The Drawing Board

Multi tasking

2010-02-22T07:49:00.000-08:00

Im sitting at my desk this morning trying to make a list of everything that needs to get done this week. I have a parttime job as a computer lab tech at an elementary school and I have to install 9 new computers. I make lampwork beads and jewelry and need to get ready for a big spring show. I'm costuming the Musical 'Hair" and need to make 35 hippies come to life! My husbands Grandmother is turning 100 tomorrow and we need to do something fun for her. I need to start the school yearbook and theres at least ten other things that need to get done.
So, because im a little ADD and these are all rather big tasks that cant be completed in an hour (my attention span) I need to get out the timer again and spend an hour on each big task each day... ok going out to spark up the kiln for the beads and then walking my daughter to school. One hour of beads, one hour of costumes and off to school to install those computers.

a new computer

2010-01-18T09:05:00.000-08:00

so I got this new computer... and its taken about 3 days to get all my stuff loaded and transfered from my old computer... its done now and Im back on track. I leave Friday for CHA and I may get one more new collection done before I left. THe new compter is a Dell Studio xp and so far its great. I am having a few issues with windows7 and my old photoshop cs2 so I downloaded a trial of cs4...pretty cool stuff on the new one but Ive just used it for a little while yesterday.

Im working my but off on new art and now it will come together much faster with the new computer and I'm very excited, I always dreaded hiting that photoshop button on the old computer and waiting FOREVER for it to load. Now it just pops right up and my whole attitude has changes about doing my portfolio pages!

Now to raise the money I need to purchase the upgraded cs4. Ive put everything on my etsy store on sale for the week and if I sell it all I will have enough to purchase my new upgrade. http://www.kirstenpmcgrath.etsy.com/

Use less, make more

2010-01-03T08:27:00.000-08:00

My new years resolution... Use less, make more.
Use less procrastination, make more time
Use less restaurants, make more dinners
Use less plastic, make more totes
Use less gas, Make more exercise
Use less 'new', make more recycled

Weve spent a few years in a 'downturn' in our family and have been doing less with less... my goal is to do more with less. I have a studio full of fabric, glass and tools. I can make some really cool stuff with what I have without getting anything new. Every month I will force myself to 'use up' a particular box full of some thing. This month its old jeans. Along with those jeans will go some of my fabric stash too. I will make totes and backpacks untill they are all gone.

The Timer experiment

2009-04-25T07:59:00.000-07:00

Well its not really an experiment but a re-alignment. I tend to waste a lot of time when I get overwhelmed, worrying more about what to do instead of actually doing something... ANYTHING. So last week for the whole week I used a timer and I gave myself an hour to fully concentrate on each task that I had to do that day. I tutor kids in the morning and in the afternoons so most days I have 4-6 hour window to devote to my creative work. I started on Monday by making a list on my calender of the things I wanted to work on for the day...
clean the studio, make beads, work on purses, and work on portfolio pages. Cleaning the studio of course is a 6 hour job in its self, but I freak out when I know that I'm going to spend my whole day cleaning and not get any 'work' done.

So, its Saturday and the studio is almost clean, it got 4 hours worth this week, I made 200.00 worth of beads, I got 3 sets of portfolio pages done and painted 1 new collection, and I worked on three purses all about 50% complete. I also spent the extra time in my schedule to teach myself how to do a repeat pattern with a tutorial I found on line (4 months ago) and experimenting with a new tool I got for jewelry design.

I'm setting the timer again today. And I'm including my household work I never want to do, clean the bathroom, organize my closet and put away laundry. Ill let you know how it goes!

this years valentine

2009-02-07T13:51:00.000-08:00

My daughter totally outdid herself this year. Every year she does something creative on a pretty big scale for valentines day, I photograph or scan it and print cards for her classmates for valentines day. I was driving home from work in the pouring rain thinking how is she going to do it this year, and after a little brainstorming with her we decided on an altered photograph. We did two (she insisted that the boys get a different one than the girls...) her dad cant stop laughing and she is very proud!

2009-02-06T14:35:00.000-08:00

Ok, so Im a week into this new direction and Ive worked up one collection of love/valentines. I have a coffee design and a tea design that need supporting pieces and ideas for more. Im working off of single word sentiments and building around the word...thanks, calm, dream, friend, love, family, joy, peace, anything that comes into my head and Im looking for more single words to work from... maybe some silly ones like boo, yikes, chill... I wonder if there is a place I can go to find more words, besides the dictionary.

CHA and a change of direction

2009-01-31T07:27:00.000-08:00

I just got back from the CHA trade show. Inspired and tired. I saw some great new products, my favorite being a personal (but really professional) silk screening machine from Provo Craft. Its a super cool all in one machine that is about the size of a personal copier complete with a light system for exposing the film. I'm really excited about this thing! I have been silk screening for a long time (probably 20 years now) and although I don't do it daily or as an income stream, I still get out the screens and inks to do something about once a month or so. If I had this system I think it would be more like once a week!!! I will be watching the Provo Craft website for launch info and saving my pennies!

