irons in fires

Saturday, August 9, 2008


our walk last night

I feel excited this morning and what a nice feeling that is. I have a few (design creative) irons in a few fires and it seems that that state (design busy) is what makes me happiest, is what I thrive on. If I'm not busy and I don't have multiple projects on the go and lets just say I could ... work on anything that I wanted to. Well, I become sloth like and want to lie in the nest, flipping through fashion magazines and eating bon bons, or worse cheesies. I'm a girl who needs to feel a little urgency to get myself going. I have many irons, as well, in the home upkeep, home renovation, housecleaning (screwed up face as if I just sucked on a lemon) and fall/winter preparation - fire and trust me those irons just make me feel constantly overwhelmed, daunted, almost frightened (I think they call that panic & anxiety). But hey, for this early morning, dark and still hour, with Oliver and my coffee ... I'm not goin' there. And I bet your relieved.

My giclee prints arrived yesterday. 3x3 and 3x4 prints of my photographs on watercolour paper with oh so saturated inks & intense beautiful colour. The little mats for them arrived earlier in the week and this morning at 4am something I was placing mats over photos and oohing and ahhing with the cats and Miss Dixon. I still have a few components of these little art print/greeting card packets to prepare and I won't bore you with all those little details. Let's just say I am very detail oriented, and there are a lot of choices out there in the great big world, say ... when it comes to envelopes for example - these little artprint/greeting cards will come with an envelope and of course I want to choose the most ideal envelope (please note the absence of the word perfect - but you know that's what I mean). Also an area in which I've always lacked confidence is measuring, and this etsy shop project has involved a ton of measuring. Making sure the mat openings are the right size for the photos, and what would be the most beautiful and aesthetically pleasing shape and size of white space around each image (mat), the art print card and envelope needs to fit snuggly in the cellophane sleeve and the cellophane sleeve needs to fit into the cardboard mailer and God knows I don't want to end up with a case of 1000 seal-able cellophane sleeves an 1/8th of an inch too small. Measure sixteen times - order once. I guess I did decide to bore you with the details. Wink. End of August Etsy shop grand opening ? It all must be p______ !!! or pretty darn close.

I'm also working on a logo business card design for a local person. Bubbles, Bags & Bling the name of the company - fashiony and lots of fun and I don't do much graphic design anymore (I mostly design products -giftware frames, jewellery and such) and I'm just about to put on my Religious, Spiritual, Inspirational photo frame collection design hat - and come up with as many, oh so brilliant, thumbnails as humanly possible for customer No Uno, and thus ensuring another big fat cheque, 'cause Mama's gotta bring home the kitty litter.

I need to take La Beast Rouge for a spin around the entire yard sometime this weekend and I must get out the machete and hack a path to the street. The Purolator guy commented the other day, I think he got tangled up trying to deliver a parcel to our front door. Sigh.

And the Olympics are on (I had my cable hooked back up - I proudly survived 2 entire months with no television). I LOVE the summer Olympics, swimming, track & field, diving .... I love it all and I love that it's happening in China. A country I am totally fascinated by. I'll be glued to CBC and I love that they have lots of mini documentaries exploring the country, the history, the customs as well as excellent coverage of the games themselves.

Light rain and lobster boats leaving the harbour, the sounds outside my window this early morning.



9 comments:

  1. Your photos are beautiful, Susan. And I'm getting excited about your Etsy shop. Can't wait to visit it.

    I hope you have a good Saturday.
    *hugs*

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  2. You know, I see SO many blog sky photos and yours are always the most lovely by far. Stunning.

    Have a great weekend and be kind to your red beast! ;)

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  3. I can feel the creative excitement in your words! I too, sometimes need a dreaded deadline to push me along. Hate to admit it, but it's true.

    I'll say again, you are the most fortunate of souls to have views like that to enjoy! I love these photos!

    Happy weekend!

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  4. You perked me up and fed me some energy today, Susan. I was whining to my friend last night that I procrastinate, dawddle, get side-tracked, move slowly and at the end of a day, I've crossed off only one, likely no items on my "I've ABSOLUTELY Gotta Do This Today" list. She told me my list is always too full, including at least six months worth of "to do's" at all times and just looking at it makes me feel so overwhelmed, I must sit right down with a cup of tea and a magazine to revive myself. (This friend has a jewelery business and gets SO much done over the course of a week.)So, my new plan is: narrow the list down to just a few of the most essential projects, put a DEADLINE on them and finish one thing at a time. Then make a new list and do it again. I mentioned before when I was creative director for our company, I was quite the whirling dervish of workers and deadlines were my energy source. I tell you, though, when I quit work...long ago...I was so spent, I lost all desire to talk on the phone and shortly I could barely remember the meaning of the word "deadline"! Now I'm ready to accomplish something again and so...new plans and inspiration from motivated girl friends like you and Paula are called for. Thanks for the boot! (I realize you are not motivated in all areas of your life, but no one's PERFECT. Right?)

    P.S. And. Thank you and your little fam so much for the sea glass. There is one little piece in there that looks just like aquamarine. They are wonderful. And, here and now, I pledge to your other readers that I won't enter a sea glass (I'm only talking about sea glass) drawing again since I've won twice and am not greedy. (Your envelopes are so cool too.)

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  5. Oh, man....the details got me all excited for sure....I can hardly wait for the grand opening!! I'm dying to see all the beautiful pics and artworks...the packets of sea treasures..the...well...whatever there is .... I'm living vicariously because I am too ditzy to get my own etsy up and running at the moment... also a bit too busy (or read lazy if you like) in the summer months to get any bears or small dolls done...but some day I plan to get on the Etsy bandwagon too.......

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  6. Susan, your photos are so "alive" I can almost reach into my screen and drag my hand through the water!!! Mercy! What talent!
    Good luck with everything! Can't wait for your Etsy shop to open!
    Have a great rest of the weekend.

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  7. You are indeed a talented photographer.

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  8. I love your stories about the red beast! More details next time! :)

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