Monday, November 8, 2010

Big Dreams Start Small

Little did I know when I opened my BeadsForever Etsy shop in November 2007 that it would bring such joy to my heart.  I didn't make a big splash when I opened my shop.  Far from it!  It wasn't until almost a year later that I sold my very first item, a necklace I named "Bronze Delight" which combined beadweaving with one of my polymer clay cabs.


Today I had my 200th sale to a very dear facebook friend - one of my dichroic glass cabochons.


While 200 may not be a very large number to many of you, to me it is a huge milestone!  It took a lot of determination and perserverance to stand alone and keep putting one foot in front of another.  I'm so happy I did not give up and let my little dream die.  I praise God for giving me faith to continue on and thank my friends who encouraged me to keep going.

To celebrate this milestone and to thank you all, I am having a giveaway.  Whomever leaves a comment on this blog post will have a change to win this new Walk on the Wild Side dichroic glass cab called Midnight Mystery.


To enter this giveaway just leave a comment on my blog (say anything you want) and your name will be put in a hat for a drawing on November 15, 2010.  Only one entry per person.  Please leave some hint as to how I can get in contact with you to get your mailing address (if I don't know you already).

Remember, big dreams start small.  It just takes a little faith, courage and perserverance.  What's your dream?

44 comments:

  1. Well, count me in!!! LOVE your work, Linda, and am sooooo happy for you that you've reached such a lot of sales!!!!

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  2. Congratulations Linda! That's wonderful!

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  3. Love the one with red. Looks like molten lava with trees still standing on the horizon against a night sky. Dawna Sharp

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  4. congratulations on #200. that's inspiring.
    (you can find me on FB or thru my blog)

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  5. Congrats!! I just had my 200th sale at Etsy. It's a great number.

    Sheila

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  6. What a great thing to remind those of us who are just starting out looking at the business end of things...Congratulations Linda, I'm glad I'm one who has been able to enjoy your beautiful work!

    Julie
    jarmnm@hotmail.com

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  7. WOW a whole year before you sold your first piece. So glad you didn't give up. It is such a wonderful feeling when the Lord blesses you and gives you the desires of your heart. Look where you are today! I can do all things through Christ!

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  8. Congratulations, your cabs are truly lovely. You can find me on facebook or through chrisbeads.blogspot.com.

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  9. I would be so honoured to own this cab made by such a prolific and talented achiever

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  10. congratulations on your 200th sale!!! that's quite an accomplishment...good for you! i would really love to win this beautiful cab. it's in my favorite colors and i've never had a dichroic glass cab before. if i should happen to win, you can reach me at indigosbeads (at) live (dot) com.

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  11. Congratulations!! I think it's a GRAND accomplishment, and I'm very happy for you!! I think you are VERY successful, and I'm not measuring that by your number of sales! Blessings!! :o))

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  12. I'm so glad you stuck with it, Linda! Your success is hard-earned and well-deserved. Your work is a treasure. *hugs*

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  13. Congratulations Linda! I'm a big fan of your work.

    Laurie

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  14. Congratulations. It is very satisfying to have your own business even if it is small. Its a good start and I'm sure you will go much farther your work is lovely. Slow and steady is a reasonable approach to most things. It worked for the turtle.

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  15. Congratulations!! I am SO happy for you, Linda! You are an incredible artist, and an absolutely wonderful and special friend! <3 <3 <3

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  16. Congratulations, 200 sales sounds wonderful to me. I'm happy you hung in there and we get to see all your beautiful pieces.

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  17. Congrats! I hope to hit that number eventually, too. :) Excited for your giveaway!

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  18. Congratulations on your 200th sale. Love your midnight mystery!

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  19. Congratulations Linda! It has been a thrill watching your work develop as you grow as an artist. So excited for all the things to come!

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  20. Well, my oh my! I remember when you first started putting your amazing cabs in your Etsy store how fantastic they were; and have only gotten more and more beautiful:D Congratulations!!

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  21. I liked the blue purple ceramic pendant. My name is Irit and my e-mail is: iritbingo@ynet.co.il

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  22. congratulations!!! 200 is amazing!!! glad you stuck with it, your work is beautiful and those cabs are to die for!!! :-)

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  23. I love all of your cabs.... each one is a world of it's own!!! Congrats Linda!!!

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  24. 200 sales! That's AWESOME! Congratulations Linda!

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  25. Hey Linda, Your work is so lovely! Congratulations! My "little dream" is to see you all at B&B next year. I'll come!!! :-)))

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  26. I love the color of it. I know what I would do with it when it gets to me :) Congrats on the 200th sale!!! :)

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  27. Congratulations, your work is lovely & deserves recognition. I’m glad I bought one of your cabs before you became too famous. :)

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  28. Congratulations on your 200th sale, Linda! I love your cabs and have really enjoyed your beadwork. Cheers~ Kristi

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  29. Congratulations on passing 200 sales. I'm one of your biggest fans and would love to be in this drawing. I don't tend to win things in life, but I so adore your stunning dichrotic glass that I just have to enter your give away! Your blog's beautiful too! Plus - Midnight Mystery has my favorite blues in it!!!

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  30. Congrats on the 200th sale Linda :) Looking forward to see more "walk on the wild side" cabs on etsy, so the 200 will be 201 :P I love them!!

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  31. Congrats on your 200th sale, sweetie. Reading your story, I felt so encouraged. I am in that same place at the moment where you were in the beginning. I am also trusting God to help me make my little dream come true. Just want to thank you for being such and inspiration in my life, as a Christian and an artist, but also as a caring friend. May you celebrate your next 100 soon. Lovies

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  32. Congratulations on your sales success. The colors, shapes, and textures of your cabs are inspirational!

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  33. Congratulations, Linda! This is really a good occasion for a fiesta! I love your work, my talented friend.

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  34. I have seen your dichroic glass on FB and have admired it. Congratulations on 200 sales! Your eye for color and balance are awesome! You have a very nice polished look to your pieces. I would be very honored to own one of them and make it a "star" in anything I bead. Thank you for having this drawing to give someone the opportunity to own one of your pieces.

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  35. 200 sales is a HUGE accomplishment, so congratulations Linda! And count me in the the giveaway. Yummy cab!

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  36. Congratulations on that 200th sale! Although I'm sure I'd be playing with beads just as much as if I weren't selling my pieces, it's such a nice feeling when one of your creations goes out into the world.

    I'm loving all your dichroic cabs, too! The colors are beautiful. :-)

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  37. I have always told you that I would really love to make a piece with one of your dichroic cabs, maybe this is my lucky day! =) congratulations on your wonderful work

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  38. I am a beginning jewelry maker and I'm so excited about making things..I am taking a home study course and want to connect with others intersted in the same...

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  39. House of Dreams, I clicked on your "comment name" but couldn't find you. If you friend me on facebook, I'll know how to reach you in case you win - only if you want to, of course. http://www.facebook.com/linda.roberts1

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  40. Congratulations Linda! Wonderful, lovely! :-)

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  41. Beautiful pieces!
    kkfoster35 at msn dot com
    Karen

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  42. congrats on your success your work is evidence of why you have become so successful.I myself love your work and would really like to order some BIG dichroic cabs from you for my bead embroidery. Beadbrain308@aol.com

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  43. Congratulations and...... on your selling for 200 people, I wish I could sell.
    But no wonder, your work is fabulous!!!
    I like the blue and purple!
    I would like to buy it if you have it.

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  44. Hi Irit and thank you! I don't know how to get ahold of you, so I'm leaving a comment here in the hopes you may see it. I'm sorry, but the purple and blue cab is already gone.

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Thanks for sharing your thoughts!