Treasure!

I've currently found myself in two incredible autumn treasuries! I thought I'd share them here along with some of my favorites from the curator's Etsy shops.

First, the aptly titled "Autumn Cool Down" by UnaOdd, an excellently chosen grey and spice collection.


I love UnaOdd's new polymer pendants, especially the one below. I went to college with Lynn and am the proud owner of several of her pieces. Her sense of design is amazing and her work is always impeccable.


...And another Early Fall treasury by My Selvaged Life. (Those with a quirky sense of humor will really like the Poe Paper Dolls.)

Check out Heather's great Cicada Song necklace! I love it - very "Smithsonian Natural History".

Thanks Lynn and Heather!

The results are in.

Overall, I would have to say that New Freedom Fest was successful for me. My booth was located just 2 blocks from my house and so most everything was transported via Amish built wheel barrow. Charming, right? Yes. Low carbon footprint? Yes.


Although I did make money, sales were not what I expected. I thought, given the fact that the economy is not great and that people are unfamiliar with polymer as a medium, I would mostly sell low cost pieces such as $12 posts. Much to my surprise, most sales were over $25 and several people bought several pieces. Who would've guess?

Yes, thats me there. My daughter took all the photos and, bless her, she made me blurry!


The response from people, even from those who didn't buy, was really positive. Many people were very surprised ("This is polymer clay? I didn't know polymer clay was cool?"). It made me think back to an email I got from Ronna Weltman not long ago. She explained that polymer is still "an unknown quantity". People's unfamiliarity with polymer as a jewelry medium affects their willingness to purchase something made from it and especially so online. Lots of people really wanted to touch the jewelry, to "investigate", if you will. (Two pieces got dropped, surviving completely unscathed. Yes!)

I haven't done a craft show in about 10 years and admittedly I was exhausted by the end of day. But it was good to get the word out locally about my work.

Hey...

...aren't those my beads?


Well, they WERE my beads (the 3 earthy green ones) or I should say I made the beads but then Lorelei Eurto purchased them, worked her magic and voila! This bracelet is already available in her Etsy shop.

Don't bail out

My rectangular watercolor pendants have not been one of my biggest sellers. I haven't actually put it out there and taken a poll but I wonder if the design just fell short with the old style wire bale. It looked like it was an after thought rather than part of the overall design.


I found these new plated tube bails at a bead show and, lo and behold, they are easier to use AND they fit the overall design much better.

Must...keep...going

School is in full swing and for the first couple of weeks especially it will take up a lot of my time and my thinking.



Repetitive disk bead pieces will be great to work on right now. They were made with leftover bits and pieces of color clay and so I may call them Flotsam and Jetsam. Disks are of course the same as my Reef bracelet with the hole at the side instead of the center.