The Art of the "It" Factor

Every artist dreams of coming up with the next "Thing". Something that no one else is doing or take what everyone is doing (Marginally), twist it, improve upon it and make it better. Then a name-Name your art with a completely unique, instantly recognizable name and again, find something that has not been done To Death. The chances of finding a genre, hitting the popularity curve, carving out a niche and then making it profitable (and fun for you, The Artist) are about a gazillion to 1 odds. But when you hit that all too elusive sweet spot, oh how sweet it is!

Dr Brassy on Etsy

I feel I have done that with my Steampunk Sightmares Eyes ™ ©. The name, the idea, the materials and workmanship- all unique to me. It's been a labor of love, much research and development, but now I have my little creepy, beautiful evil eye babies to show the world and surprise of surprises, the world loves them.
Sightmares Eyes

Sightmares ™ © Eye

Backup a bit to 1988 when Kimberlee (my real name) was doing Steampunk jewelry long before there even was "Steampunk". I was simply a girl, in a small town, doing jewelry so completely odd that very few people noticed and many who did, thought a had more than one screw loose.

Soft Steampunk

I think what helped get me out there as an artist was to come up with my alt-persona, Dr Brassy Steamington. She has a personality and sass, all her own. She has her own Facebook page, her own way of doing things and a life that is drenched in Steampunk ethos.

Dr Brassy became the vehicle in which people could identify me with my art. They want to know Dr Brassy, want to own a piece of Dr Brassy and that's where the connection comes in. Artist+Art+Customer = A whole experience.

Dr Brassy

I am not saying that everyone should come up with an alter ego or that everyone should do Steampunk because it's the current hot trend. Trends fade and there is always a new genre to take its place. Remember that I have been loyal to my Steampunk credo for over 25 years. That's a long time to wait for the world to catch up.

What I do recommend is that you find your "It" factor and put all your energy into it. What is it that you do, better than anyone? Are you a Magician with wrapped wire? Are you the Clay Goddess? Do you take Patina to places no one has seen? Everyone has a gift. The trick seems to be in finding it. There are artists that will try every new material that comes along and they do measurably well in each. But to be really successful, it would be quite expensive and exhausting to be a PMC Clay, Resin, Stained Glass, Brass Stamping, Wrapped Wire and Beading Artist, all at the same time.

Ultimately you also have to be happy with the creation process. There is no amount of money that could make me craft anything that makes me miserable. This is probably why, when I was a paid seamstress, I hated to sew but now that I sew for relaxation and fun, I love it again.

So find what makes you happy, give it a unique name, perfect the process, and then come tell me about it so I can promote you to the stars and back!

