Lezlie Winemaker, Dream Glass, Toronto.

Lezlie is the glass artist from whom I purchased that gorgeous heart lampwork bead you see in my header. I wish I could call it mine: alas, it is my bead only because I bought it. The rest of the necklace, all those seed beads and leaves and such, is mine. Well, really it isn't mine anymore: I gave it to my sister.

Lezlie is a warm and enthusiastic artist who looks way too young to accomplish all she has.

She has degrees and diplomas from OCAD (Ontario College of Art and Design), York University, Parsons School of Design (New York). Lezlie is now one of Canada's inspired creators of wearable art.

Now, you can see Lezlie and her marvellous glass at selected craft shows, galleries and boutiques in Canada, the States and the UK. Her work can be seen in popular magazines, art publications and newspapers. And! Lezlie has been a guest on CityLine and Global Television.

"Beads are spiritual, magical, and mystical, and somehow evoke a connection to our ancient ancestors. Glass comes from the earth and will withstand the test of time!" ~~

Lezlie Winemaker

Visit her website to see more of her beautiful work.

A New Year

Well, Christmas 2008 is over. And it's time to write up those new year resolutions.

I've chosen to focus on business rather than personal stuff like losing weight, exercising more, eating a balanced diet, and all those other resolutions that I break just as soon as somebody offers me something sweet.

I am an artisan jeweller; I make jewellery that doesn't rely on precious gems or precious metals. My artisan jewellery is unique and worn by self-assured women from the West Coast to Ontario, Canada.

I want to publish a really fine newsletter.
I want to Twitter, Flickr and Blog and all the CheapTweets and all those tools.
I want to acknowledge the work others' do on my behalf.
I want to develop a signature piece ~ haven't got that just yet, but I'm working on it.
I want to write more.
I want to balance my accounts and pay down my personal debt.
I have joined a group whose focus is wirework ~ I'm going to learn how to do much more in the comfort of my own easy chair.

And then, I can organize my workroom ~ that's the room I lovingly call my PigPen ~ when I need to burn off some energy.
I can better my efforts to be 'green.' My condo board is researching and putting in place some things that will help all of us be ecologically friendly.
I can take canvas bags everywhere so I don't rely on plastic bags to carry my purchases.

My BIGGEST goal? In March 2009, I will be a vendor at Toronto's 'Almost Spring' Bead Oasis Show. I am very excited about it: 3 days in the vendor marketplace, schmoozing with my friends and making new ones. It will be exhausting and I've a long way to go yet to reach the stock level I need for the show. It's worth doing.

Well, that's it for me. For now.
May all of my readers have a very happy, safe, and prosperous 2009.
Helene ~ Glass0Beads ~
~ it's a #0, not the letter O~

Notes to Self ~ The End

Well, it was a lose-lose outcome. I resigned from the board and it cost me my membership to the group. It cost the group another chance for cross promotion.

The group utilizes social marketing, a form of viral marketing, to advertise their personal shoppe and the membership shoppe. This method of marketing can be used whether you are a member or not. Using it is lots of fun and you never feel like you are alone in a desert.

What I hope I haven't lost is the friendships I was making during my very brief membership in the group. These are wonderful men and women; gifted artisans all. It would be an even bigger loss if they shun me, too.

My time here is so limited that I have neither the time, nor the energy to waste being bitter. In the end, I wish the group and its group shop much success in 2009. And, for everyone of the membership: good luck, good business.

And goodbye for now.
Thanks for the friendship and the help shown me.
Helene ~ Glass0Beads ~