Lots -o- quilled necklaces up!

I am slowly working my way to getting a lot of my paper jewelry up on my new website instead of Etsy, etc.  I have so many ideas and plans for the site that there just does not seem to be enough hours in the day to make and get everything done.  Not to mention the copious hours needed to spend on my favorite thing... quilling.  I managed to get a few up however and you should absolutely go check them out.

Little Circles Shop

New Free Tutorial! Classy Chassis Necklace

I just finished posting this free tutorial up on the website.  I hope you all enjoy it!  I had a blast designing it.

Click Here To Make!

It's Springtime in Paper Earring Land!

Although I live in Hawaii and the weather here is pretty much always amazing, sunny and warm... I swear I can feel spring nipping at the toes of all of my favorite peeps in the North.  As with all seasonal change, something in my body goes *SWITCH* and I need to create new beautiful things in it's honor and in new and fabulous colors to boot.  The itch hit me this week and ever since, my little fingers have been busily working on new designs for the warmer days ahead.  There is absolutely more to come, but here is a peek at what I've been doing :)

Play.

I am working on a bunch of small pieces right now because my brain is bursting with new ideas and I can not settle it down long enough to commit to a larger work.  I am still working on my long board surfers as well... which I have been procrastinating on for far too long, but that is not what this post is about.  Yesterday, I was feeling a bit anxious for no real reason, but I am not the kind of gal who likes to wallow in dark.  After a refreshing trip to spend time amongst beauty by way of veggies at Whole Foods, I was ready to lift myself back up and find some words of inspiration that would lead to a new creation.  And here she is:

"Where beams of Imagination play, The memory's soft figures melt away" - Alexander Pope

Play.

5 x 7"

The Bride.

I belong to quite a few different art and quilling groups, both online and off, but my favorite one at the moment is Craftster.  There are so many incredibly talented and inspiring people on there that post pictures of their ideas and projects.  They also hold different challenges and swaps which I adore.  I love swapping.  I do personal swaps at festivals and such all of the time and some of the most amazing art I own was acquired in this manor.  My new obsession in the world of swaps however is one that I  was introduced to recently: Art Trading Cards (ATC).  I posted previously about a card that I created (the robot) and I am back to share my latest with you today.  The thing I love about doing ATC swaps is that the person you are swapping with dictates the subject matter based on their personal preferences.  These likes and dislikes are usually quite different from my own which pushes my brain.  I am creating a work with another person in mind while keeping to my artistic methods and creativity.  The same is done when I do most commission work, but the ATC cards have the added element of being extremely tiny. A finished piece must measure in at 2.5 x 3.5 inches in total.  Which when you are used to working with much more space, is a great challenge.  I love it.  Troy has imposed a limit as to how many swaps I am allowed to participate in at any given time (they take a lot of time and I do create such work as a living normally) but I am embracing it.  The swaps seem to give me the feeling I used to have when I was more craft, less art.  I don't know why, but it is nice to step back once in awhile.  I also get beautiful little cards of art in the mail themed on MY preferences, which is simply amazing.

Celebrate Valentine's with a 'lil gift from me!

Happy day-o-love my internet cherubs.  In celebration, I made this darling paper earring tutorial just for you... Oh, yeah, and it's FREE!!!

Enjoy. XOXO

'Heart Throb' Quilled Paper Earring Pattern

'lil Robot

This little guy measures in at just 2.5 x 3.5" and was pretty fun to make.  He is my half of a tiny art swap I am participating in and will be on his way to Canada tomorrow.  He may feature in an idea I have in the very near future...

Newly finished commissioned work - 'Lily'

I was commissioned by an old friend to do two pictures for him and his wife. They bought a small piece from me a few months back and are now starting to collect. They want all three pieces to be nature in theme and be bright and bold. The first work they bought from me was a 5 x 7" retro flower picture that I often do variations of because they are so popular. This go round they requested a 6 x 8" and an 8 x 10". The 6 x 8 was left entirely up to me. The following pictures are of what I came up with. I just finished last night. I am pretty happy with the finished effect. I used all of the colors that I used in their previous picture plus many additional. I plan on incorporating this element in the third as well. The couple plan on hanging their collection as a grouping - and while they will all be different in subject and perhaps even stylistically, there will at least be a little similarity amongst them all. I have sent off photos to him but have year to hear back as to whether or not he likes the work. I hope it is a yes... then I can get started on the next one :)

Here is a photo of the picture I made that inspired the first work the couple commissioned from me:

Hawaiian Petroglyphs

The first four in a series of Hawaiian petroglyphs (rock carvings) that I plan on creating.  You can find renditions all over the islands by many talented artists and it was time to do my own version.  Each is 3.5 x 5 inches plus frame size.

