Embellish Everything!

New Year Newness

2012-01-04T00:20:00.001-05:00

I don’t really do New Year’s resolutions anymore

...if I ever actually did them at all. Sure, I used to write down a bunch of things that I wanted to do or accomplish, but it never really meant anything. One day I realized that and just stopped.

For my personal life, I choose a one-word annual theme that helps me focus on broad improvement across all areas of my life. That's been very useful for me, and I'm still doing it. (My 2012 theme: BALANCE.)

But this year, I've decided to set some more specific non-resolutions for The Occasional Embellishment, because I think more specifics are helpful for me in the professional arena. So, here's what my 2012 needs to look like.

A Working Workspace - Last year I got engaged, bought a condo, got married, moved and finally got an entire room dedicated to my craft. I’ve been bootlegging improvising a lot with furniture and storage solutions, but now that I’ve spent some real time working in the space, I have a better idea of how it needs to be set up. This year will be all about putting the shelving, storage, and surfaces in place so that the entire room is primed for creativity, efficiency and fun.
Do What Works - I’m all about not traveling dead ends. Last year, I worked hard to become more disciplined and more prolific, and it made a huge impact on my work. In 2012, I’m all about taking the next steps to really transition from hobby to business. I’m going to focus on the strategies that will best allow me to reach more people, build a solid customer base, and have a reliable income (even if it’s small).
Back to Blogging - I know...I say it every year. “I need to blog more consistently.” Well, it’s still true. And while I probably did better in 2011 than I have any other year, I’m not where I want to be. But beyond just posting more, I gotta get more readers. Because otherwise, I feel like I’m just talking to myself, and that’s no fun.
Image is Everything - I want to project a better image for The Occasional Embellishment.
And part of that means taking more photos of my jewelry, circulating them, and finally getting around to that photo shoot with live models so that I create some killer marketing collateral (postcards, business cards, website, ads, etc.)
Follow My Heart - I got this one from my mom, who recently reminded me that I make jewelry because I love doing it, that my work is beautiful, and I should just have fun with whatever I do. While this is a business and I’m professional about my craft, I’m not going to travel any paths this year that I don’t enjoy, that make me feel inadequate, or that I cannot be proud of. Because life is too short for that kind of drama.

Over to you...

What do you want to see for yourself in 2012? Do you set resolutions or have another goal-setting process? Leave your answer in the comments!

Craft Show Wrap-Up

2011-12-18T23:00:00.000-05:00

Whew! What a day!

I had my very first booth at a craft show with other vendors. I've been building up my inventory for several weeks, and working on my ideas for displays. I was nervous this morning, but my husband came with me, to help me transport, setup, and keep my cool. I could NOT have done it without him.

Shouts Out to All the Crafters of the World
I have so much respect for all the crafters and artisans that organize and sell at these shows. There's so much time and effort that goes not only into producing the merchandise, but also in transporting and displaying it all. Let me tell you--it's not for the faint of heart.

Being a good salesperson is tricky. It means finding ways to lead your customers to the merchandise they want, without being pushy. You must give them space without being distant. You must be friendly without being too personal. (You must also make sure no one steals anything, without looking like a security guard.)

Lessons Learned
I learned a lot. I had to find smart ways to transport my merchandise and displays without having to make a million trips to the truck. And I used this great gadget/app called Square to accept credit cards and help track cash sales, which was lovely.

I got lots of compliments on my work. Lots of people seemed pleasantly surprised that I made everything myself. Sometimes, I was surprised at how much attention some pieces got, and how little others received. But several people did the once-around-the-room before coming back to purchase from me.

I also got lots of compliments on my display, which surprised me. My setup was really simple, but a lot of other vendors had very elaborate, handmade displays. My displays were very simple, which also meant it was less distracting, helping the jewelry to take center stage. I brought more decorative pieces, but ended up not using them because I didn't have time to set them up. That ended up being a blessing in disguise.

It's All Relative
There weren't a lot of people at the craft show--between the waves of people, I was able to make a men's bracelet (which my husband immediately claimed as his own), 3 pairs of earrings and put a clasp on a necklace. Several other vendors said they were having slow days, but it's all relative.

I didn't move as much merchandise as I would have hoped, but I moved enough to be pleased. And I know that some of my work will be given as gifts this holiday season, and that is awesome.

And now that I'm past this craft show, perhaps I can focus on my own holiday shopping. o_O

P.S. - I'll take my Etsy shop off of vacation mode in a few days.

More soon...

Embellishing Christmas: Holiday Preparations

2011-12-08T12:35:00.001-05:00

I can't believe it. Christmas is only 15 days away. That's two weeks (and one day). Where did 2011 go?

I've barely done any of my Christmas shopping yet, but at least I've narrowed down the list of who I'm shopping for, and how much we can afford to spend on them. That's half the battle.

Speaking of Holiday Shopping...
I recently sent a necklace from my Etsy shop off to a new home. As my customer and I messaged each other, I came to find out that it will be a gift for her sister, which I think is awesome. Because, one, handcrafted artisan jewelry makes a delightful gift. And, two, because, as the artisan/designer, I get to participate in someone else's holiday gift experience.

But the Best Is Yet to Come
I'm happy to announce that I signed up for my very first booth at an indie craft show! It's all going down on Sunday, December 18th, 11am-6pm, in Boynton Beach, FL. I'm hoping that I'll still be able to reach the holiday shoppers since it's so close to Christmas and Hanukkah.

It should be a great show. The group that's putting it on has a great reputation here in the South Florida crafting community, so I'm confident that it will be well organized and professionally run. But since it's my first craft show, it'll also be a learning experience.

My First Craft Show Booth!
It's a one-day, seven-hour show with a variety of vendors--clothing, jewelry, artwork, and more. It will be interesting to see how many other jewelry vendors will be there and what their style will be. I've been working a lot on building my inventory for the show, but I have no idea if I'm on the right track. I know it's better to have too much, rather than too little, but I still don't know how much that is.

I'm also wigging out over how to arrange my display area. I want my booth to look like it belongs, without blending in. I want it to convey quality, professionalism, eclecticism, and fun. I'm sure I can pull it off. But the question is can I do it without breaking my budget?

I'll be sure to keep you all posted. In the meantime, I'm going to get more info about the show on my Facebook page. Be sure to "like" me there, so you can stay in the loop!

It's All About Perspective

2011-11-28T21:56:00.001-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I had a great time feasting with family and friends.

What I didn't do over the holiday was any real work on jewelry matters. And it's not because I was trying to actually take a break. I don't really have that kind of restraint.

See What Had Happened Was...

The power adapter to my laptop stopped working and by Wednesday evening my laptop battery was dead. I figured I could just run out and buy a universal adapter on Black Friday, but I couldn't find one with the right wattage. So I had to order a replacement, and it won't be in until this Wednesday.

That's a week without my laptop. *faints dramatically*

At First I Thought My Life Was Ruined

I had a wonderful plan to edit a bunch of jewelry photos from the previous weekend, so that I could create lots of listings in my Etsy shop for Black Friday/Small Business Saturday/Cyber Monday. But since all of those photos are on my laptop, I couldn't even do that.

And I also couldn't take my laptop with me when I went out of town to celebrate my husband's birthday...which I totally would've done. (That's terrible, I know...don't judge me.) So now I'm kinda glad my laptop went into a coma.

I Do Appreciate What I Have

The Thanksgiving holiday made me very aware of all of the blessings in my life. I am grateful for them all.

On an unrelated note, but similar theme, I took some time to dig through my stash of beads and components and jewelry-making findings. I knew what was there, but I found that taking the time to pull pieces out, touch them, and examine them gave me a fresh perspective and new inspiration. I've made some beautiful designs from materials that have been sitting idle for quite a while.

There's a life lesson in there somewhere...but I'll let you discover it on your own!

Getting Back on Track

As soon as I get my laptop running, I'll get some fresh listings in the shop. Be sure to tune in for those. I'm also cranking things out at the workbench on the regular, so I'll need to snap photos again this weekend.

And who knows...maybe I'll sneak a few discount codes to my Facebook fans or Twitter followers. You should connect with me all over the place so you don't miss the fabulousity!

5 Reasons to Shop Small This Holiday Season

2011-11-17T22:48:00.001-05:00

There are a lot of good reasons to shop with small businesses. But I know you don't have a lot of time, so here are 5, just to get you started.

You can find surprisingly good deals. A lot of people assume that shopping with small local businesses means you have to spend more money, but that's not always the case. Many small businesses offer creative deals--maybe a gift with purchase, or some kind of loyalty reward program. And a lot of them want to serve you during the holiday shopping season, so they have promotions going on now, too. Just look for them...you may be surprised at what you find!
Find more unique products. Many of the items sold by large retailers are mass produced. So that great thing you found for your sister? Thousands of other people found the same thing for their sisters, girlfriends, wives, or whomever. But small businesses may carry more unique products that are often limited edition or one-of-a-kind. And that just sounds more special, doesn't it?
You won't get trampled in the process of getting a good deal. We've all heard stories of people camping out in front of a major store, running each other over when the doors finally open, and fighting in the aisles over the last of whatever the latest craze is. But that doesn't have to be your story this holiday shopping season. In general, shopping with a small business is way safer and much less dramatic. Sign me up.
You're treated like the valuable customer that you are. A million other people saw the same circular ad that got you to that major electronics store...and they're hoping you run out of money before they do. The retailer doesn't care who buys their products, just as long as they sell. But small businesses tend to value their customers more because there aren't that many of you. Small business owners love you. They want you to become a regular, and so they're ready to treat you like a real person. And that feels awesome.
Supporting small businesses empowers people. Being an entrepreneur is hard, relentless,tiring work. But at the end of the day, the reward of building their success from the ground up is s empowering. It's the opposite of being trapped at a dead-end job for a faceless corporation with ambiguous values. Choosing to do business with small businesses empowers more people. That's something to feel good about.

Don't forget...Saturday, November 26th is Small Business Saturday. Since many of you will already be heavy into your holiday shopping, why not choose to do some of that shopping with a small business that values your business as much as you value their products and service?

*Bonus: Use the code SMALLBIZSAT to get free shipping on any purchase you make with The Occasional Embellishment on November 26th.

Shop Small on Nov. 26th

2011-11-16T13:10:00.001-05:00

Do you support small businesses?

American Express is urging everyone to participate in the second annual Small Business Saturday by making at least one purchase with a small business on Saturday, November 26th. Together, we can make this holiday shopping season better for everyone.

You don't have to give up your midnight shopping spree at your favorite department store, if that's what you're into. Just remember to stop by a local store or shop online with an independent small business, as well.

You can make a difference.

If you commit to making at least a portion of your holiday shopping purchases with small businesses, you will be making a positive difference. You will likely receive more personal attention, better customer service, and that warm, fuzzy feeling that comes with knowing you did a good deed. And your friends and loved ones will benefit from higher quality, more unique, and perhaps personalized gifts that they can cherish.

Handcrafted artisan jewelry makes a great gift!

You can choose to support any of your favorite small businesses this year, or even try someplace new. And if you're short on ideas, there's always The Occasional Embellishment! I’m busy making new things and adding more listings in my Etsy shop, so that you'll have more to choose from. And you’ll be able to use the coupon code SMALLBIZSAT to get free shipping on any purchase you make on November 26th.

I'll be selling my merchandise at a local craft show on December 18th, to try to catch some holiday shoppers in person. That'll be very exciting...

Stay tuned, and happy shopping!

Love All Over...

2011-11-08T13:41:00.000-05:00

I can’t believe it, but it’s already been four months since I tied the knot. It’s true what they say: time flies when you’re having fun (and I’m having a lot of fun enjoying married life)!

Please excuse the mush, but finding my husband was the best thing to ever happen to me. To be able to share my life with someone who loves and accepts and understands me is such a blessing. We’re so in love...it’s adorable and disgusting. I’ll stop grossing you out now.

Also, I didn’t mean to write about myself time. What I really started to say was that I have other family and friends that are getting married in the next few months, and it’s wonderful to be surrounded by so much love.

But beyond that, a very dear friend is getting married in April, and she wants me to create her bridal jewelry! I’m already so happy and excited for her, and I consider it an honor to participate in her big day by creating something special for her.

I’m glad that I can draw on the experience of designing my own bridal jewelry. After creating pieces for me and my bridesmaids, I’m prepared to ask her the right questions to help her define the look she’s going for. And having a clear vision is critical to being able to pull off custom bridal designs.

We’ve already laughed and jumped and hugged and swapped stories. The next order of business is to schedule a happy hour consultation to get the ideas flowing. Then, sometime after the holidays, we’ll work on finalizing the designs. I’ll keep you posted...stay tuned!

