Military Life - "Brats" Perspective

Military Life ...
From a spouse's perspective

Jeananne Sizemore
owner of Art Whims

A military life is a great one, one that I have known my entire life. As a Navy Brat and now as an Army Wife, I have experienced the ups and downs of what it means to be a member of a military family and that our family includes many more than my genetic relatives. Our family is all of the people in the military and those who have family members and friends in the military.

I am proud that the Homefront Team is now part of that family. The military family mirrors the relationship of siblings; we may fight sometimes, have differences in faith and ideas, but when we really need each other we rally together and stand strong. And with the losses that many of us have faced it still brings tears to my eyes that I have so many people willing to reach out and give me a hug of encouragement when I need one. I am so thankful to be living this military life and would not have it any other way.

Jeananne's Beautiful Items can be Found:
Painted Items
Photography (etsy)
Photography(zazzle)
Facebook
Blog
Twitter

Thanks Jeananne! If you would like to submit a story for this series please contact us ("Contact" tab at the top of the blog) for consideration.

Helping Hand Series - Helpful Hints for Selling on Etsy

from Anhoki's Place
Artisan Bath and Body

Sellers Helpful Hints
(a new series offering handy hints for selling on etsy)

You have talent. You wouldn't open an etsy shop if you didn't. You've worked hard, made your beautiful items, spent time posting items for sale, and then started to wonder what you can do to make your shop a little better. Hopefully these tips will get you where you want to go, and get your shop some well deserved attention. Just remember, what may work for one seller might not work for another. So just hang in there, try a few new things, and see if that makes a difference.

Topic #1 The best place to start

What should you sell? This may seem like such a simple thing to consider, but those who sell successfully (to inlude shops that are non-etsy) consider this heavily before they put anything up for sale. Think of your shop like a catalogue, or a boutique. If you walked into a shop, and there was little to no variety, would you stay and shop? If you browsed a catalog, and the items didn't work well together, would you seriously consider a purchase from this company? I doubt many people would think it normal to walk into a pet store and find hair accessories in a corner. Or walk into a kitchen store where half a shelf was dedicated to jewelry and think that it belonged. To get a good idea of whether you are off to a good start, perhaps try asking yourself a few questions.

1. What do my items have in common?
2. Do I have enough variety to choose from within my shop? How about within each section?
3. If you looked at a catalog with the same items in your shop, would you be wondering why a certain item is missing? (i.e. looking at a jewelry shop, would you wonder where the matching earrings are for that necklace? How about bracelets?)
4. What could I add/remove that could make my shop more cohesive?


If you have a great tip you would like to share, please email jenharruff@yahoo.com

Military Life - ...From a Brat's Perspective

Military Life Introduction

The Military Brat Team and the Homefront Team are combining efforts to share our experiences with the military lifestyle so that others can fully understand the sense of community, sacrifices, benefits, and expectations we all share as members of a truly unique group of people. Each month we will feature a story shared by a Military Brat Team member, and a story shared by a Homefront Team member.

Military Life….
From a brat’s perspective

Growing up in the military can be hard. I remember getting so angry and sad when we had to say goodbye to our friends and move all over the country because we had to go where the Navy sent us. We had to endure being a constant new kid at school, and we had to work our way into friendships, only to have them break apart when we moved again in a few years. However, with all of the struggles we went through, we had a great deal to be thankful for. I am the third of five children, so my siblings were my playmates wherever we went. We were great explorers and set out to conquer each and every hiding place, secret path, and playground we could find in the quickest time possible. It was how we claimed our territory and marked it as our home. We grew up for a time in Virginia Beach, Virginia, climbing trees, eating plums from our neighborhood trees, and catching the sweet nectar of the abundant honeysuckle flowers on our tongues. There were marshy ponds nearby where we saw tadpoles grow into frogs, and caught turtles (of course, naming them after the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Fireflies danced in the yard, and we held contests to see who could catch the most in a jar with holes in the lid. We caught caterpillars and made them little homes inside shoeboxes full of leaves, only to find that they had fled when we checked on them in the morning.

