thoughts | Brandi Girl Blog

Category: thoughts

You do you

thoughts, tip shareMay 21 20136 Comments

There’s one question I got on last Tuesday’s post that I didn’t answer. It’s not the first time I’ve gotten it, and probably won’t be the last, and I didn’t post my answer because it leaves me feeling funny (as in funny-awkward, not funny-hilarious). The question’s simple but the answer is a little complicated, and can open up a conversation that I wasn’t sure I wanted to have. But after thinking about it for the better part of a week, I decided why not?

So, here goes.

The question I get from time to time is this: How can I do what you do?

The meaning behind it has ranged from simple curiosity to wanting to replicate everything I’ve ever done online. I never take the question personally because, honestly, I’ve wondered the same thing about people, too.

So, why I do feel funny-awkward answering that question? Because my journey has been crazy and meandering and somewhat different from what other people experience. Replicating what I’ve done is not for everyone.

If that’s hard to hear, let me explain.

My story

When I started selling online, it wasn’t a part-time job, it wasn’t a hobby. I didn’t transition my jewelry shop from part-time to full-time, I started it full-time.

That’s my first big point. I didn’t grow Catie’s Blue organically, slowly building on small successes and milestones. I simply launched it; one day it didn’t exist as a business entity, and the next day, it did. While not totally unique, it was (and is) a different position from what other creatives go through, and I recognize that.

My second point is that at the time, I was 25, single, and had no one relying on me for income. The way I saw it, and still see it, I was in a position to take a big risk without affecting anyone but me. And if it didn’t work, I’d do something else, but at least I wouldn’t be responsible for dragging anyone down if I failed; it was just me that I had to take care of.

But that’s exactly why my answer is the one it is. Not everyone can do what I did because your life situations are different than mine was, and still is. Do you have a full-time office job? A spouse? Children? A house to pay for? Starting a full-time creative business from scratch is a bigger risk for those with full-time jobs, families, and homes to take care of than it was for me. I still took a risk, sure, but it was a calculated one. But what was a calculated risk for me can be potentially damaging for others who have people relying on their income.

That’s why I hesitate when people ask me the “how do I do what you do?” question. It’s not that I think you can’t handle it, aren’t up for it, can’t figure it out, or aren’t talented enough; no.

It’s just that I think it’s a little irresponsible of me to sell you on the idea that you could do things exactly the way I did when you have responsibilities that I didn’t.

Change the question

All that said, I think it’s totally possible for you to start or run a business if you work for it.

The question, though, should change at this point. It should be less about me and what I did, and more about what you can feasibly do.

Because there’s another big difference to note: I had an abundance of free time when I started. Time to create, and time to handle the business side of things. Time to explore and learn, time to mess up and fix it, time to try a bunch of things to see what worked.

Did I mess up along the way? Sure. I didn’t know much about starting and growing a business, so I learned everything on the fly. Was there pressure to bring in sales? Absolutely. And maybe that pressure was more than it would have been had I had a steady income to rely on while I worked on my side business part-time.

But because I had time on my side, I could do all those things and deal with whatever came my way. That’s not the case for everyone, so change the question. What you should be asking is “how can I start or grow a business my way?”

Doing you

If you’re looking to start or grow a business, my best suggestion is to figure out what you can and can’t do time- and responsibility-wise. If your family can’t afford to live without your paycheck, you already have one thing figured out, and that’s not a bad thing. Knowing where your limits are is very, very good.

It also doesn’t mean you can’t create or sell, period; just that you can’t do it full-time (yet, if that’s your goal). Which means you have to be very savvy about the time you have and maximize it as best as possible.

If your days are full with work and family activities, then find other times to create and check in with business/shop issues – early mornings, late nights, weekends, lunch breaks. If you find yourself with big chunks of time and can work fast, maybe wholesaling is an option, depending on what you’re making.

Or if time is a definite issue, then you know that custom orders may not be something you can do (sometimes, it’s about saying no). If your time is limited, look into solutions that doesn’t require you to be around. Automatic deliveries of PDF tutorials or ebooks, for example, can be handled by sites like E-Junkie, Pulley App, and now Etsy. Sites like Society6 print and ship your art for you. Lulu and Blurb print and ship your physical book. Consignment can work, too, since you’re not the person handling the point of sale, though it can take some leg work on your part to research and establish relationships with shops.

There’s so many options now that you can really customize the way your business runs and operates. And that’s what I really endorse – forget the exact steps that I’ve taken and start brainstorming what you can do.

I hope this helps clarify what I’ve done myself, and where I’m coming from. This post isn’t meant to discourage anyone – just the opposite! I think the world needs more art to feed the soul, and now is the best time to get started. Think of all the resources and things we can do now that just didn’t exist ten years ago. “Now” is a very exciting time for creative businesses.

As always, I’m here if you want to reach out with any other questions! Email me if you don’t want to leave a public comment.

