It's Been Ages

Sadly, I have not touched any of my jewelry (other than what I wear on a normal basis) in MONTHS. It was as if my success from last year's Hush event went to my head and then ... just STAYED there. I haven't done a creative thing other than paint my nails with AWESOME Konad and glorious colors since then. Very SAAAAD.

Today, I am bound and determined to make SOMETHING.

Starting right after breakfast :)

Fat Apples, here we come!

O.M.G.

IT'S 3AM, Friday the THIRTEENTH. EEP. Yeah, I'm still up. I'm beating myself up for being a horrible blogger. I've been exhausted from work; angry patients, insurance issues, crazy-ass cold season. My kingdom for a flu shot! That's how we roll everyday. I'm delirious from the late hour and the fact that I am going to participate in my first official event where I will be selling my jewelry to the public. I have sold my pieces before; the first event was Fanime. A convention that is tailored to those who love Japanese animation, video games, and the like. I sold Katamari earrings at the suggestion of my awesomely creative boyfriend who is snoring behind me as I type. Katamari is a video game that came out awhile back, where the robot prince pushes a huge odd-shaped ball around the earth, collecting anything and everything that sticks to the ball. Many people recognized it to my surprise, hey, the only video game I like to play has guns and zombies in it and I made $300 that day, and not to brag, but I even outsold forementioned boyfriend's great anime drawings! I was very proud of myself.

The next event was a networking party at my sister's house, where I made another $300. She gathered a bunch of her entrepreneurial friends including me and we simply sold our wares inside her home. I even made a custom piece or two, and got a collaboration out of it.

However, after that, I made jewelry but it was sporadic over the years. I STILL have some things I have to take care of, jewelry-wise! Sorry Bimbi :( Had to get a "steady" job, had to take care of just life in general. Jewelry design was unfortunately put on the back burner. I had a number of jobs that weren't a good fit and left only enough time to flop on the nearest comfortable surface and just vegetate. Then a few months back, my cousin Matthew met a girl at a cafe called Paddy's who has her own website called JustPinchMe.com where she sells clothes and accessories but with a Netflix-ish type of selling method. He told her he has a cousin who makes jewelry and the result is that I'm selling my pieces at an event called Hush on Saturday. This is my FIRST official shopping event, something I have been contemplating for several years now. I am freaking out. I may even sell my jewelry on their website. Hence, my faith and energies have been revived and Jenalyn Lorenzo Jewelry is back on.

I have finished pricing the earrings, I still have to price the necklaces but I'll do that tomorrow. I'm getting SLEEEEEEEPY. I hate having this feeling like there's something I forgot to do ... there's a ton of stuff to get ready. I'm SO GLAD I decided to take the day off.

G'night ... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

FOLLOWING THE ADVICE OF A SHOE COMPANY

It's Mother's Day and I made four simple pairs of earrings for four great women; my sister, my sister's in-laws, and her mom.

I'm tired already.

I don't know if it's from making jewelry or sleeping late or what but nothing beats my sister exclaiming 'how pretty!!' when I gave her pink chalcedony earrings.

I came home ready to take a nap but I could not resist going online and now I'm not so sleepy anymore. Go figure. I'm sitting here typing and rambling and eating Extra Crunchy Jalapeno Chips and craving a Frappucino. Just another Sunday.

There is a lot to think about considering my future and the future of others close to me, i.e. Derrick. Now, I'm not trying to be gooey, but said futures are intertwined ...

Anyway, last Friday, I was driving to Fremont to drop my friend off and on the way, she asked me what did I want to do with my English major? I have a degree in it, I might as well use it, right? I couldn't think of an answer. There wasn't really anything I wanted to do with it. I can write, yeah, I'm pretty good at English, yeah, ... but there's nothing about it that sparks my interest. What else can I say? Lying would be a waste of time and Esther has a good bullshit meter.

Financially, it might have been a good idea to go into teaching or some other thing, but my heart wasn't in it. I simply cannot see myself in a classroom for eight hours a day. I used to cut class all the time! Why would I want to subject others to that torture? I think I have blogged about this several times already ... :T

Anyway, when she asked me, all I could think of was the path I did choose. Jewelry design with countless gemstones and vivid colors and the things I want to do and look forward to because of it. I want to be known on Etsy, I want to have my jewelry worn by celebrities like Yvonne Strahovski or 'Sarah Walker' in CHUCK, (I HEART THAT SHOW!!!!) I want to have my pieces featured in a magazine like Lucky, sadly (or is it?) none of these are things that have nothing to do with the degree that I have obtained.

