Half Moon Beads Studio

2011-03-04T16:24:00.001-08:00

ISGB Membership

2011-02-09T08:20:00.000-08:00

Have you renewed your ISGB Membership? You might be asking yourself, why would I want to join ISGB? Well, if you are a glass beadmaker, jewelry designer, PMC Artist or just love the beauty of glass art beads you might want to give it a try. ISGB offers many benefits to it's members. Depending on the level your membership benefits are...

Individual Level, $55
The largest component of our group, Individual Level membership, is best suited for beadmakers of all skill levels who are hobbyists or sell beads occasionally. Individual Level benefits are offered to all member levels and include:

The Glass Bead Magazine, a four-color quarterly publication filled with techniques, resources, commentary, and connections to other beadmakers and suppliers
Listing in the online Membership Directory
Monthly e-newsletter, The Bead Release
Affordable Health Insurance, in specific states
Access to Liability Insurance in your home, studio, or when teaching
Updates from Regional Directors and local ISGB Chapters on related activities
Access to Regional web pages featuring localized news, events, classes and more
Eligible for discounts on registration for the Annual Conference, The Gathering
Early notification of Gathering workshops, if renewing by January 31
Eligible to apply for Gathering Scholarships
Group Exhibition opportunities
Website forums, discussing everything from safety and materials to what to look for when taking classes
Special subscription rate offer for Ornament Magazine
Special subscription rate offer for Profitable Glass Quarterly and The Flow magazines
Special rental rates with Alamo Car Rental
Special rental rates with National Car Rental
Opportunity to apply for a Capital One Platinum credit card featuring artwork from ISGB members

Family Level, $75
Individual Level benefits for two (2) adults and children under 18, living at the same address

Student Level, $30
Individual Level benefits with a valid student ID to qualify

Lifetime Level, $2000
Individual Level benefits for life, and a special lifetime membership number

Professional Level, $100
If you are a full time beadmaker, teach beadmaking, or sell your beads at least occasionally, this level is for you. In addition to all the benefits of the Individual Level, you will receive:

Eligible to apply for a ProPay discount
Post classes and shows on the ISGB Website
Link from the ISGB Website to your own
Special Professional Level listing in the online Membership Directory
Eligible for access to a special Instructors Only Forum on the ISGB Website
Instructor Listing on the ISGB website

Corporate Level, $250
If you are a business with glass beadmaking customers and products other than handmade glass beads, this is the place to market your company. You will have the same benefits as Individual and Professional Level members plus:

A Suppliers link from the ISGB Website
Discounted booth fees in the Technical Vendor area of The Gathering
National referral listing
Special Corporate Level listing in the online Membership Directory
Additional copies of The Glass Bead Magazine for distribution
Sponsorship and Marketing opportunities

International Members
International Members have all of the benefits associated with their dues level and, if outside of North America, can apply for an International Scholarship to help offset the expenses of attending The Gathering. There are no extra costs for International Membership.

ISGB - Call for Entries Surface, Beads of Internal Depth and External Decoration

2011-02-01T09:05:00.001-08:00

There is still time ISGB members to enter your creation into the ISGB Surface Exhibit.

Surface is a juried exhibit that will open at the 2011 Bead&Button Show in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Designed especially for the Show, it is another part of the continuing relationship between Bead&Button, ISGB, artists, students, collectors, exhibitors and writers who come together for this amazing annual event in celebration of the many facets of art that unite us all. Surface represents our fifth year of presenting extraordinary glass exhibitions with the Bead&Button Show.

Please see the above link for more details. Deadline to apply is March 15th so head out to your torches now and see what your imagination can create!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Yes, I've been neglecting my blog

2010-11-17T10:14:00.000-08:00

I've been a very bad blogger and I am guilty of the worst of all Blogging sins, not blogging on a regular basis. But I think I have a pretty good reason, I've been volunteering for one of my favorite non-profits... ISGB otherwise known as the International Society of Glass Beadmakers.

