So We Joined Facebook Last night

That is a really freaking scary thing. I keep a low profile most of the time cause I don't need anything else that keeps me on the internet for a ridiculous amount of time. I do enough of that on my own. But its funny to see people you know and how they've grown up. You forget all the time that We're all like really adults now, following my theory that you aren't fully an adult regardless of what the law says until you are thirty.
Lee doesn't remember anybody which is funny. I was like so when I'm 34 my memory will start to dim good thing I did this now...lol...
Ok so Sunflower Express's 1st full length episode is nearing completion we go into editing phase as soon as I finish my GD animation. There has been so much stuff going on that it is really hard for me to dig in but my goal is today.
Me and Cynt. will be heading to Mayorga Cafe on FEB. 7 for an art fair so I will be frantically making products for that in the very very near future. Gobie Keychains anyone????
Life has been a bit hechtic lately but I am very glad that I have a husband like I do. He really doesn't care about all the bullshit stuff and is mostly happy when I'm happy. So I give him mad props cause I'm hard to handle sometimes. The mom thing is exhausting and working the show is like a full time job in and of its self, on top of all the other things like the shop and the business. But you know I like to be busy, keeps me out of trouble and my mind engaged.
I hate the winter so its easy for me to drift until the temperature hits something remotely normal.
Ok enough procrastinating... time to get back to work.

Ok so I'm double posting

I have been hella busy in the last few months, so much so that i didn't get a chance to revel in my near brush with celebrity. So I had heard tell that a certain celebrity widow whom I have always adored for being wicked cool and not really caring what anybody (and I mean anybody) thought was loose on etsy and purchasing lots of pretty pretty handmade things.
Well after months of neglect I recieve an email that I actually sold something on my etsy site. Well low and behold who should it be but my favorite Rocker Girl Courtney Love. I was awestruck and freaked out. Here is here-to-fore known CL card. It's not much but it totally made my 2008!

Inspiration Strikes

These are new Felt Charms I whipped up this afternoon that are currently for sale at my etsy shop. I've been experimenting with Felt stuff cause its fun and there are so many cutey things you can make with it. These can be used as pendants or keychains, even zipper pulls they are tres cute for the big VDAY

These are by Little Felt Tribute to the best friend necklaces I used to wear as a kid. These are super cute and fun! Check out my etsy shop for other cute felty goodness now on sale with more to come!

Stumble Upon lead me to Stumble upon the Rights Never Ending Racial Bias

So I hit the stumble upon, haven't done it in a while and low and behold what do I find but loads and loads of Republican loony toons bitching about how everything is Obamas fault. The stock market is his fault, they lost their job and its his fault, He had a big party to celebrate and they didn't like it, How stupid black people are and why didnt he just have a barbecue and eat some chicken.
See we forget that a very large portion of the country has not evolved to follow the lofty ideals of the Left. We can't just start to think that things changed overnight. The work really has just begun. Though everyone is entittled to their own opinion, I don't know why some people think that its ok to say things like negro and blackie in regard to our president. Dude he's just as white as most of you and many of you down the line will find that you have a few darker skinned folks in your background. The color of your skin doesn't mean you will be a bad president and really we've already done this old white guy thing like 43 times already... Real Change means doing something different.

What if the mightiest word is love?

Ok so I knew today would be emotionally charged. Hell change is never easy. It's never the easiest thing to do or make. Change is painful, and Forceful but in the end usually changes are for the better. I think that Barack Obama will be the best thing to happen to this country in a very long time. I love the fact that he refuses to let us off the hook. Before it was always I now its WE! We must not ever become complacent again. I think it is the one thing that has driven me insane. If you don't like something get off of your ass and scream it and help when you can help!
And to love each other and ourselves most of all. Nothing will ever change if we can't see the love and value in each and every person in this country and on this planet.

I love the fact that he included so many musicians and creative people in his Celebration.
I highly suggest everyone sign this petition http://www.petitiononline.com/esnyc/petition.html for the creation of a secretary of the arts. I am signature numba 159969.
Arts should be elevated to a higher level in this country and not just music. I'm talking about potters, jewelry makers, illustrators, painters, sculptors, mixed media artists, anyone who lifts a hand to do anything out of intent to beautifully communicate a message!
on a side note We did not go into DC though I really wanted to today... Number one its freaking freezing, My son is like 3... and hubby is at work so I'd be by myself... My Friend Cynt was gonna go with me but she lucked into tickets and took her dad. I really think today was super important for the older generation of folks. Hey I'm 30 I'll catch him in 4 years!
I am block printing some cards today for VDAY... and I hope to work on some felt stuff later. Will post picks!
Happy Barack Obama Day!

