Spring Fever in the Middle of Winter

Today it was cold and rainy in sunny Southern California.  Tomorrow it will be warm and dry.  The mixed up weather does very little to appease my desire for spring.  So I go into the Studio and create my tiny slice of spring.  Check out my latest spring fever creations.

These floral beauties are made with high quality frosted glass flower beads and Czech glass leaves.  Thin golden wire wraps around the floral stalk to look like a vine.  These earrings just whisper “feminine” and “pretty”.  Let’s break out the large sun hats, put on these earrings, and go out for tea!

 

Is a Free Offer Really Free

This is the time of year where the mailbox gets flooded with offerings of every shape, size, and color.  Initially I felt compelled to shred or recycle a lot of these offers.  Credit card companies are suddenly begging for attention, magazines are guilting subscribers into hanging on for one more year, and magazines/publications are soliciting for a new subscription.  If you were to take up each offer, you would find yourself in debt with a lot of reading material at your disposal.

Well, in previous blog posts, I have encouraged you to take advantage of some “free” offers when they come your way.  Right now, I’m looking at 2 such offers from Interweave Knits and Stringing.  These two offers are coming from the same publisher.  Obviously my name and address is on a list for people who subscribe to crafting magazines, so this fishing expedition is hoping to make a big catch.  The offers “give” me one free issue with an option to subscribe.  After the “free” issue arrives, I can expect an invoice.  If I want the subscription, I pay the invoice and move on.  If I want to opt out of the deal, I need to write “cancel” onto the invoice and return it.  The opt out transaction will cost me a stamp.  Oddly enough, I was sent on the same day as the “free” offers another offer for Beadwork which is  from the same publisher.  The 3rd offer is for a reduced subscription price for their magazine.  Sounds tempting, but my bookshelves are already full of other magazines.

If you find yourself a recipient of a free trial issue, take advantage of it.  If it’s a magazine you have seen and wanted to evaluate it without committing to buying it, then this kind of trial offer is made for you.   Just remember that there is a catch to the “free” issue.   Communicating on an invoice that you are cancelling the subscription is required.  I’m sure some people will say the first magazine was free so you don’t have to do anything.  Well, that is not true.  To get the “free” magazine, you have to communicate with the publisher that you’re going into business with them by accepting the “free” magazine.  Accepting the magazine is also accepting a tentative contract with the publisher to subscribe.

So have a happy new year!  Indulge yourself with “free” offers.  Remember that free is not always free and you should handle your business accordingly.

 

New Year Resolutions vs. Goals

A friend posted that she was NOT making resolutions for the new year.  Instead she was making a list of things she will NOT do in 2012.  She was making a list of goals.  Usually people make resolutions to:

• Stop smoking
• Lose weight
• Spend more time with family/friends
• Quit drinking
• Get out of debt
• Help others (charity, donations, etc.)
• Learn something new
• Get organizeThere are so many choices.  Your resolutions can overwhelm you so much in January that by March you are doing nothing towards self improvement.  How many times have I seen the gym be packed with well meaning folks in January fall to the wayside by March?  Too many times to count.  Resolutions tend to be a tongue and cheek “thing to do” no one takes too seriously.

So what should we do?

Instead of resolutions, we should set up large goals with mini goals penned in to keep us accountable.  If your goal is to improve your business, write down what it would look like and set up mini goals to help you achieve your main goal.  Mini goals can be an advertising campaign, social networking, sales, shop/business makeover, etc..  Once you achieve the mini goals, they can encourage you to keep toward achieving your main goal.  Once 2012 is fading toward 2013, you can look back at your notes and plans to see that you did achieve your goals.  If you managed to improve your business, then pat yourself on the back for a job well done.  If you missed your mark, then you have documentation you can use to rework your strategy for the new year.  It becomes a win win for you!
This main goal and mini goals strategy works well for all “resolutions”.  If you want to find yourself in a win-win situation for whatever goal you want to achieve, then take the time to write out your plan.  In this day and age when texting is a huge social phenomenon, it’s ironic that people seem hesitant to actually write down actual text to reference later.  Once you commit to something in writing, you are making a contract you should not want to break.

So let’s toss those resolutions aside and set some goals.

Happy New Year!

 

Where are the Magazine Reviews?

I stopped writing magazine reviews for Bead & Button, Art Jewelry, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, and Step by Step Wire Jewelry this summer.  Although I loved exploring and highlighting the pros and cons of each issue, I found that these blog posts were some of the least popular.  If these reviews were helpful or you would like for me to continue to review these and other jewelry making magazines, please leave a comment or contact me via Facebook or Twitter.

