My little baby isn't a baby anymore and she hasn't been for quite some time now. I have pictures of her from the first four or six months on the side of my studio that I don't really pay attention to. Every once in awhile I look over there and see one and am stunned. It can be hard to link the two together even though there are physical and even personality similarities. But a toddler is a little person while an infant not so much. The first year is all about them developing into a person.
She may not be a baby anymore, but she still needs me and my attention a lot. Actually in many ways she needs me more than ever before. When she was a newborn she slept a lot and that gave me time to work on art or simple housework. Or I could wrap her up on my back while she napped and work on a collage. That doesn't work anymore and it hasn't since she became mobile.
But now that I am finally learning how to schedule myself as best I can things are starting to slowly turn and I am getting bits of my own life back despite the fact that her needs are continuing to rise. It is quite empowering. Right now I am able to work on my art at a pace that I can live with. One that doesn't leave me missing it with a whiny miserable voice in the back of my mind constantly. And what a relief it is, like a weight has been lifted from my life. And now the world seems brighter and much more manageable.
I've decided that this Christmas season is a wash for me as I am too far behind in promotion, networking and more too close to Christmas. Once I admitted this to myself I felt a great relief and that gives me the ability to come up with a new plan and a new goal. And that one is for 2010. In 2009 I got my health on the right track and I am now healthier than I have been in years, 2010 is going to be about regrowing my business. It won't be the same as before I had Alex or before the crash as things are probably only going to get worse. But I'll have a plan this time!
But that doesn't mean that you can't buy from my store this holiday season!
Showing posts with label business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label business. Show all posts
Friday, November 20, 2009
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
mmmmm Autumn
My favorite season is here. And to celebrate fall please feel free to take 15% off any pieces in Etsy Shop with a fall theme. If they have Fall or Autumn in the title is what I mean. Just put "fall" in the notes to seller and I will send you a revised invoice.
Monday night and Tuesday were kind of a wash for me. I planned on blogging on Monday night but I got tired. Then I slept in. Monday was spent packaging up some orders and getting them mailed while running some errands.
Today I went to Cambridge with a friend via T to go to this clothing exchange to trade in some of the clothes blee has outgrown for some gently used correctly sized clothes for fall. This along with the few basics Jon and I purchased over the weekend and the $100 Gap gift card we are waiting on should cover us for all of the fall and a good part of the winter. Especially if her growth continues to be slower like it has been.
There are a few of the outfits she has worn this past season that I can't part with just yet and have put into a box for maybe another baby girl someday.
My Visiting Mom comes for the second to last time on Wednesday and I am looking forward to seeing her, but so sad that she will be leaving our lives soon. She has been a real blessing to me and Alex during these past months. I know all good things have to come to an end, especially when they are scheduled too. But I am very sad about this.
Going to go read some of the new chapter of "The Artist's Way" and go to bed. Goodnight and good morning. Or good whenever you happen to stumble upon this posting.
Monday night and Tuesday were kind of a wash for me. I planned on blogging on Monday night but I got tired. Then I slept in. Monday was spent packaging up some orders and getting them mailed while running some errands.
Today I went to Cambridge with a friend via T to go to this clothing exchange to trade in some of the clothes blee has outgrown for some gently used correctly sized clothes for fall. This along with the few basics Jon and I purchased over the weekend and the $100 Gap gift card we are waiting on should cover us for all of the fall and a good part of the winter. Especially if her growth continues to be slower like it has been.
There are a few of the outfits she has worn this past season that I can't part with just yet and have put into a box for maybe another baby girl someday.
My Visiting Mom comes for the second to last time on Wednesday and I am looking forward to seeing her, but so sad that she will be leaving our lives soon. She has been a real blessing to me and Alex during these past months. I know all good things have to come to an end, especially when they are scheduled too. But I am very sad about this.
Going to go read some of the new chapter of "The Artist's Way" and go to bed. Goodnight and good morning. Or good whenever you happen to stumble upon this posting.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Four Choices
One of these pieces is already up on my Etsy Shop right now, the others are not. Yet. One will be making it up sometime on Monday, the others during the rest of the week. I need your help deciding what should go up first. Thank you.
The weekend was thankfully much less eventful than Friday. Nothing to freak out about. A replacement cape is already being made and hopefully be with us by early next week. Plenty of time for blee's Halloween costume. We never got her one last year because even though the little baby sized ladybug costume was tempting, it seemed silly to buy something that would only get used once for a picture. Making a costume out of things that will be used again suits us much better. Plus blee will make the perfect little hobbit girl! I just can't give her a ring because she is likely to swallow it and that would be bad.
