Thanksgiving

Every year I think maybe I should do the daily Thanksgiving posts... then I think. There is way more than 20 some things in my life to be grateful for. Since our loss of Calvin I am a master at counting blessings. When a portion of your daily life has a sad part you have to count a lot of blessings to still have a happy day! So here I am Thanksgiving morning doing what I have the past few years, letting you all know what this life means to me. 

First of all, I am in this warm home, full of the many things we have worked hard for. It is full of love, and the pantry is full. My dogs and cats snuggled up in their respective places. Lucky curled up on the toes of a little girl who is growing much too fast now. A handsome husband that proves daily that he is too good to be true. Within these four walls is everything I could ever want, everything that I really need. I can't say I knew how much these guys meant to me until after we lost Calvin. Of course my love for them is growing and growing! I am so thankful that they are a part of my life. That every day they wake up and work towards the same goals I am. This home would not be what it is, without each one of them. 

John much deserves his own line. This man wakes up everyday with the goal to make people smile. Very much a believer in your decision to be happy regardless of what is happening. It is a conscious choice to have happiness, and he'll do whatever he can to see it happen. I love him, and am so grateful for him as he constantly changes his life for whatever Heavyn and I need. Thankful for his strong hands, steady mind, and loving heart. Thankful that he knows time with us is the most important thing, he doesn't work sooo hard that he doesn't see us. We have him home at the dinner table every night!

Heavyn also gets her own line. How can you not be grateful for this beautiful face. Those sparkly green eyes, light brown hair, and freckles. She wakes up every day with a thrill for life. She seeks out anything she can to learn about. She loves reading and writing. She knows unconditional love. She sees the butterflies and reminds me that Calvin is always here. She is easily pleased with time spent with her. She may bounce around all the time with lots of energy, but she also knows how to slow down and appreciate the small things in life. Love her learning to dance and swim this year. When I count blessings... I am sure I always count her more than once!

Calvin. My one and only son. My baby. I miss you so much. I am thankful for the things you taught me in your short life. Thankful for your cute face gracing my walls, and your presence in my heart always. 

My family. Each one of my family provides something special to me. From my Mom, my brother, my sister in law, my nieces, my uncle and aunt, my cousins. My friends, from Moe, Brandi, Aubry, Nicole and many more. Each one of you are a part of me. Each one of you are counted as blessings. I may log in to Facebook every day and never post a Happy Birthday on your wall. I may never just write you to say how is going? But I love each and every one of you. I love the pictures you share, and things you post. 

Work. You'll find in life that you have to do this. There will also be a time that you'll be grateful for it. Sure I don't love going to work daily, but I do love what I do. Sometimes you have to make some sacrifices and some changes. Some might see it as a step back, but it most definitely is a step forward. As I changed jobs quickly this year, it was because I knew exactly where I needed to be. It might have taken me a while to realize it. I might have needed a push in the right direction. Thankful for our ability to choose what we want to do. Thankful for the opportunity to be an entrepreneur in these days. There is no one telling me because I am woman, because I am weak, because I am less than. I can do anything! Everyone should make sure they wake up every day loving what they do. It might be as simple as deciding you're going to love what you're already doing.

Thankful for my business. Thankful for my clients. I truly love my graphic design, and photography. I can't wait to see myself in a studio space making lots of art! I hope each and every one of you knows that I am Thankful for you. I hope to be your go to time and time again for design. Thankful for attorneys and accountants that help everything be legal. Thankful for the learning I keep doing for this thing I love.

Thankful for health. I may be having my struggles health wise, but I look around and realize it could be worse. Thankful for good doctors, and great nurses. Thankful for wonderful dentists. Thankful for insurance, and for cash to pay them! Thankful for the womans body, and its amazing abilities. Children truly are miracles. 

Thankful for living. For some life can end far too short. This world is full of good and bad, but it should be experienced. There is so much to learn here, so much to experience and enjoy. Thankful for every breath of air I take. Thankful for the choice to pursuit happiness.

Remember to count your blessings. The blessing that you have food on your plate today. The blessing that you are healthy today. The blessing that your very old vacuum is still working. That the sponge doesn't need replaced yet. That your little girl cleared the coffee table for you... which means she just rearranged the pile. Thankful for every little thing. 

