200

I dislike being ill. I know, it's just a cold or something equally mild, but it is still annoying, uncomfortable and I lose my patience with the children who are also sick of course. So this is my public plea for this cold to hit the road already, I have crap to do. Oh and my kitty picture to make it all better...that's the tribute for health right...one cat picture sacrificed to the Internet?

Cold or no, I did get a few things accomplished yesterday. I started by using the latest design to make a necklace and earring set in white. I have a similar piece in the shop already, but I do really like the way the motif looks in the larger thread, very bold, yet elegant.  Then I received all the hat and veil making supplies I had ordered so I was able to finish remaking a sold hair piece I had begun work on the day before. This was an awful lot of white to hand out at the top of the shop, so I did a bit of moving around and then remade one last piece, a necklace in brown. This brought my shop listing total to 200! Now while I am quite proud of myself for sheer production quantity, I would of course love to see that number plummet with the sales of many things. I'm just typing that in public so the Internet sales fairy sees it.

While I was still on the white kick I had the idea to use the motif I made up from the 70's book I showed you awhile back. I made it up in white and attached it to a bobby pin. My idea to make it more 'bridal' while also hiding the huge silver pad was to cluster a few freshwater pearls there in the center. I might also add a couple coque feathers to the back side, but I'm not certain yet. I finished the piece late last night and that's when the cold really takes a toll on brain functions. I also think I really got the pattern down this time. If you remember, I made it up after looking at a simple illustration without stitch counts or joins, so it was all guess work. I might also add the design to a lapel pin in another color with swarovski rounds in place of pearls. I do need to keep working if I want 200 to hold...which  don't really.

One last bit for the day. Etsy has recently started rolling out coupon codes and though I don't have them yet, I think the plan is to have them out in time for the official holiday shopping season. Now, you know I don't like sales as it devalues the work, but I am looking forward to using this ability for possible return customer discounts as well as fan and follower special events. So if I get them in time, I may try out a Black Friday/Cyber Monday thing. I will of course let you know if that is going to happen. I hope to return to you Monday morning healthy and bragging about many sales...again that is for the Internet fairy...be well.

The Mess

I spent much of yesterday morning cleaning. No particular reason other than I hadn't done it in a while. Frankly there is quite a lot more of that to do and without the threat of house guests it is difficult to get motivated. I tend to let things clutter, take my desk here for example. This is just a small portion of my mess. baggies full of beads overflowing what was once an organized tub. The thread for the most part sits in tubs just fine until I start taking out too many colors and not putting them back when I'm done.

There was a reason I brought this mess up aside from just being a horror show. I dug thought this mess yesterday and came out with a large clear crystal teardrop and decided to make something all spur of the moment and I came up with this one. Again I used that same vintage pattern bit which is absolutely perfect to hand something from and I added the crystal. Then to make it a little more finished looking I added two glass pearls on wither side and attached the whole lot to brass chain giving it a slightly antique feel. I really love making these one of a kind pieces with bits I didn't even remember I had lying about.

When I shared the creation yesterday I was asked about the supply box which I said I had fished the crystal out of. I was forced to admit that it was more of a pile that started in a supply box and oozed all over the desk. So I was encouraged to pick up a new set of supply boxes last night and today I shall attempt to organize the supplies. I might even get my label on as they are snap together boxes and it would be nice to not have to dig though them all to find something. Such it might take away from the treasure hunt feel of getting findings for a piece, but then I can show you a picture of a clean desk with a neat box of supplies and you can be jealous instead of sad. I would like to point out that my finished pieces are neatly put away in tubs and then tuck away in a large drawer safe from the mess. That pile of lace you see in the picture is largely my own pieces and prototypes that I use while designing and then clearly toss carelessly in a pile.

So aside from the great organizing plan, I hope to get another spur of the moment piece started. I had a new mask thought yesterday as well, so there's a slight chance that might get some time today. It all depends on that desk pile bending to my will in a timely manner. So, yeah it doesn't seem all that likely, but one day soon anyway.

June Bride

So while yesterday wasn't normal, it was much closer than usual. There were bike rides and video games and copious amounts of plants acquired, but through it all, I managed to not only tat, but to actually finish something as well.

