Worktable Wednesday: The Green Experiment

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

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

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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!

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?

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

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

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

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!

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!

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!

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

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:

1. 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.
2. 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

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

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!

Recommended Reading for Success

I am an avid reader and have a natural tendency toward life-long learning. As I'm struggling to give my business some traction, I have the privilege of having some very successful business people in my life. They provide the encouragement and motivation I was hoping to get from my family, and they also share their experience and knowledge. Many books have been recommended to me with the expectation that I actually apply the knowledge I gain from reading them. My self-study began with the 4 Hour Work-week by Timothy Ferriss, which has totally changed the way I think about things, and I can't wait to learn more!

Currently Reading:

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill- Highly recommended, and not what I expected. When I read the story about the "colored child," I searched online to see when it was written. Ah, 1937, which also explains the lack of businesswomen as well, which is just a reflection of the culture at the time. This extremely motivational book is not one to be blazed through. It's more like a textbook to be studied, written in, so the reader can slowly harness the virtues it describes.





Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins- This author was highly recommended to me, and I found this title at Half Price Books yesterday for $8. It was published in 1992, and with a million copies sold, you can pick it up on Amazon for 75 cents! The first chapter opened with "Where were you in 1980?" Well, I wasn't born yet, but the point was to ask yourself how you feel about the 10 years of your life that just passed. At 26, I just finished a year with some regrets of things I didn't do, I don't even want to think about 10 years! So I'm going to read this book, apply the knowledge, and get a head start on awakening my inner giant.




I placed an order to Amazon for like 10 other books which I will share in a reading list tomorrow. Please share in the comments any books that have inspired you or changed your life in some way. I might add them to my future reading list! For now I will leave you with a quote that has been on my dry erase board for awhile now:

"Success is the consequence of personal effort. You have to participate relentlessly in the mainfestations of your own blessings."

Time Track Thursday #5

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

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

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

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

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!