New Auctions - Getting Back in the Groove

I'm back from Louisiana. My sister managed to pull through this last round of chemo but is now off of it and at home under Hospice care.

Cupcake Charm

I'm trying to get back in the groove of life but it seems to take me a while... Little stupid things - like where I put my keys, remembering to get the leash or to dry the dog off after a swim - seem to boggle my brain! Add in that it was in the 80s in Louisiana and it's been in the 30s and 40s here at night and windy 50s in the day time... and my blood feels like molasses!

Giant Scallop Silvered Ivory Shell Focal

I simply MUST process stamp orders... of course my least favorite - wood mounts - today. Then I MUST finish my tax prep for the accountant! And then it will be sales tax time and I'm left wondering where the  first 1/4 of the year went! Does that happen to anyone else???

Hole in my Heart - Silvered Ivory Pendant

Because it was so cold and windy and I was over-tired from chasing raccoons out of my yard all night, I did not work in the shop or on the taxes yesterday. Instead I listed nearly a full page of items on ebay!!! Some craft supplies, an old camera set up and GLASS BEADS!!!

Chocolate Egg Focal

I hope you will take a l@@k at these deeply discounted items!!! I may clean out the bead bowl for some new listings later in the week...

Hidden - Giant Lentil

Have a good one!

Sales Math for Dummies

I hate math...In spite of being told I'm good at it. It makes me think in a way that hurts my head and I don't like when my head hurts. So I'm putting my handy math tips in a place I can always find them. I hope you'll find them helpful too!

Returning items to a full price after a sale:

100 - % of discount = % of original cost

% of original cost / 1 = y

y x (sales price) =  actual original cost

Example:

Say you've marked every item in your shop down by 20%. You have an item marked at 15.99 but if you add 20% to that (15.99 + 3.20= 19.19), the number you get would not be the original price of the item. Using the formula above we get this:

100 - 20 = 80% - so our sale was 80% of the original cost.

1 / .80 = 1.25

1.25 x  15.99 = 19.99 - the actual original cost.


FEE Bay shipping

You can use the same formula above to recoup the shipping money stolen from you on ebay. The current rate of thievery there is 9% of shipping.

Let's say you are shipping a heavy item that costs you 18.50 to ship and Feebay will steal $1.67 of that. (18.50 x .09) So you need to recoup 20.17 to break even. But if you charge 20.17, you won't recoup 18.50 but 18.35. This may seem like pennies but, you go in the hole a little at a time. The same formula works to calculate the shipping charges:

100 - 9 (ebay's %) = 91%

1 / .91 = 1.0989

1.0989 x 18.50 (actual shipping cost) = 20.32

20.32 * .09 = 1.83
20.32 -1.83= 20.16 (close enough!)

Calcualting for eBay and Paypal

 Same theory but with Paypal charges the fees come up to around 13% so...

100 - 13 = 87

1 / .87 =  1.15

1.15 x 18.50 (actual cost to ship) = $21.28

Wedding Photo Booth

The wedding has come and gone. I'm still exhausted and now buried under the mountain of tax paperwork I ignore all year! I'm going to share more wedding tips in the coming weeks but today, I wanted to share some pics from the wedding photo booth.

The ampersand and photo booth signs add a fun element to the wedding pics!

The photo booth was all the niece's idea. The groom didn't get it. Neither did the aunties or the in - laws. We all thought it was our girl being her goofy self. Boy, were we ever wrong! The photo booth was the hit of the event. People didn't want to dance to our perfectly fine DJ because they were dancing in line at the photo booth! WHO KNEW??? (The bride, apparently!)

Edzel Fuertez provided our photo booth and also provided additional photography services at the wedding. He and his team were just AWESOME. The bride and groom  purchased frames, removed the glass and backing and as people got their photos taken, Edzel's team placed them in the frames as a gift to the guests.

