I Heart Macro - Glazes!

Welcome to my weekly post to contribute to this weeks 

"I Heart Macro"

Hosted by Studio Waterstone every Sunday.

This week I am giving you some close up views of some of my porcelain shard pieces...

Marsha Neal Studio Porcelain Shard Beads/Pendants.

 And an up close of one of the glazes also pictured above:

Peacock...

Peacock Blue Glaze.

This new Peacock glaze is quite a bit of an obsession of mine…

I love rich muted colors.

I love glazes that are translucent.

I love the way you can see the texture in every detail of my carving.

I hope to have some of these pieces up in my Etsy shop soon.

And real quick - I have a plethora of garden photos to add to my garden blog, and even though blurry, I though this little guy was quite funny with his HUGE goggle-looking eyes!

Check out my garden blog if you want to see more nature related pictures.

Make sure to jump over to Studio Waterstone for this week's:

I Heart Macro Post to see lots of other cool pictures!

Help Me ~ Team & Treasury Frenzy...

I find it interesting to be part of teams over on Etsy - there is such a mix of artists...

For the Etsy Mud Team I just created this treasury:

And for the Delaware Etsy Street Team, this one:

So if you see me posting more treasuries for Beads of Clay and TriState Area Teams before next week - make sure to call my husband and tell him I need help…

I just can't help it sometimes - there is such awesome stuff over there on Etsy and I can't afford it all, so somehow making Treasuries - or rather "personal viewing collections" - I feel like I've shopped without having to come home and hide everything. Or rather, for Etsy shopping - get to the mailbox and hide all the items before Dave sees them…

Man I miss the days of having a car with my own private trunk space…

I'm off to the studio for a bit this week.

Making beads & glazing pieces for orders to be happening…

What are you up to this week?

Front Page On Etsy and SNS Treasury...

My "Sea Shore" silk knot bundle was featured on the front page of Etsy right before midnight last night…

Sea Shore Silk Knot Bundle on Etsy

I've never had anything from my shop up there - so it was such a rush to be online during the SNS (Saturday Night Specials) event and see what happens live…

The beautiful treasury this was featured in is called:

Muted

It was so cool to see all the "hearts" showing up in the activity feed.

I'm so easily amused…

Doesn't take much to make this girl happy sometimes!

I also wanted to get a treasury made for the SNS Team, but I with Riley being a little fussy through the night (Dave took first shift) and me listing the treasuries from SNS on my blog (I didn't even get them all listed - wow!), I didn't pull through until um - 1:30am…

Here is my SNS Team Treasury: 

SNS Saturday Night Specials Gathering

I hope that in upcoming weeks on Saturday I can be a little more on the ball with this and get treasuries done before the peak of the event.

Want more info?

Want to be a part of this or catch some sales?

Every Saturday Night:

Starting Time: 5pm EST Saturday

Ending Time: 6am EST Sunday

Click on the weekly "Original SNS for Saturday's Date" discussion thread and you will see a bunch of shops with links to their shops, their coupon code or sale, and a sample of their item.

It's a lot of fun!

Especially if you're hanging out at home catching a movie on the television...

Saturday Night Special Fun!!!

What Do You Do On Saturday Nights?

We are usually running around a bit crazy until 9 or 10pm with the little ones...

Riley and Marsha Saturday Night...

Once Riley has gone to bed, we settle in for some movie and popcorn time with Chloe and I get some time to "work" on the computer.

I've found a new Team over on Etsy to be a part of:

The Original Saturday Night Specials Team

Etsians that join this team run a "Saturday Night Special" in their shop from 5pm EST Saturday night through 6am EST Sunday and pop in and out over on the team thread to chat (there are two dedicated discussions for each topic).

Want to shop and get a deal on some items over on Etsy?

Click HERE to go to the team discussion thread where shops have listed their coupon code, a sample item from their shop and a link to their shop.

It is like my Etsy family exponentially grew overnight…

I love the energy over on this team!

