Artfully Ann's is moving to Camano Island. I know I've been quiet lately. That is because I am unpacking boxes and getting my studio ready for a big reveal. My primary focus will be to continue to stock my shelves at That's Knot All in La Conner, WA. Etsy will be my secondary method of sales. Once things settle down I can reassess and see where this new path takes me. Thanks for bearing with me! More to come.

July 27, 2015

Artfully Ann's items can now be found at That's Knot All Artist's Co-Op in La Conner, Washington. 

I've been busy setting up my displays and learning the ropes.  I really like the people and the location of the shop.  It is on the water side of Pier 7.  

La Conner has a new board walk along the river and it makes a great place to stroll as you watch the boats go by.  There is great shopping, good food and wonderful views.

That's Knot All is having an Open House this coming weekend on Saturday, August 1, from 11:00 to closing.  There will be live Art demonstrations and snacks.  Come on by and visit us.  Most of the artists will be there and available to discuss their work.  Lots of beautiful art and gifts are available.   

 It is not to early to start shopping for Christmas!!

Hope to see you there.  Check out our Facebook pages.

 

BYE for now!!

June 29, 2015

Artfully Ann's Etsy site will be closed until July 22, 2015 while I wander around shops, open air markets, native culture museums, cities, towns, mountains, beaches and just generally take it easy. When I take time to check the internet I will be posting messages and you can follow my adventures on www.artfullyanns.blogspot.com    You can find out more about Artfully Ann's at www.artfullyanns.com.  We at Artfully Ann's thank you for stopping by and encourage you to come back and visit upon our return.

June 3, 2015

It has been a while.  I've been pretty busy making new products, but also attending markets and setting up a new shop.  I'm so excited I have to tell you about it.  I am also very active on my Facebook page on a daily basis if you want to keep up.  "Like" www.facebook.com/artfullyanns and join the Artfully Ann's community.

First,  I was invited to participate in a few of the Everett Farmers Market events on Sundays from 11 o' clock to 4 o'clock.  It is a beautiful market right on the waterfront pier in Everett.  I'm a new vendor and have participated in two Sunday events.  It takes a while to get your foot in the door.  I'm hoping there will be spots available later in the summer.  The long standing vendors get first pick on booths.  I'm on stand-by.  I'll let you know next time I have an opportunity to sell there. 

Here is a picture of my booth.

Second, during our visit to La Conner, Washington on Mother's Day (our favorite place to visit for brunch) I walked into an artist co-op.  I asked them about joining.  I completed all the paperwork and was juried in.  They have accepted my fiber art into the co-op gallery.  I'm just thrilled!

Last week I went  to set up my display in the shop.  Now I have a full time location where my items are on display and available for sale.  I'm very pleased.  The co-op is call "That's Knot All Artists' Co-Operative" and is located in the Yellow Pier 7 Building, 128 S 1st Street, La Conner, WA  98257, Phone 360-399-1660.  The shop is open daily, seven days a week from 11o'clock to 4 o'clock.  Check it out on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Thats-Knot-All-Artists-Co-Operative.

 

 Here are some pictures of my display at That's Knot All!

 

 

In addition, I will also be participating in the ArtsNorth Studio Tour on September 12 and 13th.  More information on this tour can be found at https://www.facebook.com/ArtsNorthStudioTour.

 

In late September I will be at Corvallis, Oregon for the Fall Festival.  As we get closer to September I will fill you in.  Gee, it isn't even summer yet.  

 

Let the fun begin.  Come a visit when you get a chance, or just check in on Facebook, or check out my Etsy site at www.etsy.com/shop/artfullyanns

 

By for now!!

 Carol Ann

April 20, 2015

Here are some current active items available on my Artfully Ann's Etsy website.  Come take a look and shop through each category.  It is the easiest way to shop.  I hope you stop by.

By the way, Artfully Ann's will be at the Apple Farm Village in Woodinville, WA on May 2, 2015 from 11:00 to 6:00.  There will be wine tasting, music and eight artists displaying there art.  Come on down and say HI!!

By for now!!

April 18, 2015

New lessons learned on paint disposal today.  Here is a warning to all who have paint stored.  Getting rid of it may not be as easy as you think.   