The best part of growing up as a military brat in Virginia was definitely the military appreciation day held by Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA. With five kids and two adults living on a Navy income, we could never afford to go to theme parks, so this was the greatest gift we had to look forward to all year. We got to go on the fourth of July. My mother, older sister, and I were in line for the terrifying rollercoaster, the Loch Ness Monster, and at the last minute my older sister chickened out. So I was trapped into going, pretending I was brave while I shook from head to toe. I kept my eyes shut tight the entire ride. My mom shook me and told me to look up at the fireworks as they exploded above our heads, and I wish I had actually opened them. At least I got to brag about how brave I was when I got off! The whole day was a fantastic experience that made us all feel like a family, and made us all very proud of our status as military brats.

Please take a moment and visit Jen around the web:

Jen Harruff Aprons and Assessories

Follow Jen on Twitter

Jen on Facbook

Creative is the new Black

Angee our Highlighted Brat

Every month, the Brat Team chooses one of it's members to “highlight;” as its Featured Artist/Seller. This month, we are pleased to introduce you to “Angee” of “Angee’s Art Collectibles, Wonder Works and Visualicious.”

Angee Chase - Raised military brat, ex-AF wife, and mother to an AF son.

*Tell us a bit about yourself?

I was raised a military brat, am an ex-Air Force wife and the mother to an Air Force son. I live in Mary Esther, Florida, two blocks from the Gulf, that used to have pristine sugar white sandy beaches until the oil came! :(

I'm so right brained, I lean! My creativity is always flowing, so if I don't do something creative every day I fear I might explode. I have drawn and painted as far back as I can remember. I just practiced, practiced, practiced and after about 20 years, I think one day God looked down on my room full of wadded paper, (mess up, crumple, start again), and realized I might be serious, and decided He would let me have it! The creative gift. Don't know the exact day, but suddenly, I could pretty much draw anything I wanted.

I stumbled on my love for sculpture when polymer clay was invented and I began making mini creations. I won some awards and garnered a little TV exposure which eventually led to selling at local miniature shops.

I have a huge array of artistic creations, in a wide variety of mediums, going on all the time.

Bright and Cheerful Original Art Placemats

*What inspires you and where do your ideas come from?

I'm inspired by everything around me, but mostly nature. I subconsciously notice colors, shapes, movement, patterns, light, and changes everywhere. I love going to hardware stores; the pieces, parts, shapes, fixtures, and etc. make me want to go home and make something.

The oddest things inspire me. A fleamarket sparked my series of bottle paintings; all sold! Prints are now available. I just HAD to see if I could paint clear colored bottles that overlapped and mixed colors when you looked through them. (I used for this idea with my www.AngeeArt.etsy.com banner.)

I pay attention to TV set backgrounds, walls, room decor, patterns, fabric, everything...everywhere. No telling what will spark that next flow of creativity. And of course, vintage toys always motivate my desire to see if I can make tiny versions.

The Mini Ella the Elephant Pull Toy

*What are your favorite materials?

I adore all kinds of clay: homemade bread clay, salt dough, cold porcelain, modeling clay, polymer clay, oriental clay, paper clay, play dough, and even fondant that works like clay. But oddly enough, my favorite materials are jewelry findings and a prized set of expensive Berol fine art colored pencils that in my opinion are the best on earth.

Whimsy Love Treat Shop

*What have been the most valuable lessons learned from other artists on Etsy?

Non-creative people think I'm as nutty as a fruitcake. On Etsy, I find everyone's as nutty as I am ... in a most wonderful way! We are all similar in our creative processes, and feelings about handmade. And... No matter how much it is not my creative forte, I've learned how important good pics are to successfully sell handmade online.

Garden Glamour SceneScape

*Why should people buy handmade?

