Merry Christmas Crafters and Beaders and Mormon Tabernacle Choir

I wish you a Merry Christmas! My fellow crafters of the world. I have learned so much about crafting this year. I have learned so much about the crafting business this year as well. I know I still have untested waters that I will soon be stepping in. I hope they are a little warmer with the coming year. I believe I can wrap up my 2008 crafting year with hope and diversification needs for the next. I am again reminded of one of my college professors. Back in 1979, I was to have an internship with a local clothing store. I was going to learn every aspect of the business. I was excited. My professor questioned the store owner about his future inventory. He was of the "preppy mindset". He believed whole-heartedly that the classic style, the preppy style, would continue into the future without problem. It would never die. Nearly thirty years later, I am reminded that, just as the market did change for his classic style, it has changed for my beaded jewelry. I've remembered her question and his answer many times since 1979, but I haven't lived it like I did this year. I've recognized the need to diversify in order to survive as a crafter. I wilsh you a Merry Christmas! My fellow beaders of the world. I don't regret a single solitary minute I have spent learning about beads! I love beads! I love beautiful stone beads from the earth. That there is so much inside the earth continues to amaze me. How awesome is it that you can find the most beautiful gems or the most beautiful green rocks! Maybe it's because I live in an area where there is mostly limestone that makes it so fascinating. The methods that have been invented to manufacture Swarovski Crystals and Pearls is quite spectacular. Crystals from Swarovski continue to be some of my favorites! I work with them and re-order them and sell them and re-sell them. And I haven't ever tired of opening a package from a bead supplier that sends me Swarovski Crystals or Swarovski Crystal Pearls. They are splendid. Daniel Swarovski did very well when he invented their process! The last but by no means least favorite of mine are the freshwater pearls. Can there be no end to Mother Nature's beauty? Finally, if I were to zone in on what keeps me beading it is that beaders don't bead the same ways! This is the very fact that propels me to continue beading. Creations are always spectacular and there are so many methods that anything is possible and the possibilities are endless! If you were to give the same identical beads to ten different people and asked them to make a necklace, there would be no duplicates! That is so stunning! I wish you a Merry Christmas! As my cold and laryngitis are finally going away, I extend my deepest sympathies to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I am so sad that I couldn't join you for the Christmas concert. I was so looking forward to performing a solo with your group this year. Perhaps, next year. As the year comes to an end, I am filled again with great dreams for success. Merry Christmas to everyone, may this season be one of renewal for you. And may PEACE prevail in 2009!

Things I Learned at the Craft Show Yesterday

Weather reports should be checked. The amount of money you spend on the entrance fee might coorelate with the amount of sales that you get. I still don't like craft shows. I guess that might be key. I want to stay HOME! That's my goal,,,,staying HOME! I don't want to go to craft shows.......well I don't think I do anyway. If I went to a craft show and actually SOLD something I might have a different opinion. I want to stay home and I want to make some money. I might re-visit the craft show occasionally. That is probably the best statement to make. Stay home Mail packages from home Make jewelry from home. Go outside to go visiting. DON'T GO OUTSIDE TO WORK! Well, that is the way it is, Sunday, December 7, 2008.

Beaded Jewelers: Find Your Niche and Set Yourself Apart

Dear Beaded Jewelers, I went to a craft show yesterday. I was full of excitement. Amy met me at the door and checked me off of her sheet. She then motioned and I followed her down the hallway to where my name was on a sign. She pointed to the floor and said that I had the area from that piece of blue tape to that piece of blue tape. I looked at the shop that was set up right next to me and said, "But she has jewelry too!" Amy, the gracious hostess, said that she would move me to another spot. As the set up time continued, the people with the booth next to me came in and they had JEWELRY! I made it through that entire craft show without a sale! I have been put in my egotistical place once again. Oh great. At one point in the craft show, my friend walked around and looked at all the vendors. She estimated that one in three or four was selling jewelry! This was a craft show for the elementary PTO. They made out like bandits. Each of the booths paid for their space, albeit a small amount, if you don't make your signup fee back during the show, you are certainly, most definitely in the proverbial HOLE! Since I know that I didn't have any sales and I know my friend didn't have any jewelry sales, I can assume that the sales were few for the other vendors. The traffic wasn't there. The weather was awful. There were too many jewelers too. So I have to dig deeper to find my niche. Finding a niche is a really great idea! I have to set myself apart from the competition. Adding services like credit cards will help, but it's not always the lack of service that inhibits the sale. Diversification of Product. Find your niche. Your niche is not jewerly,,,,it's not even beaded jewelry anyone can string beads. More on my niche tomorrow.

