Weekend recap

Most of the weekend was spent on family adventuring and video game playing. I don't think I picked up a needle once, nor did I get the tiny earrings listed int he shop. I think that was partly because of what happened early Friday morning.

We were out and about early to pick up the afore mentioned video games when I was contacted by several means by a photographer looking to use my masks for a photo shoot this week. If you've been around these parts for a while you know this has happened before and I've had quite the mixed bag of results with the experiences. They rage from lost packages and never used pieces, to actually getting my name in fashion magazines. As you might imagine it's made me a little gun shy. I went ahead and shipped off a large selection of masks to New York though and they appear to have moved quickly toward their destination, yes I checked. I still need everybody to cross their fingers for me that they do arrive safely, get used for amazing photographs that end up in a magazine and then return safely back to me.

Today, I have babysitting of nieces and hopefully get a little time to list those earrings. That's about all that's on tap though. Well that and worrying about everything I wrote in the last paragraph. So here's to a great week and since I spent my own money to ship masks across the country, I could use a week of constant sales too. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

Tatting Rules The World

I was a production line yesterday. When I got this big order, I told the customer it might take weeks to complete because I like a little cushion on things like this. I know that I work pretty fast, but what if life gets in the way? I was fully prepared to go at a nice steady pace until I got paid and realized that I won't get any of that payment until I ship a finished order. Money, as always, is a strong motivator and I worked hard yesterday.

I decided that I would work assembly line style doing each part on all the pieces before moving on and leaving the mindless, but terribly time consuming task of covering wires until the end. I am fairly certain I will regret that choice when I get to the end, but it seemed like a good idea. It also means that I don't get to count down piece done until then either. So a day and a half worth of work and technically nothing is done yet. A bunch of things are almost done though and you know what I'll be doing today. Don't worry, I'll keep taking pictures of the work to liven up the boring bits.

I do have one not so boring bit. Remember the Maclean's article I mentioned? well, it went up online yesterday. I looked for it after I noticed a few google.ca searches in my shop stats. It's up on their fashion page which does not appear to have a direct link from the front page of the magazine's site. The article is here though and now that it is up for everyone to read I do want to talk a bit about it now. So go read it if you want and then come back and finish this post.

First, I do wish it were longer. Don't get me wrong it's great and I appreciate the exposure for both myself and tatting, but I know she talked to a ton more people than were quoted in the article because I sent many to her and I'm sure they all had great stories to tell. Second, while I'm flattered by her description of me, I'm also kind of embarrassed by it. I mean I've tried very hard to expose tatting to new people and bend it to my own sensibilities, but there are so many more tatters out there who have been innovating for years. Somehow it makes me feel like a super egotist standing on a hill screaming, "I rule the tatting world!". I don't believe that at all. I mean I do have an ego, you know that, but I believe that there are many "guiding lights" online and off, people who are much more talented than me, ones that teach more people and that make jaw droppingly beautiful things and write books. I suppose they are minor complaints really and I am giddy over being in a major magazine with my pieces for once. I also loved reading quotes from other tatters that I recognize. So I guess all in all it's a good thing. Tatting Rules The World!

A Bit Of This & A Bit OF That

Sometimes I really do wish that the weekend were longer or cooler, but I got neither this weekend. It was short and hot and I spent more of it remaking things than I had intended. I did get some new invisible threads to try out though. Three different brands and a second roll of the sulky because they have this metallic clear that I think might add a sheen that the others may not. Other than that one though they all work up the same which is pretty awful. I did a couple of test pieces which I failed to take a picture of. It seems the way to make this work at all is to add the invisible thread to size 20 thread until I reach the same size as size 10 thread. The invisible stuff make the worked up white piece look a bit discombobulated as it sits between stitches, but it will lay the same and hopefully will provide the sense of slightly transparency when hit from behind with light.

I'm also mentally working on pattern ideas to fit the art project. I'm waiting for some final sketches and a bit of feedback from the artist to make final decisions though. I'm never really worked with other people on a project, so I felt it was best to take it slow and not get ahead of myself  so that we are on the same page. I don't want to be the one who mucks everything up. Of course until it's actually being done I will continue under the impression that my participation may no longer be required at any point. It's best for my psyche.

In other news I was informed on Friday I believe by a subscriber to Maclean's Magazine that the tatting article many of us are referenced in is in the recent issue. I have no idea if it is on the stands yet since I don't live in Canada, but the same customer scanned the page and emailed it to me. I have to say that while the general tone of the article is great, I wish it were quite a bit longer and I'm a little embarrassed by the characterization of me. I hear tale that they generally post articles from the print edition online about a week later. I'll be keeping an eye out for that so everyone else can see it.

