Friday, June 12, 2015

Networking and making connections

I'm not a very outgoing person, I keep to myself and I like it like that but when it comes to promoting my items I'm learning to engage with people more.  I need to break out of my shell and slowly but surely I'm learning how.

I always carry around my business cards in case anyone asks what kind of artwork I do.  It's hard to explain Art Dolls or Fabric Bowls so I just lead them here to see everything I do.  This past week I was at the vet and started talking to a lady who mentioned Instagram.  She said that she buys items off of Instagram!  I chimed in and said that I joined Instagram last week to get more exposure but I didn't know you could sell from Instagram!  (I'm on Instagram as KimberlyJDC) So I'm looking into this but that was one business card.  

The other card I gave out was to a lady that struck up a conversation with me while I was getting my car inspected.  I was drawing a Zentangle and she asked about it.  She was super nice and we talked about everything from Pinterest to thrift stores to tattoos.  I didn't get her name but if you are her reading this here is the finished Zentangle I was working on while we were talking:
So a big THANK YOU goes out to anyone reading this and likes and supports my work, you guys are the best!
Link to my Etsy shop: October Cat Studios

Monday, June 1, 2015

Revisiting an old friend

Zentangles!!

I have two sketch books full of my zentangles.  You can check out some of my previous posts here and here and here.  My mom borrowed my books for a while and when she gave them back to me it reawakened my love for drawing them.  When I sat down to do another one I realized that I was "doodling" the same designs as before, I needed inspiration, I needed new ideas.  I looked at Pinterest for new ideas.  I already had a board full of inspiration here.  But I was looking for something different.

I went to Barnes and Noble and found two amazing books full of inspiration!  The first one is called Zen Doodle Tons of Tangles by Tonia Jenny and Amy Jones.  And the second one is entitled The Beauty of Zentangle by Suzanne McNeill and Cindy Shepard.  I have added color to my tangles before but these two books have inspired me to try color again.  I want to be more intentional about the things I draw, like wildlife, buildings, etc.  So now my third sketch book will be "all about color"!
Page 1 When Seahorses Play
(I need to adjust the color on my computer because this is much more vibrant in person)
 Then yesterday morning while the boys were in handbell practice I started my second one:
Last night I finished my second one:
I love to sew but I also love zentangles!