I haven't posted in awhile...I go through periods of trying to forget that I have ADD. Unsuccessfully.

Amazingly, I was able to finish (more or less) a project I've been interested in doing for a long time. I opened a "shop" at cafepress.com of my photos and designs. I've been photographing and writing all my life with some small success. These are the only things I can sustain any interest in. Well, those things and men with whom I am totally incompatible...lol:)

I need badly (in a good way) to success at this, or at least make it part of my success. Sure, there are lots of writing and photography jobs---but a "job" means I have to write and photograph what others tell me to write and photograph---ugh....Sad, but true, and here I am admitting it in black and white that I must be the master of my own domain!

Anyway, at the risk of being beaten for promoting my website....here it is: http://www.cafepress.com/magnoliagirl

Oh, and did I mention it's virually impossible for me to think or expect anyone would ever pay me for my artistic and creative efforts?

Well enough groveling for support for one New Year's Day!


I wish us all health, happiness, prosperity and love in 2006!


Sandra :o

You've tastefully and humbly told your story so, although I'd normally report blatant advertising, I took a look at your site instead.

Very nice job. I think that, if you can get more products up and get the site seen, you should do at least a some business. Your work is very good.

Sunset tendrils is beautiful!

I was particularly impressed with the merchandise photos. I'm guessing here, but did you place the images into already-shot photos of plain shirts & bags? It's not obvious or anything, but that's how I'd do it, so I thought I'd ask. If that's what you did -- NICE JOB.

A bit of advice on advertising: Now, I was a freelance web designer nearly a decade ago and things have changed a LOT since then; everyone has a site now and a lot of them are much better-funded. BUT, when I launched a site I spent hours just cruising the web for every search engine or directory site I could find. I put reciprocal links up whenever possible and put my own handmade-teddy-bear site on a "webring". By the time I was done, a keyword search would put any site I'd done this with in the top 5.
If you don't get it seen, it won't sell.

Good luck with it.

Cafe Press is a great marketing tool for "creatives" who have challenges with putting all the pieces together to make a business of their efforts. One simply uploads designs (original), according to the size specifications for each product they select from a total of 87 items available. Cafe Press sets a base price (which they keep) and each shopkeeper marks up the price accordingly and receives that profit direct from Cafe Press. My mark-up is slight and I hope to make up for that with volume (if I put the effort in to promote:).

And yes these are all photographs I've taken, and slogans I've created.

I agree totally about getting the word out, linking, putting in the right "keywords" for product descriptions, etc. I'm in the process of creating a newsletter (actually will be a modification of a newsletter I've put out for the last year and a half, which has gotten some fair response) and linking it to the Magnolia Girl concept, tentatively calling it "The Magnolia News".

I do believe in offering folks something tangible for the time they take to read my ponderings and so I hope to offer information, stories, tidbits, etc. that both ADDer's and non ADDer's can enjoy and benefit from.

I've been a writer/photographer/designer of sorts since about fourth grade, and have had a few successes and a few more failures along the way---but it is my "calling" or my "curse" or my "blessing", depending on the direction of my mood swing for the day!

This effort is part of "doing what I love". It's taken hearing that about, oh a gazillion times, before I actually started applying it! I think Zig Ziglar said something like "Repition is the mother of learning". I'll buy that.

Thanks again and again and best of luck to you in all your efforts and endeavors in 2006!


Sandra