Last fall ISGB had a call requesting for applications for a treasurer. Since my professional life always included positions that involved numbers in some form I felt I would be a good fit for the position and threw my hat into the arena and was chosen to join the ISGB Board of Directors as Treasurer.

The last 12 months as treasurer has been a whirlwind of activity, I have met so many wonderful new friends both on the Board of Directors, but also among the membership all with the same passion for all things glass as I have. It has been absolutely wonderful.

Once I returned from the Rochester Gathering, my husband & I began a remodeling project at home. It has taken a life of its own. What was supposed to be a "simple" 5' x 17' addition and kitchen remodel has practically turned into a whole house remodel. The only rooms we have not touched where the guest bath and my husband's office. Fingers crossed that this project should be wrapping up soon.

In the upcoming new year, I look forward to continuing as treasurer with an enlightened view of what to expect. That first year I wasn't sure what to expect nor did I understand what the answers to all the questions should be, but I am learning.

I am also looking forward to focusing more on beadmaking, practicing and learning new techniques.

Happy beading!

Nightmare Before Christmas?

2009-10-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

Over the years I would become irritated at retailers decorating their stores for Christmas long before the season. In my mind, the start of holiday shopping season is the day after Thanksgiving. Magically the stores were transformed into a winter wonderland sprinkled with red and green. I was delighted to see the turn of the retail season. Ready to go out and spend my hard earned dollars on my family and friends.

This year I was shocked, when on September 15th, I went to my local mall to find that Macy's has already set up their Christmas store. It seems that every year the "Christmas rush" gets earlier and earlier, but the end of summer is ridiculous. Hallmark is bad enough setting up their ornaments in July, but this seems to be expanding into other areas of the retail market. On September 23rd I went to Ikea to purchase some shelves for my glass studio and they too have been bitten by the retail Christmas scramble.

Now I have joined the ranks of retail sellers and yes 80% of my sales are made between October 1st and mid-December. I appreciate each and every sale I make during that time. But I refuse to start having Holiday Sales before the official start of holiday selling season even if it I am cutting off my nose to spite my face. I just think it's wrong. We need to enjoy the holidays before Black Friday, but once that day comes I welcome the spirit of the Christmas Holiday season and will celebrate it joyously!

A Clean Studio

2009-09-29T21:21:00.000-07:00

Well I did it, I finally cleaned my studio. So many artists work better in a chaotic studio, but I'm not like that at all. I prefer everything to have a place and everything to be in it's place. My creative energy flows so much better that way. I guess it's just more familiar for me to know where everything is when I need to find it.

But with that said, my studio is about to undergo a transformation. My husband and I have been planning and plotting a new studio set up and I think we finally have it planned out. I can't wait for it to be done, I will finally have a place for everything! :)

Once it's done I will post photos, promise :)

Tomorrow I will be leaving on a trip to visit my best friend, Lisa. She moved to the Portland area about a month ago and I get to go visit her for a few days. I'm definitely bringing my camera and I will share some photos of the very scenic area.

Until then... Happy Beading!

Beads of Courage at Aanraku Glass Shop

2009-09-20T17:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I attended the Beads of Courage Fund Raiser at Aanraku Glass Studio in San Mateo. It was a good day, lots of people came out to support the cause.

In this photo you can see many of the glass bead makers busy at their torches making beads for the kids. Later in the day, they were going to have a Bead Toss set to Beatle's music. Each bead maker works on their bead during the song, once the song is finished, Sharon Peters of Smart Ass Glass, gives the word and the bead is handed off to the bead maker next to you to work on the bead. At the end of the next song the bead is handed off again creating a one of a kind bead. Sounds like a lot of fun doesn't it?

They also had beads available to make bracelets for purchase or for donation onsite. Here you can see the bowls of beads to choose from. Beads of every color, shape and size were available to create a bracelet from.

