Operation Upgrade, Day 1

It’s late, or early…

It is 12:10AM on February 26, 2017.

The man-friend is killin digital dudes on a computer game while I’m suddenly in the mood to redesign my website. Not only in the mood but trying to DO something about it. I’ve been in the mood for about 8 years.

I work full-time for a small design agency but have always kept up with limited freelance work and like to continue to make art and crafts outside of my work time. I find that having creative outlets outside of the structure of my day job helps me think and work better on those projects.

My old, non-responsive website (responsive sites look good in any window size, like tablets or cell phones) has needed an update for a long time, since before I really worked on WordPress sites, but as most artists and designers know, we never work on our own stuff. We’re always consumed with working on things for other people.

Time to dive into WordPress

I’ve just installed a WordPress theme that I’ll begin customizing and hopefully do so in stages. I tend to get overwhelmed with everything associated with working on my own things. So I’ll attempt to take things one step at a time.

The step I’m on now is importing demo content so that I can see what I’d like to keep and work with as I build out my site.

Design vs. Making

I’m having an identity crisis. I like being a graphic designer. I love working on logos, picking colors, strategizing with clients to create a brand that they love and that reaches their customers, creating their printed materials and their website. Or simply creating a small piece of sentimental design for a loved one. But I also love making jewelry and crafts, plus drawing, painting and sculpting figurative work for glass casting.

I’m not sure what this new site will be but it’s just gotta start being. That’s all I know for sure.
Well, I also know that I like doing all of the things. I can’t seem to give up all the different avenues for creativity that I like to pursue.

For instance, today I helped my photographer friend, Kim Brundage, with her Headshot Party. I was the accessories person. I am a Stylist super duper part-time for Stella & Dot, mostly because I’m obsessed with the jewelry. I helped the ladies (once they’d been through hair and makeup) pick out a piece or two that really added some flair to their outfits and with Kim’s approval would show up great in photos. After the party wrapped up, I went home to start cleaning and organizing for when the man-friend moves in…I have way too much stuff…and then got craft-stracted and made this DIY pencil case using instructions I found on a website.

In Conclusion

Basically I want to do the most. All the time. I’m not sure if that’s possible so I’m attempting to think through who some of my favorite client types are and what are my favorite art and craft project types.
This is the list for clients:
• artists
• musicians
• educators

This is the list for art / craft projects:
• figurative glass casting
• great colors
• fabrics/sewing
• beading