Last week I received a request from a local bride-to-be who needed to rush order wedding invitations for her upcoming Valentine’s Day wedding. She had chosen the cake, knew she liked vibrant colors and scrolls, and, well, was getting married on that iconic day of love. Traditionally, I like to spend several days to a week working on a custom design to play with my ideas, the wishes of the bride and groom and doing print trials, but this needed to be done on the double with papers I had in stock.
Above is the final invitation inspired by the wedding cake and designed, printed and delivered in record time. Congratulations Lori & Brian,* wishing you a joyful happily ever after!
*Last names and contact information has been changed for client privacy.
Somehow I managed to stay on track with my Project365 on Flickr this week. I gave myself the assignment of learning the speedlight my husband gave me for my birthday, but my brain was not up for that. The above photos and my pencil photo are the only images I shot while using the speedlight.
For the marshmallow photo, I used natural light then bounced the flash off the ceiling to illuminate the surface of the marshmallow. The oranges were shot late in the evening in a dark kitchen (I was packing lunches for kids and desperate for a photo). I aimed the flash at a 45 degree angle and this is what I got. I shot everything with an automatic flash setting, so I still have no clue how to manipulate the amount of light coming from the flash or what other magical things it can do.
Next week is going to be packed with orders to fill, taxes, custom design, homework, kid events and my mom’s birthday (yay!), so my only assignment will be to take my camera with me every time I leave the house. For you daily photographers out there, how do you approach your Project365 when you have a packed week?
Click image to see more details on Flickr
As many of you know, I’m taking Holly Becker’s Blogging Your Way e-class to help find direction and voice for this blog. It’s been an eye opening experience. There is so much I want to do and this class is helping me define my focus and find my voice. I won’t go into the gory details, but I do want to share this week’s homework with you.
The assignment was to create a mood board that hones in on my interests and taste. No digital manipulation was allowed. Technically, I may be cheating by including a human being, but as I’ve said before, separating family from work is impossible.
To give you a taste of who I am and what I love within the sphere of my work world, I’ll list the details in the photo. Roughly clockwise from the upper left corner here goes:
- Kid art. My children’s artwork brings me great joy.
- My “To Do List” notebook. A daily to do list keeps me on track and calms my brain.
- Pantone swatchbook. Tattered and loved. I use this all day, everyday.
- Succulents and garden flowers make me happy.
- Font book. I love a good font.
- My journal where I write ideas, take notes, sketch and use for general brain babble.
- Kate. She’s always underfoot, which I love (on most days).
- Jack. My first born and my logo.
- Patterns. My newest fascination.
- The Wedding Invitation Handbook. A beloved reference book.
- My 85 mm Nikon lens. It rocks.
- My own work. Some note cards I created today.
- Scotch ATG 714. A must have for any stationer.
So that’s me in a nutshell (as of Friday, February 5th at 2:30 p.m.). If I did it again tomorrow, who knows!
Our Valentine’s Day greetings are available in our Etsy Shop. Same day shipping for orders placed by noon PST now through Wednesday, February 10th.
I bumbled around a bit in January. Many of my goals took a left turn, but all in all, I’ve still got forward momentum. Here is a quick review of last month’s goals:
{Goals for January 2010}
- Send out first press release on January 18 :: Ack. Temporarily sidetracked. I ended up focusing on improvements to my photography and product staging, a fall out from this goal. The release will be delayed by a month, but I believe it will be worth the wait. Photos are my storefront. I need to get it right. An excuse? Perhaps.
- Eliminate riff – raff from Etsy shop :: Yeah! I feel so much better.
- Close 1000 Markets Shop :: Done.
- Begin Blogging Class January 18 :: I started taking a blogging class taught by Holly Becker of Decor8. After the first two weeks, I’ve gained unexpected perspective about who I am as a blogger and an artist as well as great insight about the direction I want to take the blog. It’s very exciting.
- Create nine stationery lines from existing artwork :: Started working to streamline 9 stationery lines. Each line will include a thank you note set, personalized note card, invitation and photo announcement. I’m amped to have a bit more structure in my product lines.
- Meet with one boutique owner :: I chickened out. Will wo-man up and just do it.
- Begin documenting sales/expenses via spreadsheet :: Still learning, but the structure is in place.
{Goals for February 2010}
- Send out first press release
- Write a business plan :: Taking Bakery’s e-course Six Weeks to a Tastier Business which starts today. Thankfully a business plan is first on the curriculum. I’m going to need some hand holding to get it done.
- Continue Blogging Class :: Started. It’s fabulous.
- Complete nine stationery lines from existing artwork :: 50% done with this.
- Meet with one boutique owner :: Any words of wisdom or pep talks are welcome.
- Do my taxes :: Meh.
It’s going to be a big month. I’ve sharpened my pencils and I’m ready to learn. Lately I feel I’m in over my head when it comes to the business end of things. I stress over how best to manage my books, approach PR, wholesaling and a myriad of other things. It’s officially time for me to address the issues I’ve been avoiding. Wish me luck!
The Monthly Goal Meetup happens every month over at Athena Dreams. Come check it out!
It’s hard to believe I’ve nearly completed a whole month of Project365 on Flickr. I’ve enjoyed the process more than I ever imagined. The magnitude of it hit me today when I was driving up the Mount Rose Highway and noticed the most amazing cloud formations hovering over the mountains. I instinctually pulled off the road just past a set of power lines when I realized I didn’t have my camera with me. I can’t repeat what I said, but I’m sure you can fill in the blank. I plan to go back tomorrow afternoon, but you know it won’t be the nearly as magnificent.
