A Wonderful Couple of Months

Well, it has certainly been a LONG time since I blogged! I am making one of those nasty new year's resolutions early: I will blog once a week!!! I have been busy busy, and that is one reason why I haven't been on here. This year, things finally took off a bit for me, and I have been soooooo excited! I have made some sales on Etsy, and garnered a wonderful, come-back customer who has actually asked me to make her some custom things since the first sales. She provides beautiful cabochons and a small sample of beads so I will know what she would like for her color scheme, and she then gives me full creative license to do whatever I feel looks the best: what better customer could there ever be??! She now has a staggering 12 cuffs made by me!!!

More wonderful news came to me when my local bead shop asked me to provide more of my work for their Christmas displays. Of course, I grabbed the opportunity and brought quite a bit. After a week or so, I had to go and get some things for one of the custom orders, and as I walked up to the store, I got a huge surprise; they had put my work in their front window, closest to their door, all dolled up and looking so nice!! I was astonished that they had made my things their center of attention, and just so pleased! They are wonderful people and run a fantastic shop. If you are anywhere near Keene, NH, please do stop by and see their wares at Earth Treasures on Main Street! (These folks are also the ones that took my first Beady Bags to sell for me - my little bead kits.)

Then I find a hugely talented and very sweet seller on Etsy who makes the most original and beautiful polymer clay pieces ever. I asked her in a convo if she would make me some poly cabs to use in my things, and she graciously took it on and tried it out. She came up with some amazing cabs for me, and has been making a few now to sell in her shop. She made a few leaf cabochons as well, which I immediately feel head over heels for, and I asked if she would make enough leaves and leaf beads for me to create a whole necklace (collar) and she did!! I just received them in the mail yesterday and they are wonderful, as usual! Her prices are consistently great, and her work is amazing. Please visit her shop at Etsy; her shop name is MandarinMoon, and you will be thrilled when you see her things!! (And thank you LOTS, Chris, if you read this!!)

On to even more good stuff! I have made a few Christmas gifts, of course, and in the process came up with what I think (I hope!) is am original way to make a bangle bracelet with right angle weave. I am in the process of photographing them, as one is a gift, and will post them soon. I also created a collar necklace entirely out of RAW, my first one ever, and was very pleased with it in the end - also waiting for photos.

I am on FaceBook regularly, and have made some amazing friends there. Two ladies especially have been really lovely and supportive to me over the last two years, and I put together small packages of beads and assorted baubles for them to play with and sent them out. Yesterday one of the parcels arrived at its destination, and the wonderful woman I sent it to was very happy with it. That made my whole day, that I had been able to give her a smile for the day, as she has not been feeling very well lately. It is so terrific when you are able to make someone feel good!!!

I also sent in an application to be accepted into the Etsy Beadweavers Street Team, and was accepted this week!!! I am extremely excited to be part of such a hugely talented and creative group of people, and they gave me such a warm welcome to the group. I am really looking forward to the challenges and the team support this coming year. Please do go to Etsy and search EBW to see some truly spectacular beadwork. (I even added a few things this month and you might see one of them!!)

And, finally, on a non-beady note, I heard from my father the other day that his doctor put him on a new inhaler medication and he said he was breathing better than he has in years (asthma and emphysema) which just made my entire week. He has had such a hard time these last few years, and he sounded much better and said he was able to get around town much easier than previously, and I am so grateful and thrilled. AND my husband gave me an early Christmas gift this week, a gorgeous sterling silver cuff bracelet with "Love Life and Be Brave" written on the front of it. I adore it, haven't taken it off for a minute, and really appreciate the sentiment on the front; boy, do I need to try to be brave!!

Thanks to all of my wonderful friends who supported me, and you know who you are! Best wishes,

Nancy