I have issues. More so than some. I LOVE beads, gemstones, and findings. And they have taken over my living room. Some I don't use and won't use because they are no longer my style. Some I adore but probably won't ever use just because I have so many others that I love too.
So to share my lovelies with others I've started a new Etsy shop called Casto Gemstones. I just started adding items and will continue to add items as long as I have extra beads. Feel free to stop by - heart my shop - and enjoy! I want my extra beads to go to people who will enjoy and use them.
Musings from a jewelry designer addicted to TV, politics, and the internet. A Mom. A Wife. A Daughter. A Sister. An Aflac Agent. Life is never dull.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
I Remember
I will never forget this day, six years ago. This day changed my life in a profound and prominent way. Before 9/11/01 I didn't know the difference between Palestine and Pakistan. I probably wouldn't have had any idea how to find Afghanistan on a map. I had never heard the name Osama bin Laden or the term Jihad.
I was carpooling at the time and was just getting ready to turn the TV off to pick up my carpool person when they announced that a plane had hit the world trade center. From the pictures on TV it looked like maybe a small commuter plane and I thought that someone was going to be in big trouble for mechanical failure or medical issues.
We listened to our regular country station on the way to work. As we neared the parking garage we heard the announcement that a second plane had hit. And then I knew it was no accident. It was war.
In my cube I logged in to the internet and tried finding as much information as I could. It wasn't enough. I finally remembered that our floor had several TVs hanging from the ceiling (we watch a lot of MSNBC ... and M's games!) so I ran over and turned it on. Several associates joined me and we watched...we watched as people jumped - willing to crash to the ground rather than burn to death.
We watched as the first tower fell. I was in shock. I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to do. I think I sat down on some boxes outside someone's office. When the second tower fell I don't know what I said. A coworker said, 'No they're just replaying the first tower falling.' I think I said 'I don't think so...I think the other one fell." But I didn't want to argue with him since he is a high up associate. I was right, unfortunately. The shock was a bit too much for me. I only vaguely remember the rest of the day.
My company is global and we have an office in New York. Thank God no one was hurt and no one was in a meeting at WTC. The night before several associates had been there. Another associate was on the phone with someone who was in WTC...and who didn't make it. We had many contacts in the financial world who worked there and who never went home.
I went home early. And I slept. That's how I escape things. I was overloaded. Overwhelmed. It's hard for me to deal with such huge emotions. Anger. Shock. Outrage. Dispair. So I slept. And when I woke up I tried desperately to find a TV channel that wasn't dedicated to the day's events. I wanted to escape. I didn't want to see what had happened again.
It's been six years and when I woke up this morning the news was playing their broadcast from that same day. I changed it after they played the video of the "falling man". :( God bless that person and his family. I didn't need to see it again. It is an image that has never left my head. I changed the channel this morning to reruns on Nickelodean. I think they SHOULD play the videos and audio. I think America needs to see it and remember - because too many have forgotten. I'll never forget, and I can't deal with seeing it again. I'm a completely different person today than I was on 9/10/01. A better person.
God bless our Troops. God bless our Police Officers and Firemen. God Bless our hardworking men and women in the FBI and CIA who do a thankless and difficult job to keep us safe. Remember that this big thing we call "government" is made of human beings who are not perfect. God bless them all and give them strength and wisdom.
I was carpooling at the time and was just getting ready to turn the TV off to pick up my carpool person when they announced that a plane had hit the world trade center. From the pictures on TV it looked like maybe a small commuter plane and I thought that someone was going to be in big trouble for mechanical failure or medical issues.
We listened to our regular country station on the way to work. As we neared the parking garage we heard the announcement that a second plane had hit. And then I knew it was no accident. It was war.
In my cube I logged in to the internet and tried finding as much information as I could. It wasn't enough. I finally remembered that our floor had several TVs hanging from the ceiling (we watch a lot of MSNBC ... and M's games!) so I ran over and turned it on. Several associates joined me and we watched...we watched as people jumped - willing to crash to the ground rather than burn to death.
