Not that Apple needs any more publicity, especially from the indie sector, but I’ve wanted one of these since I saw the commercial sometime last year. And for my bday a few weeks ago, Bro1 bought me the 8-gig version. You can see my geeking out here. It hasn’t left my side, except when it needs to be charged. If you know of any must-have apps…leave a comment.

Today starts the longest month of the year. Sure there are other months with 31 days, but August always seems to take a longer time. July flies by and I anticipate September…just a peek into my head.

Sent those scraps off to be buttonized. I’ve fallen for pinbacks, just like I’ve fallen for chain. Plus my plaid scraps were too nice to just be thrown away. No only specks remain of those shirts.

I want to work on ornament designs this month. I already have one, a sort of carry-over from last year. I came up with the idea to re-introduce ornaments to my shop late last year. Since I’m doing shows this year, and just generally trying harder to make elpy successful, I want to have more and the only way to do that is to start working earlier.

Also I want to add photo cards to rJax and add more supplies to elpy [Closet]. I must ramp up work on my off-Etsy site. It will probably still point back to Etsy for sales, but I want a web presence independent of…everything, make use of my domain. Maybe one of my lists is in order…I do better with a list.

Post Picture:New necklace! Elle has been added to my shop. It’s part of the Minta Collection. There is more to the Elle subset of Minta, must get photographed, etc. I really like the pictures for that necklace though. I always like when very little editing has to be done.

As I was about to start this post the weather jumped pure wicked. I think it even hailed. There were rumbles of thunder and buckets of rain. It’s still thundering but has calmed down I don’t remember when that stop scaring me. It was just so sudden. I wish I’d had time to get a better pic. It was really something.

I also have a chance to do a craft show/farmer’s market in 2 weeks. Mind you, I’ve never done a show and am a little beside myself. I do this, leap into things with little prep time. Like the address page and my 4-H outfit. I think I can do it.

I just cut some more wood. I like sawing wood way more than sawing metal, it’s easier to cut and correct straight line cuts in wood. I use a flexible handsaw of my dad’s. and a clamp. It works wonderfully.

Went e-searching for new packaging supplies. I want plastic tuck top boxes for one thing and kraft boxes (cotton-filled boxes wrapped in brown paper) for the rest of my stuff. Ideally, I’d like boxes in the 5 colors that have become part of my branding: brown, orange, teal, red and green. But I’d have to buy a case of each and I don’t need 500 boxes. Still, that’s looking like it’ll cost about $100 to get everything I want. Whew!

Post Picture: My shot of the sudden fury.

Today is the last day of June. I’m not ready for July. I don’t mind the heat, but that humidity is horrible, how your clothes stick to you and it’s harder to breathe. Ehh!

Trying to help Mom with some invitation she has to make. I’m making jewelry and she’s making the invitations for the same event. Searching for clip art has proven slightly evil. Time-consuming and…*sigh* Least the room in which I sit is air-conditioned.

I bought wood. I’m hoping to make, finally, an item I’d thought about for a while. Two sort of. Expand my wooden line. You may guess what they are. I’ve posted pics on Flickr before.

My room has dissolved into a slightly unbelievable mess again. I think it can only handle so many projects at once and still be the place where I sleep, read, store most of the other things I own.

Still no job. I may have shot myself in the foot with one opprotunity. When the friends were up a few weeks ago, I neglected filling out an application until it may have been too late. Who knows.

Post Picture: Laundry. Tinkered with in PSE (Photoshop Elements)

So because I’m more than a little obsessed with organizing at the moment, I decided, on a very big whim, to open another shop. Yes, that bring my total to three but there are really only two active shops. I’m calling it elpy [Closet]. It’s for destashing. I buy more than I need so I’m passing it on. It’s pretty bare bones now, but I’ll be listing more in the coming days.

I feel almost like I had a second child. (IRL there are no little LPs yet) It’s exciting but tiring as I divide my attention between the two, do what I must to make the adjustments, fill out the forms, settle into a routine.

It’ll make me work harder on elpy [Handcrafted]. My item total will drop drastically once everything’s been moved over. I think it’ll be easier to look at, easier for me to see what I have, what I need to make. I think it’s a good move. I’m pleased.

Post Picture: Banner for newest shop.

Where does my resolve go from day to day? It’s most confusing.

Finished those magnets and another set yesterday. I love this particularly photo. (It’s clickable, as I always try to make my item pics.) I’m resisting the urge to rephoto all the others. Maybe one at a time, over a few days I’ll do it.

So my super-secret earring project, that has been burning a hole in my brain for over a year, is on hold again. I need a bench pin. I didn’t realize, being such a fanatical DIY-er (and being broke as a joke in the past and therefore taking no class), that it helps you saw straight. Yeah. *doof* So the hunt is on for one.

I’ve started listing sewing patterns. I hope them sell. Mom and I have oodles. *crafty hoarders* I’m only going to list uncut ones. It bothers me some that I now have two destash sections in my shop. But I think it’s better than to overrun the first one with patterns. I know there will be a lot. I’m all about organizing right now.

Slow work continues on my site. It’s kinda fun to read something and then code it. Old school from way back, WHAT?!

Sumeria Earrings. First time I ever used a prop in my pics but I need something to balance them. I like it.

I learned how to oxidize sterling silver yesterday. I’d bought LOS and had some plastic containers. I read more directions that I probably needed to. Then I set up everything outside on my worktable (far less illustrious that it sounds but it’s the perfect height) and watched the stuff work.

I’m fairly pleased. The earwires look blacker than they are in real life where you can still see tints of green, they’re pretty. I did lose two headpins in the process…it was windy and I was too excited with my new skill to weight the paper towel down. heh

Yesterday, I also redid the titles in my shop. I decided, in a rather random way, that I like the simpler titles. Plus, it’s free to edit on Etsy and I love to edit. I don’t think I’ll change them back entirely. But I’ll play around with the words. elpy’s slowly finding its identity.

I bought a lot of supplies yesterday, comparatively. About $50 including shipping…that’s a lot for me. I’d had a job for a month and was so excited to spend the money getting supplies I’ve longed for for a dog’s age it seems. New things are happening at elpy. I’m also looking to register a domain and buy an ad spot in an indie online mag. I may end up with a blog ad instead…shall see.

I’m going to try to be more serious about my art and my life. I want to really pursue things, learn new techniques, be more confident.

The title CE is for Current Events, what’s happening at the moment in my creative walk. I’ll probably use it again. Dated titles are something that I use often on my other blog so I’m carrying it over here.

I did it! I took a self-portrait today, just like I wanted and wrote of earlier. I’m pretty happy with myself. I was taking pics of destash (supplies) things. I have some odd stuff laying around that I’m not going to use. This challenge has been a challenge, but it’s rewarding, too. Getting things done that I’d been wanting to do for a while.

Ooh! Alchemy is back! It’s probably not perfect, but it’s back. I didn’t realize it’s been gone for almost a year and a half. (For those not in the know, Alchemy is Etsy’s way of getting custom item requests to sellers…sorta.) I’ve never actually done an Alchemy, but as I’ve gotten a little more confident, I wanted to give it a try.

Post Picture: Me being gangsta. Haha.

Posted on my ThisNext list ‘Neckwear’: 

 As the designer says:
It’s rustic and charming, sexy and chic. A true dramatic fashion statement.

Inspired by the Blue Ridge Mountians, it’s two scarves in one that could double as other fun accessories.

From fringe on Etsy. Direct link to item here.