Say, WHAT?

Oh no, it does NOT say Dec. 18th on the post I just did! It is the 17th here on the east coast. I so totally did NOT skip a day. Do you hear me? I did not.

See that date up there? My blog time settings are crazy. Crazy I tell you.

Just for the record. Seriously. I’m not cheating. I’m not.

Ok, NOW I’m going to bed. Goodnight. Again. On the right day this time.

Creatively Constipated (Or, the longest post ever.)

I come up with a lot of creative ideas on a fairly regular basis. I buy materials and start some, I make notes about others, some are just beginning to form, but they are definitely in there. Rattling and rolling around like brilliant marbles. I just can’t seem to get any of them out.

My creative to-do list is getting long. Here it is if you care at all. Make sure you’ve got time to kill.

1) Original Artwork for KC’s Bedroom

I actually bought paint and little canvases before she was born. Still haven’t started. Ok, I did do some crappy sketches. I’ve recently started thinking I should do them by Christmas for a special gift. We’ll just see if that happens.

2) A Thanksgiving-inspired Wreath

This one’s very new. I bought a plain wreath made of twiggy-type stuff. I got some fake pretty, fall-colored foliage and berries to add to it. Simple, but pretty. I managed to forcefully jam the berry thingy’s into the wreath and very crudely wrap the ends so it stays. I’ll need to get creative with floral wire and maybe ribbon to add the leaves and stuff. Otherwise it will just look like shit. What’s the point if it looks like shit? I need to go out of the house and actually buy the ribbon, so it sits. Waiting. It’s almost Thanksgiving. Maybe I can use it next year.

3) Convert my jewelry website into a graphic design portfolio site.

This is a big one. I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time. The jewelry site was a fun way to show the stuff I created over the course of about one year. (Yes, it was most definitely before KC came along.) I also hoped to sell the stuff (which, I did) and, more importantly, I used it to get practice with web design.

I’m no longer finding time to make new jewelry, but I do a lot of freelance design (in addition to my full-time gig as designer for PSDA). An online portfolio is a must, and it’s crazy that I don’t have one. It’s just tough to make time for my own stuff when I’m always working on someone else’s designs. Shame on me, but there you have it.

If you haven’t seen the jewelry site and are curious check it out here. I just had a bargain basement sale on all of it, because it’s over 2 years old and somebody really needs to wear this stuff. I still have a handful of pieces left if you want them.

4) Turn the (yet to be created) design site into a double site for both Ted and I.

My husband has the same disease I do. Too many cool ideas. Talent to do creative things. Not nearly enough time/energy to make them all happen. We talk a lot. We need to DO more. We dream of making money off our creative ventures. Who doesn’t?! We both make some money with our side work, but it surely wouldn’t support us outright. Maybe when we are retired it will cushion that social security income.

5) Design my husband’s logo, or seek a marriage counselor. I’m weighing my options.

For those who don’t know, Ted does some side work too. He’s got mad carpentry, metal work and handy man skills. Friends ask for help and word of mouth gets him varied jobs on a fairly constant basis.

It’s really a shame that I haven’t done this logo for Ted. He’s been giving me input on it for over a year. Plus, I love designing logos so it should be easy. It’s totally not. I want to do it in my style, but it’s not mine so I can’t be that selfish. He’s given it serious thought, and come up with sketches. I cannot just toss them aside. I must draw them up and maybe sneak in some others that are more “me”. I do that all the time for client’s, and they usually bend to my subtle will. They see my new idea (alongside theirs) and the light goes on. “Oh, yes!” they say. “You are so right! That is what it should look like.” Yes, folks. That’s why they pay me the big bucks.

I have not really tried this yet with Ted’s logo. He has very definite ideas of what he likes. Sometimes I agree and sometimes I don’t. His logo sketches are good. I mean that. But, the designer in me wants to plaaaay. Waaah. I am sort of afraid to put too much effort into one I love only to have him go, “Eh.” Because, you know, ouch. I know he will resist me more than another client would. And, in this case it’s personal. hmmmm. That’s a toughie.

6) Write a Children’s Book

Yes, that’s right. Write it and illustrate it. “About what?” you say. I have no f-ing idea just yet. But I have two very old-schooly composition notebooks just waiting to be filled with words. I even started jotting a couple of ideas, but it’s hard. I suppose it’s an insult to real writer’s of children’s literature that so many people (I’m guessing since I think I can) think that writing a 5 page board book would be a breeze. “I’m a creative person! I can do this!”, we all (probably) say. Well, people, it’s just not that simple. It’s like logo design. Good logo design. How the hell do you put a world of imagery/ideas/info/etc/etc/etc into one very small package and ensure it is concise, easy to understand, beautiful and useful. It’s an art. One I have no experience with. For books, I mean. But, God Damn It, (pardon me Jesus) I am willing to try. I think.

So there you have it. That’s probably not even the whole list, but I’m tired now. You know…if could put half the effort into all these things that I am putting into this blog, I’d be flowing like a creative river. So to speak.