What I Did(n't) Get Done

Welllll, today was, not exactly a waste, but I could use a do-over.  Thought we were going to do our morning walk so I set my alarm early, and heard some shuffling around, but it was just my dad leaving to go somewhere early.  So, I rolled over and went back to sleep and figured someone would slam a door or something and that would wake me up.  Not so.  Woke up at 10.  Not cool.  I DID however, get registered for classes ALL BY MY LONESOME.  I got really excited about them, too, and was slightly disappointed to see that the Shakespeare class I wanted was full.  I'm done every day with my classes before 1.  My mom says this is good, and I can work a part time job.  I say I'll wait and see what my homework load is like with 15 credit hours of classes.  I would LIKE to be able to support myself with making jewelry.  A job at Maurice's, however, sounds enticing because I love that store.  I wonder how well they'll work with schedules.  And maybe I could go straight there after lunch and be home in the evenings, depending on how their shifts work....

Mental slap time.  Back to my to-do list for today.  Did not get laundry done.  Did not organize necklaces.  DID move hung earrings to a more out-of-the-way location.  DID get a necklace I'm considering as a signature piece made and it will be my entry for the door prize/raffle for the craft fair.  Did not order boxes from Fire Mountain Gems.  DID order two filigree/findings mixes, and three different kinds of earring backs.  Oh, well.  I might keep the boxes for shipping and wrap the things at the craft fair in tissue paper.  Sounds like a better plan, anyway.  I should start amassing some purple and gold things to get some ECU Pirate-y spirit going on.  Had a brilliant idea this weekend.  I was thinking of offering a discount for ECU students for my Etsy shop.  I'll tell them (somehow) to look for things on Etsy tagged "ecu" or "ecupirates" or "purpleandgold" and then to look for my shop, and use discount code whatever at checkout.  Seems like an awesome idea to me.  I've heard that there's somewhere on campus you can sell your stuff as long as it's ECU-themed. 

To-do list for tomorrow:  Morning--LAUNDRY.  Earrings?  Two pair?  Evening:  sleep.  Have to work early in the morning.  Well, opening shift. 

Night, all!

Been A While

Yes, I know it's been awhile.  I have no excuses.  I did start a Facebook page and gathered a few follwers in the hopes that it could meybe boost sales.  I'll be heading off to college in a little under two months now (!!) and I'm trying not to lose heart.  I really want to get things off the ground so I don't have to worry about juggling a "real" part-time job with 15-16 credit hours of classes--which is what they say you need to take to graduate on time.  Ugh.  Bonus:  I got alllll my earrings hung on little cards I ordered from etsy (with some help) and I'm going to set up a table at a craft show.  It's a great  deal, too: $30 for the table and entering 1 piece for a door prize, they don't take any of your profits.  Which is wonderful!!  I hope things start looking better soon, I really do.  And I just remembered that tomorrow I will be organizing all my jewelry.  I can't wait (did you her the sarcasm?).

Keep Plugging On

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!)

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!

PICTURES!!!!

So my Winston Churchill quote today said, "The short words are best, and the old words are the best of all."  I like that.  I think my favorite old phrase (or maybe it's just British) is "hey, presto!"  Pretty much the equivalent of
"Voila!"  I'm ignoring the fact that I haven't updated in eons and still haven't put pix up....okay, I'll do that now....

 The somewhat troublesome howlite necklace

Coral Earrings--I've got about 3 pair of them, I was trying to use up all my chips

Black Pearl swirly earrings--made in a fit of creativity.  I'm quite lucky I had all these stashed away from a very productive day as I had some earrings featured in a Piercings category.

Pearl and Jade earrings, very elegant.  Discovered a second pair and decided to keep those!



And...a Christmas-y looking bracelet!  Well, the colors are, at least!  I think I have enough to make one more, possibly!

There! I posted pictures! I've got some more necklaces I whipped up this past weekend, but I'll tell you about those later! :)

Black Friday Sale!!!!!!!!

Black Friday sale on my Etsy shop!  Use coupon code BF2CAH20 when you checkout to get 20% off of your order!!!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/tocatchahummingbird

Quick Update

Just a quick update because I'm tired and want to go to sleep.  I made a necklace with some howlite dyed to look like turquoise-- and there's a really funny story in that, but I'll save it for tomorrow :).  I finally got my shipping rates all figured out-- hallelujah!--so I can stop stressing about that.  I've got tomorrow off to make stuff and I'm really trying to get a bunch of stuff made to start selling for the year's biggest shopping season....but I'll get very busy at work also.  Busy at work=tired at home, but I'll make it work.  Somehow.  Now I need to go to sleep, 'cause it's been a looong weekend....!