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The judges have spoken and the winner of the 2007 Pumpkin Junkin' contest who gets an original Junk A Doodle piece is..... Kris Bordessa! Congratulations Kris!

This is her pumpkin (so cool!):

And the two runners up were Meghan Templehof and Leeza Hernandez!! They both get one signed print of my Junk A Doodles piece. Here's Meghan's pumpkin and here's Leeza's pumpkin. Thanks to all who participated!!

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A;; the pumpkins are in for the 2007 Pumpkin Junkin' Contest & Exhibit. Thanks to all who took time out to create and enter their pumpkins. I'll announce the winners next week. I plan on doing this annually so keep and eye out next year.

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It's Wednesday again and time for Woogie Wednesday! I've got a lot of work due tomorrow that I need to try and finish up today so Woogie Wednesday will continue into a Woogie Weekend. Today she'll be helping me start my entry for Monster Mash and help me with a junk a doodles project due tomorrow.

Here's the monster I've had sketched out for a few weeks:


And here's my junk a doodle work that's due tomorrow:



Let the junkin' begin!

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Well, I've decided which of my Junk A Doodles pieces I'm giving away for my Pumpkin Junkin' contest. I've thought long and hard and went back and forth if I wanted to part with it or not, but I've finally decided that I'll give this piece away (it's one of my favorites!):

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It's Wednesday again and time for Woogie Wednesday! today I'm also announcing a contest I'm hosting for Halloween. Pumpkin Junkin' I had this idea last year but didn't have the time to execute it. It should be lots of fun so won't you join in? All the details are on the site.

The Pumpkins:



The Junk:



The Final Product:



And Details of Each

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Well, we finally finished up our pieces from here and here. Hope the little ones like them!!

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Well, here it is Wednesday again and we're still working on the dog gifts from last week. I've gotten busy with work so we haven't been able to make much progress until today.

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Well, here it is Wednesday again and I think out project for Woogie Wednesday will turn into a Woogie week and weekend for a few reasons. Number one, we aren't home today so I'm working remotely and I can very well bring all my junk with me to create and two, the canvases I want to do these on should be arriving from Dick Blick today so the Woog can't start painting yet.

I decided this morning that our project would be a gift for a little boy and a little girl. You may not be able to tell anything from this messy sketch, but at least "I" know exactly what I'm doing :)



Oh, and last week's start of a giraffe never happened and may have to turn into something else another day. There has been zero interest from the Woog.

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I thought I'd lay my promotion process out to help answer the numerous emails I receive a week asking about it. This post took me several days to write since I only had time to work on it in between saves on projects I'm working on. It's gonna be a long one, but a good one!

Postcards:
I do postcard promotions every 3 months, and yes, they do work. My latest one hit at the end of July and has yielded 3 jobs so far and lots of looks on my website:

And here's my postcard for my Junk A Doodle work. This is the first separate postcard I've sent out for that style:

My best response postcard to date was this one. I got tons of work from it.

Client List:
Research, research, research!! Know who you are sending to and make sure you want to spend your money promoting to them. Spend days if not weeks doing it. I recently went through my mailing list (over 300 names) and researched every company making sure I had the correct address, seeing if they had new submission guidelines on their site and double checking their style to see if mine would fit with their's. I cleaned out about 20-30 names, so I saved myself a good about of money right there.

I also have 2 list going. One for my overall styles and a separate one for my Junk A Doodles style (since it's not specifically related to the children's market).

Who I use and why I use them:
I get my postcards printed and mailed through USPS/Premium postcards. I will never go back to getting postcards printed 500 at a time. I do this for a few reasons.
The biggest ones being, I don't have to see 500 postcards laying around and then start nit-picking the images used and then hate the postcard thus never sending
it out (this happened to my very first batch). I also don't like to go through and print labels, buy stamps, and sit there and stick them on one at a time. My time could be much better spent.

