goodbye, blogspot!

This is the final post on my good ol' blogspot emilee rose blog. It's been a great couple of years here, but the time has come to movie it to a platform that I am more comfortable with and to one that I feel can reflect my business a little better.

Thank you to all of my current followers and I hope that you will subscribe to or bookmark the new emilee rose blog!

FACES OF THE SIXTIES: PART TWO

I posted a few new illustrations a couple of weeks ago that are a part of my "Faces of the Sixties" series. These are a couple more iconic faces of rock and roll.

LOU REED

NICO

BOB DYLAN

a very happy new year!

Ok, so I know I'm just a little late with a "happy new year" post, but better late than never, right? I had an idea of a great resolution would be to blog more...and you can tell how well that is going...

I have a lot of things that I am looking forward to in 2011, and specifically lots of plans for emilee rose. 2009 was an extremely disappointing year for the biz, but I knew that maybe the timing just wasn't right. As discouraged as I was, I never had any intention of giving up or "quitting" my line. I still like it and since I don't need it to be my sole income, I'm OK with it being on the slow side. (for now, at least.)

Things really started to look up this past year. I was in more shows than I thought I was even capable of doing. So many, that I'm already trying to prioritize which shows to do next fall and winter and what sorts of new products I can introduce. All of the shows, except for one, were really successful. I even had a few customers come back and shop some more! I joined Etsy Houston, which has been a great networking tool. I'm even hosting the next meeting at my casa!

This year, I really want to focus more energy in selling. I focus most of my energy on making, and just let my things sit in my etsy shop hoping that they will get sold. But that is really not how it's done. So besides making some new products (which I am super excited to share!) these are some goals I have for emilee rose in this coming year:

• Finish my website! Yeah...this has been sitting around for months and months, but now that the shows are over, I can get back to it. The plan is to move the blog and solely use a new multi-page wordpress site, though creating a theme is a little more complicated than I imagined. Thank heavens for a very talented little brother that has offered to help out.


• Retire some products. Truth is, I have way too many designs to keep up inventory. And so, I'll be retiring some greeting cards and possibly most of the invites and thank yous. They just don't sell. I'm still interesting in doing invites and thank yous, but will probably be tweaking the design a bit. Maybe some fill-in invites? More adult friendly note cards?


• Blog more (haha!)


• Create some new products


• Revamp the ol' etsy shop. My photos are...BAD! I got a new digital camera for Christmas, so that should make shooting new photos a little easier.


• Send samples to stores to try to start selling wholesale!

And that's it. I'm ready to get started!

FACES OF THE SIXTIES: PART ONE

One item on a long list of new year's to-dos ("resolutions" don't seem to ever get resolved, so perhaps "to-dos" will get done...) is to work on putting together a new professional portfolio. My current one is, well, not up to my current standards.

I designed it when I knew very little about graphics and thought that I would be going into a more architectural profession. I'd like to think that my skills have grown while working as a graphic designer for the past year and a half. Not only that, but I would like to focus my portfolio on my graphic designs and illustrations, rather than architecture and school projects.

So, first up on my New Year's To Do List:

• Create a new professional portfolio.

Part of that to do involves me creating new work. So, I've started a new series called "Faces of the Sixties." These are the first of the series. I hope to work on more this week.

EDIE SEDGWICK




TWIGGY



Pen and ink illustrations, digitally colored.

SALE!

All calendars and holiday cards are on sale until they run out!

Lights in the Heights

Houston is really not my favorite place to live, but the Heights really is. It is the most amazing neighborhood in the city. Everyone here is so nice, and friendly, and it's the only part of Houston that has even attempted to preserve our history.

We are also one of the few neighborhoods that have frequent block parties. Lights in the Heights was by far the best one that I've been to, and I hate to say this...but it puts some of Milwaukee's festivals to shame! (gasp! I know...sorry!)

The whole area blocked off is around 3 blocks by 6 blocks. Most houses decorate with lots of lights, hence the name, and about every 10 houses was live music. You could hear everything from a not-s0-great high school garage band, to a Jewish couple singing old German songs while playing an accordion, to a bunch of retirees getting together with friends jamming out to classic rock songs. A central park was designated with a main music stage and food vendors. Most people bring a cooler on wheels and roam the street with their beer in tow.

The weather was a little odd...a light sweater provided enough warmth for a "cold Houston night."

Best part of the night: getting into a private party to dance to a super kickin' Cajun band! I lost their card so have no idea what there name, but if anyone reads this that knows, please let me know. We stopped as they started playing the Jambalaya (on the Bayou) song, which makes me proud of my swamp land roots (because Houston is a swamp) The party was sponsored by some company called "Kinetic Energy." I'm sure they get TONS of business during Lights in the Heights.

The photos aren't that great, but the night was!

photos from Austin

My friend Erika flew down for a mini vacay and we then made an even minier road trip to Austin. Seriously, how have I never been there as an adult (meaning not on a field trip?) Austin is one of the coolest cities that I've even been and I can't wait to go back!

These are photos that I took of shops on South Congress (aka. Hipster Central)