Trying something new....Beadweaving.

While visiting the blogs of the Bead Soup Blog Party participants (see pervious blog post for my Reveal), I found that I was captivated by the designers who used bead weaving techniques to complete their projects. I was so taken with their designs that I did a little research today to learn more about bead weaving….

Great Book by Ann Benson

The art of weaving in general is a process that I’ve been exposed to for many years. My Grandmother spent hours weaving cloth (to use as farmhouse rugs) by means of a huge loom, so I have a basic knowledge of how to weave. However, my research illustrated that many different weaving techniques and stitches incorporating beads have been used throughout history. I have a lot of catching-up to do…

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

From my research I’ve found the term “beadwork” seems to be misunderstood (I wasn’t using it correctly). Many people do not realize there is a difference between "beadwork," and "work done with beads."

“Work done with beads” is typically a group of beads strung together, as with a necklace. The stringing is simple and straightforward, we focus on the beads. The beads by themselves are interesting, and the placement on the string ideally enhances the beads. My lampwork bracelet below is considered “Work done with beads”.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/67705564/lampwork-bead-bracelet-handmade-monets

“Beadwork”, it's just the opposite. The beads in beadwork (basically -- don't hold me to this rule in all instances) are plain and do not hold great interest by themselves. However, their placement pulls together the overall pattern; it’s viewed as one design, not individual beads. This technique demands precision, patience, consistency, and vision. Beadweaving is considered “beadwork”. Check out an example below....

http://www.etsy.com/listing/49667731/bead-weaving-cuff-bracelet-bubbles

I found that there are literally hundreds of stitches and variations of the different stitches allowing bead weavers to make jewelry, decorations, and even 3-D art with beads. Many free tutorials are available on the internet. The process seems time consuming, but in the end well worth the effort. Below are some examples of amazing beadwork I found on Etsy.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/73492056/reserved-nightingale-necklace
http://www.etsy.com/listing/76512144/bead-embroidered-necklace-summer-skies
http://www.etsy.com/listing/72614230/edoras-lord-of-the-rings-pectoral
http://www.etsy.com/listing/77689479/wrap-beaded-bracelet

So...I’m ready to give it a go! I’ve found lots of information about the tools needed to get started. I’m off to the local craft store to purchase needles and string. I already have some larger seed beads that I will use to practice. I read that starting with large beads makes learning the technique a lot easier. Wish me luck!



Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal - Fall 2011

Yippee! Today is the Bead Soup Blog Party reveal. Every Bead Soup participant was paired up with another jewelry designer and asked to send their partner the following:

~ A focal
~ A special clasp (not just a lobster claw)
~ Some coordinating spacers or beads

Using the focal and the clasp was mandatory, but we could use anything from our own stash to round out the project, and choose to use the coordinating beads or not.

This is the Bead Soup package I received from my partner Linda Landig:

Here’s what I made! 

 

Linda’s choice for the focal bead and generous amount of coordinating beads inspired me to create an opera length single strand necklace in warm fall tones. I love wire-wrapping so I grouped sets of three beads and natural gemstones to create the individual links for my necklace.

 

I also used some Vintage multicolor glass beads from my own stash that I’ve been dying to use, but I didn’t have enough for a full project.   

Linda sent wonderful ingredients and although I don’t generally work with gold tone wire, I enjoyed working out of my comfort zone and am extremely pleased with the result… how could a southern gal go wrong with a lovely dogwood blossom pendant in her soup?

Check out the link below for the list of other beaders participating in Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party.  Thanks Lori for your long hours and hard work organizing this fun event!!!

http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/

BOO Y'ALL!

I love Halloween! I’ve always thought of it as my day to escape my “real Life”. While growing up, other holidays were stressful and sometimes unpleasant. Family feuds, divorced parents, and a host of other disappointing situations made traditional Holidays a bit disjointed in our family. But not Halloween!

Fall Front Door Decor

Halloween provided me a free pass one night a year to escape and become part of the world of fantasy and adventure. It was my chance to become something different, something exciting, something beautiful, or even someone who could fly. I could leave behind the pressure of family challenges and just enjoy my favorite day.

Vintage Halloween Costume Patterns

Even as a very young girl, I spent days working on my costume; as a teenager I learned to sew just so I could create fabulous outfits. Being extremely tall for my age, (I still am), I could never wear the commercial costumes available at the local Woolworth's, so I had to sew my own.

Today, I still enjoy everything Halloween and decorate the house for the holiday. I’ve made a few items for my Etsy Shop for my favorite day. No pressure, no guilt, just pure enjoyment…cheers!



Halloween items in my Etsy shop.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Bead Box Ready to Travel Again!

