Jewelry Making Outside The Box

Major Restock List---Just in Time for the Sale!

Our end of the year restocks are arriving.....and you should know about them.

GREEN PATINA BRASS:   The general consensus is, it's a go!  You love it.  SO:  Many of the faves from the first batch of our trial pieces have come back in.....  such as the tulip beads in green patina, Mothra, and some of the other signature pieces.  BE SURE to check out the Green Patina Brass section at B'sue Boutiques  as Shelley will be loading it all day long.  

http://www.bsueboutiques.com/item/Big-Arts-and-Crafts-Motif-We-Call-it-Mothra-9107

Also back, the Grecian Lady (grn05597) Transitional Art Nouveau filigree (grn05495) and ornate lacey filigree (grn05505) as well as the large heavy sash brooch focal (grn05488) and!  The ACORN BEAD CAPS:  cap115     

grn06564 is the SKU number for the tulip bead caps....they are a real fave.  OH!  and the green brass fairy sailed back in today, too!  as well as the green copper ox rose connector centerpiece, grn05474 and a lot of lacey, pretty little leaves great for caging projects, like the five leaf drop...lf91.

Also back:

ICE RESIN

LUMIERE EXCITER PACKS  #1 and #2

POLYMER CLAY BEAD BAKING RACK  (I love mine---it's a small investment but a worthy one)

LISA PAVELKA STEAMPUNK STAMPS (great for polymer clay)

DIAMOND GLAZE

E6000 glue

components:

9mm small brass ox filigree bead  br0x04910

dragonfly pairs in rusty black rb04447

airplane with twin twirling propellers!  brox04260

lily of the valley sprig  brox09283

the claw!  brox09590

the bat!  brox05053

gossamer detailed wings in Russian goldplated brass  rgp5096

12x8mm lampshade bead caps  silverware silverplate   cap87

russian goldplated lacey filigree bead cap cap44

lacey leaves bead caps Old Rose Ox  cap43

barrel filigree bead   Russian Goldplated rgp06334

three hole bracelet/ necklace/ strandage bars   brox09603

folded edge filigree drop  rox01153   we got the same thing in silverware on temp trial, due to customer request!

crazy eights connectors in rusty black rb04453

rusty black bamboo edge patina mount   mount20

maple leaf   rusty black  lf15

jet black and gold nautilus glass button top  button04276

cat and fiddle reverse painted cabochon  cam33

folded filigree bead cap, brass ox  cap57

diligree connector circlet  brox09908

silverware silverplate acorn bead cap  cap39

brass ox acorn bead cap   cap38

lacey filigree bead cap brass ox  cap36

green patina maple leaf!  lf90

bd05585  green patina filigree barrel vintage style bead

Czech glass faux antique turquoise kitty cat bead, vertically drilled, great for earrings!

stn 7 flatback watermelon stone, German

stn13  ruby glass cab 18mm

cuff02737  1.5 wide smooth raw brass cuffs

ALSO:  the pewter ox indent cuff, and the pewter ox dimpled cuff are back in stock, along with the 13 and 18mm bezel bracelet forms!

I'm positive this is NOT all, as Shelley's desk is loaded with stuff and this is the first clear day she's had to do major reloading since I got out of the hospital, but come in and browse around at B'sue Boutiques

There is always something new, something you may not have seen before, and something on sale!

What's On Sale At B'sue Boutiques

Let Them Eat Cake!

That's what I think, every time I see Beanzie's over-the-top charm bracelets.....Let them eat cake!   Layers of buttery cake with rasperry filling and luscious deep thick icing, decorated with roses and flowers and leaves!

Let's take a little walk down memory lane at some of my faves:

and another....

and more....

This last one is REALLY special....because I own it.  I love the old keys!

speaking of keys:

She paints them, too!

Don't know about you....but I haven't had enough yet:

I did a trial batch of the little mis chiquitas roses and Beanz scooped up a batch for this bracelet.   Here are some more of her confectionary treats:

CHECK OUT what she did with all that Green Patina Brass !

 Once in a bit she goes the dark route, too.....but not often.   Most of her pieces are like thick, gooey icing on a cake!  

