www.AdornablesByLyn.blogspot.com

Polymer Clay Bracelets

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:36:00 +0000

The more you do something, the better you get. I am living by this! I am working toward perfection!

My friend over at Memorabeadia http://memorabeadia.blogspot.com/ convinced me to do an art show with her and a couple of her friends. It'll be fun! We'll serve iced tea! They'll see our art!

And so as I continue plodding through the remainder of the Winter months, I am perfecting my bracelets! The latest bracelet has not been finished, but is the closest I have ever been to not needing too much finishing so I am excited. I plan to have a dozen ready for the show.

Our Delaware Artist Showcase is on Friday, June 3rd from 6:00 pm until 10:00 pm. Just a quick show complete with the Delaware Community Band and the afore mentioned iced tea! That's right folks, a band!

We think it's important to let people know what we can do. So we're inviting them downtown to our art filled space. There's hope for a large crowd since its a First Friday and many stores are open late. I'll tell you more in future posts. We do have a lot to offer!

Diversification by Necessity or How My Jewelry Photography is Evolving

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 09:46:00 +0000

Today, I took lots of pictures of the flowers in my yard. The flowers are so impressive and I can never quite comprehend the miracle of their design and beauty. Because I had to learn how to take pictures of my beaded jewelry, I've learned a lot about macro photography. With all those flowers in my yard, it just seems logical that I should gravitate toward them. They are simply spectacular. I joined Imagekind.com where you'll have the opportunity to pick up one of my photos and you can even have it framed before they send it to you! It's a CafePress company and I am thrilled to be a member! Please take a look: http://www.imagekind.com/stclairphotography_poster Have a great day and I'll keep my eye out for some more gorgeousness to photograph!

Originality Use Your Own Mind Creatively No Copying

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 19:40:00 +0000

By usually walking the Earth in a fog, it takes a little longer for me to figure things out. Maybe it's not the fog. I have been making jewelry for about ten years. I went crazy for stones early on. After reading all I could get my hands on, I had to have semi-precious beads. I knew every stone's name. I ran to the market place and bought what I could. I didn't care about making jewelry for me. I cared about making jewelry with those gorgeous stones that I found. One day, there was the realization that I needed to sell my jewelry. The artist had to become a salesman. EW! So I entered into the craft show arena. What the heck? What is that? I had a list of stuff that I had to have with me at every craft show. I had requirements to meet at every craft show. I had to fit everything into my car and drag it out at every craft show. I made fifteen dollars by the day's end and had to fit everything back into my car and take it home and put it away! There is no secret here, it is an uphill climb, and I've probably made it ten miles. My great revelation at one particular show was that I had jewelry for women but nothing for little girls. I pondered this problem with my merchandise. I knew I wanted something colorful. I knew it had to be cute. Finally, I saw a pinwheel and my polymer clay pinwheels were born. They were indeed a resolution to the problem. I am fulfilling a need. Of course that meant I had to learn how to use polymer clay. From January to May, I worked diligently to produce my pinwheels. I loved the results. I sold many pinwheels. I gave away even more pinwheels. I need to make more. This is my own creation. This is very exciting. No one else makes these. I used my own creativity. I produced an original item. It's a small item. It's just a start. But it's mine. I did it.

Macro Photography Means Close Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 22:58:00 +0000

You know, it's taken me at least two years to understand Macro Photography. I've learned a lot in that time. I've learned huge amounts about photography. I bet I could ace a beginner's course!

Shortly before Spring 2009, I finally figured out that "natural light" can come right through a window in my warm house! That was helpful!

Naturally, I am always taking the longest route to the goal that I hope to achieve. It's just the way I am. I know this about myself, so even if I don't achieve my goal right away, I know I can learn something!

Probably in late June, someone mentioned the words "close ups", when referring to macro photography. That was one big bright lightbulb that went on! Whew! You mean, Duh!

Finally, I think I have the process down! Yay, me!

So what you can take from this post, are two things. If you want to take pictures for your Etsy Shop, you need to have natural light and a macro setting on your camera that you actually use.

It's the coolest!

When I finally figure something out, I'm probably the last to know, but in case you didn't know, that's what you need to understand about macro photography for your Etsy Shop. It'll save you two years, if you're anything like me.

Craft Show Preparation 101: The ETSY Eco-Chic Craftacular Craft Show at Whetstone Community Center

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:57:00 +0000

Well I don't really know how I got myself into this one but I am certainly glad I did!

