About last night...

I had the worst night's sleep. I thought it was just me until I woke up and read comments on fb and even from one of my favorite bloggers with reasons ranging from rattling windows to overwhelming lives. Mine was simple: Hunger Games Hangover. Def:When one stupidly starts a Hunger Games novel at 10:30 pm and is unable to put the book down until finished thereby getting little to no sleep.

I thought I wasn't really into Book 2 but that I needed to give it another chance having just seen the movie and wanting to know what happened next. It's my fault that I started it at 10:30. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. I didn't get to sleep until 3 ish and slept fitfully dreaming of jabberwockeys!

On a happy note, my good friend Crystal is in town with us this weekend to work her booth full of fabulousness at Bizarre Bazaar. Her booth is always rock star and she packs it with her awesome lighted mason jar strands ( don't bother trying this at home kids, Crystal patented that sh*t! For real!)

T Shirts (of which I have a fab collection)

...and Mason Jar Planters just to name a few:

Check out her Etsy site here:http://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetteaclothingco

I am now going to make jewelry! There will probably be a nap in my future. Just saying.

Aim High!

About a million years ago I made a decision that just seemed like a natural course of action for a former high school cheerleader just out of high school. I joined the United States Air Force. It was a shock to all of my family and friends and I wouldn't be surprised if most of them were betting that this little goodie two shoes who couldn't run a mile wouldn't make it through basic training. Chances are I wouldn't have, had I not met a raspy-voiced, street smart, impossibly cool chick from Pittsburgh. Dawn Murphy(Serakowski) made what for most is a traumatic, terrifying experience one of the best times in my life by teaching me that rules are meant to be broken. If there had been a tape recorder around my part of our conversations you would hear alot of me saying,"Um Dawn...I don't know if we should do this...."

Today Dawn became the first person to make a purchase from my Etsy shop. Thank you so much Dawn, I salute you! (and NO I will not go "check the mail" with you;)

Etsy's Up!

Alright, after some serious time. (photos, photo shop, posting, tagging, describing) I have 5 items in my Etsy shop. People who make bank on Etsy totally deserve to, it's a lot of work! Here is the link and I welcome any and all opinions! (btw, I went from 1 shop view to 53 yesterday. Instant gratification. I guess I'll put up more:)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/karyn17

Every morning I wake up, make coffee and check my various social media outlets. I enjoy all the blogs I follow but if I there is a new post from The Whole Pretty...I KNOW it's going to be a good morning. I freaking love this blog so much. She is snarky, witty and it's just a bag of glamorous fun. Check it out here:

http://www.thewholepretty.com/2012/03/brigitte-bardot-my-eternal.html?showComment=1332503316596#c3054888708932931626

Enjoy your morning!

Etsy...here I come...again.

I have an Etsy shop. For real. There just isn't anything in it! I have tried. I have always felt it's so hard to get noticed as a jewelry designer and there is all that re posting and buying ads and I have NEVER sold anything so I just let it lapse. Until now. I have been doing a lot of chatting and interviewing with some pretty savvy ladies this year about upping my web presence and almost the first question to leave their lips is,"Do you have an Etsy shop." I then go into my complicated spiel. What I didn't realize is that I already have followers out there that would love to see my pieces in a clean, concise place with a super easy to buy option. (my website is a little behind the times and is in need of a serious re design) So to Etsy I will go. Hopefully I will get some leather cuffs listed today. If I write it here I will feel obligated and it will get done. Right?

Stu...Stu...Studio....whoo oh!

I am writing this blog post from my new favorite spot in the house. This here's my smooshy chair!

Oh I love my freshly painted, airy white, cottage-y studio space so very much I may never leave which means LOTS more jewelry getting made and much less procrastinating(I hope, see above chair for future problems with that scenario). My first official business today was an interview with Monica Lee for her Smart Creative Women series which was like having coffee with a best friend. (I felt all high techish as we did it Skype-style!) She is amazing and I am really flattered she puts me in the SCW category! I'll let you know when it's out but until them you can check out her interviews with some rock stars like Amy Butler and Cori Dantini here. (www.smartcreativewomen.com)

Did I mention that I did the Skype interview in my breezy, happy studio space? Without further ado, here are some pictures of what's happened so far.

