Amazon & Etsy

I have wonderful news! I'm both thrilled and terrified at the same time.

I love Etsy and am perfectly happy there but with the tinkering they've been doing I'm just not seeing the growth I expected. I could whine and complain but that doesn't change a thing. I have consistent sales and from what I've read that puts me above average and I'm good with that so I'm not planning on leaving or putting my shop on vacation or anything like that.

When Amazon announced they were planning a new Handmade Marketplace I applied.
I applied ...... and I was accepted!

Statistically Amazon has 10 x the customer base @ 250 mil customers so my sales should increase at the same rate which would surpass my goals for the year. Which would make me one happy camper.

Crunching the numbers I need only three sales per day to make an income sufficient to contribute to household expenses. I didn't realize how much I missed that until the thought of being able to pay the bills even when the weather isn't cooperating with the bread and butter business became a possibility.

Amazon gives me the opportunity to create more growth. A lot more growth! That's where the terrifying part comes. I know I can handle three sales a day, I can replenish stock fairly quickly depending on what's selling. The terrifying part is Amazon has the potential to create much higher sales than that.  Amazon does something Etsy doesn't do, advertise. Amazon knows marketing, everyone knows Amazon!

Then this morning, my note from the universe was this:

"The Evolution of a Dream" 

Dream is implanted into brain. 

Dreamer becomes thrilled. 

Dreamer becomes terrified. 

If no action is taken, terrifying thoughts grow into flesh-eating monsters. Dream is considered unrealistic. 

If action is taken, Dana, terrifying thoughts are revealed to be paper tigers. Confidence soars, miracles unfold, and dreamer begins to saunter. 

Either way, nothing remains the same. 

Gr-r, 
    The Universe

If you're going to dream, dream big right? It's all about taming those paper tigers!

Hey if Etsy sellers are known as Etsians........ will this make me Amazonian? Wonder Woman here I come! Hello, Diana's eyes are only a tiny bit bluer than mine! lol

Wonder Woman: by artist Alex Ross

Thanks so much for stopping by!
We'll see ya next time!

Allow Me A Little Proud Mom Moment

My Son at Last Nights Honors Reception

I post a lot about my younger daughter, she graduates college in less than two weeks ... wow time flies! I don't post about my son nearly as often,  I've shared some of his jewelry over the years but  these days he likes to play with bigger pieces of metal and much bigger torches.

Alex is the youngest of my three and has really come into his own in college. I'm very proud of him and the direction he's headed. Last night I had the honor of attending an Honors Reception where the kids were referred to as our family. Students who not only have the intelligence but the grit that is required to become our future leaders and business owners, the people who will shape our future. Does that make a heart swell or what?

Thanks for stopping by and sharing in my Heart Swells!
See you next time!

A Little Bit of This A Little Bit of That

I've had the flu so it wasn't until just now that I realized I had no blog post! Yikes! Time to stock up on some posts again, I like having backups for just this kind of occasion.

She WON and Sold it!

News On the Home Front:

This weekend the kiddo was in her first Art Show outside of the University. She almost didn't enter as several of her friends whom she thinks are incredibly talented had entered and she thought she didn't have a chance. Good Mom that I am told her to knock it off, she is talented and she will never know until she tries just how talented she is. Well, kiddo took third! Yup she WON.  Insert Puffed Chest here, I am one Proud Mama! and may I say, the kiddo suddenly feels a little more talented, a lot more like a REAL artist (her words) and quite validated. Oh, the vase she entered also sold! Yup! Her goals for this semester are to make enough money to buy her own kiln, I'd say she's off to a great start!

Oh and on a completely sweet note.... kiddos BFF is getting ready to bring her little man into the world and welcome him into her arms. We're wishing her all the love in the world.