I am a member of Etsy Team Columbus and on the outreach committee. We met one day and WHAM! we started a craft show! It has been a great journey. There is a lot involved. There have been bumps and tight turns and learning. That's what I love the most is learning all about what it is that I am doing. I will never stop learning and I don't think anyone should. Learn something every day.

The Eco-Chic Craftacular is a juried arts and crafts show onto which an ecological flair has been placed. We have eco demos. We have recycling. We have crafts and art derived from the things that at one time would have been considered landfill materials. We have quality. We have team effort.

Preparation for the Eco-Chic Craftacular has been challenging. There are so many things that need to be considered in order to have a successful show. We are about fifty percent complete as far as laying the ground work. We had to secure a place and secure a date. Then we had to get a team member to make us some graphics. And another to make a website. We're neary full for vendors and the sponsors are coming through for us as well. Next there will be publicity to arrange.

It is live. It is a live being at this point in time and growing as it should be.

If you are a vendor, good luck to you!

If you are a sponsor, thank you!

I will post more about the Craftacular as we get closer to May 16 and 17. A wrap-up entry the week following our very first team show!

Photographing Beautiful Jewelry Finally!

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 16:04:00 +0000

Well I finally caught on! This is the result of at least two years of hard work. Well, maybe the last two months were the most intense, but I think I have the procedure down, and now I can move on to the decoration part of the photo. I read all the posts about photographing jewelry. I re-read them. I took about a million bad, really bad pictures. Yet, every single time I posted a picture that I thought was an improvement, it looked the same. Too dark. I went to the forums and asked. Too dark. I purchased a new camera. Still too dark. I went to my Etsy Columbus Team members and they said,,,,"Just use photoshop and clean it up." My vision of using Photoshop meant using the "eraser" tool to turn everything white. Nothing worked. So I took all the constants in my quest. I had a lightbox that was huge, so I cut it down. My camera settings were on Macro and No Flash. I had two "utility" lights with 100 watt compact flourescent daylight bulbs. I bought two more lights and two more bulbs. You know if it's too dark, you add more light. Still too dark. Still too dark. I went back to the drawing board time and time and time again. Finally, I started turning the "wheel" on my Canon A590IS. This wheel changes the type of picture you are taking. You want to take a snow picture, put it on snow. You want a portrait, put it on portrait. I took a picture at each setting. I kept all the other contstants constant, with four 100 watt bulbs. I put them on my computer and FOUND the setting that I needed! Yay!!!! The old setting I was using was automatic. The new setting was M for Manual. It has a MACRO setting and it has a No Flash setting. I took two lights away. This may not be perfect, but I am going to use it for a while. They are so much better to me. They are very comparable to others. It's time to post and sell my hand-made jewelry on etsy with my new and improved photos. Have a great day!

About Volunteering and MLK and Barack Obama and Heather

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 17:11:00 +0000

Happy Martin Luther King Day! Happy Pre-Inaugeration Day! I am a core member of Etsy Team Columbus. So I am on a committee and there is one person that just joined our committee and you know what she wants us to do? She wants us to all consider volunteering!!! What? Why do I want to do that? I am on this team to mingle and learn from like minded fellow artists. I am on this team to sell my jewelry. Now you want me to do what? I can't believe it. I don't have time to volunteer. I only have enough time to run up and down the highway and earn a living. I don't have time to volunteer, there aren't enough hours in the day! I don't have time to volunteer and you can't make me. So what does that Barack Obama do? The guy I helped vote into office. The guy whose hand I shook while I was in Philadelphia. What does that whole Obama family do? They volunteer on Martin Luther King Day! I didn't vote for that, did I? I can't believe it! Oh, so now I HAVE to volunteer! So ya take the lemons and ya make the lemonade. And you share your skills and the results of your labor. And everybody is happier than they would have been if you hadn't done something! Oh! Now, I think I can! Now, I think I can squeeze a few more things into my day!

I think I could figure out how to add volunteering to my agenda. Okay, I suppose it's probably taken a little longer than the time its taken to write this to decide that I need to volunteer. I know it's taken a lot of soul searching and prodding to arrive at this decision. I'll be on the volunteer wagon in my neighborhood. I'm gonna look forward to it too.

Gee, thanks a lot Heather, and Barack and oh, yeah, Martin Luther King!

