Something New - Weekly Quick Bitch Picks

Today, I decided I would make a weekly habit of stalking the shops of my fellow Glitter Bitches Handmade members to see what I'm missing when I rely on the ol' Facebook feeds.  Yep, I realized there was a LOT of stuff I hadn't seen and some things that I'd forgotten about, so I decided to pick three items every week and tell my peeps about them.  Since there are only eight members of our team, I'll also include items from our team shop, from shops of current and previous Guest Artisans and from our Affiliate Members.  This is stuff you will want to know about, trust me.

Without any further introduction, here is the first of what I hope will be MANY Krissi's Weekly Quick Bitch Picks:

GLITTER BITCHES MEMBER, Kim Mayhew's "Loco Folko" Dragon
http://antfarmstudio.artfire.com

GLITTER BITCHES MEMBER, Wenchkin's Dork Dog Magnet
http://wenchcraft.artfire.com

GLITTER BITCHES MEMBER, ArJay's Fuchsia Skullerfly hair clip
http://kisszombies.etsy.com(coming soon to ArtFire!)

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Where the HELL Have You Been? Do You Know What Time It Is!?

I know I haven't been over here blogging all that much lately, but I don't want you to think it's because I don't love you all.  Amidst and amongst the usual excuses of the colder, darker, wetter winter season, I have been working on some fun stuff.

Glitter Bitches Handmade logo
(art by Wenchkin)

Life of a Glitter Bitch - My team, Glitter Bitches Handmade has been crazy busy over the past year since we first formed.  Initially, we figured we'd simply cross promote across our fan bases and give a few things away as a group.  After we added four new members at the end of last year, the group started to morph into a full fledged "guild." We expanded our presence on Facebook and opened an ArtFire shop to cover our growing administrative expenses like mailing prizes, business cards and promotional items.

Around the time we were setting up our shop, our good friend and fellow Glitter Bitch Kim Mayhew of Ant Farm Studio** was diagnosed with an aggressive form of uterine cancer - and there she was, with no insurance.  Well if you don't already know this, you can knock a Bitch down, but she'll get right back up again.  Fighting.  Hard.  So we started adding items to the shop to raise money to help Kim out.  The Teal Ribbon Fund, as it came to be known, has been a runaway success, thanks in large part to Kim's friends and the DIY community who turned out in force.  We even list items donated by some well-known non-Bitch artists & crafters as weekly featured Guest Artisans - Honorary Bitches, if you will.
**you can find Kim online at Got-Ants.com, on Facebook or in her ArtFire shop!

Hmmm.... Let's see, what else?  Oh, one of our members, ArJay of Kiss Zombies, has started up an inspiration contest series to help spark creativity in our collective fan base.  The current round ends on April 7th - Fabulous Prizes are a definite possibility if you enter....

Glitter Bitches Handmade Inspiration Contest
"Bitch Favorite" Prize
2" Pendant of Old Growth (detail)
(ends Thursday, April 7th
check here for details on how to enter)

Random prize:Loco Folko Vampire PEZ dispenser
by Kim Mayhew of Ant Farm Studio

Anyone may enter, as long as they follow the rules ArJay has set forth here:  INSPIRATION CONTEST GUIDELINES AND RULES.  The "Bitch Favorite" entry will win my twinchie pendant (doesn't Brooke look cute modeling her twinchie Glitter Bitches pendant?), and a random winner will receive one of Kim's awesome "Loco Folko" PEZ dispensers - I have a few of them myself and love them.


Art Stuff - I have been working on a few new pieces, but they are mostly in the sketch phase or are "secret" and not available for public consumption.  Yet.  Sorry, but that's just part of the deal I struck.  I've been keeping up on my prints and pendants (which were featured in December on Rings & Things' blog), with earrings in the works.  The prints and jewelry have become a very popular (and affordable!) way for people to collect my art.

Oh! And my new business cards came in yesterday!  Next week's shipments will have them.

I've been replacing the headers in my sites with the newer, more Krissified image.  This blog is next.


Makeup - It was a weird winter and several indie makeup companies have been outed for a lot of bad/unsafe/unethical practices, which makes me sad for the good companies out there.  However, I have tried to focus on the fun part of makeup, rather than turning into a Mean Makeup Girl.