I could go on and on.....I have so many yummy pix saved.   But maybe you'd like to know more about Beanz, and how she got started?

She says, "When I met my husband he got me hooked on antiques.

I was a very modern jewelry kind of girl. Upon selling our collectibles on Ebay I came across vintage charm bracelets. I fell in love with the 1940's puffy heart charms. And I liked how they looked on a charm bracelet.

So I must have typed in vintage heart in the search tab and B'sue's items must have popped up. So that is how I got to find her beautiful charms and that is what inspired me to start making charm bracelets and artisan jewelry. In a nutshell. "

Where does she find the most inspiration?

The reply:  "Victorian or vintage jewelry is my inspiration. Old guilloche enamel Rose heart charms from Walter Lampl. Victorian Cameos and old keys. Repousse carved florals on sterling. Art Nouveau period. These all have a part in what I like to create. Painting Roses on charms actually comes from my love for the old floral enamel charms that you see from the 1940's. Especially the heart charms."

With all that painting going on....what's the workspace like at Beanzie's?

She tells me:  "I have to admit I need a better workspace. I either create on the kitchen table or on my bed. Not the best but it's all I got right now.

One day I would like to have my own artisan studio overlooking the ocean or the mountains. A girl could dream right?

I can be inspired anywhere I am. I love flowers so I look at them a lot and think of the pretty color combinations that would look great on a charm bracelet or how I can even paint a flower like that. I daydream a lot about things I would like to create where ever I go. I think once you have tuned into your creative side it follows you where ever you are."

If you're not in a sugar coma yet, and you want more of that ooey gooey cake with the thick frosting on top, here's where you'll find it:

http://www.rubylane.com/shop/thevintageheart

http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/TheVintageHeart

http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheVintageHeart?ref=si_shop

I know *I* can't get enough! 

 

 

Fifteen Percent Off Sale at B'sue Boutiques This Week

 Many have sold down on inventory and need fresh new designs for their online stores and upcoming shows.   It's not time to cave to post-holiday blues and winter doldrums!   Turn that around and learn a new technique, create a new design, continue to carve out your own design niche and build your jewelry business.

I posted about the sale December 26th but there are still TWO FULL DAYS to get in on the buys.  I'm about to post a restock list here at the blog as I wasn't able to get it on the newsletter last week----but first I thought I'd mention the sale as a reminder, or in case you hadn't heard about it.   The sale is ON through DECEMBER 31---Saturday, Dec 31, 2011.

And it  works like this:

Enter code FIVEOFF when you check out at B'sue Boutiques  

This will get you 5 % off any order any size.   When you remember that there are over 35o items in our What's On Sale Bin at B'sue Boutiques---a constantly revolving array of goodies, not dregs, almost as big as our Etsy store--at 20-50% off--EVERYDAY---if you shop that out and use the FIVEOFF you could actually get a bunch of stuff for 25-30.00.  

Where it gets great is when you REALLY stock up and load your cart to 100.00 or more.  Then punch in the FIVE OFF code, and it becomes  FIFTEEN PERCENT.  And, at 100.00 we ship all US orders FREE.   If you load up and be sure to shop out the sale bin, too, your savings could be dead-straight SERIOUS.    We all need a deal, this one is made just for you!

Don't forget the code:  FIVEOFF.  It must be in the COUPON BOX when you check out, to get the discount!

Really though:  every day is sale day at B'sue Boutiques   I work hard to keep that sale bin fun and interesting.  Many come to the site just to see what I've thrown into it.  Some things are there til sold out, others are there for just a few days or a week, on temporary sale.    We always ship orders over 100.00 for free in the US, and other than that, our flat-fee shipping is only 3.95....every day.

But right now, there's a little something extra for everyone!

Meet Dr. Brassy Steamington

I think one of the best ways to meet Brassy is to get an eyeful of her work:

First of all, she wears hats:

And she loves cuff bracelets:

here's another:

and wings to fly!

How did Kimberlee Turner become Dr. Brassy Steamington?