How special to purchase real handmade straight from the hands that make them. They're made with love so a part of the artist's personality comes along with them. Every item is uniquely personal to the artist, and many become cherished buyer possessions. As an artist, it's satisfying that someone is admiring a part of you that adorns their home. As a buyer it's such a thrill to know you own something no one else has.

CHOCOLATE LOVES - Nut, Fruit and Fudge Filled Chocolate Fondants

*What features/services would you most like to see on Etsy?

More attention to real fine art and distinct categories in this field would be great. I would love to be able to have true separated sections without all my items having to go together. Let me choose what I want to show on my front page and be able to reorganize them when I get the urge. And finally...a little chatbox like FB has to be able to converse with customers and each other.

*Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I create more things! Last year I decided to mix two of my loves: painting and miniatures so, went to school, and became a nail specialist. Now I can paint tiny pictures and sculpt 3D acrylics on nails. Also working on my new artist/artisan blog "Creative Class" with lots of tutorials, craft lessons, interviews, and tips to encourage creative people. Contact me if you have anything you'd like to contribute.

*Read any good books lately?

The last book I read was how to paint rocks. I'm also in the process of reading the whole dang internet. (ha!) Will let you know when I'm done with that!

Coiled Snake Stone Paperweight

*In ten years I'd like to be?

Still alive, designing crafts for Martha Stewart, and able to take a vacation.

*How did you come up with your Etsy Shop Name/s?

Have a website called WebWrx and love the name. People often say "I wonder how you can make those tiny, little, things." Thus the name. "WonderWorks" where I sell my tiny handsculpted 1:12 scale miniatures.

Angees Art spoke for itself when I opened with only my fine art. I inherited a great amount of antiques and vintage things that belonged to my mother so now it's filled with antique, vintage, and modern (my originals).

I make sculpted bonbons, and invented a tasty, fruity candy that I make edible jewelry from. They are visually beautiful as well as delicious, so I called it " Visualicious" http://www.Visualicious.etsy.com

I may be making some how-to tutorial CDs and downloads for making them, including my secret recipes and all!

Frutie Cutie Strawberry Necklace

*What is the connection between being a Crafter and being a Brat?

I artistically need the challenge of change; always searching to create something new. I guess that comes from being a military brat; always moving and looking forward to that next home with new things to see and experience. I have been the entire perimeter of the US, across the width several times, and lived in 8 states. We lived in France for 3 years, Spain for a total of 7 years, and visited Portugal, and England. I went to the Prado and the Lourve museums, where I became enthralled with budding artists that sat
practicing for hours reproducing the paintings of the great masters. I was exposed to the art of other cultures, walked in real castles, and saw wondrous old architecture. I'm sure these experiences became a part of my creative expression; engrained in my artistic soul. Never would've happened without my Dad's AirForce military service.

LINKS:

Fan me on Facebook:
My main blog:

Thanks for spending some time with Angee and the Brat Team.

COLORS OF SUMMER Team Challenge Entries

Welcome to our Colors of Summer team challenge. Please vote for your favorite entry.

#1

http://beadworksbykerri.etsy.com/

As I was working this piece up, thoughts of the ocean came to mind and I envisioned a mermaid sitting on a rock with the waves rolling in, her tail splashing in the water and this cuff on her wrist. That's what inspired the title to this stunning piece. The cuff features three aqua colored cats eye beads surrounded by petite light amber and chartreuse seed beads. There are five aqua droplets at the base of each cats eye bead as well. Then, cream colored keiski pearls were added between each focal bead setting for added splash. Whether you love the ocean, the beach or just fun in the summer sun, this cuff is sure to put a mile on your face and a skip in your step!

#2

http://rhradcliffedesigns.etsy.com/

ABSTRACTION---mosaic celebrating the colors of summer. size: 16" X 12". This mosaic reflects the shimmering colors of the garden in the heat of summer. When I sit outside, colors seem to blend in with each other more as the thermometer rises. Birds, flowers, sky and imagination all connect and reflect the sunshine.

