Art Addict

The Creation of my Jewelry Design Studio (Part 1)

Art Addict — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:47:07 +0000

Well, the move is over—though there is a ton to unpack, organize, build and clean still. I finally have a dedicated design space. As you can see it’s pretty empty right now.

I’m planning on making it an organized and functional space, yet lovely and inspiring at the same time. I’m using a black and cream damask pattern for inspiration. The pattern is on a variety of boxes I am going to use for storage. The studio eventually will have a damask/rococco look. I think my favorite piece will be two black floating shelves with a raised damask pattern on the wood that will store my myriad of supply organizers.

Inspired Design!

One of the best parts of the studio room is the view:

From TWO windows!

Such an inspiring view!

Of course, it’s going to be a lot of work to complete as evidenced by the beginning of the mess I’ve stowed away in the closet for now. (Keep in mind—there’s a lot of stuff in the garage, basement, etc..that HASN’T been stowed up here yet!) It’s all going to need to put in organized bins, hung or placed in the appropriate place on my work table, and cleaned up!

What a mess!

The big chore will be to bring my work table/bench up from the garage. It’s actually an incredibly sturdy old teacher’s desk that’s in fabulous shape. It was given to me as a gift, and saved me a TON of money I would have had to spend on a new workbench. Yet, it’s incredibly strong, durable and sturdy and has tons of work space. It’s going to have to be somewhat disassembled to get up the stairs though and is awfully heavy!

Work bench (back)

Keep posted as I plan on documenting the transition of this space from empty room to a lovely (hopefully!) design studio and workspace. I’ll be documenting the construction and decoration of it as I go along.

Moving soon!

Art Addict — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:22:37 +0000

We’re meeting with the title company tonight. Once we get the keys, I’m planning on documenting the transformation of a bedroom, into my studio. (**hopeful transformation anyhow**)

Why I write about “stuff” you can buy and Lessons from WALL E

Art Addict — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 23:06:41 +0000

So we went to watch WALL E the other day. I’m not sure I knew what to expect. The previews looked cute, and that little robot looked so darn funny. Never knew the flick would have this whole “message” to it about big box stores taking over world. I won’t ruin the movie, but let’s just say WALL E was created to clean up the waste humans made of buying and leaving too much stuff everywhere, and there was a simplistic overlying cautionary theme to watch the amount of unnecessary stuff we buy and consume.

So what I am I doing writing about this when in addition to telling you about great artists and events, I basically write about a lot of “STUFF”. I must admit, at times I have to think hard about some of the the things I post about. I do not want this blog to simply be one more in a long stream of internet blog commercials. We’re more bombarded on the internet today to look at stuff and buy stuff then we ever were before. And yet, here I am still writing about STUFF, when even in my own life I’ve been taking a long hard look at trying to buy less, to buy only what my family needs and to make more educated and responsible buying decisions. Sounds hypocritical perhaps??

But ACTUALLY, not so much. When I write about STUFF, I’m writing about goods and services offered by individuals and small businesses. Granted you could argue that there is no difference from buying lots of stuff you don’t need from say a Target or a Wal-Mart and still buying lots of stuff from independent business owners. However if you look at past posts about Shopping Locally you”ll see that my discussions on this blog about stuff are meant to make you think more critically about the items you purchase. Visit the site Buy Handmade, and you may learn that there is indeed an actual difference between a product purchased at a big store, and a purchase you make from an individual.

When I showcase products on this blog I do not want you to grab your credit card and immediately buy the featured item. I’ll actually admit I don’t even want you to buy my own products on a whim….seriously! That is not unless you’ve thought about your purchase and have decided that it is something you REALLY need or want. Products are showcased on this blog to introduce you to and give you alternative sources of places to buy the things you have decided you need in your life. These sources are all small business owners, most of whom daily make decisions to run their businesses with the least amount of waste possible, and in turn also try to spend their profits wisely and buy responsibly themselves. When you support these independent businesses you are often buying items in which little resources were wasted in the production and shipment of the items. They were not made in sweat shops. The profits (however meager sometimes) go to the individuals who make the item who in turn spend the money in their local communities. The money does not go to a corporate executive who is already making far more than some of us may ever see in our lifetime. Believe it or not it actually cuts down waste, pollution and urban sprawl to make your purchases from small businesses while also providing an opportunity to support individuals instead of corporations and give new life to the shrinking middle class.

