I've Mooved!

This blogger has mooved! You can find me now at www.puzzledesigntalk.blogspot.com

Creative Friend

I didn't want to finish this year without posting some words about a fellow friend's work. She was introduced to me through another friend. Her name is Carla Leal and she owns a blog called "Stories behind objects", that unfortunately is only available in Portuguese. She works mostly with recycled materials and comes up with cleaver ideas for jewelry. She uses common stuff like bottle caps, juice and milk packages, that she mixes with jewelry findings.
As her blog's name reveals there is always a story or reason behind her pieces. Enjoy the fresh and modern look of her work!

New year resolutions

Every year on the eve of the last day of the year we all wish to accomplish things we haven't been able to accomplish that year. And then are those things we always wish for, every year, and we never seem to be able to do... This year I won't only wish for but also make the real effort to:

- be more focused;
- be more organized and not so messy;
- try to be more patient sometimes;
- be happier;
- make my business grow, slowly but steadily;
- invest more on advertising;
- organize my blog and try to post everyday;
- set clearer goals both for my business and my blog;
- spend more time with the people I love;
- make some real money :) ;
- not be terrified of flying;
- try to set aside my fears and insecurities;
- not be so harsh on myself and others.

I also wish that all of you accomplish what you wish and that 2007 is better than the year before. :)

Happy new year!
xoxo

More treasures!

I've created another Treasury list on Etsy.com! I guess I haven't explained what is this Treasury thing... Basically all sellers on etsy have the opportunity to be curators for 2 days. You apply to a list and then you choose the items you want to feature in your list. The items can be anything sold on etsy and the lists can have a theme or just be about items you like.
Mine is called "TOO Cute!!!" and as you can guess only features items I really like!
The lists are voted. People vote simply by clicking on the items they like. If your list gets to number one it is featured on the main page of Etsy.com!
Click on the photos of my list and make me climb up the chart!
(shameful me..... :))
Here it is, just too cute:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury.php?id=1167480333280U53175

Merry Christmas!

Another Treasury list!

It's called "Peace and Joy" and that's all I wish to all of you this Christmas! :)
Enjoy!
http://www.etsy.com/treasury.php?id=1166273116685U53175

I love polka dots!

To all of you who have asked me about this green/brown polka dots necklace: "don't worry be happy". I'm making more of those necklaces and with an upgrade in colors! Just wait to see it in pink & brown and blue & brown as well as the original green & brown!

And don't forget to take advantage of all the christmas promos! Now I'm giving out 40% off on your second item purchase! This promo does not accumulate with the "I love Christmas!" promo.

Another Treasure!

My previous listing at Tresury expired after 2 days so I've just created another one! It's called "Simply the BEST!" and its packed with lovely items (including one of mine hehehe). They are all great suggestions for Christmas gifts! Enjoy!

I'm a curator!

I've just created my first Tresury list at Etsy with my own selection of featured picks of favorite seller's items! Check it out!

Calendário!

Este Sábado (2 de Dezembro), se o tempo ajudar, vou estar na feira da Praça de Londres! É no jardim entre a mexicana e a igreja! Das 9 às 17 horas.

No próximo fim de semana, dias 8 e 9 de dezembro, também vou estar na feira do Jardim do Príncipe Real. A partir da 10 horas.

Apareçam!


Announcement only for Portuguese readers.

What is Etsy.com

I found this at Kiwi Handmade. It's from UTube.

Christmas Promo: 20% OFF + Free Shipping!

I'm giving out 20% off and free shipping to all buyers that contact me with the code: "I LOVE CHRISTMAS"

This promo is for all the items in my shop, except for the ones in the "on sale" section.

Just contact me with the code and the description of the item you wish to buy that I will post it with your name and the discount price.

(just until the 25th of December) www.anaromerodesign.etsy.com

A lovely Christmas to you all!

Feira de Artesanato e Velharias de Belém

Este domingo há mais uma Feira de Artesanato e Velharias no jardim de Belém! Eu vou lá estar com as minhas peças, se o tempo ajudar... Apareçam! Os preços vão estar ainda mais apetecíveis do que nas minhas lojas online! Comecem já a fazer as vossas comprinhas de natal :)

For all your christmas presents!

http://www.anaromerodesign.blogspot.com
http://www.anaromerodesign.etsy.com

Gift Certificates

I've just created a set of gift certificates perfect for all your Christmas gifts. Now you can give something that your friends or family will really enjoy!

I have gift certificates of different amounts: $10, $15, $20, $25, $50 US Dollars. If you would like a gift certificate of any other amount or currency (€ euros) just contact me.

Also I'm adding a $5 dollar gift certificate to all purchases over $100 dollars! This is a Christmas special offer.

A bit of everything...

http://www.anaromerodesign.blogspot.com
http://www.anaromerodesign.etsy.com

Yo Yo Collection

This necklace is part of my new "yo yo collection"! More of this is comming up!
http://www.anaromerodesign.blogspot.com
http://www.anaromerodesign.etsy.com

Large Beads Necklaces

http://www.anaromerodesign.etsy.com
http://www.anaromerodesign.blogspot.com

Creative Friend Friday

This week I'm happy to intruduce you a girl from Chicago new to "blogland". Her name is Jessica Jones. She is a truly "one-woman-show" as she creates everything from cards and paintings to coasters and pillows and also keeps a dayjob as a graphic designer! She runs a blog called "How about orange..." were she shows her work. She is a Big fan of patterns, shapes, and color.

Here is some of her work! I really love the paintings!

