Taking A Stand

********This song is by the Ojays.  The baddest group yesterday, today and tomorrow.******



It's a brand new year.  A new year brings about changes, goals and resolutions.  It also a time for organizing or reorganizing.  I want to be ready for the new shows.so I need to rework my jewelry displays.  I am always on the lookout for better ways to make my table setup more inviting, organic, welcoming and functional.  Plus I don't like to spend a lot of money and take pride in the fact, that I can take ordinary objects and use them for a wonderful table scrape.  You can also see some of my tutorials on how to make your own earring cards and necklace display.   Here are my latest finds.

This bowl was made by my nephew.  I love the shape and its texture
It will hold my business cards.

I really don't know what this was used for.
I plan to use it for my earrings.  I just love the shape.

I found this piece for $1.00.  I love the fact is functional,
 but gives me height without taking up table space. 

A Christmas tree makes a great earring or bracelet holder.

What luck.  I found these 3 metal animals? Large, medium and small.

I love the details

It's like someone took a sander to all three. 

It is always good to have some table art.  

As you can see, I have a little work to do,
 but spray paint to the rescue.


Now that is the way to take a stand.

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.

One Earring at a time

Tonight I was thinking about my life(my creative life) and how much both of my life's(personal) interact.   I love the creative side and it brings me pleasure and sometimes pain.   I use my creative side to make extra money and hopefully build my business to be self-supporting.  Until now I did not know that I created just to be.  I have fixed broken jewelry, given advice, helped fellow vendors with support, information, displays.   There was a time when I thought of nothing else.   I sought to have a balance in my life(personal).  It is not good to concentrate so hard on something, that you lose sight of yourself and what is around you.   So I sit here typing away and looking at some beads on my night stand.   I need to have a balance in life(creative) as well.   I need to make some jewelry and get more organized since I am back to work.    I have all the makings to make money, make myself happy and those around me.   Tonight I am going to deal with money(my creative side).   I can spend all day on the computer and blogging, reading, answering emails and such, but I need the inventory to make a difference.   So I will start with one earring at a time.  This weekend I intend to reorganize my stockpile and start remaking some jewelry.   Along with this idea, I will be using my paper crafts to accompany my jewelry or to sell alone.  I will not sit down until I have finished reorganization, re purpose, restyle all my projects and inventory.


Here is a look of some of my earrings.  Looks like a good start to me.


Brown tubing with cowrie shells



Turquoise spring disc



African beads and Wood



Wine metal and shells



Cowrie shell and twine






New Jo-Ann's

There is a new store in town.  It is called Jo-Ann Fabrics.    Well I guess it is not new, but it does have a new location.  They sent out flyer's for the grand opening this pass weekend. I was unable to attend the 2 day event(I know, I am still crying too), but I did make it this pass Sunday.   The store looks impressive, compared to its other location. It is bigger, brighter and full of all the fun things we jewelry, crafts, artist, seamstress, decorators need to complete a project.   I made a bee line to the beads section.  I was in awe.  The inventory has taken on a life of its own.  Beads galore.  And not just any beads, but new beads(and some better prices I might add), findings, glue, books.  I found earring kits in Pink, Blue, Black, Orange, Red,.  Beading kits to embellish your clothes, purse, head bands, shoes.  New clasps,claws, hooks and wires.   The beading wire was plentiful.  I finally found some large kidney hooks(shout out the buyer).  The  sales were fantastic.   I was in beading heaven.  My mind was racing.  Everywhere I turned it was something new. Instead of the one sheet instructions, they have little booklets with instruction on how to use the findings in several different ways.  I liked that, I really liked that. I would love to meet the buyer.  She, He or them did an excellent job. I commend them.  If this is the trend that beading is going into, then, let me ride till the cows home(I never have understood that expression.  I did not know cows ran away.  What is worse is that I am using the expression).  I felt like I kid in a candy store.  I admit, I do not go out and buy the new craze, but I think I am going to start very soon.

Now my one little hiccup with the new Jo-Ann's is that the style is similar to Micheal's craft store.  The look and fill of the store reminded me of being in a Michael's store. Down to the layout. HMMMMMMMMMM.  Other than that, it has what I need to satisfy my craving for beads, and paper crafts and any other creating I want to do. 

Once I stopped drooling; and going Oh, Ah, I picked out two things(they were on sale for a $1.20 each) and hurried to the cashier before the temptation to buy some more reared its ugly head.  Plus, all I had was $5.00. My in tended,  big spending spree would have been halted due to the lack of funds.   Before leaving the store, I took one more walk around the bead section.  As my hands sailed across the strands of beads, my mind begin to wonder and I was lost in my own little beading world.  In that moment I saw, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, and other beads to use to accessorize and made by of course me.   If the funds would have cooperated, I would have brought almost every bead and finding in the store.  I don't know how long I stood there,in my haze.  Good thing someone else came into the aisle and I came to myself.   No matter what, I am always going to find a new bead or finding that will excited me.  We will be always improving and restyling.  

I will probably go back to Jo-Ann's and check out some of the other wonderful creations that they have.  Jo-Ann, thanks for reawakening my creativity spirit once again, if only for an hour or so.