Spiral Surprises and Puzzles

I created this cuff while enjoying the Thanksgiving Holiday. I had a completely different design in mind (you may see that one in the future), but I ended up with this intriguing puzzle cuff. While it appears simple, or may even appear non-existent, it isn't. I'm offering to anyone who would like to purchase this cuff the opportunity to receive a matching felt ring, if you can figure out the puzzle or pattern that is contained within.

Just send me a convo at Etsy when you are ready to purchase with your answer. By the way, the lining contains a surprise as well.

Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving --we also played in SNOW!

Artist Series -- Tom Turkey

We have known Tom Turkey for our entire lives. I thought that you might like to get a closer look at the artistic side of Tom. You will be surprised and delighted with this eye-opening interview that brings out a side of Tom that many of you are not familiar with. Let's get on with the party!

1. When did you become interested in art and did you choose art, or did it choose you?

It was early in life when I realized that art would become my life. While I revel in the limelight of being Tom Turkey, I realized that I needed to find another line of work, in order to survive. Starting over again has been very difficult; people don't understand that there is more to me than wings and legs.

2. You get to spend one weekend each with three historical figures, an artist, a writer and one of your choice. Who are they and what will you talk about or do?

Hmmm…let me take a moment to think about this. First, and foremost I would have to say that Sarah Josepha Hale is my writing inspiration. In 1930 she published "Poems For Our Children," which included "Mary Had A Little Lamb," which she wrote --I love her affinity for helpless animals. During her spare time, she campaigned to make Thanksgiving a national holiday and in 1863, President Lincoln granted her wish. (Thankfully I am one of those turkeys who have been pardoned by the president)

A more contemporary artist, Margaret Cusak designed a beautiful commemorative postage stamp that highlights Thanksgiving with a traditional folk-art needlework cornucopia.

Finally, the most important artists are all of the children who make all of those beautiful hand turkey's with their friends and teachers. Nothing beats seeing all of those special creations!



3. How has the popularity of the Internet affected your work?

The internet has let the world know of my plight and how difficult it has been to be taken seriously as an artist. Most of my work is done with feathers and it seems that without the internet I would be basically an unknown artist. I will bet that many of your reader's have little knowledge regarding this art form. There are very few of us who actually practice this art and I take my inspiration from this wonderful artist, Emily Long,


4. Have you discovered any new technique to creating your work that you can share? How do you overcome artist block?

I haven't discovered any new technique's for my feather art. I do have some ideas on different types of theme's to paint on the feathers. I also think I could make wearable art with the feathers. Perhaps some nifty cuffs or neckpieces…I realize that the market may be limited since some people do have allergies to feathers.

5. If I walked into your studio this moment, what would you show me first? What would you want to hide?

Feathers. They are everywhere. Big ones, little ones, turkey, peacock…my studio is a mess! The Butterball Company wanted to do a holiday shoot and I had to turn them down. I knew that I would not have time to get the studio clean to the hygienic quality that Butterball insists on when preparing for a Turkey shoot.

6. Describe something that comes up in your work because of a life experience?

Oh, where should I start? In 1927, Tony Sarg, a children's book illustrator created the first hot-air balloon for the Macy's day Thanksgiving parade. From that history, I decided to take what comes naturally, feathers, to a different level. Before I decided to do feather art I was experimenting with claw art, (I would dip my claws in paint and then dance all over canvas) but I just couldn't create anything that seemed to be acceptable to the public. After doing some research on Thanksgiving and finding Tony Sarg, he gave me the inspiration to create outside of the box. My art is also ecologically friendly since I am recycling a natural material.

7. Describe what you do or who you are in a haiku

A turkey feather
Wispy painted tail feathers
No dinner required

8. Is there anything else that you would like to share?

Have a safe and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

No Words

Project Wonderful and Brokering Advertising

Project Wonderful is a resource that enables users to economically advertise on other project wonderful members blogs and websites. Project Wonderful is in essence a broker of advertising; keep in mind the word broker because I'm going to come back to this later.

When you sign up with Project Wonderful you begin by depositing money into an account so that you have funds to advertise with. Then you begin searching for blogs or websites that you think fit what you are trying to sell. Keep in mind that you don't have to advertise on sites that are similar to your market, the best practice is to find sites that are outside of your genre, but attract your potential buyers.

Advertising can cost nothing, pennies, or dollars per day. Obviously, you want to find the best places to advertise at the lowest cost. What you will be doing is actually bidding on an advertising position. If you look at the right column, of my blog and find, the four project wonderful ad spots, below that is the amount it currently costs to advertise. In my "bidding on my ads" queue on Project Wonderful are many more than four people vying for those ad spots. That is how the price to advertise is determined and the reason it fluctuates. Also, not all of those spots are going for that listed rate, some are less, but that is the amount to buy into my advertising space now.

