implexus

Two days until we head off to Charleston, SC for 4 days of no work, no students, no teaching, no selling, no listing...just pure, unadulterated beachful blist.

I will NOT be:

• listing anything
• answering emails
• looking up tracking numbers
• mailing anything
• making anything (ok, I do knit compulsively in my free time)
• taking phone calls from anyone other than my best friend

I WILL be:

• not thinking about the studio, store, teaching, or Implexus AT ALL.
• enjoying the first real vacation Ive had in over 4 years
• enjoying 4 days alone with my husband, with no outside drama or interference
• taking pictures
• collecting hoards of seashells
• taking deep breaths of wonderfully salty ocean airy
• camping out by the lake
• maybe never coming back :)

I always considered myself a really chill, relaxed, laid back person. But the past few months I can see that Im not exactly that way anymore, which I hate. I feel so annoyed by everyone and everything, even though most of the time I dont let on that I am. I love what Im doing job-wise, but need a break. Im hoping this will be it. I hope I can come back feeling relieved and can start over not being so...angry.

I may not blog a whole lot here. I want to start blogging again more often, but I'll probably be putting most of the business stuff on http://blog.implexa.com and personal blogging elsewhere...not sure where yet, lol. So go subscribe to my other blog!

I cant believe its June already. Funny how time gets away from you so easily. Full session classes start at my studio tomorrow night. Im excited! The Nomadic Portfolio project also gets started tomorrow. Im super excited! And my birthday is in a few days. Even more excited! And my husband finally gets to move up here with me from out of state! Ecstatic about that! So June seems to already be the month of new beginnings. Im so excited to see what the rest of the month will bring. :)

The gallery I rent my studio through is having an open house on June 5th, and my studio will be a part of it, open to the public. This is also a part of the NoDa gallery crawl.

Hope to see you there!

My car got towed yesterday. Apparently I was parked in a private lot which I was not aware was private. I hate downtown Charlotte.

I held my first demo classes in North Carolina today. Terrible. I was optimistic about it up until 1:00pm today, then I started to get worried. Around 1:30 my suspicions appeared to be confirmed. I had 2 classes scheduled today, only 1 person who registered actually came out. I normally ask for payment in advance, in case of cancelations, but its a demo, I figured not having to have the money until that day may be more incentive to come. Nope.

The moral of the story? Always pay for parking and always make people prepay for classes. Lesson learned.

I want to say "I cant believe this!" yet it doesnt really surprise me. Charlotte is so weird.

Nearly 90 degrees here today...yet my shop is full of warm things to wear. Pffff.

New delightful summertime goodies coming soon.

I promise! :)

Are you in the Charlotte, NC area? Stop in at Implexus studio for art classes!

• Drawing

• Fiber / Textile

• Origami

• Painting

• Printmaking

• Screen printing

Group classes of 4-6 people and private classes available. Classes begin on June 1.

No previous art experience necessary. Cost includes everything you will need for class, all you have to do is bring yourself! This is your chance to try something new.

Go to classes.implexa.com for more information.

www.implexa.com

Ive been a little discontent with having blogger as my actual website. I started looking around for some alternatives. I stumbled across a site called Squarespace. Its pretty awesome. Once I got the hang of it, it was pretty easy to use. It has so many really neat capabilities. You can put a forms for people fill out, you can load files for people to download, you can even made forums for discussion! Granted that I dont know what I would ever use a forum for, but its way cool anyway. I also gave my etsy shop a quick makeover to match the new sexy website ;) It is a paid site though, but I think its definitely worth it.

Go check out the new implexa.com!

I havent done anything. Seriously. Nothing. Well, almost nothing, as far as last months goals goes. I dont know what happened to this month. As ridiculous as it is, Im pretty much copying and pasting the March goals for April and promising to do better this time.

• 50 items in the shop.
• Find an office or studio to rent.
  
• Add more non-knit clothing.
  
• Add shoes to the shop.
• Finish all the bags I have lying around.
• Get business cards printed.
• Design and print my own fabric.
• Do more art work (painting, drawing, etc).
• Get all my consignment stuff finished.
• Make at least 2 new items per week.

In my defense, I got really busy meeting the "sell 10 items a week goal" and lost track of everything. I think Ive got it under control now ;)

I havent updated much this month. Ive been soooo busy. Im not complaining! I think Ive made the 10 items a week goal, lol. Hooray for tax returns, hehe ;)

Im working on some new designs of clothing, so hopefully I'll be able to get those made and into the shop soon. Still working on shoes too, yes they are coming, really, they are. Ok, this is a short update, but its back to work for me!

