Getting Ready for Augusta Ky - Art in the Garden

Whew... this year my goal is to "brand" myself.  Not the painful kind with an iron, but the good kind..the kind that makes people recognize my show booth by the colors and how it is set up.  I started to do that last year with my cards and banners matching the colors I use on my website and blogs.

So far this year I have boxes (aqua) and brown bags with labels, new table covers in ivory and I am working on my displays and set up to reflect my style.  In an effort to not only save some money, but to make everything "match" the colors of my banner I decided to try to paint my old inexpensive neck forms.  You know the ones...those fake leather ones.  I had black and white in various sizes.  The black ones were still pretty good, but the white ones have seen better days.  They seem to get marks and smudges pretty easily.  I was at Lowe's and had a thought...why not spray paint them???!!!  So I bought an antique copper and a pearl ivory and came home and started to spray.

Well the black ones look fabulous now...

Exactly what I wanted a nice rich brown that sparkles just a bit in the sun.  They covered easily and dried quickly.

The white ones were another story.  The spray paint is supposed to prime and paint all at once, but some of those marks were not getting covered.  So then I applied a spray on white primer...my mistake of course wasn't allowing for drying time (who isn't in a big hurry to see how stuff comes out?).  The second they felt dry I added the ivory.  Big mistake!  Now they are all sticky and if you try to fold them down and stack them when you check them the next day they are all stuck together.  And when you pull them apart they look worse than when I started. Notice that I didn't post a picture of that mess.

So the wheels in the poor overworked brain started to turn again.  I need those displays for Saturday!  What am I going to do?  Even if I placed an order right now they won't be here in time.  So I trolled the internet and pinterest yesterday to get ideas.  The problem with that is I am easily distracted by all the other cool ideas in the show booths I saw.  Finally yesterday I thought, why not use paper and decoupage them.  I stopped at WalMart on my way home but they didn't have any ivory crepe paper.  I knew I had a variety at home but didn't think I had ivory.  So I gave up and decided to look for some today and tomorrow.  I looked in my stash today and woo hoo...there was an unopened package of ivory.  I ripped open the pack and crumpled it up because I wanted the stands to look a little funky.  A little spray adhesive, some patting and then I also added a few torn pieces to the surface and I LOVE them!!!

I like them so much I am not going to try to seal them.  If they get messed up I can rip off the bad part and add another scrunched up sheet.  It is hard to see in these pictures but they are the perfect shade of ivory.  I love that I was able to rescue my 4 year old el cheapo neck forms and that they will be unique in my booth.  I've never seen anything  like these...maybe I shouldn't share this with you all.  Nah, use the ideas..just make them your own style.

Happy crafting!

What's Happening

So, I have made a few things out of my bead soup beads, but you won't get even a hint here about what.  You will have to check back on reveal day.  I challenged myself and did a new technique with some of it.

Yesterday I had two really great things happen.  I woke up to get ready to go to breakfast and an antique show with my friend Paula Provenzano.  We were having breakfast at First Watch then up to the Cintas Center at Xavier University for the first Cincinnati Indoor Antique Market.  I got a few bargains and found a jewelry box to use as part of my display at shows.  I have been looking for unique items for jewelry display and loved the way this one opens to reveal several levels and drawers.  It will make it easy for me to do a mini trunk show at the salon I work at as well.  Just open it up and show off jewelry to potential customers.  I love poking around and looking in all the booths and bins for bits and pieces to add to my jewelry designs as well.

Like I always do, I opened up my email while I drank my first giant cup of coffee to see that I was featured on a blog by Barbara Lewis of Painting with Fire.  She had sent an email with some questions awhile ago and life got a bit too busy for me to respond.  I sent her an apology and once the first of the year hit I sat down to answer her back.  I was really honored and surprised to be asked.  I mean, I'm just Lynnea in Cincinnati making stuff...who'd want to read about me?  But, I answered the questions and as I did I realized there are people like me all over.  Making stuff....not sure where they are headed.  So I had to say....Why not me?