It will be a quiet day at the Nation home, over good food and football. We try to live everyday like thanksgiving, always counting blessings, always looking for the silver linings. 

We LOVE all of YOU! 

*please know I did not list everything, or everyone in my life here. We'd be here all day! ;)

Finally Time Management

I have mentioned several times in my posts that I would like to write one about time management. How do you manage time as a parent, an employee, and a freelance designer/photographer. How do you still squeeze in "me" time and art! Since I've decided to take on these endeavors I've been struggling to make it all fit comfortably. I'm going to tell you how much I've found out and what I still need to know!

As with anything that Amber Nation questions she does some research! Here I am reading lots of articles about Time Management... including clinic studies. Questions like: Are you Overwhelmed by work needing done each day? Do you feel like you can't get it all done because unexpected tasks pile on? Maybe you can't get it all organized? One thing I did find out... you're aren't going to learn what works best for you in a day!

I've tried several things like PLAN EACH DAY! I put down every minute of my day until after dinner time into my Google Calendar. Set it so that it gives me reminders via email and text messages all day long to keep on track. It didn't work. Some of the reminders are useful, but those sneaky unexpected tasks are not accounted for. So if you're going to try this method... leave yourself room! You're going to have those scheduling conflicts and last minute things come up that destroys your whole day. Also when you sit back and reflect on your planned day, and it didn't go as planned... be understanding of yourself.

I have told myself over the past few years I had to learn to say NO more often. That surely would help my planned day run smoother... just tell everyone NO that isn't on the plan. Well, I have learned to say NO more often, but I am not 100% great at it either. Sometimes it just isn't going to work. That is why I said plan for those, they are going to happen! I call this Dave Ramsey's Emergency Plan, you know those things are going to come up when you least expect them, leave some room in the schedule for it.

How do you go about limiting distractions? This is the one I cannot conquer! My place of work I am a manager and I should always be available to my employees and boss for the things that can come up. So I can't bring myself to turn off my phone. My home office is not located in an ideal spot. It is currently in my living room... no doors to shut. My husband was nice enough to have his days off be with my days off so that we could have time together. My dogs think when I am home that I want to hang out with them. My little girl thinks that because I am in the living room this is the family room and we should play and answer 100 questions. I'm not complaining about any of that. However, I do see what I need to do to get through this one. To manage my time here on this given dilemma I need to have an office/studio space. I can't wait to buy a house... that is a whole other story. I will make it so that I have an office space so I can put my time into this business. I truly love it, and this is just a bump in the road.

Time Management always is mentioned with the word STRESS! That word should always be mentioned with Sleep Management, Healthy diet, and exercising regularly. Wait... Exercise Regularly?! Who has time for that in their schedule? Just kidding, for the longest time I though there is NO WAY I can find time for that. I didn't, but I did make it happen. At the end of the day with all of my health issues this year I decided it was important. It was more important for me to be healthy doing what I loved then dragging my body along doing what I loved. Hubby decided to join me on the exercise challenge and we get it done a couple times a week. Which is way better than none at all. I do feel slightly better. I don't think it helped with my Time Management... but I guess you have to give a little to get a little.

Last but not least the one thing I have MASTERED! Take a BREAK as needed! When the things pile up on my desk and my mind starts to wander in 20 directions to try and get it all done... its time to set it down. While I set it down I should take a moment to not think about it at all... take a walk, take a shower, read a chapter... just leave it alone for a moment. When you come back to it decide what you're going to do by re-prioritizing it. Decide what needs done first, and down the line. Sometimes you can't just take a moment either, sometimes it gets to be so much on you mentally and physically... you just need a day! I currently try to make sure that I take one whole day for my family every week. I don't have anything planned but to relax and enjoy my little girl and husband.

As with any questions with Time Management constantly EVALUATE. You should evaluate yourself, your work load, and how you're spending your time. I don't keep a diary of exactly what I did when and where. I do however, take a moment at the end of every day and see where I could have used time a little more wisely. My goal is to do what I love every day and make time with my family happen. Time is invaluable when it comes to life, remember my Golden Birthday I reflected on that. I'd give anything for more time with my Son. So I'm going to use my time the best I can now.

