Tag Archive for 'etsy'

Day Fourteen - Bunting Flag Stationery Set

Published
by
robayre
on August 23, 2010
in General Update, Projects and etsy
. 1 Comment

On Friday I got a message from someone through Etsy inquiring if I could make my bunting notepads larger. She wanted to use them as stationery actually, so I didn’t need to pad them. Then she asked me if I had envelopes as well. It was funny because it had not even occurred to me to even make such a thing, even though one of my best selling items is my recycled stationery sets. I’m so excited about making this custom set that I plan on offering them as another regular item in my shop. They will listed for a few dollars more than the recycled sets because the paper used for these envelopes aren’t recycled, but will probably be made up of mostly art, scrapbooking and high quality patterned papers (think: Paper-source).

I think I’ll also list some larger pads (5.5×8.5″) just because I’m having fun padding :)

Day Two - mini books

Published
by
robayre
on August 3, 2010
in General Update, Projects and etsy
. 3 Comments

For Day Two I made a small handful of mini books. I’ve been wanting to make books like these for a very-very long time.  I always carry around those mini moleskine cahiers, and these are my answer, or should I say version, of the moleskine cahier. Each book is 4.5×5″ roughly.

At work we get our printing plates in big boxes, and each box always has many large sheets of this flat cardboard strictly for packaging and serve no other purpose. I often pick up a stack to use for various things and one of the projects I’ve been wanting to do for a long time was to use it for book covers. Each book is staple bound with an industrial commercial stapler (using metal wire, rather than precut staples).

For the inside pages I gathered a variety of papers from my personal collection, similar to my handbound journals. They might have watercolor paper, graph paper, lined paper, linen paper, marbled paper, even paper doilies. I am in serious love with these books right now. If I could, I would make a living constructing and selling these books and I don’t think I would ever get tired. All the different papers, all the different alterations to the covers, all the whimsical additions. Once again, similar to my grass journals, I think it comes down to my obsession with school supplies and the ultimate design in notebooks, back from when I was a kid.

Each book is entirely unique with different individual special touches. Each book also has its very own rubber-band to keep it shut tight. I think these books would be perfect for the creative type who loves to draw, sketch, doodle, write, journal, scrap, etc. And I will be adding them to my etsy shop later today, so keep your eye out.

Big things in little packages

Published
by
robayre
on June 10, 2010
in Artists, Cool Links and General Update
. 1 Comment

I recently received an eagerly anticipated package in the mail.

For years I have been coveting items from thelittlereddoor’s etsy shop. I feel like every treasury I made had one of their little houses in it. Then, Thelittleredoor sent out a customer notification that they were near one thousand sales and to celebrate that they’d be offering some extra goodies to whomever purchases the thousandth item. I decided to be that person.

The houses arrived and they are so beautiful. The extra goodies included extra little homes, a bag, AND two beautiful hand-thrown bowls. I love my little houses, they are just as I had hoped. Originally I planned on just setting them out on display, but I read in their shop that they would also work for terrariums. What a great idea!

Check out thelittlereddoor on Etsy.

I’m a nerd

Published
by
robayre
on May 28, 2010
in Cool Links, My Artwork, Projects, etsy and shop update
. 4 Comments

Here is my second animated gif for number 2 on my to-do list. Here’s number one from earlier this year.  This time I made it bigger so you can actually see what’s going on.

Last week I was walking from my car to our house when I saw the brightest yellow finch. It’s been so long since I’ve seen one, I thought it was an escaped pet bird at first. The very next day I was at a BBQ birthday party and saw the boldest Indigo Bunting. It kept flying up to the bird feeder just a few feet away from us. THEN the very next day I was on a bike ride and a bright red Cardinal swooped right in front of me. I view brightly colored birds as a sign, and remembered this mail art piece I made and decided to list it for sale in my Etsy shop.

