I woke up like this

Cool School

Hello all I am back from all my crazy meetings in NYC and ready to share some dish and creations. As you see here I have these fun new characters "Cool School"! I am bringing these guys and many more to the Licensing Show June 8th, if you are there stop by my booth.. #4479 and say hello!

I woke up this morning feeling excited about all the new projects I am about to work on, but then I took a look at my calendar( something I avoid often) and nearly freaked!! Why you ask? Well the Licensing show is almost 2 weeks away and I haven't finished all my style guides and promo materials as well as the walls for the booth!! I work well under pressure but this time I think my pressure is going to get severely tested!

In the meantime I have all kinds of crazy things happening.. I recently heard from a potential client that they want three groups of mine for ornaments and tabletop items. I am very excited about working with this company and will reveal all when the time comes..This all happened before I went to NY so even before I stepped into the Surtex/ Stationery show I had a great new client.

At the Javits I met with other potential clients I have been back and forth with in emails and such and those meetings went so well that I might have some serious lines in the next year or two. Actually one client I have wanted for so long I cannot tell you and I have a huge project to finish for them before I go to Vegas, and this is a test to see if not only I can do it in 2 weeks but to see if its something they want to use! How could I say no since its only one of the biggest gift companies in the world? I can't, so therein  lies the pressure I have.

It wasn't all work in NYC, I did manage to see a few friends and have an amazing dinner with my fabric client Clothworks and with fellow Clothworks designers, Sharyn Sowell, Sue Zipkin, and Chris Chun who had just flown in from Australia minutes before our dinner!! If you have never been to Scarpetta in the meatpacking dist. in NYC you need to go! I am still dreaming of the duck foie gras ravioli !

I don't think I have ever felt so tired as I did after three days of meetings. I usually have no problem with dragging myself all over the city, but this time I think the lack of sleep really caught up with me, and I can't even believe I didn't do any shopping. There just wasn't any time except on the Tues , but it was raining all day and no way was I going downtown when its pouring out.

So now the pressure is on and I am ready to conquer it all. I am sure this will be my last post until after the show, I can't imagine I would have anytime to do anything before it. So until then please enjoy this beautiful weather for me, have a cocktail or two for me as well, and I will return with lots of news and gossip to share, or maybe not because "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!" haa

Ellen

 

Shakeology - the truth about how it can change your life!

Since I have become a beachbody Coach... I want to tell you about this amazing shake that you can make that can transform your life! I have recently myself have plateaued so I am going to be doing the 3 day Shakeology cleanse to rev up my metabolism to help get off those last lbs I need. Plus the bonus of using this everyday is that your body will become like a well oiled machine.. more healthy than ever! You should try it for a month just to see for yourself!!

Have a great weekend all and a great Mother's Day!!

Bird Talk and Pumpkin Patch!

Yes folks its finally here!! Bird Talk!I have waited so long to get this it seems even though I really didn't but as you know from my website and biz cards and recent illustrations I am obsessed with birds! I will have my booth in the Licensing Expo filled with them.  

My head is swimming with the fun things I will be making with this fabric for that show in June.. Yikes did I just say June? I am so overwhelmed with work and meetings before that show that I think by the end of it I am going to have to take a week off just to recover.You can get my Bird Talk at many sites now including Fat Quarter Shop, and Fabricworm.

I also wanted to let you know that over at the Clothworks blog they are having a contest using my Woodland Friends II collection, you could get a chance to be in a magazine and win some nice cash too! Please go over and check it out. I am excited to get the fabric with the owls.. I have many plans for that one too. I can see a really cute kitchen collection with them as well as some fun goodies for my boys.

I recently received strike-offs for my other collection coming out.. Beetle Boy that I think you are going to scream when you see it!! I will be making a ton of things with this one.. I think its the most fun collection I have created to date. If you have a little boy you are going to want to have this one for sure!! I am not sure when this one will come out, possible late fall or winter but its worth the wait. Right now I am working on my 6th collection!! Wow I cannot believe I am on my 6th collection already, thats just crazy, anyway I am hoping to finish that up right before my show in Vegas. You see why I am feeling crazed, I am in over my head with work. If things continue this way I am really going to have to get an intern in here.

Well onto to some other fun products that came in a week ago as well....

Pumpkin Patch for Boston Warehouse.

This is a redo from a collection that I did for them back in 2005 which was one of their biggest sellers they decided to bring it back with a twist. This time there are salt and pepper shakers and fun bowls and a chip and dip plate. The old collection had drink stirrers and platters and candles which I still have in my office and attic for prosperity. I pull out the plates every year when I show them on my Halloween mantle.. remember this picture from one of my old blog entries?

This display I do every year for Halloween and at night the orange lights behind it give it a great glow. I make the picket fence out of black foam core, its very easy to do and the the branches are just spray painted black and put in containers full of sand. I add in some real pumpkins and thats it.. so much fun!

So there you have it folks.. this little bee has been very busy. I am going to be going to NYC next week for meetings with my stationery clients at the Stationery Show and seeing old friends at Surtex as well. I have a few other key meetings as well I am preparing for and hopefully I will come back from NYC with lots of good news to share. I never have a problem going to NY infact I am hoping to move my family back to the area in a year or two. That is our window to go back otherwise we will ride it out until the boys go to college and go back then. I am not sure how the boys will take it if we move but judging how easily they make friends I think it shouldn't be a problem. I have been back home for over ten years now and I finally convinced my husband to move back ( he loves it here) and I am working extra hard to make it happen. 

Okay I must get back to work.. I don't want to disappoint all my clients this week and next week.. I hope you all have a great day!

Ellen