My process to making my Jewelry

This is going to be a series of post explaining My process on how I create my Creations. Later I will break this down to show each step and the tools needed for the step and process but this will be the general start.

I am FAR from an Leather expert I have taught myself everything by doing, practicing, watching  tutorials and reading leather manuals.I have been doing Leather craft for about 5 years now and it has been a very satisfying learning process and look forward to improving my skills and knowledge.

So lets start with my first step which is usually the IDEA of a piece.
I get alot of my ideas and inspiration from the tools or Stones or even from my friends and family. It just comes and I Sketch it out or write it out if its a general thought like Boot straps,wraps,turquoise, etc.
I Even look through my Leather pattern books and manuals to see others work  and get inspired to maybe do something I haven't tried,which in leather is ALOT.
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
1. tooling leather, I usually use 3/4 oz or 4/5 oz
2. cutting tools (scissors,xacto knife,circular blade)
3. cutting mat
4. ruler
5. poundo board, and marble or granite slab
6. mallet
7. stamping tools
8. swivel knife
9. bowl and sponge for water
10. Dye
11. Snaps, findings and setters
12. Hole punch
OK so now I have a sketch and a Idea what I'm going to make now is my time to get my leather and cut it out to my desired width or size needed. To do this I use a circular cutter, cutting mat and ruler. since alot of my ideas and creations are for woman its usually in the range of  1/2" to 2" wide and usually to fit the standard 6.5" to 7.5" wrist but I do all sizes and widths.
Now I have my leather cut and I'm ready to start. I will have my water and sponge for CASING the leather which is basically rubbing it with a damp sponge so the top layer of leather is wet and ready for your stamping,tooling,cutting. This is a learning process in its own I have made LOTS of mistakes working on leather to wet and dry. You run the sponge over the leather and you will see it change to a darker color as it absorbs the water and do this until it has the same shade through out then wait. you will see it lighten up or dry  and it will feel cool to the touch now is the time for stamping or putting your tooling design on it with a stylus. After you have stamped your design you let it dry completely. if you put a design on it with a stylus then you next step is to Cut in the design with your Swivel knife. This is a tool that is Difficult to learn and master. It is something I have been delaying but I am now just doing this process as I find my stamping skills are advanced enough to master this skill.
So Lets continue as if you just stamped in your design and its is dried completely next is to Dye the item.  This is Another skill you must learn  because it can make or break a piece. So practice on a scrap of leather to make sure you like the color,process etc, after the dye it must dry again completely. When dry Buff it, seal it and let it dry. Now you need to put on the snaps,rivets,findings or any other design element you want such as beads,stones,rings, etc. to do this you will need a Hole punch. Measure twice do it once as they say. After your holes are done for snaps you apply your snaps with a snap setter and a mallet. Now it's ready for you to wear and enjoy for Many Many years. And with leather it gets better with age and will soften with wear. But It is Not water proof so be careful, you don't want it ruined after you did all this work with water.
This was just a General overview and my later posts will have a More in depth look and have pictures of the steps and tools needed for those steps.
As you can see there are alot of materials needed and steps used to accomplish an item in leather. I want folks to see and appreciate the steps we leather artist go through for a finished product.
I welcome all comments and suggestions you may have for me

God Bless

SOOooo Hard to Blog

Well it's been over a week and No blog post and I'm seriously disappointed in myself. It was a goal to do it at least 4 times a Week and I'm just not able to get this done. But it seems I'm failing in alot of my other plans I'm making also,So
I have to think about why is it I'm not able to follow through? I spend alot of time searching on the net,doing FB, emails alot of distractions... I have always been the type who is side tracked and I find I always took another direction from where I intended to go. WHY is this? And why cant I stop it?
Discipline that's right discipline, I'm a Flaky artist type that gets caught up in the Creating and not the Black and white of Blogs, business plans, schedules,
organization,etc,ugh...I wish there was 2 of me one to do the Office stuff and then me to have fun creating and only think CREATE. But alas there's only Me
So get over it Julicia and Get you Butt in Gear!! For Goodness Sake your a Mom of 4 and have run the House so you can Do This!!!! YES I CAN
I will do this!!! Life can only change if you Change it, and so I will.
This weekend will be a Restart, I am going to relax chill with the family,Clean,organize my stuff, create a Plan that is realistic for me to stick with so I am not failing.
I hope all Have a Wonderful and Glorious Day
God Bless,Julicia

