BACK!!

Happy fall! Sorry to have disappeared for a bit. We started our September with a trip to Israel to introduce Benji to the other side of the family. What an amazing trip! Benji got to meet his cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles. I was surprised how well he adjusted to the time difference. There is a 7 hour difference and I was sure he would be confusing day for night and visa versa. Because we took at midnight flight there, he was so tired from being awake at the airport that he passed out almost the entire 9 hour flight there! When we arrived it was already 5pm Israel time and I was sure he wouldn't sleep again so soon, but after all of the activity of meeting the new family, he passed out again around 9pm until 6am the next morning!
Now we are back in New York and that means back to work as well. Things have been getting steadily busier for me since I went back to work in July after maternity leave. Currently working on a variety of residential projects, it has been a true challenge to balance my new life as a working mom. On top of that, Itamar (my husband for new followers) is out both Tuesday and Thursday nights for work and basketball. That leaves me with a lot to do on those days since I jump right from work into Benji time with no break until he goes to sleep. These past few nights he has decided to move his bedtime from around 7:30pm to 9pm, leaving me with much less evening time for myself.

All in all, busy but in a good way. I will begin writing about some of my new projects, home and design tips and more so please check back for new and regular updates! Happy September. :)

Have Files Will Travel

I cannot believe it is almost September!! My first two months back to work are coming to a close. It has been such a help to have my mother watching Benji for me while I was able to get back to work, get creative and earn some income of course!;) We are getting ready to take a trip abroad next week to visit my husbands family and when I come back, we start using our nanny full time. I found a great nanny on Sittercity.com who has come by twice so far to get to know Benji before we leave for vacation.

So now that I have some help at home I can work from here more conveniently on a day to day basis, right? So how can I set up my home office space in a 2 bedroom apartment with a nanny and a baby? Currently my desk and computer are set up in my living room, but with the nanny and Benji taking over, it will be a bit distracting to work that way. Normally I'm a staunch opponent of working in your bedroom, however fortunately we have a nice size room with lots of space to set up a desk and lap top. The trick will be to make sure this workspace can "disappear" at the end of the day for relaxation time.

I have decided to use a simple desk from The Container Store. Since this is a temporary solution until Benji starts daycare in January, it was not worth it to invest in anything more luxurious. I began searching for some cute file tote bags that can easily be taken to and from the room depending on where I work from, as well as easily be taken to our office or meetings. I LOVE this one I found on Paperstyle.com It looks great and will be easy for me to carry around.



A couple of these cute letter trays and a pencil cup and I'm in business! I am really looking forward to having the help at home and I would be lying if I said I didn't love having the luxury of taking a 10 minute break here and there to hang out with Benji during the day! Looking forward to a great Fall with lots of friends, family and business!

GIFT SHOW!!!!

I went to the Gift Show at the Javits Center in NYC today and was glad to see it was pretty busy. For those who don't know what the Gift Show is, it is a trade show for retail store buyers and designers where they can check out new and exciting products of all sorts and purchase them in quantity for a wholesale price. I visited some of the usual booths as well as checked out some new ones. Here are a few of the great things I found...

An entire new section opened up called "Baby and Child". Of course I needed to see this since I not only design rooms for kids, but also am a new mom to a soon to be 5 month old. The theme was organic and non-toxic products for babies and kids. One of the companies that caught my eye was Apple Park out of San Francisco Bay. They have created a plush line of eco-friendly toys for babies inspired by nature. In addition to the toys they have some incredibly plush and soft organic blankets as well. Yum!


Another interesting product in this section was these magnetic wooden building blocks from Tegu. They are stored in either a unique felt pocket pouch or a handy travel tote. The blocks caught my eye immediately since they looked like something I would want to play with as well! Created from responsibly-harvested hardwoods and safe waterbased finishes, the blocks are great for inspiring creative minds in a safe and non-toxic way.


In the textiles and bedding area I fell in love with John Robshaws lines as usual. Rich and exotic patterns adorn luxurious fabrics used for bedding, pillows, ottomans and more!


Chakla Patched Flowers Pillow - 20" x 20" Retail Price $300.00

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the new Glam Naturale line from Triple C Designs coming out in Fall 2010. (Not up on their website yet, but coming soon). These great products made here in Brooklyn are absolutely adorable! I love the owls on their wallets, bags and even jewelry. The products have a great tactile quality to them and are just plain fun!

All in all the Gift Show this year was a success! For more about the Gift Show and a list of the exhibitors and where to purchase from, check out http://www.nyigf.com/

The Gift Show Is Here!

