The End of Spring Break

It feels so odd that I've had a beautiful week, enjoying nature, when there is so much trouble around the world. Nature can be a gentle palm to rest in or the most terrifying, crushing hand.


I'll be back to classes Monday, and be longing for summer break for the next two months.

My Weekend in Photographs

Coffee with my brother at a local all natural, fair trade coffee bar. They're attached to an organic, wholefood shop. Delicious local apples, orange ginger granola, free range chicken-- I love picking things up there.

Last night it starting raining, it's a beautiful kind of rainy day where all the colors of nature are extra saturated. It's been nearly sixty degrees with just a light breeze all day.

I bought new molds on Friday and made some "Watson" soap speckled with cinnamon. I refuse to use any artificial colors.

I did a little writing, but also made some "Green Muse" soap; absinthe fragrance and real wormwood go into the bars to give them a faint green tint (hard to see int he photo). My handwriting is terrible as you can clearly see.

Snowed In

The northeast has been pounded by snow over the past few weeks. Over the past twenty-four hours we got about another two feet. Earlier, while trying to dig out my car (and failing) I snapped a few quick photos with my cell phone.
Some very pretty snowy leaves in the sunlight. Holly plant I think? Can't be sure.

This is the photo I sent to my professor when I told them it wasn't likely I'd be at my afternoon class. The neighbor plowed our drive, but plowed everything into my car. After a half an hour digging I still couldn't get out, so I came back in the house and changed out of my soaked clothes. Then I lay in bed shivering for a few minutes. Some Earl Gray tea has helped the shivering subside.

New Year Changes

I've started listing some sugar scrubs and bath salts. I'll also be listing a fantastic bergamot lip balm this week. Mostly, I'm trying to build up some variety in my shop and create several items in the same or complementary scents. I just listed a "Love" soap to match my solid perfume scent of the same name.
Yesterday I put my first shop, Blackbird Crafts on vacation. I need to figure out a more cohesive design for that shop- a more unified took and style. If I reopen it.
Something else I want to try is some less literal, more artistic photography. Now that I have a decent camera, I want to play a bit. Not just pictures of the soap or the tin of perfume or tube of balm, but pictures that represent the atmosphere, the experience of the fragrance. We'll see.
I'm working on a new scent, I'm not sure what I'll be calling it yet.
Also, I've been working on a cream for my dry winter skin. It's a shea butter base with sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, oatmeal and lemon verbena. It's very nice, I may list some in my shop after I whip up some more.

"Fill in the Gap"

In an effort to use the Etsy Holiday Boot Camp to the fullest I decided to take their advice and "fill in the gap". They recommend customizable gift options so I wondered what I could customize in either of my shops. Then it hit me: customize your own soap. I think it's clever and hope someone will bite on it.
Check it out please!
I'm going camera shopping today, so I can finally photograph all my new soaps and necklaces.

Shopping for Supplies and Trolling the Flea Market

This was my first free Sunday afternoon in months so my father and I decided to have some father-daughter bonding. I had to get supplies (the craft show is about two weeks away and I'm out of necklace clasps!) but we thought we'd go to the local flea market on the way. I met some really interesting people- a guy that gave me some great archery advice, a fellow English major (once an English major, always an English major, after all) and a creepy guy who tried to give me a shirt until his girlfriend showed up.
None the less, I found a great bedside table/mini chest of drawers for $5. I also got my findings at the craft store and found something I've been meaning to get for ages: a fake neck. On sale were little velvet stands that have that neckline shape for modeling jewelry. That will keep me from taking any more of those awkward photos of my own neck with the necklaces on. It is a hard angle to photograph correctly and it makes me self conscious about how pasty I am. Unfortunately I have to mooch camera time again before I can photograph my new items, until then I'm trying to renew what I have and get it sold if I can.
I also found out about a website yesterday called "This is Handmade" I heard about it on an Etsy thread and it proves a great point about how difficult and tedious hand making things can be. I would love to make my out video, even if I can't contribute it, I could stick it here on my blog for perspective customers to see. One interesting thing about all the videos of different crafters is how they all set up their respective work environments. It made me chuckle that one woman was listening to a recorded lecture about string theory or something while she worked.

First Soap Shop Sale

I'm very pleased that my second shop, Morning Valley Soaps has made its first sale: a bar of Sweet Mint Soap. Hopefully this is the first of many.
My biggest problem lately is that I have plenty of costume and accessories to photograph, but no models at the moment and my computer is still not fixed, so downloading photos is a problem, I can't do that on the friend's computers I briefly borrow to check in on things.

I also need to order my text books.... I probably should have a few weeks ago.

New Listings

My friend is back, so I staged two mini photo shoots for my Knight in Shining Chainmaille Cuff and my Owl Eyes Pearl and Chainmaille Necklace. I think they look nice in my Etsy Mini. Later this week I'll shoot some of my new garments on friends and family I force into modeling- my brother modeled the chainmaille cuff.
I really hope sales pick up soon. I've had another offer for a swap, but I've mostly stopped buying jewelry (the main products of the other seller) in lieu of only wearing my own creations. I also need some more supplies, I'm trying to think of projects that will use up fabric I still have, I'm out of most of my soap and jewelry supplies now.
Well, hopefully the craft show for the fall will come together. I want to do one more market before the summer is out, my friend Amy and I will probably team up and share a table again.

