What's in a Name

Two years ago this month, I started selling under the name TuckooandMooCow. At the time I began, selecting the name was based on several factors, but the primary one was that I already had some feedback under that name and when starting out on Etsy, that is important. The name had been chosen as a reference to both James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and to my husband and I. I'd picked it when I created an account on Etsy specifically for buying things to use in our wedding, so the reference seemed cute and sweet.

Flash forward two years.

My work has evolved and grown a lot since those early days. Not only has the detail in the paintings increased, but the quality of the pendants has evolved and bettered.

As I look back--and also as I look forward--I can see one element that needs to evolve that no longer belongs: the name TuckooandMooCow.

Now, before any of you sigh and think it's a pity because it's such a cute name, consider this:

The name TuckooandMooCow doesn't really say anything about what I do. It doesn't tell you who the artist is and while it expresses the quirky side of me, it isn't the easiest to remember which is a problem with a business name.

So what name will I use now?

Good question! I'll be using my own. I want to take ownership of my own work in every way. If I were selling strictly my larger paintings, I would never even have considered the cute name, I would have gone with my own all along. Now, as I my work moves into more high quality settings and chains, has more detail, and is more uniquely me, it needs to be clearly all me.

As another point, while my husband used to help me with my little biz, he no longer will be able to as he begins his own career in the US Air Force. This means that the reference to him in the name doubly doesn't make sense, so it is definitely ready to be retired.

From now on, you'll be able to find me by my own double first name "Sarah-Lambert." The transition process won't be immediate, but by June, everything that once bore the name TuckooandMooCow will now bear my own name.

I'm so excited for this change even if I am a little nostalgic about the name TuckooandMooCow.

I'm excited to share a new logo with you!

I'm excited to bring you all more quality pieces!

Most importantly, I'm excited to grow.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!

Gone Kayaking

  Over the last few months, my product photography has been undergoing a metamorphosis. While I do still really like the crisp white backgrounds, I was beginning to feel like they were a tad on the boring side (boring to shoot, anyway) and that I wanted to try my hand at more varied backgrounds and using props. I've been so pleased with the outcome that I can definitely see a clear direction for where things are going!

The Little Red Hen

My photography style isn't the only thing that's changing. For those of you who have been following fairly regularly, you may be noticing that most of the newer pieces I'm offering are slightly more detailed and sometimes more personal. I'm also introducing more sterling silver!

Snuggling Lovebirds

Sterling Silver Chain Upgrade

Right now, an upgrade to a sterling chain is just that: an upgrade. Over the course of the next few months, though, expect to see a transition into all silver pieces coming with sterling chains. Yes, this will mean a small increase in the price, but it will mean a significant increase in quality and that is what's most important here.

For the last couple of years (wow, couple? Can you believe it's almost been 2 years?! YAY!) I've offered a wide variety of designs over and over again. This will be changing starting in May. There are a few designs I will continue to make over and over again (because I am madly in love with them!), but basically from here on out, there won't ever be more than 1-3 of any given design made. Mostly, they will be completely one of a kind. Some will be offered on my Etsy shop, and others only on my website. Don't worry, it will be easy to figure out where to find things since I post all new items to my facebook page with a link to get to them!

I'm really excited about this because I already feel that these little paintings are super unique, but now there will be that added Factor of Specialness that comes with having a completely unique piece of artwork all for yourself!

I hope you are all as excited for all of these changes as I am! Wahoo!!

Sudden Realizations

Lately when I write either in my journal, for other blogs (or my private one), or even in letters to my husband I feel like it's just one "sudden realization" after another. I've spent the last few weeks constantly examining my business: what do I like, what do I dislike about it.

As I examine things, I start realizing that there's a lot of stuff I haven't done that I really wanted to do.

What exactly stopped me? What's been holding me back each time? Fear, hesitation, a lack of motivation, or a dangerous combination of all three?

When I first started, I just took the leap! I didn't think about what I had to lose--I figured I DIDN'T have anything to lose, only room to gain, so what's stopped me now?

A good friend of mine said to me recently that she thinks I have one of the most active senses of adventure of almost anyone she's met. This really struck me since I feel that sense of adventure, but I can also feel that I've been squishing it down month after month for almost a year. Why?

Fortunately, this post isn't all sad. Remember how I started? Mentioning that "sudden realization" thing that keeps happening over and over? Well, I have had a lot of those! The fact is that without my husband here, I've had more time to just be alone and think. While I miss him a lot, I think this has been incredibly good for me and will be especially good for my business. I've needed to just sit and think and be faced with only myself when wondering who can be held accountable for things that slack.

It's time for change. I've been incrementally working towards it for the last few weeks, but over the next few days until the end of April, I will begin really implementing those changes.I will be writing about them here starting Monday, so be on the lookout! If you're interested in seeing my new work, check out my Facebook page where I post all the jazz whenever it comes up.

