Question of the week 159

Question of the Week #159

When I first started working with wire I would sometimes actually cut the ends/sides of my fingers (or poke them) when working with finer gauge wire so I started using those rubber finger pads you can get from office supply stores, for "sorting" papers--they look like rubber thimbles. I use several on my left (anchor) hand and two (index finger and thumb) on my right (pliers hand) and since they cover the joints closest to the fingernails and provide some grip as well I've had a lot less problems when working with finer wire.

Questions this week:

What is your best adaptive trick when making art or working on a project (any kind of art)? 


What helps make things easier for you as a disabled artist?

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog: http://pcasg.wordpress.com/

Question of the week #158

For my fellow Americans: Happy 4th of July! I know it's early & I know some of you don't celebrate this holiday but it made me wonder what everyone else is doing this week. Holiday prep or not, going out or staying home, I know everyone is doing something...even if it's just resting and recuperating.

and there is this week's question:

What is on your schedule for this week? Bunches? Nothing? Is there something in particular you are looking forward to this week? Care to share?

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #157

So many new members, let's do a bit of a roll call and a "refresher" so to speak  here :)

Please tell us where you are from (what state or area) and what you are currently primarily interested in art/project and craft-wise.

For example, I'm from western Washington state (western Washington is the "green side" LOL) and I love our coastal areas, lately I am interested in spending this summer on our beautiful rugged coast, breathing the ocean air and strolling along the shore...collecting more sea glass and shells for making mobiles, suncatchers, Christmas ornaments and yes, jewelry :)

What about you?

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #156

The questions this week are short and sweet:

I know some of us have taught classes in the past or do so now but this question concerns your creative skills you haven't yet shared with anyone.

If you were asked to teach a workshop or one small class about one of your creative skills that you haven't already shared in a class, what would it be?

And who would be your ideal audience?

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #155

I normally don't do much (or any) seasonal specific designs and I usually don't offer them for sale online if I do.

Usually any holiday specific jewelry or projects that I make are gifts, with a specific recipient in mind. An example is if a friend has a birthday in early October (and likes Halloween, lol) then I'll make them a gift they can wear for the holiday. Same with Christmas. With November I tend to make seasonal (Fall) themed jewelry rather than Thanksgiving but I'm sure you get the idea.

Now, all that said...(lol) One of my goals on my 2016 list concerning my etsy store is to increase my listings and seasonal sales, specifically targeting the three commercially big U.S. holidays in Fall and Winter. AND make and offer some seasonal specific jewelry too PLUS all the fun vintage stuff we have been finding to list online as well. (Oh boy do I love the vintage holiday decorations! LOL)

From what I've found online it is generally considered best to start selling for the holidays at least 12-14 weeks ahead, especially for the Christmas season.


That would mean around September 16th for Christmas, around August 21st for Thanksgiving and around July 25th for Halloween!

I'm thinking that is pushing it a little too much to go all out (really? lol) but if I start listing holiday items low key with just a note or a reminder here and there reminding people about their upcoming gift lists...well maybe.

I chose June 15th for the start of my designing and crafting for the fall season but I am still working out listing dates and deadlines.

I just want to be ready and front and center when the holiday season hits full bore for once just to see how it goes and that takes a lot of planning to get to "do" the holiday season and enjoy it too. I tried doing this last year but did not succeed.

My slogan for my goal list (multi-year goal list BTW) has been "In it to win it" and so far it's been "try to get in it...try..." so this is a step IN (yay!)

Right now though I am enjoying focusing on the season I am preparing for and fully savoring checking off another goal on my list.

I've got two questions this week:

If you have a goal list, how are you doing on it? Care to share? :)

and

Halloween in June and Christmas in July...is anyone planning on major listing increases and/or increasing online sales this coming holiday season? It doesn't have to be seasonal/holiday specific, just more offerings as gift items etc.

Please share your thoughts on this, even if you are against this early bird stuff!

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #154

Is there anything you have seen while you were out and about recently that has inspired or is currently inspiring a piece of work or a work in progress?

And if so, what and why?

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #153

Going through some of my finished projects I find myself trying to write descriptions for them and feel that just listing the materials used in the composition of the item falls short. Sometimes I want to convey what I was feeling when I was assembling or creating the piece or what I was going for anyway (lol). I find I have trouble doing this and many times when trying to talk or write about my work I find myself stumbling over words, trying to find the right one or just reluctant to talk about the finished piece or my creative process in general. I was raised that talking about yourself at any length (in this case my art) was also known as "tooting your own horn" and was considered a no no. I am working hard to overcome this rule from childhood but it is more difficult at times than I would have thought. In search of some help on the subject I turned to the good old internet for research and found I am far from alone in this curious "word block", there is plenty to read about it.

