With Love from ArEtsy

I got a treasury!

So check it out, i'll be swapping out goodies from all the aretsy shops as the time passes. ^-^




Ooh! I got featured in a treasury!


Such pretty copper things.

Resizing your photographs for etsy- a small tutorial

There was a question posed in the forums today about how to get the right size photo to upload for etsy. Basically from a larger image.

So I thought I'd share my reply since I know that when I got my new camera I encountered this problem. (That thing takes some HUGE pictures) It's made editing a bit faster since I don't even have to go through the process of cropping anymore.

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What I've done is to take and make a 1000x1000 pixel document in photoshop. Then when I take photos of items I just add a layer on top of that square and size it down.

Um, let me try to explain that better.

1000x1000 pxl document in photoshop, just a blank canvas.
*open picture to adjust*
Ctrl-A- to select the whole picture I'm trying to adjust to size.
Ctrl-C- to copy the image
*back to the blank canvas*
Ctrl-V- to paste the image to the blank canvas. (will create a new layer on its own unless your starting from the background or base layer. I tend to make a new layer when I first open the blank canvas square)
Move tool- to slide the picture around a little bit
Click twice while moving or go to an edged to scale down and it will change the tool to free transform

Then just scale to the right size for the square. Sometimes I crop the image by not using all of the picture and just scaling it to where I want, and sometimes I have to make the picture smaller than the square to do a rectangle. But overall it just scales your image. That way if you have one that can't be cropped because the item is all the way out to the sides, you don't have to.

Plus it means that all my thumbnails are square. (unless its one of the rectangle smaller ones of course, but even then you still see the whole picture in the square thumbnail alotment)


Hope that made sense. It's worked out easy for me. Of course I'm also using a camera that takes extra large photos, so it may depend on your actual picture size.

Best thing I can say is just to play with it!

Ah Spring

I've been feeling a bit more like I want to get out and plant some things, but I know it will have to wait a while. The weather here is a mess. ^-^ Today it was in the 70's but by the end of the week it promises to be chilly again. Who knows.

In the spirit of spring I felt like making a new banner for my shop. Its the same as the one above us here, and its a bit on the different side. But it's fresh and I like that.


Plus I've been going the spring route with the new jewelry pieces I've been making.

Heres a sampling. ^-~


This last piece I've been trying to figure out how to finish off. It's made to be worn with a ribbon or something but I just haven't found the right set up for it yet. Same theme though.




And as for the rest of my crafting....I've got a poppet in the works (the dolls) but I just haven't had the time to clean out my machine before I can start. Felting wise I've kind of hit a stand still. Partially because I've been so wrapped up in the moving out of my husband. (Not a bad thing 0-0, he's just working for a bit in the area were going to be moving to soon. Getting things set up as it were.)

Oh and I've been itching to pick up spinning. So with the profits of the last few sales, I'm buying a small drop spindle to try it out. I've got a stash of roving so I can start with that. It just looks like too much fun!

Anywho, off to bed now, sleepy sleepy and all that.

A very merry Unbirthday to me ^-^

To me.


When the treasury box popped up it's all I could think of. *laughs* We saw the movie the other day and my boys loved it. I on the other hand, have the song running through my head. Hooray for songs that loop really easy. ^-~

So heres a list for friends and family....I love these things. ^-^
Ya know, since my b-days in March




I ended up picking things from my favorites that were almost all black and white. Mmmm I love that color combo.

On that same color scheme I posted a new series in my shop. Quirky Quotations.


They will be odd things I think up and put on pins or patches to wear. Plus mustache designs as well. I mean they are just fun ^-^ So keep an eye out for them.

Happy Holidays!

Here at my house, the tree is trimmed, the fireplace is warm...even though we've now fixed the heater (little happy dance here) and yummy smells are wafting out of the oven.

Ahh Christmas.

I snagged a treasury this morning,
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=20156



Well back to baking ^-^ Hope you all are having a safe and happy holiday!

Squee!

Oh My. My mailbox just got overloaded. ^-^

Poor Johnny, our mailman, he was sticking them in the best he could and still had to stack a couple of things on the ledge. *laughs*

So quite a few of the funky fun items I ordered got here today! Now I'm waiting for the next wave. I've found most of my gifts on Etsy this year and couldn't be happier.

Now if I could just finish the ones I'm making....then get them all wrapped. O-o

Oh and I got a great freebie in one! Some wild roving and a big group of cupons for etsy sellers in a team! I know some folks get frustrated with all that extra in their package and just want what they ordered....but I couldn't be happier. ***AaaaahChoo!*** Now If I could just get rid of these sniffles. ^-^

I need a hot bath

Really. Please? What if I bat my eyes and pout my lip? Later you say....I can handle that. ^-^

I snagged a treasury this morning and since a nice warm soak is on my mind...I went with that as a theme.

After the Rush.


Any of these yummy treats for the senses would be welcome in my home. Purr....

I've still been killing my sewing machine, so no new pics yet of anything for the shop. But I am going to try to photograph one or two of the items to share.

