Wish granted

I've been on the track for a neck for quite some time now.  I do my own modelling, but there is still a need for  necks to display more bead works in bazaars.  So, I've been snooping around and these necks I came across at St. James the Great Bazaar are the best so far ...

Here's the thing. I'd rather not spend for a neck.  Explains why I haven't bought one yet.   But I really did wish for one.

Wishes apparently do come true (haha).  Mine happened on the night of the cookout.  Thanks to B-rave dude friend.  I now have my very own neck made from pages of an old telephone directory.  He wants it painted, but I'd rather have it looking raw.  Extraordinary.

I requested for more. In different sizes.

St. James the Great Bazaar 2010

How's your Christmas shopping coming along?  I'm dilly-dallying on this task.  Been feeling too lazy due to the rush and traffic that has been going on.  Really stressful!  Or, are you  one of those who have turned Christmas shopping into a career that by now you're pretty much sitting pretty?  Hehe.  Bummer! Talk about Christmas SPIRIT!!! 

Ok, I was all geared up to jumpstart my shopping at the St. James the Great Christmas Bazaar over the long weekend. Apparently, everyone else thought and did the same...

Think maze with hurdles, obstacles and stopovers.

The food area, at 11:00 AM!  Yikes! 

The shopping RUSH is officially here.

Santa's nook.  My favorite part of the bazaar - Locally-made Christmas decors, interspersed with stalls selling houseware stuff.

Scene from my favorite part of the bazaar.

Wood carvings:  Holy Family and Mother and Child. After 30 minutes of overtaking shoppers and jumping over hurdles, I finally found something to buy.  Bought these for two loving aunts.  Yay! 

Ceramic ducks.  Their ugliness grew on me.  I now see them pretty. Haha!  I swear, these ducks made me laugh out loud.  I'm sure the sales staff thought of me as cuckoo. Better yet, quack quack! Of course, something that makes me laugh is worth bringing home.  Mother duck and  3 ugly ducklings are now all on-display.

Stalls along the field.

The soccer/firsbee field converted into a  rest and play area. 

Parking was a major problem.  We parked really far far away.

I'm not so done yet with my Christmas shopping. To sum it up, only two were scratched out from the list.  Hopefully, I finish the remaining 100 this week.  Ha!Ha!

B-eads+B-azaars=B-FREAK

A "B"-freak, that's what I am!  Lol.  B-eads...a given. And, B-azaar. Yay!!! I'm back!!! I'm so excited about this. Can you feel it? It's been more than a year since I last joined a bazaar.  Christmas last year was off since I had other matters on the list.   But this year, top of my list is to celebrate the season in a Bazaar, Bazaar, Bazaar!!! In the South.  Specifically, Alabang :)

My first bazaar ever.  St. James the Great 2006 at Cuenca, Ayala Alabang Village.  Shared the booth with a friend who sold "sexy" shoes.  See my Mom-in-law's yellow sleeve.  She and her friends are my oh-so-loyal customers.

Me amidst the St. James the Great 2007 crowd.   There's no doubt that this bazaar is very popular.  Shoppers from all parts of Metro Manila come over to the south to shop for great finds.  

The only photo I have of my Tahanan Village Bazaar in 2007.  It was too hot to take photos.  Stay still was what I only thought about. 

Casa Y Jardin 2008.  My first time to venture out of Alabang.  This bazaar was held in Pasig.  Tiring!!!  Too far!!!  After this bazaar, I made a promise never to step out of Alabang anymore.  Lol. Oh, hello cousin in yellow :)

Got Gifts Christmas Bazaar 2008.  An invitational bazaar which my friends (vendors too) and I organized at the roofdeck of my former pad in Makati :)  Relaxing because of the homey ambience and chika-friends.

Alabang Hills Village Christmas Bazaar 2008.  A 3-day bazaar which I fell in love with and promised to return in 2009.  As I've earlier said, I was  busy with other matters and by some twist of fate, Alabang Hills skipped on last year's bazaar too!

  

ATC Sunday Market in April 2009 (parking lot beside St. Jerome Church in Alabang Town Center).  When I'm on a break, 6-footer J. Bond takes over and sells n-o-t-h-i-n-g! 

Note to self:  Must brief J. Bond on the beads and stones for this year's bazaars. Otherwise, adios customers.  Lol!

My other 6-footer lil helper, B=RAVE dude friend. 

My last bazaar at Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna in April and May 2009 before I took a break.  Here I am with Alvin, my bazaar/pharmacy assistant :) 

So there.  After having gone through the photos, I realized that I haven't missed a year after all.  Good thing I was able to break that bead-block and I'm so looking forward to joining these 2010 bazaars:  Woodrose Family Bazaar on October 16-17, 2010 at Cuenca, Ayala Alabang Village and Christmas Treats Bazaar on December 10-12, 2010 at the basketball court of Alabang Hills Village. I'm thinking of joining one more, preferably in November.  But let's see where the flow will bring me.

Yes and just like me, Alabang Hills is back on the bazaar-groove this year too :)  To vendors who posted a message on my previous blog  inquiring on the contact details of the Alabang Hills Village organizer, Jing of the village association is waiting for your call.  Contact numbers:  (632)8508254 or (632)8509631.

Happy and Confused

I am HAPPY! ... I am CONFUSED!

HAPPY -- I received an email inviting By Beaded Story to join a last Summer hurrah BAZAAR  in June.  Yahoo!!!  A dream come true.   It was late last year when I wrote a mental note of joining THIS  bazaar  while having an alone coffee break in MOHEGAN SUN.....