For those of you who want to see what I do when I'm painting my face, you can follow it on my relatively new Facebook page: Krissi's Makeup Studio.  I will remind you that I am not a makeup artist; I am an artist who likes makeup.  However, there is some cool (to me anyway) stuff over there like my series of tutorials on the color wheel called Beginning Color Theory for Non-Artists (so cool, in fact, that I am in the process of copying them all over to this blog too).



Life - I continue to spend just about every day enjoying the life as a Jack Russell Terrier's human.  Abby keeps me sane and happy.  I am THRILLED that the clear weather is finally upon us so that we can take more breaks during the day and get outside to take pictures and dig for voles (I do the former, she the latter).

Me in my 2007 Z4M Coupe at Thunderhill

Finally, I have started tracking my car.  For those of you who don't know what that means, it means that I take my car to the racetrack (yes, a real one, not an oval) and run it around.  Fast.  As I write this entry, I am preparing for my second track day on Friday, April 1st at Thunderhill Raceway here in Central California.  It would appear that the Skelekitty has a need for speed....




Enjoy the Spring and I'll really TRY to check in over here more often.  In the meantime, you voyeurs can spy on me over on Facebook.

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The Heights to Which My Geekdom Aspires

A while ago I blogged about a series I was working on which was inspired (read as "ripped") from the 2007 Doctor Who episode, Blink.  Now despite the fact that this is one of the 'Doctor Lite' episodes, it is also one of my very favorite.  Those damned weeping angel statue creature thingies are just so scary! 

Lonely Assassins they used to be called. No one quite knows where they came from but they're as old as the Universe, or very nearly, and they have survived this long because they have the most perfect defense system ever evolved. They're quantum-locked. They don't exist when they're being observed. The moment they are seen by any other living creature they freeze into rock, no choice, it's a fact of their biology, in the sight of any living thing they literally turn to stone. And you can't kill a stone. 'Course a stone can't kill you either but then you turn your head away, then you blink, and oh yes it can.

Fascinating race, the Weeping Angels. The only psychopaths in the universe to kill you nicely. No mess, no fuss, they just zap you into the past and let you live to death. Rest of your life, used up, blown away in a blink of an eye. You die in the past and in the present they consume the energy of all the days you might have had. All your stolen moments. They're creatures of the abstract, they live off potential energy.

I finished the series of six 6x6x1" paint and mixed-media canvasses in early October for Side Show Studios' "666" exhibit where they seemed to miss their target audience.  Since the close of the show, they had been sitting around my house waiting for me to either photograph and list them or hang them on the wall.  I was thinking that maybe I was the only one who loved them, but since those Skelekitty T-shirts have been crawling up my "to do" list, the photo/list option won out.

Holy cow, was I ever WRONG about the potential these had (but once again right that you should paint what you love and love what you paint).  Not only did they most certainly have an audience, but they sold in under two hours.  I've also had people asking if prints are available  (there aren't any as of this post, but I hope to offer a limited edition of them later this year.)

The lucky owner of these creepy little lovelies is Jennifer Alvin, DIY queen and fellow geekess.  We "met" on Flickr and now I'm an avid follower of her blog, Illusionaire.  Seriously, get over there and prepare to get lost in the projects and stories - you'll thank me.  Oh, and did I mention that she's a dog-lover?  Specifically, she volunteers with a "retired" Greyhound rescue & adoption organization called GPA-NW, and fosters some of these lucky dogs as well.  You know, I'm starting to notice that a huge number of DIYers and indie crafters are involved with dog, cat and/or parrot rescues.  Who knew?

Here are the little guys hanging proudly over Jenn and Aaron's couch (where you get an idea of how iridecent the gold backgrounds are).


Seriously though, I'm not so sure it's a good idea to turn your back on them to watch TV, guys....

After watching the finale of 2009's Doctor Who "season" (and that word is loosly applied in this situation), I was reminded that I wanted to do a little painting of an Adipose from 2008's "Partners In Crime" featuring the return of Catherine Tate as Donna Noble (who looks a LOT like my friend Evie Turner, which is a total non-sequiter as Evie hasn't watched a single episode of the Doctor, but she most definitely IS a nerdy girl in her own right).
 
ANY WAY...  I did a quick sketch and then started to work the painting and, not surprisingly this time, he found a home before he was even finished.

And here's a photo to top off this little Doctor Who fest I seem to have going.

This year of geeky hotness is apparently out of print and sold out on BBC's, BBC-America's and David Tennant's sites.  I managed to snag one on Amazon for an undisclosed price (much too high to pay for a calendar, if truth be told).  Since I made my purchase a week ago, the calendars available have decreased in number, but increased in price.  Dang.  You better get one now, girls.

