My birthday was on the 24th. It was wonderful. I spent the day before swimming and canning homemade preserves. I am going to list a few of my recipes on here in case this is something you have ever considered getting into. Then I spent the day of my birthday with my friends hanging out and eating cake. And, I spent the day after at my favorite cajun restaurant with my roommates parents. All and all... it is a good way to spend the changing of time. Take a few days and make an event of it.
So I learned a few things in my birthday month off from Etsy and blogging:
1. When you blog make sure that you don't over do it. This means I am going to blogging on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
2. Everyone should celebrate their birthday like it is an event. You managed to survive another year and gain wisdom. This is a feat to be met with copious amounts of celebration.
3. Taking too long to get back to your hobbies will effect your personality. All of that creative energy has to go somewhere. If it doesn't you will most likely begin to express it negatively.
4. You should probably only take one custom order at a time if it will take more then two or three days to complete.
Current Projects
I just finished up two custom orders. One was a wonderful butterfly cuff that has a steampunk look. It had a first for me. The embroidered section of the cuff is not a solid piece. It is two pieces that are bridged by a brass metal work butterfly. It actually looks really amazing with section of a copper blank behind it.
I also completed a custom plaid bracelet for a wonderful woman on Etsy. It is a variation of the bracelet with the colors of her family tartan. It actually turned out more amazing then I thought it would be. I am actually really happy about it.
Now I am working on another cuff. It has a large hematite cabochon in the center. It is fastened down with black hex delicas, then surrounded with light gun metal delicas. So at this point I thought it was going to take on a similar feel to the Metalicuff. But every other type of delica or bead seemed wrong. Then I found these round rough cut quartz crystal beads. Now the cuff has this crazy traditional victorian style feel. So I am going to go with it.
I also completed a custom plaid bracelet for a wonderful woman on Etsy. It is a variation of the bracelet with the colors of her family tartan. It actually turned out more amazing then I thought it would be. I am actually really happy about it.
Now I am working on another cuff. It has a large hematite cabochon in the center. It is fastened down with black hex delicas, then surrounded with light gun metal delicas. So at this point I thought it was going to take on a similar feel to the Metalicuff. But every other type of delica or bead seemed wrong. Then I found these round rough cut quartz crystal beads. Now the cuff has this crazy traditional victorian style feel. So I am going to go with it.
Things I learned...
My birthday was on the 24th. It was wonderful. I spent the day before swimming and canning homemade preserves. I am going to list a few of my recipes on here in case this is something you have ever considered getting into. Then I spent the day of my birthday with my friends hanging out and eating cake. And, I spent the day after at my favorite cajun restaurant with my roommates parents. All and all... it is a good way to spend the changing of time. Take a few days and make an event of it.
So I learned a few things in my birthday month off from Etsy and blogging:
1. When you blog make sure that you don't over do it. This means I am going to blogging on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
2. Everyone should celebrate their birthday like it is an event. You managed to survive another year and gain wisdom. This is a feat to be met with copious amounts of celebration.
3. Taking too long to get back to your hobbies will effect your personality. All of that creative energy has to go somewhere. If it doesn't you will most likely begin to express it negatively.
4. You should probably only take one custom order at a time if it will take more then two or three days to complete.
5. Learning to can jams is more fun then it sounds.
So I learned a few things in my birthday month off from Etsy and blogging:
1. When you blog make sure that you don't over do it. This means I am going to blogging on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
2. Everyone should celebrate their birthday like it is an event. You managed to survive another year and gain wisdom. This is a feat to be met with copious amounts of celebration.
3. Taking too long to get back to your hobbies will effect your personality. All of that creative energy has to go somewhere. If it doesn't you will most likely begin to express it negatively.
4. You should probably only take one custom order at a time if it will take more then two or three days to complete.
5. Learning to can jams is more fun then it sounds.
Friday Feature: Groovy Glass Girl
1. Tell us a bit about yourself. I'm random, yet organized, obsessed with color, I dream of having a bright open studio where I spend all of my free time painting, I love bicycles, beards, tattoos & magazines....and if you must know I was born in the 70's and my real name is Poppy.
2. What first made you want to become an artist? I think being an artist is in my blood. I remember kits my Mom used to buy me to make my own Winnie the Pooh character teddies, hook rugs, sewing my own Barbie clothes and accessories. Even in high school I made my own hats & clothes & painted everything. My friends used to make fun of me because even the way I arranged food on a plate was done creatively!
3. Please describe your creative process. I almost always start from a sketch, read a lot of fashion magazines for inspiration and I often start with a color combination as an inspiration.
4. Name your top five books, movies, musicians, and websites besides Etsy.
Movies: The Royal Tenenbaums, Amelie, Frida. I'm reading a really great book right now called Sacred Balance by David Suzuki, She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb is one of my faves. Music: Matt Good, The Ramones, Sarah Harmer, Bad Religion....I'm really moody about music... song shuffle on my iPod is the best.
5. What advice would you give to artists on Etsy?
Don't expect Etsy to bring sales to you...Etsy is so big now sellers really have to work at bringing in their own customers. I find that the more time I spend on my shop the more sales I get. If I neglect it the only sales I get are from my returning customers.....which are so great by the way.....I love you regular customers.
6. How do you promote your work?
I do some local events, blog a bit, post on Facebook when I list... but mostly it's through word of mouth, friends of friends etc.