The incorporation of the icon has already begun. Check out the new blog header.

I wanted to stay true to the simplicity of my blog layout so the new update is nothing major, but I think it works.

Do you?

As I continue to grow this blog, I wanted to invite you to help in that growth by sharing what you’d like to see over here. While I won’t claim to be an authority on design, business or photography, if there are any particular topics/tutorials you’d like covered, just let me know. If I can’t to the post justice myself, I’ll find someone that can.

So come on, get your requests in ladies and gents. Let’s take this blog on a fun ride together. All aboard (?).

Here’s a sneak peak at the new modernemotive icon. I’ve wanted to introduce a icon for a while and I can now finally strike it off my to-do list. I’m still deciding when and where it will be used but I plan on getting labels printed so that it can be applied to product packaging, mailings etc.

What do you think?

Wow, it’s Friday already? This week has flown by. It’s been an amazing few days over here and lots of opportunities have come up that I’ll share with you over time. I hope your week was equally good to you. I’m loving March so far. How about you?

As the weekend is upon us I wanted to wish you all a fabulous weekend. We’re having Spring-like weather over here. Yah! It’s so nice to be able to open up the windows and have some fresh air blowing through.

My weekend is gearing up to be awesome. On deck I have a client meeting later tonight followed by date night with James, then tomorrow we’re having dinner/drinks with James’ work crew and then Sunday my boys arrive. Bliss!

What you got planned for the weekend?

Photo Credit: The Clockwork Universe – Check out their fab new Etsy shop full of amazing vintage clocks!

Yep, a particular stationery designer – *ahem* me *ahem* – doesn’t have a business card. Shocking isn’t it? I can’t tell you how many opportunities I’ve potentially lost due to the absence of this handy piece of paper. Yet here I still sit business card-less. Bad Adele!

I’m sure a lot of designers can identify with the fact that it is soooooo hard to design for yourself. As a perfectionist already, it hits an all time extreme when it comes to hiring myself.

As I’m preparing to contact retailers and other venues to spread the word about modernemotive, I’ve decided to jump in and design a whole identity package for myself. It’ll include letterheads, envelopes, labels, packaging design… the whole shebang. Let the fun begin!

I plan on sharing the process here on my blog so if you don’t hear from me about on this matter within a few weeks, please give me a nudge. I’m hiring you as my virtual Project Managers… sound good? You in?

And while we’re at it, please tell me I’m not the only one missing an important piece of their business puzzle? It feels lonely up in here.

Photo Credit: Kevin Steele

Despite it’s up and downs, February taught me a lot. I don’t know about you, but whenever things aren’t going so great, I always need to find a positive in there in order for me to move forward.

Now that March is upon us it’s time to start setting up my goals for this month. If I were to look at what was achieved in February in terms of tangible goals, I could easily feel as though I failed. Yet I now realize I didn’t.

February may of driven me to some personal lows but it also forced me to take an honest and hard look at what the hell was going on. As a result, I came out stronger and happier than ever. That my friends was the best thing I could ever of done for my company.

So as I set up my goals to grow modernemotive this month, I’m going to make sure I nurture myself too. Sure, I want my company to be running at it’s best but I need to make sure I am too so that we bloom together.

Hello March. I’m ready for you!

Are you ready? What are your goals this month?

Photo Credit: StevenBrisson

I used to hate Sundays. Mainly because it meant I was either due at school or the office the next day. I’m sure you all know that feeling.

Today, on the last Sunday of the month, I only feel anticipation and excitement for tomorrow. As I say hello to March and the promise of Spring, I feel a certain inner peace knowing I’m about to close the door on the stress that was February.

So, as I lay here in bed with my coffee, I wish you all a wonderful Sunday. My Sunday will include pancakes, the typical household chores, some R’n’R to later be topped off with a movie (The Time Traveler’s Wife). Bliss!

What does (did) your Sunday entail?

