Salon de Maria Blog: My Hectic Life Archives

Productive At Being Unproductive

Did I ever mention that I am an overachiever?

Well, if you've been reading this blog for some time now, you know that I am. What other kind of person would manage and write for 10+ blogs (seriously, I've lost count) while working on a jewelry and handcrafted cards businesses? Well, as I stated before, I've cut out those two businesses...but interestingly enough I started getting more jewelry orders after I said that I was just going to focus on my blogging.

So this year I have made the intention to slow things down a bit - especially after I came down with the flu last week. I hardly ever get sick, so that was a sign that it was time to just refocus and enjoy life. I think I was turning into one of those people that was addicted to being busy when in actuality I wasn't really accomplishing anything.

Continue reading "Productive At Being Unproductive" »

Posted by Maria Palma at 07:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Reflections

I hope that everyone had a great holiday! I spent Christmas at my parents' home in lil' ole Lemoore watching the basketball games and catching up on pop culture. My family celebrated "Noche Buena" on Christmas Eve, so that's when we had our big dinner. It's been real nice to just relax and not think about a "To Do" list for once!

I have done quite a bit of reflecting the past couple days and feeling very grateful for everything that has happened this past year. The year has gone by so fast - and although I say that every year, this year in particular has sped by. I told myself that I was going to savor every moment of this year, but I think I may have slipped a little and tried to hurry up and accomplish all the goals that I had set for myself. As much as I preach about living in the moment, sometimes I didn't follow my advice - and that's ok. I'm not going to beat myself over it. I'm learning.

However, I am becoming more aware of those moments when I'm not present whereas before I would just get lost in my thoughts - not even realizing that I had just missed a week of my life because I was "overthinking".

Endless Possibilities

I'm really excited about what's in store for me next. Instead of thinking, "Oh, it's just another day", I'm anticipating the endless possibilities out there.

Continue reading "Reflections" »

Posted by Maria Palma at 12:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Latest Projects

Whenever I feel too lazy to blog, I go to Utterli and record a short podcast. I've been very busy the past couple weeks and to be real honest, feeling a bit overwhelmed. You can probably sense it in my voice in my latest "Utter". Listen to everything I've been up to by ~~clicking the play button below~~...visiting this link...(Embedding the player here didn't work!)

Posted by Maria Palma at 10:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I Am The Internet

When I was in high school I was a bit of a social butterfly. I was involved in sports (mainly volleyball and basketball) and student government, plus other extra curricular activities.

So, it's no wonder why I'm all over the online social networking scene. Yes, I am the internet!

I invite you to connect with me via any of the social networking sites listed in this post over at one of my blogs...and if you do connect with me, send me a message or a shout out so I can add you as a friend too.

Posted by Maria Palma at 01:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

What Have I Been Up To?

I've been writing and blogging all day, so I decided to just talk to you via Utterli and let you know what I've been up to lately.

Click here to listen!

If you have an Utterli account and would like to connect there, visit my profile here.

What I forgot to mention in my utter is that I've had some phenomenal interviews this past week with two very inspiring people: Raymond Salas of ZenChill.com and Jennifer Horton of The Lifestyle Enhancement Company. They offer some great advice on how you can achieve your goals and be more productive. Those two have also contributed to this inspiration that I'm feeling! To listen to the interviews, visit the Studio 747 Blogtalk Radio page.

And now, it's time to celebrate with a glass of wine...Cheers!

Posted by Maria Palma at 08:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm Going Back to School...

...But it's not the type of school that you may be familiar with. Nope, I am homeschooling myself starting this month. In addition to all the writing and blogging that I've been doing, I'm going to increase my wealth IQ as well as get back into shape. I even wrote down a "School Schedule" to remind me of my classes. Tonight's classes are "Wealth Management" and "Real Estate Investing" so I'll be reviewing the Transforming Debt-To-Wealth program by John Cummuta as well as reading up on how to invest in apartment buildings.

