Pay it forward lives on.

The pay it forward movement is still going on strong. The latest sign that the movement continues is a commercial I have been seeing where someone has something good done for them and they in turn do something good for someone else.

Of course more information about what pay it forward can be found on Wiki, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay_it_forward. I remember when the movie first came out and at that time I hadn't seen it, someone paid for my lunch at a Wendys drive thru and the cashier told me the person ahead of me had paid it forward. I didn't know what that really meant at that time. It was a while before I saw the movie but when I saw it I was really moved by it and could see how someone would pay it forward. Later, I joined www.etsy.com to sell my jewelry designs and deciding factor for my joining the site was the pay it forward movement that was going on at the time. People would like an item and give it away for free. Whoever accepted the item would be asked to pay it forward by either giving away an item or doing something nice for someone else. There were 171 items currently listed as "pay it forward" in a recent search I performed on Etsy. I participated a few times and will probably do it again.

It is a good feeling to give. My newest project is Bead BEARer^TM bears. They are cute little miniture bears that bring gifts of the beauty of beads. Once they arrive in your home, they can either sit or stand anywhere you put them and keep you company, bearing your bead for you. They are tiny in size but big in heart.

God Bless Everyone,

Jenean
Designs by Jenean

Are you discouraged or encouraged?

I've been reading a few threads on a forum where some jewelry designers are appearing to feel discouraged because there is a lot of jewelry being sold on the site. I think a person has to keep a positive outlook in every situation or discouragement will set in.

Discourage
To deprive of confidence, hope, or spirit

Encourage
To inspire with hope, courage, or confidence. To give support to; foster and to stimulate.

The common word in each definition is the word confidence. In one definition it’s a lack of confidence and in the other there’s no lack of confidence. The key is to develop and maintain confidence.

There's always going to be competition in all areas of sales. I shop in an area that has a Target, Wal-Mart, Kmart and a Meijer in the same area. They pretty much sell the same things. You don't see Target making statements about closing up shop or becoming discouraged because the other stores are selling what they sell and there's too much competition. Instead, they all attempt to develop a better marketing strategy than the competition. They have created a brand name for themselves. If you see a big letter "K" you know its Kmart. My son knew the word Kmart before he could read. If you see a red bull’s eye, it's Target. Each store tries to distinguish itself from the other by marketing techniques such as branding. That's what each jewelry designer has to do on their site. Create a slogan or phrase. Develop a specialty. Offer quality products.

Always extend excellent customer service. That's how Nordstrom became popular after changing the type of products it was selling. Someone returned some automobile tires to Nordstrom and they took the tires and refunded the person's money. What’s unique about this? They didn’t sell tires. Offering exceptional customer service created a media blitz that cemented Nordstrom’s customer service policy.

My slogan for Designs by Jenean is Handmade Beaded Jewelry That Accentuates Your style. If you were wearing an outfit today, that you bought off the rack, you know many others living in the same area that you live in may be wearing the same thing you have on. With a Design by Jenean, you can separate yourself from the rest of the crowd by adding a beaded necklace. This way you are not looking exactly the same as someone else, you accentuate your style.

Before - A top right out of the store. After - the top with a Design by Jenean

Stay encouraged and be confident!

Jenean
God Bless Everyone

Simple pleasures

Sometimes in life you have to find the simple pleasures to keep you going. My simple pleasure is chai latte tea. I love to come home from a hard day of work and make a cup of chai latte tea. I love the smell and taste of the tea and it calms me. Being inspired by this tea, I have designed a necklace and earring set called Chai Delight with a Donut.

What is your simple pleasure? Go and enjoy it.

God Bless Everyone,

Jenean
Designs by Jenean

God's Interruptions

I just found out I'm going to be laid off from work soon. Initially, I was overwhelmed by the reality of what is going to happen in a couple of months. However, I began to pray and understand that this is all in God's hands. Everything is going to work out. I don't know how, but I do know WHO. I believe God is interrupting the direction I have been heading in and sending me down a different path. I'm certainly not the first person God has interrupted in life. Abraham was minding his own business, when God interrupted him in a burning bush. He ended up leading the children of Israel out of captivity. David was tending his sheep when God interrupted him and he ended up fighting Goliath then becoming the King of Israel. Mary and Joseph were engaged to be married when God interrupted them. Mary ended up giving birth to the Son of God. The Apostle Paul was on his way to persecute more Christians when God interrupted him. He ended up penning the most books in the New Testament.

