I Took The Handmade Pledge! BuyHandmade.org

Monday, October 29, 2007

Stir Show


I went over to Stir yesterday to set up my table for the First Thursday Art Walk coming up on November 1st. It looks so great in there! I'm looking forward to a lot of fun and maybe even a lot of sales! I love the atmosphere in the studio and the wine and snacks won't be bad either. I'll have some wonderfully creative artists for company that night.
Other crafty news- I took a digital photography class yesterday taught by Marlo of http://imakecutestuff.etsy.com and of Etsy Rain fame. I got some great tips and ideas and am master of the white balance! I've already started listing some pieces on etsy with the new and improved photos. Very nice!

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Take the Pledge, etc




I've just taken the pledge to buy handmade this holiday season. Will you do the same?? Click on the button at the top of the page to register your name too. And, if you make handmade items, your website will appear next to your name!


What have I been up to lately? Well, I participated in a craft fair in Phinney Ridge last weekend. Very fun to see everyone but not a lot of selling action for me. So, I've been working on some new pieces to showcase on my website. The earrings aren't my usual style but I'm really liking them! And now I have more to show off at the Kick Off the Holidays show I'm doing with fellow etsyrain folks at Stir on November 1st from 5-10pm. You can check http://www.stirboutique.com for more details. I'm very excited about this show and so happy to be expanding my horizons this year!

Friday, October 12, 2007

Get Organized!

I've probably said it before but organization is not one of my strong points. I've got lots of ideas but I still wind up with little piles everywhere. Last year I bought an accordion folder for all my home receipts. Well, right now I'm looking at it and it's balanced precariously on top of 6 months worth of receipts! Yes, that's on my to-do list today. Anyway, I asked for tips in the Etsy forums earlier this week and here's what I got:


EyePopArt says:
Well, it's not the most exciting idea in the world, but it works for me. I got an over-the-door hanging shoe holder for the closet door in my crafting space. It has 24 sturdy, clear plastic pockets that I use to organize all of my clutter, such as envelopes, glues, scissors, postcards, staplers, rulers, tools, and even some shoes. Since I don't have a lot of drawer space I find it very helpful. Here's a picture:http://flickr.com/photos/eyepopart/1507589589/


DragoninKnots says:
Some ideas:- You know those plastic bags with zippers that bedding and curtains come in? They are great for storing large items like blankets, clothing, scarves, shawls, etc., so they don't get all jumbled up in a tote. They are clear, so it is easy to find an item when someone purchases it.
And since you would be reusing them, they are better for the environment than buying something else.
- If you are looking for a bead organizer and can't find what you want, try going to a hardware store and looking at their organizers for screws, nails, etc.
- Computer keyboard boxes that open from the top are great for storing jewelry in little boxes because they are thin and long, so all the small jewelry boxes are easily accessible.


ConstantDreamer says:
I put all of my paints and various markmaking tools in small plastic baskets (I bought them at Target). They sit inside a cabinet until needed. My brushes are kept in a container originally meant for kitchen utensils.My other big thing is to get rid of any supplies I don't use regularly. If I don't want to throw them, I put them in containers and store away from my work area until needed.

miribelladesigns says:
I keep my beads in an apothecary cabinet I restored and refinished. The drawers are nice and small and it looks better than most regular organizational drawer units.


Stay tuned for more tips! I'll be working on some of these myself!!

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

I've been tagged!

My first time getting tagged! I've been tagged by artichokes beating heart. OK, here are the rules:

1. List 6 facts about yourself.

2. Post the rules of the game before you list those facts.

3. Visit 6 other blogs and tag them. Post their names at the bottom of your post and then go back to their blog and let them know.


1. After all these years, spaghetti is still my favorite food.

2. I grew up in Queens, NY but I don't have an accent.

3. One of my cats will come when called.

4. My 12 year old daughter is bigger than I am.

5. I used to be a dancer.

6. My ideal house would be on a beach.


Here are the folks I tagged. Go visit their awesome blogs!

http://sewnfreshdaily.blogspot.com/
http://rainydayart.blogspot.com/
http://addilaynedesigns.blogspot.com/
http://ninjafetus.blogspot.com/
http://bitibis.blogspot.com/
http://jaredks.blogspot.com/

Monday, October 1, 2007

Creating, Coughing, and a Happy Family


Creating: I had a meeting with a salon owner last week and she wound up keeping 13 pieces to sell! While this was great news, I suddenly realized that I was really low on inventory! I'll be participating in several crafts fairs soon and I don't have too much to offer. So, I'm back at work making earrings and necklaces. I have about 3 weeks until the first show so my goal is at least one new piece a day. We'll see! I've also done some listing at Etsy, which I'd put on hold for a while. I was inspired by my fruit bowl and took pictures of my jewelry with a kiwi.


Coughing: Most of us have caught the back-to-school cold. It's been a week now and we just can't stop coughing. Not making for very restful nights.


Happy Family: Well, kind of. This will probably jinx it but the kids are getting along and we're all basically enjoying each other's company. No details here, just trust me, this is a wonderful improvement!

My latest treasury!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=10648