Pink Pussyhat Girls scarf and... a paiting class in US

Pink Pussyhat  on a scarf?

Early this year I had learned about the Pink Pussyhat Project in US.
It is a amazing how people can get together to make change and fight for their rights. As I fully support the movement I decide to paint a scarf commemorating Women March on Washington.

Pink Pussyhat Girls silk scarfs - close up

Pink Pussyhat Girls silk scarfs

The silk painting class in US

Recently I was contacted by a wonderful silk artist and silk painting teacher Petrouchka Moise. She asked me for a permission to use the Pink Pussyhat Girls scarf as a pattern for her class. I was over the moon! 

Here's a link for the amazing MooiLabs event that was organized by Petrouchka. 

And here are some photos from the silk painting class! WOW!

Petrouchka Moise and her class on Pussyhat Girls silk scarf

Paiting the Pink Pussyhat scarf during the classes by Petrouchka Moise

Silk painting class at Mooi by Petrouchka Moise

I love this! Fantastic work everyone! 
It gives me a great pride to be - in a very small part - involved with such amazing event!

To see more silk painting events and other art events, please check the Mooi Labs!

1000 sales on ETSY! YAY

My Etsy shop just got the 1000th sale! 

Thank you so much! Thank you for all your kind words, feedback and orders!

Pride and Prejudice silk scarf

The Pride and Prejudice silk scarf is ready!

 Pride and Prejudice silk scarf on ETSY

Yay, I have painted both Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy! I am pleased with the end result so I hope you will like it too.

The idea

I decided to paint Lizzy and Darcy on both ends of the scarf, so when you put the scarves around you, they meet!

Pride and Prejudice scarves on ETSY

I was trying to get a watercolor style and feel to the painting, as watercolors was the medium of choice of the era. Still, I know none of the Bennet sister painted :P

The design

I have painted them in cameo style, profiles decorated with flowers (Lizzy) and leafs (Darcy).

Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy on a scarf - find it on ETSY

She is bright and lively, hence greens and colors of spring.
He is calm and quiet, therefore blues and dark greens.
In the middle of the scarf there is a title 'Pride and Prejudice' painted with fancy letters and multi-colored background.

Painting

I must say it took some time! I really enjoyed this work, but I have stayed up too late and I was to tired the next day... still, it was worth it! Thankfully, we have coffee.
It was a two day process, but on the second day I only did the 'outlines' - contours to the characters. If you like to see my process, check out this entry on painting the Peacock scarf.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - book, movie and the BBC

“A girl likes to be crossed a little in love now and then. It is something to think of”
― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice - the amazing story

I have fallen in love (like so many before me) with the gorgeous characters and dialogues in this amazing book of Jane Austen. This is - for me - one of the best titles I have even read and... watched. 

First - the book

I read it in Polish several times, before I was ready to try the original version. The language is quite difficult for a foreigner, but it is sooo worthwhile, just to sit with the google translator on your phone and go thru the book in English!
And the story... oh this is obvious, isn't it? Great love, fantastic female characters!
I think I am much like Charlotte Lucas, but fortunately, I've found mysefl a great hubby, :D 

 Next - the BBC miniseries

I did not start with the book, to tell you the truth. I started with the BBC series with Collin Firth starring as Mr. Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth. It is very close to the original (with all the dialogues) and it is simply a great piece of TV drama.

Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy from BBC Pride and Prejudice miniseries

Hey, I think you can easily find it on Youtube! :)

Then - the movie

Nooo... I mean, it's not to bad... but compared to the BBC production... I mean, just nooo...
Ok, to tell you the truth, the 2005 movie with Keira Knightley is much more dynamic and dramatic than the BBC series, and in this sense it is more modern... but it lacks of a certain calmness, patience and brightness of the BBC series and the book. For me, it is to much changed, maybe not the story, but the general feel to it.

Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy (nooo!) in 2005 Pride and Prejudice the movie

Next - fun mentions

In the pop-culture there are so many! My favorite is from the Big Bang Theory season 7 episode 4
The Raiders Minimalization, when Sheldon tries to destroy Pride and Prejudice for Amy. Short but sweet :)

Recently, I have heard almost a quote from the Pride and Prejudice in the second series of the Poldark history romance drama (the one "He is a gentleman and I am a gentleman's daughter).
Highly recommended, too!

Finally - Pride and Prejudice... and Zombies

Yes, it did happen.
First as a book - wouldn't recommend it. Then - as a PRETTY GOOD movie! Wow, I mean, wow! You might think this will be a total BS but it really works! Thanks to great acting, the Darcy's first proposal scene is just a masterpiece.
But you have to be OK with zombies, because there will be a lot!

Here's the trailer for you. Gross but in the end very satisfying movie! :D

Ok, and why I am writing about Pride and Prejudice?
Just to give you the taste of inspirations for my new scarf. It is half done, with gutta outline ready... and hopefully I will paint it in a few days.
So, yay for the Pride and Prejudice ... and silk scarfs ;)

Brushing up tags - how to sell on Etsy?

