Oldies but Goodies - Wordless Wednesday

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Wordless Wednesday

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Copyright © 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 by Constance Pelkey.

This bloggy feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this content in a news reader or on a website related to Constance Pelkey, then where you are reading it from is in violation of copyright!

Thanks!!

New items added to both ARTFIRE and ETSY stores!!

Once again my study in contrasts has produced a gorgeous piece! I LOVE to make pieces that are full contrasts, and this one certainly fits the bill!! One side is as smooth as glass pink polymer clay that's been treated to the "ghost imaging" technique and the other is textured, antiqued fine silver!

Check out the new items added to both ARTFIRE and ETSY stores!! I'll be adding a few new items each day, with the exception of Sunday's, a gal has to have some down time, right??

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Copyright © 2008 by Constance Pelkey.

This bloggy feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this content in a news reader or on a website related to Constance Pelkey, then where you are reading it from is in violation of copyright!T

Inauguration Day Celebration!!

I haven't forgotten about my New Year, Old Health Issues and New Business Commitments that I posted about almost a week and a half ago.

No, in fact!! I've simply been waiting for the New Horizon of HOPE to appear in full reality!

Inauguration Day is here!!

Hip, hip HOORAY!!!
Hip, hip HOORAY!!!
Hip, hip HOORAY!!!

In honor of the USA's karma pendulum swinging back to sanity and the Realm of Hope arriving...

I'm having a grand reopening sale in my Etsy Store Front, and a Grand opening Sale in my new ArtFire Store Front!!

All day on Tuesday, while I sit here in front of the TV and watch history being made, I will be uploading new items to both my stores!! I'll also be offering FREE SHIPPING to all sales during the first 100 days that President Obama is in office!

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Copyright © 2008 by Constance Pelkey.

This bloggy feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this content in a news reader or on a website related to Constance Pelkey, then where you are reading it from is in violation of copyright!
Thanks!! Conni

New Year, Old Health Issues and New Business Commitments

I'm not big on new years resolutions.

However,

This new year I am committing to make a strong "go" at my little business, Constance Pelkey Designs.

Over the last couple years I have had both my shoulders done. I had TWO torn rotator cuffs. My right arm needed my bicep reattached too! It was bad! It took many, many months of rehab to get them both back in shape... unfortunately that meant I could do very little in the way of creativity. I was however, able to crochet. Now, don't get me wrong, I like crocheting, but that being my only outlet was somewhat limiting!

I'm so glad that I can play with my polymer clay and precious metal clay, and bead, and sew, AND crochet again! YAY!

In the meantime.

I've had a "gut" issue for the last couple months that involved emergency surgery for a bowel blockage early in November, on voting day in fact, and the ensuing severe pain in a knot of scar tissue and nerves along my waist next to my belly button that's the ultimate result of this and a few other abdominal surgeries. Because of severe pain in this area I was hospitalized again for a couple days the week before Christmas. This issue isn't resolved yet. I have an appointment to see the original surgeon who cleared the blockage and I'm awaiting a second opinion appointment with another surgeon, hopefully that will happen next week.

I need to get THIS issue resolved - SOON - because I was scheduled for total knee replacement surgery on January 6th.

AK!!!!!!!

That's been postponed until the gut issue is resolved!

*shaking head and rolling eyes*

*sigh*

I've been out of work and in limbo, essentially since the beginning of November.

Best thoughts and wishes will be greatly appreciated during this whole process of resolving the gut issue - SOON - so I can go ahead and deal with the knee issue!

At any rate.

During the time, I continue to be laid up with all this health stuff, my "resolution" is to concentrate on my business. I have an ETSY store and I also recently opened an ARTFIRE storefront as well. I've joined a couple of "teams" on ETSY, I also joined Facebook and still belong to the Polymer Clay Central message boards. I've been taking good pictures of all my inventory (finally!). I plan on continuing to photo edit and will be listing new items on a weekly basis to both stores. I'll be trying some different marketing techniques, too. I'll also be creating new items and I hope to join my sister in law in attending one or two larger crafty type selling venues this summer and joining a couple Maine based craft and art associations.

Keep your eyes pealed here at this blog to be updated and PLEASE, pass on my URL http://ConstancePelkeyDesigns.blogspot.com to ANYONE who might be interested in my "stuff"!

Happy New Year to all and best of luck to me in sales this new year of 2009!!

Copyright © 2008 by Constance Pelkey.

This bloggy feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this content in a news reader or on a website related to Constance Pelkey, then where you are reading it from is in violation of copyright!
Thanks!! Connie

Art Fire, Etsy and My Shop Policies

• Payment

I accept PayPal, credit cards through PayPal and eChecks through PayPal. Payment is due at the time of purchase. If you know there will be a lapse between purchase and payment arriving, such as for an eCheck, please let me know. Items NOT paid or arranged for will be relisted and the sale canceled.

