Watching all the coverage of the Cannes film festival pop up on social media has definitely been the fashion highlight of my week… there were so many sparkly dresses! And I’m obsessed with these column gowns with full side skirts from Zuhair Murad. Petra and Chanel looked absolutely stunning in theirs while Karlie made an entrance in blue Oscar de la Renta. I never tire of sketching gorgeous gowns!
I hope you have a wonderful long weekend! Relax, rest up, and enjoy some sunshine =)
~Joanna <3
Happy Tuesday! I’ve been busy working on prepping for the fair but thought I’d take a moment and share a bit about the behind the scenes stuff… the stuff that happens when you quit your full time job and take a leap of faith…
I can’t believe it’s been four months now since I left my corporate fashion job. There have been so many emotions that have gone along with it and getting used to a new way of living and working is still a work-in-progress. I feel like I’m far from figuring it out but I do know that I’m headed in the direction of something that makes me happy!
Some of my favorite things so far about freelancing:
1. Being able to prepare and eat healthier meals — this seems simple but having the time to grocery shop and plan to eat a proper breakfast, lunch, and dinner makes a huge difference in my overall well-being!
2. Setting goals and having the freedom to work at my own pace to achieve them — I’ve always worked best when I understand what’s expected of a project, know the deadline, and then am left alone to prioritize and get the job done. Freelancing definitely feels right in that sense.
3. Having the flexibility to schedule things in the middle of the day — this makes going to doctor and dentist appointments so much easier!
4. Taking on more custom illustration projects that make me happy — my greatest joy so far in all of this is getting to work with lovely new customers to create unique pieces of art for them. I love packaging up an original creation and sending it off to it’s new home knowing that someone is super excited to get it on the other end or send it as a special gift!
Some of the things I’m still getting used to:
1. Not having a team of people to bounce ideas off of — it’s been an adjustment not having someone else to turn around and ask a question or see what they think about something… I do ask Junebug a fair amount but she doesn’t seem to have too many opinions about my work or business goals =)
2. Feeling connected to coworkers and working towards a shared goal — there is definitely something to be said about everyone working together to get something done. Freelancing is often a one person show and it can be isolating. It helps to reach out via e-mail or in person to other artists and freelancers. Even making a simple connection through Instagram helps to keep that human interaction alive.
3. Not knowing who/what/where I will work next and taking opportunities as they come — this is all still new to me and right now I’m getting a feel for the amount of work, type of work, and how to keep more consistent work.
4. Having to advocate for myself 24/7 and consistently putting myself out there — I feel like I’m either actively working on or thinking about some aspect of my business every waking minute. When it’s all up to you, figuring out how this will all work consumes your thoughts. This is both really exciting and really terrifying! I try to balance out these thoughts with a healthy dose of perspective, getting out, going for a walk, running unrelated errands, etc. but I’ll be the first to admit that these thoughts are a beast to wrangle with.
I have to remind myself that some amazing things have happened in these past four months. I’ve had some wonderful Instagram features from Essie, Birchbox, Copic Markers, Carolina Herrera, and Bergdorf Goodman, I have built and launched my own online store with brand new illustrated stationery and gifts, I got accepted into Renegade Craft Fair and will be debuting all my work for the first time ever in public on June 6th. (So excited for this!!) These things may seem small, but it’s the little things that eventually add up or lead to bigger things. And even though I don’t know what the future looks like exactly, I have to continue leaping and know that what I’m doing will add up to something great!
I hope you have a wonderful, productive week and if you’d like to see more behind the scenes photos, be sure to follow me on Instagram =)
~Joanna <3
Happy May Day everyone! I’m super excited to kick off the new month with some brand new shop news…
This summer I’ll be participating in Renegade Craft Fair!
It will be my first public show and I can’t wait! I’m currently in the thick of illustrating and prepping new products, stocking up on inventory, and pinning ideas for different store set ups, since I’ve never done this before I’m sort of guessing as I go along!
I’ve been to Renegade as a shopper, though, so I know first hand that it’s an absolute craft & food heaven. The event runs in conjunction with Smorgasburg so you can count on eating really well while you shop. This year, Renegade is hosting Pop Up shops every Saturday in June and I’ll be participating in the very first one!
On June 6th, myself and a bunch of other lovely makers will be setting up shop along the water at the East River State Park in Brooklyn. If you’re in the New York City area and have a Saturday to spare, I would love to meet you in person!
Until then, I’ll be sharing updates on my progress and sneak peaks of my show prep both on the blog and on Instagram. I can’t wait to share this journey with you… and I’ll be crossing my fingers for a great turnout and plenty of sunshine!!
~Joanna <3
This past week has been extra beautiful and romantic with bridal week coverage taking over my Instagram feed… from Marchesa to Oscar de la Renta, seeing these gorgeous gowns makes me want to get married all over again! Well maybe not the planning part but definitely the dress-up part =)
I was trying to figure out which gowns to sketch from the shows and then I came across this photo on Carolina Herrera’s Facebook page. Don’t you just love her? She’s absolutely stunning and her work is just as exquisite.
Every once in awhile she would stop by the J.Crew Collection store on Madison when I used to work there and we would be completely beside ourselves. She’s even more elegant in person and such an inspiration. If you haven’t had a chance, be sure to check out the bridal gowns from her latest collection and follow her on Instagram for behind the scenes snaps. Trust me, it’s so worth it!
xoxo
~Joanna <3
Spring! It seems as though the season is finally here to stay and the weather today in NYC is absolutely gorgeous. Which means it’s the perfect time to release a new round of spring art prints featuring my most recent illustrations and if you follow me on Instagram you already got a sneak peek!
They are finally ready to make their debut: Macaron Day, Eiffel Fleurs, No More April Showers, Summer Kicks, and Summer Swimsuits are now available as art prints for sale in both my online shop and on Etsy.
And a special thanks to Essie who featured my illustration of Essie nail polish colors on their Instagram last week… super exciting and a big welcome to my new Instagram followers! It’s so wonderful to be able to share my freelancing illustration adventure with you. Expect new shop updates coming soon (brand new journals, note cards, coasters, a nail polish print for all you Essie fans and much more). And that special secret I’ve been keeping for a little while now will be revealed shortly… exciting things for the shop!
~Joanna <3