And I’d love to create a custom design for you, too! There’s no need to wait for a wedding--drop me a line anytime to inquire about prices and the design process. Email me at occasionalgems[at]gmail.com or send me a convo if you’re already on Etsy.
More soon...

Bead Obsessions: Seed Beads

2011-10-11T21:37:00.000-04:00

I've beading for several years now. And over the years, I’vecome to realize that I tend to shift my obsessions from time to time. I can always tell what I was obsessed with at any given point by looking back at the materials I was buying at the time.

This past weekend, I stumbled upon a hoard of seed beadsthat reminded me of that phase. I never got into weaving with them, but I usedthem every other way—as spacers or the main ingredient, or even to create abail for a pendant. I built up an impressive collection in lots of cuts andcolors and finishes…and then promptly forgot all about them as I moved onto mynext obsession.

But when I came across the old stash, it also reminded me ofthis nifty bead spinner thingy that helps you string lots of these tiny littlebeads more quickly. I got it a few months ago, but hadn’t tried it out yet. So,I decided to break it in. Now I love seed beads again.

Except when a THOUSAND of them spill. All. Over. The. floor.That is not cool. (Based on a true story.)

I'm working on some awesome new stuff that I look forward to sharing with you on my Facebook page, and eventually listing in my shop. I've also got a big announcement coming up, so stay tuned!

Wordless Wednesday: Royal Heirloom Collection Mosaic

2011-09-28T13:03:00.001-04:00

1. Smoky Green Set_1, 2. RH Bracelet_3, 3. Rose Qzt Triple Stiletto_2, 4. Rose Elvens_4, 5. Amethyst Nugget Drops_4, 6. Smoky Qz & Garnet Necklace_4, 7. Garnet Stilettos_2, 8. Purple & Blue bracelet.5, 9. Smoky Qz & Garnet Necklace_1, 10. Rose Qzt Necklace_1, 11. Green Orbs_3, 12. Blue Pearl Swirls_1, 13. Smoky Qz & Garnet Chain Drops_4

The Packaging Experiment

2011-09-19T22:35:00.000-04:00

Good news: I made my first Etsy sale as a direct result of tweeting! (I now feel completely justified spending all my time on Twitter. So there.)

Better news: the item that sold was this lovely pair of earrings from my Royal Heirloom Collection.

So I'm excited to send the lovelies off to their new home, and I want the new owner to know how special they are as soon as she opens the package. I was already thinking about my packaging, and this sale gave me the push I needed to try something new.

After perusing the interwebs for inspiration, I decided to try making my own earring cards using card stock paper, a fancy shaped paper punch, and maybe a rubber stamp. I considered trying some ~~expensive~~ pretty, colorful paper, but I finally decided on a sensible looking (and budget-friendly) kraft paper.

I looked for a small rubber stamp that said something about being handmade, but the craft store I visited didn't have many choices. However, the stamp I found is nice and easily fits on the punched tag. I settled on a merchandise tag-shaped punch, instead of a circle or square. (I'm sure I'll find other ways to use tags, eh?)

I spent some time experimenting with the orientation and placement of the stamp, and writing contact info on the tag. I liked this design best...but I'm sure I'll keep trying new ideas!

My First Twitter Anniversary Sale

2011-08-31T07:20:00.001-04:00

One Year and 1,650 Tweets Later...

It's been a year since I opened my Twitter account for The Occasional Embellishment. It doesn't feel like it's been that long, but it has.

I've spent the last year publishing my musings about jewelry making, style, inspiration and coffee into the Twitterverse, and I've had fun doing it. I've made lots of wonderful connections, discovered many talented people, and spent a lot of time wondering if anyone out there hears me.

To those of you who are listening: thank you! I'm also grateful to all of my Facebook fans--and there are more of them these days. So, in appreciation of all of my fans and followers, I'm happy to announce this special offer...

Like the Facebook Page, Save 11% Online

From August 31st through September 7th, I'm offering 11% off of any purchase from my Etsy shop. Just click on the "Welcome" tab on the left of the Facebook page to get the promo code. But you have to "like" the page to get the code!

There's no minimum purchase order. Feel free to share this blog post with your friends and family that would enjoy a discount...or just treat yourself to some new handmade artisan jewelry!

Happy Shopping (& Tweeting & Facebooking)!

Good News & New Goodies

2011-08-30T14:01:00.001-04:00

Hey there! It's been a while since I've gotten a blog post up, but I'll try to distract you by diverting your attention to all the amazing things I've been doing since my last update...

Etsy Artists of Color - I was accepted into this awesome Etsy team a few weeks ago. It's a community of talented artisans that produce a group of products as diverse as its members. With a presence on Facebook, Twitter, a blog, and various committees, they offer lots of opportunities to cross promote and forge partnerships. Be sure to check out the latest treasury I created (Hot for Pink), featuring items from my fellow teammates.

New Merchandise in the Shop - My Etsy shop was so scarcely populated while I was planning my wedding, it was shameful. But I've been working hard at adding several new listings to the shop each week. If you haven't visited my shop lately, please check out the goods!

Lots of Action on the Facebook Page - I'm very pleased with how much activity I've been getting on my fan page. I'm posting more updates, photos and links. I've also joined several other interesting pages and connected with lots of awesome, creative people. Be sure to "like" the page to stay in the loop.

Awesome Stuff in the Works

Tomorrow (August 31st) /marks my one-year Twitterversary! To celebrate, I'm going to unveil a special promotion, so stay tuned for that.

I've also got a new "vision" for the overall direction for by product lines, by consumer base, and my blog. I'm still flushing out ideas, but I'm going to be rolling out some great content in the near future. I'll keep you posted so that you don't miss anything.

More soon!

Monday Motivation: My Top 3 Time Management Tips

2011-08-01T12:54:00.000-04:00

I've been addicted to beading since 2003, when I accidentally stumbled upon the world of jewelry making. And since then, I’ve usually created things in spurts--going on “beading binges”, as I like to call them.

But these days, I’m way more consistent--at least I have been for the last few weeks. I’m impressed because four weeks ago, all of my waking hours were spent either at the office or obsessing over my upcoming wedding. Now, I’ve jumped the broom, moved into my new home, and am settling into married life.

And in spite of all the boxes, the long work hours, and tending to a new husband, I’ve managed to find time to get a lot of beading done. And not just beading--Facebook posts, photos, tweets, Etsy listings, and even blog posts. Wow.

So what’s my trick? I thought about it, and here are the three time management tips that are making me a better beader and businesswoman:

Capture inspiration when it happens. Beading is creative work, and so is blogging and photography and marketing. But it turns out that sitting around twiddling my thumbs as I wait for the Muses to speak to me so that I can get something done is a big waste of time. So I’ve made it a point to capture my ideas for designs, blog posts, and anything else as they come to me. When I sit down to work, I have an idea bank waiting for me.
Make task lists, then follow them. I recently got into the habit of making to-do lists at my day job, and it’s a good tool for my work style. So, now I use lists to help keep me focused with my beading efforts. I make daily and weekly task lists in advance, to help eliminate distractions and break large tasks into small, non-intimidating pieces.
Don’t break the momentum. Having an entire room set aside for my craft allows me to keep things messy in a creative state. Before I had a craft room, I found that putting everything completely away so that someone else could use the dining room table always meant that it would be days, or even weeks, before I had the mental energy to pull everything out and start working again. Having a craft room has eliminated that momentum destroyer. And if I complete the tasks on my list but I’m still inspired and working in a nice groove, I keep going. Having more done sooner makes time for other things (like sleep).

I’m sure these three principles could be applied to any type of work. Have you tried any of them? What’s your best time management tip? Leave your answers in the comments!

Wordless Wednesday: Coming soon to my Etsy shop!

2011-07-27T13:21:00.000-04:00

Etsy Treasury: Painting It Pink

2011-07-18T13:10:00.000-04:00

Look at this beautiful treasury, Painting It Pink with Palm Beach County Etsy Team. It's chock-full of handmade awesomeness, including jewelry, art, home decor and other accessories. And all of the creators are from Palm Beach County!

They even included a pair of my earrings. I'm honored to be included, and happy to share the love. Take a look, click on the stuff you like and buy handmade!

Design Challenge: My Bridal Earrings

2011-07-12T23:39:00.001-04:00

This is my first blog post as a married woman! Even though I was otherwise occupied, I actually missed blogging these last couple weeks. I had fun chronicling my adventures and challenges as I designed the jewelry for my wedding day, and I've been looking forward to updating you on the final designs that my bridesmaids and I wore.

As I mentioned before, I can be rather indecisive. So I decided to own my indecision and make two pairs of earrings for myself, and choose whatever felt best.

The Runner Up

The first pair of earrings I made were gorgeous. I bought these lovely silver and crystal filigree beads to play with, added two different size Swarovski pearls, and POW--beautiful!

They're lovely with a nice amount of sparkle and sophistication, but alas...they were too modest. They looked very bride-like, but they're just not my style. Besides that, I needed a pair of earrings that could hold its own next to the dramatic statement of my wedding gown.

The Winning Design

So I set out to design something with a longer dangle and more sparkle, while still incorporating silver, crystals and pearls. Then I dug through my stash and found these gigantic crystal rondelles and fell in love with them all over again. I added textured sterling silver jump rings, which added a bit more shine, threw in some pearls, and arranged it all in linear design for length.

Done and done. Both my sister and maid of honor, who were with me when I made both pairs of earrings, agreed that the bigger earrings were perfect for me, the dress and the occasion. But what I love best is that they're stylish enough to wear again and again. Winning!

Wanna see more?

For more photos of my bridal earrings and the rest of my jewelry, check out the album on my Facebook page. And while you're there, be sure to "like" the page, if you haven't already.

More soon...

Design Challenge: My Own Bridal Jewelry

2011-06-25T16:02:00.000-04:00

When i first got engaged, I immediately decided that I would make my own bridal jewelry. I want my wedding to be special and full of personal details that reflect who my fiancé and I are, so I've put a lot of thought into how everything will look and feel.

Designing my own bridal jewelry has been fun, but also challenging. I did a custom order for bridesmaids jewelry a while back, but this is my first time creating something that a bride would wear on her big day. As an artisan, I'm actually glad that I'm my first bridal client. Experiencing the feelings and emotions first-hand will better prepare me to work with other brides in the future.

The Look: Simple Sophistication

Of course, it's all about the dress. I found my dress very early on (within a week of being engaged), which was important because the gown must be considered when choosing the jewelry. Without giving much away any details about my dress, all I can say is that my gown is a focal point all by itself. Adding too much sparkle or size or too many pieces would actually detract from its sophistication.

So I've decided to wear a simple bracelet on one arm, a very dainty necklace, and earrings. That's it.

My bracelet is a simple combination of Swarovski pearls, crystals and rhinestone rondelles. I chose 6mm beads, which I felt would be neither too small or too large. After experimenting with various patterns, I decided on a pattern that I felt had a good balance of pearls and crystal and finished it off with a sterling silver lobster clasp. It's beautiful and has just enough sparkle.

I also love how my necklace came out. When I had my final gown fitting, I tried a few different necklaces on in the boutique. As I suspected, even some very simple necklaces were too much for the dress. In fact, I could have chosen to skip the necklace all together, but I had an idea...

My dress is strapless and comes down a little low in the back. I decided a necklace with a dangle in the back would be a nice surprise. So I used a very thin, delicate sterling silver chain and attached a single 6mm crystal flanked by 3mm pearls on either side as the focal point in the front. In the back, there are teardrop crystals and small pearls hanging from 2 different lengths of chain. It looks great on!

Earrings for the Indecisive

All I have left to create for myself is my earrings. The problem is I'm completely undecided on the style that I should wear. So, I've decided to make it easy on myself and make myself 2 different styles, and I'll wear the one that speaks to me on my wedding day.

Stay tuned for more adventures in my bridal jewelry design. And head over to my Facebook fan page for a few more photos of my bridal jewelry!

3 Design Rules for Bridesmaid Jewelry

2011-06-21T22:19:00.000-04:00

Good news: I’ve finalized the design for my bridesmaid jewelry. I have three girls in my wedding and I’m making earring/necklace sets for each of them.

In fact, I’ve finished all their earrings and one necklace and started a second necklace. It won’t take long to finish now that I know exactly what I’m making. Designing is what takes forever.

I set three design rules: coordination, uniqueness and wearability.

Coordination – This is kind of a no brainer, but I wanted the designs to go well with my girls’ dresses. The two bridesmaids are wearing the same dress in different colors, and the maid of honor is wearing a similar style in a third color. I wanted the jewelry to help unify their look but still coordinate with the color each was wearing.
Uniqueness – I was also striving for a design with enough character to be attention-grabbing but not gawdy. Classic but not common. Sensible but unexpected.
Wearability – Sure, I want them to look fabulously accessorized for my wedding, but the jewelry is also a gift. I want them to be able to wear the set many times in the future. So, it would have to be something they genuinely liked.