All sewed together and listed is the newest veil product, this one in white hopefully perfect for a bride somewhere. The tatted motif is the same as the black version except that it is in white. The feathers however are different. I couldn't find the ostrich in white at the shop I got them from, so rather that buy from multiple sources, I opted for coque saddle feathers. It's a much denser fringe of feathers and as I mentioned yesterday, there is an off white character to them. They are also a bit longer I think making the stripped feathers not stand out quite as much. I don't think any of the differences are a bad thing at all, just differences.

I then started work on making another elytra necklace so it can be listed again. I do have a dentist appointment, so I'm not certain if I'll get that done today or not. Then I need to decide whether the feather pad version of the hair pieces without the veils should have a hair comb, a clip or maybe even on a headband. Yeah, I probably won't bother with the head band idea, not versatile enough. I like the idea of being able to wear the piece wherever you want.

I do still need to make the motifs for the other pieces, so again, it might be a while before they are realized. It does feel good to get back to work and here's hoping that June is a successful month both creatively and fiscally.

Here Comes The Bride

I was not what you would call a traditional bride. My bridesmaids and my flower girls wore black and I wore a silver gown that my mother made for me. The wedding was small and there was no dancing at all. Ironically I was a dancer for years, but our taste in music does not lend itself to this sort of thing. Even though I don't regret having a very inexpensive wedding that put no one into debt, I still imagine the fairytale wedding that I would have had if money was no object. Luckily I can live vicariously through other brides as I have had the great pleasure of making pieces for a few weddings over the years.

The most recent creation, completed yesterday is a very pretty bridal headband. When asked to create a piece, I was directed to Jennifer Behr's site and I was amazed at the prices people will pay for these elegant, but simple designs. To create my own design, I used the basic design on my quadra bracelet adding a few extra picots and some glass pearl beads. I had intended on weaving a ribbon through the lace itself, but instead I sewed a crisscross pattern on the back of the lace and weaved a pair of ribbon through it. It is meant to be tied in the back and the ribbon will drape down for a little added pretty.

The piece did take most of the day to create but only because it was nearly 20 inches long. The pattern itself is quite simple and I think that adds to the appeal of the design as it's meant to enhance a wedding ensemble not take center stage. So after finishing this piece, I now have a couple of different wedding neck pieces, a bracelet and now a headpiece. I guess I just need some earrings and I have a complete wedding line. I think I may offer them through the future lollishop venue, or maybe both places. I think I'm getting ahead of myself again, but I am quite pleased with the way this piece came out and I hope that other folk like it too.

Masquerade

All this mask making has put masquerade on the mind so I made this treasury yesterday. I resisted every urge to include one of my masks. I did not, however, resist the urge to plug them in the comments of the treasury. I never even realized how many amazing mask makers there were on etsy until I made my own.

I did stop mask making to create a few new small things, including this bejeweled bracelet. It's part of my ever increasing bridal line. Which is just a fancy way of saying I'm making a bunch of stuff in white with crystals and pearls. I know it's entirely the wrong time of year for this endeavor, but it's a nice change of pace from the time and energy consuming masks.

I do still have a couple more masks to get made before I sit down and write out the patterns. I keep having the silly thought that one day a real publisher will want me to put out a book of patterns.I am of course not holding my breath for this to occur, but I figure better to be prepared right. Of course I need the patterns written anyway, I'm not exactly a savant when it comes to remembering even my own patterns and if I were to lose the prototype pieces, I'd be crap out of luck.

Prototype Complete!

After nearly a week of work, my tatted hat prototype is finished & shock of all shocks, it actually LOOKS like a hat!

I found a vintage tatting pattern for a baby bonnet, modified it until it looks almost nothing like the source material and tatting for almost a week straight. Although I think it looks great, I think I might get some ribbon & thread it through the holes in the center of the round motifs. I was also thinking of adding a tatted flower there as well.

I'm wondering if I should list this on etsy as a custom hat available in many colors, or if I should actually make one up in black or another color. This is one of those projects that takes so long to do that I might cry if I made one up & it never sold. Not to mention the final cost has me scratching my head. If I'm being honest the cost would probably be upwards of $200, but I kind of doubt that it would sell at that price.

Any and all opinions on any of these matters are very gratefully accepted!