There has been a lot of talk about USPS postcards and the saturation levels they print out. I sometimes have issues with them and sometimes don't. You need to send a sample to yourself first to see what your potential clients will get. I usually send 4-5 postcards to myself at one time. All with different color adjustments so I can then see which level is the best. That way I can send them right out instead of trying several times to get the color right. This could delay your mailing for weeks depending on how many times you go back and forth. I say test it in one swoop.

Email list:

I try and send out an email monthly. It's usually short and sweet and I send it to people who have signed up on my website or to people I have worked with directly or have shown interest in my work (I have ?? people on my list that grows monthly). I don't spam any one and have a explanation at the bottom of my email that says why I'm sending them the email and how they can be removed from the list. Since I've been sending one out, no one's removed themselves from the list.

I used to send out plain text emails with an image attached but this year have switch over to Your Mailing List Provider That way I can send out an HTML email with no images attached.

Website:
I try to redesign or do a major portfolio update when I send out a new mailer. I try to do it more often but I sometimes get too busy or don't have any new pieces to show yet since they haven't been published. I have 2 websites for my illustration work:

holliconger.com
junkadoodles.com

A lot of people ask me if I design it or if I have someone do it. I design and code it myself. I mostly code by hand since it's easier and quicker for me, but I do use Adobe GoLive for my image maps and anything tricky I might run into.

Website Stats:
I am a stats junkie. I look at my stats probably 20 times a day. I track 8 websites. I see who's visiting, who's linking to me, etc. I make notes and analyze them. Some people choose to track all the pages on their site. I only track the homepage. The stat program I use is Stat Counter.

Domains:
Now I showed my geekiness a while back when I mentioned the number of domains I have. Nearly all of them have to do with my business in one way or another or I'm saving them for a idea I want to execute in the future. Here are a few that are forwarded to my main sites:

hollyconger.com
hollieconger.com
holieconger.com
picturebookartist.com
foundobjectillustration.com
dimensionalillustrator.com
nashvilleillustrator.com

Portfolio Sites:
Yes, spend the money. Even if you can only afford to advertise on one site. Do it to test it.

I have a paid listing on the following sites:

childrenillustrators.com
theispot.com
folioplanet.com

These sites have done really well and have paid for themselves every year I've been listed. I did have a paid portfolio with portfolios.com and although it did pay for itself that year, I didn't get any new job from it about 5 months after being listed (7 months with no activity).

Back Up Plans:
Now a lot of people starting out can't do this, and I understand, but it is something you should think about and budget for. Have more than one workstations. At the moment I have 2 main ones. I have a desktop and a laptop. I have a large wacom tablet and scanner for my desktop and a smaller tablet and scanner for my laptop that are dsmall enough for my laptop bag. I keep all my work on a portable harddrive and switch between the two. I used to use my ipod but I switched over to a smartdisk firelite.

Now, why should you have more than one workstation? Deadlines!! I have had deadlines due and my computer have problems. Software, hardware, harddrive, you name it. If I have a problem on one, I switch to the other workstation, make my deadline and then figure out the problem with the other one when I have time.

Time:
The all important question I get asked is how do you find the time to do all this?

I plan my week out on Sunday night. I write a list of all the deadlines I have, what promotion stuff I need to do and other business things I want to accomplish that week. I plan my day out mentally the night before. I keep a calendar by my desk and with every new assignment I write down when sketches are due and when finals are due. I also have a wonderful daughter who allows me to work. Some days she doesn't and I just know I have to work late that night or get up early in the morning, but most of the time she does. She loves to spend hours digging though all my junk I collect for my junk a doodle pieces while I get some computer work done.

Know your time limits and restrictions and know when to say no to work. I've recently turned down some projects from pretty big clients (one was the Department of Defense if you can believe that?!). I know what I do and don't have the time for and what I can and can't draw well and what jobs in general will stress me out. I'm the only one that controls my business so I want it stress-free as much as possible. I want it to continue to be fun for me:)

Well, that's it but I'm sure not everything to answer the questions out there. Hopefully you've gotten some ideas though.

