March 26, 2012

It's been a very dry week for business. Life has been crazy though, so I guess that makes up for it.

I was thinking about writing again just now. I had a writing teacher that said you should never use cliches, that all of your writing should be fresh and new. He said how horrible Soap Operas were, because they are 90% cliche. At the time I thought, that's what they were supposed to be. So because of that, when I put in any cliche phrase into my writing, I think it's bad. I'm starting to rethink that one. I think it's OK to put a tiny bit of cliche into your writing. It might just be a comfortable familiar thing to the reader. Or maybe it brings the writer to the level of the reader in the reader's eye. And after all, how can you avoid a string of words in all situations.

OK enough of the writing over thinking.

I was so behind in my work, that I had to do quite a lot today (and will tomorrow too). So I planned to cut and sew and cut and shape flowers and finish my designs and send them off. I woke up in the morning to a new Vistaprint add for postcards half off. I wanted to make the cover of my mini brochure out of a small post card, so.... on top of my huge todo list, I added finishing my brochure cover. I had one almost finished so I finished it and uploaded it. It was the wrong size. I have no idea how I got the wrong template, but I did. I had to redo the whole thing. I think I might have been planning to use the bigger size, but I thought the smaller will be better now. And it will cost less.

The nice thing about the post card, is that I can also sent them as a post card. So I ordered 100 for now. They match my website and I have a binding machine, and paper cutter, so I can whip up 4 page little brochures. I'm very excited about them. I guess I'd better hurry and make my packaging, so I can take pictures and get it in my brochure and on the website. I'll have two options for wholesalers, recycled kraft box or hanging clear pillow boxes.

I've definitely taken too much time off of my project and it's time I got it in gear again.

March 25, 2012

Nearly another birthday. You would think at my age, I'd have it all figured out. After all, I am seriously close to retirement age, or the other place. Maybe I'll live longer because I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up.

I've been thinking a lot about writing lately, It's quite a skill. I like to write and review and rewrite, but this blog doesn't leave me that option. I was talking to my cousins about certain cartoons that seem to be written for children, but really have a lot of adult content. That's quite a writing skill. I think to be able to write wonderfully, enticing ad copy is a great skill too.

I tell this great story about an incident with my ex-husband. I've had kids ask me to tell it again and again. But without the body language and expressive tones, it might be oh so boring. It would be a great skill to relay the motions and expressive voice in word alone.

I'm getting ready to write my brochure, and want my feelings to be properly expressed. I want my product to be properly represented. I need this help on my design website too. Then I can knock a few more things off my to so list.

March 24, 2012

Ack! I think the whole point of this diary was to DECIDE between my flower jewelry and my lighting design work. Well I failed miserably at two things so far. I haven't been tracking my goals and I really haven't lost weight. Considering I was pretty sick for almost two months of this thing, I did pretty well.

I was dressing to go out to a family dinner tonight and the bulging gut was very disappointing. I've decided that I really have to get rid of the heart attack fat, if nothing else. I've been walking more, but not as much. I plan on getting that fishing license and walking to the park across the street to fish. maybe I'll take some of my money and buy a bike, that will be good too. If I get any good at it, I can even bike to the Post Office, but I'd have to be really good, because we have a LOT of packages to take in. Our Post office will not pick up packages where we live.

I checked my spreadsheet of things I needed to accomplish and the dates. I did NOT do a good job. I am very behind. I should have my design website finished and my brochures made by now. The logo is holding me up. I really need to either get it or do without. I have to decide. I may do without and use the logo on my images only if I ever get it. I think I have to decide on that one this week, I need my covers printed.

I have a lot to do this week, good I'm healthy again. I'll post my progress, as usual.

March 23, 2012

I've been so crazy busy with work and life, I completely forgot I wanted to start making some art again. I think I'll start small, like ACEO (postcard) size works. Flowers I think. Just to get back into it. I think I'll buy some pencils. They seem to be reasonable on eBay, just hope they don't get fractured. I need some decent paper too. Maybe someone has some pre-cut ACEO for pencil on Etsy. I like a nice smooth hot press for colored pencil. I need something that I can do in about 20 - 30 minutes while I'm taking a break out in the sun. I can't use my computer there. It will be fun.

I spent almost the whole day dedicated to my design drawings. I started with invoices. My daughter keeps asking shy I haven't sent them yet. It's not that easy, you have to have an invoice in the first place, to fill in.
I had designed an invoice for my consulting work, on MS Excel, but that was not quite right. So two hours later I had finished the form and put in the items for payment. They will be much easier to do now, but still will take a little time. It really doesn't matter what you are invoicing for or who you are invoicing, even a standard form really has to be modified to fit the circumstances. And apparently I was a bit rusty and the Excel part.

