modernemotive: ecofriendly stationery, paper goods + design» interview

Lunch Date: Modish

Adele {modernemotive} — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 12:34:49 +0000

My next lunch date needs no introduction. Please welcome Jena Coray of Modish and the recently announced Miss Modish PR. As I begin to think about my business goals for 2011 and learn from the mistakes I made in 2010, I’m certainly eager to watch Jena’s new venture unfold. Oh and in case you didn’t know, you must check out Jena’s Modish Biz Tips because they are golden.

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How’s life? What are you up to these days?
Amazing. And crazy. I just got married in October. And then my husband of a month got hit by a car on his bike and broke his kneecap. And then (why, just yesterday) I announced that I’m starting a new marketing and pr business. And I’m eating fudge striped cookies right now, so- that’s awesome.

If you could spend one week with unlimited finances, what would you do?
I would spend the entire week in Iceland with my hubby while ordering everything I’ve ever wanted off the internet to be delivered to our house, just in time for our return. And I’d pay off our debt (including mortgage!) and give both our sets of parents whatever they needed to be able to retire right now.

Name 3 things on your “bucket list”.
I’ve never actually thought about it before, so let’s see what I come up with here. Um- get a tattoo, of the cat related sort, most likely. Get really good at yoga again, like full bow pose and handstand kind of good. Go to a wolf-howl in Yellowstone, or somewhere amazing like that, and howl at the moon with them.

What did you want to be growing up as a kid? Are you doing it now?
I wanted to be a vet, a micro-biologist, a teacher, a secretary, a model, a piano composer, an author, a jewelry artist, a poet, a wolf-whisperer, a cinematographer. I suppose, in a way, I’m doing some of those now!

What is your favorite season and why?
Fall, for the piles of leaves and the chill in the air, for the pink sunrises late in the morning and mud puddles in the backyard.

Who was your teenage crush?
Ooh, Jim Morrison.

Tell us about your most embarrassing moment?
It was probably when I was in middle school I think? I told my mom I was sick and didn’t feel good, my stomach hurt, I didn’t want to go to school. She said, “pull it together, you’re not really sick”, gave me 2 pepto-bismol pills and sent me on my not-so-merry way to the bus-stop. I really was sick, tho. Oh yes. And sitting in the back of that bumpy old bus made me feel even worse…. and halfway to school, I puked! All over myself! And it was BRIGHT PINK because I just had pepto-bismol! And all the kids on the bus screamed and ewwed! and moved away from me. Horrific.

What makes you smile?
Husband. kitties. thrift store shopping. our house. cheese. the smell of sage incense. bobohead (our dog).

And what makes you frown?
Broken kneecaps.

Share one of your most favorite memories
Probably the most recent one is when I discovered I had FORGOTTEN MY WEDDING DRESS on my TRIP TO GET MARRIED! That was pretty amazing, because even before the shock of our stupidity could wear off, our friends swooped in and helped, fed-exed the dress to our hotel and saved the day. Forever memorable.

Your most cherished possession is…
Hmm, I really don’t know. I know I could live without all of this stuff as long as I had my mister, and animals, with me.

Night owl or morning person? What time of the day is your favorite?
My favorite time of day is probably nighttime just after dinner, sitting on the couch next to the hubs, kitty on my lap, watching the tube or a movie and eating jellybeans.

Describe what is typically the first hour of your day.
From the moment I’m out of bed I’m on the computer, writing my posts for the day and dreading going thru emails for a few hours or so.

And last but not least, what’s your go-to lunch? Either at home or out?
If I eat lunch, (which I don’t too often, because I’m bad like that and let myself get stuck on the computer) it’s usually pasta with lotsa butter, a little lemon juice, ground pepper and tons of fresh grated Parmesan (the good stuff with the little salt crystals in it ;)

MODISH ELSEWHERE
Blog | Miss Modish PR | Twitter

Photo Credits: Jena CorayPopular Posts:

Lunch Date: Bright.Bazaar

Adele {modernemotive} — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:24:13 +0000

Though I skipped my Lunch Date last week due to my workload, my next guest was worth the wait. I’m delighted to have Will of Bright.Bazaar over. Another wonderful Twitter buddy that I’m so glad I’ve gotten to know. A fellow Brit, Will has the charm and humor I miss about my home country and I can’t wait for us to meet in person next year. Oh, and Will is going places and can be found not only writing for his blog, Bright.Bazaar, but he is also contributor to Rue and Sweet Paul magazine.

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How’s life? What are you up to these days?
Life is good thank you very much! I’m busy with my freelance writing and styling. I’m currently spending my days chasing down products for an upcoming shoot in Rue Magazine. It’s lots of fun and each day brings new challenges and adventures!

If you could spend one week with unlimited finances, what would you do?
I’d take my partner, Toby, wherever he wanted to go, and do whatever he wanted to do, for the whole week. He’s been so supportive over the years that I would love to be able to spoil him rotten without the bank manager chasing me down the road with a stick!

Name 3 things on your “bucket list”.
First off, I love to learn how to sew properly because I’d like to make cushion covers and chair slips to make some unique little accessories for our apartment. Next, I’d like to hike through the Yosemite National Park – perfect opportunities for spotting inspirational wildlife in their natural habitats (just as long as the bears don’t get too close!) and, of course, the stunning views. Thirdly, I’d like to take a floristy class!

What did you want to be growing up at a kid? Are you doing it now?
For as far back as I can remember having career aspirations as a child, I always dreamt of working behind the scenes in a theatre or in a TV studio. So, on Saturdays and during half term holidays whilst I was at school I used to volunteer at the local theatre, helping take the sets on and off the stage. It was such a buzz and my first ‘toe dip’ into a creative world. Then, fast forward a good few years and I find myself working at BBC Television Centre in London. It was such a fantastic experience to be able to actually do what I had always dreamed of doing! I spent a whole summer working there before I returned to university to finish my Journalism degree.

What is your favorite season and why?
Winter for sure! I love crisp, bitingly cold days, where the sky is bright blue and the air fresh. Plus, snow is still a novelty to us Brits, so by all means throw some of the fluffy stuff into the mix!