Who says that artists have to starve?

As part of my "Wealth Management" class, I browsed through a few debt-related websites to learn more about the different ways people seek debt reduction and the options that are available to them...and came across this website about Debt Relief. Since everyone has been talking about the economy lately and how much debt people owe, I figured as a public service I would share a couple things that I've learned through this website:

There are some consumer credit counseling agencies that are secretly working with your creditors
There's a chance that bankruptcy can stay on your record for 20 years!
FreedomDebtRelief.com helps alleviate your debt by negotiating with creditors, but the only fees they collect comes from you versus being "bribed" by counseling agencies

And now you know...

Don't you think there should actually be a "Wealth Management" class in college? Maybe the economy wouldn't be this way if it were mandatory to take a class like this.

Posted by Maria Palma at 06:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Staying Focused

If you're a sports fanatic like me or you just like watching athletes compete, you've probably been tuned into the Olympics. I played Varsity basketball and volleyball, plus ran cross country during high school, so I understand what it's like to be focused on winning or doing your best.

I am in complete awe of Michael Phelps, the swimmer who has, at the time of this writing, won 7 gold medals. He had a vision and he dedicated himself to do what he needed to do to live out that vision for himself. Seeing him win the 100 meter butterfly by 1/100th of a second was a solid reminder that anything is truly possible if you just believe...and stay focused on your goal.

As I think about my own vision for my life and the things that I want to accomplish, one of the things I'm working on is staying more focused. The past month or so I've been presented with opportunities to "make big money" and I've been so close to saying "Yes, sign me up!" You're probably thinking that I'm crazy for turning down the chance to make big money, but let me explain...

Continue reading "Staying Focused" »

Posted by Maria Palma at 09:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Coloring Outside the Lines and Living in the Moment

When I was little I loved to color in coloring books. I had one of those big sets of Crayola crayons and everyday I would sit down and color. I definitely made sure that I didn't color outside of the lines and I always colored the sky blue and the grass green! Those were my rules for art back then.

Fast forward 34 years later and I'm coloring outside the lines in every way possible! I'm pushing the limits and discovering the endless possibilities of my creative talents. I currently have several projects going right now which is taking enormous amounts of time, but I'm definitely having the time of my life!

However, no matter how busy I get, I'm learning to make time to do some coloring...

Continue reading "Coloring Outside the Lines and Living in the Moment" »

Posted by Maria Palma at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

How I Stay Grounded and Relaxed

"The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself."--Anais Nin

It's been a very busy few weeks for me. Between working on my book, catching up with friends and family, doing work for clients, blogging here and there, watching the NBA Finals, and the U.S. Open - I'm just now catching a breath!

Between it all, though, I still make time for myself. Whether it's in the bookstore browsing through magazines or a little retail therapy (Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills is the best place for that - even if it's just window shopping), I manage to keep myself sane...

I still meditate and say happy affirmations to stay grounded. Even a little doodling in my new sketchbook allows my mind to stay calm and relaxed. I even went to a party at an ocean front home in La Jolla where I met people who told me some phenomenal stories of traveling abroad. Of course, I had to take this photo of the beautiful California sunset...

After all is said and done, life is best lived when you enjoy it - and that's what I do each and every moment of the day no matter what I'm doing.

Posted by Maria Palma at 03:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Maria Palma: Designer, Writer, and SEO Geek

As an entrepreneur and artist, I have many jobs and wear many hats. What you may not know about me is that besides being a jewelry designer and writer, I've also designed all my blogs and do the marketing for every one of them. This means one of the many hats that I wear is SEO Geek.

I'm proud to say that I'm a SEO geek. For those of you who don't know, SEO stands for "Search Engine Optimization" which basically means that I work on designing and marketing my websites so that the search engines can easily find them. Any and every person who owns a website or blog should be familiar with some SEO techniques and tactics - especially those who create their own content.