I've been doing a lot of reorganizing and restructuring my webpages and blogs and stores as my work has evolved in the last year.  I have a few close friends who insist I call what I do art, so I have in fact started to use that word more when I describe the creations I make. I was looking thru an old photobucket album and realizing that what I sold even 3 years ago is almost unrecognizable as my work today.  My friend Paula said maybe that whack on the head in my car accident was a really good thing!  I had to laugh, but could have really done without that whack thank you very much!

I really appreciate all the support I am receiving from my family and friends and the arts community both local and virtual.  I never dreamed that I'd be doing what I do now and have anyone notice it, let alone someone who wrote a book know who I am!  I'm looking forward to 2012 and seeing what I create and how my work continues to evolve.

As I said in my interview....there is no wrong in art!  Make what you love.

Here I come 2012

So, I never dreamed I'd say this, but I closed my Artfire store.  I did quite a bit of evaluation of costs vs sales and decided to try out another venue.  It was difficult to let it go, I've had it for a long time (I was a beta tester).  But, I looked at the overall picture and most of my sales are now either in person or from Face Book.  That being said I will be opening a new store in the next day.  I've found another site that specifically promotes handmade artisans and the owner does lots to promote the individual artists.  I am excited to clean out the old stock and begin my store anew!  I've added new features to my Face Book Page, such as a store that you can purchase from right on the site as well as links to my web page.

There have been a lot of changes in my personal and my professional life and I am looking forward to what is going to be happening artistically for me in 2012.  I have gained a wonderful online community of artists and some local supporters that are helping me look at my artwork and business in a whole new way.

So Here I Go With Another Blog

Yes, I have 3 blogs already, but it seems that ArtFire suggests that I maintain one here too.  Today I am going to talk about some questions I was asked by a group of non-crafty friends.

My friend Maureen is intrigued by the fact that I managed to mix the side of my brain that is all business with the side that is the artist.  I really don't know how that works!  It just always does.  I know many people who are all one or the other.  I constantly try to look at my art as my passion and make things that I love, but I also have to keep an eye on the business of craft. 

The business of craft is what pays the bills and lets me keep buying supplies and learning new techniques, so it is at times the most important part of what we do.  How much to charge? What to create? To do shows or just sell on line?  These are questions a successful business has to ask all the time.

But the artist hates this, we just wanna make what we make how we make it and be paid for it.

I have probably made stuff for my entire life.  Many gifts were made before I decided that I might be good enough to sell my jewelry designs.  I started out selling to my clients at the hair salon I worked at, which evolved into putting a display in the salon I then owned.  At that time lots of sparkly crystal stuff was popular and I often mixed my designs with purchases items to sell. 

When I had to close the salon I had to concentrate on supporting my family, and I made some things, but didn't try to make that a big part of my income.  A few years in I started to do a few small shows and got a tote to bring things into work to show off.  I can honestly say my friend Paula pushed me into doing more shows.  And to her credit (and retail experience) I did pretty good that year.  I was so lucky to have her to drag to shows to sell stuff with me.  She could sell ice to Eskimos!

Business was doing pretty good and my style had begun to evolve when I had several life crisis at one time.  My husband lost his job and about 3 months later I was in a horrible car accident.  I am lucky to be here, but my creative mojo wasn't happening for about 4 months.  I pretty much took a year off to recover and then one day I wanted to make stuff again and it wasn't a struggle.

Once again I have to thank Paula for encouraging me thru out this whole process.  She gave me a commission order for a necklace that she needed for a friend.  Here is what I made for her...



Her friend had just lost a foot to a rapidly growing cancer and she wanted to give her a symbol to remind her of her strength.

I can't tell you how many resin coated pendants I have made since then!  But I have a brain that won't stop so I evolved my work yet again with torch fired enamels.  I came across Painting with Fire by Barbara Lewis.  I decided to spend the money for the starter kit and fell in love with the method.  Here are a few things I have made with my enameled pieces



And then....this evolved to fold forming!  Since I had a torch I could easily heat the metal up and create things from them



In the necklace above, I used enamel, fold forming and yet another thing...Patina!  So do you all see where this is going?  Yup, I took a lampwork class after I had a fantastic show (I took 3rd place in fine art) and even though I never anticipated I would, now I have a kiln, oxygen concentrator, 2 (yes 2) torches and a supply of glass.  Here is a necklace with my beads on it...


