Positive Strides

Wow!  I didn't realize how long it had been since my last post.  Time flies when you're having fun, doesn't it?  And I have been having fun.  I finished inventorying my various bead and jewelry supplies, and I've purchased some new items for designs that are rattling around inside my head, begging to be let loose. 

One of my oldests friends' daughter is getting married next week, and I just finished making her wedding necklace.  I'll add a picture of that after the wedding; it should make its debut on her wedding day!

Last weekend I attended a wire-wrapping workshop by Sue Cartwright.  This was my first guided attempt at wire-wrapping, though I had tinkered around a bit with craft wire on my own.  Sue brought a fabulous collection of her own works and invited us to choose one of them as the pattern for our fledgling efforts. 

The first project she had us complete was with a focal bead drilled through its length.  I had a minor panic when one of the wires used in my wrapping broke.  (It's the squiggly one running down the middle of the stone.)  But with a bit of redesign on the fly I was able to salvage it.  All in all, I'm not too disappointed in the way it turned out.

Our second piece used a top-drilled bead or crystal, and for that I used a shell bead I'd picked up a couple of years ago at either a craft store or Wal-Mart.  I love the shape of it, so I'm not going to apologize for its origins!  Since the bead is rather plain, I decided to dress it up a bit with Swarovski crystals.  I didn't have the problem with broken wires this time, but I wasn't completely happy with the way the bail turned out.  Practice makes perfect -- or at least better -- and I have a lot more big, beautiful beads to practice on!

 

Slow Progress -- Another Day in Paradise?

It's been a while since my first two posts.  Sadly, not much has changed.  I've been collecting design and techniques reference material, and bought some spiffy new stuff to incorporate into jewelry.  I'm also in the process of inventorying the materials that's been sitting around in boxes since I first started making jewelry.  A lot of it is not of the quality I want to concentrate on now.  I'll probably end up putting some of it up for sale on Etsy or eBay.

I've been doing some brainstorming on different marketing outlets once I start producing jewelry on a regular basis.  One thing I'd like to try is a line of bracelets and necklaces in school colors with charms or special beads for favorite sports and activities.  They could also be customized with the student's name or initials.  Even though I live in a small city, we have junior high and high schools that sponsor a lot of activities.  I'm working on a plan to sell these through sports teams and clubs with a portion of the profits being donated back to the schools to support their programs. 

Since my last post I've been spending most of my "leisure" time on my other favorite pasttime -- model horses.  There is a show coming up in a couple of weeks, and I've been working on some new entries, whittling down my entry list so I'm not spread too thin on show day, and naming new models that haven't been shown yet.  I'm looking forward to the show.  The last one I attended was in April. 

Time to get back to my real job now.  Darn it.  I'm having a hard time getting motivated; so many ideas are floating around in my head -- and none of them the least bit relevant to "work!"

So....Why Am I Doing This?

My introductory post mentioned changes on the horizon.  Granted, that horizon is pretty far away at the moment, but for once I'm trying to plan ahead.  (Anyone who knows me is probably rolling around on the floor, laughing hysterically.  Planning has never been my strong suit.) 

My personal plan is to retire in about 4 years.  When I do, I want to devote more time to making jewelry, which is something I enjoy and would like to share with more people than just immediate family and friends -- the primary beneficiaries of my efforts in the form of Christmas and birthday gifts. 

Of course, I don't intend to give the stuff away!  ;-)  My goal is to expand my jewelry making skills to include wire and metal work, and to incorporate polymer clay focal pieces into my jewelry designs.  I want to develop a few themed design lines and offer finished pieces via online sites (Etsy or Artfire), boutiques, and (maybe) select arts and crafts fairs. 

Now you know why I started a blog.  It will help me chronicle my progress as I branch out from simple strung jewelry into other media and techniques.  I'll be posting pictures of sample items so anyone following my blog can review and critique.  (Hey, if no one likes what I create, I might as well find out before investing a lot of time and money into the effort, right?) 

Entering Blogdom!

As the title of my blog suggests, I'm envisioning changes on my personal horizon over the next few years.  So, I've decided to enter the world of blogging!  This first step is probably one of the biggest changes, for a couple of reasons. 

First, I tend to be a very private person.  For that reason, I've resisted developing much of an internet presence.  Oh, sure, I signed up for Live Journal (seldom used) and Facebook (ditto), and am a member of several online groups.  But I really don't feel compelled to toss out a comment for the whole world to see every time I sneeze.  ((Hee-hee; during allergy season, I'd never be doing anything but posting sneeze alerts!))  

Second, I haven't even kept a traditional, pen-and-paper diary in ages, much less tried to chronicle my often scattered thoughts for public consumption.  Does anyone really give a flip about my day-to-day foibles and follies?  We'll see.