Monkey Treasury!

Tom Minor is being featured in an Etsy Treasury full of cute Monkey things, who can resist Monkeys on Etsy?

Click the image to visit this fun Treasury!

[caption id="attachment_846" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="Primarily Primates"][/caption]

Alfy's had to make a quick return to Earth.

Alfy's a bit disgruntled that his first space walk was cut short, but excited to know that he's been hand picked for a top secret mission in New Mexico!

In his place is Space Cadet Tom Minor, of Ground Control to Monkee Tom fame!  Tom is now testing the Galactic regions of Etsy, here he is -

[caption id="attachment_842" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Ground Control to Monkee Tom!"][/caption]

First Space Monkee Heads For Etsy

Yes, that's right, Space Cadet Alfy  Centauri has made his inaugural space walk - right onto Etsy!

I'm not sure who's more excited - him or me!

[caption id="attachment_838" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Alfy Centauri, Space Cadet!  ***SOLD!**"][/caption]

Inspiration from other Glass Artists

One thing I have found since I started this wonderful journey in glass, is how generous other Artists are with their inspiration and guidance. I do believe this is how Art can truly flourish.

For example, this morning I've been doing my usual rounds of blogs and forums and have been particularly inspired by two things.

Samma's Vessel

Samma has shared a tutorial on her beautiful blown glass vessels over at Beaders Showcase.  This reminded me of a wonderful blown Pod bead that she created, and got me thinking I'd like to have a go at blowing some glass.  I loved the organic shape of her Pod, but also am intrigued with blown vessels I've seen that have holes blown out of them, leaving the inner cavity wide open to the imagination!

And then I visited Studio Marcy's Blog, where Marcy has created a bead based on a work of Art.  Instead of playing it safe with something relatively simple she's really stretched herself and put a very complicated image into a bead.

[gallery]

Marcy's inspiration and bead!

Making Monkees can get repetitive, and it's starting to feel safe and comfortable, these two Artists have given me food for thought this morning as well as planting seeds of inspiration for ways in which I can stretch myself in my beadmaking endeavours!

Thank you Samma and Marcy!

On a less thrilling note our weather forecasters are saying that we are about to get hit with our first Winter Storm of the season.  WHAT!!??  It's still October and they are predicting as much as 30cms in some areas!  I don't like Winter at the best of times, and this evening is supposed to be our last bead meeting before the show in November, I'm beginning to feel as though Fate is conspiring to keep me away from these meetings.  Hopefully it will get rescheduled.

Five more Monkees heading for Hollywood!

How exciting for them, and just in time as it's very cold and frosty outside my window this morning!
Here's a couple of them, just so you can see their smiling faces.

[caption id="attachment_819" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Hooray! I'm heading South! SOLD"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_820" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="I want to be a STAR! SOLD"][/caption]

Meanwhile, other crazy monkee ideas are hatching . . .

Glass eyes for miniature figures

A while back I was approached by an artist who makes miniature people. She asked me if I thought I could make glass eyes for these. At that point I wasn't sure, I didn't think I'd be able to do something so small and have them look good.

We've been talking and researching and yesterday she came to see my first batch! She managed to find 4 pairs in the eyes that I had made, which left me feeling very pleased and wanting to continue to see how I can improve my technique.

Here are the eyes as they look at the minute. The shape of the white is not critical. What is most important is that there is enough of it, and that the iris and pupil are in a good proportion for the size of the eye. I had never really considered just how important eyes were in something so small, but they are one of the most important things that bring the figure to life and give it some soul. I guess it's true what they say - Eyes are the window to the soul.

[caption id="attachment_815" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="Miniature glass eyes - close up"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_816" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Miniature glass eyes showing size and formation"][/caption]

A LONG Long long long time ago, in a Universe FAR Far far away....

Well now, on not QUITE such a dramatic scale but almost....
Avert your ears if you hear a bad word!



So anyway, these Monkees went again!

[caption id="attachment_809" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="Monkees In SPACE!!"][/caption]

How hard is it for you to wait for your kiln to cool?

