Modish Monthly Goal Meetup - June

Wow, it's June already! Even though my incentive to work on my "business" waxes and wanes lately, I am continuing my participation in the Modish Biz Tips Monthly Goal Meetup. As part of this community effort to stay motivated in business ventures, I agreed to publicly post a list of goals each month, then follow up with a note on how well I met those goals. I started in April with this list, posted on my blog. Let's see how I did meeting my May goals.

My May agenda:

1. Complete consignment order which is due to ship at the end of May. (Plain and simple!)

Done! This required me to stay up late quite a few nights, but I was able to ship off about two dozen pieces of jewelry. I hope they receive a positive response at the show.

2. Decide which non-consignment projects, now on my work table, that I want to complete. Put away materials not in use and clear the decks so I can feel mentally and physically uncluttered.

In order to work on the consignment items, I had to clear the decks and get organized. I needed to put away materials that were not currently being used, yet I didn't want to lose the designs I had started to formulate. My solution: use a plastic bead box with compartments to sort and separate pending designs. In each compartment I keep the beads and components for designs that are in the idea stage, taking out each set of materials as I am able to work on a project. I keep this box on a corner of my work table so it's still in view and in the back of my mind, but the pieces are contained and not in the way. So far, so good. Let's see if I can keep these future jewelry items from flowing over onto my work table surface again.

3. Blog once a week at least, more if possible.

Well, I sort of did this...except for the last two weeks of May when I worked furiously on the consignment order.

4. Last month I had a flash of inspiration in the form of another shop/brand name idea. Trouble is, I have no idea what the brand should represent or what the shop should have in it. I just really liked the name and by chance, the domain, Etsy shop name, and blog ID were all available. So I snapped it up in all those places in a "go-with-the-flow" moment. Thus, goal number four is to think about (or maybe to be open to ideas for) this new name and what it will come to be. (And no, I am not telling the name online just yet!)

No news on this one. The idea is still floating in my subconscious and is yet to take shape. I will be carrying this forward for a few months, I am sure.

5. Review materials for packaging jewelry to make them more memorable and attractive.

In the process of assembling the consignment order, I made a little progress on this goal, though I still want to work on fine-tuning the look of the packaging. I decided that I still liked the earring hang tag I made but that it needed a little something extra. So I used a pair of decorative scissors to create a scalloped edge on the bottom of the card. I also turned the single layer card into a double, fold-over type that could stand independently for easier display at a show. Having an extra, empty space on the back side of the fold-over part allowed for the addition of longer item descriptions on the clear plastic labels that I add for pricing and stock keeping. I finally redesigned my hang tag for bracelets and necklaces too. However, I really wanted to change my print color on both of these pieces from black to a nice, dark brown, but my printer would not cooperate. I will need to work on fixing this issue.

I did have fun wrapping a special bridal order and this inspired me to be more creative with my ribbons and box look. (See pictures of the updated earring card and the bridal wrap at the end of this post.)

6. Consider remaking banner on Etsy shop page. (I think it needs a fresh look.) Coordinate with packing materials for a complete "branded" look.

I did not work on the banner...at all...but I did think about the branding idea when I was working on the hang cards. I am still pondering what my coordinated look should be. This is a work in progress and you'll see this again in my June goals list.

7. This last goal is more of an ongoing thread for pondering, and I expect it will be on my list for many months. Reflect on the nature of my business in light of my recently renewed, long-standing obsession with textiles. (Did I mention I am a lifelong fabric-aholic? I sewed well before I started making jewelry.) Can fabric and beads peacefully co-exist? Do I have the energy and interest to do both? Where does my heart really dwell? Where is my business heading?

Ah, deep questions like these require a lot of reflection, so I expect I will have this goal on my list for quite some time. Get accustomed to seeing it for months to come!

So...here we are at the brink of summer, usually the slowest season for most crafting businesses. What happens to my goals for June, July and August? I think summer lends itself best to sitting outside (preferably by a lake in Maine, but that's another goal on another, more personal list), basking in nature's full-bloom glow, and contemplating one's place in the universe. It's not the best time for getting marketing and business goals accomplished, but I will try to set a few anyway.

Goals for June:

Carrying over some goals from May...

1. Continue to think about and just be open to inspiration for my latest shop name idea.

2. Work on new banner for my Etsy shop. Coordinate with packing materials for a complete "branded" look.

3. Reflect on the nature of my business and how much time and effort I want to, realistically, put into it. Do I have the energy and motivation to market it more seriously? What is my relationship with money with respect to creative activities, and how do I need to readjust my thinking to allow my business to grow naturally? Where does my heart really dwell? Where is my business heading?

And some new ones for June...

4. Continue my quest for the perfect background against which to photograph my jewelry. I have been thwarted in this so far. Nothing seems quite right. I also want to improve the look of my photographs so they are not so glaring and more vintage-soft. My camera takes a decent picture...in good lighting, but it is not so proficient at low-light situations, including the filtered natural light that is used in so many Etsy front page shots. I need to continue to experiment until I find something that gives me the feel that I seek.

