Category Archives: reminiscing

How i got here-part 5

December 17, 2012

This is part 5 of how I got here to catch up please read part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4.

Soon after starting my job I noticed that the university also offered informal classes. Basically classes offered to the general public that ranged anywhere from camping to cooking to computer skills to dancing and the class that would change my life “silver jewelry basics”.  It took be about 2 years though before I actually took the class. It was a bit on the pricey side so I kept putting it off. When I heard that the informal classes were ending though (due to budget cuts) I immediately signed up for the class.

Initially I took the class to make myself some earrings. I learned how to do that and a few other handy tricks when working with metal. At the end of the course I had the most finished work. It was a little like Jessica’s jewelry shop. I was satisfied with what I had achieved and was more than happy to put everything up and be done with it. Then Christmas came around. I’m terrible at buying gifts and decided it might be a good idea to pull that jewelry making stuff out and make gifts. At least they would be from the heart. Right?!

During that winter a friend of mine (who is also quite talented) asked if I would be interested in doing a little craft show with her in March. She suggested that I knit some things but knowing I could never knit enough to sell I suggested I make jewelry. So it was settled. I would sell my jewelry at the show in March. With this goal in mind I decided not only would I sell at the show but before the show I would set up an etsy shop (something I had always wanted to do), make business cards should anyone be interested in my work after the show, and figure out some packaging ideas. I was going to look professional.

I worked so hard getting inventory made and getting it all photographed. I brainstormed names for my shop and descriptions for my jewelry. Finally on the last day of January 2011, my birthday month, I opened up shop. I was so pleased with myself, at that point I wasn’t even concerned with making a sale.

Sometime after that a friend of mine suggested I make her a Texas shaped pendant. Then I made Michigan since that is where I am from and that was the beginning of what my business would become. A few other good friends purchased the first few state shaped charms and I am forever grateful to them.

When the show rolled around in March I was all set, my jewelry was made, I had packaging figured out, I has business cards, and I had an online shop.  Woo! I was so excited. Overall the show was a bust but in a way it was the best thing to have happened to me.

To be continued…

Also I just want to say Happy Birthday to my best friend Katie!

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How i got here-part 4

December 7, 2012

If you’ve been following along you know how this story starts but if you’re just joining today be sure to read part 1, 2, and 3.

With summer nearing it’s end Katie and I were all set to head to Texas. I was in the final stage of interviewing and it was between me and one other person. On a hot morning in August of 2008 Katie picked me up from my dad’s house, we ate breakfast, and we were off on our 3 day drive to Texas.

Sometime during the first few hours in the car I got a call and was told the position had been given to the other candidate. It was quite daunting. I was moving out of my home state for the very first time, I was jobless, basically homeless because we hasn’t picked out an apartment yet but yet I had the whole world ahead of me and I was with my best friend.  Those 24 hours in the car could have seemed a lot longer but we filled our time up gossiping about our summers and boys of course.

On day 3 we arrived in Austin and had a little accident with the car that resulted in a messed up muffler. So let me spell it out for you I was jobless, homeless, the car was broken, and we were in a very hot and totally new state. Ah! Things could have totally fallen apart for us at this point but we never really got down about it. We stayed positive and kept our focus on what to do next. Luckily we had booked a hostel for 3 days and that was our first home in Texas. We unloaded the car (all 8 bags or so) and set up camp. We swam in the pool and danced on the bed by night, searched for apartments by day, and had fun doing it all.

On day 2 we found a place to live, phew! Then I got right to looking for a job while Katie began her orientations for grad school. I would head to campus with her initially so I wasn’t alone and it soon occurred to me that I should apply for jobs on campus. I had some experience from my community college and that’s where Katie would be all the time so I started applying for a whole bunch of staff jobs.

While I waited around for calls I caught up on all the seasons of Lost in our unfurnished apartment. Maybe about 2 or 3 weeks after we arrived I got a call to come into the office of admissions for an interview. I was trilled. I had a pretty informal interview with a woman named Sally and I guess I made a good impression because she called me soon after to offer me the job! My parents were trilled because secretly they were freaking out for me. I would be if my kid just up and moved to Texas with no job and very little savings.

My position was part time and my boss turned out to be Sally (who I am now good friends with). The girl who trained me left about 2 months after I started and I was offered a full time position. I continued to work there for the next 4 years (my story continues within this 4 years).

 

About my christmas tree

December 4, 2012

This year I was determined to decorate my Christmas tree in the Victorian style. The past few years around Christmas time my dad and I would visit Greenfield village. They decorate the whole place for the holidays and it feels as if you stepped in time for Christmas. It’s quite magical. This year I won’t be heading home for Christmas and in order to feel a bit better about I’ve put a little Victorian styled tree in my house.

What makes it “Victorian” you say? I think the main thing is that they were shorter and set on top of a table. Beyond that you can use your imagination a little. I imagined that the trees would be decorated with things that were easily found around the house or in the woods. I made popcorn garland to string around the tree, I used felt and a vintage green ribbon to make the tree skirt, I decorated the table with nuts and oranges, and I keep a candle lit near the tree on most nights.

It turned out great and it makes me feel so cozy in the evenings. It’s a perfect reminder of holidays past and my times at Greenfield village.