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MAY TO DO LIST

[ 4 ] May 6, 2013 |

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{ flora print by Britt Hermann }

 

Spring is just the best isn’t it? May always makes me think of new beginnings and starting fresh. Nothing beats the season change from winter to spring – watching the flowers start to bloom around you, listening to the birds chirp as you walk by, zoning out in the clouds and blue sky. Oh yeah, not to mention (for here at least) patio season begins! I love me a patio! Just yesterday, my boyfriend (who is also self employed) and I took the afternoon off to enjoy a beer and pizza outside. Those moments are just the best. I hope you’re giving yourself time to do the same amidst all your hard work! It’s important that we give ourselves time to relax and just enjoy life. Those are the true moments that really matter and they will only do you good. It’s like hitting refresh on your creativity too. You will go back to work with new ideas and excited to get to it!

Today I’m sharing the beginning of a new series with you. I know how hard as a self-employed person it can be to get caught up in the day-to-day and not think about the overall big picture of other things you should be taking care of. This is something I used to struggle with a lot. Well I wanted to help you out with this. So, at the beginning of each month, I’ll be sharing tips on things you should be thinking about in the bigger picture of your business. These will be things that are related to the month and season. Some will relate to your business and some may not. You most certainly do not have to do all of these things in order to be successful. My goal here is to help to get you thinking about the bigger picture. There are (obviously) other things you’ll also need to think about, but I hope that this will help to bring a little more organization to your own life.

 

may 1

#1: RESEARCHING SUMMER CRAFT SHOWS & FARMERS MARKETS: When it comes to craft shows, they will range in size. Some you have to sign up for months and months in advance, so deadlines might be long gone. But others, like your local smaller craft shows and farmers markets might still be open for registration. Now is the time to do a bit of research and sign up if this is an area that interests you. If you’re intimidated by the craft show scene but would like to do it in the future, researching what’s coming up locally is still a great idea. Check out when their application deadlines are and then go check them out! That way you can see what the show is like and whether or not you would want to participate in the future.

 

may 2

#2: CHRISTMAS APPLICATIONS: For the bigger Christmas craft shows, it is likely that their application deadlines have already passed. BUT, there may still be some you can sign up for! Do some research on their websites. This will let you figure out when you’ll need to apply, and if the deadline has passed, next year you’ll know ahead of time! Tip: Print off the applications and keep them on file so you can reference them quickly. Write the deadlines in your desktop calendar so that you don’t forget next year!

 

may 3

#3: SPRING COLLECTION PRODUCTION: This is the month you should be focusing on making and selling your current Spring collection! For me, I’ve always noticed that things slow down in the summer with regards to sales. This is not the case for everyone, but you may be similar to me. If you are, then selling lots and lots this month and next month to make up for slow July sales is a great idea! (p.s. If you do have slow months online with sales, why not sign up for some local craft shows during those months?!)

 

may 4

#4: FALL COLLECTION DESIGNING: Fall collections usually come out sometime from mid-August to mid-September depending on the designer. That means it’s time to start planning what you want to make for the Fall and also any special products that you’re going to make specifically for the holiday season. May is a great month to start getting your ideas in order. Do tons of inspiration research, sketching and brainstorming. By the end of the month it would be great to have a solid plan of what you’re going to make. Then in June you can start creating samples.

 

may 5

#5: WHAT’S ONE THING YOU CAN DO THIS MONTH TO CHALLENGE YOURSELF PERSONALLY? Mine is to take the time to get outside every day and go for either a walk  or bike ride no matter how busy I am. During that time I want to shut off my “work brain” and just enjoy the sunshine. Give yourself a goal that you want to accomplish. What can you challenge yourself with? You could have a similar goal as mine. Or perhaps it’s an exercise goal. Maybe its making a new recipe once a week. Maybe its spending more time with a loved one. Every time you accomplish this goal this month, write it down in your dayplanner. Being able to look back on this as the month goes by is pretty rewarding!

