Prepping for Market

I spent most of yesterday, on the couch, beading and watching tv. I've been working on pieces for my wholesale catalog and Ky Crafted at the Market in March. It's my first year at the Market and I'm rather nervous. Two days are wholesale and only open to those who can do wholesale purchasing. The last two days are open to the public for retail. The wholesale, of course, will be items that are ordered for me to fill later, but I need to work on the actual printed items to pass out to those buyers. I also need to make sure that I have enough inventory for the retail days. Eep.

I've put together some new earring designs that I can put in the catalog, as well as some new necklace and earring pieces that qualify. Since I'm juried in as a beadweaver, the primary make-up of my pieces for the Market must be beadwoven. It's actually a good study for me in creating new designs and experimenting with color.

Oh Happy Week

The fab Tab at TabMade blogged about her involvement in Curious Girl's "Happy Week" next week and I knew it was something that I wanted to do. I've been rather stressed lately and a happy week is definitely in order!

So, next week, every day, I'll post a photo and some ramblings about something that make me happy. A jump start is the photo to the left of the best thing in my world - my daughter Amber. She's nutty, brilliant and has such a sharp wit that she makes me giggle constantly. Nothing better in the world than that little girl's belly laugh.

Today is the unveiling of the Spragens Memorial that our Arts & Humanities Council raised the money for. Gene & Nadine Spragens were great benefactors to the arts in Marion County, bringing in performing arts, giving away tickets to shows and establishing scholarships for music students. The sculpture is absolutely gorgeous - brushed aluminum music staffs with blackened music notes spiraling in a double helix. It stands in front of the new Performing Arts & Culture Center and will stand as a testament to their influence in this community. I'd like to someday be remembered as someone who helped promote the arts, especially the visual arts, within the community. There's something to be said for what the arts can do, be it in education, therapy, release or just plain enjoyment. I owe so much to the arts, visual and performing alike.

Tonight, we unveil the sculpture, revel in live music, relive history and peruse original works of art in our little ol' town of Lebanon. And it makes me really happy.

Mom's Outer Banks Necklace

My mom came back from the Outer Banks, North Carolina last year with a hand full of shells and one request - for me to make a necklace for her. I really agonized over it for a while: Do I try to drill through the shells? Do I back & embroider them? Do I use bails and make some funky charm necklace type piece? In the end, I decided to make right angle weave bezels for them... all 18 of them. There are 16 shells on the necklace and two that I used for a pair of earrings.

The center shell posed a different problem with its shape. Mom had originally requested that I try to drill it, but I was terrified that I'd break the shell. Instead, I used a minimal amount of silver wire to wrap it.

The shells are an off-white and lilac to medium purple mix and I used gray Czech seed beads for the bezels. The shells are interspersed with stick mother of pearl beads. I'm really happy with the results, as is she!

In other news, I submitted my project to Bead & Button. I should know by September if they've accepted the project. First time for submitting a project!

I'm still waiting on news from the Use the Muse project and the FMG results.

B.E.S.T. Treasury

WhimsyBeading created a treasury based on Bluegrass Etsy Street Team members and included my Green with Envy bracelet. The treasury, "It ain't easy being green (BEST)" is a plethora of shades of green.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=73626

I'm still waiting to hear about the FMG and Use the Muse results. I submitted some pieces to "Creative Jewelry" for publication but didn't get in. There's always next year, so I'll work on something for that. In the meantime, I'm working on a custom order for my mom with some shells that she picked up along the beach on the Outer Banks last year. I also need to order some Lapis for a custom necklace for a friend.

The last week hasn't been a fun one for me and I've made some decisions that I'm not quite ready to go public with yet. Let's just say one door closes and another opens.

Treasury

Creativesque created a treasury based on FAM Team members and included my Redbud Earrings. The treasury is a beautiful riot of color.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=71562

I finished my Use the Muse entry and my friend Stephen helped me photograph it. I can't reveal it yet (per the rules) but I'm pretty happy with it.

