My oh my! It sure has been awhile! I must improve at this newly revisited blogging world ASAP. So much has transpired since the last time I posted. After much craziness moving back to the PNW and getting grounded here again, it is starting to feel how I imagined it would originally.
Things are coming together in a good way and I'm constantly challenged and reminded of why I wanted, no MUST go after my dreams. Go after them I will. I will remind myself on those rough days why I am doing it and remind myself of my accomplishments thus far, even if tears are dropping in my teacup as I do it.
I have long looked through beading magazines and admired many artists and their creations. I would "ohhh and ahh!" over piles of my favorite beading publications. I never considered that I could one day have one of MY creations in them. I had no idea where to start to get in one. I one day googled how to submit to my favorite publication, Bead Trends. I thought what the heck, why not give it a try. I submitted a few pieces not expecting to hear anything, but at least I would now know the process and had tried. I was beyond thrilled when I got a email a few weeks later telling me that my piece had been chosen for the Nov 2012 issue. Yay! I was beyond thrilled! I have continued to submit designs to them and have designs n the March 2013 issue and the upcoming June 2013 issue. Published jewelry designer I am! I am still continuing to focus on getting more designs published but adding to my list of goals as I go along.
2013 is about making this dream of mine a priority by doing it the right way. By right way I mean actually taking the time to get serious about branding, customer base, show representation, wholesale presence, online store, look book, long term goals etc.. I'm the only one who's going to make it happen and I need to stay disciplined to that goal.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
I think I am going crazy.....
I seriously feel like I am going crazy, cuckoo, looney tunes etc...It is killing me that we are in living out of a little more than suitcases and boxes until our house hunt is over. Can we just find something already! I love my husband but I do not want to spend every waking hour of the day with him, nor do I want to drive all over after looking at place after place. I just want some of my own space! I haven't even been returning phone calls, sorry to those of you I have not called back. I must however say that on the flip side I am EXTREMELY APPRECIATIVE for being back "home", being close to my family and friends again, having the opportunity to explore my desire to pursue jewelry design full-time, and overall just the time to create. I feel very angsty when I cannot create or have no outlet in which to be creative, regardless of what medium it may be. I must also say that I know that this is a very small concern in comparison to the other things that are going on in the world. I am forever a bleeding heart and those that know me know that.
Well it really has been quite awhile since I last posted. So let me give you all the 411 on what On A Whim Jewelry has been up to...
We last left off when we were submitting items in one of the Sundance Gifting Lounges through the Indie Exhibit. It was overall a really great experience and provided much insight into what hard work goes into branding and promoting your art, items, etc. After some difficulties (really say procrastination on my part), I ran all over Phoenix/Glendale looking for the items I needed for my perfect packaging..Needless to say that was a total crap shoot but a learning experience nonetheless. I ended up with Purple and Black bags that I hand tied ribbon around. They looked good but not as how I first envisioned. Lesson learned. I have been brainstorming other packaging options. I want to do something cute, affordable and something that someone could re-use if they wanted. Either way working on some new packaging ideas....Hope to find some new sourcing ideas. The shipping process was a whole different learning experience. Finding boxes to fit all 45 bags, getting them in without smashing the bags, hoping the bags arrive the same way as I packed them etc....All in all everything arrived fine so there was no reason for worry. Great experience overall. I have some pics posted on my facebook page if you are interested in checking out. I won't count out participating in another awards show/festival...
Once we get settled here in the PNW I will be focusing on getting the studio functional and working on the online aspect for the store. I am so anxious to get started with this! I have been looking into some possible art classes at the colleges around here also. Who knows what the future may hold. I am going to be optimistic, hopeful, and most importantly POSITIVE on those rough days :)
As always thank you so much for reading this and providing support as well as listening to my senseless ramblings. I hope you are all living out your dreams!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Here's to 2011...so long 2010
Well it has been awhile since I last blogged. Where to start.....Well I made one of the biggest decisions of my life recently. One I had mulled over for a VERY long time. I have longed dreamed of of leaving my comfortable 60K a year corporate retail job. Crazy I know, especially after being with them for 9 years! My family asked me if I had lost my mind, my husband was like "you want to do what?", and my friends were incredibly supportive! So here I am starting off the new year as my own boss, trying to build my own business doing what I love. So 2011 will be all about making my dream come true and creating a successful future and business. On A Whim Jewelry has big things in store!
