Looking Towards the Holidays

 

 

Having four munchkins makes the holidays hectic.  I have tried to make sure that we focus on family and giving, not how much loot can I get.  We had one Christmas, years ago when there was only two, where the little ones tore through presents, opened then set aside and asked for the next one.  The next year we instituted the one at a time policy.  As the brood grows up, and our house does not grow any large, I want to focus on family even more.  We don't have room for more stuff, nor do they need it.  In the last few days I have come across a few "catch phrases" that I would like to focus on.  The first one is "something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read," and the second one is the five hands concept of give handmade, hand-me-down, secondhand, helping hand, hand-in-hand.  I believe our society is wrapped too tightly in stuff and the what can I get concept.  This year I want to get back to basics and focus on the little things.

Thanks for reading,
Sarah McTernen

www.anardentlife.com

NaNoWriMo Yeah right...

Inspiration by Sarah McTernen available at http://smcternen,etsy.com

 

I have been trying to get back to writing for a few years now.  The kids are getting older and my brain can, on occasion, function as it used to.  So I thought this year, why not let the motivation of NaNoWriMo spur me on.  We will see how this goes. Since I think that I write more fluidly when I use pen and paper rather than he computer, I have figured out that on a college rule notebook page I can fit approximately 200 words which translates to about 8 pages a day if I want to make the word count.  If I get 30,000 words done, I will be happy... and looking for a reader/person to tell me what needs to be fixed.

Thanks for reading,
Sarah McTernen
www.anardentlife.com

Ardent Photography: Senior Portraits 2013

 

 

My first portrait session with my new camera was for my brother who is graduating this year.  He needed his senior portrait taken and wanted to have them done on his track down in Shelton.  He is a track and cross country runner, so the track is an important element in who he is. 

Luckily we only had to push the session out once due to rain, a problem with shooting outdoors in Western Washington during Fall.  The day we were able to shoot was lovely and the sun was sitting low in the sky as we stepped onto the track. The wind had picked up, blowing in the next storm system, but we worked around that. The session wasn't long, normally single focused sessions aren't, and we got the photograph we needed.

Portrait sessions are an interesting thing.  You need to develop an instant relationship, even if you know your subject, because you are now the photographer, not the sister, friend, wife, daughter, etc.  You have to interpret the photograph he sees in his mind, and bring it into being.  Our first attempt at this photograph was unsuccessful.  My brother was content with not having the image he wanted, but I made him explain it to me again, and in the last few moments, I had him pose again, not smiling because he liked the stern face better, lowered the camera to my feet and shot up.  I took a few shots, for obvious reasons but also because it was windy which meant more blinking. 

The shot above is the shot.  No editing necessary.  I even liked and kept the bit of vignetting the old Vivitar lens put on the picture.  The other photographs we took that day do not matter.  Whether they turned out or didn't, is of no importance, because this was the shot.

Thank you for reading,
Sarah McTernen

www.anardentlife.com

A Basic Guide for Opening an Online Shop

The Abstract Spider by Sarah McTernen

 

 

A friend of mine has just started up a new Etsy shop, and while offering her advice, I thought I should just blog about it.

Jumping into selling stuff online, no matter what it is, can be daunting:  key words, photographs, listing descriptions; they all take time.  Some things you won't get right at first, but it will become easier with time. 

A few tips about starting up an online shop:

1. Photographs - Don't let everybody else scare you off.  Yes, you need to have good photographs to sell items online, but you can get good pictures with a simple point and shoot camera if you follow some basic guidelines.

• Use natural light if possible.  Even cloudy sunlight is brighter than your house lights.  Try not to use direct sunlight though because it make things look too harsh and shadows too dark.  Flashes are also typically a no-no especially if the items contains anything reflective. 
• Model items as needed.  Clothing looks better on, so does jewelry.  Earrings look best hanging not lying flat.  Notebooks, cards, etc. look best propped up not lying flat.
• Use props, but keep it simple.  Backgrounds should be neutral and props should not take away from the item to be sold.  Props are also not necessary but only for items that look okay lying flat.
• Play with your camera.  It is digital.  You don't have to print the photographs, you can just delete the bad ones.  Figure out how your auto focus works.  See how close you can get before it starts focusing on the background.  Learn where the Macro button is and remember how to turn it on and off.  Items MUST be in focus, beyond anything else.
• Play with your angles.  Don't always just shoot straight on.  Shoot above, from the side, down low.  Again, if the photograph doesn't work, just delete it, but play around with how you shoot your items until you feel very comfortable with your images.
• White Balance - white balance affects the color of your photographs.  If you have ever taken a picture and everything looked bluish when it wasn't, it was because you were shooting with the wrong white balance.  Auto normally does a good job, but sometimes, especially with mixed light, it will get confused.  Find your white balance button and play with the settings.  Take samples shots and see which ones look more natural. 

