Look What I Got!

I's my new handforged bronze ivy leaf from knitsteel over on Etsy! It's the coolest thing! I can't stop touching it to feel its surface texture. It's quite smooth and wonderfully crafted to say the least. The color is beautiful. I don't know what I was expecting but it is beyond my expectations.

This piece is very warm and rich, with a lustrous shine and beautiful contrasting dark patina. I have no idea what I'm going to use it for. It could be a pendant, keychain, talisman, etc., as Kirsten states in the description of these little beauties. Right now I just can't seem to put it down. I keep reaching for it and holding it, rubbing it with my thumb to feel it over and over again. It's just really, really great.

Kirsten makes truly unique and stunning works of art. You should visit her shop, her photos on Flickr, as well as her blog to find out more about her and how she makes these and all of her gorgeous pieces. (She is also a member of Etsymoms as am I.)

I feel lucky to have obtained this little work of art for myself, and I'm thinking about getting more for Christmas presents, they are so unique and wonderful.

Thank you Kirsten! I love it!

P.S. Kevin has now taken to calling this piece his 'lucky charm' and wants to keep for himself! I may just have to get another one so we can both have our own! :D

New Avatar Help

As stated in an earlier post, I'm thinking about changing my avatar. Here is what I have come up with. I put together a collage of thoughts and it includes my present avatar. Should it be something that is in my shop or would it be all right to use something that has sold already? Can I enlist your help in choosing a possible new one?

50th Sale!

Yay! I'm going to toot my own horn for a moment here. I finally reached my 50th sale in my Etsy shop! One of my oldest remaining sets (but sold separately) finally left my possession and went to Michigan. I waited to post about it until I received feedback from the customer. Not only did I receive glowing feedback, I got a quick email note from my customer and had to pass along what she said:

"Hi Ginger!

Thank you so much for the quick turnaround. I love the new set, it is gorgeous! I'm attending a late college graduation ceremony next weekend, and I look forward to wearing my beautiful new jewelry. I left positive feedback for you on Etsy.

I appreciate the beauty and creativity you put into your art work.

Take care,
(customer name)"

I was thrilled to get this note from her and very proud she thought enough of my jewelry to wear it to such an important function. I'll be right there with her in spirit! To this customer, thank you very much! You have made me smile and filled my heart with joy!

***

I also learned that my avatar set will in fact be worn for a wedding. The customer is getting married on the beach in Jamaica! Wow! How cool is that? She is going to send me photos (I hope) so I can see it on the bride. I'm looking so forward to those pictures.

To my customer, congratulations!!! I hope you have a long and happy life together with your new husband. (You're sure getting off to a great start in Jamaica!)

***

So many beads and so little inspiration. I have to confess that I have recently bought quite a few new beads but just can't seem to find the inspiration now to create anything. It's been raining cats and dogs here at mom's and being inside has put a damper on my creativity. Anybody else get that way? I have only created four new things and photographed them, but I'm not at all satisfied with the pics. Not that they're bad, they are just kind of lifeless. I've always struggled with my photos and this time I'm struggling even more for some reason. I can't get the lighting to suit me or the pieces; they just seem blah or something. They don't jump out at me and I'm just getting very frustrated.

Now that the sun has come out today perhaps I will become inspired again and get something done. I'm going to re-photograph the pieces, somehow. I may get really wild with them this time, who knows?! It just seems like I can't do them justice, but maybe the sunshine being out will help. I do like using the light tent in daylight. I like the look using daylight. But if anyone has any suggestions on product photography for pretty, shiny things please let me know! I'll try anything.

Take care everyone! I hope you are not all being flooded or in a drought either. May your day be well and happy!

Until next time....

Goodbye To My Avatar Set!

Of all the sales I have had, the sale I made today on Etsy is one of the most meaningful I have had yet. Today a customer bought the set I use as my avatars for both Etsy and Flickr.

I have loved this set since the minute I made it. It's so dainty and feminine, and in my opinion quite elegant and lovely. I made it over a year ago and I have always just loved it. It was my first pearl piece. It was my first briolette wrapped piece. It was my first set. Today I got to say goodbye to it and sent it to live in Texas. I am understandably excited and happy about it moving.

When I made this I had "bridal" in mind. I don't know if it will be for a bride or not, but it doesn't matter. Whatever occasion it is worn for, they will be wearing a little piece of me each time they put it on, and that's how I feel about all the other jewelry I have made and sold. Knowing that always makes me smile, but this one was a little bit special.