It goes this way:

"I got started in 1986. I went into an antique shop in Oceano, California that was going out of business. It was one of those places we all dream and drool over finding. Where the man is 88 years old and he has new old stock of everything imaginable. Well I found a box of pristine sterling silver and white gold vintage watch cases (I still have a few all this time later that I held on to). They were highly engraved and I fell in love with them. there were no bands or chains, just the watch cases. Then I found a box of old pocket watched of all sizes and metals and new old stock watch maker supplies of gears, cogs, hands, the pieces that act as a pendulum (cock?).

"Anywho...I took all my shwag home and went nuts with it making pins, necklaces and earrings. I then had to figure out how to sell them and to who as no one and I mean NO ONE was doing this kind of work.

"One of my Mom's best friends, Linda Flynn, had a clothing and accessory shop on the corner of Palm and Chorro Streets in San Luis Obispo. She took pity on me and took in some of my pieces on consignment. Well- They sold! People were amazed as it was something they had never seen and they liked my designs."

Of course we all know that an artist's path is progressive, and 1986 is a long time ago.   How has the design process evolved for Dr. Brassy?

"My design process is completely organic in that I will pull out a piece or 3, and hold them together, this way and that. I will say "No, Nope, That's not it, Nope, Ah that's it!" and I just "Know" when it comes together right.

"If I list something on Etsy and it does not sell within the 4 month term. I take it completely apart and I make something else from it. I figure if someone has not fallen in love with a piece in four months, then no one will."

Sounds like a great plan, Brassy....keep it fresh!  But we can't let you go without hearing a story! You've been selling your jewelry for a long time....what was one of the most interesting sales you ever made?

"The quickest sale I ever made was to a woman in her 70's. She was a widow and she was defiantly a woman of means. She was beautifully dressed with a hat and gloves and she wore beautiful jewels. It was a simple pair of pocket watch guts earrings in silver. She adored those earrings and just had to have them. I think I sold them for 8.00.

Well...22 years later, I am at an estate sale at this big gorgeous white colonial home in San Luis Obispo. Inside the home are tapestries and Victorian furniture and marble statues, I mean...real high end things. I go into the area where there are glass cases with jewelry and old coins for sale. I see no photos of the previous owner of the home, but then I see them. My earrings! I even blurted out to the estate sale people "Those are my earrings!!!". They thought I meant she had stolen them from me. I explained, "No, I sold those in 1987 to a lady!", then explained what she looked like. Well it was the same lady and she had kept those earrings all those years. Her daughter was at the sale and told me that she loved the earrings because they were mechanical looking."

What a cool story..... all of your shows must be killers!   Tell us about one of the last shows you've done:

"My best day recently was when my daughter and I did a craft fair together. We didn't sell much but we had hundreds of people come in the booth and Ooo and Aahhh over my art. My daughter told me at the end of the day, "I just spent 9 hours, listening to every kind of person, from every background, race and age- tell you that you are so talented and that your jewelry is unlike anything they have ever seen in their life. And I am so proud you are my Mom." So I felt rich that day, even if my cash box was near empty."

YEP....I would say, that was a VERY successful day.   There is no money that can buy a day with your daughter, who affirms all of your effort and hard work with such heartwarming words.

So by now everyone wants to come and visit.   BELIEVE ME:  if you like Steampunk jewelry, you do!  Where can you find Dr. Brassy Steamington?

Right here, of course:

Dr. Brassy's Steampunk

http://www.etsy.com/shop/DrBrassysSteampunk

Keep up the great work, Brassy!  And thanks for using so much cool stuff from B'sue Boutiques

What Pat Did With My Patina Focal

She made a lovely necklace anyone would be happy to wear!

The classic lady pendant in the center is a combination of two stampings that I had patina'd in my workshop.

To achieve this look, I used my home oven patina method: 

http://www.bsueboutiques.com/pi_cool_ways_to_age_brass.shtml

I believe I did two bakings to get the color nice and dark.  When cool, I buffed a little bit, then I added a tad bit of  alcohol ink  in several dark colors to enrich the look.  This was heat set with a heat gun.   Then I buffed it out again with Renaissance Wax.   The final buff out I did with a scrap of old blue jeans material. 

