Memorial Day and Thoughts About the Future of my Lil Ones

I have to say that rarely does a day pass by when I don't think about, and perhaps worry about, the future of my little ones.  It's tough not to get caught up in the what ifs and fear based tendency of the media. Having both a father, brother, and husband who have served their country I can say I am truly blessed to have them all within a phone calls reach.  But today, this Memorial Day,  I stumbled across a couple of quotes that made me think about my sons and daughters and how blessed they, and I, truly are to live in a free Country. I hope my children dream big and strong dreams, and never give up on pursuing their ideals to the highest measure. I am grateful and blessed beyond measure to those who have gifted myself and my children with the opportunity to have the livelihood we do.

“What’s right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity-- intellect and resources-- to do something about them.” -- Henry Ford

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” -- Joseph Campbell

http://www.gumballgrenade.com

So here's to all of our little future heroes. May they dream big and hold fast to their ideals and guiding principals. May their parents be good stewards on this path. 

New Art Print this week: Mr. Bluebird's Wish

Just added this sweet little nursery art print to the shop: www.gumballgrenade.com

Children's Nursery Art Print: An adorable print of a little boy in red striped pajamas accompanied by his blue bird companion. They are dreaming up and delivering wishes to the night sky. The biggest wish is for bluebird on this night. 

Dimensions: 8 x 10 inch print area. 
A perfect gift to decorate your baby's nursery walls with. 
Ready to pop into your favorite frame! 
Frame not included

Printed with archival ink on archival matte paper. 

Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.
Watermark will not appear on your print.

I do combine shipping.
Items ship out within 7-10 business days of receiving payment excluding weekends and US holidays.
Item ships in a sturdy cardboard mailer

_______________________________

PRINT SETS AVAILABLE: 
If you'd like multiple prints you can get them here in the various art print set listings: http://www.etsy.com/shop/GumballGrenade?section_id=5477984&ref=shopsection_leftnav_1
Want a smaller Print? You can find 5 x 7 inch prints on 8.5 x 11 inch paper here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/GumballGrenade?section_id=5299001&ref=shopsection_leftnav_2
If you'd like to see more of my art prints available for purchase please visit:http://www.etsy.com/shop/GumballGrenade___________________________________
Thanks for your interest in my work!

What a Difference a Frame Makes

'm sticking to my goal of waking up an hour early to work on www.gumballgrenade.com.  My next task is editing all of my listing to include a better photo of what my art prints would look like when framed. So take a peek at the before and after versions:

BEFORE 

AFTER

I think it's important for your buyers to be able to connect with how your item would look and feel in their space.  So onward with these edits.  Happy editing to you!

Paper Boat, Panda, and Princess with Hedgehog Rings Just Listed in the shop!

These sweet little rings have just been listed in the shop! A panda, a princess, a hedgehog, and paper boats! All little things I love.

Gumball Grenade Rings

https://www.etsy.com/shop/GumballGrenade?section_id=15067035

https://www.etsy.com/shop/GumballGrenade?section_id=15067035

https://www.etsy.com/shop/GumballGrenade?section_id=15067035

Marketing Plan is Paying off Traffic is Increasing in Etsy.

The battle to get my www.GumballGrenade.com Etsy shop views up continues. I'm tracking my stats from last week compared to this week.  I love that Etsy.com has a seller feature that allows you to track your statistics.  It's allowed me to tap in an quantify my growth! I've pulled the shop view statistics from the last seven days and compared them to the seven days prior.  In the last seven days since I began editing my shop listing titles to be more specific with terms like "Pirate Art Print" or "Polar Bear Art Print" and then adjusting the item description to also describe the item in specific terms (Pirate Art Print), and to also include links in the description to my "print sets" shop section, as well as links to my blog and facebook page.  The results are promising. My shop views for the last seven days. That turned out to be 391 views.  The week prior to starting my search engine optimization edits the views were 323.  That's some growth. So far about two thirds of my listings are edited and they should be finished this morning before the day job begins.  I should also say that I've been blogging daily and here and posting a link to my blog on my facebook page.  So onward and upward.  I'll keep you all updated.

Little Helper on the Job

So this is how it get's done over here at Gumball Grenade.  I woke up an hour early as planned.  What wasn't planned was my little helper.  Did he slow down my progress in my SEO edits for my Gumball Grenade Etsy Shop?  Well maybe, but the memory I'll have when I look back years from now will be priceless.  He's sitting in my lap reminding me of why I do what I do.

Editing of Etsy Listings Continues...Ugh! It's an SEO mystery I intend to crack!

So up an hour early before work and it took an hour and some serious coffee to edit 33 of 99 of my Etsy listing at www.gumballgrenade.com to include the words "Art Print" in the first 60 characters of the listing title and the description of the listing.  SEO seems so mysterious.  Whew! So I guess in two more days the entire shop should be done!

