my latest DIY pins

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i like to pin pictures of crafts because it's easier than actually doing them...

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my boyfriend accompanied me to the craft store over the weekend and saw a quote on the wall that said "stop pinning and start creating" written in very whimsical font. (i think there were even starbursts surrounding it.) he thought that was particularly hilarious, and you know what? it's true. stop pinning. start creating. i'm telling that more to myself than to you. and here are a few starbursts to really get you going. ******

maker's market recap

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it's been one week since i did the maker's market. where does the time go?! seriously. i planned on typing up this post early last week and here it is seven days later. eh, better late than never.

the event was a huge success in my eyes. no, we did not have a huge turnout (because of the weather), i did not make thousands of dollars, nor did not sell out of inventory, but boy was it a good time! i don't think it could have been a better "starter market" for me. it gave me the chance to get out there and set up my display and meet some very nice and talented artists. i told them it was my first time doing a market, and they were all excited for me. one of my customers turned out to be a local artist who used to make beautiful glazed ceramic beads for sale at ornamentea. she's kind of a celebrity in the local art scene, and she was very kind and encouraging of my art and even bought a few things. i played it cool, but on the inside I WAS DOING THIS!!! 

during the slow times of the market, i had a chance to hang with the other artist vendors and talk shop. they had some good information for me and even gave me a heads up about another local pop-up market. two of my favorite booths were tierra sol and uncaged artistry. seana from tierra sol makes beautiful, unique terrariums and becky from uncaged artistry makes arm knitted scarves in all kinds of rad colors. both girls were super cool and easy to hang with. thank you ladies for welcoming me in!

i loved the event so much that i am doing it again next saturday! we are having a "rain date re-do" because the weather last saturday did not play nice. hoping for sunny skies this time around! if you are in the raleigh area, come by cameron village and do a little holiday shopping.  

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maker's market

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i know you guys have been waiting with baited breath to find out what the exciting news is that i mentioned a couple of posts ago. right?! (say yes!)

i am super excited to announce that i am participating in my first craft market this weekend! cue the balloons falling down all around. i have been wanting to have a table at a craft fair for a few years now. if you remember, i even applied to this one and this one and got rejected. from both. double whammy.

i didn't look into having a booth elsewhere for a long time after that. it wasn't that i felt super discouraged about not getting in, but i guess i didn't find what i thought would be a good "starter market" for me. (come to find out, both of these markets are highly competitive, and now the thought of me applying with my little picmonkey collage photos makes me laugh.)

fast forward to the recent months. i attended one of sola's pop-up artist markets with my boyfriend during the summer. i was super inspired by the handmade items that i saw and the artists that i met, and i especially loved the table that kristin from bird and beau had set up. she had such a pretty display and her jewelry is just beautiful. i left this market feeling creatively charged and even more interested in being involved in the art market scene. i started thinking about my art and where i wanted to go with it. what was the next level? i didn't know exactly what that looked like, but i knew that participating in some kind of arts and crafts fair/market should definitely be part of my process.

and then about a week before my trip to california, i noticed that kristin of bird and beau was hosting her first art market in raleigh! i made it a point to schedule my day around that single event so i could check it out and officially introduce myself to kristin. she was super nice and friendly, and i told her i was interested in being involved in the next market she hosted. (go me! make things happen!) she told me they would definitely be having another event and to keep my eyes open on her instagram for details. oh, i will keep my eyes on your instagram. i WILL.

so, all that to say i am joining the art market ranks as of this saturday! i have been prepping my table with display props, working on building my jewelry stock, stamping business cards, collecting tissue paper for wrapping, and trying not to get too nervous about the big day. my trusty roommate will be by my side to help me put items in bags and smile at people, but mostly to add and subtract numbers. i seem to not be able to do correct math when in front of people. performance anxiety, i guess.

i have no expectations for the big day except to have fun and learn what i can. i think that will be a success in and of itself. i promise to take pictures and tell you alllll about it when it's over! wish me luck!

new in my etsy shop

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after a long absence, my etsy shop is back up and running! i have been busy listing a bunch of fresh pieces, and i'd love for you to stop by. i still have more to list, but i will add them little by little as i go along. it feels good to be back.

cards lately

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happy monday! how was everyone's weekend? i don't know about you, but it was haaard to get up this morning. i always set at least four alarms for myself. seems a little excessive, but experience has taught me that i can't get away with less. ("experience" in this case means WAKING UP at the time that i should be walking into work.) this morning i reset the fourth alarm three times. no wakey, more sleepy. it is mornings like these that i rejoice in the fact that coffee exists. oh, how thankful i am for that stuff.

i've mentioned in some previous posts that i sell my goods at various brick and mortar shops. it's the best thing in the world to sit down at my craft table and put together a new necklace style or series of greeting cards. and when i get to bring fresh inventory to places like swank coffee, saxapahaw mercantile and blue horse market? pure bliss.

i thought i'd share with you guys some of the valentine's day cards that i've been working on lately. i am a huge supporter of february 14th. all that pink and red and oversized stuffed animal crap just does it for me. i'm a great big softie, and i don't care who knows it.