I also met with my reps at the show. We found a quiet corner and they gave me the "you know what you should do..." talk. (they should charge for that, by the way) I walked away from that with a completely new and freeing direction. My art has gotten stiffer and flatter as I have gone on this year and nothing was really very good (good ideas maybe) but no heart. So, I'm going to try something a little crazy and all of my art is going to come straight from the sketch phase, no cleaning up, no machine type, fast and furious and full of my heart and soul. I'm excited and happy and a little scared... whats the saying... Feel the fear and do it anyway!

elf yourself!

2008-12-23T23:08:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

December 1st... REALLY???

2008-12-01T09:46:00.001-08:00

Well, here its is already December 1st! I take this whole month to update my portfolio. I file and save every sketch, idea, brainstorm in a big expanding file and then on December 1st I get the file out and go through it. I pull sketches that didnt get developed or even drawn (and that deserve to be drawn) and move them into a pile that goes by the light table. I refine the drawings, add details, borders and backgrounds and trace them onto watercolor paper to paint. I just went through my stack of sketches for this year and its about 2" thick.... this does not include my bound sketch book, and pulled out a pile thats about 1" high of stuff that deserves developement. Yikes! I better get busy!!!! I have a whole pile of birds of different feathers, fairies and mushrooms, cocktails, fruits and veggies and some cool halloween and xmas ideas. I also have some interesting scrolls and corners, and fun patterns. Cant wait to get started!

2008-11-16T07:34:00.000-08:00

Ugh!!! its been forever! I just finished up my last show of the year and it was a not a good season. I can definitely see the drop in the economy in my own sales. In April it was business as usual, Summer was OK down a little but not bad, September was even slower but I did some bigger shows so I felt fine about it...now, at the end of the year, I have more inventory than Ive ever had (ever) in my studio. So I'm sitting here thinking the other day, what now, what am I going to do with all this stuff! I have friends who own a bead store and they have had the best few months in over a year and they are running out of inventory, ordering like mad to keep the store stocked. We were talking about other things, and they had just unpacked this box full of beautiful Venetian glass beads, Really expensive beads.... we were talking about the beads and then one of the girls said, ' these trunk shows are really cool, we get them for two weeks, sell what we can, write a check for what we sell and send them back'... I just stood there kind of shocked, why didn't I do that with my beads!!!!

That was Wednesday, by Thursday I have a contract written, by Friday I had a cover letter and mailing list ready for 20 bead stores in California. Today is Sunday and I have trays, 2o sets of beads, and I'm on my way to shipping out my first Trunk Show in a Box!!! It will contain 48 sets of beads, priced, trays for display and sample jewelry to show. And, of course, its going to my friends Stephanie and Penny at Bead Artistry in Fresno...thanks guys!!!

jewelry sales

2008-10-01T06:23:00.000-07:00

The days are flying by! Its already October!! Its still 95 degrees here in central CA so I can hardly think its fall. Another craft show this weekend. Just a single day show and luncheon. always pretty good for me anyway. With our fabulous economy I'm not sure how I 'll do. I usually sell about 1/3 of my inventory and can really count on that no matter how much jewelry I take (kind of weird how it works).... Last show I sold 25% of my inventory... So If I take 3000.00 worth of jewelry I should sell about 800. Right now I'm looking at 2400 in inventory and a pile of beads and silver! I will make beads for today and then move on to jewelry tomorrow and Friday. Shooting for a solid 4000.00 worth this time...
My next show is in early Nov. and its a biggie, I'm going for at least 8000 in inventory for that one!

Art Call!!!

2008-09-27T17:41:00.000-07:00

I get Art calls from my fabulous Reps almost every week. Directors looking for anything from birthday balloons to garden flag designs.... I answer EVERY art call, unless its totally out of my style range. My goal for the year is 100 art licenses and I just got two birthday cards last week for a small but really nice greeting card company. This is my main income and I love it. I just designed a bunch of garden flags and I'm back onto greeting cards next week. Here are a few of my favorite designs from this weeks art call... hopefully they will be chosen.

Back from a Craft Show

2008-09-22T06:13:00.000-07:00

I used to do craft shows all the time, about 15-20 a year (before I had a child) and I haven't done any major show for about 8 years. I started going to bigger shows again this year and I didn't know how much I missed it. I came home last night after a 2 day monster craft fair and I told my husband, I missed my Gypsy friends. I cant even describe the instant (and I mean instantly at 6:30 AM on Saturday) friendships that form with the booths next to you and across the aisle. We don't know each others names right away or where we live but in two days we all know everything. I took Juliann on Sunday and she went from booth to booth and sat with different people, learning about what they do and how they do it. The candle guy next to me had her smelling candles with her eyes closed to see what 'flavor' it was.

