Tangible Tidbits 2011 #10: Emails and Videos and Sculpting, Oh My!

Hey, gang! Today was very gray and rainy here...hope some of you saw sunshine! :)

As those of you who receive this message via email already know, I started using the Madmimi auto responder last week. Unfortunately, it wasn't as smooth a transition as I would have liked. :o First off, the system would not let us use the existing format for my email messages. It's close, except the header is no longer above the banner, but below it. In addition, we can't put the issue number and date on the same line, as we had before. I don't like that they are one above the other, but I have little control over that. :\ We also can't customize the footer on the message, which bugs me. And no more smileys! :( The other major problem was that my links didn't work. I received an email from Madmimi afterward, with a tip to use a screen capture from the video that links to the video itself. I may try that in the future...but if that becomes too time-consuming, I will revert back to using text links. I did find a link at the bottom of the email that asks if you want to read the message on the web, including a clickable link. That takes you to a web version of the same message, complete with working links. Of course, you can always visit the blog on our website or our YouTube channel directly to view any links or videos mentioned. ;)

In other news, our Video Sales Page is finally up and running! Check it out and let me know what you think. This is the PowerPoint presentation I developed in San Diego last month. The template they gave us had a lot of coding problems in it -- my web designer's browser kept shutting down -- so we modified it to fit in with the overall look of the website. I'm breaking some network marketing guidelines by doing this...apparently, it has been proven that a white background with black and red block lettering generate the most conversions. Still, I think that people visiting a jewelry designer/artisan expect more aesthetics in a web page. Personally, I don't think I would by jewelry or other artistic items from a white, black and red page. It lacks imagination, in my humble opinion. Time will tell if I've made a mistake or not. ;) I do want to make a second one for the Virtual Mall down the line, so I will have to see how well this one works before I make any decisions regarding that one.

My nieces slept over this weekend, so they helped me make some new pieces yesterday. I'll try to post photos over the next week or so. I have a bunch that I've taken already, but I haven't cleaned them up yet. :)

No video this week. I still have some raw material left from San Diego, but I have to go through it and decide how I want to cut it together. The videos I've posted to date were pretty simple. This one will be more of a "production." I will hopefully have it for next weekend, but I can't make any promises. Sadly, I have another family funeral to attend this week. :(

I played with Apoxie® Scuplt sculptural epoxy today. What a mess! LOL I was trying to make white hoops for a coworker. I won't know until tomorrow if they turned out all right. It takes 24 hours for the epoxy to fully dry. I also added some to my sterling silver guardian angel pendant from last semester. If the white turns out okay, I will try to make flesh color for the head and feet. Crossing my fingers!

Well, I'm outta here. Have a great week! :D

Tangible Tidbits 2011 #9: Another Month Bites the Dust...

Hi, everyone! Hope you have all been enjoying your weekend. It was pretty chilly here on Friday night and again today, but it was mild yesterday...and it's been SUNNY! We did end up having another snowstorm last Monday. I had predicted that the snow would melt just in time for us to get some more. :p Luckily, it was only a few inches and a lot of it is gone already. :)

As promised, here's Something Tangible's new Focal Piece of the Month. It's an Irish pin, in honor of St. Patrick's Day coming up, that I made as a birthday gift last year. :)

I've also uploaded my new video to YouTube. This was the final group activity from the Empowered Entrepreneurs weekend in early February. As you can see, I still have to work on improvising my "script" on the fly. :o Considering this was only the third day I'd even attempted to record myself on video, though, it could have been a lot worse! ;)



We're still working the kinks out of the new video sales page, but I think we'll have it up by next week's post. :)

I made my deliveries this week, and got a few new orders, too! One month to go in the quarter, so I'd better get moving if I want to make my sales goals. ;)

Our new class assignment for my MSU Metalwork and Jewelry class is to make a palm-sized, wearable replica of one of the tools in the studio. Preferably one that actually functions! :o We'll have another week on this one, thankfully, as I still don't know what to make! :\ I'm hoping for divine inspiration by Tuesday, so I can use the class time to get going on it.

Can you believe February's over already? :p Have a great week! :D

Tangible Tidbits 2011 #8: A Sudden Surge in Productivity

Howdy, folks! :) I've gotten SOOO much done today, I'm really proud of myself! LOL I think I've gotten more done today than I had all week! :o

This burst of energy is coming off a couple of days without internet service. It's really kind of sad, but the amount of stuff you can actually accomplish without the internet these days is pretty small. Things you don't even realize require an internet connection -- like installing a new set of headphones with a microphone to my computer, for example -- require an internet connection! :o Anyway, the repairman showed up late yesterday, and we're rockin' and rollin' again! :)

As I just mentioned, I got a new headset for my computer. I had an older one from a few years ago when I was on Skype -- I deleted my account after a guy I didn't know kept wanting me to talk dirty to him in very graphic terms...I had no idea Skype was used for that kind of thing! :o When I tried to use the microphone the other night, it wasn't working for whatever reason. So, I went to Staples and got a new one yesterday. I also purchased a small flexible tripod for my Flip video camera, so I will eventually be able to film video tutorials at my workspace. :)

I purchased the microphone so I could finish the PowerPoint presentation I started in San Diego for my soon-to-be-revealed video sales page. I had to rerecord the audio MANY times to get it right! Then, feeling ambitious, I recorded an audio track for my Steampunk PowerPoint presentation, which is already on YouTube with a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang instrumental as the soundtrack. That was a MAJOR headache, trying to get the verbiage right and not stumbling over my words. I finally got it to the point it is "passable" -- you can't really be a perfectionist doing this sort of thing or you will NEVER publish ANYTHING, IMHO -- but YouTube is having trouble converting the file. That's probably because it is in PowerPoint 2010. I'll eventually get it posted, but I temporarily shelved that for more pressing matters...like writing this blog post! ;)

I worked on my latest video on Friday night, since I didn't need an internet connection for that, thankfully! It's my Improv exercise from the trip to San Diego a few weeks ago. If you didn't know it before, you will realize that I don't take myself too seriously -- and I have a bit of a troublemaker streak -- after watching this video. ;) Thanks to Jonathan Budd and his team for enabling me to make this one...I doubt I would have done if they did not require me to "perform" in this way! LOL :)



At the Thursday's Bead Society meeting (my first as Secretary), we were making Bottles of Hope -- adding a netting design with seed beads -- to donate to cancer patients in Central New Jersey on behalf of the organization. Mine is almost finished...I'll post a picture when it's done. I made mine purple, as that is the generic color for cancer, as well as the color for pancreatic cancer (R.I.P, Grandma :))

I've got a couple of bracelets and a pair of earrings to deliver this week, so I've been working on those today. I may have my nieces help me finish them up tomorrow, as the office and schools are closed for President's Day. My brother-in-law is working, so I'm watching the girls. Their Mom and my Mom are in Chicago to attend a taping of Oprah on Tuesday morning. I can't say I'm too envious, as Chicago is probably colder than here right now. :)

BTW, most of the snow from the last few storms has melted after a few Spring-like days here! WHOO HOO! It's supposed to get cold again, but at least any new snow won't be on top of the old snow anymore! :p

The new Focal Piece of the Month will be going up sometime this week, so keep an eye out for that. As a matter of fact, I have to write that now! ;) LOL

Have a great week, everybody! :D