 

Now I’d love to hear from you! Comment below and tell me what goals you are going to do this month with your business and personal life. 

I’m always looking for new ideas and inspiration.

Looking forward to reading your responses!

 

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YOUR MONEY MAKING TRIFECTA

[ 1 ] April 8, 2013 |

handmade business money making trifecta

This lesson is a follow-up to the free “5 key ways to make money as a creative” course. If you haven’t already read the course, make sure you do. It will help you to learn ways to make the income that you truly want out of life.

Below is the diagram that I included in the course. Here are the 5 key ways…

5 KEY WAYS YOU SHOULD BE MAKING MONEY AS A CREATIVE SMALLER

Well, today I want to talk about the money making trifecta of this group: YOUR WEBSITE, YOUR ETSY SHOP & CRAFT SHOWS…

5 KEY WAYS YOU SHOULD BE MAKING MONEY AS A CREATIVE - THE TRIFECTAETSY: I LOVE Etsy! I love it sooo much. It has completely changed the face of handmade in our generation and has almost become a household name. I love that Etsy can bring new customers to your work that have never seen it before. Especially when you’re first starting out and don’t have any customers to begin with. It is possible to start an Etsy shop and almost immediately sell your first item! That, my friends is a beautiful thing. There are many creatives making ALL of their income solely from their Etsy shop… but think about how much you could increase your income by using the trifecta approach?

YOUR WEBSITE: If something should ever (God forbid) happen to your Etsy shop or even Etsy itself, you want your customers to know where to find you. It is important that you start to define yourself as a brand and not just an Etsy brand. (Again, don’t get me wrong. I LOVE Etsy!!) The other thing?… if you’re just starting out, your website might not get that many hits, and your Etsy shop probably will get more. But over time, you will have more customers and traffic will be coming to your website solely for your product. With your website there are no other distractions for customers to purchase from other buyers.  Just be patient and give it some time.

CRAFT SHOWS: I know that some of you are already doing craft shows, and some of you are not. Some find them super scary and intimidating, which is totally okay! But trust me they really aren’t. Once you get the courage to do the first one, you will no longer feel the same way about them. They are so great for networking with other business owners, and most of all – getting new customers!! Don’t forget that if someone doesn’t buy something but still looks interested – they will probably buy from you in the future. Leave them with a positive impression of your brand and give them a card so they know where to find you! I would recommend that you direct them to your website first and then if it links to your Etsy shop from there, that’s ok. But always, your website first. Etsy second.

These three together are the powerhouse for your income. Why do I say this? Because, in most cases, you can make the most money from these three. And when you combine them together that’s where your income can really add up! Once you know your trifecta, you can incorporate the other two key ways, retail stores and shopping parties as an extra smaller sources of income.

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DIY: PAINTED MASON JAR VASE

[ 0 ] March 28, 2013 |

7 painted jar vase

I made this DIY using an old jar that was once home to pickled beets. I loved the jar and wasn’t about to throw it out so I thought I’d make it in to a flower vase instead! This  jar is quickly becoming my favorite flower vase in the house. I love the color and the rustic feel. Imagine if you had three of these on a table for a dinner party – all in different colors! Ohhh yeah!

painted jar vase supplies

SUPPLIES YOU’LL NEED: 1. a mason jar 2. paint brush 3. acrylic paint in the color of your choice 4. old rag 5. sand paper 6. paint dish 

painted jar vase

Paint the outside of the jar with the acrylic paint. You will want to do two coats. Let the first coat dry for one hour. Then apply the second coat. It’s okay to have streaks when you paint. This just adds to the charm! Let the jar dry for an hour or two after the second coat before you go on to sanding.

3 painted jar vase

painted jar vase

(one tip: You won’t get as many streaks if you use a better paint brush and newer paint than I did! ha ha. But I also kinda like the streaky effect. It makes for great texture.)

painted mason jar vase 8

Once you’ve let the jar dry after the second coat, lightly sand all of the text and designs with your sandpaper. This will remove the paint and make the design on the jar pop. To give it a more rustic feel, sand away parts from the top and the sides framing the front text as well. When you put water and fresh flowers in the jar the text will really start to stand out and almost look black! Sweet! P.S. This jar will not be able to go in the dishwasher. If you soak the jar, the acrylic paint could lift from it. Instead do a light spot treatment with a damp cloth to clean.