I sell jewelry with lamp work beads that I make at these shows. I will have a link to some jewelry later today.

Short on Creative time

2008-09-16T06:28:00.000-07:00

I'm short on Creative time on Tuesdays and Thursdays. How do I manage my time... I go to tutor kids from 7-9 then back at 2:00 till 6:30. So, by the time I get home this morning its 9:30 and I'm hungry, so I eat something and check my email twitter etc. That leaves me 4 hours. 2 hours for beads and two hours to get the apple done. Should be plenty... if I don't get sucked into the computer! I'm making a commitment today to check my email at 9:30 and 1:30 and that's it until I get home at 7:00. No twitter, no blogging, no research. Not on Tuesday or Thursday...

Whats wrong with me!

2008-09-15T19:05:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I know I may offend someone so Ill try really hard to be politically correct. I was at my daughters soccer practice and a mom sat down next to me. I was sketching some Halloween designs and she peeked over my shoulder and asked what I was doing. I explained the whole thing... how I sell my art to manufacturers for flags, scrapbook paper, etc. And then, of course, (because I never know when to shut my mouth) I rolled my eyes and said I have to do christmas next and I hate christmas. Notice that I'm spelling with a lower case c... Well, I was thinking in lower case too, but she heard 'I hate Christmas' not I hate putting red and green on the same piece of paper, I'm tired of drawing Santa, snowmen, elves and holly. She practically ran away from me and now shes not speaking to me. I later found out that shes a fundamentalist Christian and I had totally offended her. Now I sit at practice and think I should try to explain myself and 'get her back' but then I think, why... I have plenty of friends who know what I mean when I say I hate christmas! Is she over sensitive, she doesn't even know me, how could she not like me!!!! Back and forth I go,

I'm letting it go now...she has a right to her opinion and I DON'T need everyone to like me!

New kits on Etsy

2008-09-15T09:29:00.000-07:00

I finally got all of my kits organized and 4 more loaded onto etsy yesterday. I'm really happy to have all this stuff back online. Next trick for me is to keep this blog going.... I'm really bad at doing anything with any sort of regularity...I guess its the creative part of me that wants to keep it all mixed up! Today I have to get back to the studio. I spent all weekend at a soccer tournament and was too tired (mentally) to do any work between games and in the evening. I fell asleep at 9:00 last night! I guess the stress of watching your kid play competitive sports is more exhausting that you would think. And of course I cant keep my mouth shut so I have no voice today (My husband is happy about that)

New sets on etsy yesterday

2008-09-10T06:18:00.000-07:00

Ive listed two new sets on etsy and Ive got about 20 to go. The files are all over my computer and need to be organized! This set is probably my favorite. It was all done on Illustrator in an afternoon and reminds me of a bakery my Grandpa used to take me to that was painted inside and out with big pink and cream stripes.

Waking up in the dark

2008-09-09T06:10:00.000-07:00

Ive been getting up before dawn this last week, the light has finally left my mornings. Sad, to see the summer sun go, but grateful for the coolness. I live in the Central Valley of California, where temperatures reach 110 in the summer (for weeks at a time) Its still in the high 90s today but the nights cool off completely now so I wake up to a 65 deg morning instead of 80. Lots to do today again, cutting out the apple costume is top priority, bead making a close second and flag designs third. My daughter has a soccer tournament on Saturday that I'm thinking about... what to take for her to eat, how hot is it going to be, how many games does she have to play.

Weekend fun!

2008-09-07T14:31:00.000-07:00

back from a weekend with my family at our cabin in the High Sierras. Cool clean air, super quiet except the occasional bird, and no phones, tv, or computer!!!! I spent the weekend designing jewelry, sketching and playing board games with Juli. Started a new book (Twilight) OMG I had no idea I was going to sucked into it so fast! I read almost half of it last night!!!! This is a book (or series of books) for teenagers, here I am reading about 6 pages and summerizing the story for my 8 yr olds ears. She loves anything paranormal or fantastic, magical or just creepy.

Gotta focus!

2008-09-05T09:42:00.000-07:00

Today is a crazy day. I tutor kids till 9:00 make beads till 11:00. Go to the bead store for supplies, add two kits to the website, go to a lunch for a friends farewell, go back to tutor at 2:00, pack for a trip to the mountains... pass out!

Here are the two kits Im putting up today... a little early but oh well...

Im to sexy for my pod...

2008-09-03T21:15:00.000-07:00

Oh yea, that's right people, pics of me in a corn and pea pod costume I just designed for a school health and agriculture program. Go ahead and laugh all you want! I'm not too proud, just know that if you play the tequila song I will not be able to dance properly... and will definitely not be able to get up on a table in these babies! I love making costumes like these, I don't get paid very much but its the accomplishment and the process of designing something so crazy that makes me happy! Coming soon to a blog near you, orange and salad greens! Back to the grind tomorrow~ making beads, designing for my art calls and getting that orange sewn together!

