tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27338686116549735242024-02-21T07:24:59.824-08:00The Beaded CarpetThe Trials and Tribulations of building a Beading BusinessMikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.comBlogger361125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-75837773841014566952016-05-14T12:08:00.002-07:002016-05-14T12:08:46.269-07:00Updating a Design<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is a box in my studio that is full of beadwork....designs that for one reason or another didn't make it to a tutorial or finished jewelry. I call these pieces my 'Set Aside Designs'....as fellow designer Helena Lim noted....SAD projects....so very true.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They get set aside for a variety of reasons.....sometimes in sheer frustration because a key component gets discontinued, or they just seem to be missing something or while I like some of it I hate the rest of it. They don't get pulled apart because there is something I feel will be interesting if developed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course I then forget about them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I recently opened the SAD box and looked through it....the piece that jumped out at me shouting for it's chance at a makeover was this one. I called it 'Sunset Pearls' back in 2009/10 when I created it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It didn't really do it for me....some things I loved, some things not so much.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What I loved was the way it wrapped around the wrist...like it had a life of it's own, I like the idea of encasing pearls and I loved the graduated coloring.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What I didn't love was the seed beads....I try to love them but I'm a Delica girl through and through. I also didn't love the amount of pearl showing....I wanted to see more but going bigger meant the bracelet would be very deep and clunky. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've also learned a lot about beading since I made this and have developed my own style so the challenge I gave myself was to bring this up to date....Mikkify it so to speak :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>How Do You Do That?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well....you keep what you like and you get rid of what you don't...simple :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Problem 1: One thing I didn't like was not seeing enough pearl.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Solution: Actually Swarovski solved this one for me with the introduction of their coin pearls.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Problem 2: Seed beads. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Solution: Easy....Delicas, even better Duracoat Opaque colors of THE yummiest yet!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Features to Keep.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First: The way it wraps around, the structural base.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was easy all it took was adjusting the bead count in the base.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Second: Graduating colors.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This may not be so noticeable in the new version because I kept graduating colors but used them differently. The pearl became the darkest shade, the beads around it the mid shade and the color in the wings used the lightest shade. This created a nice depth in the design.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hooked on geometrics is the best way to answer this one. Having just completed the Mardi Gras bangle I saw how I could incorporate a smaller version of the wings to create a geometric ruffle effect. Plus it would intensify the architectural aspect of the bracelet which is something I love and am known for...structure. The structure is so intense on this the bracelet forms a 'D' shape and stays on the wrist without need for a clasp....though I will be adding one as soon as it arrive, we want to be sure it's safe. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been wanting to develop some 'D' bracelets/bangles for a while as they are so easy to wear....the flat side going on the inner wrist making it much more comfortable to rest your arm on a table...it's a little thing but little things make me happy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway...there you have it. Old design reinvented and with a new name 'Cathedral Windows' because the shapes remind me of my quilting days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I decided to write this to encourage you all to dig through your SAD designs and give them new life...if you listen hard enough you will hear them screaming "Do me!"</span>Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-32667781680030907312015-01-24T17:12:00.003-08:002015-01-24T17:12:23.683-08:00Why Make Video Classes?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">I thought I'd blog today about video classes as I've just finished one and am working on another.</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Why make video classes?</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I first decided I needed to do video when I started designing motion pieces...there is no way to show the movement without video. It was great...I could show people how my design moved, they could see it from every angle...just what was needed.</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">The next step was after having a few hours of e-mailing back and forth with someone on how to do my Rolled Peyote Edging...it became evident to me that I needed to SHOW how it was done. And I made my first video tutorial. That showed me the way....this is what people need (generally speaking, not everyone needs a video). Now once I released the video the questions on the tutorial not only decreased....they stopped. The video answered the questions.</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I sat and thought about that. I sell a LOT of tutorials, it's my business. I figured that 5% of the people who bought a tutorial had questions.....another 2% had a LOT of questions. Every question had to be researched and answered, I needed to see photos on some, make additional illustrations for others....and that could eat away at my time. I figured with 100 tutorials out there (at the time) and selling as many as I did, that 7% ended up as 8 hours a week of answering questions.....that's a lot of design time and it would just grow!</span></div>
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Videos were the answer.</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I decided that from that point on my tutorials would have an accompanying bead-along video. Even if I had to learn video editing and titling! </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I also discovered that THE best ever way to proof and edit a tutorial was by making up a sample on camera....not to mention all the extra information I could add! If I hit a problem I could show how to get out of it, which was the best way to hold the work, lots of small things that never make it into a written tutorial because it would add so many more pages.....and you just don't think of them when you're writing.</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The first video class I did I offered the option of with or without video and was surprised that I only sold one tutorial without the video. Interesting. I then gave it some more thought and decided I wouldn't offer the option, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">after all it took time to make the video and it was there to answer questions. And I wasn't charging much for it....it just added $5 to the cost of the tutorial (now, as some videos are much longer than others I charge $5 for each hour of finished video). Some asked me why I charged so little.....but I took into account the time I saved answering questions when I priced them out.</span><br />
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The other thing about doing the videos....I don't teach. I'm not on the teaching circuit. This isn't because I don't enjoy teaching or seeing new places it's because first and foremost I'm a designer, it's my joy, my love and teaching wold take time away from that....considerable time. I once asked a fellow designer how many new designs she created in a year and was told in a busy year...six! SIX! I was doing anywhere between 20 and 40 at that time. Over achieve much? But I have all these ideas in my head screaming to get out and if I didn't get them out I think I'd end up in a strait jacket. </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The videos do get me out teaching....into your homes, one on one....and you can turn me off when you're sick of hearing me. Lots of people have written and told me they would just love to sit and bead with me....and that's what the videos do. They are deliberately informal, they have goofs, I screw up, get my thread caught...the real stuff, the stuff you would see if you were sitting and beading with me...minus the expletives :)</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">My Pagoda video was actually used in a workshop, which was very cool and I heard it worked great. Everyone purchased their own DVD and tutorial so they could finish at home but they worked as a group for a couple of days.</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">Not everyone can afford to take classes and do workshops so video classes are a great option. </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The goal is to have my customers end up with a finished piece of beadwork and not a UFO...videos help achieve that. My fellow designer Melissa Grakowsky Shippee has spoken about video classes being the way of the future and I totally agree with her. With new technology things change...my Mom and I recently changed from cable TV to Amazon FireTV and it's fabulous. It's made me see some possibilities too.....with second screen capability you could watch the videos on your TV while using your tablet to see the tutorial...how cool is that?</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I'm an old dog learning new tricks and that's how to stay young. Who knows I might be doing podcasts next :)</span><span lang="en-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-63115993597658678852014-12-27T16:07:00.002-08:002014-12-27T16:08:01.105-08:00The Anatomy of a Mikki Tutorial<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After reading a Facebook post by my friend Jill Wiseman about what goes into getting a design from concept to kit I started to think about what my new designs and format thereof entails.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>So.....let's look at an upcoming design 'Circus Spike'.</b></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Concept:</b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This design stemmed from 'Tuscadero', I started thinking about straight spikes...bigger than anything I've seen in the beading world so far. These I would have to make.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Sourcing:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had bought some large yellow beads at B&B 2013 and wanted a spike that worked with those. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course the first thing I had to figure out....are they readily available? </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And the answer was...no! But in my searching I came across a wire mesh bead in the size I needed with the hole size I needed which is easily available but as every where I found only sold them in packs of ten of one color it also means I have to invest money in carrying a stock so they can be sold individually.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Prototyping: The Spike</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first thing I had to prototype was the spike. I knew I wanted a black and white one so I played around with my clay to get a way of making them that I could consistently create because if I make a tutorial I'll have to have a good stock of them. They need to be mixed, caned, rolled, baked, sanded and buffed but for this design they don't need to be drilled (yay...a step less is always a plus).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I also like to make a 'classical' version of my designs I still have to create this spike in a swirl of silver and gold. </span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Prototyping: The Design</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next step in prototyping is too make one up and try to make notes while I'm doing it. I say try as it often gets difficult and confused if I need to rip out, go back and redo. Notes at this point are pretty general and the way I bead the design may well change to an easier way when I write up the tutorial....the "oh, it would have been easier if...." deal. For example 'Circus Spike' is missing it's bail as it needed to be added at a point I passed, something I discovered too late.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Illustrating:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next is to illustrate the steps, for this I will make the second colorway and take notes pausing to illustrate as I go. It's also where I make the amends to the design....like adding the bail! The illustrations will need to be done in a third colorway for the sample I will make on camera for the bead-along video.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once I have the illustrations done I drop them into my tutorial format and add the words.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Mass Production:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While illustrating and writing I will also be making the spikes, sanding and buffing them. I have to figure on making about 100 for the first batch. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Testing on Camera for the Video Class:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once the tutorial is written and illustrated it needs testing and I've found the best way to test my tutorials is to make them on camera, it really helps you see what needs to be changed/adjusted.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Video Editing:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After each session on camera all the sections of video need to be edited and checked. If a re-shoot is needed for anything the beading has to be taken back. Each snippet of video is numbered for combining later. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Video Combination, Titling& Conversion:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once all the video snippets are edited they need to be combined into one and titles need to be added. Then comes the time consuming cross your fingers and hope for the best conversion to suitability for YouTube, probably the most frustrating part of the whole process as conversion frequently will get to 90% complete and time out. Depending on video length it can take anywhere from one to six hours to convert.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After conversion the video is then ready to be uploaded to YouTube, stabilized and this gives me the link that will be included in the tutorial.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With all colorways complete I then take some photos that I can use for the tutorial cover and for marketing. These then need graphics added and dropped into the tutorial format. The link is then added to the tutorial.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>PDF Conversion, Uploading and Listing:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The tutorial is now ready to be converted to PDF format and uploaded to my store. I can then make the listing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The Supplies:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Any supplies I carry, such as the spikes and mesh beads, need to be photographed and have listings made for them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And there ya go!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's a lot of stages, a lot of different skills and and awful lot of time. One or two solid months of 70+ hour weeks (so look for 'Circus Spike' in a couple of months).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All that's left after all that work is for me to cross my fingers and hope it sells so I get paid for all the work I put in and of course I then become....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The Shipping Department :)</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-41095655063394654792014-11-08T08:57:00.001-08:002014-11-08T08:57:13.275-08:00The Familiar Clickety Clickety Clack<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's been quite the journey this last four months or so. From joy to the depths of despair and back again. That kind of ride changes you and I guess the challenge is to go with the changes but not to let the changes reach your core.