The giant ampersand was made from foam board. I could only find heavy wooden ones on Etsy, so we made a lighter version. It's 18" tall!

But that wasn't all... They showed up with all kinds of props: funny glasses, boas, parasols, hats etc. The bride made sets of lips and mustaches from fun foam and dowel rods. I made a giant ampersand and signs. I took the artwork from the wedding invitation and made rubber stamps (duh, that's my day job). I used the same artwork and created words: Bride, Groom, Mr., Mrs. Ms., Dr., Rev. I really wish I had made ones that say 'You' and 'Me' - but I didn't think of it til too late! See tutorial below.

It was a beautiful and most memorable evening! 

 The lips and mustaches were a big hit too!

Sign Tutorial

• Print signs on heavy photo paper at Office Depot and trim them to size. 
• There seemed to be a run on 1/2" thick foam board when I was making these... so I had to make do with 1/4" ... but used 1/2" if possible! Cut foam board pieces an inch larger on all sides on scroll saw or with xacto.  Because I wanted them sturdy and could not find the thicker board, I cut two matching pieces on my scroll saw. 
• Stamp the front with swirly rubber stamps all around the edge. If using thinner foam core, only do this on one side. 
• If using thinner foam, hot glue two pieces together.
• Insert kitchen skewers into the middle of the bottom edge of the foam. You can remove the stick, just make sure you allow for the hole. 
• Take ribbon to match the width of your foam core (3/8" - 1/2 ") and   sequin pins  or SHORT straight pins. I used the sequin pins when I was pinning ribbon and short straight pins for beads. Pin the ribbon in a few spots close to the skewer hole but not covering it. 
• Pin beads through the ribbon close to the front edge of the sign. I alternated beads pinned on the front edge of the ribbon and sequin pins to hold the back edge of the ribbon and worked in this manner all around the sign to the other side of the skewer hole. Trim ribbon from bolt and place final pins.
• Put hot glue on the pointy end of the skewer and insert back into hole. Let set up. Trim other end with wire cutters to desired length. 
• Wind 1/2" ribbon (use the darkest color from your wedding color scheme... hands are always dirty and you don't want the signs looking grungy!) down the length of the skewer. Tuck and roll at the bottom and go back up the skewer securing with hot glue. 
• If desired, hot glue beaded garland down the skewer. 
• Use iridescent pull string ribbon to make a bow: Cut 1 yard (I used 1 1/2 on the bride and groom signs but less on the rest). Pull the string, making sure you are holding onto both tails. Wrap string around the bow and tie a knot. Repeat. Trim string, hot glue bow in place.

Win for the Not so Little Guy

Almost every type of designer in this country has felt the pressure imposed by someone copying their work - namely by Chinese manufacturers who can make "the same*" product for less. Just this week alone, I have been beseeched by Chinese manufacturers via my Artfire shop to allow them to make beads for my shop!

DO MY BEADS LOOK LIKE CHINESE CRAP???  Yes, I know, I've always been a bead snob. I can spot cheap Chinese fakes a mile off! And I've always had an eye for genuine Swarovski crystals. I can tell the difference between Swarkies and Czech! And most certainly Swarovskis and Chinese knockoffs!

Interestingly enough, Swarovski has fought hard to protect it's image and product over the years, getting patents on certain cuts and even developing their gross packs to not be resealable (Thieves were stealing the packages from jewelry stores that legally sell in smaller quantities, filling the packs with Chinese knockoffs and reselling as genuine!) . And they recently took it to court against a Chinese company violating their Intellectual Property! [The bold red italics below is mine. I LOVE THAT PART!]

