Mandibeads

Bead Circle Network

2010-03-03T15:40:00.004-06:00

I am so excited about the relaunch of BeadCircle.com! I have been working so long and hard on it, I have neglected everything else. This includes the laundry, my etsy shop, even my beads....BUT...I wrote a e-book about Beaded Pens! You can get a free copy by signing up for the Bead Circle Email Newsletter. Thanks to Sister Diane for reviewing my e-book, and to Erin of Edub Graphic Art and Design for creating my logo and header for the site!

5 Fab Tutorials from around the Crafty Web

2009-11-03T18:24:00.005-06:00

All of my crafty friends and I have been getting ready for holiday shows. In fact, I'm going straight back to my studio to finish up my new line of Eco Journals right after this post! I just wanted to post some fabulous crafty tutorials I've found around the web this month:

1. Upcycled Tin Can Belt Buckle from adaptive reUse- (shown above) It's amazing what you can make from a tin can, and this tutorial is from a patent-pending design by Christine Terrell! Great website, very inspirational work, must bookmark.

2. Smooshy Stack Owl from Lolly Chops- Awesome fabric owls to use up scraps and dazzle your clothing!

3. Magnetic Notepad from Skip to My Lou- I'm addicted to buying these and I'll soon be addicted to making them too. Great gift potential as well!

4. Tubular T-shirt Scarves from College Fashion- I have a bunch of souvenir t-shirts that are perfect for this project.

5. Stylish Pen Case from Pink Penguin- This case looks so cute and it would be great project for using up scrap fabric. Very detailed photos, too.

November Giveaway: Win A Pen!

2009-11-02T19:08:00.004-06:00

I'm giving away a FREE PEN, every month!

The winner of the October Giveaway can choose any pen in my shop, MandiBeads!

This contest is open to international residents, as well!

Ways To enter the October Giveaway:

1. Leave a comment under this post and tell me about your favorite pen in my shop, or suggest a new design!
2. Subscribe to my newsletter (thru box at top right)
3. Tweet about this giveaway, and let me know about it in the comments.

Please leave enough info so I can contact you if you win: email, etsy shop, twitter etc.

Each person can enter 3 times by doing each of the 3 ways described.

The winner will be announced December 1, 2009.

Congrats to Lisa for winning the October contest!
Peace & Love,
Mandi

7 Things I Leaned From My Biggest Show Yet

2009-10-19T07:12:00.008-06:00

The Urban Street Bazaar was held 2 weekends ago in the Bishop Arts District. It took me a week to recover from it, and another day to finally write about it. It was a good show, and I'm happy that I was there, but it also gave me doubts about doing future outdoor shows because there's so much more to contend with. Then again, I love all the new friends I made and interacting with my customers in person.

I shared my booth with Patricia of KarmaCrochet. It was freezing on Saturday and the weatherman was wrong about it warming up, so I modeled a KarmaCrochet scarf to keep warm for awhile.

She makes these amazing neckwarmers that everyone was going crazy for! I don't know if it was because they were featured prominently on the USB website or if it was because a lady that bought one was proudly flaunting it around the bazaar. Either way she sold all but one!

So the Bazaar was 12-8 on Saturday and 12-4 on Sunday. As I was driving there on Sunday, it started raining really hard! I was skeptical and didn't want to subject my handmade books to this weather, and even debated going home! I told myself I was committed to doing this, and it was important to see it through. Even if it was just for the experience. I'm so glad I did!

Things I learned:

EZ-up tents are far from being easy to put up. I used mine once and it broke! Same thing happened to the fellow crafter next to me. If you plan to do a lot of outdoor shows, check out this awesome tent review post by the Kessler Craftsman.
Be extra prepared for outdoors shows. So many more things can go wrong it seems. Things I wish I had: extra clothes, small screwdriver, tarp to put my stuff on instead of the wet ground (and cover it if it started to rain before I set up the tent). My checklist was essential for all the things I would have forgotten.
Make friends with your neighbors. Help each other set up those hard to put up tents, watch booths for bathroom and coffee breaks, check out their display, talk to them and learn from them. I'm always improving my set up.
You can learn a lot from your customers. Guys were more interested in my journals than the ladies. I will be creating a few more masculine journals in the future.
Sales on the short Sunday were much better than the long Saturday. I never would have guessed that.
You never know. Treat every customer as a potential buyer. Say hello and don't be shy to tell them about your work. Patricia and I were both surprised at who dropped money in our booths that we wouldn't have expected.
Sharing is awesome. I can't imagine doing this by myself, at least at this point.

Shout-outs to my lovely, talented neighbors:
Pigsey Art: Unique Upcycled Journals, and someone I love for using every scrap she can
Bolsa Bonita: Sexy bags for foxy ladies, and I just love her Tom Selick purse!
Ornamental Things: handcrafted jewelry from vintage components

Thanks to Larry aka Kessler Craftsma n for helping me with that horrible tent, and also to Stephanie of Tefi Designs for writing a sweet feature and coming out to support us!

Worktable Wednesday: Cupcake Parade

2009-10-07T12:39:00.005-06:00

Yesterday I made several flavors of beaded cupcake pens for the Urban Street Bazaar on Saturday. I had fun using the colors of the last cupcake cupcake pen (pink, red, white, chocolate) and created the Deconstruction of a Cupcake Pen:

What do you think? I love comments!

Tutorial: Easy Retro Flower Cane

2009-10-06T08:48:00.013-06:00

Basic flower cane was the first thing I learned when I got started in polymer clay. I wanted to share it because it’s fairly easy and there are many color variations. For this tutorial, I used pink, purple, and black to achieve a more “retro” look.

Materials:

Clay: ½-1 ounce petal color (we used pink) ½-1 ounce center/outline color (we used purple) ¾-1 ounces contrast/outside color (we used black)
Razor blade/ slicer blade
Roller/acrylic brayer (or pasta machine)
T- pins (used for quilting) and foil pie plate or other method of baking

Instructions:

1. Create a cylinder out of the pink clay by rolling it into a ball, and then slightly flattening it. Then roll out the purple clay into ¼ in thick sheet long enough to cover the cylinder. Save the excess purple for step 3.

2. Roll the purple clay around the pink cylinder and then reduce it down.

3. Create 5 equal lengths of the reduced cylinder. These will become the petals. Then create a length of solid purple the same size. This will become the center.

4. Create 5 more lengths using the black clay. Shape them into triangles by simultaneously pinching the top and pressing down to flatten the bottom.

5. Space the 5 petal lengths around the center, and then place a triangle in between each petal.

6. Roll out ¼ in layer of black to wrap around your entire roll. Reduce it down and cut the cane to create ¼ in to ½ in slices. You may choose to cut the cane in half and reduce each half to a differently. This way you can create focal and accessory beads.

7. Cut the cane to create ¼ in to ½ in slices. You may choose to cut the cane in half and reduce each half to a different size. This way you can create focal and accessory beads.

8. Push a t-pin half way through the slice and stop. Then push the t-pin through the other side to meet the first hole to prevent the clay from puckering. Stick the end of the t-pin into pie plate. Repeat until you have reached the desired number of beads, the bake according to the instructions on your clay package.
Enjoy your beads!

Polymer Clay: Comparing Brands

2009-10-05T10:46:00.002-06:00

There are many options when it comes to choosing a brand of clay, and each brand has different properties and benefits. I keep a few different brands in my own stash. Hopefully this list can help you decide which brand is right for your project:

Sculpey III: This clay has a wide variety of beautiful colors, and is low in cost. Though it is also considered more brittle/fragile than other brands, it is a great choice for beginners.

Premo! Sculpey: This brand is strong and flexible when cured, and the colors are brilliant. This is the preferred brand of many clay artists.

Super Sculpey: This clay is a pinkish-beige sort of color that is somewhat prone to “plaquing.” The addition of a stronger more opaque clay can eliminate most problems.

FIMO Classic/Soft: Soft is easier to condition than Classic, but both types will hold the finer details of cane work. Great colors available that come in blocks of 8 segments allowing for easier cutting and blending.

Cernit: The German clay is one of the strongest on the market, and has a wide range of flesh tones. It is soft and sticky when warm, so it is better suited for doll-making than cane work.

Kato polyclay: Being one of the newer brands on the market, this clay is both strong and flexible. It can be difficult to sand, and it has a strong vinyl odor.

Liquid Sculpey: This product has many different uses including smoothing surfaces, attaching two pieces, and creating faux materials. The translucent brand can be tinted to any color desired.

Tomorrow I will post my tutorial for making polymer clay Rorschach Focal Beads using Sculpey III!

October Giveaway: Win A Pen!

2009-10-01T10:56:00.008-06:00

I'm giving away a FREE PEN, every month!

The winner of the October Giveaway can choose any pen in my shop, MandiBeads!

This contest is open to international residents, as well!

Ways To enter the October Giveaway:

leave a comment under this post and tell me about your favorite pen in my shop, or suggest a new design!
Subscribe to my newsletter (thru box at top right)
tweet about this giveaway, and let me know about it in the comments

Please leave enough info so I can contact you if you win: email, etsy shop, twitter etc.

Each person can enter 3 times by doing each of the 3 ways described.

The winner will be announced November 1, 2009

And the Sept. Giveaway winner is....

2009-09-30T16:12:00.005-06:00

Dawn! Congratulations :) I'm sending you an email now. Thanks so much to everyone that entered. Your comments and suggestions help me a lot. Check out my new Triple Cupcake Pen inspired by all the cupcake lovers:

The October Giveaway details will be posted tomorrow!

Bash Voted "Best One-Stop Shop!"

2009-09-29T18:33:00.003-06:00

Holy cow holy cow!! Our Bash shows were just voted as Dallas' "Best One-Stop Shop" in the coveted and uber popular Dallas Observer's Best Of annual issue. It's on stands today!!

This is a huge. mega. deal. Here's the write-up:

Sure etsy.com—the online boutique community for crafters, jewelry designers, knitters, tailors, bookbinders, vintage sellers and collectors of everything—is a surefire way to kill an afternoon and build up a wish list, but an Etsy Dallas event is even better. Prices are great, the craftsmanship is fantastic, it feels good to support local crafters and you'll still cover everyone on any gift list you might have for the next two years. But the downside is you'll also empty your bank account with little to no effort without some preventive measures. We have a friend keep us from purchasing on the first lap through the show. We spend only cash (even if a booth takes cards). And we buy no more than we can carry on our own person. It's hard, but, well, you gotta leave something for the rest of the shoppers to look at. On the other hand, screw everyone else, retail therapy rocks! The Etsy Dallas Jingle Bash takes place November 21 at Sons of Hermann Hall. Sharp elbows stimulate the economy, people.

In case you're wondering, What the heck is the Bash?, let me fill you in. The Bash is the premier arts and crafts event in Dallas that we started back in 2008. The Bash is put on by Tefi Designs and Pamela Michelle, with support from the Etsy Dallas leadership team: Larry, Carrie, Cheyne, Alicia, Mandi (that's me :), Dylan, and Randi.

This year's 2nd Annual Jingle Bash will take place at the historic (and somewhat David-Lynchian) Sons of Hermann Hall, November 21st (that's a Saturday) from 1am-7pm. More deets here.

