Playing

Day one with the Intuos 5.  This is what I'm working on.  Just a face so far.  I'm just getting a feel for how it all works, and adjusting the settings.  I think I've almost got it how I like it.

I've found that I press way too hard with the pen, and I've already worn down the nib quite a lot.  I try to make myself let up, but I get caught up with the painting and then I find that I'm doing it again, or just gripping it really, really tightly.

I'll figure it out.

It's been a long time since I've done any digital painting.  I've forgotten which brushes I liked to use before, so I'm just trying all the rough ones to see what I like now.  They give good texture and it makes me care less about skin looking smooth and perfect.

Intuos 5

My Christmas present to myself was a shiny matte new pen tablet.  (...and an iPod.  Hence, the iphoneography.)  I've been using a medium sized Graphire4 so a large Intuos 5 is quite a change for me.  I've been trying to get accustomed to it, and to get all the settings just how I want them.  So far I'm very impressed with it.

I think I'll go doodle some more.

Etsy Treasury: Crimson and Gold

I love making treasury lists on Etsy.

1. statement necklace by louxinyan | 2. vintage red and gold tin box by TheRetroBottega | 3. vintage brass gazelle figurines by saltandginger | 4. gold red ruby quartz bangle by OhKuol | 5. crimson holiday book decor by hucksterhaven | 6. 14k yellow gold red garnet diamond ring by watchandwares | 7. golden gate bridge san fransisco bridge view by sscphotography | 8. red and gold bubbles gift tags by gifttags | 9. gold and red ceramic mug by primitivepots | 10. owl embroidery hoop art by sweetharvey | 11. red ruby crystal snowflake pendant by found300 | 12. crown hair comb by fabcessories | 13. carnival photography by bomobob | 14. gemini keychain by angelyques | 15. vintage smiley buttons by theblingbazaar | 16. holiday vintage book collection by hamptonhousevintage

Space Nails

I've recently become obsessed with nail polish.  It's probably Pinterest's fault - most things are.  But I've been buying nail polish left and right and painting my nails a couple of times a week.  I love the gradient glitter nails I've seen on Pinterest, so I decided to try some of my own.

This one starts with two coats of Essie's Midnight Cami.  Then a gradient of Ulta's Indigo-Go Girl glitter polish.  Then a very small amount of Essie's Set in Stones glitter polish.  The end result looks like stars in the night sky.

NaNoWriMo

I love NaNoWriMo.  Last year I didn't think I had the time to even attempt it, but this year I'm making time.  I've got my characters picked out.  I've got a tentative plot.  I've made a pinboard with my cast of characters, creepy settings, and other things to get me in the right frame of mind, and I can feel my characters coming alive in my head.

It's an awesome feeling.

The most important part for me in creating a character is to have a very firm idea of what they look like.  Otherwise I get confused about what their voice sounds like when I'm writing them.  I know, it's weird.  So yesterday I went hunting on Pinterest for pretty people, saved the ones that looked promising, and to my delight, a story began to form around all the pictures I'd selected.  I've made up a dozen character sketches, and I'm still working out how everyone plays off everybody else, but it's all coming together really nicely!

Turns out that I'm writing a paranormal horror romance.  I don't even know if horror and romance can rightly go together...  oh well.  It's going to be a blast to write anyway.

So, I'll see you after this madness is over.

Fashion Models Digital Stamp

Fashion Models Digital Stamp Set

My Fashion Models Digital Stamp Set should look familiar to you if you've looked around on my blog at all.  I made this design into rubber stamps and printed my own fabric (which I called 'Gams,' because these ladies have some awesome gams on them).  These fashionable models are wearing similar dresses, have great hairstyles, and pretty shoes.  Get these stamps for yourself in my Etsy shop, rachelwhitetoo.

Bird Cages Digital Stamp Set

Bird Cages Digital Stamp Set

My Bird Cages Digital Stamp Set is so fabulous.  I created these designs to carve into real rubber stamps, and those turned out so awesome!  I had to share the design with you all as a digital stamp.  These fancy, curvy, wire bird cages and silhouetted seated birds are so pretty.  Get your own in my Etsy shop, rachelwhitetoo.

Seven Pointed Digital Stars Digital Stamp

Seven Pointed Stars Digital Stamp

Seven Pointed Stars Digital Stamp!  Seven pointed stars look wacky, which I like in a star.  It's not something you see every day.  This collection of stars comes as one stamp, readily arranged for optimum fabulousness.  Get one for yourself in my Etsy shop, rachelwhitetoo.

Matryoshka Doll Digital Stamp

Matryoshka Doll Digital Stamp

I made my Matryoshka Doll design first as a little screen print design for pouches and handbags, but it never got much use which is a shame because it's so cute.  So here it is, reborn as a digital stamp!  It features four sweet faced little nesting dolls with adorable scallop details and flowers.  Get it for yourself in my Etsy shop, rachelwhitetoo.

