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These days, when everything is at our fingertips via the internet and our smart phones, we often forget that handwritten notes can be one of the most important things when we need to thank someone. It's important that is someone gives you a gift or helps you in some way that you thank them. I decided to offer a few rules of etiquette when writing thank you notes.

DO send a thank you note within a week of either receiving a gift or an act of kindness. It's most appropriate to send a thank you note as quickly as possible so that the note doesn't feel like an afterthought to the recipient. The only times I would stray from this timeline would be after a shower or wedding. Generally, thank yous for showers should be sent out within 2-3 weeks and wedding thank you should be sent within 2-3 months, at the latest.

DON'T apologize profusely if your thank you note is late. A late thank you note is better than no thank you note. Write a quick and humble apology and then move on to the main item of importance-- thanking them. If you continue apologizing, it may quickly seem as though writing the note is a burden to you, which comes off as a bit rude to the recipient.

DO thank the person by describing the gift or act of kindness. Adding a tidbit about the item that you received or the advice that was given in the thank you note makes the note more personal and thoughtful. It shows that you appreciate the person that you're thanking.

DON'T use a thank you note as a passive aggressive way to let the giver know how you feel about the gift. If you received a gift that you don't particularly like, it's better to just thank the giver in a short and concise manner. If you received a red scarf from a friend and don't particularly care for red, now is not the time to let them know that you usually wear the color blue.

DO keep thank you notes to a quick few words about the specific thing for which you are thanking the person. I think many people aren't always sure what to write in thank you notes because they're overthinking it. Instead, they choose not to send one at all, simply because they don't know what to write. A quick note as below is best:

Dear Friend,
Thank you so much for the beautiful flowers! The orange and pink blooms really brightened things up on such a cold, winter day.

DON'T send an email when you could send a note instead. I think sending texts and emails has become so common that we often think it's ok to do the same as a thank you. In some situations, that is fine. If you quickly met up with a friend for coffee and want to thank them for their time, shoot them an email or text. However, if someone sent you a gift or went above and beyond to do something for you and you have their address, a thank you note is best. My general rule of thumb is that if I know the person well enough to have their address, then I send them a thank you by snail mail. Plus, who doesn't like to receive a thank you in the mail mixed in with all of the junk mail we receive on a daily basis.

Am I forgetting anything? What do you think is important to remember when sending thank you notes? I hope that these tips are helpful!

In conversation with other artists and makers, I often hear similar stories told-- that a family member or friend doesn't view their business as a legitimate business simply because it is not done in the traditional way. Businesses that are art or maker based don't have cubicles or giant corporate offices. They have working studios and creative spaces that are different from most businesses. In today's world, many of them, much like mine, don't even have a physical storefront, making them very different from a traditional retail space.

I encountered a similar conversation recently while chatting with a friend. In our conversation about people who have forged their own path after spending some time teaching, another woman came up in discussion, someone who created their own start-up and is now the CEO. I mentioned that it is inspiring to see women go after what they're passionate about, and that it has been interesting to see a few others leave the world of teaching to do their own thing. And then that often heard line came, just in a different form. "Yeah, but she's a CEO," said my friend.

While I knew what she meant by it, it still sort of stung. I realize that she was pointing out the difference between running a corporation versus running a small creative business. But I couldn't help but question, am I not also a CEO? The chief executive officer that calls all of the shots? The head honcho that's in charge? I may not report to a board or have a slew of employees running part of the show or actually hold the title, but how does that make what I do on a daily basis any less important or any less of a business?

Sure, I am an artist and maker, by all means, but I spend a large portion of the day making all sorts of behind the scenes decisions that could eventually make or break my business. I make decisions about the direction I plan to take my business, about how to allocate funds for new projects and endeavors to move my business to the next level, and about how I intend to reach quarterly goals. Just because the business is a creative entity does not mean those other aspects go out the window. And realistically, if they were to, I would probably no longer be in business.

The conversation made me question myself. I wondered whether or not I was perceived by others as taking my own business seriously. Or that I'm perceived as just a maker who is not driven by goals and deadlines. Perhaps my business comes off as this cute, little endeavor next to giant, multi-million corporations. Yet why is that stigma present even if what goes on behind the scenes is very different than those perceptions? Why should one need to hold an official title in order to be viewed in the same way? Why do comparisons of two very different businesses lead to one being perceived as more important than another? Those were questions that I simply could not answer.

Have any other makers ever found themselves in similar conversation? Why do you think that small, creative businesses are not valued in the same way as corporations?

Being trapped in my house for a few days due to a blizzard gives me plenty of time to contemplate all of those random things in life. And so, I present to you, perhaps a new series-- Things I Don't Get.

1 // I don't get why some people's only mode of communicating is yelling. I think we all know the type. The people that can't talk to their spouse, but yell at them instead. The people that could say something nicely to their kids, but do it by yelling instead. I just don't get it. Aside from coming off like an ass, wouldn't you feel perpetually angry from all that yelling?

