Art Beads

I received my order from Art Beads today. I was going to wait and make something from them before I posted, but these new Swarovski Crystal Components are so beautiful I had to share them in their unadorned beauty. Unfortunately my meager photography equipment and skills do not do them justice.

My order included rivoli buttons, triangle rings and one gorgeous 27X37 faceted octagon all in the new "Crystalized" line of Swarovski components.

I've gotta go now and get started beading. I'll post again when I've finished my projects.

Holiday Shows - Inventory

Some good tips for your holiday craft shows.

Holiday Shows - Inventory

via Art Bead Scene Blog by Heather Powers on 9/25/09

It's that time of year again, arts & crafts shows pop up all over world as shoppers seek out unique holiday gifts directly from artists and craftspeople. So let's talk inventory today.

1. Your jewelry will fit in three categories:

*Show-stoppers - those amazing, over-the-top pieces that are higher priced. These bring shoppers into your booth. Display them prominently.

*Necklace and bracelets that are mid-priced, for me those items are in the $45-$75 range.

*Impulse buys - items are usually $25 and under. Here you'll find your earrings and very simple pendants. This is always the bulk of my inventory.

2. The more impulse items you have, the better. While people may stop to see the amazing $300 necklace, they are more likely to pick up something from the other two categories. I make lots matching earrings for my necklaces and bracelets. When someone buys an item, I always point out the matching earrings.

3. Make twice as much as you'd like to sell. So if you want to make a $1000 for a day, you have to have to least $2000 in inventory.

4. Not everything has to be one-of-a-kind and you don't have to put everything on the table at once. Find a balance, too much inventory makes it harder to shop. I make 3 or 4 pairs of the same earring design and in 2-3 different colors. I replace them as they sell.

5. Gifts - think beyond jewelry. People are looking for teachers' gifts, hostess gifts, secret Santa presents, etc. and jewelry may be too personally for these occasions. Bookmarks, ornaments and ceiling-fan pulls are just a few beaded gifts you could create for your holiday shows.

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Christmas Ornaments

I think I'm finished with Christmas ornament patterns for this year. I've uploaded three more to The BeadCoop. The Christmas Elf was from last year. The Christmas Stocking, Sleigh, and Wreath are new.

I can't believe I actually have seasonal patterns up in a timely manner. Usually Christmas is the only season I create specific patterns for and it's usually November before I get them up.

When I was working on a J.O.B. it used to irritate me that merchants had Christmas items out before Halloween, but now as a merchant myself, I understand the rush. Especially for beaded items. It takes a while to make the up, and many beaders do Christmas shows.

Happy beading to you all whether you're beading for shows or making gifts or just beading for yourself!

Inspiration

I think we all need some inspiration and uplifting sometimes. And just when we need it the most it appears seemingly out of nowhere. If you're not following Drums in the Deep go on over there right now and take a look. Only 2 posts so far, but this is an extraordinary young man. His story touches me so deeply. He has slowly been going blind for several years, but sees it as a way to become something better than he was before.

Tribute to a Star

There aren't many celebrities that evoke this kind of emotion from me, but I'm making this blog post to a true Star-Patrick Swayze. Patrick lost his long battle with pancreatic cancer last night. Patrick was a one-of-a-kind celebrity. He was down to earth, passionate about his work and how it would effect others. He loved acting, dancing, his lovely wife and life on his ranch. I've never known of him to seem that he got a big head over any of his success.

According to his friends and those he worked with, he was a caring and giving in real life as he was protrayed in his interviews. Woopee Goldberg won an Oscar for Ghost, and says she owes it to Patrick because he got her the role. There are many stories of that kind told of this bigger than life celebrity.

He says his most notable line in any of his movies was the one at the end of Ghost when he said in effect in the end love is all that you can take with you. He will be greatly missed.

Cool Finding

Art Bead Scene blog shows a picture of the new cinch finding. A new, simple way to fasten the cord of a necklace so that it is adjustable. I wonder if a two hole button that coordinated with the color scheme would work if the holes were big enough. It sure looks like it would be easier and neater than tying slip knots to make it adjustable.

If this looks like an interesting finding that you'd like to have go to Art Bead Scene for a link to the maker of these little wonders.

Queen of Frog Stitch

{Doffs hat and bows with a flourish!} Meet the queen of the frog stitch! I have been working on a design that I can see clearly in my head, but can't translate it to beads. Sometimes I really wish that math made sense to me. I've known of some bead designers that plot their designs mathematically, then work them. Me? I just struggle with trying to figure out how to get this bead to set in this position in order to off set that other bead.

I've been working on a knot pendant that in my mind looks vaguely like a necktie knot with fringe coming out the bottom to represent the "tail" of the knot. I thought I just about had it this time (third try), but when I held it up it was way too long and narrow and didn't look as much like a knot as I had envisioned it. So, to a third round of frog stitch (rrripit, rrripit)as I take it all out and start over. OK I know the design is flawed, that's why I'm starting from the beginning. Thanks for letting me rant. It helps to clear my mind.

As a reward for your kindness I'll share some interesting blogs I found this morning.
Art Bead Scene shares their designer of the week.
Beadography shares a picture of a lovely beaded vase in progress
And the Rabbit Muse very graciously shares a feeling I'm sure most of us can relate to.

It was an earring kind of day

I think what caught my eye about this blog were the earwires. From the comments I'm not alone. What do you think?

It was an earring kind of day

via The Rabbit Muse by Round Rabbit on 9/4/09

I made approximately 5000 pairs of earwires today. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating but it sure felt like 5000. It was probably more like 50. But still, that's a lot, right?
I've been making more one-of-a-kind earrings lately and I'm having quite a bit of fun with them. Usually I work with the same designs and if they sell I make a million more just like them (yep, I'm in the exaggerating mood) but I need to mix things up a bit. Below is a little sample of what I've been up to. The little turquoise hoops are part of my regular line-up but the other three pairs are true one offs.

I'm curious to hear what you guys think of one-of-a-kinds. Are you more likely to purchase something if you know that there won't be another like it?

They will all be in the shop on Saturday. :)

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Beader in Limbo

Oh Wow! I've been looking through all my beader blogs that I follow and finding some really innovative, creative items and here I sit with a design in my head that just simply won't translate to the beads.

I had started a square stitch heart, but somewhere along the line I keep loosing count and missing an increase. I just got so frustrated I went back to the drawing board and made a brick stitch heart. It was really the idea for the fringe that I wanted to implement.

Since I don't have anything to show you this week take a look at some of my favorite blogs.

Inspirational Beading
A Bead A Day
The Rabbit Muse