Julie Merrett

jelly baby massacre

2010-01-31T21:20:00.001Z

jelly baby massacre
Originally uploaded by Julie Merrett Glass

hahaha mwahahaha

Abstract LIght Painting

2010-01-10T22:17:00.002Z

Dawn Walk

2010-01-09T20:31:00.001Z

I got to enjoy the snow for the first time today. I must be one of the few who made it into work since the snow started. What that means whilst everyone else seems to be getting fed up I really enjoyed being up and alone in the snow, seeing the beauty and finally able to enjoy it.

Painting with lights

2010-01-04T20:16:00.001Z

Wisley RHS Lumiere Exhibition

2010-01-03T21:55:00.001Z

October News

2009-10-03T22:40:00.001+01:00

I said I would be back at the beginning of October to update you with where my thoughts have got to. I can genuinely say that I am in a different place.

I think I have processed the overwhelming feelings related to the miscarriages. I had my first period this month in years where I didn't burst into tears just because I wasn't pregnant.

I know there are 3 things I want for my life

A baby
A family home which my husband and I own – there is a long saga about not being able to sell a flat and living in rented accommodation in an area we want to live in.
A life skills centre – a place where God is at the centre but people are given the opportunities to learn the skills that life has either stolen from them or not given them the opportunity to learn.

Each of these things I have spent time, energy and money trying to make happen and yet they haven't happen. I am in a place where I know I can not make any of these things occur but I know I need to live the life that I have been given.

I do not want to live my life waiting for things to happen.

I genuinely believe each of these things will happen, I guess I just haven't worked out the right timing for them in my life. But my life is more than waiting… it is living.

So where does this leave me and my creativity. I guess the bottom line is just where its always been. Its a really big part of who I am. In the last month I have knitted, crochet, learnt how to use metal clay, made some beads and started preparing a story plan so I can participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).

Where does it leave me and my business, that bit I don't know. What I do know is that it is important for me to create, I know that I am very good at starting projects and not finishing them, I am good at sabotaging myself so I never start things but I also know that there has been a shift in my thought processes. What that might look like in the future, who knows.

But I am genuinely in a much better place than I was a month ago.

Thank you to all of you who have reached out and touched my heart whilst I have not been writing so publicly.

Julie

A diamond shines best when it is cut

2009-08-17T09:00:00.002+01:00

I need to take time out from this blog.

It has been a fantastic experience for me, and as a consequence I have found the power of personal journalling. Expressing to myself the things I wouldn't express here.

I spoke last post about how I am finding that I am removing things from my life, to discover who I truly am. Well I need to let go of the blog for a month.

I have been told that blogs grow naturally when you do certain things, and most of them I have been doing. The blog hasn't grown. I was analysing what it is that could be getting in the way. I think there are a number of things

I haven't added much content which is useful, other than an insight into me and where I am going
I am in that confused state between bead maker and artist. That's gotta mean that I don't attract people from either group

This all sound like I'm being harsh on myself, but the truth is I hope I'm not. I genuinely feel that I am coming out of a deep phase of grief and trying to discover the new me. And its not the me who went in to this, and that included my art. I need to give myself time to truly discover me and what it is I now want to present to the world.

Thank you for your interest in my work, and I will be back at the beginning of October - if not before - to let you know where my world is heading.

Studio Update

2009-08-14T09:00:00.000+01:00

I’ve come to realise that when a girl features in my pictures that the picture is pretty much a self portrait of what is going on in my life.

I put all the flowers on because I thought they should be there. If I was an artist and and glass artist, my picture should have more glass in there.

Only I was wrong.

As I looked at the picture I realised I needed to strip away the stuff that shouldn't be there. But to do that would be painful and do damaging to the picture, but I knew I needed to do it. Knew I needed to get rid of the flowers.

Its kind of like what is going on in my life, I feel like loads of things are being stripped back, taken away.

Some of it is easy but a lot of it is hard.

I’m now at a point with the picture that I feel like in my own life. The yellow centred daisies have gone, and the picture really does lock a lot better. The problem is I think I need to do more. I think I need to completely sacrifice what I have now to get what it could be in the future. And like in the picture, I don't know how much that will cost, or what it will look like.

I almost feel as if I need to create balloons which are fragile and can fly away, becoming what they were meant to be, rather than spring flowers which are here for a short season before they die. In my own life I feel I need to let go of things which I feel have defined me, defined my pain, defined my path to go on the journey I was created to be on.

7 Things You Need to Make Glass Beads - Glass

2009-08-10T09:00:00.001+01:00

At a bead fair I was discussing with a potential bead maker about what kit they should buy when they started. So what kit do you need?

Glass
Something to heat the glass with
Mandrels to wrap the glass round
Bead release to stop the glass sticking to the mandrel
A way to cool the beads down so they don't thermal shock
A way to clean the bead release out of bead
… and a kiln if you want to sell your beads

Yup it really is that simple. But I have to say it’s scary that this is the minimum you need to make a glass bead, given the amount of tools I have hidden away in my shed.

Glass

There are a number of types of glass on the market but in the UK the cheapest and most easily available glass is soft glass with a CoE of 104.

OK so what does that mean? A CoE or coefficient is about the rate of expansion of the glass. Basically different glasses cool at different rates. A bead with a two different types of glass in will crack with what's known as a compatibility crack, when one glass cools quicker… not good if you’ve spent ages making a bead.

Satake Glass

This is amazingly soft glass has a CoE of 113 or 120. It is favoured by Japanese bead makers, and wow can they make some lovely beads. They often have a very distinct style due to the lower melting temperature and wonderful colour pallet. In the UK it’s quite hard to get hold of this glass, the main supplier being Satake Glass USA. To use this glass effectively you need a special burner.

104 Glass

When people talk about glass beads they often talk about Murano glass.

You can get Murano glass rod or another brand Venice glass Effetre (3 brothers who split from Murano glass) to make glass beads. Effetre. In the UK Effetre is often what people start with.

There are a number of brands of glass which are have a CoE of 104

Ask
Effetre
CiM Messy Colour
Double Helix
Lauscha
Northstar
Reichenbach
Vetrofond

Theoretically they can be used together in the same bead. I say theoretically because every now and again glasses that you think should work together give you cracks that look like incompatibility cracks.

The supplier I use in the UK is Tuffnell Glass, or Off Mandrel who I think give a great service.

Bullseye Glass

Bullseye has a CoE of 90. It is slightly stiffer than 104 and cools when you are working it more quickly. This means it is great for fine stringer work. Bullseye also has the most amazing pinks and purples. The best place in the UK to get it is Warm Glass, Off Mandrel or Creative Glass.

Borosilicate Glass

Pyrex is a brand of borosilicate or boro glass. Boro glass has a CoE of 30 to 33 and is classed as a hard glass… and wow is it hard in comparison to soft glass. You need a hot torch to work it but it does have some fantastic advantages. The colours you can get from Boro are amazing due to the amount of gold and silver in the glass. It is also great for sculpture and making glasses. Available Tuffnell Glass, Off Mandrel and Creative Glass

There are other glasses on the market and I guess that this is only an introduction to the glasses out there.

So what do I use?

I tend to use Effetre glass coloured glass and Lauscha clear glass for encasing my beads. I tend not to use the silver glasses or reactive glasses, but that’s because I tend to make beads with a sculptural quality. It’s also because I’m a bit of a miser and some of the glass can get really expensive… especially if you are importing them from the states.

End Note

The only way to know for sure if a glass is compatible with another is to do a compatibility check. I will write another article explaining how to do this.

Studio Update

2009-08-07T18:38:00.001+01:00

Last night the friends I was supposed to be visiting cancelled as Hannah was rushed to hospital with difficulty breathing and suspected problems with her pregnancy. Clearly this touched many of my buttons and left me feeling a bit shaky.

I spent today with her 3 kids 2-13 years old looking after them as dad was at hospital. It was generally going well till the 13 year old decided to do lunch and ended up serving me a single piece of toast with butter, less than she had given all them including the 2 year old. Turns out there was no other food in the house.

Any way, I got home tired with a very low sugar level knowing the good news is that at the moment they have found nothing wrong with Hannah but there will be ongoing tests. That didn't stop my irritability because I was so hungry.

There was a parcel waiting for me which was full of some affirmation cards I have been working on for a little while. The otters above are from the series. In there were reminders to breathe and that I am enough as I am. Seriously good timing.

I have completed 11 cards and I hope to either get to 15, 20 or 25 cards in a set. Look out for them in the near future.

Pink Fritties Giveaway

2009-08-05T09:00:00.000+01:00

Its sad but the winner of these little beads hasn't come forward. So I’ve re-done the draw and the winner is Aster Sadler.

Please get in contact so I can send them out…

Love, Joy, Peace

2009-08-03T09:00:00.000+01:00

Taken at London Zoo last week

So where has this whole happiness thing come from. How come I’ve finally got to a place where I can say that I’ve woken up and feel happy?

I was mulling the Christian concept of the ‘Fruits of the Spirit’ – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control. For years I have thought I can do those but I realise there is a difference between doing them and being them.

For me the key things in this are receiving love, joy and peace.

Why specifically receiving love? I think that giving love is about patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and faithfulness. For me if I am automatically behaving in this way it is because I feel loved, peaceful and joyful.

Self control is important because it means I am actively deciding to put my self in a place where I can receive love, experience joy and be peaceful and actively avoiding situations that steal love, joy and peace.

So receiving love

Spending time with my DH
Spending time with family
Spending time friends
Generally being around people who love me and accept me as I am.

So Peace

Eating and drinking right
Exercising
Getting enough sleep
Journaling
Meditating

And joy – and this is where I have to say I’ve realised that I’m struggling. What I have learned over the last few months is sorting out how to do the love and the peace thing. I’m just short on the joy.

Part of that has to do with a very strong work ethic, part of it to do with a lack of money thing but primarily to do with my tendency to hibernate when I feel down. Given that I’ve been feeling down for a while I’ve stopped doing stuff. I no longer sail, ski, scuba dive, canoe, go to the theatre, dance… so this is the next step. Doing stuff and avoiding hibernating.

Good plan I think

Studio Update

2009-07-24T23:01:00.001+01:00

This week has been one of those week which would typically shatter me, but it hasn't.

My period is with me, and for all of those of us who are trying for a baby, this indicates another cycle where our hopes have not been fulfilled. Certainly since Christmas I have been devastated with the start of a period. My DH also lost some contracts this week as the company he works for as a freelancer went into administration… hmmm must change side bar… Clearly that hits us financially, and causes me to worry – normally. Oh and its his birthday today.

On Tuesday this all hit, my hormones and pain at its worst and Andy’s news… and I don't feel shaken by any of it. I have been praying about the idea that I cant continue to live with this persistent sadness. Regardless of whether I have a child or not, I need to be pain free, I just can not live this life completely absorbed by the pain… and I guess it makes my blog a really hard read to consistently hear me say I’m struggling.

As I said last Friday I think I’m working out how to manage the pain, and given this week, I really think I’ve found something that works for me.

My plan is on Monday to write it up rather than a Bead Basic Tutorial as I feel that at the moment this is the most amazing thing I could share. so please pop back then

Wednesday Giveaway – Pink Fritties – the result

2009-07-22T12:21:00.002+01:00

Good morning… well actually its not. I missed the morning teaching a guitar lesson which turned out to be a girly bonding over cups of tea. I like that.

Well done Sam for getting in there before the result, I included you in the draw.

www.random.org gave me the number 5 out of the 9 posts which is Natasha. I hope you pop back because I have no other way to contact you. Please give me your address and I’ll get the beadies out to you. Well done.

6 Steps to Great Lampwork Beads Using Bead Presses

2009-07-20T09:00:00.001+01:00

Why Use a Bead Press?

There are many reasons to use bead presses.

You can ensure consistency in size
You can relatively easily create a good shape
Your buyers have a fairly good idea what the bead will be like and can design more easily
Buyers may prefer different shapes presses can provide
You can create shapes you would find difficult by hand

Guidelines for Using Any Press

The thing about presses is that they look easy but creating a good bead with them is not guaranteed.

1. Over filling

This creates little ridges around the seams which if the bead is meant to have a flat edge will seriously affect the quality of the bead. With lentils you end up with a very fine edge which kinda makes it look like a fried egg. They can be disguised or melted in or take some of the glass off the bead. Having said that melting them in doesn’t always work and you can still see the poor design.

2. Under filling

This will mean that the glass doesn’t get all the way to the extremities of a shape meaning you have duff corners or a lentil that doesn’t quite work. It kind of defeats the whole purpose of using a press

3. Unbalanced bead

This tends to be my speciality. These are the beads where the mandrel didn’t quite stay in the middle of the bead. Some buyers may like this as they can guarantee that the bead will hang that way, however if they are part of set it really isn’t going to help your reputation.

The bottom line is that wonky beads are not good beads although they might be sellable to the right person

4. Dimples

There is a huge debate about how dimples should look on pressed beads. It is however incredibly easy to make sharp pointy holes on beads using a press which is not good.

