Reintroduction to P. Lynne Designs

New Company Logo
Copyright 2017
Created by P.Lynne Designs

Welcome to P. Lynne Designs, a stationery company (in a nutshell).  For this first official post, I want to introduce you to the company, the blog, and the website to come.  Any questions, please email me, PM on my personal or business pages on Facebook, tweet me, or call me (614-236-4970).

The company P. Lynne Designs

First, this is a small company, born in 2009 officially as MDN Creates.  After I left my last job in January 2010, I started creating scrapbooks and cards and did that for 2 years before the company changed names from MDN Creates to P. Lynne Designs.  In addition to this company, I was also an Independent Home Consultant for The Longaberger Company. (You can read the first post about it here. (that is still pending until June 30, 2018, when I officially quit as a consultant.)

Anyway, the post at the time is a bit rough around the edges.

So, P. Lynne Designs is my “baby” of sorts.  At the moment, P. Lynne Designs sells handmade cards, scrapbook albums and pages, graphic design projects, Mini books, invitations and other stationery items, and freelance writer. 

So, why am I doing a reintroduction?

The reason for the reintroduction is to mainly introduce the public to a new P. Lynne Designs, and I never really left.  This is what happens when life gets in the way.  This is what happens when you are stuck and do not have any direction.  This is what happens when losing confidence in yourself.  You can read about it here.  It has been about a year since I posted, and I want to see how this turns out.  Besides that, I want to intergrade it with the website that I am in the process of creating and with my Etsy shop. 

What is in store for P. Lynne Designs the blog?

I want to teach you how to craft.  This was already part of the blog.  Also, I want to teach you how to set up your craft room, such as basic items or what are the best products to use on any budget.  You will learn what projects I am working on and maybe down the road, you will be able to work with me too.  Baby steps, baby steps.

As I figure out new things and products while teaching and informing you about my own projects, I do not want to make it too difficult for both of us, but it will be funny, exciting, and interactive for you.

You have a Website?

Finally, I have a website, that had to take a backseat for a while.  It will mimic some of the designs from my Etsy shop, with some other items.  I designed it using a course from Renae Christine called Ultimate Architect.  It has had its coming soon up for a while.  It is high time that I finish it.

So, that is it for now.  I am not sure of my posting schedule at this point.  I do have two other blogs, a YouTube Channel, and family and friends that occupy my life, especially during the summertime, but I will say this, it will be at least once a week for now.

Until then, you have a wonderful week, and God bless you.

Writing is hard work...

I have been seriously writing for about over 6 months and I am now finding out that writing is hard work.  It is not the hardest work of all time, but it is up there.   Why do I believe that writing is hard work.   It is simple.

First of all, you have to consider your niche.   I learned about niches when I was earning my Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing.  In case you are not familiar with the word, niche, think of it as as your expertise, something you are good at talking about, AND want to talk about.   Mine is Scrapbooking, paper crafting in general, traveling ( although finances have hindered me a little bit), dance, music, and interior decorating from a novice point of view (this includes organizing).   I also like marketing, parenting, learning about my computer and other technologies, fashion, and writing, but I categorize myself in those areas as always learning about them.

Next, what do you want to talk about?  What do you want people to know about that has already been said?  All of your content cannot be about the weather, unless your studied it for sometime, and you have discovered some mysterious cloud never seen before. Here is a hint:  you can give your opinion.   Give presence to what has been said before, and why you think it is important to say it again.   For example, suppose I want to talk about the important of learning how to play an instrument, instead of relying on the keyboard or guitar's on-board computer system.   There are 14 other articles just like the one I am writing on.   With Google getting really nasty about SEO keyword placement (another term that needs to be talked about later, and I am learning about it).   The article has to be placed so that Goggle does not throw it out, AND your article also needs lands on the first page of the site.

Who is your audience?   You do need to generate enough traffic to have a person come back for more of your wisdom.  Naturally, you would not talk about baseball on a motorcycle enthusiast's blog site.   You will either a) have them running to the hills, driving the traffic on the site to a screeching halt,  Or b) you may have a riot in the comments section.   So if the blog is about motorcycles, you can still talk about baseball.  Just make sure the subject is on something like "Motorcycle friendly Ballparks."

There are many different styles of writing, and each one has their pros and cons, but that is another subject for a different day.   Just remember, know your niche, know what you want to talk about, and consider your audience.   This is just a start, and this philosophy has carried me from the time I was in at least the 8th grade until now.  I have not always applied that concept but it works.

The next post will be on a few scrapbook pages.  Until then, God bless you, and be sure to check out my other two blogs:  Tricia's Baskets and My Blessed Life.

When you are writing, do you prefer to use a pen or a computer?

For those of you who do not know, I added writing to my list of things to do while keeping busy.  Writing, like my music (self-created or listening to someone else's music) relaxes me, and gives me a way to enhance other areas of my life (like promoting my businesses or other things).   Anyway, I took on a challenge on BlogHer to post for 30 days something.   Sometimes I will post a prompt they suggest (like today's prompt), and sometimes I will post what I normally post on this blog (such as an up and coming post on December 1st-a card with the theme of Christmas and Children).   

Well today's prompt is all about how I write.  The question is "When you are writing, do you prefer to use a pen or a computer?" When I started writing, it was personal, and something for my children to read long after I have passed away.   I wanted them to know what type of person I was before they were adopted, little notes of wisdom, and for them to know that they were not born in my belly, but in my heart.  Once I got bitten, I wanted to do something that allowed me to say something about the things I love to do, so I started this blog.   A few months later I split this blog up to allow people to learn more about The Longaberger Company, my individual business of being a consultant, and how a person can decorate and have their own business as a consultant.   

Back to the question.   As you see here, I love writing by computer rather by pen.   It is faster, and if I mess up, there is the delete button, and if I spell something wrong, there is the spell checker.   I have become too dependent on this little gift.   I do not shun the pen, because that is how I got started.  I started like many people, in Kindergarten, learning how to print.  by third grade, I learned the art of writing cursive, and all of a sudden, writing in my own handwriting became pretty.  

One tip for you: As much as computer writing is all the rage, and I do love it, DO NOT STOP WRITING IN YOUR OWN HANDWRITING!  Yes I said it.   It shows you care, especially if you are send a personal note such as a thank you, or signing greeting cards.   Another reason for improving on your own handwriting:  What if you have to add your signature to an important document such as your new driver's license or a business document.   I know that school systems are now saying that it is not necessary for a child to learn cursive writing, and two states have cut it out altogether.   It is important for a parent to sit down to teach what school are now failing to do.   A child needs to learn the basics that will help them excel in life.  If not, then where does it leave a country that requires it in business, academics, and other aspects of life.   I am going to stop there, because I will go into some of the other things that children need to learn and computers may not be always available.

Enjoy your day, and I will talk to you later. God Bless You.