Website update, phase one is complete!

I finally forced myself to stay put at my computer for a solid chunk of time and after 11 hours of coding today, the first phase is finished of manictrout.com's update! Its kind of sad when so much work looks like so little, but when you start to play around with it, you'll notice the subtle difference in navigation. You are now able to though the items easily with in each style and price and availability are now given on the overview pages. Phew, that was a full day. I am going to get started now on situating your return path from the shopping cart better...if there is anything you can think of that would make going through the site better, please comment!

You know what....just go look at this other blog...

Its not secret that I think the best photos ever can be found on the blog Cherry Coloured and the last few posts go so well together that you should go look at it, now.

Deep thoughts...from Manic Trout

So I was just reading a forum I am part of that makes my life less stressful, a forum for women in creative business and a question was raised about watching tv or movies with people with seemingly instant success in their fields, or the tales you hear of the fabulous idea with an overnight rise to success and it got me thinking...it was a bit off topic for the forum, so I thought I'd share it here...

I always get all irritated about the simple success of people on tv and movies...or the stories you read and hear about that just get you all frustrated and hating everyone...you know the ones, wealthy husband supports wifeys venture and she rises to the top...but I was also realizing that if you think about it, its all of us in this community of women following an internal drive to make it on their own, doing what we love that are the real basis of these tales. These success stories that we read about and see on tv are all versions of our real lives, we are these women...you just never see the huge amounts of work, focus and determination that goes on behind the scenes when you watch it on the big screen. It never seems like I am experiencing success when I worry every single day if I will make enough that month to pay my rent and all of my bills as I am self employed and single, or that every night I lay in bed thinking that I will have to go and get a job that I really don't have time for if things go downhill. Of course until two months ago I was lying in bed every night thinking I had to leave my day job because it was killing me doing both a very full time job and very full time Manic Trout. I may not be in a comfortable place yet, but I'm getting there and sometimes I have to put it all in perspective...I of coarse am focused on goals I am working towards, but I have been fortunate enough to have already reached so many goals and I am really proud of that!

The whole point of this winded post is that I think as we climb the ladder of our personal successes we so often forget how far we've come, I know I do and I also know that in order to continue on you have to stop every once in a while look behind you and really see how far you've come!

manictrout.com spring cleaning...

I put off tweaking the bones of the website until it starts to really irk me that I have not done it yet....and I've reached that point...so in the next few days you will notice little tweaks and changes to make your shopping experience a more pleasant one. You may have noticed a few little things have already occurred, like the buy buttons have started evolving, they are not done yet. I have added a gift guide as well as an eco friendly guide and the front page has the pieces found in recent publications on it, which is all to help sort through the oodles of goodies that are Manic Trout.

New additions will include navigational buttons so you can go from one item to the next easily within each category, a more visible shopping bag and more photos of the jewelry on people...although the last bit will take awhile as I have to collect the photos too. Except for the minute or two it takes to upload the revisions, you all will not really be affected by these changes, except to have new ways to scroll though the jewelry....but you'll want to pay attention to what is coming next!

Now the best part about spring cleaning is that you start to want to clean out the clutter...and get rid of some stuff...oh yes, you guessed it...I hear a sale is coming! Some of the older items will be drastically reduced to make room for all of the new goodies that will appearing more often then they used to...now on a two week cycle. I will be announcing the sale first through the newsletter, which will come out soon, thats all I'll tell you. Many of the sale items will be one of a kind, so sign on up on if you're not already on the list to get first dibs!

OK, enough chatting, there is so much to do!

Jewelry in the Great Outdoors

You knew that there were more coming...here are three more images from my little photo experiment on Friday...I personally like the jungle explorer wearing 15 bling rings shot...




I had an eventful week-end, some of it good, some of it bad...all of it could be on a tv series, drama, drama, drama!

What happens when I get bored...

Today was one of those glorious days, cool enough to wander around in a light sweater and the kind of day made for hanging with friends and doing a whole lot of nothing. I spent a few hours with Shireen, but it being mid afternoon the day before a holiday week-end, people pretty much had plans. So I decided to take my jewelry outside and see what I came up with...so far, I have a this:


Proof that in the land of Manic Trout, Bling Rings really do grow on trees...

First Farmers Market of the year and 7 Friendly Lane!

Tomorrow is the first Millbrook Farmer's Market of the, yay! It is also the first Saturday that I will be on the porch of 7 Friendly Lane...



Please come and visit if you're in the area, as an added bonus to local shoppers, there are exclusive pieces not available online, so drop by to see these special goodies!

Can you guess todays theme?

Its been ages since the last digisketch...so bad of me!

