How to Make Money Flow

First, a picture of my beads last week. Only three, but one of them broke; I like the yellow one with purple flowers. The gray/black/coral combo didn't turn out quite the way I wanted; the dark is lighter than I imagined.

Courtesy of Market Playground

In my last blog post, How to Get What You Need, I had a discussion about money (or the lack thereof), and received a wonderful comment from RC about how money flows; you MUST read it if you are having trouble with the direction of money in your own life.

Money is like a river, and it flows; when you hold on to money, it cannot move. We've all heard the phrase, "You can't take it with you", as well as the phrase, "You have to spend money to make money." Of the latter, I've always thought you have to spend money as an investment to get a return in the same class as the investment. For example, I spent money to start my website again and I'm hoping the flow will return in the sale of beads on the web site. Well, it doesn't have to be a specifically directed release, it just has to be a release. As long as you are holding tight to your money, you are stopping the flow, you are stopping it's journey away from, AND BACK AGAIN to you. 

Courtesy of Grieving.Org

It is about faith. That post also discussed having what you need versus what you want. I've been in this financial situation before, but then it didn't worry me as much; I had faith that God would provide what I needed, exactly when I needed it. Sometimes fear gets in the way of faith. So, I stopped being in fear and treated myself to a beer at the Moose Lodge, and had an awesome time on $5.00!

I also discussed giving as a way of receiving, and the realization that people need me to be "Mona" and that is how I give, and that isolating myself was keeping me from giving to, and receiving from, others. So on Saturday I visited friends, had a wonderful dinner, and wonderful fun.

God has her way of waking us up and making us see. It turns out that one sentence was repeated each night: "I was beginning to get really worried about you." It was time for all the elements to come back together. I'm grateful for every day, every one in it, and every moment as it is. My heart is open again.

In the bead world, The International Society of Glass Beadmakers (ISGB) is looking for instructors and talented presenters at the Gathering event in 2013. The ISGB is THE authority for glass artists, and to be a presenter or instructor you have to be a MAJOR artist, at least that is what I always felt. The best of the best teach and present here. People go to the Annual Gathering from far away, points international, to taste from the golden cup of glass perfection and innovation. I wonder if I could ever be that good!? If I made beads every day I might be that good;  if I worked on my brand every day I could be that desirable.

This year’s Gathering is in Washington, and begins this week! I would love to take classes if I were there. Classes are available in so many artistic medium from felt, to metal, to glass, and combinations of some of them too. 

Two of the mini classes (offered at night) that I would attend:

Cynthia Toops is doing a class on polymer clay combined with glass.

 

Heather Trimlett is teaching a two day class on making perfectly round beads and even twisty cane. I love Heather’s work! (Image courtesy of Jelveh Designs)

I don’t know how I would choose a regular class; the choices are incredible! 

Judy Carlson is teaching a fish making class

One of my faves, Marcy Lamberson, is teaching. She makes the most whimsical beads.

Kristina Logan is teaching. She’s the queen of dot placement, control, and dragging glass!

Margaret Zinzer is teaching. She’s the queen of insect inspirations!

One of the non-torch classes I would take is a photography class with Doug Baldwin. The beads in this picture are made with dichroic and metallic glass. These glass types shift color and luster depending on light and are very very difficult to capture on film! Doug Baldwin knows how to do it!

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that way you can share all the beautiful beads at once!