First time as ebay bidder

Well, that was fun! I was on a quest for green kyanite, and came upon the Laurel Canyon Beads ebay listings. Years ago, 2002 in fact, I had set up an ebay account so I could show a friend how to do so; thus, all I had to do was find my user name and password, and get to bidding. I'm sorry to say that I lost out on the bidding for those beads, because they were incredible. I had doubled my initial maximum bid level, and got down to wire in the bidding, but couldn't justify going even higher, so someone else got them for one dollar more. Of course, now I find myself wondering if that was her highest bid, and I might have gotten them if I went just a bit higher, but I had to cut off somewhere. This bidding thing can be pretty intense.

In the process of bidding, however, I learned a lot about timing. (I also learned that my spam filter was "catching" the notices from ebay about being outbid, which was a bummer.) Luckily, I discovered that on a not-so-wanted item. So here's my tip of the day: if you ever want to bid on ebay, be sure to add them to your address book, or find out how to "whitelist" them with your provider's spam filters, so you don't miss crucial notices.

I did win the bid on one item: beautiful carnelian rectangles. These will make very nice earrings and pendants. Dara responded almost immediately to my inquiry about how to add to my order, so I also ordered a fabulous boulder opal piece and matching beads with her "buy now" buttons.

I'm hoping to get these made up before Apple Hill. Boy, I better get to work making...! We set up at Apple Hill just 3 weeks from now, on Sept. 21st. If the next 3 weeks goes as fast as the last 3, it'll be here in absolutely no time at all. If you're in the neighborhood, drop on by. We'll be at El Dorado Orchards, Camino, CA., every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through October.

Oh yes, I did find some irregularly shaped green kyanite "blades," so hope to have some of them made up also.

The continuing life of an amber pendant

The amber pendant as a work in progress....
I started on the bail, not looking great at this point. This one is going to be a real evolutionary work. I can hardly wait to see what it wants to be when it grows up.

Done! This is the completed pendant. So much for a quick and simple setting. I guess this piece of amber just wanted more flash. :-) It's always fun for me to see what something ends up as. I guess that's why I enjoy working with wire. It sort of happens on its own; sometimes, I'm just the hands.

We had a fairly successful show Mother's day weekend in Old Town Shasta. I was a bit miffed about Shasta allowing all the import booths. In fact, they had put an "imports" sign right next to my booth!!! Of course, I had them move that, but I still spent all weekend watching green plastic garden frogs on a stick going by; very disheartening. I'll be writing a letter to them about how they are hurting the show. I have a real hard time understanding how they can't see the direct cause and effect (losing crafters) of allowing imports in.

It'll be a shame if after 12 years, I have to drop this show from my schedule, but we don't do shows that let just everyone and their third cousins twice removed in. I don't mean that to sound snobbish, but I find that generally speaking, once imports are allowed into a show, the show spirals downward rapidly, both in attendance and sales.

Off my soapbox now, I promise to post a more cheerful message next time. :-)

Only two more days to work on jewelry before leaving for Lakeport, CA. I'll be working on Hairskewers and earrings today. I hope to get a few rings done as well, but may have time to make some while at the show. This show is rather laid back, but good jurying. Stop on by to see some very nice crafts: Memorial Day weekend at the Natural High School in Lakeport. And, don't forget to stop by my booth to say,"Hello."

Getting Ready for Shasta

Well, took a full day, but I think my boxes are all labeled and sorted so that NEXT time everything will have a place. I keep hoping to hit on a system of packing for a show that will make tearing down easier. Heck, it's only been 19 years....

This year we'll be in the RV park, because the kids are having the roof torn off their house for a remodel, so it took a bit longer to pack than usual. Then of course, when I went to burning CD catalogs, I realized that my 2006 schedule was still on the old and there was no link to this blog. That meant that I had to make changes to the file, then burn. Next, after I thought all was packed and ready, I realized that I hadn't packed up the new jewelry! Ok, that's done. Then the final, "Oh my gosh!"

