A: Thank you for asking. I’m fine, however the last two months have been challenging.  Our dear cat Chica hasn’t been well. And back in mid-December doctors discovered that Jim needed surgery, and for various reasons it couldn’t be scheduled until early January. We kept him at home and away from possible infection for what seemed like some very long weeks, and therefore  missed several fun holiday gatherings.

Q: Oh, my! I didn’t know. I hope he and Chica are both okay now.

A: He is steadily recovering from his surgery, although he still cannot drive nor lift anything over 20 pounds.  So I am doing all the driving (not my favorite job).  Chica is doing much better as well. You know she is 14 years old which is 73 in human years. It makes her aches and pains understandable.

Q: Have you done anything since December  other than deal with Jim’s surgery?

A: Well, yes I have. Along with Rick Higginbothams’ help I published Go Anyway as an e-book. It’s now listed on Amazon.com for sale and customers seem to be enjoying it.

Oh, speaking of e-books, here is something else I did in the last few weeks. I wrote a tutorial on how to make headpin leaf beads. The tutorial will be in  the March issue of  Soda Lime Times, a great e-zine for lampworkers. It is easy to read and use on your pc or tablet reader. I really enjoy my android or Kindle  and kept one with me during all the hours I spent with Jim at doctors appointments or in the hospital, or at the vet with Chica. I got a lot of reading done.

Q: Well, I am surprised to hear what you have been doing. You must be anxious to get back to making jewelry and beads though.

A:I am, and fortunately I have  torched some wonderful new beads in the last few days in spite of all the caretaking.  I also managed to make and send off six new necklaces to a professional photographer. I’ll show you those photos once I receive them. Having good photographs of my work is so important for entering juried shows. I’m lining up my schedule for 2012, and the new images should help me get accepted into new venues.

Q: Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions? 

A: I resolved to take better care of myself, and with that in mind I have lost 13 pounds since November. I feel so much better. I think I mentioned the Game On Diet in my previous post. It is easy and fun. That’s about it for resolutions.

Q: Well, dear, I’m glad to hear you plan to take better care of yourself. It sounds like you need to, so I encourage you as well. A visit to a spa would be a lovely idea. If you decide to go, do let me know. Until then, ta ta. I’ll catch you later. Oh, I almost forgot. Isn’t your 67th birthday day after tomorrow? Never mind – I know it is. Do have an especially happy day.

A: Thank you – I will.

Bead Soup Rebecca sent me

I played around with the copper focal bead, changed it a little, added some of my lampwork beads to the mix, and  came up with a long adjustable length necklace. I used mostly the beads Rebecca sent me, including the copper clasp.  Jim contirbuted a little oak branch and pine cone  he made in silver from live castings.  I added some other gemstone beads too. The process was really fun and it stretched my creative juices. What do you think?

Check out  what the other party members have made. It may take you a while – there were over 90 of us! Have fun, and

Welcome to the party!

