rJax's blog about her brand and her life.

By Its Cover- from the B blog

2008-10-03T17:15:04Z

Firstly, Happy October!

September was a rather booming month for me. Very thrilling stuff. October has promise. I can't wait to delve in.

One hobby-ish thing I have is reading. I love to read. I started pre-school at 3 with the goal of learning to read. Hence, the first day was a little disappointing. Heh.

At any rate, lately, I haven't gotten to it nearly enough. But being busy with elpy work is wonderful. I just finished re-reading Pride and Prejudice. That is one of Jane Austen's finest. I didn't want to re-read any of other books I have, so I went to the library.

Deciding to pick something random by someone I'd never heard of, I got Little Town Where Time Stood Still by Buhomil Hrabal. I'll let you know how it is.

Writer's Block: Loved Ones Afar

2008-08-04T20:47:10Z

Do you miss anyone right now? What past experiences with this person, or these persons, make it easy for you to miss them?

Submitted By mattbcl

View 501 Answers

First, he's not really a loved one in the common sense. The fact that I miss him shows my common sense in that area is somewhat impaired.

He was in my first grade class. We were friends until he moved away...to Germany. There is more to the story, and still not very much. We sort reconnected last year, but it's dropped off again. I wanted 'more from the relationship' than made sense I guess. I don't know what it was. If I could it explain it...I could let it go. I just miss him, and hope blindly, every day, that I'll get a chance to see him again.

Bummed

2008-07-25T20:13:23Z

So I'm too expensive for my jewelry client. She was okay with my quote but then did some calculating and is scaling back, if she goes with my designs at all. I thought I was giving her a deal. But 14 sets of earrings and a necklace will be a lot in most places, never mind handmade.

I think I could have handled this better. I could have demanded a deposit, though I honestly had no idea what to charge, the idea has been changed a lot- super-fancy to all blue casual to a rainbow of colors with butterflies. *sigh* I could have made up something, just to cover the cost of supplies. At the end of this, I'll be lucky to make $50.

I stuck to my prices though. I decided I could break up the sets, do only earrings or only necklaces, scale back on the designs, for the price she wants. But I can't give her all of it and the design, too. Waaay too much work. I don't see the point of underselling to, as my mom suggested, 'Get my name out there.'

So I'm bummed. I had plans for that money, about $350. I needed that money. No one will hire me. I'm sad. I don't want to go negative...but I was hoping this was a break for me, for elpy, finally. Seriously, I'm thinking about taking some time off, after this, because it's broaching ridiculous how little has worked out for me and this. I've been at it for 2.5 years and am completely ensconced in the red. I've sold one handmade item on Etsy this year. One! I'm tired of working hard to make things that people like enough to compliment or heart but not buy, week after week after month after year. *sigh* I just...

Post Picture: Me working yesterday...I've stopped for now, until she decides what she wants and am fighting the urge to flush it all down the toilet...literally.

lp_ctgirl @ 2008-07-21T14:39:00

2008-07-21T18:39:16Z

Dots Earrings- Small Beaded Pretties to Dot Your Ears

Available at elpy. You can click the picture for more information.

Weekend Blurble/Sports Aside 7.07

2008-07-07T17:25:12Z

In keeping with my plan of staying off the computer on Sunday, I spent much of the morning and afternoon (before and after church) watching the Wimbledon men's final. I've been watching tennis the longest of all sports. My dad watched it, so I'd watch it with him. Grew up with the Agassi/Sampras rivalry. Now it's Nadal and Federer.

Yesterday's match, which lasted about 6 hours all told, rain delays and such, was positively thrilling. Nadal won. That made me happy. Except for the Yankees and the Patriots, I'm all about the underdog. Not that Nadal is much of an underdog. But Federer had won there 5 times in a row and was going for a record 6th win.

While watching, I did manage to sand 21 magnet blanks. I branded them and the 12 coaster blanks and burned 3 sets of magnets. Not too bad I guess. Blogging during my 'lunch break'. I could work through lunch. (elpy is my job.) So now, it's back to work. Still have a ton I want to get done before the show. Which is a week from today. O.o

Weekend Blurble- End

2008-07-01T00:21:19Z

Today is the last day of June. I'm not ready for July. I don't mind the heat, but that humidity is horrible, how your clothes stick to you and it's harder to breathe. Ehh!

Trying to help Mom with some invitation she has to make. I'm making jewelry and she's making the invitations for the same event. Searching for clip art has proven slightly evil. Time-consuming and...*sigh* Least the room in which I sit is air-conditioned.

I bought wood. I'm hoping to make, finally, an item I'd thought about for a while. Two sort of. Expand my wooden line. You may guess what they are. I've posted pics on Flickr before.

My room has dissolved into a slightly unbelievable mess again. I think it can only handle so many projects at once and still be the place where I sleep, read, store most of the other things I own.

Still no job. I may have shot myself in the foot with one opprotunity. When the friends were up a few weeks ago, I neglected filling out an application until it may have been too late. Who knows.

Post Picture: Laundry. Tinkered with in PSE (Photoshop Elements)

elpy [Closet]

2008-06-06T15:20:51Z

So because I'm more than a little obsessed with organizing at the moment, I decided, on a very big whim, to open another shop. Yes, that bring my total to three but there are really only two active shops. I'm calling it elpy [Closet]. It's for destashing. I buy more than I need so I'm passing it on. It's pretty bare bones now, but I'll be listing more in the coming days.

I feel almost like I had a second child. (IRL there are no little LPs yet) It's exciting but tiring as I divide my attention between the two, do what I must to make the adjustments, fill out the forms, settle into a routine.

It'll make me work harder on elpy [Handcrafted]. My item total will drop drastically once everything's been moved over. I think it'll be easier to look at, easier for me to see what I have, what I need to make. I think it's a good move. I'm pleased.

