New to MonkeyBuns

Things have been pretty busy in my life.  I'm working at my "real job" a lot more.  The coffee industry is a great deal of fun but it does keep me away from my two passions in life Anthony and my jewelry.  Thankfully I work with a great group of ladies and a gent.  
These are a few of the new pieces to MonkeyBuns.

Lake House

Honey Coils

Apple Grove

The first weekend in May I participated in the Waverly Art Walk 2010.  This Art Walk was an amazing way to kick off craft season!  I meet a lot of talented artist in Waverly.  Here are a few of their fabulous works of art. Remember to support you're local art community!!!

Cole Art Pottery

Wheel-thrown Stoneware Art Pottery

Douglas Cole

Sumner, IA

deccvc@iowatelecom.net

Steve Hunter Design

Illustration and Design for Advertising

Cedar Falls

sh.design@cfu.net

MetalWorks

Dave Leeper

Cedar Rapids

www.leeperarts.com

Prange's Fabric Pictures

Hand Apppliqued Wall Hangings 

Greeting Cards

Meg Prange

Russell

meg.prange@yahoo.com

JK Creative Wood

Kalona

Jkwood@kctc.net

Lightworks

Hand Mard Art

Brad Howland

Cedar Falls

www.lightworksart.etsy.com

Bent Thoughts

Metal Garden Sculptures

Rod

Oskaloosa

info@bent-thoughts.com

www.bent-thoughts.com

Waverly Art Bus

Displays art work done by Middle and High School students from Waverly and the surrounding areas.

Stan

Stan, originally uploaded by Monkey Buns Etsy.

**Introducing a new line to MonkeyBuns**

Stan is a punky little guy who just wants to have fun; even if it's naughty. Join Stan through his beaded journey.

Stan is quite the naughty little guy sometimes. He's hand bead woven in a two drop Peyote stitch. The spring green and crisp white pair nicely in this cuff.

Stan measures 7 1/4"x 1 1/4".

This cuff was complete with a silver twist clasp. Once this clasp is locked into place it's not going any where!

Stay tuned for the next Stan cuff!!

Reading a Peyote Graph...

     Reading a Peyote graph is something that I've never been able to do.  I have long ago added it in with crochet and knitting.  These concepts are understood by my brain and yet the connection gets dropped between the brain and hands.  Well I've been giving my own Peyote patterns a go again.  This time I've been using a word chart.  What a difference that makes!  
  I've been working on some new patterns in Herringbone stitch.  Here are a few of my new completed pieces in Herringbone

Eye of the Storm

                                                     

Swirls

     Stay tuned for updates on new Peyote Cuffs.  Perhaps an owl shall appear soon....

Great Treasury Feature

2010 New Years Resolutions

It's that time of year again where we all pledge to do things that we know we won't simply because we don't have anyone to answer to if we don't.  There is no punishment if we don't give up the sweets, be nicer to people, or spend less money. This year I'm dedicated to keeping my business New Years Resolutions. 

• Keep up on my tax stuff through out the year not 2 days before I they're due.  Here's a great program to track your income and expenses for the year http://secure.outright.com/income

• Organize my beads and work station. I need to learn to work within my space and clean up afterwards lol.

• Re-shoot my photos.  I've already started this one!

• Apply for more art shows rather than craft show which often tend to be more like flea markets in my area.

• Market myself better 

I have more but realistically the more I pledge to do the more likely it won't get done.  

I challenge each of you to make your New Year Resolutions public so you are accountable for them.  

• Be a better JET 

Jalousie Etsy Find of the Week

Jalousie is a new T-shirt shop on Etsy.  Right now they have one design available in a variety of colours including: black, light grey, navy blue and light blue.

     These tanks are longer than most on the market creating a slimming effect.  Made from cotton they are breathable and comfortable! If there banner is any indicator then great things will continue to come from this shop in the future.

Available in Women’s sizes XS, S, M, L, XL

Are you interested in being featured as MonkeyBuns' Etsy Find of the Week? Let me know!

Etsy Problems

If you are an active member of Etsy then you know about the daily struggles that handmade artist face. Between the same shops being featured over and over again, resellers, glitches in the system and people who are selling (and taking money from us) items that are not handmade Etsy is forecasting an internal storm.

