My Five Year Plan - Merry Go Round

It's Merry-Go-Round topic blogging time! This month's topic is to answer the question..."Five years ago did you think you'd be doing what you are doing now (craft/selling)? What has surprised you the most?"

Heck, I had a good chuckle at this question.  I'm doing nothing like I thought I would be.  Five years ago I was preparing to enter my 30's with excitement and plans of traveling.  I had worked all throughout my 20's, saved up a nice nest egg and had my heart set on getting lots of international stamps in my passport.

I had tried being a jewelry designer and decided it wasn't for me.  All that packing and unpacking, selling in the rain and bad weather, explaining to people why my earring cost this amount more then the person is the booth three rows down... and on and on and on...I had enough and had exchanged having a creative life for a life of travel.

As for kids, I had all so decided being a parent wasn't for me.  After all I tried settling down, being married and planning a family...twice...both times ended in divorce so I felt I gave that option a good chance.  Now I'll live for me and if need be adopt somewhere down the line.

Yup, I was all set to enjoy my coming years. But the universe has a way of tripping you off the path you think you should be on...so you can start following another path...maybe your true life's path? I dunno...While I don't believe in destiny I can see areas in our lives where after making changes we're do something only we could have done...does that make sense?

So somewhere in those 5 years my original plan was changed drastically.  I never did travel, I became a single mom and thru motherhood renewed my need to be creative.  Who would have thought? Certainly not me...I'm curious to know what changes the next 5 years will bring.

So that's my contribution for the Merry-Go-Round project this month. Each month a group of creative folks get together, pick a topic and then blog about it at the same time...give or take a time zone =). Wonder what the other members of the Merry-Go-Round crew shared? Go take a visit and see.

Agathe @ Le Bar du Vent

Andreanna @ Glamasaurus

Charlotte @ Fancy Picnic

Fabienne @ Easterya

Jenny @ Jenny Karlsson Design

Lily @ Lily Pang Art

Marian @ Florcita

Ruth @ Birdland Creations

Sara @ Sara's Texture Crafts

Wendren @ Wren

Be Healthy, Fit and Wear Jewelry

Today I attended the EA SPORTS Active Launch in NYC. I meet with the first 12 people from across the country who have completed the 30 Day Challenge using Active. I even got a chance to try out the demo of EA SPORTS Active a day before it came out in stores. Score!

Naturally for a cool but hands on event like this the jewelry needed to be understated but still was a must. But what to wear? My outfit was preppy casual. I did wear jeans since I was going to do some of the workouts. But I wore a semi dressy top in a dusty blue. Now I wanted jewelry that was simple but funky to fit the casual jean look.

I chose to go with my silver plated goddess earrings and necklace set. You might remember I blogged about this design for my "spring interpretation" for the monthly merry-go-round assignment. I think I made a good choice.  Sadly I didn't remember to get a close up photo during the event. I guess I was too busy have a good time and meeting people.

Speaking of meeting people... I met Jessica Smith of Jessica Knows, one of the challengers and one of my twitter friends on my personal twitter ID. We struck up a very interesting conversation about fashion and styling.

This convo led her to introduce me to her personal stylist Debbie Wright of Project Closet (www.projectcloset.com), who then joined me in talking about using jewelry to enhance and dress up a simple everyday outfit. We both agreed that sometimes just adding a little touch...a pair of gold earrings or a simple chain, does wonders for an outfit and adds a pick me up feeling.

Who would have thought jewelry would be a topic at the EA SPORTS Active Launch. Goes to show you never know...

Want your own goddess earrings? 

Shop my eCrater store and receive 15% off your total now through June 18, 2009! 

Promo Code is Active2009

When I'm Not Making Jewelry

Over in my personal life I've been attending a lot of promotional events as a blogging mom to highlight different companies and all that cool jazz. Since this takes time away from my jewelry making and selling, I've been trying to find ways to mentally keep jewelry making on my and then hopefully in my hands.