Blog Soup Party Goers

1. Lori, Pretty Things

2. Lorelei, Lorelei1141

3. Norma, Moonlit Fantaseas

4. Beth, EB Bead and Metalworks

5. Katie, KatieBead

6. Kimberly, Bahama Dawn

7. Debbie, Prairie Emporium

8. Lisa, Joolz by Lisa

9. Kate, Tropical Blonde

10. Janet, Singing Woods

11. Julianna, Juls Beads

14. Jen, Jen Judd Rocks

15. Kella, Me But a Little More In Depth

16. Emanda, Artemisia Studio

17. Marie, Skye Jewels

18. Loretta, Designs By Loretta

19. Stacy, Sissy and Jack’s

20. Joanna, Filcowe

21. Diane, Diane Hawkey

22. Marianna, Pretty Shiny Things

23. Anna, The Laughing Raven

24. Marcie, La Bella Joya

25. Lois, Que Onda Q’town?

26. Jayne, Mama’s Got To Doodle

27. Lisa, Alterity

28. Dale, Dales’ Flights of Fancy

29. Melanie, Kookie Designs

30. Christine, A Hot Piece of Glass

31. Nancy, Beading From the Heart

32. Laurel, Rue’s Daftique

33. Sandi, Do Be Do Bead Do

34. Nicki, Nicki’s Reef

35. Virginie, ViviBijoux

36. Janeen, Wild Vanilla

37. Filomena, Pink Velvet Bird

38. Lyn, Lyn Foley

39. Tari, Pearl and Pebble

40. Rebecca, Song Beads

41. Regina, Regina’s Writings

42. Nancy, The Rabbit Muse

43. Whitney, Whitney Lassini

44. Maria, Garden Path Beads

45. Michelle, Life in the Bead Lane

46. Ann, My Critical Eye

47. Lisa, Lucid Moon Studio

48. Nan, Spirit Rattles

49. Amy, Copper Diem

50. Malin, Beading by Malin de Koning

51. Anne, Gardanne Glass Lampwork

52. Alice, Alice’s Beads and Baubles

53. Barbara, Second Surf

54. Amanda, Articulations

55. Heather, Humble Beads

56. Melissa, Melissa Meman, Art, Life, Love

57. Kate, Organic Odysseys

58. Patti, PJ Clark Designs

59. Stefanie, Stefanie’s Sammelsurium

60. Carol, Carol Bradley Designs

61. Wanda, A Frayed of Fibers

62. Diana, Vintage Blue Studio

63. Marieke, Marieke’s Blog

64. KJ, Silver Parrot

65. Maire, Maire Dodd

66. Shannon, Miss Fickle Media

67. Dana, Dana’s Jewelry Designs

68. Charlene, The Bead Dreamer

69. Elisabeth, Beads for Busy Gals

70. Cathryn, Chile Cats

71. Missy, Melissa Rappaport

72. Cindy, Cindy Dolezal Designs

73. Valerie, Hot Art

74. Courtney, Beads by Breul

75. Johanna, Fire Phoenix Creations

76. Shea, gr8findings

77. Julie, Pryce Designs

78. Jeannie, Jeannie’s Blog

79. Patricia, Verre Design

80. Christa, Adventures of One Beady Woman

81. Heather, My Muse

82. Susan, Night Beader at Large

83. Sonja, Drachenei

84. Jennifer, Glass Addictions by Jennifer

85. Melissa, One-Eared Pig Beads

86. Rebecca, 2SistersBeadwork

87. Karyn, Releases by Rufydoof

88. Denise, Bling on the Blog

89. Doris, Glaszwerg

90. Megan, Churchy & Her Sailor

91. Jo, Daisychain Designs

92. Jen, VanBeads Jewelry and Design

93. Kristie, Artisan Clay

94. Jess, Vintaj

95. Suzann, Beadphoria

96. Sharon, Sharon’s Jewelry Garden

97. Michelle, bMichelle

Memories: Aegean Tideline

I changed it a fair amount from the first photo I showed you here.  I totally cut apart the first crocheted “net” I made, and redid it using a smaller fishing line.  I learned alot about shadow boxes (I’ve never used one before) – and am sure my second piece will be even better. “Tideline’ will be for sale beginning March 6, 2010 at  The Gallery at Round Top. All proceeds will benefit ACT. Contact the Gallery if you would like to bid.

This month, however, I am beginning something new – Mixed Media Art. Actually, it is so new I don’t really know what to call it. Two other beginnings led me to start this new art.

I recently joined Art Bead Scene, a group hosting an event called “Blog Carnival.” Posting a blog on a secret topic with a group of other bead artists sounded like a fun challenge. I squeaked in under the wire to join. This month’s post, due today, and linked into the group on February 17th, is on the topic, Beginnings. How apropos, as I am beginning a new phase in my art.

I’ve been creating works of wall art in my head for about a year now, and telling myself, “Oh, I’ll figure out how to do this soon.” My procrastination has dragged on an on. I even discussed my ideas with Karen Vernon, owner of The Gallery of Round Top (one of the galleries that sell my jewelry). Karen said, “Just do one piece of wall art a month – just one. It will get you started.” Great idea, only January slid by and I still hadn’t done anything except sketch out another idea. I envisioned combo glass and fiber piece, suspended inside a shadow box. The box would protect the glass yet at the same time, since the work would hang away from the box, light could move around the glass. A crocheted net would enfold the beads. Flotsam and jetsam trapped in “An Aegean Tide Line.” I see it clearly.

Meanwhile (also at the last minute) Karen invited me to join ACT (Artists Changing Tomorrow). Here’s their mission statement: “ACT, Artists Changing Tomorrow, is a program developed to sustain and maintain the arts: visual, literary and performing. This program’s goal is to provide art education, school and community art programs and performances, and overall community arts outreach. The program is supported by artists, patrons and benefactors who are aware of the contribution that the arts make to society and who selflessly seek to support the creative process.”

