Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Art Licensing


I've been working so hard...
I've got just a few things to finish on my last
commissioned painting..
I am 'shooting' for the end of the week to have
it completely done.

Since it is an oil painting, it will probably be another two weeks before I can
mail it...I'm hoping it doesn't rain too much so it will dry quickly.

When I'm not working on the commissioned piece,
I have been drawing out some very NEW character pieces...
I'm hoping to have them listed in the shop
by the week-end.

And, I'm 'studying' up on everything I can find..
at no cost..
about art licensing.
I've plans to license some of my
Rustic Goth art,
beginning with my 'Melancholy Girls'.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

CMZ Art 1000 Markets


I signed up for a new shop
at 1000 Markets
over the week-end.
What with the problems at Etsy...
with their updates that sometimes affect views...and sales...
and then Zibbet going down
because of so many Etsy sellers grabbing Zibbet
shops...

it's all been quite the 'shake-up'...

well..I decided to add 1000 Markets to
my online shops..
along with Etsy and Zibbet.

Since closing my CMZart Etsy Shop
last week...I've been kind of at a loss
about what to do with the pieces I enjoy creating...
that aren't Rustic or Goth...
so 1000 Markets seemed like a good fit

But...I decided that what I would do there..was to put
ALL of my art styles...
and I started with a few of my Rustic Goth pieces.

My shop was approved yesterday...
and today
I learned that 
'The Aviator'
was featured as one of the

I don't yet have much in this shop...
but after this exposure I will make it a priority..
and get a lot more into the shop
by the week-end.

Monday, March 29, 2010

I Keep Changing Banners

I've used each one of these banners
for my Etsy Shop banner 
at some point this past month.

What I'm trying to do is establish
some kind of 'identity'
for my Rustic Goth art.

Honestly...my art styles are so varied 
there are times I feel borderline
schizophrenic.
Before I lost my husband..I did very little
'dark' art...
The first two or three years
after... I did very little 'light'
art...
but..this past year my dark art has
gotten lighter and lighter...
I guess I've reached the
'acceptance' stage.

But...anyway...
I don't want to do away with
my different styles...
I have fun doing them all..
but I do need to find 'homes' for all of them
and that's what I'm working on now.



Friday, March 26, 2010

Cabin Fever

I am 'finally' participating in the
blog carnival.

I don't really know what I'm doing...but I'm just going to jump
in with both feet.

The 'theme' for this post is..
Cabin Fever...'What are you doing or planning to do to escape the doldrums?"

I found this wonderful old photo over on the
Public Domain Clip Art Blog
and thought it fit in so well with this theme.

To be honest...I wasn't really 'aware' that I was experiencing some
'cabin fever' until I realized how long it had been since I'd left my
house (other than to go out and check the mail)
and it was the beginning of February..

so I'd say I am having a bit of  'cabin fever'...

What I'd really LOVE to do...
go out to some Estate auctions...

that's what my husband and I used to do
every March and April...
when the weather started warming up...
before he got sick.

I 'scored' some wonderful "finds" at a couple of these auctions...
especially the vintage Tupperware bowls
that have since 'found' there way to my childrens' cupboards...
though they all claim that they don't have them:)

What I'll probably do instead....
some much needed
Spring House Cleaning.

I don't really have room for auction 'finds' and to make room
for what I do have...I really need to do some major cleaning.

Last year I went all Spring and Summer with a horrid leak in my kitchen and
bedroom.
They finally got it fixed in the fall, after many failed attempts...
now I need to patch up my ceilings and do some major
painting.

Besides...a clean house ALWAYS sparks my imagination
and since 
I'm planning on putting a lot of
brand new pieces in my Etsy shop
in the coming weeks,I really need that right now!




Thursday, March 25, 2010

Rustic Goth in a 'Capsule'

I wrote a post, on my other blog,
a Squidoo Lens
I have...
it then occurred to me
that I haven't posted...or linked...my
on this blog either.

