I'm sitting here, at a new coffee shop, and very much enjoying myself. [More about that later] but i seriously can't pay attention. Since my trip, there has been a stream of processing about so many different things, and it's been draining me. I haven't been able to do my work in almost two weeks now, and it's just ridiculous!!
Here's my on-going "to do" list;
* Write a marketing plan. (I need help) :(
* Make new jewels. (this one is sooo hard right now!)
* Add new jewels to website and Etsy.
* Send out my catalog to galleries. (Man, i procrastinated so long i screwed myself)
* Get sanity back. (ha)
* Call my relatives.
* Do ANYTHING other then sit on the internet.
I really need to get my act together. How do you folks stay motivated?
![Nightly Doodles [and Cherry Runway]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVh3m-gRT4IJc5n0jiO3TMZL3Bg1Zy-c5I83M5exgW9P06-rxY9TCiC-2P1cOsC0ppUMeQlyYZhKTs1MotFl0zlNdLY7hsWn6fvNRGW9xSE4dk-y5ntBdDUHNwAR0iTrQOHjzo7ogGKih/s1600/NightlyDoodlesbanner.jpg)
Thursday, March 6, 2008
The Crafting Avenue.
I first met Avery about a year ago, Avery has a shoppe called Avenue Handmade. She makes cool recycled jewelry out of spoons and hand stitches greeting cards to give them a textured effect.
How long have you been crafting?
My whole life, it seems! Being homeschooled from kindergarten on, I can't remember a time when I wasn't finding creative ways to occupy myself, coming up with projects or games to do with my brother and sister, or making toys or gifts out of miscellaneous household items. I once made an entire dollhouse out of cardboard boxes and furnished it with furniture (and dolls!) I made out of popsicle sticks, glue, and fabric scraps. Oh, and there was that switchboard system I created out of a cardboard box and a set of airplane earphones…I guess one of my favorite materials was cardboard. *grin* I also loved origami as a kid. And friendship bracelets—I think making those was pretty much a rite of passage for almost every girl growing up in the nineties. Friendship bracelets were the first craft I ever sold, I think. I was a Girl Scout in middle school, which is when I learned how to use a sewing machine and read a pattern—I think the first thing I made was a culotte set! Haha. In high school and beyond I learned to crochet, and continued to make things (clothes, jewelry, cards) for my own use, partly out of thriftiness, but also because most mass-produced items just didn't appeal to me in one way or another. I always handmade most of my Christmas gifts because I never had much money to buy things. The year I learned to crochet, everyone I knew got a crocheted scarf or hat or purse! In the past year or so I've kind of found my niche as far as jewelry goes. As my personal tastes and interests have evolved, I've developed a more distinct style in what I create—which ends up incorporating mostly vintage or recycled household items, so I guess you could say I've simply returned to my childhood roots. Recycled silverware jewelry isn't such a far cry from dollhouse furniture made of popsicle sticks, when you think about it.
Did you always craft in this genre?
Which genre? See above. :)
Who or what inspires you?
Well, there's the obvious: color, texture, pattern, shape--when I'm working on jewelry or making a scarf, my most immediate sources of inspiration are probably visual ones. But on a whole, I am inspired by stories--the stories inherent in old things (whose hand held the spoon handle I turned into a pendant? whose clothing was held on by one of my vintage buttons? who found their way with an old map that I made into a collage?), the stories that we create around objects that are important to us, the stories we tell about ourselves with what we create, or how we style ourselves. My husband and family inspire me to work hard, and to have confidence in myself.
What challenges have you found while taking your craft into the business world?
I think I was a bit naive when I began trying to sell my jewelry. I had no idea that the marketplace for handmade goods was so large--and so competitive. I struggled for a while, and it took me some time to find my own unique niche and style among the thousands and thousands of other artists who are already out there, being successful. It was a challenge to keep making what I love (rather than what I thought would sell) when I suddenly realized that my creations were just a tiny speck in an ocean, not the rare, unique things I had thought they were. Fortunately, I have some incredible friends who are not afraid to tell it like it is and who really helped me get some perspective on the issue, and although I may not be as successful as I'd hoped by this point, I feel like I am beginning to really come into my own as a designer and artist--and that's so much more important.
Marketing is a challenge for me. It's not in my nature to self-promote. But I'm learning. Also, I'm not a very business-minded person, so I have always been pretty intimidated at the thought of getting incorporated and paying taxes and treating my craft like the legitimate business that it is. I'd much rather just go back to the barter system or something...keep it simple, right? But that's not the world we live in, so I'm trying to adapt. I just officially incorporated my business! Now I have to start collecting and reporting sales tax...but that's a challenge I don't want to think about right now.
I'm sure she'd love to hear from you! Let her know what you think of her perdy jewels! :)
How long have you been crafting?