Craft Show Preparation 101: The Holiday Craft Show at the School

I have a sheet of wood in my dining room that was intended to be cut out to make a Christmas tree. It looks more like a Chinese Pagoda. Hmmmm. I should have made the Christmas tree last July so it would be ready for the craft show this Saturday! There is nothing like planning ahead. Today is my deadline for preparing for a craft show tomorrow. Wow, what a statement. Well, it is what it is, and from there, I need to get ready for tomorrow. The craft show is at an elementary school. My jewelry will be in my super-eclectic purse that my sister gave to me. I picture myself waltzing into the show space and placing my wares on a table. But, alas, it doesn't work that way for craft shows. The real picture is dragging a table out of the van and setting it up where they tell me. Then I can cover the table with the table coverings. It's the holiday season so that means lots of festive color. The table cloth is dark green because I like green and it works out for holiday craft shows. Levels are next. I have some boxes that I will either wrap in Christmas paper or stick under the table cloth. Both methods will give some height and create the levels that I need to display my jewelry. Eddie's spittoon will be inverted. The bottom of a spittoon is perfect for hanging necklaces. They can be covered too. Lots of color and levels are needed to make the table display but not too much. I am learning to appreciate doing things on a smaller scale. If I put too many decorations on the table, it'll be cluttered. If I put too many pieces of jewelry on the table, it'll be cluttered. The right combination is needed to make the event a success. So I have a table and the covering and some ribbon and lights. From this festive point, I will invert the spittoon and cover it with a white cloth. A necklace set will be featured on the spittoon. Other levels will be used to display some bracelets and earrings. I dream of a sell out! Oh, I am so sorry, but I don't have any more jewelry! All I have is this wad of cash and I plan to go buy more beads! I'll be back next week with lots more! That's been my dream.

The Chinese Pagoda will have to wait. I am glad I couldn't get to the saw. I can re-draw the Christmas tree, maybe next July, and be better prepared then. Of course, then, I won't want a Christmas tree, I'll want Gingerbread Men! Stay tuned and I'll tell you how it goes.

Make A Living Selling Jewelry! That's it!

One should take a nap with the intent of getting rested. It didn't happen for me today. I layed down on my bed and tuned in a football game. I had a cat curled up nearby and rain coming down outside on a cold November day. I closed my eyes and there must be a chalk board in there, cause it was as if I was writing, "I wonder how many pieces of my jewelry will have to be sold in order for me to make a living?" That's ridiculous! These are the types of questions I get from myself all the time. I keep driving toward some kind of goal here and it's always like unveiling another piece of the puzzle that will become my dream job! I want to work from home and make jewelry for a living. I plan to blog as well, which I am slowly becoming familiar with. I started in October 2007. By the end of the year, I could not only spell blog, but I knew what other letters it took to make it the full two words from which it was derived. Now I am getting a little more brilliant each day. By tomorrow, I should have some new jewelry posted. With such incentive I have just got to get moving!

The Copper Cat Clutch

You know, the first time I met TSURUBRIDE was at the Etsy Columbus Team Meeting. She said, Hi I'm Meghan and handed me her clutch. She makes the neatest clutches! Just pop over to the Etsy Team Columbus blog and you'll see what I mean! You're gonna love it! http://etsyteamcolumbus.blogspot.com/ And don't forget to register for a chance at our $10.00 gift certificate drawing!

Converting a Bedroom into a Sewing and Beading Hobby Craft Room

Sadly, my son has decided to spread his wings and move out. {{{RECOVERY!!!}}} This should be FUN! So it's time to change his bedroom into a sewing and beading hobby and craft room. There's a lot that I can do to make myself more organized, so while we're cleaning the room up, I am thinking of how the room should be arranged. The Plants are beautiful and I don't mind sharing the space with them. That will be fine. There is a Passion Flower Plant that is just delightful to see in the winter! Oh yes, I'll be happy to share. I've made a special note to include a shipping area. I want an organized space in the space where I can assemble a package for shipment. I think I can include a section with all the jewelry that I have listed on http://www.etsy.com/. And there should be a printer up there. I think the whole computer should be moved up there. The crown of the room however, is going to be my sewing table! Hallelujah! I get to have a sewing room! This is fantastic and the timing couldn't be better. I am planning to retire into self-employment by selling jewelry and something I've sewn. I think right now, I will be sewing and selling purses and totes. I'm still thinking about it though. Of course, the ironing board now has a home since it has to be with the sewing machine. Yay! I'll certainly have to include a table are for beading and I'm going to have to get that installed soon. It's getting cold outside! I have lived in my garage studio all Summer and now it's time to move into the house and bead where its warmer. It's kind of a bummer moving things in and out of each area, but to be outside in the Summer is so priceless and until the garage gets some more insulation, I think I'll just keep moving back and forth. Now I need to have a little room for my light box and a little room for any other craft or hobby I decide to pick up and that's all the room I'll need! Sounds like it's going to be a little crowded in that room! My husband insists on a stereo system and television which may have to go on shelves on the wall. Well, I'll start taking some pictures and let you know of our progress as we go along. I am looking forward to being organized in my own room. This should be FUN! I'm sure gonna miss my son, but that goes without saying. Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog.

Beaded Jewelry Inventory to be SOLD at Craft Show!

