Author Archives: katmariee

i am a slacker

Posted on by

0

I promised that I would try to blog more regularly and then I go an entire month without a single word. I suck.

So, what has been going on the past few weeks?

Street fair season ended with a bang! I consider the Belmont Street fair to be my street fair home base, since it was the very first one I ever did! (way back in last summer) People seem to really dig the booth display, which is awesome to hear! I got a few customers asking how long I have been doing this and they all seemed shocked that I have only been at it for a little over a year. Either complimenting me on my booth and or the quality of my work. Yep, the warm fuzzies were flying all over the place that day. Not to mention the amazing amount of love shown in the form of sales. It truly was amazing. Thank you everyone!! Made me want a store all of my own that much more. So I could have somewhere I could arrange (and rearrange) displays all day long and also so that I could get to interact face to face with my customers every day… that is the dream. Someday.

Not to mention that I have wanted to do window displays ever since I was a little girl thanks to this fantabulous movie!

Mannequin, you know you love it.

Speaking of shops. Over the lapse Elevation Trade in Sellwood has joined the list of places carrying my jewelry!! They are still working on building out their brick and mortar shop, and hope to have a grand opening in early October. Until they do (and I will post photos and more info at that point) you can find them online at Elevation Trade.

Hmm what else? Oh, I applied to the Crafty Wonderland‘s Holiday sale! A two-day sale in early December that features mostly local artists, crafters, and jewelers. It is super steep competition and there are tons of seasoned jewelry artist who usually sell there, so we will see. Until they announce the chosen vendors everyone is to keep their fingers crossed!

I designed a few sock designs for the Sock It To Me locals design competition! Maybe just maybe (again very stiff competition) someday you will be able to wear some KatMariee designs on your feet! They will be posting the 30 finalist in their facebook page on Sept 28th and at that point it is up to you! Vote. Vote! Vote!!

Other than that I have simply been swamped trying to stock back up from the street fairs in time for the holiday wave, trying to soak in the last few days of summer, getting some yard work done before the rains return, and trying to take a few good deep breaths! (at places like Lardo! Have you been there yet? Go. Get the Pork Meatball Bahn Mi and fries. Thank me later.)

Lardo=meat heaven

This time I will not make any more promises of doing this more often, or that I will be back again regularly… just keep checking back… In the mean time, know that I appreciate you stopping by, even if it is more often that I do! Oh, and here’s this too, ’cause it has been playing in my head since I googled that pic…

Happy… Monday?!? (what?!)       We can build this dream together!!

Advertisements

friday again…

Posted on by

0

You know what that means.

Out of the office early. Time to myself. Time to paint it all away…

starting the long weekend on the back porch in the perfect last days of summer

to the 80’s of course … oh George…. 

 

happy accidents

Posted on by

0

It has been a while since I have posted anything here. Honestly, since I have started this page nearly 95% of it was written while I was at my boring office job… it’s a little slow and mind numbing sometimes. I need a little distraction here and there. But about two weeks ago I got the super duper exciting news that I am being moved (part-time, but I’m not focusing on that) into the design department!!! (WOO HOO HAPPY DANCE) I am now working on logo development professionally! This is so exciting, it has me genuinely interested in what I am working on at work. It is a novel idea, and a completely new experience for me… and I am loving it.

However the blog is suffering.

So, here I am sitting at my laptop blogging… FROM HOME!? Crazy, I know. No wonder people do this in coffee shops… I am at home,  I feel like I am supposed to be doing something else right now: making jewelry, painting, laundry, pulling weeds, fixing the downstairs toilet,finishing season one of Downton Abbey, making dinner… the mental lists go on… yoga… to deal with the never-ending list…etc.

Since I am new to this blogging while I could be doing something else thing, this one will probably stay pretty short. I just wanna share how really happy and fun things can come from DamnIt! moments.

I was working on a few new pairs of wooden earrings the other night. All disks had already been coated, images placed, resin coated and cured for two days and ready to be drilled and finished! In other words, through the longest and most time-consuming parts of the process. There I was drilling away, thought I was getting into the zone, and all of a sudden my drill slipped. DAMNIT! I don’t have a picture of the carnage, but suffice it to say one earring was now without its mate. And I was mad at myself for working too quickly and not paying attention and all the normal mood swings that come with messing something up. And tossing a good hours work into the trash can… Then I decided. No. I still like the one that was left over. I set out to make this set of earrings, so I WILL make this set of earrings one way or another. It was time for a Tim Gun moment. I could make this work!

So I opened my case and started digging through my findings… looking to see what I had on hand that I didn’t already have plans for. And between all my forgotten gun metal headpins, my deep seeded love for all things 80’s, a single Tabor tree disk, and the love of asymmetrical earrings that my big sister instilled in me at a very young age: these babies were born.

they are truly truly truly outrageous

Frustrating accident = my new favorite earrings!

I may just have to make more of these just because.

Also, have you guys seen the accessory version of Project Runway? I could totally rock that.

