Only 4 Available

With my silk to arriving next week, I am offering 4 silks at a deep discount. There are only 4 silks that will be available. They are . . .

Silk Habotai Scarf, 11" x 60" - $17.50
Silk Crepe de Chine Scarf, 11" x 60" - $19.60
Silk Charmeuse Scarf, 11" x 60" - $21.70
Silk Habotai Sarong, 45" x 72" - $31.50

The sizes are approximate. Silk tends to shrink a bit when it goes through the steaming process. The color of your silk will be your choice, along with the design/technique. The only exception is the hand drawn designs using resist. Those take much longer to paint and process.

Here are the rules:

• Only 1 silk per person
• Payment must be made at the time of your commitment
• Turnaround time for your silk will be approximately 2 weeks
• Each silk is on a first-come, first-serve basis
• Email me at expressions_in_silk@yahoo.com to reserve a silk (or you can convo me thru etsy)
• Making a comment here does not reserve your silk!
• Shipping is extra - USPS First Class
• If you purchase an item listed in my Etsy shop (http://www.expressionsinsilk.etsy.com/) at the same time you reserve a silk, shipping will be FREE

I think I've covered everything. Get yours before they're gone!

-sonya

Busy Busy Busy

I am completely out of silk. Nada. Zip. Zilch. More is on the way, but it probably will not be here until the end of the week or first of next week. Without any silk to paint, I'll have to devote more time to other business stuff - ugh. Business stuff that I've let fall to the wayside because I really don't enjoy the business stuff. Ugh.

Not having any silk to paint will also give me time to get The Playhouse ready for Saturday. Plus, I've got those custom orders that need to be finished. And, I've got a bazillion items that need to be photographed. A newsletter that must go out by Wednesday. Guess it's time to stop blogging and start working . . .

Serenity . . . Get It Now!

Just listed Serenity . . . a silk scarf in calming tones of blue, turquoise and green.

Feeling Lucky

It's a beautiful day today . . . a little windy, but beautiful none the less. So after lunch, I escaped on a short hike with Mac. That's the thing with spring (and summer), I ditch work for an hour here or two hours there. Since I'm not a slave to the clock (or a boss), it's easy to escape on stress relieving jaunts. I don't work an 8-hour day. Being self-employed means I work much more than the traditional 8 hours. So in the end, I don't feel so guilty taking the middle of the day breaks!

Today, while Mac was happily running with his stick, I stopped to investigate some mounds of clover. We used to always do it as kids, but I never found a 4-leaf clover. My sister (and my mom sometimes) can just be walking along and spot 4-leaf clovers. Me? I have to sit down and inspect ever inch of the mound. And still no 4-leaf clover. Today must be my lucky day, because I found THREE . . . count 'em . . . THREE 4-leaf clovers!

Feeling lucky, I decided to purchase a lottery ticket while I dropping packages off at the Post Office. I hope my luck holds out. I would be excited to win even a little bit of money. Keeping my fingers crossed . . .

Who doesn't love a little bit of purple . . .

This one was a lot of fun to paint! I love to "draw" on my silks with salt to create subtle patterns. There are three freeform flowers connected by a curvy vine running lengthwise of the silk. This is a similar design I've done on bellydance veils, but the first time (successfully) on a silk scarf. There is just a lot more "canvas" when I'm painting on a veil or sarong. The smaller size of scarves makes some my designs are more challenging feat :)

I hope to get her listed later today . . .

To Keep or Not To Keep

I thought I would share one of my babies. This one is a favorite because of the colors. I simply love the color turquoise. I especially like it paired with kelly green and purple (I can hear the cries of 'yuk' but I like it). Now, the decision has to be made whether to keep it all to myself . . . or list it to sell. Decisions, decisions.

Well, enough wasting time. I've got a piles of silk scarves that need to be steamed. But, first I need to make a detour to the kitchen and try some of that Chocolate Pound Cake I made earlier. It's my dad's birthday, so I made his favorite cake early this morning. Now, the warm chocolate aroma is luring me to the kitchen. I'm such a chocolate slut . . .

Springtini

With the feel of Spring in the air (yay!), I decided to paint a silk in springy colors. Now I know some people don't like this shade of green, but I personally love it. Makes me think of Granny Smith apples . . . and that I would love some apple pie. Yum! Oops, I'm off track . . .

Anyways, I am happy with my colors on this scarf, but unhappy that it turned out a flub. A flub is one of my silks that has a dye error, and they are sold at a discount. Take a look at her in the store.

