Banner Style.

Today I bring tidings of style and providence!

I am happy to report that I found a wonderful alternative to the ever-complicated photo shop and my beloved microsoft editor.  Acorn.  I have to say it has blown me away so far with what I can do with it, and it is really a common-sense program, meaning it is really simple to learn how to use.

After days and hours of agonizing over what I wanted my Etsy shop banner to look like, there was this total lightbulb moment. Eureka!  And I can honestly say I am proud of the outcome.  I took the picture of the books myself.  The little pearl starburst gem is a trinket that belong to a wonderful friend who is now in Heaven.  I love the way it worked out, that I wound up with the darling little pearl earring, and that it belonged to someone so special!  For me it makes the image very sentimental. And I want that to reflect on my business decisions.

I am very excited with the way things are going so far.  I feel like progress is finally being made, and rightly so after such a long time of putting these dreams to the side.  I feel blessed to know that God is still opening up doors for me, and that if I just cool my jets and breathe, He will show me which step to take next.  He showed me which picture to use for my sick banner!  He is so awesome.

The banner for this blog is inspired by the banner on my Etsy shop.  Check it out! I hope you like.

Thanks so much for reading.

Caryn

Photoshop

I have decided after all to take the plunge and try and learn Adobe Photoshop.  I know it is supposed to be one of the best programs out there, but I always figured that if you knew a program really well (no matter what the company was), you could make great art with it.
I know Microsoft Image Suite really well.  I got to the point where I was so comfortable with it and figured out how to make some beautiful work.  That was because I grew up on Windows and Dells, and I never had my own mac until this year.  Thanks to my husband, i received a macbook as a birthday present :)  YAY!

While both of these things sound like good news, they in fact contradict each others' functionality.  I figured out that there is a way to run windows on a mac so that you can run microsoft programs, but you have to purchase windows, the editing software, and an additional software that acts as a mediator to the mac for the Microsoft programs.  Sheesh.  Can't we all just get along?

Anyways. I was always so hesitant about learning photoshop because, well, it is really complex!  I mean it has so much to learn about it, and I already know the Microsoft program.  I have been fighting this outcome for a while, but now I see it is inevitable.  Somehow, some way, I will figure it out.  It just means I have to start from square 1 again.

Since I last wrote, we have moved into our new place, and have a kitty who thinks she's a human, and a puppy who snores like a man.  Lucy the cat and Desi the dog (in reference to one of the best shows of all time).  Our home has three bedrooms, and two bathrooms, a galley kitchen, a breakfast nook,  a formal dining room,  a spacious living room, and an extra room we have been using for storage.  It sits in a cute little suburban neighborhood and everyone here is really nice.

My husband has graciously given me an entire extra bedroom that I am converting into our home office/craft room.  We took a trip to IKEA a couple of weeks ago and splurged on some home office materials, and other things for updating the look of the house.

I am really excited about having a workspace.  It was always a bummer to work on jewelry on our little tiny kitchen table in the dining/living room in our little 500 square foot apartment.  It has been wonderful for us both to have more personal space.  My husband is so patient with me.

So that is the update for now!  I am so excited to keep up the momentum on this business.


God Bless,

Caryn