Hastypearl...Backstage!

Hastypearl...Backstage!

I got the idea, to show you the Backstage of a Hastypearl sale, 

after Seth Apter issued a call 

for artists to send him pictures of their Studio Tables!

It has been fun to see the responses and the sad  state of affairs 

of Art Tables from around the world ;)

I wont just show you my table, 

but I will also show you what happens After the table!

Lets face it...Your kitchen, garage, sewing table, garden, office

...anywhere that you are in the middle of a project, 

can turn into a "Chaotic Zone" in a hurry.

Ahh...but such are the Wonders that can happen There :)

So, here is my table this morning.

I'm currently working on some angels.

Not so bad, really, but the piles on the floor 

surrounding it, make me look like I'm playing 

the Twister Game sometimes.

What I thought would be fun to post about today, 

is the "step by step" of what happens when

 I have a sale in my Etsy shop, called Hastypearl.

We will go...Backstage!

And by the way, all you have to do is register

and have a credit card, to purchase something from Etsy.

Etsy has made it Incredibly easy to shop online.

If you haven't shopped there yet, you HAVE to take a look.

Its mostly about Handmade, and Vintage Resale.

A Perfect combination, for me!

So, when you have an Smartphone and you have an Etsy sale, 

you hear the sound of a cash register.

It literally says...Cha Ching!

Mostly Anywhere that I am when I hear that Cha Ching...

I do a Happy Dance!

I LOVE knowing that someone, 

from literally Anywhere in the World, 

has found me and loves either my Art, 

or a Vintage Item that I have found!

I still consider myself an infant in the Etsy game, 

and I have had my Hastypearl Store 

for a year and a half, but I confess, a sale Never Gets Old!

So, yesterday, while I was listing some new items, 

I heard the sound...Cha Ching!

Happy Dance Ensued :)

This time...a sale came from Houston, Texas!

My sweet... dear, deer...was to leave home !

I keep most of my items, in labeled boxes in a closet.

That way, I can dependably get the purchases out the door, in a day.

I usually get them out the Same day. 

I do the typical packaging that You do when You ship....

However, when I have an item that is extra fragile...

like the ears are on my little polymer clay deer, 

I turn to my dependable egg crate foam mattress!

OK. Its a little unconventional, but its super affordable and 

its worked to safely carry my art all around the world :)

Here is a picture of my deer, safely packed inside.

Im telling you. I felt a little sad. 

Like I was sending a child to camp!

He looks so cute, don't You think!

So, I happen to KNOW this Particular customer...

yep, its my youngest Son!

Hes been such a Great customer.

I always feel a little silly...because...he could come here 

and take anything he wanted for free, but he wouldn't.

He constantly encourages me. 

Its nice when you know that someone that loves you, 

is also proud of you, right? :) 

Plus, I think he kind of likes the convenience of 

comfortably shopping, 

and knowing that I will wrap his gift for him ;)

He bought... dear, deer, for his girlfriend Valencia's, birthday.

Shhh. Don't tell her.

Its a surprise!

EVERY person who buys a treat from Hastypearl, 

gets a handwritten thank you note 

from me, and some surprises.

I think this is actually one of my favorite parts.

I love thanking and connecting 

personally with my customers!

I couldn't help but slip in a necklace 

that I had made and a pouch of lavender.

The resin filled charm has 

a piece of vintage ephemera of a butterfly, 

a beautiful piece of vintage bridal lace, 

a garnet bead, and the word...become. 

Finally, it was time to put it all together.

I happily do this for customers, that are sending a gift to someone. 

I added one of my Hand Painted Watercolor cards 

with a message about... becoming.

Etsy is set up for us buy our shipping labels, 

even International labels, through them,

but if I can save money by using the USPS, 

I will use Click and Ship.

Its sooo nice and easy, to buy postage at home. 

By now, I'm in the home stretch.

Three of the One Million things that I have learned 

in the last year and a half are....

1. Never put your packing tape over your bar code. 

It causes issues with the machines 

trying to read the numbers.

2. Use a black marker, and scribble over any other bar codes 

that are on the outside of your box. 

The machine reads the first bar that it scans, 

and your box may go to who knows where!

3. Before you tape, shake your box. 

If the contents rattle inside, add more "stuffing" 

until the rattle goes away! 

You've already seen that I use foam, 

but I also use Larry's plastic,

 that covers his clothes returning from the cleaners. 

Its free and a great way to recycle.

I asked my lady mail carrier, 

if I could put my Domestic boxes in our mailbox 

for her to take to the PO for me. 

Being that we live in a small rural community, 

she agreed. 

