Ring and Mask

We were back to schooling officially yesterday, so the whole of the morning was devoted to that. I'm trying to refocus the kids a bit as they tend to get lazier as the year wears on. I don't know where they could have picked that up from? Yeah, I know, it's me, but at least I can acknowledge it and work on the problem.

I had plenty of tatting to get on with as soon as schooling was wrapped though. I started with the tatted ring. I have these listed as custom pieces since I can make them fairly quickly and then each one can be a different color. This one was done in Lizbeth dark purple. You might have noticed more of my pictures are in-progress ones lately. There's a shop update function on the etsy app that lets you share them everywhere, and in an effort to help my shop gain momentum, I've been doing it for a week or so now. Since business has picked up around the same time, coincidentally or not, I'm going to keep it up just in case it is working.

After the ring it was on to remaking a mask that just sold.  This is one of my simpler ones, so I managed to finish it yesterday as well, though it's not done in this photo. After that was done, all my tatting, save for a pendant that I'm not sure I'm going to remake, was done. I went back to some reading for the afternoon.

I woke up this morning to a necklace order, so I do have something to remake today as well. I'm a couple of days behind on the TIAS too, so I'll try to catch up on that this weekend to see how the rabbit shapes up. Again, I just have to say how wonderfully busy this week has been and how much I've been enjoying it. Here's to a great weekend!

Some Tatting

Since I actually started yesterday with an order in my etsy shop, I had tatting to do. My only regret is that they were all incredibly quick pieces to make. Of course I imagine that's a plus for the person who purchased them as gifts. They'll be out in the post this morning with a shipping upgrade as a gift from me.

I didn't tackle any more chairs yesterday. I decided that I should let my hand recover a bit so I'm not bruising a bruise. Instead I knitted and read the rest of the day. I'll probably get back to chairs today though. I'm running out of time to clean up the house before we host holiday house guests. My brother and sister-in-law will be here the longest starting on Tuesday, but my other brother will be staying here as well. I'm totally just stalling on all the things I know I should do. We haven't even finished shopping for gifts yet. There used to be a time when I had those all wrapped up before Thanksgiving to avoid all this stress. This year I'm apparently trying to win a procrastination award. Here's to a productive day in something anyway.

Current Etsy Shop Sale: 15% off with the code HOLIDAY215. Code is good through Dec. 20

Listed

Right after schooling yesterday I got the new rings listed. They're all in one listing with the ability to choose between the two sizes that I can make, your choice of color, and if you want crystals or not. I even had the option of making the crystal ones cost just a little bit more in the same listing. Now I just wait and hope that I sell a few of them. They really are very comfortable, would make a great gift and I'm fairly certain that I'm keeping a black one for myself.

After that it was back to the Armenian lace. I had another stitch design that I wanted to try out before I busted out with the silk thread. The last thing I want to do is waste good thread on a bad idea. It's turning out okay so far, but I haven't even gotten to a repeat of the design yet and I don't know if maybe another repeat makes the piece too large. There's really nothing for it, but to try and make it and see what happens.

I anticipate that working on this necklace should take up most of my afternoon. It's now become my normal to stitch while reading, so I've also managed to read several books recently. It makes me feel like I'm not actually wasting any time, even though I probably am by many people's standards. Oh well, off to the day then.

Rings

Friday I did get the new Armenian lace necklace up in my etsy shop. Honestly after that I was a bit adrift for the rest of the day. I did a search through my thread and ran across a spool of black silk thread. I didn't really enjoy tatting with it, but I thought I might try Armenian lace with it, but I couldn't decided on a pattern and I didn't want to waste the silk experimenting, so I started another cord in cotton for the pattern I was going to try. I figure cotton can be the dry run and if it works, I'll try it in silk.

I was ready to keep going with that, but I woke up to a sale on Saturday morning and that gave me something to tat up instead. It was just a tatted ring, so it was made in a flash, but making it actually gave me an idea for a new one. I first made it up in the Lizbeth twirlz thread there on my index finger. I then wore it about on our morning errands and even though doing laundry when we got back. I was initially concerned that the points of the diamond shape would misbehave when worn. That wasn't the case, so I made another in black as well.

The rest of the weekend I kept making more in different colors with the intention of listing them in my shop after schooling is wrapped today. Then yesterday afternoon I decided to also experiment with some sparkles. I sewed on some swarovski crystals to some of the rings to see what it would look like and I honestly have mixed feeling about the results. I don't think it looks bad at all, I just like the plain lace better. That being said, I will likely list both versions of the ring along with color and size options just like my other tatted rings. I know it's not the most original design, but it's new and so I'm happy with my creative weekend.

