Another Reminder

Another Week is finished, and it is time to open up a Bottle of Wine.

Well, not exactly. I have already opened the Bottle-Yesterday.  A friend brought me a Store-warming gift...Yes you guessed it my Bottle of wine. I told him that I would offer him a glass but I did not have a corkscrew in the store-Note to self, get a corkscrew for the Store.
The look on his face was Great, "But aren't you still open?"
"Yes, but I am the Boss, and I think it is time for a glass of Wine"
"Alright, I have a corkscrew in my office". Off he goes, and within seconds he is back.  I think he Needed the Wine as badly as I did.

So, of course, we had a laugh or two about what I was going to have to do to the Boss to get away with drinking on the job. Just another reminder that I do not have to answer to anybody else at the Store.

I am liking being my own Boss.

I now have a couple of days off-well the Store is closed for the next two days-but that does not really mean that I am going to NOT be working on stuff.  I have a feeling that, even though I can set my own hours and close any days that I want, I will NEVER really have a day off anymore.

That being said, I am still Liking being my own Boss.

Birthday Request

The other day-Monday to be exact-My Mom, Sister and Niece came to visit me at the store. Really an excuse to go to lunch together, because it is a day off from the store.
Well my Niece was going around pointing out the pieces that she likes-and what she would like for her upcoming birthday.

So looks like Grandma is getting her one and I am making one special for her. I would not say she is Spoiled, but she does LOVE the fact that Uncle Vincent is a Jewelry Designer.

Who's the Boss?

Oh Yeah. ME.

I had 2 of my Best Friends come to visit me at the Store today for Lunch. So at 12:30 I locked up the door went across the street to JJ's and had a great lunch.
Good Food.
Great Company.
LOTS of Laughs.

Before we knew it, it was time for them to go and Pick up the Kids from school...
Yep School.
We sat in the restaurant that long.

That spawned comments about what the Boss was going to say/do when I got back. How I was going to make it up to Him/Me.
And you know what? I started getting nervous. Wondering what was gonna happen when I got back.

My first real experience of being the Boss. Granted I have made all the decisions on design and look of the Store. Set up all the utilities and banking etc...But this was completely different. I still felt a bit guilty about a long FUN Lunch.

I just realized I do not have to answer to ANYBODY anymore-well except my Partner.

Back to work Tomorrow

Yep. The weekend is done, and it is back to a full day tomorrow.

I did have appointments-yes plural-today. Even though I was only in the Store for about an hour, I did sell my FIRST piece of Jewelry today.  One of my most popular pieces, which  lately have been my least Delicate Pieces.  The Braided Bracelets are loved by Men, Women and Children-even my Niece requested one. Pink of course.

I am in serious need more Silver to finish Commissions-of Braided Bracelets, of course...LOL

Now if the Snow would just quit so that Everyone-including the Mailman with my Silver-can get up to the Mt. I walk to the Store so, No Problem for me, except for maybe slipping and falling on un-shoveled sidewalks...

BUT I WILL be open at 11!!!

Week 1

Well, my First week of being open is Finished.

I was not very busy, however, I am exhausted.  My space has been vacant for SO many years that people walking in the Neighborhood have NO idea that there is a New Business in the area.
I have an Idea that I will place Balloons outside, place a sandwich board on the corner where there is a bit more foot/car traffic-only 100ft away, but it has been so windy that my sandwich board keeps getting blown over.  Not Balloon Friendly Weather, yet.  BUT it will be.

Ironically, I open a Jewelry Store and all of the sales that I have had for the week have NOT been Jewelry pieces. My Earring Trees and Cards have been VERY popular, though.  I love the fact that the people coming into the Store are spending quite a bit of time in there.

It is only 250 sq ft, so if you are spending more than 5 minutes there, you must see something that you like.

I have no doubt that my Jewelry has a Market, and I intend to CREATE it if I cannot find it

Board Meeting

Wednesday is finished.

I finally finished my Sandwich Board for outside. AND within minutes I had 2 different parties walk through the door.  One woman and her Mother spent at least 10 minutes in the Store, and when the place is only 250 sq ft, THAT is A LOT of time. They were very impressed, asking ALL the right questions concerning Custom Designs, Special Orders. They took Business Cards and were VEY EXCITED about seeing and following on Facebook-Y'all do know you can follow me on FB as well? DeAndreaDesigns.

