Tag: quindu creations

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My Unfinished Finished Studio (UPDATE)

Summer is simply flying by. I hope you have all been enjoying it and making the most of it! For today’s post, I wanted to give you all a very quick update on where I’m at with the art studio and a brief idea of what’s to come.

For the past several weeks, I have been working on my new art studio space. For those of you who may be new or don’t know what I’m talking about, I have moved my studio from a small bedroom in my home to the basement/ lower level of my house. The pros: 3xs the space, more permanent in the long haul, opens up an extra guest bedroom in our house, more square footage to claim for my business taxes, and overall, a more free and dedicated work environment. The cons: colder and drearier space initially, unfinished – needs flooring, ceiling, AND drywall, tons of extra effort that takes away from time to make art and create. In the case of moving my studio, the pros much outweighed the cons, at least in the long run. I’ve just needed to be able to put up with the shape it was in when I got started with all of the renovations.

Thankfully, with all of the effort that I’ve been putting in, I’m now at a place where my studio is functioning like normal again! Most of the walls are up and painted and it seems like its slowly all coming together. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nowhere near “complete,” but it IS at a place where I’m comfortably able to work in it and get my ass in gear again! It’s seemed like one excuse after another for not creating new art and now that I’ve got a brighter, more artistically supportive space, I feel I can finally start tackling some projects I’ve been neglecting.

Whenever I come down to the studio now, I always feel a surplus of inspiration and creativity flowing into me. It is my hope that I will be able to share a video this week (or possibly next week) showing you all the progress I’ve been making. I’m somewhat nervous because it’s still not where I want it to be, but you guys have been waiting long enough for an update.

I’m also going to be holding a summer sale in my shop to celebrate my current studio success! Sale will start next week so be sure to subscribe to my mailing list and follow my stories on Instagram for updates!

Thank you all for your patience and kind words while going throughout this transition. You all mean the world to me.

“Living in a world full of roses she chose to be a dandelion. Some might only see mere weeds, but others see endless wishes.”

Xoxo,

Q

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Creating a Space Takes Time

We’re back on another Monday morning, friends. I hope you all had a fantastic past few days. I enjoy clocking out so much on the weekends, but I’m always very excited for Monday to arrive. Isn’t that amazing? Never once have I worked a job where I have been happy and excited to start the work week! The joy of creating a life you love is blissful. ♥

The past few days, along with the few to come have been very rainy and gloomy outside. I’m doing my best to enjoy it and not let it affect my productivity this week! Being Monday morning, so far so good I’m happy to say! Today, I’ve got a lot packed within my head that I wanna do and it feels like not enough time to accomplish it all!

One. Step. At. A. Time.

I know. I’ve never been one that’s very patient and it’s definitely a skill I’ve been working on as of late. It’s just still so weird to me being down here in the basement and having SO much space for all my art and creativity. Not being finished a finished room, however, does have its challenges. The cold concrete floors leave more to be desired and with pieces of drywall scattered around everywhere I’ve been feeling like it’s pointless to set anything up because we would simply just have to move it eventually when we do get around to completing the renovations. Did I mention that we were doing the renos ourselves? Much more difficult that way. I know it’s not going to be a speedy process and I have been trying to remind myself how lucky that I am and to be thankful.

My husband and I had an interesting conversation the other day. He reminded me that when I first began painting, it was in a small little nursery in our first house. I had just discovered a piece of myself that I had never known. I was free-spirited and passionate about something for the first time in a long time. The feeling pressed me and my husband both and he surprised me for my birthday and had started re-doing the nursery. He was painting the walls my color of choice and had told me that it was going to be an art studio. One of the many reasons I love him.

I didn’t need all the things I now desire in the past. I just worked with what I had and I created. My art was so free back then. I’m so thankful that he brought this up because that was a time I had almost forgotten about. Before it was ever the “dream space” for my art, I worked with what I had and did so with nothing but happiness and humility. I was so full of joy whenever I worked in there. Thinking back to those days when I was discovering myself, when I knew I was an artist, has been so inspiring for me as of late.

