Winter Burnt Week 2023

Burnt Challenges are a call to artists of all skill levels to create an original piece of pyrography artwork based on a specific word, or what we like to call, a prompt! Check out Some past challenges here.

This challenge is an excellent way for wood burning artists to grow their portfolio, try new things, push their craft, meet other pyrographers, hone their skills, gain followers, sell art, and have a ton of fun while they are at it!

Having a restriction, like following a specific prompt, can really bring out creativity in people. These prompts are known to get people inspired and trying new things. Things they perhaps wouldn’t have tried otherwise.

The challenges are living in the wood burning community on Instagram. Follow us there or join Burn Club+ to get your prompts in advance for the next Burnt Challenge and to suggest your own prompts.

WINTER Burnt Week 2023

We are so excited to be teaming up with our sponsor, Walnut Hollow, to bring you this challenge that runs from February 20th to February 24th!!

The prompts were suggested by the Burn Club community members. We got a whole list of really funny and unique but very random nouns + adjectives. To make it even more fun and to keep artists thinking outside of the box, we pulled one noun and one adjective randomly out of a hat and put the two together!

OUR FEATURED ARTISTS

DREARY + PEAKS by @taciejensen

@taciejensen created this beautiful piece for the DREARY PEAKS prompt. You can almost feel the fog and gloom through the photo. You can tell this character is on a very important journey... So much texture and the way the color was added really makes this piece quite dreary, giving off many feels. The message Tacie writes is very empowering and brings me right out of the fog with hope and inspiration:

“When life looks bleak, hold your head up because you came this far. You have the strength and determination, you’ve got this!”

Beautifully done @taciejensen! Everyone, please go give @taciejensen a follow for more beautiful art in this unique style.

SOFT + CREATURE by @burnedblossoms

@burnedblossoms created this original design for the prompt of SOFT CREATURE! This burn is absolutely beautiful with its textures, shapes, composition, and shading, and those white outlines and that circular lined background!!!! Do yourself a favor and zoom in on all those details. The softness is in the cute little creature and also the encompassing flowers which look like are making the goats day! Go give @burnedblossoms a follow to see this little cuteness as well as all of her other stunning pyrography work!

HARSH + VESSEL by @wild.earth.artwork

Talk about harsh vessel! This little bird found its home in the bright neon lights in a busy city. I love @wild.earth.artwork’s out of the box thinking on this one. Her use of color here is spectacular. You can feel the warmth of these lights! I also love how the image is zoomed in. We don’t need the full neon sign to see the whole picture here. It’s fabulous! Great work by @wild.earth.artwork.

GLISTENING + PEAKS by @allie_and_nyx_crafts

@allie_and_nyx_crafts created this beautiful piece for the prompt: GLISTENING EVERGREEN! The lines and illustration style of the rocky area paired with the realistic glistening evergreens on it makes them really pop out and even look superimposed! The colors and gradients are stunning and the burn is just so clean and crisp! Well done, @allie_and_nyx_crafts. Everyone please go follow this awesome artist. Let’s show them all the love! 

EXPERIMENTAL + WONDERLAND by @xedesarte

@xedesarte created this stunning piece for the prompt EXPERIMENTAL WONDERLAND. The details, the textures, the magical vibe of the stars that look like they are actually aglow! It is a dream turned into art with some very special and personal meaning and it is just so so beautiful! Everyone go give @xedesarte a follow!

Make sure to follow the #winterburntweek hashtag and check out our stories as well as @walnuthollow for some of our favorite posts and features!

How to join in on the challenge NExt time

Learn about the next challenge by joining the Burn Club!

To participate in this everyday wood burning challenge, post a photo of your prompt-inspired piece (on instagram) on the date listed using #WinterBurntWeek and mention both @woodburncorner + @walnuthollow.

That’s it! It’s that easy.

Where CAN you and your artwork get featured?

Both @walnuthollow (our Sponsor) + @woodburncorner select artists for each prompt to feature in:

• both Walnut Hollow + Wood Burn Corner Instagram posts + stories

• on this blog post once the challenge is over

• our Facebook page

• as well as on Pinterest

What CAN YOU win?

There are many prizes and a pre-challenge giveaway just for sharing about the challenge.

Wood Burn Corner gives away a daily prize! Each winner got to choose from the following:

• Digital Copy of Template Book (Volume 1)

• Digital Copy of Template Book (Volume 2)

• Digital Copy of Template Book (Radial Symmetry Edition)

• Access to The Sessions Recordings (Value $100)

• Complete Wood Burning and Business Toolkit (Value $749)

• Access to Pyrography and Business Summit Recordings (Value $240)

Walnut Hollow also gives away a daily prize; a mystery box of goodies from www.walnuthollow.com!

Can I still join in but not burn?

If you are not able to participate by making art, you can still show your fellow pyro pals some love by sharing, commenting, saving, and liking all the art! Spread the news about the event by posting about it in your stories, reels and posts.

We are always blown away at what your uniquely creative minds come up with.

Make sure to follow #WINTERBurntWeek to see the all the artworks made during the challenge or Check out Some past challenges here.

Let’s join our voices together and raise the entire community up. Keep spreading the love and happy burning!

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Donate to One Tree Planted - 2022

One thing that is really important to us, here at Wood Burn Corner, is giving back!

Each year we give back to our community in as many ways as possible. We donate our time, products, money, and also love sharing information for free with our community.

This year (2022) we are super proud to announce that 10,000 trees have been planted because of our little business.

@onetreeplanted is such an incredible organization that takes $1 and plants 1 tree with it, which means, because of you all, Wood Burn Corner planted 10,000 trees this year. TEN THOUSAND! (That’s like a mini forest! )

We got word that our specific donation is being used to plant 10,000 fruit trees in India, where not only will it help with air quality, but will also provide food and jobs for people of that region.

Thanks to all your support and purchases, we were able to give our largest donation to date to the non-profit organization, One Tree Planted!

One Tree Planted makes it easier for both individuals and businesses to give back to the environment, create a healthier climate, protect biodiversity, and help reforestation efforts.

Here is how it works:

Trees play such an integral role in our World, and we want to be part of the solution.

Did you know?

Every 1.2 seconds, man destroys an area of forest as big as a football field. This is why we feel the need to give back to the trees that make it so we can create our art and why we choose to use wood from sustainable sources.

Click here for some more interesting facts about trees and the impact of deforestation around the world.

WANT TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT?

Best Wood for Pyrography

Wood is the most common surface for pyrography! There are other surfaces you can burn on, but wood is available almost everywhere and is definitely a great place to start if you are new to wood burning.

Always look for unfinished, sanded smooth, and dried wood. These are musts for pyrography.

There are also some woods you should absolutely avoid and that list, you can find here.

And onto what you will want to burn on! Below are the top wood surfaces to burn on according to our own experiences as well as from polling hundreds of pyrographers in the community.

Please note there are affiliate links below. We always link to products we know and love and personally have used ourselves!

Top 9 Wood Surfaces to Burn On

Basswood

Basswood is a very common wood species that is easy to find and easy to burn on.

It is a favorite amongst pyrographers because of its availability, light color (creating nice contrast with burn lines) and for the way it burns. It is easy and smooth to burn on.

The grain is visible, but still smooth. It doesn’t effect your burn. The even light color makes it the perfect canvas for wood burning. It is easily found with the very classic tree bark live edge, making perfect rustic rounds. Oh and the color of the wood only darkens slightly when adding any finishes.