Fall Craft Shows are merely preparation for the Holiday Shopping Season. Children have gone back to school. They need to raise funds for the trip to Washington D. C. or Camp in the Spring. The Athletic Boosters might need new Football Uniforms. The Band Boosters might need new band uniforms. The Craft Shows scheduled at the High Schools are usually a means of fund raising for a school group. My inventory should be a great addition to a craft show where people are shopping for Christmas or Hanukkah presents. My inventory should be written down. Taking jewelry to the Fall Craft show means having a listed inventory. One has to know what one has doesn't one? Yes. Although, it wasn't until the last craft show that I did over the Summer that I had an actual written down inventory. I don't know why it took so long, but it is necessary. Very necessary. I know that I have posted items on Etsy.com and sold them that I had never inventoried. Wow! It's amazing to think about that, an now that I have to track every penny, I can't ever do that again. This has been a weakness of mine as I was so unbelievably excited about creating jewelry, I couldn't possibly think about silly little business aspects like having an inventory. So before I get my inventory to my Fall Craft Show, it has to be written down on paper.

THEME: What is the theme of your Autumn Craft show table?

My Autumn Craft Show Table will be neutral with just a small amount of color other than my jewelry. I think that some recognition for the season is really an easy way of decorating for a craft show. Tying the arrangement to the season gives it an anchor. Something to grasp. Perhaps a feeling of solid ground. That leaves the customer comfortable and they go about trying on my jewelry and writing checks. Let's be honest. We want those checks. We prefer cold hard green cash, but we will take checks and credit cards too. More money, more beads, more jewelry, more customers. And so the cycle goes. After the type of display has been settled on then it's on to adding the merchandise to the table. Groupings are good. Themes are good. And displays can be concocted of anything. Ever the creative entrepreneur, I have continued, successfully, to figure out the displays without spending a dime. A couple of years ago, I wrapped thick pieces of wood that my husband cut from a log in green fabric. They looked like giant candy disks with the ends of the fabric twisted and held with brightly colored ribbon. The bracelet and earrings looked great on its flat surface. My husband has made a couple of wooden displays that I've used to display my jewelry on as well. Neatness and uniformity count when displaying my work. I have the entire day to arrange and re-arrange and get each piece positioned just right. Of course if I am really busy, I needn't worry about it!

Preparing for The FALL Craft Show

I have to face it. IT'S FALL. Sadly or happily, it's fall. Time to gather my house plants and move inside. We've had a wonderful summer outside in our back yard. It looks lived in. Now it's time to look around for some craft shows. I know it's late in the season, but there are still some openings somewhere. Calling around at the high schools and churches in the area is a good place to start. I like the FALL craft shows because they are usually inside where you don't have to worry about having a tent and you don't have to worry about the weather. People are in a festive mood too. Since I sell beaded jewelry, I can pack all my jewelry into a case. It still takes some time to set up everything though. It's my little store. It should look nice, neat and organized. When I get to the show, I'll set up my table. A long skirt will go around the table that will serve two purposes. It looks pretty and inviting and it serves as a storage place for my things. To the skirt I will add my table cloth. There won't be much in the way of glitz at this point because I don't want to detract from my product. It is Fall though, and one must make some concessions and look like FALL in the store. So a few leaves are added. That should be good for now. Stay with me and I'll tell you how I prepare the rest of my store.

I am Ready to SEW But the Fabric Attracts Lint and Cat Hair

I am ready to sew! Are you? My first project was a tote. It still is a tote. It's made of a heavy gorgeous dark green upholstery fabric. The fabric attracts lint and cat hair. Does anyone know of a fabric treatment that will cut down on the amount of lint and cat hair that is attracted to this cotton fabric? I plan on finishing the tote and washing it. I think if I let it soak in some fabric softner, that it might help. I don't know though. If it fails it'll be good sewing practice.

The Delaware All Horse Parade

The Delaware All-Horse Parade is the seventh of this month. That’s tomorrow!!! This parade is spectacular! I probably don’t need to take any pictures because I’ve taken pictures every year. I probably know the horses! I should probably start at the beginning. My husband and I met in 1981. He came in to the bar where I was working after the Little Brown Jug and asked me out. We noticed how much alike we were, started dating and the rest is history. We haven’t missed a Little Brown Jug since 1982. We had our son in June of 1989 and he hasn’t missed a Jug since he was born! The Little Brown Jug is a part of the triple-crown for standard bred horses. These are the kind of horses that pull a cart that has a driver. There is a fever for many in Delaware as the fair comes along and the Little Brown Jug takes place. It’s historical and traditional for us. For the past several years, we’ve had front row seats! We have a blast all week. We bet on horses and re-unite with folks we haven’t seen in weeks or months or years. That Thursday, in Delaware, is a holiday. School is out. Businesses close at noon. I get my annual “track” tan and we spend every dime we can spend in order to win it big. It’s just wonderful. This past year, we lost one of our friends that we usually see at the Little Brown Jug every year. That is the kind of place it is. There’s cohesiveness about the town. We all grew up in Delaware. We all meet at Dick Jackson’s camper and “place”. My sister Kay and I see people we grew up with. We see people we haven’t seen since high school. We see people with their new wives. I wish I had my camera for this year. This is why I take pictures. I love all the people we meet. I love taking pictures of the horses. I am so mad that someone stole my camera. But I will be alright for this year,,,,I will be just fine. I will be able to be off on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this year. The races start on Sunday. It’ll be so fun to see the races, make a few dollars, spend a few dollars and see a few friends. I am looking forward to it.