It's kind of a
Rustic Goth 'capsule'
with a few pictures..some info...a few links
and a couple of videos.

I think it's a neat little site..
but I've been so busy lately that
I'm afraid I've neglected it terribly.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Spring Cleaning Sale


I'm a little 'OCD'...
I really don't want to have less than 125 or
more than
150 items in my shop
at any given time.

I don't know why...it's just the number I set for
myself and it's really as many items as I can
reasonably manage.
Occasionally you might see 151 items...but if you look..
you'll notice the 1 item over is a 
custom order...and that is okay.

Anyway...I do digress...having 150 items in my shop
has also made me a little 'lazy'...
I've done very few new things in the past
month or so.

With this lull in visitors...it seemed like a good time
to start doing some new pieces...
and I wanted to work for a week or two before
I began listing them...

so...with this in mind..I decided to do some
'spring cleaning'
my daughter suggest that I have a 
so that's what I decided to do.

I did get a bit 'carried' away...
I put 37 items in my 
Spring Cleaning Sale...all 50% off..

and
the way it's going to work...
as the 'spring cleaning' items sell..
I won't be relisting them...
and
when the sale ends..next week...
I'll be taking everything that hasn't
sold out of the store and replacing them
with all NEW items.
It's really quite exciting.

I'm also doing away with print sets
and mini prints...

I plan to be finished with my last commissioned painting
later this week...and I'll have plenty of time
to work on lots of new pieces.
So...if you have a favorite piece that is included in
my sale.....




Monday, March 22, 2010

Little Things Please Me...


I've gotten busy enough that I have
to write myself notes and all kinds of little
reminders to 'remind' me of what all I need to do.

I made some changes to shipping a while back..
(I only ship once a week)
so that I could make the time to get
all the things done that I need to
in the course of doing business online...
and I've done a few other things
to organize and streamline...

but there are a few things that have been
'added' to my workload
that I haven't yet made part of my daily routines...

and I just discovered
that I can set up a
'Yahoo Reminder'..
through my Yahoo calendar..
and it will send me an email of what it
is I need 'reminded' of...

...how cool is that...
okay...this is probably not a new thing to most people..
but it is to me...
and it pleases me to no end:)

Friday, March 19, 2010

For LOST Fans...

I have watched LOST since the very beginning...
I watch it with, at least one of my children.
But...we're all fans...and it's something we discuss,
even if only for a few minutes,
whenever we get together..
anyway..
they have this 
'Fan Promo Video'
Contest
going on at the ABC Lost Website
and my daughter
and my son in law..
each made a 
LOST Fan Promo Video...

please take a look..
and if you like them..
give them a rating...
they really would appreciate it..
even if they don't win..
everybody likes to get a "thumbs up"
from time to time...

here are the links to the videos...


and

Project Wonderful


I decided I would do a little
'experimenting'
with Project Wonderful advertising.

I've been interested in trying
to find a way to place some ads on other sites...
and this site is actually a pretty good one...

I do need to figure it out a bit though...
I've run two 24 hour campaigns
which were to be 1.00 a day and 2.00 overall...
I've been charged 2.17 for one
and 1.67 for the other...
then I ran a 3 day campaign
at 1.00 a day..3.00 overall
and that one cost 2.97
so...I'm sure I did something right on that
last campaign...
I'm just not sure what...

so I'll have to "play" with a bit...so that I know for sure
what it is that I am buying...
but I do like it and will continue with it.

I also decided to
some Project Wonderful ads on my blogs...
I figure if I can make enough
to pay for my own advertising..it will be
worth it.
 

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

New Limited Edition ACEOs




I've replaced all of the ACEOs in
with a selection
of very Limited Edition
ACEO prints.

This is the first time I've offered these
prints as ACEOs
and Art Cards Wanted will
be the only site
on which these will be available.

Monday, March 15, 2010

A Few Faves




This is one of my images
on a wonderful pendant in the Etsy Shop
of 
Enchanted Glass.

