6.30.2009

ThisNext:: thepinkneedle

thepinkneedle:: Squirrel Japanese Fabric Pin

With the new shop launch, I've gone back to Etsy forums, not solely to promote, but not like I used to. Man, I could spend hours surfing forums. Anyway.

There were several reasons why I left and there were good. But I had forgotten what a wealth of shops there are to easily find via forums. Most of my favorites in beta days, when I was a newbie and search was...search, came that way. This button is one of my recent finds.

Cuteness? ! has it!
I mean, seriously. I just about melted when i saw this. her whole shop is full of cute. from thepinkneedle.


As always, if you want to follow my picks between Tuesdays you can check them out here or subscribe.

6.29.2009

A story

Once upon a time I started making magnets:



To make this magnets I would measure long planks of wood and saw them by hand.

iSaw


This was a time-consuming and sometimes inaccurate work. I couldn't do a bunch at a time. (the ones below are sanded...separate step)

Productivity- day 6


I ran out of blanks recently and bought four boards. After much procrastinating, I measured them off yesterday and aimed to cut them all today:

boards


Dad saw me and said, "Let me show you how to use the table and radial saws." *gulp* We donned some safety gear and...

blanks


Done! In less than half the time and far less physical effort, I have about 150 new magnet blanks waiting to be sanded. I'm so happy...and empowered. Now it's time for cake.

cake

recipe from smitten kitchen, photo is mine

6.27.2009

[dots] v4



I finished a fourth set of dots earrings, tiny little beaded pretties to dot your ears with a touch of color and a lot of style. That's the copy I made up for them. I'm always a little tentative when I start a new set, but then I photograph and they're so cute...I just love them.

Chels, Paleo, Sunnyside, and Chunk in Choco from nearest to farthest. They're all on sale for 15% off. !!!

6.25.2009

Project Decon



I could probably make another column (are you groaning?) of all the things I've deconstructed and made over. It's a different kind of fulfillment when you take a finished piece and change it to your liking.

This is a necklace of my mother's. Neither of us like to wear really long necklaces. (I love to look at them and admire ladies who can pull off the look) She wants me to shorten it and make a pair of earrings.

I took a before picture, because I rarely do and she thought I should. Plus, I'd had the idea of photographing necklaces on hangers, in lieu of a mannequin, for a while. So, two birds with one stone. Now, to unmake it.

6.24.2009

Inspiration



I'd been a bit of a slump. They are a fact of creative life and seem to strike me around the same time every year- April-June, though it seemed to skip last year. (must look into that) Going through them is rather...well, hellish. Half-baked ideas, limited resources or know-how or motivation. Motivation is key. You *can* do anything...if your heart is in it. And mine wasn't in creating.

Coming out of a slump is like being born...or something. (I don't actually remember being born) It's like I'm starting all over. So it's fitting that I'm starting the shop over as well.

The trigger this time was the lovely Chelsea of Papercakes. We talk on Twitter and Flickr and I realized she had a love for the color combo of aqua and turquoise. Honestly, I'd never thought of putting the two together, but did see that they were very complimentary. So I took out my beads and thread and made up a few pairs of earrings. They will be listed soon.

And I'm back.

Post Picture: The earrings I made, inspired by Chelsea.

6.23.2009

ThisNext:: Mississippi Clock - White

Mississippi Clock - White

This isn't handmade, but it's clever. Kinda hard to read from the pic but each line so 'one mississippi, two mississippi, etc.' Plus, you know I heart clocks.

As seen on Chad's page.
From Target

As always, if you want to follow my picks between Tuesdays you can check them out here or subscribe.

(via chad)

6.22.2009

WB- Friends and family

Yesterday was Father's Day in the US. My dad didn't give us a list of gift ideas until Saturday. Most of them were either mail order or wait out of my current price range. He'll get something later.

We spent the day with some friends from out-of-state. We went out to lunch, sat and talked, ate cake and ice cream, and played pictionary. It's a beautiful thing when the line between family and friends gets blurred. Good people. Great times!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

6.20.2009

Open!



The new shop is open for business. I'm crazy excited. It really feels like I'm starting over.

To celebrate, I'm running a 15% off everything sale. Listings are already marked down. Sale runs June 20th-27th. An extra goodie or two to the first customer.

6.19.2009

News- On the move



Hey! Hey!

I've hinted at it in past posts. Letting you know I really am relocating my Etsy shop. The new addy is http://elpy.etsy.com. Go ahead and heart it there. I will open June 20th.
There will be new merch and perhaps a sale or two.
:)

6.16.2009

Epic

I cleaned my desk off today. That is huge. I'd been wanting to just sweep everything on my desk off of it for a long time. But instead I just kept organizing the junk into piles, throwing stuff away when it became particularly insane, but in keeping most of it. Today, I swept it all off. Wiped the surface clean. And then took pictures...which I haven't uploaded yet because the camera friendly PC was down. Then I carefully selected which things to put back. I decided:

  • pencil and pen cup, that also contains paintbrushes, scissors, and an American flag

  • bead mat- the furry kind that stop beads from rolling around higgledy-piggledy

  • small plastic drawers- i have more beads and half-finished knotted pieces in that

  • scotch tape

  • three small plastic container that contain bits of project leftovers...i will sort through them later

  • pliers


So I'm set up for jewelry making now. I also made three pairs of earrings, one pair of Acutes and two pairs of Dots. That makes today epic. I'd been struggling creatively for a long time. Slumps are almost painful, but they also give you time to learn other things. For me, it was knitting.

