More on Tucson Market Trip

Kyla and I had an amazing time checking what is new in stones, how they have changed the cuts of stones, and how it will look with silver, gold or copper beads. It is an interesting process to find a stone with a unique shape/cut and pair it with metal beads/spacers. The creative process kicks in and our ideas for creating a unique one-of-a-kind piece for Beads in a Box is born. Then to find a vendor who has a variety of stone bracelets in a new and difference cut called fingernail and we were "off to the races". We picked bracelets made of rose quartz, turquoise, onyx, picture jasper, moss agate, to name a few. These bracelets are heirloom quality and will make a fashion statement for decades. Love them! We will share a photo or two.

The trip allows time to discuss what we are doing; what we need to do; what can change; and where do we want to be this time next year. Our ideas and plans drive what we look for and purchase. Over the last couple of years we have developed a line called "Something For Everyone" or www.sfejewelry.com. We developed relationships with several vendors to purchase pre-made fashion jewelry. SFEJewelry expands our price points, provides more variety, and changes with fashion trends. Our Beads in a Box one-of-a-kind heirloom hand designed jewelry spans the years and trends. While we were in Tucson we kept in mind both lines. We looked for the new stones and discovered new vendors for SFE.

More later, have a creative day, hugs, Karen

Post Office Delivers!

After Kyla and I packed, carried, stood in line, and packed more ~ all ten flat rate will taped boxes arrived! One always wonder if they should add additional insurance, confirmation numbers, and anything else they suggest to ensure your packages arrive at their final destination. To me after we spend so much time selecting the "treasures" it was a small price to pay. Kyla checked in and unpacked 8 of the boxes; I did two of them. Kyla found the rolling containers to fill with the "new stuff" and sorted, labeled, and put away all ten boxes. Well, they were in my office when I returned from a special visit to see three of my grandchildren. Love my time with my son and his family! I decided the rolling containers needed to be behind my door. Well, the weight of ten flat rate postal boxes did not want to roll anywhere. Kyla came in to help move them and the wheels refused to roll; so we had to push, shove, and coach them about six feet. We lost a wheel and decided to take off the rest. I now have 8 wheels inside my beautiful lead crystal candy box! Janice asked if I had lumps of coal in it. *smile*

More later ~ have a creative day, hugs, Karen

Have a creative day, Hugs, Karen

Playing Catch Up

Karen and I spent our last working day in Tucson on Saturday shipping out the rest of our purchases. I am officially now a veteran at packing boxes out of the trunk of a car. (Notice my tan *smile*) (It was 70 degrees out!) It went fairly smooth. We prayed while we were in line with our boxes that we wouldn't get Mr. Grumpy behind the counter. If it was our turn and he was to serve us, we planned on letting someone go behind us. Mr. Grumpy would remind you of Fonzie from Happy Days. His hair was stuck back in the 70's and we are sure he hasn't cracked a smile since then either.

The rest of the day we hung out at the condo packing our suitcases, picking things us and creating. It was our goal to get some proto-types for the Untapped Potential line created. We struggled but made it happen. We watched I Love Lucy re-runs while we worked and I was laughing so hard that I could barely talk when my daughter called.

Karen and I had a date to go out to dinner at Joe's Crab Shack, one of my favorites in Tucson. They didn't let me down. I love their seafood enchiladas. We were entertained by a young college student doing balloon art and the dancing of the waiters. We shared a sinful dessert and headed back to work.

On Sunday morning the alarm was set for 4:00 a.m. I woke at 3:15 worried that I missed the alarm. It was a very, very early morning. We left the condo at 5:00. It took 30 minutes to get to the airport. We had to check both of us in and return the rental. So sorry to have to say goodbye to the coolest of cars, the Ford Mustang. We spent the rest of the day doing the airport hop. The hurry up and wait game. That's when it is so much fun watching people.

The closer we got to home, the colder it got. What a rude awakening to get off the plane in Lincoln with temperatures in the teens.

Monday wasn't just a typical back-to-work Monday for Karen and I. We put five Mondays into one. Ever have those days? I spent Tuesday and Wednesday organizing our boxes of treasures as they arrived from Tucson. Now, the fun begins. We need to sort, sort, sort. What goes to Karen's, what goes to Kyla's and what stays here. I took enough of the UP line inventory home to create the proto-types. Then we'll have our new staff create them here at the office.

Next week Karen, Janice and I will all be in the office together. It will be good to have us all together so we can start planning on the next steps to get the UP line up and running.

Tootles for now, Kyla

Friday in Tucson

Can't believe today is our last day scoping out bargains. Karen started early around 4:00 a.m. and she thinks I started around 7:00. That's a normal time to get up isn't it? We did a lot of organizing this morning and packed our treasures in postal boxes. It took an hour at the post office to get everything off.