6 painted jar vase

5 painted jar vase

This would be a super fun idea for dinner parties or weddings! This could also make for a fantastic pen holder in your office. I think I’m going to make a peach one, and a white one next…

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TODAY WE’RE ASKING THREE CREATIVE BUSINESS OWNERS THREE QUESTIONS…

[ 0 ] March 27, 2013 |

You’re in for a real treat today!! While at Mercer Collective this past weekend, I had a chance to ask three super successful business owners three questions. These are women I’ve known for years through the local creative industry. They are incredibly talented business owners, fully supporting themselves through their creativity. Today, they have been so kind to share some secrets of their success with you…

cinder and smoke

CINDER + SMOKE:  Janna // fashion designer // www.cinderandsmoke.com

  1. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT OWNING YOUR HANDMADE BUSINESS?  I really love the freedom I have to create what I want, when I want. If I have a new idea for a design, I don’t have to check with anyone else before going ahead. I also love being able to keep my own hours. Some weeks I’ll work a ton but I’m also able to take time away when I want.
  2. WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH YOU KNEW WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED OUT? 
    I think the one thing I was unable to do for a long time was to ask for help. I found it really difficult to let go of any part of the design process. I wanted to do everything – designing, cutting fabric, sewing, packaging, photography – all of it. It’s my baby and it was really hard for me to trust others to help. But you get to a point where you have to let parts of it go. And once you do and you seek out those people in your community that have the talents and skills to help you, everything goes much smoother.
  3. WHAT’S YOUR #1 TIP FOR SELLING AT CRAFT SHOWS? Always be friendly and welcoming to your shoppers. Some people can find craft sales and markets intimidating so I always try my best to make them feel comfortable. Also, come prepared! The way that you display and present your work is really important, especially in a craft sale situation.

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cloud and lolly

CLOUD + LOLLY: Cheryl // jewelry designer // www.cloudandlolly.com

  1. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT OWNING YOUR HANDMADE BUSINESS?  In one word, freedom (from sleeping in, to total creative freedom). It is also incredibly rewarding and challenging.
  2. WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH YOU KNEW WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED OUT? I wish I had known that self doubt IS normal to feel, and not to let my negative thoughts (or negativity from others) get in the way of my success.
  3. WHAT’S YOUR #1 TIP FOR SELLING AT CRAFT SHOWS? Always put your customers first. Having an off day? Don’t let it show! Make eye contact, smile and be friendly, it’s amazing to see the effects those small actions have on others.

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salgado fenwick

SALGADO FENWICK:  Linda // co-owner of handprinted clothing line // www.salgadofenwick.com (In the photo with her lovely intern Courtine)

  1. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT OWNING YOUR HANDMADE BUSINESS?  I am able to work the hours I want and I have only myself to blame if things don’t get done. I love it, it’s all about me and my life! I can make things the way I want them to be.
  2. WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH YOU KNEW WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED OUT?  Ummm hard one… Insurance, get some :)
  3. WHAT’S YOUR #1 TIP FOR SELLING AT CRAFT SHOWS?  Never look like you want to be anywhere else… The craft show is your heaven!

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What did you think? Pretty great of them to share their knowledge right!? Some of these tips are so incredibly valuable! Can you relate to any of them? I definitely can!

Would you like to see more posts like this one? Do you have any tips that you’d like to add? If you do, I know we’d all love to hear them! Share your thoughts in the comments section!

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MY FAVORITE TEAS

[ 7 ] March 27, 2013 |

About two years ago, I was visiting a friend in Vancouver, BC. During this trip she brought me to a store called DAVIDsTEA. I had never heard of it before. It was probably the most delicious and amazing moment that completely changed my life – seriously. I have been drinking DAVIDsTEA daily ever since. It is an obsession. I cannot stop. I am in love.

