Morning Coffee with Julie - December 5th, 2020

I've been a little under the weather this week with either a cold or allergies (not sure which) but during this COVID pandemic (I call it a PANDAMNIC) a runny nose might as well be an admission to having the bubonic plague.  Oh well, I know I'm on the mend because I didn't even use one tissue yesterday.  That is a good sign!

I've been trying to stay busy during my runny nose banishment.  Lucky for me, I received my brand new iPad Pro 12.9 inch with a Apple Pencil.  I spent most of yesterday playing around in Procreate and managed to create a color page for my newest coloring book and this little goat drawing.  I think he turned out really cute but BOY do I have a lot to learn!  

Another really exciting thing that happened yesterday was that I received my Amazon order for my 2021 weekly/monthly planner in the mail.  This is the first time I have actually seen a printed version of it and I couldn't be more thrilled with it.  It really turned out nice and I can't wait for 2021 to begin using it. I created these Pinterest pins this morning to promote it on my board.

Here is the link on Amazon if you want to check it out:  MY AWESOME 2021 PLANNER

When I worked in the real world as the Business Administrator for a Christian school and church here in town, I was always thankful for all the new beginnings I had.  There was the start of each new school year, the new fiscal year and the new calendar year.  Each new beginning had it's unique requirements and demands for the business office but I always looked forward to the "CLEAN SLATE" feeling.  

Now I have really only the new year to celebrate the new beginnings but I look forward to it with the same excitement.  Maybe even more now that I am a small business owner.  I've been blessed with steady and growing art sales this past year and my plan for 2021 is to continue to stay focused on my art and helping other artists achieve success.  

A really important tool as a small business owner is your spreadsheets.  I know, I'M SUCH A NUMBERS GEEK!  I think it was the end of October when I created my 2021 Income/Expense Spreadsheet.  I try to track each revenue separately so I know how much I made in gross sales of cards, stickers or original art. I also track my sales for galleries, Facebook, Etsy Shop and other revenue sources.  I have a worksheet tab for each month and that all rolls into a year to date worksheet.  My spreadsheet is on Google Sheets and I would be happy to send you a blank copy of my spreadsheet if you are wanting to see how I have it set up.

Stay safe, warm and blessed

Julie

 

 

Is There Such a Thing as Creative Accounting?

I was driving past a well known tax preparation business today and I noticed that they had a vast number of colorful swooper flags, small yard signs and their signature green colored helium filled balloons waving in full glory for all passing vehicles to see.  You know I actually worked for that company for the past two tax seasons but following the end of 2015 tax season, I decided to take a part-time accounting job at a local real estate office instead.  It's this time of the year that those of us that have an accounting call on our lives begin to get REAL busy!

I'm not trying to stereotype any portion of the population but it has been my experience that most creative individuals are not always the most detail individuals.  They are more what I would call free spirits.   I on the other hand, possess  both the ability to create and appreciate art and balance a mean checkbook.  Just not at the same time.  

Accounting has always been a "CREATIVENESS SUCKER" in my life and for 30 years I let that skill dominate my thinking.  Painting was nothing more than a faded memory of something I knew I could do or at least I hoped I could still do.  A couple of pieces, created in high school have always hung on the walls of my house as a testimony to dispel any doubters but my paints were packed away and mostly dried and useless somewhere on a shelf.  

Please don't misunderstand me because being an artist is also being a self-employed businessman or woman.  I keep all my financial records for my art activity and have separate business account so that there is no CO-MINGLING of funds.  I have created a spreadsheet I have developed to track all my revenues and expense.  I can tell you the exact dollar amount of my arts sales for the year that came from cowbells, art lessons or painting sales.  This is an important part of being a successful artist, so many of you may struggle in this area but for me this is a skill that I have much practice in.

It's been over 5 years now since I started painting again with a "PASSION".  I regret the time I wasted not developing my skills as an artist but I can't change the past.  I can only pursue the future with all the strength I can muster.  I can't make the time I must spend doing accounting creative time but I can certainly make sure that I have set aside plenty of time to be creative.

Here are two watercolor and pen sketches I did as part of a series that I jokingly called "Confessions of a Recovering Accountant" to show that no longer was the analytical part of my brain in charge of all my time.  By the way, if you like my work and would like to see my website please visit me at JulieTownsendStudio.com and I would be thrilled if you would leave me a comment below.  Do you relate to my struggle of being both right and left brained or maybe you have a tax question as an artist?  I would love to hear from you.

"Creative Finance"

"Right Brain versus Left Brain"