Really trying to build up my stock here in jewelry, as well as try new things. I follwed a couple patterns in an old Stringing magazine that I'd really liked and then tried doing them differently.
Also trying to use up all these little findings I got forever and a day ago in a findings assortment from FMG (that's Fire Mountain Gems) by making earrings, and even a dainty little focal. I'm behind on my picture taking because it always seems to be cloudy or otherwise dark when I'm ready to take pictures. I'll get them done and posted soon, I suppose. Yeah, I know, I say that a lot and then never do it, but I suppose my intentions are good.
Going through an Etsy success shop makeover series right now....it's pretty helpful, actually. I have also discovered that while I'm getting the hang of my crimping beads, wrapped loops are a whole new animal. Whole. New. Animal. It's not really that they're hard; they just require....patience....
Will update soon! (hopefully with pictures!)
Showing posts with label struggles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label struggles. Show all posts
Monday, January 24, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
New Year, New Plans
I'm ignoring the fact I haven't updated this in forever. Really, I am. So, here's what I've been doing....
I FINALLY got my mom's necklace for Christmas finished maybe the week of Christmas. I found these topaz-y flowery connectors at Michael's and fell in love with them. So I picked out some brown facted rounds with gold around the edges and a smaller version in a more rice pellet shape. Then I strung two strands of the larger rounds on the lower half of the connectors (and typing this is making it sound MUCH easier than it was--took me two or three tries to get the length right!). I had orignially intended to use one strand of both sizes for the top and bottom strands, but I like the larger better. for the top of the connectors, first I strung four little rice beads on each side and then crimped it so it looked like a little triangle. Then I just strung it as usual until it was somewhere between 18-20 inches total length. I believe that part took me two tries because I made it too short....and I forgot to take pictures so you'll just have to use your imagination!
I decided I wanted a more beachy themed necklace too, because I had beads left over from my sister's necklace (which didn't take me NEARLY as long). It had a silver hoop connector with a strand of blue pearls and a strand of bluish rounds and tan mother of pearl-ish shell beads. These went over to a flying bird connector with a regular silver chain to finish it off. I didn't have a present for my grandmother yet, so I gave her that for Christmas. My aunt was very jealous. :D I'm making another one for myself because I liked it so much, but it's a much different version because I'm running out of those beads. And I have to go restring it because I crimped it wrong....blegh....
I also went and completely rephotographed every piece of jewelry I have for sale in my Etsy shop. It looks SO much better now, and I posted some new pieces of jewelry!
I promise to try to keep this up more often!
I FINALLY got my mom's necklace for Christmas finished maybe the week of Christmas. I found these topaz-y flowery connectors at Michael's and fell in love with them. So I picked out some brown facted rounds with gold around the edges and a smaller version in a more rice pellet shape. Then I strung two strands of the larger rounds on the lower half of the connectors (and typing this is making it sound MUCH easier than it was--took me two or three tries to get the length right!). I had orignially intended to use one strand of both sizes for the top and bottom strands, but I like the larger better. for the top of the connectors, first I strung four little rice beads on each side and then crimped it so it looked like a little triangle. Then I just strung it as usual until it was somewhere between 18-20 inches total length. I believe that part took me two tries because I made it too short....and I forgot to take pictures so you'll just have to use your imagination!
I decided I wanted a more beachy themed necklace too, because I had beads left over from my sister's necklace (which didn't take me NEARLY as long). It had a silver hoop connector with a strand of blue pearls and a strand of bluish rounds and tan mother of pearl-ish shell beads. These went over to a flying bird connector with a regular silver chain to finish it off. I didn't have a present for my grandmother yet, so I gave her that for Christmas. My aunt was very jealous. :D I'm making another one for myself because I liked it so much, but it's a much different version because I'm running out of those beads. And I have to go restring it because I crimped it wrong....blegh....
I also went and completely rephotographed every piece of jewelry I have for sale in my Etsy shop. It looks SO much better now, and I posted some new pieces of jewelry!
I promise to try to keep this up more often!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Update
Okay, so no pix tonight....my bad. It's been a long day. Hope everyone had or wished a member of the military a Happy Veteran's Day! And yesterday was the 235th birthday of the Marine Corps, Semper Fi!
Now that that's out of the way, time to get down to business. I bought a TON of stuff today at Michael's (20% coupon!) and already made a Chrstmasy-looking red bracelet with green dangles, and a dyed howlite necklace on leather cord. It's my first time using leather cord, so that was a bit of an interesting experience!
