Published in Bead Style Magazine

I can't believe that I forgot to tell you I have a piece in the January 2015 Bead Style Magazine!  The necklace is one of my favorites; I use it sometimes as a jury piece when applying to shows.  The real thing is prettier than this; the colors are more subtle.  The shot below is over-saturated.

Its funny how the piece got into the magazine.  One of my too-many goals for 2014 was to send six (!) pieces to magazines in hopes of being published.  I sent two or three, but this wasn't one of them and none were accepted.  I did, however, enter a design contest with six pieces, of which the necklace was one.  None of them won though, and I forgot all about it.

Months later I received an email from a someone at Kalmbach Publishing saying her team had seen this necklace in the contest entries and wanted to publish it in the January 2015 edition, if I was willing. Uhhh, yeah...

Its a good thing my niece Leslie owns it, and was willing to give it up for several months, as I had to send the necklace to the editor.  I thought they'd just take a photo or two and send it back, but no! They took the necklace apart and reconstructed it over two pages of the magazine.  Yay!

The payment was not large, but it was gratifying, and more than I sell in 90% of the shows I do any given year.  Or did.  I won't be doing those kinds of shows anymore, but that's another story.

Dan was so supportive, he posted each and every page on Facebook, like His friends are the jewelry makers.  I passed the magazine around to my Bunco group and Monday night bible study group, embarrassed about it but proud, too.  Posted it on my Facebook page, too.  Hard to blow that horn, but I'm learning, gosh darn it.

I'll be submitting more pieces to magazines in 2015 if I can get my act together.  Entries are due many, many months before publish date, which I haven't seemed to grasp.  Wish me good fortune!

Here is a better shot of the Leslie's necklace, as to the true color, anyway.  This is a little washed out, but much closer to the real color than the magazine shot.  Dan took the photo and needs to learn some things about photographing jewelry, LOL.  (He's already improved since then, and I'm happy he helps!)  The briolettes are apatite from Limabead.com.  I've not been able to find them again, darn it.

My next blog post will be my first about the Build a Line Challenge from B'Sue Boutiques, where Brenda Sue is helping me and 56 other designers learn how to build a jewelry line.  Stay tuned!

I'm Back!

After a Long hiatus from blogging, I'm back and will Dare to do better this year.  Here's what's new:

Word of the Year:  I don't believe in New Year's Resolutions and didn't before it was cool.  (Me a trend setter?  Ha.)  When I did make resolutions I'd either forget them within a week, or put so much pressure on myself that they became another stressor.  No more.  So in 2014 I chose a word for the year, to guide my journey, so to speak.  The word is Grow.  I exhibited at more shows in 2014, learned new techniques, and developed more confidence in my work.  I did grow in 2014, but mainly in bead inventory and clothing size.  Oops.

In 2015 the word is Dare.  I will Dare to step out of my craft show comfort zone to find And create a better way to market and sell my jewelry.  I will Dare to get control of my bead hoarding habit (somehow.)  What does this mean?  I will create and promote a business Facebook page (too bad Facebook made it harder to do business there), be more discerning about the shows I work, and seek (that means promote, take work days off to solicit, etc.) a retail venue where I can wholesale my work.  I will also either commit to actually use my Etsy site or drop it.  I also Dare to lose a chunk of the physical changes derived during Grow, LOL.

Therein lies one of my continuing struggles.  My work is too high a price point to attract impulse buyers at typical craft shows and events that include crafts as entertainment.  And that's when I'm under pricing my work.  I know I do, considering the time put into designing and constructing pieces. Its a labor of love, certainly, but it shouldn't be a losing proposition, right?

I would sell more at art shows, but they have very expensive entry fees.  Hmmm.  What to do...

Is it possible to create lower priced work that is Also satisfying to design and make? Satisfying my internal creative monster is more important than sales, after all.  Presently, anyway.  So far I've been less than successful on that front.  Why oh why would anyone want to wear handmade jewelry that looks like its mass produced?  Mass produced items can be purchased more cheaply, too.  Hello, China.

Here's where I am So far:

1.  Looking for a way to get my Dare on without spending hundreds on a bunch of motivational or small business creation classes.  That includes blogging more often and utilizing social media.

2.  Wondering how to banish the hoarding monster.  Suggestions are welcome. (BTW, finishing my first 2015 destash event this weekend.  Buy, don't use, sell and hopefully don't lose coinage.)

3.  Started dieting today, 1/8/2015.  If you are what you eat I am sweet chocolate.  I absolutely refuse to be this size a year from now.  Gotta do it right so I don't lose heart and binge.  Or get sloppy and gain it all back, or more.  In other words, eat responsibly from.now.on.  Be an adult.  Yuck.

4.  Determine, no manage, to use my studio time smarter.  Going to buy a planner that could/should help with this and 1. above.  Now, to use it rather than fear it!

5.  Either (1) find my niche for creating lower priced jewelry that satisfies both the creative monster and impulse buyers' wallets, or (2) successfully banish the idea of (1).  One of the ways I'm working on this goal is to participate in the B'Sue Creative Group Line Challenge.  I was accepted today, just as I am, without one plea. More about that in my next post, which will be in a few days, yay!

