New Pet Portrait Pendant

Here's Caymus, a gorgeous white German Shepherd. I had the recent honor of painting a realistic portrait pendant with him as my subject. I have a special place in my heart for German Shepherds since my husband's and my pooch is a rescue German Shepherd mix. I did an interview with her back in the Fall of last year. ;)

I am using the photo of the Caymus pendant as an example with my Custom Portrait Of Your Pet Hand-Painted Art Pendant Necklace in my Etsy shop. It was very exciting to see it featured at the end of this Storque article on Thursday.

If you're interested in having your own custom pet portrait pendant, feel free to convo me in my Etsy shop or contact me. Have a great day!

Storque Feature

A big congratulations to Etsy seller wickedworld who created a custom pet portrait pendant with a photo for Mickey Rourke. Mickey Rourke wore the fantastic creation at the Oscars which has brought even more exposure to the handmade world of Etsy. You can read about the pendant and see what it looks like here in The Storque, the Etsy blog.

Also, here's a big thank you to the Etsy admin for including my Custom Portrait Of Your Pet Hand-Painted Art Pendant Necklace with the article. I couldn't figure out where all the views were coming from for about half and hour. :)


Be sure to check out the entire article in The Storque!

New Work!

I recently finished a custom pet portrait of an adorable pooch! I donated a gift certificate for a custom 11x14 oil paint pet portrait to the 2008 NC State SCAVMA (Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association) auction. The woman who bid on and won the gift certificate contacted me with the photos of her dog, and here's the finished portrait:

How cute is he?? :)

I have also finished several new wearable art pieces which I will be listing in my Etsy shop as the week goes on. Here are a few of my new designs.

Bird On Branches Silhouette Hand-Painted Art Pendant Necklace


Birds In Flight Hand-Painted Art Pendant Necklace


Spring Growth Hand-Painted Art Pendant Necklace


Bird In The Grass Silhouette Hand-Painted Adjustable Art Ring


Puddle Jumper Hand-Painted Art Brooch

Be sure to check back with my shop as I list even more new pieces as the week goes on. Thanks for looking! Have a wonderful day. :)

Workshop Wednesday - How To Create A Reversible Headband With Zemphira

Today marks another installment of a my weekly blog series titled Workshop Wednesday. Each Wednesday will feature either a tutorial by yours truly or another talented artist or artisan, or a snapshot of an artist's creative process. This week's Workshop Wednesday features Zemphira, who is graciously showing us how to create her fantastic reversible headbands.

How To Create A Reversible Headband, Zemphira-Style

You Will Need:

2 pieces of fabric that measure 19 inches by 3 inches
5 inches of elastic
template and tracing utensil, safety pin
iron, sewing machine, thread, scissors, & and chopstick


Step 1- Choose your fabric. I tend to use two fabrics that somewhat coordinate. Cut a 19x 3 inch rectangle from each fabric.

Step 2 - Put the two fabrics right sides together, and then fold them in half. Place the end of the template on the fold and then trace. Cut out the pieces on the line.


Step 3- Sew the two pieces of fabric together leaving the ENDS open as well as a 2 inch hole along one side. (sew 1/4 inch away from the edge)


Step 4 - Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic and thread it through one end of the headband. Do not pull it all the way through, stop with a little bit of elastic hanging out of the end. Then sew down that end of the elastic - I backstitch over the elastic a few times. Then pull the elastic out the other end and sew it down. (right now the headband will be scrunched up and inside out)


Step 5- Turn the headband right-side out through the 2-inch hold you left on one of the long sides. Use a chopstick to push out the corners and along the seams. Iron the headband flat.


Step 6- Top-stitch a little less than a 1/4 inch all the way around the headband - make sure you pay extra attention when you are sewing the hole to be sure you close it up.


Step 7 - Wear your headband, give your headband away, and then create another!


Be sure to check out more of Zemphira's work in her Etsy shop! If you're interested in being a part of future Workshop Wednesdays, please feel free to convo me in my Etsy shop or comment on this post. Have a great day!