We watched as the first tower fell. I was in shock. I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to do. I think I sat down on some boxes outside someone's office. When the second tower fell I don't know what I said. A coworker said, 'No they're just replaying the first tower falling.' I think I said 'I don't think so...I think the other one fell." But I didn't want to argue with him since he is a high up associate. I was right, unfortunately. The shock was a bit too much for me. I only vaguely remember the rest of the day.
My company is global and we have an office in New York. Thank God no one was hurt and no one was in a meeting at WTC. The night before several associates had been there. Another associate was on the phone with someone who was in WTC...and who didn't make it. We had many contacts in the financial world who worked there and who never went home.
I went home early. And I slept. That's how I escape things. I was overloaded. Overwhelmed. It's hard for me to deal with such huge emotions. Anger. Shock. Outrage. Dispair. So I slept. And when I woke up I tried desperately to find a TV channel that wasn't dedicated to the day's events. I wanted to escape. I didn't want to see what had happened again.
It's been six years and when I woke up this morning the news was playing their broadcast from that same day. I changed it after they played the video of the "falling man". :( God bless that person and his family. I didn't need to see it again. It is an image that has never left my head. I changed the channel this morning to reruns on Nickelodean. I think they SHOULD play the videos and audio. I think America needs to see it and remember - because too many have forgotten. I'll never forget, and I can't deal with seeing it again. I'm a completely different person today than I was on 9/10/01. A better person.
God bless our Troops. God bless our Police Officers and Firemen. God Bless our hardworking men and women in the FBI and CIA who do a thankless and difficult job to keep us safe. Remember that this big thing we call "government" is made of human beings who are not perfect. God bless them all and give them strength and wisdom.
IndieFinds has a Blog!
I love IndieFinds! It's a great place for artists, crafters, and small businesses to combine their resources for advertising. Plus I've met a lot of great people.
And now we have a blog of our own!
Check out all the great happenings. What will you find today?
And now we have a blog of our own!
Check out all the great happenings. What will you find today?
Happy Birthday.
It's hard to feel happy on this day. Six years ago our world was shaken beyond repair. But it's also my little cousin's birthday. She turned 16 on this day six years ago. Talk about a hard day to celebrate.
She is one of the most wonderful girls (arg...she's a woman now!). Kind, smart, and stunningly gorgeous. She could so easily be a model but her goal is to teach. And she is amazing with kids. I am in awe of her. Her strength and energy make me swell with pride.
When I was 7 this little girl came into our family and I hated her! I was the only girl until she came along and ruined everything for me. I was the princess. The oldest grandchild. Completely spoiled. But I fell in love with her so quickly. Her sister was born less than two years later and I enjoyed baby sitting and corrupting them both.
So Happy Birthday Jo Jo! I'll try to remember this day as a happy one for you. :)
She is one of the most wonderful girls (arg...she's a woman now!). Kind, smart, and stunningly gorgeous. She could so easily be a model but her goal is to teach. And she is amazing with kids. I am in awe of her. Her strength and energy make me swell with pride.
When I was 7 this little girl came into our family and I hated her! I was the only girl until she came along and ruined everything for me. I was the princess. The oldest grandchild. Completely spoiled. But I fell in love with her so quickly. Her sister was born less than two years later and I enjoyed baby sitting and corrupting them both.
So Happy Birthday Jo Jo! I'll try to remember this day as a happy one for you. :)
Monday, September 10, 2007
Almost Famous!
Well, Happy Monday to me!
My friend and coworker, Karen, told me this morning that someone recognized my work! She was at a wedding expo this weekend and was wearing this bracelet that she bought from me a few weeks ago.
As she walked around a woman stopped her and said "I know who made your bracelet!" Apparently she had purchased a one of a kind necklace from me at the Harbor Days show in Olympia (one of my few sales!). And she recognized my work based on that necklace. I wish I had a good photo of it because it was gorgeous.
