Good Deeds

This is EnVogue.  One of the baddest girl groups that ever was.  Considering that every man wanted them, women really couldn't get mad because the girls can blow.  Plus they had one of the sexiest brothers in their video, Djimon Hounsou.  This is fine to the 10th degree.  Is it getting hot in here?





Today was one of my first shows of 2014.   I was back at Maucker Union at UNI College.    Ive been making jewelry since being off from my job, trying to stay ahead of the game.  I have always been down to the wire, preparations.   A  full time job will do that for you.  I had my game tight and ready.  I set up, paid my money and waited for the crowds to appear.  It was homecoming week and I was sure that money was to be had(I like to thank all of the customers who stopped my table).  A few students who have brought from me in the past stopped by.  Glad to see old familiar faces, but the sales were not there.   My new earring cards worked perfectly.  I just couldn't stand up(another post).  I was by the door(which I like) and the wind coming in kept knocking thing down.   I did manage to sell some earring, a couple of bracelets , two necklace sets and pass out some cards.  One young man wants me to help with a fun raising project for his group.

It just was not clicking.   The vibe was all wrong.   Since the booth rental has gone up, I had to adjust my prices accordingly.  Nothing too drastic. 50 cents here, 2 dollars there.   It just wasn't my day. Especially when I did not make my booth rental back.  For a small business like mine(small as in only - me),every penny counts.

Now I have had setbacks before.   I can remember a show where I only made 75 cents.   I cried like a baby that day and the next.  Would have continued to cry and give up, but something my mother told me stopped my pity party.   She asked me a question. " Do you think McDonald s makes the same amount every day?.   Bless her heart.  My mother comparing my teeny, tiny business to a corporate giant as McDonald s. I kissed her on her forehead and said thanks mom,   She always has my back.     But her theory was right.   Some days are up and some days are down.  If I am going to be honest with myself, the down days, make the up days.  Whether it was you, your items or whatever, you go back to the drawing board and come up with other means at your next show.  Maybe more of this and less of that.   The down days keep you in fighting spirit.   You come out leaner and meaner, ready to take on the world.

And no, I didn't cry this time.  I just listened to the voice inside my head.   Thanks Mom.  Today McDonald s, next the world.

Eric Benet,thank you.

I love just love this entire CD by the beautiful Eric Benet.  I think it is some of his best work, to date. This is one of my favorites. I sometimes will pick the song based on what I am blogging about. Today, I just want to hear the soulful tunes of the one and only Eric Benet.



I have been making, making, and more making.   When one is in a business, the business never stops.  Now I more time to complete projects and make sure that I am up to speed when it comes to business.   


With a room full of craft supplies here is the latest card display. One might ask why am I making so many.  First,  I like the diy approach.  I like to be different.  Second, it is better to get it ready,then all I have to do is attach the jewelry. Third, also the pieces I pick up I might not be able to get again.  That is the part I like the best, the unexpected.  I am the person who like shabby chic, tarnished metal, torn pieces. Those pieces have character. Anyone can make a straight line. But it take a special mind to make a crooked line and call it art. I have that kind of mind. Thank God. 

I found these at a garage sale already cut out.   Thank you to the person for cutting these and making my day.  You are my hero.

This was after I had spent several hours doing these.

Using my flower punch.  My wrist was hurting after that.

 I almost couldn't grip the remote. 

 Now that would have been a disaster. 

Next time I am going to need something stronger
 than coffee to attempt this again.

I had a use for this piece that was leftover.  Another time,another post.


Getting back to my garage sale find, I decided to make thank you cards.
  Just to show my appreciation
for purchasing a piece from Jets Jewelry

My thank you stamp.

I used a lot of  different inks.    

   

I think they turned out very nice.  I will show you how I attached them at a later time.  Right now Eric is calling.  Bye , bye,

More cards, bags and Watching you

 It is so good to have to the time to make things and get them together.   I have not had this kind of freedom in a long time.  I am having the time of my life.  Since I have so many interest, I spread a lot of my post around.  To see my one of card display projects, check out my other post.   Now that I have the time, I might as well make use of it.  My latest creations.

It did not bother me, that they had another company's name on them.  
That is what I like about them, plus the fact they were FREE.

