This Years New Idea 2023

 I probably should have posted this new idea sooner, as it is now almost October again and the likelihood I will be able to find more stems long enough to make more large wands is somewhat slim.  I am still weaving lavender wands, 2500 so far this season!  I aim to hit a grand total of 25,000 wands soon.  Of course breaking my wrist during the pandemic set me back a ways on that goal.  And then the drought in California.

  But we had plenty of rain last winter and the lavender soaked it all up.  I was able to make more large wands than usual.  Almost all of them are in the purples though, as those colors are the best sellers.  The demand for purples is so high that it wasn't until mid-August that I was able to start making all of the other colors and the new idea you see here.

  At first I was just thinking red, white, and blue and thought the blue looked best when it was first.  Then I realized that is the French flag, not the USA flag.  So of course I then had to make them in the red, white, and blue sequence.

  If you want a set, you've got about a week before it will be impossible to make more until next July of 2024!

New Idea For 2022

 Every year I try out a new idea to see if people will be interested.  Sometimes I am certain that people are going to love something as much as I do.  Like when I made lavender filled sock dolls with embroidered faces and crocheted lace caps.  I loved making those!  But the internet is all about the search, and if people do not know something exists, then they do not search for it and the item never shows up for them.

So I wound up giving most of those away.  And sadly, the same thing happened when I made lavender filled pendants by making tiny lavender wands and adding charms to turn them into necklaces.  Like the sockdolls, everyone who saw them in person loved them.  But also like the sockdolls, no one knew they existed so they didn't search for them.

Ah, the downside of only selling on e-commerce platforms.  Selling in person or in "brick and mortar" shops is very expensive and time consuming.  The commision on selling in a gift shop people can walk into is only 40%.  If an artist or craftsperson or maker spends too much time marketing or trying to drum up interest, then they lose.  They lose time they could be making more items or art.  And if they factor that time into the cost of their items, no one would be able to afford to buy said items.

Okay, riff over.

This years new idea was inspired by the drought here in California.  In a normal year, using over 45,000 stems of fresh lavender, I can make over 3,000 lavender wands.  Of which about 150 will be the huge size (over 14" long) and about 500 will be the large size (12" long).  This year I was only able to make 19 huge wands and about 95 large wands!!  Even though we irrigated and fed the lavender bushes, the bushes "knew" there was no water in the surrounding soil and cut back on the length of the stems they grew.  The result of which the majority of the stems are not even long enough to make a small wand (8" long).  

To make even a small eight inch wand, the stem has to be at least ten inches long.

What to do!?

Well, if I wrap the stems, then I can use nice fat flower buds on short stems and add them to a few of the stems which are long enough.

What do you think??

The cool thing about wrapping the stems like this is that the wrap can be different colors and in the case of the ivory ribbon, the ribbon used to tie the bow on the end can by any color I want.

Last, but certainly not least, I made some lavender wands in honor of the Ukrainian army and how hard they are fighting to protect their country.  I just haven't figured out a way to get them to them that feels legit.  I want them to be able to give them to their loved ones or to the people they meet when they free up a town.  I will let you know if I find a way.  Shipping directly to Ukraine is far too expensive for me right now.  I am hoping to be able to mail them to a legit non-profit that has people going there and can take them with them.  

Is It Summer Yet?

 The new crop of lavender is growing really fast this year!  It is only the end of May 2022 and a few flowers have already opened and there is a wonderful blue/lavender blush to all the long stems.  Hinting at the coming blooms. 

  I think I might be able to begin making new wands at least a week or more sooner than the usual last week of June!

  Meanwhile, for those who need some lavender right now, I would be happy to send you a set of my Jacquard ribboned large wands as I still have a few left.  Visit my Pedricks on Etsy shop and take a look at all of the beautiful Jacquard ribbons I use.  Many are vintage, so I can only make one or two of each one.  Write me there if you are interested in stocking your gift shop and we can discuss a discount.

Am I The Only One Who Had Covid-19 Fuz Brain?

 I cannot believe I forgot about this new color last fall, it's called Regal Purple and I wound up finding this ribbon when my normal supplier of double sided satin ribbon kept sending me Plum Purple everytime I ordered regular Purple.  So I went in search of a different supplier.  This ribbon costs me four times as much, but at least they have the colors I need!

Working On New Website Banner

     I have been thinking a great deal about how I want to go forward this year.  The goal has always been to have a three fold year.  With fuchsias in the spring, lavender in the summer, and art in the winter.  So I've been doing a bit of art and today I was trying to decide which piece to incorporate into the new banner which would reflect my revamped goals of Fuchsias, Art, and Lavender.

     What do you think?

   There was something about the flicker that made me pick him.  But I reminded myself that I can always change it again!

Winter Bloomers

Here it is February 2021 and these winter warriors are still blooming out in the cold of zond 9b.

If All Goes Well, Fuchsias Will Be The Focus This Year

  

     If all goes well, then this just might be the year that I am able to finally get all of my fuchsia stock growing well enough to make and grow cuttings from all of them.  For the last ten years, all I've been able to do is pretty much just try to keep them alive while I worked jobs and grew lavender to raise funds for the fuchsias. 

    Selling lavender has proved to be a huge waste of time now that all e-commerce sites have become all about what thousands are searching for and one of a kind or unusual items few people know about are lost completely.  I have had to waste far too much time trying to get my lavender wands noticed.  So much time that in the end, I don't make any money on it.  In fact I lose money after all of the fees, shipping, advertising, etc.

    I do love growing lavender and using it to make all sorts of things.  But practically everyone with a lavender bush or two sells lavender sachets.  Which is why I have always made a practice of just giving them away along with every invoice.  

    So from now on, I will make a few lavender wands in the summer, as it is something I hope to continue to be able to do way past my retirement when that day comes.  I have always hoped my lavender wands would be established enough by then that I could depend on them for a bit of extra income by then.

    The focus this year must be growing blooming perennials such as fuchsias.  I do love fuchsias and it has always been my hope to preserve as many of the upright heirloom hybrids as possible.  

    Meanwhile, I do hope that the lavender will sell itself somehow and redeem itself by paying off the funds invested in that effort and maybe even help fund growing the fuchsias.

    The fuchsia shown above is 'Annabel' and is in full bloom right now in mid-January of 2021.  She is benefiting from the radiant heat of one of the windows here and I can see her from my desk.  Along with about 15 other varieties I have put on a shelf high enough to be even with the window.

    And of course this also means I get to watch the hummingbirds up close while I am working on my computer!  Even a Ruby Crowned Kinglet has come by to look under each leaf for insects.

    All of the streptocarpus are doing well too and I hope to begin making cuttings of the ones I chose to keep as stock plants.