Looks like I'm going to be in Tucson from January 31 to February 6. I booked the hotel and everything. I still have to register for the Swarovski classes I want--depending on their availability, I may change the return date somewhat, but...
It's a bit scary, thinking that I'm going to a trade show. I mean, a *trade* show. Eek. It sounds really strange, but this, more than anything, really sort of cements the thing in my mind. The craft fair, the website--they're all steps toward a business, but actually going to a trade show...I haven't stopped to think about it before now, really, and I'm kind of...boggled. I'm not sure why it seems like the huge deal, but it does.
Anyway, so apparently, that two or three week period is just scary out there with shows. Most of them are rock/mineral/gem shows, but the four biggest bead shows in the country will also be there--thus the January 31 arrival. It's a few days before the Swarovski deal starts, so it'll give me time to see some of these other things that are going on. Can't hurt, right?
In case you're interested: http://www.tucsonshowguide.com/tsg/
You folks who see the adfree_crafts community on Livejournal will get this twice, but bear with me, I know a lot of you folks don't see that, and I want to write about it anyway, so you'll just have to live with it. :)
I should also add, for those who can't see/don't read my LJ, I got invited to participate in a craft fair at a community outreach/grand opening of new building for a church last Monday. It's a little odd to be solicited for that kind of thing at a craft store, rather than because I'm part of the church community, but hey--they've said it's going to be really well publicized, I have to do it sometime, and the lady who's organizing the whole thing really loved the bracelet I was wearing, so...hopefully, all of this is a good thing. I'm also going to start looking into other places, too--over the weekend, Jeremy mentioned PantheaCon, which I'm not really sure about, but I'm sure I can come up with something event appropriate, even if I am getting a supremely late start. Maybe I should look into it for the *next* year--2006, that is.
I've also got a website now, though it's not really much more than 'hey, here I am!', it's all under construction and stuff, though the magnificent Clay (who designed the site) showed me how to manage it. (Oh, uh, yeah, y'all want the address, don't you? http://www.angel-moon.com.)
In addition to helping me with the site, the magnificent Clay is also helping me by taking pictures of the stuff, because the pictures that I took were crap. No, really. Craaap. :) It's amazing to watch him work, he thinks about stuff that I never even would've considered. Putting the jewelry against a white background, I knew about that, but who knew about taking a piece of white foam-core posterboard to bounce sunlight onto the stuff? Or that maybe the pure white isn't exactly the best way to go--what about putting stuff on a piece of fabric to accent it?
I have a ton of stuff, and he's taking pictures with both the digital camera and the film camera--he got pictures of four items before the light changed. He's going to come back by on Thursday, a little bit earlier in the day, and take more pictures. Whee. Strangely, the 5am-2pm shift is a good thing for that.
Anyway, for now, here's what I've got.
Bracelet 1 -- crystal, black, and sky blue Swarovski bicones, 4mm, three stranded bracelet. The black and crystal beads both have an aurora borealis finish on them, which gives the pretty rainbow-y tinge. I was going to wear this for my wedding, but decided against it. I can't remember why. This is a really lovely piece when worn--the amount of flash and sparkle that the crystal puts off is just insane. But then, Swarovski in general is like that, I've noticed.
White and Blue set -- sodalite and something, I'm not sure which, 4mm side-drilled cubes, bracelet-earring-necklace set. The side-drilled stuff I got from a bead faire. I wish I could remember where, because I really like them and I'm already out of the sodalite. I'm hoping that I can find them at the next Intergem, which is sometime this month, I think. Anyone up for a trip to the bead faire? I can get into the wholesale area now! :)
Sodalite set -- sodalite and seed beads, fan, 6mm rounds, and 10mm (I think?) ovals, bracelet-earring-necklace set. Amusingly enough, I got the sodalite in this one from Michael's. Both necklace and bracelet have a toggle clasp--I love those things, especially on bracelets, as it's entirely possible to put them on by yourself.