I’m extremely pleased with the designs. And even though my girls haven’t seen the jewelry yet, I’m sure they will be, too.

In the next episode: the adventures in designing my own bridal jewelry. Stay tuned!

Big Ol' Hoops for My Bridal Shower

2011-06-16T22:12:00.001-04:00

If you've been keeping up with this blog, you know that my upcoming wedding is consuming my life. If you haven't been keeping up with this blog, allow me to bring you up to speed--my wedding is right around the corner and it's consuming my life. There. Now you know everything. But I'll elaborate.

I got engaged in early February and immediately set the date for late June. But I couldn't get the reception hall that for weekend, so the wedding was pushed back until July 2nd (the July 4th holiday weekend). And then me, my mom, my three sisters and I began the adventures of planning my fabulous wedding.

Somewhere around the same time, my fiancee and I bought a condo and got lost in the throes of first-time homeownership. But with the wedding rapidly approaching, we got back on track quickly (read: the place looks like a bachelor's pad and I'll be okay with that until after the wedding).

I decided early on that I wanted to make my own bridal jewelry, as well as the jewelry for my three bridesmaids. But when my sister bought me an amazing dress for my bridal shower two weeks ago, I decided I needed to whip up a new pair of earrings for that, too!

Bold Earrings for a Bold Dress
My bridal shower dress was more than fabulous. It was sexy, though not too revealing, and covered in huge images of peacock feathers! It was perfect for both me and the occasion. There was a lot going on in the front, what with the plunging neckline and all. And the cut-out three-quarter length sleeves meant there was no need for a bracelet, either. But earrings...they would have to be able to keep up with the rest of the dress.

I quickly determined that I needed a pair of big ol' shiny silver hoops, but I also wanted to pick up the bright blue. So I used a simple hoop shape and attached a big square bright blue bead near the top. Then I decided it needed some extra sparkle, so I added a smaller round crystal dangle underneath the square bead.

Voila! A pair of bold, bright, fabulous earrings! I can see myself making many variations of this design for my shop in the future. (And by future, I mean after I get settled into my new married life.)

Jewelry Design Challenge: Maid of Honor

2011-06-01T08:00:00.001-04:00

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth...

I've just been busy planning my wedding, which is only 31 days away. Invitations are out and response cards are trickling in (from some people that weren't even invited). The honeymoon accommodations have been finalized, and I realized that I have nothing to wear for 7 days and 6 nights on a tropical island. So I've also done a ton of shopping.

Part of that shopping included supplies to make jewelry for myself, my mom and by bridesmaids. So far, I've only played around with some loose design concepts. I look forward to sitting down at the workbench with the materials in front of me and bringing the designs to life.

But first, a challenge...

Last week I realized that my maid of honor has metal allergies, so designing for her won't be as simple as for the others. She insists that she'll be fine for the duration of the wedding, but I've already started troubleshooting:

Make big statement earrings and skip the necklace. But would the look be incomplete?
Minimize the metal. I could string more beads, and use less chain and metal components. And of course hypoallergenic earwires is a no-brainer.
Add a beadwoven bracelet. I could try to design something with glass seed beads. It would definitely be more time consuming to create, but she'd also be able to wear it again later, which makes it worth it.

Of course the challenge is to also make sure her jewelry doesn't look out of place compared to the two bridesmaids. Fortunately her dress is different, so I have some leeway. But I want all three of my girls to look like a package deal. Let's see what I can come up with...

My bridal shower is this Saturday, and I'm very excited. My three sisters planned it for me, so all I have to do is show up. Hooray for something I don't have to do myself! (WINNING!)

More soon(er than later)...

Winner Announced: Twitter Giveaway Contest

2011-05-09T13:20:00.000-04:00

image by Jeroen van Oostrom

Last week I launched my first ever giveaway contest, designed especially for my tweeps. Seventy-two hours of contest time and 20 entries later, I'm happy to end the suspense and announce the winner.

Drum roll please....

The prize goes to @jahzarahoneybee!

I have no doubt that these lovely earrings are going off to a good home. She wanted them so much, she entered a whopping 14 times!

I had fun with this giveaway, and I will definitely do another contest in the future. Maybe the next one will be for my Facebook fans...we wouldn't want them to feel any less special, now would we?

Thanks for playing along.

Jewelry Giveaway Contest: 1000 Tweets & Counting

2011-05-03T00:13:00.001-04:00

I love Twitter, and I love all my tweeps. You guys have put up with my musings and rants for nearly nine months. So, to show my sincere appreciation, and in celebration of my 1,000th tweet, I'm doing a special giveaway just for you!

The Prize

If you win, I'll send you this haute pair of earrings! *drool* They're colorful, dangly, and extremely versatile. These will be your favorite accessories all spring and summer long!

How to Enter
I'd love to just give them to you, but, alas...there are rules:

Follow me on Twitter - @EmbellishedGems
Send this tweet through your own account: I want to win this jewelry giveaway by @EmbellishedGems - http://bit.ly/lyouF5
Send the contest tweet again and again. Each time you tweet, you earn another entry, up to 5 entries a day. The more times you enter, the better your chance of winning!
Entries will be accepted for three days, beginning at 12 noon on Tuesday, May 3rd. The contest will end at noon on Friday, May 6th. (All times Eastern Standard Time, USA)

I'll use an online random chooser to pick a winner and announce it here on my blog. (I'll also contact the winner directly to tell you the good news!)

Good luck, and happy tweeting!

Sounds from the Workbench

2011-04-18T22:40:00.000-04:00

Last week was really busy for me. I had several evening meetings, didn't get much sleep, and didn't get much done in my craft room, either.

I only made one piece of jewelry last week--a pair of earrings that I gave as a gift to a dear friend. So there hasn't been much going on in there.

When I do sit down to my workbench, I don't like to work in silence. I prefer to have music on, and jazz is usually what ends up on the playlist. And in honor of National Jazz Appreciation Month, I decided to share one of my favorite tunes with you.

'Round Midnight is a lovely song, and it always moves me. There are many renditions--vocal and instrumental. Here's a version by Thelonius Monk. Not only is he sick on the keys, but his name rocks. And that's enough for me.

I plan to set up my desktop computer in my craft room soon. I've got great speakers and an awesome music collection. I can't wait to get my tunes! In the meantime, I've added a small TV to my craft room so I can at least have some background noise and be mildly entertained. But it's pretty hard to watch TV and bead at the same time...I don't know how other beaders do it.

More soon!

Lessons from a Ladies Night

2011-04-11T23:21:00.002-04:00

Every time I set up my jewelry to sell at a home party or some other kind of function, I always get a bit nervous.

Will they like my jewelry? Will I make any sales? Did I bring enough inventory? Did I price my jewelry correctly (not too high, not too low, but just right)?

Well, this past weekend, I had an opportunity to sell my jewelry at a wonderful in-home, ladies-only happy hour. Since it was a purely social gathering, I didn't expect to make a lot of sales. But my merchandise was well received and I was very pleased by the end of the night.

Still, I did learn a few lessons that I can apply to my displays and jewelry parties in the future:

Price tags are a necessary evil. I label all of my jewelry (except earrings) with little price tags that hang from strings. I need them to let customers know how much my creations cost, but I hate them because they're ugly and they take away from the jewelry. I need to find smaller, less intrusive tags.
I'm getting better at creating displays, but there's still room for improvement. I have great displays for bracelets, necklaces and earrings, but I think I need to go either all black or all white, not both, on one surface. I was set up on my friend's coffee table, which was beautiful and large, but maybe adding some different levels would've created a more appealing display.
Lighting is crucial. You ever wonder why jewelry stores are so brightly lit? It's because the merchandise looks more appealing when it dances in the light. Also, adequate lighting helps customers see colors and shapes and overall design more easily. My friend's living room was well lit for a social gathering, but not selling jewelry. A small table lamp would've made a huge difference.
Accepting credit cards = more sales. If only my credit card app hadn't crashed all night... *sigh*
There's a customer for every piece. I made several sales, and some of them surprised me. For example, I sold a few pieces that had been in my inventory for quite a while, often overlooked by others. That’s encouraging.

I look forward to applying these lessons as I move forward…probably at a jewelry show sometime after my wedding (which is coming up very soon).

More soon...stay tuned!

Breaking in the New Craft Room

2011-04-07T13:06:00.000-04:00

Things have been moving forward since my last blog post. Allow me to fill you in…

Crafts are happening in the craft room. I found a great table at a thrift store that was below budget and came with 2 chairs. (Duh…winning!) Once I got the table—which shall heretofore be known as the workbench—I was motivated to move in all my beads and tools and stuff. So I’m all set up.

I’ve got a small bookcase that’s handy for storing books (imagine that), magazines, and some other stuff that I haven’t figured out what to do with yet. I put all my pliers and small tools in this cute little bucket thingy that sits right on my workbench. It looks great on my table and it’s even more practical than I thought it would be.

Awesome.

I’m on an earring kick this week. I’ve made 4 new pairs so far, and I’m laying out designs for a few more. Why earrings? I don’t know. Maybe I’m inspired by the new earring display I bought. Or maybe I’m in the mood for instant gratification—earrings work up quickly and make me feel productive. Don’t judge me.

Next up: brainstorming for wedding jewelry. My goal is to make jewelry for myself, my three bridesmaids, my mom, and my mother-in-law. ~~Insane~~ Ambitious, I know. But at least I can get started on my girls’ jewelry since I just got 2 of their dresses in.

More soon…stay tuned!

Getting over the hump

2011-03-16T21:41:00.001-04:00

Happy Hump Day!

Wednesday: The day that signals that we’re as close to Friday as we are to Monday. If we can just make it over this hump, we’ll have enough momentum to make it through Friday so we can enjoy another weekend.

Well, I’ve decided to use the magical powers of Wednesday to try to get over a different kind of hump--by actually posting to this blog. Here’s the latest...

*Wedding Stuff*

In my last blog post, I announced my engagement and threw out a few ideas I had for my big day. Within 2 weeks we’d set the date (July 2, 2011--yes, that’s right around the corner), booked the minister, booked the reception venue, set the bridal party, and found and ordered my dress, and decided on a honeymoon destination. I’ve also got a florist/co-coordinator on stand-by, decided on some wedding favors, my sisters are planning my bridal shower, and I’ve nearly completed the first draft of the guest list.

I still have to decide on flowers and decorations, finalize the dresses for the bridesmaids, pick tuxes for the guys, hire a photographer, pick invitations, finalize the music, and do a registry. I’m making progress with these things, but, as my mom keeps reminding me, I don’t have a lot of time to get this done.

And don't even get me started on the jewelry...because I haven't even had a chance to think about starting to design it (although I do have a few ideas percolating).

*Meanwhile...*

In the middle of the whirlwind wedding planning, my fiancee and I bought a condo. It was a short sale, so it was rather stressful and it literally took forever, but in the end it worked out. We have a beautiful place in a great community to start our lives together. And here’s the best part--it has 3 bedrooms, which means I get to claim an entire room as my creative space!

*The Studio*

So far, all I’ve done is paint the room in a color called “Zircon” from Sherin Williams. You can't tell from the pic, but it’s a light gray with a semi-gloss finish. It’s warmer than having plain white walls, but it’ll still provide a neutral background for whatever style decor I decide to use. The floors are wood laminate, the window provides some natural light, and the closet has these nifty built-in shelves that are just perfect to store my plastic bead containers. Yay!

Since I’ve got no furniture, I get to set up my studio the way I want. The first order of business is to find a big, flat inexpensive table to serve as my workspace. I’m also thinking I want a great big cork board on one wall, which I’d use as an inspiration board and task list. I’ll add some shelving, a small computer desk for my desktop, and load up the walls with beautiful paintings and photographs.

At least that’s the plan for now. Who knows...maybe I’ll change my mind next week. Stay tuned for the latest, and thanks for reading!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A Very Special Announcement

2011-02-11T13:34:00.000-05:00

Remember that photo shoot that was scheduled for tomorrow? Well, it's being postponed. But that's not the real announcement.

This is: I'm getting married this summer! And I'm starting my wedding plans this weekend, and that trumps the photo shoot.

How excited am I?
I've been sharing the good news with anyone that will listen. Family. Friends. Coworkers. The strangers sitting across the aisle from me at Applebee's. Facebook. And now the interwebs at large.

I believe that love is one of the great experiences that can make living worth while. And it's like good food--the more you share it, the more you enjoy it. And this is how I justify sharing this very personal experience on the world wide web with people who, before reading this blog, may not have even known I existed.

Now, that doesn't mean this is turning into a wedding blog, but I can't promise that it'll be business as usual around here. But I will keep any posts about my wedding plans relevant to the Occasional Embellishment, and I promise to be interesting.

