under consideration............ a new project

it's been just over 2 years since this project as put together
and in the mean time i kept painting
and painting
and painting
so, now bernie and i are talking about a new project that will most likely be a kickstarter
we are considering various paintings and series to be printed
we found a new to us printer, with archival printing capabilities
although we may not be able to print cards at this time
we are able to offer fine art prints
although the editions will be limited
right now, the first edition is about sold out, without enough to make a kickstarter
so we are going slowly
and trying to decide which paintings will be released next and what size the edition will be

unsuccessful THIS time - there is however.....tomorrow

however thanks to all you guys, i realized that this can actually happen, maybe not at this time and not quite this way but i am going to restart this in a month or so
i learned so very much from this
and actually despite not being successfully funded, it was a very good experience.
i discovered i could put together a video without equipment!
i discovered how much thought and research needs to go into something like this (* NOTE: a LOT..... seriously i lived this for about two months prior to launch)
and i also realized that i need a larger social network
i am very blessed that i have you all pulling for me and my work.
i think we're going to all discuss (probably on facebook) what to change for next time
the same way we all discuss how the paintings are progressing and what themes, subjects and projects are next.

i would still  love to see this project fly, maybe not as cards.... but something else common and every day
i was surprised at the amount of backers that were men..... wow!...and not just any men, highly educated men....... that was really a pleasure to see

so i figure that as you folks all watched this develop ......and in a way is sort of your baby too... i guess as aunts/uncles we all should put our heads together on how to next send it out into the world

thank you all so very much
(and maybe i need to paint a few more birds and a few more nests?)



edited to add:
(cause it won't let me comment !!!!)

i think you guys being behind me is why i did the kickstarter in the first place... i don't think i could have done this without you all telling me i could

Last 24 hours

this is the last chance for getting this project off the ground. there is 24 hours left, i really hope that it could be brought into the world. 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/87722640/out-of-the-nest-a-card-project

expanded reward levels

first off thank you everyone who's backed this project. today is a week that it's live.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/87722640/out-of-the-nest-a-card-project

out of the nest card project

please if you like my work, please spread this link.

now i have finally updated the rewards, if you would like to take a look. so many of you who backed this project pledged more then the rewards - now it was so important to me that everyone got not only a reward but a fair reward that i upped the levels, this way you folks who pledge more will get more.

now figuring rewards is not easy to do for me as it's sort of abstract thinking. i can't actually SEE it in front of me, and since i think in pictures it was not easy for me to visualize this.

please let me know if i messed up, or if there should be levels i don't have. or if there is something someone wants and i don't have it

i added a big level for some people who wanted to have these as holiday cards. and if anyone does use them as holiday cards, i will be hugely flattered!

wow!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/87722640/out-of-the-nest-a-card-project
i'm getting there everyone!
thank you so much
this is so exciting for me
i am still working on higher level rewards for some of you backers that pledge so much more then the reward levels i had there
really i thought maybe a few friends would pledge but i didn't think complete strangers would....
and boy am i amazed!
and so grateful

now no one does a project like this without a lot of help, support and encouragement from folks
and i was so blessed to have a lot of people believe in me
from the beginning, when i sat down and started to paint nests and birds...... i was so very lucky to have the best support network.

i always encourage people to tell me what they like and dislike
and i am lucky that they do
now sometimes i change things because someone has made a valid point.... and sometimes i do another variation as someone has made a point that i really missed and i felt the need to explore

thank you all so much for believing in my work and in me

the day after

well first off thank you all so very much as the response has been been overwhelming.
i am exhausted
that was something i didn't count on, being that tired after the launch.
i was working on the video up to the last minute
kickstarter approved this in record time, as they said two days, and i think it was more like 2 hours!
i have to add more reward levels, as people are pledging more then what i have in rewards so i am going up the levels, for more goodies for the pledges i don't yet have rewards for.

i really can't believe i came this far.....i knew i wanted to do this as a kickstarter project, but i really didn't expect anyone to actually pledge money!
i am so glad though, and people that i don't even KNOW are pledging so that means that they like my work too!
that makes me very happy to know.
today i am sort of recovering, i made some cookie dough (butter cookies with my homemade vanilla and homemade orange extract) just a basic simple recipe
1c butter thoroughly creamed
1c sugar
1 egg (unfortunately the ducks aren't laying so i used a chicken egg)
vanilla extract
orange extract
2-1/2 cups of sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

i have it chilling in the fridge now

stuff like this grounds me. i am thinking of also baking bread after supper.....
now tomorrow i need to add more rewards so i will think about that
and i will also copy this post and send it to the backers
i have to thank you all again
i really do feel like cinderella at the ball