Husband and I will be moving back to the PNW in early March. Once there we will focus on doing shows, bridal fairs, home parties and starting our online bead store. So the next few months will be very busy preparing for the move and working on the business needs. So grateful to be able to do this so I am not complaining. I must give a Thank You to my husband for his support and encouragement. It has been so nice to actually have time to spend with him and not be on any type of schedule. We have enjoyed a few outings and I look forward to us being able to pick up and go if we want to more often :)
I have to say that after reflecting on many things this past year I feel like I have a better understanding of what happiness is to me. What is TRULY important and what I can live without. We get so attached to "things" that hold no value or bring little joy aside from the initial "I want and must have". I have wasted so much $ on "things" I DO NOT NEED. So part of leaving my job was also a personal challenge on doing more with less and making it ALL count. So there will be plenty of challenging things I will need to give up on or have less of but overall I feel like this is really going to make me appreciate much more in my life. I look forward to being a better person, friend and wife in 2011. Working full time and being stressed out 24/7 really challenged my abilities especially with being a good wife. Adios to all of that unhealthy stress!!
This week we are shipping off our items to be part of one of the gifting lounges at the Sundance Film Festival. This had been so exciting but stressful and I hope that it all pays off in the end. Tying up the last details with that and we should have some really fun new creations to share.
I can't wait to learn some new techniques. I am going to be taking some classes here soon on bead stitches, wire work with cabochons, and a few other things I hope you will all like.
I hope everyone's new year is starting off grand. How will you make this year count?
Husband and I will be moving back to the PNW in early March. Once there we will focus on doing shows, bridal fairs, home parties and starting our online bead store. So the next few months will be very busy preparing for the move and working on the business needs. So grateful to be able to do this so I am not complaining. I must give a Thank You to my husband for his support and encouragement. It has been so nice to actually have time to spend with him and not be on any type of schedule. We have enjoyed a few outings and I look forward to us being able to pick up and go if we want to more often :)
I have to say that after reflecting on many things this past year I feel like I have a better understanding of what happiness is to me. What is TRULY important and what I can live without. We get so attached to "things" that hold no value or bring little joy aside from the initial "I want and must have". I have wasted so much $ on "things" I DO NOT NEED. So part of leaving my job was also a personal challenge on doing more with less and making it ALL count. So there will be plenty of challenging things I will need to give up on or have less of but overall I feel like this is really going to make me appreciate much more in my life. I look forward to being a better person, friend and wife in 2011. Working full time and being stressed out 24/7 really challenged my abilities especially with being a good wife. Adios to all of that unhealthy stress!!
This week we are shipping off our items to be part of one of the gifting lounges at the Sundance Film Festival. This had been so exciting but stressful and I hope that it all pays off in the end. Tying up the last details with that and we should have some really fun new creations to share.
I can't wait to learn some new techniques. I am going to be taking some classes here soon on bead stitches, wire work with cabochons, and a few other things I hope you will all like.
I hope everyone's new year is starting off grand. How will you make this year count?
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Paying It Forward and appreciate what you've got..
My mind is swimming with what all that I want to share. So I am just going to type. I apologize in advance for any grammar errors, profanity, and random rants. I have had some profound learning's and reminder's lately. I'll start at the beginning. I have a ton of compassion for people and situations. I wear my heart on my sleeve always. I recently had the opportunity to donate some jewelry to a auction for a young girl named Kolby who has cancer. Please see the link at the end of this blog. It hit home for me because when I was 17 my mom lost one of her best friends Lola. It deeply affected me as she really had an impact on me while I was growing up. Lola and Kolby have the same cancer in common. I was so sad to hear about this poor girl way to young to have this terrible disease. It got me thinking of how I would like to help. How anyone who has a talent can do small things to impact great causes. Anyone who has a heart and good soul can do small things to again impact great causes. Anyone who has huge networks can spread the word of these great causes by a click of a button and maybe a little copy and paste. Aside from getting to help this cause it reminded as well as showed me what is really important. The things we take for granted. How simple it is to help...ANYTHING.