Here is the bracelet making table with volunteers busy at work. The wonderful thing was that you didn't need to know how to make jewelry in order to participate. Volunteers were on hand to assist in starting and finishing bracelets. Many people, from young to old were tickled pink to make their first piece of wearable art.

Also available were beautiful finished pieces from Northern California Society of Glass Bead Makers ready for the live auction to be held later that evening.

A silent auction was held during the day, I placed a few bids, but had to leave before I found out what the out come was. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! :)

Fun Busy Weekend Ahead

2009-09-17T12:13:00.001-07:00

This weekend is going to be a busy one, but a lot of fun.

Friday night my husband and I have been invited to a work function for him at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, which is located in Golden Gate Park.

We visited the Academy of Sciences a couple of years ago in it's temporary building, which wasn't bad, just a bit crowded and the displays were limited. But none-the-less we had a great time and got to see the Titanic exhibit.

I am looking forward to seeing the new building. Just a few weeks ago, I watched a program about the construction of the new building. The engineering feats that had to be over come in order to pull it all together was amazing. Watching the installation of the huge Steinhart Aquarium, which is the depth of 25 feet and holds 212,000 gallons of water, was a feat in itself. I can't wait to see it in person.

I am specially looking forward to the Morrison Planetarium, which is the largest all-digital dome in the world with a 75-foot diameter projection screen tilted at a 30 degree angle. We hope to get tickets to one of their shows.

Saturday I am attending the Beads of Courage, bead inspired fund raising event at Aanraku Glass Studio, 41 S. Railroad Avenue, San Mateo, CA. It will be a wonderful get together of people who love glass bead making and supporters of Beads of Courage raising money and collecting beads made for children undergoing cancer treatment. I plan on bringing some of my already made and annealed purple hearts and butterfly beads for donation. I might even spend some time behind the torch.

So I'm off to my very fun weekend. I hope you have a great one too!

Thank you Half Moon Bay Review

2009-09-08T21:54:00.000-07:00

For the very nice article about myself and Half Moon Beads... Community : Local artisan featured online this month : Half Moon Bay Review, California
Terri Carol of El Granada thought she was just pursuing a new hobby when she took up jewelrymaking in 2001. Two years later, she took a class in how to make lampwork beads, and it bloomed into a business.

She sells her work at local art festivals including the Pescadero Art and Fun Festival, and at her online “store” through ArtFire.com, which awarded her the Featured Artisan Status as of Sept. 4.

ArtFire is an online marketplace through which artisans from around the world showcase and sell their handmade work. Its members can set up a virtual online studio and sell work without evaluation fees. a Featured Artist means that Carol and her work will be featured on the ArtFire site throughout September.

“I’m thrilled to be selected,” Carol said. “Hopefully (the selection) will bring interest in what I do and in my work.”

Pursuing her craft with the support of her husband and family, Carol forms lampwork beads using glass rods and a torch. She decorates the beads with more bits of glass, to fashion flowers, fruits and attractive shapes.

She makes those shapes into necklaces, earrings and bracelets, and also into wine stops and bookmarks.

“Art … is a huge part of my life. It’s my passion,” she said in an interview posted with photos of her and her work at ArtFire.com.

“In this economy, it is important to support individual artists rather than large importers,” said Tony Ford, executive vice president of ArtFire, in the same interview.

“Terri stands out from the artisan crowd due to the excellence of her craft and her unique personal story,” said ArtFire President John Jacobs.

Carol said she was among the first artisans to sign up with ArtFire.com. She estimated that about a third of her work is sold through the site, and the rest at art festivals and through the Senior Coastsiders holiday boutique.

Artfire Featured Artisan

2009-09-05T21:48:00.001-07:00

ArtFire Featured Artisan: Terri Carol, HalfMoonBeads
Posted by sara on 2009-09-04 9:26:26

Art, or the art of lampwork glass bead making, is a huge part of my life, it's my passion. Not only do I love making glass beads, but I enjoy collecting glass objects of all types.