Once they're listed, I'll get back to the Armenian lace experiment and try to keep busy until the next sale or idea comes along.

Crossing Fingers

Well, there wasn't a single snowflake in my life yesterday. Quite thankfully, just as I was finished writing for the morning, I got an order in the shop. So I spent the day working on remaking the pieces sold. Among them was one of my larger bracelets and a tatted ring.

The bracelet took most of the day, but the ring is what I managed to take a photo of for the blog. It had been a long time since I made one of these. They're fairly simple, but with the weaving, they take a bit longer than an ordinary, or smaller one.

Just as I was finishing this for the day, I sold one more small piece as well. That gives me something to work on for today. Though it is just a pendant, so it shouldn't take long and then I can get back to the snowflakes.  I'm just so very glad to have made one sale, let alone two for the day. You have no idea how much I am crossing my fingers that it is the beginning of a trend and not just an isolated incident.

Pretty Rings

This holiday season is killing me, seriously. There is no rhyme nor reason I can discern as far as my shop goes. One day it's terribly busy and I'm excited to get to work and the next, a complete ghost town. It's not like this is weekday versus weekend or anything that makes sense either. I'm trying to just go with the flow, but the flow is more like the Himalayas, steep, uncomfortable and occasionally deadly. Okay, that last part might be an extreme exaggeration, but I think I might actually be looking forward to January when the shop becomes consistent again. Sure, it's will be consistently slow, but at least it will be predictable.

I did try to ignore the silence, I did have a few tasks on hand, after all. First up was a custom order for two of my newer rings. The order was for the one in pinks and the one in purples. I just figured since I had more colors on hand when they were finished I'd take some new pictures for the listing. I still didn't have any natural light since the clouds are maintaining dominance here, a fact I think that is contributing to my general malaise, but I managed some fairly accurate color captures anyway. The ones I just made are destined to be gifts for a little girl. I'm pretty sure they will be well received as my own child loves the ring and if it can survive her, it's pretty sturdy too.

Then I did some grown-up tasks that I had been avoiding. I spent money on supplies, paid an unexpected bill and got the children's work samples ready to send to the teacher. I did not like any of that. I spent the rest of the afternoon remaking a choker. Well, the part of the afternoon that wasn't sucked away by a new casual game my husband gifted me for St. Nick's Day...damn him. Like I needed something else to distract me from what actually needs to get done.

As you likely guessed from my opening paragraph I got no new sales yesterday so I went to bed worried a little for today, but overnight I received one new order giving me something that needs doing this morning. So today, I'll add the new ring photos to the listing, remake a choker, the same one I remade yesterday oddly enough and then if silence prevails I'll get to gift making. I think that feels like a pretty full day. Off to it then.

More Rings

There was no sun to speak of yesterday so it was pretty hard to get good pictures of the rings I wanted to get listed, but I think I manged some okay ones. I might go back and redo the photos when the sun returns to the valley, but it's not likely. I went ahead and made it another variation listing where the customer can pick two colors from a drop down menu so I used photos from both rings in the listing.

Later in the afternoon I got some time to dig through my supply boxes and discovered that I have adjustable ring bases in silver tone on hand as well. The pad on top is slightly smaller so I didn't want to list them as an option until I worked up at least one ring one them to make sure the same pattern would work. I used Ocean Teal and Medium Charcoal Gray for this one and since my phone refuses to properly photograph the teal, I threw on a ridiculous filter. The teal is closer to what it actually looks like, but you still can't see any of the green tone in it. My real camera does better, but only when there is sun. So I won't likely add this to the listing until the sun returns either. Though the whole point was to see if the silver base would work and it clearly does so the original listing now notes that you can get it in either metal tone. I wish I could add a third variation for that choice, but etsy has capped them at two, so for the time being it has to be noted at checkout.

I've thought about doing a tutorial on the technique I use to attach the tatting to jewelry bases like rings and bobby pins without glue, but I think almost everyone has their own method at this point. If you think it's something people would like to learn, let me know and maybe it will be one of my after the holidays projects. For now I'll keep plugging away on new pieces for the shop to try and stay busy and relevant. Only a month left of extra holiday stress.