This is Funny

Educating your customers

Ok so for the most part the average small business owner has no idea what goes into good design. Including the process, the target, and the implementation. This is the Designers main job to educate the customer as to what is effective and what is not. Now dealing with this is one of the hardest jobs of the Graphic Designer.
How exactly to you effectively communicate what is and is not Good Design.
Most customers will have no clue as to how a pallete is chosen. Or how thoughtfully to arrange text to formulate a cohesive message.
Many Customers have seen ideas that they like, but do not know how or if the samples they like will effectively communicate their message.
Things to remind clients:

• Your marketing materials are your business. If your business is Dog Care. Your images should correspond with Dog Care. This is simple but you will inevitably find the client who wants to use ambiguous photos or graphics that do not fully communicate the fact that you run a Dog care business.
  
• The most effective design strategy is to quickly engage the consumer in what you do. Studies say that you have approximately 2 seconds to grab someones attention. Your cover design should encourage a potential customer to read your materials.
• The average consumer skims and does not read. Your headings should be well crafted with pertinent information that they will in some capacity retain.
  
• The overall look and feel of the brochure should correspond to the type and style of business that the client operates.
• Many clients will say things like I would like a bold vibrant design when in actuality this is not what they like or desire. Clients can be confused as to what they actually like and sometimes it becomes tricky when you are knee deep in a layout for them to decide that what they actually want is a very subdued layout. Take a deep breath, bang your head on your keyboard and start over.
  
• The average client usually can not communicate effectively what they want. I said average because I have dealt with some very creative and knowledgeable clients in my graphic design business. This makes our job easier.
  

• If your client wants something that you are not comfortable with feel free to direct them to one of the many P.O.D services that will print what ever they want. Don't feel as though you have to put your name on a product that is not of a quality you believe in.
  

Hey really Graphic Design is an art. You go to a doctor when you are sick, You go to an artist when you need art. When your company requires the incorporation of Art and text in artful way you go to a Graphic Designer. Any old person can slap a bunch of images into something and call it a design. Doing it well is a designers job.

Welcome to Shes So Crafty Art & Design

Art, Politics and Mommydom

Ok so this blog is going to be a little bit about everything from a creative perspective. ok so like what inspired me today you ask?? 

At this present moment in time to very important things are going on in the world.  One is the inauguration of Barack Obama, the second is my 35 month old son finally voluntarily going to the bathroom!!!  I've been working non stop in the last few months so I really thought it would never happen and then all of the sudden presto!  So tip to all you moms killing yourselves thinking that it's your fault and if you weren't so busy and that your kid is going to be five wearing diapers take a deep breath and have a glass of wine cause seriously its gonna be alright! 

The Previous thing I mentioned was the inauguration.  I'm so excited and happy and I have been wondering for a while if this was all really happening.  But it is and It really is inspiring.  I think for along time as a country we have been pretty depressed and not really all that hopefulI.  Right now I'm feeling kinda depressed.  You know how it feels when your really bad boyfriend all your friends hate and you know is bad for you breaks up with you and you still cry and miss him that's kinda how I feel about George Bush right now. It was really really bad but who are you going to laugh at? There will be no knowing wink at the cute french guy at the paper stand when you wear your Bush WMD t shirt. 

But I am excited and encouraged by all the positive energy and Yes I have been considering changing my plans to stay home on Tuesday (NO STROLLERS!!!)  and might be braving the ridiculous cold with my tot monster, for a few pics to add to the Obama scrap book.

On the Art front this weekend I am finishing up some animation for Sunflower Express.  Hopefully that will be done very soon so I can get back to doing some fun art... It's pretty hard when you have so many ideas and not enough time to do it all.  I have notebooks filled with all the stuff I've wanted to do but never got around to yet.  Plus I never took pictures of all the stuff I made for people for christmas... I was basically prototyping for my etsy shop. 
Who knows you guys may see some of it for sale real soon!