That’s the reason for one of the big projects I’ve given myself this week. I’m just going go with the flow until we’re complete with the renovations down here. I don’t know when that will be, but I’m not going to simply just sit around staring at these un-painted walls. It’s going to take time, but I’m going to start setting up my space again this week.

After all, I’ve got some art to create.

XOXO,

Q

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Did I Give Up on Art? (Summer Update)

Good morning, friends!

Summer is here and it’s been a HOT minute since I’ve shared a blog post with you guys! For the longest time, I had never missed a post, even through holidays, but lately, I’ve been having a hard time keeping still and posting regularly! Things change with the seasons, I guess!

I’ve been away for various reasons: military, family events, and other things that are out of my control. This week, however, I’m back to my normal routine, for the most part. I am in my new studio and am still trying to make sense of the big change! Some of you may recall that I announced near the end of May that I was going to be a little less focused on my art for the summer due to many varying reasons. I thought I’d write a post about it so we’re all on the same page here and so that you can possibly see where I’m coming from.

Firstly, I live in a state where we get decent weather for less than half of the year. The summer months are our time to tackle various home projects, work on our homestead, and enjoy the beauty of nature. When it’s nice outside, I have a hard time staying cooped up inside the house or studio. It’s hard enough having freezing temps half the year so I try to get out and enjoy the sun while I can.

Secondly, I have a new studio space! In the end it will be bigger and better, but for now, it’s a little rough. I’m in an unfinished basement fro the most part and don’t have very many of my things easily accessible. We’re hoping to finish the basement (TONS OF WORK) before winter hits us again!

Lastly, I have been on a roll with my Young Living oils business! You guys know from my IG that I have been into essential oils since January. I’m climbing the ranks and am starting to make a really reliable income through it. By focusing on my oily endeavors and business, I’m creating a sustainable income that will help tremendously since I have been self-employed for the past several months! As you all know, art income is extremely inconsistent. By building a business with such a solid income, I’m able to freely continue painting and doing what I love without the stress and pressure of selling and making money off of it.

I know a lot of people have thought that I’m “quitting” my art and that I’m giving up on painting. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m still going to be creating art and bringing new content forward. I’m simply taking some of the business stress and focus off of my art, hence allowing me to be more free and consistent in my work. Creating art feels a whole lot more different when you start forcing it to make income. I still have a show this fall and am hoping to have a few new pieces to share with you until that moment comes.

As far as announcements go, life has been crazy busy! I’m sure it’s the same for you guys as well! Summer just comes and goes so fast and we’re trying to catch it before it’s gone again!

I think that about sums it all up for now. I do have a garden that needs some watering.

I’ll catch up with you guys again soon. ♡

XOXO,

Q

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I’m back! And there’s a lot to do…

Good morning, friends!

It feels like it’s been a hot minute since I’ve been around and I’m so beyond excited to get back to work this week! For those that don’t know, I am in the Air Force Reserve as well and there are times that I have to just disappear for that. Though I can never say exactly what is going on or when it’s happening, you can all assume that if I’m ever randomly quiet, that may be the reason why.

That being said, I’m so excited to get back to it today! I’m still away from home and won’t be back to the studio until tonight, but thankfully I brought supplies with me and am able to work on my way home today.

I feel like there is so much to catch up on, however. Even just being gone for a week makes things crazy. Followers drop cause I haven’t been consistently posting, shop order pile up (which is a good thing), and I haven’t been able to create any new content so I feel as if I have nothing to post about. It’s rough for business when this happens, but I do what I can.

I also feel as if there is a lot to tell you all. I have many new shop additions and announcements, but I haven’t gotten everything ready yet so I’m going to have to wait a little bit as much as it’s killing me. Once I get back to the studio and get settled again, I should be able to fill you in.

