JPD Mom

The Stress of the Holiday Season

November 30, 2007.

I have a new personal best or I mean worst for 2007, one I am not so proud of .  It is not even December and I have already had my emotional break-down or freak-out session. 

I have already had one good cry about the state of things I was even "snappy" (read bitchy) with my graphic designer.......oh wait I cried twice, dang I wish I was better at math!   Now, do not get me wrong, it feels good to cry and I am not proud of it, but I did do it in private.  Let me back up a tad, so you do not think I am having a nervous breakdown:

Short on Inventory

The beauty or the beast of having an office that runs itself is that unless something breaks, I have no idea it is broken.  Our tiles, ornaments and plates have all been ordered on a regular basis this year, by our buyer.  Everyone else sees a supply getting low and they tell her - she orders more.  We have been keeping up on inventory, we have been watching, ordering, all good.

Well, as I mentioned earlier, we do 40% to maybe 60% of our business between November and December.  So that means we need....40% to 60% more supplies - right?  Well, no one accounted for ornaments orders to start coming in the triple digits, no matter how many times I mentioned it.

Back to - I am in charge, I take the fall - yep, that is right, it becomes my fault.  I had to make tough calls on Monday to beg for another 600 more ornaments, order a pallete of tiles.  It is all good, we have enough tiles, plates, shipping supplies - you name it we now got it!  As soon as the ornaments arrive I will give a huge sigh of relief, until then I am on a permanent edge.

Mistakes, Blunders & Corrections

Mistakes happen, it is a fact of life.  We have them, we fix them and about 99% of the time we catch it before it goes out the door - which then puts a bit of a stress on us.  See, we then put that at the top of the "to-do list" (gee I wish it was that simple, you know we have a whole system set up for each product line right?)  Usually these things do not send anyone here over the edge, it will just ship on the next shipping day (we ship twice a week).  But, you um, add the tile-plates-ornaments-shipping supplies-shortage-syndrome to the mix....fire drill every time.  Think Chicken Little yelling, "The sky is falling!  The sky is falling!"

Catching the errors before they go out the door is key.  Our Quality Assurance is usually very good, and we continue to be very good.  The few times an error is made - we almost always catch it.  This time of the year, not only do we need a few extra set of hands but some extra eye-balls are a big help too!  If you stare at an order long enough though - be careful you will go crazy and write something crazy "Merry Hanukkah Stumpy 2001" ----- don't ask, really please don't ask.

Snotty Emails

It is a prooven fact that email is one of the worst ways to communicate.  I just read about how we have become a society of terrible writers due to email.  The fact that people do not know that writing in ALL CAPITALS is yelling is down right embarrassing.  I am guilty of writing bad emails, and having email fights with people - I should know better.   

With stress level so high now, and orders flying in at a record pace....I need to remember to take the time and write kind emails.  It is not going to help anyone if I TELL THEM WHAT THEY DID WRONG like that.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Damn-it!

For any mother with school age children I think the stress starts the day after Thanksgiving.  I literally am calm, cool and collect and then BAM it's Christmas time.  My children have both asked me at least 342 times already when we are getting a tree and when the decorations are going up.  My standard "Tuesday" answer is not good enough any longer.  I am trying very hard to enjoy this holiday season like they are, and not stress about how I have........not one gift purchased, no Christmas photographs, no holiday cards picked designed, no tree up, no decorations put up, no lights on the house and no idea when I will get to any of these things done.

So, with all of these things adding up, and a couple other doozies - that equals me having a cry.  As long as I do not end up with a double bout of the flu this year - I am hoping to not cry again.  Unless it's that good cry when my daughter makes me a special Christmas card in class - now that is worth getting teary-eyed over.

Jamie's Painting & Design Newsletter I

November 26, 2007.

"Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy, Happy, Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!"  I am seriously dating myself - we watched Ren & Stimpy in college and I always tend to resort to this one song when things are going well.  I loved that show! 

It's Cyber Monday people - let's all get our credit cards out and start shoppin' on line!

Apparently I can not figure out the darn - link to my newsletter thing (sorry Michelle I honestly tried) but hence almost 9 years out of the computer animation field has left me a tad bit rusty.  Okay, well I never really got HTML code, I just sauntered over to the engineer in the cube  next to me.  So, here is the newsletter for all to see, feel free to use the discount code.  Maybe sometime soon I can get that Newsletter button thing-a-giggy on my blog and website (yes, yes, I know it's simple I just want it to look nice and all pretty).

Happy Shopping!