I feel famous! And pretty proud that all my efforts at a "look" have paid off - at least in this instance. It's so hard for me to stay consistent in my designs but this is exactly the reason why I have to continue down that road. :)
My friend and coworker, Karen, told me this morning that someone recognized my work! She was at a wedding expo this weekend and was wearing this bracelet that she bought from me a few weeks ago.
As she walked around a woman stopped her and said "I know who made your bracelet!" Apparently she had purchased a one of a kind necklace from me at the Harbor Days show in Olympia (one of my few sales!). And she recognized my work based on that necklace. I wish I had a good photo of it because it was gorgeous.
I feel famous! And pretty proud that all my efforts at a "look" have paid off - at least in this instance. It's so hard for me to stay consistent in my designs but this is exactly the reason why I have to continue down that road. :)
Friday, September 7, 2007
Confessions of a Wuss
Hello. My name is Megan. And I am a wuss.
Which is really hard for me because in most things I'm very assertive and self confident (sometimes too confident!) and not scared to do much of anything. But for some reason, the idea of approaching any kind of store to sell my jewelry scares the boogers out of me.
What do I say??? How do I approach? When do I approach? Who do I ask for? Do I call? Do I stop by first to set an appointment? Do I e-mail? Do I mail a letter with photos?
I'm at a complete loss and it's very frustrating. I really don't want to bug any business owners but I really want to get my work into some nice upscale stores. I do have my work in one, that I love! It's called Imelda's Fine Shoes and they have some amazingly adorable shoes and purses. And they were looking to expand their jewelry selection. But I didn't have to approach them. I was in the store shopping and the owner saw my bracelet and we started chatting. That wasn't stressful or difficult at all...well, it was stressful when she asked me to bring my work in, but I managed.
So my question is this? What do I do????!!!!???? My mom insists that I suck it up (and I think it freaks her out that I'm being this way because it's so unlike me in every other facet of my life) and start going to stores. I told her she'd have to go with me! I'm almost 30 and I still need my mommy!!!
Which is really hard for me because in most things I'm very assertive and self confident (sometimes too confident!) and not scared to do much of anything. But for some reason, the idea of approaching any kind of store to sell my jewelry scares the boogers out of me.
What do I say??? How do I approach? When do I approach? Who do I ask for? Do I call? Do I stop by first to set an appointment? Do I e-mail? Do I mail a letter with photos?
I'm at a complete loss and it's very frustrating. I really don't want to bug any business owners but I really want to get my work into some nice upscale stores. I do have my work in one, that I love! It's called Imelda's Fine Shoes and they have some amazingly adorable shoes and purses. And they were looking to expand their jewelry selection. But I didn't have to approach them. I was in the store shopping and the owner saw my bracelet and we started chatting. That wasn't stressful or difficult at all...well, it was stressful when she asked me to bring my work in, but I managed.
So my question is this? What do I do????!!!!???? My mom insists that I suck it up (and I think it freaks her out that I'm being this way because it's so unlike me in every other facet of my life) and start going to stores. I told her she'd have to go with me! I'm almost 30 and I still need my mommy!!!
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Charoite Delight
I love Charoite. What is Charoite you ask?
"It has the appearance of purple marble, but really defies description...it simply looks unnaturally beautiful."
Charoite is a gorgeous and rare stone, originating in Russia. Discovered by the west in the late 1970s, it was officially found in the late 1940s by a Soviet Geologist in the remote Chara Valley (Aldan, Russia). Due to the wild nature of Siberia it wasn't until the 1960s before more attention was given to the deposit and in the 70s the stone was finally mined and introduced to the market.
Because the only deposit ever found exists in such a remote location it is difficult to obtain Charoite. According to the Russian language Wikipedia (kindly translated for me by Zoya of My Lovely Beads), "the limit of charoite mining is set by 100,000 kilograms a year" and apparently is only supposed to be released in 'worked' form. In other words, no "raw" or rough Charoite is supposed to be released. "Supposed to be" is the key phrase there. Prohibitions like that rarely work. Even my grandfather has a few slabs of unworked Charoite. (He says it's very hard to work with and the one cab I saw in his collection was cracked.)
