Beauty is always on Duty!*

If you haven't already noticed, I'm revamping my blog!


I have a lot of work to do on it, now that there are tabs on the top of the page-
I've got to fill them up!
I'll be including a tab for my favorite LINKS..all of my sisters websites!
Also coming- a PRESS tab. Oohlala!

But, its still just little ol' me doing every task around here, so bear with me.
Thank you for your patience while I hem and haw over what size font, which type to use, content, and how many exclamation points are acceptable in each exciting post! Millions!!




*Thanks to my friend Kate who gave me this quote last weekend. Its sooo very true...

Quick look: Butterfly boxes in progress

Butterfly wing jewelry boxes are officially a ton-o-work!
WHEW!
Here's a quick look at the progress Ive made in.... 11 hours. Piles of ground rectangles & some lids prepped with wings. At least I think they look good so far, exactly what I was hoping for.

I know, they look kind of...dry right now. I promise, they are great. You can't quite see all the iridescence and fabulous-ness. That's part of the process!

Twist 6 Northampton..the countdown

9 Days till Twist 6!

Really, you HAVE to go. I want to say its like party while you shop, but I also want you to know that its much much more than that. If you want to see amazing, refined, true talent, come to Twist on May 6th & 7th 2011. Plus have a beer and meet the artists. Win/win.


Here's a few reasons (out of more than 65) why you should come!
Rocks & Salt Design - Brooklyn, NY
I can see John wearing this in the summer for sure.

Edison Rex - Easthampton MA
I'm partial to this print, because I OWN one!

Beehive Kitchenware - Fall River, MA
Yep- these are the folks that you've seen in all the magazines..including Oprah's O Mag!

Little Birch Farm - Western MA
No artificial anything! Hooray!

Twitch and Whiskers - Danbury, CT
Upcycled jewelry

VeronicaDesigns - Jamaica Plain, MA
Bags, wallets + clutches oh my.

TWISTFAIR.COM

Stay tuned for more previews of the handmade excellence to come.

These crafty crafters aren't wearing granny pannies! Well, I'm not going to ask.

Quick look: Butterfly Project, glass bottle specimen

Here's a quick glimpse of a special request order that I made for someone recently. It's a real sunset moth wing sealed into a tiny glass bottle. I have seen versions of this before, but I really like the way mine came out. What do you think? Should I carry it in my regular line?

Also- be sure to join my mailing list to hear WHEN my Second Annual Super Seconds Sale is happening. I am planning it now, so get ready.

Handmade with love - AnselBlue for Japan Relief

The tsunami and earthquake in Japan brought us the most heartbreaking news of crisis and fascinating stories of the strong people who endured these disasters.

They need your help, and my local artist friend Sarah has been working tirelessly on fund raising for The American Red Cross for Japan Relief.


Purchase this handmade sparrow ornament called
Little Suzume for $10


100% of the proceeds will be directly donated to the
American Red Cross

“Little Suzume” is a special edition of my flying bird illustration made into a wooden ornament. She stands 3-1/4" tall and is painted white with a red sun and kanji that reads “Help Japan” in black. A white ribbon will be threaded through a small drilled hole on her top wing.

-from Sarah's etsy page

photo by Sarah Platanitis

Sarah has a personal connection to Japan, and you can read her story
in the article she authored and had published today in the newspaper.

Click the image below to read:

Thank you Sarah for helping others! Thank you everyone for donating to the A.R.C. by purchasing a Little Suzume
as a reminder of your generosity and love for Japan.

Real Butterfly Box -completed

It's finished! I love my newest project. I am keeping this one for myself, my first butterfly box. Here's some more progress photos and also the finished product!

My mother was also making a stained glass box, hers came out gorgeous, she worked with the aqua swirls on her glass to make a wavy pattern on the lid.

Something new... Butterfly box!

Here's the first part of the project. I should be done with it this week.
You can see the four walls and lid (not made) above.


What else is new?


A special order butterfly wing to be made into a necklace. I've never had a butterfly like this, I am so mesmerized by the metallic wings.

A few new pendants/necklaces. I have to decide if they are going to a local (MA) store or in my Etsy shop. I always want them in my Etsy shop, so everyone can see my new work.
But I can't forget the locals!

I have a new computer! This is very exciting, because I won it in a local raffle to benefit a church that had been fighting very hard to stay open, and finally won. The church is 100 years old, the same age as my grandmother who attends!

I cant believe how FAST computers are these days- haha, I just needed some extra space to make it sail. This one has 4x the space than my last one. Wow. My old one was at the edge...

I'm also playing with the new photo editor, so these pictures are the first test. I will head to my old computer and check the brightness/contrast to make sure I've got the images looking like they are in real life. If the colors dont match I will have to rework them.