My whole life, it seems! Being homeschooled from kindergarten on, I can't remember a time when I wasn't finding creative ways to occupy myself, coming up with projects or games to do with my brother and sister, or making toys or gifts out of miscellaneous household items. I once made an entire dollhouse out of cardboard boxes and furnished it with furniture (and dolls!) I made out of popsicle sticks, glue, and fabric scraps. Oh, and there was that switchboard system I created out of a cardboard box and a set of airplane earphones…I guess one of my favorite materials was cardboard. *grin* I also loved origami as a kid. And friendship bracelets—I think making those was pretty much a rite of passage for almost every girl growing up in the nineties. Friendship bracelets were the first craft I ever sold, I think. I was a Girl Scout in middle school, which is when I learned how to use a sewing machine and read a pattern—I think the first thing I made was a culotte set! Haha. In high school and beyond I learned to crochet, and continued to make things (clothes, jewelry, cards) for my own use, partly out of thriftiness, but also because most mass-produced items just didn't appeal to me in one way or another. I always handmade most of my Christmas gifts because I never had much money to buy things. The year I learned to crochet, everyone I knew got a crocheted scarf or hat or purse! In the past year or so I've kind of found my niche as far as jewelry goes. As my personal tastes and interests have evolved, I've developed a more distinct style in what I create—which ends up incorporating mostly vintage or recycled household items, so I guess you could say I've simply returned to my childhood roots. Recycled silverware jewelry isn't such a far cry from dollhouse furniture made of popsicle sticks, when you think about it.
Did you always craft in this genre?
Which genre? See above. :)
Who or what inspires you?
Well, there's the obvious: color, texture, pattern, shape--when I'm working on jewelry or making a scarf, my most immediate sources of inspiration are probably visual ones. But on a whole, I am inspired by stories--the stories inherent in old things (whose hand held the spoon handle I turned into a pendant? whose clothing was held on by one of my vintage buttons? who found their way with an old map that I made into a collage?), the stories that we create around objects that are important to us, the stories we tell about ourselves with what we create, or how we style ourselves. My husband and family inspire me to work hard, and to have confidence in myself.
What challenges have you found while taking your craft into the business world?
I think I was a bit naive when I began trying to sell my jewelry. I had no idea that the marketplace for handmade goods was so large--and so competitive. I struggled for a while, and it took me some time to find my own unique niche and style among the thousands and thousands of other artists who are already out there, being successful. It was a challenge to keep making what I love (rather than what I thought would sell) when I suddenly realized that my creations were just a tiny speck in an ocean, not the rare, unique things I had thought they were. Fortunately, I have some incredible friends who are not afraid to tell it like it is and who really helped me get some perspective on the issue, and although I may not be as successful as I'd hoped by this point, I feel like I am beginning to really come into my own as a designer and artist--and that's so much more important.
Marketing is a challenge for me. It's not in my nature to self-promote. But I'm learning. Also, I'm not a very business-minded person, so I have always been pretty intimidated at the thought of getting incorporated and paying taxes and treating my craft like the legitimate business that it is. I'd much rather just go back to the barter system or something...keep it simple, right? But that's not the world we live in, so I'm trying to adapt. I just officially incorporated my business! Now I have to start collecting and reporting sales tax...but that's a challenge I don't want to think about right now.
I'm sure she'd love to hear from you! Let her know what you think of her perdy jewels! :)
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Lollipop Florals
I love the brilliant color of these earrings. They remind me of a happy lollipop just waiting for attention. These cute glass flower beads and raining down Turquoise colored Czech glass beads, and hang on Sterling Silver ear wires.
I feel like a grown up...
I feel like a grown up, talking landline to landline.
- Lindsey H
Oh..how our generation lives on our cell phones.
- Lindsey H
Oh..how our generation lives on our cell phones.
Paintings You Wish You Could Eat!
I 1st saw Abbey's painting's on Etsy. Abbey's shop is called Ryan Studio. She has these brilliant paintings on there that make me hungry just looking at them. I love her painting style, and love all of the random subjects she paints. She also has a neat blog where she posts her daily paintings.
My name is Abbey Ryan, and I currently live in Philadelphia.
How long have you been crafting?
I have been painting for as long as I can remember. I only really started to study painting in college, but I have pictures of me at age 3 and 4 standing at my easel, painting away! So, I guess I have been seriously doing oil painting for about 8 years. I graduated with my MFA in painting in 2007, and since September I have been selling my small daily oil paintings online - http://ryanstudio.blogspot.com
Did you always craft in this genre?
I have consistently painted with oils since college, but I also do scientific illustration and design work. In addition, my personal studio practice (aside from my daily oil paintings) consists of works on paper using ink and graphite. These are shown on my web site, http://abbeyryan.com.
Who or what inspires you?
I find that I am most inspired in my life by positive energy, freedom, and nature. Color is an important inspiration for me - as it relates to light. I'm drawn to moments where colors are subtly manipulated through the presence or absence of light. The music of Bob Dylan and Patty Griffin have also been huge sources of inspiration for me as well. I spend so much time in the studio, and am usually listening to either Bob or Patty. :) And of course, I am also inspired by my amazingly supportive family (especially my mom, Liz Ryan, who's also a painter -- http://eryanstudio.com ).
What challenges have you found while taking your craft into the business world?
