A Thank You

I don't really discuss my business financials, especially not on social media. But I recently reviewed my numbers, and I am less than $200 away from exceeding last year's total sales. In JULY. I've grown every year since I started, even if it was just in baby steps! I have my customers to thank for that. It's an exciting revelation. I love creating, and it's a privilege to be paid to do it.

I track my growth regularly, but especially when I get frustrated because it feels like my progress is slower than I think it should be, or things still don't match my ultimate vision. I step back and compare where I am now to where I was in my work last year, and the year before. Notice the comparison is with myself. Not other business women. Not other artists (THAT would be DEATH to my creative spirit). But to myself, so I can gauge whether I've made any progress in different areas, and pinpoint places I might be stuck. It helps me help myself.

I'm not saying that I don't ever look at other creative business people and think "why don't I have it together like her!", but I am saying that I know that is not productive. I've trained myself to admire others' work, branding, style, and go back to doing what I do best, improving, tweaking, believing in my own direction.   

All that being said, there's still a lot I need to do to keep pushing my work to closer alignment with my dream. The numbers revelation was the perfect juncture to announce a little celebratory sale to kickstart the next phase of ideas, upgrades and announcements in my work. I would love to make it to last year's total before month's end. So I want to offer something special to show my appreciation, and to clear out some existing stock to make room for new stuff in the works now for fall/holiday. I'm offering a never before 25% off orders in my home website store and my shop on Etsy through July 31st. It's my way of saying thanks, and I hope you stick around as I continue to grow! You can say you "knew me when", lol. The discount does not apply to shipping or to custom orders, but it does include items that are already marked down in both stores! *Be sure to enter the promo code, 25OFFJULY at checkout to receive the discount (see shopping cart examples below for where to enter the code).

Click to Enlarge. Website store cart (left), Etsy cart (right).

Follow the links to start shopping.  And a big, huge, ginormous thank you to those who've supported my work in even the tiniest way. You make this possible!

         

Photo Finish

Ugh. The season I've been avoiding seems to be nearing. Most of the pics seen on this blog, on my website, in my stores, etc. were taken with my trusty little Canon point and shoot (the rest with my cell phone cam). I've enjoyed it because its quick, convenient, and I don't have to concern myself with extra steps or adjustments prior to just snapping pictures.

But I knew the time would come when I would have to bite the bullet and invest in a DSLR camera. Lately I've been finding myself yearning for more from my images (i.e. depth, color range, minute detail). The thing that bugs me most about this is that if I make such an investment, I will need to commit to learning the ins and outs and all the bells and whistles. Otherwise, why waste good money? Why does that bug me? Because it means carving time out to do that learning. Time that I would rather be spending making things, or planning to make things.

While it's not my main focus, I do enjoy taking photos. Photography facilitates a lot of other work I do, so it's a necessity for me. I took photography as one of my elective classes in high school (35mm, enlargers, smelly chemicals and all) and enjoyed that. I love learning new things... but this is a broad, encompassing level, which I don't feel I have the focus to absorb yet. Still, I feel it's important for me to start planning. Luckily, I like to spend plenty of time procrastina- uh researching steps like this so I can make an educated decision and feel like I'm doing the right thing for my work (and my purse).

So I've put it out there. Guess we'll see how this plays out. Hopefully I'll have a plan of action by month's end, and have it executed (new knowledge, equipment, and all) by the end of the year, if not sooner...

Wordless Wednesday: IG Import

Monday Mediation

A crazy Monday morning seems to be settling down into a manageable afternoon in my studio. I encountered a minor snag or two with shipping and a customer's expectations, but I put on my diplomat and customer service hats, mustered up some creativity, and faced it all head on. Things seemed to magically give way to messages about new opportunities, loose ends tied, and wonderful, kind messages from customers who had received their pieces and were happy. Yes! Take charge, and watch life make way for you. 

I am continually thankful for all the wacky, fun, and/or pain-in-the butt jobs I've had over the years in everything from sales, management, customer service, to advertising, and yes, gaffing, to name a few. All of those (and many personal experiences), in some respect have prepared me to face Mondays like this and still love what I do (most of the time). Every. Single. Job.

Working for oneself is no joke, but for those who truly want it, I would say don't despise time you spend working for others. Take full advantage of that time to learn and take notes for when YOU are the boss. I still draw on things I experienced as a teenager at my very first jobs to help me run my growing business today. I'm an artist, first and foremost, but there is no getting around managing every other aspect of promoting and selling my work until I have people who take care of that for me. And when I do, I'll know what they are confronted with, because I did the job myself first. I managed the Mondays (and every other day!).

This is going to be a good week. [Psst- make yours good, too!]

Good Bad News

"... we are sorry to inform you that your application was not selected for the finalist round..."

