It's almost November, which means its almost my birthday! Normally I don't make that big of a deal about it, but this is the first time in a VERY long time that I'm actually throwing a party at my shop! It's my big "Quarter Century Birthday Bash" .We're going to have a live band and I'm whipping up some yummy apple pie moonshine punch and a "Dip Bar". It's going to be a blast!

Anywhoo, all party excitement aside, I usually do the list of things to do before my NEXT birthday. Somehow I forgot to upload last years, but I did make one in my notebook! I accomplished quite a bit this past year! Like, really! It's crazy! I never would've thought that I would be where I am today, with a vintage store, a design job and life that I love. I still have a lot to work on personally and physically but I'm very proud of where I've come in just a year.

Well here is this year's list. I'm going bigger and better and going to really push myself to follow more dreams and do more things that make me happy. Because, if we're not happy and living a life we love, what's the point of all this hard work?

1.) Make Over An Old Travel Trailer
               &
2.) Start A Photo Booth side business
               & also use it to:
3.) Sell At A Vintage Market!
4.) Draw + Paint More
5.) Go to Colorado
6.)  Pay Off My Car
7.) Upgrade my camera
8.)  Lose 40 lbs!
9.)  Attend at least 2 conferences/blogger meet ups
10.) Finish up school! I took off this semester but I'm nearly done! Woo!
11.) Start a society 6 page + prints, invitations, stationary CHECK IT OUT HERE!
12.) Take Conrad to the beach
13.) Host An Art show
14.) Create an awesome work space/studio
15.) Get handy with power tools & building something!
16.) Go on a thrifting road trip adventure somewhere
17.) Try to cook healthier and more organic/local
18.) Start a savings account!
19.) Sew More
20.) Visit the West Coast
21.) Make More Movies/Videos
22.) Start playing piano again
23.) Go camping!
24.) Be More Confident & Secure with myself
25.) Relax! Breathe and enjoy things more!



Do you do any kind of annual goal list or special birthday tradition? Share!  I'd love to hear what you do!

I took the weekend off so I'm bit behind on the Feel Good Blogging challenge. So sue me. haha.
 
I've been compiling a list of helpful & life changing resources for creative business owners and bloggers for quite some time now, with the intention of sharing with you all. Today's challenge was the perfect opportunity to put it out there.  I've known for quite some time now that my ultimate goal has been to "quit my day job" and start my own business. I've done tons of reading and researching the how's, the whats and the why's of it all. It's scary and exhilarating taking the plunge so I'm happy to share some of the incredible blogs, apps, books and people that have pep talked, inspired and taught me along the way.

Apps - These are random apps that have come in handy so often! Whether your keeping up with hours, making lists or blogging, these apps have really enhanced my work flow and creativity!

Any.do - I love making lists, and so far this is my favorite. I like that it syncs with you account online so that you can access it from your computer or phone.
What The Font -  Imagine seeing a cool sign or lettering on a book. This app let's you take a picture of the fonts and helps you identify them!
Scanner Pro - How many times have you needed something scanned but didn't have access to a scanner?
Fax Burner - Need to fax said scanned documnet? lol Another handy office function. If you are a freelancer or you work from home, a fax machine may not be in your budget.  This comes in handy!

Blogs - These are blogs and people that I follow on a weekly basis for business, marketing and design inspiration, advice and tutorials.

Alex Beadon (of course!)
Braid Creative
Marie Forreleo
 Love Grows Design

 
Books - If you are business owner, blogger or freelancer, all of these books are incredible. From advice about financial issues to creative exercises and inspiration these books are absolutely a must!

1. Creative Inc
2. How To Blog For Profit Without Selling Your Soul
3. My So Called Freelance Life
4. Grow Your Handmade Business
5. The Handmade Marketplace
6. The Anti 9 To 5 Guide 

Do you have any blogs, books or resources that you'd recommend? I'm always on the look out for new and inspiring things!

As part of the Feel Good Blogging challenge, I'm sharing 10 things about me that you don't know. I didn't skip challenge 3, don't worry. I'll be posting it tomorrow.  I don't share a ton of personal things on the blog so I'm both relieved and nervous to finally be doing so!