She's got a lot of cool things in her shop...
check them out and see for yourself.


The Only Way Out
is one of Jaime Best's very cool
fantasy art paintings.
Together, with her husband Mike,
they have a lot of wonderful art
in their
Best Art Studios Etsy Shop.


Brynn
is one of the
"Curious Creatures"
in the Etsy Shop of
DycheDesigns. 

I am especially fond of this little
curious creature
and wanted to share with you all.

I have soooo many favorites on Etsy...
and I've decided to
share a few at a time
here on my blog.

Hope you like these as much as I do.



Saturday, March 13, 2010

Rustic Goth "News" of the Week -


I don't really have a lot of 'news'...
but I do have some..

I was featured on 
Blog
yesterday...
Thanks C.J.

 I've got a  Print SALE in my Shop...
it runs through March 15th.



I posted my very first advertisment with
Project Wonderful...it went
rather well.
I've got a blog post coming up this
next week, explaining a little more about this experience.



My
print made two
'Ides of March Treasuries'

by

Though they share the same name..
they are very different Treasuries with some
wonderful selections in both.


I was the EBSQ
'Blogger of the Week'
on March 2nd..
Actually...it was a little more of
an interview..
but I was very honored to be asked..
and here it is..in case you didn't
already catch that post.


 I reached 500 fans
on Facebook
this past week.
I am so 'stoked' about this!
You can check that out
here!



Finally....
I am almost ready to send my
Rustic Goth website live.
I am building the site from 'scratch'...so
it's taking me a very long time..
considering I don't really know what I
am doing...
but it is coming along and I
am wanting to publish it sometime around
March 15th.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

SALE in my SHOP


I'm having a SALE on all of the prints
in my Etsy Shop.

Purchase one print and get the next one
free.
It also carries over to the print sets...
by a print set and 
get the second print set free.

Sale runs through March 15th!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Custom Paintings

I did this quick little 'photoshop sketch'
of a custom painting that I
should have completed later today...I hope.

It's based on
Edgar Allan Poe's
"Cask of Amontillado"

This painting is one I'm doing in oils...
it's coming along..though I wished it were more 
complete since I started it last month.
It's been so darned 'wet'
with all the snow and now the rain..
that the painting is taking sooo long to dry
between layers.

But..they're coming along...and that's a good thing.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Bookmarks at Best Art Studios


Mike and Jaime now have some very
cool bookmarks listed in their

These really are so very cool..
I just HAD to 'share'.


Saturday, March 6, 2010

More..computer woes!

This little cartoon
is rather cute...
now..I wasn't nearly as 'cute' while
on the phone with the Tech Guys at Time Warner Cable
on Wednesday last.

I had actually checked my email and my shop
per my usual "have my coffee/wake up" routine..
and all seemed just fine.
Then, I clicked on a page in my shop
and a "letter" from Road Runner
popped up to inform me that I would need to 'secure'
my computer due to 'suspicious activity'
from a computer connected to my modem.

Long story short...and an entire afternoon and evening
doing spyware and virus scans..
deleting anything I didn't think I needed...
putting all of the files I didn't want to lose on my zipdrive...
I still ended up having to send my computer in
to have it restored to factory settings.

Now...I have a whole other set of problems....
but..
I'm trying very 'patiently' to work through them.

Hopefully no one got 'flooded' with bogus
emails from me..
as a result of the 'suspicious activity'.

The last time this happened,
I got an email from my own email address
trying to sell me 'viagra'.


Thursday, March 4, 2010

March Charity Listing..

When I first created this piece
I decided that
"Ides of March"
would be
my March Charity Listing...
this month's charity is
'Save the Children'.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

EBSQ Blogger of the Week

This is a piece
I began working on a couple of weeks ago.

I've been having so many intermittent internet problems..
and I'm working on several custom orders...
so I haven't had a chance to finish it yet.

I was able to complete an interview
to become this week's

It was fun to do...
I hope you like it.