Weekly update. . .Memorial Day

Welcome to a holiday weekend in the 90*s and my central air is still not fixed. 😞 We now have 3 room units running non-stop trying to keep up with the heat, but when the overnight temperature doesn't get below 70 and it is perpetually 90% humidity it's an uphill battle. 😟Slightly afraid of my next power bill. 😶

On the upside all of the beads I ordered did arrive before the weekend, so I have been productive. 😎  I do believe that the beads & rings necklaces will need to be priced by length just like the chainmaille. It is actually kind of shocking how many of those little beads it takes to make real distance. 😏

The blue/gold one is only 16.5" inches and has 135 beads (and 135 rings). 

The longer red version has 187 beads (and rings) and is still only 22" inches long. 😐

I honestly think a 24" inch necklace with this size bead would be over 200 beads and rings, which is a lot of work. I mean it is time consuming to get perfect closures on rings, so to sit and close a ton of rings and then still have to string and stack them, wow. Yeah, I think I under-sold the first one. 😅 I'm also thinking it's a good thing I ordered literally thousands of beads, but they may not make as many items as I had thought. 

Considering the hematite beads have holes that are too small for the leather cord, that's 800-ish that I can't use for jewelry. No worries, they won't "go to waste" I have ideas for wire trees. 😉

I was also serious about doubling up the rings for the larger bead size so that the leather cord doesn't show thru as much. 

I do like the look, but I'll have to consider the effect on pricing, doubling the ring count does dramatically increase the time involved. ~sigh~ 😏 

Weekly update. . .do-over

Well, it's been a week, and this is an update. 😏 I'm tired, like all the time, Merlin never lets me sleep, literally I tried to take a nap yesterday afternoon and he followed me into the room and yowled and yelled and pounced on Reover repeatedly until I gave up and got up. 😒 

Kittens. . .they demand all the time, attention and energy. 😏

I can barely be in my shop let alone get work done, if I even walk in the room he runs in and jumps on my bench, no matter how many "no you" I shout or how many times I chuck him off it, he just won't stay off my bench. 

It has become very frustrating, annoying and time consuming, at least he has stopped trying to eat beads, but he mucks things up walking on/thru. He jumped on a painting the other day and it was pure luck that he didn't damage the canvas. 😐 Somehow, I have managed to get a couple of things done but not a lot. I did remake the beaded necklace that sold, but I did most of the work on top of my laptop on the couch. 😏

I did try a different bead/ring combo to make a second necklace but I'm not loving it. It's ok and it will likely sell but for me personally it's "lumpy" and just doesn't have the smooth slinky feel of the original. 😉 So I have ordered more of the other bead size. 

Also, not super thrilled that in this version you can totally see the leather cording 😒 maybe if I had doubled up the rings it wouldn't be so bad, but I don't really like that it shows.  😞 Speaking of things that didn't quite work. . .

My photo shoot, ok so using the easel is a good idea but it just doesn't work with my cardboard stands (which really are better for smaller things). 

So now I'm contemplating moving my photo lights and trying the easel on the nightstand in the spare room. It's not ideal but it might work, if I can get the lighting right. 😏 Although it's on the wrong end of the house, because right now our central air is broken and it's hot down that hall. We've been making do with a couple of small units for 2 weeks already, hopefully the part comes in this week before it gets back over 90*. 😶 

Fingers crossed for a more productive week ahead. 

Happy Mother's Day

The plan for today is to do as little as possible. . . if only. 😅 My actual plans include finishing the unpacking, restoring the art to order, doing some bookkeeping, and setting up to do a photo shoot this week. However, today is starting with photos and social media, as it is Mother's Day I had to post a "Happy Mother's Day" post, it is a Sunday so writing this weekly blog post and I have photos and video from yesterday's event to edit. 😉  

It was a beautiful day at the park and my banner looked great! We had perfect weather, the bands rocked, I really enjoyed the event overall, it was a great crowd. 😎 There was a lot of Mother's day gift shopping, I sold several wire trees and jewelry pieces. I've been invited to vend at the farmer's market that is held in this park monthly, not sure if I will do it but it is nice to be invited. 😇 

Remember that necklace test I did with the beads and rings design? Well, it was the first thing that sold yesterday, its' first time on display, so I guess I should make more. 😅 

Also matching earrings, because the buyer asked for matching earrings but since I didn't have "matching" she went for coordinating, all rings no beads but the same color. I am still not selling the bracelet design because the button/loop closure on mine is wearing, and my product testers have not hit the 6-month mark yet. However, I may just have to buy the larger crimps and findings to make the bracelets with proper ends and clasp. 

For now, the focus for the next week is a major re-do of photos of art. I have a few ideas for set up and staging including using my new tabletop easels. I also plan to start selecting and framing what I want to display at the art show in October, and since some of those pieces are already listed online, once I frame them, they will need new photos and price changes to reflect that. 😉

Weekly update. . .May

It has been a busy week, some things got done but some didn't. 😏 That's life, I set goals and make lists and then struggle to get as much done as I can before time runs out. 😅 Normally I'd be all for the "there is always next week" approach but I'll be spending next week packing and event prepping not actually making and creating.  

It is literally a day at the park, so I have to take the tent and probably the walls, although it will be my first event using my new banner 😁 so that is exciting. I have made progress on the restocking, multiple bracelets finished, a new pendant, I need to tag the new trees, but I'll do that as I pack them up. I have also been working on some art that is not finished but will be pretty cool when it is finished. (I hope)

I do love my multi-medium pieces. I debated for over a week while painting this, if it should have wire tree(s) or ribbon embroidery, I am currently leaning towards trees as you can see. 😇 But I might go completely crazy before it's done and do both ya' never know.  I have not made any progress on selecting art and framing for the fall art show, well that's not entirely true I have a mental list of things I am fairly sure I want to frame, but no physical activity has occurred yet. 😅 I need clear bench space to frame things and the bench is more than a little occupied at the moment. 

The good news is that a lot of that will get packed for the show, all the rings will go in the tools & supplies tote (in case of adjustments) all the rubber bracelets will get packed for the display, along with the stacks of fidgets. So, by the end of the week, I'll have a clear bench for a possible photo shoot of art and next week I'll start off with a clear bench and can hopefully get some framing done. 😎