Embellished Accessories for the Occasion, of course
The challenge: to design and create my own jewelry for the big day. But I can't do that until I find the dress, and we're looking at a wedding in late June or early July, so that doesn't leave me much time. I also plan to offer jewelry to my bridesmaids as a gift, which I believe they will all enjoy.

I think it would be really special to offer my mom and my soon-to-be mother-in-law jewelry, as well. I could wait for them to pick their dresses and make them something custom, or I could take my chances and design something nice but more generic that will hopefully go with whatever they choose. I'll let you know when I figure it all out.

There's so much to do!

I've gotta find a dress, book a venue, decide on decorations and flowers...and of course there's the daunting task of finalizing the guest list. My fiancé and I (it's so awesome to say that) would prefer to keep it as small and intimate as possible, but we both have large families that live locally. My mom doesn't really believe I can keep it under 150 people, but I am going to try!

Welp...this is one big adventure. I plan to blog about it as I go. I hope you'll stick around for the ride.

Moving right along...

2011-02-05T16:09:00.000-05:00

O, January…I hardly knew thee. Alas, now you are gone and I am left, standing here in the wake of your passing.

That’s my overly dramatic way of acknowledging that, ready or not, February is already here. I would’ve liked to do more with January, but that month is gone. All I can do is move forward.

In my last post, I announced some big plans for giving my Etsy shop a makeover. In an effort to hold myself accountable, here’s an update on my progress.

First, I did manage to get a new banner up in the shop. I'm not completely settled on it, but I do think it's more representative of my work than my old banner (the one still in use at the top of this blog). But the more I look at it, the more I want to change the font. So, if you see a few more changes, you know why.

I also updated my shop announcement—that was a priority once I decided not to close my shop. But I’ve still got some work to do with my store policies and profile. Changing my avatar is also on the to-do list, but I feel like I need more photos to choose from, so that change will happen later.

I haven't listed any of my Royal Heirloom pieces for sale yet, but that’s because I've really only photographed earrings so far. And I don’t want it to look like all I have in my collection is earrings. That would be weird, right? But speaking of photos…

I’m very excited about my upcoming photo shoot with the live models! Because of some scheduling issues, it didn't happen in January, but it’s going down next Saturday. I’m all geeked up about it. I’ve chosen two absolutely gorgeous locations, and one of my best friends has agreed to help out. I don’t exactly know what I need her to do yet—because I've never done this—but I’m sure having an extra pair of eyes and hands will come in handy.

These are a few photos from one of the locations…isn’t it beautiful? (The other location is even lovelier, and offers a very different view, but I don't have any sneak peeks for you today.)

The rest of this week leading up to the shoot is for making a few new pieces, grouping pieces into sets to make them easier to photograph, playing around with my camera settings, and praying for good weather.

Stay tuned…!

New Direction for a New Year

2011-01-12T23:06:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!

I didn't realize that this would be my first blog post of 2011, but I checked...and it is. That means I haven't properly updated my beloved blog readers ~~(all six of you)~~ as to my plans for The Occasional Embellishment. So here we go!

My Etsy Shop Is Getting A Makeover

I did some serious thinking about the direction of my Etsy shop, and I came to two conclusions. First, it doesn't really do much. I don't add many listings, and I don't make too many sales. The inventory doesn't rotate much. I don't really do any big sales. It just kinda sits there, and every now and then somebody peeks at it, then goes away. Second, I've got to make some major changes if I want my shop to be successful.

So, I've decided to give the shop a makeover. I'll be adding and deleting sections, changing the banner and profile avatar, and revising my shop announcement, policies and bio. I'll also be standardizing my listings and tags to make it easier to find my merchandise in searches, and adding some new coupon features (yay!). That's a lot of changes to make, and at first I considered closing the shop until everything was in place. But then I decided against it (you're welcome). Instead, I'll be making the changes in steps.

My new Royal Heirloom Collection will take a front seat in the shop, getting its own section...because it's so gorgeous. I'll work hard to get the existing pieces listed as soon as possible, and I'll also add to the collection over time. I also want to get rid of some of ~~the stuff I'm tired of looking at~~ my older inventory. They've either got to sell, or I'm taking them apart and giving the materials new life.

A big part of pulling this off depends on me snapping the photos I need to create listings and market my merchandise. So, I've developed a ~~less-bootleg~~ more improved photo station, which I can break down and set up easily, and get the shots I need in less time.

I'm also planning my first jewelry photo shoot with live models! I've got two lovely ladies lined up to help me display the Royal Heirloom collection, and maybe some other pieces, as well. I'll be working with them toward the end of this month, and of course I can't wait to share those photos with you.

I've got more plans in the works to grow my brand and increase sales. But that's all for another blog post. For now, this is the latest and greatest on my end. I'm excited about taking things to the next level in 2011. Stick around for the newness!!!

Fit for a Queen: The Royal Heirloom Collection

2010-12-27T13:35:00.000-05:00

Until recently, I've always designed on a whim. I picked materials I liked and put them together into combinations that I liked even more. Sometimes I would plan what I wanted to create--earrings or necklaces or bracelets--then sit down until I crank something out. But that was about as much pre-planning as I normally did for my designs.

I'm glad to say that I've grown as an artisan.
I've sharpened my eye as a designer, so that I can now make more attractive jewelry. (You should've seen some of the stuff I made in my early beading days. Ugly with a capital "UG".) My technique has drastically improved, as well, so now I'm constructing good-looking pieces that are more solid and have longer lifespans.

Most recently, I've begun to incorporate larger concepts into my designs. I've learned to build on principles and themes and carry them across multiple pieces, while preserving the originality of each item. And that led to the creation of my very first collection.

Why the "Royal Heirloom" Collection?

It's simple, really. I wanted to give the collection a name that would evoke images of luxury, timeless fashion, and precious gems. You know, something a bit catchier than "Fall/Winter 2010 Collection", ya dig?

The collection uses a varied color palette made of rich jewel-toned grays, blues, reds, greens, and purples, along with pale pinks, matte gold, light turqoise for contrast. All these colors are set against antiqued brass metals, which is less shocking than either gold or silver, but no less luxurious.

So far, I've created 18 pieces, including earrings, necklaces and bracelets, and I will be adding more over the coming weeks. It's designed so that you can interchange many of the pieces and still have a well-coordinated look, which has been an interesting challenge for me. You can find some photos on my Facebook page.

Fit for a Queen, Priced for Commoners
The best part about this collection is its affordability. It turns out that brass components are less expensive than silver or gold. That means that I can splurge on high quality gemstones and crystals and still end up with irresistible prices.

The prices are so good that several pieces sold before I could even get them listed for sale in my Etsy shop. But don't fret...I'll be creating new listings and adding to the collection shortly. Check back often for updates!

Look At Me Earrings

2010-12-14T13:57:00.000-05:00

You've gotta check out these earrings I just made. Your day will improve just by becoming aware of their existence. They're that hot.

These beauties were created as a custom order for one of my best ~~customers~~ friends, to jazz up an already festive holiday party dress that she'd just bought. The dress was short and shiny, covered with thousands of sequins in various shades of antique gold.

The brass chain and wire used to make these earrings was the perfect compliment to the color of the dress. (A shiny gold would've clashed.) She wanted lots of sparkle, so I piled on Golden Shadow Swarovski crystal bicones in two sizes.

She was going for dramatic and attention grabbing, and I think these fit the bill. At more than 3" long, they nearly brush the shoulder. And the wide, hand forged chandelier frame and triple-tiered chains swing playfully. These earrings are definitely not for wallflowers. They command attention!

What can I design for you? Visit my Etsy shop to see what's in stock, or drop me a comment on my Facebook fan page if you'd like something made just for you!

A Season of Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T09:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

I love this time of year. I find myself drawn closer to my family and loved ones, and everywhere I look I'm reminded of the many blessings I've received. The holidays always put me in a really good mood!

Not just thankful, but grateful.

Far too many of us take things for granted far too often. We greet each other half-heartedly, asking "how are you?" without really caring about the answer, and responding with equal ambivalence. For me, the holiday season means time out for all of that foolishness.

I appreciate everything that I have. Loving and wise parents that set many good examples for me. Three unintentionally hilarious big sisters who laugh at me, love me, and support me in very significant ways. A few very special friends that forgive me when I don't call as often as I should. A loving boyfriend that sees the essence of who I am and still thinks I'm fabulous. A rewarding career, complete with brilliant mentors and challenging experiences. Abundant opportunities to discover, develop and utilize my talents and passions. Life, health, basic necessities, and a tenacity to live.

I'm blessed.

It may sound like I'm bragging, but I'm just being honest. This Thanksgiving we should each take a moment to honestly evaluate our lives and learn to be truly grateful for everything we have. I don't know you, but I'd wager that you're blessed, too.

P.S. -- I also love the holidays because of the food. I'm gonna eat a lot of really delicious dishes today, all of them made with love. And none of the calories will count (because I said so).

Big Sale Saturday!

2010-11-23T22:42:00.000-05:00

Support Small Businesses This Weekend

I'm a big fan of small businesses. I spend a lot of time at my day job working with many local small business owners. I spend a lot of my personal time and money to patronize small businesses establishments, often because I enjoy the people, the experience and the quality of service. And, oh yeah...I own a small business, too.

So I'm more than happy to help promote Small Business Saturday, which is happening this weekend on November 27th. It's all about taking the time to ~~spend money with~~ acknowledge the small businesses that spur our local, regional and national economies by creating jobs and providing valuable goods and services.

The idea is that if each of us commits to doing at least a portion of our holiday shopping with small businesses, we can make a big difference in our communities. That's a cozy, and very achievable, ideal.

Save Big with The Occasional Embellishment!

So naturally, I'd be thrilled if you, dear reader, decided to support The Occasional Embellishment this holiday season. But I don't want you to think that you're missing out on the bargains...Starting Saturday at midnight (EST), I'm putting a bunch of the merchandise in my Etsy shop on sale!

Look for 15%-20% off on select products, and I"m offering free shipping on any purchase over $50! I'll also be adding some new merchandise from my Royal Heirloom Collection, and I'll introduce a special Stocking Stuffers series! (Are you excited yet?! 'Cause I'm all geeked up about it.)

While We're At It...

Nothin' says lovin' like a nice handmade gift. I'm talking about quality products handcrafted by real live people who are talented, creative and bold enough to share their gifts with the world.

The world is full of unique handcrafted goods that can help you find the perfect way to honor your loved ones this holiday season. I took the Handmade Pledge this holiday season...maybe you should consider it, as well.

Stay tuned, folks...

Life Lessons from A Big Dreamer

2010-11-09T19:10:00.000-05:00

I've got big dreams.
One day soon, I want to get married, have kids, a couple of fish (I'm allergic to dogs) and make my own loving household. I want to be a respected and successful businesswoman that earns a comfortable living while working a flexible schedule. I want to travel the world and become proficient in 5 languages. I want it all.

But doing it all takes time.
And time is in short supply. I've only got 24 hours in each day, and I only average 3-6 hours of sleep a night. I work a full-time job, serve in several ministries at my church, and try to spend time with my loved ones. Oh yeah...and I'm trying to grow my jewelry businesses, which I operate alone. But I'm not complaining...I'm owning my situation. There's a big difference.

I can do it all...and I want do to it all.
That's what I keep telling myself. Even when I get tired and frustrated, I remind myself that this is what life is about: doing as much as I can, for as long as I can, and enjoying myself while I do it. Here are a few things I've learned that help me stay on track.

There's an app for that. I'm not the kind of person that's glued to my smartphone despite life going on around me, but I do make my iPhone work for me. I've got all sorts of useful apps that help me do things when I'm not at a computer (like work on this blog post). It helps me turn some of my downtime into productive time.
Inspiration is fickle. If i'm not inspired to create something, there's a lot of other ways I can be productive. I can look for suppliers with more competitive pricing or work on my business and marketing plans. I can organize my workspace (yeah right), photograph jewelry, or list stuff in my Etsy shop. It's all gotta get done, and I'm the only one doing any of it.
To-do lists are my friends. They tell me what I need to do, and they congratulate me when I do them. This is good, because if I don't write things down, I'm likely to forget them. So I stay with a notepad everywhere I go...and sticky notes. Lots of sticky notes.
Break projects down into components. A very complicated design--such as a long, wire-wrapped chain necklace--can be broken down into smaller tasks that can be done in small amounts of time. I may take fifteen minutes to lay out the overall design, five minutes to cut all my chain, or an hour to do all my wire-wrapping. As long as I'm making progress, I'm good.
It's alright to take a break. If I'm groggy from sleep deprivation, if my loved ones can't remember what I look like because they haven't seen me in 3 weeks, and my knees are stiff from constant sitting, I should put down the beads, shut off the laptop, get off my butt and have some fun. Really. It's better that way.

