A Typical Day

Nap time at work

  
 I thought it might be interesting for me to share how a typical day goes for us now that Caleb is an integral part of the routine at work. Specific times fluctuate a bit day to day, as we have what I would call, a "structured routine" more than an exact schedule. The babe does better when he knows what to expect and in what order, and so do we. We have a happy baby and a very busy life - 4 businesses, 6 days a week!
    I would  like to point out that we practice baby wearing. Caleb rides along for a few hours each day, sometimes we use it to salvage nap time if he has trouble getting to sleep, but we also just do it because of all of the great benefits.  Carried babies sleep better, cry 50% less, experience more, get a head start on language and social skills, securely bond with their caregivers and it helps us get things accomplished during the day.

babywearing at home

I am looking forward to delivery of a carrier that will help me to wear him on my back, as he is getting so big he slows me down a bit being on the front and having to reach around him. I wear him to do all sorts of things, we go out to eat, to the grocery store, walk the dogs, art openings, the kid gets around, and I can keep living! I have become a bit of a fanatic and am beginning to hoard carriers, but I guess I can think of worse things.

The beginnings of the work nursery

                     We also set up Caleb's area more like a real nursery this week. Our backs were killing us from bending over the pack & play, and he wasn't sleeping as well now that he is getting a little older. I ordered a crib and a mobile, and put curtains on the screens so that people would stop barging in on his naps.  So far its working beautifully. 
                                                           A Typical Day
   6:00 -Up with Babe, I start the coffee and get him dressed
   6:40 - Nap Time! Mike and I split off - he goes downstairs to the studio, and I either head upstairs to my office or run out the door to the studio. (Morning nap time is our most productive time of day and we get some much needed alone time too - BONUS!)
  9:30 - Babe is up! Give him a bottle and hop over to the studio. (with Mike, me, or both of us)
  10:15 - a little story time , and then its off to sleep again for Caleb - usually whoever brings him to work gets this one.
  10:30 Race to get as much done as possible! If I have an assistant that day, she will roll slabs while I make bowls, or maybe load kilns and wedge clay while I sit at my table working on textures, or help me with a photo shoot. Mike generally does shipping and computer work during this time.
  12:30 Lunch! Nurse Caleb, eat a snack, sing songs and play. We may strap him into a carrier and walk to the coffee shop.
  1:30 Caleb is back down for another nap - and I race to get more accomplished! tiles, tiles, more tiles! Mike runs errands, assistants finishes up their day.
  3:30 - 4:00 Caleb is up! On days that I come in early, I sometimes opt to take him home after he eats. We go on a walk and play before bed time, which is amazing and wonderful, and my favorite time with him. Other days, we may play and stay for one more nap cycle so that I can get more work done if I need to.
   4:30 Nap time!
6:30 Nurse and run on home.

A sweet moment at work

    As Caleb gets bigger, obviously his needs change as far as wake and nap times and activities, but so far we are doing well. I am really blessed to be able to bring him to work and have Mike there every day to help. I am not going to say that this is easy, but its worth it.  This schedule is actually a few weeks old and we are currently in the midst of going from a 3 to 4 hour cycle, so he is awake more and more, but he is now sleeping through the night!
      We work as a team and try to find ways to adapt so that all of our individual needs are met.
  

   

The Fine Art of Saying "No"

Retail Display

    

I have been saying, "No" a lot lately. I almost feel bad about it, but not quite. I have a lot to say "no" to, it seems, and a lot of reasons why. 6 years of experience and hard work has taught me some lessons, and being a new mom has given me a new sense of confidence and set of priorities.
    1. Art Auction Requests - I get a TON of these. Some of them are for charities that I believe in, some are for neighbors stricken with potentially fatal illnesses, some are for an elementary school choir in West Virginia. I cannot give free work to every person that asks. Plain & simple, I have not once received significant attention from such an event, nor has anyone picked up my work at an auction and then come to me directly to purchase work. I am giving to these events to be kind and help the cause, therefore, I choose carefully. 

Outgoing orders and website inventory

    
   2. The Nightmare Consultant - Oh, how I wish I had not encountered any of these on my journey, but alas, I have, and I know all too well where the road leads, and it ain't nowhere good.  The latest - Can't seem to get my name or the name of my product right - referring to my tiles as "shells" no matter how many times they have been corrected - threatening to use "cheap knockoffs" of my work on the last project proposal - not responding to emails regarding important details. Guess what? When they called me again - I said "no." Its not worth my time to work with someone like that, the extra man hours involved, the after hours aggravation, its not worth it to me. Plus, I find it a little repulsive to be affiliated with anyone marketing themselves as "------  for less"
     Most consultants want to get my work quickly and at a low cost - which doesn't really gel with hand sculpted, one of a kind items coming out of a busy studio. I have some great consultants on my roster - they don't argue with me about prices, and they order with time to spare. I <3 professional courtesy.

