Creative Thoughts

My favorite part of any biography is the part where you learn about not only their childhood, but also about their early career. The part where they are working their asses off to figure it all out, to make it big. They might work odd jobs, they might start something out of their parent’s basement, they might risk every penny saved for their dream. I am always at the edge of my seat at this part. At this stage, these people learn the most about themselves, about risk, about business and about relationships, but more than anything, I believe they figure out what it is they really WANT. Their dreams become even more clear. They are on the brink of becoming rich and famous, yet at this stage they are still real and true and not yet marred by their popularity.

For example, take Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com. I was listening to a radio show about him the other day and was fascinated by his “early career” story. In 1995, Bezos and his wife drove a 1988 Chevy Blazer from Texas to Seattle. His wife drove while Bezos typed up the business plan during the car ride. They set up shop in the garage of their 2 bedroom home. Orders started coming in, and the husband and wife pair were packaging/shipping each book themselves – crouching down on their knees on the floor of their garage, no less. As sales picked up, Bezos says, we need to do something to make this process easier. He says “we need to buy knee pads!” And his wife says, “no Jeff, we need shipping tables.” Apparently, what they really needed (and of course acquired) was a warehouse with hundreds, then thousands of employees. Within 3 months, they had $20,000 in sales/month. By the end of the decade, the Bezos’s were billionaires.

Not that I am expecting myself to become famous or rich or anything, but I do really love this stage I am in with Lily Cole Designs right now. I have new designs/ideas/products coming out of my ears...constantly, yet I am hungry to learn and do even more. At this stage of my life, I choose to spend much more time with my kiddos than on building out all of these designs and new products, but it sure is glorious to create, think and dream during these pockets of non-kid time. And it sure is fun to think about the future risks we'll take, the opportunities that arise, and the relationships that will form.  

I also find myself daydreaming about what my kiddos will become someday. Lily is a lot like "Olivia" in that she wants to be a doctor, a pilot, a truck driver, and today she wanted to be a dentist. She played with this play-doh dentist toy for almost an hour on the driveway tonight. 

Cole wants to be a superhero. The other day Cole said to daddy, "Daddy, I don't want to play sports" and I thought Chris was going to wreck his car on the side of the road out of disbelief and despair.   ;-) Hilarious.

Speaking of designs, here are some new illustrations that are in my Etsy shop (this was originally a custom order): 

And here is a card designed for a friend who is getting married and wanted thank you cards for wedding gifts, showers, etc. 

Here is another custom order I created for a gal's mother in law who loves to cook. She always uses her big green tupperware bowl and wooden spoon. I really love custom orders. Bring 'em on! I swear, the best ideas come directly from customers!

It's only 9:26 pm. Earliest finished post so far! Now it's time to work on some more custom orders while possibly watching Shark Tank in the background. I hope everyone is having a great week!