New Rules

Where does the time go??? It's been a week since I last blogged. Seems like all I did was work. I did have Monday off. I ran errands. While I was out I stopped at a couple wallpaper stores to see if they had old books that might be used for PMC texture. Didn't come up with much.

I fixed a couple of bracelets...one was one of my designs. It must have snagged on something tough because the toggle was bent way out of shape and that's not easy to do. The other was a piece of crap jewelry that was probably bought at the dollar store. But it belongs to the daughter of a co-worker so I said OK. I think I need to get tough.... NEW RULE #1 ...I will only repair my own work.

I've also had people buy strands of beads on vacation and then bring them to me and ask if I would design them something. My work goes in cycles....I work in different mediums based on my interests at the time. It irritates me to work on something that I have no interest in....especially if they are ugly beads..... NEW RULE #2....I will only design the things I choose. My time designing is limited and I resent repairing something that I didn't make or designing something I don't want to.

I also altered a necklace that I sold at the last show. That's the other thing I hate to do.....alter my designs. I make designs that please me and I must do an OK job at it because I do very well at shows. When somone asks me if I can change the design, it's a little insulting....you know....like my design was only OK but the buyer knows how to make it look so much better. Would you ask DaVinci to alter the Mona Lisa's smile??? I know that's a ridiculous analogy...but really would you??? People will go into a department store and drop a couple hundred bucks on a piece that was probably made in some sweat shop in China and wouldn't think of altering it because it has the name of some big designer on it. But they ask a jewelry artisan to change their designs because they put a lesser value on it. In fact they should put more value on it because it is hand made....New Rule #3 .... I will not alter my designs.....I will make them larger or smaller so they fit they buyer....but I will not alter the design.

On tap for this week.....I have to get the taxes to the accountant, finish show applications for this year (already missed a few deadlines), and take photos of my jewelry. I want to start an Etsy shop and I need photos. I'll post them as I take them so you can see some of my work.