•  I've never had a manicure or pedicure. I know right??
•  I talk to my cat when I'm alone at home and he loves it.
• As much as I love to travel and the idea of traveling, I've only been to 3 states outside of Texas: Arkansas, Oklahoma & Louisiana.
• My guilty pleasures in TV are the cheesy romantic dramas like The Vampire Diaries and Reign.
•  I procrastinate in nearly ever aspect of my life until the very last minute and then rush to get things done.
•  I eat beans and/or rice with nearly every meal because I can't stop myself.
• In high school I was on the volleyball team and could serve like a mad woman. Really! I was good!
• I'm really bad about being consistent with things like bed times, chores, and dinner times. We have no structure or schedule to our lives. ><
•  One of the happiest times of my life so far was being in theater in high school.
•  90% of the time my car is full of junk, clothes and things that will be re-purposed or sold in my shop. 

What are some things that others may not know about you? Join in on the challenge with me! I'd love to follow your journey!  Happy Friday everyone!

As I mentioned yesterday I'm taking part in the Feel Good Blogging Challenge! The first post in the challenge was about making introductions about yourself and your blog. You can still join in! It's never too late to be a part of something that helps you and your blog grow! Today's post is about sharing my story of what I do and why I do it.


Flash back to elementary school, and you will find an Nsync obsessed 9 year old. This was the dial up era and "You've got mail!" was a household thing. I discovered the world of web design and blogging. I was constantly checking out Nsync fan sites and blogs. Does anyone else remember using Expages, Angelfire or Homestead? lol

Fast forward a year or so. I had created several fan sites dedicated to different bands, online pets and actors. I guess in the 90's it was a pretty impressive thing for a 10 year old to be doing what I was doing, but it was just something that made me happy and excited. Being an obsessed "teeny bopper" was not my proudest moment to confess, but it did get my interest stirred in the design world. A relative of mine handed me off my first copy of a popular design software and I was in heaven learning to manipulate photos, learn flash and html and create pretty things.

The rest is kind of a long story that entails different experiences in learning different programs, numerous Xanga and Livejournal accounts, making LOTS OF MISTAKES creatively and professionally, and random freelance jobs in high school. I've never once wanted to do anything else with my life. I've known since I was in elementary that I was going to be a designer. My family always encouraged me and pushed me to follow my dreams. I'll never forget the day they bought me my first Macbook. It still makes me happy.

I guess I've always been drawn to technology and design. Now today I'm proud to say that I've worked with many clients creating web sites and brands. Taking a business with no web presence or brand to something fantastic and seeing the response and results from their customers is incredible. One of my big clients from last year had a very basic web site. Since we've completely revamped it and help create their brand their business has thrived and their sales are through the roof.  I love helping businesses "be all that they can be" and stand out amongst their competitors.


Each time a start up company comes to me with their ideas, I'm immediately reminded of the excitement I felt when I first started my own business. It's thrilling to be a part of someone's beginning and hopefully success. In a sense I am responsible for creating their image. It's a beautiful thing. You make such bonds and build relationships with wonderful people. You also learn a lot about products and businesses you would've otherwise never knew existed. (I.E. assault rifles, cattle, dermatology, roller derby and the list goes on lol)

Where I am at now, is somewhat of my ultimate dream come true, to own my own brick and mortar business. The fact that I can combine my love for design and vintage clothing into one location is incredible to me. Though they are two separate businesses technically,I like to think that Gypsy Beard Studio is a bit like Andy Warhol's factory, minus the drugs and shenanigans lol...) I get to use my love for blogging and photography on a daily basis as well to help promote my business and work. It couldn't get much better honestly.

I still have a very long ways to go. By no means do I have any of my crap together. Running a business is very new to me. I'm not making ridiculous amounts of money and there's no way I could support myself 100% yet. Since my store has only been open 2 months, there is very little profit involved with overhead costs and I don't expect there to be just yet. It's a constant battle of trying to build my customer base, advertise and bring in more products. But I'm heading in the right direction and I love what I am doing with all of my heart. Can one really complain about that? I think not.

