In the Studio: Jenny Highsmith

Today in the studio, Jenny Highsmith is answering a little q&a along with offering up a print giveaway to 3 lucky winners.  If you aren't already following her blog and print shop, you are missing out!  Today she is sharing a few things that help her in balancing a multiple business ventures, how she avoids creative ruts and so much more.  Don't forget to check out the end of the post for your chance to win one of her beautiful prints!

Great question! So, to my surprise, the art print side of things was not planned at all. As you may know, I love painting and designing and decorating everything :) Of course, with Maiedae, I'm able to use my graphic design skills and I have SO much fun doing that. At home, I'm constantly working on a project. Haha. If you could talk to my husband and family they would probably roll their eyes at my inability to sit still. But for me, creating is just a natural part of life and it brings me so much energy and joy. :) So, I had started creating some lettering and artwork for our home last year and several friends started commenting about how much they wanted something similar. So, I started making custom orders for friends and family using ink on canvas. I put this photo on Instagram and then things kind of went crazy. Moorea contacted me and asked me to be a designer for her shop. (!!!! eeeek!!! I was so excited) Then, I started getting so many requests that I began creating the less expensive option of my prints that you see now in my lettering shop. I never imagined so many people would be interested in my doodling. I am so thankful for this unexpected journey because it is something I absolutely love doing and would do anyways!

Tthis is a great question. I think anyone who owns their own business can relate to the constant struggle for balance. I'm also, like most entrepreneurs, the over-achiever type. I don't mind being busy all the time and I have to force myself to take breaks. And I don't like taking breaks. But, I think ever since quitting my full time job last year and going full time with Maiedae, I've felt so much more balanced in general. Trying to work a 9-5 job and then come home and make your dream business a reality feels overwhelming. I never had time to create artwork or play around with lettering. So this past year has been such a blessing to be able to do what I love during the day and then explore other hobbies in my free time.

But, to answer your question, a typical work week looks something like this: Mondays and Fridays I spend most of the day answering emails, scheduling out design clients, receiving new print orders, shipping out orders, taking photos, editing photos, scheduling out blog posts, and writing blog posts. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays is when I get most of my design work done for Maiedae clients. I do most of my work from a coffee shop on those days simply because 1) I'm an extrovert and I get really sad if I spend all day every day alone and 2) I get too distracted with projects and chores staring me in the face at home. I'm not a morning person, so I start work most mornings around 9:30 or 10am.  Before that, I love taking my time to get up, get dressed, listen to Pandora, get a cup of coffee, eat breakfast, and think through ideas for artwork. This is my "alone time." Typically I eat lunch while working to save some time because I like to end my day by 6pm so I can eat dinner with my husband. After dinner is usually when I paint or draw out my ideas for my art prints or work on custom orders. I don't do this every night, though. Probably an average of 2-3 nights a week. To make sure I don't overwork, my husband and I have a scheduled date night, a scheduled chore night, and try to keep Friday and Saturday nights open to spend time traveling to see family or friends. I know that might sound ridiculous to some of you, but if I don't have a schedule that forces me to stop, then I will just keep working.

Speaking of scheduling, that's the only way I get through all of my to-dos and tasks. Scheduling is a HUGE part of my day to day balance and life. I use Google calendar to schedule out all of my blog posts for the month as well as any Maiedae tasks or design client deadlines. Then, I have a list app on my phone that lets me know things outside of Maiedae and my blog that need to get done that day. Anything from what we need at the grocery store to who is waiting for their art prints to be shipped out. I love keeping these lists, tasks, and calendar because once I write it down, it frees up my brain to think about other things. If you asked me what I had going on next week, I wouldn't be able to tell you without looking at my calendar! This is wonderful to me because it means I don't have a million things running through my brain! It also helps me plan ahead - especially with my blog posts and collaborations.

Something that I'm working on currently to be more balanced is that I just turned off notifications on my phone for email and social media a few weeks ago. I was finding myself checking email and social media throughout all hours of the night and weekend and I'm trying to get better at not constantly being on my phone. I still have specific times where I check in on things, but not having them pop up every 3 seconds has already made a huge difference in separating work time from free time.

