Feature Friday: DayDreamingGifts

This friday I would like to share with you a member of Etsy who is very involved in the community and a pleasure to work with. She is from Ashburn, VA. Here is a little about her:

Etsy Shop : DayDreamingGifts

"My name is Jennifer and I am a stay-at-home mom who loves to craft! I grew up taking whatever I had around me and making something new and exciting out of it. Creating something out of nothing is an amazing feeling and it's what I strive to do every day.

I started out with paper, ribbon, and pictures, then started playing around with beads, string and needles, and then I got hooked on paint. I'm always up for trying new things and working hard until I feel like I've made something of the best quality. "

I bought this elephant burp cloth from her as a gift for a friend. It is so soft and lovely.

Check her shop out! :) http://www.etsy.com/shop/DaydreamingGifts?ref=pr_shop_more

If you would like to be featured here contact me with your name, your shop and a little about you. Email me at MermaidTrinkets@gmail.com

Chickens, Chickens EVERYWHERE!

Finally I can show you my chickens! I talked about them a little before, but I was so busy working on them I didn't have time to share much. Below are photos from the gallery show. I made each one of these chickens (all 100) by hand using a press mold. This piece was a project for my ceramic mold making class. What do you think? I spent all my time for weeks upon weeks working on these. I hope to sell them soon.

Here is the poster for the gallery showing:

Ode to Chickens: by NedjamaBazaar:

chickens chickens everywhere
chickens chickens in my hair
from where do all these chickens come?
they come from mermaidtrinkets' thumb
and where will all these chickens go?
they will head out to a gallery show.

The Inspiration of Diane Gilleland

Hey YOU! Yeah you. I know you've been interested in your own creative business or making the one you have better.

I haven't completely finished watching this video series, but I know it is for you.

Click here to see a very inspirational and educational video about this process.

You can even download these videos to watch on the go. Are they good or what? Don't forget to watch the whole series.

Shop Update: 9/8/2011

I thought I should update you on my shop, I've been talking about a lot of other things recently and I am sure... well hoping, that you want an update.

What has happened:
I have made 3 sales since stocking my store! I know that isn't a lot, but considering how I have not posted many items, it is very exciting to me. I have learned a lot about how Etsy works, and it is true that you cannot fully learn about it until you dive in. I have made many friends on Etsy and made some connections I hope to keep. The Etsy community has opened up and welcomed me in, I am thankful to all of them.

What the shop is currently:
Currently I have 6 silk scarves up for sale and 1 set of mini domino earrings. I have several sets of these earrings, but I think it would be rude if I posted all of the same item up on Etsy, I will just wait for these to sell.

What is to come:
MY CHICKENS! As soon as the show is finished I plan to put my chickens and other ceramic work up. I have a ton of items, I just can't post them until I go through everything and weigh it for the post office... agh, that does not sound fun.

Thanks for putting up with me.

Kim

I got screwed over

So as many of you know I recently went through hurricane Irene. My apartment is safer than most so we had a few people here to stay safe. My roommate, who I am VERY good friends with, knew a couple people who were stuck with no where to stay so we both said they could stay with us for a day. (They lived over an hour away) They stayed in our living room and spent the night. I kept my door locked the entire time they were there.

They ate my food

They left my apartment a mess

Broke my aquarium thermometer

Had sex on my sheets when both were dating other people

and they STOLE ALL OF MY VIDEO GAMES!

They left the cases and took all of the disks. I didn't realize until today because my boyfriend had taken the cases into my room to keep safe. I assumed he checked the cases because at the time I was in the bathroom feeling very sick. I was cleaning today and was moving them back to the living room when I noticed.

I normally trust people, I am not blindingly trusting, but I tend to think people are generally good. I don't want to loose this view.

I just had to get that all out. Thank you for listening.

the BIG CHICKEN

I'm working on a HUGE project for my upcoming show in the beginning of October. The show is called One-Hundred. It features a group of ceramic objects that have been multiplied by 100. I am mainly a ceramic artist based in tile works, but I like to dabble in everything.

The part I am working on now is chickens. I made a mold of one chicken and have to make this chicken 100 times. It takes me about 30 mins per chicken, and I am only at number 18/100. I feel like I am going chicken CRAZY! I need to finish this by the gallery date.

Ah!!!!! CHICKENS!

The Aftermath

This morning I decided to go out and see what happened from the storm in my town. Remember, these pictures are just of what I could get to from my place, there is so much more. Many were flooded out of their homes, 2 people died in this storm in my town.

Hurricane Irene

I live on the North Carolina coast. We are being hit right now with Hurricane Irene, it is a lot better than first predicted, but most of downtown in flooded, I was lucky enough to choose my apartment out of the flood zone which is most of the town. Most of my friends are headed here for safety, many of their places have already started to flood and almost everyone has lost power. My plans for this hurricane: work on my screens for screen-printing. Good plan. :)

Highest winds now at 115 mph.

All photos from my town.

First day of the last days

It is the first day of my senior year of college. Scary, but exciting.

First class Educ 4400

then American Lit.

then.... SCREEN PRINTING! yay!

Feature Fridays - Matthew Narron

I have been having a lot of internet problems, so I have not been able to post these past couple days. But I wanted to introduce you to Matthew Narron.

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FEATURE FRIDAY: Matthew Narron

About Yourself: I was born and raised in Kenly, NC. I have always been interested in arts and love what I am doing. I graduated from East Carolina University in 2011 and have recently started a small ceramics studio that I hope to grow and expand upon within the coming years.

Your website: www.matthewnarron.com
Your shop: www.mgnstudioarts.etsy.com

What first got you interested in the arts?
~ My mother was always really artistic and My elementary Art teacher, Mrs. Ann Weaver. They were both the biggest influences in my life when it comes to art.

What is your main medium and why?
~As of right now I mainly work in ceramics. The main reason would have to be that it is the most relaxing, I could stay at the potters wheel all day and never get bored.

What is the most challenging thing you have made?
~ I think every piece is a little challenging. Maybe the thing I seem to be working on the most is making things like mugs and bowls exactly the same within a set. Also working with throwing large pieces is a challenge right now but hope to improve on.

What are some of your goals you hope to achieve within the next year?
~ My goals as an artist are continually the same, to improve upon everyday of work and enjoy it. My goals from a business viewpoint are to grow and get my pieces sold in local stores around NC and as well as several stores online. I don't want to mass produce though, I think with mass production you lose the sincerity you put into a certain object. I want to love what I am doing, I don't want to feel like a machine on an assembly line.

Anything else you want to include:
~ I am always accepting custom work from patrons just send me an email or etsy.com convo. Also enter the coupon code MGN10OFF at checkout at my etsy store for 10% off your purchase. I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Thrift Store Finds

Okay, I'll admit it; I am addicted to good deals. I mean what sane person isn't? But I am the queen of good deals, the master of prices, the... well you get the point. As a college student I don't always have the funds I would like to spend at the local Goodwill, but when I find a good deal I have to snag it.

While walking down the kitchen aisle looking for knives to introduce into my new apartment I found 4 little teacups as cute as could be. I turned to my mom who was helping me on this adventure and said "If this had the teapot I would buy it." thus moving onto the next aisle. Before leaving I stopped by kitchen once more to find glasses, and guess what I saw sitting in front of those little tea cups from earlier, the TEAPOT! I had to get it, $3 for the best teapot set... who could turn that down?

Abandonment Issues

I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!

I know that there is no excuse for leaving you for so long, but I promise you I was busy doing other things, important things! Like college.

But I have finally posted some items on Etsy and hope to post more in the near future.

Here you are, my Etsy mini.