Here’s a tip:

Give a talk wearing a clip-on mic and you’ll feel like Tony Robbins.

The talk was fantastic.  The mic gave me power… a little too much, I might have tried my hand at a little too much comic relief. The only thing missing was me saying, “AmmIriiight?” over and over and over again.  I did mentally check myself several times to  reaffirm for myself that I was doing a Q & A on paper cutting style and technique, not welcoming my “audience” to their BRAND – NEW – LIVES! In a picture below you’ll see a shot that looks to be the moment I scolded the audience for not being their best selves. That moment never happened, that is just me over dramatically describing the painstaking process framing a delicate piece.

Here are a couple more tips: If you’re playing a slideshow of work in the background, definitely say “Yes,” when someone asks if you’ll need a projector. If you are demonstrating close work, definitely ask your tech-savy husband for help, so he can make sure the people you’re talking to can see what you are doing (that helps).

All in all, it was a great night and I cannot wait to do it again.