Delayed Resolution: Growing my Etsy Sales in 30 days

Today's task, as the kiddos and husband are all snuggled up in bed, on the agenda today is to try and revamp all of my listings at www.etsy.com/shop/GumballGrenade to include the words "Art Print" within the first 60 characters of the title and the description. With 99 listings this will be quite an editing project.  I'm also going into each listing and including "link backs" both to my shop, my shop sections where you can purchase my children's art print sets, to my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gumball-Grenade-Illustrations/13393631414 and to my blog here.  Off we go! Putting my actions towards my intentions.

Hello Oliver

A new adventure begins. I always love following works in progress and seeing them develop over time.  So I figured I would share the progress of my latest large illustration project. I plan to keep you updated with it as it progresses. Mind you this is done while working full time as a social worker, having a new little baby boy, and now are selling our house!  So on top of getting the house photo ready for sell, yesterday was spent creating the first page of illustrations for a children's book written by Tina Chadwick. I can't help it, but I seem to have fallen in love with this little character.  I giggle when I write this but he reminds me a bit of my girls. He's a collector of all things.  When I was doing a mass clean out of my girl's room I discovered that I too, and I'm sure you know many other moms in this situation, have been blessed with hoarders in disguise!  My little one's are so crafty at hiding their treasures all throughout their room.  Inevitably every little scrap of paper or nick nack paddy wack we came across during our clean out had some sentimental value to them.  This seems to be a something that Oliver, the character in the illustration struggles with too!  In this first page (still in progress) he is just like any other kid, playing with his dog, collecting rocks, and going to school. You can view more of my children's themed and nursery artwork here: http://www.gumballgrenade.com

"Dinosaur Sleepover"

Dinosaurs are so cute!  I've just never tried my hand at them before.  Well here is the first!  This is one one of three illustrations.  The other two are still to come.  This one is titled "Dinosaur Sleepover"  I have to say that my most productive times are when I'm surrounded by little ones. I don't think that I have shared, at least not here on this blog, that we (my Joe and I) are expecting a beautiful baby boy in less than one month! I can't believe how quickly the pregnancy has flown by!  Anyhow, with the anticipation of a baby boy coming I can help but find myself wanting to design boy themed everything! Recently, we celebrated the Birthdays of our nephews (ages 6 and 1).  Dinosaurs seemed fitting and the theme of a sleepover even more so!  I cannot wait to have all of our family's boys together romping around and terrorizing my daughters with ferocious roars and rowdy ruckuses!  I'm sure the girls can more than keep up! Look out little boys, you can easily become prime targets for practicing fashionistas! You can find the above print here:  Dinosaur Sleepover by Gumball Grenade Illustrations

Dinosaurs are coming!

Dinosaurs are coming!  I'm really excited about this new illustration.  It's funny how some things are meant to be.  More often then not, I find myself setting up my creative space on my kitchen table.  Unfortunately, this can lead to slight mishaps such as me inadvertently tossing a sketch out with the the scrap paper!  So there was an initial sketch, which I guess wasn't mean to be! However, this one is! I'm much more fond of it than the initial dino sketch.  So very excited to get it colored in and  listed in the shop (http://www.gumballgrenade.com)!  

The Bears Have Come to Hibernate!

Well, sadly I have neglected this blog for far too long.  But life has reached a point where creativity has been allowed to come back in, along with many other changes!  The first is that I became a home owner of a quaint little place for my two girls and I.  Secondly, life had larger plans, and when I least expected it I met the love of my life. Now he and I are expecting a little baby boy in April!  There ya have the major updates in my little corner of this tremendous universe of possibilities.  On the creative side of things, all of the transition caused a bit of temporary slowing.  It is amazing to me how when peace and love come back into the soul, then the creativity can come out in full spirit.  So here are a couple of creations that are now available at Gumball Grenade Illustrations. 

Whew! Things to be done today!

I still love my Sundays! Coffee, lovely blogs, shop updates and making stuff! Little S and I have a bow holder to finish up. I have some boxes and journals/sketchbooks to finish as well. I've saved some aside for the wee ones to decorate along with me. YAY!

Gumball Grenade goes public! and a Shop Update too!

Ha ha! Not that public, but you can now find Gumball Grenade designs in Little Cherry Blossoms boutique down on Historic 25th street, Ogden, UT.

However this morning was a SHOP UPDATE morning! Additional Post cards and Keepsake Boxes now available in the shop! However, be sure to swing by the Gumball Grenade Facebook Page, give it a like and get a free gift with your purchase!

Valentine Postcards! And other wee goodies!

SHOP UPDATE TODAY! Finally got a minute to catch my breath and add some new little items to the shop today. The postcards are available for reserve and will ship out on February 1st! They are so lovely with wee fancy rounded corners! All arrrrrgh available in the shop www.gumballgrenade.etsy.com