My assignment for Week 4 was “Gratitude”. It was my birthday and I’ve been overwhelmed by the many joys in my life. Of course I’m thankful for my family and my health, but it’s the little things that make my life so great. From the sweetest little brown dog to the chocolate cherry cake my mom makes, it was fun to look at my world through a grateful lens.
For week 5, I plan to work with my new speed light, a birthday gift from my husband. I have no idea how to use it, so it will be an adventure. I’ve already veered off course with this image of my son at the fire station, but sometimes that’s how it goes.
Below are a few images from the week:
Last week I decided to give myself a weekly assignment for my Project365 on Flickr. My first assignment was to explore the macro setting on my camera with my 35 mm lens. It was a great way to get me thinking about ordinary, everyday items as art or potential art. It’s amazing how quickly my brain switched gears and started overanalyzing everything I touched. Not ideal for a relaxing day with the family, otherwise, it was great.
Below are a few images from the week:
16/365 Postage
17/365 Elvis: Jack's Beloved Friend
19/365 Eye of the Needle: Divine Twine from WiskerGraphics*
21/365 Steel Strings
I learned my macro setting works best on inanimate objects. I had it in my brain that it would be a great way to capture my children’s hands, which I’m fascinated with, but to my disappointment, it was a bust. Anything with movement lacked the clarity I was hoping for. I consider this a successful discovery since knowing what NOT to do is often as important as knowing what to do (or so I tell myself).
For Week 4, my assignment is to document “Gratitude”. My birthday is next week and I’ve been overwhelmed with just how much I have to be thankful for in my life so far. I look forward to sharing with you in the coming week.
*If you love Divine Twine please visit Whisker Graphics on Etsy. Whitney has several fab colors to choose from.
Six years ago my husband surprised me with one of the best gifts I’ve ever received, a Nikon D70. It was my first experience with a DSLR and more photographic power than I was ready for. Over the next five years, I used it mostly as a point and shoot to document my growing family and one little brown dog.
Last year I decided it was time to learn how to use the camera to it’s full potential. My big breakthrough was an oh-so-satisfying photo shoot at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I had read an article on aquarium photography, followed the tips and was shocked by the quality of the photos that resulted. I took a chance and shot using only manual settings and manual focus. I was hooked.
I spent the next few months playing and learning. I ran into a few frustrations with the D70 as I was trying to use it to it’s potential. One was the tiny LCD screen. I had no idea what I had shot until I uploaded it which made for a lot of wasted time. The bigger frustration was I couldn’t find anyone who was still using the D70 to ask questions of and brain storm with. So later in the fall I treated myself to an upgrade: Hello Nikon D90.
As I was contemplating what do with the D70 I learned about the Refocus Project, a non profit organization based in London. According an article on JPG Magazine’s JPG Blog, “The Refocus Project teaches Iraqi, Palestinian and Syrian disadvantaged youth how to document their lives with photography.” Essentially:
Refocus puts the camera into the hands of the learners, giving them the power to depict the realities of their lives, both as individuals and as groups. We aim to improve awareness of the plight of others, create dialog in their communities and globally, empower the participant by building confidence, self esteem and hope.
After learning about this great effort, my decision was made. Yesterday I packaged up the camera with all its accessories and sent it across the pond for a new adventure in a new culture. I look forward to following Project Refocus’ efforts. If you are interested in learning more about this fantastic program or want to donate any camera supplies that are gathering dust, please visit their website or their JPEG gallery.
Below are a few of my favorite images taken with the D70. Counter clockwise:
1. Jack {Easter 2005}
2. Trip to the Grand Canyon {Spring 2008}
3. Kate {Winter 2006}
I am loving Project 365 on Flickr but I’m not getting much else done in my down time. One morning I spent several hours chasing rainbows around the city while I should have been home scrubbing sinks. Documenting rainbows will enrich my life more than having clean bathrooms, right?
It was a beautiful week in Reno. Sun, cleansing rain and perfect snow at Mt. Rose. Above are a few photos I shot around town.
Counter clockwise:
1. A rainbow over Lakeside Drive
2. The trees in our yard reflecting off our clean car
3. My husband skiing at Mt. Rose
4. My crabby child at Old Navy
It’s a bit challenging coming up with new and unique material to photograph. I have the cutest kids on the block, but I doubt my cyber friends want 365 days of Jack and Kate. One night I took 43 photos of a pot of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. At that moment I decided it was time to give myself a weekly assignment. Something to give me focus and help me learn the technical details of my camera.
Week two’s accidental assignment was ‘Life around Reno.’ In week three I will concentrate on learning to use the macro feature of my 35 mm lens (perfect for a mac n cheese study).
Yesterday I introduced you to my sister and her upcoming wedding. I can’t share the invitation just yet, but I can show you the Save the Date sent out last month.
Melanie had received a gift certificate from her fabulous sister to a local fine arts supply store. She used it to explore the world of wood block printing. Together with her fiancé, she created a print to be used on the invitation. She scanned her work and emailed it to me. Above is the result of our collaboration, printed on luxurious 260 gsm stone grey paper with a soft deckled edge. The ink is a black eco-friendly wax ink.
If you are interested in custom wedding design, please visit our website or contact me for more information.
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