Staying Positive and Staying Safe

Hello all of my lovely ladies and gentleman! I hope you all had a safe, sane and happy month. This last month we have seen a lot going on in the world. Here in Wisconsin they have slowly started opening things back up. My husband and I haven't been going out much but we have seen a lot of people going out and about. If you are one of those people going out please remember to stay safe, wear a mask and keep your distance from others.

This last month started out a bit rough for me. I have been putting a lot of work into my online presence; just like the month before. I have talked to numerous coaches and other female entrepreneurs for tips and advice. I've joined several Facebook groups and have been interacting with people. I get friend requests like crazy and people constantly talking/commenting. I was spending most of my time on social media and I didn't like it. It got to the point where I was so overwhelmed I couldn't even remember why I was doing all this. I had gotten so much advice and all of it different I didn't know what way to go about it. People kept and still keep friend requesting me and then immediately start marketing their coaching business to me. People kept asking questions like, "What is your why?" "Who do you help?" "How do you help people?" "What makes you different from everyone else in your field?" It became too much. I was losing track of who I was and why I do what I do. So, eventually I did what some advise against and I backed off social media for awhile. I continued to do my daily posts but I stopped visiting the groups I was a part of and stopped commenting on posts and interacting. I took the time to just figure out me, and here's what I came up with.

What is your why?

I create art and illustrations because that is what I love, I have always loved creating art. I love many things but nothing makes me feel the way illustrating and creating art does. When I create art I feel happy and whole. My soul is complete and everything feels right. It makes me feel alive.

Who do you help?

I help the people that need a bit of happiness in their lives. A lot of people may not even realize they need a smile or a good laugh. That's where my work comes in. It has a way of sneaking up on you and before you know it you're smiling and chuckling at a card design or imagining a fantasy world full of fairies, griffins and unicorns because you saw one illustration.

How do you help people?

I help people by providing whimsical, cute and funny works of art that will put a smile on their face. So many people get lost in the cycle of life and just working that 9-5, going home just to wake up and repeat the cycle. With my art I work to help them escape their lives for a moment and use their imagination to enter these worlds where a cat and an octopus are actually having a showdown. Or where a panda is lifting weights made of donuts. I help people by providing them with small ways to leave their worries behind and imagine something funny or weird, and to just be happy for a moment. Even if it's just for a moment, one moment of happiness is better than none at all.

What makes you different from everyone else in your field?

There are so many artists and illustrators out there in the world. It gets harder and harder to set yourself apart. As an artist you're expected to have a signature style, because that's how people recognize you and your work. But I am not your typical artist. I am a chameleon. I work in a range of different styles and it all depends on what I'm in the mood for. The one thing that is consistent though is that no matter what style I use there is still a whimsical feel. I have never been able to settle on one signature style and I don't plan to, especially when someone else is telling me to do it. Being able to work in different styles makes me adaptable. No matter what someones artistic needs are I am able to adapt to fit those needs. We often hear the saying, "a jack of all trades is a master of none." But that's horse shit. The full saying is, "A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one."

You want to know what else makes me different from other artists and illustrators? I don't price my work or my services extremely high. Many artists price their work so high and I don't understand how anyone can afford it. Yes, I want to make money, doesn't everyone? The point is I want people to be able to share and enjoy my art no matter how much they make.

I don't fit into one simple mold when it comes to artists or entrepreneur's and that's okay. I'll listen to everyone's tips and advice but in the end it's up to me to decide if that fits me, who I am and what my business means to me. I don't expect to succeed overnight, I don't expect to be making 5-6 figures within a month. My business will grow with time and I will grow with it.

So now, I'm feeling a lot happier, positive and grounded. I'm back on social media and interacting with people but I'm a lot better with how I handle it all. Anyway, I'm done ranting now. Let's talk art. As to the creative side of things I have been pretty busy. I had the pleasure of creating three pet portraits earlier in the month. They turned out absolutely adorable and now I'm considering drawing my own kitties. I also got to do my first art trade with another artist. While it was a fun experience I don't know if it's really my thing.

Remember that ten to twelve piece illustration series I told you about last month? The one featuring animals quoting lines from movies, being partially dressed up and just being funny or sarcastic. Well...it's not done. I need to finish one more illustration and it will be done. I'm so close! I've decided to go with just ten illustrations. I'm so happy with how this series has turned out so far. Each piece tells a story but the feelings they give you are the same. They put a smile on your face and provide a little bit of happiness. My only problem is I still don't know what to call the series. Any ideas?

Greeting cards, greeting cards, greeting cards. Yup, you guessed it, I made more greeting cards. This month I focused more on making Wisconsin themed cards. With everything flowering outside I was pretty inspired to incorporate nature a bit. I don't draw flowers much. On occasion I'll paint some but I've never really been good at drawing flowers. Thanks to some fellow artists on Instagram I thought I might as well try again. I wasn't good at drawing dogs before either yet here we are. Now I have a dog butt card set. So I tried my luck at flowers and turns out, I'm not actually that bad. These cards turned out so beautiful and now all I want to do is spend money and make each of these beauties into stickers and put them everywhere.

Speaking of spending money, did I tell you about my new sticker? In an effort to stay positive and put a smile on peoples faces I took my "It's garbage can, not garbage cannot," design and made it into an adorable, motivational sticker. They are still being produced currently but they are available for pre-order.

And if you like to collect greeting cards for a raining day, or when you forget that one person's birthday and need a card asap I now have Mystery card boxes available. You can get a box of 10-50 cards and you get to pick what occasions you want cards for. The mystery part is that I get to pick out the cards for you based on what occasions you want cards for. Pretty neat huh? :)

Anyway, that's all for now. I've got lots of work to do. I just got this awesome illustration job lined up that I am so excited about. I can give you details next month when the project is all done. Stay safe and don't forget to stay positive.