Design This – Lampwork Fish Earrings

After a long day of shopping, have you ever gone back to purchase something that you had decided would be perfect, only to find that it (or the last one) had already been purchased? I have learned the hard way to pick something up that catches my eye until I decide whether I want to purchase it then or continue looking and be ok if it is gone when I come back. Since many of my creations are OOAK, I have had the same thing happen in reverse when potential customers came back and were disappointed when that perfect something was already sold. Luckily there are times when I can create something similar to suit their needs.

This scenario happened last year when I participated in the Happy Holidays Gift Store at the Arlington Museum of Art. A pair of lampwork fish earrings on bright blue niobium ear wires sold not long before someone else came in looking to purchase them. Luckily I still had some lampwork fish beads and I arranged to be at the store with them when this potential customer could meet me. I let her pick out a couple of pair of fish beads that she thought went well together. My intention was to make earrings out of both sets and let her pick which pair she wanted and put the other pair out in the store. I used the already sold pair of fish earrings as inspiration for both new pair, without copying them directly.

Two pair of earrings were made and shown to my customer, but neither pair ever made it into the store. My customer liked them so much that she decided to purchase both pair. I have since made a couple of additional pair of lampwork fish earrings on niobium ear wires. One pair features black, pink and yellow fish while the other pair highlights pink, aqua and yellow fish.

I'll sum up saying that the moral of this post is that if it looks like you have missed out on purchasing that special something, especially if it is from an artisan, don’t just walk away disappointed. Talk with the artist to see if they can recreate the item or create something similar for you. If they can, it is a win for both sides.

Thanks for the Treasuries - August 2014

Three Etsians and one Etsy team let me know that they had featured one or more of my items in treasuries during August. Five August Etsy treasuries, that treasury makers let me know about, included one of my creations. One treasury even included one item from each of my shops. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during August. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below a link to the Etsy sellers that let me know they had featured some of my items, as well as an item from their shop that I like. You will also see information about the TexasFriendsTeam that also featured items of mine.

Enjoy window shopping and please click on the links of anything that catches your eye.

HotDogCrafts
This shop has added a new line of big, bold, papier mache necklaces to their offerings.

TICC
Find an assortment of handmade crafts in this shop such as jewelry, crochet, candles, leather and woodworking.

WildTravels
Find a perfect gift for any adventurer or wanderluster in your life: Adventure Photography, Wanderlust Prints, Typography Art along with Wildlife & Landscape Photography

TXFriendsTeam
Past, present and future Texans are welcome and encouraged to join this team. The only real rules of the group are to promote friendly, The TX Way, and be respectful to all who participate.

Art in the Garden and Fall Gallery Night

Art in the Garden is a fundraiser for the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens. It is held around the FWADA's Fall Gallery Night each year. According to the Botanic Gardens' website you will find "over 60 different artists displaying oils, watercolors, sculpture, photography and jewelry." This year Art in the Garden will be Friday, September 5 from noon to 7 pm, September 6 from 9 am to 8 pm and September 7 from noon to 4 pm, with a wine and cheese reception during Fall Gallery Night, on Saturday, September 6. Artwork will be displayed in the halls of the Garden Center.

I'm pleased to report that I will be one of the 60 or so artists whose work will be on display this year. Two of my gallery wrapped photographic art prints were accepted. All displayed works are for sale and a portion of each sale will help fund the Botanic Gardens. If you have a chance to check out Art in the Garden you will have the opportunity to see some wonderful works of art and if one of them speaks to you enough to purchase it, you will be helping out a good cause.

If you visit Art in the Garden on Fall Gallery Night you will be close to several other venues with great artwork to view. Adjacent to the shared parking lot with the Botanic Gardens is BRIT (Botanical Research Institute of Texas) with the works of Billy Hassell. Other participating venues can be found in the FWADA's Fall Gallery Night catalog.

Net Neutrality – Protect an Open Internet

What I have enjoyed most about the internet is that no matter an entity’s size, its content zipped along at the same speed as everyone else's content. If big business gets its way however, that equity will come to an end. If you are not sure what this might mean to you, John Oliver put together a hilarious but educational video about net neutrality that you can view on YouTube.

There is still some time for you to give your input and help protect an open internet. The FCC is calling for public comments through 9/10/14. You can leave your comment for proceeding 14-28, Protecting and Promoting the Open Internet, until then by clicking here and then clicking on the proceeding number. In addition to posting a comment, I have also created a set of photographic art note cards in support of net neutrality if it becomes important to also send snail mail to the FCC or legislators.

EclecticSkeptic Etsy Shop Turns 5

My EclecticSkeptic Etsy shop had its 5 year Etsyversary (Etsy anniversary) yesterday, August 13. It has grown from a collection of fun flying pig items to include items for math, science, music, technology or mythology geeks as well. Math, science, music and technology probably make sense to those of you that know me and my family, but why mythology? I thought flying horses, pegasi, would go well with flying pigs, pigasi. From there it was easy to think about adding other fun mythological creations.

To show my customers some appreciation for their support, I'm having an Etsyversary sale. Everyone that is subscribed to my newsletter or has liked my business facebook page prior to placing an order from EclecticSkeptic during the week of August 11 (Aug. 11 - Aug. 17, 2014) will be refunded 10% of your order total (excluding shipping) when you add "Happy 5th Etsyversary" in the notes to seller during check out. (Yes, it is already August 14 but newsletter subscribers did find out about this almost two weeks ago. Everyone who follows the sale guidelines still has a few days to take part, so don't delay.)

What anniversary/milestone is about to happen in your life? Happy whatever it is to you!

Thanks for the Treasuries - July 2014

Two Etsians and one Etsy team let me know that they had featured some of my items in treasuries during July. Three July Etsy treasuries, that treasury makers let me know about, included one of my creations. One treasury even included one item from each of my shops. You can see a collage below of my items from EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic that were featured during July. (Click on the collage to see a larger view.)

I really appreciate being featured by the treasury makers. To thank them, I have listed below a link to the Etsy sellers that let me know they had featured some of my items, as well as an item from their shop that I like. You will also see information about the TexasFriendsTeam that also featured items of mine.

Enjoy window shopping and please click on the links of anything that catches your eye.

RosemarysHomestead
This shop features beautifully handcrafted, original designs in macrame jewelry, MicroMacrame bracelets, earrings, and accessories made with beads, shells, and fine cord.

TwinkleToesLane
This shop is on vacation until September 10. Check out her quality crochet when she returns.

TXFriendsTeam
Past, present and future Texans are welcome and encouraged to join this team. The only real rules of the group are to promote friendly, The TX Way, and be respectful to all who participate.

Artist Spotlight – Nature’s Canvas

I purchased this lovely piece of artwork before I started my Artist Spotlight Series of blog posts. I was very pleased that the artist included a sticker with her business name, Nature’s Canvas, and web address on the back of the piece so that I could share her work with you all this time after I had acquired it. I have a few other previously purchased, original pieces of artwork that I will have to add to this series of posts going forward.

I found this wonderfully framed and artfully done feather painting at the Indian Market in Arlington, TX a few years back. I had seen feather paintings for a couple of years at this event and had admired many pieces. A couple of things that set Lori’s work, and especially this piece, apart from the others I had seen was the skill in depicting the animals she painted, the lovely pairing of feathers, leather, etc. that complemented the painted feather and the wonderful matting of the artwork.

While Lori was the artist behind the painting and composition of the embellished feather, it was her husband that created the wonderful, complex mats that set off her artwork beautifully. I am glad that this artist and her husband ventured to the DFW Metroplex from Kansas to participate in that particular show so that I could see their work.