talentdatabase and colourlovers and ego, oh my!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Happy Halloween, dear Internets!

It's been a happy day, indeed, because I was featured not once, not twice, but three times on TalentDatabase.com! Three times! Why? Because I'm addictive, like crack. Being that I'm so irresistible, I can't blame you for you clicking that big ol' banner to your right and getting your fix. Nor would I blame you for, say, buying out my entire shop. But I digress.

If you're not familiar with it, TalentDatabase is a great resource for artists and designers who are looking to network with other like-minded indie folks, and it's a good place to get your work out there. So humor me, indulge my narcissism and be my friend!

And if that wasn't enough to make my head swell to the size of a small city, I also spied a photo of my very own on the front page of Etsy this morning. It also happens that I am rapidly approaching 900 hearts there. 900! That's a very big number! I'm thinking I should do something special for my 1,000th heart. Maybe a signed photo of yours truly. Hey, what do you mean, "conceited?" ;)

Even ThisNext honored me with a 2007 Maven award this week. What does it mean? That I know how to spend money, and that I spend far too much time on the Internet - two of my most enviable talents. They're so good to me!

I've also been hanging out more at ColourLovers lately. This site has been in my top 10 for a long time, but I hadn't worked up the nerve to start creating my own palettes until recently. I'm not as terrible at the whole color thing as I'd originally thought. If you have an eye for color or you're in need of some inspiration, please come join me!

Aside from all that excitement, the hubs and I stepped out last night (past 7 p.m., even! Amazing! We're such old farts) to do some impromptu Christmas shopping. Normally we're not on the ball with these things this early in the season (as far as I'm concerned, "Christmas" doesn't qualify as a word in the human vocabulary until at least December), but Tim got an idea in his head and I think it's a good one.

It also has something to do with this pledge you've been hearing a lot about these days - namely, to avoid Wal-Mart (and others of their ilk) like the plague this holiday season. Except we're not really buying handmade, we're making things, which I think is just as good, right? I'd tell you what we're making, but there are people reading this blog who will eventually benefit from our scheming, so I have to keep it secret.

OK, time to pass out treats to the local ghoulies and ghosties, lest our house be egged and covered with toilet paper!

Labels: etsy, photography, self

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new shops!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007

This weekend, in an effort to branch out a bit and explore my options, I opened two new online shops for my prints: One at Dawanda and one at eCrater. I'd heard good things about both venues via the Etsy forums and figured it couldn't hurt to see what the fuss was about. So I opened up shop and listed a few prints at each (the same works are available at each shop).

My initial impression is "they're pretty cool". Both shops have slightly different ways of getting things done. When compared to Etsy, some aspects of shop maintenance are simpler, and some are more complicated. Dawanda is definitely more friendly toward international customers, and eCrater is intuitively designed. Overall, I think Etsy still leads the pack in terms of community, traffic, and design... but it can't hurt to have more options, right?

• Sixhours at Etsy
• Sixhours at Dawanda
• Sixhours at eCrater

I also designed a new banner for my Etsy shop to reflect the current Web site design at sixhours.net. I like this one much better!

Labels: etsy, shopping

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her story will never be written
Monday, October 15, 2007

Cripes, I kept busy this weekend!

Saturday I had a photo shoot with the lovely Naomi, though I apologize that you cannot see just how lovely she is in this particular photograph. She appears to have a case of typewriter-head. In any case, it was a fun shoot, and I'm so glad I can share the results with you today--not six months from now!

I also baked an apple crisp and didn't burn it! Much! OK, well, I did burn it, but only a little. It was still edible (and delicious, if I do say so myself) once you scraped off the top layer of black crud... and this is why I don't bake much. Thankfully the S.O. is much better with the oven than me. They have a special relationship. Maybe the oven is jealous of me? Aha, that's it! Burning my crisp was just the first step in an elaborate plan to deliberately come between my husband and me... I knew it!

(Or maybe I just wasn't paying attention. That could be it, too. The S.O. calls them my "ooh shiny" moments.)

Moving on.

It was also a busy weekend for the shop. Two of my photos landed on the front page of Etsy this weekend as part of two separate treasuries. My work was also featured by Anything Indie and Roadside Scholar, very hip and happenin' blogs (a wonderful surprise, considering that I am neither hip nor happenin'). All the extra attention netted me two sales! Hurrah!

