I'm back, for real this time...

I know, it's been a long time since I've been here, but I have a good excuse.  Well maybe not a good excuse, but y'all know how life gets in the way.  You end doing the things you have to do, not the things you want to do. 

I spent some serious time in the studio over the summer, but somehow failed to get into very many shows.  I did just one instead of my usual four.  Pretty discouraging, not being accepted into shows, especially the one you'd been doing for the last 10 years in a row.  I took some time to regroup and rethink my selling strategy, and so here I am, back in the social media arena.  Do I know any more than I did six months ago?  Nope.  But I plan on finding out, and working to get my name out there.

I did just post 19 new items to my etsy store, http://www.etsy.com/shop/wolfcreekdesigns  I will be adding more tomorrow too.  So far I've just photographed my bracelets and rings, and after I get those all posted I'll be taking some time to shoot the rest of it.  Check back in a week or so and I should have more photos.  Here's a sneak peek...

This is Friendly Plastic and alcohol inks with a brass filigree and a crystal slider accent. 

This is Friendly Plastic with a brass ring base and a Swarovski crystal accent.

I'll upload some more tomorrow.  Maybe I'll give you a sneak peek at some my new patina metal pieces.  I love playing with patina!  It's so much fun!  Take care, I'll be back soon.  I swear I will. 

In my last post I mentioned life smacking you in the face when you least expect it.  Well, life has smacked me again.  The last time I wrote my dad was in treatment for prostate cancer and we were looking for funding for the super expensive medicine.  He'd been in and out of the hospital over the first weeks of the year, and mid February was back in there again.  The oncologist came to the hospital and told us the cancer wasn't responding and there was no use in continuing treatment, the cancer had spread even more.  He said  Dad had about six months and we started looking into hospice care.  Over the next 24 hours it became apparent that his heart was failing rapidly and we went from having 6 months to just hours.  There was a mad scramble to get loved ones in to see him while he was still conscious.  He passed away the next morning, at peace and with his family at his side.  What a complete and utter shock it was.  I knew he didn't have long to live, I knew the cancer was not curable but I thought we'd have more time.   

This week is the first time I've gone into the studio to work since he passed.  I'd been in there organizing and ordered some needed supplies online, but didn't have the heart to actually work.  I didn't realize just how deeply these two deaths had affected me.  I was functioning, getting through the days, but without being able to create I wasn't whole.  Losing both parents over the course of two years - never in a million years did I think it would happen that way.  I'm no longer reaching for the phone to call, but it did take a while to get past that.  It's funny how my parents come up in every day conversations, how I see or hear things and say to my husband 'Dad would've loved that' or 'my Mom hated that commercial.'  It was alot of work taking care of my dad, I spent probably half my time talking on the phone to him, straightening out messes with his finances or medicines, or sitting in some doctor's office waiting room.  But I wouldn't change a thing, it was my privilege to care for him and be there for him, like he was there for me as I grew.  I miss them both.

So, I am back again to this world which I know little about but am determined to conquer.  My daughter is going to help me jump into social media, I'm taking a class on digital photography and working very diligently in the studio.  Right now there are three trays of friendly plastic pieces curing - and I can say they are probably the brightest things I have made to date.  Also drying are quite a few pieces of patinated metal, which turned out quite nicely.  Stay tuned, I'll be posting photos soon...

Life has a way of smacking you in the face, doesn't it?  Back in the fall of 2010, I was all set to jump into this stuff called social media.  I was really excited to be bringing my designs online - using my blog, Facebook, and my website to sell.  Then my dad had a heart attack and was in rehab for 3 months and my mom passed away suddenly right after he was released.  I unexpectedly found myself caretaker for my dad and my business was put on the back burner.  No matter, the business can wait because family is more important.  I do a few local craft shows here and there to keep my name out there but can't spend the time I'd like.

So here comes fall of 2012.  My dad is living in a senior community and loving it, his health is stable and everything is finally going back to normal.  I'm ready to jump back into the social arena - I create a new website, fire up the blog again, and start trying to figure out Facebook.  And then we find out my dad's prostate cancer is back and has spread to other areas.  He's 82 years old and not strong enough for chemo so there are fewer options.  The doctor tells us about this wonderful new medicine that just came on the market last year and is showing great promise.  Only thing - it costs over $5,000 a month!  Seriously?  Who can afford something like that?  We find a company that does co-pay assistance and he gets two months of the drug for $10 a month.  Yay!  But come the first of the year, they tell us they have no more funding, we're on our own.  So now we are scrambling to find funding for it again, and the search is discouraging because no one seems to have any money this year.

