New Stuff!

    I've been working on some stuff and slowly but surely filling up my shop again.  I am also making a ton of catnip pillows for The Companion Animal Foundation, one of our local animal rescues.  The money made from the catnip pillows goes right  back to the Foundation so they can help care for homeless animals in our area.  I hope to get back to helping to clean and care for the animals again soon.  Maybe when kitten hits again.  It feels good to help. 

     Right now, my focus is on some smaller card wallets that should be finished up and listed later in the week.  I can't say enough how thankful I am for my little shop and all the wonderful people who look at and buy my work, it has been a life saver for me!  I really feel this today because our financial situation sucks right now, and will probably keep sucking for a while to come.  With one of us out of work, and myself stretched beyond reason with a couple of part time jobs, and lots of sewing, on top of caring for my kids, it has been ridiculously hard.  But thanks to all the people who have bought my work, we are scooting by! Right now,  I can feed and house my family, and that feels wonderful!  So thanks to all of you out there who take the time to look, and to those who buy handmade, you do a lot for us little artsy peoples, and you are so very AWESOME!

With love,

Nicael

Attack of the Wallets

I am making lots o' things to prepare for a couple of events that I am doing this holiday season.  I started with a stack of billfolds and came up with these (and more to come soon) and now I am on to coin pouches and larger wallets.  I love being able to work again.  I actually make myself work at night now, I can't see worth a darn but I am actually getting stuff done and it feels good.  It's also nice that my goal for the year has been to simply work enough to fill up my Etsy shop so I can concentrate on some metal work and other wild accessories in the new year.  I hope to heck that happens!

Well, back to work I go...............

Turning Negatives into Positives

 First of my newly finished pouch thingys all set and ready to go to a new home

The second pouch thingy hangin' out and ready to be someone's new best friend.

So, I woke up today to some criticism of my work.  Not in a good way either.  This someone was not pleased with the quality of my work.  It kind of sucked to read what was said, but what exactly can you do.  Not everyone is going to happy with what you do 100% of the time.  Part of me wanted to write this person back with all sorts of explanations of my work and pleas for understanding my process, and, another part wanted me to meet her face to face and say something like " It's handmade lady!  If you don't like how I do my work, make it yourself!"   BUT, and it's a big but, I wrote back to apologize and offer a refund,  again, not everyone is going to like what you do and get the whole handmade thing.  It's just the way it is.  I do the best with what I have.  I make things that will last for a long, long while, in my design and style.  I think most people that create things do.  I thought what I had made turned out pretty awesome, but someone else did not.  I guess I just have to shrug it out and move on to the next adventure. 

In other news,  I am on to making pouch wallets this week.  Just like the one I made for myself.  I really like it and I am hoping it will make a little more sense with the new design I came up with.  We shall see though.  The first one is turning out pretty nice in all of it's dusty plum-ness, turquoise-ness, and such.  I can't wait to share it!

 *  I am crossing my fingers for being finished by the end of the week:)*