Good luck on your Time Management goals. I know that I haven't got hardly any of mine done, but I am working towards it, and I understand what I need to make it happen. Even part of the way there you'll feel better than you did.

My goal is to do one other post this week... Thanksgiving.

As Promised... Artwork

This last week I told myself I had to... had to, start drawing! I mean John and I have been working diligently on getting some property and a building for my studio. I'm not even ready for a studio if I'm not getting ANY artwork done! Of course, the studio is so I can get back to fibers and batik art. I'm hoping to do some 3D stuff again too :)
I remember in school the best way to get anything done was with a plan. Illustration Fridays is a great way to make yourself just do some art!! Last weeks word was Mustache. I wasn't good on getting it turned in on time. But I did finish the artwork on time... :) I hope you can enjoy my Owls with Mustaches. Don't you think Owls look kind of professor like any how. Then you put a mustache on them. I feel like these guys are full of that much more wisdom.
Ink on Paper drawings - by Amber Nation
Thanks Again! See Ya Soon!

Where Have I Been?

I know I don't have many followers yet... but maybe you had been wondering where I have been? What I have been doing?
I had myself scheduled to complete around two - three blog posts a week. I did pretty good for the first like three, and then I failed. See I'm still learning this Time Management thing. Also I'm learning this taking care of Amber thing. I have done quite a few things since I last posted. Some photographs. I've worked on a Logo that I've been working on for a little while for someone. I've done some important things. I've worked quite a bit at the job. I've just failed on my Facebook page, and my blog, and on marketing.
I've done some exciting things at my job though. I've done a few designs for the store recently. I also helped do a First Annual Photo Contest. That was a new place for me. We learned ALOT doing that contest, including a time management thing. I'm sure next year will be planned out and turn out quite a bit smoother.
I did meet the attorney. I established contracts that I still need to work on getting printed this week. Then I think I'm pretty close to all set on this legal thing. I'll tell you more about that in another blog.
I also established a domain name for my website and started building it! I am very excited about it, and hoping to have it launched quickly! Incase you're looking forward to it... www.amber-nation.com
I have even got out pencil and paper and done some artwork! I'll post those later!
Then I made myself play one day with my camera! I wanted myself to do something with no pressure! I wanted to just take pictures and the end result to not matter to anyone but myself! What better way to practice than on self portraits! My photography is certainly growing! However I still think it just a hobby. I love the no pressure pictures :)
So I feel slightly accomplished... just not where I'd like to be yet! There is this taking care of Amber thing that is forcing me to learn and grow in new ways too. I've had some smaller health issues going on. The kind that can cause big problems if I don't try to figure out how to make them better now! So my family and I are on this whole new adventure of eating well. We have always known how to make good choices but have not made those choices. Being an on the go family we've always ate poorly because we are on the go! I have to learn to slow down and take the time to make good meals for us. It takes a little bit more time, but mostly it takes just an adjustment from us. I'm going on 4 weeks this week without my caffeine! I've been a soda drinking fool since a very long time ago. Which means that is the hardest thing for me to give up! I know I can do it though!
Because I have been doing all of those things, and things for my little girl. School, classes, projects. Then don't let me forget hunting season. I haven't got much blogging done. I'm going to review my calendar today and try to get back on track. I think if I can even get one post a week it'll be better than what I have been doing.
I am curious though. What would you like to see on a personal, freelancers blog?
Ta Ta for Now...

