Terri Conrad Designs

Home Work - Home Office Ideas

It's wonderful, it's marvelous that you should be able to work from home. Do you? I chose art licensing as a career so I could work from home and raise my daughters while working. My work is more of a lifestyle business that allows for the blending & balancing of family, home, life and work all together (that's another way of saying I spend a lot of time in my home office).

I like these three rooms. Although they are not practical for what I need, they each exude a light, bright, happy personality (nurturing to the creative spirit).

We have one room dedicated to our home office, where it all happens - the majority of my creative time is spent in this room, where I digitally pull together my paintings, illustrations and create finished pieces. My girls each have their own desk & computer for homework, and it's where my husband manages our home and my business accounts. That's a whole lot of activity for one room that's been functioning on overdrive for the past three years.

It's time for a make over. I want to create a more efficient and creatively inspiring home office - but on a budget - creativity, ingenuity, and a little elbow grease required.

When designing a home office consider:

1.  Do I have the space to allocate an entire room to a home office?

2.  Is my home office going to be a high traffic area?

3. Do I want a door or doors to close it off from the rest of the home?

3.  Will I have clients coming to my home office?

Your answers will provide a basis from which you begin to design your room.

Other considerations you will want to make are lighting: include task and ambient lighting; flooring: hard or carpeted surface; and of course, the main pieces: your desk and shelving/storage. Stand inside the room and look out into the rest of your home - what do you see? This is your line of sight. Do the same, but standing inside the home looking into the office - What do you see? This is the opposite line of sight. You will want everything in your line of sight to harmoniously blend together.

I love the duo-desk, cabinetry & task lighting of this room, but the luscious lime walls and crisp white color of the cabinets in this next photo - the latter  really speaks to my creative spirit - I could combine the desired elements and come up with the perfect office design.

This won't happen over night - but I would love to show you before and after pictures. Would you like to see the transformation?

In the meantime, if you're looking for stylish accessories for your home office, Terri Conrad Designs has a variety of patterned storage boxes available at Home Goods and JoAnne's.

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You can also visit Terri Conrad Designs for our desktop magnet boards, and more gift & decor to warm your heart & home (office)!

Serendipity!

Perfect timing! Sometimes there are words that can make us feel better. Thank you Melodie Ross, and the Brave Girls Club for this very special message. I really needed this today (and didn't know it until I read it!)...for those who read our (now deleted) post this week (we're letting the lawyers work it out!) you may better understand how these words touched my big squishy heart.

I hope it will touch your heart right where you are today - and after you read these words - pop over and visit Melodie Ross, and the Brave Girls Club

"Dear Fabulous Girl,

There really are wonderful, kind, good and noble people in the world. Sometime it seems like they are few and far between, but they are sauntering in the same light filled places that you are and that you crave to be.

If you have been hurt in the past, and it's hard to trust others, please believe that there really ARE beautiful, true souls in the world . . . and that you need them and they need you.

Life is not meant to be spent alone and isolated.

Be brave and reach out . . . your life will take on new dimensions of joy when you are surrounded by like-minded, light-filled, beauty-filled souls like you.

You really are so beautiful, such a beautiful, beautiful soul.

xoxo

Brave Girls Club"

I've been joyfully painting in my studio today - I am working on three different collections at the same time and am loving the gift of creativity.

Looking for something oh-so-special for that someone oh-so-special . . .visit my website for these little pretties and so much more.

xoxo

Be Happy

Pleasure is spread through the earth
In stray gifts to be claimed by whoever shall find.
~William Wordsworth, 1806

It's raining, it's pouring . . . so I wanted to sprinkle a little happy your way today!

We have a little squirrel who's taken up residence on our land and in our trees. It's such a delight to sit at my desk, look out the window and watch (repeatedly) as she goes back and forth, climbing the wall, scurrying to the back yard, climbing the tree, gathering a mouthful of soft leaves, climbing the wall again, scurrying to the front, climbing down the wall, then up the tree, hopping from one, two, three trees - then, up, up she goes to prepare her nest. What a hard worker! She's happy just doing her thing, and I think she's happy with the fresh cut fruit we've been strategically placing outside for her. Her presence makes me happy. Simple gifts, ya know. What makes you happy today?

Here are a few more photos from my coastal collection with with Creative Co-op. This makes me happy, too. Raised near So Cal beaches, living there til '94 - I love the ocean - and thoroughly enjoyed creating this collection with its bright, whimsical, yet classy color palette and hand painted elements - there's a little old world charm mixed in the first few pieces.