On the Desk:

I've been working away on the Year of Jewelry meeting my weekly deadlines. Some pieces I'm thrilled with, others are a learning experience. so all in all a good thing so far. This last week I doubled up, YoJ theme was squares and my first finished piece for B'Sue's Build a Line just happened to fit the bill. I like this piece a lot. I think it fits well with my existing stock and adds to my line beautifully.

Double Duty Squares and B'Sue Build a Line

speaking of  B'Sues Build a Line:

As you just read I've been working away. Lots of new goodies finding their way into the light of day. I'm excited about this new line. I love the style, I love the lines, I love how well it meshes with my shop and I'm excited for the cohesion and polish I believe it will bring with it. Two months is a long time to wait for unveiling but it gives ME lots of time to fine tune and write wonderful copy to go with.

In the Works:

I think it's time to have some professionally printed cards made up. I've been printing at home as needed and that has worked well but the computers update wasn't compatible with the software and the timing is serendipitous. I'm pretty sure I mentioned I've joined the Artisan Group. I'd like to have memorable cards to go along with that nice cohesive shop. New cards are officially on the To Do list.

Til Next time!
Thanks for stoppin by!

AJE December Component Reveal

As I said several times already (I'm just a little excited) I won the December component over at Art Jewelry Elements! The sweetest little snowflake from Diana of Suburban Girl Designs.

Diana's Snowflakes - aren't they CUTE!?

I got to designing right away, and with only a couple minor tweaks to the design I got my components made up fairly quickly. Then with a little sit and stare time I decided on the best way to assemble them all into a pretty sweet choker.

Only one moment of panic when I realized I had attached the filigree backward on the end of the beadwork and had to cut it back off and reattach. I really like this one, it's just so full of sweetness you just can't help but smile at it.

Pop on over to the Art Jewelry Elements blog with me to see what the others have made with their snowflakes. I'm sure they've come up with some gorgeous pieces of their own!

Thanks for stopping by!

See you next time!

The Rest of the Hop!

Monthly Winners

Dana Hickey..... You are Here!

Cate Van Alphen

AJE Blog Team

Lindsay M Starr

Linda Landig

Lesley Watt

Caroline Dewison

Susan Kennedy

Jen Cameron

Jenny Davies-Reazor

Melissa Meman

Kristen Stevens

In the Oven and What I'm working on ...

With the swap items finished up I can turn my attention to the color challenge proffered by Dry Gulch and the Art Jewelry Elements Snowflake ( I won one from Diana @ Suburban Girl Studios!!) I have ideas, oh have I ideas! annnddd..... I got a box of goodies fro Rio Grande. Silver prices dipped and I took advantage of it while I could. Yup I am going to try my hand at bezeling and flush setting itty bitty czs, yes I am I am. If you could see the grin on my face. This is the best end to the year/beginning, I'm a happy camper.

So since my nose is to the grindstone so to speak for the next couple weeks and and festivities Merry Merry to you and yours! I though I had better get a cookie recipe up here for you!

Yum!

These are MY all time favorites they never hang around my house very long.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Ingredients 

• 48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
• 1/2 cup shortening or butter (shortening keeps them fluffy but butter tastes better)
• 3/4 cup  Peanut Butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• A couple Tbs of granulated sugar for rolling the balls in

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. 

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. 

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet. 

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. (my oven likes the 8 minute mark)

5. While cookies are baking remove wrappers from kisses. 

6. With about a minute or two to go press kisses into the center of cookies and return to oven; cookie will crack around edges. 

7. When done remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 48 cookies of yummy goodness.

We're thinking of making some sugar cookies this year so maybe we'll post the recipe next week.

Thanks for stoppin by!

Merry Merry!

Dana

25 Sketches: Number 8

On the desk I have beads pulled for several sketches, beads pulled for commissioned pieces and then the spin off designs that develop as I work on these things. Now, my brain needs clean for numbers, but it thrives on having beads everywhere for creating. The ideas come fast and easy when the beads are out, but there is a fine line between inspirational and overwhelm.