Golden Days

This last Friday I celebrated turning 23 years old on the the 23rd. It was my golden birthday. The ancients used gold to symbolize the balance in all things. Here I am at 23 years old and searching for the balance that I know does exist. So as it turns out... 23 is considered to be the most powerful of golden birthdays: at times an ever shifting entity holds and infinite level of power... so it turns out I am now all powerful! Just kidding! I took a moment to consider how I got to this point though. In 23 years what has happened, and how have I responded to it.
I have learned ALOT in 23 years, and while it was a golden birthday, I don't think I have reached a golden age! Wisdom, strength, and protection are things I am learning but not yet do I have. What I have learned...
Believe in yourself! Even when everything in the world is against you, crumbling around you, and you feel like you are on a landslide. The only way you'll get out is believing in yourself and working your ass off! If you feel it is something you want, need or deserve, you have to work for it. There is no other way.
Bad things happen to good people, every single day! You are not immune to these things. They are going to happen, you won't be able to avoid them, you have to deal with them! When things are at their breaking point, I suggest the easier route. There is no make it better or patch it up in this. Just let it break! I feel this is like legos when your lego land crashes, you have a huge opportunity to rebuild a new creation.
3 D's - Don't worry about the dog hair, dust or dishes! Family is MORE important than anything!! A moment spent with them is invaluable. If you lose those moments they don't come back. You can't buy more time. You can't sleep on it and start over tomorrow. Never take family for granted. I'd give anything to have moments with my son. I'd love to post on my FB about his 18 month old self. You can't buy more time. So soak up the moments of just hanging at the house with your little ones, you'll never have better memories and neither will they.
Recognize those people who love you for who you are, with all of your faults. Take the time to love them back with everything you have! Support them when they need uplifted, hug them when they need it, just listen when they need to talk... just be there. Make sure that if anything happened today, they would know that you cared, loved them, and gave them everything you could to show it.
Time, it is full of evading properties! It is the honest truth that you will never get more. You don't know how long your clock turns, or how long everyone else's clock turns. You'll always be too late. Find a way to use every single second for you and your family, their success, and what it is that you really love. Share the world with a child in this time. It's so natural to teach them and love them. Give them the world, give them every opportunity possible, for you are setting the example for a future successful person. The best thing you can give them... your time.
Take the time to learn, to become educated. There will never be a day that you feel sorry for learning something. I am going to go after the next step of my degree sometime in the next years.
If you are an artist, never let art slip out of your life. You can't live without art. Even if you are not an artist, take a few moments to appreciate art.
Golden Rule for a Golden Birthday... yes, treat others how you'd like to be treated! I tell you, it is worth a lot more than gold!
I think the situations life has given me has taught me to appreciate what is left. I fall apart somedays, but other days I know what I need to do to at least make the most of it.
Until next time...

Serious Business...

Yesterday I had the loving chat with a good friend, where they tell you that you need to get serious. So my husband told me to get serious, to start the business. Now I have to get serious about running the business. Starting I did the paperwork for the city, made sure I got an accountant, and legal mumbo jumbo for tax season. and... I had thought about this, and I knew it was coming, but I guess I better get on it.
I have done a few photo sessions recently. Including three weddings. All of which has been for good friends, or people I have known for a long time and love me. It's coming that time though, I am starting to do logos for people who don't exactly know me so well, and I don't know them that well. I am starting to be asked to do photos for people that I don't know at all. It must be done.
I must seriously sit down and establish a contract for the services I offer. A place where I lay out everything I do, everything the client does, and that whole protect everything I am and love thing! I don't really know how to go about it, but I am going to find out! As I said, this whole thing had crossed my mind. I knew it was going to come up. Its just another one of those fear things for me, because this does have to be so detailed and precise. It's on my task list, right after finishing what is already on the list. (the time management thing, that I haven't even wrote about yet for the blog)
Wish me well on this next growing pain... I'll probably be able to tell you more about it later. :)

Critics...

I spent a good part of my time recently editing two weddings I photographed this summer. Looking back to the wedding I unintentionally fell into last summer, compared to now. I can sure see the growth I have made. I imagine myself further than I am. I have always been my own worst critic and I don't see it changing anytime soon.
I spend a good portion of my time analyzing my work and others. In school that was called a critique. I ask for people to give me feed back all the time in the name of constructive criticism. I believe in its power. The way someone can put to good use criticism is amazing. In college I grew a lot. It wasn't until after college that it really made sense. It wasn't until now that I see it starting to benefit me.
When looking through other designers, other photographers, and other artists, I always start the thought process off as a critiquer. Just like in college. What do I see first, how do I move through the piece, color, line, shape, emphasis; all of those words come in to my head. I look at their exposure, their focus, their saturation. In my heart it feels like by doing this, I am training my eye to look for those things in my own art. In my head I feel like I'm just a negative person, and am not only my own worst critic, but I am everyone else's too.
Do I notice the line, shape, emphasis, saturation in my art? Do I see all of those things before I show them to people? Yea, absolutely NOT! I really wish I did. If I went by that method, I'd still be a closet artist, wishing I was brave enough. My goal is to do what I love though, and the only way I'm going to get to do that, is just do it.
My teacher said, the only way to become an artist was to make art. I guess that is where I am at. I'm nothing compared to what I want to be, I'm better than some of what I see out there, and I'm constantly learning and growing. I guess there is a place in the world for critics... because I am getting better.

