BusyBeadLady

Vintage Rothmoor Black Wool Coat

2010-06-11T12:55:00.005-04:00

Exquisite tailoring

Being My Own Model

2010-06-11T12:05:00.009-04:00

I alway see such nice photos on etsy and bonanzle. These are the sites where I sell my product.

The photos that I love have models showcasing the product.

I felt that some of my items needed that touch, so I searched my mind for the perfect model. I have a niece who is absolutely beautiful and she was my #1 choice. But, alas, asking a young, vibrant girl to give up her time to model her aunt's product produced no results. In her favor, she does work hard - two jobs! In fact no one wanted to actually do it, not for love or money! Actually, not much money was offered, mostly just the chance at fame on the internet!

On to plan B. I could try to do it. I have never felt photogenic, in fact I hate having my picture taken. My photographer (my husband) sighed and tried to get out of the job. I had to trust that he could focus the camera. Doesn't sound to good for plan B!!

So, one morning, with the makeup and curling iron ready and waiting, I primped for my photo shoot. When I felt ready, I found my photographer, up to his elbows in dirt, pulling weeds in the garden.

We were very stiff at first. Me with my gut sucked in and him asking how to turn the camera on. We took many pictures with the hope of getting one that was OK. Fat chance.

Days later we were having a bit more fun with this project. I loosend up and he was more familar with the camera. We joked like we were on a real photo shoot, with him telling me "To work it, Baby."

I still feel that there is much room for improvement, but it is a fun expierence!

Hope you give it a try. And don't worry about knobby knees, wrinkles, age spots or thin hair, that's what photoshop is for!

Not Quite Vintage

2010-06-02T09:41:00.003-04:00

Great dress listed on bonanzle, which features great pre-owned items that are not quite vintage. Please visit AgelessThings on bonanzle.

Lovely romantic dress by Bizzit.

From the early nineties, it is a long, flowing dress in white with lovely red and yellow flowers.

A ruffled collar V's in the front and is closed with a pearly button.

This dress is very feminine.

It is pre-owned in nice condition. No rips, tears or stains.

It is 65% polyester, 35% cotton.

Made in Thailand. It is machine washable, tumble dry.

Size is small. Model was 8 petite, so that will give you an idea of size.

Measures approximate when laying flat on bed.

Bust 36 inches

Waist 34 inches

Hips 42 inches

Shoulder 3 1/2 inches

Length 49 inches

This is My Home

2010-05-27T12:03:00.007-04:00

I remember the day I first came to St. Petersburg, Florida. It was over 34 years ago.

I was traveling with two friends. It was a cold and snowy February day in New England, when we left. We were looking for warmth and sun.

I remember crossing the Howard Franklin bridge from Tampa to St. Pete. The wonderful spans of blue water. Seagulls swooping to catch a fish. And yes, dolphins arching thru the water. I fell in love.

St. Pete is my home. I quickly adjusted to the economic structure, finding a job in the hospitality industry. It was perfect for me, meeting new people, making lifetime friends. My income was quite sufficient.

Over the years, I have gotten married and bought a house. It is a small house, by today's standards, but it has been my home for over 20 years.

Today, my life and my way of living is in grave danger.

Over forty-one days ago, a mistake was made. Someone did not do their homework. And the sad thing is real humans like myself are in a situation over which they have no control. What happens if and when this black goo, oil, comes here? It is a question I am asking every day now.

I have so many questions. How is the process of burning and using dispersant's affecting my air? What will happen if a tropical storm, or worse still a hurricane happens in the gulf this summer? Will this place be unlivable? I wonder if the people in other states, not affected, will care. Or if the demand for more oil, no matter the cost, will prevail.

Right now, the oil is not here. I look at the photos of Louisiana and cry. My heart is broken for your beautiful home. I pray that a way to stop this will be found. And I hope that every country looks at the damage and destruction that can occur and take greater care.

If you can't stop it, please don't start it.

Spread Your Wings and Fly

2010-05-08T10:29:00.006-04:00

I've spent the morning watching nature take it's course.

Every year the woodpeckers show up at our backyard tree. They peck and peck. Sometimes it drives you crazy. Eventually the hole is made for their nest. Do we see baby woodpeckers? No, as soon as the hole is done, families of blackbirds start bringing twigs to the hole, build their nest and move in.

This year we have two to three nests with baby blackbirds.

For weeks now, I have watched the adult birds spend hours flying back and forth with tidbits of food for the little ones. I thought how tired they must be at the end of the day.

This morning I noticed one of the adults on our wires, chirping away and lifting it's wings up and down. As I watched, I realized he (or she) was showing one of the babies how to start flying. This has gone on for a few hours now.

The baby peeps it's indignation at leaving the nest. The teacher patiently shows the baby again and again.

I worry because it is a long way down and there is a possibility of being captured by one of my three cats. I guess that is nature's way, but in my mind I keep repeating "Blackbird Fly" to the melody of the Beatle's George Harrison.

ETSY FRIENDS TEAM GIVEAWAY

2010-05-02T00:59:00.004-04:00

Would like to tell everyone about the fab giveaway my team is having.

Welcome to an event that you wont want to miss! Someone is going to get so lucky that they win 20 handmade goodies from 20 different shops worth more than $230! Take a moment to toss your entry in the basket because the winner might be you!

