I saw this mag on-line last week and thought it looked interesting then the other day I was wandering through Borders and saw it on the shelf. I decided to buy a copy as it seems just down my alley (I rarely buy magazines). I’m loving the content, its all about eco friendly creativity and although I’m not the sort of person to have a huge eco friendly leaning I really love the indie market that it focuses on. Indie being independent. Etsy and MadeIt (where I have on-line stores) are all about Indie markets, pretty much everything handmade and non commercial (which I’m all for). I’m not a fan of brand names and love the individual uniqueness that comes out of the handmade movement. I really love to create things which are one off (or ooak) which are more mini art pieces than mass produced craft items. This magazine suits me, I may have to ask for a subscription for my birthday later this year!

As I mentioned previously I am planning on opening up a new shop. Before I do this (and as part of my new action plan) I need your opinion. I have quite a lot of artwork to choose from which I have done over the last 10 years or so. Only some of it is uploaded to my flickr account but I have selected the ones on there which I think may make good prints. There are 25 in all.

Please note that flickr squares the images and many of these are rectangular, if you would like to see the full image, please visit this section of my flickr:

All Paintings and Drawings

Please take a look through these images and leave a comment underneath as to which ones you would see as good prints. Which ones would you consider purchasing? I will only be doing A4 and A5 prints to start with (as in copy paper size and postcard size). Thank you for your input.

If you would like more information about any of them just ask and I’m happy to fill you in (eg; medium, size, inspiration)

I have just listed a few new necklaces in my MadeIt store. These are the new items:

As I haven’t got a whole lot to say today I thought I’d highlight some more items I have for sale in my MadeIt store. So, without rambling on, here are a few items from my store:

Blue bell Earrings

Wild Thing Barrette (hair clip)

Dolly Needs Pie (Miniature toy food)

Art-Stitch Gift Tag (or luggage tag) – Burgundy Leaf

Moth magnets (set of 4)

There is much more in store and a lot more coming!

As anyone who reads this regularly knows, I sell my handmade items in my online store Polyclarific on Etsy. I don’t think its so well known that have a second online store and this one is in Aussie Dollars. For anyone here in Australia it may be easier to buy from my MadeIt store. I have 122 items in that store so far and will continue to add to the selection.

The selection of items for sale include:

Accessories > Hair (4)
Accessories > Keyring (2)
Bags & Purses > Accessories (5)
Accessories > Other (1)
Books & Zines > Bookmark (4)
Brooch > Felt (3)
Bracelet/Bangle > Polymer Clay (3)
Brooch > Polymer Clay (13)
Earrings > Polymer Clay (31)
Necklace > Polymer Clay (18)
Pendant > Polymer Clay (7)
Ring > Polymer Clay (6)
Craft > Sewing (6)
Craft > Other (6)
Homewares > Candles (4)
Homewares > Kitchen (2)
Homewares > Magnet (2)
Homewares > Tableware (1)
Dolls/Softies/Toys > Food (4)

Examples of the items for sale are shown below.

I have also made the decision to close my wahmania store. I have not been getting sales there for a long time now and I don’t feel that its right for me. Having my items in only two places makes it much easier and it also gives buyers the choice between $US (Etsy) and $AU (MadeIt). Links to both my online stores can be found at the top of my sidebar. Now for those examples:

Felt hand stitched (original design) brooch

Monet Necklace and Earring Set

Stained Glass Tea Light Candle Holders

For those who are worried about how to pay online, there are several options. Both sites allow the use of paypal which is a safe way to buy online. I am also happy to accept bank deposit, you only need to message me and I’ll send you the details. If you live locally I am willing to discuss cash payments also and local pickup (to save postage costs). Thanks for looking!

Whenever I am creating something for someone (custom order) or get out the clay for fun I end up with left over clay canes or mixes. These inevitably end up as beads or pendants which inevitably end up in piles in my storage cupboard ready to be made into something one day. Due to my mad months of making last year in preparation for the markets I have masses and multitudes of supplies already made up. This puts a halt on my inspiration to creating more jewellery or the like because I have enough ready to be listed or photographed to last me two years!

So, what to do? I suppose I will just have to keep on storing these piles until such time that they can be sold or given away! Here’s a few shots of some of what’s stored away:

I’m not much in a writing mood tonight but I thought I’d put up some photos of some recent work that is now ready to be put up for sale.

