I have BlogHer ads here, as you may have noticed. The difference between the BlogHer ads and the Google ads is phenomenal. Meaning, I actually get money from BlogHer, as opposed to running the Google ads for nearly 2 years and not making enough money to have them disburse a check, thereby giving them FREE impressions.
Blah. Enough about that.
I don’t make enough money to pay for hosting the blog. I’m not in it for the money else I’d have quit this years ago. But the checks are a nice little gift, and I use them to buy beads.
Behold!
Christmas vomited on my desk.
I ordered a bunch of Swarovski crystals — it’s much cheaper to do this online than in person at Michael’s — and some sterling silver snowflake charms and oval jump rings. The wire swirls were created by me using some Parawire and some red, green and gold colored seed beads. My plan is to combine all of this sparkle into some holiday earrings.
After a long, LONG drought I started playing with my wire and beads again this weekend. Being under the weather helped, as now that my inners are feeling better I think I’m coming down with a cold. Bah.
Anyway, back to jewelry….
Spirals and loops!
What prompted this two-day jewelry-making binge was a spin through YouTube. I came across a video that explained how to use a wire jig that I never managed to be able to deal with properly. Summary: Hold the wire steady and move the jig!! I was trying to hold the jig down and twist the wire.
Oho!
So I created a bunch of four-leaf “clover” connectors. The wire that I trimmed off became spiral charms for future use.
I couldn’t dare pawn off my sub-optimal connectors on someone else, so I *had* to make something for myself. I grabbed these beads from my stash and created a bracelet I lovingly named “Mountain Dew.”
All the green, none of the toxicity.
I also created some copper findings that will eventually be part of some beaded ID lanyards. And more spirals.
Wirework is hard.
Then I was hit by a surge of bona fide creativity and made some cherry earrings:
Two pair in copper, two in sterling silver.
I was so stinking proud, I actually wrote the specs down so I could recreate them once I come across more red beads.
She got the way to move me earrings
And I’ve been singing this since last night so you should too:
Although I made these earrings a few weeks ago, they were cool enough to photograph. I created them in honor of the lovely Atlantic City Gaming site I launched and currently oversee for the C-P.
Winner winner chicken dinner!
So what’s next? The coworkers have been pestering me to sell my wares, so I may test the entrepreneurial waters with cherry earrings, autumn lanyards, and some holiday items I haven’t thought of yet. I can’t live off of my $25/year BlogHer ads forever, after all. I have ideas for creating stamped jewelry but those supplies cost money and I am cheap.
I haven’t stuck with a hobby this long since I bowled in school.
This was my first foray into an asymmetrical necklace. In order to keep my symmetrical brain from freaking out, I decided to be symmetrical in my asymmetry – see how the 3 beads on the right sort of balance out the 18 lb jade-esque bead on the left?
In order to not have the beads overwhelm, I made the necklace longer than usual — 25″ — to hang lower on the chest.
I had enough left for a pair of matching earrings. Because I’m tired and couldn’t find something nice to put them on to show you, I found a coffee cup that Vampire Bill left behind on one of his visits.
These earrings are not affiliated with Starbucks coffee.
The brown wire is from Parawire, the wee brown beads were left over from my Smiley Virus necklace two years ago, the green round beads, green oval beads, jade rectangular bead, and copper findings are all from Michael’s. The tiny diamond shape beads came from a necklace I bought at a yard sale and chopped up.
More and more people are telling me I should start selling my stuff. I’m worried that:
1) My stuff isn’t the best quality. I use craft store supplies instead of real silver and real gold.
2) If I start selling, I’ll lose my passion for making the jewelry in the first place.
3) I have no idea how to price things because I never kept track of how much I spent in the first place on my materials
4) I’ll start taking myself WAY too seriously and end up on Regretsy.
Upcoming beading projects include summery lanyards for my work ID tag and a necklace/earring set to wear to John & Kristen’s wedding. I already bought Swarovski crystals in the wedding colors. I even have a rudimentary sketch! Now I need the technique!