Tell us about your most embarrassing moment?
Getting my shoe lace caught in an escalator when I was about ten years old. My foot was being dragged into the floor at the top of the escalator. Cue: plenty of tears and lots of people looking on. Not my finest hour!

What makes you smile?
Kindness. Oh, and Will & Grace!

And what makes you frown?
Helplessness.

Share one of your most favorite memories
Rushing downstairs to see my Gran when she used to come and stay with us when I was a kid. I’d wake up really early every morning so that I could go down and get into her bed. We would chat as the sun came up and I would then make us coffee, whilst her dog, Bruno, slept at the foot of the bed. We’ve always been close, but those times were perfect.

Your most cherished possession is…
A photo album of a trip to Kenya I went on when I was sixteen. On my return to the UK, my Gran and I spent a whole day at her dining room table laying out the photos in the album and writing captions to go with each one.

Night owl or morning person? What time of the day is your favorite?
Morning, for sure. I never used to be an ‘early bird’ but these days I find I work much better first thing. Plus, there’s a lovely calming quality to being awake as the sunrises, with the promise of a new day ahead.

Describe what is typically the first hour of your day.
Mumble something incoherent to my partner. Make porridge. Drink coffee. Continue mumbling something I don’t even understand myself. Drink more coffee. Become semi-human.

And last but not least, what’s your go-to lunch? Either at home or out?
A fresh Greek-style salad. Tomatoes, lettuce, olives, cucumber and a sprinkling of feta. Served with a tear of crusty bread.

BRIGHT.BAZAAR ELSEWHERE
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Photo Credits: 01, 02, 03, 04
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Lunch Date: Smidgebox

Adele {modernemotive} — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 14:19:37 +0000

Time for another Lunch Date and this week I have my sweet friend Leslie of Smidgebox over. Leslie is one of the loveliest ladies I’ve met online. We are hoping to meet up sometime soon to share a pint or two (with many laughs I’m sure) in her lovely home of British Columbia. Fingers crossed we make it happen because I know it’ll be like meeting an old friend.

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How’s life? What are you up to these days?

Life is crazy! But I must say, I’m loving it. My son started kindergarten this year, and we are still getting settled into our new routine. I’m enjoying having alone time with my daughter each morning, it’s our first time getting to hang out, just the two of us. I’m also coaching my son’s soccer team. Work-wise I’ve been super busy. My shop has been hopping, which I’m incredibly thankful for!

If you could spend one week with unlimited finances, what would you do?

I’d take my family and best friends on a luxury African safari, no expense spared, totally all-out. It would be bliss.

Name 3 things on your “bucket list”.

Well, I revealed one of them in that last question, though if I’m financing it myself I’m thinking it probably wouldn’t be the luxe safari. ;) What else? Sailing in the Greek islands. skydiving or hang gliding. take a woodworking/joinery class.

What did you want to be growing up as a kid? Are you doing it now?

Nope! When I was in elementary school, I wanted to be a pediatrician. In high-school, a teacher. Thankfully, I am neither, not cut out for those!

What is your favorite season and why?

Fall. I love it. I love the routine, I love back to school, the colours, and it is by far my fave season for fashion. I could maybe do without some of the rain we get here, but I am a sucker for a crisp, sunny fall day.

Who was your teenage crush?

Heehe. I loved Leonardo Dicaprio when he was in growing pains in the early 90s. I also loved Luke Perry in 90210 (the very very early years!).

Tell us about your most embarrassing moment?

Oh gosh. I don’t know what my most embarrassing moment was, but I know I was very easily embarrassed when I was young, about 13/14. If the boy I had a crush on so much as walked past me, I would blush so bright red! thank goodness for being past that horribly awkward teenage phase.

What makes you smile?

Seeing my kids play nicely together, or spontaneously tell one another ‘I love you’. It melts my heart. When they have little conversations, it just kills me! It’s so stinking cute.

And what makes you frown?

Ha! The exact opposite of that last question! While my little ones do have loads of fun together, they sometimes bicker and fight like most other siblings. It’s no fun, really.

Share one of your most favorite memories

When my husband and I had only been dating for a year-and-a-half, Derek spent 6 months working in Iceland with a couple friends from college. Towards the end of this stay, I got to go visit him for 10 days (his company flew me over there! so awesome). It was amazing. I absolutely loved it there, and would go back again in a second. We got to spend an incredible ten days together, doing day trips and just enjoying each others’ company after so many months apart. For sure my fave vacation ever.

Your most cherished possession is…

My family.

But if you’re looking for material things, then I’d say the few items I’ve got that were my grandparents. Nana’s vanity dresser, an architectural drawing set that was my poppa C’s, one of Gaya’s silver bangles. I always think of them when I see these things.

Night owl or morning person? What time of the day is your favorite?

If I can catch some time in the morning when the rest of the family is sleeping, I love that the most. The silence, the stillness. It just never seems to happen! I have become a bit of a night owl, and tend to work till late, these days.

Describe what is typically the first hour of your day.

Well, since I rarely ever get that quiet moment at the beginning of my day, the first hour is spent getting up with the kids, making breakfast, fixing snack for 5-year-old’s school day, getting the kids dressed, and getting out the door in time for school! That hour goes by in a flash.

And last but not least, what’s your go-to lunch? Either at home or out?

At home, I usually join my son in a sandwich of his choice. Sometimes turkey, sometimes grilled cheese, sometimes PB+J! If I’m out, it would usually be a big salad with lots of veggies and often fruit, feta or goat cheese, yummy vinaigrette.

SMIDGEBOX ELSEWHERE
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Photo Credits: 01, 02, 03, 04

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Lunch Date: Holley & Gill

Adele {modernemotive} — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 12:04:13 +0000

I am so delighted to have my good friend, Michelle of Holley & Gill visiting today. When I first shared Michelle’s work on my blog early in the year, I had no clue it was the start of a friendship that would extend beyond the online realm. We talk almost daily, cross provinces to visit each other and more (including planning a “girl” trip to NYC!). To put it in a nutshell, she rocks and you should get to know her better too.