We have dozens of cans of paint left over from the builder and from various painting activities, including exterior painting of our home.  Today we wanted to clean out our garage.  Throwing the paint away was first.  We just figured we would take it down to the hazardous waste dump as we had in the past.  WRONG!  Latex paint is no longer considered hazardous waste in Washington State.

  

 

To dispose of latex paint you have to mix it with kitty litter, spread it out on plastic and let it dry.  Then you can put it in your trash.  Sounds easy enough?  It is not. 

 We found that painters like to put other things back into paint cans.  We found unidentified solvents, brushes, rollers and hazardous materials mixed with the latex.  Kitty litter does not work on these toxic chemicals.

 

I think the folks at the EPA and others at the hazardous waste sites need to rethink their decision to have homeowners and other disposing of their own latex paint.  

John and I are pretty experienced with paint and painting materials and know what paints are what.  Even so John was running upstairs to the computer to check the disposal processes just to make sure we were doing it right.  So many people could get into SO MUCH TROUBLE playing with disposing of paint, thinners and solvents that really are NOT harmless.  I think I have a headache!!  

Be careful out there when you are working with these toxic materials!  We now have a pile of paint cans that are not "oil based" paints that will be going to the hazardous waste dump tomorrow.  I can't wait to have a chat with them!

Bye for now!

April 4, 2015

Great Article on Buying Art

One of the  Facebook pages I watch had a great  reference the other day to a guide to how to buy art.  I thought I'd share it with you.  The complete article can be found at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/distilled-perspective.  The article is titled "Guide to Buying Art: 7 Things to Look for When Purchasing a Piece"  by Stephen Tanenbaum.


I would highly suggest you read the whole article, but in a nutshell it suggests that when you choose art you look for the following things:

 
Cohesive Style; Originality; Content; Emotional Connection; Artist's Background; Balance Between Process and Product;  and Quality.




The 10 Questions to Ask Yourself When Buying Art:

1.  Do I have an emotional reaction to the piece?
2.  Does the piece bring me into it, or am I looking at it?
3.  Does the color palette stimulate my senses?
4.  Does the composition guide my eye through the piece
5.  Do I understand the piece?  Is it conceptual and thought-provoking without being to complicated to understand?
6.  Is there anything unique about in the creation process that sets the work apart?
7.  Is the artist working in a cohesive style? (this indicates focus, repetition, and practice which leads to more refined work)
8.  Is the artist building on a previous artist's work or an artistic movement?
9.  Is the piece well constructed?  Is it made of materials that will fade or technology that may go out of date?
10..  Do I continue to think about the work and its meaning far after purchasing the piece?  Would I grow tired of it?  Does the work have staying  power?

As an artist these questions are good ones to ask yourself as you create the Art.  If you hope to sell your pieces you want to be sure that the Buyer of the art can answer Yes to ALL of these questions.  Maybe not everyone viewing your pieces will love what you do, but enough so that you can sell what you make and that allows you to make more.

I really thought these were very interesting and meaningful points.  The article goes into even more detail.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT!!

By for NOW!!

3/29/2015

YESTERDAY

I volunteered at the  

Spring Best of the Northwest Art and Fine Craft Show

7400 Sandpoint Way NE, Building 102N, Seattle, WA 98115

The last day is today, March 29, 10am-5pm.  If you have never been to this show then you must go!!  It is some of the best collection of handmade art in our area.  I had so much fun booth sitting as the artists took short breaks to refresh themselves.  There are some great presentations and a Tesla outside for car enthusiasts to view up close.

It is a must see!!!!

• 110 artists showcasing the finest art and craft in the Pacific Northwest
• Artist Demonstrations on both days
• Art4Kids table for your budding young artist
• Basket of Art giveaways
• Delicious food and beverages by local vendors
• Free parking
• Full details are now available on the Northwest Art Alliance website www.nwartalliance.org

Don't make me say I told you so!!

March 26th, 2015

We are back from our trip and had lots of fun shopping for gem stones and Pendelton wool.  Now it is time for me to get back to work.

I'm working on applications for summer and fall festivals.  Preparing pictures to submit for juried entries takes some time, but it is very important.  

