Waiting for Spring

Waiting for Spring Sale

I am going to try it again. The “Waiting for Spring Sale” will happen on Sunday the 3rd of March. So if you are going to be in the Pittsburgh area that day between 12 and 3pm, please stop by and say, “HEY”

I mentioned that I have been having smaller events-Happy Hour Sales and Brunch Sales-here in store.
Most of the time they are extremely successful, but not all. The weather in Pittsburgh is fickle to say the least. And it just gets more fickle in winter. We can go from 60 degrees one day to 6-8 inches of snow the next.  But the opportunity to get together with Friends hanging out talking, laughing, eating and drinking, is ALWAYS worth the risk.

Mother Nature must have had plans for the 2 previous Events. She sent Snow to both-AND LOTS OF IT-keeping almost everyone at home.

Hopefully, not this time. I am getting lonely.

Here are some pictures of previous Events...

2nd Anniversary

I just realized that yesterday was my 2 year Anniversary of having my own Studio/Store. It is AMAZING at just how quickly time flies by.

I still remember being SO frustrated waiting to hear from the Landlord as to when I could get the keys. Waiting for the electricity to be turned on.
Waiting.
Waiting.
Waiting.
AND then waiting again for the new space to be completed.

New Designs continue to come in the middle of the night.
Ruby Rough and Ruby Quartz.

I still struggle. Trying to juggle everything that needs to be done.
The easy part is DeAndreaDesigns.
I still look forward to days in the Studio-Creating is what I LOVE!!!


I am still waiting tables to ensure that the bills get paid. I look forward to the day I do not HAVE to do this any longer, although I do still enjoy it.
I have had to find creative ways to spend time with Friends and Family.  I throw "Happy Hour Sales" and “Brunch Sales” here to get my Friends, New and LongTerm-never OLD, together.

I have learned that I need to ALWAYS be ON. Ready to talk about my Designs. Ready to whip out the business cards. Ready to talk.  This has probably been the most difficult part-Marketing Myself.

Now, I just signed the lease for yet one more year.

The lessons and learning continue, but I think if you ever get to a point of knowing EVERYTHING it is time to start something new.
I have too much to learn yet.

The Art of Balance

I haven’t written in a while.  Not because nothing is happening at DeAndreaDesigns, but Life outside of DeAndreaDesigns has a way of intruding and taking over.

The Art of Balance is almost as important as the Art of Creativity.

I am finding new Respect for my Mother who was able to raise 3 kids and my Father-and ALL that that entails. Still find time to work during the day, AND find the time in the evening to relax and do her nails or read a book.  That was probably the key to her staying Sane and Grounded.

I need to be able to find that Balance.  I cannot let the Creativity slip-pieces like this need to continue.

30ct Prasiolite on ArtFire

Enough hours at the new restaurant to bridge the money gap, while still putting in enough hours at the Store to ensure consistent foot traffic, while still being able to find time for Family and Friends. Not to mention a little time for Me-but that can really wait, because once the Store is financially stable I won’t have to schedule in restaurant time...Granted there will be something else vying for those hours, but by then I should have learned to Balance Everything.

That’s what I am telling myself anyway. I wonder if Mom ever felt like this?

UGH!!

It is another First of the Month.  That means we have a new Birthstone...PEARLS.
I know I have written on Pearls in the past-as I will again in the Future, but today is not that day.
I am going to vent on the frustration of not being completely computer literate.
I know enough to use the template provided to change the look anytime that I like.
I know enough add pages, and delete pages.
I know enough to attach links where they need to be-and even get them to go where they should.
BUT that is all because of the templates provided, and not being afraid to click on links.

Asymmetric Pearls perfect for a Summer Wedding

Right now the Website is down-through no fault of my own.  Now that I am a little more rested and focused I can address the issues at hand, but I need help.  Tech Support is not returning my phone call fast enough.  So I am relying on ArtFire and Facebook to get my Designs outside of the City limits. Both good resources, but they do not have the validity of a functioning website.
I am just going to continue to clean and re-merchandise the Store.

BTW, no more overnight restaurant job.  I did find something new-during the day so I will have to find a nice balance between the two so I can make enough to bridge the gap and maintain normal, consistent business hours...Or find someone that wants to become my Patron.

No More Complaining

You are as tired of hearing me complain about being tired as I am doing the complaining about it.

Yes, I am still doing the dreaded over night shift in the restaurant.  When I started this job/shift I thought it would be perfect because it would not interfere with me being able to have DeAndreaDesigns open normal and consistent hours. What I am finding now is that I am open my normal hours, but I sit like a Zombie, unable to concentrate on anything for more than just a few minutes. I simply cannot focus on anything-literally, my eyes go out of focus all the time when I am trying to work. The Business is starting to suffer because of it. I may be here physically in the Store, but I am not mentally or creatively.

I am done complaining for now.  

Time to take control.

I have been looking for another position-with a couple of distinct possibilities. One that will allow me to be more awake, more aware, more HERE. One that will allow me grow my Brand and allow me to take DeAndreaDesigns to the next level. 

There are so many GREAT things happening here and I don’t want to sleep through them.

I Was Asked...

I was asked the other day what my Favorite Gem to work with was.

It took me back a bit because I have never really thought about it. I always said that I LOVE ALL Gemstones, but once I started thinking about it, I tend to only work with stones that I am attracted to initially. That does not mean I choose Amethyst over Citrine, or Citrine over Amethyst, I choose what I am attracted to...

Tiny Ioloite-find me on Facebook

Two months ago I went on an Iolite kick. Last month I purchased, and wanted to work with, only Pearls.


I do only buy Stones when there is something about them that attracts me to them. That much is true. Rarely do I go out and looking for a specific stone unless it is by special request by a customer. Therefore, I do love all the Stones I work with.

Sometimes the Stones are easy to work with-I know exactly what setting I am going to use them in and everything works out on the First Chance.

Biwa-Style Pearls at DeAndreaDesigns.com

Sometimes I have to “deconstruct” a couple of times before I get it to the point that I am satisfied.  AND...
Sometimes the Stone sits and sits until a new setting emerges from the depths of my creativity pool.

I have found, however, that even with settings that I have used many times in the past when I place a different stone into one, the LOOK/FEEL/ENERGY of the Piece is changes-sometimes dramatically.
So I cannot say I love working with one stone over another, not really.  I just work with the Stones that feel right when they feel right.

At the end of the day I do tend to be more attracted to Colored Gems.

BUT...
When I think of my Wedding Ring, or look at the Stones that I have purchased for ME, there are THREE Stones that stand out.

Tsavorite Garnet and Champagne Diamonds-for my Wedding Ring. 2 Rows of 2mm Princess cut Tsavorite and 1 Row of 2mm Princess Cut Diamonds set into Platinum.

And Mexican Fire Opals.

Yet Another First

So just when I think I have this whole running of a business down, something new pops up.

This time was Tax Season.

Citrine is known as the lucky "Merchants Stone”

I don’t know why I did not think of this when I opened DeAndreaDesigns, but Tax Season snuck up on me. Hit me over the head like a ton of bricks, and then stomped me into the ground.  Not because of some huge bill or anything.  Nothing like that. I just HATE doing things that I do not understand.

My Friends and Family would say I have a slight Control Issues.

This year, I have resigned myself to being a learning year.
Next year I will be prepared.
I will have a much better idea of what to expect.
And I will not wait until the very last minute.

But now that it is finished, I am looking forward to this weekend where I can let loose a little with Friends.  Then SLEEP without worrying about getting the Taxes finished...But I am sure there will be something else to keep me awake at night.