Jewelry Marketing Idea Turns into a Weekend Project

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 17:42:00 +0000

Happy Saturday! It's up to ten degrees and I'd really like to take a drive in the country. We've got a lot of snow and I think the pictures could be fantastic. I've got a snow setting on my new camera too! Can you imagine, a snow setting? Technology is something else! So as I wait for my precious husband to get ready, I thought I would write. I am preparing a portfolio that I can carry down to my friend's place of business to sell my jewelry. One simple request via email and my mind creates a weekend portfolio project. It's gonna be beautiful when I get done! It's going to be portable. It's got to help sell the jewelry or I can recycle it into something else. I'll be using a large sheet of cardboard that I'll get from packing at work. I am continually amazed at the amount of recyclable materials that I can get from packing materials. There will be a little cushioning on top of the cardboard and then I will cover it with fabric. The cardboard is folded like a notebook with a spine that will accommodate the hanging configuration inside. It'll have handles. I'll take some pictures and post them when I'm done. I love the idea of using black and white velvet on the inside. Not together though. At least I've learned that jewelry needs solid color presentation. Whew! Is that a term or what? Solid color presentation as opposed to a loud print presentation! I know anything will work but I want the best presentation ever. Solids are a must. Well I just heard the bathroom door. I think that must be a good sign. So I'll see ya later. I'm off to a drive in the country and a stop at the fabric store. Could a Saturday afternoon get any better? I think not!

Happy Beaders with Too Many Beads or Too Few Beads

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:13:00 +0000

Happy New Year and to all I wish you SUCCESS! Success in all your endeavours. I have many beads to convert to jewelry. It's simply amazing how one can have so many beads in such a - okay - midsized area. And yet, I can look at them and cry that I don't have enough! Tragedy, that's what it is. As an artist, I believe that I can create what ever it is that I want to create. So I got all these beads and have kind of depleted my stock and I suddenly believe that I don't have enough. Do you have this problem? My hands are itching to bead something. I'll let you know what I end up creating. I have enough beads to do several sets of jewelry. I have a mind that for some reason has not come to terms with it. Oh, my land! This is the dip in my beading career! Doesn't "beading career" sound nice! I plan to keep my beading career as I learn to market and sell my beads. That is what I need to learn. Perhaps the dip is only a shift. Perhaps as my supplies of beads has dwindled, I've felt more pressure to expand my business. I have noticed that as I have developed my business, there are many more facets that I need to explore. So maybe I don't have a beading career problem after all! In dealing with a smaller supply of what I need to make my hands happy, I am finding that there are other things that I need to learn. Marketing and selling for which I will need consistency also. That will feed my supply facet, and therefore keep me from crying about not having enough beads. That should make my hands happy too! I want happy hands!!!

Merry Christmas Crafters and Beaders and Mormon Tabernacle Choir

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:07:00 +0000

I wish you a Merry Christmas! My fellow crafters of the world. I have learned so much about crafting this year. I have learned so much about the crafting business this year as well. I know I still have untested waters that I will soon be stepping in. I hope they are a little warmer with the coming year. I believe I can wrap up my 2008 crafting year with hope and diversification needs for the next. I am again reminded of one of my college professors. Back in 1979, I was to have an internship with a local clothing store. I was going to learn every aspect of the business. I was excited. My professor questioned the store owner about his future inventory. He was of the "preppy mindset". He believed whole-heartedly that the classic style, the preppy style, would continue into the future without problem. It would never die. Nearly thirty years later, I am reminded that, just as the market did change for his classic style, it has changed for my beaded jewelry. I've remembered her question and his answer many times since 1979, but I haven't lived it like I did this year. I've recognized the need to diversify in order to survive as a crafter. I wilsh you a Merry Christmas! My fellow beaders of the world. I don't regret a single solitary minute I have spent learning about beads! I love beads! I love beautiful stone beads from the earth. That there is so much inside the earth continues to amaze me. How awesome is it that you can find the most beautiful gems or the most beautiful green rocks! Maybe it's because I live in an area where there is mostly limestone that makes it so fascinating. The methods that have been invented to manufacture Swarovski Crystals and Pearls is quite spectacular. Crystals from Swarovski continue to be some of my favorites! I work with them and re-order them and sell them and re-sell them. And I haven't ever tired of opening a package from a bead supplier that sends me Swarovski Crystals or Swarovski Crystal Pearls. They are splendid. Daniel Swarovski did very well when he invented their process! The last but by no means least favorite of mine are the freshwater pearls. Can there be no end to Mother Nature's beauty? Finally, if I were to zone in on what keeps me beading it is that beaders don't bead the same ways! This is the very fact that propels me to continue beading. Creations are always spectacular and there are so many methods that anything is possible and the possibilities are endless! If you were to give the same identical beads to ten different people and asked them to make a necklace, there would be no duplicates! That is so stunning! I wish you a Merry Christmas! As my cold and laryngitis are finally going away, I extend my deepest sympathies to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I am so sad that I couldn't join you for the Christmas concert. I was so looking forward to performing a solo with your group this year. Perhaps, next year. As the year comes to an end, I am filled again with great dreams for success. Merry Christmas to everyone, may this season be one of renewal for you. And may PEACE prevail in 2009!

