New Year - New Outlook

Well, I hope everyone survived the Christmas season. I did, it was questionable for a minute, but I came out on top :)

I always get stressed this time of year because I am working so hard to make jewelry for shows and to fulfill custom orders then after all that is done I get to start my Christmas shopping. It works out though, it always does. That is usually my mantra for November and December. "You have enough jewelry, you always do"... and "everything always works out just fine."

Now what? That is what I keep saying to myself. What is the next step for me?

I am trying to get my studio cleaned OUT and re-organized. I just don't really know which corner to start in. A cleanse is always good! I have old beads that I am not using, junk jewelry that is just sitting around collecting dust, etc. etc. etc. 

I am also making room for more metal working tools such as a kiln for firing metal clay and all the tools to go with that. Very exciting!!!

I am planning trips to Dallas, Tucson, and New York City. I am going to meet a couple of friends at the Dallas Market in January. I want to check out the jewelry artists to see if this is something that I might be interested in doing in the next year or two.

Tucson, is my annual buying trip!  I am not sure who is going with me yet... I booked my flight yesterday and I'll have 3  1/2 days of shopping. This is a little intimidating because it is my first time to travel alone. I'll either meet friends from Eureka when I get there or a friend from Little Rock. Flying solo is what intimidates me :/ I hate flying...

Then, the last week of February Matt and I are driving to New York. He has a Geography conference and I have shopping to do!

In the middle of all that I'll be designing new jewelry for my website and booking a few shows this Spring. 

I hope to cut down a little on my traveling this year. We'll see if that works out for me.

I still dream about a storefront... I mentally decorate and design my space everyday. I guess you could say this is good prep for when the time comes that I am in a more permanent place and can open Bella Vita Studios!

Until then, I am going to clean, organize, plan, and design, design, design. I am very excited about what is to come in 2012! I wish you a very very very Happy New Year! 

My very best friend has been looking for these keys for quite some time now. She finally found them and I have them. I think this is a good sign for 2012.

They are just beautiful!