My plate is a little full

2008-09-02T06:20:00.000-07:00

I dont know why I do this to myself, but once again I have too mutch on my plate. I ve been struggling thru a costuming job all summer with two costumes out of 9 complete. I design and sell lampwork bead jewelry at craft shows, doing 3 this fall. I am a freelance illustrator and have at least 2 art calls per month sometimes 4. I have a 22 hour a week job that actually pays the bills. Ive been overwelmed all summer and not able to focus on anything... I wonder why...? I need to answer every art call ... this is the only way to get a bigger quarterly royalty check. I can make about 60.00 per hour on the jewelry (when it sells) with out the craft shows I dont sell that mutch. ugg!!! gotta finish the costumes....

Labor Day

2008-09-01T18:32:00.000-07:00

yep, it really was labor day... I moved furniture and got about half way through the studio today. I am taking a break and writing my thoughts... (my back really hurts right now!). Artists are slobs, pigs at best. I know this, I am one.... As I sit here with my martini, I realize I will never change, my desk will always have piles of mail, art calls, outputs for previews, the studio will be strewn with scraps, unfinished projects I consider unworthy of finishing, in progress stuff, finished stuff, and sketched ideas that are gonna be great...but that I may not get to for over 6 months... (I date my sketches...) and its this that makes me crazy... About every 3 or 4 months I clean up, really clean up, move furniture, organize and prioritize and yes... throw things away. It usually takes two days, and I am exhausted when its done. But the studio is great again, I have room to work again, that ugly painting isn't staring me in the face any more and my daughter will actually spend time out there again! AHHHHH, another day of this and I will have a perfect space again. Well, perfect for me anyway.

My Super Studio Mess!!!

2008-08-31T08:36:00.000-07:00

OH MY GOSH!!! I cant stand it any more. My studio is a complete wreck, there is sewing projects scattered every where, my torch table has a huge pile of used up glass rods on it. I have all of my markers out, a pile of paper waiting to be cut for painting... and the list goes on! I need to finish up a few art calls next week and I cant even think! I will be spending the next two days cleaning, maybe it will stay nice for a few days....

Digital Scrapbooking

2008-08-29T09:58:00.000-07:00

So, being an illustrator, it was really hard for me to go and buy paper for scrap booking with someone Else's art on it. I started designing and printing my own about a year and a half ago. I didn't know it but I was starting to scrap digitally and others were doing it too. I developed patterns, backgrounds, virtual stickers from my drawings and did the entire layout and then printed it out! I love it, no mess, I can match colors, change my photos to black and white or color, mess around with hand coloring, all right on the computer. I've listed my kits on eBay and now on etsy http://www.kirstenmcgrath.etsy.com/ and will continue to do so every day until all 35 sets are uploaded. This is the kit I loaded today. I designed it for a road trip we took to the coast.

2008-08-28T08:59:00.000-07:00

Two more sets uploaded to my etsy store This pumpkin spice set and a wedding set.

I'm so overwhelmed by the little things today... Ive tried to simplify and organize, manage my time, but when I get thrown a curve ball I still freak! The cost of having a creative brain is that you think about everything all the time, while I'm drawing I think about blogging, while I'm blogging I think about cleaning up the computer and organizing my desk, while I'm cleaning I think about the half finished projects that need to get done and shipped, the beads I need to make, the kids I need to tutor.... the list is snowballing today! I need to sit down, write a list and prioritize it... figure out how long its going to take to complete it, throw in the time I need to pick up J from school, help with homework, make dinner... etc Ugh the snow ball is twice the size now!

Back to school Digital art

2008-08-26T06:23:00.000-07:00

Added my back to school digital Scrapbooking kits to etsy yesterday. One for boys and one for girls. I love these two sets, made with quick sketches, not too overdone. Im really getting excited about the prospect of having my whole line of digiscrap back online. I was so angry and upset about ebay that I sort of shut down.... and didnt want to try new venus. All that cute stuff just sitting there on my computer!