Oh, I almost forgot to share the one new thing I did make over the weekend. One of my customers wondered out loud on twitter if the heart pendant she just purchased from my could possibly be put on a ribbon as a headband with crystals. The wondering was several tweets long. I thought, sure if I stiffen the heart so it doesn't misbehave. I made her a pink one and followed up with a red on for the shop. I sewed on matching swarovski crystals and then used fa-brick to stiffen it from both sides. I find this stuff is great for pieces that need to hold their shape through wear. The lace shows perfectly with a  slight sheen and as a bonus it remains flexible without cracking. I wouldn't use it on jewelry because I love the natural lace, but for this kind of use, it's perfect.

Today will likely be more experiments with clear threads and possibly some more remaking or another heart headband or two. They work up fast, but the stiffening is a delicate job and requires some significant drying time, so it would be wise to do that step in batches...that is if I really think more of them will sell. That, I haven't decided yet.

The Mask & A Request

Another long weekend, this time with visitors from out of town. Well, they weren't actually our visitors, but my in-laws. However, as is the usual practice, our house was utilized for meals, which means I spent a great deal of time Friday and Saturday cleaning and then sneezing because dust is not my friend. So there was little tatting to speak of over the weekend, then again you haven't yet seen any proper pictures of the new mask unless you frequent my shop.

I'm not overly pleased with the photos, but I am so impatient to get things like this listed that I had to work with what I got. I named the mask Metropolis because it reminds me of the old movie, particularly when you look at the top edge while it's worn. Making it also got me thinking that I should done one in a similar fashion that is also a bit of a headdress, or that has chains like a circlet over the top of the head. There would of course be a lot more work just figuring out all that additional detail, so another day or week I think.

The other bit of news you might have already heard about from Fox, if you frequent other tatting blogs, but just in case I have a few of you that don't, I'll share a bit too. After apparently being talked up by a few other lovely tatting folk, I was put in contact with a journalist from Canada working on an article for a major publication about tatting. After a nice long conversation with her and a few follow up emails, I was kindly asked to put her in contact with any young, especially, Canadian tatters. Of course I'm in California, so I kinda skew the focus away from the point of the magazine, which is geographically inclined. So, if you're reading this and maybe I helped teach you to tat with my videos or tutorials and you're in that around 30 and under crowd and from Canada, please shoot me an email, my address is in my profile, and I'll get you contact information so you can be interviewed. I know there are a few of you out there, even if you don't comment here and she's not looking for experts either, just young people who have picked up the craft.

Well, that's pretty much it for me. The custom order I was waiting on has yet to return, so I'm doing what I said I'd do in these cases and working on increasing stock for the shop. This month has been ridiculously slow for sales so far, but I'm not going to complain. I'm just going to keep working and hope the customer for the custom order returns and that things pick up before too long. The Universe is clearly granting me some attention and that's great. Hopefully that attention mutates into sales sooner rather than later.

Flare

I told you that I hoped to start today off in a better mood and behold, I have...a much better mood. As is often the case, I overplayed those things that were to surely ruin the day. In fact the daughter's visit to the doctor was quite enjoyable especially since she needed no shots this go around. Then I got her all registered for kindergarten through our virtual school and we ran a few errands and went out to lunch, but what really kicked the day back into the positive column was the mail.

 I got in my copy of Flare Magazine in the mail. I assume anyone reading this from Canada actually knows what that is, but for everyone else, it's a Canadian Fashion magazine and that is the magazine which used a couple of my masks for a photo shoot titled Amazing Lace. This one here is my 'Between the Stars' mask made with black and hand dyed blue thread.











Then we have my first mask design, 'As The World Falls Down' in black.

Now, I'll be honest I was a little surprised by the styling. I somehow expected a dark, mysterious lace set. Instead this is light, bright and I'm guessing pretty darn trendy. I can hardly complain though. Right there on each page is 'Totus Mel' and at the back of the magazine my credit is listed with my shop link. So there you have it, tatted lace in a mainstream fashion magazine. Hopefully it brings in new customers and more opportunities, but even if it doesn't, the magazine was a pleasure to work with so I put this in the win column either way.

I've got more adventuring with the family planned for today, but I do hope to get those butterfly cross stitches done and then I swear I'll get back to tatting. I have imaginings to make.

Wait, What?