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am the same person inside but my shell is tougher, thicker and I now don't just listen to my gut I act on what it tells me. Anyone looking to use me or manipulate me better think twice is what I'm saying...lol! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They say it's not the falling down but the getting back up that tells your true character. The ability to turn a sow's ear into a silk purse...hell, if I can make a purse from the idea to cross a lotus blossom and an armadillo....no problemo!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What I have learned is that when this crap happens you have to pull the weeds in your garden, pour acid on them if that's what it takes and sure it may mess up the soil for a while but nature will do it's cleanse and eventually things will go back to balance. And as the acidity level of the soil was changed different things grow. For me it means my designs have changed a bit....right now they are simpler, and many include my polymer work which leads me right into kitting my designs. Kitting is a whole different ballgame and takes a lot more $$ to do but using my own components and starting small I can do this :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One thing I love about making my own components....I can put the bloody holes anywhere I want them and as many as I want! *grin* I have 24 holes in one design....try that with glass! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What also has seemed to happen is a clearer view of my design aesthetic, what I enjoy doing and want my work to be. Fun is what bubbles to the surface, fun, happy designs in powerful colors. And, of course, full of originality and inventiveness. The hardest thing is going to be hopping back to the designs that got left in the lurch....Tilt-A-Whirl, Maypole and Skelter...but I believe if I just change the colors up and take my time I can do it. I just need to work up to the BIG designs and designing around my polymer seems to be just the right direction to get me back on the path.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUlkPORkMrI61txOpI1bed69t03AnKYFABLBfApWNl_N13IC2KjRKoegaNXozdbRVMu5fYJwJOHc4YHIXel_ZVF4YHEnZE43pHzzAQHRO4RfQG6HJoJpg-oaUvXA1JQZmX-VTMLOwRD0o/s1600/Postcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUlkPORkMrI61txOpI1bed69t03AnKYFABLBfApWNl_N13IC2KjRKoegaNXozdbRVMu5fYJwJOHc4YHIXel_ZVF4YHEnZE43pHzzAQHRO4RfQG6HJoJpg-oaUvXA1JQZmX-VTMLOwRD0o/s1600/Postcard.jpg" height="320" width="246" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-15757662163096187662014-11-02T08:58:00.001-08:002014-11-02T08:58:47.221-08:00Muse on a Leash<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not to mention gagged, blindfolded and locked in the closet!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why would I do this to my muse? Because even though I haven't been able to work with the stress and depression one thing that never stops is design ideas.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That part of my brain never seems to be hindered....I actually have to zone out to stop it because there's nothing more frustrating than a head full of ideas and no way to make them come to life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The last week or so has seen me thinking in tutorials and illustrations again, as I bead, sleep, relax I see visions of thread paths, mutter the words that go along with an illustration/step, ponder which sections to video. But last night saw something that's been missing for months....beading one project, then right on to the next without pause and staying up late to finish beading a section. Actually enjoying the beading process!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">THAT is normality for me.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Tuscadero</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course I won't feel like I'm back in the game until I release a new tutorial and that is the goal this month and that will be "Tuscadero" as I need to start small. I have decided to sell a kit for this one as it has one of my tusks/fangs/spikes and matching/coordinating top pearl..may as well do the lot. Supplies are ordered and I'll be making some special tusks/fangs (curved) and spikes (straight) to match. They are special in the fact that they have 'tri-holes' which takes some careful work with my Dremel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And a snippet of the next project. This one is developing as I bead and I'm going to have to KISS it (Keep It Simple Stupid) as I can already see the path forming to take it way beyond it's first imaginings. Leash that muse!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm also excited that the German polymer clay I pre-ordered a couple of months back is now in stock and should be arriving in my mailbox very soon. It's supposed to be the most translucent of the polymers and that's exactly what I need for some of my designs....really hoping it will work. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I do still have to keep my feet on the ground even though it's exciting to get my mojo back. I still have a couple of things left to do in my new store and that's not even counting all the polymer fangs I have to list but I'm back to making a 'To Do' list (and actually checking things off). I know I can't overwhelm myself and have to just take my time....maybe not baby steps....toddler steps :)</span></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-3572398035170481412014-10-23T09:00:00.000-07:002014-10-23T09:00:34.766-07:00Signs of Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOmrPHI9suIj51Kq-oD-_tAZbwIEQ9Crkak8HBN-7ABkBZERhGwAwwbnawHxsldDmLbz_YRNvSQbC4sblm-AXQ03zqviXWQAcwSF9mcSmUaln8FToEiJc4NAle6JY7ifAf7F4DkkOEJRg/s1600/P1010625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOmrPHI9suIj51Kq-oD-_tAZbwIEQ9Crkak8HBN-7ABkBZERhGwAwwbnawHxsldDmLbz_YRNvSQbC4sblm-AXQ03zqviXWQAcwSF9mcSmUaln8FToEiJc4NAle6JY7ifAf7F4DkkOEJRg/s1600/P1010625.JPG" height="236" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I found it difficult getting to sleep last night and awoke this morning with the same thoughts swimming around in my head.....tutorial thoughts, video class thoughts, illustration thoughts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was so stimulated by an alternate pattern/colorway for my Serenity Bowl that yesterday I actually illustrated the top set of wings...quite complex with the pattern I plan for them. And last night my mind was actively planning what illustrations I would need, how the words would be ordered, what steps I would video.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hello...been a while! Great to see you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know this looks like a complex project and the way I made this one was a lot more difficult than it had to be....often the case with a prototype...but it's deceptively easy. It's just a LOT of beading.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8Vb1tgsiA0DQuflENcqRaiBpFe1WmZzb1EIXQHIBcnYEgELPGIY4__ZvMo4FsGuArowR_u-Gg1GdC1SqY617fGhEIcLY1vsAe34czZvhzSF2vlijt0lEpFe6a6JfbQFQCgmGW5GUCe8/s1600/P1010627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8Vb1tgsiA0DQuflENcqRaiBpFe1WmZzb1EIXQHIBcnYEgELPGIY4__ZvMo4FsGuArowR_u-Gg1GdC1SqY617fGhEIcLY1vsAe34czZvhzSF2vlijt0lEpFe6a6JfbQFQCgmGW5GUCe8/s1600/P1010627.JPG" height="306" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The main problem I've been left with after the deep depression is focus, mine is shot. It's a case of having to force myself to continue working on something....just 30 minutes more, bead for an hour...and any kind of bribery I can think of. So one part of me looks at starting a project this big as a bit daunting, biting off more than I can chew BUT another part of me tells me a big project that I'm excited about is exactly what I need to get me back into my groove.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bringing the joy back into my beading is key. Getting rid of the bad associations that got stuck on my shoe like discarded chewing gum. I 'think' this would do it. I totally enjoyed beading the Serenity Bowl, it felt more like art, possibly because it isn't jewelry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Methinks I'm talking myself into it :)</span></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-62439281095339945502014-10-20T09:39:00.001-07:002014-10-20T09:39:50.772-07:00Be Like A Weed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAXI4gLzSFxqi2V0p4gXVACL0PpwtB_SkOYV-Y-2hU1cQhUySXNHHZ3xkbYcPrRhDWbs8xrZmX0dFy8lH8oDIWus0x3V_eRCVOgksTuB9PyvVyHqk7sK0L3KK0lEM1s14KGR0p-JufE0/s1600/power-ofpersistence-weed-dandilion-tar-asphalt-road-growing-through-conquering.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAXI4gLzSFxqi2V0p4gXVACL0PpwtB_SkOYV-Y-2hU1cQhUySXNHHZ3xkbYcPrRhDWbs8xrZmX0dFy8lH8oDIWus0x3V_eRCVOgksTuB9PyvVyHqk7sK0L3KK0lEM1s14KGR0p-JufE0/s1600/power-ofpersistence-weed-dandilion-tar-asphalt-road-growing-through-conquering.jpg" height="218" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is what I'm telling myself as I look at yet another mess of bead boards full of false starts. I have definitely learned that too much stress kills my ability to bead. Oh...the design ideas are still there but putting thread to bead is like climbing Everest for me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm stuck doing mundane responsibilities and tackling stress inducing issues, a lot of which come from being in depression stasis for so long. The ripples that come from an event can be as devastating as the event itself. BUT I'm holding my own. Haven't crumbled. Haven't hidden in the closet with a blankie. Though I am going blank for a few hours each day....ZombieMikki!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I try to focus on good things.....my orchids, the fresh growth of my deck garden, getting back to cooking/baking and, of course, Ms. Bella. Today I celebrated the opening of a new flower on my only currently flowering oncidium....however last night I found new growth and even new flower spikes on my two 'dormant' ones. Not so dormant after all!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSxJ0NnV2OababogatnELbvx2CXF7JryJ3tpNh5_oqh24Gc1upVRr_0Jtlu1XZZd2x0TnPMOBmC-q1T-c0aZjeNLfLDPzH85xgrdDB-xStOeNgwGR0uPH_Ka_MCxWQSxYJriyK4DIc5sU/s1600/orchid1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSxJ0NnV2OababogatnELbvx2CXF7JryJ3tpNh5_oqh24Gc1upVRr_0Jtlu1XZZd2x0TnPMOBmC-q1T-c0aZjeNLfLDPzH85xgrdDB-xStOeNgwGR0uPH_Ka_MCxWQSxYJriyK4DIc5sU/s1600/orchid1.jpg" height="320" width="188" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I did order beads yesterday for a design I've had in mind for well over a year so I'm still hopeful. And I do have an idea for it that might make it kittable but that also means getting out the sewing machine. Cryptic, aren't I? But you know how it goes, you have to keep new ideas under wraps or someone will steal them. And I have an idea for a new polymer focal that would become a kit too. I guess that's how I do see my business growing, specialized kits, that is kits with a component you can't find anywhere else. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While my designs are doable for beginner to intermediate beaders, especially if they have a video class, I think I lean toward the advanced beader. That's not a bad thing in my book. It seems there is so much out there that is aimed at the beginner beader or the beader who wants something they can make in a day or two while watching TV. However, for the beader who wants a challenge, who craves to learn something new it seems their choices are limited.....taking a class with a top designer who has a new technique tops the choices but classes like that are not cheap given you may have to travel to them too. I think the next best thing is a custom kit with a tutorial and video class....so that's my goal for 2015. Providing I finally get the ability to put thread to bead back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I guess one good thing with the beading stasis is as I find some unfinished piece of beading that wasn't going anywhere I'm ripping it up and sorting the beads...replenishing stock without having to buy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The new store is being worked on and is looking good....new photos or just re-editing old ones is giving everything a better look. I've definitely managed to breathe new life into some of the older, not-so-noticed designs. And at least it makes me feel like I'm achieving SOMEthing! I've always been such a productive person so not producing makes me feel like a failure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It will all come back. I have to trust in that.</span></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-21159659150092475292014-10-15T09:47:00.000-07:002014-10-15T09:47:20.341-07:00Loss of Value in Our Dystopian World<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I woke up sporadically during the night with 'value' on my mind. Specifically the value of human beings but realizing that's the root of the issue that causes so much 'trickle down devaluation' resulting in the dystopian society we've created.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yeah....this stuff keeps me awake at night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So if you're looking for eye candy today....sorry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We tend to think of 'dystopian worlds' to be just something of fiction.....and there are a lot of those worlds being written about and made into movies these days, think "Hunger Games" or "Divergent". (Interesting that so often it's a teen age girl who is the hero...at a time when women are having to fight for their rights again).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />"A dystopia (from the Greek δυσ- and τόπος, alternatively, cacotopia, kakotopia, or anti-utopia) is a community or society that is in some important way undesirable or frightening. It is the opposite of a utopia. Such societies appear in many artistic works, particularly in stories set in a future."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I read a lot of dystopian novels simply because they feel more realistic to me than some Hollywood, happy ending, Prince Charming-saves-the-day, product placement drivel. Also like the comedy of 'The Daily Show' and 'The Colbert Report' they are based on what is actually happening in our society right now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you aren't frightened by what's going on in our society right now and don't find it undesirable then you aren't paying attention.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The value of human life and the quality of it has dropped immensely in the past few decades. Money has become 'God'. Love is now for things not people. People have become expendable, dignity and personal choice...collateral damage. If you don't believe me go work in a long term care facility...the people doing the caring are so underpaid it's ridiculous and that means the level of care suffers. The elderly and sick are cast aside like waste. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">People are stepping stones to be used up and tossed aside, it's survival of the cold hearted, the ruthless.....the people who will make you promises and throw you under the bus in the next second.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And we often don't even wait to be devalued by others...we do it to ourselves. Every time we allow someone to treat us without respect, watch them treat others without respect and say nothing, do nothing we are contributing to the dystopia. Watch for people who accuse you of hurting them or being a terrible human being because you shared the bad thing they did with someone else...like any abuser they don't want their 'sin' shown and they will accuse you of anything and everything in an effort to make you seem unbelievable. I've always believed people with nothing to hide, hide nothing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ok...so what has this got to do with beading you ask? Because this is a beading blog...right? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The beading world is part of the rest of the world so it's relevant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I did an experiment with my new store to see how I could offer free tutorials, which in future will be offered to my customers and not the world in general. Once I found that my store did not allow downloads without payment I was really happy and changed the section heading to "Free with Purchase" and that was working fine....people who bought from me were able to add the free tutorial to their cart. However, a couple of people have found a way around it....and are disregarding the "with Purchase". It totally saddens me. They place no value on me or my work. And that's fine....it just means I'll do something differently...figure out how to lock that door to the free loaders.