Congratulations Leah!

Congratulations Leah from Los Angeles, CA! You've won the February giveaway! Leah has won a $15 gift certificate to my Etsy shop. The winner was chosen through an online random number generator. Congrats!

Thank you to everyone who entered in this post. Be sure to come back around March 15th for the next giveaway. Have a wonderful day! :)

Monday Must-Have - Nature Nomad

**Due to the Monday Must-Have, the giveaway winner will be announced tomorrow.**

Today marks a new installment of my Monday blog series titled Monday Must-Have. Each Monday I will feature a fellow talented Etsian and his or her phenomenal work. Each featured artist will have his or her own online Etsy shop where you can peruse and admire his or her one-of-a-kind body of work. Hopefully you will find new favorite artists and artisans whose work you MUST HAVE. :)

Today's featured artist is Nature Nomad.

Who are you (actual name/and or shop name)?

I’m the Nature Nomad.

What do you create?

I am more an observer of nature than a photographer. Many of the things I would like to photograph don’t always develop because Mother Nature has a different plan than mine so I am left without the image. When all things come together (nature, patience, silence, trust, etc) then the photograph happens.

When did you start creating?

I have had a camera since I was in high school but have been in love with the beauty of nature since my childhood.

Why did you choose your shop name?

Nature Nomad says it best for me. On any beautiful day (and even the crazy weather ones) I am usually wandering around with my camera. This can include a starry night trying to photograph the planet Saturn millions of miles away or examining the intricacy of a February snowflake or walking across a South African National Park and wondering where the lions are sleeping. There is always something to marvel at.

What inspires you?

Nature, nature, nature! Every time I look closely at a photographic image of nature I am reminded how I am just a tiny piece of a much bigger picture. The photographic image can only embrace a single moment in nature. It cannot adequately depict her grandeur, complex simplicity or unending beauty.

What is the most time consuming part of your craft?

The most time consuming part of my passion is wandering around. I can be gone for minutes, hours or days at a time. (And you can guess how my wife feels about that with plenty of chores to do at home!) It makes running a business challenging but I don’t want to ever feel as if I’m not spending enough time outdoors. For me, to really develop at what I am doing, I need to spend as little time indoors as possible. This is a bit odd for a business plan.

What is your favorite place to visit in your hometown and why?

That’s an easy answer. My favorite place is my backyard (the woods, the creek, the field.) I can spend a part of each evening watching a mother hawk raise her babies...


or a tiny frog resting on a Zinnia.


I am blessed to have great neighbors who call and say “Hey, come quick and take a look at this interesting moth so there is no shortage of things to photograph.


What is your most popular item that you create (and why do you think it is so popular)?

I don’t know that there is any one thing. People do seem to respond best to those images that make them laugh, reflect or feel a connection with nature.

What's your next project going to be?

I am working on a book of photographs paired with reflections. This is going slow because I’m finding self publishing with text and color images to be expensive, and truth be told, it is not my area of expertise. If any of your readers have any suggestions please let me know.

What types of things do you do to turn first time buyers into repeat clients?

I always work at giving a little bit more to people who purchase my images. An example of this is my photocards, which come from my photographs. I often put one of these little pieces of art in the mail to customers as a thank you note. Some people tell me that they still have them years later pinned on a bulletin board or under a magnet on their refrigerator. That’s great!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Yes, I am often out wandering around so if you contact me I will respond to you but please be patient. Thanks!


Please be sure to check out more of Nature Nomad's fantastic photography in his Etsy shop. He will be out wandering around this week capturing more phenomenal subjects with his camera so if you have any questions, orders, or thoughts for him he will give you his full attention when he gets back.

If you're interested in being featured in future Monday Must-Have segments, please feel free to convo me in my Etsy shop or email me. Have a wonderful day!

Last Day To Enter!

Hello! If you haven't entered this month's giveaway yet, it's time to quit dragging your heels. ;) Today is the last day to enter to win a $15 gift certificate to my Etsy shop. My shop has a wide variety of unique hand-painted wearable art pendants, rings, brooches, and bobby pins. For details on how to enter please see this post:

GIVEAWAY POST

Good luck to you! :) The winner will be announced on Monday, the 23rd. I will also contact him or her via email or convo. Have a great day!

