Etsy for Everyone

Apartment makeover, part II

Yup, still quiet, still busy with the apartment. :)

But, I figured I will "delight" you with some badly-made moodboards to give you an idea of my place. First of all, you need to understand that my apartment's layout is challenging at the best of times:

This is what it will look like eventually. My bedroom doesn't really have doors, so I am inserting sliding doors to keep it separate.

The "studio" is nothing more than a large workspace on top of the washing machine/ dryer, with additional kitchen cupboards on the wall.

Everything is open layout and... well, small. But, the weird layout means I can be creative with what space is used how. :)

This is to give you an idea of what the living room will consist of:

Can't do much about the walls, they are structured, which I think is a bummer in a space that small. I have wooden parquet floors, which are gorgeous, and a door to the garden. Notice those pillows? Yes, they are from Joom at Etsy - will eventually have 4 of those on the otherwise non-descript (but comfy) couch.

Behind the couch, the walls will be hung with art and art and more art. A lot from Etsy, some that I have been collecting for a while, sculptures as well as 2D prints and originals... I know it is daring to have very busy walls in a tiny room, but I cannot help myself... I love busy walls with art.

I had to include the tv - it will get here in September and I cannot wait... I am actually getting myself a plasma, my first real tv, it feels like. It fits nicely in the window sill, so no need for extra furniture... and to be honest, there just is no room for any additional furniture anyway.

My bedroom is still a challenge:

All that fits in there is a bed and closet. The bed will be raised to app 40cm, to create more space underneath. And tobe honest, there is a real chance that I will eventually paint the bed and closet white, because coupled with the wooden floors, it is just too many different types of wood on top of each other.

The sliding doors will be fit next week and will separate the sleeping space from the hallway/ studio/ kitchen.

There is a built-in closet with the water heater opposite, which I have already painted white, and a gorgeous huge buddha painting next to it, which I cherish.

The studio will consist of a work space on top of the washing machine/ dryer, basically lengthening the current kitchen with cupboards as well. There, I will eventually have space for my craft supplies, fusing oven, sewing machine, etc. The studio is almost 2m long, in the end, with tree additional kitchen cupboards on top.

The kitchen is pretty much a hallway, with an old wooden dresser on one side and the kitchen on the other. Again, everything is open, so you step from the entrance/ office directly into the kitchen.

Either the office or kitchen will get my newest large painting, a gorgeous chimpanzee that is 90x90cm.

The office currently consists of a dresser, an old table that functions as a desk, and Ikea book cases... Oh, and loads of ferret stuff, somehow.

Because that is an additional challenge at all times - incorporating the ferrets. Meaning, I cannot have plants anywhere in reach, The living room needs to be separated (in this case with a low board to step over), and I have hammocks, litter boxes and other stuff around the place as well.

Rightnow, because there just isn't enough storage space, I also have stuff on top of the closet and kitchen... once the bed is raised and extra cupboards installed, that will be empty again.

I cannot do a real Feng-Shui apartment, but I am trying to keep clear lines, no clutter, and have everything stored out of view.

So, still loads of stuff to do... but at least now you know why I am being quiet right now!

Apartment makeover

I am sorry for being so quiet lately... I am in the middle of an apartment makeover. It will look smashing once it is done, but oh my... when will it ever be done?!

I am getting a new bed delivered today, since my own broke down. Yes seriously. No, not what you think... get your mind out of the gutter! :)

It's from Ikea and will need to be pimped next weekend. Meaning I will add 50cm of space underneath it - no clue how exactly, but I will get to that when I visit the DIY again. Some sort of stable legs with additional attachment to the wall, me thinks. And then eventually add doors, so I have more space to store my things. Like suitcase, ferret travel cases, boxes full of supplies.

For supplies, I already have three extra kitchen cupboards here which I still need to assemble. Plus, I need to finish my studio space - a large board across the washing machine and dryer, again after a DIY visit.

Plus, I have a sofa delivered tomorrow, with my old one and tons of other stuff going to the waste center. I was adult, though, and resisted getting a new sofa. It's second-hand, looks like it's new, is exactly the one I wanted... and it's only 350€ instead of 950€. My finances will thank me later.

So, somewhere between today and tomorrow night, I need to finish clearing my apartment, deciding what needs to go to the waste center, and have the apartment look like something that I can let strangers enter... Will I succeed? I will have to. :)

But... once it is done, you will receive glorious pictures!

Change in Copyright Law

There's a proposed change in the copyright laws, which will basically take away most of our rights. Yes, even mine, though the law is being proposed in the States and I am in Germany.

Basically, if a company can prove that they "tried" to find whoever created something, and failed, it is considered an orphaned work and they can take it off you, no copyright applies.

Yeah, it's easy to find out who I am when browsing on Etsy - but how about all of the pictures that are already stolen and placed on other websites? Add a different text, and how can anyone find out who is responsible for the original photo? Art? Same story.

To avoid that, you need to actively copyright everything you do. Can you afford to copyright each and every sketch, text, image? I know I can't.

Here's the whole story - go on, contact your representative and complain. This would be hell for all of us artists!

Etsy as a Tribe

Here's the official Wikipedia definition of a tribe:

"A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states, though some modern theorists hold that contemporary tribes can only be understood in terms of their relationship to states.

The term is often loosely used to refer to any non-Western or indigenous society. Many anthropologists use the term to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups (see clan and lineage)."

You know, I don't care about those so-called state relationships. But for me, Etsy really is a tribe of crafters.

We come from completely different backgrounds, speak different languages, have different political or religious views - but we all believe that handmade has a place next to corporation and products made in China.

We all believe that sustainability is important. We all believe that individuality is important. And we all excercise our creativity on a daily basis, not just in our craft, but in our lives, too.

I recognize the tribal culture in our forums and in The Storque. People share, people help - because we are one tribe.

Every tribe has its fights, every tribe has its questions. But we are still one tribe.

In 10 years time, everyone will have realized the scarceness of our world's resources. Everyone will have realized that recycling is not only noble, but elementary. Everyone will be buying locally, where possibly, because not only will the energy prices have risen even further, but even the last person on earth will have realized the amount of damage we are doing to our world by flying meat around the globe, by polluting the rivers, by emptying our oceans.

Be proud of your tribe. In 10 years time, you will be seen as a pioneer, as someone who was there when it all started. I have a dream... I really do.