CADDi Swag

I'm told the people at the event loved the
CADDi. That's all I need to know today.
Here's the site of the gift back people I worked with http://www.itsinthebaginc.com/
Nice, organized, kept me in the loop.

Fun Day in CADDiland - with Gratitude!

This was a gratifying day. I had a coffee shop in Amsterdam ask for samples and pricing and they sounded quite excited by the CADDi. I'll have information to them ASAP.
Then I was checking Google Analytics and started to find blogs where people have mentioned the CADDi.

Here's one of them...
http://ttelroc.blogspot.com/

Remember the Dancing Goat downtown? I still miss them.

The sister of the person told her about the CADDi and she ran with the "story". I am so touched by both acts. It's the kind of fellowship that warms a person - that we just help each other out because we can. It can be lonely doing a business by yourself, but today I feel like I'm in great company - wherever you are.

Bowlful of Devils

Smilin, cuz they're still HOT from the firing. Soon to be pins.

Back to Esty

A few people have asked recently, whether I have an Etsy shop. I used to, but closed it when I was feeling simply too busy to bother. I looked into reactivating it and it was very easy - still had images in the system and everything. So - the store is open again.
Mostly I'll have reproductions. So far, it's pretty much this foodie series and a few miscellaneous images. At some point I'll add some more fairy houses, definitely some devil pins, and will even sell some originals - fine art and illustration.

Illustration - a Buyer's Guide

Several years ago I printed a piece to help people understand the process of buying illustration.
I still have a number of them, but wanted to have the information in a format people could just updoad and print. I'll post it on Twitter, I'm sure, and TRY to post it on Facebook, though had trouble with a pdf link last week (why would the same link work one place and not another?)

Click HERE to see it and, if you like, print it out. Please send the link on to anyone who may find it interesting or useful.

Close call

Almost shot myself in the foot today. Called to change a phone plan and came THIS close to shifting all services and adding cable. The woman did not call back at the scheduled time and in the meantime I started to think of the ramifications of changing my e-mail address. Did I care enough about faster internet or a cleaner TV image to bother - nope.
So, our lives are still simple and easy. Enough is enough.

Facing the Proofs

Friday the proofs arrived for my book. I'm afraid to look at them. Despite having had two people proofread and checked it till I couldn't see any more I just know I'm going to find something big.
My husband reminded me that this is why we GET proofs and he's right. Still, this is the first writing I've put out publicly and all of my insecurities are right on the surface.

It's so different looking at the book when it's been put in the final format. As reader's spreads, the art looked one way, now things which I'd thought of as being on the outside are actually in the middle. It's not a problem, just a shift in perception.

CADDi as Swag

The CADDis will be in good company.

Out of curiosity I have researched various celebrity/event swag companies. I liked the business approach of GIFTED, so agreed to participate when they approached me about the CADDi. The audience was not celebrities, but writers and designers, which felt like a decent fit.

The bags will be presented to designers being featured during the Orange Coast Magazine Design Tour '09 running April 21 - May 17th.

Several on-line news services picked up the press release. I'll be curious to see if I see any results in barbco.biz hits.

Another adventure in entrepreneurialism.

Twitter and the New Chair

It's not just Twitter. Facebook has suddenly taken on a life of its own, too - and I've spent much of the last week prepping and uploading files for another site. HOURS at the computer, when it used to be minutes. My back was shot.

I had to buy a new chair. I LOVED my old chair and this one looks like any old office chair, but I can tell already that I needed it. My mouse arm is supported, as well as my back. These two things alone have let me like it a bit more. I'll have to find a good home for the old chair, though - it deserves it.

The new drawing board chair should arrive Monday. I'll be sittin' pretty, now.

Posted by Barbara Hranilovich at 10:09 AM 0 comments

New image

Just finished this piece. It will be used for a label on a black container. Can't wait to see!

E is for...at the printer

"E is for Entrepreneur" is at the printer. I should have it in hand in a few weeks.
I'm so VERY grateful to Terri Haas-Wittman (great friend - AMAZING designer) who laid it out and made it feel real.

This has been a fun project. It started out as blog posts, but took on a life of its own.

I really wanted the book to feel like the reader and I are sitting at a coffee shop and schmoozing about what comes our way as self-employed entrepreneurs. I have educators' genes, so am hoping I can help someone in some way with this - that would be the point, after all, or it was just an exercise in spewing.

I'm starting to get some nice feedback, which has given me the courage to actually put it out there. I do think there is a place for this nurturing touch, which can accompany the more tactical sorts of business books.

So - it's possible to place orders now. Just click on the E is for button at the bottom.

Frustrating week

One step forward, at least one step back. Manufacturing communication and quality control. Just when we got it right they arbitrarily changed materials on me. This affects both look and function. The good news is that I'm not slammed against a deadline - still have product here. I know we'll get it right, but we HAD it right, so this was a blow...felt like I went back two years in this whole process.
P is for patience.