What it really boils down to is that Etsy wants to make money and they'll make it any way they can. I think in the beginning they really did care about providing a venue where handmade artist were allowed to gather and be successful. Then as time passed and they got so famous their morals and ideals took a down slide. This problem is not limited to just Etsy it can be seen in most successful businesses. When one person, say an Etsy Artist, is in complete control of their shop they make all the designs, they chose the prices and qualities of their products, they market the product. Now lets say that shop owner gains huge success and now their demand is so great they can't possibly do everything themselves as they are only humans so they start taking on employees to take some of the weight and stress off themselves. As the business continues to grow more of the day to day decisions are filtered down the chain OWNER----->VP----->Manager----->Employee. Every time some one makes a decision for you about your business they bring their own set of morals and visions to the table that may not match the owner's. The owner however is now busy thinking about other things other than the little day to day things they used to love and thrive off. In Etsy's case where at one point the owner really did care about us artists they have so many other things on their plates that they forgot about those of us who got them where they are today. The members of their chain care about getting a good pay check in this economy and the bills they have to pay. Where does that leave us artist?

I've observed that some artist have taken on the "if you can't beat them join them" theory. I ask how does this help our cause? How can we yell about our rights as handmade artists when our fellow artist are selling out? In some cases instead of standing on the front line and making it known that with out us artists Etsy can make no money artist have gone to . If there's nothing to buy there's no money going into Etsy. Is it realistic that every seller will shut up shop? No because we have bills to pay.

I've been told more than once at craft shows, through family and friends that "you know if you just make ___________and sell it for ________ you'd make so much money" I generally say that isn't my business vision. I don't want to mass produce junk in order to sell because that makes me cheap. I fully understand that in this economy not everyone can buy one of my cuffs for forty dollars. My solution? To pour my skill into a skinnier version to allow for price variance. I use the same quality materials and love in my Skinny Minis and I do in my bigger pieces. That has become my solution. I don't believe in using cheaper products to mass product items that I see are selling well. If you start doing that then you've become the Owner who sells out.

I encourage artists to make a stand and make it your own. Stand on the front line in a way that makes you comfortable.

What are your thoughts?

Great Winter Trend Colors Winner!!

Congratulations to Sabrita the winner of MonkeyBuns' November give away!!!

sabrita said...

I am such a fan of green- the dark sage is my favorite. Thank you.

sabrita@juno.com

If you didn't win this time stay tuned for MonkeyBuns' next blog give away!!!

Black Friday Sale

Black Friday Sale

30% off at MonkeyBuns

11/27/2009

Don't fight the crowds

stay in the comfort of your home

and find the perfect gift

for all the women in you life!!!

Iowa Craft:39 MacNider Museum Exhibit Update

Iowa Craft:39 Exhibit

This weekend the Iowa Craft:39 MacNider Museum Exhibit opened in Mason City. In addition to the opening of the Exhibit an awards ceramony was held. I must admit I didn't think I'd place although I was hopefully. They announced honorable mention and it wasn't my name. At that point I started telling myself it's a honor to be included and this is great exposure. Then they read the best in jewelry category winner and it was me!! I just thought hey they said my name. I was shocked that my simpler piece won even though I myself am drawn to simple pieces.

My favorite man was my date as well as my parents.

The lovely judge and me at my display.

Great Winter Trend Colors

As a jewelry designer I am realizing that it extremely important to know what new color trends are coming. Sometimes I baulk at the colors and I'm right and then sometimes I have to kick myself. But at last Winter 2009 colors are right up my

personal color love alley. I love love love rich earthy tones.

Drum roll please:

Leave MonkeyBuns a comment letting us know which color or piece you love the most and why. You could win a $10.00 Gift Certificate to MonkeyBuns!!! Drawing will be on Nov. 30th!!! Let your friends know.

Monday what else is there to say

Good morning blog followers!

It is again Monday :( the world's longest day. I work at my "real" job six days a week now so it seems like Sundays burn away so quickly. I have been working hard at wire wrapping on Sundays. I've seen my ups and downs and a few bruises along the way.

Two out of the four pieces I submitted to the Iowa Craft Exhibit were accepted.

The will be exhibited at MacNider Museum from November 19th to February 20th.