Friday, April 30, 2010

Bear Chick Friday


This week I started the necklace for the Orange County Fair, which is being a total pill. The Day Job has been crazy this week so I don't know if my concentration is just off but it hasn't been easy, either design wise or doing the actual chain weave. I have a feeling what I'll end up doing is making several designs and picking the one I like best for the contest.

Sneak peak!

Tomorrow is the Foothill Ranch Library Fundraiser. If you're in the South County of the OC tomorrow, I hope you can drop in. I'll have all of my earrings out plus anklets, bracelets and necklaces. I don't think I'll have as much table space as last weekend but I'll have as much out as I can. After all, it's for a good cause! Jewelry and books~*~ it doesn't get much better than that!


May 1 10AM-3PM

Library Fundraiser

Foothill Ranch Library

27002 Cabriole Way

Foothill Ranch

Do What You Love!

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Thursday, April 29, 2010

8 Things Thursday




8 People I'd Invite to Dinner


1 Albert Einstein. I'd ask him to bring his violin


2 Marilyn Monroe. I'd give her a hug. I think she needed one

3 Napoleon. I'd ask him for business tips. He was big on getting French craftspeople economically stable


4 Winston Churchill. I'd even let him light up a cigar

5 Gustave Eiffel. I'd ask him about the construction of the interior of the Statue of Liberty. Yeah, yeah and about The Tower

6 Katherine Hepburn. A sturdy New Englander with lots of great stories



7 Vincent Van Gogh. Another one who needs a hug

8 Forest Gump. Yes, I know he's fictional, but this is my dinner party!


Do What You Love!

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Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Wordless Wednesday



Do What You Love!
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Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Life on Etsy Tuesday


On Etsy, and also Artfire, you can put your shop “on vacation”. There’s been a debate about Vacation Mode probably since they invented vacations. Personally, I use it when I have a show or when I’m going to be gone for a few days. But there’s a proponent for not using it, believing they’ll lose sales if they do.

Here’s my thoughts on Vacation Mode: More than once, I’ve bought something only to be told that the item sold “over the weekend at a craft show”. HUH??? Then why is it still in your Etsy shop?

That’s my fear~that I’ll sell something on Etsy at the same time that I’m selling it in person. I would hate to disappoint a customer by not having the treasure they want to buy from me.

My other thought is that sometimes people don’t read all of a shop greeting, where sellers sometimes announce that they’re on vacation and they’ll be sending out orders on such and such a date. Sometimes buyers come to an item from a search and bypass the shop greeting altogether, not realizing the seller is away. That must make for some uneasy transactions…

Even though I may miss a sale, I know that my customers will not be disappointed or unduly confused. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it!

Do What You Love!

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Monday, April 26, 2010

Encouraging Words Monday

We are not held back by the love we didn't receive in the past, but by the love we're not extending in the present.


Marianne Williamson



Do What You Love!

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Friday, April 23, 2010

Bear Chick Friday


Getting ready for a long day tomorrow. It's the Bead Society's Bead Bazaar, on the grounds of the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, the biggest show I do all year. The Husband and I will be out of the house by 7AM, so I have to know what I'm wearing tonight. Something easily accessorized!

Most of my set up is already in the van. All I have to add is a few small things and the jewelry. It's not a bad load out at the museum, since we'll be in the covered arcade and won't need our EZ Up and the Society provides tables, so there isn't as much slogging as usual.

Don't talk to me while I'm setting up! I'm very focused while placing props, draping covers and hanging jewelry. Once I've got everything out and lined up, I'm ready to visit.

It looks like it's going to be beautiful weather tomorrow and the Bead Bazaar is my target market-people looking for jewelry-so I have high hopes for good foot traffic. This show has the advantage of being jewelry only, which makes it better than a general handmade show, since people are coming with jewelry in mind, not quilts or pottery or greeting cards. The people that come to this show are looking for what I have and that's a Good Thing.