And now, an appropriate song, which I lovingly dedicate to myself.

Taking Over the Interwebs

2010-10-28T19:00:00.000-04:00

(image by Dana Lee)

The World Wide Web is a beautiful thing, no? Not only is it a great source of information, but it's also a great tool for business. How does The Occasional Embellishment use the 'Net? I'm glad you asked.

Etsy - It's a great online marketplace, created especially for people looking to buy and sell handcrafted goods. You can find everything from jewelry to cupcakes to furniture to clothes to wedding invitations, and many things in between. It's been a great solution for someone like me that wants to give customers a way to purchase online, but hasn't had a chance to build my own e-commerce website.

Twitter - The popular micro-blogging website only lets you tweet messages 140 characters at a time. So far, I've been able to keep up with fashions, other designers, and groups that promote indie products. I'm trying, however, to figure out how to reach potential customers more effectively. Another pesky problem for me is that "The Occasional Embellishment" is too long to use as a Twitter handle [sad face]. So for now, I go by @EmbellishedGems in the twitterverse.
Facebook - Did you know you can find The Occasional Embellishment on Facebook? My fan page is pretty cool. You can even preview my Etsy shop, which is even cooler. Go there and hit the like button. I need about 40 more likes before I can get a vanity URL, so let's make that happen!
This blog - Embellish Everything! is yet another step in my dominate-the-interweb plan. (Of course it would be much more effective if I posted more regularly, but why even bring that up? LOL) This is where you can hear all about my creative aspirations, current projects, and things coming down the pike.
Flickr - If you're not already on this wonderful photo-sharing website, you're missing out. It's a great place to browse for wonderful photography, and many artists use it as an online portfolio. Take a look at The Occasional Embellishment's photostream for examples of some of my creations. You may come across something you missed, fall in love with it, and decide that you need to commission me to make you something similar.

www.OccasionalEmbellishment.com - I own it! (There's nothing useful up just yet, so don't bother going to check it out. The point is that no one else can snatch up the URL.) I'm sniffing out different web designers and hosting plans so that I can create a website within the next few months. Eventually I'd like to have it host my shop, but that may be a ways off. I'll just start off with a portfolio, bio, and a link to my Etsy shop.

Sharing Is Caring

2010-10-23T19:32:00.000-04:00

Good news: One my of items made it into an Etsy treasury!

Yep...that's my Fireball Crystal Ball Necklace in the third row (second from the left).

I consider it high praise to have any of my items included in a treasury curated by my fellow Etsians. It's their way of saying, "of the millions of wonderful products on Etsy, here are a few special ones that caught my attention. I think you should take a look, too."

So, here's a big thanks to Brokenghostcouture for noticing me and wanting to share all of these wonderful, fiery products with the rest of the world!

Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow...

2010-10-08T13:16:00.000-04:00

Good things have been happening since my last blog post. First, a moment of silence for those shiny beautifuls that have gone on to new homes.

* sheds a quiet, sentimental tear*

I love connecting unique jewelry to people with unique style. That's the whole point of The Occasional Embellishment, yes? But, you see...I get attached to my creations. So when they finally sell, I get slammed by the realization that I'll never see them again.

But then I remember that I'm sending my lovely off to a new home, where it's new owner will love it and cherish it and flaunt it, and that makes me happy again.

Still, I'll miss this flirty asymmetrical bracelet, born of antiqued brass and a leftover bead stash.

And I'll forever cling to the memory of this striking gold wire crochet necklace with white Swarovski pearls.

I even sold an elegant gold chain necklace with a huge black Swarovski crystal pendant (and coordinating earrings)...but alas, I never photographed it! The anguish!

So I'm glad that sales have picked up a bit. I need to make some new listings for my Etsy shop to replenish my stock. I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend.

Stay tuned, folks...and HAPPY FRIDAY!

Making Progress (I just don't have the photos to prove it)

2010-09-26T22:53:00.000-04:00

So, I haven't blogged in a while and I hate admitting that. I've made some jewelry recently, though not as much as I would have liked, and I haven't photographed any of it. My bad.

So what on earth do I have to blog about? I'm glad you asked.

I've been crazy busy---with life, yes, but also with all things related to The Occasional Embellishment. Here's everything in a nutshell:

The Occasional Embellishment is now The Occasional Embellishment, Inc. - Until recently, I've been operating as a sole proprietorship. Now I'm incorporated, and that's a pretty big deal for my one-person operation. It's very exciting and extremely intimidating. But I get to call myself the President/CEO, and I'm okay with that because it sounds awesome.
Operation: Embellish the Masses - Remember that super-secret big deal that I've mentioned in the past? Well, I've been working on getting picked up by a retailer. Things are moving forward. I settled on a design concept, crunched some numbers, and put together a proposal. I met with the retailer last week and they want me to tweak a few things and expand my proposal to include a few more designs. I hope to have things finalized within the next month. (This is also a big deal.) Stay tuned for the big revelation...
Design Focus - In the past, I've indulged my beady obsessions by hoarding beautiful materials until I get a flash of inspiration to combine them into an OOAK design. I'm still going to do that, but I'm going to focus my designs into more cohesive collections. I look forward to working on that. I'll keep you posted as the collections develop.

I know that's only three bullet points, but trust me...that's a lot of awesomeness going on at once. And since I don't have any photos of shiny new pretties, here's a clip to make you smile instead. Enjoy!

LBD: Fashion Institution and Miracle Worker

2010-05-26T19:21:00.000-04:00

The Little Black Dress (LBD) is one of the most respected institutions in the fashion world. (Yes, I called the LBD an institution.) It comes in many shapes and designs, for all kinds of occasions. And even a single LBD can carry you from work to a night out on the town if you know how to work it.

Part of the LBD's staying power comes from it's color. Black is a powerful fashion statement, one that can speak many different messages. Black is chic. Sophisticated. Elegant. Mature. Sexy. Dangerous. Safe. Timeless.

But one of the most user-friendly features of the LBD is the versatility of the color. Black is a neutral color--one of the boldest, but still a neutral. It can be paired with any color you can dream of, in any proportion. Add a little red...or a lot. Whatever you like. You look great.

But despite the versatility--or perhaps because of it--a lady can't survive with just one LBD. They come in so many different styles...and they're all so adorable. (Of course you need more than one...just like you need more than one pair of black shoes.)

And if you're the type of person that can't resist the allure of the many faces that are the styles of the LBD, allow me to offer a budget-friendly suggestion: shop at Target. Seriously.

Every dress shown in this post is for sale at Target.com at extremely reasonable prices--less than $40 (and I think most of these are less than $30). At prices like these, you can afford to stash two or three in your wardrobe. Trust me, you'll find a reason to wear them soon enough.

Fashion Tip: Change the look by changing your accessories!

For a more casual look, add a thick belt, lightweight cardigan, ballerina slippers and hoop earrings to a sleeveless LBD. You can make the same LBD more appropriate party dress by trading in the slippers for strappy heels (the higher the better). Take off the belt and opt for a waist-length multi-strand chain necklace instead. Lose the cardigan altogether. (If you need something to cover your arms, find a chic wrap instead.) Mix and match a few bangles on one of your arms, and you're all set!

Check out my Etsy shop for accessories that would look great with your LBD.

Look What I Made!

2010-05-25T00:06:00.000-04:00

So, I've been making jewelry lately. But you probably don't believe me since I haven't posted any new pics to this blog...so here you go!

I'm obsessed with this little necklace! The lovely pendant is a lightweight, dark blue heart made out of a tagua nut. I decided to hang it from a bit of copper chain. The colors make a nice contrast, and I've been wanting to use more copper in my designs.

I also made a simple hook-and-eye clasp from copper wire to finish it off. I love the way handmade components and findings add a more personal touch to the jewelry. I think I'll make more hand-forged components in the future...

...and by future, I mean right now. This lovely pair of earrings feature green glass globes hanging in a short dangle from a pair of handforged earring hooks that I also created from scratch. (*Side Note: I recently read that these earring hooks are called "elf hooks" because they're shaped like pointy elf ears. That makes me want to use them even more! LOL)

The earrings belong to this elegant necklace, made of the same green glass beads in two sizes, separated by gold spacers, and rounded off by a length of gold chain on either end. The necklace uses a lobster clasp for closure, so it's easy to adjust the length for comfort or style.

You can look for these items, and several more, in my Etsy shop in the next few days.

Zombie Jewelry Blogs & Other Stuff

2010-05-08T23:29:00.000-04:00

My Bad

I know...it's been a thousand ages since my last blog post. Shame on me. But, in my defense, it's not what you think.

Jewelry making started off as a costly ~~addiction~~ hobby for me. A few years into it, after getting encouraging feedback from lots of people who liked my work, I decided to try to sell some of my work as a way to help offset the cost.

In recent years, I've graduated from just selling a few pieces to having an official jewelry business. The difference may sound minor, but it means that I plan and execute everything I do with a completely different mindset.

You see, what had happened was...

A few months ago, I was considering changing the name of my company from The Occasional Embellishment to something a bit ~~easier to spell~~ sassier. Then I was going to launch into a whole branding campaign that included reformatting this blog ~~into something that people would actually read~~.

So I stopped posting here until all the changes were made.

Then, I had an epiphany---I don't exactly have the mental real estate I need to completely revamp my company. So instead, I settled on trying out some new marketing and sales strategies for the business that I already have in place. So consider this is a revival post of my un-dead blog.

It's alive...

So I'm breathing some life and energy into my business. I've got lots of new jewelry that insists on being photographed before I can list them for sale in my Etsy shop, so that will become an ongoing project. I'm also trying more in-person sales. My merchandise and I will be making regular appearances (at least monthly) at a local hair salon. I'll also schedule a few more jewelry parties before the end of the year.

And there is still that big fat super-secret opportunity that's still lurking out there in the abstract future. Sorry, I still can't give you any details yet, but I'll be reaching a planning milestone within the next couple of months.

In the meantime, you can look forward to new jewelry in my online shop and more blog posts, right here.

Live Life and Embellish Everything!

Operation: Embellish the Masses

2010-01-28T13:23:00.000-05:00

I've been busy. So what else is new, right? I'm always busy. The question is: have I been busy embellishing everything like I said I wanted to in 2010? The answer: yes and no.

Have I been making jewelry? If by "make" you mean "producing", then no. But if designing counts, and selling is worth at least half credit since that's the point, then yes I've been productive. I sold several pieces in my inventory, made and sold a custom ring, and received a custom order for two new bracelets, which I'll make as soon as my supplies arrive.

But I have been working on something really big, a total game changer for The Occasional Embellishment. I made some connections back in December, and I have an opportunity to get some of my jewelry picked up by a retailer in a high-traffic area. (I'd love to share more juicy details, but I'm still in the development phase and nothings been finalized, so I don't wanna say too much right now.)

Secret Formulas & Magic Potions

I'm horrible at keeping secrets (the good, happy kind, not the if-anyone-finds-out-I'll-die kind). I've gotta tell you something or I'm gonna explode, so here's some juice. I've been working on a collection of new designs. They won't be OOAK, but they would be exclusively carried by the retailer. The retailer has several shops, so there's a chance that my merchandise could appear in more than one shop, though they would all be in a central location.

I've been toiling over data and designs, trying to put everything into a nice, neat, irresistible proposal. I'm being very official and professional, but I'm also making it up as I go. It's a total adventure, and I'm loving it so far. If things go through, it will be even more of an adventure---one that will take my business to a new level.

I'll keep you updated as things progress, so stay tuned...

Love & Light

Motivational Monday: Tribute to MLK

2010-01-18T14:32:00.000-05:00

"Almost always, the creative dedicated minority
has made the world better. " -- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the source of many a motivational quote, many of which are so poignant, they are thought of as capturing the very essence of the civil rights movement, and even the American Dream itself.

But I'd never come across the quote at the beginning of this blog post until recently. And I love it. (Where has this quote been hiding all my life?) It says so many things to me...

1) Be Creative. Whatever it is that you do, or seek to do, innovation can be a useful tool. That may mean thinking of new things to do, new ways of doing old things, or just seeing things from a different perspective. But all of these are examples of innovation, and all of them are meaningful. Without creativity, nothing would ever change, nothing would ever happen.

2) Be Dedicated. It's very difficult to win a race if you stop running before you cross the finish line. Keep trying. Don't give up. Be persistent. Be consistent. Do it.

3) You won't always move with the crowd. People are smart. They know right from wrong and can tell you what they want and don't want. But crowds are dumb. They're prone to irrational behavior just because. Sometimes, doing the right thing will mean stepping away from the crowd.

4) You can make a difference. History is full of countless examples of individuals and small groups that did something different, and ended up starting a trend or a movement or a revolution. There's no reason to think that your actions will be any less significant.