Find out how to win- click here to go to etsy friends blog page.

When Life Gets in the Way

2010-04-18T22:12:00.006-04:00

So many things to do, so little time.

I am in the hospitality industry, in Florida. The winters are filled with hours serving cocktails, dinners, deserts and coffee.

I'm not complaining, because I am lucky to have a job. It just seems that there isn't enough hours in a day.

When I have a day off, or even a few hours, I just want to kick off the uniform and relax.

Then I feel guilty because the floors need cleaning and there are dishes to be washed. The refrigerator has some Bleu Cheese dressing with an expiration date of Dec., 2009 and I guess I should clean it out soon. And a two hour trip to the grocery store would make those every night burgers go away.

There are things I love doing, working on my jewelry, watching a good movie without falling to sleep or reading a book. I do enjoy going out to dinner but then I would have to exert the energy to get dressed!

Of course I try to make time to keep up social networking. I think I have called my best friend once since November.

But summer is coming and the snowbirds are heading north. I will miss them.

But when my boss tells me to go home early because business is slow, my house will be spotless. I will have a wonderful dinner with a glass of wine. I'll watch some stupid movie on TV and complain that there is nothing to do.

Brotherly Love

2010-03-09T12:43:00.005-05:00

Just had to share this...

Aw Dandelion

2010-02-01T00:54:00.009-05:00

Dandelion has been trying to keep up with her correspondence, especially writing all those Valentine's Day cards to her beau.

New Babies

2009-11-16T22:46:00.006-05:00

Victoria Secret Mustard Yellow Victorian Sexy Negligee

2009-10-05T23:26:00.005-04:00

Little slip of silk and lace. Made by Victoria Secret.

Empire styling to accentuate every curve. The bodice is made of rayon and cotton, and the body is 100% silk.

The spaghetti straps are adjustable. Flower and swirl embroidered lace accents the bustline and under the arms.

Could be worn as a slip.

Size medium.

Now available AgelessThings on bonanzle

Etsy, Bonanzle, Artfire

2009-09-02T10:31:00.006-04:00

One of the things I love on a Saturday morning is to hop in the car and go estate and garage saling.
Etsy is a wonderful site, but with the 20 year vintage rule many of the neat things I find do not qualify for my AgelessThings store.
I have an ebay account, but with the fees they charge it did not meet my needs.
I found bonanzle. I opened what they call a booth. I can list anything there. I am still finding my way around. It is alot like etsy, with forums and favorites and their form of front page treasury. But there are significant differences too. They have what is called a bonanza, where you can have a sale once a month. Haven't tried that yet. You can also hold an auction, haven't tried that either.
After much thought about both my AgelessThings on etsy and my AgelessThings on bonanzle I decided to concentrate on clothing. I love purses and shoes. I also find great designer clothing now and then.
The thing I find about clothing is that it is hard to photograph without a beautiful model. Although I am beautiful in many ways, I am older and starting to show signs of wear. Also that would leave my husband to take all the pictures. He is a great guy, but he already invests enough time to my projects. A man needs his space.
I have another store on etsy called BusyBeadLady. In it I sell the handmade jewelry that I make in my spare time. I really love doing this, but with all the competition on the internet it is a full time job promoting. I also list any vintage jewelry I find in my travels.
I also have a store on Artfire called BusyBeadLady. I started as a paying member, then downgraded to a free membership. I feel that having this store is kind of a waste of my time. It's not that artfire is a bad site, I only can list 10 items for free and nobody really visits and I have not made a sale in almost a year. I do not invest much here and therefore don't get much back.
So on a nice Saturday morning, I hop in the car and I go to the local thrift stores, estate sales and garage sales. It is a nice break from the business of selling online. But then I get home, take pictures, list, double check for sales, promote, ect., ect.
Gosh I love doing this.

Rearrange your shop

2009-08-06T12:56:00.002-04:00

I have been secretly involved as a beta tester for rearrange your shop.
Now that it's on the forums, a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I am not usually very good at keeping secrets!
As a beta tester, we can look at each others shops. I have seen so many lovely combinations. Some use color, others rearrange by product. The neat thing is it really makes a store look uniform.
For mine, I can put a pair of earring next to a necklace that it compliments and maybe a bracelet.
I haven't spent alot of time, yet. It is fairly easy to use.
What would be really nice is if you would view the treasury I made, by browsing in the newly arranged shops. As you cannot view our shops in this mode yet, it will give you an idea of how neat your product stands out.
Here' the link...
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=74456

9 Months Later, The Baby is Born

2009-07-28T12:47:00.004-04:00

On July 11, 2009, my etsy store, BusyBeadLady, has been opened for 9 months.

Nine months ago, the seed was planted and fertilized by a brief encounter with the Martha Stewart show. The idea that there was a place to show and possibly sell my product, was romantic and irresistible.

As with anyone finding out that they are about to have a baby, I tried to find out as much as I could about the process. Oh the excitement of a new adventure! Of course my baby was going to be the most perfect, desirable baby ever born.

Over the last 9 months, my baby has grown in the belly of etsy. I give it the nutrition of listing, blogging and twittering. I brag to everyone about it on the forums and chat rooms. I check it's health with site optimizers and google analyst.