It's torture! That's what it is! Pure torture!
I had a revelation as I was lying in bed early yesterday morning, and I got to try it out at the torch yesterday. I surprised myself and created some things that I'm pretty excited about. So excited in fact that I had to go put them in the kiln at 5:30 this morning, I just couldn't wait! So there they sit, doing their thing and I'm so anxious for the whole thing to be over and done with so I can take them out and show the world! Well, maybe not the world but a few loyal glass buddies anyway!

WooHOOO - it's going to be FUN!! I promise!!!

On another happy note -
[caption id="attachment_806" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="SOLD!"][/caption]

Could it be my new 'regime' is starting to work, and perhaps I am raising my profile a bit!

Trying a Flickr Slideshow!

I want to see if I can put a flickr slideshow into a post -



Apparently I can! That was quite painless, I think I'm Flickr challenged, it usually takes me forever to find instructions on the Flickr site to do what I want to. There's a little slideshow icon above your Flickr images that you can click to create a slideshow, and once the slideshow starts you can click the 'share' button to grab the code you need to place it into your blog or webpage. Too bad it resizes the smaller images to fit, making them look very pixely.

An Etsy a day

They (whoever they may be), do say, that to be successful on Etsy you need to list items often, daily if possible.  So, this is my new goal - to try and list daily, or at least every other day.

I spent the best part of yesterday cleaning, photographing, processing and creating listings for the coming week.  I'm beginning to think it takes longer to do all that than it does to make the beads!

Last night I listed one of my two faced monkees - I like this design because it doesn't matter which way the bead is facing, you have a silly monkee face staring out.  I was idly thinking that they could be used like the 'Magic 8 Balls' - you know the ones you ask a question to, shake and then look at the magic answer.

You could ask these monkees a question, and depending on which one is facing you the answer might be "I don't have a clue" or "Don't ask me! I'm only a monkee!" - Could prove to be a big selling feature don't you think ;o)

[caption id="attachment_793" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Magic Monkees!"][/caption]

Developing Your Web Presence #5 - Online networking

Just a short post on this subject, but a very important one none the less! There aren't enough hours in the day to do everything you can to network online AND create AND live your life, so pick which are most enjoyable to you and try and stick with them - persistance is the key so they say!

[caption id="attachment_784" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Just a few social networking sites!"][/caption]

Consider ways you can network with others (and here are just a few!) -

• Forums - both in your special interest field as well as others, be active!  Show what you do!


• Social Networking Sites - Facebook, MySpace, IndiePublic, Beaders' Showcase etc. - again choose some that are specific to what you do and some that are broader based.


• Groups - once you have some online contacts, consider creating a group to discuss how you can help promote each other!


• Etsy! - If you belong to Etsy, join one or more Teams in areas of your interests - again these can be specific to your art or craft, as well as broader interest based groups.


• Flickr! - If you belong to Flickr or another image site, don't just post pictures - again join some groups and share what you've got to show.


• Twitter - Blogging in miniature - one sentence blog posts, it doesn't take long and again, you never know who might find you!


• Read Blogs - sign up for Google Reader or Bloglines or something similar and keep up to date with your favourite blogs, comment on them!  Leave your mark!

These things just scrape the surface, there are all number of other specialised networking tools out there, the main thing is that you network in a way that you can enjoy, so that it's not a chore and so that you will keep it up - most of the time anyway ;o)  Good luck!  I hope I run into you in my networking travels!

Let me know if this information is useful and if you have any other good ways of networking online!

What are YOU envious about?

There's a new topic on the Flaming Hot Blog and it's asking what or who we are envious of and who is envious of us.

This got me thinking, I don't know if anyone is envious of me or what they would be envious of, it's funny, it's very easy to be envious of someone else, but very hard to imagine someone being envious of me.

Who am I envious of?  Apart from specific beadmaker's who've mastered techniques that I haven't, I guess I'm envious of anyone who's got a real studio set-up.  Of anyone who doesn't have to worry about freezing cold temperatures in the winter when having a window and door open and fan going for ventilation just doesn't work!

If I'm honest I'm also envious of Artists who don't need to have another job to support themselves and their family.  That seems selfish though, as I know when I look at my life I am so fortunate to have what I do, and to have the family and friends I do around me who are so supportive of all my glass endeavours.