I recently discovered the coolest (new-to-me) artist through flickr. Alyn Carlson is a very talented artist, graphic designer and actress. She makes the most wonderful art hats, and they can be found in her Etsy shop here. I love how she posts often about colors, often in a Pantone theme, which really speaks to the graphic designer in me too. Well, lo and behold, this week she featured a photograph I took of my tootsie in grass, on this post. And then today, she shared my silver cast and handspun yarn Grass Ring. A woman who also loves grass is a woman after my own heart.

What I’ve done today

Published
by
robayre
on April 2, 2010
in General Update, My Artwork, etsy and shop update
. 1 Comment

I’ve listed two new paintings to my Etsy shop today. The first one can be found here. They are in the same style as my Artomat pieces, which can be seen here. These paintings are based on collages I did during Thing A Day in February.

The second painting can be found here.

Also, I sold these miniature books that were commissioned. I LOVE the smaller one. It looks like it’s leather bound, but really it’s a fancy textured paper. I’ll have to keep my eye out for more papers similar to these. I have another one to list in my etsy shop, but I’ve been thinking of turning it into a necklace.

New Paper Wrapped/Coiled Rings

Published
by
robayre
on March 22, 2010
in etsy and shop update
. 1 Comment

I’ve added 4 new paper wrapped spiral/stratum rings to my Etsy shop, click on the images to take you to their listing.
I am in love with the one above. It’s made from a world map.

And this one is made from a road map. I think they are so beautiful from afar, and if you look up close you can see that it actually map pages.

 

I also made these two, an orange and a pink ring. They are equally stunning. I just love the details.

new additions

Published
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robayre
on March 21, 2010
in General Update, etsy and shop update
. 2 Comments

 

 

Today I added 4 new leaf style rings to my Etsy shop.  I also have a few more rings in the paper spiral/coiled style that I’m going to add tomorrow. I’m excited. They are so pretty.

How was your weekend? I had one of those rare weekends which are packed full, and yet seem long, stretched out and productive, as opposed to rushed and stressed. A relaxed, stress free weekend. I got to visit with my brother and sister in law and their new addition, I attended a wedding, AND made it to my friend Tom’s birthday party. Oh, also, I’m very excited that I scored a bike on ebay, just like my old one that was destroyed last year, but the female version. I was even able to test ride it around our cul-de-sac a few times before the snow hit this weekend.

I’m so so so excited for spring. I even got to walk home from work on Thursday. It was so nice to just get sun and fresh air. I carried my camera with me and took a bunch of pictures. After hectic months like February, it feels like such a blessing to be leisurely and take the time to enjoy the simple things. Last week was a perfect sample of what’s to come, temps in the 50’s even reaching the 60s a day or two. Saturday we woke up to a snow covered ground. No one was happy about that, but it’s pretty typical for spring time in northern Illinois.

365 project update - And Robayre around the Internet

Published
by
robayre
on March 15, 2010
in Coverage and General Update
. 0 Comments

I’m 50 days into my Lazy Man’s 365 project. This means it’s time to present my second mosaic. (1st set)

Last week was pretty cool. I was excited to be featured several places.

 

First there were a couple green/spring themed treasuries on Etsy.

Then I was featured in this gorgeous spot at The Craft Begins. I love Bri’s Friday Favorites, so it was an honor to be included.

Then I got a message that my grass journal was featured on Ruby’s Playground.

And lastly, I was VERY EXCITED to be able to contribute to one of my favorite sites, photobooth.net. I always keep my eyes peeled for photobooth/strip sightings in movies and tv and when no one else had submitted the sighting on Lost, I jumped all over it. So, read my lovely description, then check out the rest of the site and track down a photobooth near you. Don’t forget to bring props :D

Inspiration Junkie Post

Published
by
robayre
on March 3, 2010
in Cool Links and etsy
. 3 Comments

(today’s 365 screen cap)

Oh Gosh. March has stormed in with a gust of inspiration. I have two pages of my full sized sketchbook just filled with ideas for things I want to do. It’s one of those time periods where the days are just not long enough
—
I love twitter, don’t get me wrong, but in the last couple of years since I’ve been using it I’m sad to realize that I post most of my cool link finds there, instead of sharing them here, like I used to do. Today I want to post a few things here that have caught my eye lately. If you follow my twitter, they might not all be new to you. Hopefully, I’ll do more inspiration posts occasionally.