Things I Learned at the Craft Show Yesterday

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 18:13:00 +0000

Weather reports should be checked. The amount of money you spend on the entrance fee might coorelate with the amount of sales that you get. I still don't like craft shows. I guess that might be key. I want to stay HOME! That's my goal,,,,staying HOME! I don't want to go to craft shows.......well I don't think I do anyway. If I went to a craft show and actually SOLD something I might have a different opinion. I want to stay home and I want to make some money. I might re-visit the craft show occasionally. That is probably the best statement to make. Stay home Mail packages from home Make jewelry from home. Go outside to go visiting. DON'T GO OUTSIDE TO WORK! Well, that is the way it is, Sunday, December 7, 2008.

Beaded Jewelers: Find Your Niche and Set Yourself Apart

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 15:27:00 +0000

Dear Beaded Jewelers, I went to a craft show yesterday. I was full of excitement. Amy met me at the door and checked me off of her sheet. She then motioned and I followed her down the hallway to where my name was on a sign. She pointed to the floor and said that I had the area from that piece of blue tape to that piece of blue tape. I looked at the shop that was set up right next to me and said, "But she has jewelry too!" Amy, the gracious hostess, said that she would move me to another spot. As the set up time continued, the people with the booth next to me came in and they had JEWELRY! I made it through that entire craft show without a sale! I have been put in my egotistical place once again. Oh great. At one point in the craft show, my friend walked around and looked at all the vendors. She estimated that one in three or four was selling jewelry! This was a craft show for the elementary PTO. They made out like bandits. Each of the booths paid for their space, albeit a small amount, if you don't make your signup fee back during the show, you are certainly, most definitely in the proverbial HOLE! Since I know that I didn't have any sales and I know my friend didn't have any jewelry sales, I can assume that the sales were few for the other vendors. The traffic wasn't there. The weather was awful. There were too many jewelers too. So I have to dig deeper to find my niche. Finding a niche is a really great idea! I have to set myself apart from the competition. Adding services like credit cards will help, but it's not always the lack of service that inhibits the sale. Diversification of Product. Find your niche. Your niche is not jewerly,,,,it's not even beaded jewelry anyone can string beads. More on my niche tomorrow.

Craft Show Preparation 101: The Holiday Craft Show at the School

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:01:00 +0000

I have a sheet of wood in my dining room that was intended to be cut out to make a Christmas tree. It looks more like a Chinese Pagoda. Hmmmm. I should have made the Christmas tree last July so it would be ready for the craft show this Saturday! There is nothing like planning ahead. Today is my deadline for preparing for a craft show tomorrow. Wow, what a statement. Well, it is what it is, and from there, I need to get ready for tomorrow. The craft show is at an elementary school. My jewelry will be in my super-eclectic purse that my sister gave to me. I picture myself waltzing into the show space and placing my wares on a table. But, alas, it doesn't work that way for craft shows. The real picture is dragging a table out of the van and setting it up where they tell me. Then I can cover the table with the table coverings. It's the holiday season so that means lots of festive color. The table cloth is dark green because I like green and it works out for holiday craft shows. Levels are next. I have some boxes that I will either wrap in Christmas paper or stick under the table cloth. Both methods will give some height and create the levels that I need to display my jewelry. Eddie's spittoon will be inverted. The bottom of a spittoon is perfect for hanging necklaces. They can be covered too. Lots of color and levels are needed to make the table display but not too much. I am learning to appreciate doing things on a smaller scale. If I put too many decorations on the table, it'll be cluttered. If I put too many pieces of jewelry on the table, it'll be cluttered. The right combination is needed to make the event a success. So I have a table and the covering and some ribbon and lights. From this festive point, I will invert the spittoon and cover it with a white cloth. A necklace set will be featured on the spittoon. Other levels will be used to display some bracelets and earrings. I dream of a sell out! Oh, I am so sorry, but I don't have any more jewelry! All I have is this wad of cash and I plan to go buy more beads! I'll be back next week with lots more! That's been my dream.