The bonus with basswood is that because it is commonly available, it comes in loads of different shapes, sizes, live edge, no live edge, thick or thin, etc… We know and love Walnut Hollow for their variety of wood as well as the quality! Get 15% off your order using the coupon code: WBC15 - Walnut Hollow’s collection of Basswood are always sanded smooth and are ready to burn on:

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Cherry

Cherry smells amazing when burning and is such a lovely wood to burn on. There are many variations (color and grain) which may be distracting for some, but for others, this adds character.

It has a warm, reddish tone, rich color to it, and you can create beautifully detailed pyrography art on it at a slightly higher heat setting (or slower pace).

Be careful in adding any finishes (stains or even colourless oils and sealers), as cherry wood darkens quite a bit. You can still see the burn lines, but it decreases the contrast the pyrography marks make.

Here is an example of a cherry wood slice with resin on it. The colour is rich and beautiful but if your design has light shading, it could disappear after a finish is applied!

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Birch

Birch is a harder in structure, when it comes to pyrography, which means you either turn up the heat or move slower with it. Because it is a harder wood, it allows for incredible details.

Even though it is slightly harder to burn on, it still has beautiful qualities like the light blonde color, stunning white live edge bark and subtle grain lines that don’t interfere with the burning. It typically has a bright, creamy-white color or yellowish tint and a satin-like sheen to its finish which makes for nice contrast when burning.

Basia enjoys burning on end grain, like on this round live edge wood slice above, especially when the wood slice has the bark in tact. Rachel prefers face grain wood which has the grain running across the entire wood slice.

In general, birch trees aren't as big (or thick) as other hardwoods, so the slices you get from them usually aren't big either. Because of this, companies make birch wood plywood. As with ANY plywood, these planks use a lot of glues which can be dangerous to burn on. Always wear the safety gear, no matter what.

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Aspen

Aspen burns very similar to basswood in our experience, but isn’t just one solid color. It has lovely variations in color to it. The rounds tend to have more colors and variations so if that doesn’t work for you or your design, try a face grain cut slice (the planks versus the rounds). Not sure what face grain is? Check out our Intro to Wood as a Pyrography Artist blog post to learn more.

Aspen is softer when burning making it feel buttery smooth and satisfying.

The grain are subtle and you can barely feel them at all when burning.

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Walnut

Walnut is such a juicy wood to burn on. It has a lovely medium/dark brownish color to it, and smells amazing when you burn it, however it is more on the expensive side.

This is one of those woods that soaks up finishes and darkens quite a bit when you put any finishes. This could make your lines and shading not as visible… Any light shading will disappear.

However, add a finish to this and just watch the natural grain pop and shine; So much dimension in this wood species!

The grains are visible but don’t interfere with burning.

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Maple

Maple is one of Rachel’s personal favorites to burn on. She love the subtle grain in it (which does not get in the way of burning), and the color of the wood makes a great canvas.

It is harder than basswood, and is just lovely to burn on at a slightly higher heat. It is nice and lightly colored, lending itself well for pyrography. Finishes will darken the surface but not very much so you will not loose your work.

Maple is a bit more costly than basswood, but is worth it.

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Sourwood

Sourwood is one of Basia’s favourites due to the large and intricate live edge bark on it. The bark is so stunning, it creates it’s own frame of sorts!

The surface is lighter in color making a great canvas for burning and even though it is a hardwood, with some patience, higher heat and a slower pace, it is still a pleasure to burn on.

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Poplar

Poplar is another great choice for wood burning. It is another light colored option, although often it has a green tone to it which not everyone likes. There is a process you can take to get rid of this but it must be completed after you burn (because burning on the treatment is dangerous) and may require a bit of sanding so ensure your burn lines are fairly deep.

The grains can get in the way a bit, but otherwise it is a fairly smooth burn. It is quite similar to maple, but less expensive. A great choice for pyrography and very accessible and cheap.

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Cedar

Cedar smells amazing to burn with. It has a beautiful rich red color in the center and a lighter color on its edges.

It burns really nicely and is lovely to work with because is a softer wood. It feels like butter. It is always the wood Basia chooses for practising on when she is letting new students understand pyro tools and the variety of nibs and what they can do because you require less control when the wood is softer, can burn at a higher temperature, therefore allowing you to play around a little.

Beware when staining, that red color deepens quite a bit, so always practice before adding a finish to a cedar wood burned piece.

A great place to learn more about your favorite wood types is at wood-database.com - here you will find all the specs you need!

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Runner-up Wood Surfaces to Burn On

1. Beech

2. Cork

3. Ash

4. Mahogany

5. Alder

6. Sycamore

7. Cypress

8. Willow

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Check out the DO NOT BURN ON list here.

Click Here for pyrography surfaces to burn on that are not wood!

Always wear a mask and follow safety precautions when burning on any type of wood or alternative surface. This is super important regardless of wood type.

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The Wood Burn Community Book of Templates - Volume 2

I am beyond excited to share my third book, The Wood Burn Community Book of Templates, Volume 2!

This book is a dream realized: a pyrography book of templates created by our community for the community. This book of templates is a beautiful collection of designs for artists at all stages from our incredibly talented and diverse community.

The Wood Burn Community Book of Templates features pyrography design patterns created by the community for the community. It showcases 60+ original templates from 34 wood burning artists from around the globe, with the intention of helping artists of all skill levels past, present, and future to hone their craft, try new styles, and make beautiful art through collaboration. This collection of designs include fantasy, florals, nature, sea life, patterns, people and more.

Check out #thewoodburncommunitybook on instagram to view completed projects!

Every one-of-a-kind piece of art you create from these community templates is a collaboration! Each design can be interpreted in an infinite number of ways.

Rachel Strauss, author of The Wood Burn Book and the original Wood Burn Community Book of Templates founder of Burn Club and Wood Burn Corner, includes a basic wood burning quickstart guide, and provides you with a list of essential materials needed for pyrography. She offers information on getting involved in the community, before presenting you with a feast of artwork, each begging to become your next creation!

The 34 Featured Pyrography Artists

Follow them and tag them in the pieces you create!

@woodburncorner

@finelinepyro

@sweetpeachburns

@PatesPyrography

@Calisanja

@bonidutch

@BreMakingThings

@Dioni_isalasart

@carolinerenck_art

@woodburntflorals

@Soulfulmuse_

@prettyful.creations

@knotsandembers

@JennaJesseePyrography

@JenniferRHeuertz

@Resha_alhussaini

@UrbanFarmFoods

@the.wandering.pyro

@Burlap2LaceCreations

@mapleandfernco

@soulwoodart

@CompletelyDevoted_Designs

@itsdavidandrenee

@ReSaArtHouse

@alteredpathartstudio

@theroderickshop

@Plaid.and.Peaches

@LittleBlackBirdDesigns

@taciejensen

@heckman_woodworking

@RiverValleyPyro

@kelsieart

@blindlove.woodburning

@brandyroels

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Easily size and print the designs to match the wood you already have by downloading the digital version

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Find more patterns Here:

in the template books or VISIT the templates store full of individual patterns for sale.

Or inspiration and Project ideas in The Wood Burn Book

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How to Name Your Artwork

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David and Renee are the double-duo behind It's David and Renee and specialize in creating sustainably sourced, specialty wood surfaces for other artists to use as a canvas for their own art. They also create thier own fine art pieces, including multi-media pyrography and artisan woodcraft.