I also made a piece on Friday that I'm really happy with. I'm going to plot this one out & submit it to B&B, I think. I can't remember seeing anything like it. I made it up as I went along, but it's not freeform, and it's not so elaborate that I wouldn't mind recreating it in order to write the instructions.

I Did It - Finally!

After 4 years of rejection letters, I finally got into Kentucky Crafted! I was fully prepared to have to run to the grocery store for a consoling pint of Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey, but I actually made it. I have a mandatory meeting on the 21st of this month to attend regarding what's expected of me, attending Crafted at the Market, use of logos, etc., but I'm pretty excited. The program requires no rejurying in every year and can be helpful in getting into galleries or retail locations, which is exactly what I need. Things have been very slow lately and I'm having to contemplate taking a full-time job in order to make ends meet. I really don't want to let the gallery go, but I have to be realistic.

There's a fabulous treasury I'm in that expires in just a few hours. It features many of the entries for the July Etsy-Beadweavers Challenge - Here Comes the Bride, including my "The Mermaid Bride". Thanks to the lovely enchantedbeas for putting it together. Check out both of her shops!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=59867

Please visit the EtsyBeadWeavers’ blog between the 9th and 15th of July to see all the beautiful entries in this challenge and vote for your favourite!!!! http://www.etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com

I also listed quite a few new pieces the other day (and I have many more lucite pieces to photograph & list, but there's only so many hours in a day!):

Grandma's Crazy Quilt Bracelet:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27321154
Pink Bud Earrings:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27323742
Redbuds Earrings:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27323444
The Mermaid Bride (again!):
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27322566

Relisted:
Keep on Searching for a Heart of Gold:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27324072
Warm Fuzzies:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21798663

Oh what to write...

I've GOT to get better at blogging. My life has been a bit crazy lately, but I need to take some time to visit this place more often.

I got my beads in for the Use the Muse project. I've pulled some of my beads out to incorporate into the piece, but haven't really sat down & thought about where it'll go yet. Most of my pieces end up telling me where they want to go, anyway! I've drawn out a few pieces and they usually end up veering off from my original intent. They know where they want to go & they're not about to let me force them in any direction other than that one!

I started working on the July EBW challenge - Here Comes the Bride. I missed the June challenge of humor, but that's ok. I think I needed a month off! This piece is definitely leading me in a direction that I didn't think it was going to go!

I was in a treasury last week, but totally missed blogging about it. Boourns!

I got an email from Jessica King at Fire Mountain Gems last night with the copy for my Success Story. OMG! I'm so flattered. My jaw hit the floor and I grinned like an idiot after reading it. What a compliment! Once the story is up & posted, I'll link to it.

The earrings in the post are a pair that I did for my friend Jenn as a custom order. Very happy with the way they turned out!

EBW 2009 Beaded Quilt to help fight breast cancer

The following was posted on the EBW Blog by Susan Clinkscales. I'm really honored to be part of this project:

Last year after reading about the Bead & Button Show and their auction to help fight breast cancer, I came across Jeanette Shanigan's website and her beaded quilts. Jeanette asks beaders around the world to donate individual beaded squares based on a theme. She then sews the squares together to make gorgeous quilts, mounts them in shadow boxes and donates them to be auctioned at the Bead & Button show. In 2008, these quilts raised nearly $4,400 for breast cancer research.

Being a member of the Etsy BeadWeaver's team (EBW), I knew we were sitting on a goldmine of talent. I asked the group if they would like to make squares to be included in Jeanette's quilts. I would collect all of the squares and submit them at one time in hopes that they would all be included in one quilt. Fifteen EBW members stepped up and created 35 squares to be included in a 2009 quilt. The theme for 2009 is "Bead artists have the heart to take on breast cancer" and I believe the EBW contributors did a magnificent job representing it.

Below is a mosaic I created of all of the EBW squares. This is not the actual quilt, only a digital version using photos I took of each square. Please visit the Bead & Button Show website to find out more information about the auctions, which will be held June 6, 2009. Below the mosaic is a list of contributors and links to their shops. Click on photo to see full size.