So as you can see, it is a journey.

Maureen bought this necklace the other day



She asked me how did I come up with this design and I had to tell her that it just kind of comes to me.  Another friend said "so you don't do a sketch ahead of time?" And I had to say no, sometimes the pieces just speak to me.  They come together on my workspace and I have an a HA moment.  And sometimes it is an oh no moment when you try to put things together and you shake your head and say nope that doesn't work.

So that is the art side of what we do.  The business side has to say "what should I charge for this"?  I have a mentor who constantly tells me I undercharge, and I probably do.  But, in this economy I try to make sure I make a profit and make my jewelry accessible to a wide group of clients.  I almost always have some earrings in the $10 range at a show and a few show pieces that are over my magic $50 number.  The big deal pieces will draw them in, but most of the time people buy multiple of the lower priced pieces and end up spending the same amount, but feeling satisfied because they got more for the $$ they spent

I keep track of what shows were successful, and which ones I would never do again (even if the booth space were free).  I also look at the potential to grow my customer base, like the dance convention I did.  This year was ok, but next year the ladies will be waiting for me to be there and ready to buy. 

I am also evolving my displays and set up this year.  I want to have a more cohesive set up which may involve using my sewing skills to make skirts and table covers.  I am also haunting flea markets and antique markets for fabulous finds to repurpose as displays (or use in my designs)

I look to expand the number of shows I do next year as well as introduce a display at my current salon location and also to continue to evolve my skills and designs style.  No matter how long you have been making "stuff:", you are never done learning and going down new avenues of creativity!

Fabulous Flops not Flip Flops

I admit it...I am a flip flopaholic.  The minute it gets warm my toes scream for release from the shoes I've worn all winter.   I have sparkly ones, flat ones, colorful ones, jeweled ones, expensive ones and cheap ones.  Todays blog is all about the cheap ones.  Last year I bought 2 pairs at Walmart a grey pair and a purple/pink pair.  I wanted something to wear to the pool and to throw on to walk the dog.  The grey ones are boring, but well worn as I slip them on all the time and have even caught myself out in public in them.  The other pair were still tied together with that plastic thingy (you know the one you hate because you can't tell if they fit).

Today as I was browsing Pinterest my new obsession on the internet I came across a picture of a really fun pair of flip flops with fabric straps.  I clicked on the link and found a fabulous tutorial by The Mother Huddle.  Her instructions are great so there is no need for me to write my own.  I happened to have some pre-cut fabric strips I picked up at Hancock Fabric.  They are usually used for quilt binding.  The nice this is that they have co-ordinating fabrics in a stack together...takes all the guesswork out of it.  They are about 2 1/2 inches wide, but they worked perfectly.  I picked two that went together and cut them to about 22 inches each.  I followed the rest of the instructions and here is what I got....

My boring flip flops before

my feet are so happy with my new Fabulous Flops!

Here they are feet free

the raw materials...old flip flops and fabric

my fabric choices

my beautiful new flip flops

this is an example of what the precut strips look like

New Stuff

I had to show off a piece I just finished....It is called I've Got My Eye On You!  It is a cuff bracelet with a recycled image of an eye bead and seed beads embedded in resin.  It is for sale for $35...one size fits most it is adjustable.  You can contact me at lynneathecraftyone@gmail.com for purchasing information

Here are two more of my recent creations

This one is called Heart Works.  A resin pendant created with recycled magazine images and watch parts.  I then used aluminum wire to make the center piece and wrapped it with fiber, wire and beads.

 No, your eyes are not deceiving you...this is made from hex nuts.  I ran across a tutorial on how to make this.  I used satin cord and nuts from the hardware store.  I call it Ahh Nuts! 

These are both for sale, contact me for purchasing information.

I am always on the lookout for bead storage.  My biggest problem is that while I could have the basement family room all to myself, could kick my family out of the home office, the space I really like to work in is in the great room of my house.  Lots of great natural light and I like to be in the room with my family as much as possible.  We all run in different directions all the time and it is nice to spend whatever time we have together.  Up until now I  take over half of the dining table with my stuff when I am getting ready for a show and have various, carts, containers, bins etc everywhere.

So the other night I am surfing the web and come across this site The Original Scrap Box.

Now I am not a scrap book person, all my photos are digital these days.  But for BEADS!!!! this would be the most fantastic cabinet ever.  All that storage for all my stuff.  Right now I take over half of the dining table and have bins and containers and plastic carts all over the place.  When company is coming I have to find a place to hide it all.  With this, all I would do is put things in their bins and close the doors.

Now, it isn't inexpensive.  It runs a $1295 to $1495.  I found it on Amazon with free shipping which is a great savings as it is shipped freight.  We have to put part of it together and from the reviews I am reading it takes about 4 hours (they include a how to DVD).  My wonderful husband says just order it, but to me it is a major purchase so I have to meditate on it and save some money up for it.

When ....yes I said when....I get it I'll let you all know how much I love it and show you the full and finished cabinet.

Happy Crafting!

Getting Ready for My June 4th Show

As usual, when I know I have a show coming up I go into all out designing mode.  Not enough time in a day to make all the things I have in mind.  Since I had some requests for earrings, I made and already sold these two pairs.

Both were made using recycled images from cards and magazines and covered in resin. I am loving that they are light weight and unique.

I also made the following items.  Some are not yet listed in any of my shops.  You can contact me for purchasing information at lynneathecraftyone@gmail.com

Dragonfly Bangle $15

Believe Necklace $30

Livin the Tweet Life $30

The closest I'll get to the Hope Diamond!

Hope Necklace $30

 I also found some new display items for my upcoming show.  Garden Ridge is a dangerous place to go!  They also have a folding shelf unit I think I have to go back for.

So this will be an earring display and I bought a stand that rotates for it to sit on.  Can't light the candle, but it was too pretty not to buy.

Paula taught me to go taller in my displays..this can hold bracelets and necklaces.

You can see the size of the foam board I covered.

So, this is foam core board and an easel I got from Garden Ridge.  The board is from Hobby Lobby

I covered it  with batting and fabric.  I got clear push pins to attach jewelry to this.  I  think I will add some ribbon too.

I also have a new obsession with Pinterest.  I stumbled on it when I was looking for some DIY jewelry project tutorials.  After asking to join I had to wait to be accepted.  I guess it goes faster if you know someone else on the site and they invite you.  I have pinned things all night long.  I guess what I like about it is to see what other people like and to be able to save my favorite bookmarked items all in one place.  I seem to always see something and then can't remember where it was.  Now I click on the picture I like and "pin" it to my board and it is saved.  Other people can like or repin things I post too.  Check it out and if you want an invite leave me a comment and I'll do it.

Here are some vendors on Etsy that I either have purchased from or will purchase from soon.

Miss Fickle Media
Marsha Neal Studio
Brigete - she makes beautiful felted flowers

I have many more to list, but not enough time to list them.

Bursting with Creativity!

It's Five O'Clock Somewhere Bracelet $35

Busy Busy Busy...and beads are everywhere!  Thanks to my friend Paula Provenzano, my work is taking a brand new direction.  I still love my old designs, but I am working on a new line under the title of Miss Cellaneous Craftyness.  I decided that because what I am creating still uses a collage of materials, but has an emphasis on using some recycled or re-purposed items, that I wanted to create a division all its' own.

Paula originally requested a custom piece for her friend, and as I looked for some design ideas I was inspired to go in a more vintage, steampunk, found items direction.  Also I am utilizing metals, fabric, and resin pendants that I am creating.  It is a whole new look for me.

Here are some of my recent items:

Your Time is a Gift $30

Recycled suede cuff - $15

Mama Bird Necklace $30

Recycled T shirt Necklace with pearls and agate - $30

This and That Necklace $30

Recycled t shirt necklace with handmade bail and stone pendant $15

Lovely Lavender Necklace $25

SOLD

I am also going to do 3 shows (so far) this year.

June 4th - Art on the Avenue in Dayton KY.

July 1st - I will be a featured artist at Field of Vue in Bellevue, KY during the first Friday sale.

Sept 10th - Art In the Park - Bellevue, KY

So you will have some places to see my work in person.  I am also going to do a few open houses at On The Bend Salon

I will update my where will I be status as more shows and opportunities arise.

Thanks to all my friends and family for their support over the years.