Birdcages

Birdcages, originally uploaded by jslwong.

I think it is very interesting to watch trends emerge. You start to see the same thing over and over in different places, and then suddenly it becomes HUGE, everyone tries to capitalize on the trend, and then, eventually, everyone burns out on it.

Right now, I am seeing a lot of moustaches and chalkboards. But I think the next big thing is going to be birdcages.

Hawaii lovers

Hawaii lovers, originally uploaded by JooJoo1356.

I saw these on Flickr today. So cute!

You can buy them on Etsy: JOOJOO: Hawaii lovers

I WISH I could buy them, but I am broke, broke, broke.

Project Runway

Someone in an Etsy forum mentioned that Leanne and Kelli from Project Runway Season 5 both have Etsy shops:

Anti.Label (Kelli)
Leanimal (Leanne)

(Link to the Etsy forum discussion here: Need a Storque article on Project Runway...two Etsians to appear!)

Jade plant

Because I am cheap and broke, I've decided, this year, I am giving everyone plants for Christmas. Succulents do really well in southern California, they are super easy to care for, and all you have to do to start a new one is break a piece off of an existing plant and stick it in a pot of dirt and remember to water it every now and then. I have about ten baby Jade Plants outside (like the one on the left) that I am hoping will grow to look big and awesome like the one on the right... by December. I don't know if that is at all realistic, but the one on the right was about 1/4 that size last fall. It grew pretty fast.

This is what it will look like in a few years if I put it in a bigger pot:



That one comes up past my waist. And I've heard that if you stick them in the ground, they get enormous. They also get really pretty little white flowers on them once a year--in the fall, I think.

Sloppy Hot Dogs - Chili Flavor

Sloppy Hot Dogs - Chili Flavor, originally uploaded by morehappylesssad.

I found this in the back of the cabinet yesterday. We have a basket that all of the seasoning packets are kept in, and, as far as I know, none are ever thrown away. If they don't get used, they just stay there forever.

I think of all the 'retro' photography and design styles, this one is my favorite. This is the one I most wish I could recreate. What is it, late 70s? I can't tell. It's fabulous, though.

Anke Weckmann and Jason Sho Green on Threadless

I used to be obsessed with Threadless, and was buying shirts from them probably once every two weeks, at least. I eventually ran out of room for them and ran out of money, and stopped even looking at the website. But now I see they are printing awesome artists like Anke Weckmann and Jason Sho Green. I might have to start up my habit again.

New Audrey Kawasaki print available Saturday

Audrey Kawasaki Smitten Preview, originally uploaded by thinkspace_gallery.

Audrey Kawasaki , who does beautiful work like this ^^^ (above), has a new print for sale on Saturday. View it here: "If Only You Were Here". Read more about it here, in her LiveJournal: i-seldom-do.livejournal.com.

I wish I could afford to buy her art! All I have is an iPod GelaSkin with the "Odaijini" artwork on it and the issue of Hi-Fructose that she was featured in.

Mailing list log book

I made this mailing list log book today. I know that, as a customer, if someone gives me a business card or a flyer with a web address on it, I will probably forget about it by the time I get to my computer. I thought it would be smart to make a mailing list sign up sheet booklet, so that people can collect e-mail addresses from potential customers and then e-mail THEM instead of waiting for the customer to visit the website.

The book includes 20 sign up pages, with five spaces for names and e-mail addresses on each page. There are also 10 sheets of blank paper in the back, so that the log book can double as a memo pad!

It is 5.5 inches tall and 4.25 inches wide. The front and back covers are made of card stock. The back cover is blank. You can draw on it if you want!

Etsy treasury

I got another Etsy treasury, but forgot to post it before it expired! These are the items I featured:



1st row: Olive Harmony Click-It Wallet, Kiwi and Brown Floral Clock, Sparkling Sakura Pendant
2nd row: 3 Section Frame Purse - Japanese Ume on Red, Red and cream cherry blossom- snap clip, Camera Strap- Mirabelle
3rd row: Little Sparrows (white and magenta edition), Plumeria Shea Butter Soap, Bow- Original Signed Fine Art Photograph
4th row: Vintage Brown Floral Coasters - Set of 4, So Many Flowers Pillow, Letterpress Folding Card and Envelope Set of 3 - Blue Flowers and Twigs

Mini "thank you" cards

Today I made two sets of mini "thank you" cards--one pink and one blue. Last month, I made a similar set on white card stock, with "MORE HAPPY LESS SAD" printed on them, for including with Etsy orders once I get my shop up and running. I thought these pink and blue sets might be useful to other sellers. I plan on listing them in my shop eventually, but figuring out how to price them is tricky. They are inexpensive to make, but kind of time consuming to cut and score.



About the cards: There are 24 cards in the pink set, and 20 in the blue set, plus 4 blue "thank you" tags. The cards are printed on colored card stock. The printing was done on my inkjet printer. The printing is blue, pink, and black, and is exactly the same for both sets of cards. Each card is a approximately a 2.75 inch square, with some variation from card to card. (Due to the nature of the process, no print is exactly centered, and no card is perfectly square.)

The Discovery Channel: Boom De Ah Dah, the world is just awesome.

I love this commercial! I hate that Discovery Channel now only plays a super shortened version of it.

Busy busy!

No posts this week! I have a paper to write and a take-home final to complete, and then I am done with college forever (barring any unforeseen disasters...)!

My first Etsy treasury

I got my first Etsy treasury today: The Birds and the Bees.



I was really surprised to see that Honeylux and The Big Black Cloud haven't had many more sales! The work they do is fantastic.

My return to Blogger

It's been a few years now since I've had a Blogger blog. A lot has changed! I'm going to have to spend some time in the coming month trying to figure out how to customize the blog layout without limiting its functionality.

Anyway, I've become completely addicted to blogs like Poppytalk and Design*Sponge, and decided to start my own. I plan on focusing primarily on art and photography, but we'll see what happens.