NOW what?

[merimask]

Hmm...what the heck do I do now?  I finished my big fun project, my gifts are all sent, I...have nothing to do!

I guess I'll make little stuff...

Koi barrettes!  Cute, no?  They're up in my Etsy shop.

 

I also spent the day tweaking all sorts of things in Etsy.  I re-listed a few things, dropped prices on a few things (I discounted the HECK out of my steampunk masks, like $30 off "Full Steam").   I took fresh pictures of the Ivy mask...
...'cause the old picture of the mask in the tree was too confusing.  Note to self; do not photograph foliage masks IN foliage.

Oh I know, I can share pictures of things I couldn't share before!  Stuff that was sent as gifts.  Like, this Maneki Neko mask...
 
Maneki Neko means "Lucky Cat"...you see these guys everywhere in Japan.  I made this blue and white one as a gift for my journalist buddy from Japan; she spoiled the heck out of me when I was there and after awhile I said "That's it.  I'm just going to have to send you something really NEAT for Christmas."  So I made this cat for her!  It reminds me of her; cute and happy and bright. 

Little did I know (there's still so much about Japanese culture that I'm unaware of) the maneki neko is a good-luck symbol commonly used during the New Year, so this gift was perfectly timed to become part of her New Year decorations.  So cute!!  I got something right and I didn't even know I was getting it right!  ;-)
 

I feel a REAL need for a new challenge; making tiny barrettes is cute and all but it's just not satisfying in the least.  Does anyone have any cool ideas?  I'm open to suggestions...

Comments

[golden-meliades.livejournal.com]

Putting my rambling comment from a month or so ago (about the gothic spiderweb mask with the extra-large eyeholes and the parchement-like curled edges and the branching bits) HAVE you ever considered doing a series of gothic masks? Gothic stuff is still really popular on Etsy...stuff that feels just slightly surreal. Things that remind you of a Tim Burton movie and so on.

But even barring the gothic, I think a spiderweb mask would be awesome. I also think a mask whose edges are torn and curled (looking) like old parchment would be pretty cool.

Also, masks where only one eye is covered, or masks that are uneven and not very mask-like in shape, more like scarves slanted across the eyes, etc.

Yep, a little weird. But I don't make masks, I make jewellery, so I can't think of practical stuff, just stuff that looks really aesthetically pleasing when it flashes into my brain.

A dryad mask would be nice. People are still crushing bigly on trees.

I also think a mask that itself was wearing jewellery would be awesome...you know, jewelled dangles or circlets or etc. But that's my jewellery-making glitter-loving self kicking in, there.

I could come up with other ideas but they would likely be more bizarre rather than less. :/

[merimask.livejournal.com]

I like that idea of gothic masks! I know I've done a spider web before (years ago...http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a233/merimask/Spiders003.jpg http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a233/merimask/Spiders005.jpg )and I did this sort of cut out gothic mask... http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a233/merimask/Blackcutoutmask.jpg but parchment (when you mentioned it) reminds me of old maps. Maybe a mask that looks like a 17th century map, with oceans and sea monsters and messed-up-looking continents and torn edges...like a pirate's map. That would be sort of cool. :-)

I should make a basic mask, punch it full of holes, & send it to you for decorating! That's a neat idea too. We could create collaborations to sell in your Etsy shop.

[golden-meliades.livejournal.com]

You could send me a plain mask and *I* could punch it full of holes, too. :) Wouldn't want any holes left over at the end and filling them all might not look right, depending on how many there were and where they were placed.

Though I expect I'd need something pretty hard to punch through. You do the holes before you harden it, right?