2008-08-25T09:42:00.000-07:00

FInally!!! I have added my digital scrapbooking kits to etsy! http://kirstenmcgrath.etsy.com/ My first three kits are online today. Ive got a total of 25 kits and I will try to load 3 or 4 every day. I ve featured Zoo Babies today, one of my most popular kits ever! It feels really good to get back online after being told that Ebay would no longer accept sellers with digital products.

jobs and life

2008-08-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

I havnt blogged for a while but been twittering alot. I have finally found the perfect part time job after working at a grocery store restocking shelves and then a retail job (the WORST). I quit the grocery job because I had to travel 60 miles twice a week to service two of my three stores... stupid with gas prices and no compensation...thought the retail job would be brainless and fun I was sooooo wrong! Nights, weekends, no customers for HOURS, all I could think was, I could be doing something right now!!! I could be painting, I could be drawing, I could be designing jewelry. I tryed to take stuff to the store to work on, but its not my studio... I couldnt focus, the lighting wasnt right, the music was bugging me...so finally I again started looking for the prefect part time job. Iwas at my daughters reading tutor and there was a sign on the door 'teachers needed'. Iasked my daughters teacher, if I needed a credential, any special college degree, and she said no, you just need to have the creativity and patience to work with kids who are dyslexic, adhd, autistic, etc. I let it go, for about a week.... then I turned in my resume. I got a call the next day for an interview and got hired on the spot! I am now a fully trained reading tutor for kids with learning challenges! I love it!!!! 5 hours a day 5 days a week with 8 fantastic children! I am so happy and grateful for this job and fot the ability to help these kids learn.

The Craft and Hobby Trade show

2008-02-19T07:22:00.000-08:00

I have just returned from the CHA trade show and it was the first time in about 10 years I actually just walked through it. No booth, no teaching, no demonstrating. I really needed it. It was wonderful to take my time and walk each and every aisle and look at every product connected to the craft industry. The license and Design area of the show looked absolutly great!!! It was constructed beutifully and the booths were all sold out...it will have to be bigger next time! I really think this will be a great thing for the art licensors and designers as it grows, its the only art licensing event on the west coast and should soon attract art buyers from outside the craft industry.

The show overall felt a little slower than normal and there wasnt the urgency and excitement I had seen in the past in the scrapbooking section, it seemed that buyers were more spread out in the show, looking at everything.

What I saw:
GOING GREEN: yarns made from organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo
buttons made from nutshells and wood dyed beautiful colors

SOMETHING NEW:
a new stamp program that uses clear handles with wood rails that allow you to slide very large wood mounts into place and stamp and then use clear or unmounted rubber on the other side of the handle.... very cool

COMMON THREADS:
Lots of embroidery! the vintage kind... like your grandma did on her flour sack towels

Vintage sewing patterns mostly aprons from the 40s and 50s

felt, felting, felt felt felt!!!! beautiful colors, tote and purse blanks, beads, new needle felting tools, I love felt!!!

Theres more Im sure...but I have to get to work, Ill type at you again tomorrow

We will be at the CHA show

2008-02-01T07:32:00.000-08:00

Ok We're booked for the CHA show! We have a wonderful opportunity to lend a hand at the Electric Quilt booth, our designs are being used for a great make it take it. Stop by the booth, and do the MITI and they will give you a sample CD of some of our most popular kits! I will be at the show Monday and Tuesday walking the show.

I feel pretty good about this year I have some pretty high goals but I think they are attainable. I really let the realestate market in CA get me down (my husband owns a Real Estate firm) last year and sort of shut down towards the ends of the year. We knew the market was on its way down in May and made plans to stay above water and we've done great. I got a part time job and am not doing any trade show booths this year. I will be marketing through the web and via mail.

What Happened!!!!

2008-01-28T08:58:00.000-08:00

Wow, none of my monthly posts went through. Sorry for that not sure what I did!!! Well, its the end of January and Rosemary and I have decided to use our website to link to our ebay store and concentrate on our ebay sales. Weve added alot of kits and now have 65 different Digital kits and layouts. Its been alot of fun and we are actually making a little money!!!!!

Thank you thank you thank you

2007-06-13T04:34:00.000-07:00

I am so happy! All the hard work getting the website up and running is paying off!! We have a great little webstore complete with 17 kits ( a super start!) and adding more every week. Im going to get some winter/holiday on today and work on my fall and halloween stuff too. Ive recently added a pool/swim kit and a beach kit. We are selling kits every day and the downloads are seamless!!! Im so grateful for the support we have received, and our ability to get things up and running as fast as we have.

We are going to the CHA tradeshow as Digital Scrap Chicks with a booth on the show floor, selling kits on CD to retailers. By that time we will have 9 CD collections available! Each with 5 or 6 coordinating kits organized by season or life event. See us at booth #212 just inside the main entry in the first eisle!

More fun with websites!!!

2007-05-27T06:38:00.000-07:00

After a few months of trying to do it myself, Ive Joined up with friend Rosemary Primavera and started a new site useing a pre-built commerce site.... with automatic fulfilment!!!!! No more waiting for me to send a link... no more searching for emails from paypal every hour, its all automatic and its up and running as of May 24, 2007. Its great to get back to the art and not trying to re-invent the wheel every day. Our store site is at www.digitalscrapchicks.com , we are loading new product every day.

