Hidden paths, Locked doors

I find so often in life that there are hidden passages. Little doors, that as soon as I figure out a code, or find a key, I can unlock it and what I find beyond is amazing. Marketing is like that. I love those 'a-ha' moments when I have a thought and think 'oh yeah, I should do this'! I have become much better at thinking outside the box and looking for the hidden doors.

Of course, it doesn't only happen with marketing. I go out to take photos, and I take that path less traveled, and get the most awesome photos! In any kind of creativity, you have to strive to think outside that box. Because, really, it's all been done before. You just have to find a way to make it YOURS.

I'm still looking for those unknown passages, and digging into my soul for the keys. And while I do so, guess what? I am making the most awesome discoveries about myself. For instance, I didn't really know how much stick-to-it-iveness I really contained. I'm learning that I'm not a quitter. I am also learning that the more I discover, the more I want to share.

I know I've been beating this drum a lot, but 2010 will be amazing. I have a feeling that I'm just barely brushing the surface of my soul so far...

Frazzled

I marketed while at work yesterday... some. Then last night I was trying to market while making dinner, making cookies (ok, just supervising this), and watching The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The only thing I did well was make dinner.

Frustrating, frustrating. Oh, I was trying to make journals too. Or at least prep a couple for my middle son to sew them (his summer job-- he's saving up). I feel so frazzled. I need to go back to my original decision. Evenings are for the boys.

Tonight, I'll be cutting paper for a special order journal I'm making. But dinner can be made by hubby, and no marketing. Oh... the pool too... I told the youngest we could go to the pool. Honestly, I'm tired already.

But the work week is almost over. Perhaps I'll be able to come home early today. Or perhaps tomorrow. Sometime...

Today I'll be trying to remember to breathe.

Creating Plans to Learn and Grow

So. I'm thinking this morning about so many things that I'd like to learn. I'd like to learn more about Photoshop. I'd like to know how to budget time and money more effectively. I'd like to learn smarter marketing.

I would also like to learn to teach. I'd like to teach an e-course on bookbinding. I'd love to do an "Artist's Way" group. I'd love to have an e-course on creative journaling utilizing my friendship journals.

So many dreams I have. I need to make a list. I do well with lists. Putting things down, checking them off. It gives me a sense of accomplishment. I think I will begin by editing some photos today, and by going through an online marketing course I have online (this will take a few days).

I have to begin somewhere, eh? The photo above was taken during my long road trip. I saw a sign that said 'Viewpoint 1/4 mile' and took the opportunity! I'm glad I did, it was quite a view!

Sometimes in life, things just pay off. All those hours of non-stop marketing. I have gotten several sales in the last couple of days, two to people that I've never directly talked to before. What a good feeling that is!

I'll be trying to find a balance this summer. Trying to market some, but still fully enjoy summertime! I'm also teaching my middle son how to sew journals. I am pretty excited about that! Perhaps after this summer, he will never sew a journal again.... or maybe it'll start him on a journey that I never imagined. One never knows.

This weekend, if all goes well, we will be camping near the Nehalem river. No cell service or internet for the whole weekend. We camped there last summer, and it was amazing! I'll be sure to have my camera handy, there is no end to the amazing sights in that area!

I have the application to the art gallery. It's daunting. I've done no more than stare at it since I picked it up. I just need to decide if now is the right time to take a leap.

Allowing the flow

I am going to be doing quite a bit of editing on this photo today. I should be able to get some done at work, along with writing in my friendship journal. I have definitely felt a creative surge lately. Brought on, I believe, by walking away for a bit. It was feeling forced, so I stopped. I didn't allow myself to 'work' at it for several days.

I didn't market my shop. I didn't go to buy paper. I didn't make journals. I withdrew. Then, much quicker than I had imagined, it pulled me back in. I made several journals over the weekend. I went to the rose garden to take photos.

I'm still not feeling completely comfortable getting back into the amount of time that I was "marketing" before. I think that's a good thing! I was getting so sucked into 'pushing my wares' that I was no longer enjoying the creative process.

I have a friend who is doing very well with his online shop. He pops online throught the day, markets, then goes about his day. I think he has good ideas. I am going to try that. Get the most bang for my online time. Not to say I won't interact with my online friends... but I will not be present to market constantly.