My favorite idea that I found is to choose your words carefully and use just three words to sum up your project or piece. So far this exercise is helping me focus and write better descriptions AND the added bonus is if I am working on preliminary sketches or notes/ideas on a project I can use my three words to focus even more on what I want to convey with the piece. Those three words aren't "set in stone" but are used more as a "tightening" of the focus of my ideal of the piece.

So, I would like to ask you all to think about applying this 3 word exercise to your work, be it jewelry or painting or sculpture or...

So the questions of the week are:

What emotion or longing you want people to feel when they see your art?

What would be three powerful words you could use to convey the experience of your art?

Can you express it in three words?

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #152

It was a rough week last week for me and I'm sure it was for some of you too. So I'm making the question of the week short and sweet...

What is your bright spot, your happy, your big smile moment you are looking forward to this week? Or are even enjoying right now?

Please share with us, we'd love to hear it :)

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #150

Well, it's been one of "those" Mondays and I'm finally able to get on the computer (my schedule has been upended and this is "late" for me anymore LOL) and get the question of the week up. This question is a bit of a "check-in" to see what everybody is up to. I'll put my answer in the comments below too :)

So, the question this week is:

What are you working on this week? One project or several or even none?

Let us know :)

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #149

In the midst of the continual chaos that seems to be the rule and not the exception at my home lately (and yes, still s-l-o-w-l-y unpacking too) I woke up this lovely Monday morning and my first response was "Gotta get u...uh uh...NO. Not happening on this schedule. I'm too tired.

I'm just too tired to keep doing this routine at this relentless pace and when I woke up this morning with the lists and schedules and "gottas" in my head my spirit just balked and said NO. Yes, my spirit, that light hoped sprite that is the inner me (that has been reduced to extreme drudgery lately in the hopes of "catching up" and maybe even (gasp!) "getting ahead" in the faintest of hopes that I might be able to acquire that most elusive of things known as "free time")--- my spirit realized there is no such thing as "free time" and that you have to make time or you will always be chasing that dream and always be too tired. My spirit flat out balked at stepping back in to this drudge routine and then went completely mule.

So here I am, I'm taking another ME day but it is not a "lazy day" by any means, I am doing stuff only for me today and if it benefits any one else in my household that is a nice bonus but not a major concern of mine. They all know how to make a sandwich or something so they won't starve and the world is not going to come apart at the seams if I don't do the laundry or the dishes or...

So I am doing something just for me today, I am working on my office/studio area to get it the way I want it. I am tired of sitting at my kitchen table and trying to run the household and figuring out what goes where until "this can be moved" or "that can be brought over". I'm tired of worrying somebody might spill something (me, mostly me) on my laptop because it's sitting at the kitchen table and nobody wants to sit at the kitchen table because Ma is a bit tense about EVERYTHING at this point. So today, at my house, it's all about me, Me, ME!

In the midst of our frantic routines we all need to take a breather now and then and do something nice for ourselves, it's a crucial cultivation our souls need not only to survive but to thrive.

How about you? What are you doing for YOU this week?

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #148

We had some gorgeous weather this weekend and judging by all the signs seen while we were out and about, it is officially the beginning of the garage and yard sale season around here.

Sometimes I love to hit a bunch of garage sales for old craft and art supplies to pick up on the super cheap. This "involuntary early retirement" (aka disabled) for me means a very tight budget and limited income. I have to save money where I can and crafting tools and supplies can be a luxury item sometimes, so I don't mind searching for good second hand items that still have a lot of creative life left.

Beads never "go bad" like fiber, paint and glue can but you can get some great tools for a steal as well if you keep your eyes peeled and have a bit of luck on your side.

Crochet hooks, knitting needles, sewing stuff, rivet/eyelet punches, scissors, scrap booking/papercrafting stuff...the list goes on and on. The key is to keep an open mind and have fun :) I love finding vintage crafting stuff or "future project" items for little or no money.

Plus I must admit I have a terrible weakness for picking up old smaller furniture, lamps, mirrors etc and revamping them and either re-selling them after a bit or gifting them. I've had people come to my house and stop dead at the sight of some particular item and if they are stopping dead from wonder and not dread, if they want it, well, it's usually going home with them if they've got room in their vehicle (LOL). I've told my children it's an addiction that hurts no one and they can't keep everything themselves so they are usually OK with it.

Where do you like to find your vintage crafting and art supplies...or do you prefer to work with new?

