Saturday, September 29, 2012

Signposts and Guides for the Creative Life

"I can't imagine having a hobby." said Yolo.  " I can't either." said Kate.  "Everything I do I want to be essential."  Alice Walker in Now Is the Time to Open Your Heart

"Hobby" is defined as something a person does for pleasure, not as his main business.  It's an interesting word to consider.   On the one hand, to do something that you love, that gives you such delight that you'd do it whether or not you got paid, is an engagement that is to be envied!  How lucky we are to find such a pursuit!  And yet, it is sometimes used as an epithet; at the very least it makes the person whose work has been described as a hobby feel defensive.  We want to put space between our passion and that label.

I remember being at a women's event one evening where we were asked to introduce ourselves by telling one thing that we loved to do.  It was before I'd discovered painting for myself and I think I lamely said that I loved to read.  Further down the table another woman described some activity that she was involved in - some kind of creating.  She said that time stopped for her; she lost track altogether. She forgot to eat.  That caught my attention.  I never forgot to eat!  I'd never gotten so engrossed in what I was doing that I didn't miss food.  I might not be able to stop what I was doing but it wasn't that I forgot about it, that my hunger didn't make itself very apparent.

On occasion, I now know what she was talking about.  I can become totally absorbed in my work on a painting.  Not always, but sometimes.

And yet, I fall into the definition of having a hobby.  I do not earn my living with my painting.  I couldn't even if I tried;  I'm not at that level of accomplishment.   But I take my work seriously.  It is part of myself that I share with others, that sometimes speaks to others.  It is totally essential to being who I am at this point in time.  In that sense, it is my business.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Where To Find The Hudson Valley Etsy Team This Weekend

This weekend we're moving South like the birds!

Anjali Creations will be at Woodbury Fall ARTS Fest at Cooper Street & Railroad Avenue in Woodbury, NJ, on Saturday, September 29, from 11AM-6PM.
Anjali Creations
Yours truly, Meerwiibli by Sarah-Maria, will be at the Artisan Market on the DeKalb Avenue side of Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn, NY on Saturday, September 29, from 9AM-6PM.
Meerwiibli by Sarah-Maria



Happy shopping!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Inspiration Wednesday - Teal Tones

teal tones
Design-Seeds - Teal Tones
Okay, yikes. Whatever was I thinking when I picked all teal?
I actually had a difficult time with this color palette. Silly right?
Here is the piece I made:

Porcelain from MarshaNealStudio

Pretty little brass bows are hand wire wrapped to these beautiful handmade porcelain diamonds. 
They look like presents don't they?

Here is the palette I will be working with over the next week:
feathered autumn
Feathered Autumn

Here are some items from the Hudson Valley Etsy Team for inspiration:

Lime Green Owl on Brown Embossed Tissue Cozy
FELTITNYC
Stoneware vase: warm brown clay with matte turquoise and  shiny yellow-green glazes
Ceruleanblue


Make an item or choose materials inspired by the palette and write a blog post about it, post the item for sale, or post the item on your website. Add the link to your blog post, shop or website in the comments next week, to be featured as part of next weeks post please e-mail me at formysweetdaughter(at)me(dot)com before 6pm next Tuesday night.
The only rule is that if you use the Design-Seeds palette you must link directly to Design-Seeds.com.
Have fun and I can't wait to see what you make!

~Shannon


Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Treasury Tuesday - September 25

Treasuries are a great way to check out many of our items at once. Visit our September thread on Etsy to check out more and leave comments.

'Autumn in the Valley' by mystichintime

100% Hudson Valley New York Etsy Team

Apples & Spice Handmade Soap - ComfortandJoySoapCoApples & Spice Handmade...
$5.50
Burgundy alpaca Shawl Wrap with spider web lace - MollysPurlBurgundy alpaca Shawl W...
$300.00
RESERVED 4 Huge Safety Pins, Extra Large Safety Pins, Industrial Assemblage Supplies, Vintage Supplies, Steampunk,  4" Long - YesterdaysSilhouetteRESERVED 4 Huge Safety ...
$14.00
Destash Fabric Upholstery Samples Various Stripes and Patterns - RobinsArtAndDesignDestash Fabric Upholste...
$19.50
celery green with cream wool knit hat - beaconknitscelery green with cream...
$33.00
Vibrant Sake Cups- Set of 4 - LandMstudioVibrant Sake Cups- Set ...
$80.00
RAPUNZEL Hand Dyed Yarn (Eco Friendly) Alpaca and Silk Lace Weight Yellow - spinningmulefibersRAPUNZEL Hand Dyed Yarn...
$32.00
Signed Print of Original Mixed Media Artwork "The Early Promise" - digiliodesignsSigned Print of Origina...
$20.00
Fall Autumn Fashion - Knitting Pattern - Rococo Shawl / Wrap by Elena Rosenberg - PDF Electronic Delivery - AtelierTPKFall Autumn Fashion - K...
$8.00
fishy fish Cereal Bowl- "barbichette" - MilestoneDecalArtfishy fish Cereal Bowl-...
$26.00
Medium Cotton Zipper Pouch - Floral Sampler in Mini Squares - handjstarcreationsMedium Cotton Zipper Po...
$11.00
16 in. Square Throw Pillow - Spring Green with Modern Grid print in white ink - wickedmint16 in. Square Throw Pil...
$36.00
Destash - assorted beads - UnnamedRoadDestash - assorted bead...
$12.00
Paper Bag Tote Bag - HuzzahHandmadePaper Bag Tote Bag
$46.00
Karmabee Elephant Prayer Flag - karmabeeKarmabee Elephant Praye...
$25.00
Green and Orange Mod Floral "J" Tooth Fairy Pillow - FELTITNYCGreen and Orange Mod Fl...
$15.00

'Creature Love' by geminiriverrocks

For the love of the little creatures in our lives, imaginative, or real!