P.S. You might be interested in this post I wrote a while back: Full-time work with part-time hours.

P.P.S. I’m powering through the last few sections of my color theory book this week, and will be opening up for preorders shortly. Mailing list subscribers will get first crack – you can sign up here.

Reader Q+A

color theory, thoughtsMay 14 20132 Comments

I had a couple of people email me some fun questions recently, so I thought I’d share those here with you, in case you, too, were curious.

color q+a - complementary colors

How do you personally start when you build a color scheme/palette? What’s your process?

A color usually jumps out at me, and very insistently demands my attention. If it’s coming from an inspiration source, like a photo, where there are other colors surrounding it, I may open up Photoshop and put together a palette with those colors; I do that for every color palette post I do here. I love making palettes because I’m already reacting to the colors in the photo, so chances are, I’m going to love the way they look separated out, too.

If it’s just the color screaming at me, I might play around with a color relationship. Complementary colors are fun to use, and I like tweaking it so one color is nice and bold while the other is softer, like the graphic above.

Or I might pair it up with another color I’m loving, like I did with Oh The Color’s branding. Those colors are pulled directly from Pantone’s Spring 2013 color report - the red is Poppy Red and the orange is Nectarine. I paired it with a quasi-neutral yellow (tan) because it needed another color to make it feel complete, but it needed something that wouldn’t compete, either. And it turned out I already had one quasi-neutral ready – I put Pantone’s Spring Colors together with a favorite quasi-neutral in this post, so I grabbed that and was on my way, color-wise. Funny enough, even though I wasn’t trying for it, OTC’s colors ended up being an analogous color scheme.

How do I start?

Try starting with your materials. When I was creating jewelry for my old shop, I’d use boro beads as my color source and match up rondelles to the colors I saw. Having an inspiration source is excellent for all skill levels because you have something to guide you or get you out of a creative rut.

If you’re feeling very nervous, or if your materials don’t necessarily give you color help, start by finding color palettes to work from or making your own. I’ve got a big Pinterest board full of color palettes to get you started.

As you start feeling more comfortable, try intentionally using the color relationships.

Are you going to do another Color Palette Blog Walk soon?

I know I said I’d do one in the new year, and five months in, I still haven’t delivered. I think it’s time to retire it and move on to a different kind of color challenge, if there’s interest. Maybe something a little more inclusive this time, as I know not everyone has access to a graphics program.

Should I get Elements or Photoshop or Lightroom?

Depends on what you’re looking to do. I talked about the differences between Elements and Photoshop here, so if you’re looking to buy one, definitely read up on that.

I will say that most people don’t really need Photoshop; they buy it because they think they do, but they really don’t. Elements is absolutely fine for most people’s projects, with the exception being someone who’s learning graphic design (if that’s you, grab Photoshop – there are student discounts for it).

Between the two, I personally like Elements a little better. I find it a little easier to work with, though that could be because I’ve used it extensively for the past five years, versus Photoshop, which I didn’t have for a long time and have only started using more in the last two years. So, maybe I’m a little biased about the ease of Elements!

As for Lightroom, I have it installed, but I honestly haven’t had a chance to sit down and learn it, so I can’t give an honest opinion about it. The way I understand it, it’s a digital darkroom, so it’s only used for photo editing. Elements and Photoshop can be used for photo editing as well as creating graphics. Since both Lightroom and Elements retail for around $100 USD, I’d probably say grab Elements if you think you might want to create graphics.

Do you have Creative Cloud? How do you like it?

I do have Adobe’s Creative Cloud, and I love it.

If you don’t know what that is, it’s a monthly subscription to Adobe’s programs. There are single-app (Adobe’s calling their programs apps now, though it’s not really an app like for your phone) subscriptions available in addition to a subscription for access to most of the programs Adobe makes. You can subscribe month-to-month, or commit to a year and have a lower monthly rate.

If you have a license to a CS3 version or later program, you get a discount for the complete plan for your first year (it’s $30 per month for 12 months); that’s what I did last year. Now that my first year is up, I’m paying $50 per month for the next 12 months. It’s a big chunk of money for someone who’s on a budget, but the trade off is that I have access to so many programs that I wouldn’t be able to afford any other way. Through my subscription, I’m able to use Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Lightroom – that’s all I’ve got installed right now, but I can also use other programs like Dreamweaver, After Effects, and Premiere Pro, too (among others).

The ability to use so many programs for one flat price is absolutely worth it to me. I don’t have a CD of each program like I used to, but I won’t have to worry about shelling out hundreds of dollars upfront for each program. I also don’t have to worry about upgrading, either, since those are included in my subscription.

Now, will most people need a Creative Cloud subscription? Probably not. But if you’re curious about how to use some of these programs, you’ve now got a comparatively inexpensive option to give them a try, and a year to learn how they work.

Got more questions? I’ve got answers. Leave a comment or email me!

