So I went to Poland

I've always loved travel and exploring since I was a kid.  I like to learn new things and meet new people.  I have had a number of incredibly diverse friends from very different backgrounds throughout my life because I love to learn about people, their cultures, and especially their food.  I appreciate the differences of my fellow humans and positive aspects of their personalities.  You can learn something important from everyone you meet.

It's sort of unsurprising that I ended up in Poland.  I have several Polish friends.  I have shared major holidays with their very Polish families... and I consider the bucket list I made when my doctors feared I had a brain tumor to still be valid even though it's clear that I'm no longer on the verge of death or permanent paralysis.

I never thought I would go to Poland for an actual, honest to God Polish wedding though.  Life is strange that way sometimes.  You see, my S/O has been best friends with a college friend of mine since high school (small world, right?) and the bride wished to be married in her home country.  So... I ended up being invited....to Poland.

At first, it was a difficult decision for me to make.  It's a huge endeavor to travel that far oversees even if you're in perfect health, which I am not.  With my neurological condition (possible MS), Reynaud's phenomenon, bronchitis, and the language barriers I was going to face, the trip was a huge risk.  I know just enough Polish to say, "Thanks grandma" but not "Help! I'm having severe muscle spasms; my medicine is in my purse!"  Ultimately, I ended up going to support the folks I care about.

I didn't expect to meet so many wonderful people or have so many great experiences.  The wedding was beautiful.  The bride's family and friends were so VERY generous.  I almost feel guilty for coming.  They helped us a great deal and the trip wouldn't have gone as smoothly as it did without their generosity and helpfulness.

Poland is much more developed and modern than most people give it credit for.  The people there are friendly and are just as curious about you as you are about them.  They seem surprised when they find foreign tourists are there for more than shopping and clubbing.  My trip to Poland was great, for the most part.  There were some scary parts: I had two pretty bad neurological attacks while I was there, an incident in Nowa Huta (Brown folks, avoid that area if you don't have a guide AND a large group.  It's actually been in international news due to the residents reacting to foreigners and people they perceive as "rich" in the same way the Puritans reacted to witches.), and a frightening number of guys trying to pick me up whenever my boyfriend left me unattended.

However, there were also some pretty effing awesome parts!  Like the wedding reception where we all danced till we were dizzy, the amazing historical architecture in every city, the lovely natural scenery, their boss, bad-assed public transportation system, and the super incredible interactive museums... and the shopping.  I'm sorry.  Shopping in Poland was like going to an after Christmas sale with $1000 to freely spend.  No.  Seriously.  One dollar is worth about 4 zloty and you can buy a whole pint of beer with that.  Most of the other goods, save electronics, are priced similarly.

Get Yourself Cuffed: The Aftermath

I think that I've been cuffed enough.  

Been buried a week in my craft stuff

Sitting around, I've gained some fluff

And now I'm in quite the huff.  

My patience is thin; don't call my bluff

Else I'll make sure YOU'RE cuffed enough

Moving on!  I'm not actually tired of making cuffs.  In fact, I just prepped some more aluminum bands, pleather, and fabric scraps for the next crop of the adorable little things.  BUT, I do need a break.  I'd just like to stop smelling E-6000 in my dreams.  Before I know it, I'll turn into an E-6000 glue mutant, hell-bent on covering the world with sparkles and rhinestones.  So, for the next couple of weeks, I'll stay away from the industrial strength adhesives as much as possible.

Before I commit to that, I have something to tell you.  I've got commissions and Requests!  Several of them!  There are a few for members of the Haute Couture Club of Chicago.  These gals want some custom pieces to go down the runway with their designs in this year's fashion show.  There are a couple for some members of my church (Already finished), and 1 logo design commission from one of my mom's followers here on Blogspot. 

After I finish my commissions- some of them include cuffs- I'll swear off the E-6000.  I swear it.  But, right now, I'm just excited.

