Treasure is Where We Find It?!

You know the saying:

One man's trash is another mans treasure... well, that goes for women too... probably for some animals as well... It's a matter of taste and style and upbringing and interests. Always is, no matter what you're talking about. 

I personally love trash AND treasure. I like treasure from trash and I like some trashy treasures. I was a dumpster diver when I was a kid. That was some good treasure, I'll tell you what! 

We lived behind the local shopping center so we could go diving for everything from still good food to toys! Yes, there was a toy store that threw stuff out! Broken display stuff mostly but, there were the occasional broken but still fun toys too. Plus, the other side of the street had a huge vacant, hilly lot that provided a place to build a hidden fort - where we could stash some of our dumpster goods if only have a place to play with them so our parents wouldn't know we'd been dumpster diving - and a lot of native plants and animals to wonder at and catch. Something which made us well known in the pet store as well. Though, I kinda feel bad about it now, we used to catch blue bellies (lizards) and sell em to the pet store for a quarter... which we'd inevitably give them back for the privilege of watching them feed the MataMata turtle - who was supposedly 150 years old! 

Ah, good times. 

This was also a time when my Cracker Jacks were giving up the occasional cool metal toy - like working compasses - and my mother and grandmother were giving me their unwanted extra and broken costume jewelry. Which got even better as I was learning things like how to string jewelry from parental friends during our occasional weekend days at the flea market. Now that was a lesson in finding treasure wherever you looked if there ever was one. It may have even been my inspiration for some of the first jewelry I ever made - from Cracker Jack and gumball machine toys. Mostly earrings, but the occasional necklace too. Still have some of those somewhere. In a box in the garage no doubt. 

Since my mom was also a single one (hi mom!), I was  getting dragged to the field portions of her geology classes around that time too; due to lack of babysitters, and possibly the unending sound of "please take us". That was GREAT! We had our own hammers and got to search for fossils in the shale and sandstone along the creek just like all the adults. Found a geode or two and a fossil here and there. Nothing like banging on rocks to find treasure! Later, every time I went up to visit my mom and sis and aunt and cousins (hi everybody!), I got to wander around Park City finding crystals. Which I eventually learned to wire wrap and started making necklaces and earrings from. 

I still walk around looking at the ground or sifting through the edge of streams and rivers; picking up rocks that speak to me everywhere I go - and sometimes putting them into my jewelry - however, I'm ready to move into a new phase along those lines. So, I'm planning to travel around to all the dig your own gemstone places in the US (everything from diamonds to opals and all the precious stones inbetween!) and incorporate the raw, uncut, might polish them a little first, precious gems I find into some truly unique stuff. I'm aiming to start next Spring. 

I know it won't be everyone's idea of treasure (even though, technically, it will actually be considered precious and therefore: actual treasure) but the raw and found have always captivated me as much as, if not more so, than the finely cut and polished purchases I've made, so I want to reflect that more in my jewelry. 

Now, all I have to do is make my life more conducive to that particular goal.  All help and suggestions welcome! 

A Blog By Any Other Name

Everyone is blogging. 

Everyone. 

Even Phil; who is a man of well chosen words. That means he's pretty quiet, for the most part. Though, when he has something to say, he has a lot of it to say. I think he stores it up. Usually he communicates through his music, art or photography. The last of which is the basis for his new blog, the name for which came to him before the content. Well, actually, when he went to start his blog, there were already two that had differently spelled versions of the same name Phil was going to use, so he settled on this:

Polly Blog Nature

Which is a play on his more well known online moniker: The Polywog

(and contrary to the copyright info at the bottom of the polywog site, I actually took both of the pics of Phil that he uses for each of the two sections on his website. I should probably make him credit me, noh?)

Not a lot of verbiage on this new outlet. Not a lot on his website either. All his descriptions, stories and musings are short and to the point but, I think, pretty interesting. Right now, there's just a small selection of his amazing nature photography (with a lot more to come) and a story of how one set of those photos came to be. 

I'll probably be getting roped in to check for mistakes and even edit those few words from time to time and even though it probably wont be updated on a regular basis, when he does update, he changes and adds a lot. So, if you like what you see, check back regularly - just in case. 

Now, if I can just get him to add his magic touch to the design for my blog... 

No Fuel From Food!!!

A couple years ago, when I heard about the new fuel they were making from corn, I was happily surprised that they finally figured out how to and started making fuel from the wasted corn stalks. Which is what any normal person would have assumed right? Who in their right mind would make ethanol fuel from the actual corn? Which is, as I read further and found out, is exactly what they're doing. Plus biodiesel production from Soybeans (now one of the leading illegally denuding farming culprits in the Amazon rain forests) and Palm Oil (plantations of which are now destroying the forests of Indonesia, Malaysia and Borneo) is becoming such a huge industry that it's affecting people in other parts of the world too. With the millions of extra acres needed to grow food plants for fuel, that also means billions of fewer trees to absorb the problem they're being cut down to solve. Which also leads to other problems, as most of us know, such as lower biodiversity and water issues.