Small Business Early Products

November 25, 2007.

Looking back at the business and how it has grown can make me cry, swear, it can make me groan and it can make wonder how the hell I got this far.  In the beginning I feel like I was just throwing stuff out there and seeing if it sold.  I never did any research, I never tested the market, I just painted a sample, snapped a photo and stuck it out there.

Were I to do it over again, and the way that I come up with product ideas, and design ideas now - I would never do it that way.  It is a little hard to admit that I just designed products in a total vacuum.  Not sure if it was bold or stupid - but I did create to create back then.  I never sat and thought about the margins, the audience, the cost of creating a new product.

Rough Stone Coasters

I would literally sit with my good friend and sift through magazines, advertisements, catalogs - blurting out crazy ideas until she said, "ya do that".  I could not for the life of me decide on what to do with the coasters, all I knew was they were selling well.  I was selling them to wineries, boutiques, family, friends, non-profits - they were selling.  I just could not wrap my arms around them, it was like I did not have the passion for them.

These were just tiles purchased from Home Depot and then hand painted acrylic paints, wrapped up in some raffia and bingo a hostess gift.  I hope I am not giving away any trade secrets, but it was that simple.  At the time I was thinking how can I be selling these, when anyone could go and do the same thing? 

While spending time opening up new accounts and making new designs I would travel around the neighboring cities doing craft shows.  Yes, it is true I did many a Craft Boutique, a Mother's Club event, Purse parties, and even private shows at friend's homes.  I know this does not sound glamorous, and trust me it is not.  This is how you learn what people want, what they do not want and you get to really know your customer.  I still have some customers from that first year I started.  It is a very humbling experience - and a different audience then say, selling in a large store, or on the Internet.

Disturbing Working Conditions

I still can not believe that I convinced my husband to build my studio for me in the garage.  I am still in awe at the amount of tile I used to paint, cook, ribbon, wrap up to ship or deliver.  I used to get marks and cuts on all my fingers, and I would have paint on every piece of clothing I owned.  Working with tile like I did can be tad tough on the finger nails too.....hence I was not getting manicures at the time.  This picture makes me want to kind of throw up in my mouth a little.

Newsletter for JPD

Today was a big day, I sent out my first ever real newsletter - I feel like such a real business now.  I think if you click here you can see what I sent out.  I have been meaning to do it for over a year, I usually send out an email to existing customers around this time of the year with a discount - but now we have a real newsletter.  If I could only figure out how to put the "opt in for our newsletter" HTML on my blog and on my website I would be soo legit!  If the link works - go ahead and use it - an early Merry Christmas!

An Old Favorite

I can not tell you how many of these coasters I sold to friends, family and local boutiques.  Sex and the City was a huge deal back then and these coasters were a very popular hostess gift.

Now, this is not what I would sell as part of um, say my children's line - no I am NOT encouraging under age drinking for little Johnny.  I am actually doing them for a friend's boutique this Christmas, a favor...and I don't even drink martinis.  Okay there was that one year where I had like um, a few too many appletini's - but it was my birthday and not my fault.

I am not sure what to do with them.  I am thinking of selling them through the blog and through the newsletter...or just to close friends and family.  Or maybe I will give them as gifts to people, I really do not know what will become of them.  They have a sister set of wine glasses to go with them - any suggestions? Thoughts? 

At least I am creating art to create - that has not happened in a very long time.  And trying to paint new designs this time of the year, uh to quote what I said in 1983, "NOT!"

How Jamie's Painting & Design Really began

November 20, 2007.

It was a dark and stormy night..........oh wait, sorry I have been watching the Peanuts Thanksgiving special, maybe that is not how JPD got started.  You have to love Snoopy's way of grabbing your attention though....

My daughter Abigail Marion Lentzner was actually born late in July of 2002, and I was ecstatic to say the least.  Not only was I expecting a boy (no we did not do ultra-sound, I just thought I knew....please do not get me started) but she also came out with bright red hair, another shock.  My mother was a red head, and her father - it's the Scottish in us, not the Irish (yep, we got that too!).  It did skip a generation with my sister and I,  you think I would not be so surprised....but hence, maybe it was labor, or just the pure amazement, or the shock of having a daughter.

So, as the fable (no really it's true) or the story told to many a reporter goes, I was just trying to find some theme based letters to personalize my daughter's room.  I waited until after she was born to decorate the nursery to boot - no small feat for anal creative decorator crazy Mom, thank you very much.

