Paper Raven Co. Blog

Every month, I create a special, original illustration for email subscribers to download and use for their enjoyment on their desktops. This December, I created a mini calendar backdrop with hand-drawn type and lots of festive flourishes. I used my trusty Tombow Calligraphy Pen to do the lettering ;) Just my way of saying thank you for taking a step alongside of me on the journey of building Paper Raven Co. So without further ado... 

I hope you have a peaceful and fulfilling Thanksgiving, whatever your traditions are. In the spirit of the holiday, I have created a free printable wine label for you to dress up your hostess gifts! Please print as many as you'd like.

What You'll Need:
1. Bottle of Wine or Spirits
2. Double-Sided Tape (Or regular tape will work)
3. Scissors
4. Printable

Directions:
1. Click below to download the printable. The print size is at 8.5x11" (standard printer).
2. Cut out the printable along the border. 
3. Fill in the "To" and "From" sections. 
4. Use double-sided tape to attach to your bottle (you can remove the label first if you'd like, but it's not required - this printable wraps around a standard size bottle). 
5. Bring your gift with you to your gathering!

Halloween is my favorite Holiday. I mean, I like it more than Christmas. Maybe it's the air getting crisp on my morning walks with Patty, or maybe it's that everything is covered in Pumpkin Spice, or maybe it's the beautiful scenery and changing colors. Or the opportunity to carve pumpkins. This year, I wanted to do my own take on Pumpkin Decor, so I spent a nice sunny fall morning making this DIY to share with you. Enjoy!

Don't forget to post your finished pumpkins on Instagram and tag me at paperraven.co so I can see!

1. Gather your materials! I grabbed the mini Pumpkins from my local grocery store, and if you need some cheap (but good!) paint, you can head over to your local hardware store and grab a sample of Valspar "Satin" (pictured above) for like, $2! That's less than a tube of good acrylic, this art school grad will tell you. Pick up your favorite paintbrush and a Gold Sharpie. You may also want a cup of water for refreshing the brush and a paper towel.

2. Get ready to paint! Don't forget to shake up the sample for even pigment distribution!

3. Paint a flower shape. It doesn't have to be intricate - we will be adding the gold accents on top of the paint once it dries, and this is where the detail will come in. 

4. Be free to make floral shapes, leaf shapes and berry shapes. Don't worry about messy edges - they will be covered in gold! Try to fill the front side of the pumpkin, or you can even cover the whole thing! Once the paint dries (about 20-30 minutes), apply a quick second coat.

5. Voila! They look so elegant and sophisticated - and the gold isn't even on yet! Let these babes dry for 30 minutes and make yourself a cup of coffee or tea. 

6. Now the fun part! Using your Gold Sharpie, carefully outline each shape in gold. I found it was easier if I pressed lightly. Then, add in interior details like petals, leaf veins, and decorative elements. Have fun with it! You can go for realism or a graphic style or a mix of both. 

7. The Gold Sharpie dries fairly quickly, but give them a good 5 minute sit so you can admire without smudging.

And there you have it! You can make as many of these as your heart desires! Here are some ideas:
- Nestle them at your front doorstep with a cinnamon broom and a basket of pinecones. 
- Get the super mini gourd pumpkins and make each a place setting at your next Fall Get-Together.
- Fall Wedding? Make one for each of your tables for a pretty (and affordable!) centerpiece.
- Or, decorate your Thanksgiving Table and make a beautiful place setting, like we have done here:

Fabric Tablecloth, "Sweet Leaves and Berries" from Minted // PlaceCard, "Autumn Thicket" from Paper Raven Co. // Dinner Plate from World Market // Lantern from IKEA // Dessert Plate Thrifted

Don't forget to share your finished pumpkins on Instagram and tag me at paperraven.co so I can see! Or leave a comment here with how you used the DIY :)

And don't forget to sign up for email updates, coupons and exclusive art advice!

A few days ago on Instagram, I asked y'all to throw some good questions at me so I could connect with you! One of the biggest questions I get asked is how to stay motivated. Let's tackle this one. Because this is a doozie and keeping yourself on track - especially as an artist - is really tough sometimes. 

Here are 3 things I do on a daily basis to keep myself motivated and on-task.

This is by far my biggest secret weapon to staying motivated. My brain wakes up at night, so I typically do this after dinner or before bedtime. If you're more of a morning person, grab a cup of coffee or tea and start your day this way!

