There are so many lampwork beads that are so gorgeous and so expensive. I cannot possibly use them in stuff for sale with sane prices, and I don't think I'd wear them often enough to make it worthwhile to buy them for myself. But I so want to buy them and hold them and have them to play with.

Bah.

Knitting. Knitting is cheap.

http://www.artbeads.com/lmp-0021.html

http://www.artbeads.com/lmp-0029.html

http://www.artbeads.com/lmp-0060.html

:(

Muaha!

I think I have managed to perfect the new look I'm going for, at least in short term.

Big chunky pendants on multistrand necklaces!



http://BetsyCole.etsy.com

ETA: OMG AND SOLD

Wheeee!

Up to 10 items listed. I think that may be it for now, because I am almost out of headpins. I need new headpins. Also more glass beads. I ordered a bunch of them, because artbeads was having a 20% off sale on Czech glass, which was too good to not buy a bunch. I have an order of something like 500 silver-plated headpins on its way now: it's coming from Hong Kong, so will take a while, but it was shipped nearly two weeks ago, so I am hopeful.

I may make some simple beaded strands, too, but I am going to stop intensely pushing for a bit and just focus on making things as I get materials and feel the inspiration for them.

Or to replace sales, I suppose. 10 feels like a solid initial venture, at least.

My Etsy Shop!

So, I am impatient.

http://BetsyCole.etsy.com

I meant to open for real near the end of February, and I still intend to do an advertising run then. However, for now, I am going to open the shop (which has 6 items, but will grow!) and at least have stuff available for purchase.

Still need new banner, and to get business cards printed. Hopefully, I can sell a few things like this to fun the advertising drive and everything. I'll be adding items as the day goes on and throughout the weekend.

So, #2 was the favorite of the others. I have made some sparser ones, which I think work better...

But, with the winner from the last batch...

( Cut this time... )

I am not going to list any of these for a few weeks, but I know some people were curious, so I share the new pieces I'm making.

( Autism Awareness Earrings )


( Autism Awareness Bracelet )

I am thinking of selling them for $20 or $25 apiece. If I did $25, I'd probably donate the extra $5 on each to Autism Speaks. I only have materials to make a few of each of the items, but I'm afraid to invest too much. I'll probably only do the one pair of earrings until it sells, but do a bracelet with an angel in green, and one with one of each angel color. And then a bracelet with no angels. And then a gold version of the angel-free bracelet.

That will leave me with 4 more puzzle piece charms. I will do 2 necklaces (one w/angels, one w/out), and then keep the other two. If I sell some, I can get more charms.

For the other pieces, I'll do lots of simple earrings, some woven crystal bracelets, and some shell bracelets and earrings. A few bracelets and necklaces of strung stones. I want 25 or so pieces before I go live.

Scared.

I just ordered some new jewelry-making supplies. This was probably stupid of me, given my complete inability to sell anything, ever.

I think, though, that I'll start making things in bulk for a while and start up my etsy store again with 20-30 items. Once I do that, I may actually shell out for a real ad somewhere -- a webcomic, maybe? I don't really know. Somewhere I'm happy to support.

I'm going to make a bunch of my billions of bangles bracelets, and then a handful of autism awareness bracelets, and maybe some fun and cheap crystal earrings.

Oh, and maybe some woven crystal bracelets, because those are awesome and fun to make.

I dunno. I want to try again.