GOOD NEWS!!!  I have been invited to participate in the Arts North Studio Tour on September 12 and 13th.  I'm one of five artists that will be featured at one studio included in the tour.  More information to follow as we get closer!!


The new gem stones and wool should help to round out my offerings.  Here is an example of a few items I have or will be adding to my shop shortly.

 I also enjoyed knitting as we drove through the  beautiful country side.  I have some new scarves I'll be adding to my shop as well.  

Wait until you see some of the new greeting cards I'll be selling at my summer booths.  Some of you may have seen a few of these pictures on my Artfully Ann's Facebook page.  The Southwest is such a beautiful place.

Well, it is back to work...or play... for now.  Please keep in touch.  Check out Artfully Ann's Etsy page as there is always something new.

Bye for now!

C. Ann

March 2, 2015

There is a whole new look on www.artfullyanns.com Come take a look!! It is another way to keep track of my blog and Etsy postings.

February 23, 2015

I found a beautiful mannequin, I'm calling her Molly,  just waiting for me in an antique store this weekend.  She is so beautiful all dressed in white lace and is no bigger than a size 4.  What a difference she makes when photographing some of my hard to photograph items. 

Here are a few samples of already seen items being worn by Molly.  Doesn't she just set them off.  I think you will be seeing a lot more of her on Artfully Ann's.  So glad I found her hiding under a dusty old coat.

Now....don't you think she makes a difference?  I'm so glad I found Molly.  Hopefully it will make a difference in how my product looks over all.  Little by little Artfully Ann's will continue to mature.  This is just another step in the process.

Time to go to bed.  Take care and sleep tight!!

Carol Ann

February 23, 2015

During my recent trip to Hawaii I enjoyed the company of many talented knitters and crocheters. Here are just a few pictures of some of the lovely ladies I met and their extraordinary art. Thanks Paula for passing your pictures on since I didn't bring my camera up to our knitting group. Go figure!!

How I enjoy getting to know new people on a ship by knitting every morning we are at sea.  It is one of the best parts of a journey.  Thank you lovely ladies for making this trip special!

Keep on knitting!!

Carol Ann

February 18, 2014






http://indieuntangled.com/make-1m-year-selling-knitting-successful-etsy-importer/

 

This article is a true story, but she is a scam. It is worth reading, if nothing else but to understand what this world is coming to.

 

How sad to see Etsy coming to this. The article just confirms what many of us already know. When I saw that Etsy changed their categories listing the other day it became apparent that “handmade” is no longer one of their core values. There is no reference at all to handmade items. The listings take most of the key words out for those of us who want to drive the customers to our shops using words that describe our home made, handmade, one-of-a-kind products. 

 

Etsy is stepping on the folks that made their website successful in lieu of assisting those who buy cheap goods, touch them by repackaging them and placing their label on them and calling them “Made in America” or “Handmade”. Even Etsy’s new promotional settings is just set up to making them more money, and our return on investment is nil. As a small business I take offense to this. Etsy is not in the business of assisting small, struggling art and crafts type businesses as it once was. Eventually I can see them setting up an IPO on the stock market. It is just a matter of time.  Actually it has come to light that and IPO is going to be offered in the near future.  The small handmade craft business has been left out in the cold to allow a select few people to make some big money.   Hummmm something sounds so familiar here.  History does repeat itself!

Those of us who actually make our product really need to find another venue. One that cares about the small art and craft business people. I’m so very sad, because this is the way the whole world seems to be headed. Quality and price do not seem to have anything to do with each other. Art is not in the eye of many in the general population these days. True artists will continue to create just because it is in our soul, but trying to find a venue to sell it will continue to be a challenge.

……..

 

Here are some sites that have been recommended to me from various sources.  I'm going to check them out!

 

https://handmadeartists.com 

http://www.thecraftstar.com 

http://www.deviantart.com

https://festivalnet.com

 

All of these sites have the systems available for artists and hand crafter's to sell their handmade art.  They are not as widely known as Etsy, but with time one of these will probably take over where Etsy is leaving off.

 

Stay tuned....I'm sure the saga will continue!!

 

 Sleep tight!

 

 Carol Ann