Being the proud mother has a set back. When nobody views my baby, it makes me sad. Am I a good mother? Where did I go wrong? Then I think of all there is left to do do to give my baby every chance in this cyber world, better pictures and descriptions. Perhaps remaking the item. Is the pricing right? Am I showing my baby in dirty diapers or giving it the scrubbed, baby powder look that will attract the attention it deserves.

As with any child, the more love and respect I give my store, the more I will receive back in the end.

As we embark on our life together, mother and child will grow. Hopefully my child will take care of me well into my old age.

New Store

2009-06-22T21:25:00.006-04:00

I have always loved sifting thru the piles in the local thrift stores.
Or spending a Saturday morning driving around looking for garage and estate sales.
Often I will buy something that stirs my interest, never to use it.
I have jewelry pieces that I thought I would take apart and use in my work, but I cannot find the heart to desecrate the piece.

I am particularlly attracted to purses, shoes and old books. I have quite a collection of first editions. Today I used my Jane Eyre, 1943, edition to photograph against for my new store.
My new store, AgelessThings is a place to find new homes for items I fall in love with. You may find almost anything that I can't resist. I hope you will come visit and spend some time. It will be growing daily.

WHO IS THE INDIE ARTIST?

2009-05-21T13:44:00.005-04:00

One evening, not long ago I spent quite a few enjoyable hours on the forums in etsy.

I had started a thread in promotions. Now, the promotion threads die easily, so to keep it alive I visited the stores who did post and wrote a little comment on each.

I met some amazing etsy sellers. Wheither it was a seasoned or newbie store, I wondered how buyers pick just one to buy from. It was overwhelming.

I reluctantly drew myself away from my computer.

With the wish of winning the lottery (so I could buy everything I saw) and a slight backache from sitting too long, I ran a hot bath and made a cup of tea. I settled in the tub, ready to relax. Closing my eyes, a strange thought entered my head.

Who are these people that open shops on etsy?

I imagined the whole world crafting away!

Now, looking at the handmades on etsy, it is hard to tell who is behind them.

A beautifully crocheted item may have been made by a grandmother, a teenager or even - gasp - a man.

The maker of childrens items may have a house full of children or none at all.

Imagine a jewelry maker who doesn't wear jewelry.

But making something with your own two hands is not a geographical concern. Nor does it know age or gender. What is involved is imagination. A desire to create something tangible from a wisp of an idea.

It is knowing that even if the whole world is making the same thing, your's is unique because there is a piece of you in the item.

So I decide that I must look at the indie artist differently. I don't care about the age or gender. And I could care less if the view from their window is the Pacific Ocean or the sidewalks of Paris.

When I see a get well card, I know the hands that made it felt a need of making the receiver feel better.

When I view a felted monster or toy, I feel the smile behind it's making.

There is a warmth that is added in all the knitting, quilting and crochet.

Can you feel the love in the wedding products, the desire to adorn you by the jeweler.

And what about the photographer who give us that nano second in time to hold forever.

I could go on and on (I bet you thought I was going to).

The indie artist is all about feeling while creating. It's what handmade is all about.

And thats who these people are. I'm proud to say I am one of them.

WHERE DOES YOUR INSPIRATION COME FROM?

2009-05-06T16:08:00.016-04:00

In most of the interviews that I read of etsy sellers, there is one question that scares the heck out of me. "Where does your inspiration come from?" The answers given are usually very good and really make you want to look at the seller's work.

My inspiration is a concept that totally baffles me. Even when I ask myself "Where did that come from?", my mind is a blank.

Many times when I purchase beads and things, it is on a whim, an impulse buy. It may sit in my stash for a long time without any recognition of it's real potential. I have been known to find a bag of product, months later, tucked away in a cabinet. Oh yea - let me make something with this! I'm inspired.

Other times "inspirations" come on me like a hurricane in Florida. I'm sitting around wondering what to make and the greatest idea comes to me. I'll make wedding jewelry. I'll do a whole line with this idea. I run out and replenish my pearl and crystal supplies. I scour the bridal magazines for "inspiration". Finally my creation, a new necklace is born. I'm on my way! Cool! Now to make the earrings.

As I dig thru my stash, looking for a silver bead for the new wedding earrings, I find this great piece of turquoise that I purchased last May. Wow, why didn't I make something with that? It's beautiful and with some coral and black colored beads it would be fabulous.

Where are those black beads that I purchased in the fall?

I push the pearls and crystals off to the side of my work bench. I drag out my bin of black beads. I search thru the little plastic bags which I use to "organize" my beads. I find the right bead. Now where did I put the turquoise? It's definitely mixed in somewhere with these pearls and crystals.

So when I do my first interview as a seller, I'm just going to lie when they ask me where my inspiration comes from. I'll tell the interviewer "I put on my CD of ocean sounds and I close my eyes and think of the nature of things. I see the blue of the bluebirds, the browns of the owls, the reds of the roses and it inspires me to make beautiful jewelry." I won't mention the cluttered work space. And I won't admit that what started out as pearl earrings ended up being a Southwest turquoise necklace.