If it is a bead with a flat edge, normal indent dimple rules should apply. With lentils it is good to have a decent dimple that a spacer bead can fit in. The reason for this is that the glass is going to be very thin around the hole and with wear over time this can cause the glass to break, or at least become very rough which could cause the threading material to break. As a bead seller, not a great way to get repeat business.

5. Chill marks

Pressed beads are always going to get those little ridges across the surface of the bead. They really do need to be smoothed out and smoothing them out has an added benefit that you are adding heat which will help with the whole thermal shock thing.

6. Pressed beads are more likely to thermal shock

As the bead is thinner on one axis it will cool quicker here and will more prone to breaking. The way to work round this is to put pop the beads into a warm kiln and to heat the area nearest the mandrel so that the bead can cool more evenly.

Pressed beads make up a large number of the beads that we make as a community. With the whole practice practice practice idea you can get to a place where you can make great pressed beads that you will be proud of in a few years time.

Links to Tutorials for Specific Presses

I have presses from a number of places. Some of these links are to sites which sell presses. I’m not specifically endorsing them, just highlighting their tutorials

Cattwalk Tutorials They have tutorials including Bicones, Crunch, Emerald Cut, Lentil, Puffy Pillow, Triangle, Tabs (Round Emerald)

Friday already studio update

2009-07-17T18:26:00.001+01:00

My plan had been to show you my pictures I’ve finished this week which I am really proud of. Unfortunately It’s been raining all day and all the pictures I have are just well… really duff.

So what you have today is a picture of the cushion Jess made in our home schooling lesson over the last few weeks. I’m so proud of her she worked really methodically and designed it herself. Go Jess.

I want to thank you for the comments you have made both publicly and privately about my current struggles. As it goes, today is a good day and I think I am beginning to work out how when my emotions get out of control I can get them back more quickly.

Wednesday Giveaway – Pink encased fritties

2009-07-15T21:19:00.001+01:00

Today's give away is a set of 5 encased fritties. Each bead is encased in a light pink glass so that the whole bead is pink. The giveaway is for all the beads you see in the picture.

I’ve made a promise to myself that I will not miss a posting day since setting up a posting schedule. Today was nearly the first day that I’ve missed it. I would normally post at around 9 am it is now gone 9 pm and I’m just about getting ready to post.

I would love to come up with all sorts of reasons why but the truth is that today has been another step on our fertility journey. I’ve had another hospital appointment today and I feel totally drained, not so much as by the appointment but by facing what I try and hide.

I can genuinely say that following Friday's post when I really wasn't coping I have got to a place at the moment where I am coping with the pain I feel. But facing the tests again today I feel like my energy has been sucked out of me.

So why am I continuing with today's give away… because as I think I’ve said before it makes me happy. Being able to give away something I have invested love in is something which makes a difference to me.

All you need to do to have a chance of winning today's beads is make a comment about what gives you energy, what makes a difference in your life.

Pricing Your Lampwork Beads

2009-07-13T09:00:00.000+01:00

I have to be honest this is one of my bug bears.

Pricing is not just about you

Before I started making lampwork beads I genuinely could not understand how people could get away with charging as much as they did for a piece of glass. As I’ve learned to make beads and learned to love our community of bead makers I’ve realised that this perception of the value of our own work seems to underpin a lot of what we do.

Charging appropriately for what we make is about respecting ourselves and the community of lamp workers we are part of and consequently represent.

I was reading a thread over at LE - Lampwork Etc. where artists who had been making a living from lampwork were beginning not to be able to pay their bills (pre economic downturn). The sense was when we as hobbyists and students undercharged for their work, the people who buy lampwork were not prepared to pay the prices they needed to earn a living from glass. If I undercharge I am teaching people that these bits of glass are just that, bits of glass, rather than amazing works of art formed through this incredible process.

Under pricing could affect you in the future

I guess this is a bit of a warning.

We all know of people who sell their beads for a lot of money. I saw a bead going for over $300 a few weeks ago. The truth is it was an amazing bead from someone with a reputation, but still wow that's amazing. So there is money to be made.

My thoughts go something like by underselling, I damage the price that people are prepared to pay. That means as I improve my skill and my reputation, people are prepared to pay less than they were prepared to pay before. I therefore end up earning less. Not good. In this scenario the only way to earn the big money is to have an amazing reputation and make amazing and distinctive beads, and to be honest there are only a handful of names in this category.

So the formula

50p a minute or $1 a minute

Seriously it is that easy. Due to the exchange rate the $1 a minute is quite different from 50p a minute so there is a price range you could go. It is what I was recommended when I was taught and what I see being recommended by people who have been lampworking for a while.

I also have a wholesale price. Simply because if I sell to a local shop they have a mark up they need to put on. If I sell at retail price, then I am charging less so why would people purchase from the local shop. I’m to great a competition.

30p a minute or $0.60 a minute

I’ve never sold wholesale to the US so I don't know how that would work but I know with the UK shops it worked out at a price that the shop owners were willing to pay as were their customers.

But my beads aren't worth that much

So what if you don't think your beads are not worth that much?Seriously there could be a number of issues going on

The beads aren't good enough – have a look at the post 10 standards for selling good lampwork beads. If they pass they are good enough to sell. If not think about developing your skill a bit more, sell to family and friends, use them for yourself, fuse them, there are all sorts of options.
I’m new to lampwork - so you make your beads slower than some who has been doing it for years. Why not estimate how long it would take them to make the beads and charge at that rate?
I’m a hobbyist I don't need to charge as much – you don't but others need you to charge that much. You are unintentionally affecting others who earn their living by glass art. Consider your community when you consider your pricing.
I just cant charge that much – when I initially stated this was one of my key thoughts. For me it started to highlight something about not being good enough as a person and not being worthy enough to earn money through something I loved. Truth I am good enough and I don't need to be a struggling artist.

I’m sure there are other reasons why we don't charge correctly. Please hear my words as guidelines and recommendations and hopefully not a lecture.

Go for it make fantastic beads and sell well.

Studio Update???

2009-07-10T09:00:00.000+01:00

I am only writing today as Friday is supposed to be my studio update day. I have no update as I haven't made anything all week. That feels really weird to me as normally I feel creative a lot of the time. I feel at the moment that all I have the energy to do is cope with my paid job.

Where I am at emotionally has a lot to do with this. During last weeks mini heat wave I found myself unusually attached to the persistent sadness I feel as a consequence of our fertility issues. That has probably been brought into focus as we have finally got to see the right doctors… it too 3 1/2 years rather than 6 months to get to this stage, but that's another story.

Currently I feel incredibly drained and my head feels like cotton wool. All I know is that I need to find some way to deal with some of this pain independent of whether we have a child or not. I need rid of this pain if I’m going to do something rather than just survive.

So where do I start, the honest answer is I’m not really sure. The obvious answer is I need to spend more time meditating and just being with God and its true that will make a huge difference. But what else is it that I’m needing, because it feels like there is a lesson I need to learn but I’m just not comprehending what it is.

Tree Bead Necklace Winner

2009-07-08T17:35:00.001+01:00

I’ve had posts of both my blog and facebook so I’ve decided to combine the numbers… First the blog posts, then the facebook comments…

14 comments in total… and the random generator gave number 8 which was Kitsch Kitty, UK Beaders founder.

E-mail me your contact details and I’ll get the necklace out in the post to you

Julie

10 Standards For Selling Good Lampwork Beads

2009-07-06T09:43:00.000+01:00

In the excitement of starting to make lampwork beads is the amazement that other people like our beads and are wanting to buy them. So when are we ready to sell our beads.

1. Good holes.

The holes of your beads need to be neat, to not have any sharp points. Quite simply if your beads have sharp points they could cut the stringing material a bead worker is using damaging your buyers jewellery and potentially affecting their reputation.

You are also selling something with a sharp point, which after all is glass and so could cut the buyer.

People recommend that you should have good puckers, what that means is that there are nice dimples so the whole thing is smooth. There different recommendations for different shapes and different personal preferences, but I would recommend that the holes always go in a little.

I do know that some people “drill out” the holes to get rid of the sharp points. This will leave an etched look on the bead and a rough surface. There is no harm in doing this for beads you intend to keep but it is best to avoid on beads you intend to sell.

2. Shape of the bead

The bottom line is that most people who are buying our beads are buying them to make jewellery and generally they need the bead to hang right in the design.

It is fairly obvious when beads are off centred and don't hang right. One of the surprises for me was with my signature peacock beads. With the way that the glass is place to form the body, it causes the beads to be unbalanced and turn meaning that designers have needed to be careful how they have used them. I have subsequently changed the orientation of the design which makes a huge difference.

There is no problem in making an off centred design if that is how it is intended to be. You just need to let your buyer know, you don't want buyers returning your beads.

3. Structurally sound – No cracks or defects

In my mind it goes without saying that beads should be structurally sound. What has scared me when I have looked at beads the number of people who sell damaged beads. I even found some at a bead show on a lamp workers stall and they were telling me how wonderful their work was. Unfortunately my thoughts were you are unintentionally affecting me by selling stuff which is substandard

4. Stringer design well attached

It is so exciting when you begin to get design on beads. It is really important however that it is well attached. The bottom line is if the dots or stringer are under cut and not flush to the bead, the glass will come off at some point. Not great if you’ve already shipped the bead and someone is wearing the bead as it can lead to sharp glass … ouch.

5. Annealed.

It is strongly recommended that you anneal your beads in a kiln before you sell them. This is often the main difference between mass produced beads.

The basic science is that cooling the bead at a slow rate allows the bead molecules to line up rather than being random. Having random molecules means that the glass is more likely to break or crack at some point in the future.

Annealing your beads means that in the future it could be your beads that archaeologists dig up because they have survived years. It also more practically means you will have happy customers.

6. Cleaned.

One of the things about mass produced beads is that often they are not cleaned properly. From a designer point of view this leads to a yucky white substance coming from the beads. What I didn't realise for a long time is that this powder can be cancerous if breathed in. Frankly any fine dust breathed in is bad for your lungs.

Look after your customers by cleaning your beads and look after yourself by cleaning your beads underwater.

7. Chill marks.

These are little rings and ridges which appear on your beads when you use tools or press your beads. They appear because different bits of the glass cool at different rates. The bead need to be warmed to clean these marks off to create a nice smooth surface.

Having said all this I have seen a friend create lollipop beads where she deliberately left the marks as part of the design. Some people just have to be different hey.

8. Bubbles

Bubbles are the curse of clear or transparent glass especially when you are encasing the bead. The aim is to create a bead free of bubbles. Some people like bubbles in beads and my understanding is that they don't affect the structure of the bead but a good bead is bubble free.

9. Pricing.

This is a hugely touchy subject but the bottom line is if as a designer you sell a handmade bead for a cheep price you are teaching the guys who buy beads that lampwork beads are not worth much. This then affects the other lampwork bead makers.

You may only be making as a hobby, you may no feel you are good enough but the recommendation is that you charge 50p a minute whilst making the bead. That will cover the cost of the making the bead and promotion. If you feel a better lamp worker would make the bead faster then charge for the time you think it would take them.

10. Insurance.

The unfortunate reality of selling is that it makes sense to have Public Liability Insurance. Should the glass you sell harm someone, it makes sense to be able to protect you and your family financially.

Enjoy melting glass, it is the most amazing thing you can do. Hopefully this article should give you an idea of when it is a good time to start selling your precious orbs of glass.

Stoicism = So Happy I Could Bounce and Studio Update

2009-07-03T09:00:00.000+01:00

I’m going to start this rather long post with my studio update followed with what this slightly bizarre title is about.

I have 3 sets of uncleaned comet beads which I really need to get round to listing.

I’ve also been painting, or at least working on the mixed media pictures

This is the one I showed you last week. It now has its birds and some beading. I think I might need to put a bit more movement into it, but hopefully by next wee it should be near being completed.

This is the one that I’ve recently started on. Nothing is stuck down. I’m thinking it might need some lampwork butterflies.

So back to the title. It seems like one of the strangest things I could say but wow it so is. I was watching a 5 minute presentation on Stoicism and looking at our fears rather than trying to improve our motivation. The practicality of pessimism: Stoicism as a productivity system

It is so important to be grateful, so important to find out what we really want to do, but somehow in this I have always felt held back. I’ve never been able to tie that down until this 5 minute moment.

Listening to what was being said something made a lot of sense. In therapy I often get people to look at what the “bottom line” of what they are fearing is. For some reason I hadn't considered applying this to my art work.

By Following the recommendation of creating a 3 column chart. I feel like something has lifted and I feel really excited.

The first column being identifying all the possible worst case scenarios that could happen if you did what you're considering.
Column 2 Detail all the things that could minimize the likelihood of those worst case scenarios from happening.
Column 3 Detail all the line by line action items that it'll take for you to get where you want to go. What do you have to do to make that change in your life, to avoid those worst case scenarios, and is it worth it?

I now have 37 clear things that I can do to stop the worst thing I fear happening from happening. OK only 18 are linked to my deepest fear but I feel like I can move forward in a way that looking at only positive things hasn't been able to give.

By recognising and identifying my fear it has lost control over me, for now anyway. I also have practical steps which will help challenge my procrastination which is one of my biggest problems.

