2014 Goals - 2 down, 12 to go!!

At the beginning of the year, I created a page for my 2014 Business Goals, to not only help me keep track of the goals I set for myself; but also so ya'll can help keep me accountable.  One way to almost always achieve your goals, regardless of what they are, is to share it with loved ones, friends, and/or the public.  Once you've put anything out there for the public to see...there is an innate pressure to uphold your end of the bargain.

Dreams, Goals, Ambitions

Hubby and I just got done having a conversation that is rather thought provoking. He asked me what my goals were with my business. Well to make money of course was the first joking remark. But in all actuality...I want to completely move over to sculpting. Still make some of the small odds and ends when I need a break..and they make GREAT kiln fillers so there's no wasted space...but I want to sculpt. I want my sculptures to have meaning and for those messages to be embraced by the world. I want the message that my sculptures emote to be known throughout the world. Quite a lofty goal, no? But that's me...dream big! I know it won't happen over night. And it may not happen in the next 10 years. But by golly...It WILL happen. :)

Intuit Marketing Contest

I know it's been a while...my health has been kicking my ass.  Sitting here with my TENS unit on, my back is finally starting to feel better, and I just might be able to get my hands in clay before I fall asleep tonight. :)

While I've been sitting here, I found and entered a contest Intuit is having.  It's to win a $5,000 marketing package.  It would help get my name out there and hopefully grow my business.  I would LOVE your support!  If you would be willing to take five minutes to vote for my shop, and spread the word along to your networks, I would GREATLY appreciate it my friends! 

Here is the link:

https://sblb.intuit.com/me/JSB-Arts/5890/us

http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/

Shoutout to Nancy of Spinning Glass Studio

Glass and ceramics are a unique combination...I love melted glass and incorporating it into my ceramic pieces.  Here, Nancy deals with just glass and creates beautiful beads which she then uses to create some absolutely beautiful jewelry!  Keep on reading and get to know Nancy a bit better!

Name:  Nancy Bariluk-Smith

Business Name(s):  Spinning GlassStudio

Date Business Was Opened/Created:  2007

Types of Items/Services Offered
I started this business as a fiber artist or a "Feltress" as my husband called me! I began adding bead onto my felt and then moved into making glass beads .I love the way glass moves and interacts with itself. Its magical. I started creating jewelry out of the beads I was making. Each bead has its own personality and finding a way to make that bead shine is the part I really enjoy.

Shoutout to Kerin of Pipsqueaks!

I know I've said it before...but I'll say it again... I really LOVE the Etsy Maine Team.  Why, you may ask?  Because I have the opportunity to "meet" (even if just virtually for the near future) so many wonderfully talented individuals!  We are all crafty in our own way, and seeing others' artistic/creative expressions has always been an inspiration for me.  We all have our back story.. and if you "listen" closely, you can decipher some of it in by the quality of craftsmanship in our wares.  

 Without further adieu....meet Kerin!

Shoutout to Katrina of Amphitrite Studio!

Etsy Maine Team members come through yet again!  Meet Katrina, a fiber fashionista, if you will.  LOL  

Name: Katrina Napolitan

Business Name(s): Amphitrite Studio

Date Business Was Opened: 2000

Types of Items Offered: 

I offer natural fiber, one of a kind women's fashions & accessories all handmade by myself in midcoast Maine. 

Shoutout to Cheri of Art By Cheri

Cheri is a fellow Etsy Maine Team member and a very talented artist!  I can attest to her skill as a painter.. her watercolors are gorgeous!  She is also a piano teacher.  So if you're looking to learn how to stroke the ivories... definitely get in touch with her! 

Piano by Cheri

Name:  Cheri Christenson

Business Name(s): 

Piano by Cheri 

Art by Cheri

Date Business Was Opened:  October 2013 on Etsy.

Types of Items Offered:  Piano lessons (in person) and on Etsy: watercolor cards, watercolor artwork, watercolor beads, soon to come, hand painted scarves

Why did you decide to open/start your own business?:  I got into watercolor a few years ago and fell in love with it. last year I sold a few of my paintings as cards, so this year I thought I would broaden my horizons.

2014 - New Year's Goals and Resolutions

Home Sweet Home..for now.  Wallagrass, ME  Dec 2013

Today is the beginning of a new year.  A time to reflect on the previous 365 days, and ponder on what the next 365 days have to come.  This year will be a GREAT year, because that's my mind set.  My health WILL get better.  My business WILL become more regular with sales and such.  My family and I WILL find a home closer to family and be moved by the summer.  Life WILL be good.  Positive affirmations and having a positive mental attitude is what it's all about this year.  

Shoutout to Oberleigh Images

Dahlia

I had the opportunity to speak to Karen of Oberleigh Images recently.  She is a fellow Etsy Maine Team member and one helluva photographer!  I love the triptychs she has compiled!!  Below are her answers to some of the questions.  There are some serious inquiries... but also some silly/fun ones as well!  

Pelican Halo

Name: Karen Anderson 

Business Name:  Oberleigh Images 

Date Business Was Opened: October 1, 2013 on Etsy

Types of Items Offered: Nature & Floral Photo Wall Art – mounted, ready to hang in sets of three /triptychs

Friday Fun - ABC Get to Know ME!

So going along with the theme, I figured Friday would be a free for all.  Gives me leeway to write about my life, family, and miscellaneous items that might not otherwise fit.  Today's Friday Fun tidbit is an "ABC Get To Know Me Quiz" that I found on The Little Owl Shop Blog (THANKS! :) )  So here goes!  Hope you learn something about me and perhaps are inspired to do the same.