What role does your family play in your art?
My husband, Andrew, is extremely supportive and always encouraging me to pursue my interest in lampwork and jewelry designs. Each batch of new beads is taken directly from the cooled kiln to show him my latest creations. He really is wonderful at giving me feedback. My parents have also been very supportive of the things I make as well. My Mom is one of my biggest fans, always boasting to those who compliment the jewelry she is wearing "My daughter made this'"

Where do you live and what is it like?
I live in beautiful Half Moon Bay, California which is located approximately 20 miles south of San Francisco along the San Mateo County coastline. We are blessed with gorgeous views of Pacific Ocean in the West and mountain views on the East of our small city.

Where did you learn to craft?
I learned to make jewelry first by buying a few beads, reading everything I could get my hands on, and trial and error. About 3 years into jewelry making, a friend of mine was getting started in lampworking and encouraged me to give it a try. I took a class at a bead shop and was hooked ever since.

If there is a new craft you could learn, what would it be and why?
I would like to try glass blowing some day. I'm intrigued by it, but at the same time I'm a bit intimidate by it because of the relatively large volume of molten glass that one would have to handle at once.

How did you come to selling crafts?
I first started making jewelry for myself. The ladies I worked with liked what I made and encouraged me to sell it to them. I started selling after work and at small art & craft shows near my home.

What is the best piece of advice you can give other artists?
Make things that you love and would find yourself wearing/or using yourself. Never take short cuts or use materials that won't hold up over time. Always guarantee your work. Be gracious and thank your customer for their purchase.

If you won a thousand dollar craft shopping spree, what would you spend it on?
Oh that's an easy question. Glass, tools and classes to further my skills.

Why do you think that buying and selling handmade products benefits society?
I think handmade items are made with care and are unique.

Writing in Style

2009-09-04T18:21:00.000-07:00

Just completed this afternoon are bead pens. The first in Turquoise...

I'm loving the ocean theme and almost ready to keep this beauty for myself, but I won't, I am going to share it with the world. It is well balanced but I must warn you, you just might forget what you are writing and day dream about a day at the beach. Then again, it just

may inspire your writing.

The second bead pen I have to share with you is a handsome gold pen...

The top of each graduated bead are muted shades of gold, amber and greens, the middle section has a silvery blue ring and the bottom is a rich deep purple. The largest, bottom pillow bead has a shiny dot in the center. Very elegant and would look wonderful on the desk of a man or woman.

Fall Sales

2009-09-01T09:45:00.001-07:00

I'm getting ready to send out this year's Fall Sales postcards to the customers on my mailing list. This is the postcard I will be using.

The Muse II Contest

2009-08-26T10:14:00.000-07:00

Well, the big reveal has been released. The muse piece was a Mother of Pearl Donut Pendant as seen here on the right. I was very inspired by this piece, I loved the shimmery silver and hues of blue, but at the same time I was perplexed at what to do with it. Could I safely add more holes to it with out breaking it? Could I bead around it? How could I incorporate it to a necklace without risking breaking it, because it is made of shell, which can be fragile.

In my previous post, I shared with you the additional seed beads, Swarovski crystals that came with the inspiration kit. I immediately went out and purchased 2 mm silver glass pearls that matched the muse piece and obtained more seed beads to make matching beaded beads. I then made floral lampwork beads to match the muse piece. I found it difficult to match the blue color of the muse, so I ended up mixing two colors of blue which turned out great!

Here is my finished piece:

Although I didn't win the contest, I did stretch my imagination and skills into areas I wouldn't have normally gone, which is a big win in my opinion! Congratulations to all of the winners. I'm amazed at the work and time that went into creating your masterpieces!

Thinking Outside The Box

2009-07-08T05:17:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a project that is asymmetrical and I am finding it very difficult to do well. It's outside my comfort level, which in part is why I am doing it. I've laid out my design several times, put it away for a day or two and give it another look, then give it a tweak here and there. I've come a long way, but I still haven't settled on a finished design yet.

