Writing For And About Others...

Guess what I did this week? Go ahead. I'll wait...

Ok. I'll tell you:

I wrote an intereview for Smidge. The Canadian website/forum/blog about all things Etsy cool and fabulous, and it's up there right now. It's on/with Jessica Pierce who created Spidercamp and it's all about her rude little rabbits - and pocket bacon - and why they exist. Oh, and about how super cool they are and how nice and talented Jessica is... ya, it's a bit kiss ass, but I really like her stuff (I got two of her rabbits for Phil, I'm looking at the little "poop" one now - I was the first one to get a tiny version, by special request, cause I'm so cool!;) 

I already know who I'm going to ask to do the next one too... the intereview on that is... but I'll let you know when I get a go ahead from subject and publication alike. 

Speaking of which, I have a spot in the Etsy group ad in the June issue of Bust Magazine that comes out today - well, probably just to subscribers - so peel your eyes for that and wish me money well spent! That would be another form of good luck...

I used this for my section of the ad:

But I haven't seen the ad yet... hopefully I'll be able to grab a copy soon and check out how it came out. Haha, I  just looked at the site and they have a single issue for sale, so I thought: I'll just have it delivered! Not going to happen! Cost me almost exactly the same price for shipping as the mag! Which would make the single issue cost, appropriately enough since it is the 15th anniversary issue, $15+! 

Crazy, I just checked out the bottom half of the online Bust homepage (under lady pink) and there was a picture of this past weekend's Beacon art event, Electric Windows! I missed it cause it was the exact hours the shop was open, but it looks pretty good. I'll definitely have to wander down and have look in person soon! Hmmm, seems you can let them know about special events right from and onto the website. I'll have to remember that for my next opening/special event! 

Ok. Got a lot to do and get done for the day so I'll leave it here for now and you guys go click around and check out and read and leave comments and have a fun day full of bad words and other things that start with the letter "B". I'm off to clean the bathroom! 

It's All About the Blog...

Talking with my significant where would I be without the other day and the topic of Blogs came up. As it does so often in the news and on comedy shows and other places in daily life these days, blogs just come up. This particular conversation started out:

Where did the name "Blog" come from?

This question is much like the question:

Why do they call them "Biners" in the U.S. and "Crabs" in Oz? 

It's the kind of question that leads to the pondering of such things as:

If they were made famous in another country, would they be called something else? And what would that something else be? (this is the cue for you all to jump in with pithy comments!)

The answer to the Q. that started the whole thing is inevitably: It's short for web log. As far as I know. But, people were doing this long before it was common and commonly known as a blog. So, what was it called in the early incarnations? 

Web Diary. Blather. Newsletters. Letters. (another perfect place to add comments and ideas about)

As many of you have already read, or knew before, I'm not really partial to the blog moniker. It sounds like a verbalized euphemism for online diarrhea... or vomit... which, I guess, in some cases it is. 

Personally, I prefer to think of it all as a kind of cathartic release. A silently verbal pressure release valve. (another cue for comments right here)

When I join the forums and read the advice for why and how you should blog when I'm roaming Etsy, they all seem to allude to the "promotion" issue. Ok. Some are just straight out saying: Blog to promote! I'm not really in agreement with this advice. On the whole. Obviously, there is some shameless self promotion featured prominently on my blog site. There is also some promotion of others and recommendations of things I think are fun and entertaining. However, I don't feel inclined to use the wordy aspect of the blog medium for shameless mememeness. 

Ok. The whole thing is not always about me, but in general, it is my thoughts and what I'm doing. THAT is the point of doing this though, isn't it? To express thoughts and ideas to and with people you don't connect regularly enough with or who you might not connect with otherwise? My intention for starting this was to allow my friends and family a place to check in to see what I'm up to and get a feel for what my life is like when they aren't around (which is, with most everyone I know living in another state or country, unfortunately most of the time). Sometimes that includes stuff about my jewelry (which then pertains to my Etsy shop); sometimes it's just random thoughts expressed on the computer (which is aimed primarily at my friends). Depends on where my head is at the day I sit down to write and what pops out through my fingers when I actually get into the act of spewing. 

Well, yes. Spewing. That is definitely the way it feels, AND, definitely the kind of thing that fits right into the sound you get when you talk about the thing you are now reading. They do call it a BLOG; and what sounds more like an onomatopoeia for spewing than that? 

The Revolution May Very Well Be Online

Whew! This running three business things is taking it's toll. I'm ready to go back on the road. Waaay more relaxing! 

Just opened another Etsy store for pearldaddy Wed. Extra pearls and clasps and things like that for sale. Right now, supplies. More pictures taken and some jewelry will get added in the next couple weeks too. So, I've been doing as much promotion online as I can - mostly while at the store - and trying to get all the things that keeping that place open entails too. Which is a lot. Have a couple custom orders I have to get to next week. Had to order some things for that so I have a week before I can really get started. 

