Etsy

I think I will be testing the waters over at Etsy.com soon as I've just been informed that Ebay's rates are going up from 5.25% to 8.75% on February 20th. That is a huge price hike and while they are giving a few perks to powersellers, such as free gallery and slightly reduced listing fees, I feel it is another slap in the face to hard working sellers such as myself. If you haven't heard about Etsy, now is the time to check it out. It's like one huge global art and craft market. It is geared more to my kind of product than ebay. It is not an auction like ebay. There will be a set price for each item but it does have a feedback system like ebay has. I'll make sure to write a blog entry when I start to sell there. Right now, I may begin putting some pieces in my Etsy store that don't sell on ebay.
My Etsy Store URL (empty right now): http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5520733

Jen
Here are a few pieces I've been working on that should be for sale on ebay soon. Gotta get 'em on before the big price hike:)

Fairy Tale

My mind has been roaming in the land of enchantment lately as you can see in my two latest pendants. My favorite type of art has always been illustration (think Howard Pyle and NC Wyeth). Our weekend hobby is buying children's books at yard sales and we have amassed a collection of nearly 1000 books for our daughter. Perhaps I've been reading her too many books and the illustrations are making their way into my own art. I have been having so much fun with these pendants lately. I know my regular customers are probably growing inpatient with me, I am sorry! :) It's a great way to create art when you have a toddler under your feet and not a lot of time (or a very short attention span). I've also been able to get back into beading a little which is very relaxing for me. So, I hope you enjoy my little pieces of art as much as I do. I will keep painting them if they keep selling. Hopefully I will get myself to some local gift shops and galleries to see if they have any interest in carrying a few.
Jen
The peices in this blog were painted on vintage black wooden dominos from the 1950's.

Happy Birthday

I wanted to take a moment and say Happy Birthday to two special people. January 19th is the birthday of Edgar Allen Poe and also my dear, sweet, Zoe Camille. Never did I think that two years ago today I would be rushed into the ER for an emergency c-section! It is so amazing how quickly a baby develops and grows. In the blink of an eye they are speaking in full sentences. Maybe next year I can train her to do my taxes:)
Jen

EHAG

I'm very excited to announce today that I've been accepted into EHAG (Eclectic Halloween Artists Group). This is one of the most selective Halloween art groups out there and I am honored to be a member. If you enjoy Halloween, go check out the website. You will be so glad you did. Also go to ebay and search under EHAG to see current listings by the artists in this group.
Cheers! Jen

Farm Show

We took our daughter Zoe to the PA Farm Show this past weekend. She always has so much fun anywhere there's animals (just like her mom). I had to include a photo a took of her on the carousel. usually when I take carousel pictures the focus is on the horse but this time it's on the pure joy in a child's face as she rides the horse.



I've added some new pendants to ebay this week. Two are black cats for Halloween. I know it's a little early but if you like Halloween like I do, you'd wear it all year round.

And I've added a crescent moon for the dreamer out there.

Still hope to paint some more Valentine signs and would love to get out a larger painting soon too.

Also wanted to thank Lori (aka Retro-Rudolphs) for giving me The Daily Dose award. "This is a tribute to all the blogs that you've discovered that you can't possibly live without. They make you laugh, cry, think and feel connected every time you read a post. They give you a thrill as you see them loading into your browser and you get an equally satisfying thrill when you see that they have commented on your blog". From Xandra: creator, The Daily Dose Award.

Cheers! Jen

New for the New Year

I thought I'd start 2008 off with something totally new and fun - hand painted pendant necklaces. I have painted about 15 so far and I'm having a blast! It gives me a chance to explore other interests without committing to hours of work. So you will see my usual horses on the pendants as well as other animals and Holidays (from Valentine's Day to Day of the Dead). I have been having way too much fun in AC Moore and Michaels looking for pretty beads to dangle below the pendants. Each pendnat is completely hand painted. I don't use glued on, shrunk down prints of my work like many other artists are doing. It's like wearing a miniature piece of original art around your neck. The other nice thing is if your like me and have a metal allergy, the satin cord will not make your skin itchy. So, please check them out if you have a minute. I am listing them on ebay as I paint them. If they become popular I may offer a few special pieces for purchase through my website.
Have a great day!
Jen

Zoo Day

We took our little one to the Philly Zoo today (America's oldest zoo). Winter is by far the best time to go there. The place is empty. I am not a people person so it is nice not to fight the crowds. The weather was great. I think it topped out at 51 degrees. Not too bad for January. I just had to share some of the pictures I took.
Perhaps they will inspire some new paintings.

Nevermore!

Well, it seems as if I've been bit by the raven bug. I have had this idea for a "Nevermore Tavern" sign in my brain for awhile and I finally painted it. Poe has always been one of my favorite writers and since my daughter shares his birthday in January, I felt particularly inspired. I would love to go to the Poe birthday celebration in MD. Our new house is just over an hour away from Baltimore. Maybe when Zoe is older. We bought her a Poe doll for her birthday. The people in the gift shop probably thought it was a strange gift for a two year old:)

It's an honor to be mentioned...

Today I found out my Painted Pony, Snowbound, won honorable mention in the Trail of the Painted Ponies 2nd Annual Holiday Design Contest. I wasn't expecting anything so this was a nice surprise. You can see the other winners here:
http://www.trailofpaintedponies.com/holiday-contest-update.html
I listed him on ebay today too.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=63745&item=180202438824

Happy New Year!

I thought I would paint a few ravens this week. I started collecting them when my daughter was born almost 2 years ago. She shares a birthday (Jan. 19th) with Edgar Allen Poe and ravens remind me of him for obvious reasons.
Here's my latest addition to ebay. I like this one so much I almost want to keep him.

Here's to a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!
Jen