Elise Matthesen

 So many earrings.

A few days back, I sorted out my Swarovski crystal storage boxes. Since they've discontinued sales of their sparkly, sparkly goodies to us hoi polloi, I no longer need to keep my labeled compartments after they're empty and waiting for restock, because there are not going to be any restocks. So there was a great deal of removing empty compartments. I use a set of stacking cylindrical towers (5 high) that fit in a case (6 towers across), and I had nine cases. The clasp finally gave up on one of the cases, so it was handy to be able compress nine into eight by removing the empties. 

Sorting all those out means that I've updated my knowledge of what I have. It also means that when I was done sorting, there were 113 pairs of earrings ready for posting in my Etsy shop.

Seriously, it's always been true that the fastest way for me to get inspiration is to set out to tidy up the workshop. It works every time. The workshop never gets all the way tidied, but I'm too happy working on new pieces that I'm fine with that.

It may be an aspect of some ADHD superpower. Probably is. Whatever it is, I've learned to use the power for good, at least as far as making new stuff is concerned.

Do you have a place that's hard to tidy up because the inspiration is so thick there?

My Etsy shop, which is here:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/LionessElise
tells me that I have sold more than 3500 pieces there.

Huh. That's a lot.

Maybe I should do something to celebrate that. Must ponder.

It's Winterfair time. I could give out free planet pendants as celebration gifts. That might be fun.

Until yesterday, my Etsy shop had been below 100 pieces for a long while. (Months and months. That is a very long while hereabouts.) And now it's at 111 pieces, and I am full of happiness about that, because it really does help.

OK, now some food and then some workbench. Yesssss. I may even get a Stardust pendant mostly done. And there's a tektite or ten waiting for me too.

What's the art in your life doing at the moment? Or what are you doing with it? Or both? Any milestones lately?

A while back, sovay posted a beautiful photograph of a hibiscus.

This is the necklace that resulted:



Find it at my Etsy shop for more detailed looks.

Look! Here is a thing. I made the thing! It is a necklace-crown in the new style, which means that instead of a hook and loop closure built out of the wirework of the necklace, this one has a loop on each end and uses a detachable chain with a clasp on each end, which you can wrap and loop until the necklace suits you best.

"Marsh Wisdom" is a necklace-crown that looks rather bronze/beige/grey from a distance and shows more colors close up. There are Czech glass lily beads scattered in it in various metallic tones, and bead-covered wirework like stems and tendrils, with treasures hidden between and beneath.

There is more to show you, but I really wanted to get this one up so you could see it.

And now I go find something very cold, because it was a bit warm in the workshop today.

Oh, hey! I'm sorry I forgot to mention it already, but there are many shinies for sale. I keep marking them down, too. You know how I get.

necklace, something about weasels and dreaming: yellow metal, aqua and yellow glass beads, some of which are splendiferous Moe Beads

Very surprising. This one just jumped up at me from the bead table, so I'm halfway through it. It'll be fairly fragile, though. But I think it'll work.

Other than that, there are seventy-'leven other things in progress as usual. And I owe the great revolving world and her dog some e-mail, as usual also.