2. Do not under charge!  Think about how much the materials cost.  Think about how much time you spent creating.  You should feel slightly uncomfortable about the price, but if you don't think it is good enough to sell, don't sell it; let practice pieces be just that.

3. Don't stand up an empty shop.  People are more likely to buy from you if you look like you are busy so try to wait until you have 10 or more items ready to start a shop.  Of course I know shops that only have one or two listings because they only make one or two specialized things (jam, furniture, etc.) but having a fuller shop makes customers feel more secure in purchasing from you.

4. Descriptions -  Explain what the items is, what it is made out of as specifically as you can, what it will be used for, what it can be used for, who will buy it.  Have a signature sign off for your listings with the name of your shop and any website, Facebook, or blog that you are also associated with. 

5. Keywords - Choose keyword phrases that people would be searching for when they stumble across your product.  Most likely people are not searching YOU out, but they are looking for something.  Think about the words you used in your description and use the "key " words in your Keywords.

6. Title - Again, use your Keywords in your title.  Yes, you are repeating yourself, but this is how you get found in search.  Still try to sound like a human instead of a robot, but you need to repeat your keywords in your title, your description and in the Keywords section.  You have 140 characters for your title, use as many of them as possible, and put the most important descriptive words first.

7. Be Active - post items daily, create treasuries, join teams or blogs that support other shop owners.  Follow people.  The more people who like your shop, the more likely you will be found by others.

So in summation:  Keep photographs simple but clear, be descriptive, and be active.

This is just a short list.  Etsy has lots of forums and articles to help shop owners and so does Handmadeology ( http://www.handmadeology.com/ ). 

Thanks for reading,
Sarah McTernen
www.anardentlife.com

http://smcternen.etsy.com
http://ardentlife.etsy.com

On the Rocks

On the Rocks 2013 Sarah McTernen

Whiskey Glass 2013 Sarah McTernen

The Art of Whiskey...I wonder if I could make a whole series from these...I will have to think about that.

Best wishes,
Sarah McTernen
www.anardentlife.com

Artist at Work: Creative Forces Gifts and Sundries

Steel Peacock 2013 Sarah McTernen

Tomorrow from 3-5pm I will be plying my trade at Creative Forces Gifts and Sundries in the Murano Hotel 1320 Broadway Plaza, Tacoma.  Come down at see me create unique pieces, uncover their names and personalities, and talk about why I do what I do.  It is also a great time to check out the Gift Shop and become familiar with the very talented artists who show their work there.

Best wishes,
Sarah McTernen
www.anardentlife.com

Abstract Thoughts for the Day

Abstract Sunflower by Sarah McTernen 2013

 

 

life is seen in such a single frame

even while looking through another's eyes, it is a perception of their eyes

everything is relative

everything is disconnected and yet completely intertwined

 

 

Best wishes,

Sarah McTernen

 

www.anardentlife.com

Rising to the Surface

Rising to the Surface by Sarah McTernen 2012

 

I am trying to find my desk again.  It has sunk underneath a layer of beads, metal and camera equipment not to mention all of the unfiled paperwork, medical documents, and in process school work.  The concept of overwhelmed passed me a few months ago. 

My daughter started back at physical therapy a few weeks ago, after her last surgery.  I have taken the time to start reading Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg.  So far,  I am enjoying the book but a lot of the bad habits she is encouraging people to get rid of, I threw away a long time ago.  I don't get down to writing for a single reason: one child or another will interrupt me every few minutes, breaking my train of thought, my trip into the character's brain, my immersion in the scene and I have to start over again.  Natalie writes about giving yourself permission to write crap.  I accept that.  I also know that in order to move beyond writing crap, you have to have a bit of concentration on a subject.  That I am lacking.

Still, I have given myself a task for this upcoming year.  I could wait until January to start, but I find that to be silly.  I am going to start writing more; including in this blog.  I am going to be exercising that muscle that has for all too long been left to atrophy.  I am also, once again, promising to deliver a rough draft of the cook book by the end of 2014, baring any more medical diversions. 

