Weekend Blurble- Recover

The weekend blurble is a day late this week because I spent most of the weekend, slurping down lots of water, juice, ginger ale (thought of as a cure-all in my family) and tea while battling a cold. I'm winning!

The show this weekend has turned into a super-short family vaca. I hope it goes well. It's been an experience. I'm learning that most of the business owner stuff is a constant learning experience. I like that...most of the time. I still won't be able to take credit cards, I'm having a hard time proving that I'm me since I don't have much of a credit history. I know I'll wish that I could, but it's been all I can do to ensure that I get there so...any sales I get will be a blessing. Next year, baby! Next year.

I've thought up some intense ideas involving macrame. They'd probably be expensive and limited. But will have to see. They're in the super-baby stages of development.

Post Picture: Earrings made for Made For You this weekend.

Craft Show Eve

This is it! Okay, it's almost it. It's like the day before Christmas almost.

Tomorrow is my first big show. It's right in the center of my hometown, naught but a hop-skip-and-jump from my house. Literally, I could walk there, but I have too much stuff to bring. It's from 9-4.

I've been painting, and gluing, knottting and burning to get back these last few weeks. I've learned a lot, about pacing myself and that a simple project can easily get out-of-hand with an active imagination. It's made me thankful for my family, for their support. Really, it's been a long time getting to this point and I was pretty difficult. But I'm glad I'm here. I'm working harder than I have at any job, but I'm more content, satisfied.

Post Picture: Pre-show set-up. Realizing nothing in my display is the same as it was here. It's more junky than it will be tomorrow, I'm tinkering still at the time of this post. I've out-grown my table.

SPT and Yesteryear

Bought the last of the items needed for my new display. Things still need to be finished up but I'm glad everything been bought. Next time, I want to reinvent myself, I'll just dye my hair. hehe

Post Pictures:
Top pic: Me today with my totem...magnet display pole.
Bottom pic: Me and the brothers, mom and our neighbor playing in the neighbor's leaves circa 1996

Stuck On You

It's been all about magnets today, hopefully I'll get to burn some later.

I'm trying to put together a design folder for my show on Saturday. Have four pages done so far, five including the cover page. Eventually I want to get a lookbook printed by Blurb I have a few more projects I want to try/finish before that...I want those in the book. So for now I'm printing the pages off at home. The Post Picture for today is the magnets page.

Have also cut, drilled and painted the magnet display. This show prolly wouldn't have taken as much out of me, if I hadn't tried to redo my entire display along with making new pieces and duplicating things I have. I'll figure this out.

Beat

Prepping for the show= being generally exhausted. I'm still getting into the swing of all this, the whole idea of fairs/markets/shows. I think I have outgrown my 6' table, but don't have the money for a second at the moment. By this time next year, I'll prolly be rocking a three-table display at shows that will allow it. Heh.

Today I accomplished a whole lot but finished nothing. There are lots of steps, little things to be done...and almost everything that gets checked off actually spawns a million more things. *sigh* It never ends in a way that's both invigorating and frustrating. Mostly invigorating.

I'll do a dry run in the next day or two, experimenting with my mostly new set-up. That'll be exciting. Hoping for good weather on the 11th (show day), sunny and dry at least.

Blurble 9.23

So much for attacking my laundry list of things to accomplish head-on. I'm rereading Pride and Prejudice *swoon* and spending time online, catching up. heh

I did finish a pair of custom earrings. They were requested by a lady at one of the farmer's markets. She likes brown and gold and wanted them to be clip-ons. (those were NOT easy to find) I hope she likes these. I like the brown with the gold beads. Reminds me of a candy bar for some reason.

Tried making a banner for my tent/booth. Iron transfers can be iffy and today they didn't work. I have to learn how to not let temporary setbacks in project design make me want to abandon it. I've gotten better over the years with elpy work. It's something to be improved.

TV aside:
Heroes came back last night. Loved it.

Post Picture: The custom earrings. Kinda like that set-up. Natural lighting photos rock!