  At the time, in 2002 there were no theme based letters, so I took my talent (in cartooning, not in painting tiles) and made my own letters.  Truth is - and you know I can not tell a lie - I never took painting classes in college, I did not have a cool studio.  My degree was an art degree, with an emphasis on computers.  I had to beg my husband to drill holes in the tiles I painted.  Then I ran, or dragged two k ids to the nearest fabric store for ribbon and I (again) begged him to hang them in her room.

Original Name Tiles

These are the original Name Tiles I designed for my daughter's room.  She was not even old enough to sleep in the room, but I needed her to have these Name Tiles hanging in her room.  They matched her bedding perfectly(duh, anyone else surprised?).  Looking back, they are so simple, so void of design or theme, I am embarrassed to almost show them.  However, I think for those starting out it is important to forge ahead, no matter how fugly (um, I am talking about my designs, don't take offense) the original design is.  I am really a girl who likes to fill the canvas, the screen, the tile, you name it I like to fill it....but these tiles have one letter and one flower - not me at all.  I am going to blame it on post-pardom hormones, not my inability to have a "style".

My "other" Original Product

I also decided to create coasters of all things, not that there is anything wrong with that.  I just find it ironic since I don't even use coasters, and my forte is in a cartoon style -which these were for sure - other thing is I don't even drink Martinis - but these were hot sellers.  The coasters were this easy revenue stream for JPD, and everyone I met wanted them for hostess gifts.  Because when you have a 3 year old and a 4 month old - what else to do but paint products and sell them to friends, right?

I used to hate to do them, not sure why, but I did.  My passion has always been with cartooning, animation and children's products.  I have sort of 'given-in' to the coaster thing (I will show you later) it is turning out to be quite enjoyable to design something completely different.  I love kid's stuff, baby images, children's products, childish art if you will - it is the truth.

Do As You Are Told

Back when I hand-painted everything, wrapped it, gift wrapped it, shipped it, invoiced it (just checking to see if you were paying attention....you all know I don't do math), delivered product, I made whatever anyone asked.  I would take the order by phone (no website in the dark ages of 2002 and early 2003) and do whatever the customer asked.  I had no problem painting exactly what was asked of me.  At one point I had a woman describe and send samples of her daughter's hair, so that I could match the color for the birth certificate.  Hmmm, wonder why I don't do that anymore?

Our (my)  Real First Tile

This is the first tile I ever painted - I had no idea what I was doing actually.  No, no I did have an art degree, but I did not know how to paint on ceramic tile, nor did I understand glazing or sealing the art work in.  I did know that I loved working on the tile, I loved the slick surface and I loved the fact that it was a keepsake.  I have a container in the attic (my husband swears he did not throw it out) of prototypes of my original products - this one hangs at the office.  Truth is, painting on tile is very hard - not so easy to do.  The paint and paint pen move quite different than on a canvas.   I  keep this tile as a gentle reminder of how far Jamie's Painting & Design has come, it helps when things get crazy....and um at this time of the year, crazy town here I come!

Five Years in Business...yip-yip-yippee!!

November 19, 2007.

It is totally official I have been in business for five years, five very, very long years.  Yessirree - yep, five years, uh.....I wonder when my boss is going to give me a 3 week sabbatical, an anniversary cake  or that engraved watch?  A  party?  Anyone?  Are you guys going to surprise me and take me to El Torrito for lunch? Not even a pen?

Sigh....this is one of the non-perks of owning your own business, no one will be making a speech about me today, or getting me a cake, or flowers, or uh giving me that paper weight I so covet.  I am thinking that pat on the back is not coming either.....

However, it is not so bad.  With five years under my belt I thought I might finish off November with a walk down memory lane.  A sort of (blushing from embarrassment) showing everyone where I started, because we have come a long way.   Warts and all, I have no problem admitting where I came from, what I did to get here, no matter how embarrassing the past is.  It is not that I am ashamed of where we started or where we are today, but it can be painful to go back and look how far you have come.  I would hope it helps others that feel that there is no end in sight, or no end in the orders to fill by December 24th.  So, for the next few posts please, um take a walk down memory lane with me, only if you promise not to laugh:

Original JPD Logo

I speak with business women all the time, those that are trying to get started, establish a brand or just want a cool logo for their company.  I get asked a lot to develop logos, help design websites and even on occasion to develop a mascot. 

