So...why's it so expensive

This weekend, I have a rare Saturday off.  I don't have a show and it feels kinda nice. =)  I'll be sad when my bank account looks the same on Sunday, as it does today, but I could use some forced rest and frankly, God closed all the doors for shows this weekend - so I'm gonna enjoy it.

Something that's been on my mind, as of late, has been.....pricing.  Some folks look at my pieces and say "WOW! SO cheap!" others say "Yeah, not THAT cute" so I wanted to take a little time and explain "Why so much".

First, some education - when I started making jewelry - one thing I had to learn was the language.  Much like other hobbies, be it a sport or craft, you need to learn the words to make yourself, at least, SOUND like you know what you're talking about.  More importantly, when you don't MAKE something - you don't really care about what's inside - you just see that it's "hot" or it's "not". 

One of the largest reasons my jewelry is priced where it is (and I believe it's priced very competitively AND fairly - I do need to eat, buy medicine and of course, new beads) is because of the materials that I choose to use.  One of the most expensive things being wire.  Now, you may be thinking "Wait...hold up!  I don't have WIRE in my necklace - it's all beaded and pretty...ain't no wire here!" - well - actually - look between the beads...what's holding them in place?  It may be wire, or thread or some other fiber.  If you've purchased from http://CherryOnTopDesign.Co - nearly all of my pieces have wire somewhere in them...either strung on wire or held together by wire.  That wire is VERY important - without it - you have no necklace!

As with many pieces and parts, there are different "grades" of wire...good, better, best.  Personally, I choose to use the "best" wire because not only does it create a stronger piece, but it ensures that one day it's pretty unlikely that  your beads will fall off your neck and fall to the floor like little ping pong balls flittering in every direction known to man.  I like "best" wire because as a consumer, I want to know that YOU (designer or in this case, I) have thought of me (or this case - you the customer) and thought highly enough of me to "use the very best".  The truth is - in every single piece of jewelry I make...I try to think of YOU, what is easy (magnetic clasps on bracelets, toggle clasps on necklaces, ear nuts on earrings)  and what drives me insane as a consumer.  I guess I'm trying to fix the wrongs, as I see it, in the jewelry industry (one piece at a time!).  Er something like that.

SO - next time you're at a craft show and see a piece of jewelry for $5, ask them about their materials...why they chose it...why they choose not to use higher grade materials and let me know what they say. 

Don't get me wrong - $5 jewelry can be good...and trust me....I bought it for YEARS!  I can only imagine how much money I spent on jewelry before making it myself...but remember this...

Life is too short to wear crappy jewelry. =)

=(

The last few days have been some tough ones.  I've been weepy, more nauseated than usual, and generally down.  Today, we learned that my father has a somewhat aggressive auto-immune disorder, that if not treated quickly, can result in blindness. 

There was a shooting at the Washington Navy Yard....a place I nearly took a job.  Thankfully, none of my 'people' were injured or killed.  Praising God for that.

Today, is the 16 year anniversary of my mother's death.  She had cancer - unknown origin - with it spreading to her liver and lungs.  Approx 11:15 a.m. she passed peacefully, in to the arms of Jesus and the Angels who were there to bring her home.  I felt the presence of the angels.  I felt the warmth of their presence in the room and specifically over her.  Something I'd never experienced before or since - thankfully. 

It's been an emotionally draining time....glad I finally figured out what was happening in my spirit.  I love her so much and wish she were here - so so so so so much.

See you soon, Mommy!

Uhhh- WHOA! That's HUGE!

SO..here I am again with some very EXCITING NEWS!

Our local newspaper came out in July to interview me about my jewelry and my story.  After the pieces were published in BeadStyle, I sent an email to our local press and they were interested in the story.  SO...August 25 my piece was published!  Check it out!  They did SUCH a great job and I'm SO proud to be able to share my story with thousands of people!

Here's the official link:
http://www.sctimes.com/article/20130825/BUSINESS01/308240026

Exciting News!!!

I'VE BEEN PUBLISHED!!  My very first piece that I ever sent in to be published, was picked up and published in the September 2013 BeadStyle Magazine!!

I made this piece a few years ago, when I was pretty young in my jewelry making.  I found this strand of adorable glass beads - for $1/strand.  I wanted to make a bubble style necklace, but being that I didn't have or really know where to find, the prefab pieces - I set out to make my version of the necklace.  THIS is what came out. 

Now, I have to be honest....this piece was just ok, in my eyes.  I didn't really wear it but kept it around because it was cute and something I thought was a good learning experience.  It was a pretty deary day and a galpal and I stopped at the Post Office to mail some packages out.  While there, a woman who worked there saw my necklace and just raved about it.  My friend immediately said 'She has other stuff in her purse'...which I did. SO, I finished my business with the PO and walked back to her to give her a biz card, when she walked us over to another coworker who loved jewelry, too.  This necklace started a beautiful friendship with these women - it also got me thinking that maybe this was a better piece than I thought. 

On a whim, I decided the week before Thanksgiving to send a photo of this piece in to BeadStyle to see if they may be interested.  Within a week, I had an answer and it was YES!  I FREAKED! =)

Fast Slow Forward to June when I receive an email telling me that MY piece will be the first piece featured in a BRAND NEW SECTION of the magazine!  *I* would set the bar!!  EEEEKKKK!

I don't know what will come of this, but what I DO know is to NEVER discount your own work.  Had I not pulled this little piece out on a rainy day - it might not have given me exposure on a world wide scale and even more importantly - put me on the radar in jewelry world.  SO excited to see where this goes!

Dry Desert Land

I've been kinda in a funk lately....feeling dry, parched and in the desert.  I'm struggling with inspiration, I'm struggling with my health and I'm struggling to get my feelings conveyed in the way that makes sense....just struggling.  I thought writing might help me process some of these things, but I'm not even sure what to say beyond that I just don't feel 'right'....whatever that means. 

