One more week til California

Ugh, Packing...

I have about a week left on the east coast, then it's back to my hometown... So. Cal! I absolutely love California, always have, always will. I'm happy to be moving back, happy to be closer to my family, my friends, my absolutely lovable and adorable twin nieces, who just turned 1.

I start a new (old) job on August 8th. I'll be working for Live Nation/Ticketmaster once again (the company I worked for, before I left California). I'm looking forward to it, but still kind of nervous. I don't know why. Maybe it's because I've grown accustomed to life in VA and feel like I'm starting all over. Well, a part of me feels like I'm starting over, and a part of me feels like I'm stepping back into an old life.

Today, I went to improv practice, and as I sat there, I started to feel kind of sad. Since I started "playing" with the Imps of Improv, I've enjoyed life in VA so much more. I've only known the group about 7 months, but they feel like a part of my family. I have spent more time with them, then with any other group of people in VA. I'm truly going to miss them. They were the biggest reason why it took me so long to decide if I wanted to move back to CA or stay in VA, although ultimately being closer to my nieces won out.  Everyone keeps telling me "you can find another improv group in CA". Of course, I know this to be true. I'm sure there are hundreds of them, but it's not so much the improv that I'll miss, but the people in the group. I've truly grown to love and care about each and every one of them. (Kristin, Tim, Rob, Kate (Coady), Annie, Anne, Jen, Alexis, Elisa, James, Chia-Chia, Adam, Brandon, Nate) -- hope I didn't forget anyone.... if I did, sorry, I'm tired... They are such a great group of seriously talented people. I am in awe of them every week and I'm honored to be able to call myself an IMP!

So, I'll be a California resident once again soon. Once I get back, it's back to business... narrowing down my jewelry business and starting a new business, hopefully with my sis-in-law. We've been discussing things for a while, and it looks like we're gonna really, REALLY get it together this time and narrow down exactly what we want to do and stick to it... My goal has always been to work for myself, be able to support myself and have a family business. It looks like it's finally going to happen. Everything is going in the right direction and I'm so excited about what the future holds... until I get back... it's back to packing, UGH! And enjoying the last of my days here in VA...

Gender Bender Art Carnage

Tonight, or technically last night (since it's 2am now), I was a vendor at Art Carnage at The Soundry in Vienna, VA... It was fantastical, and yes that's a word! :) Usually, I perform improv with the Improper Imps of Improv and just casually stroll through the vendor area looking at this and that. Tonight, I decided not to perform, but to be a vendor and I was little apprehensive in the beginning. I've never been a vendor anywhere, and I haven't been selling much, actually anything via etsy, so I was feeling a little bummed and discouraged. I went there hoping I would sale at least one thing.. That was my goal.

When I arrived there, the place was not nearly as crowded as I thought. There were hardly any vendors, at least not as many as usual, so I really wasn't expecting too much, which I am ecstatic to say I made 5 sales and a had a lot of positive response to my items. It also gave me a chance to see what items people respond to most and what things I need to change/alter/arrange/discard, etc... Many people seemed to truly like the googly eyed owl pendants, decoupage bracelets and the zipper jewelry. It was soooo much fun talking to people and meeting the other vendors and just being immersed in such creativity. I met soap makers, jewelry artists, animation comic book artists, photographers... such fantastic talent all in one place.

I also learned some things about myself tonight... Although I sometimes get anxiety when I have to talk to people and just the thought of being a vendor was somewhat scary to me (I sometimes have a tendency to be quiet and introverted), I did an awesome job and felt I really connected with a lot of people. I had long conversations with potential costumers and I truly enjoy learning about people. I can definitely hold a conversation and I can also be very engaging.

I had a blast and it made me feel good about my products. Art Carnage is such an awesomely fun event with Poets, Artists, Comedians, Burlesque, Bellydancers and random, chaotic singers roaming about. I'm so happy I went... think I'm gonna do it again next month!

New Stuff and I'm Super Stressed Out

I'm super stressed out, getting relocate from the east coast to the west coast and I haven't secured a job in LA yet. I don't know how I'm going to get my furniture out there or my car since I haven't been able to save as much as I wanted. I haven't sold as much as I wanted to... I keep making stuff, which always relaxes me, but I don't know how to get the stuff sold. I keep getting added to treasuries on etsy and people favorite my items, but how do you get people to actually purchase stuff. I don't think I'm all that great at marketing... my passion is creating things.