Reposted from Etsy Dallas Blog

Time Track Thursday: Key Questions to Ask Yourself

2009-09-17T08:46:00.004-06:00

Here are some amazing questions to ask yourself throughout the day to keep yourself on track, identify things to delegate, and avoid time wasters. Choose one to ask yourself, and start today.

What is the best use of my time right now? -Lakein, How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life
What is the value added from this task? -Kunich & Lester, Survival Kit for Leaders
Is there an easier way to do this? -Griessman, Time Tactics of Very Successful People
What 3-5 things can I accomplish today that will make a big difference to the bottom line?-Rinke, Don't Oil the Squeaky Wheel
Is what I'm doing this minute moving me measurably closer to my goals? -Kennedy, No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs

I have number 5 on a sticky on my computer, and it's a great reminder. These were complied by Pamela Dodd and Dog Sundheim, The 25 Best Time Management Tools and Techniques.

5 Cool & Green Craft Projects

2009-09-15T07:00:00.009-06:00

While I'm working on my next tutorial, I thought I would share some awesome projects I've found around the web. Enjoy!

Repurposed Paper Magnets by Tara Anderson- for these unique magnets, you get to bust out your sewing machine and repurpose Starbucks coffee sleeves
Recycled Denim Book Covers by Margot Potter- a back pocket becomes the front pocket to hold your pens, then you can graffiti it up with stencils
Recycled Paper Bag Art Journals by Regina- art journaling is so inspiring and can open your doors to new projects, and this is a fabulous way to reuse paper bags from the grocery store
Recycled Magazine Baskets by Jessica Jones- you can never have too much storage in a craft room, and these baskets can clear the clutter of magazines and hold works in progress
T-shirt Grocery bags via Martha Stewart- all those old souvenir shirts you don't wear, but can't get rid of can now carry your groceries

P.S. Don't forget to leave a comment on this post and be entered to win a free pen!

My Big Crafty Weekend

2009-09-14T09:43:00.006-06:00

On Saturday, I got up early, got all my beady supplies together, then drove through the rain to the Dallas Bead Society meeting. Marcia DeCoster is coming to teach classes next month, and we were practicing Right Angle Weave in preparation.

My friend Ralonda just finished a huge project, Willow, who is a semi-finalist for the Land of Odds Competition. I can't show a picture until its been posted to the site. She needed to go on a huge bead shopping spree to restock. Two other DBS members Carol Ann and Lisa joined us. We went to Rock Barrel, had some fabulous crepes at Cafe Brazil, then headed to Artful Bead. Here's a shot of my loot:

Driving through the rain this whole time made me realize my Jeep needed new windshield wipers! After my DH installed them, I was off to Larry's for the Esty Dallas 2nd Birthday Party. We had a great time and honored our fearless leader, Stephanie, with a surprise:

I LOVE football. So all I did the entire rainy Sunday was bead and watch the Cowboys, and a few other games. At 9pm, I watched the final episode of Design Star, and my fav from the beginning, Antonio, was the winner! Those design shows can inspire my work and give me great ideas, so I can't wait to watch his show :)

Time Track Thursday: 6 Powerful Prioritization Tips

2009-09-10T15:01:00.003-06:00

We know we should be working in Quadrant 2 and that list making can help us prioritize. Here are 6 more tips to help you prioritize with power.

Actually use your planner. Write down your priorities and plans in your organizer so you can always have them with you.
Have some flexibility. Plan your day around tasks that must be done at a certain time (meetings, your favorite workout time). Delegate and simplify if possible.
Eat your ugliest frog. Mark Twain came up with this phrase, and he recommends tackling the things you hate to do first thing in the morning. It feels great to get it out of the way, and you can spend the rest of the day doin what you love.
Rule with an iron fist. Schedule the important things and stick to your plan. Dinner with friends, craft time, and a child's school play are just as important as big meetings. It's ok to say "I'm busy."
Use your prime time wisely. You know that time when you have the most energy and tend to do your best work? Well that's a great time to do your most important work as well.
Give yourself a time out. This can be used in conjunction with your prime time. Minimize interruptions for an hour by turning off the phone, closing your email, TweetDeck, Facebook, and even the door. Take a few moments to reflect as well.

Next week I'll have a list of questions that time management experts constantly ask themselves. Maybe you can apply one or think of your own to help you spend you time wisely. Until then, eat ugly frogs and go to time out!

Worktable Wednesday: Fabric Panels for Labor Day Sale Living Room

2009-09-09T08:30:00.007-06:00

Our love seat was hideous! The chewed up cushions sank into the hole in the bottom of the dated disgusting flower patterned couch, and I couldn't stand it anymore! I got an ad in the mail for the huge Labor Day Sale at Rooms to Go, and found the perfect sofa for $300 off. DH and I ended up redoing our entire living room (taking advantage of all Labor Day sales), and the only thing we kept from the old room was my papasan chair and our tower lamps. Everything looked great except for the monstrosity of a dog cage in our dining room:

So I decided to make fabric panels that hang from the vaulted ceiling to cover it all up. Luckily all Home Decor fabric was on sale at Hobby Lobby. It was kind of scary climbing on top of the dog house to put the hooks in the ceiling! The dining room looks really small now, so I have a bit more designing to do. The most important thing is that Ruby can be happy in her giant cage away from my brand new sofa!

I also got to finally thread and use my sewing machine that has been sitting in a dusty box since I got it for Christmas 2 years ago! It was a lot of fun, and I plan on making a beaded art quilt. I'm still working on the painting for the living room, and I'll post a slideshow of the final results!

$212 Giveaway & Online Sale

2009-09-08T11:06:00.006-06:00

Happy Birthday 2nd Etsy Dallas! This group started with a few convos from Stephanie Hindall, our fearless leader and fabulous designer. We had a trunk show that fall with like 8 vendors, where I met graphic artist extraordinaire, Pamela Michelle. Now we are putting on the 2nd Annual Jingle Bash with 50+ vendors, entertainment, free raffle, and 50 Etsy Dallas reusable grocery totes full of handmade goodies! We have come so far, and now it's time to Sale-A-Brate!

This is the pen I donated for the Birthday Giveaway. Just leave a comment on this post for your chance to win the $212 worth of handmade goodies! There are a few other ways to get extra entries, so scan through the whole post.

We are having a huge online sale as well. I am offering free worldwide shipping all week! Click here to see the full list of sales. Here's to many more years of fun and crafts with Etsy Dallas. Cheers!

Time Track Thursday: List Making

2009-09-03T07:07:00.003-06:00

We know from last week's post that we need to do the most important things first. All time management experts suggest making lists to organize all those important things. I like to get everything out of my head and on paper so I can focus on a task without worrying about everything I might forget to do. Here is a list of the lists that I keep handy:

Monthly goals based on my Master Plan (which was created by planning backwards)
daily to-do list with tasks I must accomplish to reach those goals
Checklist of my recurring activities (ex. I do link-building on Mondays, check Facebook on Fridays, and write my newsletter once a month)
A sticky note on my computer with the most important thing I need to do to call it a productive day, even if I don't get anything else accomplished

It's also a good idea to prioritize your lists using the ABC system. Rank each item as A=high priority, B= medium priority, or C=low priority. You can color code them if that works better for you. Don't fall into the trap of spending more time creating lists than you do on crossing things off. Again, crossing off more As is better than crossing off as many items as you can.

Worktable Wednesday: Hummingbird Necklace

2009-09-02T07:15:00.005-06:00

I'm having so much fun playing with flat marbles and magazine images. When my mother-in-law came to visit recently, she had a copy of Birds & Blooms magazine. She has a million hummingbird feeders and the magazine was a special issue about gardening for birds and butterflies. The photography is gorgeous and the perfect size for the bigger marbles! "Can I cut that up?" I ask. She gives me the look and I explain my idea. She mailed it to me a few weeks ago after she was finished with it, and now I have the perfect Hummingbird Necklace to send back to her! I may need to make a tutorial about this project as well :)

Giveaway: My Etsy Dallas friend Patricia of KarmaCrochet is giving away a whole basket of handmade goodies! Click here for the blog post with directions on how to enter.

September Giveaway: Win A Pen!

2009-09-01T16:31:00.012-06:00

I'm giving away a FREE PEN, every month!

The winner of the September Giveaway can choose any pen in my shop, MandiBeads! This contest is open to international residents, as well!

To enter the September Giveaway, leave a comment under this post and tell me about your favorite pen in my shop, or suggest a new design!

Subscribing to my newsletter gives you an additional entry!

The winner will be announced September 30th. Thanks to The House of Mouse for inspiring this contest. Click here to enter to win a mouse!

6 New Pens, 1 Brand New Design

2009-08-31T07:54:00.003-06:00

I know you're not supposed to list items in your shop in batches, but I can't help it. That's just how I work, I guess. I had fun playing with the colors of my butterfly, swirl, and vertigo designs. Then, I worked on a brand new design: the flowers.

I played around a lot with the flowers design: drawing, beading, and ripping out! I was going to have them swirl around the pen, but you couldn't see them very well. I staggered them, but then the back was too blank. After ripping that out, I decided to do 6 flowers on each side. I think it turned out great, how about you? I'm going to try to get a few of these listed in my shop today.

Special note: The first of the monthly giveaways begins tomorrow! Just leave a comment on tomorrow's post to enter. Also, the subscriber-only offer (for those of you signed up for my newsletter) ends tomorrow at midnight.

E-book Review: Making a Great Blog

2009-08-28T12:38:00.006-06:00

I bought it, read it, did the worksheets, and applied what I've learned. Now its time for the review of Making a Great Blog: A Guide for Creative People by "Sister" Diane Gilleland. She also writes my favorite blog ever, Crafty Pod. At $12.50, this e-book is a must-have for crafty bloggers!

I've had several blogs since I discovered blogging, but after reading about adsense, blogging for business, and driving traffic etc, they weren't fun anymore, I couldn't think of anything "good enough" to write about, and they just died. Thanks to Diane's e-book, I have turned my original blog around, and blogging is fun again! Through the worksheets, I pondered why I want to blog, my goals, brainstormed ideas, and discovered that my blog shouldn't be about me. All the traffic stuff I was worried about before is happening all by itself thanks to this new approach.

"A great blog is about the whole world as filtered through the lens of your passions." -Diane Gilleland

Diane covers how to avoid all the problems I encountered on my blogging journey and the most important parts of blogging:

How to build an interesting and valuable blog.
How to create great blog posts and great photographs.
How to keep your blogging inspiration flowing over time.
The do’s and don’ts of blogger etiquette.

This e-book is great for someone who is just getting started, or to refresh the blog of a veteran. Thanks, Diane!

Time Track Thursday #8

2009-08-27T09:02:00.010-06:00

Now that I've gotten you to plan backwards, it's time to do some prioritizing. Do the important things you need to reach your goals first, and these are not always the things you want to do. I'd rather make some more projects into tutorials instead of filling out my LLC paperwork, but it has the highest priority at the moment.

Today's biggest focus: Do the most important thing first!

