Predictions - good or bad

This weekend I am displaying in booth A29 at the Fountain Hills, AZ Great Fair which is one of the most hightly rated juried arts and crafts fairs in the U.S. The fair extends along the boulevards leading to the Fountain that is the center of this town outside Scottsdale, Arizona.

The weather for the 3 day weekend has gone through predictions of rain for two days, low temperatures, snow - snow. In fact I woke up the day before the show thinking maybe I should just forfeit the show fee and stay home where I could be warm and dry. However, I finished packing, grabbed my little dog Pooh Bear and drove my Airstream down to the RV park. My friend Piper came out and we setup under beautiful blue skies.

On Friday the skies remained blue and the breezes somewhat warm. Today we expect the high 60s with rain through the night. Sunday still may be cool.

This is all about predictions. I could be home where it would be warm and dry, but I wouldn't have met all the customers I met yesterday and sold all the pieces I sold. And I wouldn't have had the unexpected pleasure of seeing two old friends that came by my booth.

So much for predictions.

Home Again - Home Again Jiggedy Jig

This year weather tried to freeze us out. Planes stayed on the ground by the thousands. Water turned to ice. But we had a good/not great show. We got to see friends, new and old customers. This year there was no after the show flu to overcome. New products were admired. We made a change by showing at the AGTA show while maintaining a booth at the Best Bead Show. At the end we said goodby - hitched up and drove home in daylight.

In a couple of weeks we will be at the Great Fair in Fountain Hills and then on to Santa Fe. I feel that I got to grow up and join a wonderful circus. I am indeed lucky!

Have you ever heard of white bronze? More in a week or so.

AGTA all day

This is my first AGTA show - Elaine - a former teacher of mine who is assisting me at the show and I worked all day today putting the booth together. Up until I discovered lights that decided not to work, and other interesting things that could not be fixed with zip ties, windex or duct tape did we find ourselves driving all over Tucson to find an Office Max, Michaels and Home Depot to finish the project.

Tomorrow morning at 10 the doors open and booth 3706 will be ready. My body will have ample ibuprophen to make it through the day. I lifted, climbed, crawled, and moved stuff for many hours today and my body will tell me about it tomorrow.

Lisa Kan and I met tonight to exchange things so that she would be ready for setting up the Best Bead Show tomorrow. My planning left a lot to be desired. There are things I set aside for her that I forgot to put in the vehicle to take to her.

For someone who likes to have it all together - today has not been a stellar day. Tomorrow will be better.

A Beautiful Day in Tucson

I had a day off before I setup tomorrow so I walked around Tucson. I went to the To Bead True Blue show where many of my friends are displaying. The crowds looked up and cheerful and I saw many bags being carried away from the booths. - it was all good.

I then visited the motels next to Interstate 10 and saw many people in very good moods and lots of people walking around with bags with lots of stuff - that was good.

Tomorrow I setup for the AGTA show which starts on Tuesday - On Wednesday night the Best Bead Show opens and I will be there. I hope to see many happy people with lots of bags filled with wonderful things at both of these shows.

I ended my day with friends at my favorite Mexican Restaurant - we had home made tortilla chips with 4 kinds of salsa, wonderful main courses, margaritas mmmmm! and for desert Sopapillas and Fried Ice cream. If you come by my booth and ask - I will tell you what restaurant it is.

Designers are allowed to change their minds

That last clasp I posted has gone to cyber heaven. I woke up the next day and looked at it and realized that it reminded me of two paper clips hooked together. Designers - namely me this time - need to change their minds. Sometime later a better version of that clasp will come to me - or it won't. Sometimes I have gone through the whole process of designing a piece, sending it off to get a wax made, had masters created, molds made and manufacturing done and when the product was delivered I wondered what I was thinking. This time I got there early.

I am in Tucson. All the gear for two shows, my inventory, recently purchased groceries, the Yukon and the Airstream are parked in a tiny rustic RV park in southwest Tucson. The people are friendly and the price is right.

Tomorrow I get to go do a little shopping at some of the dealers in the motels along I10 and go see some friends at the To Bead True Blue show at the Double Tree Reid Park. Maybe tomorrow night I will get to go to one of my favorite Mexican Restaurants if my friends are up for it. There is nothing worse than eating a whole bowl of chips and salsa by yourself.

Then on Monday (they say it is going to rain) I will set up my booth at the AGTA show and pass off inventory and display things to Lisa Kan who will be working with me at the Best Bead Show. She will be showing her beautiful things as well as mine.

