Wednesday Night Accessories

Stormy Weather or Economy Schmeconomy

2009-06-07T18:38:00.000-07:00

The Thunders had a great time at Port Washington Pirate Festival http://www.portpiratefestival.com/. Katie made another friend, and so did we http://www.thedesignercomb.com/, we had friends from Illinois come visit, everyone was friendly, the weather Sunday was nice (although Saturday was cold and wet and windy), and for fair food, it was pretty decent. The hotel was very close and nice, but as it was a Holiday Inn, that is to be expected, breakfast with the pirates at NewPort Shores was fun http://www.foodspot.com/newportshores/ they had salmon on the breakfast buffet (yay salmon), and the festival staff were very helpful and only one incident of shoplifting that I heard about. OK, so that was the good. In grand NERO tradition, let me report on the bad and ugly as well.

The Bad - this one isn't bad really, but it could have been. Our rented tables were nabbed either by passers by or by other vendors that apparently needed tables more. The problem was solved, but with awkward tables, but tables nonetheless. I have named the organizer The Guy as I never did catch his name. The Guy found us some tables, and just in the nick of time, too. He also helped James cart one of the tables, a picnic table, to the tent where we were setting up. So, I had tables, The Guy was really nice and helped, so perhaps this should not be at the top of the bad list, but I'm going in no apparent order.

The weather stunk. Again. Each year, some weather phenomenon happens that makes the event stinky just a little, and this year it was cold wet and windy. Only the stoutest of pirates came because of that. Sunday's weather was great, though, but the only rush was after the pirate parade, and they seemed to walk through the vendor tent and not stop and look anywhere.

The cost of the hotel combined with the vendor fee for such a big show was really prohibitive for us, although we are going next year if they let us, it was a great time other than that.

Now for the ugly. Oh, the ugly - I think the battle cry of every vendor when the revolution comes is going to be "The Economy!". I didn't even cover the cost of the booth and hotel, let alone any other expenses that come with such a big venture. In my wildest dreams, I never thought I would make so little. I at least can hold my head up and say not only am I not alone in this, at both shows Ive been to there weren't much sales all the way around, but that I received gushing compliments from lots of folks. It's a small boost to my very wounded self confidence, but I'm not giving up yet. I just started, and I so want to see this through. I am really going to just have to hang in there and weather the storm.

Portraits Today and More http://www.portraitstodayandmore.com/index.html took fantastic pictures. It muyst be cold somewhere as I never intended to post pictures of myself, but here we are. James had just talked about a family picture, so done and done ;) I love it, which is wild as the camera and I have a mutual hate relationship ;)

Listening to( in my head anyway): Hoist the Colors, Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End

...And he can solder too

2009-06-02T10:33:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I thanked my friend Mrs Blocko for all the help she gave me Saturday with ankle bells, and she is coming again tomorrow for more sweat shop work. While I try to be thankful to those that have helped, I haven't mentioned how much my husband has done for me. Besides the support and care, he has built me a rack for my ankle bells, and whipped out his mad soldering skills ad soldered jump rings closed so my hair sticks are secure. He built a new website for me http://www.wednesdaynightaccessories.com/ which I have yet to advertise or utilize, but once the pirate fest is over, watch out baby!

Thank you James for everything you have done, said, and overlooked so I can make this hope a reality. I love you :D

Insert Witty Title Here

2009-05-30T21:33:00.000-07:00

Oh My Goodness! It's been so crazy at WNA Command Central that I haven't been able to get much of anything done besides make jewelry and spend money on supplies. The gem show came and went, with very little sales but something just as great, exposure. I had a great time there, and I'm looking forward to the next one. So many wonderful things to look at, and so many knowledgeable folks willing to take the time and explain about this geode or that gemstone or this technique. Thanks to Aum and Betty!

This weekend coming up is the Port Washington Pirate Festival. I am really trying to get on the ball with this show, have enough product, make decent displays, keep a good balance between cost, etc. Katie is at grandma's coincidentally, which helps me to get ready, but this show crept up on me, so I feel unprepared. Yes, I was hoping and hoping for this, but the confirmation came after the figuring on being rejected, so when I was accepted, I went into tornado mode and have stayed there. It isn't necessarily baptism by fire, but this is the biggest show I have done, and with the least amount of prep time. My song for the next week or so will be " I Have Confidence" from The Sound of Music. Hopefully next week's song will be " You Did It" from My Fair Lady ;)

Thanks to my sweat shop girl, Mrs Blocko! She came over and helped me crank out some great ankle bells. You are the bestest!