Then I glued the two components together.

As you can see, a deep rich look can indeed be achieved with this method!

Thanks, Pat, for sharing your composition with us at the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group !

Pantone Color of the Year, 2012: Tangerine Tango

You know, when I posted about the Power of the Color Orange the other day, I hadn't even consulted the Pantone chart yet!

I was just in love with the color of my mom's chrysanthemum bush:

Now check the Pantone Spring chart, and you will find that TANGERINE TANGO is the 2012 color of the year.....and it looks fairly close to some of the nuances of color in the photo:

http://www.pantone.jp/pages/fcr.aspx?pg=20910&ca=4

If you click on the link you will be able to see the other complementary colors for spring, some of which are:

solar power   a rich gold-yellow

margarita  a washed out green with a little sage on the side

cabaret  which looks a bit like honeysuckle pink, amped up a couple of notches

cockatoo which is a lovely, minty aqua-blue

sodalite blue   stong, rich, like the semiprecious stone for which it is named

driftwood   a taupey light brown

bellflower  a mauvey purple a few shades deeper than pastel

sweet lilac   just as it suggests a very light pastel lavender-lilac color

You'll want to visit Pantone often to get the viewpoints of a revolving panel of designers.   You can also see sketches of how some of them tend to use the colors in their spring lines.

I need to pay more attention to Pantone, myself.   So many times I sit down to design and think, hmmm, what color should I work with?   Especially is that true when I play with clay.  I'm always thinking, what will bounce best.....I should come away from autumn colors, turquoise and neutrals, which I always favor.

The Pantone chart is a great place for inspiration.  It will also put you right on the mark for trends that will influence your jewelry sales!

Find the link for the Pantone home page here:  http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/index.aspx

 

The Power of the Color Orange

We've all heard about the color, purple.

It's a royal color, the color of kings.  So many times in the Bible, for example, you hear of "thread, dyed reddish-purple."   It IS a magnificent color, and when found in nature, is often combined with vibrant hues the likes of which you might never have thought of, unless you'd consulted a color wheel.

Like ORANGE.

Have you ever seen a darling little spring pansy with rich deep purple, accented with red-orange and yellow?   Wild colors!   We'd probably be too timid to wear them, ourselves, but that bold little pansy steps right up, doesn't it?   This is my Grammy's pansy garden, the last year she was still with us.   I don't see a perfect example of what I'm trying to say here in the photo, but I do see some pansies tinged with violet, graduating to hot reddish-pink, to coral in the bottom.   Still you know what I mean!  You've see them!

Orange is an amazing complement to the color purple.   I actually like it with tinges of olivene and gold, as well. 

Check out these miracle beads:

See how the color migrates from purple to blue violet, then fuschia, then orange-yellow?

Orange on its own, is powerful.   Take a moment and explore this photograph of a chrysanthemum bush.....and see how many intricate shades of orange you can detect:

I see vibrant, true orange.....and tangerine yellow....and coral....and golden yellow....

The texture of these flowers enhances the artful colors.  I took this photo last September in mellow afternoon sunshine, which also affected the glorious color.

They say that orange invigorates those who see it, it lifts and encourages them.   Some don't like orange, though....I remember back when I was selling vintage jewelry, a rhinestone brooch in the color orange, especially opaque orange, was just about the kiss of death to sell.  I never quite understood that, but it does seem that people tend to favor jewel tones like purple, red, pink, blue.

The facts are, however, that many people actually look better in fall tones, especially if your skin has yellow undertones.   Mine does.

EXCEPT for orange.   Unless you have the 'fall' complexion, it *is* true that orange may be overpowering on you as a choice for fabric.   But for jewelry, it may be the perfect complement to a cool color that IS in your range.

At any rate, I do love the color orange.   It makes me think of sunshine, tangerines, great big winter orange fruit, orange trees, juice, and.....some of the most BEAUTIFUL West German glass beads I ever had, which I have no more, not even a picture.  

I wish I did have a picture of those beads, I'd share it with you. 