I feel so happy I could bounce. My pessimism has been dissolved by looking at it head on

Tree Bead Necklace Giveaway

2009-07-01T09:21:00.001+01:00

I thought I’d do something different this week. I’m offering a piece of jewellery made with one of my focals.

The silk ribbon is painted and sewn by Diane at SowZerE Designs. It’s amazing the love and care she puts into her hand made ribbons. This one is called Calm. I thought that was so apt for this bead.

The metal in this piece is sterling silver and has been formed by myself. There are 2 copper spacers at the top and bottom of the bead to hold it in place.

I hope to have some comet beads and dragon scale beads listed on Etsy tomorrow morning.

All you need to do to have a chance of winning this pendant is make a comment, leaving your name

Conceptualising My Art Business – Part 4 Where?

2009-06-29T09:00:00.000+01:00

Gosh I cant believe I’m on part 4. It’s quite exciting to have set myself the target of doing a series … and actually finishing it. That is one of my biggest problems, finishing. So I’m learning to set smaller goals to achieve my bigger ones.

What I’ve done is taken the types of people I want to sell to and thought about where I might want to sell.

People who collect beads

I guess this is an area which is something which when I was aiming at creating arty beads this was part of my focus. The consequence of making beads I love is that other people will love them and want to collect them. I’m wondering whether having this as a primary focus for my beads is not so helpful.

As a thought these are areas I recon I could promote to collectors in.

etsy
eBay
just beads
my website
art fire
lampwork forums
flickr
retail shops

Jewellery designers

It seems to me that this seems to be who I need to be aiming at with regards to selling my beads. I am coming to realise that I make the beads for me, as a distraction from stress rather than specifically made for jewellery. So the truth is focusing on this group of people is about promoting what I have. What I have done in the past is become overwhelmed by what I think designers might want. I am learning I can only be me, and in that I have something unique and special.

jewellery forums
flickr
etsy
misi
art fire
personal site

Women

lol…. this is such a huge statement. It was referring to my affirmation prints and paintings which is what I am developing. So as far as I can see so far these are some places to aim for.

profiles on other artists blogs
writing for other blogs
sponsoring other artists blogs
etsy
mixed media forums

People who value creative, hand crafted goods

This goes for both the beads and the art. As a starting place these are places I think I could aim at

etsy
misi
folksy
art fire
not on the high street
handmade forums
Saatchi online
galleries

Teaching Lampwork

As I’ve said before unfortunately I don't have the right location at the moment to teach at home.. May be one day. Here and now it strikes me that these are my current options.

lampwork forums
other peoples studios
bead shows
personal site
blog
online tutorials
tutorials for sale

My blog

Gosh there is so much advice on how to promote a blog that I really couldn't go into it here in this post. Maybe in one in the future when I feel like I know more about blogging I will publish some how to’s

As you can see even in the process of writing this series, my thoughts have changed from week to week. I’m not sure I’ve completely got all the answers but I know a few things for certain

bead making is something I do for me but I choose to sell so I need to learn how to market them with this in mind
Affirmation art is something I want to develop and focus my business mind on
Teaching and giving back is something I want to do and at this point in time the best place is here on the blog.

If you have been following this series you probably can see some things that I am missing. I would really appreciate your observations and comment. Thank you

Julie

Studio Update

2009-06-26T09:00:00.000+01:00

It has been really good this week. I feel great because the beads that I have made because I want to have sold where as ones that have been around which I was making with others in mind haven't. I really feel great about the idea of making things which I love rather than trying to second guess everyone else.

I have a Work in Progress for you

Remember this picture. It was the first of using paint and glass in a picture. This is something I have been musing about for a while in terms of making it happen.

This week I have started this picture

This piece is about my musings about community, quite funny as there is no community in here at all, but there will be.

It very much is a work in progress and I took the picture at the wrong time of day so it doesn't show everything up. The tree (polymer clay) and leaves (lampwork) are yet to be fixed and I’m thinking there is something wrong with the leaves. There will be 2 glass birds to perch in the tree and when they are there I’m sure I will be able to see more clearly what is needed.

I also need to find some way of accurately showing off this type of work. Part of that is about selling it, but part is also about the idea that I might want to make prints… a thought but I don't know where it will lead me.

I would really appreciate your comments on this piece, ideas and observations. This really is a new venture. Whilst I wouldn't, and most people don't recommend showing something so early, I thought I would to get some sense of feed back.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts

And The Winner Is…..

2009-06-24T09:32:00.000+01:00

I got a lovely message on Frit Happens from last weeks winner. One of the reasons I wanted to give things away is that it genuinely makes me feel good.

So to this weeks winner... according to the random number generator, post 3… errrr, so that would be me then. Then number 11… me again… 13… and again, I think I might be commenting too much on my own blog. 15… that’s me, now this is getting stupid…

So what I’m going to do is recalculate this taking out my posts … the 6 of them.

Well done Rozelle, contact me with your address and I’ll get the beadies out to you.

Conceptualising My Art Business – Part 3 Who?

2009-06-22T09:00:00.000+01:00

So the question for today is so who am I aiming my work at? Who is my target audience? Who are my right people?

You know it feels a bit strange writing this on a blog and making it public. I guess if you are reading this then the reality is in some way you are the part of the group of people I want to, for a better word, influence whether that be through my art, my beads or my words.

Glass Beads.

So who do I want my beads to appeal to? Err the egocentric answer is everyone, but that's not such a helpful answer is it really. Need to come up with a better thought it it is about who I would like to sell to.

I would like people to love my beads, so I guess there is something about selling to people who collect beads.

I would like my beads to be usable and worn. I would like my beads to be loved and used by jewellery designers

Paint and glass.

Given that this is the part of my business that is less well defined I guess it is the part that I need to think about the most.

I would like my creations to encourage and affirm people. So that is probably about aiming at women, creative types

There is something about people who understand and appreciate hand made items

I would like my faith to some how be reflected in the art so would that be about aiming at a Christian market or just acknowledging the reality that it is likely to be there? This is something that I haven't really thought through but maybe will evolve over time.

So the giving back thing.

For me this is apparent in a number of ways.

I’m teaching guitar lessons. You have no idea how funny I find this as I really don't feel like I have the skills to do this. But the guys I am teaching sought me out and are clearly really enjoying it and that is such a buzz

I am teaching art to some home schoolers. I saw them on Friday and after an hour and a half, the time we had agreed, they were asking for more. Just how cool is that?

I would love to teach lampwork, but the reality is that I don't have the best environment to do that in at the moment. What I am going to do instead is put a series of “Bead Basic” tutorials on the site

I would also like this blog to be a place to give back. A place where my words and thoughts can be an influence and be helpful

If you have any thoughts about who you think might be my target audience given my work I would really appreciate it. Often other people see things that we don't see ourselves so your thoughts would be really appreciated.

Julie

Conceptualising My Art Business – part 1 Why - Summary

2009-06-20T09:03:00.000+01:00

I was planning a 4 part series on conceptualising my business. It was all going really well. I published article 1, wrote article 2, so far so good. I did something strange which meant that article 2 replaced article 1 loosing it forever.

This post is a summary of what was lost. I’m sad that I have to do it this way as I’m aware that some of the energy of the first post will be lost.

So this is my conceptualisation of my business. This is something I have developed for myself after reading a lot of information from other people.

As I was thinking about it I realised that some of these questions I have answers to but some I really didn't, and these were the fundamental questions. Like why am I making, let alone selling

So why do I make, in essence there are two answers in that for me

because it is integrally part of who I am. Without being creative I find part of me dying
there is something about me needing to give back through my creativity and seeing a difference in peoples lives. For my art to have meaning

Its these two core issues which define my creativity. It means that it is ok just to make things because I can but also to have something that has meaning. As a consequent of this I have take some steps

I am allowing myself just to make things because I can. This means I am allowing myself to enjoy making my dotty beads, and the flow of the molten glass.
I have started teaching people guitar and I am teaching some home schoolers art.

What I have lost in this is the sense of meaning. What that means is that there is something to explore about how to create meaning in my art. This was covered in part 2.

Check Out To Find You Already Had What You Wanted

2009-06-19T09:05:00.001+01:00

I am one of these people who enjoys planning, enjoys scheming and working out where I want things to go. The problem with this is that it can cause me to feel disconnected. Feeling like there is something more to life than I am somehow connected to.

My observation in life is that we tend to fall into categories those who tend to scheme all the time and feel overwhelmed and those who tend to drift and feel lost. Now I know these are generalisations but I’ve experienced as well as known the truth of it this week.

As a therapist I often explain that to have too much stress is to burn out but just as disastrous to mood and efficiency is rust out, when you just don't have enough pressure.

Last week I had a week away with my parents. When I do this, the world literally stops. By day 2 I was getting really wound up by doing nothing. By day 5 my husband and I were going loopy.

I had taken my paints to do stuff, a book to read, a screenplay I’m working on, things on how to improve my blog but I just couldn't get into anything. It was as if stopping robbed me of the ability to perform. Not only did my motivation vanish by so did my ideas. There was no planning, no scheming and I can genuinely say I felt my mood sink really fast. Rust out.

So how do I hold that with the learning how to slow down? How do I give myself space to plan and scheme without putting too much pressure on myself? It is almost as if I need to plan and scheme how to do a simple life. Some of it could be summarised by this great post about slowing down on Zen Habits.

Planning to slow down but having something to slow down from seems just as important. So I’ve decided that I will do that by identifying what I want from this week, then making a point of making it happen with specific goals.

So what are the key things that I want?

I want time to create whether that be with glass, silver, paint or words
I want to have time for relationships, with people I love
I want to earn money from activities which I see as being worthwhile.
I want to make a difference.
I want to be me,
I want to fully be who I was created to be, because only then will I be fully happy.

So things I need to do this week

Set specific time to create
Invite friends round for a meal or to the pub at least if I don't quite get round to cleaning the house
The truth is I see my paid job as worthwhile. I just need to learn how to give it direction. Therefore I need to set some time to plan and scheme… ooo things I do well.

I guess 4-6 will happen as I work on the other things. By focusing on the specifics I perceive that I will be able to stream line my life and therefore slow down. Interestingly to have time fro friends and time to create I have to slow down as well.

So back to the title of the post, I realise that as my life has sped back up today my ideas, inspiration and desire to create are returning. If I make a point of doing my already, everyday life, but slower and simpler I already have everything I need and want. So very simple but so very true.

Wednesday Winnings

2009-06-17T08:25:00.002+01:00

Hi there it’s my second giveaway/winning day.

I’ve been sitting here thinking, well not thinking that’s a bad description. There are days with my journey through fertility that I just sit an find tears rolling down my face, and today seems to be one of those days so far. Nothing specifically has triggered it and I know that at times moment in time I need to look after myself.

So why am I continuing to give away when I feel like the world is beginning to close down on me and I need to look after myself. For that very reason. I have learned over time that when I feel like this I tend to withdraw into my own little world which is really not very helpful. Giving away these beads is about keeping myself open to the world rather than hiding. Choosing to share who I am rather than running away. I promise however that I will be taking today slowly so that I’m not overwhelmed by what I am feeling.

I thought I would offer you some of my dragon scale beads.

I enjoy making these guys and the movement of the glass.

All you need to do today to have a chance of winning them is leave a comment.

If you come in directly to this page it will be clear how to leave a comment however if you come in on the front page click the word below that says “comment”. This will take you to the page were you can do that…. Good luck

Julie

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P.S. As I've gone about my business today I've realised that this post could look as if I'm asking you to support me and be kind to me in order to have a chance to get the beads. Honestly this was not my intent. Even if your comment is HIYA, I wouild love to hear from you - J

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Conceptualising My Art Business – part 2 What?

2009-06-15T09:25:00.000+01:00

In an earlier post Conceptualising My Art Business – part 1 Why? I explored why I need and want to make. This brought me to the interesting conclusion that the reason I make is not to sell but about what it intrinsically gives me and my desire to give back to others.

The conceptualising looks a little like this.

The second question for me here is if it is a business what is it that I want to sell. I know that I find making to sell is some how a sell out but there has to be a balance somewhere.

Well I could make

lampwork glass
painting
knitting (I’ve made huge amounts of baby clothes)
sewing (I’ve made a wedding dress and clothes for others)
jewellery (I’ve done courses in making silver jewellery and my next step would be to think about a BTec)
hats
bags
cards

All these things I have made and sold at stages. But what is it that I am passionate about making. I guess the answer at one level is simple, glass and painting.

Great … that narrows it down to two huge fields. Both of which are hugely competitive and I guess need specific focus on.

The glass thing as far as I can see, with the skills I have, breaks down into a few areas

Art glass beads. I specifically like two types of design. Those with a very geometric feel and beads inspired by nature. I’m wanting to create beads with a more painterly like quality.
Production glass beads, which I have done and it really improved my skills but I chose to end because it stole my soul.
Mini sculptures. My beads have often ended up behind sculptural from very early on. I have also done some off mandrel sculpture which was great fun. My dad has a kingfisher as a consequence.
Turning my glass into jewellery

I know there is way more to lampwork but not with my skill levels at the moment.

