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!!

Snow & Sew

There was a great snow fall lastnight. I love how the white changes the brightness of the light through the windows. It's intense and always requires getting used to.
Today's tasks are shoveling out before the next snow and creating a fabulous boa to load on etsy. I'll post pictures later.

Updating

Updating, testing. MOre later.

'Git Along, Little Needle

Needles & Cowboys
When I went in to the procedure room on Monday morning and lay down on the table the nurse came in to put an IV in my arm and I told her that I have very difficult veins to tap. She tapped and drew blood twice, but couldn’t thread the tip of the IV and went to fetch some guy in scubs who I believe may have been my anesthesiologist. While the first nurse had been very gentle and tried not to hurt me, the man in scrubs pulled a stool up like he was about to milk a cow, wheeled himself over to my arm and declared, “Ain’t a horse that can’t be rode, ain’t a cowboy that can’t be throwed. I used to ride rodeo and this is what we said.” I was pretty certain that I should have been worried, but by this point I was about to faint and was begging for a Valium. Yee-haw.
I looked the quote up but even though I found it buried in some Foghat lyrics, (There Ain't No Man That Can't Be Caught,) the quote itself looks to be older than this. I don’t know if I had an anesthesiologist who listens to Foghat (something I gave up for my eighteenth birthday,) or if he really rode rodeo at some point. Oh, yeah, and he tapped my vein on the first try. Ouch!

Surgery & Pattern

Monday morning, quite early I might add, I had surgery for carpel tunnel on my left wrist. Sewing, playing guitar, etc. was increasingly difficult and I had lost about 10% of feeling in my middle finger. At this point, three days out from the surgery, I can't say whether or not I'll regain all feeling since I am now dealing with the recovery process. I am supposed to have the right wrist done two weeks from now, but I may cancel it to focus on healing the left first. I would not recommend to anybody having both done simultaneously, not unless you have someone who can feed you, brush your teeth for you and drive you everywhere for about two weeks. This is a fairly painful process.
On my way back from the procedure I stopped at the fabric store and grabbed an intriguing pattern for three corsets: Butterick B4254 for late 18th c. stays, laced two ways, and two 19th c. corsets, one with cups, one w/out, (for four separate looks in total.) It's a lovely pattern and I can't wait to be able to sew again! If you are asking yourself why I don't simply draft everything, the answer is simple: I've learned most of what I know from commercial patterns and highly recommend using them as you begin your own corset-making journey.
This weekend I also picked up another antique, hand-carved dye block from the Indian import boutique.
Still waiting to hear the verdict from the arts committee regarding studio space.

Black Self Draft ~ Ivory Civil War Simplicity

Ophelia's and Studio Space

We are awaiting acceptance by the arts review committee for studio space. We will then be able to make a mess and not have to clean it up very often, stay up all night long, if need be, but not disturb anybody and be available to clients for special orders. It seems like a terribly long wait: Over two weeks, now. There are plenty of ideas on paper for using unique materials for expressive corsetry and we are itching to get started!