graphic designer's hat 'on'

Seeing I'm into computers, people's expectations about the range of things I've been asked to make using a computer has been enormous. When those people are friends or family you always do stuff on the cheap and do a 'deal' one way or another. Because of this blurring of lines between what I would consider work and relationships, can result in good things or indeed bleedin nightmares.
This one is pretty good overall. No one has lost an eye and the scratches are only superficial. This little favour involved me putting on my graphic designer's hat and making print brochures. The subject is a hand engraving business that my mum runs as a hobby on and off. Anyway, I thought this might help her out to expose her skills. Now This has been going on for years. From 3D crystal vases and wine glasses, through to desktop publishing for photocopied flyers, though a few websites that are long lost to the etherweb. Now the latest reincarnation is a postcard-sized color one side black and white on the back. So I same up with this. This is only the front of the postcard, the back has promotional spiel.
Making this was more of a trial than I thought, logo design, layout, colors, working with limited image quality. Overall though I pulled this one out of my hat.
The other things that I have made for my mum over some years is here if any one's interested.

After finishing this one, I found out why I can't be a graphic designer right now. Don't get me wrong, I love the creative aspect of the whole process. Going with what the image 'feels like' is one of the most liberating feelings. These days though if I tuck into something to do with graphic design, I'd draw up the layout in about 2 minutes and then sit there for weeks tweaking it. By that time the magic is lost and the whole process just becomes frustrating.
Now I know this is because of lack of knowing my tools. I'm not the whiz of photoshop but I can things done. But that's a world away from sitting down with your WACOM and whizzing through your project, waiting for your PC to keep up. I love that feeling with using Flash and coding in general. Actually moving forward by being able to keep up with your mind's creative speed. Bumping into frustrating walls of not knowing your tools is too infuriating for me right now. One of the reasons I'm putting off buying a MAC.