Although I may be an artist, I am not a graphic designer.  Now, I am flattered when asked to help someone, however artistically talented, I am not properly equipped.  It is like asking a Major League Baseball Player to go sub in for an NFL game - yes he is a professional, but he is NOT equipped to play that sport.  Not sure if that analogy worked but my husband has the Monday night football game on in the other room and it is SO LOUD!!!  I do NOT, I did not ever develop logos, I leave that to the professionals - I could possibly hurt myself or pull something....sheesh.

Our original logo is from late 2002, and um, well....my husband created it.  Yep, true story - I did not even do our first logo.  Our second one (the existing one) was created by a good friend and a very talented graphic designer....see the difference is, she does this for a living.  Work on your product, your pitch, your sales, your packaging and your customer service and um, try for some local press.  The logo is NOT going to sell the product.  It won't even be remembered five years from now (uh, see that one up there, case in point, I bet no one has even seen it....ever!). 

The Importance of A Logo

So, back to logos- they are not that important when you start out. A logo is a nice to have, and if you can make one or create it yourself, by all means doodle to your hearts content.  But, do not lose focus on your business - the world will keep spinning while you sit around and try to figure out a logo - and I mean it, it will spin baby, it will spin.  I have high school art, two years of graphic design study in college, an art degree, 5 plus years in cartooning, extra art classes, animation for four years, 5 years designing over 350 pieces of original art for my own business.........I can not even design my own logo!

I know what you are thinking, ya but...ya but.....I know I was there, say um five years ago.  I spent hours, and days trying to create this original creative logo that said ceramic art, instead of writing a business plan, going after sales, or painting damn tiles.  My husband literally jumped in and took over - saved me from myself.  He has no art experience, he has no art talent (no it's okay he knows it, just like I can't do math)  he created the simple logo in five minutes.  It is so simple, it is so not thought-out and yet it worked for a good two years.  What is that from school they used to say?  K.I.S.S - Keep It Simple Stupid...or so I do not offend Keep It Simple Silly. 

It really is not about the logo in the beginning, you need to just work on the product - trust me, hubby is still taking credit for that logo.  Humor him please, God knows I do.

This is an old staged photo from early 2003, for some article, or something - but in the beginning I did spend many an afternoon with a baby on my lap and a paint brush in my hand (the crying toddler and barking dog have been so nicely cut from the photo).  The years make us soft and we (me) look back with rose colored glasses, I know.  Sometimes I so miss the one room studio....or maybe it is just the sweet little baby in my arms I miss.  Ya, I am sure that is it.  I miss her, not the rest of it....

A Little of This and a Little of That....

November 15, 2007.

Press for Warm Biscuit Bedding

Remember how I mentioned earlier how I did not care if the press said my name or my company's name?  Remember  how I was going to be the bigger person.....well I still AM!  I guess, I was being tested, because my name nor my company name was listed - and I could care less.

Today Warm Biscuit Bedding's personalized holiday plates (those would be some we made for them) were featured on the Atlanta Radio station KICKS 101.5.  The segment is by Katy Swab a shopping expert, we are also featured on her blog too.  She mentions our Thanksgiving Plate, our Christmas and Hanukkah Plates we make for Warm Biscuit Bedding.

Forum for Creative People

Someone at some point linked to my blog in an email, well I clicked on it and found this amazing place called The Switchboards.  The website states, "The Switchboards began when a group of indie business women decided that there needed to be a place on the web where they could talk "shop"....creative shop that is!"

I would highly recommend joining the forum and reading about all the topics they have.  The topics range from a directory listing of all the women involved (their are lots!) to deals, critiques, legal, PR, Hints, Goals and Link Exchange.  They have a Private Forum that I have yet to join, but it discusses more "sticky" issues for business women to chat privately. 

I love the quotes that are peppered through the site, the one I read today said:

"Diamonds are nothing more than chunks of coal that stuck to their jobs."

- Malcolm Stevenson Forbes

Some Good Reads

So if you are swamped with holiday sales and do not want to work, here are some more blogs to book mark.  Not that I would know what that was like, I am working very, very hard today!

My Little Dish - My good friend London (I know, blah blah blah we know about London) well she has decided to finally re-visit her blog (one year later that is).  The good news is she is really letting us take a glimpse inside her life and her work.

The Mommy Blog - I love this blog, and I may have mentioned it earlier.  I do tend to read it late at night and laugh till my sides hurt.  If you find your self snorting while reading, don't blame me!

Allen Designs - This a very talented artist named Michelle Allen and she has much information and great photographs.  I am still trying to work through the older blogs, but I love what she talks about.

Karla Dornacher - another artist blog, this is one of the blogs that got me thinking about what I was really thankful for.  She has a great style, and again still trying to play catch up.

