Fanciful Paper Projects the True Story
In 2004 I was plum full of ideas, so many I was practically bursting at the seams! All the signs were there and I knew it was finally the right time to do something about it, to take action. Time to turn my dreams into reality.
It was a year filled with excitement and a whole lot of searching for information. While the concept for creating my first book, Fanciful Paper Projects was easy I didn’t have a clue as to how to go about getting published. Writing a craft book has been a dream of mine since I was very young.
I spent many hours designing pieces and building them out of paper, whatnots and junk I had at home. Scribbling down in elaborate detail exactly how to attach this and that with glue and pipe cleaners to pull a whimsical little creature all together and bring it to life! Yes, that in retrospect was the easy part! The hard part was figuring out who, where and what I needed to do to get my work into the right hands. I spent an entire year trekking my art around to galleries and shops. There were long frustrating hours put in at the computer looking for any information that my help steer me in the right direction.
One day, just to begin moving forward I decided to start working on a “presentation book” a little mock up of what I thought my book could look like, not knowing who I was going to show it to. While watching the Carol Duval show on HGTV I heard her mention the Craft & Hobby Association and thought that’s it, a place where all the companies I needed to see would be, all under one roof! As luck would have it that year the convention was being held very close to home in Dallas, Texas.
I made plans to attend. I only had one or two meetings with a couple of large corporate companies. I had my book proposal along with a few of the fully assembled pieces tucked into a tote bag and away I went. Off into oblivion, just like I knew what I was doing! The moment of truth had arrived. I marched in, my first meeting didn’t go so well, and the second one even worse! You know how cool it is when somebody “gets” you and how awful it is when they don’t?
Well they didn’t, no matter how much explaining I did, yeah you photo copy this and then cut it out, then glue it to that… all I saw were glazed over eyes! I was on my way out and literally bumped into an acquaintance. She just happened to be with Jo Packham of all people in the entire universe, a chance meeting forever changed my destiny!
“Hi Sandra, What are you doing here?” the acquaintance asked, “Trying to get someone to look at my book idea, not having much luck.” me. As I pull out the binder and a project I hear
“Oh, I love it!” in a now familiar voice “I’d love to publish your book!” it was Jo.
After that everything just seemed to fall into place, Jo guided me down the publishing road watching over me every step of the way. When I was anxious, she would laugh out loud and wash my worries away, turning my vision into a reality. Before I knew it I held in my gluey fingers my very first book, color me proud and grateful!
If there had been an event such as THE CREATIVE CONNECTION, the year I spent searching and confused could have made easier and possibly been shortened by a long shot.
THE CREATIVE CONNECTION EVENT will be a place where like-minded artists, designers, teachers, publishers and vendors will gather to share their creative passions. The industry leaders in art, crafting magazines and books will be there, not only is it a unique crafting event but a prime opportunity to rub elbows and share your ideas with those who make things happen! I will be there with bells on, I hope to see you there too and please come up and say Hello!
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http://www.sandraevertson.blogspot.com