I had all of one thing to tat yesterday, so I allowed my attentions to flow elsewhere. You might be aware that every month me and the husband attend a meeting at the local comic book shop. Yes, it is as geeky as it sounds, but trust I'm going somewhere with this story. The meeting is my reminder to catch up on my comic book reading. To prepare for the meeting, in which we all discuss the nooks coming out in the next few months, I also look through Previews, a large comic catalog. I flip through at a leisurely pace, just looking for something to jump out at me when I flip the page and see this:

Wait, what? Is that one of my necklaces? I quickly scanned the text and once I recognized the name of the model it all made sense. This is O.M. Grey, a steampunk author and a twitter friend of mine. She had acquired a mask and choker from me last year with the intention of wearing them throughout the convention season at various balls, which she did as well. I had no idea that this was coming however. It was a complete surprise, a pleasant one of course. The issue here is volume three of Gearhearts Steampunk Glamor Review and will be out in May. I'll probably end up picking it up when it comes out to add to my small, but growing collection of my lace creations in print. See, now this is the sort of surprise I enjoy getting from time to time.

What's in store for today? I'm afraid I'm starting another day with no plan. I'll just have to wing it again and ride the wind. At least I have that pleasant surprise to keep me going for a while. I think it's going to be a lovely, if rainy, day.

Artizen

I'm sitting here racking my brain to see if there is a darn thing worth sharing this morning. See, as I typed that out I remembered the single thing that was interesting yesterday, Artizen Magazine. Not so long ago the Esty Steam Team that I am a member of was contacted by someone wanting to do a steampunk themed issue of a new fine arts online magazine. She was looking for high end sellers of steampunk wares to interview. I personally stayed out of it since I find my work to be more Victorian style accessory to the movement rather than really steampunk itself. However, I was later contacted on etsy and asked for an interview and since they were certain they wanted to talk to me, I went ahead and yammered on again.

The flash based magazine can be found here, Artizen and it also contains interviews with some of my other team mates as well as several other authors, artists, links to steampunk sites and is full of multimedia links. In short, go waste some time and check it out...and not just because I'm in it, really.

Other than that little tidbit, yesterday was a lot of nose to the grindstone tatting. In fact I am almost caught up with the sold orders anyway and then it's on to the remaking portion of our agenda. It'll be nice when those beetle elytra and peacock pearls get here and I'll have an excuse to stop production mode and make something new, but they're not here yet...silly international slow shipping times. Ah, well...back to it then, go read now!

A Cave Of Coolness

Well as I said yesterday, I spent a large portion of the day on the way to, in and on the way back from a large cavern. We drove through ridiculous rain that turned into slush and back into rain. We went into large cavern. Apparently said cavern is large enough to house the Statue of Liberty standing up. The five year old was freaked out, the three year old loved it. When they turned off the lights, I wanted to take a cave nap. As soon as the lights were back on the five year old raced up the hundreds of stairs to get back to the surface.When we emerged the sun was shining and we were able to have a picnic and pan for gems before the long drive home.

I did try to tat in the car, but the weather made the car ride...let's say a little too interesting to want to be holding a large needle in ones hand. So all that nose to grindstone stuff is starting today. I have two pairs of ankle corsets in line to be made and then if I get a chance, it's on to remaking a number of larger sold items. That of course is where the issue lies, not that I've sold too many things in generally, but that I've sold too many things that take at least a full day if not longer to make. So I will need days of calm to catch up. Honestly, don't want those days of calm, I want more sales. I'm greedy like that.

Oh, one bit of news for you this morning. Some of you that have been following me for some time know that I did a few articles for the Belle Armoire publications quite some time ago. I really didn't think I was qualified nor experienced enough for the honor, but I was asked and I leaped on the opportunities. I received an email when I returned yesterday, that I still need to respond to, letting me know that one of my articles from Autumn 2008 will be included in their upcoming publication, 'Hand Crafted: The Best of Stampington & Co." How nice to be included especially when I have been too busy...or lazy to submit anything in quite some time. I'm not certain when this one is published, but I will be sure to let you know, so you can at least leaf through it at Barnes and Noble. Now seriously, I will be tatting today at that is all.

Magazine

I got all excited when I got an email this morning telling me that the magazine for which I sent my jewelry for was up online...then I saw the photo shoot. Now, I'm a little sad. Really I should be grateful that I have another piece in print, but I had sent three necklaces including one made specifically for them and all they used was one, barely seen in the picture. I understand that they had things from many designers and perhaps mine didn't match the hats they wanted to use or maybe they did take pictures of the other pieces, but they didn't make the cut in the end. Either way my excitement at being in an alternative fashion magazine has waned considerably. Just in case you *do* want to see it, a digital copy is free to download here: Auxiliary Magazine and print copies will be available in a week I'm told.