I'm sure many of you are familiar with Stephen Covey's Time Management Matrix. This is a friendly reminder that we should all be spending most of our time in Quadrant 2: important but not urgent. Occasional urgency is ok, but don't let it run your life. Activities in Quadrant 2 significantly and positively affect our lives, the quadrant in which our dreams and goals are. Next week I'll have some great tips to help you prioritize more effectively.

Tutorial: Recycled Magazine Magnets

2009-08-25T08:20:00.013-06:00

Today I will be making a set of Mythbuster Magnets featuring Adam and Jamie! DH and I love the show. I also love green projects, and I would like to start sharing them. I chose an easier one to start with because I'm new at writing tutorial instructions. Please let me know how I do, and look past the dirt and glue on my nails and hands. True hands of a crafter, right?

Materials:

Magazine with cool images to recycle
small circle punch (mine is Fiskars brand)
E-6000 glue
Diamond Glaze (had to order from Joann's online, Etsy sellers also carry)
clear flat backed floral marbles
1/2 in button magnets
scissors

1. Find the perfect image in your magazine. Cut it out and leave enough space that you get the whole image, and can get to it with the punch.

2. Punch out the image.

3. Apply Diamond Glaze to the flat side of the marble.

4. Place the image face down on the glaze. Look from the front to make sure the image is centered. The glaze is slick stuff so it will be easy to make adjustments.

5. Cut away any excess paper, and let dry. There is no drying time listed on the bottle, so I waited long enough to make a pizza and watch a movie with DH before getting back to the project.

6. Glue on a button magnet using E-6000, and let it cure overnight before using.

I had to photograph them outside for the least amount of glare. These are for my DH who lets me cut up his magazines even before he gets a chance to read them:

DH: Where's my new issue that came in the mail yesterday?
Me: Right here. (I hand it over)
DH: Where's the Mythbuster's article?
Me: Right here. (I place the new magnets in his hand)
DH: (rolls eyes) Thanks.......actually these are kinda cool.

FREE Promotion with the Jingle Bash Goody Bags!

2009-08-24T09:50:00.006-06:00

Ok, I just misplaced my decoupage scissors, so I decided it was a good time to take a break from crafting, and talk about promoting your crafty business by sponsoring the Jingle Bash. This fabulous show is put on by Etsy Dallas, and I am in charge of the goody bags this year.

About the Goody Bags
Our popular Goody Bags have become a thing of legend. Shoppers at the 1st Annual Jingle Bash arrived over 30 minutes before the doors opened just to get one of these bags! The line of shoppers was winding down the hall, out the door, and down the sidewalk to the next block (pictured). At the 1st Annual Spring Bash, a crowd of Dallas shoppers snatched up the bags in less than 2 minutes. Wow!

I am working on getting some reusable grocery totes for Dylan of Dowdy Studio to screen print, and all 50 will be filled to the brim with handmade goodies from the vendors and other crafty businesses. To participate, please fill out the form found here.

Elf: FREE
- Include 50 business promos in our popular Goody Bags
- Get your 50 promos listed on this page and the Etsy Dallas blog
-Deadline November 13, 2009

Frosty: $50
- 150x150 ad/logo and link posted on this Sponsors page
- Include 50 business promos in our popular Goody Bags
- Get your 50 promos listed on this page and the Etsy Dallas blog

Rudolph: $200
- Hang your company banner or sign at the Jingle Bash
- 150x150 ad/logo and link posted on the Etsy Dallas blog
- 150x150 ad/logo and link posted on this Sponsors page
- Include 50 business promos in our popular Goody Bags
- Get your 50 promos listed on this page and the Etsy Dallas blog

Santa: $500
- Logo posted as "Official Jingle Bash Sponsor" on promotional materials (logo due August 24th)
- Hang your company banner or sign at the Jingle Bash
- 150x150 ad/logo and link posted on the Etsy Dallas blog
- 175x175 ad/logo and link posted at the top of this Sponsors page and on the Etsy Dallas home page
- Spotlight article about your company posted on the Etsy Dallas blog
- Include 50 business promos in our popular Goody Bags
- Get your 50 promos listed on this page and the Etsy Dallas blog

Click here to fill out the form to participate! Thanks for your support! Now where are those scissors...

Time Track Thursday #7

2009-08-20T08:17:00.003-06:00

Planning backwards helps you focus on results

Planning forward is the natural approach. We have a goal and think about all the future actions we need to take, but the real focus should be results. Planning backwards is results based, and provides a structure to get the right things done at the right time.

How to Plan Backward

Pick out one of your larger goals, and break it down into smaller goals. Pick the first one you need to achieve.
List the mini goals or milestones you need to accomplish to achieve your goal by the deadline you've set.
Draw a timeline from left to right. Put the current date on the far left and your deadline on the far right. Insert each milestone with a date, starting from your deadline and working backwards.
Once your milestones are in the right places, list underneath each one the actions you need to take to achieve them. Keep it in your planner, and TAKE ACTION!

Planning this way can make your dreams become reality and transforms your excitement for a project into focus productivity. Writing out a plan like this is really the hardest part of achieving your larger goals and dreams :)

Worktable Wednesday: Butterfly Bracelet

2009-08-19T08:10:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was my birthday! I worked on this piece for some of the day, and later had drinks with friends. I feel pretty good about being 26.

The bracelet encompasses 3 of my favorite things: butterflies, purple, and button clasps. I plan to turn this project into a free tutorial on my other site www.beadcircle.com. I moving the site to my new server today, and then I have some more exciting ideas to add :)

SonStock '09

2009-08-16T10:29:00.002-06:00

I skipped blogging last week to get ready for a show that came up unexpectedly. My glass artist friend, Larry Pile aka Kessler Craftsman, invited me to share his booth at SonStock at the Sons of Hermann Hall. I love that venue, so I accepted! It was a dismal show in the way of sales, but I got to hang out with Larry all day, made some great new friends, got a lead on another show, and drank Shiner draft all day.

Since my birthday is August 18th, Larry let me choose a pair of his new earrings! The blue circles are copper that have pens colored with colored pencil and sealed. Apparently the sealing technique is a secret, and I just love them. He's getting good at wirework and silversmithing :)

Steve Moya was the artist next to us. I loved visiting with him and his wife Janice. His art is a-m-a-z-i-n-g! He paints a lot of musicians, and various athletes. I fell in love with a few of his KISS and Stevie Ray Vaughn pieces. The photos on his website do not do his work enough justice, so advise everyone to see him in person at the Front Street Festival on Saturday, September 26, 2009 from 10am-5pm. Larry will be there, and maybe even me.

Worktable Wednesday: I Hate It!

2009-08-05T07:55:00.002-06:00

Well this didn't turn out how I had hoped. In fact, I hate it! The center looks great, but I want to do something different on the top and bottom. So I just wanted to document the failure of design before I rip out the parts I hate, hehe. Any suggestions?

Thanks for my logo, Pam!

2009-08-04T08:09:00.000-06:00

I think I'm finally finished tweaking my blog for awhile. I changed the colors and background to match my new logo designed by the fabulous Pamela Michelle! I wanted a butterfly over the i of MandiBeads, but she took it a little further and made the M and B into a butterfly. I just love it!

Pam also designs all the kick ass graphics for Etsy Dallas, and her etsy shop is filled with gorgeous handmade wood pendants. The one I own features a butterfly of course :)

Worktable Wednesday: The Green Experiment

2009-07-29T07:20:00.003-06:00

This is another art card for the Bead Journal Project. Green is not a color I normally use in my work, so I decided to experiment with it. I found this cool diamond shaped stone at Artful Bead, my favorite bead shop here is Dallas. I've colored the background in green permanent marker so the white doesn't show through in between the beads. I've used a lot of olive green, some emerald, bronze, and brown so far. I still have some edging to do on the Strike piece, and then I'll post the final product!

Premio Meme Award

2009-07-24T12:15:00.005-06:00

Hooray! I received the Premio Meme Award from Theresa of Studio618. She is the creator of the fabulous peace sign ring pictured. Theresa fabricates these herself!

The rules are simple. I just share 7 facts about myself, and pass the award on to another 7 worthy bloggers.

1. It's my Grandma's fault that I'm addicted to beads.
2. I believe coffee is the nectar of the gods.
3. If it wasn't for Etsy Dallas, I would have convinced my husband to move back to Austin, TX.
4. Even though I'm from Austin, I went to the rivalry school, Texas A&M, and had the time of my life.
5. I don't think I want kids. I just want to be the "cool auntie" to my friends' kids.
6. My favorite artists are Peter Max and Pamela Michelle.
7. I just convinced my apartment complex to let me paint my walls!!

And the awards go to...
1. Christina Likes
2. Tefi Designs
3. La Alicia
4. A Bead A Day
5. Kessler Craftsman
6. The Bead Doodler
7. Pamela Michelle

Time Track Thursday: Review

2009-07-23T09:24:00.003-06:00

I just finished reading Time Management for Creative People by Mark McGuinness. The 32-page e-book is filled with great tips and resources. It was fun reading about creative habits of famous writers like Maya Angelou, who writes on a yellow pad in a hotel room, with nothing on the walls. It made me think more about when I feel most creative and what items/situations fuel my creativity. It also reinforced my belief that I need to spend most of my time on things that are important but not urgent for stress-free productivity.

Here are the 3 most important things I learned and will implement today:

I will work on my own projects first, everyday, even if only for 30 minutes. No matter what interruptions follow, I will have the satisfaction of having made progress on my goals.
I will write down things that come to me while I'm working, and put them in my "bucket". I need to get things off my mind and on paper so I can better focus on the task at hand.
No more endless to-do lists! If it won't fit in today, I will put it on tomorrow's list. What gives me the most energy is being totally on top of everything.

Click here to get this free, easy to read e-book. I highly recommend it. I also think it's best to read it on your computer screen vs. printing it out. That way your ink won't be used up on all the pictures, and you can click on all the fun and useful links.

Worktable Wednesday: STRIKE!

2009-07-22T10:07:00.005-06:00

This is one of the art cards I've been working on for the Bead Journal Project. DH and I are in a bowling league that meets on Sunday nights. One night, he threw the ball down the lane so hard a chunk of the ball broke off! He still got a strike, though. I decided to use the broken piece of ball in this art card by encasing it in beads. I had another layer of beads on the ball but took them off because the gold beads were overwhelming the bigger gold beads I was using for the finger holes. I'll have to think of something else or get some matte gold beads. The pins were fun to bead and it's lookin pretty good so far.

What do tattoos and mustaches have in common?

2009-07-21T08:34:00.004-06:00

They can both be beaded on pens!

The mustache pen idea developed during a craft circle (crafts and wine have created some awesome projects). Tamara of TP Design was making necklaces from 40 year old vintage velvet Christmas bows rescued from her parents house. She even added pearls and I wanted one really bad! So we decide to trade for a custom mustache pen that I am finally sending her way. She is a beautiful person and a ridiculously talented artist. Click here to visit her shop.