5a. Make more jewelry and get it listed. This is worth repeating, in bold: Make more jewelry and get it listed. There are all those projects in compartments waiting patiently for their turn in the assembly area. I need to work through them and add more items to my online shops. I've heard it said that you need at least 100 items in an Etsy shop before you start to get noticed. Hmmm...well I have a paltry 14 items as of today, with only four more to list tonight. I guess I'd better get moving on inventory creation! Plus, anything I make during the summer will only serve to build inventory for my big craft show in September.

5b. As part two of the inventory story, I want to focus on using what materials I already have rather than buying anything new. Of course, there will always be components that get used and need to be replaced, but I am trying to resist the temptation of spending money on parts that are not necessary to have right now. I also want to return to one of my original goals of recycling and repurposing old pieces of jewelry, making them into new creations. I feel I have gotten seduced by shiny new things into buying more new elements than I really wanted to incorporate into my jewelry. Yes, I need to have some pieces that can be reproduced from reorderable supplies for a specific vendor, but I have much more room in my Etsy and 1000 Markets shops for one-of-a-kind items.

6. Start working on my own, stand-alone website. I've been thinking about it for some time now and, since I already have plenty of web hosting space, and I do websites for clients, it seems almost embarrassing to have my own domain looking so empty and bleak.

I think I had better stop at 6 goals considering that I won't get a lot done with the garden coming into full blossom and vacation-mind setting in. Good luck on your June goals to all my fellow Modish Meetup participants!

New, self-supporting earring card with scalloped edges

New hang tag for bracelets and earrings

Packaging of bridal custom order

A little of this and that

Where does the week go? Is universal time becoming faster these days? I think it is. At the beginning of the week I noticed that my blog had just celebrated its one year "blog-aversary." There was no fanfare, there were no party hats, and sadly, there was no cake. Sigh. There was only a casual nod to the passing of internet time and some reflection on the way blogs capture little segments of our lives and cast them into the larger sea of thoughts and commentary that form this web community. By making my life - or at least a little bit of it, publicly viewable, I have stepped into the current and become part of the online din that whizzes past our eyes and ears every day. I can only hope I have contributed to the stream in a some small, positive way.

Now on to the rest of the week. With the monthly meeting of our local spinning and knitting group, I returned to my patient, and sometimes lonely, Kromski Sonata spinning wheel to tackle a new wool and mohair roving dyed a delicious melange of pink and yellow. After much groaning and struggle, I had finally dispatched the sticky and persnickety blue wool that looked so pretty but spun with such difficulty. Oh it was not all the beauty it pretended to be! The fibers were long but stuck together with some sort of super bond that tested my patience. However, after heavily drafting it, I did spin it down to the end. The result was one bobbin of embarrassingly overspun and kinked yarn that I wound into a center-pull ball for plying.

Let me tell you that plying an overspun yarn this way - taking yarn from the inside and outside of a center-pull ball at the same time, was an exercise in frustration for me. Only later, after having stopped plying and removing the offending yarn from the wheel forever, did I learn (at my spinning group), that there is a trick to plying this way which involves some clever manipulation of the ball and the yarns within the non-plying hand. ( Actually, the description sounded like a third hand might be needed!) As I was itching to spin something new, I followed my weaving teacher's advice and unwound the remaining single yarn in the ball and wrapped it on my warping board, after which I gently hung the hank on a peg with a small weight to release some of the overspun twist. At some point, I will use this as a weft yarn on my Ashford Knitter's Loom, combining it with some 5/2 perle cotton in blue that I have hanging around, to make a scarf.

In contrast, this latest roving is a dream to spin and the color is a yummy fuchsia-lemon blend that is a nice change from the blues and browns I have been spinning. It's almost a pencil roving and it needs very little pre-drafting before spinning. (Hooray!) I purchased this 50-50 wool and mohair blend from Friend's Folly Farm of Monmouth, ME, while I was at a fiber fair weekend months ago. The mohair lends a fuzzier effect to the finished yarn, so it will be interesting to see how this looks once plied and washed. I am already envisioning it woven into something soft and comforting to wear. I just need to find a coordinating warp yarn, probably in yellow.

It's coming along nicely, don't you think?

So why not use this yummy yarn for knitting, you ask? Well, it is a possibility of course. But there's that weaving business that seems to have taken over my brain and woven itself into the fiber of my thoughts. (Sorry for the puns!) I am starting to dream in warp and weft rather than knit and purl. The advantage of weaving is the ability to make cloth a lot faster than I can by knitting. Plus my hands don't go numb when weaving like they do while knitting. Of course, the loom set-up time is considerable, and my back curses me after leaning over the loom for hours while putting on and threading the yarns. But like people say of childbirth, you forget all that once you are throwing the shuttle and watching your fledgling fabric grow by the minute. The magic of actually weaving overshadows the preparation time.

Now that my weaving class has come to and end for summer vacation, I am working on two weaving projects at home. First, I have twill cotton dishcloths in pale blue and white on my Leclerc floor loom. I would have made more progress on these by now if not for the mistakes I made while sleying the reed: in two places I put four rather than two yarns per dent. I had already woven 32 rows before I decided that this error was going to be noticeable (at least to me), and that I needed to correct these areas. It really didn't take long to fix (just like the weaving teacher predicted), but I feared the effort and thus, put it off too long. Procrastination, you are my middle name.