Let's see, the rest of the weekend was spent getting this house back into shape in an effort to ensure that we get our deposit back when we move. When we left the apartment we lived in for 7 years, the property management not only kept our deposit, but sent us a bill for additional repairs over six months later. The carpet needed replacing and even though it was not new when we moved and was past its lifespan, we were forced to pay for it. You have no idea how pissed I was...livid really, but you can't go back, you must move forward. So, we did the yard, I pulled up misbehaving grass and weeds until my hands hurt and my back ached. You might imagine that this meant the rest of the weekend was unproductive and it was.

There has been a slight lull in sales again and this has afforded me the opportunity to get more pieces off the custom list. I worked on a couple of masks and I ordered up some crystals to get a few more knocked out before we move...theoretically, on the weekend of the 14th. I say theoretically because I am no longer assuming anything when it comes to this house purchase. I also started getting the wunderkammer giveaway set up and once I hear back from everyone I contacted, I'll get the post set and ready to run for the 10th. I really hope this is the jump start the blog needs to really move beyond its loyal, but small audience and get some real exposure for the artisans and their work.

It's Too Hot

Yet another long weekend is now behind me. This one featured my husbands birthday, which means we watched movies and video games, ate ridiculously large meals and I have consumed enough chocolate based desserts to create a whole new me. So to say I'm not well rested is a severe understatement. Yet, here we go into a new week full of...well, I've no idea really. I've got very few if any plans for the foreseeable future. I am currently making the reward for my graphic collaborator on the wunderkammer and I'm really excited by what she's already shared with me. So excited in fact that it's a bit of a struggled to not share it here, but I shall endure. I want it to have a great reveal when it is complete.

I am still knitting away as well. Switching between the two fiber arts has my hands a bit confused though and if I stop paying attention to what I'm doing things get a bit weird. I really should be remaking a score of pieces I have listed as custom orders, but I just can't seem to get motivated to do so. I have started one of the masks, but I'm pretty much ignoring it right now. I think the heat is just wiping the energy right out of me and it's only going to get worse.

I will be shipping pieces away to have their magazine photo shoot this week. If I am recalling correctly this is for an August issue, so hopefully I'll feel comfy sharing all the details soon. I've made one piece specifically for the shoot, but the others are existing ones. Though I did make some earrings to match them. I very rarely do earrings since there are so many other tatters that make them, but I figured this was a special occasion.

Speaking of other tatters, I discovered over the weekend that the pattern I've been passing out for my barefoot sandals has a rather glaring mistake...oops. Someone finally called me on it, well more accurately, asked me if it was their mistake. So, if you have the pattern, please note that the center medallion is wrong and should be: (4 rings of 5ds, p, 3ds, 9p sep by 3ds, p, 5ds close join each ring together by the 1st and 11th picot.) Sorry.

2 Out Of 3 Ain't Bad

Well surprises abounded yesterday...okay, there were only two surprises, but still. First I received a google alert and a convo at the same time directing me to a feature on Mr X Stitch. It's a very flattering article titled, and no I'm not kidding, 'Stichgasm'. Nice. Then just a few minutes later I got a message from the lovely Kim of TopsyTurvyDesigns. I had collaborated with her on a set of photos quite some time ago. The set featured her amazing hats, a couple of my tatted chokers, authentic vintage wear all shot by Silent Shudder Photography. I have of course been using the images as the listing photos for the Ladies Who Lunch choker as well as the Portrait of An Elegant Bride. Anyway, the photos were submitted to Gothic Beauty Magazine and will be in issue #28 due in stores shortly. Unfortunately they do not post anything online so I can't share here, but please check the issue out at a bookstore near you.

I was waiting all day for the third amazing surprise to occur, but alas that appears to be the end of it though I did finish and get paid for a set of masks made for a friend. I suppose that counts as good news, but it wasn't much of a surprise. I made up some more pendants for the Maker Faire, though I'm fairly convinced that whatever I do have will either not be enough, or will be the wrong things. Ah, well we trudge on.

I am still wearing the corset and I am still going to keep mentioning that here, more as a public record to keep myself in line than anything else. The more people following my progress, the more likely I am to keep it up. It has already produced some results, but I'm sure that If I stopped now, they would disappear quite quickly, but I have to share one moment from yesterday. I had removed the corset for exercise before bed and then walked out into the living room where video games were being enjoyed. My husband asked if I was wearing the corset and when I said no, he responded, wow. That was nice and to continue getting that sort of reaction I will strap myself in as long as it takes to get permanent results.