We returned to the Kino Sports Complex by 11:30ish and started the insanity all over again. We quickly stopped in the first tent to grab a few things from vendors we visited on Thursday, grabbed a bar and water and started in the second tent. We were disappointed in the second tent. It didn't seem to have the vendors that it did last year. The two vendors we planned on patronizing were a disappointment.

Today our focus was to tie up loose ends and concentrate on the Untapped Potential stones. With the UP line, we've picked certain stones that we know their mystical properties. We plan on working with rose quartz, tiger eye, aventurine, onyx, lapis, sodalite, coral, and jade to name a few. These all have the mystical/healing properties that we want represented in the UP line. So on our adventure, we searched for the size, colors, and prices we needed to create this new wholesale business. We found some beautiful dyed coral, shell and glass pearls that will make gorgeous summer wear for the cash/carry sales.

We've had three things to focus on throughout this trip. We've been looking for new stones for the one-of-a-kind, heirloom pieces we create for the Beads in a Box line. Since the Something For Everyone line is a purchased line of fashion jewelry, we kept a close eye out for good deals on pre-made custom jewelry. We found some amazing gemstone and crystal bracelets within our price range. Then, of course, the third project, Untapped Potential, is the new wholesale line.

Our brains have been cluttered with plans, ideas and strategies to make the UP line fly. It might take several years to get it going and have a presence - we are ready to get started! We will be hiring our help as soon as possible. They will start by helping us organize the gemstones that we do have, price the new jewelry, and make the kits for the wholesale line. It is unbelievable how many steps there are to get to the selling point. All this inventory will arrive at the office at the beginning of the week. Karen will be in Lincoln and Janice will be out all week. I plan to organize it and hopefully get it arranged somewhere in the office to prepare for volunteers and new hired help. Our space is an issue so it always seems like we are working in clutter. I'm always working in mass chaos due to lack of space. The main thing to remember is our ending goal, stay focused so we can help people and change lives. . . and we will.

Tootles for now, Kyla

Thursday in Tucson

Neither of us could help ourselves, we were both up before the crack of dawn working with our treasures. There is so much that goes on behind the scenes. Our strands must be counted, taken off their fish line, bagged up and calculated so we know how much each piece costs. This is imperative for pricing our new wholesale line. Crazy or driven, we started this process again at 5 ish a.m.

Today after working at the condo about four hours we returned to the JOGS show. This is our favorite show. Unfortunately, it is the farthest away and takes quite a bit of driving time to get there. I'm mastering the layout of this large city so Karen shut off our navigating system which I've nicknamed "Margaret."

This is a rarity but Karen and I shopped for over two hours before we ever purchased anything and when we found the right thing bells went off for both of us. We found some spectacular stretch bracelets in our favorite gemstones in cuts that are going to WOW our customers.

At lunch time we shared a table with a very kind and interesting couple from Wyoming. Their take on this whole gemstone obsession was refreshing. We have come across people from every state and country you could imagine speaking many different languages.

I found our friend Vicki at New Century and was surprised to see that she moved her booth. She still had the same incredible chain that we get from her every year. I love it when they remember me from last year and give me a hug.

Tim, the lampwork man, was excited to see us again, too. We see him in Tucson and Denver regularly. We use his beautiful lampwork in many ways. I'm always on the look out for specialty beads like Halloween and Christmas. It is these beads that I put on quilt pins for seasonal and cancer awareness pins. Karen found some new findings in which we'll be able to create new earrings using our awareness ribbons. We can't wait to get them put together. I was tutoring the other lampwork customers on how to wash their beads before they use them and several people thought I was working there (Once a teacher, always a teacher!)

The clock struck 12 for these Cinderellas and back to the condo we went via the grocery store where we picked up some deli food. We spent the rest of the evening separating and cutting our treasures until we couldn't see anymore.

Tootles for now, Kyla

Day Three in Tucson

It was drizzling outside but not in our spirit as we trekked off for breakfast. We were at the show at straight up 10:00. The vendors were barely ready for us. We finished our shopping with Cherry Tree Beads and moved onto other vendors at the Double Tree Hotel. I found some wonderful base metal findings that will be perfect for our new wholesale line called Untapped Potential or the UP line as we refer to it. Our plan is to be able to hire 2-4 people part-time to create this wholesale line. This will get us closer to our original mission to be able to create a line that is repeatable so we need help. This will in turn give us a chance to hire those we are serving to give them a hand up not a hand out and steer them closer to self-sufficiency.