So back to the parade. The All Horse Parade kicks off all the festivities of the Delaware County Fair. The Little Brown Jug is the final racing day of the week of the fair. It begins with the ending of the marathon. When you see the last runners coming down the street, you know that the horses are coming next. They will march into our view with the Mounted Deputies first. They'll be followed by square dancers in a wagon pulled by horses. There will be bands and clowns and Civil War heros. This will be a great beginning for the fair and races. This is my hometown.

Here are a couple of websites if you want to see this parade and learn more, www.littlebrownjug.com and www.delawarecountyfair.com. Enjoy!

The New and Improved Goal

As my goals come closer,,,,they come more into focus. My life as a fifty year old started on a rocky crag. I'm getting used to it. I've set goals for my life. Now I am trying to pin them down to get them achieved. For heaven's sake, achieving my goals should not be that hard. The internet has been a nice place to hang out. I probably hang out there way too much but I learn so much! I love to learn new things! That might be the reason that my goals fade in and out so much. So with this series of posts, that I plan to release more frequently than in the past, I will identify some of my "major" goals and maybe identify the steps that will get me where I need to be. Let's just lay them out on the table right now. I plan to retire in thirty months. I won't be old enough to collect retirement so I have to work from home. Hey what a great idea!!! And since I want to work from home and abandon my current income, I know I have to get that income high enough to leave my job without leaving the money. Wow-wee! I have the fricken drive to do this right now. I hope it doesn't dwindle or I'll have to stay at my job for ninety-six more months! Must keep driving must keep driving. I'd like to end this post with an apology. My design of my blog is steadily improving but nowhere near where it needs to be. I suppose I'll be working on its appearance as well as its content. More tomorrow,,,,,,,,,,c ya!

RELAXING SUNDAY AFTERNOONS

I am always happy on Sunday afternoons. Sunday evenings are a different story, as you must get ready to go back to work. I have so much to do this afternoon. Sundays at home are so relaxing. The list of chores is growing even as we speak. But back to the relaxing part. I am in the library enjoying a cup of coffee. Really good plain coffee with cream. Nothing fancy. The internet connection is good and my laptop is doing well, so now I think I will discuss beads. Now this is very relaxing. I've noticed many e-tailers lately. They all look like they are e-tailers after they were actual brick and mortar stores. I don't know whether they were or not, it's just what I suspect. What I've noticed this year that I hadn't noticed previously, though is sales. They have sales! They didn't use to have sales. The prices were a tad bit higher too. I noticed that the more e-tailers that opened their shops online, the lower the prices became. And now they are having sales too! I think this what I've always known or read about related to supply and demand. It's become pretty interesting to see it actually played out in the market. When I finally do get an order submitted, I will be buying beads that are very inexpensive to make very beautiful jewelry. I think my mission right now, though, is to get my blog going. I think this is very important as I tell you about my adventures in "BEADLAND". I have intentions of having a collection soon. I think what I need to do is figure out what I actually want to work with. My necklaces and bracelets that are available now at www.adornablesbylyn.etsy.com demonstrate my excitement over discovering beautiful rocks. I love the opaque stones. I love Swarovski Crystals too. I really love freshwater pearls. I want to go to a mine and dig some rocks - like Emeralds. The very notion to me that our planet is full of all the colors and patterns is very overwhelming to me. Very awesome. You just go dig up a rock and make a bead or two from it. Then you sell it to someone like me who turns it into a piece of jewelry. Then I sell it to one of my great customers and they wear it. Quite astonishing. So I made a little list for this nice relaxing Sunday afternoon. After this blog entry, I plan to list a few pieces of jewelry on etsy. I have pictures and I have an inventory. Wow! I am ready! This is one of the reasons that I know I could do this full time for the correct dollar amount. Why? Because it is the first thing on my mind when I wake up and the last thing when I go to bed. I have a forty-hour a week job that has nothing to do with beads. I long to leave that job and play with my beads. That's alll I want to do,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I have to love it! So this is my rambling for the day, on this relaxing Sunday afternoon. When others are playing in the garden or watching a movie, I am in an air conditioned library, happily typing another entry on my blog and hoping with great anticipation that I can mail an order out this week to one of my customers. This is what I love. This is the stuff that makes me happiest. Let me know how happy your Sunday afternoon is! See ya next time!

THE ART GALLERY GIFT SHOP IDEA

Oh my goodness, this one is really gonna hurt my noggin. OMG! My friend, Colleen, came from Montana. She worked in an Art Gallery back home. She keeps telling me that I should start an art gallery. Well thanks a lot, Colleen. Gee. I think that seed is starting to germinate. Oh my aching head! See when I explore, I try to research an idea online, to the ends of the internet. It'll take some time and I'll add to my knoweldge and put it into my plan. My plan right now is to retire in three years. Well, in order to do that, I really need to have a few additional years of similar income at the appropriate pre-retirement rate. And then there are my beads that have to come along with me. I picture my husband and I touring the country in our solar powered recreational vehicle. Stopping off in small quaint towns where I can mail my works of art, when I get a sale. I can pick up supplies along the way, either by walking into a store and buying them or buy scheduling them to be delivered to a post office box in the next town. Well that's my dream and so far, I'm sticking to it! Now about that art gallery. I can start it and get it going. Then I'll leave town. Then I'll send great works of art that I find throughout the country to the gallery to my reliable employee. Probably my sister. Maybe the next door neighbor. Okay, so then I was thinking that there are lots and lots of art galleries. So I could make mine more like an art gallery gift shop. My fine beaded work would be available. My photographs would be available. And my type of art work would be available. My head hasn't even started hurting yet! It will though. I'll be so zoomed in that eventually it'll blend into whatever I eventually come up with. I know that's a dangler. I am sorry. I'm just so excited to be moving along,,,,somehow, some direction. Now we don't need to tell Colleen about this idea just yet, okay. She'll just get too excited and then she'll feel like I let her down if it doesn't materialize. I don't want that.