I've spent countless hours researching all the different ways to rank high in the search engines. It's great to come across other artists and designers like the ones over at this seo blog who have a passion for what they do. All the reading and research has been worthwhile as I am now able to help the clients I write articles for become more knowledgeable about search engine optimization.

If you need help getting your website indexed and ranked in the search engines, feel free to contact me: maria [at] salondemaria [dot] info

Posted by Maria Palma at 02:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Not-So-Normal Life of an Artist

Back in my early 20's I had my life planned out. I was going to be married and have 2 kids by the time I was 25, I would be making a living in a high-paying job, white picket fence, and the whole nine.
Now that I'm in my 30's and a little bit wiser, I realize how much I played into that ideal of the "normal life". You see, I don't even come close to living that normal life that I envisioned for myself. I know that the word normal is very subjective because who really lives a normal life, right? What I mean is, I don't live like many people in our American society do. I have no limits...no boundaries...no rules...

Continue reading "The Not-So-Normal Life of an Artist" »

Posted by Maria Palma at 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

How to Be Less Stressed or Maria Palma Unplugged

Want less stress in your life? Go unplugged. What I mean by that is don't sit in front of the computer all day - like I tend to. Refrain from taking your laptop everywhere you go. Refrain from checking email or voicemail every hour of every day. That's what I've been doing the past couple weeks. I've been sitting in the library or bookstore with a notebook and pen (remember those things?) and browsing through books and magazines. I've gone out and smelled the roses, so to speak. I've walked slow from Point A to Point B. Funny the things you've never noticed before when you're in a rush.

Continue reading "How to Be Less Stressed or Maria Palma Unplugged" »

Posted by Maria Palma at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Renaissance Woman

Someone called me a "Renaissance Woman" once and I had no idea what they were talking about. I had this picture in my head of a woman from ancient Egypt wearing a long, flowy dress with flowers in her hair. Well, I looked up the definition and this is what I came across:

" A woman who has broad intellectual interests and is accomplished in areas of both the arts and the sciences."

It's funny, but I never gave much thought to all the gifts that I've been given. I feel truly humbled and blessed as I sit here thinking about all my accomplishments. Sometimes I work too fast and never stop to think about all the abundance in my life. However, now that I'm living in The Now I'm able to slow down a little and just soak up all the goodness in every moment.

Now that I'm aware of all these gifts and have embraced them for what they are, it's time to take those gifts and share them with the world in a way that would help the greater good. I have an idea that's been brewing in my mind (among the other gazillion ideas) and I feel that it's time to start working on it.

I'm very excited about this project -- Stay tuned for its unveiling!

Posted by Maria Palma at 02:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's OK To Do Nothing

I’ve come to realize that doing nothing is ok. Spending time with family and nurturing my relationships has taken precedence in my life. Making sure that I blog, write, or make jewelry everyday really isn’t as important as it used to be.

Perhaps I’m growing up. Perhaps I’m a little burned out. Or maybe it’s a little bit of both. For the past year I wrote everyday and probably averaged about 1,000+ words a day. That’s about 365,000+ words I wrote in one year.

It was the overachiever in me. However, because of that I did reach my goal of becoming a full-time freelance writer, so all that work did pay off!

I was reading an article in last month’s issue of Forbes Magazine titled "Confessions of a (Recovering) Overachiever" by Alexandra Robbins and this quote stood out:

“Fulfillment leads to achievement, not the other way around.”

With that said, I’m going to really slow down - for real this time! I’ve cut down my “To Do” list, I’m focusing on finishing my ebook, and I’m putting my jewelry and art business on the side for now. Of course, I will still be there for my customers if they want to purchase something, but for right now I’m not going to put so much effort in marketing and doing shows.

