renee rodriguez designs

Contracts, Estimates & Invoices - Oh My!

Just the hearing the terms; contracts, estimates, budget, invoices & deposits make me want to run for cover. It is one part of the creative business process that I have been procrastinating for a while and when I do sit down to begin working on this particular facet to my business, I feel the need to nap.

But, I finally sucked it up and brewed a strong pot of coffee and chained myself to my desk for about 10 hours and cranked out the documents that I feel are important to my creative business.  I believe having these documents makes everyone feel more comfortable.

When someone selects me to create a design for their event or business, I want the experience to be an outstanding one!  Nowadays, we correspond so much through email, it is easy for things to be lost in translations. But, by having clear communication and documentation the possibility of a misunderstanding can be eliminated. 

 

I think it is very important to get to know who I am working with, so I usually begin the process with a phone call. This way, I can hear their excitement about the project, listen for clues and most importantly get to know who they are as a person. After my initial phone meeting, I write up a summary and email it to them for their review. This is to ensure we both know that I have interpreted their design expectations correctly. 

From there I begin my "Work Order" to price out the job and then present them with a "Design Estimate". Once they agree to the estimate, I will send them a contract to sign and at this time their deposit will required -  I send them a PayPal request,  I love the request because the money goes directly into my bank account and I don't have to be responsible for their credit card. 

If you are interested in taking a look at my documents you can download examples  Download Renee Rodriguez Design Forms.

I would love your feedback about my process and forms and welcome suggestions. Let me know what works for, your clients and your creative business.

{today}

A bit under the weather today - back tomorrow with an update to "A List And A Latte"

 

photo: tinywhitedaisies
 
 
 

I Feel Liberated!!!

 
Last week I shared my crusade to liberate my home (and myself) from ten years of collections, clutter and chaos. Saturday was the day of reckoning - at 8:45 my first customer of the day dropped $45.00 on an armload of I-don't-know-what and skipped gleefully to her car. From that moment on it was a frenzy of deal making (yes you can have that set of Pottery Barn drapes for $8.00) and free stuff for my friends - I joyfully watched each person pile my junk into their cars and drive away (not one tear was shed).

Many of you commented last week that you have been pondering the big purge, but feel too overwhelmed by the task. I am not going to lie, it was grueling, but I think it is one of the most liberating things I have done for myself in a very long time and it is something that I highly recommend. Now that it is finally gone, I feel that I am no long waisting my time worrying about what to do with all the (stuff) and have time to live. Everything just seems a bit sunnier!

 

If you are on the fence, then jump off and do yourself a favor - I promise you will not regret it for a single minute.

photos

photo #4

Read this post at theinspiredroom.com - you will love it!
 

 

Have A Fabulous Weekend

Wishing you a fabulous weekend, think of me as I free myself from the burden of my "stuff" in my mega garage sale tomorrow. This week I wrote a post about the process of finally clearing out the clutter (here) and so happy, happy, happy that I am almost finished. Salvation Army will be here Monday to pick up whatever doesn't go -yippeee!!!

Would love to hear your weekend plans, hopefully they are much more glamourous and fabulous than mine.

Enjoy!

xo

photos: Frank Hovart

Lovely Blogs to visit today: the inspired room

 
 

Sleep And Her Sisters

Recently, I became enchanted with the work of artist Katherine Quinn. She works from her home in New Zealand and is the mother of two. 

I admire her creative sensibilities, unique style and her dreamy color palette. It seems to me that each girl is looking directly at me as if she knows what I am thinking. So, I am pondering a couple of different pieces to put in my office, but leaning toward the little girl with the curl around her eye, she is so wonderful!

You can visit her beautiful blog here and her Esty shop here.

Let me know your favorite - if you can possible pick just one!

xo

 
 

  

{my flying lessons}

Over the past few weeks I have been taking a remarkable on line class with artist Kelly Rae Roberts, the class outlines the elements that are important in launching a creative business, facing fears and following your dreams.

Kelly Rae is an accomplished artist and successful business woman, who followed her dream of making a living as an artist. She shares her experience and the process that enabled her to be the success she is today. 

 

What surprises me the most is that there are so many like minded and beautiful creative souls out there, all with real questions, real dreams and real fears. The experience has been remarkable and I have really enjoyed connecting with so many wonderfully talented people - it has been worth the price of admission! 

Lessons learned? 

Everyone has fear, even if they don't admit it!  

Are you wondering if I have any fears?  You bettcha! I would be lying through my teeth if I said otherwise.  What am I really afraid of?