#3

http://karencaseysmith.etsy.com/

In the Herb Garden features the lovely flowers of the chive plant, and wonderful summer light! These come up every year, just a few steps out the back door. It's so nice to have them fresh, and close at hand. Along with beautiful color in the garden, they add so much flavor to food. (Photograph)

#4

http://anhoki.etsy.com/

Deep Sea Salt Bar (Soap)

#5

http://anytimeaccessory.etsy.com/

My Summer Colors Hand Knit Pom Pom Handbag truly represents all that I love about summer. It's fun, vibrant and nostalgic all at the same time. It is my original design and I had so much fun knitting it. It is knit in the round with a large pom pom yarn with variegated colors of yellow, green, blue, orange and pink. The top edge is knit in yellow. The flower in a lovely pink, with a fabric button center. This purse is lined with a fun, coordiating fabric with pink polka dots and is finished off with a magnetic closure and clear acrylic handles. It measures 9 inches high by 14 inches wide.

#6

http://laughingfridge.etsy.com/

When I think of the colors of summer, I always end up with sunshine and brightness in my head! I designed and created this polymer clay sun magnet, poked holes in it for a bit of interest, and painted it with acrylics. I used summery colors of orange, red and yellow, with dots of gold and magenta. It's been painted with several coats of varnish to seal in the colors, and a strong round magnet is securely attached.

#7

http://skinbodyworks.etsy.com/

When I think of Summer especially the 'Colors of Summer' the first thing that comes to my mind is Tomato's!
YES! I know I am weird, but nothing sounds better to me than a vine ripened Tomato!

I recreated that memorable color in a Lipstick, a color that can be worn during the heat of Summer or the Freeze of Winter. A Classy color that is warm and neutral. A wonderful color that really brings memories of picking fresh vine ripened tomato's in the garden with Mom and Grandma.

Happy Birthday July Brats

7-2 buttfreckle
7-7 beadstoo
7-7 Thetatteredgypsy
7-13 modcustomjewelry
7-13 teristreasure
7-17 CraftBonanza
7-17 Odannysgirl
7-19 scooyouphotography
7-19 designsbymariejulie

Happy Birthday to our June Military Brats

Happy Birthday

6-2 RibbonalityBySushi
6-5 glass dancer
6-6 FroggyCreations
6-20 designsviadumas

May's Military Brat - "Something Aloha"

Hawaiian Plumeria Cluster

Aloha!...

... from “Something Aloha,” this month’s Bratty Featured Artist. Her shop is located in Hawaii where she creates flowers made from air dry clay. Her items range from leis for your pets to Swarovski Jewelry…please visit her shop for......Something Aloha

Small Hawaiian Pet Lei

Sea Grape Pet Lei

*Tell us a bit about yourself?

I am a busy working mother of two active boys...one of them is very hairy with 4 legs! My free time is spent either exercising or working on crafts. I love to craft and enjoy putting my creative side to use...it's also a stress reliever for me!

Hawaiian Plumeria Glass Ornament

*What inspires you and where do your ideas come from?
My ideas are inspired by the beauty of Hawaii.

*What are your favorite materials?

I love working with sea shells…I think they are so beautiful

Wooden Flower Arrangement Box

*What has been the most valuable lessons learned from other artists on Etsy?
To constantly be creative and come up with new ideas…it keeps your store fresh and encourages frequent visits.

*What features/services would you most like to see on Etsy?
I can't think of anything specific…but anything to help drive up sales would be nice! :)

*Why should people buy handmade?
Handmade makes a statement. Handmade is very personal.

Swarovski Pear Key Chain with Cross

Lava Rock Bracelet with matching Sterling Silver Starfish Earings

*Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I work full-time as an analyst at a health insurance company.