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How’s life? What are you up to these days?
Life has been crazy but good thanks. Working hard and am still learning to take one day at a time and appreciate all the good that is in my life.

If you could spend one week with unlimited finances, what would you do?
I’d probably fly my entire family to Europe where we could all meet and enjoy each other’s company in a small villa with breathtaking views.

Name 3 things on your “bucket list”.
The only thing I try to tell myself is that as long as I keep growing and learning every day, I won’t see anything as a regret.

What did you want to be growing up at a kid? Are you doing it now?
Because of the creative history in my family, I always knew I would thrive in the artistic and design world and still am to this day.

What is your favorite season and why?
I would have to say Spring with Fall being a very close contender. Spring just brings to mind a fresh and renewed sense which always seems to affect me in a positive way.

Who was your teenage crush?
Marlon Brando in Guys & Dolls.

Tell us about your most embarrassing moment?
My very first day of art school I accidentally dropped a brand new bottle of rubber cement with it landing all over the floor in the most thick, sticky mess imaginable. Not the best way you would want your thirty new classmates to remember you by.

What makes you smile?
For me, it has always been about the little things: an inside joke shared between my husband and I or a sweet memory of one of my kids saying something innocently funny.

And what makes you frown?
Jealousy. Whatever I do I work hard at for myself but primarily for my family. When others don’t understand how primal my drive is to succeed for them and demean what I do, it only just makes me work that much harder.

Share one of your most favorite memories
When I lived in London, my husband and I lived in such a tiny flat that every night we would meet after work. We would each buy a Marks & Spencer’s sandwich and a warm Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks and just walk the brisk winter nights away, hand in hand, exploring the city.

Your most cherished possession is…
My family.

Night owl or morning person? What time of the day is your favorite?
Mornings, especially on the weekends. The promise of a new day with a warm coffee in my hands brings me nothing but excitement and happiness.

Describe what is typically the first hour of your day.
If I in fact have time for that coffee, I do so while squeezing in several other tasks which involves getting myself, my son and my daughter fed, dressed and out the door in a timely fashion. Chaotic would be an appropriate description for that very first hour.

And last but not least, what’s your go-to lunch? Either at home or out?
Fresh salads with in-season vegetables in the summer, and warm, chunky soups and homemade stews in the winter.

HOLLEY & GILL ELSEWHERE
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Photo Credits: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05Popular Posts:

Lunch Date: Ill Seen, Ill Said

Adele {modernemotive} — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:02:21 +0000

Yah, another new series I’m introducing to the blog. One thing I miss about working outside of the home is impromptu lunch dates with co-workers and friends. So, I’m bringing those lunch dates right here to my blog. I don’t know about you but I’m all about random conversations and so you’ll find this new interview series quite light-hearted with a few lunch recipes here and there too!

My first guest is Jane Flanagan from Ill Seen, Ill Said. Her blog is a treasure of gorgeous imagery, interior design, fashion and thought provoking words. Thanks for stopping by Jane!

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How’s life? What are you up to these days?
Working pretty hard! And looking forward to Fall… it’s been a hectic and hot summer!

If you could spend one week with unlimited finances, what would you do?
Try and take some time off work, probably go home to Ireland and stay somewhere lovely, drink pints, see friends and write. And somehow simultaneously, finish decorating my bedroom.

Name 3 things on your “bucket list”.
I don’t have one. I constantly set and reevaluate my goals. But I don’t really think in terms of landmarks to see or planes to jump out of.

What did you want to be growing up at a kid? Are you doing it now?
I wanted to be a writer. And I’m doing that insofar as I’m a journalist and blogger, but I would like to work on more fiction.

Who was your teenage crush?
I had many, all equally silly and I learned absolutely nothing from them. I still have no sense when it comes to crushes…

Tell us about your most embarrassing moment?
Too embarrassing to regale to strangers.

What makes you smile?
Mischievious humour, genuine affection, a-ha moments, Irish wolfhounds, donkeys and sweet peas.

And what makes you frown?
Thoughtlessness, stupidity, bigotry, dogma and their ilk.

What is your favorite season and why?
In Ontario, autumn for sure. It’s golden, the light is beautiful, produce is at it’s best, the temperature is perfect. Plus, I love Fall wardrobes.

Share one of your most favorite memories
I keep those private… they’re usually pretty intimate memories.

Your most cherished possession is…
I have a special attachment to the teddy bear Dad brought to the hospital after I’d been born. His name is Ted.

Night owl or morning person? What time of the day is your favorite?
I’ve been both. I prefer to be a morning person, but it’s so hard. These nights I don’t wrap work until 2/3am, so invariably end up groggy and with a work-hangover in the morning.

Describe what is typically the first hour of your day.
The norm: Shower, dress, breakfast, check e-mails and out the door to work. I don’t really come around until I get a coffee in me.

And last but not least, what’s your go-to lunch? Either at home or out?
On weekdays, lunch is quick and dirty at my desk – usually coffee and fruit. On days off, I have a local I really love, but I also like spending time at home when I’m not working too, so equal parts home and out. There’s no staple really, but my local serves the most wicked homestyle mac n’ cheese perfect for chilly days.

JANE FLANAGAN ELSEWHERE:
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Photo Credits: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05Popular Posts:

ME Interview: Charlotte’s Fancy

Adele {modernemotive} — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 17:00:26 +0000

Molly of Charlotte’s Fancy recently invited me on over to her blog for a mini interview about my new notepads and my next steps. Yah, love interviews. So, if you’d like to learn more about where I’m heading with modernemotive and what my plans are for the coming months, head on over.