Best Pet of The Year!!

Thanks to Marcy Lamberson of Studio Marcy for pointing out this exciting opportunity for my Monkees!

Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary - October Donation

I am excited and happy to be able to show this bracelet and brooch set.  Meghann Gervais and I have collaborated on these pieces for a donation to the November fundraiser in aid of the Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary.

[caption id="attachment_769" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="Donation for Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary"][/caption]

This local sanctuary helps sick and orphaned wildlife and is the perfect place for my very first donation as an artist.  Meghann has used my beads to create this bracelet and brooch along with beautiful crystals and filled gold.

I recently became a member of Etsy For Animals, it's an Etsy team that encourages members to help raise funds for all kinds of animal charities.  If you are shopping on Etsy, be sure to do a search for 'team efa' - you'll be sure to find quality arts and crafts and at the same time you'll be supporting a wonderful cause.

Another beautiful collaboration of beads and silver!

Meghann of Little Studio Jewels has created this wonderful bracelet with beads she purchased from me. I love the way it has turned out, it's a credit to her talented way with wire.  You can find this bracelet in Meghann's Etsy Shop!

[caption id="attachment_764" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="Collaborative piece by Louise Ingram and Meghann Gervais"][/caption]

Hooray for Hollywood!

These three little guys on their way to Hollywood, I can't help but wonder what adventures lie in store for them!

[caption id="attachment_754" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="SOLD!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_753" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="SOLD!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_755" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="SOLD!"][/caption]

Alvin's feeling pretty pleased with himself too - he won a prize in Artistry In Glass' Intermediate catagory of their latest contest.  He's sure it's going to make him even more appealing to the ladies!

[caption id="attachment_757" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="He's a WINNER baby!"][/caption]

New Addition to Gallery Page

I've added this slideshow to my Gallery page today. Thanks to Valentina Miletic and Meghann Gervais I have some collaborative pieces I can show off!  Aren't they beautiful!  If you'd like to know more click on Valentina's and Meghann's links!

Find more photos like this on Beaders Showcase

Developing Your Web Presence #4 - Do you need a Blog?

I've had a blog for a while now, but I remember thinking 'why do I need one?' and 'what on earth will I put in one?'.

Here are my thoughts on why you need a blog, and it follows along with building a presence for yourself on the web.

If you don't have a website a blog can be your central place on the internet. It's one address that you can use on your business cards and other marketing material that will drive people to a spot where they can link to all your other web places. If you have an Etsy shop you can put an Etsy mini in your blog, you can advertise your Ebay or Justbeads address, and you can use your Flickr or Photobucket (for example) accounts to create galleries and slideshows to add to your blog.

A blog can also let people know that you are out there and active! Blogs allow you to update very easily, you can keep people informed on what you are doing and show new items that you've created. This can be much more effective than a website. Unless you are able to update your own website, you might find that it becomes stale very quickly, yes, it links to all your other things but information on the site about you and what you are creating can soon get out of date, leaving visitors to wonder if you are serious about what you are doing.

The other real plus about a blog is that every time you make a post or add an image it is giving people another opportunity to find you! I've found that things in my blog posts that I thought were insignificant have actually led a lot of traffic to my blog, they show up in search engines with great success!

There are all kinds of free blogs out there - this being one of them! Have a search around and see what is offered. Blogger - www.blogspot.com and WordPress - www.wordpress.com are two of the most popular - which means they also have bigger communities of bloggers - another way to network! Blogger is very easy to use and you can customise by adding your own graphic to the top of many of the templates available.  I have to say WordPress is my favourite.  Why? Because it allows you to have multiple pages! It might not sound very exciting, but think about it - your Blog can become your website!! That is what I've done with this one.  You can have your blog, but also add pages that contain static information - i.e. a Gallery page, a Contact page, a page that explains how you do what you do, or anything else for that matter! These static pages are just as easy to update as your blog page.

If you've got a Blog the possibilities are almost limitless!

Today's Etsy

Little Merwin wants to travel, he's my Etsy listing for today along with another destash of several assorted beads. Look for the next post in my Web Presence series coming soon - Why Do I Need a Blog?