And the treasuries & exposure is awesome…

SNS Team Treasury by Etsy Seller: Saressa

I love shopping the treasuries, so I decided to add this post to my blog to help promote the team and all the shops participating in this weekly event.
I'm going back over there, and to maybe make some team treasuries to add to the list below.
And of course - To Shop!!!

Etsy Shop - Almost Scrubbed Toothbrush-Clean...

I almost have not left my computer in 2 days - which I can't stand!

My back is killing me…

Thank You Dave for hitting up my lower back with some mineral ice tonight…

So romantic right? Hey - I'm ok with that...

I've been busily cleaning up my computer photos, my Etsy inventory, and my Etsy listings…

Wallpaper Flower Pendant in New Peacock Glaze

I've been updating the information in each listing…

Note to self - do not list anything new until your listings are updated.

Then copy and paste or you will have 70+ listings to check through vs 40…

I've been changing up categories, tags and titles hoping to get more hits through Etsy search terms and Google Analytics.

I'm hoping to actually get to looking into Google Analytics to see what it is all about and see how it can help promote my Etsy shop by what I'm already doing.

What kinds of stuff do you do to help improve the visibility of your Etsy Shop?

Do you participate in Etsy Circles and Favorites?
Here is a link to my Etsy profile if you want to add me to your circle or favorite.
I'm on there quite a bit these days...

How have sales been in your shop compared to this time last year?

What kinds of things are you getting ready for in your shop?

Here is one of my latest Etsy treasuries:
Bring On The Fall...

Thanks for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment…
See you over there on Etsy or FaceBook.

Enough Already - Spa Day (Sorta)...

Do you find yourself where I am right now?

In that place where you just feel overwhelmed and frustrated?

Just because there is SO much going on, and you can't seem to get anywhere?

I feel like that about a few things, and as of today, the foot is going down…

Laptop is being backed up.

Then files deleted.

I am sick of seeing that "you are running low on hard drive space" message.

I'm running low on a lot of things - patience being one of them…

So today as my computer is getting a "spa day" - my brain will be too.

I am going through my Inventory on my Etsy shop and in photos in my "Etsy February Update" folder.

There are sub-folders too with April and Now in that February one.

I feel so much better after going through stuff to see what I have listed...

What I have photographed, need to be listed…

And photographed, already listed and maybe sold…

I love purging days.

Then to get to my Quickbooks so I can finally get some correct perspective on where my business stands in reality and not just my brain (cause I know my brain lives in a fun place, and not necessarily reality most days).

Hope you are keeping cool if you are in this unbearable heat wave…

Oh, and keep an eye on my Etsy Shop for updates in the next week.

I've got plans for photographing a bunch of items that have been coming out of the kilns in the last few months that are yummy...

I Heart Macro - Chloe's View

Here is my post for this week's I Heart Macro over at Studio Waterstone.

But from a different point of view…

Chloe's 3 year old view through pictures taken with the iPhone camera...

Lots of photos from the car...

She likes taking pictures of her dolls...

At 3.5 years old - not bad (just a bit blurry)...

Lots of pictures of her little finger too...

This one is crazy that the center is in focus.

I doubt I could do that if I tried...

Taking a picture of mom, taking a picture of her...

And here is my new haircut - photo taken by me a few days ago.

Still working on finding a photo I'm happy with for my avatar for all things related to me…

Go on over and check out the other posts for this week's I Heart Macro!

Thanks for stopping by here...

Good and Not So Good Times...

It's been a while since I've had time to spend in the studio finding my creative self.

I've found my organizational self - which did release some of my inner creative being...

Chloe loves coming into the studio with me to work on stringing beads…

She makes lots of bracelets for her friends at school...

Chloe gets her own area to work in, away from  mom's stuff.

And she loves to paint with underglazes on bisque beads I've got around the studio…

I think it is amazing to watch her techniques at this stage - it is all by feeling and instinct.

And she and I spend time outside exploring in the garden together...

