Busy Times

Burnt raisin toast

Ever feel like burnt toast? Well…I have and do from time to time.
Took this last weekend off for a mental break.

So what’s going on…

My blonde daughter at her first art show in front of her booth

My daughter participated in her first art show with RAW artists in Costa Mesa, California. It was a raucous night with about 50 artists, a beauty booth, fashion show, and a huge nightclub backdrop. She visited with throngs of people and collected, as well as gave away, a deck of cards.

cartoon portrait of my son

My son is on the fast track to graduation. First he’ll turn 18 then less than a month later he walks down the path in cap and gown. Where does the time go?

colorful hula dancing girls made into earrings

Last week brought to life a gaggle of these. Dancing Hula girls for your ears.

…and a couple of gals similar to this…

blonde gals with crowns and signs that say i am what i am made into earrings

Many other things took shape this past week or so. As did a complete inventory of my jewelry selection. I have so many things. Some fabulous and new but lots that I’ve been looking at for awhile. Three or four trays of stuff were taken apart and I still have lots for a sale table at my next show.

Which is over Mothers Day weekend, May 11 & 12, at the Bernardo Winery in Rancho Bernardo, California. Mark the calendar and come say hello. My booth is in the back parking lot space #5.
Also my booth will be out next to Heritage Lake at the Irvine Fine Arts Center on Saturday June 1st. Come mark the day with music, ceramic bowls of ice cream, and lots of great artisan work.

Just for the record the shop is still empty. I’m still having trouble finding the time between shows to refill it and keep creating. So please come follow me on Instagram (@susanmwb) and if you see anything you like please message me and we’ll work something out. You can also find me on Facebook or Pinterest at Susan’s Charming Trinkets.

See you soon!

Posted on by

oops

Me peek a boo!

Now you see it…now you don’t.

Yesterday I took down all my jewelry listings. A friend had tried to buy something and the site wouldn’t let her pay. A funny way to do business, isn’t it?
So I think I fixed it but I’m still working on it. In the process I made a few decisions on how to move forward in a better way…as well as let folks pay for things they want to buy. 🙂

Over the next few weeks I’ll be putting back all the items that I make over and over again. Many things I design use traditional charms or unusual things I find in my travels. I buy those in more quantity and can make multiples. Those things will be listed until they are gone.

With my graphic designs I need another way to keep those straight. Most all of those are one of a kind pieces. Either the drawings that make up the jewelry piece are only done once or the beading for the graphic piece is available once. Then the beads are gone. Attempting to leave those on the site all the time is a logistical nightmare.

So…I’ve decided to do some special releases Moving forward I will pick some dates and list all of the new one of a kind things I have available. Listings will be up for maybe a week or until those items go off to good homes. Then I’ll start over.

Please make sure you are on my newsletter list so you get notification of the releases before they happen. Or join my Facebook group (I haven’t posted there in a few months but am about to change that) or follow me on Instagram. I also have a snail mail, for those that like something other than bills in their mailbox, for show notices that I send 2 to 3 times a year.
(we also have a family podcast and that has been sorely overlooked for awhile but will be back revamped with better format and topics…stay tuned)

And that’s my news this week…if you need me I’ll be locked in my studio working. Glitterfest is in two weeks…yikes!! March 31 in Fullerton, CA at the Springfield Banquet Center. I’ll be on the second floor!!

Posted on by

(Artist+Geek)^2=Family Episode #1

 

Artist+Geek Podcast

 

Introducing our new podcast! Yes…we did it! Here’s the description…

Our recipe for family is most times sprinkled with comedy, sometimes serious, and always keeps it real. 
Join artist Susan, of Susan’s Art Circus, and geek husband Wendell, of Slog Belly Studios, as we chat through the the benefits of being best friends in marriage, 24/7 living and working under the same roof,  the constant yin yang of the artist and the geek, and keeping open relationships with our two teens, AdaLee and Paul.
Episode #1: Teenagers hijack the show and how the introductory outline goes right out the window…our first episode was supposed to be an introduction but quickly evolved into topics our teens wanted to chat about. From phone aggravation to LGBTQIAP to marriage they both definitely have opinions! Add some funny experiences, some wine talk, childbirth, a couple “f” bombs, a random list of topics, and  there you have it! More to come…
Links for things mentioned throughout the podcast:
Susan’s Website: www.susansartcircus.com
Wendell’s Website: www.slogbellystudios.com
To see the movie trailer for Extinction
follow the artist on Instagram: @susanmwb
follow the geek on Instagram: @slogbelly
follow the teen artist on Instagram: @tera.toma
follow the teen geek on Instagram: @the_es_muy_litster
subscribe to our podcast on Itunes: waiting for the link
music attribute:  ♫ Music By Bass Rebels https://www.youtube.com/c/BassRebels ♫
Posted on by

And here we go…again!

Basquiat
A little Basquiat for inspiration.

Just a little reminder to let you know I’m at it again!

This entire site was very underloved, underused, and, well, ignored. This week I decided to change it up and make it work! You’ll notice lots of changes. Different home page and the addition of my own shop! About time!

I’ve had over a decades worth of angst over my Etsy shop. Spending time listing lots of things only to have a show and come back to de-list most of them. List them again, nothing sells, they expire, I re-list, do a show, and unlist all over again. It’s a giant time suck and pain in the wa-zoo not to mention the giant mental block I have with it.

So about ten days ago Etsy announced that they would be raising all their fees, adding subscription services, but no one’s ability to be seen would change. Paid subscription or not. Ummmm….let’s just say I am not inclined to believe that entirely. It’s unfortunate but they’ve turned from being a very supportive backer of the hand made movement into a publicly traded must make money operation.

That said it is still an excellent platform with over two million shoppers peeking at it all the time. I will keep a presence over there. But all of my collection will be found here with only a few bits and bobs over there. I have yet to make a decision on my supply shop. I let it go a bit to get organized and decide what direction to go in. Am still deciding.  The real upside is that it lit a fire under me to get this site moving!

As of today there are a few things here. But keep checking back as I am obsessed with getting as much in here as possible!

Posted on by

Vegan In A House Of Carnivores: Definition From A Favorite

I was doing a bit of dinner research trying to find a vegan dish that my carnivores would also eat when I wandered into a post about the difference between vegan and plant based lifestyles written by one of my favorite cookbook authors.

Hmmm…I may have to change my food label for myself (she says while adjusting her leather purse). My diet is plant based…entirely.

But…I am not as conscious about things like leather for shoes or handbags, wool or silk items of clothing nor am I caught up in the politics of animal organizations. But do we value the lives of animals? Absolutely.

We eat a little honey albeit locally sourced and we still wear leather shoes. Most all our beauty or household products are free of any animal products and are not tested on living creatures. We donate to animal charities with our dollars and our actions. Everyday we strive to do better.

I love Lindsay’s recipes…we cook from this one quite often…

 

All “plant based” and EASY! Pumpkin biscuits, raisin muffins, Thai lettuce wraps, peanut sauce, salads, burgers….all kinds of things! (as of today 11/17/2016 if you have a kindle you can order this digitally for $1.99!)

Anyway…I’m off to cook something…all this talk of “plant based” food has made me hungry!

 

Until next time,

Susan

Posted on by