Thank you for reading,
Sarah McTernen

www.ardentphotogrpahy.com
http://smcternen.etsy.com

www.anardentlife.com
http://ardentlife.etsy.com

Homemade Yogurt

Homemade Yogurt

I have thought about homemade yogurt for a long time.  Thought about it and done nothing.  A few weeks ago I decided to stop just thinking and I got out my crockpot (because I was told this was the easiest way to do it) and…I made cheese.  I took a deep breath and went to make something else. Weeks later, I tried again with a different method.  This was easy and perfect, needing nothing more than my stovetop and oven (which is good because my crockpot has since cracked in half).  I am not sure I will ever buy yogurt again.

1 gallon milk
½ cup live cultured plain yogurt

Pour 1 gallon of milk into a large stock pot and heat over medium low heat until the milk is 180 F.

Kill the heat and let the milk cool down in the range of 115 F to 95 F.  Add ½ cup of live cultured yogurt to a bit of your cooled milk, mix until thoroughly combined and then mix into the big batch of milk.

Pour into desired storage containers, either glass or plastic works.  I used a couple of large yogurt containers that I had saved.  Put the soon to be yogurt into the oven (not on) and turn your oven light on.  Let the yogurt sit in the oven with the light on for 12 hours.  Mine turned out a bit mild for my taste, so I will test next time if letting is sit a little longer will produce a more tangy product.

When the culturing time is finished, move your yogurt to the refrigerator to cool.

Consume.

Want something a little thicker? Add 2-3 cups per gallon of powdered milk to up the protein content.  This will make for a thicker yogurt.  Add the powder before you cook the milk.  I need to test and see if using whey protein works the same.

Like I said, the yogurt I made is not as tangy as I like so, after further reading, I found out you can culture your yogurt up to 24 hours to increase the tang.  Also, if you let it incubate at closure to 100F you will get better microbial growth.

I can’t wait to make the next batch.

Thank you for reading,

Sarah McTernen

www.anardentlife.com
http://smcternen.etsy.com
http://ardentlife.etsy.com

Fog Behind Pear Blossoms

Fog Behind Pear Blossoms

When I started to make jewelry, I often received questions about being done with photography.  My answer is always, no, I am not done with photography.

Photography is of a moment.  Sometimes you can make those moments, but it requires patience.  Patience is harder to come by when toting around three children. 

Speaking of which...I'll be right back.

Okay, I'm back...what were we talking about?  Oh yeah, three children.

This morning I woke up to fog.  Fog Behind Pear Blossoms and I was excited to take photographs.  If I was just me, I would have thrown on some close, grabbed my camera and headed out to catch the Puyallup river cloaked in fog and sunrise.  It is not that it is impossible, but I know by the time I got them all ready, my motivation would be waning.

I have not let go of photography, just as I have not let go of writing.  One day I will have my words published.  One day I will...

just a minute...I'll be right back.

Photography is a moment, and when that moment is gone, it doesn't repeat itself.  If you are not there with camera in hand, looking through the lens, it will pass you by, leaving you with nothing but regret and images close, but not magic.

Thank you for your interest in my work,

Sarah McTernen
www.anardentlife.com

http://smcternen.etsy.com (Photography)
http://ardentlife.etsy.com (Jewelry)

A World of Good Intentions

IV

A world of good intentions.  That is what I had about posting here this year.  They all went out the window when my three year old went into surgery in February.  Our journey with Hip Dysplasia took us to the hospital and through surgery into a big purple cast and brought us to the latest stage of a less big purple brace.  I'll post more about the journey later, but I wanted you to know I was thinking of you all as I slowly get back into the swing of things. 

Best wishes,

Sarah McTernen
http://smcternen.etsy.com
http://ardentlife.etsy.com
www.anardentlife.com

The Path of Creation

Every once in a while, I will create a piece that took an interesting path to existence.  I was looking over some inventory the other day and realized that I had the Strata Connector in copper, gunmetal and tinned copper, but nothing in a gold tone.  So off I went in search of brash lobster clasps.  This lead me to Shipwreck and these Jasper Rings that jumped out and said, "Buy me!"   When I got my hands on the rings, I realized that they were a bit smaller than I had assumed (sometimes I don't think about my purchases as much as I should).  The biggest problem with their size was finding something that would fit inside without too much room.  When I finally found something that worked, the necklace had already begun to take shape.  I had recently chopped a bone choker that had the lovely centerpiece and I found the sardonyx drop on my mat of miscellaneous beads.  Knowing that I did not want the pattern to be too basic I found some sardonyx barrels that I had purchased a while back and found my long strand of tea dyed bone rondelles.  The necklace was complete.

