Workedy working

Do you know how much 12,000 baggies weigh? I do! I just ordered that many (in 6 different sizes) and the box that is due to be delivered tomorrow is 44lbs. That's around a 4-5 month supply for me. It's totally nuts, but also totally necessary for the kits.

I was doubly productive today with Mom's help. Not only did I work on finishing up some samples that needed to get shipped out, but Mom managed to knock out my entire backlog of shipping random things that needed to go out. AND I got my email inbox back down to under 50! My goal is to whittle that down to 30 before I leave on the road trip next week. Baby steps in getting caught up, but I'm really feeling the difference.

Now, if I could only spend the next week doing nothing but beading!! My one big freak out this week is getting the samples made and photographed to ship out to Bead & Button next Friday. I also have to price out the class kits and write descriptions... I only have one figured out for sure. I'm working on a few others, but they need some time and attention. Luckily with the temperatures hitting 100+ every single day in Austin, I basically don't leave the house at all so beading time is easy to come by that way.

Not the most exciting blog post in the world, but the reality is I'm just slogging away on chores for the moment!

Miami Report

The July meeting of the South Florida Jewelry Arts Guild

I just got back from a five day trip to Miami, Florida, to teach some classes for the South Florida Jewelry Arts Guild. What a wonderful group of women down there! On Thursday night was the monthly group meeting, which was attended by roughly 40 enthusiastic Guild members. I saw some really amazing pieces of jewelry adorning bodies! Artists doing everything from polymer clay to fused glass, and PMC to beadweaving - all facets of jewelry arts were well represented among the membership.

And I was lucky enough (and brave enough) to teach the group a new earring project that I developed just for them called Whirligig Earrings. Most of the women left with at least one earring completed, and some wore their finished set out the door! The earrings were definitely a hit, and I will be rolling them out as a new kit in the very near future. I have to restock first!! They bought me out!!

As is true all across the country, the weather was less than delightful. Hot. Rainy. Muggy. But we had beads, excellent food, and even better...BEADS! I taught a total of five classes in five days, and came back with a significantly lighter load of kits. I'm very grateful to the ladies of the Guild for inviting me to come visit and I hope they adore their new jewelry!!

Mariela Corte & I after the Rosetta Suite Class

So now that I'm home I'm facing 10 days to restock kits, develop my class submissions for the 2012 Bead & Button Show, and do anything else I need to do before I leave on a 21 day road trip. My goal for tonight is to take a kit inventory so I can figure out what kits need to be made, and what supplies have to be ordered pronto! Having Mom here to help is such a wonderful thing...

Drum roll, please....

And the lucky winner of our Beaducation.com Free Online Class contest is.....

Sarah Dockery! 

Thank you to everyone who entered, and left such wonderful comments on the blog, and also those who have been so supportive on Facebook. Making the videos was initially quite a scary-feeling stretch for me, but in the end was such a fun and fulfilling experience. Stay tuned...because there are two more classes that are scheduled to release this fall!

Here are a few photos from our video shoot that I have been waiting to share with you...

We used some of my jewelry for a gorgeous display in the background!

Try not being intimidated by THAT camera staring at you!

The view from my chair. I would look in the monitor to see if my hands were centered.

My makeup crew!I'm ready for my close-up....

The mess outside the camera frame! That's how you know I was there!

Trouble with comments?

Hey folks!

So I've been hearing on Facebook that some of you have been trying to leave comments on the blog post for the free class from Beaducation giveaway and have not been able to do so. I hate that! So I just made some changes to the settings that I hope will help. Try again. And if that still doesn't work, no worries...just send a quick email to me at jill@tapestrybeads.com, and I'll get you entered!

Sleek Bracelet Class - ONLINE!

Today is a big, Big, BIG day! Launch Day for my first online video class with Beaducation.com! And even better than a new class? It's on SALE this week! And even better than THAT??? I'm going to give away a free Beaducation.com class this week to celebrate - any class they offer!!

Sleek Bracelet

 

Beginner level class!

$12.95 - but 20% off through July 15

To be entered in the contest, all you have to do is make a comment on this blog post. Easy shmeazy! I will then randomly choose the winning entry and announce it on Saturday, July 16.

My Plate Overfloweth

How do I manage to do these things to myself? Oh yeah...because I like my job and it makes me want to do cool projects and go teach cool people and so that makes it hard for me to say no to things.

But seriously - I look at my "immediate" to-do list and feel a little crazy.

• Kits for the Sleek Bracelet online video class which launches with Beaducation.com on Monday (I'll be having a giveaway for a free class on the blog next week! Details on Monday's post!)
• Kits for new Whirlygig Earrings which I will be teaching at the South Florida Jewelry Arts Guild Meeting in less than two weeks.
• Instructions need to be written for Whirlygig too
• Kits for the brand new Dew Drop Spiral Necklace that I'll be teaching there for the first time. Oh, and samples of the colorways need to be made.
• Instructions need to be written for Dew Drop Spiral 
• Restocking other kits for the classes in Florida
• Kits for the project I'm teaching at the Shreveport Bead Retreat in August. Samples made. Luckily the instructions are done on this one! It's Deborah Roberti's design which I'm teaching with her gracious permission.
• Figuring out how to send samples to stores in South New Jersey, North New Jersey, and California all at the same time when I only have one of some of the samples available. Plus I need the samples for teaching in Florida too. 
• Designing/figuring out projects to submit for the Bead & Button Show 2012 - they have to be mailed by Aug. 8th
• Still slogging away on book projects. I have about half done.
• Plotting and planning a new joint venture with Sylvie Lansdowne - Two Babes and a Bead Party! We're going to do bead retreats - first one will be over New Years weekend in Georgia. More details coming soon!

Thank goodness that Mom is able to spend more time helping. She's been amazing! She's taken over shipping all the orders, and can help more putting kits together.

Poor neglected blog

Dear Blog,
I know it's been a very long time since I last posted and I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am that I have been avoiding you. It's not you - it's me. You are perfect. I know you can be a little needy sometimes, and I thought I had gotten used to that. But I needed a break! After a little therapy, and a better understanding of how you and I might communicate better as a couple, I'm back. I hope you'll find it in your little Bloggy heart to forgive me. I do love you. I always will. I'm going to work on showing you how much and I will make it up to you.
xoxoxoxoxox,
Jill