So what does this mean? It means next time I’ve got the urge to run up to the nearest Target and possibly get sucked into buying a bunch of crap from the $1 bins I hadn’t planned on buying, a cute top cause’ hey it’s only $9.99, a new bedding set since it looked so darling on the end cap, and the 1.99 tube of toothpaste that was all I really ran up there for, after wasting half a tank of gas to get there…..well I might sit back and do a little more reflection. Will you?

Interior Design VS. Fashion Design

Art Addict — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:24:31 +0000

I was able to curate an Etsy Treasury today, and I’m really thinking this one could be Front Page material. With the date we take possession of our new house only one week away, I decided to go with the theme of interior design versus fashion design. Being budget (and also “stuff” concious) it’s always a dilemma whether to invest in goods for the home, or goods for the body. Take a look at these lovely items and you might see why.

Interior Design VS. Fashion Design

Cute big ol’ birdy bag

Art Addict — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:12:33 +0000

Sometimes I stumble across something so cute I just have to write about it. It’s probably no secret if you’ve read this blog for awhile that I love things that are black and white. Year round, middle of summer, I still love black and white. So when I saw this Bird and Branch Messenger Bag by Cut Out and Collect I knew I wanted to share it. It’s no average messenger bag, as the designer customizes them according to the owners preferred way of wearing it. It’s made of a nice heavy canvas and even has six extra pockets! Not to mention it’s simply darling and sleek looking.

Bird and Branch Messenger Bag, $50.00

Designer Interview: Lillyella

Art Addict — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:51:11 +0000

It’s been awhile since I did a local interview feature. In the interest of reminding you to shop local and support independent artists here’s an interview with Nicole, the very busy designer behind Lillyella. She’s an interesting 29 year old, with seven tattoos, a love of peanut butter, a menagerie of animals to take care of, and at times is a dance instructor. Shes’ also building a barn! Interested? So was I. She’s made the leap to working for herself, so if you’re curious how she manages to juggle it all and make it successful, read on.

How and when was Lillyella created?

Since I already owned a business (an LLC), I added a DBA name to it, Lillyella, to use for selling my jewelry. I actually created the name/logo. etc a few years ago when I had hopes of doing craft shows and things of the sort, which I never had time for. Where did the name come from you may ask? Good question! I tossed around lots of other options such as libelulle, peach pod, cant remember anymore! But in the end, I’ve always loved the name lilly - I really like waterlilies, lily of the valley, lilies of all sorts, and ella fitzgerald is amazing - so the combination just seemed like a winner! And I love it. People often think it’s my name and I’ll admit, sometimes I don’t correct them

What is your typical working day like?

I am trying very hard to be disciplined - but it is so difficult! Instead of filling orders and doing design work, my beads are calling and new designs are dancing in my head - but now feeling more pressure than ever without a steady guaranteed paycheck coming in, I have been pretty good. I always wake up early, even though Im usually up until about 2am. I check my email, poke around etys a bit, check my treasury lists, plan for new ones, answer any convos from people, update my blog and make about 13 lists every day. From there it just depends on what takes priority. Somedays I only do design work, some days I do billing (boring, but important!), some days I only make jewelry, somedays I only run errands! Most days I do a little bit of everything. But through the day I check my email and etsy constantly - every half hour watching the front page change! Everytime an order comes in I send a thank you email, print the order and file it into the appropriate “to do” pile. Unfortunately at this point I can’t call it a 9-5 job. It’s more like a 7:30 - 2 a.m. job, but Im hoping now that I am working on my own and not balancing 3 jobs, that I can get into a better routine.

Dayflower Earrings,$11.50

Where do you find your inspiration?
This is probably a typical answer, but I find inspiration from my favorite things. Since “design” in general is needed for every aspect of what I do, I kind of feel I look at the world a bit different than some other people. It takes me 3 times as long to decide what I want to eat at a restaurant because I a not reading the menu - but analyzing the font selections, colors, layout, paper, how it ties into the rest of the decor - etc!

I study billboards to determine if the message was appropriate marketing for the product, I check out the little logos on the back of cars to see if they match the name and style of the vehicle. Other than that, I love nature, of course. I find amazing color combination in plants and animals. I find materials that represent things I like and then figure out the best way to utilize their potential.

What do you like best about your business and what do you like the least?

I love the creativity involved, I really love making people happy - creating things that bring people joy - even if it is just a piece of jewelry. I love making custom orders and wedding jewelry, I feel very honored to do that. I love organizing my supplies - most people will tell you I’m anal-retentive! What I like least - hard to say - maybe taping shipping labels to packages? Or possibly always being paranoid that my pieces are not perfect and being nervous that someone will not like it.