Let's see. Dinner at an awesome Ethiopian restaurant with a good friend and her not new anymore boyfriend on Saturday was fun. If you haven't tried Ethiopian food and like eating with your hands you are in for a treat if you ever get the chance. I got my date mixed up and I'm meeting with two girlfriends for a girl's night dinner two Sundays from now and not tonight. Which suits me just fine because two dinners out in a row is a bit much.
We ordered new Marimekko bedding for our new bedroom. Bright and cheerful instead of dark and intense. Also no cat claw rips all over it.
Autumn is here in Boston and I am enjoying it fully. My art sales are really picking up and tomorrow I am going to be quite busy packing up orders. I'm well on my way to getting that D-SLR I have my eyes on. Provided I don't blow it on a baby carrier. I'm starting Week Four of "The Artist's Way" tomorrow and I'm looking forward to it. Last week was rough. While it is encouraging that my business efforts seem to be paying off, the fact that I am still not feeling all that creative hurts.
Hope everybody reading this had a great weekend and has a great week. Time for me to brush my teeth and head to bed.
Here's a little blee video to bring a smile to your face if my words could not.
The weekend was thankfully much less eventful than Friday. Nothing to freak out about. A replacement cape is already being made and hopefully be with us by early next week. Plenty of time for blee's Halloween costume. We never got her one last year because even though the little baby sized ladybug costume was tempting, it seemed silly to buy something that would only get used once for a picture. Making a costume out of things that will be used again suits us much better. Plus blee will make the perfect little hobbit girl! I just can't give her a ring because she is likely to swallow it and that would be bad.
Let's see. Dinner at an awesome Ethiopian restaurant with a good friend and her not new anymore boyfriend on Saturday was fun. If you haven't tried Ethiopian food and like eating with your hands you are in for a treat if you ever get the chance. I got my date mixed up and I'm meeting with two girlfriends for a girl's night dinner two Sundays from now and not tonight. Which suits me just fine because two dinners out in a row is a bit much.
We ordered new Marimekko bedding for our new bedroom. Bright and cheerful instead of dark and intense. Also no cat claw rips all over it.
Autumn is here in Boston and I am enjoying it fully. My art sales are really picking up and tomorrow I am going to be quite busy packing up orders. I'm well on my way to getting that D-SLR I have my eyes on. Provided I don't blow it on a baby carrier. I'm starting Week Four of "The Artist's Way" tomorrow and I'm looking forward to it. Last week was rough. While it is encouraging that my business efforts seem to be paying off, the fact that I am still not feeling all that creative hurts.
Hope everybody reading this had a great weekend and has a great week. Time for me to brush my teeth and head to bed.
Here's a little blee video to bring a smile to your face if my words could not.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Light
ACEO
4x4
After two bleecentric birthday posts in a row I think it is time to get back to the original focus of this blog. The art. Something that has been neglected for months now that I am finally starting to poke back into.
Doing "The Artist's Way" is going very well. The art dates where I go out and do something by myself is by far the hardest, but probably the second most vital part of the program. The most important is the morning pages that I diligently do each morning while drinking a cup of tea. I've been getting up earlier just so I can be sure to get this, and some other art business stuff done. But it all started with doing the morning pages. Three pages about whatever written first thing in the morning. Even when I didn't complete the book in the past I did those and they helped.
This time I start each page with my list of seven things for the day. On my computer I have another list of seven business things to do. I go through and see what I completed and what I didn't from the day before. And each day I do more and more on both lists. I just hope I am not getting ahead of myself and can keep up this pace. I'm being very careful not to go too fast and burn out as I am prone to do. It is important for me to recognize my weaknesses both as an artist, a business woman, a wife, a mother and a person. Not to use those to beat myself up but to grow past them.
After every block I reach some sort of breakthrough. I wonder what it will be this time.
Please enjoy your day. I plan on enjoying mine and will keep listing new work from my last printing on Etsy.
4x4
After two bleecentric birthday posts in a row I think it is time to get back to the original focus of this blog. The art. Something that has been neglected for months now that I am finally starting to poke back into.
Doing "The Artist's Way" is going very well. The art dates where I go out and do something by myself is by far the hardest, but probably the second most vital part of the program. The most important is the morning pages that I diligently do each morning while drinking a cup of tea. I've been getting up earlier just so I can be sure to get this, and some other art business stuff done. But it all started with doing the morning pages. Three pages about whatever written first thing in the morning. Even when I didn't complete the book in the past I did those and they helped.
