Beautiful Trees

Oh my god, I am dying to start working on my baby's mural in the nursery! I have decided to start the mural fairly soon before my belly gets too big. I will post progress as I begin working on the project. I am having visions of a huge, beautiful white tree with lavender lovebirds. I love trees. I think they are one of the most beautiful forms in nature; they have a lot of curving lines, the leaf comes in so many visually interesting shapes, and the tree is an overall comforting symbol of shelter. I decided to look online for some ideas, and I found so many gorgeous inspirations.

What a fabulous idea. A functional mural that incorporates shelves!

Loving the birch trees in this mural. The pops of orange
are so pretty, too!

This was the kind of look I originally had in terms of color. I like the white stylized tree
with the birds in a different, vibrant color so they are emphasized.

I used this example in a previous post when I was designing the mural at Scarlet Fiorella. I really, really love way this tree was drawn. The organic, flowing lines are beautiful, and I really enjoy how it bends over the crib, so that the tree and crib interact.

I am not a huge fan of the style of this particular tree, but if you look closely, the lovebirds have different patterns in them. It also seems they are three-dimensional appliques. Liking that idea a lot.


Stay tuned as I post updates on this project!

100 Sales

A few days ago I hit 100 sales on Etsy. When I first opened up my Etsy shop last February, I had envisioned this day; the journey to get to 100 has been both trying and wonderful. Some things I have learned so far (in no particular order):

1. A lot of people are willing to help. Maybe I'm just lucky to have a really great support system, but I found that when I reached out, a lot of friends and family genuinely wanted to help in a variety of ways. Many willingly spread the word about Gypsy Lane Designs, and I believe that word of mouth has really helped pushed me to sale number 100.  
2. Check out your competition. Don't just briefly scan through the products that are similar to yours. You really need to see who you are up against. Check out their products, photos of their products, prices, and policies. Why do you think that shop may be successful/struggling? How do you compare? If there are a lot of products like the ones you offer, what can you do to stand out? I even decided to contact some sellers whose shops really impressed and inspired me. I found that most Etsy sellers were happy to respond to my questions and offer advice.
3. Stay true to your style. Let your talents shine. Make sure you are passionate about what you are creating. If you are not, I think that it shows. 
4. Constantly re-evaluate yourself and your ideas. Don't be afraid to make a change. You have to be honest with yourself. If something isn't working, there is usually a reason why. I kind of had to find my niche as I developed my Etsy shop, and it has definitely evolved in the year since I opened. There are many ideas I just had to do away with.
5. Connect with other people on Etsy. If you sell on Etsy, do yourself a favor and start conversing in the forums now. I can't believe how much valuable information I obtained. I discovered how to ship as cheap and efficiently as possible; other artists were willing to offer critiques; or even just offer kind words during rough patches. Even though I have a great support system through my family and friends, they can't completely empathize with me as they personally haven't experienced the specific frustrations that go into maintaining an Etsy shop.
6. You need to be willing to put in even more time than you thought. I literally feel as if I am working two full time jobs right now. Expect to feel overwhelmed. Etsy is constantly on my mind; thinking about new product ideas, packaging in a visually appealing way, making sure I shipped everything on time, communicating with customers, finding the lowest prices for my supplies, taking the best possible pictures, keeping myself visible through a blog and on Facebook, branding my shop with logos, deciding if I want to offer discounts/sales, making sure my customers are satisfied. I believe many people think I'm just having fun and painting. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE making my creations, but after a full day of work, it can be exhausting. 
7. Show your buyers great customer service. They really do seem to appreciate it. I personally like being able to email with customers to make a connection. It's nice knowing a bit more about who I am designing for.
8. There is always more to learn. Always. My shop is still very much a work in progress....

Birthing the Elephant

Did you know that  every 60 seconds, five women launch new ventures somewhere in the United States? Looking for some reading material to help with  your start-up business?

I am in the middle of reading "Birthing the Elephant" (The woman's go-for-it guide to overcoming the big challenges of launching a business) by Karin Abarbanel and Bruce Freeman and so far I would definitely recommend it. As I push forward each day with my vision, I wasn't doing something important: stepping back and evaluating the big picture. They identify four stages of birthing a business: starting your start-up; running your own show; achieving breakthrough; and finding your business rhythm.  I love reading the real-life stories of other small-business launches.

Some entrepreneurs and experts- both famous and less well-known- who share their insight and advice in the book:

• Bobbi Brown of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics
• Liz Lange of Liz Lange Maternity
• Crystal Johnson of Sienna at Home (a home and fashion decor company)
• Alexandria Brown, Internet Specialist and Million Dollar Marketing Coach
• Ray Miller, Stress relief and self improvement expert

The book also lists 10 pitfalls most women fall prey to when starting their own company:

1. Romanticizing being your own boss
2. Not getting the right help early
3. Not understanding how to network
4. Running yourself ragged
5. Spending money for the wrong reasons
6. Not valuing your time highly
7. Not pricing properly
8. Spending too much on advertising
9. Not trusting your gut
10. Not thinking enough about the big picture

I love all of the little nuggets of inspiration I've already gotten from this book. I took my pen and furiously marked something that Dr. Robert Gilbert, a peak performance coach points out in the first chapter, "Everybody is blessed with more potential than they'll ever need. You have all the ability you need to succeed already inside of you. What you are lacking is strategies.... If number one, you believe in your abilities, number two, you have the right strategies, and number three, you put them into action- and you get out of your head that ignore the little voice that says, 'but, maybe, impossible'- then you're going to get results."