The tattoo pen features the symbol of local artist Jared. He paints, he draws, he tattoos. We have some of his coffee paintings in our gallery at the Starbucks where I work. The symbol is an arc with 3 lines slashed through it. It's tattooed on his forearm and he sometimes signs his work with it. If you're in need of a killer tat, see him at Artistic Encounter on Rosemeade. Ask about the swine flu tattoo :)

Etsy Dallas Beer-B-Q

2009-07-20T09:08:00.007-06:00

My friend and co-worker had her baby this past Tuesday, so I worked overtime last week. I normally work around 20 hours, so this was a huge difference. I was so excited when it was time for the BBQ this weekend! We had a silent auction of member-donated goods to bid on. All proceeds benefited La Reunion. I donated this pen:

Larry aka Kessler Craftsman grilled the burgers and made some awesome Sangria. We had a nice assortment of beer, too. It was nice to catch up with all my friends and kick the soccer ball around. I'm glad Cheyne of Cut Out and Collect shared the picture taking task with me. Otherwise I wouldn't be in any of the pictures. I'm sitting on the step next to baby Ian wearing black in the Texas heat.

Time Track Thursday #6

2009-07-09T09:04:00.004-06:00

It's a proven fact that when you have written goals, you accomplish more important things more often. So, I was astounded to find out that only 3% of Americans have specific, written goals!

Grab a sheet of paper and think about what you want to accomplish this year, in 5 years, even 10 years. I'm more of a "fly by the seat of my pants girl" so my only long-term goal is to have a studio in a house with walls that are any color but white. I have many goals for this year though, including blogging at least 3 times per week, keeping a full Etsy shop, and getting the new, improved Bead Circle website up and running.

My site is a big goal so I have smaller supporting goals that make a big goal manageable. For example, a goal for last month: research web hosts, choose one, and buy a year's worth of hosting. Write out many goals and focus on the most important first. It's a good idea to have some easy goals, and some more challenging goals.

Commit to your goals today by writing them down and sharing them with others. Now you're accountable, and exponentially more likely to achieve them!

Worktable Wednesday: Embellishment Explosion + Finished Lariat

2009-07-08T08:36:00.000-06:00

I'm finally feeling better from being sick all 4th of July weekend. All I did was watch the history channel and bead. I got a little beading done between cat naps on the couch. My table looks like a bead bomb went off when its time to embellish! Here is my completed Dragon Tears Lariat by Melanie Doerman:

Swap Goodies: It's always worth the wait!

2009-07-03T08:59:00.008-06:00

Sister Diane of Crafty Pod fame is one of my favorite people to swap with. We both just send our packages whenever our schedules allow, and its always a fun surprise because you never know when it will arrive. This time I received:

Chic and Simple Sewing- I have been wanting this book so bad! It's a great novice sewing book complete patterns of the cutest dresses, and even a rain coat. It will be hard to decide which one to make first.
Designing Jewelry with Semi-precious Beads- I don't usually work with gemstones, but the book has several designs incorporating seed beads. I would love to make something using amethyst, my favorite color or peridot, my birthstone.
Dogzilla, a Craft Leftovers project- I love green crafting and this project is too cute! I think I will end up adding some bead embroidery to him. He can be the watch dog for my bead stash.
my very own pink kanzashi pin- I squealed with delight when I opened this and immedatly pinned it on my shirt! DH came to check on me, saw what I was doing, and called me a craft nerd, hehe. The design can probably be found in her book, Kanzashi in Bloom. I pre-ordered the book a month ago, and it should be arriving at the end of the month!
3 ancient (1949) issues of Gourmet magazine- I read one of the articles about a woman receiving her first freezer, and it made me fall out of my chair half laughing half appalled at the language of how it "used to be". There is fantastic collage potential between these covers!

You can view the amazing things I sent here. Thanks Diane, you're the best!

Worktable Wednesday: I'm at the end of my rope!

2009-07-01T06:24:00.004-06:00

I'm finally at the end of my rope! It took 16+ hours to complete this netted rope with size 15/0 black and purple seed beads. I'm really happy with it, and now its time for the best part...embellishment!

2 New Listings!

2009-06-30T09:48:00.005-06:00

Remember those pens I talked about last week? Well I finally got two of them listed in my shop this morning. I took pictures of the other ones, and I will probably list them tomorrow after I think of some good titles.

Aqua Swirl Pen
This festive pen features generous swirls of blue, gold, sea foam, and magenta all an an aqua background. Pen writes in blue.

Forest Jagged Motion Pen
This pen features a wild and earthy fusion of color on a forest green background. The whirled color palette includes: light blue, cream, forest green, royal purple, and magenta. Pen writes in forest green.

Do you prefer the classic simplicity of the swirl design, or the wildness of the jagged motion design? Please share your thoughts with me in the comments.

Time Track Thursday Quick Tip

2009-06-25T15:32:00.003-06:00

Today's Quick Tip: Use A Timer

I have a $5 kitchen timer that has proved itself to be more useful in my studio than the kitchen. Here are two examples:

When I have 30 minutes budgeted for Twitter, I set the timer and read and reply to tweets for only 30 minutes. It helps me avoid getting sucked into the black hole that leads to time wasting, and I can snap back to my agenda when the timer goes off.
I hate cleaning my studio! But I am much more productive when I can find all the things I need easily, and I don't have to worry about my dog ruining projects that have a temporary home on the floor. I set the timer for 1 hour, clean like crazy, then stop. I do this maybe 2 times/week and that's all it takes! I have successfully avoided the monthly meltdown and all day cleaning sessions.

I hope this is a useful quick tip. Please leave a comment if you plan on trying this, and/or if it works for you. Thanks!

Survey for Beaders

2009-06-24T09:42:00.007-06:00

My computer is on my "worktable" for this Wednesday. I am planning a redesign of my beading forum, Bead Circle. I have some exciting ideas, but I wanted to ask the opinion of beaders before I dive in. The survey is 10 questions long, mostly multiple choice, the last one asks you to describe what the perfect beading website be like. What features would it have? I'm very excited about this project, and I can't wait to receive your feedback! Thanks!

Reading List for Success

2009-06-23T07:43:00.004-06:00

As I mentioned yesterday, I am an avid reader and have a natural tendency toward life-long learning. These are 5 books on my reading list that will follow the 2 I am currently reading. I wanted to share them with a note about why I chose them. They are in no particular order, as it will be hard to decide which one to pick up next!

No B.S. Wealth Attraction for Entrepreneurs by Dan Kennedy In the internet business and marketing course I'm taking, at the end of the first lesson, it said "buy this book right now and read it when you find time." So I did, and I will.
The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley I was told this was a classic, and it would open my eyes in unexpected ways.
The Six Pillars of Self- Esteem by Nathaniel Branden I read a tweet from @jeremyfrandsen would just finished this book. I could stand to flex my muscles in this area when it comes to my work. When someone winces at the price tag of my items at craft shows, I want it to have no effect on me.
The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber Tagline: Why most small businesses don't work and what to do about it. Another classic business book that has been recommended to me so many times I had to buy it.
I'd Rather Be in the Studio by Alyson B. Stanfield I was browsing my usual art & craft blogs, when one link lead to another, and I came across this book. The title spoke to me, because I think a lot of us in crafty business feel this way. I will definitely write a review on this one.

If there is a book you love that has motivated or inspired you, or changed your life in some way, please leave a comment about it! It will take me maybe 2 months to blaze through all of these books, and I will need more for my list. Thanks!

Time Track Thursday #5

2009-06-18T09:15:00.004-06:00

Today's topic is finding a personal planning system that works for you.

Planners are important because it is your main productivity tool. What type of planning system you use depends entirely upon your personality. I like to write things down on a paper planner, my tech savvy friend prefers her iphone calendar, and Lenny in the movie Momento uses photographs and tattoos. Use whatever you want, as long as your system works for you.

Paper Planners

1-2 pages for 1 day work well if you have many appointments that fill your schedule
2 pages showing a full week is highly recommended so you can better see how you are using your time
size matters- small planners are more portable, but you have less room to write out lists
a planner is an investment, but inexpensive ones work just as well. you can always upgrade when you are sure the system works for you
List of popular planner lines, many of which are sold at your local office supply store: At-a-Glance, Day Runner, Day Timer, Filofax, Franklin Covey, Planner Pad

Electronic Planners

many cell phones have calenders so you will only have to carry one device
some models can store a lot of data
if many of your activities are online, its easy to coordinate with them electronically
alarms can remind you of important activities
make sure you keep it charged, and be careful if you sync with your computer so you don't lose anything
one disadvantage is that you can not view a whole week calender on the screen

I use a paper planner and Google Calendar together for my system. Google Calendar is great for artists and crafters because its easy to adjust and rearrange the blocks of time you have scheduled. This is important because you never know when your "genius" will visit you, and 3 hours could go by while you're painting, sewing, or beading etc. If you were "supposed" to be working on traffic generation to your site while on your creative tangent, you can just swap out the time blocks at another point in the week with the click of a mouse. I also keep my values, DMP, and goals in my paper planner for motivation.

Once you pick a method, use it consistently and avoid writing on scraps of paper that you can lose. Check you planner daily to make sure you are getting everything done. Gather everything you need the night before so its organized and ready for you to start your day!

Worktable Wednesday: Letter to the Clutter Fairy

2009-06-17T06:22:00.006-06:00

Dear Clutter Fairy,
I want to thanks you for visiting the Dallas Bead Society this past February. We appreciate all tips you gave us on how to organize our bead spaces on a more creative level. Artists and crafters are obviously visual people, but it was a new concept for me that our supplies are so inspirational/motivational, they should be out and seen at all times. After organizing my studio and implementing all the tips I learned, I somehow managed to lose the beads I was using for my Dragon Tears Lariat (pictured above, half finished), a class I took from Melanie Doerman. It just seemed so ironic. After I finished my Stars in Her Eyes Lariat, I decided to finally clean off my desk, and found my beads! So, I promise to use my organization system and my project cases more effectively from now on.
Peace and Love,
Mandi

Playing with Color + Giveaway

2009-06-15T20:07:00.003-06:00

I had so much fun making these new pens! I love playing with color and adding and subtracting different colors of beads from my palette to get just the right combination. My abstract "Jagged Motion" design is perfect for color experimentation. I hope to get these listed in my etsy shop this week.

Fellow Dallas Etsians Megan of Harrilu and Ashley of Ashley Akers Jewelry are running cross promotion giveaways! Click here to enter to win a Teal and White Peonies Tunic, and click here to enter to win a red plexiglass Coral Branch Pendant.

Stars in Her Eyes Lariat

2009-06-14T15:53:00.004-06:00

It is finished! I've mentioned this lariat in my Worktable Wednesday posts, and blogging about it was enough motivation to get it done. It was designed by Marilou Porth who teaches at Artful Bead, and is a member of the Dallas Bead Society. I finished it while listening to some audio that is part of a business and marketing course I am taking online. Adding the stars was definitely my favorite part, and it turned out so beautiful!

I've been mentioned on 2 other blogs recently! First, I was a featured designer on A Bead A Day. Second, my Peace Sign Mini Pen is a hot pick on the Jesse Jane's blog. Thanks for featuring me, I'm honored!