How do you market yourself and what sort of customer service do you provide?

Marketing - not as much as I should do yet. I started a blog recently (http://lillyella.blogspot.com/) but it’s quite new and does not have much traffic yet. I do write tidbits about my life but mostly use it to offer special sales on wednesdays and fridays, have contests and other things to get people involved, showcase other etsy shops and show off new designs. Aside from that I spend a ridiculous amount of time in the Etsy Treasuries. It’s so addicting! I make lists as often as I can and I love browsing through and commenting on other peoples lists. I have made so many amazing etsy friends this way and have been featured on the front page a few times so far, which is the best exposure you can hope for.

Customer service - it’s very important to me. I have also become friends with many people who have purchased jewelry from me - including pen pals all around the world! I always send a thank you email when I get an order, telling them when the order will ship and asking them to make sure they let me know what they think of the piece when they receive it. I give discounts on large orders and often include extra goodies in my shipments. Since I am graphic designer, packaging is very important to me, so I always make sure that it looks really nice. I offer gift wrapping at no charge and I always include a hand written thank you with each order.

I also offer lots of customization options on my pieces, which I think people appreciate. Whether it is changing the color of a bead, changing the length of a necklace or bracelet etc. The nicest thing that has happened to me recently is a girl from hawaii who purchased a bracelet from me sent me a handmade card and a box of candy to thank me! I guess that means I’m doing something right!

Where can customers find your designs (if other than on Etsy)

Currently, only a few places - a website which features all handmade goods called Miss Princess, http://mymissprincess.com/ and three retail stores in Hong Kong. I may also be in some local venues soon (when I have more time to pursue) and will probably also do a few select art shows.

Is there anything else you would like to tell Art Addict readers?

I’m bad at these kind of questions!

For the artist readers who are thinking about further pursuing what may just be a hobby now - go for it! It may be ridiculously scary, but you only live once. But be smart about it - talk to someone who has done it, save money, write a business plan for yourself, and stay disciplined!

For the art lovers out there - continue to support handmade, local artists etc - chances are, you could be changing someone’s life.

Garden Branch Bracelet

Cool Parents, Cool Babies

Art Addict — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 15:18:40 +0000

So I don’t have kids yet, but I was browsing trying to find something for my cousin, who is having a baby. There’s just so much stuff that’s way to…..well, BORING. It tool quite a bit of searching to find the right thing to buy. In all the searching though I found a shop that simply **needs** to be around when I have kids. For all you hip rocker/punk parents, who believe that having kids does not have to mean losing a sense of style or individuality I found the shop for you.

Punk Rock Ska Baby Boy Kit, $38.00

The online shop you simply must visit is called lowleepop. Beginning in NYC in 2006, mom and dad Robyn and Rob, created a combination of rock and roll attitude with “edgy” style. They’ve continue today creating fabulously cool little outfits at very reasonable prices. You’ll wish you could wear this stuff!

Punk Rock Baby Rockstar Kit, $25.00

Earrings in Twilight Treasury

Art Addict — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:12:17 +0000

SO I was happy to be perusing the Etsy treasuries today when I noticed a star meaning one of my items was in one. I clicked and discovered my cherry pie earrings in a treasury that was an ode to the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer. The curator did a lovely job, as there was a delicious color scheme and it was all definitely gothic inspired and richly dark.

It was funny as I had thought the earrings to be rather cute and playful, so it was neat to see my jewelry in a different light.

FREE ADVERTISING!

Art Addict — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 07:09:41 +0000

Would you like to help a girl out? Visit my sister site and click on the pink and black Venue Zine logo on the bottom–you might help me win some free magazine advertising, and learn how you can get some too!

http://www.valerietylerdesigns.com

Thanks!!!!!

Summer Flowers

Art Addict — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:21:24 +0000

So I will finally have a garden soon, a real garden that will end up being tons of work most likely. However, it will be thrilling to have a garden and a yard full of trees right near the park. I think this has inspired me to make some more earthy garden-like jewelry. The latest have been a series of flower earrings.

Wisteria Earrings, $16.00

Blue Bellflower Earrings, $16.00

Because I’m so excited about this garden thing I think I’m going to throw my first ever special through Art Addict. If you purchase **anything** from my etsy hop between now and July 9 (the moving date!) I’ll add a free gift to your purchase (at least $15.00 value) when you include the code “GARDEN” in your notes upon checkout.