Sunday, January 31, 2016

Kicksarter Begins Next Week!!!

Ok, so the Kickstarter project begins next week.  The book is mostly ready for publishing, now all we have to do is fundraise! and the best part of all, if we finish this book, there will most likely be more!

I still have a ton on my plate before that though, with this custom order I am still working on, though the blossoms are finished.  I still have 4 leaf pieces to make before I can start final assembly and thread wrap. And the hair pins are going to be a problem, as they are much smaller than I expected them to be. We shall just have to see. They are at least heavy gauge metal. 

And on top of that I have a million kickstarter rewards to do, but that is on hold until I can get my order of centers for the flowers in.  Had to make a special order for that one. But when you need 90, it's more than most stores will carry, lol.

And of course, I am still working on a few more casual pieces to put on clips instead of pins or sticks.  My hair clip department is lacking. Right now I am working on a rounded petal denim blue two tone.  The darker color is some of the last in existence, it was a limited run color.  I am glad I ordered a yard of it when I did, but that was 2 years ago. This will be the last big piece I can make with it. 

I also got some chiyrogami paper at the craft store the other day, when I need a break I will do some bookmarks.  I am still searching for some beads with a large center so I can decorate the tassell, but at this point, I am thinking more of just getting some bookmark tassels off amazon, and just forget about making my own.  Time/value of money after all. 

And of course I still want to get into kumihimo, but I think that might have to wait until April at this point.  It is a time consuming task, and while I do love those repetitive moves and patterns and intricacy, I am just swamped with other things.

Like kickstarter.

To know more about our kickstarter project you can check out our website HERE and sign up for details.  But we have submitted to kickstarter, we have been approved, just closing up last minute loose ends before we start. 

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Kickstarter Rewards

It's getting closer, and us artisans are getting stressed. I know I am, lol!

With some new information from kickstarter we had not previously been aware of, we have to change our kickstarter rewards system, and it's taking a bit longer to submit than we would like. 

For rewards I am contributing:

30 single flower hair sticks
30 bobby pin sets
20 double sakura on hair forks
1 big piece, the exact piece from the tutorial

Kickstarter will not allow us to submit coupon codes or gift certificates as rewards.  Bleh.

This book is a pretty huge deal for most of us and I am really excited to be published.  I just hope we can make our major goals.  And most of us artisans that can are making contributions, so there will be lots of rewards to go around.

My last custom order until mid-year (the big sakura 2 piece set for the obi) is coming along very nicely.  The colors match amazingly well, and I am down to the last few flowers.  still have 4 or 5 to go.  But until my leaf color comes in, I am afraid there isn't much more I can do in the meantime.  Except, of course, kickstarter rewards.


Thursday, January 21, 2016

More Info on Projects Underway!

 Big Blue Beauty
There has been so much going on, I am not even sure where to start!

I finished the Big Blue Beauty, and as she has been named.  I found a fine braided cord I could wrap around a 18 gauge wire and glue in place to create the effect of the foil wrapped wire I had previously been using.  Yay! I found something that works!

So the double bouquet of sakura set is having several setbacks.  My fabric order came in, and it is a novel day.  The first time in 5 years I have been using this supplier that they have gotten my order wrong.  And of course, one of the colors missing from the order was-.....baby pink.  I have a precut pack on hand but those are small and I will need more to complete this large set.  Not only that, but after laying out the colors for the customer she decided the green was wrong and asked instead for the yellow-green.  Which, of course, I am almost completely out of.  So that means another order, and another week.  I have enough to get started at least, and I have enough other projects to keep me busy while I wait, if it comes to that.

Today I was given the kickstarter banner for the facebook page and the blog.  For more info, please, please, PLEASE visit Tsumami Zaiku Kickstarter and sign up.  Web page launches February 3rd.
This will be, the first ever English Language glue technique kanzashi guide, with contributions from artisans from around the world.  I can tell you I have personally included my bira bira tutorial!  We are tying to raise the funds for printing and the publishing of an ebook!


I just finished this kiku tonight, white and pink with white/pink cherry blossom print and reverse. 

She's going to have to be put on hold though, until I can get some work completed on my custom order.  I've got 14 blossom, 4 leaves, 2 bira bira's and lots of thread wrapping to do. 

I also have a few sewing projects to do, like building new laundry hampers for my kids.  I just got a 1/4 inch bias tape foot, it looks super nifty to work with. I didn't even know they made such a thing.  Apparently so.