Earrings in Moss Green

Aqua Necklace and Earrings Set

Multi-coloured Rose Brooch

Just for fun – Lemon Meringue Pie Rings

Two different Mokume Gane (a technique) Hair Clips

Two sets of Cuff Links

More Hair Clips

Large Focal Pendant (10cm long at least)

Thick Pink Pendant

There are quite a few other things I’ve managed to complete somehow and they are on my flickr page (link on the side). I have also added a handful of things to my Etsy shop and my new MadeIt shop (click the names). Etsy is in $US and MadeIt is in $AU.

I took a look back and realised that I haven’t written anything about my polymer clay work for a few weeks. In that time I have been playing with a few new ideas but haven’t gotten very far. Here are a few things I’ve come up with which will make their way into my shop eventually! I’m trying some new things and different ideas instead of all pendants and earrings (although I can’t help myself with those).

We have also decided where the money will go for the last two months but I will do a post about that separately (from my sales in my on-line shops and at the markets). I wanted to take my time in deciding as the sales were above and beyond anything in previous months.

My on-line shops are:

Polyclarific at Etsy
Polyclarific at MadeIt
Polyclarific at Wahmania

So, here’s the new work:

Tea strainers

Brooches

Bracelet

Hair Clips

Buttons

Cufflinks

Random new beads and some pendants

So, firstly let me say happy new year to anyone reading this! 2008 was a completely crazy year for us. There were some very very good times and some very hard times. A quick summary of the year:

Jan – Started the year in a very hot Geelong, Victoria visiting my brother and family.
Feb – Michael went to Peru for three long weeks while a ’starting to show’ pregnant me and K stayed home before we met him in Sydney.
March – Started house hunting, found the right house very quickly (mid March), just two weeks after Michael got back
April- May – Packing the house and also the SIM Get Together afternoon tea in May.
June – Moved into the new house, Mum and Dad came back to Perth.
July – L was born mid July
August – unpacking and getting used to a newborn being in the house again.
September – K turned 3
October – Michael went to the USA and Sydney, K, L, Mum and I went to Adelaide for my cousin’s wedding.
November – Go! Reachout Conference and my first two markets.
December – Christmas and finally a bit of normality.

What a crazy year. I’m really hoping that 2009 won’t be as crazy.

I have no resolutions at all. I am actually reasonably happy with my weight and most of the things I’d like to do or change relate to only ONE thing……the lack of sleep. My only aim for this year is to get L to sleep through. If I can get a proper night’s sleep then I will be able to change a lot of things. I have not had a full night’s sleep for 6 months now, that’s a long time to sleep in lots of 2 and 4 hours.

Finally the new ideas. I have new idea and direction for my shop, things I want to improve on and change but the only thing this has to do with a new year is the timing. I have been madly buying findings of all sorts, especially brass stampings and silver plated stampings and want to use them in a different way.

Here’s an example of what I’m aiming at, a more sophisticated line;

This was just the tiny bit that I managed to come up with in between the madness that is the festive season. I have a plan for much more including cufflinks, tea strainers, rings, necklaces and an array of non jewellery items as well as paintings and a better cafepress store.

Today I managed to sew up four pairs of shorts for my little nephews (who, along with their parents of course arrive in about 10 days time!) so I’m pleased about that and L’s felt book has just one page left before its done. Progress is slow but good. Have a happy new year everyone and for those who follow Jesus, I hope you grow in him more and more each day of 2009, like I said, progress for me (in this area) is slow but good. : )

Before I show you what I’ve been doing in between general every day life and bouts of sickness I want to mention again the SIM project for these two months. Perhaps you’ve noticed a bit of Christmassy stuff in our stores already, well its never too early to start gift buying!

A reminder that the money from my sales for September and October go to the work of Deborah House Shelter for Street Girls (92704) in Addis Abbaba in Ethiopia. I’ve already had three sales but the more I can sent to help these girls the better so feel frr to browse my shops here;

Polyclarific on Etsy
Polyclarific on Made It
Polyclarific on Wahmania

Now to some of the newest items, I had fun making the polymer clay beads over the last year, its great to see them finally made into jewellery;

Necklace

Bracelet

Necklace

There’s a lot more but this is a picture heavy post already!