Etsy Day

2009-04-24T10:06:00.008-04:00

Happy Etsy Day,

A great idea was circulated in the forums by Schugirl. She wished to create awareness for etsy by using signs that say "Did you Etsy.com today?". (click to print one) By placing these signs in your car window, she felt that it might cause people to question what Etsy is and possibly visit Etsy to find out. This is the day that was picked to do this. Please go print a sign, display it in a prominent place and join the fun.

EARTH DAY PRAYER

2009-04-22T11:44:00.002-04:00

Dear Lord,
I am but a speck on this earth.
You gave us an ecosystem that is so exact and perfect, until I effect it by my selfish changes.
Please guide me to respect, love and care for every detail of my world.
It's not easy, dear Lord, in this day and age.
I am very used to my lifestyle.
There is not a minute in my day that I don't take advantage of what my planet has to offer.
Maybe it is in your plans that we won't last forever and I won't question your wisdom.
But, please dear Lord, let us survive as long as we can, enjoying our earth as you made it.
Please help me to see the beauty of each element, and do all that I can to protect your vision.
Show me the way to use what you have given us, without destroying something else in the process.
Guide our leaders and statesmen to find answers.
I am but a speck on this earth.

Earth Day Challenge

2009-04-12T18:34:00.002-04:00

Please come and vote in the Etsy Friends Earth Day challenge. The prize is a sampler box with items from the shops of my etsy friend and myself.

Although I would love it if you vote for my item, all of the challenge items are wonderful.

IN MY LIFE, I'VE LOVED THEM ALL

2009-03-30T23:37:00.008-04:00

This will be a series of posts to honor the women in my life.

I believe that we all come to be who we are because of the people who surround us.

Although men have been influences to me, I would like to concentrate on the women.

I would like to start at the beginning. Perhaps you think that this would be my mother, but it is not.

My mother had a very hard life. As the story goes, when I was 4 days old I went to live with my grandma. Only problem - grandma was not my grandma. She was the mother of the lady who was taking care of my sister who is 3 years older than me. Confused? She also had 13 other children. When her real grandchildren came over, they all called her grandma, so that is where I must have picked up the name. She was born and raised in Canada on a farm. She was married 3 times and had 16 children, two who died. I lived with grandma until I was 8 years old.

Grandma was robust, with soft spots to cuddle when things weren't going my way. She had snowy white hair which she wore in a bun, but at night before bed she would let it down. It was very long and I would brush it 100 strokes every night.

Grandma had very strong ideas about what a woman was all about. She didn't drink alcohol and she did not smoke. She believed in God and prayer. She kept a spotless home. She treasured the things she had. She was never sloppy when going out in public. She loved her family. She believed in education. She didn't tolerate crap from men. Grandpa came by often for visits, but did not live with us. Sometimes he stayed for hours, sometime for days. I can't say that I understand this relationship as they were married, and as a child I never questioned it. I was just always happy to see him. I think she cared for him, but just couldn't live with him.

Grandma was a story teller. She would tell me about when her children were young and all the things they did. She had many pictures and it was one of my favorite things to have her tell me who everyone was and what they were like.

Grandma was a sewer. She made all her clothes and much of mine. I remember her fingers bleeding from stitching braided rugs together. She loved to crochet and taught me simple stitches.

At 8 years old, I went to live with my mother and my sister. It tore my heart apart to be separated from grandma. She had an eye disease and one of her eyes had to be removed. Her sense of humor was "I'm blind in one eye and can't see out of the other."

She lived for 6 more years. I often took the bus to her place and spent many hours in her sewing room, talking and watching her work. I remember two pictures that hung on her walls, one of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and one of president John F. Kennedy. She died at 85 years old.

Grandma gave me my first sense of who I am, a strong woman in a hard world. Someone who doesn't give up easy. I think my faith in God comes from her. I feel that she let me know that thinking for myself was a good thing. Having a contentment with what I have in life, and treasuring it would be something she would like. Working with my hands in a constructive, artistic way would have appealed to her.

I am pretty sure that an inner longing to be part of a big family comes from this time. And maybe the reason I spent most of my teens and twenties rebelling against society was because the simple life she lived was no longer possible in my world.

I never did inherit or learn to keep a spotless house. I often run to the store with a baseball cap on my head and I enjoy a beer or cocktail from time to time.

Sometimes when I least expect it, she comes to me in a thought or action. It's like she is telling me that she likes who I have become and is proud of me, but that there is always room for improvement.

FIRST CRAFT SHOW THIS YEAR

2009-03-21T21:02:00.006-04:00

I usually try to sell at 3 or 4 shows every year. The first one will be April 11th. in the quaint town of Gulfport. Gulfport is a very art oriented town on the outskirts of St. Petersburg. The show is called Springfest.

The picture on the left is of an event called Get Rescued. It was held February 28th. for the animals.

As you can see, many people love to come to events held here. Our northern neighbors are down for the winter, and the weather is beautiful this time of year.

Another wonderful thing is that electricity is provided for vendors, which allows Gulfport to have 1st Friday and 3rd. Saturday Art Walks, evening events.

If you happen to be in the Tampa Bay area on April 11, 2009, please stop by and say hello.

I have included a link to the Gulfport Merchants site. Just click the title of this post.

