MySoti Has A New Look

A funny thing happened while I was living my life...things went on without me.

I so didn't end up doing extra blog posts in an effort to shamelessly try to get in last minute plugs for people to buy items with my designs on them.  Didn't feel right.

And MySoti got a new look to its website and will soon be adding new products.  I don't know what they are.  It's a secret.

So how did I find out?  They send me a newsletter, which I don't read.  Is that wrong?  My best selling design for 2009 was a photo of Manhattan Beach Pier.  And I have a new photo of the pier I am very proud of and thought I would add it to my collection of MySoti and CafePress.

Here's the scoop on the MySoti (and p.s. if you aren't using them yet, please spread the word (www.mysoti.com)...they are easy to use):



As much as I love MySoti, I continue to love and appreciate CafePress.com.   The same design is then available on over 100 items, like the tile below which make really great coasters.

If you are interested in buying any of these coasters, please click here.

If you are interested in seeing what this design looks like on the over 100 other products available from CafePress.com, please click here.

If you are wondering what my best selling design for 2009 (and BTW a shout out here of gratitude to all who buy products with my designs on them) is, see below:

This is what it looks like on the round ornament.  To buy one, click here.  If you'd like to see how this design looks on any of the other over 100 items CafePress.com offers, please click here.

And here is a tip.  While I am grateful for all of those who find and buy products with my designs on them because they simply went to CafePress.com and looked at designs and products and chose one of mine (again, thank you)...I'd like to let you know that you most likely paid more for it this way and my commission is less than if you bought it by linking say from this blog. 

For instance, many bought the above ornament for $12 through CafePress and my commission in this way is 10% or $1.20 (again, I appreciate something compared to nothing).  However, had they bought it by clicking from this blog where I ask them to click, their price would have been $7.19 (without shipping, etc.) and my commission would have been $1.20 (I marked it up 20% from CafePress's base price of $5.99).  In this case I would have ended up with the same.  However, had I marked it up 30%, the customer's price would have been only $7.79 and my commission would have been $1.80.

One may think this isn't the greatest news for CafePress.  Yet, it is a win/win/win.  CafePress still ends up with at least its base price they ask for, the end customer ends up with a lower price and the designer usually ends up with more of a commission.

Who knew!  I did the math!

P.S.  It appears the #DesignAShirtAWeek is now defunct and I don't know what @bryanbrinkman is up to.  I wish him well whatever it is.

Where the heck do I find inspiration?

Inspiration is everywhere.

I write another blog, CaliforniVacation: SoCal Style.  In looking over some of my past posts, I realized I mention parking in just about every article.  Hmmm!  Inspiration.

In yet another blog I write, Six Degrees of Separation: YouTube Style, (see, I told you this was a shameless shillin' blog) all I have to do is input a word or two in the search box.  Voila!  Many videos to choose from.  Many related videos to choose from.  Many bytes of data begging me to design something.

Or take @bryanbrinkman's current design for #DesignAShirtAWeek on Twitter.  A play on the "t" in t-shirt was all the inspiration he needed to come up with an illustration, a work of art, worthy of gracing a t-shirt anyone would be honored to wear.

See for yourself.



I stuck with the cute for the kids theme this week.  Christmas is coming.  I'm just sayin'!

Okay, sometimes a person has to go to plan B.  I would have loved to insert a MySoti for the following two designs and for some reason I was being denied.  Maybe a blessing in disguise.  This way I showcase my Cafepress shop, which includes so many more items one may buy with the design.  Plus, their infant body suit is only $11.99 while MySoti's is $7 more.  I'm just sayin'!

If you were born to kiss your mommy:

If you were born to kiss your daddy:

Who were you born 2 kiss?

Mmmmwwwwaaaahhhhhhh!

Mahalo!  Aloha!

It's Saturday Somewhere

When I started this blog, I had the idea I would write every Saturday to coincide with my first bryanbrinkman/Twitter #DesignAShirtAWeek connection.  Most who read this will never know I missed last Saturday.  For those who do.  Sorry!

For this weeks blog, I decided to pimp my design for one of my other blogs, CaliforniVacation: SoCal Style.  In the process, instead of finding yet another web presence you may upload your t-shirt design to, I would mention (in case you didn't know 'cuz you may not) your awesome t-shirt designs may also be uploaded for use on other products you may offer for sale through sites like CafePress and Zazzle.

For CaliforniVacation: SoCal Style I wanted to go for an entire theme.  In Southern California (SoCal) a load of people live here and a load of people visit as tourists (how's that for being specific?)  We are low on water and high on trash.  In an effort to be green, I desired to include in my theme a SIGG Bottle,

a tote bag,

a t-shirt,



and a beach towel.

Search as I might, I only found one web presence that offered customizable beach towels but not in a way that CafePress, Zazzle and MySoti let you offer them.  To use this service I would have to preorder myself a number of towels with my design and then handle the money and shipping, etc. myself.   No thanks!

In the meantime, I am a little excited about some of the products Zazzle offers.  You can put your design on a skateboard.  You can have your design on a pair of women's KEDS shoes.

You can create your own Converse Chuck Taylors.  Although, as exciting as this is you can customize color combos according to their color selections for different parts of the shoe but you can't upload a design and have them print that on the canvas.  Who knows?  That day may soon come.  That would be exciting.

And as sometimes happens, perhaps I am not the only one who would love to buy custom beach towels.  A whole in the market perhaps?

So, enough about me.  Here is @bryanbrinkman week #7 entry:



Another brilliant (may I say and he doesn't pay me to) design.  Love how the apple is implied instead of shown.  Love the t-shirt placement.  Love the originality.

I'd include the most bought MySoti t-shirt here, but it is the same as my last blog post.

And I'd include (happy to pimp) one of this blog readers designs here.  Alas, I know of none.  This spot in future blog posts is certainly available along with any inspiration or tips you'd like to share.

Until next time, live creative and prosper.