FREELANCING TIPS

Funny picture time! 'The Shinning' lol. If you own this pic please let me know, it's hilarious!

Here are some articles on freelancing and marketing tips, all from Freelanceswitch.com. They make for concise reads and may provide useful information for new freelancers who need to know more about handling the business.

- How to handle tightwads & charge what you're worth

- How to create memorable business cards

- Freelancing under the table: The Pros and Cons

Invoicing is an integral part of a professional business, this article may help you get started if you've never used an invoice before:

- Get your money: Best invoicing practices for freelancers

This one is interesting, because I've thought of creating stock to sell but that is in my neverending to-do list:

- 9 tips for creating and maximizing a steady income stream by selling stock

Remember freelancing IS a proper job if you work hard at it. Isn't it still income? Doesn't it pay the bills and for meals? It is not lazing around and having money drop on your lap. It's usually a full-day work, sometimes 9-12 hours, besides the 'flexible' hours. Personally I will hate it if people think I can run errands at any time convenient to them because I seem to be have 'flexible' time. That just interrupts my work... especially annoying when there are deadlines to meet. Mostly personal deadlines yes, but I rather keep to it than end up not accomplishing anything and wasting the day.

Many people do not understand why freelancers stay at home all day instead of a 'proper' 9 - 5 job at the office, thus concluding they aren't working at all. If you have this problem, I say ignore them. You'll get used to it. They'll wonder how you ever got money to purchase that new computer or pay your rent on time, then you can explain it nicely to them lol.

CUTE LIP BALM DOESN'T WORK

Ok this is like the cutest lip balm packaging, but the lip balm itself was sorely disappointing. I bought a bunch of different flavoured ones from the US as souvenirs to friends and sorry if you're reading this I hope your balms applies smoother than mine lol.

It feels like candle wax on my lips - dry and paraffin-ish. The scent is Dr Pepper alright but more of a lingering taste on an empty cup that used to contain Dr Pepper... and it's got too much sweetener. Oh and the ingredients - nothing much  natural! I think I'm used to the handmade yummy balms from Etsy... so get this only if you're a sucker of nice packaging (like me) haha!

NOUVEAU MELT ART & BLOGGER ISSUES

Blogger did something that my redirecting page is now wonky! It says my blog doesn't exist when using Safari and prompts me to redirect when using Firefox. It used to be auto. Does this explain why some of the blogs I read are mysteriously gone? Recently I've had problems uploading photos on Safari as well.

Please bookmark http://blog.lemonshortbread.com/ instead of http://lemonshortbread.blogspot.com/
Thank you!

And this is what I finished last night - entitled 'Nouveau Melt'. The backgrounds didn't come out as I had wanted it to, markers are a little hard to use for large areas of blank space... I'll post it on Etsy in a bit. 4 x 6" in pen and markers.

Lineart.

Finished piece.

HUNTINGTON GARDENS PHOTOS

Here are some photos I took at the Huntington Library Gardens in Pasadena, California in early January; meant to post it much earlier on my blog. Hope you enjoy them!

Stream overlooking the Chinese gardens.

Pavilion in the Chinese gardens

Japanese gardens with a replica bridge and lake - nope you aren't allowed on it!

Japanese house replica

Zen gardens

Decorative elements in the courtyard

'Pinkie' by Thomas Lawrence

'Blue Boy' by Thomas Gainsborough

Stained glass wall

Cactus conservatory

Flowering succulents

Various roses in the rose gardens!

I'm always in for floral shots lol.

R.I.P YOSHI

Yoshi got ran over by a car or something just now. This is horrible, because it was totally unexpected. Yoshi is my bf's cat and not yet a year old. My boyfriend had just fed and played with him an hour before he was found dead on the road at about midnight. Just horrible. I hope that whoever ran him down will feel guilty for the rest of his/her life. It was a damm quiet neighbourhood street, not a freeway. Please drive carefully if you KNOW that there are lots of (household) cats are loitering about the street.  

Screenshot of a recent video.

Yoshi with his brother Pluto. As you can see they are good buddies and often groom and lick each other at night before bedtime. Pluto will have to sleep alone from now on. Yoshi also plays fetch with his bell toy; he carries it in his mouth and brings it back for you to toss it at him. You can see more of him under my 'Cats' label.

I can't believe that my blog has 2 pet deaths a few posts from each other. Also on a side note, Squeek (female cat) got abused by some sickos while on her outdoor trip, she returned with bleeding bashed eye and nose. It really sickens me how humans can be so nasty towards animals.