Jewelry maker and designer
My newest passion, and one that has lasted quite a while. It started with a handful of beads bought to compliment a unique pendant that I’d received as a gift. The pendant had been on a chain, but it just needed to have more going on around it. By the time I finished that one piece, I was hooked. I took one basic bead stringing class, bought some tools, bought more beads... and bought more beads... and bought more beads... Oh, it was a slippery slope!
When we moved to California, the higher cost of living “sticker shock” lead me to look for a second job. In one of those kismet moments of life I found a local bead store when I needed to buy one small part. They had a “help wanted” sign in the window, so I got my jump ring and filled out the application. A few weeks later I was working part time and being exposed to a wonderful world of creative people, ideas, classes, and inspiration.
When the Mensa convention that year advertised that they would hold a one-day craft show for members I signed up and started making jewelry like crazy. For this, I made pieces that I did not intend to keep -- and that little change in attitude blew my creativity wide open. Before, I'd always made something with a specific person in mind, myself mostly, but also as gifts with someone as the intended recipient. Suddenly, I didn't have to have the finished product be something that I would wear, or that I would give to one person, but I just had to put something together that pleased me, even if I didn't want to keep it myself. (Though, sometimes, I finish something and either just must have it myself or have to make a second one for myself!)
Making jewelry became about colors and textures and shapes, and before long I had bags full of necklaces and bracelets and earrings to bring to the Mensa convention with me. I can't remember exactly how much I sold that first time, but it shocked me! The one day wasn't enough, people who heard about it but hadn't found the room we were in wanted to see more, so a friend and I set up outside the hospitality room on Saturday night, putting our jewelry out on tables again. And I sold even more! People coming from the Saturday night dance would stop at my table to show me that they were wearing MY jewelry with their special outfits. It was absolutely delightful! To this day, Mensans are my best customers.
That shot in the ego from having a successful show led me to create my website and to start doing craft shows in my area. I have a business model: "Sell Jewelry, Buy More Beads." It's very rudimentary, but I like it as a business philosophy - no pressure!
When we moved to California, the higher cost of living “sticker shock” lead me to look for a second job. In one of those kismet moments of life I found a local bead store when I needed to buy one small part. They had a “help wanted” sign in the window, so I got my jump ring and filled out the application. A few weeks later I was working part time and being exposed to a wonderful world of creative people, ideas, classes, and inspiration.
When the Mensa convention that year advertised that they would hold a one-day craft show for members I signed up and started making jewelry like crazy. For this, I made pieces that I did not intend to keep -- and that little change in attitude blew my creativity wide open. Before, I'd always made something with a specific person in mind, myself mostly, but also as gifts with someone as the intended recipient. Suddenly, I didn't have to have the finished product be something that I would wear, or that I would give to one person, but I just had to put something together that pleased me, even if I didn't want to keep it myself. (Though, sometimes, I finish something and either just must have it myself or have to make a second one for myself!)
Making jewelry became about colors and textures and shapes, and before long I had bags full of necklaces and bracelets and earrings to bring to the Mensa convention with me. I can't remember exactly how much I sold that first time, but it shocked me! The one day wasn't enough, people who heard about it but hadn't found the room we were in wanted to see more, so a friend and I set up outside the hospitality room on Saturday night, putting our jewelry out on tables again. And I sold even more! People coming from the Saturday night dance would stop at my table to show me that they were wearing MY jewelry with their special outfits. It was absolutely delightful! To this day, Mensans are my best customers.
That shot in the ego from having a successful show led me to create my website and to start doing craft shows in my area. I have a business model: "Sell Jewelry, Buy More Beads." It's very rudimentary, but I like it as a business philosophy - no pressure!