Signed Print of Original Mixed Media Artwork "Love from Afar" - digiliodesignsSigned Print of Origina...
$20.00
Orange Dragonfly Fused Glass Pendant  000811 - GetGlassyOrange Dragonfly Fused ...
$22.00
Japanese Bobtail Cat Original Oil Painting - aStudiobytheSeaJapanese Bobtail Cat Or...
$125.00
Shelf Sitter Monster Sculpture N.2 OOAK Collectible Art Doll - knotbygranmaShelf Sitter Monster Sc...
$160.00
Cat Face ID Badge Eyeglass Magnetic Lanyard - TinksTreasureCat Face ID Badge Eyegl...
$24.00
Monkey notecards, set of 10 - karmabeeMonkey notecards, set o...
$20.00
Royal Blue Braided Cord Bracelet with Peace Symbol, Peace Dove, and Capri Blue Swarovski Crystal - anjalicreationsRoyal Blue Braided Cord...
$14.00
Guardian Cat - RoArtGuardian Cat
$30.00
Large Cotton Zipper Pouch Toiletery Bag Cosmetic Pouch - Pink Flamingos - handjstarcreationsLarge Cotton Zipper Pou...
$15.00
Letterpress Neon Owl Calendar - WishboneLetterpressLetterpress Neon Owl Ca...
$8.00
Butterfly and Purple Glass Earrings - ForMySweetDaughterButterfly and Purple Gl...
$42.00
Cut Paper Arabian Horse Silhouette Paper Art - arwendesignsCut Paper Arabian Horse...
$20.00
Blotto Birds - hand knitted by Baby Chix. - theKnitChixBlotto Birds - hand kni...
$30.00
Ozzy - DrusillaOzzy
$3.00
Peacock Pendant and Swarovski Crystal Necklace - emkpainterPeacock Pendant and Swa...
$40.00
Felted Wool Dog Coat in Gray with Cables and Red Trim - HuzzahHandmadeFelted Wool Dog Coat in...
$45.00

'misty dreams' by betsybdesign


Linen Mouse Doll with Removable Hand Knit Purple Dress - mimiandluLinen Mouse Doll with R...
$35.00
Handmade Charcoal Soap Activated Charcoal - ComfortandJoySoapCoHandmade Charcoal Soap ...
$5.50
Infinity Scarf Knitting Pattern - Snood Loop - Bridget Cowl - PDF Tutorial - AtelierTPKInfinity Scarf Knitting...
$6.50
Black Chrysanthemum Flower Earrings - Gothic - pulpsushiBlack Chrysanthemum Flo...
$10.00
Art Deco Hoop Earrings, Vintage Inspired Silver - merryalchemyArt Deco Hoop Earrings,...
$26.00
RARE Antique Scissors By R H Macy & Co. (Macy's), Vintage Scissors with Bottle Opener and Nut Cracker, Collectible Shabby Chic Home Decor - YesterdaysSilhouetteRARE Antique Scissors B...
$64.00
Historic Olympia Washington Ceramic Tile Mural- Unique Kitchen Backsplash and Bath Tile - MilestoneDecalArtHistoric Olympia Washin...
$230.00
Large sculptural planter - LandMstudioLarge sculptural plante...
$80.00
Barefoot Running Socks for winter huaraches boiled felted wool - MollysPurlBarefoot Running Socks ...
$75.00
meerwiibli little gray felt leia hat FREE SHIPPING - meerwiiblimeerwiibli little gray ...
$68.00
Mixed Metal Alex Necklace - UnnamedRoadMixed Metal Alex Neckla...
$12.00
Rocketman DK Weight Hand Spun Alpaca Yarn 203 Yards - sunriselodgefiberstuRocketman DK Weight Han...
$31.00
2 Natural Pyrite Cubes from Spain, Fool's Gold, Crystal for Wire Wrapping, Jewelry Supplies, Metaphysical Reiki Healing, New Age - DumbBunnyDesigns2 Natural Pyrite Cubes ...
$3.75
Laundry Starter Kit with laundry soap and wool dryer balls - BeyondThePicketFenceLaundry Starter Kit wit...
$18.00
Crow Raven Black Bird Primitive Folk Art Soft Sculpture - digiliodesignsCrow Raven Black Bird P...
$45.00
Girls Leg Warmers - Crochet Leg Warmers - Toddler Leg Warmers - Custom -  Legwarmers - Made to Order - MyStitchInTimeGirls Leg Warmers - Cro...
$15.00