I received a couple packages from The Hole Bead Shoppe and House of Gems in the mail this last week... YAY Me!! Most of the beady goodness was placed with projects just waiting for this or that and then a couple new ideas sparked and beads came out for that and I crossed that line into overwhelm. I can work with a lot of beads out, but I couldn't even see my desk anymore! This is what it looked like AFTER I cleaned and put some things away. What you don't see are three stacks of trays to the left and two to the right or any of the tools that live on my desk! No the file doesn't live there, it lives in a drawer to the right.

There IS a desk under there somewhere!

Completely overwhelmed I had too many ideas, too many projects I wanted to play with right now and all my trays were in use. So I decided, I would work on one small sketch for earrings (they had been waiting on the Coral and Sterling Silver beads I got from House of Gems), then I'd play with the awesome kit I got from The Hole Bead Shoppe and then I could get to work on my idea for Stringing Magazine (that's one of those spin off/sparked ideas lol)

The small coral beads I got from House of Gems were perfect for the earrings I had drawn in sketch number 8. I had some Bali style silver drum beads I thought would look just gorgeous paired with some turquoise and coral and I think I was right, but I'll let you be the judge of that. I think these will be the matching earrings to an embroidered piece I'm getting ready to work on with lots more coral and turquoise! If it lives up to the design in my head it will be a stunner!! At the very least gorgeous :)

One of the things I ordered from House of Gems was a divided bead tray/organizer. I have several triangle trays and they are perfection for pouring beads back into their tubes or baggies but I have the really bad habit of setting tools down right next to them while they're full of beads. You guessed it, I flip a tray pretty much every time I use one, sigh. I've seen the little egg trays and water color paint trays used but I just knew I'd have the same problem of flipping them only multiplied! So when I saw this little gem I had to give him a go!

It's Lidded!! 

Yes, I am beading on top of the MacBook. You saw, I have NO room on the desk!  However, I did move the beads over on top of the sketch book right after I took this pic. I dropped a 2mm czech fp bead and it headed straight for the keyboard and gave me 2mm palpitations.

This little tray is cool! Not only is it a solid bottom with very little chance of flipping but it's lidded! That's right, I can close the lid and walk away without putting my beads away or worrying about the fur babies flipping trays while I'm not there to protect the little beadies.   It has 8 compartments so I can have beads for more than one project in it, say like now while I'm waiting for an order of more of those sweet beads, and I get to work on that necklace idea for a submittal to Stringing Magazine. AND because the compartments are triangular they pour back into baggies pretty nicely themselves. I haven't tried a tube yet but I've got several pulled for projects on the desk....

Design by Rae Burns of The Hole Bead Shoppe

Well, I'd better get going! I'm pretty sure there was one more thing on the to do list today if I can just remember what it was!! .....

Thanks for stoppin by!
We'll see ya next time!

25 Sketches #7

Skipping a sketch - not really it's still in progress on my desk but these gold and pink beads were calling. I've actually had this color combo on my radar for months and when I finally had them on my desk they demanded I play NOW!

I gave a preview of the beads on Facebook last week but it's been a busy time around here with lots of really good things happening and I kind of slacked on my Facebook postings. Here too obviously as it's Friday as I write this...ooops!

Beads!

Sketch number 7 & Beads

and the finished earrings!

Sketch number 7 Earrings

I rather like these and am really glad I decided to listen to those little beads. I'm also really enjoying working with my sketches again and am really happy to see them coming to fruition and am looking forward to sharing number 6 with you next week.

My advanced copy of Tammy Powley's book arrived and I have two pieces of jewelry on page 275! woohooo me! I bounced off the walls pretty good for a couple days off that one :) 

and...... today is my middle child's 21st birthday! We live in a dry county (No Alcohol - yes those places still exist) so we made a Rum run to the next county over and will be making Strawberry Daiquiris tonight. Normally birthday dinners are decided by the person whose birthday it is, but she doesn't seem to be able to decide what she wants...... so who knows what we'll be having. We may eat while she drinks lol 

All in all a good week! Here's hoping yours is/has been as well!