Hit the Ground Running

2009-05-11T11:01:00.000-07:00

Wow - when it rains, it pours. Now that I have been to the lawyer, Ive been looking at art shows, craft shows, and festivals to be a vendor at. The more I look, the more folks will contact me with more shows to do. It goes to show when you surround yourself with good people, good things happen :)

Now I have to sit on my hands and wait for some of the shows to confirm, and that is truly hard for me to do. I'm a problem solver. When there is a problem, such as an unanswered question, I can't leave it alone until it is solved. So my mind grinds until I get the answer I need. I do have one confirmed show date, though. Memorial day weekend I will be at the http://www.chicagolandgemshow.org/ thanks to my friend Aum. Aum and I are sharing a booth and we are both excited about it. She crafts silver jewelry so I can't wait to see her work.

Other shows coming up I am hoping for are http://www.portpiratefestival.com/ and http://www.duckon.org/index.html I've had to use James' old planner to keep all of my dates etc straight, which is funny to me as I have a great memory. This has just threatened to grow big quickly and I don't want to lose my grasp on it.

Goldfish - Fort Knox, Perceptions of Pacha

Life Lessons From Mrs Thunder or Don't Be Me

2009-04-22T19:55:00.000-07:00

Life Lesson #1: When going to the zoo on a perfectly sunny Spring day, make sure to A: wear sunscreen and B: Don't wear jewelry that is going to leave a tan line. Mrs Thunder, you should have learned this lesson from the countless times your husband was wearing a dew rag and had a tan line across his forehead. ( Can you guess which necklace gave me this mark? hint: it's somewhere on this blog. Mrs Blocko isn't allowed to guess as she and hers were with that day)

Life Lesson #2: Crafting is to be done sitting upright in a chair and never ever on the floor, especially for an extended length of time. It is really silly to do crafts on the floor if one does not like to sit on the floor to begin with, let alone for the time it takes to make a super duper long necklace. Please make sure not to sit on the floor while doing crafts ( I mean you Mrs Thunder).

Listening To: Machine Head - Beautiful Mourning, The Blackening

Time Out for a Great Cause

2009-04-20T13:53:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, just a quick note to point out one of the links I have on my blog. All of my links are great, but one is for a great cause. Please check out http://www.theovernight.org/ to see what a friend of mine is participating in, and make sure to support her at http://www.theovernight.org/?fuseaction=extranet.personalpage&confirmid=10013045

I am more than happy to help out where I can, so if you are in a fundraiser, walking for a cause, etc, please feel free to send me a message with the info and I will post it here :D

Artsy or Fartsy?

2009-04-18T04:40:00.000-07:00

Things have been rolling fast for me since I went to the lawyer. I'm waiting for a confirmation for http://www.portpiratefestival.com/ , I've been invited to a gem and jewelry show Memorial Day weekend http://www.chicagolandgemshow.org/ (thanks Om!), I'm looking at a few shows for the fall, I have been getting more compliments and passing out cards, and I finally have a genuine sale on http://mrsthunder.etsy.com/ . The gem and jewelry show looks to be promising, but I may have to rethink some of my materials. Although I'm not allergic to using sterling, I certainly can see the value of using affordable materials to reach a wider range of people.

I was on a beading magazine forum for a while, and while I made some nice online friends and found http://www.rings-things.com/ there (Russ is super), I found a large group of Always/Never people. Let me explain what I mean...

Fancy Nancy: I Only use Swarovski crystals and Sterling silver in my work
Snooty Rudy: I Never Ever use pewter spacers, they're cheap
Maddening Martha: I Always make All of my own everything, and if you don't you're lazy

OK, so the names have been grossly exaggerated, but you see what I mean. I ran into that A LOT, where the artisan who didn't use the materials or techniques that were thought appropriate by the always/never crowd were chided. It got so bad in there sometimes that arguments started in one thread spilled over into three or more other threads (like the fight scene in Blazing Saddles). It really gave my poor little ego a blow, and I finally left the forum. I haven't vowed against using precious metals and gemstones, but I do tend to get defensive when I hear someone use always, never, or only when they start talking about their work.

So what is your opinion? Do you appreciate artisans who can recognize the needs of their customers (and their wallets) or do you prefer to have value placed on your jewelry via the materials? In other words, do you dig the jewelry for the look, or for the things it's made of, or a little of both?