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now don't get me wrong....I do believe in people seeing what they are buying...a style of writing that works for them. However, I want to reward my paying customers...because I value YOU! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I could have called this post "It's a Two-Way Street" because that's how I feel these days. Enough of the "I don't want to feel beholden for everything you've done for me" meaning "I just want to take not reciprocate" attitude. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am so guilty of mis-placed generosity it's frightening.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How else do we devalue ourselves? I often get messages or emails from people because I complimented a piece of their work saying "coming from you it means a lot". Is that because I'm so gosh darned brilliant? Nope....it's simply because I don't go around ooing and ahhing, "Awesome!!!!"-ing everything I see posted on Facebook. I really look at something....is the design sound, colors well done, does it move me? Is it original? I don't say something is bad, I keep my mouth shut or fingers off the keyboard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My point is: If everything is "awesome" then the value of "awesome" is gone. It can be a great feeling to have someone compliment your work by saying "It's beautiful, brilliant design" and then you see them say the same thing to the most ugly, bad designed thing you've ever seen or the most simple, trite thing and their opinion diminishes. It's lost it's value.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The generation that came after mine seemed to get so much of this....being told they were great when they were just average...or worse. I'd feel badly for them....set up for a life of not making the grade when they hit the real world. But it seems to have bred a sense of entitlement and a lowering of standards, it's rare to see good work ethic any more. I remember 10 or 12 years ago hiring for a seasonal position and a sixteen year old showing up for an interview with an application form stating he expected to be paid $15 an hour plus full benefits...I laughed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A good thing I saw yesterday....cos let's finish this ramble on society with something hopeful. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The local news was actually encouraging trade schools, saying not everyone needs to get a bachelor's and a master's degree. They compared salaries of someone coming out of university after 4 to 6 years with that of someone who learned a trade...and I'm sure a lot of people changed their mind about university. They showed people working with their hands...blue collar stuff...wonderful!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because....if our world goes the way of the dystopian novels those are the people who will survive and flourish....the people with skills. The people who know how to spin wool, weave fabric, make clothes over those who know how to swipe a credit card and buy something. The people who know how to feed themselves, hunt, forage, grow. The people who can make and fix things. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And there is a rebellion coming. History tells us that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'd love to say that we could turn it all around by valuing each other but I think it's too late. I'll continue to value people, see their worth and reward it as I can but my time of valuing the people who only see worth in what they can get for free is over. I relocated to "Two Way Street".</span></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-15537797864113495382014-10-07T14:43:00.000-07:002014-10-07T14:43:19.751-07:00BEST. THING. EVER!!!!!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That's how I feel about my new store over at Indiemade.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Having instant download...finally...is heaven!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">The tools make my life and my customers' so much easier.....I can track what each customer buys and so can they, they can even download again (up to 5 times) if they lose things in a hard drive crash....or they are travelling and downloaded it to their desktop but not to their tablet and somehow they ended up in a bead store (how does that happen?) and they don't have the supply list they need.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">It gives me projections for the month so I can easily check to see if I'm on track.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">I get to link up my blog, have a newsletter sign up, link you to my YouTube channel.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Also what I've wanted to be able to do for a while....the ability to list a "Free with Purchase" tutorial. This gives me a way to reward people who shop with me regularly....I'd like to do a monthly freebie that can be added to your cart.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Some of my friends are opening Indiemade stores too....here's Suzi Campbell's</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://sacuzicreations.indiemade.com/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJw-hlsl6Tv6-HdBU2OMxgwfp-SDyP2r89X-S6vMTjhzyuUY32XO4MjiK6_Z360SFY4IVgJpfPtfZMI8zf-4uYdD1DpdolvJPIC4sWKp_ih5u7SmssbYb-15y9h_gjeOstnRl0wpYlN4/s1600/SuziBanner.jpg" height="109" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And here's Heather Collin's</span></div>
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<a href="http://heathercollinbeadesigns.indiemade.com/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5H-ggyM0aK0aNGPVO0Zkz_5PelJLrGyFZ2_gGg84HWRPp5u0LJfiFSe7aMolPzgleytlO6UiuK_St-An8YbxUrvlHjWmzyZ6PquvjJJeCQKUalpdqNZHyFZxQ6eadlSzh48hhB0hNhAI/s1600/HeatherBanner.jpg" height="50" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And, of course, mine :)</span></div>
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<a href="http://mikkiferrugiarodesigns.indiemade.com/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-d19hzgCx9AZ-42hjD-nwFpa_htDJZyYFDpTzftANiCM09UkZnM5XcbKC8AkEawP3wSZ6MPasIphXw2G-LdC6HrCZf1IVQnpKjOQj_g_sVaTSYTmxoQzb9BeJ5_-dx8G3eld7-huxm48/s1600/Banner.jpg" height="97" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you have an Etsy store and are sick of the large sums of money you pay them each month you might want to join us over at Indiemade.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you have digital product that needs instant download the plans start at $12.95 a month for up to 100 products.....and go to $19.95 for up to 300 products. Say bye-bye to listing fees and Etsy commissions....load up 100 at a time.....it won't cost you 100 x 20c and you won't have to watch your stock all the time. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And you get your first month free to try it all out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Interested.....click on the image below or the one at the top to go to Indiemade and check it out for yourself....I think you'll like it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=487585&u=1011469&m=37292&urllink=&afftrack=" target="_blank"><img alt="IndieMade.com Websites Made Easy for Jewelry Designers" border="0" src="http://www.shareasale.com/image/37292/240_120advertising-02.png" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What they don't have is forums and guilds so if you're looking for that kind of community it's not here. However....that said...there is an Indiemade group on Facebook and I've just asked to join and we could always start our own Indiemade seller group.</span></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-18096532708655133642014-10-04T11:44:00.002-07:002014-10-04T11:44:52.394-07:00Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes!<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Turn and face the strain)</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ch-ch-Changes</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Don't want to be a richer man</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Turn and face the strain)</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ch-ch-Changes</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Just gonna have to be a different man<br style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Time may change me<br style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />But I can't trace time</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh yeah! Definitely a period of change for me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've always liked change, my birth numbers mean "Create, create change".</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Which pretty much means I either rock the boat and be a lightening rod creating change around me or I'm sitting in a change booth in a Las Vegas casino.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I'm not in Las Vegas or any kind of casino then I'm stuck being a boat rocker.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've had to change aspects of my personality lately just to survive and now I'm actually at the point of enjoying the changes. Of course the biggest one was to quit being a doormat, helping anyone who asked without even demanding it be a two-way street. Apparently you have to demand or people will just assume you are their utility. Deciding once and for all I'm not on the planet to be used, that what I know and my time are valuable commodities has been a hard fought battle but it is now won. Just gonna have to be a different (wo)man.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqx6X_dVLelfyATqJgXHbMhIOeHbWBbkVgPwxcw_ERSy_oZVnDz3d74BlzLeg50hSpaQovDUeQxGgqMSyIh4Yk6RgqCP4Qou-SPX2AzaBNC51dKf09IZdR42KJ9RFzz6G4Be9HG-JQgw/s1600/P1010159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqx6X_dVLelfyATqJgXHbMhIOeHbWBbkVgPwxcw_ERSy_oZVnDz3d74BlzLeg50hSpaQovDUeQxGgqMSyIh4Yk6RgqCP4Qou-SPX2AzaBNC51dKf09IZdR42KJ9RFzz6G4Be9HG-JQgw/s1600/P1010159.JPG" height="303" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I embrace change. I cut my hair off, dyed it blonde. I moved the furniture in my house into a new layout. I changed the things I have around me. I changed my interaction with people. I changed aspects of my business. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But the biggest surprise for me and maybe the most difficult change was my store. I've always been a cheerleader for Artfire, always loved it, it served me well. I was happy enough to be patient and wait for them to do the upgrades I needed to keep my business current.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then this week they changed it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And it wasn't good.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In fact it's downright hideous and unworkable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not all change is good.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvgQE1TaNOl3iast_QBRMfSkiTaTo9CkN9VNLfHdqbvSULjQR_1ckxv-h5INkNmGodTAXBzTfjneviV7L1Qc240yKl6GFfZRdSQolRGPduB9IBiZI7J8QuDuSiyk1t3uiYHkSZYEdL8g/s1600/Banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvgQE1TaNOl3iast_QBRMfSkiTaTo9CkN9VNLfHdqbvSULjQR_1ckxv-h5INkNmGodTAXBzTfjneviV7L1Qc240yKl6GFfZRdSQolRGPduB9IBiZI7J8QuDuSiyk1t3uiYHkSZYEdL8g/s1600/Banner.jpg" height="97" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Artfire has always told us how branding our stores, creating something customers easily recognize is extremely important. And yet this week they took that away from us and we aren't getting it back. I won't be allowed to use my lovely new banner that matches my blog and FB page....ya know so I'm branded. Masses of tools and abilities have been removed. It's a nightmare.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I was going to have to embrace a whole lotta change and at the end of it my price was going to jump from $10.95 a month to $40 (or even $60) a month AND I wasn't going to get the upgrades I needed to keep my business competitive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well...if I was going to have to embrace that much change and not get what I needed it was time to go shopping for a new venue. And I found one!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After lots of comparison shopping, reading reviews, etc. I decided Indiemade was the right place for my store. So you will now find me:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://mikkiferrugiarodesigns.indiemade.com/store">HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The best thing about the new store, and there are many great things, is it has instant download which not only allows my customers to control when they get their product (it doesn't matter if I'm snoring away at 2am) but also frees up my time to work on more tutorials. Double YAY!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think the next best thing is it allows me to create a newsletter and have my customers sign up for it right at the store. I've wanted to do a newsletter for a while now but was overwhelmed by it....but here it's pretty simple.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another great thing is it lets me track my customers' purchases....before if you asked me "Did I buy this already?" I couldn't tell you without spending lots of time searching through e-mails. Now I can just look you up. And if your hard drive crashes (it happens all too often) and you lose all your tutorials I'll have a record of those you bought through the store so we can get you stocked back up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will also be able to at least have a page of my free YouTube video links if not have them play right there, I still need to research this, but just a page with the links is a huge improvement.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I catch myself giggling and laughing a lot the last couple of days as I get my store up and running....it's exciting and I feel like I'm stepping out of the stone age into the space age. Of course, it's a huge amount of work because I have to basically cut and paste every listing and photo from Artfire to Indie because nasty Artfire won't allow people to leave easily....they won't let you create an item CSV for export. Oh, they are happy to use the exported CSVs from Etsy and the like but they won't make it easy for you to leave.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have 30 listings in my store this morning which means I have about 100 more to go....but the store is usable and reports are that it works wonderfully. My photos just look like crap and will need to be changed but priority is getting all the tutorials listed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While this is all going on:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Artfire.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can purchase tutorials at the Artfire store as a BOGO....so buy one and get another (same value or less) free by letting me know your free selection in the 'Notes to seller' using the 'contact seller' button or messaging me on Facebook.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Purchases will come the old fashioned way within 24 hours.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Indiemade.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I can't really do a BOGO there because there isn't enough choice yet I've created a coupon INDIEMIKKI which will get you 50% off....and of course, you get instant download here :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had hoped to get back to some tutorial writing this week but obviously best laid plans of mice and men.... But at least this all didn't happen in the midst of my depression when I wouldn't have been able to handle it and would have crawled under the bed permanently. I definitely feel I am on my way back now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All this change is a good thing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm getting my laugh back....and smirking quite a bit too (cos I know someone who would have been in my message box 24/7 wanting help with all this).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And that, I believe, is Karma!</span></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-9793043427400283812014-09-28T12:04:00.001-07:002014-09-28T12:07:52.083-07:00The Baby Step Cha Cha<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My Baby Orchid.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yep things are all baby around here....even though I want to grow up already.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Venturing out of the apartment is looming as the need for groceries rears it's ugly head again and it's preceded by dropping Bella off at the groomers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But that's tomorrow so I can still breathe easier today. I may take a baby step across the road to the market to help prep me for the venture out tomorrow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The good news is my plan is working...making the polymer fangs has me beading again with tutorials in mind. There's still that lump in my throat as I think about writing and know I have to start small so I can have a success that will give me courage. I find I'm still beating myself up a bit at being played for a fool (I still don't get how those people live with themselves, using people who have been nothing but kind and helpful to them) but I think I'm venting some of it out now. I can now see the glimmer of 'fight back' mode, and what that means for me is always putting my creativity out there...doing something original.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYNNhzbA2HefVqi-fXL90P8KepuhKXmbN9ZEDMQzRoqF6vVQABjztnQrq0r2i5TlMfuJNAW3P_6mtZ1ovqv0BTwoSkmZTYhv-_GcyNT7ePVS5uoblWgEg8Wzo8xgeyK2ix-MygGSbEJM/s1600/P1010398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYNNhzbA2HefVqi-fXL90P8KepuhKXmbN9ZEDMQzRoqF6vVQABjztnQrq0r2i5TlMfuJNAW3P_6mtZ1ovqv0BTwoSkmZTYhv-_GcyNT7ePVS5uoblWgEg8Wzo8xgeyK2ix-MygGSbEJM/s1600/P1010398.JPG" height="228" width="320" /></a></div>