Photo: Silent Shudder Photography / Model/MUA Beaux Deadly / Hat & Styling - Topsy Turvy Design

How Was Your Weekend?

The weekends have been getting...odd around here lately. Last weekend saw a huge surge of sales, well huge for me anyway, because of a inclusion in the stylehive newsletter. I spent the better part of the week making up ankle corsets and whatnot. This past weekend was much quieter until Sunday. I spend a good portion of my weekend offline with my family, so I only check in for any length of time during the kids naps. This weekend the surprise was first a google alert for an article at TrendHunter. Nope, I'd not heard of the site either, which makes the write up a little sweeter. At last check the article has over 1800 views and is currently featured and apparently the #4 hot item in the last 24 hours.. Though that only seems to have translated into store views from the site, it's still pretty cool.

Then a little later in the afternoon, I got a message over at etsy from a magazine writer informing me that one of my masks was going to be featured in their next issue. She requested some hi-res images of my Babe With The Power mask. I sent them off poste haste and I will reveal said magazine when and if it should actually come to pass. I will say it is a fashion magazine that I only heard of recently through twitter. This of course doesn't mean a thing as I am generally fashion illiterate.

One more little thing from the weekend, well Friday really, but anyway. I have been inpired by Haute Macabre posts before, they posted the pictures of the lace stilletto that led to my ankle corsets. Again they post and I... recreate. This time it was a post featuring shoe jewelry. These were pieces made of chainmail or leather bands attached by chains to be worn with heels. Of course I saw them with straps of tatting connected with chains and I completed the first prototype this weekend as well. I am having problems with chain length and making the piece adjustable. Though I'm thinking that perhaps it would be better ta add the chain after requesting customer measurments. I'm also aware that these are going to require excellent walking skills to avoid sngging the chains, but I assume that if you're probably not going to be wearing heels hiking or anything anyway. I will most likely be selling this pair at a prototype price very soon as I work on a refined piece.

Water, Water Everywhere, But Not A Drop To Drink

I have been floating in a sea of productivity and recognition for the last few days. Prompted by my acceptance to Lollishops, I have been working on new pieces for that future storefront, my etsy shop as well as another set for a Steam Punk convention in the fall. In fact I had been so busy creating, I took me a few days to realize that I haven't made a sale in a while. Just when that was starting to get to me yesterday, I got a couple of nice surprises. I was mentioned in the lovely blog by Amy Esther. It's listed on top of my feature list on the left. What was even nicer than the kind writeup were the comments left at the end. I am always uplifted by those comments from strangers who confess to being fans of my work. I'm always surprised to find out that people have heard of me.

Then the mailman brought me my early copy of Belle Armoire Jewelry. It contains my second article for the publication. This one features my tatted chokers and I write out the pattern for my Grand Victorian Daisy choker. Of course I was not actually surprised by my article in the magazine, but what did surprise me a little was that I was not the only artisan using tatting in the issue. I was the only actual tatter, but there was a feature on two different artisans that use vintage tatting in their work, one does gorgeous assembled necklaces and the other makes cuffs. While the magazine is not what I would call a mainstream publication, it does appeal to an entirely different demographic of jewelry creators, exposing the art form to a new audience.

I made a ridiculous claim months ago that one of my goals was to make tatting the next crafting craze. I never in a million years thought that we were truly at the beginning of a resurgence of this amazing art form, but if this magazine is any indication, the world might be ready for tatting! Check out the magazine when it hits shelves and be sure to tell me that you saw it so I can feel all famous and stuff even if I'm not making any sales.

The Tatted Scarf

Like many other crafters and artisans, I have a virtual list of projects dancing around in my brain. This list is long and filled with highly improbable ideas. Occasionally I actually get around to something on this invisible list. Case in point, this tatted scarf. I've tatted simple scarves before, but I've never fell in love with one.

This design uses my "grand daisy" pattern. It's one of those designs that I'm pretty sure no one likes nearly as much as I do, but that's okay. I just started it yesterday & I still don't have the whole pattern worked out yet. I think I'll add a simple edging around the daises for the sake of good structure. The best part is, I've got enough of this lovely yarn from NoTwoSnowflakes to make one to sell and one to keep. Now for pricing....

In other news, I Finally sold my Goth Wedding choker. It was the first fancy piece I ever made. I used silk thread and crystal drop beads for the first time. It made it to the cover of Belle Armoire Jewelry and I feared it would never find a home. Now it's safely nestled in it's bubble envelope on it way across the country!