Old, New, Nothing Blue

I was going to call this post flashback Friday, but then realized that it is in fact Thursday and that is not nearly as catchy so yeah. Why, you ask? Well, do you recognize the piece there? I wouldn't blame you if you didn't. For one it was nowhere near done when I took the picture and two, I stopped making it like a year ago. This piece was one of my first choker designs. The first one that was not built on an edging. I made it back in 2008 and the instructions for it were published in the Autumn issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry which I blogged about eons ago. I decided to revisit it and likely several other older pieces that would benefit from my current skill level. Meaning I really wasn't all that great then and even though I hope I'll get even better, I'm much more confident now.

Along with the way back machine up there, I also went for something new. I used one of the lapel pins with the ting at the end to tat this new design. I was basically about how many stitches I could fit around the ring and making it all up from there. This is actually the third iteration as I cut out a third layer, then thought I leave it small, then added the second row to the back layer. Funny, now that I look at it in the picture it kinda reminds me of a button. Now I remember there was someone asking for tatting that looked like a button, but who, I have no recollection. Anyway, the lapel pin is listed and the Grand Victorian Daisy choker is finished and will be getting a fresh photo shoot today and get listed as well. I might dig through my archives today and resurrect another piece, but we'll see where the day goes.

One last little piece of news to share. My first online ad is up at HauteMacabre and the lovely ladies who run the site give a brief feature to their advertisers. So that means my work was also featured there yesterday evening. So go check out the feature. The ad is toward the bottom right side and you really don't need to check that out as you're already here. The feature doubled my views for yesterday and it wasn't up until like five or something. I also received a few new twitter followers from the exposure and hopefully between that and the print ad in Coilhouse, a copy of which I have just been informed I should be getting soon so I'll post the ad page page it gets here, I should see a bit of new business. Boy all this tatting business was easier before it was a business and I actually needed the income. I'm still supremely lucky to stay home with my girls and make lace for a living, supremely lucky.

How Was Your Weekend?

The weekends have been getting...odd around here lately. Last weekend saw a huge surge of sales, well huge for me anyway, because of a inclusion in the stylehive newsletter. I spent the better part of the week making up ankle corsets and whatnot. This past weekend was much quieter until Sunday. I spend a good portion of my weekend offline with my family, so I only check in for any length of time during the kids naps. This weekend the surprise was first a google alert for an article at TrendHunter. Nope, I'd not heard of the site either, which makes the write up a little sweeter. At last check the article has over 1800 views and is currently featured and apparently the #4 hot item in the last 24 hours.. Though that only seems to have translated into store views from the site, it's still pretty cool.

Then a little later in the afternoon, I got a message over at etsy from a magazine writer informing me that one of my masks was going to be featured in their next issue. She requested some hi-res images of my Babe With The Power mask. I sent them off poste haste and I will reveal said magazine when and if it should actually come to pass. I will say it is a fashion magazine that I only heard of recently through twitter. This of course doesn't mean a thing as I am generally fashion illiterate.

One more little thing from the weekend, well Friday really, but anyway. I have been inpired by Haute Macabre posts before, they posted the pictures of the lace stilletto that led to my ankle corsets. Again they post and I... recreate. This time it was a post featuring shoe jewelry. These were pieces made of chainmail or leather bands attached by chains to be worn with heels. Of course I saw them with straps of tatting connected with chains and I completed the first prototype this weekend as well. I am having problems with chain length and making the piece adjustable. Though I'm thinking that perhaps it would be better ta add the chain after requesting customer measurments. I'm also aware that these are going to require excellent walking skills to avoid sngging the chains, but I assume that if you're probably not going to be wearing heels hiking or anything anyway. I will most likely be selling this pair at a prototype price very soon as I work on a refined piece.