My First Book!

I have kept a little secret for a bit here. I have been doing a lot of illustrating...but instead of for the shop, it has been for my first book! I just got word yesterday that it has been sent to the printers, so it is official!

Here it is!

Full of Life: Mom-to-Mom tips I wish someone had told me when I was pregnant

Written by Nancy O'Dell

illustrated by Sarah Jane Wright

Published by Simon & Schuster

On shelves April 09, 2009

I have goosebumps all over. I haven't been able to say anything for so long, and it feels so great to finally get this out in the open! Nancy Singer contacted me a while back about working on a pregnancy book, and by December it was official. Nancy O'Dell, the ever popular celebrity icon of Access Hollywood had her first baby over a year ago, and decided to write a book about pregnancy including all the bits no one seems to be writing about. Mom-to-Mom tips she calls it. She has done a great job!

I was committed to illustrating this book long before I knew the author. And then to find out that the author was a huge celebrity...and that I needed to make the illustrations look like her...I knew I was in for a fun adventure. The editors needed black and white chapter headings with a few icons along the way and I had a great time working together with them on the project. I will say, that illustrating a REAL person forced me out of my own personal style a bit (no generic vintage faces here!) But I am glad. I learned a lot a long the way!

I am sold on the author/illustration business. I love designing new products, but book illustration is so amazing...especially when working with a fantastic group of people...all passionate about what they do. I can't tell you how invigorating it was to get emails first thing in the morning from NYC with tips and corrections that would steer the ultimate vision for the layout. Soon I hope to get more into illustrating children's books, but until then, I feel really grateful to put my name on a fantastic publication. Thank you Simon and Schuster for giving me my first chance in the industry!

I feel a huge sense of relief that this is all over with. It was a fantastic experience to be illustrating this pregnant woman while I myself was feeling my own baby kick in side me. I had a huge connection to the material which was so magical! (although, depressing at times to think that there are people in the world that DO look that beautiful when 9 months pregnant!)

It sure wasn't easy, but it was a wonderful challenge! Note to self: DO NOT...and I repeat...DO NOT illustrate a book while throwing up and pregnant, packing up and moving your home, catching walking-pneumonia, taking care of sick children, moving into a new home or over the Christmas holiday. Oh boy. I think I will try and avoid that next time! In this case, miracles happened and now a life long dream of mine has come true....

I am a published illustrator!

(You can see the book online here.)

Valentines 1958

Yesterday I came across these pictures and just melted. Aren't they so charming? Who doesn't love Audrey, and who doesn't wish they had a pet baby deer?

I was COMPLETELY inspired, and had the spontaneous need to get some sweet Valentine cards in the shop of a much younger Audrey (or whom ever you will) and her dear pet (no pun intended.) So, between packing, shipping, cleaning and errands, I managed to get some new Valentines cards made up. I realize it is a bit late, but I have been rather busy with some other projects I can't mention just yet.

They will be in the shop tomorrow, with a couple other things I hope. Happy Valentines!!!

oil love.

We are in the middle of it all at the moment...moving I mean...and though I love the idea of being out, I am not loving the idea of living with boxes and junk everywhere. I do love that I have been able to uncover some things that I have had to put away for a while. My oil paints. After Addie started walking, I realized that I would have to find another way of making merry...thus my present photoshop addiction. But it is in oils that I first started my painting adventures. Sure, drawing is always first. But I was lucky enough to start private art lessons at the age of 10, and after one painting in acrylic, my teacher let me switch over to oils, and I have been hooked ever since. The smell, the feel, the sheen...oil paint is honestly sacred to me:)

I haven't painted since 3 years ago today when I finished my first and last portrait painting. It was a Christmas present for my husband. I can still remember Addie crawling at my feet while I painted this!

I think that this other painting was also done that same month, my last landscape painting since the day I put my paints away.

And today, when I pulled out my paints from storage, I was wishing I could get my hands dirty again. Messy and DIRTY. Someday! Small space living allows room for the most important things...and someday, this will be important again. But right now, I would rather have my babies crawling at my feet...but oh, the smell of these tubes did give my heart a flutter!

A bit of Biz: Press Kits

OK. It has been too long since I started a dialogue about the nuts and bolts of having a creative business. Sometimes I don't really feel like I have much to share, since I learn so much everyday myself. So really, today I want to share some great blogs/write-ups on the topic of PRESS KITS AND PRESS RELEASES.

I am currently working on getting a press kit out, so this has been on my mind lately.

