Newbie Intro

Hi, everyone. I've been lurking here for a while and decided that it's time
to introduce myself -- ya know, since I've gotten to the point where I love
every single one of you!

I have been collecting beads for at least 15 years and not doing a thing
with them because I didn't have (a) the proper tools, (b) a sense of
creative urgency, or (c) any discipline whatsoever. Two months ago I broke
down and bought a couple different kinds of pliers and made my first pair of
earrings. Wow. Major breakthrough. I'm officially hooked.

I'm now working on my business plan -- trying to figure out what to do next
so that I can do THIS all the time. And I mean all the time. I tried my
first peyote stitch last night and I just have one question for you: How in
the world am I supposed to do ANYTHING ELSE EVER? I saw a few posts here
about how addictive it can be and I thought "Sure, for weaker souls than
me." Ha! YOU showed ME! :-)

Here is my website: http://thehalsteds.com/angelfish. Nothing very fancy.
I'm already at the point where I'm cringing when I look at most of the
materials I've been using -- and trying to figure out how to sell some of
this stuff so I can buy better beads, all sterling, etc. I really liked my
little fish button graphics when I first put the site up, but now I think
they look pretty amateur. So the site is, as they say, "under construction."
Did I mention that I have two small children and a full-time job? That the
website is up at all is clearly a result of the level of addiction I've
achieved in just this short time. Is there hope for me? (As if YOU ALL are a
good source for the answer to that question! LOL.)

So, I'm really really glad to have found you and am ecstatic to be here. I
know I won't be able to spend as much time here as I would like, but I will
try to keep up and contribute if I can. Thank you all for everything you've
done for me already -- you have no idea how inspiring you've been to this
newcomer!!

Angela.

In article i1nSa.2760$If5.2056@lakeread06,
"angela" wrote:

Hi, everyone. I've been lurking here for a while and decided that it's time
to introduce myself -- ya know, since I've gotten to the point where I love
every single one of you!

Hi, Angela! Welcome to the group!

--
-Kalera
Mom of Juliet, 5, Sam, 3, and Ophelia, born 5/31/03
Wife of the incomparable Moxley of www.spaceplex.com
See us at www.strattonhome.org

Welcome to the group. This is a fun place to work and play.

But I will repeat Sooz's caution, that you look more carefully before you
decide to make this a business. Most people put out a lot more money for
their start up costs than they earn for the first 4 - 6 months. Do you have
the extra cash?

Tina


"angela" wrote in message
news:i1nSa.2760$If5.2056@lakeread06...
Hi, everyone. I've been lurking here for a while and decided that it's
time
to introduce myself -- ya know, since I've gotten to the point where I
love
every single one of you!

I have been collecting beads for at least 15 years and not doing a thing
with them because I didn't have (a) the proper tools, (b) a sense of
creative urgency, or (c) any discipline whatsoever. Two months ago I broke
down and bought a couple different kinds of pliers and made my first pair
of
earrings. Wow. Major breakthrough. I'm officially hooked.

I'm now working on my business plan -- trying to figure out what to do
next
so that I can do THIS all the time. And I mean all the time. I tried my
first peyote stitch last night and I just have one question for you: How
in
the world am I supposed to do ANYTHING ELSE EVER? I saw a few posts here
about how addictive it can be and I thought "Sure, for weaker souls than
me." Ha! YOU showed ME! :-)

Here is my website: http://thehalsteds.com/angelfish. Nothing very fancy.
I'm already at the point where I'm cringing when I look at most of the
materials I've been using -- and trying to figure out how to sell some of
this stuff so I can buy better beads, all sterling, etc. I really liked my
little fish button graphics when I first put the site up, but now I think
they look pretty amateur. So the site is, as they say, "under
construction."
Did I mention that I have two small children and a full-time job? That the
website is up at all is clearly a result of the level of addiction I've
achieved in just this short time. Is there hope for me? (As if YOU ALL are
a
good source for the answer to that question! LOL.)

So, I'm really really glad to have found you and am ecstatic to be here. I
know I won't be able to spend as much time here as I would like, but I
will
try to keep up and contribute if I can. Thank you all for everything
you've
done for me already -- you have no idea how inspiring you've been to this
newcomer!!

Angela.

"Dr. Sooz" wrote in message
...
I have been collecting beads for at least 15 years and not doing a thing
with them because I didn't have (a) the proper tools, (b) a sense of
creative urgency, or (c) any discipline whatsoever. Two months ago I
broke
down and bought a couple different kinds of pliers and made my first pair
of
earrings. Wow. Major breakthrough. I'm officially hooked.
I'm now working on my business plan

I have to say two things about this.

1) It always astonishes me when people start beading one day, and a month
(or
two) later they're planning to go into business. This is an
understandable
response to the fun of beading, but.......Let's look at it seriously.

In order to know if you want to do something as your Every Day Job, you
have to
do market research to see what it's really, really like.

Sometimes market research can consist of sticking a toe in to see what the
water feels like, and then making adjustments as you go along based on the
things that happen and the things you learn-- and deciding, at some later
point, that you do or don't want to continue to pursue a particular line of
work or thought. Experience is a pretty good teacher, and there's less risk
of losing touch with your market if you're constantly reassessing it.

If one hasn't an immediate need to make a living at the thing, what harm is
there in this approach, really?

Not that you're "wrong" or that there's even a single "wrong" or "right"
here, but some people seek a "do what you love and the money will follow"
sort of approach to life. That can be a lot of fun, too

Laura

Welcome, Angela! I started beading last year myself, and always have
the idea of selling stuff on the back burner. So I can't give you any
practical advice, except that as long as you dip your financial toes
in at first and don't jump in with both feet (making stuff and selling
it can get costly, especially initially), you should be fine. Above
all, enjoy yourself!

