An Indie Biz: Making a Look Book

May 30, 2013June 10, 2013Leave a comment

This past Saturday I embarked on my first look book adventure!

Gathering together a group of talented creatives and the Pierogi Picnic modeling gang, we orchestrated a fun-filled shoot in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood. With loads of brightly colored designs and props in hand – we snapped and shot hundreds of photos to show off the latest Pierogi Picnic creations – orchestrating an urban picnic in one of the most vibrant and eclectic neighborhoods in Chicago.

Now that the actual shoot date is behind us, all that’s left to do is sift through the shots and do some fine tuning! We’ll keep you posted on when the final product is ready for it’s debut to the world. But in the meantime – here’s a peek into the planning that went into making the shoot a success. Continue reading →

An Indie Biz: Your Path

May 16, 2013June 10, 2013Leave a comment

I absolutely love this graphic that I stumbled upon on Pinterest. It reminds me to keep my eyes set upon my own path.

It’s easy to get caught up in the success of others and compare them to your own progress. Not only is this a practice that leads to discouragement, it can also blind sight ones true potential. Instead of developing a new design, or experimenting with your product photos, you’ll find yourself in a slump trying to keep up with the crafty Jones’s. And what fun is that?! Continue reading →

An Indie Biz: Photo Magic

March 19, 2013March 18, 20132 Comments

As I sit at my computer late on a Monday night I realize that I am way way way overdue. Not for returning my library books – but for writing a post on running an indie biz! So here’s my much belated installment – and it’s all about photo editing.

Let’s say you’ve developed a beautiful new line of products and are ready to introduce your creations to the world. You’ve painstakingly planned the shoot, took the time to set up quality lighting and have captured a great set of photos to show the masses.

Now what?

Don’t even think for a second that once your photos are logged and stored on your SD drive that you’re free to frolic about. Your next task as a handmade business owner is to make those pics magical. And I’m not talking pseudo-well-done they get a passing grade magical. I mean stop-em-in-their-tracks, make-heads-turn, kind of attention. Sure – paying a pro to do the dirty digital work can seem promising – but there’s nothing more fulfilling than empowering yourself to take that DIY step to enhance pictures on your own.

So before I sit back to tackle the 300+ photos I snapped of new Pierogi Picnic gear recently, I’d like to share with you some of my favorite tricks and short cuts for photo editing on the fly. Continue reading →

An Indie Biz: 2013 Planning Worksheet

January 7, 2013January 6, 2013Leave a comment

I am a sentimental type, so I love reflecting back on all of the events of the previous year. Weddings, successes, trials and failures – you name it! There’s nothing like getting all sappy about the twists and turns of life.

But what I honestly enjoy more is the fresh start that the New Year brings. It’s a chance to look forward, to hope, to dream. It allows me to shove aside distraction and really contemplate next steps, both personal and those for my business. Continue reading →

An Indie Biz: 2012 Year in Review

January 2, 2013January 2, 2013Leave a comment

Pierogi Picnic: Year in Review

2012 was quite the year for Pierogi Picnic!

Not only was it a hugely successful twelve months, it was also a time of discovery and change for both my business and me! Continue reading →

An Indie Biz: Enjoying Event Prep

November 30, 2012November 30, 2012Leave a comment

One of the most exciting things about planning for events is merchandising! Concocting fun, engaging and bold displays is truly the icing on the cake. Designing the signs, choosing a layout and developing a theme – it’s my favorite part of prep.

Having someone with which to share the experience makes planning even more of a blast! Collaborating with Caitlin Peters of Wanderlustings again has allowed us to dream up a whole new look for our conjoined event booth. Not only does her beautiful brain power inspire the look of our nook, it also propels the ‘fun factor’ of prep to a whole new level! Continue reading →

An Indie Biz: Making a List

October 31, 2012October 31, 2012Leave a comment

The holidays are just around the corner and I don’t want the busyness of the spirited season to distract me from business or pleasure this year. So what’s the best way to keep myself focused? Why – making a list of course!

Sitting down and ‘planning’ your holiday approach for your indie biz is intimidating, daunting, and for some, down-right unpleasant. But without a plan you can only go so far. To trick yourself into concocting a strategy, sit down and first answer these questions. Continue reading →