Listening to: Ruby - Flippin' the Bird, Salt Peter

Blogger formatting really hates me today ;)

Hey Look, It's a Picture!

2009-04-10T01:42:00.000-07:00

So other than the contest photo, my posts have been lacking pictures lately. I am happy to say I have remedied this. This is my first chunky chain necklace, and it will go up on etsy very soon. The necklace name is Violet Fire, and I am pleasantly surprised with the end result. I may do more chunky chain necklaces before the trend is over ;)

I am also very excited and wigged out at the same time. I just paid my lawyer to get my business up and running. Wednesday Night Accessories will now be a legitimate company, and I already have an application in for the Port Washington Pirate Festival June 5-7, 2009 http://www.portpiratefestival.com/ I'm also looking at other craft shows/art fairs/street festivals as this is where I have made most of the money (De Monet, De Monet) in the past, face to face. I will continue to sell online, whether it be my own site or through etsy. I've been given some good ideas on how to market bookmarks, thanks Gunda and Aunt Dar, I know what market I have to be super careful with when designing, thanks Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, and thanks to my family and friends who have been encouraging and supportive. Although I'm sounding like I won the Oscars, I am sincere in my thanks. It's so easy to dream and even easier to dismiss those dreams because of scenario A, or situation B, or what if Z. I always say "Don't lie on your deathbed with regrets", now it's time for me to put my money where my mouth is. And I didn't even quote Mel Brooks that time ;)

Listening To: The Doors - Riders on the Storm, The Best of The Doors

And the Winner is...

2009-04-02T06:37:00.000-07:00

Kristie Satterly! Her winning name is The Eye of Spring and was picked by James. Congratulations Kristie and watch for another contest in the summer!

Name That Necklace!

2009-03-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

My first contest and I'm so excited! This necklace has told me it needs a name, but I need help coming up with one. From now through March 31st, 2009, name this necklace for a chance to win $25 worth of Wednesday Night Accessories merchandise on my Etsy shop. The winning necklace name will be used to advertise the necklace on Etsy.

Here's how it works - Send me an e mail at Amy.WNA@gmail.com with your name and necklace name. I will post here and e mail the winner. Get your jewelry loving friends and family to enter as well, the more the merrier!

Good luck to all! Only one entry per person please :D

Too Legit to Quit

2009-03-23T03:58:00.000-07:00

Tuesday I am going to see a small business lawyer/accountant about getting my tax ID back and how to legitimize and protect Wednesday Night Accessories. There is a new act, Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, that seems very strict and complicated, so I will need help wading through the legalese. I am nervous about the whole thing, but very excited at the same time. Even if WNA does not go much further than it is now, at least I don't have to feel like I am being dishonest. I haven't sold a thing on etsy, the one sale that shows up is a trade, but it's more the craft shows I am looking to do that have me hung up, It will feel nice not to worry about what I'm doing wrong, just focus on what I am doing right ;)

Listening To: VNV Nation - Further, Burning Empires

Size Matters (or does it)

2009-03-07T05:52:00.000-08:00

I'm not promoting Godzilla, nor am I hawking Enzyte, although I did have a Bob moment when Portillo's made their jumbo hot dogs even more jumbo (yum). I am trying to figure out as a general rule if women like their necklaces shorter or longer. I personally like them short. My favorite look is a scoop neck blouse and a necklace with a big pendant laying on my chest. Of course I've always loved the turtleneck with the long necklace too, but I don't seem to do well in turtlenecks. So I'm wondering what you ladies are looking for. Are you a long necklace girl, or only in the winter, do you like chokers, princess length, etc? And for the men, when you notice women's jewelry, what do you notice most?

Pictures coming soon, I promise :D

Listening To: Stellamara - Szerelem, The Seven Valleys

Hobby Lobby (and Bankruptcy) Here I Come!

2009-03-03T07:13:00.000-08:00

My husband, James, like many of us, is facing lay offs with his company. He may find himself dodging the bullet, under the radar, among the survivors, or whatever phrase you want to use for being able to keep his job. In the meantime, I am trying to gather applications. I say trying as the few places Ive gone to have all said they are out of applications. One such place is Hobby Lobby. This would be my absolute first choice in retail, where I think I can find something faster and I might not have to explain away my 5 year absence from the work force. I'm sure you can guess my problem with working at Hobby Lobby, and that is my potential lack of take home pay. I mean, does a recovering alcoholic take a job as a bartender, does someone that attends gambling addiction meetings choose to live next to the casino?