Time Track Thursday #4

2009-06-11T08:34:00.005-06:00

Today is about creating a vision or definite major purpose (DMP). There's no point in effectively managing your time if you have no vision or purpose. It would be like using a road map with no destination in mind.

I created my DMP several months ago after listening to several episodes of the Internet Business Mastery Podcast. Sterling and Jay have posted a free Audio eBook that explains what DMP is and they give examples from their own lives. There is also a worksheet you can print out and it guides you through answering these questions:

Why am I here?
What is the top purpose for my life?
What fulfills me above all other things?

Thinking through these things and several other questions really helped me figure out what I need to be doing on a day to day basis. I even made a collage to hang on the wall of my studio for inspiration and motivation. I have a lot of pictures of places I would like to travel, a picture of the custom mini cooper that I've been wanting, even an Aggie football helmet because I would love to have season tickets. I'm also a scrapbooker and had fun with my stickers, though the suitcase sticker (bottom left) was purchased specifically for this project.

Click here and enter your email in the big box to the right to start working on your vision. In the interest of full-disclosure, I am now a member of the Internet Business Mastery Academy, but all the materials I've talked about are free and you can unsubscribe from their newsletter at any time. It is just the best tool I've come across for creating your vision. Please leave comments!

Worktable Wednesday

2009-06-10T08:45:00.003-06:00

Last week I mentioned those beaded purple and gold stars in the top left container. Well, blogging about them was enough motivation to work on it more. I tripled the length of the herringbone lariat rope! I worked on it at the Dallas Bead Society meeting on Saturday. I can't wait to add all the little stars to the ends. It's like the reward for working on such a long rope!

Review: The 4-Hour Workweek

2009-06-09T05:41:00.006-06:00

I am a voracious reader. It took me a week to burn through The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss, and before that just 24 hours for The Color Purple by Alice Walker. While writing this post, I realize they both have an important common theme: to be happy, find excitement, and live your life on your own terms.

I love The 4-Hour Workweek, but this book isn't for everyone. It requires a paradigm shift to accept mini-retirements and vacations and reject the "deferred-life plan" (i.e. work 9-5 or longer hours in the corporate world, save, wait, and then retire later in life when you are too old to really enjoy it). If you read my last Time Track post, you know I was more than willing to accept this.

Things I've applied so far:

I've defined my fears and outlined everything that would happen if I were to completely fail in my business. It's really not as scary as I thought.
I've applied the Pareto Principle or the 80/20 principle to my marketing strategy. (80% of the results come from 20% of the effort and time.)
I check my email twice a day, and only after I've done the top 1 or 2 most important things to be accomplished that day.

Business planning- Ferriss goes over how to start, automate, and outsource your business. He provides some great tips, but critics have said he makes it sound too easy. It's true your business could fail, but that is not the focus of the book. He makes you admit that at the beginning, then answers the question, "What if it doesn't fail?" It's better to run your business than have it run you.

Life planning- The section on "mini-retirements" was interesting and eye-opening. I had no idea it was so cheap to live abroad in comparison to the United States. The section on "filling the void doesn't apply to me. I know exactly how I will spend my free-time once I have it! It's true that some people won't know what to do with themselves without work. I have a retired friend considering a part-time job! At least its at a bead store :)

Time Track Thursday #3

2009-06-04T07:26:00.007-06:00

Today is about values. It's important to identify your values because you can "pull" yourself towards what makes you happy and satisfied instead of "pushed" toward what others think is important. When you recognize and understand your values, you will naturally use your time on what you value most.

Many of the time management books I've been going through have some sort of chapter about values. Steve Pavlina has a great list of values on his site. (I chose Steve's list because he included "craftiness" and "creativity", so he must be on the right track.) I would encourage you to read through his list and write down the values that immediately resonate with you. Then place stars next to the top 5 or 10. Which value seems to connect many of the others?

Freedom is my most important value. It is much harder to follow my other values of happiness and love without it. When I graduated from college, those close to me expected me to do what they did. Get a job they didn't really like, work like a slave for 40 years, save up a whole bunch of money, and hopefully retire one day to a lower middle class lifestyle. I was totally disillusioned and unhappy about this, tried it anyways, and failed miserably. I made it exactly a year before quitting my job, and then started working part time at a coffee shop to pay the bills. I make a quarter of what I did before, but I have the thing I value most: Freedom. I can arrange my schedule however I want, and spend the rest of my time doing what I want, like writing this blog post. It's harder and I've had to give up some things, but I'm also exponentially happier. This is also my stepping stone to gaining more freedom.

I'm not saying everyone reading this post should quit their jobs and work at a coffee shop. I am saying it's important to identify your own values; who you really are. What you value most has a prominent place is your time management system. Please leave a comment if you've found this series helpful, and/or if you've identified your values. I love comments and always respond to them!

Worktable Wednesday

2009-06-03T09:02:00.004-06:00

Besides lots of photography and listing, here is what I have been working on this week. Crab pens! If you look closely at the top left, you will see 2 sections filled with purple and gold beaded stars. Those are for my "Stars in Her Eyes Lariat." It's taking me a looong time to finish the spiral herringbone strap, but I hope to finish it and reveal it soon!

Grand Opening Week!

2009-06-02T06:53:00.004-06:00

Yesterday was the official grand opening of my new shop mandibeads.etsy.com! I've been photographing and listing new items constantly, though I will have to take a break this morning to finish some custom orders. My journals are too big for the light box I use for my pens, so I sent DH to the store for lights and poster board. I'm glad he's on vacation this week. I also attended an email marketing course yesterday, and I will be writing a post about what I've learned sometime this week.

Through Saturday there will be free shipping to anywhere to celebrate my grand opening!

Time Track Thursday #2

2009-05-28T05:35:00.003-06:00

This week: Where does the time really go? Putting a value on it helps you decide the best way to spend it.

I spent a week meticulously logging my time. Every time I shifted my attention, I wrote down what I was doing (as suggested by Alec Mackenzie, The Time Trap). Then I asked myself these questions:

Did I achieve my goals for the day? To what extent?
When was I the most productive?
When was I the least productive?
What were the biggest interruptions and time wasters?
What have I been doing that I can delegate to someone else?

I learned a lot about myself, some of which I will go over briefly. I achieved my goals to the extend I intended when I wrote them down in the morning or night before. I am most productive with my computer time in the morning and with my crafting in the afternoon. After 5pm I don't get that much done. That's when I cook, clean, do laundry etc. After a 6 hour shift at Starbucks, I'm useless for several hours. I spend a lot of time on Twitter! Sometimes it crosses over into wasting time. I've delegated my graphic design needs to someone else. I can do it, but its icing on the cake, and it takes me too much time. Besides, I know people who make better icing than me.

Then I estimated my Time Worth using this formula by Dan Kennedy:

Determine your base earnings target for the next calender year. (I added my Starbucks pay and the $200/month goal I have for my shop.)
Divide by annual workday hours (220 days x 8 = 1,760 hours).
Multiply that answer by 3 (He says on average we are productive 1 out of every 3 hours.)
The answer is your time value per hour.

My time is worth so much more than I expected, even with my conservative numbers! Posting this value and seeing it often will definitely help me to spend my time more wisely. I hope these steps help you as well.

P.S. My new shop at mandibeads.etsy.com will be opening in 4 days!

Worktable Wednesday

2009-05-27T06:56:00.002-06:00

This is my set up I have going in front of the TV. My DH (see footnote) is a huge movie buff so we're always watching movies (or baseball), and I feel the need to be productive at the same time. This is my bead board that goes nearly everywhere with me. I was lucky enough to get my OTT-LITE from the Dallas Bead Society Holiday Party this past December. We sat in a big circle and someone read a story, and when the reader said "left" we passed our gifts to the person to our left, and the same for the word "right." I was sooo happy to end up with it! It is the best work light I've ever owned and I LOVE that it shows true colors. I can also angle it so I don't disturb DH's movie atmosphere. I set both of these on my Table Mate. My DH is geeky and has a computer hooked up to the TV as well. He was always wanting to set his keyboard on MY table! We had to get another one. These tables are awesome! Time to get back to work because my new shop is opening June 1st! Now you know exactly where I will be sitting.

Footnote: DH is short of "Dear Husband" not "Designated Hitter" as I originally thought when I first started posting in forums! Yes, I LOVE baseball.

Blog Award

2009-05-26T06:26:00.006-06:00

I just received the One Lovely Blog Award from Anna of Life, Craftiness, and Everything Else. She is also the creator behind The House of Mouse. Go check out The Beatles Mice, they are too cute!

Thanks so much, Anna! Now it's my turn to pass it on...
Here are the rules:

Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

1. Craft Cove
2. Macaroni and Glue
3. Studio618
4. Sand Fibers
5. Joy of Life
6. Jaycee Patterns
7. Bags and Buds
8. Funky Finds
9. A Bead A Day
10. Here There Be Monsters
11. Almost Precious
12. Fairy Davis
13. Etsy Stalker
14. Monster Bubbles
15. Today in the Jewelry Studio

Please checkout all these wonderful blogs. They are in no particular order, and you may find a new blog to "follow"!

Side Note: I'm still working on my "Mandibeads" etsy shop. I have some new products, many pens and journals to photograph, and a new logo in the works. I'm shooting for a Grand Opening date of June 1, 2009. Back to work :)

Something for Me & My Winners

2009-05-25T13:20:00.005-06:00

I finished up this hand-bound Coptic journal in class last week. It is for myself. I noticed that I was taking my notes (blog or marketing notes etc.) on a spiral notebook from Target. I thought "I make journals, what an outrage!" I chose a paper with my favorite motifs: hearts, stars, and skulls & crossbones. I added exactly 13 signatures to this journal on purpose. It seemed fitting.

Also, congrats to Liz and Ann, my winners! Liz signed up for my email newsletter at the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash, and won the journal I raffled off to the new subscribers that day. Ann won the Cupcake Pen Giveaway by signing up for my newsletter on my blog. Thanks so much for your support of indie businesses like mine!

I plan to light a candle at 3pm today to honor all those who have served in the military. Happy Memorial Day!

Time Track Thursday #1

2009-05-21T07:25:00.005-06:00

Time management is something many of us crafty business owners struggle with. We are our own marketing departments, photographers, accountants, bloggers, copy editors, sales reps, and the creator behind all of our products. Most of us have day jobs and/or children to attend to as well. So how can we possibly fit it all in?

That is the topic I'm going to discuss every Time Track Thursday, because it is the top issue I struggle with. I want to make the most of every 24 hours, and by doing so all of my "departments" will have the amount of attention they deserve. I hope you will join me on my journey through The 25 Best Time Management Tools and Techniques: How to Get More Done Without Driving Yourself Crazy by Pamela Dodd.

This week I started small. I began writing down all the important things I want to do in the day, and during the week. I also began implementing Timothy Adam's post it note tip. Last night, I stuck a post it note to the bottom of my computer screen. I had 2 things I wanted to get done today and if I only accomplished those 2 things I could still call it a productive day.

Use random number generator to pick the winners from my show raffle and online giveaway, then email the winners.
Write post #1 for Time Track Thursday.

Focusing is the key. I chose the most important things, and I have both items accomplished by 9am. Now I can move on to the other things on my daily and weekly lists!