Act’s first benefit auction/show begins March 17th – and guess what? All the pieces are 12” x 12” and can either be a flat painting, or a dimensional piece inside a shadow box. I picked up the box yesterday.

Here’s the sketch I did a while back, with a few of the beads I haven’t put in yet.

My sketchbook with a drawing of the wall box art, and a few of my vessel beads

And here’s the beginning of the piece, with some of the beads already on the crocheted net. It’s a beginning.

I’ll keep you posted as the piece progresses. Some coral and barnacle beads coming out of the kiln this morning – beginnings ———–!

Flower Necklace in Black and Pink

Here’s a necklace I finished making yesterday. I’ve been working on the filigrina (black and clear glass) flowers for a while, with their solid pink centers and black glass leaves in between. I haven’t priced it yet, as I’m stewing over whether to enter it into a gallery show at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. If I do enter it, and if it does get selected, it would be committed for a year. I’m not sure I want to do that – basically just for the kudos. I have a few days to decide.

Any thoughts on the subject?

I’ve been having a difficult time getting accepted into the very best shows. I’m STILL having trouble getting into the shows I want. It’s especially frustrating, because once I do get into shows, more often than not I win prizes, such as Best of Category, or Judges Choice, whatever. So I know from my sales, and from the awards I win that my work is good.

So, what’s with the rejections? I found out one answer yesterday — my jury slides.

Bayou City Art Festival, held in Houston twice a year is one of the top rated art festivals in the U.S. I have been in that show eight times. Then, suddenly, I was not juried into either of the Bayou shows for 2009, neither spring or fall. Why not? I couldn’t figure it out. So when the show staff invited artists to attend an informal jury preview, I jumped at the chance. Jim and I drove down to Houston and along with the other artists who showed up , looked at the digital slides of over 1300 artists who applied for one of the 300 booth spaces.

My slides looked AWFUL when projected side by side in large format. They were washed out, didn’t seem perfectly focused, and the flow from slide to slide was not good. Also, the slide of my booth, which I hadn’t paid much attention to, looked awful as well. Everything looked especially bad compared to the other 250+ jewelry entries. No wonder I haven’t been getting accepted. I need better photos.

Another thing I noticed was the fact that most of the artwork was photographed on a full black background. Sometimes a gradient gray to black was used, but generally black was the background of choice. My pieces were on a white to gray scale background, and they didn’t “pop” like the other work did. They suffered in comparison.

So, it’s back to the photography workshop for me. Since I realize the importance of a good booth shot, I’ll redo that too. No more show entries until I get this problem solved. I’m determined.

Today I took a quick “re-do” photo of one of my pieces, previously photographed on white.
Here’s the comparison.

What do you think?
Does the black background work to make the jewelry pop out?

Months passed. After all, the advice sages advise, a writer should wait until the person to whom you have submitted the query replies. Multiple/simultaneous submission not allowed. O.K. I played by the rules.

About  eighteen months ago, an interested editor sent me a long letter, telling me everything I needed to change, and why. I made the first of the suggested changes, and  thought, "Terrific! I can do this!"  However, as time passed I discovered I dreaded working on my book. I finally realized I didn’t want to make the suggested changes, and that my original ideas were fine.  Yes, there is still editing to be done. But I am certain the basic outline and thrust of "Go Anyway" is just fine.

So, early this year (2009) I  put away my attempts to follow the said editors directives. And lo and behold a local newspaper (small but terrific) offered to serialize my book, one chapter at a time. And that editor,Kurt Wilson, and that paper,The Round Top Register, are doing just that. Kurt’s encouragement  and gentle editing  has gotten me back on track.

Meanwhile, I was rejected by not just one, but three very good art shows I have been participating in for years. You may not realize it, but the shows that I frequent require yearly submissions of one to four photos of recent work (and a fee of $35 or more dollars just for applying). The photos are reviewed by a jury who uses them to decide if you are in or out of the show. Why was I suddenly `out’?  Especially when I have continue to get rave reviews for my work, and continue to receive awards in my category. Not being accepted in these shows put a big dent in our first quarter income, and a dent in my self-confidence.

Now a segue: When we were sailing around the world, several people told us we would never make it. In particular, Boyd, a distant relative, took us out to dinner every time we flew back to the states, only to  always say: "Well, you’re still alive, and my gosh you’ve gone far, but I still don’t think you’ll make it around the world!" Boyd died a few years back. Where ever you are Boyd, you are one of the reasons we did make it around the world. Whenever Jim and I thought of giving up, and talked about it, we’d laugh and say at the end of the discussion: "We can’t give up! Boyd would be right!"  As you know we did make it around the world  – and lived to enjoy a celebratory dinner with Boyd.

