Ready For A New Year

Happy New Year!

I must say I am excited to get this year underway. I have so many new ideas and designs I want to try, but I decided before I do that I better organize and de-clutter before I start too many new projects. Of course there was no way I could go any longer without making anything new, especially with all the recently ordered supplies arriving, so I put together some pretty Valentine necklaces and a couple other pieces then dug in!





So I've been spending this very cold and snowy New Year clearing out tons of old jewelry photos, transferring SOLD pictures to an external hard drive and deleting ones I never used. Since I've had to move my workspace out of the sunroom (boohoo) and into the small spare room we have my space has been cluttered and unorganized. So I also added an extra table, some new storage bins and even found these great little storage containers for those quick ideas that pop into my head, but have no time to work on it at that moment. I found if I gather together the materials I want to use for that idea I can just place them in one of the containers until the next time I can sit down to work. It's a perfect solution for my 'old timers' memory.



Also I was wondering about a better, more attractive way to ship off my jewelry. I wanted something that could also be used as a gift box, but didn't carry with it a gift box price. So with that in mind I looked up prices for those cute little patterned pillow boxes. As sweet as they are I found them to not be in my budget at the moment. So the solution? Well that was to just make them myself! I found great card stock paper at Joann Fabrics on sale and downloaded a couple of templates and voila! I love them!!! They are perfect for what I was looking for and cost friendly too.




The main thing I got done in the last week was to reopen my Etsy shop! This I am very happy about. It was my first goal for the new year and I did it yesterday. Since most of the items that were previously in it sold, I had to reopen with mostly new pieces. I also turned in new photos for my booth at the Handmade Craft Show. All this...is a very good feeling!

So I guess the only way to end this entry is by going back to the beginning of it. I am excited about the new year and especially for all the motion I want to put into JBird's Garden wheels. Personally I don't like 'resolutions', I'm defiant enough that if I believe resolutions are something I HAVE TO keep I will surely not do so. So the goals that I strive for in 2010 (where JBird is concerned anyway) include:

1. Be more creative By this I mean taking more chances and being more challenged
2. Better promoting. Marketing works..I found this out last year. So for 2010 I want
to double the effort, find new avenues and really put myself out there.
3. Attend more shows! I love this part of what I do...I really do. The social aspect
of it, being a part of the family of artists and crafters. Meeting and talking to
folks who are there to support local artisans. It's all just good fun.
4. Be confident. I think about how at the beginning of 2009 how tentative I was
in putting my stuff (aka myself) out there to be judged and critiqued. I compared
my work to that of others' and to me mine never stood up. I don't feel as much
that way now...but my goal is strive for even more confidence.
5. Be brave! Just what it says.

and lastly...

6. Have more fun!!! This is what it all comes down to at the end of the day. As
long as this work, and effort and time brings with it the same level of 'fun' and
joy I currently get out of it all...then 2010 is going to be a fantastic year!

So goodbye to 2009. I learned alot about myself and my desire to feed my creative animal. I learned to find time for the things I love, even when there seems none left to give. Ive learned that I can express myself in a way that feels satisfying and motivating. 2009 was a good year...2010 is expected to be even better!