Heather of Humblebeads started this wonderful traveling box filled to the brim with beads! The idea is to take what you love from the box and replace the items you removed with items of equal or greater value and send it on to the next winner. I have entered my name into the hat to win a visit from the Traveling Bead Box.

The box is currently with Janet of Singingwoods. She is looking to send it on to one lucky person! So, check out her blog to get all the details: http://janet-singingwoods.blogspot.com/

Cheers! and good luck!

Take a Deep Breath...



This weekend I received an emergency call from a good friend and fellow Etsy seller. She told me that she had received a message from a very unhappy buyer. The buyer was unhappy with the size of the earrings they had received. My friend makes lovely items with quality materials; I was surprised to hear the news.

The buyer had complained that the size in the pictures did not match the actual item. Oh no…this is a common problem jewelry sellers have when using the Macro camera setting to get sharp close-up details. I told my friend the only solution I know to solve the dilemma; place a common item (like a coin or your hand) in at least one of the photos too to give the buyer a sense of scale. Here is a great example of establishing scale in your photos:

“This will help in the future, but what about my angry customer?” she asked with a sigh. Here’s the advice I gave her……

1. Take a deep breath - it’s not the end of the world. Step away from the computer for 30 minutes and think about how to handle this situation rationally. Try not to answer the complaint emotionally, write your email response cautiously and thoughtfully. If you don’t consider how it will sound to your customer, you could be doing damage control later. Email can be tricky! Tone and inflection are not present in email. Your written response may be misinterpreted as combative or unhelpful if you are not careful with your reply.

2. Realize that you both want the same thing. Buyer and seller want the same end result; a happy, pleasant, and speedy transaction. Usually an unhappy buyer simply wants to feel like you are willing to work with them. So extend the olive branch and let them know that you truly want to help them and are willing to work toward a solution.

3. Put the ball in their court- Ask the customer what they would like for you to do to resolve the situation. Chances are, they have already have an idea of what they think is a fair solution. If there is anything you can do to make sure the customer walks away satisfied, do it. I’m not telling you to give away your shop, just try to come to a fair agreement.

4. Don’t beat your customer over the head with your return policy – Upset customers don’t want to listen to you quoting back your policy to justify why you can’t help them. Let them know your personal guidelines so they know what to expect from here on out. Sure, it’s important to have policies in place, but you can’t view every single situation in black-and-white terms. Be reasonable, and be flexible.

5. Know that you can’t please everyone. You may run into a “difficult to deal with” person. It happens to all of us, there’s no reason to beat yourself up about it. Just do the best you can, keep your cool, think things through, and offer them a fair deal. Hold your head up knowing that you did the best you could to resolve the issue.

I remember reading a phrase that said "Customer service is not a department, it’s an attitude". Apart from these tips above, you need the right attitude and frame of mind for handling tricky situations. Don't run away from them; just try to handle them with care. Here’s hoping that you will never need to use these tips. Cheers!

The Yellow Daisy Craft Festival

#8 Logging My Favorites

This is the eigth installment of a ongoing log of my favorite things. Once a month I will post a favorite. It might be a person, or a place, or even an event. Hopefully it will help you get to know me a little better. I'd love your comments and I hope to make some connections through our mutual enjoyment of these treasures.

Have I mentioned yet that I’m a craft festival, flea market, farmer’s market, and antique market type of gal? More than anything I love supporting handmade and homemade artists. This weekend is one of my favorite events, the Yellow Daisy Festival.

Despite its growth from a small arts & crafts show to the four day event that it has become today, the Yellow Daisy Festival continues to be a big show (over 400 crafters) with a small-town feel. Multi-generations of mothers, daughters and grandmothers will be roaming the wooded trails together in search of the perfect item. Just look at the map, the festival is huge and it’s jam-packed full of artistic vendors and shoppers.

I’ve found that there is no apparent rhyme or reason to the location of the vendors throughout the massive festival area, although I must say that the setup works. A supposedly one-way path is often walked the wrong way by newbie’s, but nobody seems to care because most shoppers are really only interested in getting to the next booth. The paths are shaded by huge native hardwoods making the day more enjoyable; our weather here in Atlanta can still be a bit warm in September.

Whatever your passion, you will find fun items to purchase at this festival. I’ve also found that the festival is a great place to go and get new inspiration. So many wonderful artists all in one place! Shoppers and crafters alike enjoy the atmosphere of the event. There is live music, fabulous festival food and crafter demonstrations all day.

One of my favorite stops each year is the antique grain grinding machine (below) from Logan Turnpike Mill. It spurts, sputters, shutters and occasionally backfires as it grinds the most superb stone ground grits. I’m not a native southerner, but I do love good grits!

