ponder press – Page 18 – custom keycaps, jewelry and crafts handmade in Seattle

Whoa and whew …

Sunday is the day I like to show off what I’ve make during the week. Today I could show off the mess on my table or studio desk. Or, if only it were possible, I’d like to show off the synapses and connections made at this year’s Schoolhouse Craft conference. Tara Swiger, Marlo Miyashiro and Caitlin Bacher offered up so much good information that my brain still feels full.
The conference was worth it, for sure. I have many action points, and I need to act on them while I still feel inspired.

My first action point is to proudly talk about what I make. I’m still plagued by worries that what I make isn’t good enough. But you know what, people like it, they buy it. Why do I still feel like what I do is so inferior?

I could, easily, keep my business where it is, and that would would be that. And it wouldn’t be bad. But, I would like to grow it. And, what I learned is that I need to get my head around my ideal customer, business budgets, social media and more.
I need to organize my bead stash. I need to add more items to my store. I need to take better photographs. (How can I add the personality of my business to those photos.) I need to be better about catching typos. These tasks are overwhelming, but they’re also exciting.

As exciting as it all seems, just thinking about it all makes me want to put on my pjs and do anything but what needs to be done. But, I’m here at the computer, and that’s a start
I only have one more Saturday at the market, and I’ll start giving up four hours or more of my Saturdays to get business stuff done.
Morgan, as always, has offered a sympathetic and curious ear. For a man who is for sure part artist, he’s fascinated by the business side of what I do. Crazy, right!?

Another interesting thing about the conference was the connections I made for work. Some of those were the “Hi, I’m Stephanie,” kind of connection. Some were more of a “Hmm, how would that fit into our small-business coverage?” I’ve come to learn that I love the small-/micro-/solo-business world. Entrepreneurs face the same issues no matter what the product or service. I love hearing the stories. I love connecting the dots, for myself and others. Is this a passion? A path? For sure it’s another thing to contemplate/do.

Speaking of which, I’d better get to doing.
But first, here’s a little of what I did over the last week.

This bead embroidered Space Needle can be a pin or a pendant.

Seed beads just be(ad)cause

The Hoosier family members have been gone for just shy of 48 hours. I miss them like crazy. What a kooky, wonderful family I have.
Our workplace fall craft fair was today. I’ve been up since 4:30ish and am really so sleepy I have low hopes for the clarity of this post.

I started to panic about having something to say about a book this week, when I realized that I should give a hearty thumbs up to Seed Bead Stitching, by Beth Stone. I’ve looked online and can’t find any proof of a website for her. That’s not quite true, the most recent blog post I could find was from 2011. Even I’m not that casual about time lapsed between posts.

Anywho, I like this book because, all in one place, I get instructions for basic stitches such as the tri stitch, quad stitch and spiral stitch. I’ve not gone too crazy with any of the stitches, but I appreciate how different beads create different looks. Of course bigger beads stitch up quickly, which is a great thing. But, the smaller beads create such a nice, sleek look. (Think bulky yarn vs. sock yarn.)
The book is full of colorful and easy-to-follow instructions. The author includes a variety of examples to show the different kinds of looks possible. This book is a workhouse, as least in my book “stable.” I wish I could say that about more of my books. In addition to the stitches I use on a regular basis, the book also covers the right-angle weave, peyote stitch, brick stitch, daisy chain and Russian stitches. (I have a “weankess” for Russia/Russian things. How have I not tried any of the Russian stitches?! Watch this space; just such a trial will happen soon!)

Here are some of the different looks I’ve created for various projects with the help of Stone’s book.

Spiral stitch. These colors make me want to be somewhere tropical.

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Tomorrow and Saturday I will be in a two-day conference: Schoolhouse Craft. I won’t lie, I kind of wish I had the next two days to lounge or knit or read. But, I half wonder if my hesitation is just fear — of success, of having to talk about my stuff or promoting myself. The money is paid, so I am going. I imagine there will be much food for thought. Plus, Kim Werker will be there. And as I can’t seem to shut up about her lately, her presence there is nothing shy of a sign that I need to go. Besides, someone found my site and asked about my attending a winter show. So, why not think about the always-desired betterment of one’s self and business.

Sigh … knitting is calling, and my words have run, if not dry, then certainly sparse/uninteresting. We’ll see just how many stitches I can get in before I nod off. My guess is 20ish. Do I hear 15?

Making memories, not stuff

My sister, her husband and two youngest sons are in from Muncie, Indiana. We’ve run amok in Redmond, Carnation and Port Angeles. Tomorrow will be Seattle time–before they have to head home.

I had a chance to do more enameling the day before they arrived.

Other than that, here are some photos from the visit.

Heidi, who does not like to be photographed.

I’m not even sure there’s time to go through a book this week. Maybe Wednesday, after I’ve done enough craft fair prep.

Free-form fun

Welcome to the eve of my sister’s visit. She’ll be here tomorrow with her husband and my two youngest nephews. It’s an understatement that I’m really excited. It will be her first visit with mom living here. There’s going to be a lot of energy at the Ponder/Cooley house tomorrow and into next week. It will be nothing shy of lots of fun!

This week I’ve been able to spend a little bit of time with Gayle Bird’s book Freeform Wire Art Jewelry. I’ve oohed and ahhed over it for months, so it seemed like time to put the pain brushes away and dabble in some (more) jewelry making.
I’ll be honest, I have yet to master the lovely curls and swirls she makes. There it is, the frustration of not being an expert on the first try. It’s silly, I know. At least it’s easier to talk myself out of frustration and the desire to just through my attempts away. In fact, I did take apart a few failed attempts, and I’m now chastising myself for that. I mean, the failed attempts are all part of the process. I wish I would have at least taken the time to photograph them.

Wire working is something I fall in and out of love with a few times a year. Gayle’s swirling design are like the magical whirls of an exhilarating wind on stormy, dry evening. She makes it seem like I could never fall out of love with wonders of wire. I especially like how sometimes her designs let the wire do all of the talking. Other times fun crystals or other stones/cabachons are asking for all of the attention.

Here are the photos I do have—the good, the bad, the varying degrees of imperfect.

it was surprisingly difficult to maje a smooth curve.

the crosses should have been aligned. sigh…

I love this book. It’s a great bit of craft p*rn, and full of great ideas — for all skill levels.

p.s. It’s this post that first led me to Gayle Bird. I love the tentacle-wrapped beach glass. She is, without doubt, a crafter/artist after my own heart.

p.p.s. I was hoping to attempt at least one of the ring designs, but my ring mandrel and plastic mallet are MIA. If you see them, please ask them to come home.

UPDATE: My tools showed up. What a fun progression from “What is that contraption?” to “Hey, look at that ring.”

Let’s make it a line list day

On Sundays I like to show off the week’s projects.
This week I was inspired to start a knitting a poncho. People are saying they’re all the rage. We’ll see if I love it or not. I do love the colors.

I also (finally!) finished the chain for this resin and glitter cat. I do kind of love it.

I also stamped on boring mosaic titles. I am excited as all get out to put those to use.

Then there’s this space needle. It will be, as Morgan called it, a “pindant.” I need one of those pin/brooch converters first. And, how did he know about those and I didn’t?

I did score a copy of The Crazy Cat Lady Game at Goodwill today. I think the board will make for great journal covers. The cats will be put to use somehow. I do so love Goodwill!

The rest of the week will be spent working an order from mom and some prep work for next week’s craft fair. Funny, I was actually feeling kind of caught up. Isn’t that always how it goes.