From the Swarovski Elements site:

An infringement recently occurred in China: the company namely Yiwu Yongyang Ornaments Co., Ltd. stood accused of producing and distributing flat-back stones imitating SWAROVSKI’s patented XILION cut design. A civil litigation was filed by SWAROVSKI and lead to a settlement in which the defendant admitted engaging in an act of plagiarism that constituted infringement of SWAROVSKI’s registered design patent. The perpetrator was obliged to destroy the goods in question in the witness of the plaintiff; pay a substantial monetary compensation; and issue a public apology that included a statement of intent never again to infringe SWAROVSKI’s design rights.SWAROVSKI’s pursuit of justice was wholly based on the unfairness of plagiarism. SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS take years of costly research and development to produce innovations. Protecting SWAROVSKI’s business partners worldwide from the knock-on effect of such acts of theft is a key motivator for prosecution.

Win one for the not so little guy! More companies need to do this!!

*You all most certainly know that Chinese lampwork is NOT the same as true artisan lampwork right??? It's not cleaned, not annealed and breaks easily. Remember, with art glass, you get what you PAY for! And thanks to the Chinese, you are paying less and less and real ARTISTS are struggling to survive! 

The Wedding Ballarina

I finally finished the ballerina for the candy table at the niece's wedding. it was slow going as the wire was hard on my hands. I was using a coated wire to match the red crystals and didn't want to use wire tools on it to avoid scratching.

I think it came out really cute:

Hitting the Bay Hard!

Inventory Cleanout on Ebay I've finally made good on my promise to just get stuff up on Ebay! I REALLY want to cut down on some of my inventory especially on my axillary sites! So, after slashing all prices over on Artfire, I've started moving stuff to Ebay and will continue to do so EVERY Thursday until my inventory is back to manageable numbers. I plan to list 8 - 10 sets every week. People have been getting some GREAT deals on glass beads. It's a good time to stock your bead box!!! Click images below to go to some of the current auctions or use my Ebay shop link to see all my auctions (there are EIGHT bead auctions this week!) INCLUDING some NEW and gently used scrapbook supplies. These plus a few more end tomorrow!!!  NEXT WEEK: LOTS MORE HEARTS, an ice cream cone focal, a few fish and a large lentil! New listings go up Thursday! I've also been adding a few new beads to the Holly's Folly site.   Thanks as always for l@@king! Holly

#1 Money Saving Tip For Brides

Everyone wants to save money on a wedding!  And there are a myriad of ways to do that. But THE number one money saving tip I've learned of is... keep your wedding a secret.

No, not from your friends and family! But from your vendors! Think about it... of all the services you hire and items you buy, which vendors really need to know it's for a wedding?? Just a few come to mind: the minister, the florist, the cake maker and the the dress shop. Beyond that, no one needs to know it's for a wedding. What's left can often be a big chunk of your wedding budget: the location, the caterer and entertainment.

So what's the advantage here? Let me explain how I came to know this fantastic money saving tip: I used to be an on staff production manager for a very busy commercial production house. A large portion of a PM's job is to negotiate contracts with vendors. I shared an office with two other PM's who were engaged to one another and planning their wedding.

The girl would play "naive Susie" on the phone...gushing about her nuptials as she got price quotes on every detail that was included and what was extra. Her intended would turn around and call the same vendor with pretty much the same details (number of people, menu items, etc). Only he would refer to the event as "a party." Their quotes from the same vendor would often be hundreds of dollars apart!

Bridezilla Rubber Stamp by Sweet Stampen

The fact of the matter is...many vendors simply charge more for a wedding. And I'm certain the reason is "the Bridezilla factor"! Many brides see the wedding as the day to be "all about me." (Er.... what about your new husband?) Or their chance to be a princess. They act like spoiled brats and treat their vendors like slaves.

It's the same with my own business. If someone is easy peasy to deal with and is a regular, I toss in freebies and offer discounts. But I have one customer that, while she does spend quite a lot, is always unhappy. She returns stuff from every other order. She changes her mind while we are in production. And when I was so sick after Christmas, I started hearing from other wholesale customers that my items were being sold on ebay! This woman was over ordering using her wholesale discount to sell my stuff at rock bottom prices!  Freebies I had tossed in her box on good faith that they would be used for samples in her shop were also being sold for next to nothing. Let's just say that when someone who is that much of a PITA ain't gonna get a discount... I don't care how often she asks! 

