Bloggy Love Day! Meet Leah~ Web Goddess Extraordinaire

Wow, tough question. I started considering going out on my own about a year ago. I started really feeling the itch this spring. I guess I can sum it up by saying I’d really just outgrown my position there. I did a lot of talking with people – especially Sarah Bray (http://www.sjoystudios.com/), who is also a freelance web designer – and finally realized that there was no perfect time to take the leap.  I wanted to be doing more heart-based stuff, and I felt like I was wasting myself sitting behind a desk all day.

I’m also doing pretty well finding work, or at least generating interest. I’m not yet earning what I need to get by — I’d like to sign another website client this month to feel really comfortable — but I’m getting enough work and talking to enough people that I’m staying confident that I made the right decision.

There are a bunch of them! Of course I am inspired by the fabulous Melly Hocking, and I’d be saying that even if she weren’t being kind enough to let me blather away on her blog. (Honestly, Melly has been such a source of support and joy for me lately – I love Twitter for bringing us together!) A few other blogs I totally love – Bliss Chick (http://www.blisschick.net/), Iain Thomas and Jon Ellis (http://pleasefindthis.blogspot.com/), Connie H of DirtyFootprints (http://dirtyfootprints-studio.blogspot.com/), and Jen Gray (http://www.jengray.com), among others. Basically everyone I follow on Twitter. Haha. Oh – and a blog that I’m a part of – The History of Human Desire (http://www.thehistoryofhumandesire) inspires me — I’m allowed to say that, because I just do the visual stuff. My best friend Cassy (http://www.alittlenoise.org) does the writing, and I am always in awe of her words.

It absolutely varies from day to day. I started today by going to the dog park with my puppy, Elijah. Then I came back, ate breakfast, and settled in my creative space for a little while. While I was in there, I responded to emails, did some work for one of my bigger clients at the moment (just tweaky stuff — the mundane stuff that I’d avoid altogether if I could), and kept an eye on Twitter. Then my boyfriend Noah-J and I went to the beach so he could surf and I could take photos and flip through a magazine. We grabbed dinner on the way back, and then I settled right back into the office to get more work done.  As much as I try, I never really “turn off”. Even at the beach, I check my iPhone for emails frequently.  I average about ten hour work days, even if it’s not consecutive.

In THEORY, though, the life of a web designer and creative goddess should involve creating yummy pixel goodness. (That’s my favorite part of my job – but the admin stuff has to get done too.)

Lucky for me, I rarely don’t feel like working. I’m a workaholic by nature, but I also really love web design and I’d do it over just about anything else.  There are times, though (like with the aforementioned client) that I don’t feel like doing tweaky/maintenence stuff… Sometimes fighting with code gets tedious. I procrastinate a bitt (Twitter helps with this), but mostly it’s best to just push through it and have it behind me.

… I mean, I hope it will. Otherwise I’m going to be homeless in a few months. ::laughs::

There’s not a specific type, I guess. I just go with whatever I’m feeling at the moment. Sometimes I need something really relaxing and instrumental – sometimes I need to sit in my chair and really rock out. Part of it depends on what I’m working on, too — you know, something to set the mood for what I’m designing. I really love Yael Naim, though. Her music is so fun and funky.

Haha, I’m such a snacker. It’s terrible. I’m pretty into popcorn lately, but I could eat ice cream for every meal.

I’ve always wanted to go to Italy. If I found out I had a week to live, I’d fly to Tuscany immediately. I really want to go somewhere in the carribbean soon, too — Noah says that’s the best place to learn to surf.

12) What are your hobbies besides tackling all things web-related?

Yoga, photography, art journaling, riding my bicycles, playing with the dog at the dog park, hiking, hoop dancing. I want to learn how to belly dance, too. That’s on my list.

1.) Get enough web deals that I can start the new year with a semi-lucrative business going. 2.) Apply to transfer to a four-year school to finish my degree, and 3.) Keep going to yoga twice a week. My life needs balance!

I am adventuring into self-employment! I do web design/development, graphic design, and photography. My target clients are creative, passionate individuals and small businesses who are doing something to make a difference.

I want to thank Leah for stopping by and sharing her vision with us plus some fun tidbits about herself.  She created my lovely banner & I couldn’t be more thrilled with how it turned out.  She took a few very abstract ideas and built a banner that totally reflects my style & just what I wanted. Leah really goes the extra mile to make sure you are happy!  Go visit her site and you will see just what a groovy chick she is.  Trust.  She rocks!