Second, I have a scarf on my Ashford rigid heddle Knitter's Loom that was working up fairly quickly until I had to take a break to take care of some jewelry business and also to plant some vegetable seeds in the garden while the timing of the moon was right. (I am attempting to follow the Gardening by the Moon method posted on the Farmer's Almanac site.) The scarf has a warp of deep blue 5/2 perle cotton, a free yarn from the Weaver's Guild stash, and a weft of a white and blue synthetic chenille of unknown fiber content, which was received through Freecycle. I am tempted to throw in a narrow stripe here and there of a multi-colored ribbon yarn, just for a bit of color, but I have not made that executive decision just yet. I can see how scarves to weavers can become like socks to knitters; they are both addictive little projects which can be completed relatively quickly and with small amounts of materials.

7" done so far
Add a stripe or not, what is your vote?

Then there are the lovely polymer flowers from ZudaGay waiting on my crafting table to be made into necklaces and bracelets. But here I am writing a blog post rather than working on jewelry and it is already 10 pm. Will someone please slow down the universe so I can catch up??

Modish Monthly Goal Meetup - May

Last month I decided to participate in Modish Biz Tips Monthly Goal Meetup. As part of this community effort to stay motivated in business ventures, I agreed to publicly post a list of goals each month, then follow up with a note on how well I met those goals. I started in April with this list, posted on my blog. It's now May and time to review how I did.

My April agenda:

1. Review all remaining items in The Filigree Garden's Etsy shop and decide which ones no longer fit in with my current creative vision (however murky that is at the moment). Renew those items that still feel like they belong, move some items to 1000 Markets, and mark some for either storage or to be taken apart and redesigned.

Yay! I actually did this early in the month. I was forced to make quick decisions because all of my Etsy items were expiring mid-April.

2. Decide what to do with my Rescued Beauty Etsy shop, which is temporarily on hiatus.

Well, the shop is still on hiatus. I decided it was not worth my time to sell supplies or destash at this time. I might revive it later, who knows? For now, it remains closed.

3. Complete consignment order which is due mid-April (eek!). This involves choosing which items to offer, making a few new designs, and packing it all up for May 1 delivery.

I received a reprieve on this one since the consignment event was moved to June. So this goal will resurface in May. I did narrow down which pieces I want to send and I decided on a couple of new pieces to make.

4. Complete the jewelry that is in process on my work table.

Um, well, I did complete the few pieces I started to make, but while I was playing with beads, new designs appeared and are now half-made on the table. So I am striking this one for April in honor of the work I did complete.

5. Design two coordinating pieces of jewelry for wholesale customer.

Since this wholesale arrangement seemed to slow down considerably, I decided to wait until asked to provide new designs. I haven't heard anything more, so on to more pressing things.

6. Photograph and list new items that have been completed. Try to improve lighting in light box for a slightly softer, more romantic look.

I decided to try taking photographs with natural light and on wood to give a more soft and inviting look. Here's an example of a necklace presented in this format. The reaction on Twitter and amongst friends was mixed. Some liked the wood and some thought the grain distracted the eye from the jewelry design. What do you think? I think I might go back to the light box since natural light is so unreliable, and I am going to retry using fabric and other back drops that would be soft yet not too visually overpowering. Stay tuned...

So here we are, May 4, and it's time to think about goals for this month. I admit that I have been thoroughly distracted from jewelry-making by weaving and gardening, as you can see from my last blog post. In fact, I find myself thinking about yarn and textiles much more than about beads and wire. So, one of the items on my May agenda must reflect this change in mindset and what it means for my business path.

Goals for May:

1. Complete consignment order which is due to ship at the end of May. (Plain and simple!)

2. Decide which non-consignment projects, now on my work table, that I want to complete. Put away materials not in use and clear the decks so I can feel mentally and physically uncluttered.

3. Blog once a week at least, more if possible.

4. Last month I had a flash of inspiration in the form of another shop/brand name idea. Trouble is, I have no idea what the brand should represent or what the shop should have in it. I just really liked the name and by chance, the domain, Etsy shop name, and blog ID were all available. So I snapped it up in all those places in a "go-with-the-flow" moment. Thus, goal number four is to think about (or maybe to be open to ideas for) this new name and what it will come to be. (And no, I am not telling the name online just yet!)

5. Review materials for packaging jewelry to make them more memorable and attractive.

6. Consider remaking banner on Etsy shop page. (I think it needs a fresh look.) Coordinate with packing materials for a complete "branded" look.

7. This last goal is more of an ongoing thread for pondering, and I expect it will be on my list for many months. Reflect on the nature of my business in light of my recently renewed, long-standing obsession with textiles. (Did I mention I am a lifelong fabric-aholic? I sewed well before I started making jewelry.) Can fabric and beads peacefully co-exist? Do I have the energy and interest to do both? Where does my heart really dwell? Where is my business heading?