Inspiration is such a tricky thing because some weeks it seems to come so naturally and other times it is like looking for water in a desert. It's just not there. I've found that if I take the time to take care of myself, take the breaks I know I need, spend time with friends, and actually do stuff other than work, that I usually have the natural energy for being inspired and creative. Obviously, being inspired by other designers and artists is wonderful, but most of the time my ideas come from me thinking to myself, "Man, I'd really like to decorate our bathroom with some artwork and I'd love something that said or looked like ____." I started my art prints just because they were something I wanted in my own home, so usually if I really want something for our house, I know other people probably do too. With my art prints I also like to think, "If I were getting married again, what would I want?" or "If I were a single woman in Atlanta what kind of artwork would I decorate my apartment with?" The same goes for my blog. If I enjoyed making something, I share it. If I would enjoy reading it, I write about it. And if I learned something that really impacted me, I think others might want to know too. Usually that's where my best ideas come from.

If I'm truly in a creative rut, sometimes I'll schedule a day to take off from work, from blogging, and from making anything artistic and I'll just go do something I enjoy. I might go sit and read a book or I might go visit a friend or I might just lay around the house. Usually a creative rut means that my mind just needs a break.

Now that I've jumped into the art print business, I have so many ideas and dreams for where it could go! Obviously, I want to continue to do Maiedae full time. But, I would love to have a super-legit art print shop like Lindsay Letters or Oh My Deer. They both have such successful art print businesses and I'm so inspired by their beautiful products. I would love to open a Shopify store in the near future and start working with a printer who has more capabilities to print on canvas, etc. I would also love to increase my wholesale clientele and start showing up in more stores around the country. :) That would be really cool.

::GIVEAWAY::

This giveaway is now closed and the entries have been disabled. 

Winners were chosen at random, have been listed below and notified via email

#1 Mallorie Owens

#2 Oak and Oats

#3 Mint for Hue

Thanks for entering! xo

meet & win: artifact uprising

Artifact Uprising equals love at first sight.  From the beautiful photos they share, the products they create, the story behind their company- its all something that drew me in from the get go. We have been talking since last October and I'm so excited to finally have them here today!

Thanks so much for joining us today.  I've been following you on instagram for a while now and love every project & every picture you share- first I would love to know how did you get started with Artifact Uprising?

Serendipity has been kind to us. There are three of us who started this company - and continue to run most everything happening behind the scenes. What began as an idea born from our photography careers spiraled into experiments baking photo books in our oven (yes you can bake books in your oven - though we can't say we were successful!). We spent over two years ideating and inquiring and losing faith and beginning again. All of that adds up to what you see here.

We hope our company reflects the spirit to empower the creative in everyone, a company that never forgets where it came from or where it hopes to go - a company that values beautiful design and thinks green. We invite you to join us...to hold us accountable and inspire us with your art.

Ah thats such an amazing story and I won't lie, I'm really intrigued by the book 'baking' part!!  So what exactly does Artifact Uprising mean?

It's a multi-layered concept - this idea that we need to think about what we're leaving behind and the tangible stories we tell at this time when our digital platforms and cloud-based solutions expand. The name also accounts for our environmental values. We use reclaimed fallen waste-wood in several of our products with the intent to give new purpose to artifacts of our forest. 

You can imagine our doubt when we landed on a 6-syllable name - worried it was too long and perhaps too strong in it's message. But it's the one to which we kept circling back. So we went for it - and it's taught us that if you believe in something, if you have something to say - go for it. The world needs it. 

I love the name, its intriguing and beautiful- So tell me, in the world of social media where photos are available online in an instant for all to see, how do you encourage others to put these photos in paper format and really enjoy them more than just fingering through their phone?

A day came when we realized our documented lives were sitting on our phones and computers - with no true place to live on. And so the story goes, "inspired by the disappearing beauty of the tangible." We are a printing company - yes - but at the end of the day we are just a few people who think about that - the stories we're leaving behind.

Its all about stories- thats why I love a good coffee table book which is always a conversation starter, you seem to be providing that- but its still about preserving memories so do you have any advice on how to capture moments better?

Shoot a lot. See yourself as the artist you are. Live a life whose stories need to be told. And just continue to create.

           

What I love about your company is that you can create a book with any photos (camera or cellphone format) how do you actually feel about all these cellphone photographers and do you see it ever overshadowing the use of using real cameras? 

 We live in an incredible time for the sharing of photography as art - a great democratization essentially underway. The technology is catching up with the creativity that's always been there - always waiting to be discovered. I've always thought the camera to be a technical piece of equipment with a finite amount of operating knowledge. Beyond that, it's really about how you see the world, how you find light, how you see emotion. So this new world? It's just that - it's a world that credits the eye of the underdog just as much as the professional.

There will always be a place for the professional - for their craft, for the way they see the world and for the equipment they use. If anything, this growth in cell phone technology has just as much elevated and encouraged a renaissance in those circles. It's all fascinating for the future - and the documented landscape of what we're leaving behind. 