New at Etsy.com III

Fabulous winter brooches! http://anaromerodesign.etsy.com

New at Etsy.com II

http://anaromerodesign.etsy.com

New at Etsy.com

http://anaromerodesign.etsy.com

Tina Berning

Lately I've been obsessing about illustration. I think that is mostly due to fact that Life Drawing was a really painful subject for me at college. As you know I graduated at the College of Fine Arts of Lisbon and part of our education, as design students, was focused on fine arts subjects like Life Drawing, Aesthetics and Art History. I developed a kind of mental blackout towards drawing because I always thought I wasn't good enough and that other people's work was better than mine... I came across this illustrator's work at ohjoy and immediately fell in love with her work. I wish I could draw like that. Her name is Tina Berning.

Newbie at fair

My first fair was great! The weather was good even though it threatened to rain. It only rained when we got home! The Belém area is a really beautiful place and it was packed with tourists! People seemed to like my stuff but that didn't reflect in as much buys as I wished, everyone was complaining though. Except for this nice lady next to me, she had a really good energy and always talked a lot to her costumers and that really seemed to make a difference. But I think it was worth it because I could understand a little bit better how it all works and I found someone I didn't have contact with for a long time. Everyone loved my bags! I think I didn't sell that much because my stuff are getting a little off season and my shop wasn't on the busiest hallway. I'm already working on a new project that I'm really confident about! I expect to start showing it on my next fair this week, the October 22, on the "sorrir em Belém" fair. This is a very special fair because it is organized by an institution called "Sorrir" (smile) that dedicates itself to promoting activities of self awareness.

Feira de Artesanato e Velharias de Belém

Tomorrow I will participate on my first fair, in the Belém garden! I will be there with my jewelry and some bags, with lowered prices. Come visit me!

Amanhã vou partcicipar na minha 1º feira, no jardim de Belém! Vou lá estar com as minhas bijuterias e malas, a preços mais convidativos. Venham visitar-me!

Inspiration at Reprodepot

Reprodepot is a great online fabric store. They also sell sewing patterns and kits, buttons, patches and trims. There you can also find fabrics designed by various artists. Check out the new arrivals!

"Creative Friends" contest

This week there is no winner because no one applied... :(
I'm thinking of making the contest more interesting by adding a prize and extending it to a monthly contest. What do you think? Do you have any suggestions?

My submissions at Naked & Angry

More submissions of patterns at Naked & Angry's contest. Please vote for me!

Anja Boretzki

I found this great illustrator because she left a comment on a friend's blog. She 's a 31 year old girl from Germany and she owns two blogs: Anja Boretzki and Anja's Laboratory. In the first one you can find mostly finished work for print. On the other one you can find more crafty work like collages an paintings. I like the colorful and funny attitude of her drawings!

On the move

These past few days I've been moving my studio from the room I rented to my brother's old room. I'm also starting to produce my autumn/ winter collection and I just signed up for two fairs - one in October and another in November- here in Portugal more exactly the "Feira de Antiguidades, Velharias e Artesanato de Belém". There is a lot of work ahead of me! Wish me luck!

More Patterns

My love for patterns is increasing by the minute! I feel the first ones I did were quite "raw" but I think my patterns get better each time I create another one. It looks easy but it really isn't. First of all because the pattern has to tile, everything has to match every time it is repeated and from all sides! Making the pattern flow naturally and the repetition not being so obvious is even harder! That's only for the experts... Well I'm trying and it's a lot of fun! I made most of these patterns out of drawings that I had done some time ago but I've got some new sketches coming on! I just love the first one.

"Creative Friends" Friday

And this weeks winner is.............. Iki from IKI BIJUTERIA! Congratulations!

Iki is another Portuguese girl that started making necklaces when she was only five years old mostly during her vacation time. From there she experimented with all sorts of materials like glass, beads and crystals and even attended a jewelry course where she began to work with colored metal wire. The interesting visual appeal of her pieces is due to the mix of materials and techniques. Her pieces are unique!

Here are my personal favorite!

Next week's contest is NOW OPEN!
You too can be featured here! Apply to be a winner! Show me your own creative work. anaromer@anaromerodesign.com

My Patterns

The company that created the community-driven Threadless.com which invites designers to submit tee shirt designs to be scored by the Threadless community also created a similar website devoted to patterns. It is called Naked & Angry and works exactly in the same way as Threadless.

Now I just can't stop creating patterns!

My Submissions

I recently discovered a new competition through Blik. It's an on going t-shirt design competition where anyone can submit designs and win a $2000 dollar prize if the t-shirt gets chosen to be printed. The website is called Threadless an it is related to Blik, sometimes they even chose some designs to be printed as movable graphics. When you submit your designs first of all they have to be approved for the contest. Then other people vote for you and rate your design from 0 up to 5 or with "I'd buy it". If your votes are high you get the chance to be in the final cut were they choose the designs which are going to be printed. And that's it!
I've submitted some of my designs and I am still waiting for approval...

Blossomed Heart


Heart Totem



Blossoming Circles

Movable wall graphics

I've been day-dreaming about owning my own house. I've been through all the pages of the new IKEA catalog and even started sketching some ideas for my "virtual" house. Well, in that process I found these awesome wall decals that you can customize as you please. You can even move them around from place to place if you wish because they are repositionable. There are lots of different designs and they come in various colors you can match with your own house. You can find them at Blik: http://www.whatisblik.com/restik.html

"Oficina de Encantar"

Another talented Portuguese girl has crossed my way. Her name is Sónia Morgado. Her work is joyful and colorful and brings out the girlie in all of us! I especially like the "Cake pins" (pregadeiras bolinhos). Visit "Oficina de Encantar" to take a closer look at her work.