I found this in the midst of cleaning my studio today. It's about four years old - from a blog that Karen Bishop used to write:


Let go. Just let go of what you thought was real or important. Allow what is truly real now to enter your space and your reality. Take time for yourself…make it all be about yourself now and what you need to do to rest, self-nurture, exhale, be in the moment, let go of responsibilities, and just stay in your own sanctuary and bask. Find a way to re-charge your battery, rejuvenate, and allow time for you. Say no to commitments, gatherings, appointments and have-to’s as much as you can.

Allow yourself time for you, have a willingness to no longer make anything happen, and you will find that everything will simply happen on its own without you needing to be at the helm. Letting go of what no longer feels good or right will allow the new to arrive and place you in a very new space at the same time. TRUST.

I needed this reminder.

Funny how you find the things you need just when you need them, isn't it?

I was in just that relaxed place she writes about for the two months after I broke my foot, but it got away from me as soon as I was able to get around without my boot and crutches.

Life got a little crazy and tense when I decided to finally open Lille Hus. But I know I can have the shop open and do it in a way that still allows me to breathe and really enjoy the process and leave the outcome, well, out of all the rest of it.  I simply need to remember that as I go about my day.

This isn't a marathon. I'm not carving David.

I will dance with my creativity and enjoy each day. Simply. And with an open heart.

Que sera sera.

                                                                                                    

Yes. I'm weird.

I don't think there are many other people who get the thrill I do out of putting their work into cellophane sleeves...I just love that part of having a shop!

I love putting the work in and making sure it's "just so" in its little package.

And I love turning it over and pulling off the tape and exposing the sticky stuff.

And I love c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y folding the end over and sealing the packet shut.

And I love turning it back over and putting a sweet little round Lille Hus sticker on the front.

And I love putting the black grosgrain ribbon around orders of multiples and then putting a sticker on that.

It just thrills me no end! All of it!

And tonight? (Be still my heart!!!) I get to print out a mailing label!!! OMG!!!!

Yes. I'm weird.

Now, please, quit reading this and go buy something at Lille Hus so I can have some more fun putting things together to mail to you!

Thank you. (Very much.)

An exciting day ahead!

Today is the day Lille Hus opens and I'm a bit giddy! Here's what the shop looks like right now:

I figured 9 pm would be a great time to hit the "publish" button for all my listings, pop open the champagne, dance a jig, and then hit the hay and dream of waking to lots of orders! 

It will be fun to see how this goes, but right now I really, truly, feel like any sales are just a bonus. I've gotten so much out of the whole process of getting to this point, you know? And, while I've done as much as I can to prepare, I'll feel better once I get the first orders sent since I can't test out the whole sale and send portion. I'm prepared to handle the glitches that might pop up, but hope there won't be any!

One thing that really excites me about having the shop is my intent to donate a portion of Lille Hus's profits to KIVA (www.kiva.org) - a terrific organization that provides micro loans to entrepreneurs around the world, helping them realize their dreams. I got the go-ahead yesterday from KIVA headquarters to share that intent with my customers. I hope it will make them feel even better about their purchases - I know it will make me happy to give even more support to KIVA than I've been able to thus far.

I'll be spending my day doing a super-duper cleaning of my studio in anticipation of the opening. Even though no one can see it, it's important to me to have everything all organized and lovely; the perfect setting for the start of a new venture!

So...get your champagne ready, and join me at 9 tonight! (And get those fingers ready to hit the "Add to Cart" button! )

Yikes.

Had a bit of a scare (read: HUGE scare!) when I couldn't get into Blogger for the past two days. Felt like it took me FOREVER to figure out what was going on.

But I did! All by myself even!

Turns out it had to do with having to switch my browser to Explorer from Firefox to download some free software from the US Postal Service...software that really wouldn't have done much anyway, so I deleted it. Lordie, I can't even remember all I did - including holding my mouth in various ways and standing on my head multiple times - but whatever I did it finally worked  because I'm b-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-c-k!

Whew.

I'm feeling a bit vulnerable with Skipperdee (my laptop) and opening the shop which is dependent on him working. And working a lot. Skipperdee is really getting up there in age and seems to be struggling a bit with all the demands I'm putting on him - even though I've had his RAM increased. Poor lil' guy. What am I going to do if he goes kapoot???

I've backed everything up on my external drive, but still...

Yikes.

Maybe the Good Fairy of Computers will visit me and leave me a 17" MacBook Pro. With Adobe Creative Suite installed.

Wouldn't that be lovely????

Fun stuff...

It's fun rediscovering work. Like this watercolor I did a while ago:

Colorful Spheres. Watercolor

It might show up in the shop.

Fun stuff, huh?

Changes...

I decided to take down my professional website, karenanneglick.com - so if you click there, or type in the URL, the site won't show up anymore.

Figured it was a good way to save some money as I set up the shop and figure out where I want to go from here.

Truth to tell, that gallery site was more about my ego than anything else, and it was created out of the insecurity I felt and a need to prove something. What? Who knows...and who cares? Not me. That's how much I've moved away from the Karen Anne who needed to have it.

So anyway, I guess I've come to a time and place in my life where I don't feel insecure anymore. And where I don't feel I have to prove anything to anyone. Ever again.

It feels really good to have made the decision to nix the site.

I feel free. Really, really free.

And that is a very, very nice way to feel!

P.S. I've been re-learning a lot about photography the past two days. I've also learned that at some point I need to make a light tent. But not right now or I'll never get the shop opened!                        
                                           Here's your sneak peek at Lille Hus:

Hurrying at a Snail's Pace...