I don't get a lot of time to look at my friend's booths, but I do try to get out and see what everyone has. That's part of the reason I ask The Husband to come to this show, so I can have a break. It's a long show (9am is the unofficial opening for the Bowers employees to 5pm) and it's good to have a second pair of eyes watching the tables while I'm talking to customers. Or off shopping ;-)

Tear down is pretty simple and especially fast without the EZ Up or tables. Then I have to take The Husband to dinner--it's only fair. Maybe Panda Express. Yum. And then we'll go home, take the jewelry in the house and collapse with the kitties. Banking can wait till I have a good night's sleep.

Hope to see you there if you’re in the OC!

Do What You Love!
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Thursday, April 22, 2010

8 Things Thursday


8 Things That Delighted Me in LA Last Saturday


1 Spending the day with friends

2 Finding bargains in the wholesale shopping district


3 Good Mexican food on Olvera St.


4 Art on building walls


5 Looking up at ourselves reflected in a mirrored ceiling


6 The grand architecture of so many LA buildings


7 A spontaneous cab ride

8 The kindness of strangers

Do What You Love!
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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Wordless Wednesday



Do What You Love!



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Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Life on Etsy Tuesday


Time for a little change up on Bear Chick's Journey. I've been a bit busy lately and neglectful of my blog, so I decided to shake it up, with some new or enhanced daily themes. Here's my new schedule:

Encouraging Words Monday
Life on Etsy Tuesday-Not just favorite shops, but observations about Etsy, business and life
Wordless Wednesday
8 Things Thursday
Bear Chick Friday-Updates on what I'm doing, creating and thinking about my business
Entertainment Saturday-Not just books, but movies, events, whatever has my attention that week
Wishful Thinking Sunday

So, here’s my first Life on Etsy entry.
Over the weekend, I created my first Treasury. A treasury is what you see on the front page of Etsy, 12 items, usually with a theme of some sort. Etsy folks curate these Treasuries, picking items they like from all there is to offer on Etsy. I had never done one before since there used to be a limit to how many Treasuries could exist at one time and I was never interested in the competition to snag one. But a new Treasury is now available without limits, so I thought I'd give it a try. I love bats, so that was my first choice of theme.
Click above to see the Treasury-I can't get it to print screen--grrrr!

Here's what I learned:

I started out by using "bats" as a search and came up with over 100 pages of bat related goods. By looking through these items, it was interesting to see the quality of the items (or lack of) and especially, the quality of the photographs. And I noticed that, even when I really liked something, if the picture was blurry or dark, I wouldn't pick it for my Treasury. It really made me think about my own photographs, both the quality of them and the way I use them.

Quality--I admit to sometimes getting frustrated and/or lazy with my jewelry photos and sometimes throw some on Etsy that I'm not too proud of. That won't be happening again!

Usage--This one is a little trickier. You get up to 5 photos for your listing but the first photo is your one chance to snag a buyers attention, because that‘s the one buyers see as Recently Listed Items and in searches. Do you use the artsy angle that piques interest or the full shot that shows the entire item? In the case of the Treasury I did, I picked items by the fact that I could see most of the item in the main photo. And I notice that a lot of the Treasuries are done that way, with either full photos or close ups of the main or most interesting part of an item.

Things to think about for my next photo session, sometime after my next two shows over the next two weekends. Many times, the Treasuries are picked by Etsy admin for the Front Page. And being on the Front Page gets lots of views and, hopefully, sales. So photographic skills are nothing to be taken lightly!

Do What You Love!
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Monday, April 19, 2010

Encouraging Words Monday

Delight is inherent in each instant, if one can take that perspective and hold it, gently, to heart.


Reeve Lindbergh


Do What You Love!

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Thursday, April 15, 2010

8 Things Thursday

8 Things I Do When I'm Bored

1 Eat
2 Read
3 De-clutter
4 Exercise/with the tv on
5 Play with The Cats
6 Annoy The Husband
7 Do my nails
8 Surf the 'net, reading blogs and perusing Etsy

Do What You Love!

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Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Wordless Wednesday



Do What You Love!
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Fave Etsy Shop Tuesday


I was looking for pendants and came across this totally cool item:

Here’s how it works


like a stud earring, only through the screen.


I think that’s the cutest thing! And so clever. You can find these and beautiful stained glass suncatchers and pendants at JasGlassArt's shop on Etsy.