First row (l to r): Susan Clinkscales, Eddy Downing, Eddy Downing, JoJo Curley, Swanee Hielscher
2nd row: Swanee Hielscher, Swanee Hielscher, Swanee Hielscher, Linda Davis, Smadar Grossman
3rd row: Smadar Grossman, Smadar Grossman, Smadar Grossman, Lisa Savoy, Lisa Savoy
4th row: Lisa Savoy, Jama Watts, Jama Watts, Jama Watts, Kerrie Slade
5th row: Kerrie Slade, Kerrie Slade, Kerrie Slade, Victoria Thompson, Victoria Thompson
6th row: Victoria Thompson, Kim Shaver, Dawn Nelson, Melody Murray, Melody Murray
7th row: Ileana Munteanu, Ginny Bracht, Ginny Bracht, Ginny Bracht, Ginny Bracht

Run for the Roses!

Today is Oaks Day here in the Bluegrass State (that would be the fillies' race, for you non-Kentuckians) and tomorrow is the Derby. This state goes nuts, Louisville in particular. I've never been to the Derby and would love to go. I heard a news spot this morning on the radio, talking about how there were still tickets available for both the Derby and Oaks, as well as hotel rooms. That's a true sign of the weak economy, when you generally can't get a room anywhere near Louisville during Derby weekend.

BUT, on a happy note, simpleelementsdesign has honored myself and some other folks with a treasury dedicated to the Derby.

Run for the Roses
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=55372

I've been programming the last few days and haven't done much in the way of jewelry. I did get some chain maille done last night with some cool anodized aluminum, but have other projects to work on today. Repair, custom redesign of a belt into a necklace, and a custom order. Hopefully, I'll get my EBW challenge finished and be able to work on my B.E.S.T. challenge entry!

Oh what a weekend!

I had a pretty fabulous weekend. Friday night, my friend Kate and I took another friend, Anne, out for a night in Louisville. Anne had twin girls at 23 1/2 weeks and has been living in the Ronald McDonald House in Louisville for 8 weeks now. The girls are at Kosairs and are doing so well - just last week they were both extubated and have already been worked down to the lowest oxygen level! I've been kicking myself for not getting up there since the twinkies were born, but it was so good to drag Anne out for a night of conversation, dinner and good beer at BBC. We walked down to Borders afterward at 4th Street Live and then back to the RMH. I love Louisville and I love my girlfriends.

On Saturday, I got my kiddo and drove back to Louisville for a Bluegrass Etsy Street Team meet & greet at Tina Mackin's studio on Barret. What fun! It was so great to meet the ladies who came, put faces and voices to the names, as well as share ideas. After coming home, the fab Libby snagged a treasury (check out her soaps, one pictured to the right), including everyone who was there. My Blue and Orange Derby hat is one of the featured pieces.

Orange You Glad You're in Kentucky!?
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=51820

Amber and I got back to Lebanon about 6 and stayed in. Sunday morning, we stayed in our jammies as long as possible before hitting her soccer party, the park and then back to her dad's. I got my butt kicked at disc golf by my friend Stephen and then had drinks at Los Mariachis. I love my driving disc in the pond, though. Drat!

I finished the chain maille bracelet I was working on for one customer, which allowed me to get some work done on my entry for the Etsy Beadweavers May Challenge. I have some other projects that I have to finish (paying projects!) today before I pick the needle back up on the challenge piece, but it's coming along rather nicely.

In other news, I got a part-time job! I'm so excited! I've been needing to do something that would guarantee income and I couldn't be more excited about the venue - our local library. I swear, we have the coolest librarians on the planet.

Run for the Roses

I absolutely love the Kentucky Derby. It's one of those times that I just want to strut around & tell everyone I meet that I'm from this beautiful state.

