There’s a lot going on this week for designer Ilona Drew from I Drew This, including an office expansion and planning for Harrogate
Monday
Started my day by walking my daughter Olive to school, she’s only 6 so its chit chat all the way then quick dash to the gym where I use the time to also get my head into what I want to achieve that day.
Grab a coffee on the way into the office then go through and answer my emails including finding a company who can make bespoke envelopes requested by a customer looking for envelopes ‘fit for the queen’.
My office is in the basement of a greeting card shop called Fullertons at the Seven Dials (in Hove). The shop has been here for 25 years and it is a firm favourite with the locals particularly for its greeting cards and party products, it’s the perfect place for me to try out my designs and Graham and Howard currently pack up my cards for me too!
We all then have a discussion about the layout of the basement as we are currently making me more space, I Drew This is growing!
I then get on with phone calls about my envelopes and shipping some orders abroad, a quick trip to the post office which is handily around the corner and then sit down to do some design work adding some new designs to my Landmarks range in time for Harrogate.
Tuesday
This morning I am straight in the office for 8.30, drink tea and finished off my take of Glasgow University which I am really pleased with and email the image over to Sharon Little for the Innovations section in Progressive Greetings.
Continued my mission to find the right supplier for my envelopes and after speaking with Joke at GF Smith I think I have found the right company!
I then packed up some orders and had a chat with my recently appointed London agent about how things are going. Then I jump back into design work for Harrogate.
There are quite a few publishers in Brighton which I am lucky to have met and being in the Ladder Club has meant I have been able to meet up with some smaller publishers and offer support and help. This afternoon Chris Christoforou from Feelgood Designs popped into the shop to deliver an order and we caught up and discussed his recent experience at PG Live and his thoughts on the future, he’s a great guy with a very positive vibe.
Then it’s back on with the design work, prepped a couple of new orders and then headed out to meet a friend for a meal in town.
Wednesday
Super early gym work out, coffee then straight in the office to go through some information emailed over to me regarding a new website.
I then answer some questions for a retailer who wants to do a feature on my work for its shop blog. Packed a couple of orders and finished off another design, then created the barcodes and laid the files up for proofs.
Then moved onto my stand plan for Harrogate alongside a bit of social media, really pleased that my Edinburgh Castle image has been featured on the front of the Home & Gift catalogue – great promotion for me.
Back onto the admin before heading out to go and collect Olive from school and a nice relaxed afternoon painting pottery with her before sitting down in the evening to do some further admin.
Thursday
Dropped Olive at school and met with a friend to think about the summer holidays, always tricky with a little one and running your own business before hitting the office and spending one hour on the phone going through the notes about my website with the company who might be creating it for me.
I have a friend come in and help me at the moment once a week so we go through what I would like to do while I upload my new images to my catalogue and get those ordered for Harrogate.
Friday
Dropped Olive at school, then dropped a local order into town, and got caught in the rain!!
Taxi home where I started by packing up some order, ordered my new boards and then started moving my office around, it’s so good to have more space especially as I am about to trial a new girl to take over on the business admin side of things.
Then I sit down to begin work on some additional designs to the Umami range for Paper Rose so pleased the range is going well with them before I head home to relax and switch off before heading back in tomorrow, so much to do so little time!!