I feel good this year about the shows and the jewelry business. We are coming out the other end of the tunnel and I can see light -

My trailer is packed and ready to go-now I get to design stuff

My living room is now clear of the two show setups. Everything is in the Yukon and the Airstream other than inventory and food. I have a moment to relax. I have been working over a design in my head for months. Everytime I tried to design in in CAD it ended up looking ugly. After I saw that I might be able to relax for a little while before I pull out for Tucson Saturday morning it came to me.

I have always liked the infinity sign - it is seen as the number 8 in Chinese. I wanted to make a design using this symbol. I wanted it to be fairly large 40x12 mm (1.6 inches by .5 inch) but light and easy to use without a mechanical movement and secure. This is how I try to design all the clasps now especially now that metal prices are so high.

Double Infinity Clasp

I like the idea of using such a powerful symbol as a clasp. I hope that the designers that use my clasps think that the clean light lines of this clasp will work well in their neckaces and bracelets.

There has been an explosion in my house-getting ready for Tucson

This year I am showing at two shows. AGTA at the convention center and Best Bead at the Kino Center with Lisa Kan. I am getting ready for both shows.

The piles of stock, marketing, displays, are accumulating in my livingroom, dining room, out on the porch. My Yukon is starting to be loaded and my 22 foot Airstream Trailer is now being loaded with clothes and supplies. This is the part where I don't know if I will be done before it is time. My nightmare is thinking I will leave my purse on the table at home and not realize it until I am entering Tucson.

This is my rig - my home away from home. My dog Pooh Bear thinks I have it so that he can have a kennel with a view. Before I go to Tucson - everything I need will go into these two vehicles. Honk if you see me going by.

New Products in just before Tucson!!!!!

Fedex delivered this week. Lots of new designs to be introduced in Tucson.

Ancient Treasures

Greek Key which is also available in bronze





Chartres Circle

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Dream Catcher

Creating rings is my guilty pleasure - this one is available in multiple sizes and can be ordered in your selection of metal - with or without gemstones.

Tucson Tips

One of the most complete sources of information for Tucson is found on the http://www.jewelryshowguide.com/;  If you need to find the dates of a show, a vendor, or certain kind of product, look in the show guide on line. The printed version is the size of a big phone book but the show guide on line is weightless and you can print out what you want.

Getting to Tucson is interesting. Some fly - some drive - some live there. Flying into Tucson is easy, getting a rental car isn't so easy if you book late in the season. There are shuttles and they visit some of the hotels and most of the shows. If you look in the jewelry show guide you will find out which goes where. An option is flying into Phoenix and getting a rental car there and then driving to Tucson - 2 hours or so. You then will have wheels to go where you want to when you want to go.

• A wheeled suitcase or shopping bag is important I think. After carrying many pounds of beads from place to place you will have a numb arm or a sore shoulder.
• Bring water and easy to carry snacks - making decisions on an empty stomach is not good. 
• If you have a tax id and plan to purchase in quantity - bring copies of your tax license, business cards, etc. so that you have the opportunity to purchase at a wholesale discount. Also some shows that are wholesale only will not let you in without this proof.
• Inform your credit card companies and bank that you are going to the show and that they should expect charges from all over. There is nothing worse than finding out that your credit card is frozen on a Friday night.
• Make copies of all important credit cards and documents and keep them separate in case you lose the originals. Use the safe at the hotel.
• Some of my favorite shows include AGTA (wholesale only),  GJX, Best Bead, the Holodome (overwhelming), the shows in the motels next to the freeway where you can find everything from genuine plastic amber to gemstones that will blow your mind. Some of the shows have great educational opportunities, many free.
• Last little note - I have bought genuine plastic amber - and gemstones that blew my mind.

Surrounding Tucson are beautiful mountains. For those that have the time and desire there are places not associated with gemstones, beads and stuff. It is worth a visit in it's own right.

Using what you have

While I was talking to one of my customers about the new Greek Key Clasp that is arriving the beginning of January, she asked me if I had considered doing earrings in the same style. It took me about 5 seconds to realize that they would be really great and would offer an ensemble to those that like having them. Or the earrings would be really great on their own.

I have over 300 designs in my inventory. This conversation started me looking to see where I you or I could modify the use of some of these designs to use them in multiple ways. I know that sometimes I am driven to create something new, or buy something new instead of looking to see what I already have and using it in a new way.

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday weekend ! Be safe.

Preparing for the New Year - One pile at a time

My shop has exploded into the livingroom - I unloaded the Yukon and my show suitcases into the house and storage room. All my show gear, tools and inventory are in flux. Needless to say I step carefully around the house right now.

I think a part of being an artist is evolving the process that organizes me. Making lists and remaking them so that I show up at shows with my inventory, what I need to display it and sell it. Having backup so that if my credit card machine is dead I can still process sales, if the inventory is all sold in a certain item I have a way get it, if my booth has severe shortage of stuff I am there with duct tape, extension cords, extra light bulbs, table cloths, display items. Somewhere in there I need to have airplane tickets, show fees, remember to pay for tables, electricity, hotels, maybe a rental car.

