Some packaging ideas ...

My last blog post was on January 2, 2011 ringing in the new year!  Well, the bell's been rung ... enough already!  Time to move on ...

I've been very busy getting ready for To Bead True Blue and the Tucson Bead Show. If you happen to be in Tucson for this big event, stop in and say "Hi!" at G149 in the ballroom.  I'll be there ... along with my entourage ... my husband and son. :-)

Everything seems to be falling into place, but it's not been without a lot of hard work ... and there's "miles to go before I sleep." (Frost)  Torches, enamels and bead pulling stations to be shipped.  I started off offering four workshops spread over the 8 days of the show.  I wanted to be able to offer a more individualized learning experience for the students, so I limited the number in each workshop to 6.  These have all filled, so I've added one more ... February 3 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

But, where I really needed to focus my attention was on how to present my work to the buying public, including to bead stores who would be buying wholesale.  There's an Art and Soul yahoo group for teachers where Diana Trout generously introduced us to Chubby Cards from Zazzle.  I first heard of Zazzle from Heather Powers at Art Bead Scene, but soon lost the information in the sieve I call a brain. Because Diana's a mixed media artist, she's thinking ATC, but I'm thinking ... cards for my pendants and earrings where I can give info on the back about the making and care of the items.  This is what I came up with ...

The image on the front is a photo where the opacity has been adjusted.  The back has a "care and making" statement.  These just arrived yesterday.  I had to stop jumping up and down when I saw them because I kept hitting my head on the ceiling of the car ...

I came across these great punches for earrings.  One is for lever back earrings and the other is a straighforward punch for french earwires.  I've always punched the holes myself, but because I don't use a template, it's anyone's guess whether the holes are straight ... which can really affect whether the earrings look as though they're the same length.  

Easy Earring Cards

Below is a how these all came together, with the help of cellophane bags from Uline and some great moss green organza bags.

I love it when a plan comes together!

This is what my dining room table still looks like ... one day soon we'll be able to eat here again instead of eating taco salad in the bedroom in front of the t.v.!  Don't tell anyone we did that last night ... shhh!

The sorting of beads into trays.

Below is a photo of some of the sets of beads.  We have different trays for the Lights, Brights and Earth Tones.

Sets of beads ... 

If you believe in the power of prayer, say a little prayer for me ... I could sure use some help besides the members of my family who have been pressed in to service.