These last two weeks I have been working on adding to my print and paper shop KeLu. I’ve added quite a few cards with the aim of adding more very soon. Here’s a selection of what can be found in the shop:
Archive for Etsy
My Print and Paper store
I’ve mentioned that I have a print and paper store on Etsy before but I thought I’d mention it again. The store is called KeLu and currently I have a selection of cards, wrapping paper and postcards for sale in there. I have some A5 size prints that will be done soon and I am hoping they will be available sooner rather than later. These prints will be of my line drawings enlarged and then painted back into. The cards I have in the shop have been created using my line drawings also but using different methods. There are three methods that I’ve used so far:
- Gocco printing
- Hand carving stamps (using my own designs) and then hand stamping
- Watercolour painting onto black and white line drawings (all African scenes from our time in Niger, West Africa with SIM)
Here is a mosaic of some of the images you will find in my store. You can visit KeLu by clicking here. You can also find KeLu on facebook. I am also on twitter, follow PaintPrintClay.
Made On The Left Christmas Market
As I mentioned the other day we went along to the MOTL Christmas market on Sunday. I thought I’d show you what I bought.
From left to right starting at the top (closeups below):
1. I chatted to Melinda from Tootzzi and found a fellow polymer clay artist!
2. The top six cards were painted by the very talented Ali J
3. I’ve had my eye on some of Stuffaduck‘s Robot creations for a while. Miss K picked this one out and we are going to frame it for her room.
4. (bottom left) Craftapalooza sells a huge range of scrabble tile pendants (upcycled scrabble tiles) so we got these two. The butterfly one is for me. The kitty magnet was a little bonus!
5. Miss K and I picked out these little Envelope gift tags for only $2 from artemisscreations. So cute!
6. Finally my good friend Annie (Osmosis and 17Threads) gave Miss K a robot badge which is just beautiful. She loves it!!
I could have bought so much more but had to hold back this time. I also enjoyed meeting Mel from MelPDesigns and catching up with all my Etsy friends!
Photo of the Day – July 23
Today I took advantage of the sunshine (and the fact that the girls were sleeping quite a long time in the afternoon) and took some updated photos of some of my work. I’ve added these photos to my 1950s section and also some new photos of my cards in my shop KeLu. I don’t know why I didn’t think to make the surroundings of the work more related to the work itself before. Usually I go with boring ol’ black and white backgrounds. I like these much better!
Category: All Sorts of Things, Etsy, KeLu, Photo a day, Polyclarific, Polymer Clay /
Tags: KeLu, photo of the day, photography, Polyclarific, Polymer Clay, shop
God and the Market
Last Saturday I had a stall at the Made On The Left Winter Market here in Perth. It was a great event with a lot of wonderful sellers who are all so very talented. I had been preparing for this market for a few weeks but more specifically over the last two weeks while my Mum was here. I spent many hours making and doing, preparing and planning (as everyone did in prep).
In the past whenever I’ve done markets I have done reasonably well so I was looking forward to making enough to go and buy some drawers for the girls room. Didn’t happen. In fact I didn’t even make enough to cover our lunch on the day. Now my thinking went through the usual disheartening waves from ‘no one likes my stuff’ to ‘why aren’t they buying?’ to ‘should I really be doing this?’. In the car on the way home I got to thinking.
As you probably know I’m a Christian. I believe wholeheartedly in the Bible, what it says and in God’s promises. I do not claim to understand everything God does or why and I don’t claim to be a Bible expert by any stretch. However, if I wasn’t to apply my beliefs to my every day life I would be a hypocrite. What’s the point of saying ‘God is in control’ if it becomes a cliche? Why state that I believe in his promises if I don’t apply them to the mundane?
As I was sitting and thinking my thoughts went like this:
‘I’m so disappointed, why didn’t I make sales? What’s wrong with what I make? God, why didn’t you send people to buy so we can get the girls drawers?’. Then the thought struck me, who am I disappointed in? My answer….’God’. It seemed that God hadn’t come through for me, that he hadn’t magically made me make money but then I thought some more. ‘ok, why would I be disappointed in God, he only ever has the best for me, what else did I get out of today if not money?’. I started to summarise ‘well my business cards went out, I had interest in my new little cake topper idea, Mum got to give out her business cards for her clowns (her brand new Etsy shop is here), I got to spend the day with Mum and my hubby, I got to see the girls from the Etsy group here in Perth and finally meet a few that I hadn’t had the chance to as yet, I got to be involved in the excitement of a market and yes, I sold two things’.
I have a choice here, trust that God knows what he’s doing like I always say I do or go around being all sad and upset. Disappointment is only human but I’ve learnt not to dwell on it. In asking God why he didn’t give me the money for the drawers a small voice replied ‘oh, thats just money, I can provide you with that any time’. He’s right (of course) after-all, he owns the cattle on a thousand hills.
PS. Yes, I’ll keep on plugging away at markets and trying to get sales but as hubby says to me all the time ‘its not always about the money’, and he’s right.
