Metalsmiths in Action Holiday Promotion

Hi everyone and Happy Thanksgiving!

As many of you know I am involved in an online community of craftspeople. Most of us have shops on ETSY, which is a great collection of handmade and vintage sellers and enthusiasts. I have a shop there since early September 08 called "Cosmo's Moon" where I sell my one of a kind jewelry as well as a new line of affordable chic handmade silver.

One of the ways that Etsy works for sellers is that they offer a sense of community through the possibility of forming and joining teams. I am a proud member of the Etsy Metalsmithins in Action team, (which is one of the larger metals teams,) which is today kicking off it's

Holiday Promotion. here is a link: http://metalsmithsinaction.webs.com/contest.htm

(pictured above is the piece I am offering in the holiday promotion for MSIA)

I encourage all of you to bookmark this promotion and participate in the contest! If you look at the wonderful pieces offered to prizewinners you will surely understand why. Please send this along to anyone else in your life who you think might be interested in Handcrafted gifts. (you could even give your friends a hint about which shop you want to recieve a gift from....)

By the way, for my own shop (Cosmo's Moon) I have a Holiday shipping sale. Free shipping to U.S.A. addresses, and only $5 shipping anywhere else, internationally.(ending January 1 2008) Many other Etsy shops are offering similar promotions!

thanks for your continued interest and support!

Have a Safe, Relaxing and Happy Holiday season

Etsy Cafe Club

Just a short note... I am getting ready for a sale and a show so I haven't posted in a while.

Yesterday I got to spend the morning at coffee with some other local etsy artists.. This is the second time we have met, (Though we have been emailing each other and running into each other at the park.) and I find it to be rejuvinating!

The four shops that met are http://feralgirl.etsy.com/, http://walrustusk.etsy.com/. http://cosmosmoon.etsy.com/ (that's me) http://rimadesigns.etsy.com/, http://vella.etsy.com/
and we has a short visit from http://rainstorm.etsy.com/

We are all women artists from Tucson, with varying mediums and experiances with etsy, art, galleries, craft sales... and life. During our meeting, I feel so satisfied to be able to actually talk to other etsy artists, you know, someone who doesn't look at you sideways when you mention your "Treasury" or "Hearts".
(It's our own little Etsy support group)

As a solitary artist, I always crave community. I have sought it out through teaching, taking workshops, membership (even board positions) in art associations, and attending openings (UGH!). It's funny how the computer (which is such a solitary tool) has finally brought me the community of creative people that I have so long craved...

And Yes, I will still go to openings. If only to wear an interesting outfit! See you there!

My Dirty little Secret

Ok, well perhaps it's not dirty , and more of an omission than secret, but here it goes.

After over 20 years of working as a metalsmith, I have never participated in any Craft Sale.

Yup, that's it, I know, it's SHOCKING. (;-)....

So what have I been doing all this time? mostly selling through galleries and shops for my own work, and 'smithing for other (more business minded) artists. And teaching Metals at all different venues.

And How is that working? well.....um....I guess if it was perfect then I wouldn't be here, declaring with knees shaking, that I am throwing my hat into the Craft show/sale ring.

(some of the work that I will be showing)

On November 22nd I am joining other Local artists here in Tucson at a Craft Sale. It is my hope that this will be a good introduction, and will encourage me to participate in more sales to come (I have my eye on a couple in the spring).

I am defining a new path.

It's a little exciting I must admit, to try something new. I could have done this 20 years ago, but something has always stopped me.

Here it is..I have convinced myself that I cannot sell water to a dehydrated man. AND NOW I DECLARE PHOOEY on that kind of "stinkin thinkin".!*! If I'm a little shaky, I'll get over it. If I'm tongue tied, I'll smile, I will remember to breathe.

as Tim Gunn says, "make it work!"

Because we need to be courageous in times like these. So, (as a Leo) I will envoke the cowardly lion ..and find my sales roar.. at least Purr a little bit.

the end.. or the beginning

Tangents.....the path less followed

As creative people we all have the tendency and desire to explore new ways of creating.


I am definitely guilty of going off on a tangent for weeks on end in my studio...then later, thinking..."what was I doing?"And ending up with what I call my (excuse me) "little bastards."





Here's the thing...despite the unflattering name, I really love these pieces. They almost never have continuity with what I usually do in the studio, or within their group. Just a bunch of really diverse pieces, looking like they were made by different artists.





I could probably have a show and assign different artist names to each piece and nobody would know the difference!



Why do I love them so? Because they represent to me the essence of artistic freedom and creativity. Let's face it, in order to have our "work" recognised artists and designers have to cultivate a "signature style". It is essentially our version of visual "branding".



Many people like the comfort of the familiar, especially when buying something.And having an oddball piece or two in a collection can be unsettling. It raises questions, like whoa, what IS that? where did that come from? why is it here?? and so forth... But I try to twist it around, to think...ok, that's a new path...I wonder where that will lead?



And lead to something they do, these unique journeys into a path less taken. Though I may not use anything from a piece or a technique that I tinker with, the result from having that freedom is reflected in all my future work. And then, down that twisting path, another fork in the road will present itself, leading to more openings and questions.






So today I salute all my tangents and their resulting oddball pieces. Hey, who knows, perhaps I will find another fork in the creative road....which path will I take? and where will this lead? With acceptance to work a little "dirty" I may just find my next exciting groove!