Picking up and moving

Hi all,
I've got too many blogs! I'm moving all my posts about my jewelry and things upcycled to my Tumblr blog at: http://physariadesigns.tumblr.com/ 

I don't have it set up to receive comments at this time, but you can reach me through my Etsy shop or via email at physariadesigns@gmail.com.

My personal blog Multilocus is staying put and staying active.

Watermarking photos and other Saturday stuff

Yes, a busy Saturday. I woke up at 5 am and decided not to try to go back to sleep, as it's close enough to the time I usually get up and by golly, I've got a bunch of stuff I want to get done today! I bought a program called iWatermark to put a watermark on my photos. I have not had it happen to me, but have read about several instances of images being copied without permission and and used to sell copied products. 

In one case, someone ripped off a graphic designer's pattern and put it on coffee mugs, without compensating the designer. My stuff is easy enough to replicate, so I just want to make it more difficult for them to use my images. The program is easy enough to figure out, and you can do batches of files and put them into a specific folder. The one thing it won't do is to sit at the coffee shop and replace all your photos on Etsy and Facebook. One pumpkin spice latte, please. Make it a big one.

I'm still waiting on my shipment of brooch backs from China. It's been two weeks, so they should be here soon. I might break down and buy some from the bead store. I've got bunches of brooches glued and would like to get them listed.

Finally, can I share some good news with you? This morning I had my biggest sale on Etsy yet. Someone bought eight (8!) of my button bracelets. I'm still in shock. I'm happy-dancing all over the place. Yes, it's the money coming in that is really nice, but there's also a bit of validation that comes from selling a bunch of one's work. Can you tell I'm still new to this? Ha! I bet that part doesn't get old very fast. It's nice when someone likes your stuff enough to buy one. Or eight.

Happy weekend!

If I was a painter

I'd paint stuff like this, I believe.

by Robert Farkas, from this site

Some new listings

I've been making more button-clay tile bracelets lately, as well as a few of the ones with the upcycled watch parts. I ordered a bunch of buttons yesterday. Also, Michael's had a sale on clay, so I bought something like 35 blocks of clay. When it's on sale at 4/$5, I try to stock up. And at that price, buying it by the pound and paying shipping is still more expensive. The only trouble was, they were out of a couple of colors that I wanted. I'll stop back, though, as the sale is all week.

First Clay Tile Brooch

The first of my clay tile brooches is for sale. They are fun to make and I very much like how each one is unique. 

Each measures about 1.75" (4.4 cm).

This is one kind of back that I have. I'll change this when I get the shipment of new ones. I like that design better - more sturdy.

They are stacks, but not too tall. 

Bits and Pieces

Another photo of stuff in progress. It's a lot of fun to have a box of "parts", in this case clay tiles I've made, and pick and sort through them to assemble things like these brooches and bookmarks.

Both items are a new thing for me. I have a lot of buttons that are too large for bracelets in the way I currently make them, but I still wanted to combine my clay tiles with them for something interesting. The bookmarks are nice little pieces, and I have enough variety in the clay tiles to match the buttons pretty well.

The brooches are also really fun to make. I've got striped tiles that I love to make, and I combine them with the solid texture tiles. They are about 2" (5.08 cm) across. I ordered a bunch of brooch backs, which are on their way from China as I type this. I like to buy "local" as much as I can, but findings like brooch backs all come from China anyway, it seems.

Green Button-Clay Tile Bracelet

I'm here to tell you that there seems to be a disproportionate number of green buttons out there in the mixes people sell. Hmm. Maybe it's in the mixes I tend to buy! Nevertheless, I find myself with many green buttons and it's been fun to match them with the many shades of green tiles I have. 

I confess I am a bit of a fiddler with my jewelry. If I'm waiting for the elevator at work, or waiting in line, I will often touch my bracelet absently while I wait. This bracelet has a faceted teal-green button (at about 8 o'clock on the bracelet photo) with a half-dome button on top. This has proven to be irresistible to my free hand while I wait. It's funny. But short-lived because the elevator always comes.