So... bridezillas, PLEASE DON'T USE THIS TIP! It will backfire in your face!  In the end, my friends saved thousands on their wedding. Only the band complained.  My friends were quick to point out that they were in "the business" and ending up tossing a few hundred more to the boys in the band. I wouldn't have done that. I would have had the number to the local consumer reporter on speed dial. If the band walked, I would've plugged in my ipod... a very un-bridezilla move.

As long as you remain pleasant to deal with and state your truth (It IS just a party!), you should be able to save lots of money!

Beading - Not Making Beads

I've been a busy beading maniac. So why no new beads??? I haven't been making any! I've been working on my niece's wedding projects and I'm sure in the coming month there will be a slew of wedding posts here. So if you find wedding bling and how to save lots of money on a wedding interesting... do check in!

This is one of our latest projects - a work still in progress. The niece is the only girl with lots of aunties who love and spoil her and she is SO not Bridezilla. She just trusts us! (Silly girl!) Seriously though, her aunties are all very talented and creative and one (our fearless leader) has a background in fashion and graphic design.

Since we may have a limited load in time at the location and we are doing all of the decorating ourselves, we are building vignettes for each of the tables (Candy, Sweethearts, Memorial, Guest check in) and taking pictures and storing everything for one table in a box with the pictures so that any "elves" (i.e. cousins and bridesmaids) that show up to help and look and the photo and set up the table.

This piece is probably going on the candy table as it has such a girly sense of whimsy! We found the ballerina on sale at Ross. It had hideous pink plastic drops with large brass split rings dangling from the skirt.

I removed those and started making heart shaped drops with Swarovski crystals...which got a little complicated. I shape one side of the wire in a swirl, hammer and texture with both side of a chasing hammer, add an 8mm crystal, round the top of the other side of the heart, more hammering, add another crystal and wrap onto the skirt. I quickly decided to do every other loop of the skirt!

 The bestie had these plastic (but adorable) red drops from the cake stand project she did. I added them to every other loop of the skirt in both the large and small sizes.

Finally, I could NOT leave the bodice plain! I'll be filling that in with more Swarkies. I have my work cut out for me!

Inside My Jewelry Box: Sparkle

This is one of my most favorite pieces. It was the piece I entered into the recent Fire Diva's Bead Black Tie Bead Challenge.

I just love how this piece sparkles and shines and no, the photo doesn't do it justice. Truth be told, it was a bead I didn't feel comfortable selling as I noticed a hairline crack deep within this hollow upon cleaning. Which means I toss it or keep it for myself. Most all my jewelry is made from mistake beads...

So, knowing full well that crack could eventually break, I did a simple design with universal wraps of sterling wire and filled the hollow with tons of gorgeous Swarovski crystals and cubic zironias. This piece rattles and it shines... it's such an eye catcher.

And while most cameras never seem to capture blue accurately... this one is no exception.... it's in  my favorite denim / steel blue colors. A great way to dress up while dressing down!

Even with that crack... I've worn this piece for years, frequently banging it on table and desk tops. It's still glowing strong!

HUGE Sale on Glass Beads and Jewelry!

I am really motivated to clean out my existing inventory of glass beads, especially on Artfire.  I've LOWERED all prices over there even on jewelry!!
There are some HUGE focals for 19.99

That huge glass bead took well over an hour of flame shaping not to mention the custom frit blend!

There are  many hand sculpted sets   for  19.99! Another custom frit blend on these.

There are some fantastic single beads marked down to 4.99

Beads / jewelry... it all must go. I'm hoping to have an "ebay sale" without going to the trouble of listing there. So, if you've had your eye on something... Now's the time!

Rubber stamps and made to order items are NOT on sale.

Thanks as always for l@@king!