Changes

Chocolate Pansy Bracelet.......
as usual I have been very busy making pretty things... But there have also been some changes going on at Gingerbell's.

White Rose and Violets bracelet

Christmas Candle

One change I have made is that after much thinking and weighing my options I have closed both of my Etsy shops. They were beginning to cost me more time and money then I was willing to invest for the return I was getting.

However over the last few months I have made my Http://Gingerbells.artfire.com studio my main shop and the efforts are paying off ; I am happy with the gradual steady pace. I am confident now that Artfire is out of beta and with the great improvements they continue to implement things can only continue to get better.

Another thing that has changed is that 1000markets where I had a shop has sold to another online retailer Bonanza.com. At first I wasn't happy because I really loved 1000Markets and my studio there. I wasn't going to open a shop on the other venue but I changed my mind and opened a shop there this morning http://www.bonanza.com/booths/Gingerbells . I figured I'll give it 6 months and see how it goes, sometimes it's better to go with the flow then fight the waves. Check out my new booth and let me know what you think.

And lastly I have my annual 10 day show that I have been preparing for. So if you love craft shows come check out the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival in central Indiana. It's a great county wide festival with lots to see, do and eat.

Well it's back to the work table for me.......

Polymer Clay Artists

I am a lucky person to be part of a wonderful group of polymer clay a-holics at web site called Polymer Clay Central. I have met so many wonderful talented people who love working with clay as much as I do. Everyone there is so ready to share what they know I have learned so much and been able to help others as well. I thought a good way to give a little back would be to feature some of my clay buddies at Polymer Clay Central.



So keeping the above in mind I want to tell people about someone I met at PCC. I knew I would be talking about her but I had no idea that she would be my first feature and I had no idea that my post would be a memorial post to her.



A few years ago I met a lovely woman named Cher Harper. She was a new member of our group and new to using polymer clay and she like all newbees was enthusiastic and full of questions. Her posts in our message board were so funny and full of the joy of learning something new it was hard to resist sharing the fun with her. I answered a few of her questions and then we started IM'ing each other to talk about clay . That was how we became Clay buddies.

We then started talking on the phone when she was stuck on a project and we would talk about our families, and that is how we became long distance friends. Cher had great love for her family and was very involved with her family and was very proud of them and thrilled to be a Grandmother. She had a great life she told me several times.

Like a lot friendships life sometimes gets busy and you don't keep in touch as much as you should, Cher got busy with family things and I was beginning my business and caring for my Grandson we kind of lost touch. Then my computer crashed last summer taking all my info, numbers and e-mail address with it. I wasn't to worried about Cher because I knew she checked out PCC often and I would hear from her there, She would say" Well Ginger you are really ROCKING the polymer clay world today,lol..."

Well I have learned to not take it for granted that people will be there because I learned the other day that dear, funny,kind Cher was mauled to death in her own yard by dogs... They also mauled her elderly neighbor to deathhttp://www.dailypressandargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071228/NEWS01/712280305/1002

It makes me so sad that such a kind persons life ended so violently and that she had to have been so scared. It makes me heart sick I feel sorrow for her family and thier loss.



So for me I won't take it for granted that friends will always be there in real life and in cyber life as well.