Capitola Girl Jewelry Blog Feature

Here's a big thank you to Susan, Capitola Girl, for featuring my Just Harvey Hand-Painted Adjustable Art Ring in her Saturday Sparkle blog post. The theme for her post was based on birds, and throws back to Alfred Hitchcock's movie "The Birds," where a seaside town was attacked by flocks of birds. (Great movie; if you haven't seen it, you're missing out.) I didn't know that the movie was based on actual events where some seabirds actually "attacked" the town of Capitola. Crazy!

Anyway, swing by Capitola Girl's blog and check out the post. She found some great bird-themed "Saturday Sparkle" to feature. Have a great day!

Last Day Of The Giveaway Is Approaching

Happy Friday!! :) If you haven't entered this month's giveaway yet, you have two days left to do so. This Sunday the 22nd is the last day to enter to win a $15 gift certificate to my Etsy shop. For details on how to enter please see this post:

GIVEAWAY POST

Good luck to you! :) The winner will be announced on Monday, the 23rd. I will also contact him or her via email or convo. Have a great day!

New Wearable Art!

I've recently finished another batch of wearable art! I always get super-excited when I have new pieces to show you. Over the next few days the new work will appear in my shop, but in the meantime here's a handful of my favorites.

Twilight Landscape Hand-Painted Art Pendant Necklace

One Love Hand-Painted Art Pendant Necklace Set

Cosmic Blueberry Lemonade Hand-Painted Art Pendant Necklace

Blood Orange Cosmic Hand-Painted Adjustable Art Ring

Moss Green Lichen Hand-Painted Adjustable Art Ring

Bunny Bottom Hand-Painted Art Pendant Necklace

With my pendants I've also added the option to upgrade from a Chinese silk cord to a silver snake chain. Be sure to check out my shop for more new work! Have a great day. :)

Workshop Wednesday - How To Make A Canvas Collage With Tangente

Today marks another installment of a new weekly blog series titled Workshop Wednesday. Each Wednesday will feature either a tutorial by yours truly or another talented artist or artisan, or a snapshot of an artist's creative process. This week's Workshop Wednesday features "How to Make a Canvas Collage" with tangente.

Tutorial - Collage On Canvas

My walls were still bare after living in the same house for 2 years. It was time for a change so I decided I would make my own art. I started by buying a blank canvas at Micheals, some Modge Podge and a book from Salvation Army I got for 35cents.

The canvas was already primed so I just needed to do 2 coats with some leftover basement paint. I realized that I was out of paint stir sticks so my handy boyfriend improvised and found me some chopsticks.

While I let the canvas dry, I started cutting out various circle shapes.

Once the paint was completely dry, I started gluing the circles in various positions.

I decided to leave a bit of the canvas blank and honestly at this point I had had enough! The very last step was applying 2 coats of Modge Podge all over the canvas. At this step, I learned lesson #1 - paper circles need to be properly glued to avoid bubbling and curling. Thank god the paper is old so it kinda blends in.

Lesson #2 was a bit more difficult. As we were hanging the canvas on the wall, I noticed that the canvas was warped. I'm not sure why I didn't notice this earlier. After an hour and a half, my boyfriend finally figured out a way to hang so it wouldn't show. Phew!

As you can see, I'm no expert at making art collages but it's still a great way to add a bit of character to your walls for under $30.

Thanks tangente! I have a suggestion for the warping issue. For those worried about the canvas panel warping, you could use canvas that is stretched over stretcher bars. This will most-likely elevate your cost a little bit, but will solve the warping issue.

Be sure to check out tangente's Etsy shop and peruse her unique handmade collection of scarf tops, women's clothing, and accessories! You can also read more about tangente on her blog. If you're interested in being a part of future Workshop Wednesdays, please feel free to convo me in my Etsy shop or comment on this post.