These last questions may be too metaphysical for business goals, but they certainly affect the amount of effort I put into my business activities. I've always struggled with staying enthusiastic about something once it becomes a profit-making enterprise. Somehow an activity loses its luster once money comes into the picture. This mindset becomes even more prominent when a craft is involved because, for me, art and creativity live on a different plane than jobs and work. I always prefer just making things to satisfy an inner need to do so over focusing on selling them. Plus, let's face it, I am a bit shy (and somewhat lazy) when it comes to marketing and promotion. The idea of spending a lot of time on social networking and hawking my wares makes me want to run and hide! So...maybe number 8 should read, make peace with the difference between crafts for money and crafts for fun, or learn to blend the lines that mark this difference in my mind.

Good luck to all my fellow Meetup followers! I hope May is kind to your goals and that you get a lot accomplished this month.

Internet Blog-In: CPSIA

If you haven't seen or read about the upcoming February implementation of a new law called the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act or CPSIA, then I'd like to help spread the word about how this ill-designed law will negatively impact all small businesses and crafters who sell items that could be used by children under 12. The CPSIA is supposedly designed to remove children's items containing lead and phthalates from the marketplace. Understandably, no one wants lead and harmful toxins in their children's toys or clothing, but this law punishes the wrong people. Extensive and expensive testing of individual products will now be required of all manufacturers, including the small home handcrafter. This is retroactive, meaning even existing inventories must either be tested to be within compliance, or items must be removed from sale, and/or destroyed.

While large companies producing toys and clothes on assembly lines in batches by the thousands might have the money to pay for testing each batch, the individual crafter who carefully and lovingly makes one item at a time would be hard-pressed to pay for testing each and every handmade stuffed animal, child's sweater, book or wooden toy. Only large mass-marketers will be able to comply, further limiting the consumer's choices for obtaining clothing and toys for their children and grandchildren. A better plan would have been to make manufacturers of raw materials provide certification of lead and phthalate content so small businesses could assure their supplies were safe to use without having to perform prohibitively expensive testing at their level. And not only are small handcrafters and manufacturers required to comply, but sellers of used and vintage goods that could be used by children must not sell any items that may contain the banned substances. Although they are not required to test their items, these vendors must rely on their judgment to remove suspect items from their shelves; a difficult task at best, and likely to drastically curb sales of recycled and used goods.

Now is the time for every concerned parent and consumer to voice their opinions before the law finally takes effect. Below is a protest letter written by two Etsy shop owners, Chichiboulie and Winklepots, to be posted on participating blogs on Wednesday, January 28, as part of an internet "blog-in" (an electronic version of a sit-in), to protest the upcoming implementation of the CPSIA law. The complete list of blogs involved can be found on the originating Etsy thread, http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6013238.

Here is their letter:

As parents and concerned citizens I’m sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.

Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.

The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too.

How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples:

To the Parents of Young Students:
Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.

To the Avid Reader:
Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That’s okay though, there's always television. Our children don’t need to learn the love of reading after all. Article from the American Library Association http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1322

To the Lover of All Things Handmade:
Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won’t be available next winter.

To the Environmentalist:
Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.

To the Second-Hand Shopper:
Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.

To the Entrepreneur:
Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America.

To the Antique Toy Collector:
Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. “Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189645948879745.html

To the American Economy:
Already struggling under an economy that hasn’t been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake.

To the Worldwide Economy:
Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses.

If you think this is exaggerating, here is a recent article from Forbes http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.html

And for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Law http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html


So what can the average person do? Contact your local congressional or senatorial representative, sign a petition, tell friends, blog about it!

For more information:
Handmade Toy Alliance
http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/

Ways to contact your local governmental representatives:
Congress
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/
phone numbers
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/phone_numbers.tt?show=hill_phone
Senators
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Links to Petitions:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/index.html
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/handmadetoys/

Winding Down

For the past two months I have been cranking up my internal gears in preparation for the holiday season and three craft shows. I worked night and day like a little elf, the light over my work table often glowing late into the night (or into the wee hours of the morning). Although these times of extreme crafting were tiring, I experienced a wonderful explosion of creativity during those frenetic weeks. Pages of designs were sketched and added to my "inspiration board," and dozens of projects that had been lingering in the back of my mind were brought to life. Of course, I can't keep up that pace for long, and eventually I need to take a short hiatus where I make nothing. It is at that point which I find myself now: shows done, worktable in need of clearing, mind in need of rest. My internal clock needs to wind down. Winter is a good time for replenishing that energy deficit.

So what DID I do during all those late night crafting extravaganzas? Mostly I prepared new inventory for craft shows. The events were not highly attended and my experiences ranged from "awful" to "not too bad." I certainly had the chance to practice setting up and taking down my booth, which I fine-tuned to include new ways to display necklaces and earrings.

Picture frames lined with fabric
make nice back-drops for earrings

Inexpensive lampshades
turn into necklace displays

The booth set-up forms an
L-shape and tries to create
a boutique atmosphere.

The lighted topiaries and silk
flower arrangements I made
were a big hit. People wanted
to know if they were for sale.
Perhaps I should go into
floral design instead??

I made many bracelets, including new styles with wire and glass flowers (right). This is a style I think I may offer again with various handmade, wire focal clasps. I also did some knotting on silk cord (left) which I find very relaxing.

