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We had some fun at Western Ave Studios last week when I invited a few friends over to help me arrange my office. I had several problems that needed solving:
1. Create a storage area that is functional, organized, and easily walled off without much construction or blocking of windows.
2. Find a place for my desk that clients won’t see immediately upon entering, and allows me to work even when there’s full sun pouring into the studio.
3. Create a comfortable seating arrangement for clients that will position them easily for viewing a slideshow or having an intimate chat during a meeting.
4. Make the furniture easy to move so that I can shoot studio work if I want to.
Not only did my friends help me accomplish ALL of the above, they even added a little foyer where I’ll be able to set up a display! Fabulous!! As we were getting closer to the end, I pulled out some B&W film that’s probably at least 5 years old, dropped it into my OM10 and shot the silliness that started unfolding after several hours of hard work:
Thanks to amazing photographer John Lee of John Lee Pictures for sharing these hilarious outtakes from our 7×7 photoshoot. While the editors chose a rather staid photo for the magazine, they must have had to work hard to pick these out among the majority, which involved stuffing ourselves with cupcakes, blowing up balloons, and general silliness! It was so much fun!
This is the final installment to the question that was so thoughtfully asked by a bride, Lisa.
She originally wrote…
Dear Nancy
…Not to be snarky, but can you please explain why my florist charged $250 for a bouquet of peonies when I found an eight stem bunch at Whole Foods that very same week for $12.99?
Lisa
“I thought how unpleasant it is to be locked out; and I thought how it is worse, perhaps, to be locked in.”
— Virginia Woolf
I really enjoyed working from home the last 4-5 years. I always had a separate room for my office, which meant we always had at least a two bedroom apartment or home and part of my income went to affording us a larger living space. The first couple of years I went through the honeymoon phase of working for myself by sleeping in as late as I wanted and working as late as I wanted, often times not even take a shower or get dressed before “going to work”. I'd roll out of bed- sometimes off the couch from a late night of work the night before- and just sit down at my desk and start working, sometimes not even getting up to eat until well into the afternoon. I thought it was cozy and indulgent, but I found that I was never really ready to just run out for an errand or join a friend for lunch- and heaven forbid if I had to sign for a package- that was often an awkward moment at the door with just a robe on! Realizing that perhaps that wasn't the best way to work from home, in the third year I made a point to only get on the computer after I had showered and dressed. Granted, there are still a few occasions when that doesn't always happen, but I've noticed that I feel much better and more productive when I've taken care of myself first. (Which reminds me to start making some tea before writing any further.)
I thought it would be fun to share with you our process for branding and logo design. This particular case study is branding we created for Leslie at Elle F Bijoux. She designs unique necklaces from old pocket watches!
We start by creating an inspiration board based on images that the client has collected, or the concepts and ideas discussed. In this case the client, Elle F Bijoux, was drawn to art nouveau, vintage imagery and especially that of a woman to be included in the logo itself. This was a really fun project; I was super inspired by Leslie and her vision for the company.
This was my third time attending one of the fabulous Engage events visioned and designed by the super smart and kind Rebecca Grinnals and Kathryn Arce. I am a BIG fan of these two gals, to say the least. Razor sharp insight into the wedding industry, down to earth personalities and a passion like none I have seen before are just some of the qualities that make these two women so very praiseworthy. Engage is a haven for the luxury wedding professional, a breeding ground for big ideas and forward thinking. While each Engage event has differed from its predecessor, I can honestly say my business and my perspective on the wedding industry and my place within it has been completely transformed. Now listen, I am not saying that attending an Engage is a magic pill to fix any business, BUT I will say if you listen hard and engage mindfully, your attendance WILL be a transformative experience.
Held at the lush Encore Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Engage! 09: The Encore boasted a speaker list built by demand. Rebecca Grinnals, Kathryn Arce, Simon T. Bailey, Marcy Blum, Sean Low among others stood before an intimate yet talent packed room of attendees, captivating us with every word. I must mention also Tracey Kumer-Moore, from Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge, who was instrumental in making Engage come to life in what she called “her city”. I had the pleasure of spending some time with Tracey and was so grateful for her insights and fabulous recommendations for thoroughly enjoying Las Vegas!
From left to right, Rebecca and Kathryn, Tracey, and Simon!
A week ago I bumped into a floral friend. As always, we were talking shop. We were both at the end of our busy season so to say that we looked a little “beaten down” was an understatement. Both of us had dark circles under our eyes, hair a little out of place, and shoulders sagging from feeling weary about the season ahead. Both lacked sleep. Tired. Yulp.
After spending some time chatting, she mentioned that after 20+ years in the wedding floral business, she was struggling with paying the bills. And that she didn't have much to show for it. After seeing so many ups and downs, she said that this year was the worst.
If someone with her experience is still having trouble making ends meet after investing 20 years in this business, then what can we learn from this?
During these times, it's hard to feel bullish (confident and upbeat). Given that my background is finance, I often seem to have a “bear” mentality when it comes to business and consumer confidence, though on a personal level, I think I'm more glass-half-full than the glass-half-empty type.
In business and when it comes to consumer confidence, I confess that I'm conservative and bearish all the way (a bear investor or analyst is one that is “accompanied by widespread fear and pessimism” as defined by Wikipedia. ). And because I am bearish, this is what I have to say to those who are thinking of starting a career as a floral designer or a florist (or more simply put - anyone just going into business for yourself).
Here are some of the questions I've received in my inbox in the last few weeks. Feel free to contact me any time through e-mail at meg@princesslasertron.com, twitter @lasertron (which is easiest for me), or by leaving a comment here!
Q: What are your favorite tools? (From Dirsta Paola)
A: I love using decorative fabric scissors–Fiskars makes some pretty good ones. When I work I also always use a felt needle book made by Jenn Maruska–it holds my needles, scissors, and threads and it's perfect for traveling while I work. (I have to say, I wish I thought of these first! The little embroidered pictures are to DIE for!)
I also love pom pom makers for stress relief, the awesome camera tripod I got from my grandma, and my iPod Touch (totally replaced the phone for me).
Hilary McHone is a Ford Fiesta agent who was chosen to take part in this innovative and creative social media experiment, traveling the country, taking photos, and documenting her adventures along the way through her blog and flickr site.
Every month, all of the Ford Fiesta agents receive a “mission,” and Hilary has been achieving them in the most amazing ways. In July, she fulfilled the “design” mission by planning her wedding using only independent artists and vendors found online through social media, which is how she found me, which is how she got her bouquet for her July wedding!
Another one of Hilary's goals is to visit every state and stay overnight at someone's house who she met through social media. This weekend she was staying at my parents' house (my mom actively follows her twitter and blog) and I drove over last evening to finally meet her!
Here at Bella Figura, we love the opportunity to work with couples from all walks of life in designing and printing the letterpress wedding invitations of their dreams. Getting to know our clients is such a joy for us – we love when they share photos of their weddings and then come back to us later for letterpress baby announcements! So we thought we'd share a bit of insight into what makes the team at Bella Figura tick. First up, a little look behind the scenes with Bella Figura Client Coordinator, Tiffany…
Describe your typical day during the week…
6:00 – Alarm goes off. Typically I will hit snooze until 7:00 because I went to sleep WAY too late due to either (a) having been up all night reading whatever latest book has captured my imagination or (b) my dog snoring… she snores REALLY loud!
7:30 – By 7:30 I am showered and out the door way earlier than I need to be… but honestly, mornings are boring to me so I usually just head into the office early rather than sit around killing time.
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