Something new...

I tried my hand at something new this time...but something to do with beads itself.
I made a Russian spiral bracelet.

Though it looks delicate and takes up a lot of time, it is an easy bead weaving method. Really enjoyed it!

I have used 8/0 and 11/0 seed beads for this bracelet.

Hellooooo

Its been sooo long! Almost a month since I last posted here. The last two months, I have been very busy with my online stores. Did I tell you all that I opened another online shop in December. This shop is basically for supplies. Since beads are always available in bulk at the local craft store, I had a whole lot of beads left in my stash and did not know how to put them to use.  Then one lady from my hometown suggested that I sell these beads to her as these are not available in Mangalore. This prompted me to open another shop www.beadwaali.etsy.com. Yes, BEADWAALI!!! Name courtesy, my hubby dearest!!! Please have a look through my shop if you are interested.

The last two months, I have been busy establishing this new shop. Listing, selling, promoting, participating in forums, managing a team by virtue of a team leader in one of the forums.....so on n so forth!! So my blog was neglected. I just couldnt find the time to juggle all these together. But this is the best phase of my life!!  I have always wanted to start a business of my own, from the comforts of my home, where I can be my own boss, nothing too stressful, something that I can enjoy as well as earn from.  Hoping to keep the momentum going.

Here's some of the stuff I made over the last few weeks.

A pearl clutch

Glass rondelle and lampwork beaded bracelet

Cellphone cozy

  

There are crazy ppl out there!

In our lives, we come across different types of people on a day to day basis. I too have come across lots n lots of different people. Some are wonderful, some are nice, some are superficial, some are skeptical, some are demeaning, and then there are some who are outright crazy!

Wonderful people: These are some people who go out of their way to appreciate other people and their talent. I have a few clients who swear by my work, who always are on the lookout for new creations in my shop, who always recommend my name to others, and who never fail to encourage or motivate me. Thanks guys!

Nice people: These are people who are nice to your work, your talent, talk sweetly and gently, may or may not buy my creations, may or may not be interested in my work, but always have a good word to say. I like them!

Superficial people: These are people who go on and on saying good things about my creations and telling me how I should set up a boutique/store and how my creations would sell like hot buns and how they would love to possess some of my creations. When I gently remind them about already having a store of my own, they smile and then find some excuse, and change the topic altogether, never mentioning my creations again!

Skeptical people: These are people who are always worried whether I will do a good job on their orders, whether I will be able to get the right colors, whether they will get their money's worth. All this in spite of already having seen my work and my collection!

Demeaning people: These are people who do not respect the fact that hours n hours of time, labor and energy have been spent on each one of these creations. They place orders for bags and give me just a  vague idea of what they want, and in the end, when the bag is ready, they calmly say that that was not what they wanted!! This despite the fact that I always try to do my best and create something special for every client of mine. What I want to say to such people is that, I have succeeded without you and I don't ever want you to have any creation of mine!

Crazy people: Then there are the crazy ones. I had one lady who sent me an email accusing me of passing off some junk as her order and that half the order was missing from the parcel. She in no uncertain terms told me that I was trying to cheat her. After spoiling my peace of mind and exchanging several emails, she finally sends me an email saying that it was not my parcel at all that she was talking about. She had mistaken my name with someone else's!!!!

Do you want to add any other group to the above list?

Wish u all a happy new year!!

Here's wishing all my readers and fellow bloggers, a very happy and prosperous new year!!! 2011 has been wonderful, but its time to move on, move into a new year, carrying with us the lessons we learnt in 2011 and leaving behind all the negativity. May all of us have happiness entwined in our lives like the threads of my crochet work. May all our lives sparkle like the crystals of my beadwork! 

So that brings us to my latest creations!

Glass rondelle and Asfour crystal bracelet

Glass rondelle and millefiori bracelet

 Take care and stay safe!!

Hello....

How have u been?  Its been long since I posted anything about my creations. So these are some of my latest creations.

Let me know if you like them or not. Wishing you all Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Take care and keep safe. Have a wonderful new beginning to a great new year!

The simplicity of childhood

Little Tanya, my friend's daughter, all of 3 years, attended her first sports day at school, where all the kids participated in various sports activities and regardless of their victory or loss, every child was awarded a medal as an appreciation of their participation. I was amused to know that Tanya refused to take off her medal, proud that she was of her achievement. She wore the medal the entire day and even went to sleep wearing it.

This took me back by about 26-27 years when I, a little girl at that time, had had a similar experience. I grew up in a small village in Kerala, where my dear Grandfather was respected and loved by all, and was treated as the village head!

When I was around 4 years old, I, along with the other kids of my age, was sent to the village school, also known as Anganawadi, which served as the starting school for all kids.

By the virtue of being the granddaughter of the man the villagers loved and respected, the teachers were always partial to me, so much so that while all my classmates were made to sit on the floor in the classroom, I was given the teacher's chair to sit. This continued  until one day, my Mother saw this and requested the teachers not to treat me any different from the other kids.

On the annual sports day of our school,  my Grandfather was invited as the Chief Guest and I, instead of participating in the various sporting activities, spent my time sitting on my dear Grandfather's lap, sharing the refreshments offered to him.  At the prize distribution ceremony, all the kids who participated, were presented with steel tumblers as a sign of appreciation, by my Grandfather. In spite of not having participated in any sporting event that day, I was taken aback that I had not been given the memento of appreciation!! When we returned home that evening, I bawled and cried my eyes out until finally my Grandfather 'presented ' me with a brand new tumbler which had been bought for the household. Instantly, my tears gave way to smile and my day was made!!!

As kids, we valued such simple joys and were proud of our little achievements. Today, we are more materialistic and fail to find happiness in the simple joys of life. I miss those days!!   

Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Throughout this week, my shop at Etsy is offering worldwide free shipping on all items. Avail the most of it by using coupon code FREESHIP at checkout.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

New creations!

I have really fallen in love with making beaded crochet hoop earrings.

Happy birthday to Me!!

Thanks to all the people who made my birthday a great day for me!

Had a wonderful time all thanks to my Hubby Dearest, inlaws, family, friends and last but not the least, my dear blogger friends, who enriched my day with all their love and wishes. Thank you NRIGirl for the beautiful post. It has been a greattt day and hopefully a great start to a wonderful new year!

AND, the cherry on the cake!!! I had FIVE sales today!!!!!!!!!!
All of you who would like to buy some of my creations, please visit my shop at Etsy and avail of free worldwide shipping for the next few days, by using the coupon code FREESHIP. 

I am soo excited!!

and you know why?  Its my BIRTHDAY on Sunday, the 20th of November, and I am always soooooooooooooo very excited about my birthday. I look forward to it with a child-like excitement!!
If my best friend forgets to wish me (that's usual with her...she forgets her own bday!!) I call her up and remind her that its my birthday. So desperate na?? But that's how I am.  I want all my loved ones to wish me. In fact, last year, on my birthday, when Stranger called me up (Stranger was not aware it was my bday), I told Stranger too!  So ppl dont forget to wish me. I am looking forward to receiving all your wishes.

Here's something I had been meaning to do since a long time. Avail of a 20% discount sale on all items at my Etsy shop for the weekend. Use coupon code BDAY20.  Make the most of this sale.

Made a new pair of earrings yesterday.