Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Your Thoughts on 2014?

Last day of the year.....they do go by so very fast!


So, I'm curious as to how this year stacked up for you. Exciting? Tough? Enlightening?
                                         


I've had some tough moments, and some exciting ones.
I lost a dear friend, the owner of my local bead store. But the blessing has been that a customer chose to purchase the store, and it has been very exciting working with her on new ideas for the store.
She asked me to teach some beading classes, which is very rewarding to share your passion with others.
I was accepted for Beadwork's Challenge for the Dec 14/Jan 15 issue.  Finally published!
Now I want to concentrate on creating a piece to send in as a pattern.
Opened a component store at Artisan Marketplace. Lots and lots to learn about selling and promoting without being annoying!
Social Media is a true challenge to balance! My poor blog has definitely suffered as I have spent more and more time on Facebook, which it seems is heading for some changes.  I truly love my Facebook groups, and I really hope they are not going away, with all the changes Facebook is implementing.
My blog name is Beads and Bread, but the bread part has taken a definite back seat to the beads this past year! As I've discovered some allergic issues, I've pretty much stopped making bread. But my family loves it, and I still have about 200 lbs of grain, so you will still see some baked goodies on here as well.
My Artisan Marketplace site has a blog feature, so I may be moving over there. Stay tuned for that....

Do you have any New Years Resolutions? Plans? Words?
I've been doing the Word of the Year for the last few, and it has made a much bigger impact on me than the list of resolutions that I fail at...
I am planning on learning some new beading techniques, and getting better informed about social media techniques and SEO's.

                                    

And....I am going to do a better job at posting here, since that is where I really get to talk and share with y'all!
Hope you have a safe and happy New Year's Eve! Blessings, Shirley

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

The Beads are Shaping Up!

Where the heck did the time go? This has been such an exciting year, with so many cool things happening in my personal life, and in the world of jewelry.
Can you believe how many new bead shapes have been introduced in the last two years? Have you snapped up every shape, or are you reserving judgement for a while?
I've only picked up a few, and I've been very pleased with them. I've fallen in love with superduos, as I think most folks have as well.
Matte Jet SuperDuo 2x5mm Seed Bead

I've also tried tilas, rizos, and superunos. All quite fun!
Czech Glass 1/2 Matte Apollo & Jet 2-Hole Tile 6mm






There are many, many more shapes, and I do hope to try some of them in the future, as the beady budget allows.
What about you? Any new shapes you've fallen in love with?
Blessings,
Shirley