Facebook Ad Credit Follow-Up

On February 10th I posted about how you can get a $100 Facebook advertising credit in this post. It's very simple to acquire and you don't have to sign up for anything or give out any personal information; all you have to do is add a Facebook Application to your existing personal Facebook account.

At the bottom of the post I updated on my experience with the Facebook ad credit so far on February 15th. Here's what I wrote:

So I created four different ads targeting different age ranges, education levels, and interests. Three of the ads were busts; very little traffic. One of them has been FANTASTIC and created a lof traffic to my shop and resulted in several sales this weekend. I know for a fact that those sales came from my ad because the buyers told me they found me from my Facebook ad in the 'note to seller.' I am thrilled that this ad is working out. I probably would not have tried out so many different ads if I was having to pay for each of them, so I am very grateful for this ad credit. I also discovered that paying per 1,000 impressions was the way to go for me since I was getting several clicks per 1,000 impressions. If I had chosen to pay per click, the ads would be costing more. So far, since I've started this ad I've had four sales totaling about $100 and the ad has "cost" me about $8.

Since then I have discovered that I get the most clicks on the weekends. I am still getting lots of traffic but haven't had any sales as a result of the ad since the weekend has passed. Paying per 1000 impressions still seems like the way to go to get the most out of my money.

I've shared what has worked well for me, but you may get different results. If you decide to try out the $100 ad credit, you should try different ads for different age ranges, education levels, interests, as well as some that are pay per click and pay per 1000 impressions to find what works best for you. If anyone has any questions about advertising on Facebook, please feel free to convo me in my Etsy shop, or leave a comment on this post. I will try to answer your questions as best I can. Good luck! :)

Here are some questions that have been asked:

1) Mistyridge - I am a little confused on the pay per clicks vs. pay per impressions. could you explain that.

If you choose to pay per click, then you will pay X amount every time someone clicks on your ad. If you choose to pay per impression, you will pay X amount for every 1000 impressions. Impressions are when Facebook posts your ad on someone's page in the ad space. You get to choose what X amount is when you set up your ad.

2) Alissa - I haven't clicked the link yet, but is it safe? Do you have to provide credit card information? I do see a lot of familiar Etsians in my facebook side bar!

The link leads to the Visa Business group application on Facebook, just like any other link to a Facebook App. It's an official Facebook Application page and it doesn't ask for any personal information except for your name.

3) BdoozleZ - I have a facebook personal page and business page. would like to look into it, but don't want to sign up for a visa card or anything like that... does it require this?

No, you do not have to sign up for anything like a Visa card. All you have to do is add the application to your account.

4) Mireasma - It seems like a great idea, but I don't understand what the Visa network thing is.

It's simply a business networking and resource group.

5) Go Fetch Gifts - So I created my ad, entered my info, and was told my coupon code had expired or already been used. I never used it and just got in in my email on the 10th. I wonder if they've suspended this offer.

I'm pretty sure the offer is still valid. If you experience a glitch like this, email the Facebook support team in charge of advertising. Hopefully they can straighten it out.

Monday Must-Have - DoodleStars

Today marks a new installment of my Monday blog series titled Monday Must-Have. Each Monday I will feature a fellow talented Etsian and his or her phenomenal work. Each featured artist will have his or her own online Etsy shop where you can peruse and admire his or her one-of-a-kind body of work. Hopefully you will find new favorite artists and artisans whose work you MUST HAVE. :)

Today's featured artist is Natasha of DoodleStars.

Who are you (actual name/and or shop name)?

Natasha Reilly, creator of DoodleStars (although the Etsy address is http://Doodlestar.etsy.com The last “s” jumped ship during setup!)

What do you create?

I create handmade cards, hand-painted frames and mirrors, original wall art and journals. Sometimes we compare ourselves and our incredible creations to others and find ourselves lacking, so I strive to create pieces that carry a feeling of celebration and remind people that they are ridiculously fabulous and unique.

Where are you located?