Etsy Dallas Spring Bash Review

2009-05-19T15:11:00.006-06:00

I am now fully recovered from the Bash! Our fearless founder of Etsy Dallas, Stephanie of Tefi Designs, snapped this shot of me happily (wo)manning my booth. Our show was a huge success, and I heard we were even on the news! I was wondering how things were going to be with the economy and the swine flu scare etc. It didn't affect our show at all from what I could tell. We had shoppers non-stop all day, and the goody bags were gone as fast as we could hand them out! It helped that we had a ton of wonderful press beforehand including Daily Candy and NBC DFW, which mentions me! I was said to have " gel pens with painstakingly beaded slogans as covers, like this CRAFTY pen." That pen was the first one to go, too.

We have already set up a meeting to start planning the 2009 Jingle Bash. Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 21 @ Sons of Hermann Hall!

7 New Pens

2009-05-15T03:42:00.004-06:00

I have been a busy little bee getting ready for the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash! I made 7 new pens over the past 2 days. I wanted to make 3 each of my favorite 3 designs: cupcake, peace sign, and skull & crossbones. So after this blog post I plan on making the last 2 skull & crossbones pens. I plan on listing all my new items and all my journals on Sunday after the show. I also hope to have an amazing show write up as well. We were featured in Daily Candy, so this is going to be BIG!

Don't forget to enter my Cupcake Pen Giveaway! Contest ends tonight!

Cupcake Pen Giveaway

2009-05-13T08:44:00.006-06:00

This cupcake is good enough to eat, but I don't suggest that :) Put this fat free version to use and jot down anything from grandma's perfect frosting recipe to your grocery list. I chose vanilla for the cup, added pink strawberry frosting, and topped it off with a cherry. This mini pen writes in pink.

Want to win this pen? Follow 2 easy steps:

Sign-up for my newsletter by entering your email in the box on the top right.
Then leave a comment telling me your favorite cupcake combination. Mine is red velvet with cream cheese frosting hands down!

Winner will be chosen randomly. Contest ends Friday May 15, 2009 at midnight.

I will be giving away another hand-bound journal at the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash. Don't forget the first 50 people through the door will receive a free goody bag jam-packed with handmade items from Etsy Dallas members. Hope to see you there!

Spoil a Veteran Crafter

2009-05-11T06:57:00.010-06:00

I went to visit my friend Larry while he was showing at the Swiss Avenue Home Tour and Art Fair yesterday. He had a full booth of gorgeous glass art and a special display of Japanese Kanji "Mother" pendants for Mothers' Day. I brought some water and the coveted dark chocolate gram crackers from Starbucks. That's why its good to have your friends visit you at shows!

I've done several shows with Larry last year, and I have learned so much. I am constantly improving my display, and learning how to "work" my booth. Like I said in a previous post, I learned a lot by watching how he interacts with customers, the way he talks about his work, and how he makes them laugh. He has a blog geared toward people who are newbies in the craft show world, and there are some great tips there. You can find it here: Kessler Craftsman Blog.

Larry and I will be at the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash this Saturday. Also Larry will be giving away fused glass rings and I'm giving away marble magnets; both of which can be found in the Spring Bash goodie bags. Be one of the first 50 people through the door to score one!

We have a winner!

2009-05-03T10:56:00.005-06:00

Congrats to Bridgette of Allen, TX for winning the Japanese Branch Book! Everyone that signed up for my newsletter at the Funky Finds Spring Fling last weekend was entered in the raffle. If you signed up, you will be receiving my newsletter very soon.

My newsletter includes updates on my new work, upcoming shows, coupons, freebies, and more! I've added a sign-up form to the right-hand tool bar, and will be announcing an online sign-up raffle soon.

I will be raffling off another one of my hand-bound journals at the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash on May 16, 2009 at South Side on Lamar. Hope to see you there!

Making Magnets

2009-04-28T09:17:00.004-06:00

I'm making more recycled magazine magnets for our upcoming show: The Etsy Dallas Spring Bash! It's so fun to search through magazines finding cute and unexpected images to use. I was running low after the Funky Finds show, and I think I might need a bigger display for them in the future. You can get a free magnet by being one of the first 50 people at the door, as they are included in an awesome screen-printed goodie bag full of handmade items by Etsy Dallas members! Hope to see you there!

First Show of the Year

2009-04-26T04:38:00.008-06:00

I am spent from my all-day adventure at the Funky Finds Spring Fling! I've done several shows by myself, and last year I did several shows with my amazing glass artist friend Larry. I learned so much from him watching how he interacts with customers, the way he talks about his work, and how he makes them laugh. I had my own booth this time, but Larry was right around the corner. I'm a lot more confident when I explain the complexities of my work, and I no longer cringe when I hear "$20 for a pen?!" because I know it's worth it. I had a great time and met some cool people.

Now I'm thinking about how I can improve my booth. I definitely need a new sign that coordinates with my new colors of sky blue and white. My goal is to help people understand what they are looking at. I slide the beaded tube off the pen, and explain how I weave all the beads ONE AT A TIME. I want to have a sign with shots of the process for the Spring Bash. Some people will just "get it" and love it, and those are my customers.

Beaded Locket Decision

2009-04-01T13:33:00.000-06:00

My Beaded Locket class with Melanie Doerman is two weeks away. She is coming to teach the Dallas Bead Society, and I have been excited about this for months! The first project is a fully functional beaded locket and the other is her Dragon Lariat. Now it’s decision time. The locket kits were just posted on her site and I am agonizing over which color combination to choose. Black is nice because you can wear it with anything. Purple is my all-time favorite color. I love the idea of bronze; that’s a great fashion-forward color for summer. I really like the green one, too. It has a flower pattern on it and the shades are celery, olive green, and cranberry. Or I could buy my own kit and choose my own colors. Bronze and green might be just what I need. It would be cool to have a maroon and white locket and put my wedding picture in it. We had a Aggie wedding of course. Ah, decisions, decisions. I’ll definitely post the finished piece!

2009-03-24T09:11:00.003-06:00

I just listed my Purple Haze Pen & Pencil Set in my Etsy shop. Purple is my all time favorite color, and I just love Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix. His guitar riffs are just amazing! Those two things provided some great inspiration for the set :)

I wish I didn't have to work today. I feel really motivated to create more designs and list more things in my shop. The worst part about listing is writing the copy, but I think I'm getting better at it.

Song lyrics | Purple Haze lyrics

Flower Power

2009-03-17T17:01:00.004-06:00

I have made 100 pink, blue, and purple flower magnets this week! They are for goody bags for the 2 shows I have coming up:

4/25 - Funky Finds Spring Fling - Will Rodger's, Fort Worth, TX (first 50 to buy $1 raffle ticket get a goody bag)

5/16 - Etsy Dallas Spring Bash - South Side on Lamar, Dallas, TX (first 50 through the door get a free goody bag)

I put each one in a little bag with a business card and a coupon attached for free shipping at my etsy shop, Scribble Scrabble. I am also the goody bag coordinator for the Spring Bash, and we are packing our cute tote bags full of free handmade items and coupons, including some really cute Spring earrings by Tefi Designs. I can't wait!

Spring Bash

2009-03-16T18:59:00.004-06:00

I am so excited about the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash! I turned in my application today, and I finished making my promos for the goody bags over the weekend. I'm also a member of the leadership team, so I had some postcards printed, and I'm going to get the Deco Squad together for a brainstorming session at our Craft Circle on Friday. We still have a lot of promoting to do, and we are accepting applications for 2 more days. Click here for details :)

Interview

2007-07-31T17:28:00.000-06:00

I'm turning in my profile for our Etsy Texas Crafters Membership booklet today. It's going to be a CD of profiles of all the members and we'll use it as a promotional tool. Here are the questions and what I wrote:

Etsy User Name: Scribbles

Tell us a bit about yourself (name, location, affiliations, achievements/awards, and any personal stuff you want to share).

My name is Mandi Flint and I'm a right handed Leo born in the year of the boar. I'm a hippie-liberal type from Austin, who went to school at Texas A&M for a history degree, then moved to Dallas. I'm an artist, peace activist, feminist, and I have a bead addiction. I've been beading since I was 10 when my grandma gave me her loom. I had my first jewelry show at age 12, nearly sold out, and made $78. I thought I was rich! Lately I've experimenting with other ways to use beads besides jewelry. I love writing, so I was already a fan of the G2 Pilot Pens for the fun colors and the smooth gel ink. The only problem was they looked so ordinary. I combined the pens with my passion for beading and BANG, Scribble Scrabble Beaded Pens was born.

Are you an Etsy Buyer, Seller, or Both? both

What is the first thing you can remember making by hand? How and why did you make it?

That’s a hard one, so I’m glad it’s the first thing you remember making. My grandma taught me to sew at a very early age. She got me a book that had several sewing projects in it. I think the first was a bag to keep all my sewing supplies in. She allowed me to choose any fabric from her large and deliciously colorful stash. I chose a green fabric that had big pink hibiscuses on it. I think I still have it somewhere!

Why do you create?

I create because it’s a meditative freedom. My mind and creativity are free to go anywhere they want without hindrance. Whatever I’m feeling goes into what I’m making, and I love that I can just lose myself in it.

What inspires you? Where do your ideas come from?

I’m deeply inspired by other artists and the stories behind their work. I’m also inspired by nature, color, feelings, even books.

What are your favorite materials?

Beads; with the definition of beads being anything that has a hole through it :)

What is your favorite color?

Purple

What are your most and least two favorite films? My favorite is a toss up between Boondock Saints and Pulp Fiction. My least favorite film has to be What Dreams May Come just because I don’t like the way it affected me.

What are you reading right now?

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the way we make things. It’s really changing how I look at things and what I choose to buy. It gives the word consumer a whole new meaning.

What is your favorite item you have purchased on Etsy?

I’m going to go with my red velvet cupcake pin cushion! My beading needles just weren’t happy with the boring old tomato pin cushion.

Now I have to choose which photos I'd like included!

2 more mini pens!

2007-07-11T06:00:00.000-06:00

I posted this Pink Butterfly Mini Pen last night along with a Turquoise Peace Mini Pen. I love making the little mini pens! I went to the store last weekend to buy some more, and I found a surprise. They came out with some mini mechanical pencils! They look just like the mini pens but with a little eraser on top. I've already made one and I plan on posting it later this week.

The next 3 projects on my list are:
1) go look at wedding invitations and get ideas so I can make my own
2) get some pens made for the funky pen and notepad swap on swap-bot
3) work on my profile for the ETC membership book!

Bumblebee Mini Pen

2007-07-09T19:47:00.001-06:00

Here is my new pen design, and I am soooo proud of it! I made a cute little bumblebee, and gave him 4 violets all to himself :) I have 3 other mini pens that I will be adding to my shop this week. I'm going to try again on the posting one item per day for a week. I have a mini butterfly, another peace sign, and another waves pen.