*Read any good books lately?
The latest book that I read (Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet) has made a huge impact on my life. Prior to reading her book, I was treating my body terribly by eating a lot of rich and high in fat foods…I was gaining weight and having a lot of migraine attacks. The book encouraged me to try eating vegan of which I did for 8 weeks and in that time I lost 7 pounds, two sizes, had my good cholesterol jump up to 74, and reduced my migraine attacks to about once a month. Eating vegan has definitely had its challenges and is extremely hard to do...especially when a child is involved. I recently made the decision to eat more vegetarian by adding egg and fish to my diet...I still do not eat dairy products or meat (except once a month when I let myself have a free pass to eat anything). I have never read a book where it has had an impact on my life as this one did.

*In ten years I'd like to be?
Married with more children and working for myself full time. I will be getting married next year and we plan on starting a family as soon as possible!

Single Pink Rose

*How did you come up with your Etsy Shop Name?

In growing up in Hawaii, the Aloha Spirit is everywhere and you can't help but embrace it. So when thinking of a name it was only natural to call my shop Something Aloha.

Hawaiian Pink Plumeria Flower in Clay

*What is the connection between being a Crafter and being a Brat?

I would not have experienced Hawaii as I did if it were not for the military. My dad was stationed at Hickam Air Force Base when I was a young child…he retired and we stayed in Hawaii. While living on Hickam, I was introduced to the Hawaiian culture and danced hula. Hula introduced me to the different Hawaiian flowers because we would wear them at performances. Hickam is also where I began a fondness to seashells. Our backyard was the beach and I would walk along it every day collecting shells. All the beautiful things I was exposed to are now seen in my crafting.

Dog Clay Sculpture

Thank you for spending a few minutes with one of our Favorite Brats and stop by and visit her FB Fan Page and her Twitter.

Aloha!

Happy May Birthday Brats

Happy birthday to all our bratty May birthdays

MAY
5-1 GrumpyTomsAttic
5-4 Beryltheperil
5-14 Kerleyskreations
5-14 Ihearthandmadegoods
5-19 Seavbeach
5-21 Anhoki
5-26 BeccasBeadCreations
5-26 mash84

April's Bratty Feature - Scoo You Photogrpahy

Each month, the Brat Team highlights one of it's members. This month it is my pleasure to introduce to you Jeff of ScooYou Photography

Waiting for Wind

"The dandelion is the official flower on the Military Brat"

*Tell us a bit about yourself?

I am a somewhat mellow, sarcastic (good natured), and weird/humorous Air Force Brat. My father is a retired Colonel (did his 30 years and had to retire…Apparently, the Air Force doesn’t want you around after 30 years if you’re a Colonel. I am married to a fellow Etsy member (although not a Brat…by our definition…but…), Souly Stones, who make jewelry. We have a six year old son, Apollo, who has just started taking pictures and wants his own shop on Etsy…hope there’s a market for train and alphabet photography. At any rate, I started getting into photography (as far as talking pictures) since I got my first camera, a Kodak Instamatic, when I was around 10 years old. I didn’t really get into it until I received my first SLR (Single Lens Reflex…the cameras that have detachable lens that when you look through the viewfinder, you’re looking through the lens…hence SLR) in 1995, soon after moving to Portland Oregon, where I still live. I have taken pictures of bands in concert, family portraits, and group pictures, but my true passion is just photography…whatever I think will look cool. I joined Etsy on June 1, 2008…Actually, I wanted to join but was too lazy to do anything. My wife, who has been with Etsy since 2006, forced my hand and signed up for a shop for me and began listing things without my knowledge, so any of the photos that have very little description are ones that she listed.

Ning, Ning, Ning, Nin, Nin, Ni,Ni

*What inspires you and where do your ideas come from?
I am inspired by whatever I feel looks cool at the time. I’m very visual. I have always loved pictures and particularly love the book The Best of LIFE (circa 1973), which is a collection of the photography that appeared in LIFE magazine from its beginnings to, at least, 1973. My parents had that book, and I have occupied what adds up to be many days worth of absorbing the content of that book. I would just stare at many of those pictures and study them and feel the emotion that it evoked in me and feel that my photography should evoke strong emotions in order for me to consider it good.

