Mystery solved

The mystery of the bag full of silver, gold and beautiful jewelry is solved.   The friend that gave it to me was passing on items that had belonged to her daughter, who died in an accident this summer.  I wondered if that might be the case, but it didn't seem like the kind of items that her daughter would have liked.  I thinking they may have been things that she had been gifted with, and didn't necessarily wear, and that's why so many of the pieces - including the one that I made - still looked so brand new.  I still haven't actually spoken with my friend (she's on an extended vacation in Mexico), but plan to do something nice for her in return.  I know how much she misses her daughter, and want to try and honor that somehow...

I finally finished "A Tribute to Michigan - Sunsets, Shorelines, and Copper Mines".

 Love how it turned out, and wish I could have had this piece for the art gallery.  Oh well.  There's always 2013....I think I'm going to post a photo of this piece to the Pure Michigan Facebook site - just to see what they say about it. It would be nice to have them post it and have it go viral, wouldn't it?!
I could also put it on Etsy, but honestly - I am thinking that Etsy is a waste of time again.  Just not getting the hits, the views, or the sales.  I've asked for opinions, and had people provide me with tips, tricks, strategies - everything short of a miracle.  Nothing seems to be working.  Hooray for you if you are managing to sell things on a regular basis on Etsy - cuz I'm sure not.  Ack.

So many things to do - I can't believe how little time I seem to have to get things done, for a person without an actual 9-5 JOB - there just aren't enough hours in my day even now.  Of course - not everyone insists on having a block of time to play everyday like I do.  It's a must.  And what keeps me sane....
Hope you're finding time to play for your sanity this holiday season.
Peaceful beading,
TTFN

Must be the full moon eclipse

Cuz people BE crazy.  If you are a regular reader, you may have already seen the comment made to my last blog post.  I don't really want to give them the time of day - but I was impressed with the time they took to spam me.  Not a quick little one or two line no nonsense spam - but an entire page full.  Wow.  Good job, SPAMMER.
Now for my new blog post - a few posts back I included a photo of the piece I'd been working on with Petoskey stones- newly forming, not nearly finished, I was and still am thinking of naming it "A Tribute to Michigan - sunsets, shorelines, and copper mines".    I worked on it a bit, but never really liked the size of it:

 

So yesterday - upon contemplating what to do with it - THIS is what ultimately happened.

It is now three separate pieces.

 

I like this much better.  I should have a finished piece later this evening.

Not quite sure what will happen with the other two pieces yet - I'm thinking one will be a brooch that could be worn in accompaniment to the pendant - but the third may have to go back to square one, with a completely different theme.  OR - since I'm heading for Coyote tomorrow (in search of answers regarding the Mystery bag) I COULD just buy more flat back Petosky stones.  Hm.....

 

I also worked on a new key piece this week.  I wish I had another show to do before the holidays, because I think these could be a KEY part of my sales. 

 

 

Oh well.  Let's hope that keys are still a big thing when I start shows again in the spring.....and speaking of SPRING - it seems so far away when you consider that it's almost December!

 

Peaceful, holiday spirit-full beading,

TTFN

Rent or loan?

Have you ever had anyone ask you about LOANING them your jewelry?  Whether it's a piece from your viable inventory, or even a piece that you own - it could be a risky proposition.
I've been approached with the request - and because I trust the person (she was one of last weekend's show vendors) I will probably just loan her a piece if she finds one suitable.  She DID, however, suggest RENTING it.  And I had seriously thought about offering some type of rental when I had the shop.  A credit card number and a deadline for return or it is charged the full amount of the piece.   Rental would be about 1/3.   Not sure why I never implemented.  Too many options for error, I suppose.
Not sure Judy will even find a suitable piece among my choices.  It needs to be blingy.  And RED.  I'm not a red girl.  Wearer - or creator.  Not that I don't like it, I do even wear it occasionally.  But I don't have much red jewelry, and the red box and the black (believe it or not) are the smallest of the seed bead stash drawers, followed by white, yellow, and then true true green.  Not a fan.  Forced myself to create something tonight with a pretty deep green bead that I picked up for some reason.  Tis the season for green - and - Green and White.  As in MSU Spartans.   There are some serious green and white freaks around here.....
Hope everyone found great sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  I've never been a fan of either of those, either.  And I love to shop.  Just not to the death.  Or on line so much.  I'll order beads from reputable vendors, and the occasional outfit from Roaman's or a couple other favorite stores.  But not a big online credit shopper.  I guess I'm just old enough to be considered old school.  We still have old fashioned tube TV's - even if we no longer watch them much (ditched the dish).  We dry our clothes on the line when the weather's good, along with many other things that people consider old fashioned.  We don't even have smart phones.  Just prepaid flips.  I know.  LAME. But I think it makes me appreciate them all the more...
Happy Monday!
Peaceful beading,
TTFN

I think maybe they were at Hogwarts

Finally.