In case you missed it, even though I was gone, I had a video all scheduled to upload and it did go up on Friday. Check it out if you missed it! I’ll leave the link here.

Well, that’s the latest and greatest, friends. Thanks for reading as always. I know this is another short one, but I hope to catch up with you all! A week feels like an eternity.

Have an awesome week, everyone! Let’s crush it!

XOXO,

Q

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Mothers Day Sale!

Hello, friends. I hope you all had a fantastic holiday weekend! This blog is going up a lot later than usual as its already after 2:30 pm! I find myself feeling a bit tired and groggy today so I’ve been a bit slower than I usually am. This is always the case for me whenever it rains. I think I may have been a cat in another life, I swear. We can talk about that another time, though. Personally, I had taken the last few days off of social media and had completely unplugged from my phone. It was really nice to just use a few days to spend time with my family and getting some much needed R&R.

I’m back at it today, though and have spent the day painting and working on some shop updates. I’ve got a few new items that will be added to the shop soon (within the next month?) and am hammering out all the details as far as that goes, so stay tuned for that!.

As far as announcements go, I wanted to let you all know that next week I will be out of town again and will have less studio time. I still anticipate the regular upload schedule, but I don’t think there will be much opportunity to paint. More to come on this. Also, in honor of this painting being shown in the ArtWorks Gallery exhibition in Eagan, MN, I decided to make “Escort” available as a full size 16″x20″ poster. The image is a little darker and sharper than the original, but it is still beautiful as a large gloss poster. It was sort of a test image so I only ordered 5 of these. Quantities are limited, so be sure to snatch one up quickly if you’re interested!

I also decided to hold a Mother’s Day sale in my shop for 15% off until May 13th. Take full advantage and get it at a discount while you can. You can use the code: MOM15 to redeem.

I hope you all have a productive and inspired week!

Xoxo,

Q

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From Skepticism to Getting Paid – My Personal Struggle with Money

You guys, I’m so happy I could cry right now. Seriously. I’m almost in tears.

Today I got my first decent paycheck from Young Living and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Honestly, when I first decided to join and say ‘yes’, I truly had no idea if I would be able to make any money from it. I had done network marketing in the past and never made a dime (granted I did quit early on and didn’t have my heart in it as I do with Young Living). I felt God’s hand leading me in this direction and I followed. I took a leap of faith and after checking my bank account and seeing the money added in just now, I couldn’t be happier that I did it.

Since I’m just getting started out in this business, it really isn’t a lot compared to how much my leaders are currently making. Not even close. It may not be able to supplement income just yet, and you may think it’s not much at all. That’s beside the point, though. It’s a lot to me and it is something I am so thankful for and really helps us out this month. It was a boost that I have been needing.

I really want to share something with you guys and it’s very personal. This whole post is personal, but it needs to be shared. I want you guys to know and feel my authenticity through the screen. When I first heard about Young Living, I was interested in the toxin-free products and their versatility. I had used oils in the past but for nothing other than diffusing and thinking that “they smell nice.” I had no idea you could ingest them, use them in place of cleaners, or even that you could opt for them instead of certain over the counter drugs and medications. I didn’t know they could be as powerful and potent as they actually are.

One day, I stumbled across a friend of mine posting all about Young Living on Instagram. We were never really close. Acquaintances, in fact. We were in basic training for the military together many years ago and I wish we had been able to get to know eachother better back then because she’s a real gem. She talked about the products and how they were helping her around her home as a mom of two little children. She talked about the health implications of “normal” products that we often buy in stores without realizing. She diffused oils, cleaned with this magical “Thieves” cleaner that I kept hearing about and lastly, I saw her grow and she talked about her promotions and how she was changing her family’s lives with the income she was making through the business opportunity with Young Living.