MARKETING

2009-03-14T09:54:00.006-04:00

Since opening a store on etsy, I have become one with my computer. Thankfully, my husband has a great disposition and a sense of humor. I get up in the morning, before my eyes are fully open or a cup of coffee, the computer is turned on. Between shifts at my real world job, I take the short time I have to click on and see if anything is happening. At night is when I have some real time. I am on the computer before my shoes are off!

I have my routine. First I check my etsy site, then it's off to my artfire. Next is usually Craftcult to see if I have any new hearts , or been featured anywhere (not yet), a new feature they've added. I then travel to either my blog (which hopefully is where you are), or on the etsy forums to visit. Once I have accomplished all of this, I kind of go surfing. My favorite's site is so filled with places I want to spend more time on! I wonder when my computer will go "Warning,
warning! I'm stuffed!"

Anyway, this brings me to a site I found last night. It is packed with tips by etsy sellers and for etsy sellers. I read most of the articles, but one really seemed tailored to me. It is written by AmyVanderVorste. (She owns avlor imprints, a lovely shop with banners, avatars, stationery and art prints.) The article is under the Shop Tips section, and is titled "eating a marketing elephant". Great title, Amy! It addresses the issue of scattering yourself around. She gives great tips that I intend to implement, especially the one about concentrating on one thing and perfecting it, then moving on to the next.

I don't suppose that I will give up surfing completely, but facebook, twitter etc. etc. will be on hold for a little longer. How will they survive without me! So much to do - so little time.

God Works in Mysterious Ways

2009-03-11T10:19:00.005-04:00

On Saturday night my husband and I finished working a very pretty wedding at the country club where we are employed. It was late and we had just sat down on the couch to have a snack before retiring. I still had to work in the morning and with the time change I was already going to loose an hour of sleep. We heard a loud bang! We knew that an accident had happened. But our surprise was yet to come.

The accident involved my husband's truck! It seems that at 1:40 in the AM, a vehicle came down a 3 lane, one way road and smashed into the only parked vehicle on the whole block! What surprised me was the fact that this person was never given a sobriety test! It seems that the person was OK, which I thank God for, and had exited the vehicle before anyone saw them. Therefore, as per the police, they could not conduct the sobriety test, as they could not prove this person was the driver. This person was the only one there, admitted to driving and was issued a careless driving ticket. Does this make sense to anyone here? Let me make myself perfectly clear, I don't know if alcohol was involved or not. Perhaps this person just fell asleep at the wheel. The point is that it may have been involved, and was even suggested to us that it may have been involved. What an injustice this law is to every sober driver on the road!

Although I do not understand the logic and feel violated in the fact that I will never know the truth about what happened, I have to look at this incident in a different light. God allowed someone to live on Saturday night and killed a truck instead.

PHOTOGRAPHY

2009-03-03T22:53:00.005-05:00

Since joining the etsy community I have been learning something new everyday.

Just a couple of months ago the only thing I used my computer for was to play games, type the occasional letter, or look up some fact to win a bet.

One thing I notice on etsy is the fantastic photographs. Years ago I owned a gift shop and when I closed it down I still had product left, a whole garage full. Back then ebay was just starting and I decided to give it a try to relieve me of all this stuff. My wonderful husband bought me a camera, a really nice one, to take pictures. Ebay's suggestion was to take clear, clean photos with a plain background. I guess this suggestion took a good hold on me because my first photos for etsy are very plain.

I have been studying photos that I like on the treasurys and in listings and I am trying to make more appealing settings for my jewelry. The following are a few things I have taught myself.

Lighting is very important. I take all of my pictures outside on a sunny day but I pick a shaded spot to set up. Most of the time it is on our brick barbecue grate. I never use the flash as it reflects on the metal of the jewelry, and sometimes on the glass or stone beads, so the light has to be just right. I think the right lighting makes the true colors come out in the photo.

Focus is another important step. My camera has a feature where you hold the shutter button down 1/2 way. If you are in focus the light is a solid green, when out of focus it is a blinking green light. Sometimes I have to move up, down or to the left or right, but I never take a photo until that light is solid green. Your camera may have a different focus setup as mine is an older, digital camera. Just remember - focus, focus, focus!

Background are an added plus to your work. This is the area I am exploring now. I start by turning a plastic Rubbermaid container upside down. I put a white tablecloth over it. This provides me with a solid background which hides anything that I don't want to show behind the item I'm photographing. I can lean a picture, a straw place mat, a floral, pretty paper or whatever against it to be my background. I find all kinds of things around the house for this. Then I hunt for a display for my item. It can be a rock, or a basket. Sometimes I use a piece of pottery to lay my item over. The only limits are your imagination.

I take anywhere from 10 to 15 pictures of the item on different backgrounds and displays. This gives me plenty of options of what I will finally use. Then it's off to the computer. My printer is a HP photosmart and the edit program is very simple. The first thing I do is to crop the picture in the square option. I crop it as close around the item as possible. After all, the buyer wants to see the detail of my item. Sometimes I will play with the brightness and contrast button if the color is off, but this scares me. If I have taken the time to so all of the above, I usually have my 5 photos. I then pick the ones I like the best and I'm off to list my item.

