There is so much going on behind the scenes of Manic Trout right now that its a bit overwhelming. I can't really openly talk about most if it yet, so I have been being a naughty blogger recently...oops! I can share a few tidbits...Manic Trout now has a toll free phone number...which is listed on the website...there are oodles of new designs in the works...including 8 new Past in Present necklaces and 4 Paris in The Springtime necklaces! To be the first to know when the new pieces are available, please sign up for the newsletter on the right. I am updating manictrout.com right now as well, but mostly back end stuff which you won't really notice so I'll move on from that...and all the really juicy stuff is still in the works, so I can't share yet...I know, such a tease, but I'm really, really, really excited about it all!!!! I promise I'll share as soon as I can...
I know, I know I have been a naughty absent blogger, but I have never worked as hard in my life as I did in the past 5 weeks and being a major workaholic...that's a lot of working. I am really glad the holidays are over or I would have had a mental breakdown...seriously. Everything is pretty much getting back to normal as of today...although I still have to finish cleaning my studio...and I was in desperate need of some errand running, which I finally got to today...like grocery shopping and dropping off the dry cleaning.
I also have had a chance to do some image browsing online and tonight I may actually get to blog jump, which I have not been able to do for weeks! I just bought some prints from Etsy too, as I have such a weakness for photographs and as I have sold a few paintings on manictrout.com (gasp, I know!!!) I have some wall space open. Thought I would share one of them with you, as its just too pretty to keep all to myself.
I have also been finally able to set up the new computer...a 17" Mac Book Pro which I adore and got all the software on both machines upgraded and everything networked, which has been so much fun to do...so many new possibilities!
I also have new jewelry up my sleeve, and it will be up soon as Valentines Day is right around the corner and there has been oodles of new press, but I have yet to update the press page, so you'll have to wait for that!
OK, now back to work for me, as it never really does end, does it?
Did you ever see , the movie about Howard Stern? Well there is a scene in when he tells his wife that he feels he needs to be more open and honest with his audience and that he was going to be more candid...at which she asked what there was to be more to be candid about, really...but gave him the green light. So what does this all have to do with me you ask, well I have been encouraged by a few friends who have the pleasure of hearing my rants and gushing on the events, both mundane and thrilling in my life, to share these with the world, as my takes on them are quite amusing. At the same time I started reading , a fantastic blog written by a woman who does NOT hold back. So I thought, hmmm...should I open up even more in my blog...do I tell the stories that I tell only close friends right now? Do I start a personal one that is not Manic Trout? Well I decided at 5 in the morning while unable to sleep because some insane painting ideas were spiraling in my head that the answers are yes and no.
I am Manic Trout, there is no separation...if you know me in person, you know this...so the blog will be all for one and one for all. I will continue to share my life and my work just as I have been...but as I have started doing tentatively, I will start to get a bit more down and dirty with what I share. Consider yourself warned.
Now back to our regularly scheduled broadcasting...
I am so enjoying my life right now! I have time to actually work, and not just the, I have to fulfill orders and make some new stuff kind of work, but experiment and explore other mediums! I will have to go back to bartending a few days a week next month, but until then I have been in my studio day and night...except to go on dates with a new beau, which is great too btw.
So here is an experiment I am working on...I am finally...like a year later...updating the images in my many sketchbooks and inspiration boards and decided to take my love of collage to a digital level...I laid down images right on my scanner bed, without seeing what I am doing and voila!
See...blogs are the new sketchbook...this is exactly what I do in those too...
Excuse the lack of posts recently, but I was so sick that all I could do was sleep for the better part of the last two weeks. On the rare occasion that I made myself try to work, I ended up staring all zombie like at whatever I was doing and accomplished basically nothing. By some vast stroke of luck I was kind of prepared for my show and managed to get out all of the orders I had...and that was about it.
I am pretty much back on my feet, although last night I slept for 12 hours, every person I saw yesterday that was not sick when I was is now sick, so I think I was just trying to keep the germs happy and well rested.
So now I have a lot to do, to catch up and to just get going on for spring and summer. I designed a really well received necklace on Saturday, which will debut soon, as my testing ground (a very busy resturant/bar full of staff and regular customers who are incredibly helpful test subjects!) LOVED it!
I updated the front page of Manic Trout today, I don't know...all this freezing rain is making me crave burst of color I suppose.
What else...oh yeah, i bought the coolest thing ever...a thermal dual label printer and a scale that plugs into my computer, so I can print my own postage at home....and I cannot for the life of me get it to work...very sad. Its on my list of things to deal with on Thursday.
OK, off to prep labels and get a pile of orders ready to ship...
I have not posted in almost a week!!!!! I would apologize profusely, but I think that thanks are more in order as I have been so busy filling orders and restocking stores that I have not had time to sit down and jot out a few notes! You would be very pleased to also find out that I have been trying to socialize and actually have a tiny bit of life...and oh yeah, I remembered last week that I had to buy presents for my own family. The last few days I have been trying to clean up my studio as the chaos of holiday shopping lifts and all I have left is my open studio/trunk show this week end to prep for. Fortunately, I had a few requests for studio visits recently, so a shopping table has been set up since last week. I am now just cleaning up and making a grocery list. I am looking forward to the next week of relaxing, before I start prepping for Valentines Day, Prom and the Wedding seasons. It feels good to stop and take a few deep breathes every once in a while.
I think I am going to be snowed in today...it seems I have a great deal more to do then I wanted to admit anyway...so here I stay. Although I do have to run to the PO and to get my hair cut...but I walk to those so they don't count.
I did update my blog roll today...woo hoo, more ways to procrastinate!
I have been doing a bit of blog housekeeping...the kind of stuff I like to do on on a somewhat irregular basis, update info, switch up images, perhaps implement a new feature... So with the blog I have switched up my bio, I am trying to decide on a photo for my avatar and then use my logo in the banner, but we'll see. I update my links as often as I find them, but I am now adding a *new* to each update. I am also starting to use categories...eventually I will go back and add the old posts, but until then they will slowly grow. Of course I will as always try to see and do interesting blog worthy things so I can post more often...my life has been so unblogworthy recently!
Hello!! My name is Sierra and this is my digital sketchbook where I share my life as a designer living in Austin, TX. Check out the about page to find out more about me and what goes on here!
