New EMG-Zine!

[ellenmillion]

There's a new issue of EMG-Zine up, with many awesome and fabulous articles and some Very Big News.*

Fifteen years. Fifteen years, a couple hundred artists, some 1500 designs in the giftshop, 1000 portraits (333 of which are adopted!), 34 issues of EMG-Zine, and a whole lot more. I think I'm allowed to be a little chuffed with myself. Just a little.

I am so looking forward to phasing out of the fulfillment end of things and handing that over to tugrik. (What, you haven't read the news yet? Go! Click!) I think I'll miss it, but right now, I'm looking forward to having enough TIME to miss it. I have gotten all the critical orders out, finally - one massive wholesale order still on my desk, and a bunch that came in over the weekend without any 'must have now' missives, but the rest are out. The last batch of calendars are in production. I've verified my spot at the Goddess Festival at the hot springs, and I found a place to wash Norway.

That last has nothing to do with business, of course, but last night I discovered that PetCo has a self-service dog wash. $10 for half an hour! You have to understand that Norway weighs as much as I do, and has hair at least 6" long. THICK hair, even after shedding all summer. The idea of washing him had completely baffled me - we have a little corner shower that I don't think Norway by himself would fit into. He's not gross, exactly, but I think a good bath is called for. So, I'll have to arrange to take him to that. And I've decided to go for the heated seat. As it gets colder, my desire for a warm butt is increasing. Maybe I can get it installed before the Festival.




(* - If you are an EMG artist, you should already know about this, because I posted it to the forums several weeks ago. And emailed a nudge to the mailing list. Are you in the loop? Hint.)

Comments

[piotrov.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on the big anniversary, Ellen! The Big News sounds very cool. I'm guessing that MM being in the lower 48 will probably help out in your shipping costs department as well?

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

It should help enormously in terms of cost, and honestly, it makes me feel better environmentally knowing I don't have to ship huge boxes of heavy things all the way to Alaska... just to ship them back to the lower 48 and waste all that fuel. And better turnaround, too! All around, a very good thing.

[kalquessa.livejournal.com]

Wow, fifteen years! Congrats, Ellen! I thought I remembered you starting up EMG back when I was stalking fangirling you and Ursula Vernon and all those other folks at Lothlorien or Elfwood, or whatever it was back then. But that must have just been when it got bigger and had more presence, since it looks like you started this thing back when I was *counts* eleven, and I don't think we even had internet access at my house before I was twelve or thirteen.

I'm so glad you're expanding and delegating rather than closing the store! I want you to be around when Bill and I can afford to make wholesale orders of awesome geeky stuff to put in our store! Yay!

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

I had the print catalog going for.. hm... four years before I found Lothlorien/Elfwood, and it was another two years before I got my own webpage going. Back when I started, the Internet didn't have pictures. :P

Yay!

[kalquessa.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think I must be remembering when you got the website going. I had no idea you'd been doing this for so long. Since you were 17, no less! You are my hero!

[metasilk.livejournal.com]

Very, very cool! Nice going, girl!

(I missed the mailing list nudge somehow, and have been too busy to check forums yet. But!)

[uneide.livejournal.com]

Congrats my darling! You have every right to be proud of what you've built. ^_^ *dies* Now I'm trying to remember how long ago it was that I met you, and just... wow. *L* time passes by! :D

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

Back in the dark ages, when dinosaurs and saber-toothed tigers roamed the earth...

[renatus.livejournal.com]

That's very good news. :) I've been kind of wondering when you'd be able to make a move like that. You're always so, so, so busy with the shop, I've wondered how you have any time to yourself! It'll be healthy for you to have more room to breathe.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

I'm not *good* with the whole delegating thing, but I'm getting better! :) I'm looking forward to that breathing thing...

[kittrel.livejournal.com]

15 years is a long time for a small business, you definitely ought to feel very proud! Congrats! :) It must be very refreshing to have someone else to depend on to help with all the work finally. This is definitely good news - when I heard the first hint of changes at EMG I have to admit I was sightly worried..!

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

Your worry had good reason! I had actually decided to close up the giftshop entirely and for good. I wrote the closing statement and everything. It was AS I was writing to Tugrik to see if he wanted me to send him all the print shop business that it occurred to me he'd be able to fill the entire line and I could keep the giftshop open. I was quite relieved when he said yes and I've been in much lighter spirits knowing there's a light at the end of the tunnel!

Thanks!

[kittrel.livejournal.com]

And now you have more time to work on your own art! This is Yay for everybody. :3

[selinafenech.livejournal.com]

That's awesome news, congrats on it and also on 15 years, that's very impressive!

[jenelycam.livejournal.com]

YAY for more you time!!!! I'm glad you're at a point where you can expand, yet find more time for you!!! You are truly an inspiration, Ellen!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMG!!!!

[laffingkat.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on 15 years and what sounds like a very positive change! I'm glad the giftshop will be staying open and you'll have more time for other pursuits.

And I highly recommend seat warmers--they're sooo worth it!