Thanks for stoppin by!

We'll see ya next time!

I've gone Toothless!

Really I have! No, no, I still have all the teeth in my head that I had yesterday..... My pliers have lost their teeth! Yup they've grown up!

The yellow pair were my very first pair of pliers. When I was 16 and had just gotten my drivers license, the very first thing I did was drive to the mall. No surprise, I was 16. But I didn't drive to the local mall, no I drove to Sun Valley Mall. They had a bead store, Bead something, it's been so long now I forget the name but I loved that store it was pure joy. Chain, beads, findings, tools....happy sigh. I don't have a bead store local to me now either sigh, I do have a Hobby Lobby and a Wal Mart, but it is just NOT the same. I bought those first pliers on that first solo trip to the mall along with some beads and chain, I still have some of those too, but will save that post for another day.

As you can see in the close up those little yellow pliers were toothed. Toothed pliers are what I learned on all those years ago. I had egg shaped loops quite consistently and some scarring of metal on a regular basis too - death grip will do that.

The red and black pair my hubs picked up for me at the hardware store some 10-12 years ago.  I was making some wire baskets from fencing and needed a better grip. At that time I was just starting to work with wire as a primary component rather than purchased head and eye pins. As you can see they too are toothed. But by this point I was making round loops pretty consistently :) though an egg does sneak in from time to time and scarring does occur if I get frustrated and grip too tightly. Thankfully, those are rare occurrences these days too.

Death grip is the main cause of scarring metals, as you can see I've used toothed pliers exclusively for a lot of years and I don't have a lot of scarring in my pieces. On those rare occasions I do, I file and buff them out but that does take time too and eliminating the teeth would go a long way in eliminating those last bits of scarring. So I made the decision to buy toothless pliers, not going to lie, that was a scary decision. I've been using toothed pliers for a very long time and I wasn't entirely sure I'd like going toothless.

Rather than plunking down $50 or more for Lindstrom, Tronex, or Swanstrom I went middle of the road. I have never heard a bad word about Wubbers, in fact it's been all good and trusted I would have the same experience.

Sadly, this last week has been crunch time for taxes and I've been dealing with new software and trying to hunt down missing categories..... ahem can we say operator error, I really need to delete unused categories so things don't keep going awol...... as you can see that meant no real time to play with my new toy. I did however, pick up a piece of wire and squeezed the life out of it - um it flattened, and then it made a very pretty round loop..... no scars, none. NONE!

I think i'm going to like having gone toothless, I think, I'm going to like it ALOT! I am really looking forward to having some playtime this week!!

Thanks for stoppin' by!
We'll see you next time!

Bead Soup is coming......

Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party

It's finally my turn!

I truly am blessed, my circle is a wonderful one. My family is loving and supportive, everything I could ask for, and so many of my friends are of the talented variety. Many of whom have been published in magazines and books and I just couldn't be prouder! A couple years ago I made the decision (actually resolved to - yup it was a resolution) to put myself out there as well, I started blogging, actually joined a blog hop and started sharing the jewelry I was making. When I was in my 20's this would have been a natural extension of who I am. But as I've gotten older I seem to have coccooned myself up here on my hill. It's safe, warm and comfy - it is my comfort zone and I like it here. I had almost forgotten how to put myself out there and it was scary but I finally did it.

While I had resolved to put myself out there it was my friend Jean Yates that got the ball rolling. I really didn't have a clue as to what to do, but she encouraged me and had me contact a few people. Resulting in some of the nicest rejection letters I could ever receive! Your work is beautiful, just not what we have in mind, please keep submitting we'd love to see more.

Finally I got the are you still interested e-mail and I definitely was! A Designer Challenge from Bead & Button. We were all given the same wonderful beads from A Grain of Sand ( I have actually been drooling over their website for some time now )and were asked to create something using the beads we were given. I LOVE this type of challenge and knew it was going to be so much fun! Psst! the issue is available on the newsstands now!