If payment isn't made, the first day I will send a reminder convo or email. The second day I will email. The third I will cancel the transaction and relist the item. If there's a reason for a delay, convo me and we can work it out!

• Refunds and Exchanges, Other problems:

First, please contact me so we can work out a solution - every problem is unique! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, please convo or email me. I will refund or exchange errors I make. I will exchange any item once I've received it back in saleable condition. Return shipping is the responsibility of the buyer.

Since all situations are unique, please give me a convo or email and we'll work it out!

• Shipping:

I ship Monday to Friday, as needed U.S. Mail, First Class Post. To the Continental U.S. and overseas destinations this takes about 1-2 weeks to arrive. Customs or other fees incurred are the responsibility of the buyer - I cannot legally mark commercial shipments as gifts to avoid those.

Over all, return shipping is the responsibility of the buyer. If your product is not something you love for ANY reason, please send it back (after emailing me) within 2 weeks of receipt so that I can make it right for you!

• The Other Stuff:

I'm open to discussing custom, designs, and /or wholesale arrangements.

Technorati Tags: selling,Etsy,Artfire,policies

Lot's done today!

I worked upstairs in the newly set up photo studio from 8:30AM to 11:45, then after lunch I was back up there at 1:30 and stayed until 3:00PM! In the last shot down below is a sample of the photo's I took today... I have over 150 still to edit and probably another 50 to 75 pictures to take. I plan on editing these over the next few weeks so that when I'm laid up from my knee surgery, I'll have new items all ready to upload to my ETSY shop. While I'm taking these photos - I'm going through old stock, reassessing and reevaluating my pieces, some are being unceremoniously tossed, while others are being looked at in a whole new light! It's been over two years since I've looked at most of this stuff! Wow! I'm so glad to be over the shoulder surgeries!! I feel alive and creative again! I missed it so much! Pretty much all I could do for two years was crochet! Now, I LIKE to crochet, but I also like to bead, and work with polymer clay, and precious metal clay, and wire wrap, sew a little and string beads and I even like to sculpt a bit... I'll tell ya, crocheting got old fast! I have lots to show for what I crocheted, but I have yet to take good pics of those items... all in due time!

That's the items waiting to be shot in the right pictures and yes, that's the laptop with my iTunes blaring!

During lunch I did laundry, worked on my wire and bead crochet pouch I started last night, and now, I've been photo editing since 5PM. Oh! I also had a tubby time in the late afternoon too! Yummy!

I can't believe that I can so easily walk from the basement, where the washer and dryer are - to the first floor kitchen (to check on the fish chowder in the crock pot) - then up again to the 3rd floor attic where I was shooting pictures - without even being winded!!! When we first moved in to this house I LITERALLY did not FIT down the cellar stairs! Wow! Loosing 270 lbs has sooooo changed my life!!

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Copyright © 2008 by Constance Pelkey.

This bloggy feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this content in a news reader or on a website related to Constance Pelkey, then where you are reading it from is in violation of copyright!
Thanks!! Conni

Grand Reopening of Constance Pelkey Designs - ETSY

I'm VERY excited to announce the Grand Reopening of my ETSY store!!!

After a long hiatus due to TWO torn rotator cuff surgeries that placed me on the sidelines for nearly two years, I'm proudly announcing the GRAND REOPENING of my "Constance Pelkey Designs" ETSY (ConniesClay) storefront!!

From now until the first day of the New Year I'll be offering FREE SHIPPING ANYWHERE!!!

Uniquely Handmade. Poly Clay, Fine Silver, Fiber Arts.!

These mixed media items were created primarily from artist-grade polymer clay, Fine Silver and Fiber Arts.

My Etsy, ConniesClay.etsy.com

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Copyright © 2008 by Constance Pelkey.

This bloggy feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this content in a news reader or on a website related to Constance Pelkey, then where you are reading it from is in violation of copyright!

Creativity and time

So, I've been thinking a lot lately about creativity. I haven't been able to work in my studio for any length of time in the last few weeks. I miss it. When I'm doing other things, like caulking, taping, painting, cleaning brushes, vacuuming up paint chips etc... I daydream about working in the studio. I have a couple ideas running around in my head, like polymer clay critter faces in sea shells, (I have a big box full of shells, have had 'em for years now and suddenly they are calling my name) wooden box purses, lined with fleece and flannel, and sewing up a new pair of lounge pants using a comfy pair I already own and really love as a pattern. Beading projects are roaming around in my head, I have a pile of necklaces that either need repair or finishing. I have some faux turquoise cabochons that need some kind of bezels, I'd like for one of them to be a PMC one and another to have silver seed beads peyote'd around it, and perhaps that becoming the focal of a free form piece??