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I<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> now have maybe a couple of hundred fang beads...I should open a store!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm joking, I have an Artfire store but annoyingly as I was ready to begin listing the fangs all packed in the box which are priced, sized and photographed the site is experiencing issues and is running so slowly the gateways to publish timed out. Grrr! Baby step forward, baby step back, cha cha cha.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I couldn't do that I picked up the beads to experiment with what can be done with the fangs.....ideas are beginning to add up, here's a couple of sneak peeks.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGeYD7WDmjNpdWupmMgpsUtsbtU2dXvPUK2rNFnyLt-YlUEumsKow-Vg0WXjaRlMY74SHxcqgRugtulnfvhZGCgEPJ5t9ePwvaApDZzE0i8ryWViJaJvpZ19wwyRpXoEK_FBMEwL7MS0/s1600/P1010394a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGeYD7WDmjNpdWupmMgpsUtsbtU2dXvPUK2rNFnyLt-YlUEumsKow-Vg0WXjaRlMY74SHxcqgRugtulnfvhZGCgEPJ5t9ePwvaApDZzE0i8ryWViJaJvpZ19wwyRpXoEK_FBMEwL7MS0/s1600/P1010394a.JPG" height="320" width="220" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVawT9rDvPWZ6qBUCk6xfoaEG6kHHssoF45KCoChIgVtwaUg4lv_EG584tXU7k9ylZxwx5u7dOv8jPAavF08h7uMbNqUefiIr2pBEU6rEYUYQcTPElky1EyDYz0to8mSaGvkLS5zRdAM/s1600/P1010397a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVawT9rDvPWZ6qBUCk6xfoaEG6kHHssoF45KCoChIgVtwaUg4lv_EG584tXU7k9ylZxwx5u7dOv8jPAavF08h7uMbNqUefiIr2pBEU6rEYUYQcTPElky1EyDYz0to8mSaGvkLS5zRdAM/s1600/P1010397a.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The more I work with the fangs the more possibilities I see. Polymer is so much more versatile than glass when it comes to adding extra holes which is something very desirable for bead weaving and maybe even bead embroidery where the need for glue would be eradicated. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My creativity is flowing a lot more like normal and I'm making progress but I am still held back by the agoraphobia.....I wish it was gone already! Not being able to get out and do things I need to do is causing me anxiety attacks and insomnia. I just have to be glad my business eeked through another month and I still have a roof over my head and can buy what I need....things could always be worse. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So today I build up courage to go out into the big wide world full of people again. Preparation H day......cos it's a huge pain in the butt!</span></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-32215443461054432802014-09-25T09:30:00.000-07:002014-09-25T10:59:16.539-07:00"Fangholes!!!"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmBfgHzss2J_HhxtrJJhDH7CYk3JEGLiaWtZfIq_aB7UxPLxauybHdW0SddMscePKsnYDmmvpqj1YacOK2FZhocaxunyZPs3W5xG5ucn2Z2uK3nfP1dYFv1Kgua8HnyPGQXX7uF-fuYs/s1600/P1010376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmBfgHzss2J_HhxtrJJhDH7CYk3JEGLiaWtZfIq_aB7UxPLxauybHdW0SddMscePKsnYDmmvpqj1YacOK2FZhocaxunyZPs3W5xG5ucn2Z2uK3nfP1dYFv1Kgua8HnyPGQXX7uF-fuYs/s1600/P1010376.JPG" height="320" width="124" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Both a need and a expletive this morning as I find my agoraphobia leading the way. When I make polymer beads I make them on a mandrel but I like to redo the hole with my Dremel....so they are clean and uniform. The problem is I have not been able to locate the drill bits so I can do this. I broke down a few days ago and ordered new ones which have been sitting in my mailbox since lunchtime yesterday. However, the agoraphobia is not letting me leave my apartment to go get them. Frustrating!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I spent all yesterday afternoon and evening trying to work up the courage to go get them with no success. I know it's because I had to leave the apartment three days in a row when I wasn't doing so well that has knocked me backwards. And I know if you have never suffered with agoraphobia you'll think I'm nuts...."just go already!". Here's what it's like. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First there's the need to open the door which comes with the irrational thought that the door knob is hot and I'll be burned. Quickly followed by the crazy thought that I won't be able to open the door and I'll be trapped in my apartment which is so contrary I agree on the 'nuts' part. But these are just diversions against the real fear.....people. Having to interact with people. I may have to say hello to a neighbor or worse, bump into my chatty property manager who, I know, will want to talk about my going blonde....and. I. just. can't. handle. it. I get the shakes, walls and floors ebb and flow like a rough sea and the big fear, a full blown panic attack.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now if you've never had a panic attack you won't understand that either.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Panic attacks have caused me to leave places...rapidly. Full grocery carts get left.....every time I see an abandoned grocery cart I wonder if that person shares my debilitation. If I can't get away....flight because fight isn't working then I may start hyperventilating so bad someone decides to rush me to hospital....yes, it has happened. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I haven't been as bad as this for years.....maybe twenty years even. A bad depression brings it all back in full force and all the self-lecturing, pleading, 'be brave-ing' I do isn't enough. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wonder if I got a burka if it would make me feel better. It actually looks like a solution to me....a burka just screams "unapproachable" and it's a lot like hiding under the blankets....just in public. And I can even buy one online for $29.99! I might do it other than I'm sure homeland security would be triggered into action.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfMDX_5bUaBM00zKiXPbyXeGDOcI2Q38PG2uokBptbQ4bQJhu_GXrcCEo7u8mU_cT2KzmXRQvT8-Z9rCyWHqo7YISVvBJZyKBUmocj2HJmGKMQcp-lyV4ZDjDQA9Recds1Dm0trQ9ekw/s1600/8sg51jorvvrpo780n9jdnnni4.1000x707x1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfMDX_5bUaBM00zKiXPbyXeGDOcI2Q38PG2uokBptbQ4bQJhu_GXrcCEo7u8mU_cT2KzmXRQvT8-Z9rCyWHqo7YISVvBJZyKBUmocj2HJmGKMQcp-lyV4ZDjDQA9Recds1Dm0trQ9ekw/s1600/8sg51jorvvrpo780n9jdnnni4.1000x707x1.jpg" height="226" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So here I sit writing it all out, trying to overcome the fears and find some courage. Just to go to the freaking mailbox! I totally want to hit myself up the side of my head. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYI5SwfN9Ckf9KeyiceKssDL8IuTAjZTCSMKSk1uUGky2qiu2mGBLshWoDmNl8RmmDU4nwUvFZoOOGTzi-XlBmx1QoWv_CraTWkjMIqQauMjtQN5_m-08R4aJSjV-Fsf100CxLldaUIRA/s1600/e2d6eb71c575e3fcf81d77176f69f360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYI5SwfN9Ckf9KeyiceKssDL8IuTAjZTCSMKSk1uUGky2qiu2mGBLshWoDmNl8RmmDU4nwUvFZoOOGTzi-XlBmx1QoWv_CraTWkjMIqQauMjtQN5_m-08R4aJSjV-Fsf100CxLldaUIRA/s1600/e2d6eb71c575e3fcf81d77176f69f360.jpg" height="320" width="255" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Update:</b> <span data-reactid=".i.1:3:1:$comment937714862909174_937747446239249:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; line-height: 15.3599996566772px;"> </span>So.....I did it. I formed a plan....back fire exit stairs, behind the building path, behind the pool out at the mailbox, grabbed my mail (and posted Mom's letters), back behind the pool...then the mad dash on the main drag (can't get back in the fire exit), into the elevator and home! I hyperventilated the whole way, legs shaking so much I had to sit down as soon as I got home...but only for a couple of minutes before I had to dash to the bathroom to throw up. Still shaking but it is done.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-40529029575321794312014-09-21T09:23:00.001-07:002014-09-21T09:23:29.983-07:00Doing the Hokey Pokey with a Peg Leg<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkK3e5ekl3_MRVofT-_BvzxVOSdxMK92l1UWIBYUpEFmzGFMIbgegYYBJUwsK5eXk10Ckbags9ena9aC1DLpITUybyvV33ipOnJm4F4FYS8yuOtHI5DDzd88H0u6xIbYQHX8TkTFIHCU/s1600/P1010148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkK3e5ekl3_MRVofT-_BvzxVOSdxMK92l1UWIBYUpEFmzGFMIbgegYYBJUwsK5eXk10Ckbags9ena9aC1DLpITUybyvV33ipOnJm4F4FYS8yuOtHI5DDzd88H0u6xIbYQHX8TkTFIHCU/s1600/P1010148.JPG" height="264" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sounds like I'm having fun, right?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, the 'Depression Hokey Pokey' isn't exactly fun but a stage you go through on the road to recovery. It's when, because you are feeling better you try to do or even think about doing, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">something </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">you used to do (put your right foot in) and realize you're not up to it (put your right foot out) and get severely shaken by it (shake it all about).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That happened to me yesterday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The local bead show is on so there are things I'd like to shop for and people I'd like to see. I thought in the middle of last week in the midst of happiness due to creating with clay that I was ready, contacted a friend to see if she was going and made tentative plans. I started to seize up Friday afternoon....the blank spot started to set in and time was passing with no motion from me. Now, I try and think of it in terms of something fun so it doesn't send me deeper to depression so I regard the blank spot as 'The Black Spot' and in my head I go all 'piratey' (aye Matey). Of course you can't do this in the depths of depression but once you're recovering any humor you can find you have to use.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Black Spot creeps up, it started Friday afternoon, gave me weird dreams and woke me Saturday morning with anxiety. I sat myself down and asked myself what the anxiety was about and the answer was the bead show.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I messaged my friend and said I wasn't up to it, she understood but said to call her if I changed my mind.....as I typed the reply that I would see how I was after my shower I immediately started to hyperventilate. Nope. Wasn't going to happen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's frustrating. Because I feel better, I feel like I should be able to go out and be social.....but, it just ain't that easy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I lost yesterday to staring at the wall, picking work up and immediately putting it down and found comfort in mindless video games. I play video games during depression because I know that they do exercise my brain even though I'm pretty much zoned out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Getting Back On the Horse</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Below are the first pieces I was able to bead in my 'Great Depression'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had to pull out one of my own tutorials for the PonDuo stitch because I couldn't remember how to bead it. The bracelet came first and then the pendant. The pendant reminded me of the 'Bastille', the French prison and so both these pieces take that name. Art is about the creative soul and it's interesting what comes out when that soul is depressed...for me it pulled up the feeling of being trapped.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTj8zD0hLiitVfGhwso5OAIZ3DIomFC2xXHI7452nKgC3tY-B3wiKgXYzboL6hJqtxts3HuJRJ4XlWUPULiOZI_PKT9dhRUM2-BSbT6V5Zic49i5PnO1p-DMISx_BEoo6uKMcqYouv0LM/s1600/P1010168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTj8zD0hLiitVfGhwso5OAIZ3DIomFC2xXHI7452nKgC3tY-B3wiKgXYzboL6hJqtxts3HuJRJ4XlWUPULiOZI_PKT9dhRUM2-BSbT6V5Zic49i5PnO1p-DMISx_BEoo6uKMcqYouv0LM/s1600/P1010168.JPG" height="289" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The crystal in the pendant does shine through it's cage and it gave me hope.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOqKqVF3GlB_IK1-oj8DVB1r-7LgLo2Zusw9KV00Cm0SssDj0Snv1H4-83RBxFDMkDRjxantz2IKpbUiz7tGbVFJN0oCwAPPN-_rm6rFx48ev5gBzqZ_lOu1ldmV_7lG18OXpZP0IDzk/s1600/P1010165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOqKqVF3GlB_IK1-oj8DVB1r-7LgLo2Zusw9KV00Cm0SssDj0Snv1H4-83RBxFDMkDRjxantz2IKpbUiz7tGbVFJN0oCwAPPN-_rm6rFx48ev5gBzqZ_lOu1ldmV_7lG18OXpZP0IDzk/s1600/P1010165.JPG" height="320" width="177" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Fangbanger Pendant came next and as my friend Mary Byberg said it's from my "Bite Me" period. And I have to agree...when people aren't nice I tend to respond by just being a creative bitch (and the fangs here set me off on a true road to recovery playing with clay).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I saw my next design as a compass...me looking for direction...but many people told me it looked like a shield and that seemed right too. It also has a zen quality to it which was somewhat intentional...the drop was designed to have an Oriental feel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All the pieces I have beaded in this period have been hard fought battles in that I don't feel the love for the beads that I did. I still have to shake the association of beads to the bad stuff that made me depressed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Playing with the polymer clay and coming up with a line of fangs has been the best thing for me. It encourages me to bead and makes me see the way back to tutorial writing. But this weekend I have learned I still have a ways to go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So right now I'm the peg legged pirate with the Black Spot doing the hokey pokey with my horse at the ready.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That's what it's all about. Arr!</span></div>