So I declare that  I will get the book published, even if it takes longer than I planned.  I will hone the writing and the right person will come along and find "Go Anyway" and publish it.

I will be accepted into good shows. I have better photos of my jewelry now, and furthermore, I will improve my work as I continue to hone my glass skills.

So  fair warning to the editors and agents and show juries who have sent me messages of rejection. Rejection has led to determination.   You have inspired me to keep going toward my goals just like Boyd did. I’m not giving up.

I haven’t posted since November 2008. No excuses, just what happened. I did get out a snail mail letter to friends. I haven’t really looked back at my 2008 goals though, so let’s see what happened to my list: :

1. Finish building our new house by July, 2008 – The house is still under construction.
2. Move into our new house by August,2008  We hope to be in by March, 2009.
3. Sell the house we are living in now by December 2008 . We’re getting our old house ready to sell. I bought the paint to touch up the front door,  cleaned the flower beds, planted some new flowers,washed the roof, and we’re fixing all of those little wear and tear things inside that we’ve let slide over the past 6 years.
4. Be accepted into the rest of the art shows I have applied to for 2008  I did get into most of the shows I applied for in 2008!
5. Meet my sales goals for 2008 I exceeded my sales goals – what a surprise, especially in view of all the doom and gloom on the news.
6. Finish re-writing my book, Go Anyway, A Memoir, by March 2008 Oh, man, this one really didn’t happen. I barely worked on the re-writing at all. On a positive note, I did re-write 8 of the 30 odd chapters, so at least something got done on it.
7. Publish my book Go Anyway before the end of 2008  This didn’t exactly happen either, but Chapter One was published in the Round Top Register, and got a lot of favorable response.
8. Fix the hot tub so that it works, and I can enjoy using it everyday. Yes, yes, thank you Jim for doing this. Love my soaks in the hot tub. Helps my disposition, and my sometimes aching back.
9. Have  daily quiet time with Jim Well, maybe we didn’t have a daily quiet time, but we did manage several times a week.
10. Do one thing every week  day just for me I really slacked off on being good to myself. I did read and work through The Artists Way, and on most days wrote my morning pages. I should have left the goal as weekly, which I mostly managed.
11. Visit Marfa, Texas  Yes, it was great – see this post.
12. Go on a vacation in a warm place with a beach and nice water for swimming Didn’t even get close, other than downloading the papers to renew our expired passports.
13. Maintain my weight at 125 pounds Today I am up to 127 – generally I hovered at 125 all year.
14. Develop one new successful venue for selling my lampwork creations. Hey, yeah, my jewelry is now selling through the Asher Gallery at the Houston Center for Contemporary Crafts.
15. Make 75 beads that I am happy with each week. Yes I did. Here are some of them.
16. Create 10 items of jewelry that I am satisfied with each week  Yes, I did.
17. Take at least one entire afternoon each week off work to do something totally unrelated to lampworking and jewelry making. I didn’t manage this one. Maybe once every month or so. I’m close to being a work-a holic. This relates to #10. I know I need to care for myself more and/or better.
18. Each week tell someone in my life that I love them, and thank you Hmm -difficult to assess. I know I did express my love more frequently to some of the dear people in my life.I intend to renew this goal for 2009.
19. Tell Jim every day thank you, and that I love him  Yes I did
20. Double the amount of money we have in savings. Nope, unless you count some of the value of our new home as "savings" – oh, can’t cheat, that’s not what I meant, so the answer is it didn’t happen.
21. Plant a vegetable garden. Yes I did, although some type of greedy insect ate more squash than we did!
22. Plant a flower garden. Yes, and my flowers were brilliant, especially the zinnys!
23. Landscape our new house. We started on New Years Eve – does that count?. Our friend Chris Berg , a landscape designer from Oakland, Ca. flew out for a working vacation. He’s done a fabulous job. Thank you, Chris. We’ll plant soon.
24. Build and put up a bat house. Jim did this one
25. Win a contest I didn’t win an actual contest, but I did get several awards for my lampworking
26. Play scrabble with my sister once a month Once a month didn’t happen, but we did start an on-going Scrabble tournament, turned it into a pot-luck dinner evening, and have been enjoying this one fairly frequently. The three of us are only about 75 points apart on the overall score, so we’re evenly matched and will continue playing.
27. Learn something new I learned how to play Sudoku, and taught myself a new beadmaking technique from a tutorial I bought.