On another note, I am getting ready to go to the Licensing show in New York, Im almost ready... Just need to print a few more banners for the Booth and get the portfolios updated....
I have, of course, once again put off the output of new designs and the portfolio stuff is going to be quite extensive....probably 40 or 50 new sheets... my assistant will be sooo excited!
If your going I will be in booth #1775.

Ebay... is it working???

2007-04-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

I've been working diligently on my store website, loading jewelry, digital paper kits, prints. But still not selling much. I want to think its getting a little better and more professional every time I update it. Ive also began selling a few items on Ebay, 8 items at a time and Ive been doing steady buisness for the last two weeks. Im trying to rotate my 16 kits so that my line up changes weekly, with the very newest going straight to ebay and then my two selling sites Daisie and kpmart with links to both. Its an interesting process, what to sell, how many to list, what fees are being charged....what works and what doesnt... As it stands right now, Ive been selling the lower priced items only, and getting charged alot 15-30% by paypal and about 10% by ebay. It seems that when I sell an item for 1.00 paypal charges a minimum of .34 so Im ony making .42 on the 1.00 items, by the time I figure in the listing fee of .14 each and the selling fee of .10 each!!!

Yesterday I spent a full day on an art call for a gift bag manufacturer...framing, adding backgrounds, getting things in the right size and format for the art director. I ended the day with 32 designs, in 9 categories.... Now I need to load them onto my Illustration site for other directors to see.... maybe you will see these in Target some day!

Time for a little free bee!

2007-04-02T17:54:00.000-07:00

I have hidden this cute little easter bunny on my website www.kpmart.net . Find him, click and you'll be directed to my freebee for the week.

more new stuff!

2007-03-26T18:10:00.000-07:00

I am having a blast creating all these patterns! Ive been working on a collection called tiki burst, sort of a retro floral thing in a really warm palet. I have been scanning in black and white sketches and then pulling them into illustrator to manipulate the size and color.... Every day I learn something new about photoshop and Illustrator and I realize that Im probably only using 10% of the softwares 'ability'. I plan to have this full collection on my site www.fcocdesign.com by Friday.

A new Site for new work!

2007-03-13T07:34:00.000-07:00

Ive been working with www.daisiecompany.com developing and selling digital scrapbook kits online. So far I have added 8 sets to thier website. At the same time Ive been trying to learn dreamweaver software to develope a new site for myself where I can sell my art and jewelry. I have a few kits up this week, for a while I will just be rotating 6 kits in and out of the site, until I figure out a better way to download the kits. My site is www.kpmart.net and soon it will have jewelry and giclee prints available... for right now just the scrapbook kits!

Back from the Trade show

2007-02-02T09:06:00.000-08:00

I just returned from the CHA winter trade show. Ihad a booth in the Licensing and Design area, wich is still really small but strong. I lucked out when the person next to me didnt show up and the show mangement asked me to spread out to fill the space! The show overall was slow, but I got some good leads and contacts. We were all disapointed about the traffic in our area, but I think we all went away with a positive attitude anyway.

Its Semisweet!

2007-01-17T07:40:00.000-08:00

My new collection is finally finished and ready for press! I will be unveiling the new semisweet collection at the Craft and Hobby Associations winter trade show (booth 5424) in Anaheim in two weeks. I ve finished drawing, painting and scanning, Im creating patterns and borders and stripes by manipulating the images I scanned. Im on my last two themes with a total of 13 themes. This is from the birthday boy theme, featuring dogs and monkeys and tons of fun! All of this has been done for licensing, there is no client. In otherwords, no pay until I sell it! Ive been working on the collection for six months, inbetween paying jobs and at night. I love what I do....

New Years Resolutions

2007-01-01T07:16:00.000-08:00

Starting in 2006 my family set a goal to eat healthier and we did it! My husband, 6 yr old daughter and I, swore off fast food (almost) we still allowed ourselves a once a month trip to In and Out, a California based hamburger chain that serves everything fresh, they even cut their own fries from fresh potatos. We still eat out, we just stay away from any place with a drive through or that serves breakfast all day.

THis year we are going a step further. We are going as organic as we can, not crazy all organic.... but stuff that makes sense. Anything that we consume on a regular basis (eggs, bread, milk, rice, veggies and fruit) we will buy organic. All other stuff will be fresh, no cans! As little processed foods as possible, no more american cheese or balogne for Juliann, and no fake stuff! No more microwave popcorn with fake butter or diet soda. We always weigh ourselves and measure Juli on Jan 2, so tomorrow, I will know how a year of cutting back on fast food went for us.

