A Day In The Life: Stephanie of Stephanie Corfee

This week I am bringing you the talented Stephanie Miller Corfee. Stephanie is a work-at-home mom, freelance graphic designer and part-time artist. Her all-in-one home, office and studio is in Malvern, Pennsylvania. She shares the space with her electrician husband and electrician’s apprentice, 3- year old son. Enjoy a day in her life!
5am – iphone and clock-radio alarm go off simultaneously in a horribly dissonant way. i fumble to turn em both off and roll over to wake my husband whose alarm has also gone off. um, he hasn’t moved an inch. this is WHY i set 2 on my side. the man is UN-phased by an alarm of any kind. he has to get up and out for work by 5:30!

5:15 – go back to sleep having reset my alarm for 7am

6:30 or so…….one eye pops open to the sound of the little guy’s voice calling “mommy?” my little guy climbs into bed for a quick snuggle and a few minutes of Disney Channel to start the day (and give me a few more minutes of pillow time before facing the day)

7am – up and at ‘em! make a very complete breakfast for my buddy since it’s his favorite meal of the day and one where he LIKES all the healthy options. put on coffee and go to check emails while it brews.

spend the rest of the morning bopping from office, to playroom, to kitchen. i usually respond to emails, do advertising or printing submissions for clients and get my EXTREMELY type-A, overly detailed to-do list in order for the day. i love seeing all of my responsibilities on the page and i love checking things off. this morning, i am making sure i have everything i need packed and labeled for an art show opening event in the evening. i rarely hang shows of my work, but this one is special and will benefit my favorite local childcare charity.

12 noon – take a breather from the office and make lunch with my son. we always do this together. he stands on his special kitchen stool. he loves to help. i eat with him. but only AFTER he picks my chair and i oblige. i listen as he explains why he thinks we have so many ladybugs all over our windows lately. his theories have merit. he cracks me up. we finish lunch and tidy up.

12:45 – back to the office. set up the play dough on my lightbox table so my little guy and i can BOTH work as he says. i send off a few last print proofs to a client for in-store marketing and shoot off a few approvals for some drink cup designs and printed coupons, before signing off for the day to focus on last-minute packing and other details for the night’s event. i make labels for print bins, package some art, and make a pile in the foyer of things that need to be loaded into the jeep.

2:00pm – i feel situated and sit down at the computer to tweet, facebook and reply to a few etsy convos. my poor etsy shop has suffered some neglect the past couple months since i was busy pulling together inventory for my first 2 consignment shops – YAY!, plus getting ready for my show. i make myself a promise to give much love to etsy next week and the week after that! receive amazingly kind and uplifting email from a new client who has commissioned some of my illustrations to be used on her organic baby clothing line. she has received the latest completed design and is very excited about it. nothing is nicer than reading emails like those.

2:30 – my husband arrives home from work to help me and ease my growing nerves. (love that his workday is usually 6am-2pm!) he loads up my piles, and plays with our son while i bustle around the next few hours.

spend rest of afternoon running  some errands, showering, and getting ready to leave for art event.

4:15pm – cannot resist sitting down at the computer one last half hour to check in with clients and answer emails. i’m happy when i surprise a client who expects i have already left for the show, with an answer to a deadline question. i love being completely “there” for my clients. it makes me smile.

5:00pm – leave for Pajama jam Kiddie Music event planned to coincide with my art benefit. spend entire night chatting up friends and attendees and listening to loud kiddies in their jammies singing silly songs. Stay afterward for some great live music for adults. (it was late but my kidlet wanted to see the drums!!!)

10:30pm – head for home

11:30pm – pull in the drive and get everyone to bed. couldn’t wait to hit the pillow. can’t remember what i dreamt about…but can pretty much guarantee it had absolutely nothing to do with art or design. everyone needs a little break sometimes. right?

Michelle is a graduate of Albright College with a B.A. in Visual & Apparel Merchandising. After years in the fashion/ retail industry, she is now a WAHM. Michelle is a self-taught jewelry designer and owner of Michabella Creations.