This time I start each page with my list of seven things for the day. On my computer I have another list of seven business things to do. I go through and see what I completed and what I didn't from the day before. And each day I do more and more on both lists. I just hope I am not getting ahead of myself and can keep up this pace. I'm being very careful not to go too fast and burn out as I am prone to do. It is important for me to recognize my weaknesses both as an artist, a business woman, a wife, a mother and a person. Not to use those to beat myself up but to grow past them.
After every block I reach some sort of breakthrough. I wonder what it will be this time.
Please enjoy your day. I plan on enjoying mine and will keep listing new work from my last printing on Etsy.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
More ACEOs Coming!
I found a stash of finished and partially finished ACEOs while I was searching for one that was purchased from my shop. I never did find the card, one that I had a special love for, and was starting to panic when I realized that I had shipped it late last week. My brain just isn't all here today. But at least it got me back in the mood to focus on these little bits of affordable art for awhile, something I have been meaning to do for some time now. So keep an eye out for more this week and next.
I hope you are enjoying Thursday more than I. Today is gorgeous and after I type this I am going to pack blee up and go for a walk down to the Post Office, but my day started out pretty bad. And very slow. I just couldn't wake up and used every moment of peace I had to nap. Not much at all. The funny thing is that blee slept from 7pm until 7am without even one wakeup so I got a good seven hours of sleep myself, but I must have woken up at a bad part in my sleep cycle because I wasn't feeling it. But I am doing better now. Packaging up orders helped get my brain together and functioning.
And it is a beautiful day after all, no reason to stay inside on a day like today! I will try to resist getting a new toy for blee while we are out. Yesterday I went to one of the four alternative baby/ kids shops within walking distance and picked up this toy. She loves it and I love its aesthetics. But I still haven't found the wooden beaded bracelet/ ring that I am searching for so I poked around online last night and found this wonderful and dangerous website.
I hope you are enjoying Thursday more than I. Today is gorgeous and after I type this I am going to pack blee up and go for a walk down to the Post Office, but my day started out pretty bad. And very slow. I just couldn't wake up and used every moment of peace I had to nap. Not much at all. The funny thing is that blee slept from 7pm until 7am without even one wakeup so I got a good seven hours of sleep myself, but I must have woken up at a bad part in my sleep cycle because I wasn't feeling it. But I am doing better now. Packaging up orders helped get my brain together and functioning.
And it is a beautiful day after all, no reason to stay inside on a day like today! I will try to resist getting a new toy for blee while we are out. Yesterday I went to one of the four alternative baby/ kids shops within walking distance and picked up this toy. She loves it and I love its aesthetics. But I still haven't found the wooden beaded bracelet/ ring that I am searching for so I poked around online last night and found this wonderful and dangerous website.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Goals and Such - My Schedule
Last Day for Domestic 1st Class Christmas shipping. Orders need to come in by noon so I have time to package them and get them to the post box before the 1pm pickup. I am doing free Priority Mail upgrades to orders $30 or over. But the cutoff for that is tomorrow.
Something I have learned is that it is very important for me to have some sort of a schedule that includes getting to bed around the same time every night. More than anything I can do outside taking medication a sleep schedule is important to managing bipolar. In fact even when on an effective medicine combo messing with my sleep can totally override it. It is that important, but also very hard for me to stick to. I failed last week when I stayed up past two printing and I paid for it big time for a number of days. Right now my goal is to be in bed by midnight which I have mostly stuck to (once was up until 12:15) but I don't think that is good enough. I really should start winding down around 10:30 and be in bed around 11 so I can hopefully be asleep by 11:30 since it is hard for me to get to sleep. Always has been. This gives me a few hours of sleep before blee wakes up between 1am and 3am for a feeding and changing.
Another thing I have been doing has been using a list on iGoogle (kind of like Widgets for OSX but better since it is web based). I set seven reachable but important goals for the day. And I always rotate at least one out and one in each day to keep things different and help me get things done. And if something becomes total habit I remove it completely. Right now I am working on making wearing blee and exercising habit and I think I am almost there. Thankfully the two often go hand in hand since I am able to do certain exercises like squats while wearing her and using her as a handy weight.
I think I may start posting this here since the problem with the widget is that there is no record after the day is over. This way I can go back and cross things out and see how I am doing week by week. And see what I am doing.
