Blog Shop: There!

Ok, I know. I haven't posted anything in like two weeks. (Yes, I say like a lot. I've gotten better, but it still slips in and I felt this post was appropriate to include a few extra "likes".) I have a good excuse. Actually a ton of good excuses. I have so much to tell you all! Soon. I'll post about it all in pieces or your head will be swimming as much as mine is. 

So, Blogshop happened...and it was awesome!! I am so glad I invested in this opportunity. Not only did I meet great people, but I learned a ton about Photoshop and blogging. I learned so much, but I have been so busy (with other major events!) that I haven't been able to practice my new Photoshop wizardry. But believe me, when I show you what I can do you will be impressed! 

I was feeling so guilty about not posting in a while that I thought it was better to post something, than to wait to post until I can use my new skills. That is this post. Same old format. My intentions are good.

This was class. My seat neighbors were so nice and everyone really tried to help each other. This was really tough stuff we were learning in a very short amount of time.  

This is Bri. One of our teachers and creator of Design Love Fest. Bri was a great teacher and really believed in teaching methods to help make our blog unique and easy to customize. She is an inspiration to girls like me who want to take control of our future and believe that if you work hard at something you can be successful. 

This is Angela. She was our other teacher and is an amazing photographer. Angela has a passion for the details and really made sure that if we needed help with a specific tool or concept that we understood it before moving on. 

Some of the things I learned: photo retouching, masking, tempates, healing, text on photos, using a Wacom tablet, animated giffs and a lot of other really fun things. I promise to make a decent effort at showing you some of these tricks in my next post. 

I have so much more to share with you. SO much more. I've been a busy girl and am working on some really exciting things. I promise that my game is about to be seriously stepped up. And I can't wait to tell you all about it. 

More soon,

Chelsey

Blog Shop: Getting There, Part 2

Blog Shop is in two weeks. Wait, less than two weeks. I'm so excited and I'm spending way to much time worrying about what I should wear. It is in Portland, so pretty much anything does. But it is also in Portland. You've seen the show, you know what I mean. 

I have been working hard (more news on what I have been up to soon...it's big!) lately. I set a goal to recoup my Blog Shop class fee by doing things that I wouldn't normally do. This means I have been turning in pop cans, saving my change, and running specials in my Etsy shop. 

I've been pretty successful so far. 

The receipt above is from the change jar I stole from my husband. It was a huge ball jar filled with his pocket change (and other random things). Hey, I figured I took the initiative to go turn it in to cash so I should get to put it in my Blog Shop fund. I can rationalize anything. 

Another round of bottle returns. My work collueges have caught on that I am collecting bottles and they have generously contributed to the cause. Moldy limes in beer bottles and all. Thanks guys!

More shenanigans in Part 3!

Having fun,

Chelsey

Blog Shop: Getting There, Part 1

So you if are reading this you get that I have a blog. And if you are reading this you probably also noticed the name of my business is Type A Press. The Type A reflecting my (occasional) bit of obsessive need to do things perfectly. 

When I heard that Design Love Fest was bringing Blog Shop to Portland I got out of my comfort zone and signed up. Wah hoo!! What better way to improve my blog and fulfill my desire to do things "right", than to learn from those that have already figured it out?

I got the support and encouragement from friends and husband to make the investment in my business by taking this workshop. But, I also didn't want to feel guilty about the registration fee. I have six weeks until the workshop. Six weeks to beg, steel and borrow (i.e. work my ass off) to bring in more money to Type A to offset the investment. But, I'm also not opposed to doing things I wouldn't normally do to show how serious I am about taking my business to the next level. 

Exhibit A.

We created this jar to keep my eye on the prize and to have a place to stash my pennies. 

Exhibit B. 

The idea started as a joke, but then soon turned into a challenge. I took bottles from my office lunch room (I work in a print shop with mostly men. And we all know about office lunch rooms. And men...disgusting!) and my co-worker brought in his nicely washed out stash of water and beer bottles for my Blog Shop fund. 

Exhibit C.

Yeah...I hadn't returned bottles in a while. Gross!

Exhibit D. 

$8.60! And in need of some serious hand sanitizer. We figured that I needed to come up with $16.00 per day until the workshop to equal the registration fee. When it was broken down like that it didn't seem that overwhelming. I combinded the $8.60 with the $12 and change I had scavenged from co-workers and reached my first day goal!

I will keep posting on my progress and the fun ways we come up with to fill the Send Chelsey to Blog Shop jar. 

Stay tuned...

Chelsey