What to do When things Dont go as you Hoped

In Short You Keep Going!!!! That's what I do I did a sale at a New Market and to say the Least It Was A Big Disappointment
Paid 50 for slot and made 17 and spent like 10.. so it was not a great day for me. It was another day of what am I doing this for? What am I trying to accomplish? Well I want folks to see my products and see my creations for one, But it just seems they were not interested on Saturday. I want them to see the beauty and want to own it. I want to Make money so I can contribute to our Family. Then secondly I need to feel I am doing something for myself. Exactly what do I mean by this? This is not easy to answer, As a Mom of 4. My children are my First concern and their Happiness and stability is #1 on my list. But as they get older and I get older and less needed I have this ever creeping feeling I'm not being true to Me. I have this fear that I will be done with raising my kids and Home thinking what now? I don't want to be sitting there thinking I had wasted my talents and skills and Have a feeling of rushing to making up for it.. My first thought to this is my Mom, She sacrificed alot in her life and now I see she is regretful and wished she had chosen different paths. I don't want this, I see what regret and what ifs does to people. I will not be one!!!
So I start this week with the sense that Shit happens and you move on
I am still in the process of trying to find the success part of owning a Home based  Business but I welcome the Lessons and I will learn from them.
If I have learned anything from my Parents, It is you keep striving and do what you Love everything will fall in it's place.
I hope all have a Blessed Day 
God Bless Julicia

Why I Blog??

Well It must Be a eclipse or something because it's the 3rd blog post I did this week AMEN! And I would like to contribute this to my Networking Friends
Every single one says you need to Blog!! Social Media is the way for business to Prosper in this new age of Computer connectivity. So I have one But Its still in the beginning stages of where I want it to Go. I want it to be more about How I do my creations and show my process and maybe alittle about my personal struggles as a Stay at Home Mom of 4 who's trying to make a Home based Business Thrive. But For now its more about my Struggles and how I plan on overcoming them. I have Plans on starting some videos on my working process and show some of my work area and how I actually make some of my stuff.
I think if folks see that its Not so easy to create One-of a Kind Leather Jewelry they would appreciate it more and be more likely to Buy something (that's my theory anyway) Now I just need to come up with Ideas on how to actually do this without paying someone to do it for me, Cause you did notice I have a husband,4 Kids and 5 dogs To feed and care for and That is not Cheap. So I am all about doing things for Free . I am the Bargain Hunter and Coupon queen.
Just wish I had a Good Video camera, so I will be asking some friends if they have one to lend me for a week or so. Also need to come up with script ideas and Layout and a plan on how the videos should flow and so on. Then the editing thing has me alittle worried I have No Idea or concept on how to do this..
Here's to another Glorious Day and to a better one tomorrow
god Bless,Julicia  www.juliciascreations.com

Things are always Changing

Well as you see I didn't post yesterday as promised. Life has a way of always reminding us we must always adapt and change or get Run over. Woke up in a Bad Mood (didn't sleep well) Its amazing How sleep can effect our day and how we are functioning. So I over slept, felt tired and lazy. so since it was a late start I was playing catchup all day. Then 3 of my dogs dug out again and I spent about 2 hours Looking for them, filling the Hole and shoveling about 10 wheel barrels full of rocks along fence line,My back is a Mess to say the Least!
The day just escaped me and the next thing I know its 10 pm and all I wanted to do was Go to bed. But I didn't, I stuck it out and did some of My leather work and cleaned up dinner mess, then me and Davian read a Dino Book while I watched a little TV. Tucked Davi to bed and Off I went, Took some Tylenol PM and I was in LA LA land. So Now is a New Day for me to keep on track and just keep on moving and going forward and forget about what I didn't accomplish the day before. My Plan : Get the Christmas stuff finally back in the shed, I have the Boxes everywhere. Mail out my orders, Create some new stuff, and I think I am going to a New Networking Group tonight its for woman only. I think I need some Grown up time and do some meet and greet with some New Ladies Trying to Do the same thing as me. Here's to a New day to start things Fresh and hopefully a Productive one.
Have a Glorious and Blessed Day
God Bless

Julicia's Creations: Making the Time

Julicia's Creations: Making the Time: "Well Its another Monday Yay!!! Its 8:30 am and all the kids are in school and Davian is still asleep. Its nice and quiet and I can hear my T..."