Weary

I made a floor length tablecloth today. (pics to come between now and Monday) It was my project for today. I had bought 7 yards of fabric at an unnamed source because sometimes I overbuy like that when the price is stupendously awesome. This is probably the largest thing I've sewn, after a grill cover I made. (I rock...yesh!) It looks nice, I think. When I retire it...if it's not too worn, I'll make a skirt out of it. I don't think I'll ever make a tablecloth again, so much fabric to work with.

Found out that my business cards might not arrive until the 14th even though I ordered them on the 4th. Seems unless I paid $15 for shipping, they were gonna wait 5 days before they shipped. I'm a little peeved. It's my fault for waiting so long and not reading everything. *sigh* So I have to print off more. I was really hoping to avoid this task with all the others I have to do.

I did package my photos, adding the sticker with the info and all. I think they look nice. Very professional. So they're done except for price tags.

I want to go to bed, but I still have things to do. This show is kickin' me. I think it's coming across in my blog. I'm so tired. And Bro1 has the worst case of pink eye I've ever seen. It almost makes me cry.

Gettin' Close

I'm busy, with elpy...for the first time ever. It's tiring, but good. Rewarding, fulfilling. Life as an artist is somewhat tenuous. But in those moments, as something starts to cross the line from idea, to raw materials, to completed item...it's addictive, and sadly, indescribable.

Today, I bought a cash box. No one in my family had one or something that could pass for one. I like it. It locks and has comparments. I want to decorate it with stickers. :D

I also bought beads to make another Sumeria. I bought clasps for a bracelet I whipped up. I didn't have clasps, so I didn't make bracelets. Earrings were easier anyway. I washed four 'new' shirts I thrifted to be used in wristlets. Probably won't make into this show, but I have them. No excuses.

I was a photographer. My mom's making invites for the same lady who placed the jewelry commission with me. We needed a pictures of the lady's daughter...so I took them. Yay! Was kinda fun. Should have taken more, I think.

I spray painted. 'Twill be a display for the market. I bid on an alchemy request.

Then, to my unending surprise, because I've always been surprised, I got a SALE! Earrings, Curvatures. I'm thrilled to bits. Possible custom order, too! So happy! Seriously.

Long day, but good day. There are things I left out to be put in another entry. One a few more before I can sleep for a week. A person needs longer to prepare for a show than two weeks. I don't know why I do this to myself. heh

Post Picture: A superb failure. There's something extremely artistic about that streakiness too me. May be added to rJax soon.

Early

I'm blogging early today. I want to get work done and I seem to get stuck to the computer when I'm on. Most of my life is online. I'm not sure how healthy that is.

Anyway, I've made a list of things to do today. Hope...still hoping to get some more new things made for the market. I also want to photograph some things for elpy [Closet].

I went to the movies last night with my dad and Bro2. We saw Hancock. The story wasn't bad. But I'm a prude,the language became annoying. It was not as bad as I know it could be but sometimes...It was a nice night out...away from making things. Though I did contemplate bringing a bracelet to knot. heh.

Post Picture: A work of art I did for a high school art class. When I was younger I punched dots out of construction paper and glued them into mosaics. I'm into meticulous stuff. This was that largest I did. It's a tree in autumn on an 8.5x11 sheet of paper.

So far

For the show next Monday I've:

Bought table
Printed rJax labels
Made 3 new sets of magnets
Made 1 duplicate set of magnets
Cut blocks for coasters
Cut blocks for magnets
Sanded blocks for coasters
Sanded blocks for magnets
Made 2 coasters
Drawn 4 other coasters
Have 3 wristlets almost done
Bought a small display piece.
Ordered more prints
Ordered business cards for elpy
Almost finished bracelet
Thought/stressed a lot

It's my first show and I really needed more than two weeks to prepare. I realize I've been extremely lackadaisical with my production habits. It's just hard to want to make things that have until now, basically just...yeah.