Design Elements Etsy Shop

Rachel White Too, Design Elements for Scrapbooking and Web Design

Today I decided to open up a second Etsy shop for my scrapbooking, clip art, digital stamps, and digital scrapbook papers.  (I just couldn't handle having them in with all of my handbags and quilts! The two things just don't go together.)  Hopefully having two Etsy shops will go very smoothly.  I wish Etsy would let you have two shops under the same account, but alas, they do not.  I can't even link up my Facebook and Twitter accounts.

I've reposted all of the designs I had in my original shop (with shiny, matching product photos), and I've added a couple new ones.

Birthday Presents Clip Art Set

First there's the Birthday Presents Clip Art set, consisting of six brightly colored wrapped presents in solids and polka dots.  I used these once for a bridal shower invitation, but they work just as well for birthday presents.

Baby Shower Gifts Clip Art Set

Next is the Baby Shower Gifts Clip Art set in three newborn baby colors - yellow, blue, and pink.  For the showers where you know the gender of the baby to be, and the ones where the mommy to be is keeping it a surprise.  There is a pile of alphabet blocks, a onesie, a teddy bear, a milk bottle, and a rattle.  There are fifteen images in all for this set.

Retro Campers Digital Stamp Set

The Retro Campers Digital Stamp Set is actually brand spanking new.  I just drew these a week or so ago.  There are four retro style campers in funky shapes, and two cacti, a tall one with arms and one of the stubby ball shaped ones.  I've got no idea what they're properly called.  I don't think I've ever even seen one in real life.  All of these elements are illustrated in a sleek, yet hand drawn style.  Look close and you'll see what I mean.  I really love this set.  :)

Lunar Phases Digital Stamp Set

And finally there's the Lunar Phases Digital Stamp Set.  These are done in the same sleek, yet hand drawn style as the Retro Campers, and depict the eight phases of the moon.  These come in eight individual files, so they can be arranged as you please.  

Pink & White Chevron Baby Quilt

My friends are reproducing like pregnancy is going out of style.  While their children are adorable, it hasn't exactly given me the yen to make one of my own.  But is has made me want to give my friends awesome baby presents.


Quilts are so functional and fun, and they'll grow with the baby - from crib, to play mat, to nap time.  They're soft and cuddly, and one of those things that you keep forever.


So here's my first offering for my Etsy shop.


My Pink and White Chevron Baby Quilt was made from bright pink and white 100% quilting cotton, with echo quilting in matching pink thread. It's super soft and very cozy. 

It measures 53 x 42 inches. It can be used as a baby blanket, as a play mat, in the crib or at nap time. Big enough to grow with your baby, and a pretty accent for toddler's first bed. Also great as a throw or lap quilt. Looks beautiful draped over a chair or foot of a bed.

Washing instructions: machine wash cold, permanent press. Tumble dry.

I'm also offering to make custom quilts!  So if you like the pattern, but not the colors, you can send me a message through my Etsy shop and request a custom quilt just for you or your baby!

Tula Pink, The Birds and The Bees

More Tula Pink?  Why, yes, I think I will...

Tula Pink, Nightshade

How awesome is this fabric?  I ask you.  How am I ever going to cut into it?

Red Telephone Box Wristlet - WIP

It's the middle of summer and July has been painfully slow, but instead of freaking out I've decided to use the down time to design some shiny new stuff!

I've got a notebook where I sketch out ideas for new bags, and while I keep putting stuff in it I haven't been creating anything out of it.  Well, that trend broke today.  I started today with this baby, which I'm going to call Red Telephone Box Wristlet.

I had already roughly worked out the dimensions, so I futzed with them some more and made a prototype.  The scale on my first attempt was all wrong, but the second time out I think I got things mostly how I want them.  I made a stamp for the 'telephone' text, but I only used an ink pad to save time and decided to fill it in with black fabric paint afterwards to get a feel for how a real one would look.  I think I'll have to make a stamp for the crown as well.  I painted that one by hand and it shows.

The next version of this will be so much prettier.  Fingers crossed.

Chevron

Look at what they had at JoAnn Fabrics!  Chevron!

I want to put it on everything.

Quilts in Summer

It's steamy outside.  It's been 90 degrees all week, and I've been hiding my head indoors, with the blinds shut and the air conditioning on.  My workspace is like a cool little cave.  I stepped outside just now, and it felt like condensation was building up on my skin.

I haven't noticed the outside world much this week though, because I've been too busy learning how to use my shiny new sewing machine!  I got a Janome DC 2012, and it is a marvel.  There is such a difference between this and what I was using before!  I had no idea.  But now that I've been spoiled, there's no going back for me.  I love it so, so much.

