TMI, Luna. Jeez...@_@

You know what? I've mulled it over and decided that posts about more than just Lunachick Designs would be WAY more interesting, so here we go with a non-Etsy shop post! Wootz!

So not that I really expect anyone to fall over themselves to care, but imma' write this mess anyway. I would like to share with you good peeps more about ME, not just my shop. You already know about that, so I'll give ya' something else to chew on. If I regret it later, there's always the "Delete Post" button. Ahem...

What have I been up to since June you ask? NOT. MUCH.

My life has become so utterly stagnant that I swear I'm going to literally suffocate soon. I've had enough spare time to conclude that college really IS important this day in time and that unless I figure out what interests me enough to do it as a career, I'm utterly effed forever. I don't WANT to be utterly effed forever, so away to the Career Counselor I go next week. I shall take notes like a good leetle squirrel.

Having untreated Bipolar Disorder for years has done much to stifle any further higher academic pursuits I've attempted over the past (nearly) 8 years (dear God, I am getting OLD...) and I'm still struggling with it. I've yet to be able to conquer it and lead any sort of "normal" life. It's totally owned me lately, though I'm much better off than I've been in the past...but that's an entirely different blog. Moving on!

I've been very single for a very long time, and honestly, if given the choice of being single or being involved in the situation I was in (on and off) for some 3 1/2 years...I'd rather someone saw my head off with a broken beer bottle than go back to that. Yeah, it was THAT awesome. I think a big part of the healing process is realizing how incredibly lucky you are that you got out of the crappy relationship that sucked the very life out of you...that changed who you were and how you behaved...what you thought and how you functioned. Really, I spent so much time fretting over what I lost when in reality I'd only lost someone that I'm better of without anyway. Of course at the time, all I could do was be sad and feel like I was so unworthy, blah blah blah. But now as I reflect, I can easily realize how much better off I am now that I'm not constantly being poisoned by someone that never accepted ME. If you can't accept and love and support someone at their worst, you don't deserve them at their best. Am I wrong?

Lessee...as part of my liberation from badness, I decided to at last get a tattoo, something I'd been putting off for like 8 years because I could never decide what would be important enough to become a part of me forever. And this may (and probably does) sound effin' dumb to most of you, but I REALLY love manga. That's Japanese graphic novels for those of you not in the know. Specifically, I dig romantic shoujo manga...that's girly manga...for silly girls like myself that like fairy tale romances (that have never actually had them and stuff...). ANYWAY, my favorite manga is Vampire Knight. I picked up Volume 1 by chance back in 2008 I think, simply because the cover was pretty and it seemed interesting.

Fast forward to now, where I LIVE for the 24th of each month (when the new chapter is released/translated and put online so I can read it). There's a character in this awesome manga named Zero Kiryu. I have read a LOT of manga, guys and dolls...and I have yet to love a character as much as I lurv Zero. He's badass, yo. His story is utterly tragic and I nearly puke when I think of the possibility of the mangaka snuffing him out in the end. It's THAT intense and it's incredibly silly, but still. I really love the artwork and the story and everyone has SOMETHING that gets to them like this. Some get all worked up over movies. I happen to get worked up over Japanese artwork. Neener.

ANYWAY x2! Because I love Zero so much...see, he has this tattoo on his neck. It's like a "quell vampire-ness" sorta spell/charm thingy, and it looks totally awesome. So yeah, I totally got it tattooed onto my lower back last November and I'm so happy I did. It may not make sense to anyone else, but it does to me, so it rocks. That's my tat/Zero's tat in the pic. :)

Fast forward to December: two of my amigos were like "Hey! You should play World of Warcraft!" I was then like "Ok, cool!" So I started. And played. And stopped sleeping. And lost track of days until...

March: My main toon, Kayora, reached Level 80 at last. For those uber geeks that care, she's a Draenei Fury Warrior on Turalyon. And I lurv her as well. Now I'm leveling a rogue, who is named (dur) Lunachick.

I've been off meds for months, so I've been wallowing around being mostly depressed for quite a while. I've become pretty reclusive but now that the weather's nice again I've been venturing out more. And I learned how to make sushi, so that rocks pretty hard too.

My shop/creative ventures have been pretty much on hold with the exception of the handful of maille I managed to make during a hypomanic spell a few weeks ago. I haven't visited the Promotions Forum in who knows how long and don't bother dropping links anywhere anymore either. I just haven't been uber motivated to do it.

However, the Radford Farmer's Market Kickoff is coming up next Saturday, so I'm going to that with my trusty best bud Biscuit by my side (unless she decides to sleep in, then I'm going it alone.)