5) It's worth it. Whatever size the difference you make, whether it affects one life or a million, makes all of humanity better. Every single bit counts.

Today, I celebrate you. You matter. You're making a difference. Thank you.

Peace & Blessings...

Garnet: A beautiful gemstone that might be a fruit

2010-01-12T13:03:00.000-05:00

Pomegranate Seeds (...or garnets?)

So, why do we even have birthstones? I'm glad you asked (because I've actually done a bunch of research, and if you didn't care, that would suck).

Some say the birthstone tradition is rooted in biblical history. Apparently Aaron, the first High Priest of the Hebrews, wore a breastplate adorned with 12 gemstones, one representing each tribe of Israel. Around the same time, gemstones were also being linked with the ruling planets and zodiac constellations of each month, according to color.

Originally, people believed that the 12 stones should be worn year round and rotated according to the appropriate month. But people, in a never-ending quest for individuality and personalization, began cherishing the stones associated with their particular birth month, or the birth month of loved ones, and the modern birthstone tradition was born.

Over time, the birthstones for some months have changed, but January has been associated with garnet for quite some time. Garnet is also associated with the Capricorn and Aquarius zodiac signs.

Although it comes in a variety of colors, garnet is best known for being a deep wine-red color, the shade of pomegranate. In fact, the word "garnet" is derived from the Latin word "granatus" meaning seed, since garnet often reminded people of ancient cultures of pomegranate seeds.

Green Garnet

Like most gemstones, garnet is said to have several mystical attributes. Many cultures believe it can keep travelers safe and heal broken bonds between loved ones. A number of legends and myths concerning garnet also say the stone can provide light. (Some say Noah hung garnet inside the ark to light the boat's path and the interior.)

Now that you know everything you've ever wanted to know about garnet, here are some lovely pictures of garnet-laced earrings for your viewing pleasure (coming soon to my Etsy shop).

Handcrafted Sterling Silver Wire-Wrapped Hoops with Garnet Rounds

The Adventures of Embellishing Everything

2010-01-07T13:30:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!

This is my first blog post for 2010, and since it's still the first week of the first month of the year, I'm still celebrating!

How has 2010 been treating you all so far? Better than 2009, I hope. Seriously. If 2009 sucked, then I want 2010 to be better for you. If 2009 was awesome, then I hope more awesome stuff comes your way. You deserve it.

Resolutions, Smesolutions.
And me? I've got plans for 2010. But instead of resolutions, I pick annual themes. Last year's theme was INDUSTRIOUSNESS, and I did really well with that. I have a lot to show for it. I'm a better person for it. My life is structured differently because of it. It motivated me more than any resolution ever has.

This year's theme will be ADVENTURE. (This is your cue to get excited.) You see, I'm the kind of person that plays it safe all the time. This year, I'm determined to step out on faith a bit more and walk the road less traveled. I'm not getting reckless...but I will get bolder than I've ever been. By the end of the year, I should have some great experiences, and intriguing stories, to share. I can't wait!

I have no idea.
To me, adventure is as much about my perspective on life as it is about my life experiences. Part of my adventures will include putting myself on blast a bit more. You know...toot my own horn, so to speak. I will ramp up my marketing efforts for my jewelry, but I've got some other non-jewelry related tricks up my sleeve and ideas to put to use. Will they work? I have no idea. But I'm gonna find out, because I'm gonna try. It's 2010, and I'm still out to EMBELLISH EVERYTHING!

See you on the other side...

This Post Is Dedicated to A Very Special Necklace...

2009-11-29T22:20:00.000-05:00

I'd like to dedicate this song to all of the jewelry that I've ever made, that's gone off to a new home with someone else:

I had my jewelry party earlier this evening and I consider it a smashing success. I exceeded my sales goal and moved a decent amount of inventory. I got 3 small orders, and one very enthusiastic customer was interested in hosting a party in the future. Yay me!

It's kinda bittersweet, selling a bunch of jewelry all at once. I sit around making loads of jewelry...and sure I say I make it for other people, but really I make it for myself. You see, I make jewelry that I like, and it just so happens that other people like it too and some of them buy it from me.

So selling jewelry makes me both happy and sad (way more happy than sad, let's get that straight. Keep buying.). I'm always happy when someone values my work enough to pay for it. It makes me feel validated and competent...and who doesn't like feeling that way?

But then I also feel a little sad because whatever someone is buying from me, I love it. It's one of my faves. They all are. I made them. They're my babies. My sparkling little bejeweled babies. When someone buys one of my creations, I no longer have it. And that makes me a little sad. I will always love them...hence the above referenced Whitney Houston song.

Also, I always get a little anxious when I ship off or bag up a purchase. Will the customer have buyer's remorse? Will they hate it (and by extension me) if it's not what they expected? The anxiety doesn't last long, but it's wrapped up in there in the selling experience, so I thought I'd mention it.

Anyhoo...I discovered tonight that I have made a lot of jewelry. And I've sold only a small portion of what I've made, because I gots crazy leftovers! Seriously. I need to get more stuff up in my online shop---which means that I need to photograph more jewelry and find (read: make) time to create listings.

What else did I learn from this jewelry party? You'll find out in the next blog post. Stay tuned, folks...

*deuces*

I Don't Get Down Like That

2009-11-24T13:39:00.000-05:00

I was thinking that maybe I don't share enough about my creative process or my thoughts as a designer. Here's a post to help remedy that situation.

(These are mine. They were an experiment.)

Over the years, I've paid attention to the other beaders and jewelry makers that I've run into. Many of us have a lot in common. Most of us are bead addicts and have an embarrassingly large inventory of beads and supplies (which we swear we need). And, yes, many of us have turned to selling our creations to help offset the cost of said addiction.

But there is one thing that a lot of other beaders do that I just don't do at all--wear the jewelry they sell.

So many beaders that I know wear *all* of the jewelry they make. They walk around with that bracelet on their wrist and those earrings in their ear, and it's just life as usual. That is until someone buys that item out of their online shop or from off the rack on a day they're not wearing it. Then they package it up and send their pre-worn creation to a new home.

I don't get down like that.

You see, I'm always thinking about the customer. How comfortable would you be knowing that your "new" necklace has been worn regularly for the last 2 or 3 months?

(Stop drooling...this one's mine, too.)

Well, I don't get down like that. If I wear a piece of jewelry, it's because I'm keeping it. And I'm keeping it because I love it and I'd rather not sell it. Or it's a the first time I've used a new technique, and I don't feel it's the best quality or craftmanship I can offer.

On top of that, wear and tear affects jewelry, handmade or otherwise, and reduces the lifetime of the piece. If I make a bracelet that's supposed to last for three years, why would I wear it for 3 months, and then sell it to you? In my opinion, that's dishonest. And I just don't get down like that.

Of course, I try pieces on as I make them to check for fit and how well things hang around the neck and such. But I don't wear them for more than a few moments. And I don't try on earrings. (Some people are grossed out at the thought of their earrings being in someone elses ear...and I respect that.)

(Yeah, that's my hand. It took 2 minutes 2 get the photos, and that's it.)

I've met some jewelry designers who say it's necessary to wear their pieces for a few days to check for durability. I just make a tester for myself and don't sell it...but that's just me.

Indirectly Related Weirdness - I once met a lady that used to test the hardness of beads by tapping them against her teeth (I swear this is a true story). She even demonstrated to me with some of her beads. It really grossed me out. I almost lost it when she reached for one of my beads. (I was a little rude, but hey...she wanted to tap my beads against her teeth and that's rude *and* gross.) You're welcome.

Who else looks out for you like I do? You should reward me with a purchase. LOL (You know I had to sneak in a shameless plug.)

I've Been Making Amazing Stuff!

2009-11-18T12:49:00.078-05:00

So, I've been very industrious these last couple of weeks. I'm really trying to beef up my inventory to have a ton of amazing stuff for sale at my upcoming jewelry party. Unfortunately, you're just gonna have to take my word for it. (Read: I don't have any pics of my new stuff...yet. But soon!)

I'm very excited about some new peyote stitch cuffs I've made. They're similar to these cuffs

but the new ones are stretchy! That means no clasps or closures to fiddle with. They just slide right on. Awesome. So far, I've made a thin silver one and a thicker black and white one. Since they're both amazing, I expect them to sell quickly, so I'll try to make a few more before the party.

And last night I started making an amazing wire crochet necklace. It's similar to this one (which sold)

except the colors are different. I'm designing it with small forest green top-drilled freshwater pearls, medium sized gold freshwater pearls, copper seed beads and brown bicone Swarovski crystals on copper wire. The color palette is warm and autumnal (I love that word), which is exactly what I was going for.

There's just one problem with this amazing new design--I'm using a 24 gauge wire when I should be using 28 gauge. That means the wire is thicker than I realized. And thicker wire is stiffer, harder to manipulate, and much harder on my fingers. Last night I only got through one 18" strand before I had to give my fingertips a break. I've gotta make 2-4 more [painful] strands...I'm not looking forward to it. (Note to self: double check the wire gauge before commencing to crochet.)

Yet, despite my bruised and callused fingertips, I managed to type up this blog post. Aren't you proud of me? Do you feel sorry for me? If you do, I'll take a pity sale...just kidding. (I'm so serious.)

I've made a bunch of other amazing stuff. This week I'm focusing more on earrings. I also think I need a few more necklace earring sets because people ask for them...and I try to give the people what they want.

Stay tuned...I'll get some pics up by Saturday (or sooner if I'm more awesome than I think I am, which is entirely possible).

*deuces*

(I Do Not Make) Ugly Necklaces

2009-11-09T13:12:00.000-05:00

Ewwww...aren't these necklaces hideous?!

Did you know that there's a such things as the Ugly Necklace Contest? *straight face* I'm not joking. I did not make that up. You should Google it. (I'll wait...)

2008 Ugly Necklace Contest Winner

I don't make necklaces like these (you're welcome), but lots of people do...apparently. And they compete against each other. And it is rather hilarious.

I've made it one of my unofficial goals to never make anything that could even remotely qualify as an entry for an ugly contest. I will, however, continue to laugh at the people who do. In the meantime, you should support my beautiful jewelry by making a purchase. (Yes, that's the shameless plug.)

Look Ma...I'm in a Treasury!!!

2009-11-03T14:09:00.000-05:00

Ok...so that's a silly title because my mom probably won't read this blog. But that's how proud I am.

That's my ring in the upper left corner (and my hand in the photo, too). My fellow jewelry designer and Etsian and twitterer Andrea from NYblaque created this treasury and included me. Ain't she sweet?

Go here: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=91165 to see the whole treasury and click on all the beautiful pieces and visit all the beautiful shops of all the talented (and beautiful) artisans. (Hurry...it expires in 6 hrs from when I created this post!)

Motivational Monday - Do You

2009-11-02T13:26:00.005-05:00

(photo via laRuth on Flickr)

Do you.

And by "do" I mean "be" -- as in be yourself.

You may not be perfect, or the best person on earth, but you are the best at something: being you. No one else can do it, and by "it" I mean whatever it is that you do and are that comes from within. You rock. Anyone that tells you differently is unwise. Or a hater.

So shake the haters off. Listen to your gut. Laugh at your own jokes. Follow you dreams. Love yourself. And don't apologize for any of it. Ever.

Do you.

Just Another Day in My Plot for World Domination...

2009-10-13T13:41:00.006-04:00

*peeking around the corner* Hello...? Is anybody there?

You're still here, paying attention to my lonely, neglected blog even though I've barely posted anything in ages? Bless you...

But seriously, folks. Thanks for sticking around. I appreciate the love.

So, what's so important that I haven't been Embellishing Everything? Well, mostly nothing, then a lot of everything but beading. Here's a general update:

The Day Job - it's been keeping my crazy busy. And, for the record, that is not me complaining (gainful employment is where it's at)...it's just working me.

Beading - I took an unintentional hiatus for a while. I was mostly uninspired to create. Wait...strike that. I was mostly inspired to create other things (like poetry). But I've managed to crank out lots of new pieces in the last week(4 necklaces, 2 pairs of earrings and a ring last night alone). Yay me!

The End of an Era - my fave bead store in the whole wide world closed last weekend. I'm uber sad. That place was much more than a store to me...it was home *weeping profusely*. They had a big clearance sale, so I loaded up on some beads. I got a ton of crystal (and by a ton, I mean modest amounts of many colors, which is more than I ever have on hand at any one time), gemstones (of course) and a bunch of delicas. But I'm still gonna be outta luck when I need something small (like the perfect clasp) *weeps again*.

On the Grind - I have managed to snag a few random sales in my Etsy shop, but it's time to crank it up and move more merchandise. I'm trying to set up a jewelry party for the weekend after Thanksgiving (jewelry makes great Christmas gifts! wink, wink). I've also got some ideas for spicing up my marketing (like posting more to this blog? yeah...that too).