So I don't know how much I will be around this coming year.  I am going to try to keep my routine as close to 'normal' as possible, but it really depends on my dad's health.  I have so many new things to play with, new techniques that I want to share - but as always family comes first.  Keep checking back, I am going to try to post every week - and I should have pieces for sale in my etsy store.  In fact, I am going over there now to put a few online.  Yay!!  That feels like a small victory!

I'm going to make this my very first resolution for the new year of 2013, even though its not quite the new year yet.  I am going to come in at least once a week and post on my blog.  Can't believe its been so long!  My apologies, people.  A new year, a new beginning with my business and a commitment to making this new year a great one!

My new website is up - although the pictures on it are not the final ones.  I've attended a few seminars and am working on making my photos top notch but it takes practice and some computer time on Photoshop.  Hang in there, I'll have the new photos up soon.  Plus I'm working on my Etsy store and will have items for sale on there soon!  I have a Facebook page too, but it will have to wait until I get the website and Etsy store finished - one thing at a time. 

Hope y'all have a great New Year!  I'll be back soon with updates on my progress online.

Friendly Plastic Class

Yesterday I had a blast teaching beginner Friendly Plastic. Ladies, I had a great time! And all of you made wonderfully creative things. Wish I had remembered my camera so I could post photos of what you made.

Considering we only had 2 hours, we covered alot of ground. Inlay, marbling, and alcohol inks! Whew! That was alot of material to go through in a very short time. I would've loved to have had the entire afternoon to explore this with you.

I hope you come back for the second class. We'll be learning Fracture and Fusion, stained glass bezels, and stamping. Another fun filled but busy class!

I'm off to Niagara Falls next week for a well deserved vacation. Hope it isn't as hot there as it is here in Texas. Ugh! When I get back, I'm hitting the studio for some serious design time. Haven't been able to get into the studio and work like I had hoped. So many ideas to play with!! Hope to post some pics of new items soon!

Time to get to work

Hey ya'll.

Got some fun stuff in the mail yesterday. Double drilled bamboo tiles. Hmm... What can I do with those? The small ones came in fun colors - green, blonde, black, mahogany, tan. Got some extra large ones in blonde and black. I know what I'm doing with some of those - art tiles! Maybe a couple tiles done with a certain famous blonde actress... My daughter will love those!

You know what's funny though? I was at Ross yesterday morning, poking around in the housewares section, and found these placemats, made of little double drilled wooden pieces. Hmm, these look like they are just about the same size as the ones I ordered online. At just $2.50 each, I snatch up two of them. Get home and find my package waiting for me....and the tiles are identical! I paid $5 for 24 tiles online, paid $2.50 to get 81 in the placemat. They are a dark wood, but I'm sure I will be able to figure something to do with them!

Don't you just love finding stuff in unsual places? My husband laughs at me when I look at stuff at the hardware store. I'll have pics soon of the new design for a tube bracelet, made with stuff from Home Depot! Gotta think outside the box if you want to do stuff that is unique!

Off to play in the studio, tired of cleaning the kithen. Not that I was working very hard, mind you. LOL I'd much rather be playing!

My last show...

...of the Spring craft show season is tomorrow. Yay! It's been a brutal 6 weeks - the weather has been hotter than usual. I just don't deal with the heat very well and it takes me days to get over being out in the heat at a show.

I love doing shows, meeting new customers and chatting with the other vendors. I love seeing what other vendors are doing, their creative booth layouts, finding out about other shows. I truly enjoy showing my work to customers, explaining how its made, and hearing all the nice compliments. It's exciting and exhausting at the same time. But I am ready for a break.

This summer I have a long list of new projects to work on, ideas that have been bumping around in my noggin for a while. Friendly Plastic rings, filled tube bracelets, and perhaps a new Friendly Plastic technique... Glad my studio is air conditioned and I have the time to play. Can't wait!

Saturday, June 12 I will be at the San Jacinto Art Market, part of the Rockwall Farmer's market, if you happen to live in the Rowlett / Rockwall, Texas, area. I would love to meet you!

Over the coming weeks, I'll be posting all the new things in my online shops. I have tons of new ceramic tile pendants, and I have great new graphics that just arrived for some glass tile pendants as well. I'll be posting pics here, now that I actually have time to come in here on a regular basis.

Thanks for stopping by!