Mr Yen Business Cards
Hello, I hope you're having a nice relaxing easter weekend! I've been back from Manchester for the weekend, where I've been training for my new job at Dwell (that will be opening in Leeds very soon) and I have had my new business cards delivered while I've been away. I got them printed with Moo.com and I decided to go for their new luxe business cards and I have to say, I'm quite impressed! These snap shots are just a little peek - I will be taking some better photographs once I get time.
These new business cards are the start of the new Mr Yen branding and they feature a photograph of a botanical silhouette of me - along with my contact details. I really like the effect of using a photograph of the paper cut as I love the fact you can see it slightly lifting off the page - giving it a slightly 3D element. I will definitely be creating some postcards using the same technique to give away with all new orders after the re-launch. Oh and check out the black middle section of the business card...very nice indeed!
I'm so excited to get back from Manchester for good, so I can work on finalising a few new paper cut designs too. I'm still planning for an August re-launch and there is still so much to do. I expect the blog will be quiet throughout the upcoming week (as I will be living out of a hotel room for six days) but when I get back to Leeds for good, it will be all systems go!
I hope you have a great week!
A new month...a new job
I'm being sent to a Manchester branch of the company for my training (for a month!) and the store they plan to open in Leeds should be opening early in May - so for the new month, I will have a new job! I realise that this is incredibly lucky, being told at the start of March that I'm being made redundant and then getting a new job to start at the beginning of April, and I'm so pleased and grateful that it has all happened so fast. Now I have my full time job situation sorted, I can make a start on some new paper cut designs.
While I worked at Muji, I had a holiday planned for this week, to get some new designs sorted for later this year, so that's what I've been getting on with all this week! I have been getting back to basics and getting the pencils/pens and paper out to create some illustrations, which will be turned into paper cut designs. I'm so excited to be creating some new work and I feel that these new designs will work well as I have a more focused view on the type of work I want to create and the type of subjects I want to illustrate and explore.
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As a last little note, I would just like to say thank you for all the support, while I was job searching, attending interviews and after my initial finding out that I was being made redundant - all your messages made me feel so much better and made me stay positive about the whole situation - so thanks, I really appreciate you all!
Dearest Nature
Dearest Nature is a blog all about nature and things inspired by nature, curated and managed by Donaville Herrick (author and creator of Hello Hello Hi & Discover Paper) and I was asked by Donaville to be a regular contributor - and I said yes, how could I turn an opportunity like this down!
I will be a regular contributor to the INSPIRE section of the blog and will be posting about all the things that I find inspirational in nature. My first post is up now and it features a fantastic piece by Oana Befort.
You can visit Dearest Nature here, see all my contributor posts to Dearest Nature here and you can see my very first post (featuring Oana Befort) here.
Paper Runway Guest Post -
My latest guest post for Paper Runway is now up! It features the work of Valérie Buess and you can go and read it here.
Losing my full time job...
If you follow me on twitter you will already know this, but if not.....the place I work full time has closed down and me and all my colleagues have been made redundant. This is such sad news as I've only been working there for one month full time, but well over four/five years on and off.
I first started working with Muji as a part time Christmas temp, then as a regular part time member of staff, and most recently as a full time member of staff - but now I've been made redundant. I was really enjoying my job, the people, the place and the products we sold were all great, now after only just making the decision to go back to full time work I'm forced to look for more full time work.
Losing my job has really had me think about the direction I want to go in now, so soon after I had just made my mind up to work full time. I'm still working on everything Mr Yen, such as working on the re-branding/relaunch which I've scheduled for this August, and I'm still available for commissions and designing papercuts, but I would still love the security of a full time job at the moment and have decided to look into getting a job with a local design agency in Leeds.
Over the last few days I've received the most amazing support over on twitter and facebook, with a few emails of support from people too, which I think this is amazing! It really has helped hearing your comments of support and I've appreciated each one so much.
I would just like to say a huge thank you and I hope I can be there to support you when/if you need it too!
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If you would like to hire me for design work in Leeds, or you would like to commission me to create some paper cuts for you, I would love to connect with you and see what we can create together!
Flower Of The Month - Daffodil
The ancient Greeks believed the narcissus plant originated from the vain youth, Narcissus. He died after becoming so obsessed with his own reflection in a pool, he fell in and drown.
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The Narcissus flower is perceived in the West as a symbol of vanity, and in the East, as a symbol of wealth and good fortune.
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The daffodil is the national flower of Wales, where it is traditional to wear a daffodil or a leek on Saint David's Day (March 1).
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In classical Persian literature, the narcissus is a symbol of beautiful eyes.
Paper Runway Guest Post - Daniele Papuli
My latest guest post for Paper Runway is now up! It features the work of Daniele Papuli and you can go and read it here.