The painting thing for me is much more limited. Or at least it feels as if it is. What I know is that I loose myself in painting but have never produced anything that I feel is of a saleable quality. What I do love about paint over glass is the depth of meaning I feel and see in the work. I love the use of this medium for affirmations and the stories that can be told.

So this leads me to a question of whether there is something about combining these two areas to create something that is unique and distinctive to me. Using glass and paint to create pieces which have meaning seems to be so very important to me and probably the best way forward.

The draw back is that this is something completely new for me and to start with not a money making avenue… which to me seems to defeat the whole point of conceptualising a business around art.

I guess my plan to start with has to be about beginning to create daily within paint as I perceive I already have the skills within the glass to create what would be needed. I also need to spend time creating glass beads which I love in the mean time. Not primarily because I want to sell but because I love to make.

errrrmmmm not sure what happened there

2009-06-15T09:22:00.002+01:00

I've done something and caused blogger to be strange...

The post which I set to come up today went up yesterday, but with comments on from a previous post, which has disappeared. You will see that the lovely Elaine commented on the 12th on a post which is dated the 15th but was live on the 14th... I so have done something strange.

Unfortunately I dont seem to be able to recover the missing post so I will put a summary of it up at some point as it was the start of a 4 part series... doh...

Hopefully back to normal now

J

Studio Update

2009-06-12T09:06:00.000+01:00

This week has been a week for painting and just being. I don't have anything to show at the moment, but I’m sure I will in the next few weeks. I have spent a few days away with my parents and it was fantastic to see them.

So what about to days TGIF – Trust Gratitude and Inspiration Friday.

Thankful - I’ve spent a lot of time with my parents this week and it has been fantastic
Gratitude – I am grateful for time to be and time to play
Inspiration – I have been inspired this week by being down near the sea

Thank you for dropping by

Wednesday Giveaway – the results

2009-06-10T08:57:00.000+01:00

I used a random number generator to determine who would win these. The result was post 4.

That means the winner of the set is Rachel B. Send me your address and I will get the beadies out to you

Race for Life

2009-06-06T16:40:00.002+01:00

You may have noticed that I've had the race for life banner on my blog for a little while. Well it was today and I've done it.

If you are interested in sponsoring me the link is here.

I dont expect anything from anyone and I am taking the logo off now. This was just in case anyone was interested, had thought about sponsoring me and had not quite got round to it.

Thank you all

J

Studio Update and TGIF

2009-06-05T08:51:00.002+01:00

So Friday posting, what have I been up to. Because I’ve been on annual leave its been an interesting week. Not as productive in some ways as I thought it would be, but really soulful and thoughtful, which to be honest I actually prefer.

So there have been a couple of bead sets, and Wednesday Giveaway. There have also been some firsts, I taught guitar for the first time this week. That feels a bit strange because I really don't feel like I have the skill needed, but they insisted which was so very flattering. It is also the first actual sit down less for teaching some art with some kid who are being home schooled.

One of the things as I thought about what I wanted to do with my creativity was teach and give back to people. When I identified that, within days these two opportunities arose and there is another bubbling in the pipeline. I think that's cool

Some days I wake up and it feels like my head is full of cotton wool. Sitting down and working out my TGIF seem really hard but actually it is really helpful because despite what my brain says actually there is an awful lot of good out there.

Trusting – to day I am trusting that I will have fun with the kids and that the excitement they have shown will encourage them to want to continue with their art lessons
Gratitude – I’m really grateful for friends who see me as me and who aren't out to change me. Yesterday I had the two extremes, people who wanted to change me and then wouldn't listen to me and friends who were just the most amazing and supportive, even though I didn't tell them about the first group of people.
Inspiration – wow that's when its hard to find something with a head full of cotton wool. I’m doing the race for life tomorrow and beginning to prepare for it has inspired me to want to continue with the weight loss.

Thank you for dropping by. What are you trusting, grateful for and inspired by on this Friday?

Wednesday Giveaway

2009-06-03T08:35:00.002+01:00

So here we are with my first weekly give away. This is a set of 5 18mm beads with 6 associated spacers. These are beads where I love the process and the feeling of making the beads. I love how the glass moves in the heat and I enjoy the skill in making it rather than being inspired by things outside of that moment in time unlike this bead which is inspired by my love of Classical Greek and Roman art.

So if you fancy winning this set, all you need to do is comment in up to 10 words and tell me what it is that inspires you whether that is in everyday life or in your creations. I will draw a winner next Wednesday

I look forward to reading your comments.

Julie

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I've just been told its not obvious how to leave a comment. Please click below where is says how many comments there have been. This will lead you to a page where you can make your comments.... Thank you for your understanding - J

Shame and empathy

2009-06-01T08:44:00.001+01:00

I have been thinking about my musing, live life as an exclamation not an explanation, Performing for an audience of one, Relentlessly pursue who I am created to be. As a think about them there is a real sense of wanting to be more than I am at the moment.

I don't think there's anything wrong with that but they got me thinking, what is it that stops me? Why am I musing on such similar themes? Am I actually changing or is it just light sunlight on a dandelion, I’m showing up the structures and its frail but beautiful in its simplicity?

So what is it that stops me, and the honest answer is I get so far then get overwhelmed by a sense of not being good enough. A sense that somewhere I am deeply flawed, in other words shame kicks in.

I have been thinking about shame resilience and how I can begin to protect myself from shame and I realise a simple truth. As I talk to others and give them the opportunity to show me that not only do they understand how I feel but that it’s OK to have these dark scary thoughts and feel this overwhelming gut wrenching fear, shame is beginning to loose its power over me.

I don't think I’m brave enough to share the specific incident which highlighted it all to me this week but what I do know is that giving other people the opportunity to show me empathy begins to heal my soul. I also actively noticed this week as I shared empathy with others, the impact it has on them and how healing it is,

So here’s to empathy. Really trying to come alongside someone and hear the situation from their point of view. The amazing thing with empathy is feeling heard and understood means that a solution to the problem doesn't have to be found. Empathy itself is the solution.

TGIF and Romanov Beads

2009-05-29T09:29:00.001+01:00

So what have I been up to?

This set is called Romanov as when I was making it I was reminded of some of the amazing patterns that are part of the Winter Palace in Russia. They really aren't my normal style but I really enjoyed making them.

As I was making them I became aware that they were similar to other glass artists beads. As I thought this and thought about their designs, the bead I was making turned into mush, the design slipped, and the glass boiled. Keeping a focus on my bead was really important. To express my voice even though similar potentially to others meant that I created something I was proud of.

The other thing that I’m excited about is that today is the first time I get to focus on my writing projects. I have many half finished stories and I hope to spend some regular dedicated time working on them.

So here are my thoughts for Trust, Gratitude, Inspiration Friday… I'm just really enjoying thinking about this as a regular part of my blogging.

Trust – I’m trusting today that although it feels like my story telling voice has disappeared, by creating space for it, it will begin to shine.
Grateful – last week I was was saying I was trusting that I had made the right decision to start promoting and selling my beads again. Within minutes of listing I had a sale, thank you
Inspiration – Following the sale I feel really inspired just to be me, to do the things I love.

Live life as an exclamation not an explanation

2009-05-25T09:32:00.001+01:00

I was looking at one of those posters which has instructions about living life. Normally I look at them and think what a waste of time they are. In this one this one sentence jumped out.

I so often find myself not truly being me, second guessing what I should be doing, worrying about what other people think. As a consequence watering down who I am. So often I find people disapproving of my playfulness not with words, but a look that says you shouldn't be doing that. People tell me that I shouldn't respond one way but when I actively choose to do something different tell me that I have that wrong as well.

Actually, why do I let people tell me what I should do and why should I be trying to impress them. But the blatant truth is I do, and I am sick of it. I use up so much energy trying to justify and explain who I am rather than just living me.

I guess this ties up into my musing for the last few weeks of how do I perform for an audience of one and how do I relentlessly pursue who I am created to be.

I am so aware that I feel so many things tell us how to be, how to eat, how to think, how to dress and how we unwittingly maintain these standards. its partly about the media but its also about the people that we spend time with not necessarily in terms of friends but in terms of groups we belong to. I have different types of clothes for different groups. Now at one level that is logical because I couldn't wear something heavy when I dance. But it seems to me that I am trying to create an image that fits in with the rest of the group as much as what is comfortable to wear.

This image sensor is so acute that when I do things like go shopping I am checking out to make sure I not only fit in the the general image of those around me, but I am doing it slightly better than everyone else. Now the truth is I totally fail at it primarily because I refuse to spend the money it would take to do that but how does my little head even go there in the first place.

There is part of me that would like to go back to being the kid I was before I was bullied. The one that was carefree, the one that when I was much smaller had to be put on reigns to stop me talking to strangers, the one who just enjoyed being me and wasn't constrained by the groups image. You know one of the reasons why I was bullied for so long is that I refused to be like the rest of the group. I used to do it naturally but I feel that that freedom has been beaten out of me.

I so want to be able to live my life as an exclamation not an exclamation. Lifting my head to the world and shouting this is me rather than head down hoping that no body notices when I get it wrong.

Friday Feature. Merrett Mansion Update

2009-05-22T17:41:00.001+01:00

So here's my attempt at putting up some of my art on a Friday and let you know what I’ve been creating this week

Hopefully by the end of the day I will have some beadies up on etsy. The green ones are some of my 15mm beads and the black are 6mm tiny treasures. How exciting is this. Beadies to sell.

I’ve also been a painting. Apart from the eyes on the first one which need re doing, I think these piccies really aren't too bad. The plan will be to finish them and make them part of some affirmation cards and prints.

I have to say, that may well take some time but at the moment I;m just enjoying the painting.

To finish up, I’ve been doing a TGIF thing (trust, gratitude and inspiration Friday). So these are my thoughts for today

I'm trusting that even though I'm feeling so very tired today that choosing to intentionally create space to do the things I love is the right decision

I'm grateful to one of my friends allowing me to home teach her children art. I had been wanting to share my arty-ness and there was a fantastic opportunity that also meant she could take her youngest to playgroup

I'm inspired by one of the clients I met today who expresses her love for people and her expression of creativity without abandon.

Thank you for dropping in

Julie

Monday Musings: Performing for an audience of one

2009-05-18T08:15:00.001+01:00

I’ve made a promise to myself that I will try and update this blog twice a week.

On a Monday with some of my thoughts and ramblings
On a Friday with an insight into the art and creativity which has been happening here at Merrett Mansions.

Having made that promise to myself I was sitting here thinking, so what on earth am I going to write about today.

My new normal pattern for a Monday is now to get up early, meditate, read the blogs I follow and update my own, then get either the paints out or head out to the shed to fire up the lampwork torch. It was in this process that I found the inspiration for today's ramblings, a precious story which really touched me. There in Gypsy Girls Guide was a story which somehow resonates so very deeply with me.

I have been mulling over the idea of who is it that I am trying to impress. I find myself at times overwhelmed by what I fear others are thinking of me and as a consequence I perform to those fears. In India a group of performers performed just for her. They were not hindered by the fact that there was only one person, that their art and this part of their life wasn't going to be seen.

For me the challenge recently has been to try and perform for an audience of one. That one for me being God. These guys lavishly prepared and gave their best even though only one person was watching. Just how amazing is that? I feel so inspired to see such a practical demonstration of performing for an audience of one. Richly lavishing my life on what I love regardless of whether it is seen or not.

Thank you Gypsy Girl for sharing.

Paradox

2009-05-16T10:31:00.000+01:00

I’ve been feeling for a long time that I need to re arrange my schedule to specifically create time to be creative. I’ve felt that doing it haphazardly has meant that things just haven't happened.

I’ve finally managed to create time during the working week and what happens when I come to it…. I do all the little jobs that are on the list to do to clear my mind… then I find my mind is fully cleared and I really don't know what to do with the time. These precious moments that I have been craving suddenly feel like an empty void.

Why does that happen?

Should I go to the shed to create glass, should I paint the picture I have in my mind, should I continue writing a script, should I finish one of the polymer clay models, should I make the bag that I’ve just bought the materials for or should I list some of the beads I made a while back that haven't been seen or sold?

It’s just so weird. I feel overwhelmed by possibility, and at risk of loosing the time I have created.

I guess the truth is that I have been learning how to be and how to be fully in the moment. So that makes it OK to be overwhelmed by the possibilities… but also it it so incredibly exciting that I can begin to devote my time to some of the things I really want to do. To begin to create the perfect day I have in my mind… have I written about my perfect day? I promise I will

Is this sense of excitement and overwhelming something that you can relate to. It would be fantastic to hear how you have begun to work through it.

Given that the first thing I’ve done when I feel like this is blog I guess what I’ going to do today is write. it feels like today is a wordy day.

TGIF

2009-05-15T08:11:00.001+01:00

For a little while I’ve been reading a blog called Ordinary Courage. Its one of those little corners of the net I find really inspiring and so helpful at this point in time in my journey.

Every Friday they do something called TGIF – Trust, gratitude and inspiration Friday. So here are my thoughts.