I am relatively new to the business aspect of making art. I've found it to be incredibly inspiring and exciting to sell my work directly to art-lovers via the internet. Thus far, I've also relied just on word of mouth to get my work out there. I think getting publicity is the biggest challenge, but it's also a really fun part of the process, too.
So head over to Abbey's shop and tell her hello, she's really nice and I'm sure she'd love to hear from you! :)
My name is Abbey Ryan, and I currently live in Philadelphia.
How long have you been crafting?
I have been painting for as long as I can remember. I only really started to study painting in college, but I have pictures of me at age 3 and 4 standing at my easel, painting away! So, I guess I have been seriously doing oil painting for about 8 years. I graduated with my MFA in painting in 2007, and since September I have been selling my small daily oil paintings online - http://ryanstudio.blogspot.com
Did you always craft in this genre?
I have consistently painted with oils since college, but I also do scientific illustration and design work. In addition, my personal studio practice (aside from my daily oil paintings) consists of works on paper using ink and graphite. These are shown on my web site, http://abbeyryan.com.
Who or what inspires you?
I find that I am most inspired in my life by positive energy, freedom, and nature. Color is an important inspiration for me - as it relates to light. I'm drawn to moments where colors are subtly manipulated through the presence or absence of light. The music of Bob Dylan and Patty Griffin have also been huge sources of inspiration for me as well. I spend so much time in the studio, and am usually listening to either Bob or Patty. :) And of course, I am also inspired by my amazingly supportive family (especially my mom, Liz Ryan, who's also a painter -- http://eryanstudio.com ).
What challenges have you found while taking your craft into the business world?
I am relatively new to the business aspect of making art. I've found it to be incredibly inspiring and exciting to sell my work directly to art-lovers via the internet. Thus far, I've also relied just on word of mouth to get my work out there. I think getting publicity is the biggest challenge, but it's also a really fun part of the process, too.
So head over to Abbey's shop and tell her hello, she's really nice and I'm sure she'd love to hear from you! :)
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Calorie Free Cupcakes
Jessie has a shoppe called Cake Spy. I've been happily reading her blog for some time now, and am quite pleased to write about her on my blog. Her drawing style is RIGHT up my ally! She has her own adorable drawing style, and humorous adventures her little "cake spy" takes.
I have been making stuff since before I can even remember! My mom has a picture of me in my high chair with pigtails, concentrating intensely and coloring happy faces.
That having been said, I am rather new to the crafting culture, and so far have only been doing framed pieces. I am looking to add cupcake plushies and figurines to my offerings soon.
I try to get inspiration from everyday life, in a flaneur-like fashion: bakery cases, cool buildings and architecture, and magazines and books. I also love a lot of "blogs" out there, from design-y ones like Oh Joy or Decor8 to foodie ones like Cupcakes Take the Cake, Whipped, Bake and Destroy and the Urban Housewife. In terms of art, I love great line drawings--some of my favorite artists are Saul Steinberg, James Thurber and William Steig; for painters, I adore Wayne Thiebaud (the cake guy!) and Jean Miro.
Some challenges I've found have been cost of goods--since I sell framed pieces, the costs can really add up so I have to be smart about that. Also, it might be a little bit outside of what you asked, but taxes!! It's a whole lot more to keep track of than if you had a day job and had your employer do it all for you. I have to mentally take 20% off of each sale for the taxman!
She's a very talented gal, so go check out her etsy, and then head over to Jessie's blog to read about the cake she spies. :)
I have been making stuff since before I can even remember! My mom has a picture of me in my high chair with pigtails, concentrating intensely and coloring happy faces.
That having been said, I am rather new to the crafting culture, and so far have only been doing framed pieces. I am looking to add cupcake plushies and figurines to my offerings soon.
I try to get inspiration from everyday life, in a flaneur-like fashion: bakery cases, cool buildings and architecture, and magazines and books. I also love a lot of "blogs" out there, from design-y ones like Oh Joy or Decor8 to foodie ones like Cupcakes Take the Cake, Whipped, Bake and Destroy and the Urban Housewife. In terms of art, I love great line drawings--some of my favorite artists are Saul Steinberg, James Thurber and William Steig; for painters, I adore Wayne Thiebaud (the cake guy!) and Jean Miro.
Some challenges I've found have been cost of goods--since I sell framed pieces, the costs can really add up so I have to be smart about that. Also, it might be a little bit outside of what you asked, but taxes!! It's a whole lot more to keep track of than if you had a day job and had your employer do it all for you. I have to mentally take 20% off of each sale for the taxman!
She's a very talented gal, so go check out her etsy, and then head over to Jessie's blog to read about the cake she spies. :)
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Whole Grain Bread to Cigarettes....
Generally, I'm a pretty healthy person. At least, i am when i cook for myself.
I went to Publix yesterday, and picked out my weekly groceries. As i was in line, and glancing happily at the conveyer belt at the grocery store, pondering all the wonderful things i shall make with these [healthy] goodies, this old lady with a raspy voice ahead of me was talking to the bag girl. The girl left and brought back three packages of cigarettes, while in her cart was just beer. This lady had to be at least 75. It seemed quite strange comparing our carts, and thinking about our day to day lives as we use these groceries.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)