playlist of the week #15

Favorite of the Week: Shakin' by Rooney

I got an iPod touch for Christmas! Yay.

1. Mushaboom - Feist
2. Merry Happy - Kate Nash
3. Mistaken for Strangers - The National
4. Lake Michigan - Rogue Wave
5. Believe - The Bravery
6. Shakin' - Ronney
7. The Con - Tegan & Sara
8. Missed the Boat - Modest Mouse
9. Violet Hill - Coldplay
10. Cheated Hearts - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
    

Twitter Success

Some tips on how to be successful on Twitter from blueberryshoes on Etsy:

1. Use the same username as your Etsy shop.
2. Use the same Avatar as your Etsy shop.
3. When starting to follow people...type #etsy or etsy in the search box and look for sellers you like. Follow them generously. It is Twitter manners to follow back if you like someone. So you will get followers this way.
4. When you find a shop you like on Etsy, track down their twitter address and follow them. They'll probably follow back. It's usually stated in shop announcements or profiles.
5. The more people you follow, the more will follow you. You can always unfollow the ones you don't find that interesting after a week or so.
6. DO NOT only tweet your listings. Try to be interesting and talk about inspiring ideas, be funny, take an interest. Retweet other's cool posts. Tweet great treasuries, share cool blogs. No one likes to follow a spammer, but ppl love to follow interesting creators.
7. When posting a new listing always put #etsy in the tweet, after the listing link. #etsy is recognized and searched for by other etsians.
8. Have a cute backround on your twitter page. I like http://twitrounds.com for free backrounds.
9. Make sure your "Website" links to your Etsy Shop.
10. Tweet picture previews on items you are working on or are about to sell with the help of http://twitpic.com
    

http://twitter.com/blueberryshoes


If you aren't following me yet on Twitter, please do! Click the link on the right or click here.

Etsy Forums Lead to Artistic Opportunities

I've read the Etsy forums before, but I decided to thoroughly review them. Through the forums I read some advice to post on Craigslist. Which I promptly did. Amazingly, within less than 15 minutes I had an inquiry about my post! Fabulous.

(Click here for the link to my post and here for the link to the forum thread that was my catalyst.)

This inspired me to do some more digging on Craigslist. This is what I found...

MyArtSpace.com - call for entries to the 2nd annual winter art competition.
First Place receives $1000 cash prize.
Sponsored by Blick Art Materials
Submission Deadline is Jan. 31 2010

Michael H. Kellicutt International Juried Photo Show
First Place receives $2000.
Submission Deadline is Jan. 31 2010
(there are entry fees)

The National Association of Women Artists call for small works exhibition
Top Award is a solo show at the N.A.W.A. Gallery on Fifth Ave NYC
Submission Deadline is Dec. 30 2009
(there are entry fees)


I also found some helpful links on this blog:
http://freegrantfunding.blogspot.com/2009/11/grants-and-other-funding-sources-for.html

saturday must have #7

Last week was clothes, this week is jewelry. Predictable?

Woodpecker, birch bark cuff by Bettula

$40

AVA-Shed Deer Antler Ring by Damara Mossman

$40

Lumber Jack Ring by Some Place Elsewhere

$45

Naturally Dyed Wood Pendant - Elder by Mazedasastoat
$25

art of the week #14

Fall, 2008
210 x 240 x 70 cm
140 gsm acid free paper, glue
Peter Callesen

What can I say? Callesen's work blows my mind. I love the intricate details, the meticulousness, the fragility, the stillness. Please check out his website to see all of the amazing things he does.

playlist of the week #14

Since it's Christmas on Friday and the holiday season is definitely upon us ... I thought that I'd post some of my favorite holiday songs.

