I just ran across a great little write up asking “Where do you find your focus”, and it got me thinking. Where do I find my focus? Sometimes I really wonder if I have a focus or even know what focusing is. Sometimes I get so caught up in thought - letting one idea lead into the next - that I literally get lost in my own mind… there is no focus there.

Then I started really thinking about the topic - everything I do is focused around the idea that I have designs I want to share. I doodle and I want people to be able to see and enjoy the images. So everything I do revolves around the fact that my drawings exsist. Any marketing or promotion or site building I may do… all points to the jgoode originals I am hoping others will see, like and maybe even pass along.

That sounds like focus to me.

In my reply to the focusing comments, I said:
“I think everyone has their own “doodle” - it’s deciding what it is and why it is important that is the difficult part. Once this is determined, putting a focus to anything else involved is relatively simple.”.

I really do think it’s that simple. You need to find a single cause, topic, product (line), point or purpose and then put all your efforts into that single item’s success. I don’t mean a single t-shirt or single image. I mean a single whatever-you-want-it-to-be. Maybe it’s your entire business model… your whole family, the entire single community you live in. Maybe your single thing is your dream to be a great - fill in the blank -.

As a magnet on my refridgerator says…

Whatever you are, be a good one.

That, in my opinion, is finding a focus.

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I’ve said all along that my doodles are inspired by my “every day”. Every experience in any day can be and idea sparker for a design… for any of us. I’m fairly reactionary when it comes to creating new images. Sometimes I’ll sit and think about an idea for a while, but for the most part I tend to think “wow, that’s a neat picture” and I create it right then. Which is why lately I haven’t created much of anything. I think “wow - neat” and then rush off to the next whatever it is I need to handle.

Big raspberry pfffft - yeah right!
is what my “available drawing time” says to me now.

Keep in mind,
It’s always good advice to stop and think before you act. Don’t be reactionary is the general rule. However, I have a new suggestion for you:

Be reactionary about your idea process. If something sparks a thought, write it down, make yourself a note to think about it and consider it. Don’t necessarily act on it right then in the sense of making something happen.. but do let your ideas flow and allow them to flourish. Don’t discount an idea right at the moment you have it… you never know when it might be an idea that goes somewhere. besides, there’s nothing wrong with having a idea book of thoughts that do nothing but sit there and spark new thoughts –

This is what I call long lifetime brainstorming.

Maybe when you have enough ideas piled up, you’ll need a new bag to carry them around… Here’s my favorite idea bag:

Butterfly & Ladybug Tote Bag

What inspired this design idea? A lil’ love, a little sunshine and a lot of fluttering around with smelly yumminess I suppose.

What neat idea did you think up today?

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I started out as a doodler, grew into the role of a designer for clients (advertising, print media), morphed with technology into website design and development and then found myself burnt out and unable to draw a single line. That’s when I picked up a camera just so I could add a bit of color back into my day.

This design is a combination of photography and digital design.

Gerber Daisy in Lavendar

I’ve been meaning to create more art like this. I love the combination of organic and geometric with a slightly crafty feel. However, an image has to somehow talk to me for me to create something new out of an already available visual. Lately all I hear are kids and digital noise - wow the world has gotten loud. So for the time being, enjoy this rare bit of art from me. There are others.. if you look for them.

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Today is eat all your vegetables day - oh yay!

We love vegetables in my house, so that won’t be a difficult thing to do for any of us. I don’t know how I got so lucky with my kids… they all love salad and a huge variety of cooked veggies. They’ve even tried some not so typical flavors - at least not typical in our town.

Some of our favorites include:
Corn on the cob - I think its just fun to chomp on something.
Broccoli with melted cheese
Peas and Carrots with a little butter and garlic salt
and of course loaded veggies salad - don’t forget the croutons!

So today’s featured doodle is Veggie Girl with smilie peas, corn, lettuce and a rather happy carrot… eat happy!

Today is also, National Apple Streudel Day, so when you finish all those veggies, give yourself a yummy treat! ~win

The Veggie Girl design is also available in a variety of t-shirts, buttons and more.

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This is one of my older designs, and although I haven’t been a coffee drinker for about 2 years, this one still makes me giggle.

If not for me, for all my friends that still love their morning coffee, I do believe Coffee is Happiness!

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