So many good things. We also visited with family friends, did a bit of tidying up, and I continue to scheme and dream about things I want to do with the house. The to-do list gets bigger and bigger, while the checkbook, curiously enough, gets smaller and smaller. A mystery, indeed.

Labels: etsy, photography, self

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choir boy and the pantsless wonder
Tuesday, September 25, 2007

In our old neighborhood, it was quite common to be woken up by the sounds of yelling and shouting, but usually the yells and shouts were death threats. Yeah, it was that kind of neighborhood.

Now we live in a college town, which means we're surrounded by intellectuals and intelligent minds, ambitious young men and women who love learning and seek to expand their horizons and open their minds...

... usually with drugs. Yay! With that in mind, I present to you -

Things one shouldn't have to wake up to early on a Saturday morning:

1. The sound of a drunken college kid belting out "Heyyyyyy guyyyyys!" in perfect show-tune singsong at ample volume.

My first reaction? Jazz hands, everyone! Vaudeville has finally come for me!

My second reaction? Death to the drunken frat boys on my lawn! DEATH!

2. Drunken college kid number 2, shouting at an equally loud volume, "I never thought I'd be walking around with you guys, WITHOUT PANTS, at 4 in the morning!"

Emphasis on the part about no pants. And hey, now I know what time it is.

Of course, I immediately went for a look-see, but alas, it was too dark. Which makes sense, because it was, ahem, four-o'clock in the morning. On a Saturday.

Did I mention the part about death?

I considered yelling at them from the balcony of our bedroom, but then I figured that a completely naked lady screaming at the half-naked drunken frat boys for disturbing the peace... let's just say, the irony didn't escape me.

Intellectuals and intelligent minds, indeed!

Anywho, the above doodle has absolutely nothing to do with pantsless, showtunes-lovin' drunk people. Thank the stars for that!

No, actually, three really cool things happened yesterday:

1) I won a contest at the ThisNext blog! If the prize is as cool as my Tovolo goodies are, I'm excited.

2) One of my photos made the front page at Etsy! Yay!

3) Finally, the cupcake girl doodle above was a runner-up in Hey Pretty Cupcake's artist collaboration contest! So keep an eye out for her there in the upcoming weeks.

So, Internets, it's been nearly a month! S'up with you?

Labels: design, etsy, illustration, photography, self

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memorable quotes
Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Tim, on my (lack of) height.

Tim: "Yay, we're homeowners! Congrats, honey - now we're up to our necks in debt! Oh, wait: I'm up to my neck in debt... you're up to your forehead."


Me, on parenting.

Tim: "You know, you're really going to have to give up the guilt trip stuff if we have kids."

Me: "Pfffft. If we have kids, I will pass on the guilt like it's an Olympic torch. That's what parents do."


So... yay! We bought a house today! The entire process went much more smoothly than I'd expected, and I'm really glad we decided to do this. But not to fear: the actual move doesn't start until mid-August, so I still have plenty of time to worry myself into a coma!

Your visual for the evening is my submission to the Etsy Treasury Poster Challlenge. Speaking of which, the sale's still on at my Etsy shop! Purchase a print and call it a housewarming present. ;)

Labels: etsy, self, shopping

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sale!
Monday, July 9, 2007

I'm going to try the sale thing for a week!

From now until the 17th, you can receive 10% off your purchase at my Etsy shop by typing "6hours" in the message to seller box at checkout! Just wait to pay and I'll send a revised invoice.

So what're you waiting for? Gogogo! :)

Also, thanks heaps to So Sweet & So Cold for featuring my "curiosity's little sister" print on their blog earlier this month!

Labels: etsy, photography, shopping

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free stuff!
Thursday, May 24, 2007

It is entirely unlike to me to win contests of any sort, which is why I was so pleased when I got an e-mail from one of the staff at thisnext.com, saying I'd won a Wine Excursion Backpack Gift Basket for participating in their entertaining contest last week.

Squee! Double squee!

Never mind that the S.O. and I know nothing about wine, nor do we drink it - who cares? I won something! YAY!

And while I'm on the subject of free stuff, Moo is giving away 1000 packs of 10 minicards each to Voxers who are quick on the draw. I've already snagged my 10-pack - it contains my most recent flower photos. I may have to pick up one of these handmade Moo carrying cases from Etsy seller splatgirl to go along with 'em!

