3 Tantrum Thursday 5/3/12

Oh boy, do I have a tantrum today....something that has been in the 'building' stage for a while. 

People who copy other artists creations!

Yes, this has happened to me!  Not very recently, but it just happened to a friend of mine and it brought up all the old feeling and 'meanness' I felt when this did happen to me.  My friend is another jewelry artist and she creates very nice work.  Much of it is wire wrapped and involves crystals and gemstones, so, it is quality and creative - and BEAUTIFUL!  Recently a customer of hers sent her an email showing her a listing for another artist studio that was a dead match to one of her creations!  Now this wasn't something that was inspired by my friends work, this was just about an exact replica - even the colors of wire and crystal were the same!!!  When my friend confronted this other artist the comment was - I think you copied me!  

Now I do know that there are so many people that do jewelry and so many styles that sometimes people come up with similar creations at about the same time, however, this was blatant.  So, what to do???  

Here is some of the best advice and information that I have found - it is by Inspirational Beading and although it focuses on beading, the theory is the same with almost every artistic industry.

Design Ethics for Beaders - Part One

Design Ethics for Beaders - Part Two

Please let me know what you think and if you have had this happen to you before.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For a new listing I have this wonderful PURPLE DRAGONFLY set!  YEP, two of my favorite things!!!  What do you think?

Live Life to the Fullest Purple Dragonfly Necklace Set

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And there is still time to enter in the Give-A-Way over at Mom Does Reviews.  Come on, I know you want to win something from my, I know you do!! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And now, for a quote to close off this wonderful day;

To live long, it is necessary to live slowly.

-Cicero

1 Wonderful Wednesday 5/2/12

Today is one of those days that I get to stay home and bead most of the day - so, for me, almost perfect!  I have been working on such a variety of things lately, from simple Anklets to larger beadwoven pieces.  I think that the variety keeps me going too!  

Today I get to show off this wonderful necklace set that I made from my Grandmother's Stash.  Even as I look at this one I am amazed at how perfectly I was able to match everything.... very eclectic!

Multi Color of Golden Love Necklace Set - from Grandmothers Stash

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Then, just to make my day perfect I found out that I was in this wonderful collection along with some other amazing beadweaving artists.... well, just see for yourself!

Passionate About Purple

   Curated By: BonniesPlace

ArtFire.com

Handmade Soap

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Only one thing would make this better, if you entered into the give-a-way going on over at Mom Does Reviews of this beautiful necklace set.  There are still a few days left, but you had better 'get a move on'.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, perfect 'sparkles'; perfect 'give-a-way'; perfect day of beading.... let's see, the closing word for today should be....

Perfect!

2 Terrific Tuesday 5/1/12

Yesterday I spent the day catching up!  It is amazing to me how quickly you can fall behind!  I think I am just about ready for a vacation!  Ya, RIGHT?!?!  That would just mean more 'catch up' when we get back!!!  :)))  So, I am here, happy and full of life, beading my days away..... you know what, I AM on vacation - I don't think I really can complain!!

Yesterday I was able to make a few more things from my Grandmothers Stash - I'll list them later in the week.  For today, the newest listing is

Sterling Silver Plated Dolphins and Swarovski Crystal Anklet

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have also been working on some earring that I will try to finish later this week - they are Swarovski Crystals and beadwoven... they are turning out really nice!  What do you think?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alright, there are still a few days left.... come see the review and give-a-way from Mom Does Reviews  on this bracelet I made her....

 

and the necklace set I am giving away - it seem to be a big hit too....

 

 

So 'click on over'!!  There are some great people to follow and daily entries you can do!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For any of you looking for my featured artist, I have started to do in on my FaceBook Fan Page.  The reason?  It helps the people I feature get more notice!  So check it out there everyday!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today I leave you with this:

Kindess is like a rose, which though easily crushed and fragile, yet speaks a language of silent power.

-Frances J. Roberts.

0 Marvelous Monday 4/30/12

What a weekend!!  Oh my it was so busy!!  I has a Day Camp at the American Red Cross.  20 tweens and teens received training on Babysitting, First Aid and CPR.  Talk about a wonderful was to teach your child about life, babysitting and growing up!  These young adults are now trained and ready to take on the world - at least the world of babysitting!!  P.S. My daughter, Aye, was one of those that went to the camp and passes!!  You 'GO GIRL'!!

I was also able to work on some beadwork.... I can't wait to get a chance to list it later this week.  I did manage to get one photographed and listed this morning - it is a simple and sparklie Anklet!  Yep, it is getting to that 'summer' anklet season!! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And did you know that the wonderful review and give-a-way from Mom Does Reviews is still going on?  Yep, still time to enter! Here is the bracelet I made for her:

and the necklace set I am giving away - it seem to be a big hit too....

So 'click on over'!!  There are some great people to follow and daily entries you can do!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Now, for this week there is more beading and more fun!  For today I'll leave you with this quote - 

 

Love is never lost, if not reciprocated, it will flow back and soften and purify the heart.