Here are some more cool things:




Do What You Love!

www.bearchick.etsy.com
www.bearchickart.etsy.com
www.bearchick.artfire.com

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Sunday, April 11, 2010

Sunday Wishful Thinking


I used to wish that I had my own magazine, like Oprah. Then I realized, with this blog, I actually kinda do!


I’m the writer, editor and stylist. The content is all mine. I don’t have to compromise with anyone or deal with temperamental writers or photographers. I don’t have to pay postage. I don’t have to solicit advertisers.

Hey, this is better than a magazine!

Do What You Love!
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Saturday, April 10, 2010

Saturday Book Blog


This week I finished the second Paul Tremblay book featuring the narcoleptic PI, Mark Genevich, called No Sleep Till Wonderland. Just as good as the first book, it may actually be better in some aspects. Now I’m reading the second Charles Finch book, The September Society, whose lead character is the Sherlock Holmesesque Charles Lenox.

So, today I offer another readers’ source, Shelfari. Maybe you’ve noticed my widget that shows what book I’m reading, over to the left of the blog posts. I saw that widget on another blog and thought it would be so cool to have one on mine. I’m always interested in what people are reading. If there’s a photograph in a magazine with books on shelves or coffee tables, I always try to see what the titles are. I figure if I’m nosey, I mean curious, about what other people read, maybe they’ll be interested in what I’m reading, too.

Shelfari is a website for readers with several features. Mostly, I enter what I’m reading, review the book once I’ve finished it and start the next book. But they also have groups you can join, you can make friends to chat about all things books and there’s a blog. It also posts how many books you’ve read this year and last year at the top of your homepage, which I find kinda cool--it’s almost like I’m in competition with my last year’s self.

I love going to yard sales because I get to see a part of town I might not have discovered otherwise. The same is sometimes true for blog posts~to write this post, I’ve delved into Shelfari more than I have in the last year and a half I’ve been on it. I found that if you call up a book, you can get scads of information on it, including the first line, the locations, cast of characters and table of contents. On another tab of the books info page, you’ll find reviews from other readers, as well as discussions and all of the editions of a book that have been issued. So much book info, so little time!


So, if you’re a bookwork like me, take a look at Shelfari. If nothing else, you can use it to track what you’re reading, like I do. And you may find some new books to brighten your day!


Do What You Love!

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Friday, April 9, 2010

Friday Potpourri




Sometimes, life is a struggle. Nothing goes easily or nothing goes right. All the little, ridiculously aggravating things can really get a person down. Singing this song to myself can turn my day around and make me a nicer person, if only till the next mini-crisis!


High Hopes


Writer(s): Cahn/Van Heusen

Next time you're found, with your chin on the ground

There’s a lot to be learned, so look around

Just what makes that little old ant

Think he can move that rubber tree plant

Anyone knows an ant, can't

Move a rubber tree plant

But he's got high hopes, he's got high hopes

He's got high apple pie, in the sky hopes

So any time you're gettin' low'stead of lettin' go

Just remember that ant

Oops there goes another rubber tree plant

When troubles call, and your back's to the wall

There a lot to be learned, that wall could fall

Once there was a silly old ram

Thought he'd punch a hole in a dam

No one could make that ram, scram

He kept buttin' that dambut he's got high hopes,

he's got high hopes

He's got high apple pie, in the sky hopes

So any time you're feelin' bad'stead of feelin' sad

Just remember that ram

Oops there goes a billion kilowatt dam

All problems just a toy balloon

They'll be bursted soon

They're just bound to go pop

Oops there goes another problem kerplop

Oops, there goes another problem kerplop

Oops, there goes another problem kerplop

Kerplop!


Do What You Love!

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Thursday, April 8, 2010

8 Things Thursday


8 Favorite "Old" Movies


1 The Desk Set/Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy


2 Rear Window/Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly


3 The Day the Earth Stood Still/Michael Rennie and Patricia Neal


4 Holiday/Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn


5 My Man Godfrey/William Powell and Carole Lombard


6 Harvey/Jimmy Stewart

7 The Quiet Man/John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara

8 Niagra/Marilyn Monroe and Joseph Cotton


Do What You Love!


www.bearchick.etsy.com
www.bearchickart.etsy.com
www.bearchick.artfire.com




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Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Wordless Wednesday

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Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Favorite Etsy Shop Tuesday


Today I’m featuring cat stuff. It’s what I heart a lot on Etsy and I know there’s a lot of cat lovers out there. If you’re interested in the item or artist, click on the pic.