But, with the new flex fuel cars, other straight alcohol burning cars, electric and hydrogen fuel cell cars being designed and developed; plus lots of scientists working on ethanol from non-food sources and lighter, stronger materials to use in basic construction and longer lasting batteries; it looks like a move is being made in the right direction. 

Wrong. The flex fuel cars are only available on a limited basis and mostly sold in the corn belt, where E85 is available all over. Surprise. Not really, since the government actually gives huge subsidies to farmers to use their corn crops for fuel and virtually no money to research and production of other non-food sourced ethanol; with absolutely no discernment between processes that cause more pollution in the production phases and ones that don't. And, E85 flex fuel efficiency is already way lower than regular fuel. Oh, that and the production process of corn based ethanol is actually polluting more than the end result saves, so it's actually making more of an environmental problem. It's a lose/lose product. Can you say: "Greedy scam!"?

With all the hype, you'd also think the move to hybrids is a good thing. Which it is, if the technology is optimized. Did you know that the newer "more efficient" electric with gasoline back up hybrids actually get worse gas milage than the discontinued gasoline with electric back up ones did? Honda Insight was the first of the later type and it got lower gas mileage as it was rereleased right up until it was discontinued but, still gets better gas mileage than the newer hybrids of the same size! Actually. It got about the same gas mileage as a Geo Metro. Hell, I get the same gas mileage on my five year old non hybrid Hyundai as a friend does with a similar sized, brand new, Honda Hybrid! As for the other hybrid options, well, they aren't even options until they start making them. 

So, even though over use of mass produced food based biodiesel is becoming a definite problem, current ethanol fuels are still the worst of the "environmental" helpers here in the States. Besides all the other problems, most of the ethanol from corn is going into our regular gas tanks - none of which are made to run on alcohol - which actually makes every tank of gas "up to 10%" less fuel efficient (I get up to 10 miles a gallon more on gas without ethanol or very little ethanol added!) which means we're all buying more gas so it defeats the purpose. Not to mention the production process for the corn ethanol they're spiking our tanks with is actually more polluting over all than if we didn't use it. 

So, how does this directly relate to jewelry makers and other crafters? 

Well, more food being used for fuel is mostly what's driving up food prices - even when fuel costs are lower - so more people are spending otherwise disposable income on necessities. Worse gas mileage while prices are so high means more of that same income is being spent on gas. Which means less money being spent anywhere else. Which is why fewer people are coming out to the fairs and shows. Crafters and artists and designers, of course, are all in the same boat: paying high prices while trying to make a living, while no one can afford to help them out in that respect. Plus, with delivery costs being so high, all of our basic necessities for our crafts are increasing in cost as well, so we have to charge more to make a profit. Not a good thing. 

It all effects everyone in some way, and this particular "It" is a doozy! If this race to make food based fuel keeps up, it's only going to get worse. Even when gas prices go back down. 

Eliminating corn, and other food crops, as fuel will lower the prices of ALL food products. Eliminating ethanol from our fuel will increase efficiency (and actually reduce the pollution the corn ethanol production makes), and so require less gas while the prices are so high (so does keeping your car tuned and regularly maintained by the way). Changing over from gas to fuels made from waste products, or to electric, will strengthen the country's economy over all. That in turn will mean more money goes back into the regular economy and everyone wins. It's really simple economics. 

So, what can you do to help change this current abuse and get us all moving to the win/win situation we'd all like to be in? Lobby to have the 10% ethanol requirement removed. Write your representatives and tell them you want a ban on using food for fuel and the subsidies going to pay for that food based fuel rerouted to people producing switch grass, algae, corn stalks and other waste product fuel. Tell them you want research grants to go to people working in these fields so they can speed up the research process to get viable mass production from those sources in the next couple years, not ten. If you can afford it, invest in companies that are investing in more sustainable fuel production (GM, surprisingly, is one of them). Tell the major car companies that you will buy their cars IF and WHEN they run on non-gas, non-food fuels; ask if you can reserve yours now. Plug in hybrids are a good idea too; and those are currently  much more feasible for a quick turn around for change; so encourage the companies that have put that technology on the shelf to bring it down. Tell your representative you want extensive tax breaks for switching over to non-gas powered transport now. 

If we all encourage government and commerce to invest in the infrastructure necessary to publicly provide these alternative fuels, now (most companies won't even start production until the fuels are widely available), things will start changing as soon the new government is in. You have to let them know that's a priority though. The more people who speak up, the more they will listen. You can even suggest that the government make these types of changes first. Starting with their own fleets! Hello, Post Office!? No lip service required. Telling them this now, and implying that making these changes is implicit in getting your vote, is key. 

Most people think this is going to take YEARS. In fact, the only barrier to the problems we have are more social and psychological - and governmental. If we speak out and demand products that are possible now, then the companies and government will change quicker. It would be economically better for everyone, so if everyone wants it... and makes a lot of noise about it... it will happen sooner. That's how California almost changed over to electric cars in a just a couple years. It's completely feasible and completely reasonable. As long as we all speak up and ask for it. Demand it. NOW!  

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;}