Flowers from Zuda Gay, fused glass pendants from Chauncey Design, handmade lampwork beads and ceramic pendants from other Etsy artisans made their way into my designs.

I also had a chance to use some recycled, vintage bottle glass in a necklace using wrapped Vintaj natural brass filigree to create a pendant, and combining it with frosted Czech glass beads in a matching cobalt shade.

In between the crazy days and nights of crafting, I also decided to open shops on two new, online marketing venues for handmade items. I now have the beginnings of collections available for purchase at 1000 Markets, http://www.1000markets.com/users/thefiligreegarden, and Artfire. I don't yet have a full inventory at these locations, but I plan to further explore these avenues in 2009.

Finally, it seems that everyone is getting into Twitter these days, and I have also taken the plunge into this new micro-blogging outlet. When a friend asked me what Twitter is used for, I was stumped about how to explain it. "Is it chatting?" Well, it can be... "Is is blogging?" Well, sort of... Twitter is really a running monologue (and sometimes dialogue) in real time that is from you to the Twitter community. It encompasses marketing, idea exchanges, information alerts, getting and giving answers to questions, social networking, and communication between people. The one thing it definitely becomes is addicting! If you want to give it a try, you can follow me on Twitter, http://twitter.com/filigreegarden, and we'll have a 140 character dialogue. Yes, each post can only be 140 characters long, so you soon become proficient in trimming what you say to the barest essentials - quite the challenge sometimes!

Now the snow is falling and we're preparing to be housebound for the weekend. After I file away a mountain of paperwork, put the last few pairs of completed earrings in my shops, and do a little more blog maintenance, I think I will clear everything off my work table and go into hibernation for a bit, or at least until January when visions of business taxes and inventory records start dancing in my husband's head. Ugh! Off to hang up the mental "Do Not Disturb" sign until then!

Blog Housekeeping

Those little details of life that relentlessly pull you here and there seem to have gotten the better of me lately. My housekeeping, both on and off the internet, has been lacking. Eventually all those forgotten duties pile up to an extent that a tiny digital dust bunny becomes a huge, looming snow ball threatening to steam roll over everything else. So...it's time to clear out the cobwebs and get back to speed on blogging.

Today's first order of business is to express my thanks to thank a few people who have featured my work and my Etsy shop in the last week.

Fellow Twitterer Altered-Gypsy gave me a nice item spotlight in two of her blogs: My Gypsygoods highlighted my Zen and Faerie Flowers necklaces, which both use artisan beads and pendants as focal points, and Altered Events showcased my Victorian Bride and Secret Diary necklaces. I'd like to invite you all to visit her shop, http://www.Alteredevents.etsy.com, to browse her collection of handmade "unique, fun, fantasy, costume artwear" such as lace chokers, garters, fanciful feathered hats, hair combs, and cuffs. Her second shop, Gypsygoods, http://www.gypsygoods.etsy.com offers a variety of bags, tags, buttons, and seller shop supplies.

Hand stitched layers of lace are added together to create a unique victorian inspired choker
from Altered Events

Another surprise was being included in Jai's weekly top 20 favorite jewelry picks on the blog http://the20jewel.blogspot.com. I was very thankful to have my Copper Dahlias necklace displayed amongst so many other wonderful jewelry selections. Jai is a talented jewelry artisan. She offers her work on Etsy at http://www.jaijohnson.etsy.com, and on her own website, http://www.michelejanine.com. Her jewelry includes pieces created with sculpted solder, gemstones, wire work, scrimshaw, polymer clay and porcelain.

Rare vintage aquamarine
blue glass unfoiled stone framed
in hand-sculpted silver solder
with a silver plated bail
from Jai Johnson

Some of my favorite handmade elements to use in creating jewelry come from the artful hands of Zuda Gay, who makes very beautiful flowers in polymer clay and offers them in her Etsy shop, http://ZudaGay.etsy.com. Every piece of jewelry in my recent shows that included a "Zuda flower" drew lots of attention from visitors to my booth. There is something magical about her polymer designs. Zuda was recently featured on World Artisan Gems as a talented and emerging artist to watch. I heartily agree with this selection! I'd like to extend a big thank you to Zuda for mentioning me in her interview as one of two of her favorite jewelry artisans. I was humbled to be included in her list! Zuda's lovely creations have inspired me to create some of my favorite pieces.

One of Zuda's polymer clay flower pods drips with dew made of
silver-wrapped Czech glass beads in amethyst
and clear vintage Czech crystals in my Faerie Flowers necklace.

Finally, my blog was honored with this Butterfly Award given by agoodwitchtoo on her blog, The Copper Cauldron. Thank you! Make sure you check out The Copper Cauldron at Etsy to peruse agoodwitchtoo's fine selection of handmade soaps, http://www.agoodwitchtoo.etsy.com.

As recipient of this award, I am obliged to pass the love on to 10 other bloggers whose blogs deserve some attention. So...

The awards go to:
1. Magdalene Jewels
2. On a Whimsey
3. Mystic Mooma Makes Things
4. Word Walks
5. Joonbeam
6. Beth Peardon Productions
7. Nuvo Felt
8. Dreaming Spirals
9. Jai Johnson
10. My Gypsygoods

Now those receiving the awards are urged to do the following:
1. Post a copy on your blog.
2. Mention who gave you the award.
3. Pass the award on to 10 others.
4. Leave a message on their blog letting them know the honor has been bestowed upon them.