That has really saved me time :)

Of course, even though I can buy 

my International postage at home, 

it always has to be checked in

 and scanned at the nearest US Postal Office.

Then, I come back to the house,

 and start the process all over again!

Creating or Finding, Photographing, Photoshopping, 

Researching, Listing and...

 Waiting to hear that Awesome Cha Ching! :)

I always ask my customers what they 

will do with their Hastypearl purchase.

I have heard some of the MOST AMAZING STORIES!

People have the Greatest Imaginations.

Then there are the unusual, 

like four of my Wire Ornament Hangers, 

were used on the set of 

last years top Tony Award winning 

Broadway play, 

and I haven't heard back yet, 

but I recently sent an item to a 

Set Decorator in Burbank, California. 

Gets the imagination going, right? :)

So, Farewell...dear, deer.

I will miss you, but you will bring Joy!

So, I hope that was fun for You, 

or maybe even helpful for you in some way.

Now, you know what its like Backstage...Hastypearl!

And I Gladly join the ranks of Messy Artists and Humans around the World!

Where there is a Mess...there has usually been some Fun!!

I hope that you will consider doing your up coming 

shopping on one of the many Online Handmade sites. 

You cant beat finding original items AND 

having them delivered right to your front door! 

As Always, I'm So glad that you stopped by...

and thanks for the challenge, Seth!

xo Laura

Line Drawings and Gouache Putz House Fun! Hastypearl

Line Drawings and Gouache

Putz House Fun!

Hastypearl

I recently bought a great collection of Putz Houses.

The word Putz comes from the early Moravian tradition

 of decorating for Christmas, 

with street scenes or nativities or even Noah's Ark.

This practice was even more popular than decorating the tree.

After World War II, 

the Japanese started making paper houses with holes in the back,

 to be illuminated with strung lights.

My houses were Made in Japan.

The shapes and colors that you can find, seem to be endless.

So, I have recently been inspired by many, but specifically by the drawings of 

Trudi Sissons of Two Dresses Studio, 

Claudia of blog AdiandBert, Michele Maule, 

and as I have mentioned before, Jane LaFazio.  

I follow all four, either on their blogs, websites, FB or Instagram.

Separately, they each are committed to practice...drawing.

Simple, right?

My husband and I talked about it.

I said...you know, if I did a few sit ups every night, I'd be stronger.

If I practiced a language a little bit every day, I could speak it.

If I drew every day, Id get better.

Most of us aren't naturals at everything, but if we work at it, just a little every day...

we would see a change!

So, this past week, I took up my pencil, and started drawing a little bit...every day.

To make it a bit more challenging, 

I tried to position my Putz houses, at different angles each time, 

so it wouldn't always just be one dimensional.

Am I a Rembrandt? No.

Not even close.

But by the time I put a little watercolor on my sketches, I liked what I saw.

Most of the time, we are so self critical, that we quit.

That wasn't my goal.

My goal was to draw, and draw often.

I decided to make my little scenes, Nighttime Scenes.

I used a product called, Fineline Masking Fluid Pen, for the little stars.

I bought mine at Asel Art Supply in San Antonio, 

but I'm sure that you could find it online.

It has a small pin, that inserts into the tiny delivery system, 

that constantly self cleans and I never had a problem with flow.

When the mask drys, you simply paint over it.

When your paint is dry...you simply rub the mask, off.

It was fun seeing my Twinkly Stars appear in my night sky!

The houses seemed like they needed some wildlife, 

so I drew some Reindeer.

I would like to say that I was "off" on those drawings, 

but truthfully, those Reindeer, have always been a little spooky faced to me!

Maybe you can see that in the Reindeer piece, 

I masked some Holly Leaves and I added some Gold Paint

for the berries and the Reindeer antlers!

After a week or so, I had done 6 drawings.

That's exactly 6 more, than if I hadn't drawn :)

They didn't take long and I really enjoyed it.

In Silence, or with Music going or talking on the phone, it was time well spent.

I plan to continue for as long as I'm enjoying it.

The point isnt to become a slave to drawing...or doing sit ups or learning a language.

The point is to take care, that we aren't just letting time go by, 

without doing things that we've wished to do.

We all know how fast the days go by...

So, I Hope this posting Encourages you, just as Trudi, Claudia, Michele and Jane,

Unknowingly, have Encouraged me!

I'm so glad that you stopped by!

If you would like, there is a place on the right side of my blog, 

to sign up to receive email notices of my hastypearl postings.

I wont overwhelm you. I promise!

I usually check in every couple of weeks!