Nostalgia by Shanna Trumbly


Cat and Books print, Alice in Paris


Purple Kitty Scarf by Rosaleendhu


Ginger Tabby Cat by Marjji


Best Friends by Alison Stein

Naturally, all rights to these photo’s belong to the craftperson/artist!


Do What You Love!
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Monday, April 5, 2010

Encouraging Words Monday


Creativity comes from Trust
Trust your instincts
And never hope more than you work


Rita Mae Brown

Do What You Love!
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Sunday, April 4, 2010

Sunday Wishful Thinking

This week's Wishful Thinking is published on my other blog because the faint of heart may not want to see my sunburnt cleavage...

This is the blog where I also chronicle my Weight Watchers Journey, for those who may be interested...

Do What You Love!
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Saturday Book Review (A Day Late)


Yesterday I did a jewelry show by myself (The Husband had to work) and I was pretty wiped out. So here’s the scoop on a book I read this week:

Fatal Fixer Upper by Jennie Bentley



Avery Baker inherits a rundown Victorian house from her Aunt Inga, a relative she barely remembers. The house is in Waterfield, Maine, a far cry from her life as a fabric designer in New York City. Originally intending to sell the house, she discovers that she could get twice as much for it if she does some renovations. After the unexpected break up of a love affair with her boss, Avery decides to spend the summer in Maine, renovating with the help of Derek Ellis, a hunky home repair man. That decision leads to a mystery involving a missing college professor, Marie Antoinette’s furniture and a robbery committed in 1934.

This book reads like a romance in some sections and I have to wonder if Jennie Bentley started with Harlequin. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, just that it makes Avery sound a little girlish and gives the book itself a fluffy feel. The mystery part of the book I thought was written well and the complications presented an array of would be killers/thieves that kept you guessing. The climax shows Avery as a resourceful and strong woman who holds her own.



As usual with books that I’m drawn to, this series has a likable cast, starting with Avery and Derek. Avery’s first friend in town, B&B owner Kate McGillicutty, has an outgoing personality and sparkling humor. Her boyfriend is the town sheriff, Wayne Rasmussen, a calm personality who’s no small town hick. The character you love to hate is local realtor Melissa James. Don’t want to tell too much about her--she has too many connections that would be giving away parts of the plot. And then there’s Jemmy and Inky, Aunt Inga’s self-reliant cats, who occasionally appear for their dinners.

Home renovation and design tips are included at the end of each book (Spackled and Spooked and the most recent, Plaster and Poison). I took a cursory look but I don’t usually take a lot of time with recipes and things like this, except when they’re written into the book, like the Domestic Bliss articles in the Leslie Caine series.

I see that my library has the next two in this series, so when I finish a few books I have at home (right now I’m reading No Sleep Till Wonderland, which is turning out to be just as good as last weeks review, The Little Sleep), I’m hoping to pick those up.



Do What You Love!


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Thursday, April 1, 2010

8 Things Thursday (plus Bonus Things)


8 Favorite Songs

1 Smooth/ Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas
2 Rosalita/Bruce Springsteen
3 Closer to Fine/Indigo Girls
4 Brother Loves Traveling Salvation Show/Neil Diamond
5 Keep on Tryin'/Poco
6 She Will Be Loved/Maroon 5
7 American Pie/Don McLean
8 It Was So Easy/Carly Simon

8 Favorite Albums

1 Every Picture Tells a Story/Rod Stewart
2 No Secrets/Carly Simon
3 Mad Season/Matchbox 20
4 Soundtrack from Queer Eye For the Straight Guy/Various
5 Tapestry/Carole King
6 Ol' Yellow Eyes is Back/Brent Spiner
7 Steppin' Out/Tony Bennett
8 Greatest Hits/Aerosmith

Do What You Love!
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