So there's my answer as to why didn't I do anything with my English major, other than well, writing a blog. It is clear to me now ... again. I hate that feeling of self-doubt. I feel like I have so many things in my way. I need to get started. I need more money. I need to get started on that nest egg so I can buy supplies and make my dreams a reality.

I need to stop bitchin' and just do it.

I showed some of my jewelry to my co-worker and she liked what she saw and suggested that I show my designs at the dinner we're having next month. *gulp*

I have to get used to the exposure if this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I freak out because I tend to stammer when I'm nervous or worry that people won't like what I've spent hours on or a million other redonkulous reasons/excuses.

Again, just do it.

If I don't get to it, I'll NEVER get to post a 'Quit Your Day Job' article on Etsy and I will be collecting co-pay and dealing with people's health insurance forever.

FINANCIAL ... ISSUES.

I have a new job but that doesn't mean my troubles are over. Far from it.

I only work about twenty hours a week at the moment, and my pay is pretty good. It will be awhile before I will be able to make more money ...

So, I've been brainstorming on what other things I can do to make a living.

1. Sell on Etsy. This is taking forever. I don't have a child, or a husband, my job isn't that hard ... so what's taking me so freaking long?

2. Sell on Ebay. I've had some success there, plus got rid of some things that have been collecting dust in my room.

3. Stop shopping. *sigh* I might as well say stop breathing.

4. Make rosaries and sell them for a good price. (I have a very Catholic family) However, I think that the time and effort put into making one rosary will not match the price that some would hope to buy them for. So this is a last effort.

Still thinking of what else I can do for some deeeeeeee-nair-row...

Jasmine Earrings

I already said goodnight, but access to my own laptop is ADDICTING. Etsy is my new favorite place to be, and it leads to so many other sites. Other selling portals, jewelry designers' blogs, jewelry supply shops, you name it. I've been scouring Etsy for small lockets. I should be sleeping.

My little sister Jasmine is somewhat of a vintage fiend. Well, she's almost eighteen and graduating soon, so not so little. Where does the time go?! She loves scoring clothes from thrift shops and our mom, along with our mom's jewelry. We sorted through her jewelry and Jasmine found several things, including a pendant with my mom's name on it and a heart-shaped locket that I had when I was younger. When I see it on her, I think I might just borrow it from her but it has a good home :)

Jasmine's fascination with lockets inspired me to make a new pair of earrings today. (Note: Will post picture soon.) A simple pair of hoops with Swarovski crystals and gemstones floating on a chain with a tiny locket anchoring the bottom. I try to make pieces that I would want to wear, turn the expected into the unexpected. The earrings are asymmetrical, unique, and colorful like my goofy sister. I just decided to name them after her as I type. She is my litmus test for my designs, if her eyes don't light up or she just says they're okay, more often than not, I go back to the drawing board. She is optimistic, creative, she loves to draw, and has her own sense of style. Jasmine may be younger than me, but she has taught me many things, she reminds me every now and then to look at the bright side of things. She is wise beyond her years, I like to think it's a result of living with me. She gives me awesome, hilarious, tear-jerking birthday cards every year and my birthdays don't feel complete without them. I'm going to miss her when she goes to college.

Don't go!

I'm as protective of her as any older sister would be and I want the very, very best for her, no matter what future she chooses for herself.

As with many designs I've made, these were intended as a gift, but now I have to make another pair because I want to keep them for myself.

UPDATE: The lockets are strung onto vermeil hoops with juicy labradorite and mystic black spinel briolettes. Love them and the jingling noises they make.

Like a splinter, only not

A downside of the art of jewelry design are the odds and ends that are part of the process of putting something together by hand. Since I do not have a workbench at this time, I work on the largest surface available to me which is my bed. I always have my jewelry tools and gemstones nearby so that if I feel inspired, I can open my small toolbox, pour out my sparkly "drug of choice" and start to create. As the wire cutters well ... cut, small pieces of wire or headpin sometimes escape my detection and land on my bed or my floor. I try to pick up those pieces but I am not always successful. Apparently, the vacuum doesn't even pick up everything.

Anyway, for what seems like months, I could be in my room, fiddling around and I step in the same spot on my carpet and something will jab my foot. It must be a headpin. I've tried to find that elusive thing, but whenever I try, the pin seems to disappear. I feel around and poke into the pile, and I get ... nothing. ARGH. I try to avoid that spot, yet I forget until that pin reminds me by poking me again.

Finally, last week, I had stepped on it once more after I got out of the shower. Annoyed, I bent down and felt around and actually found it! It was large enough to reuse but I was so relieved at finding it, that I tossed it. Good riddance!

