Open for Trades!!!

Wow, two entries in one week. I think I'm on a roll! LOL Here we go.........I LOVE to try other peoples products. I am a soaper  so I love to see what other soapers have to offer. I would LOVE to trade but I have NEVER asked because I didn't want to offend. Well, I got two offers in the last two weeks. I am soooooo excited I can't help myself. I traded with someone in Hawaii last week and a woman offered to trade me tonight. I messaged her about some soaps and bath bombs in her shop and she wrote back asking if I would like to trade. OMG I was so excited. I sure would. Now I get to try her soaps and bath bombs and she gets something from my shop too. Now the ONLY things I do NOT trade are my stained glass mosaics because, let's face it, those darn things are very hard to make and take forever to complete. So I let her know just a few minutes ago I was all up for it and am waiting for her to agree with what I asked for and tell me what she wants too. I was NOT greedy. Oh my, she had a LOT that I wanted to try but I was polite and only asked for two soaps and one bath bomb. She mentioned a necklace I made so I might do that. We will see.

 First let me tell you, I like to try other peoples soaps and get their feedback on my soaps. It helps me improve on my products. The hard part of this is getting them to be HONEST. A lot of people try to either hide what they really think, so as to not hurt your feelings, or they are just to darn mean. I believe you can be honest without being hurtful. So I will let you know what transpired between us in a few days or when I can. Until next time........Have a Wonderful week!
~Hugs~

Sex Addicts Abound!

Wow, what a title huh?? It's been a long while since I have written on my blog. My apologies to my few followers. I have been busy as you all have been too. Christmas was great for my soaps. I sold a lot of soaps to friends, family, & friends of friends. This little entry will not be about my soaps as you can tell from the title. This entry is entirely different indeed.

 Now before you think I have gone off the deep end, from artist to sex addict. Let me tell you what is up. Here we go......

 A few weeks back there was much buzz about my little area of the world. A very famous celebrity was coming to town. No, not to do a photo shoot or sign autographs. Not even to do a charity event. But to enter into one of the country's finest Sex Addicts facilities. Yeah, who knew? Right?? I didn't know that was even close to my little neck of the woods. But much ado about nothing it seems..........was wrong. This celebrity is indeed in this facility not to far from where I live and is exactly across the street from where my husband works. Ahhhhh who do you think this may be???? He was in the tabloids not to long ago about cheating on his beautiful wife and crashing his car just outside of where he lived. Do you know yet???? You are right! He is indeed here. I do not know for how long but the paparazzi are everywhere. Like vultures. Begging all the business' around this facility to get onto their roofs for better pics of what's behind the brick walls. There was rumor that a certain tabloid was offering 250 thousand $$$ for a pic of him behind the wall. Can you imagine?

 Now, we are a family of meager means! A family, who if is lucky enough may make around 50 g's a year. Can you imagine what that much money would do for us?? If only......I had access. LOL I could probably get access to the highest roof around but I will not try. It is fun to imagine hitting the jackpot so to speak. But here is my opinion and it is just that, mine. There is also word of 4 or 5 other very famous celebrities at this facility whom I can not speak of. They are there secretly and hoping no one finds out. Here's where my opinion comes in.

Celebrities are just like you and me. They are normal (or as normal as can be) who were just lucky enough to break into a very lucrative career. They are well known and make a crap load of money. But with that comes the loss of privacy. Those things that we "not so famous" people can get away with. A sister who got arrested, an embarrassment to family, yes, but only a few know about it. No harm right? A brother who got into a huge fight or a mother suing her daughter for some stupid petty little thing. All pushed under the rug because no one cares. But these famous people are scrutinized over every little thing. With all their money, they can fix ALL the outside flaws but not many of the inside ones. Those inside ones are the hardest to deal with. We all have demons of some sort but they are not made public like these famous people.  So which would you choose? Famous, money and NO privacy or being unknown and make very little money but all your dirty laundry is keep neatly at home? I choose the latter.

These people are just like us........ The career they were lucky enough to get, just catapulted them into the spotlight. I do NOT clammer to get the autographs or pics. I really don't care what they do with their lives...........but.............. that $250,000.00 would be nice to spend. Don't you think???

Busy Making Soap Baskets and Filling Soap Orders

 It has really been a great month for me so far. I sold a lot of my soaps plus a few soap gift  baskets and finally my Blythe doll sold for more than I thought I would get, so I am excited. Christmas is back on for us. Yeah! Not many people knew, but because of the economy, we were so short on cash that we couldn't even afford to buy a Christmas tree this year, let alone gifts to go under it. But now, we can have a little something this year.