I got down to this one bit of howlite and the cord just stopped partway through. Rather disconcerting. So I finally peered through the hole and discovered it was uneven. So I went downstairs to see if my dad had a drill tip small enough to straighten the hole out. He did, looked at the stone and said it looked straight to him. But he gave it to my brother, since his eyes are younger and therefore better. So I followed my brother, threatening him that if he broke it, he was buying me a whole new strand. He looked at the bead and proclaimed it to be "not straight." I said something along the lines of, "I'll alert the media!" Case in point, he did straighten the hole--without breaking anything--and now I owe him a chocolate milkshake. The necklace is complete, and all is slightly better with the world. Now I just need to get my act together with my shop!
Now that that's out of the way, time to get down to business. I bought a TON of stuff today at Michael's (20% coupon!) and already made a Chrstmasy-looking red bracelet with green dangles, and a dyed howlite necklace on leather cord. It's my first time using leather cord, so that was a bit of an interesting experience!
I got down to this one bit of howlite and the cord just stopped partway through. Rather disconcerting. So I finally peered through the hole and discovered it was uneven. So I went downstairs to see if my dad had a drill tip small enough to straighten the hole out. He did, looked at the stone and said it looked straight to him. But he gave it to my brother, since his eyes are younger and therefore better. So I followed my brother, threatening him that if he broke it, he was buying me a whole new strand. He looked at the bead and proclaimed it to be "not straight." I said something along the lines of, "I'll alert the media!" Case in point, he did straighten the hole--without breaking anything--and now I owe him a chocolate milkshake. The necklace is complete, and all is slightly better with the world. Now I just need to get my act together with my shop!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Challenge Reveal
Here it is! The challenge necklace that took me eons to finally get the way I wanted! I ended up not using any of the additional beads that I wanted to use. The white chain was definitely a big challenge part. I loved the white cinnabar with the jade so much that I went and bought more to use by themselves! Anyway, I bounced back and forth between the focal I had gotten and the beads I had, first dangling the focal from the chain and then putting the chain at the ends for the clasp. I couldn't quite figure out how I wanted to use the light and dark beads together and they looked so wrong separated. I finally took it all apart earlier this week and came up with what you see here. I used a clasp I had also gotten from Michael's along with extra crimp covers because I truly loathe crimp beads and had extra space to fill. Hope you like it!
Okay, update: I forgot to post the list on here, and for some reason it won't post the whole thing, so I'm just posting the blog that was right after mine. Enjoy!
http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com/
Okay, update: I forgot to post the list on here, and for some reason it won't post the whole thing, so I'm just posting the blog that was right after mine. Enjoy!
http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com/
Saturday, October 16, 2010
I'm Back! *crickets*
I have no excuse for why it's taken me this long to update, especially since I've been on "vacation" this week....! But I HAVE been making jewelry and of course I haven't posted any of it because I haven't taken pictures because I'm lazy like that. But let's not beat that dead horse into the ground anymore.
So my mom says the other day that I should wear more of my jewelry so when people ask me, I can tell them I made it and direct them to my shop or comission a piece for them. But I said that most of the jewelry I make doesn't go with anything I have. So I decided to make some. But before I get to that.... Tuesday, I believe, my dad came up to me and asked if I'd make a necklace and earrings set for my mom, because their anniversary is in a week. AND he'd pay me....so of course I said yes and went to Michael's the next day and got a bunch of stuff, none of which I ended up using. I DID however, use the goldstone/blue goldstone swirly beads with blue goldstone rounds between them to make a very respectable-looking necklace, and then a pair of earrings with the leftover swirly beads. I'll post pictures tomorrow, because the light in my room is very green. I was kind of nervous, though, because the beads aren't traditionally "pretty." But my dad didn't say anything (aside from the fact my mom was 20 ft away), so I suppose it'll be all right. She does like goldstone. I even had some organza bags to put them in, although you can see right through them.
