(Not from my One Sketch a Day book, but from my “actual” sketchbook!)
(Not from my One Sketch a Day book, but from my “actual” sketchbook!)
THIS. This is what I needed all along. I bought this little sketch book three days ago and I’ve drawn in it everyday since. Drawing three days in a row might not sound like a monumental achievement, but it is for me.
I have been in such a rut for over a year. I’ve drawn only a handful of things and I didn’t make any comics at all. I was feeling really self conscious and putting myself down a lot about my work. So instead of just working through it, I stopped drawing. It felt awful, but I didn’t know what to do to get out of it. I tried taking a life drawing class which helped a little, but I still only drew during class and never just for myself.
This sketchbook was the best impulse purchase I have made in a long while. I picked it up and couldn’t put it down. It made so much sense. It doesn’t start on any specific date. It just lists the days: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3… And there’s a little space to write in your own date. The fact that I could start anytime really felt good. I didn’t miss a whole month and a week of drawing this year. I simply started when I bought the book. On the last page it says, “Congratulations! You made one sketch a day for a year! What will you do next?” I’m excited to make it all the way there.
I have tried and failed at numerous “daily endeavors”, but I really feel this one might stick. The book is only 5×7 inches and the spaces to draw is only half that (two drawings per page). Its clean design is inviting and the small spaces seem less intimidating than a blank 8×11 or larger page. I can slip it in my purse giving me no excuse not to bring it with me everywhere. All I need is a pencil (and my trusty eraser!).
I am determined to rediscover the pure, simple joy of drawing for myself again. I’m glad I finally found something that has truly inspired me to do this.
A custom doll for Samantha, an illustrator pal of mine!
Sorry I missed my Tuesday post again. Art Night was canceled… Again! 
We’re going to get back on it next week! FOR SERIOUS.
Anyhoo, the past couple of days has been fairly productive. I filled some orders yesterday and got my work space more organized. I bought a cheap scrapbook paper storage unit with drawers. My felt fits in it really nicely! I love the way it looks on my desk. I should take a photo of it. 
I’m trying to get all my bookkeeping done for 2010. I really slipped up towards the end of the year and I have a TON of catching up to do. Blaaah! Taxes! You are annoying! Someday when I’m rich and famous, I’m going to hire an accountant…… In the meantime, I bought a little planner for 2011 and I’m writing down all my business transactions in it. Then, once a month, I will use my records and receipts to enter it all into the computer. I can’t let myself get this far behind again.
In other news, I’m thinking about getting a Smartphone to make taking credit cards at shows easier. Right now I use ProPay and call my transactions in. It works fine, but it’s a multi-step process that can take upwards of 5 minutes to complete. It’s hard when I’m at a busy show to do it right. With a Smartphone, I can enter the information into ProPay via their mobile browser which looks like it would be much quicker. Or I MIGHT be able to get a Square card swiper, but I’m not entirely sure it will work with the phone I like. (I’m going to e-mail them.)
In an ideal world, I would get a 3G ready iPad and the Square. But that would set me back close to $800 and my next show is in April……. So unless I sell a ridiculous amount of dolls in the next two months, it’s just not an option. The phone on the other hand would cost me $290 for the phone + 12 months of the data plan. That seems a lot more logical for now considering my limited funds.
I’m still a bit hesitant to do it though. It seems like a waste of money considering I only have two shows planned for this year. Smartphones are cool and all, but the only reason why I want one is to make my life a little easier at shows. I doubt I would use its features for much else. (Considering how little I use my iPod Touch.) I already feel like I’m being robbed by my cell phone provider… Adding $20 a month more to use it’s data plan twice a year seems a bit extreme. The iPad, on the other hand, I would use frequently for several different things. I also like that you only pay $15 a month for data and it’s only when you need it (no subscription required). I just can’t afford one right now…
The final option is to just keep doing what I’ve been doing. If I do as well as I did at MoCCA this year as I did last year, buying an iPad won’t be a problem. So maybe I’ll just suck it up and call in my transactions for one more show!
