Notice I said "A" groove, not "the'' groove. There are a whole lot of grooves, and much is still unsettled. But much is also approaching either its old normal or some level of new normal. Days no longer are constant stress. Sleep patterns are settling back down, a combination of low stress and cooler nights when windows can be left open, at least for a few hours.
The groove I'm getting comfortable with, in fact seeking out again, is spending time at the club and making jewelry.
It's the perfect time. We're welcoming the snowbirds back, though still waiting for our Canadian and British members to return. The next door neighbors from BC arrived four days ago, but it appears most are waiting for the "official" opening of the borders next month. Familiar US snowbird faces are reappearing daily, however.
My official duties have just resumed, being secretary for both a board meeting and a membership meeting each month, the latter including the first pot luck we've held since March 2020. Our oldest member still makes and brings a fantastic pecan pie, cut into slivers just the perfect size to allow us to allay guilt after helpings of nearly everything else set on the table. It never lasts long enough to serve everyone who wants a piece, so the reward is picking the table to sit at which gets chosen to be first in line. Our jewelry store is open, at least sporadically, and a couple of checks have come in, however modest.
Plus, we are also gearing up for the Sun City-wide Fall Festival, held Black Friday and Saturday, perfect timing for all the crafts clubs to reach the customers starting their holiday shopping, especially this year when there is no relevant supply chain issue. What's on the table is unique, and on the table ready for sale right then at reasonable prices. In fact, we are advised to keep our prices low so the Festival maintains its reputation as a place to get good deals, encouraging more shopping and repeat customers every year. Heck, I even shop there. My typical purchases are kitchen towels and pot holders, though two years ago - our last Festival until this year - I splurged and bought a decorative metal piece for the entryway of the house. It typically is our best sales income time of the entire year, and we get shoppers at the club afterwards who like what we offer and want more, benefitting both the club and individuals.
Looking at the potential sales uptick, the jewelry selection committee is now meeting weekly instead of twice a month, restocking our store and making sure there is a solid inventory supply for the festival. I've been serving on that committee for several years. It's a combination of seeing what everyone else is doing, maybe getting ideas for what to try myself, even tips on how to implement those ideas, and perhaps getting first crack at a purchase for that item which really jumps out. Several times I've made sales to other committee members, all people I enjoy spending a few hours a month - now more of course - working and chatting with. I even sold a piece this week, right before it got entered, by one of the committee members. It's not the first time for her.
It's also a great learning experience. I learn how we judge quality. It's never about style. That's between the seller and the customer. How is the workmanship? Are jump rings closed properly? Any edges or points sharp or scratchy? Are places where it's supposed to be smooth really smooth and polished? Are the materials used up to the job or will it come apart ten minutes after it's worn? Or even just in the process of taking it out of the bag to look at, and yes, that happens.
We also judge on how much of the finished product is actually produced by the member, vs. how much is simply assembly. If we just buy several pieces and put them together, it's rejected. It's the difference between making a chain or buying one, making a pendant or gluing a couple pieces together. We need to put "a significant part" of our own work into everything we offer for sale, using techniques and equipment available in the club, even if we have the same equipment in our home and produce it there. Some members buy their own lapidary equipment, polishers, torches, vibrators, chemicals, as well as the plethora of hand tools which nearly everybody gets for themselves so they know there's something not worn out by hundreds of other hands already, and at hand when needed.
It's always inspiring. I've gotten back into making jewelry again. I'd been noodling in my mind over the summer about how to make continuous flat spirals out of a single piece of wire, but never touched a tool or piece of wire. I thought I had it figured out after a while, but it wasn't till I tried it a couple weeks ago on some cheap wire that I had proof of concept, and several more tries till I produced something I didn't declare as scrap. Even more difficult was how and where to incorporate beads into the spiral centers as I went, something that turns out to be devilishly difficult to make look good, even more when being done in sterling wire when the pressure is on not to waste anything. One bend too sharp and...
But the fun is back in it!
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