11.30.2007

GOOOOOAL!!!


Acute in Kelly Green
Originally uploaded by lpdesigns
Those earrings are the 50th listing in my shop. I'm really happy about this. It was a goal of mine to get to 50 before the end of the month. I just made it. I really like the picture. The background is a piece of construction paper.

I'm working on my bedroom...still. One day it will be done. I hope. :/ I'm stressing about everything else. I thought I was past this, but it's slipped back in.

So I'm going back to work on things. I have some new ideas. I'm hopeful.

11.28.2007

Now 11.28



I found that book at a recent research trip to Barnes and Nobles. I got the titles I was looking for, making a Christmas list, but I can never just look at what I came for in a bookstore.

I don't knit. I barely crochet, but I now I desperately want to do both. I only want to make scarves. I didn't even like scarves until last year. This is very odd. But the scarves in that book are beautiful. I want to make them. Not that I NEED to diversify elpy any more. Sheesh.

Speaking of the shop, I listed these today:
The picture is clickable. More magnets, yep. These had been done for a while, but I held off listing them because...I don't really know. I just stalled for a while.

I'm also starting to like perusing stores in a sort of shopping. More like searching for clothes, for cheap. I never liked this before. At all. It was insane trying to get me to shop, plus, my clothes last forever since I haven't gotten any taller, only a little wider. :P More evidence of the change in me, I suppose. Interesting, I must say.

11.25.2007

Onward Upward


day29- Pic me
Originally uploaded by lpdesigns
So I continue to make things. Yes, sometimes I wonder why. I'm overtaking various areas with my creations. I'm going to need to buy more storage. Meh. But I seem to have to. As I make I get new ideas, so I have to make those too, of course. :)

I was reading through my off-line business journal, where I keep track of ideas and other things that are the boring side of business. I realize I've changed a lot. I think I'm more confident. I still procrastinate, though I'm getting better. I still wish I could catch a sales break. But I'm pretty sure I going to have to make that happen. Until then...

Post Picture: More magnets. The clefs are listed. The other two need their photos edit but are otherwise ready to be in the shop.

11.24.2007

Write


write
Originally uploaded by lpdesigns
I hope your Thanksgiving, if you're American, was good. Goodness to everyone really. No need to discriminate. :)

I'm pretty tired but thought I'd update here because...I want to. The rush is on to Christmas. I'm so not feelin' it. But hey, there's still time.

We went out today as a family minus Bro1 who was working. It was nice. My parents are so silly and cute together. I love 'em.

Post Picture: My hand again. Suddenly I'm really diggin' takin' pics of my hands. Not sure why. I converted it to black and white. The out-of-focus bit is a crochet blanket and it was distracting to me in color. Plus, I seriously heart black and white photography. :)

11.21.2007

LNJ


day26- Outside the Lines
Originally uploaded by lpdesigns
The title is the abbreviation I use in my hard copy journal that has all the dirt on me in it. It means Late Night Journaling. I've been journaling a lot. I've had to or I fear my brain may explode, so many thoughts. Writing helps organize it all, if only for a short time.

I'm LNJ now.

I figured out I can change the dpi on my scanner. It's not so evil after all. So...

Post Picture:
A picture I painted yesterday. I like it. I'd been wanting to paint for a while. I never had, but wanted to try.

Day 26 of the Crafting 365.

11.20.2007

Cold, Wet, White


day25- iSaw
Originally uploaded by lpdesigns
Yes, it snowed today. I thought it would. I hoped against it. Ah well. It wasn't much, just enough to shovel. (I didn't shovel my brothers did.) It's clouded over and soft and white and cold. (I should used commas, all the 'ands' are for effect.) Winter is just about here. (Not technically, I know.) All right. Enough with the parenthetical phrases.

What does it mean when you think about someone all the time? Good thoughts, wishful thoughts, and all the time. Wondering, hoping, thinking, thinking. I'm feeling obsessive. But I can't seem to help it. I try to reason with myself. It amazingly, hasn't hurt my productivity. For the first time since I opened elpy, I have more things on hand that listed. It's almost seemed to help. I would say more, but this IS the interwebs. Haha.

Post Picture:
A sort of self-portrait that I am a little proud of. Got the timer on the camera to work. I'm cutting wood for a new project. Like I need a new project. Haha. Maybe you can guess what it is.

Day 25 for Crafting 365.

11.19.2007

Jan's


Jan's
Originally uploaded by lpdesigns
I'm working on my room again. I need to stain the moulding. I was mad that I can't get it dark like the doors are/will be. I'll probably have to settle for Golden Oak because of the patina of the wood. I really don't like Golden Oak. The walls are going to be beige with random shapes of color (a concept my mother doesn't seem to fully understand.) Golden Oak is such a yellow-y orange that I think it will look really bad. I'm going to try Cherry and hope that look all right.

Post Picture:
Yesterday I gave the pastor's wife back her necklaces. I had to four to restring. The one in the picture was my favorite.