 My soaps are REALLY REALLY good. I know everyone says that about their soap but they truly are very nice bars. They are so large that I compare them to a slice of bread. I show a video of them next to and on top of a slice of bread on my YouTube channel.  (1dreampainter) I found that most people like the large size and then they cut off what they need. Someone suggested that I keep my larger sizes just for that purpose. I have and people seem to really like it and I know I have. I cut one into 3 pieces and only use a piece at a time.

 I am really getting into making soap, it seems my mind is always trying to come up with something different to make. I am looking for something to set me apart from the thousands of other soap makers out there. I am still working on labels. That seems to be my biggest hang up. I have come up with a soap recipe I love and packaging is really nice now too. I have great looking biz cards but the labels always seem to lack a little something. I need "GREAT" to catch peoples eyes. Like eye candy. lol I think I am close to getting it right. But for now the labels are handwritten and kind of sad looking. lol

 So far, the new packaging has passed several testers opinions and I am happy with them too. In fact, several people that bought some soap for Christmas said they looked so cute they didn't want to open them. So that is GREAT news. Tomorrow I will be printing out a couple of new labels, if I don't like them it will be back to the drawing board. Until next time. Merry Christmas!

I have been busy making Christmas Items

  I really want to do another mosaic but for some reason, I just can't seem to get motivated to do another one. I don't know why, I have a ton of ideas. So I have been making soap like crazy. The pictures above are my Pumpkin Spice & my Sweet Sugar Kisses. The next pic is of one of my new Body butter bars. I also made a double batch of Blueberry Pomegranate, a double batch of Peppermint Candy, which I think I am going to call "Hard Candy Christmas". I also made a Rosemary Mint gardeners soap. I made another batch of soap that didn't turn out at all, so I am trying to figure out what to do with it. Can I save it???? We will see. lol On top of all the soap making, I have been making bath salts, honey salt scrubs, body butter bars and sugar body polishes. I just need to make myself get busy making labels. It just seems that I always procrastinate on those things I don't like doing. Sometimes, well, most times, I get in my own way. Not a good thing to do but I can't seem to help myself.

 I have been trying to make labels on the computer of late but get frustrated because they are not going the way I would like. Well, you can guess how that ends up. lol I am really trying to get some of my stuff out there but it's  not going as fast as I would like. I am very impatient, it is very hard for me to wait the 24 hours to check my soaps too. Sometimes I just have to peek inside. I know it is not good for the process but........    I just listed several of my new items in my etsy shop tonight. I hope someone likes them enough to try them. I know I have good products, it's just getting them out there. 

 I will be redoing my Etsy shop in the coming new year. I think I am going to make a new shop just for my mosaics. I think I will keep alittledream for my soaps & body products and slowly fade out the jewelry. My heart is just not in the jewelry anymore and there are just so many jewelry makers on Etsy. I will also try to improve my banner in this shop as I have been putting that off too. I hope this new year also breathes new life into the economy.

Finished Fleur de lis and Reunion Party

I finished the Fleur de lis in time and the lady loved it. YEAH!!!  She really was very appreciative of all my work and kept thanking me over and over. I am just glad she liked it so much. You never know what someone will think of your work. I was very happy with it and my husband loved it, so I felt I was safe and all would be ok. lol

 Change of subject: My husband and I was invited to a family reunion by one of my husband's friends. I thought this was a little weird but it seems a lot of people bring friends to them. Who knew?? lol Anyway, it was a little strained at first since it was 300 miles away from where we live and we only knew him and his immediate family. Plus they were all LSU fans and they were all outside their campers watching and cheering the TV. Let me tell you this, I was so bored and disappointed but after the game was over. The fun began. They were getting drunk and laughing, dancing, singing and acting a fool. I got some video of them and if you click on link below, you can see them.  Most of them were Cajun French or (coon-ass) with a very thick accent. I didn't understand a lot of it but it was fun. They were very funny and the music was zydeco style most of the night. Country music was the other choice and that is what you are lucky enough to get to see.  I am glad we went.

One of his Aunts was very friendly and I really liked her a lot.  At one time, she went around with little shot cups and gave everyone a shot of tequila Rose. (She is the one passing out the pineapple) She said you have to put the tequila in the freezer first. It was awesome and it tasted like a fruity smoothie. They roasted a whole hog over open flames and everyone provided side dishes to go with it. It was truly a good time and I haven't laughed like that in a long time. We were invited to come again next year and I hope we have even more fun. Check out my video of some of the party.


http://www.youtube.com/user/1dreampainter#p/u/6/gcYXzgRIwto

Laissez les bons temps rouler - translation "Let the good times roll!"

