Etsy is everywhere

Ok--I this blog will not be all etsy all the time, but it appears that in the real world, everywhere I look, I read about etsy. The founders are going to be on Martha Stewart tomorrow and there was an article about it in the Financial Times. It seems that its really about to get mainstream. I think its really exciting times for artists, designers and craftspeople in general. I cannot say enough, how amazing the whole concept is. I don;t even know HOW i ever stumbled upon it, but I am extremely glad that I did. This is a dramatic statement--be warned--but I think etsy has made my life better. Its just really nice to be making things, and being creative again. And to do it in a way I never thought possible.

You should also check out the philly artblog because my sister is in it yet AGAIN. Pretty cool. They seem to like her a lot. They have good taste.

Relieved

At last it is friday. You would think I would be all rested from having 4 days off last weekend, but apparently, a 3 day week is just as intense as 5! I am relieved.

In good news, I got a spot in an Etsy ad that will be in the wonderful magazine Craft. They also have a really great blog, which i highly recommend for anyone who loves crafts and making things. You can find it here. It will be on news stands starting May 1, and it comes out quarterly, so it will give me 3 whole months of exposure. I hope that I can get some good sales out of it. I am pleasantly surprised at the traffic I get, and how many I have already sold in my first month. But this can only add to that humble success. Its a fun time.

I just found this on etsy today.....so beautiful. You can see many more one of a kind blown glass items on Juln's site.

The American Public....

....are a weird crew. Very weird. That is all I have to say, or am at liberty to discuss.

Days off

So today I did not go to work. I love having long weekends, and today turned out to be a good one. I basically sewed all day. It was wonderful. I completed four bags, photographed them and posted them to etsy. It is such a feeling of accomplishment. Drinking coffee, the whir of the sewing machine, and life doesn't get much better!

Some of my handiwork....

Making things

I like to make things. When I have a new idea, its like it gnaws at my mind, literally, until I can get it out. Sometimes I wonder if there is something wrong with me. I have to get it out quickly, or else I might lose my mind from even the thought of making it. I think that is weird.
Even a color combination will pop in my head, or I will see it in the color of a tile, or a picture, or food, or clothing, and I will HAVE to find fabric to create something similar.
Luckily, I got two new designs out of my system last week, but it was touch and go there for a day or two when I had no time to actually make what I had in my head. I feel it coming on again. I think I need to make something new today.

One thing that frustrates me about making bags is that I can't really make them irridescent and sparkly...well, I could, but they would be ugly. I wish I could translate this necklace by nutraj into a bag.

My birth

So....today is the day. The first of my thirties. I think I am ok with it. Last night, not so much. It hit me hard. Like a ton of bricks. The last day, last night, of my twenties. That decade is young. It is youth. I felt as though I hadn't done enough, hadn't done everything I wanted to. I mean, I guess finishing college, two masters degrees, moving to london, getting a great paying job in my field, buying a house and starting a creative business is not considered 'enough". I realize that sounds rediculous--don't worry. I realize that I have high standards for myself, and this is good. But I think I will let myself off the hook for a little while. I have a feeling that my thirties are going to look pretty good. If these first few hours are any indication, I think I am going to feel a lot more free. I had so many deadlines on myself before, but I honestly have never thought what these next 10 years should look like, and I don't think I am going to. Lets just see what happens. I think it's gonna be good.

One more thing

Sweet little lemon drops from Stella Designs. I love her jewelry. Its romantic, and perfectly fitting for February 14th. I only wish i could wear them right now!

Valentines Day!!!!

I love this necklace...I would wear it everyday. You can see more really cool items at sarawestermark.etsy.com


I love Valentines day...I mean really love it. Its all flowers, pink and pretty. I have always loved it. When I was little and I would get valentines, it was the most amzing thing in the world. I don't care if its created by card companies and chocolatiers...it is the best day. Except for tomorrow, which is my birthday. Which leads me to my next statement. I only have a few more hours of my twenties left. Its a little wierd to face. But I am excited to see what my thirties hold, and I think its going to be good. Really good.

I want you.....

Pretty pink necklace......
This is from Dana Leblanc designs
and I think it is divine. I like being a girl.

I am really going to do it this time....

So I have started making my bags for real now. It is really fun to try different colors, textures and patterns. I have realized that I have always wanted to do something where I can use color all the time. And what better way then using colorful fabric to make something really cool.

So I am selling on etsy, and I really love it there. I think that it has the potential to be a really amazing place. Not that it isn't now, but for it to become a household name. Its just frustrating figuring it all out sometimes. There are so many different types of people, with different levels of skill, and obviously differing goals. Some sell their items for dirt cheap, and others sky high. I guess everyone has to make their choice. But for those of us who really want to make a go of it, its difficult to sell a beautiful handcrafted bag for $80, when someone else is selling theirs for $30. It just doesn't seem fair. It seems that this is always the great debate, both on Etsy and in the world. Everyone is trying to make it, and there is always someone else trying to get there before you. Ahhh capitalism.