Chokers and Rings

Normally I don't notice anymore if a day goes by without a blog comment. I rarely or almost never comment on the blogs I read so I just don't expect it here at all either. The exception is when I've designed something new and I really hoped for feedback like yesterday. Now, don't get me wrong this isn't some sort of fishing for compliments expedition, just an observation. If I need to fish I stop by the Facebook page and beg for attention outright. I'm in a lovely mood really, so no need to complain, I was just a little surprised. Plus I have plenty more to show you.

First off I did get the new piece all done up and listed. I don't know if you can actually see the things I changed from the prototype, but I really like the way it turned out and it's a really comfortable length...for me anyway. It sits at the base of the neck with the slightest curve. It does take a bit longer to make than some of my other choker designs, but that's what happens when you go ornate with the scallops.

I had of course hoped that having a new piece to show off would attract customers and the shop did get more views than it has been getting, but no buyers. Again, I didn't let that get me down and I decided to go ahead and make something else new.

I was pretty well stuck under a cat at this point and I could only reach one supply box so I decided to get out a ring base and make something simple. Yes, I am aware that I could have thrown off the shackles of the lap cat at any time, but it was warm and that would have been mean. I had the purple and black thread out, so I made this ring while trapped. I didn't use any beads partly because of the entrapment and partly because I actually prefer plain lace most of the time. I like the occasional over the top embellishment, but I think the lace generally does fine on its own.

As soon as the oldest daughter saw the ring she had to have one too. She adores rings, but she is growing at what seems like an alarming rate, though I imagine it's pretty normal, and she outgrows her favorite rings too fast. This is an adjustable brass base, so she should be able to wear it for awhile. I wasn't sure I was going to bother listing it, but at this point, I'm thinking why not. They're pretty fast to make and since there are no embellishments, I can probably list them at a fairly low price. Yeah, I guess I'll do that today. Hopefully the day throws me some new sales to deal with or some more ideas to work with. Here's to a great day ahead! Simply thinking positive works right...right?

New Mask!

Good Monday morning world or the small segment of it that reads this. I really tried to have a pointless weekend, but I needed to do something new. To that end I first tried something only slightly new on Friday. I added crystals to the extra wide ring design, mostly to see how it would feel and work. It gave me something to do and talk about online for a spell and I think that's what I really needed, you know, some point to babbling online. It did turn out comfortable by the way. The crystals sit on the outside of the lace so it's really no different to wear than the other version on the wide ring.

After doing our normal Saturday errands and an extra walk around the creek I had a bit of an epiphany regarding the potential mask on a stick. Since it will be on a stick and doesn't have to sit perfectly on a face, I have more leeway with design. So I started with a completely new eye shape and then started working on a new design. I know I've said that I generally make up designs as I tat, but usually I at least have an idea of where I'm going with it before I start up. This was completely off the cuff the entire time. With the new eye shape I had no idea where to begin or what I wanted. I just started, made it up as I went, unmade it a few times around the first eye and then attempted to recreate the same thing on the second side. The center was another drama as I still needed to get a bridge wire in there, but I didn't plan for one in advance. So, I guess what I'm saying is I'm truly shocked that this seemed to have worked out.

Next up was the truly frightening task of stiffening the mask so I can put the sucker on an stick. Those details still have yet to be fully worked out either, but I did know that I wanted the mask stiff first so that what I started on last night. I used the 'Amazing fa-brick' and painted it on straight while the mask was shaped on a cheap plastic mask base. This stuff dries to the touch pretty fast except that I did both sides so by bedtime it was still sticky. I still wasn't certain that I wasn't really just destroying the mask, but nothing ventured nothing gained. It seems okay this morning upon a cursory examination, but later I'll really get to play with and see if it was a success and what else needs to be done to finish the piece. Once that's done I may make this design up again as a wearable mask because I'm kind of in love with the shape. Don't worry, you'll get all the details on the success or failure of the stiffening as soon as I've formed an opinion.

So the mask is the plan for today though I also ran across my tatted hat yesterday. It was the first project I shared on this blog and it never sold, so I'm thinking about getting new pictures and listing it again or if the stiffening works, maybe turning it into a sculpted bowl, maybe paint it or something crazy and artistic...who knows. The hat is shown here and I'd love your opinion on the subject if you have the time. Alright, off to it then.

