I'm a very satisfied customer!

Lately I've been hearing a lot about companies with poor customer service, poor quality merchandise, etc. I thought you all might be interested in a company with great products and fantastic customer service.

Wired Up Beads has the most comfortable pliers I've ever used. They're called Wubbers. The handles are lightly padded but not so much that they are bulky and awkward. The jaws have already been filed perfectly so they don't mar the wire. I hate buying pliers and then having to file the jaws. WUB has already done that for you! Prices are great too.

The only affiliation I have with the company is as a VERY satisfied customer. In addition to the great pliers, the customer service is excellent. Before purchasing, I had some questions. Patti answered all my questions promptly (via e-mail) and I had my new Baby Wubbers in about 3 days (from Texas to Virginia). There was a mix-up with the invoicing and Patti resolved it in my favor, even though the error was on her part. To top it all off, she liked my jewelry and bought a bracelet from me!

In addition to pliers, WUB sells other tools, beads, wire, jump rings, and findings. I haven't tried any of these items yet, but the prices seem reasonable. Check them out at http://www.wiredupbeads.com/ .

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day to everyone!

I spent a fun few hours at the Earth Day celebration at Lynchburg College. What passion and energy those kids have! It was great fun meeting some of them and watching others dance and just enjoy being young. It drizzled all day and we had to move indoors. I was a little concerned that the turnout might not be good but I was very pleased. It was their first year doing this and I hope they do it again next year - and invite me back.

During a lull, I made a pair of earrings that I think are pretty cool. They actually started out to be a bracelet but didn't work out. Don't you love happy accidents? Anyway, if I can get a decent picture of them, I'll add it here tomorrow. Cross your fingers!

Did you know . . .?

I just recently read that putting a silica packet in with your silver jewelry can help to keep it from tarnishing so quickly. You know these packets. They come in everything! They're those little packets that say, "Don't eat." The theory is that if you place some in your jewelry box (or better yet in the little plastic zip top jewelry bags you should store your jewelry in), it will help keep moisture out and prevent tarnish. I haven't tried it myself but it can't hurt and would be a good way to reuse/recycle those little packets.

Speaking of reusing and recycling, I'll be at the Lynchburg College Earth Day celebration on Tuesday, April 22. If you're in the area, stop by and say hi! I've been working on some more button and found object jewelry in keeping with the "green" theme. As a matter of fact, some of the buttons I'm using are green. Hmmm. Is that pushing it a bit?

Do you follow fashion trends?

Do you know what the spring trends are? Are you following them? Do you even feel that you have a choice?

For example, one trend this season is circles. That's fine with me because chain maille is all about circles. But we're also seeing circles in patterns on clothing. I actually bought a top with lots of circles in the pattern before I even knew it was in fashion. I just bought it because I liked it.

Colors are another trendy part of fashion. What colors are in depends on what source you look at, but some of the fashionable colors this season are supposed to be pinks and greens, especially the lighter greens. I've already started seeing women in the grocery store wearing a pink top over a green tank.

For a peek at spring/summer color trends for 2008, take a look at Fire Mountain Gems and Pantone.

Were you aware of these trends? Do you know of any others you'd like to share with us? Do you follow the trends consciously or do you "accidentally" follow the trends because that's what you find in the stores? Are colors and styles forced upon us, even is we don't buy high fashion designer clothing or accessories?

Please share your thoughts and opinions (just click on Comment). I'm sure I'm not the only one wondering.

Negligent in my duties

Has it really been over a month since I last updated this blog?! In my defense, there's been a lot going on.

The whole family, except me, came down with the flu. As they got better, we had a visitor from Michigan (Hi Monica!) who stayed with us for a week. The day she left, I got sick but at least it waited until the day after a jewelry party that I'd been looking forward to doing. I met some wonderful ladies at that party. Thank you, Ann, for hosting it. I hope you all had as much fun as I did.

Son #5, who turns 21 on next Monday, has decided to enlist in the Army. What a mixture of feelings that brings up! I'm proud of him for taking control of his life and making the decision but I'm scared to death of what might happen. He takes his physical in 2 days and, if all goes well, heads off to boot camp on April 21.

