Monday - Call To Order. Sale too!

I so desperately want this upcoming week to be a little easier on me.
Please!

Earthquake, Hurricane, Tornado Warnings - that's my three.
I'm done!

Riley playing with backup light as Light Saber (fake sounds too!).

My Saturday night was spent sleeping in the basement camped out with Dave, Chloe & Riley.

It felt like I was in preparation mode for days before…

Just mentally & physically draining.

Like getting ready for a week or two away from home…

Not that I was worried about the wind and rain from hurricane Irene,

But I was worried rather about the way these huge old trees may drop parts onto our house.

Or how they might come crashing through the house all the way to the street out front...

Riley watching the wind through the trees post Irene.

And I've had nightmares that have woken me with thoughts of these trees coming through the roof in a bad storm and neither Dave or myself not being able to get to the kids. 

The thoughts of their crying terrified voices is enough motivation to drop everything else and get us ready:

cat litter boxes area be damned - steam cleaned carpets, dehumidifier run, fans running, deodorizing spray a plenty, disinfectant cleaned, child proofed my office area where we would be hanging out and sleeping with a 1.5 and 3 year old, tarps to cover the rug, extra twin mattresses brought down from the attic, beds made, lights, batteries, food, water, diapers, potty seat, toys, chargers, must I go on...

Chloe coloring post Irene.

Luckily all the kids knew is that we were having our first family camping night in the basement together. They had a blast! Oh, the bliss of not knowing...

I was a bit worried for my garden.

Nothing that couldn't grow back, but I was expecting something worse than what is pictured above.

Reminded me a bit of Chloe's Rapunzel doll's hair:

Just a bit messy from the winds.

Guess it's like playing and sleeping with a 3.5 year old.

The haphazard life of a doll with very long hair...

And this photo was of the sun breaking through the clouds…

The last of the winds diminishing…

On our way to have Sunday dinner with Dave's family.

Lucky to have Irene treat us not so horribly…

Made it out ok - just a bit stressed…

Today's Cyber Monday Beads-of-Clay Sale:

20% off my Etsy shop retail items with Coupon Code: BOC20

Here is a treasury I created specifically for this event:

I need to pick a winner for my Pre-Bead Fest sale coupon code users…

I have not forgotten about you, just a bit distracted :)

How did you all fare with the Hurricane?

Hope all is well with you and your families!

Hurricane Irene. Earthquakes. Etsy Relevancy. The Turtle is Ready...

You know it's going to just be one of those weeks sometimes…

At least the sandbox turtle is prepared...

I was eating lunch on Tuesday when the earthquake happened.

Have to admit - eating a bowl of pumpkin mushroom soup was an ideal place to be.

For me - not scary - thank goodness.

Pretty cool actually…

So now we are under Hurricane Watch/Warning for this weekend…

Last night we took precautions to secure things outside that might take flight when the hurricane force winds hit us.

Inside, the kilns are unplugged and electrical parts up off the floor (just incase a bit of water makes its way in - if it is a lot, then we're in trouble regardless).

I'm getting anything paper related up off the ground if I can.

Books, magazines, etc…

Most of my stuff is stored in plastic bags within plastic bins anyway, so not much preparation is needed in the studio.

Over on Etsy, I've yet to really delve into the "relevancy search-ability" of my shop items.

I need to go by section by section to edit tags and titles…

And the whole thing is just unappealing to me right now.

Too many other things going on in life.

And any free time I have,

I want to be creative and not sucked into the computer.

Know the feeling?

Here is one quick section I managed to update:

Porcelain Halloween

MarshaNealStudio.Etsy Porcelain Halloween pre-update.

Above is what the old background & photographs looked like.

Of course, I had started the update when I remembered to take a screen shot…

MarshaNealStudio.Etsy Porcelain Halloween during update.

Above is what it looked like once I updated the background.

I wanted an old Transylvania eerie map feel to the images.

Like these are old pieces recently unearthed…

You know - Halloween style though.

MarshaNealStudio.Etsy Porcelain Halloween all cleaned up.

And above is the final update to the section.

New pieces photographed with the new background.

Tags and Titles updated.

Now will they be relevant enough to start to show up in searches?

What about Treasuries?

What about into shopping carts?

And then - into actual designs…

So how are you preparing for the hurricane?

Did you feel the earth move too?

Do you think the turtle in the first photo is over-reacting with 4 bungee cords?

