My hand painted Maine Lobster Buoys, from the beginning

At the beginning of this year, when I made my goal of blogging more often and consistantly, I wasn't sure what that was going to look like.  I still don't.  Once a month feels positive.    

sold oct 8 2011

I've been wanting to have a visual history of all the buoys I've painted since I sold my first one as a Christmas Ornament back on October 8, 2011.

sold April 9, 2012

Then I sold my first set of three.

May 1, 2012

And then another.

May 28, 2012

Then came my first custom Wedding.  It was exciting & rewarding.  I still connect and paint custom work for this bride.  It was the beginning of many amazing connections with my customers.

July 17, 2012

Aug 12,2012

Aug 2,2012

Then came my first Maine Wedding and I was able to hand deliver the bride's buoys and meet her in person.

Oct 1, 2012

These buoys were a super fun, fast paces custom project.  The bride gave me a lot of creative space for color choices.  She wanted bright and bold.  I love them!

April 15,2013

Elegant & Classy.

May 16, 2013

Pink Lobsters!   Look closely and you will see I painted a pink lobster on each buoy. My most unusual custom request so far, one of the many reasons I love my customers, they help me think and paint outside the box.

May 30, 2013

Navy, white and Brilliant Pink - busy, busy spring for me

June 2, 2013

My first key ring wedding favor order.

June 10, 2013

A sweet and pretty little custom order.

June 21, 2013

Sept  2, 2013

Navy and white is very popular right now.

Sept 3,2013

I started work with this bride last Fall to design this super classy buoys for her Summer 2014 Wedding!

Nov 27 , 2013

Jan 22,2014

 Time to wrap up this post with what I was painting earlier today...Feb 1, 2014

Hello 2014, the word Action has been showing up all over the place for the last few weeks in every area of my life, so let's go.  Blogging more often and consistantly is one of my personal and business goals for 2014.  

What a difference a Year can make

This is my studio a few days ago, in the early morning hours, finishing up a batch of ornaments for the upcoming Holiday season. 

 When I paint, I do a lot of thinking.   Sometimes it's about the new design I may be working on.   If it's a custom order, I often think about the recipient and the memories that will be associated with the Artwork I am creating.  

 This particular morning, I was painting  multiples, so I choose to do it production work style.    So I was painting away and I found myself going back to where I was this time last year.  (The following photos show the step by step process to the completion of this design.) 

 2012 was a strange mixture of personal struggles and blessings going on.  My little Art Business was growing, doing quite well, but I was barely keeping up and couldn't really enjoy what was happening

  What a difference a year can make!  2013 has brought some much need changes for me.

 My life is full instead of out of control busy

Self care is critical.

 I pay attention better when I feel overwhelm taking over and actually pause and regroup.   I am learning acceptance to the reality of what is possible in any 24 hr. period.  

  My life is a work in progress, not perfection these days.  

 I've learned how to reach out and connect in a way I was unable to in my past, which has meant that I'm learning how to ask for help and taking the hands that are offered.

                                               
                                                2013 Snowmen Holding Hands Ornament

https://www.etsy.com/listing/161825309/christmas-ornament-snowmen-holding-hands?ref=shop_home_active

The gifts of stepping out of my comfort zone

I have a very exciting and rewarding custom order that I am working on.  It's also nerve wracking because it is taking me way out of my comfort zone. It's been awhile since I've done that.  And it's time.  It's the only way I am every going to grow my little Art Business.  It's not like I haven't ever created complex detailed  Custom Art, I have.   

Custom Set of four pieces of sea glass (harvested off the coast of Maine) that I painted and wire wrapped back in December 2008.  These are real houses and buildings on surfaces 2" and smaller.  Super cool project.

Back in 2008, I had not opened up my online shop on Etsy.com yet, that was just dream.  But after completing these sea glass pieces, I wanted it real bad.  So I pushed myself and opened www.bethscraftroom.etsy.com  on March 30, 2009 and had my first sale a few weeks later on April 8th, 2009.   

Fast forward almost five years later, a lot has happened in my life and through it all, my business has been growing.  The custom orders are varied and satisfying.   I am making the most wonderful connections with my creativity.  

Day 1  August 6, 2013

This particular order is for a local repeat customer.  Pinch me, I have repeat customers!   The photos are from my customer's childhood home in northern Maine.  The slate is also from that area of Maine.  I chose this piece of slate to "practice on" my technique.  The actual larger piece of slate that my customer wants painted is waiting back in my studio while a get my courage up to begin the one of a kind surface.    

Day 2   August 7, 2013

I am full of hope.  Every time I step out of my comfort zone, I grow and discover more courage I dared not believe I had.   I have found my Faith that I thought I had lost.   I am at a wonderful turning point in my life and it feels good.  

Day 3  August 8, 2013

When I look at these photos, it's hard to believe that it was my hand that held the paint brush.  I am humbled at the gifts that have been given to me.     

Day 4  August 9, 2013

custom orders rock!

The personal connections made with my customers are a gift to me.  

 That is why I love creating custom Artwork.   I completed this just before Christmas.

These buoys are one of three custom wedding orders that I am currently working on...

And that is it  for now, for this very tired Maine woman who generally rises very early to get her painting time in.

Blizzard 2013

 What a day!  This was about 8:30am this morning, from inside my home.  We're guessing we ended up with over two feet of snow today and boy did the wind blow!  I thought surely we would loose power.

But we were fortunate, we did not, so I was able to spend some quality time in my studio for a good part of the day, waiting and waiting for the storm to subside.

Finally, late in the afternoon, with the wind still blowing, I decided it was time to spend some quality time with our shovel...

I am going to be soooo sore in the morning...

From my Studio...

I am excited!  -all these ornaments are for sale at the Maine Jewelry and Art Gallery on Harlow Street, Bangor Maine. 

This is the second Holiday Season that I have been invited to consign my hand painted Ornaments and Wine Bottle Charms in this amazing Shop.  If you find yourself in Bangor, I invite you to stop in and see for yourself the wide offering of Artwork and Jewelry by the many talented Artisans.    www.mainejewelryart.com

You can also many of the these Ornaments and my other hand made offerings on my online Etsy Shop.  www.bethscraftroom.etsy.com

I'm painting every moment I can...

 and always working on new designs and creations, like these two ornaments.  The Mosaic Ornament above is created with actual Lobster Shells.  The two below, I used mussel shells harvested off our beautiful coast of Maine.

These newest designs will be available very soon.

I enjoy custom orders, I have personalize many of my ornaments and mini lobster buoys for special occasions.   

Happy Holidays!