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<br />Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-69430441804717481752014-09-17T13:11:00.001-07:002014-09-17T13:11:23.542-07:00"Where were you?" "What happened?" "Are you coming back?"<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've had messages containing those questions and others a lot lately so here I am trying to answer them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My name is Mikki and I have MDD (Major Depressive Disorder).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What that means is I'm prone to severe depression, it doesn't mean I'm bi-polar or have a chemical imbalance. I've been called sensitive (often overly but that's always by someone who has been completely insensitive to justify their behavior)...I am regular sensitive! I've also worked very hard for the last 30 years to live life with a higher awareness. It makes life tricky. Also when I get depressed I get agoraphobic which does not help matters.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm not on drugs....prescribed or otherwise. They don't work for me and can take a depression to the end of the road for me....you know the one that ends with an obituary. What's always worked for me (because I never had any other option) is solitude....withdrawal. Reach out and talk to people does not work for me...I know, I've tried it. Once while sitting looking at a pile of pills I was about to take I reached out...to my 'best friend' and when I told her how I was feeling (not easy) she told me she couldn't talk because there was a pair of shoes she wanted to go buy and hung up on me. Another time while waiting for MRI results to tell me if I had a brain tumor or not I reached out to a "call me if you need to talk, I mean it, I'm here for you" friend who after 3 minutes (while I was crying) took another call and forgot about me. And we won't even mention family because that would make your hair curl.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So you can see why I'm not jumping at the chance to reach out and talk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Obviously I'm doing better or I wouldn't be writing this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The "What happened?" question is easily answered.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I trusted someone who, knowing my past with people letting me down, told me "I'm a true friend, I will always have your back" and then promptly wasn't and didn't...and then some! I'm the poster child for 'No good deed goes unpunished'.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It pushed me over the edge of the cliff I was standing on. I had once again let someone into my life who just wanted to use me. That shakes you to your core when you're attracting the last thing you want. You realize that your judgement of people sucks and fear of people sets in. You try to just get on with life but it eats at you from the inside....this thing called depression, when not acknowledged starts to shut you down. My beading suffered....I started making really stupid mistakes. My videos suffered the same thing. My tutorial writing also. And that just served to make the depression bigger, deeper, longer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had to do a lot of soul searching to find the trigger points. I come from a family of narcissists....it goes back generations on both sides. I was born an empath.....and the abuse began bringing with it mental illness and I became a very high functioning schizophrenic (I worked very hard on that and was pronounced 'cured' at 40). I was also born a problem solver, hence being able to overcome schizophrenia, but it's not easy and one of the things you do to solve the problems is keep drawing them into your life till they are fixed. So because some level of my psyche wants to solve the issue of dealing with narcissism I keep attracting them and I don't know how to stop it other than not letting anyone in close, drawing the line at helping people very closely around me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have to change myself....that's my only area of control.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writing this is kind of my last 'being open' thing I want to do....it''s an explanation of the change in me and my work. And as I type I argue with myself that I don't need to explain myself. I am me and that's good enough. I have to give what I have to give, and if it's not enough for someone, well, as a few people have said "not my circus, not my monkeys". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Am I coming back? Well....yes. But differently. How differently...I honestly don't know.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writing tutorials or trying to was making my depression worse...there's nothing like failing at something that used to come easily to worsen depression and make you feel worthless. And complex beading went down the drain too.....at one point it took me six attempts to make a simple peyote tube....and I was beginning to hate beads and all their associations. Try not to stress when that is going on AND it's how you make your living! I was in the "Pit of Despair" having my life drained out of me a year at a time (see "Princess Bride").</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had to stop pushing myself. I had to fall in love with beads again (not there yet). So I decided to make some finished jewelry using one of a kind items...my collection of cabs and donuts. Simple things with clean lines and technical beading. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was binge watching "True Blood" (the bottom design is called "Fangbanger Pendant") at the same time which made me play with the 'tusk' or 'fang' gemstones I'd bought in Berkeley. This is a bead shape I have fallen in love with and as I only had the five and couldn't find any anywhere online it made me think of the polymer clay stash I had. So along with adding a "Finished Jewelry" section to my store I'll also be adding a "Polymer Clay" section. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am a little addicted to making 'fangs' right now and there will be a large variety (many one of a kinds) in my store but I have some other designs in the works too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm hoping that the polymer components will get me back into writing tutorials that use them but I also hope people will use them for their own designs. My stomach still pretty much turns to stone </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and I still feel like throwing up </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">when I think about writing but I know at some point I'll get past it....sooner rather than later I hope.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have closed the Bead Mavens blog as I need to focus on my own business/life but it will stay up so everyone can access the info and freebies. Everything is changing...how I work, how I look (I'm now a blonde), how I design and what I design. I'm beginning to feel myself again although I'm now Newme (no! not Sarah), still compassionate and kind but not fairy blood to a vampire.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have learned one major thing.....when someone says "I have your back" I think I'm getting this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But I'm probably getting this:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will survive!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-18414506822102005512013-08-19T11:29:00.000-07:002013-08-19T11:29:31.023-07:00Sharing and the Bead Community<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, I've been a busy little bee since I last posted.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The new Bead Mavens are up and running to a great welcome...thanks so much for that. It took me 18 months to feel good enough about people again to do it but I'm so glad I did and I think the new format is going to be terrific.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I gathered six designers who write or are starting to write tutorials and I help/mentor them as much as they need to </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">become better known and </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">grow their businesses. Why would I help my competition you ask? Because I believe in "Pay It Forward" and the bead community as a whole. I believe if we help each other we all benefit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The whole idea about the Bead Mavens is to share, share what we know, what we've learned, how we do things. One thing I learned while teaching was that not all tutorials/patterns are equal and you tend to have to buy blind. I had many students bring me patterns to decipher and sometimes I had a hard time trying to figure out a thread path for them....yes, it stunned me that some patterns don't have a thread path and you're expected to figure it out for yourself. So, having the Mavens do two free tutorials for the blog in their year stint let's you, the beady reader, see just how they write and if it's a style that works for you. You get a free tutorial and they get the exposure and maybe some new customers...win/win, right?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I personally have 12 free tutorials available right now over at Bead Mavens...and 13 if you count Crystal Corners on this blog. My spirit of sharing even though this is what I do for a living.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway...that's one thing underway.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ulFI1jI8shmhbk9zy3r6aBcP6SGFw4Q97jUCQfKCsIlBkBloVrFSMN5qitYddWu5XVsJ7h_UbBSJQspQ2ULzfsGi7JwxwT0aX9t3ElbZQ_NKLDr7EI9YeBTHmtiADjYzAMSyiVqB-dg/s1600/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ulFI1jI8shmhbk9zy3r6aBcP6SGFw4Q97jUCQfKCsIlBkBloVrFSMN5qitYddWu5XVsJ7h_UbBSJQspQ2ULzfsGi7JwxwT0aX9t3ElbZQ_NKLDr7EI9YeBTHmtiADjYzAMSyiVqB-dg/s320/cover.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also finally finished my Doodad trio of tutorials...YAY! and my Tile & Hinge bracelet tutorial...they are listed and selling well...thank you so much :)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMhZKanIbW-plkLC8E5fNzF_9T0rhxqzNha4eFMNa8PdNa7ZKHaRYqrGjWV_vu9lON3OU6eUXwggn6NZFK_7uWtXFiDYkJ3ubGNZa2yxJKZdM3vYrwtwHB8HlJP9XGYJE_-4PHmBZP-8/s1600/Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMhZKanIbW-plkLC8E5fNzF_9T0rhxqzNha4eFMNa8PdNa7ZKHaRYqrGjWV_vu9lON3OU6eUXwggn6NZFK_7uWtXFiDYkJ3ubGNZa2yxJKZdM3vYrwtwHB8HlJP9XGYJE_-4PHmBZP-8/s320/Cover.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yesterday after some discussion on Facebook with other designers I was encouraged to open a discussion group so we could share information and ideas about how better to protect our written works. There is much confusion about copyright law out there and I'm not sure it's yet caught up to our high speed world. I do know that some unethical characters are taking projects published in magazines, scanning them and putting them up on their own websites and Facebook pages. Whilst looking at one of these after being alerted for someone else's work I found one of my own tutorials, my name taken off, no credit or link given. I certainly didn't give permission for that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm not sure any designer would be for this kind of thing but maybe some don't need to make money from their work so it wouldn't matter to them. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As tutorials are my sole income it matters to me. I stopped submitting to magazines because of this kind of thing and I know a lot of designers who have done the same, some even stopping selling online or even posting pictures of their work for fear of losing their income, opting instead to teach locally where they have control but their income is then very limited. Sad!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've developed a very tough skin lately. I just reached a point where I said "I quit!" and I thought about that. To quit doing what I love and what gives me and my Mom financial security is crazy...so I decided to quit letting the unethical behavior of others get to me. I'm chock full of designs...more than I can make if I never have another idea and I bead till I'm 100! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I move on when someone does wrong by me and I trust in Karma to take care of me as it has done in the past and I will not feel guilty if Karma has a heavy hand as it has also done. Scares me for people but that's theirs to deal with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In my old age...I'l be 55 this year...OMG how did THAT happen?....I have developed a full belief in myself that can't be shaken anymore. It's a great place to get to....to be able to not let the bullies in the world get to you, to feel so confident in who you are as a person that you no longer worry what people think of you....and in fact when someone does say bad things it just makes you laugh and then maybe feel a bit sorry for that person who obviously hasn't reached that good spot in life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm like Sheldon Cooper I have found my spot. Such freedom. Such happiness. Such joy :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-29364297884289492752013-07-06T07:42:00.004-07:002013-07-06T07:42:43.204-07:00Saturday Morning Eye Candy<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's been a couple of weeks since I posted because there's been a lot going on behind the scenes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can now let you know I am bringing back the Bead Mavens, new people, new format, hopefully lots of good info and free tutorials you have told me you enjoyed so much :) Relaunch date is August 4th when I will start introducing the new designers for the first year. Yes, I will have new designers each year!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So many people wrote before wanting to know how they could be a Maven this time they will have a chance. More on that later.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As we have our first cool day, read under 100 degrees, we're planning to take full advantage of it and get rid of our cabin fever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But I thought I'd bring you a little eye candy to start your day and let you know I'm still beading and writing tutorials.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the tutorial in progress right now...it's in the testing/editing phase.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Ric Rac Waterlily was inspired by all the wonderful work Kate McKinnon, and the world, are doing with her book Contemporary Geometric Beadwork.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've worked hard to just take inspiration and create something of my own whilst also keeping things in my current style of bold color with black and white.....which people keep telling me to continue....no problemo, it's my personal style :)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDRTjkof62crregWqS2wETourBKTQ-KZqNfsoRdLY9JH09c53rYOPNWTVlBk2wA51q8dAcWFRQdV_vGOVcEwCLEZIjCid2Zm06wpmyc1HmfiMI7Y6OA1BtYo7LvEVSqwcCcDeFTmVfjM/s1600/P1000337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDRTjkof62crregWqS2wETourBKTQ-KZqNfsoRdLY9JH09c53rYOPNWTVlBk2wA51q8dAcWFRQdV_vGOVcEwCLEZIjCid2Zm06wpmyc1HmfiMI7Y6OA1BtYo7LvEVSqwcCcDeFTmVfjM/s200/P1000337.JPG" width="178" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyQ7jaXgSKGw1rceQPSCX1XTGhKVBIZABn806vRBb7zFawUIXaHvpNnXgQyobA-YQEwrjW13rpURAkeWYSd9cjJYkaUkA5XfXpbNbmpA318piXPdtgqJJXPqMw_wPeApVJnyaWYdiuM4/s1600/P1000336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyQ7jaXgSKGw1rceQPSCX1XTGhKVBIZABn806vRBb7zFawUIXaHvpNnXgQyobA-YQEwrjW13rpURAkeWYSd9cjJYkaUkA5XfXpbNbmpA318piXPdtgqJJXPqMw_wPeApVJnyaWYdiuM4/s200/P1000336.JPG" width="188" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The 3-layer and the 4-layer versions</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUwRLQJXUd02MZXInp7HHNQYhdziugdkkKh2yRzCuLg9KAE40D_esSC-p1NMNcUVxjcXmn_Km5Guv2wCszw-F-i83NTZ9LXW2HpWFMhxJu2MEO3iF920DhUzszb-j2fI2MudugxN8eJ0/s1600/P1000338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUwRLQJXUd02MZXInp7HHNQYhdziugdkkKh2yRzCuLg9KAE40D_esSC-p1NMNcUVxjcXmn_Km5Guv2wCszw-F-i83NTZ9LXW2HpWFMhxJu2MEO3iF920DhUzszb-j2fI2MudugxN8eJ0/s320/P1000338.JPG" width="284" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The regular size ones with the bangle/wall wreath in progress.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And the 3-layer sitting on top of the bangle in progress just for fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And once that tutorial is finished I can start on the tutorials for these babies....my Doodads :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cone, Corkscrew and Pyramid.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alrighty then....now you have some good ol' bead porn to look at I'm off to the park :) Have yourselves a great weekend!</span></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-484792155645822012013-06-17T10:10:00.001-07:002013-06-17T10:10:30.016-07:00I Lost My Virginity<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, I did! I am no longer a Bead & Button Show virgin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BOY! Is that an event, the show, that is. So many people wearing so many amazing pieces of beaded art, people wheeling craft carts, displays of the most gorgeous pieces designed to make your chin hit the carpet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course, idiot me had phone and camera and took one solitary photo!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And not even of jewelry....not even a good photo! Which only goes to show how overwhelmed I was!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWvqPLqRytGNqygPaz-S_6QzD9YrMsd0Yisnz1lQxrVGikdEfJSpZPXeMzURkL5eZe6-5UZwUiudWLTmo69lExyJJ5aaxvvmqynz1woOhOKx1BwDTrj4Yr9lVN_v80kwo7VL4v53loEIY/s1600/WP_20130606_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWvqPLqRytGNqygPaz-S_6QzD9YrMsd0Yisnz1lQxrVGikdEfJSpZPXeMzURkL5eZe6-5UZwUiudWLTmo69lExyJJ5aaxvvmqynz1woOhOKx1BwDTrj4Yr9lVN_v80kwo7VL4v53loEIY/s320/WP_20130606_001.jpg" width="164" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There used to be a time I didn't go anywhere without a camera....methinks I need to get back into that habit!