  

 

Oh, and these room shots - scrumptious coastal decor to melt into - I can feel the sun and smell the sweet salt air . . .wouldn't it be grand to sit at that kitchen table, share a glass of chardonnay, visit, and watch the sun set over the ocean? Pure Happiness!

Watch for these products to arrive at your local gift & home dec retailer. We'd love to hear from you when you see our products in your local retailer.

Hope for Haiti

My heart and my prayers go out to the people of Haiti. I watched, as so many of us have, as the pictures, film reels and newscasters' report on this tragedy. I laid my head down on my pillow last night, on freshly washed bed linens placed atop a down mattress cover, with warm blankets pulled up over my shoulders so thankful for the simple gifts of clean linens, a bed, water, food, shelter, and my children safe and sound tucked in their own beds. But I could not sleep...the minutes, then hours passed as many thoughts passed through my mind. The first of which is "why?" I immediately realized why simply is not of concern. More importantly, what can we learn from this? How is it possible for a nation of people to have only 20% literacy? What will come of all the little children who have lost their mother and father? How can we help? What can I do? What can you do?

Helen Keller so eloquently said, "I am only one, but I am still one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."

It is small, but it is something. When you purchase this small piece of art here 100% of the proceeds will be donated to The American Red Cross

Other valuable links to help you help the people of Haiti:

World Vision

Habitat for Humanity

Help Haiti Now

Doctors Without Borders

May tomorrow shine grace and peace and a little bit of hope for the people of Haiti.

Turn of the Century Classic Design by Terri Conrad for Creative Co-Op

OH SO DELIGHTED!

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Creative Co-Op, the leader in trend-driven gifts and decorative accessories, will be expanding our program with several new collections being launched at the January Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market. Our inaugural collection, introduced last July, Feather Your Nest, has met with wonderful response. Spring-boarding off that collection, Creative Co-Op is adding our Reflections of Nature collection for everyday, as well as several other theme based collections including coastal, Turn of the Century, and holiday gift & decor.

From our Reflections of Nature art these are just some of our Creative Co-Op products in the "Botanique" collection: Please visit Creative Co-Op to make a wholesale purchase or locate your local sales rep.

Also debuting is our Turn of the Century classic design - I think I just may have to redecorate my bedroom with this stunning decor!

 

 

On a personal note - this product debut and partnership with Creative Co-Op is an almost surreal experience. Several years ago I had decided to enter into the world of art licensing with the idea I could work from home and raise my two little girls. A new photography studio had opened in my neighborhood, the photographer being none other than (the beautiful in spirit and creative expression) Valorie Tabor Smith.  A fan of her work, I tucked my little ol biz card in her door with a note offering to paint her new suite/studio.  While I never did get the opportunity to paint her studio, I was given the opportunity of a life time to chat with this very talented & insightful women who gave me words of encouragement that I could hold on to and hope that I too could one day license my art. I was soooooo green then, yet she was soooooo gracious with her encouragement. Thank you, Valerie!

Then, January 2007 arrived when I launched my first product line - the partnership with that licensee meant the world to me and I did everything in my power to make this a viable, mutually successful and long lasting partnership. It was not to be, and one full year ago, my company needed to bring an end to that partnership for many reasons. Yet, I feel sadness for the loss of something I so deeply valued and wanted to nurture. What I could not know, nor see is God had plans for me, and continues to.

Art licensing is a very, very competitive business - and all my preparation before ever entering the biz could never have provided me the education & insight my experience in it has. I give thanks each and every morning for the team of support I am surrounded by and hope & pray I continue to give my best to all who are a part of what I do - we are all connected to making a success out of the product that is the result of something that came from my imagination. Wow! I don't for a second take any of it for granted.

I hope you will see the challenges and the blessings in your life and know that while you're in the midst of it all, living and trying to bring it all together, that God has plans for you too. I know He does.

Thank you for letting me share my enthusiasm with you today - more to follow soon.

Creative Co-Op and Terri Conrad Designs Shine Bright in Atlanta

 Are you letting your light shine today?

I am . . .and I'm so excited to share a glimpse of just where that light is illuminating.

But first, have you given thought to what your

1. promise

2. gift

3. passion, and

4. your deep heartfelt desires are?

In my previous post, I said I'd share with you what I understand mine to be and help you identify yours. In her book, Until Today Inyanla Vanzant explains that our promise is what we have "come to life to master." That is, the promise we made to ourselves to overcome, resolve or heal some aspect of our consciousness, our life lesson.  Think about the situations & relationships you find yourself in that seem to keep repeating themselves but perhaps in slightly different ways. Curiously, they continue to pop in and pay us a visit unless or until we "get it!" For me, and this is being vulnerable and transparent - my promise is to see my true sense of worth thru one set of eyes and only those eyes - my heavenly father's eyes. So often I have looked outward for validation only to find myself trying to measure my worth according to someone else's bag of tricks.  I went to have my daughter fitted for ice skates the other day, and learned that each manufacturer has its own unique measuring device. If you want an authentic fit, you need to be properly measured by the one true source - the one who created you.