It took almost two months.  I thought maybe they were the result of a reshipment from the Etsy seller, who was getting just as frustrated as I was about the fact that they hadn't arrived.  Sure, they were coming from China. And had to go through New York.  The week before a hurricane.  But they SHOULD have made it through.  But the date on the box was the original date - OCTOBER 14th.  So I think they took themselves on a little scenic detour.  Hogwarts?  The Wood?  Where ever they've been - they're now happy here at their foster home - and awaiting new homes when I decide what to make with them.  I'm pretty much done with shows for the year, so anything I make will either wait until spring to be shown and sold - or show up listed on Etsy. 
And speaking of Etsy - if you haven't been to my shop in awhile - I admit I had been remiss in listing.  In fact, it, too had probably been close to two months.  I had a few sales here and there, and another attempt to please a picky client, with the result being another refund.  But as of today - more JEWELRY has been listed, in the form of a whole new section called ShesPink.  All of the pink themed pieces I've had around for the last season or so, enough that I could do an entire Breast Cancer Awareness themed table.  "Aware"

 is particularly view worthy - it is assymetrical - vibrant and full of netting, peyote and sparkly crystal on one side, the other side - a simple string of seed beads, accented up the strand by silver rings surrounding crystals.  Starker.  But just as alive.  The perfect statement for that special survivor.  Awaiting it's new home.  It's listed at $135....
Well, the brave hunter has returned from our nearby wood.  Guess I better go prepare his feast....
Peaceful beading,
TTFN

And the winner is...

MOONLIT FANTASEAS!   Don't have time for a big huge post - got food to finish, and a 3 hour one way car ride WITH my mother in law to look forward to, but wanted to show you a photo of the giveaway stash that she won - and I hope to hear from her very soon!    The random number generator popped out number 41, if anyone is interested, and their were 56 names to choose from - some of you as many as 12 times (KAYZ!) 
Thank you ALL for entering - I think it's just as much fun to offer the giveaway as it is to enter one, and will probably do one again after the next Lori Anderson Blog Hop in 2013.  I still have a huge selection of beads left from my shop inventory, and I still keep buying (beaders will understand this), so I need to destash - and this is a fun way to do it!

Here's a photo of the fabulous prizes you've won, Moonlit Fantaseas!

They'll be winging their way to you as soon as you respond to my email. 
Peaceful Thursday, Thanksgiving, Turkey Day and beading to everyone!
TTFN

Last chance for giveaway

This will probably be the last post of the day - so comment for your chance to win!  Deadline is midnight tonight - and I'll draw the lucky winner first thing when I get around in the morning.  Here is a teaser photo of the pile of goodies I came up with:

It's huge.  It's colorful.  It's definitely a mix of everything - findings, focals, accents, and several seed bead mixes.  Can't wait to find out who wins!

Comment!  Don't wait!  Go there now!

Peaceful thankful beading,
TTFN

The Mystery Bag

About 3 weeks ago I received a simple text from one of the Coyote clerks informing me that a friend had left 'a bag' of beads and stuff at Coyote for me.  She didn't realize I wasn't working there anymore, so they tucked it away, and I tucked the info into the back of my mind.  Finally - today I had a chance to pick up 'the bag', which I honestly expected to be a sandwich or gallon size bag of old, worn out, garage sale finds that people like to bring me.  I always accept them graciously, and have indeed been able to repurpose some of it.  So imagine my surprise when I was presented with this:

Not your ordinary zip bag now, is it?  And HERE is what was inside:

Can you believe it?  Semi precious, crystal, STERLING, 14K gold, a sterling polishing kit, 2 rosaries, and much, much more.  MOST of it is absolutely stunningly gorgeous, and I don't even know if I want to tear it apart.  Some is the normal garage sale stuff, not sure what I'll do with it - but this is just like CHRISTMAS!   I NEED to contact the friend that left the bag, but can't seem to locate her contact info, and every single person that I can think of that might have it is out of town for the holiday.  Ack. 
I don't plan to do anything with any of it until I talk to my friend about the origin, especially since THIS is one that I made as a special order for someone several years ago:

Even my husband said the minute I pulled it out of the bag - "Didn't YOU make that one?"  Yes, honey, I believe I did - but not for Janeile.  I'm pretty sure most of the items in the bag DID NOT belong to my friend, so I am rather anxious to find out how she came by it, and why she chose to gift it to me.  I definitely need to repay her - either with something beady - or what ever she wishes. 

Those are REAL pearls, folks, and the focal piece is a potion BOX.  See the little clasp on the left?  Those are hard to come by these days.  And that faceted crystal!  OMG!  This is just way too much beady goodness to accept for free.

Off I go to create that Mix It Up bag.  Fun! FUN!
Peaceful magical beading,
TTFN