These bags were FREE.   I can always spot a winner.
  I will keep saying FREE.  It feels good inside.

All I had to do was to add my label to the bag.  Ownership.

They are perfect for holding my long necklaces.  I like the hole at the top.

  I can use it to hang on my peg board display, whenever I get it built.

You don't have to spend money on expensive displays and jewelry holders.

A little imagination goes a long way.  

 FREE(there is that word again) bags, labels from the dollar store and some ink.

Lonely

It just hit me.  I was explaining to a friend of mine about how I was going to use my time now that I am not working.  As I was going through the details, it just hit me.  I live a lonely lifestyle. In more ways than one.  My life is filled with taking pictures, uploading, downloading, writing,editing, responding,blogging, tweeting, face-booking, pinning, posting, reviewing, saving, making, gluing, attaching, painting,sanding,waxing, cutting, polishing, buffering, glittering, washing, watching, answering, checking, stamping, stenciling, drilling, turning, planting, rotating, listening, swiping, sketching, stretching, pulling, twisting, typing, searching,  and the list goes on.  And I do all of this by myself, in privacy of my home. All by myself.   It is just me, a computer, laptop, camera, mouse, phone, external hard drive and all the other computer peripherals, I happen to have.  This is the lonely life of a diy, craft, frugal, home-bound person such as myself.  

I am so proud of myself.    I sat at the dining room table and made 6 sets for my jewelry show + several pairs of earrings.  This something I could do in my sleep.  I am proud because I sat at the dinning room table watching episodes of Orange is the New Black.   I have decided to make a life style change and get myself into some kind of shape(check out my other blog ILOVETOCREATE .  Why am I so proud.   I have decided not to sit on the couch watching TV while making jewelry.  One might argue that watching my computer screen is the same thing.  I beg to differ.   Sitting on the couch was robbing the life out of me.   Sucking me dry.  I needed to regain control get my body back into some kind of shape.  Plus, if I am going to be doing shows again I need my body to work for me not against.  

Boxes, Ink and Patrice

More items for display.  I had these boxes leftover.   I like the gold colored boxes, but they are out of my price range at this moment.  Why not decorate these boxes to add a little color to the table.   I will be trying other methods as I go along.   

Here are the color inks I used.

Now for the boxes.  I have them in different sizes.   I decided just to ink the edges.   I think they turned out pretty nice.

I Just Love It

                               

   Al Green - Simply Beautiful

I like to always find ways to make my business better. What business doesn't?  I love making my own tags, bags, displays, anything to enhance my booth/table/site and increase sales.  Since I am the frugal, crafty type, I am always on the hunt for items to use, reuse or recycle.  The school where I work had a carnival on the last day.  One of the booths that we have is the White Elephant.  Donations of used goods are sold to fund our next years activities.  I picked up a box of party favor bags.  8 bags to a pak, and I had 21 paks.  I knew instantly what I could do with them.

I love the round center

.

Opens up to fit earring, bracelets and small
necklaces.

Look how deep the bag is!!

The ribbon is an added bonus.  How pretty.

Someone must have ordered these for a party or wedding.

My first thought was to get some round labels, print my name and paste them on to the bag.    I checked with Staples and they wanted 17.00 a package.   I did not know whether I would have the need for round labels again, so crossed out that idea.   My next thought was to use address labels.  I had already purchased some from the dollar store.

Plain old boring white labels.

Since I had gotten them from the dollar, store(Thank you Dollar Tree), I saw that they compared to Avery 8160.  If you know Avery Labels, they can be quite expensive.   Inside the folder was instructions on how to print on the labels using MS-Word.  Here is what I printed out.  Simple and to the point.

Now at this stage of the game, I thought about add some other embellishment to the labels to give it some style.  Here is what I did

Nothing at all.   The only other thing I did was to paste them down at an angle.  

Nothing more, nothing less. I just want my business name and the bag to stand out. 

 

I just love it!!!!!!

Jets Jewelryslideshow

I am so proud of myself.  This is my first you tube video.  Please take a look and let me know what you think.  I cannot wait to get started on the next one.  Since I always have music at the beginning, this will have to do. So excited.

Memory Lane

Sunshine by the O'Jays.

 

This jewelry that has already been sold.  Memory Lane