My Hen

I had my UVA meeting today (Union de Viejas Artistas)  and we presented our hens and roosters.  This project took longer than anticipated, but it was well worth the wait.  I enjoyed making my hen and I just love everyone elses,  I wish I could have brought them all home with me. 

I tissue papered mine completely, then added some details in the leaves, feathers and face with a sharpie. I'm sure you also noticed that I added a little something different to my hen.  I took of the head of the hen and added a doll's head instead.   If you would like to see the other interpretations you can do so by visiting http://uniondeviejasartistas.blogspot.com/  or by clicking the blog link at the left hand side of this blog.

At the ballpark

I spent last Sunday at the ballpark with my husband and my youngest son.  It was such a nice, relaxing night just sitting there and letting the hours slowly pass us by.  I was actually sorry to leave because I knew once we left it was back to work for us.  Even though I am on summer vacations it seems there is more to do at home.  I also don't know why, but the days just fly by when I'm at home.

I have a jewelry show this weekend, wish me luck.  I am also still struggling with blogger, I can't comment on blogs and I can't stay signed in.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this issue will correct itself.

Summer

Summer has officially begun for me.  Yesterday was the last day of school and so begins my favorite time of the year.  I can now dedicate my time fully to all of the projects I have had going on for some time now.  I have a few paintings in the works, including one that I started two years ago (damn) and a few small ones that are destined for an exhibit in early August and December.  I also have a few house projects to get to, like cleaning out the garage.  I don't know how it gets full year after year.

I have also begun working on my jewelry once again.  I have neglected the shops where my work sells and it is time to visit these shops and restock the shelves.  I had planned on going tomorrow but I have a small exhibit opening on Sat, so I think I better just prepare for that.

I have also encountered some problems with Blogger.  I can't seem to stay signed in.  When I click on the 'sign in' tab it takes me directly to my dash board, but when I need to view my blog or visit other blogs, it signs me out.  Because of this I can't comment on other blogs, including my own.  I've tried getting help from Blogger, but have had no results.  Anyone else having this problem? 
Anyways, the pictures I have posted are of work that I am working on at the moment.  Hopefully they will be completed soon. 

I hope you are enjoying your summer.

Waiting for Summer

I've begun to count the days until summer vacations, is that a bad thing? I begin to get burned out towards the end of the school year and I begin to look forward to some free time. Time to dedicate to my art, my jewelry, my home and my family.

I've been working very hard and have created many new things, I just havn't had time to photograph and post.

As soon as summer begins...

This little piece is from a sketchbook entry that I did back in February, reminds me of summer days to come.

Small Orbs

I made a dozen of these small earrings in a variety of colors. Whenever I take pictures they remind me of small floating orbs. These are some of my best sellers whenever I have a trunk show. I am planning on another trunk show for the end of the months so it is time to make some more.

Along with my little orbs I have also created these two other pieces. I have posted them in my etsy shop, hoprefully they will have a nice reception.


I'm eagerly awaiting the beginning of summer so I can start my summer vacations and I can start creating some of my new jewelry pieces. Sooo many ideas, very little time. I get frustrated sometimes because I am limited on how much time I have to create.

On the flip side, my jewelry is now being sold in another gallery! That makes seven shops. What I lament is that I do not have the pieces to fill up my etsy shop.

Hurry up, summer!

Auction

I went to an auction today, a new hobby of mine. I mostly enjoy the thrill of selling everything I purchase during these auctions. I usually make my money back in a matter of days, sometimes even before I leave the auction site. I keep the items that I like and sell the rest.

Today's auction was at a crystal store, lots and lots of goodies. Unfortunately I lost a few bids, but I walked out with some great deals. I bought about $300 worth of gorgeous glass beads for $25 (yipee!), but I ended up buying a box of findings for $25 and quickly regretted the purchase. The box was worth three times as much, but it turns out I won't be using any of it. I am going to have to work a little extra trying to make my money back on that purchase. I also bought some jewelry displays which will come in handy for displaying my jewelry in the shops where my work is sold. Something else that I bought were glass insulators. Have you ever seen these? Many people collect these, I'm not a collector, but I couldn't pass the deal. $6 for 25 of them. I am keeping seven of them and have already sold the rest. I didn't sell them for much, just enough to make a small profit.

