A touchy subject

Lately there have been many threads and conversations started about copying on and off Etsy. It has been happening in the worst kind of way. I am sure that it will always be an endless battle that us true artists will always have to fight.

The worst kind I have seen is the actual copy and pasteing of someones images and descriptions. This really happened and this person ordered several things from the shop they copy and pasted from. Posted them on another handmade selling site (dawanda) and maked them up 3 x's the price. They were called out and removed the items promply- then went on to Etsy and left Nasty Negative feedback - which I see this morning that Etsy took care of- yay.

I guess these are the pros and cons of putting your work out there for the entire world to see. Yes you want to be noticed and successful and loved but not ripped off!

I have not had this happen to me yet (that I know of) but I am holding my breath. I have even taught a class on how to do my technique. There were 6 ladies in the class and each one walked out with a totally different style of piece. I guess it is similar to the technique of painting. It is taught all over the world and there are millions of painters but there are also millions of styles that emerge from the timeless and classic skill of painting.

I have shared my secrets before on how I do what I do, but I would hope and pray that if someone is so interested in my techinque they would put their own images and thoughts into it and not steal mine! Just my 2 cents on the matter.

Here is one of my favorite little images- I still have the original and now Prints :)

New Postcards!

"All my Ladies" - Set of 6 Archival Postcards

Here is my set of "All the Ladies" Archival 4.25 x 5.5 postcards. I keep hearing the lyrics to whatever that song is " All the ladies....all the ladies now". Of course if you have ever stopped by my shop or been to my house to see what adorns my walls - you know that I love to draw, paint, sketch, fabric on wood the female figure. I used to take figure drawing classes in college and they were the highlight of my week. We did draw nude men and women - it has always been a passion of mine. In class I would draw my own hands or make up faces and figures. I actually came up with many a concept for pieces that way.

Anyway, I just listed these this morning. The listing is for a set of 6 instead of 4. I am going to be offering my other postcards in sets of 6 now as well. My sets of 4 go for $14 and my sets of 6 go for $20 (so there is a savings of $1).

I have a feeling that most of the folks buying them are framing them as small works of art! That makes me happy :)

I sold the first set I listed this morning quick (they sold while I was out rollerblading)!

I also have this little kitty piece I just made. I make a bunch of white cats and then made pieces around them when the mood struck!

"I see the Moon" - Original fabric on wood art

My Sisters On Etsy...

I have been meaning to feature these two but somehow it always slips my mind... so here it goes.

"Go get your Own Nut " Tote bag

My sister Christie is the newest to Etsy. She quit her job back in December after her Roommate announced her engagement and told my sister that she had a few weeks to move out (Ouch!). She moved back to Charlotte and in with our other sisters in her one bedroom apt. Things were super tight to say the least. Since Christie had all this time on her hands and very few interviews lined up she began sewing again.

Going Green Small Clutch/Pouch

I have always told her about etsy and she would direct friends to my shop here and there. As she began to play around on it she decided to set up shop as well and try to sell some of the scraves she had made a while back. Then she began thinking of new things she could make. She began making her own patterns for pouches and totes and really started to have fun with it!

Well somewhere along the way (Feb.ish) she was told about the opportunities in Alaska during the tourist season. She started to research and got a phone interview. She found an affordable one-way flight and went for it. She has been there a little less than a week and will start giving Whale Tours in another week or so. I admire her courage to just pick up and do something totally unique by herself. Cheers little Sis!

You can find her on etsy at volleyballgirl Yes I am doing all her shipping so never fear! :)

Now my other ... Angie has been making jewelry for Years! Everytime we do craft/art show she sells a ton. She does work fulltime so she has not quite dove into etsy like I would like her too. I think if her sales picked up she would be all over it. Come and check her out and give her a heart or better yet buy something- hee hee myblackeyedsusan

"Button Me Up" Vintage style Necklace

Fresh Abstract Veggies and SPRING CLEANING SPECIAL

SPRING CLEANING SPECIAL

Well this has been my slowest month on Etsy since last June. I am trying to drum up a little business so please come and take advantage of this Special.