Fish Head on the Beach

*What are your favorite materials?

I use a Sony Alpha 100 digital SLR camera, Minolta HTSi Plus film SLR camera, Pentax P30-t manual focus SLR, a Holga medium format camera, various cameras from Lomography, and a pin-hole camera or two.

Fog on a Winter Morning

*What have been the most valuable lessons learned from other artists on Etsy?
My wife told me to join groups of those that have a shared interest or characteristic…like being a Military Brat, for instance.

*Why should people buy handmade?
You can be assured that some seven year old in a third world country did not have to get up at 3AM, work at a sweat shop for 14 hours, getting paid a few cents per day to make items for some faceless corporation that sells it to the public at large. Also, handmade stuff is unique, perfectly imperfect, and cool (for the most part).

*What features/services would you most like to see on Etsy?
An option (and maybe this does exist…I’ve had so few sales…relatively) that allows people to buy without joining anything…That’s a turn off for some (me included) when you just want to buy something. Also, I would like to see more features on photographers

Old City Jail

(does not have a link)

*Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I work in the Social Service field for Janus Youth Programs, Inc. in Portland OR. I help young men who are on parole with the Oregon Youth Authority become job ready and obtain/maintain employment and complete high school or begin college. My dad told me that I was taking a vow of poverty by working this field. Apparently, there is little money available to those who help the pariahs of society.

Raindrop Leaf

*Read any good books lately?

I hate to admit it, but I not much of a reader. I do enjoy books, but am lazy when it comes to reading books. However, the most recent book that I read was “Never Die Easy” Walter Payton’s (former football great with Chicago Bears) autobiography.

Skyscrapers Reflections

*In ten years I'd like to be?
6 foot 3….but…Since I’m only 5 foot 10 and fully grown, I think I’ll mention something a little more realistic…In ten years I’d like to be a full time photographer and no longer involved in Social Service (had to leave due to burnout). I would like to be working for National Geographic, Time, etc. and have my own gallery somewhere.

Shiny Brew
(does not have a link)

*How did you come up with your Etsy Shop Name?

My nickname in high school was Scoo (because my last name is Scooler…makes sense, huh?). Later on, when I was creating my first email address, I was trying to think of something creative and “clever”. I came up with scoo_u. Moving forward a bit…I used to take pictures of this local band, Freight Train Casanova, during their shows. One of the band members created a littler flyer for the band and put Scooyou Photography down for the photo credits….Needless to say….Okay, I’ll say anyway…The name stuck….If I were to create another shop, I think I’ll call it Scooler Than You Photography….

Autumn Velvet

*What is the connection between being a Crafter and being a Brat?
I do not consider myself to be a Crafter because I don’t really “MAKE” anything except taking photos. That is not very labor intensive. I’m more of an Artist, which I do consider a subset of Crafter…or maybe it’s the other way around…oh well. I take pictures, fix them up with Photoshop and other programs, and list them on my shop with Etsy. I am an Air Force Brat, as I mentioned earlier. From there, I joined Military Brats and POE (Photographers of Etsy) teams. There is the connection. However, I stated earlier that I am not a Crafter, but I have been collecting old wooden window frames, painting them, and putting gobs and gobs of polyurethane for a good shine, and just do stuff to convert them into picture frames and hope to list them on my shop very soon….stay tuned….So, I guess I’m a crafty bratty artistic photographer.

The Future is Now

Thank you for spending a few moments getting to know Jeff and his wonderful photography.
You can find and view Jeff's Photography for sale at Scoo You Photography on Etsy . Please visit Jeff's FB Fan Page and view many of his photos at Scoo You Photography on Flickr.