Friday, June 14, 2013

Prepping for a con! (in artist's alley or the dealer's room!)

I'm heading to Anime Blues Con which right around the corner and I thought it would be a good idea to make a con survival post for those who are behind the tables selling or promoting at a convention.

Cons can be a fun and wonderful experience but when you're behind a table you need to make sure you have a few things with you, besides your equipment and product, to make it through the day!

Survival Bag Contents: 
  • Large Water Bottle. (You'll have plenty of sodas, Ramune, and other fun beverages to drink but you need to drink plenty of water to keep yourself going!)
  • Towel ('cause you know the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy says so!)
  • Extra set of clothes (if you're like me you'll be in costume most of the day but when it comes to tearing down you'll want a pair of comfy clothes to be in to leave!)
  • Extra Cash outside of your change for customers
  • Phone Charger 
  • A Bento Box of Healthy Goodies (If you have dietary restrictions or allergies this is a must plus you need to stay healthy in a sea of pocky, ramen, and hi-chews.)
  • Deodorant (Do I need to explain con funk to you?)

Once you're behind your table you need to remember a few things also: 
  • Establish relationships with your fellow dealers/artist alley people! These people will help to watch your table when you need to run to the bathroom or help to get food. 
  • Don't forget packaging for items!  It makes your items feel specials and your customers.
  • Remember to give our your promotional items to everyone who stops by and thank them! 
  • Don't forge to take breaks before things start to rev back up or when they start to die down. 
  • Offer to watch your fellow dealers/artist alley members tables if they need to take a break when they do it for you! 

These are just a few things for surviving a con when you are behind a table and can apply when you are at a con as well hopping around from panel to panel.




Monday, June 10, 2013

What happens when you cross My Little Pony with the Invisible Pink Unicorn?


 You get My Little Invisible Pink Unicorn!
(Yes that is my arm and the original line work I did for it)

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Sailor Moon Goodies



I have some new goodies coming to the shop once the weather and lighting gets better! There's sailor moon tiaras and her first locket both made from craft foam for those who, as always with Tiny Little Magic, need something quick and easy for their costumes.

**I'm really embarrassed by my foam head! My kiddo got to it one day while she was in a destroying anything foam stage. It now looks like a zombie got to it...

Monday, May 13, 2013

The semester is DONE and I still have work to do around here...


I've just finished the semester and I'm getting ready to either start student teaching or if I'm lucky I'll get to write my thesis if I can find a new teaching job. I've been lucky my business has been keeping me afloat for most of the year when I needed it most. I've done three craft/comic book conventions this year and I've been in at least 4 art shows. My craft has been getting better and this latest piece has proved it. Someone asked me to make the summer Juban Middle School uniform from Sailor Moon. I can say it was a labor of love but I know that since I've done one that I an pull off more much more easily now.

Friday, March 29, 2013

BOWS


Brand new bows for the shop. I'm expanding into more patterned materials for more custom cosplay outfits. 

Solid Cotton Bows - $6.00
Patterned Bows - $8.00

Monday, March 25, 2013

Midsouth Con 31





I'm home from Mid-South Con! The family and I had a lot of fun and my place in the art showroom this year went over much better then in years past! The kiddo rocked out her Fluttershy outfit I made for her and the costume I helped my husband create won a hallway award! I'm really reconsidering my life as a teacher since my costume and art works are getting a lot more attention as I actually take the time to put things out there.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

A well oiled machine



Its almost the end of spring break for me and if I got at least one thing accomplished it was a complete reoganization of my work space. I've been having problems with clutter and my studio looked like a tornado hit it. So using only a $20 dollar bill and a ton of trash bags I attacked the studio. I bought a bunch of small bins from the dollar tree to organize my threads, bias tapes,office supplies, and other small objects I use often in my business to arrange my supplies in a manner that made it easier for me to find it so getting work done and clean up will take less time then before. I've also separated my racks with one for supplies and the other for completed product.

I am so happy with the set up now, especially with the photography area for my cosplay pieces, because I might be actually able to get some work done at home! Now if the rest of life could just take a back seat so I could have maybe 3 hours to sit at the sewing machine I would be a happy mommy....

