Small Biz Life: In the Studio

let's get this straight. this is a studio life post. life is messy. studios are messy.
it is definitely NOT picture perfect. at. all. so now that we got that clear, here's a little post on things i've been working on lately.

upon the new year, people choose a word to live by throughout the year.
this is my word for 2016.
i learned and pretty much inhaled lots of biz tips online and now it's time to apply them. easier said than done, though.

my life has basically been a huge balancing act (whose life isn't?) and feeling daily as if i've failed. it's okay though, i have been given grace and tomorrow is another day. i do not let it get to me, although achieving daily goals is what makes me feel good at the end of the day, not gonna lie.
i've been elbows deep in steady custom work, and i cannot even begin to express how thankful i am for all people that have given me a chance.

most days, i take product pictures whether it be for listings in my etsy shop or for social media like instagram.

some days, i work on stuff for myself and greatly fail at it. the disapproval is just immense, makes my whole life feel like a downer. but these are artists traits and i take them with a grain of salt.
i can only look back at what i've created and finally see what a long ways i've come as a creative person. but still my heart knows i can do so much more.

sometimes this small biz job seems overwhelming. i'm playing 100 different parts trying to 'make it big'. my most favorite part of this whole thing is when i hear my phone ding with a new order. it is so rewarding knowing that the entire process, from actually making & drying the paper to putting the listing up in the shop has paid off. 

sometimes i think just being mom to 3 little is easier than this small biz stuff....

but let's talk about my studio assistant. she's the cutest monster you ever did see, and if you follow me on snapchat, you will know the messes this little cute monster can make. we have fallen in love with Sofia the First (princess cartoon) and she watches it no problem while eating breakfast each morning. but after that...she's ready to play! 

you might be wondering why i have a large moving box in the studio. well, it just kinda happened to find its way in the studio and the kids converted it into a reading box at first. then elena used it as a slide and it just went downhill from there....ha! get it?

my sweet little mess maker is left handed. and right handed. and LOVES those markers and brushes. i keep trying to show her how to clean up her messes but she just wants to color. typical. so each day is a battle lost to organization + cleanliness. it's ok with me as long as she's happy & i get to finish my work. 

the weather has been wishy washy and some days it is too cold (yes, even here in south texas) to make paper outside. gary says he needs rubber boots and a space heater. he comes in the house with his toes nearly frozen off....but with some pretty paper. he keeps improving his tools for his trade and you'll often find him sawing or washing something in the backyard listening to his audiobook. gosh, i love that man.

some big steps we would like to take this year with the shop are increasing our paper quantity, testing our paper, and letter press printing it so we can immerse ourselves in the wedding paper niche. 

we have tested our paper for durability, longevity & ink absorption and i really have come to detest those stages of our small biz but they are SO necessary if we want our paper to succeed. oh, and don't get me started on taxes and applying to be a business. that was so 2015! #gladits2016now 

i have been experimenting with placing digital type on a picture background lately. i am loving the results but nearly do not reap any benefit from it, other than it looks pretty. it's just another way of expressing oneself i suppose...

so there's that. i know i don't post about shop stuff that often but i hope you won't mind this. in fact, i hope you will help me in spreading the word about our business whether it be by word of mouth or by social media. any publicity is good publicity. and if there's a quote, a passage, a verse that you love and would love for me to letter it, please email me and let me know. i'll do my best to work on it and put it up in shop so everyone can have a chance at a print. i'm always in search of good words. 

i am beginning the stages for a newsletter and a website for the shop. i'm debating whether to do it myself and struggle or pay someone who knows what they're doing. 

i am also deciding on market shows to enter this year, my goal is two. 2 big ones. spring & fall. i find we do a decent profit here locally.

Be sure to follow along on Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter & again, our Etsy shop. 

as always, have a good day! 

Thanksgiving Week 2015

before i finish the year in an amazing failing manner on this blog, i wanted to post a few things! 

time may seem fleeting these days, but i never want to forget the experiences i have with family--on both sides. 

so i'm posting the pictures that we took during our thanksgiving-break in central texas.

our first stop is at Papa & Nana's where they have all sorts of fun outside as well as inside. this year the boys asked to go 'hunting' with their daddy and at this point in their lives, i don't think either one of them really felt like huntin' was for them. they both were pretty useless hunters: one napped the whole time & the other turned out to be pacifist warning us that he wouldn't let us know if he saw a deer.

but tricycles and wood gathering? yep. all the way. 

nana got them each a knit hat at a handmade market in town. they were in love with the pompoms!

our last day there, we went out into the pasture. the sun was shining, it wasn't hot. it wasn't cold. it was just right.
we walked. we explored. we took pictures. it was pretty much awesome. just us 5.

gary takes advantage of any chance to shoot his gun. i don't blame him, pulling the trigger feels satisfying. and much more so when you hit your target.

he hit his target, too! it's been a while since he was able to claim a prize so I was uber proud of him!

look at us. all country. 

after a few days, we headed back to north houston and my sister + nephew joined us--- we had been missing them!

the first event of our thanksgiving day was to attend the HEB Houston parade downtown. we got there late (no surprise), we lost our party, and we couldn't see a single thing.
but the kids could! they rode our shoulders til we couldn't stand up straight any longer.

we could only see the big inflatables. nothing else was visible. it was so crowded.

but we did manage to take this awesome family shot! i love it!

and then it was time to feast! while the women got food ready, the men played games & kept busy (duh, what else are they supposed to do?) look at those delicious rolls! 

we finally said our blessing & got down to the grub.

we missed a few family members though. but i was so soooo grateful to have my crew here. it was my first time hosting thanksgiving, it was definitely a good thanksgiving to remember!

afterwards, we all crashed into our comas and ate second helpings. 

the kids stayed busy with all the crafts Moomie brough them. we painted ornaments, colored, and cut anything Christmas. 

check out the most adorable felt tree she made for the kids! i love it and will be sad to take it down in january....

...and the rest of that weekend? my sisters came to help me with a market for ShopWitty. we did fairly well for being our first 3-day market. but we. were. exhausted!

new experience. new contacts. new memories! how was your thanksgiving? 

have a blessed holiday you guys! my prayer is that christ may be the center of you & your home this season!