God wants us to Dare, as reflected in below:

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.  Deuteronomy 31:8

Thanks for reading.  TTYS

Haberdashery Blog Hop Reveal

Haberdashery Blog Hop Reveal Today

Today is the reveal date for the jewelry designers' challenge in which we were tasked with using items typically found at a haberdashers, i.e. (according to Dictionary.com), a dealer in small wares and notions, or a retail dealer in men's furnishing such as ties, shirts, gloves, socks, and hats.  The three items I worked with are ribbon, buttons and garment pins.  I tried combinations of all on this piece, but ended up using only buttons.  My old stand by.

This is the last blog hop I'll do this year, and it was one of my favorites because I got to redesign a piece I'd started months ago, use my favorite shade of pink (as close to red as possible, LOL), and use a favorite component; buttons.  Particularly, vintage buttons from my Mom's old box and MOP buttons.  Oh yeah, and I love to use rhinestones, hee hee.

Below the photo are the other participants in the hop.  After today take some time to check out the 34 or so other participants and enjoy the eye candy! Some were much productive than me, and all were creative! Thank you to our blog hostess Melissa Trudinger!

Melissa Trudinger                                           http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com

Ann Schroeder                                                 http://www.beadlove.wordpress.com

Tammy Adams                                                http://www.paisleylizard.com/blog.html

Amanda Wacasey                                           http://mandyinmystic.blogspot.com

Dolores Raml                                                   http://craftydscreations.wordpress.com 

Divya N                                                             http://www.jewelsofsayuri.com

Michelle McCarthy                                         http://www.fireflydesignstudio.BlogSpot.com

DiYana Brooks                                                 http://agapecreationsjewelry.blogspot.com/

Robin Kae Reed                                               http://willowdragon.blogspot.com

Andrea Glick                                                    http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/

Karin Grosset Grange                                     http://ginkgoetcoquelicot.blogspot.fr

Mitzie Crider                                                    http://needfulluxuries.blogspot.com

Janine Lucas                                                    http://www.esfera.me/travel/blog/travel-stories  <-- will post on Sunday

Rosantia Petkova                                           http://bairozan.blogspot.com/

Susan Kennedy                                                http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com

Leithleach Alainn Seodra               http://alainnjewelry.wordpress.com/

Kathleen Breeding                                          http://99bobotw.blogspot.com/

Shiraz Biggie                                                    http://secretsongdesigns.blogspot.com

Chris Eisenberg                                               http://www.wanderware.blogspot.com

Heather Richter                                              http://desertjewelrydesigns.blogspot.com/

Lennis Carrier                                                  http://www.windbent.net/

Rebecca Anderson                                         http://www.songbeads.blogspot.com

Jenny Kyrlach                                                   http://anafiassa.blogspot.com

Rita Toltec Jewels                                          http://www.JewelSchoolFriends.com

Mischelle Fanucci                                           http://www.micheladasmusings.blogspot.com

Karen Mitchell                                                 http://overthemoon-design.com

Carol Briody                                                     http://Cbriody.blogspot.com

Karla Morgan                                                  http://TexasPepperJams.blogspot.com

Carolyn Lawson                                              http://Carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com

Lori Anderson                                                  http://www.prettythingsblog.com/

Jami Shipp                                                        http://www.celebratinglifewithdamamashipp.blogspot.com

Lili Krist                                                             http://pcbylik.blogspot.com/

Evelyn Shelby                                                   http://raindropcreationsbyevelyn.blogspot.com/

Raissa de Guzman                                          http://www.abloro.com

Niky Sayers                                                      http://silverniknats.blogspot.co.uk

Keren Panthaki                                                http://vasdea.wordpress.com

Here is my entry for The Age of the Dragonfly Blog Hop.  Fun challenge, and the piece is a definite departure for me!

Pursuing my 2014 goal to participate in blog hops has led me to participate in (1) The Age of the Dragonfly, post due by 6/28/2014 (coming to a computer nearby soon), and (2) The Haberdashery Blog Hop (post due in August), and a couple of others I don't remember the name of right now.  What I didn't realize, but should have, is that these commitments, although fun, take up a lot of time since I work slowly.  Its not that the skill is lacking because I'm not doing anything particularly difficult; its that I work slowly because I'm so dang indecisive.  (Also there are very few hours in the day/night free for creating.)  According to Deryn Mentock, speed will come with experience as a result of increased confidence.  One would think (and does, in fact think) that by now I would not over think every design.  Ha!  That assumes I don't over think everything!  I wonder how old I'll be, how much experience I'll have, before I have developed sufficient confidence in living life and creating jewelry that I don't over.think.everything.  If you know the answer, please share it with me, LOL.

The Big Day Has Finally Arrived!

Tomorrow is the reveal for the Bead Soup Blog Party and I just finished my necklace.  Yay!  The reveal was postponed a week, which worked in my favor as I've been mega busy over the last month. I'm happy because my piece is complete and I like the final result.  I hope you like it too.