Paper Runway Guest Post - Kevin Stanton
My latest guest post for Paper Runway is now up! It features the work of Kevin Stanton and you can go and read it here.
Paper Runway Guest Post - Jenny Grigg
My first guest post of the year for Paper Runway is up! It features the paper pieces created by Jenny Grigg and you can read the full post over here on the paper runway blog.
Mr Yen Featured in I Love Stationery Book!
It's my day off from Muji today and I'm using it to catch up with all things Mr Yen....starting with showing you the amazing book I have a few papercut pieces featured in!
The book is called "I Love Stationery" and it was created by Charlotte Rivers. I'm so excited and grateful to be included in such an amazing book alongside other great designers/makers. I was asked a while ago to contribute something to the book and I decided to send images of my paper cut notepads and paper cut map covered notebooks.
The book is called "I Love Stationery" and it was created by Charlotte Rivers. I'm so excited and grateful to be included in such an amazing book alongside other great designers/makers. I was asked a while ago to contribute something to the book and I decided to send images of my paper cut notepads and paper cut map covered notebooks.
Charlotte has authored some amazing books, which you can see here, and I was recently featured in another one of them "Handmade Type Workshop" where I created a specific paper cut piece for the book (which you can see below)
Seeing my work published is a very exciting thing, and I would love to create more work for print - which reminds me, I better get started on putting together some plans for a book of all things Mr Yen!
Flower Of The Month - Tulip
White tulips convey forgiveness.
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Tulips are said to ward off negative energy and bad luck when worn.
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A bouquet of tulips represents beauty & grace.
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The tulip is the flower for the 11th wedding anniversary and it is said that the tulip's velvety black center represents a lover's heart, darkened by the heat of passion.
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New Year, New Start...
Hello!
After planning my 2012 #12MonthPlan late last year I thought long and hard about the direction I wanted to take my work in 2012. As I mentioned previously in this post, I am going to focus less on selling my work to start focusing more on designing paper cut pieces for clients and companies. The Mr Yen shop will still be operating and I will still be paper cutting, but i'll not be spending as much time on things related to selling my work.
To do this, and to focus on design work, I realised I would have to generate my income from somewhere other than from selling my paper cut pieces, so - I've decided to go back into full time employment!
From Thursday....I will be working full time, at the place I currently work part time (Muji) so I can focus on creating more paper cut designs without the added pressure of selling my work to generate my income. I know some people could see this as a step backwards - to go back to working for someone else, when I have been self employed for just over a year....but going back into full time employment gives me the freedom and time to design some new paper cuts without any pressure, so I see it as a step forwards and a positive thing to do to keep the Mr Yen business alive and well!
I will still be doing everything Mr Yen, such as blogging (for both myself & Paper Runway) paper cutting, sending out a monthly newsletter and running the shop, it's just it will be more of part time venture for a while.
With all this being said, I am still very interested in designing paper cuts and sticking to my goals mentioned in my 12 month plan, so I don't want this to sound like Mr Yen is going to disappear, it's just that I need time to focus my energies on creating some design pieces and going back to full time employment takes off some of the pressure in relation to earning at the moment.
As always, I wanted to be completely open and honest about my plans and what I intend to do, and I feel the need to share my plans because there are probably other self employed people who would like to do the same thing, but are probably thinking what I thought initially - that this is a step backwards.
I see this as a positive step forwards to keep doing what I love doing - paper cutting!
The Mr Yen Twelve Month Plan
I have been adding ideas to this post since the end of last year and have decided to just publish what I have for now as I will probably add to it later anyway...
I have taken inspiration from this blog post over on The Academy Blog and have chosen a word that I want to use when focusing in on the things I plan to do this year!
My Word of the year is: Action
This year I want to focus more on papercut designs and illustrations for companies and clients (inspired by my graphic design degree) and less on selling papercuts - which means the Mr Yen shop will be taking a back seat. I will still be updating and adding to the shop when I can, plus I would love to create a few seasonal paper cuts!
I now feel it's time for me to start creating illustrations that I feel have a purpose and communicate something. I've been paper cutting for over four years now, so I feel I have the skills to create things well and to a set deadline - I just need the opportunities to display these skills and work with some amazing companies and clients! I would love to create illustrations for editorial work and would love to create paper cuts for several magazines, newspapers and books.
I will be updating my progress frequently over on twitter, (& here on the blog) where you can follow my progress using the following hash tag #12MonthPlan.
I would love for you to join me this year while I work through my goals and I would equally love to hear from you on your own monthly or yearly plans!
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Mr Yen 12 Month Plan:
To create a paper cut book cover design.
To start work on a book of my paper cuts.
To create a paper cut illustration for a cosmetic company.