The Chinese Pagoda will have to wait. I am glad I couldn't get to the saw. I can re-draw the Christmas tree, maybe next July, and be better prepared then. Of course, then, I won't want a Christmas tree, I'll want Gingerbread Men! Stay tuned and I'll tell you how it goes.

Make A Living Selling Jewelry! That's it!

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:36:00 +0000

One should take a nap with the intent of getting rested. It didn't happen for me today. I layed down on my bed and tuned in a football game. I had a cat curled up nearby and rain coming down outside on a cold November day. I closed my eyes and there must be a chalk board in there, cause it was as if I was writing, "I wonder how many pieces of my jewelry will have to be sold in order for me to make a living?" That's ridiculous! These are the types of questions I get from myself all the time. I keep driving toward some kind of goal here and it's always like unveiling another piece of the puzzle that will become my dream job! I want to work from home and make jewelry for a living. I plan to blog as well, which I am slowly becoming familiar with. I started in October 2007. By the end of the year, I could not only spell blog, but I knew what other letters it took to make it the full two words from which it was derived. Now I am getting a little more brilliant each day. By tomorrow, I should have some new jewelry posted. With such incentive I have just got to get moving!

The Copper Cat Clutch

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:10:00 +0000

You know, the first time I met TSURUBRIDE was at the Etsy Columbus Team Meeting. She said, Hi I'm Meghan and handed me her clutch. She makes the neatest clutches! Just pop over to the Etsy Team Columbus blog and you'll see what I mean! You're gonna love it! http://etsyteamcolumbus.blogspot.com/ And don't forget to register for a chance at our $10.00 gift certificate drawing!

Converting a Bedroom into a Sewing and Beading Hobby Craft Room

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 00:40:00 +0000

Sadly, my son has decided to spread his wings and move out. {{{RECOVERY!!!}}} This should be FUN! So it's time to change his bedroom into a sewing and beading hobby and craft room. There's a lot that I can do to make myself more organized, so while we're cleaning the room up, I am thinking of how the room should be arranged. The Plants are beautiful and I don't mind sharing the space with them. That will be fine. There is a Passion Flower Plant that is just delightful to see in the winter! Oh yes, I'll be happy to share. I've made a special note to include a shipping area. I want an organized space in the space where I can assemble a package for shipment. I think I can include a section with all the jewelry that I have listed on http://www.etsy.com/. And there should be a printer up there. I think the whole computer should be moved up there. The crown of the room however, is going to be my sewing table! Hallelujah! I get to have a sewing room! This is fantastic and the timing couldn't be better. I am planning to retire into self-employment by selling jewelry and something I've sewn. I think right now, I will be sewing and selling purses and totes. I'm still thinking about it though. Of course, the ironing board now has a home since it has to be with the sewing machine. Yay! I'll certainly have to include a table are for beading and I'm going to have to get that installed soon. It's getting cold outside! I have lived in my garage studio all Summer and now it's time to move into the house and bead where its warmer. It's kind of a bummer moving things in and out of each area, but to be outside in the Summer is so priceless and until the garage gets some more insulation, I think I'll just keep moving back and forth. Now I need to have a little room for my light box and a little room for any other craft or hobby I decide to pick up and that's all the room I'll need! Sounds like it's going to be a little crowded in that room! My husband insists on a stereo system and television which may have to go on shelves on the wall. Well, I'll start taking some pictures and let you know of our progress as we go along. I am looking forward to being organized in my own room. This should be FUN! I'm sure gonna miss my son, but that goes without saying. Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog.

Beaded Jewelry Inventory to be SOLD at Craft Show!