Thanks Molly! Popular Posts:

This Self-Employed Life: An Interview with English Muffin

Adele {modernemotive} — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 11:26:22 +0000

Welcome. Give us some background about yourself and your business.
I am a graphic designer and illustrator, but only recently have I been able to call myself that. After working as a contemporary dancer in Toronto, Canada, I decided to go back to school to pursue my other interest, graphic design. Transitioning from a life of dancing into the world of kerning type, spending hours in front of a Mac and staying up way too late working on projects was completely exhilarating. I loved being in school and learning new things that were so different from what I had spent my life up to that point studying, dance. I was just about to complete my first year at school when my boyfriend (now fiancé) was offered a position in Vienna, Austria. Of course, an opportunity to move to Europe could not be passed up, and at the end of my school year I joined him in Vienna. We have lived in Vienna for almost three years now, and during that time, instead of letting my graphic design fingers grow old and cobwebby I decided to start my design company, English Muffin.

I have worked with children for the past ten years, teaching dance in Toronto and now, teaching English in Vienna. English Muffin is the place where my passion for design and education meet. Although still in its infancy, I have great hopes for my company and the wonderful things it can do. I recently wrote a manifesto for English Muffin on my blog, if you’d like to read it you can see it here.

The decision to take the self-employment route is not always an easy one. What gave you the confidence to take that leap?
To be honest, the decision to leap into the self-employed life came about quite organically. I was in a new country, barely spoke the language and needed an outlet for my creativity. Both my fiancé and my mom were incredibly encouraging towards the idea of starting a company and things just grew from there.

Self employment can mean long hours, irregular income and other unpredictable stresses. How you do you handle it?
think I handle all of those stresses pretty well. I’ve never worked a normal 9 – 5 job. My work has always been closely connected to who I am and what I believe in, so the idea of switching off at the end of the day is not something I am used to. Currently, I am working three days a week teaching English to students, and spending the other four days (yep, I work on weekends) on English Muffin. My fiancé is completing his PhD at the moment, so between him and his stacks of papers, and me attached to my laptop, we have been known to be a bit hermit-ish at times. In terms of money, yes, there are times when English Muffin is bringing in a nice little sum of money and times during the year when it’s not. I am incredibly lucky to have a partner with a steady income and a generous heart. In general neither one of us spend money easily, so I am confident that as I transition into working for myself full-time over the next few months we will be financially sound.

What’s a typical day like for you? How did you keep yourself organized to avoid procrastination and other distractions?
7:30 am: wake-up, get dressed, take our dog out for his morning stroll
8:30-9:30: eat breakfast, take care of emails and Etsy convos. My inbox is usually pretty full in the morning from stuff that came in overnight from Canada and the US.
9:30-12:00: work on whatever project is on my desk. This could be Custom Names Designs or other custom orders from the shop, freelance work, web design work, or new designs for English Muffin.
12:00-12:30: lunch time. I usually watch a TED talk or one of my other favourite video podcasts while eating my favourite sandwich
12:30-1:30: work on that day’s blog post. This is when I really appreciate the time difference between North America and Europe.
1:30-5:00: continue working on the day’s projects
5:00-8:00: walk the dog, eat dinner, hang out with my better half

The rest of the night I usually prep for the next day, tie up any loose ends or immerse myself in the blogosphere

Do your work from home? Or offsite?
At home, in a sunny corner of our apartment.

It can get lonely working for yourself. Do you find yourself missing the companionship of a bustling office? How do you make sure you get social interaction throughout the day/week?
I’ve always been good at working on my own. I like the quiet and calm, and I could never get lonely with my trusty companion by my side (our dog Tyke). I often listen to podcasts to add a little noise to the background. I usually go out for dinner with friends once a week. I get outside for a walk at least twice a day (thanks, Tyke!) and on weekends we really enjoy visiting the neighbourhood markets and exploring our city.

Finding a work/life balance can be difficult with any job, perhaps more so with self-employment. Do you think you’ve found that balance?
I think I have a lot of room to improve in this area but compared to my last career, I’m much better. There is a lot more freedom working for yourself, so I can take off the morning and go out to brunch if I like or continue working well into the evening if I’m on a roll. What we loose in salary and benefits as self-employed artists and designers we certainly gain in time, freedom and overall quality of life.

What valuable lessons did you learn within your first year. Let’s start with the worst.
Hmmmm… Don’t go ahead and print a large order before the customer has paid you. But, if that happens find a creative way to re-use those products so you don’t lose out completely. When confronted with grumpy emails, write your witty and biting reply in your head but never send it. Instead, always meet grumpiness with extreme politeness and solutions to the grumpy person’s problems.

And now the best.
The online community is a real community and a great place to find friends and like minded individuals to keep you inspired and moving forward with your own goals. There is no magic potion, there are no chosen ones, there is only hard work and dedication to what you are striving for. You have to ask for what you want.

Lastly, what advice would you give to others that are thinking about quitting their 9-5 job to pursue self-employment?
I don’t know if I really feel qualified to give advice since I myself have yet to make the full-time self-employment leap. But here’s what I tell myself when the seeds of doubt creep in: After dipping your toe into the pool of design, you can objectively say that people are interested in and like your work. You have made a good number of sales with minimal advertising and marketing and have received positive feedback from your clients and customers. You have both a business plan and a financial plan about how to grow your business in the future. You love what you’re doing and have new and exciting ideas for the future of your company. So, what are you waiting for?

ENGLISH MUFFIN ELSEWHERE
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This Self-Employed Life: An Interview with Erin Vale

Adele {modernemotive} — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:20:34 +0000

Friends, please welcome my online buddy – Erin Vale – to my blog. After reading her interview, it’s clear this girl has the knowledge, focus and determination to go far – I’m in awe! Oh and if you’re just getting into freelancing or perhaps considering it, be sure to check out her FREELANCE 101 series.

Welcome. Give us some background about yourself and your business.
Thanks for inviting me! My name is Erin Vale. I am the owner/designer of Vale Design, a freelance design company specializing in package design and branding. I have six years of Chicago corporate design experience and I have been self-employed working both onsite and offsite for the past four years. In 2008, I started erinvaledesign.com, a website to showcase my work and passions to the design community. In 2009, I started an online product based company, finch&hawk, which combines my love for patterns and three dimension in budget-friendly, favor packaging printables and paper goods.

