Crazy Season

Hello, everyone. This was one crazy holiday season for me.

Thanksgiving it starts. I have friends and family over for Thanksgiving dinner. This year, it was only family, but that's a few of us.

I decided to craft to give as gifts for Christmas. Some relatives received jewelry. Co-workers received cookies and homemade soaps. I gave away tons of cookies...but, then again, I made tons of cookies.

I've finished the chain maille necklace and bracelet that was commissioned. I will post that photo soon. I haven't been working on too many items. I made a pretty pair of earrings to match some clothes I have. I wanted something new. I have so many favorites that I wear all the time. I needed a change. I'll have my next jewlery sale sometime in March. I have an overstock of some items so I'm going to bundle and sell to move the stock.

I've pulled up the last of my winter crop of radishes tonight. The size of them was really small, except for one. It was huge! But now it's the time to get ready for the spring crop.

I have to go now. We're having a small crisis right now.

Take care. I'll post photos soon!

Yesterday's Show

Hello, everyone. I had a nice show. Not everyone I invited was able to come, but enough came to have a great time.

Here are a few of the pics I took today, not yesterday. My husband jinxed me by saying the battery in the camera was probably dead. I only got one photo yesterday before the thing went dead.

This is the table layout I used. I had no idea what I was going to do until the night before. I had bought little pumpkins and gourds a week ago because I wanted to use them. I had the candleabras from a closeout of an outlet last year. My candles weren't the best, but it was all I had at the moment. I used the candle holders and the leaves on the candelabras to hand necklaces and earrings. That worked out well. I put a necklace on the candle holder and let it dangle and I put the corresponding earrings on the wax catching part of the candle holder. I also used the pumpkins to dangle necklaces since the stems were strong enough to hold them.


This next picture is the little pumpkin holding one of my favorite necklaces. Obviously, this one didn't sell. It is a porcelain focal bead dangle with deep blue druk beads. I used some simple chain maille for the chain attached to the clasp. It really stands out when someone puts it on. This was tried on a few times during the show.

Here is a pic of my next favorite necklace, which also didn't sell, but was tried on a few times. It is aventurine pebbles and an odd-shaped aventurine pendant. I like to use the jump rings to make little flowers between the stations of the pendant. I love the color of the green with the silver jump rings and spacers.

At this time, I used only silver-plate heads and jump rings. Some items were sterling, but not many. I am not comfortable enough with my skills to work in sterling or gold. I like working with copper for my sample wire wrapping pieces. Not many people have seen jewelry in copper. I get a lot of comments from my steady customers on the copper items I wear. They have not yet requested any pieces in copper.

Let me know what you think of these few pics. I hope you liked them.

Take care.

Michelle

Getting Ready for the Show

I hope you're having a great beading day! I've been busy getting things ready for my show this Saturday. I've set out all of my jewelry to take count of what I already have and what I need to make. I've incorporated some of my new shiny stuff into this, but I've also used up a lot of my old beads to match the jewelry I already have. I have some of my props ready. I've decided to go with a fall theme...baby pumpkins and dried flowers. Maybe I'll pick some wildflowers instead. I'll be taking some pics of the jewelry and table probably tomorrow and Saturday. All I really have to do to get ready is clean house and make munchies. I don't overdo the munchie thing. I just have a sweet and a savory plus drinks.

Take care.
Michelle

New Shiny Stuff

Well, I've been getting ready for another showing on November 8th. I am quite excited about it, as I am with all of my showings. To me, it seems like a lottery drawing. You never know who's going to buy what, if anything. I like the feedback I get of my work. I usually get a few custom orders from each showing, which is quite a compliment.

I have some marketing ideas I try, which actually gets a lot of looks and quite a few sales. I have a 2-tiered cookie tray which I use to set packs of earrings on. The top level is $3 earrings. The bottom level is $5 earrings. I use up all of my bits and pieces to make these. It helps empty out my compartments so I can buy new stuff. Woo hoo!!

This showing, I am asking people to bring a friend for a $5 discount on a $25 purchase. This will be given to the invitee and the friend. Hopefully, this will bring in more people to visit. It will also help someone who may feel awkward and who doesn't know anyone at the showing. Sometimes people ask me at the show if they could have brought a friend. Of course they could have! They should have! Bring the kids, too! I LOVE entertaining and having company. I guess making jewelry is a good thing for me to get into because I could have company and entertain at the same time!

Another thing I do is have an Open-House type of format. Most jewelry shows I have gone to try to pitch the company. Since I am the company, I don't have a pitch. I don't like having to be somewhere for a formal presentation. I like to get there and relax and take my time. Drop in! Sit a while! Browse a while! Talk a lot! Enjoy!

At the November 8th showing, I will also create interest for Christmas purchases. I have a few items which can be personalized and will have to be made-to-order. I'll set up a display so the items can be seen and touched. At least, this will put these items in the minds of the attendees. Perhaps they'll make an order later?! I'll see how this turns out. Wish me luck!

I need to get creative with setting up the tables. I need to figure out how to display all of the items to their best advantage. If I come up with something unique, I'll pass it on in a later post. I ALWAYS take pics after I set up my tables.

As for the New Shiny Stuff I received the other day, I've finally sorted and priced-out the items. It had taken about 1-1/2 hours to do so. I can hardly wait to use the new stuff for my showing! I also managed to get some paperwork done so I'll be up-to-date on just about everything I need to be updated on.

I haven't had time for taking individual pics of my jewelry to post. Sorry about that. I'll get to it soon.

Take care. Happy beading!