Oh you know, the usual, "am I good enough", "talented enough", "creative enough", crows feet, cellulite, Olivia's college tuition, the planet...... yes, there are lovely demons residing in my head doing the ChaCha with their hot pink stilettos, perky boobs and cellulite free butts trying to make me think otherwise.

But, I know deep down that they don't matter for one split second , because when inspiration hits, I know that it is coming from someplace that is bigger than me and I am going to listen and be grateful for the gift. I also believe that each and everyone of use deserves to see our dreams come true!

 

So here is to today - listen when inspiration whispers in your ear, ignore the demons and know that Anything is possible! I promise! 

  

(now if I could only get over the fear of uploading a badge to  blog - maybe my new book "Typepad for Dummies" will help - a title that spoke to me)

photo links available at: blue magnolia
 
 
 

 

My Brochure Is Complete! {cue music...}

Well, the day has finally arrived and I feel that this auspicious occasion deserves a theme song,  so for your listening pleasure...

 

Please take a few moments and join me in celebration by listening to Download 01 ~ At Last by the lovely Etta James

at last...

my brochure.

 

Instead of the traditional tri-fold brochure, I opted for an invitation style brochure to "invite" potential clients to choose me for their design needs.

 

the details are just the frosting - love frosting!

 double sided, rounded corner business cards - delightful!

 

swarovski crystal details - more frosting!

 

a good story is essential.

 

the end - or should I say - the beginning :)

I hope you enjoyed today's musical guest, I know I did!  And if you have not had the opportunity to download A List And A Latte, visit my last post and take a look - the list is becoming a vital part of developing my business plan, and I am starting to see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. Also, I am starting to receive some positive feedback from others who have downloaded the list and are using it to launch their biz. Yay! 

 
 

Airing My Dirty Laundry

Welcome to Monday!  And I  am ready to take on the week, especially one enormous and slightly overwhelming task - my garage sale. Yep, I have crap and lots of it.!  I am officially admitting it right here and now on my little ol' blog!  I having been pretending for years that it doesn't really exist and that all the "stuff" I have been hanging onto means something and I just might need again one day.  But, I have come to the realization that it is just taking up too much space in my life and is not important to my existence on this planet -  the time has come to get rid of it - I am a woman on a mission!

 

Over the last month I have been a crazy lady cleaning out the attic, the basement, the closets, drawers, cabinets - 10 years of stuff that I thought I needed - the pile is embarrassing! Really! I look at it and I don't remember where it came from and why I own it,  I half expect Neicy Nash from Cleen Sweep to show up for an intervention.

 

But no tears, no regrets - the stuff has got to go - I AM ready!  ( are you cheering for me?)

Now I do have a few concerns, mainly, what will my neighbors think when they see this crazy pile of stuff on my front lawn. You see, this Saturday they will witness for the first time what I have been hiding in the nooks and crannies of my little house for years.  Will they start looking at me differently?  Will they allow their children to continue to come for play dates? My hope is that they run home and grab their wallets!

The big day is almost here - so think of me as I sit on my front porch welcoming the treasure seekers - probably a few gawkers - and make deal after deal and wave goodbye to my stuff. Bliss!

photos: flckr

Here Is To A Fun Weekend!

With Kindergarten officially over as of 11:51 today - let the summer fun begin!  Tonight Marc and I are taking Olivia out for a celebratory dinner and ice cream at one of our favorite outdoor restaurants. Tomorrow will be jammed packed with a little work and a little socializing. Sunday will be spent hanging out as a family and pampering dear old Dad!

Hope you take time to kick up your heels and have a bit of summer fun this weekend.

photo: Sarah Kaye 

 

Inspired by...

I have a very fabulous, and very talented new client who would like me to design a new logo for her business. Yay!!!!  She is a photographer who's areas of expertise are weddings and boudoir photography - she loved the design I created for Joanne Lee's  "The French Boudoir", but would like a very different look and feel for her brand. The style of my girly illustrations really appealed to her - so that is the direction I will take in designing her logo - no arm twisting necessary!

The project parameters are cute, sexy, vintage - yet modern, a soft color palette and something that will translate well to print and the web. Like most artists, I needed a bit of inspiration, so who better to look to than Alberto Vargas, considered one of the most famous pin-up artists of the 40's & 50's. Beautiful, glamorous and sexy - perfect!

 

 

Wanting a few more ideas and resources I found inspiration in the beautifully illustrated vintage lingerie ads of the 1950's. With all these amazing images rolling around in my head, I have my fingers crossing that something fabulous will develop. 

 

 

What I love is that both women found me because of this post that I wrote a few months ago -  goes to show the power behind having a blog (or as my little Olivia refers to it -  the "blob")

Vargas Illustrations

Vintage Ads