 

You Ought To Make A Memory Wire Bracelet

If you need something quick and easy to make as a gift or to sell in your shop, a spiral  memory wire bracelet will do the trick every time.

But aren't those bracelets a trend that sort of came....and went?

About 8-10 years ago they were indeed very trendy in the crafts world. I made and sold them quickly at my Ebay store, and everyone loved them.   As far as coming and going, though, I'd have to beg to differ. 

Memory wire, or spiral bracelets, have been around since the 50's.   They are always classy to wear, and present a world of design possibilities.  They can be as simple as just throwing a few old beads on wire, or thinking hard about the junxtaposition of elements along the wire using varied mixed media products, bead caps, polymer clay beads, vintage glass.

Let's go on a little tour of some pretty spirals I have known.....I made them all:

I used some crazy old soldered filigree beads in these.....they were really quite rare.  Hard to find that kind, any more.

This photo really shows off the beads and their movement.  I used some lamp glass and vintage in this one, too.  It now belongs to my dear friend, Kate Mulligan of OrganicTeabyKate.com

Here are some pretty little numbers using fancy Czech beads in 6-8-10mm and some plated metal bead caps:

I love to finish the ends with a loop and add more beads on rhinestone headpins, which we still carry along with the memory wire in several types and styles, at B'sue Boutiques

This one had some more of those rare soldered filigree beads....sigh.  I have no more!

I just love the fluid movement of a spiral bracelet.   Here you can really see how those little rhinestone headpins set it off!

These are a combo of many of my handmade polymer clay beads and tons of the cool Bead Caps from B'sue Boutiques

Here's another funky bracelet made of a bunch of my organic-style polymer clay beads!

To make a bracelet like mine, all you need are maybe 5-6 coils of wire, a pliers to turn the ends, and then a bunch of beads and bead caps---whatever you chose.  String them on and see how they play!  Don't like the combo?  Pull them off before you turn the ends!   When you get it just right, loop the ends (do note:  the wire is stiff! and you need to be sure you roll it all the way in, so no wire is sticking out to poke you).  Then string some little beads on short head pins, loop the ends, and apply to the end loop of the bracelet.  Or add some little charms or pendants with jumps.  I usually do three pieces, but how many YOU use is up to you!

The big thing is to have fun with it!   Anyone can wear a spiral (memory wire) bracelet, they fit everyone, and they really do NEVER go out of style.   I think what makes them compelling is what YOU decide to put on them.  No two ever alike!

Maybe we'll feature them as a challenge at the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group  sometime this spring!

 

Do You Consign Your Work?

The scenario goes like this:

Here is a new artist,  doing a show at a summer fair.   Sales are going well, the artist is feeling validated about their abilities, and there will be a nice little piece of change to take home at the end of the day.

  About mid-afternoon, a lady with a big hat, lots of jewelry, and a fancy boutique-style artisan made bag,  walks into the artist's booth....along with a friend.  The friend is dressed similarly.

The artist notes that these two  seem to be very interested in the jewelry and, especially the techniques used in making it.   They keep looking at the price tags, mumbling to each other and flipping the jewelry upside down and sideways, examining it closely.  In a bit,  the artisan  approaches them and asks if they need  some assistance, or have questions about the work.

The lady with the big hat reaches into her big bag and pulls out a business card. 

"I'm the Lady with the Big Hat, and I own three boutiques in X, Y, and Z town.   I always come to this show looking for new talent, and my, my, my, are YOU talented!  I just LOVE your work.  Do you wholesale?"

The new artist scratches his/her head because quite frankly at this stage of the game, he/she hadn't even thought about it.   Before the artist can respond, Big Hat Lady continues,

"Well, anyway, I was REALLY looking for new artists would would consign their work for my trendy boutiques.   We take a 40% cut and you will need to be willing to leave your work for the selling season.  End of season, if we've done well with your things, you can come and get your out-season merchandise and provide us with new.  We pay once a month and the artist is expected to pick up their check at X shop in X town (about a 20 minute drive).   Here's a copy of my standard contract (reaches into the big bag again).  Why don't you have a look at it and give me a call some time?  We can set up an appointment, you can bring some things for possible consignment, and we'll talk it over."