I made a huge list of things I wanted to do. I wanted to duplicate all the magnets. I wanted to make three sets of four coasters. (coasters are not in the shop yet, won't be until after the show) I didn't count on messing up one. I don't know why. One always needs a rough draft. And my woodburning pen seems to be dying or something. It gets hot but won't burn as quickly. So at the moment I'm wanting to up my prices because it's taking forever. I won't though...I'll wait.

Oh, I meet with my jewelry commission-ee/er this Thursday. Long story about why, but I'll get to be a photographer! *would like a d-slr, now* So I'm a little stressed about that.

I should have a sign for my table. I just don't know what I want it to look like. I should get a tablecloth or something for the table. I've heard you should use floor length ones. I'll settle for now. This came too quickly. I'll sleep on the 15th...like all day.

I really hope it's a good show. I want it so badly.

Weekend Blurble/Sports Aside 7.07

In keeping with my plan of staying off the computer on Sunday, I spent much of the morning and afternoon (before and after church) watching the Wimbledon men's final. I've been watching tennis the longest of all sports. My dad watched it, so I'd watch it with him. Grew up with the Agassi/Sampras rivalry. Now it's Nadal and Federer.

Yesterday's match, which lasted about 6 hours all told, rain delays and such, was positively thrilling. Nadal won. That made me happy. Except for the Yankees and the Patriots, I'm all about the underdog. Not that Nadal is much of an underdog. But Federer had won there 5 times in a row and was going for a record 6th win.

While watching, I did manage to sand 21 magnet blanks. I branded them and the 12 coaster blanks and burned 3 sets of magnets. Not too bad I guess. Blogging during my 'lunch break'. I could work through lunch. (elpy is my job.) So now, it's back to work. Still have a ton I want to get done before the show. Which is a week from today. O.o

Now 7.05

Went to the thrift store and scored four shirts to be used in wristlets. Yes! I picked up another thing that could be used in my display at the market.

Got the best message from a Flickr contact/Etsy seller. She's just wonderful. *cough*HRMB*cough* She didn't do it to get a shout out. That's why she's awesome. Anyway, I'm changing, how I think about myself and my art. I really love my photography shop. I'm stepping beyond the 'attempts' and 'amateur' labels for myself. I'm am artist. I am. :)

I still have a ton of things I want to do for the show. I was able to find the cello bags for the photos at a store. Sometimes I just don't want to have to pay for shipping. These were a good price. I'm happy. Another thing to check of the list...if the list was that comprehensive. I should make it that way...then I'll feel like I've accomplished more. Reverse psychology or something...it may help.

Post Picture: Newest listing at rJax

Excitement

Wow!

So the show/market is a go! I'll get to meet some people from the CT Etsy Team and do my first show. I have a lot of hope for this. I'm so excited, I could barely sleep last night. Ha!

Also, in a tumbling-along sort of way, I've gotten myself into a metals class tonight. It's a long story how I even found this class. I knew of the studio but wasn't looking for it yesterday. Anyway, I called (which is a miracle...I HATE the phone) and the teacher/owner had moved the class up to tonight. It was scheduled to be the end of the month. So I'm excited about that too. I'd be forging sterling wire into chain...w00t!

So I'm like really excited. I need to calm down and do some work before the class at 6:30. I've sanded 6 blocks today, but that's it so far. I'm so up and down and excited. The show's in 11 days so I have time, in theory to accomplish a lot.

Post Picture: One of my clocks. Timepiece-love runs in the family.

Workin'

I'm beginning to ramp up production for the show. I have a ton of things I want to make duplicates of, mostly magnets. Some things that are currently made-to-order, I want to actually finish. Some things that have been ideas that I'd make one day...today, or the next few, has become that day. My mind is racing, searching for new ideas (not that I really need any) and wondering how I'll display stuff. Wondering if I should buy a table and a canopy thing...or just a table for now. Racing, racing, racing...but excited in my super-guarded way.

Post Picture: Newest listing at rJax.