I am grateful for having a talent. One that I didn't believe in up until a few years ago.Why did
I feel like this? Well because I tend to not often feel like I am good at anything. Like how people are good at sports, art, etc... I know now that is not the case. I have a talent and it is creating jewelry. My friend Hilda told me when I was looking for a "mission statement" so to speak for On A Whim that "I make people smile one bead at a time". I went with it and loved it! It got me thinking about how I could help more in small ways, encourage others to do the same, keep causes circulating and such. I can be a handful sometimes. I am stubborn, I am a pleaser, I am a procrastinator, I am an Aunt,Sister and daughter from far away :( , I am compassionate, I am bothered by REAL issues that really affect people, I am insecure, I second guess myself all the time but I am not doing that now as I write this blog. I am determined and driven. I am grateful that I can use my talent and network to help those who have a cause. This brings me to the heart of what I wanted to write about. About a month ago a facebook friend of mine posted a link about a family and their little boy Ronan who had been diagnosed with stage 4 Neuroblastoma and is 3 years old. My niece will be 3 in November. I don't know this family but grew up in the same town as Ronan's mom. When I read this blog my heart broke for this family and Ronan's mom. I can not begin to imagine what this family is going through. What Kolby's family must be going through. I have been following blog's for both kids and their families. I want to share 2 things and have both sites at the bottom of this blog fore you to check out and to SHARE, to SPREAD THE WORD, to IMPACT great causes through our networks and talents. You can donate to the auction for Kolby and if you are in AZ you can purchase tickets to the Diamondbacks vs Dodgers game on 9/25 and a portion of proceeds from that will go to the Ronan Thompson Foundation. If you can't buy tickets you can donate through Paypal. The moral of my entry tonight is that I as a artist want to help causes such as these. Whether it is me donating pieces of my jewelry or using our artist community and network to spread the word and pay it forward. We take so much for granted, including how simple and easy it is to help with the click of a button or a copy and paste. I want to encourage and hope to see more of us in the artist community sharing what we are doing with our craft to pay it forward whatever your cause.
I guess what I am saying is I want to start a group of artists who are willing to donate/auction items monthly to go to various causes such as Cancer. After reading the stories of these kids and what their families are going through I almost feel like I know their families through the words they write. My heart breaks for them. I wanted to help, to do something. Not sure what but I wanted to do it right away. So here I am and this is what I am thinking....
I think it would be amazing to come together as a group and make an impact through our craft.
I feel really strongly about wanting to do this and want to know who is willing to go at it with me?
I encourage EVERY artisian to do this. PLEASE DO. Whether it is donating an item or spreading the word. We have so much strength in numbers. So spread the word.. it is a simple copy and paste.
It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.
Mother Teresa
http://keepingkolby.blogspot.com/
http://rockstarronan.com/
My mind is swimming with what all that I want to share. So I am just going to type. I apologize in advance for any grammar errors, profanity, and random rants. I have had some profound learning's and reminder's lately. I'll start at the beginning. I have a ton of compassion for people and situations. I wear my heart on my sleeve always. I recently had the opportunity to donate some jewelry to a auction for a young girl named Kolby who has cancer. Please see the link at the end of this blog. It hit home for me because when I was 17 my mom lost one of her best friends Lola. It deeply affected me as she really had an impact on me while I was growing up. Lola and Kolby have the same cancer in common. I was so sad to hear about this poor girl way to young to have this terrible disease. It got me thinking of how I would like to help. How anyone who has a talent can do small things to impact great causes. Anyone who has a heart and good soul can do small things to again impact great causes. Anyone who has huge networks can spread the word of these great causes by a click of a button and maybe a little copy and paste. Aside from getting to help this cause it reminded as well as showed me what is really important. The things we take for granted. How simple it is to help...ANYTHING.