Cozy seating area with old box for table/storage. The photo is my Grandma Dorothy, when I figure out how to make these pictures show up in blogger maybe you can see her!

Husband crafted shelf, stacks of leather bracelets and a mirror that I am still restoring....maybe blue?

That's not a studio ghost, that's my Grandma Lillian on the day of her first communion. She's watching over me!

Um...this is really great and all, but where's the treats?

TTFN!

It's Just Me...

Working for yourself can be lonely. At my level I am making a living (and incredibly grateful for it) but aside from some part time help during the holidays, it's just me, my tools and my poodle sitting down and creating everyday. (and the blessing I thank the gods for everyday, my husband!) Sometimes I find peace in the solitude and joy in creating, sometimes I stare blankly at the table and check my Facebook, Pinterest, Email and blogs in a unending cycle of procrastination. Sometimes when I do get out, I am so excited to be around people I come apart at the seams and have a little too much "fun" rendering the next day virtually unproductive save reading a book or magazines. Someday this may change and I'll have (my new beautifully renovated, almost done studio space) bustling with helpers. Right now...it's just me. Keeping up with the orders, shows, website updates, post office visits etc. I think it's really important to remember that everyone lives a life that we only see about 20 percent of no matter how close we are to them and that kindness and compassion should always be the first tools of communication we employ. I am still trying to figure out a balance of work/life/friends, I think we all are.

It's ALL happening.....

When I first moved in with my husband, I fell in love with the big, bright sun room and immediately started plotting a studio space for moi. There were these two funky orange and blue vintage chairs that I didn't know if I hearted or hated (I love now) and this huge vintage polo sign that was hanging on the wall. They have become my "concept" pieces. I have a friend that is going to paint the polo horse and the burgundy line the dark gold/orange of the chair. Trust. It will look AMAZING!

.

This is where we started. You can see the true hot mess in this post.

Look at all that gorgeous light coming in...perfect studio space am I right?

Let's get it started in here!

Here is where we are today. Did you notice the sky blue ceiling? The doors will be painted white as well and have cheesecloth curtains like http://pinterest.com/pin/75716837454647410/

From my Pinterest board originally from mayamade.blogspot.com Love the easy, breezy curtains. Pinned from http://my-dream-apartment.tumblr.com/post/16162519953

This Wendy Umanoff light is mine!

Originally from www.decorativecountryliving.com

Something very similar to this WILL be happening. Maybe not always with flowers that are alive. I am looking at some dead roses from V Day right now that I haven't thrown away. For real.

Can you see it? Can you understand my excitement? I am welcome to suggestions or Pinterest ideas. Will post more pictures as I go on.

Stand By for Technical Difficulties....

There are men in my sun room! There is sawing, bustling, paint fumes and everything is covered in tarp. It's finally happening! My wishful studio space is finally becoming a studio. After years of lightly dropped hints,"Hey the sun room would make a great studio space if we got rid of the pool table," to blatant, "Seriously, get the freaking pool table out of the freaking sun room so I have a place to set up a work studio!" I finally realized the pool table has been my albatross and the sticking point that has been keeping the space from being transformed to a dreamy, Pinterest board of a studio. Taking a cue from Tina Fey in Bossy Pants, (which I have listened to seventy billion times) if you can't go through...go under, around, over! I suggested we put a wooden platform over the pool table (which btw NEVER gets used) and a pretty table cloth over that. Solution, pool table stays and becomes work table. Every body is happy. Add onto that an Internet connection the fritz out all weekend and is finally working thanks to the fabulous Jeff Hathaway and my evil plan is beginning to come together. (picture me maniacally rubbing hands together and laughing like Dr. Frankenstein.) Here is what the sun room looks like now:

Pinterest Drama Tied Up With Semi-Neat Bow!