Inspirational Workspaces

My living room has served as my art studio for the past year as I have been building my business. It has become a beast with a life of its own! Time to tame it.

As I prepare to set up a professional and creative workspace in my basement, I am beginning to look at other workspaces for inspiration. Kind of like creating a piece of art.... the best designs always start with extensive research and observation.

I love all of the shelving in this space. Since I will have a small area to work with,
I will need to get creative and use the space as functionally as possible.

This table is SO COOL! I love all of the hidden storage. Now... where to find something
like this that will work with my budget?

I am not the most organized person, so having these sorts of bins and storage spaces
is really important. I think this can work well in a small space like mine.

Something tells me I will not be able to get all of this custom shelving in my basement.
The area is so neat, clean and airy though- which I will strive for in my new studio.

The New Arrival! (And New Decor!)

Well, my world has changed in many ways as of late! I am very excited to announce that Scott and I are expecting a Baby Girl on July 2nd, 2011! We are both really thrilled. I can't deny that I am absolutely itching to start plans to decorate the nursery, but superstitions are getting the best of me. In Jewish tradition, you are not supposed to bring anything into your home for the baby until she is born. Of course, many people don't fastidiously stick to those beliefs these days, but I still do not feel comfortable going full throttle into the planning process just yet.

So I am waiting.

I certainly have done some preliminary browsing on Etsy though. Okay, maybe a little more than preliminary. But you've got to have a plan, right? If you have not seen the nursery decor on Etsy, I HIGHLY recommend you check it out. I would love to support my fellow Etsyians when I start purchasing decor for my baby's nursery. As I have learned through my own shop, there is a thriving community of people on Etsy who make beautiful handmade, one-of-a-kind pieces for baby!!!

Our designated nursery is painted in a very soft eggshell blue with white wainscotting. When I found out we were having a girl, I wasn't sure about the blue walls at first, as we all know blue traditionally says "BOY!" However, the more I thought, the more I decided I didn't want to go completely traditional. The blue walls are going to stay. I have been obsessed with the idea of painting a mural in the room of a huge white tree with lots of beautiful organic lines. In the tree I'm imagining some lovebirds in different shades of lavender.

The rest of the decor in the room I am picturing to be very serene and soft, in hues of lavender and white. I want the room to be a haven of peace for our little one. I searched "lavender nursery decor" on Etsy and marked some of these items as favorites. Check out these fabulous and beautiful pieces- maybe they will inspire you too!!

Linen Bird Pillow
Lavender Shimmer Butterfly Mobile
Lavender Roses Artwork
3D Wall Butterflies
Numbers Lavender Art Print
Purple Hydrangea Pillow

"I am __ months old today!"

Notice how this trend has become popular lately? Facebook seems to be overloaded with pictures of babies posing by a sign that says "I am __ months old today!" I think it's a cute idea, so that you can look back chronologically at how your baby has grown each month.

As Gypsy Lane Designs has been growing month by month, I have tried to nurture the business and mold it into something special. My custom work has been thriving, but as it is utterly time consuming, I want to offer more "ready made" items. As I started brainstorming baby-related ideas,  I couldn't help but think about this new popular trend. Most people print out these signs using some sort of word processing program.

Wouldn't these signs look better with a little color and flair? Better yet, wouldn't it be cute if they were interactive, and you can change the number (with something like velcro) on the sign as your baby grows older? Maybe these prints could even be displayed in the nursery so they serve a pretty decor purpose as well.

And there I go brainstorming. Of all my "ready made" item ideas, this one is my favorite so far. Since I'm swamped as always, I don't know how soon I'll bring this idea into fruition. But it is on my "to-do" list. I love coming up with new ideas.... to be honest, I have millions of them... the problem is having time to execute!

Caprese Paninis

Happy New Year! It's always so anti-climactic after the holidays end. It was such a fantastic week filled with time for painting, family, friends, and of course, food. We had our neighbors over one night during the holiday break for a last minute dinner. Since I didn't have much time to prepare, I just decided to make something that is on my "regular" menu that I knew were infallible, my CAPRESE PANINIS (along with salad, grilled vegetables and cheddar potatoes). They have become a routine dinner for Scott and I, and I almost forgot how phenomenally and simply delicious they are. Our guests seemed to love them. As I am fairly new at cooking successfully, it is still thrilling when people love my cooking. These are so easy to make, yet so amazing! A few special ingredients like freshly baked bread or basil make such a quick and simple sandwich a treat. I just love these things so much, I wanted to share!

Ingredients
Fresh Mozzarella
Tomatoes
Bread- (I found "Portuguese Rolls" at the market that work perfectly, but you can substitute a lot of other kinds of breads, like Italian or Ciabatta bread)
Olive Oil
Fresh Basil
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt
Pepper

Cooking Instructions

• Cut bread and brush outside of bread with olive oil 
• Stuff bread with a few slices of mozzarella, tomatoes and 2-3 basil leaves
• Brush with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
• Sprinkle on just a little salt and pepper to taste
• If you have a panini press, could sandwich on each side on medium heat for 4-6 minutes. I use the Calphalon Panini Press and it's pretty awesome. It's very easy to clean.
• If you do not have a panini press, you can cook on a large nonstick skillet, and top with another heavy skillet. 
• You can get creative with your panini and make some additions like grilled chicken or peppers. I do think the beauty of these paninis is the short list of ingredients so each flavor really shines!!