I was still faced with a huge creative block at that moment. So first step of getting the act together was  jot down mental notes with a cup of coffee while Mom played craps ... while Dad 2 stalked the horse race ...  while  Yaya (our loyal nanny) played the slots ... and while J. Bond was on his way back to Manila. 

KEY LEARNING: an environment filled with "ka-chings" and "jackpots"  is absolutely inspiring and conducive to planning :)  

Here were my notes:

Action 1:  BEAD!

Action 2:  Delete sold out bead photos from multiply site ...

Action 3:  ...and replace with photos of new designs.

Action 4:  Replenish stocks at SONYAS GARDEN.

Action 5:  Look for new consignment opportunities...

Action 6:  ..but must be easy to deal with like Sonyas Garden.

and Action 7:  Join these bazaars -- (Manila) American Women's Bazaar, St. James, Rockwell Tent, Assumption Bazaar, Casa Y Jardin, Karl Edwards. (New York) rent a stall at Bryant Park ... in 10 years time!  Lol!

Actions 1 to 4, accomplished!  5 to 7, work in progress.  7 specifically New York, a LEAP high over the rainbow .... 

I have participated in three out of the six Manila-based bazaars. Thus, I leaped high  with glee when I received an email from the fourth.  And just when I thought that dreams do come true . . .

... I ended CONFUSED -- the rental rates gave me a big shock.  My exact words, "WHAT!!! NO WAY!!!"

For courtesy purposes, I'll keep the  details of the offer in silent mode.  THE WORDS say everything you need to know.   Just makes me wonder if the following factors were taken into account.  I didn't bother to ask.

1.  The event date is an off-peak shopping month. 
2.  More so, the back-to-school month.  Ergo, shopping for pleasure takes a backseat.

3.  Amount of rent is what I pay for my participation in CHRISTMAS bazaars.

Hmm ... my QUESTION (feel free to answer) -- are bazaars still the way to go? 

I admit that I am an avid "bazaarista" defined in 3 ways:  a SHOPPER; a VENDOR; and an ORGANIZER. 

GOT GIFTS Private Christmas Bazaar in 2008

With my mall background, I thought one day why not put this learned skill to use.  I was very much into the bazaar-mania anyway.  Thus, I started organizing and participating in my own initiated-bazaars. A cost-efficient way to blend By Beaded Story with my new-found knack. I have tweaked and added new flavor to the meaning of bazaar so as not to go head-on with strong and long-time players.   Let me talk about this in detail in another blog.

Vendors Brief for Nuvali's Grand Launch and Weekend Market

With experience as basis, I feel that the bazaars I used to know and follow have slowly lost their novelty.  There is a proliferation of bazaars in every nook and corner of the metropolis, yet offers are all the same.    As confirmed by an aunt (who happens to be a pioneer in joining bazaars), traffic count have posted  a significant decline versus previous years.  Please note that I have no actual research data to support this claim.  This was based from observation (and actual sales).

In J. Bond's own terms, he said .... "bazaars have become a hodge podge of everything the same". 

Yet, bazaars have its good points.  It helps create awareness for your product.  You get to know the market and enhances social skills.  It is business and fun rolled into one.  Temporary in nature = less pressure.  And, You EARN(?!)-depends on when, where, who, why and how.

Wood bags from one of my handicraft concessionares

Taking note of the above, I am  happy and confused. 

Happy because of invitations I received for this year's bazaars.  Confused because of my predicaments on rates and changes in shopping behavior.

So, do I stick with  mental note number 7?   I really have no idea. 

I think I need to schedule a second alone coffee moment pretty soon.

March 18, 2010 MY ANSWER TO 3 QUESTIONS

I was faced with 3 questions from 3 different people this month. . .

Question 1: 
"How come you never considered setting up a kiosk for your beads in a mall?" 

Question 2: 
"Can you work as a sub-contractor for my bead business? 

Question 3:
"I need beaded BIB necklaces for a high-end store in Makati. Can you make it?"

I was stunned.  I used to ask the 1st question when I was still working for the mall.  As for the 2nd and 3rd questions, I felt a momentary excitement because I knew that these  proposals -- with the condition of exclusivity and having to sacrifice By Beaded Story's name -- equated to income.   

Let me tell you, this is not the first time I was asked these questions.   In previous encounters, I would say I will think about it. 

But this time, I give you my answer . . .

By Beaded Story happened at a time when I longed for  a creative outlet.  I wanted to see and feel more color amidst a black and white world. I had to get out of that 4-sided box and be able to work freely... without any pressure and deadline.

So one day, my heart chose to bead. 

I call these LUCKey Charms. 

I made 300 pieces of these on the day I decided to end my 12-year corporate life.  

I bead because

. . .  I am able to share with you my stories.

. . .  I show you how I see the world.

. . .  I feel fulfilled.

Me at my first bazaar in 2006.  St. James the Great Bazaar.

I am thankful for the appreciation,  for the business proposals, for invitations to lease a permanent space.  But all these years, I have shielded By Beaded Story from my black and white world.  I refuse to accommodate fads, pressure and deadline.  Let the Pharmacy handle that.

By Beaded Story's booth at St. James the Great Bazaar.

I will continue to live with what I originally planned for By Beaded Story . . .  To bead with a Story.  To be unique and one-of-a-kind. To produce in  limited quantities.  To make my presence felt where I feel is right. 

I never saw my beading as a business nor a hobby.  

By Beaded Story is all about LIVING ONE'S DREAM.

A blurred photo of a dragonfly resting on the mirror I used during the 2009 Sunday Market at ATC.  This is my favorite photo among all my bazaar photos.