Piles upon piles

I feel surrounded by jewelry, chain, wire and beads this week. I've been doing nothing but making necklaces, earrings and knit wire bracelets since Sunday night (and yes, in that order). As far as necklaces and earrings go, I have multiples of everything in almost every color. Bracelets aren't as simple since they really are all one of a kind. I have a few that are made from the same bead combination, but the rest are very one of a kind. I struggle a bit with the bracelets. What if one color combination is very popular and I only have one? What if none of them are a hit? What if, what if, what if? :) I'm sure everything will be just fine come Saturday morning when I'm all out of time for creating and I'm setting up my booth.

Warm spring (or maybe it's a mild summer) weather finally got here. It's been up near 80 for the past two days. It's odd how quickly it warmed up. I still have that herb garden to plant and I really think Sunday is the day! I've been doing a lot of cooking the past couple of weeks and cannot wait for fresh herbs from my front garden instead of dried ones from the store. I also can't wait for the prime picture taking opportunities that come from having your own garden.

Speaking of garden - I've got some crazy hosta action going on outside. I brought in a collection of them when I moved here. I planted them all over as there weren't any here as it was. Well, it seems there must have been but they had been hiding because this year I have a plethora of hostas all over the place. I even have one spot that has three varieties growing - not sure how that happened, I only planted on there. I won't complain about bonus hostas, I love them so, but goodness, there are a lot.

Well, the Sweet Boy is on his way back with some fast food action (don't judge me, sometimes fast food is in order when you need time to blog instead of cook) so I'm off to enjoy.

I promise I'm keeping up with both shops!

I have not been ignoring Idyll Hands in the wake of the wave of wool that has taken up almost all of my free time!! You see, I've listed 2 new items in my jewelry shop tonight and have a few more to list this weekend... and who knows, since I'm out of wool tonight, I might just whip up all kinds of new jewelry this weekend.

So say what you will, I am completely dedicated to both shops - I've just had some trouble getting good photographs of these new necklaces.

With The New Year...

Come new items in my shop. Yes, I've got new yarn listed over at Woolyhands and new designs listed over at Idyllhands. I'm very excited about the new earrings and hope all of you are too!

Many Things

There are so many things I wish to do with my jewelry business in the near year. So many people are talking of branching out their business. Most of them are referring to finding multiple venues to sell on and while I might look into that, it isn't my only focus. I want to branch out in the type of materials I use.

I've been wanting to up the material quality on my bracelets for some time now and I think with January comes a chance to do that. I want to begin to only offer them in sterling and copper. I also want to being to offer sterling earings. I'll keep the necklaces and brass earrings as they are - I might add in a few silver necklaces, but that isn't going to be my focus... at least I don't think it is.

I've also got some new design ideas up my sleeve (I've already made one into something as seen above). I have not made most of them yet to see how they come across out of my head, but I hope to have to do that over the holidays.

Many exciting things will be coming, that I promise. Goodnight all!

Update Successful

What? I listed a new item in my Etsy shop tonight? Get out!

It has taken me just about FOREVER to get some pictures I liked of some of my new items. By forever I mean at least 3 weeks. They are not exactly my favorite pics, but they will do. Once the sun comes out while I'm at home, I'll get some really great pictures, but for now, I feel like I can list items again. Oh, and even better picture new, Canon is going to fix my broken camera so I'll really be back to normal soon.

I also sat down and fixed a couple of necklaces that didn't survive when my craft show display took a nosedive off of the window sill the other day. They are as good as new. While that didn't lead to any new items, I did sit down and so something at my desk. I finally unpacked the last 2 boxes of crafting goodies I had this past Sunday when I added a shelf to my set up. Now it's a mess.

I said I unpacked them, I didn't say anything about organizing them.

I still have grandiose visions of really putting a dent in getting the crafting area cleaned up and the guest room organized before Friday night. Barbara, a roomie from my days in Austin, is coming up for a visit and to watch The Longhorns trample the Razorbacks on TV (didn't get tickets to the game in Austin, so coming up to Fayetteville is the next best thing I though, and so did Barbara). It's not that I need to impress Barbara with my mad organizational skills, it's just that I want it to look put together for my sake. I want to be a good hostess with a relaxing guest room and amazing guest bath.

Ah well, perhaps it will be done in time for my next visitor.

I already know what a certain one of you will say - something along the lines of "it's okay to take it easy". I know it is... I'm guilty of being just like my mom. Always going going going.

Newbies

After many months of eyeing these retaining/retainer (not sure which it is) rings, I finally broke down and rewarded myself for not purchasing anything on Etsy for a month. I think they were well deserved. They sat on my desk for about a week until inspiration hit.

