March - round up!

this will only be a quick round up today as i've had a burst of inspiration for a new project and i really, really, REALLY wanna get started! and to be hones there isn't much to share for March...

* the biggest thing of course will be that i left my admin day job - hoorah! i'd been there 7 years and had started building the design business alongside it. 7 years is a long time and i have made some awesome life-long friends there... but i can honestly say i do not miss it. (i write that with a huge grin on my face!) the time was right to move on and so i did, no regrets. (yet, haha!)

* and along with leaving my job i moved back home. i have given myself 3 months to get myself in order, and then i will be venturing back to London, this time the SE corner. so there's been a lot of unpacking and alas there is still some more to go but i'm sure i'll get there...just as i need to pack it all up again to move once more!

* i have spent a bit of time rejuvenating my online store. it was in need of a makeover and i'm rather pleased with the new look - lots of new fabulously colourful photos to show off the bold prints and gorgeous colours of my homeware products. it's actually made me fall in love with them all over again! 

* i've bought back some old favourites from last year - the button jewellery was pretty much a sell out last summer - so it is back in new colours, something to suit every occasion, and the tea towels are currently on a special 'Spring Clean' offer - BUY 1 GET 1 FREE! it's that time of year where we all need to have a clear out and clean up so what better to persuade you than some glorious pattern accessories!

* my newest addition to the shop are my greetings cards - a selection of birthday, occasion and blank cards from my both my 'Amsterdam' and 'London' ranges.

* and that's not all folks! there is more to come! i have new products that will be popping up over the course of the next few weeks so keep your eyes peeled. and if you want to be the first to hear about all of these new goodies you can sign up to my newsletter here.  not only will you hear about new products first you'll find out about my events and projects and you'll also get your hands on some special coupon codes...so what are you waiting for?! 

* i found out that all of my designs for Muckboots' kids range Puddletons have been accepted and will soon be released! so very excited! i got to see some photos too and they look great...i can't wait to share them with you!

* on a similar note i will (hopefully) be able to announce a new collaboration in next couple of weeks...it involves bold colour, graphic prints and a product to do with the home...haha, teasing again, sorry...but just hang on in there and you'll soon find out!

right, now you're all caught up i'm off to doodle-town (sung to the tune of Funky Town). have a fabulous weekend everyone!

you can achieve a lot in 90 days...

day 4 of no day job. it feels great it really does! well, it does right now, but i'm pretty sure in a few days time reality will hit and i'll have a little panic and wonder if i did the right thing and oh my god i have no security and lots of scary things like that.

but then i'll stop and think and realise that of course it was the right thing and all is well and good and i'm pursuing my dream and everyone should have that chance and i am very lucky to be able to give it a shot. and everything will feel wonderful again.

phase 1 of my plan was to quite my job - check! phase 2 was to move back home, and by home i mean back with family to save some pennies and be able to concentrate solely on design work - check! well, i'm physically moved in but i'm not completely unpacked. turns out i own a lot of things, and these things need to be sorted. and that takes time. which (rather ironically for someone who just left their job) i don't have. ha!

but it is for good reasons. i have a lot of freelance work at the moment which i am thoroughly enjoying working on again. it has been a while since i worked freelance but it is great working alongside Laura Olivia on various projects for some great clients. i also have my new brief from Muckboots Fall '16 collection due in the next week. so it looks like the unpacking will just have to wait a little longer. darn.

it really is great to get to work on projects set by someone else and not just what has been dreamt up in your head. and this is where i have a little some fun ahead of me - phase 3. i asked a few friends and put out a call on social media for volunteers. these lovely people who accepted the challenge have set me briefs acting as a client. i will post the brief and my final pieces as i work through them...i'm quite excited about this as a i really want to push how quickly i can work and how varied my style can be. it should get me working wit some different mediums as well. yay!

if you're interested in helping me out and setting me a mini project there's still time! get in touch at mail@melsmithdesigns.com...i'd love to hear from you!

but if that all seems a bit much, do keep an eye out on my facebook and twitter pages as i will be putting a call out for a special project in the next few weeks... it'll be nice and easy (for you!) but rather more of a challenge for me... the only clue you get is it's hidden somewhere in my pinterest boards...

in between these mini projects i plan to organise my finances (encouraged by my recent workshops from Dean of Tax By Design and Ally of Business Bright); approach shops with my new products; update my own online shop - i have a few new ideas up my sleeve!; research lots of exciting companies to collaborate with and then of course approach them with a marvellous offer!...i won't burden you with my whole to do list though...

but what i will share are a few of the other things i wish to achieve in the next 3 months that are not design related...i signed up to learn spanish, something i studied briefly at high school and became fond of again after my trip to Peru last year. i have a short trip planned in May so that is my target! ; i want to cook more and now have a wonderful kitchen to do so. the cook books are still in the depths of the unpacked boxes though which could cause a delay to this venture... ; i do however have my yoga mat and trainers out and at the ready! which means i can get back into pilates and jogging again as i'll admit i've been rather slack at this the past few months. tut tut.

hmmm...sounds like i won't be able to fit a new job in what with all this going on!  i am so excited about the next 3 months and what i could achieve...it's a whole 90 days for just me and my business...what would you do?