With that she waltzes out of the booth with her friend, and didn't buy a thing.

And the artist's head is spinning.......

What do you think of this scenario?

My first inclination:  Not much!    Dream on, lady with the big hat.

BUT WAIT:  first, let's  sit on the emotion, and think it over.   It might be a good learning experience to meet with the woman.  She DOES have a contract.  She DID say an appointment could be made and the terms discussed.

On the other hand, it sounds like her agenda is rather rigid and wow....40%???  They are going to keep 40%????  Hmmmm.

Have you been this artist?  I have.   And I will tell you, I offered the lady in the big hat a BOXFUL of materials I had made at half price that day, as I'd rather have the funds than consign.... and she loved it all...but she still wouldn't BUY it.   Because SHE told me she rarely buys ANYTHING.   No, you have to consign it.

So as a learning experience I met with her at one of her three boutiques, just to see what would happen.   I did end up consigning about 30 pair of earrings.   The worst of it was that she made me wait in a backroom for over two hours while she picked out what she wanted from what I brought, and waited on customers in between.   Over the course of the next three months, she sold five pair, gave me back the rest--- shop-worn with her retail  tags  still on them.   She had marked the earrings up to three times my asking, but still had taken her 40% off my original asking as well.

Needless to say,  I brought her nothing else though she called me a few times.... and in time, most of the other artisans in her 'stable' no longer brought things, either.   She was a hard-working lady, but she did not treat her artisans very well.

This scenario is repeated over and over again.   Many of us who are new become  giddy at the thought of our work being sold in a well-known boutique or art gallery, so we accept the terms....and for awhile, the abuse. 

Does it sound like I'm sour on consignment?

NOT NECESSARILY.  Consignment CAN be great.   I consigned hamperloads of jewelry to another girl who ran home parties for almost three years, and that arrangement worked out well for both of us.  We both  banked a good bit of cash over those years.   She had a clothing line and I did all the jewelry, she did all the parties.  I was making tons of big, gaudy friendly plastic/glitz/lacquered earrings and I gave her half, because I could make ten pair an hour, had fun doing it,  wasn't paying help at the time and they didn't cost me much to make.  I figured she was doing most of the work schlepping that stuff and deserved the high 50% cut, and it kept her happy, too!

It was a great set up!

Consignment needs to be looked at with a careful, wary eye.   You need to ask all the right questions and you need to get your agreement down in writing.   ALSO:   Do you know any other artisans who are consigning to this place?   What's their input?   What sort of a reputation does this shopkeep have? 

One of the things that REALLY irked me about my first consignment experience is that once a month *I* was expected to drive twenty minutes to pick up my check.  When I got there, I would have to wait for the shopkeep to have a moment for me, as well.   She couldn't give me the time of day, or even spring for a stamp to send me a check.  

Michelle Mach wrote a great blog post at her blog, Beads and Books,  on consigning and some of the important questions you should ask.....find that here:

http://www.michellemach.com/blog/index.php?/archives/372-Selling-Your-Jewelry-on-Consignment-5+-Questions-to-Ask.html

and we've been having a discussion at the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group this week, concerning consignments:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/bsueboutiques/discuss/72157628403112631/

Marion Harmon gave a few suggestions about doing trunk shows for your consigned shops on the discussion.  I thought they were excellent.....come on over, read through the comments and add your voice!

Just one last comment:  if you are paying for shelf space, that's not consignment, that's space rental.  So long as what you bring for your shelf fits the rules or criteria of the shop or artisan mall where they are displayed, they can't tell you not to sell your work at other locations or shows in their town.  If that's in their contract, walk away.  The only time a shopkeep can ask for exclusivity is when they are buying your goods wholesale, out right, and re-ordering at a level that you as a small artisan-run *COMPANY* establish.

In the long run:  It's your art, your talent, your stuff.  You call the shots. 

 

 

 

It's Time to Start Planning for Next Year

Yeah.   I'll be taking a lot of pictures out THERE this winter!  NOT.