Big art opening on Saturday at pearldaddy too. Party with music and all planned. So, there is still that to prepare for. Just finished the store newsletter today and'll get that cleaned up and off in the virtual mail later tonight. I also added a new listing on my regular Etsy site today. Spent the morning editing the photos and writing the description then did a bit of promo surfing. In the Treasury, leaving comments. In the forum joining in conversations and leaving links. Going to blogs and commenting there. (oh, I've got a pendant and chain in the Smidge May Giveaway; if you want to leave a comment there for your chance to win it: http://smidge.ca  OR you can always just get one from my Etsy store below)

My whole week has pretty much been spent in front of the computer. AND, I'm looking to pick up another part time job that will require an additional 10 hours or so infront of the computer. One of those do from home things working for someone else with an online store presence. 

I added a bunch of new links on this blogsite too. Some fun stuff to do and great places to look for cool stuff. Some Etsy related and some not. Look around and see what you can find. I'll probably be rearranging it as you look so don't freak out if you come back from a link and the link is somewhere else. I think I'll spend the rest of the week changing the blog layout around. Just so I can burn the hell out of my retinas! 

I don't think it's possible to spend too much time on the computer, no matter how nauseous it makes me feel. No matter how much my arms and wrists hurt. No matter how much my eyes burn. The computer is where it all happens! I have to be where it's all happening! 

Heck. I think I'll just set myself up with a table and a tent and hit the road! 

See that blaaahhg later in the year;}

Back in New York and Rarin' to Sleep

Wow. I have to do more of those parties! 

It actually started snowing as we were driving to the hostess's house - and didn't stop until we left! So, the turn out was a little lower than expected but, it was still pretty good. And it was a lot of fun - a lot of work, but still - a lot of fun. And it was great to see everyone. And I sold a few things and took a custom order. AND, got some requests to come back later in the year for another couple of parties. It was a good experience. 

I did wind up bringing a lot more than I sold... Though, there were a lot of positive comments on even the stuff that didn't sell, so that was encouraging. 

There Ain't No Party Like a Family and Friends Jewelry Party!

So, I'm doing a jewelry party a week from Tuesday. Excited, and stressed about it all at once. 

This is my first one so it's going to be the test and the big learning curve event for all parties to come. Plus, financially, I kind of need the party to go well. ie: I need to sell a bunch of jewelry. I have no idea how many people are coming to buy jewelry, so I don't know how much to bring. I need to bring enough for the people who are planning to buy, but I don't want to bring too much either since it's pretty far away. I don't really have a way of displaying anything except by loose display in the boxes they come in either, so I'm hoping that won't be a problem. That's the stress part. Which isn't really too bad as far as stress goes - except for the financial need part. 

It should be a pretty big party, but I know a lot of people (family actually) who are coming later, just for the party part and not buying anything. Though, I have had some requests for somewhat specific things people want, so hopefully, that's a good sign of success to come. I'm planning to take custom orders while I'm at it too, so that will hopefully help with the financial success part.

Been thinking about doing a craft show or two as well. Of course, I have to buy or make a lot of displays to do that. It also seems that most of the ones listed near me are all juried. I don't know that I have a good enough photo of anything, let alone several things, to be included in a juried show. Or that my jewelry is actually appropriate for a juried show. Though, to be fair, some of the photos in the lesser know "juried" shows' websites don't show anything that's really that daunting as far as getting into the show. The whole thing is a bit daunting though. I'd really like to find a small local one to get started with or someone to share a table with at a bigger show. Someone with craft show experience. 

I really need a vacation from the store. I really need the store to start being more successful in the new location too. And support from my "business partner". I'm mostly stressed about what's going on with that right now. Ah, the Happy Blahg;} Blahg. Ha. That's funny. I need a vacation. 

Rainbows in the Sink

Sometimes I have one of those days: Nothing is going well; someone tried or did run into me on the drive into or while parked at work; machinery stops working or starts working like it's possessed by evil gremlins; no matter how gently I work the wire, the gemstones still break. Sometimes it just feels like the world is out to get me. 

Eh, we all have days like that, right? No point moping and sulking about it though. Too much to do. So, like a lot of people, I take steps to get over it. Occasionally, besides deep breathes and premeditated exercises in perspective, I'll also get a sign that everything is still just fine. 

In the form of rainbows. Not always in the sky either. In fact, as I age, the sky type seem to come less and less frequently but, the indoor types seem to get more so. I see them on the ceiling, on the walls, on the floor, in the sink... no prisms necessary! 

This last one came to me in the bathroom sink. There are these great blocks in the window that refract light - if it hits at just the right angle - into wonderful rainbows all over the place. I see the rainbows, stop, and everything seems much better.