On the Move - a party around the holidays is gonna be tricky. I'm traveling for practically the first 11 days of December. (Yes, I'm important and in demand all over the south...sorta.) But I've gotta make it work! That means I'll be spending some late nights in the studio, hammering and stringing and slaving over beads.

New Stuff - I made 2 chainmaille bracelets...my first (and second) ever. And, yes, they're gorgeous. My mom has already volunteered them as Christmas gifts (she does that from time to time), but I look forward to offering some limited chainmaille designs in my shop in the near future. I've also been obsessed with delicas, which are small, uniformly-sized seed beads. I've been making a lot of peyote stitch rings. (I'm working up the nerve to make a bracelet, which will probably take 2-3 hours to complete.) I've also rediscovered beadweaving with crystals, making things like puffy hearts, crosses, and spheres. All of this translates into beautiful new designs in time for the holidays.

I have a bunch of other outlandish ideas and goals for myself, but I'll save it for another post. (Because...uh, yeah. I do plan to post again soon! LOL) In the meantime, I leave you with my favorite rendition of my new theme song, Everybody Wants to Rule the World.

This is a test...sorta

2009-10-09T23:10:00.002-04:00

Look at this low-quality pic:

Why did I make you look at that awful, blurry, D-grade photo? Because it's the only photo I have of this amazing new thing I made.

And that thing is a bracelet. A bangle, to be exact. And I love bangles. I usually try to wear as many of them as possible at one time...because I love them so much. (True story.)

So, I've been making jewelry these last few days, and it's been beautiful stuff (except for the puffy heart that I messed up...but we won't go there). But although it's been beautiful stuff, it hasn't exactly been trendsetting stuff. (But it is gorgeous...trust me.)

Then, for some reason, tonight I decided to make a bangle. I think it was because I wanted to break in my new bracelet mandrel (or I was looking for an excuse to hammer more stuff), but I can't really remember. My original idea was to make the frame and then add some beads with a little bit of wire wrapping.

Well, somehow that turned into no beads and a ton of wire wrapping. (My fingers are sore now.) I basically wove wire around and through the entire frame. Did I mention that I'd never done anything like this before? Well, I hadn't.

This whole thing was an experiment. The frame, the wire wrapping weaving technique, even the materials. I used some non-sterling silver wire because I didn't wanna waste the good stuff in case I totally messed up this bangle. But it turned out pretty decent.

It's not perfect (not by a long shot) but I'm proud enough to show it to you here. I won't sell this one because I can still see all the tiny imperfections. Plus I'm not sure how it will hold up to wear and tear. So...this one is mine. I'm gonna wear it and see what happens.

Would you wear something like this? I mean, I'll make more, but not if I'm the only person on the planet who would rock this look (because now I already have one). I think it took me about an hour and a half to make, but I'm hoping that the next one won't take as long...you know...since I know what the heck I'm doing now.

So...what say you? (Leave a comment!)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Motivational Monday

2009-09-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

Some of the best advice you'll ever get...

...and I incorporated this motivational message into one of my creations.

This inspiring little bracelet/earring set is available here, in my shop.

(Did I just manage to turn a Motivational Monday post into a shameless plug?... Yes, I believe I did. Awesome.)

Treasury: Twitter Friends

2009-09-02T13:04:00.003-04:00

I love Twitter. I've been able to connect with some amazingly awesome people (or "tweeple" in twitterspeak).

There's something for everybody on Twitter. I follow a variety of poets, singers, laugh-makers, news outlets, bloggers, crafters... and of course jewelry designers and beaders. I've been able to generate a lot of exposure for my Etsy shop, and the potential for collaboration and cross-promotion is endless.

Case in point: @Handmadebyannab snapped up an Etsy treasury yesterday and included a bunch of her tweeps. She was kind enough to include my Turquoise Fantasy necklace, too (middle, top row). THANK YOU!!!

Check it out ASAP. Treasuries only last for about 3 days...so hurry! Be sure to click on as many items in the treasury as you can, to support my fellow Etsians.

Peace...

Creativity Gone Amok

2009-09-01T18:46:00.005-04:00

Okay...so, my creativity hasn't exactly gone amok. In fact, it absolutely has not gone amok. It's just going. And that's a good thing.

I know, I know...I promised you pics of new earrings on my last post. Well, I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that I did make 4 new pairs of earrings since then. (Please, hold the applause.) And yes, the earrings were rather adorable, and I will be able to offer them at recession relief prices. (You're welcome.)

The bad news is that I have narry a picture of them, so you'll just have to take my word for it and wait a bit. But the way I see it, my good news was really great, which kinda offsets the bad news. You should be feeling moderately excited now.

In other news: I sat down last night to do more beading. I thought I was gonna be making earrings, because that was the plan...so why wouldn't I make earrings, right? Well, my creativity led me to make bracelets instead. [shrug]

I ended up with 3 bracelets. Interestingly enough, they all turned out to be asymmetrical designs. I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoy making asymmetrical designs, but it's not exactly first nature to me (yet...give me time). I usually have to coerce and stretch myself to get to asymmetry. Last night, asymmetry was beating me over the head. Go figure.

I'm pleased with the designs...I feel like they make sense---even though they deviate from the usual bracelet recipe---and they're well balanced. (Fact: Balance is of the utmost importance when designing with asymmetry.) I hope you dig them as much as I do.

Here's the plan (disguised as a shameless plug): You read this blog post, ogle the pics, fall in love with the bracelets, then head over to my shop to buy them in a few days (after I get the listings up), 'kay?

Thanks for supporting!

Love for the Lobes

2009-08-08T10:37:00.007-04:00

Hi folks! How's everything? What's that you say...you've fallen to pieces because of my inconsistent blog posting? Oh noes...LOL

My Confession (Oh, the Shame)

I do have a confession: I haven't been beading very much lately. Life has gotten in its own way, it seems, and my beads have suffered. So, I don't have any news about my latest mind-blowingly artistic creations. (My bad.)

Shameless Plug

Fortunately, I had quite a reserve inventory of new pieces that you hadn't seen, so I have been listing new items in my Etsy shop regularly. Have you seen all the new goodies? (When was the last time I did a shameless plug? It was long overdue.)

This Week: Loving the Lobes

In the meantime, I do plan to get back to beading this week. I've been itching to try some new designs and techniques (think wire shaping, chandeliers, stilleto-style shoulder dusters...) and combine some different materials. Plus earrings can be very affordable, and we could all use a little recession relief, no?

I'll get up a blog post in the next week or so and feature one or two of my experiments, so stay tuned, folks...

Peace!

Wordless Wednesday: Fresh Goodies

2009-07-29T13:15:00.006-04:00

Motivational Monday

2009-07-20T12:44:00.006-04:00

Who needs a little motivation this Monday?

I do...thanks. Maybe you do, too. So here goes:

Photo Credit: Me!

People are always talking about innovation, and they usually mean doing new things. I'm challenging you (and myself) to also think about doing the same things, but with new applications.

Take, for example, the moon. It's always orbiting the earth, reflecting the sun's light, and generally giving us some light during the night hours. But every now and then, we look up in the sky in the middle of the day and there it is--the moon--just shining away in broad daylight.

It happens often enough. In fact, the moon is always visible during the day from somewhere on the planet (except during the new moon, of course). And yet whenever I see the moon during the daytime, I can't help but take notice and marvel. It's still the same moon, reflecting the same light...but it's hard to ignore during the daytime.

You can do the same thing. Let your light shine like you always do, but give yourself a change of venue--and watch people marvel as they take notice.

Peace

Wordless Wednesday: Coming Soon!

2009-06-24T13:27:00.005-04:00

I Had No Idea I Was So Popular

2009-06-16T17:52:00.008-04:00

So, I know you've been to my Etsy shop already. (If not, I need to insert more shameless plugs, and no one wants that.)

Well, I hope that you've taken the time to explore Etsy after you've checked out my merchandise. It's a wonderful online marketplace where you can find lots of quality handmade goods and purchase them directly from the artists and designers. Not only do they carry lots of jewelry, but you can also get baked goods (no lie), greeting cards, graphic design services, paintings, sculptures, clothes, furniture (I'm not kidding), and all kinds of geekery.

I like having an Etsy shop because it's affordable, easy to maintain, and there are several ways for people to find me and my merchandise. The treasuries are one very popular way for people to see items by a variety of people, and they're created by Etsy members.

Well, imagine my surprise when I did a little search--just for fun, really--and found out that one of my necklaces was featured in a treasury, and that treasury made it to Etsy's Front Page! That's a really big deal.

At 8am on March 12, 2009, my necklace (the one circled in red) was on display for the entire world. And I was utterly clueless. Shame on me! I will be checking in more often.

Shameless Plug - I know it's hard to believe, but this necklace is still for sale. Check it out!

P.S. - Shouts out to www.craftcult.com, that helped me find this treasury! Without them, I'd still be oblivious.

Survey Says...

2009-06-15T12:48:00.004-04:00

I had my jewelry party on Saturday, and I know you’re just dying to find out how it went. Allow me to satiate your curiosity.

It was aight (pronounced: ah-ITE; slang for “alright”, usually meant to denote extraordinary ordinariness, especially when there are expectations of more remarkable results).

Overall, I fell short of the goals that I had set for myself. My gross sales came in at slightly less than what I had hoped, but I wasn't far off. I was hoping to get at least two commissions and book another jewelry party, but that didn’t happen at all. I can’t say I’m not disappointed.

My biggest sales came from my mom and my sister (not my sister the hostess…the other one), but they’ve consistently been my biggest fans, so I wasn’t surprised by that. They think I rock. They’re awesome and really supportive, and I'm glad they've got my back.

However I was disappointed in was how little everyone else bought. There were even two ladies that didn’t buy anything, and one tweenage girl that bought a pair of earrings. I mean, seriously…why come if you’re not actually going to purchase?

On the bright side, my mom complimented my setup and presentation. (She’s supportive, but she doesn’t just throw out compliments, so that’s high praise.) I got lots of positive feedback from everyone, so apparently my merchandise shows well. That's half the battle. For the next party, I'll focus on getting more people there, and helping the hostess get everyone in the mindframe to actually purchase, not just browse.

Here are some pics of pieces that did sell. Some of these were brand new and hadn't even been listed in my online shop yet. (I'm lucky I found time to photograph them!)

Sterling Silver Hammered Oval Hoops - I loved these beauties, but they've got a new home now. I gotta make more hammered hoops for my shop.

Pink Chalcedony Ring (Note: Originally, I thought this stone was rose quartz, but closer examination changed my mind. It's not an uncommon mistake, but I hope to avoid it in the future.) - This was my favorite ring, and now it's gone, too.

Mother Earth Wire Crochet Necklace - This is the most expensive piece I've ever made to date, and my mom bought it. (I told you she was supportive...she didn't even ask for a discount.)

Earthtone Kazuri Necklace & Earrings - This is a very simple, but very versatile set. I thought it would sell pretty quickly. It's good to be validated...LOL

So, the funny thing is in all the hoopla, I totally forgot to take pics of my displays. I gotta put that on the checklist for the next party so that I don't forget again.

Even though I didn't move as much merchandise as I wanted at this party, there is a sivler lining. I now have plenty of new goodies to add to my online shop. (Yes, this is the shameless plug, folks. I'm long overdue for one.) And since I have already photographed many pieces, I'm free to get busy creating new listings. That means the shop will be full of new eye candy, so mosey on over every few days for the next couple of weeks. You might as well put a line item in your budget, because you're gonna love my new work!

Until next time...

The Whirlwind That Is My Productivity

2009-06-09T22:53:00.003-04:00

Dude...I've been so busy.

How busy have you been?

I've been so busy, I haven't had time to...uh...er...there's a punchline in there somewhere, but I don't have time to develop it. Sorry.

The point is that I've been getting lots of stuff done. I spent the last two weeks cranking out new jewelry. I posted a couple of crappy pics in my last post, just to satisfy your insatiable curiosity. I was preparing for a craft show--that I ended up not going to because it's under new management and I still haven't gotten in touch with the new organizer.

That means I'm sitting on a swollen inventory right now, but I'd just as soon see my creations go off to new homes. So I spent the few hours I could salvage from this weekend for a photo shoot. At the very least I want to have pics for my portfolio. At best, I can upload all of these new goodies to my online shop.

But for now, the focus is on this Saturday. My oldest sister agreed to host a jewelry party for me since the craft show didn't work out. (She's one of those chronic entertainers...you know, the kind that looks for reasons to invite people over to her house, so she happily volunteered.) Isn't she sweet? She loves me. I really appreciate the support.

I've got lots of jewelry made, but somehow I feel like I should make more. (Bracelets, maybe? A few long necklaces and a couple watches?) I also need to take inventory, put prices on everything, and actually put together a portfolio. Of course the rest of my life won't just let me concentrate on just this, so I'll need to prioritize and focus to make it all come together.