Yep. Its that time again. Time to make a list of goals for March.

• 50 items in the shop.
• Sell 10 items a week. Yep, pretty sure I did that. If not, then very close.
• Add more non-knit clothing.
  
• Add shoes to the shop.
• Finish all the bags I have lying around.
• Get business cards printed.
• Design and print my own fabric.
• Start more than one collaborative book project.
• Do more art work (painting, drawing, etc).
• Get all my consignment stuff finished.
• Make at least 2 new items per week.

Last month I did 9 out of 16 goals. Score: 56%
I want to see if I can do better this time.

Its so hard to believe its the end of February already! So remember those goals I made at the beginning of February? Heres what I accomplished...

• Buy a domain. This is now implexa.com :)
  
• Make the blog a little more 'website-like' Theres a home/welcome page now!
  
• Fill in my FAQ section. The FAQ now actually has FAQs in it, imagine that.
  
• Get business cards printed. I dont want to until I have shoes, clothing, bag pics to use on them. Im getting cards from Moo.
  
• Promote off of Etsy. Tried Project Wonderful, didnt do well. Twitter seems to be working best for me.
  
• Take 2 hours out of every day to promote. Yep, every morning, and sometimes at night.
  
• 50 items in the shop. Nope, but I made it to 32 :)
  
• Sell 15 items a week. (a lofty goal, but if you dont set them, youll never meet them :) NOT. I averaged 5 a week. Ok, I'll go for 10 this time.
  
• Find craft fairs and get registered. I cant find any! Seriously! I tried/still trying.
  
• International shipping. I ship to Canada now, and to other places upon request.
  
• Make shoes and add a shoe section to the shop by March 1. Still working on that one.
  
• Make clothing and add a [non-knit] clothing section to the shop. Sort of. I have one item, haha.
  
• To understand and use social bookmarking constructively. Stumbleupon is fun.
  
• Start a Facebook page. Yep, did that. But I hate Facebook so I may not use it, lol.
  
• Add bags to the bag section. Pfff...I cant really even say "still working on that one" cause I havent.
  
• Design and print my own fabric. Hopefully next month! Im still designing.

9 out of 16...not too bad, but Im hoping to do better next month.

Once again Stumbleupon helped me to stumble upon something completely awesome. This is Book.
"For thirty-six weeks, a sketchbook was sent in random order between four artists: two in Brooklyn, two in Belfast.

Every Wednesday, one participant would receive book. In order to maintain schedule, it was sent out the following Monday, giving each artist five days to complete a spread in response to the one that preceded it.

A small portion of each entry extends on to the following page. Beyond this, there was no communication between the artists concerning the content of book during its making.

Book's first trip across the Atlantic was on 2 June, 2003. Its final trip was on 2 February, 2004. By the time it was completed, book had traveled over sixty thousand miles." www.lookatbook.com

So Collettestreasures and I have decided to do something similar to this. Our project is called The Nomadic Portfolio. We are looking for 8 more artists (US or international) to be a part of it. Each artist will keep the book for one week, then send it on to the next person. This is just for fun. Ive never done a collaboration before, so Im super excited about it. So if anyone is interested in being a part of this project with us, please check out the Nomadic Portfolio blog and let us know!

Do you ever stumble across an idea so awesome that it makes you mad because you didnt think of it yourself? I dont often, but a few days ago, thanks to Stumbleupon, I did.

Phat Knits: oversized thread, knitted or not, made into interior furnishings. In other words, GIANT plush knits that you can sit and lay on!!




































I come across cool stuff online all the time. Most of the time it falls into one of two categories: 1. stuff I think is cool but have absolutely no desire to make myself. 2. stuff thats cool and I immediately see a way to alter it and make it my own. Phat Knits is neither of these, and thats what makes me so mad about it! Its so perfectly awesome, there is nothing I can do but sit in awe.

*grumbles and walks away*

I love guys. Old guys always make my day. Last year on Valentines Day, I was having the worst day ever. This random old guy was hanging around the coffee shop handing out roses and he gave me one. Made my day. Today I went to Walmart to get some boxes. I wasnt having a particularly good day, actually it was a pretty crappy day. But this old guy (ok, he wasnt really old, he was like 40-45) held the door for me and said, "Come on out sweety-pie, looking so purdy today. I bet your boyfriend is proud of you!" I started laughing and he saw my ring and said, "Oh! Husband. Well he's a lucky man!" He had such a great country/southern accent it made it that much better, haha. Definitely made my day.

