Alright guys, I have finally, finally gotten the first batch of art prints listed on Etsy.
Man, what an ordeal. By the time i got the mat board I had ordered, it turned out to be...not mat board. Arg! I had to return it, which took 10 days to get the approval from the seller to send it back. And the shipping (non-refundable) cost almost as much as the not-mat-board, so I should have just kept it and found a way to use it. Oh, well. I did find and purchase and receive some actual real mat board, and then I spent a few days learning how to use my mat cutter. Which was super fun!
After that I cut mats for each of my prints, then spent a few days setting up and taking photos of the prints in frames, etc. That was fun, too, but I spent so much time on it my feet were sore. Then I had to edit the photos, which was a quick process (just had to color balance and crop). And then...I listed the items in the shop! Phew!
I have been painting here and there in between all of that, so I actually have about 6 more paintings that I need to scan and order prints of to list for sale as well. I am happy with the ones in the shop now, but there are are few really good ones that I can't wait to get prints made for. You guys are gonna love them! I think I will also work on listing the originals of all the paintings I have made prints for, since you really can't beat having an original painting of your very own. Stayed tuned, and go see what's new in the shop!
Monday, September 28, 2015
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
What I've been working on today
Here are a couple shots of what I've been working on today. The flowers I started last night, and (I think. Maybe. Might need a few more things...) finished today. The little breakfast quote is inspired by that quote, that The Hubby sent to me via text today. He read it somewhere, and said it made him think of me. So true. Breakfast is my favorite meal, hands down. I go to sleep dreaming of what I am going to have for breakfast the next morning! Mmmmm, bacon. I might do a really nice one for the shop, but for now I had to get it down on paper.
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| flowers |
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| Brekkie time, still drying! |
Friday, August 28, 2015
First items listed!
Woohoo, I listed my first items today! I couldn't wait any longer, those darn mat boards I ordered are taking forever to arrive. The shop is going to be mainly for art prints, but I can't get the prints photographed and listed until I get my mats in, so I decided to just go ahead and list some of the lower price points items since they were ready to go. Go check them out!
Right here!
Keep checking back in the next week or so as I get more items ready to list, including some great art prints.
Right here!
Keep checking back in the next week or so as I get more items ready to list, including some great art prints.
Thursday, August 20, 2015
I love getting mail!
I came home today from visiting a friend and saw a package had arrived while I was gone. Hurray, it was my first order of prints of my artwork!
I'm so excited to get them photographed and get some listings up in the shop, so you guys can see what I have been working on. There are a few things I need to do before that can happen, though, like getting some mats and shipping supplies (details, details). But it is getting closer to shop opening day!
I haven't had any time to paint the last two days, but right now the girls are having some TV time so I can get a few things done, and so I can work on a couple paintings. The thing about watercolors is that you have to let the painting dry before you can add more to it, so it takes a bit longer than I might like. Right now I'm working on something rather detailed so I have to let it dry completely, partly because that is just how it works, and partly because knowing myself I will smear the wet parts if I try to paint an area that is dry already...ask me how I know that! Alright, just a quick update, I need to get to work!
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| yippee! |
I'm so excited to get them photographed and get some listings up in the shop, so you guys can see what I have been working on. There are a few things I need to do before that can happen, though, like getting some mats and shipping supplies (details, details). But it is getting closer to shop opening day!
I haven't had any time to paint the last two days, but right now the girls are having some TV time so I can get a few things done, and so I can work on a couple paintings. The thing about watercolors is that you have to let the painting dry before you can add more to it, so it takes a bit longer than I might like. Right now I'm working on something rather detailed so I have to let it dry completely, partly because that is just how it works, and partly because knowing myself I will smear the wet parts if I try to paint an area that is dry already...ask me how I know that! Alright, just a quick update, I need to get to work!
Monday, August 10, 2015
Welcome!
Welcome friends, to my newest venture!
Once upon a time, I had this idea. I thought about opening my own Etsy shop and had dreams of making and sewing things to sell, which sounded fun and would bring in a little more income. It would give me something fun to do which was not being a mom, something to keep me...well, me. This was all perused over thoughtfully, and I even took the steps to begin opening that Etsy shop. I got so far as to set up the name of the shop, and made a long list of "to-dos" to get it going. The sheer number of items on that list caused me to say to myself, "Ugh, this is going to take a lot of work! Never mind." It was, and is, a familiar scenario in my life. I am a starter, but not a finisher, a continue-to-do-it, a stick-with-it person, etc. I opened that shop on March 22nd, 2012. Over three years ago!