Davids Tea

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Here’s the thing, DAVIDsTEA is more than just your regular tea. Some flavors are so fruity you feel like you’re drinking juice! Others have chocolate in them, others detoxify, and as soon as you’re a little bored with one flavor, you’re bound to find a new one. DAVIDsTEA is a great way for those that are not really tea drinkers to get in to tea! It’s also a great way to get more glasses of water in your body each day.

I’ve included some of my current favorites here. For fruity deliciousness (with incredible fragrances as well) strawberry rhubarb parfait, Berry Good, and Mango Madness are great. For a green tea / oolong with fruityness: Organic green seduction and Pineapple Oolong are so yummy! A great warm spicy one for cold days would have to be Organic Kanpe. It smells like cinnamon to me but has a fruity taste. And lastly, Honey Bee – the name says it all. Your house will smell like honey for days if you leave the cup out (I’ve done this before by accident).

Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait has to be my favorite right now. But I’ve gone through many favorites – this is just the current one. ;) Take a look at their website and do some research, their descriptions do a pretty good job explaining what each tea will taste like along with the benefits they have. All of our tastebuds are different, and if fruity isn’t your thing, there are many other options to choose from!

bodum coffee press

If you’re not familiar with how loose teas work, it’s really easy! What I recommend is that you purchase a coffee press and use it only for your teas (Have a separate one for your coffee if that’s how you prepare it. It can sometimes taint the press leaving a coffee smell and that can change the flavor of the teas). My favorite, and the one I use every day, is the Bodum coffee press. I like to fill it up and drink two-three cups of tea in a row, topping up my mug as I go. This is the one that I have, but I just saw this lime green one and it is so rad too! I might have to add that to my wishlist.

Starting a new tea habit can be a great way to hydrate throughout the day. Not only is it a healthier alternative to many beverages, it is also super fun and so so tasty!

Is anyone hooked on DAVIDsTEA like I am already? If so, I’d love to hear your favorites in the comments below!

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DESIGN IDEA: FAIR TRADE INDIAN WOOD STAMPS

[ 0 ] March 27, 2013 |

Indian fair trad wood stamps

Have you ever used wood block stamps? They can be used to print on fabric, paper, pottery… anything really! They’re something to consider if you’re interested in experimenting with surface design in your work. These ones are fair trade, hand-carved in India from TATA Indian Wood Stamps. They have a huge selection in their Etsy shop that’s definitely worth taking a look at!
If you’re curious about how you would use wood stamps, this video of a master block printer in Amber, India is absolutely fantastic. The way the artist, Iqbal, layers colors on top of one another is simply amazing to watch. Also, holy cow this video from a silk screen factory in Jaipur, India is amazing as well. These men are definitely masters at their craft! It’s so incredible to watch their process. I just love watching the process of how something is made, don’t you!?
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TIPS FOR MAKING YOUR OWN LOOKBOOK

[ 1 ] March 27, 2013 |


Recently I shot a lookbook with the help of an amazing photographer Shanelle Fredrickson and the super cute model Jen. We kept it simple and wanted the shoot to look easy – girl out and about kinda thing. I picked some of my favorite bags from the latest collection and we scouted some spots we liked downtown. There are some beautiful locations around there so it was pretty easy. I had a really great time! These two were soo easy going and fun to work with! These are some of the shots I took while I played art director / assistant / behind the scenes photographer / designer.


