…to get your butt going on something you’ve been procrastinating or “meaning to do.”
Like this summer…I had been putting off chopping down the Serengeti-esque weeds that had taken over our driveway. Nothing like having guests coming over for a 4th of July BBQ to give me the kick in the pants I needed to accomplish this task.
And then there was staining our house. Had all summer. Sure, it was hot, the sun was blazing and during certain weeks, we’d get daily, albeit brief, thunderstorms which canceled any chance at completing it. But nothing like impending snow up in the mountains in the next couple of weeks to get us into high gear on the project (one more side is being worked on today/tomorrow, so now we’ll have only 1 more side to go and thankfully we’ll have less of the multi-colored house/white trash look!).
And recently, after having it on my to-do list all summer, I finally got my photo website back up and running (more so David!) when I got that opportunity to photograph the dance team of my local high school. I needed to be able to establish myself to those parents as a photographer with a portfolio.
So now comes the most recent example. I’ve always wanted to hang my photos (and more recently my artwork) in local shops (you know, coffee shops, bookstores, etc.). I’ve always loved going into those places and seeing local talent. But for whatever reason, I never pulled it together – the photos/matting/framing and the fabulous “about the artist” bio. Part of me was intimidated…and overwhelmed. Seems that the ratio of ideas and plans I have and want to accomplish to time available in a day is about 30:1. Uninspired and unmotivated I am not. Lack of time to get it all accomplished is my struggle.
Then to my surprise, a vegan/organic cupcake shop in Eugene, OR wrote me to set up a wholesale account and purchased some of my large matted whimsical art prints to hang up in their shop. Not just to feature for free, but an actual purchase and they are putting up my bio! The “about the artist” I’ve always dreamed of doing. Nothing like a deadline to get you going on something you’ve been meaning to do!
So although it isn’t local, this opportunity pushed me to do something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. And it helps that I have a friend who lives in that very same town (and consequently gave a big thumbs up to that cupcake shop) who I’ve asked to spy my pieces in the next couple of weeks and snap a picture. Now with bio and works in hand, I’m going to start approaching some local places. It may not be a purchase but a free place to hang my stuff, and it’s still exposure. And I’m also planing on doing some target marketing to cupcake shops in Denver with some of my “Cupcake Girl” merchandise (cards, magnets, bookmarks and journals coming soon!). And sometimes that’s all it takes to get discovered.
Heart full of gratitude!