Oh and Mimi's new friend Jess. Shes a little bit voodoo and a little bit punk. ^-~

A little bit new necklace

I love adding an old piece of jewelry to a new one. Something about finding a discarded item at a yard-sale,estate sale, or even a thrift store and then giving it new life makes me smile.

I've got a box of broken pieces of jewelery, or things that were considered outdated, or perhaps just not made for that person. The other day a dig through the box brought inspiration. A pair of old clip on earrings and one broken broach soon became a necklace fit for any steampunk/newvictorian garb.



It's fall, its warm and inviting, and yes while I know its winter where most of us are, lingering leaves still remind me of the warm weather that was just a week ago.

No seriously a week ago. Can I have that back please?! Bitter wind and I don't get along. ^-~



*Ps. The model here is the lone pumpkin that has been hanging around since before Halloween. He's just enjoying the view from my porch I suppose. He was lucky, or unlucky how ever you look at it, enough to have escaped my carving excitement and has held a firm standing against the weather and cats. And kids and squirrels and what not. Anywho, he's here to stay 'till he feels like it!*

**Pss. I updated the Mimi post with her picture, so if you want to see what the little scamp looks like, scroll on down ^-^**

A homemade holiday

Well sorta.

I have quite a few gifts I'm working on...er towards. I always find couples gifts hard. You either buy something for each of them, or do a combined gift. Then who gets to open it? What if one half likes it and the other doesn't. Blah. Oh well, still making them.

Wha? you want to know what I'm making? Tough cookie. I'm not showing til after i gift them ^-^ Because...well I've shared my etsy shop with my family *Who doesn't!* and as I have my blog posted there, I would bet they'd saunter over here. So with the off chance I'd spoil the surprise...I'll be keeping those secrets.

Though believe me, I'll be posting a large post when the gifts reach their homes. ^-~


Oh and on the other secret hand...I've got a project that I'm testing out right now that might just spur a new product! I can't wait to see if it turns out ^-^ *giggles with glee*

With that, I'm off and running toward what looks to be my cowering sewing machine ^-~

Treasury time!

I waited for a treasury today. I popped in to check them out and it was only a few from batch time. So I hung out a bit. Was sure it would crash as there were 410 people watching, but it didn't!

Wasn't really sure what I wanted to make this one about, but ended up typing in Sage and Satin. Satin being for a creamy color as I didn't really think Sage and Cream sounded as nice.

So heres what I came up with.

Boy was cream/satin ever hard to come up with. Mostly body lotions. Which are not always the prettiest photos. Nothing against them, but after 40 or so tops of cream containers....I was out.

Oh and I left the alternates open so you could see what might pop in if someone gets an item purchased. *crosses fingers for folks* Plus its not fair if they don't, then they are just sitting there. -_-

I think it turned out pretty. Hopefully front page material. I think that would just be so cool, to pop open etsy and find my treasury on the front. Shoot or to find myself on the front! I think I'd just keel over. *chuckles*

Got a Treasury!

Named it Let it Snow. I had left a window open to the treasury but had forgotten when to check. Then on my way back through my tabs I noticed the box. So I typed as fast as I could ^-^ Didn't have a hard time finding beautiful items related to snow. Snowflakes have always amazed me. Each one is different and the thought that every one I've touched had a separate life from its brethren makes me smile.

Hope you enjoy my treasury. Heres to crossing fingers it makes the front page!

Our holiday trip

We spent the Thanksgiving holiday at Hubb's parents house. They live way out in the country so the trip is always a pretty one.

There are three trees clumped together that I love to pass under. They make me smile and I call them the sisters. I can just picture them gossiping as they are along one of the main roads. I'm sure they've seen it all.

I've always wanted to photograph them, but we usually have two sleepy boys in the back seat. This time I got lucky as they were in a good mood.

I shot them in both color and sepia. I love the sepia treatment on them, Hubb loves the color. Either way they turned out fun.

Heres the shot I listed as a print. I haven't decided the number of prints I'll make but it will be a limited edition.


*Copyright 2007 Brandy R.*


I wanted the shot to look like an old photo. Something found in a barn where it was stored for years. Perhaps it was in a fire. Who knows, all anyone really knows is that it tells a story. I love story shots. ^-~

Listing like crazy

Just wish I was still creating like crazy! Or at least for you guys. I've been making Christmas gifts for the past few days.

Heres a couple of the things I listed in the past couple of days.

Spiraling...into Christmas

Over the holiday I got the chance to craft a little. Spending time in an area with little to no internet is conducive to crafting. ^-~ I made a group of rings, as well as two new necklaces. I also got a little felting time in, though I won't be selling the first piece and the second is still in production. *Crossing my fingers it turns out like I want it too*

Heres the first necklace I listed.

I'll be listing the rings and the other necklace throughout the weekend. Trying to stretch some things out over time, so I can hopefully get some exposure. ^-^


Oh and heres the first felted piece.

Its the size of an Artist Trading Card, but I don't know that I'll ever really trade it.

Updated my banner!

Finally got around to doing something other than tossing a bunch of funky brushes on top of a blue background and made myself a new banner.