1. wear blee (min hour total)
2. art
3. exercise
4. tidy up
5. List 2 Items
6. blog/ Flickr
7. rest
These are good simple goals to have that keep me from stressing about everything thing that needs to get done and helps me get more done because I spend less time stressing.
Also, I recently joined a group called BostonBabywearers and was rather disappointed because they never seemed to meet in Boston but always well outside the city. Not locations friendly for my carless butt to drag my three month old too. Heck, they weren't even on the T line unless you include lots of bus transfers. No thanks. So I politely spoke up and asked about meetings in Boston and a number of interested women in my area spoke up and now we are planning something in JP early next year. I'm excited about connecting with other mom's that I hopefully have more in common with than the one in the mom's group through church. Don't get me wrong those women are all very nice generous and kind hearted people and I like them. But I seriously feel like the odd duck out in that group. Even though I am not much younger than any of them I feel very young and I think I am the only one that didn't grow up Christian and that seems to make a huge difference. The only one with any doubts, or at least will admit to them. I really have a hard time opening up to them. I mean none of these highly educated upper middle class to downright wealthy women knew what agnostic means! One of them tried to define it but failed miserably. A for effort I guess? Having been agnostic the vast majority of my life, borderline atheist I was shocked by this. I want to continue going to that once a month meeting, but I think these babywearers may be a bit more like me. Or at least balance it out.
Time to get to some since blee is actually napping!
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Burnout Stinks
I've been doing this self-representing artist thing on Etsy for nearly two years now. It has been a great start and really has helped me push myself and build my confidence as an artist. Enough that I am less driven by number of sales as I am by getting what I feel my work is worth. Now, I still haven't figured that part out but I am working on it. Prices may fluctuate for bit while I think things over. But they won't be going any lower than they are now.
But I am so burned out on the whole thing. To stay competitive on Etsy not only does one have to keep prices pretty low to compete with all the inexpensive reproductions but now one must keep listing or renewing at least four or five times a day it seems just to get seen by new buyers. And now there is a $7 a day Category Showcase that looks a lot like a feature that was free back in Beta. And this of course makes the newly listed pieces even harder to find. It is expensive and tiring and I refuse to buy a Showcase spot.
The promotion is so much work. Making the work itself is such a small part of it. Then there is the scanning, backing up the high resolution version and uploading a low resolution image, listing and then promoting and networking. There are so many social networking sites now that I am feeling very overwhelmed by all of them. I have yet to scan a good part of the pieces I did not this past weekend but the weekend before. And now the burnout there is starting to translate into my work.
I gave this piece to my father's wife to give to my sister for her room. She also took a piece to hang in their house. And Liz took a piece the day before. I don't normally give away my work but I couldn't say no, especially to Sara. Giving one to my father's wife was weird since it was her that took down the painting I did (that won various awards) in high school many years ago.
My poor little sister was crying so much when they left yesterday she threw up grape juice in our hall. I felt so bad for her and yes, I did cry after they left. I hope my father saw that coming to Boston isn't so bad after all so they visit again. I want to go to Chicago as soon as we can. Seeing the new great grandparents is first on our list of people for us to visit.
But I am so burned out on the whole thing. To stay competitive on Etsy not only does one have to keep prices pretty low to compete with all the inexpensive reproductions but now one must keep listing or renewing at least four or five times a day it seems just to get seen by new buyers. And now there is a $7 a day Category Showcase that looks a lot like a feature that was free back in Beta. And this of course makes the newly listed pieces even harder to find. It is expensive and tiring and I refuse to buy a Showcase spot.
The promotion is so much work. Making the work itself is such a small part of it. Then there is the scanning, backing up the high resolution version and uploading a low resolution image, listing and then promoting and networking. There are so many social networking sites now that I am feeling very overwhelmed by all of them. I have yet to scan a good part of the pieces I did not this past weekend but the weekend before. And now the burnout there is starting to translate into my work.
I gave this piece to my father's wife to give to my sister for her room. She also took a piece to hang in their house. And Liz took a piece the day before. I don't normally give away my work but I couldn't say no, especially to Sara. Giving one to my father's wife was weird since it was her that took down the painting I did (that won various awards) in high school many years ago.
My poor little sister was crying so much when they left yesterday she threw up grape juice in our hall. I felt so bad for her and yes, I did cry after they left. I hope my father saw that coming to Boston isn't so bad after all so they visit again. I want to go to Chicago as soon as we can. Seeing the new great grandparents is first on our list of people for us to visit.