Now if I could just figure out this work/life balance...... lol

What is your story? What is your passion for? I'd love to hear! Leave a comment!

 

I've done a lot of soul searching lately about who I am as a blogger and what I'm putting out into the world. Being genuine and writing great content are the most important things about blogging and I feel like I've been lacking in that, and maybe I've never really known how to put myself out there correctly. Either way, I decided to take part in Alex Beadon's Feel Good Blogging Challenge. The goal is to find your blogging self and writing great content.It just started so there's plenty of time to jump on board if you are interested in pushing yourself as a blogger and meeting fantastic people!





1. Who are you?

I'm Kat! Hi! I'm an almost 25 year old east Texas gal.  I have one awesome son named Conrad and a pretty swell boyfriend. I am a graphic & web designer and I recently opened a vintage boutique and design studio called Gypsy Beard Studio. I'm a bit of a cat lady but I also love my boston terrier Lola. When I'm not consumed with work and Netflix, I love to travel as much as possible and rummage around flea markets and antique stores.


2. Why did you start blogging?

I began blogging are a creative outlet. I've always loved inspiring blogs and wanted a place to call my own and share pretty things. I've never been much of a DIYer or fashionista but I've always appreciated pretty pictures, art, designs, fashion, colors, textures and of course cute animals. I've also never had many friends as I'm not the most social person. There were also never that many people around my age that shared my interests.  So blogging has allowed me to get out of my shell and meet like minded people, without actually dealing with the anxiety of small talk and impressions.

3. Who is your blog for?

I made it a point a long time to blog for myself, before anyone else. Originally, my blog was an inspiration board and day to day memory book of personal photos. Of course now I love to share things that I'm passionate about with others who share my tastes as well as showing my design work, photography and shop to potential customers or clients. So ideally, my "demographic" is people in their 20's and 30's who appreciate art, design, technology, fashion, travel and nerdy things.



4. What's something you've been working on lately that you are REALLY proud of?

I feel like lately all that I have done is work! Gypsy Beard Studio is my most recent accomplishment. I'm very proud to be able to say that I opened a shop on my own and am solely responsible for branding, marketing and managing it. Of course I have help a few days a week from my mom and boyfriend when I'm at my day job, but for the most part it is all my creation and sometimes burden. It's a lot of hard work and it is still very exhausting but it is slowly but surely paying off. 

I love meeting the people who come in my store, and even better when they truly appreciate what I am trying to accomplish. It's awesome to have created a space that others love and to make connections with people I wouldn't have otherwise met.


5. What's the message that you want people to take away from your blog?

I want people to be inspired and motivated when they leave my blog. Whether they learn something about starting a business or just get excited about my most recent photo shoot, I want them to find something that makes them want to get out and explore their world and make something beautiful.

I hope you enjoyed this and learned a little about me. I definitely can feel myself learning more about my blogging style and goals already.  If you decided to join in leave your blog link below in the comments!

 

Last year's Halloween Movie List still is, to this day, one of the most pinned things from my blog. So I thought it'd be a good idea to post this year's spooky movie list. Conrad is getting older and little braver every year so we've enjoyed introducing him to the kid friendly scary movies. Basically though, he watches Goosebumps by peaking around corner into the living room with the volume down very low lol!  He's become quite a vampire and werewolf fan, partially in thanks to my Twilight phase haha. I grew up watching Friday The 13th & the Halloween movies at the drive in! (WHAT WERE YOU THINKING MOM AND DAD?) But now, I don't watch anything too scary anyone more. It doesn't help that my boyfriend HATES anything scary. He once woke me up because he was watching Constantine and terrified. So, I thought this year we could focus on some of the cult classic horror movies and movies from my childhood.

So here's this years spooky movie list!




1. Ghostbusters! (1&2)
I feel a movie marathon night coming on with Ghostbusters. By no means is it terrifying, but its creepy and playful enough that our whole family can watch it without nightmares lol. Plus it has Bill Murray. Need I say more?

2. The Monster Squad
A cult classic and a true staple of my childhood, The Monster Squad was like the Sandlot of Halloween time. I absolutely loved this movie and am proud to say my son is a fan now too.