To help get me pointed in a new direction I decided a little inspiration might be a good idea, so I have pulled out my many copies of beading magazines, searched asymmetrical necklace designs on the internet, and browsed Artfire. No such luck, I think I am not the only person who is uncomfortable with asymmetry. Some of the beading magazines occasionally touch on the subject, but it's very limited.

I'm not going to give up on working with asymmetry, because it is outside my comfort level I think it is good to stretch my creativity. By viewing what others have done, I am learning what works and what doesn't. I did find one piece in Bead and Button magazine that was my inspiration to try asymmetry but I don't want to copy it. I want to make this piece my own, so back to the bead board I go. Wish me luck!

Oh yeah, when I finally have a finished piece, I will be sure to post a photo of it. :)

The Muse II Contest

2009-06-30T10:50:00.000-07:00

My beads have arrived! Well they arrived last Friday but this is the first chance I had to write about them. I can't show you the "Muse" piece, but here are the coordinating beads. Over the weekend I picked up more beads at a local bead shop and started working away.

I love the colors I've been given to work with. I have a good idea of where I'm going with it, but at a little block at the moment. I'm struggling over the muse peace because it isn't something I have worked with before.

Wish me luck...

Writing in Style

2009-06-22T15:36:00.001-07:00

Writing in Style
Originally uploaded by IBTerri

I just made this lovely turquoise beadpen. Nicely balanced and comes with a velvet beadpen bag. Check out my Artfire Store for more information.

Father's Day

2009-06-21T13:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there.

I'm a very lucky girl. I have an awesome Dad. I can honestly say that no matter what I do, I know my Dad is there routing me on every step of the way.

I was going to write a long post about all the things that he has done for us kids over the years, but honestly that would be a very long post. I will share one story, father's day 2007.

We were all gathered at my parent's house for a Father's Day BBQ, my Dad disappeared from the room and came back with one of his rings I always admired. He gave it to me. I love this ring and wear it everyday.

One day while I was cleaning beads, I removed the ring so that I wouldn't get bead release in it and went about my work. The next day I went to put on my ring and it wasn't in the ring holder I normally leave it in. I freaked! I tore the house and my studio up looking for it. I feared that it fell into a garbage can and got thrown out. My parents were about to leave for a two week trip to Mexico, I was sure I would find it before their return. Of course I didn't, when they returned, I had to tell my Dad that I lost his ring. He was going to give me another one of his rings as replacement. I wouldn't accept it. I wasn't careful enough with the first ring, I certainly didn't deserve another. Over the months, I continued to look for it, but was sure it was gone forever.

One day while I was re-organizing my jewelry in a jewelry box I rarely go into and there it was... my Dad's ring. I let out a squeal "I FOUND IT!" I immediately ran to the phone and called my Dad to let him know I found it. He was relieved and happy for my find. Imagine that, it was safe and sound in my jewelry box the whole time. Yes, I still wear his ring everyday, I will cherish it forever. Not for it's monetary value, but for the love of my Dad. :)

Celebrating Growing Older

2009-06-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

I read this, as it was forwarded to me in e-mail and loved every point Regina made. The original e-mail claimed she was 90 years old and being the skeptic I am, I had to research it before adding this to my notes. It's true that Regina Brett is a Columnist for The Plain Dealer in Ohio, but she isn't 90. Guess it made it a better story for the e-mail. Never-the-less, I think she will be still going strong at 90 with her outlook on life.

Regina Brett's 45 life lessons and 5 to grow on by Regina Brett

Sunday May 28, 2006, 10:13 AM

To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written.

My odometer rolls over to 50 this week, so here's an update:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.

17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.

18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.

