Time to talk about the year - all the goods and bads!
It felt a lot like 2021 - trying to get out of covid and back to our new normal.
Spring was sucky, grieving Jimmy, losing the house, and just general malaise. I can’t remember many highlights - except the postcard club! That was a really fun project to start - fun to be making postcards regularly, and to have somewhere to “put” them! But as the year went on, I had a hard time figuring out how to expand it.
After my initial burst of marketing, I couldn’t (and didn’t) figure out how to get more people to subscribe. Instagram and Facebook have become much more difficult to break through. Post just don't go out like they did before, so many fewer people see what I post now. And even that is just a post, a millisecond of somebodies attention, and really hard to convert that into action. I WISH I KNEW THE SECRET recipe!! It’s been so elusive, and discouraging.
My posting has tapered off a lot. For a long time I was posting daily, sometimes multiple things. But Nov, Dec that totally tapered off. Then “stories” seemed to get more traction than posts, and for a second “reels”. Anyway, ALL THIS TO SAY, marketing for branddave is always an issue.
Let’s see, summer just turned to fall, which became more busy. Ha, I really can’t think of many highlights without looking back at the blog.
We got Covid (mild) in June, and just bettered along. Feeling down and anxious and without much direction. Dog days was good, we did our standard setup near 14 / R, and I made lot and lots of totes in multi colors. That was really fun, because I felt free to be creative and just put whatever nutty design I could think of on them. And the colors made them fun.
Continued with my pixelated black and white prints, which I started Fall 21 for Arts on the Ave. That has been a lot of fun, and I have gotten better at printing them in bulk (in stacks) rather the ridiculous and insane method of one-by-one (and clean screen between) method I was doing before. Oh, also started making more dye cut stickers, which has been fun. Rainbow dog and cat. Stickermule proved to be stupid expensive, so when I made the leap to other companies, I was much happier.
Anyway, made a bunch of totes for dog days and sold out, then a few batches for Pixie, and 80 or so for Arts on the Avenue which also basically sold out. Haha, huge misstep was Patsy Baloney design. Turned out that was not at all universal, like I thought.
Shirt fabric, cut and color!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ! ! ! ! ! !
This is always such a problem that I can never resolve, ever since BSUR. I can never be satisfied with the shirt colors, or the sizing. Finally gave up on v necks for women (low design is so awkward) and just stuck with unisex shirts. Finally, got sick of the heather combos, and tried to venture to the regular cotton shirts, with mixed results. Tried SO HARD to get the color combo right for Dog Days, and did pretty good. But I always look at them as a group and want brighter and happier. It's just hard when I'm only using black ink.
Switched gears for Arts on the Ave and was so afraid I had way too much flesh color and tan. But they all sold well. Then for Xmas I made it possible to order any color on site. That seemed to work out well. I just want this great combo that I can never seem to find. In the end, people buy the basics! Navy, heather gray, tan. Will always be a work in progress. But had fun making the tees again, and coming up with new designs that a fun and silly. Always nice to feel creative!!
Cards - sold a lot to shop made and pixies. Hard to keep up. I try to make them updated and “new” and try new designs. SM has 24 “slots” so I'm always playing catch up with inventory. Plus holidays. Pixies much more fun. She takes (and sells) almost all well. It’s amazing. But cards now are SO MUCH more expensive, so it always pains me to buy them. Especially with SM, when I’m not seeing the payment come back out right. I guess the prices will only go up. Selling for $5 each now. That may increase eventually.
Prints - more of the same. Wish I had more exhibits or shows to be more creative. I have been stuck in a production mode for too long now. It would be nice to feel more artsy. Commissions came in, but nothing sticks out. Not a good year, I guess. Feel like I have been pretty unproductive. Made Hexy a fun “charm” mobile, and would like to do more of that in 23. And the micros are still fun. I have a bunch of commissions to complete still for holiday 22. I'm actually having fun with commissions, trying to loosen up a bit and not feel so much pressure to make a likeness. To be artistic with it. To give it my spin.
Holiday started well, then kind of fizzled. But I feel ok about it. I got a lot of work in early, and so focused on that, not knowing if I could get it all done. Things worked out, but that always prevents me from doing a lot of marketing early/mid-December, when I can grab people's attention.
I want to mix things up next year - maybe plan to do a show, or more “base” products and not so much “creating” during the holiday. Sidenote: JDI holiday design came out GREAT! Was really proud of that, and shocked how easily the old dog drawings fit in.
Well, I have been ALL OVER the place with this post! Stream of consciousness. Hopes our 23: MORE CREATIVITY! MORE SALES!! MORE OPPORTUNITIES !! MORE FOCUS !! And less stress and worry and upset !
HERE'S TO A GREAT FUTURE ! xoxoxo
PS - forgot to include some stuff about arts on the ave - it was postponed to the 2nd weekend in NOV because a storm was forecasted in Oct. The storm didn't really ring the bad weather expected, but was a blessing overall that we still were able to have the event, and got some extra time to prepare. Was a little awkward with the timing and holiday, but luckily after the great midterm elections. The day was perfect with weather. Warm and sunny sandwiched right between rain friday and cold sunday. We were SOOO lucky! A really great day. Sales were terrific, and did the same as year before and took a lot of after event orders. Funny that we had nobody next to us, so we pushed the tables flat, only to be MADE to put them back after being found out by the event coordinator. All worked out great. Had to rent a zip car, which sucked and stressed us out getting in to, but these things are easily forgotten. Costly - I think $150 ?
2021 wrap up
2020 wrap up
2019 wrap up
2018 Wrap up
2017 Wrap up
2016 Wrap up
2015 Wrap up
2014 Wrap up
2013 Wrap up
2012 Wrap up
2011 Wrap up
2010 Wrap up
2009 Wrap up