I think I found a way! A recent comment from Anne of AL Creations said I should wear my own jewelry. Duh! Why didn't I think of that? Well, I decided to take that advice.  So when I was invited to attend the opening bell ceremony at NASDAQ with 1800Flowers I made sure to plan a complete look...jewelry included.

Bet your wondering which one of my jewelry designs I wore.  As you can see from the photo I chose to be pretty in pink.  After all this was an event to celebrate Mothers Day =).  

The jewelry of choice was.... a combination of my Chunky Rhodonite Nugget & Silver Necklace, Bracelet and Earrings set. Normally I sell each item individually but I think going forward I'll start selling as a set. They really went so nice together and photographed well during the event. I don't think I look so bad in the photos either. Ha

Like the set and want one of your own? 

Shop my eCrater store and receive 15% off your total now through June 05, 2009! 

Promo Code is MOM2009

Universal Gifts of Encouragement

The universe always knows what we need and provides it at the right time. I've experienced this time and time again in many different areas of my personal life so I'm not surprised to find it also happening in my business life.

I bet you think I've been sitting too close to the incense burner and inhaled a few fumes to many. So let me show you...

First example, yesterday I was struggling thru emails...as usual, when I saw an email directly to me... meaning it wasn't from one of the groups, ning sites or stuff like that.  I did a quick read over and then had to read it again. The email was from a representative from artbeads.com inviting me to join a small group of jewelry designers who blog,  for their new program where they'll send me beads and jewelry supplies to use and then blog about. How cool is that right? 

But to me it's more then getting free jewelry supplies...once again a great thing...it's more about getting the encouragement the universe feels I need to keep making jewelry PLUS to blog about it. I mean there are literally thousands of jewelry blogs on the web, what are the chances he picks my little blog which is sadly lacking in regular updates?! I'm telling you universal encouragement. 

Second example, today I'm once again goin thru emails, this time on face book when I read this

Hi,BZ.

I looked through jewelries designed by you.they are good, really! maybe they give a sense of normal at first glance, but I found they are tasteful after I look them more. You designs don't like current fashion design which give much visual stun. Your designs are very lite and durable on visual. actually! your personal profile picture (the one you working at lamp) also give a sense of that! I can't help to tell you these after I saw your pictures!

I am an ordinary Chinese.I am web programmer instead of jewelry designer!my hometown is a jade base of china where have many gemstone and gemstone jewelries!I will collect some good designs for you maybe you can use them when I go home next time.

I was SO touched by him seeing the "spirit" of my designs. What he said is exactly what I aim for...to have something simple at first glance but that carries a deeper meaning. Since jewelry is such a personal item having it handcrafted with a positive spirit and intention is the way to go. And yeah how nice of him to offer to get me some gemstones during his next trip home. LOL

Third example to round out the universal encouragement is this. In the Etsy Artist of Color some changes were recently made to better promote the group and get more members to support each other.  One idea was to start a mentoring program. Now i'm humble enough to say that I need help when it comes to understanding how to sell and promote on etsy..so I ask to be mentored. Very soon after that Gaetana of Satin Doll contacted me and offered to be my Etsy mentor.  I of course agreed cause really how can you say no to such a kind hearted gesture of each one teach one.

So you see what happens when you become ready...the universe sends it's gifts =)

Where's the Jewelry for Todays Moms

Friday morning, I went to a Todays Moms Breakfast Book Bash & Diaper Drive event. It's always cool to go to a mom bloggers event but it doubly cool when the events supports a worthy cause. This event collected hundreds of dollars worth of diapers to go to NYC families in need via BabyBuggy.org As a new a mom of course I had to show my support

Here I am with the Todays Moms, Mary Ann Zoellner and Alicia Ybarbo

Here I am with Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, the surprise guest during the event

All that is nice and good but your thinking not really jewelry related right? Oh so wrong! This is a mommy event that pulled in a large group of ladies from mostly middle working class families right?  So there should have been jewelry bling all over the place at an event such as this. Yet as I walked around the room I noticed a shocking lack of jewelry. Not to say there wasn't any but very minimal. 

