Artist Confessions: Tricia of Eyeful Fine Art Photography

Happy Halloween, all! It's time for our weekly chat with an Etsian Artist who's medium is photography. I truly admire the skills of a great photographer and she's no exception. Meet Tricia of Eyeful:Photography by Tricia McKellar!


1. Your Name: Tricia

2. Shop Name: Tricia McKellar Photography at http://eyeful.etsy.com

I create dreamy landscape and nature photographs from my original
photographs and digital painting.

3. Anyplace else your products be seen (online and IRL)?

My art may be seen online:

on my website http://triciamckellar.com

on flickr http://flickr.com/photos/triciamckellar

on trunkt http://www.trunkt.org/triciamckellar

on etsy http://triciamckellar.etsy.com

on 1000 markets http://triciamckellar.1000markets.com

In real life, I'm a juried artist member of Artspace, Raleigh, NC (http://artspacenc.org) and hang art there. For Oct - DEc of this year I'll have art hanging in exhibitions locally at UNC Women's Hospital and the Duke Hospital Eye Center.

4. Tell us one thing - as it relates to your craft - that would be surprising. I have about 12,000 digital photographs on my computer. Sometimes when I take a photo, I don't like it right away and when I look at it again in a few weeks or months, I decide I like it and work with it to create a work for my portfolio. I can't always tell right away if a photograph will work for me in my art.

5. What's your favorite item? What's your least favorite item? Why? My camera is my favorite thing! I have a big camera and sometimes I wish I had a little spy camera to tuck in my pocket. When I'm without my camera, I feel a little lost. Not sure that I have a least favorite...


6. Tell us about the mistakes you've made that have turned out well. The nice about working digitally with images is that things can always be undone and re-done and worked again. The bad thing about working digitally with images is that things can always be undone and re-done and worked again. LOL! Sometimes it's hard to know when to quit working an image.

7. Who's work - in your genre - do you envy? I greatly admire Laura Kicey at http://helveticaneue.etsy.com . She has an amazing sense of color and tone.


Thank you, Tricia, for sharing your art and your inspiration with us! Be sure to also check out her other etsy shop, Art by Tricia McKellar, featuring mixed media prints.

Thursday Thirteen #1

I've enjoyed perusing others' Thursday Thirteen posts so I've decided to give it a shot. To start it off, here are 13 random things about me:

1. I was in the US Army;
2. I'm afraid to visit anyplace that has a regular occurrence of natural disasters (i.e., Florida=hurricanes, California=earthquakes, midwest=tornadoes - broad, I know);
3. I used to sing with a USO Troupe that toured overseas;
4. I love Prince;
5. I like to line dance;
6. I LOVE ballroom dancing;
7. I've decided that one child is enough for me (yes, my husband has been clued in and he agrees);
8. I have no concept of time, space or money;
9. I've taught myself most of the skills I know (or don't know - depending on your opinion!);
10. I grew up in the Berkshires;
11. I was the only minority in my school until fifth grade;
12. I'm bossy; and
13. I competed in the Miss America Pageant system and was involved with the state level organization for some years after.

So there you have it. Thirteen random facts you never wanted to know in the first place ;-)

Inspiration...........

Well, I promised some insight into my design inspiration but that hasn't happened yet - until now! Admit it. You're on the edge of your seat right now, aren't you? I know. Exciting stuff.

So here's one of my latest pieces (which you've already seen):

I've entitled it "Pearl Orbit Necklace". To cut down on the stress level, I only name my pieces if it comes to me. Otherwise, I'd never get anything listed! So, you're probably saying to yourself "Oh, how creative she is! How does she come up with such amazing designs?" (I hope y'all have realized by now that to say I'm sarcastic is an understatement and I do enjoy poking fun at myself) So, I'll tell you what inspired me:

It was a mistake. Yup. A huge boo-boo. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE fusing but I'm still getting the hang of it so after balling the ends of this fine silver wire, I realized it was too short for my intended design. You do recall me mentioning that nothing ever comes out as it's intended, yes? Well, this one missed the boat! You also recall my previous post about my current financial state so you understand that there's no WAY I could waste that silver so.............viola! Clever? Well, we'll see what everyone thinks - comment away! If I can't take criticism - well, I can't think of a witty metaphor but too bad for me if I can't.