I don't know about anyone else out there who sells on Etsy or elsewhere, but when I make a sale I feel so proud yet humbled at the same time. It's a very special feeling knowing that someone likes what you have made. And getting the package ready for when the buyer pulls it out is always fun for me. Whether inside a bubble mailer or a Priority box, I want the customer to feel special when they receive their jewelry. I haven't yet gotten my packaging exactly the way I want it. I have in mind what I want but haven't quite found where to get it. I'm going to be working on that in the near future. When I get what I want I'll post a picture.

So I finally say goodbye to my avatar set. I truly hope my customer wears it in good health and treasures it for a very long time to come. It meant a lot to me while it lived here in North Carolina. I hope it means a lot to them in Texas. Thank you.

My First Customer Appreciation Photo!

earrings, originally uploaded by wagsdot911.

This week a customer photographed herself wearing the kyanite briolette earrings she bought from me last week. Then she did the sweetest thing...she posted the photo on her Flickr! I was thrilled! My first customer appreciation photo!

What an absolutely wonderful customer and person she was to do this. I can't thank her enough. Wagsdot, you made me smile inside and out, and I felt so very proud you chose my earrings as your first Etsy purchase. Thank you again, so very much! They look really good on you!

I Was Featured on the EtsyMom Blog!

Yippee! My 'Lemon Ice' earrings were picked to be featured on the EtsyMom blog! Check it out!

Thank you Madeline! I appreciate it! Go EtsyMoms!

And if anyone is interested, I have more lemon quartz beads and seed pearls. I can make more than one pair of those earrings!! ;)

When Kids Get Quiet....

red marker "chickenpox", originally uploaded by msbellee.

Well, this is what happens when they get quiet! And he had fun doing it to himself, or so he says.

I don't know why, but Kevin gave himself 'chickenpox' with a red Sharpie! ALL OVER, from head to toe, he has red dots. He even practiced writing his letters on one leg!

He did all this while I was on the computer editing pictures for Etsy. By the time I realized he had been quiet for a while it was too late. He told me he went behind the recliner to do it. I didn't catch him in the act. I was so engrossed in what I was doing that I didn't even miss him. But then he came out and showed me! I couldn't get mad. It was too funny!

He said he wanted to give himself chickenpox. I don't know if he saw it on Clifford or one of the other shows he watches, but something put the idea in his head. The bad thing is that it's not washing off very well. Other than that, when I look at him I just smile! I told him that he might have to live like this for a while until it wore off. He just looked at me and said, "It was fun Mommy. I don't care if it doesn't come off." So then I asked him what would happen if it never came off? He just shrugged his shoulders like he didn't care!

Oh, well. I don't know if he learned a lesson or not, but I did. When kids get quiet, they're up to something! And I hid the markers just in case.

July Fourth Fun

Sparkler, originally uploaded by msbellee.

Kevin had a blast yesterday with the sparklers and the poppers. I did too. Our driveway is littered with trash left over from shooting off mortars and other noisy pretty things. That's ok. It was worth it. You only get to do this once a year, and even then it's illegal in NC to have fireworks. Shhhhhh. Don't tell anybody!

Then we went to Carowinds to see the fireworks display. It's always so pretty, and so loud! We picked a really good spot this year. It was a great vantage point from which to view the extraveganza! And boy it was colorful. My pictures don't do it justice. I don't like to take pics at night because I'm no good at it. But oh well. It still creates a memory for Kevin of the fireworks!

I hope you all had a great holiday also. I can't wait to see everyone's pictures and read your blogs! I have more pictures on Flickr of the fireworks. Please feel free to visit!

Treaury Lists

We all know and love it: the Etsy Treasury. What a wonderful place to be recognized for your work, even if just for a few fleeting moments. And if you get the chance to create your own list, you get to recognize others for their accomplishments in return. In the back of your mind you go there searching for that gold star, always wondering if you are hiding in there somewhere on someone's list, just waiting to hit the front page for your 15 minutes of fame!

Well, today my dear friend Stephanie did make the front page!!! Wahoo!! You go girl! I raise my glass to you and your beautiful salmon knotted necklace! It's a lovely piece and so is the front page as you grace it in this wonderful list.