Today has just started so its a really nice way to think about how I'm going to do today

I'm trusting that now is the time. I've been hiding my creativity, which has been like pruning it, and it now seems to be re-growing in new directions
I'm grateful for the start of another beautiful day which is yet to be enjoyed
I'm inspired by just knowing that today has so many possibilities

Peace in the Storm

2009-05-14T16:59:00.001+01:00

I have been painting and making things with glass but not posting them. Simply because I really strongly felt that it was really important that I fell in love with creating and why I was creating, rather than be focused on selling. finding what it was I was trying to say rather than just loving the process.

Doing this has lead me to a whole new area of work. Work which for me has meaning and purpose, in a way that other things have not. A way for me to begin to express my heart in a way which I have not found before.

This peace is called Peace in the Storm

It was displayed yesterday at an event open to the public. The intention was to promote the work of the NHS trust I work for rather than for anything artistic. I wanted the stall I was on to be some how different from all the self promotion whilst still promoting the essence of the work I do. I often feel that the time I give to people is about providing Peace in the Storm of the emotions they are experiencing.

Yes it really does shimmer all over as it does in the right of the picture.

The shame in some ways was that I am not allowed to promote myself as this would conflict with my job. The response and the enquiries regarding my work,however, really were quite inspiring. People genuinely could not believe that I had completed the work and the sense of peace it inspired in people.

I really believe that I have begun to find where I need to express my heart, and my love

Relentless

2009-05-11T10:08:00.001+01:00

The phrase which runs through my head a lot at the moment is “relentlessly pursue who I am created to be.” Now given my last post when I am questioning who I am you can see that this poses a bit of a problem.

Part of this however for me is beginning to recognise the things that I am not any good at and saying you know that doesn't matter. There are people in my life who can do those things and I need them. Not only to be in relationship with me, but because I need them to be who they are to support me as I can support them become all we are meant to be.

Part of this is also beginning to recognise what motivates me, what drives me. I’m becoming painfully aware that there are unhelpful things that motivate me, like how other people see me and pain that I have experienced and am experiencing.

There are also more helpful things like wanting to see others become who they have been created to be. Big ideal hey, but it’s what drove me to become a therapist, its what’s inspired me to do youth work. But it has hit me, I looked at encouraging people to become who they are without first learning to become who I am.

Its like the commandment in the bible to love you neighbour as yourself. I came to realise the biggest problem for me with this is I have to love others as I love myself. And I have problems loving myself… Ok I’m getting a lot better at that one and I certainly don't dislike myself anymore.

But I realise that the first part of the commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart mind and soul. What I’m learning, really beginning to understand is that if I understand who God is, it kinda answers who I am. When I stop over analysing myself and focus outside of myself I feel far more peaceful, far more centred.

I know I don't really talk much about my faith but the truth is, it is at the core of who I am. Trying to present myself without that core of me means I cant present who I truly am. I can not be authentically me. My intention is not to push my faith onto people but to express who I am. To begin to answer the question who am I and relentlessly pursue who I am created to be

Who am I?

2009-05-09T19:16:00.001+01:00

I hear myself ask that question and I find myself wanting an answer which is not trite or simple.

I can tell you things about me that I can do, some which I can do really quite well. I can tell you about my character, my nature or at least my perception of them. I could tell you about my dreams… but somehow that isn’t enough. Over the last period of time it is like I have had these things stripped away from me, and I am left with just me. But who am I?

I desire to be authentically me, the person who I have been created to be… but who is that? I want to express love, to be loved, to create art… but what does that mean?

I look at other people and see them growing and changing, clearly becoming more the person they are created to be, to become authentically themselves. Intellectually I am pleased for them but the cry in my heart is what about me. Is there something about wanting to been seen and acknowledged… probably but there is something more than that in there.

I want to become me, I want to know me. The crazy thing about that statement is that most people I know would tell me that I am incredibly self aware, very analytical… but is the answer that I am too analytical, asking too many questions?

What I am learning is that there is something about just “being”. Holding that tension of not knowing and being comfortable with me as I am. Knowing that I am perfect already, that I am good enough already and that I do not need to strive to achieve my identity. I am learning how to “be” in the moment.

Dreaming vs. living in the moment

2009-05-01T19:17:00.000+01:00

I’ve finally realized why I needed to give up my business for a while. I have this tendency to plan and scheme. To try and nail down my future, how I want things to be, to somehow create the life that I want to live.

In doing all that all I somehow forget to live. I forget to create the things that I want to. Its somehow like trying to swim against a tide rather than swimming with it. It somehow disconnects me from my feelings, from my dreams rather than drawing me into it.

What I know is that I want to have a small business… and that’s the problem. I want to create a business rather than create art. I want to make money rather than live a life with creativity.

The truth is I need to learn to live in the moment. If there is art to sell then great. I hope that it might lead to something more but I need to somehow learn to live in the flow rather than scheme where it will end up.

All I know is that I am so much more peaceful not planning and scheming, and trying to avoid worry… now I need to learn how to do a creative lifestyle with out over planning.

It struck me

2009-04-23T19:12:00.001+01:00

OK so I haven't quite managed a week without blogging… but my thoughts feel ready to be shared… I might do a Friday blog anyway… lol

Life has been very challenging recently with my journey with infertility. I have found myself seeking out blogs and words of affirmation… things that will tell me that it’s going to be OK.

The bottom line truth is I have an unshakable faith which says it will be and I know I am loved by an awesome God, but I have been needing words of encouragement and comfort. To have a concrete reminder that I am deeply loved, that all I have is enough. and you know looking at much of the art, both in paint and in jewellery, I see I’m not the only one who feels this way.

There are so many people who use words within their art to express affirmation, hope and desire.

On Kelly Ray Roberts blog she challenged folk to come up with affirmations she could use in their art. Wow so many fantastic words, ideas and images. Just reading it I could feel my heart soar.

But something hit me

The words which i resonated with the most were words which I could see in the bible. Words which have been spoken over me and I have heard so many times. There was something to these words though that had a different power in that it was short and to the point. Arrows that cut through my shell to my needy heart.

The question I ask myself therefore is how do I use this insight… and I realise I end up back at an idea I have been toying with for a long time. I don't want to make Christian art but I want to make inspired art… and ultimately that art would be inspired by Jesus’ love, that's the bottom line.

Interesting and intriguing… I wonder where this one ends up… but its an idea that just wont fade.

So here we go

2009-04-17T15:01:00.001+01:00

I think I’ve worked out how I want to use my blog. It some how makes sense to me to keep a weekly up date of how things are going here at Merrett mansion… well its not really a mansion but I can dream.

In deciding I need to give up the glass business I found that I stopped being creative. Unfortunately as I’ve said before something inside me dies when I don't create. The interesting thing though is that I have been realizing what I have. I have a fantastic job which I enjoy. It gives me the opportunity to be both creative and artistic. To care and be there for people.

I have been able to create artwork for sacred spaces we are developing within the the hospitals. Currently it has just been my photography which is being used but I have also been allowed to create some larger pieces as I want to.

I am also in the process of creating a large piece of art for a promotion we are doing. It will be a mixed media piece using lamp work as a focal point. its still drying as I type, I;m yet to do the glass bit… but I am excited that I am able to do something which combines both my love of paint and glass.

We are moving to a new stage in our fertility treatment… in that it looks like we might finally be getting some treatment. After 4 years of trying to get our GP to refer us to a specialist we have finally managed to get somewhere. We’re yet to see someone but it feels like we may now have some hope.

I guess in essence it feels like life is going on at a slower but maybe more productive level. So for the rest of the day… I’m going to work on my script for script frenzy.

Showing me

2009-03-20T10:49:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by Julie Merrett Glass

You may have seen that I've decided to do a course called unravelling.

This week was really interesting for me and a building on some of the things I've already seen about myself. What struck me is that generally I'm a very confident person and thats the view that other people get to see.

The thing about photographs of me is that I get to see them to. There is something to be said about being blissfully unaware of my appearance so that I dont judge myself. A strategy which means that I have few photographs of myself and as a result few recorded memories.

There is more to be said about seeing my appearance and not judging mself. Not criticising every last detail and flaw but loving me, loving who I am. That image represents me at this moment in time. A time which will pass and never be repeated. Something that is recorded through the camera lens that can evoke memories rather than the faded images that run through our minds whch are distorted over time.

I have really come to love over this last week taking pictures of me, discarding the ones which are pretty duff and there were many of them. By taking many images I now have a few that I can say represent me now... and I like them... and as a consequence I like me a little more

Slow down and smell the roses

2009-03-18T16:39:00.001Z

I’ve said so often that I don't want to live in London and that I yearn to live somewhere on the south coast where there is a much slower pace of life. I realized today how much of that fast pace lives in me and that if I were to move somewhere else those thoughts would still be with me. Just as they have when I have moved from job to job.

Over last few months I have been taking notice of the rhythm of my body, the whispers my body speaks to me when I’m not listening. They really are asking me to slow down and I’ve been learning to listen to them.

I initially thought that it was just about dealing with my grief but there is something so much more than that.

I walked into Tesco at lunch today to pick up some bits and bobs. The speed and pace of everyone around me seemed to be on another setting. A much higher one. Everyone seemed so stressed and overwhelmed. Including a mother who was pushing her shopping back out the car, holding her toddler by the hand, and the poor mite couldn't keep up with her.

The amazing thing was today I didn't feel the need to speed up to keep pace with them. I got when I needed doing without feeling stressed. I retained my peace and my tranquility and it felt good, good, good. My creativity remained intact and there were flowing ideas. It turned out to be a great lunch break.

It got me wondering, how many of the things I crave are very accurate but my solution is so very unhelpful and causes me to feel dissatisfied. There is something about learning to love and live where I am. Something which I’ve felt is such a corny thing to say… but you know I think it might actually be true.

Technorati Tags: slow down,desires,natural rhythms

I wish I knew how not to hurt

2009-03-12T12:54:00.001Z

I wish I knew how not to hurt.

The grief and overwhelming emotions I seem to be feeling since my Christmas miscarriage just seem to be getting deeper. They seem like a bottomless pit of emotions.

It may be true that I’m processing the emotions relating to the other miscarriages and it may be true that we may have an answer as to why biologically its happening but that somehow doesn't touch my soul.

I don't understand why having been blessed with the gift of life that has been taken away. I don't understand how the pain seems to get deeper. I don't understand that even though you say to people it feels like my heart has been ripped out they still manage to ignore the pain.

I don't want to be rescued. I know this is a journey I need to walk and need to get to the other side. I know that I am loved and people care for me but I don't know how to let them walk this journey with me so I can feel that love.

My sense of not knowing and not understanding seems to stretch into every area of my life. I know i have skills within my job, but if you asked me to write a CV at the moment, I don't think I could do it and tell you I’m any good at anything. I know I have a loving father in God who holds me and keeps me safe, but I couldn't explain to you some of the other things of my faith. It feels like a ball of uncertainty. Although at least I have faith in a God who understands it and holds it even when I don't get it.

In this mess I feel a peace and a sense of things will work out. The other side of that coin is to feel a sense of peace I have to let go of the things that I strive for, that I really want, that I cant get to. Without letting go of what I desire I cant get what I need which is peace. In letting go of what I desire I strip away one more part of who I am and release more of myself into not knowing and not understanding. I have to take one more step into the arms of a loving father.

Closed For Business

2009-03-03T23:35:00.001Z

I've made a huge decision regarding the business this week.

As you can tell by my blogging recently there has been a lot about me but nothing to really promote my glass art. That's because there hasn't been any. No that I haven't wanted to create, I have, it has just been in other avenues.

I have realized that I need to close down my glass bead business. Unfortunately it has become a millstone round my neck rather than something that I love. I love glass, I love making things with glass but there is something missing in my heart.

That may solely be down to my grief process and dealing with the issues following my miscarriages. There is something however in there about my attitude to money and how that becomes an overwhelming reason to create. Given what I long to create has meaning a purpose this is clearly unhelpful. I am also lucky in that I have a well enough paid job that I don't have to earn through glass.

I have learned how to be skilled in craft, I now know that I need to find my voice as an artist.

I don't know what I will do with the blog. Whether I will stay chatting in blog world or whether I will disappear here too. All I know is that there is something more to what I need to create and being tied to glass beads prevents me from doing it.

I would like to thank you all for your love and support recently

Julie

Self Portrait

2009-02-20T19:05:00.001Z

This was me having a play at a self portrait... seeing as I don't have a picture of me that I wanted to copy I decided to create something slightly more abstract

There are loads of things I do around the outside

beads and my glass work are represented by the white circles
There are brown dots which look like reeds which represents my love of water
there are musical notes
there is golden wool which I used when I made our wedding invites

But the thing is that these are the things that are outside of me. It is the things that make me up, my hopes and my fears, my dreams and ambitions which make up who I am. They are the core of my being

Starting to Unravel

2009-02-18T10:29:00.001Z

I found this guy when I was out yesterday and he seemed to summarize what I was feeling in my post yesterday about wanting to run away from what I had signed up to do.

Now not being one to run away from how I am feeling I've jumped into the tasks that we've been set. The truth is I can not help but compare my pictures the the beautiful ones that every one else is producing however that isn't going to stop me participating... although when feeling too raw might stop me looking at everyone else's photos.

