New Pretties

I took a wee bit of time off and have been working slower this week, but still working. I took about 300+ pics this week and am working on editing them down. I updated the website with 12 new pretties including these Paris at Night earrings, and put some things in Etsy. I also did some relists over there too. I am thinking about opening another shop for just the destash/supplies and keeping the main one for jewelry one off's, sales, etc....I will think about that later.

I did a book review about Katie Hacker's "Hip to Bead" over on Craft Gossip. I'll be giving a way a copy of the book too, and will post details next week.

I also opened a Facebook account for my business. I didn't know they had that option available, but since its another way to market yourself-I figured why not?

Being Productive

I had have a migraine or pre-migraine headache for 5 days or so. I have been moving SLOWWWWWW. Today I am FINALLY headache free!!! so I'm trying to be super productive and catch up on all the stuff I didn't get done already this week.

First-I wanted to announce that the general class registration is now open for the ZNE ConvenZione. I'll be teaching the Charm School resin casting class and Histories: Real or Imagined jewelry class. If you are interested in coming out for this wonderful art & fun filled weekend please visit the website for more info. There are a ton of amazing classes to choose from. This is one of the class samples I'll have on hand for viewing/sale.
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I applied to the American Craft Council show in Aug. I know there will be hundreds of applicants, so my fingers and toes are crossed and wish all the applicants the best of luck.

My 37 yr old sister went in for a hysterectomy this morning. So if any of you pray, please include her in your prayers tonight for a speedy recovery. She is doing fine except for being in pain. We have always had a really rocky relationship and we are now trying to be friends. We've had some intense/honest emails about our roles in the family and how we felt about the past and whatever. Its odd how people can live together and view things differently. I always felt she was my mothers favorite, and she always felt second best to me. We have similar feelings regarding how we got treated growing up, but didn't see it applying to the other person then.

I finished my big bug order-yay!!! well finished casting them, this weekend will be finishing and putting on the pins and wrapping them up to mail next week. I cast some extras to sell at Renegade.

I need to figure out some interesting jewelry displays. I wish I could afford 6 of those mannequin torsos and just pile necklaces up on them. But i have no where to store them if I could buy them all, so if anyone has any clever, interesting, and space saving displays-please share some pics!

I am almost ready to send out a newsletter. I transferred all the emails over to Vertical Response ONE BY ONE the other day. They didn't have a way to do a batch transfer, but its done now and I will send out a newsletter this weekend. I am thinking about doing a giveaway too and will mull over that.

I am in a couple of treasuries on etsy, here and here. so go click and look at all the lovelies up.

Also on todays to-do list is photo taking for ebay, etsy and the website . As well as making jewelry and trying to get a yarn spun in at some point. So I best get at it!

Where has the week gone???

Man! it WHIZZED by!!! I've been trying to master the camera, and its winning as evidenced in the above photo...I didn't have the lights off, go figure............., I have spent about 9 hours trying to become a better photographer and reading the book on the Canon Rebel-I don't think its sinking in..................

Its been recordbreaking hot here the past 2 days which has made me really unable to focus. It was 97 yesterday, 89 today. I understand those are normal temperatures for alot of people, but not for San Francisco. We are delicate little orchids in SF and used to cool, damp days. No apts have AC and this is the ONLY time you will hear me say "thank god we don't face any sun". Its been so hot in here as it is, I can only imagine how miserable the apts in the front of the building are. I feel bad for the cats, especially Mr. Schmoo who is Himilayan and really unhappy right now. We have fans running and curtains drawn and trying to keep it as cool as possible.

I did finish this lot of necklaces this week. I have more pendants but ran out of chain, must order some this week. I also put them all on the website tonight. Tomorrow I hope to get more pics resized, update the site and get out that darn newsletter I keep putting off!

foto skilz??? I no haz dem

Ala-lolcats, I haz no foto skilz

I had planned on being on the computer again today. I was going to go thru the rest of the pictures, resize them all and update the website. That was not to be, when I looked at all the pics only about 8 of them are good enough to edit!...darn!!! So I resized 3 wanderlust pendants and now will be spending tomorrow taking more pics. Above is a sneak preview of some of the stuff I made for the new class photo for the Histories: Real or Imagined class at the ZNE ConvenZioNE. I REALLY need to sit down with that camera book!!!! I was lazy and didn't pull out the tent or lights, so its all my fault for trying to cut corners.

Here's some group shots I took-lots of pretty earrings and a couple of rings.

I guess I will spend the rest of tonight making some stuff and work tomorrow then!!!

I made another Treasury!!!

I don't know why getting in one tickles me so much...I guess I'm tired of seeing the SAME people in EVER ONE....I want to see other peoples stuff!

Here's a pic of yesterdays worktable chaos.

NOTHING I did yesterday went easy or well...just one of those days. I fuddled around for hours-couldn't find anything that went together, couldn't find stuff, kept dropping things, etc...... And the PMS started to set in, so I was getting crankier by the minute-not a good combo. But no worries-today is MUCH better!

Today, I am focused on completing some of the computer work I dislike but NEED to do, by reading Alyson's post on Art Biz Coach about working on the website last night. I am going to be somewhat attached to my computer today and get the work done that I dread doing-resizing pics and updating etsy, ebay and my website. I'll do my Craft Gossip posts later if I can stand to be on here after I get the bulk of the drudge work done. But I may have to do them tomorrow if necessary.