Rings

I'm running on a bit less sleep than usual so forgive me if I ramble a bit more than usual. We've had some rainy weather the last few days and it seems to really kick up at night with added wind waking me from my slumber. I try to get back to sleep, but the chorus of frogs that are apparently happily living in our backyard add to the ruckus and I'm left lying in bed listening and not sleeping. Today is suppose to be the last day of it for a while, so hopefully this will be the last you hear me whine of it.

So, what did I do over the weekend, well my weekend projects started on Friday. I sent off a tatted ring to a customer and as I remade said ring I was struck that it might look neat were I to double up the design into an extra wide ring...so I did. Then as I worked I decided that I liked the bit where the rings nested into each other and thought a narrow ring with that design might be nice. When those were finally photographed and listed it was suggested to me that adding crystals might be lovely, so I did that too in burgundy.

After these I even tried out the double wide ring a different way, with two woven sections and the rings on the outside.  It's a little more delicate so I'm not sure I'll list that one or not. Speaking of delicate, when I posted these on facebook someone commented regarding the stability of tatted rings. So I thought I post some lessons I've learned about them. First, the tighter the twist on the thread the better. While softer thread is great for some wearables, I find the firmer thread is necessary for rings to work. I also don't use my usual size 10 thread, I think 20 is the perfect balance of strength and delicate here. The denser the design the sturdier too, the woven and nested bits really help these hold their shape over time. I know there was another tip or two, but the sleep deprivation is interfering.

So, what's up for today. Yeah, I don't know yet. I finally sold my first trailing scrolls necklace, the burgundy one, and since I have more of the bits I used for that one, I may remake it today. Other than  that and schooling  I've no agenda. Of course all these rings were never on the agenda and they all got made, so I think we all know I never know what direction the day is going. Here's to a creative, productive and successful week for all of us.

Always Knock On Wood

I know it's what I get for talking without knocking on some wood, but I didn't have a single sale yesterday. Not one. Any other time of the year this would not be cause for alarm, but now, in the middle of the holiday shopping season, it's got my brain doing circles trying to figure out out to pull out of the nose dive. Did I do something wrong? Did I fail to do something right? No need to try and justify it to me, I know that it is likely just a fluke and even if it wasn't there is nothing to be done for it now. I suppose I just needed to get a little panic out into the open.

Even though I got no sales I was still busy of course. I had a pair of ankle corsets that needed making and I managed to finish them right before bedtime. I also got pictures of the ring I made the other day and got that listed. It always puts me in a better mood when I have something new to share, no matter how small.

So today I have the elytra necklace to remake. If nothing else I can get the lace tatted up and worry about attaching the wings later. If sales remain elusive, I'll just try and make something new to take the edge off. I still have a huge bag full of adds and ends to challenge my sense of design, so there's always that.

A Little Sepia

I know there will come a time when you will all be so sick of kitten talk that you will simply stay away, but as they are dominating my day currently...there will be more kitten talk.First though, here is one of the sepia things I did the other day. I got in some ring blanks in brass tone, so I thought that was perfect for the browns. I might also get one made in the deep purple as that shade looks good with brass as well, but my to do list is rather long lately.

Now back to kittens. We let them into the rest of the house and there was mighty chaos as the roamed, got hissed at and battled on the stairs. The most significant adjustment for me was this one. They opted to nap on my lap while the children slept. This meant I was twisted about in order to get my tatting done during what is usually my most productive hour and the second they awoke it was battle time on my lap. So far, they have shown limited interest in my thread, but this was just day one. I foresee much chaos in our future.

I do have many pieces still needed to be remade and I'm waiting on a customer to finish up their order. Sure, I could do it first, but I have recently learned my lesson regarding services without prior payment. I want to say I have something else to share, but I'm also rocking a nice head cold, so it could be nothing. So off to it then...I think.

Look At The Thread

It's bill day, so I've been terribly busy this morning and nearly forgot about the blog. Let's see first a frustration. So I emailed and emailed and waited and waited, but received no response regarding the additional shipping cost for the mask I mentioned yesterday. My stress level continued to rise as the shipping deadline neared, so I shipped it anyway. I know I really shouldn't have and I can probably kiss that $40 goodbye, but I thought about it and decided that I would rather do that than deal with the potential aftermath of doing the opposite. I tell you this story as a cautionary tale for my future self that may need to be reminded to just say no next time someone wants something overnighted. It is so not worth all the stress.