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:49:00 +0000

Fall Craft Shows are merely preparation for the Holiday Shopping Season. Children have gone back to school. They need to raise funds for the trip to Washington D. C. or Camp in the Spring. The Athletic Boosters might need new Football Uniforms. The Band Boosters might need new band uniforms. The Craft Shows scheduled at the High Schools are usually a means of fund raising for a school group. My inventory should be a great addition to a craft show where people are shopping for Christmas or Hanukkah presents. My inventory should be written down. Taking jewelry to the Fall Craft show means having a listed inventory. One has to know what one has doesn't one? Yes. Although, it wasn't until the last craft show that I did over the Summer that I had an actual written down inventory. I don't know why it took so long, but it is necessary. Very necessary. I know that I have posted items on Etsy.com and sold them that I had never inventoried. Wow! It's amazing to think about that, an now that I have to track every penny, I can't ever do that again. This has been a weakness of mine as I was so unbelievably excited about creating jewelry, I couldn't possibly think about silly little business aspects like having an inventory. So before I get my inventory to my Fall Craft Show, it has to be written down on paper.

THEME: What is the theme of your Autumn Craft show table?

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 22:56:00 +0000

My Autumn Craft Show Table will be neutral with just a small amount of color other than my jewelry. I think that some recognition for the season is really an easy way of decorating for a craft show. Tying the arrangement to the season gives it an anchor. Something to grasp. Perhaps a feeling of solid ground. That leaves the customer comfortable and they go about trying on my jewelry and writing checks. Let's be honest. We want those checks. We prefer cold hard green cash, but we will take checks and credit cards too. More money, more beads, more jewelry, more customers. And so the cycle goes. After the type of display has been settled on then it's on to adding the merchandise to the table. Groupings are good. Themes are good. And displays can be concocted of anything. Ever the creative entrepreneur, I have continued, successfully, to figure out the displays without spending a dime. A couple of years ago, I wrapped thick pieces of wood that my husband cut from a log in green fabric. They looked like giant candy disks with the ends of the fabric twisted and held with brightly colored ribbon. The bracelet and earrings looked great on its flat surface. My husband has made a couple of wooden displays that I've used to display my jewelry on as well. Neatness and uniformity count when displaying my work. I have the entire day to arrange and re-arrange and get each piece positioned just right. Of course if I am really busy, I needn't worry about it!

Preparing for The FALL Craft Show

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 20:00:00 +0000

I have to face it. IT'S FALL. Sadly or happily, it's fall. Time to gather my house plants and move inside. We've had a wonderful summer outside in our back yard. It looks lived in. Now it's time to look around for some craft shows. I know it's late in the season, but there are still some openings somewhere. Calling around at the high schools and churches in the area is a good place to start. I like the FALL craft shows because they are usually inside where you don't have to worry about having a tent and you don't have to worry about the weather. People are in a festive mood too. Since I sell beaded jewelry, I can pack all my jewelry into a case. It still takes some time to set up everything though. It's my little store. It should look nice, neat and organized. When I get to the show, I'll set up my table. A long skirt will go around the table that will serve two purposes. It looks pretty and inviting and it serves as a storage place for my things. To the skirt I will add my table cloth. There won't be much in the way of glitz at this point because I don't want to detract from my product. It is Fall though, and one must make some concessions and look like FALL in the store. So a few leaves are added. That should be good for now. Stay with me and I'll tell you how I prepare the rest of my store.

I am Ready to SEW But the Fabric Attracts Lint and Cat Hair

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 17:26:00 +0000

I am ready to sew! Are you? My first project was a tote. It still is a tote. It's made of a heavy gorgeous dark green upholstery fabric. The fabric attracts lint and cat hair. Does anyone know of a fabric treatment that will cut down on the amount of lint and cat hair that is attracted to this cotton fabric? I plan on finishing the tote and washing it. I think if I let it soak in some fabric softner, that it might help. I don't know though. If it fails it'll be good sewing practice.