I live in a little cottage – otherwise known as an apartment – in the middle of the Big Apple. I’m proud to say that I’m one of many nice Native New Yorkers. What? I swear, we really are! You wanna take this outside? Hahahaha.

When did you start creating?

I am a writer however I’ve always been obsessed with color and longed to create things like cards and journals. About twelve years ago, I created a piece with words and color that was picked up by Family Circle magazine. Then I stopped. There was no reason other than fear; I kept everything from poems to little characters hidden in journals. After completing an MFA in writing I sent my work out and it was received well. Then after the birth of my daughter, I decided I had to try my hand at creating products. So, I setup my first Etsy shop on December 2nd, 2008 and I haven’t looked back. This venture is a fusion of art and writing and even if I fail miserably I want my daughter to know that you need to follow your heart and your dreams in this life.

What inspires you?

The physical world around me like ocean waves, seashells, the moon, the stars, the sound of raindrops hitting leaves, etc., inspires me. People like you and all the talented artists I have met inspire me more than words can say. There is something so amazing about talking with someone who loves what they do. Whether they are driving a truck, painting, walking dogs or sky writing, whatever it is I am inspired when I see another person’s passion for what they do. I am also deeply moved by the people in my life and those that reach out to help others for no other reason than genuine care for your fellow being.

What is the most time consuming part of your craft?

Many of the cards I make – including the card packs – are made by hand so it takes time to gather all the little pieces and put them together. However, when I think “time-consuming” the idea of promotion is the first thing that comes to mind. It’s incredible how much hard work goes into getting the word out. It’s like standing in the middle of a packed school yard at lunchtime and trying to get folks to listen to a joke. It’s easy to get drowned out by all the other voices.

What is your favorite place to visit in your hometown and why?

That’s hard – there are so many wonderful nooks and crannies in this city. There are two that I can’t decide between. The first is this one section of The Metropolitan Museum of Art that has a fountain and gorgeous stained glass windows. It’s so peaceful. I used to write there all the time – I even cut class a couple times in high school to go there to write! The other is this big rock in a little park near my childhood home which overlooks a lighthouse on the East River. Many of my favorite memories revolve around that rock.

What is your most popular item that you create (and why do you think it is so popular)?

The hippo being lifted by balloons card that I make gets lots of kudos. It’s hard to keep him in my shop! He’s just a simple hippo having fun and I think people connect with that idea.

How do you acquire new clients?

Haha…I’m not sure yet. Right now I spend a ton of time telling people about my shop and on Etsy I try to share my items in forums and respond to threads when people are looking for gifts. I’m learning everyday.

What's your next project going to be?

I have two projects. I’m working on a new line of cards – including an awesome birthday pack - and I’m working hard to finish writing a book.


What types of things do you do to turn first time buyers into repeat clients?

You know I really struggle with “selling”. I make things that I love and I hope people like them. Each and every time there is a sale, I’m so flattered. I love getting to know my buyers so whether it’s a regular order or a custom order I sometimes chat with them in Etsy convos or over email. Once I know them a bit, I send them little treats with their order, useful things I think they’d enjoy. Sometimes based on our conversations or their purchase I will tell them about another item they might like that’s either in the shop or coming soon. I am not a salesman; I don’t believe in selling people things they don’t need. I just like to get to know folks, share my stuff and hope they come to play again.

What do you do when you are not creating?

When I’m not creating I’m hanging with my 22 month old daughter, going to the movies with my husband, spending time with family and awesome friends, eating too many M&M’s for my own good, listening to music, doing yoga, and keeping an ear out for good, naughty jokes.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Yes, I started a new blog called the Thursday Sweet Treat. It’s a playground for artists of all kinds and from all walks of life to stay motivated to create new works while having fun. I’d like to invite everyone to stop by cheer, play and enjoy.

Thank you so much for this opportunity, Ruth. I am such a HUGE fan of yours. I’m deeply honored. You rock!


Be sure to check out Natasha's Etsy shop which is full of her unique work! If you're interested in being featured in future Monday Must-Have segments, please feel free to convo me in my Etsy shop or email me. Have a great day!