By Small and Simple Things

image courtesy fey handmade

One of my favorite quotes from the scriptures is "by small and simple things, great things are brought to pass". I am noticing a business trend so far this year towards experimenting with small and simple things. I am trying out a monthly give away on my blog. I am working on a monthly newsletter (which is proving to be much more complicated and involved than I thought it would be). And I have accepted an invitation to sell my creations on a site called Fey Handmade.

I have no idea what to expect from any of these experiments. It is my hope that through doing these things I will be able to keep in touch with my customers from the past and present. And that I can reach new audiences. I figure I've got nothing to lose. A quote comes to mind "the biggest risks are the chances we don't take". We shall see how it goes.

I just have this feeling that this year will bring to pass great things!

The Importance of...

...good studio music.

The XX
(image courtesy of thelineofbestfit)

It is my opinion that there is nothing better than a day in the studio with good music. Some long time favorites have been Cornflake Girl by Tori Amos and Where Have All The Cowboys Gone by Paula Cole. When these songs came out I was in my early teens and I felt I had to like them in secret. At that time most of my peers were listening to Hanson, the Back Street Boys and other pop-crap. Admitting to liking Tori Amos would have been social suicide! But for some reason these two songs have always got me going. Now I proudly crank them up and get to work. I just can't help but give my self over to the rich, soulful voices and earthy sound.

The last several years I have found countless groups/artists to adore...Radiohead...Morcheeba...Iron & Wine... But I recently found a new favorite. The XX. I just got their debut album and it is A M A Z I N G. I can honestly say I love every second of it. It never disappoints. Another album I am loving is one my sister introduced me to, Florence + the Machine - Lungs (thanks Em!). This one is great from beginning to end as well. So, I am going to go rock out in the studio today...all day!
Have a good one!

JANUARY * GIVE AWAY

Hi! I hope your New Year is great so far. I can't complain. I am going to start doing a monthly give away here on my blog. I've decided to do this on a 6 month trial. Also on trial will be a monthly newsletter in which I will offer my receivers some crazy good deals and other treats. I am very much looking forward to all of this. So go ahead and leave a comment to register!

For my first give away I will be offering this simple and versatile floral band (made to order in your size of course).

It is sterling, oxidized, and oh so feminine. A $20 value...for FREE!!!

Entering is VERY simple and there are several ways to do it:
1) Make a comment on this entry with your ring size and email address (so I can contact you in case you win!)
2) You can be entered again by letting me know (in your comment) you would like to receive my monthly newsletter (via email)
3) You will be entered once for each purchase you make from my etsy shop.
That's it. Easy peasy. Three ways (at least) for you to enter and win this cute little ring.

***The drawing will take place FRIDAY, JANUARY 29TH. You have until noon on the 29th to enter.***

I hope you win!
Janell

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I am grateful to have had a relaxing holiday. I love spending time with family and friends. I was blessed to have a lot of time to make plans/goals for the up coming year. I am going to try a couple of new things that I am really excited about...but you'll have to wait and see. In the mean time enjoy a sneak peak of some new work.

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Mexico Here We Come...

...Again. In the last two days we very suddenly and unexpectedly have a vacation planned to Cancun. My mother-in-law had yet to find someone to use her time share and with the reservations only 2-1/2 months away time is of the essence. We are the only ones in the family able to go this year so we've committed. We must be crazy for going yet again. This will be our third year in a row and fourth trip total in the 6.5 years we've been married. It's not like we are middle-aged and financially stable (most time-sharers fit into these 2 categories). We have plans to buy a house next year and we know this will set us back a bit, but we are young, able, childless, and won't have to go into debt to go so we figure "why not?!". And we have a feeling that once a house and baby enter into our lives we won't be able to just pick up and go.

Now that the reality has sunk in I am giddy with excitement at the thought of spending a week in the Caribbean with my sweetie! The past two years we've taken some of my family along but this time (like the first) it's just us. No one to answer to. We are planning to have little to no plans other than morning sunrises, long days at the beach, a few hot dates and moonlight walks by the sea. We always take a day and ferry over to la Isla Mujeres. We will do that again this year. But other than that we just want to relax.

I am already dreaming of turquoise skies, aquamarine water, and white sand beaches. I can feel the hot sun warm my skin and the cool sea breeze give me goosebumps. I can taste the colorful cuisine and hear the waves lullaby me to sleep. In a way, vacations like this are pure torture. You go for a week of bliss and then return to sullen gray skies, brown everything, and dirty snow banks. Not to mention daily highs in the single digits. However, I am grateful to have had these opportunities and cannot wait to fall in love with the Caribbean all over again.

Hasta luego!

P.S. Amos graduates from his first round of obedience school tonight! He's come so far : )

Right Place at the Right Time

My new project/challenge: handmade silver cabochons. Rings, cuffs, earrings, studs, pendants...I can't wait to really focus on doing all of this!

I was able to go visit one of the galleries I am in yesterday. The town it is in was having their holiday kick off event and so there were lots of people around. When I got to the gallery I, by chance and good timing, met a lovely customer for whom I have done some custom work. It was so fun to meet her! It was fun to see someone wearing my jewelry (who I didn't give it to personally). And it was fun to brainstorm for a custom necklace for her.

One of my dreams as a jewelry artist is to one day run into a complete stranger somewhere random like the grocery store who is wearing my jewelry. I suppose this encounter doesn't really count because we were actually at the gallery. Well, hopefully that will happen someday!

In regards to my last entry in getting back on track. Well, I'm still working on it. I did play around with some ideas. I am really looking forward to a productive week in the studio to further develop those ideas. I am also looking forward to a lunch date I have this week with a good friend/customer whom I haven't seen for a long time.

Getting Back in the Groove

I apologize that this will be a no-picture-post, again. I am sitting here keeping an eye on my sick puppy : ( He apparently has a tummy ache (I hope that is all). He has thrown up a couple of times (tmi) and won't eat or drink anything. He won't even eat treats. He keeps quaking like he's shivering. The vet said that could mean he is in pain. Poor baby. I am supposed to keep an eye on him today and if there is no improvement he's going in. I shutter when I think about how much money we have spent at the vet since getting Amos just over 2 months ago. Who knew dogs could be so expensive. I just hope he can get over this on his own. We still have to get him neutered...and that's not cheap.

I sure hope things have been busy at the galleries because business at the home office has been slow the past couple of weeks. I have been so busy getting everyone stocked up FOR the season and now that it is here I find myself with more time on my hands than I'm used to. Despite this extra time I have had I have hardly been in the studio lately. I've been busy taking photos, editing and listing to update my etsy shop and getting it ready to "do" more with. I have been enjoying this little break. My Christmas shopping is nearly finished and I feel pretty relaxed. But I know that things will pick up again. It always happens that way. I just kick myself when I do start to get busy again that I did not do more to prepare for it. So this week I am going to throw it into gear and start makin' jewelry. I am anxiously awaiting an order of turquoise cabs. I ordered a bunch off of ebay. I can't believe I am admitting to this, but it was the first thing I ever bought off of ebay. I hope it comes today. That would get me nice and motivated. Well, I've got to get going. Lots to do.

Later