Category: All Sorts of Things, Deeper Thoughts, Etsy, Polyclarific, Sales and Competitions /
Tags: made on the left, market, Polyclarific, selling
Weekly What List – July 19- 26
Yet another crazy week just went by. Lots and lots of preparation for two big events, the Made On The Left market last Saturday and Little L’s birthday. It was great to have Mum here for two weeks and we had a ton of visitors over while she was here (I counted 24 including kids although thats mostly adults) so each day was crazy as far as getting the house respectful and making sure we had food and drink for our guests. Thanks everyone who came over, we loved it! So lets revise:
Revision of Weekly What List for the week of July 13 – 18
Physical
- Remember to take vitamins etc – sometimes
Spiritual
- read the next part of Philippians chapter 2 – yes
Creative
- Post order – yes
- Sand cake topper designs – yes
- Preparation for the market – finalise – yes
- Gocco prints – yes
On-line shops
- blog at least twice - no
Family
- Find out costs for outside school activities – no
- Wrap Miss L’s present – yes
- Make Miss L’s cake – yes
Friends
- Wrap presents and post one – yes
- Clean house for visitors – yes
- Make food for visitors – yes except that some of our lovely visitors brought food with them, thanks visitors!
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Weekly What List for the week of July 19-26
Physical
- Remember to take vitamins etc
Spiritual
- read the next part of Philippians chapter 3
- consider how God would have me run my business
Creative
- cake topper business plan
- knit sock
On-line shops
- blog at least twice
- list items in KeLu and Polyclarific
Family
- Find out costs for outside school activities, esp dancing
- Get the girls well again
- Clean Miss K’s room
Friends
- send birthday cards
- organise birthday present
- set dates for two get togethers
Category: All Sorts of Things, Art, Darling Daughters, Etsy, Family, Weekly What List /
Tags: creative, Family, friends, spiritual, Weekly What List
Photo of the Day – July 15
Introducing Stitches For Betty. My Mum has opened an Etsy store in which she will be selling custom clowns, dolls and other sewed items. Mum has been sewing for as long as I can remember and if I do say so myself, is brilliant at it. To start with she has listed two options for custom made clowns and you are welcome to discuss colours and fabric with her according to what you would like. These cute little fellas are 41cm tall and are soft and cuddly. Take a trip over to her brand new shiny Etsy store and if you have an account perhaps ‘heart’ (favourite) her shop. She will also be at the Made On The Left Market with me this Saturday and the two clowns you see in her shop will be there in person on my table. I’d love to see you there!
Category: All Sorts of Things, Etsy, Family, Photo a day, Sewing /
Tags: clown, Etsy, photo of the day, Sewing, stitches for betty
Photo of the Day – July 9
Another of the cake toppers in the range. This is around 10cm high and took hours to make! Its my original design and sparkles in the sunshine! Come along to the Made On The Left market at The Saint in Innaloo to see it in person. : )
Category: All Sorts of Things, Etsy, Photo a day, Polyclarific, Polymer Clay /
Tags: market, photo of the day, Polyclarific, Polymer Clay, rocket ship
Photo of the Day – July 8
This is a cake topper that I made last week. It will be part of the sample collection cake toppers available to be custom made. I’ll be taking along a selection of cake toppers to the Made On The Left market next week and have been making like mad!! This one will be at the higher end of the price range as it took hours to complete. The mice are tiny:
Category: All Sorts of Things, Etsy, Photo a day, Polyclarific, Polymer Clay /
Tags: animals, ark, photo of the day, Polyclarific, Polymer Clay
Weekly What List July 6 – 12
This week has been a busy one. I was a bit sick at the start of the week but am almost over it now. We had a special guest arrive later in the week and it was my hubby’s birthday. What a good week!
Review of the Weekly What List for the week of June 29 – July 5
Physical
- Get better – yes!
- Eat a bit better – hmmmmmmm
Spiritual
- read the next part of Philippians chapter 2 – yes
Creative
- Make 1 more custom order – no
- Work on sock – no
- Take beads to bead shop – no
- Try out some new cake topper designs – yes
On-line shops
- blog at least twice – once I think
Family
- Plan July birthdays – especially cakes – yes!
- Find out costs for outside school activities – no
- Prepare spare bed – yes
- Get through the mountain of washing – yes
Friends
- Make or buy present – sort of
- Send engagement card – no
Weekly What List for the week of July 6 – 12
Physical
- Eat a bit better
Spiritual
- read the next part of Philippians chapter 3
Creative
- Make 1 more custom order
- Take beads to bead shop
- Try out some new cake topper designs
- Preparation for the market
On-line shops
- blog at least twice
Family
- Find out costs for outside school activities
Friends
- Make or buy present
- Clean house for visitors
- Make food for visitors
Category: All Sorts of Things, Darling Daughters, Etsy, Family, Weekly What List /
Tags: Art, creativity, Family, Polymer Clay, Weekly What List