[caption id="attachment_731" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="Merwin Monkee"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_732" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="Destash, assorted beads"][/caption]

New On Etsy Today

[caption id="attachment_705" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="Goddess Bead"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_704" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="Red beads"][/caption]

Red Beads on Etsy, and one of my Goddess beads

New Etsy Listings

I've got some new beads coming up on Etsy, I added this cute little guy today

It will be hard to see him go, he's pretty adorable!

I also listed these dotty beads, two of which are hollow - I've been hoarding too many beads for too long!  It's time to send some of them out into the wild world.



More monkees will go into my Etsy shop in the next few days along with some destash beads.  It's funny, I never considered myself a hoarder until I started making glass beads!

Developing your Web Presence #3 - Branding! Or 'Ouch! Don't come near with me that hot poker!'

To see all posts in this series click here

Seriously it's not half as painful as it sounds - Branding - and it doesn't involve anything hot - except your image when people see it and love it.

An example of excellent branding would be Apple - Mac - Imac - Ipod - Iphone - all those products.  What do you think of when you hear their name?  I think of the apple logo, and I think of bright colours and cool products.  Why?  Yep, because they've done a remarkably good job of Branding themselves.  If you look around you, you'll see company logos everywhere.  They might be text - like IBM and DELL, or they might be graphics like the Apple or ReMax with the balloon.

Now, I can't say reading this is going to give you the ability to become the next Apple, but it might make you consider how you can brand yourself a little, so that your image is consistant and reflects who you and your business are.

Back to Apple for a minute, I know what to expect when I see anything related to them - it's the image I spoke about above.  If I went to Apple's site and found a grey and blue page, with no apple logo and no bright colours I might be confused - I might wonder if I were in the right place.  The same idea can help you!

Think of all those web places again.

Are they connected visually in any way?  Do they have a theme to them, or are they all bursting with their own personalities?  If you are anything like me, when you start something new you are excited and want it to look fresh and different.  What we should be considering is - 'how can I make this new thing fit with my other things'.

I'll use myself as an example for this, because I'm trying to connect my places and things with a similar look and feel.  See my header at the top of the page?  I've had that there for a while, and at the minute, my Etsy header is similar.  On my business cards I put that little dingbat logo thingy I created and that helps to tie everything together.  BUT I have a problem!  It's those darn monkees!!  Since I first created these graphics my focus has changed a bit, and somehow I don't think they quite reflect what I'm doing now - I want to include my monkees in my banners.

I signed up for Entrecard and needed to create a graphic for it, this is what I came up with -

I thought the monkees looked cute, so when I signed up for Beader's Showcase I made this for my avatar



Then I created a header graphic for my Beader's Showcase page.



See a pattern developing?

Then I signed up for the new 100 lampwork list - Wall of Flame and needed a banner for it

Now a pattern is really starting to appear!  Problem now is that my Etsy header and the header for this blog are different.  I'm going to change those as well, just as soon as I get myself on task!

Hopefully people will start to connect these images to my beads and myself.  If I make signs for shows or sales I'll try and carry the theme over to them, and if I were to do any advertising I would include similar images.  Instead of being ten different sites all over the web, I am starting to look connected, and starting to generate a Brand for myself and my beads.   I'm not going to be the next Apple either, but my web presence will at least be consistant!  ...Now I just have to hope that I don't go off monkees ;o)

If you found this helpful, I'd love to know, and again if you've got any questions I'll answer them if I can.  Thanks for reading!

Next up - Why do I need a Blog?

Ghostly Treasury!

BOO! Click on the picture to visit the treasury.  Thank you simplydoodles for including my spook!

[caption id="attachment_694" align="alignnone" width="425" caption="What a ghostly treasury!"][/caption]

Now it's time for bead pictures!

I think it's time to brighten this place up with some bead pictures!
I've just created a signature stamp in Photoshop so that I can quickly add my signature to my images. This is another way to help people remember you and associate you with your art.  It's fun because I can change the colour of it depending on the photo.

[caption id="attachment_674" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Beads with waves"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_673" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="See no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_672" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="Mass Monkees"][/caption]