New buttons

We came home from Origins with about 25 to 30 new buttons designs. I’ve reopened my store this morning and started listing them. I also have some nonbutton things we’ll be listing later this week. Here’s a peek at the new buttons though.

First up, a zombie panda my sister drew.

Next we have some buttons from my favorite shows, Firefly and Dr. Who. /swoon this was me attempting to make interesting button backgrounds and text and this will be the only image of this button. I used to do custom color backgrounds but it’s kind of a pain in the rear.

And finally, a couple based on living in Japan. I lived in Northern Japan for three years and my second child was even born there. We loved it and wanted to stay longer. We’d go back in a heart beat. One of my favorite parts was reading things in “Engrish” on various products that were for sale. The mistranslations could be kind of funny. Even with language barriers, I found that by and large (like most places) the Japanese were lovely people. I hope we get to live there again some day!

Edited: July 7th, 2010

We Heart AZ

I know AZ is getting a lot of crap lately, but I’m from AZ and I’m a diehard AZ supporter.
My dad came to visit today and I was telling him about an AZ button I made. He asked me for some so I gave him the current stock I had on hand. We discussed prices and he order 100 AZ buttons in 2 different designs. We’re punching them right now, but I like them. They’ll be on the website soon (when I reopen) and available for purchase. If you’re in Lake Havasu, AZ, please feel free to stop by “Jeff’s Muffler” and say hi to my dad. Tell him you’d like to buy a button too

So we’re punching and pressing 100ish buttons for him and delivering them to him at his inlaws’ house tomorrow.

On another note, I’m having trouble uploading photos to wordpress, even in another browser. i can upload them to flickr and then put them in my blog post so i’m not sure what’s up with that but we’re attempting to fix it.

And on a third note, new house photos coming soon. Jordan and I finished painting the front living room… finally and I rearranged again so I thought I would post photos about it. I’m still working on stripping the windows and painting trim. It’s fun times in the geek house!

Edited: July 2nd, 2010

Another store update

I’m still slowly working on updating my etsy store. I really like the creating part but I’m starting to loathe the actual selling on etsy part. I need to figure out how to update on a steady basis without cutting in to my creative time. You’d think after all this time I would have figure it out, but no…

In any case. Between working on the yard to make it not be crap, working on the house to make it prettier and functional, working on etsy stuff.

So. Setting goals and slowly updating my store. I’m going to ConQuest this weekend. ConQuest is in Kansas City and will hopefully be fun. How could it not be fun though? Phyllis and Shanda from Con-Vixens will be there as will Jon from Dragon Talk Radio. They’re always a hoot to be around.

Edited: May 25th, 2010

More store Updates

I’m slowly (ever so slowly it seems) updating my store. I have quite a few items up now with more going up every day. I’m working on better photos and I love that my house looks prettier which makes it easier to have cute photo back drops. Any guess what I’m using for the backdrop on these?

In other news, I’ll be able to have my living room back soon. Oh thank god. My floors are looking pretty and i can’t wait to make the rest of the room look pretty too.

Edited: May 19th, 2010

Re-opening the store

I took another break. Between needing to work on the house and needing to get some sleep, the store went on the back burner. I’ve been making and finding new products during this time and I’m finally ready to re-open and start listing it all. Some sneak peeks.

I’ll be opening up today though and listing more stuff. It’ll be fun. Right?

Edited: May 12th, 2010

TAD – A display case

I’m attending R.O.S.E. soon and needed to work on the displays for my booth. Visioncon taught me that people like their things out where they can touch, but some of the stuff i sell is so small and I don’t want it to be stolen. Especially since some of it is made by my sister Brianne and that would make me feel awful. The solution? Display cases! I found this particular one on clearance and snatched it up without measuring. Luckily for me, my ring display fits in it perfectly! I actually made this during my thing a day and didn’t post it. Bad Amanda!

The nice part about this is everything is under glass and yet easily seen by buyers. I’ll also have little labels above the various rows so that everything is clearly priced. I hate with a passion when products are not clearly priced and I have to ask to look at it! Anyway, the case has rings I’ve made, hairpins I made with Brianne’s charms, hairbows and a bracelet. I have another case for necklaces I’ve been working on too. I also have another case upstairs with just Brianne’s charms.

I made some hairbands yesterday too. Most of them are going up for sale at ROSE and later in my store. The bunny ear one is for Jordan and I’m making one for myself later. If I don’t hate them after that, I’m making some to sell as well.

I like them all My desk is a little messy now, but that’s okay right? I’m slowly rounding up my stuff and actually organizing it and making things before another friend moves in to the house. It’s not Une Vie Chic, but I’ll still enjoy it I did joke with Cody that we were opening a house for aging gamers… If only the sitting room for my bedroom weren’t the only access point for my bedroom because then i could fit one more aging gamer I love our big old house and I love that friends live here too. It’s been lovely to live with guys who cook and clean and help with the yard and just all those things chicks say they want in a guy. (My male roomies are single btw and lovely guys and would kill me if they knew i posted that. Here’s hoping they don’t read my blog!). Anyway. I have to go pick up some more stuff and make things. It’ll be fun!

Edited: April 2nd, 2010

TaD Alice in Wonderland glass stuff

Thing a day for yesterday was more Alice in Wonderland hand painted glass stuff. Why? Because I’m having a costume party soon for my birthday and want to decorate I also made a cat mask for Wesley to wear and bunny ears for Jordan. It’ll be interesting.

Edited: March 24th, 2010

Etsy is Nifty!

Hi everybody!

Didn’t do anything real crafty today. I helped my mom pack up some of her stuff and I got my new Etsy account up. I have nothing for sale yet, but I did spend a lot of time poking around the Account options and such.
Tomorrow I have to make my banner and fix the picture of my mascot girl. She needs a name and I can’t think of a good one. I’ll just have to let her tell me when she is ready.

If I had to pick one thing about art that I love, it’s how the things I draw really come to life for me. The two I drew the other day for Amanda and myself just really created themselves. I know a lot of artists feel this way as well. My characters really just tell me what to do and I do it.
Anyways, yeah.

On a side note, I destroyed like 5 of my charms. That was fun. Blue and Pink bunny look like acid ate the side of their faces and some of their scarf. So my tutorial will be on how to make them! Because I have to make more…because I love them and they were cute…and now I am sad.
Thank you Beth for the suggestion of a charm tutorial! <3

Not a big day but progress is being made! And that is all that matters!! So, expect a tutorial of some sort in the next couple of days.
As for now, I am going to go try to fix my sleeping schedule.
Happy Crafting Everyone!

xo-Brianne

Edited: March 22nd, 2010

TaD- button rings, pompom garland, suitcase

I’m missing the charger for my normal camera so my TaD things are late posting but I did them over Saturday, Sunday, and today. So I’m still meeting the project, I just didn’t post it everyday. Moving on

Saturday I made some rings and hair bows

Sunday I was a bit ill so I kept it fairly simple and made a pom pom garland

Today I did a piece of luggage

Edited: March 8th, 2010

Thing a day – a goal for March

February’s goal was to make something or do something to the house every single day. I was able to successfully meet that goal but I didn’t photograph it or document it at all. It was more for myself, to see if I could do it.

March’s goal is to make something every single day in March. It doesn’t have to be some huge masterpiece, but it needs to be something I can put in my store. My rules are simple: Make something every day, take a photo, put it on my blog. If I make three items today, I still have to make something tomorrow too. I may not actually photograph and post every day, but I will make something even if it’s just something little.

Later today I will post the projects I worked on yesterday and today. What are your goals for March?

Edited: March 2nd, 2010