Other items on my "I will buy this next month because we won't have to pay the gas company or the bank because of my leet bookkeeping skillz" wish list:

• Sticker-maker! Stickersstickersstickers! I was sticker-obsessed in my youth, and the thought of making my own stickers fills me with unimaginable joy.
• A through-the-lens camera, like an Argoflex or a Duaflex, so I can play around with some through-the-viewfinder techniques. I have a Brownie Hawkeye that I picked up from the local Salvation Army, but it's in sorry shape.

Also: The underside of my caramel rice cake looks like brains. That is all!

Labels: etsy, self, shopping

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reviews!
Wednesday, May 16, 2007

It's about that time again. Here are two Etsians I've had really great shopping experiences with recently!

WoodcraftsAndCandles - wood crafts and (you guessed it) candles
I freely admit that I have little in the way of decorating sense. How do I compensate? Candles. Lots and lots of candles. If my house doesn't look polished and put together, at least it smells good enough to eat. So when I found WoodcraftsAndCandles' shop, I knew I was in trouble. Thankfully, Mother's Day gave me an excuse to spend money, and I purchased these margarita candles for my mum. Of course, before they made their way to her hands, I snuck a whiff for myself... and I almost didn't give them to her! Hah! But I did, and she loves them, and it's only a matter of time before I go back and fill my home with more luscious scents.

donnapool - buttons, magnets, and puzzles
Donna Pool's shop is proof that keeping a blog can help your sales. I first found these vintage camera buttons via Donna's blog at Vox and they're the perfect accessory for a photo geek like yours truly. My set even has my favorite film SLR - a Pentax K1000. I opted to have them made into super strong magnets to decorate my fridge. Donna also makes these unique plush puzzle balls, which are great for kids, or for those of us who are kids at heart!

Labels: etsy, reviews, shopping

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if you were a business card, where would you be?
Monday, May 7, 2007

Hurrah, they're here! This is a selection of the minicards I ordered from moo. I have to give them kudos for the sleek look, the unique design, and the swift service!

Now, the big question is - what do I do with them? I'm not so adept at finding appropriate opportunities to pass out promotional materials without sounding too salesy. I hate being salesy. I need to brainstorm on this one.

Where/how do you hand out your business cards?

On an unrelated topic, the S.O. finally joined the 21st century and bought a new digital camera. It's tiny and cute and makes my digital SLR look sad and outdated. I see it as extra motivation for me to take more photos and sell more prints so I can upgrade my current equipment!

Labels: etsy, self

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squee, and so forth.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Labels: etsy

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it's not all about me (me, me, me!)

So instead of talking about myself for once, I'd like to talk about someone else! Specifically, three someone-elses - three sellers from Etsy, all of whom I've had great experiences with.

sarahridgley - letterpress cards and coasters
I found Sarah Ridgley's shop just as she was waiting for her 100th heart. It's entirely unlike me to stumble into such good fortune (and if the "supreme being" has a sense of humor, I'll probably be hit by a bus soon) but there you have it. As a "thank you" for being her 100th, she sent me a beautiful card (complete with a stamp, which is good, because I never remember to buy them) and a monogrammed letterpress coaster. Now I have my eye on the Notes from an Outlaw set. That way, if I am run over, the S.O. will have a hip and stylish way to let everyone know!

youstinksoap - vegan soaps, fragrance bars, and lip balms
Have I mentioned that I'm a lip balm junkie? I am. Especially if said lip balm tastes like calories. Mmmmmm, calories. Thankfully the lip balm sampler set I bought has no calories, only a light, sweet flavor, while my lips are left feeling soft and smooth. Now my only problem is deciding on a favorite. If I had to choose just one, I think I'd pick Key Lime Cheesecake... no, wait, Coconut Lemongrass... or, wait, maybe Raspberries and Creme? Eurgh... nevermind. Just buy one of each, and you'll have a desert buffet for your lips.

theblackapple - illustration and other things
I don't think there's a single person on Etsy who doesn't already know of theblackapple, but that's no surprise, because her work is worth a look - or six! It's cute, but with an edge of creepy. I like cute, but I really like cute-creepy. I chose the "Branch Bed" print because the colors are eerily similar, if not identical, to those in our bedroom. Yes, there is a lot of pink in our bedroom, and no, the S.O. doesn't have much say in the matter, but even he could not deny that Emily's work is top notch.

