Woohoo!! Check me out on Apartment Therapy :))

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/look/elin-lichen-inspired-crochet-art-111713

"Dusts off shoulders and buffs nails on lapel!! ;)"

Inspiration!

I love the work of Polly Wales (good name too! ). Especially her Battenburg series, the collection is beautiful and such an inspirational use of materials. You can see it here......
http://www.pollywales.com

These felt brooches are winging their way to the Black Swan Arts Centre in the UK. This style of rolled felt was my starting point for experimenting with jewellery, a couple of years ago....I am gradually phasing them out, but they do sell very well at this particular gallery.

This week, I have been mostly listening to......

Beavering away in my home studio over the last couple of days, listening to the radio and CD's, whilst working. Currently I'm listening to Nils Okland's album 'Bris', he composes on the Hardanger fiddle, a Norwegian folk instrument. It's a beautiful and haunting album. If, like me, you are prone to weeping when hearing sad music, get a supply of tissues!

Here's some snippets on Boomkat.
http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=15966
You can also find it on Spotify.

Today was spent getting a package of new jewellery pieces sent off to the Museum of Craft in San Francisco. Pictured is one of the brooches winging it's way across the pond. I love this connection with the US....it's given me greater confidence in my work and boy! does it open doors for me here in the UK.

http://www.mocfa.org

These plushie lichen brooches are the 'entry level' item in my Etsy shop. I'm now working on a design where three very small stones are combined with a delicate seaweed or lichen.(I want to try out the red seaweed often seen washed up on the beach) I've also just bought a magnifying glass, so will be trying to miniaturise the lichens even more!

For the past week I've had a stinking cold and suffering a form of brain fog. It involved regressing to childhood and cutting out felt shapes.

I've spent the week being wrapped in a duvet and making things I tried out when I was about eight. I remember being soooo frustrated at that age, not being able to make what I could see in my head (Yes...I am a perfectionist!). The good thing is, my manual skills have improved a great deal, so it's actually fun!

My Etsy dilemma!

It's Valentine's day and I think my love affair with Etsy is well and truly over.

My discontent has been brewing for a few months and last week I closed my jewellery shop there, leaving my only presence on Etsy my 'elinart' shop. This week I have had two customers ask for jewellery and when they found out the price, they declined. For me this is the nub of my Etsy dilemma....success is starting to come my way, new galleries and boutiques are regularly approaching me for sales and exhibitions. I want to move up a gear and achieve decent prices! But I'm asking myself, "How far can I go on Etsy?"

Sadly, long-term it's got no potential for craftspeople with ambition and the desire to build a real reputation. There is excellent quality work there but it's in a small minority. I think this is one of the main factors in my decision. I thought of the type of customer I want to buy my work. What if they saw my work in the context of Etsy? It just doesn't add up.

If I want to get into more prestigious galleries and attract customers who want couture jewellery, it's a positive step for me to make my product more exclusive. Last week, my jewellery, which I put my heart and soul into, was sandwiched between a 'vintage' crochet thong and a 'hello kitty' cuff. It just doesn't add up anymore.

Inspiration

Kinokinoghetti
Embroidery floss and fabric (hand embroidered)
41cm x 41cm
2008
Copyright © 2008 Takashi Iwasaki


Drool over the work of the outrageously talented Takashi Iwasaki at:-

http://www.takashiiwasaki.info/takashiiwasaki/english/news.html

Ahh...the pleasure is in the detail. This moss is in an back alley by the docks in Bristol.