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After Christmas Handmade Sales

Well let's start off with the obvious one first, shall we?

• Skelekitty & Friends on Artfire: 
• Buy one 8x10" print, get one free (no limit) with coupon code BOGOPRINTS2009; 
• 20% off ALL in-stock rubber stamps with coupon code AFTERXMAS2009 (offers expire midnight 12/31/09)
• Free downloadable/printable gift tags (and they're not just for "holiday" giving!)  Just print them out on 8.5x11" paper and cut them out.
  
• Skelekitty with a heart
• Skelekitten and ball of yarn
  

And for some of my other favorites:

• Saints & Sinners unique handmade jewelry by the lovely Barbe SaintJohn: EVERYTHING is on sale through January 1st!
• Kit Cameo has an entire section of her Artfire shop of etched glass, jewelry and art on sale.
  
• Xena's Revenge jewelery by Brenda (marketed by her Chihuahua Xena): 25% off everything with coupon code NEWYEAR. All Christmas jewelry is 50% off with coupon code HOHOXENA9!
• Miss Smiss art and accessories on Etsy and Artfire offers free shipping when you purchase two or more items. 
• Kaotic Ekko Curiosities is offering 20% off all holiday items through the end of the month, AND free shipping (coupon code HAPPY2010) through January 31st, 2010! 
• My favorite soapmaker Lori of Nemesis Productions is offering 15% off in her Artfire shop until this Sunday, December 27th!
• Rocky The Zombie has a large sale section in her Etsy shop!
  
• Check out the huge collection of Creature Closeouts in Absolutely Small's Etsy shop.
  
• Harlowe Monroe Vintage on Artfire:  Buy one item, get 50% off your second item (refund via PayPal) - all shop items are under $15 too!
• Luna's Loot on Etsy has supplies, jewelry and ephemera on sale.
• Enchanticals on Etsy has select items on sale until 1/2/10 - just look for the word "sale" in the description.
  
• JenniferLynn Productions has marked her entire Artfire stock of art, photography and accessories down 33% through the end of the year.
• Hannah Grey Curiosities & Drygoods has LOTS of supplies and goodies on sale. In addition, they offer free shipping on orders $30 or more placed through midnight, EST on January 1.  Enter the code XMAS2009 at check out. 
• The Folk Art of Flor Larios is on sale too! 
  

Not technically sales, but so affordable, they deserve mentioning:

• Dreadful Designs - creepy and cute creations by Jinn.
• Awesome spiral trivet by Creeplings
  

Keep checking back my friends.  I'll be updating this as I receive more info on more after Christmas handmade deals.  Why?  Because it's NEVER too late to ...

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Putting It Out There

This thread-painted art quilt of my Oscar, the Military Macaw, was the very first piece I ever put in a group "art" (i.e., non-quilt show) show - the January 2006 "National Bird Day" art show in Sacramento, CA.



Since that first night, I gradually increased the number of works in group art shows.  First I showed just with The Scary-Art Collective at Body Tribe where I nervously listened to criticism (positive and negative, but all constructive).





By early 2007, I had started showing at other Sacramento galleries like Side Show Studios and the former 24th Street hot spot, Cool Cat (R.I.P.).




I tried some new techniques and played with new mediums while I continued to find my voice. 









In the last half of 2009, I finally submitted some pieces to out of town (actually, out of State) shows to a positive response.

Now, with four full years of group show experience (not to mention the long list of commissions I just completed), I feel confident enough to consider a solo show.  So I'm putting it "out there" that I'm ready to put it out there - you know, putting it in writing as a promise to myself and so y'all can keep me accountable.





I've already started working on a "theme" involving hearts and skulls with various things growing from them, and we'll see where this leads me. 
So far I'm planning on doing most, if not all the pieces using my pyrography and acrylics on wood techniques.

While I'm working on the pieces, I will also be looking around for a gallery to host this currently imaginary solo exhibition.  Oh, the joy of cold calls, how I look forward to it!   I have a short list of places I'd LOVE to show, a medium sized list of places I'd seriously consider (both of which I'm keeping secret to avoid jinxing myself) and a blank list of places I haven't even thought of yet.

If you have a gallery and would like to talk to me about the possibility of doing a solo show, please contact me with your list of demands.

Wish me luck and inspiration and I'll send some right back to you (I'll send you some anyway).

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Have a Nice Swap!