I need a vacation

The school's here always have Spring Break around Easter. Instead of the traditional week, they also have Good Friday off. I would love to have a week plus 1 day of vacation. Where's my vacation? I cannot remember the last week-long vacation I had . . . not in the last 5 years since I moved back to North Carolina . . . not in the 10 years before that in Houston (although I did do a lot of traveling, but it was always for work). The last 3-day weekend vacation I had was one year and one month ago. I need a vacation!

Okay, enough moaning. I'm off to get ready for the Spring Fling. I must have a lot of painted pretties for all the buyers!

One Lazy Weekend

I spent my entire weekend being lazy. That would be Lazy with a capital "L." I had grand ideas that I would get a lot done over the weekend, but my lazy gene took over. Girl's gotta have a day (or two) off once in a while. What altered my oh-so-grand plans was a visit from my aunt and uncle Saturday morning. They were on their way out of town and need a refresher course on how to use their digital camera. Well, six hours later, I think they mastered some basics.

After that bit of fun, I desperately need a break. So, I'm off to hike the trails, but really feel I should paint at least one silk before I go. Something I learned about 20 years ago, but always think it doesn't apply to me -- never paint a silk quickly and expect it turn out like you want! I was aiming for a tropical rainbow, but it fell short (no purple). Crap! It's still pretty and vibrant, but a little dysfunctional as a rainbow.

Now, I need that break more than ever. So, I tug on my hiking boots, grab the dog and we're off. One thing that Mac loves is running free, especially with a stick. Here he is posing before we head out -- okay, he's really peeing, but with the tall grass you can't really tell. We had a blast. It's always relaxing when I'm around him. No matter how stressed I am, he can always make me smile. Here he is relaxing with one of his sticks after a great hike. We repeated the hike on Sunday afternoon. What a great way to spend Easter!

After a lazy weekend, it's hard to get back into the swing of life. Of course, it doesn't help that it's a rainy, dreary day. Maybe I need to take a dog break . . . Mac loves to hike in the rain . . .

Rainbow

Who doesn't love a rainbow? I know I do! They're colorful and bright and go with just about anything you own.

Over the years, I've tried different rainbows. With some, I used primary colors only and let the colors mix on the silk. With others, I pre-mixed all my colors before painting on the silk.

Some rainbows I've done in the past are non-traditional. One rainbow used earth-toned colors (rust, teal, gold) to create an autumn rainbow. To the left shows my tropical rainbow, where I used turquoise, hot pink, and sunshine yellow. I will say, this rainbow is probably my favorite. There is something about the vibrant colors that speaks to me.

I guess, when my silks start talking to me it's time to take a break . . .

A Little 'Bling' For Your Silk

I love painting on silk, but I also have an addiction to Swarovski crystals. Silk painting is my bread and butter and crystals are my little something on the side. I started using my crystals to make a little bling for my silk scarves. I call them scarf pendants, but they are really like a little bracelet for your scarf. In the past, I've made mini scarves to compliment the crystal scarf pendants, selling them as a set.

Coming soon (maybe even tonight) to my Etsy shop, I will start listing some crystal scarf pendants without the scarf. I'm so excited about this, because now I'll have a valid excuse to buy more crystals! In the near future, I also plan to make matching pieces (rings, earrings, etc.) to my crystal scarf pendants. These will either be listed in my Etsy shop or my sister's (her Etsy shop is beaded jewelry). I'll have to promote my sister one day soon, but I'll need to make sure her shop is ready first!

Coralicious Getting Her 15 Minutes of Fame

It's always exciting when I get a message letting me know one of my silks is included in a Treasury. This time around, Coralicious is being included in rbarjr's treasury "Color me with Passion." Check out the treasury at http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=50036

Be sure to check the others included in the treasury and leave a comment if anything catches your eye!

I'm a Star(fish) of a Sea of Red

Just relisted this little beauty . . .

And I Shall Name It Dogwood

One of my favorite trees -- flowering tree -- is the dogwood. The blossoms are so pretty and delicate, so very feminine. The blossoms are just beginning to open up, so I snapped this picture while I was out today.

I must paint a silk scarf with these colors. Normally, I go for the vivid shades, but now and again I like to try my hand at subtle and soft. I love the new green and butter cream colors with a soft touch of blush pink on tips.

To give it a more ethereal feel, I think I'll paint on my extremely lightweight silk (the 5mm). The 5mm is super lightweight and sheer. It floats like a feather, and has a baby soft feel. I can't wait to get into the studio tomorrow!

Of course, once it's done it will show on etsy. So be on the look out!