Now back to fusing. It's inspired me to attempt soldering so I've some supplies en route. I'm hugely excited! I believe that I will enjoy metal smithing much more than working with the metal clay though the clay will always have it's use for me. Wish me luck!

It's the most wonderful time of the year.........

The Christmas holiday season is my favorite time of the year. Usually. I love to give. Usually. I love finding the perfect gift for family members. Usually. This year, not so much. "Why," you ask? I will tell you why..........like most other Americans, I'm broke! Okay, I'm not destitute-living-out-of-my-car broke. Hubby has a good job and I have a work-from-home business as a Virtual Assistant and Legal Billing Specialist that's going pretty well (Xpress Assistant and BILLINGxpress - shameless plug!!) But I'm just not sure how we're gonna pull it off this year.

Do you remember layaway? I've noticed that Kmart is really pushing it this year and it makes sense. I know I can't afford to shell out a couple hundred bucks from one check for my son's gifts. I did some research to see if any other stores have hopped on the bandwagon but so far I haven't found many. During my research, I realized that there's a whole generation (or two) who've never heard of layaway! When I was a kid, it was a way of life! I don't know if that says that we've become more wealthy as a whole or more dependent on credit. Thoughts?? I also came across elayaway.com. I'm not certain it's what I'm looking for but at least it's another option.

What are you doing to ease the financial burden of the holiday season? To make it easier on my readers, I'm offering free shipping on orders over $50. I've added a 'reminder' to my side bar. Just enter the code in the "message to seller" box (XMASSHIP) when you check out at my etsy shop and wait for a revised invoice!

Sneak peek.....

What's goin on..........

There's a new giveaway happening over at The Secret is in the Sauce - a Bissell Home Healthy Vacuum! Pop over and get yourself an entry!

Fellow artisans and crafters, there's a terrific post going on over at Etsy about boosting sales. I've already picked up a few tips and I haven't finished reading it!

Happy Monday!

Sunday Support for UNICEF

Halloween is almost upon us and once again UNICEF gives us an easy opportunity to make a difference. When you take your children trick-or-treating this year, take along the "Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF" box or canister and help UNICEF provide water, education and medicine to children. You'll have a great time with your kids while teaching them the value of giving to others in need.

You can even trick-or-treat online and make it a family (or neighborhood) affair!

Artist Confessions: Suzanne of Bliss Candles

It's that time of year when I love to burn scented candles that smell like fall........pumpkin pie, apple crisp.......yum!! It just so happens that our next artist to confess all can help me out with that.

Let's take a looksee at Suzanne's secrets......

1. Your Name: Suzanne

2. Shop Name: Bliss Soybean Candles and Gifts, http://blisscandles.etsy.com, Grand Haven, Michigan

3. Anyplace else your products can be seen? My website: http://www.blisscandles.com; Calico Cat in Grand Haven, MI; Bloom Essentials in Canada; Enchanted Wings in Pittsburgh, PA; Edna Hart Boutique in Los Angeles, CA; and Jen Rose Skin Care in Long Beach, CA.

4. Tell us one thing - as it relates to your craft - that would be surprising. Making soy candles is a science. Many people would lead you to believe that you melt this and that and throw it in a jar (I wish!). It takes time and experience to get the right wick for each jar and get the right combination of ingredients.

5. What's your favorite item? What's your least favorite item? Why?

Wow – it is hard to name a favorite. I would have to say my Premium 16 oz Jar is my favorite jar style because the lid is so cool! My favorite fragrances are numerous – I am most addicted to Caramelized Pralines, Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Spice, Vanilla Hazelnut Pumpkin, Cool Citrus Basil, and Amber Sunset.

