Consignment Pendants for Pink Andie Beads

Pink Andie Beads contacted me through etsy.com for 10 pendants on consignment. These are what I shipped off to her last week. It's my fist consignment job!

From left to right top to bottom:
1. Bingo "lucky lady"
2. Little bird (pendant design also available at my etsy shop now)
3. Angel with blue bead
4. Green and brown swirls
5. "Wish on a star" fairy
6. Cherry blossoms (has tiny origami frame on back)
7. "She is going places" woman
8. Brown tree branches
9. Lady in fancy hat
10. "Elegant" fairy woman

They all have different designs on the reverse side.

See something you like? I'll be happy to make one for you. Contact me!

All designs and packaging © In My Head Studios

Craft Show & Tell

My mother and I went to do some craft show reconnaissance on Saturday at two small shows held at a local high school and at a local recreation center. We wanted to see how people had displays set up, how big booths were, and what they were selling. Our plan was to look and not buy, but I'm sure you can guess how long that lasted.

Most people had small tables and tablecloths. Jewelry was displayed on stands or racks. Some of it was just laid out on the tables. I was not very impressed with the displays, but it was nice to see that I don't necessarily have to get all fancy with them to sell my items. Many tables were filled to the spilling point with things. That looks good to me because this person appears dedicated to their craft and makes a variety of items. Nothing looks sadder than a sparse display.

Also for sale were many items of the ever perennial kitschy country décor. I thought (or at least hoped) that stuff had gone out of fashion!

What struck me most were the low, low prices. I'm not sure how some of these folks are able to turn a profit at their selling prices. I got a beautiful ceramic vase for just $10, a table runner in silky ivory for $2, and hand knitted mittens for $4.50 among other things. I purchased several gifts for Christmas and still got out of both shows without spending more than $30.

I have been greatly pleased to see knitting come back into fashion. A lot of sellers had knitted scarves, hats, doll clothes, mittens, and felted bowls and bags. My grandmother owned and operated a knit and yarn shop in her day so knitting and crocheting is part of my family heritage.

I spoke with the people who set up the shows in order to get on the mailing list for next year. My mom even offered to help me lug tables around and sit with me at the show. I’m really looking forward to doing this. It will be my first foray into the craft show world.

Another First

Last week at work, I made my first Artist Trading Card. At work? Yes, I had to fill in for the art therapist while she was away. Poor me. Not doing my own work and making art instead. Someone should call the Department of Labor.

We had a group of artists who have wanted to learn about these for a while and some who knew nothing about ATCs at all. It was strange to run a group about something I know about but never actually did. So I was kind of winging it. 

Last year I bought a book called Artist Trading Card Workshop. I highly recommend this book to all ATC enthusiast and beginners. The book is filled with techniques for backgrounds and collages from easy to more advanced. Some projects included are painting on paper towels, stenciling, transfer techniques, embossing resists, and using resin. Directions for making an accordion book to hold all your cards can be found at the back of the book. Hundreds of full color images of ATCs are sprinkled throughout to add more juice to your imagination. 

I passed this book around the room so the artists would get a visual sense of what I was talking about. And then we spent two hours creating. Nothing beats being in a room full of artists working on art and talking. The air is electric with ideas and creativity. Sometimes I like to just watch them work and interact with each other. It's so important to belong to a community and where I work we strive to provide that for artists who struggle with mental health issues. 

Now my brain is full of ideas for more ATCs. Since the working area consists of only 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" I think some designs might translate to my work with the 1" x 1" pendants. 

I made the card above on a piece of heavy watercolor paper. A tag, a picture of a model with fairy wings, and the number 6 were collaged onto the card after I painted the background pink with Lumiere paints (my favorite!). Then the fairy got teal polka dots. The back has my signature, the date, and the edition of 1/1. 

I think I am going to keep this one since it is my first. But for future reference, does anyone want to trade?  

First Etsy Sales!

I got my first sales yesterday on Etsy! I am so excited! Someone not far from where I live bought two pendants. Sales to someone who lives in my town somehow feel more special. They're my peeps!

The first pendant is called "Beautiful Flowers". The second pendant is called "Handle with Care". (click the photos to go to the Etsy pages and read the descriptions.)

Both are glass collage pendants, which means they are tiny original works of art sandwiched between two pieces of microscope slide glass that I cut down to 1" x 1" and soldered together. They are different on the backside. Two pendants in one!

That was a very nice surprise to find as I returned home from shopping on Black Friday. I posted those pendants within a few days of October 20th. They took about a month to sell. Could it have been my offer of free shipping that lured a buyer in?

I was actually beginning to get worried about my jewelry as people were looking and "heart"ing but not buying. Now my hope is restored! I was waiting for something to sell to justify the costs of listing more items. Four pendants are about 90% ready to go to market. They need to be sanded and polished. Then begins the photographing, which can be a pain to get right. But I have to replenish my store's stock. I'm starting to feel like a real business person! Yay!

By the way, I only went out on Black Friday to get good deals at the craft store, and my mom and I didn't bother to venture out until the mobs had gone home. I try to stock up while the prices on paper are low! I got some great deals! Plus my hunny bought me a sewing machine for my birthday and Christmas! It was marked down from $299 to $179. Couldn't pass that one up. Now I will be sewing paper together and making all sorts of new things. And shortening pants because I'm not even 5 feet tall. :)

Now I am off for a reconnaissance mission at two local craft shows to look at how artwork is displayed and priced. I'm a bit shopped out so no buying today unless I fall deeply in love with something. ♥

First Snow of the Season

Happy Thanksgiving!

We got our first flakes of winter today. It did not affect travel too much so we made it to my mom's safely. She only lives about 20 minutes from our house.

Today was actually Second Thanksgiving for my family because we had the big Thanksgiving last Sunday so my sister and her family could be there, too. They went to her in-laws' house today.

Nobody felt like cooking again so we were treated to a free dinner at Old Country Buffet by the brother of a friend. I ate too much roast beef and then I ate too much dessert. My body has had its fill of turkey this week so I went for something different. It paid off as it was the best roast beef I've had in a while.

There are so many things to be thankful for this year, such as the healthy births of a niece and a nephew, the birth of In My Head Studios, learning more about myself as an artist, the ability to try new art techniques, finding Etsy, the continued good health of my family, the engagement of my best friend to a fantastic guy, and the continuation of my romance of a lifetime. I am so lucky to be surrounded by family and friends who love and respect me, the community of artists I have found in 3D and online, and the knowledge and experience we all have been sharing. Despite some tough times these past few months, things are on a whole looking good for me and I am VERY thankful for that.

I hope you have had a wonderful Thanksgiving, too!