A. Age: 29

B. Bed Size:  Queen...and it's not big enough!  With myself, my fiance, my son, and my service dog Kane all trying to pile into one bed sometimes...it can get crowded!  haha

C. Chore that you hate:  scraping/grinding kiln shelves and putting kiln wash back on.  Time consuming and has to be done outside.  Non pottery related... I hate doing the dishes!  Always have... but now, standing that long to wash the dishes is physically painful... but on the good days I still try to help my honey out.  He takes such good care of me. <3

D. Dogs:   2; my service dog Kane, and my fiance's dog Charlotte.  Charlotte stayed down with his parents when we moved up north though.  She has a lot of health issues and needed to be closer to the vet...AND... his mom and gram just didn't want her to go.

E. Essential start to your day:  Coffee!

Kane and I at a restaurant in Virginia.

F. Favorite Color:  Blue and a dark amethyst purple.

G. Gold or Silver: Silver/white gold

H. Height:  5'7"

I. Instruments you play:  In middle school I played the french horn...and taught myself some basic piano back in HS...but that was 10 years ago..

J. Job Title: Retired Disabled Veteran.  AKA Differently-abled Veteran Ceramic Artist in Training.  Only been doing this 1.5 years, but it has fast become my passion.

K. Kids:  I have an 11 year old son from a previous marriage.  Hope to add to that sometime in the future.

Hummingbird perched on our patio chair. May 2013.

L. Live:  Northern Maine, about 10 miles from the border of Canada.

M. Mother's Name: Kathy.  

N. Nicknames: Na-Na.  One of my younger sisters couldn't say "Shawna" when she was younger...so she called me "na-na" and it stuck.  Everyone in my family (mom and sisters, dad not so much) calls me by it.  My fiance's pet/nickname for me is "love monkey".  There's a story behind that one as well... Maybe I'll get into that one in a later post.

O. Overnight hospital stays:  Several.  First one was when my son was born, another one about 8 years ago, and 2 in a 1 month time span while deployed to Iraq.  Again, maybe I'll elaborate more on those on a later date.

P. Pet peeve:  Ignorance.  Racism.  People being judgmental in general.  Live and let live.

Q. Quote from a movie:  "Hakuna Matata" = No worries!  Yes, from The Lion King. :)  But it's a great quote/phrase to live by.  Live life for today.  No sense stressing about yesterday or tomorrow.  Yesterday is in the past and you can't do sh*t about it, and you don't know what tomorrow will bring...so again, why stress about the unknown??

R. Right or left handed: Right handed!

S. Siblings: 5 by birth, 1 by marriage.  :)  I have 5 younger sisters ranging in age from 27 to 15.  And as of August 10, 2013, I will have an older sister. :)  Sister-in-law by technicality, but she's great and I love her just the same. :)

T. Time you wake up: It really depends on the kind of night I've had.  If it's been a bad night and I'm up with leg pain, it will be closer to noon.  Most of the time I go to bed when I'm tired and wake up on my own.  Recently though, I've been trying to get on a somewhat normal schedule so I can wake up with my son when he starts school in the fall.

U. Underwear:  The comfy kind! :) 

V. Vegetable you hate:  Not a big fan of kale...I like most veggies... thankfully I'm not a picky eater.

W. What makes you run late:  My memory.  Another "side effect" of Iraq.  My short term memory is HORRIBLE.  We have to stop half down the drive way after we leave to go someplace at LEAST once because I forgot something in the house that I need.  

X. X-Rays you've had:  Oh good lord... WAY too many!  Ankle, knee, foot, entire spine/neck... MRI's and CT scans of head and body...

Y. Yummy food that you make:  I can't cook anymore. :(  My left hand has weakness in it, and I have a tendency to forget stuff.  Add on top of that the inability to stand for long periods of time... And my culinary days are limited.  BUT on my good days... I make a mean stuffed porkchops that my fiance LOVES.

Z. Zoo Animal:  I love the beautiful colors on all the exotic fish... and the peacocks.  The peacocks remind me of the mythical phoenix...of which I have a large tattoo of on my arm.

Well there!  Those are some pretty random questions!  I hope you've learned something you didn't know about me and had a good chuckle...or at least smiled!

TTFN!

Working on some fine detail work.  :)

http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/

Patience is a Virtue

Did you ever hear that from your parents growing up??  "Patience is a virtue"??  Lord knows I DID!!!  Well let me tell you what, having to wait for my extruder (which is coming via TA Metalworks) to come in is TORTURE!!!  And they didn't have the pugmill in stock, so that hasn't even shipped yet!!  OMG!  I want to get my hands on my new toys so I can start playing!!!!! There are so many things I can make with the extruder... vases, cups, sculpture bases..

Anyway... while I have been waiting for my new toys to come (that are only possible thanks to my Kickstarter backers)... the creative bug has bitten me.  I have been working on hand built hummingbird feeders.  I am working on two different versions; one that will hang with the help of wrapped wire.  The second feeder will be a garden stake type...hopefully.  These are all prototypes as I've never made them before.  But I am looking forward to process.  Inspiration has definitely found its way into my hands.  As I sit here typing this, I am wishing I was in the studio creating.  Lucky for you all... my legs have other ideas and are hurting; so I'm sitting in my chair with my feet up.  To see the sneak peak photos of the hummingbird feeders, you can see the album I have on Facebook.      

Here are a few sneak peaks if you can't access the hummingbird album!!
HUMMINGBIRD FEEDERS

Speaking of my chair..its new!  Well, old new.  My honey and I hit up a couple of garage sales today that were still happening despite the rain.  Found some REALLY GREAT stuff.  We got a wooden rocking chair, a green upholstered rocking chair that swivels (of which I'm sitting in now), a big jack for Justin to be able to raise up his truck in order to work on it, a nice tall dresser for Caden... and there's a bunch more little stuff, but those were the big items.  And we got everything for amazing prices!  So overall...it was a really good day! :)