My least favorite items would be mason and mayo jars simply because my product line and vision cater more to a decorative, high end jar. Oh – and I hate the fragrances Patchouli and Clove (sorry to the many who love them – I’m more food motivated!).

6. Tell us about the mistakes you've made that have turned out well. I don’t think I have any that turned out well! Like I said, it’s a science so if you goof, you have usually just destroyed the product. Although, I do love it when I have a “short pour” because I couldn’t possibly sell a partially filled jar so I have to keep it!

7. Who's work - in your genre - do you envy? I like decorative, high quality soy candles and you don’t see a lot of people who venture outside of the norm (jelly and mason jars). I do have an Etsy West Michigan teammate, sweetsurrendercandle, who has a nice product line and does incredibly well on EBay.

Suzanne, thank you for participating!! Make sure you grab your button and tell your friends! Readers, be sure to check out Suzanne's shop - she's got some awesome deals going on!! Also be sure to stop by her blogs and show some love:

Bliss Soybean Candles

Must Love Etsy

Opinions please..........

I still haven't finished retaking the photographs of all my pieces but I want to get your opinion. I've added a poll to my sidebar so please - weigh in!!!

Here are a few of the new:



And here are the corresponding pieces in the original photos:



If you're undecided or like some old/some new, please leave me a comment!

Thanks!

And the winner is.........

......Becca over at Becca's Beckyard!! Becca, you have five days to respond the the email I sent or I'll have to move down the list.

Again, I'm overwhelmed with the number of responses - 166!! Thank you all so much for taking the time out of your day to visit and comment. And thank you for sharing a little bit of your lives with me...I hope this isn't the last I'll see of you!!

What's goin on...

Just in time for the end of my contest, Pennies In My Pocket will be hosting a giveaway beginning tomorrow, October 21st! Hop on over to enter - good luck!!

Holly over at Silver Rose has a weekly song lyric contest....not sure what day of the week but visit often and you won't miss it!!

And it the world of Bonhomie, following up with my photography post, I found some time this weekend to begin retaking photos of my jewelry. I made the light box but still ended up editing my photos. I think it's my camera. I realize that I hate taking pictures of my jewelry. When I become wildly successful, I'm going to pay someone else to do it!! I also started working on a portfolio book of my work. I went with MixBook.........they seemed to offer the most options for design control and goodness knows I must be in control!!

Tomorrow is the cut-off date for my giveaway. At 4:01pm tomorrow, we'll know the identity of the lucky winner!! I'm so pleased with all the responses........thank you all so much for your wonderful and supportive comments!! Keep 'em comin', there's still time!!

Sunday Support for Beautiful Women...

I'm the mother of a son but I can only imagine how difficult it is to raise a daughter in this day and age. There's so much pressure on young women today - be the best, be the brightest, be beautiful. But by who's standards?? Dove is making a difference by providing self-esteem workshops to girls across America.

Visit Dove to find out how you can help. You can get a free "You're Beautiful - Pass it on" T-shirt by purchasing $15.00 worth of Dove Beauty Care products plus S&H. Click here for more details.

It's that time of year.......

Reunions are coming up. I just received an invite to my high school reunion. Twenty years. Hmm.........the thought does not make me happy. If I decide to go (I probably won't but ya never know!) well guess what? You got it! I need something to wear!! Bargain hunting Bonhomie was at it again!

Here's my inspiration outfit:




David Meister Fitted Satin Dress, Saks: $315.00
Badgley Mischka Lana Beaded Clutch, Saks: $465.00
Rene Caovilla Snake Leather Slides, Saks: $1,270.00 (!!!! why are the shoes always more than the whole outfit??)
Outfit total: $2,050.00

And now my alternatives...........