I got so much stuff done over the weekend and caught up on a lot of my favorite podcasts. All the sampler packages have been sent out, so I'm hoping people like my pens and come have a look at my store. Then I will be working on my new website! I kind of want to model it after www.betzwhite.com. She has a link to her etsy store under "shop" and a link to her blog. I'd also love to have a gallery. I need one of her cupcake pincushions, too!

Butterflies & Dragonflies ATC Swap

2007-07-07T15:44:00.001-06:00

I had so much fun making the ATCs for the swap. I think the 3rd one is my favorite though. I made two for each of my swap-bot partners. I hope they are enjoyed! I loved the explanation of the butterfly effect:

The flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil can set off a storm in Texas. Isn't that an amazing statement? Physicists call this theory "The Butterfly Effect" to explain how the breeze produced by a butterfly's wings could set of a series of reverberations that over time have a tremendous affect on weather patterns thousands of miles away. Now imagine the impact of millions of butterflies...

I love the idea that we all have the power to change the world, and it can start with a small action.

Etsy DFW Meet & Greet

2007-06-18T07:14:00.000-06:00

I had so much fun at our first meeting, and I hope we can do it again soon! It was Sunday from 1-4 at Jo-Ann Fabrics. We went around the table and talked about our shops and our craft. That took awhile because we always branched off into other topics such as wholesale selling and pricing etc. Then, our fearless leader Mary brought out some craft kits that she had put together for us. We made altered books, and played with wallpaper, glue, scissors, ribbons, and an ancient looking punch! I loved the outside of mine, but it didn't look as pretty on the inside. Some people decided to donate their project to the team shop for helping promote the trunk show in NY. We decided to do more crafts at future meetings, and donate them as well. I'm the first person on the right side of the picture. Here's a list of everyone and their shops starting with me :)

Mandi = Scribbles
Ellen = EllensTreasures
Mary = MarysMadness
Shannon = Bijoujuju
Micky = MoonshineBluebirds
Megan = Muttsywonder
Karen = Nerdbomber
Diane = DLSDesigns
Beth = ATrunkFullOFun
Kelly = BananaShowcase

Words

2007-06-11T03:42:00.000-06:00

I have changed by shop intro to include the story behind my shop. Here it is: I love writing, so I was already a fan of the G2 Pilot Pens for the fun colors and the smooth gel ink. The only problem was they looked so ordinary. I combined the pens with my passion for beading and BANG, Scribble Scrabble Beaded Pens was born. If you don't see a pen that fits your personality, I'd love to do a custom pen for you. They are perfect for journaling, jotting notes, writing letters, and even scrapbooking!

I also added a sections about my beadwork and about the pens so people have a better idea about what I'm selling and why it's so awesome!

*About the Beadwork:
I use a needle and thread, and a technique called peyote stitch to weave the beads together. The beads are Japanese Delicas to create a precision, flawless design. I start with a circle of beads, and each additional bead is locked into place one at a time. This process takes 2-6 hours depending on the size of the pen, and the complexity of design. The result is a solid tube of beads that will slide off the pen so it can be placed on a new one!

*About the Pens:
Quality work needs a quality "frame," and that's why I chose the G2 Pilot Pen. The gel ink is smooth, water resistant, and acid free (archival safe). It's retractable, so there is no cap to lose. They also come in fun colors with a comfortable, contoured rubber grip. Use the regular size for journaling, jotting notes, writing letters, scrapbooking! The compact design of the mini is perfect for purses, datebooks, briefcases, and pockets!

"First Monday" was a Success!

2007-06-06T06:54:00.001-06:00

Etsy Texas Crafters had our inaugural "First Monday" on June 4th and it was a success. I made two sales, and one was from our fearless leader Milly! We had 31 member shops participate, and 17 had sales with a total of 37 items sold! I glad the "I Heart Yarn Pen" finally found a good home, too. I am having my first talk with a team member today about our the ETC website we are building. Staying busy, that's for sure.

Also, my Sampler package was found! Apparently many of the packages had trouble making it there. Silly mailman! All are found and will be going out today, and I'm really excited about that. I'm also going to try to get this new pen posted before I leave for work.

Good News and Bad News

2007-06-02T15:44:00.000-06:00

I guess I'll start with the bad news so I can end on a positive note. My package to the Sampler was lost in the mail! I cried when I saw they didn't receive it, and after I went to the post office and they said there's nothing they can do. I lost over $200 worth of merchandise and promos, plus all the time that went into it. It was so stupid not to insure it or get delivery confirmation or something. For those type of packages I think I'll use UPS or FED EX so this won't happen again.

The good news is that I got a new lightbox, and I can finally get those awesome white backgrounds for my pictures! I just posted this blue peace mini pen in my shop. I'm going to re-photograph all my pens this weekend and hopefully have everything finished in time for the very first Etsy Texas Crafters "First Mondays." The first one is this Monday -- this will be 24 hours of great sales and special offers in the ETC team shop, as well as in ETC members' shops, and will be held the first Monday of every month (12:01am to 12:00 midnight Monday, Central Time / 1:01am Monday to 1:00am Tuesday, Etsy Time). Watch for our special avatars to appear when First Mondays sales are going on. My sale will be a BOGO, so when you buy a regular size pen, you'll receive your choice of mini pen free!

the Sampler

2007-05-28T08:57:00.001-06:00

I finished 25 pens for the Sampler!! I used a variety of designs including the ladybug, peace sign, heart, stripes, and the original swirl design. I packaged them up with a regular business card and a magnetic one : ) I also sent tons of promos:

I'm really excited because I've worked so hard on everything, and I can't wait to see the results. I'm going to try to post a new pen everyday this week. I've made three mini pens and I need to photograph them, so I just need to make 2 more before Thursday. I'm really happy to have time to blog today, too. We are open today, Memorial Day, but since its slow I don't have to be in until 12! I have to say thanks to every single veteran out there for your service to our country. I am especially thankful for the vets over at VoteVets.org for holding true to themselves and taking a stand for what they know in their hearts is right. What you are saying makes a lot of sense, and I hope people will open their hearts to what you are saying...Thanks again.

The Staredown

2007-05-15T06:34:00.002-06:00

I was beading away for the Sampler when my movie ended, and after awhile the DVD screen saver came on. The little logo bounces around and changes color. Ruby was fascinated and followed it for 5 minutes before finally barking at it. Hilarious!

I'm mad a USPS right now. They have lost another package of mine! Maybe I just need to add delivery confirmation or something. I realize these things happen, but it was like 3 orders ago, and a very short amount of time. If I ship another method, but then the shipping would cost as much as my product! Catch 22

Gotta Have Friends

2007-04-24T07:35:00.000-06:00

Alison Gordon does a lot for our crafty community as co-organizer of Bazaar Bizarre and Sampler Contributor Relations superhero. She has recently faced a medical emergency, and like many independent artists and crafters, she is without health insurance. She is getting some help from her friends who have set up an etsy shop called Wonderland Retreat, a play on the name of Alison’s site, WonderlandQ. The proceeds will all go to Alison to help ease the financial burden. It’s awesome that there are over 5 pages of donated items, and 160 items have already been sold! I’m so proud to be part of such a wonderful crafty community, and I am donating a pen (pictured) from my shop, Scribble Scrabble Beaded Pens. If you have an item to donate, contact Renee Garner at wonderlandretreat [at] gmail [dot] com. I’m off to the shop to set what cute goodies I can buy to help out :)

Busy Week

2007-04-22T07:20:00.000-06:00

It's the weekend so I finally have time to sit down and think. The picture is of the scribble pads I've been making to go out with my orders and for promos for fellow etsyians to pass out in their goodie bags. When you flip open the cover, there are 10 little pages to take notes on, or scribble on :)

I received two orders this week, even after raising my prices! My customers are happy, and I feel like I'm getting what my work is worth. I love my new job, too. We're not too busy in the morning and the time goes by slow, but from 4-7 it just flies on by! There are a million other things I need to learn though. I went and looked at some Mini Coopers with my fiance yesterday. I will be needing to get a new vehicle before too long as I don't think my Jeep can hack it. Even though I absolutely LOVE my Jeep, it gets terrible gas mileage and its not convenient unless the weather's nice. I wasn't too impressed with the Coopers though...way overpriced in my mind. I've you have any suggestions for cars, lay 'em on me :)

Blue Waves Pen

2007-04-12T15:26:00.000-06:00

I finally got around to posting this pen in my shop today. My table was filled my crayons, paper scraps, and Modge Podge, so I didn't have room for my lightbox until I cleaned up a few things! I also changed the prices for my pens today. I want to go back to the $15/7 combo instead of $12/6. It's not that big of a difference really, and I feel I'm getting what they're worth now.

The job search has ended! Monday I start working for Sewell Automotive. It's a great company and the people are great, too. I can buy more beads, but I'll have less beading time. Oh well I'll just sleep on Sundays!

I'm also a member of a new group on etsy called etsypink. We are raising awareness about breast cancer. Our site is still being worked on but should be up soon. I'm working on an awareness ribbon pen, and I should finish it today. My aunt is my hero and a breast cancer survivor, so this cause is really important to me.

My Art Journal

2007-04-11T14:29:00.000-06:00

I love art journaling! It’s my new addiction right after beads, and it all started with a book recommended by Robin Atkins of Bead Lust. A few pages I have done were intense emotional experiences (dealing with the past sort of thing), and others were just fun releases of creative juice.

The first one I’m sharing today is about my puppy Ruby. When I first moved to Dallas (December 2006), I had depression issues. I couldn’t find a job, I didn’t know anyone, and I was questioning my life as if it were a big sham. Sometimes I’d just cry for no apparent reason. I got Ruby in February 2007, and its amazing how much of a difference she has made in my life. I think the quote I used on the page sums it up well: “There no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.” To start off the page, I found a photo I had taken of her when she was about 10 weeks, and brought it into Photoshop. I used a “charcoal filter” on the photo, and hit print. Then I just went crazy with pastels and pencils. I added a leaf because chasing blowing leaves is her favorite past time.

This Buddha page just happened as I went along. I drew some Nepalese eyes on the page, and decoupaged little scraps of paper (left over from another project) all around it. Then I added the Four Nobel Truths of Buddhism: Dukkha, Samudaya, Nirodha, and Magga. I used paints, stickers, watercolor pencils, a popsicle stick, magazines, ribbon and tag, and tons of Modge Podge. I start my new job Monday, and I have art journaling to keep me sane. I’m really glad because when you are face to face with customers all day, there are things you have to hold back and release later!

Life goes on

2007-03-30T10:22:00.001-06:00

I listed 2 new pens this week. The Spring Jagged Motion Pen (pictured), the Camo-Metallic Jagged Motion Pen, and the AGGIES Pen. I sold a ton of the AGGIES pens at the Winter in Aggieland Craft Show this past December, and I'm debating making an Aggies section in my shop. I'm really proud to be an Aggie and I'm hoping to get some more Aggie customers. Okay, I just talked myself into that one : )

I had a second interview with an advertising company yesterday. It really wasn't an interview at all. I spent 6 hours in the rain watching a trainer try to sell tickets to businesses on the assigned street. I wish they would have told me they were a canvass only to begin with. I thought they had the actual advertising account for the Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars, but they really just hire people to go out and sell tickets door to door. I'd do that for the environment like I did for my last job, but I won't do it for tickets, no matter how great the deal is. I thought it was part of their advertising strategy, but not the only strategy. So, the job search continues...

