Thursday, April 30, 2009

Contests.

I must be a glutton for punishment. The only thing I've ever won in my life was an afghan in a Chinese Auction when I was eight - nothing before that, nothing since - and this month, I've decided to dive head-first not only into the "Eggcellent Upcycling" challenge on Craftster but to throw my work, my Ginger, out there to be considered for the Mortal Plush exhibit (read more about that here: http://www.mortalplush.blogspot.com/). It's all so completely nerve-wracking.

I took another set of pictures of her today (making that the third). Here she is scouting for her next meal..

I hope she gets accepted. I think I may be crushed if she doesn't even though I know there are far more talented artists vying for the same slot I am. The only consolation I have is there isn't a set number of entries they're accepting.. I think it gives me a better shot. Or maybe I'm just telling myself that so I'll sleep tonight.

On top of that, I have my Eggcellent Upcycling challenge entry to finish tomorrow. The idea of the challenge is to take one of those dinky plastic Easter eggs and turn them into something fab. I think my entry's quite imaginative and cute - but, again, I haven't won anything since the afghan and I'm not holding out much hope that those Craftster people will like it. I've posted both Ginger and an homage to Tom Baker on there and I can count all the comments I've gotten on them on my two hands.. clearly they weren't very popular. And then, I look at some of the things that are popular with pages and pages of people saying things like "I'm hitting 'This Rocks' all over this project" and "You're super!" and I go "Really? Because I can't quite see it.." Maybe I'm just too far off. Either way, my entry is almost finished and I can't back out now even though I'm not sure which is more devastating - being too much of a coward to enter or going through with it and not getting a single vote.

I suppose what it comes down to is that I've never been a coward.. and I don't intend to start now.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Swine Flu.. ::sigh::

The next person that says they can't eat bacon because they might get swine flu from it is getting my foot up their ass... I mean, seriously people.. YOU CAN'T GET SWINE FLU FROM EATING MEAT - IT ISN'T MAD COW!! Gosh.

Ugh. Okay. Oddly, that acctually made me feel better.

In other news that isn't nearly as infuriating, I have some babies to post tomorrow on Etsy! I finished a new Kitschy Owl tonight and, just in time for Mother's Day, some crocheted sperm. Now before you all navigate away muttering things like "Ick" and "How vulgar!" lets all try to grow up a bit. It's a novelty gift - something to make you chuckle and blush - don't all pick up your pitchforks at once.

Look! They have little smiles! How could you possibly hate that? Look for them to be posted tomorrow - you get a group of three for $9.00.
I also have some raunchy embroidered items that should be posted later in the week. I seem to be on a kick lately - first closet kitsch, now sperm, next.. witty embroidery. Hopefully it will generate some sales as I seem to have hit a dry spell. ::sigh:: I need all the help I can get!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Success Stories....

So the bread pudding yesterday - a success, the baked potatoes today - not so much. The yam got so hot it turned into goo and melted through the holes I punched in the foil.. only to burn itself to the bottom of the oven. Yum. It didn't taste bad, in fact, just the opposite, but the apartment is going to smell like yams forever now. Ick ick ick.

Should have just had pudding for dinner.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Wee Hours of the Morning.. well.. not yet.

Hopefully I won't be up that long, but sleep seems to be illuding me of late... and I mean more than it does usually, which is really saying something. The weekend was a success - it was a great opportunity to relax even though I was plagued by Jelly Babies, which, thankfully, I've made a decision regarding. I'm going to attempt to have one of each color sitting around along with back up body parts in every color, I'm keeping them crochet to order, and I've raised the price by $1 - which may not seem like a lot but I'm hoping it will help me sleep at night. They're also getting around a bit, in addition to being posted in a forum on Indiepublic, I posted the Jelly Babies in a Tom Baker as Doctor Who homage today along with the replica of his scarf I crocheted a while back.. check it out here: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=301884.msg3447858#msg3447858

In other news, I've been given an adorable little Napoleon to add to my collection of all things French Revolution. I seem to have an obsession with that time period and with the wee little general himself.


Isn't he adorable?!? Just look at the way he lords over everything with such authority!

He's a part of Harmony Kingdom's 2001 collection. I could never afford him but this weekend (while on vaca) I helped the people I was staying with move some furniture around and they wanted to repay me (which was TOTALLY unnecessary, but I digress).. what better way than with Napoleon? I certainly can't think of anything more fabulous.

I have one more Jelly Baby to crochet tomorrow - an Orange one.. and then I'm going to begin on my backups. I'm also going to attempt some Bread Pudding, Martha Stewart's recipe of course. We'll see how that turns out.. I hope well since I am seriously craving some. And I mean.. seriously craving.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Closet Kitsch

So! I posted the Closet Kitsch yesterday - they're risque and hilarious and I can't get over them... Check them out here: http://tilliellie.etsy.com/

I also received a ton of orders for the Jelly Babies... well, not a ton, 4 actually, but when they're crochet to order, it seems like a ton. I think after I get this batch finished and sent to their new homes I'm going to rethink their crochet to order status.. cause it's a nightmare. Literally. I'm having nightmares about gelatinous babies following me into dark alleys - not a good sign.

Speaking of signs, I posted my first custom order yesterday as well with my new "custom listing" picture and, might I say, it's very snazzy.

I also managed to finish that Christmas present I was working on and, for once, it came out on the first try. I just hope they enjoy it.

Well, I'm off to New York everyone to make Jelly Babies all weekend... not exactly the relaxing vaca I was looking forward too, but, really, is it ever?

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Of Presents and Networking..