Holiday Boot-camp- Week 3

So, this is week…3, or something, of my holiday boot-camp extravaganza and already I’ve shown myself to be a pitiful soldier.  My deadlines are becoming optional instead of mandatory.  I’ve even started posting my blog later and later in the week.  But don’t worry.  The boot-camp has punitive torture for that, like the ‘empty wallet with nothing to show for it’ torture and the ‘Jabba, the Hutt sized piles of supplies strategically placed to trip and injure you’ torture.  Believe you, me, these are tortures you never get used to.  I mean, every almost-blind person needs to have a certain chaotic order in their sleeping space so that they can navigate it in the dark, right?  Right?  Helloooooooo… Well, I suppose you’re all busy with your boot-camp duties too.  At least, I hope that’s the reason why I haven’t gotten any comments. 

Anyway, I’m not going to go into agonizing detail about the horrible setbacks.  But, for the sake of sating your curiosity, let’s just say that my haphazard plans and schedules bit me in the butt.  Tests, fashion shows, bumming around on the interwebs instead of watching a butt-load of Attenborough dvds for my ANTH class, and not enough sleep… they were all contributors.

 (Ain’t that a nifty graphic?  Made it in that, there, new version of paint.)

Production Goals:  Each week, I am required to make at least 5 pairs of earrings, 3 bracelets, 3 Joolry Necklaces and 2 ‘Premium’ Necklaces.  If the preceding number of each item cannot be attained or maintained, I am required to spend an approximate time equivalent of 10 hours and 45 minutes (per week, ya’ll) devoted exclusively to the creation of pieces to fill the inventory by and for the holiday buying season.  In the event of a test or a paper (5 pages or more) the production rate will be halved to accommodate necessary study times. 

Planning Goals:  Each week, I will devote, at least, 2 hours to planning designs for production during the following week.  Planning the design not only involves making the design itself, but also determining what materials will be needed, procuring those materials, and determining if the item is something that can be duplicated with relative ease.  The degree to which an item can be duplicated determines its premium, so this is all very important.   As planning may occur anywhere at anytime, I am required to make a note of these plans in a specific notebook before my noodle-strainer of a memory loses the idea.  Once the item is complete, I am required validate its quality and take pictures of it (if it meets my standards).  Once the product has been named, photographed and priced, it is to be catalogued on deviantart and in the portfolio. 

Maintenance Goals:  I am required to conduct maintenance on both my supply inventory and product inventory.  This includes taking stock of supply levels (Monthly) and keeping weekly updates to the product inventory.  I am required to properly polish products upon their completion and package them in a resealable plastic baggy to prevent tarnishing before placing them in the inventory box.  I will develop labels for each item to enable me to tell at a glance what is in which baggy and also keep things organized.  In the near future, I would like to have a better organizing system, but for now, just improve on the one I’ve got.

Supply Goals:  In addition to cataloguing my supplies, I will also keep a tight hold on my purse strings.  It is important that I cease the financially detrimental habit of impulse buying and ‘collecting’ supplies.  Supplies are meant to be used, consumed, or, if they don’t meet my standards, disposed of.  In addition to this, I will acquire and maintain ‘staple supplies’ and keep in my largest supply box and finding bags.  Staple supplies will include beads catalogued by shape and color, chains, and findings.  More distinctive beads and findings will be kept in smaller cases.  Damaged or unusable beads and findings will be thrown away as soon as they are located, no saving.

Pricing Goals (met):  I will develop and use a standardized pricing model for my products.  This model must be able to cover the cost of materials and pay me for my time.  I will not jeopardize my own financial future by being nice and only pricing things at material cost.  This is a hobby, yes, but it also opens options to grow and expand financially in the near future.  I will treat it like a job.   In accordance with this model, I will go back and reconfigure the prices for old items in the inventory to fit this pricing structure- OR begin to recycle them as ‘free gifts’ for people who have spent $200 or more.  I will make my pricing structure public knowledge in an effort to rid myself of guilt when people complain about something being ‘oh so expensive!’.

Normal Wholesale Price Model for Jewelry:  (Materials Costs + Labor Costs + Over Head Costs + Profit mark-up) x 2

My temporary pricing model: Materials Cost + $10.50/work hour + Overhead Costs + 20% profit mark-up

Profits will be used to build the business (getting a tax ID, getting a license, creating checking and savings accounts), hopefully getting to a level where hiring additional help is possible.

