Creation on the Fly

My coworker and friend Deb arrived to work this morning wearing her four year-old-daughter's necklace because the child had said, "You haven't worn my turtle yet, mommy!" It was strung on a hot pink cord, her daughter's favorite color. It so happens that my bead bag was in the car.

So I offered to bead it! Random beads/size including seed beads in white, purple and pink. A couple of other random color's crept in, so her daughter can wear it with anything. I left some of the wire free for the pendant to move with change in size, and then added a chain extender. Just fun, I also framed the turtle with two dragonflies because they are "magic".

New Aquisitions

These are the pendants I purchased today. The ones like this, with the gold background are extremely popular. I've already sold two like this, and was commissioned for another.

This has the spiral image that I love! I did not see this one, nor the one below at the flea market. With stiff competition, I definately want things are different.

This Murano Glass pendant has the caining in it that makes it beautiful. Fire Mountain Gems has beads to match. I look forward to ordering/creating this necklace!

New Aquisitions

I love the organic shape of these lampwork glass pendants. I found a good deal on 12 of them. With it being autumn, I should be able to create something beautiful and seasonal with them.

I also very much like these dragonflies. I'm creating a product line called Lollipops that will consist of glass beads and various ornimentation. The plain necklances and be strung with a dragonfly. The necklances are $3 each or 2/$5. The dragonflys are $5 each.

I also like this mixed grouping of Murano Glass pendants. Although these might put me in direct competition with other vendors, I plan to make them eyecatching enough to capture the attention of folks who have already seen or selected a pendant they like.

Blue Spiral

Pictured is a Blue Spiral necklace I took to festival. While no one bought it, this necklace garnered more attention than any other. I think of it as a unisex necklace and love the vivid colors.

So we have checked out the flea market and it looks like no one does exactly what I can do. Indeed, some of the glass focal pieces are available from other vendors, so I'll know not to bother to stock them, but all the other vendors put their glass on ribbons or cords. And charge a fortune to do it!

Moreover, no one stocks these spiral pieces. I'm working on business cards and marketing ideas this week. I'll also be spending the next two weeks creating more necklaces. Can't get a table for next week as they were all taken. Tough on the finances, but better for preparation.

I'm also trying to finish the commission for my boss. She bought 12 focal pieces that I am beading for her. I hope to finish them today. Pictures to follow!

Checking out the Competition

Headed to Barnyard Flea Market today to check out the competition! Notebook in hand, I have a list of the regular jewelry dealers. I plan to follow up on a report that no one does the kind of work I do. My work involves a lot of glass focal pieces strung with seed beads, accent beads, etc. Most folks selling these focal pieces stick them on string or ribbon.

This afternoon we have a date with Misbeavin'. Going to draw upon her artistic and business skills to set up a website to sell my work, as well as to do some photography. New display boards and camera are waiting in the car.

And today I'm more motivated than ever. The Boss Man owns a multimillion dollar business. This year he's taken a pleasure trip every month --this month was a week in Vegas. My immediate boss left him messages all week reminding him of the payroll. I had to use half an hour of comp time waiting around for my check to arrive yesterday. Because of the recent water leak (still have to pay very steep bill despite the discount), I wanted cash to go to the water company. So I went to a branch of my boss' bank to cash the check. It bounced!

A few phone calls later, I figured out that payroll was in the previous day's intake. (I've always known his money handling was a bit odd.) Apparently it takes a bank an extra step to process payroll, so the Boss' branch bank had to be called to speed it up. In fact, my pissed-off boss called the bank president and twenty minutes later I had my money. I'm still deeply disturbed that my well being depends upon such unethical practice. Shouldn't a business this large have a nice balance in case of any unexpected bills? The building is paid for.

So finding a second source of income seems increasing imperative. I've worked for companies that bounced checks. Don't care to repeat the experience.

Turning a Hobby into a Job

While my boss is a multimillionaire, he has stopped all pay raises. He also does not offer health insurance. Since my paycheck does not go as far as it did even a year ago, prices keep going up after all, I've been trying to find ways to make ends meet. Random people have praised my jewelery over the last year as I have snuck a few dollars here or there to Michael's for something pretty. Then a few weeks ago, my boss asked me to accept a commission. She had already bought the focal points (should have talked to me first - I can get them far cheaper than what she paid!), and wanted to know if I would create the necklaces to go with them. I sighted her a rock bottom price (she's not getting a pay raise this year either!), and she brought me the focal points.

In the mean time, I got the bright idea of vending at a local festival. Given that the rain never stopped and the temperatures never hit 60, and it was Clemson's homecoming weekend, I thought we did very well with $75 in cash and bartered goods worth about the same. Cameron got lots of cool loot, which should lure her out the next time I want to do such a thing! Maybe next time I'll also barter for something I want! LOL

So I've been shopping ebay, building stock, and plan to visit Barnyard Flea Market this weekend. It has an excellent reputation and would probably be a good place to cater to the Christmas crowd. Cameron and I will head over this weekend to scope it out and to pay the fee (cash only, paid in advance) and the following weekend I hope to be in business! Wouldn't it be a hoot if I could make as much or more than what I do as a counselor working for Scrooge?