Getting personal....

Lately I have been rifling through what I would call my "life's work" of a bead collection. I wouldn't say that this has been a simple task seeing as I have amassed beads & findings over the past 20+ years. When I say I've been making jewelry my whole entire life, I mean it. I started when I was about 6 years old (maybe even sooner) and I haven't stopped since. Until now.

I realized that as much as I love what I do and that it helps define me as a person, I also have other facets of my life that still have yet to be "polished". So as I figure out my next step I am sorting through thousands of beads and am getting quite emotional about it.

If you have ever collected anything in your life and have continued it past a simple "phase" you know that it can become much more than just "stuff", it can become a real part of your life. Or at least who you think you are at the time of collecting. I have decided that along with my choice of moving to New York City that I will have to pare down about 80% of my belongings and I'm really okay with that. I think the thing that has become difficult for me is that I'll also be changing careers, so I will need to relinquish my collection of beads.

I feel that I need to pass this collection on to other designers. When I originally saw these items I was inspired and saw the potential in them for creating beautiful jewelry. I think they still hold that potential but now it's up to someone else to take that and run with it. I would rather think of it as passing positive & creative energy along than see it as a "loss" for me.

So soon I will be having a huge sale of my "life's work" so to speak. Amazing beads with amazing potential...and all because I've decided to move on and create something new for myself. Not a bad deal at all.

cheers!
xo diane