So very true!  You know another thing I noticed is how being environmentally friendly in the production of your books is essential, why was that important to you in creating this company? 

Simply put, the Colorado outdoors have shaped so much of who we are and that matters. It's personal. We've long admired companies who hold tight to their values, who find a way to make those values accessible to the market, shift demand and ultimately affect change. Right now, our interior book pages are printed on 100% post-consumer waste recycled papers. It's a start. We have a lot to learn and continue striving to find more ways to use waste materials. It's not an easy or convenient task but it's the most important thing we can do.

Thanks so much for joining us!  

(courtesy credit for photo 1, photo 3, photo 4, photo 5- all others via artifact uprising)

Check them out : SHOP // INSTAGRAM // PINTEREST // FACEBOOK 

This giveaway is closed (comments disabled) winner: 

Anne 

In the Studio: Acute Designs

One of my goals this year is to focus on the passion I have for independent, small and made by hand businesses more often.  Through this I have been able to meet some amazing artisans to not only share with you, but ones I am lucky enough to build relationships with.  The friendship I've made with Gina makes me so happy because although we are in the same business (making accessories) we are truly supportive of each other.  No shady business over here!

Today she is sharing snap shots of her studio and her experience as a business owner.  Hang out for a bit, get to know her and don't forget to check out her shop full of beautiful creations! Oh and use code justlove15 for a little discount.

Regina Morrison is the owner of the handmade accessories business {Acute Designs}. Through {Acute} she designs hair, jewelry, and bridal pieces.  In addition to designing and creating, she also blogs about her life, her business, diy projects, and {a little too much} about food on her blog.

- Gina thanks for joining us today, first I would love to know what led you on the adventure to become an accessories designer and independent business owner?

I spent eight years in cubicle jobs, babysitting, etc trying to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up.  For two years I worked in a government job for the military and was literally bored into action.  I started my business while at my day job and was constantly scheming and dreaming while I was supposed to be working.  There’s your tax money hard at work my friends :).

My business and blog started slow and I grew them as much as I could in a year and then quit my day job.  I quit a week before my 30th birthday because I knew I could not be 30 years old and in a soul sucking job without having a mental breakdown.  That was two and a half years ago and it has been a crazy and rewarding ride.

- I love that story! Now that you are 2+ years in, what would you say have been your biggest accomplishments and struggles with Acute Designs?

My biggest accomplishment is how far I have come as a designer.  I had no formal training before getting into this game, and admittedly, my earlier designs showed that.  In the same regard, one of my biggest struggles with {Acute} is that I don’t have formal training and sometimes my lack of knowledge means it will take me a little longer and a lot of trial and error to get things right.    - Well your creations show its a natural talent! So where do you see yourself taking Acute Designs and do you have any details of new things to come this year?

I just want to keep growing the business as much as possible – mostly through wholesale accounts.   The wholesale side of my business grew a lot in the past year and I hope to continue that growth into the rest of 2013.  Hopefully soon I can bring on an employee to help with that growth…working 12+ hour days can get exhausting.  

This year I am releasing a spring/summer wedding collection {set to release in May} and my summer is packed with shows.

- That sounds exciting and I'm always so anxious to see your new releases. Now I know you have used a couple types of online store fronts to support your business, do you prefer one over the other?

I think I prefer Etsy.  I love the idea of having my own website that isn’t affiliated with a “sellers” site but Etsy just brings me so much traffic.  I use both my own online site and Etsy and work hard to drive traffic to both, but no matter what I do, the Etsy site just gets more traffic and sales.

- So besides the shops, how do you support your business offline to get it out to people? I sell in several stores throughout the country {a list of stockists can be viewed here} and I also do shows.  I used to do just about any show I could find, but truthfully, art/craft shows are exhausting and not my #1 favorite thing to do, so now I only focus on the big ones.  

In February I participated in my first trade show in an effort to drum up wholesale business.  It was a great experience and I plan to try it again this summer.

- I followed along on instagram when you did that show, thats great to know. I have to ask- what type of advice would you give to someone that wants to start their own online business? Don’t half-ass it.  Don’t do it for “fun” and then copy what you see other people doing to make their living.  If you’re going to do it, then go at it 110%.  If you just like to craft here and there, then do that for fun but don’t try to make a quick buck by low-balling your prices to compete with those of who actually use our handmade business as an income source.

Also, be true to yourself and your vision.  Money will come and go, it’s ok to say no to a customer or client if you don’t feel comfortable.

