scaling up and shop launch

The past week has been spent exploring Etsy and PayPal business options. I’ve set up shop using “How to Make Money Using Etsy” by Timothy Adam as a guide (from the library), and am reading through the remaining chapters to learn additional tips and tricks. Please check out my Etsy shop at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MaikesMarvels and let me know what you think. I am pleased someone already favorited one of my cards, and would love to see more feedback.

I’m also expanding the size of my creations with new canvases. Dick Blick conveniently has a back-to-school sale that saved me some money. Here is the Dragonfly Journey collage. I found the dragonfly on my back porch one morning having trouble getting up, so I perched it on a ledge and it flew away from there.

First I tea-stained the canvas and wrote some travel/journey-related words.

Then I added a collage of additional background words with encaustic paint (beeswax with pigment).

Followed by dictionary entries, and compass imagery.

The dragonfly is attached with mounted tape for a raised effect.

The beeswax process is fun and the results tend to be unexpected. I look forward to playing with colors and textures some more. Here’s hoping someone loves my art enough to buy it!