Dreamy

I was just over at FotoDecadant loving a shoot from the feb 07 Bazaar by Solve Sundsbo when I realized that one of the images looked really familiar...ha, its on one of my inspiration boards! I figured it made sense to stick it here too...

Nothing says summer like white knots

Growing up I used to adorn my wrist with one of those white sailor bracelets that lives on you...mostly damp...all summer long, man I loved those things...so you can imagine that I was thrilled when I found these two buttons...I think on the North Fork last summer, that remind me so much of those bracelets. They also look like the knotted silk cuff links that I really liked until I saw them in j crew a few years ago...kind of like how you can now buy the sailors bracelets at urban outfitters makes me never want to wear one again...well that and I'm 31.


However, there are only 5 of each...so if you want one, move fast! To save you time...White and Red.

ps. I added 27 new items last night...see I told you I was on the ball!

Jewelry photo shoots

I take all of the still shots of Manic Trout jewelry myself...and this usually means hours on photoshop afterward. I have been trying to get the setup and lighting down to something I only have to take a second or two to touch up, and I think I finally figured out the right light bulb, light angles, camera set up an all the rest today...which means that all of the jewelry I blogged about yesterday should be up later tonight, yay its a miracle! I was playing around with some of my favorite pieces too, thinking that if I could take decent photos, then I could incorporate some more interesting shots...so here is some eye candy that resulted from the shoot earlier...



Images are of: Kimiko Salt Water Sound Necklace, Teodora All I Want Necklace, Noir Restless Sinner Necklace and Giner Day We Met Necklace

Its amazing how much jewelry is being made!

This week I am releasing more new jewelry! The one of a kind necklaces I released on Sat have been doing so well that I have more coming...and new ooak earrings!

There are a pile of Safety Pin Cuffs, Button Rings to adorn your fingers and even two new Sweetest Thing Earrings are all ready to go online.

I am finding that finally being able to devout all of my time to Manic trout is working out well, I have been adding new items on almost a weekly basis now, instead of monthly, woo hoo!

I will not send out newsletter more then once a month for new items however, so make sure to check the blog and the new page often so you don't miss out on one of a kind items!

Eat this now!

I love cookie dough. This granola bar tastes exactly like oatmeal raisin cookie dough...sans raisins. I just ate some awesome cookie dough at my moms a few weeks ago, so its fresh in my mind and this bar is so unbelievably similar.

ps. the tree dudes are gone..Adams here I come...I just have to avoid the cheese there. Have I mentioned before that I love love love Mondays, well today is turning out to be the best one yet.

Why do I never want something until I can't have it?

Since my switch to self employed studio hermit on April 1st, I drive very little. I never was a fan anyway...I used to work 7 miles from home and even though I live in a rural area, I only put 10,000 miles on my car last year and that included a bunch of heavy mileage road trips that I was forced to take. Other than this past week, which due to family commitments had me driving a lot, I maybe get in my car once a week. I live in a village where I walk to the PO and the store if I need apples...you get the picture.

So this afternoon a tree removal service parked itself in my driveway and directly in front of the garage where my beloved car is parked...hey if I have to drive, I want to have a nice experience, so I bought a car I love...anyway all of a sudden I have thought of 5 places I NEED TO BE RIGHT NOW! Ok, well top of the list is Adams to buy jelly beans, as my dispenser is out, but that feels very urgent right now!

{off to google Adams hours}

I feel a bit better, Adams is open until 9pm...ahhh...I will have jellybeans later then. But still.

New items are moving fast!

Half of the new one of a kind items I put online Saturday are already sold, if you have your eye on one you should scoot on over!

A reminder as well that the monthly Manic Mondays newsletter went out today, which includes all sorts of info about Manic Trout AND a coupon! If you are not already on the mailing list, sign on up over at the right (blogger only) and find out what the fuss is all about!

Eco Friendly Guide

Recently I have had a bunch of press for my eco friendly items, so I figured I would make it easier to find them and made a little guide of all of my eco friendly items. You can go check it out here. Mind you, there are a bunch of pieces that use vintage chain and other elements of that nature that did not make the page, but I was trying to focus on items that have larger eco friendly elements.


Speaking of eco elements, have you encountered the organic baby spinach issue of random greens invading your spinach? I have had the worst taste in my mouth ever since my brunch of a breakfast burrito because it seems a dandelion leaf snuck its way past me...I don't do bitter...I have a hard core sweet tooth, I am chewing on a twizzler as I type this...btw, I have been dying for twizzelers since last Sunday and everyone has been out this week!!! I finally got them though, and they are not even able to get rid of this horrible bitter taste...ugh.

