Behind the scenes...studio

What's going on behind the scenes at the PopkoShop?

Make, make, make...This is my main studio table in the middle of the room. See that nice moroccan inspried board? I jigsawed that for myself. I use several boards like this to work on, and it makes it easier to move things around the studio.
I love when I can take photos of multiples. These are my real butterfly wing necklaces. I found a new wing to use this week, its black and white and has really delicate lines. I'm always happy to have something new happen. If you look carefully, you can see that I sign/etch everyone of them on the back. My dad always says "sign your work!!!!". He's also been known to date everything. We had a banana with a date on it once. Our toothbrushes use to be scribed with our names. He has batteries that say 1983 on them. He dates his sharpee markers with other sharpee markers. (Im getting off topic, but really, he's just so entertaining.)

make, make, make...SHIP!

New Glass Necklaces!

Today I am so thrilled to debut my colorful drops of glass and fun new ball chain necklaces! They seem to wiggle and move, and have more body than the sterling silver chains- which make them fun to photograph!
I haven't been focusing on the glass aspect of my business for a while, only because I have had some pretty big orders coming my way (well big for me!) in the butterfly jewelry department. I've got wholesale and brides and custom requests coming along, and forget about everything else when I get into that production mode. Which isnt a good idea! I find that whatever I focus on, sells best. Seems obvious, but its easy to forget. It can be hard to juggle different mediums, fusing glass in a kiln, making butterfly jewelry, pouring glitter rings. I have to remember to balance them. I am a libra and all.

Luckily, Ive got some NEW ball chains to offer with or without the pendants - glass is BACK and more fun than ever! Heres a fun pink one, kind of looks like candy to me. I only have one pink one for the fun of it, and have a lot of silver and black and gloden brass,

the more standard colors.

I thought this one would be a fun color splash in the spirit of valentines day

and all that lovey dovey stuff.

Are you more inclined to buy a pendant if it comes on a chain?

My new project, etsy glass blog

photo by aekeith

There has been a changing of the guard for the Etsy Glass Artists, sort of. The guard hasnt quite transferred, it more or less kicked us into super-teamwork mode. The two leaders that worked their hearts out for the team have decided to step away from the ega. Its been a busy week, picking up where they left off. Willowglass & Shoozles had spent sleepless nights and restless days working for the team, coordinating sales, writing the newsletter, managing the website, buying ads, wrangling the team together for everything. Theres probably not enough space in a blog to write down everything they have done for our team. So all I can really say now is THANK YOU.

(heres the new blog banner I made from a previous graphic, what do you think?)

So now that they are working independently again, the rest of the gang is working together to keep it going. I have volunteered to work with WildSageLampwork/Pam, to get the blog together, add content etc. We hadn't realy utilized our blogger account, so its starting from scratch basically. She's awesome, and knows what she's doing too!

We are enabling all the members to post when they want, and about anything. It should be interesting!

Beacuse of Pam, our blog is now hosting a group giveaway for One World One Heart.

WANT TO WIN SOME GLASS GOODIES?

Head over to the new Etsy Glass Artists blog and see whats new and to be entered into the drawing. All you have to do is leave comment on the EGA blog. 5+ Glass Gals have donated items to be given away, possibly to YOU!

So once you get there, take the poll, look around, tell me what you think? What would YOU like to see over there?

Whole world in my hands...or shop rather.

Yes! Its TRUE! With Google Analytics for our etsy shops, we can now see where our traffic is coming from. It fascinates me, I can't get enough of it. This is a little graphic from the frist 13 days of having it installed. Thank you to everyone around the world who has come to my shop to see what I make. (Even if you just clicked by accident, you still saw my stuff so I'm still happy!)

1,168 visits from 44 countries! WOW!

677 Different cities around the world!

In my little shop!

Who's representin'?
Finland, France, Israel, Canada, US, Netherlands, Philippines, Indonesia, Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Cyprus, Peru, Guam, Norway, Bosnia, Chile, Poland, Honduras, South Korea, Turkey, New Zealand...to just name a few.
Hello World!