When I place my advertising, I search out spaces that look like a fit for my product. Then I place my bidding range. I look at the advertisers stats and place my bid accordingly. I will start my bid at .00 up to what I deem reasonable. Here is the important part and where brokering comes into play. I always place my bid for a month or more. Usually three months. You may be saying, "well I can't afford that!" Well, you probably can. The reason is that your ad is not going to be up all of the time and you only pay for the space if it shows up that day.

Keep in mind that on the blog/website that you want to advertise on other ads are going to expire. When those ads expire and if your bid fits, you have the opportunity to get your ad on that space, at least until it is bumped by a higher bidder. It may also appear at the least cost that you bid. So you may be getting great exposure for almost nothing. If the advertiser has more than one ad space you should always click on each space for advertising potential. While the top or bottom space may seem to be a premium position, in this case it doesn't really matter. What you want is to get your ad up there at the least cost and most exposure. I believe on blogs as you are scrolling down, if that space catches your eye, you are going to look at all of the ads anyway and decide to click or not.

Brokering these ad spaces is a lot like the stock market. You want to buy in at the lowest price possible and get the most return on your investment. Putting your ad up for only a day or two generally means you are going to pay the highest price that you have bid. Putting your ad up over a period of a month or more, means that you will get more exposure for either a lower or equal cost. Just like in the stock market, you generally get a better return the longer you can leave your investment grow.

To recoup your costs you should also consider putting advertising on your own blog or website for people to purchase from you. I invested $25 into my Project Wonderful advertising account last March and have never had to add more funds. My account fluctuates between having $20 and $35 to spend, depending on the amount of advertising I am running and what I am earning. I always have advertising up and running. I truly believe that recognition of a brand is important. So, if you see my avatar in many different places you may at some point click and find out who is behind that avatar –which may in turn result in sales.

Snowflakes and Awards

It will be winter in Arizona soon and the likelihood of seeing snowflakes in the Phoenix area is very slim. Although I have seen it twice since moving here. Four Peaks will probably provide the best chance of seeing them from the valley.

I grew up in a place where there were four distinct seasons. I do remember how difficult it could be to live in that environment, but I do miss it for many reasons. I miss the fact that cold like that kills the mosquitoes and allergy producing plants. I also miss reaching down and making a snowball or seeing the trees covered in snow and ice.

I created a snowflake cuff to reminisce about winter. It is sparkly with snowflakes of blue. Imagine it on your wrist keeping it ever so warm! Or, wearing it to a special holiday function.

I want to thank More Than Sew So and Unique You for the lovely blog awards! It always makes me feel good to receive such acknowledgment. If you stop by and see your name listed then I have awarded you both awards as well.

The Mum and The Rose




Matri's Heart



Stormee




Pink & Green Mama

Artist Series - Julieandco

Have you heard of Temari? I saw them for the first time two years ago and fell in love. I bought a book, sat myself down, and began making some. It looks a lot easier than it is! I was never really satisfied with the outcome so I put that craft aside. As I was wandering around Etsy one day I found Julieandco and all of her beautiful Temari. I was excited to see how beautiful they were and the color combinations are truly unique. Let me introduce you to an inspiring artist and Temari master...

1. When did you become interested in art and did you choose art, or did it choose you?

I have always been surrounded by art: one of my brothers and my sister are both artists, my mom has always been a crafter, and my dad was a builder. Working with our hands is natural for us. However, my oldest two brothers are scientists and in a way, I think I have some of both of those talents. Japanese temari are very detailed, precise geometric (like science), yet colorful and visual (like art). I become restless if I am not crafting something or making things of beauty. I have been sewing, crafting, experimenting, and creating since my early teen years.

2. You get to spend one weekend each with three historical figures, an artist, a writer and one of your choice. Who are they and what will you talk about or do?

I would definitely want to have a chat over tea with Mary Cassatt -- her paintings of mothers and their children move me. I saw an exhibit of hers in Chicago and wept at her perfect depiction of the gentle love between a mama and the baby at her breast. I would love to pick C.S. Lewis’ brain....he intrigues me. I would also love to sit in daVinci’s studio and watch him work. He was genius in both art and science.

3. How has the popularity of the Internet affected your work?

I never would have dreamed any of this was possible, honestly. My four daughters encouraged me to open an Etsy shop and many friends also challenged me to go for it. The whole global customer concept is thrilling and terrifying!

4. Have you discovered any new technique to creating your work that you can share? How do you overcome artist block?

Temari is an ancient folk art form, originally begun in China and then adopted by the Japanese, where it is highly revered today. I am clearly a novice at this amazing craft and do not pretend to bring much originality to it, only my own delight and effort to each one I make. The patterns are traditional and yet each temari is unique. Color choice is my main challenge and is usually resolved with several of my daughters and my husband offering their opinion and preferences as I begin each new design.

