Trying Something New. Again.

Remember how I had posted a few weeks ago about how I had decided to drop a few things? Well, this post is about all of that. Please bear with me on this. I will throw in a few new images I have been working on. Like this one. An old image I finally got around to post processing.

Now, let me just say, I love what I do, all that I do. I have such a huge world in my head that I want to express visually but not the time to do it, and the need to make a little bit of money to live. Because I needed to make some income I decided to start on this journey of owning a small business. Fast forward 8 years later and we have my predicament that has lead me to drop some of the things that I want to do.

As a one woman show, I just can't do everything that is involved with running a business. At least, not anymore. Making my art/products, photographing them, listing them, packaging them when they sell, customer service that's involved, offering photography as a service, photographing those clients, post processing those images, keeping my website up to date, keeping up all of the social media sites 6 of them to be exact, custom orders, magazine articles to write, art shows to vend, keeping up with licensing and insurance, taxes.... the list goes on and on. I have to let something go.

Butterfly Fairy Crown

Boho Gypsy Stacking Bracelets

Black Jewel Crown

2018 Spring Line, Rainbow Roses

Mixed Media Dragonfly Writing Journal

Mixed Media Seahorse Writing Journal

Lion Decanter

I am scaling back just about everything. I am going to wean myself off of making jewelry. Once what I have made has sold, I will not be making any more. I am also going to pull away from steampunk in general. It seems that the trend is fading and that only the original hardcore steampunkers are still steaming on. But the high demand isn't there anymore so it is something I can let go. Again, once my fascinators are gone, I will not be making more to fill my shop.

Steampunk Fairy Necklace

Steampunk Fascinator

I am also not going to be making fascinators in general any longer, even fairy ones. I will be sticking with crowns and headdresses for the fairy folk and gypsies out there.

Blue Gypsy Headdress

Butterfly Queen Crown

And last but not least, with a sad heart, I am going to be pulling back from photography. I will not be offering standard portraiture, family photography, event photography or any service of that nature. If someone wants a fairytale shoot, I will take those clients, but otherwise my photography will be a means to get my art out into the world and not to make money.

I am also not going to be posting on all of my social media outlets. I will be sticking with Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. I am also going to be closing my website, especially since it focuses on photography packages for potential clients. I will use my blog as the main resource for getting info to customers and clients.

I will be doing some different things, like sharing a coop type space here locally. I figured I'd rather store my stuff where people can see it and potentially buy it instead of storing it in a storage space in a box.

I will still be doing my mixed media art as well. When I get a wild hair to do it anyway. I am unsure about doing art shows anymore though. Still on the fence about that. The ones that I think I would do well at are HUGE and the fees are really high. Which cash flow doesn't allow for right now. Which brings me to my next dilemma. 

I know the old saying is true, "You have to spend money to make money." But the one thing I told myself I would never do is dip into personal funds for business. And I have stuck to my guns with that. But my business is at a point that if I want to grow, I will need to hire out some of the work that needs to be done. I am going to be taking on an intern. She starts this week. She just wants to learn, so win win for everyone. I hope that one day I can pay someone for social media help and marketing. And have a sales rep. That would be super helpful a free up so much of my time to do what I need to be doing, which is creating.

So, I leave you with this. I will be posting way more since I don't have a website to keep up with. And hopefully that turns into more art and beautiful images to make the world a happier place.

Snow Fairy Crown

Fairy Sisters Photo Shoot

Fairy Sisters, May 2016

Both outfits and accessories where made by me. The white fairy wings were also made by me and will be sold with the blue fairy costume. The other fairy wings were made by Fairy Wings and Things on Etsy. The concept and photography is by me as well. You can find more info and see my gallery on my photography Facebook page Jennifer Griffin Fine Art. You can also view more images of my photography work on my website, www.LilyMairi.com.

                   Both of these costumes will be for sale. You can find them here (link coming soon)

If you are interested in costuming or photography, please contact me here. Hope you enjoyed this post!

New Artwork

Since the last 2 months have been crazy, I have a whole bunch of stuff to catch up on. Like these super cute teacup fairy gardens!

Some other things I have been working on are mixed media pieces and some assemblage pieces. I have several pieces in my head I want to create. However, it is something that I have finished these pieces.

I also have had several photo shoots as well. Recently, I did a photo shoot with sisters. It was so much fun. Their family is fantastic. I'll do a post about the shoot later.

I also attended the Caldera Pagan Music Festival as a vendor for LilyMairi. You can see images from the festival in my post here. There was anticipated to be nearly 4,000 attendees. However, I think because of the holiday weekend it was on, and the fact it was their first year, attendance wasn't that high. I did manage to meet some fantastic artists and spend some time with the hubby without the kids in tow.

Fall Fae

Growing up my mom made our Halloween costumes from scratch. Sometimes from a pattern, sometimes just off the top of her head. It is one of the many things my mother did that inspires me still today.
In keeping with the tradition of handmade costumes, I too make my kids' costumes for Halloween or what ever occasion requires a costume, even just a photo shoot.
In October of 2014 my two youngest daughters wanted to be fairies. I looked though my stash of fabrics and couldn't find enough of one fabric so I figured I would make some fabric.

I played my favorite Pandora station, pulled out my olive greens and egg plant purples and went to work piecing together a "shabby" woodland fairy costume.

 Pulling Scraps

I repurposed some olive green knit fabrics from a mermaid costume I made for my oldest daughter in 2013 as a base and accent pieces. After laying out the fabric pieces I pinned them in place and began sewing.

This is the result of "quilting the pieces together. I didn't want it too neat so the fabrics that did not have enough synthetic threads to heat seal I left raw. I heat sealed the others so it wouldn't to messy looking, kind of a bohemian gypsy look. 

 

 

I then trimmed out the pieces and made ruffles with the repurposed fabric and pieces I had in my stash. I made a halter type top that tied at the neck and buttoned up the back.

 

 

Here is the final result of putting the pieces together. I also made her wings and head piece. I will be listing her costume in my Etsy shop. Her wings and head piece have already sold.

Here We Are In Peoria, IL

It has been very slow going with the unpacking from the move, hence my absence from blogging. But, I have been busy. Busy mostly with getting settled into our new house, new state, new school, new job, new people, new everything. We are literally starting over. That has been a little bit tough on all of us. We moved from right outside the city of Atlanta, GA to Peoria, Illinois. And yes, parts of it really are just miles of corn fields. Closer to the river in the historic part of town it is much more green and lush. Eventually I will start scouting soon for photo shoot locations since my matchbox size, cookie cutter backyard isn't going to cut it.

Escape from Gringotts at Universal Studios FL

In the mean time, let me get you up to speed.
Since all of my kids have their birthdays in July and we didn't have a house, we decided to take them to Universal Studios Florida for their birthdays. We made lots of wonderful memories. We also had a little party for them at SkyZone in Kennesaw, GA before we moved. I think their daddy had more fun than they did.

SkyZone in Kennesaw, GA

Then there are all the new items to make and photograph for the shop.

Several custom orders for birthdays and weddings

Then there are the seasonal items that are pretty popular, like mini top hats for women and children.

I am possibly going to be published in a book, that's very encouraging for me. Fox Publishing wants to publish some of my photos and products in their winter book coming out, Ice Princess Crafts or something of that nature.

 I was then contacted by a school in Ontario, Canada about replicating the icicles in the Snow Queen crown, on a large scale. As in 5 feet long large scale. That is what I am working on right now, while still unpacking the rest of our personal belongings.

My goal it to have us pretty much settled by then end of September so I can get back into my photography. We will see...