Gift Tags That Matter
Wahoooo! It feels freaking fantastic to be back on the keyboards, not to mention alive. If you’ve been following my updates via social media you know it’s been a rough couple of days.
Sandy happened. She came uninvited, so rude, while I was work-ationing in NY City. On my Life is Messy Planner I had made plans to:
- Attend RHH LIVE + dance till my boots crash.
- Be super with my business partner April Bowles-Olin.
- Meet up with virtual friends, not virtually, at last, AMEN.
- Go to one of my best gal pals wedding.
- Eat one too many cupcakes at Whole Foods, yum yum!
- Kiss my niece Lucy for the very first time.
So you can imagine how frustrated I got when half way through my to-do mission I was forced to substitute sprinkled cupcakes for a flashlight. Not my favorite day. No.
But all joking + whining aside, I feel so incredibly lucky to back home with my husband + in one piece. I’m actually blessed to report that the only inconveniences from this experience are:
- A runny nose.
- A coughing throat.
- Lots + lots of smelly clothes.
I guess that if something good can be pulled out from tragedy, is the realization of how wonderful life is + how important is to live + enjoy the little things. To enjoy every every day + be deeply grateful to be so fortunate for just being here, right this second.
I must also say: THANK YOU for sending your love + support in the form of e-mails + tweets + Facebook messages. I know that your prayers can move mountains. Which got me thinking: If you’ve been wanting to help even more more, I have a dream. I won’t dare to call it a plan this time (wink).
Because Hurricane Sandy took a deadly toll on the Caribbean before it hit the United States, for the entire month of November I’m donating 100% of all profits from my new hand painted gift tags to Sandy victims in Haiti + Cuba. So, if you love my whimsical illustrations + giving presents, this is a good chance to treat yourself + make a real difference in the world.
I mean, don’t these gift tags make you smile for no apparent reason? I know, it happens to me too. And they look even cuter in action, just take a look:
Whether or not you’re able to make a donation, your shares + likes + e-mails are just as awesome. Together we can help make a difference.
I’ll be back on Friday with double the energy + double the juice to make up for my natural-disaster induced absence last week.
xo,
Mayi Carles
Want to Make an Extra $75K in Your Pajamas?
Take your time. I know it’s a thought question to answer. I’ll wait – paint my nails + pop some bubble wrap paper… do whatever.
Got it? Sweet! That didn’t take you very long, did it?
Of course not, cuz unless you’re Paris Hilton’s chiguagua you always need to be thinking creatively about ways to fatten your piggy bank. And because working for the Mafia is out of the question, I created the next best thing to winning the Mega Millions Lottery. It’s called 5K Sales in 365 Days.
This is a quirky anti-manual to creating information products in your pajamas (or superhero ensemble of choice) + going from 0 to 5 thousand sales. I’m talking about how I made an extra $75,000.00 in just 365 days with my first $20 digital product.
Sounds too good to be true? Yeah, my parents said the same thing when I quit my job back in 2010 to take my artistic endeavors seriously. “You’re going add a little PayPal button + people are going to give you their money to do W-H-A-T?” They hugged me tight nonetheless, like they always do, but I could see in their eyes they were already making plans to feed me for an eternity.
What are the odds of succeeding, right? WRONG!
When you spend your childhood days watching countless hours of Pinky and the Brain, changing the world is no longer an option. It’s a voice inside your head you can’t silence. That’s when “too good to be true” meets reality.
I did it. You can too.
Oh + one last thing, there’s time sensitive pre-launch awesomeness inside. I wouldn’t bookmark this for later if I were you. You’re pajamas have been officially warned. Tic tock.
See you on the other side.
xo,
Mayi Carles
Heartmade Got a Makeover!!!
I interrupt our regular programing to make a very important announcement. Muy importante. Last night, while you + I were asleep, heartmade snuck out off the house + left a note saying, “Dear Mayi, it’s been little over 2 years now. We’ve had our ups + down’s, you + I, but all in all, you’re an awesome boss. Well, sometimes. Other times, not so much. You’re work conditions are brutal girl! What’s up with you? Anyways, I’m off to the spa. I deserve it. Don’t wait up.”
When I woke up. POW! There was Miss Heartmade, with a new mani + pedi + hair do + everything. Darn heartmade is looking fineeeeee.
I want to officially introduce you to the brand new heartmade ladies + gents!!!
A quick rundown of the new site:
- We’re on WordPress now baby! Welcome me to the club.
- We’ve got a friendlier comment section (at last). And now I can actually see your beautiful face (if you have a Gravatar profile).
- Due to popular demand, my Design Studio has been formally inaugurated to offer my quirky illustrations to fans everywhere who want to transform their hairy ideas into whimsical masterpiece.