5. If I walked into your studio this moment what would you show me first? What would you want to hide?

Considering the fact that my “studio” is simply my family room, I would lead you over the pile of shoes by the back door, push past Maggie the pug (no doubt, clammering for some love from you), and welcome you into our family. I am a wife and homeschool mom first and foremost and I’m sure my daughters would be eager to show you their art as well. We spend a lot of time together and I love how my craft fits in with our family life and home. I would probably want to hide the fact that nearly all of my craft is in two plastic storage tubs and lots of ziploc baggies! So high-tech!

6. Describe something that comes up in your work because of a life experience?

I had the privilege of traveling to southeast Asia several years ago following the tsunami (including a short stay in Tokyo) and have developed an appreciation and passion for her culture, her people, and her countries. It is an honor to take part in crafting an ancient Japanese art. I love the fact that Japanese women taught their daughters this craft, since I have also taught my daughters through homeschooling. I will say again that I am truly a novice in making temari. In Japan, the steps to becoming a Temari Master are long and challenging.

7. Describe what you do or who you are in a haiku

Seems fitting, being a form of Japanese poetry, and the fact that I have a B.A. in English!

Humbled by ancient
Peering into illusion
Curving symmetry

8. Is there anything else that you would like to share?

I am truly honored to be featured in your series. To think that my temari are in homes around the country and their beauty appreciated is amazing! I had a blast creating a large grouping of temari for a neighbor in her living room colors, the largest being nearly 6” in diameter! It is delightful to create things of beauty and custom orders are fun!

Print Your Own Fabric at Spoonflower!

This must be my week of new discoveries.

Have you visited Spoonflower? If you haven't and have ever dreamed of printing your own designs on fabric hold onto your seat because this IS exciting. When I first visited the site I was holding my breath because I couldn't imagine how much it would cost to print my own fabric. I was excited to see that it was only $18 per yard. Not much more than good quality quilting fabric. Now ideas are spinning around in my head. Yes, Elizabeth you can print fabric with your own designs!

This company is growing fast. They beta tested the site in May of 2008, they moved into a real office in August, and now have 10,000 crafters signed up to use their service. Their office is in an old sock mill in Mebane, North Carolina. What could be better than to be located in an area that was once a major textile region? Well, I can answer that. They are not far from companies like IBM, Red Hat, and SAS...technology abounds. Brain power...to answer a wife's comment, "You know what would be really cool? If I could print my own fabric." How many of us have said the same thing to that significant person in our life? Just goes to show you that wherever there is a need, there is an opportunity. You just have to make it happen.



The website is not overly complicated. There is a tutorial for preparing files to print and a FAQ. I haven't submitted a design yet, since I really did "just" find this site. What's frustrating is that I'm going to be so busy over the next few days that I probably won't be able to try it out until next week. But, as soon as I have a chance I'm there...uploading some designs that I've made and didn't have a way to get them onto a large canvas. Oh the torture!

Rush over there right now...ready, set, go! If you do print a design --when you receive it I would love to see your fabric creation.

1000 Markets May Be The Place For You!

A couple of days ago Egilpatr sent me a message and during our conversation she told me that she was selling her beautiful artwork at a new shopping venue called 1000Markets. I peeked into her shop and fell in love with this very different style of selling. I had just joined Twitter (by the way twitter is a wonderful marketing tool) and thought...oh no....another place to steal my time away.

As I looked around I thought, well this IS different. This "market" puts an entirely different spin on the way we think about selling and shopping. I think the spin is perfect for the way people do things in todays social networking, internet, twittering, way. The plan is to develop Markets. Here are some of the current and planned markets:

The Grande Arcade
Artisans from the San Juan Islands
Foodcrafters
Handmade Heaven

Everything is taken into account when you submit your shop for review and acceptance. Photographs, policies, descriptions and creativity. When I built my shop I uploaded my normal avatar and pictures of my products. The next morning I received a very nice email from Matt asking me to increase the size of my avatar and use a higher resolution picture, since the one I used was a bit out of focus. As you will notice, it is still the same style of my current avatar, but a different picture.

The fee structure is reasonable and they use Amazon Payments to process your orders. No fee's are collected until you make a sale. Then it's 5.5% plus .50. They have branded this type of fee scheduled as MarketSimple Pricing. It seems pretty simple to me.



Matt and John have put a lot of thought into 1000Markets and the entire philosphy of selling is much different than other selling venues. If you want to understand more about this philosphy read the About page on 1000Markets.

I read more in the community forums about the quality that 1000Markets is looking for. It makes me feel good that each shop submission is reviewed by Matt (owner) for quality. You are told what you need to do to be accepted and if you have more questions either Matt, John, or other members will help you. I love the feel of community and do realize as this site grows, it may not be so easy to talk to the creator of this site. But for now, I'm part of a new community where it feels like visiting a wonderful market of people helping one another, while at the same time doing business.

If you are looking for a different place, with a different way of doing business you should definitely spend some time on this site reading and looking at everything --I'm sure you will be as excited as I was.