Knowing my customers, what they need and want is probably the most important thing. Communicating via telephone, email, facebook or face to face is what it is all about.

When I have some kind of a handle on all of this I can sit down and design something that comes out of my or your imagination. It is dessert for me.



Vineyard Rose Clasp on Necklace made by Jill Wiseman



I am sure that many of us are in this mode, whether it is putting away Christmas, cleaning for the end of the year, or like me, getting ready for the next year and what we see coming. I look forward to seeing many of you in Tucson. 

If you are planning to go check out http://www.jewelryshowguide.com/ - it has one of the most complete lists of shows, vendors and specific products and where to get them. To pre-register for the AGTA show - which is needed prior to December 31st - go to  AGTA

Scissors and other things

With metal prices rising I started looking seriously at the scrap in my bench drawer and at pieces I had cast as long as 5 years ago. Was their money in them there piles. Yup! Did I have some trepidation regarding getting rid of some of these treasures - sure.

I started gathering together old components that were so heavy that no one would pay the price for them (gone were the days of $8 an ounce silver).  Pieces that weren't up to my standards - some were really cool experiments in their day. I took my scissors to old pieces and separated out the silver.

I knew that there were jewelry stores and others that would give me money for the silver. The further I got from the refinery that melts the metal down the more people would be making money at my loss so I started looking at refineries.

I picked one out after asking my casting company and the guy who cuts my waxes who they would recommend.  I called them to find out exactly how they paid out and asked them for an idea of their fees.

I sent the metal in - it worked out to close to 100 ounces - a lot of stuff in a little box. I now have my check and some bills have been paid.

Buy Local - Buy Small Business - Buy American

I know that Friday after Thanksgiving is a big time for shopping. We all have choices to make when we buy gifts for our family and friends. I request that you consider buying from local stores - not big box stores. Buy from small businesses whether they are local or on the internet and buy products that give employment to your fellow Americans.

I have one of those small businesses that have chosen not to take my manufacturing off shore. I think that the quality that I offer my customers and the fact that my work gives employment to American workers is important. I want to know my sources and controlling them is a part of what I do for my customers.

I know we all need to be careful with our money at this time. A part of that is supporting the American economy. Please consider it before you buy.

3:00 AM Idea - new style of clasp

I don't know about you, but sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with what seems to be a great idea. I fumble around for a piece of paper and a pen so that I can scribble something down that I hope I understand when I wake up in the morning.

Some of these ideas remain in my files - what was I thinking? Some see the light of day. Using this blog to test run these ideas is a less expensive idea than taking the time to create the piece on my computer, sending it off to have the wax cut and then waiting anywhere from several weeks to over a month to find out if it was a good idea. Some of those ideas are still in my inventory - some have gone on to be owned by designers all over the world.

Here is a new idea. This is a 3 part clasp. There are two circles with a loop connecting them. It is a slot and is suitable for a bracelet or a necklace. Because of the links I think it will fit into the design of a piece and not necessarily shout loud - this is a clasp. It is also an easy to use clasp - all you have to do is slip the loop through the slot on one of the circles. I am thinking of creating it in different shapes and textures or patterns on the loops. Please let me know what you think. Virtual is much less expensive than reality.

Getting ready for the big rodeo - TUCSON

The beginning of February for over two weeks the biggest collection of shows associated with jewelry, gemstones, beads, and all things associated with them starts in Tucson. People come from all over the world to participate in the shows. Vacations are planned around the dates of the show. Some of the most glorious gemstones and jewelry design can be seen and some of the cheapest stuff you would never buy.

The unprepared can drop all the money they brought at the first booth that catches their eye. My job through the coming months is to get those of you that are thinking of coming to Tucson ready.

The first thing is to figure out how you will get to Tucson. If you live in the surrounding states, driving is a good option as an auto is a really great thing to have when going between shows. There are shuttles - but it is hard sometimes getting from point A to point B. Flying is another option. If you can fly Southwest Airlines - they allow 2 checked bags for no charge. You can fly to Tucson or to Phoenix which is 2 hours away. Get your hotel/motel reservation now. If you have a vehicle it doesn't really matter where you are in the Tucson area. Traffic isn't that bad and shows are spread all over town.

Do not think you can fly in on Friday and leave Sunday night. You will barely scratch the surface in that time. Try to give yourself 4-5 full days in Tucson.

So you have the approximate dates, the location, question of how to get there, need to make hotel reservations, and the fact that you need some time. I know that there are many unanswered questions, put them into comments and I will be glad to answer them if I can.