Then a Board Meeting for the Mt Washington Community Development Corp, I sat in on their Fund Raising Brainstorms-and actually was able to contribute a point or two. During the Team Building part of the meeting, a "trivia contest" was held. One of the prizes was one of my Handmade Cards-eliciting a gasp of appreciation and questions of "You have cards?", "Are they blank inside?",  "Do you do them yourself?", "You will definitely see me for those Cards"....

Now I a ready for Sunny Warm Spring-like Thursday.

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day All...

I was Photographed in the Store this afternoon. I had NO idea that it was going to happen, so my upbringing came in handy...

My Mother would ALWAYS do her hair and make-up, get dressed JUST IN CASE-most days it was just to clean toilets or do laundry, BUT sometimes someone did stop in.
I must have been channeling her this morning, because I shaved when I really did NOT have to. Changed my clothes 3 times this morning to find just the right look.

The photo looks GREAT. If you go to my Facebook Fan page-DeAndreaDesigns-you can see the results.

Day 1

I feel Absolutely Amazing.

Yesterday, while I was working late in the Store, a Gentleman came in. He looked around and asked if I made everything that was on Display. I had to answer honestly, "Yes". His response was that he  knows nothing about Jewelry but knows when he sees something that he likes. "You have talent"...Gracious smile and "Thank You"

After being unemployed for 4 months, putting a "Open" sign in the window of my own store was just...More than I have words to explain.  Does not matter that I had no customers come into the Store, it just felt RIGHT!!!

I did have a Friend come into the Store today-ArtZebo's Owner and Neighbor. She brought me a "wish book". I have so many wishes.
Some about the Store.
Some about my Personal Life-actually the Personal Life could not really be better.

But for right now I am going to focus on the Store and allow the chips to fall where they may.

Tomorrow will be a day off for me-not going into the Store, not going to spend anytime in the Studio. I will be spending the day with Dad-and probably TALKING about the Store for most of the day...So maybe not a day off after all.
LOL

Success!!!

It was a GREAT DAY!!

I turned the corner and saw the Electricians working on the same spot as they had been yesterday. So my Hopes started to take flight-a little. A little quicker I started walking to the Store. Unlocked the door and flipped the light switch. AND...Nothing. So a couple quick little fixes and then off to run errands. Downtown I go...Blah blah blah

Coming back up the Mt around 2:30 I figured I would just work on a few new pieces of Jewelry until either the Sun set or my Laptop battery died-like the last week or so. Then a Sparkle in the Window. A warm Glow.

THE LIGHTS ARE ON!!!!

Can I just tell you the flood of Emotions-from the Excitement of what is to come, to Relief that the wait is finally over, Fear that now I actually have to do what I said I would. Nerves. Anxiety. You name I experienced it.

A quick phone call tomorrow, a trip to the bank and a cup of coffee. I should finally be open and ready to do business. 2 weeks later than I originally thought but better late than never.

Yep Still Waiting

Today was a good day.  Not a Great Day-I would have Lights in the Store if it were a Great Day.

As I turned the corner to Southern Ave, I saw men-Electricians-working on the building where my Store is. Now I have no idea if they were working on the building because they were fixing whatever violations there were, or if they were working on the wiring for the Apts upstairs.

I don't know, but it made me smile to think that I was getting closer to an actual Opening. So I just unlocked my doors, turned on the lights-nothing, opened the binds and let the Sunshine into the Store. It is almost bright enough in there when the Sun is shining that I do not need to have lights on.

Seeing the Sun all the Crystal in the window, bouncing off the Chandelier, casting little Rainbows all over the walls just makes me SMILE.

The one good thing about not actually being open yet, but having just about everything ready, I am finishing all the Jewelry that I have started. Those pieces that I did something that I liked but had NO idea what to do with. They are all getting finished. And I keep working until the Store is too dark to really be able to see-or the battery on my Laptop dies.

The Sun will be shining again, and hey I may flip that light switch and finally see what my Jewelry looks like in my own LIGHTED Store.

At least I will have more mini Rainbows tomorrow.