Dr Brassy on Etsy

~~~~Dr Brassy

Messy Workshop Blog Hop Follow Up -Dr Brassy Saves the Day

After the epic disaster in what was Dr Brassy's art studio, our devotedly organized Dr Brassy, put on her gloves, her Steamer goggles, saddled up with some organizer bins and went to work. The result is a studio that even the most fastidiously organized artist would feel right at home in. Labels are coming soon, but even without labels, it's a nicely done little piece of Steampunk artist paradise.

See all the Blog Hop participants here: Blog Hop

See Dr Brassy's Art here: Dr Brassy on Etsy

Bins=$19.99  Chain hanger=$8.99 Being able to find everything=Priceless

Gone are the twist tube towers and in their place are these drawer bins. Get them at the hardware store from 14.99 for a 16 drawer bin to 38.99 for a 64 drawer bin.
Bins come in three drawer sizes!
The wood necklace/chain hangers are actually Junetailor.com http://store.junetailor.com/store/p-91-mid-size-cone-rack-33-cones-with-legs.aspx

A free paint stick from Home Depot to measure necklace chains.

Rainbow bins that hold the extra long bead boxes

Messy Workshop Blog Hop 04/27/2012 Hosted By BsueBoutiques.com

Bsue Boutiques Bbsueboutiques Supplies Messy Workshop Blog Hop Party! See all participants here:    Blog Hop

I am, by nature, an organized lady. Not by DNA but by the fact that I was born in a single-wide mobile home and then spent many years of my adult life living in same. Anyone who has lived in a single-wide mobile home knows that you learn very quickly how to maximize the use of that 10 foot by 50 foot space, least you feel like a human sardine.

Well, I organized my art studio and then left my very capable assistant, Copper, in charge while I was gone. What I returned to was a disaster of epic proportions as my dear employee decided to have a party while I was gone. THIS is what I returned home to:

Copper hung over from the night before

Crazy insane amounts of unorganized bins that have taken over our guest bed.

Copper and her mannikin friends must have had a real good time at my expense as the liquor cabinet was left bone dry.....and my art studio resembled a war zone.

Dining Room Table/Steampunk Heaven

Copper's idea of making her own art

Copper's organizational skills



Dr Brassy on Etsy

Lights, Camera, Etsy! Lightboxes and the Right Camera for Etsy Success

When I go back to my first photos on Etsy I can feel nothing but shame. I am sure a 4th grader was helping me way back in 2009. At least that is what the end results of those early photos show.

Fast forward to 2011 and I am all grown up (Etsy photography-wise). My photos show it and I could not be happier.  The pot of gold at the end of the Etsy photo rainbow includes two items that are the "Must Haves" in the world of Etsy. A Lightbox and the RIGHT Camera.

At left is an early photo, with the Fuji JX250 Camera, no lightbox. AUGH!





 


 This is a link to a great "How To" on building your own inexpensive lightbox. How to make a lightbox

This is my finished lightbox made for less than $20.00. And below is the kind of photos you get with it using my new camera!

 Fuji cameras are budget friendly, and they may be great for outdoors shots of people and animals; but for close-up, jewelry photography....they just don't make the cut. After just a few months of use, they start to blur out on the "Micro" setting. So I took  my $150.00 budget and went looking for the right camera.

What I found was a dream of a camera, the Sony Cybershot DSC-W570. 16.1 Mega pixels, 5X zoom,  with white balance and a little setting called "Gourmet Food" that is the perfect setting for close up, "Oh My Gawd!", jewelry shots like this....

So don't let your budget keep you from thinking you can't have million dollar photos in your Etsy shop. Not only is it not true, but the resulting increase in sales will more than pay for that $109.00 camera and $20.00 magic little lightbox!


~ Dr Brassy

Coffins, Coffins, Everywhere-I am just dying to get my hands on them!!!

October is thrust upon me in the way that motherhood is thrust upon a first time Mom. It's HERE and I need to spend every second taking care to be sure I don't fall behind. Of course the reason October is my month of total insanity and little sleep is due to the Samhain/Halloween Season. It is the time of witches, vampires, gouls and all the dark gothic wonderment that goes with it.

So with October weighing heavily on my every waking breath. I looked around the dungeon (known as a "Craft Room", "Laboratory", "Artist Loft" and now "Dungeon" as I see fit), and discovered with horror that I had exactly ZERO coffins/caskets on hand.

A mad rush to Joann Crafts turned up  exactly nil coffins. As did the same frantic shopping spree to Beverlies Crafts, Betty's Fabrics and Michaels...So what to do?????????

My savior came in the body of one of my "A Nightmare on Etsy" teammates, Annette. She saved my bacon for sure and I am now waddling in mini-coffin heaven. For those of you even further behind than I am. Coffins can be had at Donmechanic.com and SOME Michaels stores (I had to drive 2 hours to find one that had mini coffins and I bought them out).

So go forth into the night with your mini mouse sized coffin of delight.... and tell them Dr Brassy sent you!

~Dr Brassy

It's been a "Moving" Experience

Moving is like giving birth. It is. It is like giving birth to a 1900 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, double- garaged... baby. It's a baby that needs tending and care, nurturing and feeding. It is painful, it will make you cry and there is a 110% chance you will get into a huge fight with the person you love that has joined you at the hip for this birth...I mean, Move.
After the pain is gone, the blood has been cleaned up and the linens washed; after the stitches are taken out and the bruises heal, you are left with a nest that is yours to call home. Everything that was horrible washes away and there is just happiness and contentment.
Still- I will never move again for the rest of my life if I have my way. I want to be here forever and I want to plant fruit trees, put roses in the garden and add Dr Brassy elements to make this a home any Steampunk would envy. 

Things I learned along the way.
Never do business with a company that has it's call center overseas.
Never buy appliances from a company that outsources it's deliveries.
Never use people to clean your house or carpet that smoke cigarettes.
Check out a neighborhood at night and on the weekends before committing to buy or rent.
Leave your old house in better condition that when you rented/bought it. 
Go out and  meet the neighbors. Wave when they drive by and say hello when retrieving the paper in your robe in the morning. Be "Neighborly".
Banks are evil.
A Good Realtor is worth their weight in gold.
Always tip for a job well done as people are barely making minimum wage nowadays.
Keep your sanity. You will get through it. 

My Singer looks right at home

Here is a photo of the living room starting to take shape.

I waited 46 years for a fainting couch!

Mr Steamington channeling his inner "Hef"

Just Call Me A Maverick For Our Time

There are people who will remain unnamed in this blog, who claimed to be "Mavericks" sometime back around 2008. I am not talking that kind of Maverick or politics at all for that matter. I am talking Steampunk Nerf  N Strike Mavericks. If any of you have attempted a Maverick Make Over or Maverick Contraption Redo. You know the headaches, perplexity and general FUBAR of the project if you don't do it in exactly the right order and in exactly the right way. Although everyone and their cousin has gotten on the Maverick bandwagon, I still think there are unique and amazing designs to be had in the genre. Here is a photo journal of the Maverick Nerf N Strike from start to finish with a "Do it Yourself" list of Tips and Trix at the end.

Your basic finished Maverick.

Very fancy Maverick!

Tips and Trix: Take the whole gun apart first. Dremmel off any lettering, copywrite marks etc. Sand the plastic to get the shine off with a fine grit sandpaper. Primer the whole gun. Choose your paint colors. You can spray paint, use paint pens or use a soft lint free cloth to dab on the paint on for an aged look. My fav Mavericks have several different metallic colors on one gun. You can use an antiquing gel, metallic dust, or antiquing rubs as well. Ideas to make your Maverick unique are to burn scroll designs into the gun like the last photo, or you can add brass filigree, copper fittings or any other accoutrements.  Use wire to hang the Maverick when painting to let it dry. When you are done, seal the gun with a clear acrylic sealant and let it dry for 2 days.
This will give you a gun that will last for many battles and still look just as perfect as the day you made it. 
~ Dr Brassy