The decision to take the self-employment route is not always an easy one. What gave you the confidence to take that leap?
Honestly, frustration gave me the confidence to freelance. I quit a job that was making me unhappy and that was not the right fit for me. I intended to take a four month hiatus, but after three weeks, a couple of clients from past jobs found out that I was working for myself and starting emailing me with freelance opportunities. I accepted every one and never looked back. In my opinion, my work has never looked better and I have never been happier. In the beginning, I was scared at every turn, but I just knew in my gut that I could do this.

Self employment can mean long hours, irregular income and other unpredictable stresses. How you do you handle it?
I am blessed to be able to do what I love for a living, but I would be lying if I said that freelancing was all roses and sunshine. It can be stressful. When I start to feel overwhelmed, I just stop working. I give myself time off. I give myself permission to go out for a walk or grab a coffee. Sometimes, inspiration comes back after an hour and sometimes I just surrender and start fresh the next day. I do my best work when I am inspired, not when I am forcing myself to sit down and just design something.

What’s a typical day like for you? How did you keep yourself organized to avoid procrastination and other distractions?
I wake up and get ready between 7 and 8 am. I get the house organized from the night before and deal with our high maintenance allergy dog, medicine, walk, etc. I check my favorite blogs while I have my morning coffee and I am working by 9 am. I work on a variety of projects for clients {packaging concepts, dielines, logos, front end web design, business cards}, work on research and posts for erinvaledesign.com and prep any shipments and new designs for finch&hawk. Somewhere in all of that, I eat lunch for about an hour while watching any black and white movie that is on TCM. Then, I am back to work until about 6 pm when my husband comes home. We eat dinner together and hang out for about 2 hours. I get back on the computer to finish up until about 9 or 10 pm. I typically try to read from 10 to 11 to “shut the design floodgates.” I am not a procrastinator by nature. I do not have a problem with distractions because I schedule them in. I will write in my iCal, laundry, dry cleaner, Office Depot etc. Then they are just items to cross off my daily to do list.

Do your work from home? Or offsite?
I work both on-site {for clients in Chicago} and offsite in my home office. When we moved back to Indiana 3 years ago, we specifically bought a house that had an empty front room. We had a wall built with french doors and large built-in bookcases to close in the the room. It was originally going to be my husband’s office, but the dog and I took it over!

It can get lonely working for yourself. Do you find yourself missing the companionship of a bustling office? How do you make sure you get social interaction throughout the day/week?
I think I have the best of both worlds. Some days I work on-site in my client’s office and other days I am able to work by myself at home. I do miss turning around and asking the designer behind me, “what do you think of this design, violator, logo, etc?” With the upswing in social networking, I have met a handful of designers, whose work I admire, and I will ask them vague hypothetical questions about my design dilemmas. Seems to fill that void quite well and I have made some wonderful new friends.

Finding a work/life balance can be difficult with any job, perhaps more so with self-employment. Do you think you’ve found that balance?
Finding the work/life balance is what I struggle with the most. I love my clients and I love designing. Having a home office blurs that line of when to stop working. Bored. Go to the office and work. Husband napping. Go to the office and work. Can’t sleep. Go to the office and work. Within the past year, I have started to research Indy more and have started to plan outings for myself, husband and friends. This gets me out of the house, into the fresh air and learning new things. I have noticed that this has also helped my design work. The fresh air clears out the cobwebs and the research adds more information to my visual arsenal.

What valuable lessons did you learn within your first year. Let’s start with the worst.
I learned to remove “me” from my work. If a client is not happy with a concept, that is not them saying “I think you are a bad designer.” It just means that maybe they did not like the logo in red!

And now the best.
The most valuable lesson I learned from my first year, was to trust my voice and knowledge. I think all designers have design self-esteem issues at some point. Is my work good enough? Who is going to like this? How is that designer better than me? I have learned that my clients hire me for my past experience and my passion to provide them with the best deliverable I can. There is work out there for everyone. Worrying is a waste of time and energy.

Lastly, what advice would you give to others that are thinking about quitting their 9-5 job to pursue self-employment?
My advice for anyone contemplating freelancing:

Be ready to work and work hard!
Be financially prepared. Have money set aside for the start-up expenses.
Experience. Put in your time and learn. Then you will be better prepared to lead.
Find a good small business accountant. I feel that this step is crucial.
Trust your voice. It can be intimidating to step out from behind the big bosses. This is where experience and past mistakes will help you.
Check your web-self. Clients and design firms like to google nowadays. Be professional in every web interaction you have. Twitter, Facebook, etc. They are watching you. Amazes me that some designers still do not understand this.

ERIN VALE ELSEWHERE
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This Self-Employed Life: An Interview with PAWLING | print studio

Adele {modernemotive} — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:14:31 +0000

I discovered the talented sisters – Janet & Trisha – behind PAWLING | print studio when they left me a comment on my blog. I immediately fell in love with their work. So, if you’re lurking back there, say hello. You may end up on my blog too. With that, allow me to introduce you to their delightful work.

Welcome. Give us some background about yourself and your business.
PAWLING | print studio is a collaboration between sisters Janet & Trisha. We make modern handmade prints and patterns for the home. We opened up shop in the fall shortly after graduating – Janet with an undergraduate degree in Graphic Design and Trisha with a Masters in Architecture. Despite spending very little time together in the past eight years because of school and jobs in different states, our interests seem to have independently converged and now we’re in business together! We named ourselves PAWLING | print studio in honor of our grandfather who recently passed away. He was a photographer and a painter at heart and always took time to teach us how to draw and paint when we were younger. We assume he is where our “artistic” genes came from, though our mom also has some pretty sweet calligraphy skills and our dad designed the house we lived in as kids.