Twice a year the Gift Show comes to the Javit's Center in NYC. It is coming up again starting this weekend, August 14th - 19th 2010. There is a lot to see and learn from the Gift Show and if you have never gone it is worth the trip. You don't have to be a designer to appreciate all the great products the show has to offer. From tableware and jewelry to furniture and clothing, there are a lot of new products to be found at the Gift Show.

DIGS -
MARIN BATH ACCESSORIES



SCREECH OWL DESIGNS - 'Dearest' Blank Notecard

This year, there is a new category for Baby and Child which I am of course excited to check out as well. For those unable to make it to the show or curious to check out the vendors beforehand, there is a pretty comprehensive website which lists all of the exhibitors. Most of them list their websites that you can shop from, and if you can't purchase directly through their websites, they will help you find a retailer that sells their products either in a store or online.
Here are some of my favorite sources to check out online if you don't make it to the show:
John Robshaw - Booth 8004 'At Home' section of the show.

Daphne Olive - Booth 9127 'Handmade Designer Maker'

Judy Jackson Stoneware - Booth 9314 'Handmade Designer Maker'

Seedling Kids - Booth 9577 - 'Handmade Designer Maker'

Digs - Booth 3743 'Accent on Design'

Screech Owl Design - Booth 3935 'Accent on Design'

Happy Shopping!! :)

Advertising, Marketing, Social Networking, EXHAUSTION!!

So now that I am back to work, I am looking for ways to start advertising and marketing again. Well, as wonderful as the internet is with all of its endless possibilities for advertising, it can also be quite exhausting! Everyday there are new sources, media outlets and networking opportunities that it makes it very difficult to figure out what is just hype and what will actually work for my business. Not to mention that a lot of advertising costs money, so deciding how to make the most of my advertising dollars is a big consideration as well.

The first thing that I did when I came back to work, which didn't cost me a cent was to email past and current vendors, clients and associates announcing my return, along with a photo of Benji. A lot of people appreciated the brief but personalized message and some people contacted me right away for work they needed. That was very encouraging and made me feel productive right away. It also was a good excuse to say 'hi' and remind people that I am here if they need anything.

The other place I am listed on now is the Interior Design Directory (check out Conceptual Interiors Inc.)
I haven't received any leads from this yet, but I am going to try it for a year and see what happens. I chose this website for two reasons. The first is that a colleague of mine uses it and said it has gotten him some business. The second is when I Google "New York Interior Designers" and other similar searches, a link to the page where my listing is comes up. I figured this was a good sign that people using Google for this type of search would find me.

Now it's time to move on to other advertising and marketing ideas. I would be interested to know what other small businesses do in order to get their company and message out into the world in a targeted way. There is so much speculation about social media, for example. Does Twitter and Facebook actually bring in business, and if so, for what type of profession? Is getting work the goal or is it more of a branding strategy?

I'm going to start experimenting with Google Ad Words before I get lost in the world of social media (aside from this humble blog and Twitter account - intdesignmom). Fortunately, my husband works in the field of computers and online advertising and will be able to help me (free of charge of course!) set up an account with Google Ad Words and get my advertising dollars working for me! I hope that this form of advertising brings in more direct and immediate business. My plan is to try a few avenues and put more effort into them rather than spreading out too thin both financially and emotionally!

Keep you posted on my progress. Let me know how you get your business!

Inexpensive and Easy Artwork

A good thing to always have on hand is a unique, specialty paper. A good quality art paper can be framed and hung on the wall as an inexpensive and creative way to add to your decor. It is also great to have on hand when wrapping a special present.

Another good tip for filling your space with fun and affordable artwork is to find photos you like such as trips you took or family pictures, and using a photo editing program or Photoshop to alter them into funky and unique art pieces.

If you're not so handy with the computer, then check out sites like Etsy
for altered photos and great frames.

So my first month at work is nearing its end. I have been fortunate enough to have help from my mother this summer until she goes back to work in Septmember. Since I work with my father near their home, I have been able to see Benji during the day whenever I want.

At first I was skeptical about this arrangement. I was afraid that I would be too distracted and not be able to focus on work. It has turned out to be the opposite. With Benji nearby, I have felt more relaxed and more focused since I know I can pop in to say hi at any time. I also don't get those pangs of guilt for leaving him at home while I am far away. This has made my transition back to work much more comfortable.
I am beginning to dread leaving him at home with a nanny for 8-10 hours a day come September when my mother is no longer available to help me. Finding the right person to care for your child while you are not around is a seemingly impossible task. I have met with a few nannies so far but none that have given me that "feeling" I am looking for. Am I being too overprotective, or are my standards set too high? If you don't set your standards high for your child though, then for what? I will keep looking for that Mary Poppins of a nanny through August and hopefully we can find someone that makes me feel as comfortable as a mother can feel when leaving her child in someone else’s care.