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Blubber Butt
Look at what I let happen to my cat! He isn't svelte any longer that is for sure! The only difference in his life between the time the first photo was taken and the second was the dog. Who he loathes. And she eats his food whenever she gets the chance. I am wondering if when he is able to get to it he totally pigs out. Maybe we should put the baby gate on the door to the laundryroom where his food is kept back up. We would elevate it just enough for him to get under. But with the amount of laundry we do lately taking that thing down all the time would be such a pain.
He is cuter fat anyhow!
Some changes are going to be happening in my shop to go along with the changes in my life. Not closing it down or anything like that, just adjusting my business model a bit. Working out the details now, will try to post more about it on Monday.
I'm still ill and taking antibiotics four times a day and eating yogurt to counter the possible negative effects of the antibiotics killing my good bacteria along with the bad. Plus I love my kangaroo yogurt! Jon and I have both become addicted to having it every morning with some granola mixed in. He even picked up some Stoneyfield farms yogurt at Costco because it was cheap and ate one and wanted to toss them all out. All normal fruit yogurt is ruined for us now.
Happy weekend to everybody!
----------------
Now playing: Low - Immune
via FoxyTunes
He is cuter fat anyhow!
Some changes are going to be happening in my shop to go along with the changes in my life. Not closing it down or anything like that, just adjusting my business model a bit. Working out the details now, will try to post more about it on Monday.
I'm still ill and taking antibiotics four times a day and eating yogurt to counter the possible negative effects of the antibiotics killing my good bacteria along with the bad. Plus I love my kangaroo yogurt! Jon and I have both become addicted to having it every morning with some granola mixed in. He even picked up some Stoneyfield farms yogurt at Costco because it was cheap and ate one and wanted to toss them all out. All normal fruit yogurt is ruined for us now.
Happy weekend to everybody!
----------------
Now playing: Low - Immune
via FoxyTunes
Friday, September 28, 2007
Compromise
Thanks for the support during my breakdown yesterday. I've come up with what I think will work as a compromise for this weekend. I've decided that I will only do one day of the art fair. It will have to be Saturday because if I skip that day and go for Sunday I would miss having a good spot secured for my table.
Plus Sunday is little blee's (first month) birthday! Weee!
I'd like to have her with me tomorrow as much as possible, but since she hates being in a sling and her head is still too floppy for the Baby Bjorn I'm not sure how much we will have her and how much we will let his parents watch her. Maybe I will put her in her carseat stroller and cover her with stickers of my art to get people's attention. Beat that!
Last night I was in bed before 9am and even though she was trouble early this morning I do feel better than I did yesterday. Getting things done seems possible. The amount I need to do seems more reasonable than overwhelming today.
Must Do
•Drop domestic package off at the post box down the street.
•Remove wholesale sales from Etsy to reserve them for the person in Hawaii because I know she won't be online again until late tonight.
• Fill and send two international orders (meaning I need to go or have Jon go to the PO, hence the delay)
• Put prices on my work
• Remove pieces that were bought for a wholesale order from my portfolio
• Make an AWAY aka don't buy from me Avatar and shop announcement for Etsy.
• Get table from basement and do a trial setup for tomorrow.
Extras
• finish carving block
• tear paper
• print (yeah right!)
----------------
Now playing: Mike Doughty - Sunkeneyed Girl
via FoxyTunes
Plus Sunday is little blee's (first month) birthday! Weee!
I'd like to have her with me tomorrow as much as possible, but since she hates being in a sling and her head is still too floppy for the Baby Bjorn I'm not sure how much we will have her and how much we will let his parents watch her. Maybe I will put her in her carseat stroller and cover her with stickers of my art to get people's attention. Beat that!
Last night I was in bed before 9am and even though she was trouble early this morning I do feel better than I did yesterday. Getting things done seems possible. The amount I need to do seems more reasonable than overwhelming today.
Must Do
•
•
• Fill and send two international orders (meaning I need to go or have Jon go to the PO, hence the delay)
• Put prices on my work
• Remove pieces that were bought for a wholesale order from my portfolio
• Make an AWAY aka don't buy from me Avatar and shop announcement for Etsy.
• Get table from basement and do a trial setup for tomorrow.
Extras
• finish carving block
• tear paper
• print (yeah right!)
----------------
Now playing: Mike Doughty - Sunkeneyed Girl
via FoxyTunes
Monday, September 24, 2007
My First Day alone
Good Monday morning to everybody. Seems that I am down to blogging only once or twice a week at this point, but considering I have a three week old I think that is pretty good!