So would you want to work in an environment where the temptation to spend your paycheck is a reality, or would you be happy enough to have a job you could enjoy and sock your money away like you are supposed to? ;)

Listening To: System of a Down - Radio Video, Mesmerize

To Trend or Not to Trend, That is the Question

2009-02-28T01:59:00.000-08:00

I haven't been creative lately save for the bookmarks, and I have been feeling the drain that it causes. The craft room slowly became a shambles, so I am cleaning it up again in anticipation of working in it. I have girly music on the mp3 player, a cool smelly candle, and diet coke so I'm good to go. Even when I am not crafting, I still watch the jewelry trends, and the one that has caught my eye is lots of big chain. I like the look, but I haven't utilized any chain in my own design. I haven't been drawn to try either. I also know there is at least one woman out there who can't stand the look. I watch channel 9 news in Chicago in the morning and at noon (LOVE them) and naturally I look at what kind of jewelry the women wear, and chains have been a big pat of their accessories. The play their voice mails, and this woman was very harsh with her criticism of the look. I like it, I just can't seem to find the desire to follow trends. I just do what the beads tell me to ;)

What about you? Do you follow trends, whether it be shoes, jewelry, food, etc, do you stick to what you know, or are you your own trend setter?

Listening To: The Cranberries

Inspiration or How the Muse Moves Me

2009-02-16T19:52:00.000-08:00

Although I've always loved music, I've never always loved concerts. My uninformed take was "just turn their album up loud and it's the same thing". Then I went to my first rock concert. James took me to a Tori Amos concert long ago, and it was great, but nothing like the Rob Zombie concert I went to with him. I soon started going to concerts with him and a friend of ours regularly, and I can tell you that there is nothing like live music. Real live music, not the pre recorded lip sync stuff. Music is like water to me, it has seeped into every corner, it has found its way into every part of my personality. There have been times that I have gotten a point across better with a song than with words. Music definitely is a part of my creative process.

Have you seen the commercial where a woman walks past a shop window, sees a brooch, and is inspired to go home and make nachos? I have had a couple of moments like that, where I see something and I get an image of a finished necklace based on what I see. Sometimes scent will help an idea along, sometimes a TV show, sometimes a friend's favorite color. I have found that inspiration finds me, and not the other way around. I think I may try an experiment. One day, I will go somewhere, maybe a museum, and search inspiration out for myself instead of letting it come to me. In the meantime, the surest way to get my muse to show is with music.

Listening To: Pink Floyd - Learning To Fly, A Momentary Lapse of Reason

Look Who's in the 21st Century!

2009-02-13T14:50:00.000-08:00

Long, long ago in a lifetime far, far away I was pretty savvy when it came to electronics, or at least I thought so. I could figure out how this appliance or that cd player worked with very little if no instruction , and I wasn't afraid of new tech gadgets. Fast forward to the present day. I have a good grasp on computer basics, and I can navigate the internet well (although I still use Yahoo! to browse). It's the new stuff, like blogging, myspace, facebook, that I am hung up on. I do blog now, Captain Obvious said, and I am just now wading in the waters of Facebook. I just don't know where I went from I Can Do It Myself to Hey Honey Can You Come Here A Second. I tried an all out assault on the internet and got so confused I did nothing. Apparently baby steps into social networking is my best bet. Baby steps aren't my forte. Maybe I can find a new patience download. Wonder how much hard drive space patience takes? ;)

Listening To: Oren Lavie - Her Morning Elegance (from The Opposite Side of the Sea)

PS Thank Rudy for spellcheck ;) ( Ask Bill Cosby who Rudy is)

back to basics

2009-02-08T18:16:00.000-08:00

Putting the finishing touches on a bookmark order feels really good. I haven't sat down and put together anything since I had some girlfriends over in November. These are special bookmarks as well. My aunt works with the mentally challenged, and she is really dedicated to her work. I am making these per her request to sell for a fundraiser. She provided the frogs, I am providing the rest, and they should make the center a little money. I also have an order to go out tomorrow. It's overdue but I hope it will be worth the wait.

The road to success is such a slippery steep slope, and I'm not a hiker by any means. I will get there, though. As my oldest friend says, In 2009 Wednesday Night Accessories will shine. She is successful, so she knows what she is talking about ;)

Listening to: Cree Summer - Miss Moon

Picture Perfect?