Shooting a lookbook can be a little intimidating. Especially if your strength is not really in this type of thing. The great thing about a lookbook is that it creates a story about your work and it’s something that you can use to promote your brand. If you are comfortable (and good at) using a camera you can take the photos yourself. If photography is not your strong suit or you just want to have some help in this area then finding someone to shoot it for you is a good route to go. I’ve had a few photographers take photos for me during my career and every single time I’ve offered them a bag trade  for their services. Photos can be quite expensive and if its just not within your budget then this might be a route you want to consider. Do some sleuthing to find a local photographer you like and send them an email. Make it clear what you are looking for, how many photos, the style of shoot you’d like, and if they would be willing to do a trade. The worst they can say is no. And if they do, try asking another photographer you admire. Many are willing to do it for a trade to add work to their portfolio. Side note: The key with trades is to make it easy and painless for the photographer. The more you complicate your ideas, the less likely they will say yes. Essentially you do all the grunt work (ie. figure out locations, find models, wardrobes, themes for the shoot etc) and they are there to take the photos. It shouldn’t cost them anything but their time to shoot and edit the photos.


Another idea I like to do is to save a folder on your computer with inspiration photos you like. Model poses, image composition, lighting, and  photo filters are all things to bookmark. This is a great way to communicate your vision to both the photographer and model so they can get a better idea. On the day of the shoot you should print out some of these photos, especially model poses. If you are not working with a professional model (and honestly I never have, I just find photogenic girls that are friends or friends of friends for my shoots) then having some poses will come in handy when you are all stumped on what the heck else she can do after she’s posed the same way already three times.


Props are a fun way to add character to your photos. I have a ton of vintage props around my house that always sneak their way in somehow. You could use flowers, ice cream cones, large lollipops, dogs, skateboards, books, and bikes to name a few ideas.

When you first start shooting, always start with the easiest shot where the model is doing the easiest pose. If she is not a professional model then this is the best way to get her comfortable. She is going to feel super silly at first and not know what to do. Guide her with a very light heart and positive approach. Tell her she’s doing great and make some suggestions. Use your own body to give her examples of poses. Also let her know that it is ALWAYS awkward at first but will get easier as you go along. Positive motivation and helpful guidance is key (this is were the example model poses that you printed off will also come in handy).

Mood shots are always good to have too. These are usually shots where it’s not all about the product. Instead it’s adding to the feel of the shoot.  I like to add 1-3 of these per lookbook. They can be details of your surroundings, or far away shots of your model and more background. These are also great to add the title of your lookbook and any credits to.

Hope you enjoyed my tips on creating your own lookbook!

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STOP FEELING GUILTY FOR PROCRASTINATING

[ 1 ] March 26, 2013 |

charles dickens quote

Ever avoided doing a task that you know you have to do? Just because you don’t like to do it or don’t know how? THEN you feel guilty about the fact you’ve avoided it for so long and beat yourself up over it?

I just read two super interesting articles talking about this subject. One was a study showing that if you forgive yourself for whatever it is that you put off, then move forward with it, the results will be much more positive and powerful. If you beat yourself up over it, you will continue to stay in the vicious cycle.

Isn’t this so true!? We as women in particular are notorious for this! Being self-employed has its perks indeed, but it also has its …err, not so perky parts. Like, what if you didn’t want to get out of bed one morning and slept in til 10:00 on a, gasp, weekday! Then, you feel so guilty for wasting your morning that you beat yourself up over it and can’t have a truly productive rest of the day! Well, what if instead, you chose to forgive yourself, (c’est la vie) and feel great with the fact that you can actually do this because you are self-employed! Imagine how much more productive your afternoon will be!? You will get twice as much accomplished than if you continue to beat yourself up about it.

The next article I read, Do You Need a ‘Guilt Hour’? references the previous article and our need to get down on ourselves resulting in lack of productivity. But it has a pretty great solution! It’s called the Guilt Hour. The Guilt Hour is an hour when you admit to yourself the things that you are procrastinating. Then, you become at peace with the avoidance. And then, you get them done. The key to the Guilt Hour technique is the admittance to a group and not just yourself as an individual. That makes you accountable for your actions. If you didn’t have a group to admit it to, then it would be easy to fall back in to your old routine.

So, what if we started our own Guilt Hour and work on these things with all of our support?!

Every week, I will do a post, but I’m going to call it something different… I’m going to call it the Empower Hour. Not just because it rhymes, but also because it gives you a sense of empowerment. Plus it’s such a motivating word, don’t you think!?