What is your favorite "find"?

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #147

OK, we've recently done a roll call with what people like to do and where they are from and I loved reading and seeing where everyone was and what they love to do :)

Today I am asking for a different roll call of sorts:

If you have an online store or blog or website that you would share with us all please post the URL. This can be your personal work OR one of your favorite places to hang out or shop...just please let us know if it is yours or someone else's.

And please include if you would like to be included in the links section on our PCASG Blog and we'll see if that can be done too :)

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #146

What are you working on this week?

Are you sketching, needling, painting, wrapping, baking, photographing, stringing, writing or maybe just recovering from Easter or any one of the myriad of other things I haven't mentioned here?

So what are you doing? Let us know :)

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #145

There are all kinds of possibilities ahead of us, it's just for up to us to figure it out where we want to go and figure out how to go there.

This is a question about your near future. Think ahead to/for summer, the start of fall and even this winter.

What do you want to do? What would you like to learn or find out more about? What would you would like to do?

What do you want to accomplish or would like to start with your arts and crafting within the next six months?

My most important goal (after recovering from this most recent flare) is to fully set up my studio again and concentrate on more photography, painting and sketching than I have lately. It's been a year since we moved and we're still living out of a lot of boxes...and still have boxes EVERYWHERE.

Because I love native, tribal and formline art the way I do another goal I have is to visit more places to see and enjoy it. To this end and to celebrate spring break we are planning a short overnight trip up North on the Olympic Peninsula to go back to the Makah Museum and then a stop off on the way home in La Push and Forks for my Twilight loving daughters :) We did this same trip last spring break and even with the heavy rains it was really great. The excitement level around the house at the start of this week is very high and spring break is so close!

http://makahmuseum.com/

I am excited because this trip combines so many things I love including Rialto Beach (one of my favorite beaches in the world). I love the Olympic Peninsula and we are at the southern end of it. I would live a lot further North where the mountains and forest meet the sea but my body can not handle the climate...wet, wet and WET! But I always love visiting and can't wait to go back always.

Please share your goals, hopes and even wishes or dreams in the comments below.

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #144

So many new members, let's do a bit of a roll call and a "refresher" so to speak  here :)

Please tell us where you are from (what state or area) and what you are currently primarily interested in art/project and craft-wise.

For example, I'm from western Washington state (western Washington is the "green side" LOL) and I love our coastal areas, lately I am interested in spending this upcoming summer collecting more sea glass and shells for making mobiles, suncatchers and yes, jewelry :)

And getting back into carrying my camera (and not my phone) everywhere I go.

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #143

So, this week's question: What crafting experiments (if any) have you done and how did they turn out? Mixing paints, trying a new technique or a new medium?

Were your results great, better than expected, exactly like you expected, OK, just didn't work or a complete fiasco?

Hey, this includes cooking too, that's a craft and an art as well! :)


OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #142

One of the benefits of early Spring here in the Pacific North West is the beautiful varied shades of colors of the outdoors: green, gold and brown of our timberlands and the forests contrast with our beautiful and rugged coast with it's own blending of myriad shades--black, brown, gold, blue, green, grey and then combined with the sunsets...oh, so many beautiful natural colors everywhere you look.

I live close to the Olympic National Forest, the Olympic National Park and about 30 minutes from the coast (Three of my favorite places. EVER. lol).
http://www.fs.usda.gov/olympic/
http://www.nps.gov/olym/index.htm
http://www.pacificcoasthighwayonline.com/washington/index.html

and in the midst of all this Spring growth the colors are amazing...and there are so many different shades of green...they probably don't have enough names for the myriad of green hues. I think it might be similar to the idea the Eskimos have...it's true, they have at least 50 words for "snow"...

This week's question has to do with colors and favorites/preferences. I love dark green, cobalt, copper, brown/gold, dark amethyst purple. Mostly I prefer these natural, earthy and dark jewel tones but I find myself working with much lighter shades or completely different colors more often than not and started wondering, how many of you do that, or if you stick to your favorite colors or ?

So, this week's question: Do you find yourself using a certain color combination/ palette more than others and if so, what are your favorite color combinations? Are they different from the ones you end up using most?

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #141

This question is for those of you that sell your work.

What Do You Wish You’d Known When You First Started Selling Your Work?

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #140

The questions this week are from our own Jenny Ashley and are good ones!

What do members like most about our group. PCASG and what, if anything would you suggest we do or change?

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog

Question of the Week #139

What are you most skilled at craft wise and what craft skills would you like to be more skilled at?

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)


Short and sweet link to the PCASG blog