Yesterday I was hoping to get the big crazy block finished, but that didn't work out but at least I did make progress and if blee behaves on our fist weekday alone together I should be able to get it down. I am feeling fairly well rested.
While I don't have anything new (yet) I do have this newly listed older piece from July. I was feeling so sick at the end of the pregnancy that I never got to listing a bunch of things. Since I am doing the big art fair the JP Open Studios on Saturday and Sunday this week may be the last week to buy some of my pieces. Last year I sold quite a bit of work. My shop will be technically open since I really don't have time to put over one hundred pieces into edit mode, but it will be shut down all weekend since I am bringing everything to the event. Please refrain from purchasing on those days unless you are willing to accept that the piece may not be available and the order will have to be canceled.
I also have a possible wholesale order in the works and that spurs me on to make new work as soon as possible. If blee goes down early tonight, tomorrow or Wednesday and stays down I may have to treat myself to a printing session. That would be fantastic. That way not only would I have new pieces to bring to the art show but also offer the wholesale person first.
Speaking of blee that kid is growing like crazy. She's a total fatty! This morning in under three hours she has downed ten ounces of milk. She's getting so big that she is difficult for me to hold, she could easily be pushing ten pounds at this point. And her head has grown a lot too. I would post a picture but the little beast is sleeping and I don't want to do anything that has even a chance of waking her. She's probably want to eat yet again. I'm having the hardest time keeping up with her appetite. But rest assured she is the cutest fatty ever with darling rolls all over her body and a nice Buddha belly.
Jon is about to leave for work for the first time since the birth. I have been very lucky to have him here full time the first week, part time working from home the second and full time working from home last week. On Saturday I handled most of her care for an extended period of time so while I am nervous I should be okay.
He is certainly going to miss her.
His parents get here Thursday night. His mother is going to be even more smitten with her when she meets here. They will be here on her month birthday. They grow up so fast!
Yesterday I was hoping to get the big crazy block finished, but that didn't work out but at least I did make progress and if blee behaves on our fist weekday alone together I should be able to get it down. I am feeling fairly well rested.
While I don't have anything new (yet) I do have this newly listed older piece from July. I was feeling so sick at the end of the pregnancy that I never got to listing a bunch of things. Since I am doing the big art fair the JP Open Studios on Saturday and Sunday this week may be the last week to buy some of my pieces. Last year I sold quite a bit of work. My shop will be technically open since I really don't have time to put over one hundred pieces into edit mode, but it will be shut down all weekend since I am bringing everything to the event. Please refrain from purchasing on those days unless you are willing to accept that the piece may not be available and the order will have to be canceled.
I also have a possible wholesale order in the works and that spurs me on to make new work as soon as possible. If blee goes down early tonight, tomorrow or Wednesday and stays down I may have to treat myself to a printing session. That would be fantastic. That way not only would I have new pieces to bring to the art show but also offer the wholesale person first.
Speaking of blee that kid is growing like crazy. She's a total fatty! This morning in under three hours she has downed ten ounces of milk. She's getting so big that she is difficult for me to hold, she could easily be pushing ten pounds at this point. And her head has grown a lot too. I would post a picture but the little beast is sleeping and I don't want to do anything that has even a chance of waking her. She's probably want to eat yet again. I'm having the hardest time keeping up with her appetite. But rest assured she is the cutest fatty ever with darling rolls all over her body and a nice Buddha belly.
Jon is about to leave for work for the first time since the birth. I have been very lucky to have him here full time the first week, part time working from home the second and full time working from home last week. On Saturday I handled most of her care for an extended period of time so while I am nervous I should be okay.
He is certainly going to miss her.
His parents get here Thursday night. His mother is going to be even more smitten with her when she meets here. They will be here on her month birthday. They grow up so fast!
Monday, July 23, 2007
Getting Centered - Priorities
Happy Monday party people! Well, many of you are probably not really party people, but probably moreso than I am.
On Saturday morning we had our birth class, nothing like natural childbirth (hah) though we did learn some simple breathing techniques that were putting me to sleep during the class. We were the "yes drug us please" class. Sorry but I have too much anxiety already to deal with natural childbirth when I don't have to. The class went really well and I feel very reassured about the process now and even better about our decision to use a NP midwife at the Bringham. The labor and delivery rooms are set up to look like bedrooms with two beds and a crib. We watched a video of a birth and it was like nothing I have ever seen before. So much better than your standard hospital room!
I have to say I got a little bitter because every other woman there seems to be having a problem free pregnancy and during the 7 hour class I was looking at all their ankles and the only one that swelled (just from not being elevated) was mine. And no I do not eat a lot of salty foods. I don't each much at all anymore really. One meal and a few snacks here and there and I am good.
