Almost Funky Time

I'm happy to share this AWESOME event that I'll be at (again) in just 1 short week

The Funky Flea!

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This year will be the third time I've done the Funky Flea - and it is an event I really look forward to doing. The crowd is great, the location is spectacular and I hear the forecast is going to be more than favorable. Can't go wrong with Sun and Fun. You can check out the vendor list Here. I'm looking forward to seeing some of the other sellers there, like RosMari Brand and my neighbor from last year Vintage Relief, plus many more (Just check out that list of sellers - no, really, go look at it!)

I am so excited for the show, and I have so many things to share. Hope to see you then!

Colorful & Overdue

Its been (way) over two week(s) since the Spring Indie Garage Sale so I figure I've had more than enough time to recuperate and share how it went. I always look forward to the IGS but working a show all weekend (especially alone) really takes it out of you. The layout was a little different compared to the Holiday event in December and helped keep it less congested for the shoppers. I got a chance to walk around a little and I thought it had a decent flow.

I played around with my table layout, but of course it's always a work in progress. Here's how my setup looked if you didn't make it to see in person -

I've been trying to work on having a good mix of items on the table without overcrowding it. One of these days the solution will come to be, but until then I'm having fun with different display ideas.

I tried to keep extra shopping to a minimum, since sales are a little slower outside of the holiday season, but I did leave the show with some new goodies. Of course no Indie Garage Sale experience is complete (for me) without a stop at JCookies table for a cream cheese brownie or (ok, and- I got both) a blueberries & cream cookie. I so look forward to those treats and I generally let myself indulge a little on IGS weekends.

I also picked up some jams from Red Fox Farms. I got a Carrot Cake jam (yum!) and a Pepper Jelly which is A-mazing on eggs.

My favorite score though? Well just see for yourself - 

My neighbor this time around was Denise from Whirled Peas Beads. I am a sucker for glass and she make some amazing beadss. I had a hard time choosing, and in my head I am always replaying that one scene in Cinderella when Gus Gus and Jacques are trying to find supplies for her dress when he notices the string of pearls - OOOOH BEADS. I am looking forward to working with the sets I did get. The lime green pair I just may keep for myself - I've been so drawn to that color this spring.

Not only does she make fantastic beads, she also creates beautiful jewelry. Check out her site for more goodies 

Here

Next time I'll share some of the pieces I've been working on - it has been so fun incorporating new accents into my chainmaille. In the meantime, I'm getting ready to participate in THIS fun event tomorrow. I'm not usually the type of person who likes to get messy, but I can make an exception if I get to wear a rainbow.

Happy Friday!

Off The Chain - Grumpy Cat

Happy Friday! 

I thought I'd put up a fun post today. I discovered lately that I was a closet fan of Grumpy Cat. I wouldn't categorize myself as a "cat person" (even though there is a cat in the house), but something about GC is just so endearing. So I decided to do an Etsy search and make a treasury - here's what I came up with - 

You can check out more of this treasury Here.

Hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend

Spring Things

Hello again and welcome back to my little corner. Here in CNY the weather is finally making a turn for the warmer and I could not be happier. Spring comes with the promise of sunshine, daffodils, and the return of one of my favorite events - The Indie Garage Sale! Once again I will be joining a plethora of other fabulous local artists at the Jewish Community Center in Utica. Check out the list of vendors HERE.

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I have been busy getting things ready- making more items I've sold out of, tweaking old items, and building up stock of some of my popular pieces. I went through my inventory and re-listed quite a few things in the SHOP. Check out some of these pretties - 

  

I've been on a kick this year of learning new techniques, and have taken to borrowing up to 20 books at a time from the library! Mostly about wire wrapping but also on the history of different jewelry styles as well as books on making things from recycled materials. Just last night I was practicing some wrapping to learn how to make my own clasps and findings for my chainmaille pieces:

(sorry for the dark photo - my house is perpetually dim and my phone takes bad pictures)

One of the other things I hope to improve this year is my shop presence - between photos and listing writing, to finally getting around to making a website. It's been on the backburner for far too long. I am starting tonight on the photo work though, by pricing out a new camera. I'm far from a pro but not quite a beginner, so any tips on equipment would be well appreciated.

I'll try to keep up with the blogging too - I have so many pieces I'd love to share. In the mean time, Happy Spring!

Off The Chain - Sketchbook

Since it has nothing to do with Chainmaille, I figure any posts I make on other topics will be titled as such. Clever, aren't I?

sketch done using Prismacolor fine line markers, highlighters, and a white out pen

Apologies for not keeping up with this blog better. I often times find myself bereft of words, and my camera has been less than cooperative in recent months. I've been trying to jump start my creative juices lately, and even though I dont consider myself a great artist by any means, I do have fun sketching now and again. Lately I've been heavily inspired by quite a few mixed media artists, and I love posts where they share what theyre doodling, so there you have my motivation for this little scribble.

I'd like to point out, I have finally learned how to incorporate my twitter feed on the blog! Check out the left side bar. If you want to join me on twitter I'd be delighted. I'm still learning how to use that though, too.

I will do my utmost to get some photos of the newer jewelry pieces I've been working on to share with you, soon. In the mean time, please enjoy my bright little bloom.