independent business

about the running of a small independent business

  • art,  collaboration projects,  independent business

    My First Album

    This is a bit overdue, but that is for another post I may or may not write. Last September, I was approached by Barry Privett of Carbon Leaf to license a piece of artwork of mine for their latest EP that is coinciding with their 25th Anniversary tour. I meant to post this just before they came to Portland in September, but I am posting it now, because better late than never. It is super exciting to see my artwork in so many different forms, and I am super thankful for the opportunity. Find all the merch here.

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    My Troubled Relationship with Discount Sales

    It is so hard to not get sucked in. I can have my resolve in place, but then people keep asking “When is this going to go on sale?” My answer is that it isn’t. This is really hard as a person who sells things to not have sales. The pressure comes from all sides. It comes from customers, from fellow craftspeople, from society. With things out there like Groupon and Living Social. From all of the peer pressure to participate in Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. It reenforces the idea that it is not okay to make your living selling things. That may sound hyperbolic, but that is…

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    Do You Really Want To Quit Your Day Job?

    In talking to people about what it is that I do, I end up getting asked for advice on all kinds of things. Sometimes I feel like I should bite my tongue in order to be more encouraging of people to follow their dreams, but I am not sure that is doing them any favours. Don’t get me wrong. I am all about people leading the life they want to live, but that is kind of part of it. The whole doing what you love for a living is a dream for many and a goal for some. I try to share my experiences with people to help them learn…

  • collaboration projects,  independent business

    Putting Yourself in the Right Place At the Right Time

    photo: etsy labs I am such an occasional writer these days, but I have had many ideas to share with little time to share them aside from twitter. These end in long form rants that are in fragments that get my point across, but may sound a bit insane. As you may or may not know I have been a part of a group called I Heart Art PDX that has been putting on low or no cost programming around building your small creative business, professionalism and valuing your time. Okay, maybe that isn’t the official tag-line, but that has been what it has turned out to be. We are…

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    Why I Am No Longer On Facebook

    Some people are early adopters, I am an early abandoner. This is the blog of my business, but what follows is a personal post. It contains information that may contradict the gal you know online. That is okay. She will continue on as ever after this post. I am writing this because I have been asked too many times: Why do you hate Facebook and why did you leave? Here is the true sordid tale: It gave me pause to leave Facebook given that I had cultivated an audience there, but that audience was also the reason I felt that maintaining a presence there ate at my soul. I should…

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    Buy Handmade for the Holidays

    here’s where i can get preachy, and you probably realize my bias, but i have to say it: BUY HANDMADE FOR THE HOLIDAYS. we can all try and debate whether art has value in society, so let’s just assume that it does. myself, and most of the people i know make their livings by our hearts and hands. we are kind of old fashioned that way. if you have been following my career, you know that i try to make as much as i can on my own, and what i can’t make, i try to get from another local artisan or small business. times have been difficult for many…

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    NOT MADE IN CHINA

    here i have to take issue with a subject that has been eating at me for quite some time now, and i know i am not the only one. here i am amidst the official year ten of my fashion design company. for those of you who know me, or have at least seen my work, you know how much of my life’s blood has been poured into my work; in creativity, attention to details, and time. lots and lots of time. now is a bit of a transition period for piper ewan, and there is a new project/company thrown in for good measure. in this i have been researching…

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    portland’s creative capacity

    to my beloved community, i had the privilege of attending the city of portland’s creative capacity meeting on tuesday evening. (for more official information on creative capacity, see below) it was an evening of a segment of the artistic community coming together to begin a series of dialogs about how to help portland’s artistic community thrive. in a room of 300+ people representing a range of portland’s creatives the task seems incredibly daunting. i am not sure many can wrap their brains around the breadth and scope of the creatives who live, and make their living in this town. i could go on a lengthy diatribe about several issues near…

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    friend up! or and over-dependence on electronic devices

    since when did my business start to depend so heavily on my computer? i was separated from it for a couple of months due to a series of circumstances somewhat beyond my control. my whole life during this time seemed dedicated to me being reunited with my computer. and now, today, i am feeling the conditionality of my relationships with others on my proximity to my computer and my cell phone. when did this all happen? i remember a time when i had neither of these things, and i had a decent social life which wasn’t dependent on me checking my e-mail or never being more than 8 feet from…

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    my brush with the law

    we went to the lawyer yesterday for a quick lesson on copyright law, trademarks, licensing and incorporation. things are happening. the lawyer put our minds at ease. the big announcement and launch will be here soon. when i woke up on 1 january 2007, i had no idea that i would be starting a new company; much less with contracts and lawyers and licenses and copyrights and trademarks. i was just sewing some characters that brent cut out on some skirts. we are still in our phase of introductory offers. hoodies for $65. and skirts are 30% off retail. you still need to own one, i still need the money.…