WE are LIVE!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/87722640/out-of-the-nest-a-card-project

SUBMITTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

now we wait for kickstarters approval......i went over the guidelines so i dont' expect there will be a problem but you never know..... so we wait

but basically.... this is it .......

now in doing all the preparation for this, i have to say........i learned a LOT.

a few things i will share with you folks

1) give yourself plenty of time.....maybe even 5 months more then you think you'll need (especially if it's your first project

2) try and outline everything you have to do..... that is going to change a few times but at least you will have a rough idea

3) have very good friends who love you

4) have plenty of coffee and icecream

5) expect that there will be days you just can't work on your project for whatever reason (i got sick, and i also had writers block)

6) for me, next time i do a project of any kind, i am going to cut all the paper at once, do a storyboard outline, and get my images scanned ASAP, 

7) be prepared to make do and think outside the box.

better to iron out the glitches now

then before this project goes live
and there are a few
the biggest one is the voice over is not audible to everyone
some folks hear it fine, maybe not the music but my voice
other folks don't hear me hardly at all ( i am doing the best i can with extremely limited technology)


so while i'm at it ....may as well make things even clearer in descriptions too no?

then there was the matter of graphic spacers for the project page..... i am liking these
i did those while i was also finding prices on packaging and figuring packaging options.
i think i got that figured out again..... this time with maybe an easier way to do it

the realization that at the very least there will be 6000 cards being printed, packaged and shipped has at times overwhelmed me.

one part of this project i am not sure if i discussed was that it was important to me not only to get a high quality job done, but at a fair price, and made in america.
i did finally find a local printer, a local fine art scanner, and i believe i have found a reasonable packaging option, and shipping options that are made in america

i am also very grateful to my friends who've been pestered and forced to view or listen to videos, slide shows, emails, questions, phone calls..... angst, self doubt, and attacks of total panic

one friend of mine, going over the rewards with me again and again..... she is a saint......
another taking time out of her totally swamped schedule to watch my video in her studio...
everyone on facebook who've watched this and held my hand through this
my husband who's been doing a lot around the house so i can paint and research

honestly i wouldn't ever have even dreamed of doing this without you guys telling me i could.....that what i do was good enough to put it out there.

bless you all
now for me.....back to work
i would like this project launched very soon.....

this project is about to go live ..........

gees i am exhausted,
i am going to try and redo that vid tomorrow with the audio a bit louder.... (which when you all read this will be today.....

and i am working on the 'rewards' for the kickstarter backers....
no reward can be more then ten of an item, so does that mean i can't have card sets of 12?
well tarot card decks are funded and that's 72 cards per deck
so i guess i can do double sets?
i think my head hurts
but i will figure this out
i also need to figure packaging, i had my heart set on kraft paper and jute twine.....
which folks can recycle, compost or even start the woodstove with...
we'll see
i realized that if i have to tie 500 bows in jute twine, i may not be painting for a few months while my fingers heal...........
i am sure i can figure a compromise
i also need to get figures for overseas sales, for shipping, as i know there are a few people that are overseas that want these cards.
and i have to have separate rewards for them!

this is a LOT of work, it's a huge project, and i am thankful that the bulk of the paintings (ok the goldfinch and indigo bunting were after) were done months ago
i would not want to be sitting down now to do the paintings for a project of this size.

most of the work for this was mental work, since the paintings were done. decisions about how many, what kind of paper.... which paintings to keep and which to leave out.
how to write what you folks read here on the blog and what will be on the kickstarter project page.

i sort of learned a bit about video too.
now about that video.......
i don't actually have access to a video camera.
my little camera does take video but it's sort of shaky and a lot grainy.
so i had to work with what i had.....and that was still photos
a slide show maker software
a mic on the laptop (we discovered the laptop has a web cam...it's even worse then my little camera!)
and my sort of learning on the fly to put it all together

add that to the budgies that NEVER SHUT UP, while i was trying to record my voice over....

so here i am, almost on the eve of going live.......i feel like life may never be the same again.
and in a way it won't be, as the entire world ( or at least the people that kickstarter reaches) will see my paintings.

ok now this will post in the AM- but i am about to go to sleep for the night.....
take good care everyone......
and please wish me and the project luck