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and now i have a serious question. would these styles and types of card be something you would like to see in my etsy shop? i have only ever sold jewelry on hum right along, but i'm interested in expanding my offerings. just curious! any feedback would be appreciated. (right now it is bare bones empty, but i've been working all weekend on listing lots of new items. be on the lookout!)

hope you guys have a great monday. if you're having a difficult time getting into the swing of things like i was this morning, pour yourself a big cup of coffee/tea/chai and listen to a favorite song. seems to help me. (right now, i'm digging great american canyon band.)

happy birthday little etsy shop

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today marks humrightalong's first birthday! 

release the balloons. cue the big band. confetti, confetti, confetti.

the process leading up to me starting an etsy shop was slow. i was afraid. what if i'm completely in over my head, and it's a huge flop? i was lazy. ehhh, i'll do it tomorrow. i have a bunch of shows to catch up with on hulu. i was indecisive. what should i name my shop? what should i name my shop? what should i name my shop?

i had to learn how etsy worked and figure out how much i needed to charge for shipping and where i needed to order my supplies and what kind of supplies i even needed. i had to decide what kinds of items i was going to sell and how much i was going to charge for them. i needed a shop banner. i needed to write my specific shop policies. it took some research, some guesswork, and a good amount of nagging from close friends and family before i finally opened up shop last july. 

i am so very glad i did. from my very first order (thanks, dad!) to my very latest order (thanks, mrs. felix!), i have enjoyed myself immensely. when i check my email and i see an order notification, my insides get a little wobbly, and i feel a rush of excitement. 

over the past year, i've shipped orders to north carolina, south carolina, washington dc, louisiana, california, maryland, michigan, las vegas, and ohio. (!!!) to the remaining states, territories, and districts: i'm coming for you. 

i've made very special custom orders for people who wanted to remember their loved ones. i've made silly custom orders for people to give to their best friends as inside jokes. i have even recently added a few new styles of beaded necklaces and earrings which i am really excited about.

thank you to everyone who has supported me by being my personal cheerleader or who has show their support by purchasing an item from my shop. it means so much to me, and i am beyond appreciative.

as a way of saying thank you, i am offering free shipping on all items purchased this week (monday, july 22nd-sunday, july 28th). just enter code "FIRSTBIRTHDAY" at checkout, and the shipping cost will be waived.

so, uh, i guess this is the part where i shamelessly plug my own shop. GO BUY SOMETHING. 

the handmade market

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as part of my "new year's resolution" i mentioned in this post, my goal for 2013 was/is to be brave in my words and deeds. one way i attempted (emphasis emphasized) to do that was to apply to be an artist in a local craft market. if you read that post, you already know that i failed. crashed and burned. was rejected. cried alligator tears as i read my dear john breakup letter. but you will also know that i decided to turn my bellyflop into something good. i decided to volunteer at both of the craft markets that had turned my application down. it was a great 2nd place prize. 

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i volunteered at the durham rock and shop in april. you can read about it here. the second craft fair i volunteered at was the handmade market held in downtown raleigh in cobblestone hall. i volunteered at this market a few years ago and got a sweet goodie bag as part of my thank you. if i wasn't going to be a vendor, i was definitely going to to get another one of those. 

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along with several other volunteers, i spent the morning greeting artists as they arrived, assisting them as they unloaded their cars, carrying their wares inside, fending off the stray lookie-loos (nosy people who wandered inside before the event started), and handing out totes to the customers once our doors officially opened.

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i had a fun time helping out at this event, and i'm hoping that one day i will be one of the artists! when that moment comes, you can trust that i will write about six blog posts about it.

and i did get another goodie bag just in case you were wondering. in this goodie bag there were peanut butter cups, dark chocolate hershey kisses, mini heath bars, a bar of soap, and a coffee shop gift card. it was a good day. 

rock and shop

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as mentioned in my previous post, i recently volunteered at two different craft markets in durham and raleigh. i had an amazing time helping at each. the first market was the rock and shop in downtown durham. i arrived early and met some of the other volunteers who were girls my age. we chatted with coffees in hand and discussed our favorite restaurants and coffee shops in durham. (mine: guglhupf). 

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the artists arrived shortly after so we moved outside to help them unload their wares and find their assigned tables inside the durham armory. 

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once the market's doors opened to the public, we stationed ourselves at the entrance handing out totes and welcoming them to the rock and shop. people were dang excited about some handmade crafts and especially giddy when we handed them a canvas tote and told them it was free. it's not a pony, it's a tote. i guess when something is free, you don't really care what it is or if you'll ever really use it. i can totally relate. i may have had to calm the butterflies in my stomach when the volunteer coordinator told me to grab one for myself.