11 New Necklaces released today!

I promised they were coming! There are 11 new necklaces on Manic Trout today!


Also exciting are that 8 of these new necklaces are One of A Kind! Rush right on over and score a delightful necklace that only you will own!

University of Phoenix

Here is a little tidbit from the mother of all day trips Mother's Day extravaganza last week. So Mom, Thea and I are on our way from my grandfathers in Canton, Ma and headed to Holly's last crew race in Worcester and a little late. Mom had copied the directions from online and accidentally skipped a step, so we are a bit lost and realized that according to the directions online...yay Blackberry! we are not close. So panic starts to set in that we are going to miss the race.

Now right before all of this we were talking about the high cost of living in Boston and speculate that one of the reasons is that so many students live there during the school year. Thea asked how many schools there were and I said like a hundred...exaggerating of coarse...so I said that yeah, there are all sorts of random not real schools there that you're not thinking of (please don't take offence at that), so Thea asked, what does that mean. So I said you know...like that online school you always see ads for...The University of Phoenix. Which then led to a big discussion about how its named after the mythical bird and not the city in Arizona and I kid you not, while we were discussing this we passed a sign for the school. Which gave me a chance for a bit of I told you so's, which I loved.

OK...so back to panic setting in...we are driving in a state of panic when all of sudden, on the left hand side of lost and going nowhere was THE UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX!!!!! I swear I almost hit my head on the ceiling I was jumping up and down so much.

The best part is that 5 minutes later...as we are driving over a bridge...Thea goes, hey what is this river...Mom says oh its the {insert name of body of water where race is to take place} and Thea then says...Hey, are those boats, and I exclaimed...Oh My God I've Been There...of coarse the last time I was there was for a race of Hollys...we randomly stumbled upon the race an hour before we thought we would...on time actually and we got to see the University of Phoenix...which I though was a great omen and beacon light for our arrival. So now, every time you see this:


You can think of this story, and know that you too can see this place in person in Worcester, MA.

New Etsy Exclusive Necklace!

I have added another exclusive necklace to my Etsy shop today! More buttons, there are so many that I have to do something with them! Maybe some bracelets...hmmm. Anyway, go here to snatch it up...its one of a kind, so once its gone, there will never be another one!

Hanging with my lil sis

I spent the afternoon and evening shopping and eating with Thea today, who coincidentally may be only 15 but is actually 5 inches taller then me. We had a fun time and the day concluded with burgers at the diner, which I always love...yay diner! I picked up a few cute new things too..some v neck t's at Target...and these two cute numbers at Forever21. Good times, good times.

Graduation Day Necklace

Wow, even though its been years since I myself have been in school...I am still always surprised when the end of another academic year is approaching. This year I had a few requests for simple and sweet graduation necklaces, so I found some very darling charms and kept it simple. I figure that many girls out there have a few reminders of their year that they can add to the mix to make it more their own too...class rings come to mind. SO check out the Holly Graduation Necklace, now available at Manic Trout for $35! ps...it's named Holly because one of my sisters graduates from college this month, woo hoo Holly!





As always, Manic Trout purchases ship within 2-3 business days of ordering and arrive gift ready. *wink*

Flowering Trees on A Sunny Day

It is gorgeous out today! So I though, oh what the heck...I may as well take the camera outside again...

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all you mother's out there! I spent the day with my mother and sister Thea, basically in the car. We drove to Boston to go with my grandfather and aunt to visit my Nana's grave and then were off to Worcester to watch Holly coxen one of her last races for Marist Crew. Then home again...I think we were in the car for 9 hours...a long day, but nice family bonding time. The above photo is from mom's wedding in 2004...hair lengths have gone up and down and Thea has grown about a foot since then and Gillian is sneering at the camera, but its the only photo of the whole crew of us, and Nana was there.

In case you were curious...Holly (sister 3) is far left with hair piled high, Brandi (step sister 2) is next in dark green, Thea (sister 4) is in pink, Sheryl (mom) in greyish blue, Gloria aka Nana (Sheryl's mom) is in olive, Gillian (sister 2) is in white, Serena (step sister 1) is in black...and now she is a mom too! and last in orange is Me...Sierra (sister 1). That's a whole lotta ladies!

Tis the season to photograph flowers

Oh boy, its that time of year again, I almost decided against it, but then last week I realized that I had fans, so why deprive them of this seasons blooms as seen through my lens?

I want to see YOU in your favs from Manic Trout!

I just realized that I have no photos of anyone in their favorite lovelies from Manic Trout...sad. Please send me pictures, I want to see them so badly that I will send you a voucher for 25% off of your next purchase if you share your images with me...sound good?