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It's Wednesday so that means it's time for Woogie Wednesday and we just can't seem to get back in the groove. I picked everything out and the Woog was a little (well, a lot) indecisive in what she wanted to make but decided on a giraffe. We did some painting and then the whole project stopped. She got fussy and then hungry and then she needed a bath and before we knew it it was bed time. So, I guess we'll try and revisit it tomorrow. Here's what we started with..




to be continued... Read the rest of this post

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Obviously Woogie Wednesday didn't happen this past week due to deadline and not being home on Wednesday so we did something this weekend instead. The Woog wanted to make a silly face for her project and she was more interested in playing with the pieces rather than painting them so we ran with it. She made 2 faces she really liked. A happy one and a said one that HAD to have a different nose and HAD to have eyebrows. I then attempted to make a face with her objects but "had it all wrong" and it was swept away before by a little hand before I could get a shot of it.



Work has slowed a little for me a now so I can get back to all my blogging. My blogs have been so neglected :(

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Just doing a quick pop-in to share Woogie Wednesday. I've been working non-stop since the week after my surgery and I've got so much more to go. This particular Woogie Wednesday has been a work in progress since last Wednesday. The Woog has painted here and there all week as I met deadline after deadline. We finally finished it up today. Her contribution to it today was trying out her new pair of siccors and cutting every piece of scrap paper in my studio, which is now all over the floor now.

The pieced we worked on was the ornament for Robert's Snow. They were nice enough to let me turn it in a little late due to my surgery. I think it turned out pretty cute! Wish I could keep it :)

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Here's the completed Woogie Wednesday piece we started on yesterday. The Woog picked out the pieces for the hair and did some painting. During the process of painting and gluing she kept telling me "good job" and "I'm proud of you." Pretty funny.

Here's the final piece. It might be my favorite junk a doodles piece so far. I'll show my postcard when I have it all laid out.

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It's Wednesday so that means it's time for Woogie Wednesday. I'm doing it a little different this time and it will probably be a 2-parter. I'm doing a separate mailer this month for my junk a doodle style, so I'm enlisting the help of the Woog with this one. At the moment she is asleep by her bedroom door covered completely in her blanket and snoring, but I'm sure when she get's up she'll be excited to start digging for junk...or watching Dora.

I pulled an older sketch from my sketchbook to use for my promo. This was actually going to be Illustration Friday's theme "wired" some time back. I've modified it a bit and I've got an old 15" x 21" yard sale cutting board just calling my name.

Hopefully we'll have a final piece or at least a work in progress tomorrow to show. For now, here's the sketch. Oh, and her name is Bertha Mae (of Bertha Mae's hair barn of course!).



Oh and thanks to Jannie's post, I'm now addicted to Papermate's Sharpwriters! I will never sharpen a pencil again :)

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It's Wednesday so that means it's time for Woogie Wednesday. Since it's Independence Day today we did more of a collage with junk rather than the things we normally do and instead of painting the Woog had the job of "sqiiiiiisshhhhh-ing" the glue and gluing on the fireworks (aka buttons). I decided to stick it in a frame and it's new home is in the kitchen. Happy 4th!

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It Wednesday so it's time for Woogie Wednesday. This is where we make one of my found object (Junk A Doodle) pieces.

We actually did a little something different this time. We're posting Hickory-Dickory-Dock pieces over at the Illustration For Kids blog this week so I thought we'd work on that.

Here's what we started off with:


She helped me pick out the watches (I came across a huge back of old watch parts last year and had to get them) and painted the background. She announced that she was done painting so she helped me by handing me different paint colors and paint brushes.


Here's how it turned out:



I noticed that the floor and table in the background was a bit camouflage so I decided I could kill 3 birds with one stone and submit it for Illustration Friday this week.

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Nap time has resumed and everyone is happy again so it's time for Woogie Wednesday. This is where we make one of my found object (Junk A Doodle) pieces.

Here's what we started off with:


I then asked her, what should we make out of all this?
"How 'bout a flower? No, a doggy!"
"Which one" I asked.
"A Doggy!"

We work on the background and she would rather stamp some paper instead so she does that. I then start to assemble pieces and she decides to go off an do her own thing. She does come in and check on it from time to time and ask if I'm making her dog, Do-Wop. I tell her it really doesn't look like her dog, so she decides it must be someone else's.