I do know that I've been struggling socially and that is never a good thing, in my world.  I continue to feel unknown here - people are asking if I'm back for a visit...and I say 'I've been here since August'.  Nearly a YEAR! 

I think I'm kinda lost right now....looking for direction...looking for the place to look next....waiting for the chapter to be turned in to what is next.  and frankly...I see nothing.  No change. No brightness of exciting things to come. No idea at all.

This time last year, my life was in complete chaos.  My great roommates were moving out, I was getting ready to move out - finding movers - finding a place to live with a girl who was so neurotic that she wouldn't sign a credit check form and finally (June 27th-ish) I decided to come home for 'a few months' - which has now turned into permanent.  I feel so lost - it brings thoughts of a marathon runner running their race, minding their business and knowing that a hydration station is coming up...but not being able to find your team....because they aren't there. 

Chronic illness is difficult and strips you of so many things that you can't control - and frankly - those are the worst. 

I'll get through this, one moment at a time....just really struggling

Craft Night!

Here it is - or was - Valentines Day and I find myself single - again.  In years past, I've often had parties to celebrate singleness, done Mystery Dinners, and all kinds of other fun evenings with lots of friends and great memories.  This year, I was feeling kinda down not knowing what I was going to do, because I'm still new here and still feel pretty dis-connected.  I don't feel like I have a flowing group of friends that I can call at the drop of a hat to hang out for the evening, go do something crazy or just hang out.  (For the record, I've been here since August and I've not had one friend (non-family member) come to my home or frankly, even know where it is)

Since I've been here, I've done my best to attend a weekly Bible study with some ladies.  I've struggled to feel like I fit in and feeling like I'm not liked.  More importantly, I feel like it doesn't matter if I'm there or not - which makes it even harder for someone who has struggled with social anxiety, since becoming chronically ill, to feel like they "belong".

Well, on Tuesday, after our study - I was talking with 2 other girls and discussing what we were going to do tonight, after dinner.  I offered to bring supplies to make bracelets.  I just kinda threw the idea out and it seemed to be well received.  So, as I started to plan for this (mind you, 48 hours ago) I realized that if I was going to do this - I wanted to bring out the 'good stuff'.  We, as single women, are often discounted as not valuable because we're not married.  The truth is - we're the 'good stuff' in God's eyes!  SO, knowing that I'd want to bring Swarovski, Preciosa and other high quality beads I realized that I didn't have enough for a group of  up-to 10.  I needed a plan change - and quick.  I came up with the idea to make pendants.

I brought some glass tiles, some 'glossy accents' and scrapbook papers and we went to work.  We had so much fun cutting things out, being creative and laughing!  I also told the ladies about my angst of not having enough of the 'good stuffs' to bring for the class, so I brought small little Swarovskis and put one on each of the girls bails (the little metal piece which makes a little piece of something into a pendant), before they glued them on. *OOOH I love me some phone photos - still sad my camera is holed up in my storage unit in Virginia =(*

It turned out to be a great night - full of home cooked food, hand crafted pendants and remembering that WE are God's Swarovski - Shining like the sun, for HIM!

I SOLD It!

Yep - that's right - I sold one of the pieces (the one below) I made for the No-Show!  SO excited that despite the stinko situation, I was true to myself and true to the beautiful pieces that I make. 

I went to a show this weekend, it was pretty d-e-d...however a very sweet woman came to my table (I was tucked away from the main rooms) and she fell in LOVE with this necklace!  I felt like a SuperStar!  It just reminded me that regardless of how discouraged I feel, God has given me this talent.

The other thing I'm reminded of is that OTHER PEOPLE LIKE MY STUFF! Ok, some of you are like 'Duh!  That's why you're selling, right?' - well kinda - but the truth is - I sell so I can feed my beading habit.  =)  The whole process just reminded how important it is to remember that this woman (No-Show) liked my jewelry that I had made just for fun - not because I was trying to make something specifically for a wedding.  It also reminded me of how fragile my feelings toward my work can be so easily be broken. 

I  realized that I pour so much of ME into each piece I make.  Every time I make something - a piece of me goes with it.  That's either really COOL to think or really CREEPY. =)

Inspire me....

Man - the last few days have been....blah.  I dunno why.  I think I'm still a little tee-d off about the no-show.  Normally, I hang out during the day and before bed, I stop in my beading room and make something sweet.  That's kinda the way it's been for the last few months.

This last week or so...not so much.  Perhaps it's still this infection bit (Sinus and ear infection) or maybe just the winter blues.  I've been feeling kinda sad lately, mostly, missing the things I don't have and wish I did.  Most notably - friends and community.   I'm finding that after nearly 6 months of living in MN, the relationship part of life is still the, by far, the toughest part.  I don't feel like I have solid friendships, outside of a few family members who can't be my entire support network.  Family is a treasure and really, one of the largest reasons I moved home, but they can't be *everything*.

I'm missing having girlfriends to call and go out to dinner with or just come over and be silly with.  It's a piece of me that is really missing and I'm kinda out of ideas as to where to look.  I'm in a small group through a local church, however I find that the group is pretty surface-y.  There isn't a lot of deep, honest conversation.  I haven't found it a place that I can really kinda lay it on the line, if that makes sense.  More importantly, it doesn't really feel like a place where people WANT to go deeper.

Wait - how did a blog about beading turn into this?  Anyway - I'm hoping to get out my amethyst for Feb and make some really cute pieces!  I'll keep you posted!

In the meantime, have some ideas of where to meet some great folks?  I'd love to hear your ideas!  Btw - I don't do bars or places like that....I'm a good girl =)