As an artisan, it seems my website is always the poor child of the business! I’m happy to be out in Big Betty creating glassy goodness, enjoy online showcase events with lots of customer interaction, and enjoy creating jewelry designs and more with my creations. When it comes to this website, however, I’m more than a bit out of my league in creativity and maintenance!
What’s your strong point? Maybe we can help each other!
Hello and thanks for stopping by! This weekend is the first virtual Gathering of the Guilds in Portland. This is a show that I have vended at and attended for many years…so many talented artists coming together in one place for a weekend. If you have arrived here from the Gathering link, welcome! My website is under a massive re-branding thanks to a great marketing class I recently participated in with Dr. Julie Denton of the Zurich Glass School. Now I just need to make the time to overhaul it! I spend my time here in SW Portland creating glass beads in my Big Betty Camper Studio, gardening like mad, caring for our 2 dogs, 3 cats and 4 humans, playing tennis whenever I can, and I don’t know what happens to the rest of the time!
The Covid pandemic has taught us all many lessons this past 14 months. For me, it’s been an eye opener for my creative process and increased the time I’ve spent at my torch making glass creations. It has also forced me to overhaul my in-person sales platform and shift to online sales. I’ve found great success in utilizing Facebook selling groups for online glass bead sales and am in the process of shifting my jewelry and glass beadable items over to that platform as well. This website has a lot of pictures….A LOT…and not great pictures either - taking great product pics is also a skill I have refined greatly. Have a look, but visit my newest work on https://www.facebook.com/debcoxdesigns
Stay well, vaccinate and enjoy life!
Thanks for checking in here. I’ve been very remiss in updating my website, but plenty of excuses. Our lives have all changed dramatically this year…I can’t think of a single way we have not been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. From an artists perspective, it has meant more time to design and create, but with no venue to share with the public. My usual bead shows were all cancelled and I really miss the smiling faces and sharing my work in person with others. Online trunk shows through Facebook have become an option, and I’m learning the ins and outs while trying to build an online customer following. I need to explore other selling venues including Etsy, Pinterest and Instagram. My product shots are definitely improving! I’m working out a plan for a holiday bazaar covid-safe, social-distancing safe next month on our back patio. Might be a bit chilly but hot cider and a fire in the fire pit goes a long way. Hope you are well, safe and happy.
We’ve enjoyed a warm, dry summer here in Portland this year and now there’s that subtle shift in the air. Cooler mornings, shorter days, leaves falling…and SHOWS!
My first show of the season is the Portland Bead Society Bead Bazaar Plus on October 12th & 13th at the Doubletree Hilton by Lloyd Center (1000 NE Multnomah St.) PBS has been working really hard to update this show - make it more accessible, add multiple media vendors…and much more. I hope that you will come visit me at my table and see the yummy new designs I’ve been working on.
My silvery disc pendants and earrings will be available as well as a bunch of new fun pyrex glass straws in pretty colors. As always, I’ll have a lot of beads for you crafty types to create your own treasures with.
-> I will be hosting a few trunk shows (want to host one??) as well as an open studio event in November and December.
—> December 8th come see me at Stephenson Elementary’s Winter Gift Bazaar here in the ‘hood.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at deb@debcoxdesigns.com
Happy End of Summer!
The rainy days of winter here in Portland make it a great time to spend hours in a warm, creative space making glass beads. My new studio space, located in a refurbished trailer on the side of our property, is inviting and light, a far cry from the dark, dank corner of our garage that my studio inhabited for 12 years. I just ordered some new glass colors and am looking forward to getting them tagged and organized, then play time in the torch! 2019 is the year that I get my online act together, so my goals are getting this website current and stocked with more available items, and getting my Etsy store up and running. If you’re on my mailing list or follow my page on Facebook, watch for updates!
I am hosting my second annual holiday gift open house! Lots of beadables including wine stoppers, bottle openers, keychains and new this year some lovely beaded bowls and serving dishes. Come on by!
Join me Sunday, September 30th for an insiders view of the new trailer studio. I will be doing bead demonstrations and will have my current beads and jewelry on display. Enjoy refreshments and learn about the art of glass beadmaking!
I don't know what January is like in your neck of the woods, but here in Portland we get a lot of gray, chilly and rainy days. It tends to get me down and I'm not particularly creative or energetic when I'm down. Add to that the post holiday blahs...all the excitement, events and bazaars are over, so what do I need to create? It's a time to force myself to take a walk with the dogs, eat healthier food and get into the studio even if I have no plan or event to prepare for. What is January like for you?
Yippee! E-commerce is a good thing. I have about 20% of my available inventory posted on the new Available for Purchase page! Check it out! I'll be adding more inventory daily. For now, I've got a bunch of orders for wine stoppers to get together before Christmas!
I set a goal for myself to get a website up and rolling this year...and the year is almost at an end! I'm happy to get this site up and reaching folks! I will update with upcoming events and shows, publish new work, and hopefully entertain you a bit in the process!
Thanks for visiting!
Deb Cox