Renee of @itsdavidandrenee is such a fabulous pyrographer and person.

Her pyrography is BOLD! Her color choices and sparkle factors alone speak for themselves.

Do yourself a huge favor and follow this wonderful human and artist. Let’s help support her and her husband, David, their art and their delicious wood slice canvases!

Find It’s David and Renee on:

Instagram, Facebook Pinterest, TikTok and their website!

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Playing the Name Game with Wood Art: Using the Best Descriptive Words to Elevate You Art in the Mind’s Eye

Guest blog post by Renee of @itsdavidandrenee

So, you’ve made some wood art and now you have to give your piece a name. Whether you’re naming your art based off the subject matter, such as “Whimsical Ladybugs in a Coneflower Garden” or “The Queen’s Crown” or whatever it may be, OR you’re writing a descriptive title of your piece to go into a gallery, there are steps you must take to achieve a solid, effective title that communicates the best properties of your art.

Here are 5 things you should consider when choosing a name for your art:

We’ll dive deep into all five tips below.

1. Use sensory adjectives

2. Write as if they already have the art in their hands

3. Don’t assume they’ll notice the details

4. Describe the wood canvas, not just the artwork design

5. Describe the artwork design or subject matter

Use Sensory Adjectives

Sensory words are a MUST! Describing art can be tricky depending on how the art is meant to be consumed. A large art installment full of textiles you can touch and feel is different than a somber war memorial installment, a modern light show, Van Gogh’s Immersive Experiences, or sidewalk chalk art. Even still, those are entirely different than your piece of wood art. Most people are going to be using sight and touch for your wood art, not taste, sound, or smell, so using strong visual sensory adjectives is KEY!

Write as if They Already Have the Art in Their Hands

Pretend someone walks into a gift shop and picks up your artwork to ooo and awe over it! Put yourself in their shoes. What are they looking at? What’s the first thing they notice? How does it feel in their hands? Is it physically smooth? Does it have delicate bark chipping off? Is it a large, heavy wood slice? If they’re looking at it up close and personal, what are they seeing? Are they seeing the crispness of your lines? The glitter, shimmer, and shine of your metallic paint? Are they experiencing the iridescence of holographic foil? Are they embracing the textures of the various fibers in your fiber art? Consider what their “pretend” in-person experience of holding your art is like, and use those descriptors in your online descriptions. Make your customer imagine holding your art in their hands.

Don’t Assume They’ll Notice the Details 

Do NOT assume they’ll notice all those above details you worked so hard to achieve. What some people notice, others won’t. Not everyone experiences art the same way. Describe all those details you’re so proud of!

Just like in the above example, you’re going to want to tell them what they’re looking at., even if you think it sounds silly. Example: “When holding this brilliantly vibrant piece in your hands, you’ll notice how the dancing glitter shimmers and shines in the light. The glitter within these paints brings a depth to the pigments that can be truly appreciated when holding this piece at book-reading distance. You’ll also notice the physically indented texture of the woodburned lines and crisp stippled dots when you run your fingers over the textured areas.”

Point out those details! They will appreciate the senses of enjoying your work in person, even if they’re reading your description from the other side of the screen.

Describe the Wood Canvas, Not Just the Artwork Design

Wood canvases are super special and unique, because they themselves have their own characteristics- species, color, shape, thickness, surface texture, grain patterns, smoothness, chatoyance, etc. You should be describing these characteristics and how they play into your artwork, both in your title and in the written description.

People who utilize the standard white canvases from the craft stores usually don’t describe their canvas, because those canvases aren’t unique and don’t play into the effect of the painting. They almost all have the same texture, they all have a wooden frame behind them, and honestly, they’re just plain. Someone can say “canvas,” and you already know what that looks like. It’s already in your mind’s eye. You would just be describing the artwork that you put on the canvas, like “oil painting on canvas” or “fiber art mixed media on canvas.”

But when someone says “wood,” what do you automatically imagine? Rustic basswood? Refined cherry? There are so many varieties and possibilities that it’s guaranteed everyone will imagine something different.

There is a whole world of wood. “Acrylic painting on wood.” What does that tell you? NADA. What kind of wood? Can you even tell your artwork is on wood? Does the wood have live edge bark? Is it a crisp, clean cut piece of wood? GIMME THE DEETS! Is it thick, like ¾”, or is it a thin slice of birch plywood? Your people need to know. Your people should be able to imagine this piece of wood without looking at it.

“Pyrography on wood.”

Absolutely not. Needs waaaayyyy more.

“Pyrography on Maple.”

Nope, still needs more. Describe that Maple.

“Pyrography on an Ambrosia Maple panel.”

More. What does the panel look like? Does it have bark? What shape is it? Is it a round wood slice? Is it a clean-cut panel? More.

“Pyrography on a low-profile, 8” square Ambrosia Maple wood panel.”

Much better! You described the shape, the size, the species, and its side profile (meaning how far it sticks out from the wall).

“Pyrography on a small, round live-edge Basswood wood slice.”

Yep! This is pretty good. Again, you described the shape, the relative size, the species, and its bark features.

I would say those titles are not too wordy but not too stingy on descriptors.

Describe the Artwork Design or Subject Matter

In the above example, we’re using “pyrography,” so let’s continue with that. We need to expand the “pyrography” part of the name. Is your pyro art colored or painted? Is it mixed media? What is an adjective you would use to describe this piece? What is the subject matter of your art? A crazy-colored symmetrical mandala is obviously a way different subject matter than a sepia-toned realistic dog portrait.

*Visually-descriptive adjectives have entered the chat*

Let’s get our list of adjectives out. What does it LOOK like? What kinds of words would you use to describe your art to your grandmother over the phone?

You: “Hi Memaw! Yes ma’am, I’m good. I made some new art. What kind of art? Well, um. It’s woodburned art, I do woodburning.”

Your Memaw: *Doesn’t really know what that means and imagines her living room fireplace with burnt logs.* “Oh, you burn wood? Well that’s… nice.”

This lack of description is confusing to your Memaw. You gotta describe it to her as if you’re in a museum describing it.

When I was in college, I was a professional note-taker for the visually- and hearing-impaired students through the Office of Disabilities. I went to classes that had deaf or blind students, and took notes for them. I got really good at descriptors and adjectives when I was assigned to an art history class and took notes of all the famous art. My visually-impaired clients needed to be able to read my notes out-loud through their computer programs to study later on, so it was my job to make sure I communicated details very effectively. This is the same concept here. Describe your art to someone who is not looking at it.

Here are a few examples:

Vibrant, Dark, Shadowy, Moody, Technicolor, Bright, Playful, Geometric, Detailed, Realistic, Contrasting, Lively, Muted, Monochromatic, Symmetrical, Abstract, Mystical

And the list goes on and on. (This would be a great time to make your own list of adjectives!)

Anyway, back to the example.

We ended #4’s example with “Pyrography on a low-profile, 8” square Ambrosia Maple wood panel.” Let’s use that crazy-colored symmetrical mandala subject matter I mentioned, too. Let’s say the center of the mandala is centered in the middle of the square, and the mandala has vibrant, shimmery pink and purple paints neatly painted in the curves and motifs of the mandala, alternating between the various shades of pinks and purples and radiating out to the edge of the mandala. The negative space around the mandala is just the natural wood with no paint.

