Zephyr 3.31

I won't be sad to leave this month behind. It had it's good days, to be sure. I got some sales and stuff. April usually a good month.

Post Picture:My cake. Nope, not my birthday yet. That's next month. It's my 'Congrats on finally getting a job' cake that I bought myself from the 50% bakery shelf. Granted, homemade cakes are way better. But sometimes...

Teeter

I'm writing to say that I have nothing to say, nothing internet-safe...which is somewhat a ridiculous statement. But I'm not real good with being personal and this is my 'business' blog. heh

I want it to go away and take all the crazy feelings with it. But I'm afraid what I'll be left with, I'm afraid I'll be apathetic again, depressed again. I have a glimmer of childish hope, now. If I lose that...

I need hugs, prayers, cake. haha. But I'm not sure I deserve any of it. I'll stop now.
Shop News
Also, in a fairly important shop note, I will be reviewing and may be changing some of the prices of my handmade items in my shop. Probably won't fully happen until next month.

Laze

I took my self-portrait for the week. Actually, I took two again. I like have more than one to chose from. Plus, the fascination with photography my hands is back.

I made potholders for my mother today. So I didn't totally waste it. I just wanted to laze around. Went to my job orientation yesterday. Then had to wait for two hours because where I live isn't conducive to public transit, not in a timely fashion, and because I don't have a license or a car. It wasn't all bad. I got to people watch. That's usually fun, but for some reason it was especially fun there. heh.

I'm hunting for supplies. I know what I want, but then I don't when I see something I didn't know I wanted. I'm also trying to think of other promo items. Business cards are okay, but I want an alternative. *brainstorms* I've been doing that off and on for about 6 months. Haven't come up with anything solid.

40!

No, I'm not 40, not for a long while yet. (for real) I got to 40 sales. I'm so happy. I love even numbers, and numbers that end in zero. So I have 60 items listed and 40 items sold which equals 100 items total that have passed through the shop. (actually there were others) I'm in even number heaven!

My mind is racing with ideas for Minta. I'm scavenging for possible supplies on Etsy and eBay. eBay's good for finding odd, funky things. (and selling old books for cheap) I'm trying to come up with names I like. I think I can make the loose ideas fit one of the names, instead of just winging it and stressing for a name later. Playing around with this collection is the most fun I've had with elpy yet.

And an 'old' friend emailed me yesterday. It was sooo nice to hear from her. People always say that and it sounds shallow and cheesy to me, but I mean it in the most genuine way. I told her so.

So this month is ending better than it started. A sale. A job. A collection. A nice email. It's interesting to go with the change in life instead of fighting it or hiding from it.

Minta

So I'm gonna do it. My temp job starts this week so I'll have a little bit more money. Less time, but more money. I'm going to make an aventurine-based collection. How could I not?

Foray was listed today. It feels so good to have a necklace in the shop again.

The creative life soars on. I think this is the best I've dealt with a sales drought to date. I'm happy with that part of my life at the moment, happy that I haven't quit. I've fought for this, to get here.

Post Picture: A little something, ad I guess, that I made this afternoon in Photoshop Elements. I'm really pleased with it. Got skillz! heh

Continue 3.22

The posts came yesterday, from Hong Kong, for my Acute earrings. So today I listed the black ones. I'm trying to list more frequently.

I'm trying to do a lot of things. I don't really want to go into all of it...or any at all. I'll make it. Thinking, hoping, that I'll be better because of this keeps me going. I didn't have that hope before. I'm not good with drama.


Post Picture: Finished Acutes lined up across my box top. I was so happy to snap those posts on. Yeah! Flickr link there.

Just a Peek- Foray

I seriously love that pic. It's a severe crop of a larger pic, but it's just perfect to me. Again, my camera suprises me. So tempramental. Plus, I think the LCD screen is going. Everything looks slightly out of focus on it...unless you magnify it. So that slows down the arduous picture-taking process. Good thing I've found a place to take pics that is less frustrating than most things I've tried.

Foray is a replica of a necklace that I made for my aunt. Having a pattern to follow made this one easier to construct than the first. But I still had to restring it a few times, partially because I'm a little bit of a perfectionist other because I would drop the string and beads would fly everywhere.

I'm considering making a little aventurine-based collection. I have about 4 vague ideas and already have this necklace and earrings. I think I have a name for the collection, but that I'm not about to share.

I know I've said it before, but it's always so cool to me how new ideas, sparks others. Also the creative life is helping distract me from, well, other things.

Now 3.20

I have to projects going on at the same time. I could make it three, but I'd like to get a little further along in one first. They're both jewelry so it's good. One's a duplicate necklace...I think. The other is a bracelet. I want it to be a necklace, but I think if I make a bracelet first I can get a feel for what I'm trying to do. I can't sketch it because it's rather chaotic. It could look really nice, or really amateurish. I'll have to see...if I ever stop undoing it.

