Transparency Swap

I signed up for a transparency (think overhead projectors) swap ages ago, had an idea to use my kaleidoscoped photos, and just this morning got around to doing it. I like the results:

I used one background for all 4, as you can see. I backed the flowers with metallic silver cardstock, attaching them with brads to the background. Stems and leaves are drawn on with Sharpie marker. I used inkjet transparencies to print everything on. 

I'll feel a little better about life, once I get them in the mail. I have one other outstanding swap I need to do before I think about taking on more. I've been feeling so blah lately that I don't want to overdo my commitments, but I really want to find a Halloween swap...

Mokume Gane with Polymer Clay

I love polymer clay. I am terribly jealous of people who have sculpting skill, like my friend Melinda who works in ceramic. The wonderful thing about mokume gane is that I don't have to sculpt anything! It's a fabulous technique that involves color and texture (two of my favorite things), and it's amazingly beautiful and even a little goof-proof.

I was playing a bit with the technique last night. I really want a pasta roller so I can get more serious about poly clay, but I don't know that I need one more thing taking up space... Anyway, a pasta roller would have made my life a lot easier, but I managed without it, so I guess I don't need one. I only did 1 3-color layer, but the results are pretty cool. Since I feel so crummy, I'll probably do more today. (Need to get an oven thermometer!) 

I'll post the results when I get them baked and finished.

Wonderful Etsy Find

I was looking for beads for my still-in-my-head Hallowe'en necklace and searching Etsy when I ran across this seller: PoetSummer. (She's a busy gal; she also blogs, and maintains a website with her stuff beyond the stuff at Etsy.) She's either a Halloweenie* like me, or is just stocking her store for the season. Either way, I am in LOVE with her stuff! What a fantastic jumble of stuff crammed onto those charm bracelets! I probably don't need one, strictly speaking, but how can I resist? But decisions, decisions... I have my eye on a couple, and I fear I will need to act fast. 

Seriously, check out her stuff - from cemetery angels to steam punk to Bettie Page! 

*What my darling husband calls me. Isn't he sweet? *rolling eyes*

Busy, in Spite of a Cold

Felt beads are easy to make, and rather entertaining. Here's the first round I've done and finished with the boiling water/ice water baths: 

The three in the foreground are purple, green and yellow - Mardi Gras colors. Those I made for a friend. The ones behind are orange, green and yellow. I need some black roving!

These are the first paper beads. Orange cardstock, two with black Sharpie on the edges, and painted over with Halloween nail polish, with black and orange glitter.

The nail polish worked really well, even if a bit stinky. I rolled them on those rattan sticks from an empty oil diffuser, so maybe the residual scent from the sticks will permeate the beads, too.

And THIS is the first of my kaleidoscope pendants. Made with Memory Glass and the coordinating frame, it's one of my kaleidoscopic photos reduced to 1.5x1.5" - small! But the 2x2" frames seemed big to use as a pendant, so I went with these, and the 1x3" (microscope slide) size. 
All in all, I am quite pleased with the results. If I wasn't feeling so crappy, I'd be running the bottom ones to a friend of mine who is vending this weekend; she said she'd take whatever I had and try to sell it for me. I have 5x7" prints to mat, and and waiting for the next batch of greeting cards to get here. The website's all set up, but still under construction.

Pendants Update

As I was putting head pins in one of the wooden pendants I made, I learned something unfortunate: the pretty shiny gloss from the Glossy accents™ glaze got very cloudy from my handling it. Apparently, it's not going to be appropriate for jewelry if that's what a few minutes in my (clean!) hands does. I suppose the next experiment will be with brushing on resin and seeing if it will do the job without running off the sides. I'm so bummed. I'm glad it was one of my least favorite of the ones that turned out well. I may be able to "save" the others with a layer of resin on them. I've also been looking into using glass slides to make pendants, but I don't know how much of a pain the soldering will be. I have a few ideas that may or may not pan out, but I am having some trouble finding the supplies I need. It may come down to scrapping the whole thing, buying the silver bezels from Rio Grande and just doing that.

Stuff I Can't Make (Easily)

Etsy's all about the handmade stuff. Cafépress can make stuff I can't, or at least not without a lot of trouble, so I set up Shattered Photos for that stuff. I may do a Premium Shop, it makes a certain amount of sense, but I want a little cash from the prints I have before I put more money into this venture.

To Etsy, or Not to Etsy

According to a friend who sells there, Etsy is under new management, and undergoing some changes. She also added that jewelry is saturated (easy to see). While photographers do have a bit of a market share, it depends wildly on the photographer whether or not they have sales. 

I have some professionally-printed kaleidoscope photos ordered, and mats with backing boards and bags. What I may do is try and sell them locally and see what happens. If those sell, I may then try Etsy and see if I can give them a go there. Christmas is coming!

Now I need to price them....