On Counting Chickens Part 2

I was ablaze with monetary gain. I had no idea just how much money I would make, but I was certain that I could make some money here. So Friday, I had about four or five hours to sell my entire collection, which was now, for the first time, inventoried. VOILA! It happened. A lady wanted to buy a necklace! Yay me!!! But, the catch, she wanted to put it on her VISA along with her other necklace purchase. So Michelle, the owner of the credit card account and owner of the other necklace, put both on her account. Intention was to pay me later, when the charge went through. Doesn't matter to me! Unwavered I move along, but begin gritting my teeth. The gritting increases and I try to make it go away. It doesn't. That's my gut talking to me. I am finally realizing that. However, it takes me so long to recognize it happening that it's late in the day when I finally figure it out. Gee. There isn't a name that describes it fully yet, but I think it's the "I told you so." speech. Saturday, as I was leaving my house, Jim and Danielle wanted a ride to the ComFest. Jim says he hasn't missed one in six years. Then I picked up Julie. Off we go to ComFest. Rather than boring you to tears, let me just cut to the quick. I had NO sales on Saturday. None!!! I didn''t go back on Sunday, my spirit deserved better than that and besides, I was exhausted. I learned a lot. I have my first inventory. I know that I have a good product that was in the wrong venue. I don't like craft shows. I learned a lot. More than anything I learned again that I should never count the chickens before they hatch. Don't do it. Just fricken don't do it, Lyn, no matter how positive the outcome may look, don't do it.

On Counting Chickens

ComFest 101. What a lesson! The AdornablesByLyn School of Hard Knocks has officially opened. I absolutly loved ComFest 2008. At the very least it was very interesting. At the greatest, it was so relaxing! So Mellow! Now about the business. I left work at 4:30. The usual time. I got to ComFest and sat in my air conditioned car while I drilled tiny holes and screwed in tiny eye screws and cup hooks. My turntable type jewelry rack came to life as imagined. The critical middle step is to sketch out the imagination before beginning construction. So I sketched it out. It came together! Awesome. So there I was parked on Summit Street. This was my first time on Summit Street. Wow! I am still sheltered. Oh well. I got to our booth after a little hike. Nothing out of the ordinary so far. I guess it'll be just fine. I found our booth and introduced myself. We know each other, but having only met once, I thought it'd be nice to re-introduce myself.

ComFest Preparation 101

I am back from lots of work as I continue to prepare for ComFest. I have conducted my inventory and have assigned catalog numbers. I think that will work a lot better than writing out the contents of each and every item. I bought string today to use to tie the price tags onto the jewelry. I think it is too large too use, however, I haven't tested it yet so I really don't know. The picture I have in my mind is a string with a much smaller diameter. I am really enjoying this. I am so excited! I can't stop working on this preparation. It is consuming every second of spare time. I can really see myself in that camper going from town to town and selling my jewelry at craft shows and on the internet. Meanwhile, back to reality. I have separated all my jewelry into what it is - all necklaces; all bracelets; all earrings; and a few sets that include a necklace and earrings or a bracelet and earrings. I should start tagging them tonight. Later this afternoon, my husband and I are going to go get a board and make a turn table display to put my jewelry on. I've got it figured out so all we have to do now is cut the wood, assemble it, paint it and then add hooks on which to hang the neckaces and bracelets. I am thinking of a thick plastic to use for the earrings although I'm not sure exactly how to assemble this. I have adhesive backs for my earring cards. The thick plastic idea will be used to hang the earring cards. Heck. It might not be plastic that ends up being used but I don't know what else it could be right now. I got out the suit case that I think I am going to use to put everything in and haul it into the ComFest. I am not sure how it is going to work out, but I am going to try. I am also excited to be able to bring a battery that will power our lights. They are going to disable the alarms so it doesn't cause any undue notice. Hmm, undue notice. Translation is that I don't want the alarms to annoy anyone and I know for sure that I am the one that will be annoyed first. Well, thanks for stopping by for an update and if you're in the area, stop by! I'll be at the ComFest in Columbus, OHIO next weekend and I look forward to meetiing you.

