It Hurts to Be Away

I guess it hurts to be away for a while.

It's been over a year, and you know what's happened? A lot.

I'm still selling jewellery, which is awesome. I love it, and I love making things.

But there's more! My mom died, I'm enrolled in hair school, I moved into my own place, and I'm trying to make my way in the world as an adult. It's hard, but I'm trying.

I want to get back to posting here, because it's an important platform for my jewellery.

Show

Sorry for not updating you all. The organizing is actually done. But I haven't been posting much, because I have HUGE news. So unfortunately, I'll be absent a little.

But it's so worth it, because I'M DOING MY FIRST JEWELLERY SHOW. I finally got the news that I have been accepted to the Jewellery, Fashion and Gift show, hosted by Grand River Shows.

So, obviously, I'm getting everything organized because it's November 15 and 16, and I'm on vacation in Florida the WEEK before. I'm working my fingers to the bone, but it's so worth it. 

I can't believe it.

The show is in Kitchener, Ontario, at the Kitchener City Hall rotunda. Free admission. So if you're in the area, come by and see my booth! Let me know you found me online, and you'll get a free pair of my knot earrings.

I've also created a Facebook event, if you want to say you're going, or even if you can't make it, just show your support!

Organizing, Day 2-Container Madness

I've spent most of the weekend making labels, which was a little repetitive. My labels are just plain old Avery labels that I made on the computer.

Containers!

I just unpacked all the containers we bought. We went to Solutions, and I went a little crazy. But this gives me a wide variety of options. Some are actually for crafting supplies, some are like for nuts and bolts, but are easily used in a craft space, some are for documents...

I also got some more unique items from different places in the store.

First, this is an anti-tarnish container, that I can use for sterling silver, bronze and copper. This will help keep the rings polished.  I personally dislike the look of tarnish and oxidization, but some people actually really like it on bronze and copper especially. I found these in the jewellery section of Solutions, which was also with makeup storage. I thought there might have been some good stuff with the makeup, but there wasn't. Luckily, there was plenty of anti-tarnish jewellery stuff, and it was on sale for 40% off. That really made it worth it.

These are spice holders. That's right, spice holders. Like sage, cinnamon, those spices. They are three stacks of 4 containers on a lazy Susan (or as we affectionately call them in my family, a Lazy Erica, after my aunt). These look fantastic for my jump rings. I can keep a lot of one size, with different colours, in the same general area.

I think these are my favorite. I had seen a lot of people store beads and things in spice jars, so why couldn't I store jump rings? It seems perfect.

Solutions had a lot of great options in spice racks too. Some you could really only use for spices, like the ones that measure out a set amount of spice, but there were plenty that work for anything, including jump rings.

This is an egg holder from Fridge Binz. It can hold 14 eggs, OR it can hold charms! Charms are easy to sort of things bounce around, unlike some jump rings. So if my charms move around, it's no big deal.

I saw them, and I knew I could use them.


So now I'm going to take a small break, have a snack, and then I get to start putting supplies into boxes! Exciting!

Organizational Diary, Entry 1

My Workspace

Hi, my name is Lea, and I’m a messy person.

I’m not ashamed to admit it anymore. I’m messy. But I’m that kind of organized messy. I don’t like everything all tucked away and hidden because I want things at my fingertips. I think that makes me lazy too.

Toolbox, which has overflowed to the table beside it

As my business and skills have grown, I’ve accumulated a lot of materials. My current organizational system is not working. Bags upon bags of jump rings, opening up and overflowing. They are nearly impossible to sort through, and at this point, I can’t even close my toolbox.

My space is also in the family living room, much to the chagrin of my mother.

So this is what my space currently looks like. It feels a little like a bomb went off. I have tools and supplies and accessories everywhere, not to mention regular living stuff, such as my drink, my gerbils, and my computer bag, and occasionally the cat.

I can’t do this. I can’t work in this mess. So my parents and I came to an agreement. I’ll be getting a

Tools

small bookshelf, and it will go in the living room, close to my workspace with everything easily accessible, but tucked away enough that everything looks neat. No more digging, no more exploding bags, no more mess.

These are my before picture. Over the next week, I’ll be sorting, labeling, and putting things away so I can be organized. I’m not entirely sure when the bookcase arrives, so things will probably be a little more messy before they are perfect. But that’s okay because that sort of mess means progress.

I’m really looking forward to having a space that is organized and easy for me to work with.