So there are a few artists (not very many, mind you) with whom I actually trade art, and Kit Cameo of Kit's Glass Etchings is one of those artists.  Her work is unique, edgy and funny and the quality of her etched pieces really cannot be beaten.  Her creations range from a custom Absinthe bottle (green, of course, complete with fairy), to lightening bolt stemmed wine glasses that just screamed for various Harry Potter designs, to tiny pirate rum bottles.

Kit and I have been kinda sorta talking about doing a swap for what seems like eons, but when I saw her Have A Nice Night etched mirror necklace, I knew I'd finally found "my" piece.

The hand molded polymer clay bat wings that seem to "fly" when you move just right are incredibly crafted.  I especially love the subtle but effective classic smiley with fangs!  I haven't tried it yet, but I understand that if you reflect light off the mirror face, you can project the fangy smiley onto the wall (note to self - torture dog and cats with this trick later).  To me though, the best part of this piece is that it makes me giggle a little bit every single time I look at it.

In exchange, Kit asked for one of my 7x7" plaques (but I worked on an 8x10" anyway - shhhhhh!  don't tell) with a traditional skull like the one I put on Grinding To A Hault (now at Hyaena Gallery in Burbank), kitties like the ones in Love Cats and a background like the one in A Brand New Sky.  I never formally gave this one a title, but I think of it as Kitties for Kit.

To see more of Kit's creations, visit her website or check out her blog!

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Pimpin' My Pals: Kit Cameo/Kit's Glass

Like everyone else, I've been trying to cut back on my spending, but every now and then a girl just HAS to buy herself something sparkly (no, not blood diamonds).  Just the other day, I ordered a mirror pendant and my first piece from my pal, Kit Cameo of Kit's Glass, and it arrived in today's mail!

My new Kit's Glass sacred heart pendant - it's even prettier in person!

It was one of five "experimental" pieces, so she put them on her Etsy site at a price I would have been nuts to pass up.  Not only was it totally affordable, but now I'll be able to sport a piece of her awesome etched art on the Crafty Chica Cruise in just under a week!  I know the other craftistas will be JEALLLLLLLOUSSS.

So for those of you who have yet to be introduced to Kit's amazing work, let me tell you that this woman produces QUALITY!  She etches original designs onto glass items of every purpose, size and shape that will appeal to pirates, latinas, punks, wiccans and suburban housewives alike.






What are you waiting for already? Go get some sparkling artsy goodness!

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Skelekitty Altered Domino Necklaces For Everyone

Howdy skelecats and skelekittens. Remember my recent post about the way cool altered domino necklace with Skelekitty's puss stamped on it that I received from my pal Bekah?


I have been wearing it just about everywhere and receiving tons o' compliments. Not only are folks admiring it, they're asking where they can get one of their own. Not wanting to disappoint, Bekah immediately whipped up about twenty more (with both Skelekitty's and my blessings in the form of a handshake license) and is in the process of listing them in her Etsy shop, Under The Tuscan Zen (it's free to shop!). As of this writing, four of the pieces below are listed, but the rest will be up soon.

Prices range from $30 to just over $40, depending on whether you choose a hand-beaded necklace or a ribbon pendant. All pieces are hand stamped, colored using high quality paints and inks and then sealed. I also happen to know that she will happily accept custom orders, so if you want the stamp from one necklace, with the colors from another and you want it with a pin-back, all you have to do is ask!

While you're over there, be sure to check out some of Bekah's other awesome pieces featuring hand stamped dominos, dichroic glass beads and wire work.

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Skelekitty Rubber Stamps and New Print available on Etsy

My initial order of Skelekitty rubber stamps arrived from Santa Fe today and are available for purchase on my Etsy site at $14.00 each or a set of all 4 for $50.  If you don't have an Etsy account (it's free to join and shop, so you should!), just e-mail me letting me know which and how many stamps you would like to order and I'll send you an invoice,  easy as pie.


"Play Time" - Skelekitten with yarn


"Always Time for Love" Skelekitty with heart


"Welcome Home" Skelekitty rubbing skeleton legs (with cool shoes)


Skele-sirena - Skelekitty as a mermaid

I've also created a new print and made it available on Etsy.  It's the angel-kitten from my original mixed-media piece, Love Cats in an 8x10" (well, 10x8" really) print.

Only $15 (plus CA tax if you're a resident).  She's a perfect holiday gift.  Not "into" kitties?  There are several other works available as 8x10 prints too, so check it out.