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Experimentation



Lately I've been collecting material that I've been inspired by on my tumblr dash such as the coveted universe and star patterns that has been covering everything imaginable to create new collars and bows. I've been working slowly but here are a few examples I've created so far, by mixing patterns with solids. Its a nice change up from the usual solid on solid routine.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Yesterday was my Birthday

Yesterday was my 28th birthday and the last day of midterms for me! Its been a crazy couple of weeks lately with family, school, work, and my health. I've been experiencing unexplained fatigue, pain, and inflammation across most of my joints and my back making it difficult to work consistently. My doctors are unsure about what is actually wrong with me because my blood work is showing that everything is fine, but I'm about to get to a second opinion once this next round of results come back.  Adding to the fuel to the fire my mother in law last week tripped in her own breaking her right arm and greatly bruising the left hip socket. My husband is my mother in law only child left in town so we're taking care of all of her business and her home while she's in rehab. Luckily she's out of the hospital but we don't know how long she'll be at the rehabilitation place.

What is happening with Tiny Little Magic? We're still open but moving slowly. Admittedly my work space is in desperate need of a good cleaning and rearranging to accommodate my new found inabilities. I've considered calling in help from the big guns (my mom) to get the space in a way that best suits me effectively and so I won't hurt myself in the process. Luckily, I am on spring break now and I can call in help as needed in multiple areas and rest as needed.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Happy Hearts and Hooves Days

...or Valentines Day if you prefer. Its my daughter's first big girl VDay at school so I've made her a special My Little Pony inspired mail box. It so hard to tell that the box is super glittery but I've ordered by the dear husband to protect the box for future use.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Hi...


... our mommy doesn't still feel too hot so we're saying HI. 

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

My new digs.. for at least the spring


This where I've been hanging out most of the week for the last couple of weeks since the semester started again. I've gotten the same studio space for the last three painting seminar courses and with it comes loads of lady bugs oh my table, art, and even myself. I really don't mind it but to the art work! 

Starting on the left: Cosplay self-portraits of Batgirl aka Daily Affirmation, Princess Amethyst, and Scarlet Witch. 

Right Side to the Middle: Floral abstract representations of the cycles I experience on a day to day basis. 

I plan on working on a lot of shop stuff this weekend! Keep your eyes peeled! 

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Kickin' it Sailor Scout Style


Sailor Moon shrink magic piece on a hot pink jute cord. 

I've been trying to take it easy by working mostly on the computer and avoiding a lot of strenuous and detailed work with my hands. I normally don't like to talk about my health on this blog but I deal with some significant health problems where I take several medications to control the symptoms. Lately I've been dealing with worsening exhaustion, pain, and numbness making doing work in long stretches nearly impossible if I'm doing the work in the studio courses I am currently enrolled in at my college. Its not affecting production or shipping yet, but I am going back to my doctor before my next scheduled appointment to figure out what is wrong and get new accommodations for school. 

Hanging out with Bill Maher

I'm really antsy and want the show to hurry up! 

What? What is this?! You mean there are this many people like me in Memphis? 
Over the weekend the husband and I went to go see Bill Maher at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Memphis with tickets we got as x-mas presents from my Mom. It was a fabulous show and mostly definitely surreal seeing him in person since I've been watching him from his Politically Incorrect days to most recently Real Time show on HBO. I wished it lasted longer and maybe even closer, but maybe next time he comes around again. 

Sunday, January 27, 2013

A different kind of horn


I have been taking a small turn from the land of unicorns and making some demon horns on a trial basis. I'm really loving the kind on the bobby pins for those who don't want a headband, though I personally prefer them because of the stability, but I want want everyone to enjoy some horns.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Pokemon!


 Just a quick little ditty I made up a few weeks ago and was a small hit at the Remix last week - Poke'ball hairpin! Great for a poke'mon cosplay outfit and I had a lot of girls getting it for just that!

Friday, January 25, 2013

Expanding the Costumes



 I've been expanding the services I offer with my insta-fukus to include skirts. This is just one order I've had recently and modeled with a long sleeve shirt I own so everyone can finally get the full effect. Currently, I am only offering the skirts as a custom order only but later this spring I'll offer the skirts and collars as a combo.

Katie likes... Cthulhu Perfume

I really really love the idea of a romantic Cthulhu perfume and would love to own only the bottle of this without the perfume in it.....

I have to admit something here, I'm actually really allergic to almost all perfumes. I get into massive and sometimes hysterical sneezing attacks when I'm around perfumes. This means no scented candles, soaps, detergents, but shampoos can be a hit or miss. My allergy to them can be so severe I even avoid social situations to avoid the headache/watery eyes/stuffed up and holidays and important social situations are the worse.

There is a up side on the scents for me because the natural companies like seventh generation, method, and Meyers tend to make less abrasive and more nose friendly scents for me that don't make me go haywire and feel sick.