As for me personally, my goals for this year are simple. I am a freelance designer/illustrator. My goal is to do what I love, and be happy and successful doing it.
I will say no to projects that will interfear with bigger and more important projects.
I will make beads for one hour every day m-f.
I will not work after 5:00
I will not put work before family
I will explain to my clients that they will be charged 1.5 times my normal rate for overtime for any work that I have to do over a weekend or holiday. I will also get 'permisison' from my family before I take a job like this.
I will keep up my portfolios on a monthly basis
I will add to my website on a monthly basis

The last two are the hardest... I still find that doing things to promote myself seem to be the lowest priority, and I need to work on that the most. I got the new dreamweaver software for building my website and I will be starting this afternoon, re-building my sites.

May your year be filled with good fortune and great adventure!!!

Happy new year

Its hard to be a freelance designer

2006-05-30T18:28:00.000-07:00

How time flies!, Great projects come and go and some come crashing down. The life of a freelance artist I guess. I had a wonderful opportunity to design a product as an exclusive for a major retailer, the buyer loved it, took it and then a week later was gone. Quit... Fired... I dont know, but my project has been floating around in limbo for 4 weeks now, and I have a contract with the manufacturer thats about to expire. The job took two weeks and, because of the nature of the sale, I took a very low advance. So, thirty days later that time I spent without being able to send out an invoice is biting me in the butt! I leave for New York in two weeks for the Licensing Show with just enough money to pay for my food and hotel. As a freelancer youve got to do stuff like this, theres no way around it, but, when it fails, it really hurts! There is a silver lining tho, I developed enough work to almost fill a portfolio and Ive been expanding on the designs, improving on them, creating new ones and that all goes to New York. On a slightly different note...I painted these frogs for my 10 yr old neice for her birthday and in turn showed them to a client. They picked then up with a 10% royalty!!!! So off to the photographer to be shot and then into frames for Melissa's wall. YEY!

2006-03-03T16:08:00.000-08:00

Its been forever again! but lots been happening and I just havent had time until today. Heres a photo of my booth at the tradeshow! Turned out pretty good, got lots of work. I had to hit the ground running when I returned home with two very tight deadlines. I have a little break in the action today waiting for some new art direction from a couple of clients, so here it goes! I have a new website dedicated to my beads and jewelry www.kpmart.net this will probably morph into a illustration site before too long. Ive joined the local ART HOP where I hold my studio open for the general public on the first thursday of every Month. Last night was my first night and it was great, I had about 12 people in my studio, watching me make beads, looking through my portfolios etc.

My paisly flowers have been very popular already fining their way to rubber stamps, note paper and gift bags! The first time ever Ive licensed art from my portfolio and not had to change colors, draw something new, add something... YEY!!! I scan them, multiply them, make patterns, borders, backgrounds. I ve drawn 6 more that need to be painted.

2006-01-26T06:39:00.000-08:00

The last six weeks have been crazy. As I prepare to leave for my first trade show of the year, my life gets filled with work! I was expecting an normally slow January and had held off working on my portfolios untill this month. Total mistake!!!!! I have been juggling three big Illustration jobs, two new proposals as well as a miriad of leadership responsiblilities for SCD. All of the printing for the booth walls is done and Ive decided to sell off my stock art in a way that is a little unusuall in the industry. I have over 500 pieces of art in my portfolios that have not been licensed. What happens is, someone likes my 'style' and askes me for specific designs for their project. SO..... all of that art that has been developed over the last 5 years just sits there! Well, Ive mounted prints to boards, like a fine artist would, priced them, and Im putting them in standing flip files for art buyers to go thru. WHen they purchase a piece of art they will buy the right to use it for one 'use' (like stickers) for a term of one year, if they want to use it for more than one thing they pay again! On the back of each piece is a form that allows me to keep track of the uses for each piece, once a use is purchased it may not be purchased again for another year... This idea (of Course) came up a week and a half ago so my assistant and I have been cutting and printing and mounting and wrapping for a week! I have two hundred boards, on the way to Las Vegas as I write this. I now need to transfer all of the photoshop and illustrator files to my laptop so that I can burn CDs for my buyers on the spot!

Im excited about this concept and show, I leave tomorrow. I will try to post from the show, complete with photos of my booth and hopefully lots of stock art being sold!

its been a month!

2005-12-09T06:20:00.000-08:00

Wow, I havent been able to get here for a month to blog. Ive been super busy and have bairly responded to emails etc. I finished the costume work for Beauty and the Beast and the show is in its second week. Everything is holding up, no major problems yet. I have 3 illustration jobs going at once... all holiday themed! I have been making beads like CRAZY to keep up with the holiday crunch and done NO shopping for my own list! I am on my way to Chicago this morning for a meeting...I hope I can get out and go shopping there. Im going to try to do some work for my portfolio at night... I packed my watercolors.
My next big project is getting my booth printed for my next trade show. I decided to print an image the size of the 8x10 wall. I will be tiling it with 12x18 pieces of paper. Here is a photo of the model I made. I hope to take this to two shows, CHA in February and Licensing in June. The banners on the right are 13" wide with my signature on the bottom and some images on the top. the back wall is my marketing post card image. Gotta go!