Suzi Chin Sleeveless Pleated-Neck Dress (left), Macys: $168.00
OR
Donna Rico Halter Dress (right), Macys: $158.00
La Regale Beaded Clutch (upper), Macys: $29.95
OR
La Regale Shimmer Snap Top with Beaded Lace Handle, Ebags: $29.00
Trish Evening Sandals (upper right), Bakers: $59.99
OR
Gemma Evening Sandals (lower left), Bakers: $69.95
Outfit total: approximately $255.00

I do admit that the 'bargain' dresses don't look as classy or elegant as the designer dress but I think it has more to do with the models and presentation than the dresses themselves. I believe I would combine the pleated neck dress, the beaded clutch and the Gemma sandals.

Now what in heavens name would I do for a wrap or coat??? Suggestions??

Artist Confessions: Amber of Ambermaida

It's time to reveal the secrets of the first feature artist who, by coincidence, is also a 'neighbor'!! I'd like to thank Amber for participating.......make sure you grab your button and tell your friends, Amber!

Amber's got some seriously cool artwork on etsy. Now let's see what she has to say........

1. Your Name: Amber

2. Shop Name: ambermaida

3. Anyplace else your products can be seen? www.ambermaida.com ; www.myspace.com/ambermaida and in galleries throughout CT, VT, NYC and England.

4. Tell us one thing - as it relates to your craft - that would be surprising. I am an award winning choreographer as well as an international artist that fuses the love of the visual and performing arts. I am also a NYS Licenced Massage Therapist. All of these elements get fused together at about 6am: picture a big cup of java, Bowie music playing, dancing with the canvas in my pajamas oscillating the canvas, pouring painting, "massaging" the colors and textures with my hands and brushes... ultimately creating a royal mess!!!

5. What's your favorite item? Fragmented Urbanism- it reflects my love of the city, especially Manhattan! What's your least favorite item? Heart Why? It was a theraputic creation, my family suffers from heart trouble and it reminds me of that. i try to give it a positive light though, I'm thankful for every day with my family and cherish my relationships with them all. It's a reminder of how strong our love is.

6. Tell us about the mistakes you've made that have turned out well. I recently was going through some of my older paintings to organize my studio space a bit and held them up very close to my face while transporting them, realizing that they were much more interesting up close, way up close to the point of seeing a small section of canvas and the rest disappears... i tore a section of the canvas off on a whim after seeing this because it was like a little world within the larger painting. When i glanced back at the canvas with the missing section i felt as if i ruined it. A few more days passed and i kept glancing at the small little world realizing that it was ok and was meant to happen for some reason. i am now in the process of removing more of these "little worlds" and plan to mount them on matt board, possibly frame them to draw the attention to the areas that i felt were the most special of the old paintings. I always work spontaneously and intuitively, this just fortified my trust in that.

7. Who's work - in your genre - do you envy? Envy is a strong word... i prefer admire. i admire artists who explore, dream, tell stories and simply must create! To add to this, just a bit: David Bowie- he's amazing! Painting, musician, singer/songwriter- he makes me feel it's ok to do many things and that they all can be great, not just good. Anselm Keifer- i love his work and the freedom of creation that he has, there are no limits for him in size of the art, subject matter, depth of thought- brilliant!

Thank you for this opportunity to share my art with you and your blog readers!

Be sure to show Amber some love and check out her etsy shop!

Photographing your work.....

Since I'm diving into the world of craft fairs (and hopefully jewelry shows!) I'm looking into a photo book of my work. I know I'll never have the kind of inventory others do - at least not until my son's in school - but I want to give buyers something to look at. Initially I thought of Shutterfly, Kodak or Snapfish but I was reading some reviews on Mixbook, LuLu, Blurb and Bookemon. Anyone else have a photo book or catalog? I'd be interested in hearing other's experiences with different vendors.