2009-01-21T19:47:00.000-08:00

I finally have the second photo studio from ThinkGeek. The lighting is brighter as well as both lights work, but the lightbox itself had lots of smudges. Other than that it seems to work well, with a whole lot of this angle and that backdrop, etc. This necklace is one I wear frequently, ad I must admit have gotten a lot of compliments on. I'm a blue girl at heart, but this one works well with a lot of my tops. Please feel free to critique the photo, and give tips and advice. I am very amateur at pictures. The camera and I have a mutual hate relationship if I am in front of the lens, but behind it I am doing OK I think ;)

Listening to: Mozart - Requiem

Close, but no cigar

2008-12-17T21:56:00.000-08:00

My husband, James, has owed me some cool photo equipment for our anniversary about two months now. It finally came in the mail, and one of the lights doesn't work. We have tested it out and it's not the bulb, so back to ThinkGeek it goes. We haven't had a problem with them in the past, and I'm sure this will get taken care of with no issues, but it was right there, I had it in my hand and now it's gone :( I am still not feeling it, but I really want to be. Trying to get back on the horse, but even the horse seems uninterested. A few days of rummaging in the beads may help, so I'm going to try that out.

Anyway, here is the set up from ThinkGeek

http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/cameras-photography/a205/

Once I get and test the new one out I will have to post pics. Wish me luck ;)

Listening to: Karunesh - Call of the Mystic

I need a big loan from the girl zone

2008-12-09T19:15:00.000-08:00

I need warm fuzzies today. Still no sales, so I am down. Any advice on generating more exposure to buyers? Barring that, any advice on something to keep my spirits up while I watch the views on etsy rack up with no sales to show for them? Help a girl out please ;)

Three - Oh, it's a Magic Number

2008-11-27T03:15:00.000-08:00

Saturday was such a perfect day to get together with the girls! We had snacks, made some cool jewelry, and made a new friend to boot. I always encourage folks to bring someone new, and one of the girls brought her new neighbor. It was nice meeting her, and a good time was had by all ;) Thanks for coming out everyone!

I was helping one of the girls make a set of earrings, and I needed a set amount of seed beads. Any number would do, so I asked her what her favorite number was. I'm not a numerologist, but I do have a favorite number, three. It quickly became my favorite after we found out that Katie was going to be an only child. Odd numbers have always appealed to me visually, but sets of threes really catch my eye. To be honest, I can't remember what my beading style was before the baby, but threes are in a lot of my work now. I will leave you to spot the threes, and not every piece may have that design but, like Schoolhouse Rock, three does happen to be my magic number ;)

Listening to: Gipsy Kings

Bead Therapy

2008-11-20T09:51:00.000-08:00

This Saturday some girlfriends are coming over to make jewelry and I'm so excited! I need a girls day, whether it be in or out, and being close to the holidays I'm sure they do too. When I was deciding on a new name, my best friend, Mrs Blocko, had suggested that I name it Bead Therapy, as that was partly why I was beading in the first place. I typed in Bead Therapy on Yahoo search ( I'm apparently not savvy enough to switch to google for searches) and this came up http://www.beadtherapy.com/ It's a brick and mortar store in Ohio, and I will admit although Ive never been here the name says it all ;)

Listening to: Imani Coppola - Legend of a Cowgirl

Things I can't do while crafting

2008-11-17T02:21:00.000-08:00

Now that I have utilized my craft room a bit more I have felt a bit more energy creatively. There are things that I do that will hinder the creative process, so while crafting I try and avoid these.

Eating Sunflower Seeds - I have a problem. There is no twelve step program for sunflower seed addicts, no group therapy, no patch. I have come to embrace my addiction and make it my own. This being said, I can't craft worth a darn while eating them. between constantly taking the shells out of my mouth and then having wet fingers, Sunflower seed eating doesn't happen while crafting, thus keeping my jewelry and costumes slobber free and the customers are very happy for this ;)

Talking on the phone - My best friend has this knack for doing everything with the phone crooked between shoulder and ear. I can't do this. I have tried and tried, I've had a shoulder rest, this didn't help. The only thing that seems to work is a headset and I always buy cheap ones that don't work well, etc. I'm left giving the caller my undivided attention until I can find a headset that really works and comfortable and inexpensive all at the same time, no easy task.

Watching TV - I keep trying to find the perfect craft - one that lets me watch TV while crafting. We don't have TV trays, and that would seem awkward to me to use, and I can't stand lap desks, and when I thought "Oh, I will take up macrame again" I found I can only really do this on a flat surface. Crocheting is not going well, I need to find a person I can look at while crocheting to see what I'm doing wrong. I suspect too tight a stitch though. I think Ive also discovered that I tend to watch the TV and stop crafting. Recently, Ive been trying to find a way to get satellite to work in my craft room. we have more televisions that humans in the house although only two are connected to the satellite. I may hook up a DVD player and see if I can work without turning to look at the TV, but I'm not placing any wagers on the success of that experiment.

