My, does time fly!

well, i searched and searched and scoured and scoured and i finally settled on an e-commerce site to host Gold & Apel instead of etsy. i chose bigcartel.com because some friends and acquaintances have had good things to say about the site. http://goldandapel.bigcartel.com

i've got over 20 items from my etsy shop up right now with more to come. when my last computer gave up the ghost, i lost a lot of my product photos and the only ones that exist are on etsy and etsy is unfriendly when trying to download photos of expired and inactive items. i'll keep working on it, but i'll probably just have to photography everything all over again.

head on over and take a look. tell me what you think!

Happy 2012!

My 2012 has been off to a rockin start! I snagged a new job just before Xmas and have been working that 40 hours a week. It takes away a lot of the free time that I had before where I could sit in my studio and create, but now I can afford to invest in new materials and beautiful packaging.

I've been working on listing the items I made for last year's holiday markets. I lost the charger for my camera battery so that's part of the delay. I got some great pix last week and they are edited and ready to roll out but I'm trying to space out the listings so keep people popping back to my Etsy shop.

Good news: I'm working on a new line of jewelry that will start showing up in the next few weeks. It's sumptuous, elegant and very affordable! I sold a ton of it at my last market and my husband, business brain that he is, said to develop that look into a line and so here I am.

2012 is going to be My Year!

Back from the Market!

Well, the weather here in Houston put a damper on our Holiday Bazaar. It was cold and rainy and gloomy. But we all had a great time with coffees, cookies and crafts! I made some sales and met some very nice craftisans.

Now to relax and tomorrow, I'll get back to the studio and create more lovely things!

School's out for Christmas!

Submitted my last final project today. Just one more final on the 13th and fall semester is a wrap! So overjoyed!

Also super excited about spring semester. I'm taking a book arts class! Oh, little books, you will be mine!

Finally got in my order of Czech glass buttons for my button rings for this weekend. I have tomorrow, Saturday at work and Sunday early to get everything ready for the Houston Handmade Holiday Bazaar & Crafting Bash Sunday evening. Woo woo. It's crunch time!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Just taking a quick minute before all the gobble-gobble madness starts to wish my readers a Happy Thanksgiving and a beautiful start to the Xmas season. Who's putting up their Xmas trees tonite? :)

Today, I'm thankful for my awesome and hilarious husband, my pain-in-the-butt cat, my mom and brother and those friends who stand beside me every day. I couldn't wish for a better gang of people to surround myself with.

Off to turkey races!

Everyday I'm Hustlin...

I didn't have anything on my 2011 Xmas production schedule for today so I was just going to take it easy and watch some tube with the hubby. Then I said to myself, "Oh, you can probably crank out some Xmas cards tonite in a few hours." And that's what I did!

Handmade felt trees with paper, foil, metal brad and button decorations.

Needlefelting is so fun! I came up with this idea a few years ago when I first got into needlefelting and I've used it occasionally to give cards at Xmas. Looking forward to debuting these babies at market!

Hot off the Creation Station!

Here's one of the drawings I made tonite:

"Macabre"

Marker & Ink on Bristol

3.5"x5.5"

I've got 14 more in that style. Check out my Flickr because I uploaded all of them. Now I have to decide on how I'm going to package them for market. Eep!

not enough time in the day, not enough sleep in the nite

Another nite I'm up and raring to go but I'm being smart and trying to get some rest. I laid in bed for about 2 hours before I got up to submit some paperwork and tweak the Etsy shop. I finished a ton of stuff in the last 24 hours and I have the blisters on my hands to prove it!

Here are some non-excellent photos of what I've been working on:

xmas-themed wooden spool dolls fully outfitted

bottle cap earrings

embellished photo frames

nifty, huh? and the mad dash towards holiday market continues!

time crunches me

I sent off an email late last nite inquiring about a spot at a craft fair on December 3. I hope I can get in, it's a pretty popular event. I also found out about Second Saturday Craftacular. If I can swing all the making I have planned for myself, I should have enough stuff to vend there. If not next month, then maybe January.

So exciting! I went through all my craft stuff last nite and got so excited about the possibilities. I didn't go to bed until almost 2am and then I was just laying there thinking and thinking. I'm so glad I'm a creative person. Life would be so boring without craft adventures.

I'm actually going to try my hand at inspired jewelry as well as my usual prints and paintings and dolls. I raided the Bead Society's Bead & Jewelry Market last week so I have lots of fun stuff to work with. In the meantime, I have fun music on the stereo, delicious incense burning and the house all to myself!

i forgot the 5th of november

so yesterday was my main job's big fundraising gala and 30th annniversary celebration. i was so wrapped up in tissue paper, glitter and tablescapes, i forgot to remember, remember, the 5th of november! i'm so sorry, guy fawkes!

i've also been busy preparing for several holiday art shows. i had an opening reception at a local gallery last friday and the closing reception is this coming friday. december has two, possibly three shows for me. i'm looking into acquiring a display system. i have no idea where i'll keep it since my studio is busting beyond busting between art supplies, auction items and clothes. ugh.

i'll be revamping my website in the next few weeks as i get more shows and exposure. i usually go all out on my websites which is why i use this blog as my main site now. i really wear myself out with all the html drama. hoo wee, chere.

october, october

i'm actually using my laptop at work today. i also brought three goblin dolls i've been slaving over for weeks for a class project. i think i finally hit my stride on this project last nite. i was totally in the zone! however, they are due bright and early on monday morning. that's the way it always goes, isn't it?

i wanted to post a process post after i'd finished them, but they've been so ugly for so long, i just couldn't bring myself to do it. i have still taken photos here and there throughout the process so maybe when they are finally born and totally beautiful and spooky, i'll post all that drama.

these goblins are really getting me in the mood for halloween, especially with the cool weather that came to houston a few days ago. mmm hmm. somebody needs to get herself a pumpkin or two!

it's been a while, my friends...

so...i got married, moved in with my husband, finished spring semester, started fall semester and i'm picking up my G&A blogging and facebooking. i'm determined not to slack any more. i made a ton of bracelets, necklaces and earrings today to list on etsy.

here's some samples of one style of necklace:

i had a ton of fun making these. my husband called all my hammering "the foundry." he's ridiculous. the process was hilarious. i can't wait to stock up on more metal blanks to hammer more things out!

The Beginning of a Very Long Day

Which actually began yesterday about 2pm when I finally got out of bed. Of course, I was on the borderline of being late for something, so I ran out the door and was gone til about sunset.

I worked all evening and part of the early morning on a project for school which I dubbed "Operation: Elsa!" I didn't quite finish it as some parts too much longer than expected, but I will post pix as soon as I do. When I finally went to bed, my stomach was putting up a fight so, after about an hour, I got up and started cleaning my studio. I also finally set up the massive canvas that I'm donating to a charity art auction on Wednesday. I did a rough sketch of what I want to paint. Now, to paint!

It will probably take me all nite and then I'll be going on two nites with no sleep. *sigh* Such is the life of a busy girl!