Drying racks - Work for orders and inventory

 
   3. The Etsy Inquiry  - I get tons of professional inquiries via my Etsy page, and they have honestly become something I dread. There is a BIG difference in the quality of inquiries I receive from my professional website vs. my Etsy inbox. Designers and store owners that scour Etsy seem to be looking for a bargain, and in general, they make the assumption that I only have a little Etsy page and will therefore make them something fast & cheap - sell them a little bit of my soul for the amazing exposure they will surely dangle in front of me. I used to say yes to every commission, every offer to show my work ANYWHERE, but I am now established and know what works.  Not everything fits - and that is ok! Making a set of bright green tiles or sending $2000 worth of inventory to a brand new (and therefore, unproven) store or website on consignment are not things that I need to do at this point in my career.
   

The tiles drying, it takes about 4 weeks for them to dry

     I am feeling more and more that many of the people that are approaching me just don't get it. I am not begging for any tiny bit of business or attention anymore (HALLELUJAH!)  . I have my own retail store, 4 retail websites, about 30 stores & galleries, as well as  numerous designers, consultants and private collectors to supply. After 6 years of busting my tail, answering my phone 24/7, saying yes to everything, and making many, many sacrifices, I have finally earned the right to say "no".  Maybe it would be different of I used mass production, but the fact of the matter is, I still hand sculpt every single item that comes out of my studio. With so much going on, and such limited time in the day, I now have to be discriminating, its a necessity. 
    After a little practice,  I am not even feeling bad about it anymore, the guilt and uncertainty are fading.  I would so much rather focus on what works, drop what doesn't and spend more time pushing the business to the next level than worry about things that I know will ultimately cost me time, money and possibly hurt my reputation. 
   We have been focusing so much on improving and growing for the past 6 months, and being more choosy with projects, I think its paying off.  My brand has been defined, my career is moving at a nice pace, and I want to maintain my integrity. Saying "no" means looking forward and honing my craft and business, and that is something to celebrate.

New photo styling

   

    
  
  

The New Era

  I have finally found that balance I have been searching for since starting this adventure 6 years ago. Funny that it took becoming a mother in order to find it.

The babe staring out the window on a cold, grey day

    I told a good friend the other day, "Motherhood is a great job for a workaholic." - as long as the new "work" becomes the baby, I guess. I love being a Mommy, even more than I have loved being a professional artist for the past 5 years. I find myself loving getting up at the crack of dawn and making the coffee with one hand, and I love reading novels to my baby to put him to bed at 7:30, when I used to be still at the work table chugging another cup of coffee getting ready for a long night. Changing diapers, being held prisoner for 6 hours a day breastfeeding, getting peed on. I am loving every minute.
      My workdays thus far have been 7-8 hours  (technically my planned Maternity leave ended when he turned 6 weeks two weeks ago, but I actually returned to the studio part time at 3 1/2 weeks postpartum  ). Which is amazing, and only happened for the first time during the last week or two of my pregnancy, when I was getting too tired and it was too difficult to plan any further into the future than a few hours.

Taking a little time out for a snuggle

    I am so thankful that my business is stable enough to allow me the time with my son. The workday now consists of sprints in between feedings, running to replace the binky, the occasional story time break and wearing him while I work, and must end in time to go home and get him ready for bed. We set up a pack & play, and have some baskets for now filled with blankets and burp cloths, story books and rattles, which will hold toys and other baby things soon enough. I have a feeling he will have a full on nursery outfitted in the studio soon! We are blessed with a full service building and bathrooms big enough to hold the changing table, and a kitchen fit to cook up a grilled cheese when he becomes a toddler. I think i am definitely making some tourists uncomfortable when they come in to the studio and I am breastfeeding on the couch, but, hey, they weren't there to buy anything anyways.....right?