To me, in my head, I imagine this piece as very bright, starkly eye-catching, crisp and clean, vibrant and radiant, with even lines, perfectly-spaced swirls and motifs that centrically expand from the center of the mandala. I see these shimmery pink and purple paints catching the sunlight juuuust right, making them seem like they’re glowing from the wood.

“Pyrography on wood” just doesn’t cut it.

“Mandala pyrography.”

Nope. It’s so much more than that. Describe it.

“Symmetrical mandala pyrography.”

Ehh. Closer, but that still isn’t capturing the essence of the piece. DEETS! I NEED THE DEETS!

“Radiant, symmetrical mandala mixed-media pyrography art handburned on a low-profile, 8” square Ambrosia Maple wood panel.”

YES. YESYESYESYES. This is perfect. You have now described the art’s physical appearance (radiant), the subject matter (symmetrical mandala), the media (pyrography and mixed-media), the method of creation (you, “handburned”), the medium (the wood) and the details of the wood. 

I would say to follow this Krabby Patty secret formula every time, however, there will always be exceptions to this rule. If you feel like this is too wordy, maybe change out the adjectives to shorten it. If you feel it needs more for your piece, then add a little more.

And remember, if you’re writing a longer description underneath your title or in the description box on your website, you can add more details there. Do what feels right for you and your style of writing, but don’t sell yourself short.

Words are Powerful

To sum it all up, words are powerful. Language evokes the senses. Use your words the best you can to convey the best name, title, and/or description possible.

Make your people envision your art in their head by using sensory words and specific, descriptive adjectives. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes and play pretend. What they notice, feel, see, and experience can be captured in a great description. Play the name game with your wood art. Put just as much effort into naming and describing your art as you did into designing and creating your art. Your website visitors, in-person shoppers, gallery viewers, and whoever else will notice and appreciate these details.

Fall Burnt Week 2022

Burnt Challenges are a call to artists of all skill levels to create an original piece of pyrography artwork based on a specific word, or what we like to call, a prompt! Check out Some past challenges here

This challenge is an excellent way for wood burning artists to grow their portfolio, try new things, push their craft, meet other pyrographers, hone their skills, gain followers, sell art, and have a ton of fun while they are at it!

Having a restriction, like following a specific prompt, can really bring out creativity in people. These prompts are known to get people inspired and trying new things. Things they perhaps wouldn’t have tried otherwise.

The challenges are living in the wood burning community on Instagram. Follow us there or join Burn Club+ to get your prompts in advance for the next Burnt Challenge and to suggest your own prompts. We are changing things up this time around, and are excited for you to see what’s new!

Fall Burnt Week 2022

We are so excited to be teaming up with our sponsor, Walnut Hollow, to bring you this new and upgraded challenge that ran from October 24th to the 28th!!

We had more prizes than ever and tried out a fun new way to choose prompts!

The prompts were suggested by the Burn Club+ Community. We got a whole list of really funny and unique but very random nouns + adjectives. To make it even more fun and to keep artists thinking outside of the box, we pulled one noun and one adjective randomly out of a hat!

Below are the featured artists for each prompt:

@brittnibeeart created this adorable little critter and we fell in love.

It’s so whimsical and sweet. All of the little details on the wings, in the fur, on the trees, it’s cute little headband, and those little candy corns it’s crunching on.

So much texture and the way the color was added really makes this piece quite enchanting.

Beautifully done! Please go give @brittnibeeart a follow for more beautiful art in this unique style.

@maggienicoleart created this perfect little piece. We love the fine little details of these germies. The burn is so clean and crisp!

Our favorite part, though, is the glowing aspect. It is so subtle, you may miss it. Do you see it? The germs are little various forms of lightbulbs! 💡 It’s such a cool idea and it is perfectly executed.

Looks just like the bacteria and viruses we’ve seen under microscopes.

Well done, @maggienicoleart. Please go follow this awesome artist.

@calico.callie.ink created this original design, and so much more. For the entire week she has been building on an incredible story that you have to go and read for yourself!

This burn is absolutely beautiful with its textures, and shapes, and shading, and colors, and her storytelling is phenomenal.

Zoom in on all of the beautifully moody details of this piece and then go back to her first post for the week and read the whole story so far.

This piece is brilliant and so creative, we are beyond excited to get to share it with you all. Give @calico.callie.ink a follow!

@theroderickshop called this piece “Ballet of Pines” and we are just obsessed with those elves.

The movement in these dancers, the grain in their skin, and the fact that they use PINECONES as their tutus.

He wrote, “Tonight for one night only the Forest Elves will allow the humans to enter their enchanted wood for the annual performance of the Ballet of Pines - a dance honoring The Royal Conifer at the center of their wood. I was quite touched to be asked to design this year's poster.” It is just incredible that two words, VIBRANT and PINECONES, can bring out this level of creativity.

Just so cool. Please go give this amazing artist, @theroderickshop a follow!

@unamanu_design created this adorable collection and we just love the direction they took this.

Trendy apples throughout history. What a cool concept! Here is what they wrote:
“1250 b.C. A golden apple has become very fashion, many Goddesses desired her (3)
1300 William Tell's apple
1400 Snow White's apple… seriously the most dangerous. There were many fashion victims !
1666 A very serious apple that explained the law of gravity to Newton
1920 J.J.Fitzgerald was the first to refer to NY as the big apple.
1964 A green apple became famous thanks to Magritte
1977 3 guys used a colored apple to make their computer famous”

I love when these prompts are also educational. Great burn(s) @unamanu_design - Everyone please go give @unamanu_design a follow!

We would like to give a HUGE THANKS to the co-sponsor/co-host @walnuthollow for making this such an awesome week full of amazing art! I could not do this without you all. Thank you for being such an amazingly supportive company for our community, and for making such great products for us all to make our art on and with! Thank you @walnuthollow!!!

AND

A HUGE THANK YOU. To every single one of you that participated and supported this challenge and these artists! This community rocks.

Make sure to follow the #fallburntweek hashtag and check out our stories and @walnuthollow for some of our favorite posts from yesterdays wild prompt!

Where Else did you and your artwork can get featured?

Both @walnuthollow (our Sponsor) + @woodburncorner select artists for each prompt to feature in:

• both Walnut Hollow + Wood Burn Corner Instagram posts + stories

• on this blog post once the challenge is over

• our Facebook page

• as well as on Pinterest

What did people win

There are many prizes and a pre-challenge giveaway for sharing about the challenge.

Wood Burn Corner gave away a daily prize! Each winner got to choose from the following:

• Digital Copy of Template Book (Volume 1)

• Digital Copy of Template Book (Volume 2)

• Signed copy of The Wood Burn Book

• Complete Wood Burning and Business Toolkit (Value $749)

• Access to Pyrography and Business Summit Recordings (Value $240)

Walnut Hollow gave each daily winner a $100 gift card to spend on their website: www.walnuthollow.com as well as a Walnut Hollow t-shirt and stickers!

How to join in on the challenge NExt time

Learn about the next challenge first by joining Burn Club+. Then Burn Club hears about the challenge next and then we announce publicly onto our instagram feed.

To participate in this everyday wood burning challenge, post a photo of your prompt-inspired piece (on instagram) on the date listed using #FallBurntWeek and mention both @woodburncorner + our sponsor @walnuthollow.

That’s it! It’s that easy.

Can I still join in but not burn?

