Organization Obsessed or Spring Cleaning

I find that I don't "rest" a whole lot.  It's pretty common when you're a mom, or a business owner (or both), but it's also in my nature to never be idle.  I find that my mind is always whirring with new ideas and I just can't seem to find time to sit around.  Well, let me rephrase that, I can't seem to sit around without something in my hands.

"Ripple" - Jessica Snowden (c) 2012

I've been doing my typical "Spring Cleaning" of everything in my life.  My home, my online shop, my ideas, my supplies, and it all begins with lists.  Oh the lists.  I have been called an organized person but it's not as it seems.  It is because I have so many thoughts and ideas that if I don't write it all down, I am sure to have nothing accomplished to the fullest.

I have had days where, without writing down what I need or want to accomplish, I actually wander from one room to another picking up, putting away, and starting projects.  It's a sure way to get yourself nutty.  So, I try to avoid it with keeping on task.  Schedules and lists are my way to do that, for now.

I've had so many projects that I want to do that I've had to add my ideas to my to-do lists too.  Have you ever been in a place in your life where it seems that there is no down time?  I'm in that place now.  I know it's probably not healthy to go non-stop, so I'm actually scheduling time to relax or exercise or just chill.  I guess it's gotten a bit obsessive.

"Kitty Sleeping in Sun" - Jessica Snowden (c) 2012

However, one thing that is a constant is getting feedback and ideas from people.  This is what helps remind me that I'm just like a lot of people.  I'm doing my best and I'm succeeding in a lot of areas of my life.  I'm learning better ways to be organized and to just have some fun too.  There's never a moment when I'm not learning something new.

As I start some new requested art sketches, I am reminded of why I do this.  Why do I keep going when I have so much going on?  I love to make people smile or feel good.  I enjoy hearing others tell me that they received one of my art gifts and how they love it.  I appreciate when someone tells me shares with me what they feel when they see my art.

My passion has become my life and business; making art into gifts.  Whenever I create something new, no matter how I need to schedule things, the time spent is uplifting and satisfying.  And, that's worth all of the organizing and scheduling to get it accomplished.

*Facebook fan page (www.facebook.com/inspiredmamadesigns) Weekend Giveaway going on now until Sunday 8pm (pst).  Enter now and winner will be chosen randomly from the correct answers.

**Don't forget the 50% off code available now for my Etsy shop (www.inspiredmama75.etsy.com) -- good ALL month long! THANKS2U code at check-out!

Only 1 Away from a HUGE Giveaway!

Well there has been a lot of sharing of the Inspired Mama Designs page on Facebook.  The push to get to 450 fans is being met with some of my biggest supporters helping to share the link.  I am so appreciative of the wonderful people in my life and visiting my page.

So, we are only 1 fan away from 450 fans and then I get to give this Easter basket FULL of Inspired Mama Designs goodies and gifts to a lucky winner!  There's over $75 retail of gift items, most are already boxed up with a bow!  Whoever wins this basket will be lucky enough to have lots of gifts to give (or keep) this Easter.

Now is the time to get some people over to the Inspired Mama Designs page so we can choose a winner and send this great basket of gifts out!  If you haven't had a chance to stop over, you won't be sorry!  Not only am I going to pick a winner for the 450 fans basket, but I'll be picking random winners for giveaway prizes all month long!

Don't forget, I also have a great 50% off coupon as a special Thank You for my fans!  It's good ALL month long on my Etsy shop AND on Custom Orders (either commissioned artwork or gift products not already available with artwork from my images files). 

Stop by and come see what's been going on and say "Hi".  I love to see new faces!  Have a wonderful week and I'll see you there!

450 Fan Giveaway!



White Rabbit  by Jessica Snowden
Copyright (c) 2012 - Inspired Mama Designs

I'm so incredibly close to having 450 fans on Facebook that I've decided to do a HUGE giveaway when I get there.  The plan is to get there before next Sunday because I'm building an Easter basket full of lots of Inspired Mama Designs goodies!

PS - as a special surprise, I'll be posting a photo of what you can win on the Facebook page on this Sunday night!  So stop in to see what you'll be winning if I choose your name!

Will you help support me on Facebook?  You can find me at www.facebook.com/InspiredMamaDesignswww.facebook.com/inspiredmamadesigns and know that you will get more updates, see new items, and get discounts for my shop too!  I care very much about my fans and love to get feedback and ideas (interaction is a big part of what I love to do).

As a special thanks for being there for me, you can use this 50% Off coupon code: THANKS2U in either my Etsy shop (www.inspiredmama75.etsy.com) or if you'd like to place a Custom Order (I'm big on doing Children's or Personalized artwork!)  The coupon is good until Sunday night, the 1st of April, 8pm pacific time.

Thanks again for your continued support!  I so appreciate it!  Happy Friday!