1. All I Want for Christmas - Mariah Carey
2. White Christmas - Bing Crosby
3. Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
4. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry
5. Nuttin' For Christmas - Barry Gordon
6. Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
7. Winter Wonderland - Jason Mraz
8. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Frank Sinatra
9. Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow - Dean Martin
10. Merry Christmas Baby - Otis Redding

saturday must have #6

I want to make my own clothes someday .. but until then look to these great Etsy finds:

Gray Print Skirt by Janey Clothing

$45

I love the print of this skirt - so retro (at least to me)! I'm also digging the high waist. Overall I think it's chic and feminine.

Pleate Dress in Natural Linen by Larime Loom

$168

I'm obsessed with pleats yet have hardly any adorning my own clothing. I love the natural feel of this dress and its simplicity.

Cream Colored Shearling Boots (Size 8) by Thrush
$64

Did I mention that I LOVE cowboy boots? I finally got a pair of Frye's this summer, but come on, no one can afford to be constantly breaking the bank like that. These boots have a super cute braided detail on the side and judging from the picture look pretty comfortable too.

Soft White Cable Knit Sweater by Thrush

$28

I like the longer sleeves on this sweater. My arms get cold in my short sleeve sweaters and the knit design is different from the ones I have seen around, so I say yes to the sweater!

Gallo Nu Riding Jacket by Hier Apparel

$150

I'm beginning to think you can never have too many jackets. Especially if you live somewhere that has real seasons, like fall, winter, and spring. I like how this jacket shows off the top part of your outfit without being a silly cropped jacket. I also love the neckline and details on the sleeves.

art of the week #13

Hope Gangloff

Her third solo show just closed in November at the Susan Inglett Gallery (522 W 24th St).

playlist of the week #13

Favorite of the Week: Elephant Love Medley from Moulin Rouge (I try to watch this movie every day...)

The Decemberists came out with a new album this summer, The Hazards of Love, and you should probably listen to that too..

1. So Happy I Could Die - Lady Gaga .. I can't help myself
2. Empire State of Mind - Jay-Z (feat. Alicia Keys)
3. Hello Seattle - Owl City
4. The Rake's Song - The Decemberists
5. Elephant Love Medley - Moulin Rouge Soundtrack
6. Librarian - My Morning Jacket
7. Galaxy - Jason Mraz
8. Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying - Belle & Sebastian
9. The New Year - Death Cab for Cutie

saturday must have #5

These Saturday Must Have entries sort of stopped in their tracks, didn't they? (Cutting back to one pick a week though.) I'll resurrect them now...

Purpose Design

Gourmet Spice Kits

Chai Tea Magnetic Spice Rack

First of all, Chai Tea. Second of all, magnetic. What more do I need to say?

Containers are labeled on the side and are individually sealed for safe shipping. Mounting hardware and a detailed recipe is also included. Size: 12.5" x 10.5"

Relief

I never realized how busy I was going to be this past semester. It's finally over though, so I just have one left! I expect to be even busier to say the least, but in the best of ways with productive achievements littering the path to graduation.

I hardly did anything in ceramics, but this will be remedied in the coming semester when I am officially taking the class again.

I've been able to sell a few journals over the course of the semester and am working on two right now.

I miss the country. And the city. I miss Cait and our adventures. I miss a lot of other people and places too, but putting that aside...

My goals for this winter break:

-complete one drawing a week

-figure out how to construct a giant (as in larger than me) squid out of some sort of crochet-able material

-reconnect with Etsy and the BEST group

-read 10 books

This would seem less of a challenge if I wasn't planning on working seven days a week.

In other news, I was in my first art exhibition. It was a group show, but I had to apply for acceptance so that was pretty exciting. The show just closed yesterday and I just sent in two more pieces to a different show that will also hopefully accept my work.

Other random thoughts..

I wish I hadn't missed out on tickets to the Ann Arbor Folk Festival in January.

Jai Ho?

where the wild things are. time traveler's wife.

wish I could adopt the animals that wander on to my farm..

Never pay people money to make you miserable.

Faith .. + 1

That seems to be all of the wisdom I gained over the past few months.. I felt like there was more.