Wow, here we are at the start of another year! It doesn't seem that long ago that I was thinking of all the things I wanted to achieve for 2012 and now here I am taking stock of the last year and thinking there are a lot of things to be thankful for - especially in terms of new opportunities to illustrate, design and sell my Mellybee wares.
This time last year I set myself the challenge of raising my profile, having a portfolio I could send out and having a website that I was actually happy to show rather than one that I muttered under my breath. Surprisingly I managed to accomplish the latter 2 in less than 3 months so instead of twiddling my thumbs I spent the remainder of the year taking all the opportunities that came along - like building my online shop and selling at Renegade Craft Fair in London and from there it snowballed.
Here are just some of the highlights in pictures- for lengthy details see underneath - it not only serves as a reminder of what has happened (I have a knack of forgetting such info) but also gives me the encouragement to keep going as you never know what will happen if you keep an open mind and give it your best shot!
So to all my lovely readers here's to a healthy, exciting, productive 2013!
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This time last year I set myself the challenge of raising my profile, having a portfolio I could send out and having a website that I was actually happy to show rather than one that I muttered under my breath. Surprisingly I managed to accomplish the latter 2 in less than 3 months so instead of twiddling my thumbs I spent the remainder of the year taking all the opportunities that came along - like building my online shop and selling at Renegade Craft Fair in London and from there it snowballed.
Here are just some of the highlights in pictures- for lengthy details see underneath - it not only serves as a reminder of what has happened (I have a knack of forgetting such info) but also gives me the encouragement to keep going as you never know what will happen if you keep an open mind and give it your best shot!
So to all my lovely readers here's to a healthy, exciting, productive 2013!
From L to R:
- January: Portfolio sent out to studios, designers, people who I thought would be interesting to get to know.
- February : Website made using Wordpress - minimal design, minimal fuss - let the work speak for itself. Work also started on webshop using mySupadupa ecomerce template. Work also started on creating a nautical range for Mellybee and the jubilee.
- March: Accepted design brief for surfing company inkydeep- a totebag design! Joined fledgling online shop Two Red Trees, also based in Cornwall. Gain a new stockist: The Studio Shop in Orkney
- April: Hamster character work created for client through Southwest Broadband- my helpful website host provider. Design created for local shop Tyto - screenprinted in runs of 50 onto totebags.
- May: Poster work created for an events company based in Essex- Sunset sessions.
- June: Jubilee Fever- my special Diamond Jubilee Corgi teatowels get featured in Archant's Jubilee Bookazine and sales in my webshop increase dramatically for Jubilee products- in particular from Japan! Gain new stockists: Maid in Cornwall & Sarah's Shop
- July: Approached by Oxford based lingerie shop to draw a glossary of lingerie items for their website www.puremarie.co.uk. In total draw 23 bras, pants and vests. Gain new stockist: Seawitch Stores, Mousehole.
- August: Find out that I've been accepted to sell at Renegade Craft Fair along with my booth mate Hello Dodo- very happy but also means I have a lot of screen printing to do! Design Mousehole illustration to be printed on a variety of products for Seawitch stores.
- September: Receive an order to make 50 bespoke wedding portrait teatowels through online stockist: Fromthewilde - this puts me to the test. Make my way to my first craft fair in London via train- 8 hour journey with the largest red suitcase and backpack- meet lots of awesomely brilliant crafty people including team Folksy and the Renegade team from the states.
- October: Lingerie drawings created for Wed magazine's editorial feature on wedding lingerie. Find out that I've won the Superportfolio competition set up by Wiiv-win £300 and get more exposure for my work- website promotes makers through image led features. Design & draw Tyto Boutique's Autumn/Winter shop windows.
- November: Find out my products are being featuring in magazines - Cornwall life, MyCornwall and Cornwall Today. Accepted into Blogandbuysale's curated christmas Wishlist - Love, Joy, Peace Badgesets are shortlisted in both Mollie Makes and Confessions of a Design Geek picks!
- December: Increase in sales in all online shops particularly Folksy. Most popular seller- Gingerbread badgesets! Interviewed for Mollie makes newest online magazine Gathered. Gain new stockist: Blueswift Gallery, Ramsgate.
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