Craftgossip.com

Craftgossip.com is a new website I found today, it have everything in it for the crafter! I was just checking out felting crafts today, here's a cute pic of round felted balls as a Christmas tree decorations!  Is this super cute or what!  There are also giveaways and tutorials for everything from glass to crocheting to felting! I think I could spend hours on this site!

 Did I mention edible crafts?  They have a section on the cutest gingerbread houses ever.  Cupcake molds, cake pops and cute Christmas baking labels!  I love just looking at all the beautifully photographed pages for inspiration in my own fused glass projects.  Heck, they might get me to try other projects when I have time!

Here is my Fused Glass Pendants on Etsy!

Fused Glass Equestrian Horses! A first!

So after discovering that I am deathly allergic to horses after a very scary encounter in the middle of nowhere on a horse, I believe the only way I can enjoy them is with fused glass.  Well, actually I received a request for a horse in a bottle cap to be exact!  Thinking I would create just one said horse in a bottle cap, I got a little crazy and created a few of our equestrian friends.

This one is a pretty hand painted fused glass horse on a red background is mounted to a Sterling Silver bail.  It has red dichroic accents.  I can easily make this a little bigger to add a name of someone's horse or their name which I think is a pretty cool idea for a personalized piece.

This pretty hand painted fused glass pendant is a personal favorite. I like the abstractness to it, its got such a great flow and movement to it.  It looks like artwork from a distance, but when you really look at it you see the horse's head.  What a cool way to wear Western Equestrian pieces in an elegant way.

How adorable!! The teal blue background on this beautiful hand painted horse head really pops the image!  Not only is it an equestrian head, but it's in a bottle cap and mounted to a Sterling Silver bail.

So there you go!  My cute horses!  Enjoy!  Just click on the links in each of the descriptions to learn more!

My Christmas Tree is Looking at Me...(from the box)

So here I am, on the couch...still.  Why can't I get off the couch and just put the darn tree up? I mean it can't be any easier, it's bought, it's in the house, my adorable husband moved the barrel chair so I can put it up and yet, there it sits.  In it's box, all sad, one branch hanging out, looking at me. Um, yes,  I give emotions to inanimate objects, yes, yes I do.  Take my car for instance.  She is a little cranky to be outside given the current weather situation of snow and driving winds.  She's from Florida for pete's sake (she can't help it!) and her name is Heidi.  Even my husband has adopted this unfortunate trait (not really cool with his mechanic buddies, I must say).  He will be on his way home and calls me saying, "Heidi and I are almost home, we're sick of this snow and we're hungry!"  One time we had this type of conversation while one of his friends was in the car!

Needless to say, this all stem s from my mother and my early years, since we are being truthful here.  She told me my bed was sad and about to cry if I didn't go crawl in it-surely I was having a temper tantrum by this point and she was at her wits end.  With this new brilliant discovery, my mother realized I did have a heart even though I am pretty sure I was a devil child.  Luckily for her, it worked.  Every time.  Brilliant I must say.  But now I am a bit messed up as an adult.  I felt bad (ok, still do) when I sold my trusty Grand Am earlier this year.  I was horrified thinking it was sad and that it felt betrayed by me for selling her when all she did was get a few miles on her, which was of course MY fault, we had lots of good adventures, she tried her best...oh my I need a tissue!

Fused Glass Hearts Make my World Go Round!

So this is one of my absolute favorite fused glass creations.  Its so pretty, so original, heck, even I can't recreate this, even if I tried!!  Plus not to mention the wire necklace is one of the very last ones I can find.  My suppler is no longer carrying them, no amount of whining, pleading or eventually anger swayed this decision unfortunately.  SO, I am lovingly cherishing the last 2 that I have.  Hearts seem to have a special place in my...(ahem) heart.  I love to make them (there I go again with the love references) and each time I lovingly take them out of their box to be displayed for a show they always make me smile.  What can you do you when you go for these kind of sappy things?  Anyway, here is my heart pendant! And a couple others that I love! 

See how cool this is? I mean really?  I am so proud of it!!! lil' darling is right here!

 I adore this one too, so pretty, so rich in color and so smooth.  Its right here!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/IDesignArtStudios
http://www.artfire.com/users/IDesign

Surviving Black Friday, Almost Cyber Monday!

 Well we survived Black Friday, almost got T boned in Joanne Fabrics, don't people realize they can't just zing kiddy corner through the parking lots?  I mean I had to stand in line for 45 minutes to buy some buttons, a self healing mat (splendid buy, by the way!), some glittery red and gold balls for this tree idea I saw at Disney last week and a couple other things.  A super nice lady in front of me peered at my "additional 20% off" and was nice enough to state that it was past noon, therefore it would no longer be valid.  EH?  She then proceeded to pry her friends coupon away from her and gave it to me!!!  She said she didn't invite her to go shopping in the first place!! I bout spit out my gum hearing that comment!! Zing! Getting up at 3:00am was causing delirium to set in. SO, I managed to save $67 and spent $45.  Now THAT makes me happy.  

ANYWAY, my point.  I have two days to have my shop ready for Cyber Monday!! I might even put on a sale!  http://www.etsy.com/shop/IDesignArtStudios
and http://www.artfire.com/users/IDesign

Arfire

Since this is my first blog, you are lucky enough to be my guinea pigs as I try out some new gadgets!  I read my Artfire.com forum about how cool it is to post a rapid cart on your website.  Here goes to trying that out!

My Halloween Black Owl Pendant was included in an Artfire Collection!!

Hi Everyone!  I was thrilled to discover this morning that my cute handmade orange and black fused glass owl was selected for an Artfire Collection!  Check it out!!  My Halloween Black Owl!

Oh man, first blog!

Hi everyone!!! This is my first blog!  Since its fresh on my mind, I want to talk about my artisan shop on Artfire.  For those of you not familiar with Artfire, I will give you a crash course.  Its a very high rated (per google) artisan showplace featuring individual shops set up and maintained by artisans.  Everything cool is there, from jewelry to handmade sweaters to fake tattoos.  It really is pretty fun to explore all the categories.  There are lots of artisan interaction on there too, other artists are really out there to help you. 

Today I put a post on the Chatterbox page (artisan chat room on Artfire) because I needed help in marketing my artfire page.  My page has had a complete overhaul in hopes of bringing more traffic and well, sales.  I did a bunch of market research, redid numerous photos to make them more eye catching, created a variety of price points, tried to market free shipping and a host of other ideas but to no avail.  I was really pleased when the COO of Marketing replied to my post personally and is trying to help me.  I will post my progress!  More to come!

http://www.artfire.com/users/IDesign