Small, silly victory. You might even wonder is this worth a blog entry? It's like a thick splinter deep in the palm of your hand. You have to remove it.

I'm so happy that I found it that I'm still rejoicing four days later. Yes, it was that much of a pain.

I do have a desk in my room but I don't like it that much. There's no legroom and it's just not my style, it's just ugly to me. I just prefer my bed. From a design standpoint, it's like I don't like to look at it, so I don't want to use it. I'd rather take it out of my room and have a good table instead to work on my jewelry.

This accomplishment of sorts crystallizes two things; that I need a studio and I should get a small craft-type vacuum, can't remember where I saw it at the moment.

By realizing those two things, this could be a bigger triumph than I thought. Good riddance to that pesky headpin and goodnight.

Presents!

Although I truly love my own jewelry, I can't help but purchase jewelry from other artists such as MimosaStudioSF and girlinworld (both fellow Etsy sellers). Can you blame me? I sort of have a weak spot for pretty, sparkly things.

The first time I saw MimosaStudioSF was at Feria Urbana a couple of years ago. The cutest little pair of white star freshwater pearl earrings on her uber-inventive (dish) jewelry rack caught my eye and they were only $13.00. It didn't take long before I picked them up and Regina was really nice and professional and has a bright smile. She has fantastic, delicate, colorful, detailed pieces in her collection. I have seen her at a couple of other shopping events since then and I always buy something from her. She gives the same outstanding level of customer service each time and remembers every single piece of jewelry she sells. How many people can say that? I don't think I can. Overall, I have bought four very different, awesome pairs of earrings and a cool beetle pendant from her. At first glance, I thought the beetle was just black, but when I heard it was iridescent, I couldn't resist anymore. Iridescence ... another weakness. The latest pair of earrings are a pair of trapeze earrings with blue topaz briolettes (above). I looooove them, there is nothing better than getting something in the mail. (Thanks to Etsy, I get something at least once a week. I have to stop.) Anyway, Regina is always fun to talk to and has such a great laugh and is the mother of an adorable little boy. I'm going to see her at PopNShop on the 28th and I have to try my hardest NOT to buy anything from her table. My budget is limited. *sigh*

I convinced my boyfriend to just let me buy at least one thing, more than likely it will be from Regina :)

One of my favorite presents from my boyfriend are the Bright Skinnies bangles from girlinworld. I was bored, surfing on the net late one night, and saw an article about 'quitting your day job' on Etsy. I was still an Etsy newbie at the time, didn't know about the Storque feature, so I read her inspiring article, (I want to quit my day job!) looked at her shop and found these bright sterling silver bangles. They were just what I wanted. My only dilemma was do I want 12 or 20 bangles? My boyfriend got them for me as an anniversary gift. They catch the light so well, every time I wear them, I play with them, polish them, I CANNOT leave them alone. They are comfortable and they slide up and down my arm, cheering me with the music they make. It's at the point where I love to wear them but I don't because I get so freaked out about just losing ONE bangle, that I only wear them on special occassions compared to all the time like I did before. I have small hands, so they tend to slip off and I lose jewelry often which is why I need to become MORE organized!

I can't wait until her store opens up, so I can look, drool, and FAIL to resist clicking 'Add to Cart' on said items.

Girlinworld also has another Etsy store called paintedmetal. This store has many more awesome pieces. It will take every ounce of my willpower to not buy anything from either designer, actually it will take all that to just stay off of Etsy altogether.

Hmmm on a side note ... I think I overuse 'awesome', (sorry!) blame the series 'How I Met Your Mother' :) They brought it back, made it a thing.

If I could, when I make more money from my NEW job, I want to buy MORE jewelry from each of these talented artists.

Just wanted to take the time to shine the spotlight on just TWO of my favorite designers. I have many, many more favorite people just like them who inspire me to make creative, beautiful pieces just as they have. Perhaps, one day, they would want to wear my designs just as much as I want to wear theirs.

That would be ... well, awesome.

UPDATE: I bought one more pair of earrings from Regina at Noise Pop and she gave me another pair for FREE, for my birthday, she says. AWESOME. Nothing better than free jewelry.

OBSTACLES

In my quest to do what I love, I am realizing that I will have to face many things that I tried to avoid more or less, things that I have to work on:

1. I have to be more computer savvy. I can't even upload a picture without getting help from someone; my cousin, my boyfriend, even my little sister. I know the basics but in order to be more independent and survive this technology-driven world, I'd better step up. I can type and shrink a picture but there is still much to learn.

2. Be more outgoing. I am shy by nature. My shyness is almost sporadic, there are some people I've known for a few years now and I still have trouble talking to them. If I want to sell my pieces in stores and at events like Feria Urbana, then I will have to break out of my shell.