I wish I could transition to just making stuff all day. I want to find my nitch, but there are so many talented people out there, sometimes I feel like I'm just getting lost in the shuffle. I don't really have as much time as I would like to make stuff... My move date is coming up so quick and I feel like I haven't done anything... almost a month away... I have a table at Art Carnage in Vienna this month, and I hope to sell at least a few items and make a few new clients....

www.blackroqs.etsy.com

New Stuff

This weekend I decided that for the majority of it, I'm just going to sit and make jewelry and do nothing almost nothing else. It's about 1am, and I've made 5 bracelets today. Why does it seem that it take me so long to make a bracelet I feel like the day just flew by and I didn't get as much stuff made as I planned on, but tomorrow is another day and I think I'm going to make something different tomorrow. I have so many ideas in my head, but it's all about time and money, which I seem to be lacking both.

I just got my scrabble tiles and some pendant blanks, so I'm going to make rings and necklaces tomorrow. I'm almost at my goal of having 50 items listed, although I did want to have them listed by June 1st. Aaaah well, life sometimes gets in the way.

I just love etsy. I get such inspiration from other artists. Sometimes I'll see something and an idea will pop into my head. There are so many talented people on there.

I seem to have this fascination with zippers now. I'm making ziper cuffs, zipper earrings, zipper rings... zippers, zippers, zippers. I really love the black and metal ones, rather than the colored ones that I got. It makes everything look a little edgier.

I tend to lean more towards the edgier stuff, or odd looking stuff, rather than the pretty little things.

Tomorrow is Sunday, so another day of making jewelry. I don't plan on leaving the house for anything. I'm on a mission.

I just want to make stuff

I find myself thinking all day about things I want to make or new creative ideas. I started carrying around a journal type notebook so I can write down all my ideas. Geez, why can't I win the lottery and win enough to quit my day job and sit around all day and make stuff and not worry about getting paid for it? Sheesh.

Today, I was super busy at work, but I spent more time than I should on Facebook, twitter, checking my Etsy account, reading over my blog... you know, working on MY business. Lately that is all I want to do, actually it hasn't been lately, it's just that lately I've really acknowledged it and become very active in making my dreams to work for myself and create stuff a reality. It's time to bring out these thoughts in my head and put them in solid form.

It's scary to put yourself out there, but I've gotten a lot of positive feedback and I can't lie... It feels good! I think for most people, there is a small iota of fear, hoping that everyone will like what you're doing. As much as people try and act like they don't care what people think or say, I think deep inside, if they're really honest with themselves, it does bother them a little when people reject them or their ideas.

Anywhoooo, I'm going to make some more bangles this weekend. I just ordered about 20 more wooden bangles to decorate. I'm also going to practice more on my chainmaille technique and create some earrings and bracelets. I love chainmaille. The patters look complicated, but it's actually sometimes quite simple. That complex simplicity, I just love it.

Dagnabit, I just want to make stuff!  :)

Why Do I Craft?

I don't remember when I started making stuff, I just know that I love it. I like thinking of new ideas or learning a new technique, but what I love the most is taking one thing and turning it in to another thing. I think it's the same reason that I love butterflies. They start as one thing, and turn into something completely different and beautiful. 

This is also the way my life has been. I'm always trying to reinvent myself, to become a better person. My hairstyle is always changing, my clothes change, my tastes change. That's the way I have always lived my life. Lately, I've been doing decoupage, using plain wooden bracelets, and covering them with designs so that they look completely unrecognizable. From plain to beautiful. I love it. 

Sitting around making stuff, is also a form of relaxation for me. I usually sit on the floor, with the TV on in the background, surrounded by beads, bangles, paper, ribbons or whatever else I'm using. I'm totally at peace and I'm totally in the moment. I find that the more I do it, the more passionate I'm becoming about it. Years ago, I started making jewelry, and doing simple beading, but I didn't love it. I think it comes more from the fact that I was trying to make things that I thought other people would like, rather than making what I love. These days, I don't use as many beads. I like zippers, and leather and metals and chunky bangles. I make what I love. Now, I'm just working on turning my love for creating things into a business. It's a slow process, and I'm sometimes impatient and some days I wonder if I'm just making things that no one but me likes, but then I go to my etsy page, and see that someone favorited one of my items, and I think... it's just a matter of time and I create something else. 

www.blackroqs.etsy.com