Daisy Cottage - this is described as a "happy sunny place" where Kim shares her views on simple treasures of living, to thrifting and even family recipes.  I only recently found this but the photos alone make me want to re-decorate (once again).  Very happy place to go, and some more crafting, sewing ideas that I can so admire and covet, but so can not do.

Bloglines - if you would like to subscribe to any of these fabulous blogs or um like one written by moi - you can use bloglines.  It is like a newspaper that tells you when your blogs have updated.  I am doing it as we speak because I too find one I love then I lose it....

So, there you have it please, talk amongst yourselves for the next three days.  I get to go away for the weekend to a great resort , alone with hubby and um, no one will give me my laptop.  So, either I sneak it in the car or I am gonna blog on my blackberry - not a pretty site.  Have a great weekend!

Letter to Editor of Kids Today

November 14, 2007.

So almost two months after I had my battle-cry-tantrum-calling-out-copy-cats, a portion of an article I wrote has been published.  I say "portion" because the article is published under the "Letters to the Editor" section in the trade magazine Kids Today.

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth I am greatful for the press.....however the published article is only a skeleton, or a weak version of my original article.  Feel free to read the published article here, or you can read what I submitted here:

Buyers Beware!  Is your Monet real or a fake?

By Jamie Risdon Lentzner

Founder & Artist, Jamie's Painting & Design

"Imitation is the highest form of flattery"….We tend to disagree!  Please stay original!  Copying is not polite.  We are thrilled that you appreciate our work….and we would be very happy if you respect our copyrights!"

                                                            Disclaimer Shelly Kennedy, Drooz Studios ™

Who am I?

As a veteran of the children's manufacturing industry, with almost five years under my belt, I have seen the industry change. When I started Jamie's Painting & Design there were no theme based letters on the market.  After painting ceramics tiles myself, I then had all of my friends request them and realized I was on to something.   I have weathered many different styles, influences, sales channels, and I have seen the Internet mature as a resource for the consumer.

In 2002 I started Jamie's Painting & Design in a so-called vacuum.  Having been in the Children's Educational software industry for several years prior, and having a background in cartooning, my professional experience was developing characters, and designing games.  At the time of my departure from animation, it did not even occur to me at the time to research ideas, or styles - I used my two very young children, friend's nurseries and my own ideas as inspiration for my first products.  Fast-forward to 2005, I came to realize that people can find out quite a bit about an artist, a designer or a product on line.  I have had my share of dealing with plagiarism, and the stealing of my ideas.  Plagiarism is a “dirty little secret” in our industry, it exists, it’s not going away, and it is not a topic of discussion in an open forum.

Bittersweet Success

Being an innovator is not always a rewarding pedestal to sit on top of.  Shelly Kennedy, of Drooz Studio™ is very familiar with our industry’s “dirty little secret”.  Having been in business for over ten years, she created the first original wall hanging. When she started Drooz she was one of the only artists out there.  Shelly's designs are some of the most coveted products for celebrities and stores in the industry,

"We have had a number of customers and designers call to inquire about our products….they tell us how much they love our products, how talented we are and they can't wait to purchase their first piece!  They ask to be put on our mailing list…and then miraculously a new company pops up and it is that very "customer" making products that look just like ours.  This hurts.  I pride myself on honestly - I just can't understand how people could be so blatantly manipulative”, says Shelly

Competition is a good thing; in fact, it is the whole basis for keeping you on your toes as an innovator.  However, dealing with copycats is a whole different can of worms - it derails your creativity, it hijacks your energy, causing you to lose focus on your business, and spend more time wondering why someone could sleep at night thinking that they have done something good.

"What is the worst is when a so-called 'Mompreneur' takes your idea and tries to copy it as their own.  It really knocks the wind out of you" says, Leslie Head, co-founder of TeePee for Me ™. 

London Edwards, owner of My Little Dish is very familiar with this situation,

"A particular artist did not hesitate to paint the exact same themes, even my original trademarked Prayer Plate™ found it's way into her line and she ambushed every account I had with a cheaper priced plate."

Every artist I have spoken with has had the exact same response - a knock-off artist is always a day late and a dollar short.  And more importantly, even if it took a while for an artisan to get back on track, they ALWAYS got back on track - they had to.  Katy Mimari, founder of

Caden Lane

and a trail blazer in the modern bedding industry says;

"When we introduced Caden Lane Bedding to the market three years ago there was a lack of modern baby accessories available to the young, hip mothers…..we were the first to introduce the "pink & brown" color combination that is now found in almost EVERY designer’s collection today."