This group is a great resource, have fun and check out the Bead Notes
and the currently-being-revamped Links List.

Welcome to the group Angela!!!!
Diana

--
http://photos.yahoo.com/lunamom44

"angela" wrote in message
news:i1nSa.2760$If5.2056@lakeread06...
Hi, everyone. I've been lurking here for a while and decided that it's
time
to introduce myself -- ya know, since I've gotten to the point where I
love
every single one of you!

I have been collecting beads for at least 15 years and not doing a thing
with them because I didn't have (a) the proper tools, (b) a sense of
creative urgency, or (c) any discipline whatsoever. Two months ago I broke
down and bought a couple different kinds of pliers and made my first pair
of
earrings. Wow. Major breakthrough. I'm officially hooked.

I'm now working on my business plan -- trying to figure out what to do
next
so that I can do THIS all the time. And I mean all the time. I tried my
first peyote stitch last night and I just have one question for you: How
in
the world am I supposed to do ANYTHING ELSE EVER? I saw a few posts here
about how addictive it can be and I thought "Sure, for weaker souls than
me." Ha! YOU showed ME! :-)

Here is my website: http://thehalsteds.com/angelfish. Nothing very fancy.
I'm already at the point where I'm cringing when I look at most of the
materials I've been using -- and trying to figure out how to sell some of
this stuff so I can buy better beads, all sterling, etc. I really liked my
little fish button graphics when I first put the site up, but now I think
they look pretty amateur. So the site is, as they say, "under
construction."
Did I mention that I have two small children and a full-time job? That the
website is up at all is clearly a result of the level of addiction I've
achieved in just this short time. Is there hope for me? (As if YOU ALL are
a
good source for the answer to that question! LOL.)

So, I'm really really glad to have found you and am ecstatic to be here. I
know I won't be able to spend as much time here as I would like, but I
will
try to keep up and contribute if I can. Thank you all for everything
you've
done for me already -- you have no idea how inspiring you've been to this
newcomer!!

Angela.

Boy can I ever relate to you!! It only gets more intense. I suggest you take
a picnic or family vacation now, because if you're anything like me, unless
you can string it, bend it, look at the light through it or weave it into
something, whatever "it" is, it will be less than interesting.

Live and be well,
Christy

"angela" wrote in message
news:i1nSa.2760$If5.2056@lakeread06...
Hi, everyone. I've been lurking here for a while and decided that it's
time
to introduce myself -- ya know, since I've gotten to the point where I
love
every single one of you!

I have been collecting beads for at least 15 years and not doing a thing
with them because I didn't have (a) the proper tools, (b) a sense of
creative urgency, or (c) any discipline whatsoever. Two months ago I broke
down and bought a couple different kinds of pliers and made my first pair
of
earrings. Wow. Major breakthrough. I'm officially hooked.

I'm now working on my business plan -- trying to figure out what to do
next
so that I can do THIS all the time. And I mean all the time. I tried my
first peyote stitch last night and I just have one question for you: How
in
the world am I supposed to do ANYTHING ELSE EVER? I saw a few posts here
about how addictive it can be and I thought "Sure, for weaker souls than
me." Ha! YOU showed ME! :-)

Here is my website: http://thehalsteds.com/angelfish. Nothing very fancy.
I'm already at the point where I'm cringing when I look at most of the
materials I've been using -- and trying to figure out how to sell some of
this stuff so I can buy better beads, all sterling, etc. I really liked my
little fish button graphics when I first put the site up, but now I think
they look pretty amateur. So the site is, as they say, "under
construction."
Did I mention that I have two small children and a full-time job? That the
website is up at all is clearly a result of the level of addiction I've
achieved in just this short time. Is there hope for me? (As if YOU ALL are
a
good source for the answer to that question! LOL.)

So, I'm really really glad to have found you and am ecstatic to be here. I
know I won't be able to spend as much time here as I would like, but I
will
try to keep up and contribute if I can. Thank you all for everything
you've
done for me already -- you have no idea how inspiring you've been to this
newcomer!!

Angela.

Not that you're "wrong" or that there's even a single "wrong" or "right"
here, but some people seek a "do what you love and the money will follow"
sort of approach to life. That can be a lot of fun, too

I've done that, too. I've known dozens (maybe hundreds) of people who have
done it also. I've seen people who weren't prepared for it fall on their faces
and suffer. I just want to stave off that sort of thing, really, and I don't
mean to be negative. I've just seen so many people jump first, look later.
Ouch!
~~
Sooz
-------
ESBC
~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html
~ Bead Notes: Beading information A - Z
http://www.lampwork.net/beadnotes.html

I think that's what it is in the real world for a full time business. But I
figured it might be shorter for e-commerce.

Tina


"Dr. Sooz" wrote in message
...
I think the average thing is to not make a profit for two years!

But I will repeat Sooz's caution, that you look more carefully before you
decide to make this a business. Most people put out a lot more money for
their start up costs than they earn for the first 4 - 6 months. Do you
have
the extra cash?


~~
Sooz
-------
ESBC
~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html
~ Bead Notes: Beading information A - Z
http://www.lampwork.net/beadnotes.html

Good point, Tina. On the downside, there's a glut of beaded jewelry on the
internet right now.

I think that's what it is in the real world for a full time business. But I
figured it might be shorter for e-commerce.

Tina

I think the average thing is to not make a profit for two years!


~~
Sooz
-------
ESBC
~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html
~ Bead Notes: Beading information A - Z
http://www.lampwork.net/beadnotes.html