(I think he takes after my side of the family if you ask me!)

Bead Soup September 2011

Have you heard of Bead Soup?

If you are involved in the handmade bead and jewelry world, chances are that you've heard of it.

Lori Anderson (Pretty Things) hosts this bead swap and jewelry making event twice a year.

This year I was able to remember to actually sign up and get involved.

I think it will be exciting to give jewelry making - blind date style - a try.

Miri Agassi Beadwork.

My partner for Fall 2011 Bead Soup is Miri Agassi.

Miri Agassi Beading with Cabochons

She is across seas and land over in Israel.

She is a graphologist (I had to look up what that was)...

And has one heck of a talent for drawing…

And of course - has a wonderful skills with beadwork.

I too have a love of seed beads,

And really enjoy seeing how she creates structures with the beadwork and creates layers to work more beadwork upon - Amazing!!!

She sells her beadwork through a small local shop called "Artists Design Shop".

She has three children, and three grandchildren,

So you know she just has to have a wonderful loving personality…

I am honored to be able to get to know her through this blogging event,

As well as for the hundreds of other bead soup bloggers.

Here is a distorted preview of the "bead soup" I sent her to Miri:

And a button I've created for us to use on our blogs for bead soup updates:

Hers says Miri & Marsha…

It's our little journey together.

I'm thrilled to be on it with her…

Also, for a little extra Bead Soup Shopping & Eye candy:

Bead Soup Fall 2011 Etsy Shops

Bead Soup 2011 Etsy Themed Treasuries

Next post for Bead Soup will be when I receive the beads from Miri.

All these beads out there traveling the vast oceans on their journey to a new home to a new destination…

What will they all become part of?

I can't wait to find out...

The Road To Bead Fest Sale!

It is hard to believe Bead Fest Philly is right around the corner!

Date wise as well as location wise for me…

This is one of those bead shows that you just should not pass up if you are in the area…

And let's face it - a day is never enough time to really shop the show!

And we all know that there is never enough money to have on hand to get everything you need.

I really want to shop for some items to bundle with some of my pieces on my Etsy shop as well as for finished jewelry for myself (I must get more Joanne Zekowski beads :)

Hmmm - kinda makes me think that puts me into the position of "personal shopper" doesn't it?

I go and buy beads, then come back and show you all what I got and offer them for sale to you at split-sy because we're sharing beads? I love that kind of bead shows shopping…

And you know they will go with my stuff because I'm picking them out in person - no funny computer monitor color issues.

Want to help me out?

Send some monies my way by buying some stuff from me in my Etsy shop this week?

Want a coupon for 20% off to entice you a bit more?

BFPS2011

Works from Monday, August 14 through Sunday, August 21st, 2011.

Use it when you are checking out.

BUT THAT IS NOT ALL…

You know how I love to give stuff away right?!

Here are the THREE Drawings I'm going to hold for those of you that want to help me get some spending cash for Bead Fest:

Giveaway #1 - $30 Gift Certificate Drawing:

Use the "BFPS2011" coupon code in my Etsy shop this week and you will get entered to with a $30 MNS Etsy gift certificate. 

One entry per person for this special.

Giveaway #2 - $30 Gift Certificate Drawing:

Purchase one of my porcelain or clay pieces through D7Studio during BeadFest in booth #529/628 and contact me with your receipt number by 6/24/11 (I can verify with her, so no faking it ;) through email, and one winner will get a $30 gift certificate to my MNS Etsy shop. 

One entry per person for this special.

Giveaway #3 - $50 Gift Certificate Drawing:

If you make a purchase in my Etsy shop this week with the "BFPS2011" coupon code AND then go to the D7Studio booth and buy one of my porcelain or clay pieces at the show (must send me that receipt number) - you get entered to win a $50 MNS Etsy gift certificate.

Just to clarify, if you qualify for #3 above by purchasing through both - you get entered into all three giveaway categories, not just #3. 

Make sure to email me Marsha {at} MarshaNealStudio.com by 6/24/11 with your receipt number.

Winners to be announced by Friday 6/26/11.

Want to shop some other artists Etsy shops to help them out with some extra spending cash?

Here they are…

Lorelei Eurto
Andrew Thornton
Marsha Minutella
Melanie Brooks and Earthenwood Studio Etsy
Diana Ptaszynski
Melinda Orr
Barbara Lewis
Kristie Roeder 

Mary Welsh Hubbard

Anne Lichtenstein

Lisa Petrillo

I will be posting some pictures this week of new items going up into my Etsy shop (like the porcelain version of the donuts & tab beads) and of things that I am making just for D7 Studio for BeadFest (photos coming soon)…

So check back!

