Finding Focus

I thought you gals might enjoy seeing some of the custom orders I have been working on this past weekend. This order is for a custom set of "Rain Beads", aren't they beautiful? I am thinking I may do a set in all blues for Ebay, but we will see when I can get to that! LOL!It might be a couple weeks off. I do really love making these beads, no two ever turn out the same AND they are TOTALLY original! I have never seen anything like them anywhere! (Of course now that I say that, they will pop up all over Ebay.)

I did manage to get those 2 orders done that I mentioned yesterday day so now I have 4 down, just 3 to go. Then... I will be able to get these Bead Box beads I have floating in my head out of my brain and into my hands. Man this heat is really getting to me though... it seems the only time I can torch is 6am or 10pm. With the higher temps, it effects the glass more too. It just works a little differently. It doesn't cool as fast when I bring it in and out of the flame to shape it. I know, I am such a cry baby... but I hate HEAT! I lived in Fl and TX for large chunks of my childhood so I know what real heat is and I know what we get up here in NY is nothing compared to there but hey, that's why I live up here!



You remember the "Berry Beads" jewelry I shared before Cornhill? Well a really great woman bought the bangle and asked for a neckwire and corkscrew set to match. SO here is a photo of her new set. Bright and cheerful huh?

So... on to the reason for the post title I have... I was talking to my husband this weekend about some concerns I was having about my jewelry and stuff. I really want to get into more shops in the area and he thinks... "why bother?" He questions why I am so concerned about getting my stuff into shops and letting them take such a huge chunk of my hard work (aka profits). He thinks I need to refocus and clean up my website. He even thinks I should put some of the jewelry on Ebay. SO while this freaking aweful heatwave is on, and since I can't make beads in this heat anyway, I am going to do just what he suggested. I am going to clean up the website. I will add a "Sold Items Gallery" so you don't have to hunt and peck to see what is actually available, I am completely changing the "Earrings" page because, frankly it is extremely outdated. I am doing all wire and glass earrings. Not the beaded stuff you see. Plus, I need to get the "Wine Stoppers" page into an easier to find location too. But for argument sake, I wanted to get in more shops to get my name out there as a jewelry artist. On the other hand, there is something to being available exclusively at one shop. It is a great central location, fantastic environment, and then my jewelry doesn't compete with itself. I don't know, I did get the names of some places from clients that were at Cornhill so I might go after one or two new locations but we will see. There there are the wineries to think about! I talk to them today and let them know since the fall, things have gone in an ALL GLASS direction for me, and they were surprisingly excited for me and can't wait to see what I have been doing. I am going to work at least one day a week on getting a special collection together just for them. Stuff that won't be anywhere else!

Oh... another announcement... I have decided to pass on doing the "Park Ave Festival". It took a lot of internal debate to come to this choice. But I really feel like it is more of a drinking & people watching show then an upscale art festival so I am cancelling. It will also give me more time to prepare for "The Clothesline Art Show" which is held onthe grounds of the Memorial Art Gallery. It's an awesome show! A lot fewer people then Cornhill but just as well respected.

Enough of my babbling for today... the kids are zoning out on video games and thinks it's time I get them swimming. I will let you know when the first of the updates are ready!