Etsy getsy....

Well, I'm not normally one for shameless self-promotion, given I'm a typical self-depracating artist, but as I've spent so much time redoing my studio and repackaging my work I thought I'd better get off my bum and list them on Etsy, especially as I opened the account a year ago but have been too nervous to get going...it's not like selling at fairs and events where you can talk to people and help them choose what's best- especially with my crystal therapy pieces. 

I haven't added much yet- it takes so long and I'm not sure the pics are good enough, so I'd appreciate some feedback if you wouldn't mind visiting my Etsy shop and let me know if there's something I can do better... and I've also set up a coupon if you feel like treating yourself to something funky and functional... type in CREATIVITY10 in the coupon section and it'll take 10% off your purchase.

I shall be adding lots of things over the next month, now I'm getting the hang of it, so look out for my artwork, textiles, journals and chainmaille.... 

And don't forget I prefer to make crystal pieces to order, that way I can choose crystals to work in the areas that you need to focus on, so if you fancy a really personal healing piece of jewellery or accessory just email me at kalona@kalonacreativity.co.uk. While I appreciate alot of people value therapy sessions, I prefer to think that something specifically created will be a longer term aid because it will always be with you.

Have I gone too far in my shameless self- promotion?

Making paper gift bags...

Wow! I've done it again... I seem to spend less and less on the internet as weeks go by... probably not a bad thing, but even so, it's making it hard to catch up.

Following on, and continuing to redo my studio I've repackaged all my jewellery and accessories with  newly designed cards and bags. I hadn't realised how much stock I still had, so it was good to see it all out at once again. They're all done now so I needed something nice to send them off in, and being fed up with those bulk-buy plastic bags I decided to make my own. So much fun, and you really get into a routine when you are doing 30-40 at a time.

Here's how they turned out- I've created 3 lots so far, each with a different paper; brown parcel paper, crafting magazine and a big glossy arty magazine.

These are the brown paper bags... I've added a tutorial in the How To- Crafts section.  I've added printed labels, and now my own design "recycle" tags. They are so simple to make I shan't be buying another bag again! And if you use different size magazines you can get different sized bags. I recommend gluing 2 glossy sheets together to make a large gift bag and keep the pages upright. They look great if you coordinate your magazines/paper to your stock...

here's a few... using a papercraft mag, and  a glossy art mag....

Double-spread  papercrafting mag, and my own tags....

And single glossy pages

Have a look at the tutorial and have a go... you'll enjoy how easy they are, and it'll save you an arm and leg in future pressie wrapping! If you're like me you'll have been saving all your gift-wrap from years passed so here's a chance to use some of that up!

Felting again... spirals and cuffs

While I've been juggling sorting the studio and working at home I've found pieces of work "in progress", a few of which I've now taken a stage further. I created 2 felt panels a long time back with a view to making book covers in  gorgeous oranges and purples... but I changed my mind and shall make matching wall hangings instead. They were half felted as a first stage so ready for cutting.

This is what I did on Sunday- using a template I cut spirals simultaneously and reinserted them into the opposite piece.

I tacked them in place with orange thread which disappeared nicely once it had been felted... how nice it was to take it all outside and felt in the sunshine!

I had to adjust the semi-felted sizes to match and cut some off the purple one... this was fully felted too and I spent the evening decorating it with previously crocheted flowers, beads and embroidery silks... I love how it turned out and might have to make a few more for the studio shop...

and then on to the next layer of the hangings... collage and embroidery....

SUN AND STUDIOS...

Well, I can't say we haven't had a taste of summer this week! Actual sunshine, blue skies and B-B-Q's... hooray! And the rain promises to hold off... until the opening of the Olympics! Humph, isn't that just typically British weather! It is virtually guaranteed to rain on Bank Holidays and special events...

I have not seen much of it though, because I have been stripping out, repainting the walls and floor and rearranging my studio in the art gallery.... so much stuff, you just don't appreciate how it accumulates till you move it... and that's obviously not including the room of materials etc at home!! If I ever needed to give it up I'd need to rent a house to store it all....

It's looking so much better now, before they were only allowed to be working studios, but everyone is now  displaying work so I've created a mini gallery area by the door. Hopefully this will encourage more visitors all round and more sales throughout.

So here's what we look like now...

mini gallery end

first view

my wall opposite

a bit for-shortened, but better arranged inside

We're back to putting on regular exhibitions in the main gallery, which is huge, and I'm feeling a bit stronger and able to spend more time there again, so hopefully I can get some bigger work finished rather than the small scale work at home. Feels like the sun came out just in time!!