Joannie Perales, a jewelry designer and founder of Fairy Tale Jewels© claims that,

"Independent ‘artists’ reworking my designs, it's an ongoing issue that I have had to deal with since I first began beading…some call this "inspiration", I call it being a knock off." 

With so many companies in the industry fighting for a sale, it easy to see how buyers and store owners can be overwhelmed and confused, but buying quality art and products is what sets you apart from the big box stores and the lower end retailers.

How It Impacts the Retailer?

A small boutique or even a large chain of children's stores looks to make an investment in their inventory, or for personalized samples.  The minimums can range anywhere from $200 to upwards of thousands of dollars to open an account (for the small boutique just starting out, this can equate to a significant amount of money).  If that initial purchase is based on emotion - “I just love your stuff”, or based on a PR ballooned up product – “my products are in magazines, so you should not waste any time buying from me”, you are more than likely not getting what you think you are getting.

Buyers should interview the artist who's work they are considering for their merchandising space.  Remember, we work for you; we make products for you to sell to your customer base.  Asking questions of the artisan as to why they are in the industry…

·         How often do you release new themes or designs?

·         How long have you been in business for?

·         What are your turnaround times?  (This one is very important, as this helps you set expectations with your customer)

·         Do you have a background, professional and/or educational, as it relates to art? 

More importantly is how a new company or new artist deals with customer service.  An established company with 500 accounts and a strong track record of meeting their delivery dates will be worth the research you did.  Keep in mind, your customer does not know who is making the product, they do remember the store they had the experience at.  Don’t be afraid to ask for references, personally, I encourage it.

Lauren Headstrom, owner of Personalized Gift Stop in

Los Altos

California

has had her share of problems with new artisans,

"It's hard when you are a buyer, and you want to find the next best thing, you are always looking for something unique for your store.  For a lot of us independently owned stores we pride ourselves on being different…..I always want to help someone out that is brand new, but I am wary of new companies, I have had some go away after I purchased samples, or not return my calls when I re-ordered."

Last, and most importantly is making sure the company you ‘partner’ with has Liability Insurance.  There is a remote chance that something could go sideways, although, in my 5 years in the business, I have not heard of it happening.  This is one place where someone who is in our industry for a quick dollar gives no consideration to something like insurance, and that is extremely important. 

At the End of the Day

Consumers and especially new moms have become savvy shoppers, very educated on the latest styles, trends, and especially the designers, and the artists.  With the Internet, consumers can easily research products on line in the leisure of their own home. 

When someone knocks-off our designs it forces us to look long and hard at our own business, designs, practices and it makes us work that much harder.  It forces us to not be good, but be the best we can. 

"A true creative person has so many endless ideas stored in their head and sketch books, there is never a need to copy ideas from others…" says, Shelly Kennedy. 

At one low point in recent times I confided in Vicki Bodwell, owner and founder of Warm Biscuit Bedding© about my frustration on this subject, she said,

"Don't focus on it, you can't be everything to everybody, just do what you do best."

So, there it is, the published article and the one I wrote.  I would like to personally thank everyone who agreed to be apart of the "article" that was uh, not really an article.  I am sorry you had to take time out of your busy lives to answer my questions - I wish the article had all the Industry Leaders (you know who you are) refferenced in the article.  The saying no press is bad press....we will see, we will see.

Big Week for Betty Lou....I mean JPD!

November 12, 2007.

Well when it rains it pours, and that is always the case with my business.  Every year right around my birthday (don't worry you have plenty of time to shop still, it's not till December) I get some amazing press.  It has happened the last four years - I was starting to think that my good luck had rubbed off, used it all up and by year five - no rubbing of my magic press lamp would work this year.....But sometimes, good things continue to happen to us.

First of all we got this email sent to us last Friday and we are very excited to have our Thanksgiving Children's China plate featured in this weeks newsletter of Baby Times. 

The press is actually through one of our e-tailers, one of our very oldest and first website to carry our products, Baby Box that is.  I am happy for Baby Box and happy it is OUR plate featured.

Katherine Type of Baby Box took a risk on us way back in 2003 when we were on literally no one's radar, and on no websites or in any catalogs.  She took a risk on us even though:

A. No one had heard of Jamie's Painting & Design

B. The photographs were awful, taken in my backyard by me, myself and I.  The word professional photographer was not in my vocabulary

C. I still had not totally figured out drop-shipping or the cost of my products and I continued to tinker with the shipping cost and the cost of the tile that first year.  I must have given her a headache.