Thank you random Walmart shopper guy ;)

New colors, that is. Neutrals! Coming to the shop on Monday! The new colors are sand, charcoal, grey, white, black, dark brown, and taupe. So far I have charcoal and half of sand finished. Hopefully I'll get these all done by Monday.

My daddy gave me a kitten in a basket for Valentines Day. Its so cute, I had to share. He's bringing a little heart in his mouth! My dad always manages to pick out the prettiest cards, and the cutest little gifts :)

Ahh, daddy. The only man I can depend on to give me a present, haha.

You suck.

I dont watch the news, because I dont want to hear about you. When someone talks about you, I walk away. As much as I hate you, it pains me to see you dying, I dont want to bear witness to your slow death. I cant watch. I will cover my eyes, weeping from the bottom of my soul.
.....................

And really, can we stay off the new world order theory. I dont want to think about the end being near and all that. I get all these ideas in my head of things I want to make, or do, or accomplish in life. Not usually anything most people would consider really huge, just, things I really want to do. I just cant help thinking, I should have graduated years ago, but Im going back to school in August...but what if it doesnt matter? What if nothing Im doing right now matters? What if the world doesnt last long enough for it to matter? I havent lived yet. I just freakin got here only 20 some years ago. I havent "grown up" yet, I dont have children yet, I havent finished school yet, I havent really done anything yet! For craps sake, give me some more years! Give me enough years. And its not as simple as "seize the day." I havent finished college because I couldnt before now. I dont have children because my babies are gone. I havent gotten to live my "grown up" life yet because life itself hasnt allowed me to, it isnt for my lack of trying. I worry that I'll never have a chance to be anything more than what I am now. And I used to only consider these questions in relation to my own mortality, "what if I die tomorrow, and never get to finish this?" But now...its a part of a much bigger picture. And still Im unsure what part is based in reality, and what part is only in my head.

I think too much.

I havent updated in a little while, Ive been working on some new things for the shop. This is the latest little project of mine.

Cowl neck shirt. Its made from 50/50 polycotton t-shirt material. Soft, comfy, and machine washable...what more could you ask for? These shirts will be available today in my shop, I'll be posting a 'custom' listing so youll be able to choose your size and color.

It feels like every time I sit down and try to write something thats not craft related, it seems so boring. Its like I cant find anything worthwhile to say unless its a rant or about making stuff. What is wrong with me. I used to love writing, I used to write all the time, I was a wellspring of witty goodness. Now Im all dried up. Writing menopause, perhaps? I dont know. Im trying to understand why Im so boring. I got nothin.

Im working on adding shoes to my shop. Yes, SHOES!

This particular pair are square toe ballet flats. Amy Butler coriander on the outside and seeds on the inside. These will have matching removable insoles as well. Im actually not too crazy about this particular color of coriander, but it came in a pack with other fabric. I figure what better way to use it than on a shoe prototype. But in the future, shoes of all colors, sizes, styles, solid and prints. Just think: shoes with a matching bag, maybe even a belt. Oh the possibilities...

But right now it looks like Pinhead...just prettier.

• Buy a domain. This is now implexa.com :)
  
• Make the blog a little more 'website-like' Theres a home/welcome page now!
  
• Fill in my FAQ section. The FAQ now actually has FAQs in it, imagine that.
  
• Get business cards printed.
• Promote off of Etsy. Tried Project Wonderful, didnt do well. Twitter seems to be working best for me.
  
• Take 2 hours out of every day to promote. Yep, every morning, and sometimes at night.
  
• 50 items in the shop.
• Sell 15 items a week. (a lofty goal, but if you dont set them, youll never meet them :)
  
• Find craft fairs and get registered.
• International shipping. I ship to Canada now, and to other places upon request.
  
• Make shoes and add a shoe section to the shop by March 1.
• Make clothing and add a [non-knit] clothing section to the shop.
• To understand and use social bookmarking constructively. Stumbleupon is fun.
  
• Start a Facebook page. Yep, did that. But I hate Facebook so I may not use it, lol.
  
• Add bags to the bag section.
• Design and print my own fabric.