—

Through my google alerts I found this tumblr that reposted a piece of mailart I created and sent to Germany years ago. Thanks to that, I discovered the Good Mail Day tumblr that posts beautiful mail images. I love me some snail mail so I had to subscribe to that right away.

Speaking of… I found a snail mail themed Etsy treasury featuring my stationery sets.

—

(image by littletjane)

I remember when I first started Etsy there was (and probably still is) a lot of talk about how the most successful shops specialize in one kind of item and offer that single thing in a variety of colors or styles. I was given advice that I might want to start up more than one shop for my variety of items. I really struggled with that, and worried that my shop wasn’t cohesive and I think that lack of confidence then created a lack of togetherness. I love so many different areas, and I didn’t want to have to split things apart, or only focus on one single area forever. It wasn’t until I became comfortable and recognized my style that I realized my shop was perfect the way it was, with a large variety of items. Yes, I carry paper products, fine art, handspun yarns, home decorations and jewelry all in one shop and I’m proud of it! When I come across other Etsy sellers who are also Jack-of-all-trades, I feel a kinship. One of these sellers is littletjane. I just had to add littletjane’s blog to my “current crush” list (see sidebar). I’ve been following her blog for a while, but more and more I’ve realized how awesome she is. I love all the things she shares on her blog, but also the things she creates and has in her shop. Check her out at her website, twitter and etsy shop.

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and last but not least I have to share this cool video by Jenni Rope that I saw on the craft blog. It was one of those things pieces that creates jealousy in my heart because I wish I had created it. Beautiful!

Day Twenty-Four - On rings and how we spent our evening yesterday

Published
by
robayre
on February 24, 2010
in General Update, My Artwork, Projects and life
. 2 Comments

Today I received some new ring blanks I purchased recently. I was very excited to make some paper wrapped spiral rings, like the pendants I’ve made and had success with before. They will take about 24 hours to harden and then if everything goes well, I’ll be adding them to my Etsy shop.

Once they were all assembled, I was so thrilled with the circle ones that I almost gasped at how beautiful they were.

Onto last night. (Mim and Rachel, you might want to brace yourself)

(picture by roll_initiative on flickr)

My brother, sister and I went to go see Neil Gaiman speak at a nearby high school.  If you are not familiar with Neil, he is the author of Stardust and Coraline, as well as many other books, graphic novels, his blog and even twitter. I love seeing and hearing creative people talk. It always inspires me to much that I just want to rush home to my studio and start working madly at my own art. Listening to him talk filled my inspiration well.

He first read from Stardust (which I read some years ago) and then Anansi Boys (which I want to read now after hearing him). Then he did a Q&A with the audience. I just want to share a couple things from last night.

(Let me preface this by saying that it might not have really played out like this, but it sure sounded like it to me)
Audience Member: What is your favorite thing?
Neil Gaiman: What is my favorite thing or theme?
AM: Thing
NG: I’d have to say my favorite thing is Amanda Palmer
Audience: Erupts, goes wild
AM: Actually, I said theme
NG: Oh, I really liked that question, what’s your favorite thing
hehe, I just found a twitter referencing it :)

He spoke of how, growing up, people like to do things until they are informed by others that they can’t do those things. It’s a topic close to my heart. One of my favorite quotes is “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” Pablo Picasso. Neil shared an anecdote that each child is born with the ability to be a tight rope walker, and it isn’t until people tell them that they can’t, they wouldn’t be able to do it.

I could have listened to Q&A with him forever. Girls, now I can understand your crushes. Plus, I just read he’s a bee keeper. sigh.

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