ComFest Preparation 101

Well we got into ComFest 2008! I am amazed and excited. Tonight is our organizationall meeting so I have to stay in Columbus until 9:00 p.m. Oh, well, this is interesting. I am at Panera having dinner and working on my blog and really trying to relax. So from here on, it's going to get a little rough. A lot of organization and planning are needed. I will have to plan out every minute. My son is graduating from high school and we are having a party. And there is Father's Day. All of this will get done. Somehow. Okay, so today I made oval shaped price tags for my jewelry. I have found that the best thing to do is settle on a design. Duh! I keep rearranging! Last time they were a soft lilac. This time they are royal blue ovals with my business name and email in white. Simple simple. That's all that is needed. Really not in my vocabulary.....I make everything so big. Oh, well. So for this post, let's consider that I am realizing that my plate is way too full and I need to downsize. I think I can have a blog, have an Etsy Shop, prepare for graduation party, get ready for craft show oh, and perhaps I should mention that full time day job! Yep I think I need to juggle and juggle often. I'll try. Organization and taking small steps. I can check off the price tag design. I can check off the earring card design. I can check off the business cards as well. Little steps.

BARACK OBAMA SHOOK MY HAND!

I went to Philadelphia this past week for my day job. I had looked forward to the trip since January because that is when I found out that Pennsylvania's primary was on April 22. Our rooms were in the Sheraton. I ate dinner in Phillip's Seafood on Monday night and I had it charged to my room. On Tuesday I went down with my debit card to pay. There were police and "suits" all over the place near the restaurant. I just figured that they were looking for someone and walked on into Phillip's.

The entrance is a narrow hallway and as I walked in, Barack Obama was walking out! It was like I was a teen ager! I couldn't speak. I couldn't think. I think he was pretty surprised too. He probably didn't count on running right into someone like me. We shook hands and went around each other. It was awesome!! I told one of the people who was with him that I voted for him and that I hoped for a landslide! He gave me a thumbs up as he kept walking with the Senator.

I finally regained enough of my consciousness to remember that I had my camera with me. Since Senator Obama had to go up to his room and freshen up before they left, I positioned myself to take some pictures of him when he came back down. This time, I got to shake his hand again and then I shook his wife's hand too. This was an absolute thrill!

He was absolutely cordial! His wife was so sweet!

LET'S VOTE FOR OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT!

Craft Show Preparation 101: MY COLLECTION

I've been thinking today that I might need to put a definitive collection together for the Summer craft show season. I was just informed of another craft show and I think I'll do it. It is even earlier than the ComFest, so there is a little more pressure for me. Just for me. How nice? Now I can test my theories and refine them for the next show. My definitive collection will have to start out big enough to last through two or three shows. I've been thinking also of changing my business card a little, but I sure don't why at this particular moment. My current business card is colorful. The one in my head is one color on white. I don't know. I want to include a collection card as well that will have the price on the inside and a little something kind of design on the outside. That would be simplistic and also document the whole definitive collection for 2008 by ADORNABLESBYLYN darling! How dreamy! I love beads and I realy love putting them together and creating a beautiful piece of jewelry. My definitive collection should be of the same bead set. That is my big goal. That's what it will take to make something that looks great as an entire collection and great when the customer purchases two or three pieces. I need to define several colors. I think turquoise, brown seed beads and wood beads, red rondelles and clam shells. I plan to get the majority of my order from http://www.beadsandpieces.com/. I will also like to order some beads for this collection, from http://www.happymangobeads.com/ and http://www.stoneagehardware.com/. Now if I could find a benefactor, I'd have it made! My blog is a little dreamy today, isn't it? It's funny to me that I can imagine an entire collection as a huge cloudy thing with colors completely out of focus. As I get the beads and arrange them, it'll come into focus and become the collection. I know I can do this without any doubts. It continues to amaze me that I love beading so much. It consumes me. I know that I can budget my money in order to buy the beads and supplies. I know I will have the time and I know I'll come up with a collection that will be appealing. I've only ever had that kind of confidence when talking about beads. Please stay tuned in as I turn this very dreamy dream into a reality!

Preparing for a Craft Show 101: Jotting Down Important Processes

There has to be a process for everything and I have to get it down on paper. I just looked at my photographed jewelry. There has to be a process, one day when I catch up, that will mean making a piece of jewelry, photographing it, carding it if needed (i.e. earrings) and recording it as part of my inventory. It has been a pain in the royal rear for me to photograph a piece of jewelry. I’ve finally graduated to a light box and now I have to learn even more, although I think I am getting closer to the mark.

Preparing for a Craft Show 101: Craft Show Set Up in a Suit Case

One thing I would like to try for this craft show season is pack everything into a large suite case on wheels. I think because my jewelry doesn’t take up much room that I can work a suit case into my repertoire. My jewelry fits into a large “very fashionable” purse that my sister gave me. I like being able to carry it in that bag. I’d imagine the table cloths, shelves, bricks, even the mirrors could share space in a large suite case. You have to have a roll of duct tape and a pair of scissors just in case. Oh, and my card swiper that has never been used. If you are going to accept credit cards, plan on getting that stuff in order a little bit more than three days before the show. It’s all in that book of planning ahead that I didn’t get to read. What else can I fit into this suit case? I do like natural things like wood and rocks and they might need to be part of my display, but I don’t know yet. Hmm. Pens are essential. That would be an additional expense anyway, I wonder how much more it would be to have my name put on them. I’ll have to work on that. That would be my next step in advertising my business. I have a dream that I can have a business online that pays my full time wages. It is absolutely in the dream stage right now but I have plans to make it a reality one of these days. I’ll probably be weaving my little business ideas through my blog. I’ve been dreaming of having my own business for a long time and advancing at my own pace. Finally back to the suitcase to add office supplies to the assortment already in it. I need to add my camera, extra batteries and the battery charger if for no other reason than to photograph my booth. I think it is important to have a visual record of my progress. I took my camera to the last show but I was too shy about using it. I should have had my husband take my picture with my booth. Maybe at the next show I’ll be braver.