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the main auditorium was filled to the brim with all sorts of handmade! screen print towels and t-shirts, felt ornaments, graphic posters and greeting cards, soaps and lotions, jewelry, paper goods, art for your home, and the list goes on. there was also a dj on stage spinning some tunes to set the mood and a fashion show featuring local talent. 

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the morning i spent volunteering was a great way to get my foot in the door and meet some really fun, creative people. it was inspiring to see the variety of artists and their wares. who knows, maybe next year i'll be one of the featured artists? be on the lookout. i'm going big. 

you have my word

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i'm not the type of person to make new years resolutions. the whole concept doesn't work all that well for me. in years past, i have found myself furiously composing a (longish) list of all the things i wanted to change about myself and then come january 1st attacking the list trying to change everything at once. 

talk about an exhausting way to set yourself up for failure. i don't know about you, but i have a lot of flaws and one enthusiastic week in early january is not going to change them. however, this year i wanted to give "new years resolutions" a chance. instead of making a list, my approach was to pick one word to focus on. this would give me 365 opportunities to take chances and work towards my overarching goal.

i spent only a little time thinking about my word. "brave".

being brave is not something i do very often. i'm not a total introvert or hermit, but after taking a little inventory of my life, i found these were the current ways that i am "brave": i like to try new foods. i like to meet new people (most of the time). you want me to check out a new band you just discovered? all over that. i'm not scared to fly. i take zumba on occasion. if coerced, i will probably go see the new tyler perry movie with you. just kidding. i would never do that.

wow. you can clearly see the leaps and bounds i need to make in this area in my life. is "trying new foods" even bravery? i think it's just called being a normal person.

i realized that i needed to take bigger chances and do things that would scare me a little. as everyone and their mom has probably read on pinterest "if it scares you, it might be a good thing to try." this resounded with me as i thought about several areas of my life that i knew needed improvement but had not done much to change. what was i afraid of? hard work? trying and failing? actually being successful?

one of those areas was my creative ventures. i have been toying with the idea of applying to a craft market for a while now. i always enjoy going to these types of events as a customer. the wide array of vendors and craft products are always exciting and inspiring. i look at all of the artists selling their great wares and think i could do that! but, unfortunately, that's usually where my thought process stopped.

this time was different. almost as soon as i started seriously considering applying, i found two different craft markets that were accepting applications. i took a deep breath and started working on getting a bio together, pictures of my work, a description of what inspires me, a list of my materials, and my process in creating. i paid my application fees, submitted my applications and then waited.

several weeks after each submission, i got my responses. i had not been chosen. from either. the rejection emails were very polite and diplomatic. something along the lines of "it was a very hard decision to make...we had many qualified applicants...you have great talent...but..."

something along the lines of a breakup speech.

you know the feeling of major disappointment? the feeling of getting picked last for dodgeball? the feeling of being left off the guest list to a friend's party? this was not any of those things. this was a little sad, yes, but a lot of satisfaction. a lot of happiness.

my satisfaction came from trying. my satisfaction came from taking a chance and not being scared to do something new. it came from being brave. to me, that's how i want to live this year. taking chances, being brave, being bold in what i say and do and how i treat others. not every opportunity will work out. (clearly). but opportunities working out is not the measure of success. the measure of success is seeing something that scares you and not running away from it.

i ended up volunteering at both of the craft markets that didn't accept me as a vendor, and it was a blast! i met some great people and worked alongside other women who shared my interest in arts and crafts. i took note of how the artists set up their tables and what kind of goods they had for sale. i bought a few items from the artists and noticed how they took sales and packaged up the items. i am filing this information away for future reference when i apply again to a craft fair and get accepted. because, believe me, it's going to happen.

in a weird, backwards way i am actually glad i didn't get into either of those craft fairs. while it would have been great to set up my own booth, there is perhaps even a greater lesson i needed to learn in this. sometimes even when you try, you won't make it. you'll actually fail, but that's ok. the things in life that don't come easily are appreciated even more when they do happen.

so, can everyone raise their coffee mug and toast with me? here's to a year of being brave. cheers!

(a post and fun pictures about the craft markets soon to come!)

new in the shop!

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ok, guys, new etsy pretties are here! i have been tinkering away at my dining room table turned craft workspace, and i am proud to present you all with some new necklaces. 

keep in mind that i also do custom orders. {they're my favorite.} so, if you like what you see, convo me with your special request,  and i will be at your service. 

enough with the reading! head on over to hum right along and do some browsing. 

sneak peek

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i've been busy crafting up a storm over here. here's a little sneak peek at one of the new necklaces i'm adding to my etsy shop! stay tuned. more to come. 

love notes

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valentine's day cards are some of my favorite to make-lots of pink, red, and swirly twirly hearts.

here are some of the cards i've been working on lately for swank. 

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look at that big pile of love right there. makes me feel a little woozy and weak in the knees. 

if you live in or near southern pines, you should totally swing by this rocking coffee shop and pick up a few of these love notes. it could be your valentine's gift to me. i'd also settle for a singing stuffed gorilla.