We’re having a Heat Wave
When word of the impending “heat wave” landed in my lap a couple of weeks ago, the first thing I thought was how exciting to have an excuse to stay in, hunker down, get cozy in my studio….and create new designs. It’s been quite a while….honestly, over 3 months (a quarter) since I’ve spent serious time thinking, creating, designing and MAKING statement Art-to-Wear Lennon Harper Designs necklaces. I knew getting back into the studio would give me just the energy boost I had been searching for.
Recently I had a great sushi lunch with Janine Just JANINE JUST INC….and while we were in the midst of a pretty awesome conversation about building a brand, my brand, and all that it takes….you know, social media, blogging, website design, financial investments, professional photo shoots, networking/connecting, etc, etc, etc….she stopped and asked me, “Do you love making the actual pieces” and before I could answer she asked me another question….”how often do you really, truly get to MAKE the pieces?”….. WOW! I was gobsmacked by the question and I quickly realized in order to answer the question I had to admit to myself how much I missed being in my studio and how distracted I’ve been by the other pieces and parts (however important they are) of building a brand, that I’d neglected the best and most rewarding part of all. The actual design and creation process! It sounds so obvious but we definitely can get lost in all of the things we think we need to be doing in order to build our brand.
And there are lots of external and extraneous reasons why the design and creation process gets put on hold….for me this spring those reasons included:
A professional career transition
Family matters/activities (approximately 8 million of them)
Instagram/FB/Web Design- and all the daily “doings” of building a small business
Summer/Nice Weather/Weekends away with family
All valid. All important. All really fun, well except #1. And as Cheldin Barlatt Rumer says, it’s important to “know what you know, and know what you don’t know”. I’m realizing what I DO know is how to design really unique, one of a kind, statement necklaces in all kinds of color schemes, styles, etc. I’m also realizing my limitations where social media is concerned. But I appreciate that there’s a real balance to be found that incorporates focusing a high percentage of my time on what I love and KNOW and a certain percentage of time on the aspects of building a brand that are important and impactful to growing my business. As always, it’s a proverbial balancing act.
So, I got myself back in the studio and spent some quality time thinking, plotting, planning, scoping, rearranging and ultimately designing and creating a few pieces. Here they are, as unfinished ideas and designs…..I’ll definitely create a post with each finished product soon (maybe after this weekends heat wave). Happy summer my beautiful and fabulous friends!