Overall, a lot of my goals were accomplished. Jim and I will sit down soon, and envision 2009. Belated New’s Years joy and prosperity to all who are in my world!

So, I applied to  wholesalecrafts.com, and am now a new member. (If you are a retailer, and would like to join, please e-mail me at beads at cvtv dot net.). I’m sorry, non- retail buyers can only see the front page, since the site is for gallery owners, museum shop buyers, etc. to buy directly from  U.S.A. artists.

I’ll still be selling at retail shows, but my goal is to develop gallery accounts, and by next year prune my show schedule  from fourteen shows a year down to six. A lot of buyers have looked at my page since I joined a few days ago, but no one has placed an order – yet! I’m ready to go though, and did a "Test Case" over the last two weeks, pretending to fill an order for eight necklaces I’ve listed. I needed to be sure I could make them all in  less than  three weeks. I could, and I did. So, come on out, you gallery owners, I’m primed and ready.

I’ve taken one other step, and closed my retail shop on etsy. It is a terrific web site, where thousands of artists offer  handmade wares for sale. But since February  I’ve made only seven sales.   etsy is probably not right for me -  I simply don’t have  low  price point items, and I think I was lost in the maze of thousands of shops. I also wasn’t willing to sacrifice what little Internet time I have to join etsy clubs, post in forums, and tweak  multiple pictures for every item on offer.

You, my lurking readers ( I know you’re there) can still buy from me on line. Just follow my portfolio link and send me an e-mail about what you want.  Without etsy, I’ll be  catching up with posts of new work on my own site. In fact, here’s a "Dancing Bubbles Necklace" Jim and I made just last week. Set with a custom sterling silver bale, sterling silver head-pins – and six of my sparkly hollow beads. All on a multi strand stainless steel cable.

If you like it, e-mail me – it’s $295.

Set up is awkward for us, since because of P.D. Jim can’t carry anything and walk at the same time – that means I do most of the lifting and hauling of gear. We get weird looks as Jim steps aside, and  I put on my gloves, my back brace, and wearing my work-out clothes, lug the tent poles around, and man-handle all the cases and bits of displays into position.

But even with difficult set-up and tear down, heat, bugs – or in other instances, rain, mud, wind and cold, we love doing shows. It’s great to see old customers again ( I love my fans!) and great to meet new admirers. Traveling to shows takes me out of my tiny Round Top comfort zone and throws me into a different big city zone.  Seeing who buys what  (- or seeing what doesn’t sell), is always informative and interesting. And I get big boosts to my ego, especially when I win a Jury Award, like I did in Dallas. (Thank you, jurors). I come home exhausted from the physical labor and all the talking and interaction, but energized, full of new ideas and sparks to my creativity. So what’s the problem?

None, really, except that it is getting more difficult for me to do this every month with Jim’s limited help – and it is also getting much more expensive – hotel rooms, meals out, gas prices, show booth fees – all are adding up to take their toll along with the physical wear and tear on my poor back aching 63 year old  body.

At just about every show, three or four customers who own shops or galleries ask "Do you do wholesale?" And therein lies the dilemma I am facing. Should I or shouldn’t I?

So far, I don’t really wholesale. I do furnish my jewelry to two galleries, The Gallery at Round Top, and Design|Works in Galveston. Both of these carry my work on consignment – they pay me after something sells. I keep my prices the same, and therefore, since the gallery takes a percentage, I end up with less income for what they sell, but don’t have to incur the expense of all of the above – or the expense of bodily wear and tear.  Its a trade-off.

But in true wholesale, I would make a "line", take orders off of that line of jewelry, go home, make the beads and jewelry, and then be paid in full on delivery. Two companies that promote artists to galleries, with either wholesale web sites, or wholesale shows, or both, have approached me to be a vendor/participant. I’m looking at how I would do this. What part of what I make would be in my "Line" ? And what about pricing? Can I make enough at 50% off my retail prices – or do I need to raise my retail prices so that I can earn enough at wholesale? Will I have to give up doing retail shows – or just cut back on how many I do? And what about the fact that I mostly make everything as"One of a kind" – will I want to make the same or similar earrings or necklaces over and over? I’m tossing all these questions around as I fill my orders from the Dallas show, and make new beads and jewelry for the upcoming Rockport Art Festival. I’ll figure out an answer by August, when I have a one month show break. Meanwhile, a recent necklace I happily made for a new customer.

Thank you , Stephanie.