But anyway, I had a half-formed idea to do something with these purple glass and amethyst beads and silver rose chain connectors for my mom, but that kind of fell through in favor of the goldstone, because my mom tends to go for a more traditional look versus an artsy look....unless she REALLY likes it. So I decided to make a necklace for myself. Without stringing, because I hate crimp beads with a hot and fiery passion. Though it is faster. So I started laying out my necklace while watching the end of PotC 3, which I had started when I made my mom's. I was sitting on some pillows on the floor with my bead tray/mat in my lap. I made about a 20" necklace (again, I'll post pictures tomorrow)and had some beads left over. So I made a bracelet in the same style. and then I had a couple rose connectors left, so I used those in a pair of earrings. All of which I wore today. It was a little after 10 when I came into my room. I unfolded myself from my position on the floor, looked at the clock....and....12:37am?! Stringing is much faster, but using eyepins and findings is much prettier. Although my thumb hurts because I was bending the wire up against it for lack of another solid surface.
I also restrung my challenge necklace for perhaps the fourth or fifth time and was FINALLY satisfied. I made a couple of bracelets yesterday....or maybe it ws just the one.... And today I made some necklaces and a bracelet and restrung a bracelet that was just a smidge too tight. I will put pictures up tomorrow, along with the challenge pictures!
So my mom says the other day that I should wear more of my jewelry so when people ask me, I can tell them I made it and direct them to my shop or comission a piece for them. But I said that most of the jewelry I make doesn't go with anything I have. So I decided to make some. But before I get to that.... Tuesday, I believe, my dad came up to me and asked if I'd make a necklace and earrings set for my mom, because their anniversary is in a week. AND he'd pay me....so of course I said yes and went to Michael's the next day and got a bunch of stuff, none of which I ended up using. I DID however, use the goldstone/blue goldstone swirly beads with blue goldstone rounds between them to make a very respectable-looking necklace, and then a pair of earrings with the leftover swirly beads. I'll post pictures tomorrow, because the light in my room is very green. I was kind of nervous, though, because the beads aren't traditionally "pretty." But my dad didn't say anything (aside from the fact my mom was 20 ft away), so I suppose it'll be all right. She does like goldstone. I even had some organza bags to put them in, although you can see right through them.
But anyway, I had a half-formed idea to do something with these purple glass and amethyst beads and silver rose chain connectors for my mom, but that kind of fell through in favor of the goldstone, because my mom tends to go for a more traditional look versus an artsy look....unless she REALLY likes it. So I decided to make a necklace for myself. Without stringing, because I hate crimp beads with a hot and fiery passion. Though it is faster. So I started laying out my necklace while watching the end of PotC 3, which I had started when I made my mom's. I was sitting on some pillows on the floor with my bead tray/mat in my lap. I made about a 20" necklace (again, I'll post pictures tomorrow)and had some beads left over. So I made a bracelet in the same style. and then I had a couple rose connectors left, so I used those in a pair of earrings. All of which I wore today. It was a little after 10 when I came into my room. I unfolded myself from my position on the floor, looked at the clock....and....12:37am?! Stringing is much faster, but using eyepins and findings is much prettier. Although my thumb hurts because I was bending the wire up against it for lack of another solid surface.
I also restrung my challenge necklace for perhaps the fourth or fifth time and was FINALLY satisfied. I made a couple of bracelets yesterday....or maybe it ws just the one.... And today I made some necklaces and a bracelet and restrung a bracelet that was just a smidge too tight. I will put pictures up tomorrow, along with the challenge pictures!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Arg....!!
And no, I did not miss "talk like a pirate day"....I'm just a bit frustrated at, well, everything. Work is driving me up the wall, to say the least. Got my etsy shop up and I'm itching to start selling all the stuff I made Thursday but I can't because I want to replace the earwires and clasps with the good ones that are in my firemountaingems order and I AM JUST SO STRESSED OUT!!!! Breathe....the order will get here when it gets here, there's no rush.... Actually it's not jewelry making that's stressing me out so I need to go to my other blog if I really want to get it out of my system....! I just thought it would be polite to keep up this one, too....
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Etsy Shop Up & Running!....Kinda
So, I got my etsy seller's part up today....finally! I was super excited until I remembered that I wasn't going to list any of that new jewelry I made Thursday until I changed the clasps and earwires, which I can't do until my order gets here. Then I was a bit let down. And then I remembered my Gothic style Halloween necklace that I was going to sell anyway, took some pictures, did some cropping and now I have my first listing up! It's going to be a bit of a rough patch here in the beginning since I don't really know my way around selling online, but you have to crawl before you can walk and walk before you can run....!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Let Me Blow Off the Dust
Well! It's certainly taken me awhile to update! I finally finished my friend's necklace (BONUS!), now I'm just waiting for her sister to get back to me about where to send it, because I want to surprise her with it....
