Perhaps a Kickstarter is in my future...

Over the past few months I have been forced into taking a break from my crafts. First I was kept away from my craft table by a severe knee injury that I sustained during a Cracker Box Pro boat race resulting in six weeks unable to walk, and another month on crutches. Before I could walk again, my online classes for the start of my business degree began, and that added to the business. I am now able to walk again, and I have gotten into a comfortable daily rhythm with school work, but my lease is up at my apartment and my boyfriend and I are looking to move into a house in the next few weeks so all my supplies are packed up. I am one cranky crafter to be sure. 

One good thing has come out of all of this though. I have had a lot of time to think. I have been dreaming u new designs and sketching out ideas for a new jewelry line. I have been researching carving and casting my own original molds and I think it is something that could add tremendous depth to my current set of skills. I have been learning about making clothing and housewares from a variety of up cycled and recycled items. AND! I have been taking courses in running a small business and I am beginning to form an idea...

I have this little crafting hobby of mine which makes me happy, keeps my hands busy and consumes an unhealthy portion of my thoughts. I am just starting out in my small business degree. What if I take this hobby and turn it into a tiny little small business that can grow with me as I work on my degree? What if, the more I learn about making a business work, the bigger I make my craft store and the more I expand my brand? What if this could be more than just a hobby? What if all my crafting passion could become my means for paying for my education? Wouldn't that be some thing?

I like this idea. I like the idea of my crafting paying for my education. I like the idea of applying my education as I earn it each and every day. I think these things could synergize well in a way that benefits both my academic and professional goals. I have already talked to my boy friend and he is fully supportive and ready to help me set up a craft studio in our new home. The only thing holding me back is tools and supplies and I think Kickstarter could be a good place to start. If you don't know what Kickstarter is, check this out: Kickstarter info for your face! It is an amazing website that provides a frame work for creative people to get funding for their projects. 

I'm going to keep doing my research and start building a presentation. I will keep you posted!

Getting serious about selling... FINALLY

I have been crafting for years and so it goes that I make things, I give things away and I have an ever growing box of things I have made that I one day intend to sell, but never get around to listing. There is always an excuse to not do the work of photographing, cataloging and listing. BUT NO MORE!

Last weekend I finally put aside the procrastination and got to work! I spent an afternoon with my two volunteer models (and my, they do look lovely!) and we knocked out a ton of photos. Then I proceeded to list. No sales as of yet, but the items are finally available. Just seeing my shop finally start to look like something worth a damn has given me the kick I needed to get back to crafting. I, like so many crafters, suffer from regular periods of crafter's block. For those of you not familiar, crafter's block is where one sits at her crafting area, stares at all of her tools and supplies for around an hour or so thinking of all the wonderful things she might be able to conjure up, and then she decides to make a cup of tea and watch Battlestar Galactica instead. It really is quite the impairment and I am still seeking a support group.

Now that my store has offerings of my copperwork and knit/crochet work alike, I feel motivated to get back to work making the items that represent me and my skills the best, and that means more jewelry. I feel that my copper work is my strongest, but making myself sit down at the work bench for a few hours of fighting with the wire can be a tough thing to do, so I often wimp out, reach for the yarn and hook and curl up on the sofa instead. I am trying to change that. My box of knit and crocheted goods is finally available to the world, and I am presently preparing to get back to the jewelry!

More funky copper work will be available soon, but in the meantime, here are a few of the yarn works now available in my store:

This is my psychedelic crocheted mushroom purse.

A matching head band and coin purse set. I really like how this one came out, and I think I am going to make more sets.

 

This was a fun one to make. I wanted a warm fall/winter type scarf but with a look like a ruffly boa. I like how this came out, and I am thinking of trying the pattern again with a painted wool or eyelash yarn.