Listening to music on the headphones - I adore music. If I am out I will have my headphones on, but I find that they distract me if I am in the house. I don't know if they keep me distant from the family, or I feel more closed in, or what, but if I had my way the entire house would be wired with speakers. I have also found that my headphone wire has come dangerously close to getting snipped while I craft, so there is that as well.

Sewing with footwear on - Footwear is the devil. My mom never wore shoes in the house, not even slippers, and I have followed in her bare footsteps. Now, I know the health benefits of wearing shoes in the house, but I can't seem to get myself to do it. And if I sit down at the sewing machine with shoes, it's as if the shoes are made of kryptonite. I simply can't sew a stitch until I get the one shoe off. I may be able to sew in socks, but usually that comes off too. I don't know if it's the sensation of touch that I need, but I do know that me and my child both use our feet as alternate hands. I pick up everything with my toes, and my daughter would hold my finger in her toes as a baby, like the monkey she is.

What vice do you love that hinders you from doing what you love, what distracts you during your creativity?

Listening To: Buddha Bar III

A Picture is Worth One Thousand Words / What's in a Name

2008-11-11T02:33:00.000-08:00

I have been pretty happy and quite surprised with the quality of my pictures. I am not a professional by any means, and I wouldn't even call myself a shutterbug, but for the most part they have been clean and bright. The question is, have they attracted attention? When looking on Etsy, do people stop on your item because of the content, or because of the feeling they get from the photo? There are so many lovely items on Etsy, and many of them are done in what I would call an artsy style, where the item is set against a background, or angles are emphasized in the photos, or the item is purposefully out of focus, etc. My photos, on the other hand, are straightforward. The focus is on the item itself, with no other bells and whistles to give you this impression or that. I'm wondering which is better, having my work displayed with some background, some angles, etc or just up front and stating nothing but the piece itself?

The other question that's been in my mind is this - should I give names to my jewelry? Again, on Etsy, it's common to name your work, but I've found that for myself at least, naming jewelry has felt like I'm trying to lead the customer to a certain feeling, when I just want the jewelry to speak for itself. I don't want to put a idea in my customer's head that wasn't there, or what if I name my piece Cherry Blossom and the customer thinks the name doesn't fit? And what if I inadvertently name two completely different pieces the same name over time? Do you buy jewelry based more on the look or do you buy it for the feeling it invokes, with the name?

Listening to: Istanbul Oriental Ensemble

Moving Day

2008-11-02T05:53:00.000-08:00

I've said before my dining room table is atrocious. I have layers of crafts, as if I am in a dig site excavating. I do have a craft room, and I have tried to use it in the past, but one thing or other kept me from doing so. All the crafts on the table keep me from having a sit down dinner with the family, so that's no good either. I'm going to attempt to move back into the craft room today, and I'm feeling really good about it. I have a roll top desk that I need put together, a dress form, and hope chest that is all antique, and I'm really feeling the pull to create in that space.

So tell me, where do you do your best thinking or creating, where is your favorite spot to let your mind run free?

Listening to: Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out

cherishing the past

2008-10-25T20:24:00.000-07:00

I know a good friend whose family had lost their matriarch about a year back. She was a dressmaker, as was her mother and quite possibly her mother. When my friend was telling me about breaking her house up, I asked if she had a dress form, and indeed she did. My Dad's side of the family is into antiques, so having an old dress form was very exciting to me. It also gave me the opportunity to honor someone's past.

To make a long story short, I was given the dress form just today, and I am so happy with it. It isn't adjustable, but there is just something about it that I love. Of course I had to dress her with a necklace ;)

The problem is I don't know anything about the dress form itself. It's got Majestic D.F. Co. on its base, but other than that I have no idea. Anyone out there with antique dress form knowledge?

Lemonade

2008-10-24T16:20:00.000-07:00

This past week or two have been a little nuts. Not a whole lot, but the family has been sick, James schedule was different, and the shinyness of having my work for sale online has worn thin. After 6 weeks I haven't made an actual sale save for one trade. I have asked those successful and anyone who will listen if it could be my work, my pictures, the prices, the shipping costs, and I haven't been given negative feedback except for some good advice on photos. However, I am like a lot of people on etsy right now. I'm trying to weather the economic storm, and trying to make lemonade where there are lemons. If I continue to create, then once the market allows us to purchase wants as well as needs, I will be ahead of the game.