FREE 5" x 7" Archival Print with any Purchase until April 30th at Midnight (EST).

You can find my 5" x 7" prints here http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5085598&section_id=5252908

Just let me know which one you would like in Note to Seller at the time of your Purchase!

*Also if you see something in an 8.5" x 11" and would like it in a 5" x 7" let me know and I can make that happen.

Now for an some abstract Veggies....

"Tomato Slice" & "Avocado Bliss" - 8.5 x 11 Archival Print

My mother-in-law had a great idea ...she thinks I should turn some of my Mod Kitchen prints into Recipe cards. I was thinking either postcard size with some lines on the back for a recipe or have them come with a recipe already. Right now these two pieces are being sold as 8.5" x 11" archival prints in my etsy shop.

I would love to hear what you think!

Ahh Mixed Medium!

" You Can See the Moon Some Days" - Original Fabric and Gesso on Wood

I love this piece for some reason. I really get a kick out of half painted half fabric pieces these days. I think it just that slight bit of painting that I miss and crave. There is just a certain freedom that comes with painting that my fabric on wood style does not have. I think the 2 processes together work quite nicely!

My First Alchemy Piece

"Rascal" -Original Fabric on Wood

This was my very 1st alchemy request on Etsy (or in my shop). I have done many custom orders on Etsy but that was before Alchemy came back. What a thrill to open up that convo requesting something custom! This one has the sweetest story. The person who requested it did so for her sister who just lost her cat of 22 years. I thought that was just so nice of her to do for her sister- Hope she likes it! (The cat like to sleep under lamps to soak in the heat- hee hee).

Also, I just wanted to give a little shout out to all my very fabulous regular return customers! You all are fantastic- really I am so grateful for you all (and of course I love my 1st time customers too! Hee)

My little Doodles

Well the past week has been really slow in my little Etsy shop. I am starting to get a bit discourage. I am hoping that some multiple sales are around the corner for me as I am really trying to make a living here. I am trying so hard not to be negative about it but it is hard to not questions your self and your work when no one seems to want it- ha ha.

Ok enough of that. I have been trying to get back to my roots a bit and sketch more. Now that I actually have a good scanner and can scan them in (b/c they do not photograph well) I plan on doing just that. I bought some white card stock a few months ago in hopes of using it to make cards and stuff with my printer but boy was that a mistake. My printer only likes really really EXPENSIVE paper to make it's archival prints on- and really I don't blame it. So instead I realized that this card stock works beautifully with my colored pencils and is very sturdy when painted on. I then scan in my doodles and transform them into Archival Prints- yippee.

Here are 2 that I did tonight - so fun. And yes I know that I tend to make sad little drawings. I am happily married with a great husband and baby boy. I just always like sad subject matter. I do many many happy pieces too- so just remember that!

"Tangled Red" - Colored Pencil on Paper - Now Archival Print 8.5 x 11

"She Felt like Sinking" - Colored Pencil on Paper - Now Archival Print 8.5 x 11

Little ACEO Series

She Wore Beauty - SOLD - Original Fabric and colored pencil on wood (ACEO)

She Wore Beauty Brown - original fabric on wood (ACEO)

I am working on making several of these little ACEO lady faces. It is so fun to see how each one turns out. I sell them for $1o each in my etsy site and will probably sell 4" x 6" prints of them someday- we'll see.

Next is a red head...if I have the right fabrics- for some reason I used to have some rockin red batiks and they stop carrying them at the fabric shop I go to. I will be hitting MaryJo's up sometime in the next few weeks and perhaps they will have what I am looking for.

In case you were wondering (if you didn't know)...

What are ACEO?? ACEO are Art Cards,Editions and Original.Miniature work of art the size of a trading or playing card -2.5" x 3.5" Art cards are a fun affordable way to collect art.You can frame them or store them in a trading card album.They also make great gifts!