I am grateful for having a talent. One that I didn't believe in up until a few years ago.Why did
I feel like this? Well because I tend to not often feel like I am good at anything. Like how people are good at sports, art, etc... I know now that is not the case. I have a talent and it is creating jewelry. My friend Hilda told me when I was looking for a "mission statement" so to speak for On A Whim that "I make people smile one bead at a time". I went with it and loved it! It got me thinking about how I could help more in small ways, encourage others to do the same, keep causes circulating and such. I can be a handful sometimes. I am stubborn, I am a pleaser, I am a procrastinator, I am an Aunt,Sister and daughter from far away :( , I am compassionate, I am bothered by REAL issues that really affect people, I am insecure, I second guess myself all the time but I am not doing that now as I write this blog. I am determined and driven. I am grateful that I can use my talent and network to help those who have a cause. This brings me to the heart of what I wanted to write about. About a month ago a facebook friend of mine posted a link about a family and their little boy Ronan who had been diagnosed with stage 4 Neuroblastoma and is 3 years old. My niece will be 3 in November. I don't know this family but grew up in the same town as Ronan's mom. When I read this blog my heart broke for this family and Ronan's mom. I can not begin to imagine what this family is going through. What Kolby's family must be going through. I have been following blog's for both kids and their families. I want to share 2 things and have both sites at the bottom of this blog fore you to check out and to SHARE, to SPREAD THE WORD, to IMPACT great causes through our networks and talents. You can donate to the auction for Kolby and if you are in AZ you can purchase tickets to the Diamondbacks vs Dodgers game on 9/25 and a portion of proceeds from that will go to the Ronan Thompson Foundation. If you can't buy tickets you can donate through Paypal. The moral of my entry tonight is that I as a artist want to help causes such as these. Whether it is me donating pieces of my jewelry or using our artist community and network to spread the word and pay it forward. We take so much for granted, including how simple and easy it is to help with the click of a button or a copy and paste. I want to encourage and hope to see more of us in the artist community sharing what we are doing with our craft to pay it forward whatever your cause.
I guess what I am saying is I want to start a group of artists who are willing to donate/auction items monthly to go to various causes such as Cancer. After reading the stories of these kids and what their families are going through I almost feel like I know their families through the words they write. My heart breaks for them. I wanted to help, to do something. Not sure what but I wanted to do it right away. So here I am and this is what I am thinking....
I think it would be amazing to come together as a group and make an impact through our craft.
I feel really strongly about wanting to do this and want to know who is willing to go at it with me?
I encourage EVERY artisian to do this. PLEASE DO. Whether it is donating an item or spreading the word. We have so much strength in numbers. So spread the word.. it is a simple copy and paste.
It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.
Mother Teresa
http://keepingkolby.blogspot.com/
http://rockstarronan.com/
Sunday, September 5, 2010
So I always seem to create the best pieces when I am inspired musically at the same time. I tend to just listen to the play lists I have created on Pandora and get to town with me and my beads, and supporting jewelry making elements. I LOVE MUSIC! So I am curious what inspires other artists out there musically? A few of my staples when creating are : The Beatles, Tori Amos, Stevie Nicks, Lady Gaga, and Journey. What do YOU listen to? I love to have new suggestions :) Overall I guess I am most at peace when creating. It is almost as if I can TRULY forget all else that is happening around me and truly do something I love. I am the type of person who is always anxious and stressed so I feel blessed to have been given this creative gift that I have. Funny that I say that now. Years ago I did not take my jewelry talents seriously and was quite self conscious of my creations. I have grown into a comfortable skin with my jewelry endeavors and won't let anyone convince me otherwise :) I am driven to make On A Whim Jewelry into something more than a hobby and I appreciate everyone on this journey with me who is never waiving in their kind words, inspiration and encouragement. You all save me at the end of the day and make me want to push forward with my dream. THANK YOU!!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
To Blog or not to blog...
I never thought of myself much as a blogger until recently when I had my first Trunk Show for On A Whim Jewelry. Then my mind started going in circles with all of these tools out there available to grow my business. I have a love for all things creative and making jewelry is my outlet. It started as a hobby and then I started selling my pieces and having people ask "where did you get that" I decided it was time to branch out and give it a go. So here I am. I can not promise proper grammer and spelling but I can promise some random insight into my adventures in creating a biggger base for my business and learning new things along the way. I would love to have another place to share my creativity with others through handmade items.
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