The decision to take the self-employment route is not always an easy one. What gave you the confidence to take that leap?
In retrospect graduating in a down economy gave us the opportunity to try what we really wanted to do rather than what we were expected to do. Of course that doesn’t mean we knew it at the time. As far too many people know, searching and applying for employment is a full time job in itself, so although we weren’t giving up a job in the traditional sense, the decision to start PAWLING as a full-time venture was no small leap of faith. We had both been secretly toying with the idea while in school, but were too afraid to tell anyone. Once we sheepishly started talking about it with each other, we found we couldn’t stop. We were so full of ideas and excitement that we knew we had to take the idea seriously. Now whenever either of us is having doubts the other one is there with a pep talk. It certainly helps that we’re in it together!

Self employment can mean long hours, irregular income and other unpredictable stresses. How you do you handle it?
Hmm, sounds just like school. I don’t think we know any other way to live! But instead of hypothetical projects that will undoubtedly get torn apart in a review, we get to make things that we believe in and that people will actually use. Working for ourselves is infinitely more rewarding! We’ve had some amazing customers who with one comment manage to make all of the stress and uncertainty worth it. We’ve also been blown away by how supportive the online creative community is. We probably couldn’t do it without them and we definitely couldn’t do it without the support of our family.

What’s a typical day like for you? How did you keep yourself organized to avoid procrastination and other distractions?
A typical day is following our check list, but no two days are the same. Production days are definitely the easiest in terms of procrastination, because there are clearly defined objectives. Brainstorming days are the most fun, though there are so many aspects to setting up a business from research and design to production and marketing that often we are overwhelmed with ideas. For us, procrastination never seems to come from a lack of ideas, but rather from too many and a need to focus. Making lists really helps us prioritize our goals on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Fortunately we both like to use organization as a means of procrastination – sometimes we just can’t work until everything is in order!

Do your work from home? Or offsite?
We work from two homes! We dream of an offsite studio one day, but for now we just have designated “studio areas.”

It can get lonely working for yourself. Do you find yourself missing the companionship of a bustling office? How do you make sure you get social interaction throughout the day/week?
We’re lucky that we don’t work alone! Yes, it’s just the two of us, but that’s the way we like it! And we find that instead of just wanting some space to ourselves on weekends, we actually look forward to spending time with our friends.

Finding a work/life balance can be difficult with any job, perhaps more so with self-employment. Do you think you’ve found that balance?
Perhaps not yet, PAWLING is still very young and changing rapidly. We try our best to separate our evenings and weekends from work, but we’re definitely still learning.

What valuable lessons did you learn within your first year. Let’s start with the worst.
That’s an easy one, to start out within your means is great advice, but cutting corners is not. For example, scoop-coaters are absolutely positively necessary for screenprinting. We learned that the hard way.

And now the best.
It’s taken some time for us to get comfortable talking about our business to others. While we always had confidence in our products, we really weren’t sure we could pull off the business side of things. It was especially hard to explain PAWLING to our friends and family in the beginning before we had real products and a website. Now that we have tangible things to point to, it’s much easier for people to understand what we do. Now instead of getting skeptical reactions from people, they are generally impressed and enthusiastic about our work. Not only that, but a surprising number of people have since revealed that they secretly want to be more creative and that we’ve inspired them to be more proactive about their hobbies as well

Lastly, what advice would you give to others that are thinking about quitting their 9-5 job to pursue self-employment?
Not sure that we should be giving advice to anyone yet (see question 2!) but it felt right for us and so far the ups have outweighed the downs!!!

PAWLING ELSEWHERE
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This Self-Employed Life: An Interview with Jessica Gonacha Swift

Adele {modernemotive} — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:16:30 +0000

Welcome. Give us some background about yourself and your business.
Thank you so much for inviting me! I’m an artist who does a variety of things, really. I am a surface patter designer, an illustrator, a painter, and I do some graphic design work as well. I have a hard time putting a label on what I do– but my days are never boring, I’ll tell you that! I’ve been self-employed since I was 23 years old (with a part-time stint here and there)– but my business has morphed a lot since then. I really started selling online and becoming part of the blogging community about 2 years ago– before that I mainly sold my work at outdoor festivals and shows and in my studio. The change came when I moved from Boulder, CO (my hometown) to Atlanta, GA 2 summers ago- I began working at home, I didn’t know anyone in the area or know about any local shows, so I dove into the online community, and I’m so thankful that I did!

The decision to take the self-employment route is not always an easy one. What gave you the confidence to take that leap?
Quite honestly, I was sick of having meaningless jobs. When I graduated from college I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do, and I ended up moving back to Boulder (I went to college in Ithaca, NY) and working in restaurants. It was unfulfilling, to say the least. I just got fed up one day and quit my job. I’d recently gotten accepted into a big art festival, so I devoted several months to painting, I’ve always been good with money, so I had enough to keep me going for a while after I quit my job at the restaurant. I basically told myself that I’d see how the show went and go from there. And the show was a smashing success! I saw artists all around me making a living doing what they loved, and I thought “hey, I can totally do this!” Basically I think it was that first amazing show, a young “I can do anything” mindset, and a distinct feeling of not wanting to work for someone else that gave me the confidence.

Self employment can mean long hours, irregular income and other unpredictable stresses. How you do you handle it?
Well, I have a hard time separating my life and my work– they’re sort-of one and the same, so I WANT to work all the time! Sometimes it’s hard for me to realize that taking breaks is actually good for me, and that the work will still be there when I’m done resting. As for the income, I think I’m getting to a place where I just trust that I’ll have enough. I’ve had enough up to this point, and there’s no reason to think that’ll change. I think I’ve just accepted that it’s going to be unpredictable, and that’s ok. Mostly I just try not to resist the uncertainty of it all. Uncertainty isn’t bad– it doesn’t have to be uncomfortable If I can see it as exhilarating, if I can see how exciting that it is that I get to create my career and my future, that helps a lot. I much prefer the uncertainty of my path to having to go to a job I don’t love everyday, even if I was making a ton of money.

What’s a typical day like for you? How did you keep yourself organized to avoid procrastination and other distractions?
I have such a hard time avoiding distractions! The main ones I face every day are my 2 adorable cats who want constant attention, my email and stat checking addictions, and the refrigerator. If I could keep these at bay, I’d be much more productive! As for procrastination, I’m just not a procrastinator. I’m a major list maker, and I REALLY like getting those things crossed off the to-do list every day. I make tons of lists, and I revise them all day long. They keep me organized and on task.