It helped starting out with the right size, lol. I did my first one by making my design and then sizing it....not so great. It worked, but wasn't exactly easy. ^-^

So heres the old......

And heres the new! I wanted a splash of color that didn't compete with my jewelry backgrounds.





I like it, tell me what you think? My new avatar is just the swirly/ekio art text on the end. Simple and easy to read. Though since it isn't a sample of my work I don't know that it will draw people in. I guess we will just have to see. ^-^

Now to spiff up this page................^-~

Squee!

Sheena (My mother) is engaged!

She called me just a few min ago to pop the news. Shes giddy and its so cute. ^-^ She's been married twice before, but neither worked out. She and my Dad were too young and didn't really know what they wanted. My step-dad was......well I don't really know....0-o,I'm just glad ....Just....glad.

She recently met a guy who she probably wouldn't have thrown a second glance to if he hadn't been a friend of a friend. Not that he isn't a good looking guy, he's just a red head and Sheena's never really looked at many red heads. Ya know, you just get those things in your head sometimes.

They got introduced and hit it off from the start. They've been hard to separate since. Well apparently Friday night he gave her a ring. He said, "It's not 'the' ring because that ones still being made, but I wanted you to have a ring." She said its very nice and if its not as pretty as the one thats being made, then that one must be gorgeous!

My sis and Hubb are the two not quite as thrilled about it right now. Princess (sis) was dating a guy who's my age (she's 18) and Sheena told her to stop dating him. Now Princess is angry at Sheena because NewMan is younger than Sheena. Not a ton younger, but enough that it makes Princess mad. Pfft! Get over it girly! Two adults with a small age difference is a good bit different than a teen and a twenty-something hooking up. Blah.

Hubb's thing is that he things they are rushing into things. At which time I tug his ear and remind him of how long it took before we decided we were meant to be. *chuckles* Same exact time period.

Had a good laugh about that one too. While talking to her she mentioned that they had decided on a date that they thought was good. Yeah...One day before Hubb and I's anniversary. She said, Oh no! I didn't remember. I said Chill lady! I'ts all good. Go with it! ^-~

Eeee! I can't wait to help plan. I just hope she isn't rushing into things. I know Hubb and I didn't really rush...but sometimes we feel like we did. (Not that we'd do it different, just that we wish we could have taken longer to plan and work things the way we wanted)

Anywho, just thought I'd share. Fixed my sewing machine and have back up needles as well as oil for the machine. Made one of those cute harimaku...harjamakjuju.....muffin top covers....draft stoppers...thingymabobbers. ^-^ Now I want to make a bunch! So cute.

I think I have a sixth sense for the treasury.

I logged on this morning and saw that the treasury was only min away from 222. So I snagged another one ^-^

Lucky for me, my last one expired an hour before the ability to make a new one popped up.

This time my theme was Rust and Teal. A color combo I wear often as its soothing to me.

Hope you enjoy it too!

Logged on at just the right time tonight to snag a treasury. So I went with a color theme. I love to wear tones of brown in fall and so I went in search of yummy looking browns and creams.

I called it Cream and Coffee...I think.....its something like that. ^-^
Above is the screen shot of it. I love these tones together.

Anywho, off to bed, the rest of the week is work and craft work! Christmas craft mostly, but I've also got to crank out a piece for a local art auction or my Mother will kill me, *laughs* Not to mention the guy who's a friend who's running it.

Princess of Procrastination.
Ekioart

My sewing machine's getting a work out!

I've been filled to the brim with ideas from the November craft along from the blog SewMommaSew. So many fun items that will fit most of the gifts I've been pondering. Which is great!

I've been working on scarfs the past two days, and let me tell you, its fun^-^. I spent yesterday afternoon ripping seams out of some of the baby clothes the boys have grown out of that I just hadn't been able to make myself get rid of. Now they are going to be fabric panels in scarfs. He He. And whats better, the grandparents get to see that we didn't just toss those outfits that they purchased with love.

It's also helping me clean out my fabric drawers. Which means soon I'll get to buy some more! *Hubbs not going to like that, lol. but If I'm using it, he'll get over it*

So don't be surprised if I start listing scarfs. I'm having a hard time only making a couple!

Felting!

As I've explored the wide world of crafts on Etsy I've found I have a fondness for felt. I've been reading blogs and checking out crafts with this medium and decided recently I wanted to try it out.

Off on the hunt I went. I found that HL had what I needed to get started so I picked up supplies last week. On Fri night I sat down and started a project. So far its been really fun. I made a flat piece so it's just going to hang out around here for a while, but hopefully soon I'll feel confident enough to share some of my creations. Of course that will mean more supplies.....and more time.

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed right now overall. My youngest got a toy stuck in my unruly hair Sat night and I had to cut it out. Plus I have to get something done for an art auction I said I'd donate to, and I've got an urge to sew. Which only happens at night and during naps as my youngest (Kai) is afraid of the sewing machine. *Sigh*

I suppose I'd better go get to work if I wan't to get anything done! He He.