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Today I worked. I worked on chain for a bit, and did some cooking with Steve. (He did pork BBQ on the grill, and i made some home made Boston baked beans.) I digitally colored and worked on the family Minecraft server so the kids could play on their summer vacation, and started to learn how to set up Google’s Deep Dream on my own computer. The server was worlds easier than setting up Deep Dream, just in case you’ve not done either. I don’t know diddly squat about Python notebooks, so it was a square one for me there.

I worked on custom Jamberry wrap design requests for most of the afternoon and evening. One “inspired by” van Gogh’s Starry Night, and another with Japanese Blossoms on a black-white gradient background. Starry Night Dream came out quite well – they are in for approval now. Sakura – the cherry blossom design – is one I’ve been making slow progress on for almost a week now, and finally finished it. Ended up with a handful of variations on it, too. I still have a few more to submit for approval.

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Oh, and I ordered my first proofs of fabric from Spoonflower – a local fashion designer and seamstress has been wanting to work with the Pink Dryad design in her clothing designs, so I’ve been getting that set up. Another long time friend and fellow artist requested Lucid Bubbles as fabric as well, so that’s next up on the list.

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Oh man, wouldn’t it be cool if the fabric took off? It’d be SO cool to see all the things people made, more so since I suck at sewing. Something about not getting along with straight lines. (Ask my husband. He’ll back me on that. Even WITH a ruler or square.) The thing is, in order to sell fabric through Spoonflower, you HAVE to order a proof of every. single. design. Which isn’t a HUGE deal, as long as I remember to budget for it. But I’m going to have to figure out what to DO with all of them. Either I’ll learn to half-assed start a quilt, or I’ll send them all to my sister Sasha or my grandmother, Mutti. Both are sewing badasses.

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In jewelry news, I’ve been (often and happily) explaining my pricing structure for chain. I’m due for a blog post explaining it all soon, so I have a way to link a full description with images instead of having to type it all out and dig out the images each time. I know that most inquiries don’t result in commissions, but it’s a numbers game, right? Plus, people asking mean they love them, and that’s a commpliment in and of itself. I know they have a significant price tag, but no one yet has doubted that they were worth it. I don’t, but I also know the work that goes into them. With over a year of chain weaving behind me, I’m finally starting to pick up speed without sacrificing quality. Not much, but enough that I notice.

Which is just saying that instead of a single double taking me a month, I can get it done in two or three weeks because I make fewer mistakes and know both my numbers and process so well I can practically go over both in my sleep. (Or when mostly asleep.) Hey, a week of time means I’m starting to get closer to breaking even! I’m still well under minimum wage, but I’m getting closer. Yaaas.

Also, those tags with the M? Yeah, I made those by hand. :flexes: That’s my trademark for my jewelry. Innit purty?

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I’m aware that today is Saturday and the first day of summer vacation for us. But y’all, when your wake up call is a dog vomiting something that smells like death on the carpet next to you… working IS relaxing.

Plus, getting things made and worked in feels good. It gives me a bit of hope for tomorrow. Maybe things will improve if I keep working. (See also: yesterday’s blog post.) Knowing I have collaborations of some sort in the works (and future blog posts to show off the other artists’ work) and knowing that I’m inching closer to Team Manager with Jamberry is a good feeling.

Even if I still have emails to answer. #slacker

For now, my sweetheart just handed me one of these, so I’m going to go work on finishing this lovely blaackberry-rapsberry-moonshine filled glass off now. And then a bath. With Posh. I think I still have a whipped cream & chai bath bomb left. I love those things.

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