What is this about I thought?  Is there a new minimal jewelry trend that no one told me about? Should I have brought my jewelry business cards? Every time I made contact with another mom I was so tempted to offer some jewelry info. LOL . But I was there to promote my personal blog instead of my business blog. Still I wonder... where is the jewelry for todays moms and how can I get my jewelry to them?!

Spiritual Spring Interpretation - Merry Go Round

It's Merry-Go-Round topic blogging time! This month we chose to blog about our interpetation of spring and what that means to us personally.

So to be honest I was a little stuck on this one. I tried thinking of alternative ideas/images/ways for spring but kept coming back to the same idea. To me spring has always been about starting anew. It's a season for making new connections, starting new goals, being fertile in mind and spirit as well as body.

How does this idea translate for me? In jewelry of course.

I've long felt these earrings have a mother earth, goddess, fertility,spiritual feel to them. For this project I was going to add a gemstone bead in the middle to make her pregnant. LOL. But I changed my mind cause I like the plain simpleness of the design. The idea of spiritually fertile can be more highlighted in this design by being in plain metal. Do u agree?

So that's my contribution for the Merry-Go-Round project this month. Each month a group of creative folks get together, pick a topic and then blog about it at the same time...give or take a time zone. Wonder what the other members of the Merry-Go-Round crew shared?

Go take a visit and see.

Agathe @ Le Bar du Vent - www.lebarduvent.blogspot.com
Andreanna @ Glamasaurus - www.blog.glamasaurus.com
Charlotte @ Fancy Picnic - www.fancypicnic.blogspot.com
Fabienne @ Easterya - www.easterya.blogspot.com
Jenny @ Jenny Karlsson Design - www.designjennykarlsson.blogspot.com
Lily @ Lily Pang Art - www.lilypangart.blogspot.com
Marian @ Florcita - www.florcitasart.blogspot.com
Ruth @ Birdland Creations - www.insidetheartisan.blogspot.com
Sara @ Sara's Texture Crafts - sarastexturecrafts.blogspot.com
Wendren @ Wren - thewrendesign.com

Connecting Black Jewelry Designers

So last night I was just hanging out in the different jewelry groups I belong to...one to many if you ask me...but anyway, I decided to post that I'm looking for other black jewelry designers. To be honest I didn't expect any replies but ironically I received quite a few.  Soon I started a little emails list with the people who responded.  But after a discussion about not seeing a group for black designers Sonja of Fire Hazard decided we should have one and *bam* made a yahoo group for black designers.


At first I couldn't believe it...how could there not be a group for black designers?! Well I had no time to really ponder the issue because Sonja and I were soon inviting the other women and planning how to attract more members.  We started throwing ideas back and forth about ways to promote the group, the groups aim and purpose and how to handle any drama that would follow.  

Now someone reading this will think...what drama can happen just because you started a group. For that person I'll share a email I received today from a non-black jewelry maker.

From: C
Date: Sun, Apr 12, 2009 at 3:36 PM
Subject: black jewelry designer

Hello and Happy Easter,

You and I are fellow jewelry designers and fellow members of several yahoo groups.  I’ve been to your blog and feel that you have no idea how badly you are alienating me (and perhaps others) when you ask for black designers.  I try to tell myself that you are just looking for like minded friends but the color of one’s skin has nothing to do with their insides.  I sort my beads by color, not my friends.  I hope that one day the world will be color blind to skin tone but until all stop discriminating by color, this isn’t going to happen.  Everyone is colored unless invisible has become an option.  So, unless you have another reason for looking for black designers that I haven’t fathomed, I’d like to be a part of your group even though my skin isn’t black.

Sincerely,
C

Now, I'm at a loss on how to answer this.  I don't understand how something as simple as black women jewelers forming a group to talk shop means we're...or should I say "I" want to alienate non-blacks?!  Lets be real here...I come across information and  projects that are race specific. If a company is looking for a "black" designer or is offering an incentive for the "black" creative community then what would be the point of me posting this info in a non-black group? It's best to have a place where this info will reach the intended community.  That's my view of the issue. Since this is a group issue I'll ask the group and see what they say about this...but I wish people would respect other people choices.