Illusion -- white opal (6mm) and rose alabaster (4mm) Swarovski bicones with spacers, bracelet-earring-necklace set. One of my first attempts at 'illusion' style, and I think it turned out okay. The only issue I have with this one is that the wire is so, well, obvious. The picture shows the wire in the beads in pretty stark detail, too, but it's not as visible in person, so to speak. I have another one that's almost exactly the same as this, but the beads are light green (think peridot) and grey (hard to explain without a picture).
Oh! And for those of you who haven't seen it...I made a necklace and bracelet for my aunt to wear at my wedding--she was my matron of honor. Largely Swarovski, again--capri blue and clear crystal in the necklace, capri blue and comet argent (I think that's what they call it) for the bracelet, which turned out really well. Andrea's set (See? See how much better his pictures are? :)
So...that's what I've got so far. I have some other stuff that I'm working on--same styles but different beads, but also completely new styles, as well. We didn't get a chance to get a picture of any of the magnetized hematite strands, but we'll get that on Thursday. Those are the coolest thing ever. :)
My business cards should get here soon, as well.
Eek.
Is this the part where I mention that I'm feeling rather punched in the gut by it all? Not in a bad way, but in a 'I am scared as hell, but excited, but scared as hell' sort of way. But then, maybe that *is* bad, except that...er. Yeah, babbling. Suffice it to say that I'm both excited at the possibilities and scared of what will happen if. Brett said that it's not like I've got my life savings on the line or anything, and of course, he's absolutely right. In the scheme of things, if it doesn't go anywhere, well, I'm out the cost of registering a domain name and some web space, and I can still bead to my heart's content and hand it all out as gifts.
It'd be really cool if it took off, though, wouldn't it?
And that, I think, is the part that really scares me.
Right, well. Time to get back to work, now that I've babbled on like this. :)
Want to know how big a goob I am?
Right now, I have my laptop set up in the kitchen, because I wanted to be able to make soap and mush at the same time. Yeah, see? Big goob. I actually sort of had a valid reason--I wanted to see if anyone had any specific requests for the crafty-foo that I'm doing today, but yeah, I'm still a big nerd, but that's okay.
Today, I'm working on some white honey almond and cucumber melon soaps, as well as some more apple stuff--two requests that were made quite awhile ago, that I made, but never sent...mostly because the white stuff for the honey almond didn't turn out as I was hoping.
The apple stuff should be fun, also, but I'm reminded, I need to send email to the recipient to get an address.
I'm also going to make some chocolate stuff for a friend of mine. He hasn't asked me for any in a long time, but I'm sure that he'll appreciate it nonetheless. :)
So, anyway. If anyone has any requests, let me know, I'll see what I can do. I may already have it made.
Random comment. Life of the Party has this bath salt/bath fizzy kit that I just made--the bath fizzy mold has three fruit shaped molds and three random shape ones as well. One of the fruit shaped ones is supposed to be a pear, but from upside down, it looks....er. Well. It doesn't look like a pear, I'll just say that.
So, yay more craft stuff.
I think the new photography techniques are sort of working...sort of. Lots of light is the key, I think, but I think it needs to be direct overhead light, from more than just a flashlight, and the sun only sort of filtering through the window.
Anyway, more jewelry picture links below the cut.
This will be Andrea's bridesmaid gift (to go into the jewelry box):
http://www.filidh.org/~nimiriel/pics/andreaset1.jpg
http://www.filidh.org/~nimiriel/pics/andreaset2.jpg
Something I made for myself, to go with a blouse I've got:
http://www.filidh.org/~nimiriel/pics/purplewhitebrac.jpg
http://www.filidh.org/~nimiriel/pics/purplewhitebrac2.jpg
A fun bracelet made with charms and jump rings:
http://www.filidh.org/~nimiriel/pics/irishbrac.jpg
A necklace I made from some of the beads that my friend Sarah sent me from Nepal:
http://www.filidh.org/~nimiriel/pics/grblprnklc.jpg
http://www.filidh.org/~nimiriel/pics/grblprnklc2.jpg