D. I was cooking tiles in my oven.  Oops, did I say oven I meant kiln? No, seriously, that is right my first year in business I was just trying to get it all done.  It was a tough Christmas and my poor oven....well let's just say we did not use it very much back then - we couldn't I was cookin' me some tile!

E. Back in the day I made myself many an error and even sent out some uh, well goopy or not finished tiles.  This is hard for me to admit, being that I am a perfectionist and all.  I did make good on the tiles, I replaced any bad ones - and I made it a priority to NOT have another Christmas like that.  Hand painting was fun, but it could not sustain the volume of products were selling, even that first Christmas.

Second thing to happen this week we are the featured company at Posh Tots and our products are featured in their newsletter.  I would like to imagine that the newsletter goes out to 200 million people - but I don't know the exact numbers quite yet, maybe not that many people.

The exciting thing is that our company name is listed in the newsletter (no not here in this photo, I am having a heck of a time saving a .GIF).  But if you click on Posh Tots you should see the fancy-schmancy rotating images newsletter that went out to everyone in the world today (I wish but I know it went out to tons of peeps).

Maybe this is not the Today Show, the Oprah show or People Magazine, but it is good Press, Marketing and even some free Advertising.  I am hoping it just adds to our sales for the year, and keeps our company in the front of peoples minds when they are purchasing products.  Not every piece of press we got turned immediately into millions of dollars (okay um NOTHING we have done has turned into a million dollars...yet).  But I do believe that every little bit helps, and it just validates your company.  It gives you a little warm and fuzzy - and it's pretty damn cool to see your company name up their in lights isn't it?

I know designers out there that want nothing to do with their products or company's getting press unless it says their name.  I know that they tend to get all weirded out and want the press for themselves - not the company that re-sells their products.  I think that is ridiculous, and selfish.  If someone from the press approaches one of our re-sellers about OUR products - but we don't get mentioned, who cares?  I am just thrilled that we were chosen.  Trust me - we have sent out free products all over the place to get some press for a sales channel.  I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth - or whatever the saying is.  Press is press, is press, is press - so I always get all geeked up about it.      

If good things come in threes I am holding my breath for number three....maybe if I wish hard enough it will happen!

Thankful for Many Things

November 10, 2007.

Do you ever not ice that when you start to want something, or you think about it - you see it everywhere?  It's like your senses are on high alert and you can sense or feel that 'thing' you so covet.  I am not a real feely-philosophical-new agey type person, however I do see that sometimes the universe is either with your or........not so much.  I have been thinking of the things I am thankful for and noticing that everyone is doing the same, I must be in good company.

This week has been a trying week to say the least, I had to have some tests and procedures.  I don't know the results yet so I am trying not to freak out about it, (but uh, well you know I tend to over-react and all) hopefully everything will be fine.  One of my favorite quotes of all time is, "Worrying is like paying on a debt on a loan you don't have", I know it is something like that - so true.

So, with the week I had and the month it IS and the whole Thanksgiving thingie coming up I would like to list some things that I am thankful for:

1. My children, I am forever in awe of their ability to make me laugh, to inspire me and to make me so very proud, I love them more than life itself.  I am not so thankful for the fits, the crying, the naughty words spoken, the fighting and the constant whinning...but I digress I am SO thankful for them!

2. My husband, he is my biggest cheerleader, he is always there for me and I can not imagine sharing my life with anyone else.  Even if he does leave his size 13 shoes out in the middle of our room so that I might tend to trip over them on my fifth trip to the bathroom.......no not so thankful for that.

3. My extended family, I have a great support system and they help me through thick and thin - I would not be the person I am today with out them.  I am thankful for them keeping me grounded, and you know doing things like teasing me, dressing like me and making fun of me on a regular basis - yep, so thankful.

4. My friends, I love my friends - my new ones, my old ones, my business friends, my mommy friends, my single friends - all of them.  They make me laugh, they share in my successes and my not so ah........the shitty times, okay they are there then.  Who else would listen to me bitch over and over and agree with me?

5. My business - I love my business, I love what I do.  I am so thankful that I am able to do what I want to do, when I want to do it and that people buy it.  Spending my days creating, painting and making products for children - amazing.  My days are long but the years have been short.

6. My employees that I work with - I am nothing without them.  Their dedication, their commitment and their sheer will to do what has to be done is humbling to me at times.  I no longer take my frustration out on them like I used to - this grasshopper has learned well...