Thank you so very much for hanging out Gina xo

Acute Designs

blog // shop // facebook // twitter // instagram

Don't forget to use code: justlove15 if you go shopping!

I love finding new artists and am always on the look out for unique products, amazing stories and of course cool people to chat with.  If you think this sounds like you and you would like information on how to be featured on In the Studio please email blog@justlove.ly with a link to your shop.

In the Studio: Julie Ann Art

Oh friends- today is a good one.  I have Julie Ann Art in the house sharing a giveaway, a discount and peeks into her creative process.  This chick is funny, down to earth, beautiful and she lets me text her curse words- she keeps it real!  All of this streams over to her art- which is her amazing card line.  I'm sure you have seen these cards of hers floating around and if you are anything like me you giggle a little, relate and then hit yourself for not thinking of it first.  Today she is hanging out answering a few questions and sharing images of her art from start to finish.  I heart this girl and if you don't already you will after this post.  I pinky promise!

Julie Ann is a designer, photographer, and DIY lover. She started selling on Etsy in 2008 and it has changed her life. She is an avid supporter of handmade and independent businesses and continues to spread the word on the handmade movement.  Along with designing cards for her Etsy shop, she's also an avid craft blogger over at Julie Ann Art. When she's not caught up in her online business world she likes to bike ride to the beach with her boyfriend and their little terrier.

first, its obvious your work is funny & original- how do you keep that witty charm through all your work and not run dry?

 It is not always an easy process and a lot of ideas end up getting scrapped. I tend to have lists of ideas on hand so I can update them whenever something comes to mind. When I'm ready to start designing I resort to the list. Some ideas are an  immediate "yes". Some will have a concept but I know it can be improved. Some I'm like, "that is the lamest ideas ever, what was I thinking?" So, they're not all good, but it is the extra brainstorming and editing that creates the cohesive "witty charm" throughout my shop.

because some are a little on the dirty side, be honest, do you ever get comments about that? and if so whats your response?

On Etsy, it's easy to hide behind, well, my laptop, when it comes to judgement on my cards. I do get to see people's reactions in person when I do craft shows though. When people my Granny's age stop by my table I always get a little nervous on how it's going to go. 9.5 times out of 10, the Granny laughs. (sigh of relief) Only one time, a woman spotted my "You're My Favorite Thing To Do" card and she said "Well, that's not very nice." I smiled and said "It's not for everyone."

go back to the beginning of all this, do you get nostalgic looking at your first designs or do you just see the growth that brought you to where you are now?

Nope. No nostalgia at all. When I started selling on Etsy it was just for fun. I didn't know who I was as a designer yet and I made things that I thought were "cool." This is not to say I don't think my designs are cool now, but they are a better representation of who I am. I'm definitely thankful that I randomly opened an Etsy shop one day, but I am also thankful for the changes and growth I have experienced along the way.

you are a midwest girl right?- looking back did moving to california change you as an artist or help you come out more?

I started selling greeting cards when I lived in Michigan but I hadn't found my "style" yet. I remember knowing I wanted to create a cohesive look throughout my shop but I wasn't sure what that was yet. I moved to California over three years ago and while I'm not sure the move itself directly effected my creativity, it certainly taught me more about who I am as a person. That in turn most likely helped my inner artist come out.

how do you avoid (if you avoid it at all) competition, negativity, slumps, ruts.. etc.?

There's no way for me to completely avoid competition or negativity unless I were to close my laptop, leave social media, turn off my phone, etc. I would be lying if I said I didn't let it effect me. What I can say is that I'm teaching myself how to use it as motivation. I try to take that negative energy and let it to push me to work hard, to be better. I know that the more successful my business becomes, the more challenges I will face. But overcoming challenges is what makes a business grow.

what has been one of the best parts of running your own business?

I feel so fortunate to have a great sense community that surrounds me and is so supportive. I have made real friends through this journey. I've created great relationships with customers. It's just something that I never expected. Which in hindsight is kind of silly since it is BECAUSE of these connections that I am able to do what I love. The support is so humbling, I still have times where I can't believe that this is happening. That this is what I do.

apart from your card work, what else do you do to stay creative or inspired?

Well, I have a little blog over here that helps keep me on my toes as far as DIY projects, recipes, etc. I also am a videographer for Etch Films, so that is another creative outlet that helps me to get away from the computer and get behind the camera.

so whats next for Julie Ann Art?

I'm in full Valentine's Day mode right now. It's my busiest season so the majority of my focus right now is staying on top of orders. When this season has passed I really want to focus on getting a new website going. I absolutely love Etsy but for JAA to grow to it's full potential, I will need an e-commerce site to better handle wholesale orders and have more control over my sales and fees.