If you are not able to participate by making art, you can still show your fellow pyro pals some love by sharing, commenting, saving, and liking all the art! Spread the news about the event by posting about it in your stories, reels and posts.

We are always blown away at what your uniquely creative minds come up with.

Make sure to follow #FallBurntWeek to see the all the artworks made during the challenge or Check out Some past challenges here.

Let’s join our voices together and raise the entire community up. Keep spreading the love and happy burning!

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Free Radial Symmetry Poppy for Wood Burning

I am so excited to share this pattern with you all! I cannot wait to see your version burned. Below is mine. I created this one piece on a cherry wood slice.

The first one on the left is before adding color. The second on the right was filled in with a light watercolor layer. I was going for a washed/fadded sort of look but it seemed too dull. Especially for the classic California poppy!

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So, on this last version below, I added a second layer of paint with a thicker, less watered down watercolor.

Fun fact: This is the very first collaboration between Rachel Strauss, founder of Wood Burn Corner and me, Basia Chmielowiec of @finelinepyro. It came together during a pyrography challenge where Rachel prompted us to burn the poppies she drew. The original poppy design (and also a free downloadable template) can be found HERE.

My love of the mandala definitely inspired this prompt and using the Procreate app on my iPad, I merged Rachel’s poppies into a repetitive circular pattern! Can’t wait to see you burn it!

NOT SURE HOW TO GET THis Radial Symmetry POPPy ONTO YOUR WOOD?

Check out the instructions on how to heat transfer an image onto your wood slice or how to transfer without using heat!

If you are brand new to pyrography and want a quick start guide, head over to the blog post: Start Here if you are NEW to Wood Burning

FOR MORE GREAT TEMPLATES TO PRACTICE YOUR PYROGRAPHY SKILLS WITH, CHECK OUT:

THE WOOD BURN COMMUNITY BOOK OF TEMPLATES or

THE WOOD BURN COMMUNITY BOOK OF TEMPLATES Volume 2

Author: Basia Chmielowiec of fine line pyro and proud squad member of Wood Burn Corner!

How to get rid of mistakes and graphite/pencil lines

Mistakes. They happen. You can not easily “edit + undo” in pyrography but there are a couple tricks to making mistakes less visible.

This post includes affiliate links - we only recommend items that we have tried and love!

how to get rid of pyrography mistakes:

Razor - This technique is best for lighter burns. Use a razor as a little scraper to remove burn lines that are not too deep. For deeper burns you can still use this trick, however, you will have a dent/groove from the burn and scraping… It will take the contrast away and be less visible though!

Dremel Tool - Same idea as the razor except with a little more power. Depending on the shape of your Dremel bit, you can get into tight corners.

Sanding Stick - Same idea as the Dremel tool but with less power and more precision (depending on the Dremel bits you have. A sanding stick has a straight edge you can use for small fixes). For small areas, try a tiny sanding stick or wrap some sandpaper on a ruler or wood slice if in a pinch,

Sandpaper - If you want to fix a small mistake and don’t have a sanding stick, try folding up the sandpaper to create a sharp edge. Or wrap the paper around a block and use a corner to remove mistakes.

Tombow Eraser - A super handy eraser that is half eraser and half sandpaper. It has grit within it so it helps to take off any lines and overburn and the eraser in it does the rest. It works great on pencil but it won’t take off 100% of dark graphite (if you pressed really hard during your transfer). Use a tombow eraser first as it won’t scratch up your surface and then finish off with a super light sanding.

Keep Burning - Sometimes you just need to embrace the mistakes and work with them. Continue burning and adjust the original design to make your mistake disappear. Try to burn around the area instead of on top as burning the same spot will result in a deeper burn which may stand out and cannot be fixed.

How to get rid of transfer lines or pencil marks:

You’ve finished your wood slice art piece but can see remaining pencil lines from drawing your design, or even worse, transfer lines after using a no-heat transfer technique or the heat technique, you can see bits and pieces of your graphite lines.

There are a couple ways to get rid of these too!

1. Tombow sand eraser:

   Start here as the eraser gets the majority of the lines off or at least makes them lighter and less visible.

2. Give it a light sanding with sandpaper:

   Regular old sandpaper will work to get off graphite and pencil lines. Lightly sanding over your burn lines makes them sharper and cleaner, getting rid of overburn. This part sounds scary but it will really get everything off! Except what you’ve burned of course, UNLESS your lines and shading are not deep. If you have very light shading or lines, you may have to touch them up. I usually recommend getting the outline or majority of my design burned, take of the graphite lines with the Tombow eraser and a light sand, AND THEN fill in details and shading.

   After sanding, you may be getting dust in between your pyro lines that are tricky to get out. I use a sandpaper that has a sponge on the back and wipe it with that (dry of course). You can also use a toothbrush, air compressor (like the ones people use to clean their keyboards), or a microfibre cloth.

Some tips on avoiding the whole process of erasing leftover lines:

1. Firstly, use graphite paper or blue chaco paper. Carbon lines are much much harder to take off!

2. Use a light hand to transfer your design.

3. Transfer the minimal amount of lines (i.e. just the outline and the placement of a few details to get you going).

4. Draw your design directly on the wood, and lightly with a pencil or chalk (much easier to erase than any transfer paper).

5. Try burning free hand! I mark the general shape or outline with a couple dots or dashes using a pencil. That way there is much less to take off and I usually end up burning on top of those few lines. Tape also works well to make temporary borders.

Author: Basia Chmielowiec of fine line pyro and proud squad member of Wood Burn Corner!

Interview with Kristyn Burney - Creative Business Mentor and Coach

Kristyn Burney is a gem and such an inspiration!

Listen in o this interview and learn how she built several 6 figure business, manages family life and coaches others to do the same. This is how to dream big and go for those goals!

Find Kristyn Burney on Instagram for loads of tips and tricks for entrepreneurs and and shop super cool door mats on her Etsy shop!

"Go with the flow of what is energetically right for you".

This interview was created for Burn Club+ in 2020, and was just now released to the public.

Grow with the community and get first access to interviews, exclusive tutorials and lessons by joining Burn Club+, a place where you can ask questions, and get the full answers, a place of fun and learning.

The Pyrography + Business Summit

the ONE and only Pyrography + Business Summit!

There were 39 live classes with 35 well known presenters from all over the globe. We learned so much from pyro experts with the live wood burning masterclasses, panel discussions that dive into pyrography and panel discussions on business, plus interviews, community chats + challenges.

Everything pyrography + business.

If you weren’t able to join us live, you can always watch the recordings at your own pace!

30+ Pyrography and Business CLASSES:

PYROGRAPHY

Introduction to Wood Burning

Safety + Transfer Techniques

Pyrography Books Discussion

Wood Burning Tools

Tools of the Trade

Wood + Other Surfaces

Adding Color

Finishes

8 Masterclasses on Pyrography Techniques

Burn-Alongs with Expert Pyrographers

Panel Discussion on Pyrography

Interviews

BUSINESS

Goal Setting + Finding Focus

Business Books Discussion

Making Money as an Artist

Selling Online + In-person

Teaching Classes

Email Marketing

Websites + E-commerce

Pricing Your Art

Photography and Videography

Social Media + Pinterest

Live Coaching Sessions

Business Panel Discussion

Interviews

Also, Check out #pyrosummit on insta to see what people have taken away from this awesome event!

This Summit is basically one huge collaboration, and we are all so pumped to have completed it in 2022!