I've made a bunch more stuff now, and I can definitely see where my weaknesses lie. I. Hate. Crimp beads. They make me want to swear off beading/stringing for good. So we try to avoid them.... I need to find a better way to get a decent 90 degree bend out of wire when there's already another loop and a bead on there. It's just a 'be patient' kind of thing right now. I need to get better gold-looking findings, because I made a necklace and a pair of earrings with these gold findings from Michael's and boy have they gone....well, let's just say I won't be buying them anymore. I'm also struggling with designing something new. I try to get ideas for necklaces and bracelets and stuff but I have a really hard time articulating them into an actual product. Like today,I found a whole new line of stuff at Michael's and went nuts, but when I got it all home, I didn't know where to start. Earrings are SO much easier for me. Which is why I need to work on necklaces and bracelets more.
I'm starting to get stuff together to start selling on Etsy. I need to make a banner, but I have to do that on my desktop, because all my good pictures and graphics are there. I also need to figure out what a good starting amount of stuff is....I'm thinking 5 items, maybe? Which means I need to get those 5 items photographed and ready to go. Which means I need to find the CD for my camera, or just try it without it, or buy a memory card reader, which is generally safer for the camera anyway. I mean, if there's a power surge, it's much cheaper to replace the card reader than the camera.
I also need to get ready to treat this like my second job, especially if by some miracle it takes off. I'm really not setting out for the world record in sales or anything, I just want to be able to make some money back from all that I am spending and make a little extra. Because minimum wage will NOT support me for the rest of my life.
In other news, I somehow managed to do something to my upper back, which causes more than a little discomfort, but not as bad as if it had been my lower back. Unfortunately, I can't really do much about it until next week. It's a good thing and a bad thing that I don't work until late tomorrow. Good because I won't be standing all day. Bad because I'm going in late to help decorate for Christmas. Yes, already. Believe me, we've got plenty of merchandise! I'll just have to mention that I will NOT be doing any heavy lifting. And I'll eat a truffle and grab a mocha frappe to keep me going....along with some Aleve....!
Til next time, try catching a hummingbird--it's not altogether impossible!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDE4IUqlCXs
I've made a bunch more stuff now, and I can definitely see where my weaknesses lie. I. Hate. Crimp beads. They make me want to swear off beading/stringing for good. So we try to avoid them.... I need to find a better way to get a decent 90 degree bend out of wire when there's already another loop and a bead on there. It's just a 'be patient' kind of thing right now. I need to get better gold-looking findings, because I made a necklace and a pair of earrings with these gold findings from Michael's and boy have they gone....well, let's just say I won't be buying them anymore. I'm also struggling with designing something new. I try to get ideas for necklaces and bracelets and stuff but I have a really hard time articulating them into an actual product. Like today,I found a whole new line of stuff at Michael's and went nuts, but when I got it all home, I didn't know where to start. Earrings are SO much easier for me. Which is why I need to work on necklaces and bracelets more.
I'm starting to get stuff together to start selling on Etsy. I need to make a banner, but I have to do that on my desktop, because all my good pictures and graphics are there. I also need to figure out what a good starting amount of stuff is....I'm thinking 5 items, maybe? Which means I need to get those 5 items photographed and ready to go. Which means I need to find the CD for my camera, or just try it without it, or buy a memory card reader, which is generally safer for the camera anyway. I mean, if there's a power surge, it's much cheaper to replace the card reader than the camera.
I also need to get ready to treat this like my second job, especially if by some miracle it takes off. I'm really not setting out for the world record in sales or anything, I just want to be able to make some money back from all that I am spending and make a little extra. Because minimum wage will NOT support me for the rest of my life.
In other news, I somehow managed to do something to my upper back, which causes more than a little discomfort, but not as bad as if it had been my lower back. Unfortunately, I can't really do much about it until next week. It's a good thing and a bad thing that I don't work until late tomorrow. Good because I won't be standing all day. Bad because I'm going in late to help decorate for Christmas. Yes, already. Believe me, we've got plenty of merchandise! I'll just have to mention that I will NOT be doing any heavy lifting. And I'll eat a truffle and grab a mocha frappe to keep me going....along with some Aleve....!
Til next time, try catching a hummingbird--it's not altogether impossible!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDE4IUqlCXs
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