Blogging Goals (met):  I will update my blog each week with at least one typed page in the following format: Arial, 12pt font, single spacing.  I will include pictures for emphasis and ‘spice’. 

Holiday Bootcamp

A couple of weeks ago, I got a secret message from Etsy.com, a call to arms, the draft letter for Holiday Bootcamp! 

At first, I tried to 'dodge the draft', ignoring the summons to 'battle' because I had other commitments that are more important: school, work, church... Adding to the list would just be too much!  I couldn't sign up for 'Holiday Bootcamp'.  I barely have enough time for all my other hobbies like..reading non-school books, watching the webisodes of my favorite animes and documentaries and horror movies, reading manga and writing stories!  Holiday Bootcamp would just be too much!  It would kill me!  Oh my aching schedule! 

But then one day I got up the courage- or curiosity- to just...click it.  Just once.  Let me tell you something... it blew my addled little mind!  Everything is intricately structured, there are lists and schedules and all kinds of hints and tips laid out like a Christmas feast for anyone brave enough to take advantage them.  The clever snakes toyed with my curiosity!  They knew that I wasn't like Eve, stupid enough to go after a plain apple.  Oh... but they bated the trap well.  They dipped my apple in caramel, chocolate and peanuts.  It went downhill from there.

I suddenly found myself inspired, almost to a point of madness. Tons of sellers on Etsy are having little 'Pre-holiday' sales, tossing out glittering treats of jewels and precious metals, candies and fairytale lures for a fraction of the normal price.  And with a mind structured like a bluejay, I cried "SHINIES!!!!" and plunged right into this hellish cycle of plotting, creating and feeling utterly bereft when the materials all run out.  It leaves me feeling validated and...fulfilled, the rush of creating something sparkling and new from something old or broken has had me humming and singing made-up songs for the last week or so.  And now, now I can't go back to 'civilian life'!  Not EVER! 

And I can do this Holiday Bootcamp thing!  I can... I've seen myself do it.  Just yesterday, I created 19 pairs of earrings, 6 leather/velvet/button hairclips, and 6 rings and planned out 5 fancy-style bead-woven and filigree slider bracelets... in less than 2 hours.  It feels good, but it's not enough.  It will never be enough!  I must have MORE! 
And so, I challenge you, the readers to join Holiday Bootcamp with me!

1. Take the pledge:  Number 0: The Pledge
2. Construct your Mission statement
3. Join the Bootcamp on Facebook
4. Find a Bootcamp Buddy
5. Read the Articles:  Number 1: Success tips, Number 2: Merchandising, Number 3: Pricing, Number 4: The Art of Bundling, Number 5: Discounting
6. List and Examine Your Most Popular Items- For yourself
7. Brainstorm Something New
8. Construct a schedule and attack plan
9. Get your rear in gear!

More updates later.  Until then, stay frosty men!  And check for updates:   My Deviantart.

Start-up

After peer pressure, mom-pressure and frustration with keeping up with myself and finished projects, I've finally buckled down and made myself a blogger account.  You know, to keep a blog and post pictures of my various crafts, hobbies and all that.  This puppy's still under construction, but I hope to have a better wall paper, layout, actual POSTS, and fancy poop smoothed out by tomorrow??  Next week? 
No no, my bright eyed squirrels, let's be more realistic.  Maybe next month. Maybe.  Hey!  Don't look at my like that!  I'm a college student!  The only thing we excel at more than procrastination is ...is... Huh.  Maybe there isn't anything we excel more at.  That's... not good.

Any way, back on topic.

I solemnly swear, that this one won't go the way of my other blogs.  It won't be neglected, left to fend for itself in a veritable hailstorm of *insert blog platform (no, seriously, take your pick)* rewrites, overwrites and various blog tools having 'WE ARE DYING AND TAKING YOUR BLOG WITH US' events that, well, let's just say, I was so attentive I didn't even know about them.  BUT... I will need your help with motivating myself to post at least once each week.  Let's strike a deal, I post, you guys read and review and I will post some more.  Even if your review is a "HEY SHUT UP STUPID!"  I will post!

Ok.  Now let's sign this thing in blood and deliver it to the claims office to make sure no one backs out on their end of deal.