Spring Cleaning and Giveaway

I can't believe how busy life has been.  Time is flying so fast and I can hardly keep up.  There are moments when being a mom, wife, and business owner has run me over completely and I want a really long spa day.  But I wouldn't change any of it because I am so blessed with all that I have in my life.

Hummingbird  by Jessica Snowden
Copyright (c) 2012 - Inspired Mama Designs

The wholesale and consignment part of my business is keeping me more busy than I ever thought.  I have been going from one order to the next with very little breaks in between.  But the most wonderful thing is to have friends or family who shop in a store tell me that they saw my products for sale.  It makes me feel good to know I'm being recognized in the community.

After putting my Etsy shop on "vacation mode" for a bit, with the intention of totally revamping the shop itself as well at the products and photos, I reopened.  I realized after a few weeks that I wasn't going to be able to do what I had planned and decided that updating while open was better than staying closed for much longer.  So, the shop is open with new items being added and some "spring cleaning" of photos, descriptions, sections, etc. happening at the moment.

I have been a lot more absent from the online world, as you've probably noticed from my lack of blog posts, due to all the ongoing work.  Building a business is a lot more than creating art or making products.  I've been learning about packaging, inventory and invoices.  I'm in the process of actually getting a business license with the name as well as tax id#'s all that jazz.  We are officially stepping out of the "hobby" zone and right into the real-life "business" life.

I wanted to let you know that I've got a great big giveaway going on.  I'm only a few away from 450 fans on my Inspired Mama Designs Facebook page.  This is after 1 year, so I'm pretty excited.  I've decided that, once I hit 450 fans, I'll do a giveaway to show my appreciation.  I'll be giving away an Easter basket FULL of Inspired Mama Designs goodies!  So pop on over, "like", and share the link: www.facebook.com/inspiredmamadesigns so we can make it!

Lastly - to show how much I appreciate everyones support, I have a 50% off code for BOTH my Etsy shop as well as ALL Custom orders good til April 1st 2012 (8pm PST).  Use discount code: THANKS2U at check out.

Thank you again for all you do to help support me.  I've been on such an amazing roller coaster ride and I'm hanging on and giggling like crazy!

Happy Spring Everyone!

Creative Seasons

Remember when we were in school, how we'd get "Spring Fever"?  From age 5 until 18, we'd been programmed to work within a 9 month schedule of doing work and then taking off.

Well, our bodies and spirits are naturally set that way.  Similar to "internal clocks" we have inner "seasons" when we are prone to certain highs and lows in our creative focus.

Whether it is during the same seasons of the calendar or not, we still tend to stick with these internal "seasons" that keep us moving or not.

Copyright (c) 2012 - Jessica Snowden
"New Leaf" - Green Watercolor blend
with Black ink design

Those moments where we have weeks or months of non-stop ideas bursting forward are wonderful.  The ideas, projects, and new endeavors that we take on are great.  We feel at our peak and details fall into place easily.  This is the Spring "season".  Everything is new and beautiful.  It is springing forth from our minds and spirits like new buds and sprouts.

Just like the fabulous growth of the Spring, we have a "down time" where our ideas or energy tends to taper off.  We find this time it is more difficult to stick with a project or come up with new ideas.  We will feel as if we are forcing the creativity rather than letting it flow.  The finished projects don't feel finished, the feel as if they aren't good enough at all.  This is our internal "Autumn".  It is when we feel more like moving on from the old and packing up for awhile.

Copyright (c) 2012 - Jessica Snowden
"Dragonfly Wings" - Watercolor blend
with Black ink design

Now, of course the Summer and Winter are more of an extreme to the neighboring seasons of Spring and Autumn.  It is a deeper feeling of what we've been going through during the more productive or the uninspiring times.  Similarly, though, these are also times when we feel a pull to take time off.  Summer vacation or Winter break are something we get ingrained into our heads and can become more of a time to refocus our energies on other project types.

Another part of these internal seasons can be organizing and purging.  I've found that in the Spring and Fall, I want to organize everything in my creative space.  I find that a drawer will suddenly need to have everything in order.  A shelf will need to be labelled and rearranged.  It becomes part of my creative process (because the actual creation of projects can be so messy).

"Hello Sunshine" -
Watercolor with Black ink
Copyright (c) 2012
Jessica Snowden - All rights reserved

During the "down times" or lull in our internal seasons, I find that it's best not to force yourself to be creative in a certain direction.  Instead, work on just finding inspiration, maybe in a new way.  Start experimenting with different materials or mediums.  Take out a journal or camera and start finding new ways to be inspired.  Look at what other people are talking about or go to an art store and look at the new products coming out.

There are so many ways to be creative and inspired.  I feel that when you are working with your internal seasons, you may become more productive than ever.  It's never too late to pick up something that you've been dying to try or find out something new.  Learning is part of growing and may become a great path to discovery.

Have fun!  Be Inspired!