*SIGH*

Even after we get the rooms up stairs painted, we are then moving down into the bathroom to finish it, and then back upstairs to the new living room, then back down here in the downstairs double living room. After that I'll start moving my studio upstairs. THEN I'll be packing up Mom in preparation for her to move down here.

I'm not anticipating being able to get back to my studio until - maybe the fall?? *pout*

That doesn't mean I won't be making and working on things, it's just that my studio will be upside down for a while and I'll work out of boxes. *sigh* I *thought* I finally had a permanently dedicated studio space in this house. Nope. I'll have come full circle after this next move. My stuff will have been in 4 different places, one will be the second time around.

*dream* A dedicated studio space in our new place in the southwest. *heaven*

So, I'm wondering how in the heck do you all find time to be creative on stuff just for you??


In the meantime, I've been shopping for new bedding. I found this 12 piece Bed in a Bag on line at smartbargains.com. We really like it and think it will go well in our new room!

*squeeeee!*






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Connie

Grand opening!!

Grand opening!!

Come shop "on the moon" at my new eCrater store (ConstancePelkeyDesigns.ecrater.com) !! Free shipping to the US Mainland!!

I'm also celebrating the opening of my new eCrater store at my Etsy store (ConniesClay.etsy.com) by offering free shipping ANYWHERE until June 7th!!