New Graphics on Etsy Homepage?

The lovely graphics have been rotating on the front page this evening. I feel like a regular Columbo. Anyone know the reference (or just me and my mother)?

And they just keep coming! I think its a psychology test, a Rorschach test, if you will...

What do you think?

(Are you a seller or a buyer?)

Behind the Scenes...Etsy spotting on Apartment Therapy

I LOVE apartment therapy. The name says a lot, its my therapy when I want to just browse smart ideas. I love home decor and solutions, and theres a lot to look through on this site. Take a quick peek, after reading this of course, and see what I'm talking about. Also scroll down to the bottom to see other sites that are just as delicious, like re-nest and ohdeedoh. FUN!

Heres some shots taken inside the Etsy HQ in Brooklyn NY, by Maxwell of AT. I know I have a lot of etsy readers, so I thought you might like this. This, does not look like the Martha Stewart craft room! What a mess! It looks more like mine, oh dear...

Below is the place that they held the classes, which are being discontinued soon. They have decided to put ther efforts towards more (possible lucrative) online ventures. Swell idea, I say. I have always wanted to open my own place for things like this, hosting classes by different people. Or a place people could rent out.
To see more photos, there a complete slideshow over on AT. Check it out and see more behind-the-scenes shots here.

Ciao! Miss PoPkO

My 3 Year Etsyversary!

Lets CELEBRATE!

I almost missed it but remembered in the knick of time! It was even written in my dayplanner (I should read it daily, huh). Happy anniversary tooo meeeee! Having my own etsy shop been a total life changing element and Ive really been enjoying making and learning every step of the way. Heres a few fun celebration and work and anniversary things Ive found on etsy to make it look like a party around here.

photo above: paper garlands by lizziebean

Firecracker photograph by
LeslieWilliamsArt

At this rate, I'll be old and wrinkly and still buying and selling on etsy. Why not?

Keepsake ceramic ring dish by SugarStreetCafe

Gorgeous fire cracker scarf by emmasbears It really warms you with a bright pop of color.

And dont forget, this is the bottom line. This is probably how I got to where I am.

Work hard and be nice to people vinyl wall decal by TastySuite

Cheers! To many more!

Full Moon Ski

I went on my first full moon ski on Jan 12 and it was FUN! I love to cross country ski, and as you can see, I rarely have both skis on the ground at once... oh, I was just hamming it up for the camera. We went out to the reservoir and followed the public footpaths. Its paved and plowed since it leads to the citys water supplies. There is a main road that cuts right down the middle of the reservoir, and looks like the arctic plains. Once it was dusk, I couldnt see the ground very well. There were a few clouds and kept getting darker. We had headlamps just in case, but didnt quite need them. Our eyes adjusted to the darkness and were able to keep at a quick pace. We did a big loop and headed home. Refreshing!

Where are YOU &what do YOU do for wintertime fun?

Lantern Festival

If there are small ways that I could describe who I am, heres a video of something that mesmerizes me, and totally excites me. The color and sounds and the sheer scope of these paper lanterns heading off into the sky is just like a dream. Khom Fai are believed to help rid the locals of troubles and are also taken to decorate houses and streets.

This is a clip of the Yi Peng Lantern festival in Thailand. Its so magical and beautiful I think I've watched this movie 12 times already. Oh someday I will have to go (its held in Nov). Here's an in depth description about the origins of Loy Krathong (the festival) in case you would like to go someday too.

While researching these glowing delights, I found that today (or yesterday) is the end of the Chinese New Year, which is celebrated with a different kind of "Lantern Festival". Chinese New Year this year is Jan 26th.

"According to the Chinese tradition, at the very beginning of a new year, when there is a bright full moon hanging in the sky, there should be thousands of colorful lanterns hung out for people to appreciate. At this time, people will try to solve the puzzles on the lanterns and eat yuanxiao (glutinous rice ball) and get all their families united in the joyful atmosphere." source Read more about the Chinese origins and traditions on wikipedia.