2 // I don't get why anyone would need three closets for their clothes. I saw a blog post about needing three closets, and it freaked me out. First of all, who can even afford that many clothes?! I sure can't! Second of all, even if I could afford that many clothes, why the heck would I want that many clothes? I already have a hard time deciding what to wear in the morning. Why would I want to make it even harder for myself? I think I'll stick to my tiny row house, midget sized closet with my basic wardrobe.

3 // I don't get why people open Etsy shops before they know how to make what they want to sell. Aren't Etsy shops usually the progression from-- Oh wow, I'm getting really good at this. Maybe I should start selling it. Not the other way around, like-- I want to have an Etsy shop so I need to learn how to make something. Am I the only one that doesn't understand the thought process?

4 // I don't get people who don't use plates. My husband is a huge offender, and he knows I'm putting this out there because I told him this morning. He likes to put his toast on the counter and eat from the counter instead of a plate. I've known other people to do the same, and I just don't get it. Plates mean that you're not leaving crumbs all over the house. Or, if you have a mishap while eating things don't fall on the table, counter, or your lap. Instead, they fall on your plate. Seems like common sense to me.

5 // I don't get why people like winter. During this blizzard event, I've had several people try to convince me that winter is actually awesome. I don't understand what is so awesome about it. It's cold. And then if it snows as well, you end up with cold, wet snow in your shoes after being outdoors. And you get those clumps of cold, wet snow stuck inside your gloves after they inexplicably got there despite you being really careful about not getting snow up your gloves and sleeves. And then, because of said cold, wet snow, it's even more cold. No thanks.

Is anyone else with me on these things? What are some things that you don't get? I feel like asking that question is setting me up for responses like, "I don't get people who don't get why people like winter." Happy Tuesday, dear friends!

During the last couple of days, we've been mostly stuck in our house after being hammered with a record breaking 29.2 inches of snow within a 24 hour period from Friday night through Saturday. Before the flakes started falling, we talked excitedly with many neighbors on our block, and the recurring end of conversation statement came time and again, "Let us know if you need anything in the next few days!"

And while we haven't run out of any particular supplies or needed anything specific, we've all somehow pitched in together. Andrew made three rounds with the shovel on most of our side of the block's sidewalk as well as neighbor's stoops. In return, a neighbor gave us a bag of salt and another had her kids clear off our cars yesterday afternoon. Another neighbor brought us doughnuts for a late breakfast, so we gave them soup and savory scones in return. Upon delivering the soup, they handed off two bottles of beer in exchange. In each scenario, things just evened out in the end, and everyone was happy.

While I already know that I have incredible neighbors, blizzard or not, these sorts of events tend to bring out the best in people, and I wonder why we don't do the same on a regular day to day basis. Interestingly enough, on the day of the blizzard, my mom also shared this website on facebook. The general premise is that neighbors use stickers on their mailboxes to denote what items and services they are willing to share with others. Shareable items range from a cake pan to wifi, with the idea being that the neighbor who is using the item would share something in return.

Perhaps this concept makes me seem like an idealist, but there is something about sharing in this way that brings people happiness. Being able to share with each other also means less waste. How many times have you purchased that weird kitchen gadget that you've only needed to use once, only to find that you could have borrowed it from someone briefly? Or perhaps you made a batch of baked goods that was entirely too much for you to eat on your own and they went to waste. Or maybe you purchased a book, which ended up going unread on your bookshelf after one use.

Our society often demands of us to buy as much as possible in order to have the largest amount of convenience. And while convenience can be nice, imagine what a sharing community would push us to do. We'd be forced to talk with our neighbors and build new relationships. We'd be pushed outside of our comfort zone and start thinking about others around us instead of just our own needs. Would that be so bad?

Do you already have a sharing community? What do you think about working more actively toward a sharing community?

It's hard to believe that it's already Friday. This week has flown by, and sooner than later, January will be over. I'm going to stick with my music theme on Friday because I'm always rocking out on Fridays, knowing that I have a little rest and relaxation ahead.

This week, I'm sharing a recent favorite of mine-- the latest single 'Call Off Your Dogs' from Lake Street Dive. Lake Street Dive is one of my favorite bands within the last few years. They offer a sultry, bluesy pop sound which almost hints at a motown vibe. It's hard not to start tapping your toe while listening or even stop yourself from dancing along. In fact, Lake Street Dive's last album Bad Self Portraits has become a popular kitchen dance party favorite in our house while cooking our dinner.

'Call Off Your Dogs' has a cruise-y beginning vibe leading into another great set of vocals from singer Rachel Price. The single leaves me anticipating their latest upcoming release, Side Pony, which will be out on February 19th.

What have you been listening to lately? Are you a fan of Lake Street Dive? We saw them live last year and had a blast.