My Joseph Jars aka Candle Jars Are Here!

I finally got brave enough to list my candle jars on Etsy. My DH keeps shouting "Shipping nightmare!", but I know if we pack them well, they will do fine. They're not going to sell sitting here gathering dust now, are they?

We call these beautiful glass creations our "Joseph Jars" because they wear coats of many colors. Each one is a one of a kind. It is next to impossible to make two exactly alike. I just love making them because I am surprised by each one as the colors blend and it takes on it's own personality. Giving each one it's own piece of "jewelry" is the crowning touch.

Originally, I meant these to be only for candles but through trial and error we have found that they can also be used as vases as long as water doesn't saturate the outside. The inside is solid glass. A fibrous paper is applied to the outside with my secret glue (and no - it's not just Mod Podge). Then DH takes over and coats each piece with multiple layers of varnish. It's the varnish that brings out the final colors. Some shine almost transparently and others glow warmly when a tea light is lit inside.

Here's the link to the brown one shown: Brown Candle Jar

Hope you all have a great day!

Moving The Jewelry Collection Around

A Sister's Love




Victorian Beauty

At last, the holidays are over here. Oh, I know there's still New Year's but we never celebrate. It's just another reminder we're getting older and us old folks are in bed by 9 New Year's Eve, just like any other night of the year. Rip roaring party animals we're not!

The New Year does mean a new approach to my online shops though. I'm the sort of person that gets tired of doing the same thing over and over, so my creativity does not lend itself to jewelry alone. Up until now, I've had no place online to show off some of my other creations. I've decided to move most of the jewelry that is now on my Forbes Farm space to make room for more of my crafts. I'm excited about it. I sure hope you'll check back to see what I've done when I'm finished. I have candle jars ready to list as soon as I can clear space. I'm working on Hardanger linen pieces too. As soon as I can I'm planning on adding some of my soap line. See, I told you my crafts take off in all different directions!

Yesterday I started the move. The two cameos above were part of the first group to make the switch. I'm hoping that The Earring Boutique won't be too confusing to folks when I get all my jewelry there. It can't be any more confusing than Forbes Farm was. At least visitors will be expecting to see jewelry.

Hope you all have a great week. For those of you planning on celebrating the New Year, please don't drink and drive! I want to see you back here next year.

Holiday Sales

Christmas Eve is just dawning here in Western New York. The big buying season is almost over. Have your holiday sales been less than you had hoped for? Mine sure have. I figure it is my fault since I have been so busy with the failed craft show and then closing up the co-op market for the season. The last thing I had time for was the Internet! Just today and tomorrow and then, hopefully things will be getting back to normal.

If your sales have been low, don't despair. I looked at my records and last year I did my best online AFTER the holidays were over. I think all those women who didn't get what they wanted for gifts took revenge and bought for themselves. Another theory is that before the big day they felt they had to buy for others. Once that feeling has passed they no longer feel guilty buying a pretty little trinket for themselves. One can hope, right?

I will be putting a lot on sale soon to try and clear out some of my jewelry that's been here way too long. So, Ladies, get that PayPal account warmed up and ready to go!

Peaceful Holiday Wishes

The season of holidays is here! Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Years, all a time of celebrating and reflecting. The times we live in have brought a materialistic and quite unnecessary sense of urgency to our lives during what should be quiet, happy, family centered time. My wish for you this year, no matter where you live or what your religion, is that you may find a few moments of peace in your life and that you pass that feeling on to those you love. We can not expect peace in our world if we can not find it within ourselves.

Peace be with you,

Sandy

My Home Craft Sale aka - How I've been wasting my time

Hello All,

As you can see by the dates on my posts, I haven't been around much lately. That is because this year 3 of us decided to go together and have a craft sale in my home. Seemed like a good idea at the time. I figured the work split 3 ways wouldn't be too bad. Unfortunately, as they say, the best laid plans of mice and men... One of my friends came down with pneumonia and the other just seemed too busy to help. So, I cleaned, sorted, hauled, set up, manned, and tore down the entire thing by myself. I felt I had to have what I advertised so they brought their stuff to my house. I did the rest.

I have spent the past few weeks on this project. I made items I don't normally sell. I baked dozens and dozens of cookies. I cleaned my house in places I forgot even existed. Busy, busy, busy.... Then there was the $$$ invested in supplies, ingredients and advertising. All done in the hopes of making a few extra dollars to help shut the banks up for at least a month. No such luck around here, my friends! We have had no measurable snow this year. That is, until the first day of the show. It started snowing and blowing and kept it up for the next 48 hours. The exact hours of my 2 day show. Five people showed up. Only 4 of them bought anything. What a total disaster! Soooo discouraging! I would have been much better off keeping up with my blog and working online. At least that's the feeling I got. One of my friends took pity on me and my efforts and let me keep the money from her few sales. With that, and what I made I almost broke even, but not quite. Once again, what seemed like a good idea turned to dust.

I've included some pictures of the show. My house looked so nice and festive. See me waving to you in the shot of my earring display? It was so pretty here for those 2 days. I just wish fate had allowed some actual buyers to see it!

Hope you all have a great week.

Sandy