P.S. I know some people have been having problems downloading freebies. I have no idea why it’s acting up, but I am working on a solution. When I get it fixed, I’ll let you know!

You can’t use up creativity

thoughtsMay 13 20133 Comments

can't use up creativity quote

Sometimes I’m scared I’m going to use up all the creativity I have. Sometimes the creative flow is less like a tidal wave or a steady river, and more like a trickle. Those few drops are so precious because of what they inspire, but sometimes, they come so infrequently that it feels like they might never come again.

But the wise Maya Angelou is right.

I’ve recently rediscovered something I always knew, but frequently forget – when I get scared or stressed, fear cuts off the creative flow. It’s hard to see past the worry when you’re in it, and it’s sometimes hard to trust that the creative well won’t dry up when all you feel is a few drops.

What’s driving me now is a clear vision of what I want to do – I want to write this color theory book. This has been one of the clearest, if not the clearest, vision I’ve ever had. Focus has not always been my strongest point when it comes to myself, so it’s hard not to fall back into my comfort zone because everything I’m doing is something new and different for me. But that vision is so irresistible, I have to at least try.

And a funny thing happened when I got clear about what I wanted – I suddenly had this overflow of creative inspiration. That clear vision sparked another, which sparked another, and suddenly, I’ve got a plan of action for the next few months. Funny how that works.

I’ve already started putting it into action, too. Besides trucking along with my book (I’m about halfway done by the way, which feels great), I used some of that creative flow and started a Facebook page for this blog. I’ve been sharing new palettes and colorful links over there, so if you’d like to stop by, I’d love to have you. I then used more creative flow to start the layout mini class I mentioned Friday, and am brainstorming the next class after that. And then, I’ve got several more projects brewing that need a little more time before it’s ready to be shared.

I’m still nervous, but I’m working to remember that I can’t use up the creativity that’s flowing. So, I thought I’d post a little reminder today for me and anyone else that might be feeling the same way.

What about you? What’s the clearest vision you’ve ever had for yourself, your work, your art?

West

thoughtsApr 18 20134 Comments

TheHomeT - texas

In the events of this week, both here in Texas and up in Boston, I just wanted to acknowledge the special kind of courage first responders have today.

By now, you’ve probably heard of the explosion at the fertilizer storage facility in West, Texas. Watching the local news coverage last night was absolutely heartbreaking – it went on for hours. And the coverage so far today is almost worse, seeing the aftermath.

West is a small town about 75 miles south of Dallas. You drive right next to it when you head down I-35 to Austin, and it only takes a minute or two on the highway to pass it, that’s how small it is. There’s about 2,800 people who live there, and last night, most of them were evacuated. Homes and buildings near the storage facility were leveled, destroyed either by fire, debris, or the concussion wave.

Within an hour or two, first responders from across the state poured into this little Texas town to help the volunteer firefighters in West. Coupled with Boston, these two examples have given me a new appreciation for what first responders do every single day, whether there’s news coverage or not.

How about you?

Photo source: The Texas Home T-Shirt by TheHomeT on Etsy

Fear + Bliss

thoughtsApr 15 20137 Comments

spring photo palette

As I write the first part of this post, it’s Saturday afternoon. I’m sitting on my back porch, and it’s a balmy 77 degrees. There’s a breeze, and I’m enjoying the fact that it’s pleasant and not frigid. Birds are chirping, the sun’s shining, and everywhere I look there are bright blues and greens.

It’s so perfect, it’s almost a Disney movie.

In one part of my mind, I’m registering the environment around me, but in another, more demanding section, I’m freaking out. Four ideas are bumping into each other in my mind, fighting for my time and energy. I’m paralyzed with indecision. It’s a gorgeous day and all I can think is holy crap, I’m tired.

I don’t want to be tired. I want to be excited, and a part of me is – it’s just buried underneath the indecision and fear.

It took me a little while to sort through those feelings of fear and anxiety, and the solution came to me in the form of a blog post from Alexandra Franzen (do you read her blog? It’s a good one). This post about ease absolutely resonated with me, and I realized in that moment that I was over-complicating things for myself. I was the problem, or at least my brain was, and all I had to do to fix it was stop. Over. Thinking. Everything.

Alexandra isn’t the first one I’ve heard talk about ease; Danielle La Porte mentions something similar in her book The Fire Starter Sessions - do what’s easy. So, I picked what should have been the hardest project and broke it down into easy-to-do parts. That particular solution came so quickly I was almost overwhelmed by the speed and simplicity. Why did it take so long for me to think of it?

Doing it that way allowed me to start - and finish - the bulk of the work this weekend. There’s only a little bit more left to do, and I cannot tell you how good that feels.

The result? I’m about to make good on my promise to revamp my photo editing class. And it feels so good, blissful even. More details on this later once I get it completed (newsletter subscribers will hear it first), but the lesson for me this weekend? Keep it simple.

How’d your weekend go?