Im going to post new goals every month and cross out the things Ive accomplished. Lets see how I do! I encourage you to make some goals of your own for this month, and right them down so you can keep track!

Make a list. Whats on your mind right now.

1. Im starting to freak out a little.
2. Ive got 2 orders to ship today, and 3 to make.
3. I have to restart the sweater for my mom after she changed her mind about the fit.
4. The details of my personal life are just sad.
5. Life is kicking my butt hardcore.
6. I need my own place.
7. Please ecomony, dont get any worse.
8. Im tired of advertising and promoting. I get spent doing that, then dont feel like creating.
9. I wish I had an assistant.
10. Who says money cant buy happiness...$7000-$10,000 would fix my life.
11. Someone else's situation could always be worse, that doesnt make your pain any less real.
12. Saying "no offense" before saying something offensive doesnt make it any less offensive.
13. I wanna make clothes. I should do it. I need to sew more, knitting has taken over.
14. I wanna make soap. I havent done it in years, but I really want to again.
15. I wish my husband would think before he speaks.
16. I could really use some funky colored M&M's right now. You know, the special colors you get at the candy store.
17. I have other useful skills besides knitting, but no one really knows, and it bothers me.
18. Where are my M&M's??

I got to make a treasury!! Its the first one Ive ever done. Ain't it cool? :) For some reason, all I could think of was that song "99 red balloons" then a treasury was born...

Click here to see it on Etsy and leave comments if you'd like :)

This is awesome. Go try it.

This is all of my "about me" info. Click the picture to see larger view.

So yesterday was a snow day. I was sooo excited.


It was such a rip-off.





















I had stayed up all night talking to my cousin on the phone, and peeping out the window into the dark trying to watch the snow. I did get some nice pictures of it once it got light out. But by the time 11 am came around, I was feeling so sleepy, I figured "its still snowing and its supposed to snow til around noon, I'll just take a little nap, then I can get up and go outside and play." Nope. No. The snow had other plans. I took an hour and a half nap, got up, and to my surprise and utter dismay, the snow was already melting!! Oh I was so pissed off. Im like, "youve GOT to be kidding me!!" Considering the high was supposed to be 32 yesterday, I couldnt believe it was already melting. I didnt even get to go outside, except to take the trash out and take a few pictures. I always like to go out for a walk when it snows, and I didnt get a chance to. Ugh, Im really starting to hate the south. I want snow goshdarnit!!





















It had better snow again before winter is over...

Yay! Im SO excited because it doesnt snow in the South much. I'll post more pics when it gets light.





















Ive been peeping out the window into the dark for hours now, trying to watch the flakes falling. It tapered off about an hour ago, but now its started back up again. There's already probably 3" out there now. I just hope it keeps coming, I really want it to still be falling when its light out so I can see it and be in it, lol.

NOTEBOOKS! Theyre in the shop today available for your buying pleasure. I'll definitely be listing 3, and possibly 4. Dont forget, you can always custom order one if you dont see the size, color, or style that you like.

AND...

"Cutest. Scarf. Ever." is making its debut today as well. Its a skinny grey scarf with 2 white crocheted chains attached, decorated with 7 little stuffed felt hearts. Isnt it adorable?

I'll be adding a few other things today too, so go check it out!

I have an awesome new item coming to the shop on Monday! I made one of these notebooks for myself almost 2 months ago, and Ive been thinking about it every since. Its not just a notebook. It's a notebook, calender, day planner, sketch book, portfolio, and folder all in one. You could even use it as a scrapbook if you wanted to. I just got tired of having 3 or 4 different books at any given time. This way I can keep everything together.

The book cover is made from illustration board, and covered with scrapbooking paper. It has 3 holes punched in it with 3 book rings holding it together. Using book rings is great because it lets you expand the book if you want to add more pages, or make it small if you want to take away.

When you open the book, you'll find a stack of attached index cards, plastic sleeve sheets for cards or small photos, tabbed dividers, monthly calender pages, weekly plan pages with plenty of writing space, acid free dry media sketch pages, plastic page protectors, and a pocket inside the back cover for storage. This book has it all. Not only will I be making these in various sizes and colors, I will also have refills available in the shop.

So here's what my book looks like. Yes, the print inside the front cover is upside down, lol. Hey, it was the very first one I made:

I use the index cards to write little notes, to-do, or shopping lists on, then I can detach them and stick them in my pocket while I shop. The plastic sleeves are baseball card protective sheets. I put photos of the things I make so it serves as a mini portfolio. The 4th photo is an example of the plastic page protectors, except I use mine to hold all kinds of things. Photo 4 shows it holding some fabric swatches.