And keep an eye out in my Etsy shop!

And here is a free day pass to Bead Fest!

Happy Bead Shopping!!!

I Heart Macro...

Welcome to my weekly post to contribute to this weeks 

"I Heart Macro"

Hosted by Studio Waterstone every Sunday.

I've been working a lot on updates for my Etsy shop

(not just the relevancy tags… ugh!)

I love taking macro photos of these pieces…

The way the glazes react over the clay is just yummy!

I'm still working on getting this series of photos into a listing.

I'm such a color and texture freak…

I think I need to print some of these photos and collage with them for color inspirations - what do you think?

Here is another quick link to my in-between I Heart Marcro Sunday posts that had some beautiful colored macro shots that inspired some of my new silk bundle color palettes…

Swing over to Studio Waterstone and check out the other posts for I Heart Macro!

See you next week!

Saturday Night Specials Time!!!

It's Saturday Night Specials time over on the Original SNS team on Etsy.

Here are some treasuries featuring shops on the SNS team that are participating in the event tonight.

Each participating shop runs a "Special" in their store from 5pm EST Saturday - 6am EST Sunday.

This goes on every Saturday night - WHAT FUN!!!

Marsha Neal Studio SNS Special Code for tonight: SNS10 for 10% off your retail order in my Etsy Shop.

Check out all these treasuries featuring great shops that are running specials:

And more SNS treasuries to be added:

Etsy Shop Update Today!

I've been taking photos in the last week and plan on updating my Etsy shop today…

Here is a taste test of what is going to show up sometime after 10am EST:

Chocolate Clay Leaf Set Ruby Glaze.

Chocolate Tablet Beads with Glacier Glaze. 

Gnarly Spiral Design in Porcelain with New Peacock Glaze.

Porcelain 2-Hole Donut with Autumn Glaze.

Chocolate flattened shard (NEW) with Glacier Glaze.

Chocolate 1-hole donut with Green Sea Glass Glaze.

Zentangle Inspired doodle stamps Porcelain Pendants with Glacier Glaze.

Porcelain Twirl Shard with NEW Opal glaze.

Chocolate Clay Toggle Set in Patina Glaze.

Then at some point in the next couple of weeks

I'll be taking more photos of my Halloween and Fall pieces,

Which will show up in my Etsy shop by late August into early September...

Remember - I've got a coupon code for 10% off if you are one of my Marsha Neal Studio FaceBook fans.

Pantone Fall Fashion Color Chart 2011...

Designers - Do you keep this chart handy?

Here is a link if you want to get the info from Pantone.

This color chart is a bit of an obsession for me right now.

I'm seriously looking at the "tagging" side of my marketing plan…

Ok, I'm obsessed with it…

I want to figure out how to make my jewelry items in similar color palettes to these fall fashion colors come up in searches higher up and how it all makes sense as to how people look and find your items through the internet as well as Etsy…

*Bamboo, Honeysuckle, Cedar, Deep Teal, Nougat are all pretty close to some of my silk colors.

The others were just "close enough":

#7 Golden Mustard (*Bamboo)

#221 Peach Cobbler (Emberglow)

#219 Honeysuckle (*Honeysuckle)

#223 Concord (Phlox)

#210 Light Sage (*Cedar)

#55 Cerulean (*Deep Teal)

#64 Chocolate (Coffee Liqueur)

#65 Light Tan (*Nougat)

#91 Lilac (Orchard Hush)

#212 Denim (Quarry)

Click HERE to buy this "Fall Fashion Color Palette 2011" Silk knot bundle.

These new colors below - in the 200 series of my color codes - were introduced last year by Ute.

She jokingly tells me she calls the rich muted tones her "Marsha" palette because when I would order from her, I used to always say, make sure you put a lot of those dark, rich, muted tones in there for me...

Oh - Ute…. Marsha wants even more rich muted tones :)

I just LOVE these silks!!!

Actually, I've got a refreshment order going into her and may be adding a few new colors that I didn't carry before in with it.

Oh, and you know I'm going to be glazing up some pieces in this color palette too right?

And with ceramic clays as my main medium, fall seems to be the perfect, earthy season for using clay in combination with colors like this…

I better get on that!

Check back soon...

Friendship Day...

There seems to be a day for everything,

But never enough time in a day…

And below is the clickable version of the Treasury Collection I've created over on Etsy that I like to call:

Friendship Bracelets

Etsy, Blogs, FB, Twitter, and all kinds of other group sites and the like have allowed my community of friends to grow SO huge & my life to seem more enhanced by the interactions with you all...

So, with today being friendship day, I thought it would be nice to create a treasury with members from the various Etsy Teams I'm on. I would love to do one for my blogging friends, beady friends, etc, but alas… not enough time today (but soon - maybe).

Don't you just love making and wearing bracelets?!

Especially ones that are handmade by friends?!

I know I do…

Happy Friendship Day to all my friends out there!
(yes, I mean you!)

Happy First Friday!

It's First Friday…

That means there is art to be seen!

Online - on Etsy.com there is a monthly event:

First Friday Art Walk

And as captain of the Delaware Etsy Street Team, our DEST participates monthly through the team blog and members page.

Thank you to the AWETeam  for hosting this monthly event…

Swing by and check out some of the stuff through our DEST.
Participating members are asked to use team coupon code:
DESTFF10 for 10% off their shop for First Friday.

What are you up to this first friday?

Morning Light At The End Of Summer...

I am inspired by the thoughts of cool mornings…

At the End of Summer…

And the way the Morning Light shines through...

Morning Light At The End Of Summer by Marsha Neal Studio

This is my newest Etsy Treasury that I've created with a gathering of some of my recent favorite things.

Would love for you to stop by Etsy and comment on this Treasury Collection…

Thank You!

The kids are off to school and I am into the studio for a bit before running to my diagnostics shift for the Master Gardeners (going to see if I can help diagnose what is wrong with samples of plants or ID insects that are dropped off - I get to play with a microscope!!!)

New Silk Color Palettes Inspired By Nature

Nature through the lens of my iPhone Hipstamatic app inspires my color palettes…

The different combinations of "lenses and film"can give you rich colors that vary from the exact spectrum as we see it with our naked human eye.

Marsha Neal Studio iPhone Hipstamatic Image.

Marsha Neal Studio iPhone Hipstamatic Image.

Marsha Neal Studio iPhone Hipstamatic Image.

Marsha Neal Studio iPhone Hipstamatic Image.

Marsha Neal Studio iPhone Hipstamatic Image.

Marsha Neal Studio iPhone Hipstamatic Image.

Marsha Neal Studio iPhone Hipstamatic Image.

Looking at these photos - is it any wonder that I have a lot of blue-green-purple palette variations?

I'll take these photos with my iPhone Hipstamatic app.

Then the photos get opened in the ColorSchemer app.

From my photo I can pick out all kinds of color palettes and save them to my file.

This is what a screen shot of my iPhone looks like from a bunch of the above photos:

From this point, I can go down to my studio and pull out a bunch of silks that I think go with these palettes.

Colors are not always an exact match, but I like to pull the silks and see what works...

I prefer to see color palettes by using a bit of a the squinting blurry eye technique anyway, so I am ok with working from photos that are not quite perfectly in focus.

And here is a sampling of the new color palettes that are starting to show up in my Etsy Shop:

You can buy these silks from me through my Etsy shop.
Pricing is per strand:
2mm Silk Strands Retail at $3 ea.
4 for $10 ($2.50 each)
*10 for $20 ($2 each)
30 for $54 ($1.80 each)
50 for $85 ($1.70 each)
100 for $160 ($1.60 each)


The Silks as "Knot Bundles" sell as
10 individual 2mm silks in a bundle for $20


I've got a few bundles that only have 5 silks in them for $12.50 each.
This way you can get a sampling without dropping a fast $20.


However, if you want to mix and match a bunch of knots, I will price them out for you according to the price list above for the total quantity your are purchasing.


You can do this easily too by just figuring out your silk quantity total, then selecting one of the "pick your own color palette" listings with the correct total number of silks, then just list the ones you want (including individual colors, OOAK palettes in the shop, named color palettes, etc).


Like always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
I'll get back to you as soon as possible…


Wholesale inquiries must be willing to meet 100 silk minimum for each purchase consisting of at least 5 of any one particular color and silk type. 
Must have a valid business license.
Email me if you are interested & I'll send you a pdf of the details:
Marsha {at} MarshaNealStudio.com
*remove spacing and brackets in my email address*