projects, side projects & twitter.....

well hello. 

i am back, as promised, for a post with more words. :D 

thank you so much for your kind words about my shop tour photos (below). 

oh my...where to begin.... 

 

Italy. 

If you live in (or near) Italy and would like to take a class with me in about a month, click here for more info. I am super excited to take this trip. It's been over a year since I left the US and I am really looking forward to seeing new places & making new friends. It will be fun! Plus, my favorite boy is coming along.... can't wait! 

Here are a few sneak peeks of the classes I am teaching. 

Felt Friends:

10 things I love about you: 

Creative Embellishments: 

(promise to share more peeks as the event draws near!)

Personal-ish.

This is a long story, but I will try to make it short.... 

Opening the RVA store/website has been a dream for me. It's easily the biggest project I've ever taken on and I am incredibly thankful and excited to take my work in that direction. I adore Red Velvet and it's something I can see myself doing and evolving long term. 

That said, this past month I've had some emotional ups and downs that I could only compare (and this is a very far stretch, I know) to someone who has just had a new baby. I love what I am doing more than anything but there have been moments when I've felt like I was losing my own identity a bit. 

I'll explain more.... For the past six months I've done almost nothing that was unrelated to RVA. My friends here know that I haven't been going out, working on personal projects or even really sleeping. I don't regret it because starting a new business requires insane personal sacrifice and this is what I really want to do with my life right now. I just think that one day (soon after the store opened) it all started catching up with me. I started feeling really burnt out and I started missing the people & things that I hadn't made time for. 

Long story short, I decided that it was time to make some simple changes in my daily life. More sleep, daily time for personal hobbies and a new side project. These changes have been such a blessing to me in the past few weeks and I feel like some creative parts of me are coming to life again. I feel really really happy and more inspired than I have in a long time. Sleep, vintage shopping, hanging out with my mom and a new little project have made a really positive change in my life! 

 

A couple things I've been doing for fun..... 

Etsy

Closing my etsy shop was something that I felt immediately sad about. I felt like I "should"...obviously because we have a new lovely site (it will be back up next week, i can't wait!). But, there is just something about etsy that I really love. When I started my shop, I was designing Love, Elsie full time and it was just for fun. So, I decided to reopen my my etsy shop as a side project and make it "just for fun" again!

I am reopening my shop as a home for small, occasional collections of original art. These collections are a place for me to experiment with new styles, concepts and ideas. My first set is called 'Chamomile". The paintings are more delicate and detailed. They have some embroidered and vintage elements as well as Swarovski crystals...just some things i haven't tried before. It's been a lot of fun to work on and I am so excited to share them with you... 

:) thanks for sharing that with me.

and just for fun... my most lucky thrift shop purchase of the week: 

oh..... and i finally got twitter.

if you wanna follow my randomness... feel free. :D 

yes, i really am making a dollhouse. more about that later! 

i'm off to work for the night. LOVElove, elsie

Comments

[Laura ( :]

Wow-- sounds like you are having a great time--I am glad that you are feeling more refreshed -- that is important in this life!!! I am always checking out your new pics and favorite ones -- I always find ones that I like to check out-- thanks!!! Have a great night!!

[JeSsIcA**]

Italy!!? I am jealous yes.
Australia soon?
I am visitin the US in June, I will be visiting your shop. And i will be leaving broke!
Much Luv always

[Janna]

I like your how you compared your shop opening to a new baby! You have accomplished soooo much in your young life and you have the world behind you. We know you are human and you have feelings and cannot do it all. You need time for your emotions, reactions and inner voice to come to the surface. We are all in awe of all that you do however your post proved that you are real and true and that sometimes it is not that flippin' easy!
Take care of yourself!

[jenna]

I love your paintings.
I just wanted to say how I appreciate that you draw the "nerd" girls. I am a full fledged nerd girl. the glasses and all. didn't used to feel pretty at all. slowly getting over that. your girls are so pretty and i think that is inspiring to see that girls with glasses are still cute.
thanks.
xxoo

[Allison]

Those shoes are out of control! I love them so much! I'm so happy you're getting to do so many things you love.

[Sandy]

I love your new paintings. Wow they are beautiful.