I love this book, I wish I had made one sooner! It'll be awesome for when I go back to school next year, I'll be able to have all my subject notes and sketches in one place. Now I just need a catchy name for it...

Today is January 15, and I have nothing new in the shop, or even completed. Well, ok, I have one more pair of heart earrings, and a mini leopard print kusudama, but it doesnt have the cord attached yet. I dont want to list things until I have more than one. I like to list things in 3's or more. I guess its just as well though, because views on Etsy have been ridiculously low this week. So Im going for Monday, and hopefully I'll be able to get a lot done over the weekend. I definitely want to get some Valentines stuff in the shop, and if I dont hurry it'll be too late.

Im working on it ;)

Implexus is now on Myspace and deviantART! If you have a myspace, please add me. I dont know how much it'll do for business, but I figured why not.

I also want to ask everyone to consider voting to amend the CPSIA law requiring lab testing for all childrens items. This law could put many people out of business. You can vote on the widget off to the right on my sidebar, and you can click the text to read the article.

Im riding in a car right now, and Im bored, so Im gonna do a little post about my newest items I listed today and yesterday :)

Textile jewelry! I made these cute little heart earrings from felt sheets. I cut them out, sewed them together, then stuffed them with the leftover felt cuttings. I only have this one white pair listed right now, but Im working on making more colors. Just a peek of the Valentines items.

Then I have this fabulous cowl I listed yesterday. The color is hard to describe. Its a mustard color with a faint green undertone that looks more green-ish is certain light, and more mustard in others. Its a really neat color. I need to make myself one ;)

I had set January 12 as the date that a bunch of new things would be added to the shop. That deadline might be pushed back a bit. I had to go out of town to see my grandmother who went into the hospital. I'll probably be doing a lot of driving up until Monday, heaven help me. I may still be able to keep my deadline, but Im not making any promises.

It disappoints me so much because so far, most of the items in my shop have been knitted items. I can actually do things other that knit ;) and thats what I was planning on adding on Monday. Knits are just sooo easy to travel with, and since Ive been doing a lot of that lately, thats whats ended up in my shop. I have to be somewhere stationary to be able to whip out the sewing machine, or canvas and paints. And I have some cute Valentines themed things that Im working on, so Im a little worried about not getting them in the shop early enough. (more about that later) Ugh. Im a mess right now, lol.

Ok, Im gonna leave my short update at that for now, because Im so tired I think I might just pass out.

Ever since the discovery of the knitting loom, Ive gone mad and let my addiction take over. I finished the original grey scarf, finished a really cool magenta cowl, and have almost finished an aqua scarf. Im madly in love.

The scarves are about 5.5 feet long, double thick, soft, and very warm. The cowl is super soft and open knit, but extra long so you can fold it over to keep warm. Again, I am madly in love.

Knitting looms! I got a set for Christmas, but today is my first time trying them out. I love it! This is probably the coolest crafty thing Ive gotten in a while. I thought it would be weird and complicated, but its ridiculously easy. It seems to go faster than regular knitting, of course this may be psychological, but who cares ;) Its sooo much easier on the hands, so now I can still make stuff even when my hands are hurting so bad from hours of knitting with needles.

So for my very first knitting loom project, Im making yet another man scarf. Light gray this time. When using regular yarn, (as opposed to novelty eyelash yarn, etc.) I definitely prefer the knitting loom over needles. I generally like to work in stockinette stitch, but it tends to roll at the edges which I hate. Its fine on things like sweaters, because you can compensate for it, but on a scarf, not so much. Using a loom makes one seamless tube so there is no rolling of the edges, except at the ends. I love it!


Ladies and gentlemen, I think I have a new addiction.

I hope everyone had a happy New Year. So today was the "official" opening of Implexus on Etsy. Yeah, I have like 6 items, and none of them are new. The original plan was to start the new year with a bunch of new stuff, but no, Im still working on it. I really need to get with it. Ive been working on this sweater for like 8 days, when it really shouldve only taken 2. Ive got knits, rugs, pillows, notebooks, folders, bags, and more that I am working on. Are any of them finished and ready to go? No. My goal for all this is next Monday. Ive got my work cut out for me!

Sweater in progress, though it is sort of shaped like a diaper: