Thank goodness for Sarah! I had another “tutoring” session with her today. Feeling like I’m learning to master the complexity of InDesign and Photoshop. At least the little bit I need to know to pull in a TIFF image, resize it, add text boxes, take to Photoshop to change to CMYK color, check image size, drop color out of the background, “save as” and go from there. I really had no idea that taking my watercolor image into a card for printing would entail this much work! I have an appreciation for Liz Kalloch, who as the graphic designer for Brush Dance has worked on my calendars and cards for years, that I never had before! And I still have more to learn…yikes! I want to change my text to a color that matches a color in the image then I’ve got to work on the back of the card. What is that going to look like? YeeHaw! It’s April already and I’m hoping for taking to the printers by months end or at least, not too far into May. Then the fun of marketing and distribution will begin!
It’s Good Friday. Easter arrives on Sunday. A time for new beginnings. Traditionally, Spring is all about new growth and life bursting forth in flowers, shrubs and people playing outdoors! I’m oh so grateful to be busting out, again, with my own line of cards. Trusting that it will evolve into many more products and a company that I’ll marvel at one day (soon!).
Have you given more thought to the new dreams that you want to aspire too? What do you need to do to move them forward? What is ready to burst out of your mind into the material world?!?
As I was headed to yoga this morning, I considered that it was 1994 when I printed my first 8 designs of my card line. 16 years later and the words on many of those cards are still relevant. I’m going to “recycle” some of the words because they are just too good to not use! The artwork won’t be repeated because I have improved on that front. I’m amazed that 16 years have passed. What would have happened if I stayed with the card line back then, I asked myself? Can’t “coulda, woulda shoulda” as Bob, my son, always taught me. I came to the conclusion that though I had a lot going for my cards back then, I really couldn’t maintain both cards and my sales job, that paid me money, which allowed me to raise my kids so I made a choice. I’m at a different point in my life now and can try this venture again expecting different results this time!
I’ve decided to stay with “words & watercolors”. As Lisa so appropriately stated: “It’s what I do.” And as Sarah noted, my business checks are still printed with “Words & Watercolors” as the name of the company. So there you have it!
Happy Easter everyone!