You may have a plan for your life but when God interrupts you with His plan, you have to shift gears and begin to work His plan. Jeremiah said that God’s plans for you are for good and not for evil, to give you an expected end. Based on the Word, I know the outcome is going to be good. The hard part of all of this is that God doesn't reveal the whole picture of His plan all at once. His plans are given step by step. As you complete one step, the other step is revealed. His plans are ongoing leading you to good things. It takes faith to follow through with His plans. The writer of Hebrews says, without faith, it is impossible to please Him. You must believe that He is and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him. Therefore, I have made up my mind that I will seek Him first and I will look at Him and not at the problem. I am making the decision to believe that I am alright and I am good to go.

Today, I’m demonstrating my faith with two crosses I have made. Wearing a cross is not meant to be a fashion statement; it is an outward demonstration of a person’s faith in their Savoir.

God Bless Everyone,

Jenean

Try, Try Again

I took a class to learn how to bead crochet. It felt so awkward using this new technique. I was sitting in front of the finished products and I wanted mine to look like the ones that were hanging there. Realistically I knew that wasn't going to happen right away. But for some reason, it made me feel a little frustrated when I began the crochet beading technique.

Later, I began to think back on when I was raising my son. I remember when he learned how to walk. Boy was that awkward. He would fall but he would get back up and try again. The next thing I knew he was running all around the house.

I remember when he learned to ride a bike, it was again, awkward, he fell at times but he kept getting back up and trying again and again until he got it right.

I remembered when he learned how to write and how awkward it was for him. His letters were huge and some were even backwards. None of the words ever came out on a straight line. Nevertheless, he kept trying until it became easy and more developed.

Remembering all of these events and the struggle it took to master them, I know that this new technique that I'm learning will take that same try, try again attitude. My instructor suggested taking a little time each day to practice and I'm going to take her up on her advice. To put a little pressure on myself, I’m posting a picture of my first attempt to bead crochet. I will post a finished product at a later date.

God Bless Everyone,

Jenean

No More Excuses!

I was watching Fox & Friends and I saw a young man who had cerebral palsy. He did not let that hinder him in realizing one of his dreams, to play on the basketball team at his school. This young man is an excellent free throw shooter. I use the word excellent because of the root word, excel. He has developed enough discipline, dedication and a powerful mindset that allows him to make a very large percentage of his free throw attempts despite his "handicap". In order to get to the point where he is at in life, I imagine he has risen to a level of self expectation where he gives himself no room for excuses.

I have been inspired today by this young man and I'm committed to developing a life without any more excuses. No matter how difficult the task may be, with dedication, disciple and the proper mindset, I can develop excellence in whatever goal I set for myself.

This lesson comes just at the right time. This weekend I had every intention of making a lot of earrings for my web site. However events began to occur and I pushed back my earring designing goal for the weekend and I found myself using excuse after excuse for why I could not make time to make the earrings. Reflecting back on the weekend and the inspiration I received this morning, I realize nothing is accomplished with excuses. Excuses are goal extinguishers.

My new mindset is to know that life will always try to get in the way of accomplishing goals, that’s a given, but a person has the potential to be strong enough to overcome the daily obstacles by being committed to a dream. Through this commitment success will come.

Having said this, I have completed one of many earrings to come.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5590725

God Bless Everyone,

Jenean

Inspired by March

I'm inspired by everyone's excitement over the color green this month, so I made another green necklace. This piece is being sold on my http://designsbyjenean.etsy.com shop. I've learned some interesting things about St. Patrick on wikipedia. Check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick Wikipedia also says the following about the four leaf clover, "According to legend, each leaflet represents something: the first is for hope, the second is for faith, the third is for love, and the fourth is for luck." Enjoy the rest of the month everyone.

God bless everyone,
Jenean