Q & A Part 1

Once a month or so, I'd like to answer questions that I don't usually have time to address during the varmint crazed, work pile days of my blogging life. Feel free to pass along new questions to: heidi[at]faboographics.com.

I'll start with the most common one:

1)  What kind of camera do you use? I use a Canon Powershot S500 Digital Elph. Hubby bought it for me 4 years ago, and it goes with me EVERYWHERE. (obviously.) The thing that I love about it, is that it's fast, small, lightweight, etc. And it takes great video, for such a small camera. Unfortunately, I use it for my design work, as well as everything else, which means I never know if something is perfectly in focus until I download to my computer. And the viewer on the back is about the size of a negative frame, which is very small, compared to newer models. I end up spending more time in photoshop than I'd like to admit. I will have to buy a professional camera very soon. Any recommendations??

2) How did you become a Graphic Designer? I went to a traditional 4 year art school. I majored in graphic design. It was a great experience for me, going to college in Manhattan. This was back in the stone ages, before the internet, so being in the city was my web. There was an endless supply of resources within a few blocks from everywhere. Museums, used book stores, art supplies, art galleries, (gallery openings!) graffiti, bars, art movie houses, etc. 

3) How did you take the leap from working at a full-time job, to working from your home? It was almost a year after Thing 1 & Thing 2 were born, that I realized the potential positives of working from home, or atleast having a more flexible schedule. I went to my boss and asked for a shorter work day, or shorter work week in exchange for a cut in pay. They said no. So, I asked how long it would take them to replace me. In the end, it took between 3 and 4 months. Hubby and I put our budget down on paper, and  it turned out that I had basically been paying for a nanny, a train ticket, and many lunches, only to have $1,000 leftover, to put in the bank per month. In that time, I began looking for freelance clients in earnest, so that by the time my paycheck ended, I had a small client base. Now, 5 years later, the fruits of my labor have paid off, not only in the success of my business, but also in the supervision and care of my kids.

4) How is the baby bunny doing? That ungrateful child moved himself across the street! I got a call from Heather one evening: "Um, Heidi... I don't want to upset you, but your baby bunny has been hanging out under the tree next door." The fact that it moved away, doesn't stop me from looking for it EVERYtime I walk out the door.

5) How is the obscene piece of ginger root doing? Unlike that ungrateful bunny, it's been staying put.

6) How is the basement doing after the flood? Thankfully, we have a mold-resistant vinyl floor down there, so we think (hope) it will all be alright. It took over 6 hours of wet/vacuuming and mopping to get all the water up. I couldn't have done it without the help of these guys: