Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Wonder Woman and other goodies.


Initially, I had some mixed feelings about my new Wonder Woman bracelet. It was just an experiment, and my expectations for it were pretty limited. Then I finished it. Hmmmm, not bad. Then I patinated it and brushed it with a steel brush. Hey, looks good! Then i tried it on... wow, this thing is pretty damn comfy!

If you want to get nit-picky, the Wonder Woman cuff doesn't look anything like the one that Linda Gray wears. It's actually much closer to resembling her kick ass headband/tiara. But still. I think it's in the spirit of female -power!


I think it's pretty fitting that i made this cuff during women's history month. A Wonder Woman bracelet for all those fabulous superhero women out there!

Monday, March 24, 2008

Relax


It's just freaking ridiculous.
I'm either stressing about too man
y sales or stressing out about not enough sales. I swear, it's never ending.The past week has been pretty quiet on my Etsy site, and so I immediately start doubting myself. I need to stop worrying, and just enjoying the fact that I actually have a second to breeeeeathe.


Deep breaths. Deep breaths. (Oh, and here's a pic of me - well, half of me. Arg
yle socks and coffee.)


Ok, off to work on some new designs!


Friday, March 21, 2008

Today I will be productive

Today I WILL be productive.
Today I will be PRODUCTIVE.

The fam will descend upon my little apt tomorrow, for some Easter festing. My roommates have been warned.

That means my parents will be sleeping in my bed, and I'll be on the couch. It also means the bathroom needs to be cleaned, the bedsheets need to be washed and the dishes need to be done.

On the upside, it also means lemon pie, ham, and some time with my parents....



okay, back to the mantra...
Today i WILL be productive.



Thursday, March 20, 2008

Obsessing

My first apartment was in upstate New York, in my hometown of Syracuse. For $300 a month, I got the top floor of a multi-family house. When I say top floor, what i mean is "attic." Nothing was insulated; it was an oven in the summer and freezing in the winter. The ceiling sloped so low, I had to sit down to take a shower. The next door neighbors dealt drugs from our shared back parking lot and my car windows were smashed more than once. Still, it was a cute little place that i filled plants and scavenged furniture. The wall were painted green, red, purple, and electric pink.

These days, I have far nicer apartment, though I pay more than double for one bedroom and have two (wonderful) roomies. And while i appreciate the hard wood floors, the balcony, and the ability to stand while i shower, sharing a small space with two other people has forced me to get rid of a lot of the furniture, housewares, and junk that crowded my previous residence.

Upon first glance, my bedroom looks relatively minimalist -- I think its forced upon you when you commit to life in NYC. You've got less space store your possessions, and only public transportation to cart your purchases from the store to your apt. Because of these realities, coupled with the fact that financially I'm usually hovering somewhere between "broke" and "destitute," I try to keep my non-essential purchases to a minimum.

However, lately I've been obsessing over finding a handmade coffee mug. This seemingly simple purchase has consumed many hours of online browsing. And it seems that the more time I invest in this search, the more particular I become.

So far, the list of requirements include:
  • Size, weight. The mug cannot be too heavy or too big. Otherwise the coffee cools off faster than it can be drunk
  • Handle. Must be in proportion to the mug itself and fit the hand comfortably
  • Color, glaze. Must be bright, but with an earthy feel. Preferably multiple colors
  • Adaptability. Must be microwave friendly
  • Price. I understand the time, and money artists invest in their work. I will happily pay more for a handmade good, as opposed to plucking something off the shelf at Target, because I know it's unique. At the same time, however, I do need to set a limit as to how much I'm able to reasonably spend on something that could very well be accidentally smashed to bits with one miscalculated elbow.
A few I've got my eye on:

From RisingSky. Love how this one is organic without looking messy.
Perfect size and great colors


Love the purple inside. Has a sort of reptilian quality to it.
Totally in a class by itself. Lois Aronow Porcelain


Great color, perfect shape and size. Wonderful details.
Made by Phenix Pottery


So whimsical and interesting. This small pic doesn't do justice to the funky tentacles crawling up the sides of the mugs. Take a closer look at Wild Card Pottery's shop.

__________________

So, will I ever decide on a mug? Or will the obsession continue to spiral out of control?? Stay tuned!

Monday, March 17, 2008

Monday.... Aughhhhh

Do I actually work a "desk" job? Some days, it feels like my 9-5 life is nothing more than an extension of my "jewelry" life. Just a different desk to sit at while i print out Paypal labels, answer convos, and re-re-re-design my packaging and banners.

Today, however, it definitely feels like an Office Space sorta day. It all boils down to the misery I feel when roll out a bed in the morning to a screaming alarm clock, a freezing cold apt (hello, $300 ConEd bill!) and then a chaotic subway commute. It's just a formula for crankiness.

I guess I'm spoiled, cause I'm sitting here at "work" wearing jeans and a thermal, sipping a cup of coffee, listening to NPR and checking my email. Pretty much exactly what I'd be doing at home. Except for the presence of that complicated looking phone on my desk ------>

Anyways, I need to shake off the Monday morning malaise, cause in a couple months summer will be here, and my 9-5 life will be history! Hooray!


So, this weekend I just worked, worked, worked.... trying to keep my head above water with orders and maybe make a new item in the process. Not really any time this weekend to make anything complex, but I did have time to create these lovely little glass and silver earrings:


They're simple, but perfect for spring. They'll be going up on my Etsy page, if you're interested!

~Happy Monday everyone~

Friday, March 7, 2008

Current Status

Today: Friday
Stress Level: 6.6
Hair: Shaggy, somewhat greasy
Productivity/Motivation: Waivering
Food Consumption: yogurt with berries and kashi. chocolate chip cookie. half a turkey and brie sandwich


Number of Post Office visits this week: 2 (plus one tomorrow)
Listening to: Old Crow Medicine Show
Current project: Deconstructed cuff bracelets



Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Hi

Seriously. I can't stop wearing these earrings! I'm going to make a huuuge pair next, like doorknobs. I put a pair up on Etsy, but no bites yet. I wish they would get some love.... Not feeling patient today.


By the way, my torch broke last week. Basically, now it works every 20 or so attempts. So soldering has become quite the pain in the ass. I have to say, I'm quite pissed about this development. Especially because I bought what was supposed to be the "higher quality" torch and it lasted all of three freaking months. That means I've gone through three torches in two years. I'd like to upgrade to a "real" tank and torch set up, but it's highly illegal, considering my studio setup.