In less stressful news, I did make up one more of the new rings. I must direct your attention to the gray thread. It is magnificent. Really my favorite shade of gray thread ever, it shines and yet it is still the perfect dark color. Heather really outdid herself with this color. Now, I realize that not everyone is in love with gray so you might think me batty, but I've barely broken into the skein and I'm already thinking of ordering much more of it so I am never without it. I even want to keep the ring, but I am ridiculously rough on my hands so I would only be able to wear it on special occasions and those are very few and far between.

I'm still dealing with the aftermath of the Halloween rush, but I still don't feel compelled to start remaking masks yet. I will need to soon however as the Christmas season is fast approaching and it generally brings with it custom color and size requests and Mardi Gras mask sales follow closely behind. Better to have them done now rather than rush through them right after the holidays. Of course I am being rather presumptuous, I could get no more sales than normal and be blessed with the gift of limitless time. See, now I'm not quite sure which way I want that to go. No, I do...I really need the income, I am a capitalist pig. So, I guess to recap, don't say yes to expedited shipping, gray thread is awesome and sister likes to get paid. Now it's off to tat, Halloween and other nonsense.

Vanity and Bloomers

Yesterday kick my butt. Seriously I could write a novel on all the going ons that occurred throughout the course of what what not so much a bad day as a day of...not smooth. There was the teacher meeting that went quite well and the errands to the store that followed that ate up the entire morning. When we returned home it was to an ant invasion in the kitchen and then the children went down for their nap, but didn't actually sleep. Though at this point I must confess that I completed my ankle corsets, took photos and got them listed and that was as smooth as ice. However shortly after that I though it would be okay to list my unmade mask as a custom order. I mean who is actually shopping online for Halloween at this point right? Wrong.

The mask that was not yet made was ordered and requested to be shipped overnight. So I spent a great deal of the afternoon trying to sort that. Oddly enough the same overnight shipping request would be made of another ready to ship mask right before bed. Though the second time around I already had all the answers having looked it all up. Though the first customer still has not paid for their upgraded shopping yet, so I am still stressed about shipping it this morning. Deep breath.

Then I got a note from Krystledawn on twitter letting me know that she had used the idea I came up with for my bobby pins and lapel pins on her new rings...which are adorable by the way. Then I though, why haven't I tried that on rings yet. I made a few rings on bases years ago but they were difficult to put together and I just stopped. Of course I know more now, so in a rare case of the 'me-too's' I dug out slumbering ring bases and tried a ring using the same basic design as my bobbies. The biggest difference is the inner ring I had to add to fully hide the larger silver base. I only have a few of these ring bases left, the others I have are the ones with cups meant for jewels and I'm not certain those will work with this technique. These might be good for Christmas shopping season so I'll get the other two made up I think. Or I might crawl back into bed and try to ignore any more crazy that ,might want to fling itself my way.

Too Hot

I think I mentioned that it was getting to hot yesterday. What I think I didn't mention was the reason the heat was getting to me. Well, our air conditioning has broken. I know many people live in climates where this would not be a problem, but I live where yesterday was over 105 degrees. I managed to keep the house under 90, but barely. We did tell our property management about the problem,but we also told them we were putting in our 30 day notice, so I'm just crossing my fingers that they don't ignore the problem. Sure we're out of here in a few weeks, but it's not likely to be cooling down outside for quite sometime. To add a little extra fun to the hot, my husband is now out of town for a few days for a training. Yep and he's in the bay area where it is always cool, but I'm not bitter, not at all.

Yesterday I snagged prize number three for the Wunderkammer giveaway. Part of me feels kind of weird planning so far in advance and yes a few weeks is far for me. I'm used to doing these sort of things on the fly with little advance planning. I'm finding that contrary to what logic might dictate the extra time is not making me plan better. If anything it's letting me come up with then summarily reject additional giveaway scenarios that are really quite lame. This is certainly a case of going with your first instinct as the best bet.

I know that I also said I wasn't going to be able to come up with any new designs for a while either, but during the construction of my custom project I came up with a ring. It wasn't much of a stretch from the hat band to a ring. I just decreased the circumference a bit and it made itself. It's quite a comfy thing and I've already listed one in what I suppose is a small size since I have particularly skinny fingers. When I asked after pricing on twitter, it was suggested that I might do a ring and pendant set, so I decided that a pendant based on the same basic pattern design would be interesting. I haven't gotten great pictures of that piece yet, but it too is made with the slightly smaller thread, size 20 and is based on the same motif as my Spine barefoot sandals and the throat corset. I made it smaller and turned the top edge into a clover as well. I might get it listed later today. Of course I might not as the heat is sucking the life out of me.