Copyrighting My Stuff!

          When I was in high school I submitted some of my poems to a contest and got them published. Over the last few years I have been adding all my poems to a site called Booksie.com . I had been adding them there because doing so sort copyrights them. Which basically means that because they are up with my name and date they are legally visible as mine. Plus this website, unlike some, allows you to retain ownership of things you post. 

           But I wanted them to be officially copyrighted with the US government. So I found a website called copyrighted.com which helps you get your stuff copyrighted. You can also pay monthly or yearly to copyright things like this blog or your website.

           Now I'm also looking into tradmarking the name Planet ShanChan.  Then I can make products for the site with a logo on them. Plus that would be the name of my Etsy shop. So I would like to own the name and make it a brand.

          But figuring out how to do all this and reading about it makes my brain hurt! That is why I decided to use the copyrighted website. Right now I am reading about how to self publish a book. It is all so overwhelming! I think it is going to be a long process but I am super excited go through the process! 

Why I'm Always Creating Something..

           I made a decision awhile back to be a major online presence. I would have a Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, a blog, a podcast, and an Instagram. You name any social media and I would be there. I wanted to be known, to make a mark on the world! I would write poems and short stories to start. Then fantasy novels. People knew the names J.R.R. Martin, J.K. Rowling, and J.R.R. Tolkien. (Humm, maybe I need to start doing my name like S.L. McCaskill!) People would know my name. People would escape the cruelty of their daily lives and find hope and wonder inside the world I would create in their minds. That was, is, has always been, and will always be my dream!
            So I am always writing, filming, singing, and creating! Stories burst out of me and I rush to get them wrote down before they fade.  But for years now one story has been growing inside me. I think of it whenever I can daydream, as I drift to sleep, and whenever I am inspired by something. It was a way to comfort myself and escape the stress of life. But I recently decided that I had to get it out of my head and share it. That it was there because I was meant to share it.
          I use a Happy Planner to plan my life and track my son's development! It is beautiful! I love the act of planning in something pretty! It restores my soul and gives me peace! Of course, it also inspired em to start making my own customized and designed stickers!
          In high school I learned how to sew and quilt. I made a quilted baby blanket that I was SO proud of for my cousin! That sparked my interested and all I wanted to do was create quilts!
          In high school I took art and fell in love! I am always doodling and drawing and even painting or using pastels! It is amazing to watch my vision come to life!
          So why am I always creating something? Why did I want so badly to be known? Simple, while there is some pride in creating, the real reason is giving. I love to give people gifts. Especially ones I know they will love! Even more sop if they are BIG! Drawings, stickers, quilts, and stories are all me trying to give something of lasting value to the world! Something that they will treasure! That is why I am always creating!

Buying a Cricut and Designing Stickers

          Do your use a paper planner? An agenda? I use one called the Happy Planner. Lots of people use stickers in their planners. But people with the Happy Planner I feel use them more. One of the biggest draws to the planner is the fact that it is so pretty. I wanted to be able to make my own planner stickers that were specific to my life!
          At first I was designing them in Google Drawings. But when I printed them out on the sticker paper, I had to cut them by hand. My planner uses a layout that stickers are not sized to fit. I had to size them and make them special.
           Later I did a planner swap with a girl in my Facebook group. By then I had made the decision to purchase a Cricut. A Cricut is just a machine that will cut the stickers on the sticker paper and make them easy to use. It also comes with software to help you design stickers.So now I could make all kinds of custom stickers! My swap partner used a small planner that is also hard to buy stickers for that fit. I made her custom stickers that she loved my new Cricut. I posted them online and they got a lot of interest.
           People were asking to see more designs. I got Adobe Illustrator on my tablet and a fine point drawing stylist. I drew a few things and watermarked them. Then I showed them to a few people online and got a really good response. A few people asked the name of the shop where I sell them. All this made me consider opening a shop on Etsy.
          Opening an Etsy shop is exciting! The idea that I could make designs that people want in their planners makes me overjoyed! It sounds like it would be super easy too! Just a few clicks and photos and boom sales! But when I decided to research opening a shop I realized, if I treated it like a REAL BUSINESS, it would not be easy. It was going to take work! There are different requirements for each state. You have to report how much you charge in taxes, There is a decent amount of start up costs. You have to know how to get traffic to your shop. There is a whole guide on Etsy to read about how to run a successful business. You have to start your shop with product. There are tons of vids with tips.
          So for this reason, I decided I needed a business plan. So I went online and found one I could use a guide. I wrote down my purpose and all that stuff. But the big part was when I added up all the start up costs. It was over a grand! I have actually found ways to lower that cost... But eventually I decided to open a shop. I am just going to buy the stuff I need a little at a time. I got a deal on some things. Other things I am going to start with and upgrade as I make money. I am slowly making product for the launch. I have to take some paper work to the courthouse at one point.
          I really love making things for others they enjoy. If I can do that and make income, all the better! Plus, I love drawing and designing. It is therapeutic! I know setting up my shop will take time. I want to do it right! But also I just hope people love my designs! I hope that make their planning truely, Happy!