3. Be a master of organization. I have been in business for a year now, but there are still things that I need to pull together. I need to organize my receipts and such on Quickbooks, having said that, I have to GET the program. I need to make stock and put my pieces up for sale on Etsy. I have to take some small business courses so I don't crash and burn once my business is finally up and running. I have the talent but I am wondering if I have the business sense. If I want this to be my career, I have to get going. I have to change things. Otherwise, Jenalyn Lorenzo Jewelry will not go too far. That would be a tragedy. I have the image of getting thrown back into a cursed cubicle to motivate me.

4. Get out of my own way. With all these things in mind, I am anxious about finally displaying my pieces on Etsy and in stores. What if no one wants to buy them? What if people just try to copy my ideas? What if I tank? These are all things that I have to consider when I put so much of myself on display. These pieces are my children and I would never make anything I wouldn't wear or wouldn't be proud to sell. I just have to bite the bullet and sell, sell, sell!

I also need to stock up/research the following:

*logo
*earring tags
*packaging - case, gift wrap, bubble wrap, etc
*necklace cards
*shipping costs
*further photography, need more angles and detail shots.
*I'm sure there's more I need to take care of *whew*

I have come a long way in the past nine years since reawakening my love of jewelry. I have seen pieces that I made when I was just a young 22 year old and compare them to the things I have made now and am proud of the progress and the growth I have made, despite all the things that I still need to work on.

Here's to looking up and forward.

TRISHA EARRINGS

Trisha Earrings

This pair of earrings is one of my favorite designs. A little bit random, elegant, and very unique plus it has some of my favorite colors. I am still unsure of what name to give to this design. I want to be consistent with the names I give to my pieces, so I want to use the names of my (female) family and friends, because without them, I wouldn't know where I would be today. I was thinking of naming these earrings after my lovely friend, Trisha because she is awesome. Contagious laugh, so thoughtful, stylish, vibrant, and is a true 'ride or die' chick haha ... she is loyal to the very end. I have fun whenever I hang out with her. She has this energy about her that makes you want to pour out your life story to her just seconds after meeting her, believe me, I've seen it happen. I have also fallen under that spell. She loves to travel, loves babies, firefighters (hahaha) and to be creative. She also loves every single piece of jewelry I give her. Always a plus.

I met her in our English class about a year after I started at Cal State Hayward, around 2002. We studied together, went to the mall, even cut class together to go to the mall together, (sorry, professors!) and I haven't seen her in awhile but I know that whenever we do hang out, it's as if nothing has changed. After everything I've endured in the past couple of years, I appreciate her friendship all the more because it is based on us having so many things in common compared to just loving to go out clubbing. It is a deeper relationship than some friendships I have had that lasted since high school. This girl is a true example of quality over quality.

I don't know how I would have lasted at CSUH (I'm gonna call it Hayward no matter what) without her.

I miss you, woman! Let's go watch Twilight again. Hahahah :)

MY GOALS

I have to keep these somewhere or I'll lose track. Must stay focused.

1. To marry my squishy bf and have 2-3 children. Not sure of the number. We'll fly by ear.
2. To be able to do what I love for the rest of my life.
3. To be able to support myself by doing what I love for the rest of my life.
4. To be able to support myself, said bf (husband), and our offspring by doing what I love for the rest of my life.
5. To be well-known and loved for doing what I love for the rest of my life.
6. To be able to quit my day job.
7. To have an awesome studio with lots of modern, clean storage and shelves that I love to keep ORGANIZED and a fantastic workbench for doing what I love for the rest of my life.
8. To be able to have that studio in a nice house in a great neighborhood with lots of rooms, one for each child and still have my studio.
9. To be constantly motivated, creative, and inspired.

Lately, I've been staying up late and reading other jewelry designers' blogs, I love to read about what inspires them and their thought processes. I should update this blog more often. Maybe one day, someone will be inspired by MY thoughts...

ISSUES ON MY MIND

As a jewelry designer, I will readily admit that I am not organized. A sad, sad fact. Ask my parents, they will attest to this ... ha. ha. I am trying to remedy this. Maybe if I start small, I will be motivated to organize the other things I've been lagging on ... like my receipts from the past year. State taxes are due at the end of January or ELSE. EEP. The joys of having your own business...

I have gone through several versions of jewelry containers over the years. I'm obsessed with small things, small containers, etc. I've had the ever present plastic baggies contained in several makeup bags. This solution has caused me to continuously root through the dark bag for the intended pair of earrings, sometimes I freak out thinking I have lost something when I really haven't. Imagine the unnecessary stress repeated every time I look in my jewelry bag! I am currently using a travel case from The Container Store where I can finally see all my pieces and it only costs $15.