A Nice Commission Piece

I have gotten a nice commission piece to work on. They wanted a Fleur de lis, somehow done in a stained glass mosaic. So I have pretty much free rien of this piece. I know they love the Saints football team and that is their logo. Well, it is pretty much a symbol for the south as is the magnolia blossoms. I LOVE color so black and gold is pretty dang plain to me. I can't see just making a plain piece. So my plan is to make it as colorful as I can. After all, when the light shines through the more color the more sparkle, right? 

It is a surprise for the wife so I think I can get away with the colors. Of course, I will show the husband my sketches and see what he thinks. I drew up a couple of Fleur de lis' and used my colored pencils to color them in the way I want the colors to be. I think kind of like a rope twist or waves would be nice? Not sure which will look better, so I have about three proofs almost done. More choices then three and the clients usually get confused and start wanting to add more and more complicated things. I showed my husband my favorite and he said "WOW" that looks awesome. I am pleased. It takes a lot for him to show that much enthusiasm for art. lol. We shall see what happens. I will email the proofs tomorrow and I should have it completed by Friday so he can get it on sat. I am excited. 

It seems I punish myself by staying away far to long from my love. I feel so completed and at peace when I am making my glass art. I often feel it is such a pleasure either I don't deserve it or other things in life MUST come first. Only then, when those things are completed, am I allowed to PLAY. My heart is singing right now. Pure pleasure and fun is what this is for me. Oh, how I have missed it.

I have a kitten face where the mosaic part is completed but the frame, hooks and chain have Not been added yet. I must make myself do this so I can list it in my etsy store. It is small but cute. I also have several more ideas for some mosaics I will make soon and I will MAKE myself take time out to do. Here is what I have in mind. One of the Eiffel Tower, one of a log cabin on the lake, one with a lake, moose and canoe, and I have ALWAYS wanted to attempt to make one of Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night. It has ALWAYS been a favorite painting of mine. We will see.

I will try to list some pics on my blog as I work on them. Until next time! 

Making NEW Accounts so you can FIND me

Well, I am finally trying to get in on all the on-line hoopla going on. As a struggling artist it is really tough to wade through the ocean full of other artists showing their works as well. You strive to be great, different, original but that is really a tough thing to do in today's world. You see so many images on the net sometimes the line is blurred on what is REALLY your idea or someone else's. As a mixed media artist I have tried so many things to make myself and my work stand out and make people take notice. Nothing I have done to date has accomplished that yet. I say YET because I TRULY believe one day my stained glass mosaics WILL stand up and make people notice. I love making the mosaics more than any other art form. Yet I still struggle with taking short cuts and trying to make things cheaper, easier, and faster so I can pay my bills. If I just stay TRUE to my heart and continue to strive to make the best mosaics I can, I think they will eventually make me a little money.


I am NOT trying to get rich from my art but I am trying to help out with a few bills at my house. Let me be clear on this touchy subject, I DO my mosaics because I LOVE to make them. ( but in reality, we ALL want to make money off something we love to do right?) In the mass appeal of fast access internet, we strive to promote ourselves to the best of our knowledge. I am slowly learning how and where to go to promote myself. It is extremely hard and takes mass amounts of time to get it done. Sometimes I feel like that is all I do and my art gets put on the back burner, but promote we MUST do to get noticed.


I now have so many accounts going I have had to write all my info in a book to keep track of what goes where and passwords, info, etc. I am STILL adding to my lists.Today I added 2 more accounts and I am vlogging, blogging, tweeting, selling, auctioning, you name it I am trying to get out there. I have 2 myspace accounts, one online store domain I purchased, two stores I sell items in on Etsy, (well one of those is empty at this time), and I am trying to get a facebook going and a flickr account too. So eventually I should be an internet whiz upon completion. lol. It seems every week I learn of at least one more place I should be. Yes, I am keeping track and writing them all down. One day I will eventually get those accounts started too. To keep from being overwhelmed I must take it one step at a time and just go day by day. 

The hardest part for me is keeping the negativity at bay. My mind is a tricky and conniving thing. It likes to bring me down and tries to make me give up. I am striving to overcome this negative pattern I have fought my whole life to get over. The critic in me is strong and perfection is unattainable. I have tried to be the perfectionist and people pleaser my whole life. Slowly I am letting go and trying to live in peace and just do what my heart NEEDS and WANTS me to do. Make great art and have a GREAT time doing it.