For those of you living in the Northern Hemisphere, 

I Hope you are enjoying these last days of warmth, 

as we head towards cooler days, 

and for you Southern Hemisphere dwellers

...I'm a little envious of you as you head into Spring!

Happy Learning....xo Laura    

Laundering Vintage Heirlooms Hastypearl

Laundering Vintage Heirlooms 

Hastypearl

I recently bought two Dreamy bags full of Non -Wool, 

Vintage Children's Clothing and Linens.

I couldn't wait to get home to look at my new Treasures.

From the title of this posting, You already know what came next.

They All Needed Work!

They were for the most part sound, 

but each item had at least one little brown spot on them

 which is for me, unacceptable by hastypearl's standards,

 and...they ALL smelled like Grandmothers Attic!

I felt strongly, that they were marketable 

and deserved the attention necessary to get them 

back in usable condition.

Additionally, they all proved to be handmade, 

and I felt something Emotional about that.

I spent a morning cruising the internet looking for guidance.

I was delighted to find MANY entire websites, 

dedicated to saving Precious Linens and Clothing.

I printed out and read three lengthy "How To's",  

that I thought were the most useful,

 and made my grocery list for the products that they most often recommended.

You may Already have them in your laundry arsenal!

They are:

OxiClean

Borax

Fels-Naptha

The Sun

Time 

Patience :)

I pulled out bowls, that I didn't mind leaving on my kitchen counter.

Since they were within sight and easy reach, 

it was easy with a long handled spoon, 

to stir or agitate the soaking items every now and then, 

which I learned really helped the process along.

All sites suggested starting the sometimes long soaking process

 with hot water, 

and rinsing, rinsing, rinsing, in cold.

I followed the directions on the packaging, 

for the amounts of product to use

 and actually got all of my 

stains and dullness and odor, out with OxiClean.

I checked my spots every now and then, 

and gave them a gentle rub with my fingers and if needed, 

I simply soaked longer.

In most of the pieces, the stains were completely gone in just a 24 hour soak.

And in ALL of the items where there was still a faint stain, 

 a few hours in the Sun just like Grandmother already knew, 

 and they were Completely Stain Free.

I was INSPIRED!

Inspired, to head back to my Personal collections, 

and work on things that I would have previously 

Only considered taking to the cleaners, 

and OH, how you pay$ for that, right?

I recently heard someone say, that they enjoyed doing a basic house tending job, 

because it was something that they could do and finish.

What I thought was just going to be about learning how to remove stains, 

turned out to be more.

To watch a Beautiful pair of Vintage Handmade Baby Booties, 

 that need to be Cherished Again, 

go from being stained to perfect, is FUN!

Nothing would bring me more Joy, 

than to know that another family will use 

and Value these Sweet Heirloom Pieces.

The Final Step, was also a pleasure to do.

With a warm iron...no starch...and a Movie on TV, 

I pressed or repaired seams with needle and thread, 

until each piece looked brand new!

The process was over all very educational, 

and quietly meditative. 

I thought about the Hands that had originally sewn, 

knitted or crocheted each piece, 

and those that WILL own them, anew.

So, with a little effort, you too can transform items that you 

might have Passed over before.

Over and over the instructions were simply...

if you leave an item soaking Long Enough, 

you can get just about every stain out.

*

Almost sounds Providential, doesn't it?

It's possible to get all of our human Worries and Stains out too, 

if we will just be patient enough and Soak for a Little Bit Longer :)

Happy Soaking, All and thanks as always for stopping by :)

xo Laura

...oh, and if you see anything that you are interested in buying, 

you can find my contact info on the right column of this blog 

or always through my hastypearl page!  

Kindred Stitches Magazine Plus Hastypearl = :)

Kindred Stitches Magazine Plus Hastypearl  =  :)

There is a Continuum in our Lives.

Sometimes, I think we wish we could see it from start to finish, but really, 

where would the fun be in that, right?

It hasn't been long since I launched the concept of Hastypearl, but almost EVERY DAY, 

there has been something Wonderful and New to experience.

In July, I received a Lovely email, through my Hastypearl Etsy store, from two creative Australian ladies, named Lenna and Janice.

It seems, that they were both so passionate about all things needle, thread and stitching, 

that they 

CREATED an Online Magazine.

Who does that?

And Who does That, Beautifully???

Well, THEY Did :)

They called the magazine, Kindred Stitches.

What a Beautiful Name!

So, they fill their magazine with Incredible images...I mean Beautiful images.

There are features and interviews with artists.

There are stepped out "How To's" for beautiful AND achievable arts of all kinds.

There is a Selfless Promotion of artists and their craft.

The ONLY thing that is missing in this magazine is....ADVERTISING.