So a typical day…. I wake up around 6:30am and eat breakfast first thing. I love breakfast! I have a fruit & veggie smoothie every morning. And coffee. Yum. I check my email and read some blogs while I’m having breakfast, and I think about what I want to post on my own blog that day. I try to be done with blogging and stuff by 8:00-ish, and then I get to work as soon as i can. Sometimes more of my morning is eaten away by distractions (constant email checking, etc.), but I’m working on not letting that happen as much. So throughout the day I basically work on a variety of projects: paintings, design work for clients (logos, website designs, illustrations, etc), creating surface patterns for an upcoming tradeshow (Surtex), updating my etsy shop, running to the post office and other general errands, sending and replying to emails, chatting with people on twitter… I bounce from one thing to the next, always working from my to do list. I usually take a break in the late afternoon to go to the gym, and then my husband and I always have dinner together. Most nights I work for a few hours in the evening as well (I’m telling you, I’m a workaholic!)– my husband is in medical school, which means he studies all the time, so we’re just a couple of worker bees. :) Then I usually go to bed around 10:30 or 11:00, and sometimes we’ll drag the laptop into bed with us to watch a favorite show online. That’s pretty much it!

Do your work from home? Or offsite?
I work from home.

It can get lonely working for yourself. Do you find yourself missing the companionship of a bustling office? How do you make sure you get social interaction throughout the day/week?
Gosh, no, I do not miss working with other people! I love working by myself. My husband often says he could never do what I do, staying home all day not talking to anyone, but I really love it. Plus, I chat with people on twitter a lot during the day, so that’s helpful. I have friends that I get together with sometimes, so that’s nice, too, but I really like being by myself. My husband and I chat all the time when we’re both home, so I definitely don’t feel lonely. Plus, I have 2 sweet kitties to keep me company all day!

Finding a work/life balance can be difficult with any job, perhaps more so with self-employment. Do you think you’ve found that balance?
Ummmmm, NO. I work all the time. I could definitely give myself more down time. That’s something I’m working on. I’d love to give myself one whole day off a week, but it’s really hard when my work is right in my house with me all the time! Sigh. I’ll get there one day!

What valuable lessons did you learn within your first year. Let’s start with the worst.
I’m going to go with the first year that my business was really online, since that feels more pertinent here.

I learned that sometimes people have to part ways, and that’s ok. I learned that I don’t have to listen to other people’s opinions of me and turn them into my truth. I learned that stress and worry affect my energy level, my mental health, the quality of my work, even my skin. I got horrendous eczema that has mysteriously disappeared as I’ve learned to let go, trust, and relax a bit. There was also a period of time where I didn’t produce much work that I thought was any good, which stemmed directly from my negative state of mind. I learned that negativity can quickly spiral into more and deeper negativity.

And now the best.
I learned how positivity and gratitude can change everything. An open and trusting heart full of possibility will bring unimaginable goodness into your life. I learned (and am learning) to trust myself and my uniqueness and that comparing myself to others is useless. I learned how generous, friendly, and open the blogging community is, and that by giving kindness to it I get that kindness back tenfold. Giving is receiving! But the biggest and most valuable lesson I learned, I think, is to trust myself and my ability to make my business sustainable. I learned to always be looking at ways I can improve and grow, and that attitude has taken me far from where I began.

Lastly, what advice would you give to others that are thinking about quitting their 9-5 job to pursue self-employment?
I would tell them that it’s absolutely 100% possible! If you want to do something you are passionate about, then there is always a way, even if it looks hard. If you want to do it badly enough, then you will make it happen. I don’t have any advice about whether people should keep their day jobs while building their business or to quit their job immediately and jump right in, because I think that’s a highly personal and individual decision, and there’s no one right answer for everybody. I just want to encourage people to see self-employment as a possibility. It’s truly wonderful, and there’s nothing like being in charge of your time and the work that you choose to do. Learn as much as you can, believe in yourself and your capabilities, get involved in the community around what you desire to do, and just get started! I think too much planning can cause stagnation, so I prefer to learn as I go in a lot of cases. I encourage people to just get started, even if it’s just with a teeny-weeny step. Because that will build momentum, and before you know it you’ll be on your way.

This Self-Employed Life: An Interview with Nice Package

Adele {modernemotive} — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:55:28 +0000

Welcome. Give us some background about yourself and your business.
We are Marichelle and Ez…two friends with a shared love for creative packaging.
Ez began Nice Package on her own Spring 2009. After moving to Maplewood this past Summer, Marichelle came on board and the partnership was finalized in October 2009. We specialize in gift packaging solutions and provide creative inspiration with a focus on simple design and projects with real world application.

The decision to take the self-employment route is not always an easy one. What gave you the confidence to take that leap?
Having both experienced running our own etsy shops as well as reviewing and looking at millions of products online for our personal blogs, we learned over time what we love, what works and what doesn’t. We are constantly reflecting and revisiting our line to be sure that it reflects what we and our customers love. In business flexibility is very important, and so we work at that every day. When we first launched the line, our focus was split into two product segments – creative “supplies” and handmade home decor items. We quickly learned that our customer base is more interested in our creative supplies, and because of this have been working on slowly phasing out our home decor category. While changes like this can be unsettling at first (especially when you are really jazzed about a product you’ve worked so hard on), we are learning to take it all in stride and that every step is part of the ultimate growth and success of a healthy business.

Self employment can mean long hours, irregular income and other unpredictable stresses. How you do you handle it?
We started out working insanely long hours but just recently had a meeting to reevaluated our schedule and have figured out hours and specific goals that are helping us to be much more efficient (most of the time – we are human after all). Having a well-balanced partnership is crucial. A lot of this has to do with open communication and honesty about where we are with things on personal and business levels. We try to focus on our strengths individually so as to to make the business as a whole function as smooth as possible. We are also both very lucky to have a supportive family network…this gives us the license to create and grow our business in ways that would not be possible without their help. We are so thankful.