Just a few examples of what you'll find at my stores!

~~~

Connie

.·:*¨¨*:· Constance Pelkey Designs ·:*¨¨*:·.

Polymer Clay, Fine Silver, Fiber Arts Jewelry & Accessories - Art for you and your home!

My Blogspot

Constance Pelkey Designs - Etsy

Constance Pelkey Designs - shopping on The Moon!

New pics - shoulder PT

I have been working on setting and resetting my stores, PayPal, Etsy and eCrater. I made a Flickr badge with the new pics and I'll be adding all the items to my store, eventually.

I have PT on my shoulder today and I'm really pleased at how well it's been feeling! Anxious to get rid of the sling, but that won't happen for another 3 weeks! Ak! *smile*

www.flickr.com

Connie

~ Life's too short to use cheap beads! ~

Tag! You're It!

Being tagged as a blogger is a bit different than the childhood game of tag, being tagged as a blogger is more of a call out to say, "I read your blog, and I like it." Much better than the feeling I used to get being tagged in the game, as a kid.

The rules:
1. Place the name of the person and URL on your blog.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write seven things about yourself.
4. Name seven of your favorite blogs.
5. Send an email letting those bloggers know they have been tagged.

Favorite Blogs:
1. Funny, smart, and talented Entrepreneur/ Mom, Lisa over at Polkadotcreations.com
2. Cat, very talented, business woman/ Mom over at Catherienarts.com
3. The illustrious Moe, way over in beautiful Hawaii! Moeart.blogspot.com
4. Kathi, my dear and longtime friend in the land of fruits and nuts, Southern California. Dragonsglass.com
5. The infamously talented Aussie; Melly, from down under over at Clayhappenings.blogspot.com
6. Those feline friends and their Mom from Missouri Nels-ed-nitro-xing.blogspot.com
7. And Katherine, my buddy who has finally met her midlife prize of becoming a nurse! yay! Midlifenurse.blogspot.com

Seven things about me:
1. I'm 47 years old
2. I live in Augusta, ME but yearn to be in the American Southwest
3. I'm partnered to a wonderful woman
4. I love my motorcycle
5. I have a degree in cooking
6. I work with polymer clay, beads, precious metal clay and fiber arts; sewing, crochet, felting...
7. I work as a animal care specialist at a major pet store - I love it!!!

~ Life's too short to use cheap beads! ~

PMC, PC and finishing

I've been working on some items these last few weeks. I've really been trying to improve my finishing skills, and I've been learning about my new camera. Not perfect pictures yet, but it's a process! *smile*

This is a dichroic cab I purchased at the Rhode Island Jewelry Shoe I attended in Providence late last summer. I mounted it on fine silver, using precious metal clay. I then strung it on a length of braided leather cording. Came out kinda cool I thought! *G*

Connie

~ Life's too short to use cheap beads! ~

And now for something totally different...

Yesterday I had my appointment to have my spinal epidural injection in my lower spinal column, 3rd injection in 8 months, second in this location. I have had tremendous success with these shots, however they kind of lay me up for a couple days. The relief I have for months afterward is worth it though!

So yesterday I worked in the AM and then went for the procedure, didn't sleep well (restless) and have a pretty significant headache today. Hopefully that will settle down later today and I can get back into the studio again, I have to reduce the cane I made earlier and work more on my multi media beads (PC and PMC) and I'd like to begin my plaid cane. I joined a cane swap hosted by Linda Weeks over on Polymer Clay Central and need to make eight geometric canes for it.


We are counting down to our to Key West trip! YAY!

I plan on doing some much needed recharging and shopping in as many bead and funky touristy places I can find. Then, after coming home, I need to really get back into the swing of things creatively. I have a few crochet bags that need liners, two other half made sew only bags, a commission on one of those badge holders thingy's, more swap canes, and a bunch of finishing work on my various and eclectic jewelry elements I've seemingly forever been working on and I think I'm going host the Bug Swap again this year.

And now, as promised,

something totally different....

Connie~

designer/instructor

~ Life's too short to use cheap beads! ~

Where've I been??

I haven't been posting or being very creative lately due to a few reasons.

1. Shoulder surgery
2. I started working
3. The holidays came
3. Continued back pain
4. Camera shit the bed

I think I've mentioned it elsewhere and perhaps here too. I had to have shoulder surgery on my right shoulder last July and it's been months (before and after) since I was able to use my arm, thus the creative part of me was laid up, except for crochet.

I also started working again after not working for nearly 12 years due to disability - back troubles and chronic pain. I got hired at PetSmart and I love my job! I am a pet care specialist. Basically I take care of the needs of all the live animals in the store with the exception of the area devoted to the local humane society. The first 4 weeks of work we weren't open and everyone was working full time in order to set the store from bare walls to grand open ready. The pay was great, but my back and legs hated it!! It was also beginning to be the holidays and that in itself is added pressure and stress, let alone working full time for the first time in 12 years!! We weren't doing our normal jobs, we were stocking shelves according to plan-o-grams. YIKES!!! Once we opened, I started my regular work and it's a breeze, relatively easy for me when I have my pain under control. I just recently got put on to regular part time hours and that's wonderful!

The work caused my back and legs to act up some and made me a little bit grumpy. I've dealt with chronic pain for all these years and I know how I have to deal with it in order to be successful with anything in my life. I need to be in control of the pain, and because of being on my feet and legs for 8 hours a day I wasn't in control! I recently started going to the Pain Clinic and had two series (starting last June) of epidural steroid injection shots in my spine. Sounds yucky, and it was! However, as painful as those few minutes that the doctor was actually injecting the thick liquid into my spine was, the lengthy relief I gained from the shots was excruciatingly sweet! Virtually no pain for months! I couldn't believe it!! The problem now?? It's time for another round - I have an appointment for next Wednesday.

I think this will be the last ones though, the next step is "zapping" the nerves that come through my my L3 and L4's. I have a bulging disk and arthritis in this area, causing pinched nerves coming directly from my spinal cord, thus the low back pain, the numbness of the sides of my legs all the way down to my little toes, i In a nutshell?? I have Peripheral Neuropathy. Oh joy!!

And finally, our old Kodak Easy Share kinda sorta shit the bed. It still works, but the picture quality for the closeups is bad and the battery door is broken - thus needing a piece of duct tape to hold them in. Not the best of situations!

We bought ourselves a new one - x mas present to each other, a Panasonic. I'm still playing with it, learning how it works etc... but it's WAY cooler than the Kodak!! The pics were taken with the new camera!!

This is my new kiln for Precious Metal Clay!!


This a pic of my newest PMC project. Silver lentil shapes that will be filled in with poly clay and decorated with mica shift. These are unfired.

YAY!! I, hopefully, will be posting a lot more stuff lately as things seem to be slowing down a bit and I'm able to make and keep a more - all around - productive schedule.

That's the plan anyway. *sheepish grin*

Sea shell Countenance and others

I've had today off from my job and I spent it finishing up stringing some PMC and Polyclay pieces. I think they came out rather nice. *smile*

This first one I've named "Sea shell Countenance"



It's made of precious metal clay, green tinted sea shells and silver lined seed beads we purchased last winter on our wonderful trip to the US southwest and the Mexican Peninsula.

Reminds me of those warm, sun filled precious days we had! Yum!



This next one is called: "Florals in basket weave"



I learned the basket weave caning technique from none other than Klew herself on the same trip I mentioned above.

So fun!



This next one is called simply: "Floral pendant with beads and fibers"



It's a polymer clay caned floral cabochon that I wire wrapped and then strung on coordinating strings of seed beads and fun fibers.



MMMmmmmmm! Purple....

Connie ~

~ Life's too short to use cheap beads! ~

Constance Pelkey Designs on ETSY!

New Work

This is a small silver box I've been playing around with for a while now... I "think" it's done. *G*

Click the pic to see more .999 Fine Silver (PMC) work.

This is the same red and gold poly clay with PMC accents necklace I posted a bit ago.

Again, click the pic to see more necklaces...

These are two purses I finished up recently. Last summer while I was healing from my shoulder surgery the only thing I could comfortably do was crochet. I have a bunch more purses and totes and mini backpacks to line and finish still, some just need liners, others need poly clay handles and buttons etc.... in the meantime, here's two!



Look for these and more on my ETSY store.

BTW: FREE SHIPPING from now until 12/24/2007!!!