Woosh - it's been a long day. So long I acctually just used the word "woosh".... that's pretty damn long. Closet Kitsch is finished! And will be photographed and listed in all of its explicitness tomorrow... Frederick will also be finished tomorrow and listed. And in the midst of all of this I have a Christmas present to finish. Yes, hold the phone, I did just say Christmas. I'm headed to upstate New York this weekend to visit some friends who are almost impossible to buy for; I've been contemplating for months what to get them and (because I work incredibly well under pressure but not too well when I have all the time in the world) it suddenly hit me last night! I finished half of it today and I'm leaving the other half for tomorrow. I think tomorrow is going to be a long day as well.. Although I don't think I'm going to say "woosh" again.. I'm already regretting that.

I've also spent most of the day attempting to reach out to more of the online artistic community. I think it's an important thing to do if I'm going to expand my business and get myself out there. It's also fabulously fun meeting new people - it's one of the upsides to being in this business, there are so many talented, wonderful artists out there and it's a joy to be able to meet even a few of them.

I think it's going to be a long night tonight. I haven't been sleeping so well, I figure I might as well try and get some stuff done and give myself a bit of a break tomorrow. Besides, it gives me an excuse to watch some late night Boston Legal - who doesn't love that?

Okie Dokie..

Enough with the moaning. Easter's over (thank god) and I've managed to be quite productive in the last two days. Monday I spent getting most of the custom order sock monkey done - who is to be named Fredrick, in case anyone was wondering - and baking a batch of unquestionably good cookies. Today, I listed the Jelly Babies in my Etsy shop...(I told you they were adorable!!)
... posted Ginger, the three-headed hydra that graced the pages of this blog about a month ago, on Craftster (check her out http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=301064.0), and worked on my entry for the Craftster Eggcellent Upcycling challenge which is making some serious progress.

Overall, I'd have to say I'm doing a fine job putting this Easter thing behind me and moving forward. There's alot of work to be done.. I just hope I have enough Caffine to do it...

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Easter. Oh Dear...

Easter and I haven't gotten along very well the last few years. I lost someone in my family who I loved desperately a week before Easter not too long ago and it's been hell ever since. I can't concentrate, I'm moody, clumsy, and I hardly sleep at all. I spend the entire week chanting to myself that I need to keep moving, keep busy, and I can make it through.... although, it never seems to work out that way. Inevitably something goes wrong and I turn into a complete mess of mush, I snap at people when I don't really mean to, and I always forget something.
......Like, for example, an Easter present for my Mother who goes through the trouble of hiding eggs for me every year just so we can laugh at my crappy egg detecting skills. So now here I am, 10:30 on the night before Easter crocheting her a multi-colored penis with fuzzy, multi-colored testicles. Yes, she'll love it.

I did manage to finish all of the Jelly Baby colors this week and added a new color - Mint Green. They are so cute, I could just eat them up - no pun intended, really. I'm going to post them and their overwhelming adorableness on Monday. Also, a customer (a real customer!) saw my grin in the Treasury and purchased it! And I have a custom order sock monkey in the works.. Closet Kitsch is, thankfully, well underway since it's the most fun I've had developing a pattern in a long time. It gives me the opportunity to let out my deviant side.. and she doesn't get out to play very much.

From that previous paragraph one would think I would be on cloud 9, but, frankly, I'm in a funk. I hate thinking about holidays and the way things used to be and how much I miss the good old days. It's all so depressing. I had an early Easter dinner at my one Grandmother's house today and, while walking out the door, I almost burst into tears thinking about how fragile relationships are and how easily people can just disappear from your life. I know, really cheery stuff. Tomorrow I spend Easter with my Father - one of the only people I know who has a harder time with Easter than I do. But we'll talk, we'll watch American Idol and eat pie and exchange gifts and we'll pretend we're not lonely and wishing things hadn't turned out like this. All I want to do is curl up in a huge blanket on the couch and watch Stargate episodes until my brain melts out of my ears.. it has to be better than this.

As much as I would like to stay and continue to depress everyone, I have a penis to make and the first season of Boston Legal to watch, for the fourth time... Hey, at least it's funny. Something should be.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting, Part Two

Time to rejoice, people, the coral branches have officially been handed over to their new owner - and no, there isn't a trace of empty nest syndrom in sight in case any of you were wondering.. which I know you weren't because I'm way to scary to have any of you ask me a stupid question like that. Michael, the owner, loves loves loves them and is planning to set them up in his new display case dripping in jewelry within the next few weeks. So for all you Jersey residents, head down to Bodega in Asbury Park in a couple of weeks to see my beautiful work - and yes, they are beautiful.

As for the shop, it took me like 3 hours tuesday night to upload those pictures of the rings, but, according to Google Analytics (which I'm still not sure I'm reading correctly, but, I digress) they created alot of foot traffic which is the whole point. Also, I got a convo today from another Etsy seller telling me she included one of my Built In Grins in her Treasury.. woah. if that's not a compliment, I don't know what is. I'm hoping to get the sales back up though.. I just finished a new pattern for a Jelly Baby that I'm planning to make in Red, Orange, and Yellow. Those won't get posted until a prototype has been made for all three. So far I only have Red... but trust me, he's nothing to sneeze at. He will slay you with his cuteness.

AND in browsing through the craft books in my local Barnes & Noble, I had a brainstorm which, although I'm not totally comfortable talking about right now because I'm hugely paranoid and a complete basket case when it comes to talking about ideas before they're fully baked, I think is going to really sky-rocket the business..

Oh, and if it doesn't, I do have a fall back plan... I'm calling it "Closet Kitsch"
And the rest, guys and gals, I'm leaving to your imagination.