I've been looking for more pretty jewelry storage ideas for my bedroom which would keep them in the open, not in a drawer. Considering the financial situation, the two requirements would be cheap and pretty. I don't want a plastic container with compartments for my earrings, because I like to have my pieces on display to motivate me and they are a representation of the progress I have made as a designer.

I've been searching everywhere for storage, so far I have found the frame with the wire screen, a jewelry frame carved out of wood, a cork board covered with fabric, and the jewelry tree at varying prices.

Today, I went shopping with my boyfriend and at Ichi Ban Kan in Burlingame, a Japanese dollar store. They were $1.50 each so I "splurged" and bought three. Ooooh ... I'm a BIG spender. Maybe this will be the thing to motivate me to organize the rest of my room and finally convert it into a jewelry design studio.

My next goal ... a fantastic workbench. Um, when I can afford it. Stay tuned.

GETTING STARTED

My name is Jenalyn Lorenzo and I am 31 years old as of December 21, 1977. I graduated from Cal State Hayward (now known as Cal State East Bay ... boooooooo ... I am NOT happy with that name change at ALL.) I graduated with an English major but my real passion is sparkly things. I'm like a fish, anything and everything sparkly catches my eye. I have been making jewelry for almost 9 years now, and I recently decided to turn it into a business. I got my business license on January 2, 2008. I thought finally gathering up the nerve to get my license would be a good way to start the new year, and it turned out to be so much easier than I thought.

I have created this blog, with the help of my loving boyfriend and cousin, my website jenalynlorenzo.com was created, and opened an account on Etsy.com, my favorite site. I could stay on that site for hours!! I am inspired by the countless sellers like myself who have their own store, have sold so many pieces, and envious that they were able to quit their day job for their passion.

THAT is my dream. Although, I have graduated with an English major, I realized that I don't want to be a teacher. I have so much love for those that do, it is a crazy job. I just cannot see myself stuck in a stuffy classroom for eight hours a day. I have tried, believe me, but I can't force myself. True, there are so many options for a career in this field but I can't see myself in any of them.

I just see myself surrounded by vivid colors, oxidized silver with callouses on my hands from all the beauty that I have created. It is my goal to be able to support myself with my creativity, to love what I do.

I have tried to steer away from my passion, I've been told that it's just good enough for a side job, that I don't have the business skills for this career, that I need a nest egg in order to finance Jenalyn Lorenzo Jewelry. In other words, obtain a regular 9 to 5 job. Ugh.

However, even though I've heard these things, it doesn't stop me. I just don't see myself doing anything else. As the great man, Randy Pausch said, "brick walls are only there to show you how much you want something." (I may be paraphrasing, but that's the general idea.)

I am the Master Procrastinator. I am my own brick wall. Haha. I need to take photos of my pieces for Etsy and my site, create MORE stock, finish some overdue projects, and find the perfect packaging. Those are just the beginning of a long list of tasks that I need to complete. It will be awhile before I consider my business up and ready to go.

This blog, for example, was created at least two months ago. This is my first entry. You could say that I have had a lot of meditation time. So I apologize in advance for any lagging that may take place on my blog or Etsy. I am trying to change all of that. In the past couple of years, I have worked at a few places and parted ways with said places for various reasons. Those momentous changes crystallized my desire to be ecstatic about my career path. I don't want to work in an office environment anymore. I don't want to be in food service ever again. I want to be comfortable and wear whatever I want, set my own business hours. In other words, be my own boss. That plus the compliments garnered by the pieces that I have made as gifts for friends and family are what have fueled my transition from "bead freak" to entrepreneur.

I am inspired by vivid colors, especially cobalt blue, unique construction, one-of-a-kind stones. I love to inject a little rebellious elegance into my pieces. I love leather cuffs, actually, any kind of accessories of course, white button down shirts, motorcycle boots, Tokidoki, gadgets, and Urban Decay makeup, and martial arts. I would only wear a dress for a special occasion, like a wedding. High heels are gorgeous, but they are not my best friend. I'm a bit too clumsy ... I am more of a classic, punk-ish, sporty girl. I strive to make my pieces versatile, lightweight, modern, asymmetrical, and of course, original. I want to be proud of each and every twist, every link, every headpin. I am notorious for dismantling something great in favor of something awesome. "Great" just isn't enough for me.

Thank you for reading my first entry and I hope you enjoyed it and come back for more! I won't ramble as much, I promise.