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Terroriffic Craft Projects with Madge Every Tuesday!

Hello my little scaries! Here is some really fun and super SCARY news I just posted on our craft group, Scary CRAFT's blog!

Thanks to Margot Potter's new craft blog, The Impatient Crafter, I've gotten what my old high school chum, Joe "Tex" Selby, calls 'bees in the head' - you know, like when you're playing with a cat and they're so excited that their head starts to quiver? That is me whenever I see a new FREE HALLOWEEN CRAFT PROJECT posting on her blog every week through the month of October!
You know what makes it even better? Madge is just one of the artists/crafters who post creepy craft tips, projects and ideas in the spirit of the season! Several cute & creepy creatives are participating in "Terroriffic Tuesday," the brainchild of Alexa, aka Swell Designer.  Be sure to link over to both the Madge's The Impatient Crafter and Alexa's The Swell Life and check all of the projects out, not the least of which is Madge's Crystal Web Collar Necklace (click on photo below) featured in week #1, which I think I may just be forced to make for myself.


Wouldn't this darling sparkler (complete with a little friend) make Morticia Addams jealous enough to kill?

A friendly note: Remember kids - always play nice! As with all blogs, tutorials and designs, please DO make 'em for yourself and your "fiends" and family, but DO NOT create or copy to sell or make a profit! If you want to copy or sell a copyrighted image or project, be sure to obtain prior written permission directly from the individual who originally created the design. Not sure if it's covered by copyright? ASK THE ORIGINAL BLOGGER!

We now return you to your regularly scheduled blogging.

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Skelekitty Stamps are Rollin' In!

It's true. 

I just heard from Stampa Fe Art Stamps that the stamps are done and that three of the four designs are on hand  in their store, Guadalupe's Fun Rubber Stamps in Santa Fe, NM.

Check Ms. Kitty's blog for the details! 

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Creative Corazón

Every now and then, check the list of crafty (and the not-so-crafty) list of blogs for new names I've added. Today, the newest recipient of the Skelekitty Stamp o' Approval is Creative Corazón.

She's apparently new to blogging, but I think I'm in love already. Go read for yourself and then tell me, what's not to love? (A: Nothin')

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Skelekitty goodies ARE available on the web!

Skelly wanted me to remind y'all about some of the swag & merch out there with her cute little face on it:

First, in my Etsy shop, lots of handmade goodness:

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

And also on Zazzle, coffee mugs, mousepads and more coming soon!

create & buy custom products at Zazzle

And on a non-skelekitty bit of news, look for a blog on Scary CRAFT tomorrow about the upcoming Night of the Crafters (with a very special guest!).

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Free Cupcake-o-Guadalupe pattern on PimpStitch!

At long last (well, a week, but it feels longer the way I blog), I can unveil the FREE embroidery pattern I designed for PimpStitch! 

The lucky recipient of the original in the photo is Artsy Gringa, Michele ('cause she was my partner in the "...of Guadalupe" swap on swap-bot).

For those of you who haven't yet discovered PimpStitch, it is the indie embroidery brainchild of well-known artisans, Tamie Snow (Roxycraft) and Missy Balance (Mohair Circus), with the added talent of designers Amy Cluck (Peptogirl Industries) and Lauren Brandy (Goody-Goody).  PimpStitch has been featured quite a bit lately on CRAFT's blog and why not?  They regularly offer tips, tutorials and free patterns along with the awesome and VERY affordable unique (and did I mention downloadable for your instant gratification?) designs they create.

To celebrate the obscene number of hits I've been getting from being their guest designer, I'm going to extend the time to get a  FREE SKELEKITTY POSTCARD until I run out or until the end of the week!  Just click over and follow the directions!

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"Simple Shrine Tutorial" by Artsy Gringa!

Michele, a fellow crafty gringa, just started her super-awesome blog-o-tutorials this (well last) month. She may be new to blogging, but she's a pro at the mixed-media folk arts!

Be sure to check out her "Simple Shrine Frame Tutorial" in plenty of time for you to take advantage of the techniques before Dia de los Muertos! She shows you how to make the perfect little nicho for your own Day of the Dead creations!
Just add a muertito (Of course, I don't have to tell you that mine will have a certain kitty in it).

She even inspires us all with her finished creations:
Have fun my little craftitas!

Wouldn't you agree that she's DEFINITELY earned a Skelekitty Stamp of Approval for her blog?

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