Woo Hoo

For today's post we shall work backwards over the weekend if that's okay with you. Last night I got a strange convo with a simple line of praise. These sort of things rarely come out of the blue so I popped online to see if anything was going on and behold, my sugar skull mask has graced the front page.

I totally look forward to the Halloween season on etsy all year long because it's my time to get a little extra attention with my masks. Honestly they actually sell better other times of the year, I think because there are so many less expensive options to choose from, but I still get the attention with my fancy designs and that makes me pleased as punch. The feature also broke me through my most recent goal of 9000 hearts or people adding my shop as a favorite. It was a nice surprising evening though I received not a single sale as a result of the hour. Still a very nice cap on the weekend.

Saturday was spent at the faire. I left many dollars there mostly for the children and food. As you can see from this end of the day picture, they had a splendid time. Oh, we did too, I'm just grumpy because I didn't find anything perfect to buy and I left with a sunburn. Otherwise, the weather was lovely and we had a fine time.

As far as tatting goes, I've been working on a few different custom orders. The mask was purchased and I will finish it up, get some pictures and have it out in the mail tomorrow. The other customs were just some color changes and length extending. Those too need pressing and might get out in the mail today or tomorrow. Then it's back to remaking a few pieces for the store and deciding whether I should make the custom small skull mask for the shop or not. I'm still on the fence about it, but I have plenty to keep me busy. Oh, Monday here we go again.

Salome's Adornment

The busy bee was working again yesterday. I remade a few sold pieces in doubles. I decided that it might be prudent when I actually do have the time to increase my stock, but I always put off the task, so for a solution, I decided that when something needs remaking, I will make two. This of course does not apply to masks nor ankle corsets, though it probably should.

I finished up my anklet, got pictures and used the power of twitter to help me name the sucker. Now I know due to the new relevancy search on the horizon at etsy I should cut out the creative names and just call it something like tatted anklet with bells and coins, but I shall have none of that. It is called 'Salome's Adornment'. Yes, it is cliche, and I like it that way. I was terribly lazy when I got photos of it worn as an arm band. I was wearing a t shirt and I didn't want to change so I cropped the hell out of the picture. I should probably get new ones one of these days...maybe.

I also spent a good deal of time cleaning up various child and pet created disasters. I am becoming more acutely aware of them since my Grandfather is coming to visit next week. We invited him to stay in our guest room and though we have already hosted my brother, Grandpa is an entirely different situation. It's not that we're one of those over judging families...at least not on that side, but his house was always immaculate, mine is, well passable. So I didn't get much more tatting done. I did list the shisha mirrors and they are already on their way to a new home. I hope I get to see their application. I will get a few more made up, maybe today.

Oh, but I did tat one more thing. As I was sitting in the computer room, I had one of those, 'I wonder what...?' moments. I dug through my supplies and came out with a few things, grabbed the white thread, I know, and started on a pendant that shall be called 'The White Queen'. Am I jumping on an Alice bandwagon here? Yeah, maybe a little, but I really wanted to use the silver filament again so I needed a properly flashy piece. I'll get that one done this morning and hopefully get some pictures and have it listed too. the search through the supply box may have also inspired a few more small and one of a kind pieces as well, only time will tell for certain.

Down Off That Cloud

At my husbands seemingly constant request, I have calmed the hell down. I did take quite a few opportunities to check on my ankle corsets on StyleHive and even through this morning, they are holding on strong as the top save. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't truly shocked by this development. Sure they look cool and I've been told by many that they love them, but to see them sitting next to very commercial products, well it's weird.

What knocked my off that cloud though was their sale in the middle of the night...without payment. I haven't lost hope that it might still come through today as it was a new buyer from out of the country, but I'm not holding my breath either. Now all those views and hearts are gone and when people click through from StyleHive, they will see that they are 'Sold Out' and will probably simply move on rather than look for the new custom listing I put up. So, here I sit floating down from the cloud as was the inevitable outcome of a soar so high.

