous.  When I wrote the post, Instagram for Nonprofits: Powerful Images in the Palm of Your Hand, there weren't many examples of nonprofits using this fun tool. This week, I came across a post on the Instagram blog, Nonprofits on Instagram, with a few more examples. Do you know of any others?

7. Love this idea: Nonprofit Annual Report on a Postcard. I mean really, who reads those things?

8. Painted gift wrap outside in sunshine!!

9. I'm becoming a ridiculous Jamie Oliver fan, and have my Tivo queued up to record tonight's episode of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution (can't wait!).  You can watch past episodes on ABC.com and on Hulu.

10. Finally, a group of artists heard that a small business, Hercules Fancy Grocery, was in danger of closing, so they bought all of the merchandise in the store (with cash advances). They're turning the merchandise into art and are using the art sales to help the grocery stay in business (and pay off the cash advances).  I'm not entirely sure how helpful this project will be for the store owner, but the intention is wonderful, and the look on the owner's face is priceless. You can learn more at www.storebuyout.com, and watch a video of the buy out below:

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Friday Fun Links: Baking Beet Cake, DIY Sewing, Creativity Tips and Lots of Laughs

A list of some of the people, things, and events that inspired me, or added fun to my week:

1.  I got Jamie's Food Revolution out of the library this week, and am excited to try some recipes.

2. While writing a post about Five Father's Day Donation Gift Ideas for WE Volunteer, I came across the HeroRATs project on GlobalGiving.  The rats are trained to sniff out landmines!

3. One of my Juicy Blogging e-course students shared this exquisite video from the blog, tiger in a jar, about baking.  It's called the beauty of creation, and I can't stop thinking about it:


beet cake from tiger in a jar on Vimeo.

4. I enjoyed listening to Jamie Ridler's podcast with Miranda Hersey while making dinner last night. Miranda interviewed mothers about how they found time to create. One of the 6 things she found in common was that they all exercised regularly. Interesting, no?

5. This video of Stephen Colbert demonstrating how Paul Revere could have ridden a horse while ringing a bell and firing a gun (àla Sarah Palin's version of American history) made me laugh so hard I couldn't breathe.  If you just want to see him riding the "horse," jump ahead to minute 4:30.

6. I'm inspired to start sewing more this summer after watching Kimberly Wilson's DIY Sewing interview and demonstration with Allison Lince-Bentley of Bits of Thread Sewing Studio.



What inspired you this week?

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Friday Fun Links: Social Good, Vegan Pie, Thimble List and Creative Entrepreneurs

A list of some of the people, things, and events that inspired me, or added fun to my week.

1. I love this piece, Believe in the Future, by Jen Lemen.  You can order if from her Etsy Store, thisismyhopefulworld.


2. I caught up on the Social Good Podcast hosted by Allison Fine while cooking dinner this week. I especially liked her show about The Connection Between Groupon and Charity.

3. I'm looking forward to watching new episodes of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution starting tonight on ABC (9/8c).  You can watch back episodes on Hulu.

4. I'm very, very excited that  Vegan Pie in the Sky: 75 Out-of-This-World Recipes for Pies, Tarts, Cobblers, and More by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero is coming out in October.  Can't wait!

5. Loved Jennifer Louden's post, Bucket List Got You Down? Try a Thimble List.


6. Laughed, and felt sad watching the Jeremy Irons narrated 4-minute "documentary" about The Majestic Plastic Bag.


7. Excited that Issue Two of the NTEN: Change (A Quarterly Journal for Nonprofit Leaders) is out. Subscriptions are free! (Full disclosure: I am on the Editorial Board).

8. Posted an interview with Kim Rosen, author of Saved by a Poem, on the Arts and Healing Podcast.  I'm looking forward to interviewing Susannah Conway next week for the July show.

9. Happy to do shout outs for two creative wonder women's creative classes:

Jennifer Lee's Right Brain Business Plan e-Course is coming up June 13-August 5.  Taking this course really helped me clarify my business plan in a super fun, creative, and visual way.

Lisa Sonora Beam's The Creative Entrepreneur reTREAT: A Mixed-Media Creativity Retreat to Jumpstart or Restart your Creative Dream is happening August 1-7 at Pine Manor Retreat Center in Lake Elsinore, CA.  I took a visual journaling class with Lisa last May. It was awesome! Full disclosure: I am an affiliate of Jennifer  and Lisa's workshops

What people, things, and events inspired you, or added fun to your week?

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Friday Fun Links: Skype Tea, Daily DoGooder, and Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

A list of some of the people, things, and events that inspired me, or added fun to my week.

1. Reading about "Happiness Hacks" in Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World by Jane McGonigal.

2. Having Skype Tea with Amy Sample Ward.  This spring I've been "having tea" via Skype with faraway friends and colleagues who I'd love to hang out with if they lived closer.  It's been super fun.  Totally recommend.

3. See3's Daily DoGooder videos.  Sign up to receive a cause-related video each day. I was moved by this Meals on Wheels PSA.

4. Excited to see how First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! Museums and Gardens initiative evolves.

5. Looking forward to Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution starting up again. You can watch the first two episodes on ABC, or on Hulu.  The season continues on Friday, June 3rd.  It's such an important program.  Please watch it, and tells other folks about it. You can learn more about the Food Revolution on Jamieoliver.com, by watching this 2:17 video produced by the TED Prize (below), or by watching his 22-minute TED Talk.

6. Also looking forward to ShimmyPop! class at Hipline this weekend. I've only been once since I hurt my foot last fall. Can't. Wait. Wish my foot luck.

Hipline's front window

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Friday Fun Links: Teahouse Studio, Generosity Plans and Cookies

A list of some of the people, things, and events that inspired me, or added fun to my week.

• Finished Kathy LeMay's book The Generosity Plan, and interviewed her for the Big Vision Podcast. I'll post our conversation next week.

• Started Jane McGonigal's book, Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World.  I know next to nothing about gaming (the last game I played was probably Lady Bug on my Colecovision), so I'm finding it super interesting.  I'm looking forward to the chapters about social changey games like they have at Games for Change.

• Interviewed Kim Rosen, author of Saved by a Poem, for the Arts and Healing Podcast.  I'll post our conversation next week too.

• Ate plantains at Caña with the hubs. I meant to take a photo, but they were so yummy, I forgot (:

• Baked Chocolate Fudgy Oatmeal Cookies from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar to bring to lunch with friends today. 

• Went to a wonderful gathering last night at Teahouse Studio.  Chatted with all kinds of creative ladies:

Andrea Sher
Mati Rose McDonough
Maya Stein
Jennifer Hewett
Jen Lemen

Jennifer Lee
Lisa Sonora Beam
Rachel Cole
Samin Nosrat
Sherry Richert Belul
Stefanie Reneé
Tiffany Moore
Willo O'Brien

• Listened to my 1-hour Get up and Go Morning Mix on my iPod each day.  Does anyone know how I can share my mix with you now that iTunes has gotten rid of iMixes? My favorite song of the moment is an oldie by Mama Cass, "Make Your Own Kinda Music." I've posted a video of her singing it below.  Enjoy!

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