What’s a typical day like for you? How did you keep yourself organized to avoid procrastination and other distractions?
A typical day starts at 8am. Ideally we have worked out our day’s agenda before-hand and know what tasks lay ahead of us each day. A common day might find us doing any number of tasks (or all of them) from product development, supply orders, inventory, accounting, photography/editing, site development, blog/web communications, etc.

Do your work from home? Or offsite?
We work from Marichelle’s home and have converted her office/crafting room into our stock/packaging area. Product development and online operations generally take place in her dining room area (now our main work room).

It can get lonely working for yourself, but luckily, you both have each other. How is that working?
We both really enjoy our quiet creative time but it is also so much fun to have a business partner to work with and bounce ideas off of. Thank goodness we also share a similar quirky sense of humor. Many times laughter really has saved the day and keeps us going.

Finding a work/life balance can be difficult with any job, perhaps more so with self-employment. Do you think you’ve found that balance?
Not yet, but we are working on it. For both of us there is always that temptation to keep going, working late hours and in our off times when we should be relaxing. It isn’t easy to balance work and day to day life but it is something continue to get better at over time. Having open dialog with one another is a great benefit.

What valuable lessons did you learn within your first year.
As an indie business it is easy to forget the importance of your own value, especially when you enjoy what you’re doing. The most valuable lesson we’ve learned so far (3 months in) is to make sure you run the numbers (definitely not our favorite thing to do, but very necessary)! We might have an awesome product idea but if the price that our customer is willing to pay does not add up to our production cost (including supplies/labor/overhead AND product packaging costs) then it’s simply a no go. We’ve made the mistake of producing items without first running the numbers, only to realize that there was no way that we could sell the product and make a fair profit from it. It makes us sad to see other indie businesses undercutting themselves…in the long run this only undermines the value of indie business as a whole.

Lastly, what advice would you give to others that are thinking about quitting their 9-5 job to pursue self-employment?

Make sure you have a strong support system, we’ve found that working for ourselves is even more stressful (but infinitely more rewarding) than working for the man. After all, we are our biggest critics right?
Make sure that it’s something that you absolutely love and are passionate about, self-employment is definitely not a 40 hour/5 days a week gig.
Pay yourself (a fair wage)! Paying yourself should be part of the plan from the very beginning. If this is impossible, then at least have a set goal//deadline when you’ll start reaping the rewards of your hard work.
If you’re not a numbers person, make sure you can hire someone who can help you with spreadsheets.
If you’re thinking about going into business by yourself, make sure that you know where your time and efforts will be going. Do the legwork first. If you know that product photography is not your strong-suite for example, source out talent before you make the leap into self-employment. The last thing you want is to jump both feet in and realize that you’ve forgotten some major detail or two, or that you won’t be able to fill every shoe that needs to be filled in your business.
Planning & Organization: Plan your year, months, weeks and days. Set a consistent working schedule and organize your work space (physically having a place for everything goes a very long way)!

NICE PACKAGE ELSEWHERE
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Green Motive: An Interview with Chakra Pennywhistle

Adele {modernemotive} — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:28:12 +0000

Say hello to another online buddy, Rikkianne of Chakra Pennywhistle for today’s Green Motive. Her home-ware line in both organic and up-cycled materials is simply lovely.

Welcome. Tell us about yourself and your business
My name is Rikkianne. I’ve created Chakra Pennywhistle as a way to express the pleasure of making something new out of something old. Through my design, I strive to reflect the joy of using natural materials. I offer handmade, organic, and recycled products for you and your home.

What makes your business green?
First and foremost, I choose eco-friendly materials. I offer organic products along with upcycled items. I find pleasure in researching where my materials come from and everything it takes to make them. On a daily basis I strive to learn and promote everything I can in regards to the eco-friendly, handmade world.

Chakra P. items are made with sustainable materials and are packed using eco-friendly resources. My business is constantly evolving and I am more than happy to learn and grow as new “green” resources and ideas present themselves.

Why is it important for you to offer products that are eco-friendly?
I think that it all comes down to considering the source. I believe the handmade community we participate in has sprouted from this idea. Whether you produce eco goods or make an effort to buy them, you are playing a part in a type of appreciation for how things are made, where they came from, and promoting their use as opposed to a “quick fix.” We live in a fast-paced, throw-away world. The creative process for our indie community and eco handmade world, however, causes us to slow down a little bit and forces us to ask ourselves questions about the materials we use, their past life, and their future possible uses. A maker’s process is focused and deliberate. I find that as I make my goods at this reduced speed, I unconsciously provide myself with the time necessary to really research my materials… And when you research green materials, a whole new world is introduced. It is exciting to be a part of the eco/handmade community. I learn something new every single day. Of course, there is always the thought of the future and my little one’s life in it. As I learn each day, I feel that I am lucky to be able to pass on these tips to her.

Have you found it easy to run an eco-friendly business? What difficulties (if any) have your encountered?
The easy part is the wealth of information available. There are so many wonderful green websites that promote eco-friendly business practices. There are online and local communities that are always happy to share advice and experience. Fortunately, it seems that the preachier folks that can intimidate a beginning business owner are becoming less and less common as each day goes by. The eco-friendly choice is not only becoming a way of life, but a way of making as well.

Technically, the hard part is the day-to-day operation. I think organizing a simple way to run the office is in need for my business in particular. This can come down to something as simple as separate recycling bins. My studio is a room in my home. It is small, and the simple task of saving and recycling can easily dominate such a small area. I somehow manage to do it, but all the while dreaming of a way to organize things more efficiently.

What plans do you have to further your green initiatives?
I would love to be able to give part of my proceeds to a charity. I have not been able to do that quite yet, but hope to do so in the future. Basically, I just really enjoy finding new/old materials to make useful again. That’s where my passion is and I hope to be able to get a kick out of it forever.

Lastly, anything else you would like to add?
Thank you for this feature, Adele. I love your work! I truly appreciate it and look forward to reading the next interview. I wish you the most happiness and success in 2010!