Well, housecleaning can be exhausting! Next, I'll update you on what I have been doing for the last month. Stay tuned.

Blog Love

Some days start off the same old way, and then a few start off with very pleasant surprises. This morning I was greeted with a little bit of blog love in the form of a nomination for the award pictured here, "Brillante Weblog-Primo 2008". My wonderful BBEST (Boomers and Beyond Etsy Street Team) team mate and fellow blogger Pamela of Magdalene Jewels has included my blog in her list of seven favorite artisan blogs. Pam's great blog and the original nomination can be read at http://magdalenejewelspjk.blogspot.com
Pam creates beautiful jewelry which is offered in her Etsy shop, www.MagdaleneJewels.etsy.com. I am greatly honored to be included in her list! Thank you Pam!

In turn, I am to nominate seven creative bloggers to join this list of blogs to love. Narrowing down this list to only seven will not be an easy task! Here are a few of the worthy blogs I frequent. I am sorry I can't include more!

1. http://joonbeam.blogspot.com
2. http://wordwalks.blogspot.com
3. http://scottieacres.blogspot.com
4. http://suebleiweiss.typepad.com/sueb
5. http://sandfibers.blogspot.com
6. http://www.vanfleetstreetdesign.blogspot.com
7. http://lizplummer.com/blog

Now that I have passed the "Brilliante Weblog-Primo 2008" onto each of these artists, they, in turn, must do the same by following the instructions below:

1. Add the logo of the Award to your blog.
2. Add a link to the Person who nominated you for the Award.
3. Nominate 7 other blog members.
4. Add links to their blogs on your blog.
5. Leave a message (or convo) for those you nominated on their blog.

Please do take a look at each of the blogs that I nominated. You will find interesting reading, beautiful artwork, and creative inspiration at each stop. Enjoy!

Crafting from the Roots Up

Coming into midlife has been challenging for me. I struggle with relinquishing who I was as a young adult, and I balk at moving into a future that is frighteningly wide open. I am emerging from my middle age metamorphic cocoon still not knowing what type of butterfly I am. What do I want to do with my life – the second half? The excitement of being able to reinvent myself is counterbalanced by the lonely glare of a blank slate framed by adult fear and indecision. I could reinvent myself…but as what? There are so many vocational options, unlimited activities to try, dozens of interesting crafts calling my name, and many facets of my personality to explore. I feel like a teenager again. Yet unlike a girl of 18, I am a “mature” woman with a lot less time to waste. My second half has an expiration date that was absent in my first half. I’d like to get to the heart of the matter soon and spend those precious second-half days doing things that make me truly happy; I want to grow back into the soul of the child I was meant to be.

There is something very overwhelming about having too many options. Which one of those numerous potential new activities and creative pursuits is “the one”? In order to discover my lost self, I had to take a trip back in time to my crafting roots. Was there an art or craft that always captured my heart? I began to remember the things I asked for as a child: crayons, books, a typewriter, paper, pencils, thread, fabric, a camera, more paper, more crayons, yet more books...some items were very prominent in my recollections. These key objects represented activities that brought me joy at an early age, and are interests to which I am drawn once again.

Looking back, I always liked to play with color and texture. I can remember the pleasure of opening a fresh box of Crayola crayons with their rainbow of colors to delight the eye. One Christmas I received an enormous box of crayons, well over a hundred, packed neatly in a large, flat box along with a crayon sharpener and a few other art supplies. I was in heaven! Then there was the holiday which brought a “learn to draw” set which came with a pressed board drawing surface, a book on how to draw horses (my passion at the time), a sketch book, a box of charcoals, and some professional pencils. I felt like an artist. When I was older, my mother bought me a “real” set of Prismacolor colored pencils and a small palette of Grumbacher watercolors. We even went to an honest-to-goodness art store to purchase them. I spent hours drawing, mostly horses and other animals, but I also designed clothes and imagined they would be in pattern books or fashion magazines some day. Many of those colored pencils were worn down to little stubs in no time, but I never had the heart to throw them away.

Does anyone remember collecting S&H Green Stamps years ago? My mother would get these stamps when she made purchases at the grocery store; when you saved enough stamps and pasted them in a little paperback book, you could get your choice of items from a catalog. After weeks of squirreling away and attaching those little green tickets (I can still taste the stamp glue!), I was able to make my dream purchase: my first camera. I was still in elementary school at the time so this was very exciting. My choice was a Spartus Vanguard, made by Herold Products. It took color or black-and-white photographs with 127 film and it had a bulbous flash set in a silver-lined cup that looked like a small radar dish. It seems so antiquated now, but at the time it was my window on the world; it was a way to capture the beauty of nature or to forever frame a moment in time. I wanted my photos to be like the ones in National Geographic magazine, which came every month like clockwork in my parents’ mail. The magazine’s pictures seemed perfectly composed, romantic and mysterious. Every one told a wordless story about people and places that existed in a world different from my own. Of course, of the hundreds of pictures I took with that boxy camera, only a few turned out even remotely like the magazine shots, but I kept trying.