Here is another shot of the bead soup received from my partner, Debra Gibson.  This was our first time to participate in the bead soup blog party, so we weren't much help to one another.  That's OK; our wonderful hostess Lori Anderson took such good care of us all that it was a breeze.

Debra provided a really cool focal; a vintage photo of a pleasant-faced woman encased in resin, in a soldered bezel.  I backed it with a faux cut steel piece and added sari silk.  I used a rhinestone button, a chandelier crystal, and a couple of beads as dangles.  I also used light teal cut glass beads from my soup mix, and the copper clasp.  The oxidized copper and silver plumber's solder play together nicely.

To those soup ingredients I added vintage, coppery faux pearls, two lovely old ceramic beads, and a couple of German, yellow givre' beads, which I had obtained through a terrific, closed destash group called Patti's Destash Divas.  I made a wire and sari silk bead, used faceted Amazonite, and at the last minute added a copper button from my Mom's button box.  My Mom's birthday would have been May 5th and I wanted to include something to remind me of her.

This is by far the longest necklace I've ever made at over 30 inches plus an extender.  The length contributes to the rustic elegance of the necklace, in my opinion.

Debra also sent, as extra goodies, some Very nice polymer clay beads she made.  I'm looking forward to using them on something soon.  I wish I'd had time to work with them for the blog party, but it was not to be. Actually, I wish I'd used all of the soup ingredients Debra generously sent me.  Luckily, I get to in the future.

I'm happy to have been able to participate in the 8th Bead Soup Blog Party.  I taught myself how to wire wrap cup chain, got encouragement from Facebook friends, used a new (to me) color combination, and had a blast with the project.  Lori Anderson rocks.

Below are the links to Debra's blog, Lori Anderson's blog, and a place to start the blog hop.  Sit  back, relax, and enjoy some eye candy as you hop the blogs of many talented jewelry designers!  Lori deserves praise because not only did she do a great job organizing, pairing, encouraging, inspiring, controlling, and otherwise handling 500+ blog hoppers around a large part of the world, she paired up with two other blog party participants (the rest of us had one partner each), and did it all under extraordinary circumstances at her own personal expense.  My prayers and admiration go out to her.  If you enjoy the blog hop, which I'm sure you will, please let Lori know by commenting on her blog.  The woman is a wonder.

http://debrasheart.blogspot.com/

http://www.prettythingsblog.com/2014/05/welcome-to-8th-bead-soup-blog-party.html

http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/

Terrific Opportunity

The photo below is a shot of my talisman project with my word for the year.  I am fortunate to be able to participate in the Ice Resin talisman project this year.  This is my entry, without a chain attached yet.  I was generously provided with some Ice Resin and two bezels, and given free reign to create whatever I want, using a word that's significant to me.

Why did I choose Grow?  This year I want to do just that, a lot.  I don't believe in New Year's Resolutions, but do believe in annual goals. Some years I don't have any (well, that was before I started making jewelry.) This year I have a Lot of goals, and they all involve growing, stretching.  Most of them are small business professional goals; to participate in at least six shows, to submit (and hopefully have accepted) work in two jewelry making magazines, to upgrade my etsy shop, to learn new techniques and improve current ones, to participate in challenges, and to improve my blog.

As far as participating in challenges; that's been very challenging!  I'm involved in the 8th Bead Soup Blog Party and have designed my piece, but not constructed it.  The deadline is May 3rd, which is Way too rapidly approaching.

My other challenge (so far) this year is the Ice Resin talisman project.  I've been a long time admirer of all things Susan Lenart Kazmer so I am grateful to be able to participate in the project.  I'm a big fan of Susan and of Jen Cushman, the latter whom I've had the pleasure of taking a class from.  I've got their books and videos too, which are great.  Some day I'll figure out a way to take a class from Susan Lenart Kazmer.  Maybe that should be a goal for 2015.

The talisman project is also meaningful because I grew in the process of doing it.  I've had a jar of Iced Enamel (Shattered Fire Opal) and a bottle of medium for months, but haven't used them.  I like working with enamels, based on the experience I had in a class with Kathy Combs.  Iced Enamels are easier to use, quicker to use, and less expensive than glass enamels.  I used my Iced Enamel as designed, plus sprinkled flakes of the grungy sparkle in Iced Resin poured over the Iced Enamels and paper ephemera, to seal them permanently in the bezel.  Now I want more colors!  What a fun new technique to learn and a fun way to Grow!  Looks like I chose the right word.

grow (from Dictionary.com)

/groʊ/ Show Spelled [groh] 

verb (used without object), grew, grown, grow·ing.

1.  to increase by natural development, as any living organism or part by assimilation of nutriment; increase in size or substance.

2.  to form and increase in size by a process of inorganic accretion, as by crystallization.

3.  to arise or issue as a natural development from an original happening, circumstance, or source: Our friendship grew from common interests.

4.  to increase gradually in size, amount, etc.; become greater or larger; expand: His influence has grown.

5.  to become gradually attached or united by or as if by growth: The branches of the trees grew together, forming a natural arch.