My dad has been on me for years to do Derby hats. This year, I finally heeded his advice and created some hats. I was supposed to make it to a friend's wine tasting tonight to show these off, but my body has other plans, so I just spent the last hour & a half listing these beauties on Etsy. I had tons of fun making them, even if I ended up covered in glitter, hot glue and feathers for a while!

The pictured hat is already sold. I LOVE those feathers!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23845814
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23846787
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23847069
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23847372
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23847662
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23847854
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23848096
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23848307
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23848682
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23848907
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23849347
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23849101

In other news, I just got Mod Knots by Cathi Milligan in the mail. I've done some simple macrame in the past, but I'm itching to try these out! Because I'm too ADD to not try something new!

My beads came in for my latest EBW Challenge, Hollywood Red Carpet Creations. Can you say sparkly?

Glass, Glitter & Glaze

Robin from facesarefunny is doing a bang up job of catching treasuries for the Bluegrass Etsy Street Team. The latest, The Old Bald Cheater and 11 more b&w greats from the Bluegrass Etsy Street Team, features one of my glass tile pendants. Thanks, Robin! Go give the treasury some love!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=50046

Speaking of glass tiles, I spent much of yesterday glazing some decorative paper onto some new rounds for some bracelets, earrings and rings. I was covered in Diamond Glaze and glitter for a while, but it was worth it. Today's project entails a few more coats of Diamond Glaze and some sanding.

I also ordered some beads for the new EBW challenge for May, Hollywood Red Carpet Creations. It's been a while since I've ordered beads for a specific challenge. I've been trying to use up leftover beads from old projects, but I couldn't resist getting some Swarovski for this challenge. Ideas abound!

There's still time to vote for your favorite entry in the April EBW Team Challenge, Time Machine. Voting is open until the 15th of this month! Go! Vote!

The waiting continues

I finished my application for the FMG contest today. I'm entering three pieces - one in the cabochon/turquoise category, one in the earrings/cabochon category and another in the seed & bugle beads category. I've had two finished for a while and am entering them on a whim, but designed the third just for the competition. More waiting.

In the meantime, I've put the flowers aside until I can get to Michaels in Elizabethrown this weekend to pick up some tulle and silk flowers. I'm considering doing some cloches as well as the typical sun/straw hat, if I can find something that fits with what I want to do. In the meantime, I'm going to bead a band of galloping horses for one of the hats. Have I mentioned that I love the Derby?

Oooooh, the suspense!

I spent the better part of my morning cropping photos and readying them for my Bead Dreams application. I'm entering two pieces this year, For the White Witch of Narnia and Blue for Cleo. For the White Witch of Narnia was created last year for one of the Etsy Beadweavers challenges, but I have since reworked the necklace more to my liking, making it fuller and giving it more drape. Blue for Cleo was completed after I finished my entry & finalist piece, The Harvest, for the Bead Dreams show last year. It's 16 different blue agate cabochons configured into a collar. I'm really proud of both pieces, but know after not making it into Bead Dreams before that it's a tough competition. My fingers are crossed.

I thought I was finished with my Fire Mountain application, but I decided to redo it. That one should be done and then it's all wait & see for all of my entries. Until I decide to enter something else!

In other news, I've been working on flowers for Kentucky Derby hats. Oooooooo....

Temptation Treasury

Voting is still going on at Etsy-Beadweavers for the March challenge. Please go vote! You have until the 15th of this month!

Tied to that is a new treasury put together by njema:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=46481

I'm currently making flowers for Kentucky Derby hats, one seed bead at a time. Break out the Icy Hot!

FrontPage?

So, apparently, according to Google Analytics, I made it to the Front Page yesterday on Etsy! There doesn't seem to be a screencap of it in the Flickr photostream, but that's pretty exciting. It's the first time I've been on there.

Also exciting was the visit I had from the folks with the Kentucky Entrepreneurial Coaches Institute. They were in town for a conference and our local coaches told them to come talk to me about my experience in business, etc. While they were here, one of the ladies bought my "Washed Onto Shore" necklace, which absolutely made my day even better.