I’m always skeptical of mlms and people’s success stories with them and always thought they just “got lucky” and that it was all some scam. I think that is a very natural assumption in this day and age, but that topic is for a whole other post. Actually, I did a blog about network marketing and will link it here if you’re interested in that. Anyway, I was happy for her and that she was doing so well, but every time I would stumble across her feed, I would stop and wonder “what if?” and it was a feeling that tugged on my heartstrings for weeks before I decided to actually message her.

I used to make pretty decent money when I was working as a server. Earning tips made all the difference and I was so used to always having loads of cash on me. It may not have been enough to where I wasn’t budgeting and simply buying anything I wanted; I wasn’t rich, but we never had to worry about having the lights shut off. Money was good but I HATED my job and how it was affecting every aspect of my life. I knew God created me to do something more than something that made me completely miserable every day. I knew this because I knew I couldn’t effectively serve Him while my mind and body was in that state. He created me for a purpose and that just wasn’t it.

When I decided to start listening to Him and had gotten fed up with the way things were, I decided to start my own business using my brand, QuinDu Creations that I had started back in 2015, about 3 years prior to this moment. I decided it was time to turn my life around and wanted to run at my dream career of being an artist. That’s when I started my self-employment journey. I started this blog, started learning how to design and edit my website, started a YouTube channel, and started consistently posting to social media and began sharing my journey with the world and everyone I knew.

Obviously, getting started with any business is tough as you are starting out and I made almost nothing since I began this journey about 7 months ago. Yep. I said it & there it is, so you can stop wondering now. I’ve worked tirelessly, almost daily, for almost no profit. I’ve had a few sales here and there, but not enough ever count on a monthly basis and not enough to cover even half of my minimum wage paychecks that I used to think of as “bonus money.” This wasn’t surprising though. I knew it would be this way until I got my feet on the ground and I knew it would be hard. We cut back in a LOT of areas to make up for the change in household income and I’ve learned to live minimally. There hasn’t been any extra willy nilly spending and I don’t buy things just because I want them anymore. It’s been bare necessities and we’ve pretty much cut out any extra curricular activities from our calendar. Eating out had become a rare luxury and even certain food items have become a luxury that we would only get every once and a while as a treat. Hello, vegan-labeled snack foods.

I’m not telling you guys all of this to make you feel bad for me or to admit that I had made a mistake in leaving my old job. I want to tell you the exact opposite. The career change has been an amazing thing for my family and has taught us humility and how to budget our money. I’ve also learned a thing or two about minimalism and have found that having less and buying less actually makes me happier. Happiness doesn’t pay the bills, however, and that’s the cold hard truth. There were many times where I thought about getting another part-time job to contribute more, but that would have been like going back in the other direction I had just turned away from.

So why exactly am I telling you this? It’s because I want you to see where I’m coming from. After hearing Beka’s testimony, I had found myself thinking about Young Living and the business more and more. What was holding me back? Money. Skepticism. The fact that I had failed participating in my other network marketing business in the past. Originally, I just wanted to start a journey to a cleaner life and start using the oils and products. I had no interest in pursuing it as a business, but now that was all I could think about. I am so passionate about my work as an artist. I love painting and creating and it will always be my dream-but what if this was a way I could start a cleaner, healthier lifestyle while also earning some extra income to put into my bills AND my business?That was when the gears really started turning and I had finally decided to reach out and message her.

Fast-forward 3 months and you will find that my world has completely changed. Most of my household items are being swapped out for ones where I know and understand all of the ingredients listed. I’ve been introduced to so many different products I now swear by and order on a regular basis. I have been using my creativity to decorate the house with oils and all sorts of Young Living displays (its more fun than it sounds). I have fun making DIY versions of my old beauty products and perfumes. I also enjoy that I now make even less trips to the store-a MAJOR plus when you work from home and live 30 minutes from a decent shopping center. Another bonus point for less impulse buying at stores like Target (though, Target, I do love you). I have also been able to start sharing my Young Living journey with my family and friends and have shared all my amazing experiences with one of my oldest and closest friends who now works this business alongside me.