Out of the aforementioned magazines, I have cancelled my subscription for Art Jewelry because I found the magazine to be repeating what I was receiving in other magazines.  As a member of  the American Craft Council, I receive American Craft which is a very well made magazine that delves into the business of the craft world.  If you are in the crafting market, I would recommend joining the American Craft Council to get this magazine.  The benefits of being a member are listed on the website.

This magazine is a constant favorite.  It offers a lot of variety.  If you are a beader, you would love this magazine because it champions off the loom beading techniques.  I find the title’s tagline “your complete beading resource” to be pretty accurate.  Every issue revisits the basic beading stitches and the projects will keep you busy for years to come.  I also love how the magazine incorporated wirework in their repertoire.

Gotta love this magazine.  It combines my love of gemstones and metal work.  The inspiration found in these pages gives the right amount of encouragement to polish and learn more skills.  I would strongly recommend this magazine to anyone who wants to push their jewelry making craft to jewelry art.

Wirework  and wire jewelry are personal favorites.  This magazine offers a variety of projects at various levels.  If the project is not something you would do, the techniques demonstrated in the project could be a springboard for your imagination and creative endeavors.  This is one magazine where I find inspiration in the editorial commentary.

Each magazine picture is a link to the vendor’s website.  If you are curious about a magazine, I strongly advise you to go to your local bookstore or craft store to purchase a copy.  Sometimes these magazines would deliver to you an evaluation copy, I would contact the magazine to see if you can get in on that deal.  Either way, give these magazines a try.  If there is a magazine you subscribe to and think I should give a try, please comment.  I’m always open to reviewing new magazines and books.

 

 

The Countdown Madness for Christmas Has a Timer

Yes, Virginia, there is a Christmas Countdown Clock.

On a whim I searched out “how many days until Christmas” and I found this timer which gives me pause.

Not actual timer but click the pic for the real countdown clock

Don’t get me wrong, I love this time of year.  I love to shop for gifts for my family and friends.  I love to give gifts.  And I love how many people seem to tap into that peaceful person that lurks underneath that life hardened exterior for the sake of the season.  But on the flip side of that peaceful Norman Rockwell pictorial is…

Black Friday Madness

A woman in a Wal-mart pepper sprays 20 people to get that deal.  You can read that story here.  Now that is MADNESS!

So don’t let the Christmas Countdown ruffle your feathers.  Relax with a cup of tea and search the internet for your deals.  If you want to go out amongst the people, do it because you WANT to not because you HAVE to.  Shop at small businesses where customer service is a priority and your money would be appreciated.  Finally, don’t let the clock fool you into believing your window for gift giving is going to end on a certain day.  In reality, everyday should be a day to exchange gifts,  share kind words, and do random acts of kindness to show you care.  Why leave it for a single day?

 

Free Shipping at the Studio

Forget Black Friday and Cyber-Monday.  Kelli Craft Studio is having free shipping for all purchases made between November 25-28.  This would be a great time to get those handmade wonders that have tantalized your eyes.  Just use coupon code FreeShip11 at check-out to get free shipping.

Wire Hoops with Zebra Print Beads

 

Christmas Ornaments Gift Card Holders

 

A Frosty Gift Exchange Gift Card Holders

 

Gold Hoops with Tiger Print

 

 

 

A Zebra Walks into a Silver Hoop and…

…a new Kelli Craft Studio design is born.

Wire Hoops with Zebra Print Beads

 

Wire Links and Zebra Bead Bracelet

 

Velvet Choker with Zebra Bead

 

I had fun working with the zebra motif.  I wanted to create sexy, sultry jewelry that has a bit a eccentric fun splashed in.  What do you think?

 

Knock on Wood and the Like

A theme runs through most of my work.  I tend to work in multiple of 3′s.  Whether it’s a design element or the final product, the number 3 becomes a huge part of the process.

Here is what I found on What’s Your Sign:

Three: The spiritual meaning of number Three deals with magic, intuition, fecundity, and advantage. The number Three invokes expression, versatility, and pure joy of creativity. Three is also a time identifier as it represents Past, Present and Future. Consecutive Threes in your life may symbolize the need to express yourself creatively, or consider your present directional path in relation to past events and future goals. Three may also represent promising new adventures, and assurance of cooperation from others whom you may require help. Three typically symbolizes reward and success in most undertakings.

Since I love to express myself creatively and I derive joy from making my creations, I must say the number 3 fits.

 

 

 

A Rejoinder For Cracking Beads and Taking Names

Amber Tears- Coming Soon

 

After cracking two of these precious amber colored beads, I decided to go into a different direction.  With some twists and turns, I created these Amber Tears.  Amber is worn for good luck.

 

A Controlled Spiral of Copper

Yellow Copper Spiral

 

Red Copper Spiral

 

Recently I read an article where the writer stated that raw copper was ugly.  She made a point to say that the copper needed to be artificially antiqued to be truly beautiful.  I disagree.