Awww ;)

So, why did they contact Hastypearl?

I was honored to be asked to be included in their Twelfth Issue, called, 

A Place To Call Home.

They thoughtfully, include artists and their creations...and this time, my little Fairy House, 

fit right in with their Homey theme!

I'm pretty sure, that the Noisy Fairy Residents in my little cottages, 

must have had Something to do with Wooing Lenna and Janice to contact me! 

You can imagine how Thrilled I was to see my little Home

 on this magazines' illuminated pages!

Besides the fact that these little cottages were such a joy to make, 

its great to see that They loved them, also.

I hope that you will take a look at them, and see if you love them, too!

*

*

The magazine creators didn't know, that Hastypearl's recent life Continuum included a declining of an offer for another wonderful opportunity, because it just didn't quite fit my goals, 

to only embrace opportunities of Excellence.

Kindred Stitches Magazine definitely met that goal !

Kindred Stitches, is available through the Apple Newstand and is so easy to buy.

I hope you will check it out and forward this posting to all of your "Stitchy" Friends :)

Thanks again, Lenna and Janice.

Enjoy the Continuum called Life, Everyone!

You never know what will Next, come knocking on your Life's Door!

xox Laura

Colorado Creatures Watercolor Collage Hastypearl

Colorado Creatures Watercolor Collage

Hastypearl

As you know, I enjoy traveling to the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

It is a Happy and Reoccurring theme, in my life.

While in Colorado one trip, I decided to focus on and to draw and paint, some of the local animals.

I will usually head outside, under giant and ancient evergreens, and listen to the birds, hummers, squirrels and the nearby Crystal River, for inspiration.

I ended up Drawing and Watercoloring a number of animals, two of which are featured in this posting.

I know that I just posted about these, in the previous blog posting, but I thought that I would revisit them, with a few more images and explanation.

Today, you will see, The Barn Owl and the Red Fox.

My Best Animal Treat on that trip, was actually seeing a Red Fox, literally sit down yards from me, while I photographed with curiosity, as to why he seemed so docile. 

I questioned a local about it and he said that unfortunately, people had probably been feeding it, in their backyards.

Irregardless, I had thought so much about the Red Fox, that I was so glad to be able to see him.

All of the Foxes in my Texas neighborhood do what nature intends them to do, which is to Disappear! 

I didn't collage the pieces, until after the trip, and back here in my Texas studio.

Its hard to travel with the perfect papers for projects.

It was fun to continue the process After I got home, anyway.

It was a way for me to remember my trip and enjoy thinking about those special hours, creating.

As I look back over this collection, I see that I had a bit of a black and white theme going.

That combination is dramatic and always one of my favorites.

Please Enjoy!

I love his serious and business like eyes.

It feels like he is locked on to his dinner! Yikes!

He is a set of blank cards. 

I often write in my Etsy, Hastypearl card set listings, that after the recipient enjoys the card, 

its easy to slip it into a ready cut mat, for framing.

The card below, is a black and white version of the Watercolored one, above.

*

The three Red Fox pieces below would look great framed as a set, but can also stand, alone.

The first piece and Fox, is definitely the confident Alpha Fox, and Leader of the Pack. 

Sometimes, we all enjoy kicking back, and letting someone else more qualified, do the leading.

I used Vintage Ephemera from my collection. 

Below, is the full shot of the piece.

This second piece, is a pair... maybe they are siblings?

They have stopped, to look off into the distance at something that has caught their eye. 

I wonder what it was?

More Layers of Vintage Papers.

Here they are again, framed in a ready cut mat just to show you just how easy it can be.

Finally, the last piece, is the Fox at the back of the pack.

You've heard the phrase..."I've got your back".

Its good to know that there is always Someone...that has our backs for us, right?

Also on this piece, is a page from a dictionary from the 1800's, 

a small bit of Colorado map, actually near where we stay, 

and some pages from a Vintage Typing School Book.

Below, is a shot of the last piece...again framed.

*

It was a Wonderful time of focus on animals of the region that I love.

Both animals are Illusive.

Not naturally interested in posing for photographs.

Meant to be left alone in nature.

 *

I hope that you enjoyed seeing a few of my Watercolor Collage Pieces.

They are all available at Hastypearl, my Etsy shop.

I would love for you to take a look at them and the other listings that I have!

Thanks for stopping by...for a little time together.

I hope that you are enjoying these Wonderful Days...Whether Winter or Summer...Wherever You Are :)

It makes me so fascinated, to see on the feedjit chart on the right of the page, where you all live!

Its really such a small world, right?

I hope that you will check back in...Often!

:) Laura aka Hastypearl