To create a papercut installation
To work with a paper company to promote their papers
To create a range of editorial illustrations
To have a solo exhibition of my papercuts
A few dream clients I would love to create paper cuts for are:
Liberty
Vogue
Crabtree & Evelyn
Uppercase Magazine
The Guardian
The Times
Penguin
The New Yorker
The New Yorker
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Flower Of The Month - Hyacinth
I'm pleased to announce the start of a new series of posts for the blog - Flower Of The Month.
I've decided to introduce this new monthly post as I will be focusing on creating and designing lots of floral paper cut art this year and I thought it would be nice to include some information about certain plants, herbs and flowers that I will be paper cutting so we can all learn something new along the way! (if you have any other information about this months flower, I would love you to leave it in the comments below)
Each post will be accompanied by a free desktop calendar that you can get by signing up to the Mr Yen Newsletter here and several images and information about each flower. I want the posts to be more about the images, with the information as a little extra - and as I've wanted to focus my designs on floral designs for a while now, I thought 2012 would be the year to start this. I hope you enjoy these posts and I would love to hear what you know about this months flower!
I've decided to introduce this new monthly post as I will be focusing on creating and designing lots of floral paper cut art this year and I thought it would be nice to include some information about certain plants, herbs and flowers that I will be paper cutting so we can all learn something new along the way! (if you have any other information about this months flower, I would love you to leave it in the comments below)
Each post will be accompanied by a free desktop calendar that you can get by signing up to the Mr Yen Newsletter here and several images and information about each flower. I want the posts to be more about the images, with the information as a little extra - and as I've wanted to focus my designs on floral designs for a while now, I thought 2012 would be the year to start this. I hope you enjoy these posts and I would love to hear what you know about this months flower!
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Flower Of The Month: January
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Hyacinths are extremely fragrant and range in colour, from striking deep purple to pure white and subtle pink.
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These flowers have a very feminine look to them - with a bold fresh fragrance and the simplicity & formal appearance of the flowers themselves, this flower has a striking impact.
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It is said that just inhaling the intoxicating fragrance of these flowers relieves greif & depression
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These flowers would make a lovely addition to any spring bouquet or arrangement where you want a strong yet feminine fragrance.
Happy New Year!
I hope you've had a great start to the New Year! I will be back to posting here regularly again this week and there are lots of new things I have planned for the blog and business this year, so I hope you will join me for a busy and fun filled 2012!
The Mr Yen Sale
To celebrate the new year and to make way for the changes to come, I've decided to have a sale on all stationery items (which includes the Mr Yen Christmas tape) , all papercut jewellery and a few papercuts too! You can head on over to the newly designed Mr Yen shop here to view all sale items.
All items are very limited and once the few items left have sold, they will not be replaced - ever, so why not head on over to get yourself a bargain as some pieces are up to 50% off!
Changes...
New Branding:
I'm planning to fully launch the newly branded Mr Yen early next spring and I'm currently working away on these changes to make sure things happen when they should! (as you can see from some of the changes already happening with the shop and this blog)
Earlier this year I created a Six Month Plan for all things Mr Yen, which I've found extremely helpful in making my goals successful, so I'm applying this process to a whole year of planning everything I would like to achieve for 2012.
This year has been a great year, but it has had it's ups and downs. I feel I have achieved some fantastic things, but there has also been low points too. To be honest, the low points are mostly from the first six months of the year - when I didn't plan anything, but the last six months has also had some low points too. These low points mostly relate to cash flow (which again can be linked back to improper planning on my behalf) or potential features of my work in various publications which fell through at the last minute.
What I've learnt over the last year:
This year has been a huge learning curve where I've enjoyed both good and bad points as it has opened my eyes to what needs to change and how I need to go about changing them, while being thrown in at the deep end, as most of the things I have done have been the first time I have had to do them. I feel this first official year of business has been a sort of test run and practice for the real thing.
This year I've experimented with various products, promotional techniques, advertising methods, press opportunities and things to focus on as a business, which has really helped me hone in on what I want to be creating, for who and how to get my work infront of the right people. I feel so much more prepared for the upcoming year and as I've learnt so much this year I feel it's just a matter of putting everything into practice.
For some reason, while planning things that I want to achieve in relation to my business, I always feel as though I should be keeping an eye on what everyone else is doing and as though I should plan for things at the last minute in case I want to change my mind. For example, when I hear people complain that August is too early to be preparing for Christmas (when really it's too late!) it makes me question myself, so I put things off for a few more weeks (or months) when really if I trusted myself and went with my instincts I would start planning Christmas in early spring time. I've realised that constantly looking at the way other people conduct their business is not the way to go about organising my own business so I need to change the way I plan and organise things. This year I will hopefully be starting the year with everything I need to make my business successful. From business plans, accounts and promotional/marketing plans to having a whole years worth of papercut designs, photo shoots and catalogues completed.