These two pictures go in tandem for me. it was one of those moments when you realize your images portray something of what you are feeling. The colourful one is when not working the other one is when I was. The work one looks so boring while the non working one has so many colours and textures in. the interesting thing for me is that at work I have complete freedom to design my job as the job description isn't written in stone... yet I've brought that work is boring attitude with me.

Something to ponder... how to find the adventure in my paid work because it truly is a new venture and nationally there is no script for it.

Unravelling

2009-02-17T08:44:00.001Z

I have signed up to do an e-course called Unravelling. Its a photography course looking at connecting more deeply with yourself.

I've been getting really excited over the last couple of days waiting for the start of the course and now its here... well I find myself turning and looking for my familiar rock to hide under.

Now the truth is I haven't taken a single photograph yet for the course and I already feel like I'm unravelling, well falling apart at least. I find myself besieged with fears that I'm not good enough, that my photos will be dull and boring, that it will reveal that my life isn't good enough and just how messy I am.

Logically I know I don't have to share anything and that its not a competition to see who has captured the best image. Still my fear says I cant do it, that I will be bottom of the class and find myself as an outsider to the group.

Man I didn't think the idea of taking pictures of my feet would be just so hard.

I guess I am currently on a journey which seems to be all about stripping away some of the masks which I hide behind. Because my photography isn't great and often I do not think too much about the composition of the photograph, I know the snaps I take are going to be raw. They are going to show me things which I find uncomfortable and are just so gonna slam that not good enough button. I fear the images will not be beautiful enough.

Listen to me I'm comparing in my head my photographs to someone, in the course leader, who is a professional photographer.... arrrrrrrggg

I just really hope that over the next few weeks I really do become more connected with me and in finding that sense of me have courage to show the real me to the world.

Energy of the Heart

2009-02-13T18:38:00.001Z

I've been thinking about the idea of people stealing your heart. All I know is that my heart belongs to one man in terms of loving him but I am becoming aware that people are able to steal pieces of my heart.

Every time I'm angry or can not get over something I believe I've done wrong, for a time my thoughts and my energies all to often end up focused on something that makes me so sad that I find it hard to move forward. For a time my heart has been stolen. Yet the truth is but mulling on the injustice I allow them to steal my heart.

These thoughts were all triggered by an incident yesterday when a customer service agent rather than helping me solve my problem, told me she wasn't paid enough, the location of her office and all the things she couldn't do for me, then accused me of abusing her. Not true but the anger I felt stole my energy for nearly 24 hours.

So I choose to focus the energy of my heart towards my lovely husband. We're kinda doing the whole valentines day thing early. Andy because he wanted me to be able to enjoy my flowers for the whole of tomorrow and not just when they turned up and me.. cos he kinda saw what I was making for him by accident

The shoes in the picture are his shoes which he uses to walk the dog. Having not drawn for a while, I was quite impressed by how they turned out. I'm including them as my creative item for the week as in truth this is all I've managed to finish. I'm not sure why this week has been so uncreative art wise where as in my paid job its been a real revelation, and the blank job description I've been given is beginning to take some kind of shape.

Still too cold

2009-02-07T18:25:00.001Z

I've still not managed to get out the shed to melt glass. I have to say I'm really missing it. I have an incredible need to be creative at the moment so I will just have to finish the resin pieces I'm working on.

I went into Kingston today to find a place to read and drink tea. I found the place so busy and soul-less, there was no where I felt like being. My foot fall matched those of everyone around me. Full of haste and anxiety. It was only when I stopped and looked around did I finally some beauty in the world around. Some of it man made in the graceful arches. But also in the path by the river.

For some reason I'm beginning to feel like the new year is finally hear. I have an optimism and a hope such as you would expect at the start of a new year. So it feels like a time for resolutions for setting goals. Last year I promised myself I would do more of what made me happy and less of what made me sad.

That was a really important starting place and to be honest it was something that really resonated with me throughout the year. As a consequence of that I've changed jobs and in that process possibly career... I need to see how that one pans out. Lost weight. I'm also beginning to learn how to love that reflection in the mirror regardless of how it "should" look.

So what does this new year look like for me.

Well I've written about finishing at least one piece a week, so that's one goal.

I've decided to do Race for Life this year. I wish I could say there was some altruistic reason but the truth is I'm needing to focus my attention on a goal to get my exercise back on track. So that means I've given myself 17 weeks to get fit enough to "run" 5K... about 3 miles. At the moment I can run only about 7 minutes in a 20 session, so that really needs to improve hey. Something else to aim at. BTW if you wanted to sponsor me there is a link at the top of the blog.

At the heart of what I want to achieve this year is still to do more of what makes me happy and less of what makes me sad. I was thinking about a presentation I had written on spirituality. I shared

If I don't do something creative I feel something inside me die
If I don't spend time by water I feel breathless
I find it hard to express emotions with spoken words but need to write or create art to express them
I need to spend time with God to feel peaceful and centred
I need routine and structure
I need to spend time with people who love and accept me for who I am
I take the dog for a walk to be surrounded by nature
The way to completely still the thoughts in my head is to draw
I love the way my body feels as each part works when I exercise

So I guess its easy, that's what I need to be doing this year as I follow this journey.

Why is it...?

2009-02-06T21:39:00.001Z

I've been going back to my old sketch books over the last couple of days to find inspiration while it's way to cold to go hide in the shed. There are loads of ideas I've not translated into pieces, so that's a really good place to start with new pieces.

I've also been looking around at other blogs, I love seeing what people write and how they turn ideas into art pieces. That has good points and bad points...

The good being I love how different people see the world, I love how people see beauty in the small things in life and how others see beauty in things I just over look.

The bad... I think I've come up with this wonderful new idea. What I often do is let it mull around to see what it turns into. I'm beginning to think I should start playing with materials rather than holding these ideas in my head. Each time I think I've come up with something original, I find it in other peoples work. Not the exact idea but close enough that I begin to worry that if I make my idea that I will be copying.

In one of these artists work I saw a resin component almost identical to the one I'm half way through making. That is something that used to happen with one of my lampworking friends. I would have this fab idea and discuss it with her and show her my test pieces. Almost inevitably she had tried the same thing and her trial piece was so much better than mine.

Feeling frustrated I continued to read what the jewellery artist was saying. She was talking about not looking at other peoples work. About being inspired by nature or classic works of art.

Now that's something I can do.

So my plan

when I have an idea to start making it sooner rather than later and not discuss it with others
to spend more time either taking pictures of nature, looking at nature photos or just being out of the home
to stop looking at others work... rummaging through things like etsy is not good

So here we go... lets try this for more productivity

Temporarily Strung

2009-02-03T13:05:00.000Z

On Sunday I went to the London Bead Show. It was great to meet up with folks and get chatting to new people.

It was a real shame as there weren't too many lampworkers around. Less than a week before it I received a phone call from the organisers inviting me to show as they had had two lampworkers pull out. Needless to say with so little notice it was impossible for me to get enough stock together to be able to do it. Chatting to the organisers on the day the others they had contacted said the same.

I met these guys http://www.designercabochons.co.uk/ and have to say I'm in love with these cabs. It takes me back to my roots in my jewellery journey where I was looking for something unique to set into silver. I think if I had found these guys earlier I may have never become a lampworker at one level as the cabs are exactly what I was looking for

This one is temporarily wire wrapped with sterling silver wire so I get to wear it before it gets set in silver. I love, love, love their stuff

Photo Journal

2009-02-02T12:53:00.001Z

Yesterday was a really interesting day. I decided to take up a challenge set by a friend to do a photo journal for the day, then do one a month through out the year. I had to go round everything I did snapping everything, then scrapbooking the results. OK so I don't really scrapbook in its paper form but created a digital version.

I've made myself giggle as none of the people in the photos are family, they are all friends I met as I went along the day. I even managed to get a day where we go snow. That was just after it had started. Needless to say the amount of snow we were greeted by way more snow.

Anyway.... I thought I would be really off put by having to photo everything, I actually really enjoyed the experience... and I now have a fab record of the day. It will be really interesting to see how the rest turn out through the year.

It's one of those things I would recommend everyone have a go at. First of all there's something about challenging a fear of looking a little stupid as you snap everything. You'll be surprised how people really don't notice, even when the flash goes. Having the record also is fab as if you're like me its so easy to forget the details of the day.

Mulling

2009-01-31T15:04:00.001Z

I was sitting at my desk looking at the letters on the keyboard. Thinking about how we make words and how letters, something small, can stand for something so much bigger. A word, but not only a word a simple yet incisive question.

It just seemed like a huge question to me. Why do things happen? Why do we care and love the people we do? Why do we have to hurt? Why is the sky blue? Why do I see things as beautiful?

On taking the photo the key suddenly seemed to glow. OK so I know that's only dust, but it seemed to me to highlight just how important it is to continue to ask questions. Before the photo I didn't see the dust or the glow of the key, but focusing on it made details show that otherwise I wouldn't have seen. Kinda like the other questions.

Turning to the window I saw this little guy glowing in the sunlight. There somehow seemed to be something that switched my mood from contemplative to in awe of the beauty in the world. From the darkness in my mood there was a sudden brightness, a lightness which permeated every fibre.

Its amazing how just noticing the world around too me away from the rubbish inside to a hopeful outlook, ready to face the things life can throw

Wipe every eye dry

2009-01-30T18:49:00.000Z

This bead is one I made which speaks to me of the precious nature of each tear that is cried. How each tear is precious to God and is part of my healing process.

Its also one of my steps into of mandrel sculpture... boy ivory is such a great colour to sculpt with... and hopefully my sculpture can only get better

50 Things

2009-01-30T09:45:00.000Z

Over the last few years I've often seen people challenge themselves to make 50 things through out the year. These things have been on drawing sites, some craft and 43Things is about 43 things you would like to be able to do with your life.

Most of these sites either give you a list or ask you to form a list.

I like the idea of working to someone else's list as it will give you a challenge that you would never thought of doing. I like the idea of a list you create yourself as it is really personal, although I guess I would run out of ideas or my vision changes so frequently I would probably end up sabotaging myself.

Some else has set the challenge slightly differently in that they plan to make 50 items in a year. So that generally works out at one a week. I'm kinda liking this idea as I have so many projects that go unfinished and it would be a challenge to get them sorted. The promise to myself is that they would be art rather than just craft. For me that means that they have some kind of meaning. Trust me I know that's not the only differentiation between art and craft

So I guess these make up my first items in this challenge to myself. Over the next few days I will work out what I plan to do, follow someone else's list... and I've found one I like, or just make the commitment to myself to finish things or may be its about challenging myself to try something new.

The bottom line promise to myself is that I will finish one piece a week for the remainder of the year.

Precious Tears

2009-01-28T18:43:00.000Z

These again are part of my healing process. I dont think you can see it very clearly but swirled in the clear glass is both gold and palladium which give these guys a very special glow.

For me they represent the tears I cry. Each one is precious.

I find it so hard to find the words to express how I feel at the moment, but this song by Steven Curtis Chapman sums up something of what I feel.

We can cry with hope

We can say goodbye with hope

Because we know our goodbye is not the end.

We can grieve with hope

Because we believe with hope

There's a place, by Gods grace, there's a place where we'll see your face again

Pets

2009-01-26T18:36:00.001Z

My DH has been uploading piccies to flickr and I discovered these on there from today so I thought I'd introduce you to the lovely animals in my life.

This is Bruno. He's a 5 year old lab cross but he still behaves like a puppy. Butter wouldn't melt hey.

These guys are Mitzy... who is looking at the clock and Tai pie... I think she was meant to be Taipei but the previous owners got it wrong. Unfortunately they are no longer with us... which is very sad but also I think they would be terrorized by Bruno... Come to think of it Mitzy would be top cat but poor TP would be even lower than the dog.

Hope Continued

2009-01-23T18:48:00.000Z

This piece continues my musings about hope.

At the core is an ivory base which has been textured with browns representing the core of our lives. That was encased in amber to which I added the frit. If you look closely you can see some grey green dots, this is the frit, however most of it as reacted with the amber to give the dark brown transparent hues at the bottom.

Its one of those reactions I keep forgetting about. The interesting thing though had been as I had been musing about creating these hope pieces I had wanted a dark transparent to cover the core and some of the gold but couldn't work out how to achieve as a normal encasing layer would have been too big. so instead of a damaged piece I achieved unexpectedly what I wanted.

There is gold leaf laid on top of the brown representing hope. This was then encased in clear. In the above picture you can more clearly see the striations in the core and the wealth of gold encased in this bead.

Hope

2009-01-21T18:48:00.000Z

This piece continues my musings about hope.

At the core is an ivory base which has been textured with browns representing the core of our lives. That was encased in amber and gold leaf laid on top representing hope. This was then encased in clear. There is a fine frit on this which speaks of life's unpredictability and the dots represent life's routines and structures.

Emotions through art

2009-01-19T18:41:00.000Z

I needed a way to communicate my emotions but there are times when words just are not good enough. The following piece is one I have been working on resulting from my feelings following a miscarriage. The piece has broken however that doesn't really matter to me as there was something very cleansing about the process of creating the piece.