To identify your promise, look at those pesky situations & relationships and see the common thread in each. Once you're able to do so you will be more aware and able to work toward identifying your promise, to learn your life lesson and free yourself to more fully experience your gift.

Your gift is what you have come to life to give. It is a unique blend of your talents, abilities and the oh so special things that only you can do. 

Our passion represents what we pursue for the sheer joy of it!  While I have a few, one of my passions, certainly is to create. It was not until I was in my late 30s that I even knew I had any kind of creative ability. You can learn more about that journey here.

Finally, our heartfelt desires are not so much things as they are what we want to experience in life. Inyanla Vanzant tells us that some want love, some want acceptance - both or more.  But again, I can share with you that when we look back we can see a common thread and often identify just what it is we desire. Some of my desires are for peace, provision, and security among others.

While life lessons are often difficult, challenging, gut wrenching, and costly, they are also life changing - when we allow the lessons, they bring with them light to show the way to the life we are intended to live before all the other stuff got in the way. Light it good, it shows us the way to living the good life so joyful, joyful we can be.

This would be a great topic to create and dedicate a special journal to.

If you're interested, Susan Summerville is offering some great journal prompts at Your Life Spelled Out.

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I just had a peek into the Creative Co-Op catalog for 2010 and I am joyful, joyful! This is just one page of my Botanique collection (some of you paper crafters may remember this as "Inspired" from my previously licensed products scrapbook products).  Well, there is oh so much more coming your way this week via Creative Co-Op, Terri Conrad Designs and the Atlanta Gift Show. I'll share more photos in my next post - but in the meantime, please do let your local gift & home dec retailers know you want Terri Conrad Designs' product from Creative Co-Op. I'm going to be hitting their showroom at the LA Mart next week and my oh my, I would love to shop and fill my house with the whole pretty catalog of decor and furnishings. Oh just wait til I show you - it's scrumptious. I am overwhelmed really. I am finally feeling like my life's work (all those lessons!) and my creative work are finally making a connection and my light is beginning to shine.

 

Fresh Bloom in a Sweet Life

A blank canvas, a clean slate, a fresh bloom . . .a new year... how does each make you feel? I love them, one and all, for each represents HOPE filled with possibility. The canvas can be what whatever I want it to be - I need only choose and let my imagination direct my hand.

My family and I were chatting today, and I commented that I believe it is no coincidence that the birth of the Christ child, and the New Year fall together, as both, I believe, represent hope, and hope, light. 

Many have written in one form or another that we each come into life with a promise, a gift, a passion and a deep heartfelt desire. With the turn of the new year, as I reflect on what has passed (quite a lot of really difficult stuff both personally and professionally), what is (so, so much that is oh so good), and what is yet to come (the best is yet to come!), I have been giving thought to

1. my promise

2. my gift

3. my passion, and

4. my deep heartfelt desire

I think I have a pretty good sense of what each is . . . and I will share those with you in the days & weeks to come, as well as facilitate a better understanding of yours. If this interests you, please leave me a little comment and let me know - and by all means share with a friend.

For now,  I have a new journal card to share with you, to inspire, encourage, and hopefully nurture your sweet soul just a teeny tiny bit . . . (PRINT ON CARDSTOCK AND FOLD IN HALF - FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY)

This sentiment means oh so much to me - not just because I'm an an August baby, love the sun, & the color golden yellow, but I wholeheartedly believe we each come to the world with a beautiful light to shine. We will, of course, on occasion cross paths with someone who cannot tolerate the light we shine, they may try to altogether extinguish it, or stand directly in it for their own consumption and care. I am learning to not take such occasions personally (geez, that's a challenge isn't it?!) - the good news is when you have the strength & courage to stand firmly in your light, you will continue to shine regardless of what transpires in and around it. When you have garnered the wisdom that experience offers, you will radiate authentic love.

I have chosen to set my present focus on my promise, my gift, my passion and my deep heartfelt desires because as my light shines so to will yours. 

P.S. share this link with a friend today and brighten her day

Hey, for those of you who love to create with paper, one of my new paper colletions for K& Co. is available at Michael's. The sweet little thing began over a year ago as Sweet Life, switched to Fresh Bloom, and ultimately hit the market as Sweet Life. Exhale . . .it is indeed, a Sweet Life.