Marketing and Promotion:
This year I have left marketing and promotion of my products too late due to being unorganised and not getting things like an actual physical press pack made up (or a digital one either!) leaving me to rush something together at the last minute when people ask for information, so I don't have the time to get an image of a product on a white cut out background for example. Again, as I have learnt from missing out on several opportunities this year because of things like this, I now know what needs to be done from the start. I also feel that having a clear focus of things makes a business run smoother, so things like planning a years worth of marketing and promotion will be extremely beneficial as I will know what needs doing each month to keep on track - which then helps me to know what needs to be done on a weekly and daily basis too.
Throughout the year I've experimented with ways of promoting my work through channels such as blog banner adverts, contacting blogs for features, paying for adverts on blogs and websites and using social media such as twitter, Facebook and this blog which has made me focus in on what works best for me and my business...next year I would love to see Mr Yen products in magazines and newspapers!
What's to come in the new year for Mr Yen:
The Mr Yen blog - I will be changing what I blog about, how and when I blog too. I will also be changing the weekly posts that I have schedule at the moment, such as "Thursday Finds" to things more appropriate to what products I will be creating next year.
The Mr Yen shop - I will be focusing in on large scale papercuts, while taking inspiration from all things floral and natural. I have wanted to focus on botanical designs and themes with my work for a while as these are the things I love, so I will be stopping the majority of my other papercut pieces to focus on these new designs.
Mr Yen & social media - It's time I changed the way I used twitter and facebook in conjunction with my work and this blog, so there will be a more definite focus on what I mention on these platforms from next year.
One last thing...
Mr Yen Customers - This year I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing and friendly people, as customers of the Mr Yen shop and as people who I have created design work for - without you all I wouldn't be able to do what I love and develop my ideas and designs, so I would just like to say thank you for all the support and kind words that you have given me over the last year.
I hope you will join me on my journey next year in making Mr Yen bigger and better and I hope you all have a very merry Christmas!
See you in the new year!
Monday Morning - Six Month Plan Update
Good Morning!
For the rest of this week I will be carrying on with my Art Market prep, while also working on the Christmas window display for Hannah Zakari, that I will be installing on the 21st of November up in Edinburgh. I thought it might be a good time now, to give you an update on the progress of my Six Month Plan....
So far, I have completed several of my goals, but as each of these have been worked on - each thing has brought up new opportunities that I have lead to more work and interesting things, so a few of my Six Month goals have been delayed until the new year! So here are the things I've completed so far and the things that have been delayed until next year...
Six Month Plans Completed already...
* A papercut window display - preferably a Christmas one!
This Goal is still in progress and I will be installing a papercut window display for Hannah Zakari on the 21st of November.
* A few papercut illustrations for some editorial work (such as magazines, newspapers etc)
This goal was recently completed as I created a papercut design for Issue 3 of Paper Runway, which you can see here.
* To exhibit/display my work at a craft fair/trade fair
I will be exhibiting my work at my very first craft fair this coming Sunday at the Art Market in Holmfirth - if you can get to it, I would love for you to come by and say hi!
* To have my work stocked somewhere outside the UK.
Mr Yen Papercuts are now stocked in Halifax in Canada, in a great boutique called Inkwell. You can visit the Inkwell website here.
* To have my papercuts on display in some local businesses.
I have recently added some framed papercut leaf pieces to be in a paper craft exhibition in a local café to me in Leeds, at Café 164. You can see these pieces any time between 7th of November (today!) until the 16th of December.
Six Month Plans Still To Be Completed...
* A papercut book cover design.
I would love to create a papercut design for a company such as Chronicle Books or Penguin, which also leads me onto a newly added goal for next year...
* To start work on a book of my papercuts.
I would love to create an actual book, to be published by a publishing company such as Chronicle books. I love the books they bring out and I would love to create a small picture book of some floral papercuts!
* A papercut illustration for an advert for a cosmetics company
I would still very much like to create something for Crabtree and Evelyn. I think my work would suit some of their more floral and feminine products and I would love to work with them as a company.
* Create a papercut installation.
I think this goal is one of my personal favourites as since I've started planning a Christmas papercut window display, I love the idea of creating papercuts on a large scale!
* To work with a paper company to promote their paper and business.
I would love to get the opportunity to do this as it is the materials side of things that made love using paper to begin with. I think a small ad campaign, using the companies papers in creative ways using papercut imagery would be great!
As I am still working towards the rest of these goals and would love to secure more of them for early next year, if you have any information on how to go about creating/doing any of these things I would appreciate any help I can get...you can send me emails here - and if you would like me to create any of these things for you, you can see my portfolio website here and get in touch here.
Paper Runway Guest Post
Today in my guest post for Paper Runway I talk about the screen printed designs created by Paul Farrell.
For last weeks guest post for Paper Runway I featured the screen printed designs created by Mengsel Designs.
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