Let’s start our Empower Hour today with this post. What is one thing you have been avoiding this week that you have to get done!?! No excuses. I want you to write a small description in the comments section of this post. You are then fully accountable for it and will be required to report back on my next Empower Hour post next week! After you write it in the comments, you must commit to getting your task done! (and if you feel that your task is too personal, just write something less personal symbolizing what it truly means).

Let’s get ‘em done together! woot woot!

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A CRAFT SHOW ROADTRIP!

[ 1 ] March 25, 2013 |

On saturday morning, Curtis and I work up at 4:45 am, loaded up his truck and drove three hours for a craft show called Mercer Collective. We had heard great things about the show so we thought we’d give it a try and do a day trip!

craft show road trip

The closer we got to Edmonton, the more snow there was! By the time we arrived, it felt a little like a blizzard with TONS of snow! I wish I took a photo of the outside of the building to show you.

DSC_5140

Mercer Collective is put on twice a month. They just started last month, and from what I hear the first show was absolutely packed. That’s pretty sweet for a first show. Saturday was a bit different. As I said, there was pretty much a blizzard outside. But there was still a very big crowd that came through. We had so much fun. The live music was so great, and it was a lot of fun to see some old faces and meet some new ones! Below are some photos of Curtis’s Van Charles Art display…

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van charles art display

craft show road trip

van charles business card

I wasn’t selling my stuff this weekend, I was just there to support Curtis! He made some amazing art work, prints and phone cases. I’m always so blown away by his creativity and what he comes up with. It’s something I’d never be able to do!

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justine ma calligraphy

justine ma calligraphy

One of the new faces I met was Justine Ma from Paper Hearts Studio. She killed me with her amazing calligraphy!! Oh lordy, she’s good at what she does! Aren’t these prints so amazing!?! You can find them in her online store.

blue bird farms soap

Also loved the beautiful soaps from Bluebird Hills Farm.

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Uggggh, I was so in love with this wood display!! It’s so genius really. The artist, Dave Curoe found a wood burl and had it sliced in half. Using both the texture and smooth side is such an amazing idea to display his jewelry, which was lovely I might add. His pieces were very simple in design with a masculine touch – my kinda style. You can see his work upclose in his online store. My personal favorites that I saw at the show were this ring and this ring.

August studio ceramics

August studio ceramics

These adorable ceramic cups are by Christina of August Studio

roast coffee mercer

I’m a sucker for independant coffee shops and there was an amazing one in the Mercer Collective building, called Roast. I ordered a few soy lattes throughout the day from here. The lack of sleep from getting up at 4:45 am started to wear me down…

mercer collective

Once the show was over, we packed up and drove home. We pretty much passed out as soon as we got home and then slept for 12 hours that night. We were soo pooped from the day. ha ha. It was a really fun experience though. Sometimes it’s just nice to get out of your city. We forsee doing another day trip to Mercer Collective in our future…

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ONE SECRET TO MY SUCCESS…

[ 1 ] March 22, 2013 |

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ONE SECRET TO MY SUCCESS IS BEING ORGANIZED AND ON TOP OF THINGS IN MY LIFE BINDER!

Have you ever felt really intimidated by the business stuff because you are unfamiliar with it? It can be super scary and it’s much easier to turn a blind eye to something if it’s scary!! I have a few tricks up my sleeve for this that I’ll be sharing throughout your membership. The first one is how I stay organized!