Why in the world would I be happy to receive this kind of message in response to submitting my work for an art competition? Well, I am, and the reason has several facets.  First, I should say that I am a full time artist. I spend most of my time creating things, and I sell what I create. That has been my goal since childhood, and, well, here I am. But since life and work are (ideally) about constant growth and learning, my passion and work are not about arriving at some cut and dry destination and stopping. So for the sake of continued growth, and because making a living (for me) requires diversifying, pursuing a range of opportunities, I submit my work and ideas to different entities. On top of making enough to pay bills and have respectable savings, my goal the past few years has been to set a minimum number of projects/shows/grants/opportunities to submit to, and to exhibit more every year. It is a challenge to juggle everyday orders with "big picture" efforts, but a necessary part of my artistic growth. And the more an artist submits, the more she faces getting a "yes" or often, "no".

I got this message yesterday, and I was frankly happy for a number of reasons. First, I was happy that I could say this was another opportunity that I tried. That I didn't miss, or shy away from. The answer was honestly not as crucial to me as the feeling of taking advantage of a chance. And the more chances I take, the less it matters to me when some come back with a "no". Yes, it is a numbers game.
I was happy that I've grown enough in my approach to my work that I didn't take the no personally and begin to question my whole creative direction. I now feel that as long as I focus on doing what I'm driven to do, and doing it to my best ability, with an eye towards my own standards of excellence, that's what matters. A few years ago, I would have cried and started picking apart every life choice I'd ever made, down to the breakfast cereal I bought in 2001, and wasted time thinking that if my work were more like this person's and that person's, I would be better/happier/more successful. But these days, I am drenched in the realization that I don't need to try to create like someone else does, or mimic someone else's style to be fulfilled and successful. What's mine is mine and will happen in its time. Also, how many of the same artist (or whatever you are) does the world need? We are all different for a very good reason. Don't ask me what that is- this was supposed to be a quick post.
I'm [secretly] happy that I wasn't chosen because I can keep chugging along with other things, without the particular set of expectations that would have accompanied this "yes" (hey, I'm human, and though I can stir up some megalomaniac tendencies from time to time, sometimes I just wanna hide under a blanket with a book, or daydream and not be expected to create a masterpiece).
I'm happy that, though I'm staying busy making a living (which in itself is a beast), I'm pushing myself to reach further, even when it's not necessarily comfy. Bigger goals have bigger requirements.
Lastly, I'm happy that I know that whatever happens, I've eluded the what-ifs one more time, and have devoted time to things I will one day be glad I tried. What's the saying? "Do something today that your future self will thank you for." (paraphrased, not sure who to credit...)

Okaaay, wow, and speaking of devoting time (my most precious commodity), I think time's up for completing this post. I got an afternoon waiting to be conquered. How about you?

P.S. Just in case you haven't heard this repeatedly already, typing the word "happy" about a million times made me think of this, which is the truth:

Wordless Wednesday

An Artist's Tools

Where I go to play when it's not sunny outside... (let's be real- I go here to play almost every day).

color around my studio

Wordless Wednesday

Low Tech/No Tech

I'm SO not a tech head. Meaning, though innovation interests me, and I do things like write code and tinker with prototypes for my own designs, I'm usually the last on board for new gadgets. I haven't played a video game in years, I don't have a flat screen (who cares?), and I still sometimes use CDs and non-blu ray DVDs. Don't judge me. That stuff doesn't usually excite me. What does excite me are gadgets that improve my life, make me more efficient, etc. Yes, I do have a fairly recent phone. I use that and my laptop for my work. But for most other stuff, I allow the masses to try stuff out, sometimes for years before I break and buy. I would honestly rather have another book, or art supplies than zip zing zoom. 

Now that I've said all that, I will shamelessly admit that something came along that challenged my [old fashioned?] sensibilities. Enter Google Glass. When I first heard about it, I was instantly intrigued. As someone who loves the idea of hands-free multitasking, instant photo referencing/research, and hopes to get rolling with more technique sharing, this new concept sounded awesome. Check out the video:

Before you could say contradiction, I found myself signing up for Google's "Explorer Program" to buy and try this strange new technology. Last week, (after a few weeks' wait) I received an email from Google. An official invitation to purchase a pair of these space age specs while they are still in the testing phases. And after a quick look, I slowly backed out of the email, not completely certain that I wasn't being filmed like someone browsing in a brick and mortar store, being beckoned to open an account and sign a limb away. I haven't looked again, so I'm also not certain the email didn't self destruct. Let's just say, these special glasses are being valued higher than the most expensive trip I've ever taken (overseas!).

So I've snapped out of it, and am back to my old low-tech ways. At least for now, lol. They're not off my wishlist, though. Maybe on my vision board...

Wordless Wednesday: 2014

One Tip Tuesday

As promised in my last rant- er, post, here is the tip I wanted to share. It's a sort of craft hack that I think makes the basic step of applying paper mache to a balloon easier.

