Has it really been that long?

Just a quick note to let you know I'm still here...

I've managed to accomplish quite a bit in the past two months and am still working just as hard as possible.  Getting caught up on tasks and projects is never an easy thing.  I'm training myself to do the things I don't want to do - first.  It makes finishing the project easier since I got all the unpleasant or difficult stuff out of the way.   

I will be posting some new jewelry items - hopefully this week, along with links to a few Etsy Treasuries.

Until then...

Wishing all your wishes come true,
Shannon

I'll be around...

I've been having some trouble with my computer lately.  I have really good firewall, virus and protection software but somehow I managed to get a trojan virus.  Some of my files - mostly pictures - have been corrupted and cannot be opened.  I will have to re-take pictures of more than 35 jewelry pieces... UGH! 

I'll be busy, doing something I've already done, again.  I'll be around...

Imelda Treasure

I was surprised, again, to find that one of my jewelry pieces had been featured in an Etsy Treasury.

The 'Imelda Necklace' was included in Jennifer Pride's "Girls Night Out" Treasury, a smart and sassy collection.  Take a moment to visit Jennifer's handmade jewelry in her Etsy Shop.

Imelda Necklace

'All for now... 

Wishing all your wishes come true,

Shannon 

Childish Temper-Tantrum Coming On...

I REALLY want to make something, no, anything -- right now!  (Insert childish foot stomping here). 

There have been soooo many things that have to be done to get this small business on track that I haven't made anything in nearly three months.  YIKES!  Not long ago I even promised myself that I would start soldering after I had finished my website.  Well, the website is nearly complete, but other things have gotten in the way of that too. 

I read a blog posting earlier this week on freelancefolder.com/ titled:  It May Be Your Fault If Your Client Doesn’t Appreciate All That You Do.  It got me thinking about what I actually do and have been able to accomplished in the past few months. 

Here's my "what I do" list (not in any particular order):

1. research and purchase all materials and supplies
2. design/create/produce beaded art and jewelry
3. calculate material, labor and overhead costs to price each piece
4. maintain material and product inventory
5. packaging and shipping
6. website set-up, management, (webmaster)
7. some graphic design for printing and web
8. all business printing:  business cards, brochures, forms, jewelry tags, earring cards, coupons, labels, note cards, signs, etc.
9. all photography, editing, resizing, posting
10. copy writing, product descriptions, brochures and marketing materials, blog, etc.
11. manage web store on Etsy
12. write this blog ;)
13. manage online photo albums and slide shows on Photobucket
14. manage Facebook fan page
15. record keeping and bookkeeping
16. general customer service

Here's my "what I've done recently" list (again, not in any particular order):

1. photographed, detailed, and posted over 200 items to my Etsy store since early Jan of this year
2. created a Facebook fan page near the end of March - and have 33 fans as of today
3. created this blog April 1, 2011 with one fan as of today
4. created online photo albums and slide shows on Photobucket (work in progress), started last week
5. set up and opened my website in the past few weeks
6. joined my local bead society and volunteered to be their treasurer (I know, what was I thinking, right?)

In retrospect, I can see that I've actually accomplished quite a bit.  Although I can appreciate where I am at the moment, there are still too many things on the "to do" list.  I need to figure out a way of taming the list (insert the sound of a leather whip here) so I don't feel quite so bogged down. 

Major Temper-Tantrum averted (whew!). 

What's on your accomplishments list?

That's it for today....

Wishing all your wishes come true,
Shannon

A little Monday Madness

Things have bee rather busy around here. 

My Golden Weeping Willow Beaded Bonsai Tree was featured in the Etsy Treasury "Thinking About My Garden".

Thank you Amailo!  Check out her Etsy shop mailo.  She has to most adorable pet sweaters and her puppy is the perfect model!

Then, my Mystic Blue Wisteria Beaded Bonsai Tree was featured in the Etsy Treasury "Wisteria".

Thank you Jonathan Highfield!  You can see his vintage pieces in his Etsy shop bakerinva.