So that's about all I've got to report atm. Not an uber-lot going on. I momentarily thought of attempting those dating sites Geek2Geek and Plenty of Fish again, and then thought better of it. Soooo not ready for all that yet.

Until I come up with something more interesting, there ya' go! Laters, peeps!

Annnd Seven Months Later...

Well, who's been neglecting their bloggy? THAT would be me! Ooops.

I'm a bad pumpkin, as my dear ol' boyfriend would say.

Let's see...the holidays were good to me, in regards to Etsy and otherwise. I had a decent number of sales and got a much needed vacation from my "real world" job.

I'm currently getting ready to dive head first into some metal working, which has me really excited, as I've been poised to do this for about four years now. I've been collecting supplies and tools for a long, long time and I think I'm almost ready. I think I can remember some of the things we did in Studio Art in high school. ;P

Looks like I'll be using my dad's workshop. Even though it smells of sawdust, I'll still be able to use it...if he lets me, that is. I'm known to be a touch messy.

I also signed up for Spring classes. I'll only be taking three, but one is Web Design so that will most likely keep me busy enough. And with working 40 hours a week and trying to handle two Etsy shops on top of that, I should be good to go.

No shows until probably May. As much as I've enjoyed traveling to Winchester for the past two years for the festival there, I won't be making the 400 total mile journey this year.

It's just too far a drive. After I factored in gas and food last year, I ended up making a laughable amount. The atmosphere is great, the people are groovy cool, but it's just too far away.

I will, however, be at the Radford Farmer's Market again starting in May (if Becky will have me. I'm such a slacker). I think this year I'll alternate with my chainmaille and gemstone jewelry one week and my cutesy jewelry the next. That way, I'll catch as much attention from as many different people as possible.

In Etsy news, I've marked down a few pieces, so check out the clearance prices here: Clearance Jewelry

In addition, I've added a $10 or Less section. It's a great place to find some groovy jewelry at a great price!

That's about that for now. I'll be updating with show dates and other Lunachick Designs news more often than I did last year. Take care!

What A Weekend...

Whew! That was a LOT of running around to do for 45 bucks!

I spent almost the entire weekend at shows and I made a whopping $45 to show for it.

Didn't make a cent at the farmer's market and sold three things at another festival that was in the middle of BFE. People came to it, but were only interested in themed items, which I had none of, of course.

I'm now out of business cards, though...ok, I have like five left, but still. That's almost out!

I need to reorder them ASAP but that, as we all know, costs money, which I don't currently have much of.

I also need to buy a new tent for the big show coming up on July 12th. That's one that I do very well at so I'm not taking the dinky tent this year.

In other news, still no stimulus check. I've got one custom order in the works and something else on hold to be purchased on Wednesday. That'll help!

I got word a few days ago that my financial aid for college was approved, so now I actually get to go back. That's very big for me, as it's been five years since I was forced to drop out to work full time.

Now, I'll be attempting to work full time (need the $ and insurance) while taking a full course load. Five out of six classes will be independent learning classes and one will be a night class that lasts for three hours on Mondays. That's a long time, but I think I'll just shut up and deal with it.

I need college. That's become apparent in the past few years. I don't want to be stuck at the front desk answering phones and typing for the rest of my life, you know?

If I'm ever going to follow my dream of opening my own shop, I have to do this. If I don't, stuck is where I'll be forever, jumping from one crappy job to the next for the rest of my life. I really, REALLY don't want that.

So, off to college I go! Wish me luck.

Lesson 4,893 Learned + Prospects

I'm WAY too out of practice to ride a bike more than 2 seconds. I rode a measly 1.7 miles (that's NOTHING on a bike!) yesterday, and my butt is killing me!

I also nearly crashed about a dozen times. I haven't been on a bike since middle school so I'd gotten the hang of it by the time we were done.

Ugh...I need a wider, cushy seat if I'm going to do this. My poor hindparts can't take it. Oh, and it's a kid's mountain bike I'm riding, too. Not super smart on my part!

In other news, I have a show that's done well by me in the past coming up next Saturday. The theme fits well with my pieces, so I'm rather looking forward to attending again.

I've also been given several opportunities to display my work on consignment in local shops and galleries.

The only problem is this: I'm worried I won't be able to keep up with everything. I also don't want to essentially have my best pieces on hold while still trying to do shows and sell on Etsy.

I suppose this means I should get to work making new things, possibly even have a sale to clear out some of my older, more basic pieces.

I just don't know. It seemed like a great opportunity, but I'm just worried I'm getting in over my head. I suppose we'll see.

Now, I'd better get to work!