Apology...I am sorry.

I am very vocal about the attacks that happened on September 11th, 2001. My husband was there, he is a survivor. He lost three friends from his office. He saw groups of over 20 people holding hands jumping from the towers. He saw people burst into bloody heaps when their bodies hit the building, or the light poles in the plaza, or the ground. He saw the body parts strewn all over the ground. He had to dodge the bodies that fell, in fact one of the friends he lost died from getting hit by a jumper…right in front of my husband. He saw it. He was in a warzone. He experienced something that none of us can imagine. We (me and our kids) did not know he was alive until he walked in the door at 7pm that night. He still has nightmares about this, it ruined our lives. So yes, I am very vocal and emotional about anything to do with the WTC site or any comments about those attacks. If I offended anyone, I am sorry. I do not post “hate”on the web. Yes…I said that I think it was a bad thing about the 13 story Mosque and Community Center right in Ground Zero. I did write this:

 “My husband, feels this Mosque built there at Ground Zero a slap in the face to those families that lost so much that day. Almost a decade later & nothing to remember those who were killed. But go ahead & put up a Mosque, he went thru hell that day, and lost 3 from his office. It still haunts him…it haunts all of us in this family.”

Sorry if it offended anyone, but there is so much pain associated with these attacks for me and my family…so again sorry if my emotions and feelings offended anyone.

I am not nor have I ever been a fan of Obama. I am a staunch supporter of Hillary Clinton. I have issues with the sexism that many seem to resort to when it comes to any woman running for office, no matter what political party…sexism against women is bad...any woman...period. (The recent crap with Mel Gibson comes to mind.)We are all strong women…yes? I never would have gotten so vocal about any of this 2 years ago. I guess that is something that has evolved in me because of the experiences I have had on Etsy. Standing up for myself in the Etsy Forums...I guess has given me the guts to say things that I feel strongly about. I don’t hide behind a façade.

I will no longer be sending any links...and I mean any links...to my @PaintedBull Twitter Account. I am sorry if it offended anyone. It was not meant to be offensive. I know it is repetitious but...again...I am sorry if anything I have said or tweeted offended anyone, I think of twitter as a stream of consciousness thing and write stuff as I think of it. That is all...it is not meant to persuade anyone.

Going forward I am sending links that I find interesting to my @MinkoffMinx Twitter Account. If anyone found those links interesting, then follow me here. Cause I think that my Pro-Women and Pro-Hillary links...and other stuff like it, will increase with frequency as the days and months pass...This includes anything I may link to regarding my opinion on Obama, and his administration.  Just because I link it, does not mean I completely agree with it…It just means I read all of these and form my own opinions! Which brings me back to the stream of consciousness thing of Twitter...that is what I was reading at the time...so I sent the link.

The blog I started Minkoff Minx, was and is something I have been doing since Spring of 2008. I just kept my own blog of  things I found interesting. It started primarily because of the 2008 Elections. It was about anything and everything...I kept this blog hidden and not public. It was like a notebook of my thoughts. That is what Minkoff Minx is, my own thoughts...I don't know why I went "public" with it. I guess I just have become bold and felt like I could say what I felt. The Minkoff Minx blog is not written for anyone but me. It is my way of working through thoughts. If what I write bothers anyone, just don't read it. Ignore it as just another opinionated blog that some "nobody" has written...that nobody reads. 

Anyway, again I am sorry if anyone was offended. 

-JJ aka Painted Bull

First attempt at toothbrush rug...

So I just started this whole naalbinding thing...and I am looking forward to making more. But need to work on it to get the speed up.

Since I did not have much of these bright jewel colors, I did  a chair pad for my rocker...

I am working on shawls done in a naabinding style that resembles netting. Well see what comes of it.
-JJ & Painted Bull

Get Uppity!

New Video Ad for Uppity Minions...it is great to see this, with all the work we have been doing on the site.




Get Uppity! www.uppityminions.com

-JJ & Painted Bull

New blog...new post

I have my own website now, and it has a blog...so I started writing some entries there... primarily as a way to write the new running series I have on the Uppity Minions Blog.

So here is what I have been working on, if you really care or want to read the rest, just click the link...

Chronology of Crap Confessions of a Former Mall Rat

Yes, I was a 80’s mall rat. When big hair was in and androgynous men looked a lot more fashionable than most women…and that was before the term “metro sexual” hit the scene. My first job was at a t-shirt shop in a mall, you know the ones that iron on decals while you wait. This employment was the induction of my “mall culture” experience. A mall was essential back then, the internet was not around so online shopping was not ingrained into the society as it is today. If you needed anything, the mall was where you went. So like many young adults of my generation, working at the mall was something that we just did.

My period of mall rodent status continued over 11 years, graduating from t-shirts to hosiery to upscale womans wear. This was a learning experience and I have carried it with me. Being able to connect to your customers with a simple “Welcome to Chico’s” and giving personal service is something I find lacking online. This individual customer service and non-boring shopping experience is something that we want to bring to Uppity Minions…but that is off the real topic at hand…which is this confession of a former mall rat, so here goes the confessional part:

Read the rest here...


-JJ & Painted Bull

Come and check out the Uppity Minions Fan Page on Facebook

I've gone out on my own...

Okay, so I have really given up on the idea of selling online on Etsy...or Artfire...or any other venue for that matter. It was a frustrating 2 years, but now I feel like any work I do for promoting my own site will actually be a good thing...cause it is my own site and I don't have to deal with all that venue crap. Damn those handmade venues, they are nothing more then idealistic, groupie favoritism, and cupcake bands of followers...very much like the shit you have to deal with in high school, it sucks ass!

So this is why I have finally gotten the balls and got my own site. And that is why I have started this Painted Bull Shop Fan Page on Facebook...  So if you are on facebook, please like me...so that I can shorten my Facebook Fan Page URL!

I also have joined up with other women artist who are fed up with the venue shit...and we have created a collective of shops, sort of like a cooperative called: Uppity Minions

But that is another story...and another posting.

Ta!

Click this link and get some Clevergoods!

Coupon we have Coupon... (sob of gratitude)

Join us as we celebrate our opening (drumroll) enter clevergoods at checkout and get 20 percent off entire Uppity Minions purchase!

-JJ & Painted Bull

Uppity Minions Site is a Go!

We Are Go!

Hey, come visit us at our new shop! No illusions of grandeur, just a site that works, people that respect one another and happen to think our buyer's are pretty important too.

Think Little Engine that finally got pissed off enough.

Hell yeah!

I am an Uppity Minion and I am proud!

-JJ Painted Bull

And Goodbye to Etsy...

Well, this last bit of Dopplegate Google issues was the final straw that broke this bull's back. I finally took the chance to get my own website. I am very excited about this because I will be able to have control over all aspects of my shop.

I am still working on loading the site up, which is www.PaintedBullShop.com  so stop by and take a peek...

I used Pappashops  and really recommend their services.

For my template I had Emily from Emmarie Designs change up one of her basic templates a bit...

She did a fabulous job.

So stay tuned for the official grand opening of Painted Bull Shop, the postcards and mailings are being designed now...but if you absolutely need some funky necklace, I am running a 20% off sale for Mother's Day on the site, so check it out.





-JJ & Painted Bull