Slow and easy does it. So they say...

Trying to complete all the details needed for opening Lille Hus is proving to be a bit of a challenge, but I'm nothing if not persistent.

It will happen.

I'm checking the blocks one by one but, most importantly, I'm listening to my little voice who has been telling me to take this a bit more slowly and to: GET SLEEP. (That would be the same little voice I ignored when she told me to take the black rug up - and so I ended up not seeing Jake, tripping over him, and breaking my foot...THAT little voice! She knows her stuff.)

The past few days I've walking around like a zombie from not sleeping well and it was definitely beginning to take its toll. I got a great 8 hours last night, though, and feel much the better for it. Getting things done right the first time 'round is much better than having to re-do it later like I've been having to do. All that stuff I did in the wee hours that I thought was perfect? Not so much...

Anyway...

Back to work. Have fun. Take a break when you need it.

Everything will get done in good time. Especially when you're having a good time doing it!

Coming soon to Lille Hus...

Three Vases is one of the images that might be offered as a print and card when the shop opens (soon!):

I'm busy getting images formatted, photographing each item, determining prices, and coming up with descriptions, postage profiles, and - oh yes! - a Facebook page! You can check that out HERE. I'm still trying to decide if I want to keep it - it just seems, I don't know, maybe just a bit pushy to try and get people to "like" it. But it would allow me to easily let fans of the shop know when new things are in, and I could offer coupon codes periodically. What do you think? Any strong feelings one way or the other?

And I've decided (I think) to have all the cards open at the bottom rather than the side so they can more easily be displayed by whomever might want to. Both the cards and the prints will be initialed and dated in pencil. They are little works of art after all, right?

It's absolutely freeeeeezing in my neck of the woods this afternoon, so it's good to be able  to stay inside and work. 

Encouraging words...

A big thank you to my friends and family for all the encouraging words about Lille Hus this week.

The universe seems to be supporting me, too, given my horoscope for today:

You might feel unsure of yourself at first today, but once you overcome your own hesitation you will be glad that you took the initiative. Don't try to convince yourself that inaction is a better strategy than taking a calculated risk, because you may miss out on a very meaningful experience. Being practical is always a smart idea, but you could have regrets later if you restrain from expressing yourself now.

So...guess I'd darn well better get back to the business at hand. I sure don't want to have any regrets!

See you later!

 

I'm gettin' there...

All the materials I need to mail products arrived today and tonight I'll do mock ups to see that everything fits in the mailers okay.

Last night I spent hours getting prints and cards set up for printing for the initial opening. I'm looking forward to having time to make other things to put in the shop, but this Get It Up And Going process is pretty involved. A big part of that is me, though. I like to have everything look right from soup to nuts...so, lots of time on Photoshop designing and tweaking. I tweak a lot. This is the only area of my life where The Perfectionist takes over.

I'm pleased with the way it's all coming together, though, and I'm getting kind of excited. I just hope I have some sales. My fantasy alternates between no sales and being swamped. Somewhere in the middle would be just fine, thank you!

I love what my oldest daughter said when I was starting all this Etsy shop stuff: "Mom, you're not carving David." She's so right. (And then I go off in my head about what Michelangelo's Etsy shop would look like...)

In the middle of designing the things I really need, I came up with a wordless logo for the shop. Not sure where I'd use it, but thought it might me something to use for those little tags on soft goods. I'm actually pretty happy with it!

Lille Hus Logo

So that's what I've been up to. How about you? Hope you've had a good day!

Business cards anew...

Good thing I design and print my own business cards, otherwise I would be broke. But there's nothing like a whole new design to inspire and delight this woman, and I've spent all afternoon being inspired and delighted. Hey, all I need is the business to go with it, right? Be patient, dear readers, be patient...

What did you do today?

Let the games begin...

As evidenced by my last post and all the flurry around here, I'm in the throes of getting an Etsy shop up and running.

I posted about it on Facebook - how Karen Anne Glick Creative Design Studio was the name of the shop. Soooo typical of me to jump the gun with excitement. Sheesh.

Right after I shared my Big News with the world, it hit me:

I should (and will - keep reading!) use The Studio at Lille Hus as the Etsy shop. Why?

Well, because I'm such a Gemini, that's why. I want to be a shop owner and still maintain my Professional Artist persona. You know, the one who will have work at MoMa someday??? Yeah - that one.

The fact is that most Professional Artists don't do anything but Serious Art Work.

But I wanna do more: the fun, the funky, the whimsical, the touching, and yes, dear reader, the serious designer pillow that will make your room sing.

And then I want to stop doing all that and listen to the deepest part of my soul when it calls and urges me and guides me to create my other work. The work that makes my soul sing.

Doing that kind of work takes more money than I'd like to admit. Always the way, huh?

I'm hopeful that the shop will bring in a bit of change to support that artist; the one who longs to get better materials, be able to take workshops in various media, and have the funds she needs to properly approach galleries and answer those "call for entries" that beckon.

So...

That's what The Studio at Lillehus will provide; a place to give that artist a boost  - and allow me to have fun while I'm doing it.

And I've decided that a percentage of my annual sales will go to Kiva to help other people realize their dreams - just the way my little shop will help me realize my own!

Whew. Glad that's settled.

(You can take a peek here.)

#136 What do you think?

Check out the new look at the Karen Anne Glick blog.

Stand by for some other changes I've got coming!

-karen anne

#135 Jake's New Year's Resolution...

I like it!

-karen anne