Here's how it turned out:



I made him a yodeling dog since she's been yodeling all day for some reason. Not sure where she picked that up?!

I've had several people sign up for Big and Little Art but no one has confirmed their membership. It's pretty lonely over there with Stacy and I so won't you join us? By participating it helps your search engine results :)

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Go here to see the details on this piece!

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She woke up in a decent mood so we were able to squeeze Woogie Wednesday in. This is where we make one of my found object (Junk A Doodle) pieces.

Here's what we started off with:


I then asked her, what should we make out of all this?
"How 'bout daddy?!"

Alright, I guess since she already made mommy, it's daddy's turn.

She paints his goatee and then proceeds to paint herself for the duration of the project. "Hey, look at my tummy mommy!" Humm...whatever, she's having a bath tonight anyway.

And here's how it turned out:



I think anyone who knows him would say it looks like him. And he'd even wear a funky patterned shirt like that, much to my dismay.

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Yes, it is Wednesday, but Woogie Wednesday hasn't happened yet due to 2 deadlines today and now a napping Woog. So we'll see how chipper and creative she is when she wakes up. In the meantime, I had a little time the other day while paint was drying on another project, so the Woog wanted to make something. This time she picked out what she wanted to make first.

"You!" she said.
Ok, lets make Mommy. Then she picked out a few items this time and I created everything. Pretty smart girl for picking the "H" but I'm sure it was at the top of the pile! A nice little sculpture of mommy :)

Oh, and feel free to sign up and participate in Big and Little Art!

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It's Wednesday again and that means it's time for Woogie Wednesday!! This is were we make one of my found object (Junk A Doodle) pieces.

Here's what we started off with:


I then asked her, what should we make out of all this?
"The circus!!"

So we're off. She paints the frame and then the paper under the frame, then the table, then her hand...ok we're done painting. While she goes on to destroy my studio and toys, dess-up clothes, etc. she checks in on the progress with comments such as "amazing," "beautiful" and "awesome."

And here's how it turned out:




Many people have emailed or commented asking about participating in something like this, so I've come up with a new blog dedicated to it. Check it out here! Here's how it works: Grab a child in your life and let them dictate what you all will do. Work how you work so they can see what you do and how you do it. If it's on the computer, give them the mouse to color something in or if your medium of choice is paint, have them paint. Just be creative!! Participation is open to all.

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It's Wednesday again and that means it's time for Woogie Wednesday!! This is were we make one of my found object (Junk A Doodle) pieces. We started early this morning since we have a busy day ahead of us.

Here's what we started off with:



I then asked her, what should we make out of all this?
"Hey, there's a B!"
"Yes, that's a B, but what do you want to make?"
"A B!!"
"Like a bumble bee?"
"YEAH!!!!!"

So we're off. She's a little distracted by Dora (again) but she manages to paint the background and tells me she wants a blue bee (like the blue B I guess). She paints a little more and then just wants to watch Dora while she checks on me periodically.

And here's how it turned out:

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Everyone loves a citrus "tweet" now and then. I prefer oranges :) This is for this week's illustration Friday theme: citrus.

If I have time this week I'm going to set up an Etsy shop. This piece will be for sale. If someone wants it before then, it's $45 US plus shipping.

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It's Wednesday again and that means it's time for Woogie Wednesday!! This is were we make one of my found object (Junk A Doodle) pieces.

Here's what we started off with:



I then asked her, what should we make out of all this?
"Mmmmmm...how about me!"
"You?" I said
"YEAH! Hey, where's my nose?!" she yells.
"Umm...I'm not real sure where it's going to go."

Oh, boy, how was I going to do this? While she paints the background, I play with the shapes to see how it would work. Ok, I got it! She finished painting the background and then moves on to danceing and singing to Johnny Cash (actually it's Joaquin Phoenix singing as Johnny Cash) never to return to helping me, but she does want to play with her little head I've made.

And here's how it turned out:


Her response: "Mama, how pretty! THREE! I'm three!"

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