So here is the PR 101

What is a PRESS RELEASE? A written release of news worthy information sent to journalists or media personnel to encourage a story or a write up about the product or event. The release features the who.what.where.why and how of your company in a compelling way and should have some kind of urgency to it. ("my company teaches kids how to make their own dolls" vs. "Teach your child to make their own christmas gifts!")

**An elevator pitch will help you here!

What is a PRESS KIT? A packaged set of merchandise for members of the media for promotional use. Things to include in your Press Kit:

• Background info on your and your company
• Fact Sheet listing specific features, statistics, or benefits
• Biography of you and other key executives in your company
• Past Press Coverage
• Photos of your products and people involved (high res photos)
• A press release (mentioned above) detailing the current news the media kit is sent in reference to
• Media contact information
• A CD or DVD if it is appropriate for your company
• relevant advertising material, such as: postcard, flyer,etc.

WHY ARE THESE IMPORTANT?

• enables press coverage in a wide variety of magazines and newspapers
• reaches diverse readerships
• possible to get you into really big features

HOW DO YOU GET YOUR PRESS KIT OUT?

• Mail them out to editors of major magazines and news personnel that match your product.
• Most magazines need products and info 6 months in advance. Think Christmas in June.
• Find a PR Rep with good contacts. Jeannette Mulvey of PR COOKBOOK is a fantastic source. She can get Kits together for you.

Here are some recent articles/blog posts I have read this week on the topic:

Jaime Lentzner wrote on her blog today about the very topic: PR. She has some great tips about getting your products out there in magazines and other media. It is too good to sum up. read it here:

Bell and Boo mentioned yesterday about how she is busy getting press kits out and mentions to make sure you always follow up, and make phone calls to ensure your products are getting seen.

Startup Princess is chalk full of great marketing resources for Press Releases.

• Here is a fantastic article with inclusions you need to consider in a Press Kit.

At the last Startup Princess Retreat, I learned some new ways to get your Press Release out on the web. Here are THREE big ones:

PR WEB: get your Press Release out to the WWW. Here is more about how it works. It costs a bit, but allows for Maximum distribution to major newspapers, magazine, online distributers, etc. Have yet to try it, but I have heard nothing but rave reviews.

RAMBO:(stands for Reach a Mom Blogger) allows you to pick a category and see if companies have posted an interest in featuring a product and/or service similar to yours. Great way to send samples to magazines and blogs that will feature and your product! Feature of Twittermoms.com

BLOGS/TWITTER/FACEBOOK: Social media outlets there are so many blogs that feature new products daily. Find blogs whose readers would be a good match for your product and offer to send a free sample or offer a discount to the readers. One of the best ways to get your name out there to people who buy online. TIP: blogs run by real people with real interests. Don't oversell yourself. Twitter and Facebook are a great way to mention updates in your shop that can potentially reach more people than your normal readership. Find the medium that works best for you. I am big on reducing excess computer time. Blogging is my thing, but I am dabbling in others and have been able to make contacts with people I wouldn't normally get to!

Well folks, there is more. Oh so much more. When I get my press kits done, I am happy to share how they look. Details are everything...and so I am taking my time. But in the meantime...if any of you have anything to add to the discussion, please do! There is so much out there on PR for business, but not a lot on PR for CREATIVE business. Any other tips? Make a comment! Have questions? Leave a comment!

Happy press making!

I Heart Blue Lily Photography

When I first heard about Stephanie Neilson (the plane crash, the blog, and her amazing family) I immediately noticed a few things. Besides how overcome and impressed I was with her family, I noticed their amazing family pictures they had taken only 3 weeks before the crash. I was smitten by how the photography completely captured the love this family had for each other.

By searching through Nie Nie's archives, I found the info I had been searching for. Wendy of Blue Lily Photography was the talent behind the lens, she lived in California and she was coming to Utah in October. I couldn't have felt more lucky. This woman is gold. She is magic even. She had exactly 1/2 hour with our family in the Orchards (she was only in town a few days and had over 35 families to shoot), which frankly I was terrified about (it can take me 1/2 hour to try and get my kids in the car! how could she capture my family in 1/2 hour!)

But like I mentioned before: Wendy is Magic. She LOVES kids and LOVES people and has a gift. These are just a FEW of the pictures I love. I am having the hardest time deciding my favorites!

If you are ever in the market for family pictures, find out her travel schedule. And get a slot FAST! She is quite the popular gal. Check out her blog here. Thanks so much Wendy! We love you to pieces!