38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

45. The best is yet to come.

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

48. If you don't ask, you don't get.

49. Yield.

50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Gem & Jewelry Show

2009-06-07T21:02:00.000-07:00

This weekend I attended the Gem & Jewelry show in my area. I was happy to see many buyers or lookers in the retail area, but the wholesale area was really quiet. In the past 8 years that I have been going to these shows I have never seen it this quiet. I'm not sure what it means, whether people buying wholesale are going out of business or are they just using their current inventories to get by this tough economic time.

I did notice a lot of Asian imports of "lampwork" beads. I saw signs that read "Like Murano" or "Venetian Style" handmade beads. Yes, they maybe handmade, but they are mass produced. Day in and day out a worker is making the exact same beads. Some are pretty, some are cute, but they do have bead release still in them. Have they been annealed? I don't know. But I do know that the care, love for the art are just not in these beads.

I did run across one of my favorite vendors, Realm of the Goddess who offers electroformed leaves and other plant life. From their website:

Real Leaves Preserved in 24Kt Gold - 24kt Gold Electroform Jewelry The beauty of this process is that each piece of jewelry is made from a real leaf so each one is unique. No two are alike. The process is called Electroforming. We take a hand picked real leaf and hand paint the surface with a copper based paint. Once the natural surface is coated with the copper metal we are able to dip the leaves into a solution of 24kt gold or other specialized metal finishes such as Silver, Pink Copper, Iridescent Copper, Black, Cobalt Blue on Black, Rainbow Iridescent Copper, Antique Copper, Antique Silver, Antique Brass, Antique Gold and Green Copper Patina. The result is a beautiful leaf that is preserved in pure 24kt gold or other finishes. Each leaf is a unique handcrafted piece of wearable art. Please see the picture which shows the Electroforming process. Note how a real green leaf is under the gold. In addition to leaves we also have beautiful roses, orchids. sealife and gems and minerals that are electroformed.

They are absolutely beautiful. A few years ago, I purchased a few and kept one for myself. It's one of my favorite necklaces to wear with sweaters and perfect for the fall.

Cherry Shake

2009-06-07T10:22:00.001-07:00

Cherry Shake
Originally uploaded by IBTerri

Just posted on Artfire. Pink & White Coin Lampwork Necklace

Hard Times

2009-06-01T16:23:00.000-07:00

I'm so sad. I just found out that one of my favorite gift shops is going out of business in our little city. Traveling through the downtown area of Half Moon Bay, many of the small retail businesses are shutting their doors leaving the town half vacant.

It isn't for the lack of tourist, there are plenty, not only on the weekend, but during the week too, but apparently not many are buying. As a result many of the small businesses are closing leaving many vacant holes in the stores along main street.

I have thought about opening a store front for many years, but I know it's really tough to get going. Rents in our area are very expensive, plus business licenses, insurance, inventory and sales help it's almost impossible to make it work.

I wish all of those with a brick and mortar store front the best in the future. I hope our economy turns around soon, but I honestly believe it's going to be a while before things get better. For the foreseeable future, Half Moon Beads will continue to sell on the internet and through Art Fairs.

Shew! ...

2009-05-20T06:26:00.000-07:00

... What a world wind of activity around here. I've been focusing on several projects. One non-business related, is the year end school activities of my teen daughter. Which means prom, graduation, college prep and driving practice for my late bloomer. She is doing really well with everything.

Professionally, I've considered wholesaling some of my jewelry and/or lampwork bead sets. After talking with one retailer, I got a pretty good idea of what I need to do in order to jump into this area.

I've redesigned my jewelry tags/cards. For the jewelry tags, I used the following image

which I made in photoshop and had it printed on business cards. I then scored and folded them in half and used a ribbon punch tool I found at my local craft store to add 2 rectangle holes in them so I could thread 1/4" ribbon through the back and tie onto necklaces and bracelets.

For earrings, I used a much heavier card stock business card and printed the following image on the front

and my contact information on the back. I then added plastic, self adhesive, earring card hangers on the back so I could hang them at shows or in shops.

One of the best tips I received from reading what other people are doing is to place two dots to indicate where I needed to punch holes to hang the earrings from.

