My Website and Signs

As I was preparing for my Annual Sale and updating the Sales pages on my website in January, my host moved my site to a new platform. The next morning when I went to update Loner Designs I received an error message regarding my FrontPage extensions, (yes I know that MicroSoft killed it off). Sigh. I received a few emails about a week later and yes, my site went down. As I am not a patient person, I thought that 22 days was impressive for me and so last night I sent my host an email to pull the plug on Loner Designs. I took it as a sign that perhaps the pressures that I have placed on myself had taken their toll. I have decided to take that pressure off myself and take it easy for while instead of sitting in my studio. Last week, I joined Etsy.com (which I have watched since their inception), but I have decided that's another topic for another post. It's the end of February and I am sitting out on my patio drinking a Margarita, (compliments of DH) catching some rays in sunny South Florida. It's about 86 degrees right now with an occasional breeze. For my sister Lizzy up North...I feel your pain.

So Little Inspiration

The start of the new year has been difficult as I am still searching for my signature style which has eluded me for the past year. So what it is...

• Wire and how gemstones look wrapped in wire
• Playing with fire to melt glass rods so that they can be formed into a shape
• Hammering metal and the impressions that are left behind
• Polymer Clays and the permanent hardiness after a firing in the kiln
• Pouring molten metal into a cast and holding your breath as you begin to break away the material to pull out the new form

So many things, so little inspiration...sigh...

Lonely Saturday

I had the house to myself this past Saturday and spent the afternoon lampworking or painting glass as I like to call it. Pulled my babies out of the kiln this morning and wasn't that thrill with the results. As usual, I enjoy mismatched designs and shapes, but this may be a bit too mismatched.

Not sure what I am going to do with these babies (try to sell them on Etsy or use them in a design). Of course there is the old stand-by, add them to my growing pile of lampwork beads.

Tis the Season

Well it's that time of year again. You ponder how you survived the holidays, the family, the weight gain, where you have been and where you are going. It's a time to review last year Resolutions and time to make new ones. Lately, I've been pondering the fate of Loner Designs and as I look at my wesite, I see why my sales were low this year. I know that economy wasn't that great this year, the cost of gas, the cost of food, etc, but I also know that I have put out my best work. I have been lazy, I didn't work on Loner Designs, such as finding my style, my voice. So I sit here and ponder, I ponder a name change...such as Helen Mills Designs, HM Designs, etc., but does it really change anything?

Baby It's Hot Outside

Well it's shaping up to be another hot one in the NE & SE. My sister is as I type at the Brooklyn Indie Market. It's been a bit slow since there is not much foot traffic, but my sister says that everyone there is really great...but it would be nice to break even. It's only in the high 80s but according to my sister under the tent its about 90+ degrees. I didn't have the heart to tell her that it's 92 here in Florida and my dog and I are hanging out pool side. Hey I deserve it after two all nighters making product...