Planning for Summer.......Now!

Well, I finally have that list on my kitchen counter whittled down to only a few items. For weeks now, I have had a running list of things I need to get scheduled! Here is a sample of what my list looked like;

Register and Pay for AP exams- high school (done)

Register for Youth Options- (college courses for high schoolers) (done)

Sign up for Summer Sports at Park and Rec (done)

-basketball

-track

-archery

Sign up for Summer activity classes (can't until 4/4/11)

Get National History Day sponsor (done)

Schedule vacations

-decide where (still undone)

Turn in teenagers work schedule for summer (done)

-(around our schedule)

Organize digital picture files (undone and there's more than 8,000 of them)

Invite friends to High School Spring Musical Performance (done)

Put important dates on family calendar (done)

-state solo ensemble, forensics, AP exams, National History Day performance

Check with relatives coming to visit (done)

-when?????

-who?????

Clean closets (done)

Submit Juried art show applications by 3/31/11 (done----show is in July).

As you can see, I have been busy and I will be busy! Living in a relatively small suburban/rural community, activities fill up fast. I have learned, through trial and error, that I need to plan our summer now......in March! Ugh! Sometimes, that is harder than it sounds. You need to realize this is more that just a list.....each item involves important decisions on the part of several family members, as well as, coordination of dates, times, and available transportation efforts. Sometimes, yes....I am being a mom here, I really have to push to get those decisions made!

But, I feel like I am finally getting through most of it! The list was daunting when I first made it but now, not so bad when I look at what's left. It's manageable! All this activity (and I really try not to over schedule) will keep my children busy and not bored over the summer months. I also try to squeeze in some school work a couple times a week to keep them up to speed for fall. Now, I can start looking for the workbooks for that..........although that is a job that I enjoy because it entails going to the bookstore!

Maybe, I'll get around to organizing my pictures soon, too. Probably not! Next week brings setting up a local display of my jewelry at a business, holding a meeting of a committee I chair, leading the garden club at our local elementary school (we are exploring worms), expecting company, and attending the high school musical! Someday, I'll get around to those 8,000 pictures! :) The picture I featured is of the snow that was still on the ground in northern Wisconsin this past weekend, from last week's storm!

Piled high, but with Blue Skies! There sure won't be sledding in the summer!

What's keeping you busy?

I'd love to hear! Thanks for stopping by!

Carol

Workspace......better than ever!

I forgot that our blog frenzy posts were to be on sharing about our workspace this week and prepared to write about chicken wings! Oh, well.....Another day, another post!

My workspace has evolved over the seven years I have been making handcrafted jewelry! Part of the evolution was necessary as we moved into a different house almost four years ago.

When I started jewelry making, I had a small 4x4 foot table in our walk-in closet of our Master Bedroom. The closet was a space for myself, and peaceful, away from my then, young, children but it also did not have any windows and poor lighting. However, I was able to make several nice pieces in that closet and begin selling on consignment.

Eventually, I found that I needed to have some better lighting with which to make my handcrafted jewelry! I made myself a workspace at our dining room, that had an East facing window. Yes, the light was better but the dining room was open on two sides; one to our foyer and one to the hallway to the powder room on the main level of our colonial style home. So, my problem there became being out in the open. If I didn't complete a project in one sitting, I had to leave all of my supplies, tools, and beads out. My workspace was there for all to see (good and bad) when you entered my home! Being a compulsively neat and somewhat private person, this bothered me! I felt like I was leaving a mess behind (albeit, a creative mess) every time I left the work station.

Almost four years ago, we moved into a different house. This house had a large lower level with many windows.........lots of natural light. It also had a bedroom, tucked away in the back (without windows) that I immediately thought would be a great workspace because I knew I could shut the door and keep my mess to myself, but be able to return to a project. I must have forgotten about the need for light, as I claimed this spot for my jewelry making! Well, the workspace never got started there. I did use the room for storage of my supplies, but began to use the old dining room table that was now in front of the many windows (again facing east) in our lower level. I love working in the natural light. However, even though my work was not visible to all upon enter into my house, it was visible immediately upon coming down the stairs to the lower level! Again, I was left with feeling I was leaving a mess!