The Delaware All Horse Parade

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:15:00 +0000

The Delaware All-Horse Parade is the seventh of this month. That’s tomorrow!!! This parade is spectacular! I probably don’t need to take any pictures because I’ve taken pictures every year. I probably know the horses! I should probably start at the beginning. My husband and I met in 1981. He came in to the bar where I was working after the Little Brown Jug and asked me out. We noticed how much alike we were, started dating and the rest is history. We haven’t missed a Little Brown Jug since 1982. We had our son in June of 1989 and he hasn’t missed a Jug since he was born! The Little Brown Jug is a part of the triple-crown for standard bred horses. These are the kind of horses that pull a cart that has a driver. There is a fever for many in Delaware as the fair comes along and the Little Brown Jug takes place. It’s historical and traditional for us. For the past several years, we’ve had front row seats! We have a blast all week. We bet on horses and re-unite with folks we haven’t seen in weeks or months or years. That Thursday, in Delaware, is a holiday. School is out. Businesses close at noon. I get my annual “track” tan and we spend every dime we can spend in order to win it big. It’s just wonderful. This past year, we lost one of our friends that we usually see at the Little Brown Jug every year. That is the kind of place it is. There’s cohesiveness about the town. We all grew up in Delaware. We all meet at Dick Jackson’s camper and “place”. My sister Kay and I see people we grew up with. We see people we haven’t seen since high school. We see people with their new wives. I wish I had my camera for this year. This is why I take pictures. I love all the people we meet. I love taking pictures of the horses. I am so mad that someone stole my camera. But I will be alright for this year,,,,I will be just fine. I will be able to be off on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this year. The races start on Sunday. It’ll be so fun to see the races, make a few dollars, spend a few dollars and see a few friends. I am looking forward to it.

So back to the parade. The All Horse Parade kicks off all the festivities of the Delaware County Fair. The Little Brown Jug is the final racing day of the week of the fair. It begins with the ending of the marathon. When you see the last runners coming down the street, you know that the horses are coming next. They will march into our view with the Mounted Deputies first. They'll be followed by square dancers in a wagon pulled by horses. There will be bands and clowns and Civil War heros. This will be a great beginning for the fair and races. This is my hometown.

Here are a couple of websites if you want to see this parade and learn more, www.littlebrownjug.com and www.delawarecountyfair.com. Enjoy!

The New and Improved Goal

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:39:00 +0000

As my goals come closer,,,,they come more into focus. My life as a fifty year old started on a rocky crag. I'm getting used to it. I've set goals for my life. Now I am trying to pin them down to get them achieved. For heaven's sake, achieving my goals should not be that hard. The internet has been a nice place to hang out. I probably hang out there way too much but I learn so much! I love to learn new things! That might be the reason that my goals fade in and out so much. So with this series of posts, that I plan to release more frequently than in the past, I will identify some of my "major" goals and maybe identify the steps that will get me where I need to be. Let's just lay them out on the table right now. I plan to retire in thirty months. I won't be old enough to collect retirement so I have to work from home. Hey what a great idea!!! And since I want to work from home and abandon my current income, I know I have to get that income high enough to leave my job without leaving the money. Wow-wee! I have the fricken drive to do this right now. I hope it doesn't dwindle or I'll have to stay at my job for ninety-six more months! Must keep driving must keep driving. I'd like to end this post with an apology. My design of my blog is steadily improving but nowhere near where it needs to be. I suppose I'll be working on its appearance as well as its content. More tomorrow,,,,,,,,,,c ya!

RELAXING SUNDAY AFTERNOONS

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:21:00 +0000

I am always happy on Sunday afternoons. Sunday evenings are a different story, as you must get ready to go back to work. I have so much to do this afternoon. Sundays at home are so relaxing. The list of chores is growing even as we speak. But back to the relaxing part. I am in the library enjoying a cup of coffee. Really good plain coffee with cream. Nothing fancy. The internet connection is good and my laptop is doing well, so now I think I will discuss beads. Now this is very relaxing. I've noticed many e-tailers lately. They all look like they are e-tailers after they were actual brick and mortar stores. I don't know whether they were or not, it's just what I suspect. What I've noticed this year that I hadn't noticed previously, though is sales. They have sales! They didn't use to have sales. The prices were a tad bit higher too. I noticed that the more e-tailers that opened their shops online, the lower the prices became. And now they are having sales too! I think this what I've always known or read about related to supply and demand. It's become pretty interesting to see it actually played out in the market. When I finally do get an order submitted, I will be buying beads that are very inexpensive to make very beautiful jewelry. I think my mission right now, though, is to get my blog going. I think this is very important as I tell you about my adventures in "BEADLAND". I have intentions of having a collection soon. I think what I need to do is figure out what I actually want to work with. My necklaces and bracelets that are available now at www.adornablesbylyn.etsy.com demonstrate my excitement over discovering beautiful rocks. I love the opaque stones. I love Swarovski Crystals too. I really love freshwater pearls. I want to go to a mine and dig some rocks - like Emeralds. The very notion to me that our planet is full of all the colors and patterns is very overwhelming to me. Very awesome. You just go dig up a rock and make a bead or two from it. Then you sell it to someone like me who turns it into a piece of jewelry. Then I sell it to one of my great customers and they wear it. Quite astonishing. So I made a little list for this nice relaxing Sunday afternoon. After this blog entry, I plan to list a few pieces of jewelry on etsy. I have pictures and I have an inventory. Wow! I am ready! This is one of the reasons that I know I could do this full time for the correct dollar amount. Why? Because it is the first thing on my mind when I wake up and the last thing when I go to bed. I have a forty-hour a week job that has nothing to do with beads. I long to leave that job and play with my beads. That's alll I want to do,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I have to love it! So this is my rambling for the day, on this relaxing Sunday afternoon. When others are playing in the garden or watching a movie, I am in an air conditioned library, happily typing another entry on my blog and hoping with great anticipation that I can mail an order out this week to one of my customers. This is what I love. This is the stuff that makes me happiest. Let me know how happy your Sunday afternoon is! See ya next time!