Anyways... Can I just have the bottle or maybe a poster of the label? Perfumes make me sick.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Roll for Initiative

I've been working on a selection of D20 (twenty sided dice for those non-gamer people) necklaces in a rainbow of colors at the shop at the moment. I hand curl all of the copper tops that are attached to the dice as well as make the leather lace necklaces compliment them so well. 

Sunday, January 13, 2013

It looks like I have more stock then I do...

I made a pretty huge sale lately to a pretty awesome someone I admire so I have little less stock now then what's in this picture (Its not like I'm complaining!) I just have a lot to do before the end of this week happens because its the Winterfest Remix!  I'll reveal more once they post it on their blog but I for now I'll leave you with this tight corner photo of my studio reminds of the photos of cramped artist's apartments in Japan from this one photo book I own.

Teaching Again

I am happy to announce that I'm the new art teacher for the Chinese School at Riverdale which is associated with the Greater Memphis United Chinese Association! This means that my Sundays are going to be even more crazy since I also work as an art teacher for another place, but I think it will all work out.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Derpy Werpy Timey Wimey

 One of my loyal locals has a pair of Doctor WHO obsessed girls who are equally obsessed with My Little Pony and if didn't know the shows creators stuck an homage to DW in MLP. If you didn't understand as to why the show had many adult followers you can begin to now perhaps... but I digress...I'm starting to get better at working with shrink plastic but I'm going to keep it to booth items only and off of the store's site so if you want a shrinky dink pony you've got three options:

A) Beg Me for hours on end until I give in.

B) Get off of your butt and visit me at the next show I'm at which is less then a week away

C) Bribe me by taking me to an Asian Buffet or my favorite Sushi Dive

Personally I like option C the most... but I like B just as much.

Late Night Mermaids

Late Night Mermaid
Watercolor on Paper
I'm working late again tonight on some custom shrinky dinks for a loyal local mommy who also has two daughters that love Doctor Who and My Little Pony. Which leave me to ask you: Can you guess what I am working on?

...Pictures to come.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

From Random Outings ..

My daughter and I went to the Cordova International Farmer's Market, which is only 20 minutes away from our home, when we spotted this massive and very albino guy in the fresh catfish tank!  He wass too awesome and I wanted to take him home with me as a pet even though catfish is very very tasty.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Princess Celestia Necklace





Princess Celestia necklace on aluminum chain made from pluffy clay and measuring over 5 inches wide. Its made in the style as my pins buts I went a little crazy with it. It will be sale online within the week.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Howling Dragons

Howling Dragon
8 x 5 inches
Watercolor on Paper
I should be howling at what I need to do still but our plumbing is on the fritz and Mr. Fix it Husband of mine finally had to throw in the towel on trying to find the problem which means no dying of fabric. It also means no silk screening, no painting, and not much else involving water until the plumbing company comes to check out the problem.

Monday, January 7, 2013

One of the studio dogs...


Okay, she's more like a studio HORSE. This is my weimaraner Leeloo, and yes we named her after that Leeloo, and she's a big lap puppy. She's just one of two dogs I have who hang out with late at night while I work on the computer or sew. Leeloo is not like most dogs of her breed, she hates the water (and one of few breeds with webbed paws too), prefers to lay out in the sun, and is a huge cuddle baby. Yet, she has a good temper, loves to sit on top of my little man dog Didymus, and watch bad movies.

Derp-a-gus

Derp-a-gus
watercolor on paper
8 x 5 inches 
I painted this long before I knew about Derpy Hooves but every needs a derpy looking Pegasus in their lives...

Sunday, January 6, 2013

I forget my BFA is in PAINTING...!

Cross Eyed Pink Hair Unicorn Girl
Cross-Eyed Purple Hair Unicorn Girl 

You would never know it with the crazy amount of sewing, sculpting, and general crafty-ness I do around here that my entire undergraduate degree is in Painting. Okay, I will admit I spent a gazillion hours in the fibers studio and printmaking studios it seemed then in the painting studio, but I digress... I'm adding some of my fantasy works to the shop! I'm starting off with these little ladies who have been living in my studio for some time now.  Expect some more pieces to pop up here within the next week or so as I prepare for the up coming semester, finding the kid a new daycare, the latest show, and who knows what else!

Saturday, January 5, 2013

The Shrinky Dink Olympics


Working on Shinky Dink pendants for earrings and necklaces for the up coming shows within the next few months. I love how everything came out!

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

let's start the year off with some Sailor Moon...

Eternal Sailor Moon Brooch Necklace

I don't want to reflect on 2012. It was an up and down year and there is a long road of recovery ahead of me. The most I can do is just go one step at a time as I have been doing, expect set backs,  keep chugging away, try to keep routines, and do the best I can.