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway....the show got off to a bit of a rough start for me....there was some not so pleasant stuff going on my first night that could have completely ruined my trip if I had let it.....but that seemed to be the idea. The next day my suspicions were confirmed by a few people...lol, it isn't paranoia if it's actually happening...I was met with it as soon as I walked into the showroom. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But you can't let these things get you down and my work shone through it all and I had a brilliant time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is rather un-nerving to be stood in line at Starbucks and have someone suddenly scream your name, and to have people wanting to have their picture taken with you. Freakish...lol! Also an incredibly rewarding feeling that my designs are giving people joy. I feel so lucky to be able to make a living from doing something that brings me joy and then to know for sure, in my face, that my work is appreciated. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am now able to put so many faces/voices/laughs to the names on my Facebook friends list and include some people as firm real life friends. I met some of the most amazing designers...the icons of beading and you could have picked me up off the floor when they knew my work....and even 'admired' or 'loved' it! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the health front I did extremely well at the show, I had lots of energy and was literally running around at some points....barefoot jogging through the skywalks. The food issue was a little troublesome at first...I swear if someone else had suggested a gluten free soup and salad I would have rammed it. My first day of GF food while travelling sucked however I got myself over to Millertime and found GF beer and bunless burgers...yay!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I did chance the fries....and they were a bit of a problem....next day I asked if they used the same oil for fries as he chicken nuggets and sure enough they do....bread crumb cross contamination! So, I felt the effects of cross contamination each day but nothing that ruined anything. Story got a little different when I got home and a week later I'm still recovering from the horrible effects of gluten build-up. But...it shall pass!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The whole trip made me do a lot of soul searching and thinking. Yesterday I posted pics of my art on Facebook, something I tend to keep hidden because that was what I was taught to do. I learned to hide my work/talent because a few people get all pissy about it...and sometimes take their frustrations out on my work by ruining it or stealing it. My first year's work at college at the end of year display was splashed with paint and every piece ruined. My second year someone went into the pottery studio and smashed a set of figurines I'd worked all year on. It has been explained to me, sometimes years later by the people who did these things that they didn't like that I was always top of my classes. *sigh*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I've decided to not hide in a corner anymore, there will always be the haters who try to intimidate you out of existence and they can only do that if we let them. I have some interesting things coming up, some new things, some reincarnated things. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Watch this space :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So....a big thank you to all the wonderful people I met at B&B with a special thank you to Shelley Gross, Suzanne Golden, Jill and June Wiseman, Jennifer Erlichs, Leora Mattila, Mandie Ainsworth, Amy Royster, Perry Bookstein, Kelly Stevenson, Lisa Kan and a myriad of others. Also a big thank you to the not so nice bunch as you gave me the push I needed to get out of the corner.</span></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-5885169024115012172013-05-16T08:49:00.001-07:002013-05-16T08:49:58.636-07:00PDF Tutorials....All Profit...Right?<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having just answered another inquiry about why I don't write tutorials for certain things I thought I'd explain the cost issues of writing a tutorial.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had a conversation with the wonderful Mr. Patrick Duggan on this subject just last week.....a little brain picking as he moves into the world of tutorial writing.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9RUawVRt9DC1rj-G1sY0NPuJ54YPM3Ts6fYTj4C6zV4ddJDqnpYAvsI4iTKya7lJMw5zm1y7-iTUNqNpGL1mcZHM0EQLAvc7igS7_n0-8-0ioaHhO5akeekwHS6DQt-x5GVlypoxbtdU/s1600/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9RUawVRt9DC1rj-G1sY0NPuJ54YPM3Ts6fYTj4C6zV4ddJDqnpYAvsI4iTKya7lJMw5zm1y7-iTUNqNpGL1mcZHM0EQLAvc7igS7_n0-8-0ioaHhO5akeekwHS6DQt-x5GVlypoxbtdU/s320/cover.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">OK....so, you want to write a tutorial.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First you need to design it, so that might take a day or two or a week or two for this example let's say it's a 40 hour week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Design is getting the idea, developing it, beading it, making any changes and tweaks. Designers in the 'real' world make good money so you you'll want to charge your time accordingly...at least $15 an hour.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So 40 x $15 = $600</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Plus the costs of materials...including all samples, most designers make at least two and often three samples.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Say this piece isn't too spendy and costs $20 per sample.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Two at $20 = $40</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Running total = $640</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next up is writing the tutorial so you better have your illustration/ photographic skills ready.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I illustrate I'll price on that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Graphic designers/illustrators make good money...I know I used to be one, and I know that if I farmed this out it would actually cost me hundreds if not thousands for this service. But let's go with the $15 an hour.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Two days of illustrating, two days of writing, tweaking, photographing and editing. That's 4 x 8 hours @ $15 an hour = $480</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Running total $1120</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And this doesn't include overheads.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So....how much does it sell for.....price too high and it won't sell, price too low and you'll have to sell a LOT more.....for this amount of work I'd be looking at a $20 dollar price tag.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So....the first two tutorials I sell will pay for the supplies and I have to sell 56 tutorials before I'm paid for the work. And that can take a week or a year or more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you work a regular job, you work for a couple of weeks or a month and get paid...and many times you can't wait for payday to get here. You work and you know you will be paid for that work....not in this business, the reality is you may have to wait 5 years to be fully compensated for a piece.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When you release a new design you hope and you better have a lot of patience, and belief in yourself and your design...because lack of sales is tough on the ego as well as the bank account.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some designs don't make it to tutorial simply because when tested, photos posted on Facebook, they get a cool response which doesn't bode well for sales. Sometimes that just requires a change of palette but it does mean back to the drawing board.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv41A-wrtZuvruNujHXTes4rDTGhcP3Xkksn5Vy_JTK6qD2OJY1hOwQ-Y1gyEVXHv1BRPi0116woSlWSnGXNJpaOhyphenhyphengFhCBN6yzHaGU-gDp6aFavB4dJpN8aMflL75gOMy-RnoQxrT4kI/s1600/DEC2012+133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv41A-wrtZuvruNujHXTes4rDTGhcP3Xkksn5Vy_JTK6qD2OJY1hOwQ-Y1gyEVXHv1BRPi0116woSlWSnGXNJpaOhyphenhyphengFhCBN6yzHaGU-gDp6aFavB4dJpN8aMflL75gOMy-RnoQxrT4kI/s320/DEC2012+133.JPG" width="274" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some designs like the one I was asked about this morning, my Armadillo Blossom purse, will never be tutorials because they would take way too long to write and not many people would want to put THAT amount of work into something let alone the $80 the tutorial would have to cost.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For me this is a business, my sole income and when you have no financial back-up (husband, pension, lottery winnings) you have to step back a little from the artistic and let the business side come to the fore.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some designs are just not financially viable no matter how much you and everyone else likes them.</span></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-8715142958609787622013-05-02T08:38:00.002-07:002013-05-02T08:38:28.601-07:00Unregulated Beads or Why I Don't Design with Gemstones<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Conformity is what I'm talking about.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Uniform sizes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Holes in the right damn place!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes....I've been struggling.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bright little spark that I can be, I decided to work with gemstones...one of those "What were you thinking?" moments after the work was half way done.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ok...this is the deal:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzjDKTQhu0Ut3LqdnDIwSE8o4OTTfs_NmzZrhKOdSIxffChvBi7KVl3JH4epm9vsGiwv4FwxkwdAiUOSu2Cm72Ydbil2uDoSIInMRn7QHm1U4EPfhkjfAbc8iPMXdJHYftRRR3UC86jk/s1600/P1000206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzjDKTQhu0Ut3LqdnDIwSE8o4OTTfs_NmzZrhKOdSIxffChvBi7KVl3JH4epm9vsGiwv4FwxkwdAiUOSu2Cm72Ydbil2uDoSIInMRn7QHm1U4EPfhkjfAbc8iPMXdJHYftRRR3UC86jk/s400/P1000206.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I designed my Celtic Knot necklace while I was ill last year and am only now getting around to writing the tutorial and of course I needed a refresher on it not to mention a piece to test the tutorial. I made the first Turquoise Howlite version from some beads I picked up at a bead show.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And right there is a what was I thinking moment....as a designer who sells a lot internationally I have to use beads that can be easily found or offer </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">up a supplier or carry the special beads myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So for my second version I found that Artbeads carried the shape and size of gemstone I needed albeit in limited colors....I bought the three they had.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well....I've been working with them this week and so I could test the tutorial I illustrated the major components before I began beading.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Imagine my horror when it just didn't work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The holes in the Coral Quartz are about 1mm higher into the stone than with the Howlite. 1mm is not much, a teensy measure but OMG!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It can totally mess with your design.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The result is I've putzed around for a couple of days this week, procrastinated like crazy, been very unproductive and then, of course, guilty for the lack of productivity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally, yesterday, I sat down to work on the 'fix'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I realized I would have to create a 'flexible' fix because who knows where the holes in you're gemstones are going to be?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The result is good, you probably can't tell the difference....yeah, part of that is due to the colorway change...but had I started with the Coral Quartz this is exactly what I would have done in the first place and the 'fix' would have been just easy and obvious.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My blog is about the trials and tribulations of this business and the problem with holes is definitely one of them.....we all know about the second blocked hole in a super duo bead....if you hear a beader scream these days that's probably why.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway....problem solved.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll have to do some more illustrations on the 'fix' but I'd rather do that than have to go through tweaking everything. On Monday I thought this one was going super fast and easy and would be in my store this week.....oh, how the Powers That Be like to play with me!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And it's always when I'm chomping at the bit to move onto the next project...which is the patterned version of the new Padlock Pendant.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIxPIHlGBVyfYt5dd-AYkKneV2hbCgaZfkXp1BXKZw08nIx4ivIpidKeukocyzHiNpMge0V9j9h-Y2r1o4GktoA-W2SyWRFR2z0nxsL96E93aRfeGPg1zu_gQVf5Y5UPmKGZdCK5DwPU/s1600/PadlockPendant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIxPIHlGBVyfYt5dd-AYkKneV2hbCgaZfkXp1BXKZw08nIx4ivIpidKeukocyzHiNpMge0V9j9h-Y2r1o4GktoA-W2SyWRFR2z0nxsL96E93aRfeGPg1zu_gQVf5Y5UPmKGZdCK5DwPU/s320/PadlockPendant.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I need to take some new shots with it's rope, a 36" half twist herringbone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I need so many more hours in the day....especially when a 1mm difference can take me down!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh....and I just opened a Twitter account.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, do a search for my name and follow me, you never know what you might get to know. I plan on using Twitter while I'm at the Bead & Button Show so that if I'm sitting beading and someone wants to join me they'll be able to find me. I plan on doing a lot of my corrugated peyote while I'm there and it's the perfect time to demo the technique....and with the long term project I'm working on you might want to take advantage :)</span></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-56814638509491126292013-04-28T10:38:00.001-07:002013-04-28T10:39:27.249-07:00What's The Deal About Teaching?<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As it came up again yesterday I thought today I would post my feelings about teaching....this is why I don't care to teach anymore and why I don't permit teaching of my designs. Your opinion may differ.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After teaching for a few years and quitting teaching a couple of times due to the demands of the stores I taught in and frankly a group of beaders who seemed to think if they paid $10 for a class it meant I would drive to their house anytime they wished to give them extra private tuition. And, no, I am not kidding.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As the years have past (barely five now) I have learned a lot about myself. I am a designer/inventor. It's my love, my drive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Teaching is very time consuming and while I can enjoy teaching a class of advanced beaders someone asking me "What is peyote stitch?" in a class stresses me to panic levels. I used to have the patience to teach basic stitches but it flew away.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/product_view/6632210"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQgEIjbtY6JH0J_4YtfXI8dXHphzfJUJhdJNpKl91hrXG-yCjFFD4zVDh5tGO5lDvSUAwmTdp5HQiAGM6eMb8sCsuWKVo3u4BP175teTyCHCzbGr-dCUhb6WGu9dm0biXy6y67AE1HGlw/s320/tutorial.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, designing, illustrating and writing tutorials is what I do now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Will I ever teach again, never say never, but any student signing up would have to know the stitches in the project or they'd just get handed a basic stitch sheet, some beads and be told to practice...no refunds...lol! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ok...teaching of my designs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Quite simply I don't allow it...now I'm told I can't stop someone as long as they are using an authentic tutorial, ie one purchased from me or they have their own copy of a magazine project by me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will argue this point as I don't believe teaching someone else's work is "Fair Use" as it means someone else is making money from my hard work and if I decide to teach then they're in direct competition with me. Or should I sell a license to teach, once again I'd be losing money. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whether it's legal or not its highly unethical to use someone else's work to make your money especially when it's against the wishes of the designer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are teaching someone else's designs without their permission you have to ask yourself this question:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Why don't I design my own projects, write my own tutorials and teach them?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If your answer is "I don't have the talent" or "It takes too much time" or "I don't have the name to get me students" or "I won't make enough to pay for all the time it would take to do that"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then you need to go to the mirror and take a good, honest look at yourself, that is one very unethical person you're seeing....at best!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next....why don't I sell a license for someone to teach my designs?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This one is a matter of trust. I don't trust people, I have many, many reasons not to trust people. I have people say, "But you know me" and I have to say....I knew my father too, didn't stop him from taking from me. And I won't go into the number of 'friends' that have taken from me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Trust is important when it comes to allowing someone to teach your work.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">#1 you have to trust that they know the design well enough to be able to teach it.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">#2 You have to trust that they do supply every student with a tutorial so they can finish the project.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">#3 you have to trust them with your tutorial...that they won't go print off as many copies as they like, and when someone says..."I don't have time for the class can I buy the pattern" that they say "No, I'm not permitted to do that you can buy it directly from the designer, here's their shop info" and not just sell it them and put the money in their pocket.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That's a lot of trust.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I did come up with the idea to do a "Teachers" workshop, where I would teach three or four designs that the students would be authorized to teach after the workshop. That seemed like a practical solution, I'd be able to look into the eyes of the person I'd be trusting with my designs and make sure they knew all the ins and out of the designs. However, when I mentioned this on Facebook I was met with a lot of people telling me how they would prefer I did it...ie, no workshop, no restrictions, they could choose what designs they wanted. There was even mention of forming a committee to decide how I would run my business.....er, no!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, that idea went into the trash can.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So as it stands at this moment no one has my permission to teach my designs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One thing I am working on....bead store adoption....because it isn't easy running a bead store, especially a bricks and mortar one.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have already started working with an online store,<a href="http://beadstalkers.com/"> Beadstalkers.com.</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I met Sherry who runs it and we got along great, discovered we approached business the same way and when she became sole owner of Beadstalkers I knew I wanted to offer as much support as I could.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I do list Beadstalkers as a bead supplier in my tutorials when using the beads Sherry carries and she in turn will stock specific colors/beads I use....win/win.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When Sherry showed me her bracelet design which became "Pyramids of Giza" I knew another way I could help, so I am now putting together a tutorial a month of her designs which she offers free with bead purchase or for sale.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://beadstalkers.com/"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaxagrAeeV1_HIGbL8YrworIFJ_A5eLn6uwmVnkqN_T9HySLm2SRfbS_wNWS7G1Uf-RrqazQjy9u8cUN-PO7Ic4eLVOoM4vUTpG-t0GqW_PH2rEAj6uL4KmvDe-l7BB_GikMYAmHTuXo/s320/POGCover.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For my bricks and mortar store, I chose Bead Artistry, which is just a couple of blocks away, I am in process of going through my designs to see which I think would work as classes....and then Bead Artistry will choose a few that they want to teach, and I'll make sure they know all the ins and outs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just handed in a Clasp tutorial to be taught by someone else at the bead society too....and sometimes I am willing to do things like that for bead societies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I do think it's important for us to support each other in the beading community, yesterday I heard of another store closure and that made me sad.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a designer I do have to make a living from my work and I do feel that by permitting people to sell what they make from my tutorials I am helping them make an income....but I draw the line at people teaching my designs and I hope people respect that. The ethical will. The unethical won't. Just like having laws, the decent respect and abide by them, the criminals don't.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eventually the law will catch up, I do believe that, but what is a law?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Something a group decides is a rule to be followed or be punished....so really, if the bead designers could agree and get together on this we could make law. It only takes one case in our favor to set a precedent.</span></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-31518864911437270662013-04-21T08:36:00.000-07:002013-04-21T08:36:01.612-07:00Sunday Morning Latte<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yesterday saw me do one of my reward thingies, I'd been meeting and passing my goals so the fund for a new espresso system had become fully charged...YAY!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm not a huge coffee drinker but I do have to have mu morning latte. Times past I would stop at Starbucks at 6am before getting on the freeway to drive from Santa Monica to Disneyland for work. It's my treasured morning ritual.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course, even at one a day, it's not an inexpensive one and being a frugal Yorkshire lass investing in a machine seemed like a great idea.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When my first espresso machine literally blew up, spewing parts across the kitchen, it had saved me a few thousand dollars during it's life. I actually sat down and figured that out...ok, so it was to justify buying a new one on a tight budget. Of course that one eventually died too and it was during the dark days when I couldn't afford a new one. So, I picked one of those non-pump ones up at Big Lots for $10 and have been making do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In January I started saving for a new one. When Starbucks came out with their Verissimo I was excited....and when they were going to be demoing it just down the street I was there. But all it netted me was disappointment, did not care for it at all...got better flavor from my $10 one.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was window shopping in Williams Sonoma when I saw the Nespresso machines and thought the Pixie was just so dang cute and neat but couldn't imagine getting a decent espresso from it. The guy that came over to help me asked if I would like to try it...well, ok.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was very surprised at the espresso he pulled...it was good, really good.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then he showed me the Aeroccino which I truly wasn't interested in but that blew me away too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So now I knew what I was saving for.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBbR76Oce1pSh8F2SgsVi50gcu3nX-6EEniqeV1y-g2zHtlXvj4-PT1BMmuFXem2rLZdeiKX_8K6N_hWtVvQMu4Kf9zDSSh3u8LpBlGSnpMan-nueyiVa8rOcdYaia6ulQPlM2Bt16qc/s1600/P1000160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBbR76Oce1pSh8F2SgsVi50gcu3nX-6EEniqeV1y-g2zHtlXvj4-PT1BMmuFXem2rLZdeiKX_8K6N_hWtVvQMu4Kf9zDSSh3u8LpBlGSnpMan-nueyiVa8rOcdYaia6ulQPlM2Bt16qc/s320/P1000160.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When we went to Williams Sonoma yesterday while I was showing Mom</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the gal came and demoed the machine for us and even Mom was impressed, not by the coffee, she's not a fan, but by how dang cute it was.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When the gal told me they had one on sale because the color was being discontinued and that color was lime green....that was it. SOLD!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It works with pods, which if you join the club aren't too expensive but frugal little me did find some refillable pods I can put my own coffee in and Amazon are shipping them out to me today :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All well and good, you say...happy for you, you say...but gee wish I had something nice, you say.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ok....but you have to keep it a secret, this is for people who read my blog only.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All this week Sunday, 4/21 to Saturday 4/27 when you buy one tutorial I'll let you choose another of equal or lesser value for free.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are the rules.....you have to leave a comment on this post, and in the "<b>notes to seller"</b> when you order type</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>SUNDAYSECRET</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">along with your choice of freebie :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just remember...it's a secret....you can tell people...."Mikki wrote a great blog post" but you can't tell them about the secret....ok? Cool!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have fun...I'll be sipping on a latte :)</span></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-76540706654585897752013-04-18T11:05:00.001-07:002013-04-18T11:26:39.029-07:00Q: How Do I Make It Pay?<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As this is a question I am asked a lot, how to make a living from beading, I thought I'd address it here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The most important thing about any business is the product, if you don't have a good product no amount of 'business tips' will help. Whatever it is you make/sell be sure it's original and well put together/crafted. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ok...now that's out of the way....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When someone asks me how they can make more sales/money from their business these are the questions I ask</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What's your daily/weekly/monthly goal?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>How far short of it are you falling?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Imagine you're going on a road trip, do you know where you're leaving from...A? Know where you're going....B? Plan a route to get there...A to B?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We all answer those questions just to go to the grocery store and yet, when it comes to our business they tend to not be thought about by many.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What are you making now?</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How much are you making right now? How many sales? You need a starting point and what you're making right now is your A.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>How much money do you really need to live and do this?</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You need to start by figuring this out, be realistic, allow some $ for the unexpected and some for savings and don't forget a tax fund, because paying taxes should not be unexpected.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once you know what you need you have a goal....your B.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Plan your route!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let's say your sales are $1000 a month and you need $2000 a month, that means you have to double your income!!! And it may seem impossible when you look at it in that big lump.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You're probably not going to make that increase in a month....but how about in a year?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Get your sales consistent...so make that $1000 a month solid.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once you are regularly making that start increasing your goal.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Add $100 to your goal for next month. If you meet it, add another $100 the next month, and every time you meet the goal add $100 for the next month.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you make more than your goal one month....then you have a head start for the next.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>"Ahh....but how do I do that?" you ask.</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well...that depends on you product. What's the average price of what you sell? If it's $100 then you need to make an extra piece a month to be able to sell it.....or if you have lots of stock you need to make that extra sale.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A tip here is that not everyone has $100 to spend so can you develop something that can be sold at, say, $25? It can be easier to sell four $25 pieces than one $100 piece because more people can afford to buy.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Maybe you can't make anything small like that....so how about investing in a bulk buy of a special bead or fabric you use? And sell that in your store, it might just push you over that goal.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another tip is to do new photos, use different props and switch them out so your piece looks fresh and maybe catches the eye of someone who overlooked it before.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you do what I do, write tutorials, then it might be as simple as making a sample in a new, on trend colorway.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Customer Service</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Again...it doesn't matter how great your product is if you don't fulfill orders quickly, answer customer contacts promptly or are too full of yourself it will effect your sales. It truly does not pay to be an asshole :)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Break it down</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That extra $100 a month breaks down to about $3.33 a day, now...does that look more doable? Have a daily goal and be determined to meet it.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you miss it one day....maybe an extra posting on Facebook or Pintrest will bring you back up to speed. Miss it for a few days straight? How about a 'flash sale'? For those of you thinking "What's a flash sale?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A "flash sale" is a sale like '20% off the next item or say five' items sold or 'buy one get 50% off one on the next five orders'. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It can bring you back on track just like that!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now, that's not to say you want to be doing them every day or even every week, because if you do that you will train people to wait for the sale, in effect devaluing your product.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You also might try e-mailing your previous month's customers with a discount code.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Visualization </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am a firm believer in visualization, I do think it helps.