I’m learning. Slowly.

I feel like starting a business is hard for many reasons. To list a few: scheduling, working three jobs, being one person and trying to do 5 jobs, there are only 24 hours in the day, sleep doesn’t happen, staying on top of emails, being 22 and wanting to do 22-year-old things and not being superwoman…I could go on and on BUT one of the main aspects I’ve been struggling with is the learning curve (and money but I’ll figure that part out eventually). I’m the type of person that learns best by screwing up and fixing it. Let me tell you…that doesn’t work when you have clients, a budget and a timeline. There is very little room for error right now and that is so hard to try to have a drawing be perfect every time. No smudge marks or ink stains (or wine spills). The learning curve is tough because it takes time. I learned over time that smudge marks won’t happen if I wash my hands after penciling in the drawing and erase unneeded marks more often. I’m rambling. But the point of this is it takes time to learn things and I don’t know everything. I often take on work that I don’t completely know how to do myself. This is most often design work. I’ve mentioned this before that I am a communications major and I have a tiny bit of graphic design experience. I took the beginner class. And that won’t get you very far. Usually I ask my incredibly generous designer friends. Other times I rely on myself to figure it out. I get myself into trouble sometimes by taking on too much, but I feel like there is no better way to learn than to put a little bit of healthy pressure on myself to meet deadlines, do a variety of projects for different companies, meet some cool people and try not to lose my mind at the same time. Moral of the story is I’m still not sure what I got myself into here but I love it.

::1:: An amazinggggg giveaway that I’m a part of. Head over to my Instagram to see how to enter!!

::2:: Staying in bed extra late these days. It’s so hard to leave cozy flannel sheets in the frigid Minnesota winters.

::3:: My RAWard Director’s Highlight stamp of approval. YAY!! This event is supposed to be the cream of the crop for independent artists in Minneapolis. I’m feeling kind of proud and privileged to be a part of it.

::4:: I am collaborating with Studio Mucci for a few fun projects. Check out their amazing custom garlands and tassels. I can’t wait to use this one at my shows and hang it in the studio. It has my brand written all over it!! I love it.

::5:: “Working” at the handmade shop I work at on the weekends. I LOVE this job too much. It is not work at all. Local artists come in and chat with me and I can draw while I’m at work. It’s so perfect for me. For those of you that are local, it is in Minneapolis in the Lake Harriet area on 50th and Penn. It’s called The Paper Hat.

::6:: My favorite candle, a sketch I’m working on and looking through old sketch books for inspiration. Found this page of pattern play from a high school project. I absolutely love looking through old sketch books to see how my style has changed and to look at what I found inspirational then. (these were well before my Pinterest days so I would put almost everything I liked in my sketch books)

::7:: My day job and pretty much the reason why I can have a business. She is my day job and my little miss. I love her to pieces. We have been bundling up in the house lately and getting ready for all things winter. She can’t wait for the first big snow fall. I can.

::8:: I’m having a sale right now in my shop. Select prints are $10 and ALL notecards are $15. It won’t last long so grab them while you can!

::9:: Wearing my beanie. Everyday. It’s a lifestyle.

Keep an eye out for some amazing stuff coming up VERY soon. I’ve been waiting SO long for this and I have yet to spill the beans.

xoxo,

Katie