Preparing for a Craft Show 101: The Perfect Business Card and Some String

I realize that in the last few posts, I have covered the very basic beginnings as I prepare for a craft show and then I jumped to the dress rehearsal which should take place a day or two before the show. That’s a huge jump and we’re going to have to back up. I’ve noted the dress rehearsal on the spreadsheet so hopefully I’ll get back here before the day of the craft show. I am going to need something to tie price tags onto my jewelry. I used one millimeter hemp last time and it was too big. A business card sized price tag held the size of the hemp in, but they were too big. I am going to need something smaller in diameter. That reminds me of my business cards. I don’t know what I was thinking but it wasn’t until I had them printed and cut out that I realized that they were missing something. I kept looking at it and looking at it. Something was wrong but I couldn’t figure it out. So when you create your business cards, my advice would be to pretend that you dropped your business card on the park bench and someone picked it up. Would the person be able to tell what I did? Not by the ones I made. They had my etsy site, my email address, my name and my phone number on them, with some flowers for a border. A little too basic. The business card is one of the few front end tools you have and it has to be perfect. It has to tell the person why they want to put that business card in their rolodex. They need to be basic, but you can’t forget to list the all the important information. I think I could delete my phone number, but I am kind of mixed about that. Not everyone has the internet or even the ability to use email. My husband would never be able to locate me by email. He barely knows how to turn a computer on. I’ll give him my phone number. I’d better keep it on there. I have to have six lines. My name, my phone, my email, my store, my product and my slogan are my key items for a business card. There is a check list even for business cards. That’s amazing!

My NEW Earring Display

I just thought I'd show you my new earring stand. I am going to use it to take pictures of my earrings to post on etsy.com. I have a store there, www.adornablesbylyn.etsy.com. Drop by any time!

I was talking about making a prototype earlier and finally I managed to create a prototype that would communicate what I wanted to my husband.

My husband and his friend came up with this one. It is about twelve inches tall. It matches the height of my camera on it's tripod. That was intentional. I think I've got something here. I may paint it black but I sure do like wood grain. What do you think?

Preparing for a Craft Show 101: The Important Dress Rehearsal

The preparations for the craft show are proceeding at a good pace – at least in my own mind. I thought that I should mention ETSY TEAM COLUMBUS. I am a part of Team Columbus and we have submitted our application to go to ComFest. I am so excited, but in reality, our group may not get in. So as I write this diary of craft show preparation, I am preparing for a contingency plan as well. So if we don’t get in, I’ll get in to something else. I plan on it. I’ve read that you should set up your store one time before you go to the craft show. I think that is a good idea but I can’t seem to get it done until the day of the show. I do think about it and figure it out in my head, but it doesn’t always come out as well as if I had done a dress rehearsal, so I will add a dress rehearsal to my calendar. I think a dress rehearsal is a good idea because you can really see how your table will look. Then you can add things or take them away to make it better and better. Once you get to the craft show you are miles away from your house where all the cool stuff is readily available. So you get all the cool stuff that you need for your table while you're at home. Then you add the merchandise and you stand back and check it. Taking a picture would be good if you could follow it. Once you approve of it, all the items are placed into their associated receptacles and readied for transportation to the car where they’ll await the big day. That just doesn’t sound completely like me although I’ll try to get as close as I can. I picture me running out the door with yet another box on the morning of the craft show. That’s more my style.

Preparing for a Craft Show 101: Your Display

We worked on a design for an earring stand over the week-end. I should have had a little better idea of what I needed but the boys got involved and the project got carried away. The next thing that happened is that I have a stand with two cross bars. I have no idea how I will be able to use it. This is why prototypes are done. We’ll continue to work on more prototypes until we get it right. One of the things I’ve been thinking about is displays on the table. I don’t have any idea as to what to expect for our ComFest store. But with regard to the table, I understand that it’s best to have layers. At my last craft show outing, I had a couple layers. My four by eight table was covered with an off white piece of drapery lining. There were two bricks right in the center of the table that supported a eight or ten inch wide board. That was covered with a gorgeous drapery fabric to form a layer on which more jewelry could be displayed. When selling jewelry, mirrors are essential. So on either end of the table were matching mirrors. Then I neatly arranged my inventory on the two layers. It was a nice, thoughtfully done display with lots of room for growth.