Rachel's February Reading List

February was a shorter month, and work on the Pyrography + Business Summit picked up, so I didn’t get quite as many books read as I would have liked. What I did read, I mostly enjoyed, and I am excited to share them with you.

All books are linked directly to Amazon for easy purchasing. I receive a tiny portion of Amazon’s profits if you choose to purchase one, but this in no way effects my reviews. I will always be honest with my thoughts on products, books, services, etc.

1. Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk - I really like Gary as a no-nonsense speaker on business. He is a bit abrasive, but in a good, motivating way. This book talks about give, give, giving before you ask of your customers/clients. The jabs being the value you provide and the right hooks being the ask. Effot is important for telling your unique story in a noisy world.

2. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng - I liked this book, ok. It is a NY Times Bestseller, but I have read better as of late. The characters were well developed, there is an artist in the story, and a couple twists and turns. There is a push and pull with the storyline, and it is clear that there is no black and white or wrong and right when it comes to some things, and there are plenty of those in this book. Well written.

3. The Power of Persuasion by John Myers - Lots of persuasive tactics. At one point he lists off over a hundred different ways to convince people to do something. It is also helpful in being able to spot persuasion when it is being used on you.

4. How to Stop Time by Matt Haig - “It only takes a moment to live.” This was a very cool book. Gets you thinking about the long and short of history and how it repeats itself. Really enjoyed the concept and the name drops throughout. I loved how the author played with time, locations and memories. “Sometimes you can just look around and be happy right where you are.”

5. Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover - Another great story from Coleen Hoover. Heartache, death, forgiveness, and connection, this book has it all and you will fly through it. You will feel for the main character who is stuck in an impossible situation. “Regret keeps you stuck on pause.” Makes you think about mistakes that you have made in life, and how one small act can change everything. “Are you going to live in the sadness or die in it?”

6. On The Shortness of Life by Seneca - This was recommended by several Titans in their fields out of the book Tools of Titans by Timothy Ferris. It is a really really old book written by a Roman philosopher. It is said her wrote it to his father-in-law, a mortal essay. It has since been translated and transcribed over time. “Life is long if you know how to use it.”

7. Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon - Our Keynote Speaker for the upcoming Pyrography + Business Summit! This is a NY Times bestselling book with over 1 million copies sold in English alone. Such a great read that I think every artist out there should get their hands on. “Do good work and share it with people.”

8. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens - This was a STUNNING book! So incredibly well written, and made you feel like you were there, in Kya’s beautiful world. It is a story of perseverance through extreme neglect, trauma, and solitude. A beautifully sad story that definitely made me weep. Trigger warning for SA.

9. Talk Triggers by Jay Baer and Daniel Lemin - This book was all about ways to get the most powerful and efficient marketing tool, word-of-mouth, to trigger. The types of talk triggers that can be utilized for business, and how to get it working for yours. It was good and I got a couple good points out of it, but I think it is best for larger corporations rather than small creative businesses.

10. Show Your Work by Austin Kleon - Another book that EVERY ARTIST NEEDS TO READ! Do good work, and the rest will come. This author, Austin Kleon, is so great at getting right to the point in both his writing and illustrations. For a visual learner, like myself, this is really helpful. Can’t recommend his trilogy enough, and so excited to hear him speak in May at our Summit!

Want to know what I read in January? Check out Rachel's January Reading List

Burnt March 2022

Burnt Challenges are a call to all artists to create a piece of artwork using pyrography based on a specific word or what we like to call, a prompt!

This challenge is for wood burning artists of all stages and is an excellent way to grow your portfolio, try new things, push your craft, meet other pyrographers, hone your skills, gain followers, sell art, and have a ton of fun while you are at it!

Having a restriction, like following a specific prompt, can really bring out creativity in people. These prompts are known to get people inspired and trying new things. Things they perhaps wouldn’t have thought of that are out of their norm.

The challenges are living in the wood burning community on Instagram. Follow us there or join Burn Club+ to get your prompts in advance next Burnt Month.

Both Walnut Hollow (our Sponsor) + @woodburncorner select artists for each prompt to feature in both instagram posts and stories, as well as on Pinterest. We have chosen some participants and they have won some awesome pyrography goodies!!

We are blown away at what your uniquely creative mind came up with using these prompts. Below are the featured artists or make sure to check out #burntmarch to enjoy all the beautiful art - it’s like a fee art gallery!! (scroll down a bit to “Most recent” to see the newest works!)

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Check out even more past challenges here!

How to support the artists:

If you are wood burning and participated or not, feel free to comment on the posts you enjoy and let the artists know know how stellar their work is! You can also save, share and re-post to help them get even more exposure!

Make sure to check out the hashtag on insta: #burntmarch - the free art gallery. Follow your favorites! Keep sharing and spreading the love.

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5 Common Pyrography Myths

Megan of @happicamperkc is such a fabulous pyrographer and person. I had the good fortune to get to meet her in person, where we talked about pyrography and small business for hours!

Her pyrography is BOLD! Her color choices alone speak for themselves. She has learned a thing or two in her years as a wood burning artist, and she is sharing her knowledge with us.

Do yourself a huge favor and follow this wonderful human and artist. Let’s help support her so she can make her dream of becoming a full time artist a reality!

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Guest blog post by Megan of @happicamperkc

Find Megan on Facebook - Instagram - Etsy

SUPPORT HAPPI CAMPER ON PATREON “We do, and her posts are always filled with knowledge, love, happiness, and COLOR!”

5 Common Myths When it Comes To Wood Burning

The art of wood burning has changed a lot in the past few decades, and with this change, many misconceptions have come along. I want to help clear things up and tell you the most common myths about this hot-n-trendy medium:

MYTH #1 : All wood is equal in pyrography.

Nope. Like way nope. To me, the best wood types for burning are: Basswood, aspen, Baltic birch. I would 1000% avoid pine and plywood. Each kind burns differently. And it is a preference thing. It's just pine is really difficult with the soft/hardness and plywood straight up has dangerous fumes due to the glue they use when in manufacturing.

MYTH #2 : Watercolor will make your wood crack every time.

Nah, the trick is: Less water. More patience. Also the thinner your pieces, the more likely they are to crack. As long as you're using 1/2" or thicker you will be fine using watercolors on wood art.

MYTH #3 : I can make art like yours with my plug-n-play burner my grandma gave me.

I get this one a lot with peeps who see my art on social media, and then maybe come to my burning classes. Unfortunately, no this is NOT the case. I use a professional-grade burner that gets up to 1000 degrees hotter than your 1986 wood burner pen.

To get those hot, hot burn lines like I do I recommend getting a Razertip, Colwood or Optima burner tool.

That's not to say you can't do amazing art with a Walnut Hollow Creative burner. Just check out Hippie North.

MYTH #4 : Wood burning smoke is no more harmful than a campfire.

Listen. You only get 2 lungs. And you freakin' need them. When I started burning in 2012, I thought the smokiness was no worse than camping. But if you're like me and you wood burn WEEKLY, safety MUST come first.

Use a fan to pull smoke away. Wear a charcoal lined mask. Open windows. If you don't regret it now. You'll regret it later.

MYTH #5 : It's easy.

Ha! It's not. People go into wood burning thinking that it's like moving a brush across canvas or pen on paper. Pyrography is a whole 'nother beast and it will take time for you to get a feel for how you want to burn.