And let’s not forget the world of crafting. During my younger days I tried a lot of different things from sewing to knitting to embroidery. In middle school I learned to follow a pattern to make clothes, and I sewed some simple decorating items for my room. Like a lot of other little girls I made clothes and jewelry for my Barbie dolls, and I created jewelry for myself from beads and buttons. (Have you ever seen beads made from drops of Elmer’s glue?!) One of my favorite collections that I still have today is a mixture of plastic beads that I keep in an old, blue and white, metal cookie tin. One day my family stopped at a country store not far from a relative’s house. In one room of the store was a large, wooden whiskey barrel filled with beads. For a small amount one could purchase a bag of beads in a random assortment of sizes and hues. I remember dipping my hands deep into that cornucopia of color and wiggling my fingers through the round bits of plastic as if I had discovered a pirate’s chest filled with gold coins.

But the most enduring of my childhood passions grew from my love of books, which were my constant childhood companions. Like photographs, books could transport me into foreign places and let me tag along on adventures that could only take place in my imagination. Words were enticing and playful, beautiful and magical. They had power and yet they could be shaped into landscapes, actions and images. Words could communicate on paper what a shy kid like me couldn't verbalize. I loved those words and I wanted to write them too. So sometime when I was about 8, I asked my parents for a way to write faster than I could by hand. My wish was granted in the form of a brown, plastic typewriter that had cream-toned keys. I banged on that typewriter for hours; my parents got their money’s worth from that purchase! Eventually I graduated to a more grown-up, metal, Smith-Corona and, sadly, the poor little plastic typewriter went the way of all well-used toys. However, it will always have a fond place in my heart.

Vintage Hermes 3000 typewriter I purchased at a yard sale brings back memories of my childhood writing friend.

So, as we grow older, do we grow back into the creative people we used to be; the people we were born to be? If we are lucky, I think the answer is yes. Though many of my interests popped up here and there during my 20’s and 30’s, I am now beginning to return to my roots with more fervor in my midlife rediscovery of drawing, needlework, sewing, photography, beading, and, through the wonders of technology, writing. Blogging is undoubtedly an addictive outlet for word-lovers! This emerging butterfly might have finally found her wings.

I asked friends in my Etsy BBEST team (Boomer and Beyond Etsy Street Team) to look back at what arts and crafts they were drawn to as children. Did they carry these interests into adulthood or do they find themselves returning to these parts of their earlier selves? Their insightful and interesting answers will be posted tomorrow!

My Morning Surprise!

Monday morning, when I checked my email as usual, I received a pleasant surprise from Google Alerts. My online Etsy shop, The Filigree Garden, had been featured in the blog of KimberlyHanson, proprietor of The Wild Hare. Kimberly's post was lovely and very detailed. I am very grateful and flattered to have had my handmade wares presented in such a wonderful way. Many thanks to Kimberly! For a glimpse of what she wrote, you can visit her blog page for Monday, May 5.

Kimberly and I are both members of a very active and supportive "street team" at Etsy called BBEST, (Boomers and Beyond Etsy Street Team). BBEST is a great way for Etsy shop owners over age 40 to connect, network, promote their shops, collaborate on challenges, discuss interests, and make friends. This is diverse group of vibrant, creative and interesting people, and I am enjoying being a part of the BBEST community.

One very positive aspect of being involved with a team is the inspiration and encouragement offered when someone ventures into a new crafting realm or tries his or her hand at a new art form. Sharing our design innovations, as well as our frustrations, keeps us all motivated to move out of our creative comfort zones into new, more exciting possibilities. For example, Kimberly's shop, The Wild Hare, has always offered a very nice, assortment of handmade crafts including diecuts for scrapbooking, delightful cards and gift tags, lovely watercolor paintings, painted tile coasters, and delicate crocheted wraps. However, she recently shared her newest sewing adventure with us when she listed a series of fun and colorful pincushions, some in the shapes of "mini-muffins," and some that wrap around a finger for keeping pins close at hand. An interesting and eco-friendly feature of the "muffin" cushion is that a recycled, plastic water bottle cap is used to create its base; felt completes the design. Her new creations received a lively and positive response. It is always exciting to see what new projects teammates such as Kimberly bring to their Etsy shops.



The Wild Hare is a family affair. As Kimberly writes, "We are a family starting to do more of what we truly love - creating wonderful, practical, beautiful things with our hands and hearts. Parents, Children, Grandparents - everyone is getting in on the fun." To so many of us on the BBEST team, our Etsy "village" has become like an extended part of our own families. I think the aspect of community in our crafting lives is so important to stay connected to a higher level of creative flow. It provides a sounding board for our latest ideas, about which we may have doubts. It keeps us flowing out beyond our personal artistic boundaries, and yet it provides a life raft in case we feel like we have gotten into water that is too deep. We are kept afloat while we are tired; we are carried along with the tide of the community's energy until we are ready to swim again on our own. I am thankful for the support of my "Etsy Village" and for gracious team members like Kimberly.