Post Picture: My arm. The self-portrait I like best from today. I've taken (in more than one sense) to wearing a bracelet that was once my mom's. Her college boyfriend gave it to her, like when she was in college. I just think it's cool. It looks like a bent nail. Tinted and stuff in PSE. Flickr link.

Current

I'm destashing. That's an Etsy term for selling supplies even if you're not strictly a supplies shop. It was unintentional. I was cleaning up my room where my supplies are stored. Sometimes I couldn't help but smile, remembering the projects that some of the things were intended for. Some finished, some never started. Others I just way over-bought with no desire to make any more of whatever it was...as is the case with those bells. I made stockings out of felt as part of my Christmas gifts to some family members a few years ago. The cat sat on the leftover felt, ruining it with her super-shedding self. So I have bells and faux fur left. Not sure if I'll list the fur.

It's rainy here. Cold and rainy. If I ever complain about the heat this summer, just point me back here. Goodness, I'm so over cold. *sigh*

:)

Notes

Goodness, where has my writerly inspiration gone? I can think of nothing to say, rather can only report, that I listed today, relisted and listed. Quite pleasing.

I'm really liking my Box Top Photography pics. I took some more pics of supplies. I'm liking how I can play with that surface, move it around, walk around it, more easily than I can a table or some such thing. It's more portable, I can take it to where the light is best. Unfortunately, it only works for small items. I have a lot of those, but I like to use colorful backgrounds, especially for the magnets.

As for my personal challenge to complete an item everyday, I'm faltering, though today is not over yet. Last week yielded 4 pairs of earrings. (only one is listed, the rest need posts) So far, nothing this week. But I did photograph supplies that I'd been putting off for a while.

Post Picture: It's a pretty little setup in sepia (thanks to Photoshop) of a gift box with this magnet in it. I seriously adore the picture. If/when I get my own off-Etsy website, this will be on it somewhere.

Sunday

Found that today on Youtube. I was gonna post a video today, because I don't really have anything interesting to say. This one fits better than the others I was considering. It's crafty and environmentally friendly. heh

Enjoy!

Box Top Photography

I'm usually unsure exactly where to take pictures of my items that will yield a decent pic or four. (hehe) I started using the top of a box I had. I like the results. The following pictures are all clickable.

SPT- 3.13

SPT- 3.13
Originally uploaded by lpdesigns

I did it! I took a self-portrait today, just like I wanted and wrote of earlier. I'm pretty happy with myself. I was taking pics of destash (supplies) things. I have some odd stuff laying around that I'm not going to use. This challenge has been a challenge, but it's rewarding, too. Getting things done that I'd been wanting to do for a while.

Ooh! Alchemy is back! It's probably not perfect, but it's back. I didn't realize it's been gone for almost a year and a half. (For those not in the know, Alchemy is Etsy's way of getting custom item requests to sellers...sorta.) I've never actually done an Alchemy, but as I've gotten a little more confident, I wanted to give it a try.

Post Picture: Me being gangsta. Haha.

Whoa!

So Etsy and Moo! (and others> are running a contest. I figured I'd click around, participate a little. I'd never done well in these online contests. The gist is finding eggs...you know, for Easter and stuff. I found one. Then I found another. o.O I'm not sure if I was the first to report either, but I find it odd, yet not completely, that I found two...at any rate. This is NOT the first time I've gotten things strangely in a pair. I had to rush here to make a note of if it. I hope I win something. ha!

Post Picture: Courtesy of Bellarina Studios on Etsy from the listing Twelve Vintage Paper Easter Eggs.

Helix

Well, there they are, the little pretties from yesterday. I like the earrings a lot. Helix is their tentative new name. I may stick with it. Who knows at the moment. For as much as I love to name things, sometimes coming up with names from my creations is tricky.

It's been so long since I listed a totally new idea. I had more magnets and stuff, but those weren't totally new, just different takes on an established part of my brand. So it felt really good to list these.

I haven't made my item for the day. I've eaten more than my share of homemade shortbread cookies though. Yum!

day 3

My board
Originally uploaded by lpdesigns

Today is day three of my personal challenge, small steps to doing the things I need to do. It's already been a little bit of a struggle. New things often are.

I needed to start with pieces I'd actually have enough drive to finish. I tend to bite off huge projects and burn out by about the second of third day. So for now, I'll probably be cranking out a lot of Acutes, other small earrings and magnets. The yellow earrings in the pics, are a somewhat new design. Or you could say they're a twist on an old one. *resists the urge to laugh at herself* Twist...they're twist...anyway. The little earrings put in perspective how big my other ones are. Wow!



Also, I think someone is stealing my beads. I have at least 3 colors missing. I know I didn't use them all. I'm also missing a checkbook register, a hairbrush, and a watch. If you see them....
:P

Post Picture (top): My macrame board as of today, loaded with earring-making goodness.