Before I go to bed, I make a plan. I have a Paper Raven Notebook that I keep on my desk at all times. Every night, I flip to a new page and add the next day's date. I take a look at my Google Calendar and my emails and I prioritize and plan my day. Here's a snip of my day today (for real, this is actually what it says): 

• Create little check boxes and start with a time slot.
• 9:30-10:30: Answer and follow-up on all emails.
• 10:30-11: Email 3 new stores from Instagram.
• 11-12: Photograph Coloring Book for Giveaway posts.
• 12-12:30: Eat lunch.

Make sure each step starts with an actionable verb; this allows you to take action immediately - you already know that to do and there is no guess-work! It's important to me to feel satisfied by checking off the box when tasks are completed - the more you mentally reward yourself, the more motivated you are to stay on track. If you're more of a highlighter person, grab your neons and go for it! Lastly, I add timeslots because it's motivating for me to section out my tasks into time chunks. If I just make a list, it's easy for my brain to say, "Oh, I'll get to that." But if I schedule a task from 2-3pm, it will happen from 2-3pm and then it will be done!

Don't forget to add in real time chunks for breaks (15 minutes long) and lunch time ;) I often schedule breaks after big tasks or tasks that aren't my favorite thing to do. Then, if I finish my task, I get a nice little break!

Creating social accountability means creating a post where you publicly share with your audience that you are going to do something, by a certain date, and that they can expect something from you at that time. 

When you create social accountability for yourself, you're more motivated to get it done because other people are expecting something from you. If you find it difficult to assign tasks to yourself and complete them, try making a post on Instagram or Facebook about an upcoming product launch, new series or blog post. Give your audience a date. Put it on your calendar. And when you finish it, reward yourself. 

Spend a little time gathering some great playlists. I'm definitely responsive to dramatic movie and television scores - when I feel like Daenerys riding her dragon into battle or like Batman throttling some thugs, I am in the zone (I'm being totally serious guys). Whatever your music choice is, turn it up, close the Facebook tab and get to it!! You do you, boo.

Remember, motivation is a muscle and a habit. You just have to have that moment of clarity where you realize you have a choice to make - and just make it! The more you make that choice, the easier it is to make it again and again until it becomes a habit and a lifestyle.

I hope this blog post was helpful for you! Always feel free to reply and let me know your thoughts. And if you try these strategies out and love them, please let me know :)
 

A few months ago, my life changed suddenly and drastically. 

After working for a year as a Product Designer at my full-time job, I was called into my boss' office and laid off with absolutely no warning - a month after I had moved my whole life across town for my job, and the day before I left to go on a week-long vacation overseas. 

I was shocked and angry. But as I drove home that day, with the slow, seeping realization that my life had just changed completely - I was overcome with a strange feeling of peace. Real peace. I was angry and confused, but I was not worried. 

The universe had just shoved me into the reality I had already been working towards for the last 2 years of my life. I had been planning to give my leave in August, but my lay-off was in April. It was a few months earlier than I had planned, with a little less savings than I had planned, but as I made the phone calls to my boyfriend and my family, I was met with nothing but support. "If anyone can do this, it's you."

My boyfriend and I left the day after my lay-off, and standing in the fields and pastures and high places and castles and moors of Scotland, in this beautiful, free and completely thrilling moment of my life, I made a promise that I was going to whole-heartedly follow my dream. That I was not going to give up, and that I was not going to fail. 

3 months later, I have been consistently making the salary I would have made at my full-time job, but now it's completely through my work for Paper Raven Co. 

And that is why I am here. This awful, unpredictable thing happened to me. And because of my business, it didn't crush me. I did not allow my lay-off to be a source of self-doubt and depression; instead, I made it into a springboard for growth. I am free. I am happier than I have ever been.

Being able to do this full-time has led me to questions about my community and how to really connect, and that is my goal for this blog. I want to share my humble knowledge with you, bring you into my studio, and answer your questions. I want to share my successes with you, and the moments when I am feeling doubt (because we all do and it's a real thing). I want this blog to be a source of inspiration, and a fun and happy place to come to.

If you are working on your day-dream, keep going. Do not give up. You never know when life will unexpectedly flip upside-down, and being able to rely on yourself and the work of your own hands is an incredible sense of accomplishment.