So I began browsing through my etsy photos and realized two things: 1) I got lucky with my earlier photos and 2) I need to retake a lot of photos. I began photographing my work with a Nikon Coolpix 4100. It's great for macro closeups but not so great with quickly moving toddlers. That camera bit the bullet when someone got it wet (okay, it was me) so I replaced it with a Canon PowerShot SD750. This camera ROCKS for kid photos and scenic shots. However, my point-and-shoot days for the jewelry are over and I'm going to have to make more of an effort. I found this tutorial from Vadjutka over on etsy about photographing jewelry and I found this tutorial from Strobist on setting up a homemade light box. When I find a couple of hours free, I'm gonna get to work!

Is it just me???

Fellow crafters and artisans, help me out here. I was a bit down in the dumps today and I realized it was because I hadn't created anything in what felt like ages! Not for lack of ideas but for lack of stash. I just sold my soul to our oil company so I'd been holding off on my supply order. Today I bit the bullet because I've got (my first!!) craft shows coming up. Here's my issue........

I LITERALLY spend hours trying to place my orders. Yes, orders. As I previously inferred, we're pretty rural out here which really limits my instant gratification satisfaction. Supplies must be ordered online. But. I can never find one online source for all my supplies. Of course, I have a compulsive need to find the best deals and get the most bang for my oh-so-limited buck (who doesn't nowadays??) so impulse shopping has become a distant memory. Why, oh, why can't I find everything I need with one vendor?? Rio came close. Sorta. I suppose it will get easier as I'm able to really increase my stock but seriously? Two hours to order supplies??? From three different places? There must be something wrong with me.

So you tell me - which vendor is my best option? Is there someone, somewhere that I don't know about?

Hopefully all my goodies will arrive soon so be on the lookout for new stuff. Yay, me!

a funny thing happened..........

I'll begin by posting a picture of my beautiful family. You'll understand why after you've read the post.

Here we are - my wonderful hubby, beautiful son and me - in all of our multicultural goodness. My husband is German, Irish and Lithuanian. I'm African-American, American Indian, Scottish, Irish, Italian and a little bit rock n' roll. My son has blond hair and blue eyes. So....

After a rather uneventful shopping excursion in Walmart, my son - my two year old son and all that two-years-old encompasses - decided he didn't want to leave the store. This was his biggest fit yet. I'd nominate him for an Academy Award but I don't know how. After bribery and threats were unsuccessful, I began to drag him back to the car all the while attempting the "boys-will-be-boys-and-he's-TWO" look of horror and embarrassment serenity. He threw himself down in the parking lot so I picked him up to carry him the rest of the way. He weighs 45 pounds. So of course he tries to throw himself out of my arms. By the time we get to the car, I'm carrying him like a sack of potatoes, he's screaming and I'm silently vowing to never bring him out of the house again. And then........

On the way to car, we passed an older woman with whom I'm assuming is her adult daughter. As my son lies prone between the cars while I try to unlock the door I hear "We just wanted to tell you how adorable your son is!" Hmmm........come again? And there they are. They backtracked to tell me that this psuedo-monster in the throws of this movie-caliber tantrum is cute? Ladies, if you see another woman alone struggling with her child do you walk over and make chit-chat? No, you do not. And they proceeded to stand there, attempting to talk to him and asking him what.color.his.eyes.were the ENTIRE time I was trying to load him in the car. Now, I always knew this was going to happen........they thought I was stealing this child!! On the one hand, I was glad to see someone showing concern..........God forbid someone actually took my child. On the other hand...well, you can fill in the blanks. I'm sure you can figure out some mighty creative "other hands"!

Like I said, I always knew it would happen. If you're from the beautiful Northwest Hills of Connecticut, you know that the majority of the area is not so multicultural. Boy am I gonna have some stories to tell this kid when he grows up! ;-)

What's going on...........

Tip Junkie is hosting a "Mom-Prenuer Shop-a-thon"! Many talented moms have gotten together to make your holiday shopping easier. From Art Prints to Vintages item, they've got it all. So support the moms who are supporting their families and check out the wares!

