Back to basics

I've really thrown myself into my Etsy store. Doing a total online reno. My awesome step-dad was so impressed with the Etsy interface, that he very generously offered to help me find a way to save money, simply by switching online hosts. I've still got quite a bit of work to do, what with transfering all of my items from my original site to my Etsy store, but I think it'll deffinitely be worth it in the end. Oh, and guess what? Guess what?

Yes! Barely two weeks in, and I've already made my FIRST Etsy sale! I was so darned excited, I thought I was going to cry. First of many, right? I'm officially and "Etsyan" ;)

My Garden Party Purse is currently on its way to her new home, in Carnation, WA.
I'm sure she'll be VERY happy there!

So, I haden't been doing much beading in the last week, what with all the computer/online work I was busy with, but the few weeks before that, I had busied myself with a few new projects. I wanted to have a nice Mother's Day promotion, and thought a Mother/Daughter cuff combo would be a nice touch. The idea came to me after I had made one for myself, and my daughter loved it so much, that I made one for her as well. She was so pleased to "look just like Mommy", that I just knew someone else out there had another Little Highness that would like it just the same.

Here's Jewels, busilly working on her cuffs on a beautiful warm, sunshiny day.

Not a day goes by that I don't count my lucky stars for where we now find ourselves. I can't tell you how blessed I feel that we finally have our own home. No more appartments for us!
And just sitting there, on my back porch, enjoying all the little birds serenading me with their songs. Nothing beats that.

Hm! Blogger turned this photo on its side. Don't know why... But it still looks kinda neat.

I really like using my Dad's bowls for this kind of work. They're perfect to hold/store my WIP project.

Here are a few shots of the finished product. My Little Highness was kind enough to help model them with me. This one has had quite a few hits on Etsy, I think it's the vibrant colors, they're very eye-catching.

The chosen shot for the site.

This is the shot I really had in mind for them, but we just couldn't get the right lighting, and goodness, my wrist looked way too 'veiny' in this one. Ick! :[

True Blue set

Amber colored set. (This is the one I was working on in the top pic)

I had planned to go for a very special photoshoot today, to redo some of my photographs in a more 'fashionable' setting, but my poor photographer fell ill. So, we're postponing it 'til she's back on her feet. Sure hope she didn't get anything too serious. What with all the health scares going around right now. (It's all about the H1N1 in this house lately... "WASH YOUR HANDS!!!" :/ )

I do know I won't be able to do much beadwork for a few days (maybe weeks...), as I re-injured my wrist while gardening on Tuesday. I may have overdone it a little with all the shoveling and digging I did (spent nearly one whole hour digging up a bamboo patch, and moving heavy garden stones), but what did me in was a rotten rosebush root bulb... Darn thing snapped in half while I was tugging on it with all my might (which is considerably strong...), and sent me flying. Bad news is, I heard it crack... And yes, I did shed a tear... or two... Now I just have to find the time to go get some Xrays. In the meantime, I've been wearing my trusty brace (from when I initially injured myself), and have been vigilant with a regimen of ibuprofen and ice. But it definitely needs to get looked at by a professional (other than my hubby, who hasn't been blessed with Xray eyes...)

Well, that's it for today my friends. I hope you're all doing fantastically well, and are keeping yourselves healthy.