Inspiration from Henry

Sometimes I find myself at a loss when sitting in my studio (kitchen table) for inspiration--what should I make today?  Earrings, necklace, bracelet?  Dangly earrings, long necklace, choker, pendant, no pendant?  Copper, silver, or...you get the idea.  This week, I got some inspiration from an unexpected source--the TV.  This week, I watched an episode of CBC's "The Tudors" for the first time.  I knew a bit about Henry VIII from reading a couple of Phillipa Gregory novels, but I'd never been interested in watching the Emmy-winning series, which is in its final season on CBC.  I tuned in, to be honest, because I couldn't find the remote, and was too lazy to get up and change the channel (heaven forbid!)

Jewellery Repairs

It's been a couple of weeks since I wrote anything here. Frankly, I couldn't think of anything to say. But, thankfully, a thought has occurred to me. On the weekend, while I was enjoying the first of my two annual Thanksgiving dinners, one at mother-in-law's, and one at Mum's, mother-in-law presented me with a bag of jewellery that her friend from work wanted repaired. The stuff was inexpensive, and the repairs needed were mostly broken clasps or restringing. Mum-in-law said, "Now, Diana, you make sure you charge her for this!" It occurred to me at that time that I have no idea what a fair price for jewellery repairs would look like.

Jeweler's Block

I've been spending a lot of time promoting Bead Planet lately.  I've been blogging regularly, handing out business cards and flyers, telling everyone I know about my Etsy shop, updating my shop and my Facebook page as often as I can, participating in newbie chats on Etsy, and reading every article I can on how to promote your small jewellery business.  With all this and teaching full time, tutoring part time, and raising two kids, I have very little time left to actually make any jewellery.  When I do get a few minutes to bead lately, I find I'm blocked.  I look at the plethora of stones and beads in front of me, and I just feel paralyzed.  Other artists must feel this way sometimes. What do you do when you're experiencing a creative block? How do you get the creative juices flowing again?

Girls' Night Out Beading Party

Just got back from my first beading party booking. It was a Girls' Night Out party, hosted by my friend Rita. There were 5 guests, which was a good, manageable number for my first party. Before the party, we set up a long table and chairs in her basement, and put out a beading board, tools, and a laminated picture reference card at each place. The findings and some of the available beads were in the middle of the table. There were too many beads to fit on the table, so there was another area where the rest of the beads, organized by colour or type, were set up. My inventory of finished pieces was set up at one end of the room for people to browse, or to get inspiration.