If you go to my store you will still see the white, plain background on my items. I am slowly rephotographing to replace these. I think my newer listings are more interesting with my new knowledge. What do you think?

BLACK CATS

2009-03-01T13:34:00.009-05:00

Meet Forest Gump

One Sunday morning last January, my husband and I were sitting on the couch reading the Sunday paper. I glanced out the window and a black tom cat was crossing the street. Behind him was a tiny ball of fur flopping around. I thought it was one of the kittens that PaPa, a black and white feral cat who was propagating all over the neighborhood, had sired. I also thought this little kitten might have gotten hit by a car. Running outside, the kitten saw me and ran for the protection of a van parked nearby. I coaxed him out by dangling a twig branch in front of him. I grabbed him and beelined across the street.

Once inside, I examined him for injuries. It seemed that the only thing wrong with him was actually a birth defect, having no haunch joint in his back leg. Oh, and an awful infestation of fleas. I quarantined him from my other cats until I could get him examined at the vet.

My wonderful vet checked him out and concluded that he was a very healthy specimen other than his leg. He suggested that I think about amputation of the leg, siting how many happy three legged cats there are. I immediately put an end to that conversation. My opinion was that God made him that way, let me find him, and as long as it caused him no pain I wasn't going to challenge God's work.

Forest is a delightful, sweet cat who is now 1 1/2 years old. He maneuvers around using his gimp leg like you would on a skateboard. When he hits the tile he just picks the leg up and glides across like floor. He got his name from his ability to run, forest, run. He is so fast. Especially if company shows up, he doesn't like people. And he has managed to conquer all surfaces except the kitchen table. Every night he gets into bed and kneads his favorite stuffed bear as I tell him what a good boy he is.

MEET FRED

Fred was the kitten from hell that no one wanted.

My next door neighbor at the time, had 5 kids and one of them had found this kitten. His dad did not want the cat. I happened to be in the backyard when he threw the kitten over the fence into our yard while saying "They have so many cats, they'll never notice another one." We had 3 outdoor cats at the time.

Needless to say, I now had another cat. I brought this "sweet" thing into my home. He leaped from my arms. Before I could catch him, he was attacking my biggest cat, Tinker. What a sight, this tiny fit in my hand kitten beating up on a 21lb. butterball indoor cat. Trying to get Fred off of Tinker I bent down and clapped my hands real loud. Now, I am no fool. I did not put my hands in the middle of a cat fight. But this little guy let go of Tinker and leaped up and latched on to me! I still have bite and scratch scars to prove it. Thank goodness he was also a very healthy cat. I love cats, but that will never happen again.

Fred proved to be a devil in a cat body. He terrorized my indoor cats and my husband and I every chance he got. Waiting for hours to grab our legs as we rounded a corner. His ears flat to his head and his yellow eyes glowing. Into every breakable thing I owned. Up all night running around the house. Tinker and my two other indoor cats never knew when his mean streak would appear. I developed a punishment for him. I would pick him up by the scruff of the neck, look him in the eye and sternly say "Get your mind right!" Then gently pet just his head and say "Love, Freddy". Don't know why this worked, but to this day, it still does.

Freddy is now 9 years old, and he is my favorite beading partner. He lays on my desk for hours, as I bead. He never bothers anything on my desk and I have a blanket down in his spot for him. He likes to wake my husband every morning by getting close to his face and mournfully crying.

He still has a wonderfully, adventurous nature. Loves it when you play with him. But every now and then the ears go back and the yellow eyes glow and I have to remind him to get his mind right!

I wonder what kind of life my two babies had before they found us. I am sure both had a very hard time. They have a soft life now, and I am so glad I am the one to provide that.

foundhandmade-free ad

2009-02-25T11:56:00.003-05:00

Please visit http://foundhandmade.com.
They are offering a month free block for your mentioning their web site on your blog.
I advertised when they 1st. started and liked it very much. They offered a free deal then, too.
Hurry though, this offer ends 2-28-09.

OF NO INTEREST TO ANYONE (but me) LOOK IF YOU WANT TO

2009-02-24T22:29:00.011-05:00

Where has the time gone. My last post was on the 19th of February. Oh, only 5 days ago. Why does it feel like sooo long?
I have been experiencing not only writer's block, but also artist block. I turn on the computer and go to my blog and end up reading more of other's blogs than writing mine. I sat down to make a bracelet. Two days later, after I had taken it apart about 15 times, I finally liked what the finished product looked like.
I think that living has just been getting in the way. I have been working many hours at my real world job, and we have had company down from Connecticut. I loved seeing the company and playing tourist here in Florida, but the working so much is for the birds. You see, the good news is that I have a job, the bad news is that I have a job.
Anyway, while I was reading everyone Else's blogs, I came across one that I like very much because of the positive nature of it. If you have a chance, stop by stellaltinaan.blogspot.com .
It will give you a nice boost. I also like following yourgreenshopper.blogspot.com. there is alot of good info on green things like the environment and health and shopping. Following gypsymoondesigns, she just seems like such a nice person.
So I will end this post. I hope next time I can come up with some fascinating subject, but right now I'll just go to bed and sleep on it.