I had a talk with someone recently about how they are the same way. They like to try new things, and it is fun and engaging for a long time, but then...things just...fizzle out. And all the supplies and things purchased to pursue this new hobby are just there, taking up space. And taking up mental space. Making him feel a bit obligated to keep it because maybe someday, he would get back to that fun thing that just isn't that fun anymore. The moral of this story is: it's okay to stop doing a thing if you aren't drawn to doing that thing anymore!
This was a big "a-ha!" moment. I still love to sew, but I sure didn't want to sew things to sell anymore.
A couple weeks ago I had conversation with someone who I had never met before. A life coach. And she is the reason for my new venture. Well, at least, she has helped me to start this new venture by being that person who I feel accountable to. If I have to be accountable only to myself for something that is challenging or difficult, I will never do the challenging or difficult thing. I now know this is because I have a fixed mindset instead of a growth mindset. But with this knowledge comes power! I know I am this way so I can take steps to improve myself and work hard and push myself to do things that I may have never even thought of doing before.
So my latest project is to re-launch and re-open that Etsy store from long ago, to sell my artwork. In the last year or two, I have been painting. I never realized how much I really loved painting until I started to do it. I had taken one of those paint and drink wine classes for fun, and learned how to use watercolors. And I was HOOKED. I cannot express how much I love to use watercolors. They way they look, the rough paper, the blending of the colors on the paper, ugh, I love it! It makes me feel happy inside.
And the life coach is the one who coaxed this out of me, in that brief phone call, and she encouraged me to get to work on it. It has only been 14 days since I spoke to her, but already I have made huge progress on getting this thing really truly going. There will be no going back. There will be no giving up. I am going to do this, and I am doing it for ME.
Once upon a time, I had this idea. I thought about opening my own Etsy shop and had dreams of making and sewing things to sell, which sounded fun and would bring in a little more income. It would give me something fun to do which was not being a mom, something to keep me...well, me. This was all perused over thoughtfully, and I even took the steps to begin opening that Etsy shop. I got so far as to set up the name of the shop, and made a long list of "to-dos" to get it going. The sheer number of items on that list caused me to say to myself, "Ugh, this is going to take a lot of work! Never mind." It was, and is, a familiar scenario in my life. I am a starter, but not a finisher, a continue-to-do-it, a stick-with-it person, etc. I opened that shop on March 22nd, 2012. Over three years ago!
I had a talk with someone recently about how they are the same way. They like to try new things, and it is fun and engaging for a long time, but then...things just...fizzle out. And all the supplies and things purchased to pursue this new hobby are just there, taking up space. And taking up mental space. Making him feel a bit obligated to keep it because maybe someday, he would get back to that fun thing that just isn't that fun anymore. The moral of this story is: it's okay to stop doing a thing if you aren't drawn to doing that thing anymore!
This was a big "a-ha!" moment. I still love to sew, but I sure didn't want to sew things to sell anymore.
A couple weeks ago I had conversation with someone who I had never met before. A life coach. And she is the reason for my new venture. Well, at least, she has helped me to start this new venture by being that person who I feel accountable to. If I have to be accountable only to myself for something that is challenging or difficult, I will never do the challenging or difficult thing. I now know this is because I have a fixed mindset instead of a growth mindset. But with this knowledge comes power! I know I am this way so I can take steps to improve myself and work hard and push myself to do things that I may have never even thought of doing before.
So my latest project is to re-launch and re-open that Etsy store from long ago, to sell my artwork. In the last year or two, I have been painting. I never realized how much I really loved painting until I started to do it. I had taken one of those paint and drink wine classes for fun, and learned how to use watercolors. And I was HOOKED. I cannot express how much I love to use watercolors. They way they look, the rough paper, the blending of the colors on the paper, ugh, I love it! It makes me feel happy inside.
And the life coach is the one who coaxed this out of me, in that brief phone call, and she encouraged me to get to work on it. It has only been 14 days since I spoke to her, but already I have made huge progress on getting this thing really truly going. There will be no going back. There will be no giving up. I am going to do this, and I am doing it for ME.
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