Spending a little time with Dad

     
    Another exciting thing is that  I have hired a studio helper. I am hoping to maximize the time that I do have in the studio so that we can increase production and shorten lead times for our galleries and wholesale clients. It is my dream to have a studio exploding with work, gain the flexibility I need to make more new work and of course, have more family time. So far it has been great. Its a little frustrating training someone, but Mike is there, as always, to help lighten the load a little. ( I cannot put into words how amazing he is, as a business partner, father and husband. I seriously hit the man jackpot. I call him a unicorn!) She is able to do a little more independently than he can on the studio side, so now I have even more hands doing the work that doesn't necessarily require my own. There is a learning curve for me, scheduling my days in such a way that really takes advantage of every second, figuring out everything that I can delegate without compromise, and really grasping the concept of time management, but so far, its going well, if a lot slower than before baby. I think it will only get better as we go on.
    On a side note, we really don't spend all day snuggling the baby on the couch, but the pictures sure make it look that way!  We have posted some babywearing shots on the facebook page if you don;t believe me!

 
    

Maternity Leave

 Here sits what was once my Maternity Hoard. It took me from June to January to acrue this much inventory. The last 2 weeks or so of my pregnancy, as I was slowing down more and more each day, the Hoard began its descent.
     I started to feel like those crazy coupon ladies on "Extreme Couponing", you know, the ones with the basement full of non perishables.... I would sit at my work table and panic as the neat rows started to diminish. The fullness of the shelves made me feel safe, made me feel like I could have my baby, but once the slowness hit me, well, let's just say at 6 days postpartum, I am feeling pressure to go back to work.
    

 I thought I had it under control. haha. Joke was on me. A client in Chicago decided to do a wall installation with 40 of those little tiles. Yep.
    And then Etsy freakishly picked up, literally the second that I went into labor. We were up with early labor at 5:00 a.m. updating Etsy announcements and emailing clients. YEP. That happened.

And then the wholesale orders started coming in.
   
    And now, my husband is reporting that my hoard is dwindling to a drastically low level in some categories and is beginning to panic.

       

 Things don't go as expected, and though the get up and go part of me is ready to start getting back to life and work as we know it, I ended up with a difficult labor and  C Section. I will most likely have to take it easy for longer than I was planning, dwindling hoard or not. My clients will most likely have to wait for those tiles to arrive a little longer than expected, and I will have to hire some help for when I get back because I am now recovering from major surgery as well as adjusting to life with a new baby.
    Pregnancy and Childbirth have brought with them new priorities and perspectives. I can slow down and still be myself. Life can happen in unexpected ways and will still go on.

Caleb is now the first priority here, and since I am responsible for his well being in every single way, I am pretty darn important too. The work will get done, just not as quickly, and that is finally okay with me because I have found the most amazing fulfilling love and duty in this little boy. The sense of panic is gone.  I HAVE to move slowly, take more care, be more present, and be accountable for my business and figuring out the balance is no longer an impossible request, it is a requirement.

Slowing Down

 
 *This was written in Early January, before the arrival of baby*

  Something crazy has happened since I have returned to work after the holidays. I am only working 8 hour days.

enjoying a warm day in November with Mike & the Dogs

     
   Shocking, I know! I made a promise, to myself, my husband and my baby that once the Holidays were over I would slow down.  I came home at 5:00 today, walked the dogs, read up on baby led weaning, made a few meals for the fridge and am now sitting on the couch writing this. It feels nice to have a life. I remember a time, college, I think, when I would make time every day to do some yoga, walk the dog, make dinner, I even had a garden.
     Since I found out about  the baby it has been non stop, I have stock piled and survived the holiday rush, and now....... I am gearing up for a more important job: giving birth to my son.
     I am also vowing not to let my clients psyche me out. We sent out multiple letters to all of my stores & galleries letting them know about my upcoming Maternity leave, approximate timing and what would be on a wait list. And shocker! The demands for quick turn around time began about a week later. I am  not letting them get to me. They are pissing me off, for sure, because I hate one thing over anything else : having to repeat myself.
And boy, am I having to do that lately. Its extremely unpleasant for me to type emails like this:
   "Dear blah - blah,
          Thanks so much for placing another order. As I stated in my letter a few weeks ago, this item is made to order and lead times are going to be longer than normal as I am expecting a baby any day now.
    We will keep you informed about your order as we have more information to share.
Thanks........"

Mall walking the night before I went into labor

    It so painful, and annoying, and honestly, anger inducing for me. I am doing everything I can, but I am not, at 9 months pregnant, going to kill myself because these people have no respect for the fact that I am bringing a life into the world and can't read an email - multiple emails. It would be one thing if there had been now warning, or if these were not people that I do business with on a regular basis.... but it isn't anything other than people not listening to what I am telling them.
     I am, at least for the next 2 months or so, going to live like a human being, give birth to my son and stay home to recuperate. Not kill myself because somebody wants a tile on their wall before their next cocktail party. Hopefully, my new respect for myself and my private life will not kill my business.