In more personal news, I took a big grown up step with my husband yesterday. We went to get pre-approved for a home loan. We've been renting for over a decade and it's finally time to move on. Everything went well, now the search begins and then the worst part, actually moving. I hate moving...so very much. I guess it's a small price to pay for our very own space. Obviously, all this will keep us quite preoccupied over the next few months.

One last thing, I think I've come up with a new barefoot sandal design. While remaking the Queen's Feet ones yesterday, I thought that I needed to make something a little simpler and consequently cheaper before the warmer weather is upon us. Quite frankly, I just don't want to have to keep remaking the same large pieces over and over. I'll share the design just as soon as I come up with it. I've got a pretty good idea of how I want it to look, but my imagination and my ability to tat are not always on the same page, so we'll see how it turns out.

Blogging Fool

I've been at this blogging thing for a relatively short amount of time, I don't even consider myself a blogger. I feel that term is reserved for people with a more journalistic approach to writing. So I was a little bemused at the inclusion of my advice in an Etsy Storque article about blogging. The advice was simply put and perhaps that's why it was appealing enough to include. Along side my short comment was plenty of very good advice on keeping a blog as a compliment to your etsy shop.

When I started, I had a literal ton of unexpressed opinions and advice to give out, but now that it's all out of my system, I find this space to be more useful as an outlet for more mundane musings on my projects and creative discoveries. When I had good advice, I got hundreds of hits a day, now it's considerably less, but that's okay with me. I've tried my hardest to not let this space become one long advertisment, to speak to other tatters and people who don't know what tatting even is. I like to think that I'm occasionally amusing or inspiring, but I'm mostly talking just to hear myself speak. I'm sure I'll keep at this regardless of the amount of comments or views I get as I've thouroughly enjoyed the people it has helped me meet.

I do have a little news on the store front to share. In just about a week, I will be removing many pieces from the store to send to the SteamPowered convention in Sunnyvale Oct 31-Nov 2. I'm hoping that they don't come back, so if there is something you've been coveting, especially if it's on the last couple of pages of the store, you might want to snatch it up or send me a message to hold onto it for you. Commercial over.

Who Will Beat Me?

Yesterday, LavaJewelry posted a striking treasury of some of the competition for the Spring Beading Challenge. This is the third challenge I have participated in, and even though I have little chance of ever winning, I'm sure it is not the last one either. I am not a bead artist, but I like to try my hand at it every now and again. This one was particularly difficult for me for some reason. I don't know whether it was the colors or my choice of patterns, but it's over now. I'll post the winners when they are decided.

It seems I just got one of those flood moment when it comes to treasuries. I hadn't been in one for a while and now three in a row. I'm hoping that this good juju will spill over into the sales department.




I also promised a quick look at my new tatted scarf design. This one is based on my Art Deco pendant pattern that was originally the center of a vintage place mat pattern. I'm starting out by simply stringing the motifs together. I'm using the same purple wool yarn from NoTwoSnowflakes that I used to design my first tatted scarf. I have no idea how it will turn out as I have a nasty habit of doing the design work while I'm tatting. I really don't know why I'm on a tatted scarf kick just as the weather turns warmer, maybe I'm hoping I get really popular with the Australia crowd.

That's What I Get For Sleeping

So Apparently this lovely treasury was on the front page at etsy over night. I of course did not get to see it, I was sleeping. I know, rookie mistake. My little hat got a bunch of views, it is at 689 views this morning and I earned myself quite a few hearts, 1201 now! No sales from the adventure though.(quick update: 1 sale acheived!!!!)

I have started to work on a new tatted scarf design that I will preview for you in the next couple of days. I have also finished the first piece in my new simple bridal line that will be posted later today. I think I might be too late for this years wedding season, but I like the design so I'll make a few more complimentary pieces in the next week or so. The mother's day gifts are finished and now I just need to finish my how-to article for Belle Armoire. I think I might be catching up with all my projects.

I've also got a nice place in another treasury today too. I really like the look of this one too. In fact I figured this was the reason I got the hearts this morning, until I discovered the treasury west one had made it to the front page.

On another subject, the pendant in this treasury is up for grabs on This Old Hen House blog for just one more day, so get over there and comment to win.

Anyway, thanks for the treasury features, the views and the hearts...now buy my stuff!