UPDATE: So my Sunday didn’t go as planned above. The pancakes were replaced by brunch out and the chores, R’n'R and movie were replaced by staying out to watch the hockey game. The atmosphere was too addictive to leave. I had an awesome Sunday! HELLO MARCH!

Photo Credit: Rootedinstyle

What words/emotions come to your mind when you think of modernemotive and my products?

“When you say you have to do some foundation work, what do you mean exactly with that? What do you consider the foundation for your business, in a practical way? Do you have any idea, plans? How to start building the base?”

Truth be told, these questions left me stumped for a few days but eventually the answers started to reveal themselves. Bare with me as I try and show you how they are all intertwined.

“The foundation of modernemotive is my creativity.”

Pretty simple declaration huh? So why did Silvia’s questions leave me stumped? The answer to that is simple too – I stopped being creative and lost sight of everything. I truly think this is why I have been so unfocused and disoriented lately.

Creativity fuels me and allows me to keep going. So, as sales increased and orders began taking all day to process, there was no longer any room for creativity and I ran out of steam. In essence, this shook my foundation and cracked it. That’s why it is in need of some work.

How am I going to fix it? I only have one choice and that’s to make “creativity” the driving force behind modernemotive again. Not sales, not delivering product lines because they are working for others nor worrying about (and sometimes envying) my competition. With creativity back in the driving seat, those sales will come, I’ll deliver product lines true to me and one day I’ll be able to share the same successes as those I admire in the stationery world. I just need to believe in my creativity, my foundation.

So, how do I start building my base? By listening to myself. Yesterday, Michelle of Holley & Gill asked this simple question of me:

“What at this point in your life would you be the most happiest doing on a daily basis?”

Again I was initially stumped and my response was scattered. But now that I’ve redefined my foundation – my creativity – I’m able to respond with a more clear and defined answer.

If my answer to this is to simply be creative as much as possible, I need to eliminate anything stunting that creativity. Here’s what I’m currently considering:

1. Outsourcing printing and production – not only will this allow me to expand my line beyond greeting cards, but it will also expedite order fulfillment as everything will be ready to ship.
2. Discontinuing personalized stationery as it stands today – more on this another time.
3. Focusing on wholesaling my product line rather than being the direct point of sale myself - As much as I love working with my customers, as one person, the effort needed to make those sales can be a full time job in itself. While I am truly honored with every sale I get, in order to take modernemotive where I want it to go, I need to generate revenue that allows growth at a faster pace than it’s at today. Therefore I need to focus on moving 100s of product units at a time rather than securing a sale of one card. Make sense? This doesn’t mean I won’t sell direct to the customer too, just that my primary focus needs to shift.

Of course, all of the above requires more thinking and will not happen overnight. For example, I know I’m not in a place right now where I can outsource my whole product line. However, with small, deliberate steps it all seems achievable. I just need to keep leaning on that foundation whenever I have any doubts.

As many of you commented that you too were going through an identity crisis with your businesses, I hope sharing my thought process over the past few days helps you redefine your foundations too. To end, I’d like to share some advice inspired by one of my favorite quotes:

“We cannot direct the winds, but we can adjust our sails.”
Author Unknown

Think of your business as a sailing boat out at sea. Elements are going to come along that will unexpectedly take you off course. You have a few options. You could turn the boat around, return to the habor where it’s safe and go nowhere. Or you could trust in your sailing boat (your foundation), adjust your sails (to compensate for the elements rocking your foundation) and keep going towards your destination. Once reached, you’ll have the confidence to get back out there and keep sailing to new destinations.

Photo Credit: S@ilor

For the past few days I’ve developed this internal clock that screams “Wake up Adele!” around 4.30 am. Someone please tell it to shut up because I really need some sleep. Though usually a morning person, being up this early is pushing it a little too far.

What about you… are you a night owl or a morning person?

Photo Credit: Thom Woolley