 

As I sat there, pondering the necklaces existence, I started picking out some random beads that went together: the sister tea dyed bone centerpiece, a piece of sliced horn, a bit of sponge coral, a button, some tigers eye along with a large chunk of carnelian and mookite.  Soon I was wiring these unconnected pieces together with copper wire and attaching a larger lobster clasp.  I loved the cohesive quality and the randomness.  My brain starts thinking that this could be a new line of bracelets.  

 

My eyes head back to the mat of miscellaneous beads and land squarely on a skull that I am sure belong to one of my kids at some point.

 

Sometimes you just have an extra skull lying around the house.  What to do?  Make a bracelet!  This is how a very random bracelet in created with a plastic skull, a found rock that I drilled, a glass pearl, a white chunky rectangle, some mother of pearl and a few other stones strung together with tinned copper and closed with a silver plated lobster clasp.  I didn't set out to make a skull bracelet, but through the path of creation this is what I have created. 

 

I like it. 

 

Do you?

 

 

Thanks for reading,

 

Sarah McTernen

 

Art Photography

http://smcternen.etsy.com

 

Art Jewelry

http://ardentlife.etsy.com

 

www.anardentlife.com

 

 

The Art of Balance

Half Wished

Balance is something we are all striving for.  I think that is my word for the year.  All the blogs I follow are talking about their "word(s) for the year" and I wasn't even considering that I needed one until just now. 

Balance is the key to a happy life.

Balance in emotions, balance in workload, balance in eating, balance with gravity, all very important.
 

I want to work on a better work/kid balance.  What that looks like I am not sure yet.  I know that I am constantly trying to fight for time to work which means that I am not as "there" as I should be when it is time for the kids. 

of course, there are three of them, and only one of me...in this there is not balance

it's worth a shot anyway

hmmm

BALANCE

I've typed it too much, it looks funny now.

Anyway....

What is your "word" for 2013?

Thanks for reading,
Sarah McTernen

Art Photography
http://smcternen.etsy.com

Art Jewelry
http://ardentlife.etsy.com

www.anardentlife.com

Creating with Pantone In Mind

 

 

Yeah, not really me, but last year I did manage to make a few pieces with something similar to the 2012 color of tangerine and some kind of blue that we were supposed to marry with it. 

I didn't do it on purpose.

It was just how the pieces developed. 

What I found really funny (just now), was I never managed to list those pieces on Etsy! 

Silly me. 

Now this year's color is..

hold on...

let me go look it up...

emerald...

I'm sure I can find something emerald to list for 2014.

Thanks for reading,
Sarah McTernen

Art Jewelry
http://ardentlife.etsy.com

Art Photography
http://smcternen.etsy.com

www.anardentlife.com

Inside a Computer

 

So many intereing pieces are found inside a computer. 

I loved the pattern to this piece.

 

Best wishes,

Sarah McTernen

 

Art Photography

http://smcternen.etsy.com

 

Art Jewelry

http://ardentlife.etsy.com

 

www.anardentlife.com 

Monday Rant: Dissapointed with Shock

 

As I have said before I am not really one to tote the label of Artist or Photographer.  I started using Photographic Artist a while ago to try and define what I do in a more recognizable way, but using terms that no one else is using only works for those Hollywood types.  I, on the other hand, am a nobody.  This isn't a dig at myself it is just the beginning of this rant.  The art world is full of people who know people and who create shock art with actors and other media types because they can.  They do this and it is considered art. The technical proficiency is typically there because these people have attended so and so university and received this or that degree in their particular breed of art.  It may not sound like it, but I'm happy for them, if I have to give them an emotional recognition, except for this little nagging notion that they are part of the obliteration of art.  They are one of the reasons why, these days, art is nothing more than shock imagery.

With the prevalence of good camera equipment, there are apparently more photographers in the United States than there are models.  I didn't look this stat up, so it could be hogwash, but I would believe it.  To some extent I am one of these, "if it weren't for technology I wouldn't be doing this" people.  As I said at the beginning of this, I am a nobody and beyond that my images are not shocking.  There is nothing repulsive or ludicrous about what or how I shoot.  I will never get a death threat because of my photography unless it is from an anti-gun fanatic and that would be ironic. 

