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I saw the date yesterday, and thought it might be auspicious, so set to work - finally! - opening my shop on etsy....

Etsy beeanddew

The photography, as I have expressed before, was a painful process.  But the sun was shining brightly, and once I came up with a "scenario", a style, it went very well.  I am pleased with the results.  What I did was open up a book - in this case, Julia Cameron's The Vein of Gold - and stood it up, holding the pages open with rubber bands, and then used a knitting needle across the top to hang my work from.  So, the book pages are the backdrop.  I had a bit of trouble with some of my pieces, the camera would focus on the words behind the piece instead of the piece itself, but overall, it was very successful.  I am quite pleased with myself, and looking forward to the adventure.

I really like having the book as a background.  When I started thinking about opening a crafts business, I thought about doing bookmarks exclusively.  I love books, and my mother was a librarian.  I may still do bookmarks, even though books themselves are becoming obsolete.  I think we will always have books.  In any case, as something to set my photographs apart and distinguish my style, and as I am starting to think about branding, it is nice to have books included.

I do not yet have any of my silver work up for sale.  I took a small break over the holidays, and now as I approach my work I have found myself very attracted to the colors and varieties of beads.  Also, I made a few gifts from beads for Christmas, which were very successful.  But I am heading back to seeds soon, and beads will be incorporated in that.  I am also thinking a lot about future projects, and how to make components that can be used with beads.

Oh!  Over the holidays I received two requests for commissions!  A pendant to commemorate an engagement (there are some lovely romantic fellows out there, ladies!) and a cross for a friend for her teenage son.  It's very exciting.  I am wrestling as well, in part based on one of the commissions, about which class I should take this semester.

And... I am now studying lam rim, going further into Tibetan Buddhism after taking the meditation class.  I would love to talk more about it, but I have only had one class, and although I am very intrigued, I have to admit that I am puzzled.  I am starting the class in the middle, and the text is very dense.  But the teacher is wonderful, so I am sure I will learn.




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