Posted by Maria Palma at 01:21 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

My Way of Managing Business

My mind has been all over the place for the past couple weeks. I’ve been coming up with different money-making ideas not related to my art or jewelry business and have been writing up a storm over at Squidoo. Writing gigs are coming up left and right and it seems that jewelry-making and painting have been put on the backburner for now. Although, I did take a break from writing yesterday and made this gorgeous, bright and colorful necklace that reminds me of fruit cocktail! I’d upload a picture of it, but somehow I’ve “misplaced” the little gadget I need to upload the file from my memory stick. Just another reminder that I do need to slow down…

Despite all this “business management” that I’m doing - some might call it “running around like a chicken with her head cut off” - I feel very inspired and productive in the projects that I’m tackling. I have a little post-it on my computer that says, “Stay Focused!” and I look at it about 100 times a day. Needless to say, I’m feeling very focused and doing what I need to be doing to get to the next level. I like to call it "going with the flow" and letting my Inner Guide tell me what I should be doing at any given moment during the day.

Posted by Maria Palma at 01:03 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Thoughts From An Overachiever

I swear, it just seemed like yesterday that I wrote the previous post! Time sure flies when you’re doing what you love. As usual, I’ve been busy, busy, busy and it really dawned on me tonight how much of an overachiever I am. I can hardly sit still for 10 minutes!

My latest burst of energy has manifested itself in the form of uploading all kinds of goodies over at my Etsy shop! Now’s the time to buy for Mother’s Day…only 10 days left! I’m sure you can think of a friend who has a love for handcrafted beaded jewelry ;) Besides, you’ll be giving back to the community in the process because I’m donating 10% of my sales to Idol Gives Back during the whole month of May!

So, going back to being this "overachiever". I can't seem to help pursuing all my passions - and boy, do I have alot of them! My parents feel that I should be focusing on one thing at a time, but that's been a challenge for me. What's so wrong with doing everything that you love? One minute I'm a blogging maniac, the next minute I'm making jewelry...or working on my book...or finding real estate properties...

I think one of the most important things in life is to just enjoy every moment of it and to do what you love and brings you the most joy!

Posted by Maria Palma at 11:11 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Nurturing the Artsy Side

I’m back! I know, I know, it’s been awhile! Well, yesterday I was experiencing a little bit of blogging overload and realized that I wasn’t nurturing the artsy side of me - again! However, I did go to Panera the other day to relax, sip on some coffee, read, and do some doodling. I’ve been working on this butterfly for the past few months. This comes out of my one of m Butterfly in Pencil y art sketchbooks.

I’ve also been spending some time in the bookstore browsing through card making magazines to get some ideas. So, in actuality, I have been nurturing my artsy side - I just haven’t been writing about it much.

What I have been doing is working on updating the Salon de Maria website! I’m thrilled with the way the front page turned out and I realized just how much I miss doing website design. I was going to hire someone to do it, but I have way too much fun doing it myself.

Speaking of, Beauty is Within also got a makeover today. Click on over, check it out, and let me know what you think! Comments are welcome

Posted by Maria Palma at 11:05 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

When Your Soul Screams For Art and Relaxation

Easter Greeting Card Yesterday my soul was screaming “Make some art! Make some art!” So, as I sat and watched the Academy Awards last night I took out the card making supplies and created a few Easter and Happy Birthday cards. You can find most of the cards at my online greeting card shop, but I also added a few at my Etsy shop to do some cross-promotion. I’m still debating on whether or not I should just have one shop with all of my creations. However, I do like the idea of being able to market in different areas.

I know I haven’t been around much here in the past week. I took some time off and drove to Yosemite with hubby for a little relaxing getaway. Yosemite was absolutely gorgeous and of course, I took a few shots...

Yosemite Waterfall Yosemite Forest

Posted by Maria Palma at 03:14 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Business Lessons From a Friend

Well, we’re down to the wire, folks and I’m pretty exhausted from making jewelry day and night to keep up with all the sales I had this past Christmas!

I noticed this year that there are more people selling jewelry and it bothered me a little until a friend told me yesterday, “Maria, don’t worry about what those other people are doing. Just focus on your business and what you’re doing.” It’s good advice, I must say. How can you enjoy your journey when you’re worried about what someone else is doing?

