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STUDIO JOURNAL
No. 1
 
 BIZ CHALLENGES  |  NEW COURSE  |  POSTCARD: TASMANIA  |  NEW MOCKUP 
Hello First name / friend,
 
How are things in your part of the world? I'd love to know how you are and what you've been up to in the first half of this year :)
 
It's beyond time to make good on one of my 2022 goals — that is, to keep in touch with you a little more regularly than my current haphazard schedule of ‘hardly ever’.
 
So, I've had this idea to send you ‘Journal’ entries from my studio… but I don't just want to share the things that are good — I also want to share with you the things that are challenging me.

BUSINESS CHALLENGES
Outsourcing
I've had many wonderful things happen in the first half of 2022 that I never even knew were on the horizon — and I'll share about those next time… but I'm also facing some challenges because I'm at the point where I could really use another set of hands.
 
Creative entrepreneurship is tricky at times. I no longer have someone telling me what to do… and no one to blame but myself for a ‘bad’ decision. Eep! But I don't want to be driven by fear of being ‘wrong’… because I know how much I've learnt from each difficulty I've faced along this journey.
 
One of the challenges I'm currently faced with is outsourcing. I've never done it before! But I know I need to do it because there are so many things I need/want to do… but I am just one person. A few clones would be handy!
 
And then I wonder… how much work do I need to do to be able to outsource? Because I know that my filing systems are NOT a strong point for me. My folders within folders within folders on my computer truly give Daniel heart palpitations for all the wrong reasons.
 
I know that there are things that other people could do for me so that I can focus more on creating for my clients… and for you!
 
This is definitely one of those times where I wish someone else would organise it all for me. But, I'm the boss… so I have to do it. 
 
Moving forward, I'll be making connections, having conversations… and investing time in finding the help I need. If you've got any tips on outsourcing… I'd be keen to hear them!

A NEW COURSE
Speaking of challenges… our ‘caravan travels’ continue to be put on hold… but a positive of our perpetually delayed travel plans is that I am determined to use this time over winter to create a new course that I've been pondering for long enough!
 
I started writing last week and — I must say — I really do LOVE this early ‘information gathering’ part of the process.
 
And I can assure you… I am desperate to tell you allllll about it, but I must keep it a secret for now. All shall be revealed in a couple of months!

POSTCARD: TASMANIA
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Aerial image: © Daniel Lancaster 2022
Earlier in the year we took a trip down south across the Strait to Tasmania (lutruwita) for a couple of weeks (without the van… it was in a workshop!)
 
The main reason we will be travelling (now, after winter) is less about my surface design work and more about Daniel's photography. And this is why I love surface design — I can still do my work on the road and it goes without saying that travel brings LOADS of design inspiration.
 
On these trips, I'll be serving as Dan's photography assistant but I also get to have a lot of input into shots since I have a different ‘eye’ for composition. (He loves landscapes and I love abstract/macro shots.)
Shooting a kitchen for a mockup (L) // Macro content to become photography prints (R)
Tassie has beautiful national parks but this trip was mostly spent beachside. The beaches served as a great source of inspiration with loads of sea shells, sea creatures (blue bottle jellyfish, starfish, purple sea urchins, and little crabs), plus lots of colours and textures. I was even inspired when I turned my kids into little sand mer-men on the beach! So many ideas were swirling around in my head.
 
Here's a few highlights and lowlights of our trip to Tasmania…
Highlights
  • Peron Dunes (huge sand dunes, so peaceful)
  • Bay of Fires (gorgeous colours)
  • Freycinet National Park (stunning cliffs and beach)
  • Staying in the Airbnb of a fine artist and a graphic designer
  • Lobster rolls & rock pools in Bicheno
Purple sea urchin (L) // Washed up blue bottle jellyfish (C) // Mermaid bra (scallop) shell (R)
Lowlights
 
  • The horrendous 9 hour boat ride both ways across the Strait with two kids that weren't nauseous in the slightest (unlike us).
     
  • Managing unruly kids while trying to create content.
     
  • Finn developing school sores, Sonny getting bitten by something and having to visit the Emergency department.
     
  • Moving frequently between accommodation (unpacking clothes, packing the car, storing food).

NEW: WALL MOCKUP
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Lastly, I've created a new wall mockup for The MockupLab. It's a really nice and neutral — very realistic looking — kitchen wall mockup to suit both your light and dark coloured designs. You can even change the colour of the pot on the right.
 
And you get a special discount!
 
Save 15% with the code KITCHEN15 for the next week, until July 19, 11:59pm Australian Eastern Standard Time
 
I hope you've enjoyed this first instalment of my Journal, First name / friend.
 
Have a wonderful week!

Erin K. x

 
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