Soap Glamour Photos

I've been toying with the idea of starting an Etsy shop just for my soaps, I'm not sure if I will just yet, but I took some glamour shots (as glamorous as possible with my camera) of some of my soaps. Here they are:

Above: Some of the botanicals that are used in my soaps such as lavender, aloe, mint, cinnamon, oatmeal displayed in and around my mortar from my pestle and mortar set.

Above: Sweet Mint soap with a cutting of mint from the garden.

Above: Espresso Soap nested in the same fresh ground coffee used in making it.

Above: Cinnamon Spice soap with some cinnamon sticks, there are some pieces of stick in the soap as well.

New Projects

Unfortunately I haven't had time to finish my new blouse yet, "real" jobs you know. Next though, I'd like to make a gypsy skirt. I've decided I'd like to focus more on bigger items for a while since I already have a fairly good stock of accessories. Bigger items seem more likely to bring people in and then they might stay and buy accessories as well.

For selling live I have to make a sort of collapsable costume rack to display apparal and such. My father is always eager to make things so we have a daddy-daughter trip to the hardware store in our future as he has put himself in charge of my displaying needs. It's very sweet.

I am still decent camera-less at this point, so here is the best photo I could take of my new necklaces. Very depressing, I know. Jewelry is very hard to photograph I've found. Harder to light and hang attractively.

I've been trying to use up the store of beads I've accumulated and I found some lovely metal pieces to use as the main pendant. I think these may appeal to young women and also those that likes something more colorful and feminine than many of my usual styles with chain maille and such.

Cleaning House

Since I am currently jobless, I am trying to be more proactive (hence my pretty new blog page and new banner on Etsy). I really need to make enough cash to pay my car insurance until my job as a tutor hopefully starts.
Unfortunately probably starting next week I will be temporarily internet-less and good camera-less. I have to find someone else to borrow a decent camera from or else it is back to dark and blurry for me. Alot of things are happening in my life right now, but I still have to make time for me and things that I need to do. This isn't just a hobby, it's my current occupation.
Next Saturday I am going to the flea market and I will sit there until I sell everything on my table, or until they close up for the day. I have been invited to dinner at my friend's house that evening, so I will either spend the whole evening elated or sulk through the meal. We'll see.
I hope going grassroots to sell my creations and prettying up my site will help. Or else it's strictly Ramen and bicycles this summer (not that I would mind bicycling everywhere, but I live miles from everything and there's only a narrow road winding between the mountain and the river to get anywhere- not safe).
Sorry about the whine.

Gothic Beauty Tutu Skirt on Etsy

A very kind young woman named Allysia was recruited by the model of my Whimsical Woodland Tutu Skirt to model the next skirt in the series.
The skirt has a black banded drawstring waist and a red tulle body with black satin tabs at the top and red bows to pinch up the skirt at the bottom. It is now listed on Etsy.
Here are some pictures from our photoshoot, unfortunately, I didn't have as fabulous a location for this one. These are pictures I didn't use on my Etsy, visit there to see others.

New Chain Maille Pics

I have discovered that this style of jewelry is extremely hard to photograph effectively (even with my slightly better borrowed camera). Perhaps it's the high level of shine or the small details, but I snapped a bunch and only got a few usable pictures.Here they are:

A double layer front with green bead accents.

A single layer of links with four rust toned freshwater pearls.

A bracelet with mauve bead accents.

My "Mixing Metals" Necklace- a mesh of links bib in the front with a pearlescent pendant, and a fine silver chain for the body of the necklace.
I might post one or two on Etsy, but in a few weeks I want to take a bunch of things down to the flea market to enjoy the fine weather and the spring crowds.

Which Banner?

I have limited photo-editing software and skills, so I've been using an online resource to make my banners. I've tried three different ones on my Etsy so far and woul like an opinion on which is the best. I'm really not loving the first one but, will still include it. (Click on them to see full size).

Happy National Poetry Month!

I just posted this necklace on Etsy, the top pendant flips up and reveals a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson: "Be careful what you set your heart on, for it will surely be yours."

Whimsical Woodland Tutu Skirt on Etsy

I had a fun photo shoot yesterday for my Whimsical Woodland Tutu Skirt. Though the skirt has been finished for some time, I wanted the weather to be warm and sunny enough for an outdoor shoot with my friend Zoya wearing my creation. I found a gorgeous location in and around an outdoor theatre space I've been working in for the shoot. Here are some of the shots we took:



There are several others on Etsy to show the skirt from a variety of angles and Zoya in many poses.

The Arrival of Spring!

I found some late blooming snowdrops yesterday while doing some prepatory yard work. I also gained a few wicked scratches from a thorn bush!


This bush, to be specific.

More Sad Photo Attempts

I have been trying to make this camera work for me, hopefully these are good enough to put on Etsy.

That is one of the tapestry satchels.
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This is a new change purse I made.