Julie Ann Art

blog // shop // facebook // twitter // instagram

(use code JUSTLOVELY to save 10% in her shop)

THE SWEEPSTAKES IS NOW CLOSED

Winner: Elise 

*Sweepstakes Details- winner will be chosen at random.  if winner chosen does not have a gfc profile with a valid email address and a way to contact is not left in a comment or a registered entry then another winner will be chosen.  all entries are worth the same amount after initial mandatory entry has been received.  Open to US residents only.  Age 18 and older.  Winner will be announced publicly and notified via email as per FTC guidelines.  The fulfillment of this sweepstakes is provided by Julie Ann Art and sponsored by Heather Smith of JustLovelyThings, LLC.

In the Studio: Rustik Chic

I'm so excited to share with you a lovely space today.  Say hi and completely fall in love with the studio that Krista from Rustik Chic has created.

Hi, I'm Krista:) My shop is an eclectic mix of vintage belts, buttons, jewelry, ribbon, and lace, upcycled into one of kind cuffs and accessories. Each piece is handmade and adorned with {handpicked} vintage items to create you a truly unique piece of vintage charm. I love combining the rustic, old, worn  leather with the chic, feminine pretties...I LOVE the contrast and I hope you all do too! I imagine each vintage item has a story to tell...

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED WITH YOUR BUSINESS?

I have always had a love of old and vintage items.  Late last summer one of my favorite vintage belts broke.  I was so sad because I loved it's soft worn leather and patina.  Since I have a hard time throwing anything away I knew I had to upcycle it into something new!  After creating a mirror wall piece for my home with most of it, I used the rest of the belt to make me a cuff.  I finished it off with some pretty ribbon and instantly fell in love with the contrast of the worn leather and the feminine pretties. My new creative outlet was born!  I just kept obsessively making them & making them until the only logical thing to do was to open a new shop!  ;)

WHAT TYPES OF THINGS INSPIRE YOU IN YOUR DESIGNS?

I have always been inspired by what I see around me...looking at things in a different way and imagining how I would tweak something  to bring out the hidden beauty. I am inspired by possibilities. 

Shopping antique stores and shows to find vintage lace and jewelry to play with inspires and motivates me to create. I am constantly thinking of new ideas for my cuffs...It's hard to turn my brain off.  The inspiration part comes easy for me, it's the finishing up one idea before I jump to the next that I am working on.

HOW DO YOU FIND BALANCE IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL & PERSONAL LIFE?

This is definitely a work in progress for me!  I am still figuring it out as my business grows.  I think time management is the key and this does not come easy for me. I do find that if I take care of my family and home first, then I feel more at peace while creating and ideas and inspiration come easier to me...which makes my work time more productive and my family happier.  Some days though, I have to just let it all go and escape to my craft studio.  It's my therapy.

As a thank you for taking a studio tour with me I would love to offer up 20% Discount at RustikChic for JustLove.ly Readers enter code JUSTLOVELY20 at checkout

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*Do you have an amazing work space that you would like to share? email blog@justlove.ly 

In the Studio: making fawn & flora

Let's be real, I'm a crafting hoarder.  I make purchases for things I want to make, but never do and I save and pin things that inspire diy projects like its going out of business. Co-owning and designing items for Fawn & Flora though helps me get these things out of my system without taking up gobs of space in my studio since I get to sell it!

Recently we added in these goody grab bags and I'm loving them so much.  Basically its a little bit of everything all in one bag as a surprise to the recipient.  You can purchase however many you need and give us  a color scheme and we make the goods for you to love!  Today I'm giving you a little sneak peek of pretty things I get to play with while working.

In the Studio: whats on my desk

When we moved into our new house a couple months ago, one of the perks was my new studio space (a studio apt off of the upstairs of my home).  I asked for you to vote on a new decor style (#1 natural w/ hints of color won) and I've been slowly collecting and trying to get it right where I want it- all while staying insanely busy with this blog, the two shops, the new subscription service and any life I hope to have.  Today I wanted to share my main work desk, where I blog, write notes to customers, package some items.. blah blah blah =)

I'm proud to say that 95% of the items you see here have been collected at thrift and/or antique shops, yard sales or just found randomly through friends & family.  The other items that make up the remainder of the 5% are the washi tapes, gift tags and a couple of the supplies in the bottles.  Sometimes I list items here into Fawn and Flora and just let it keep me company until someone purchases it.. other times I fall in love and take it out of inventory! I can't help myself.