I have some amazing Charoite beads that I treasure. I've seen plenty of unattractive Charoite, but finding beads with swirls and brilliance is tough.
Another wonderful source says that one of the reasons for the scarcity is simply the lack of workable time in the year. The area is Siberia after all! There's only so many months when the weather will permit mining.
There are two different stories on how this stone was named. One, the most plausible to me, is that it is named after the Charo River where it was found. The other, more fanciful, story is that it is named after it's magical impression - "Chary" in Russian means charms or magic. It does look vaguely magical when it has great swirls.
And even though I don't believe in anything like magic, I love this quote: "It survived great trauma, rains, winds, heat and cold, only to become more beautiful over time."
Other Interesting Resources:
"It has the appearance of purple marble, but really defies description...it simply looks unnaturally beautiful."
Charoite is a gorgeous and rare stone, originating in Russia. Discovered by the west in the late 1970s, it was officially found in the late 1940s by a Soviet Geologist in the remote Chara Valley (Aldan, Russia). Due to the wild nature of Siberia it wasn't until the 1960s before more attention was given to the deposit and in the 70s the stone was finally mined and introduced to the market.
Because the only deposit ever found exists in such a remote location it is difficult to obtain Charoite. According to the Russian language Wikipedia (kindly translated for me by Zoya of My Lovely Beads), "the limit of charoite mining is set by 100,000 kilograms a year" and apparently is only supposed to be released in 'worked' form. In other words, no "raw" or rough Charoite is supposed to be released. "Supposed to be" is the key phrase there. Prohibitions like that rarely work. Even my grandfather has a few slabs of unworked Charoite. (He says it's very hard to work with and the one cab I saw in his collection was cracked.)I have some amazing Charoite beads that I treasure. I've seen plenty of unattractive Charoite, but finding beads with swirls and brilliance is tough.
Another wonderful source says that one of the reasons for the scarcity is simply the lack of workable time in the year. The area is Siberia after all! There's only so many months when the weather will permit mining.
There are two different stories on how this stone was named. One, the most plausible to me, is that it is named after the Charo River where it was found. The other, more fanciful, story is that it is named after it's magical impression - "Chary" in Russian means charms or magic. It does look vaguely magical when it has great swirls.
And even though I don't believe in anything like magic, I love this quote: "It survived great trauma, rains, winds, heat and cold, only to become more beautiful over time."
Other Interesting Resources:
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Back to School!
Phew. The summer is officially over. At least that's how it feels here in Washington. Labor day hits and the sun disappears. It's now dark when I wake up at 5:30.
And the kids are back in school - fun times. As someone without children (of the non-furry kind) I don't yet know the joys of getting young ones ready for the first day. But I remember the first day as a kid. I LOVED it! I'm such a nerd and I've always loved school. Summer always seemed too long and I would have been one of those rare kids in favor of year round school.
It wasn't the new clothes that got me all atwitter. It was the new school supplies. Brand new fresh crayons (even in high school I had to have a fresh set!), a new binder, brand new pens and pencils...oh the joy!
I miss out on all that now. I have no real excuse for buying a binder or new crayons. When visiting Target I stare longingly at the school supply section...remembering the good ol' days.
Oh, don't forget to slow down in the school zones!
And the kids are back in school - fun times. As someone without children (of the non-furry kind) I don't yet know the joys of getting young ones ready for the first day. But I remember the first day as a kid. I LOVED it! I'm such a nerd and I've always loved school. Summer always seemed too long and I would have been one of those rare kids in favor of year round school.
It wasn't the new clothes that got me all atwitter. It was the new school supplies. Brand new fresh crayons (even in high school I had to have a fresh set!), a new binder, brand new pens and pencils...oh the joy!