My website is almost complete.  I found out there are big limitations to posting images, so on top of everything else I opened an online photo sharing account.  After loading a large chunk of photos to my website and running out of space, I'm starting over with Photobucket.  They have great ratings, and it's easy to use.  You can check out my work on Photobucket.  I'm still in the process of adding images, so be sure to check back often. 


And last but not least... just listed on my Etsy:
Neutral Natalie jewelry pieces created with freshwater pearls, glass seed beads and sterling silver.  The necklace features a silky smooth brioche jasper slab pendant focal.

I think my photography skills are improving.  Good lighting makes all the difference! 

That's it for now.

Wishing all your wishes come true,
Shannon

What possessed me?

For the past few years I have been yearning to join a beading group.  The desire to be around like-minded creative people was growing but I just couldn't take that step.  I've never been able to make friends that easily, and meeting new people is very difficult.  I know, some of you are saying "why would that be so hard?".  Well, I honestly don't know (wish I did).   I am very self conscience and when I have to meet new people I become anxious, my heart pounds, I start sweating, literally get red in the face, and  my mind races.   OMG, what if I say something to embarrass myself? 

The thought of going to a place I'd never been before and meeting new people was WAY out of my comfort zone. 

Yesterday, I decided it was time to take that 'big girl pill' (or imaginary Valium, if you will) and join the local bead society.  Giving myself extra time to get ready, I got dressed putting on my favorite shirt and jewelry pieces.  I poured my favorite iced tea into a travel container, borrowed a GPS so I didn't have to stress on where I was going, popped in my favorite CD (Michale Buble), and off I went.  I gave myself plenty of time to get there, especially considering it was late rush hour.  'Cause ya know, rushing just makes it worse.  I figure if it's really that horrible I can leave and I don't have to go back, right?

I arrived a little early, but plenty of ladies were already there.  There was a presentation that evening and the presenter brought lots of Swarovski Crystals and products to sell, so I was able to blend in a little.  (The bling distraction was a good thing...   ooooohhhh  sparkly things...  oooohhhhh).  It helped to get out of my head and chat a bit. 

I sat in the back row with one other lady during the meeting, not sure why, the only thought was "looks like I'll be out of the way here".   Things took on a sense of ... um... well, normalcy.  Old business, new business, newsletter deadline, etc, and my heart rate calmed and I started feeling more comfortable.  They stared talking about board elections and apparently one lady had already agreed to take over as Secretary, and then asked if someone would be Treasurer.  I looked around the room and no one said a word, just small shakes of the head as to silently say 'no'.  No one wanted to do it.  The President asked again, "No one?"  ...silence...  Then before I realized it, my hand was in the air and the words that came out of my mouth were "I'm new, but I'll do it."  The President looked a bit surprised, and everyone applauded.  That of course made me shrink back in my chair a bit.  And as the meeting progressed, I'm asking myself, "what did I just get myself into?"  Like I don't have enough on my plate already?

 

As it turns out, I'm no worse for wear.  I actually feel better knowing I took the step.  Not only was it not horrible, but now I HAVE to go back.  I'm choosing to see this as a good thing, sorta forcing me out of my comfort zone, even if it is only once a month.

You never know what you can accomplish until you try.  (My new motto.)

That's it for today.  I'm off to photograph some new pieces.

Wishing all your wishes come true,

Shannon

(Northern Virginia Bead Society Treasurer) LOL!

Lovely Irene

Listed this today too...

The lovely Irene Necklace:

click here to view the listing

more later,

Wishing all your wishes come true.
-Shannon

Baby steps... that's still progress, right?

Not too long ago I joined a "street team" on Etsy, called CREST (Capital Region Etsy Street Team).  What a great group!  I contacted as many as I could through their Facebook pages, and many replied in kind.  I am now able to have a short url (instead of a really long string with way too many numbers) for people to use when looking me up on Facebook. 

(YAY! I'm doing a little happy dance in my seat.) 

My new url address is www.facebook.com/RosewindStudio. 

Here's my latest listing on Etsy:

Lily Beaded Flower Candle Ring with carnation, primrose, and Boston fern on a bed of philodendron.

or Click Here to go to my Etsy store

That's it for now.