 

At the same time, I have faith that there is room for my art in this world packed with photographers.  That one day those eyes will find what I do and see its merit.

 

Even if they don't, I will still do what I do.  If nothing else it is art to me.  I hope that is what those other artists/photographers are saying too.

 

"Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love.  It will not lead you astray."  ~Rumi

 

Thanks for reading,

Sarah McTernen

www.anardentlife.com

 

Art Photography

http://smcternen.etsy.com

 

Art Jewelry

http://ardentlife.etsy.com

Homemade Butter

 

Yeah, sometimes I wonder if I've gone too far, but then I have fresh homemade butter and warm wheat biscuits and I don't think that anymore.

 

This started out as a fun homeschool experiment.  I read somewhere that you can make butter by putting heavy cream in a mason jar and shaking it for fifteen minutes.  We like making things in the kitchen in this house, so we gave it a shot.  It was fascinating feeling the change between stiff whipped cream and the sudden separation of butter and buttermilk.

 

This was fun, the first time.  I decided that if we were going to keep this up, I was going to use the stand mixer.  Shaking a mason jar for fifteen minutes is a workout that I wasn't sure I was willing to do each time I wanted butter.

 

This morning I made my third batch of butter, and this time using Darigold heavy cream instead of the Fred Meyer brand. Oh the difference.  Just poured the heavy cream into the stand mixer and let it run on the highest speed that won't make a mess until the butter and buttermilk seperate, then pour through butter muslin, saving the buttermilk for later (or the bisuits in this case).  Ta da, butter.

 

Next step, making cultured butter.

 

Thanks for reading,

Sarah McTernen

 

Art Photography

http://smcternen.etsy.com

 

Art Jewelry

http://ardentlife.etsy.com

 

www.anardentlife.com

 

 

A Day in the Life...

 

 

What a day!  I always sit down at the end of the day and think I have got nothing done.  The girls and I went to Costco and then Michael's.  I needed some more bead storage containers...I always need more bead storage containers, and the older one had $4 burning a hole in her change purse.  So I got my containers and a few strands of beads, because they were on sale and my brain started working the minute I saw them, and the girl bought new paint colors and a wood butterfly...of course after much debate to the little ones chagrin.  As we are leaving the store, I get a call.  I do not recognize the number and consider letting it go to voice mail, but I answer.  It is the hospital wanting to schedule the little ones surgery.  So we have a date now.  We are one step closer to a functional hip.

So, we came home and made play dough.

1 cup Flour
1 cup Water
1/2 cup Salt
2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
2 teaspoons Oil
food coloring

Mix all the ingredients in a small sauce pan and cook on low (medium low) heat until it looks like play dough.  Plop it out on the counter and let it cool for a bit (seriously, this stuff is hot) and then knead.

Yay for Play Dough!

Thanks for reading,
Sarah McTernen

www.anardentlife.com

Art Photogrpahy
http://smcternen.etsy.com

Art Jewelry
http://ardentlife.etsy.com

Kitchen Sill Herb Garden

Yesterday I was very busy taking care of my many plants.  I had neglected them for far too long.  On top of that, I planted a kitchen sill herb garden.  My lovely husband had given me a set of seeds long ago for this exact purpose, but I never got around to planting them because I didn't know what to put them in.  With all of my peering in on Pintrest I thought plain tin cans would do.  I hope they sprout!

Wanna know what I planted?
Basil
Oregano
Lavender
Garlic Chives
Marjoram
Thyme
Dill
Mint
Cilantro
Parsley

I am impatient though.  I keep wanting to check on them and see what is growing. 

In the mean time I have been updating some of the chopping block necklaces. You should check out the shop http://anardentlife.etsy.com to see the updates.

Thanks for reading,
Sarah McTernen

www.anardentlife.com

Art Photography
http://smcternen.etsy.com

Art Jewelry
http://anardentlife.etsy.com

Happy 2013

Even typing that sounds a little weird.
Wishing all of my readers a fabulous start to a new year.

Best wishes,

Sarah McTernen
www.anardentlife.com
http://smcternen.etsy.com
http://anardentlife.etsy.com

PS  Take 15% off any purchase today in on of my Etsy shops with coupon code NewYear13