- All fluffity fluff fillers that didn’t add any value are gone for good. Ciao. Farewell. Hasta la vista baby.
- A parade of colorful new characters that hopefully will make you smile.
- Oh + we’ve got an official web-wizard on board to code + kill any technical gremlin that comes our way. Hooray! Please welcome the magical Licia Dantas, without her programing kung fu moves this design would still be in my head. I love you girl.
I really hope you love our new home + find it comfy + easy to navigate. I have big plans for this site + thanks to you I know it’s going to be a wonderful ride.
But of course, like all dream projects, this site is under construction, so please wear a helmet while we hunt for broken links + typos + technical glitches.
I can’t wait to hear what you think of our new club house.
xo,
Mayi Carles
Introducing The Worlds Cutest Notepads
Oh yeah, it’s safe to say, I’ve been waiting my whole life for today. To see my whimsical little people materialize into my very own line of notepads. Done. Check. I did it. Wooohooooo!
The first two notepad designs have officially departed the station + it’s all because of your off the hook cheerleading skills. Thank you, thank you so much for encouraging me + showing up to my messy creative empire in progress. If it weren’t for that, I would have probably postponed this dream till retirement + by then I’m hoping to be in a hammock sipping banana coladas.
So in your honor, I’m getting out the party horns + sprinkled cupcakes + maracas + not-so-virgin mojitos to celebrate this very special launch you helped co-found.
Ladies + gentz, I present to you the worlds cutest notepads*.
Cuz I believe that your world domination efforts shouldn’t feel like smelly chores. That why, I created these organizational companions that instead of making you grumpy, they make you super duper excited to check off every item on your wishlist.
Hand-painted with my hands + heart, these notepads will help you get your messy ideas down + done with style + forget nothing. Perfect for go-getters + creative superstars + pocket-size fairies + superheroes + dreamers + cupcake lovers.
Want them for yourself or to giveaway to your BFF? You can get em’ without even taking off your pajamas or your superhero uniform of choice, because they’re now available at my online boutique. Click here to go shopping!
Or do you want these cutie pies in your store? OMG seriously? Let’s totally make it happen. Click here to download the wholesale scoop.
Ok, I think I’m ready to stop doing happy cart wheels, for now. I don’t want the Guinness World Record people to think I’m trying to beat a record or something.
Your loving feedback + happy thoughts + cupcakes recipes are welcomed in the comments, of course. And if you have special requests for future notepads designs, please share those as well. Your wish is typically my command. Exceptions apply when I’m cranky or just plain stubborn, but that’s only 0.1% of the time.
Your creative genie,
Mayi Carles
* Declaration brought to you by yours truly.
Computer Crash Epiphanies
Something about my computer crashing last Monday + being in a coma for 4 days put lots of things into perspective for me.
For starters, it made me realize that I was running my business with no seat belts on. I admit it. I’m one of those people who thinks airplane safety drills are boring + yawns at insurance commercials, specially the GEICO ones cuz they have no consideration for people with lizard phobias. Prevention is smelly. Who has time to think about that, right? WRONG!
Needless to say, I learned my lesson the hard way with 50% of my files smashed for eternity. I now know I need to bullet proof my business for lions + tigers + bears too, so when the Wicked Witch of the West strikes (if she ever dares to come back again), I’m not caught off guard without my glittery red shoes to protect me.
But what most significantly shock my core was realizing that I wasn’t free – my 10 little fingers where incarcerated in keyboard land. I had the illusion of freedom, operating my business in my pajamas + in the commodity of my home, but truth be told I had become imprisoned to the very tool that claimed to liberate me. With the crap excuse that I’m an “online entrepreneur”, I’d slowly but surely substituted playtime with Mr. Crayola box for clicks + downloads + visits + tweets + sends. Houston, we might have a problem!
How dare did I call myself an artist? To be an artist one most first be free.
Ever since the accident, I’ve made a pact with myself to roll up my sleeves + get my hands dirty, at least once a day. The pictures displayed above reveals just a snippet of what happens when I let me, play. I had forgotten how much I needed that. I had forgetten how happy it made me feel.
I know that for most of us a computer crash is a worst nightmare come to life (knock on wood, twice), but I wonder, what would you learn if it happened to you? Do you think it would change anything about the way you run your life + your business? Give it some thought + let me know what comes up. I’m listening.
xo,
Mayi Carles
PS: I’m so excited to officially introduce you to all these hand illustrated goodies I’m creating + turning into notepads + cards + website buttons + printables + all that latin jazz.
Come on in! Yes you, in your paint stained pajamas if you wish. This is your space to dream up + spill open your splendidly messy life in progress. You're bound to leave here feeling happier + super empowered + most certainly loved.