Here is a link to The Jewelry Showguide which will give you the dates, times and locations of the shows going on in Tucson at this time. It will also let you know that I am showing at two locations - one in partnership with Lisa Kan. The first person to email me the show names and dates of my two shows gets $10 off their next order.

Designing for Others

One of the things I get to do is create designs for other designers and individuals. I really love to do this. It allows me to create someone's dream.

When I create a custom piece for an individual it is usually for a special occasion or because they have inherited a piece of jewelry they want to personalize.

Most designers are referred to me by my casting company and in some cases I have met designers while I have been at shows. I use CAD (computer aided design) to create designs. One of the wonderful things about CAD is that I can create renderings as we go along. These drawings can be very technical including measurements or very artistic.

One of the things that happens is that renderings are usually bigger than the piece that will be created and so the impact of the real piece can be different than the rendering. For this reason I will create a rendering and then scale it down to approximate the real size in a word document.

The large size makes it easy for my mature eyes to see details that I might miss in real life. When you are dealing with the reality of making a design into jewelry the experience of the designer and jeweler is important. The weight of metal, thickness and the ability to create and reproduce the piece is important. This is where I can help dreams come true.

The two rings above are two options I created for a customer. She had purchased a  spectacular sunstone and wanted a ring to show it off - If you look at the photo below you can see which design the customer chose. CAD renderings can be quite realistic. The customer in this case felt she had seen the ring before it was created.



After a relationship between myself the the designer or individual has been tempered through creation, the process can become quite remarkable. One designer that I have created over 30 pieces with is very close to me, the fact is we have met face to face only once has nothing to do with it. We have gone the fire of creation together.

I hope to be able to continue the relationships that I have with my customers for many years. I am very proud of the designs that I have created collaboratively. My name is not on any of them and that is okay, I support my customer's happiness and success.

The Greek Key Clasp

Many of my clasps are highly textural and organic. This time I wanted to create a clean geometric clasp that brings back a traditional design element in a new way. It is a curved and scaled piece in one of my favorite styles. It is a hook. Hooks are easy to open and close and hold one to many strands easily without overpowering. My deco bloom, the gingko, the scallop and others are some of my most popular clasps.

When I get an idea sometimes I will start something and get stopped and I will have to put it away until the issue that stopped me gets resolved. At times I have looked at old files or sketches and realized it has take a year or years. This time the clasp got designed and completed in less than an hour. I wonder if it is that good if it takes so little time. You, my customers will let me know.

Glendale Bead Museum Trunk Show

Friday and Saturday this weekend I am in the lobby of the Bead Museum in Glendale, Arizona. It is an opportunity to contribute to the Museum - part of the sales are donated to the museum and a great opportunity to see the history of beads.

The museum has amber beads the size of coffee cups and beads as old as 15,000 years. Beads have been used as money, symbols, religious objects and decorative objects for thousands of years. They are very portable, beautiful, desirable and that is why I have a room full at home.

If you come to Arizona, visit the Bead Museum. Admission is $5, donations are accepted and it is inspiring to see that we are continuing something humans have done for thousands of years, using beautiful things to create beautiful things.

Bead Museum
5754 W Glenn Drive
Glendale, AZ
623.931.2737

Sometimes it doesn't work

A couple of weeks ago I got all excited when I saw a ring I wanted to create in my mind. I spent many hours working on my computer with my CAD (computer aided design) software creating and modifying the ring. I wanted it to be a ring that a man or a woman could wear. Perhaps it could be used as a wedding or promise ring. I used one of my favorite patterns - the Chartres Labyrinth - which I had used before.

I sent it to the man who cuts the waxes from the instructions I create in my CAD software and he and I looked at it and saw problems so I spent more hours modifying the design. I sent it to him again and he set it up to be built on his wax machine. It blew up on the machine. In the process of creating the ring I broke too many rules and the mathematics of the machine and the tolerance of the materials wouldn't allow the ring to be created and even if created it wouldn't be reproduceable.

At this point my creative process is stymied - I need to put it away and know that sometime in the future - probably at 3 in the morning - the answer will come and a version of the ring that was seen in my blog a few weeks ago will appear. Meanwhile I am creating more things for myself and the other designers I work with - the fountain of creativity hasn't been stopped - just diverted.

Texas BeadFest Show

This is the morning of the third day of the Texas BeadFest Show in Arlington at the convention center. This is the first time this show has been held and hopefully not the last. I have met up with customers I met previously. All have been very positive about the vendors, location and the classes offered.

The vendors expected the traffic to be less than other shows because it was the first time it was held. The bead societies have been very supportive of the show. Come on out and see us!!!  We are open from 11 to 5 today. .