Hi everyone, I wanted to give a little update about the next Treasure Bag and other stuff.
First let me say, I am sorry for being absent and not responding to many off my YouTube comments and blog posts here. I have had a tough few months. But I will always respond to support messages and emails regarding orders. I try to respond as quickly as I can to those. But, it has been hard to keep up with all the comments. I do read them, they are important to me, as are each one of you.
Because of my mothers illness and death, and because the supplier, I use in China, is being very slow for various reasons, my next Treasure bag will not be available until sometime in June. At that time I will try to order the beads for two or three months of treasure bags in advance. So, that I may release one every month or every month and a half.
I am sorry for the delay and the unpredictability of the releases. But I am still trying to establish the business and the first year has been more about being home for my mother when she was ill. I also only had the funds to order for the next bag after each bag was released. It is a very slow process getting such large quantities of beads prepared. Mostly, because, I use many full strands in my bags. If I were to break them down into pieces or smaller strands, or just give a like 40 bags with 6 to 12 beads in them and a bunch of cheap metal components, it would be easier, less costly and faster. But I really wanted my bag to have enough beads to actually make full projects without having to add a ton of stuff from your own stash to it. So, it has been progressively more difficult, as I increase quantities of the bags, to get them together in a timely manner.
I am establishing new contacts and suppliers, this will help with the long waits and will offer more variety of styles and types of beads. I will be adding gemstones to the website and to the bags also. I have found a supplier that is very willing to work me and has very high quality stones, in unique shapes. He also has a factory in India that can help with packaging.
This will be nice for us gem lovers.
I also intentd to start introducing Czech Beads on the website. I have to work with the money flow so it is a slow process, but it’s coming along. You will notice more variety of the existing items on the website and larger amounts so I will not sell out so quickly. I am working on that a little more each day. I will begin to list Firepolish beads and some Presiosa crystal elements very soon. Of course more Toho too. I intend to keep the prices as reasonable as possible, this is why I chose to start with Chinese products, but I would like to offer Some of the popular Czech beads too. This will also give me more inspiration to design with.
Of course, I will continue to make tutorials and I have started a group on the Wix Spaces App, that you can post your pieces in, made from theTreasure and Stash Bags as well as from the tutorials. I will offer a few prizes every month for creative or just plain good craftsmanship, or great effort, or whatever! Just a fun way to motivate and share. I just posted this new tutorial, pictured here, and I have made a few kits for it to give away in the groups, yes there are two groups. I will also make special Stash Bags for prizes and intend to get this all rolling within the next two weeks. And yes, my international subscribers can participate. I will ship prizes to other countries. I just haven’t fully integrated international shipping of products yet. It’s very difficult to figure out parameters for that and the shipping company I use is not all that helpful. On a personal note, I am doing ok. It’s been sad and lonely. I don’t really know how to be here without my mom. She was my best friend and companion and confidant and everything, my whole life! It’s just weird. I know so many of you have gone through this too and I offer my condolences and heart felt wishes of well being to you. Thank you all so much for caring. You all have my eternal gratitude and love.
Gina