I found a tip over at Party in Pink to create your very own "Peace Canvas" ala Pottery Barn without the hefty price tag. This woman is incredibly crafty so be sure to check out her other posts as well!

Sunday Support for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

We all know that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. If we don't know, we should. But what to do about it? Here are a few easy ways to show your support:

Target is offering pink products to support the fight against breast cancer. For instance, Dyson is donating $10.00 of each hand vac purchase to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Shark is donating $1.00 of each purchase to Breastcancer.org and Metrokan is donating 2% of each purchase to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Many of these products - and more - are available online as well as in the store.

Many etsians, myself included, are offering products for sale to show your support and are donating proceeds towards this worthy cause. A portion of the proceeds from my Breast Cancer Support Pendants will go to either:

Susan G. Komen for the Cure;
Father Michael J. McGivney Center for Cancer Care; or
Dragon Boat Charleston

Search etsy for "think pink" or "breast cancer". When you're shopping at the grocery store, look for the pink ribbon. Please do what you can to support the treatment, management or search for the cure!

Fall is approaching..........

...and I need a new wardrobe! Believe it or not, jewelry is not my only obsession. I spend a lot of time contemplating my 'look' for upcoming seasons. You may think me vain but it's tough being a woman! I've seen plenty that works for me this season but I'm not certain my pocketbook - or my husband - would agree. For instance, here's an outfit I really like:

Shall-collar sweater jacket, Banana Republic: $130.00
Jessica Simpson "Kiss" Boots, Piperlime: $198.00
Fendi Selleria Hobo bag, eLuxury: $1,460.00
Outfit total: $1,788.00

Fortunately for me, I've found some alternatives:



Second set:

It's Our Time Flyaway Sweater, Kohl's: $21.60
Docker's Artsy Boots, Kohl's: $48.99
Candie's Twist Hobo bag, Kohl's: $28.80
Outfit total: $99.39

Third set:

SO Cropped Cable Knit Cardigan, Kohl's: $18.00
Merona Kathy Riding Boots, Target: $36.99
Xhilaration Black Washed Slouchy Hobo, Target: $24.99
Outfit total: $79.98

Savings: approximately $1,600
Husband's sigh of relief: priceless.

Not bad, huh!

True Confessions.........

I'd like to jump on the bandwagon and begin featuring other artists on my blog. However, in an effort - hopefully successful - to stand out from the pack, my questions are a bit more revealing.

I'd never ask others to put themselves out there if I'm not willing to do the same so here's a preview of what I hope will be a fun and lively weekly occurrence.

If you'd like to "confess" you can find instructions here.

1. Your Name: Kirstie

2. Shop Name: Bonhomie Jewelry on Etsy

3. Anyplace else your products be seen? I have a MySpace Page and a Facebook Business Page.

4. Tell us one thing - as it relates to your craft - that would be surprising. Since I don't have any formal art or design training, none of my pieces actually look like what I intended. Some are aren't even close to the original idea!

5. What's your favorite item? What's your least favorite item? Why? My favorite item right now would have to be my Sunrise Sunset ring. It's not what I intended but I love the colors, the free form and the organic feel. My least favorite is my Fine Silver Pendant with Colored Stones. The colors just aren't bold enough for me.


6. Tell us about the mistakes you've made that have turned out well. The Message Pendant was intended to be an ID bracelet for a friend. Because I torch fire and don't use a kiln, I wasn't able to retain the gentle curve necessary for a bracelet like that. I made my friend another piece but I didn't want to just scrap what I'd already made. I turned it into a pendant, gave it to her and she ended up ordering one just like it for her mother!

7. Who's work - in your genre - do you envy? I love JenKahn's stuff. She has such a hand....I didn't realize she worked with metal clay until I read her profile! I'd like to be her when I grow up ;-)