HOPE

There are a number of elements to this piece. There is pure gold on the front which represents the hope and belief that I will have a child. It deliberately covers in part the heart.

The varied colours in the background represent the texture of life. The different things I am involved in. It is made from raku glass which I have no control of in ensuring what colour it becomes. Really like life, we have no real control over how things will turn out.

There is a hole at the top which would have been used to secure the tab onto silver, that hold is where there is what looks like a point at the top.

The heart is a representation of not only any uncompleted broken heart but of mother over looking a child hence the difference in sizes. The child element leaves the main part of the glass as a representation of loss.

All I know is that there was something incredibly cleansing about the process of making this piece and in some ways the fact that it did not survive the kiln for me also represents the fact that my grief will end. I don't have to spend any more time thinking about this piece as if I had turned it into jewellery there would have been a prolonged process. I am able to move forward from it, and leave the emotions behind.

The Importance of Time

2009-01-18T17:52:00.000Z

Have you thought about the importance of time. I've felt for a while that I've not had the time do be creative or do the things I want. Somehow by the end of the day I don't seem to have achieved anything I want to do and only just managed the things I have to.

DH and I had a long conversation about how to find me more time within our day but didn't really come up with any solution. Just the observation that for me there was something really missing.

Following a recommendation from a friend I decided to go TV and computer free. The computer free thing worked to the extent that I managed to only write on my blog and chat to friends who were on line at the time... one a creative activity and friends are really important.

I didn't have a TV for 3 years so thought that it wouldn't really make too much difference.

My goodness how much more time... I've been so tempted to turn the TV on just to give me something to do... Yes I am also avoiding the housework.... Suddenly there in the middle of my life is the time that I so wanted. Rather than have to consider working fewer paid hours... I have hours that are simply empty.

Suddenly I can see where a bike ride could fit, where heading out the the studio can happen... and still have time for friends, husband and housework... although I might continue to avoid that as much as possible. I can suddenly see how to create the life style that I want. Just how cool is that and with no pain.... I just now need to use it hey.

Noticing

2009-01-17T12:27:00.001Z

Do you ever really notice things... not just see them but really see them?

I have been spending time becoming more aware of my environment and you know its amazing.

Driving down the A3 towards Guildford through the countryside with the sun rising was beautiful. Occasionally there was the harsh white straight lines as a bridge cut into the countryside but generally it was green and well not quite verdant... after all this is still January.

I suddenly saw aliens on the horizon, tall imposing structures stretching across the horizon. Ok so they were power cables, but in them I saw war of the world aliens or tripods (another one of my favorite scifi stories).

Further down my journey I saw the hospital I was heading to on the top of a hill. Now bearing in mind I've driven down this road on and off for 11 years, I've never really seen the hospital on the hill and how imposing it is. Of course I knew it was there.. but I had never really seen it.

The other one that made me laugh at myself was driving around the hospital site I saw this really tall tower... now I knew there was one on site a the morgue but had never seen it. Only there it was, right by where I've parked my car for the last 2 years. Man I must have been living in a complete daze.

I suddenly feel as if my eyes are opened... certainly I'm looking up out from my ordinary little world... and you know something my anxiety and stress seems to reduce and I notice more around me. The pain of a miscarriage just 3 weeks ago has no hold on me as I notice the world outside of myself.

So what about you... will you look up and notice... really see the world around you? It's a far more interesting place than I thought it was.

Viking Beads

2008-12-07T19:20:00.001Z

Apparently a tenth century Arab once said that the Vikings would go to any length to get hold of colored beads. They valued beads so highly that they were considered to be a valuable property and were past down through the generations. Beads are the most commonly found artifact in pre-Christian Viking graves, kinda shows just how important they were.

That really got me thinking about what sort of beads they liked when I came across these modern reproduction of Viking beads

They all look a bit like newbie beads to me... they also had Millefirori beads

that was quite a surprise to me. It appears that they made them in more or less the same way we make them today.

So how did they use them... by the looks of it in treasure bracelet and necklaces which would be incredibly contemporary today.

Got me thinking about how to use the beads I create and I wondered if Viking Knit could be a way to show them off. Turns out to be a fairly easy thing to do and can create different effects

So here we have a test bracelet I've made for myself. Before I make or sell anything for anyone else I generally do a test piece first or use techniques I'm sure of. Turns out to be a good practice as a necklace I bought from a friend and have worn 3 times broke this morning as I was putting it on as the beads were just too heaving for the stringing material.

Thank you for your interest in my work

Julie

Funky Cabs

2008-12-01T21:05:00.001Z

These are a first for me... matching lampwork cabochons which I'm planning on using for Christmas presents for my family. They will ultimately become part of my range of giggle gifts range. People will be able to choose the base colour, the colour of the line and the colour of the dots.

I will also be introducing other funky designs which can be part of pendants, cufflinks, earrings whatever is wanted which people can personalise for themselves

Thank you for your interest in my work

Julie

Stones of Fire and Giggle Gifts

2008-11-29T09:53:00.001Z

For those of you who have read my blog over a period of time you will have seen that I have been suffering a major identity crisis in my glass work. As I sit and look back at it there are definitely a number of conflicting ideas

wanting to create a range of up market jewellery
beads that seem to have developed a nature theme and are more arty
beads which are more simple but funky
a desire to create more costume jewellery

Putting these together it becomes clear that I have been struggling to find out who I am which affects how I promote myself and all those other fun things that come with trying to run a little business.

I know you might think that I am thinking about things too much and making life harder than it needs to be. Well if you dont I certainly do. I had thought about just letting the style continue and grow until I realized that there are probably two distinct styles that I want to create and ultimately it boils down to the difference between art and craft.

So simple I create an art range and a craft range

So let me introduce STONES OF FIRE the art range

This will be a place to showcase my intricate art beads using murrini, implosions and fine stringer control. Often these will be set by myself in silver. The silver will be hallmarked by the assay office in London so you can be assured you are receiving awesome one off wearable glass art.

And let me introduce GIGGLE GIFTS the craft range

This will be a range of more costume jewellery, simple jewellery beads which is affordable and has a funky edge to it. My hope is that over time that this range may end up being specifically focused at young families and include fingerprint jewellery, jewellery with personalised pictures and electroplated shoes and the like. I'm not going to develop the young families range too much at the moment simply because whilst I am having fertility problems it's not really so wise to be around babies too much.

Thank you for your interest in my work.

Julie

Big Bead Show

2008-11-02T21:33:00.001Z

Well... its happened... and it went great... well I think it did anyway.

Like this it doesn't really look all that much but the good news is that bead show tables are nice and narrow so it looks like so much more.

If my aim was to break even, I did that and more and I'm so pleased. I know others weren't so happy with the day but as a first show I think it went great.

The things to learn are about how to price my beads... man do I underprice... lol. Having a wide range of beads is a really good idea but the things that sold were the things which were different from the other lampworkers and not production beads. If a bead is only worth £3-4 put it in a rummage pot rather than trying to sell it as a focal.

The most fun thing for me and my ego was one of the sales I made. The show was organized by Bead magazine. The editor came round towards the end and was checking out how people had done. She then proceeded to purchase a bead from me saying that she'd broken her own rule and I was the only one she had bought from today... just how cool is that and sooooo good for the ego.

There are loads of beads now up on the website.... happy hunting. Julie

Not As Old As I Thought

2008-10-26T16:57:00.001Z

Isn't it always nice to realize your still new at your career and youthful. For the last 7 years I've been the senior member of my team in my paid job. I guess in the world of lampworkers I'm still a baby... which is a lovely thought

On one of the lampwork forum they set up an Ages Poll. At the time of me posting this of the folks who make lampwork beads.

8-25 years old = 3.4%

26-35 years old = 14.97%

36-45 years old = 32.49%

46-55 years old = 33.16%

56-65 years old = 13.27%

66-75 years old = 2.55%

76-85 years old = 0.17%

Now this is so cool because I fall into the 26-35 year old category. Makes me feel so much better and somehow makes me think, wow, that gives me time to learn and develop. I have years of this career ahead of me rather than thinking I've hit the glass ceiling and can't go any further. Means I have time to develop my own style and find my niche in the market rather than having to be the best at everything right now.

I just thought I'd also show you some beads which I'm calling tiny treasures. These beads are 5 mm from hole to hole which means that they are fantastic for making into jewellery as they are small enough to be part of a set yet distinct enough to be fab beads.

Thank you for your interest in my musings

Julie

Big Bead Show Prep

2008-10-25T23:00:00.001+01:00

It's amazing how much time it takes to put sets together and photograph them. I have to say though I'm really happy that I've done it and I can begin to see what sort of stuff I have made ready for the Big Bead Show.

By a long way I don't feel as if I've made enough but at least I feel as If I'm on my way and wont be ashamed of what I end up taking. I guess the truth is that I'm beginning to get anxious about this and wonder how people will take my work. The truth is I wont know until the show.

Thanx for dropping by. Wish me luck for next Saturday.

Julie

I'm a Full Time Lampworker...

2008-10-18T15:12:00.001+01:00

... well I am for at 2 weeks.

I've left my last job and start a new one in two weeks, but that gives me two weeks to prepare for the Big Bead Show ... re-write my web site which has been winding me up as Mr Site will just not behave ... and make loadsa beads.

I've got a whole pile of beads which need to be cleaned and I will get those photos up in the next few days, but the main priority is fighting Dreamweaver. I hope I'm winning but we will see in the next few days. I feel really excited as it will give me full control over how the web site works... and I wont have to fight something which although meant to be easy... really isn't.

Signing off as a lady of luxury... lol

Facebook business page

2008-10-11T13:39:00.001+01:00

So today I was supposed to be making beads... kinda hasn't happened but instead I've been making a facebook business page. Rowanberry Glass was telling me how good its been for her business, so I decided to give it a go.

So its up and running http://www.facebook.com/pages/Julie-Merrett-Glass/30083316505... hopefully you'll like it

I've also been making some more sculptural beads. This one is a little bird. I made a whole flock and the do look cool together. The can be used to make really cute earrings.

I can see a whole line of little creatures coming. Dragonflies, beads and of course cute teddies.

I've put a whole new load of snaps of the beads I plan to take to the big bead fair on flickr. They aren't selling piccies but more of a record of what I've been making. Enjoy

Thank you for dropping by

Julie

Close encounter with a tree

2008-09-04T20:01:00.001+01:00

Have to say it was A's rather than mine...

I got home from the gym at 9.00pm to find the front door locked. Seeing as I have a horrible habit of locking A in when I go out I thought I had had one of my dozy moments.

What I found when I got in was a sorry for himself looking husband with a dog lying at his feet. A looked as if the dog had scratched him down his face leaving a long scratch from his forehead to his cheek.

What had happened is he had gone for a walk in the dark, and a fallen tree branch attacked him leaving an amazing black eye and scratch to his face.

In many ways it was a huge relief, but I did wanna go out and attack the tree which attacked him. A had cataracts removed so his eye sight is incredibly precious. My fear was if the dog had got him his eye could be injured, as it was it was only his face...

Forum Etiquette

2008-09-01T17:56:00.000+01:00

You know I've been mulling this whole forum etiquette thing... why do some people get more comments from their comments and photos and others don't.... if you post a picture so that others will say that's nice but don't say anything about any one else's stuff is that breaking a subtle rule.... why do I use forums to promote my work when I make beads so other lampworker's don't really need to see what I make as generally they aren't my customers and it risks having a design your working on being copied by others ...

I guess this is me mulling again cos I don't really have any answers. I'm coming to the conclusion is that I want a place to discuss glass and not someone stomach ache, a place to improve my skills and learn not read the latest crude joke... and I guess that's where the problem lies... I'm really not good at this whole networking thing. I have enough of peoples misery and sorrow at work... I need an escape.

I come to a point regularly every month saying to myself, what can I do to improve my work and promote it better... and you know I ask it monthly and never come up with any answers... so my plan this month is as I ask myself these questions is to write down some answers... and have a go at promoting myself to a far wider audience.

So I guess watch this space and lets see how this one develops

thanx for dropping by

Stourbridge

2008-08-24T18:57:00.001+01:00

new style for me
Originally uploaded by Julie Merrett Glass

So I decided that I would go to Stourbrige glass festival... really interesting and fantastic stuff... what was really nice for me is that I went wearing these beads. I don't think I've ever had so many nice fomments about my beads... it was lovely... thank you

Freedom at last

2008-08-23T21:46:00.001+01:00

I've been struggling for ages with completing a regular wholesale order... not the making them but the constantly changing demands of the person buying them.... then she had the cheek to ask for 100 beads in one week more than I normally provide... and return 60 of them.... as "unsuitable".

I've finally given it up and feel so so much better for it, I've even made some beads for myself.

How cool is that... the beads aren't the most fantastic ever but I really think there is mileage in these designs... I also realize that my standards around beads must have changed because in the past I would have been soooo proud of these.