THE ART GALLERY GIFT SHOP IDEA

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:54:00 +0000

Oh my goodness, this one is really gonna hurt my noggin. OMG! My friend, Colleen, came from Montana. She worked in an Art Gallery back home. She keeps telling me that I should start an art gallery. Well thanks a lot, Colleen. Gee. I think that seed is starting to germinate. Oh my aching head! See when I explore, I try to research an idea online, to the ends of the internet. It'll take some time and I'll add to my knoweldge and put it into my plan. My plan right now is to retire in three years. Well, in order to do that, I really need to have a few additional years of similar income at the appropriate pre-retirement rate. And then there are my beads that have to come along with me. I picture my husband and I touring the country in our solar powered recreational vehicle. Stopping off in small quaint towns where I can mail my works of art, when I get a sale. I can pick up supplies along the way, either by walking into a store and buying them or buy scheduling them to be delivered to a post office box in the next town. Well that's my dream and so far, I'm sticking to it! Now about that art gallery. I can start it and get it going. Then I'll leave town. Then I'll send great works of art that I find throughout the country to the gallery to my reliable employee. Probably my sister. Maybe the next door neighbor. Okay, so then I was thinking that there are lots and lots of art galleries. So I could make mine more like an art gallery gift shop. My fine beaded work would be available. My photographs would be available. And my type of art work would be available. My head hasn't even started hurting yet! It will though. I'll be so zoomed in that eventually it'll blend into whatever I eventually come up with. I know that's a dangler. I am sorry. I'm just so excited to be moving along,,,,somehow, some direction. Now we don't need to tell Colleen about this idea just yet, okay. She'll just get too excited and then she'll feel like I let her down if it doesn't materialize. I don't want that.

On Counting Chickens Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Lyn StClair) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 20:29:00 +0000

I was ablaze with monetary gain. I had no idea just how much money I would make, but I was certain that I could make some money here. So Friday, I had about four or five hours to sell my entire collection, which was now, for the first time, inventoried. VOILA! It happened. A lady wanted to buy a necklace! Yay me!!! But, the catch, she wanted to put it on her VISA along with her other necklace purchase. So Michelle, the owner of the credit card account and owner of the other necklace, put both on her account. Intention was to pay me later, when the charge went through. Doesn't matter to me! Unwavered I move along, but begin gritting my teeth. The gritting increases and I try to make it go away. It doesn't. That's my gut talking to me. I am finally realizing that. However, it takes me so long to recognize it happening that it's late in the day when I finally figure it out. Gee. There isn't a name that describes it fully yet, but I think it's the "I told you so." speech. Saturday, as I was leaving my house, Jim and Danielle wanted a ride to the ComFest. Jim says he hasn't missed one in six years. Then I picked up Julie. Off we go to ComFest. Rather than boring you to tears, let me just cut to the quick. I had NO sales on Saturday. None!!! I didn''t go back on Sunday, my spirit deserved better than that and besides, I was exhausted. I learned a lot. I have my first inventory. I know that I have a good product that was in the wrong venue. I don't like craft shows. I learned a lot. More than anything I learned again that I should never count the chickens before they hatch. Don't do it. Just fricken don't do it, Lyn, no matter how positive the outcome may look, don't do it.