Chocolate Cactus Designs

Update - returning tomorrow

Hello all, just a quick update on me.  Felling much better today after what turned out to be a rougher recovery than I had expected.  I will be back to work tomorrow, and will likely be catching up on emails most of the day.  So if you are expecting an email from me, you WILL hear back before the end of the week.  I will also be sending out files, concepts and finals as well.  Tomorrow and Friday will both be very busy days for me!

Thanks so much for your understanding and patience, and we'll be talking soon.

Jodi

Out of office (emergency surgery)

Due to an emergency operation I had this morning (7/17), I will be out of the office until at least mid-week next week. All emails will be returned at that time. Thank you.

Compelling.

Yesterday I stumbled upon this blog.  I started reading it at 10am and did not finish until many hours later at about 4pm (on and off reading).  Words fail me when it comes to describing my feelings while reading through it.  I cried, I sobbed, I laughed and I sobbed all over again.  But mostly, my heart broke little by little as I read further along.

Many of my blog readers are photographers.  Many of you may be associated with Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org) which offers bereavement photography to grieving parents.  This blog, about sweet Audrey Caroline Smith, is a testament to many things - the loss of a child and the importance of this type of photography, and a testament to true and complete faith.

As a disclaimer, the story discusses the troubles the family faces during the ultrasound discovery of Audrey's fatal anomalies, and also includes some beautifully moving maternity and bereavement photography by Tom Uchida.  (Angie's maternity session can be seen on his site under "Audrey Caroline maternity".)  Angie's husband, Todd Smith, is also in the contemporary christian band Selah.

As a mom of four, I cannot fathom the pain this family endured while they went through such things.  My heart was completely shattered - but in the same instance I was overtaken by Angie's faith, and by her what seems like wiser-than-her-years mentality.  What did I take away from the blog?  More than I could ever write in words.  

I know I gained so much from reading the blog in its entirety.  And I can assuredly say that, undoubtedly, you will as well.

http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/

To all clients - emails

I have received two emails today alone that are from clients who claim to have not received any emails form me in some time, or from clients who claim to have not received promised work from me.  This devastated me to read, knowing full well I have sent emails and/or work to these clients.

Due to sporadic email (server) issues I have had, I am having trouble getting emails to reach intended recipients, and vice versa (I have a few I have not received as well).  For this, I am terribly sorry and will try resending projects, concepts, revisions, etc. back to those emailing me.

So please, if you have not heard from me in a week or more, please email me again (issues are resolved) and I will reply to you asap.  The last thing I want is for my clients to feel I am ignoring them, which is certainly not the case!

As always, I ask that people allow me up to 3 business days to reply (under normal circumstances) as I receive a high volume of emails daily.

I appreciate your understanding.

Got music?

So I am a HUGE music person with very eclectic taste.  I listen to music a ton while working (hey, music can inspire, too!), so when I saw this I knew it was a must for my blog.  Talk about flashback with the totally "rad" tape graphic - haha.  (Had to take us back to the 80's with the slang)

Just a few of my faves growing up - mostly good old stuff.  You will likely be 

able to tell that I was raised with a certain genre of music.  *grin*

Go ahead, take a listen.  Oh, and you know you want one, so click on the link below the tape, and comment letting me know if you have one, too!  I'd love to hear!

A few small changes (policies)

Man, have I been kicking some serious tail over here!  Getting a lot of projects completed and sent this week, so if you are awaiting an email, keep your eyes peeled.

Also, I am getting inquiries left and right and am booking up rather quickly.  I will have a waiting list starting soon, so if you are debating, now is likely the best time to commission me for services as I can't promise what the timeframe will be like in even 1 week!

Lastly, I implemented a couple of changes to my policies effective immediately regarding invoices:

• Invoices should be paid within 48 hours due to the few number of slots available at any given time. I have several people at any given time who are interested, and when an invoice is paid, it officially places you on the list.  When they aren't paid in a timely manner, it makes it unfair to those who are interested but cannot wait for the next available slot.  

Any invoices that are not paid within 48 hours will incur a 10% fee and a new invoice will be issued at that time.  

I hope you can understand that this is the best decision to make for my clients as a whole so that there are no extended wait times.  I have had clients wait sometimes weeks to pay their invoices, and I hate to say, but I am unable to sit on them for that long as it is unfair to those who are able to pay immediately.  Please keep in mind that I also accept credit cards via PayPal as well, so if you do not have a PayPal account, please do not feel as though you have to open one!

• Also, if you are paying by eCheck via PayPal, please note that those payments take 3-5 business days (per PayPal) to clear.  While you be placed on the list, I am unable to start on your project until it has cleared. 

I appreciate your understanding very much!

Calling all barterers - need blog help!!

Okay, so I am tired of trying to find the time (and patience!) to do this myself, so I am in need of a little barter with someone.

I am wanting to go to a blogsite and am hoping to eliminate the website all together if I can get the blog to showcase things the way I'm hoping.  :)

Do you customize blogs?  (I have a Wordpress account, so we can use that or something else - want to get away from Typepad if possible)  Are you good at taking a design and implementing it onto a blog and/or on the web?  Want something designed by me in exchange?  Great!  I am wanting something customized more than just a few color changes (ha) - something that will pull my (new) brand into it - clean, sleek yet modern and non-cluttered.

Email me and show me some blogs you have done and we can chat more about it!  Email: jodi -at- chocolatecactus.com  

I am hoping to get this started asap.  Thanks in advance!

One smokin' inbox!

Just wanted to share a screen cap of my email.  And to think I just cleared out the inbox a little over 2 weeks ago (!!!).  Now you know why I am not always able to get back immediately!  I average 100-/+ per day - the ones blurred out are just *part* of the ones I received overnight and today.  OY!  I swear I am going to hire someone to only answer emails!

Commiserate with me.... Wahhhh!

Fly me to the moon

...or not!

Just a reminder that I will be flying out Friday (tomorrow) afternoon for a business trip as mentioned in an earlier post. Because of this, I will be unavailable tomorrow and will not have access to email. All emails will be answered on Monday.

I am working today, so I am trying to get as much done as I can before leaving (files sent, emails, etc.).

Thanks much!

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

Whew! It has been a crazy busy few weeks for me. As always, you all are keeping me on my toes (which is a good thing!). I am finishing a lot of things up this week, so if you are expecting something from me, you just may have it in your inbox before the weeks end.

Also, I am not going to be in the office Friday due to a business trip I'm taking. Which brings me to...

Some changes will likely take place starting next week. Fewer clients per month mostly, so that I can dedicate more time to each client, and also to other ventures. Chocolate Cactus isn't going anywhere, so don't worry!

Another change is my offering consulting services. Over the years, I have been asked by numerous clients and friends if I would offer these types of services geared towards marketing and branding their photography businesses. The answer (after years of thinking on it) is yes! As most services offered, this will be on a VERY limited basis (2 clients per month). These include (but certainly aren't limited to): helping with business name creation, consulting on branding and identity creation and implementation, marketing that new brand, etc. For more information, feel free to email me.

So there's my quickie update! More later; Illustrator beckons.... :o)