As you go along in your membership here on Made By Andi, you will notice that I will be passing along lots of worksheets and plenty of knowledge! It’s so easy when you first learn about something to get overwhelmed and forget half of it! For me, the best way I learn and remember is to take notes! Remember how we did a ton of this in school? But then, for some reason most of us just stopped. It’s like after we graduated we didn’t think we had to learn anything new for the rest of our lives or something. Ever read an amazing article online and thought, “Wow that’s so informative! I need to remember that!” …only to forget it a few hours later because YOU DIDN’T TAKE ANY NOTES!! I know, I’ve done it too. But as soon as I started this new process of organization, everything changed for me. I’m sharing with you today the exact method of how I organize my own work…

THERE ARE TWO THINGS YOU WILL NEED TO GET:

martha stewart organizing binder

♡ A NEW BINDER & OFFICE SUPPLIES:  I used to have sketchbooks, journals, notebooks, binders – everything! Each one was about  a different topic in my life. I’d start one, invest a little bit of time with it and then put it on a shelf one day while cleaning, only to never open it again. One by one, random journals started to stack on the shelf. Ones that rarely ever got opened. This method did not work for me. Then I started to think, “What if I just put everything I need in one place? I mean really, why do I need to separate this stuff anyways?” So I started fresh with a new binder.

This new binder you’ll get is going to be a very special binder. It is where you will keep your life and your business organized. It is something that never gets put away – It’s always out on your desk or in your bag. You will open this binder often. It’s your LIFE binder!

It’s important that you love this binder, so when you go to buy one, find a pretty one! I have a red martha stewart binder. Inside I have colourful dividers and paper – all of which is from the Martha Stewart home office collection. Her office collection is just so pretty. I’m a big fan. It makes me enjoy opening my binder and writing in it every day!

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Make sure you also have pens you like to write with, sticky post-its to mark specific pages you want quick access to, and highlighters. Buy things that make you feel special. This is the key as it will make things so much more fun to do! Like I said, I recommend the Martha Stewart brand for office supplies. She knows what’s up.

organizing binder dividers

What are you going to put in this binder?

  • Your study notes from this program and upcoming Made By Andi courses so you can refer to them often.
  • Your on-going business information. (product sketches, copies of press kits, line sheets, contact info etc.) If you don’t have any of that stuff right now, that’s okay! You’ll start to know what you need as you go through this program here on Made By Andi! I’ll be taking you step-by-step through a lot of this stuff.
  • Your personal stuff like bill information etc. I keep my monthly personal budgets, bill info, and other financial stuff in here as well. I used to separate everything, but we run very small businesses as crafters, not giant corporations. Having everything in one place just makes it easier for me. You decide what works best for you. If you feel that two separate binders would work better for personal and business, then do that.

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daily planners

AN ACTION PLANNER/NOTEBOOK:  Just like your binder, your planner is something you leave open and look at often. You need to have an organized place where you write down your goals and daily tasks. Do you prefer to do this on paper or your computer? Whatever your preference, you need to figure out a system for it. For me, I like to plan on paper so I always buy a new planner every year.  I’m sharing below the two I’ve personally used and loved.

moleskine planner

In the past I’ve always used Moleskine’s weekly notebook planner. I’ve used this one for years and years (I’m a devoted Moleskine fan). I love the size and how you can tuck it neatly in to your binder, or your bag. I also love that it’s not too small in size and how much room they give you to scribble down your notes.

time manager planner

Recently I decided to switch to Timanager’s Action planner. Because I am juggling my handbag business Hoakon + Helga, and now Made By Andi, I need to be more detailed with how I write down my schedule. This style of planner works great with the time blocking method I shared with you in this post. You may not need to schedule your day this in-depth. If that’s the case, then the Moleskine notebook planner is perfect! As I said, I used that one for years and loved it. Whatever your preference is, make sure you buy yourself something if you don’t already have a system in place.

organizing 5

organize 4

 

Tip: One thing that I find keeps me extra on track is having a planner that has the week on the left page and a lined sheet to write your action items on the right. That way you don’t have to write everything down on a scrap piece and then add it to your planner. It makes things so much easier! Both planners I’ve shown you have this.

 

So today I hope you’ll start a new habit and stick to it! From now on, the business stuff is going to be a fun and positive experience! Buying a new binder and office supplies for your business will keep you on track!

 

// TO-DO’S:

  • Buy your new office supplies: binder, paper, good writing pens, highlighters, sticky post-its and an action planner!
  • Take notes on all the business lessons here and add them to the Made By Andi section of your new binder!

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