f.a.q.
how do you balance it all?
Oh how I wish I had a great answer to this one! I wrote about some good time management tips {HERE} and a post sharing some of my struggles with unrealistic expectations {HERE}.
On a very practical note, I will say that my boys play exceptionally well together {except when they don’t} and the baby is pretty easy to please. My husband is very supportive and has a family-friendly work schedule. We find ways to make it work for our family – which means daily naptime/quiet time for the kiddos and a lot of late night computer time for me. I am always seeking to strike that perfect balance of home/family/work/rest – I’ll let you know if I ever figure it out.
how does your house look so nice with four kids?
Please always keep in mind that I take photographs when the house is picked up, the dishes are done, the beds are made. While I try to be honest about my life on here, sometimes you only see the best parts and not ‘reality’. Don’t feel bad … you should see the constant state of chaos that is my laundry room.
where are the toys?
Our kids do have toys {lots of them} and they are often scattered around the house. But I’m one of those moms who really prefers the living room to be kept {mildly} livingroom-ish – which means toys are mostly kept out of sight. I have baskets to store a few toys downstairs and the rest live in the upstairs playroom and under the boys’ bunk beds {see their room here}. They are free to play all over the house, I just like things put away when they are finished.
when and how did you start your business?
You can read about the start of jones design company {HERE}.
what graphic design software do you use?
First, let me state that I have no formal training in graphic design. Everything I do is self-taught, much of it I do incorrectly and most ‘real’ graphic designers would probably laugh at my amateur attempts at it all. That being said, I am happy to share my secrets, but please know that it may not be the best way to get in to graphic design.
I started designing party and wedding invitations while I was also doing marketing for a team of real estate agents – and did it all using Microsoft Publisher. I learned the program quickly and because most of what I did was text based, it worked perfectly. I still use it from time to time.
When I need to create an image with layers, I use a free program called Paint.net. It has worked well and if you are just wanting to play around with graphics, create a few cards for friends or an invitation for your daughter’s birthday, you can most certainly do these using Publisher or Paint.net {if you work on a mac, you can try gimp – I don’t have any experience with it, but it is also a free program}.
Adobe Illustrator is the preferred program of most graphic designers and I have just recently learned it {why did I wait so long?!}. This is what I use to design for print and web media.
where do you get backgrounds, images, fonts?
The backgrounds and images that I use come from a combination of places: digital scrapbook websites {such as www.twopeasinabucket.com}, clip art sites {such as www.clipart.com}, and I create many of my own patterns and icons either by hand-drawing and scanning them or on the computer.
Most fonts that I use either came with my computer or were downloaded from www.dafont.com. You can see my top 25 favorite fonts {HERE}.
Please read the terms of use carefully when purchasing a background/image/font … you may need to purchase a commercial license if you are using a graphic as part of your business.
who designed your blog?
My husband and I work together on the blog design. He is the technical support which allows things to run smoothly and I create the graphics to make it look pretty. We are working on something exciting that will help you create your perfect blog … stay tuned for the official announcement in the upcoming months.
I purchased a printable file and it is not opening correctly? What did I do wrong?
You will need Adobe Reader in order to open the printable files with their full graphics. You can download it free at http://get.adobe.com/reader/. If you have additional questions, please feel free to email me.
do you do wedding invitations, baby announcements or other custom stationery?
I am no longer taking custom stationery orders, but I am happy to refer you to my friend Lindsay Sherbondy {you can see more of her amazing work at www.lindsayletters.com}.
what is the paint color of the nursery {dresser, kitchen, etc}?
I have a page dedicated to the paint colors throughout our house which you can read {HERE}.
do you do home design consultations?
I am flattered that this question is frequently asked! I am not an interior designer {although I do love rearranging furniture, fluffing my kitchen shelves and sewing new pillows} and do not currently offer design consulting. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have a clue where to begin! My friend Holly Mathis does the most delightful design boards and I highly recommend using her for your e-decorating needs. You can see her work at www.hollymathisinteriors.com.
GIVEAWAYS & ADVERTISING
can I host a giveaway on the blog?
I know how valuable giveaways can be to market a product or company but I have decided {for now} to only host the monthly giveaway.
can i donate an item for your monthly giveaway?
From time to time I offer products in the monthly giveaways that have been donated by other small companies. If you have a product that may fit with a giveaway, please email me at support@jonesdesigncompany.com with a link to your shop and I will take a look. Please know that not all offers can be accepted, but I truly appreciate your generosity!
can i advertise my business? how can I become a sponsor?
There are currently no advertising spots available.