Creative Retreat Live 2022

Peggy Dean is hosting this year's Creative Retreat LIVE beginning February 24th, with over 75 artists and creatives sharing their skills, knowledge and pro tips! I will be talking all about COMMUNITY, and the value that comes with embracing it!

With over 75 FREE art lessons from 75 different artists, there is something here for you!

I am so proud to be amongst all these amazing artists each teaching their skill and sharing their knowledge of their passion.

I get the honor of teaching all about community and how embracing it will change the game forever!

My live session will be on at 12:00p PST on Tuesday, March 1st!

What are you waiting for?

Do your friends a favor, and share this page with them.

EVERYONE IS INVITED!

See you at camp!

Common wood types you should NEVER burn on

Wood burning is a safe hobby when you follow the guidelines and safety precautions.

Too many times I see artists not using a mask and burning their art without any proper ventilation. Although you may not see any side effects from doing this right away, you should be warned that there may be long term effects that can be avoided!! (Among lung and breathing issues, I have heard of people loosing parts of their vision due to prolonged periods of smoke exposure without proper safety gear).

SMOKE IS SMOKE. PERIOD.

It is not good for you to be breathing the fumes in! Or allowing them to go into your eyes and the rest of the house where others are breathing it too.

Please, please, please keep yourself and those around you safe by following the safety precautions set by the wood burning tool manufacturer. Click here to see how you can protect yourself and grab your free safety guide to print and hang on your wall if this helps to remind you to wear a mask.

DID YOU KNOW…

There are many different surfaces, other than wood, that you can burn on. The most common surface for pyrography is wood. But did you know that the materials you are burning on emit different toxins depending on what they are made of. Some are more toxic than others. So for instance, burning on dry, unfinished wood can be safe (with the proper gear) but not all raw wood emits the same toxins. There are wood species that are very dangerous for your health, even if you use all the safety precautions.

RESEARCH YOUR MATERIALS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT TOXIC CHEMICALS MAY BE PRESENT AND WHETHER THOSE CHEMICALS ARE RELEASED WHEN HEAT IS APPLIED.

Common wood types you should never burn on:

• Driftwood: Burning salt-saturated driftwood is a bad idea as it can release toxic or harmful chemicals when burned, according to the EPA.

• Green wood: This type of wood isn’t a species, it is the state of the wood. meaning it’s not completely dry. Once a tree is cut down, it needs to be seasoned for 6 to 9 months to become completely dry. Burning on this will create a lot of smoke and will take much longer, the process will be even slower than regular pyrography.

• Wet, rotted, diseased, or moldy wood

• Plywood, particle board, chipboard, wood pallets or any wood with glue on or in it: Do not burn on anything man-made. This includes wood that has been stained, sealed or treated with any kind of glues or oils (even if they are natural oils). if you mix your media (like I do with water marbling) make sure to wood burn first and then add other mediums.

• Craft store wood: Many stores sell wood for crafting with but the majority of the time those wood slices are intended to be embellished with paint, chalk or other mediums and are not meant for pyrography!

• Wood with "poison" in the name: Burning poison ivy, poison sumac, poison oak, or pretty much anything else with the word "poison" in it’s name releases the irritant oil urushiol into the smoke. Breathing it in can cause lung irritation and severe allergic respiratory problems, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Oleander shrubs: These thrive in frost-free climates and every part of it is toxic. Definitely don’t burn it in any way - don’t even use a branch to toast your marshmallow on.

• The yew tree (Taxus baccata) and a related species common to gardeners, Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) is known to be one of the most poisonous woody plants in the world, with all components of the tree, excepting the fleshy red part of the berry containing lethal amounts of taxine, a toxic alkaloid found in the yew.

• Mexican pepper: Also known as Brazilian pepper wood, it is similar to poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac, the leaves and bark contain urushiol, a toxic oil that causes serious rashes and allergic reactions.

If you feel any dizziness or headaches coming on while burning, stop and assess your situation. Do some research. I like to use the wood-database.com for a quick look up and do a little more research if I don’t get enough information from there. If you are unsure, reach out to us and just ask.

Know what you are burning on before you burn and stay safe!

Check out our safety guide for overall health and safety suggestions!

And Check out Top Woods To Burn on or join The Burn Club Community for more Pyro Fun!

sources:

https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-allergies-and-toxicity/

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/a20705861/kinds-of-wood-not-to-burn/

https://wooddad.com/what-wood-is-toxic-to-burn/

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/burning-oleander-produce-poisonous-smoke-75289.html

https://www.epa.gov/burnwise/best-wood-burning-practices

https://extension.psu.edu/toxicity-of-yew-wood-and-roots

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2010-118/default.html

Interview With Tom Ross

Tom Ross of and shares so much valuable information specifically for creatives and their businesses and how important building a community is for the business to thrive. He talks about how to get REAL followers and find your targeted audience, how to build a community around your business and how to make your business grow!

Just listen in on all the great advice he gives and start implementing these actions today!

You can find Tom @tomrossmedia + @designcuts

Visit his website: tomross.co

Sign up for his coaching

Listen to his Podcast

Take a listen to the interview with Tom from Tom Toss Media:

This interview was created for Burn Club+ in 2020, and was just now released to the public.

Grow with the community and get first access to interviews, exclusive tutorials and lessons by joining Burn Club+, a place where you can ask questions, and get the full answers, a place of fun and learning.

Why Every Small Business Needs an Email List

Repeat after me: Email is KING!

If you haven't started your email list, you will now. Having an email list is so very important for business.

Why is having an EMAIL LIST so important?

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tiktok - they are all based on algorithms. If those companies decide to censor you, or delete your account, would your business survive? What if they change their algorithms and no longer show your work to your following? Email is your backup plan. It's your insurance.

It's also a list of your most loyal fans. (This is important)

Emails have a much higher success rate for reaching your people, then any social platform.

It's also YOURS. You own it.

You can build intimate relationships with the emails you write.

Your readers can refer back to it and search for anything you send them, whenever they like. (including coupons!) Can't do that on Tiktok...

They can stay up to date with your happenings.

Your audience can feel more connected to you and your brand.

Still not convinced?

What is the first thing you do in the morning? If you are like me, it is check your email. “Turns out 92% of adults in the US have an email address, and 61% of them check it DAILY!” (Quote from Alex Cattoni). That's huge!

If you want to learn more about how to best utilize Email for marketing, check out the Email Toolkit, a deep dive into email and how to utilize it for small business.

What’s in the Email Toolkit?

WHY you need email marketing. EMAIL IS KING!!

Options of WHERE to keep your email list. There are so many different email providers out there, and many small businesses don’t make it past choosing where to put their list.

HOW to attract, and keep email subscribers. Creating awesome subject lines, and how to avoid the dreaded spam folder. How to market your list and incentivize it as well.

WHAT to put in an email to get your subscribers excited! Over 25 different things you can include in your emails to keep your subscribers engaged.

WHEN the best times are to send your emails.

ANALYZE, MONETIZE and there is even a section on ADVANCED email techniques if you want to up your email marketing game!

A portion of all sales will be donated to plant trees with One Tree Planted.

Passive Income Ideas for Artists

what is passive income?

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) says passive income can come from two sources: rental property or a business in which one does not actively participate, such as being paid book royalties or stock dividends. It's income that takes little or no effort to bring in. There are many different ways to accomplish this and I’m going to give you some great options if you are an artist/creative.

Make money while you sleep!

