UGH!

So, I did a show yesterday at a local Middle School. I usually try to avoid schools as they have never been that great for me. I stayed up late two nightes in a row making jewelry like crazy. Well, as crazy as I could with a low motivation level. The show was a bust. I made my fee and less than $100 for the day. It also snowed. That likely impacted our attendance.

So today I'm back to what has made me happy lately. SWAPBOT! Yay!

Don't laugh. I'm actually hosting a couple swaps on the open boards. I have done a few within the safety net of my groups but these two? These two are for everybody!

Come join!

Inchies by Color - Blue!

http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/32495

and

ATC - I found it in the Newspaper!

http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/32494

Come on... do it.. you know you want to :)

Artist Trading Cards

I can't stop making these silly things!

ATC's (Artist Trading Cards) are all pieces of original artwork that are exclusively 3.5" x 2.5", the size of a trading/collecting card.



It all started with my burnout on jewelry making from the great holiday build-up. Now, it's a quick (sometimes) and mindless (sometimes) way to release stress, make a mess and be creative. As you can see, I found my package of black paper that I have been looking for (for just about ever).

Here is some of my Sunday afternoon messy, stress relief :) Alchol Inks!

More to be found on my Flickr page: Julia's ATC Set

ATC's - Swap-bot fun!

Quick post with last nights ATC's for a swap.
The theme was postage stamps.











I relied on natural light as I didn't want to get the whole light set-up out. The pictures could have been better but hey, I remembered to take them :)

My new addiction

This website has been so much fun for me while we were buried in the frozen, white rain.
It has brought me back to making the ATC's and Inchies that I love so much.

Swap-bot has also been a great break from jewelry making. The frenzy of holiday "stocking up" for the wholesale orders, consignment shops, live shows and my own websites had really wore me down.

Check out Swap-bot. You can start small or just jump right in. When you get the mail, it feels like your birthday. Every day!

The Charm Swap

I signed up for a charm swap at the urging of a fellow jewelry maker. The swap was at this awesome little place called The Salvage Studio in Edmonds. I really didn't know what I was getting myself into until I had signed up and started asking questions.

It ends up that there are a total of 25 people. Each person brings 24 hand made charms. We all sit around a giant table and pass the plate with our hand made charms to the person on the left (this time). Each person chooses one before passing the plate on. Everyone is doing this at the same time so it's "musical plates" so to speak. When your own plate gets back to you, it's empty and you should have 24 different charms from the plates you passed.

Here's some of what I brought to trade:

Let me tell you, there were some awesome treasures I collected from those plates! It was so fun and everyone was so creative!

Here's what I got to take home:







As the plates were being passed you could hear the oooohs and ahhhhs and a little squeal now and then (probably from me :) I can hardly wait for the next one! We have to wait till February. I'm already working on the planning for the next batch.

What was especially fun was after the swap, we went around the table telling which charm we had made, what supplies we used and how we made it. Everyone had the opportunity to ask questions. I highly recommend signing up if you ever hear of a Charm Swap happening! Great fun!