Today I Painted

Which, as you can see,  I very rarely do. It has to do with the relationship I get into with the painting when I'm doing it and how I hate them all. But regardless, I hauled out some brushes, but then decided they were no good and ended up using a spoon, an empty tin can and a cat whisker for much of it. I did use brushes for the larger parts. Mostly, I don't like to waste paint so I just put it directly on the canvas.

I'm in The Business Review!

Since I graduated from my Entrepreneurial Training Class on Tuesday, Ophelia's Chamber was mentioned in The Business Review, Albany, New York.
Check it!

Red Linen

Finally have time to start working on the draft I did a few months ago. Is red linen and I decided to have a hand at trapunto. My initial design for the quilting was too intricate for my basic machine set up (w/ out a free-motion foot; I've lost all feet and am left with a zipper foot, will replace feet as money allows). So, I made up the machine quilting on the fly. In the process, I re-used pillow innards as the batting. This was not the best move. In ripping out chunks of batting, getting them even was a challenge but I didn't really know that until I was done quilting. Subsequently, the left side is a little puckered, the right side is nice and smooth. The left side is also where I made the design change part way through so, it shows.
Other issues: the front placket was originally going to be a busk, but I don't have the correct busk length in stock right now, so I eliminated the other side's placket and just stitched the whole thing together. Which is fine, except that it isn't cut exactly on the center grain, and I can see that, and it's irritating me. Next time, I'll take my time instead of doing my cutting all willy-nilly.

Corset Poll

What is the highest price you've paid for your ready-to-wear corsets?

• $99-$150
• $150-$200
• $200-$250
• $250-$300
• Above $300

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What is the highest price you paid for your custom corsets?

• $150 - $200
• $200-$300
• $300 - $400
• $400 -$500
• Above $500

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Think of your favorite corset. What one thing do you like best about it?

• The Fit
• Matches everythink I have.
• Perfectly constructed.
• Other

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How many corsets do you own?

• 1-2
• 2-3
• 3-4
• 4 and above

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Step on a Crack....

...break yer momma's back: Mom was in an accident on Sunday or Monday (I didn't receive the message until Thursday, for a variety of reasons). She's broken the T9, the ninth thoracic vertebra, and bruised 2 others. She is in a turtle shell cast of some sort for 12 weeks. I've offered to make her a corset for support and moral, so, I'm awaiting her measurements. I'm thinking side or front lacings to remove pressure off of the spine. It was a weird week, following the walk around Cohoes. A haunted city and a broken back feels like a lot to think about. Thank goodness it was wasn't worse. Then, in business class, a chiropractor showed up to sit with us and discuss marketing strategies. See? Weird, I tell you. It does remind me to "crack" open my Anatomy & Physiology text for fitness class.

A Visit to Cohoes, New York

"O" is for "Ophelia"

Took a long walk around Cohoes with MAP on Thursday to scope out studio space. Found the Foundry, which is intriguing, exclusive, etc., and one or two other spaces to call for a look. There are exactly five businesses on Remsen St.: a knitting store; a wine shop; a Russian supermarket; Satchel - a purse/gift shop; and the Bread & Jam coffee shop. We met Sal at Bread & Jam and declared his coffee house amazing. He was wonderful and gave us instructions to one of the studio buildings we were scoping.
Cohoes itself has fallen apart in the most sad, beautiful way. It is a veritable slum/ghost town as people struggle economically in the houses and apartments built by their great-grandparents – structures made of ornately carved wood followed by bricks starting from the 1860’s forward. Then like everywhere else, there were a couple of wars, immigrants and a boom. And then there was a Depression. And then there was another war.
And then, recently, nearly everything disappeared. Word on the lips of local artists is that it’s ripe for a low-rent, artsy take-over. Let the transformation begin!

Petunias & Fans...

… go together like summer rain and bare feet. If you cultivate some petunias (an awkward name for a gorgeous flower, far better to use their Latin Solanaceae) in front of a window and then mount a large fan in the same window, the room fills with the essence of spicy-sweet honey.

Tonight, I turned on our new, large fan for the first time. I’ve been (attempting to) grow some large, velvety, amethyst petunias for a month. To keep the room a little cooler, I’ve turned out the light and the room in pulsing with the scent. Amazing.

Artfire, Artfire

There is just no denying that one must diversify to keep one step ahead on the web, with the bills, in life in general. So, tonight, I put Ophelia's Chamber on Artfire. I actually feel about 2 months late, but whatever. Am actually so curious as to how this will play out. Has etsy stumbled via the new Search Engine Optimization? Will it bounce back? What are they looking for? Will I ever sell another flower, door snake or corset? Honestly, my hits were low to begin with, so I've not seen much change. I'm still getting Ophelia's Chamber up and running but it seems that in order to sell on the web, you need to babysit everything every step of the way: the listings, the photos, the product development, the postage rates, the rooting around in the studio like a hungry piggy for a box to send an order out in that won't embarrass the crud out of you or the business your trying to develop, web analytics, and now, the web-traffic driving, itself. Now, where'd I leave my whip?

~ ANNOUNCEMENT ~

I will be taking a class with noted author and creativity coach Eric Maisel beginning next week. At the end of this summer, I will announce the Grand Opening of Carolus Creativity Coaching.
As of right now, I am looking to take on 2 more FREE clients for the next 12 weeks for creativity coaching. If you are interested in expanding your time and space to make your stuff, be it writing, sewing, painting or assemblage of any sort, please email me as soon as possible and I’ll put you right in. Coaching begins on June 11th and is conducted via email. To be stealth, the email link above references this blog, however, if you simply use the email address after the foward slash and leave off the url, that is my email address. I never post my direct email address to the web if I can at all avoid doing so.