Here is the link to the festival website if you are interested in getting more information. Hope to see you there! http://festivals.stonemountainpark.com/mini-section/default.aspx?id=14



2011 Fall Jewelry Trends on Etsy

Over the past few years jewelry has propelled its way to the forefront of fashion becoming bigger and bolder with each passing season. 2011 is no exception and the rising trends are shaping up to be the most extravagant yet! Large statement pieces are still all the rage, huge cocktail rings, long dangling earrings and layered necklaces are stealing the spotlight with their bold shapes and eye-catching colors. Here’s just a few of my favorite jewelry trends for Fall 2011.

Antique Brass

Cool - Classic Appeal - Vintage Vibe

Gold gets a vintage vibe this season with an antique brass finish. Traditional looks now have major contemporary appeal especially when paired with surprising designs and exciting pops of color. 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75436998/antique-brass-long-heart-pendant

http://www.etsy.com/listing/44701432/handmade-lampwork-bead-necklace

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75435334/beaded-bookmark

Mixed Metals
 Modern - Endless Combos - Versatile

Talk about flexibility! Coordinating outfits and Jewelry couldn’t be easier – everything goes. With numerous combos from European Romance to Edgy Influenced, mixed metals are a must-have for endless style options. 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/61502047/art-jewelry-pagan-goddess-large-copper

http://www.etsy.com/listing/74126791/sorrelli-multi-strand-necklace-with%20

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79628999/arm-bracelet-for-male-and-females-mixed%20

Lace 
Romantic * Feminine * Elegant

Lace fashions are all the rage from skirts to blouses and now to jewelry. Lace-like patterns offer more than vintage frills – with mixed metal, antique brass or jet finishes pieces can go from sweet to edgy based on the look you want. 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79447983/wire-crochet-freshwater-pearl-necklace

http://www.etsy.com/listing/78806037/glistening-snowflake-victorian-3-way%20

http://www.etsy.com/listing/73049964/beaded-cuff-vintage-style-pearls

 

Take a peek at my Bead Soup package!

Look at what I received from Linda Landig, my partner for the fall 2011 Bead Soup Blog Party.  Linda has been designing jewelry for nearly 30 years! Her work is lovely; designs feature distinct and colorful semiprecious gemstones, art beads and vintage beads.  Based on her eclectic style and vast collection of materials, I was excited to see what she would send.  I was thrilled when I opened the package, so many wonderful beads to play with!  I’ve had them spread out on my bead bench for about a week so I can think about how I will use them in my Bead Soup design.

My beads came in a metal tin with a great hand written note embellished with a pretty handmade origami bird.  Just look at all my treasure!

 I removed the individual packing bags to reveal the materials I will be using for the Bead Soup challenge.  I will design a jewelry piece using the beads selected by my partner.  Linda's selection for me included fabulous textures and autumn colors:

 I just love the filigree clasp form Israel, here's a closer look...

Check back on September 17 when the finished design will be revealed.  Then, hop around to the other participating blogs and see what they have created using their Blog Soup Beads.  Cheers!

Who invited the ants?

Summer is coming to an end so it’s time for a last celebration before the relaxing days of summer are gone. Almost everyone can look back at their childhood and remember the fun summer activities that produced lasting memories. Picnicking is probably on that list of memories – one of my fondest memories is the annual end of summer family picnic under the huge oak tree at my grandparent’s farm. Everyone let go of the daily grind and relaxed. We ate until the ants moved in, then we played lawn darts, badminton, and horse shoes.

The family picnics are only a memory now, but I still believe a picnic is the ideal way to reconnect, have some fun, and make new memories. SO, we are getting together with our best friends to celebrate the end of summer picnicking at Lake Lanier in central GA. I’m very excited about the event, I went ‘window’ shopping on Etsy for picnic items, take a look at some of my favorites…..

Top Row:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/80094546/well-appointed-picnic-basket

http://www.etsy.com/listing/53726434/hanging-garden-lights-mason-jar-lanterns

http://www.etsy.com/listing/72017256/the-rebecca-european-style-picnic-tote

Bottom Row:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/51069958/picnic-placemats-with-napkins-set-blue

http://www.etsy.com/listing/80473407/bamboo-cutlery-set-with-carrying-cozy?ref=sc_1

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79936965/handmade-picnic-blanket-for-summer

Below is my favorite "bring something to share" recipe for Dark Fudgy Brownies. Enjoy!