I couldn't even begin to imagine how much work it must take for you to make most of your products and run a business. You are truly an inspiration to us all. I just hope you do remember to take time for you. That's the most important thing. We can always wait and I'm sure everyone will wait. You need your family and friends first in your life. The rest is just lagniappe.

I'm of course one of your biggest fans so I'll always be here to support you.

I wish you all the best on the trip to Italy, what fun and you get to go with Jeremy. Awesome experience. :)

[Suzanne]

Oh, good for you! It's sooooo important to take time for yourself when running your own business(es)!
Best wishes to you :)

[Liz]

It's so important to take time for you. And your new collection is absolutely wonderful! :]

[Toni Brockliss]

I love your paintings. The one of the girl in the yellow dress is my favourite.
I am so glad you are taking time out just for you. When I had my two little children, you get caught up in the day to day routine and you do start to forget yourself. You have to learn to introduce all the things you like and that make you happy.
You are doing a fantastic job and you are still so young.
Italy will be fantastic and it is so romantic and beautiful. You have to go to Bocca della Verita where Audrey stuck her hand in the lion's mouth in Roman Holiday (my fav movie!)

[hollysarah.]

great post.
I hope you can really enjoy your time in Italy with Jeremy. (jealous!) You need some "you" time away from the store, and rejuvenate!
ps. Chamomile=love! the paintings are fantastic.

[maggie]

you are so prolific!

and i love the sewing machine:)

[Jane]

Italy?! Oh wow... have a blast, Elsie! That is so exciting! Europe is so beautiful and I can only imagine what it will be like in the springtime!

I absolutely adore your stuff and I'm so happy for you for the opening of RVA! I love the robots and I hope you put them on the website! (P.S. I'd love to see some Asian girls drawn/painted if you ever get around to that!)

Also, added you on Twitter! :)

[Marie]

Hi elsie, im so sorry to hear that you've been a "bit" stressed out :( I hope you feel better soon...
You always make my day. I love everytime I see new photos on your blog, new paintings etc. from you. I *love* your style and your passion for the things you do. You are a truly inspirator!!! (seriosly..)
And I love the new photos of your shop!! i've always dreamed about getting my own shop, now after I seen yours i want it even more <3

OK i also have a question for you. Do you ever make personal paintings ? If i tell you a little about me and a photo could you make a little painting of me ? Just like the ones you just created. (not now, just some day) and what would the price be ?
IF you do, you can send me a email:
marie_hoimark (at) hotmail dot com
(if you dont see this i try to email you instead)

[astrid]

Hi Elsie,

wonderful that Jeremy is following with you to italy.

Will you stay there longer and do some vacation?

I can understand that you worked very hard for your beautiful dream
and having nearly no time for friends, hobbies ...over some month is hard.

I worked a lot before i got our son. Sometimes is was hard. I also feeled stressed. I learned in the past years that it is important to do things for your own. I went to some sewing classes, bought me a gocco printer,do some sports and meet our friends. And i bought me a spot for rachel and your online class. That´s a delight.

The same as your work is. You inspired me so much the last year.
Thanks for that.

and please take all the time you´ll need to fill up your energies (engines) :-)

[astrid]

P.S.: i love the sewing machine painting. it´s sooooooo cute.

[Nina]

Hey that is funny, right before I read about your Etsy shop I realised I missed it, how great to hear it's coming back!

[margot]

you know, it would be weird if you DIDN'T feel that way!!! but i'm glad you're working on it, and i'm glad you wrote about it too!!!
:-)
btw i woke up at 4am for a chat today but i think it's tomorrow lol. ooops.

[tami]

are you still running? if not, i highly recommend you get back into it and make it part of your day. it might be tough the first few weeks but soon you will be running and loving it.

[margot]

ps will you be in florence at all? cause if so there is a jewelry store that i think will change your life!!!!!! let me know if you are and i'll give you directions (i studied abroad there!)
ciao ciao! :-)

[Holly]

elsie...enveying you so so much right now...following your passion and not looking back! We need you to take care of yourself so you can keep inspiring us...nothing like another job!
Please know we value you and your art! So glad to see you re-opened your etsy shop...
Thank you...