I think I may be rubbing off on her with some of my interests…

I hope she rubs off on me just as much with her 3 year old visions and inclinations…

I recently heard that the Helen Graham Cancer Center installed a green roof garden outside of their chemo treatment floor in their new building. My mom would have loved this view instead of a hospital room when she was trying to fight her Leukemia back in 2007.

Unfortunately we were there to get some blood work done for my husband on Monday.

We are praying nothing too serious - maybe just oddly normal stuff (so far things are pointing in that direction). But this is where the hematologists offices are…

I hope we only have to go back for follow up visits with good news…

We want to spend more time here having moments things like this...

…and this:

And for me, I am happily finding a little time here and there to get into the jewelry area.

I can actually just reach up and grab the stuff I need, use it, then put it back…

SWEET!!!

Especially happy to work on some custom earring orders for some customers that ordered them through my Etsy shop!

I really enjoy this side of the process…

Thanks for letting me create these for you!

Don't you want a pair too? I can make them for you…

Just go pick your shard & tell me to make them into earrings for you ;)

Shard Earrings - almost completed...

Oh, and I got my hair cut on Monday afternoon - chin length…

And have been glazing like a fiend getting a ton of cabs ready for upcoming shows for D7 Studio.

Will have more pics of all that stuff soon.

We have a birthday this weekend & Harry Potter movie to go and see…

Hope you're getting through the every day too…

Thanks for swinging by!

BOC Second Saturday State of Your Studio

Welcome to my post to join in on the Beads-of-Clay Blog post for

Second Saturday, State of Your Studio.

Make sure to swing by the blog for this monthly blog hop to look into some artists studios...

If you have a studio or creative space, you are welcome to join up on this blog hop by including a direct link for your blog post to the BOC post so that visitors can take a look into where you create. 

My creative space for clay, jewelry and office work is in my basement.

Unfortunately this is what the view into the outside looks like:

I've been trying to figure out the best time of the year to be most productive in the clay studio.

I love being in the garden from March/April until June.

Then it just becomes horribly humid and hot and I happily go into the cool basement and hang out in the clay and jewelry areas.

I managed to even get some clay-work in yesterday and made some domed cabs for my friend Teddi and some for Darlene (D7Studio).

I just love the way these domed cabs look...

I have yet to clean up the bottoms & edges with a wet sponge,

but that will be for me to do once the kids get to napping (maybe today or tomorrow).

I've also got my glaze tests underway for my next post for Beads of Clay Blog Third Friday, Cone 6 Commercial Glaze post I do every month.

I've been glazing up some pieces and firing them in my small kiln (which gets different results than my large kiln) so that I can make up a limited "glaze color selection" for some of my jewelry listings up in my Etsy shop. I did this so that I can have a faster turn around since I don't have to have quite so many pieces ready before firing the kiln. I like to try to fire a full kiln load. Firing a load almost empty is such a waste of energy...

I've been getting in a bit of photography time too.

These are the 12 glazes I decided upon for the Porcelain Clay Twirl Earrings in my Etsy shop.

I just love the tone of blue and the translucency of this new Peacock glaze.

It picks up the detail of my textures so well and shadows nicely!

And here is my jewelry making desk.

I just got a new shipment of silks in and want to spend some time pulling some for new bundles for my Etsy shop.

Also, last night I went out to see a fellow Delaware Etsy Street Team artist (Nicole Kristiana) at her opening at The Grand on the Wilmington Art Loop then went to the after loop party "re:fresh" at the newly opened World Cafe Live at the Queen… 

Words cannot explain how great it feels to go out and be around other artists.

Especially when you are an artist working alone in a house…

Standing under the staircase, looking up the interior side of the building.

And to be in such a unique building that has so much history.

I blogged about it over on the DEST Blog if you want to see more.

Don't forget to visit the Beads of Clay Blog to see what other artists studios are looking like right now…

Thanks for stopping by for a bit!

Twelve Colors For My Clay Twirl Shards

All of the pieces are out of the kiln…

Marsha Neal Studio Porcelain Twirls In Twelve Colors

In all the right colors...

So now customers that are looking at this earring listing below can pick their own color right on the spot.