Started with a Bang!

So here I am a few months ago, very excited about starting a business. I had to market myself. I found FB could be used as a free marketing tool. I set up a business page, and started a contest to give away a free logo. A bang! Yea, not so much.
I did end up with quite a few entries.  I made each business owner work for it a little bit. Then I had some business minds review the entries and pick a winner. They decided a marketing company should win the ultimate FREE logo. Then two others should get a good price break, so I have a few logos out there. Well the one who won let me do quite a bit of sketching and work, then kind of disappeared after her location had some bad weather. I did hear from her after the bad weather, that she was ok, but then not again. One of the discounted logos took the opportunity and we are just now finishing up her logo, hopefully I will be able to share that soon.
So I found out it is hard to be a true graphic designer these days. Those years of school and hard work can mean almost nothing next to a person with some app that let's them put together something in 2 minutes. There is tons of pre-made logo companies, and people selling "custom" logos for $10-$30 dollars a piece. That is a hard competition. So I decided I don't need to compete, and it makes me happier so far. I have more business now that I made that attitude adjustment too.
The summer has been full of photography. Remember I said I am sometimes a photographer. Yea, I have been quite a bit this summer. Which is ok, it's almost like an emotional release to do photos. I have captured two weddings this summer, and have two coming up soon. A few family photo sessions too. I have learned a bunch since doing that too! I ordered myself some new camera equipment... it should arrive today!! I plan to play with it this weekend, hopefully up on the mountain!
So my bang wasn't very loud, but I think so far it has happened perfectly. I think it has given me the opportunity to analyze and grow with the challenges. One of my biggest challenges has been understanding time and all of it's diminishing properties. I'll save that conversation for another day.

We got here how?

You wake up one day and realize this isn't what you really wanted, but you're doing it because it was what you thought was right. I recently did that, and with help from my husband and family I took the plunge. I decided I was going to go back to being in control of my life. Is it that simple? Yes and No. I am already happier, but I have a lot to figure out to make this work. I plan to share my struggles in this adventure, and to share my work. I am Amber Nation a graphic designer, artist, and sometimes I am a photographer.
I finished high school in an amazing way, straight to college for fine art, and found myself in love with graphic design so I turned around and went to college again. I graduated in 2011 with two associate degrees and some art related credentials. I was off and running in what I thought was the best plan ever. I had just recently married my long time other half and was working on getting custody of his precious girl. I had a job offer as a 'graphic designer' in my hometown. Life couldn't get much sweeter.
As it turns out sometimes a job isn't all that it says it will be. It wasn't really designing much, and it was a negative environment. As I found out I was pregnant with our first child I knew something needed to change. I thought I needed one of those office jobs, where I could be an all-star Mom too. An unfortunate turn of events and we lost our first born son. He made me learn a lot about life, and helped me realize what I really did want. So the office job didn't quite pan out. I needed art in my life, and only I could make that happen. I found out in my small town I wasn't going to find the perfect job down the street. I had to find it within myself.
So what do you do when you don't know what to do? You talk to those that love you. I found my family and friends telling me to just go for it. My husband said, please just find a way to be happy. So I did it. I filled out all the forms and met the accountant, to officially be a freelance graphic designer. I found myself a part-time job down the street, to make myself feel better if I didn't make any money yet, and to surround myself with those that love and support me. So far, it hasn't been all that bad. :)
I have several goals to accomplish, and I want them done today! Ok, I might not get them all done today, but I am hoping to share with you as I do them. In this blog I hope to share with you my own struggles and accomplishments as I start my own freelancing business. I plan to post about art related topics and news, show you some of my work, and much more.
I encourage each of you to subscribe to my blog, to share it, or leave me some feedback.