Getting Ready for Shop Handmade

My living room had once again turned into a wood shed this week. My jewelry to finally hitting shop handmade and I've been waiting for this moment for months so I'm a bit nervous. I had my jewelry with me for so long that giving them away is like taking my kids to school for the first time.

I've been putting a lot of thought in my presentation. Shop handmade is filled to the brim with so many wonderful interesting things from different artists that I felt the need to stand out quietly. I went to the shop a couple of times and with Rachel's permission, I took a lot of photos to survey on how other people display their jewelry in the tiny space they've been given.

Just like my last jewelry party, Greg is responsible to make my jewelry display. I drew some sketches of what I want then Greg and I discuss about the practicality side of things. The final result was something pretty similar to my sketch. Originally he was trying to make the frame in magnet so that I can re-arrange my jewelry however I want- but that idea didn't last for long.

I did a lot of paperwork on my side. I design my own name card using Illustrator, print and cut them with my trimmer.

I focused a lot on earrings- since I make most of them than anything else. I have 3 different size earring holder and to be honest, I don't really know what to do about the necklaces and bracelet until now. :p

My little blurb with Rachel in the shop about packaging a product encouraged me to go ahead with my idea of making origami envelopes using interesting papers. I really love digital paper products on Etsy so I browse around for a suitable pattern. I print them on my printer on normal A4 paper, and I went ahead and spent a couple of hours in front of the tv folding envelopes. I have to thank (out of all people) my pastor, Chris for teaching me the art of folding these pretty envelopes.

On Friday morning I went to drop off my preciousness to shop handmade. Julie and Rachel was there and thankfully they were very impressed with everything. My lease starts on the 1st of Oct till the end of December- I can't wait to see my things in action inside the shop soon! 

My Life is Sooo Boring...

... no, not really. I'm just saying that cause I think that I've got nothing to write on my blog... until now. I just found out that a friend of mine got into the local papers for visiting Floriade- a spring festival that all of Canberrans are most likely to visit and have experienced. It's not like The Canberra Times are running out of topics to write about! I have friends who are performing amazing live music in Floriade, another friend who is making costume out of flowers for an event, and I'm volunteering around the garden this year- why can't the papers write about us instead?

Then again this is a bit of a slap in the face for me. If the papers can talk about nothing then surely I have better stuff to talk about to you guys- I just don't see it.

Life had changed so much for me since I last post my blog. Today I came back from work at the florist at 6pm, made salad for dinner, fell asleep on my favorite large cushion, got woken up by Greg pulling my arms 15 minutes later going, 'Honey, we gotta go!!!" And off I went to play piano for the choir for the next 2 hours. I was so tired I felt like the conductor was dragging all of us with his high speed energy conducting skills.I came home to face my old nemesis- my dirty kitchen... and  it won.

I received my first paycheck from working in the florist last week. It was my first actual pay check in one and a half years, I kid you not. I was so ecstatic to see that I've got more than 3 digit number in my bank account. I also felt slightly delirious. I just realized that I've been living off free-lancing in the past 18 months and man it was tough! I'm just glad that I persevered, cause it looks like I've reached the end of the tunnel and it's all really going to happen from here... yay!

Psalm 107 : 8-9