Posts
(sneak peek at upcoming product. we've got new wall canvases, magnets, girlie ornaments, notebooks, art on easels, and more!)
my head is spinning. and i mean that. i have so much to say and to write. please bear with me - or grab a cup of tea as i spill and ramble about my last three days in kansas. it was a life changer, or opener rather.
(loving all the new stuff arriving in january!)
i was supposed to go straight from kansas to texas for a fun few days with friends but i ended up changing plans and came straight home. as sad as i am to be missing out on girlie adventures in texas, my heart needed to get home, rest, and see john who i haven't seen in two weeks due to our combined travel. he anchors me in every sense of the word, and i desperately needed it after my whirlwind experience in kansas where i was challenged to open my eyes wider to all the possibilities for my art and life.
(these girlie cutouts are also ornaments - but they come with stands, too. pretty cool, eh?)
back to kansas. it was awesome. i knew demdaco was a good company, that it held its employees with gratitude, that people loved working for them, but it was so nice to go to their headquarters and see it all for myself. everywhere i turned there was evidence of the culture of this company: kindness extended, warm hugs between co-workers, encouragement given to chase your dreams, gratitude for commitment, celebration of goals, recognition of hard work, and on and on. i was blown away by how well they all treated one another, by how much everyone loves + respects the leaders of the company, the mission of the company, and how they all work together as a team. and i was also deeply inspired by my conversations with the account executives, the co-owner of the company (hello dave!), the creative directors, the product developers, and all the many talented people who work for demdaco. i know, i know. i'm gushing, right? there's more...
(i love this dream big ornament. i also LOVE the ribbon with affirmations on it)
they know how to have fun, too. there were dance parties, open bars, bands, and big celebrations as the upcoming product lines were unveiled (think smoke machines, live music, giant curtains dropping to reveal brand new product lines). it was so much fun as i watched it all unfold. at one point, i looked over at leigh (aka curly girl who also has product lines with demdaco) and said something like "have you ever seen anything like this?" we both marveled. the energy and the joy was electric.
(magnets!!)
and then the new product was shown and i looovveed how they displayed it - the designers captured my style and aesthetic perfectly. there was even a girlie bodice used as a display with a skirt/tutu made from garland. i'm so excited about all the new product + formats. all of it will be available for sale in stores nationwide and in my online shop in january (so soon). these photos aren't the best, but you'll get a good sneak peek of what's coming. i'm so excited, i can barely take it. huge thanks to anne + ingrid for all the awesome product designs and ideas!
(we have several small pieces of canvas art with easels - love this idea. the one on the right is actually a magnet on a small easel)
thank you to everyone who was there, who came up to introduce themselves, who encouraged me, who held my tears, who danced with me, who celebrated with me, who asked how i was doing, who told me stories. i felt seen. thank you. i have a tendency to have delayed reactions to big events in my life and somehow this trip to kansas triggered an awakening for me - to what this partnership with demdaco has meant to me, and how i'd like to move forward in my creative biz life. my eyes are wide open.
i have to say. it was sort of like a corporate lovebomb. i came home more overwhelmed (in a good way) and inspired on the creative business front than i've been, maybe ever. there is this feeling of remember this, hold it close, it might not last while at the same time wow, there is so much to do. i am so inspired. this is just the beginning for my creative biz growth. i was able to spend a bit of time with dave, the co-owner/heart of demdaco, and i was really moved by all that i learned in that conversation: be smart, broaden your shoulders, walk with gratitude, and go. for. it.
i have so much to learn. and these last 3 days were a huge eye opener for me. i felt like a sponge with the amount of information + inspiration i received. more than ever, i feel ready to spread my business wings, my creative wings. again, i'm spinning over here in ideas and dreams and big big stuff. life is crazy.
while i was there, one of the account executives asked me what "unbroken wings, discovered" meant - it's a sentiment on one the wall canvases. i'm not sure how i answered but i've been thinking about it all week. to me, it means discovering our own strength, trusting our wings, and believing in the idea that we are all indeed whole even with our fragility and broken pieces. unbroken wings, discovered. that's exactly how i feel this week. thank you, demdaco. thank you, possibility. i'm learning so much....