One of my dreams is to have a small shop/gallery where I would sell handmade, unique jewelry and collectible items. I suppose going to auctions allows me to live part of my dream.

Colorful

I had fun creating my latest pieces. I was in search of something colorful to wear and started to play with my colorful polymer clay. As always I made more beads than I had intended so I decided to create a series of necklaces. These are the results. I made a total of 17 and this is what's left.

Pricing

Like many of you, I slowly became a small business, almost by accident, really. It all began when I made a necklace and received many requests from friends for similar necklaces. I gave those first necklaces as gifts, not really thinking they were of much value. One day a good friend of mine encouraged me to enter a craft show and my necklaces were a big hit. This gave me the confidence to show my necklaces to others and slowly began to pick up sales.

After selling some necklaces to a receptionist at a dentist's office she suggested I visit a local shop. There I went, with a few necklaces to show, and butterflies in my stomach. I left with a $2,000 order. Three years later, I am now selling at six shops in two different states. I had been reporting my gains as a hobby, until I was told it would be a wise decision to start reporting as a business.

I still remember sitting in my accountant's office, dumbfounded with some of the questions that were being asked.

I did not understand what cost of goods sold, and ending and beginning inventory and other business jargon meant. I felt like a fool. I had just shown up with my meager receipts and a close approximation of what I had sold. That visit made it painfully clear that I was not pricing my jewelry correctly. I would create a piece and just ask, "What would I pay for it?"

Before I became a jeweler, I was an avid painter (OK, I still am) and exhibited and sold several of my pieces. I always photographed the paintings that I sold along with information about the painting and who I had sold it to. I realized that my jewelry deserved the same respect. I went out and bought a notebook dedicated to pricing my pieces. I photograph my pieces and give a brief description of the process that I used to create them and who I sold them to. I also show how I determined the pricing, including the amount of time I spent creating my pieces. Yes, this does mean carving out some time to this book but now feel confident that I am selling my pieces correctly. I also enjoy leafing through these books, I am able to see how my jewelry has evolved and the images sometimes inspire new designs.

Spring Break

As a teacher I look forward to several breaks through out the school year. Spring break is one of my favorites. This week gives me the opportunity to recharge my battery so that I can finish the school year. Unfortunately, I didn't get much rest this time around, I spent most of my time trying to catch up on some jewelry orders and tried to get ahead on some others.I am also working on a new line of pieces which I will unveil as soon as I'm done with those. For now I'd like to share with you a few pieces that I created for a local shop. I'm especially fond of the little bird necklaces, it was difficult to part with them. I also made a few for myself which I hope to put up in my etsy shop soon, that's if I can get the following mess cleaned up.

My husband and I sold our home of thirteen years three years ago and bought this fixer upper. We had also fixed up our previous home and I figured fixing this one would be the same as the first. I didn't know what I was thinking. I thought spring break would be the perfect time to have my master bathroom tiled (it had pink carpet). First of all, it is so difficult to find good help. I set up three separate appointments with workers and I was stood up all three times. A family friend recommended someone and in desperation I hired him sight unseen. Well, he turned out to be an elderly man (I do mean elderly) and had no helping hands. After several days my bathroom is finally tiled, but I was left with a broken bathroom door, mortar on my walls and some other minor repairs. Oh well, I didn't have the heart to complain, I just kept thinking that this was some one's grandpa, and besides, with all of the devastation on the other side of the world, my bathroom is not such a big deal after all.

Something new

I just listed something new in my etsy shop. It had been a while since I had last put something in my shop, not because I haven't been working, but because I have been busy trying to create pieces for the various shops that my work is in.

This is the first time I put my polymer clay necklaces in my etsy shop, I hope they are received well. I've been reading the different posts from my etsy team members and I have noticed the concern for the lack of sales. With gas prices going up and the economy what it is, I'm not surprised things aren't moving as quickly as we wish they would.

All of this pales in comparison to the disaster that is happening half ways around the world. I've been glued to my tv seeing the devastation as I work away in my little studio, knowing how lucky I truly am. I pray that relief comes quick to the people of Japan, my prayers are with them as they begin their long road to recovery.