I miss out on all that now. I have no real excuse for buying a binder or new crayons. When visiting Target I stare longingly at the school supply section...remembering the good ol' days.
Oh, don't forget to slow down in the school zones!
Monday, September 3, 2007
Third Time Was NOT a Charm
Well, so much for my last outdoor show of the year. This was my third year participating in the Olympia Harbor Days show. It's a great and fun show but it obviously isn't the right place for me to sell my jewelry. I don't know if I just suck at doing shows or if my work is just too expensive for these types of shows now. *sigh*
It wasn't a *total* loss! :) I met a bunch of great people, collected quite a few names for my newsletter, and got to spend lots of time with my little cousin Jordyn. And Trooper REALLY loved seeing her. He's practically as big as she is!
It wasn't a *total* loss! :) I met a bunch of great people, collected quite a few names for my newsletter, and got to spend lots of time with my little cousin Jordyn. And Trooper REALLY loved seeing her. He's practically as big as she is!
Friday I set up and opened up a little early - around 4 - and it went until 8 p.m. I did not sell one item. Saturday morning we opened up and the booth looked fabulous!
I spent quite a bit to get all matching display items from Rio Grande. That's the only place I could find that had these pretty natural colored displays.
I decided that my new TS Harrington photos HAD to be part of my display so I printed out two of them. I wish I could show them all off at the same time. Ha!
I think my booth looked fairly nice...classy and elegant. But apparently it wasn't enough to get people to buy. It cost $225 to be in the show. I need to pay my super duper helper at least $150 (and that doesn't seem like nearly enough for two full days work!). And we only sold $650. *sigh*
On the other hand I met someone who reads my blog!!! It is so weird to think that a stranger reads my words. And then get to meet them! :) She also makes jewelry - and I was so GREEN with envy when I saw her work. Her name is Susanna Tam and she works with silver. She was selling a lot every time I walked by her booth so I'm even more jealous!
I also got to see and chat with my friend Pam of Paper Scissors Rock. I got some of her goodies! And it was great talking with her...her advice for me is to get into higher end shows or just start going to retail stores. One of these days I will approach a store!
Beware the "Secret" Scam
Oh dear. Why do people think they can get away with these things? Probably because people fall for it. Please don't!
I have gotten two e-mails through my contact form on my website. It seems they found me through the Secret Pal shopping site and I'm not the only one they've contacted. I haven't changed any words or grammar at all.
I was uncertain when I got the first one. I mean, after all, someone from Egypt COULD want to send a secret gift. But I'm not so desperate for a sale that I won't question it.
Verdict: SCAM! Run far far away if you get this e-mail!
I have gotten two e-mails through my contact form on my website. It seems they found me through the Secret Pal shopping site and I'm not the only one they've contacted. I haven't changed any words or grammar at all.
The second message, in the same day...want to send a gift to someone in edmenton canada , but i m living in other
country(egypt) is that possible and my second question is it possible to keep my
all information anonymous to the person reciving the gift like my name and
location and address thnx in advance .. and i would also like to ask .. in that
case of keeping my details anonymous if the person contact u up to ask about the
details will u hv to give it in that case
hiApparently these scammers are trying to take advantage of us Independent artists and crafters. The same message was brought up on The Soap Forum (which I had no idea existed!).
i want to send a gift to someone in edmenton canada.. but i m living in
egypt and i m gonna pay by visa card is it possible .. and if yes i want to send
it as an anonymous gift without my name or address or my location .. and where
to type that when i m signing out , and i got yr site through secretpalsites.com
.. will i get my free shipping.. and my last question ..if the person contact u
to ask about the sender will u hv to give the information out .. as i contacted
many sites regarding this .. i m not ordering right now ,, but for sure i m
going purchase many things from yr site its lovely
thnx
I was uncertain when I got the first one. I mean, after all, someone from Egypt COULD want to send a secret gift. But I'm not so desperate for a sale that I won't question it.
Verdict: SCAM! Run far far away if you get this e-mail!
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