It all may not seem like much to you, but to me and my family, IT IS EVERYTHING. I share this with you today because I know the misconception of mlms and I know they have a VERY bad reputation. I’m sharing today from my heart as a woman that has been struggling with money but still had the guts to start her own business despite all of the negativity and the nasty stigma put against her. Not all mlms are “scams” and not all people treat the people they interact with as mere dollar signs. We do benefit, but that is a mutual interaction.

If you can relate with my story today, I truly hope you reach out to me. Not because I will gain something from you, but because I want to help you. Genuinely. I’ve shared what this business has done for me and my family so far and I am only going up from here through God’s grace and blessing. If you want to learn more, check out my other blogs or privately message me on my Instagram oils account.

Thank you for reading and God bless.

Xoxo,

Q

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My Patreon Account & New shop listings.

Hey, friends! Recently, you may have noticed that I added a few new things to the shop! This wasn’t the plan but a girl’s gotta start bringing in some extra $. Here’s the scoop:

I have been stocking up on these postcards and other fun extras to be used as rewards for my different tiers for my Patreon account. If you don’t know what this is, I’ve added the link here but it’s basically an online platform where people can support creatives in all sorts of lines of work. When creating an account, you can decide what you want your different reward tiers to be and what you would want to charge the patrons that are interested in that tier. This can always be customized and changed as time goes on.

You can think of it as an online monthly subscription plan to whatever creator catches your eye. A potential patron can view the different subscription plans and decide which one suits their likes and needs more appropriately. Subscriptions can be cancelled anytime without fees or implications. Many YouTubers and artists rely on this platform to make a living. Patreon does take a small percentage of the monthly commitment, of course, but it can be very helpful in planning out finances when patrons pledge to a monthly reward tier.

For me, for example, my first tier is only $1 and gives access to almost all online content, photos, videos, tutorials, etcetera, that I would post on my page. I also offer the option to participate in a monthly drawing challenge. Draw this in your style has become very popular I’ve noticed, especially on Instagram and what I’ve been doing is similar. I’d simply upload a rough outline sketch of one of my pieces and challenged my patrons to finish the piece and re upload the image on my page. This would include a monthly shoutout on IG/Facebook to all those that participated. Who doesn’t want a little extra publicity these days?

The next tier I have available is $10 and that gives you everything the first tier had to offer plus a new 4x6in postcard delivered every month. Each tier always includes the rewards that come in the previous tier so the deals always get better as you pay more (like many business out there). Plus, with each tier I offer a lifetime shop discount to say thank you. Just like with the rewards, the higher the tier that a patron might choose, the higher the discount would be.

The next tier is at $25 and would consist of everything offered by the first two tiers plus a surprise art box (prints, stickers, etc.). The last two tiers are a commissioned work at $250 and finally an original featured painting at $500. These are the paintings I feature on my YouTube channel every month as speed paintings.

This is a very helpful way for a lot of artists and people who do creative work to make a steady, more reliable income every month. As an artist who runs a small shop, it’s hard to tell what I’m going to be making every month especially since I don’t offer prints just yet. Why are fine art printers so expensive? Originals are also more expensive so the chances of those selling out right away are also pretty slim-when you’re first starting out, that is. I’m sure you can all see the dilemma there when trying to make a living.

This is why Patreon has been SO important to me and has been a main focus of mine. However, it’s still crickets over there, unfortunately, and after 6 months of being active and getting in the routine of posting on there regularly, I realized that I’ve been putting so much love, work, and effort into a seed that hasn’t shown any signs of sprouting just yet. I just recently decided that I would start focusing my attention more on other things and areas that I have been neglecting. It’s hard spending all your time and creative energy on something that no one sees. I don’t have any plans on quitting or deleting my Patreon account, don’t get me wrong. I’m simply just saying that I’m going to be taking a little break from it. I get notified when a new Patron has pledged to me and until then, I’m probably not going to do much with my account. I may post a few times a month to keep it updated, but until there are actually patrons over there, I’m shifting focus towards my shop.