Lorna the Fruit Bat & Dillon the Humpback Whale
January 23rd, 2011 | Posted by in Blog - (0 Comments)
On Wednesday I met with my local Small Business Adviser. I went in there thinking I would get a few tips about writing a business plan and get some marketing ideas for Nonesuch Garden. I left in a daze with a pile of “homework” to do between now and my next meeting.
GET THIS.
My SBA is an artisan doll enthusiast. She has also made and sold them in the past. She is very knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the industry. I’m absolutely floored! I didn’t just find someone to give me business advise, I found a mentor. I’m meeting with her again on February 1st. I can’t wait!
I’m feeling really good, you guys. 2010 was really awful for me career wise. I put myself down a lot and was really close to giving this whole thing up. But instead, I scheduled this meeting with my SBA and it was just the push I needed.
I’ve been making dolls NON-STOP since Wednesday. I finished a fruit bat last night and I’ll be finishing a humpback whale today. I’m on FIRE! I’m just so pumped and excited that someone who knows the artisan doll industry thinks I have a chance at really making it. I feel really inspired to keep at it!
I always thought comics would be my calling. But I really feel like Nonesuch Garden might become my life work. Don’t get me wrong, comics will always be my first love and I will never stop making them or trying to get my name out into the comic book industry. But I also need to make money. I need to be able to support myself. And I would much rather support myself with my own, home-grown business than working at a day job.
I want to sew and make comics. That’s all I want to do. And now I feel like I really might be able to do it!
Wednesday Task! (Work?) – A Sloth, SBA, and Bookkeeping
January 19th, 2011 | Posted by in Blog - (0 Comments)Art Night was canceled due to the Snowpocalypse (part 2) so I didn’t write a “Tuesday Task.” I’m here today, though!
I started a sloth doll a couple of nights ago. I plan on finishing it today. I’m also keeping my fingers crossed that the buttons I need for a custom order show up today so I can finish that, too!
At 1:30pm I’m meeting with a Small Business Advisor. I made this appointment before Christmas so I’m really anticipating it. I’m going to talk to her about marketing and re-writing my business plan.
Nonesuch Garden has changed a lot since I started taking it seriously in 2008. I wouldn’t exactly call it super successful, but it has grown a lot more than I expected. It has really become a huge part of my life. I love making these dolls and I want to be able to keep making these dolls. So I need to get my business organized and really start pushing myself to make the sales I need to stay in business.
The last thing I want to accomplish today is to finish my bookkeeping for 2010 so I’ll be ready for tax time. This year, I’m going to do my bookkeeping once a month. Not quarterly like I did in 2010. BAD MEGAN.
Anyhoo, it’s breakfast time! I may report back later to tell you how my meeting went. And/or with pictures of that sloth!
Some Nonesuch ideas! (Drawn on post-its at my day job.) Aside from the Zodiac dolls (I’m making all 12 of the celestial zodiac signs), one of my goals for this year is to design and make 34 new Open Edition Nonesuch dolls. That will bring me up to 75 Open Edition Nonesuch dolls for people to choose from!
Anyhoo, I made a list of 34 dolls I would like to make this year! This is by no means a solid list and it will most likely change. But this is what my boyfriend and I came up with while we were at the laundromat today.
1. Sloth 2. Aye-aye 3. Great white shark 4. Orca 5. Giant anteater 6. Raccoon 7. Striped skunk 8. Hammerhead shark 9. Humpback whale 10. Armadillo 11. Alligator 12. Red panda 13. Fruit bat 14. Lobster 15. Camel 16. Llama 17. Coyote 18. Ocelot 19. Hippo 20. Walrus 21. Polar bear 22. Sun bear 23. Spectacled bear 24. Red tailed hawk 25. Bald eagle 26. Barn owl 27. Manatee 28. Antelope 29. African wild dog 30. Blue jay 31. Tyrannosaurs Rex 32. Archaeopteryx 33. Peacock 34. Arctic fox
I intentionally left out imaginary creatures, but that doesn’t mean I won’t make any. Last year I made a total of 48 dolls (including custom orders). This year, I hope to vastly improve that number! So while my goal is 45 (34 new open edition dolls and 11 more Zodiac dolls), I hope to make a lot more!
I had better get to it!
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