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?