Blurble 3.08

Again, running the reusable titles together. heh

I bought some beads and thread today and was able to finish another pair of post-less Acutes. Next on my list to buy is some posts. Yeah. I'm working on cranking out something new every day. So far, for day one, so good.

Went with my dad to Woodcraft. They were having a sort of demonstration on Flexshafts. Granted, the guy was talking about woodcarving, this was a wood craft place. But I really want a Flexshaft now. And I met a little lady who was all enthusiastic and friendly and showed a book on woodturned jewelry. Oh my gosh. There were some beautiful ideas/pieces in that book. I'm not sure how 'artisan' I want to get, but I think I could...ooh, my mind just raced as we flipped through the pages.

We went the art store, too. I think it's the only pure art store left around where I live, across the street from a white house. heh. The store guy was totally out of movie with a way of talking that you almost think is over-played, lot of head nods and California-ish drawls. It was humorous to see my non-artist father and this guy trying to hash out with material was best. My dad is a hard sell, but especially when he's confused.

Then I came home, ate Chinese and watched Transformers with the fam again. I really like that movie.

Post Picture: Taken by me last November but it looked pretty much like that today. A little brighter, but rainy, lots of rain. I'm NOT complaining. It could have snowed again. *phew*

Continue 3.07

I've been challenged to something by my...person who challenges me a lot. I'm not going to exactly say what it is. To that challenge I want to add a few things:

• I want to take a self-portrait every Thursday even if I don't upload it to my Flickr. Just for me, as a record. For posterity. I'd like to take self-portraits more. But I'll start with once a week.
  
  
• I want to finish something every day. I always work on more than one project at a time because I sell more than one type of item. If I discipline myself, I should be able to finish something every day.
  
  
• I want to write more. Not necessarily on my blog. I've gotten pretty good at blogging, if not here than Twitter or tumblr. But I have stories that I've been 'working' on for a long time. I want to finish them. Even if I don't publish them. Just finish them.
  

This is all about moving on. I'm not really happy with where I am, but only I can choose to take the steps forward. So, I challenge myself and publish it here, for accountability I guess.

Post Picture: Taken by Bro1 last May at a college park sorta near our house. It'll be green again soon. That keeps me going.

Pictures

I'm particularly pleased with this picture. I keep practicing, trying to get better with item photography. This spills over into photographing life, too. Not as much as I would like but I do it. Goes with this listing.



Of my unfinished Acute earrings. Another pic is on my flickr. The blue/green ones really are blue and green. It's the first time I actually made a pair using two different colors. What took me so long you wonder? I really don't know. But I went with it when the idea hit me.



I burned the custom magnet for my mother's hairdresser. You can see the concept sketch on my flickr. I don't sketch often. But I'm always glad when I do. It's nice to have that reference, to compare.

Guess that was a personal Photopalooza, which I think is over now, but was fun. Posts with pictures are always nice.

Bad Day

glumbert - Bad Day at the Office

I think this is work-safe. Heh. Even if it's staged, to me, it's hilarious. Immature perhaps. But worth a chuckle or two. To me.

I'm being kinda lazy about blogging. I felt the need to sequester myself, hide when possible before I said or did something I would regret. I'm coming out of it but don't in the frame of mind to properly blog, yet. Video posts are so easy and reasonably entertaining. I'm falling into Tumblelogging via Tumblr. But I won't abandon this.

Enjoy!

Gasp!

They cancelled Journeyman. I LOVED that show. It was real, for as real as a show about a time-traveling couple can be. :P It will be missed by me and my two brothers. *sigh* Darn strike!

There is another reason I'm gasping for another reason, too. Sometimes, even though I consider myself a fairly decent writer, doing it so incredibly difficult. I know what I want to say. But the connection between my brain and my fingers (i'm typing) is a little broken.

---

Addendum: I uh...from my Twitter-

shoot me. not to kill, just to make me sorry for what I just did. LET GO ALREADY!

Seriously! I don't want to do with myself. I'm so...randomly conflicted. So full of self-doubt. If I think I could come up with a list of more disparaging things to say. But I won't. *sigh*

Catch-up...no mustard

I had been tagged by BijouxBoutique in the online tag game. I was tagged once before, so for now I'm just going to link to that entry
and not tag anyone else just yet. My blogroll is rather small and...well, yeah. *may be a spoilsport*

So I got a jewelry commission, fourteen necklaces and fourteen pairs of earrings. It's kinda funny because I got it purely on word of mouth. They hadn't even seen my goods. Heh. I hope I can do it, design something they like. I have a while, the event isn't until September. Still, I know, the sooner I get started...

It snowed again. Now it rains. Welcome to March in NE! bleh! C'mon April! Ha!

Post Picture: A pic of a sign by the highway. Took it with my cell phone a long time ago, about two years or so. Converted it to b&w and cropped it in PSE.