Hitting it Out of the Park

Well its been a while since my last post. Many things happened since then. During softball season our daughter's coach was diagnosed with cancer. This put everyone into a "what can we do" "what should we do to help" mode. This came at a time when I was starting to question myself in this business. The time spent at the computer learning programs and printing images that could have been cleaner, crisper. As everyone was volunteering to help, I jumped right in for the t shirts to raise funds for treatment and care. All in!! I was going to do these, for all the volunteer time, energy, and support that he gives my girl. He will get the same from me. As I sat in front of my computer in tears, with sadness, anger, and fear (not only for our coach, but for what I just bit off) I found many road blocks, many difficulties. Already on a time crunch, head spinning with ideas to try (that all failed miserably) I searched for answers. My husband who I have deemed the "I was watching this YouTube video" guy starts talking to me about upgrading some equipment. This was a goal of ours that I was afraid we weren't ready for yet. Remember what I said up above? Yep, All in!!

Order it, just order it already!! New programs and new printer was on its way. It was like Christmas when the new items arrived. Mistakes are key to learning and I have made plenty. No sugar coating I make more mistakes then I care to admit. (I should be a genus by now) But all joking aside WOW what a difference the right tools can make to get the job done. Still with a learning curve, the new program gave us beautiful color separation and crisp printed films.

Then comes the screen set up. Did I mention this image was a four color!?! HA I had never done a two color let alone a four color. Remember, All in!! Here we go. We found out the hard way that our four station press, purchased used, could not be set up to use multiple stations for one job. What does this mean you wonder? Well we set up our press at the one station that would stay in registration and worked a lot harder, not smarter to get the job done. New goal, to get a new press. Until I am ready to bite the big one and get it. We work a little harder. Learn from the struggle, fight through the late nights, and appreciate the fact that we have the ability to make these products whether for fundraising, fun, or a business. We can do it and we did. The four color t shirts turned out beautiful and the pride I felt as I watched a large fundraiser filled with people helping a wonderful family walk around wearing our shirts. My heart was full for so many reasons that most can not understand.

Thank you coach for the lessons. As you continue to fight, learn, and appreciate every day. I will forever remember the drive that need to help gave to me. For that I am grateful that dirt, diamonds, and cold nights brought our families to one another.