Creativity Blog: Get the Creative Nudge! — Creativity for Business, Life, Work and Play

Website Design and Personal Passion Projects

by Brenda on September 1, 2009

I have been working for some time on a re-design for the three sites I own and maintain … this one, Creative Nudge, JOHIMA Designs, my graphic design company, and Brenda Johima, my fine art and photography site.

My goodness!

Web design has become so complicated. I have been successful using the same websites for a long time … and now, yes, it is time for a change and an upgrade … and my, my, there is so much to think about. It has become much easier and simpler for the end user (and design clients) … however, now, most web design requires more computer programming skills than design … yes the visual design does and always will matter, but in my opinion, computer programmers have the upper hand right now.

You really want to think it through, a new site. Plan, plan, plan. It is time consuming and expensive (for most folks, although I do my own) … and to fully take advantage of all of the social media, newsletter and email marketing opportunities, there is a lot to work through, and to plan, plan, plan ahead.

I think that I know what will happen. I will have worked on these re-designs for months … then finally happy to launch, get it out there online and Poooof! Things change and I will be behind again. LOL.

Well, you never are behind really. You are where you are, and it is all good. We are all exactly where we are meant to be at any given moment.

We all get to our destination when we are meant to.

We reach our goals in our own way, in our own most creative and capable way. We do the best we can with whatever we have. And it is all good.

You are on the right track. So am I … and it’s never too late for anything.

Speaking of never too late … I recently turned 48 and forty-eight is great! I am a late bloomer photographer.

I am IN LOVE with photography. I started in around 2004 experimenting with my first borrowed SLR while on a trip to France, but did not even have my own camera until 2006. I did not have to convert to digital…I started digital after only a few months with a borrowed film camera to learn the basics, aperture, F-stops, etc.

My skill with composition, color, design, form and lines … the basics of art and photography were learned in design and fine art school, and easily transferred to photography. I just had to (and still have to) learn the technical end of things, and that learning I believe, never ends. It is an ongoing pleasant journey. I love it.

So, along with three new websites in the works to be launched soon, I am excited to announce two, what I call, personal passion photography projects (Call me at (250) 335 – 1195 to book your session):

Senior Dogs. I LOVE senior dogs. Do you have a senior dog? I want to photograph your dog.
Alpacas and Baby (cria). I LOVE alpacas. I am nuts about alpacas. I want to photograph your alpacas at your location on your farm.

Here’s a few samples for you, an alpaca, a cria (baby alpaca) an a senior dog … my dog Toby who is now 12!

Thanks for sharing your time with me, and follow me on Twitter @brendajohima and … soon I will be available for you by Skype as well.

Brenda
Your Creativity Consultant

Tagged as: brenda johima, johima designs, personal passion projects, visual design, web design

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Twitter @brendajohima

by Brenda on August 30, 2009

By the way, I finally gave into Twitter. And I love it! I love the creative challenge of 140 characters and I love getting just a snippet of news headlines and things that are interesting to other people … and “meeting” some great folks online that I would not have otherwise met. (so silly, you don’t actually meet them … but it feels like you do … really weird and pleasant and fun all at the same time)

I left FaceBook completely … I was one of the ones who fought for change in copyright and privacy laws. Unfortunately for me … their good changes (in Canada … Thank You for listening to the people) came too late. Done with FaceBook for now.

I LOVE Twitter!

I have opted to not have multiple accounts and be Twittering as three different people … thank goodness. The thought of Twittering and Tweeting for JOHIMA Designs and Creative Nudge and Brenda Johima Artist and Photographer would be enough to drive me nuts. I know that the “proper” way to Twitter in business is to have three separate accounts for three separate marketing initiatives.

However, it’s all one me … and I’m happy for now to Twitter in general, about a lot of different things that interest me, and to cover all of my business adventures under @brendajohima Maybe in future I will go for the multiple accounts, but I think keeping life simple is much better for my brain than multiple marketing Twits. Tweets. Twitters.

So follow me on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/brendajohima

- Your Creativity Consultant -
Brenda Johima

Tagged as: @brendajohima, brenda johima, creative nudge, creativity consultant, love twitter

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Long Time No Blog: Broken Leg: Sprained Ankle: Good Lessons Learned

by Brenda on August 30, 2009

It’s been awhile, yes, I know. Intentional and on purpose, to take a break from blogging over the last year, and to take a break from many things, and unfortunately, to break my leg too! (this post is also on brendajohima.com so everyone knows why my websites have not been updated. LOL.)

Yep, January 8th, 2009 I broke my leg, sprained my ankle, injured hip, ankle, knee, the works … attempting to photograph our beautiful Trumpeter Swans in the Comox Valley, on a semi-foggy day, just after most of the snow melted.

Most of the snow and ice had melted, yes … except for the parts I used to slip on and fall! So, there is a first time for everything … I’ve never injured myself like that before in my life, and never broken a bone, never sprained an ankle.

And now, as I am on the other side of it all, as the cliche goes … it was the best thing that could have happened to me. Really. I have changed. For the better.

And by the way, I did not get the picture of the Trumpeter Swans … just a nice shot of some dirt.

