The Brakes Are On

I thought we would have a little break after the marathon that was the fair..but not so. Our new project has been announced and I raced off. Our inspiration has to be the Grayson Perry Vanity Of Small Differences work at the gallery in Manchester. So I duly did my sketches, did some experiments, and decided on my end piece. It would appear that I am DOING IT ALL WRONG. I like to do things right, s now I am allowed to mess about with paper and card samples for four weeks. Cool.

The direction I wanted to go in

I liked it. Not allowed. Must experiment. Pah.

Results of Fair

Following yesterdays sale, where I made my target of thirty pounds, and a little extra, I am able to see what was a seller and what wasn't. Polymer clay mini charms didn't really sell, just one, same with the polymer and glitter sets..but the little birds, an impulse sale priced version of the Home birds literally flew away. As with the kawaii rings. My beloved resin only sold one, so all in all, someone liked everything I made, but most people liked the clay birds. Which is funny, because I loved them the most (after the resin..but I like sparkles, what can I say?All my life I've been scared to follow through with what I think is best..I've made some pretty disastrous decisions and they have been on whims, but most things that happen, I say 'I KNEW that was going to happen'. The fair was an excellent learning tool to me, because it showed me something unexpected, about myself and other peoples work too. So here are some bullet points

• KNOW YOURSELF If you make something you know to be good, commit to it. Have faith in your taste. A few people who like your stuff attract a few more, and so on.
• DONT CONFUSE PEOPLE My stall looked like three peoples stall. I was scared to edit and commit to one theme, thinking people wouldn't like it. My defensiveness made me take a tutors well meant advice the wrong way, and I threw the baby out with the bath water. Instead of sticking to the bird theme, which I love, and obviously most people loved too, I diversified and tried to cater to everyone with miniatures of everyday objects...clever, but quite useless unless they are explained.
• DONT STICK TO THE RULES This is art, not physics, and rules are guidelines. Some people bent the rules and did really well, proving people do have money to spend, or will find it if they like it. I really wish I'd taken some of my larger bird nests along, as I think they would have been sold, and made me a lot more money

So in two hours I learnt more about selling my stuff than I would have in a year of classroom theorizing. Invaluable, and I'm really going to take that on board for next time. I've found a common ground between what I like, and what people want to buy, and I'm really happy with where I see Raingirl going. I'm also working on a new technique and excited about the future. So, despite average sales results, I had a really positive experience yesterday. Go Raingirl MCR!

A sneak peak of new stock in development stages

Tiny OOGuage people

These came today, along with my new phone. At last. Way more excited about the people than the phone. After the samsung Galaxy S2, all other phones seem a bit blah to me, so my new Note, while once I would have seen it as amazing, is just a bigger slower version of a deeply missed ghost. On to the people! Ordered from Belgium, at only four pounds (uk stockists wanted ten pounds plus shipping) I have BIG...well little plans for these guys. I ordered the commuter set and can't wait to pretty them up

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Crafting

I blame Bejewelled Blitz for my sensitivity to repetitive stress. Years ago I would spend eight hours a day beating that mad game. It left me with all sorts of aches and pains in my right wrist and arm. This morning I have woken up unable to make a fist and with that awful dead finger feeling, because I spent around eight hours cutting out little 3d hot air balloons. To say I have an obsessive nature is an understatement. So what to do today now anything requiring dexterity is out of the question? Finishing off my display for the sale on Friday for sure. I took an old artist case and lined it with pretty collected papers and masking tape. Made a brand sign with stick on and felt letters, and now I'm going to paint the exposed cheap looking wood with a gorgeous paint called liquorice. I've gone a bit shabby chic and twee, but the sale area is so grim (college reception) I want to sit somewhere pretty. Here is a picture of it halfway through. Hopefully my new phone will arrive today so I can take lovely pictures of the whole set up on Friday. Quite nervous now. Hope I sell stuff.

Washi Tape Effect Tutorial

I had lots of left over trimmed paper that is too nice and expensive to throw away. I love washi tape, but that is too expensive for me to buy regularly. My solution is to improvise with masking tape! Just cover the paper you love with masking tape, design side up. Trim to the size you want, pop some double sided tape on the back and there you have your very own free washi tape. And you can write on it which is the best part.
I developed the idea by wrapping the tape round the cup of a tea light, and that would make a really cute stocking filler or tombola stall item, but use any where you would use washi; labels, projects and cards

Christmas Fair Goodies Are Finally Finished

FLOGGAGE

Wow. Total slog, If I could be bothered I'd do an infographic displaying my sheer panic, worry, frustration, acceptance, making a mess, starting again, abandoning, scrapping, tinkering, tweaking and finishing from the last 3 weeks. The brief was to make six impulse buys we could sell at an end of term Christmas Fair. I've made about twenty. But I am opening my Etsy shop soon so I really needed to make a cross section of what I can make for cheap so I can see what will sell.
My first idea was a little collection of birds made from clay and peering into their own idea of what Home is. I called it Home. It's interesting the way birds live. So beautiful and decorative yet essentially homeless apart from when they have babies. I myself had a bit of an empty nest syndrome last year and I felt quite confused. Liberated but groundless and a bit scared of the possibilities. It didn't last. A tutor explained to me it might be a little too important for an impulse buy, so I kept some elements, ready to wear jewellery and dec objects, but went back to the drawing board. I gave myself TSS with resin for jewellery, some worked out some didn't. I went through a brick of Polymer clay, but made back the money with packaging supplies from a gifted crafting kit. I love working in miniatures in polymer clay, and came up with little charms you can put on key rings or just play with. A whole weekend was spent carving, twisting, baking and painting, another couple of days to attach the charms to lovely individual tags. So much time is spent waiting for things to reach the next stage. It frazzles the nerves. Finally I'm done. Packaged up and ready to price. Wish me luck! I will do tutorials for these things of course but all in due time. I also designed a couple of flyers for the sale

So I've been mad busy, and managed to look it when I was in the waiting stages. Now I have a mountain of real business type boring homework to catch up on and of course, the dreaded sale. I need some ginseng and vitamin C. 

I Have A Facebook Page

Try as I might I can't break the Facebook habit. If you can't either, join me! HERE