Doesn't her necklace just light up the front page? :)

I'm always checking the treasury to see what's there and who created lists of what, and yes, to see if I'm in there somewhere. I have found so many wonderful artists by scouring the treasury. I really like the concept. I do wish they would get all the kinks worked out finally. I used to love seeing who was in there looking around and chasing the little icons all over the screen! I miss that. It was fun. And I miss knowing how many people were viewing a list at one time. I guess it's just good that we still have a working treasury at all thanks to Jared. I still like it. It's still fun. And I always look for my friends on the front page and jump up and down for them when they are!

I felt so thrilled when I saw you there Stephanie! It was like I had made the front page with you! Congratulations!

***

(I'll throw this in for good measure.) I appreared in a very pretty list today. It wasn't on the front page or anything though. But it did have a fairly well known jewelry designer in it and she appears right below me in this list. I felt honored to be included. I just felt proud! :)

Thank you to kaleidoscopestuduio for the inclusion!

Happy Fourth of July Everyone!!

My poor baby....

My poor baby...., originally uploaded by msbellee.

This is what you get when you go outside wearing Crocs in our yard. Kevin got bitten by something (probably a fire ant) last Friday or Saturday. I'm not sure what day it was. But it wasn't a big deal until today. It itched slightly and today it has just exploded into a red, swollen nastiness. You can see the tiny yellow head at the bite site. That's what fire ants do to you. I know from experience. But as I did not see what bit him I can only assume it was a fire ant.

Not only is his toe swollen and red, streaking has begun to creep up his foot.

I put a call into the doctor over an hour ago and they have not called me back yet. You can't talk to anybody anymore at the time you call them. If you do get to, it's unusual. You have to leave a message and then wait for them to call you back. That just irks me. Does it anyone else? Does anyone else have the same problems?

As soon as I find out something I will update. As of now, I gave him some Benadryl, propped his foot up, put his Clifford boo-boo bunny thing on it and wrapped it up to ice it. I also put a topical anti-itch on it that has a numbing ingredient in it per my brother who is a pharmacist. He's usually the first one I call when I have a problem, not my doctor. If the streaking gets worse we are going to the emergency clinic. I'm not taking chances with a spreading infection.

Later....

***UPDATE***

Went to doctor this afternoon and the bite did result in this secondary infection. He was given a prescription for an antibiotic to treat the infection. If it isn't better by tomorrow I'm to take him back. Otherwise, normal follow-up will take place on Thursday. Whew! Glad I took him.Thank you all very much for you concern and advice, as well as support. The streaking was not normal, I realized, so I am glad I took action.

Busy Hands, Busy Mind

Well folks, I don't know about you but I've been busy! Kevin is keeping me busy going back and forth to his class which ends next Friday (mom's birthday). And I've been making a bunch of new stuff recently (a bunch compared to what I usually make, anyway. It's nothing compared to Shannon or Kathy though). I put together a mosaic of some my most recent pieces just to see it all in one place besides on Etsy. It's kinda cool looking!

And today I hit 401 hearts on Etsy! That's cool too. Wish I had 400 sales!! Now that *would* be cool! Anyway, to all of you out there somewhere who have hearted me, I send a very heartfelt 'Thank You'!

***

Now on to the part where I want your opinion....

Sometimes when I sit down in front of my beads with no ideas in my head, I can look at them along side the findings I have and just sort of see itself put together in my mind. Other times I write it out and plan what I want to make ahead of time. How about you? Do you plan out your pieces or do they just come to you randomly while looking at your beads? A little bit of both? Then what do you do when you have a good mix sitting in front of you and you can't for the life of you figure out what to do with it? I have so many mixes put together and I just can figure out what to do with some of them, but they look great together! I guess it will come in time. I don't like to string. What I have would probably be great for stringing. But I don't like to string. I don't know why. I'm just not that good at crimping I guess. For that reason I've always liked to use crimp covers when I have strung. But I still don't like stringing really. I'd rather wire wrap. And you? How about you? Do you prefer to string, knot or wire wrap? I'll be interested to know how you put your designs together and if you prefer stringing, knotting, wrapping, etc.

***

I do hope everyone has a wonderful July 4th! We'll be going to see the fireworks at Carowinds. We actually go to an industrial business' parking lot behind Carowinds to stay as far away from the traffic as we can. It's great. We'll shoot some fireworks of our own and Kevin will get to throw 'poppers' down on the ground and do sparklers. He loves that. I just hope nothing catches on fire. We sure do need a heap of rain!

So I bid you all a wonderful holiday week and I hope to hear your comments on the above!

Take care! Happy Fourth of July!!