Porcelain Clay Twirl Earring with Sterling Silver

And I've also created a listing for anyone that wants to pick out just a pair of these twirls and make their own earrings (or whatever you can think up to use them with).

Through creating this custom listing it dawned on me that I really should have an Etsy "shop section" for all of the listings I've got for the silk and clay "you pick the color" listings.

So that is now done too…

Now if only the sun would peek out from behind the clouds so I can photograph the other two main porcelain clay shard textures I've got in these 12 colors too…

Including two NEW glaze colors:

NEW Glazes: Blood Red and Peacock

Blood Red Glaze on Chocolate Clay

Glacier Glaze on Chocolate Clay

I think there will be an Etsy shop update happening soon…

Make sure you are on my email mailing list to get the heads up on the update and any special coupon codes I may decide to run for my newsletter customers…

Don't forget, if you like to make treasuries, I'm running a "contest" for anyone using the jewelry listings with the new modeled pieces (on Claudia and Becky) that is running until July 11, 2011.

Winner gets a $25 MNS Etsy Shop gift certificate.

See the bottom of my previous post for details and to add your qualified treasury to the list.

Good Luck!!!

***After I looked over this post again when it was live, I really didn't like the way that first color choice photo looked in the center. But I did like that circle photo…
What do you think?
Is this better???

***Ok - here is the final photo update - I promise:
I just changed the positions of the labeled colored shards to match the inner photo.
I like things a bit tidy...

Favorites Into Treasuries Again...

Do you ever just fall in love with Etsy Treasuries?

I think they can be challenging to make with you have to make one for a team, or something specific…

But if you are able to create them from your favorites list…

Well, that is all together something enjoyable and quite addictive.

Muted Colors Whisper To Me

Circles and Cycles

What do you think?

Do you like these collections?

What about them speaks to you?

Or do they do nothing for you?

Click on them and leave a comment on the treasury if you don't mind...

Narrowing Down A Color Palette For Etsy

There are ways to look at ones business…

For me it has always been:

I make beads & pendants.

I sell these beads & pendants to people that make jewelry.

I sell things through bead shows, bead shops, and online shops.

I have a website that allows people to pick out their exact porcelain pendant by:

Texture, Shape & Size, and Color...

12 selected glaze color choices.

But things are not the same for me anymore.

I am not personally traveling to bead shows.

I work from home and can't be away from my two little ones for long…

(I become a miserable grump)

My pieces are still at shows through D7Studio

Which is my friend Darlene's business.

I sold her my bead show stock right after I had Chloe, and she made it her own…

You should see the stuff she carries!

Really - click to her blog to see where she will be next…

There are bead shops that still carry my pieces - if they have not closed up shop yet and gone online…

And as far as online resellers, there are a few…

So in the last two years I have really focused on my Etsy shop:

Selection of items in my Etsy shop.

I have taken, and retaken, and then taken more photos of my items.

Worked with a professional photographer, Katy Timney for better images of what my pieces look like finished and worn:

And so now from an outsiders point of view…

I like these, but would like them in another color.

What do you have to offer?

Right now it stands as:

Take a look at my other listings.

You know, the ones under porcelain pendants, shards…

Or maybe go outside Etsy to my website.

Search and find the pendants, then hopefully your computer/phone can download the flash (outdated) glaze color chart.

Oh, and I have new glazes - but they aren't there…

See the point?

Or rather - get lost in the point?

Customers that are there to buy a pair of earrings or a pendant get lost and uninterested when they have to hunt (I know I do).

That first photo at the top of this post are 12 of my best selling glazes that I am going to offer to people buying finished jewelry as their palette to pick from.
The pieces are still working through the kiln, then to be photographed…
But soon - they will be up there.

Make things simple and impulse shopping friendly.

I am my ideal customer...

I may be your ideal customer too...

I love to shop for unique handmade items…

But don't make me work for it or I'll go buy something else.

You know - unless it is something I "have to have".

What kind of things are you doing to make your Etsy shop more desirable to shop?