Hmmm, don't have confirmation for this show in my files.... Don't have the copy of the application for this show is my files.... Don't have record of show fee payment for this show in my files. I never received an application.... I"M NOT IN THE SHOW!!!!

Luckily, I have the home phone number of one of the promoters, called her, and she FAXed me a form. She also put me in my same spot, and I'll just take the money with me to the show. That was very close. In all my years crafting, this has never happened before. I now have a reminder sheet in my Palm Pilot, with all my shows listed and the date they usually send the applications.

Watch for the end of this.... This pendant was supposed to be a quick and simple wrap. I had this great Amber chunk and found there was a hole (filled with sand) in the center of the piece. So, I decided I would put a stone in there. Of course, then it needed a second stone in the other cavity to balance. When I got to the top, I didn't have enough wire to finish a proper bail, so had to add wire. In order to do that I decided to do a woven bail for strength and design. This is where I am. I wonder what it will look like when I'm done. Hmmmm, put it aside until after the Shasta Show.

In 2 weeks we can pack up again and go to Lakeport, aren't craft shows fun?

Updated web pages

I finally got my newest items on my web pages. It took a bit longer than usual, because I'm trying to learn how to get better photos; definitely, a time consuming experience. I'm about ready to throw in the towel on this camera and buy a newer one. I'm thinking that 8 years is a long time to keep anything when it comes to technology.

I've also been busy putting out the newsletter for our local Friends of the Library. I'm on the Corporate Board, and sort of "volunteered" to do the newsletter. :-)

Now that that's all done, I MUST get to making new stuff for my upcoming show in Shasta, CA. We all have our fingers crossed that the weather will hold, praying for a nice 82 degrees and dry!

Hope to see you there.

Maille crosses

I think I've finally got the hang of this; those last 4 links have been a struggle: I finished 3 chain maille crosses in time for the Shasta show: 2 sterling silver and 1 gold-fill. The next step is to try different sizes.

The sun is finally shining in Pollock Pines so I get to spend some "garden time." That'll be a nice change. I'm a warm weather gal, so am ready for Spring .

Not much to say this time, just wanted to try to add to the blog. Next I'll see if I can get a new picture added as well.

Welcome All to my new blog. I'm not sure why I want to add yet another thing to my list of things to do, but it seems a Blog is the way to go these day, so here I am. I’ll be addinf comments here about what I’m working on, and perhaps some personal things as well.

The first item, for those who don’t already know, is that I took my very first surfing lesson — at age 60 — and actually got up! It was the greatest fun; wish I’d tried it years ago. My kids say that Kauai was definitely the place to learn, because the water is so warm. We spent two fabulous weeks there, and got in some whale watching, and snorkeling, too. Then we came home to snow, ah well. (sigh)

On the computer side of my life; I finally got my new computer set up the way I want it: my dead 19” external monitor was replaced by warranty, my lovely new macbook is runing beautifully, and I am extremely happy now that I have DSL!

I just finished revising the web site for http://www.colorharmonies.com, and am just beginning the design for http://www.thecolorofhealth.biz. I’m also learning how to take better pictures of my jewelry. Hopefully, they won’t need so much Photoshopping time once I learn how to get in close and get clearer images. My son has shown me a few great tips about how to fix the backgrounds and sharpen up the images I have so the details are more focused, but it would be very nice to not have to do quite so much “fixing.” Of course, tnow that I know how, I should go back in and fix some of the backgrounds on my existing images, but that will be a ways in the future.

Now on to jewelry. I found beautiful & affordable Tahitian black pearls at the latest wholesale gem show! My blacks are all baroque shapes, large with nice color, and I bought some beautiful greys in 8mm-9mm rounds. I hope to get earrings and more pendants made up before my Shasta show.

I struggled to learn the “Full Persian” link so that I could make chain maille crosses, and I finally got it. These will be available in either silver or gold-fill, and initially, will be about 2” long. When I get better at them, I may be able to offer smaller sizes, but those are much more difficult.

I hope you’ll come back often to see what I’m up to, and I’d love to hear from you.