I'm excited for everything May will bring.

"Oh, brave new world!"
-The Tempest, Shakespeare

Hitting Resistance and Overcoming It

Running Love, wearable art necklace

 Working myself through a funk is a long and winding process. It seems so easy to be inspired when I'm in a peppy go-go-go attitude, but when I hit the wall and slump, I really slump.

The past month has been a bit of a study in this. Hitting resistance comes with the territory of being in a creative line of work. We thrive on bursts of energy which can last for hours or even years, but eventually we all hit the wall of resistance. Why do you think the phrase "writers block" is such a common one? We've all encountered it.

A few weeks ago, I decided I was going to make some big changes in my life first and let them work outwards. I'd noticed for almost a year the growing stagnation inside myself. It crept like a swelling river flooding over the banks of my veins and drowning me in its soul-sucking power. By the time my husband left to begin his career in the Air Force, it was all too easy to let it consume me.

After a little over a week accomplishing nothing I decided enough was enough and I sat down to take a serious look at my life. I realized that I'd been dragging my feet on things for a long time. I'd been gradually becoming more sedentary and becoming less peppy. I started to think, "I'm not sure I know me like this." I realized immediately that my body needed to move. Just like a puppy needs to be walked and run, so did I, so out I went.

For Love of Running, contemporary wearable art

 I ran and ran through the neighborhood until I was so tired I thought I might collapse. I kept it up for days...then that become a week... then more, and finally here I am four weeks later. As I ran each day I started realizing something: when my body moved, so did my mind. It was like I could physically push myself through that wall that resistance had built up in front of me! This gave me even more strength and courage to keep it up!

Resistance is a rough thing. Until reading through the book for my AAG team book club, "The War of Art," I hadn't really put a name to that invisible barrier that was stopping me from doing what I needed to. I kept thinking that so long as I was functioning and capable that was enough. But it really isn't.

Are you stuck in a rut? I seriously encourage you to find some way to get your body moving whether that's running, dance, yoga, pilates, or jump roping! Your mind craves the energy your body provides. Don't ignore those puppy-like urges to play! As creative people we should be playing everyday to hold on to that child-like sense of wonderment and to keep the beast of resistance at bay. 

*Originally posted for the Aspiring Artisan's Guild blog.
**You can keep up more with my running and daily life at my personal blog Color Me Redhead. 

***Inspired in part by Lee Wolfe's post regarding making time for AGTeam.

Tiny Business Tip: Utilize Social Media

Spam Mail -- original painting necklace

 One of the funniest facts of selling online is how much more comfortable I've gotten with social media. When I first started sharing on Facebook and Twitter I felt like a complete fool throwing out comments into the void and wondering if anyone would even care to hear what I thought. By that time, I was already selling fairly steadily and had gained a lot more confidence about my work. Still, I had some old habits about not posting too much on Facebook and was unused to the way Twitter worked.

Let me tell anyone starting out this little gem now: Get over feeling like a fool--social media is kind of foolish, but damned if it doesn't work out better than almost any other way of communicating with your customers!

Why does it work so well? For me, it's because a grass roots style of marketing is much more effective than an ad on the edge of a website. Sure, I'm trying to build brand recognition as much as the next person, but I want customers to see a little more about me, to be talking about my work and why they love it, what makes it special to them, and I want customers to be the ones who spread the word.

Part of what I love about my pieces is that they can be conversation starters. They're different and a little quirky, sometimes elegant, but one thing they all have in common is that they are original paintings which is an interesting enough fact to get people talking!

My favorite thing about Facebook and Twitter is that they really help keep the conversation going between myself and my customers and fans. I love it! It makes running my business on the day-to-day more fun, it makes being a fan or customer more fun because you get a little more insight into where these pieces are coming from, and it makes selling as a small business more financially manageable.

If you're just starting out a small online business or working to build up awareness of an organization, I strongly encourage you to put aside your qualms about sharing on Facebook or Twitter and just give it a try. After all, what have you got to lose?

Follow me on Facebook www.facebook.com/tuckooandmoocow
And on Twitter @TuckooandMooCow

The Rite of Spring

It's here, it's here! Spring is officially here! I am so excited about this since this year I just have to get through spring and then my life can start to stabilize again. Knowing I'm already in the right season makes it a lot easier to visualize the time.

I spent some time out in my Aunt and Uncle's garden here in Mobile, AL, enjoying their lovely flowers. It gave me a few ideas for new necklaces too!

I just love their lawn. It is perfect. Trees, stone path, pretty flowers. Now, it's not huge--not even very big-- but it is peaceful and lovely.

I photographed my Orange Blossoms necklace against some little flowers (too big to be baby's breathe and I really don't know what they are). I was pretty happy with how it turned out. The piece isn't one of my newer designs, but this certainly gives a facelift to the listing.

Hope you're enjoying the new season!