Year End Review? Sure, and it can be said without a lot of words, or so I thought, until I wrote this blog.

All right. The reason I have this bead photo here is because I just needed a photo for that spot. I also happen to like this bead. It's in my Etsy store right now. You can see it here.

Now, on to the real blog.

If I had to sum up 2010 in one word, that word would be:


CHALLENGING.

In truth, that is an understatement.

However, things are going well, and, for that, I am grateful. I feel much older and so vulnerable. I do not want to relive this year. I am shaking the dust off my feet and moving on with my life.


I know that mountains are often placed in front of us to climb, but I'm tired. Climbing that same mountain again is not what I wanted to do this year, however, we must live what we are dealt.

So, looking to the future, my mantra for 2011 will be:

HOPE!

I have the HOPE that life will be better in 2011.
I have the HOPE that, no matter what, I will have the strength to endure and the courage to climb that blasted mountain.
I have the HOPE that there will be much JOY in life, again, along with the LAUGHTER that accompanies JOY, like two angels walking the road together.
I have the HOPE that even with the challenges we will face in our every day lives, we will bring something to the world that will endure when we are gone.
I have the HOPE that PEACE will flow through us to all those whom we love and to those we don't like.
I have the HOPE that LOVE will triumph in the end.

I feel very BLESSED because I have HOPE.

Name That Bead!

One of the hardest things, I think, about lampworking, is naming your beads and sets. Of course, it is challenging to make a good bead. It is challenging to design that bead. It is challenging to shape a good bead, but, for me, the most challenging aspect of making beads is naming them. There are other things I would rather do than name my beads. Eating raw liver and onions comes to mind. Eating cooked liver and onions is a very close second to that. I think it's hard to find the right name for a bead or set that will attract a buyer. Sometimes, the name of your bead brings visitors to your etsy store, ebay, or website. I've talked with other beadmakers about this issue. I have found that some of them use actual names of people they know. One artist has used the last name of someone of Asian ancestry to name a bead. One artist I know uses tribal words to name her beads. Another aritst seeks names of sets that have been sold in the past and adjusts them to fit her beads and sets. Some artists use music to help name their beads. For example, one person made a creature out of purple glass and named it the Flying Purple People Eater. I thought that was clever. Some days I just sit and look at my beads and sets before I put them in my ETSY store. I sit and look and think, repeat, repeat, repeat. All the bead names I choose are the best that I can do. Clearly, some are better than others. I have found when the name is interesting, the items I list get many more views and seem to sell rather quickly. Last night, I listed this set of discs. I had planned to name them Funky, Wonky Disc Set 2, but I was talking to a friend who suggested that I call them Amazon Wild Fire. I had 33 views within a 15 minute period of time. These discs sold within an hour. I know that the name is what attracted people to these beads.













Then there was this long heart that I made. It's been in my ETSY store for a while. I'm working on finding a new name for this bead. I think I need to develop some renewed interest in it. I call it Pencil Stick Heart. The stem of the heart reminds me of a pencil stick. Perhaps the name reminds people of school, and, with it being summer, no one is ready for that yet! I'm working on it. We shall see.




















I think this thimble needs a new name. Right now it's called Purple Handmade Lampwork Glass Thimble. Hmmmmmmmm. Doesn't sound too exciting, does it? Any suggestions would be appreciated.


















I am name challenged when it comes to naming my beads and sets. I only wish I had more imagination. Some of the names I've seen out there are names like; Misty Waterfall, Mystic, Shampoo and Conditioner. Oooooops, that last name is on my shopping list for Wal-mart. Sorry about that, but, maybe, who knows! Perhaps it can be made to sound more exotic. Let me think. How about this, Champu and Suavizante. That's the spanish translation for those words. Perhaps that might work. I think I'm going to rename my blue heart: To the Point. That seems to be much more interesting than Pencil Stick Heart. Let me know what you think. Now, for the thimble. I don't know.