Spring has Sprung

2007-03-26T08:27:00.000-06:00

I'm so glad spring is here! The warm weather, flowers, and ladybugs. I saw a cute lil ladybug when I was putting down the top on my jeep, and she inspired this mini pen. You can view the listing here.

I've been listening to a lot of reggae lately on internet radio. I just might have to do a reggae inspired pen as well! Other ideas on my list for the week are: clouds, rainbow fade, camo, and music notes. I also want to play more with the design I named "jagged motion." I've already posted the Aqua Jagged Motion Pen. I signed up for another swap, too. It's called "no more naked envelopes," and I'll post my creations before I mail them out : )

1st Swap on Swap-bot

2007-03-23T14:03:00.000-06:00

Here are the two packages I'm about to send out to Carole and Cheryl, my first swap-bot buddies! The swap was to pick from a list of things to send to your partners, and I chose memo pad and gel pen. Those square magnets came with the notepads, and I think they're pretty cute. Since the gel pens I'm sending aren't full-sized, I'm also sending some loom bracelets that I made. =) I painted the envelopes with watercolors, too. Presentation is everything right?

I'm not working at Texas Campaign for the Environment anymore. I'm sad because I loved that job, but I decided I needed to find something better for me and my family (the hours were 2-10pm). I had an interview with Sewell Automotive yesterday, and there are a few more steps in that hiring process. So being proactive, I went ahead and applied for 10 other positions today. Most were administrative positions, and one was for studio photographer! I don't care how long it takes, I just want to find somewhere I like working at. Wish me luck!

New Style

2007-03-20T09:50:00.000-06:00

Here are the new pens I made this weekend, and I will be listing them on etsy today and tomorrow. I have to get all the photos taken first. It's a variation on the swirl design really. Instead of going around and around with the colors, I move them up and down as well. The mini pen is straight up and down evenly. The regular size one was an experiment with both techniques that turned out sweeter than I imagined! I'll be experimenting more in the future :)

I went to a peace rally yesterday! We marched from Mockingbird Station (Dallas) to a park near the site at SMU for the Bush Library. My sign said "Make Art, Not War" I posted a picture on my myspace page. The reggae band that played was awesome, and there were some excellent speeches. Three SMU students had signs across the street from us, and the one I remember the most said "Yay Bush". I was glad to see them exercising their first amendment rights, too. More people need to stand up for what they believe in. I draw the line at kid who cussed out a priest that was with us and told the priest he was going to hell. Violence is never the answer.

Purple Butterfly Pen

2007-03-15T10:11:00.000-06:00

Well I made another version of the purple butterfly pen, and it looks fabulous! This is a complicated pattern, so I finished it over 2 days. It was about 8 hours all together, and I watched some CSPAN because they had some Senate Iraq debates on. They're working on passing a resolution that basically follows the suggestions of the Iraq Study Group. I followed that up with the movie Patton. I'm a pacifist, but I have a thing for war movies. Maybe, in a past life, I was a soldier fighting a "war for empire" or something, and thus died for someone's greed instead of something worthwhile like freedom. Hmm...I didn't think this post would take me down this path, but it did!

Wear Your Heart on Your Pen

2007-03-13T09:19:00.000-06:00

This is the new mini pen that I have listed today. It featues a seafoam green heart on a midnight purple background, and is trimmed up in white. I love the name: Wear Your Heart on Your Pen. I have a bunch of mini pens up now, so I need to get busy making some regular size ones too.

If you have been reading the blog, you probably know that I love the environment, and I'm trying to make Scribble Scrabble Beaded Pens a green business. Well today I will be trying out the awesome transit system in Dallas, and hopefully I can use it to get to and from work without driving my jeep everyday. It doesn't get great gas mileage, and it's going to take me awhile to save up for a hybrid. Plus with summer rolling around, gas prices will go up, and it will still be $40 for a month-long rail pass. You can't beat that!

PEACE Beading Bag

2007-03-12T10:06:00.000-06:00

Today I had to share my peace-themed tote made by Nancy Angellotti of stitchz.etsy.com! It was another gift in my peace swap box. It has become my new beading bag that I can take to the coffee shop when I want to work on things there, or beading classes, or beading parties! It's really well made and the fabric is purple, my favorite color. Thanks Nancy, I love it!

I have listed two new pens this week. The first one is the Purple Punk Mini Pen and it is a swirled design with black, silver, and purple. Of course, it writes in purple : ) The second is the Green Peace Mini Pen, and features a green peace sign on a cream background; writes in green, too. I plan to list something new everyday this week, including another of the famous purple butterfly pen pictured on my business cards!

Pink Punk Mini Pen

2007-03-08T11:59:00.000-06:00

I made this one yesterday, and it's the first new pen I've listed in awhile. I call it the pink punk pen because the colors give it a punk rock feel: black, pink, and silver. It also writes in hot pink! I think I'm going to make another of these in purple.

I think I'm going to try to design one with a tree on it. I want to give all the proceeds to TCE. I'm just not sure if I should make it a mini one or the regular size one. Maybe a black regular and a green mini and they can be a set! I'll have to think on it : )

Organization Needed

2007-03-07T15:16:00.000-06:00

Well now that I have Wednesdays off, it will be easier for me to stay organized. My desk is a disaster area! I finally got some beading time in today, too. I mailed off a custom order today as well. It was a pen for Ilysa of ilysaart.etsy.com, and you can view it here. It's blue with her name done in silver letters. She works with polymer clay, and her work is AMAZING! Okay time to get busy organizing so I can make some new pens. I only have 3 in my shop right now!

Cradle to Cradle

2007-03-06T12:14:00.000-06:00

Wow, it's been a whole month since my last post! Now that I am in the rhythm of my new job and having a puppy, it will be a lot easier to set aside time to blog and read others' blogs : ) I just finished the first chapter of this book Cradle to Cradle, and I just love it. Instead of figuring out what to do with the waste after we consume something, we should remake the way we make things in the first place. This book was not made out of paper, or even recycled paper; it's made from "plastic resins and inorganic fillers." It's a "technical nutrient" that can be made into many other things! I used my new book thong from my peace swap box to mark my place. It has a peace charm on one end and a "believe" charm on the other end. It was made by Debbie Clark of littlesomethings.etsy.com: cute creations to give and to keep. Thanks, Debbie! I'll be posting more of the things I received in the peace swap this week, too.

Green Power!

2007-02-05T10:12:00.000-06:00

I have been so busy! I started working at Texas Campaign for the Environment last Tuesday and I love my job...I'm just not too fond of the hours for family reasons. I work 2-10pm M-F and we go out in the neighborhood and give people a voice on local issues regarding clean air and water. We are working on electronic waste right now. E-waste (computers and tvs etc) is being thrown away in landfills and contaminating the drinking water with mercury, lead, and cadmium. Our solution is producer take back, and we want the producers of these products to take them back and recycle them for free...responsibly. We've already got Dell on board, and they are actually profiting from their take-back program! Now we are looking to pass a state-wide resolution by collecting contributions and generating letters to Texas lawmakers. It's very nobel and important work because some people don't know it's going on or don't know how to help. When a representative has 50,000 letters from their constituents sitting on their desk, it makes a pretty strong statement! The hours aren't great like I said but I love it because I'm saving the world...one door at a time :)

Here are some ways that Scribble Scrabble Beaded Pens is becoming more green:

Packaging- I have introduced green mailers! I made them from this boating magazine that keeps showing up in our mailbox. The boat/lake pics are great for the mailers so they're pretty on the outside, and the type is great to wrap the pens to protect them.
Photography- I use all digital phtography, so there are no prints or contact sheets. A recycled cardboard box made a great home-made light studio. The lights I chose are energy saving and burn at a cooler temperature.
Transportation- I have to drive to the post-office because it's a very high-traffic area, and it would be dangerous to walk or bike. So I'm choosing to limit my trips to Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday only. I'm also saving up for a hybrid car!

I've added some earth-friendly links to my sidebar as well! If you have other green business suggestions, please leave a comment. I'm open to other ideas I haven't thought of. Also to track your own carbon footprint, visit www.carbonfootprint.com. Have a fantastic Monday everyone!

3 New Pens

2007-01-25T14:22:00.000-06:00

Here are three new mini pens I've done. The peace sign pen will end up in my etsy shop. The other 2 will be future items of the Sampler. I'm going to make 25 total to give for my first contribution, and I'm really excited! It's going to take a lot of time to make all these pens, so I'm shooting for the March or April deadline. Go subscribe, and one of my pens just might end up in your mailbox!

I've had a thing for the color green lately after listening to a new podcast I found. It's an earth-friendly podcast called More Hip Than Hippie. The hosts Val and Dori read articles and discuss them and every episode they rate a different beer and chocolate. Have a listen to find out if your dryer needs balls ;)

Sweetness!

2007-01-23T16:17:00.000-06:00

I am in love with my cupcake pin cushion from Pukashell Creative Designs! My beading needles got totally bored with my ordinary tomato pin cushion, and this red velvet cupcake was too delicious to pass up! It's normally filled with beading needles and extra nymo, but I just finished a whole batch of pens. I will be sharing the new designs tomorrow.

Snow Day & Peace

2007-01-18T17:43:00.000-06:00

It snowed yesterday...in TEXAS! Ruby and I had a great time playing in it. It was the first time for both of us to see snow, and it was awesome. The previous few days were icy and windy, the kind of cold that rips your skin off. The cold we had yesterday was different. You still had to bundle up, but it was just plain cold. I didn't feel like I wanted to run back inside ;)

Today I finished up my peace pens for our Etsy Peace Swap. I also made one extra for the basket of Peace items we plan to sell for charity. We haven't chosen a charity yet, but my suggestion is Peace Action. I think we will end up picking one that is international so everyone will feel included. I added a quote about peace to go with my pen:

"Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man."
-Muhatma Gandhi

Promotional Buttons

2007-01-16T09:12:00.000-06:00

I got my promotional buttons in the mail last week and I just LOVE the way they turned out. They have my avatar and say "I Scribble" with my etsy address underneath. I ordered 100 and got them from kneecola.etsy.com. I was also her first sale! I loved the p[rice and she worked with me on my design to make it look just right. I will be sending these with my orders, and handing out randomly. Thanks Nicole!

Greek Flag & Valentine Pens

2007-01-15T10:04:00.000-06:00

I finished the Greek Flag Pen this weekend and listed it this morning. Here's the direct link: Greek Flag Pen. I think it looks great on the blue pen, and I'm glad I chose that one over black. I also listed a Valentine Mini Pen that would make a cute, original Valentine gift!

It's been really, really cold and icy here the past couple days. Many schools were closed today as well. This type of storm is rare in Texas, so it was cool to see all icicles everywhere. I've still never seen snow though. My puppy Ruby doesn't mind the weather with her thick fur coat, but I get real cold real quick. So, I've been taking her out more often for shorter periods of time. The great part is there's nothing to do all day except stay inside and bead!

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Words

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the Sampler

The Staredown