Dark Fudgy Brownies Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, American-style or Dutch-process

3 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (50-72% cacao), coarsely chopped, plus 2 1/2 ounces chopped into mini chip-size pieces, divided

1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup, blended with 3 tablespoons lukewarm water

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts, (see Tip), optional

Preparation

1.Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with foil, letting it overhang on two opposing sides. Coat with cooking spray.

2.Sift flour, confectioners’ sugar and cocoa together into a small bowl. Combine the 3 ounces coarsely chopped chocolate and oil in a heavy medium saucepan; place over the lowest heat, stirring, until just melted and smooth, being very careful the chocolate does not overheat. Remove from the heat and stir in granulated sugar, corn syrup mixture, vanilla and salt until the sugar dissolves. Vigorously stir in egg until smoothly incorporated. Gently stir in the dry ingredients. Fold in the walnuts (if using) and the remaining 2 1/2 ounces chopped chocolate just until well blended. Turn out the batter into the pan, spreading evenly.

3.Bake the brownies until almost firm in the center and a toothpick inserted comes out with some moist batter clinging to it, 20 to 24 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 1/2 hours.

4.Using the overhanging foil as handles, carefully lift the brownie slab from the pan. Peel the foil from the bottom; set the slab right-side up on a cutting board. Using a large, sharp knife, trim off any dry edges. Mark and then cut the slab crosswise into fifths and lengthwise into fourths. Wipe the blade with a damp cloth between cuts.

Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Store Brownies in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

Tip: To toast chopped nuts: Cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

NutritionPer brownie: 86 calories; 3 g fat ( 1 g sat , 1 g mono ); 11 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 0 g fiber; 19 mg sodium; 25 mg potassium.

No Bead Store?

My husband and I took a much needed trip to the mountains this past weekend. We stayed in the lovely little town of Highlands, NC at the cozy Mitchell Lodge. I love the slower pace and the cooler temperatures in the mountains, it’s so relaxing.

Wherever we travel, I always visit the local bead store to pick up some treasures that might not be available in Atlanta. To my surprise I found no bead store in Highlands. The community seems to be the perfect place for a bead ‘lounge’. A place to not only purchase beads and findings, but a place to sit and work on projects with friends, host a girl’s night out, or take a basic beading class. A place that serves beverages and has all the tools needed to complete a project.

I love this sign in front of a favorite bead shop in Virginia.

Highlands is a small town (3000 permanent residents) that swells to 25,000 to 30,000 seasonal residents during the spring to fall months. I call it the “reverse snowbird” flock. The town is at a very high elevation and is in one of only two temperate rain-forests in the continental US. The weather is mild in the summer months and the landscape is lush and green. The wonderful weather attracts retirees from Florida who want to escape the heat and hurricane threats of the summer months. Generally the retirees are well off, interested in the arts, and have a lot of free time. It is also a place for Atlanta folks to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life for a weekend. And two Universities have extension programs in Highlands so younger creative folks also live in town. I believe this would be a good demographic for a budding creative bead business.

I love this logo from a favorite bead shop in San Francisco that closed in 2009 

SO, why hasn’t someone jumped on this yet? Why isn’t there a cool bead “lounge” in Highlands? I don’t have the answer yet, but I’m starting my research this week. I’d love to be the bead shop owner is this lovely place. Take a peek at my previous blog post about Highlands, NC by clicking here. Cheers!



Do You Know Your Top Keywords?

  I just wanted to share a few things I learned from a fellow blogger…

I wanted to get my items closer to the first page of results when an Etsy buyer does a search on a specific word. My category is really saturated (bead jewelry), hopefully some small changes to the title and tags will at least help my items’ position in the search results.

First, I took a look at my Top Keywords in “Shop Stats” on my Etsy account page.

- I selected “All Time” from the drop down box and took a look at my top keywords. These are the words I should be using in my titles and tags. (For example, mine are lampwork earrings, ceiling fan pull chain, and lampwork beads.)

 Items in my Etsy shop that fit the Top Keyword categories.

Second, I've started editing my listings using the Top Keywords in my Titles.
- When appropriate I placed the Keywords at the beginning or as close to the beginning of my titles as possible.

Third, I also used the Top Keywords from my Titles in my Tags.
- Having matching keywords in my titles and tags gives me a double dip in the search!

Fourth, I put my Top Keywords in my item description.
- Search Engines such as Google draw from descriptions, I’m trying to put the Keywords as close to the beginning as possible. 

Fifth, I’ve started to pay attention to the Google Search preview when listing an item.
- The Google Search preview shows what will be displayed when the item comes up in a Google search. Top Keywords should be visible in the preview.

Google Search Example:

Handmade Lampwork Bead Earrings Cinnamon Spice by LorisGlassworks

This chic set of earrings features handmade glass lampwork beads using an earth tone color scheme, matching solid cinnamon color beads, copper beads and copper....