I'm trying to motivate myself as best I can, without going the Stuart Smalley route. It's kinda trickling into my personal life as well, which can only be a good thing. Putting the good words to practice, though, now that is the thing ;)

Tell me how you motivate yourself and how you get from revved up on the starting line to crossing the finish line.

Listening to: Supreme Beings of Leisure

A to Zen

2008-10-18T21:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not a Buddhist. I even had to look up how to spell Buddhist just to make sure. Don't get me wrong, I deeply believe in acceptance and respect and appreciation of others' belief systems. It's just that I don't know as much as I would like to. I was talking with a wise man about my jewelry. I told him that I don't make the jewelry, it makes itself and he said that I have a very zen approach to creating. He did explain what he meant, as I have heard the term zen but really didn't understand the concept much. He went on to talk about a group of archers that believe that they don't shoot their arrow to the target, that the target draws the arrow to it. I had never put too much thought into my creative process, but I found that I did indeed have one.

My dining room table is atrocious, let me just get that out of the way. I will have to talk about my workspace in another blog but I do like having everything I use out and handy when it comes to jewelry. I will gather the beads I want to use, and sometimes I get it right on the money and sometimes I have to hunt for a different set. Once I have all the beads I need, I start stringing, and check my work frequently to see if it feels right. I don't use patterns or bead boards, unless its just to hold beads. As with the beads, sometimes I get the design right the first time, and sometimes I have to string and restring and restring again until it feels the way it should. I am very much an emotional person, I feel first then think. Sometimes it has worked for me, and sometimes it has gotten me into more trouble than I care to go into here ;) Let's just say that the jewelry I create has its own personality, and part of mine as well :D

Marketing Schmarketing or The Reluctant Blogger

2008-10-15T12:09:00.000-07:00

Back in the day, I was a leasing agent for some pretty swanky high rise apartments. I loved that job. I loved that life. I happen to love James more, and moved out to the suburbs, married him and had Katie. The thing about living in the burbs is that I've switched gears, and I'm having a hard time finding my niche in the handmade jewelry industry. I can market someone else's product with the best of them, but never felt too comfortable chatting myself up. I am definitely working on that as it's only the squeaky wheel that gets the grease, but it is hard to throw yourself out there. Ive passed out a few business cards, chatted frequently on Etsy, made sure I didn't walk out of the house with a naked neck, and started blogging. There are other tools on Etsy I can use, and I'm looking into those avenues. I've come up with one solution that I hope works.

there are several small salons in the immediate area, and I am hoping they will allow me to leave a small portfolio of my work and some business cards, a brag book if you will. These pieces will be examples only of my work, but if I still have the piece available I will certainly sell it. Folks can go online and purchase, or if they want it right away, I should be able to deliver it to the salon. I don't want to leave jewelry directly at the salons as I've had bad luck with consignment. Craft shows are a possibility, but the market is so flooded with jewelers and with no van I have to get choosy about which ones to participate in, also taking my family's schedule into consideration.

I'm sure there are lots of great ideas on how to get my name out there, and improve my game - please share :D

A Family Affair

2008-10-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

One of the toys I bought for my daughter, Katie, when she was tiny was some large baby beads that pop together. When she was a bit older, I bought her some very large acrylic beads with a large hole so she could learn to string. A couple of months before she turned 4, I had some girlfriends over, one being one of her teachers in preschool. We were beading, and Katie told her teacher that she wanted to make a "real" necklace, so I sat her down, got her some beads from my stash, cut her a length of wire, and waited for the constant interruptions and complaining that she couldn't get the wire in the hole. A while after, she calls out "I'm done", and much to my astonishment, her string is strung, not one complaint, not one bead dropped, nothing but a completed necklace. From then on, she had her own beads ;)

My husband, James, already worked with chain mail, and had bought a book on wire jewelry, which he put away along with several other hobbies. When he brought up the subject of wire jewelry again, I bought him a jig and some wire and another book, and so far he is really enjoying it. I hope no one clues him in to all the work I will want him to do for me, though I've already gotten a necklace and earring set out of the deal. He made the links, I just designed it :D

...My Favorite Things

2008-10-11T03:32:00.000-07:00

I've seen sidebars on blogs about things folks are doing, like what I'm reading, what I'm watching on television, what funny thing my kid said today, etc. Once I get blogging under my belt a bit more, I'm sure I will find a way to have my own sidebar with all of my favorite what am I doing now snippets, but in the meantime I'm going to chat about them here.