I think they fit well into my shop and I'm quite happy with their outcome. Now, provided I can find a good spot to photograph my jewelry tomorrow, I'll list them in my shop by tomorrow evening. I only have two things working against me - my camera has died and I'm using The Sweet Boy's camera (note the learning curve) and I've moved away from the PERFECTLY worn window sill that I was using before.

Picture taking may never be the same.

Shop Update this weekend

I'll be updated my shop with three new versions of one of my newest necklace designs, "Falling Leaves". I love making this necklace as it allows me to use some of my fancier beads that don't really fit into my bracelets. I could make them all day, unfortunately, I'm out of leaf charms. Until I find more, I suppose I'll have to work on other things... like packing my house for the move.

Keep your eyes on my shop for the update.

Bliss

My 4 day weekend has officially begun. I started it off with some Jazzercise (fun times) and will move on a healthy and delicious meal from Taco Bell (don't you judge me, it's fast, easy, and cheap). I have plans to make some items for my shop tonight so I can get some pictures taken tomorrow and get them up in my shop before heading out to the woods for a couple of days.

I know I've mentioned this, but I am so stoked about getting to sleep in a tent this weekend. I love sleeping in a tent. If I had my way, we'd set it up in the backyard on occasion and pretend to camp. However, Sweet Boy won't stand for the fake camping. I just have to wait until we both have time to hit up our favorite camp site.

Perhaps I'll post later on with some information about new items to show up in my shop or my possible participation in the Y(art) sale taking place on Etsy this week. So, come on back and read a bit more before heading to bed.

An Etsy Fave Branches Out

One of my favorite Etsy shops and bloggers recently posted about bloggers helping bloggers. She discussed the concept of PIF (pay it foward) in a blog and applying it to this method. What is this method you ask? Well, it's basically the "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" method. I'll feature this seller and they will, in turn, feature me in a blog post. It's a grand idea but I think I'll just take it one more step in a different direction and just blog about her because I love her shops (both of them).

Dancing Mooney and MooneysMarket are two of the better shops out there. Dancing Mooney has some great jewelry at very affordable prices (perfect for today's economy). I've purchased a pendant from the shop and every time I have it adorning my neck, I get a compliment. There is really something for everyone - earrings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, and one of my favorites, collage art and ACEOs. You can see some of her lovely earrings above.

Just in case her jewelry isn't fabulous enough, she's recently started selling soaps. Over at MooneysMarket you can find all kinds of soaps in all kinds of yummy scents. Her prices are better than many soap shops on Etsy and she even has a sampler pack which is my favorite way to try out multiple scents and get the biggest bang for my buck. Some of my favorite listings from her shop are Eucalyptus Mint Soap, Warm Sugar Goats Milk Soap, and Pink Grapefruit.

So RUN, don't walk, over to her two shops and enjoy what she has to offer.

A Bit of a Makeover

After taking many batches of photos for my Etsy shop that I was quite proud of, I figured it was time to get rid of the unsavory photos and replace them all. Anytime I use the word "replace" that usually means it will take the bulk of my day to do. This was no exception.

I took a plethora of pictures and took many minutes uploading all of them, editing them, cropping, etc etc etc, and finally, I had a batch I liked. Now to just load them up on to Etsy. I'm still working on that right now as that is the longest process.

Prior to my picture extravaganza this afternoon, I planted my pepper and tomato seeds. They will settle down in my dining room for a few more weeks until it's warm enough outside to start setting them out on the porch during daylight hours. I was a bit more picky and choosy with my seeds this year. Last year I have weird hopes of having more tomatoes than I could throw a shoe at. What that resulted in was, well, more tomato plants than I could throw a shoe at and not very many tomatoes because I couldn't keep up with the up keep. I'll do better about that this year. As soon as they start to sprout, I get some lovely pictures taken for all to see.

Off to finish the shop update and start on some yarn.

A Good Ending

Today was a good ending to the work week. (note - work is my 8 - 5 job, not my jewelry making endeavors) It's been a heck of a work week. There have been multiple party time events, multiple event type events, plenty of stress/heartache/a few tears, and the potential for change. Yes, a busy busy week.

I didn't get as much jewelry made as I wanted to, but I finished a few earrings, my most favorite bracelet thus far (see at right) and started a washcloth. I don't really use washcloths, okay, I never use washcloths. However, the cotton yarn was colorful and it's a good way to practice some new stitching as far as knitting goes. So yeah, a washcloth is in the works. I suppose I did more crafting than I thought a few minutes ago.

