Inside The Studio: Gremlin Time - Letting The Chaos Begin

It's happening! The chaos has begun! I'm finally entering art/craft Gremlin mode!

I have spent most of June working on both getting things ready as well as testing so many samples. I am working on making tote bags available especially at events that I'm vending so this month I have spent so much time looking into the best way to make them, testing samples and prepping the art files for them.

I have decided for now the best option will be getting DTF transfers (Direct-To-Film transfers) made and will be ordering some canvas tote bags. I liked this better then sending them to a print on demand service so I can still quality check as I go without having to worry about what am I going to do with a bunch of bags if they come in and aren't right. It also makes my inventory a little bit more flexible since I can order a singular bunch of totes and make them as I need them since I'll be able to press them as needed.

I'm really hoping and planning on spending the rest of this month preparing all of the art files and then ordering the DTF transfers and bags at the beginning of August. Then, I can spend a good chunk of August heat pressing them so I can bring them to the two events I'm going to in September.

With doing the tote bags I'm also planning on making smaller ones to go with the mimics. I pack them in Christmas paper bags currently to help bad them but it doesn't take much for the paper to get beat up so I am looking at also making an exclusive bag design that can they can go home in. They will be a different type of tote bag but they are cheaper then constantly having to replace torn up gift bags. I am playing with a couple of designs for those. I have a couple cute "Mimic adoption agency" designs I'm playing with but we'll see what I get done once I start sketching them up.

Speaking of shows in September, I've also gotten accepted into another event! I'll be attending Soulfest Fall Show in Kearney, NE on September 13th. This event is in addition to Sutherland Makers Market in Sutherland, NE on September 27th. This and all other events can be found both in my newsletter as well as on the home page of my website.

Journal Teasers

I am also getting ready to get a few new of my leatherette journals manufactured as well as my first reusable sticker books and maybe..just maybe my first couple of washi tape designs as well. I will be placing the order for those soon since they'll take much longer to get made up but I've been going back and forth on this for over a year now and with me attending larger events, this just seemed like the best time to do it. This time with the journals I will only be getting one paper type made and that is going to be blank paper. If they highly are highly request I may end up getting the other paper types made but since I am doing this kind of last minute I had to make the hard choice to have the one paper type so that way I can have them in on time for the craft shows. I did decided to go through with making them kind of last minute for how long it takes to get them down.

As much as I am excited to be doing these bigger events and making new things it's also absolutely terrifying. It's moments like these where I'm making moves to grow my business that I end up feeling the most like an impostor and being hyper critical of every decision I'm making. It's a weird place to be at mentally but at the same time, I know things will turn out alright.

Work In Progress on Copia/ Frater Imperator

I am also soooooo frickin close to finishing this piece. It got put on the back burner for a few weeks because I spent like 3 weekends working on making my concert outfits for August (and all of the work on I've already talked about). They aren't done but at least the trickiest part is done. They are sewn into there individual pieces, I still have to do some sewing on them but one I need to sew the patch and add the decorative buttons on then finished the bottom hem and the other one I need to order the fabric for the sleeves and then sew that part closed. The joys of deciding basically last minute that I wanted to add them and wanted different fabrics for them.

I also went and saw Metallica in Denver which ate up another weekend but it was 100% worth it. I can't put into words how much going to concerts end up inspiring me. I always come back from them feeling like I can take on the world creatively. I did spend most of July 5th working on getting a lot done on this piece. Granted it definitely would have gone faster if I wasn't watching the Back To The Beginning Livestream but as a massive fan of heavy metal and hard rock it was just something I couldn't resist. I could go about this forever but I won't today. It might be something I talk about this winter after I've made it through this chaotic event season that I've made for myself. Especially since by then I'll also be finished with my accidental year of concerts.

It's hard for me to believe I have managed to get some done since the last blog and newsletter last month. I think most of it just that so much has been prepped for this next push that it just doesn't seem like that much yet since most of it still only exists on my iPad and computer and isn't something I can hold quite yet. But I'm getting there, soon enough I'll be drowning in stuff coming in the mail and needing to check them all over that I'll be forgetting all about this small lull. It's been a wild ride that's only just starting and is feeding my little art gremlin art more then words could say. I've spent months with little to no motivation so this is more then welcomed even if it's making things a bit difficult. I honestly don't think I'd have it any other way.