Music is such a big part of my creative process. In fact, it's such a big part of me as a whole. I listen to most everything, shying away from country music. Cowboy Junkies are the closest I get to country, and they aren't really country at all. Sometimes I pick the music to design to, sometimes the music picks the design. I'll chat in a later post about my design style, but my jewelry and music are certainly entwined.

Movies are something that my husband and I can always default to for some together time. The big three categories for the both of us are sci-fi/fantasy, action, and comedy. I watch most of the movies he watches, but I do like drama, romance, and musicals as well. I am a very emotional person, and tissue companies are glad for it. I've gotten a lot of great ideas for my work from movies and tv, and watery eyes to boot. ;)

I would like to say here that I am an avid reader, but I cannot. I used to read, on the train to work and back home again, and I loved that time to myself. Since I had a baby, though, time to read has been cut down to instructions on the macaroni and cheese box. I was convinced that once I turned 40 I would become illiterate because if you don't use a skill you lose it. I just turned 40, so we will see at what grade level I can read.

Crafters usually don't stick with one craft, and I'm certainly not one to go against the grain, much. I do sew, and I love sewing. I wouldn't call myself a seamstress but I can make clothes well enough and love costumes. I've also found that costumers are procrastinators, I don't know if that has to do with not wanting to change your mind in the middle of a project or if we are just procrastinators, but I've been known to sew buttons on while travelling to the destination of the place I'm going to wear said garment. I am also trying to teach myself crochet and gardening, took a class in cake decorating, and sometimes try and get creative with cooking. Jewelry, though, is where I seem to be able to make my mark.

So that's me - for now anyway ;)

The Name Game

2008-10-09T11:36:00.000-07:00

When my husband and I were expecting, we decided that I should stay at home. Lots of factors went into this, but one of them was money. It would cost me just as much to go to work as to stay at home. I didn't mind but for the issue of whose money was it then. He reassured me that it would be ours, and I could spend how I needed to. Even so, I wanted to bring in a bit of cash. I thought of selling jewelry at craft shows, and quickly came up with the name Wednesday Night Accessories, because at the time my best friend and I had been getting together on Wednesday evenings to make jewelry together. I had hoped she would join in a business venture with me, but life happened to both of us and her husband was facing the possibility of having to move for his job while I faced a difficult pregnancy and recovery. I made the motions of starting a home based jewelry business, but went nowhere with it. I let my tax ID lapse, and didn't think about it for a while.

When I picked up the notion to make jewelry again as a business, I was faced with a dilemma. I knew that Wednesday Night Accessories was a long name, but couldn't come up with anything else that I could relate to. On the good advice of a friend, I didn't go with anything too cutesy, but I am a storyteller, and needed to have my name have meaning. I finally gave in, going with my feelings, and took Wednesday Night Accessories again as my business name. Wednesday Night Accessories fits well with the type of jewelry I create, my best friend points out, it's casual and fun, not stuffy and stand offish. I love hanging out with the girls, and I love seeing them wear necklaces that I've made or even better, they have made while at my house. Wednesday nights are a time to unwind and face the rest of the week with good friends, and my jewelry fits right in with that feeling :D

Check out my work at http://MrsThunder.etsy.com/

Let's start at the very beginning...

2008-10-08T13:57:00.000-07:00

I could say that my foray into making jewelry started with an old boyfriend, but that's not exactly accurate. My grandmother started me out with macrame, in fact all of my crafting is due to her. I spent summers out in rural Iowa and she taught me how to sew, how to follow a recipe, gardening, chores, etc. I owe her much, and didn't really understand until well into my adult years. My 4 year old is following in her footsteps, though, and adores bird watching, gardening, playing outside, and all things nature.

It was an old boyfriend that really lit the jewelry making fire. Back in '95 we went to a shop owned by a couple of hippies and that store was heaven to me. I was introduced to my now favorite scent of incense - Nag Champa, the owners were awesome, and they had a large stash of beads, etc. The boyfriend thought putting together his own jewelry was a great idea and bought enough to make a necklace. He was so proud of that piece, and I slowly started making jewelry with him. Soon after we broke up but I was hooked. I've been making jewelry ever since and loving it.

Check out my work at http://mrsthunder.etsy.com/