Stephanie Fizer Illustration

This Blog Has Moved!

I've revamped my entire website including my blog and am now using Squarespace.  So be sure to bookmark my new blog address as this Typepad blog will no longer be update.  And while you're at it, take a look around my newly revamped website: http://stephaniefizercoleman.com

 

Dear lovely customers and blog readers, 

Although this might be surprising, I have actually NOT dropped off the face of the planet :)  I'm still here, working away on processing the last of the pile of orders from my Heartsy feature last week.  The pile is down to just 20 more orders, which will be posted today!

Then I'll be back to my usual happy craziness.  New stuff is coming soon, to my shop and to my website which I'm almost finished redesigning, so it will less quiet around here--well sort of around here, but more on that later!  

For now, I've got a small poll over on my Facebook page, scroll down to about the 4th or 5th item to check it out.  I'm thinking about phasing out my small 3.5 x 5 inch notecards and introducing some that are a bit larger and I'd love to know what you think, so head on over to the page to share your opinion!

Wishing you a lovely day,

Steph Fizer Coleman :)

Free Download: Mother's Day Card

My Heartsy deal from yesterday was a wonderful success, thanks to everyone who purchased a voucher!  It looks like I'll be a busy bee this week, shipping lots of orders out :)

As a special thanks, I whipped up this free printable Mother's Day card with a new pattern I designed last week.  

You can click here to download this card in PDF format.  

While you are welcome to print, cut and give as many of these cards as you'd like please keep in mind that this design is intended for personal use only.  No part of this card or download may be used for commercial purposes or redistribution.  

Thanks!

Bits, Pieces and Heartsy

Here's a kind of self-portrait from a tutorial I did for my Inspired Doodles online workshop today.  The workshop wraps up officially tomorrow and I can quite honestly say that it's been so much fun to teach!  

I'll be doing another session of Inspired Doodles later in the year, probably during the month of August.  I'll be posting final details here and on my Facebook page as soon as I've worked everything out!

And one more fun thing for this weekend:  I'm going to be featured on Heartsy this coming Sunday, May 1.  If you're not familiar with Heartsy, it's sort of like Living Social or Groupon, but with handmade items from Etsy sellers.  

For my feature, I'll be offering a $30 store voucher for $13, which I think is a pretty awesome deal.  You'll be able to purchase the vouchers starting at 8am PST on Sunday May 1.  And if you're a VIP Heartsy member, you can purchase a day early on Saturday and you get an extra $10 on your voucher for free.  

I'll be sending out a reminder of the Heartsy deal to my mailing list on Sunday morning, along with an extra discount code to use with your Heartsy voucher, so if you haven't joined my mailing list yet, click on the link over on the right to sign up.  

Now I've got lots of new illustrations to finish up over this weekend, so I'm off!

Enjoy your weekend!

G, H and I

I've been a bit short on time for the last month, but I finally got around to working on a few more Animal ABC Portraits today:

Here's the finished illustration for my new website splash page:

I'm thrilled with how well my new web design is coming long and can't wait to share it with you!

 

Spring Revamp Sketch

I'm in the process of revamping my website for spring.  Here's a look at a quick sketch of the new splash page I'm working on:

I'm hoping to have my new site ready in a couple of weeks.  This blog will revamped and relocated as well, so I'll be keeping you posted!

Hello, I'm Back!

After nearly a two week break from the social networking scene, I've been slowly working my way back into being connected again.  First Twitter, then some Facebook and now a new blog post!  

I used my social networking break to catch up on some work and to figure out why I've felt so off kilter for pretty much all of 2011 so far.  And what I've figured out is that I've become too much of a yes girl this year.  I've been saying yes to everything:  new projects, family stuff, friend stuff, projects around my house and whatever else has come along.  No matter what the question, my answer has pretty much been Yes! for 2011.  

The problem with being a yes girl is that eventually you've got so many things going on its not possible to get any of them done.  And that's where I was a couple of weeks ago.  

I had to come to terms with the fact--again--that I just can't do everything.

So I've been working over the last few days to find that delicate balance again, the point where I am happily busy but not ridiculously overwhelmed.  To some extent that means shelving some projects for now, mostly several around the house projects that can be pushed back a few days or a few weeks.  