Still Waiting-Still

Yes, I am still waiting for the Electricity to be turned on.

I spoke with a Friend last night and she was telling me stories about other people's horror stories with Store openings.  In comparison to those, mine has been a piece of cake.
I should be grateful, and I am. It has just been so long since I have worked that I am a bit anxious.

I was talking on the phone this afternoon with my Sister and I could feel the frustration building-all because of a bad connection. When the call finally dropped, I did not call back. I could not subject her to that Ugly Mood.  So it is time to do something.

I have decided that that something is to start working out again. I was going to wait until I had opened, but again, I cannot wait. A Gym Membership has been added to the to-do list.

I do miss working out-I was rarely as emotional when I was working out.
I do not ever remember days of just wanting to sit in a corner and breakdown when I was working out.
And I am a bit vain...I WANT MY 6-PACK BACK.

Still Waiting

I am having a little bit of a rough period.
The Electrician is slower than he promised-or at least alluded to. It is just one more hurdle that I am going to overcome, but I do not know how many more times I can jump. I am getting tired.

I can See the Finish Line.
I can Smell the Finish Line.
Sometimes I wonder is I am doing the right thing, if I am on the right path.
BUT then I see how far I have come, and I KNOW I AM DOING THE RIGHT THING.
I AM ON THE RIGHT PATH.

So tonight I sit here and dwell on what I cannot control. Make lists of what I can control. AND  get a good night's sleep-because I know that is the best thing for me right now.

For tomorrow is a Brand New Day. AND I WILL SUCCEED!!!

February Birthstone-Amethyst

The God of Intoxication-one of my Favorites-Dionysus, in a fit of anger, swore vengeance upon the very next Immortal that he encountered. He unleashed Tigers upon the Earthly World in Search of Them.  Diana, Goddess of the Hunt, found this out and was on the lookout.  In order to protect one of her Maidens, named Amethyst, turned her to a pillar of Quartz.  When Dionysus saw the Pillar of Quartz that was Amethyst He burst into tears of the Result of his Anger-as well as the Beauty.  Raining his tears of Wine upon Amethyst he stained her Purple, hence creating the Gemstone that we now call Amethyst...

Probably because Amethyst is the Product of Dionysus' tears of wine, the Gemstone is said to guard against Drunkenness as well as instilling A more Sober frame of mind.  Maybe a bit of a stretch, but I am going to make that leap. Because of the tears of wine, Amethyst vibrates strongly with Energies-instilling Creativity, Tranquility, Transforming Negative Energies to Positive.  Intellectual Self-discovery and Peace of Mind are the Result.

Modern Times Amethyst is thought of as the traditional Birthstone for those born in February, and the Gemstone Gift for a couple's 17th Wedding Anniversary.

Want to bring some of Romance of the Greek/Roman Gods to your life?  Try a Gift from the Gods of a wine goblet carved from Amethyst Crystal.

SuperBowl Sunday

Getting my butt in gear to head down to the Store right now. Have to check to see if the Electrician has been out and taken care of the lighting situation. 

I have the Internet connection set-up.

I have Merchant Services set-up.

I have all my Jewelry displayed.

The Windows are cleaned and Merchandised.

Some minor little things-very cosmetic-need finished, but I always figured I could deal with them on a closed day. Tomorrow would be that Closed Day normally, so it will be BUSY no matter what.

If my Electrician done everything he should I will be ONE HAPPY CAMPER. Then the Nerves will  really kick in. Lists to be made-and clicked off.  Everything really is waiting on the Electricity. 

I AM SO EXCITED!!!

My New "Home Away from Home"

I have embarked upon a new adventure.
DeAndreaDesigns is getting a Home outside of my apartment studio space. I have found a GREAT Space-265 sq ft of soon to be FABULOUSITY!
Lilac-almost white-walls, Pale Gold built-ins, Brick Red concrete floors...AND a couple Crystal Chandeliers to add some Bling.  But not so much that it takes away from my Jewelry.
Fine Silver and Gemstones NEED to be the Focus.  THEY ARE!!

I walked into the almost completed space today and I looked around.  I realized I created a Store that I would come back to OVER AND OVER AGAIN!!!

Keep coming back for more of my Life in Jewelry