It's a break not a break-up

Uh. Has it really been more than two months since my last post?

Lots to blog about, but not much motivation to do so. Summertime always feels like the season for getting outdoors, moving away from the screen...both the computer and television and just immersing oneself in nature. I've also taken a bit of time away from the shop to think about how I would like to proceed with things.

Bananafishstudio is now officially on hiatus.

Up until now, it's been unofficial. It has remained open, just woefully understocked. This is not to frustrate my loyal clients, but to figure out how to go forward.

The shop has always been an outlet for me to design the sorts of things I love for a community of crafters I love and respect. Things have changed so much since I first started doing this which means that I have to do a bit of changing myself.  I was a consumer of paper products long before I ever sold anything and have watched the industry both expand and contract in unexpected ways. Sites like Pinterest and Instagram have forever altered the way we buy and sell.  While it is awesome to have so many outlets for sharing and inspiration...I think it can also lead to a marketplace that suffers from sameness.

When I first became a graphic designer those social sites did not exist. The Internet barely existed. I found inspiration in new and obscure magazines, in neighborhood boutiques...in unique merchandising. I was forced to leave my home and interact, to explore my environment. This led...if not to unique ideas...at least to a unique perspective influenced not by popular images, but by something that struck me and perhaps me alone as beautiful or interesting. I have such respect for designers that do their own thing....even if that means they aren't as prolific as their counterparts.

I want to try to do that again.  Most of my graphic design job requires a great deal of problem solving and precision. The shop represented a welcome respite from that...but I found myself increasingly relying on the Internet for ALL my inspiration.  I need some time to imagine, or re-imagine the kind of product I want to design. I want to give myself a chance to stumble upon new ideas. I want to explore the world not just the world wide web. I need to discover things through making things.

It's a break not a break-up.

I will be restocking and reopening the shop mid-October. I probably won't be selling a line of holiday items but that is still TBD at this time. For now, I will be focusing on my other crafty exploits which includes but is not limited to scrapbooking more.

Thanks for your continued enthusiasm and kind words. I'm sure my quest for fresh inspiration will lead me back here soon.