Anywho, back to the end of the week part. I had big plans tonight to work on the AREtsy blog (I'll post the address when there is actually something to look at), make another bracelet or two and to finish that washcloth. Instead I watched 2 episodes of 30 minutes meals (both new to me), some Cops, some other TruTV shows (formerly knowns as Court TV), What Not To Wear, and then Dress to Kill on DVD. It wasn't a productive night, but it was a relaxing evening.

I lazily came up stairs to check the internet world out. I saw that I had one email, one little email, obviously not one single person loves me, no one. I opened up that little, lonely email to find that a bracelet sold. WOOHOO. I like that. That one little email was a bit larger than small I suppose. My sales have been surprising me like that. They come when I least expect them to. Perhaps I should pretend I will never make another sale, imagine what would come of that!

Anyways, tonight was a good ending to a long and exhausting week. Tomorrow I'll start anew and craft away... after Jazzercise and Movin' Out at Walton Arts Center.

Goodnight.

The Unveiling

I read somewhere in the Etsy Storque that a good way to start the new year out in your shop is with a new line. I've been thinking about that ever since. Many questions have come from that. How can I incorporate my style into something new? Am I still new enough on Etsy that perhaps I need to stick to what I do? Should I do something completely different or not? Well, last night I bought some Scrabble tiles on Ebay as those seem to be an inexpensive supply that can be used any number of ways. But that's done on Etsy... a lot. I don't know if that is the route I want to go for my shop. I'll certainly take some pendants made from Scrabble tiles to the craft shows next year - I haven't seen them there yet. However, Scrabble tiles are not the direction I want to go with my new idea.

I saw down tonight to make some earrings and bracelets. I churned out the same old stuff - lovely stuff - but the same. After finishing another "I Love Olive - Hand Knit Bracelet", I thought I should make some earrings in sterling silver to match. But I didn't have the supplies to do my usual earrings in sterling. So I got creative and my new line was born. I made one pair in sterling and the rest with the regular stuff. I love them and cannot wait to get pictures of them taken and get them loaded up on my shop. I really think these will appeal to a different crowd than my current designs. Hopefully I'm not too far off with that statement.

Needless to say, all of this creating did not allow me time to work on a scarf I'm making for the Sweet Boy. I promised him I'd have it finished by the time he returned home from a trip on Monday evening. I've got to get to work on that.
I'll leave you with a teaser of my new line until I get them posted into my shop.

Lights... Camera...

One of my goals for Etsy and the new year was to streamline the photographs in my shop. Well, it's not quite the new year, but I'm hoping I got an early start. I listed a couple of new items with a new photo style in my shop today. I think I like it better that my previous attempts. I miss the look of the satin as a background, but perhaps I can figure out a way to incorporate that, but for now, I think I'll stick to what worked out this afternoon.

These were taken in my window as it was a bit too chilly (and I was a bit too lazy) to go outside to take them. Thoughts? Suggestions?

And then this goes to...

This handmade pendant - not yet in my Etsy shop - goes to Recycled Ideas. I found her blog, Field Notes from an Evolutionary Psychologist, through the PIF I took part in last week. I love her shop and hope she likes what I've designed just for her.

I like this so much that they just might show up in my shop soon.

I had big plans tonight to do a couple of bracelets (I still have time for that I suppose) and start another scarf, but here I am, 8:00 PM, blogging. *sigh*

And these go to...

These earrings, just made tonight, go to Dancing Mooney. I found the Pay if Forward idea on her blog and therefore she gets a handmade goody from Idyll Hands. I added the spiral on the end of the wire to these and I think I'll do that one some other earrings. I like it.

I still have one spot left... don't miss out one some hand made goodies.

Speaking of hand made goodies, I found a blog the other day from an Etsy seller and artist in Southern France. Lineanongrata has a very charming shop full of her illustrations and purses. I'm quite keen on the designs and her illustrations are completely charming. Aside from her shop, her blog makes me want to move to France (but I've always wanted to move there... perhaps just a bit more now). She is having an advent calendar giveaway this month and I was the recipient for day four. I cannot wait to receive my goody. The sneak peek from her website is this...

it's a bit of a surprise... isn't it?

Things that sparkle

Today I ventured into the world of sterling silver jewelry. I purchased some sterling wire quite a while ago and have yet to knit it into a bracelet. Today I ended my fear of just using that wire. I tend to buy pricey things to craft with and then fear doing something with it in case it doesn't come out right. I lucked out this time. I used blue Czech glass beads and it's lovely. I've put it up on Etsy and am hoping it becomes a favorite.


I'll be doing another bracelet before the day is over, but then I'm dong with sterling until I get back to the store and buy some more. Perhaps I'll do a black, white and silver one for those a bit frightened of color... or maybe not!