True to my Brand with a WICKED Witch Painted Sign

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This wicked witch painted sign decor is perfect for Halloween and all things WICKED!  I am excited to share it for so many reasons…but mostly because I love it and I love to share.  Being true to my brand with a wicked witch sign is a great feeling.

The inspiration for the witch comes from my portfolio.

She is so fun to create on projects.  Every time she shows up in my work, it makes me so happy.  I created this piece with scraps of wood from the shop in our garage (sanded of course) and a little sketch of a little plan (a plan that became more of a crazy big plan and a lot of learning and growth).

If you want to create this, here are some steps.  Paint the base coats.

Nail the pieces together.

Paint your decorative elements.  I paint white first.

Once the white is dry, I paint my designs.

I add extra paint where I want there to be texture and design within the colors.

I added the cover coat with my favorite stuff, Krylon’s Triple Thick Crystal Clear Glaze.  Once the piece gets an added coat of shine, it all blends and looks so fab.

The I nailed in an orange burlap bow to  make it hang.  Ta Da!

I love her on the front porch!

She is my witch.  I love her and I love that the idea of her inspires me.  This piece was originally pitched and accepted for a manufacturer but it was not approved once completed on the basis that it was not “simple enough in look and appeared to have been created in a finger paint style.  I was offered the opportunity to REDO the entire project and declined.  I was severely disappointed and frustrated but once I got over the hurt feelings of my ego, I was mad.  For the mere (under $100) that a project like this pays in the craft industry, I truly felt insulted.

So, here she is on my blog…my witch…my brand.  I was temporarily  proud of the sign when I made it.  I am forever proud of the icon she has become for me.  She is a reminder that I am true to myself.  She is a reminder that being true to my brand is sometimes wickedly tough but that if I am to tell beginners and newbies to stay true, I get to be a leader in the philosophy myself.  My brand is bright, cheery and festive.  My projects are simple to create and meant for kids of all ages and those who don’t have tons of time to be makers.   I used to think my simple style wasn’t enough but over time I have come to accept it, love it and be proud of it.

And so I offer you my top THREE reasons to stay true to your brand.

1. Your brand defines your character.  When others ask you to alter and change based on their judgment and needs and you follow, your brand loses respect.
2. Staying true to your brand builds your portfolio over time.  I have stayed true for many year and now my brand is identifiable and recognized, whether on licensed product or in crafty projects.
3. Being true to your brand is being true to your audience.  Those who follow you and appreciate your art deserve for you to be true.  The world benefits from artists, designers and leaders who remain consistently true to what they stand for and how it show up in their works.

As Mike Kraus says in All Business, “Stay true to who you are and what your customers know you to be. It might not make sense in the short term but for the long-term viability and growth of the company as well as the price you can command when you want to sell, having a solid brand substantially increases the longevity and value of the company.”

I happily hand stamped a gift tag for this sign with a stamp using a design that I created and license to Expressionery.  It completes this!

Sharing this feels risky and a sort of uncomfortable.  BUT, I think it matters.  It matters to me that I lead by example.  As Elpheba says in the Broadway show, “I feel wicked!”  It is a good wicked and my heart is happy.  I know that I made the right choice.

Love,

Laura

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