Baby Caleb Arrived on 1/25/13

 

Full Circle Moment

Today was one of those magical days. Everything just kind of aligned in the most amazing ways and has left my mind just spinning!
    Being 39 weeks pregnant, I am not getting the best rest or working the longest days, but am trying to moderate my daily activity, take care of myself and my company, sneak in some creativity and most importantly, I am trying not to sit around waiting to go into labor! This morning, we rolled into work and once I got my photo shoot out of the way, I felt exhausted and was really contemplating going home to rest. (This close to D-Day, I am allowed!) Once the sign guy - David Earl - arrived to install my fancy new sign, the day became abuzz with excitement.

     When installation was complete I pulled out my first sign, hand painted by yours truly, on scrap wood from improvement projects I did on that first space, and I teared up! Six years ago I was struggling to recover from the most devastating time in my life and just kind of existing. I went to Costa Rica and made it my intention to come home and change my life and not 2 months later, my Mom and I peaked into the windows at 33 Carolina Lane, and I saw my future.  Working on that space brought me back to life, it gave me something to look forward to each day, and though it took me a long time to fully heal, that first space, tucked away on that dirty little alley, was my saving grace.
      After David Earl left, we went on our daily walk to the cafe for a latte and when we returned - the phone rings and its the manager of Joan Cusack's store in Chicago, Judy Maxwell Home. I kind of did a double take and hit google as soon as we hung up. I was like, "WHAT?!!!" Pretty awesome, especially having this amazing moment with the sign, I was feeling all official and then - WHAM- a brush with fame! Joan freaking Cusack knows who I am.
     So I settle back down and go back to making stuff - and a few hours later another amazing thing happens - I get an email from the manager at Blue by Eric Ripert Grand Cayman letting me know they received their order and he had shown my bowls to Chef Ripert himself - who loved them and may order more for NY!!!!! and I am just on the moon. (We just sent them a huge shipment of little bowls for caviar service) The possibility of my work being in such a world class establishment is just mind blowing.
     I mean really, can today get any better? It was action packed and reminded me not only how far I have come, but how far I can still go. Here I am, six years later, giving birth to my next major creation, and living this magical life that I really could never imagined when this all first began.   Full Circle Moment.

Tough Day at the Office

Today was what I would call a "tough day at the office"
            I received an email from someone who visited the studio over the weekend attacking my character and saying that I was unfriendly. According to her, her husband is an artist that does craft shows and goes out of his way to make visitors feel welcome, and I apparently didn't laugh at her joke the way she wanted me to... Basically 4 paragraphs telling me how I am an ungracious person that has no sense of humor.
    I responded, defending myself, and I cried, and I am still crying.

During the most recent studio stroll, I made work to demonstrate my techniques to visitors

This has happened one other time, add that to a personal relationship that failed recently and made me feel hurt and powerless in much the same way, and this email, I honestly just feel like falling into a heap on the floor.
     No matter what I say or do, I will not be able to convince this person that I did in fact find them funny, that maybe they just don't "get" me, that I am an exhausted pregnant lady trying desperately to keep up with holiday business and stock up for maternity leave, that having hundreds of people descend upon your studio for 2 days is draining and exhausting by itself,(It was studio stroll weekend) that I am busting my rear every second of the day to support the financial well being of my family and my business, that 90% of my business is not retail traffic in my studio, that I am crushed at the thought of someone throwing a blanket judgement on me without ever having had a conversation and that they felt like they had the right to comment on what they assume are my character flaws and personal thoughts.

Shipping an emergency order to a designer - 28 tiles

     There was this underhanded tone to the whole thing, comments about how much bigger my studio is now, and all of the press I have received, how successful I must be.  Regardless of the opinion she has formed in her head about my identity and attitude, it felt like a very personal attack.

Did you know that this time of year, I may load up to 6 kilns a week?

     This all has me thinking about people's expectations when they visit an artist's studio and what happens when the paradigm of the starving artist is absent. It seems to me, after this day full of tears, that both incidents have had more to do with the person's expectations than me, my personality or behavior. I do my best to smile and greet everyone that comes through my door, I look up and engage if they are browsing close by, I offer help and answers,suggestions and thoughts when it seems invited.  I don't stop working, however, and I don't fall all over myself trying to talk up  a big game. I am busy, making work, running my business and supporting my family, which is at the very least a 60 hour work week for me and a 40 hour week for my husband, and I am terrible at "faking it." If I stopped what I was doing every time a person walked in my door to make conversation, I would be out of business.

     Does being a little quiet and doing my work make me unfriendly?
    What are people expecting of me when they enter my work space? What should I be doing differently, if anything?