New This Week

In my Etsy Shop I’ve just loaded the first of four or seven sets of small fabric flowers for your own projects, a large, vintage teddy bear from England and some shabby wonderful hardware. Speaking of Shabby wonderful, I think it fitting to mention that Shabby Chic closed it’s doors and operations this Spring. Rachel Ashwell continues to influence design, despite negative comments left on Amazon regarding her very far-reaching style. She continues to influence my cleaning up of space and adding tons of flowers. Her Simply Shabby Chic will continue to be available at Target and I think that perhaps one of her original stores is still open in California.
That said, I think I still prefer to mix in my own creepy things with the look, just to keep things interesting. How long can you stare at just a white sofa and a crystal chandelier, anyway? There needs to be a spider in my mix.
P.S. If you dig them, please grab some flowers: I've listed them @ 10 for 2.99 + 2.00 shipping, and there are plenty tp go around. I keep wiring them to random things. Please note that they are commercially made, not handmade. They are pretty cute.

Wicked Cool Artist

I want to say I’ve been haunted by this woman’s work for at least 10 years, first discovered in a gallery in Vermont?? Hair and flowers all wrapped together in dark wood frames? That just doesn’t sound like something I’d forget, ever. So, when I saw this studio in a borrowed issue of Where Women Create I freaked out a little because it’s amazing and so is she, but when I looked at her work, I really want to say that it’s the same artist I’ve been freaking over for so long. Her web site is eye/soul candy. I just want to kiss her and give her some hair, bones, and gnarly old silk to play with!
I think I nearly remember her name: began with an "R". Rebecca. Yes, Rebecca Purcell. Check out Oganon 9 Worlds. You won't be disappointed.

The Girls

MAP gave me five awesome girly coins today, all vintage with holes already drilled, as they came from far away lands and possibly former jewelry pretties. The countries are: Guatamala 1910; Canada, so worn date is not able to be discerned, Canada 1964; Pakistan 1951; and a faux English Queen Victoria pence. Cute!! Technically, the pretty coin from Pakistan does not have a lady on it, that I can see, but with its Arabic lettering, looks as though it's yearning to be on a dance belt. The girls will be appearing in necklaces in the Etsy Shop soon.

Typewriter Dance - $1.00

Oh, Boy! Oboyoboyoboyoboy!!! I went to the Catholic church rummage sale and came away with a vintage Royal in its orignal case for $1.00. I was so happy, I danced all the way to the Greek Orthodox for some souvlaki and baklava, and then I danced home! What a night full of treasure! Thank-you, Universe!!

Drafting

Spent afternoon drafting new corset. After 5 years, am still so in love with Simplicity Civil War 9769 that I can't leave it alone. Is sort of like being in love with someone who won't have you. It drives me crazy, it doesn't fit, but is silly beautiful, so I figure: I'll just change it! I first scratch-drafted what I think will be a mid-bust corset to fit me. I then studied the pattern to echo my favorite lines (the tummy swoop, the sweet bustline) and changed what didn't work for me at all (the fit, the length, and the lower side front panels got a little more shaping.) I also angled a line or two, so we'll see. I start cutting tonight.
This is my third or fourth corset draft. Is addicting. Any idea I have, I can just throw out there and see what comes of it. They take a while to make up, but the results are so much fun!

Etsy, Forward Ho!

Have definitely noticed the negative backlash-against-Etsy trend in the last year or so. This seems to have picked up momentum this Spring, ('09), which on one hand, is disheartening, in that 'why bother, I'll never make it' vein; and on the other, is sort of worth keeping my eye on, but not letting it rule my path. The grumbles (primarily) spring from the sheer numbers of sellers on Etsy leading to all handiwork simply getting drowned out by the crowd as people list and re-list in an attempt to keep at the top of the search pages, and I reiterate: Etsy is crowded! However, if I'd continued selling on Ebay, as I started out, I may actually be further along right now.
New sites have sprung up as a reaction to the dissatisfaction, more on those tomorrow, as I believe that they are worth watching as well. Yet, something in my gut tells me that leaving Etsy before one even gets in a good toe-hold is not the way to go, either. I think everything is work, whether or not one aspires to be a lawyer, a psychotherapist or an artist. There are a great number of us both on the planet and in this country. It's just the way it is.
In discussions with the Masterminds who help me out, (you know who you are) our feeling is that it is important to start small, and strong. Work your local angle and get known the same way a local band would. Most bands work the local circuit before expanding to the coastline, and only then go national. I think the thought with Etsy was that a few of the original artists seem to have made it "easy" or "quickly" on wide scale. I think that a few may have been spotlighted to some acclaim when the site gained media attention, however overall I'd say that nothing is really as easy as it seems. Everything requires due diligence.

Studio Happenings

All new, cotton velvets have arrived. Alas, must re-source the black, as it was canceled due to demand.
Check out the new Ophelia's Chamber banner, created by Sea Dream Studio. It's gorgeous!
Spring Cleaning in the studio is nearly complete. There has been a massive reorganization period, and I simply can't wait to get to work. New postings should be by the end of this week.

New Velvets on the Way

New velvet order is on the way and I can't wait! There will be Zafu meditation pillows in the Ophelia's signature palette, including black, ivory, lavender and a brushed olive green. They should be completed & listed by June 1st, so be sure to check etsy around then.
This summer is lining up to be a busy one!

MOO!!

My new etsy MOO cards have arrived and they are fantastic! I love the small size and everyone I’ve handed them too loves it, too. I was able to select pictures directly off of my etsy shop and use multiple pictures for 1 small print-run – unheard of in the industry, as far as I know. I selected items I’d made: my flower, my corset. MOO is based in the UK, opening a US based shop in Rhode Island this Spring. Recommended!!