Is America a Nation of Cowards

2009-02-19T10:27:00.003-05:00

Last night, as I was promoting my new treasury in the forums, I went to the Etc. forums just to see what they were about.

I found the above thread, posted by ShaNicDesign. Needless to say, many hours later, I found myself intrigued by the many views expressed by our etsy community. And for those few hours, I forgot about promoting and concentrated on the issue that Eric Holden, our Attorney General addressed.

I was impressed by the honesty, and openess of the posts. Also, I was impressed that it never turned nasty or judgemental. It was truly what Holden was promoting, and made me proud to be an etsian.

Check it out, but make sure you have the time, because one way or another, you will have an opinion to express.

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6048931

ETSY OR ARTFIRE

2009-02-15T12:53:00.003-05:00

I finally got off my butt and got creative. I made new product, took and edited my photos and listed the items.

I sell on two sites right now http://busybeadlady.etsy.com/ and http://busybeadlady.artfire.com/

The dilemma for me is what to list on which sites.

I have a few good reasons to have the two sites.

Etsy was my first. Etsy is a site that has a loyal following. I love the artsy look and feel of etsy. I like the fact that I can list items for a fairly reasonable price, and pay a minimal commission when I sell an item. I think the way the etsy community connects through the forums, chats, virtual labs and treasury is wonderful. I also like the look of my store on etsy. I do find that getting noticed on etsy is a constant battle, especially for jewelry makers. At first I relisted all the time. This can become a costly proposition. It does bring you to the front of the searches, but that is only momentarily. And I don't think etsy markets itself enough.

My artfire store on the other hand lets me list as much as I wish for a monthly fee, and no commission. The searches are random. I have searched my items and sometimes they are on page 1 and other times they are on page 50. The look of the site and my store is not so artsy, but I am beginning to see many very good people putting their work on site. Also I love the fact that they let me connect back to my etsy site! I like that my item stay on the front page longer and larger, when I list an item. The community is not as tight, but I think that part is coming along. I found artfire though a magazine ad and I see their ads on many sites, so I know they are spending advertising dollars.

I try to spread my lisings to both sites. If buyers are like me, they get bored after looking at a couple of pages in a site and lose interest. Between both sites I have 72 items listed.

I don't feel compelled to love one site and hate the other, which is how many have expressed themselves on both sites. I think of it as an opportunity to reach as many people as possible.

A way to have my cake and eat it too. Besides, it gives me more places to check 20 times a day to see if I have made a sale!

TAG GAME

2009-02-12T22:05:00.011-05:00

I have been tagged by Gypsy Moon Designs.
Rules of tagging:
1. Link to the person who tagged you
2. Post these Rules in your Blog
3. Write 5 Random things about yourself
4. Tag random people at the end of your post and link to them
5. Let each Person know they've been tagged.

1) I was at Woodstock, yes the 1st. one.
2) I moved to Florida in 1976 thinking I could camp out in the Everglades till I found work. I changed my mind when I saw the Everglades, it's a swamp, but I still live in Florida.
3) I once lived in an apartment building with 6 units. All of the units were occupied by women. We all worked different hours and shifts. No matter what time you got home it seemed someone was relaxing on the veranda. Had some great times with these friends.
4) I have one brother and one sister.
5) I miss seeing the fall colors change. And walks in the woods.

I am tagging: HandmadebyAngie. WendiWinn. Pesky33. SygnetCreations.
Mannie of Mannie Mandible.

A TRIP TO THE BEAD STORES

2009-02-12T15:02:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was a busy day for the busy bead lady.

Tuesday night when I got home from my real world job, I thought maybe I would relist a couple of items.

I try to list in 3's so that my same colors are on the same line on my store page. My sister works for a department store and she told me that there is a certain way things are set up in color formation. It's kind of a psychic you into buying thing. Of course, etsy isn't set up to move listings around in your store so the only way to do this, that I know, is to relist them together. Any hoo, I'm getting off the subject! Forgive me, my mind tends to go places without me. Well, I noticed that there were only two pearl items on the first line and I figured I hadn't hit the finish button when I last relisted and the third pearl item had been sitting in inactive limbo since my last relisting. I went there and the listing wasn't there! Where is it? I went down the list of my items twice and still didn't find it. WHERE IS IT? The only place I hadn't checked was items sold. And there it was.

It was midnight, my printer is broken and I have no idea where all my shipping supplies are. I haven't used them since December.

Wednesday morning the item was packaged and off I went to the post office. When I got there it was not busy at all and I breezed right through. I had told my husband that I might stop at the bead store. He knows when I say "might" it really means "See you in about 2 to 3 hours, love you, bye".

It was my lucky day! They are having a SALE! I am trolling the aisles, adding to my cart, when a lightning bolt thought hit me. What am I doing? I have beads and beads and beads at home from trips like this and online purchases. It occurred to me that I haven't used those beads because I never plan anything. I just like the bead. As cool as this is, I find that many times the beads I buy do not coordinate with anything I have. So sadly, I went back and returned the beads in my cart to their proper place. This is another thing my sister in retail told me about. Clerks get real angry at people who just dump the things they don't want anywhere. It seems it makes their job harder when they have to return the items back to their proper place.