It's double strung, waxed linen thread and tigertail. The big beads are pretty heavy. I tried to keep with the original designs. It had little fiber beads wrapped in gold as a spacers. When I took it apart the beads came apart. I improvised and used a repeating wooden bead pattern. There's also some macrame at the back for the toggle, similar to the original. I figured it was the design she liked when she bought the necklace and didn't want to funk with it too much. It's not my style, a little too grown up, but I think it's really pretty.

11.18.2007

Inspired

A great list of advice on doing a craft show from Etsyan woodmouse's blog.

I'm thinkin' it may be too late to really salvage this year for my shop. I still have a few weeks before Christmas. I'll list some things and see if I can get some sales. Next year I'm going to really pursue this. I need to. I think I'm ready. I can do this. I have determination when I want to. I really want to make elpy/Handcrafted work. I need to prepare, now. I'm researching and designing. I'm a girl/woman on a mission.

11.17.2007

Blurble 11.17

day24- Clef notes

I'm noticing more and more that I'm not the same as I was. There are a lot of reasons for this. I was ready for a change. I've woken with a smile two days in a row. This is unusual. I've never liked waking up, even when I was little and had no problems. :P The new me is cool.

I haven't been working my fingers off, but I have cranked out more new things than I have in a while. I have a goal of getting to 50 things in the shop before the end of the month. That would be seven new things and I have that. I just procrastinate when it comes to listing. Picture taking can still be badness. But I keep getting compliments on my product pictures so I guess I've gotten better.

Other Blurble posts.

Post Picture: More new magnets. The bass clef is finished, the treble halfway. It is day 24 of Crafting 365. I really do draw everything by hand first. I think I'm done with them now. I don't know if I should add another sign to the bottom. I like them the way are. Have 2 other sets done now, too. I'm on a crafty roll!

11.16.2007

Finding Me 11.16

Self Portrait er...Friday

I'm feeling much better, like emotionally. Really, the last two months have been amazing. I'm looking forward more. I'm embracing changes. I'm not squashing things inside. I keep learning more about myself. Not fully understanding all the time. But accepting it. That was hard for a long time.

I stood up for myself and my art the other day. I wouldn't have done this earlier in the year. Just wish it hadn't taken me so long to get this point. But I'm seeing how EVERYTHING works together, takes time.

I've also started listing/relisting more. I have 4 things finished that I need to photograph/edit photos. I'm so pleased with myself. Haha. I have a laundry list of things to do, including laundry. Heh. Best get to it.

Post Picture: My hand. I was lounging in bed, reading over my journal and thought it was interesting. The ring is not from Etsy. I found it before I knew about Etsy. It's on my finger everyday. <3

11.14.2007

Enjoy


Enjoy
Originally uploaded by lpdesigns
He wrote back. That's all I have to say. You probably don't know what I'm talking about. As a hint, read on of my early September entries.
Yes, I'm crazy. But it's just a series of events that's huge to me.

I have magnets and wristlets to list this week, plus other things to renew. I'm a machine. Okay, not really.

Post Picture: Coffee and Donut magnets that I listed today.

11.13.2007

Of the same

day21- Branding


My magnets came today, the pieces to glue on the back. I'm very happy. She gave me 20 extra so I have 120. Haha. I'm special. I went through 20 magnets much faster than I thought. I got these for a wonderful price. I'm very happy. So more magnets will soon be in the shop.

I also finished the redo of the earring I started. I like it, but it looks a little bare. I'm not sure how to remedy this. Black and white is so classy that I'm not sure if I should introduce another color in beads or go with a grey...or just leave it alone. I don't have any grey beads, though, so getting some would mean a trip to the store. Not all bad, just slightly inconvenient.

Post Picture: Magnet blanks waiting to be branded. I don't have a custom burning tip so everything has to be drawn and burned individually. That's not all bad. Day 22 of Crafting 365.

Photoshop Elements(PSE) play: B&W conversion then Old Paper filter.

11.09.2007

A Lot to Say

I was torn for a long time. But I finally made up my mind and purchased more magnets pieces, the little metal part. I'm getting 100 for a good price. I hope they're as strong as the ones I like. They're bigger, the size I originally wanted but couldn't find, and not from the people I bought the little ones from. Those folks only had little ones. Shall see.

Have a little bit of drama going on. But I'm surprising myself with how cool I'm being. It's not life or death at all. I dealt with some stuff and now I don't stress nearly as easily.

I was skipping yesterday. Bopping all around like a little girl. I'm silly sometimes. Very silly. A giddy me isn't not one I'm familiar with.

I finally finished the blue wristlet. I'm working on the cranberry one, which I had relisted after it sold but somehow never got around to actually making. I now have to finish the earrings I started. And I'd like to draw more magnets.

It's so cool about the creative process. I've been on a bit of a tear, pushing myself to work on projects everyday, even if I don't finish. I have oodles of time and need to use it more wisely. Some of these ideas I'd held onto for a long time, fear of making them wrong, them not selling, running out of ideas. But I just got a new idea today, a way to use some of the scraps of wristlet lining fabric. Two ways actually. One idea I'd had for a while. The other just *poofed* into my head today. It's amazing how the more I make, the more I think of too make. Being stagnant hurt. I'm much happier now. Maybe that's why I was skipping.