3. The Lost Boys
Another cult classic spooky movie that takes me back to my childhood. I loved the Lost Boys! I had such a crush on Michael! This one is still actually pretty scary to me lol

5. Creature From The Black Lagoon
I don't know what it is about this movie but Conrad is so fascinated by the creature! It was nearly his choice for a costume. I'm glad he decided to go with something different because I wasn't looking forward to trying to accomplish a "creature" costume last minute.

6. Earnest Scared Stupid 
We watched a lot of Earnest movies when I was little so its naturally one of our yearly traditions to watch this one. I thought for the longest time that I could actually kill a troll by shooting milk at it. ha!

7. The Goonies
Hands down this is my favorite child hood movie of all time, not just Halloween! We watch this movie several times a year, but its perfect for Halloween too!

7. Are You Afraid Of The Dark? 
Now, its not technically a movie, but this tv series was so creepy when I was little! Now its a bit corny, but we've been marathoning it on Youtube lately! Another great childhood memory to relive with my son. 

8. Hocus Pocus
And last but not least of course, Hocus Pocus! This was on my list last year but it's a staple of Halloween. No kid's Halloween can be complete without this movie.


Are there any movies on your list for Halloween? Were there any movies you watched as a kid that were scary? I'd love to hear!

much love,
Kat

 Now that the chaos of being up and running has somewhat calmed down, I'm listing items online again like a mad man! I've been slacking on my Etsy shop so it's definitely time give it some love. Here are a few of my favorite items for fall and winter that I've recently listed. These are mostly jackets and sweaters but we also have a lot of dresses and items for pin up style, flapper, Great Gatsby or Mad Men themed halloween costumes! Check us out in person or shop online!


That's it for today! I'm a busy bee today! Tons of things to make and do! Much love! Kat

 You know how you have things that you love individually like ice cream and reeses? And then they are combined it's like a whole new thing to fall in love with? (Sorry, I had a reeses blizzard last night so its first analogy I could think of lol!)  Well when I saw that Vans had released it's Star Wars Collection I was so excited!!! Conrad and I are a huge Star Wars fans. A few of these I know will definitely be Christmas presents from Santa lol

One thing that I actually really like about this new line is that the also offered shoes and products with Star Wars characters subtly hidden in the prints. At first glance its a pretty retro or vintage looking print, but upon looking closer you see a tiny Yoda hidden in those flowers! lol You can shop Vans New Star Wars Dark Side of the Force Collection Here

Also, how rad is this video of Chewbacca skateboarding? haha!




Do you love Vans or have a Vans lover in your family or on your christmas list? These are the perfect way to feed the nerdy urge while also getting something useful like a pair of shoes. I can't wait to see my son's face on christmas morning when he sees his!

Much love and happy Friday guys!

Kat

*I'm a proud affiliate of Vans. They are a company I support and absolutely love. I will be compensated for any purchases made through this blog.

If you are reading this because you are starting or opening a business, then yay! Congrats to you! It's scary and it takes a lot of guts and risk to start a business, especially one that you are investing lots of time and money into. I have tons and tons of respect for business owners after my recent adventures into the business world. This is from what I personally have learned. I do NOT have a business degree nor have I had any business training apart from the Intro To Business class I took at community college. I'm speaking from personal experience in my own adventures. All businesses are different and obviously require different skills and preparation.  I'm sure there were lots of things that didn't pertain to my situation or that I completely bypassed. If you have any additional advice please comment below. Spread the knowledge!

Aside from running Gypsy Beard as an Etsy shop, I have no experience in the retail field. I wasn't anticipating opening a store, I happened to come across a building that was out of a dream for me. It was incredibly cheap rent and located in downtown on a busy road. And on a whim, with no money saved up and no preparations made, I signed my life away ( well a 6 month lease anyway) with no clue what I was doing.

Getting Legal
The legal and permits/licenses side was something new to me. Check with your county clerk's office to see exactly what you need to do since each state and county's requirements differ.  File for a tax ID number or whatever the required permits for your state and county. I already had a tax payer ID for my design and vintage business so luckily I didn't have to mess with that again.  If you are moving into a brick and mortar shop you'll probably have to file for a Certificate of Occupancy. My landlord requires that I also have liability insurance. These were all either free or very inexpensive to do as well as hassle free.