Once I received the beads, I got to work designing several pieces. I had came across the term parure and knew immediately that was what I wanted to create. A suite of pieces designed to be worn together or separately as the mood strikes.

I created a pair of earrings that matched the tassel on the main piece. A multi strand brass, crystal, and pearl necklace. A single strand of small pearls on brass. And of course the main piece with that gorgeous Mabe pearl and embellished RAW. The focal was my interpretation of an Art Deco piece I found while researching. I also made a multi strand bracelet featuring Vintaj filigree as the connectors/clasp. I love this set!

Close up of the connectors I made for the multi strand that was chosen for the magazine.

So there you have it! My first!! published piece. It's been several months since I was first contacted and I have to say I am still just as thrilled as I was the day I got the e-mail. I think I may have to keep putting myself out there, I had forgotten how fun it can be!

Thanks for taking a peek!
We'll see ya next time!

Of Family and Soldering…

and how simple changes can make a world of difference.

I want to to make stacking rings so badly that even though I have struggled and struggled to master soldering, I keep trying and trying and trying. For several years I’ve tried. I’ve struggled with the right torch, the right flame, enough solder, too much solder. I have adjusted every little detail I could think of save one.

This weekend I thought I would give it yet another try. Several hours and complete frustration later I was ready to give up. I didn’t though. I marched myself over to you tube and found my friend Melissa Muir’s videos. Melissa goes into great detail when she makes a video. She explains the what and the why right alongside of the how. Being left handed I need that as mentally I have to flip all I see in my head in order to mirror the actions and there are no classes local to me where I can just be told I’m doing something wrong and how to fix it.

I found a video that uses soldering and clicked. It hadn’t played for very long before I hear, you can’t just use any flux…. What? The solder won’t flow properly ….. serious? The ONE thing I never once considered.



Found a quickie how to make a boric acid flux and voila! I CAN solder! Happy Dance! I still need practice, obviously, but I am now wearing two copper stacking rings and am planning several more. This one seemingly small detail has made a world of difference for me and opens up another avenue of jewelry making I’m excited to explore!

As I mentioned in an earlier post my Grandma was gravely ill. They had decided it was time to send her home to hospice care and allow her to die in her own bed. I was heartbroken to say the least. But before my Mom could bring her home another Dr stepped in. He studied her charts and her file. Talked to my Mom and Uncle, actually listened and then made a simple change in her medication. This made such a huge difference he decided to take an xray of her chest and found a pocket of fluid pressing against her lung. She wasn’t suffering from congestive heart failure at all. Her recovery has been nothing short of miraculous! She’s currently in an assisted living center for physical therapy. She will be coming home, not to die but to live!

Never underestimate the power of small changes and persistence. They can pay off in very big ways!

oh and Yes! I am still going to donate my hair. I’m thinking another 12 inches is in order this go around. That leaves me enough to make another donation in the future.

Thanks for stopping by!
See ya next time!

What's on the Desk...

I could have sworn I posted last week, but I don't see the post I could swear I posted. Then again I had an entire post worked out in my head on Monday and thought I had written it to post on Tuesday but nope to that too. sighs

Turns out the broken tooth is a dead tooth and needs to come out, next week in fact. But I get a brand new one in it's place. Looks like I'll be pretty loopy for a day or two so if my post is a little incoherent please accept my apologies in advance!!

Erins most awesome little bead is still on walk about, sooo we've postponed our reveal date. On the bright side, Paige and I have decided on the design for it once it does arrive. I'm really looking forward to working on that with her this weekend.