All the blogosphere was a-titter when a blogger who is also a lawyer did some research on Pinterest's terms of use and used the scary "lawsuit" word, it was pandemonium! Ok, I was pandemoniuous (pretty sure I made that word up) pretty much because there is a computer on my jewelry making table and I am a social media procrastinator. I am also a HUGE pinner and love Pinterest so I was concerned. After research and an email from a really nice guy at Pinterest who took the time to email me back with my concerns I was secure in the fact that a pack of lawyers were not going to sue me for my jewelry pliers and wire cutters.

Come to find out that Ben from Pinterest called the blogger and talked to her about her concerns. SERIOUSLY! How is THAT for customer service. Mark Zuckerburg surely isn't calling anyone personally about their Facebook concerns. Here is the blog post and I double-dog dare you not to fall a little bit more in love with Pinterest.

http://ddkportraits.com/2012/02/my-date-with-ben-silbermann-following-up-and-drying-my-tears/

BAT IN MY SINK!!!!

Resume breathing. We have an older home and periodically we will encounter one of God's nocturnal creatures in our home. (sadly NOT the turning into Edward Cullen kind) Husband opens the windows and the bat flies out. Not a big deal. Until this morning.

While rinsing dishes in the sink I lifted a pan and there, sleeping like the pan was his own little bat cave, was a bat! I squealed like the littlest piggie and ran into the yard screaming, "BAT IN THE SINK, BAT IN THE SINK!!!!" If the neighbors didn't think I was a bag of batshit crazy before (hee hee) they do now. Again, said bat was wrapped in a towel and moved to a more bat appropriate place. (no I DON'T freaking know where...still trying to regulate breathing.)

It's now NOT ok. Any suggestions to keep bats out of our belfry that are humane?

Pinterest, we need to talk.....

NO, we are not breaking up!

I just want to let you know where I stand. I started thinking some pretty shady things about you after I read this blog post: http://ddkportraits.com/2012/02/why-i-tearfully-deleted-my-pinterest-inspiration-boards/, and I started worrying about where our relationship was going and what your intentions were for me.

Pinterest, I'll admit, I started snooping. I started googling you and writing emails to people who know you. It was a bit stalky but then a girl's got to protect herself! I found your blog post http://blog.pinterest.com/post/17949261591/growing-up and I really believe that you are trying to deal with your issues in an honest and open way. After reading it I got a response from your friend Aaron and I feel much more secure in continuing our relationship. Here is his reply:

Aaron, Mar 01 16:10 (PST):

Thanks for writing in with your concerns. We are aware of some confusion with our terms of service, and are working on making our terms of use - and our intentions - more clear. Rest assured, we are listening, and we are committed to making our passion for content discovery beneficial to everyone, including both users and the creators of the content we love so much.

Thank you for your patience.

Aaron
Pinterest - Community Specialist

Pinterest, I feel like this is the start of something really special and I don't want to quit "us" just yet. Out of respect for other's feelings I have added this to my profile:

I pin pictures of people, places and things that I admire and for inspiration, not for resale or to copy. If an image that you own is on one of my boards and is not properly credited or you just want it taken down, please ask me and I will happily respect your wishes to remove the image or link it back to you website if it is not already.

It's not a cure all, but it's a start. I'll stay with you dear Pinterest, you had me at hello.

Watch Me Be A Complete Dork...and Then Vote!

Why the Jazz Hands KShonk?

While in Salt Lake City attending Alt Design Summit I was lucky enough to do an interview with Maxwell Gillenham-Ryan from Apartment Therapy in regards to our home's style and my opinion on the Jonathan Adler designed toilet paper covers.

If I win I get to go to New York and meet Jonathan Adler. That I am posting this is and allowing you all to see my stuttering video interview is a testament to how much I want to go. Go to the link, scroll down to find my video, cringe in empathetic awkwardness and vote. Thanks!

https://www.facebook.com/cottonelle?sk=app_133397090112511