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">See your sales grow in your mind....but, once again, do it in baby steps.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't go imagining your next day being double your last because you'd be setting yourself up for defeat. Breaking things down to a daily goal makes the increases small and achievable. Small steps to a big goal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Plateauing</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Plateauing is a good thing, it is what will keep your business growing and earning. After you meet a big goal, don't go setting another one right away, give it time. Make it consistent. Have the same goal for a few months.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After that, don't make your goals as big......if you have grown $1000 a month to make what you need then maybe set the next goal as an extra $200 a month....which at the end of the year would pay for a vacation....or a new wardrobe :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Rewards</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rewarding yourself is important.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, you managed to double your income, YAY you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reward yourself...just don't go overboard.....maybe 5% a month can be allotted to your shoe fund or dinner out....or maybe just that bead storage system you've been dying to get :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway...these are my tips, I hope they help you, and if you follow me you'll see me use them, no doubt :) </span></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-12671499040562359322013-04-01T09:47:00.002-07:002013-04-01T12:16:53.066-07:00The Beading Space<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beading spaces tend to attract clutter (come on, I know it's just not mine), the put aside projects, beads from the last project, or three, that didn't make it back to their allotted place, those invoices that need to be filed, tools, thread and the scraps of paper or note books ideas get hastily scribbled into.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you're lucky enough to have a beading room you can close the door on that mess when visitors stop by but if you bead in your living room you may find yourself pretending not to be home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am lucky enough to be able to use my second bedroom as an office/bead room however when I was ill sitting upright in an office chair was painful and I wasn't able to do it for more than 30 minutes at a time. I had planned only to use my office to write tutorials, the beading would be done in the living room from my spot (<span style="background-color: white;">"</span></span><span style="line-height: 19.046875px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">it faces the television at an angle that is neither direct so that it would discourages conversations nor at an angle that would causes a parallax distortion"...Sheldon Cooper).</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.046875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So this is my spot.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDv3Fjv1uyT0ZSwTEnL-fBhZIIc-RPyspRl1H6r_BW8CfaryB28a37pzjrgjlFiNOW_dmy44PZ47tNdKxKG0orvhTNUvQDUpS_jdBwhq43g1KsvDqHgx8UhvsyF8YmcFrLAgP84WL54Q/s1600/P1000045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDv3Fjv1uyT0ZSwTEnL-fBhZIIc-RPyspRl1H6r_BW8CfaryB28a37pzjrgjlFiNOW_dmy44PZ47tNdKxKG0orvhTNUvQDUpS_jdBwhq43g1KsvDqHgx8UhvsyF8YmcFrLAgP84WL54Q/s320/P1000045.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And as a beader my spot has to have easy access to my beads, all my go to beads are right there and .....hidden here...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZr3b5mzhqtWLMuGSfRRxR7Edv1HGsq9rh_PLq72f5J-q7K6iOKie773vvmqHvBMwNFiovwZYIJtR3NFcB47He28GGvqM1Y-ruk-T1L9ApdFWFTIPFpEdjj2rJiM5HgC19fubGQrVZQ7c/s1600/P1000042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZr3b5mzhqtWLMuGSfRRxR7Edv1HGsq9rh_PLq72f5J-q7K6iOKie773vvmqHvBMwNFiovwZYIJtR3NFcB47He28GGvqM1Y-ruk-T1L9ApdFWFTIPFpEdjj2rJiM5HgC19fubGQrVZQ7c/s320/P1000042.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To keep it all tidy I found the wonderful 'Bento' boxes, this one not having any projects in it's pockets so far :) And those pockets fold away too.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-haP_P7ea4tYL3tY2WCGWSMDb8pSKTrhiACjLs3IN9EqIGCrco1QaW9u96r77A_FQcaxRvu3l7S5wpHyX_olQwh4npFTfg1a-eKDMTbs7spCIHogc9-h7vKVhgHUbDS9mDCFvni0dXW0/s1600/P1000040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-haP_P7ea4tYL3tY2WCGWSMDb8pSKTrhiACjLs3IN9EqIGCrco1QaW9u96r77A_FQcaxRvu3l7S5wpHyX_olQwh4npFTfg1a-eKDMTbs7spCIHogc9-h7vKVhgHUbDS9mDCFvni0dXW0/s320/P1000040.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The tray lids have become my new project boards, lined with a bead mat and I have more lids than boxes because they stack nicely and I can have multiple projects going without having work trays everywhere.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz72fv4NQ-AkiQuK9qiEkdf8K5g9-RimC3HLAfeVWPEfwCvkAQwYLIFWnesjIVdmUznDB_QjcAkECmn_3Ef_7krNbmkFloj324__-G8LzeGJBv5ukxegBKL2b5SJ0Kj1sIFVzAiAdaq0U/s1600/P1000036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz72fv4NQ-AkiQuK9qiEkdf8K5g9-RimC3HLAfeVWPEfwCvkAQwYLIFWnesjIVdmUznDB_QjcAkECmn_3Ef_7krNbmkFloj324__-G8LzeGJBv5ukxegBKL2b5SJ0Kj1sIFVzAiAdaq0U/s320/P1000036.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOpwcB3XHUFhjr2267U4P5Y1R1tbqN3ibLONd1vDUwig0fUjmTKoOZlvVYyBRjCx9UYG0uNiLXCWnh-Ya0YjUgd7iPKrbfXx5ZHh7x4QNaFpPao_6lM6_ldGlBx2zo0D55tQPkfdiwH8/s1600/P1000037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOpwcB3XHUFhjr2267U4P5Y1R1tbqN3ibLONd1vDUwig0fUjmTKoOZlvVYyBRjCx9UYG0uNiLXCWnh-Ya0YjUgd7iPKrbfXx5ZHh7x4QNaFpPao_6lM6_ldGlBx2zo0D55tQPkfdiwH8/s320/P1000037.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now, I will tell you there is a down side to this....the corners on these trays can grab your thread as you work, if you're anything like me my thread manages to get wrapped around anything within three feet. That said, it gets less so the more I work with them and the tidiness I get from the trays outweighs the thread catches. And yes...that little white tray holding the current beads in use is a water color palette, 79c from the art store.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another little thing I have at my beady little fingers is a thread catcher.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZorQeQwka-5M8sJFGQOOZ4TcMVaD71tFXLAf4Aq-rHtkZ1cAUcSrr6V0O6cXdeVMq2Hvq7H3dE0Rs0KBTY9Q95zXdkgxe_w6MQYWaKxy0pUySQO-WpSxtZ3gUHGJU9dfFcKWhk1hgnRQ/s1600/P1000043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZorQeQwka-5M8sJFGQOOZ4TcMVaD71tFXLAf4Aq-rHtkZ1cAUcSrr6V0O6cXdeVMq2Hvq7H3dE0Rs0KBTY9Q95zXdkgxe_w6MQYWaKxy0pUySQO-WpSxtZ3gUHGJU9dfFcKWhk1hgnRQ/s320/P1000043.JPG" width="245" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.046875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My prototype...lol! Just a sticky paper rolled on itself and stuck on the side of my cube shelf but boy, it's great for storing the usable bits of fireline that used to get lost or trailed across the room.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.046875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, there you have it....how I keep my beading area tidy enough for visitors. Of course the rest of the living room is covered with Bella's toys and the kleenex she just tore up so I may pretend to not be home for that reason....but Bella's fault!</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjafIGPPDATjZ-XBw_6s4xwGau6LrVmLWlGvBd1FaHVG8nZ3axTYY-MiIssRzh57Pk0ooOXjCT8ID5YDZE2fOgru5XKy1w_eEFtoyI9Z4qvkFKFJoLWo77FYW47tr0MaMyRL8q7zakPgaw/s1600/P1000020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjafIGPPDATjZ-XBw_6s4xwGau6LrVmLWlGvBd1FaHVG8nZ3axTYY-MiIssRzh57Pk0ooOXjCT8ID5YDZE2fOgru5XKy1w_eEFtoyI9Z4qvkFKFJoLWo77FYW47tr0MaMyRL8q7zakPgaw/s320/P1000020.JPG" width="272" /></a></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-389682930912222122013-03-25T10:00:00.003-07:002013-03-25T10:00:48.111-07:00Houdini Yourself Out of that Box<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes I think designers tie themselves up and lock themselves into a box without even thinking about it. We get caught up in a color palette or style and breaking free of it doesn't enter our minds or is scary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since moving back to California I have been making a concerted effort to work with and surround myself with more color because I did see my safe, classical color choices as a bit of a rut. And it's interesting when you make a change like that...some people will love it, some will hate it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Comments of "I love your new style" or "I prefer your old style" or my very favorite "Your usual style" abound....I like to think of myself as unusual/original so if there was ever a word to get me to change direction....that would be it...lol!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Personally I don't see it as a style change, just a color change, at the moment my love of black and white paired with a splash of color is the trend which is just bloody fantastic :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It allows me to go from this nice safe 'classical' palette</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYyr5iyvbinICHS2Y50CtaXoI6pxjy6VD7Z4ny8assZ1S4WrwbgHUn2bnHlI0kFta3AqcZABjYYpd29gJsf72eB6735Ch2OnYyBzqTHCxDY9s-unFh1vX8rvDgOQX9cKicNWzLHePsdE/s1600/P1010121A.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYyr5iyvbinICHS2Y50CtaXoI6pxjy6VD7Z4ny8assZ1S4WrwbgHUn2bnHlI0kFta3AqcZABjYYpd29gJsf72eB6735Ch2OnYyBzqTHCxDY9s-unFh1vX8rvDgOQX9cKicNWzLHePsdE/s320/P1010121A.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To this 'on trend' version.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvpHzkzeJKBhF6tH9iDXH5gaEwuoSrVJ_HcEg5Sb0OkDTHvuXCGKNfVLdbTS8bZN08i-DRHk0GM-2wJU6OrJxpIViiKYIMi4Ne6ckO7oeXRhcri741sdvTiiYcApPWMQpLhx48iqs8VA/s1600/P1010130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvpHzkzeJKBhF6tH9iDXH5gaEwuoSrVJ_HcEg5Sb0OkDTHvuXCGKNfVLdbTS8bZN08i-DRHk0GM-2wJU6OrJxpIViiKYIMi4Ne6ckO7oeXRhcri741sdvTiiYcApPWMQpLhx48iqs8VA/s320/P1010130.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's quite the difference. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love what I do...designing and writing tutorials so others can make what I design and part of it is to see what someone else does with my design, typically what it looks like in their color palette. At first I didn't include colors in my tutorials because I thought people would want to make the design in their own colorway but now I do because I always get requests for the actual colors I used. And I can see I may have to write an addendum to this tutorial to include the neon version.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course changing your palette may require some bead shopping (oh drat!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but surrounding yourself with the scary diminishes it. And working with different palettes makes you grow as a designer. Bright colors are in fashion right now, trending as they say, so I say...go for it....play, experiment, if you're scared of color this is the perfect time to face your fear.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do a Houdini from your 'usual' style, I dare ya!</span></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2733868611654973524.post-81591589025920468362013-03-15T11:38:00.000-07:002013-03-15T11:40:24.396-07:00Fame or Fortune<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I get asked and because I have to deal with it I may rant a little here...so you have been warned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To publish or not to publish is the question.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you send your designs to a magazine to be published?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is what I've learned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you're starting out and want to get your name known it's a good thing to do BUT be fully aware of what you're getting yourself into.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">DO IT:-</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you don't mind waiting eons to get paid for your work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You won't get paid for at least 6 months and you won't make anywhere near the money you could have selling it in your own online store.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">DO IT:-</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If it doesn't worry you that some website (biser) will scan your project straight from the magazine and put it up for free to the world, essentially stealing any revenue you might make after you get your rights back from the magazine. And don't expect the magazine to care. They probably won't help you, they made their money and they will not lift a finger to help you protect your copyright. I write with experience of this with Beadwork magazine and my Gothic Butterfly design.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaY2hgNhwRmBuIVHMEDDkx0jLBqEgerNXWUieO92sjFTjYm9YUxmgMQzwia1Z7L-rNEE7DKAtrGgbHzfwYSzp4nbQlIY63BvmNKFRJ3tNlxkDPZIbSp8hQzSP5QqUmcR8d9tkJD-K_zJs/s1600/1Jan2010+054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaY2hgNhwRmBuIVHMEDDkx0jLBqEgerNXWUieO92sjFTjYm9YUxmgMQzwia1Z7L-rNEE7DKAtrGgbHzfwYSzp4nbQlIY63BvmNKFRJ3tNlxkDPZIbSp8hQzSP5QqUmcR8d9tkJD-K_zJs/s320/1Jan2010+054.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">DO IT:-</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you don't mind having people teach your project and not even paying you a license fee. Why should they take the time and put the effort in to do all that work when they can just use yours? Is that right? Do you sign a contract that allows people to do that? I certainly didn't and was very surprised to read a line in Interweave's booklet "Knowing Your Rights: Copyright 101 for beaders" that says as long as all students purchase a legitimate copy of a tutorial anyone can teach it. WRONG! I discovered this when someone told me they were taking my class....one I wasn't teaching! So, if you plan to make income from teaching the design you submit to a magazine be aware some bead store who sells the magazine may be teaching that class without your knowledge....and so that's some income gone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">DO IT:-</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you've copied someone else's design and want a magazine to back up your claim to the design....they only care that you sign a contract claiming it as your design...not if it's actually yours, they aren't going to check and if the actual designer claims it...hey, they're protected they have a signed contract. Of course this means you are a corrupt individual too and you better be prepared to be sued or have your name be dirt in the beading community.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If these things worry you or cause you stress, if you feel that you're the one who should be making the money from your hard work.....because it will eat you alive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">DON'T DO IT:-</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are willing to advertise yourself through social media and believe your work will get the recognition on it's own merits.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's very flattering to have a magazine or publisher want your work and it does mean something. It means that your work is so good other people know they can make money from you or you wouldn't be hearing from them...and if they know that then it's also true that you can make the money on your own.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Also if you want some name recognition without having to sign your work away you can always submit pictures of your work to be published in other people's books....appearing in the gallery of someone else's book or in a beadwork collection book are good alternatives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I get asked about this stuff a lot and this is my opinion on it, yours may differ.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I used to dream of having a publisher want to have me write a book, I no longer have that dream....it's not financially viable for me right now. Also I confess to being a bit of a control freak...I write my tutorials very thoroughly with large illustrations and they usually have a LOT of pages for each design, this isn't the most desirable thing for most publishers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's your choice....just be informed :)</span></div>
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Mikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14939739757623364406noreply@blogger.com12