Do you know what you want?

I am still working on it myself, determing what I want from an art career. I know what I DON'T want, but thats not really good. If thats all I think about, thats all I'll attract.

So I've been doing some meditative questioning this past week about "what do I want from my art career". I also just got the "I'd rather be in the Studio" book by Art Biz Coach Goddess Alyson Stanford, which is why I am putting thoughts to paper. I HIGHLY recommend this book for anyone who is self employed, not just artists. Its a real motivator and lays out prettymuch what you need to do to get off your butt and get going where you WANT to be.

I've been unfocused for the last few months and its driving me crazy. Various reasons, various excuses-but its time to buckle down and snap out of it.

I have also gotten a number of inspiration books to help pull me out of my confused, stuck in a rut funk too. THAT always helps too!

I've been working on some jewelry for my " Histories: Real or Imagined" relic class. Most of my memory jewelry sold and the pics I have of them were taken with the old camera (which sucked). I took a pic of stuff with the Canon, and sent it to Chel but then decided I wasn't happy with it. I want to make some really COOL pieces and and take a new pic before the class descriptions go up. In typical 'me' fashion, an art piece takes me days to get the right things together and have them 'click'. But I am determined to get 4 things done THIS WEEK, and I will.

Hope you are all having a good week!

AS promised=some Eye Candy!!!

I made this little amulet from Pan's ashes for my friend Kali. We were roommates when I adopted Pan and she was like his 2nd Mom.

The HOUSE necklaces I made, they look GREAT all together!!! I put up a new catagory for them on the site, but need to add more on there.

This is a scarf I made last year!!! with a yarn I spun. I need to write up the tutorial for it, as a giveaway.

Pics for your amusement

I am trying to put more interesting things for you all to look at and read. So heres a few-

I am Wonder Woman



This is the pair of pliers I managed to break last weekend.....I apparently am Wonder Woman and didn't know it. This is the 2nd pair of pliers I've broken in the last 13 months. Wonder if I can use my powers for good rather than breaking pliers LOL. Of course they were the ONLY pair of round nose pliers I had, sans a tiny/travel pair that I hate to use cause they are only 4 inches long. I need to go over to General Bead and get another pair tomorrow. I meant to order some from Rio Grande all week, but that never happened.

COLORFUL YARN!!!!

This is a special yarn I spun up for a colorful and talented artist couple I know. I said I would spin it 3 weeks ago, but life got in the way and I just didn't have it in me to be creative the last 2 weeks. Poor Michael had to wait a yarn for his scarf because sometimes my work just doesn't go as fast as I want. But its ok, because I think this turned out great.

I wanted to make something in the same colors they use, so they could use it to make stuff and have it all blend together. I wasn't sure about the colors when I dyed the roving, they looked a little blah. The yarn had its own ideas and turned out absolutely gorgeous (IMHO) and really looks like the colors they use in their artwork. I hope they love it as much as I loved creating it for them. MUST get it in the mail to them tomorrow before they head off to Artfest!

Ghosts and Shadows Necklace

This is a mixed media Neo Victorian necklace I finished this week and will add to the website tomorrow. I really like it and need to stop looking at it!

I have a bunch of yarn ideas floating around my head. I have 3 yarns to put up for tomorrow on my site along with a bunch of necklaces, I need to revamp the site a bit, a bunch of stuff to resize and list on Etsy and Ebay but I am burnt out on the computer right now. I have spent a large portion of the day online, resizing pics and what not and I just do not want to do an update...but I must. So I will post more eye candy pics tomorrow.

Website Update

I did my weekly Friday website update with a couple of pretty jewelry pieces and one absolutely luscious yarn-here they are for to peek at.

The necklaces are both one of a kind, mixed media pieces and very pretty on. The yarn is hand dyed and spun from oh-so-soft superwash Merino wool and has tons of pretty fluffy feathers spun in!!! This would make a great hat or purse or even a skinny scarf!

I also spun and donated a yarn for a fellow fiber artists fundraiser who is dealing with some heavy medical things right now. It (with other FAB yarns!) is at the Yarn Museum for viewing and you can vote on your favorite yarn on Lexi's (aka PluckyFluff) blog on Sun Feb 10th. It along with all the other gorgeous yarns, are for sale/auction at the Homestead Wool Site, so check them all out.

Mine is Jumping Wolf-the Indian Guide. It is spun with cotton, vintage beads, shell fetishes, feathers and stone arrowheads.

Back to work for me!

I did some work today

I'm feeling better!! YAY!!! I even managed to get the TINIEST amount of work done, and I am feeling better by the hour.

I took some not so great pics and listed some jewelry up on my Etsy shop. Not much but hey-its something!!! I have so much catch up to do but I won't stress over it-things will get done when they get done. Its been great looking at alot of the blogs who are participaing in OWOH giveaway too. I'm loving alot of the custom blogspots I'm seeing, and its making me want to do mine even more. I'm not skilled in any CSS or HTML stuff but I'm going to look and see if I can find some good tutorial websites. I'd like my side colums to have a smaller text, for the titles to be underlined and a few other things....

Anyway-here's a couple of pieces I finished while sickly and put up today on Etsy.

Birds Sing Sweetly Under A Blue Summer Sky Necklace

and I Fly To You On Gossamer Wings Necklace