Jumping Into the Stream

How I Muddled My Way Here

Everybody’s doing it these days, and I am thinking about doing it too. For every generation, the phrase “everybody’s doing it” meant something different and sometimes something illicit or something your parents didn’t want you to do. My mother used say, “Just because everyone’s doing it doesn’t mean you have to. If everybody jumped off bridges, would you do that too?” Well, of course not, and mom knew her point was well-taken. But sometimes something comes along that is more than a fad; it’s a change in cultural viewpoint that is really interesting and worthy of consideration. So why is everybody blogging and should I do it too?

If you don’t spend a lot of time on a computer these days and don’t know what a blog is, I’ll bring you up to speed. A blog is short for “web log” and is a personal journal made public by placing it on a website for everyone to read. Some blogs allow readers to make comments on the journal entries, which may consist of everything from what someone eats for breakfast every day, to deep philosophical ruminations on the nature of life. Blogs often include photographs and links to other blogs, or links to websites that the author finds interesting. I have recently been reading the blogs of handcrafters and artists as inspiration for my own resurging creative endeavors. I have truly enjoyed reading about their current projects and the sources of their ideas. Many of the pictures they share are zen-like in color and design simplicity, and I love to look at them over and over again because they soothe my soul. I have also been drawn into the artisans’ lives, hopes and dreams through this diary-like format. Reading the entries is like hopping on someone else’s stream-of-consciousness; I even see bits and pieces of my own life reflected here and there. Like a soap opera, I am anxious to tune in tomorrow to see what enlightening or exciting tidbits the latest journal entry will hold.

As readers comment on the blog, and the bloggers link to each other’s sites, a community begins to form, a community that somehow chips away at the voids in our social spheres left by locked doors, long work weeks, and dwindling neighborhood conviviality. Technology has both pushed us apart and bridged the distant parts of the globe in the same momentous blink of time. It is partially a longing for community that drives me to want to share myself in the world of blogging. “Belonging” and “blogging” seem somehow related. Wouldn’t it be strange to come across a blog written by the woman next door who you never see? Or maybe a distant relative is blogging about wanting to find you and your family, and you stumble upon it by chance…or was it chance after all?

I did an online search for “blog” and I got 2,640,000,000 results. There certainly is something happening out there with all these blogs going on. Is it just too much mental static? Will it all fade away when a new internet fad comes along? Or is this a way that the universal mind is linking us all together? Of course, for me, not all blogs are worth reading, just as not all of my thoughts are worth writing. Many blogs do not resonate in a wavelength that matches my own; some are just plain boring and some are really odd. A few are strangely disturbing. However, there are plenty of blogs in the digital universe that expand my thinking and make my mind work a little harder. They pick up on a train of thought that I had yesterday, or the week before, and I am re-engaged in contemplation, perhaps with new light shed on my ideas.

This technological explosion of cranial activity made public has removed the veils that keep our thoughts private. We are inundated with the random thoughts of people we don’t know. Sometimes I feel like I am in a movie in which the main character can suddenly hear the thoughts of total strangers. Is that a good thing? At the end of the movie, we usually find out that the hero would rather not know; he’s overwhelmed with too much information. He’d rather be blissfully unaware of what others think of him and themselves because knowing everything leads to uncomfortable situations. Yet there is a key difference here: We make the choice to read or write a blog. It is completely up to us if we want to spill our guts or keep them sucked in, if we want to dive into the thought-stream or stay on shore. We can post every day or only when inspiration strikes. We can choose to let out as much or as little of ourselves as we want, perhaps only allowing flashing glimpses of our inner workings to emerge for general consumption.

So, by now, you may be asking if I decided to blog or not. Well, I haven’t decided yet if the glaring light of the internet is too bright for me and my ponderings. I am not sure if I want everyone to see the real me in all my blemished glory. I could write just a little; the writer in me is itching to get going. Maybe nobody would read it anyway. Ok, I’ll just create an account at a free blogging site and then decide if I want to “do it” like everyone else. Oh, oh, I am stuck at username. What shall I use? What ID do I want to assume? What image do I want to project? What do I want to say about myself? Who am I and why do I exist? What is the nature of the universe? Oops, went a little too deep there. Let’s just back up to username for now. I write down a few name combinations but nothing seems to capture what I want to express. That’s probably because I haven’t yet figured out who I am. Every day brings a new facet of my personality to the top of the heap. I can’t commit to just one.

Perhaps I’ll wait for the universe to send me an inspired sign as to which name I should pick. It’s been a few days and nothing is happening. I think I am getting an “out to lunch” signal from the powers that be. I decide to brew another pot of tea, clean the bathrooms (now I know I have reached a point of desperation), and think about the username for a little while. It would be nice if I could write a blog without having to decide on a persona. After all, my inner life wasn’t built in a day. A lot of things about me emerge from my writing, like the indecision and fear of commitment that is peeking out right now. Looking back on the words I’ve just written, I guess I already have my first blog entry done. Now if you should hear back from the universe about my username while I am away from the computer, could you let me know? Email is fine, or you could relay it to me the old-fashioned way, by talking. Or better yet, maybe you could blog it and we’ll all jump off the bridge together. Come on, everybody’s doing it.