I cannot begin to explain the sense of AWE one feels when entering these tents full of table after table of wonderful gemstones, beads, findings, creations and so much more. It is total sensory overload. I hope to catch a picture for you. The fun is in the hunt as we say but I can tell you that it is not an easy process. To remember what you saw, where you saw it, how much it was and if you could ever find it again would require several full-time assistants following us taking extensive notes. So, we have to trust our gut and go with what feels right. It's like grocery shopping; you know when it's a good deal or when it's priced too high.

This is quite a process: searching, touching, asking what it is and how much it is, and then asking again because you can't understand their language. Most of these booths only have one attendant and there is usually quite a line up to check out. While they are checking out your purchase, they are also fielding lots of questions, too. Patience, patience. Yesterday, one gentleman just couldn't talk so I could understand him. He wasn't too patient with me but he didn't dampen my spirit because I found the most awesome garnet.
What is interesting to Karen and I is the naming of the stones. We always ask what a gemstone is from each vendor we buy from to report as accurately as we can to our customers. We figure that this is their specialty. What is amazing is that one stone can have four different names. How in the heck? Turquoise jasper, teal paisley, rainbow jasper, what is it? (It could be all the same stone just different from booth to booth.) So we will report out in good faith.

Wednesday's shopping consisted of mostly purchasing the base metal findings needed for the UP line. We also found some wonderful stones that will be used exclusively for the Beads in a Box one-of-a-kind pieces. Karen absolutely fell in love with Chinese crystals because she's a flash and dazzle kind of gal.


We left the Double Tree Hotel and traveled to our favorite show out at the Kino Complex. We were there three hours and only made it down one row. We will head back there on Thursday morning. It is heart warming to me to be recognized by the vendors and I received many hugs from them as we recalled shopping there for the last three years.

Our goal at 6:00 p.m. when we drug ourselves and our goodies back to the car was to have a nice dinner. Then the plan changed to be Wal-Mart chicken. Strangely enough the Wal-Mart we went to didn't have produce or a deli. McDonalds to go, please; we have to be pretty tired for Karen to agree on McDonalds. *grin*

We hauled in all our treasures, ate our "dinner" and cozied up with our baggies and treasures to start the real work. Step one thru four: we counted each bead on a strand, divided it by the price to find the cost of each bead, took them off the fish line and bagged them up. Step five: see step one thru four again, again, and again until we can't see to do it anymore from sheer exhaustion. Off to bed by 10:00 and up again to start step one again at 5:30 for me and 4:00 for Karen, the early bird. No pictures please!


Tootles for now -- Kyla

....We began our journey

Milestones Along The Path - - -

As I think about the milestones that make up our journey, many come to mind. I will share a few of them so we have a log that reflects the path we chose. You may find it interesting or not *smile* We do hope you will share your thoughts with us. The need for discretionary or non-federal funds is the underlying principal for creating a business plan to present to the Board for support and approval. The business plan was crafted to sell on the internet and teach beading classes. The plan had little face-to-face selling other than local craft shows and the Community Action Partnership national convention. The Board support and commitment of $7,500 provided the means to begin August 2004.

As we discussed our new business~Beads in a Box, yes we had to come up with a name that the domain was still available. Beads in a Box wasn't our 1st choice and possibly not our 4th, but we were able to purchase the domain name. It fit with the idea of bead project in frosted Chinese take-out boxes. Upfront expenses included web designer, photographer, and beads of course. A few of the staff stepped forward to help create the jewelry and I taught basic bead techniques to them. They created inventory and ideas for our beading classes. Our inventory was ready! We researched local craft shows and found one in Kearney. We were on our way after signing up to sell at a November show. Now all we needed was a way to package our sales. We found burgundy jewelry boxes and gold tissue paper. We then put the item in a frosted handled bags. Of course, we had designed a gold foil sticker for the box and bag.

Two months before the local craft show I arrived home to a phone message that the show promoter had canceled the craft show! What now? Next morning I called the "team" together and asked them if they wanted to manage a craft show? Of course they did! *smile* We now had a place to showcase our jewelry. Of course we had no idea how to set up or manage this craft show. We found the original manager of this craft show, Marlene Hadwiger. She was a blessing and became our cheerleader. She helped us every step of the way and loaned us the booth dividers for the newly named Holiday Splendor Craft Show. Beads in a Box had a place to begin selling our creations.

This was the beginning of our journey and it was so much more than one can write about. We had so many ideas that we thought were genius. *grin* Many, many false starts and do overs. We were determined and dedicated to the creating a business that provided discretionary income and would hire a couple of the folks we are here to serve. The idea to hire, train, and enable a young parent to be at home in the evenings with their children, give up a second or third job, and create inventory was at the core of what we had to accomplish. Thus, began our journey!

Karen