The good news is that I get my hair done Saturday morning, so I'll have a fresh 'do and lots of confidence that day. Maybe it'll magically turn me into an awesome seller.

That's all I have time for now. I hope you're intrigued by the pics. Stay tuned...I'll take pics at the jewelry party and post those, too.

On a related note, remember that custom order for 5 bridesmaids that I had? The wedding happened 2 weeks ago, so I should be getting pics from the bride soon. I'll share them as soon as I get them!

Peace...

Evidence of My Awesomeness

2009-06-05T10:42:00.007-04:00

There's nothing like a deadline to inspire my inner artist and move me to create brilliant works of awesomeness. I've been cranking out some really good stuff all week in preparation for my first craft show tomorrow. I promised you a few pictures of the goodies, so here are a few [poor quality] pics.

I made this necklace last night. It features rutilated quartz nuggets (I've never used this stone until now), black glass beads, pewter spacers, and a black agate O-ring wire-wrapped pendant.

You can't tell from this bootleg photo (taken with my phone), but the back of the necklace is made of silver rolo chain and finished off with a bright toggle clasp. I think it's about 18" long and it's very flattering. It would look great with a black v-neck or over a turtleneck. I'm tempted to keep this one for myself...but I also want to share it with the world. I'm so conflicted. Someone buy this piece and take me out of my misery!!!

I'm also really proud of myself because I changed the battery in a watch face last night, for the first time ever in life, all by myself. I rock! Did you know I make beaded watches? Probably not, because all the batteries in my watch faces are dead, and I feel bad about selling people watches that don't work. So, they've just been sitting there in my stash, unused and forgotten. But now I have both the tools and the batteries to bring them back to life. Watches will definitely be making their way into my shop in the near future.

Here is a men's bracelet that I made earlier this week. (Stop laughing...I know it's a bad photo.)

It's made of chunky leopardskin jasper nuggets, lavastone rondelles, and pewter spacers. I think it looks pretty manly. The lavastone is porous and looks a little jagged...not at all dainty. And the jasper has a nice mix of earth tones (reds and browns and blacks, which you cannot see clearly in this crappy photo).

In case you haven't noticed, I feel really bad for not taking "real" pictures with my wonderful camera. If I don't end up at this craft show tomorrow, I promise to devote a few hours to a photo shoot.

Speaking of the craft show...there's a possibility that I may not go tomorrow. You see, I've been trying to get a hold of the organizer for a while, to no avail. It turns out they have a new organizer and either she doesn't check email or voicemail, or they have outdated information on their website. Either way, I'm hoping to get the green light from her by this afternoon. If not, I'm not just gonna drive an hour and a half and hope she lets me set up.

I'd love to go tomorrow and get the experience...and sell some merchandise. If not, I can always check it out another time since it happens every weekend. Alternatively, I'm in really good shape to throw a jewelry party to unload some of this stuff.

Stay tuned...

Nervous Much?

2009-06-03T09:12:00.003-04:00

You are not ready for this!

Actually...I think I'm the one that's not ready. I'm gearing up for my first real craft show and I'm kinda freaking out. It's this Saturday and there's so much to prepare. Here's my short list:

Inventory - So, duh...I've gotta bring the merchandise. But more importantly, I've gotta try to bring the right amount of stuff. For example, I've been spending a lot of time beefing up my earring supply because they're popular, and they can be sold very inexpensively but still with a high profit margin. Not as many people wear rings, but I want to showcase the variety of styles I offer. And of course I'm bringing necklaces and bracelets, too. I also want to offer some non-jewelry accessories, so I'm making hair clips (for the first time ever in life, and they're actually really cute...I might add them to my shop), key chains, cell phone lanyards, and bookmarks. That's a lot of stuff!
Displays - I can't just plop all of my wonderful merchandise on a flat table and expect it to sell. I plan to use a mix of formal displays (like neckforms, earring stands and bracelet bars) and informal displays (like bowls and vases) and risers to create visual interest. It's not completely finalized yet, but I think I can work it out.) I also need table cloths.
Labels - Based on everything I know about retail and craft shows, I know that clearly marked prices are critical. I can put individual tags on my necklaces and bracelets easily enough, but I'm trying to figure out the best way to group my earrings into price groups. I think I'm gonna use a combination of stickers, tags, and stand-alone cards overall.
Marketing Materials - Yes I want people to buy my stuff on Saturday, but I'd also like to get them to check out my online shop. It would be ideal to get a few people interested in commissioning custom designs. I'll bring business cards, of course. I'd also like to put together a small portfolio of my work...nothing too fancy, but something with pictures that people can flip through and say "oooh" and "aaah".

Besides the basics, I'm not exactly sure what to expect. Will people like my stuff? Will they buy it? Will I look like a complete amateur or will I come off like a pro? Will a big gust of wind topple my entire display and embarrass me? (I'm nervous...can you tell?)

I've been creating pieces like a mad woman, which is good. I've managed to come up with some really cute earring designs, even trying out some new techniques. (Let me just say hammering things is a lot of fun.) I'm rather pleased with myself. I'm even going to try to offering some earrings at $8 a pair or 2 for $15. I'm also focusing on making more necklaces, which has been fun. My plan is to just make lots of stuff and then do inventory on Friday. By then I hope to have at least 40 pairs of earrings, 30 necklaces, 30 bracelets, 5 bookmarks, 5 hairclips, 5 cell phone lanyards and 5 keychains. Realistic? I have no idea, but let's hope so.

Overall, I've tried to cover a range of price points and styles. I hope my goodies sell...and I also hope I can get most of this stuff photographed before it goes off to new homes. I like to document my work so that I can add it to my portfolio (which doesn't exist yet).

I'm spazzing out, right? I'll calm down. Oh, good news: my oldest sis is gonna join me for my first craft show adventure, so I've got help! She'll be able to help me set up, and man the booth when I need to take a potty break. (Thanks big sis!)

I'll try to post some photos of my madness and new creations later this evening. You should see my workspace. It's, uh...in a creative state right now. (Read: that room is a hot mess!)

That's all for now. Not even a shameless plug in this post...I must really be nervous! LOL

Stay tuned, folks...

LimEd vs. OOAK...and the Inexact Science of Hand Modeling

2009-05-21T12:43:00.010-04:00

One of my unique selling points is that I design OOAK (one-of-a-kind) pieces. (I've written about OOAK before.) I believe that there is an intrinsic benefit in both designing and owning something that no one else has, and I like to offer that to my customers.

In all honest, I don't find it difficult to to. I purchase my beading and jewelry-making supplies fairly randomly. When I design something, I incorporate materials and techniques that I like, that I think are pretty, or whatever I'm in the mood to play with. It's rare for me to plan out a complete design before I purchase my materials, which means my designs are literally born from what I have on hand.

And since I don't buy in bulk, once I make something, it's nearly impossible for me to duplicate it...nor do I care to. As a designer and artisan, it goes against my grain.

However, there are certain situations where multiples are warranted. For example, a potential customer asked me if I would make necklace and earring sets for her 5 bridesmaids. Do I tell her no? Of course not. I simply tell her that I can create a limited edition design especially for her.

My limited edition creations are still completely original designs, but I will agree in advance to create multiples of the same design, and only as many as are absolutely necessary.

In the case of this bridal party commission, I created 2 limited edition necklace designs and one limited edition earring design. It was a challenge for me and it took me out of my comfort zone, but both the bride and I were pleased with the way everything came out!

The bride also promised to send me lots of photos from the wedding, so that I can see my creations in action. Those will go up on the blog as soon as I get them, please believe! (The wedding is next weekend, so I hope to get pics soon.) You tell me what you think...I love feedback.

On a side note, I got new neckforms to display my jewelry. Yay! I can't wait to use them in more photos.

Shameless Plug (You didn't think I forgot, did you?)

There are some new goods in my shop, and I'd love to send some things to new homes. Don't see what you're looking for? Drop me a line and commission an original design just for you!

(Look, Ma...I'm a hand model! LOL! This was a hail mary shot...I just pointed the camera and hoped to get something that wasn't blurry. To my surprise, the picture came out beautifully!)

Wordless Wednesday: Like, Totally 80s Style!

2009-05-20T13:32:00.003-04:00

Wordless Wednesday - 05.13.09

2009-05-13T13:30:00.006-04:00

Do You Know What Today Is???

2009-05-08T12:57:00.002-04:00

Today the newest Star Trek film is being released! (Yes, I am a trekkie...and I do not apologize for it.) I'm all geeked up about it. (Sorry...pun intended. I'm horrible, I know.)

My good friend and fellow trekkie MD is taking me to see the movie, but I have to wait until 11:30pm tonight. The anticipation is killing me.

I heard the movie is great. It promises to be action packed, which even you non-trekkies out there can appreciate. You should go see it!

In honor of the latest, I'm paying homage to the old school. Here's a clip from one of the most well-known Star Trek episodes from the original series with Captain Kirk. It's called "The Trouble with Tribbles." Enjoy!

Mother's Day Special!

2009-05-05T12:38:00.007-04:00

MOTHER'S DAY IS MAY 10th!

Looking for a great gift idea for the mothers and others in your life? You pretty much can't go wrong with jewelry.

Right now, I've got an awesome Mother's Day Special going on in my shop. Check me out:

Free shipping on everything! I'll even upgrad your shipping to Priority Mail for all orders over $30, if you want it.
Free gift with any purchase over $20. A little something extra...keep it for yourself or give it away (you know, to those people you think of but don't really want to spend any money on?...yeah, them.
Special offer ends at 11:59pm on May 10th. Get your order in quickly so you don't miss out!

What are you waiting for? There are new goodies in the shop and everything! Go look, then buy.

The Randomness That Is My Life (& Some Jewelry, Too)

2009-04-29T12:28:00.011-04:00

Time for a recap of my last, random weekend.Why? Why not.

On Friday, I spent some time with a creative friend of mine, trying to help her with some ideation. (I love the word "ideation." I'm making an effort to use it more often.) We came

up some pretty good ideas for a couple of her projects. And her industriousness totally inspired me. She's into some of everything--spoken word, music, dance and choreography, drama...I'm hoping to piggyback off of some of her projects! (Stay tuned for that greatness...)

All that brainstorming made us hungry, so I stayed for dinner...which turned into watching some blaxploitation films (don't ask me how) and we ended up shooting the breeze all night long. Good times.

I got up much earlier than I wanted to on Saturday to make it to a nearby attic sale, but it was totally worth it. I scored a bunch of vintage jewelry pieces--tons of chain, some pendants, earring components and a brooch--that I'll be incorporating into some of my work in the near future. I can't wait to play around with it.

After the attic sale, I took a mosey on over to our local greenmarket and bought some produce from some local growers. It was a slow day for them, but I was glad I could support with a few dollars. My carbon footprint is shrinking all the time!

Reusable shopping bag: $2.00. Vintage jewelry components: $5.75. Greenmarket goodies: $10. The satisfaction of living the mantra "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle": priceless.

After the market, I hung out with my sister and niece. We did an errand for my mom, went to the art supply store so that I could buy more canvas and paint that I don't have time to use, and then I went and joined a gym.

That's right, folks. I walked the fitness plank and signed up for a 2-year membership. It's a 24-hour gym, so I can go late at night...you know, when I'm actually awake and have some time to myself. I went last nite around 9:30pm and hit it hard (without passing out, thank you)! I'm going back tonight.

Saturday afternoon, I got my beautiful goddaughter, Zoe and kept her overnight so that her parents could have a night off. She is such a good baby...tons of smiles, no crying, hardly any pooping. (By the way, my little miracle celebrated her 1st birthday earlier this month!)

Sunday was church, as usual, but not really. I taught the Sunday School class for pre-schoolers. That was an adventure that resulted in me being covered in drool and crayon, but I enjoyed myself. Then portions of our regular service was filmed for YouTube. My singing group did awesome. I'll let you know when you can check it out!

Sunday afternoon I resumed my secret life as a photographer. My uncle is getting married in June, so I went to take pics of him and his soon-to-be-bride. The photos came out great, and they picked one to use on the wedding invitations. That was fun, too.

Aside from all this randomness, I have been making jewelry. Since my last post, I've made 2 wire crochet necklaces (which are totally awesome). I hope to finish at least one more and a bracelet to list in my shop in time for a Mother's Day promotion. I've also made a few more button rings and earrings. As soon as I carve out some time, I'll list the new pieces in the shop.

In the meantime, why don't you check out the shop and see if anything strikes your fancy. There'll be a Mother's Day sale starting May 1st...you'll have to stay tuned to find out what the special offer will be. (That's right--a suspenseful shameless plug. I'm getting better at this, don't you think?)

Peace!

Liz