The reason for my absence

My sister and I participated in a local arts and crafts fair. I really had to step up my production to have anything to sell, and have had to take all week to recover. I set up an etsy shop to sell them online. If you haven't visited etsy, you might just love it, it is full of handmade items. I find it addictive. I have already listed a few on etsy and plan to get more up over the next few days.

I am hand making some of the beads. The green ones including the pendant in this necklace are made by me in green translucent clay. I am not crazy about how the pendant hangs, I have decided to restring it before I post it on etsy.

Someone I know is buying this one for someone else. Just in case the someone else happens to read this.

I feel the need to explain the orange and black theme to those who aren't familiar with my hometown, these are high school's team colors.

This is one of my favorite sets, I am torn between selling and keeping it for myself. However I did list it on etsy so snap it up before I change my mind. ; )

My cousin is purchasing this set for her mom, I am not worried about her mom reading my blog obviously. I do have some similar beads left to string into something though.

These blue beads are some of my favorites, my pictures came out like poo on them so I am going to retake them. I have a couple of necklaces in this color scheme.

These are for long hair, does anyone know their real name? I am glad I finally got some Kato clay so I could make them. (Kato stays flexible after it is baked, unlike the sculpey I have so much of.) I have some pretty brown clay I need to make some more in another color scheme.

My rock scrapbook embellishements. It was a whim and I think they came out well. Didn't sell many though, I think I didn't display it well so people knew what to do with them.

Playing with the left over clay from the autumn leaf jewlery set. More scrapbook embellishements.

Honest feedback appreciated. Hate it? Love it? Too amatuer?

More Hummingbird Jewelry

If you were so unfortunate to read my twittering last week, I repeatedly mentioned working on my mother's birthday present. I decided to repeat the hummingbird theme I did for my mother in law but in green my mom's favorite color. However I tried the polymer clay wings again, I wasn't quite happy with the beaded ones. My first batch made it through sanding but didn't make through buffing, so I tried again with a thicker layer of clay and then a backing of clay.

She really seemed to like it. I told her she was market research and had to tell me what is wrong with it.

While I think my finish work was improved from my last piece, as I edited the photos I noticed a few partial fingerprints I missed. I am working on some photo transfer pendants for mother's day and am coating my fingers in cornstarch first to try and prevent fingerprints.

So do any of you want to be market research for me? I am going to give away one hummingbird pendant this week. Winner gets to choose between the purple beaded wing model or the green polymer clay winged model. To enter the contest simply leave me a comment, and I will pick a winner randomly. Feel free to link the contest for your blog buddies if you like. The giveaway will end on Tuesday May 14th at midnight and I'll announce the winner on Wednesday May 15th.

A Blog About Nothing

I have been racking my snot filled brain to come up with something worth blogging about. I wanted to find something exciting, or controversial, you know pithy that makes you come back for more. No such luck, trust me I spared any of you who weren't reading what I was twittering about this week.

Have I ever mentioned my need to do things well sometimes gets in the way of doing it at all? Tom quit laughing sometimes I do something well.

I have been burning the candle at both ends trying to get my mother's birthday present made. Version one didn't make it through the buffing stage so I am having to redo. They are cool if I can make them sturdy enough to be jewelry.

Tee ball is taking up a bunch of time lately. It is entirely worth every minute though, the kids are too funny. Zach hit the ball the other night and promptly ran to third base. (It's not like it was his first time, he just got confused.) Well I need to get back to my present making. Bird posted about how she never gives her handmade gifts away. I always ending up spending too much money on supplies. I do usually give them, perhaps to the chagrin of the recipient. Sometimes I cringe when I see them at a later date. How do you feel about homemade gifts?