Despite the foot issues and other sorenesses I am feeling quite good. I have such a strong motivation to get things in order that I often am able to just push through the pain and get what needs to be done done! This piece from last Sunday really means a lot to me. I relate to it, I would say it is one of my most personal and powerful pieces to date. I am very proud of it.
Proud of the batch in general. After the panic of nearly losing another piece I took a couple of hours to totally reorganize how I store my work. I'm actually still not completely finished as I would like to have every piece signed ahead of time and I still have some unsigned pieces. But it is tons better. I just wish I had gotten a second refill pack of archival sleeve pages for the presentation case I ordered from Blick. I'm hoping the store may carry the refills, but they probably don't because they don't carry the case. Shipping from them isn't cheap so I would have to wait until I felt that I needed something else and I don't know when that will be. Sure I sell my work at a good pace but I also make a lot too, especially before getting pregnant. Back then it was fairly normal for me to create 30 original pieces in a day or two once every week or two. It is no wonder that I have art coming out of my ears.
I got the bulk of my shipping done finally on Sunday and that lowered my stress level a lot. Still waiting on an echeck to clear and an address correction. But other than that I am good. I spent too much of Sunday making up stickers. 228 stickers to be exact and it was maddening. Jon tried to help me out as best he could and did a good job but when he discovered that one of the rounds had a drop of water on it was ruined and that I needed to print out more to replace it I kinda lost it. We got it done but I had to raise the prices of my stickers because there is a lot more effort to making them than I every imagined and I just can't be having them priced so low that I get so many orders in a week. I can't be carving blocks for the hanga project I want to try if I am busy making stickers. I hang up my cape and resign from being Sticker Girl. Feel free to order them if you wish because I think at the higher prices I am less likely to get so overwhelmed. If I really didn't want to sell them I would have unlisted them, I just want a more fair price for my labor. And they are a lot harder to make than you might think! Apparently the price increase is not too steep since a set sold just last night. I think I am going to wait before putting anymore back up until I have this one made.
Now I can put my focus back on carving that block for hanga. Before blee comes my goal is to have at least one more big printing session. Maybe it will be a hanga experiment or maybe it won't be. Not sure if I can use my oily blocks for the waterbased method.
On Saturday morning we had our birth class, nothing like natural childbirth (hah) though we did learn some simple breathing techniques that were putting me to sleep during the class. We were the "yes drug us please" class. Sorry but I have too much anxiety already to deal with natural childbirth when I don't have to. The class went really well and I feel very reassured about the process now and even better about our decision to use a NP midwife at the Bringham. The labor and delivery rooms are set up to look like bedrooms with two beds and a crib. We watched a video of a birth and it was like nothing I have ever seen before. So much better than your standard hospital room!
I have to say I got a little bitter because every other woman there seems to be having a problem free pregnancy and during the 7 hour class I was looking at all their ankles and the only one that swelled (just from not being elevated) was mine. And no I do not eat a lot of salty foods. I don't each much at all anymore really. One meal and a few snacks here and there and I am good.
Despite the foot issues and other sorenesses I am feeling quite good. I have such a strong motivation to get things in order that I often am able to just push through the pain and get what needs to be done done! This piece from last Sunday really means a lot to me. I relate to it, I would say it is one of my most personal and powerful pieces to date. I am very proud of it.
Proud of the batch in general. After the panic of nearly losing another piece I took a couple of hours to totally reorganize how I store my work. I'm actually still not completely finished as I would like to have every piece signed ahead of time and I still have some unsigned pieces. But it is tons better. I just wish I had gotten a second refill pack of archival sleeve pages for the presentation case I ordered from Blick. I'm hoping the store may carry the refills, but they probably don't because they don't carry the case. Shipping from them isn't cheap so I would have to wait until I felt that I needed something else and I don't know when that will be. Sure I sell my work at a good pace but I also make a lot too, especially before getting pregnant. Back then it was fairly normal for me to create 30 original pieces in a day or two once every week or two. It is no wonder that I have art coming out of my ears.
