The gremlins have been removed from the system!

Sorry to anyone who went to comment on my last post and found themselves with out a soapbox to stand on. Somehow I had (or perhaps Little Guy helped me???) ticked a box that I didn’t know existed and not allowed comments.
I have learned a few things about blogger in the last couple of days; thanks go out to Ms Curly Pops for yesterday’s tuition and a great big thanks to Kelly for directing me to today’s glitch.
If you want to help out by adding your two cents worth to my name dilemma feel free to comment either here or on the original post. I’m still not sold on any of the names I have come up with, but I think I have a photo background colour scheme sorted.

What’s in a name?

I’m still struggling with a name for an Etsy store. It’s much harder than I thought it would be, whenever I have great idea I do a search and someone has beaten me to it!

I loved “Flotsam & Jetsam”, "My Own Two Hands”, “Studio 9” and “Whatever Takes Your Fancy” but they are all taken, taken, taken! It’s especially frustrating when the name is taken by a shop that has no listings, no banner and no sales. What’s going on there? Are people just hogging names?

One that isn’t taken that I like is “Inspired Emporium” it’s also available in blogger, so I could change my name here too. Curly Guy is not too keen on it, he says he likes it but doesn’t love it. What do you guys think?

Another option is “Twinkle High” it’s Little Guys own special title for his favorite song “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”.

Once the name is chosen there is still the issue of colour schemes, banners, working out postage charges and writing up all of the listings. Busy times ahead…….

I’m ready to take the plunge, but I have a dilemma….

I’m going to dip my toe in the water over at Etsy and see what happens. I want to start moving some of the paintings that are filling up my house (especially the ones in the studio) and it would also be an outlet for my jewellery and what ever other creative endeavours my short attention span has me indulging in next.

The dilemma is I need a shop name, now the logical thought would be – go with createdbyKylie, the problem is I’m not really such a big fan of the name. I didn’t spend much time thinking about it, I was just too keen to get going with this blog. AND I did a search with in sellers on Etsy for names starting with createdby and there are 104 matches so it’s not the most unique idea!!

It seems a brain storming session is on the cards for me in the next few days, if you have any ideas you would like to throw in the hat, please feel free to leave me a comment. If I love your idea and use it I am sure I could find a little pressie to send your way.

Let the year of insperimentation begin!

Did you see Nic’s fabulous post this morning? I am feeling so inspired since reading it, I intend to make her new word “insperiment” my word of the year. I think experimenting to promote inspiration is just what I need to keep my work moving and evolving.

I have inscribed insperiment onto a copper pendent and thought it fitting to use this piece for my next patina experiment.

I have popped the “Insperiment Pendent” in a jar and suspended it above a little ammonia and I have my fingers crossed a lovely blue coloured patina will develop over the next few days.  I shall keep you post as to how it turns out. Thanks again Nic for the inspiration.

Eggs and peas anyone??

Do you remember this new “Pea Pod” trinket from the other day? It has had a little make over in the great egg patina experiment.

Just placing a hard boiled egg in a glass jar with the copper piece overnight produced this charming aged appearance. The gasses released from the egg yolk cause the reaction, then a little polish with some 0000 steel wool in places gave it some highlights. Simple and stunning, I am really happy with how it turned out.

I am right back in the swing of things and itching to spend as much time as possible in the studio. The new “Dangle” trinkets I am working on are really striking; I shall share some of them soon.

Stay tuned for more copper patina experiments as well and a post on just how easy it is to clean copper if you prefer it bright and shiny.

Happy Blue Moon

Whilst this isn’t a painting of a “real” blue moon, it is a moon and it is blue so I thought I would take this opportunity to share.
If your out and about celebrating the end of the decade tonight take care, weirdness abounds on the full moon.......

See you next year.

New hand beaten copper trinkets

I’m slowly getting back into the swing of things. I have cleared a path to the desk in my studio and I have created these little trinkets in the last couple of days.