Post Picture: Banner for newest shop.

lp_ctgirl @ 2008-06-03T20:51:00

2008-06-04T00:54:41Z

Sumeria Earrings. First time I ever used a prop in my pics but I need something to balance them. I like it.

I learned how to oxidize sterling silver yesterday. I'd bought LOS and had some plastic containers. I read more directions that I probably needed to. Then I set up everything outside on my worktable (far less illustrious that it sounds but it's the perfect height) and watched the stuff work.

I'm fairly pleased. The earwires look blacker than they are in real life where you can still see tints of green, they're pretty. I did lose two headpins in the process...it was windy and I was too excited with my new skill to weight the paper towel down. heh

Yesterday, I also redid the titles in my shop. I decided, in a rather random way, that I like the simpler titles. Plus, it's free to edit on Etsy and I love to edit. I don't think I'll change them back entirely. But I'll play around with the words. elpy's slowly finding its identity.

lp_ctgirl @ 2008-05-13T16:42:00

2008-05-13T20:44:36Z

Convex Macrame and Chainmaille Necklace

Available here at elpy [Handcrafted]

Acute in White

2008-04-30T22:09:35Z

Acute Macrame Earrings in White with black beads

Available at elpy [Handcrafted].

lp_ctgirl @ 2008-03-24T11:27:00

2008-03-24T15:35:34Z

Acute in Seafoam and Light Blue Macrame Earrings

Available at elpy [Handcrafted]. You can click the picture for more information.

Helix

2008-03-12T14:25:35Z

Helix- Pale Yellow Macrame Earrings with Pastel Accents

Available at elpy. You can click the picture for more information.

These are tiny spinoffs of Tangent earrings. They're about 1" in diameter. I thrilled with how they turned out.

Writer's Block: The Last Time I Surprised Myself

2008-02-20T18:45:34Z

When was the last time you surprised yourself?

View 481 Answers

September 5th, 2007. It was a good day. There have been a few more recent times, but I like that one best. :)

Writer's Block: Super Bowl 2008

2008-02-04T17:39:18Z

Yep!

I watched with a bunch of people from my church. They were all Giants fans...or anti-Patriots, except for me and two other girls. It was odd since we live in NE. None of the three of us were die-hards but it was sad that they lost.

lp_ctgirl @ 2007-11-30T17:01:00

2007-11-30T22:07:41Z

I feel bad that this blog has turned into a catalog of my most recently listed items. I've had an influx of ideas. Which is good and more than welcome. So I've been making stuff like mad and now have 50 items in the shop. I'm so happy. Fifty is a nice number, a huge milestone for me.

I have 3 ideas that I'm hoping to launch next year. I've had these ideas for a while. I'd also like to be able to open a second shop with photography and paper goods. I'm not sure I'd include art in that. I'll think about it more.

Still, here is one of the more recent listings.

Woodburned Art Magnets- Circles and Squares- Set of 2

Available at elpy-Handcrafted. Click the picture for more information.

Writer's Block: Public Transit Nightmare

2007-11-28T20:28:12Z

What has been your worst experience on public transit?

Submitted By insomniac_krys

View 500 Answers

Some girls were virtually yelling in very graphic detail the goings-on of their sexual lives. *gags* Normally, it's pretty normal. I did get hit on by some Russian guy. But that was nothing to the girls.

lp_ctgirl @ 2007-11-27T16:01:00

2007-11-27T21:05:42Z

Acute in Red- Macrame Earrings

Available at elpy-Handcrafted. Click the picture for more information.

lp_ctgirl @ 2007-11-21T18:35:00

2007-11-21T23:38:21Z

Westie Wristlet in Navy Blue

Available at elpy. You can click the picture for more information.

lp_ctgirl @ 2007-11-19T11:56:00

2007-11-19T16:58:22Z

Art Woodburned Magnets- Herringbone

Available at elpy. You can click the picture for more information

Coffee and Donuts

2007-11-15T15:57:48Z

Woodburned Magnets- Coffee and Donuts

Available at elpy. Click the picture for more information.

lp_ctgirl @ 2007-11-06T15:56:00

2007-11-06T21:00:33Z

Westie Wristlet in Dusty Rose

Available at elpy. The picture is clickable.</center

lp_ctgirl @ 2007-10-05T13:38:00

2007-10-05T17:39:01Z

Woodburned Magnets- Not! and Syke!

Available in my Etsy shop along with other magnets. Click the picture for more information

What Do You Have To Say? - Travel: Summer's Best

2007-10-02T03:53:03Z

What were your best memories of this summer?

Brought to you by HP

View 180 Answers

Working in Cirillo Summer Theater. Actually I was volunteering to sweat to death painting sets for their Fiddler on the Roof production. It was a very nice play, though. I learned a lot being on crew. I loved most of it.

What Do You Have To Say? - Arts & Crafts: My Inspiration

2007-09-24T02:11:51Z

Where do you get inspiration for your arts and crafts?

Brought to you by HP | Contest | Vote Now!

View 500 Answers

Life. It can strike at any moment, looking at a material and seeing the finished project in my head, just knowing what it should be, like knowing when you've found a really special person. Others may not see it, but you do, that's important.

lp_ctgirl @ 2007-09-21T13:01:00

2007-09-21T17:01:49Z

Woodburned Magnets- Sugar and Snap

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<center><b>Woodburned Magnets- Sugar and Snap</b></center>
<center><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7160334 target=_blank title="Sugar and Snap Magnets"><img src="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/1/18a/c3e/il_fullxfull.11738670.jpg" width="300" height="300"></a></center>
<center>Available in my Etsy shop. Click the picture for more information</center>