If you've ever attempted to apply wet paper strips to a balloon, you know the balloon doesn't exactly hold still while you work. It will roll around, possibly causing your handiwork to get shifted or even fall off. Here's a simple answer to that annoying scenario. Inflate a balloon and knot the opening. Next, weight the balloon by tying the mouth around the knotted opening of a bag of river stones (found at craft and garden stores). Now get a small bucket or large plastic tub. Mine is a large yogurt tub. Drop the bag of stones down into the tub. Now the balloon sits securely on the top, ready to be used.
Note: you may need to adjust and tighten the knot around the bag, depending on the size of your container, to get the balloon to sit firmly in the container.

Voilà! Now you can easily apply petroleum jelly (release agent) and the wet paper strips, without having to steady the balloon. I don't know if anyone else has shared something like this... I only came up with it the other day to make a project I had to do easier, lol. But I hope it helps someone out there!

that was easy!

Paper Beef

A recent order placed by a customer revealed an opportunity to set the record straight about the art of papier mache (aka paper mache). A parent placed an order for the paper mache body of a project with the plan to apply the finishing touches with her child. She sent me a link to detailed instructions to create the piece

Without revealing info about the link or its creator, I will say that it was the most convoluted set of plans, which included a number of messy, unnecessary steps... I shook my head at the idea that it was a project given to a child to complete at home. As someone who has worked in this medium for more years than I want to admit anymore, I wonder why people think it's such an enigma or tricky concept. When I see projects like this, I know. Please! Paper mache is NOT complicated! Don't make it. As much as I'm happy to create a custom request, I feel bad for the parents who have these things thrust onto them, without the interest or understanding of how simple they should be.

Bottom line, in my opinion, it was a project meant to be created in a classroom, guided by a teacher who is familiar with the technique (or at least okay with a mess). Not sent home for some harried parent to deal with. And if it is given as a take home project, or for any other reason tackled by a newbie, I'd like to set the record straight, to hopefully help parents, or anybody else faced with a project, if they're unfamiliar with paper mache. I'm sure there are lots of other great recipes to be found all over the internet. I've noticed, though, when I did a search that most were exceedingly involved, some with weird, complicated ingredients and steps. My personal preference is to create pieces using the simplest recipe, so I can reserve the finesse for the finishing (sanding, painting, embellishing).

There are two main types of paper mache, used over centuries by different cultures, to make many different (often functional) things. The pulp method is shredded paper, soaked in water, then mixed with a binder to create a clay-like situation that can be sculpted (more on this one later). The strip method involves paper torn into strips, dipped into a solution, layered onto a form, then allowed to dry. The strip method is the one I want to clarify (in case anyone is interested in my approach, after years of trial and error). Bottom line KEEP IT SIMPLE. When people start talking about boiling glue or boiling paper, I roll my eyes. That stuff is a waste of time to me, and doesn't make a difference in the finished piece. 

Here it is: Get newspaper (or whatever type of paper you prefer to use). Tear it into strips. Get plain white

glue. Add water to it until it reaches the consistency of milk. Dip the strips, (dripping excess glue off before applying) and apply 3-7 layers of strips to your form. Let your form dry. Add more, if necessary to achieve a hard, strong shape. Done. Well, at least the wet part, anyway. Now, there are other details, of course, so here's a quick breakdown:

• I prefer white glue over flour and water or wallpaper paste because a) flour and water pieces can mold! b) my skin does not like wallpaper paste- it makes me break out in hives.
• Salvage common household items to make forms. Use masking tape to tape together different shapes such as balloons, empty bottles, paper towel tubes, boxes, etc. to create a basic shape you can paper mache.
• If you'll need to remove items used to mold shapes (balloons, bowls, etc.), coat them with petroleum jelly, cooking spray, or talcum powder to make them easy to pry out of the dried paper form
• If you need to cover an item completely, when it has dried, carefully use a craft knife to cut your paper form. Pry the item out, then tape and mache the empty paper form back together.
• For heaven's sake, if you need to create a face/mask, please don't paper mache your face or a child's face (yes, I've seen this done). Do you wanna rock a paper facial until it's totally dry? No, I didn't think so. Get a styrofoam wig head thing, slap some Vaseline on it, and paper mache that.
• If you need a form that can't be found around the house, or want to make a unique shape, consider using non-hardening plasticine clay. It's super cheap, and you can get it at any craft store. There's the gray, artist grade type, or the colorful kind you can get in the kids section. Both do the job equally well. You can sculpt your piece, then dust it with talcum powder or cover with petroleum jelly/cooking spray, and paper mache it. Remove it from the clay when it has dried. This is a popular approach for mask making. You can reuse the clay over and over for different projects.
• Use sandpaper to smooth your piece.
• Allowing pieces to dry fully before attempting to smooth or paint them will prevent some warping, but be prepared, even the most carefully constructed pieces can warp occasionally. 

I think that's all of the basics. I may think of more to add later. If I've missed anything, or anyone has any questions, feel free to post them in the comments. I have another tip that I'll post later with pics on One Tip Tuesday.

Also, I mentioned pulp earlier. Find my recipe for pulp HERE.