 

And get used to seeing these. For all you Rifters out there, I make owl hats to keep you safe from killer robots. Every owl hat comes with a certificate of adoption and care instructions. Remember, spot clean only, as the spin cycle will likely make your owl hat homicidal. This owl hat is named Gregory, and he enjoys throwing cupcakes at inacurate signage.

 

 

And that's pretty much all for now. So it's back to the jewelry drawing board. In between pieces I am also developing a line of origami hair flower pins made from comic books. Updates on that project soon!

Paying it forward crafty style

I just got caught up on a blogger I follow: www.quirkiecraft.blogspot.com and at the end of her most recent post was this:

The first three people to comment on this post will receive a little gift - something personal from me to you. Within 2 months I'll create something unique to share with the first three people to comment on this post. But in order to receive your present you have to play along.

Spread the love on your own blog promising to send a little special something to the first three people who comment on your post. You get 72 hours to re-post, or I'll have to move on to the next person. Please only comment if you're willing to pay it forward. If you want to receive something unique from me in the mail and if you are willing to do the same for others, leave a comment below!

Please leave your email address so that I can contact you directly! And blog URL so that I and others can visit your blog! Again, I want to emphasize that please only comment if you're willing to pay it forward. Nobody likes a taker.

Who's down for paying it forward craft style?

And I intend to keep up my end of the bargain! Not sure what I will whip up for you but I promise it will be fun, so lets see those comments!

Also, you should certainly be folowing QuirkieCraft! She is incredibly gifted and her hooping skills are second to none. You can find a link to her store in her blog as well so you can fill your own home with all her awesomeness.

Stay Yarncore, yo!

Super Ro

First post and a new store!

I have been making jewelry, crochet and knitted goods for years now, and have technically had an Etsy store for over a year, but have only just recently gotten serious about getting my crafts up for sale and taking custom orders.

This is my first post in my craft blog, hopefully the first of many to come. I am planning on posting pics and info on completed works as well as works in progress.

Here are a few to start:

This piece is hand wound copper wire with fresh water pearls. I had seen lots of tree w/ pearl wire works before, but none with a bird's nest, so I gave it a go.

This is a pretty abstract piece, again fresh water pearls. I really enjoy playing with beads and textures. The pendant came out so large and so bold, I paired it with a simple chain.

I love this one! I have a thing for little boxes and when I saw this box by Industrial Chic I knew I had to build a necklace around it. I added the wire wrap on the box itself and build each and ever link. The white beads are teak wood, and this piece used 4 different gauges of wire. It took a total of 14 hours to complete but I feel it was well worth it for the out come.

Another abstract wire wrap project. Again I incorporated frsh water pearls, but smaller ones in this piece. I love the sea foam green pearls paired with the copper. On the pendant itself there are lots of little copper beads and on the lecklace, again I have incorporated teak wood.

 

I also crochet! I had been sifting through shawl patterns for days, seeing what other people had come up with, and while there were some many unique designs out there, I wanted to start with something simple. I am sure I am not the first person to use this method, but I do love the way it came out. Just a simple forest green triangle with burgundy trim, finished with green & burgundy fringe. Regular Red Heart acrylic yarn, nothing fancy, but washed and treated to be super soft. Very warm and comfy!

 

 

Last piece for this post, I recently started knitting and am currently whipping up a simple scarf. Nothing special, just a garter stitch. Its the yarn that makes this one special: Lion Brand Tweed Stripes, a painted yarn with gradual color change that works up much prettier than cheaper variegated yarns, softer too! When this one is done I plan to offer it for super cheap in the store and proceed to find new, more complicated uses for this brand of yarn. (and yes, in this photo you can see I am rockin' my Batman pants!)

 

 

 

I suppose thats all for now, I will keep posting as the work keeps on coming. If you have any ideas for projects you'd like to see me try, or custom order requests please feel free to email me at RowynnEire@gmail.com . Also, all of the finished works you see in this post can be purchased at www.Etsy.com/shops/CopperAndLace

 

Thanks for reading, and remember to keep it yarncore!!