It was actually my husband who noticed that we had a large built in bar area (used as a full, in-law kitchen when the first owners lived here) that was going to waste. There were numerous cupboards, a large counter top, room for storage, electrical outlets, and even a sink! The counter top sits below and behind the actual bar top, so I can leave my work out but no one actually sees it because it is behind the bar! There is overhead lighting and the workspace is in the same area as our evening family TV viewing area. So, I can be with everyone, if I choose to create while watching a show! It is also very private, during the day, when I can become lost in my work or blast some music that only I seem to appreciate!

This unused bar area (well, I have been known to have a glass of wine there), has been my workstation for about two years now! I love it. It is messy (a little). I can leave my projects out

(I always have one in progress). And it has lent itself to the creation of many beautiful, one of a kind pieces!

So, there you have it! If you have an unused bar area in your home, I highly recommend converting it to a hobby/workstation area! It has worked incredibly well for my creations from Carol's Jewelry Orchard! Please visit my etsy site at; http://carolsjewelryorchard.etsy.com to see some of these creations!

If I have your name to the right on my blog, please add my name to your Promotional Frenzy Team list on yours. I am still working on adding all team members names. You do not feel like you need to add me, until I have added yours! Thanks.

Happy Creating!

~Carol~

P.S. I am going to try and take a few pictures, so if you read this before they are posted, please feel free to stop back and see the pictures! Obviously, the pictures of my chicken wings don't fit the subject today! :)

What's in the name?

In my blog post this week for our Promotional Frenzy Team on Etsy, I had many ideas about which to write! It was actually hard to decide. So, I made a list!

I had a thought some weeks ago, as I was listing a newly created piece of jewelry for my shop about the names we choose for our creations. I am somewhat fickle about naming my pieces.

Sometimes, I do and sometimes, I don't!

Many times, I'll just title the piece with descriptive words about color or type of components used.....you know, Blue Swarovski and Sterling Silver Bracelet....something like that.

Other times, and I'm not quite sure what spurs me on to do it, I think of a specific name for a new piece of jewelry. I usually don't think too hard. It just comes to me! I've named a few pairs of earrings after women. Some are actual women or girls I know, others are fictional.

Swinging Josie

Classic Ruth

Lovely Lauren

I've also been known to name creations after places; if the place stimulated me to create the jewelry or I bought the beads during a particular trip. I was really inspired by a trip to Maui, last year......its inspiration (even before I went) led me to create my Ocean themed paua shell pendant/charm necklaces. These have proved popular for me! Is it the name, the piece, or a combination of the two?

Most recently, I've been creating altered art photographic charm bracelets. These are all based on places I've travelled to and photographed. I use my photographs in the charms. Of course the place travelled to, earns a name in the bracelet;

Hawaii/Maui

Bermuda

American Landmarks, Mt. Rushmore, Independence Hall

One of the funniest pieces I've named has been called The Green Flash. I've written about this piece before, if you look back through my blog posts. This particular piece caused me quite a bit of creative strife. I put it together and did not like it, so I took it apart and tried again 2 or 3 times with different beads. Finally, I had a creation I liked and the name just popped into my head! The Green Flash is an optical phenomenon that occurs just before sundown. It is fleeting and vibrant. Needless to say, this piece sold to someone who knows what The Green Flash is!

So, how do you name your pieces? Do you name them all or just some? I have recently been working on my SEO and adjusting my listings. I'm not sure whether naming a piece helps or hurts! After all, who looks for Classic Ruth Earrings or the Orange Sunrise on Haleakala Volcano Necklace? And if you buy components for your creations, are those components named? How many names does a piece have by the time it's finished?

Well, I just thought I'd ask What's in the name?

The answer is probably different for each of us!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

~Carol~

Oh, and don't forget to check my shop and here on my blog for the last few days of my select item sale featured piece. Today it is a wonderful, one of a kind, spring floral lanyard for only $19.50! http://www.etsy.com/listing/67621612/select-item-sale-spring-flowers-lanyard