One more thing- Dont forget to follow me on Facebook!
I'm often there and would love to see you!

Facebook.com/PopkoShop

More SNOW!

What am I up to? Here's a view out my studio window. It's nice and big and gorgeous, and is one of the reasons I can lock myself in here and work- the VIEW!

Lately the view has been pretty WHITE!

This isnt even half the snow, It looks like a dusting compared to what we've had here in Massachusetts. John decided to load up the firewood onto a sled to drag it around the house. Having a fireplace is one of my favorite features everrrrrrr. I hated when the neighbor cut his old trees down, but we got the wood!!

Also, we've got a snow cave/tunnel. Its all the sidewalk snow piled up and John, resident outdoor activity director, dug it out. This is my little niece trying it out.

What else am I doing? Making things. Orders. I have a LOT lined up. Almost too much to do. I am fortunate, but man, its a little intimidating when someone asks for 50 necklaces. WOW! So I must plug along and play in the snow a little, and work a lot. Its good, because when the weather warms up, it wont be as easy to stay inside!

I made these this week. They are all in the mail to their owners as I type!

Aaaannnd...one more thing! New in the shop, customizable little hearts. I LOVE them! They are little silver hearts that I sculpt myself, and fire. I got a new stamping set, and can hammer in and letter of the alphabet that you choose. Here you go: custom heart on etsy.

I don't want to leave you with all businessy stuff this time. Here's my snow-angel niece!

Happy Etsy-versary to ME! 5 years selling on Etsy.com

WOW!! I never expected Etsy.com to consume my everyday life, when I signed up one cold, unassuming winter 5 years ago. Here I am, everyday, countless hours online, working, selling, packaging, connecting- all because of one "little" website. At least it was when I signed up!

Use the code BIRTHDAY5 during checkout
to receive an instant discount in my shop
Jan 18-22!

I was making mosaics in 2005-06, and looking for better ways/places to sell my stuff. I wasn't currently working, as I waitressed in the summers (long and hard hours) so that I could carry myself through the winters making/selling mosaics. I made mirrors, frames, candle holders- whatever base I could find that suited my taste. I did some craft shows, which I loved because I could interact with people, see what they thought firsthand. I tried ebay, and it was fine, but wasn't personal like the little craft shows were. I knew there had to be a better way.above: mosaic tile candle plates 2006

My sisters were in town, banished from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. They were waiting out the storm in a wintry Massachusetts while they figured out new life plans.
We were all kind of in a holding place.
I was able to brainstorm with them a lot that winter, while they were in town.
One sister heard of Etsy.com, some kind of website where you could only sell handmade things.

Eureka!

So I joined that week. I KNEW I was onto something when there were only four other mosiacs on the WHOLE site. You heard me right, the whole site. Four. Four objects with mosaic on them.
So I jumped. I figured out how to list when the pages would only change every few hours. If there was a lot of blue on the page, I would list a red item so it would stand out.

I figured out all the little things I could do to be seen. I also decided that I didn't want to deal with bubble wrap and packaging.
So I immediately went small.

I created glass tile pendants just for my Etsy shop. The first item sold for $5 three weeks after opening my shop. HOORAY! I was thrilled. It was enough to fuel the fire!

above: Lousy product photo of first sale I made on Etsy, Feb 2006.


So, here I am 5 years later. Totally happy.
I don't make anything with tiles anymore. I went with the ebb and flow of the years, and let myself and my work change as I wanted. I also pay attention to what works and what sells, and what I enjoy making. I have a full-on business now making jewelry!
Who thought I would be making jewelry with my time? Not me!



I am still thrilled every single time I make a sale. It makes me feel like my time and work is valuable to others. I have learned almost everything about business from selling my work online. I still do craft shows too, I now apply to the ones that I used to think were the "all stars" when I was a kid. It feels pretty good to have my own business. And I thank Etsy for giving me the tools to start it all from scratch, with my own two hands. Hurrah!



Follow me on Facebook/PopkoShop

Join my mailing list

SNOW day!!!

SNOW day!!!
Originally uploaded by PoPkO!

I love when there's so much snow that I cant stop looking out the windows! It's STILL coming down! We've got a plan to put on our x-country skis and head across the pond later to scope it out. When I went to bed last night, there was nothing on the ground, and nothing falling from the sky. I think that was the most exciting part of it all. Like unwrapping a present!

It may be a snow day but my boss didn't give me the day off. When you work for yourself and the commute is only 100 feet, well, you see where this is going. Doesn't matter, today has given me a little extra spring in my step! It feels exciting and fresh!

(At least she is being lenient enough to lollygag as much as I want!)

HAPPY SNOW DAY!