Look for a new website and blog coming soon,

Brenda Johima

Tagged as: blog, broken leg, Comox Valley, lessons learned, sprained ankle, trumpeter swans

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Long Time No Blog

by Brenda on August 26, 2009

Well, it’s been just over a year since I have blogged on this site, and that was, and has been intentional, for many reasons. Anyway, long story short, I am back.

A new website and blog are in the works for Creative Nudge, along with the addition of some new services and workshop, and a letting go of some services that I no longer will be offering.

Letting go is good. Change is good.

Your Creativity Coach,
Brenda Johima

Tagged as: blog, change is good, creative nudge, creativity coach, letting go

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Let Yourself Off The Hook

by Brenda on July 24, 2008

Do you ever need permission to just let yourself off the hook for something, for anything?

Well, I give you permission right now, today, to let yourself off the hook.

Do you need to let yourself off the hook? Well then, do it, right now. Here are my writing ramblings for the day:

“Act and be unpredictable and unreliable …. it’s pretty cool to not be too perfect sometimes …. Maybe you will enjoy being off the hook?

At least let yourself off the hook for awhile … maybe you will stay unhooked?

Get off the hook and stay there.

I hereby give you permission to no longer be hooked.

Hooks are in songs.

Hooks are for hanging pictures and captain hook.

Hooks are for hanging curtains and shower curtains.

You don’t want to be hooked on drugs or hooked on chocolate.

You could take up rug hooking instead and let yourself off the hook.

You can hook up your tv and hook up your phone or you can even play hooky.

But please, let yourself off the hook.”

Copyright 2008 Brenda Johima

There. I feel better. That’s my brainstorming for the day.

And, I hope for you, that YOU DO let yourself off the hook, get out there, live life to the fullest, and enjoy this beautiful, all-to-short and precious life that we all were given to enjoy.

- brenda johima -
YOUR Creativity Coach

Tagged as: brainstorming, Brenda Johima Creativity Coach, hooked on chocolate, hooks in songs, play hooky

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Painting With Light

by Brenda on July 24, 2008

Do you know when it is time to let go, and go with the flow? When things are out of your control, make the most of the situation and have fun with it anyway, anywhere, and anytime, in life.

Recently I went to view some fireworks at a local community dock on the ocean (I thought). Rumor had it, when I arrived, it was cancelled. How could it be cancelled? Every year I intended to make the drive down island to get to view the fireworks close up, yet always too busy to make it … so I would always view them at the last minute, and only from a distance, from across the ocean far, far away. So, this year I make the trek down island, and yes, it is true, the fireworks were cancelled this year.

All geared up with my brand new wide angle lens, and my tripod (which I hate using and am still learning how to deal with) and looking all professional like a real photographer (sort of) and no fireworks.

Oh well, did what I usually do … I took photos of everything and anything else interesting, and there was a lot. You can always photograph something … that is the beauty of photography, for a hobby, for fun, or for a career … we are never short of images and interesting things to see.

The most fun though, was on the way back in the car, experimenting with painting with light, in the car with the camera. And guess what I shot? Images that almost looked like fireworks! Pretty cool, and oh, what fun. (no worries, I was not driving, by the way)

Here are a couple of my “painting with light” photographs. Enjoy.

So, when dealt lemons, as they say, make lemonade.

- brenda johima -

P.S. Yes, I am a “real” photographer.

Tagged as: brenda johima photographer, painting with light, wide angle lens

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Winning T-Shirt Designs 2008 Run For The Cure

by Brenda July 7, 2008 Art For Breast Cancer

Here they are, the power of the people in Canada voted, and these will be the two t-shirt designs for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation 2008 CIBC Run For The Cure.
Find Out More About Breast Cancer, and Volunteer, Run, Walk, Participate in the 2008 Run, Go Right Here: http://www.cbcf.org/en-US/home.aspx
Now, the t-shirt designs … are certainly [...]

Tagged as: 2008 run for the cure, Breast Cancer, t-shirt designs

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Winning T-Shirt Designs Selected

by Brenda June 30, 2008 Art For Breast Cancer

The winning designs have been selected and the voting is now closed.
Come back soon, to find out which of my t-shirt designs Canadians voted for the most, for the 2008 CIBC Run For The Cure.
- brenda johima –

Tagged as: brenda johima, canadians, cibc run for the cure, winning t-shirt designs

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Photo Of The Day

by Brenda June 23, 2008 Nature

Spring and summer are my favorite times to practice photography on Vancouver Island. Flowers, are a good chance to work on my macro photography skills, and Wildlife, are a great chance to work with my telephoto … I didn’t have to travel far to photograph this iris, in my front yard around supper time, the [...]

Tagged as: macro photography, photo of the day, photography vancouver island

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Just For The Fun Of It Art For Breast Cancer

by Brenda June 22, 2008 Art For Breast Cancer

Many of you come back over and over to my blog to get uplifted by my BoobART, and here is, the next in the series. Enjoy.
Just For The Fun Of It, is Art For A Breast Cancer Cure and for Breast Cancer Survivors and Loved Ones. Breast cancer touches each and every one of us, [...]

Tagged as: Art For Breast Cancer, BoobArt, breast cancer survivors, brenda johima

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