I've also have been building a database to keep track of my inventory. I'm a Mac person, so I have been using Bento 2 which has worked out really well for me. I can also keep my database, complete with photos of all my inventory on my iPhone, so it is everywhere I go. Should I want to show a potential client a photo of my work, I have it ready to go. The database also keeps track of items I have on consignment, what has been sold, wholesale prices, retail prices, item descriptions and sizes.

As you can tell I have been very busy over the last few weeks and still have a way to go before I'm finished.

Bunnies!

2009-04-01T07:46:00.000-07:00

Here are the bunnies I made the other day. I'm going to make them into pendants for my nieces for Easter.

Look what I learned

2009-03-31T06:46:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is a photo of a couple of beads I made in class last Tuesday. I'm really happy the way they turned out because they are my first attempt at making something that is suppose to look like something.

Eggs, Bunnies and Peeps.... Oh My!!!

2009-03-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

I didn't get to the photography lecture like I had hoped. Life got in the way and I couldn't make it. So I'm sorry that I can't give you an update on that. But the good news is that I did get to attend Sharon Peter's Eggs, Bunnies and Peeps class at Aanraku Glass Studios in San Mateo, CA. I had a wonderful time and learned to make Easter Eggs, a couple of different type of bunnies and birds. I have to say my birds turned out the best. I need to practice bunnies a bit more, but I really like them. I'm going to give a try at making some for my nieces for Easter. I'll post photos soon.

Product Photos

2009-03-15T12:27:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, I am planning on attending "Photographing Craft Items in the Digital Age" Presented by George Post at the Northern California Bead Society. Anything I can learn about photographing my jewelry & beads the better.

Looking through the photographs of jewelry made by other artist on Artfire I can easily see the difference between those who appear to be more professional and those who are not. But it's difficult to put my finger on exactly what that is. I have noticed that many of the photos that appear to me to be less professional are those that have distracting backgrounds. The focus should be on the item you are selling. I'm not a fan of using live models either. My reasoning is because I like to think that the item I am buying is brand, spankin' new and never worn or used by someone else. I may be silly in thinking this way, but I do and I'm sure I'm not the only one out there.

After I attend the lecture, I'll post what I have learned.

Spring Cleaning

2009-03-02T11:40:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged in quite some time, most of my time has been spent recovering from knee surgery and going to physical therapy. Also the last week or so I have been spring cleaning. Both my home and studio.

The bad news is that I still have a long way to go. But I have come to the conclusion that I work much better when things have a place and are organized. When I need to reach for a tool, I know exactly where it is and am making a habit of putting things back where they belong when I am finished using them.

I have also been organizing the jewelry I have made for sale, labeling each piece, photographing, and posting to ArtFire. I knew I had more items for sale, but didn't realize I could triple my store inventory by doing so. This all came about after I sold an item I had listed and when I went to retrieve the necklace from my jewelry storage, I couldn't find it. Oh My Goodness was I ever embarrassed. I had previously sold the item at a home sale where one of my friends took my inventory to her daughter's home craft sale. I made the mistake of not double checking what came back and what didn't. I had to write a letter to my customer, apologizing for my error, gave her a full refund and I also offered her a discount towards a new purchase. Unfortunately she didn't take me up on that offer and I lost a sale, but learned a valuable lesson. The experience taught me about being organized and staying on top of my inventory & sales.

Half Moon Bead?

2009-02-04T07:59:00.000-08:00

I have tossed around many different ideas for a business name, but finally landed on Half Moon Beads because I live in Half Moon Bay, California and thought the play on words would be fun. Which it is, if you have ever heard of Half Moon Bay. Works great when I am selling locally but over the internet it loses it's Pizazz. Specially when I don't have half moon shaped beads in my inventory. I'm sure I leave a lot of people scratching their heads. Never-the-less it's the name I chose and I'm going to stick with it. But now I do have a nice representation of Half Moon Bead. I'm going to try to implement it into my Logo somehow.