I got the bulk of my shipping done finally on Sunday and that lowered my stress level a lot. Still waiting on an echeck to clear and an address correction. But other than that I am good. I spent too much of Sunday making up stickers. 228 stickers to be exact and it was maddening. Jon tried to help me out as best he could and did a good job but when he discovered that one of the rounds had a drop of water on it was ruined and that I needed to print out more to replace it I kinda lost it. We got it done but I had to raise the prices of my stickers because there is a lot more effort to making them than I every imagined and I just can't be having them priced so low that I get so many orders in a week. I can't be carving blocks for the hanga project I want to try if I am busy making stickers. I hang up my cape and resign from being Sticker Girl. Feel free to order them if you wish because I think at the higher prices I am less likely to get so overwhelmed. If I really didn't want to sell them I would have unlisted them, I just want a more fair price for my labor. And they are a lot harder to make than you might think! Apparently the price increase is not too steep since a set sold just last night. I think I am going to wait before putting anymore back up until I have this one made.
Now I can put my focus back on carving that block for hanga. Before blee comes my goal is to have at least one more big printing session. Maybe it will be a hanga experiment or maybe it won't be. Not sure if I can use my oily blocks for the waterbased method.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Moo cards. Got them? Want them? Don't know what they are?
I'd love to hear any experiences with these tiny little cards (about half the size of a normal business card). On the back it has my name, email, location, website and etsy address. Plus my avatar.
I got these ten cards are a free promotional offer they were running through Vox. I'm glad that I got to try them out before buying because frankly I just don't know if they are worth the huge price difference compared to my regular business cards.
Enough about moo cards already!
What else? I still have tons of mirrors to list! I need to either renew older pieces or find the energy to make some new stuff so I don't look like mirror girl on Etsy with thirty mirrors listed in a row! I'm pretty anal about how my shop looks and that will not do at all. While the mirrors are all one of a kind and I totally see them as art I simply don't want many of the same basic product listed one after another. I don't want it with any of my items! I wouldn't want 30 6"x6" pieces in a row either.
I'm getting close to a big milestone in my shop and that has me very excited. There is a good chance that it could happen this month if things keep going the way they are currently. I know I have to do something fun and special for that number 500. It is halfway to a thousand after all! I think I have done something cool for each big milestone sale and I want this one to be no different, even better.
The rockin' coasters and square magnets are gone as of last night. Of all the things I had Kate make those were among my favorites so I am not surprised at all but I am a bit attached to them and will missed them. I found out Kate does have some leftover papers that could be made into about 12 square magnets. I might have to take her up on that.
Ideally I would like these cards going out to a high volume seller, somebody with regular sales as a way to reach new clients. While these cards are adorable and impressive I don't see what good they would do coming with an order of my work because they certainly won't impress somebody more than my actual work. I certainly hope not at least!
I think their big draw is the small format along with how each one can be different and special. In a stack of standard size business cards one of these would certainly stand out. Of course if more and more people started using them the less of an impact they would have.
I am thirty weeks along in my pregnancy today. It is not too much longer now. Everything is going to change big time.
I'd love to hear any experiences with these tiny little cards (about half the size of a normal business card). On the back it has my name, email, location, website and etsy address. Plus my avatar.
I got these ten cards are a free promotional offer they were running through Vox. I'm glad that I got to try them out before buying because frankly I just don't know if they are worth the huge price difference compared to my regular business cards.
Enough about moo cards already!
What else? I still have tons of mirrors to list! I need to either renew older pieces or find the energy to make some new stuff so I don't look like mirror girl on Etsy with thirty mirrors listed in a row! I'm pretty anal about how my shop looks and that will not do at all. While the mirrors are all one of a kind and I totally see them as art I simply don't want many of the same basic product listed one after another. I don't want it with any of my items! I wouldn't want 30 6"x6" pieces in a row either.
I'm getting close to a big milestone in my shop and that has me very excited. There is a good chance that it could happen this month if things keep going the way they are currently. I know I have to do something fun and special for that number 500. It is halfway to a thousand after all! I think I have done something cool for each big milestone sale and I want this one to be no different, even better.
The rockin' coasters and square magnets are gone as of last night. Of all the things I had Kate make those were among my favorites so I am not surprised at all but I am a bit attached to them and will missed them. I found out Kate does have some leftover papers that could be made into about 12 square magnets. I might have to take her up on that.
Ideally I would like these cards going out to a high volume seller, somebody with regular sales as a way to reach new clients. While these cards are adorable and impressive I don't see what good they would do coming with an order of my work because they certainly won't impress somebody more than my actual work. I certainly hope not at least!
I think their big draw is the small format along with how each one can be different and special. In a stack of standard size business cards one of these would certainly stand out. Of course if more and more people started using them the less of an impact they would have.
I am thirty weeks along in my pregnancy today. It is not too much longer now. Everything is going to change big time.
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