Okay, here’s the thing. I honestly haven’t gone shopping in SO long. If I were to go shopping, I would probably head over to Forever 21. Forever 21, as an establishment, not only overwhelms me but it sort of gives me a headache. I find a lot of items online that I love but couldn’t, for the life of me, find it in the store. Anyways, here are my finds: Slub Knit Tunic, Basic Striped Tee, Zipper Flap Clutch, Draped Pocket Lyocell Skirt.
- I want these outlets in my house! USB plugs. Win.
- I’d probably spend more money if I had a Pantone VISA card.
- I love my wedding band. It’s simple and it’s silver. But lately I’ve really loved the gold bands.
- So proud of Jeni’s for being named one of the best sweets in America! Yeah Columbus!
- Ever since I saw Jewel share this link via Google Reader, I keep wanting to make sweet potato ravioli!
- Incredible picture from Gothamist.com. Crazy storms hit Brooklyn (and here in Columbus) on Thursday. I personally love storms so this photo isn’t too depressing for me. If it is for you….I apologize! Just be glad it’s not like this today.
- I agree with Caroline. I could live in this sweater.
- The Brick House is one of my favorites for home inspiration. I love this post about refreshing vintage wood.
- This back-to-school wish list is adorable. Sometimes I actually miss homework. Weird?
- These prints are amazing. Typography and truth. Nothing better.
- Stamps of disapproval. I’m all for motivation and encouragement but these are pretty great.
- Grey, letterpress, and pretty stamps. All of my favorites.
- These swimsuits are killer! Gorgeous.
Thanks Jessica Hische!
Still trying to figure out how to change my iCal icon. It’s giving me trouble!
I’ve had a few recent design graduates ask me a few questions about freelancing. I love being able to give advice or any tips that I’ve learned over the past three years. I also thought I’d share a few tools that I currently use to make freelancing a bit easier.
1. Invoicing: Curdbee ($5/month)
Curdbee allows you to create invoices and estimates to send directly to a client’s inbox. Your client will receive a link taking them to a custom, secure invoice where they can pay via credit card or Paypal.
These screenshots are from Curdbee’s demo site but you can add your logo to the top of the invoice and add a custom message to the bottom.
2. Files: DropBox, YouSendIt, and Google Docs
I’ve had two external hard drives crash. It was devastating. Before I can put my trust into one of those little boxes again, I’ve decided to put my trust into DropBox. I pay $10/month for 50GB. My files aren’t as large as someone working with high-res photos or video so it works for me.
YouSendIt is great for sending really large files. It will email a link to your client so that they can download the file or .zip. I like it because it gives you a confirmation that it has been sent and it gives you a chance to keep large files out of your client’s FTP folders.
Google Docs is also great for sharing word or excel-type documents. It allows you to set permissions and so your client can edit copy and click save without having to send you a Microsoft Word document through email.
3. Communication: Gmail, eBuddy for iPhone, Skype
I don’t understand how there are people who DON’T use Gmail. It saves my life. I can create tags for various projects and Gmail has currently rolled out the Priority Inbox which allows you to slowly customize certain emails that come in as more important. I didn’t include a screenshot of my inbox. Somehow it sort of feels like showing some strangers your underwear drawer.
eBuddy for iPhone allows you to connect to all your messaging accounts (AIM, Google Talk, Facebook, etc) so if a client really needs to talk to you and you’re not near a computer, it becomes very useful.
Skype is how I conduct all my phone conversations with clients. I can use headphones and still access all the files on my computer as we are discussing a project. I also believe in keeping some things personal and I don’t normally give out my cell phone number.
4. Inspiration: Pinterest, Google Reader, and Twitter.
Pinterest is currently being offered by invite only but it allows you to create different “boards” where you can “pin” images throughout the Internet. If you’re on a blog and you really love an image, you can install a browser button that allows you to save the image (always linking back to the original source). You can follow others’ boards and “re-pin” and “like” images. One of my favorite aspects of Pinterest is the fact that they do always site the original location of the image. It’s makes it nearly impossible to steal anything.
I currently follow over 125 blogs via Google Reader. As you can see, I’ve neglected mine over the past week so my unread blog posts are up to 538. Oops. And of course, I use Twitter throughout the day to read articles, laugh at funny comments, and briefly read about what other creatives are doing. You can follow me here.
That’s all I have for now! Check out this article: The Freelancer’s Toolset: 100 Web Apps. Leave a comment with what you use to make freelancing a bit easier!
Shoot it before it’s dead. I like.
LOVE these wedding invitations. I can’t wait until I can design my next set. Until then, I will admire these.
Invites by Mitchell & Dent.
Invites by Julia Kostreva.
Invites by Unruly Things (aka Alyson Graves Brown).