Labels: etsy, reviews, shopping

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shameless self-promotion
Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Once in a while, people publish my stuff, and that feels nice.

You can find my photos in the latest editions of:
Milk Bar Magazine
F-Stop Magazine

My Etsy shop has also been highlighted in the latest issue of Designer Scoop, by Smitherman and Barnwell.

I've also submitted a photo to JPG Magazine, and you can vote for it if you like. Please? I cannot promise sexual favors, but you will have my gratitude, which is worth millions in the respective currencies of yet-to-be-discovered foreign lands, I'm sure.

The theme is Dreamscapes, and the photo in question is this:

Labels: etsy, photography, self

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items of disinterest
Monday, April 23, 2007

Item: Business is booming at the Etsy shop. And by "booming," I mean I've made more than one sale in the month since I opened! I am pleased, especially since I opened the shop on a whim, not actually believing that people might, you know, buy stuff. I've even gone so far as to order some custom business cards, in hopes that I can continue to spread the word.

Item: This weekend was April's photo shoot weekend. Unfortunately, I have little to offer you in the way of proof of said photo shoot, because the results may or may not be part of a gallery/boutique opening in October. The best I can do is this test shot in the ever-popular "bloody egg" motif. The rest of the series has absolutely nothing to do with cheap fake blood, so don't think I'm giving anything away. I shot this solely to prove that I did pick up a camera this month!

If the photos aren't accepted, you will see them soon. If they are, you can congratulate me, and I will debut the series on my Web site in October. Ooh, secrets!

What I can do is talk a little bit about the shoot itself. I didn't arrange anything with any of the girls (aka the models) this month, because it's getting very close to finals time, and everyone is scrambling to finish the semester, and I'm feeling a wee bit antisocial (what else is new?). As a result, April was "Still Life Month," which meant two whole days of fighting with my studio lights and bending/kneeling over my not-so-ergonomically-correct studio setup. It's not ergonomically correct because it's an overturned laundry basket covered with a white sheet. Makeshift what? And why is my back throbbing? Oh, right.

I really love the new photos, despite the back strain, so you'll have to trust me when I say it kills me to keep them from you, dear Internets! It really does! I'm already itching to upload them to my new flickr account. Bear with me, please.

Item: It's 80 degrees outside. 80 degrees! How do we go from snow, ice, and rain to 80 degrees in the span of a week? We live in Maine, that's how. Not that I'm complaining... it just seems wrong to be enjoying 80-degree weather when the trees haven't even shown buds, and the grass is still an unpleasant greenish-brown baby poo color.

Labels: etsy, photography

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alphabet soup
Monday, April 2, 2007

I spent most of the weekend working on this: A digitally illustrated alphabet poster. I may not have leet illustration skills, but I can draw cartoons well enough (my specialty used to be cartoon chickens - fear the talent) and I thought it might be fun to do a version of the ABC's and print it as a poster. It may not be a work of Art with a capital A, but I think it's cute.

All this stems from the fact that I've been thinking I should try a creative pastime that doesn't involve so much waiting... one of the pitfalls of having somewhat elaborate and wacky photographic ideas is that they often require a good deal of preparation and planning before I see results, sometimes so much that I lose interest in the idea before I've had a chance to pick up the camera. Let no one accuse me of having a long attention span. Digital illustration is something I can play with in the in-between, thereby satisfying my need to create on a more flexible basis. I may even have to take a drawing class soon, and see if my hand-eye coordination is really as bad as I think!

And yes, I put it up at etsy.

Labels: etsy, illustration, self

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the etsy obsession
Saturday, March 31, 2007

Okay, so I know I'm a little late to this etsy thing, and I'm probably preaching to the choir, but I'm fascinated and inspired. I'm also getting very little done at the office, but never mind that!

I created a treasury list of some of the neat things I've stumbled across there so far, but that barely grazes the surface. I have a great big fat "gimme" moment at every other shop.

I also added some new prints to my shop, in hopes that I'll be able to support the newfound etsy habit. If my total amount sold ever equals my total amount spent, I'll be lucky.

Labels: etsy, self

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