Kickstarter almost underway!

Sunday, January 17, 2016

Big Blue Beauty and Kickstarter

So this is the new piece I have been trying to finish.  Life has been busy, but I am making headway in several things holding me back, like my health, money, and family (extended).

So this is a big first kind of piece for me, yet familiar.  It is the first time I have integrated both rounded petals and pointed petals in a spin ok a kiku.  Its also the first time I have put stamens in a rounded petal on a kiku, and the first time I have deviated from the traditional rhinestone center I use.

Only problem is....no gold foil wrapped wire.

Ok so the Darice company used to make a variety of foil wrapped wires in gold, opal, and silver.  I can't find them anymore, and I used the hell out of them.  I need something to cover the glue points in the leaf pieces, and I am completely out of luck.  So I am forced to experiment.  I have picked up a few gold colored ribbons, wrappings, threads, etc.  I will find something that works or this piece shall never be finished.  Espcially since the leaves are already wrapped next to the bud and ready to mount, they are just missing this gold trim to cover the glued tips.

So once I have a solution for that I can do the final wrap on this piece and put on the bira bira dangled and call it done.  I am going to use something else different as well, a new 4 inch hair fork, since this weight of this one calls for special additional support.

I might not put this one in the shop, just saying.  I like her so much I might keep her until I can re-create that wisteria piece again.  Cause she was my all time fav.  But thats after the custom order I have is finished, the cris cross sakura set.  I am still waiting on the fabric for that one.  I am pretty sure the colors will  work, but I have not even had the inventory enough to test them against each other properly.  Luckly one of the colors i need is the same color I am using for the kickstarter, and I still managed to sneak in a few new printed fabric pieces to work with.  So the next few weeks should be kanzashi fun!

Not only that, but I have reached out to/started correspondence with hanatsakuri ! Only one of the people I have watched since I started glue style kanzashi 5 years ago.  Or more, I can't really remember. But I am really starting to feel like the kickstarter tutorial book is turning us into a real community of artisans, instead of a introverted smattering of hobbyist kanzashi lovers.  And if it gained me even one friend, it was totally worth it.  I am so glad I am in this book, its the highlight of my year.  I just hope it doesnt bomb.

For anyone interested in the upcoming kickstarter you can sign up for the newsletter HERE.

Thursday, January 14, 2016

New Pieces and ANOTHER Custom Order!

Custom order
 Ok ok ok, so I shut down custom orders, only to have another request come in.  And it was smallish, and I had a week to wait for fabrics to come in, so I took it, and it came out AWESOME! It was an unusual color scheme to work with in the first place, with lots of cream and blue and silver, with spashes of black, a muted purple, and tea green.  Everything is rotational, of course.  But its finished and ready for her approval.

Meantime I was able to photograph and list 3 more pieces, all on hair sticks. 



After all this is said and done, I also finished my final shots needed for my tutorial, and some shots of the kickstarter reward that will be offered when taht kicks off in February.  Due to a glitch, my chirimen hasn't shipped yet, and is a little behind.  I might be able to finish the big blue beauty before that arrives.  She's coming along well, with the bira bira frame made, and final assembly is almost ready.  I just have to make space on my desk to do it, lol. 


Friday, January 1, 2016

New Custom Order Design!

Ok, as far as drawing goes, I am not the best artist.  But this gives you a pretty good idea of the next set I am going to make, a custom design for a Amaterasu Cosplay from Okami! But instad of being worn as a hair piece, she has elected to place a bouquet of sakura blossoms in her obi!

With the double pin design, it can be adjusted in a vareity of ways, including on either side of an obi knot, in front together, one on each side (front and back) or hair and obi. 

Each piece will consist of seven blossoms and 2 leaf pieces with a stationary bira bira.  While she has chosen a red and white theme for her cosplay, she chose a coral and peach color design with bright green for leaves and thread wrapping. Therefore it will maintain a versatility as to not be restricted to one cosplay!

Now that my tutorial project has come to a completion and I am moving on to the next phase with that, I feel confident about picking up this job.  But out of fear of over loading myself, I have temporarily shut down custom orders.  Once this job, and maybe a few other tasks, are complete, I will happily open them back up. But until i have a better idea of how my year will be , I am going to err on the side of caution. 

Besides, this is a pretty big job for me.

Now, off to order fabric! Woot!!!!