October 18th

It's been a long week!  I had my one and only semi-serious accident this week in the studio.  I lost control of a mandrel and dropped it while it was loaded with red hot glass.  All would've been fine if I'd only just let it fall and add one more scorch to the "disposable" carpet on the floor,  but instead, I grabbed the WRONG end of the mandrel with my right hand and got some nasty burns on 4 of my fingers. Thankfully, my husband arrived home almost at that very moment and took me right in to immediate care where I was bandaged up and send home with ice and blessed painkillers. 

At least I'm able to bend them and type and hold a glass rod, so after a couple of days of feeling really clumsy and stupid, I'm back at it again!   Feeling a little humbled by how quickly this can all be turned on me if I'm not very careful.  

I've launched the Sterling Add-a-Set Bangles, and the Bangle Sets this week.  Within hours of posting the Bangle Sets in the store, I sold a bangle and a set of beads.  I'm hopeful that customers will enjoy this new product and see it as an opportunity to instantly create a piece of jewelry for themselves right out of the box.  The only problem I foresee is the possibility that some may be confused by the size of the bead-holes needed to fit the bangles, and I hope the EBAY ads are clear enough.  Time will tell.  Now I only hope the price of silver doesn't go up much or my margin will be cut even slimmer than it already is!  

Check out my first customer submission  from Molly Kate Jewelry Design.  Beautiful necklace! Be sure to check out her other designs at http://Lauriefrenchfleming.artspan.com.  You'll see many of my beads there as well as others - beautiful work Laurie! 

I'm hoping to have many more pictures to post - I don't get to see the finished product often!