Oh, and you know who else wore asymmetrical earrings? This lovely lady.  

 

I promise to do this more often… blog, I mean, not have happy accidents… but really those are good too… so maybe I mean both.

feelin’ the love

Posted on by

0

This summer I have done two street fairs so far.

I. Love. Them.

the booth!

The people, the fantastic feedback, the encouragement, the sense of community, the people watching! It is all fantastic. But most of all its the in person aspect. Selling your product online is one thing. You can track your page views, you can keep an eye on how many etsy-ers give your items the ❤ and of course the email congratulating you on your latest sale will always be a welcomed surprise in my inbox! But, meeting your customers face to face is on a whole different level. Watching someone see your product for the very first time. Or seeing the expression on someones face when they are really into a certain necklace. Or being able to listen in on comments made between friends about your work when they think you aren’t listening. Hearing a girl try her best to convince her boyfriend to buy her a pair of earrings. Or that moment when your painting caught someones eye from across a stream of people flowing down the street, then watching it pull them all the way into the booth. Moments you will never get to experience when selling online.

i also love the display aspect …. so much fun!

Let me reiterate I absolutely love my online shoppers and supporters. You guys are who got it going and keep the momentum up. Thank you all so so much!

Also, the talking to people. That alone is a huge step for me. When I began this all I was able to talk myself into selling online because I can do it all by myself, sitting at home alone and not having to ‘sell’ myself or my work. I am not a sales person I tried that once and hated every moment of it (for more on that, check out my about page). So needless to say diving into the street fair world was a huge step for me. But the people made it so much easier than I had anticipated. Support and encouragement from friends and family is one thing, but hearing someone you have never met before in your entire life tell you that you are talented…. that is a fantastic feeling. Or the word – beautiful. Maybe I am truly just a girly girl in need of that superficial confirmation, but to hear a stranger tell you that your work is beautiful with such conviction in their voice and sincerity in their eyes… it feels pretty darn good.

Honestly, after a day full of that I could care less whether or not I sold anything. Bottom line: I think street fairs ROCK! And there will be plenty more in my future!

Hubster caught giving up a weekend day just for me… I am a lucky gal.

I wish I was ballsy enough to book myself solid through the summer and do one every weekend, but alas, I like to sleep in too much and the Hubster might kill me for taking away all of his summer weekends. I really do appreciate and love him for all of his help, support and constant encouragement, so I suppose I have to let him have a few weekends off now and then.

Last one for this summer will be Belmont, September 8th! Come and feel the love with me!

Side note: at both of the street fairs this summer a strange kismet was at work and I was placed right next to the same booth of really nice and inventive guys. If you live in the Portland area and have a composting bin that you can’t figure out what to do with… you should probably get yourself a Kitchen Compost Caddy… really they are nice people.

Song of the moment:

You know how you can hear a song and it takes you right back to a certain place, or time, or reminds you each and every time of so-and-so, or brings you plummeting, head first, right back into that one specific point in time with all the visual, tactile, and emotional trimmings?

I woke up with this playing in my head this morning.

**Note I realize I am posting this on a Friday and as I mentioned in my last post Fridays are reserved for 80’s…. sorry, I started writing this on Wednesday… I am a little slow at this blogging thing.

But to make up for it, and because it is necessary for all Fridays, here is your 80’s fix: Happy Friday! 

a happy friday song of the day

Posted on by

0

Fridays at work are my 80’s music day. This is just how it has always been and how it will always be. Well, until I get so old that no one knows who Belinda Carlisle is or how Madonna’s early music was exponentially better than anything after 2000. I would have mentioned Journey here but I think Glee may have gained them a generation or two before they are forgotten. At that point I may start to include the 90’s in my Friday rotation…. maybe. Anywho, my point is: it’s Friday, I get out of the dulling fluorescent glow at 1:30, the weekend is nearly upon us all and my second street fair of the summer tomorrow! It’s an exciting day! Oh, and it helps that I’m home now and got to make this for my friend’s birthday celebration tonight.

yes, that IS a rice crispy treat cake with caramel, chocolate ganache and pretzel bits…. cause its July and too hot to bake a real cake. (it’s not really complicated enough to include a recipe, I just had to show that off)

Well, at around 10:30 this morning the day seemed to come to a crawl so I needed the 80’s to pull me through. Pandora, my love, my office job’s saving grace. I love her and she knows me oh so well.

I was about four songs into my Friday 80’s channel and I couldn’t decide what song to share today. And, as if Pandora knew I couldn’t make up my mind, she threw this one at me, like the perfect answer.

Conjunction Junction. You’re welcome.

I have no idea how it got into my 80’s circulation. But it always makes me smile.

Oh and that street fair tomorrow is the Division Clinton Street Fair with all kinds of family fun happening all day. Check out their website to get all the dets. As for me, I will be there from 10am-5pm with all my usual stuff, and a few new extras! Come by if you can! I will be somewhere near the corner of Division and 35th!

Happy Friday!