The rest of the day I had peace and quiet, because the whole family was out for the day. I spent the quiet time getting my drawings finished. Then at the end of the day, I realized that the sewing machine was sitting untouched and I should have done my sewing. That was really dumb. Oh well. Now I have to fight with my daughter for time on the machines. I really don't have much to do, and she has to go out Sunday again to take her boy to see a Dr.

It's almost April. I have one month to finish my brochure and my design website. Very hard to do when your workload has doubled and near disaster hits every day. But I'm going to try my best. I guess I should finish my taxes and send that in too. Do I really need to sleep?

March 22, 2012

Life gets in the way part 365. Yes, that's the days in a year. I suppose I should say 366, because this is a leap year. How lucky we are to have an extra day to screw up things with. If you didn't get that sarcasm, it was.

I started the day cutting flowers in the sun. It was beautiful and peaceful. But my daughter needed me to watch the baby so I had to help. So much for flowers. Then I finally got the baby to rest and sleep. Next to me, because she relaxes better and sleeps sounder that way. I actually sang her to sleep. First time, I was shocked.

I was able to crochet a couple of denim blue headbands while she was sleeping. Good progress. Not exactly sure what to do with the white. I want something really lacy so I have to design that. Maybe with a lacy peak that falls down to the hairline.

I planned to work on more flowers and at night when the family was asleep, working on finishing my lighting drawings. My daughter took the baby and her eight year old down to the beach. He was playing with a friend.  He was trying to tow her on a boogie board, by the cord. We told him that she was too heavy and to stop because the cord might pull out. Right then and there it did and the plastic T that holds the cord to the board snapped forward right into his left eye.

That was the end of that evening of progress. His parents scooped him up in hes soaking wet T-shirt and bathing suit, grabbed the baby car seat, diaper bag and took him to the emergency room. They almost released him and then saw blood pooling in his iris. Parents had to take him to Cleveland to a better emergency room where they had to wait for several hours to see a Doctor and a few to be released. The accident was at 4pm, they got home at 1am.

While they were gone I had very little word. I couldn't think to design, I was pacing, and then decided to put my energy into mindless cleaning. I got more work done around the house than I had done in a very long time.  I was very far behind because of the cold and flue of the past months. I guess that all worked out, but I was already behind on designs, and they asked me to do more.

All things considering, it was a fairly productive day.

March 21, 2012

Today was my daughter's birthday. She was gone shopping, so I was home alone. But the past few day's had been so hectic that I could barely move.

I did a little work on designs and a little blogging. I will be working on some new flowers and headbands tomorrow, too. My deadline is almost here.

I must say that other than loosing weight, which I have lost a tiny bit, I've really done well at meeting my goals. I guess I really should pull out that goal sheet before I say that though. I guess that's another thing on my list.

I did set up a tentative date for more photography. I have such pretty things and the weather is getting so nice. Can't wait to shoot more. I also better get making those samples to ship to shops. I think I'll send actual samples to shops I really want and just sheets or booklets to other stores and if they are interested I will send samples. So many things to think about.

March 20, 2012

I've been avoiding Pinterest for a few weeks. Still not sure about the whole legality of it all. Personally I think that if you have something posted on the web, you intend for an audience. I suppose that leaves your work open to theft, and I suppose in the case of photography, that is the bad aspect of it all.

I plan to set up a design portfolio, but will have locked pages that you will need a code to view. I will also only have the code available for 24 to 48 hours. I can't have just anyone looking at and stealing my designs. I can really only show designs that have been produced. I certainly can't risk having my unpurchased designs posted at Pinterest.

I really love Pinterest, and I guess I've been avoiding it the same way people avoid talking to their relatives about the illness they have. It makes me sad that I can't think about it the same way I did. I don't even feel like browsing, let alone repinning. I'm going to go back, I'm just going to be very cautious about what I pin and repin. And I might clear a few things off my boards. For instance, I'll use photography from travel websites, rather than from an individual's blog or site. I'll also pin from seller sites, to help boost sales for friends. You know, the people who want to be pinned. And if I see something I really want to pin, I'll get the originator's permission first.

I really don't have time to think about all of this, but I do need to get back to it, because it was so inspiring. My last designs, that I did very well on, were inspired by Pinterest. They were original designs, not at all stolen, but inspired by party and garden images that are popular themes. Popular colors, and trendy taste, Pinterest is a great way to find out what people really like, and what they are dreaming of. Who needs to make their own design trend board, when you can just go browse Pinterest.