I can't argue with the fact that winter snow can really be lovely.   There's GOT to be some creativity in a snowfall, some inspiration.

And it would for me, if I liked cold, white stuff.   Unfortunately....I don't.

Time to plan for spring!

WHAT, you say.....we haven't even gotten through the holidays yet!

That is true...HOWEVER...have you ever noticed how, in the fashion industry, things go out at least six months in advance?  For example, in fall, designers show their spring lines.  The Pantone color of the year is announced. (By the way, it's Tangerine Tango.   Start thinking how you're going to make ORANGE work into your 2012 designs!)

And in spring, they are showing fall.   NOW THEN....if they are *showing*  fall in spring....WHEN are they planning it?

Way before that, right?

I'm as guilty as anyone else of getting too busy with the day to day that I don't plan OUT...ahead...anticipate. 

 I do plenty of research, but it needs to be better organized.   I told myself that this year, I was going open a little journal and devote it to the month-to-month planning of NEXT YEAR.   I am hoping to plan, month to month what needs to be available here, what sales strategies should be,  what videos I should make, and also.... revamp my book proposal so I can present just the right material to the right publisher.

It's so hard to choose just the right publisher! 

But that's another subject for another day.  Getting back to this one:

I'm suggesting that you also begin to plan your upcoming lines and that you create a cohesive body of work. 

Michelle Hardy of Firefly Visions commented this morning at the B'sue Boutiques Fan Page that she anticipates opening an Etsy this year, and is planning a body of work, how many pieces to start with, and what sort of pieces.    If you want to join that conversation, come over and find the thread...I may start one at the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group later today. 

 I am planning, too.  I JUST got a few of my teaching pieces up at Etsy, like this one:

Find it here:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/88383972/convertible-necklace-flowers-beads

But I think the best thing to do would be to open another B'sue Boutiques Etsy store, maybe later this winter, and start loading it....and keep it loaded. 

  It will be a stretch to accomplish, for me!  There is nothing I enjoy more than making jewelry, I remember when I used to be able to do it all day long, nearly every day.   Now, with the supply business, there are people to call, orders to write, numbers to crunch....and time gets short.

We all really *must*  start contemplating, planning for success for next year.  One example of planning that paid off, is  Cynthia Wainscott of Exotic Peru....who made this gorgeous cuff:

Cynthia  planned well and worked along with her plans....and is achieving her goals.   She is making enough money to supplement their family's income and stay at home with her young son (except when she is doing shows!)    Her goal this last year was to earn enough extra with her jewelry so that she could return to Peru for a long visit to see her mother and relatives.  She has not been home in quite a few years.

She'll be going in January!

With planning....you can achieve your goals, as well!   Cynthia reminds me of myself:   Jordan wasn't much older than her son, when I decided my life needed to switch gears and that I needed to make my knowledge of pretty old things and my creativity, pay off.   If you want to read the story...here it is: http://www.bsueboutiques.com/about_us.shtml

I'll just mention:  if you are in planning mode this week, I **do** have a little somethin'-somethin' that can help:

At  B'sue Boutiques   there is a 15% off sale good through Wednesday December 14....you have until midnight to use code FIVEOFF  at the checkout...and!  HERE IS HOW IT WORKS:

With the code, ANY ORDER, ANY SIZE gets 5% off.   A little somethin'-somethin' for everyone.   So look at it this way:  if you shop out our sale bin found here:  What's On Sale at B'sue Boutiques  you get deals on over 350 items that are marked down, either temporarily, or permanently, 20-50%.   So with the code, you'd get another 5% off!   And the shipping is only 3.95, any order, any size, anyplace in the US.  We automatically upgrade to priority mail for orders 50.00 and up.

BUT:   where it really gets sweet is when you stock your cart and your order is 100.00 or more!

Enter code FIVEOFF and get 15% off your order, plus FREE US SHIPPING. 

 15% is the max discount we can do at this time but WOW, when you consider you can get a big discount on TOP of  all that cool stuff in the sale bin....you could have a riot picking up deals, having fun, and best of all.....

PLANNING.

May your plans take you on the right pathway for 2012....exactly where *you* want to go.