Wednesday, November 30, 2011

more new embroidery


i can't help but think this is SO cute even though i made it.  it's ok to say that, right???
i'm so happy with the way this came out that you can be sure to see more in the future.
have a great day y'all...

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

something new

i felt like taking a break from sewing for a day or two and this is what i came up with....

i'm back to creating from my scrap pile!  there are just too many cute scraps to throw away.  i get way too excited when i think of a new way to use them!

other than this i am getting ready for the Freret Street Market on December 10th.  i finally have to make the leap to buying my own tent.  and then comes the challenge of putting it up and taking it down by myself....sigh.  i wish i had an assistant to come with me at times like this.  anyone in LA interested???

Saturday, November 26, 2011

creative juices becoming bubbly....

i've been saying i'm in a creative rut because i'm so distracted by working on getting my new house settled.  i think i FINALLY came out of it yesterday!!!

it's when i'm creating for the sake of creating...not for the sake of inventory or production.  as a runner i compare it to the point when i know i'm in shape again and i get in the zone.  it's when my body and mind are in synch, when i no longer have to think about moving my legs or breathing and my mind becomes like a machine in total calmness.  it doesn't happen often but when it does it's the BEST feeling in the world!

my crafting zone yesterday was when i started cutting up scraps and piecing them together.  i started doing something else.  i made a couple barrettes, some cards and an applique pouch.  as a result i have piles of papers and scraps all over my tiny room in hopes my zone would wake up with me.  so far my zone has only wanted to drink coffee and lie around but i'm hoping it come out again.

in the meantime here are a couple pics of the silly little things that i made.


here's hoping for a productive day!!!

Friday, November 25, 2011

shop til you drop. (online while in your jammies)

Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday-
Support independent artists, designers and crafters!!
pssst like me :)

Sales going on in my etsy shop now through Sunday the 27th at midnight are:
FREE shipping within the US
and
Purchase a Christmas stocking and receive a FREE handmade goody inside!

ALSO, the first 5 etsy sales get a surprise handmade item added onto their sale.  
Let's just say Santa's elves are working extra hard this year and want to put more under your tree.  

Come on y'all and show some handmade LOVE!

...new items are being added to the shop all weekend....
xoxo jill

Saturday, November 19, 2011

twitter???

i just registered for a twitter account.  i'm not sure why i did it but i just felt like hey, maybe i can figure it out and get some people to see my work!  pssttt....it's kinda intimidating. i need hours to figure it out!!

so follow me
FightingSpirit@JillHruska

Friday, November 18, 2011

new branding!

i get SO excited when the mailman brings me packages!!

i got some of my new branding this week....
my new stamps...i use them for bags and price tags.  she made my jilsy designs stamp too- LOVE this vendor!!
my new sew in labels.  i got the kind to cut myself to save a little money. i used her for my tags last time too. another awesome etsy seller!!
and last but NOT least is my new branding in general...my friend Valerie designed this logo package for me and i couldn't be happier with it!!!  she is an amazing artist.  she made a beautiful illustration for me to give my sister last year as well.  it looks like a photograph!!
check out her work here:
http://valerieh.artworkfolio.com/

Friday, November 11, 2011

eeekkkkk

i am kinda losing my s#@*t tonight. 

obviously, i just moved.  i'm not totally unpacked and the piles of stuff is starting to reek havoc on my creative mojo!!  i have several organizational issues in this house that chris and i missed when we decided to buy the place.  not that it would of prevented us from the purchase but i may have had a better plan of action for my organizational needs.  as you saw in my last post i have settled in nicely to my new studio.  but the piles of stuff outside the studio are saying "where are we going to live jill???"  yes, i'm developing some disorder and maybe a tick from it.  all the houses we've lived in before always had a basement or a garage or BOTH....now i know the luxury i was in.  plans are in place to get my organizational needs met but i'm need one of those HGTV handymen. just for 1 day and i could be in bliss!

so, my first New Orleans show is tomorrow and i'm SOOOO not ready.  my business cards did not arrive in time nor did my stamp to make business cards.  so i am making the saddest excuse of xerox copies with hand written info :(  i guess it is a craft show so it's not THAT bad. 

my inventory is what i consider low- 25 handbags, 5 xmas stockings, some embroidery, some misc. artwork and 4 small crates of accessories.  not what i had in mind for my new city debut but i have to make it work....right tim gunn??  my 13 years of visual merchandising knows how to make things look fuller or cram it in so i'm sure it'll be fine.  i'm just not READY like i wanted to be ready.  here goes!!

ready or not HELLO NEW ORLEANS!!!

Saturday, November 5, 2011

3 in 1

i think i finally did it!!

i had the challenge of fitting 3 rooms in 1 in this house.  i was SO blessed with space in our Pittsburgh home.  we had a basement and 3 floors including 5 bedrooms.  so i had a guest room, an art studio and a sewing/craft room that included my office.  not so much here in NOLA!  we now have a 3 bedroom house on 1 floor with no basement.  QUITE the challenge, i'd say.  the house is actually the perfect size...we just or uhummm I have too much stuff.  i personally think that comes with being an artist but my husband just thinks it's too much stuff.  what ev. 

today i fit everything except for my books into this room and i'm pretty proud of myself!  i dehoarded like no other.  so here's a peek into Fighting Spirit's new studio.
the biggest change is sharing my sewing table with my office space.  hopefully it will work!
cutting table that can turn into a painting table when needed.
wall of fabric.  drool.

i got these cute organizing boxes to inspire me!!  they fit my small accessories perfectly!

good thing i have high ceilings, huh?  it made up for the lack of a closet in this room.
meanwhile, you can barely walk in the dining room aka staging area with piles around the table.  my clothes have been thrown into the poorly designed closet (large project priority #2) and are still in suitcases, laundry baskets and random boxes.  but i'm ready to sew!!  priorities people, priorities!

upcoming shows!!

I have 2 shows on the schedule!!!!

The first one is next week (gasp!!!) Nov. 12th from 10-3. 
Find info here:
http://www.ochartmarket.com/

And the next one is Dec. 10th from 12-5.
Find info here:
http://freretmarket.org/

I am so excited to be making my New Orleans debut but a little nervous because I don't have very much stock for next week being that I am trying to unpack and am actually working lots at my day job.  I guess it will be a test run...just hope my business cards get here on time!