I just wanted to say Happy Holidays to you all – no matter which ones you celebrate. Have fun and be safe.

Please contact us or spread the good word if you or anyone you know may require our services in the new year. Cheers!

First off, Key West was amazing. A very close second to Maui where we went for our Honeymoon. Beautiful beaches, island life and local culture. I was most impressed by the friendliness of the people on the street and overall laid back environment. It definitely was refreshing for body and mind.

The main drag of Duval Street offered many shops, bars and great places to eat. The street, along with other historic areas of the city, was dressed with some great signage design in which I’d like to share with you and hopefully inspire some creativity within:

LOVE this one.

I like the beads stuck on the chains.

Pure and simple old west inspired.

The natural distressing on this sign adds so much.

Cool sign for a cool place.

This sign made me smell smoke.

The hand painted are always great.

And I thought I would throw these others in which I liked:

I like the tiles and overall message.

GREAT store name.

I wish this kind of manatee was real.

Enough said.

Now on to the second topic of this post – sinus infection. When I returned from paradise I came down with what I thought was “the sniffles” – a small cold I must have had from the climate change or from traveling. Almost a week later, in the midst of my “sniffles” feeling much better, I awoke to a much different feeling.

My sinuses were completely plugged and throbbing. I had BAD body aches. But the thing that grew to concern me the most was the poking feeling in the bottom of my lungs. This can’t be good – I thought.

On the following Monday, I dragged myself to the doctor. No pneumonia (awesome), BUT a severe sinus infection WITH bronchitis (gee, thanks). How the heck did I get both at the same time??? Needless to say I was out of commission for almost 2 weeks. And, yes, I did work through most of it – fighting off the urge to ball up on the couch under many layers of blanket.

The good news is, I am back 100% and feeling good. Goodbye sickness and good riddance. Hello the sweet smells and inspiration of Fall (you don’t know how good it is to be able to taste and smell again)!!!

I’m not planning to do much work on the trip (I’ve been working ahead on all projects), besides some photography here and there to inspire some new art and designs. I find that when I travel, it not only refreshes the physical mind, but also refreshes the creative mind.

The simple new environment and regional cultural difference always does it for me. New art and design to discover in a different part of the world is very exciting. Plus it also allows the eyes to capture a different perspective or view point on a tired subject/design I may be dealing with.

I also need to mention that the reason for the trip is my five year wedding anniversary. So it makes the anticipation of getting away for a while even that more exciting. I wouldn’t be where I am in life (in both business and personal paths) if it wasn’t for the beautiful woman I call my better half. Here’s to you darling – the most amazing work of art ever created.

So hopefully the creative gods will smile upon me once more when I am in the sunshine state. At any rate, it’s been a long time coming, and I’m ready to empty my cache and hit refresh.

International Freelancers Day is the biggest online conference for solo professionals and it’s absolutely FREE! Two days of online streaming video sessions of tips and advice on furthering your freelance career.

Check it out if you haven’t yet: www.InternationalFreelancersDay.com.

Have a creative weekend everyone and go create some amazing art!!!

Being able to spend more time with him (as I am the primary caretaker during the day) is amazing. All those hours in the afternoon while he naps or late at night after he’s asleep working away are 110% worth it. It really changes your “what are you working for” priorities. Whereas I started off with the priority being the freedom of freelancer life and running my own business, which now has changed to bettering my son’s future. Both are very important to me, but the main focus is on the latter.

So in whatever you do as a freelancer, do it good, know your goals and priorities, and never lose sight of what matters most in life.

By the way, if you are a fellow freelancer, I’m attending International Freelancers Day – free online conference on FRI & SAT! Check it out!

Welcome to the new Derek Mantz Design blog! We are proud to announce, along with a new blog, we have launched our new website at www.derekmantzdesign.com.

Stay tuned to our blog for all things design, art and more!