If you are thinking of starting a business, I'm assuming that means that you have a product or service already. In my case, I just opened a vintage clothing store that is also a design & art studio. Because I had been selling vintage on Etsy for quite a while, I had a fairly huge inventory already built up. As a freelance designer, I already had a computer, a great camera, printer etc. If you do not have the basic necessities to start your business get to hunting! Buy second hand machines and equipment. Craiglist, pawn shops and thrift stores are great for this. I purchased my iMac on craiglist a few years ago and I LOVE it. Office furniture is another easy thing to find on craiglist or second hand. Look for businesses going out of business that are liquidating all of their left over furniture, appliances or even inventory.
 


The next step is to create a brand.
 A brand is a combination of things that make up your business' image. A logo, color scheme, typography, style etc... can all be a part of your branding. I was able to save money because I could create all my branding and website myself. Hire a designer (like me!) or if you are creative you can create your brand yourself. Start with a Pinterest board and gather images, photographs, logos, colors, textures and designs you feel represent your business. If you are creative or feeling up to the challenge, download a trial version of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator and get to making yourself a logo! You cannot expect a designer to work for free. They have bills too! But shop around and find someone that understands your business and shares your passion without eating all of your budget.

There are tons of great free or cheap tools to create a web site yourself like Wordpress,  Wix, Squarespace and Shopify or you can hire a professional (like me :-D ). Even if you only create a basic site with a service like Squarespace, you can always hire a designer later down the road once your income is more consistent.   I do not recommend jumping in with a company like Vista Print or Yellowbook. You'll wind up with something very generic and be stuck in a contract that is ridiculous. I can't tell you the number of clients I've had that have come to me distraught because they are stuck in a contract with a company and paying tons of money for something they hate.

Marketing and advertising should ABSOLUTELY be a priority when it comes down to where to budget your money. You could have the most fantastic product in the world, but that means crap if you do not have a web presence or you have a terrible marketing strategy.

With that in mind, take advantage of all the free advertising and marketing you can. Particularly,  create a Facebook page,  Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram account for your business if you haven't already. Be cohesive with your social media URLS and brand whenever possible so that customers can more easily recognize and fine you. For example if the name of your shop is "Feathers & Arrows"  your Facebook, Instagram and Twitter urls should all be : facebook.com/feathersandarrows, twitter.com/feathersandarrows etc etc. You should use the same logo and color schemes over all of these platforms. The vibe or voice you use when posting should also remain consistent. I like to pretend that the person speaking through my social media channels is a very intelligent, chic, free spirited, traveling hippy girl, because ideally that is my demographic and also a little bit of my alter ego. I recently learned the power of Instagram and wrote about it if you are curious where to start with Instagram.
 




My last advice for the planning and branding state is this: Don't be afraid to ask for help, and do it often. 
When I began planning for my business and for my grand opening the very first thing I did was create a Go Fund Me account. Now you may be on a bigger scale with your business where you may consdier having investors, but I know I didn't want to go that route. That intimidated me. Now, I didn't get rich off of my fundraising account, but I managed to raise a couple of hundred dollars that I didn't have. It never hurts to ask. I was overwhelmed by the welcome I received from other local businesses and groups when I spoke to them about donating items to be sold or given as door prizes or goodie bags at the grand opening.

 Most people are glad to help others out, especially when it gives them a little bit of exposure as well.
 I managed to get a free cash register, chairs, and some free labor from my dad in building my retail counter.

Looking back now, I should've asked for more help.  The worst thing someone could've told me was no. All in all I feel that I learned a lot in the process. I feel very blessed to have been able to receive the help and donations that I did. I'm definitely still learning each and every day as the shop evolves and grows but I'm excited for the direction everything is moving. I plan on sharing tips for throwing a grand opening on a budget with you soon.

If you have any questions please ask and I will do my best to answer them for you. It's exciting and intimidating starting out, especially if you are on your own. If you are looking for someone to help establish your brand let's talk!

much love,
Kat