In other news, I'm getting ready to place an order for some beads to make lots & lots of flowers.

Treasury Time

CrochetbyMommaJ included me in her fabulous treasury "Green With Envy." My bracelet, also titled "Green With Envy" is included. Apropos? I think so.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=42617

And, like I needed more beads (wait, I always need more beads!), I ordered some cute lucite flowers from GroovyChickSupplies on Etsy.

I need to take some better pix of my entry for the February Art Bead Scene Challenge for my Etsy store, but I'm waiting to do that setup when I have a few more things made. The Feb challenge revolved around Klimt's painting "The Kiss." I bought one of HumbleBeads' awesome 6-holed spacer beads designed around the piece and then designed a cuff around it in two-drop peyote.
I'm also working on a piece using some strawberry quarts rondelles that I've had for years. A sneak peak...

Mother Nature's Night Out

I finished the ISGB Convergence project last week, but hadn't had a chance to photograph it & post until now. Last week wasn't such a good week for the stress level, so I'm trying to start this week off on the right foot!

The Convergence project encompasses the 4 elements. My collaborator and creator of the fabulous beads I got to use was Joyce Rooks. Joyce created 5 beads, called "Planetscapes," that swirled and moved the way one would imagine the jet stream or ocean currents move. I feel so blessed to design a piece around these beads.

In working on the necklace, I wanted to be literal in the representation of the elements, so there's fire, a flower for earth, wind and a drop of water. Each component was created in peyote, including the back copper band. The necklace includes Japanese cylinder beads, Czech glass seed beads (11/0 & 15/0), dyed freshwater pearls, and a sterling clasp. The centerpiece is a circle (for the earth itself) which has 4 tails, one of each of the elements. I'm really pleased with the results. I just need to get some more info from Joyce, but then our entry is off.

Giveaways and More

I meant to post this earlier, but it completely slipped my mind! The Bluegrass Etsy Street team blog is currently having a contest to win a beautiful pair of Swarovksi earrings from Kim Ries of Creative Eye Studio. Just visit Kim's shop and leave a comment on the B.E.S.T. blog about which item you like best. The winner will be chosen at random from the comments left over the course of the month.

I didn't get to my remodeling over the weekend. I was all ready, but my mother begged me to wait until I had someone here helping me out. I think she forgets sometimes that I've been out at 10pm with power tools working on houses before. But, that's a mom for you! So, we've scheduled the 24th & 25th to tear into this place. I'm taking measurements this week and headed to Lowes for the supplies. I'm looking forward to having more space. Maybe I won't hear beads rolling around in my keyboard anymore after this! (And no, you're not getting before pictures! This place is a MESS!)

I've been busy working on my ISGB Convergence project. I'm pretty pleased with the way it's coming along. I've got the major peyote portion of the necklace done and getting ready to add some dyed pearl accents and, hopefully, I'll be done. It's due 2/1 and I want to make sure I get some faboo pics. Joyce Rooks just rocked these lampwork beads. Beautiful!

The Mark of Great Art Follow-Up, New Years

By chance, I decided to check up on the Maker's Mark project this morning, to see if the company was looking to do another project. Nothing new posted of that sort, but they have started updating where the pieces have landed after the gallery openings. Mine's in the West Village (woot!) at a place called the Cowgirl HOF... that would be Hall of Fame. So, if you're in NYC, both of my pieces are there at 519 Hudson.

And my New Year's Resolutions (not including the obligatory "I'll get in shape, etc.")...

• Cut down on the number of festivals I do, but make them quality festivals
• List one item on Etsy per day
• Enter more design competitions
• Get my workspace organized (oh, that's a BIGGIE!)
• Finish my painting series & promote it
• Stick to a budget in order to pay off bills & save for my own place
• Update my marketing plan

Looking at that list makes me a wee bit tired, but I'm working on it. I'm planning on fixing my workspace this weekend (power tools!) and getting ready to break out the camera right now & work on my etsy listings. Wish me luck!