11.07.2007

day17- Tragic


day17- Tragic
Originally uploaded by lpdesigns
This is a sort of new earring design. It's based on the Convex. It's a fairly versatile shape. I finished this one this afternoon. I'm not completely satisfied with it. A little tweaking. I'll save the sterling from in and make it over.

I can't decide if I want to add beads to it. I think with it being black and white it'll be more wardrobe friendly. I could use black or white beads. Or grey/silver. I don't have any that color. I'd have to go to the bead store. Which isn't all bad. :P

I think a lot. I think myself in circles. I think myself in and out of things. Usually into headaches, physically, and out of being daring. I think all the time. A recent event had ratcheted (spl?) it up even more. I'm scaring myself because I'm thinking about that while thinking about something else at the same time. I think all the time. It's tiring. And not all profitable. I don't want to make mistakes so I try to think of everything that could go wrong. That's impossible of course. It doesn't stop me from thinking.

Then random thoughts will eek in. Like what is the purpose of finger hair? Couldn't we have evolved that out? (Microevolution is totally plausible.) If you have an answer leave a comment.

11.06.2007

Featured pt 2


Featured
Originally uploaded by lpdesigns
Eep, I'm on the front page. I don't know for how long. They change the items a lot. But I haven't been on the front page in eons. I'm so very happy. Thanks gemma!

While watching the end of Chuck, Heroes and Journeyman, I sanded the rest of the 40 magnet blanks I cut. I enough for 50 magnets now. I just need to purchase the magnet part, the metal little disc...you know.

I'm still thinking about a certain someone way too much. I surprise myself. I'm so complicated.

11.05.2007

Listless and Listed

Pronunciation: \ˈlist-ləs\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English listles, from 2list
Date: 15th century

: characterized by lack of interest, energy, or spirit (a listless melancholy attitude)

This is sort of how I feel with spurts of crazy, stay-up all night energy. Uh, why?



I listed that. It's the final Westie that can be made with the rainbow plaid lining. It was an old shirt of my mom's. I think I got 5 wristlets made from it. I have one more to (re)list. Don't worry, I have and am looking for more shirts/fabric for lining. I have oodles of corduroy. I just like using shirts. I won't stop making them.

11.03.2007

Dabbler


Weed- Infared
Originally uploaded by lpdesigns
I macrame a little, sew a little, write a little, read a lot. I'm a dabbler. I am. I think I should focus, but I know I never could. Not fully. I enjoy too many things too much.

Lately, it's been hard to blog. I just can't think of anything interesting to say. My vocabulary is too limited to really say how I feel. Odd, I guess. I'm caught in some mind/heart game. It's tiring and painful at times. I wish I understood me better than I do. This would be so much easier then. It would also be easier if there was someone I could talk to about all this. But there isn't. I don't let anyone get that close.

Post Picture: This was a weed in my backyard. I cropped it and changed the color. We have no albino plants in our yard. :P

11.02.2007

Blurble 11.02

Rental

Ha, I just realized that today's date 1102 is the number for the store where I used to work. Not the phone number, but the little code number that distinguish it from the 2999 other stores in the country. I'm still so glad I'm not working there anymore.

Today I will:
Photograph new wristlet(s)
Restring at least one of the two necklaces I have to repair
Finish an ACEO
Topstich other wristlet straps
Persuade Dad to puh-lease trim the wood for the magnets. (I generally cut the myself, but these two pieces need to be trimmed with the big saw first. *treasures her fingers*)
Work on my room.
Drink something hot, it's freezing here

That's all I can think of at the moment. I'll have to talk to my mom, too. Discuss functions in math. Don't get 'em. First step is to get off the computer, which I'll do after this post. :P

Post Picture: A rental car we had for a week while our back-up car, which is now our only car, was in the shop. It was a sweet little ride. Little. After our van, it was a smidge cramped.

11.01.2007

November


Brush in hand
Originally uploaded by lpdesigns
I can't believe it's almost Christmas...ish. I can't believe the year's almost over. I can't believe I just made a wristlet in one sitting. :P I'll adjust though.

I finished a practice SAT yesterday. My score was about 1900, the thing would be graded on a curve so it's an estimate. I guess that's not bad. It's better than average. But I really want to pull up my math score. Grr...never liked math. (There's a long story why I haven't taken this test yet, but, well, it's boring.)

I should have new wristlets to list in the coming days. This is good because I'm down to one in the shop. I ran out of the lining fabric that I used in that one, but I have others, not quite as colorful. I need to go looking for more.

Pretty much everyday I'm uncovering something new about myself. Some strange belief I've held onto for too long, something that makes no sense. It's amazing what sticks in my head sometimes. I'm getting better. Slowly. Like progress on my room. Ha, I'll get this done if...well, I just say I'll get it done.

Post Picture: My hand as I stain the closet door in the sunroom. I had to take it out of my bedroom.