If you are here on my MinkuLUL blog for the scarfs and painting on silk, this post might not be interesting.
There will be some 'Etsy seller' slang.
You have been warned.

Here's a cute pic I did some time ago to make it up for you ;)

If you already have a shop on Etsy...

... and if you feel as overwhelmed with Etsy constant changes as I am, you might think this is a good moment for brushing up your tags.
Oh, they do change. All the time. They changed the search engine.
And now it is...

... a tag - war! 

 oh yes, it is a battle against time (where to get some free time, huh?) amd a battle against all you already know about search engine on Etsy.

Do you know what they did?

No low-profile hearts or favs, please. 

That's what the Etsy people seems to be saying to us. No low-grade links. No heart-ing games, no "fav and run" games on Teams, just social media or google ad links.
I have seen it happened during last two months. Last year I would start promoting by putting my new listings to my favorite teams, to play some games with them... no more! I have stopped doing that.  
I do believe that low-grade clicks, hearts and favorites makes my listings perform worse in the search engine.

Let us see your tags!

But no one - word tag. They do prefer us to be more specific now, like using "silk scarf" instead of two separate tags "silk" and "scarf". I know this is not so new but I feel like lately only the two or more word tags are working.

Let us see your title!

No more crowded, long titles, it seems. I think that shorten ones work better. No repeating (this is specially hard). I had listings with titles like "silk scar with strawberry scarf with fruit red strawberry scarf' and so on... of course it had more sense than this ;) but you get my drift. Now just one 'silk scarf' for me in the title. JUST ONE!
And of course you have to put tags all around your description. But don't simply copy the title. Make it more real - time speech. Make it 'organic'

Finally, the listing itself.

I am trying to promote my Waterlily silk scarf. I have tinkered with the description, tags and renewed it.

Water Lilies silk scarf - on ETSY

I have read the seller guide about improving your SEO on Etsy seller handbook (HERE) - it is a great read, along with other articles.
I have checked my Waterlily silk scarf status on EtsyRank (HERE) - fantastic tool! You can (among other things) check the tag popularity, search for synonyms or compare it with other tags!
I, being not native English speaker, would not think that 'water lily' would be more common than 'waterlily'! huh!

ufff... finally, my work was done. Now off to social media, to promote... but that's a topic for another post.

Art Nouveau on scarfs - Jugendstil creations

Art Nouveau - my favorite style

In polish we call it secession,  meaning 'leaving the old behind' - so true! This is an art of nature, flowering ornamentation, asymmetric and pure beauty.
We had many wonderful artists creating in this amazing style, and Stanislaw Wyspianski and Alphonse Mucha are my absolute idols.

S. Wyspiański Iris flowers

Art Nouveau art is my source of inspiration, and sometimes I use it as a reference or even a base for my silk paints design. I love transferring Alphonse Mucha masterpieces into wearables!

A. Mucha 'Rose'

The scarfs in Art Nouveau style

Oh I have so many! Here are some photos of my designs. Enjoy!

Angel of Fire and Ice based on A.Mucha  'Feather'

Peacock Feather inspired by Art Nouveau ornaments

Mucha Rose scarf based on... A. Mucha 'Rose' :)

Firebird and Poppies inspired by Art Nouveau

Mucha Lilies scarf based on... A. Mucha art 'Lilies'

Angel Wings inspired by Art Novueau style

Oh, the list goes on and on, as I really feel I am one of the Art - Nouveau artists. Hope to prepare a Pinterest board with Art Nouveau pics for you!
Drop me a note if you want to be included, I will make the Pinterest board an Open Board.

Poppies and Firebird: from design to painted scarves!

The Poppies and Firebird silk scarves

My latest creation in MinkuLUL shop, the commissioned scarf size 34 x 34 inches.

Silk scarves Poppies and Firebird on ETSY

I have painted it with a Setasilk silk paints, to get the most vivid red there is! (I think this red is even more intense that the one I have from acrylic... not to mention watercolors... this is THE RED!!) 

The beginning... a design!

I had a pleasure to work with a great lady from US, who wanted a red and gold scarf with flowers and Art Nouveau touch. We e-mailed a bit about the size and ideas, then I created 3 pictures for her to choose from.

 We e-mailed a bit more and so the final version was created!

I am drawing the designs with colored pencils... taking pictures with my phone did a nasty number on the quality and colors... thankfully I have my camera back!

The silk painting - all the fun!

While painting - Setasilk silk paints are amazing!

Silk scarf Poppies and Firebird

Silk scarf Poppies and Firebird

Silk scarf Poppies and Firebird

I am wondering, is "scarf" rectangle and long, and "scarves" square?
Hm.... or just two words for the same thing?