And regarding the diet.... I said for every pound I lost I would put money aside to get to Hawaii and would monitor the distance to get there... well... according to my map I've traveled 1086 miles of the 7240 miles I need to get there... how fun is that.... I'm currently south of Iceland on my map in the middle of the Atlantic.

Technorati Tags: Bead Hawaii Diet Lampwork

Hawaii Here we Come

2008-07-24T16:11:00.001+01:00

Well we will do. I just think its the most fabulous place and I'd really like to visit... So I have a scheme

I've decided that the best way for me to motivate myself into dieting is to give myself a goal. My goal is to loose... er yes well... rather a lot of weight.

I've broken that down into little goals but ultimately I've set myself a goal of getting to Hawaii

there is now a map on our lounge wall. it has the distance from London to Hawaii marked, that's then divided by the number of pounds I need to loose. So all in all I've lost enough weight to get to Lands End... I guess that this weeks weight loss is about taking that plunge into the Atlantic Ocean

Are You Sure Chocolate Isn't a Food Group

2008-07-21T17:43:00.001+01:00

Its sad to say, but I think I may have found the reason for my absence in weight loss. It appears that contrary to my hopes chocolate isn't a food group with a minimum daily recommendation.

The weight is slowly beginning to shift after a month of exercise and no change in the weight. that was so disappointing. Going up to the gym three times a week and swimming... and the weight wasn't shifting.

Although having said that because my posture is so much better I'm now an inch taller. That takes me over the milestone of 5 foot... wooo hoo. I've also dropped a clothes size and folks are beginning to notice the difference... which is such a good thing for my ego.

Anyway the holiday relax is beginning to make a difference. I feel for the first time in ages that I actually want to make some beads... so that's a real difference.

Thanx for dropping in, hopefully there will some glassy goodies to look at soon

New Computer

2008-07-16T14:14:00.001+01:00

Lets be honest there hasn't been much up here new. But that's because I've not really made anything.

I'm currently off work deciding how I want to take the business forward. The truth is that the wholesale order has been fantastic at providing a steady income. Unfortunately it has used all my time to do the creative stuff.

Another one of the problems has been that the computer died. Wot a pain in the butt. It died from an error that was introduced when it was fixed and then permanently died literally the day after the guarantee expired. So I'm now sitting here with a fab new computer.

Wot I will say is watch this space for faceted beads, enamel beads and glass jewellery. I'm on holiday for the next two weeks so hopefully there will be something new and interesting to look at.

Thanx for dropping by

Julie

Is it really over a month

2008-04-22T15:21:00.000+01:00

Well I guess it must be since I posted last.

As I was thinking about writing this it was becoming a bit like one of those letters you send to your gran after they've given you a present.

Dear gran, thank you for your wonderful gift, I really like it. Since I last wrote to you I have grown 3 inches, got new teeth and a new red bicycle.

Life hasn't really been that interesting at this end really. A lot of my time has been working towards getting a wholesale order sorted. The time I need for it hasn't been too much but trying to get my head round what was wanted has been. But woo hoo.... looks like I'm finally there.

I was out in the shed doing the wholesale order this morning and stopped for lunch. When I went back to do my creative things I have been looking forward to for ages, I realised I'd managed to leave the propane valve a little open and it had been leaking.

As I couldn't smell gas I nearly re lit the torch... so glad my brain is working a little because I didn't.

Anyway, the plan is now to get my new giggle beads on the site and then bead some more of the nature inspired beads when I'm less likely to blow myself up... doh

Wot a shame

2008-03-10T12:15:00.000Z

In my last post I was really excited about the idea of a wholesale order. I've spent time trying to work out wether it is something I can do for the money that I was being offered. We had agreed that I would do some sample beads for this week.

What became obvious really quickly was that for the price being offered I would need to make the beads in 1.5 mins... they were taking me 4-6 mins. That is such a big differnce that there is no way I can do that. It also measn that onee all the costs are take out I would be working at below the minium wage.

I feel really sad about it but I know that declining is the right thing to do. After all I'm the one who often talks on forums about charging a fair amount for your beads. I also strongly believe that yoiu offer a worker a fair wage... wether that be in this country or abroad.

This experience has reminded me of thoughts I had last summer about fair trade goods and just how wrong it is for workers to be paid so little in India and China when they make beads. Not only are the beads of a poor quality, and possilby not annealed so they are not strong, but the workers work in really hot environments.

Thanks for reading

Julie

Exciting News

2008-03-05T23:02:00.001Z

I feel like bouncing, I'm so excited. I've been talking to some one about the possibility of doing some wholesale bead making for them. All that needs to happen is for me to do some test beads to see if they are happy with what they receive and for me to be certain that its a commitment I can keep to.

Hopefully by this time next week I'll know whether it is something I am able to do and maintain. If I can it will mean that it frees me up to make the more arty jewellery I want to do... so this could be the answer to my prayers about what to do with my time

The rest of my evening tonight has been preparing an order for a local shop... I really had forgotten how long that takes... although I do one once a month for them... I really must have short term memory problems

Watch this space for updates

Julie

New Beads

2008-03-03T21:22:00.000Z

Hey there,

Today's been an interesting day. The lock on the flat was completely broken... it took the poor guy an hour to get into the flat. At least it was secure.

He managed to open the door just as the surveyor for the new mortgage arrived... He was half an hour early so it was good the locksmith had managed to do his bit

The good news is that there should be no problem with the mortage

But I started the cleaning... they guys who were lodging had no idea what cleaining was. Whats really making me sad is that my brand new cooker looks absolutely aweful. Lets hope the new guys in will respect the place more.

So today has been a day of cleaning and sorting the flat and not bead making. But I do have a bunch of new bead sets up on the website

Thanx for reading

Julie

Don't ya just love it when technology works

2008-03-02T20:47:00.001Z

There have been a couple of really fantastic things which have happened over the last couple of days which will make my bead listing soooo much easier.

Firstly Mr Site has listened to its customers and there is now the ability to add more pictures to the listing... and is soooo much easier to list items. I just need to get all my pictures to line up with the changes... but hey that's no problem.

And the second thing... Skype have finally added a patch. Doesn't sound so exciting, but what was happening is that when I was listing beads, explorer would regularly crash... no warning. I was getting really frustrated ... and had told the guys at Skype as much.... but today.... wooo hooo... no problem. The patch works

It only took a few minutes to change to the new Mr Site layout and normally doing something like that would have taken me hours with these two glitches...

Julie is a happy girl..

.... oooooh and a quick flat update.... that seems to be going smoothly to... well getting the passport anyway... the passport offices has such an incredibly simple and efficient system.... and I have a passport... just need to get the locks on the flat sorted tomorrow...

New beadies should be listed tomorrow.... I have some in the kiln and some spacers so I can list some stuff I made before

Thanx for reading

Julie

Frustration

2008-02-29T15:00:00.000Z

With all this flat stuff I havent had time to bead and its really begining to get me down. Not to mention that I need to do an Easter order for a beadshop.

This week isnt gonna be much better because I'm doing the passport thing on Saturday, I have to go to the flat on Sunday to check out whether or not the lock to the flat is broken. Yes you did read right. The estate agent managed to get into the flat on Monday but by Tuesday when the surveyor was meant to go round the lock was broken... grrr. Then Monday I need to be there again to let the surveyor in and sort our some of the decorating... So much for getting any beading done this week.

The good news is that I have started a diet and this week lost 4 lb... so impressed with myself. Long way to go but here's the start.

Thanx for reading.

Julie

Flat Changes

2008-02-22T16:58:00.001Z

For those of you who have been following the saga over the last few years… ermmm… there have been some changes.

Following the really sill offer of £20,000 less than the asking price they offered £12,000 less as their final offer… errr, no, me thinks not accepted. It then got interesting because we got an offer for the full asking price… great… you might be thinking… but err no.

A and I had had a long discussion about what we should be doing and we had decided that we definitely wanted to go down the buy to let route ourselves. By the time the mortgage was sorted we should be debt free in 6 months, and still be on the property ladder. Not only on the property ladder but in Aldershot which was one of the places in the country identified by Location Location Location as a good place to invest.

The long and the short of it is, that we declined the full price offer. They then came back the following day saying they would offer more than the asking price… and we still said no.

Now… the only problem with all this is proving that I am who I say I am. My passport has expires, my driving licence is in my maiden name and my wedding certificate is over 6 months old so doesn’t count.

So next weekend I have to get into London for 9.30… arrgggggg….. but at least it will all then be sorted… and the good news is that the letting agent already thinks they have someone to rent the place, how cool is that

See ya soon

Julie

Branding

2008-02-21T18:13:00.000Z

I've had a eureka moment.....

...I mentioned earlier on in the week that I had been mulling over what my branding is and not getting very far with it. I was saying my peacock beads sell, the tree and aquarium beads have opened avenues to sell the beads, yet people know me for my flowers.

I really didnt know what to do because I'm so aware that having a recognisable brand is what gets you sales.

I was hunting around to make sure that the links to the website were working from other peoples sites as a large number of people come to the site via these links. On the UK Beaders website there is a link to lampwork suppliers and I was checking to see if my name had been added... and it was... but next to it was how Kitsch Kitty had percieved my work.... and now I see it, it is sooooo simple.

I create lampwork jewellery inspired by nature... now how easy and simple was that... lol

Now I can work out my branding and be happy. Thank you Kitsch Kitty

Julie

Flat Sale... cont

2008-02-19T20:07:00.000Z

We had some more movement on the flat stuff today... I was getting really excited because one of the routes we need to take is to get a new mortgage and for that I need to renew my passport.. and can I get a good photo... err.. no... oh well. Someone was telling me it took them 5 attempts to get a photo that was acceptable as her head wasn't straight then her hair was in her eyes...

Unfortunately I missed my beading time yesterday as I had to drop some papers off at my financial advisor so thats really frustrating... anyway...

... but back to todays news.... we got an offer for the flat... only... it's £20,000 less than the asking price. That represents 12.5% of the selling price... why did they think I would accept that? Some people are strange hey...

Anyway... I discovered that the girl I gave a lesson to yesterday is completely addicted... and her mum and dad are very impressed with the beads... I wonder if we have a new child prodigy here, I think she may well be spending more time in the studio

Thanx for reading

Julie

New Beads 18 Feb 08

2008-02-18T19:35:00.000Z

So these are the beads that I've managed to clean and photoshop
They will be up on the site very shortly

Its always amazed me how long it takes to clean, photoshop and post pictures

So here are this weeks offerings

Thanks for looking

Julie

Best Laid Plans

2008-02-18T12:44:00.000Z

I agreed to show a friends daughter how to make beads today... only things didnt quite go to plan.

First of all the dog had left a welcome gift right by the shed door... nice.... then I got in to find that my bead release had frozen.... so with 5 minutes to go I only had one option... I had to microwave it.... I opened the microwave door only to find that the lid of the bead release had flown of.... so now I kinda need to clean the microwave.

I have to say though... smooth'n'tuff bead release seems to like being microwaved... it didnt play up at all today... which I thought with someone new to bead making pulling it around, it might have done... so is this the solution to my smooth and tuff problems... hope so... and may be a tip I need to pass forward...lol

Anyway... this is just a mini post as there will be piccies of the new beads avaliable on my site posted later today... as monday is listings day...

See ya soon

Julie

A Thank You and Some Mullings

2008-02-17T09:53:00.000Z

First of all I would like to say a big thank you to Caroline Hannon who yesterday nominated me for a you make my day award. Thank you... and err... now I have to go and network to find people I would like to say thank you to... I need to find some friends... lol. I will pass it forward to 5 people I just need to work out who they will be...

One of my regular mullings is about how to make my work better known... and ultimately get sales. In my own head I've moved from hobbiest to professional and I've been suprised by the change of mindset I need to have.

I would describe myself as a lampworker with ADHD... well may be the attention stuff... not so sure about the hyperactivity. As a hobbiest that means that I can make whatever I like when I like, I havent had to worry about selling.

Now as I think about selling I realise because I've tried so many different things its hard to see a brand, and at the end of the day its the brand that sells. For example when I think of Manda at Mango Beads I think of silver cores and well made organics, when I think of Caroline at Crafted Gems I think of bead sets which are great for jewellery, and when I think of Claire at Rowanberry Art Glass I think of fantastic focals....err... and loadsa tree beads.

So what is my brand... well its clear that its my peacock beads which sell the best by a long way, its my tree beads and aquarium beads which have opened doors to new avenues of selling but its my flower beads that people think of when they think of me.

So thats a style but what about a soul. I know that I would like to make jewellery and art beads that reflects my faith, that is honouring to God. So what does that mean... at the moment I'm not too sure... but watch this space and I'm sure it will make itself clear.

Thanx for reading

Julie

Ooo... I might like this Etsy Showcase

2008-02-16T13:41:00.000Z

I've not had an Etsy shop going that long but I decided that it was worth giving the showcase option a go. Basically £3.50 for a days worth of advertising.

Apparently there are two advantages... you get more people to notice you so you become peoples favorite sellers and it might boost your sales. Well within 4 hours of my 24 hour period I had a sale and a handful of people who love me as a seller... how cool is that... I am now an etsy seller... lol

These are the beads that sold

See ya soon

Julie