Craft Show Preparation 101: Preparing for ComFest 2008

Thank heaven for that auto date, I didn’t know what the date was. I knew it was Sunday though so that has to account for something. One of my favorite things to do on Sundays is watch the news programs and come out here where I am at right now. I am in my corner of the garage. It is my studio and I have managed to figure out how to cram this laptop into the mix, yes, mix is the exact word I was looking for. I have completed inventory, loose beads, and a screwdriver among many other things on my desk. My husband had it built for me. He asked me what color I would like it to be since it is just ply-wood and two by fours. I said I would love to stain it Mahogany since I figured it would be the only Mahogany I would ever get. We stained it together. It lasted about a year and my husband has now improved it with the addition of some kind of pretty, fake, tile, all-one-piece kitchen flooring, so “we can keep it clean”. Every now and then when I clean it off, I can actually see the four inch border of Mahogany on the opposite side. I can’t see it today. Today is going to be productive as I write more about my preparations for the ComFest. I have my business card done, I looked at one of my older business cards and I couldn’t see a reason to use any other. I like it. I’ll have to include it in this writing sometime so you can see it. One of its features is a big, long, oval across the top which has my email address and ETSY store. I am duplicating that particular part and shrinking it. Three of these will fit in a business card-sized area and I’m going to cut them out and tag each piece of my jewelry with them. The blank side will be used for description and price. So that also means that I need to have earring cards and more safety corks that hold the earrings on them. I will add those to my list of things to do this week. I hope that writing this diary as I prepare for a craft show will jog an idea or comment from you. I hope that at the end of this series, I will have composed a timeline and list of everything that needs to get done in order to participate in a craft show. I hope to have an Excel spreadsheet available on this blog by the end of Summer. I think it would be nice to be able to print off a check list for a craft show. I hope to make a list available that anyone can come and get when they need to prepare for a craft show. That would be ideal.

SHIPPING LESSONS AS AN ETSY SELLER

Today I’d like to tell you about shipping lessons as an Etsy Seller. I’ve had great luck getting my jewelry and supplies to my customers. But I had a particularly bad experience not long ago. A customer received an empty envelope! Agh! There honestly was a necklace in it when I deposited it into the postal bin. She will never believe it. My latest customer questioned the postage. This is a great idea when the postage doesn’t seem right. And she taught me a really valuable lesson. I weighed the box and then determined the postage as if it were going to California. The customer who purchased the supplies lived in New York. She is a lot closer to me than she would have been if she lived in California, so the postage wasn’t as much. I had two very closely related boxes of supplies – silk flowers – in my Etsy Store, so I have agreed to modify that listing with a note that explains how I calculated the postage and that they should email me before paying and I’d get them a more accurate shipping amount. I refunded the shipping money that I didn’t use. As she said, as a graduate student, that money can come in handy! She is absolutely right. Working with the customer is essential to my business. I’ve found out since I joined Etsy, that anyone can buy jewelry from any store. There actually is something out there for everyone. I want my customers to trust me. There is plenty of negativity and dishonesty out there in the world-wide-web. The lady who still believes I duped her, went straight to PayPal for a refund. No questions asked. The idea that someone doesn’t trust me is devastating. I have to make certain that I don’t ever repeat that mistake. As a business owner, lack of trust is a killer. It’ll kill your business faster than anything.

Cobalt Czech Glass Beads Make a Great Bracelet

I started making this bracelet and soon I saw that I needed more. So I added a strand and I added a strand and then I added two more strands! It turned out great!

Czech glass beads are made in the Czech Republic. I am amazed at the length of time that beads have been made in that region. I found a story on the internet that told of shop keepers hiding their formulas from the Nazis during World War II. So many things affect so many other things that you don't think of - like how a war would affect the beading industry.

It's simply amazing to me.

My Very First Blog about Beads!

Good Morning and Welcome! This is the first page of my new bead blog! The weather in Ohio was absolutely frightful yesterday as we witnessed, first hand, what they are calling the Blizzard of 2008. Having lived through the blizzard of 1978, this one was not so bad. The snow is beautiful today. The sun is shining. The winds are gone and the temperature is in the teens or twenties. Things are calm so it’s time to talk about beads and why I think they are worthy of a blog. I started AdornablesbyLyn when my sister decided to go get her master’s degree. Yeah, it’s her fault I got hooked on beads in the first place. We were dreaming of going into business one year. We were even looking at buying a building in the downtown area. Like I said, we were dreaming. But we were acting on our dreams, so it wasn’t like we were just using our imagination and keeping the dreams in our brains. One day, she called me and said, “What about beads?” To which I replied, “That’s it!” Just like Lucy and Charlie Brown. Well we played with beads for a while and she got bored and decided to go back to school. I was left with my hobby, all by myself, and I am still hooked on beads! I am constantly finding new information about beads. The internet continues to grow and add more businesses and information to its already vast amount. The world is connected and available for use! I thought that since I was finding all this information, I might as well share it with you. Also, as I create, I thought I’d post. I use www.etsy.com to sell my creations. I love that community! There is more knowledge in that website than one would ever guess! I get lots of good advice from Rena Klingenberg’s website. I use http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com/ as my home page. From there I just go crazy looking for beads or information about beads. I’ll be sharing my knowledge about beads using this blog. There are some really great suppliers on the internet as well. They take care of their customers. They offer a variety of beads. No two bead suppliers offer the same combination of beads. There is more information about beads that comes with the bead suppliers as well. As I discover suppliers, I’ll let you know about them here. I think this is gonna be a nice place. I hope you come back often. Thanks for being here today!