Deal of the day - is bugging moi

I need a little color in the winter! Heres a fun photo of my colleagues. Im not in it since Im taking the photo. I LOVE these people. Each and every one of them.

We made this parade float in 2006 and won a trophy. Now, back to my scheduled message....
I started to post my "deal of the day" in my blog, but really it's just getting in the way of my fabulous, earth shaking, news breaking, intellectual posts about feathers and glass and such. I like to advertise, but I don't want my little blurbs to start taking over. I think what I will try is having a little box in the left column that links to my deal o'the day. Once the day is over, I can change it up, and no one cares what last thursdays deal was anyways.

So thats THAT!

p.s- Ive ammended this weeks post about superduper and her feather concoctions, added some more photos and included ways to wear them. Check it out!

DEAL of the day - Handmade Fused Glass Ring

Poppy and Turquoise - Handmade Fused Glass Ring

Regularly $15, today its $10. For real!This is a colorful cocktail ring, that I handmade in my glass studio. It was made with a really vibrant poppy, almost red glass, and opaque turquoise glass next to it. The base is white, which you can always see peeking through to the sides.It was made in my kiln and fused together with extreme heat.

This glass cabochon measures 18mm x 26mm (about 1"), and comes on an ADJUSTABLE band.

Shout Out!

This SHOUT OUT goes to AnnMarie of superduper fame!

This is her Deluxe Burlesque Flower Headpiece in lavender and silver. I cant resist this glamourous look! Theres a photo in the listing (if you click on it) that shows the different colors she has and they each have their own personality. I can see wearing this to any event really, or a really lame event to make it an insta-party! Yahoo!

I like that the feather is a sort of gray and moody, lending to the idea that the person wearing it is from another era. "Victorian" is one of the new trends spotted by etsy recently, and this could certainly fit there too. I wore a "superduper" piece for my wedding and I now have something really special to wear that reminds me of the biggest party Ive hosted.

It puts me in a girly mood just having it lay on my dressing table.

Everyone ought to visit her shop to find all sorts of delights. But hurry, she JUST made her 100th sale and is on a roll! Way to go!

EDITORS NOTE: I want to add a side note here, and point out a comment that I received here about the feather pieces. It comes up A LOT and think its something that AnnMarie hears over and over again...
Heres the comment:

"These are really cool. I've always wanted to wear something like this (especially with feathers) but never felt like I could pull it off."

And this is my response: Yes, you CAN pull it off, silly dilly!! And theres a few ways to go about it. One is to attach the feather clip just a little lower than your ear, kind of tucked as if it was a flower in your hair. This makes it more of an addition to your hair than a hat-like piece. I wear the small feather clips in the back of my hair just above my low ponytails when I waitress, and they arent crazy looking, most people are delighted.

Heres a photo of me wearing my newest superduper piece, which isnt a big over-the-top piece, and would be easy to add to any wardrobe.

Another way to enable yourself to wear them without feeling like your heading to the kentucky derby is to find a color that blends with your look. If your hair is dark, get a black feather combo with maybe a sprig of blue or red to pop. This really adds volume to your hair, and a lot of pizazz without the look of a showgirl (though I dont know why anyone wouldn't want to look like a showgirl, they have so much fun!).

Heres a photo of my sister wearing one that shows how it can blend a little and still add glam.

You could also go the showgirl route for parties though. Everyone likes the gal that looks like she cared enough to dress up for the party. The nice thing about these is that all you have to do is clip and go. You really don't have to do much to look like a million bucks.

DEAL of the day - Icy Blue Quartz

Hello Wednesday!

Regularly $10, today its $8! (Save those two dollars for shipping another day)

This simple chunk of quartz was handmade into a pendant and hangs on a black ribbon with a clasp. This colorful rock is dyed an almost electric blue, icy and bright.

It has a flat face, with faceted sides that catch the light. Its super simple, and striking.