What I have been working on the past week or so is my Design Challenge piece for Bead and Button. ooh I had so much going on last month I don't know if I actually said anything here. I - are you ready? - was chosen - I'm so excited!! - to be one of the designers to participate in Bead and Buttons Design Challenge!! I've been giddy ever since! I received the most wonderful assortment of beautiful little baubles from A Grain of Sand. I drool over that site on a regular basis as it is but now I'm drooling over my own desk lol I have been having so much fun playing with these and I'm so happy with the way it's all coming together - I wish I could show you....... but you'll have to wait for the February issue. Don't worry I will remind you {HUGE GRINS} so excited, does happy dance back over to my desk. haha new laptops are awesome you can dance with them!

Thank you so much for stopping by!
We'll see ya next time!

Beads, Cameras, and Computers

Almost sounds ominous doesn't it? Maybe more so if you have a daughter who is in the midst of creating a digital drawing of an evil sea creature. She used to write slasher stories in creative writing, now she channels that energy into hearts that eat their way out of the chest and evil mermaids. I have come to the conclusion it's her way of dealing with stress and uncertainty, it's her release. The scarier her creation is the happier she becomes, we all should have such releases.

I've finally gotten the computer, printer and time capsule networked and everything is wireless! Yea me! Those few necessary wires are hidden away so it all looks very clean - at least there aren't loose wires lol Clean is relevant!! The only problem is, while I was tucking away those few wires and stashing the surge protector, I whacked my elbow on the corner of the computer desk. It hurt, not as much as it could have, but my left hand (I am left handed) has had numb and or tingly fingers with intermittent loss of fine motor skills i.e.: I drop things if I rotate my wrist and can't quite feel the stopping point when using pliers. If I touch my elbow where I whacked it I can send an electric jolt down my arm into my fingers, that was actually kind of fun the first week, but now I'm ready for it to heal up and give me back my hand. I did a little research over on the Mayo Clinic website and it looks like when the swelling that is affecting the nerve goes down my hand should return to normal. My neck and shoulders have also been extremely tight lately, which I'm sure is a contributing factor.

Art has always been my release (wonder where the kiddo gets it from?) so I thought I'd work on my Hoarder pieces, I had been putting it off waiting for the feeling in my hand to come back. It's going much slower than I'm used to and making matching wire swirls is a little tougher than normal but I can feel the stress levels easing. Looks like I will actually have a couple somethings to show at blog hop time, I was starting to worry I wouldn't.

I know I've been running late with my blog postings the last couple weeks, numb fingers makes typing interesting too lol I laugh but I do apologize for my tardiness. So, last post I promised I would write about the beads I received from Lori as winnings from Bead Soup 7. Lori sent these awesomely sweet vintage beads.







Aren't these all just gorgeous little things?! Thank you Lori! PJ Tools I appreciate you! One can never have too many pretty things :D

Thanks so much for stopping by!
See ya next time!

Care to Dance?

As you know my poor old Mac died back in October ....sighs, I loved my Mac but it was seven years old and even the best Mac is still a machine and parts fail. At the time my younger daughter had just bought a new Mac laptop and so has been letting me share with her. In essence I broke in her new computer, she is such a good kid! well......... Guess what I just did??

If you guessed just bought a new Mac... you're right!! I probably could have saved a little money and bought another desktop - we know from experience they last 7-10 yrs. Longer if you don't mind the os being obsolete, my old 90's Bondi Blue still works, it just GROWLS and takes its time, freezes at will and is generally too old to do ANYTHING online lol But, having used a laptop for the last several months I have gotten quite used to being mobile and I like it! Judging by the length of time my kids have had their Mac lap tops I feel safe in making this Mac purchase and I am soooo excited!

Order confirmation estimates I should have my new baby in 2 or 3 days!! Happy Dancing with me yet? If not, why not??

Keeping this weeks post short and also apologizing for missing last week! oops!! Not really sure how I managed that, I was busy but not THAT busy, guess time just got away from after having prescheduled several posts before. I should write a few posts and keep them in draft for times like this. I think I've said that before, might actually be a good idea!

I'm off! Thanks for stopping by! See ya next time!