New ideas bouncing 'round the room!

Thank God for the small things in life. They are the things that really make me happy, and they are the things that really matter. For afterall, life is really about the day-to-day, isn't it? This flower (sorry, I can't remember what its called) sits on my bedroom windowsill. Last year, it almost died, and I have been nursing it back to life. In thanks for the nurturing I've given it, it has finally bloomed again, and it is so pretty. Every time I look at it, I am reminded to be thankful for the simple things in life. And the other day, I noticed that the middle section of the "bloom" had fallen off, and it was so beautiful that I stopped to inspect it closer. The little fronds fan out to create this gorgeous little spray. Isn't it pretty?!

Now on to some artsy bead-talk. I'm one of those "creative type" people. (I think that's what they call people like me who go through these emotionally-challenging creative phases...if you're one of them, you'll know exactly what I mean.) I tend to go through these constant phases (I guess you could call it a Roller Coaster) where I am either really excited about my work, or it's ho-hum, or I am so into expanding and exploring that I could stay awake 24 hours a day. From one week to the next, it's never the same. Lately I've been in one of those ho-hum moods....nothing too new, nothing very exciting. It's just beads. Which is not a good way to feel about something that you do every day, nor is it the reason I chose to be an artist as a profession. What I've noticed, though, is that one of those ho-hum phases is almost always followed by a really great idea. It's like someone (me) turns the light on in my dark room, and all is sunny and bright again. It's like I need to be in a dark room to think of a new idea or something. Which I guess is true. As humans, we can't be "on" all the time...we need time to sleep and think and meditate and breath and things like that!

So I'm moving through the ho-hum, and I'm on the verge of that sunny and bright swing, and I like the way it feels!

In the current economy, it can be pretty tough sometimes to sell things like art and jewelry and really any unecessary object. Yeah, yeah, they say spending is up, but I think we are all feeling the squeeze of a struggling economy. So I have been on a constant battle to try and come up with something that I can offer my customers that is affordable (to make and to buy.) At the same time I have been trying to come up with some products that are more appealing to a younger audience. Now when I say younger, I mean people my age. Because my jewelry tends to sell more to the middle-aged or older woman. And I love you all dearly, don't get me wrong. In fact, I have always been drawn to people who are older than me (I think it's part of being an only child; I have always been the "mature" one among my friends). But I want to create something for 20-somethings to wear too, because that will expand my market, you know?! Something with a little more spunk, a little more glam, and geared toward the more indie-craft scene that is so popular. And it's amazing how these ideas don't just come up overnight. They have to gestate inside, and slowly make their way out into this bright world of mine.

So... here are some of the things that I've come up with. They are in no way complete and ready to sell. But they are ideas that are coming to fruition, and I am excited about the potential here.

What do you think? I'd love some feedback, and I'd love to hear your ideas as well. What would you like to see me work on? Do you have any ideas for bead styles, jewelry styles, or items that you would like me to make? I would love to be inspired by what you, my dear customers, would like to see in the Divali Jewelry box!