Wishing all your wishes come true.
-Shannon

The Sacred Blue Lotus was featured in an Etsy Treasury!

Needless to say, I was quite surprised today to find that one of my beaded flowers had been featured in a Treasury collection on Etsy.  In case you are not familiar with Etsy or Etsy's Treasuries, here is a basic description:  a group of 16 items from various Etsy stores usually fitting within a theme or concept created by members and sellers alike.  My 'Sacred Blue Lotus Beaded Flower' was chosen to be part of the "Easter Lillies in Blue" Treasury created by Lori of KiltedWoman.  Thanks Lori! 

Here's link to the Treasury. 

Here's a picture of my 'Sacred Blue Lotus Beaded Flower'

close-up view:

full view:

view of lotus and pad pieces separated:

The lotus is 11" tall, the bloom is 7" in diameter, and pad is 9" in diameter.

To see all photos and information in my Etsy shop, click here.

Until next time folks....

Wishing your wishes come true,
-Shannon

Again, really?

I recently set-up my website www.rosewindstudio.com using a free software that came with my web hosting.  I've used the software before, more than a while ago, on a different website which I closed back in December 2010.  I was rolling along, creating, editing, customizing and making it mine.  I finished most of it and hit "Publish".  Voila!  Website.  I viewed the site from a live "new eye" perspective and noticed somethings that were not what I had "published".  After trying to "fix" what didn't look like was "broken" in the software, published again and then I went back to the live version to verify.  No change.... ugh!  Instead of getting too frustrated, I decided to move on to something I hadn't finished yet, my photo galleries.  I couldn't remember how to create albums so I started searching the help menus.  As I'm reading, I'm seeing things that just don't make sense.  Now, I'm rather computer savvy.  I've never taken classes or lessons to figure out software programs.  I just jump in and get going.  So, as I'm in the help menus I realize that they are talking about a completely different (yet similarly named) software.  <SIGH>.  Ok.... deep breath.  After a few minutes more I realize that the software I was using, is not even being distributed for web hosting anymore.  (I hear a loud high pitch scream in my head... like one's you hear in a horror movie.)  OMG!  All the work I've done over the past few days...  useless.  ...deep breath...  I have to start over with the new software.  New formats, layouts, commands and less functionality as far as I'm concerned. 

Ok, enough complaining!  It's not going to design itself, so off I go...

Wishing your wishes come true,
Shannon

Digging deep to finish....

Well, it seems as thought my Etsy store is getting some traffic, but no sales yet.  I had one sale back in January, but I think that may have been a fluke.  I am relieved that people are at least finding me there.  Here's the link if you like to check out my store:  http://www.rosewindstudio.etsy.com/ .  The traffic has prompted me to work on my website.  It will be a basic site, with info I can't fit on other venues.  The best part is that once I'm done with the basics I will finally get to dig out my PMC (precious metal clay) supplies and a torch.  That's right, I said it... a torch!  I'm gonna set some stuff a blaze... well, I'm going to attempt soldering and sintering at least.  I can't wait!!  Once I get the soldering and sintering groove I'll be making some Autism Awareness jewelry.  But that's for a later post.  Back to web designing.... <sigh>.

Wishing your wishes come true,
~Shannon

Me.... a blogger?

Hello and welcome to my new blog!  Please allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Shannon, I live in Northern Virginia, and I am a bookkeeper by day and a bead and jewelry artist by night.  Growing up in a creative family, I've always been active in arts & crafts starting at a very early age.  I've been involved with many different mediums including:  cross stitch, polymer clay, candle making, graphic drawing, beaded Christmas ornaments, just to name a few.  Although I've been creating jewelry and beaded flowers for over 10 years, I recently turned my favorite hobbies into a genuine business called Rosewind Studio . 

I would never characterize myself as a writer, so I'm stepping out of my comfort zone to blog and try to connect more on a personal level with others.  I'm hoping to learn, inspire, relate, create, and connect with like minded people.  I know you're out there!  I'm looking forward to meeting you.