All that being said, this is why you see all of these new postcards added to the shop! It’s been nice because since I’ve added them, I’ve been receiving a lot more orders and am actually starting to make some extra moolah. I’ve said it on my Instagram stories before, but I’m currently saving up for a fine art printer so that I can offer more variety in my shop such as high quality prints of different sizes.

If you guys haven’t seen the new products, check them out! I’ve got a lot to do today so I am going to get right to it now. Have an amazing week, everyone and keep doing what you do!

Xoxo,

Q

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Art Works Gallery Exhibition

The last several days have been very busy, but today I’m back in the studio! Before I get started tackling my “to-do” list, I wanted to write you all and give you a quick summary of the weekend!

Last night was the opener for the Art Works Gallery exhibition:

“More than the Sum of Its Parts.”

This gallery is located in Eagan, MN, and is still relatively new. I was very excited when they invited me to be one of their featured artists!

I have some footage from the opener and will be editing and uploading a vlog onto my YouTube channel this Friday! Subscribe if you haven’t already!

There were many other beautiful pieces and talented artists, and I was very happy with how well “Escort” and “Taken Under Wing” fit in with the theme!

Both pieces are still currently available and are going to be featured in the exhibit until May 24th.

SO much love to this beautiful spirit, Jessica Madison, that stopped by to show support! She definitely made my night. She has been my art muse for the longest time before I decided to become a full-time artist and happens to be the tattoo artist that started my beautiful leg piece (that still needs to be finished. Please check out her work and show her some love!…Oh, & be sure to look forward to a collab event this fall. So excited to be working together later this year.
 ♥

Xoxo,

Q

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Gallery Exhibition: More Than the Sum of Its Parts

Good morning, readers!

It’s a new month! I hope you all have your goals set in place for the month to keep your productivity up high! As for myself, I’ve got a really short week this time due to appointments, drill weekend, and the like, so I want to get to the nitty gritty right away this morning as I have a LOT to do!

If you received my newsletter that went out earlier this morning then you will have gotten the announcement and details on my participation in an exhibition for Art Works Gallery in Eagan, MN. If you haven’t already done so, make sure to subscribe to my mailing list here! I send out monthly newsletters and notifications of sales, pop-ups, and other events. Be sure to add your birthday so that you can get a yearly birthday surprise in the mail as a thank you!

I announced on my Facebook and Instagram pages that I got selected to participate in a curated show with Art Works Gallery in Eagan! These two pieces will be featured in that show and I will be there opening night from 5:30 – 6:30 pm! If you are available, I’d LOVE to see you guys out there! Opening night is free till 6:30, so if your local, be sure to come on out!


Upcoming program Cycle 2 is centered around the idea that Art Works is more than the sum of its parts. The artists that work here are challenged to be more than they could be alone.

Art Exhibition Opening events are ALWAYS FREE! Come and meet artists and talk with them about the creative process. Reception is being held from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Live music 7:00-8:30 p.m. by: The Selby Avenue Syncopators
Purchase event tickets $8-$10.

The Selby Avenue Syncopators perform early jazz and blues known as Dixieland, hot, and traditional jazz from many eras–ragtime to World War I to Prohibition to the Great Depression to World War II and into the middle of the 20th century. Enjoy the music of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Spencer Williams, W. C. Handy, Ma Rainey, the Louisiana Five, Kid Ory, Duke Ellington, Zep Meissner, Jimmy McPartland, and many more. The group includes vocals, clarinet/tenor sax, trumpet, trombone, tuba, banjo, and drums.


The exhibit will run through May 24th if you’d like to see these two pieces in person. They are both still available, but won’t process for shipping until after the exhibition on may 24th.

That’s all I have for announcements at the moment! I hope you guys all have an amazing week! I’ll keep in touch!

Xoxo,

Q