Measurements:

24mm from top of bail to bottom (approx. 1").Black ribbon is 18".

Icy Blue Quartz Pendant

Happy New Year!

I don't know where to begin my year, exactly. I like refreshing things, and starting anew. I know you can do this at any time of the year, but it always seems appropriate now, just as in the spring you clean and in the fall you nest. No? There's something about the group effort now too, that makes it easy. Everyone talks about resolutions, everyone cleans up after the parties and straightens up the home. Everyone is in on the action. So what "action" am I taking?

Cleaning might be a good one to start...

I usually can't keep a "New Years resolution", as making grand changes in my life can't just be thought of and then 'done'. They always fall apart or are just forgotten. If I resolve to do something, it wont be 'because I said so' on New Year's day. What I can do though, is make a few tiny changes or have some directions to follow.

Heres a small "resolution", in quotes because it really isnt much of a resolve, as it is a change, or addition to my life- I am going to try to take a photo of myself everyday. Theres lots of groups of people that do this, they call it 365 challenge or what have you. They post it to flickr or other group photo thingies <---crafting 365!!!!. I'm always quite impressed that people have the time to do this everyday, take the photo, upload it and then put on their site. I'm also sort of jealous that they have a photo journal and I have none at all. This is what I will try this year. I will not be posting it to a public group, as I think that I will end up trying to take 'good' photos if I think people are looking. It probably wouldn't be an honest account of my day. I would end up putting on lipstick (which I don't own) or brushing my hair (which i do every other day at this point oh dear!). It sounds like I will also be able to see what I really look like and end up brushing my hair because that is sort of necessary. HA!

Heres a few things I have been working on, fiddling with, trying anew.

Weaving:

I started this idea because my four sisters and I exchange one gift for Christmas, This year the theme was 'handmade'. I made her a white woven scarf. She lives in New Orleans and it is currently 76 degrees. I wasnt thinking there, was I. Sorry sis. I was just so excited.

Oh I hope my mom doesnt read this until she gets this scarf! Her favorite color is purple, and its COLD outside. Yes, it's cold outside where SHE lives.

I made a loom out of a plank of wood that has been in my car. It's there in case I get stuck in the dunes? Really. So since I wont be in the dunes for a few months, I have repurposed it with some paper to cover up the dirt, and some nails to make the loom part. The nail on the right with the head was the wrong kind. The yarn does not slide off of the head easily, use a headless nail when you try.

I tried feeding the yarn through just with my hands, but three hours and two scarves later I got the bright idea that real weavers use a tool to feed the fiber much faster through the loom. Here is yarn wrapped around cardboard.

If you are getting that warm fuzzy feeling and NEED your own scarf, visit my cousins etsy shop. She has made a super duper loom for herself, and weaves the most gorgeous yarns into scarflettes. They are perfect for everyday/all day wear. They are little enough to not flop all over yourself but warm enough that you dont think of heat all day. They are pretty hip too, I must say.

Heres her work: LilybirdDesigns

Stitching:

I fiddled with a little stitching. I love this little pocket ornament. Im working on projects for NEXT years Holiday shows. Its easy to brainstorm now, when Im in the warm fuzzy Holiday mood. Its not as easy in August when its 100 degrees out and all I can think of is lemonade.

This felt ornament is glued and stitched, double sided (different color hearts on each side tickle the pants off me). There is a small pocket inside to put your wishes in, your secrets, anything. I will refine the idea and see what comes of it. Would you buy an ornament at christmas? I got one this year that was very special. I think if i customized a few with "first christmas" etc, that might work.

The paper would be small enough to be tucked inside, the photo is just to show that there is a pocket.

Listing:

Clearly, I dont know what to do in this category.

Planning:
This one has been sitting on my desk for a month now. They will be fun, and silly, and colorful...if I finish them!! Starting this makes me realize why people get addicted to felt.

Working:

This is a photo of packing orders. It doesnt usually look this crazy. Thats why I took a photo.

and finally..

Enjoying: