Snowflakes: Or My Love/Hate Relationship with Seasonal Jewelry

Every year I have really good intentions of working and designing ahead of the seasons so that I am fully prepared and stocked when each new season arrives.  Have I ever actually accomplished that feat?  or anything even remotely close to it?  Nope.  Not once.

Seriously, I buy things early (sometimes even on sale at the end of that particular season in hopes of being ahead of the game next year).  For instance, I stocked up on a ton of great art beads in yummy autumn colors at Beadfest Philadelphia this summer.  Those gorgeous beads are languishing in my bead box waiting for next year at this point.  Then there was the time I bought a bunch of great ceramic snowflake pendants on sale from Tracee Dock at The Classic Bead in early spring.  Did I use them the next year?  Nope.  The year after?  Maybe one.  Winters have come and gone, and those sweet little snowflakes have just kept sitting.

I honestly don't know what my damage is with seasonal items.  It's like my brain just throws up a road block to creativity saying "I'm not ready for the next season... live in the now!"  I just want to make whatever I want to make all year round!

With my Holiday Open House coming up this weekend, I'm finally setting some of my snowflake collection free!  While I'm still not managing to create ahead of the season, I am at least making some winter-inspired jewelry.  And since winter is just getting started here in Minnesota (and will keep us firmly in its icy grip until the end of March at least) I'm feeling like this is pretty good for me.  Here are all the snowflake designs I've managed to make in the last few days.  All but one of the focals are from The Classic Bead.

Am I the only one with this seasonal design disorder?  I'd love to hear from you... do you successfully design ahead of the new season?  Or are you always playing make up like me?  Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!