This week, full of the joys of life and hope for 2021, I was feeling a little bit over-achieving and took on not one but two challenge workshops. As many people do, I often seem to sign up for this sort of thing as the year draws to a close. But, I always underestimate just how much time these things take, so suffice to say, I’m running more than a little bit behind!
The Fearless Challenge
The first challenge: a one week affair from women’s business expert Carrie Green of the FEA, called the “Fearless Challenge”. The aim was for women business owners to take ownership of their worries and fears, and come out stronger on the other side, raring to go and to move their businesses forwards. It involved a facebook group, some live webinars and lots of small challenges such as shouting “I am Fearless” as loud as possible and dancing the funky chicken. Super fun, more than slightly silly, and actually quite liberating.
Silliness of the small challenges aside, the workshop has led me to some big breakthroughs on why I hold myself back: ”I don’t deserve to succeed (I was an absolutely horrible teenager)”; and some key takeaways on how to turn this thinking around. It’s amazing how much stupid psychological baggage we all seem to carry around judging from some of the responses in the FB group. I’ve still got to catch up on the replays of the last couple of sessions as I couldn’t make them live, so hopefully I’ll have some free time to do that and more breakthroughs to come.
Design Goal Setting Workshop
The second workshop was/is a goal setting workshop for designers. This week was planning out how many new collections I can take on and how to fill the gaps in my portfolio. Next week will be looking at upcoming trends and establishing how these can be tailored to my own clients and customers. Exciting stuff next week, as I love researching and creating my own mood-boards when I have the time—and I will be trying to make the time!
I’m running so late completing the exercises for the first week of this workshop that I am going to have to work on week 1 and week 2 concurrently next week. It’s going to be a real focus!
Express Collection Online
Last week I spent quite a lot of time designing Change the Date and Save the Date cards for my new Express Wedding Collection for my Dora&Deb brand. These cards have now all been thoroughly tested, and with some minor amendments, have been published and are available for sale in my Etsy shop. Woohoo!
Express Wedding Invitations
I also managed to create the main invitation for each of the Express designs in both 5×7 inch and A5 size. Again, they are print tested and now ready to buy on Etsy.
Only on Etsy
The Express Collection will not be available to purchase through my own website until some time in the New Year, as I want to give the Dora&Deb site a good overhaul, simplifying the process for both myself and my users. Although the website looks great, it is a little complicated for me to add items in the back end.
I need to have a really good think about usability for both myself and my website visitors before spending time publishing content that I am soon going to change.
New & Coming Soon, Typographic Poster Designs
Inspired by the Fearless Challenge, I also decided to create a range of typographic, inspirational prints this week. Of course, I got sidetracked by ideas for wedding and lifestyle prints as well as the inspiration ones. The latter part of Friday was spent brainstorming ideas and prototyping first draft designs—everything is still in its very early stages, but I hope to be able to offer a range of fabulous prints for sale very soon.
Lastly, the weekend has been all about the pending house and office move — starting to pack, organising things, dealing with internet service suppliers… An endless list! I’ve also been researching “she-sheds” for my office (which may take some time as there are so many options). While garden offices are researched, designed and eventually built, if that’s the way I go, I’ll be moving the office temporarily into a spare room in the new house. Not ideal – but I can definitely make it work!
Ta da for now,
Deborah x