That’s the beauty of unique, handcrafted jewelry. Each person has their own distinctive style - kindof like La Jolla real estate... Each home is different from the rest. (By the way, La Jolla is one place I’d like to own a home - besides Rancho Santa Fe!) Anyways, even though we’re all selling jewelry, each vendor caters to different market segments.

One thing I’ve learned this year - start making jewelry early for the holiday rush and don’t wait!

Posted by Maria Palma at 11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

News, Events, and Treats!

Blue Porcelain Bracelet Once again I have neglected this blog, which means I’m not taking enought time to tend to my creative side. Actually, I have been quite the busy bee making and selling my jewelry on weekends. In fact, I’ve added a few new pieces of jewelry to my Etsy shop today! Shop now for the holidays ;)

Onto other events, news, and happenings....

Sunset in Mexico

My “sabbatical” is over... I moved out of Mexico a few days ago and now I’m back in San Diego. It’s a beautiful country and the rent is inexpensive, however, the long waits at the border were wearing on me! Pictured here is an absolutely gorgeous sunset taken a couple weeks ago.

Next Saturday I will be participating in an art show at Gallery 504 next Saturday, November 11 during Ray at Night. It’s been well over a year and a half since I’ve participated in an art show, so hopefully this will inspire me to get back into painting!

If you know me, you know my love for travel, food, and photography. Well, thanks to Meikah of Custserv for “blogtipping” Dessert Comes First. This blog has a mish-mash of all things that I love...Makes me want to call up a travel agent right now and say, “Book it!"

Posted by Maria Palma at 04:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

The Thinking Artist

A hectic bu The Thinking Gorilla t joyful life I lead. Between the holiday, moving, and simply taking some time off I've also been doing quite a bit of reading and discovering ways to become a better person and a better artist. The picture of this gorilla contemplating life is the perfect visual of how I've been feeling lately. I went to the San Diego Zoo last Friday and became one with nature....

So lately I've been the "thinking artist" versus the performing, or doing, artist. I'm taking a journey within to find inspiration and my true genius.

I have however, made a few pieces of jewelry. I've noticed that my designs are becoming more detailed and taking off in another direction. It'll be interesting to see where it goes... Stay tuned for pictures!

Oh, and by the way.... I've opened up a store at Etsy. It only has a few items right now, but will be adding more soon!

Posted by Maria Palma at 01:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Salon de Maria Blog

Diary of a visual artist, jewelry designer, and freelance writer. Find out about the art process and what goes into each of Maria Palma's designs. Read articles, reviews, news, and more about the arts and crafts industries.

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Recent Posts

February 02, 2009

Productive At Being Unproductive

December 27, 2008

Reflections

Endless Possibilities

December 14, 2008

The Latest Projects

November 14, 2008

I Am The Internet

October 16, 2008

What Have I Been Up To?

September 03, 2008

I'm Going Back to School...

August 16, 2008

Staying Focused

August 08, 2008

Coloring Outside the Lines and Living in the Moment

June 18, 2008

How I Stay Grounded and Relaxed

April 10, 2008

Maria Palma: Designer, Writer, and SEO Geek

January 03, 2008

The Not-So-Normal Life of an Artist

November 15, 2007

How to Be Less Stressed or Maria Palma Unplugged

October 20, 2007

The Renaissance Woman

July 27, 2007

It's OK To Do Nothing

“Fulfillment leads to achievement, not the other way around.”

June 19, 2007

My Way of Managing Business

May 03, 2007

Thoughts From An Overachiever

March 09, 2007

Nurturing the Artsy Side

February 26, 2007

When Your Soul Screams For Art and Relaxation

December 29, 2006

Business Lessons From a Friend

November 04, 2006

News, Events, and Treats!

July 14, 2006

The Thinking Artist

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