Memories of May

The month of May still evokes the end of the year in prep school for me...the lush fields we would frolic through in the lazy afternoons of exam week and basically breaking as many rules as possible out and about on the 500 acres of woods, fields and rambles that the school sat upon. I stumbled upon these photos by Nico over at Foto Decadent and was transported back in time 15 or so years...

Man I wish I had a bigger studio!

I have mentioned before that I not only love to paint big, but I bought a small truckload of stretcher bars and canvas in order to do so about 18 months ago...well, what with all the jewelry making going and packages being prepared, I simply am not left with the room to actually paint all of these canvases. *sigh*

Then I was on Decor8 today and saw this from the Australian Vogue Living:


My oh my these are beautiful!

Ok, I don't have enough ceilings to even store canvases this high, which is why I need a big industrial studio space...or a barn..but still...I keep joking that on sunny days I should just haul my easel outside and paint in the driveway...well its starting to sound like a good idea...

Ruffles and Feathers, Oh My!

Oh yes, I have not forgetten...here is a new DigiSketch!!!!!

Top Five

I've had Nick Hornby books on the brain recently and my Sat night reading Tom Robbins on the couch made me think about my Top Five Living Authors (its all about High Fidelity), the authors that I jump up and down for when a new book is coming out and have read everything they wrote thus far...so here it is

Top Five Living Authors

1. Davis Sedaris
2. Laurie Notaro
3. Nick Hornby (duh)
4. Tom Robbins (double duh)
5. Douglas Coupland

*Simon Doonan will make that list if he keeps up what he has been doing...

I wasted an amazing amount of time creating the little book collage up at the top there...oh yeah.

Today was one of THOSE days

You know those days? The ones when you realize that it really is all happening? That you are following your heart and your dreams are maybe going to happen? A taste of what you wish for each day occurs and you want to weep with joy and happiness that the years you have sacrificed having a life may actually one day result in what you have imagined in your wildest fantasies? I had one of those days. On top of that, I managed to communicate with or hear from almost all of my favorite people, some via the computer, but I'll take what I can get! Here's to good days, to good friends, to following your dreams, to the wonderful people that are supportive of you doing so...and to many more days with this many orders!

Manic Trout is in great company today!

Such exciting news today!!!!! Manic Trout has the Mirela Sweetest Thing Earrings on InStyle.com today! In the Hot Finds section (which also went out in the newsletter today), the earrings are the only jewelry item in the Flirty Florals slide show, also shown are Stella McCartney platforms, Top Shop skirt, Lois Vuitton bandeau and Julie Haas dress!

I have tricks up my sleeve!!!

I am having a ball working on some new designs...most likely I'll be adding new things mid May. I am also working on both my Etsy Exclusives and some stuff that you can only get if you live nearby and visit me this summer when i spend Saturdays on the porch as a way to steal customers from the farmers market two blocks away...it will awesome!

Look Mom, Nana would be so proud!

After waking up waaaay to early this morning (especially since I had a date last night) for my open studio...which was fun...thank you to all of you darlings who came...mwah, I decided to treat myself tonight. I spent four hours on the couch with Faye, listening to Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra reading Tom Robbins Villa Incognito which was AWESOME! He is one of my top five favorite authors and I stash his books for times like this...ultra luxurious hours of goodness.

After I finished the book I came back into the studio and found this...

A photo that I took and put on my blog last May is being used to illustrate the Bulletin at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. I had such a great chuckle over this, and the best part is that they linked the post it was from right there in the bulletin!!!!! Maybe they used it because someone called the photos Heavenly in the comments?

Whatever the reason, this is pretty cool for two reasons...one, I rarely take good phots and really liked this one, so I am touched that others like it too...and two...I wish more then anything that my Nana was here to see this because it would by far have made her prouder of me then anything else I have accomplished. I love and miss you Nana!

What on earth have I been making?

I am sitting here in my studio...its an open studio day, so during the lulls I have been playing...its raining as usual when I have these...and I am feeling a bit sassy...I was going though bowls of odds and ends at my jewelry desk and have found some goodies that I have discontinued, some fun bits I'll post on Etsy, ideas in the works and the weird stuff that I make and then wonder if I would ever wear it...for example..these two items

which I am wearing right now...at the same time...I look a bit nutty, its perfect for an open studio...you have three more hours to stop by and how loopy I look...

I actually really like the charm bracelet and will be working on more of these to add to Manic Trout...I love charm bracelets and this one is pretty fun to wear...any thoughts on this?

The pink word one is growing on me, I adore the hot pink vintage lucite beads and the glass pebbles are pretty fun too...am I the only one that would wear this?