Any hoo, again. I returned the beads and stopped and really concentrated on what I wanted to make. I picked out the beads with the piece in mind, and rounded up everything that I need to make that piece. I now know that when I sit down to bead that everything works together. And, as a bonus, I actually saved some money.

I'm starting to scare myself with how smart I'm getting to be.

WHY I AM PUTTING MYSELF THRU THIS

2009-02-09T08:49:00.003-05:00

I am close to celebrating my fourth month selling on the Internet and looking forward to the fifth.

Have I made tons of sales or money? The answer is no. Actually I only have 3 sales and have spent more than I have made. You are probably wondering why this idiot is looking forward to more. Well, I am learning something new everyday and making friends along the way.

When I first learned about the etsy site on the Martha Stewart Show, my instinct said "Check this out". I spent days looking in the etsy pages and even with the research I didn't realize the extent of the competition on the Internet for handmade, especially in the jewelry category. I thought that I was special and would stand out. What I didn't see was that there are thousands of fine crafters who felt the same way.

In the first month, I learned how to set up my store. There was a banner to make and something called an avatar. What?? Of course, I had no pictures of my work. So the camera my husband bought me 10 years ago came out and I started in the photography industry. I filled my computer with the most horrible, blurry photos. I bought a photo altering program and learned how to download it. Yes, I knew nothing about computers! I still haven't figured out that program. So with photos in hand, and many hours later, my banner and avatar were ready to go. The yellow brick road lay ahead of me.

Next came the listing. I picked the best of my not so hot pictures, tried to think of catchy titles and descriptions and something called tags. I worked hard on my listings, getting very frustrated because I was on dial up. What is this conversation that has a 1 by it? Click! I sold something! They love me! Now I am in the shipping industry.

This spurred me on. I took pictures everyday and listed, listed, listed and sometimes relisted. Nothing! Hours and hours and nothing! So I explored more. That's when I found the chat room and forums and many more hours on the computer. Oh no! My banner was all wrong, along with my avatar and of course my pictures needed to be more close up and artsy. These were all very true critiques from my new etsy friends. Back to the drawing board. Another sale! Whoopie!

In December I switched to high speed. What a wonderful, wonderful world this can be. I was still depressed about the sales. All this work and nothing. Then a third sale on the 7th. Christmas buyers! I listed and listed, never realizing that as soon as I hit the finish button, hundreds of other new listings were being made and I would disappear into Internet oblivion. That's when I learned that etsy is a vehicle to post your items, not a promotion of them. I guess I am going into the marketing industry.

In January, I learned about search engines, tags, proper listing titles and descriptions. I joined a great team called Etsy Friends and have started blogging. I am now in the publishing industry. I also joined artfire, which gives me another avenue for my product.

Why am I putting myself thru this? Where else could I have so much fun? Where else could I have met so many people that are willing to help me succeed? Where else is there so much more to learn and experience? I believe in my product. I believe in myself. And the fact that I look so forward to the next time I see a 1 next to my conversation button and open it to see that someone else believes too.

KEY LIME PIE MARTINI

2009-02-02T17:09:00.005-05:00

Brought to you by http://busybeadlady.etsy.com/

http://BusyBeadLady.artfire.com/

This is a fantastic martini receipe. Great for a girl's night! Try it!

1 1/4 oz of vanilla vodka

3/4 oz of Licor 43

a good splash of lime juice

3/4 oz of half and half

Put ice in shaker, add above ingredients, shake well, strain into a pretty hand painted martini or wine glass.

Substitute a small scoop of ice cream for half and half and blend ingredients in blender for a frozen treat.

Licor 43 is a cordial made of 43 ingredients including citrus, and should be available at your liquor or package store. It is pricey, but you and your friends are worth it.
Keep smiling!

2009-02-01T12:47:00.001-05:00

Come visit, stay awhile...
http://BusyBeadLady.etsy.com
http://BusyBeadLady.artfire.com

2009-01-31T13:15:00.000-05:00

Come visit me

http://BusyBeadLady.etsy.com
http://BusyBeadLady.artfire.com

2009-01-31T12:48:00.000-05:00

February birthstone amethyst

2009-01-31T11:44:00.000-05:00

February's birthstone is amethyst. Some also include onyx but I will concentrate on the amethyst.

Amethyst is actually a quartz which must be purple in color. There is a chemical reaction which causes this and if you are interested there is information out there for you to consult, it was a bit over my comprehension. This quartz color can vary from a pale lilac to a deep, deep purple. You can find amethyst all over the world.

Not only is it the birthstone of February, it is also the zodiac stone of Pisces (February 19 to March 20) and the stone for wedding anniversaries 4th, 6th, and 17th. The amethyst is the gemstone of the state of South Carolina and Ontario Canada. It is a symbol of peace of mind and sincereity.

From my reseach, it's properties are something we all could appreciate, and it has many. It is said to prevent intoxication and was used in chalises for this purpose. As it resembles the sky at dusk, many believe that it transitions you easily into sleep for insomnia and into the dreamworld, keeping away nightmares.

Purple is the color of spirit and spiritually the amethyst transitions you to a place of consciousness which is deeper. It gives the wearer gentility, courage and happiness. It also helps those in stress and grief. And if this is not enough, add protecting crops, courage in battle, good fortune in hunting, friendship and purity.