Making the Time

Well Its another Monday Yay!!! Its 8:30 am and all the kids are in school and Davian is still asleep. Its nice and quiet and I can hear my Thoughts so I am writing.Today is the start of being more Productive and making the time to do what I need to do. And what is that you ask? Well a great question, As I am a stay at Home Mom Of 4 and trying to Pursue a Home based Business. I am really my own boss and only answer to me and God, what is it I need to do? Well I am having a hard time doing  a schedule of  Mommy duty and Business duty.Especially when I don't actually have an Office where I can close the door and just work without being called on. So I think I will have to make my Business hours from like 6am to 3pm and since Davian My 4 yr old is a Very easy Guy to have around and Daddy's Home during the Day, He is taken care of. So what is it I need to do during my " Business hours" Lets see I check my emails, my work ones and Personal ones, Facebook personal and work pages, Pay bills home and business, Post my Blog, and also find venues to sell my stuff either Fairs and festivals or my online shops. I seriously need to add more items to sell which means alot of posting, typing,photos and etc... Then I have alot of Ideas just bouncing in my Head I need to get down on paper and start creating.  That is a process in its self. After I have my ideas down  I check to see if other place online have similar items and research price points and viability of it actually selling. What? Viability of selling? well that's just big words for : I ask my family and friends their opinions of what I'm thinking and I go from there. Then after that I do samples and depending on what it is it can be a day of Prepping, a day of Creating then a day or 2 to finish. Then presto its an actual Item I can touch and see. So Now I am focused and I am ready to start creating.
My plan is to clean my work area get it organized this morning and start doing leather this afternoon.  and I actually have some orders I need to get ready to mail for tomorrow. so This is My Post for Monday January 10th and I WILL have one for Tuesday beacause I am Making it a Part of my business hours!
Well God Bless and Have a Glorious and Productive Day
Julicia Hernandez

New Year, New Start

Happy New Year!! Another year down and I am Blessed I had my Parents and nieces over for the Holidays. Had a Great 2 weeks with my Mom and 2 nieces and the kids had even a better time hanging with their cousins and Abuela.
When they left it was so Quiet!! Just shows how much fun you miss when you don't live close to your Family.
Well A New Year and a New Start. I have been trying to figure out how I can have a year where I make money instead of Lose it. Having a Home based business Is really frustrating sometimes when you work hard making products and Countless hours Creating products for Craft Fairs and You Barely make enough to pay for your Booth. Then try explaining it to Your Spouse Who just thinks its a waste of time in the first place, I pray I don't hear it Again and try to justify what I'm trying to do. What is a Girl to do? I have this need to accomplish something besides being an awesome Mom, I feel sometimes I am not fulfilled. I'm missing out on something, I'm not being true to Me, My Creative Soul. But I am lost as to How I can accomplish this. I have LOTS of Ideas, Plans and Designs I want to do but as the day passes I find myself at the end of the night laying in Bed Saying Oh Damn!! And I missed another day to accomplish something that was not on Mommy Duty. So this year I plan on Changing this, I have always made list for the kids so they know what they need to do and by when. So I will have one For Me. I plan on Writing every idea,design, Plan in a Notebook. If I see it its more accountable. I have all these Ideas,Plans,designs rattling in my head its overwhelming sometimes and its just pushed off and forgotten. No More!!, as soon as I have an Idea I am writing it down. This will be something I can use for my To Do List and Make me accountable and in the end I plan on Finishing tasks.I hope this can be a Step in making me a Profit generating Business and still enjoy being a Creative soul plus still being a Awesome Mom.
Well here's to a Successful start to A Great New Year
God Bless, Julicia