Sarah Yakawonis

Sarah Yakawonis is an amazing paper artist that I have admired since I first stumbled upon one of her anatomy pieces a couple of years ago.  She is innovative, original and I love following her work.  Check out her Etsy store, her blog, like her on Facebook... all that good stuff.  I do!

Shop Sarah's Etsy shop HERE

Follow Sarah @ Twitter HERE

Read Sarah's blog HERE

Like Sarah on Facebook HERE

Earring Give - Away!!!

Get prepped!  I'm going to be doing a give away of a custom colored (to your choosing) pair of earrings on Monday, December 17th.  How can you win? It's easy.  Just like Little Circles on Facebook and tune in on Monday for the deets.  Hope you win!

http://www.facebook.com/LittleCirclesEverywhere

Cherries.

I was commissioned today to make a couple dozen of these lovelies and thought I'd share.  I make and sell quite a few of these in the summer since our home resides in the 'Cherry Capitol' but am delighted to be spending some quality time twirling them up in October.  I am putting up a temporary listing (until  December perhaps?) if you are interested in picking up a little paper goodie for the holidays.  I am offering them at 1/2 price (only $10 each) so check them out if you would care for one.

Cherries - Etsy

Free Quilling Shapes Tutorial is UP!!

Yeah! My new and absolutely FREE tutorial is done and you can download it right now by following the link. Learn to quill every shape like a pro. 23 pages and over 70 detailed photos will make a quiller out of you yet :) If you enjoy the free tutorial, please consider sharing the link to download it. Let's share the love of paper rolling - woot!

The tutorial will remain free on iPublicate.com for a limited time (until I have something new to share with you) so download it quickly!  It is a fabulous resource.

Take me to iPublicate!

A few updates and new beginnings.

The above is a very small picture of the girl and myself that I just completed for a competition that is being held in Canada.  It needs to be sent out this week.  I am still undecided if I want to send another work as well.  I probably should since you are allowed 2 entries for one registration price.  The picture measures just 3X4.  I have never done a competition before and must say I am super scared.  At least I do not need to be present, so if my work does not cut it, I do not have to hear it...  They reserve the right to sell the works as well and that would be nice.  It was interesting doing such a small piece.  I based this painting off another painting of larger size that I have done of Marnie and I but have not yet began to quill.  Way more challenging in the smaller size I assume.  I have been procrastinating sending it off because I need to include a portfolio and I have none.  I have never done anything nor sold anything, so I am unsure of what to include.  I guess I will have to figure it out however since it has to be sent out by the end of the month.  Due to our vacation in Disney that begins next week - I will need to have it sent out by next Wednesday.

Since I have made the decision to attempt to make a little money off my work and prove to myself and my family that all the time I spend rolling paper is worth it - I have been reading article after article about how to make money off art.  The general idea is that you need to sell prints.  This sounds great to me since often time a picture can take me 100 hours or more to complete.  It would be nice to have something to sell while I create new works.  It is pretty pricey to get prints made, so for my first time out I have decided to appeal more to my local demographic.  Traverse City is known as the Cherry Capitiol of the world and we get thousands of tourists each year for various events.  I painted this silly little thing as my base and will see what comes from it.  I always get a bit frustrated when I first paint something since I am really quite bad at it.  I do not know why it bothers me so much since I am just going to cover it up anyhow and my finished work will barely even resemble what is underneath.  It still ticks me off though.  Probably because I have to look at it for so long before it is complete.  Blah.

Here is another base I have painted and just begun to quill.  It may be a bit too much detail for the size paper I chose to quill to.  It will have to do though because I am running super low on materials.

I cannot tell you how excited I am to have an Etsy shop now.  It is nice to have my stuff out there in any capacity.  Unfortunately until I have some prints made, most of my stuff is is a little up there in price.  I want to be able to have a few less expensive items available at all times as well so I can reach more people.  I made up the little wind chime below and put it up on the site -   http://www.etsy.com/listing/69985545/quilled-paper-mobile-wind-chime?ref=pr_shop   There are quite a few more pictures there.  I am hoping it will do well.  I am going to make a few more in different color combos as well.  I have a few ideas for a few jewelry items I would like to sell as well.  I have too many ideas in my head to get everything out there.  

I need to get more organized and finish the few items that have deadlines first before finishing some of my pet projects.  We shall see how it all goes and I will keep you updated...