TITLE EXAMPLE:
Old Title: Cinnamon Spice Earrings

Improved Title: Handmade Lampwork Bead Earrings: Cinnamon Spice

TAGS EXAMPLE:

Tags from the Title: Lampwork, Handmade, Cinnamon
Repeat! Repeat! Repeat!

The rest of the Tags: Copper, Brown, Caramel, Chocolate, Cabin, Fall, Autumn, Rust, Terra Cotta

I hope this information is helpful and your items hit the first page when a word search is entered. 

Good Luck and Cheers!

Lori

Resources:
There are lots of great articles in the Etsy Blog! But this one is especially relevant.
www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/putting-your-shop-on-top-etsy’s-most-relevant-search/
More:
www.etsy.com/blog/en/?s=relevancy

Ever have one of THOSE days?

What a Day I had yesterday! And THOSE days seem to be increasing; recently I’ve heard from friends and family who are also having challenges in their lives on a more regular basis.  The question is: What should I do? Quit my own job? Move to Belize? Turn off all the electronics and hibernate? While those options do look great on paper, they're not realistic for me at this time.

Today I’m starting a detailed personal calendar to help me stay on task when I’m feeling flustered or unfocused.  Knowing what I need to do hour to hour should help me move in the right direction more quickly.  Ann Parri, Esty shop owner from Wales has just what I need:

Do you have an accountability partner? What about a good venting source? The right support system can make a huge difference for anyone, no matter what you do or where you work. Some days, when I feel like I just can't do this one more minute, a call a trusted friend or my husband to help  jolt me back into my happy place.

My emergency crew when I need some TLC.....Deb, Richard, Brenda, and Belinda.

When all else fails, I keep in mind that I can always walk away for a bit. Take a walk around the block in the historic neighborhood where I live, sit on the terrace with a good book, make a short trip to the mall or bead shop, or even a nap. When I find that my brain just isn't working with me and I’m at wits' end, I give myself the opportunity to take a break. 

One of my favorite places to relax, walk, and window shop.......

Hoping that today will be a great day!  Hope your day is excellent too.

Something to work toward....

Just like every other serious Etsy seller I have dreams of becoming one of the Etsy “power sellers”.  A shop that has thousands of purchases and is continually listed at the top of the leader boards.  To me there is nothing more thrilling than seeing my sales number increase when I login to my shop. I’ve spent hours reading information on how to optimize sales and market my shop.  But alas, sales are slow at the moment and I have to remind myself that slowdowns are normal.  Even though I’m feeling a little deflated at the moment, the sky is not falling!

So in the mean time, before I become an overnight sensation (just kidding, I’ve got a long way to go to achieve Etsy stardom), I’ve decided to work on a mailing list.  Every time a customer makes a purchase, I have an opportunity to build a valuable mailing list. I’ve been wasting a prime opportunity to stay in touch with my customers and possibly earn more sales from quite possibly the easiest people to sell to.

When sending the initial email, I will let them know about my latest designs, make my message short and sweet, and let my customers know that I won’t be sending them further email without their permission. Hopefully this will remind them that I’m still here, give them a reason to browse my shop again and offered them the chance to opt-in to receive future offers.

All in all, there are plenty of ways to deal with a sales slump on Etsy, this is just one way to turn the trend around. What have you done to help your business during slow sales times? Let me know in the comments below.



Take a Peek....

New earring designs in my Etsy shop

Since moving I have not had time to setup my lampwork studio space. So, toady I went through my stash of odds and ends and found several matching pairs of lampwork beads that I could use for earrings. I'm trying to get my shop stocked now for the approaching holiday season. Have you started your holiday planning yet?

Join the Party....

The Semi Annual Bead Soup Party is Finally Here!

For those who aren't familiar:

This is the third Bead Soup Blog Hop in two years, and Kalmbach books has picked it up for publication in October 2012.

Registration begins on http://www.prettythingsblog.com/ today. Basically, you get a partner, exchange a set of beads, send a focal and a toggle (you don't have to make them) along with coordinating beads. The idea is to expand your horizons, try something new with beads picked for you by another designer. 

 An example of a Bead Soup package:

The cool thing is, people get discovered during the blog hop, which will take place on Septembe17th. Blog numbers and followers increase, designers that make beads and components experience increased sales and some bloggers have even been  approached by magazines. So you never know who will be watching.

If you are interested, sign ups are August 1-3 at http://www.prettythingsblog.com/ and are open internationally. There were over 200 participants last year.

I hope to see some of you at the party!

Lori