I got all this gorgeous quilting fabric on Monday from an Etsy seller, and I've been making quilts on my new Janome to get used to her.  Piecing is a good way to get a feel for how things operate.  Plus, she came with a quilting foot and a walking foot, and you know I was dying to try that out.  And I actually finished making a quilt yesterday!  I had some... issues with the bias tape, as I usually do - I hate that stuff.  I hate it sooo much - so I just rolled the edges under and sewed them up as I went.  I'm keeping this one for myself, because that was always the plan.  Look at how pretty it turned out!

I made 4x4 inch squares of Tula Pink's Prince Charming in Olive.  It looks pretty with our living room furniture.  I've been hoarding this fabric for almost a year, and it was time to do something with it.

And since that went so well, I couldn't stop there.  So I cut up some of Valori Wells Cocoon in Stone, along with half a dozen fat quarters I got from JoAnn Fabrics in matching colors, and I made up the squares for that quilt yesterday.  I think it's going to be really, really pretty.  Funky, but pretty.  I'm going to get the top done tonight, fingers crossed.

And after I'm done with that, I am going to pour myself a glass of wine, including ice cubes, because I'm classy like that, and I'm going to finish the Eloisa James romance novel I started yesterday.

More Bucket Bags!

 

I am a bucket bag making machine.  My Bucket Bags now come in navy blue, dove gray, and army green.  (Also available in navy and cream ticking stripes, chocolate brown, and jet black.)

These bags are slightly different from the first batch, because I changed the exterior pocket.  These don't have the darts, and I modified the shape of the pocket a little bit.  I think it looks sleek and lovely this way.

I've got three more bags coming up in exciting new colors: royal blue, bright white, and wine red.  They are going to be so pretty!  I thought I would get them made today, but taking photos and updating all my shop things took much longer than I thought it would.  Hopefully I will have photos up by Wednesday/Thursday.

Get one for yourself from my Etsy shop: Rachel White Art.

Clothes Hanger Necklace Organizer

Clothes Hanger Necklace Organizer

 No more tangled up necklaces! Hang your jewelry on these velcro tabs, and stick it in your closet. Instant organization! 

My Clothes Hanger Necklace Organizer is made from black canvas. It slips onto any standard size clothes hanger just like a t-shirt to easily store your necklaces in your closet. It has 14 velcro tabs to hang your large necklaces, bracelets, anklets, belts, etc. Velcro has been fused AND sewn on so they are extra secure. Even your heaviest necklaces won't take them down. The back is plain black canvas.

Get one for yourself at my Etsy Shop: Clothes Hanger Necklace Organizer.

Selling your handmade goods on the internet - a review of sites

I've been selling on Etsy since last August, but I wanted to branch out a little and get some more exposure for my handbags.  So I set up shops and listings at Artfire.com, Bonanza.com, Ebay.com, and Dawanda.com.


Here's my review of each after using them for a week:

Artfire.com
Total Number of item views after 7 days: 4
Total Number of Shop views: 3
Favorites: None
Sales: None

Pros:
Has the best looking shop of these four.
Most customizable shop options with separate pages for a shop blog, biography, policies, gallery. 

Cons:
It took forever to sign up.
Cost for having a shop is $12.95 a month - but has a 2 week free trial.
Stats are very basic, but you can use Google Analytics for more in depth statistics.

Result: I will not be keeping this shop once my two weeks are up.  It's just not worth the time.


Bonanza.com
Total Number of item views after 7 days: 25
Total Number of Shop views: 2
Favorites: None
Sales: None

Pros:
Seems to have a thriving community of sellers.
No listing fees!
Commission charge is 3.5%.

Cons:
Seems more like a place to sell your last season designer clothing/accessories.No search term tags - I have no idea how people are finding my stuff.
Charges monthly for pro shop, but a basic shop is free.
Importing items from eBay or Etsy takes for-ev-er.


Result: I'm undecided about Bonanza.  Let's give it another week.


eBay.com
Total Number of item views after 7 days: 42 - and some of those were me.
Total Number of auction watchers: 2
Sales: None

Pros:
More mainstream customers.

Cons:
Hideous user interface.  Dislike how search results appear.
Listing fees are expensive, and only last a week.
eBay charges a commission fee from 9-13% on sales.  Greedy.
Has a $500/10 item monthly selling limit.
Customers are looking for a bargain.

Result: I renewed my listing, but unless I get a sale this will be the last time I do.


Dawanda.com
Total Number of item views after 7 days: 22
Total Number of Shop views: 12
Favorites: None
Sales: None

Pros:
It's like EuroEtsy!
The user interface is more like Etsy than any of the others, so there's hardly any learning curve.
Free listings!

Cons:
Fewer products for sale in their marketplace than I expected... this could mean fewer sellers and fewer customers.
Charges a 5% commission for every sale - that seems a little high to me, but whatever.


Result: I'll probably keep this one up just because it's access to European customers that I might not see otherwise.