I can sorta breathe again...

Well teaching that class and working graveyard shifts really wiped me out. I'm definitely not complaining...I love being busy. However, it really took a lot of time away from my blogging and Twittering and basically promoting my shop.
I was able to drop off more of my pots and my favorite Ocean Beach coffee shop though, Jungle Java.


Jungle Java






The owner of the coffee shop has been so nice to me over the past few years letting me have some of my items for sale. It's the perfect place too. She has a beautiful garden setting and wants to promote local artists who market their crafts to the "green thumbs".
It's been a great way to get some of my pots out there until I can figure out if I want to do the local OB Farmer's Market.








I have still been painting like a crazy woman though...I will always seem to find time for that. But I've been slacking on following through with some other stuff; taking photos, posting on Etsy, etc. I'm slowly getting back into it.
I have a few new items with new designs posted this week. Check 'em out!

More blogging to come soon...stay tuned!



"Irma Basking in the Sun"

5:30 am.

I got up at 5:30am this morning.
Why?
Because I'm used to being at work at this time in the mornings lately.
The graveyard shifts, I unfortunately have to admit, are kinda kicking my ass. Plus the teaching job makes it really hard to find time to sleep as well as prepare lectures. But I really really don't want to sound like I'm complaining at all. I'm so happy to have this teaching job. Some of the students are really getting to me though. I totally embarrassed one kid during class because he was playing with hi iPhone all the way through a video clip I was showing. GRRRR! I asked him to tell me what the video was about and he stammered and finally admitted he had no idea...little shithead. I have zero tolerance for not paying attention in my class, especially when it's only a 50 minute class. I mean, come on!

Anyway, enough about that....can you tell that my fatigue is making me a grumpus?

So the other thing that is kind of a bummer is that I haven't been putting much time into my Etsy shop as much as I'd like to. I haven't listed a new item in a couple weeks....eeeek! But, I took an R&R day today from work. After this I'm going to take the dogs to the coffee shop and then to dog beach to run around for a while. After that I'm going to run some errands and have the rest of the day to play around. Well, I do have to work on the lecture for Monday but at least I won't be at work until 5pm today.

Here are a couple pictures of my goods so you guys don't forget about me!
Have a great weekend!

Where have I been???

Wow, I didn't realize that it had been so long since I blogged. I guess I've been rather busy...and tired. I started working graveyard shifts at the hospital so I'm playing catch-up with my sleep constantly. Also, I started subbing for a class at the University, Physical Anthropology 101. The professor that I used to TA for had to take a medical leave of absence for the rest of the semester and they asked me to fill in for her. Actually, it's pretty great....awesome experience for me and hopefully it'll lead to something else for the summer or next fall.

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But apart from that I'm still painting and still promoting on Etsy. This week's featured seller, I swear, could be my long lost twin. Check out her bio and shop....

Monkeys Always Look


Well I have to get back to bed soon...my days and night pretty much just consist of long naps these days for about as long as the dogs will let me sleep.

Promoting others

Mornin'...
I've been trying to figure out how to promote other Etsians in my blog. I asked around but it looks like the best way is to go the html coding route, manually. Which is fine with me....I've fairly html savvy, at least enough to produce the things I want.

I think it's important to pay it forward with your marketing strategies. I had someone email me on Etsy saying that I had been featured in her blog with some other artists. I was very flattered. Because of this, I'm going to start doing some things that I've been wanting to do in my blog...promoting other artists.

With that said, here is a favorite of mine:

I have found that I have a passion for certain types of artwork. I'm not sure if there is a name for this style but I'm very drawn to it.


This is from Yellena's Etsy Shop.

Etsy Buy Handmade Yellena's Etsy Shop

So be sure to check out my fellow artists! Also, like I said....pay it forward!

Designs

I had been looking for a way to transfer certain designs to my pots because the style was so amazing....and it's difficult for me to draw them free hand. Some of the styles I like are very symmetrical and it's nearly impossible to recreate it.
So, I found some fabric transfer paper in my sewing junk and it worked great! I was able to transfer some amazing art nouveau designs and am now painting some of them (sorry, no pics yet).
However, as I have been playing around with this technique, I have come to feel as though it's not really "mine". All my other designs have been drawn free hand and inspired by other designs or things I've found in nature. I'll finish the ones I have started but I don't think I'll continue with this technique. Still, I feel like I don't have as many creative inspirations as before. Still plugging away though!
Check out some of my favorites on Etsy!

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade MonkeyJunkieGoods.etsy.com

Graveyard shifts

It was a long weekend and I'm a little pooped. However, I now have to plan my day strategically. I start working graveyard shifts this week and my first one is tonight at midnight. I'm looking forward to it but worried about how my body and brain are going to handle it.

I'm finally going to be making an appointment to get my livescan fingerprints done this week. Sheesh! Not having that has kept me from so many jobs! Now I'll be able to pick up work with Mad Science and start subbing. I've been so damn broke that I couldn't pay for the certification and fingerprint scan.

Speaking of being broke...I worked out a trade deal with Jack's acupuncture vet. I'm going to make her a few scarves for her acupuncture sessions with Jack. It's a pretty good deal actually. I already gave her one of them.



Too bad I can't do something like this to pay my rent....and the cable bill, my car insurance, electric bill, etc. Would be nice, hey?



Posted some new stuff...check 'em out!

Etsy Buy Handmade MonkeyJunkieGoods

Carpal Tunnel

I'm taking part in one of the virtual labs on Etsy this morning. It's really an amazing resource to educated yourself on the workings of Etsy. I've learned so much. However, it's getting a little difficult to do anything for an extended period because my wrist has been really hurting. I was opening a bottle of meds at work the other day and twisted it wrong and almost started to cry. For a couple hours after that I couldn't pick anything up or scruff a cat or much of anything. I wrapped an ice pack around it for a bit and it seemed to get a little better. I'm just so aggravated at having this chronic pain and being inhibited by it. I've been trying to wear my wrist guard all day but that gets annoying too. As long as I can still paint it's all good!