Here is a little peek into my world and why the town is called Half Moon Bay, you can see the Half Moon shape of the Bay. It really is a beautiful place to live. I am a lucky girl! :)

Using Color in Your Designs

2009-02-02T12:52:00.000-08:00

I've been reviewing several sites on color in Jewelry design. One of my favorite sites to research trends is Pantone Fashion Color Report .

The Spring 2009 Report which was released in September 2008 is now available in PDF format at no charge. I find it helpful when choosing colors for my pieces I will be selling during that season. One downside to working this way is that fad colors may go out of style and more difficult to sell if they aren't sold during the initial offering.

Another way I choose colors for jewelry and beads is with the use of a color wheel. I picked one up at an art supply store and have found it to be very handy when trying to determine which colors are complimentary with the focal color of the piece I'm working with. I also found an interactive online version of a color wheel . Although keep in mind that your monitor's display of color may not be as accurate as having a cardboard color wheel.

This color wheel gives floral names to colors which can be helpful when trying to describing your finished pieces with a bit of pizazz.

Another use of color in your designs is to work with various hues, tones and saturations of one color. I also like the look of variant use of one color then to toss in an un-expectant but complimentary color. An example would be the use of shades of fuchsia and pink with a splash of yellow for example.

One of my favorite inspirations is from nature itself. I look to flowers, trees, water and the sky for inspiration in my jewelry designs. Who doesn't love the hues of a tropical beach or the beauty of a flower?

For me, color is very exciting and has endless possibilities that can really add to the piece you are creating. But use the wrong combinations and you will have that piece in your inventory for a very long time.

Studio Pictures

2009-01-23T16:08:00.001-08:00

This is a little photo video of me making a glass bead. I added titles along the way so you know what is happening in the photos.

I encourage you to let me know what you think of it.

Thanks!

Marketing & Social Networking

2009-01-19T09:09:00.000-08:00

I am a member of ArtFire.com and Etsy.com and I sell my jewelry and lampwork beads at both locations. I recently read a blog regarding using social networking sites and how to use them to promote these sites and gain sales. It's great idea, although caution should be used when using these sites to only promote your website.

Since both Twitter and Facebook are social networks, most people expect a bit of socializing to go along with the networking. I've seen many people sign up for both sites for the sole purpose of promoting their goods. I'm not sure if they are having much success, but I myself find it annoying to constantly be bombarded with "ads" of where I can buy the latest handmade "whatchamacallit". To be straight forward about this, I will not add someone to my "friends" list if I see that they are only there to promote their goods.

On the other hand, I love hearing from my fellow glass workers showing and telling of the new item they have recently made. I love seeing their progression of skills and how thrilled they are to have discovered a new technique or mastered one they have been working on for sometime.

Half Moon Beads Studio

ISGB Membership

ISGB - Call for Entries Surface, Beads of Internal Depth and External Decoration

Yes, I've been neglecting my blog

Nightmare Before Christmas?

A Clean Studio

Beads of Courage at Aanraku Glass Shop

Fun Busy Weekend Ahead

Thank you Half Moon Bay Review

Artfire Featured Artisan

ArtFire Featured Artisan: Terri Carol, HalfMoonBeadsPosted by sara on 2009-09-04 9:26:26

Writing in Style

Fall Sales

The Muse II Contest

Thinking Outside The Box

The Muse II Contest

Writing in Style

Father's Day

Celebrating Growing Older

Gem & Jewelry Show

Cherry Shake

Hard Times

Shew! ...

Bunnies!

Look what I learned

Eggs, Bunnies and Peeps.... Oh My!!!

Product Photos

Spring Cleaning

Half Moon Bead?

Using Color in Your Designs

Studio Pictures

Marketing & Social Networking

ArtFire Featured Artisan: Terri Carol, HalfMoonBeads
Posted by sara on 2009-09-04 9:26:26