I am on a mission. A mission to find what balance works best for me. I can't stop creating altogether, that's not an option. And I can't market constantly because that sucks the energy from my creativity.

Attitude

I mentioned yesterday that things are slow at work. Well, they are, real slow. But it just dawned on me (again) that life's at least 75% attitude. And yes, the days are just going to crawl if I dwell on that. I took photos to work to edit yesterday, but I had a bad attitude so I didn't work on them, instead I sat there, bored.

I have been tired lately. And sitting there, bored, is not going to help my tiredness. So today, I'm taking my photos, I'll be updating my blog with a blog award I won, updating my blog reading list at the bottom of the page, hopefully going on errands so I can buy some new ink, and sketching out some new ideas.

I will also be working on some marketing. I have the wonderful advantage of being able to do that from work, and I will be taking full advantage of it.

Now, if today happens to get busy at work, hooray for that too! That means the day will go by faster and that business is picking up! If not, I'll have stuff to do.

Please excuse my absence...

I didn't post a blog entry yesterday... It was a migraine day. I woke up, called in to work, then went back to bed and slept til after 1pm! I must have certainly needed all that rest. Once I did wake up, I had the energy to get the house cleaned up some and dinner planned out before our company arrived. It was just family, but since they were bringing their 8 month old baby, some things had to be relocated and the floor vacuumed.

I have been doing a lot of custom journals lately. One in particular has really been kicking my butt. Last night, I dreamed the design of it, so it should all be a go today! I've noticed a pattern that if I mull over something long enough in my head, it will come to me as I sleep! I love when that happens! The only problem is that it doesn't usually come to me while I sleep until after I've worried about it for a week. If only I could just *make* the dreams come!

I am once again trying to figure out ways to market. I'm going to be putting some project wonderful ads up, I think. And I'm going to be researching other venues. The people who have bought my photos, journals, and coasters are very satisfied customers... just have to figure out how to get the word out there!

If any of you have wonderful ideas for marketing, please let me know!

Thursday.... ahhhhhhhh...

I'm really glad the work week is almost over... We've had lots of computer problems at work, making my job more difficult. But this weekend will be wonderful! Saturday we're going on a photo taking exhibition at the same place that I took the picture of my wise tree.

Did you guys notice the Wise Tree on the right of your screen? I am going to change the item weekly, offering something new!

Then Sunday will be a trip to the coast to take pictures of lighthouses. I am really excited about that!

In my Etsy shop, sales have been a bit slow. However, I made a goal to have 25 sales by the end of the month. I made several sales the other day and am now up to 18! I am really excited, and it's pushing me to offer more items, and of the best quality, in my shop! If you've not checked it out yet, please drop in! I'm at www.robynsart.etsy.com.

I'm working on a couple of different interviews-- me being interviewed this time. I'll link to them when they are up. I've also been doing some solid research on marketing and figuring out what works. The stuff that does not work, I will drop, making more time for all that does! Smarter, not harder... I'm getting there!

Marketing

I added a dozen new items to my Etsy shop yesterday. Well, some Saturday night, some yesterday. I have been very busy! And finally I'm selling some stuff! I also woke up to find I'm in another treasury! http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=49178

I have to say that I have been working my butt off. Marketing is a lot of work, and I probably don't work smarter, but work harder on it. Need to change that. Making notes to self, work smarter, Robyn, not harder. I had a talk about marketing with my boss the other day. I brought up the Twilight movie. After seeing it, I really didn't get what all the hype was about. It's all about marketing. There's a lot of things out there that are not so great... but do so well because they have amazing marketing. Just my opinion here, but a few of those not-so-great things are: Twilight, Hannah Montana, McDonald's.

And since I think I have the most excellent, most amazing products, I need to start thinking like the people marketing Twilight. I've paid for advertisements, I've listed on various websites. Now to fine tune what I'm doing.

I'm in a local craft show next week, and I sometimes show my items at work. I've advertised the craft show. Sometimes I'm a little too shy for local promotion, but I'm getting there. Ok, I'm not shy. It's just difficult to sell my self. I was taught to not be cocky.

I will check into the Saturday Market. Just not sure I'm ready for that yet. Oh, I'll be adding a product of the week to my blog soon. With a paypal button where you can purchase directly from here!

What have you tried? Has anything helped you to work smarter and not harder? What has been a failure?