 

-Washington Irving

1 A Week in Review 4/23/12-4/29/12

Oh my goodness, this has been such a busy week!  My little charms for the iPhone and other Smart Phones have taken off like crazy!!  I am so amazed at how well they are selling!!  I am already on my next order of plugs!!!  Even when I am out people see the one I have on my phone - Purple and Dragonflies - and they ask me about them.  I guess adding 'BLING' to your phone is back in fashion!!!  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have also been busy promoting the wonderful review and give-a-way from Mom Does Reviews.  I am so glad that she liked the bracelet I made for her:

and the necklace set I am giving away seem to be a big hit too....

You still have time to enter, so 'click on over'!!  There are some great people to follow and daily entries you can do!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And last but not least are all the wonderful things I created this past week!  I know I was busy, I know I was 'running around', but I still took time to bead.  For me that is my relaxation and the one thing that calms me down more than anything else!  I hope to work on a couple of new creations this weekend too!

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend and they are are able to do - whatever it is - that makes you feel calm and happy!  

3 Fabulous Friday 4/27/12

Yesterday was yet another busy day, but that is OK, it was less 'wild'!! I don't mind busy, I don't mind hectic, but I really do like my schedule!!  I know that means I have an 'A type' personality....well, some people call it something else, but we'll go with 'A type', ok??!!!  :)  

But, I did manage to get something new listed for today - and it is another one from my Grandmother's Stash!!  What do you think?  I just love it!  ALL the beads are from her stash....oh, thank you Grandma!!

Tooth of Green Envy Necklace Set - From My Grandmothers Stash

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And then there is the Give-A-Way over at Mom Does Reviews!  I think it will be worth your 'few moments' of time - here is the set I am giving away...

and here is what I made for her....

Not bad, hu??

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today I am leaving you with a great quote - 

Be glad of life, because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the starts.

-Henry van Dyke

0 Tantrum Thursday 4/26/12

This has been a 'whirl wind' week so far.  Did you see all the new things yesterday?  Oh, well, there is more!! I have started a partnership with Many Horses.  I am going to be selling some select items through them.  I have to say, working with this company has been amazing!  Not only has there been GREAT communication, but the the real bonus, the friendly people!  Thank you so very much for making this so wonderful!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Then there is this... my swap mix that came yesterday from Beady Eyed Bunny.  I just can't believe how beautiful these beads are.... my 'creative juices are flowing' in overdrive right now!!

And some of those were made by her!!  Oh my, I can't wait!!!  Please visit some of her sites..... Here is her post about our swap! http://www.beadyeyedbunny.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/international-swap.html

http://www.leahcurtis.co.uk/
www.beadyeyedbunny.blogspot.co.uk
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46895701@N03/sets/72157624078982246/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh ya, and then on top of that my beautiful daughter got hit right beside her eye - trip to the clinic!!

 

She's fine, a black eye and one H-LL of a headache, but she'll be fine!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don't forget about my review and give-a-way with Mom Does Reviews - it will be well worth your time!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not enough?  You really need to see all the new designs I listed yesterday of the Cell Phone Charms.  They turned out so great!!  They are a bit MORE than the first one's, but I am still making both!  It is simple, go HERE and you'll get to see them all!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Enough?  Well, with all this, I am going to end with this thought (I hope to use it myself)....

Slow  Down and Relax!

1 Wonderful Wednesday 4/25/12

Oh my goodness!!  If you follow me regularly you'll notice that there wasn't a Terrific Tuesday post yesterday. I had meant for there to be, but 'life gets in the way'!  I am not sure how everything got away from me, but it did!!  Oh well, that just means that I have more to tell you about today, and OH BOY, do I have a LOT to tell you about!!

First, let me show off this amazing review I received from Mom Does Reviews.  When she contacted me about having her do a review the first thing I looked at was her 'numbers'.  Here is what she sent me - Mom Does Reviews is ranked 50,851 in the world, according to Alexa.com.  I have over 9400 Facebook Fans, 6000 Twitter Followers and 4000 Google plus followers. Now, for any of you (us) that have worked on our marketing together....this is amazing!  Her numbers are something I 'inspire' to have!

So, of course I said yes!  I asked her some basic questions - that I ask all my custom order clients - and we were off and running.  She told me that she loved pink and purples and 'sparkles'....well, you know I just HAD to make her something with Swarovski Crystals, right??  Here is the bracelet that I made her:

And I guess, from her review, she liked it!! :))) She LOVED it!! Please, go read her review and check out the give-a-way she is running.... for me - just look at what you could win! So go, read her review - please - and enter to win this Swarovski Crystal necklace set! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Now, off to the next 'item'!  I have gotten the studs in for my Cell Phone Charms.  So, off today to bead up the orders I already have and to make some more!  I have some 'ideas' for some of the new ones... keep a watch out!  If you still want one, click on the photo, my custom orders always get made and shipped FIRST! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Alright, just haven't gotten enough yet?  Well, here is my new listing for today.... it is an ANKLET!  Yep, Gold Leaves Anklet is just one in the several I have made lately.  This one may not have any crystals, but it moves and flows!  What do you think? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I think I'll save some of my news for tomorrow....  I have to keep you coming back?!?! :)  So here is what we ended up with, a review, a give-a-way, a new listing and follow up on custom order and a current listing.... I think that will do for today!  BUT, come back tomorrow and I will have some OTHER news for you!!  YEP... MORE! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As a last word, I'll leave you with this quote; Kindness is the golden chain by which society is bound together. -Geothe