This doesn’t mean you won’t have to do any work for it at all.

Initially you will need to spend some time getting it set up and often it helps to invest some time into marketing it once in a while. It just means you put in most of the work upfront (with some possible maintenance and refreshing in the future) and then let it make you money.

Top three easy passive income ideas for artists

1. Prints

   Scan or photograph your work and post it as a digital product somewhere like your website. Ensure you have stellar photos and high quality scans.

   For a really hands-off approach, another platform like Artsy, Saatchi, Artpal, Society 6, Etsy, Singulart, VISUAL. They do the printing and shipping for you. Often, their audience can find you through the platform itself.

   The larger your audience, outside of the platform, the better your prints will do. It will help to talk about them on social media or on your website if you are getting traffic there.

   This is a great supplement to your art sales, and provides your audience with a more affordable option for becoming a collector of yours.

   Consider selling your art as an NFT if you understand that world!

2. Teach Online

   Make an online course. Record it once and upload it online.

   There are many options here. You can upload it to your website (directly on your site or via platforms like teachery) and sell it yourself. This way is not as hands-off, because you will need to market it and talk about it for people to know it exists and thus purchase it.

   The second option is to upload it to a third party platform that includes an audience like skilllshare, domestika, etc. They do the marketing for you and already have a client-base. You can (and should) boost the exposure and market it yourself on your site and socials. These platforms do not require you to have anything else, but a good high quality and informative video.

   A third option is YouTube. You need to meet some criteria and be active on the platform to start making money, so if you are already rocking it on YouTube, perhaps this is the place you want your lessons to live.

   Any of these options can bring in more clientele and provide you with more steady passive income.

3. Affiliate links

   Affiliate marketing is selling another businesses products or services to earn a commission on their sales that used your link.

   Link to all the supplies you use, all the tools you own, and materials you love! Make friends with the companies that you know and love and get links directly from them or use affiliate links through amazon.

   You still have to put in the effort to talk about it, but once it is setup in the right places, it should do the work for you to give you steady passive income.

   REMEMBER to only share links to things that make sense for your business, that you like/use, and/or that your audience will like. You want to be creating that win/win/win situation for your audience, the company you are sending your audience to, and yourself. Don’t share items/businesses that you don’t believe in or don’t make sense for your brand!

You can also check out the 5 Revenue Streams for your Wood Burning Business blog post for some opportunities to make your hobby into a thriving business!

Goal Setting and Creating Habits with Radial Symmetry Trackers

There's never a wrong time to set new habits and goals. Life constantly evolves, offering endless opportunities for growth and improvement. Whether it's personal, professional, or health-related, every moment is ripe for change and self-betterment. Embracing this mindset allows us to continuously evolve and adapt, making the most of each day as a fresh start towards achieving our aspirations.

A daily habit tracker gives you small wins to look forward to every day!

If you enjoy making to-do (and ta-da) lists, then you will enjoy tracking your daily habits, and you will find that you accomplish way more in a day. If you are anything like me, you may be thinking, that is great, but I will stop using it in a week/2 weeks/2 months. I have a solution for you! Put this list next to a habit you already have in place. Something you do daily without fail. For me, that is brushing my teeth at night before bed. I will do this no matter how tired I am. Putting my tracker next to my toothbrush has not only given me something to do during the two minutes I am brushing, but it also ensures that I do it DAILY without fail, too! Try this hack, and I think you will find that you stick to your tracker, and therefore your larger goals.

Need some guidance on finding focus and creating the goals you need? Check out: Focus Five - The 5 Things That Describe Your Business

WHY TRACK?

Daily trackers make goals more attainable and less intimidating. Rather than looking at a large goal and how long it will take, a habit tracker allows you to break it down into daily wins.

The beauty of a tracker is that you get to track what YOU want to track. You get to personalize it to your individual goals. Whether that be personal and/or business.

You can use these trackers for personal items like:

• exercise

• water intake

• mood

• stretching

• meditation

• journaling

• gratitude

• creating art

• alcohol intake

• reading

• medications/vitamins

• and so much more

You can also use them for your business goals.

You can track longer term goals and/or small daily actions that add up to your larger picture goals for yourself and your business. Track things like:

• crossing off at least three things from your to do list

• stopped working at 5pm and/or started by 8am

• no personal social media during business hours

• took a walk at break time

• writing a blog

• posting on a social media platform

• pinning on pinterest

• checking in on asana (or your daily to do list)

• spent 5 minutes plugging away at a long term project (i.e. organizing canva documents or your google photos or a course you are creating)

• spent less than 15min on social media (check your IOS device for a breakdown)

• promoting/marketing yourself

• whatever it is YOU want to work on for your business to reach your goals

Being able to see each day filled out with a simple pattern or color gives you a sense of accomplishment and a positive feeling. It gives you motivation to keep filling each day up and complete the month. It keeps you on track for your goals and the best part is that you decide what those goals are.

We’ve created printable, mandala style habit trackers! These can be used in a couple ways. The first way is simply coloring each section in with color(s). The other way is doodling in each section with little creatures, nature pattern or whatever you are into!

Once your habit is done (or at the end of the day, when you are brushing your teeth and getting ready for bed) you can make a quick doodle, like a heart or just some simple lines. If you are feeling fancy, add some detailed patterns. When your month is complete, you will have a pretty mandala that makes you proud!

We have individual trackers with 31 spaces or you can get the whole year where each tracker is numbered and has it’s corresponding spaces!

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Online Team Building Wood Burning Classes

Experiencing unique events, like a wood burning class, creates bonds, connections, encourages communication, and increases collaboration.

Effective team building means more engaged employees, which is good for company culture and boosting employee performance!

Wood Burn Corner brings unique virtual experiences to teams in their own home or office! Our classes are equal parts learning a new craft, relaxing mindful practice, fun, and team building. Contact us if you are interested in an in-person experience!

Wood burning is a versatile and relaxing art form, and the way we teach, attendees only need the ability to trace a line to be successful. We have a passion for this art form, and love bringing it to more people to experience.

We start the online class with an introduction to pyrography(wood burning) and the versatility of it. Think: canvas, leather, cutting boards, earrings, wooden spoons, wall art, and more. Then we dive into the tools of the trade, safety, and then get started creating our own wood burned art pieces. We walk attendees through the step-by-step process answering questions along the way.

These 1-1.5 hr online classes are a great option to bring your group together for a fun team building event.

There are two options when it comes to supplies. We can provide the kits with everything we will need for the class and will ship them to all attendees or we can provide a list of supplies if you would like to gather your own.

The kits come with:

• One wood burning tool

• 5 different varieties of wood (from coaster sized to wall art sized - Basswood, Birch, Sourwood, Aspen and Ambrosia Maple)

• Sand paper

• Sand eraser

• Graphite paper

• Embossing tool

• Tape

• Brass Brush

• Printed designs - These can be customized for your group.
  

We walk you through the whole process on the largest size wood slice, the Ambrosia Maple, using one of the designs included in the kit. People can also choose to draw their own designs or use their children’s art to transfer onto the wood. Those always turn out great.

By the end of the class, attendees will have a handmade, hand wood burned piece of art that they can be proud of and the knowledge and tools to make more in the future. I also like to send a follow-up email after the event with resources for continued education, wood suppliers, and any other relevant information to round it out.

Some of the COMPANIES WE’VE WORKED WITH

Contact us to learn more about booking a unique team building experience.