So I shall new things to list in the coming week when I open elpy anew.
:)

6.11.2009

ThisNext:: Maytreeark

Maytreeark- The Hipshack

I was first in line at the 'I hate fanny pack/bum bags' club opening. My parents had them. My grandparents gave me several. I couldn't understand when anyone would attach a bag to themselves to draw attention to their hips and gut. Until I saw this adorable little thing. It's a tiny satchel to fit all your necessity. It can be worn on your waist or on your shop.

If they make a comeback and are this darling, I will have to change my stance. From Maytreeark.

As always, if you want to follow my picks between Tuesdays you can check them out here or subscribe.

Also, I've started a list for Father's day. Hope you'll check it out.
:)

6.09.2009

Blurble- Blog-Its

I figured post-its were probably trademarked. Don't want any trouble. Anyway, here's a short list of giveaways, sales and other info I've happened upon:

Letterpress Giveaway on Poppytalk- win a pack of pretty letterpress prints, cards and other goods from up to 38 different indie printers. Enter by June 11.

10% sale at oktak- to commemorate a sales milestone, the lovely Aki of oktak is offering 10% off any purchase made by June 10th. I love her work. You will not be sorry.

Buyers Market- 100 small actions- the list of small things you can do to grow your business is halfway done. Check it out!

Heatwave Sale on Threadless- Recently discovered Threadless and feel. in. love! haha! A varied selection of their tees are on sale for $5 and $10 until June 10. They're going fast so check it out, now!

Hmm, that's it for now. Hope you check out a few of them.
:)

6.06.2009

By Its Cover- The Storm by Frederick Buechner



By Its Cover is independent book review column. Selections are mostly made based on the book's cover. I'm testing the old saying in my quest to find new favorite authors and books.



Title: The Storm
Author: Frederick Buechner

Sometimes you read a book and upon finishing it you squeal a little squeal, cry a little tear, sigh a little sigh, each in complete contentment. Then immediately you want to read it again. That's how I felt about The Storm.

It's the quietly told story of Kenzie Maxwell, a man of nearly 70, thrice-married and kinda of shiftless. He's had some late success as a writer. But the story is more about the past and his group of loosely related relatives.

Twenty years ago, while working at a shelter for teenagers run by his brother, Kenzie became romantically involved with a 17-year-old girl named Kia. She gets pregnant and has a child, a girl named Gabrielle...called Bree. During the birth, Kia dies.

This scandal forces the brothers apart and Kenzie to leave the city. As so it goes until it comes near Kenzie's 70th birthday. He's married now, to wife #3. They live with her adult son on a gated community sort of island off the coast of Florida. Bree, who's been raised by Kenzie's sister, has been invited for the occasion. Dalton- the brother, and his stepson, have been summoned to the island by its proprietress...he's her lawyer. So a family reunion is all but imminent. How will it go off? Dalton's never harbored any anger or resentment toward Kenzie. Can they be reconciled? Can sense be made of this disjointed family?

This, to me, is what The Wasp Eater tried to be: dreamlike and lucid. Buechner's style is enveloping and deftly takes you in the heads of each member of this small cast. Much of the book is relating the backstory of the characters, yet it doesn't have the feel of a history book. It's distinct, thoughtful and well-crafted, full of emotion and wonder in its own still way. I enjoyed it.

6.03.2009

Hardly Working



So I've been misleading you. I haven't really been reading that much about restarting my Etsy shop. I haven't made many brand new things or even designed them. I stare at my beads and wood and fabric and see nothing...nothing at all.

I've been reading a lot of library books, fiction mostly. Should have a new BIC to put up soon. I've been trying, though to a lesser degree, to sort out how I can pay for college in the fall. I miss school and really want to go back.

I got my license about two months ago. I've been riding my bike around a town more than ever. (should probably buy a helmet) I've been finding projects I've abandoned...and starting new ones instead.

I've been twittering, Flickring, ThisNexting and doing many manner of procrastinating-ish things because...well, I don't know why.

I'm not even sure if I should blog something like this. Probably makes me looks aimless. Guess I am a little. I'm not giving up. That much I know. I'm just a little lost, I think.

I want to be one of those purposed persons. I want to be content where I am because I know where I'm going...at least somewhat. I want to have a plan or a schedule or some list of goals of things to achieve...but I'm not sure what I want to achieve. And so around the monkey's barn I go again.

I hope to find my way back to productivity soon.

Post Picture:
One of the pea plants in our garden has flowered. I thought it looked pretty.

6.02.2009

ThisNext:: BeadsInTheBelfry

BeadsInTheBelfry:: Mariposas - Sterling Silver Butterfly Stud Earrings - Made to Order

Aren't these adorable?! Butterflies are a timeless motif. This are tiny post earrings. As the designer, the lovely Nina Jackson, describes them:
Feminine. Cute. Simple. Classic.

A new design from Beads in the Belfry

As always, if you want to follow my picks between Tuesdays you can check them out here or subscribe.

Also, I've started a list for Father's day. Hope you'll check it out.
:)

6.01.2009

WB- Specs



The weekend involved ice cream. The weekend was good.
:)

I'm reading blog articles to get back before I start over on etsy as elpy. It's good I think. I really want to do it right this time. I'm also gonna try to get some new things made for the launch. Finally photo and list the woodburned art pieces. Fun times, man!

Post Picture: Me and my Habers, free sunglasses I got from a ThisNext contest. They're from Habervision, style name Dallas. They're a different breed of eyewear. And again, I'm shocking myself with how much I look like my dad.