Being Real.

In this day an age, we are split doing many things. No longer does the woman stay at home all day with the kids, she is homeschooling; or teaching music lessons from her home; or has a daycare; or she is a soccer coach; or even has a side business. Sometimes I forget all this since it seems times have changed all so slowly. (what? it isn't 1952 anymore?) And yet, we still want to dedicate ALL of our time to one thing inparticular. In my case, I want to be COMPLETELY 100% at home, or I want to dedicate an ENTIRE DAY to my art. I have talked about this before: times are different now. We are required to have split focus. I don't believe that this requires a frantic, A.D.D approach to life. Quite the opposite. It requires us to be FULLY present in what we are doing in the moment. I have found that true satisfaction with a job or task you are doing is to be completely aware of that task (i.e. not coming up with your next blog post while you are feeding your children dinner...just feed your kids dinner, and enjoy the experience!)

Since our lives are scattered between so many things, being present is even more important. And also that much more difficult. Take being in a yoga class for instance. What is the main focus? Listening to your breath. The simplest most basic of functions can be one of the hardest to become aware of. Yet when we do allow our minds to only sense what it going on in ONLY that second, there is an incredible sense of wholeness and fullness.

Same thing applies to our multi-tasking. We must be living in the present in every task we are accomplishing to achieve that same sense of wholeness and wellness. And again...one of the most challenging things to accomplish. But during dinner I was thinking about the crisis of going to the post office yesterday and forgetting it was Veterans day which means my customers will get their packages a DAY late. By dwelling on that, dinner was a chore rather than a moment to connect! (I did realize my flaw early on, and completely enjoyed my husbands made-from-scratch lasagna...yummy:)...and seeing my daughters new found love of mozzarella cheese). But my point is, just because we multi-task doesn't mean we have to think about all things all the time. Quite the opposite. We must think about one thing at a time, and trust that will be enough.

I didn't think this post would be as long as it is: but my thoughts this morning were prompted by a blog post I read from a retailer of mine in the UK, Livy & Me. She admitted to going into teaching full time this year, and wanted to tell her customers (she is the owner of Livy & Me: unique baby gifts) that her store would still be going strong. She also referenced a site that caught my attention: Business run by humans: a site deticated to REAL LIFE PEOPLE running REAL LIFE BUSINESSES (which is most of us I think).

People aren't going to get a recording when they call you, they aren't going to get a template email...they are going to get YOU. And YOU is a busy multi-tasker full with many other facets of your life: something that you should be proud of...not stressed about. It also causes problems...like a few weeks ago when I was really sick, and spent the afternoon in the hospital...business slowed down a bit. And I had an upset customer. But once she knew I was REAL, and REAL LIFE happens, things were cool.

Being real for your customers is as important as being real for your spouse, or kids, or friends. So in a sense, what we do all day DOES fall under one umbrella: Being REAL. And oh, what a gift that is! And it can infact be a wonderful experience...but only when we take it one at a time, and live completely in the moment of what we are doing NOW. NOW is REAL. So, enjoy the now, and you will enjoy it ALL!

Happy thoughts and love!

xoxo

Sarah Jane

{Sorry! no pictures today! my picture insert button is asleep or something...guess that makes me real!}

Just stay little.

If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly.

Thomas S. Monson

Oh how true!!! The total chaos around the house (like Ian pulling out the entire roll of toilet paper and his new found skill of sneaking utensils out of the kitchen and putting them in the washing machine) is simply physical proof that I live with angles. Funny angels. Clever angels. Know-how-to-push-me-to-my-limit angels...but angles. Oh...I wish they could just stay tiny forever! I just hope that when we are all big and fat and old, that we will still love each other just as much...maybe even more. But I sometimes find that hard to imagine! Just stay little!

How to be a mom and an artist and a business owner.

Have you ever tried Googling that phrase? I have. I know. A little embarrassing. But the truth is, you can't really find an answer to that question. Experience is the only teacher.

Well, I guess if you googledd that phrase now, you would find this.

I was invited to be a guest blogger at Le Papier Studios, (A DARLING shop by the way...get your christmas goodies here!) and I spilled the beans about balance, and life and priorities and trying to live all three roles.

Something I hope to learn more about everyday. Life is meant to be lived...and when life is busy, there is no reason you still can't enjoy it all. So...here is my two cents on the subject. (Ok...more like 10 bucks...it is a bit long, but then, couldn't we all write novels on this subject?)

Enjoy!