Our lovely daughter-in-law (wife of son #1) has been quite ill for over a month. She had surgery at the end of January and her recovery has been troublesome. She's been hospitalized twice since the surgery but it looks like she's finally on the road to recovery.

As for the jewelry business, I'm gearing up for the "show" season and trying to build up stock. This is a difficult process because I constantly have ideas for new items but also need to have plenty of the "standards" on hand. Look for some exciting news coming up in a newsletter soon. (If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter, please send e-mail to sweetpea@sweetpeacreationz.com with NEWSLETTER in the subject line and I'll add you to the list.)

In the meantime - IT'S SPRING! I love spring in Virginia.

Insulation isn't always a good thing.

I have a tendency to withdraw from the world, to insulate myself. I'm very happy staying home and spending time with my family. My friends have usually been neighbors or parents of my son's friends and they are really more acquaintances than real friends. Even those I consider real friends are usually people I don't see or speak to frequently. I keep in touch mostly via computer. I don't reach out or make the first move, either in making new friends or maintaining old friendships.

That's been changing a bit in the past year.

A wonderful woman decided she wanted to be friends with me. She reached out to me. She called me, e-mailed me, included me in plans, invited me and my family out. Through her, I've met other wonderful men and women as well. Her friendship has helped me to feel that I'm worth being a friend and to actually seek out the company of others beside my family. I've found a church that I love and have joined the Bible study group. I've gone back to Weight Watchers and actually participate. I've joined the Heritage Crafters Gallery at the Lynchburg Community Market where I've met some really interesting and talented men and women. Because of her, I've stepped outside of my comfort zone.

Why am I singing her praises today? I just came home from the funeral of the husband of another amazing woman that my friend had introduced me to. It was kind of an awakening for me. I realized that if my husband dies before me, I don't want to be alone with nobody except family to care about me or comfort me or include me. I want to have friends to socialize with months after my husband, my best friend, is gone. I'm not being morbid. He's a few years older than me and statistics say that he will probably go first. I've been very happy with his company and his friendship for almost 30 years, but maybe that isn't enough anymore, as we get older. It's even more important to establish a support group of friends, not just acquaintances, now that we are living 600 miles away from where we spent most of our lives.

It's funny. A mutual love of making jewelry is how I met my friend. It's what kept us connected in the beginning of our friendship. Now, I think, we've developed a true friendship and other friendships have grown from that initial meeting, both directly and indirectly. So, while insulation may be a good thing for your home, maybe it's not the best way to live your life. Are you insulated from others? Do you have a strong support system outside of family? If tragedy were to strike would you have people to turn to? Not just today or next week, but 6 months from now? If the answer is no, maybe you should consider joining me on my quest to lessen the insulation around me, step out of my comfort zone, and reach out to others.

What will you do this week to take the first step towards making new friends?

Rocks in My Head?

Actually, I have rocks on my mind. A few months ago, Hubby and I joined the Gem and Mineral Society of Lynchburg (http://www.lynchburgrockclub.org/). Neither one of us knows very much about rocks but we know pretties when we see them. We're enjoying learning from the wonderful and knowledgeable folks at the "rock club" and we're looking forward to going on our first field trip, probably in April.

So, why do I have rocks on my mind today?

Last night, Hubby and I met with some of the other club members at the home of one of the most interesting men we've ever known. He has a whole room dedicated to his rock displays. But the really fun part of his home is the basement. It houses a lending library which caught Hubby's eye immediately, being the book person he is. But the main attraction is the collection of tools. Microscopes, grinders, sanders, polishers, templates. You name it. If it has to do with rocks, it's probably there. Hubby and I each chose a rock and spent the next 2 hours happily sawing and grinding them into what will some day become cabochons. It was getting late and we weren't finished, so we'll go back again. I can't wait to incorporate them into a necklace some day. I'll make sure to have pictures for you when they are completed. Thank you, Dave, for a wonderful evening!