Back to the Drawing board!

2005-11-12T14:35:00.000-08:00

Worked on Mrs Pots and the Sugar bowl today. What a mess. The last theater that had these costumes never really finished them. THe sleeves are attached with safty pins for gods sake! Also started imputting the images I did for my client into illustrator today. This is the fast part. I ran into a serious wall last week... 24 different xmas themes... enough to put anyone over the edge, but I got it done and now I have lots of ammo for my portfolio. I will take the images I sketched and actually draw them in Illustrator for the client and then paint them by hand in both watercolor and acrylics for my portfolio. One job sort of acts as inspiration for the next for me. Ill get some more sketches added in tomorrow.

Beads Beads and more beads

2005-11-08T15:23:00.000-08:00

Welllll, I've almost recovered from that woman buying all of my beads, and have plenty for a good trunk show on Thursday. I've hit a wall on some of my Illustration work and taking it out on the torch is probably a good thing. I will be MORE than ready to get back to illustration on Friday! I've been at the torch for up to 4 hours a day and turning out some really cool stuff. Maybe Ill have some for eBay next week!

Costumes!

2005-11-04T07:07:00.000-08:00

Well, what a day! Last evening was my open studio night. I hold my studio open on the first and third Thursday of every month and last night was fun. My sister is here to work on some costumes for the Nutcracker (she is the costumer for the Paso Robles Ballet) we painted circus animals and entertained my guests. As well as being an illustrator and designer I also make lampwork beads and design jewelry with them. Last night I put out a bunch of loose beads (about 150) that I had not made into jewelry yet. A woman came in and bought all but about 20 of them!!! I about died! I have a trunk show next week at a local bead store and now I have NO inventory! I have deadlines for Illustration work, costumes to work on and NOW I have to try to generate 200+ beads in 7 days. OK let me pull out the calculator here... I can make 10 - 12 beads in an hour so thats about 20 hours of bead making, thats 3 hours a day! Normally I only make beads for 1 to 2 hours a day....SOOOOOO I guess I will be working overtime this week!!!!

more winter

2005-11-03T07:21:00.000-08:00

Here are some more sketches, this time its a snowman and trees. I think Ill do about 6 or 8 trees and then work them into a repeat pattern for wrapping paper and gift bags. As I work through these images, more come to mind. I will generate over 100 images to paint and then I will hit the proverbial wall and not be able to come up with any more. So, I have to draw while my ideas are comming fast and furious, and worry about color later. You will see lots of black and white here for a few weeks, then these images will come back in color!

2005-11-02T07:43:00.000-08:00

I started working on Beauty and the Beast costumes last night. We have a ton of work to do and very few people to do it. Im so busy with my art work that Im not sure how much I will be able to do for the theater. Im really going to have to be organized and delegate as much as possible. Im still working on sketches for one client and hsould be finished with those today. I will start doing the illustrations in the computer next week.

Halloween!

2005-11-01T07:49:00.000-08:00

We had a blast on Halloween. My Daughter would not settle for a store bought costume, mommy had to make it! THank god it wasnt some big fantasy creature! Ok I cant figure out how to turn the photos the right way so you'll have to turn your head! But we had the cutest costume on the block! I will be working on the enchanted character costumes for our upcomming beauty and the beast production, so you will probably see more costumes.
A link my webite: www.fcocdesign.com

2005-10-29T15:17:00.000-07:00

Plowing through another day! got some more sketches done last night for winter. a few little mittens to color, some gifts and a few snowmen. I will have to complete my sketches for my client by tuesday and be ready to take images to final in illustrator,all due in two weeks. Its a killer but always leads to new images for the portfolio at the same time.
Im excited to say that I will be switching from SURTEX to The Licensing Show this year. after 4 years at Sutex, Im ready to try a different venue. The cool part is that my Husband and Daughter will be comming with me to New York and to the CHA show in Las Vegas as well! Back to the Drawing boards, Until tomorrow...

10/28/05

2005-10-27T17:48:00.000-07:00

What a change! It went from a wonderful 75 degrees yesterday to cold and rainy today! It was actually necessary to get some heat going in the studio! Im starting a new collection of spot images and characters today. I have some sketches and linework done on a few of my new halloween images and want to introduce you to Bitty Witch her brother Bump and her cat Salem. They still need some work but theres a start! In the next few weeks I will be working through all the seasons developing as many images as I can. I take all of these spot images and combine them with backgrounds in photo shop to create endless combos for all kinds of licensing applications.

2005-10-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

julann and me

The First post

2005-10-26T22:13:00.000-07:00

Hi, This is where you will get to see what Im working on in real time. I will be posting scans of sketches and current work in porgress along with my thoughts for the day. I think this will be a good thing for me to get things out of my head and into the world. Back again tomorrow!
K