7. My life & health- I have a great life and I enjoy every minute of it.  My problems are minimal compared to others and for the time being we are all happy and healthy.  Not so sure what the future will bring but today I am healthy dammit!

8. My dog - I have a great dog that knows when I am upset, she does I swear.  She is happy to see me all the time, she follows me around the house and she never asks for anything in return.

9. My talent - I am thankful for it.  Don't get me wrong I have worked my ass off for it, and I continue to "work-it" but I am thankful I can draw and paint and create, I honestly do not know what I would do if I was bad at it.  Oh wait, I would just boss others around a make them create what I had in my head, ya that is probably it :(.

10. You - I am thankful for the readers of this blog.  I remember when I started it I could not find a voice, I could not think of what to write and oh hell I could not figure out the HTML thing at all.  I am so thankful for everyone that reads it now and comments on it.  I never knew that so many people cared about what I had to say , whether they agreed or disagreed.  I am thankful for the comments, the new readers, the personal emails, and the ability to help others that run their own business.  Now if someone would just send this blog to Oprah - life would be perfect! 

Working in a Small Business

November 6, 2007.

A good friend of mine suggested, or demanded (kidding) I give some photos of a "Day in the Life" here at Jamie's Painting & Design.  It sounded like a great idea until no one wanted to be in the photos that I took.  Everyone sort of ducked and made me promise to cut their faces out...sheesh.

So this little photo tour of Jamie's Painting & Design is going to be missing some parts, please feel free to use your imagination - everyone was a model in a past life, we are all VERY good looking:

Sweets & Treats

I usually don't start buying snacks, fruit and candy till after Thanksgiving - a little pick me up when you have tiles coming out of your....well you know.  I don't know what happened this year, but I just kept buying snacks, and drinks (no not THOSE kinds of drinks), and more snacks - and then Halloween candy showed up at our local store in like August....had to get me some of that!  Anyhoo, if you were here working these would be in the break room for you, along with fruit, soda and water in the fridge.

Stocking Products

This is our first entire year of having some products that are not personalized.  We try to keep them in stock so that they can just be ribboned (I know not a real word) and shipped.  We have started adding stock to our weekly duties, slowly but surely we hope to have enough stock ready to go at a moments notice.  These coasters, ornaments, gift tags and frames are just waiting to be ribboned and assembled.

Assembling the Products

All of our products need some sort of assembly, oh wait not the plates.  We love when we get those orders - take the order, make the plate, make the shipping label, ship it.  Everything else needs ribbon, or backings or rhinestones glued to it.   With over 251 different product designs and ribbon choices to go with that - we need someone that knows all our products.  I am so lucky to have a family friend (retired) who I have known my whole life to own the 'assembly' of our products.  And did I mention fast?   I have not timed her yet, but she has been known to ribbon, rhinestone, glue and back over 200 tiles on any given day.

End of the year, our poor ribbon is a mess.  This is only a third of the ribbon we have ready to use on our products.  We have two other similar ribbon holder thingies on the other side of the ribbon section.

Shipping Our Products

Our shipping department is not state of the art - but it is organized.  I can still remember when I was in our garage at home and using a garbage can full of Styrofoam peanuts and a coffee can to fill up our boxes for shipping.  Things have changed for sure, and for the better.  We ship twice a week, giving us a schedule and the ability to RUSH orders out at a moments notice.  

Our shipping clerk is also a family friend (retired), and he does a great job with a capital G.  He catches everything - I mean every little nick, every spelling error, every ribbon color change...not that we ever make mistakes!  He is our Q & A Department also, and signs off on every order we ship.

Office Work

After we ship the products our amazing book keeper extraordinarie takes care of the billing.  Oh did I mention she also processes the orders, makes shipping labels, is our buyer and kits all or our drop ship items.  If you have read this blog you will remember I used to wear myself many a hats - and I still do have a tad too many on any given day.  However, this wonderful person has taken many of them off my plate....head I mean head.

Our accountant takes care of our bills, managing our accounts, and paying people (most important job out there).  She is also our resident "Efficiency Expert" - if it can be done better or faster she will find a way.  She is always looking at ways to make work easier - and she loves procedures.  Oh ya, um did I mention she is my mother, that wild and crazy gal is also an anal organized freak...and I mean that in the nicest way.

  So there you have it a tour of this wonderful place I call work, or home, or life...whatever I call it.   I would not be where I am without all these amazing people I work with - I could never do it all - it does not a village people, but it does take some fabulous employees to succeed!

 

The End of the Halloween

November 3, 2007.