And it means bringing my focus back to my work. 

In 2011, I've been trying out working with more of a schedule.  I try to not work after 6pm and I try to not work on the weekends.  I've really been keeping up with this goal but I've found that it's having the opposite of the intended effect:  It's made me a feel a bit empty and honestly, it feels a bit like a punishment.  

I love my work and while I don't want to get back in the habit of overworking myself, I am giving myself permission to work whenever I darn well please.

I've learned so far that if I work about 40 hours a week, I have just enough time to keep up with my business--ship orders, answer emails, work on commissions and freelance projects--but I have no time to work on new ideas and illustrations and I end up feeling a bit creatively sort of blah.  So for me, I need longer hours to feel creatively fulfilled.  And I'm ok with that as long as I can still maintain some bit of balance between my work and my friends/family life.  

To that end I've decided to make some changes here on my blog as well.  

*I'm cancelling my 52 Creative Weeks Project.  While, I've enjoyed it immensely, it's just another thing on my already too long to do list for week, so I'm letting it go.  I'll still be posting tutorials and short projects, just not on a weekly basis.  

*I'm planning on sharing more of my illustrating work here.  You'll see lots of new prints, but you'll also see some work that I'm doing for my portfolio, some work I've done for freelance clients and some work that I'm doing just for fun.  I want this blog to get back to focusing on my work, that's why I started it!

Overall, I've enjoyed my little social networking hiatus but I'm happy to be back in the fold.  

*PS--I'll be sending info about a new shop item and a special discount to my mailing list later this evening.  If you're not signed up already, you can click on the Join the Mailing List graphic over on the right to sign up now.  

Taking a Social Networking Hiatus. . .

Yep, it's time for the annual social networking hiatus.  I love being plugged in all the time as much as the next gal, but sometimes between blogging, Facebook and Twitter it all just becomes quite overwhelming and honestly a bit stifling.  

So I'm taking a breather for a week, maybe two, maybe more if I feel like it.  

The blog will be quiet as will my Facebook page.  

You might see me pop up every now and then on Twitter to say hello.  

But for the most part, I'll be spending time in my studio.  Enjoying the social media quiet.  Focusing on my own work and thinking about where I want to take my business next.  I'll be working on some personal projects, adding new work to my portfolio, revamping my website and adding new work to my Etsy shop.  

I'll still be shipping orders reguarly and keeping up with my emails and Etsy convos.  

I'll be doing a bit of soul searching and a whole lot of planning.  

I'll be enjoying the beginning of spring and all that lovely things that come along with it.  

I'm excited about the things I have in mind for the future, but need some quiet time to work out the hows and the whys.  

And I'll be focusing on my current online workshop, Inspired Doodles, which just in the first week has left me feeling inspired and overwhelmed with creative possibilities.  

So although it will be quiet here in my little corner of the internet, I'll still be working away behind the scenes and I'll be back soon with new work to share with you.  In the mean time, keep your eyes on my Etsy shop, I'll be adding new prints and maybe a few new products soon.  

For now, I'll leave you with a few photos I snapped this morning of my now blooming creeping phlox:

 

 

Flourish: The Last Session

After a lot of thinking and pondering and then a bit of making up my mind and then changing it 20 minutes later, I've decided that the Summer 2011 session of Flourish is going to be the last session.  

I've found that teaching others how to get started in their creative biz has been a truly fulfilling experience.  And all the lovely ladies I've encountered along the way have been inspirational and wonderful!  

But as my own business is growing and changing, I want to get back to focusing more on illustrating and continuing to grow as an artist.  And of course, time constraints are always an issue--there are just never enough hours in the day!  When I do make time for teaching online workshops in 2012, I'm looking forward to teaching more of the creative side of things from now on!

So for now I'll be teaching one last session of Flourish this summer, with limited enrollment.  It's an open session running from June 1 to August 31, so you can progress as quickly or as slowly as you'd like because all of the course materials will be available to you right away.  And of course, I'll be manning the course forum during the entire summer, answering your questions and keeping up with your comments.  

You can find more info on this last session here. 

And even after this last official session of Flourish, you'll be able to buy the e-book version at any time.