I’ve been working like crazy on new things over here. I took a little break in between coming out with my spring collection and starting in on this one for a few reasons but honestly, it was because I was busy falling hard for a guy. I’m back to work and doing everything I’ve always wanted to design. It is the best feeling ever. For the past year, I feel like I have been hustling to make this whole thing work. I didn’t have any of the tools I needed and it was exhausting and frustrating. I was 100% faking it until I could make it. There are so many shortcuts I found around expensive design programs and I’m so thankful I could make it all work for as long as I did. It got to a point where I was just at a stand still because everything took me double the time without the programs I needed and I had no way to start in on my big dream of making cards. Recently, I was gifted Photoshop elements and a Wacom tablet by that guy I fell hard for so now I am off and running on a new little design journey.

Here is a day in the life of qk in pictures:

1// 9:00 rolled out of bed after a late night of designing tattoos. posted the tattoo to social media (picture 7). slept at my parents house because I needed to run to the printer in Eagan the night before.

2// coffee on the deck. I like to take my time in the morning and figure out what is a priority for the day and make a to-do list for the day and sometimes for the week.

3// took this picture with one of my society6 bags with peonies from my mom’s garden. posted to Instagram.

4// 10:00 hit the road to go back to my apt. quick stop at the grocery store

5// 11:00 got dressed. got a donut. posted to social media again.

6// 11:30-1:30 set up my new Wacom tablet. worked on some client blog headers.

10// 1:30-3:30 personal sketching. worked on my first card concept for my stationary line. quick lunch. packaged orders and a giveaway. quick post office run.

8/9/11// 4:00-6:00 finish up some client work. plan out which pieces are coming to my Free People event. played around on my tablet and worked on personal projects. posted these 3 new gold cases in my shop.

And there you have it. Most of the days I work for myself, the biggest challenge is pulling myself away from personal projects. I’m just way too passionate about one of the goals I’m trying to meet right now but client work (paid work) should always be the priority. Balance is something I’m constantly working on. I think it is so important to do personal projects because that is how you keep your love for your craft but it’s also important to meet deadlines. I work this schedule about 3 days a week and the other 3 days I work my part-time job. There are still no days off for me and I’m making changes in my company to make sure that I can still have a life but it is a slow process. It completely helps that I absolutely love the job I created for and a lot of the time it feels like play rather than work but one of these days I would love to just take the whole day and read a book or watch movies or take a real vacation for a week and not worry about my shop but that just isn’t the reality of it right now.

I’ll be at Free People this coming week on Thursday, June 19th from 6-8 showcasing some of my work. I would love for you all to join me!!

xo-

qk